Registered dietitian and chef Michelle Dudash joined us Wednesday to share the latest food and nutrition trends she discovered while recently attending Expo West, a huge natural foods event in sunny California.
Plant-based everything
From vegetable based “seafood” to dairy-free “cheese,” there may have been more plant-based meat and seafood analogues than their real-meat counterparts!
Foods that you could see hitting grocery store shelves soon near you: Current Foods plant-based seafood and Daring Plant Chicken Pieces
To make your own plant-based “cheese,” try this recipe:
Vegan Wonderful Pistachio Cheese Spread
Michelle works with Wonderful Pistachios to help educate about the nutrition and versatility of this tasty snack and recipe ingredient.
Michelle uses Wonderful Pistachios In-Shell No Salt in this recipe.
Wonderful pistachios are a complete source of plant protein, providing all nine essential amino acids. Pistachios are a good source of plant protein and fiber, providing 6 grams plant protein and 3 grams fiber.
About 90% of the fats found in pistachios are unsaturated. This trio of nutrients may help keep you fuller longer.
Low sugar, no sugar, and no sugar added drinks
From no-added-sugar kombucha to caffeinated seltzer waters, low in sugar is not going away anytime soon.
Try this new recipe that contains no added sugar, from POM Wonderful, who Michelle works with.
POM Wonderful Gingery Mojito Mocktail
So refreshing, with lime and ginger.
POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice is a heathy fridge staple and a simple, delicious way to fuel your body with antioxidants, powering antioxidant defenses.
POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice’s antioxidants help fight free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause damage to our bodies over time.
Every bottle of POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice has the juice of whole-pressed pomegranates and nothing else—no fillers, and never any added sugar.
Total time: 60+ minutes
POM Wonderful Gingery Mojito Mocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon pure rum extract (optional)
- 10 fresh mint leaves
- 3/4 cup sparkling/soda water, chilled
Instructions:
Add the pomegranate juice, lime juice, ginger, rum extract (if using), and mint leaves to a shaker container or 1 1/2- to 2-cup capacity jar. Shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds.
Pour into two 2-cup capacity jars or tall glasses filled with ice, add the sparkling/soda water, and serve.
Contains 70 calories per serving
Mushrooms in unexpected places
Dried mushrooms could be seen in everything from mushroom coffee to mushroom snack crisps to mushroom jerky. Mushrooms contain some health benefits, like vitamin D when exposed to UV light.
Savory Vegan Wonderful Pistachios Cheese Bites
- 1 cup Wonderful Pistachios In-Shell No Salt pistachios, shelled (about 1/2 cup of pistachio kernels)
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/2 lemon, zested
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 50 grapes
- 1 heaping cup Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Lightly Salted, crushed
Method:
- Place the No Salt pistachios and sunflower seeds in a food-safe container and cover with cold water by 2″ to 3″. Put the lid on the container and move it to the refrigerator to soak for a minimum of 12 hours (maximum of 36 hours).
- Drain nuts and seeds, discard the soaking water, and transfer to a food processor along with the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, water, nutritional yeast, salt, and olive oil. Process until very creamy and smooth, scraping down sides. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Line a fine mesh strainer with two layers of cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Scoop all the pureed nut mixture into the cheesecloth and twist to secure. Place in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 6 hours) to set.
Cheese will keep up to five days in the refrigerator or 30 days in the freezer.
Serving suggestion: Wrap chilled cheese around a grape and roll in crushed Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Lightly Salted. Place on a toothpick and enjoy! NOTE: You will need about 1 teaspoon cheese for each grape and about 1 teaspoon crushed pistachios to cover the cheese.
Cook time: 15 minutes
Mother’s Day Dinner at Home
If you’re looking to treat mom with an extra special homemade dinner, chef Michelle Dudash has the recipes for you!
1. What’s on the menu
Pan-Seared Lamb Chops with Curry Sauce
Aromatic Orzo
Simple Green Salad with Cucumber and Lemon-Mint Vinaigrette
First, you need a good piece of meat. For something different, you can use lamb chops or even make a rack of lamb if you really want to wow mom.
If mom prefers beef, opt for a good-quality steak, like tenderloin, New York strip, or a flat iron steak sliced thin.
2. How to Make Michelle’s Spicekick® Curry Sauce:
A good sauce can take the meal to the next level and look restaurant-quality. Michelle’s Spicekick Curry does the seasoning for you. Her Spicekick Curry is gluten-free and contains no added sugar. She relies on herbs, spices, and aromatics for flavor–not salt as the first ingredient.
3. How to Make Michelle’s Aromatic Orzo
While orzo looks like rice, it is a pasta shape. Boil it in salted water according to package directions until al dente, then drain, and add broth or cream and seasoning. Michelle reserves a bit of the cooking water and adds a splash of chicken broth and 1-3 teaspoons, to taste, of her Spicekick Tuna Salad seasoning mix to flavor the orzo.
Perfect pairings: Serve with refreshing crisp salad with cucumber and mint vinaigrette. This salad is from Michelle’s book The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook.
If you’re looking for a thoughtful gift for the mom who loves to cook, consider ordering Michelle’s special Mother’s Day Spice Gift Box at Spicekick.com, or pickup single packets of Michelle’s Spicekick seasoning at any of these stores around Indy:
- Joe’s Butcher Shop and Seafood Market (Carmel)
- Kincaid’s Butcher Shop (Indianapolis and Fishers)
- Turchetti’s (Indianapolis)
- Safeway of Indianapolis (N. Illinois St. location)
- The Wine Guy at Grapevine Cottage (Zionsville)
- Goose the Market (Indianapolis)
- Broccoli Bill’s (Carmel)
- Market Wagon (online)
Chef Michelle Dudash’s Pan-Seared Lamb Chops with Spicekick® Curry Sauce Recipe
For the Spicekick Curry Sauce:
- 1 Spicekick® Curry seasoning mix
- 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
- 1 (13-oz) can coconut milk (or coconut cream for a thicker consistency)
- Fresh chopped herbs, such as mint, parsley, or chives
For the lamb:
- 4 servings lamb chops (4 large or 8 small)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cooking oil, like canola or avocado oil
To make the Spicekick Curry Sauce:
Heat a small-medium sauce pan on medium heat (no oil). Pour in the Curry seasoning and toast until aromatic and nutty smelling, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and stir for about 1 minute, reducing heat if needed. Pour in the coconut milk and whisk until smooth. Simmer on low for a few minutes and hold on the lowest temperature while the lamb cooks.
To make the lamb:
Pat the lamb dry, if needed, then season the lamb on all sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a large sauté pan or skillet on medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil. When the oil is shimmering, place the lamb in the pan, pressing the centers down gently so that it makes good contact with the pan. Brown, about 5 minutes. Turn and brown the other sides until cooked medium rare, about 130 degrees F with an internal thermometer.
Ladle the sauce onto a plate, scoop the cooked orzo on top, and top with the lamb. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, parsley, or chives.
More info: visit Spicekick.com
SIMPLE GREEN SALAD WITH TOMATOES, CUCUMBERS, AND LEMON-MINT VINAIGRETTE
This salad was a staple served at most large family gatherings at my grandma Helen’s while I was growing up. The light acidity of this salad balances perfectly with meats, dips, and seafood. My cousin Jenn has kept our Lebanese family’s tradition going by preparing it every time I visit. My grandma always used iceberg lettuce, but my cousin and I zhuzh it up with other greens. Toss only the amount of salad you’ll need in one sitting with the vinaigrette, to maintain crispness.
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons [30 ml])
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
FOR THE SALAD:
- 4 to 5 cups (220 to 275 g) torn or chopped Bibb or romaine lettuce (or use an Italian blend mix)
- 1 medium tomato, diced or sliced and quartered
- 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced (about ¾ cup [89 g])
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make the vinaigrette: In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients and shake. To make the salad: In a bowl, combine the lettuce, tomato, and cumber. Drizzle the dressing over the greens. Season with an additional pinch of salt, to taste, and pepper. Toss evenly and gently.
Recipe Note The vinaigrette makes enough for about two extra servings of salad. Therefore, you can either bulk up the salad recipe a bit or reserve the vinaigrette for other dishes, like seafood.
TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES • YIELD: 4 SERVINGS, 1 CUP (60 G) EACH (WITH 1 TEASPOON VINAIGRETTE) PER SERVING: 80 CALORIES, 4 G CARBOHYDRATE (2 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 2 G NET CARBS), 1 G PROTEIN, 7 G FAT, 80 MG SODIUM.
By Michelle Dudash, RDN, from the book Clean Eating Kitchen: The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health
For more information, visit michelledudash.com.
