March 15, 2010

A satisfying salad.

People tend to think salad = lettuce. The word conjures up images of rabbits and skinny, unhappy people. No one wants to eat lettuce. And no one can possibly be happy just eating lettuce. So, for now let’s forget the word “salad.” It’s just too negative. “Bowl of stuff” is a more accurate description here. You think I have a problem with salad bars? It’s impossible for me to come in under double digits. I go for the heavy stuff. And it adds up. But loading up your plate with lots of stuff is the key to making it satisfying. Lately I’ve been making my lunch at home to save a little cash. This was lunch on Friday:

It’s got butternut squash, raisins, garbanzo beans, carrots, radishes, avocado and sliced almonds. This was so delicious and satisfying because it had a lot of heavy stuff and covered the taste spectrum: sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy. That’s the trick. And then change it up from day to day.

Here’s a DIY checklist you can follow to make your own…

*Change it up. Play. Be creative. Don’t be scared. It’s just a bowl of stuff.

  1. lettuce: spinach, romaine, mixed greens, etc. (the greener the better!)
  2. veggie/fruit: carrots, bell pepper, radish, broccoli, onion, snap peas, cauliflower, pear, strawberries, oranges, blueberries…. (you get the idea.)
  3. protein: chicken, shrimp, beef, salmon, garbanzo beans, black beans, kidney beans, edamame, tofu
  4. dry ingredients: walnuts, sliced almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, dried cranberries
  5. leftovers: quinoa, brown rice, pasta, roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, vegetables, avocado
  6. dressing: use your favorite dressing or make your own by just combining olive oil and balsamic vinegar (1:1)
  7. crackers (optional)

More tips:

  • Keep your pantry stocked with dry ingredients. Things like nuts, raisins and seeds add a lot of flavor. They’re also easy to keep in stock because they stay fresh.
  • Chop your veggies in advance. Every week I say I’m going to do this, but never do. I should. Chop them up and keep them in containers in the fridge so they’re ready to go.
  • Use leftovers. Whatever you had for dinner the night before could go in your bowl of stuff. Chicken. Rice. Broccoli. Roasted potatoes.
  • Vary the tastes and textures. Cover the spectrum: crunchy, smooth, salty, sweet.
  • Experiment. Don’t be afraid to try something that may seem a little out of the ordinary. If you like it by itself, there’s a good chance it will taste even better combined with something else.

Keep reading for recipes…

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March 10, 2010

Risotto with Squash and Sage

I love ordering risotto in a restaurant. It’s one of those fussy dishes that I’d never go to the trouble of making at home (or so I thought). I got the itch to try it and gave this recipe a whirl. Maybe it was the novelty, or the unknown of how it would turn out, or that I got a kick out of watching grains absorb broth, but I didn’t mind the constant pouring and stirring. I kinda enjoyed it. It was relaxing. For 40 minutes all I had to worry about was stirring and pouring and taking care of what was in the pan. It forced me to stand still and focus on one thing. Everything else in my mind and on the to do (read: school, work, wedding) could wait. I think I’ve found my new therapy…

And when it was done and ready to eat, the result was therapy in itself. All that doting was worth it. You could taste all the love that went in. A perfect meal to enjoy with the ones you love most.

What you need:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (I cut this to 2 tbsp)
4 cups 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes peeled and seeded butternut squash
1.5 teaspoon golden brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth (I substituted 2 cups of water)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
2 cups arborio rice
1/3 to 2/3 cup dry white wine. Use whatever you’ve got on hand.
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

What you do:

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add squash. Sprinkle with brown sugar, then salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add chicken broth to a large saucepan and bring to simmer; cover and set aside to keep warm. In same skillet used for squash, heat the oil and add the onion. Sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Mix in sage and stir 1 minute. Add rice; sauté until kernels are white with translucent edges, about 4 minutes. Add wine; stir until wine evaporates, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup warm broth; simmer until broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Add another cup of broth; simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time and cooking until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in parsley and squash. Cook until squash is heated, about 1 minute. Transfer risotto to large shallow bowl, or if you like, in hollowed-out squashes. Serve with the Parmesan cheese.

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February 27, 2010

So Granola

I never thought I’d be one to make my own granola. And here I am not only making it, but blogging about it. Never say never. I remember when my cousin Laura (it’s her birthday — Happy Birthday Laura!) was moving to Colorado. Her sister Shannon and I would tease her and say it wouldn’t be long before she’d be making granola. Guess the jokes on me. Laura you get the last laugh on that one.

The thing is I used to love my cereal for breakfast. My favorite is Honey Bunches of Oats. It’s a better choice than Froot Loops, but like most breakfast cereals it still has has a lot of sugar and other stuff that you just don’t need (like corn syrup and artificial flavor). So this is my substitute. I’ll have it for breakfast – dry or with milk – or for a mid-afternoon snack.

What you need:
3-4 cups oats
1 cup shaved coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp butter, melted

What you do:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine first four ingredients in a greased baking dish. Add cinnamon and nutmeg and mix. Mix in melted butter. Drizzle honey over granola. Bake 20-25 minutes.

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February 24, 2010

Inspired.

Saturday, I started my classes at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York. I’m officially back in school to get my certification as a nutritional health counselor. I’m so excited about what’s in store for this year.

So there I was Saturday morning headed to the first day of school and I felt like it might as well be the seventh grade. I had butterflies in my stomach… and on my face – butterfly closures to keep my chin together. Just a few days before I left for NYC I was running, tripped, flew and busted my chin open on the sidewalk. And I broke four teeth. I never had braces growing up, but Saturday I felt those kids’ pain.

Once I got there I realized nerves were silly. I mean really, I was surrounded by people who are just as passionate about health as I am. Do you know how cool it felt to be in a room with hundreds of people who also get excited about learning a new healthy recipe? We were all there because we believe health education is important and something that’s missing and desperately needed today. The room was buzzing. I wish you could have felt the energy and enthusiasm there. It was inspiring to say the least. 

On class weekends we’ll meet and hear from some of the brightest and most innovative minds in the health field. This weekend included talks by Walter Willet, the chairman of Harvard’s nutrition department, Marion Nestle, NYU professor and author of the book Food Politics, and Bernie Siegel, physician and author of Love, Medicine and Miracles. 

My favorite moment happened in the first hour of class though. The principal of the school, Joshual Rosenthal, invited people to introduce themselves to the class and say why they’re in school. One woman stood up and talked about the challenges of raising kids and teaching them healthy eating habits in today’s society. She said, “I’m here for my kids.”

Joshua then asked who else was there for the same reason… 

It felt like half the room stood at that point. I got goosebumps.

I’m so exited to finally be getting started on this path. And I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with you. Stay tuned!

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February 11, 2010

Crustless Chicken Pot Pie

snow. Snow. SNOW! It’s still coming down out there. Dallas is covered in white right now. It’s no 60 or however many inches the DC area has gotten at this point.  But to us it might as well be. I’m snowed in (well, pretending to be). It’s 6 p.m. and I’m still in my PJs working from the home office (i.e. our kitchen table). I’m not going anywhere. I’ve got some left over chicken pot pie in the fridge – the perfect meal on a night like this!

I made it on Tuesday based on this recipe from Whole Foods. You can make it gluten free if you use rice flour for the thickening agent. I just used the spelt flour I had on hand. In place of crust, you make a rice mixture (pictured bottom left) and put that on top. When you bake the thing it gets nice and crispy (pictured bottom right).

It’s a little different take on the classic, but has that same cozy, warm and fuzzy effect.

Here’s what you need:

1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for greasing
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 pound sliced button mushrooms
2 teaspoons chopped thyme, divided
1 small yellow onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium gluten-free chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup cooked brown rice or brown and wild rice blend
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 cup frozen vegetable mix (peas, carrots, green beans….)

What you do:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with oil; set aside.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, onions, salt and pepper and cook until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add broth and milk, stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until very thick, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine rice, cheese, paprika, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Stir vegetables into chicken mixture then season with salt and pepper and transfer to prepared dish. Scatter rice mixture evenly over the top then arrange dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until bubbly and crust is crisp, about 30 minutes.

(recipe adapted from Whole Food’s Chicken Pot Pie with Rice)

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February 7, 2010

The Green Smoothie

I know how it sounds.

But really I am not a crazy with a juicer. I’ve never even juiced anything. And I hate V8. I do realize a green smoothie sounds questionable, but if it wasn’t good I can tell you I would not have one everyday for breakfast. And I do! It’s delicious and such a good start to the day.

A few weeks ago I posted about leafy greens and how crazy good they are for you. Green = vitamins, minerals and all that good stuff. I’d heard of people who made green juice drinks as a way to squeeze in extra fruit/veggie servings. It can be part of a healing or a cleansing diet, or just a way to start the day off right. We all have those days when it’s just easier to pick up a sandwich. But when I have this smoothie in the morning I know that no matter what the day might bring (read: Chick Fil A lunch), I’ve already had my green.

I make it in the Magic Bullet. I’m sure you’ve seen the infomercial. It’s perfect for smoothies because you can just throw all your ingredients in one of the single serving cups, blend it and go.

Yes, it looks like it glows in the dark. But I swear all you taste is the mango. It’s sneaky like that. I used mangos here, but you can mix up whatever fruit you want. I like it with strawberries and blueberries too (and the darker fruit hides the green). I always use a banana because it gives it a soft, creamy texture. Frozen fruit makes a thicker smoothie too. Also, I add flaxseed for a serving of Omega-3s with it’s anti-inflammatory benefits.

What you need:

1 banana
a handful of frozen mango chunks
orange juice
1 tsp flaxseed (grounded or flax seed oil)
2-3 leaves kale, torn

What you do:
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend, adding more orange juice as needed to facilitate blending.

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February 3, 2010

Dream wedding? Yes, please.

I just entered us in Crate and Barrel’s Ultimate Wedding contest (I am THAT girl now. I’ve accepted it). Vote for us so we can win a 100K wedding organized by celebrity wedding planner Jo Gartin. Sounds pretty good, right?

At least we have a pretty good love story, if I do say so myself…

Vote for us.

And pass it on….

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February 2, 2010

High-Fructose Corn Syrup is Bad Because….

I was watching tv the other day and saw this ad:

It’s the Corn Refiners Association latest attempt to defend their product high-fructose corn syrup. The ad shows a couple having a picnic in the park. A girl offers her boyfriend a bite of a popsicle. He says, “Don’t you love me?”
She says, “Of course I do. Take two bites.”
And he says, “But there’s high-fructose corn syrup in that and you know what they say…”
“What?” she says.
Then he just sits there with his mouth open… “um…”
She calls him silly; it’s just corn. It’s just like sugar. Same calories. Perfectly safe, in moderation.
Silly.

Not silly. If that boyfriend could have spit out the words there are plenty of arguments to be made. Like…

1. High-fructose corn syrup is not the same as sugar. It may be sweet like sugar, but to the body the two are not the same at all. Unlike sugar which is glucose that is easily burned up and used, fructose gets metabolized as fat. It all goes through the liver and the body stores what it can’t use. So when you consume 120 calories of fructose, 40 end up stored as fat.

2. We’re consuming way too much of it. HFCS is cheap – a lot cheaper than sugar. So food manufacturers use it and it winds up in just about everything on the grocery shelf. Take a look next time you’re shopping. Check the bread, salad dressings, crackers. I bet it’s in there.

As for it being safe in moderation, OK, but the numbers are anything but moderate. On average we’re consuming 65 grams of HFCS per day. Before it came on the market in 1975, 20 grams per day of fructose was average.

So we’re consuming more, the body’s storing it as fat, and wait it gets better….

3. HFCS disrupts the release of hormones that regulate appetite. Now studies are showing that fructose doesn’t trigger leptin – a hormone that’s released to tell them brain the stomach is full. So HFCS leads to major overeating. There’s another connection between HFCS and fat.

That’s right. What do you have to say to that girlfriend?

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January 26, 2010

Love.

If it’s true what they say:  Love feeds the soul, then Friday I had the 72 oz steak.

This weekend Ross (remember, boyfriend and guinea pig?) asked me to marry him. And I said, “YES!” 

My feet have yet to hit the ground. We had the most incredible weekend celebrating with family and friends. How lucky we are to have such wonderful people in our lives.

I’m up to my eyeballs in love. Woo!

Keep reading for the whole, big engagement story….

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January 21, 2010

Go Leafy Green.

Up until a few months ago my knowledge of leafy greens started with romaine and ended with spinach. Come to find out those are so 2008. Today it’s all about mustards, collards, dandelions and kale. Who knew such a smorgasbord of edible foliage was out there? Before, I probably would have guessed kale was a cousin of shrimp. No clue. Now I buy a bunch every trip to the grocery store. I admit, I used to hurry past that wall of green in the produce section on my way to the carrots and baby spinach. But I’m trying to spend more time in the weeds.

And by weeds I mean leafy greens, not the… well, you know. And the greener the better. I understand the common prejudice toward green things. I’ve never had a problem with the color. My food aversions are of the shape variety – like hot dogs. But that’s neither here nor there. Greens though, never an issue. If you can get past any preconceived notions and the image I’ve given you of actually eating weeds, kale and other dark leafy greens are actually quite tasty when done right. Plus they’re about as green as it gets and mama didn’t push those green beans because they’re beans. Green means vitamins, minerals and all that good stuff. So go get ya some.

Here’s my standby way of preparing kale.

What you need:
1 bunch kale
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced into crescents
1 tbsp tamiri or soy sauce
2 tbsp water

What you do:
Wash kale by submerging leaves in a bowl of cold water. Dry, and tear kale leaves away from stems and into pieces.
Heat olive in pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute a few minutes, until translucent. Add kale and stir to coat with oil. The kale will turn a brilliant bright green and begin to wilt. Mix together the tamiri (or soy) and water. When greens begin to wilt, add liquid and allow the leaves absorb it, about 5-8 minutes. Taste to see if they’re done – greens should not be bitter, but a little sweet and still green.

And here’s more on how to cook mouthwatering greens and five more ways to eat kale.

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