My New Discovery!

Yes, I know it's been a while...again.  I'm having difficulty dealing with a couple of things but enough about that.

My dear baby brother, Raymond, was telling me about a cooking show that he and his wife, Jean, watch regularly.  Now, Raymond is the cook in the family but they both watch this show because, so he said, they think it's so entertaining.  I've heard of the program but didn't think it was something this old gal would find worth my time.  Welllllll, did I find out differently.  This TV cooking show is the bomb!

Nadia G's Bitchin Kitchen
That's the name of the show on the Cooking Channel.  I think it's on at 8:30 CT.


Sometimes Nadia is wearing much more makeup than this along with crazy clothes, but she gives a great show and cooks up some delicious looking menus.  She tries to talk and act like a 'bad girl' with some very feminine twists here and there.  She has a crew of some real screwballs that add an extra flavor to the program.

Nadia is a talented chef that has a gimmick that works.  I'm glad Raymond got me to watch just one show because now I'm a fan.  She probably thinks she's targeting the young crowd, and she probably is, but we 'mature' folks get a kick out of her.  On YouTube she gets a little too bawdy for me, but that's a different venue.

Just take a look at this risotto, which I love, and you can see that Nadia's dishes are professional all the way.



So, take a look.  Be sure to watch the whole 30 minutes and go with the flow.  You'll feel good afterward!

Father, give us the patience and understanding we need to realize the potential in others and help us to enjoy the simple things in life.  Amen

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One Of My Favoite Go-To Meals

We all have go-to foods when we're busy or just not in the mood to be very creative with our cooking or eating.  I have several go-to dishes for one bowl eating and they're usually very simple.  This recipe takes a total of about 30 min., it's filling, and offers many nutritional values.  Sometimes I add a little cooked zucchini or drained and chopped artichoke hearts or bell peppers (fresh or roasted).  Be sure to sprinkle some olive oil over the top for added healthy oil.

This is a Weight Watchers recipe that I share because it's healthy, delicious, and is 7 PPV.

Penne With Tomatoes and Spinach  (serves 4)

Ingredients

	8 oz uncooked penne
	1 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta
	1/4 cup(s) canned chicken broth, (see note)
	2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
	8 oz fresh spinach, washed, stemmed, coarsely chopped (about 5 cups)
	1/4 tsp dried oregano
	1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste
	1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
	1 cup(s) grape tomatoes, halved
	6 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

• Cook penne in boiling salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid before draining pasta.
  
  
• Meanwhile, heat broth in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add spinach, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  
  
• Add cooked penne, reserved cooking liquid and tomatoes to skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until tomatoes are slightly pulpy, stirring occasionally, about 2 to 3 minutes; add cheese and heat through. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.

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Lord, we ask for your blessing and guidance in our life choices for our present and future. Amen

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A Purposeful Pest

In recent days I've read an article about the ever present dandelion.  Realizing that this poor wild flower is so terribly discriminated against, I was fascinated by some of the information in that article.

For instance, did you know that the dandelion is present on every continent including the Arctic?  In the not too distant past this plant was considered a wonderful spring tonic and was not so mistreated as in modern day industrialized America and Europe.  Everyone is busy trying to make sure that one of these poor plants never shows up in their yards.  That obsession didn't begin until the 1950's when suburbia became the new center of human existence and the perfect yard was the lifetime goal.  I wonder what homeowners concentrated on before the battle of the dandelion started?  Hmmmm...

The dandelion is a major contributor to the nectar gathered by bees for their honey.  The dandelion seeds are a major contributor to several native sparrows during their migration.  I remember that as a little girl my friends and I would pick a dandelion and twirl it under our chins.  The yellow mark (which I now know was the pollen) meant something or another, but I just can't remember what!  I also remember my son Mark, at about the age of 4, picked me a bouquet of dandelions and presented them with great pride.  Of course, I had to put them in a cup of water and put them on the table for a few days.

The entire dandelion plant is edible, including the prized roots.  European herbalists believe that the dandelion root is a good treatment to diminish anemia.   It is a good source of vitamins C, A, and K.
The dandelion has far more calcium than the same amount of spinach.  The young leaves are added to salads giving an added flavor similar to chicory.  The older leaves can be steamed or sauteed like spinach.

So while some herbs and wildflowers have some undesirable effects, a few are even poisonous, that just isn't the case with the much maligned dandelion. 

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Hot Tea: Both Green and Chai

This isn't a botanical lesson or a geography lesson so if that's what you're expecting I'm sorry.  In years past my favorite hot drink was coffee and I consumed an average of 6 cups a day.  Then about 20 years ago I started introducing decaffeinated coffee into my routine and then my overall intake of coffee started dwindling to the present 1 or 2 cups a day.

However, my appreciation of specific teas has grown considerably and, at the present time, I consumer 2 to 4 cups of tea a day.  Every morning I start my day with a brisk hot cup of green tea sweetened with a packet of stevia.  Green teas are assigned many many claims of being super healthy and apparently the scientific research and evidence indicate the same.  It is loaded with antioxidants and is credited with several properties that promote a healthier cardiovascular system and immune system.


Fields of tea plants in Africa



As a cancer survivor, and like most cancer survivors, the search and discovery of something to assist in the lifelong battle is a priority.  When I found green tea and, then, when I discovered I really enjoyed the flavor and warmth that it gave me I was pleased on many levels.  Each day around 4pm I prepare myself a cup of green tea with several slivers of fresh ginger.  The tea and ginger steep together and then I add the stevia.  I can now appreciate how special a good cup of tea that is enjoyed and savored, can be.

Along with the personal discovery of green tea, I found chai tea.  Chai tea is a blend of teas and herbs and spices, of which there are many blend varieties.  My current favorite is Good Earth Chai Tea (Black Tea and spices).   The blend ingredients are as follows:  Black Tea, Chicory Root, Cardamom, Ginger Root, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Star Anise, Nutmeg and Cloves.  This mixture tends to have a natural sweetness but I still add a packet of stevia.  Also, I add 1/4 cup of heated Blue Diamond Vanilla Almond Milk.  The final cup of tea is soothing, peaceful, and just delicious.

The chai blend offers these herbal contributions as printed in Rodales Encyclopedia of Herbs:
chicory root:  a mild tonic with calming effects.
cardamom:  aids digestion and sweetens the breath.
ginger root:  a milk stimulant to aid circulation and soothes indigestion and motion sickness.
black pepper:  stimulant to digestion and circulation.
cinnamon:  natural antiseptic, stimulant for circulation and digestion.
star anise:  a mild expectorant, aid to digestion.
nutmeg:  in small amounts aids digestion. (in large amounts is quite toxic)
cloves:  a mild anesthetic, moderate germicidal.

So, as you can see, we obviously get great flavor and some added benefits from drinking green tea and chai tea.  I also enjoy oolong tea with a little squeeze of lemon.

I invite you to give these a try and explore the world of teas. 
                                                         You owe it to yourself!

Weight Watchers - A Double Meaning

The term 'weight watcher' carries the same connotation that the word 'dieter' carries; the person must be fat, must be overweight, must be obese.  I think that is usually the case, however, in some unusual cases the person is morbidly underweight.  My dear husband, Don, has lost about 30 lbs. in the past year due to his new health issue of heart failure.  Don is on a weight gain diet and has to eat a high calorie diet that includes Ensure Plus, cookies, puddings, potatoes of any kind, cheeses, pastas...well, you get the picture.  The problem he has is that he has NO appetite or he may have a problem with losing what he ate.

So, yes, he is watching his weight and trying to get the numbers to go up!  Meanwhile, I, on the other hand, am trying to get my numbers to go down.  Now, there's a conundrum.  Weight watching can be extremely preoccupying and can cause you to think of nothing but food all day long.  Between thinking about what Don needs to be eating and how often and what I need to be eating and how often, I seem to be spending at least half of my day either planning or preparing meals, snacks, and food shopping lists.

Good wholesome well balanced meals are not hard to plan or prepare, but sometimes it does get bothersome.  Sauces have to be geared for Don's consumption or for mine, there just aren't any sauces that are high calorie and low calorie!  Go figure!!


I'm lucky because I was blessed with a husband that is neither demanding nor finicky, but he's just not capable of eating some things and, as with many people, Don can take just so much vegetables and fruits before he balks.  Don has never thought much about food, has never craved anything in particular, can go for hours and hours without food or even thinking about food.  I wonder if all thin people are like that?!?!

I'm also lucky because I do love vegetables, grain, and legumes.  That doesn't mean there aren't times when I could and would just absolutely adore having a huge bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy!  A big piece of cherry pie!

Jim Davis once said, "Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie!" 
Sounds like a good idea to me...but, alas, I have lost 18 lbs in 18 weeks and I know that I must continue to lose and keep it off.  But...don't you get tired of hearing things like, 'all things in moderation' or 'it's not what you eat, it's portion size' and so on.  Oh, good grief, some of us just love to eat and it's a struggle and a compromise to gain even a little control.  Give us some credit, please...

Casserole Country #1

Here in the Midwest, and into the southeast, Bible belt, there is a rich history of church pot luck suppers, parent and/or youth fellowships, family camps, fund-raising bazaars, harvest dinners, etc.  During the past couple of centuries, pioneer families left the northeast and headed to the Ohio valley and then on to the Mississippi valley, and then even further afield to the Great Plains.  The pioneers often went weeks without seeing another person except at the church socials and then all the ladies would put their best food forward and prepare those special dishes that was their signature; Bessie was known for her fried chicken, Effie was famous for her fruit pies, Margaret couldn't bring anything but her chicken and noodles and on and on.

As time passed, the casserole became more and more popular; they had a huge variety to pick from, they were very filling, they were a time-saver, and even a picky eater would usually enjoy a casserole.  Although the famous 'green bean casserole' recipe of the 1950's has been installed in the Smithsonian, it won't be mentioned in this blog but we will see a variety of old and new casseroles to try.  Please try this one:

OLE' PASTA CASSEROLE

Serves - 6          Time - 45 mins.        Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

8 oz. whole wheat rotini or penne

3/4 lb. ground chicken, turkey, or lean beef

2  (10 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with chilies, such as RoTel

1  (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1  (15 oz.) can corn, drained, use no-salt if available

1/2 C. colby-jack shredded cheese

1/3 C. crushed tortilla chips

Lightly coat an 8x8 in baking pan with cooking spray.  Prepare pasta as directions for al dente.  Drain and set aside.

While that's cooking, in a large skillet over med-high heat, brown the meat for 6 to 8 mins. stirring frequently to break and crumble.  Drain if necessary.  Add tomatoes with juice, beans, corn, and cooked pasta, stirring well to combine.  Transfer to baking pan and top with cheese and tortilla crumbs.

Bake 20-30 mins.  Serve with lime wedges.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 350

Total Fat 6.0g

Cholesterol 45 mg.

Sodium 565 mg.

Total Carbs 51 g

Fiber 10 g

Protein 26 g.

Additions or changes that you may like:  cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, hominy in place of corn.

Moo Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps

It's time to pass on a great recipe that satisfies that craving for something Chinese yet healthy and fairly lo-cal.  If you serve this with a fruit bowl and a dollop of yogurt you then have a perfectly balanced meal with all of your food groups.  And, of course, you can always change around some of the veggies as you like, for instance, 2 cups of cabbage and 1 cup of carrots or peppers.  You can also add chopped water chestnuts or jicama for a certain freshness, as well as, fresh cilantro/garlic.  In other words, just make it the way you prefer and eat hardy.

Moo Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps      Serves 4      Time - 30 to 40 mins.

1 TBLS canola oil                                                   
2 C sliced mushrooms                                             
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, very thin strips                  
3 C shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix                      
1/2 C shredded/matchstick carrots
1/2 C thinly sliced red bell pepper
2 or 3 scallions, thinly sliced
3 TBLS hoisin sauce, or to taste
1 small head Boston/Bibb lettuce leaves separated

In a large skillet or wok over high heat, add oil.  Saute the mushrooms for 1 to 2 min.  Add chicken, cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and scallions - saute for 5-7 min. or until tender.  Add the hoisin sauce and stir to combine.  Cook for 1 - 2 mins. or until chicken is cooked through.  Add a small amount of chicken broth (app 1 TBLS) or water, if sauce is too thick.  Spoon into lettuce leaf.  If desired sprinkle with hoisin sauce, or cilantro leaves, or chow mein noodles, or sliced scallions.

NI per serving:
Calories                                      185
Total Fat                                         6g
Cholesterol                                   50mg
Sodium                                        230mg
Fiber                                               3g
Protein                                          21g
(If you are on weight watchers it is 4 pts.  If you saute in chicken broth with 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil it will be 3 pts. and much better flavor.)

As a side note:  I encourage you to play with this recipe and see which way you prefer.  I usually like to use savoy cabbage rather than regular cabbage.  Bok choy can be used, however, it increases the cost.
Also, other proteins can be used in place of the chicken, and leftover proteins work really well just be sure to add the precooked protein as you add the hoisin sauce.

I know you will enjoy this if you like Chinese cuisine. 

Nutrition vs Diet vs Foodie

In today's world, there is an obsession with, not just appearance, but the appearance of being slender and fit and buff (sfb).  It isn't enough to be clean, neat and well-groomed, but it is now vital to be today's version of 'healthy' which can only mean sfb.  Before we get into any agonizing discussion on whether the attention should be on nutrition or diet or food, perhaps we should give some defining boundaries.

Nutrition per Wikipedia - the provision of the necessary food to support life.

Diet per Wikipedia - the deliberate selection of food to control body weight or nutritional intake.

Foodie per Wikipedia - an amateur who simply loves food for preparation, consumption, and study.

Can Joe/Jill Public be on a diet to lose or control their weight, get proper nutrition AND be a foodie?  The answer should be yes, absolutely.  Then the question comes up:  can Joe/Jill be on a diet to lose or control their weight, get proper nutrition, be a foodie AND be an innovative, better-than-average cook?  The answer is 'maybe'.  Of course, everyone has their own set of circumstances (and excuses!), but it is definitely possible.  Consider the following:


This just gives us an idea of how deceiving foods can be and highlights how important it is for us to know our foods.  Just saying "I had a bowl of soup instead of a donut" is just fooling ourselves into believing we've been a good girl.  As a foodie, I find it difficult, but not impossible, to balance nutrition and diet with my fascination with the variety of foods, the flavors of foods, the multi-uses of foods.  Finding new recipes for foods such as quinoa, wheat berries, couscous, all types of beans and lentils, etc., is a challenge that, as a foodie, I find very exciting.  A foodie actually reads cook books and tries to use a new or different recipe or a new or different food item as often as possible. 

Adequate intake of carbs, proteins, fats, and fiber is critical to a sound nutritional diet.  Weight loss diets, or life styles, may benefit different people at different times in different scenarios, but the individual will have to take a very long time to 'reset' their body's machinery.  It simply can't be done in a few weeks or months which is probably the cause of yo-yo dieting, frustration dieting, and depression eating. 

The website below is so very useful for following a truly nutritional food intake.  By simply clicking on any fruit, vegetable, carb, etc. you will know exactly what you are getting.  If someone in your family needs extra protein or less cholesterol or more vit. C and so on, you can concentrate on specifics and possibly detour around being forced to use pills.  These can be downloaded to your desktop using the right-click and make your own folders for quick reference.
http://whfoods.org/foodstoc.php

So...I want to encourage you to try new things. Why not try a couscous salad or a wheat berry salad with walnuts and dried cherries. How about quinoa with sauteed onion and asparagus, and fresh chopped herbs?A mushroom and wild rice or barley soup is heavenly, topped with a dollop of sour cream and fresh snipped chives. Why not try making risotto with fresh asparagus, red bell pepper, leftover chicken breast with a touch of fresh chopped basil and sprinkled with parmesan cheese...yum.  Easy things to make and a splash for the pallet. Now to think about tomorrow's supper...

Black Bean and Rice Pilaf

Once in awhile it's good to take a step back and get back to some of our basics which, along with music and friends/family and everyday concerns, includes foods.  The following recipe is so very good whether eaten alone or with a piece of fish or chicken.  Your favorite protein can be minced and added to the pilaf and eaten with a great crusty bread.

Black Bean and Rice Pilaf  (from Ellie Krieger, nutritionist)
Total time - 1 hr.                 Servings - 4

1 C brown rice, uncooked                                               2 1/4 C low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs olive oil                                                                  1 C onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced                                                     1 tsp dried oregano
1 rib celery, finely diced                                                   1 large carrot, finely diced
1 tsp ground cumin                                                          1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained               2 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Cook rice with chicken broth according to package, about 30 - 35 min.  Remove from heat, uncover, and fluff with fork, set aside.
Heat oil in large sauce pan on med-hi heat.  Add onions, cook till soft, add garlic, oregano, celery, carrot, cumin and chili flakes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are just tender.  Stir in black beans and cook until warmed through.  Remove from heat and lightly stir in the rice.  Spoon into serving bowl and garnish with the chopped parsley.

1 serving is 1 1/2 cups.
Calories 310: total fat 6g; protein 11g; carb 57g; fiber 8g; chol 0mg; sodium 290 mg.
Excellent source of : protein, fiber, vit A, niacin, vit K, manganese, phosphorous
Good source of: thiamin, vit B6, vit C, copper, iron, potassium, selenium

As you can see this is extremely good for us and just delicious.  The key is to know when, what and how much to add your own touches.  Ideas for those touches:  basil and thyme instead of cumin and parsley for an Italian flair; curry and cilantro instead of cumin and parsley for an Indian flair; add 1 C of zucchini or mushrooms with or in place of the carrots.  Imagination knows no bounds...

The Original Bible Diet

The opening post to the label of Recipes, Food, Nutrition should be something that sets the stage or forms a thought-path, and that brought me to the Original Bible Diet.  I don't remember where I found this a couple of years ago, but, it stated that "these foods are your key to total health" and that's a big promise.  I'm reasonably sure that if someone followed this to the letter, it could very well be true.

Genesis 1:29 
"And God said, Behold, I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.  They will be yours for food."

"Behold, I give you every herb bearing seed..."  (a seed which does not develop wood-resistant tissue).  Some examples are:
Grains:   wheat, corn, rye, barley, rice, millet, oats, buchwheat
Seeds:   sunflower, sesame, flax, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Legumes:   soybeans, lentils, peas, peanuts, other beans
Succulent foods (containing seeds):  eggplant, okra, bell pepper, squash,
green  beans, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, melons.

"...and every tree that has fruit with seed in it." (woody perennial plants, shrubs, bushes)
Some examples are:
Fruit trees:  citrus fruits, sub-acid fruits, sweet fruits, neutral fruits
Nuts:  almonds, pecans, cashews, brazil, walnuts, chestnuts, filberts, acorns, pine nuts.

(Now, the whole thing gets just a little dicey, in that I am not real comfortable with the claims made in some of this portion.  I'll leave it up to you...)

"...TO YOU IT SHALL BE FOR MEAT."

Genesis 1:30 originally the green herbs were given by God as food for the animals.
"And to every Beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and the everything that creepeth upon the earth...I have given every green herb for meat; and it was so."

But, these vegetables (green herbs) were added to man's diet AFTER he sinned (to help fight disease), and are part of our diet today.

"And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast harkened unto the voice of thy wife...cursed is the ground for thy sake...and thou shalt eat the herb of the field." Genesis 3:17,18

Some of these vegetables include:
Leafy herbs:   celery, cabbage, kale , chard, lettuce, etc.
Flowers:   globe artichoke, broccoli, cauliflower
Roots:   carrots, beets, potatoes, turnips, etc.
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Now, this is a purely vegetarian diet, I'm sure that fact can be obvious, and I, like most people, do not subscribe to a vegetarian diet.   Although I just love a really good hamburger, shrimp scampi, roasted chichen, etc., I do lean heavily to the above listings.  I rarely eat more than 4 or 5 oz. of meat/poultry/fish a day. 

I believe that somewhere there is a Bible diet that is actually set up for losing weight and many a Bible diet guru has written books and are on the speaking circuit and I'm just a little curious if it is any more effective than any other diet.  We'll talk about diets...

We've had an amazing amount of snow so far this winter. It has been quite beautiful and since I'm retired I don't have to worry about getting out in the cold and snow. It's been below 10 degrees for the past week...hmmm...I think next week it's suppose to get up to 30 one day. That should help with some of the melting.
Hubby, Don, can't do any exertion outside in the winter for health reasons, so if any shovelling gets done guess who? Haven't done any in the past week; it's just been too cold and I'm in the midst of getting some head congestion.
We haven't been to the grocery store for a week so we'll have to venture out in a day or so in order to pick up some things and take advantage of some sales. This weather makes life a little more interesting and forces us to see things with a slightly different perspective.
Growing up, my folks always had a 'stock-pile' of food in the basement that they rotated to the kitchen. I have a well stocked pantry and this is probably the reason why. We could probably, conceivably, eat from the freezer and the pantry for 3-4 weeks without any difficulty. The fact that I enjoy cooking added to the fact that hubby and I are not picky eaters would be a huge factor in the 4 weeks. Maybe then I would lose some weight. Well! That's a whole other conversation for another time. One things for sure...if you have rice, beans, grains, dried fruits and some canned goods you can eat well for a long time. And when you add the fact of maintaining a wide variety of herbs/spices your choices expand a great deal.
What would people do that don't cook or maintain any sort of backup pantry? Hmmm...