As part of the National Food Day Festival, The Health & Wellness Institute (HWI) sponsored a “Trick Your Treat” recipe makeover contest. Contestants were asked to choose a recipe for a favorite dish and turn it into a healthy treat. There were many delicious and healthy submissions, and the judging was extremely close. We are pleased to announce Johanne Cadoret of Middletown School Department as the Grand Prize winner for her Puffy Apple Pancake Recipe! Johanne will receive a $100 Whole Foods gift card.
Second Place went to Dawn Dunn of Rhode Island Quality Institute for her Hearty Vegetable Lasagna, and Third Place went to Pamela Souza of Middletown Public Schools for her Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup.
The original recipes and their healthy makeovers are listed below. Congratulations to our winners!
Grand Prize: Puffy Apple Pancake
Johanne Cadoret
Middletown School Department
Original Ingredients:
· 5 tablespoons of butter
· ½ cup + 2 tbsp. whole milk
· 2 small apples (Cortland or Macintosh)
· 1 tsp. lemon juice
· 3 tsp. cinnamon
· 1 tablespoon brown sugar
· 3 eggs
· ½ c. + 2 tbsp. white flour
Healthy Makeover Ingredients:
· 3 tablespoons of butter
· ½ cup + 2 tbsp. 2% or 1% milk
· 2 small apples (Cortland or Macintosh)
· 1 tsp. lemon juice
· 3 tsp. cinnamon
· 1 tablespoon brown sugar
· 3 eggs
· ½ c. + 2 tbsp. wheat flour
Directions:
· Heat oven to 425 degrees
· Place cast iron skillet in oven to pre-heat
· Cut apples into thin slices. Toss with lemon juice, cinnamon and brown sugar. Set aside.
· In a medium bowl, combine eggs, flour and milk. Whisk together. (Batter will be lumpy, don’t over whisk, just blend ingredients)
· Melt butter in skillet.
· Add pancake batter. Place bruit on top of the batter, spread slightly.
· Place in middle of oven and bake for 25 minutes. The pancake should puff up on edges.
Second Place: Hearty Vegetable Lasagna
Dawn Dunn
Rhode Island Quality Institute
Original Ingredients:
· 1 box, enriched egg pasta lasagna noodles
· 3 eggs
· 8 ounces ricotta cheese
· 16 ounces shredded mozzarella
· 1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef
· 2 jars marinara sauce
Healthy Makeover Ingredients:
· 2 eggplant, cubed
· 2 summer squash sliced (yellow, green, and/or patty pan)
· 1 large onion chopped
· 5 garlic cloves, minced
· 1 big bunch turnip greens, chopped
· 3 hot peppers chopped (optional)
· Fresh parsley chopped
· Fresh basil chopped
· Fresh oregano chopped
· Black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste
· 1 box whole wheat whole grain lasagna noodles
· 2 jar No Salt Added pasta sauce
· 8 oz fat free ricotta cheese
· 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Directions:
· In a large saucepan cook eggplant, squash, onion, garlic and hot peppers in a little olive oil. Once it is soft, add turnip greens and herbs until slightly wilted. Add 1 ½ jars of sauce to vegetable mix.
· Boil noodles according to instructions on the box. Drain and rinse in cold water.
· Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. On the bottom, place a layer of noodles. Cover noodles with ½ of the ricotta cheese and spoon on ½ of the vegetable/sauce mix. Sprinkle 1/3 of the parmesan cheese. Repeat this step. Top off lasagna with remaining noodles, and ½ jar of remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese on the top. Place in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
· (For additional protein add soft tofu to ricotta cheese or soy crumbles to vegetable and sauce mix)
Third Place: Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup
Pamela Souza
Middletown Public Schools (Middletown High School)
Original Recipe:
· 2 medium butternut squash, about 3 to 4 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· Salt
· Freshly ground black pepper
· 12 cups chicken stock
· 2 ½ cups chopped onions
· 1 cup wild rice
· ¾ pound smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch
· 2 cups fresh corn kernels
· 1 ½ cups half-and-half
· 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Recipe Makeover Ingredients:
· 2 medium butternut squash, about 3 to 4 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· Freshly ground black pepper
· 12 cups reduced sodium, lower fat chicken broth
· 2 ½ cups chopped onions
· 1 cup wild rice
· ¾ pound chicken sausage, cut into ¼-inch pieces
· 2 cups fresh corn kernels
· 1 ½ cups low-fat milk, or fat-free half and half
· 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions:
· Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
· Season the squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender.
· Remove from the oven and cool completely.
· In a blender or food processor, puree the squash with 2 cups of the chicken broth. Puree until smooth and set aside.
· In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring 4 cups of the broth and ½ cup of the chopped onions to a simmer. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed (about 1 hour) stirring occasionally with a fork. Remove the rice from the pan and cool in a large saucepan, over medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and brown for several minutes. Add the remaining 6 cups of stock and squash puree. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Stir in the rice and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the half-and-half and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and serve.
