I used to hear that dietitians can't cook. That was a saying that a chef where I was doing my internship said. I never argued with him because he could make some recipes and dishes that were so delicious that it thoroughly intimidated me with my 'skills.'
However, today, I would probably take the time to make another argument with this chef. Dietitians know about nutrition and how to help people make changes. I have the confidence now to be able to add that dietitians can take a chef's artwork in the kitchen and make their dishes into more healthy choices that taste delicious and are good for you.
The recipe that I prepared is from the SparkPeople website.
Quinoa - Black Bean Casserole
Minutes to prepare - 10 minutes
Minutes to cook - 30 minutes
Number of servings - 8
Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa
3 cups cooked black beans or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed
2 large sweet potatoes, shredded
1 cup low fat cheddar cheese
1 TBSP cumin
Liberal pinches of salt and pepper
2 eggs
1 cup of salsa
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, for garnish
Tips
Reprinted from The SparkPeople Cookbook: Love Your Food, Lose The Weight (c) 2011 by SparkPeople, Inc.
I cooked up a batch of dried beans that I seasoned with onions, garlic, spinach leaves, and a beef flavored bouillon. If you use canned beans, you might need more spices. Serve this with steamed broccoli or wilted spinach and a dollop of light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare a 9” x 9” casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In a large bowl, mix together the quinoa, black beans, sweet potato, 1⁄2 cup of the cheese, and the cumin, salt, and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs and the salsa. Pour the salsa mixture over the quinoa-bean mixture, then pour everything into the prepared casserole dish. 3. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro. Serving size: 1 heaping cup
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 204.5
Total Fat: 3.2 g
Cholesterol: 63.4 mg
Sodium: 315.6 mg
Total Carbs: 31.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 9.1 g
Protein: 13.8 g
To see the dietitian in the kitchen, I have attached the video from YouTube. Hoping that you find the information useful and inspiring for your own kitchen adventures.
Email me and tell me what you think. I would love to hear your comments.
I will say that the dish smells delicious and I can hardly wait to eat some of it.
Here's to the dietitian in the kitchen.
Juanita
