Super Bowl, Super Yummy, Super Healthy

02.02.11

It’s that time of year again.  Sports fans – both men and women across the country – are gearing up for Super Bowl XLV.  Oh yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to go head-to-head with the Green Bay Packers inside Cowboys Stadium on Feb. 6^th.  Football fanatics are still vying for those highly coveted tickets – averaging $3,676 ea. by the way.  But there’s another aspect of the game riddling the minds of millions as the sacred Sunday approaches: food.  Cotton Candy knows women and men are planning their delicious spreads.  But this year, we’re introducing something different.  Personal chef Evelyn Paul offers healthy recipe alternatives to please all palates and won’t leave you feeling guilty on Super Bowl Sunday.

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Five Spiced Lamb Lollipops

Yield: 12 servings

Marinade

Ingredients:

1 cup soy sauce

2 cups water

2/3 cups sugar

1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 pieces of star anise

1/4 cup Chinese five spice powder

3 whole racks of lamb, “Frenched” (Ask your butcher to clean and separate into “lollipops” to save on time)

Method:

1.    Combine soy sauce, water, sugar, ginger, star anise and Chinese five-spice powder in a large bowl for marinade

2.    Place the lamb in the marinade and allow it to sit for 8 hours minimum

Lamb Lollipops

Method:

1.    Pat the lamb, removing any marinade bits

2.    Sear each lamb lollipop for three to four minutes on each side to medium rare

3.    Serve immediately with the green herb dip

Green Herb Dip

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese, low fat

½ cup mayonnaise, low fat

½ cup sour cream, low fat

2 tablespoons tarragon

2 tablespoons parsley

2 tablespoons basil

2 tablespoons cilantro

Sea salt

Black pepper, freshly ground

Method:

1.    Place all ingredients in a blender and blend

2.    Serve at room temperature

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Mini BBQ Chicken Wrap

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 red bell peppers, julienned

2 medium red onions, sliced thin

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups honey barbeque sauce

1 teaspoon cumin, ground

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

12 small, flour tortillas

Method:

1.    Heat two tablespoons canola oil in large skillet on medium-high heat

2.    Add chicken to skillet; cook and stir eight minutes or until chicken is cooked through

3.    Add the bell peppers, onions, black beans, barbecue sauce and spices

4.    Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally

5.    Add remaining fresh, chopped herbs and combine ingredients

6.    Divide mixture among flour tortillas

7.    Roll up the wraps

8.    Cut the BBQ wraps in half and serve warm

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Seared Chili Shrimp with Roasted Tomatillo Cocktail Sauce

Yield: 12 Servings

Seared Chili Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

36 medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined

Method:

1.    Whisk all ingredients together except for the shrimp

2.    Add the shrimp, stir and refrigerate a minimum of two hours and for no more than eight hours

3.    Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat, spray with canola oil spray

4.    Add shrimp and sear for two minutes on each side or until the shrimp turn pink

5.    Remove from the heat

Roasted Tomatillo Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos

3 fresh jalapeño chilies

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

2 green onions, rinsed and coarsely chopped

1 small ripe tomato, seeded and chopped (optional)

2 teaspoons coarse salt

Method:

1.    Preheat broiler

2.    Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse under warm water

3.    Broil chilies, garlic and tomatillos on rack of a broiler pan 1 to 2 inches from heat, turning once, until tomatillos are softened and slightly charred, about 7 minutes

4.    Peel garlic and pull off tops of chilies

5.    Purée tomatillos, garlic and chilies in a blender

6.    Transfer to a medium bowl and add the remaining ingredients

7.    Serve at room temperature

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Sweet Potato Pot Stickers with Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce

Yield: 24 Pot Stickers

Sweet Potato Filling

Ingredients:

2 whole sweet potatoes (medium)

1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped

½ teaspoon ginger, ground

1 tablespoon agave nectar

1/2 bunch green onions

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1.    Rinse sweet potatoes, wrap each potato individually in aluminum foil and place in a 450 degree oven and bake until tender when pierced with a knife, approximately 25 minutes

2.    Remove from the oven and let cool

3.    Peel and pulse sweet potatoes in food processor

4.    Add cilantro, ginger, agave nectar, onions, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly with sweet potatoes.

Pot Stickers

Ingredients:

24 wonton/pot sticker wrappers

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

Peanut oil

2/3 cup vegetable broth

Method:

1.    Working in batches, lay four pot sticker wrappers on a clean surface

2.    Keep the remaining wrappers covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying

3.    Place a teaspoon of sweet potato filling in the center of each of the 4 wrappers

4.    Brush the edges of each wrapper with egg wash

5.    Fold the wrappers in half over the filling, pinching the edges together to form semi-circles or triangles

6.    Place  the pot stickers on a baking sheet seam-side up and cover with a clean towel

7.    Repeat until all the pot stickers have been formed

8.    Heat a large skillet over medium

9.    Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet

10.  When the oil is heated, add half the pot stickers, seam-side up

11.  Cook the pot stickers until the bottoms are golden and crisp, about four minutes

12.  Add 1/3 cup of vegetable stock and reduce the heat to low

13.  Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, approximately five minutes

14.  Transfer the cooked pot stickers to a platter

15.  Repeat for the remaining pot stickers.

16.  Serve hot with the soy ginger dipping sauce

Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1/3 cup low-sodium Tamari

1 tablespoon orange blossom honey

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

¼ cup orange juice

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

Method:

1.    Combine soy sauce, honey and ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat

2.    Remove from the heat, strain and let cool

3.    Add orange juice, lime juice, sesame oil and chili flakes, mix well and serve

4.    Add a splash of orange and lime juice to taste before serving

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Turkey Meatballs with Peach Chipotle BBQ Sauce

Yield: 12 servings

Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

Method:

1.    Combine turkey, garlic, onion, parsdley, salt, pepper, oregano, egg and breadcrumbs

2.    Shape into 30 meatballs approximately 1″ across

3.    Spray a nonstick pan lightly with veggie oil spray

4.    Cook the meatballs in the pan 15 at a time for five to six minutes or until cooked through and nicely browned on the outside.

5.    Repeat process for second batch

Peach Chipotle BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

2 (24 ounce) jars peaches, un-drained

½ cup onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoon chipotle chile in adobo

1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

Method:

1.    Combine peaches, onion, molasses, brown sugar, tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chili, garlic, salt and pepper in food processor.

2.    Puree mixture and then transfer mixture to a medium sized non-reactive sauce pan to simmer on medium low heat until reduced by a third.

3.    Place the meatballs in the sauce and serve hot or serve as a dip for the meatballs

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Carving a niche for herself as the premier personal chef to Atlanta’s discerning dining families, Caribbean-born personal chef Evelyn Paul takes great pleasure in recreating not only a five-star dining experience in the homes of her prominent clients, but the inviting environment of a mother’s intimate kitchen as well.

Photo Credit:  Heidi Geldhauser