These common foods can help dieters burn fat

Posted: February 10, 2013 at 6:27 a.m.

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Certainly some have adhered to their New Year’s resolutions to eat right and get fit, but others may need a nudge back onto the path of discipline.

Eating right doesn’t always have to mean eating differently. In fact, some very common foods have actually been found to help release fat and curb fat cravings.

Liz Vaccariello, editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest, reveals nature’s natural weight-controlling foods in her new book, The Digest Diet. These common foods include red grapes, vinegar, olive oil, nuts, avocado, honey and quinoa. Foods rich in fiber, vitamin C, protein and calcium are also beneficial.

The following recipes combine several of these fat-taming ingredients.

Scrumptious Salmon with Grapes and Wine

4 salmon filets

4-5 cups fresh spinach

4 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. dijon mustard

2 tsp. Italian seasoning or dill

Salt and pepper

2 cups red grapes, halved

1/4-1/2 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup walnuts, crushed

2 tbsp. Italian parsley, roughly chopped

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat salmon dry. Mix together honey and dijon mustard, then brush on salmon generously. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or dill, salt and pepper on top of salmon.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet. Brown both sides of salmon, about 5 minutes total.

Mix remaining olive oil with garlic. Toss fresh spinach with olive oil and garlic. Top with a dash of sea salt. Lay this in a large baking dish.

When salmon is browned, lay salmon on top of spinach in the baking dish. Loosely cover top with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 minutes. Take aluminum foil off and bake for another few minutes until the salmon is to your liking, about 3-5 minutes.

As salmon is baking, toast the walnuts for about 3 minutes in same skillet used for browning salmon. Add grape halves and toss gently until the grapes are tender. Then add wine and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or dill. Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer and reduce to half. Add the Italian parsley about two minutes before you are ready to turn off heat.

Take salmon from oven and plate each piece with the baked spinach underneath. Top with the grape wine sauce and serve.

Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

Kosher salt

Dressing:

2 tbsp. fresh juice from 2 limes

2 tbsp. fresh juice from 1 orange

2 tbsp. honey

6 tbsp. olive oil

Fresh ground black pepper

Salad:

1, 4-oz. bag watercress, baby arugula or blend

2 medium oranges, cut into segments

1 avocado, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, soaked in water for 10 minutes

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Bring 1 3/4 cups water with 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa and reduce heat to low; cover and cook until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the lime juice, orange juice, and honey. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss quinoa with about 1/4 of the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide amongst serving plates or place on a large serving platter. Toss greens, orange segments, avocado, onions and almonds in a large bowl with just enough dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top quinoa with dressed greens and serve immediately.

Pear-Raspberry Smoothie

1/2 ripe pear, cut into chunks

1/3 cup frozen raspberries (or strawberries)

1/3 cup vanilla yogurt

2 tbsp. milk

1/2 tsp. honey

1/2 cup ice

Add ingredients to blender. Pulse to break up ice and fruit, then blend to desired consistency.

— Recipes courtesy of justapinch.com

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