Eating right is important to staying at a healthy weight and keeping an energy balance, the balance between the calories in what you eat and drink, and calories you burn when moving. The best way to make sure you have energy balance is to make better choices before you or your family sit down to eat. Make sure you cook smart, choose foods low in fat, eat smaller portions and watch your calories.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that eating right means giving up on taste. Take this fun jambalaya recipe for a spin:
Jumpin’ Jambalaya
14 ounces low-fat turkey kielbasa
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
Nonstick cooking spray
1 medium celery stalk, chopped
2 small onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small bunch green onions, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 14-½-ounce can of diced tomatoes, no salt added
1-½ cups uncooked brown rice
4 cups water
2 cubes, low-sodium chicken bouillon
1 bay leaf
1-½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Wash chicken and pat dry. Cut the chicken breast and kielbasa into 1-inch chunks. Spray a medium-sized pan with nonstick cooking spray. Brown the sausage and chicken over medium heat, and then remove from the pan. Add the next 6 ingredients to the same pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Put the cooked meat back into the pot; add the rice, water, chicken bouillon cubes, bay leaf and cayenne pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for about 50 minutes or until the water is evaporated. Stir in parsley and serve warm. Serves 9
Calories 250, total fat 4 g, saturated fat 1 g, cholesterol 53 mg, sodium 531 mg, total fiber 5 g, protein 22 g, carbohydrates 31 g, potassium 427 mg
Cooking tips: If you use instant brown rice, you’ll cut down on cooking time.
