Easter Celebrations!
By: Jacqueline Gomes, MBA, RDN

 As Easter Sunday marks the end of Lent, you may be looking forward to indulging in chocolate, hunting for Easter eggs or planning a family celebration!

Lent is a period of time observed for 40 days before Easter and typically involves fasting or more commonly today giving up something that may not suite us as well as we think.

How ever you plan to spend your Easter celebration, remember that you can enjoy some of your favorite treats while still maintaining balance within your diet.

For me, I enjoy a hearty meal on Easter Sunday along with my favorite spring vegetables like Asparagus. This year, I will prepare this comforting braised Brisket with mushrooms, asparagus and yams!

EAT WELL Tips to managing Easter Treats…

• Choose Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa or more), dark chocolate contains more heart healthy flavonoids than milk chocolate.
• Set aside the portion you wish to consume, and put away other chocolate so it is out of sight and out of mind!
• For children, offer chocolate only after a healthy food has been consumed for instance, after dinner.

Braised Beef Brisket with Vegetables

Prep: 30 minutes

Braise: 3 to 1 ½ hours (in active time)

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 5 to 3 pound Rancher’s Legend Boneless Premium Cut Brisket
• Kosher Salt & Pepper
• 3 tablespoons Foodtown Extra Virgin olive oil
• 2 sweet onions, coarsely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 5 tablespoon flour
• 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 ½ to 2 cups beef broth (see step 5)
• 10 ounces white mushrooms, quartered
• 1 large yam, peeled and chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• ½ pound Asparagus, tough ends removed and chopped into ½ inch pieces
• Handful Chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Season both sides of brisket with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven (oven proof) and add in onions, cook on low-medium heat until soft, now add in garlic and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of flour and paprika followed by the tomato paste and then the beef broth.
4. Stir in mushrooms, yams, asparagus and bay leaves. Now place brisket over vegetables, cover and braise inside oven for total of 3 to 3 a ½
5. At 1 ½ hours, check brisket and stir vegetables. If more sauce is preferred, add an additional ½ cup to 1 cup beef broth.
6. To serve, slice the brisket against the grain and sprinkle with chopped parsley, add in vegetables and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

554 calories; 31g carbohydrate; 24g fat; 54g Protein; 724mg Sodium; 5.5g Fiber

 *Note: Nutrition information is approximate, values will vary based on actual amounts of ingredients used.

 Recipe by: Jacqueline Gomes, MBA, RDN