Well Fed Network

Posted by Madeline Miller on Edible TV.

I have to admit I don’t know much about the Food Network’s Ellie Krieger other than the fact that she hosts a healthy cuisine show called “Healthy Appetite.” Kreiger recently appeared on CBS’s Early Show and participated in their “Chef on a Shoestring” segment. Because of this appearance, I learned some very interesting tidbits about Ellie.

Ellie was a model with the famous Wilhelmina Agency. She has a master’s degree in nutrition from Columbia and is a registered dietician. In addition to her Food Network shows, Ellie writes books (she has a new one coming out in 2008), sees private clients, and teaches nutrition at NYU.

The idea of CBS’s “Chef on a Shoestring” is to create a fast, tasty menu for four on a $40 budget. Ellie made Green Herb Dip, Succotash with Seared Scallops and Parsley Drizzle, and Balsamic Cherries with Peaches. Click on “Continue Reading” to take a look at her recipes.

GREEN HERB DIP

Ingredients
6 ounces of reduced fat fresh goat cheese
1 tablespoon of plain non-fat yogurt
2 teaspoons of olive oil
1/3 cup of chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
Salt and pepper to taste

To serve: Celery stalks or other raw vegetables or breadsticks/crackers.

Method:
1. Put the cheese, yogurt and oil into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Stir in the herbs, season with salt and pepper and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled with vegetables for dipping.

Makes 3/4 cup
Serves 4

SUCCOTASH WITH GRILLED SCALLOPS AND PARSLEY DRIZZLE

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ears corn, or 2 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 (10-ounce) package frozen lima beans, thawed
1 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound) quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/4 pound large sea scallops (about 16)
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Parsley drizzle (recipe follows)

Method:
1. If using ears of corn, cut the kernels off and set aside. Discard the cobs.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Stir in the corn, lima beans, zucchini, and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.
4. Spray a large nonstick skillet or grill pan with cooking spray, and preheat it over medium-high heat.
5. In the meantime, prepare the scallops. Pat them dry and season them with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Add the scallops and cook until the inside is opaque, 5 to 6 minutes, turning once.
6. Stir the vinegar and basil into the succotash, season with additional salt and pepper, to taste; serve topped with grilled scallops.

Yield: 4 servings of 1 cup of succotash and 4 scallops

Parsley Drizzle:
1 cup of lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons of water

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree.

Yield: 1/4 cup

PEACHES WITH BALSAMIC CHERRIES

Ingredients:
1/2 pound of cherries, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons of sugar (to taste)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 pound of peaches, sliced

Method:
1. In a small saucepan, stir together the cherries, 2 tablespoons of sugar and the balsamic vinegar, and place over a medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the warm cherries with syrup with the sliced peaches, add more sugar to taste and serve.

Photo from Food Network; Recipes from CBS