Ham and Lentil Stew

This recipe is from Pillsbury.  Because of the lentils, this is another good cholesterol lowering recipe and a great way to sneak dried beans into your diet.

3 Cup Cooked Ham, Diced
2 Cup Celery, Chopped
2 Cup Carrot, Chopped
2 Cup Lentils
1 Large Onion, Chopped
2 Can Chicken Broth
4 Cup Water

In 3-1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover; cook on low setting for 7 to 9 hours.

Salmon Fillets in Chicken Broth

Here’s another great cholesterol-lowering recipe.  Salmon is good for cholesterol levels, and I modify this recipe to use oat bran instead of flour.  The recipe as written uses red wine, which would also be good for cholesterol, but I sub more chicken broth for the wine since we don’t like the taste.  This recipe comes from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.


2 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
4 Ea Salmon Fillets (about 6 Ounces Each), Skinned, With Pin Bones Removed
Flour (For Dredging)
Salt
Black Pepper, Fresh Ground
1 Medium Onion, Diced
1 Teaspoon Garlic, Minced
1 Medium Carrot, Peeled And Roughly Chopped
1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley, Minced
1/4 Cup Broth (Fish, Chicken, Or Vegetable)
1 Cup Red Wine (Dry, Full-Bodied), Optional

Heat a large skillet, preferably non-stick, over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes.  Add the butter and oil, turn the heat to high, and wait for the butter foam to subside.  Dredge each of the fillets in the flour and shake off the excess.  Place them, flesh side down, in the skillet.  Season with salt and pepper and brown them quickly, on one side only.  Remove them (browned side up) from the pan to a plate, and keep warm.

With the heat on medium, add the onion, garlic, and carrot to the pan and cook, stirring, until the onion softens slightly, about 5 minutes.  Add half the parsley and some salt and pepper and stir.  Add the broth, raise the heat to high, and reduce until it is almost evaporated.

Add the wine and reduce by about half.  Return the fillets to the pan, skin side down, and cook over medium heat until the fillets reach the desired degree of doneness (peek inside with a thin-bladed knife), about 3 to 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve immediately.

Morning Glory Muffins

This is a popular recipe, available all over the internet.  Mine is slightly modified, though.  When dh had high cholesterol, the doctor recommended a particular cholesterol-lowering plan that relied primarily on increasing soluble fiber intake to help lower cholesterol.  So these muffins use oat bran instead of flour, olive oil instead of butter, brown sugar or molasses instead of white sugar–I think those are the only changes.  He was supposed to eat three muffins a day in order to get the right amount of oat bran.

2 Cups Oat Bran                                                  

1/2 Cup Raisins                                               

1 Cup Sugar (Or Brown Sugar or Molasses)                                                   

2 Tsp Baking Soda                                        

2 Tsp Cinnamon                                           

1/2 Tsp Salt                                                 

2 Carrots, Grated                                         

1 Apple, Green Grated 
1/2 Cup Almonds (or Pecans), Sliced or Chopped
3 Eggs (or Egg Whites or Egg Substitute)            
2/3 Cup Olive Oil            
2 Tsp Vanilla

Soak raisins in hot water to cover for 30 minutes; drain thoroughly. Preheat oven to 350. Mix oat bran, sugar, soda, cinnamon & salt in bowl. Stir in raisins, carrots, apple, almonds. Beat eggs with oil & vanilla to blend. Stir into oat bran mixture until just combined. Divide into muffin cups. Bake until golden brown & tested, 20 – 22 minutes.  (Watch the baking time.  Oat bran burns easily.)  Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.