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Eating Healthy: Four Healthy Menus That Are Good and Good for You!

While many of us appreciate fine cuisine, we also have an eye towards our waistline. Occasionally, we may indulge in the decadent dessert or the rich entrée. However, for the most part, we try to be conscious of eating healthy. Fortunately, these two desires don't have to be in opposition to each other. With our healthy menus, we can all enjoy good food without sacrificing taste.

Hawaiian Style Beef Stir-Fry
If you are looking to prepare a light, savory summer dish, try our healthy beef stir-fry!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp pineapple juice 
• 1 tbsp oyster-flavored sauce
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 1/2-2 tsp garlic powder
• 4 tsp canola oil, divided
• 12 oz beef top sirloin, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/4-in strips
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 large onion, slivered (1 1/2-2 cups)
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
• 2 c of Rice
• 1 lb broccoli florets (about 4 cups).

Directions:

1. Start cooking the rice with boiler or rice cooker. 
2. Mix together the broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, pineapple juice, oyster sauce, vinegar and garlic powder in a small bowl.
3. Heat two teaspoons of oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat. 
4. Add the beef and stir-fry until browned. 
5. Remove from wok or skillet and place on plate.
6. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the wok or non-stick skillet, along with the ginger, onion, bell pepper, broccoli. 
7. Pour in the sauce mixture. Stir-fry ¼-cup broth. 
8. Cover and cook until the vegetables are crisp and tender. 
9. Cook while stirring until the sauce becomes thick and translucent. 
10. Put the beef in and stir-fry for two minutes, making certain the vegetables have an even coat. 
11. When the rice is ready, plate the meal by laying a bed of rice topped with the stir-fry.

It is best to eat this meal right away. This recipe is a great source of Vitamins C and A, as well as an excellent source of Iron and Fiber.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
This recipe is a fun choice for teaching children how to cook and eat healthy.

Ingredients

1. 4 c whole-wheat flour
2. 4 c all-purpose flour
3. 4 package quick-rising yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
4. 4 tsp salt
5. 2 tsp sugar
6. 3 c hot water (120-130°F)
7. 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.

Directions:

1. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. 
2. Place the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor and mix. 
3. As it mixes, slowly pour the hot water/oil mixture until the dough forms a soft, sticky ball. Should the dough seem dry, add 1 to 2 tbsp warm water. If it is too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. 
4. Mix until the dough forms a ball. Then, knead for 1 minute. 
5. Move the dough to a lightly floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rise before rolling.

This recipe makes either two large or two small pizza bases, depending on how thick you want the crust. It is a healthier alternative to regular pizza dough. As this point, you can build a healthy pizza by layering the dough with tomato sauce, low fat cheeses and vegetables of your choice. The key to keeping this recipe healthy is to go easy on the cheese.

Baja Fish Tacos
Lighten up Mexican dishes with this fish taco recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp taco seasoning 
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 lb mahi-mahi or other firm whitefish fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces 
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 c presliced green cabbage
• 1/2 c chopped green onions
• 1/2 c reduced-fat sour cream
• 8, 6-in corn tortillas.

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. 
2. Combine seasoning, lemon juice and fish. Sauté 5 minutes or until fish is done. 
3. Mix cabbage, onions and sour cream together in a medium bowl. 
4. After you have warmed the tortillas, put a 1/4 cup of cabbage mixture down center of each tortilla. 
5. Place fish evenly among tortillas; fold in half.

The recipe makes four servings of two fish tacos. Serve with salsa and lime wedges.

Cheese-Stuffed Burgers
For those of us who love our burgers, here's a healthy way to reduce the fat and make a meal that is heart-healthy.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) low fat feta
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
• 4 sourdough buns
• 4 spinach-lettuce leaves
• 4(1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
• 4 onion slices.

Directions:

1. Coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place over medium heat until hot. 
2. Combine beef, water and egg white in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. 
3. Divide mixture into 8 equal pieces, shaping into 1/2-inch-thick patties. 
4. Spoon 1 tablespoon cheese into the center of 4 patties. Top with remaining patties. 
5. Press edges together to seal. Heat patties on grill rack coated with cooking spray. 
6. Grill for 4 minutes on each side or until done.
7. Spread 1 tablespoon sour cream over top half of each bun. Assemble 4 burgers with lettuce, tomato, and onions.

A Heart-Healthy Food Lifestyle
Keep in mind that these healthy recipes should be coupled with a healthy lifestyle. While moderate consumption of less healthy foods is perfectly acceptable, try to base the bulk of your diet off of low fat, low calorie foods that will provide you with the proper nutrition.

You can alter nearly any recipe by making the necessary substitutions. For example, substituting margarine for butter can lower our cholesterol level. Similarly, use just the whites of eggs, rather than the whole egg when possible. In other words, you need to make the daily choices to exchange fattening, unhealthy foods for those that are healthy.