Sunday, February 2, 2014

Red Cabbage Soup: It sounds as weird as green eggs and ham....but, try it and you may like it.

  Soups are my go to food for much of winter.  Making soup is an easy way to get a lot of nutrients packed into one meal, it is nice and warm, and it is easy to make extra and take the leftovers for lunch or put up in the freezer to have on hand for one of those really busy evenings that could easily end in ordering a pizza.  There 4 kinds of soup that I love and make often.  However, this winter has been extra cold and I was getting sick of my standards.  So, I actually opened one of my cookbooks to the soup section and spotted a recipe for "Quick Red Cabbage Soup"(Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Veggie Meals)  This recipe in particular stood out for me because I LOVE cabbage.  I am not sure if my love of cabbage comes from my German heritage or my Irish heritage-maybe both.  Anyhow, I started reading the ingredients: apples, onions, red cabbage, crushed tomatoes, veggie broth, and pickling spice.  I lost interest.  Then, today, red cabbage was on sale at the grocery store and I figured I should try the recipe.  Even if it flopped I could afford to give it away or get rid of it because it costs next to nothing to make.  I started cooking it and as the soup simmered it began to smell better than anything I have cooked in a very long time.
 It is preservative free as I used the crushed tomatoes and veggie broth that I had made and canned myself as well as using fresh cabbage instead of canned cabbage.  It is surprisingly filling, and the broth has a tangy sweet and sour flavor.  It is a wonderful break from the more traditional soups.  If you are a meat eater, it would make a good side dish for pork or chicken.  It would also be tasty with some rye toast.  All-in-all I give this soup a big fat 10.  Below is a link to the recipe on Rachael Ray's website.  Just keep in mind that to make it extra healthy you should use fresh, preservative free, and organic ingredients.
 http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=2446

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Comfort Food with a side of Nutrition

As I was walking around through the snow drifts in the subzero temperatures this morning, I had conflicting cravings.  I wanted a giant bowl of pasta covered in tomato sauce and cheese.  I also wanted a light Mediterranean type meal that would take my mind back to summer.  I decided to create a recipe that blended my two cravings together and came with "Mediterranean Pasta Roll-ups".




I like to make my own pasta because it means I get to control what ingredients are used and I know there aren't any preservatives in it.  For this particular recipe, I made pasta using a blend of unbleached all-purpose flour and garbanzo bean flour.  Garbanzo bean flour is high in protein and gives a hint of a hummus flavor to the pasta.  If you don't have time or resources to make your own pasta, you can use lasagna noodles.  They will need to be boiled and cooled before continuing on with the recipe.  If you want to try making your own pasta you can refer to my recipe below.


Garbanzo Bean Pasta:
3 c all purpose flour
1/2 c garbanzo bean flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 lg eggs
3 Tbsp water
Combine all ingredients on speed 2 of a stand mixer.  Mix the dough using the paddle attachment for the first 30 seconds, then switch to the dough hook and continue for 2 minutes more.  Once the dough forms a ball, turn it out onto a board and knead by hand for one minute.  The dough should be dense, but maliable.  Form the dough into a log that is about 1 in thick and 5 inches wide.  Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.  Then cut the dough into 1 in thick slices and roll it out using a pasta roller attachment or a rolling pin.  The dough needs to be paper thin.


Once you have your pasta sheets or lasagna noodles prepared, you are ready to make some roll-ups.  For the roll-ups you will need:


8 Campari tomatoes (diced)
2 handfuls crimini mushrooms (diced)
3 cloves of fresh garlic (minced)
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
4 oz crumbled goat cheese
2 Tbsp lemon juice
8 oz baby spinach
1/4 c olive oil
2 Tbsp dried oregano
Grated parmegiano reggiano cheese for garnish


Mix the oregano and olive oil together.  In a separate bowl, mix the diced tomatoes, mushrooms. garlic, feta cheese, goat cheese, and lemon juice.


Now, to make the roll-ups:


Brush the pasta sheets with the oregano/olive oil blend.  Put down a thick layer of fresh spinach.  Top this with the cheese mixture.  Roll up your pasta sheets and place them in a baking dish.  Brush the tops of the roll-ups with the remaining olive oil.  Garnish by sprinkling grated parmegiano-reggiano cheese and placing sliced Campari tomatoes on top.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. 


As always, it is best to use organic, locally sourced ingredients when you can.  Also, when choosing oils, it is best to buy cold pressed or expeller pressed as these processes preserve nutrients.















Tuesday, November 12, 2013

FOOD INTEGRITY

   I have obviously been a little sidetracked lately!  It has been far too long since my last blog post. My love of food and cooking and cooking as ethically as possible is still alive and kicking though.  In an attempt to learn the ins and outs of food innovation that keeps the integrity of food and consumers in mind, I have signed up for an online cooking class called "The Science of Cooking" through Harvard University.  Truth be told, it takes me a long time to do the homework.  I am a lot of things....but a math whiz is not one of them!  And, this is basically a chemistry/physics class that uses cooking as the lab experiments.  The labs are all going well.  The equation assignments meant to prove why certain cooking techniques work in scientific terms are not going so well.  I am, however, learning a lot and math makes more sense when applied to something that fascinates me.  Maybe after all of this I will finally have a rudimentary knowledge of applied mathematics.  I suppose only time will tell.
    I have learned a lot of very interesting historical facts on cooking after only one video lecture.  Perhaps the most interesting to me is the varied history of scientists who studied cooking and advocated for techniques based on highly misunderstood information where nutrition is concerned.  The most interesting example of this is that Justus von Liebig believed that the juices in meats carried a majority of the nutrition.  Because of this he wrote that meat should be seared in order to seal in all of the juices.  Further exploration, of course, shows that this is not true.  However, many recipes still call for the searing of meats and fish.  I guess traditions are sometimes hard to break.  Learning this made me consider my own cooking and how I like to make the cinnamon rolls that my great-great grandmother and great grandmother Elizabeth used to make.   Not that a cinnamon roll really has any nutritional value-but I do like honoring tradition.  I wonder if I honor tradition too much when trying to come up with new spins on old recipes.  Do I need to change some of my techniques?
    One thing I know for sure is that the way we think about food changed a great deal in the 20th century.    Factory and mass produced food became the focus.  We stopped worrying about the integrity of what we were consuming.  Convenience and low cost became the deciding factors on what we ingest each day.  Innovation is wonderful and it helps us move forward.  However, we somehow forgot to keep integrity in the equation.  I think it is time we break the modern traditions of food purchases and preparation and get back to a place where we cook and eat with more integrity.  I would like to leave you with these "Ten Commandments" of cooking written and published by Gault and Millau in 1972 in The New nouvelle cuisine-

1.  Thou shall not overcook
2.  Thou shall use fresh, quality products
3.  Thou shall lighten thy menu
4.  Thou shall not be systematically modernistic
5.  Thou shall seek out what new techniques can bring you
6.  Thou shall eliminate brown and white sauces
7.  Thou shall not ignore dietetics
8.  Thou shall not cheat on thy presentation
9.  Thou shall be inventive
10.  Thou shall not be prejudiced

(Numbers 2 and 7 are my personal favorites)

Any may I say-epic fail every fast food restaurant.  EPIC FAIL.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Hard to be Gluten (or any food) Free

In a world where convenience is the shiny object to be desired, diet restrictions can be really tough.  I know of many people who need to cut out gluten for one reason or another and gluten is in just about every inexpensive processed food.  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, oats, and rye.  For people with celiac disease or a gluten allergy, gluten is a toxin instead of a nutrient and cannot be consumed.  Other groups also benefit from a gluten free diet including those with diabetes, down's syndrome, Parkinson's, anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis.

There are some drawbacks to eating a gluten free diet.  People who go completely gluten free are often deficient in folate, fiber, and iron.  This occurs mostly when people eating a gluten free diet make substitutions rather than cutting the grain out altogether.  Eating a diet that consists mainly of lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and safe grains such as rice will greatly benefit any person.  However, marketed items such as gluten free flour, pastas, and breads are so processed that they have a very low nutritional value.  Reliance on these items in the needed absence of whole grains can lead to nutrient deficiencies that cause weight gain and fatigue.

Worry not, my gluten free friends.  You are not alone.  Everyone should try to cut processed foods to improve their health.  The longer a food takes to get from its growth source to the dinner table, the less healthy it is.  We can all do better in eating whole foods, fresh foods, and local foods.  Marketing professionals are smart.  They follow trends.  They talk us into following the same trends.  Remember that tag lines like "gluten free"  "fat free"  "sugar free"  "low sodium" "no high fructose corn syrup" and "all natural" are not equal to the word HEALTHY.  These statements tell us what is not in a product.  They do not tell us what is in a product.  Quite often, the chemical they substitute for these items is a lot less healthy for us.

Since most gardens in the Midwest are turning out produce left and right at present, here is a recipe for a delicious rice dish that uses all fresh and mostly locally available ingredients, covers all of the food groups, and contains NO GLUTEN! 

Nicoise-style Brown Rice Salad with Fresh Herbs (From Market Vegetarian by Ross Dobson)

ingredients:
  • 4 eggs
  • 7oz baby green beans
  • 12 oz short grain brown rice
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove (crushed)
  • 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 7 oz cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 3 oz black olives (pitted and halved)
  • 1 small bunch of fresh chives (finely snipped)
  • 1 large handful of chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 large handful of fresh basil leaves
  • 1 large handful of fresh mint leaves
  • 1 small handful of fresh tarragon leaves
  • salt and black pepper
Put the eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water.  Set over high heat and bring to a boil.  Cook for 3 minutes, then rinse under cold water.  When cool enough to handle, peel and halve them, then set aside.

Cook the beans in boiling water for 1 minute.  Drain and place in a bowl of cold water.  Put the rice in a strainer and rinse well under cold running water.  Transfer the rice to a large saucepan and add sufficient just-boiled water. Set the pan over high heat, return the water to a boil and cook the rice for 10 to 12 minutes until it is tender but retains some "bite".  Tip the rice into a strainer, rinse under cold running water and drain well.  Put the rice and drained beans in a large bowl and add the oil, garlic, and lemon juice.  Stir until the rice is coated in the oil.  Add the tomatoes, olives, and herbs, toss to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Arrange the egg halves on top and serve.
 

Monday, August 26, 2013

Eating with Intention

 There are countless reasons and excuses to the whys and hows of what we eat.  Of course, we eat because we have too.  But, modernity has afforded us the ability to eat for many more reasons than the instinctual ones.  We eat for comfort, for stress relief, and to fulfill cravings.  And, when we eat for these purposes we make poor food choices.  Personally, I am a starch lover.  When something in life has me a bit down I can't seem to get enough pasta or potatoes.  And, when I eat pasta and potatoes for comfort I eat too much of it and prepare it in the least healthy ways.  While I feel I try very hard, my eating habits are still not perfect.  Although, I do believe that within the last couple of years my habits have improved significantly.

To aid me in making better choices, I generally just don't buy the junky stuff at the grocery store.  I am lazy when it comes to shopping so this works out well for me.  If I don't already have the junk food at home, I won't put in the effort to go and get it.  Another tactic is to always ask myself why I am eating what I am eating.  I have been studying foods and nutrients and learning why it is important to eat certain foods.  So, when I am setting out to make dinner, I ask myself what my food is really doing for me.  Is there something in it that will make me stronger?  Will it improve my immune system?  Will it enhance my overall mood?  And, I try not to look for the quick fix.  Yes, those buttery mashed potatoes will make me feel better while I am eating them.  But, they won't make me feel better tomorrow. In fact, I will probably feel sluggish for a second day in a row and get stuck in a rut of simply not feeling my best. I am not the leanest or strongest person on the planet.  But, after many years of constantly getting ill, being too fatigued to function, and leading a lackluster daily life, my efforts to eat intentionally have greatly improved my quality of life. 

Big changes are difficult to follow through with.  So, if you are looking to change your eating habits, I would recommend changing a little bit at a time.  If you are one of those people that loves to drink soda all day, replace one soda a day with a glass of water.  After a couple of weeks, substitute two sodas for water.  If you are a person that loves to snack, replace one sweet or salty processed food a day for your favorite fresh fruit or vegetable.  Remind yourself why you have decided to make those substitutions.  Before long, you will have convinced yourself to eat a much healthier diet without feeling like you had to make a huge lifestyle change or give up those foods or drinks that get you through your day.

Nutrition is definitely a science, but it is not rocket science.  Here is a general cheat sheet that I like to call the food color wheel.  Each color of produce gives you something the others cannot.  It is important to include all of the colors in your diet to improve overall health.

Reds, yellows, and oranges:  Increase immunity, lower risk of cancer and heart disease

Blues and Purples:  Prevent cell damage and reduce risk of cancer, stroke, and heart disease

Whites:  Lower cholesterol and blood pressure

Greens:  Improve overall health and lower cancer risk

Keep in mind that it is important to eat produce no matter what, but for truly increased health you should try to eat at least some organic produce.  Also remember that no one makes the perfect choices all the time.  Don't kick yourself if one day you slip up and eat something you know you shouldn't.  Just make a better choice the next day and do your best to eat for health instead of eating for immediate comfort.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

A Healthy Dinner for the Lazy Cook, Using Summer Veggies

It is late summer and everyone who gardens in Indiana is likely hauling out far more vegetables than they can eat.  It is the season for red ripe tomatoes, juicy sweet bell peppers, crispy cucumbers, and even some crunchy carrots.  All of these foods taste great on their own, but they also taste great together.  One of my favorite ways to have them is in a wheat salad with some simple herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil.  When you add a small piece of pan cooked fish, it covers all of the food groups and offers lots of nutrition and flavor.  It is fast and easy to make with little prep work as well.  In fact, I am eating some right now.

 
 
To make the cracked wheat salad, simply put about 1/2 cup wheat (sometimes called bulgur) into a fine mesh strainer and rinse it until the run-off water is clear.  Transfer it to a large mixing bowl and add about 1 Tbsp of crushed mint, 2 Tbsp of dried parsley, and 1 tsp of garlic power.  Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the wheat, stir, cover and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Once the wheat absorbs the water, you can add a chopped cucumber, chopped, bell pepper, a few peeled chopped carrots, and a handful of halved cherry tomatoes.  Also stir in 2 Tbsp cold pressed olive oil and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice.  Re-cover the salad and place back in the fridge for an hour or leave it overnight.
 

While the salad chills, get out some thawed white fish (such as snapper or tilapia), put them in an iron skillet over medium heat and drizzle with lemon juice and honey.  Cook 3-5 minutes on each side.  The fish is done when it flakes. 

Then, all you have to do is put your salad in a bowl and place a piece of fish on top!  Now you are ready to eat a delicious dinner full of season vegetables and other yummy goodness.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

A Delicious Spaghetti Dinner, Minus the Spaghetti

I am a pasta lover through and through-I love the texture, the flavor, and all those yummy sauces that go with it.  My taste buds are so perfectly satisfied after a nice spaghetti dinner.  But, my waistline and the intelligent sector of my brain know that a big spaghetti dinner usually packs a lot of calories with very little nutrition.  For this purpose, the spaghetti squash is my new best friend.  The spaghetti squash has a mildly sweet flavor and naturally pulls into strands that closely resemble spaghetti noodles.  It tastes great with tomato sauce and provides everything a normal spaghetti dinner provides, minus the empty calories.  Also, I purchased a spaghetti squash at the market for $1 dollar (but they are easy to grow in a garden).  At the same market a box of pasta costs at least $3.  So, the switch is even cost effective.

Meet the spaghetti squash:
 
The spaghetti squash is either a cream or yellow color when fully ripe.  To cook the squash, simply cut it down the middle lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and boil the two halves in water for about 20 minutes or until soft.  Remove the squash from the boiling water and let it stand until it is cool enough to touch.
 
 
Run a fork lengthwise from one side of the squash to the other.  The squash will come out in strands that you can scoop out into a bowl.
 
 
Now you are ready to add your favorite pasta sauce.  I prefer tomato sauces.  Since I don't have any homemade sauce today, I bought a pre-made organic sauce from the supermarket.
 
 
Now your "spaghetti dinner" is ready to enjoy.  And, enjoy it you can because there is nothing to feel guilty about in this meal!
 
As I mentioned before, spaghetti squash is easy to grow in a garden in the Midwest.  If you allow the squash to stay on the vine until the outer shell is too hard to poke through, the squash will stay good for 6 months if stored in whole in temperatures around 60 degrees.  The squash usually begin to ripen in mid to late summer.  So-now is the perfect time to enjoy some because it is in season!
 
Stay tuned for more fun food ideas fresh from the garden!