Recipe Redux: Oscars In The Kitchen

Happy Oscar Awards Weekend!

This month, Recipe Redux'ers have been tasked with creating a recipe from our favorite "food" scene in a movie. One that stood out to me was Julia Roberts eating pizza in Italy in "Eat Pray Love". Now, in my opinion, the book far surpassed the movie, but I digress.

Pizza is an interesting food for me. It is one of my favorite things to make, but having a dairy allergy makes ordering pizza a bit tricky. There is one fantastic place up the street that doesn't disappoint (Matt's Italian for you Jax locals), but ordering a pizza doesn't give me credit for this blog :)

A wonderful member and client of mine, Tawnya, shared her recipe for homemade pizza dough with me and I've been (dough) hooked ever since (ha!). Tawnya graciously allowed me to share this recipe with y'all, although I have made one adjustment to her original recipe which is noted below.

First, to make homemade dough, you need yeast! This step is very important, and I am not ashamed to admit that I've had to re-do this part a few times in the past.

Mix 1 packet of active dry yeast with 1 cup of warm (not hot) water in a measuring cup. Add 2 tablespoons of honey and leave it alone. Seriously- don't touch it! Allow it to activate. The honey feeds the yeast, and it will make you feel like a food scientist in the kitchen! See below:

While the yeast activates, mix 3 cups King Arthur ("high gluten content- makes the best dough" says Tawnya, and she's right!) flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a stand mixer with dough hook attachment. The recipe calls for unbleached flour, Tanwya uses half whole wheat and half unbleached white. I've found success with all 3 cups whole wheat, but my favorite is using King Arthur Brand "White Whole Wheat".

Now, you may be asking, "how will I know when the yeast is ready?" The best method I have is my nose. When I can smell the yeast from across the kitchen, I know it is ready. It takes about 10-15 minutes. It also looks like this:

When you have reached this stage, start your mixer with the flour, salt and oil in it and slowly stream in the yeast mixture.

Continue mixing, allow your mixer to run 10 minutes. Dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and form a ball. After the 10 minute mixing time, cover with a towel in a warm, dark place (I put mine next to my stove) for at least an hour to proof.

It will at least double in size. The longer you allow to proof, the better it is. Tanwya also mentions that you can proof the dough overnight in the fridge.

This is a great recipe to double and put half in the fridge. You will want to defrost in your refrigerator and then bring to room temperature before rolling out.

Joe likes when we make homemade pizzas because I buy him "real cheese"! Ha! It's the little things :)

Top your pizza with whatever you like. You can channel your inner Bobby Flay and grill your pizzas or bake in the oven on a pizza stone. No pizza stone? Spray a baking sheet with PAM or rub olive oil on the bottom, roll your dough out to fit your pan and bake. I like to bake the dough a little before flipping it over and adding ingredients.

Add whatever you'd like! We use a lot of vegetables- onions, peppers, sundried tomatoes, spinach, tomatoes, olives, etc. and we love very thinly sliced Prosciutto on our pizzas. Yum-O! Turkey Pepperoni is also a hit.

Whatever healthy topics you chose, enjoy this delicious and healthy dish this Sunday while you watch the Oscars. Maybe you'll even watch "Eat Pray Love" before the red carpet. Enjoy!

Recipe Redux: A Trend in Every Pot

Happy 2013!

Let's talk about food, shall we? How about food trends, in particular? The 2013 Food Trend Predictions are in (see them for yourself: http://www.srg.com/permanent/2012/10/2013-culinary-predictions) and we have some exciting things do discuss.

First, expect to see sour, tart, bitter and acidic flavors coming out. Healthier dishes (yay!) are also increasing their portfolio in 2013. Asian influence will be prevalent in restaurants and blogs this year along with veggies as entrees (think beyond tofu... care for a cauliflower steak?) and grown up kids menus. Expect to see American Artisians pop up in your local square, along with tapas/small plates making a stand. Fruit will appear in savory dishes and popcorn will be a trendy snack. The trend I am MOST excited about is that in 2013 there will be "all inclusive menus". Think vegan menus, gluten-free menus, dairy-free menus, etc. This may not seem very exciting to you, but if you have a food allergy, this is fantastic news!

In celebration of these trends, I have created a creamy squash soup that is dairy free. And now, onto the recipe:

You will need an acorn squash (butternut would also be delish), a small onion, 1-2 cloves of garlic (I used two, but I love garlic), curry powder, turmeric, salt & pepper, chicken (or vegetable for a vegan dish) broth and unsweetened plain almond milk.

First, chop the squash, onion and garlic. No need to fuss about perfect sizes. It will all be blended in the end.

Then, add 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp earth balance butter (you could just use 2 tsp olive oil if you prefer) to a heavy pot and heat over medium heat. Add chopped veggies and spices.

Cook, over medium heat, 5-8 minutes until onions are slightly tender and squash begins to soften. Do not overcook, it will burn the garlic. Then, add 1 1/2 cups broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer 10-15 minutes until squash is tender.

When the squash is cooked through, remove the pot from heat and blend using an immersion blender (one of my favorite tools) or carefully blend in batches in a stand blender.

Normally I like my soups to have a little "chunk" in them, but for this recipe, it is so smooth, you will like it completely pureed. Once you have the soup completely pureed, stir in 1/2 cup unsweetened, plain almond milk.

Stir...

Then, when completely combined, serve into a bowl or mug and enjoy with a crusty whole wheat baguette toasted and rubbed with garlic clove. Enjoy!

"Creamy" Squash Soup:
1 acorn squash, peeled, seeded and diced (*Note- I usually cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds, then place cut side down on a microwave safe plate and microwave 90 seconds to just soften the squash ever so slightly. This is a tremendous help in removing the skin!)
1 small onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 1/2 cups low sodium, preferably organic chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup unsweetened, plain almond milk

Heat olive oil and earth balance in a heavy pot (I use my dutch oven) over medium heat. Add squash, onion, garlic, curry, turmeric, salt and pepper. Saute 5-8 minutes, until onions are tender and squash just begins to soften. Then add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer 10-15 minutes, until squash is cooked through. Remove from heat and blend with immersion blender until completely smooth. Stir in almond milk and enjoy!

Recipe Redux: Gadget Gifts

This month's Recipe Redux challenge is to share with you all our favorite Kitchen Gadgets. My first thought was perhaps too simple... your hands! Clean hands are a cooks best tool. But for those of you looking for something to purchase for the cook in your life, I recommend a Cuisinart Food Processor.

My world changed when I received the food processor as a Birthday gift. Suddenly, daunting kitchen tasks that were too large for my mini prep food processor (also Cuisinart and a recommended buy) and took precious time to chop were a breeze. I make homemade hummus weekly with this lovely gadget (recipe below), and will share with you another recipe to make for dinner tonight with your new Food Processor.

Here is my version of an Asian-inspired Coleslaw:

First, the dressing:
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
4 tbsp canola oil
4 tbsp rice vingar
1 tsp truvia
Whisk together, cover and refrigerate until slaw is ready.
*You could also make this in your mini-prep food processor or blender

For the slaw:
You'll need one small head of cabbage (any variety would work, I happen to have green cabbage from my delivery), outer leaves removed and cored, then quarter each piece. *You may need to cut even smaller depending on the size of your cabbage, it needs to fit into the food processor.
3 carrots, ends cut off
1 bunch scallions, ends cut off and sliced into 1/4 inch slices

Then, one piece at a time, add the cabbage to the food processor, with the grater attachment on. Press down on the top piece to encourage the grating along. You'll be amazed at how fast this goes!

I added three halves of carrot at a time, standing up lengthwise.

The grated cabbage & carrots:

Dump into a large bowl, add the scallions and reserved dressing. Toss to coat and refrigerate until ready to serve. It will seem like a lot (and it is!) but it goes fast and tastes delicious leftover!

Enjoy!!

Now, as promised, my hummus recipe:
2 cups cooked chick peas (or 1 15 oz can, rinsed and drained well)
2 tbsp tahini
zest and juice of one lemon
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Add all ingredients in the bowl of the food processor with the blade attachment. Blend until ingredients begin to combine and the beans begin to crumble. Stream in 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil with processor running. Allow processor to run approx 3 minutes to ensure a light consistency. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
I can't tell you how long it will keep, because it never lasts that long in this house!
You'll never buy store-bought hummus again!

Recipe Redux: Vintage Side Dishes

When I think of a "Vintage Side Dish", the only recipe that comes to mind is my Grandma Cookie's famous zucchini casserole. Now, a little history...

Every year as a child we drove from New Hampshire to Michigan to visit my dad's side of the family for Thanksgiving. We would ride 15 hours, usually the Wednesday before Thanskgiving to Grandma's house. When we arrived, we immediately walked through her breezeway to get to the house, which doubled as a refrigerator for all things buttery and sweet. She made anything we wanted to make, baked cookies like it was going out of style for the kids (and big kids), (hense the nickname) and pickled frogs legs for my dad (yuck!!!).

Thanksgiving day was a marathon day of eating, like I am sure it is in most homes :). Grandma's Zucchini stuffing was the recipe everyone dove in for first. As Grandma got older (she lived to be 98!), my mom and Aunt Jan tried to recreate the recipe. Emphasis on tried. It never was quite the same as when Grandma made it. I have a theory that she did not share the same recipe with us that she actually used. Modifications have been made, but I am quite certain she smirks at us from heaven every year when we try to recreate this famous dish...

Grandma Cookie's Zucchini Casserole:
6 cups (or 2 lbs) of diced young summer squash
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup of shredded carrots
2 cups prepared stuffing mix (cornmeal is best)
1/4 cup butter, melted
chopped parsley

Cook squash and onion in boiling water for minutes, drain well. Combine the soup, sour cream and carrots, gently fold in squash and onions. Combine stuffing mix and melted butter. Put 2/3 of stuffing mix in greased 2qt casserole dish. spoon in squash mixture and top with remaining 1/3 of stuffing. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley.

Attempts to make this dish "healthier" have been unsucessful, so I encourage you to enjoy in moderation! I wish you all a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving!

Mashed Potatoes

I am an advocate for a special dinner on Sunday night. Sunday is a day to try recipes that you actually have time to make or make a family favorite recipe that requires hours of simmering. Occasionally I will make mashed potatoes, and tonight was one of those nights. I do not think much of it, but Joe loves my mashed potatoes, and I don't even have to trick him into eating them! :)

Here's how I do them:

Take 1 small potato (size of a lady's fist or smaller) per person eating, peeled and cubed, and the equivalent amount of cauliflower, cut into florets, and place on a steamer basket in a large pot. Steam potatoes and cauliflower until tender. Tonight, I used two small potatoes and equivalent cauliflower (approx 1/3 of a head of cauliflower) and let it steam approx 12 minutes.

Drain the cauliflower and potatoes. Remove the steamer basket from the pot and return potatoes and cauliflower to pot. Place pot back on hot burner (turned off, but still hot). Leave uncovered and shake the pot a bit for a few minutes. This allows the steam to escape, leaving you with fluffy mashed potatoes in the end, not watery ones!

Let the steam escape for approx 5 minutes, shaking the pot every few minutes to prevent burning. You will see the steam begin to fade. Then, take your potato masher and mash away. I add approx 1 tablespoon of Earth Balance buttery spread, a heaping tablespoon of horseradish, salt and pepper to taste. That's it.

At dinner, Joe said to me, "You should really tell people about these. They are really delicious and healthy." So here you go. By request of my Southern man who loves nothing more than mashed potatoes loaded with butter (2 sticks minimum), sour cream, whole milk, and bacon.

Sometimes I think we make things "too healthy" and don't actually enjoy them. Potatoes are a nutritious food. But when we add the butter, sour cream, whole milk and bacon, the fat begins to overpower the nutritional benefit of the potato itself. By adding the cauliflower, we can increase the portion size a bit AND bump up the fiber intake. A win-win situation.

I apologize for not having pictures, we ate everything! :) Enjoy!

The Recipe Redux: How to... Tofu!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and to celebrate, The Soyfoods Council has challenged the Recipe Redux'ers to create a creative dish using... tofu!

Tofu is a wonderfully nutritious, high protein food that is made from the curds of soybean milk. Soybeans have been the focus of many studies surrounding cancers, but breast cancer in particular. Some of you may have heard that soy may increase estrogen in the body, or that it may speed the growth of estrogen-sensitive tumors. However, research leads us to believe that the benefits of foods high in isoflavones and phytoestrogens (like tofu) actually helps to protect us against this tragic disease.

Beyond the potential prevention of cancers such as breast cancer, tofu and other soy products benefit cardiovascular health by providing a protein source free of saturated fat and cholesterol and may alleviate symptoms of menopause. The benefit list is lengthy! For more information, visit www.whfoods.org and search "tofu" or the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics www.eatright.org for peer-reviewed research.

As for cooking with tofu, it is a unique ingredient as it takes on the flavor of other foods you prepare it with. Alone, it is quite bland. I have been using tofu in recipes for years, as many of us with dairy allergies have! Here is a recipe that I have come up with in celebration of a great cause- Breast Cancer Awareness and a great food- Pumpkin! I LOVE PUMPKIN. I often prepare my morning smoothie with pure pumpkin, vanilla Juice Plus protein powder, ground flax seeds, a serving of silken tofu, a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, all topped off with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Delish.

More about pumpkin later this month...

First- a housekeeping detail, “By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by The Soyfoods Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

Now- onto the recipe... drum roll please!!!

Pumpkin Pie Parfait
Here are the ingredients:

1 lb silken tofu, drained
1 (15oz) can pure pumpkin *NOT pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (Please, use the real stuff. No Mrs Buttersworth in this recipe!)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Graham crackers or Graham "sticks" as pictured

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and puree until smooth:

Next, in a clear glass bowl or cup, crush graham crackers or "sticks"

Then, begin to layer pumpkin filling and graham crackers into a glass. Note: one serving of these Honey Graham Sticks was 14 Sticks, I used 5 in the bottom of the glass, 5 in the middle layer and 4 crushed on top. You can use your favorite variety of graham crackers, but for portion control- stick to one serving or less.

The finished product:

This filling will thicken as it sits. For better separation of layers (and to prevent the crackers from getting soggy), allow filling to thicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator and assemble right before you plan to enjoy. Which, by the way.... I did!

Nutrition Information:
Recipe as above yields 5 servings (note: may vary depending on ingredients)
Calories: 270
Fat: 5g
Protein: 7g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 174mg

Recipe as above without graham crackers (just filling), per serving:
Calories: 140
Fat: 2g
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrates: 23g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 4mg

Cooking For One

Too frequently I hear that people struggle to prepare a healthy meal for themselves "It's just me, why should I bother?" or "It's not worth the fuss" are responses I get when I ask why one might not prepare a meal for themselves. I also hear, "wait until you are alone at night and then you will understand". Well, I can tell you that I experienced this first hand this summer. Joe was out of the state for business all summer, it was just me and Zeke. Since Zeke's meals come from Petsmart, he was not much of a foodie companion. I did learn to empathize with individuals who are at home preparing meals for "just me", but I took this experience as a challenge. Why shouldn't we prepare a healthy meal for ourselves? I admit, there were some evenings where a bowl of cereal were all I had the energy for, but that happens whether Joe is home or not!

Here are some suggestions to those of you out there struggling to prepare a meal for yourself:

1. Take the pressure off of yourself. Meals (especially mid-work-week) do not need to be fussy. Chop a few veggies (or- if you have time when you return from the store, chop and prep then!) and add to a salad. Add some low-sodium deli meat, vinegar and olive oil and viola, you have a lovely salad.

2. Keep your recipes simple. Saute a chicken breast (or two, if you want leftovers) in a skillet, season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned on each side. Remove from heat and keep warm. In the same skillet, add onion or shallot (whatever you have), dried thyme and garlic. Saute ~3 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth (or 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup chicken broth). Slide chicken back into skillet and allow to cook through and the sauce to reduce by half. Serve with steamed vegetables (steam in the bag can be a vegetable lifesaver!) and instant (or minute) brown rice.

3. Prepare your favorite recipes, sensibly. If you are preparing a meal for one, do not prepare a casserole or your favorite dish that serves 8-12. You will only overwhelm yourself and end up frustrated because of food waste. However, if your recipe freezes well, go ahead and prepare it in 4 serving vessels and freeze 3 of them!

4. When you are at the meat counter, ask your butcher to cut only what you need. They are more than willing to package whatever you need. Alternatively, you could buy a large amount of meat, wrap them individually in saran wrap when you return home from the store and freeze them in a freezer-proof ziploc (I do this for the two of us- I wrap two chicken breasts together and store them in the freezer, I also cut ground meats into 1/2 lb portions... it helps with portion control when we get around to preparing it!).

5. I am a HUGE fan of a "Sue's Skillet Sensational Supper" (I'm working on the title, ha!). Everything goes in one skillet and it goes right to the table. I usually start with aromatics- onions, garlic, leeks, whatever I have. Then I'll add potatoes (if I have them on hand) that I have chopped (the smaller they are, the faster they cook!) and allow them to brown. From there, I add veggies- broccoli, carrots, asparagus, cauliflower, green beans, etc. Whatever I have in the fridge. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper along the way... It might be necessary to add a little white wine or chicken stock to deglaze the pan and add a little liquid to steam the veggies. Once they have cooked, I'll add in fresh herbs. Sometimes I serve this with steamed rice instead of potatoes. Also- if you add meat (a must if Joe is home), you can brown chunks of chicken, or frozen shrimp (de-frost in no time) or extra lean beef tenderloin (about 3 ounces for one, 6 ounces if you want leftovers) before you saute the onions and garlic. Just remove them when browned and keep warm. Return to skillet when you add in your herbs. When it was just me, I ate a lot of beans- I kept cooked beans in individual sized baggies frozen in my freezer. I'd put it in the fridge in the morning and have them ready to go by dinner time. I usually add the beans when I add the fresh veggies to the skillet.

Today's take home message: just because you are one person in the house at dinner time, does not mean you do not need to nourish your body. Keep it simple, but make it enjoyable. Try to sit down and eat! A lovely woman told me once that every night she set the table for herself. She set out a beautiful place setting, with her nice cloth napkins and lit a candle for herself. It was her quiet time to sit, reflect on her day, and enjoy a healthy meal. Plus- she told me, "I have service for 12, so I only had to wash my linens every other week!" There is always a silver lining!

Here is to a healthy day!

Healthy Chocolate Fix

Brace yourself. In fact, you might want to be sitting down for this....

I just made the most delicious and nutritious chocolate pudding!!! "Wait", you must be saying to yourself, "all things in moderation? What, can I have 1/4 cup of chocolate pudding??" NO way, Jose. What if I told you that you could eat 1 whole cup of rich, velvety chocolate pudding for 113 calories and about 2 grams of fat?!?! You would write down this recipe and make it right now, that's what you would do!!!

In all fairness, I did say "brace yourself" :)

Did I mention that it is dairy-free?

Here we go:
2 cups Silk Light Chocolate Soy Milk, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup Truvia
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate soy milk to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1/2 cup chocolate soy milk with the cornstarch until dissolved. Measure out truvia and cocoa powder and set aside. When milk is simmering, whisk in (use your muscles!) the corn starch mixture. It will thicken rather quickly. Keep whisking. Whisk in the truvia and cocoa powder. Continue to whisk for about one minute. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Whisk one last time. It will look like this:

Next, grab your spoon, scoop out a generous bite and enjoy! (Please pardon my appearance, I am sweaty from the 100 degree weather and a workout!)

"The Weight of the Nation"

I just finished watching "The Weight of the Nation" and am feeling quite inspired. This country has a problem with food. A BIG problem. HBO is currently airing a film titled, "The Weight of the Nation". Experts from the Center for Disease Control, hospitals, public and private industry and grassroots advocates discuss the problem that this country has with food. But before you think that it is another documentary that only makes you feel sorry about the problem, they talk about SOLUTIONS!

One of the quotes they shared on the film was that 2% of the agriculture produced in this country is fruits and vegetables. The other 98% is corn, soy, wheat, etc. Corn and soy are subsidized by the federal government. Fruits and vegetables are not. I cannot encourage you all to watch this film enough. It is eye-opening! Check out the website for more information: www.hbo.com/theweightofthenation.

Support your local farmers. Buy locally when you can. Each of us can make a difference in the movement towards preventing obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc. The current farming system does not produce enough fruits and vegetables for Americans. However, if we demand it, they will grow it!!!

If you live in the Jacksonville area, message me for more information on local farms and local food delivery.

Be a part of this movement!

Coming up soon... Healthy Eating and Cooking for One! Recipes, tips, etc. Stay tuned!

Make It Yourself!

Last night, mid-craving for fish tacos, we decided to make our own instead of going to our local favorite, Taco Lu's.

The challenge: Taco Lu's makes "the sauce". It is actually an avocado "crema" (on a side note, to hear two Southern boys say "crema" is well worth the whole experience!). Joe and his brother love the sauce, I haven't had it as it is made with sour cream. The gauntlet had been thrown and we were up for the challenge.

The ingredients:
Small flour tortillas
Shrimp (seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder)
Ahi tuna (4oz piece fed 3 of us, seasoned with salt and pepper)
Freshly made salsa- I used fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers, red onion, cilantro, salt and pepper
Napa cabbage, thinly shredded and tossed with the zest and juice of two limes (let sit for 30 mins or so)
And last, but certainly not least, "The Sauce". For this, I put a ripe avocado, 1/3 cup Tofutti sour cream (regular sour cream would be your dairy substitute), the juice of two limes, cilantro, salt and pepper.

Joe seared the tuna rare, then sauteed the shrimp in a little olive oil cooking spray.

Layer each tortilla with your fish of choice, cabbage, salsa and "The Sauce". Enjoy!

We are always trying to recreate meals that we have eaten out. It is less expensive, and you can control the quality of ingredients, as well as the fat, sugar and salt in your foods. We sat at the table, talking about how nice it was to have a quiet dinner of fish tacos. We all felt full, but not over stuffed like we do when we eat out. Joe and his brother repeatedly said that "the sauce brought it all together".

Success!!!

Happy cooking, message me if you have any questions about recipe re-makes! I'm off to get myself some leftovers for lunch!

Planning Ahead

This is a topic I discuss on an almost hourly basis with my clients. In order to eat and live a healthy lifestyle, there needs to be an element of planning. Now, I understand (really, I do) that we all have busy lives and that sometimes preparing a healthy meal for our families is not possible. For these times, I suggest that you REALLY plan ahead during the days that you have the time!

Take this evening for example. I am not feeling the best, and this week has been crazy. Thankfully, I knew that this week (like most weeks) was going to be a little nutty and that healthy meals were not going to happen if I did not plan ahead. On Sunday, I made the most of the remainder of my produce from the deliveries (yes, I said deliverieS... I am a produce junkie!!!) and chopped up some broccoli for snacks, and used the remainder for a good 'ol classic, Shepherd's Pie (Insert Joe with a big smile here).

I had some ground pork sausage and lean ground turkey, used half of each to make a meatloaf (in the freezer for another busy week) and browned the other half's in a non-stick skillet. When it was browned and cooked through I drained and rinsed it in a colander (insert Joe with a sad face here).

I let that rest while I sauteed a bunch of veggies in the same (cleaned) non-stick skillet. Here is where I got creative. I had onion, cauliflower, carrot, corn (fresh off the cob- thank you Black Hog Farms!), tomato paste, canned tomato (I used organic, low-sodium diced tomatoes with fennel and red pepper), Ancho chili (that I re-hydrated while the meat was browning), salt and pepper.

Yum! My favorite part about Shepard's Pie is that there are no rules. I love recipes like this. Recipes are for baked goods, not for dinner! Ok, ok, on to the rest of the meal. I used peeled (although I really hate to waste the nutrient-rich peel of a potato) starchy potatoes from the Farm and steamed them in my steamer basket until fork tender.

Next, I whipped up the steamed potatoes with Earth Balance "butter" and Tofutti "sour cream" and a lot of Horseradish (those of you without a dairy allergy, feel free to use a little butter and olive oil mixture and low fat sour cream). On a side note, if you like things with a little "kick", add prepared Horseradish to your next batch of mashed potatoes. You won't regret it.

Then, I added the browned meat to the veggies.

Next, I prepared my 13x9 baking dish with a little PAM

Pour meat and veggie mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes and spread out.

 It looked like it needed a little color, so I added paprika and some sea salt.

Once I got to this stage, I covered in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and put into the fridge. On the night you are going to eat it, remove the plastic wrap and re-cover in the aluminum foil. I put into a cool oven and allowed it to warm up with the oven to 350 degrees and then cooked for 20 minutes. I then removed the foil and cooked an additional 10 minutes. Now, this makes a lot. We will have it again this evening for dinner and then for lunches tomorrow. I will probably end up transferring two good sized portions into a freezer proof container and freeze it for another plan ahead meal.

Whatever you and your family like, do what you can to plan ahead. It takes some practice, but use the days you have a little extra time to prep. Also, take an extra 15-20 minutes after coming home from the grocery store to wash and chop your produce. It makes you feel a bit like a cook on the Food Network when you have everything already prep'd and ready to be tossed into a skillet! On a side note about the Food Network, or The Cooking Channel. Rachael Ray has a great new show on called "Week in a Day" where she prepares 5 meals in one day. She walks you through where you prepare the meal up to and then where to pick up on the night you are going to eat it. Something to try and the recipes are good!

I am already looking forward to sharing my next post with you... I have two new "friends" in the kitchen. My mom bought me a Kitchen Aid Mixer for my birthday and Joe bought me a large Cuisinart food processor. So excited!!!

Happy Cooking!

Cruisin'

Earlier this month, Joe and I met my parents, sister and some good family friends in Ft Lauderdale for a cruise. To many, a cruise is the ultimate pitfall or "cheat-week". Endless food, midnight buffets, chocolate fountains, ice cream parlor, cupcake shop, etc. Not to mention the beverages that quickly add up on your "sea pass card".

Determined to not fall victim to mindless calories, I used our vacation as a bit of an experiment. Would it be possible to maintain healthy eating habits and somewhat reasonable portions amid all of this temptaton?!?!

The answer: YES!!!

First and foremost, I was way more active on the cruise days. I am kicking myself that I did not wear my pedometer on our first afternoon of exploring the ship. Holy cow. Fortunately, the elevators were always packed, making it much easier to convince Joe to take the stairs. There is no doubt in my mind we got our 10,000 steps by lunch most days.

Next; a pleasant surprise. As we sat down to our first dinner, this is the first thing I see:



Hip-hip, horray! While 800 calories is a little high to me, the fact that it includes dessert and most days were around 600 calories, made me a very happy girl. While some frequent "cruisers" were upset that the portions were smaller than they remember, I was thrilled. One of the best parts (in my opinion) of a cruise is the impressive cuisine. I like try a couple of appetizers at dinner, enjoy a salad and an entree. Sharing these and asking for a small portion gives you the opportunity to try more foods! This "Vitality Menu" was available every evening and varied in options.

While some may think I'm crazy, I love exercising on a cruise ship. The gym has top quality equipment, and you are working out while overlooking the ocean. Heaven! I had a little difficulty running on the treadmill, the movement of the boat made me a little dizzy while running, but there was none of this on the elliptical and stair stepper. I found a new appreciation for the rowing machine as well. Total body workout + sweating in 5 minutes = big time calorie burning. The only day that I did not use the gym was our day in Belize. But a 90 minute hike in the rainforest made up for it!  

Back to those midnight buffets. Among all of the decadent desserts, I found this:

Feast on that!

Wherever your travels take you, find a way to get a healthy breakfast (mine consisted of oatmeal with two tablespoons of peanut butter, fruit, two hard boiled egg whites and coffee), and center your meals around fruits and vegetables. Find a way to balance your meals and snacks while enjoying local foods and a few treats. And hold the guilt- when you balance most meals, there is no reason to feel guilty for those french fries (so good!) or delicious desserts. Bon Voyage!

Getting Through Difficult Times

On November 30, 2011, the world lost an amazing woman. Donna MacNiven, mother to my best friend and grandmommy to my Goddaughter, lost her heroic battle to breast cancer. The amount of love and support that surrounds her family and friends is contagious. Many of us who have been on the other side of a loss often feel helpless and unknowing of what to do to help. What I learned this weekend is that just being there helps. Be there to hug, cry, try to be strong, say a prayer, hold and squeeze a hand. That and food.

The amount of food that was brought to the house this weekend was enormous. And DELICIOUS. It wasn't until a lovely neighbor came by with a plate (actually, it was a platter) of cookies and a beautiful cake and said, "I probably should have brought a big salad" that I realized just how many of the individuals I meet with everyday feel in similar situations. At someone else's house, surrounded by every cookie known to man, desserts worthy of Martha Stewart's magazine, not to mention the emotions, grief and sorrow going through your heart and mind as you think of those that have passed. How do you make healthy choices???

Well, first things first. Eat a healthy breakfast. Everyday this weekend approximately 1 dozen bagels magically appeared. Also, fruit. Bingo! Fruit, a whole grain bagel hollowed out (I like the crust) and toasted, with a little peanut butter.

Exercise. Exercise is a natural stress reliever, and a great way to burn off some anxiety. Even if it means taking the kids down to to the pond to feed the ducks (they're awfully full from all of those left over bagels).

Find a vegetable. Any vegetable. Try to fill half of your plate with them.

Go easy on the desserts and snack wisely. Snack on heart-healthy (also crunchy and salty) nuts, fruit, vegetables dipped in hummus (Hint: if you are like me, cooking is a natural stress reliever, so preparing healthy dishes and snacks would be a big help too).

Alcohol is not a food group. I must admit, we did overindulge a bit this weekend, but there was a lot of therapeutic laughter and story-telling accompanying these glasses of wine. I wouldn't trade those hours where we were able to laugh and let loose a bit for anything!

Sleep! Again, I should have listened to myself more this weekend. But isn't that what life is all about? We learn to listen to our bodies. They have a magical way of telling us to slow down. When there is a tragedy though, we often ignore these signals.

 Finally, enjoy life. Recognize that eating too much one weekend is not going to "ruin everything". Get back on track. Find peace and comfort in the fact that even when a beloved person leaves this Earth, they are not gone from our hearts or our memories. If your newest angel is anything like mine, she would want you to live life with no regrets, enjoy every second, laugh often and take care of yourself.

Rest in Peace sweet Donna. Love ya!

Thanksgiving Weekend In A Nutshell

Phew! What a weekend. After spending 5 hours cooking on Wednesday evening, I ran my first half marathon on Thanksgiving morning (Suburu Outback Run, thank you 1st Place Sports!!!). I was thrilled to have completed in just under 2 hours (literally... 36 seconds short of 2 hours). I learned a couple of things about myself through training for this run. First, "Carb Loading" really needs to take place more than just a spaghetti dinner the night before (ironically, we had spaghetti for dinner Wednesday night.... mostly because it was easy and it wasn't Turkey).  Second, strength training is so important for distance running. And finally, burning approximately 1300 calories on Thanksgiving morning really does make sense when you hear about the massive amount of food we had!

After the run, we came home and I got my oven started. I had nightmares all last week that our oven would give out, but thankfully, we made it. One more thing to be grateful for. First up, quiche for the boys and pumpkin pancakes for me. I know you're thinking that I am an overachiever- but I prep'd these the day before and these pancakes were amazing, I would run another 13 miles for them. I found them on a blog that I follow- skinnytaste.com.

Next up, the Turkey (see recipe from "My First Post"). When the 19-lb turkey was in the oven, the chopping and sauteing continued. Joe worked in the yard until around noon when he came in, clearly frustrated with me because I wasn't cleaning the house and says "so how long is this cooking going to take?" My sarcastic-but-not-really reply, "Uh, all day babe. It's Thankgiving." Joe replys, "Fine then I'll just do all the work". Okay.....

I am so grateful to have spend Thanksgiving with such a great group of people. Joe's brother and parents came over, along with neighbors and friends. Our menu included: delicious appetizers and festive drinks prepared by Jenna, Brians' turkey cooked on the Green Egg, our oven roasted turkey, a ham, Jen's cheesy potatoes, wild mushroom stuffing, sweet potato casserole, creamed corn, roasted brussel sprouts and fruit salad. Dessert was another table (and plate) full: Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, 2 Apple Pies, Birthday Cake (Happy Birthday Cary!) and Watergate Salad.

To prove that we all make mistakes, I woke up early Friday morning and realized that I forgot to put out the cranberry sauce!!! No worries, everyone came back over Friday evening for Thanksgiving Part Duex.

Saturday was a cleaning day, as well as a day of trying to figure out what to do with all of that turkey! Well, in true Southern form, I made a coleslaw and put some BBQ sauce out for the turkey. Viola!

Today we set up the Christmas tree and decorations. Lights on the house are up as well (perhaps suprisingly, Joe loves having the house decorated for Christmas, he has gotten decorating the outside of the house down! I went to the grocery store- reluctantly. Does anyone else feel like they shouldn't  have to grocery shop for a month after Thanksgiving, but inevitably have to go that weekend? After shopping, Zeke and I went for a walk and I worked out a bit. Tomorrow will be back to normal workouts!

Dinner consisted of steaks on the grill, roasted broccoli and cauliflower (carmelized and delicious roasted at 400 degrees in just a little olive oil, salt and pepper), sauted leaks and shallots (in just a little olive oil, earth balance, salt and pepper) and a baked potato. True, we could have had enjoyed even more leftovers, but we both needed a break. Besides, there is a week's worth of turkey sandwiches to come!

Happy Holidays!

My First Post!

The idea of starting a blog has been on my mind for a while now. With Thankgiving only 4 days away and a million other things to do, why not add starting a blog to the list? To my fellow "foodies" as well as my fellow Americans, Thanksgiving is one of the most exciting and important Holidays of the year. We have come a long way since the first Thanksgiving, with the endless list of traditional recipes passed down from generation to generation, as well as a plethora of ideas from cooking shows, cook books, cooking magazines and friends. While I feel Thanksgiving should be a time to spend with family and friends, giving thanks for all that we have, it is also a time to enjoy some traditional foods.

The average American takes in over 4,500 calories and over 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving, according to the Caloric Control Council. Yikes! While I believe in the occasional indulgence, why not find recipes that are delicious and can keep you closer to your caloric needs? As I type this, a pot of "pumpkin butter" is simmering on my stovetop, recipe to come!

I urge you to enjoy your favorites on Thanksgiving and try altering a recipe or two to become a bit more  nutritious. Monitor your portions and keep to one serving of food. Enjoy what you love, leave out or just have a taste of the foods you care less for.

Most of all, enjoy this time of year! Even in trying times, there is always something to be thankful for. I wish you a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

Here is the first recipe to share. (This is how I will be preparing the turkey this week.)

Lemon-Garlic Roast Turkey with White Wine Gravy
(Adapted From EatingWell November/December 2008)

10 cloves garlic, divided
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 12-pound natural or organic turkey
1/4 cup freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 cup packed fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 onion, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
4-5 sprigs oregano
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups organic low-sodium chicken or turkey broth

1. Crush 6 cloves garlic and add to a very large stockpot (or clean bucket). Stir in lemon juice, Worcestershire, salt and 4 quarts cold water.
2. Remove giblets from turkey (if included) and trim excess skin. Submerge the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours. If the turkey is not fully submurged, turn it every 8 hours.
3. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse well and pat dry. Discard the brine.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Place the remaining 4 cloves garlic, lemon zest, oregano, oil, pepper and 2 tablespoons water in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a paste (Don't have a food processor? No problem. Just chop ingredients on a cutting board until finely minced). Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh meat. Rub the paste all over the turkey, under the skin into the breast and leg meat and a little inside the cavity.
6. Stuff the cavity of the turkey wtih onion quarters, lemon quarters, and oregano sprigs.
7. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the turkey breast-side down in a roasting rack set in a large roasting pan.
8. Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Turn it breast-side up on the rack, add 1 cup water to the pan, and continue roasting 1 hour more. Baste the turkey with pan drippings, ten with foil and continue roasting, basting every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer (inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone) registers 165 degrees F (approximately 30-45 minutes more).
9. Transfer the turkey to a large cutting board; let rest at least 20 minutes before removing kitchen string and carving.
10. Meanwhile, pour any pan juices and fat into a large glass measuring cup and place in the freezer until the fat rises to the top (approximately 10 minutes). If you have a fat separator, you could use this instead. Whisk flour wtih 1/4 cup water in a small bowl.
11. Set the roasting pan over two burners on medium heat. Add white wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Continue cooking until reduced, about 3 minutes.
12. Remove the pan juices from the freezer, skim off the fat and discard. Add the de-fatted juices and broth to the roasting pan and return to a simmer. Whisk often. Cook for about 1 minute, then whisk in the flour mixture and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes more. Pour the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve and serve with the turkey.

Serving Size: 3 ounces turkey (fits in the palm of a lady's hand, about 1/2 inch thick) with 2-3 tablespoons gravy (about the size of a golf ball)

Per serving: 180 calories; 6 g fat (2 g saturated, 2 g monounsaturated*); 66 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugar; 26 g protein; 0 g fiber; 120 mg sodium; 273 mg potassium

*Mononusaturated = "healthy fat" (most of your fat grams should come from monounsaturated sources)
Saturated = "unhealthy fat" (try to keep saturated fat below 7% of total calories, i.e. under 15 grams per day for a 2,000 calorie diet, an increased intake of saturated fat leads to elevated total cholesterol, and high LDL or "bad" cholesterol)