Autumn Care of Saluda’s  Genell Jespersen, director of nutritional services, was recently recognized as a top 10 winner in the Culinary Creations Contest by  Premier Healthcare Alliance.
Jespersen was selected by a group of her peers to be recognized at Premier’s annual foodservice forum, held in conjunction with its 2012 Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition in Nashville, June 5-8.
“I had the opportunity to attend the Premier conference last year at the invitation of Judy Abernathy, corporate dietician,” Jespersen said. “The whole experience motivated me to enter the Creations contest for 2012.”
Jespersen had this to say about her winning creation: “Two staples of comfort food around the world are chicken and beans. Mellow Mediterranean Chicken is loaded with heart healthy fiber and nutrients, including omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Salt content is limited in this tasty and attractive dish by relying on the natural sodium found in the ingredients. Fresh vegetables and herbs, as well as pesto, complement the protein in the chicken and beans, while seasoning the dish to perfection.”
Premier, a hospital-owned performance improvement alliance of 2,600 hospitals and 84,000 other care sites, has the industry’s largest healthcare foodservice purchasing program.
Autumn Care of Saluda is a 99-bed rehabilitation and skilled nursing center in Saluda. For more information visit www.autumncareofsaluda.com.

 

Mellow Mediterranean Chicken
Ingredients:
4 oz. boneless/skinless/chicken breast
1 oz. pesto (pre-packaged in jar)
3 oz. butter beans frozen (not lima beans)
3-4-fresh cherry tomatoes, minced garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil, 3-4 basil leaves (fresh)
Lemon juice and zest from ½ of lemon
Instructions: Steam or boil frozen butter beans for 12-15 minutes and season to taste. Grill chicken breast until internal temperature is 165°. Then add pesto. In a frying pan, sauté in olive oil the garlic, tomato, basil and lemon juice. Just before removing from heat add lemon zest.