Monday, January 24, 2011

"Clean and Wholesome Food"

Today was my first day in the Chef's Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health & Culinary Arts, and I left feeling comforted and inspired by all of the talk of "clean and wholesome food," as several of the instructors described the school's philosophy. I left class with a boost of kitchen-confidence and a hankering for the farro and squash dish that I recently saw posted on one of my favorite blogs, Coconut & Quinoa. Regardless of the freezing cold weather here in NYC (6 degrees...eek!), my innards were instantly warmed from this whole grain salad, served over wilted swiss chard greens. I have to admit, the glass of Cabernet Sauvignon helped take the tingle from my toes a bit too...

Try this recipe! It was extremely easy and quick (altogether about 45 minutes). Perfect for a dinner for one (or more, if you are lucky to have the company!), and I am looking forward to the leftovers...yum. If your store doesn't stock kabocha squash, try substituting a smaller-sized butternut, like I did. Enjoy! 

warm farro roasted squash salad

serves 4

¼ medium kabocha squash, cut in ¼ inch slices
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup farro (semi perlato) or emmer, soaked overnight in filtered water
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 bunch of swiss chard, stems removed
2 tablespoons spiced pumpkin seeds
6 oz goat milk feta
4 teaspoons reduced balsamic vinegar, see recipe below

preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.

place squash, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper on a parchment lined baking sheet and toss to combine. place in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring half way. remove from oven when they are beginning to brown. set aside.

drain farro, place in a small saucepan with 3 cups of filtered water and bring to a boil. lower heat, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until they are tender. if you’re using emmer it will take about 1 to 1 ½ hours to cook and you may need to add more water too. drain well and return to pot, add chickpeas, remaining tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and the roasted squash. place saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring every couple of minutes while you wilt the chard.

rinse chard leaves and place in a skillet over high heat, turning with tongs until leaves begin to wilt. reduce heat to low and cover for one minute. remove lid and stir until all leaves are deep green and wilted.

divide onto 4 plates a top with about ¾ cup farro mixture. crumble feta on top, sprinkle each salad with pumpkin seeds and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of reduced balsamic vinegar.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.

Image from http://www.worldchanging.com
 I saw a commercial the other day for an organization called Oceana which works to protect the world's oceans, that grabbed my attention, first, by the sight of actor Adrian Grenier in a wet suit, and then by the mention of the rapidly diminishing Bluefin tuna population. I am sure that you heard some talk of the high levels of mercury found in fish such as Chilean Seabass, or talk of illegal and unsustainable fishing as reasoning for avoiding some seafood. Oh boy, another controversial food group that is cause for more confusion or guilt while dining out or grocery shopping and more reason to throw the towel in and disregard all talk of such touchy food topics while eating as you please. Instead of getting frustrated and giving up, leave it to a simple text message to sort out the information for you. Next time you are at a restaurant or standing in line at the seafood counter at the market, whip out your phone and text the Blue Ocean Institute's "Fish Phone" at 30644 to get the straight answer to whether or not the beautiful pink tuna steak behind the glass is just as harmless as it looks. Just text "fish" followed by the species (Ex: fish bluefin tuna) and, immediately, a response will dish out the latest alerts for that particular fish, and also give you the option to receive additional updates by replying "BLUE".

"BlueOcean.org; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (RED); all three populations overfished with very low abundance due to ineffective management; Env Defense Fund Advisory: high mercury; Reply BLUE for txt message updates"

Monday, January 10, 2011

Stir-Fry, Not Deep Fry!

stir-fry is a great go-to dish to whip up when you are hankering for a hearty and flavorful, yet light and refreshing, meal in the depths of the winter cold. at the same time, use up all of those seemingly random vegetables that are on the verge of going bad! experiment with different flavors, but try to always incorporate a yummy protein, and serve it over a toothsome whole grain. get out some cutting boards, invite the girls over, pour some red wine, and get chopping! here is my latest stir-fry favorite; send me yours!

serves 4

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or try sesame or peanut oils for a nutty flavor!)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 cups broccolini florets and stems
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 black radish, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups sugar snap peas
2 whole carrots, shredded (break out that Swissmar peeler!)
salt
crushed red pepper flakes
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled (scrape with fork to remove skin) and thinly sliced
2 eggs

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
soy sauce
2 cups cooked brown rice

heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large sautee pan. brown garlic in oil. turn up heat to medium, and brown mushrooms. add veggies, one at a time, to allow for browning and adding a pinch of salt with each addition. when veggies are tender and brown, flavor with crushed red pepper and ginger. form a hole in the center and crack two eggs into the hole, break the yolks, and scramble to cook through. now, stir it up! enjoy over brown rice, sprinkle with chopped peanuts and a bit of soy sauce. yum.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

You say "potato"...I say "sweet potato!"

Image from http://www.bonappetit.com/
You may have heard through the grapevine that sweet potatoes are better for your health than regular potatoes, "but why?" you may ask. Although not a single thought besides "YUM" crossed my mind while I scarfed down a big baked one at lunch today, a full belly and a guilt-free conscience later, I found myself questioning this tuber's superior makeup over a plain old Yukon Gold or Idaho. I have long been a proponent of the sweet potato over the regular, for purely sensory reasons:  the color is vibrant, the sweetness is unmatched, and they make for incredible fries (especially with a spicy mayo dip like the one you can find at the downtown Detroit restaurant Traffic Jam & Snug, the site of the beginning of this love affair of mine). Although these characteristics (color, taste, etc.) may not seem to be connected to the nutrient makeup of the vegetable, they are directly connected to it, judging by the actual vitamin and mineral content reported by my go-to website for nutrition facts, NutritionData.

Let's take a closer look...

We will compare a medium regular potato to a large sweet potato, as sweet potatoes are smaller by nature (or, perhaps, because the US needs to maintain its status as the largest exporter of potato products--french fries, chips, flour--worldwide...). Anyway, these servings equal to about 180 grams, or just under 1 cup of potato. So, comparatively, both varieties of potato contain the same caloric ratio of carbohydrate (92%) to fat (6%) to protein (7%) and, therefore, provide the same amount of calories per serving (160 calories). But, that is where the similarities end.

Alright, here comes the big answer...

Sweet potatoes pack in more fiber (6 grams versus 4 grams) causing a higher fullness factor, a lower glycemic load (15 versus 17) keeping your blood sugar levels more stable, are strongly anti-inflammatory (versus the moderate inflammation caused by a regular potato), and provide over two times the vitamin C content (59% versus 28%) and a whopping 692% of the recommended daily value of vitamin A, while the potato lacks this vitamin altogether. Unfortunately, there is a flip side which I alluded to earlier regarding the taste. Although its natural sugars make for a great alternative to the sugar that makes your favorite cookies taste so darn good, the sweetness does not come without a price, as each serving contains 12 grams of sugar (10 grams more than a regular potato). Likewise, the sodium content is higher, as well.

So, there you go. The nutritional breakdown of two seemingly similar vegetables with shockingly different nutritional makeups. You decide which one to reach for on the baked potato bar next time but, if you go for the sweet ones, you can rest in peace (full and orange) knowing that you have countered inflammation and done your eyesight a favor all in one. I don't know about you, but I'm sticking with my sweet ones!

Learn more about the potato and how the US rakes in more than $180 million each year on its products here.

Monday, January 3, 2011

QUICK TIP: Creating the perfect salad!

As you may have all guessed...I am NOT a fan of high-fat salad dressings, for more reasons than one. Although some are delectable and, sometimes, necessary to curb a craving (ehem, Maurice Salad), you should be seeking to get the most out of the flavor of the toppings. I like to use several different cooking techniques for individual toppings (i.e. sauteeing, roasting, grilling) and employ fun kitchen utensils to create a multitude of textures! I highly recommend forking over the $15 to purchase a set of three Swissmar peelers which allow you to make ribbons of carrots and quickly julienne cucumbers, zucchini, and beets. Caramelized onions always provide a savory dimension to the dish, and the olive oil that you use to cook them in can provide a nice simple dressing. If the salad is an entree, incorporate some protein by tossing in some beans...I prefer "meaty" butter beans in a salad with feta cheese and roasted red peppers, or black beans in a salad with sauteed corn and avocado. Toasted nuts and seeds are also another great source of protein and healthy fats, but make sure that you don't go overboard...stick to a a couple of tablespoons or less. As for the dressing, a tip from Momma Russell is a foolproof trick: roast halved cherry or grape tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and spices at 400 degrees in the oven until caramelized and juicy. Toss the tomatoes with their juices into a salad right before serving for a warm and flavorful addition to a basic green salad! I try to incorporate a salad into every day to be sure that I meet the recommended three servings of vegetables a day. Get creative, have fun, and eat up!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

The Food Lover's Cleanse for a Happy New Year!



Since the first day of the year should just be considered a day of rest after all of the holiday indulgences reached a climax, MY new year starts today! Although I considered formulating a life-altering resolution for the new year, I realized in the process that simply getting back into my pre-holiday season routine will be just the ticket to starting off the new year with a bang. I do have a few goals in mind, however, some short-term (over the next month) and several longer-term (within the next year). In the short-term, I plan to cook up some great meals and have the January issue of Bon Appetit to thank for the inspiration! Check out The Food Lover's Cleanse, listen to the great advice given by my friend, registered dietitian Marissa Lippert (author of The Cheater's Diet), and stay tuned for some simple, fresh, and healthy recipes posted by The Moody Foodie!