Healthy Meals at the Holiday Table

As the holidays draw near and family gatherings are planned, it’s time to start thinking about menus that will create special memories. Festive meals can often mean added calories and fat, so here are some tips to prepare distinctive, healthy dishes incorporating whole grains.

Whole grains are beneficial for everyone, including healthy people, and especially for those with diabetes, trying to lose weight, or with high cholesterol or high blood pressure. They also keep you feeling full, which means less temptation around those sweet treats.

Whole Grains for the Holidays

* Salad Spin: Use whole grain rice in marinated grain salads.
* Stuff Your Vegetables: Use whole grain rice as a base for stuffed vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, portabella mushrooms, eggplant, tomatoes and artichokes.
* Quiche with a Twist: To make a lower fat quiche, use brown rice for the crust instead of a regular pie crust.
* Perfect Pilaf: Cook brown rice in low-sodium broth and add toasted nuts and dried fruit.
* Don’t Forget Dessert: Make creamy rice pudding with whole grain rice for a tasty dessert.

For families looking for alternatives to traditional stuffing and potatoes, Uncle Ben’s makes sitting down to a healthy holiday dinner easy with its Long Grain & Wild Rice varieties, which are low fat and high in flavor. Made with whole grains, they also are filled with essential fiber, minerals and vitamins. For more holiday recipes and information, visit UncleBens.com.

For a heart healthy meal that’s delicious and nutritious, try serving the following recipe this holiday season, made with Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice.

Heart Healthy Long Grain & Wild Rice Stuffed Chicken Roulades with Cranberry Sauce

Difficulty Level: Moderate
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 52 minutes
Makes: Four servings, each serving equal to one chicken roulade with 3 tablespoons cranberry sauce

Ingredients for the Roulades:
4      4-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4- inch thickness
1/4     teaspoon salt
1/4     teaspoon black pepper
1     6-ounce package Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice, prepared according to package instructions, omitting butter or oil
1     tablespoon olive oil

Ingredients for the Cranberry Sauce:
1     cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2     cup orange juice
1/4     cup water
2     tablespoons brown sugar plus 1 teaspoon
1     teaspoon corn starch
1/4     teaspoon fresh orange zest

Instructions:

Place each pounded chicken breast out on a cutting board and spread with 1/3 cup rice, leaving a 1/4-inch border all around the edge. Tightly roll up each chicken breast, starting with the short side, and secure the ends with a toothpick.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken roulades to pan and cook, rotating for 5 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove roulades from pan and place on a small sheet pan lined with foil.  Bake 15 minutes or until cooked through.

While roulade bakes, prepare sauce. Place cranberries, juice, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to low, cover pan, and simmer until most cranberries have burst, about 12 minutes. Combine cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water and add to sauce; stir well. Simmer sauce for 1-2 minutes until thickened and press cranberries slightly to mash. Remove from heat and add orange zest.

To serve, remove toothpicks from roulades and cut the roulades horizontally into 3-4 slices. Top the roulades with cranberry sauce.

Nutrition Information (per serving):
Calories: 306; Fat: 7 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Cholesterol: 89 mg; Carbohydrates: 24 grams; Dietary Fiber: 2 grams; Protein: 34 grams; Vitamin C: 30% DV

Courtesy of Family Features
Source: Uncle Ben’s