Recipes to help boost iron levels, aid plasma donation recovery

(Family Features) Chef Nate Appleman
knows how important it is to serve healthy meals to your family – ones they actually want to eat. Before
having his first child, he transformed his eating and exercise habits and lost 85 pounds to get on a
healthier path.
Now, he’s cooking meals for his family, including 14-year-old Oliver who was diagnosed with Kawasaki
Disease as a toddler – an inflammation of the blood vessels that can cause damage to coronary arteries –
as a healthy lifestyle is important to help manage the disease. Since Oliver’s diagnosis, Appleman made
it his personal mission to create awareness of Kawasaki Disease and for the critical need for plasma
donations that many people with the disease rely on for treatment, which is why he partnered with Abbott
to bring attention to the need for plasma donations.
Plasma is a powerful part of your blood that supports essential bodily functions. It’s a lifeline for
thousands of people who are immune-compromised and live with a variety of chronic and complex diseases.
In fact, more than 125,000 Americans rely on medication made from plasma every day,
according to the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA).
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a serious shortage of plasma donors – average donations per center in the
United States were down approximately 11% during the first few months of 2021 compared to the previous
year, further deepening the nearly 20% decline in donations in 2020 compared to 2019, according to the
PPTA.
Donating plasma is a safe and relatively easy process. Since plasma is replaced in the body within about
24 hours, it can be donated up to twice per week. With a donation that typically takes between 1-3
hours, you can make a lasting impact by providing lifesaving medicine for patients like Oliver.
It’s a good idea to fuel up with iron-rich foods before and after donating, so Appleman created these
fresh, nutritious recipes he loves to serve his family: Marinated Skirt Steak, Lemon Chicken with
Roasted Red Onions and Potatoes, and Cheesy Frittata with Veggies.
Learn where you can donate at
bethe1donor.abbott
.

Marinated Skirt Steak

Recipe courtesy of chef Nate Appleman on behalf of Abbott
Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup rice
  wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons raw
  sugar
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, juice
  only
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small Thai bird chile or serrano
  chile, chopped
• 1/4 head finely shaved green cabbage
• 1/4 head
  finely shaved purple cabbage
• 2 carrots, thinly julienned

Skirt steak:

• 1 1/2 pounds trimmed skirt steak
• 1/2 cup coconut
  milk
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons lime
  juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons
  sriracha
• salt, to taste
• 3 cups cooked brown
  rice
• 1/2 cup crushed peanuts
• 1 lime, quartered, for
  garnish

1. To make vinaigrette: In large bowl, mix oil, fish
   sauce, rice wine vinegar, water, sugar, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and chile. Toss cabbage and carrots
   in vinaigrette; refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. To make skirt steak: Marinate
   steak in coconut milk, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, sriracha and salt, to taste, at least 1 hour, or up
   to 24 hours.
3. Heat grill to high.
4. Grill 3-4 minutes each side
   until medium rare.
5. Let rest 3 minutes.
6. Thinly slice steaks
   against grain and serve with vinaigrette, rice and crushed peanuts; garnish with lime
   wedges.

Lemon Chicken with Roasted Red Onions and Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of chef Nate Appleman on behalf of Abbott
Lemon chicken:

• 1 whole chicken, cut into eight pieces
• 1 ounce minced
  garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon
  paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
  seed
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground
  coriander
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Potatoes:

• 2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
• salted
  water
• oil

Cauliflower:

• 1 head cauliflower
• salted
  water
• ice
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1
  teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Roasted onions:

• 1 red onion
• salt
• oil

For serving:

• 3 ounces pitted Castelvetrano or green olives, cut into
  quarters
• 5 ounces wild arugula
• 1 lemon,
  quartered

1. To make lemon chicken:
   Marinate chicken in mixture of minced garlic, granulated garlic, paprika, smoked paprika, fennel pollen,
   dried oregano, coriander and salt; let sit overnight.
2. To make
   potatoes: Boil potatoes in heavily salted water until tender. Cool, peel and cut into 1
   1/2-inch chunks. Toss with oil to coat; reserve.
3. To make
   cauliflower: Cut cauliflower into florets and blanch in salted water 1 minute; shock in
   ice bath. Remove from ice and dry. Toss with mayonnaise, tamari and parsley;
   reserve.
4. To make roasted onions: Preheat oven to 450 F.
   Peel onion and slice into 1-inch rings. Toss with salt and oil; roast until slightly caramelized with
   texture. Chill and reserve.
5. Preheat oven to 450 F.
6. Bake chicken
   on sheet pan approximately 15 minutes. Add potatoes and cauliflower. Bake approximately 15 minutes then
   switch oven to broil approximately 10 minutes.
7. Squeeze lemon over reserved
   onion.
8. When chicken is crispy and reaches internal temperature of 165 F, remove from
   oven and add onions and olives. Plate chicken, potatoes, onions, olives and cauliflower on top of
   arugula and garnish with lemon.

Cheesy Frittata with Veggies

Recipe courtesy of chef Nate Appleman on behalf of Abbott
Roasted Garlic:

• 2 heads garlic
• olive
  oil
• salt

Frittata:

• oil
• 2 medium leeks, sliced
• 8 ounces blanched,
  chopped broccoli
• salt, to taste
• 9 eggs
• 2
  tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 ounces grated Parmigiano
  Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons heavy
  cream

1. To make roasted garlic:
   Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Slice 1/4 inch off entire heads of garlic and place cut sides
   down in 1-liter casserole dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt; cover with
   lid.
3. Bake 35-45 minutes until heads of garlic are soft and light brown. Let cool
   then use back of knife to squeeze garlic from pods.
4. To make
   frittata: Lower oven to 375 F.
5. In saute pan, heat oil over
   medium-high heat. Cook leeks until soft; add broccoli then season with salt, to taste, and remove from
   heat.
6. In mixing bowl, mix roasted garlic, sauteed leeks and broccoli, eggs, parsley,
   Parmigiano Reggiano and cream; place in 9-inch pie dish and bake approximately 20 minutes until top of
   frittata is brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before cutting and
   serving.

 

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