Update!

I want to wish you all a very Merry Happy Holidays! I'll be taking some time off from blogging to visit with friends and family over the next week or so. See ya'll in 2010!

Health Packaged in a Supplement?! Not Likely!

I groggily role out of bed on my day off and decide there's no better time than now to go through all of those emails that have been patiently awaiting my attention. I should have stayed in bed! (Just kidding!)

I read an article by The Wall Street Journal entitled Toast to Your Health with a Supplement! The article discusses the newest research on reservatrol (found in red wine) and possible reasons to take a supplement of it. Have we really learned nothing?! Have we not learned that taking a vitamin, mineral, or substance from its natural location and isolating it tends to not have the same effects in the human body as when consumed in its natural, original form?! Remember the whole Vitamin E scare?! Vitamin E supplementation was once thought to aid in reducing the risk for heart disease, but then the AHA came forward and said not to take extra Vitamin E to help reduce cholesterol, reduce risk of strokes, and more. There is no scientific evidence to show statistical benefits of taking extra Vitamin E in supplemental form AND actually taking that extra supplement might even increase your risks for heart failure. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements and AHA and Vitamin and Mineral Supplements.) Why are we even contemplating the idea to make another useless supplement? In my opinion, if the research intrigues you and you want to increase resveratrol in your diet, replace your whiskey with a glass of red wine!! (This advice also goes for other supplements such as garlic and cinnamon. By George, forget the supplement and just go for the real, whole item if you enjoy it! Cook with garlic! Add cinnamon to your dishes!!!!!) Just remember when it comes to alcohol (red wine or others), women are advised to limit their intake to one glass per day and men to two.

Happy pondering! :)

High Calorie Dip No More

Just a quick post here on something I stumbled upon. I'm sure you're tired of reading blogs that say something similar to 'avoid those high calorie dips when you eat veggies!' OR 'try hummus as an alternative.' I do completely agree with both of those statements, but that's not what I'm going to discuss today. I accidentally stumbled upon an alternative to a high calorie dip or hummus dip that I don't think I would normally think of. (I'm not really a huge dip/dressing fan anyway.)

The other day I was grocery shopping and picked up what I thought was low fat cottage cheese. (Saw light blue label, mental light went on and automatic thoughts 'yup that's low fat cottage cheese.') Plop in the cart ya go! I didn't take the three seconds (or less) to actually read the label, which stated c l e a r l y Low Fat Cottage Cheese with chive and toasted onion! Hmmm. How did I miss that?! (I'll spare you the psychoanalysis for today!) I only noticed when I got home, opened the package ready to mix it with the fresh pineapple I just chopped up, and noticed green specs in my cottage cheese. Hmmmm! I have to admit I was a little dubious on whether or not I should even try this version, but I did. (And no, not with my pineapple! Gross!) I tried it with some crackers and honey wheat pretzels. It pairs quite nicely. So the next time (maybe in the next few days or so) you are hosting a (holiday) party and you want to serve a healthier dip, try low fat flavored cottage cheese. It's a 1/2 cup for 90 calories versus 2 tablespoons of most regular full fat dressings (i.e. ranch) for about 160 calories. Quite a catch! :) Give it a try!

Leftovers for Breakfast Plllllease!

I'll admit, I get bored easily. (Or maybe that's just my excuse as...) I'm always looking for new recipes, new ideas, and new adventures.

In my hunt for a quick breakfast (as my tummy was rumbling and I needed a quick fix), I realized leftovers were the trick! My plan was to make eggs, but just eggs just simply wasn't going to cut it.

As I scoured my 'fridge, I saw sitting so sweetly and quietly the rice and bean mixture I had cooked the night before. (Please see my previous post 'Not Your Average Rice and Beans.') So I popped that into the microwave, while at the same time I scrambled an egg with a tbsp of low fat cheese. (FYI gas heat is GREAT! <5 minutes and my egg is done!) What's next is facile! Scoop up cooked eggs. Place eggs in a wrap. Add salsa! (So Yum!) Roll wrap. (Thank you Subway. My sandwich artist skills still come in use today, even in the privacy of my own home! What would I have done without you?!) Place aesthetically on dish. Take warmed rice and beans out of microwave and also place strategically on plate. (Feel free to add more salsa! Spice it up!) :) Voila! Eat up! Enjoy!

Shirataki Noodles

For the past few months now I've been hearing more and more about Shirataki noodles. They are made from the roots of a Konjac plant, which grow in Eastern Asia. They are tubers known as the Devils Tongue. (Courtesy of Japanese Kitchen)

The buzz is loud for multiple reasons. One is the low caloric content. 1 package (8oz) = 40 calories, 1 gram total fat, 4 grams of fiber, 2 grams protein. Glucomannan, the fiber found in these noodles, is also getting a lot of buzz. I've read studies on the potential benefits of glucomannan to help relieve childhood constipation, adult constipation, and potentially improve blood glucose control (for diabetics.) There appears to be inconclusive and/or non-statistical significance in regards to the effects on lipids (your cholesterol.) It may improve it, it may not, but it definitely won't worsen it (unless you decide to pan fry them in a half stick of butter. And that's a whole other story we'll just save for another day!) It's being marketed as a weight loss product and for 40 calories for 8oz I understand why! :)

Although I heard a bunch about these noodles, I hadn't seen them until the other day at Whole Food's Market where they jumped out at me! (Yes, literally jumped! Just kidding...) I quickly grabbed them and put them in my shopping cart!

The package is accurate in stating that they smell a little fishy. Butttt, for anybody who cooks with fish regularly, it's really no big deal. To me, these noodles, are a healthier version of ramen (aka non-fried and non-laden in salt!) For someone who grew up with ramen, it was kind-of exciting to see if these noodles would bring me back to my childhood, but in a healthier way! (Yes, yes I'm kinda a dork!)

I wasn't totally sure how to prepare these noodles, so like everything and everyone else, I googled it. I came across this site, which has many recipes! I looked at a few and decided to take on my own stir-fry version. In one frying pan I sauteed garlic, carrots and celery in a dash of olive oil. In another pan I pan fried some shrimp in a bit of olive oil as well. I rinsed, drained, patted dry, and then cut the noodles as directed per the package. I tossed the noodles into the vegetable pan; cooked 'til warm. Tossed in the shrimp and added soy sauce!

For my first go at these noodles, I would say this was a quick, easy, fairly tasty dish! I am absolutely going to give it another try. (The Fettuccine Shirataki Noodle Tuna Casserole has totally caught my eye!) What you read about these noodles, being bland, is true. So be sure to add lots of sauce. Next time around I might sautee the garlic solo, to bring out the flavor better. Then I might not need so much soy sauce (salt laden yummy-ness!)

I'm all about experimenting. And with cooking (and baking) it's rare that recipes are fabulous the first go. So give it a second, third, fourth... seventeenth go if needed until perfection arises. Happy cooking! (Also check out Hungrygirl.com for additional recipe ideas!)

*Of note, I am not being paid to review these products or sites.

Practical Gift Idea

Today as I was unhappily cleaning for 2 hours I realized a couple of things. My usual cleaning is merely a swipe here and a wipe there in an attempt to mask the dirt and grime without having to spend hours cleaning. Today is when I also realized how gross my apartment really is (and hence the two hours of scrubbing! YUCK!) Then I also realized what a great gift it would be to receive a couple of prepaid visits by a cleaning lady! There are some things money can buy- and one of them should be someone who enjoys cleaning! Or at least someone who doesn't mind sticking their hand down a dirty toilet for some green! At first this idea came as I was scrubbing the dried and plastered food off my stove top, to which my arms got tired before the stove got clean. Then as I pouted my way into the bathroom I really wished I was one of the fairies in Sleeping Beauty. Reality hit me in the face, as it usually does, that all the wishing and hoping wouldn't put a magical wand in my hand! So, if you're a last minute shopper, like myself, then here's a last minute gift idea for you- get someone a gift of a cleaning lady! It's perfect for a cook, a baker, a foodie, or really just anyone who hates to clean! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah!

Sweet Indulgence- Part IV

As I was routinely reading the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, I was intrigued by the holiday recipes presented. I, like many people, enjoy looking at a photo of a dish or dessert before attempting the cooking process; however, there were no pictures. The description of a truffle cookie simply alone lured me in.

I was discouraged while making the cookie as it was crumbling and not coming together as I had hoped or expected. The recipe I used called for peanut butter and it seems I have not yet quite mastered the art of cooking or baking with peanut butter. As I chugged along, these cookies also didn't seem to grab my visual interest. I thought '...geez, what a waste of ingredients. I'm gonna have to throw all of this away.' None-the-less, I finished the cookies, placed them in the refrigerator as directed and waited. To my utter surprise, these cookie balls were an unexpected simultaneous explosion of salt and sweet providing instant gratification to my taste buds. They aren't as visually stimulating as I hoped for, but boy did my taste buds love them! Moral of the story- don't judge a book by its cover! :)

Enjoy!

Peanut Truffles with Dried Cherries and Chocolate
Beat a 1/2 cup of unsalted chunky peanut butter, 1/3 cup of a confectioners' sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped dried cherries, 1/3 cup of chopped toasted almonds, and 1/3 cup of chopped bittersweet chocolate chips. Mix together with a wooden spoon. Form into 1 inch balls. Refrigerate covered until firm at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. Makes about 24 truffles. Each ball is 67 calories, 2 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 4 grams total fat.

*Of note- I don't think you need to use a mixer. There's not enough liquid to form a smooth fluid consistency. I think you're better off just using your (clean, pre-washed) hands! :)

Toasting Almonds
Toasting nuts helps to enhance the flavor. Place chopped nuts in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until nuts are toasted/light brown and you can smell their fragrance.

Non-typical (Eco-Friendly) Holiday Gifts

It's that time of year and the clock is beginning to click on the amount of time we all have left to buy those unforgettable gifts! This year my challenge for you is to buy a thoughtful more practical -yet fun- gift! How many times do you buy something at the last minute just because!? (...just because that was all that was left on the shelf and it was Christmas Eve...) How many times do you get a last minute gift, struggle to spit out a thank you, and wish you never received it in the first place? (Then you're left wondering if you should re-gift it, give it away to salvation army, or just let it collect dust in your closet for an undetermined number of years.) Save yourself and your relatives, family, and friends the time, pain, and heart break! :) Buy something a little less ordinary and lot more unique!

FoodTee.com
Take a bite out of nutrition! Or wear it! Shirts, bags, aprons and more. Some of the shirts are printed on organic 100% cotton and are made in the US. (Not all products are organic or made in the US.) Proceeds go to The Food Studies Institute, Two Angry Moms, and Better School Food.

Recycled Chopsticks (Fruit) Basket
What better way to store your fruit than in a recycled chopstick basket?! Glass and plastic bowls are SO yesterday. And if you already have a fruit basket, well I'm sure you can think of something creative to do with these chopsticks! It could hold your keys or be a dish drain!

Nesting Baskets
Now I'm sure you can't find these in your Grandma's basement. These baskets are made of 100% organically grown bamboo and come in colors!

BPA Free Water Bottles
BPA has been all the buzz recently as it can be leached from plastic into our foods and liquids and very potentially be harmful to us. Also, purchasing non-reusable plastic bottles has been condemned by those eco-friendly minds and souls as they frequently remind us how plastic water bottles are only ending up in our landfills and are not so biodegradable. So stop buying yet another non-reusable plastic bottle, save some money, help out the environment, and buy someone you know something worthwhile!

CSA Membership
Maybe it's just me, but I think this would be an awesome gift. I'm sure you have a foodie friend (we all have at least one in our lives, don't we?!) who would scream with glee to know you spent endless hours contemplating the perfect gift just for them! Don't let on that this is the new trend; let them believe that you thought of this all on your own! They'll be grateful forever! But truly, who wouldn't love a membership for fresh, local produce! (Again, maybe it's just me... and every other foodie!:))

Composting for the City Dweller
Tired of feeling as though your contributing to our landfills? You want to compost, but you don't have a back yard. You've been figuring there's nothing you can do now and you'll be sure to start composting one day when you have your own home and yard. Well, wait no more! It looks like there is a solution- a bamboo compost bucket with liners that will decompose in landfills!! Check out the video! Pretty nifty gift if I do say so myself!

Organic Wines
If all else fails and you want to resort to one of the traditional gift givings, you can never go wrong with wine! BUT this year, do it just a little bit differently! Gift organic wine!

GreenDaily.com
Additional great ideas for Green Gifts for Foodies (and Cooks)!

*Well these are just some of my top favorite gift ideas. I could go on and on, but I'll stop here for now! Happy shopping!

Sweet Indulgence- Part III

It's still that time of year where I'm continuously in that baking mood. The best thing about the holidays is that there is often an endless amount of parties to drop these tasty treats off at, rather than overindulging in them myself!

These cookies bring back fond memories of my BFF! We've been making them since we were teenagers. The best thing about these cookies are their slight mystification! By quick glance, they look ordinary, BUT by no means are these cookies plain old boring chocolate chips cookies. These are banana chocolate chip walnut cookies. Their texture is smooth and soft and melts in your mouth as an immaculate and exceptional fancy cake would! So YUM!

Two things I've recently learned after making these cookies for years are 1) If you plan ahead and use room temperature butter, the mixing just goes so much more smoothly. 2) Walnuts in this recipe should NOT be optional!

I should add a little personal note here. I loathe bananas as an ingredient in any recipe. I only like fresh bananas- and they must be on the greener side. I dislike banana splits, baked bananas, frozen bananas, bananas in fruit salad, etc. You name it; I don't like it EXCEPT these cookies. I don't know exactly what it is about these cookies, but these bite-full of temptuous goodness are to die for! :)
















Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies (Walnuts Optional)
Recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:
1 ripe, medium banana
1.25 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter or margarine softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Peel banana, place in a small bowl, mash and set aside. You should have approximately 1/2 cup mashed banana.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Using a mixture beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in banana, egg, and vanilla.
6. Add flour mixture. Ensure the flour is well mixed.
7. Using a wooden spoon, stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
8. Drop rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet about 2" apart.
9. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
10. Let cookies cool about 2 minutes on sheet until transferring to a cookie rack.
11. Let cool completely before storing cookies in an air tight container at room temperature. DO NOT FREEZE COOKIES (as they don't freeze well!)

Sweet Indulgence- Part II

One of the few things I remember from my oh so distant past, were the times I'd come home from school to find that there were fresh cookies sitting on the counter. Of course they were not to be eaten or touched!!!! as they were going to be wrapped in a holiday Christmas tin and mailed off or delivered to relatives. Well, of course no little kid can just look and NOT eat! So I'm sure one or two or few got popped into someone's mouth when nobody was looking! YUM! And now, of course, that I'm a little bit older, I get to make these cookies and eat as many as I desire! Yay! (Just kidding!)


















One of my favorite cookies are, what the recipe calls, Chocolate Unbaked Cookies. The name really does these cookies no justice. Let's call them Coconut Chocolate Gooey Goodness Cookies! Can't tell you where the recipe came from. My recipe is something I hand wrote long ago on a once white, now chocolate stained piece of computer paper.

Try these and I promise you won't be disappointed. And- bonus- they are quick and easy. I mean, the original name does give it away and all, doesn't it? (Hint: unbaked!) Of note, sadly, these tasty treats are not healthy! (Not even a tid bit! Sooooooo, moderation, moderation, moderation!) Enjoy!

Bring 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup milk, and 2 cups sugar to a boil. Turn off heat. Mix the following into liquid mixture: 1 cup coconut, 3 cups quick oats, 3 tbsp cocoa, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt. Drop teaspoon size balls onto cookie sheet or wax paper. Let set for awhile. Indulge later (if you can resist the temptation!)

Not Your Average Rice and Beans

I don't know about you, but after being outside in mid-December's not so warm blowing wind, I'm in search of a hot meal. And of course, after salsa'ing with the chilly wind for 20 minutes or so, I'm not in the mood to cook (for even 30 minutes.) (Sad to say, it's true. There are days when all of us (whining voice) just don't want to cook!) So then what shall I ever do? Fast food is just not an option for me, or is it?! It is! Fast Food recipe here I come!!

All you need is what you've been storing in your freezer and in your cupboard for times just like these. I grab the bags of precooked, no salt or preservatives added brown rice and lentils or black beans. I open my freezer and pull out whichever non-salt, non-sauce added vegetables that are there. (In this case it was supposed to be broccoli. As there were only a few florets of broccoli left, I opened the bag of string beans. Feel free to use whatever vegetable is in your freezer!) Out of the cupboard I also grab my can of tomatoes (any variety that you bought and stored that fits your fancy will do just fine!) Last step! Grab your frying pan. Dump all ingredients into the pan. Turn on the stove and cook until warm stirring occasionally. Voila! Fast Food here I come!! (Of note, this recipe is not time consuming because all that needs to be done is to warm the food. Nothing is raw; noting truly needs to be cooked!) Enjoy!

Sweet Indulgence- Part I

It's that time of year and I think we all succumb to the evils of tasty seasonal foods and drinks. Without fail, every November or December I scour the grocery store shelves in search of my favorite, irresistibly tasty Pumpkin Soy Milk!! Mmmmm!!! For 170 calories per 8oz, I will, by George, make this fit into my daily diet (for one week or perhaps two!:)) Try it in coffee or espresso or sip and savor it alone; it's quite delicious! In all reality, this little indulgence isn't really all that terrible. It's only 20 calories more than whole milk with less fat (3.5 total fat grams versus 8!) Like I always say- moderation, moderation, moderation! Enjoy!

*Of note, Silk is not paying me to review their product.

Food Matters

Book review time!

I just finished reading Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman. This book touches upon eating real, whole foods (YAY!) without going on a diet (Double YAY!) and feeling deprived (Triple Yay!) as well as slightly touching upon how eating real food is beneficial to the environment (bonus!) This book is a quick, easy read, which I thoroughly enjoy. The easy read subtly emphasizes the ease of healthy eating!! (Quadrupole YAY! Okay I'm done now! :))

Although I don't necessarily agree with all of Mark Bittman's personal opinions, I enjoy that he repeatedly states that this is just his way of doing things and that more than one way exists. I also enjoy the inclusion of more than 75 recipes, which helps to demonstrate that an easy and healthy meal can be prepared in less than 30 minutes. For anyone who barely knows how to boil water, this book is for you. It discusses steaming, boiling, broiling, grilling, and even spice mixtures. There are recipes and sample menu ideas. It's great! For those of you who are already decent cooks, this just might stimulate those brain cells into creating a new twist of your favorite dish. It might remind you that your oven has a broiler. (Yes, I'm blushing; that's me!)

In the end, what drew me in was two things. One, the first part of the book includes a narrative with facts. These facts are easily found (also) in the margins in green print. It's a good technique to hit the points home. Second, I really enjoy the inclusion of recipes. I know of so many people looking, searching, scavenging for recipes and wondering what's healthy and what's not. For the most part (with the exception of multiple recipes calling for coconut milk), by quick glance these recipes are great, quick, easy, and healthy. Most of them can also be modified for carnivores versus vegetarians (i.e. remove or add meat!) Who could ask for more?!

All in all, I give this book 2 thumbs up and think it might just be worth your while to give it a read!!!

More about the author and the book aforementioned!

Non-traditional Tuna Salad

Sandwiches are probably one of the most common, quick, easy, go-to lunches; however, they can very often be laden with fat from mayonnaise to cheese! In a world where heart disease is the number one cause of death (in the US), it might be a good idea to try and reduce your saturated (and total) fat intake.

Typically, when I think of tuna salad I think of canned tuna mixed with (too much) mayonnaise. 1 tbsp mayonnaise = 90 calories, 10 grams of fat. So what's a better idea? Yes there is miracle whip and low fat mayonnaise, which to me is not appealing! BUT, a more intriguing concept sensually is to add hummus. The thought at first might seem gross, I admit. I came across this idea accidentally as I topped my green salad with canned tuna and hummus. By lunch time the container had been dumped, flipped, and rotated so many times I (literally) had a tossed salad! As I was eating, the idea popped into my head to try a tuna salad sandwich next time around mixed with hummus instead of mayonnaise. 1 tbsp hummus = 30 calories and 2 grams of fat! :) To my delight, this sandwich was quite tasty. We could chalk this up as a peculiar and personal taste preference... but I have an inkling more than just lil' ol' me will enjoy this twist! Give it whirl! Enjoy!