Eat Smart Recipes
Brought to you by the Heart of Hutch
Marinated Zucchini Salad
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper
6 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add
onion and sauté until translucent, 3 minutes. Add
vinegar and sugar and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a non-reactive bowl. Add zucchini and
toss. Let marinate at room temperature 30 minutes.
(To store, cover and refrigerate, up to 8 hours).
Serves 8.
Source: Everyday Food
Tomato-Beet Salad
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Seal 1
pound scrubbed small beets in a foil
packet. Roast on a rimmed baking
sheet until tender, 75 minutes. When
cool, rub beets with a paper towel to
remove skins; slice. Slice 2 pounds of
tomatoes and halve 1 pint cherry
tomatoes, then arrange with beets on a
platter or in a dish. Top with ¼ cup each
crumbled feta, fresh cilantro leaves,
and extra-virgin olive oil; season with
salt and pepper. Serves 4.
Source: Everyday Food
Have You Tried Kohlrabi?
Alice Henneman, MS, RD, UNL Extension Educator
We’re advised to eat more fruits and vegetables daily to promote
good health. Among the recommendations are to eat cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables
several times a week to help reduce the risk of certain cancers such as colon and rectal cancer.
Cruciferous vegetables – other than cabbage – include broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, bok choy,
kale, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts and beet and mustard greens.
One cruciferous vegetable many people may enjoy, but frequently haven’t tried, is kohlrabi. One
cup of raw kohlrabi has only 40 calories and is high in vitamin C. Kohlrabi looks a little like a
creature from outer space (see picture). It is crispy, sweet-tasting and delicate in flavor. It is
somewhat like a cross between cabbage and turnips.
Kohlrabi may be cut into strips and eaten raw. Or, toss it into salads. Stir-frying is another
possibility. Here are a few tips to help you choose and use kohlrabi:
A small or medium sized kohlrabi (under 3 inches in diameter) may be most tender.
Trim the bulb and pare all traces of the fibrous underlayer beneath the skin before eating. Remove
the leaves and store kohlrabi in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper. It may maintain
good quality for about one week.
Making an Olive Oil Salad Dressing
Alice Henneman, MS, RD, UNL Extension Educator
"Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about
2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary
heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil
is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you
eat in a day." ~ Food & Drug Administration qualified health claim for olive oil.
What healthier way to enjoy olive oil than as part of a salad dressing served over a salad filled with
nutritious fruits and vegetables? Here's how to make a basic olive oil dressing using the guidelines
for classic French vinaigrette.
Classic French vinaigrette is typically three to four parts oil (usually extra virgin olive oil) and one
part acid (frequently red wine vinegar). Seasonings include salt, pepper (freshly ground) and often
Dijon mustard and/or garlic. You may be able to use less oil and more acid ingredient if you use
one of the following in your dressing: rice vinegar; white wine vinegar; raspberry, blueberry or
other fruit vinegar; champagne vinegar; lemon, lime or orange juice. Start experimenting by
beginning with two parts oil to one part vinegar or citrus juice.
Plan to use about 1 tablespoon of oil/vinegar dressing per 2 cups of salad. Dress, don't drown,
your salad to keep the calories lower.
Basic Oil/Vinegar Salad Dressing
(Adjust amounts given in table according to personal taste)
Directions: Whisk together vinegar and any additional seasonings. Slowly add olive oil and whisk in.
Or, shake all ingredients together in a small jar with a tight lid. For safety and freshness, serve
homemade dressings the same day you make them.
Amount of ingredients
for YOUR salad
Amount needed for 1
main-dish or 2 side-dish
salads
1-1/2 teaspoons to 1
tablespoon
Amount needed for 2
INGREDIENTS
main-dish or 4 side-dish
salads
1 to 2 tablespoons
Balsamic, red wine or
white wine vinegar, or
lemon juice
TO TASTE
TO TASTE
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons
Extra virgin olive oil
POSSIBLE ADD-INS
1-1/2 teaspoons to 1
1 to 2 tablespoons
Minced shallot
tablespoon
¼ to scant ½ teaspoon
½ to ¾ teaspoon
Dijon-type mustard
Dash of garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon powder
Garlic powder or clove of
OR 1 clove
minced garlic
A pinch or to taste
A pinch or 2 OR to taste Sugar
1-1/2 or more teaspoons
1 or more tablespoons
Chopped fresh herbs