Month: October, 2010

Healthy Cooking by Phone?

I haven’t been a big user of phone apps, even though I’ve had an iPhone for quite a while. But that’s changing. I just discovered the free app for the cooking site epicurious.com (also available for the android phone). I am a cook and a foodie, I own many cookbooks and am a frequent user of many online recipe sites. I don’t need my phone to spell out recipes for me in order to make dinner.

But what’s got me excited here is the planning capability, and planning is the number one key to a healthy diet, in my opinion. Sometimes it’s hard to pull menu ideas out of your brain, and you need some visual help. When I can, I take some time to plan a few meals for the upcoming week, browse my recipes, make a shopping list. But sometimes life gets hectic. Now, if I am sitting in the dentist’s waiting room, or riding in the car (not driving!), or heading for the market, I could easily make a plan for several meals and generate an automatic shopping list.

You can type in a search phrase, browse through recipes, and select one (or even one that’s close to what you want to make), save it to a shopping list, then edit the list to delete items you already have on hand or don’t want to include, and check your phone list when you are at the grocery store. I typed in “vegetarian chili” and got a nice selection of recipes. I typed in “healthy sandwich” and it came up with hummus-and-feta, grilled chicken, portabella, and many more. It might not be as complete or reliable as my cookbook library or a google search, but it will certainly help get me going in the right direction.

Even if I don’t stick to the plan exactly, any plan is better than no plan, and I think this may be a very helpful tool for using those spare moments to give some thought to upcoming healthy meals and ingredients. Here’s a link to read more: www.epicurious.com/services/mobile.

by on October 25, 2010
filed in Recipes and Meal Ideas, Recommended

Simple and Delicious Oven Roasted Vegetables

One of the healthiest ways to enjoy a big plate of vegetables is also one of the most delicious, and one of the easiest to prepare.

Veggies that lend themselves to this cooking method include cauliflower, broccoli, onions, carrots, brussels sprouts, yellow squash, zucchini, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, and whole mushrooms. Choose your favorite combination or use up what’s in the fridge.

Chop the vegetables into chunks and spread them on an oiled baking sheet. You can either oil the baking sheet, spray with cooking spray, or toss the veggies in a bowl with the oil before spreading. Bake at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes, then turn or stir and bake another 10 minutes or to your desired texture.

They are pretty tasty with just olive oil and a little salt and pepper, but here are some other nice variations:

Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Mix 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar in a large bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil and your choice of herbs (rosemary, thyme, and black pepper are good). Add chopped veggies and stir to coat, then spread on baking sheet. The Balsamic vinegar brings out the flavor of the vegetables and adds a sweet/sour tang.

Roasted Vegetables with Honey Mustard Dip

Spread your choice of veggies on a lightly oiled baking sheet, and then spray the veggies with oil cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves and/or thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried). While they are roasting, prepare a dip by mixing 1/2 cup of plain yogurt with 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, a few drops of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, and a sprinkle of dried parsley and dried dill. Serve veggies on a plate with the dip.

Lemon Oregano Roasted Vegetables

Mix 3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 3 cloves minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon dried oregano in a large bowl. Add chopped veggies and stir to coat, then spread on baking sheet and roast. Serve with orzo or couscous.

If you have leftover roasted vegetables, something I’ve rarely experienced, you can add them to a salad or an omelette, or serve with rice or pasta the next day. Yum.

by on October 18, 2010
filed in Healthy Cooking, Recipes and Meal Ideas

Food Prejudice

If you live long enough, you learn to question some of your former assumptions and prejudices in many areas of life, and often change your viewpoint. Things we thought we couldn’t do, or be, or like, sometimes become possible. As we are exposed to different things, understanding grows. I don’t know why attitudes toward food are one of the last holdouts for a lot of people.

“I Don’t Eat Anything Green.” I have actually heard people say this proudly, people over 30, and they seem to think it’s funny. “I just don’t LIKE vegetables.” Really, what other personal tastes or beliefs do we develop at four years old and stubbornly cling to for the rest of our lives? C’mon people, keep an open mind and try something new.

We see snide jokes everywhere from cartoons to commercials about how uncool healthy food is. We are bombarded with images of salty, sugary, fatty foods, and if you choose another way you are a health food nut, some kind of weirdo. Some coworkers will still recoil in horror from your hummus and spinach on whole-wheat sandwich, as they offer you another donut.

If you are vegetarian or vegan, you still hear “But what do you EAT, then?” on a regular basis, even though many of the peoples of the world, throughout much of history, have eaten very little meat and the species has somehow survived.

All the studies are reinforcing that we need to eat mostly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and certainly the available choices have improved in many ways. A lot of people are changing their diets for the better, and feeling better as a result. We have definitely seen some progress in recent years, but as a society, we still have such a long way to go.

We have learned to be open to new and diverse ideas in so many other areas of life. I wonder how long it will take for healthy-food prejudice to fade away.

by on October 13, 2010
filed in Food Politics and Culture

Not Your Mama’s Brussels Sprouts

I know some people just haven’t been able to love Brussels sprouts, but if you are on the fence about them, this recipe may change your mind. It’s by far the best way I’ve ever eaten them—we are talking a whole new Brussels sprout reality here. Boiling or steaming just leaves them too mushy; this recipe calls for a sauté method that creates a much more pleasant texture. The turkey bacon really does add something here, but if you are all-veggie, try some crispy fried tofu bits or soy bacon. And of course regular pork bacon would work too, if you prefer that.

Brussels Sprouts with Onion and Bacon

2 slices turkey bacon, chopped into small pieces
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
15-20 Brussels sprouts
olive oil
thyme – 1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried
freshly ground black pepper

To prepare the Brussels sprouts, cut off the root end, remove a few outer leaves, cut in half lengthwise, then turn and slice into thin slices, approximately 1/4 inch, creating sort of a shredded effect. Cook the bacon in a skillet for about 3 minutes, stirring a few times, then remove and set it aside. In the same skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil for about 3 minutes or until the onion is just starting to soften. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bacon back in, along with the thyme and pepper, stir, and cook an additional 2 or 3 minutes. Serve immediately. Any kind of rice dish makes a good side.

by on October 5, 2010
filed in Recipes and Meal Ideas
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