Succulent Seasonal Dishes

When the temperature climbs, we crave meals that are cool and refreshing, explains clinical dietitian Erin Hamman, RD, MS, Outpatient Nutrition Counselor at Lancaster Community Hospital. She suggests these two dishes:

Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into ½-inch pieces 8–12 scallions
Toothpicks
¼ cup light soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp fresh or ground ginger, grated
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp sesame seeds (to garnish)

Directions
Coat an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. Lay out 3 chicken strips, about ½ inch apart. Place a scallion crosswise over the center of the chicken pieces. Then wrap chicken over scallions 1 by 1, securing with toothpicks. Repeat until you have used all the chicken.

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ginger and garlic powder. Reserve a ½ cup to use as dipping sauce. Brush remaining marinade over the chicken-scallion skewers. Grill kabobs 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Garnish the reserved dipping sauce with sesame seeds and serve alongside skewers.

Nutrition Information (per kabob)
176 calories, 4 g fat, 27 g protein, 65 g cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate

Source: www.foodnetwork.com

Chilled Asian Cucumber Salad
A cucumber is a low-calorie food that absorbs flavors well. In this salad, a light dressing spices up the refreshing cucumbers.

Salad
4 cups cucumbers, peeled, sliced
1 small red onion, finely diced
¼ cup cilantro, minced

Dressing
½ cup rice vinegar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dry sherry (optional)
2 tsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
to taste fresh ground black pepper

Directions
In a salad bowl, combine cucumbers, red onion and cilantro. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information (per cup)
53 calories, 2 g calories from fat, 0 g cholesterol, 148 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein

Source: Diabetic Cooking Magazine, www.diabeticcooking.com

New Dietitian at LCH
Erin Hamman, RD, MS, is a clinical dietitian and Outpatient Nutrition Counselor at Lancaster Community Hospital (LCH). She is experienced in acute care hospitals, outpatient counseling, community education and program development.

Before joining LCH, Ms. Hamman managed the dietary clinical care program and patient food services at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs. She received her undergraduate degree in Food and Nutrition from Oregon State University, completed her postgraduate internship at Tri-County Health Department in Denver and earned her graduate degree in Nutrition and Exercise Science from Colorado State University.

At LCH, one-on-one sessions with Ms. Hamman are designed to cater to individual needs and may include:

• Goal setting and nutritional modifications to fit your lifestyle
• Activity and exercise guidance
• Motivation and behavior modifications
• Nutritional counseling for medical concerns, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, food allergies and weight loss
• Sports nutrition

Lancaster Community Hospital, 43830 N. 10th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93534 Phone: 661-948-4781