Apple Cinnamon Bread

 I love this bread! It is delicious, hearty, and makes the whole house smell wonderful. My kids like to pack it in their lunch spread with peanut or almond butter. It is also great for breakfast or an after school snack. To top it off, it is so easy to prepare. If you don't have a blender that will handle this recipe, shred the apples and prepare as you would any quick bread. I always double the recipe and freeze one loaf for later (to double it in the blendtec, add everything from step 2 to the wildside jar. Add the last half of the apples to the jar, pulse 5-6 times. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then fold the jar contents into the bowl.)

Apple-Cinnamon Bread-From the Blendtec website

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 c coconut oil (I have also used light olive oil and canola oil)
• 3 Granny Smith apples, quartered and cored (I use whatever apples I have on hand)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-x-5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
2. Add eggs, oil, 1½ apples, vanilla extract, and sugar to WildSide jar. Secure lid and select "Whole Juice." Add remaining 1½ apples and secure lid. Press "Pulse" 5–6 times.
3. Add salt, cloves, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and whole wheat flour. Secure lid and pulse 5–6 times or until flour is incorporated; do not over blend.
4. Pour batter into greased pan, and bake for 45–50 minutes or until toothpick entered into center comes out clean.

Thanksgiving Tips

Since the year of "the cranberry sauce that changed everything," I have gained a lot of experience with Thanksgiving dinners. I have planned, prepared, and served about 13 such dinners with turkeys ranging in size from 20-35 pounds and guests ranging in number from 6 up to 30 people.  You read that right. One year we had a 35 lb. turkey, killed the day before by my husband (with assistance from a lead pipe and the people who raised them). Every year my Grandma comes, she asks, "how do you get the turkey so perfectly browned?" That is the tip I am going to share.

You can prepare the turkey the night before. I make the herb butter (not healthy, but oh so delicious) which I rub under the skin, everywhere I can get a few fingers between the meat and the skin without tearing the skin. Next, rub olive oil on top of the skin. Place the turkey BREAST SIDE DOWN in a roasting pan. This allows the turkey juices to drip down, making the breast meat more moist. Cover the whole thing and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, cut a double layer of cheesecloth big enough to cover the whole turkey. Soak it in chicken broth for a few minutes and lay it over the top of the turkey. Every 30 minutes, take the turkey out of the oven and baste the top with either the juices from the pan or chicken broth, depending on the amount of juice available. After about 2 hours, remove the cheesecloth but continue to baste every 30 minutes until the turkey reaches a temperature of 178 degrees. It should rise to 180 after removed from the oven. If the skin begins to get too dark, loosely tent it with foil until it is done. It comes out beautiful and juicy every time!

Garlic Herb Butter-From Martha Stewart. If you have extra herbs, add them to the turkey cavity before roasting.

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic head
• Olive oil for drizzling
• 3 T each chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, sage, and flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 tsp coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350, with rack in center. Place the garlic head on a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with oil. Loosely wrap garlic and roast until fragrant and very soft, about 1 hour. Remove from oven; let cool.
2. In a small bowl, combine herbs and butter. slice off tip of roasted garlic head with a serrated knife; discard. Squeeze garlic head firmly over bowl to release softened cloves. Season with salt and pepper and mix until smooth. 

The Cranberry Sauce that Changed Everything

"What should I bring to my Aunt's house for Thanksgiving dinner?" That was the question I asked myself as a newly married wife who had never contributed my own item to such a dinner.  Somehow, getting married changed my status from Thanksgiving dinner "helper" to Thanksgiving dinner  "contributor". Yikes! I was automatically upgraded without any additional qualifications. Being somewhat intimidated with this new, upgraded status, I began to pour through magazines for any recipe that would be easy yet amazing, wowing all attending relatives with my new-found wife wisdom.

The recipe I decided on, with the help of "Cooking Light" magazine, turned out to be a hit! It was simple to prepare, made the house smell divine, looked pretty, and turned even the cranberry sauce skeptics into believers. You might even say it was revolutionary. It was requested again the following year and so became a family tradition. Even in the years when I was unable to attend Thanksgiving dinner with my family, they requested the recipe and served it without me. I hope your family will enjoy it as much as mine. Because many of the ingredients are also needed for the stuffing, I chop and measure everything the day before Thanksgiving when I am making the stuffing and preparing the turkey. In the morning, I put everything into a saucepan and simmer it, filling the house with the scent of the holiday. It is best served at room temperature or cold with leftovers the next day.

Cranberry Chutney-makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped Granny Smith apple
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 60 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally.

Three Ingredient Jello Cups

My kids started asking for the individual servings of Jell-O to pack in their lunch. Not being a big fan of the waste and long ingredient lists associated with such items, I came up with this recipe. It is yet another use for my cute silicone muffin cups. I put them on a large cookie sheet before I ladle the liquid into them and simply transfer the whole sheet to the refrigerator. I use another cookie sheet as a "lid".  Make sure you have enough room in your refrigerator! This makes enough for a whole week. Some of our favorite flavors are: blueberry pomegranate, apple cherry, cherry pomegranate, and apple raspberry. Make sure it is 100% juice.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz container frozen 100% juice concentrate, thawed
• 4 packets unflavored gelatin
• about 2 1/2 cups water

Directions:

1. Pour 1 cup of the undiluted juice concentrate into a large bowl.
2. Pour the remaining juice concentrate into a liquid measuring cup. Add enough water to equal 3 cups total liquid. Bring this mixture to a boil in a small saucepan.
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold juice in the bowl; let stand one minute.
4. Add hot juice/water mixture and stir until gelatin completely dissolves, about 3 minutes.
5. Pour into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan or into 24 silicone muffin cups and refrigerate overnight.

Chicken Pad Thai

We are now hosting our fourth exchange student. Even as I sit here typing it, I find it hard to believe. Each one so far has brought new personality and insight into our family, each has been fun and interesting in their own way. I think of each one when I prepare a meal from their country or even just one of their favorite foods. Our first exchange student was Jack, from Thailand. When I asked if he could make some Thai food for us, he politely told me he didn't really know how to cook and preferred my cooking to his. So, while this recipe isn't authentic Thai food, he informed me that it was good.  It has been a staple in our house ever since. So here you have it, a recipe that is endorsed by a real Thai teenager, one German, one Spaniard, one Italian, and four real American kids. It is also modified to be low in animal protein.

Chicken Pad Thai-This recipe serves about 8.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. rice noodles
• 1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts
• 1 tsp. grated lime peel
• 6 T fish sauce
• 4 T fresh lime juice
• 3 T brown sugar
• 3 T rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. (or to taste) chili paste
• 3 T cooking oil
• chicken breast tenderloin, cut into very small pieces
• 2 T finely chopped garlic
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup sliced green onion
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups fresh sprouts*

Directions:

1. For peanut topping, combine chopped peanuts and lime peel. I always make more of this because my family LOVES it.
2. Place noodles in a large bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover. Let stand for 10-15 minutes or until pliable but not too soft. Drain well and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and chili paste; stir until smooth and set aside.
4. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 T of the oil over medium high heat. Add chicken, green onions, and garlic: cook and stir about 5 minutes until chicken  is tender and no pink remains. Transfer to a bowl.
5. Add eggs to the hot skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Stir and cook for 30-60 more seconds, just until set. Remove and set aside.
6. Heat the remaining 2 T oil over high heat for 30 seconds. Add drained noodles and sprouts: stir fry for 2 minutes. Add fish sauce mixture and chicken; cook 1-2 minutes more until heated through. Stir in egg and cilantro. Top each serving with the peanut topping.

*I can't reliably find sprouts that look fresh and appealing, so I generally replace them with one medium zucchini cut with a julienne peeler. I also often add 1/2 cup shredded carrots with the noodles and zucchini.

Smoothie Cups

It's a sad day when I have to pull all of the plants out of my garden. I always go through a period of mourning as I tear out the roots of the plants that have nourished my family for so long. I love knowing the whole story of the food I feed my family and there is something nourishing about growing something from a tiny seed to something that will later feed my whole family for several meals. The harvest of my garden signals an end to that season, a move toward once again relying on the grocery store to provide all of our fresh produce. Sometimes it is a full month before I can stomach a store-bought tomato or carrot. Sitting there in the produce section, they seem so dull and lifeless compared to the still warm, slightly irregularly-shaped, beautifully colored vegetables and fruits I pull fresh from my garden. To reduce the sadness, I have tried several different ways to preserve the goodness that comes from the garden. Most of it involves the freezer. Here is a recipe I came across just this fall as I was pondering what I could possibly do with the baskets full of kale and rainbow chard I just harvested. While this recipe itself is great, I am excited about the possibilities of modifications that could make use of whatever you have on hand for a quick, easy smoothie any time.

I always use silicone muffin cups. They are re-usable and things just pop right out. 

Smoothie Cups-Slightly adapted from Muffin Tin Mania

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 avocado
• 5 to 6 large kale (or chard, spinach, etc.) leaves
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large banana
• 3 tablespoons ground flax seed
• 2 tablespoons honey*
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

Place all the items in a blender container and blend until smooth. If it is hard to blend, you can add a little more water, but the final result should be rather thick.

Divide the mixture into muffin cups (about 10), and freeze about 4 hours or until solid.

Unmold smoothie cups, place in a freezer bag or container, and return to freezer until ready to use. If you used metal muffin tins and are having trouble unmolding the frozen cups, try placing the bottom of the muffin tin in warm water for several seconds, being careful not to thaw the contents.

Any time you need a quick smoothie, add 1 cup of liquid (I usually use water), one smoothie cup, and one cup of frozen fruit (I love cherries, but anything will work), and blend until smooth. For most blenders, it will be a good idea to cut the smoothie cup into quarters before blending. It also blends a lot better if you allow the frozen fruit and smoothie cup to sit out for about 15 minutes.

*On one of the batches, I forgot the honey. It really tasted just fine, especially because I add one cup of fruit. I think it's good either way.

A Quick Dinner for Summer

Last summer we decided to experiment with having lunch be our main family meal. Because my husband is a professor, it is possible to work around his teaching schedule so he can come home in the middle of the day to enjoy lunch with us. Then, in the evening we have a light, casual meal of leftovers or a salad of some sort with some bread and nuts. I really enjoy this schedule, as it allows me to cook when the house is still cool and have one of my main responsibilities done early in the day. Also, there seems to be less distractions, allowing us to be all together almost every day. The rest of the family also liked the idea so we decided to do it again this summer. If you have the flexibility to do this in your family, I highly recommend it. I would love to incorporate the traditional siesta as well, but haven't managed to convince the rest of the family (or country) to adopt this tradition. Maybe some day I will move to Spain...

Although my family enjoys this meal year round, it is especially appreciated during the summer when the house feels hot and the last thing I want to do is stand over the stove for a long time. (Notice that it feeds a whole family with only half a pound of meat.) So, here is a dinner that is quick and easy for the coming summer days:

Shrimp, Tomato, and Basil Pasta-This serves my family of 6 with a reasonable amount of leftovers. If your family doesn't like shrimp, I have also made it with 8 oz. of preservative-free turkey bacon.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
• Course salt and ground pepper
• 6 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
• 2-3 fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 lb whole grain angel hair pasta
• 2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, torn or cut into small pieces

Directions:

1. Cut shrimp in half or thirds and season with salt and pepper (if you like a bit of spice, sprinkle on a dash of ground cayenne pepper).
2. While you make the sauce, bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. 
3. In a large wok or skillet, heat 4 tsp. oil over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook until it turns pink (about 3 minutes), turning occasionally. Transfer to a bowl.
4. To the same skillet, add remaining 2 tsp. oil and garlic. cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add canned crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh diced tomatoes.
5. Add cooked pasta, shrimp, and basil to sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Toss and serve immediately.

Banana Bread Protein Bars

These have become one of my favorite breakfast/healthy snack options ever since I tried them for the first time a few months ago. I make a double batch in a 9x13 inch baking dish, cut them into bars and store them in the freezer. They are perfect with a green smoothie for a healthy breakfast.

Banana Bread Protein Bars

Yield: 10 bars
Dry ingredients:

• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats*, ground into flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup unflavored protein powder
• 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• 3 tbsp mini dark chocolate chips 
• 2 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt

Wet ingredients:

• 3/4 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 small-medium)
• 1/2 cup natural smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 cup coconut nectar syrup or brown rice syrup (Rachel's note: I use brown rice syrup)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8-inch square pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. Tip – to get the parchment to stick to the pan, give the base a spray with olive oil and do this for the next paper too.

2. Add raw buckwheat groats into a high-speed blender and blend on high until a fine flour forms. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

3. Mash bananas until smooth and measure out 3/4 cup. Stir together the banana and all the wet ingredients in a bowl.

4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well until combined. If it is too dry, you can add a bit of water. The dough should be very sticky!

5. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the batter and press it down to spread out the batter evenly. You can also remove the paper and wet your hands lightly and spread it out that way. Make sure it’s as even as possible.

6. Bake at 350F for 22-26 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the bread is firm to touch. Cool in the pan completely (I left it for 1 hour) before removing and slicing into bars.

*Notes: Raw buckwheat groats are not the same as kasha or toasted buckwheat. Raw groats have a milder flavour than toasted. You can find raw groats online, in some health food stores, or the bulk bins of Whole Foods.

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2013/04/17/banana-bread-protein-bars/#ixzz2WhVXJmWo

Quick Tip Tuesday-Peanut Butter Bread

I am always intrigued by what people consider a "snack". My husband and I have both struggled with blood sugar issues. When blood sugar gets low, tempers get short and attention span diminishes. As a result, we have both learned that in order to keep blood sugar stable, it is necessary to eat something every 2-3 hours. We have also learned the composition of the food is just as important as the timing. The snack needs to contain some protein along with carbohydrate. Fiber also helps slow the release of sugar into the blood. It turns out, our kids are also sensitive to low blood sugar. This makes after school snacks and a timely dinner very important. Healthy snacks with substance make us all happy!

This peanut butter bread is a family favorite snack. It is awesome with honey or strawberry freezer jam. The recipe is from my Blendtec cookbook, specifically for a high-powered blender. If you don't have one, I think you could just cream the wet ingredients (milk, eggs, and peanut butter) with the sugar, combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine them just until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. 

Peanut Butter Bread
Ingredients:

• 1 cup any kind of milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add milk, eggs, sugar, and peanut butter to blender (wild side jar) and secure lid. Select "batters."
3. Add remaining ingredients and secure lid. Press "pulse" 4-6 times or until flour is incorporated. 
4. Pour batter into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan (I like to use 4 mini loaf pans because it bakes more evenly, and in only 30 minutes). 
5. Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

 

Packable Pleasures

Outdoor adventure time is here, and all of that adventure requires fueling! I have let myself daydream before about how much more free time I would have if people didn't need to eat. It seems like I do this more frequently when considering the prospect of packing all of the food my family will need for a day away from home.

Monday, we went with some friends for a hike/bike trip to Craters of the Moon. It was a great day, and the food was good, so here are a couple of ideas for food on the go. Both of these are my own recipes, so I hope all of the instructions are clear. Let me know if there are any questions.

Spinach Black Bean Wraps

Ingredients:

• 8 of your favorite soft tortillas
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt*
• 1 T chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 3 cups cooked or canned beans (I like black and pinto mixture).
• 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
• 1 can black olives, drained and rinsed
• about 2 cups cheddar cheese
• spinach

Directions:

1. Mix yogurt with chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
2. In a food processor, combine the beans, salsa, and olives.
3. Spread about 2 T yogurt mixture and 1/2 cup bean mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle a handful of cheese (to taste), and a handful of spinach on top, leaving a 1" border. Roll the tortillas and place them in an airtight container.

I made these the night before and put them in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, we put them in the cooler and they were perfect at lunch time. You could individually wrap each one in plastic wrap, but I just put them all close together in one container (with a lid), unwrapped, and they were fine.

*You can make your own "greek" yogurt by taking a bit more than a cup of regular yogurt and putting it in a strainer lined with cheesecloth over a bowl for a few hours. You will be surprised how much liquid drains off. This is important as you don't want that extra liquid in your wrap to make a huge, drippy mess and make everything soggy.

Trader Joe's Sweet Basil Salad-Last summer on our trip to the Oregon Coast, we stopped at Trader Joe's to grab some food for lunch. I got this salad and loved it so much, I took notes on the ingredients so I could reproduce it at home. This is my version. It is a great lunch or dinner on its own or served with some grilled chicken Italian sausage.

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced (I have also used 2 limes with good results.)
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic or 1 small clove
• 1 bunch basil (about 3/4 cup loose)
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes about 1.5 cups.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup (about 8 oz.) pearled or Israeli couscous (yields about 3 cups cooked)*
• 1 med cucumber, diced
• 2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
• Any combination of greens that look good (I like spinach, red leaf lettuce, and arugula)**

Directions (to pack with you for an outdoor meal):

1. Prepare couscous according to package directions. Let it cool then put it in a container.
2. Combine all vegetables except greens in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Put all ingredients in a cooler and assemble just before eating. I usually just add dressing to taste and almost always have some left over.

*I really like Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend, which contains Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa. However, since we don't have a TJ's close, I often just use plain pearled couscous. I think whole wheat orzo would be good, too.

**The amount depends on how you like it and how many people you need to feed. I always adjust the amount of greens I use, while using the amounts listed of the other ingredients. It is good with almost any ratio.

Quick Tip Tuesday-A Pot of Beans

Ever since we made the change to more plant-based meals, I find myself using a lot of beans. Canned beans are convenient, but wow, do they have a lot of sodium! Even the low sodium cans have about 10% of your suggested sodium for the day in one serving.  In addition, most have some unnecessary added ingredients (firming and coloring agents). I still think they are a good choice, and use them often. However, I set out to see if I could make one big pot at once and freeze them for later. My attempt was successful and now it is quite easy to keep some cooked, frozen beans on hand for any recipe. You can even use them to make your own "refried" beans. Here is how I do it:

Crock Pot Beans

Soak 3 cups dried beans (I usually use a combination of pinto and black) in about 8 cups of water overnight or for 8 hours.

Drain and rinse the beans. Add them to the crock pot with 12 cups of water. Cook on HIGH for about 10 hours.

Drain off most of the liquid. This makes about 8 cups of cooked beans. I generally measure about 2-3 cups into freezer bags and freeze with a bit of the liquid. Then they are ready for any recipe that asks for canned beans.

You may have to adjust the seasonings somewhat for a recipe that asks for canned beans because your beans are unsalted.

Quick Tip Tuesday-An Easy Breakfast

Sorry about the week long blogging hiatus. School is almost out, so there has been a constant stream of musical programs, recitals, school plays, and field trips to attend. I will be glad to have the kids home for the summer. I hope to share some good food for picnics and outdoor meals. But for now, how about a quick, healthy breakfast for the end of the school year. Strawberries have been inexpensive and good, so I intend to eat this as often as possible. The original recipe calls for all fresh berries, but the others are still very expensive here, and I find that if I take the frozen berries out first, by the time I have the strawberries washed and cut, and the topping made, the frozen berries are just about defrosted. When I find cheap, local berries, I will use fresh ones. Everyone in my family enjoyed this breakfast.

 

Raw Triple Berry Crisp

Adapted from: Oh She Glows
Yield: 6-8 servings
Berries:

• 1.5 containers strawberries
• About 3 cups frozen mixed berries (I use raspberry, blackberry, blueberry)
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Topping:

• 2 cups raw, mixed nuts (I like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans. I just use whatever I have.)
• 1/4 cup uncooked rolled oats
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1.  Measure the frozen berries into a large bowl. Wash and slice all strawberries into bite sized pieces.Toss with the other berries and maple syrup.
2. Prepare the topping in a food processor by pulsing all ingredients until just mixed. You want to leave this mixture a bit chunky, so be sure not to over process.
3. In a 2 quart casserole dish or a 9"x13" baking dish, add most of the berry mixture. Spread evenly, then add most of the topping over the berries. Sprinkle on the remaining berries, and then the rest of the topping. Serve immediately over vanilla yogurt.

This gets very watery so does not store well. If you have leftovers, eat them for lunch :)

Green Smoothies for Summer

I remember two times as a kid being forced by cruel and unusual means to eat my vegetables. Disclaimer: My memory is that of a child, so I can't be held responsible for the accuracy of my recollection. The two vegetables in question (on separate occasions) were squash and brussels sprouts. The means of torture was making me sit at the table until I had taken one bite. I don't remember if I gave in before my parents, but I do remember that sitting there while my brothers and sister had gone outside to play (I could hear them with the other neighbor kids through the window, taunting me) was better than taking even one bite of those vegetables. In my memory, I sat there for at least two hours (see disclaimer above). Needless to say, my history with vegetables is not stellar. It has been a huge conflict for me, given my interest in nutrition. I have tried every way possible to get vegetables into my diet without triggering my gag reflexes.  In my college nutrition class, the teacher would joke and say if we were required to name a food that is a good source of any vitamins or minerals, we could just guess spinach and be right most of the time. I wanted desperately to try to work spinach into my diet, but it proved extremely difficult due to the fact that I thought it tasted like swamp water. Luckily, the swamp flavor is rather easy to mask. Anyone who knows me now will probably be surprised by my disdain of vegetables because I have come a long way since my childhood. I have long-since found ways to incorporate most vegetables into my diet.

So, if you are not a vegetable lover, stay tuned. There is hope for you, too. One of my favorite ways to use spinach and other leafy greens that have an outstanding nutritional profile but less than outstanding flavor, is in a green smoothie. I shared a recipe for the "Green Mango Madness" smoothie here. Now, I want to teach you how to make green smoothies a regular part of your life. I have one almost every day. It is a painless way to get about 2 servings of fruit and 1 serving of leafy greens in every day. The key is to experiment with the basic recipe until you find variations that you like. Will they be the best smoothies you've ever tasted? Probably not, but even to a hesitant vegetable eater, they are good (without even a hint of swamp taste). I think I could even eat brussels sprouts in a smoothie. Here is an easy, basic recipe to get you started. Adjust it until you find something that works for you:

Basic Green Smoothie (makes 22-26 oz.)

• 8 oz liquid (I use water, but you could use any kind of milk too.)
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (I usually omit unless I am making it for the kids)
• 1 heaping cup frozen fruit (I almost always use cherries and/or mixed berries for their antioxidants)
• 1/2 banana (usually frozen, see this post about how to always have bananas on hand)
• 2 hand fulls of dark, leafy greens (I rotate between spinach, kale, and swiss chard) 
• Optional additions: chia seeds, flax seeds, nuts, nut butter, unsweetened coconut, granola

Now is the perfect time to plant your own leafy greens. They are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, and a few plants will keep you supplied all summer and into the fall. They grow quickly, take up very little space, and can be grown successfully in a container if you don't have a garden.

Quick Tip Tuesday-Fueling For Exercise

There are a lot of sport energy products out there. There are drinks, gels, goos, bars, chews, and many others. We all like to think of ourselves as athletes, and the and the sport energy companies like us to think we need their products. So, what do we really need? I took a sports nutrition class about a year ago, and got all of the information necessary to make an informed decision. I will present it to you in condensed form, assuming that you work out on average for less than 2 hours per day. If you exercise more than that, you can contact me for more specific information.

If your workout is going to be 60 minutes or less, it's simple. All you need during your workout is water.  Make sure you are properly fueled and hydrated before and after your workout. This is a matter of experimentation to see what works best for you. If I am working out first thing in the morning, I eat nothing. I exercise on an empty stomach and feel great. There is some inconclusive evidence that this trains your body to use fat as a source of fuel more efficiently (The science behind it does seem to make sense.). However, if I start my workout any later than 7:00 AM, it doesn't work. I don't know why. Anyway, the general guideline is the closer to a workout you get, the less solid your fuel should be. Three hours out should be your last real protein. After that, it should be mostly carbohydrates.

If your workout is longer than 60 minutes, you should start looking into something that has some energy and electrolytes. For the most part, products are formulated to be used either before, during, or after exercise, as the recommendations are different for each. Make sure you are choosing something that is meant to be consumed during exercise. The more liquid it is, the more likely it is formulated for use during exercise. Really, if you are doing anything less than a full marathon, all you need is a sports drink. They don't always contain the best quality ingredients, so if you want to make your own, it is quite simple. Most 100% fruit juices contain the correct concentration of carbohydrates for ideal absorption when they are diluted: 1/2 water, 1/2 fruit juice. Then all you have to do is throw in half a pinch of salt (you don't taste it, I promise), and you have your own sports drink made from real food, not chemicals. My favorite is a Naked Pomegranate Blueberry juice diluted with salt added.

So, don't spend money on sports products when all you really need is water, and if you do need more than water, make sure you are buying (or making) something that is formulated for use during exercise.

My Plant-Based Journey

In all of the years I have been following the twisty road of nutrition news, I have seen many quick-fix diet schemes come and go. There are more ways to lose weight fast than there are people in this world! Most of these methods work for a time, even if they aren't at all healthy. They work for one reason-they all force calorie restriction in one way or another. Then, once you go back to your old habits (you have to because there is no way you can maintain most of the fad diets for long and still live), the weight creeps back up with a vengeance! My focus throughout life has never been weight loss, but rather ideal health. Weight control generally follows, but physique alone is not a good indicator of overall health. My reading tends to hone in on disease prevention and vitality. Among books and studies about preventing disease and maintaining good health, there are always a few things in common. These things are the ones I have tried to incorporate into my lifestyle. I am always a slow adopter of new health trends. I like to give them time to prove to me that they are worth working in to my life. My journey to a more plant-based diet is no exception. In my many years of accumulated education about health and nutrition, these are the things that come up no matter what it is you are trying to prevent, cure, or encourage: regular exercise, decreasing consumption of red meats, and increasing the amounts of vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains in our diets. Along with this, most of our foods should be as minimally processed as possible.

Over the last two years, I have been adapting our favorite dinner recipes to be more plant based. For the most part I have accomplished this by cutting the amount of meat in half and replacing it with vegetables, beans, or grains. We never ate much meat to begin with, but I thought this would be a worthwhile change for my family. No one noticed the gradual change, and by the end of the first year, I was feeding my family of eight (we had two exchange students at the time) with one chicken breast. At one point, I decided to do an experiment on my family (is that ethical?). I decided to make meat-free meals and see how long it would take for anyone to notice. On day 4, James looked over the dinner I served and simply said, "Not an ounce of animal protein in sight." Some of our meat heavy meals I just stopped making, and the only one that has been requested since the change was, Meatball Sandwiches, which I gladly made.

My personal belief, after studying nutrition and vitamin and mineral absorption, is that the ideal diet contains small amounts of animal protein. I think going totally vegan is taking a good idea too far. Of special concern with a vegan diet are the minerals calcium and iron, and vitamin B12. It doesn't take much animal protein to increase the absorption of calcium and iron and get an adequate amount of  B12 and the essential fatty acids that are found mostly in animal products. Limiting, but not eliminating animal products greatly increases the convenience as well. It gives you the freedom to use the ingredient that is best suited to the recipe and not use a plant-based food when it isn't the best choice. In order to reap the benefits of a plant-based diet, you have to replace the meat with vegetable, beans, or whole grains. The meat substitutions on the market are not healthier than the meat itself. They are heavily processed and full of strange ingredients. It is best to avoid them if you are making the change for better health. You can find more information about my views by studying the diets of the world's healthiest populations. I am sure you have heard about the Mediterranean Diet. It includes an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and legumes, a moderate amount of fresh fish, and very small amounts of red meat, dairy, and processed foods. A great book on the topic is,  The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell. 

There really is so much to discuss in further detail, but to avoid writing a novel, I would like to share a recipe I have been making for a few years that my family loves.

Three Bean Tacos
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients-this makes enough for about 24 tacos. I always freeze half for another meal. It stays good in a freezer bag for at least a month.

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 2 T chili powder
• 4 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp cumin
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 12 tortillas
• toppings of choice: diced tomatoes, avocado, salsa, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, etc.

Directions

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (onion through garlic), and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add beans and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until thick.

Put the mixture into a food processor or blender and process until it is about the consistency of ground meat.

Warm tortillas and top with 1/4 cup bean mixture and desired toppings.

Quick Tip Tuesday-A Pat On the Back

I realize that Tuesday is almost over. I have had one of those days...On that note, my tip for today is to give yourself a pat on the back. We have a tendency to get caught up in numbers as an absolute, a concrete bar by which to judge ourselves. When I was a senior in high school, my school formed its first ever track team. By that time, I was well into my health kick. I already exercised regularly and ate better than most of my peers, which should give me an advantage, right? Plus, I thought it might be fun to be a part of North Fremont High School's first ever track team, so I signed up. I ate right, worked hard at practice, and proceeded to come in dead LAST at every track meet I ever participated in. I tried to console myself by saying that at least when everyone else had finished the race and I was still running, the whole crowd was cheering for me (who cared if they were all sympathy cheers?). I mean, how often does that happen? To this day when I am running, I get passed by everyone who isn't walking.  How is it that I haven't sworn off running? I realized that I have to do things without caring about the numbers. Sometimes we need to give ourselves an "A" for effort. So today, give yourself a pat on the back for all of the improvements you have made to benefit your health and the health of your family. All of the little things matter, so count them as a success and be proud of yourself. Good job! 

The Promised Pita

Two posts ago, I admitted my hummus addiction and promised a whole wheat pita bread recipe. It's not 100% whole wheat, but I find that the addition of one cup of white flour really helps the consistency. These are fun for sandwiches of any type, but with hummus, vegetables, and some falafel or seasoned, grilled chicken, it makes a great meal So, here it is:

Pita Bread- Yields 8 pitas (can easily be doubled)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white flour, 2 cups whole wheat flour, plus ½ to ¾ cups more as needed.  
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 packet instant yeast
• 1¼ to 1½ cups water, roughly room temperature
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Mix yeast in the flour, salt, and sugar.  Add the olive oil and 1¼ cup water and stir together with a wooden spoon. All of the ingredients should form a ball.  If some of the flour will not stick to the ball, add more water.

Once all the ingredients form a ball, place the ball on a work surface, and knead the dough for approximately 10 minutes.  If you are using an electric mixer, mix it at low speed for 10 minutes.  As the dough is mixing, continue to add flour, a tablespoon or two at a time, until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is tacky but not sticky. (I add a fair amount of flour, so don’t be afraid to keep adding more until you reach the right consistency.)

When you are done kneading the dough, place it in a bowl that has been lightly coated with oil. Form a ball out of the dough and place it into the bowl, rolling the dough around so that it has a light coat of oil on all sides.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise until it has doubled in size.  Approximately 90 minutes.

When it has doubled in size, punch the dough down to release some of the trapped gasses and divide it into 8 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a ball, cover the balls with a damp kitchen towel, and let them rest for 20 minutes. This step allows the dough to relax so that it will be easier to shape.

While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 450⁰. If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to preheat it as well.  If you do not have a baking stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while it is preheating. This will be the surface on which you bake your pitas.

After the dough has relaxed for 20 minutes, spread a light coating of flour on a work surface and place one of the balls of dough there.  Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the dough and use a rolling pin or your hands to stretch and flatten the dough.  You should be able to roll it out to between ¼ and 1/8” thick – 6 inches in diameter.  If the dough does not stretch sufficiently, you can cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5-10 minutes before trying again.

Place disks on a lightly greased baking sheet or parchment paper and let rise, uncovered, until barely doubled in thickness, about 20-30 minutes.

Open the oven and place as many pitas as you can fit on the hot baking surface.  They should be baked through and puffy after 3 minutes.  Remove them and place on a cooling rack.

Quick Tip Tuesday-The Periodic Food Log

I always learn a lot about my eating habits when I can look at my food choices over the course of a "normal" week. However, recording everything I eat all of the time is too time consuming for me. The solution I have found is to take one week about every six months and make the time to record my food intake. This is an insightful process as it forces me to measure everything and realize again what 1/2 cup of oatmeal, or 1 tablespoon of almond butter looks like. It is a great way to reevaluate your food intake and make any adjustments that have become necessary since the last time you checked. You will learn a lot about serving sizes and nutrition information, too.

There are a lot of different ways to keep a food log. One is to just grab a piece of notebook paper and start writing what you ate. Make sure to include the date and descriptive amounts of EVERYTHING. One thing I have learned is that if you eat something, but don't write it down, you still ate it :) Sorry about that. You can then look up the nutrient content or, just make it a practice in awareness. Another option is to input your intake into a calorie calculator of some sort, which will provide you with the feedback you are interested in there are several of these out there. The one I am most familiar with is Super Tracker: https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/foodtracker.aspx You will need to create a profile in order to save your information. After you input the date and search the database for the food you ate, it will generate the report you request. Under the tab, "My Reports" you can choose which reports are the most useful to you.

It might be a bit time consuming, but even a few days recorded will give you an idea of areas that could use some improvement.

I would love to hear what people are surprised by after taking a close look at their regular intake. I always have a couple of surprises. It is well worth the effort!

My Hummus Addiction

I'm not sure when or where I was first introduced to hummus, but I do know it was much too late in my life. I know it was when I was in my early 20's, which makes me feel bad about all of those hummus-free days that were wasted. I do my best now to make up for those wasted days. I think it possibly doubles the amount of vegetables I eat. When my kids were little, I was delighted when, one by one, they grew to love it too. They would use the same carrot over and over again, licking the hummus off and then dipping in for more. Now that they are older, they think I am addicted to it. Nicole, after learning about the addictive properties of nicotine, suggested that I check the ingredient list to see if it was in the hummus I bought.

A few weeks ago, I did a post about hummus and suggested the "Sabra" hummus. That is my favorite store-bought hummus, but I have a recipe for you because everything is healthier when you make it yourself. So, here is my hummus recipe that is an assimilation of several recipes with my own twist (and I promise, no nicotine). Just for fun and for my friend who requested it, my next post will be a pita bread recipe that I have used for years.

This can make a healthy snack, or a full meal if you dice up a bunch of vegetables and add some felafel.

Hummus-I always double this because we go through it fast!

• 2 15 oz cans of chickpeas

• 1/4 cup tahini
*
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed (1 tsp)
• 
1/2 tsp sea salt

• 2-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Reserve the liquid in case you need a little more at the end.

Combine the tahini and lemon juice in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth and frothy, about 2-3 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides once or twice.  This step is really important if you want your hummus really creamy.

Add the garlic and salt and blend again (about 1 minute).

Add in the chickpeas in about three additions and blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides regularly.  Once all of the chickpeas are blended in, add the olive oil 1/2 tablespoon at a time. Blend well between additions. Continue to blend for a couple of minutes, adding reserved bean juice or more olive oil until the taste and consistency are just right.

I also add about 1 tsp each of cumin and basil, and about 1/2 tsp paprika. When I have fresh herbs in the garden, fresh parsley and basil are a great addition.

*Tahini is sesame seed paste. It is usually found in the ethnic food section, but if you live in a small town like mine, you might just find it near the peanut butter.

Quick Tip Tuesday-Fresh Ginger

Fresh ginger root is not only delicious, but it also touts many health benefits. It has been said to improve all aspects of digestion, reduce nausea,  and relieve joint pain. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. I use it regularly in Asian recipes. The powdered stuff doesn't do it justice. Go for fresh. I buy a whole root from the store, cut it into 2" chunks and throw it into a container in the freezer. It only takes about 5 minutes out of the freezer to be ready to peel and grate.  Ginger that is still slightly frozen is actually easier to peel and chop or grate. The combination of being slightly frozen and having the right tool makes the perfect grated ginger. I love the Microplane zester/grater for ginger as well as citrus zest. I have used several cheap ones that just seem to frustrate me, but I am now on my second one of these, and I LOVE them!