Havarti

Havarti is a semi-soft, pale yellow cow's milk cheese from Denmark that is very mild and creamy.  This rindless cheese is called Flødeis Havarti in Danish.  I've always been a fan of havarti slices on crackers with a glass of wine, but recently I decided to broaden my horizons and use it in cooking.  The results definitely had my taste buds wishing for seconds!

Havarti Mac & Cheese

Inspiration #1 came from Food Network Magazine's recent, "The Cheese Issue."  There was a mouth-watering picture of macaroni and cheese on the cover, so naturally I was interested.  The possibilities with macaroni and cheese are nearly endless!  As I read through the many varieties the authors came up with for the magazine, I found myself dog-earing many of the pages.  Since havarti cheese was on my radar, I decided on a mac and cheese version that featured it, along with broccoli and chicken atop miniature shells.  While you  may not agree that my picture of the dish is exactly mouth-watering, let me assure you this macaroni and cheese was scrumptious!  I highly recommend it to anyone who wants the comfort of a hot bowl of macaroni and cheese, but who is also willing to be a little adventurous.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Inspiration #2 grew out of Inspiration #1.  Since I had a big hunk of havarti and a ton of broccoli, I decided to make a healthier version of the old stand-by: chicken and rice casserole (everyone has a hand-me-down version of this recipe, right?).  I didn't use any cream of mushroom soup...or cream of anything soup for that matter.  Instead I used milk, along with some chicken broth I used to plump up several sun-dried tomatoes.  The result was fabulous!  The creamy havarti cheese melted into the dish and gave it a richness chicken and rice casserole ought to enjoy all the time.  

Grain-iac

I love how super-charged my body feels when I eat whole grains.  Whole grains are reported to have many health benefits such as reduced risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke.  Also toss in healthier blood pressure levels and better weight maintenance.  Some current research even indicates that whole grains have a significant role in lowering the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer.  With a pedigree like that, who wouldn't be interested in adding more whole grains to their diet?

The grainy treat I helped myself to today is called Tuscan Oven Grains and Greens from epicurious.com.  My rendition of the recipe is a wonderful mix of Italian sausage, mushrooms, kale and spinach with three grains: barley, rice and whole wheat pasta.  The grains go in raw, but become soft as they bake in the oven with the other ingredients.  It's actually quite a simple one-pot meal, and I am a big fan of one-pot meals!  I especially appreciate this sort of comforting food when the evening temperatures take a dip as they have been doing recently.

Making Changes

Changes can be very difficult.  I remember the day the doctor told me it would be wise to cut caffeine out of my diet.  It was like the world came to a screeching halt!  Me?  No, thank you.  I drink double espressos for breakfast, cappuccinos for a snack, coffee with lunch and dinner.  I might jeopardize the coffee industry if I give it up...but that is exactly what I did.  When compared to the benefits of giving it up, there was no contest.  And it was very ugly, at first.  Gradually I started to change my habits and eventually I stopped missing it altogether.  So when my Dad had a similar experience during a recent doctor's visit, I understood what it meant to be staring some difficult life changes in the face.  I'm happy to report that he is also having success putting aside old choices in favor of those which will prove more healthy in the long run.

I've been thinking about Dad's new diet (and by diet I do not mean a temporary scheme to lose weight) as I sit and plan the weekly dinner menus for my household.  I am proud of his determination and want to contribute some food items to his list so I made up a healthy version of chicken salad I think he might enjoy.  I finely minced a shallot and then added about 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt, a pinch of garlic powder, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, tarragon and parsley.  I halved some plump red grapes, sliced some celery on the diagonal, and tossed in freshly grilled chicken.  I piled the salad atop a bed of spinach and arugula and sprinkled almond slices on top.  It was refreshingly delicious!  Dad, I hope this will be a welcome addition to your new list of menu items!

Not Stir-Fry

Simply put, stir-frying is a method of quickly cooking small pieces of food over high heat resulting in food that is crisply tender.  It generally requires less fat than other methods such as sautéing, making it desirable cuisine for the health-conscious eater.  The fun part about stir-fry is that you can really be as creative as you want in the selection of meat, fish and/or veggies to be included.

For tonight's meal, I chose chicken breast, red onions, carrots, red bell peppers, ginger, garlic and snow peas.  I made quick work of the chicken and removed it from the pan, but when it came to the veggies, I realized I was in the mood for slightly more tender than crisp.  As a result, I can hardly say that my cooked veggies counted as stir-fry.  To accompany this collection of chicken and tender vegetables, I selected one of my go-to grains: quinoa.  Once the quinoa was cooked, I attempted to put a fried rice spin on it by stirring in a lightly beaten egg and coarsely chopped green onion and cilantro, and of course some soy sauce.  I like food that comes out in one pot, so naturally I stirred the quinoa into the mixture of vegetables and then added the chicken.  While it may not be stir-fry technically speaking, the result was absolutely delicious!

Quinoa "Stir-Fry"

So Little Time

Step One: Roasted Red Potatoes

It was one of those days.  Long day at work.  Needed time for a run.  Had to fit in some errands before dinner.  And then, dinner.  I wanted some healthy fuel to replenish me, but I found myself a bit short on time.  Just when I began to lose hope, this tasty dish sprang into my mind.

Since time was of the essence, I first softened red potatoes in the microwave for a few minutes.  Then I quartered them, drizzled on some olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and rosemary and popped the baking sheet into the oven to roast.  While the potatoes roasted I sent Brian out to the grill with some marinated chicken breasts.  Next I chopped up some red bell pepper, celery and green onions. I whipped up a dressing of equal parts mayo and dijon mustard, plus a little salt and pepper.

I allowed the potatoes to cool slightly before adding them to the chopped veggies, and shredded the chicken when it came in off the grill.  I tossed everything together with the dressing and the result was a delightful potato salad.  It left me feeling quite replenished.  If I could change one thing however, I would substitute plain Greek yogurt for the mayo.  All in all, though, it wasn't bad for a last minute, thrown-together dinner.

Finished Product: Potato Salad