WIAW #45 – Oh My!

20 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by in General, Healthy Inspirations

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on February 20, 2013

Hello Everyone. Happy What I Ate Wednesday!  I am sharing my meals from last Thursday, Valentine’s Day. It was not a typical Valentine’s Day, but I was able to spend some time with my Valentine. Thank you to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting the WIAW.

This is what I ate:

Coffee (6:30am)

I started the day by stopping at Starbucks for a coffee (this is a recycled photo). I was taking a short road trip that morning.

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Breakfast (8:00am)

We stopped at a random diner along the way. I had tomato juice, scrambled eggs with diced ham and one pancake.

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Lunch (1:30pm)

Since my Valentine was teaching that night, he took me out for lunch at one of my favorite places Paninoteca Maggio. I had a latte with the Milano Chicken Sandwich. And if that was not enough of a treat Sharron, the chef and owner, sent us home with a mini S’mores Pie. 🙂 ( restaurant review)

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PM Snacks (3:30pm)

My husband an shared this beautiful little pie. It was wonderful, rich and creamy!!!

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PM Snacks (4:30pm)

An apple, I think it was a Pink Lady.

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Dinner (5:30pm)

Since I had dinner alone, I made my favorite smoothie Banana, Peach, Flax and Protein.

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Thank you for stopping by. I hope your day was full of healthy meals!

♥ ♥

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What is Furikake?

19 Tuesday Feb 2013

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Posted by Jennifer (The RD) on February 18, 2013

Furikake is a Japanese rice seasoning.  It’ one of my favorite ways to add some personality to any kind of plain rice.  Above it is pictured paired with some brown rice.  The traditional mixture is dried seaweed, sesame seeds, dried fish, sugar, salt, and other seasonings. However, I buy the simple stuff…just seaweed, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt.  That way, you can be sure that it’s MSG free!  🙂

Traditionally it is paired with rice to make Japanese rice balls (onigiri) or is sprinikled on rice and topped off with some green tea (ochazuke)…a major confort food.  I just love it on top of plain rice of any kind.  Because the seaweed is dried, the seasoning is light and crispy and goes great with plain hot rice…yum!  My co-blogger Jennifer loves the Furikake Crusted Ahi served at the local Japanese restaurant, Bachan’s.

 ♥ ♥

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The Health Benefits of Turmeric

17 Sunday Feb 2013

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on February 17, 2013

turmeric

Turmeric has long been used by Chinese and Indian medicine for its medicinal properties. And research is starting to reveal many of the benefits of this spice. Turmeric is bright yellow powder that gives a peppery, warm and bitter flavor to dishes.

This natural anti-inflammatory spice was first used as a dye and then a spice. Shortly, after it was discovered as a treatment for inflammatory and digestive disorders.

Benefits:

  • Boosts appetite and metabolism.
  • Promotes healthier skin and helps to alleviate skin problems like acne and dark circles.
  • Supports eye health.
  • Helps to maintain normal cholesterol and may be helpful in heart disease prevention.
  • Decreases inflammation associated with arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
  • May be helpful in lowering blood sugar and decreasing insulin sensitivity.
  • Reduces symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases.
  • Has shown promising benefits for the treatment of depression.
  • Is a natural pain reliever and is helpful to headache suffers.

Much research is being done on Turmeric and its benefits. But for now I think there are plenty of reasons to work turmeric into your cooking. Turmeric is one of the main spices in curry dishes and it is a great way to spice up a bland dishes.

Turmeric is poorly absorbed in the G.I. tract but absorption can be enhanced when paired with black pepper. So go ahead and experiment with turmeric and black pepper, they truly compliment each other.

♥ ♥

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Ritz Carlton Spicy Vegetable Soup

14 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by in General, Recipes

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Posted by Jennifer (the RD) on February 13, 2013

This is a recipe my mom found in Bon Appetit Magazine back in 1996.  We have been enjoying it ever since.  I hope you do too!

Ritz Carlton Spicy Vegetable Soup

¼ cup bulgur

2 ½ cup boiling water

¼ cup olive oil

2 small onions, chopped

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped carrots

1 ½ T. minced garlic

2 T. tomato paste

2 T. chili powder

1 ½ T. ground cumin

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

¾ C dry white wine

2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

2 small zucchini, chopped

½ cup canned chopped tomatoes

½ cup well-drained canned garbanzo beans

½ cup well drained canned kidney, pinto, or black beans

2 T. chopped fresh basil

2 T. chopped fresh oregano

Place bulgur in medium bowl.  Pour ½ cup boiling water over the bulgur.  Cover and let stand until softened (about 15 minutes).  Heat oil in a heavy, large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and sauté until tender, about six minutes.  Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper and stir until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add wine and 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil.  Add bell peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes to saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer until all vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Add bulgur, beans, basil, and oregano to chili.  Simmer until chili is thick, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  (Can be prepared one day ahead.  Cover and refrigerate.  Bring to a simmer before serving, thinning if chili is too dry).

 ♥ ♥

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WIAW #44

13 Wednesday Feb 2013

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on February 13, 2013


Hello Everyone. Happy What I Ate Wednesday!  I am sharing my meals from Monday, this day I was busy getting organized for the week so my meals were quick and simple.  Thank you to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting the WIAW.

This is what I ate:

Breakfast (6:30am)

I started the day with coffee from Starbucks  and a banana, peach, flax and protein smoothie.

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AM Snacks (9:30am)

Roasted cabbage, my new favorite.

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Lunch (11:00am)

Melon, tomato and onion salad with goat cheese. (recipe here)

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PM Snacks (2:30pm)

I tried Trader Joe’s Milk Chocolate Covered Potato Chips, they were pretty good. They satisfy that sweet and salty craving.

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Dinner (5:00pm)

A grilled steak with cauliflower.

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Dessert (7:00pm)

A green apple.

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Thank you for stopping by. I hope your day was full of healthy meals!

♥ ♥

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The Health Benefits of Chocolate

12 Tuesday Feb 2013

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on February 12, 2013
chocolate

 

With Valentines Day on a couple of days away, I thought I would talk about a topic near and dear to my heart, Chocolate.

Chocolate is plant-based food coming from the cacao beans, seeds of the fruit of the cacao tree. Chocolate has been around for thousands of years and the Mayans and Aztecs believed cacao beans had magical properties. Chocolate is brimming with a potent source of antioxidants, maybe they are the magical properties the Mayans and the Aztecs believed in.

Benefit:

  • Improves heart health by lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow and making blood platelets less sticky.
  • Helps to improve the quality of the skin, by promoting collagen production.
  • Improves mood by releasing endorphins.
  • Reduces risks of developing high blood pressure and stroke.
  • Helps to lower cholesterol levels.
  • Reduces appetite by creating the feeling of satiety.
  • Decreases stress hormone levels, reducing the risk of heart disease, digestive problems and depression.
  • Helps the body utilize sugar better, reducing the risks and complications of diabetes.
  • Decreases inflammation associated with arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
  • Reduces memory loss and can slow dementia.

Currently, there is on–going research into the benefits of chocolate. I am sure the list of benefits will grow. But for now, there are plenty of benefits to add chocolate in moderation to a healthy diet.

To reap all the healthful benefits of chocolate, look for dark chocolate that is minimally processed. Also, look for at least 65 percent cacao and cocoa powder that has not gone through Dutch processing. If you are lucky enough to receive chocolates for Valentine’s Day, go ahead and indulge.

♥ ♥

Lil\'Luna

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Book Review

10 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by in General, Reviews

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Posted by Jennifer (the RD) on February 9, 2013

DietingforDummiesBook

This is a book that I actually used as part of the reading materials for one of the courses I teach.  For the most part, it is a good, easy to read reference, but there are some negatives.

GOOD THINGS:  The book is easy to read, and the information is evidence based.  The book is written by an RD, so that’s a defininte plus!  There are lots of topics covered from grocery shopping to motivation and behavior modification, and wt. loss surgery options.

NOT SO GOOD THINGS:  The book has not been updated since 2004.  The sections on wt. loss medications and Dietary Guidelines for Americans are a bit archaic.

On the whole, though, it is a simple, and easy to read book for someone wanting a general overviw of aspects of healthy eating and weight control.

 ♥ ♥

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Deconstructed Cabbage Roll Casserole

06 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by in General, Recipes

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on February 6, 2013

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This dish is not the prettiest but it is sure tasty. This is the kind of dish that is better the day after you make, all the flavors blend together in a wonderful way.

Ingredients:

  • 1 small head green cabbage, sliced
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • ½ lb ground pork
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • ½ tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 TBSP paprika, regular
  • 2 tsp paprika, smoked
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 TBSP sugar
  • 1 tsp paprika, smoked
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large baking sheet, place sliced cabbage and sprinkle with olive oil.
  3. Bake in oven for 20 minutes, halfway through toss cabbage once. Remove from oven and set aside.
  4. Meanwhile in a large sauté pan, brown the beef, pork and onion for about 5-7 minutes. Then combine granulated garlic, paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper with meat mixture. Continue to cook until meat is completely cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. In a mixing bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, sugar, paprika and granulated garlic.
  6. In a large casserole dish with high sides, assemble casserole by layering half the baked cabbage on the bottom, topped with a layer of half the meat and then a layer of half the tomato sauce. Repeat layering one more time.
  7. Place in oven and cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours, depending on the depth of your dish. Sides should be bubbly and the top layer will be a little crusty.
  8. After removing from the oven, let the casserole rest for 30 minutes before serving.
  9. Serve and enjoy!

♥ ♥

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WIAW #43

06 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by in General, Healthy Inspirations

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on February 6, 2013


Hello Everyone. Happy What I Ate Wednesday!  I am sharing my meals from last Saturday. I started a class on Saturdays, so my meals are simple. Thank you to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting the WIAW.

This is what I ate:

Breakfast (6:30am)

I started the day with coffee from Starbucks  and a over-night oatmeal with banana.

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Lunch (11:00am)

Simple scrambled eggs with orange bell pepper, spinach and cheese.

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Dinner (6:00pm)

A new recipe I was trying out, new potatoes, mushrooms and peas with a cheese wine sauce. It was quite good and I will be sharing the recipe soon.

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Dessert (6:15pm)

My husband took me to Wildflour Cupcakes to get a treat.  I had a chocolate peanut butter cupcake. We learned a interesting trick from Samar, the helpful girl at the counter, she suggested that we microwave the cupcakes for 20 to 30 seconds. It makes the cupcakes warm and gooey inside. 🙂

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Wildflour’s Exterior

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Macaroons

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Cupcakes

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Samar

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My Cupake

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Thank you for stopping by. I hope your day was full of healthy meals!

♥ ♥

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Anyone for Unfried French Fries?

04 Monday Feb 2013

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Posted by Jennifer (the RD) on February 4, 2013

Anyone that knows me fairly well knows that my weakness is french fries.  I can’t resist them.  🙁  My sister picked this french fry seasoning up for me at Sur La Table, www.SurLaTable.com .  It helps me quench my craving for french fries.  All you have to do is sprinkle this on some raw potatoes and add in a small amount of olive oil and bake them.  I think they come out really yummy so I thought I’d share it with you.  🙂

♥ ♥

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