Are you on a mission to eat healthier this spring? Meal plans help make eating nutritiously more manageable and to ensure your creating dishes everyone in the family will like, having their input on the weekly meal plan is essential.
Creating a menu of different flavors and varied foods everyone agrees on begins with versatile ingredients like dairy. Delicious, nutritious recipes featuring yogurt, cheese and milk can nourish both body and soul.
For example, the key dairy ingredients in these recipes from Milk Means More provide essential nutrients for a healthy diet. The cheese varieties in Feta Roasted Salmon and Tomatoes and 15-Minute Weeknight Pasta provide vitamin B12 for healthy brain and nerve cell development and are a good source of calcium and protein, which are important for building and maintaining healthy bones.
The recipes below are both delicious and nutritious, and the salmon can easily be swapped out with halibut for a more delicate flavor.
Feta Roasted Salmon and Tomatoes
Recipe courtesy of Marcia Stanley, MS, RDN, Culinary Dietitian, on behalf of Milk Means More
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or dried dill weed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper, divided
- 1-1/2 pounds salmon fillet, cut into 4-serving size pieces
- 1 cup crumbled geta cheese (4 ounces)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Prepare your pan by lining a 18-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan with foil. Lightly spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
- In medium bowl, toss tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, oregano or dill weed, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Place fish pieces, skin side down, on one side of prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining pepper. Lightly press feta cheese on top of fish. Pour tomato mixture on other side of prepared pan. Bake, uncovered, 12-15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with fork.
- Place salmon on serving plates. Spoon tomato mixture over top.
15-Minute Weeknight Pasta
Recipe courtesy of Kirsten Kubert of “Comfortably Domestic” on behalf of Milk Means More
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 6 quarts water
- 16 ounces linguine or penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 cup sweet bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup smoked provolone cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional
- Parmesan cheese, optional
Directions
- Bring water to rolling boil and prepare pasta according to package directions for al dente texture, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
- In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in onions, carrots and sweet bell peppers. Sauté vegetables for about 5 minutes, or until they brighten in color and begin to soften. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and garlic. Cook and stir 1 minute to allow tomatoes to release juices.
- Pour reserved pasta water into skillet, stirring well. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings, as desired.
- Transfer drained pasta to skillet along with lemon zest and smoked provolone cheese, tossing well to coat. Serve immediately with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
To find more nutritious meal ideas to fuel your family’s health goals, visit MilkMeansMore.org.
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