Healthy Pleasures

            A few warm days here in Midcoast Maine have us thinking optimistically about spring. It means shedding our bulky sweaters only to discover that some of the bulk accumulated during winter does not shed as easily.  Time to think of paring down some of the substantial meals we have enjoyed all winter with the excuse of having to stay warm against the wind and the snow.

            In case we have missed all the imprecations to healthy eating habits from nutritionists and everyone in the health field, we are reminded to do so once more by the current National Nutrition Month.  The upcoming community forum entitled “Get your Plate in Shape” on March 29^th at the Second Congregational Church in Newcastle inspired me to look at some of my favorite recipes with a healthy eating goal in mind.

            Fish has been touted as one of our healthy meal choices not only because of the lean quality of protein, but also as a source of omega-3 fatty acids. Living in Maine, fresh fish is one of the local pleasures in food with haddock, hake and salmon in plentiful supply and halibut and cod available as well. And yet, any nutritionist will tell you that deep frying a fish in batter, tasty as it may sound, is not a healthy choice. The lean choice of broiling fish may be healthier, but lacks much in taste appeal unless you baste the fish with a bit of butter or soy sauce.

            One of my favorite healthy fish recipes has evolved from an old recipe by Craig Clairborne, from days long ago when he wrote for the NY Times. The age of the original recipe can be dated from the fact that flounder then was about 50 cents a pound and he had no qualms in using a half a cup of butter in the recipe. Here is my slimmed down version for haddock or hake.

                                    Piquant haddock or hake

            Cut 1 lb of fish in 4 pieces. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with butter flavored baking spray, sprinkle with 1-2 Tblsp. of dry bread crumbs and lay the fish on top in a single layer. In a small bowl mix together: 1 Tblsp. wine vinegar, 1 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tblsp. lemon juice, 2 Tblsp. melted butter or olive oil, ½ tsp. salt, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, dash of Tabasco, ¼ cup vegetable or chicken broth. Pour this over the fish and sprinkle with paprika. Bake in a 450 degree oven about 15 minutes, basting the fish with the liquid once during that time.

            Discussions of healthy eating always include vegetables, oats and nuts. This may be my excuse for even considering cookies in a healthy diet. However, the recipe below contains all those ingredients (and more) and the cookies passed the palatability test with flying colors by my graduate students, who regularly demolished a plate of them at seminars many years ago.

                                    Oatmeal-carrot-raisin and nut chews

            This makes about 5 dozen cookies, so the recipe can be halved.

Beat 2 room temperature sticks of butter with 1 cup brown sugar (packed) until fluffy, then beat in 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla. In another bowl combine 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. nutmeg, ¼ tsp. cloves, ½ tsp. salt. Add this to the butter mixture and blend. Stir in 2 ½ cups uncooked oatmeal, 2 cups shredded carrots, ¾ cup raisins, ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop cookie mixture with a teaspoon on parchment lined baking sheets and bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool and store in a tight container.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)