Nutritious Healthy Recipes

Nutritious Healthy Recipes

Recipe of The Day

Conquering the First Day of School: The Ultimate Gourmet Fast-Food Swap

Recipe 1: Scratch-Made GF Potato Burger Buns
Using leftover leached mashed potatoes to create a gluten-free potato bun is the ultimate kitchen hack. Potato starch adds incredible moisture and a beautiful springy texture, while the leaching process keeps the potassium safe.

**The Ingredients:**
* 3 cups Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 GF flour (plus a little extra for dusting)
* 4 tbsp cornstarch* 2 tsp sugar (essential for feeding the yeast)
* 3 tbsp fast-acting rise yeast
* 1/4 cup warm water
* 1 cup leftover leached mashed potatoes 
* 1.5 cups warm milk
* 1/4 cup Splenda sugar substitute
* 1 whole egg, beaten
* 1 tsp extra fine salt
* 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

 **The GF Baker's Secret:** Do not overmix this dough! Gluten-free flour can become tough if overworked. You want it to remain slightly sticky to ensure a soft, fluffy final bun.

**The Instructions:**
1. **Activate the Yeast:** In a small bowl, mix the warm water, 2 tsp of sugar, and the fast-acting yeast. Let it sit until bubbly and frothy. 
2. **The Golden Rule—Alternate Wet & Dry:** In a large bowl, start by whisking your dry ingredients (GF flour, cornstarch, Splenda, and salt) together. In a separate bowl, gently combine the leftover mashed potatoes, beaten egg, EVOO, and activated yeast. 
3. **Build the Dough:** Slowly mix the wet potato mixture into your dry ingredients, **alternating with splashes of your warm milk**. Breaking it up and alternating allows you to feel the dough as it comes together. This way, you know exactly if you need a touch more flour or a little more liquid instead of dumping it all in at once. *(GF flour loves moisture, but too much liquid all at once can kill the active yeast, and too much flour will cause a rock-hard dough!)* Mix gently just until it forms a slightly sticky ball.
4. **Shape and Rise:** Use just enough extra GF flour to dust the dough and form it into a smooth ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it double in size. 
5. **Punch and Rest:** Gently punch the dough down to release the air and allow it to rest for a moment. 
6. **Cut the Buns:** Pat the dough out gently. **Be sure to coat your 3-inch biscuit cutter well with GF flour. Push straight down thoroughly—do not twist the cutter!** Twisting seals the edges of the dough. Pushing straight down and lifting ensures the bun will slide right out, leaving the edges open so the dough can breathe and expand. This is the secret to a much fluffier, lighter bun!
7. **The Second Rise:** Lay the stamped discs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them rest for 25 to 30 minutes to expand. 
8. **The Bake:** Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bake the buns for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

Recipe 2: The Kidney-Safe, Zero-Oil Crispy Fries
Deep-fried potatoes are a bariatric nightmare and loaded with potassium. This air-fryer hack fixes all of that while delivering a flawless, fast-food crunch!

**The Instructions:**
1. **Cut & Double Soak:** I use a French fry cutter to get perfectly uniform strips. I intentionally leave the skins on—this adds crucial vitamins and extra nutrients back into our diet! Even with the skins intact, soaking them twice in warm water successfully leaches out the dangerous potassium and pulls off the excess surface starch without losing those important vitamins.
2. **Air Dry:** Drain the potatoes and let them air dry for a full 45 minutes. The drier the potato, the crispier the fry!
3. **Coat:** Toss the dry potatoes in cornstarch and your favorite mild, low-sodium seasonings. 
4. **The Spritz:** Lay them in your air fryer basket and give them a very light, even spritz of non-stick cooking spray (like PAM). This activates the cornstarch without adding heavy, inflammatory oils!
5. **Air Fry:** Cook at 380°F to 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes, giving the basket a good shake halfway through. 
 **Kitchen Note:** Since I use my crisper and only have one, you may need to cook your french fries in batches in order to get a beautiful golden brown and evenly fried consistency. Crowding the pan will just steam the potatoes instead of crisping them!

Recipe 3: The Lean Bariatric Cheeseburger & Hot Honey Aioli

**The Hot Honey Aioli:**
* 2 tbsp Duke's mayonnaise
* 2 tsp honey mustard
* 1 tsp hot mustard (any brand)
 *Instructions:* 
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl. Use this as a spread for the buns AND a low-carb dipping sauce for the fries instead of sugary ketchup!
**The Burger Ingredients:**
* 1 lb 95% lean ground round
* 1/2 lb ground turkey
* 1/2 tsp minced onion
* 1/2 tsp minced garlic 
* 1 pinch homemade low-sodium garlic salt (4.5 oz garlic powder to 1/8 tsp extra fine salt)
* 1 pinch white pepper, 1 pinch green peppercorns, 1 pinch crushed black peppercorns 
 **The Fixings:** Fresh lettuce, sliced tomato, pickles, and crumbled queso fresco.
**The Instructions:**
1. **Combine the Meats:** Gently combine the lean ground round and ground turkey in a large bowl. 
2. **Season & Form:** Sprinkle in your onion, garlic, homemade garlic salt, and tri-color peppercorns. Fold to incorporate. Press the meat mixture into a **2.75-inch biscuit cutter** to create perfectly uniform, bariatric-portioned patties that will fit your 3-inch GF buns flawlessly!
3. **Cook:** Grill, pan-sear, or air-fry the patties over medium-high heat until fully cooked through. 
4. **The Base:** Spread a thin layer of the Hot Honey Aioli on **both the top and bottom halves** of your bun. On the bottom bun, layer your fresh lettuce, sliced tomato, and pickles. 
5. **The Melt:** Place the screaming hot burger patty directly on top of the veggies. Immediately crumble a generous amount of queso fresco over the hot burger. The heat will melt the cheese down over the edges and veggies, locking everything in place! 
6. **Serve:** Crown it with the aioli-slathered top bun and serve immediately alongside your crispy fries and a side of aioli for dipping.

Emily Johnson

Co-Editor, Healthy Recipes

Michael  Johnson

Co-Director, Healthy Recipes

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