Eat real food, just less of it: Grilled Corn with Chipotle-Lime Butter

May 27, 2016

By Kay MacInnis, Registered Dietitian for Providence Health

How long have I been doing this healthy-eating thing? I like to say I picked out the bricks and mortar at the hospital.

OK, not really, but it’s been awhile. I have spent a long time getting to know the science of nutrition and how it affects our health.

I have seen many trends and heard many options to lose weight, change blood-sugar levels, lower cholesterol or improve blood pressure that involve buying, preparing and eating the right things. Some of these only work temporarily, and others stick – and our lives are changed.

Here’s something I’ve realized: Maybe we should take in smaller amounts of real food rather than consume so many fat-free, sugar-free foods that may be lower in one ingredient and higher in all the others. What I’m trying to say is, eat the real food, eat it less often and eat less of it when you have it.

Here's some real food you should enjoy…

Grilled Corn with Chipotle-Lime Butter

Ingredients:

• 4 ears fresh corn, husked
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• ½ teaspoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo (smoked jalapeño peppers packed in a flavorful sauce)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (optional)

Preparation:

• Preheat grill to high.
• Wrap each ear in foil.
• Place on the grill and cook, turning frequently, for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the grill and let stand in the foil while preparing the butter.
• Combine butter, lime zest, lime juice, chipotle and adobo sauce (or ground chipotle) and salt in a small bowl.
• Carefully unwrap the corn.
• Serve with the butter.

Nutrition Information per serving (4-inch ear of corn): 129 Calories; 7 grams fat; 15 mg. cholesterol; 17 grams carbohydrate; 3 grams protein; 222 mg. sodium.

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This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Health in Columbia, SC.

Kay promotes health and wellness, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She’s not a chef herself, but in consultation with the trained chefs at Providence, she's learned to combine delicious with healthy to help patients help themselves after they leave the hospital. She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes.