LOUISIANA “PERSONAL BEST” RECIPES

NSGA’s Personal Best initiative inspires lifelong health and fitness with profiles of Senior Games athletes who are successful examples of healthy, active aging. Nutrition is an important component, so NSGA partnered with the Louisiana Senior Olympic Games to ask athletes in bayou country to submit great tasting alternatives to the traditional recipes there that are not always as health-conscious. Alexandra Stafford of Metairie, La. submitted a simple yet elegant recipe, which you will find below. Please read the full Athlete Profile at our Personal Best page.

We are grateful to nationally recognized healthy culinary expert Holly Clegg, a Louisiana chef and author of the award-winning and bell-selling Trim & Terrific cookbook series, for her assistance and expertise with the recipe selection. As a bonus, below you will find three favorite recipes she has generously shared with us. Enjoy!

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By Alexandra Stafford, 2015 Personal Best Athlete

My family loves this dish as it seals in all the flavors and is very light in calories. One can successfully use salmon or other flesh fish as well. I hope you like this easy to do recipe!

Ingredients:

1. 4 – Filets of Gulf drum or your preferred fish (salmon is lovely too)
2. 1 – 12 ounce jar pickled okra (I use Trappey’s)
3. 1 – Large Vidalia onion, chopped or cut in long strips
4. 3 – Lemons, 2 sliced in rounds, 1 cut in wedges
5. Tony Chachere’s Creole Lite seasoning to taste
6. Olive oil, optional
7. Aluminum Foil

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Pull one sheet of aluminum foil for each filet, enough to cover and wrap individually
3. Lay fish on foil sheets. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, onions, lemon and half of a pickled okra, sliced lengthwise. Drizzle with olive oil just to moisten. Seal fish in foil and place on baking pan.
4. Bake 20-25 minutes on middle rack until flaky with fork. Unwrap and drizzle with more fresh squeezed lemon, place on plate and savor with your favorite sides!

Quick Shrimp and Corn Soup

from Gulf Coast Favorites cookbook

No time to cook? Open up cans of corn and tomatoes, and toss in shrimp for this simple yet superb tomato-based soup.

Makes 12 (1-cup) servings

Ingredients:

1. 2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans cream-style corn
2. 2 cups frozen corn
3. 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies
4. 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
5. 2 pounds medium peeled shrimp
6. 1 bunch green onions, chopped

Preparation:

1. In large nonstick pot, combine cream-style corn, corn, tomatoes and green chilies, tomato sauce, until heated.
2. Add shrimp, bring to boil. Lower heat, cook until shrimp is done, 5–7 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions, serve.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 162, Calories from fat (%) 8, Fat (g) 1, Saturated Fat (g) 0, Cholesterol (mg) 112, Sodium (mg) 825, Carbohydrate (g) 24, Dietary Fiber (g) 3, Sugars (g) 6, Protein (g) 15, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 very lean meat

TERRIFIC TIDBIT: This recipe is only 6 ingredients! Just open cans of corn and tomatoes, toss in shrimp for this simple yet superb soup.

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Blackened Fish

from KITCHEN 101 cookbook

Restaurant friendly recipe with no fuss and lots of flavor in this quick dish. Any fresh fish may be used such as grouper, halibut, tilapia, trout or catfish.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1. 2 tablespoons paprika
2. 1 teaspoon chili powder
3. 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4. 1 teaspoon garlic powder
5. 1 teaspoon pepper
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt
7. 1 1/2 pounds fish fillets
8. 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

1. In small bowl or plastic bag, combine all ingredients, except fish. Coat both sides of fish with spice mixture.
2. In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Place fish in hot pan and cook 2-3 minutes on each side.

Tip: Fish is done when center is white and opaque—and no longer translucent.

Nutritional information: Calories 232 Calories from fat 36% Fat 9g Saturated Fat 1g Cholesterol 63mg Sodium 395mg Carbohydrate 3g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 0g Protein 34g Dietary Exchanges: 4 1/2 lean meat

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Crawfish Dip

from Gulf Coast Favorites cookbook

This deliciously zesty crawfish dip is an amazingly diverse recipe that may be used as a casual dip or served over rice for flavor filled meal. With a light tomato white sauce and a touch of heat, this dynamic dip is the perfect crowd pleaser.

Makes 16 (1/4-cup) servings

Ingredients:

1. 2 tablespoons butter
2. 1 tablespoon olive oil
3. 1 cup chopped onion
4. 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
5. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6. 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
7. 1 cup skim milk
8. 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
9. Salt and pepper to taste
10. 1 pound crawfish tails, rinsed and drained
11. 1 bunch green onions, chopped

Preparation:

1. In large nonstick skillet, melt butter and olive oil, sauté onion until tender, 5 minutes. Add garlic and flour into mixture, stirring 1 minute.

Gradually add tomatoes and green chilies and milk, mixing well.

2. Bring mixture to boil. Lower heat, stirring 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add crawfish and green onions, stirring until heated.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 69, Calories from fat (%) 34, Fat (g) 3, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 43, Sodium (mg) 122, Carbohydrate (g) 5, Dietary Fiber (g) 1, Sugars (g) 2, Protein (g) 6, Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 carbohydrate, 1 lean meat

For more Holly Clegg information and recipes, visit www.hollyclegg.com

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Healthy eating habits, along with exercise are the key to a long and rewarding life. So many of us, however, have a hard time knowing what to make and how to make foods that taste great and are great for you. If you have a delicious healthy recipe, then we want you to share it!

All recipes that are posted on the website will also be included in the monthly e-newsletter.