Power Oatmeal

I tried a new experiment for breakfast today, and I'm happy to report that it turned out delicious!!  For all you runners out there, this power oatmeal will really refuel your body after a run.  I don't know about you, but after a hard running effort I feel ravenously hungry.  I'm amazed to report how thoroughly this breakfast satiated my hunger and left me feeling energized, not unhappily full or heavy.  Okay, so how much experimentation can you really do with oatmeal, right?  Well, today I added an interesting ingredient: chia seeds.  The tiny seeds of the chia plant, Salvia hispanica, originated in South America and were a staple in the diets of the ancient Mayans and Aztecs, and with good reason.  The Aztec warriors used chia seeds as survival rations, taking a pouch of chia seeds and a vessel of water on their trips; the seeds were their food source and when taken with the water they would hydrate their bodies for endurance.

What we know about chia seeds today is that they are loaded with antioxidants, in fact the antioxidant activity in chia seeds is higher than any other whole food, even blueberries.  They are also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.  One ounce of chia seeds (about two tablespoons) offers 139 calories, 4 grams protein, 9 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates and 11 grams of fiber.  The high fiber content gives chia seeds an interesting property, they are hydrophilic and can absorb up to 12 times their body weight in water!  Soaking chia seeds causes a gel to form around each seed, making them useful in cooking and baking.

For the oatmeal,  I used rolled oats and chia seeds cooked in unsweetened almond milk enhanced with a bit of coconut sugar and pumpkin pie spice.  Once cooked, I added in some dried cherries and dates.  After the first bite I realized a bit of salt was needed, so I topped it off with pumpkin seeds.  It made more than one serving, so I now have something to look forward to tomorrow morning!  All in all it took about five minutes to prepare, so no excuses not to try this healthy breakfast.

Kale Chips

Kale...before

Craving something crisp and salty?  I wonder if you ever considered having kale chips to satisfy your craving?  If not, you definitely ought to add it to your list of things to try.  These days kale chips even come pre-packaged so you don't really need time or energy to make them.  But making them is fun, so I recommend that you try it.  First, rinse and thoroughly dry the kale leaves with a clean kitchen towel.  Break the leaves up into bite-sized pieces and put them in a bowl.  For a large bunch of kale, add about two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the seasonings of your choice.  I used sea salt and a little garlic powder.  Massage the oil into the leaves, admittedly that may sound a little odd, but try it.  Squeeze and toss the leaves so they are thoroughly coated with the oil and seasonings.  Then spread the leaves out onto baking sheets and roast for about 15 minutes at 400°F.  The result is a crisp and delicious snack you don't really have to feel guilty eating.

Why kale?  To put it simply, kale is one of the most nutritious vegetables you can eat. Period.

After...kale chips

For starters, it is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin compounds...which promote eye health.  (A girl with glaucoma is very interested in foods that promote eye health!)  Some other benefits of eating one cup of kale include: 5 grams of fiber, 15% of your daily dose of calcium and vitamin B6, 40% of magnesium, 180% vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C and 1,020% of vitamin K.  It is also a good source of copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus.  Have you signed up to try it yet?! The types of antioxidants found in kale help protect against cancer and lower cholesterol.  It truly is a superfood.   So do your body a favor and start snacking on some kale chips!

Spaghetti Anyone?

For tonight's dinner, Brian had a big plate of spaghetti and I opted for a vegetable alternative to spaghetti: spaghetti squash.  Is there a nutritional advantage to selecting roasted spaghetti squash over the typical egg pasta so many people know and love?  The answer is...it depends.  Very conclusive, right?  Both are low in saturated fat and sodium, and neither has any cholesterol.  A cup of cooked spaghetti contains approximately 220 calories, 42 g carbohydrates and 8 g protein.  It has a healthy dose of B vitamins as well as 50% of the daily value of the mineral selenium.  A cup of cooked spaghetti squash on the other hand, contains about 42 calories, 10 g carbohydrates and 1 g protein.  It is an excellent source of calcium, manganese, potassium, dietary fiber and vitamins A, B and C.  Ultimately your level of activity and nutrition goals will determine which option is best for you.  While I'm sure I will always be a pasta lover, spaghetti squash is an incredibly delicious alternative, particularly with a chunky sauce, and it's a bonus to pick up such a nice array of vitamins and minerals without overloading on calories and carbs.

Tonight I experimented with an old favorite recipe from The Moosewood Collective called Tomato Wine Sauce.  Ordinarily this vegetarian tomato sauce is incredibly flavorful on its own, but today I decided to add crumbled Italian sausage for added complexity and texture.  The ground fennel in the sauce paired beautifully with the fennel-seasoned sausage.  Once the squash was roasted, I used a fork to break the soft flesh into strands of "spaghetti" and then stirred it into the sauce.  With some freshly grated Locatelli cheese, this meal turned out to be a delight to my senses!

Sparkling Goodness

Cucumber-lemon water

I'm a sucker for fancy waters, juices and the like.  Give me Izze.  Better yet, San Pellegrino.  And then there is Orangina!  My tastebuds never get bored when there is something interesting at hand to sample.    The only limiting factor to taste enjoyment is my budget.  As I perused the water aisle during a recent visit to Whole Foods my eyes landed on a bottle of cucumber water, and I salivated.  Almost unconsciously my hand reached out for the bottle, and nearly made contact, when a little voice inside me said, "WAIT! Why not try making that yourself before you buy an 8-oz. bottle?"  I reluctantly lowered my arm and kept walking...to the produce department where I picked out a nice cucumber.  That evening I sliced half a cucumber and half a lemon, because it was in my produce bin hoping to be used, and dumped them in the bottom of a 2-qt. pitcher.  I filled it with water, covered it and put it in the refrigerator overnight.  The result was an incredibly refreshing glass of water!!  When all my delicious cucumber-lemon water was gone, I refilled the pitcher with fresh water.  The second batch was not quite as vibrant as the first, but still very tasty.

Ginger ale with mint

Since I was on a beverage roll, I moved on to a more ambitious experiment: ginger ale.  I simmered some water, sliced fresh ginger and honey until a bubbly syrup formed in the pan.  I poured the syrup into my trusty pitcher, added some fizzy club soda and fresh mint, and then put it in the refrigerator overnight.  I'll have to admit I was a bit unsure how it would turn out, but I was pleasantly surprised to taste it.  Since I let the fizzy soda sit in the refrigerator overnight it lost some of its fizz, but aside from that the taste was very crisp and refreshing.  

Muffins

As I continue to research the types of foods that harmonize with my Dad's new diet, I'm learning new things that should be included in any healthy diet.  Today I read that you can simply substitute oats for one third of the flour called for in muffin, cookie and pancake recipes.  Why bother adding in oats?  For starters oats, no matter what form, help your heart by lowering LDL, the bad cholesterol.  Oats also help keep blood sugar levels stable.

I decided to test out the oat to flour ratio with my go-to muffin recipe.  It's very basic yet produces a moist, delicious muffin every time.  The beauty is how easy it is to swap out star ingredients in the muffins.  I happened to have some fresh pears on hand from the orchard of my Mom's neighbor, so I decided pear and cinnamon would be the stars this time.  I'll have to say the oat experiment turned out delicious, so my muffin recipe is now appropriately amended.

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