Factoids and Findings: Eating Out When Family Is In Town

My family are honorary Italians--where there is family, there is food! The two are almost inseparable at all family reunions, get-togethers, and when someone is in from out of town, we are out on the town dining at tasty eateries. Why? I suppose because the visiting member likes to celebrate the time away from home, and some guests would rather save you the trouble of cooking--afterall, they can "eat in" back home.

This was the case for me last week. I absolute adore having family in town, and it messes with the routeen big time, to be sure. But then life goes back to normal and the fun is over. Some things don't leave though...like the 5 lbs. that can quickly find itself to your waistline in the process of vetting the local hipster eateries. In my latest quest to be more informed, cut the bad and add more good to my diet, I embarked on a dangerous quest: watching calories while family is in town.

For three whole days, I became one of "those people." You know who I'm talking about--the annoying person asking about calories at the ORDER HERE window, or the person asking for nutritional values before ordering. To those of you who've ever tried to eat smart while your family is in town, this is for you. Here we go...

One best practice I've heard is that although you can't control the fact that you are going out and about to consume lucious fat-filled, high calorie foods, you can control what restaurants are in the pot for choosing. A spot I thought might do? Paradise Bakery. While there were no "nutritional values" available (note--you can get them online, but the staff wasn't very helpful in store with finding a copy), so I opted for a turkey wrap with no mayo. Turns out I made a great choice--cut down on the fat and still had a tasty, filling meal...okay, I don't really consider a 1/2 turkey wrap a meal, but I'm trying to. Portions, they tell me.

I went home and checked out the nutritional values online, just to see how I did. I can tell you the wrap was great, but I was shocked at how much punch those seemingly healthy sandwiches can pack. A member of our party had a turkey sandwich with cranberries--sounds nice and anti-oxidenty, right? Wrongo--over 500 calories for one sandwich. Ouch! When most of us should definitely be consuming well under 2000 calories per day, that could potentially be 1/3 of your day right there! Let's assume you're you're thinking 1/3 of your day sounds right--three meals a day--all that jazz. Well, factor in snacks, drinks, and possibly one of those lovely chocolate cookies they give you, and you are toast my friend. Finding: it pays to be informed, even at the "healthy" places.

Last stop to report about: The Nordstrom Cafe. Okay, YES, guilty of hunger while shopping. But how bad could it really be? There are tons of salads, soups, and yummy pasta dishes. Well, again, here goes the report. I asked for nutritional values BEFORE I ordered--smart move. In the past, I've treated myself to their wild mushroom ravioli. Sounds impossible, but it rivals high end restaurants in quality and flavor--seriously. And, how can bad can a pasta dish really be, calorically speaking? This one turned out to be over 1000 calories. Yes--one thousand, for 8 raviolies. There is a price for flavor, often in the fat department in the form of butter, cheese, and cream. What about a cup of tomato soup? 500 calories +. Finding: (besides being clueless about pasta--really didn't think it was THAT bad), seemingly harmless can be deadly. Sidenote: I still ordered the ravioli--I told you it was the best. But, I divided the portion. We can still eat the good stuff, just less of it, taking it light elsewhere.

In review: I can't tell you how literally frightened I was, not to sound too melodramatic, but seriously, up 'til now have NOT, repeat, NOT EVER been a calorie counter/watcher. Now, having gotten religion and having become more aware--striving to be informed about the foods out there--I just don't have the desire to go eat out anymore. There is so much more nutritional value, less sodium, less fat, and more fiber in my own kitchen than at a restaurant. Quite depressing really--I love eating out. But, it's okay because I am determined not to ever be one of the millions of Americans who are diabetic and obese from poor nutrition. It's a daily effort, and it takes discipline. Finding: here's to the next generation of healthy kids...and low-cal Italiano :)

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Whole Grains Reconsidered: Swedish Pancakes with Whole Wheat Flour

Today’s mission: take one of my favorite breakfast recipes and incorporate whole grain flour. I’ve realized that I've been throwing the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to whole grains. Let me explain.

Remember when it was all the rage to go get a bagel with your friends? I can remember going to Einstein's Bagels when they were popping up on every corner, thanks to the latest fad of a heavy carb diet promising the much coveted smaller waistlines. A few years later, fads changed and there was a complete war against carbohydrates, and bagel hangouts were traded in for smoothie shops. Suddenly it was believed that carbohydrates were the enemy and the reason for a host of ailments, including a non-so-small waistline. So what is the verdict? Will carbs pack on the pounds or won’t they? The misinformation comes in defining what KIND and HOW MUCH of carbs we are eating. Let’s consider flour, for example.
If you were to look in your cupboard right now (and you happen to have the packaging for your flour) you would read one of two things: enriched flour (bleached or unbleached) or whole grain flour. The first is the bathwater. The second is the baby! By way of review, enriched flour has had the whole grain removed from it—the whole grain that has the fiber, nutrients, and other dietary friendlies in it. Whole grain flour is just that—flour comprised of the whole grain, nothing removed. It explains why I want to eat several pieces of white bread made with enriched flour and only one of whole wheat, and no, it isn’t the taste. The problem I have with is that I never feel “satisfied” when eating white bread. And I shouldn’t wonder why! The fiber and nutrients have been removed and instead paired with refined, process sugar.

In contrast, whole wheat/grain bread does leave us feeling satisfied because when we deliver the proper nutrition to our bodies, we fill our body’s nutritional buckets, and we are full for longer periods of time with less quantities of food. Why is a loaf of your mom or grandma’s whole wheat bread so heavy? Because the wheat is heavier than the chaff, people, and that’s what I feel like I’m eating if I eat enriched flour—chaff!

The verdict is that TOO MUCH of anything will pack on the pounds, some faster than others, such as foods that are low in nutrients and fiber and in the case of pancakes, enriched flour. As you gradually incorporate whole grains into your diet, you will most likely SHED a couple pounds since you are eating less, as well as noticing other changes such as level blood sugar through the day, less hunger pangs, and uh hum, other things that come with increased fiber in your diet! (Did I mention the colon health benefits from a diet rich in fiber…?) If you are suddenly motivated to go get some whole wheat flour (you can get it from white or red wheat; white whole wheat flour doesn’t mean it’s been bleached, but ground from white wheat)—DO IT—just gradually. Otherwise you and your family could have some aching bellies. It takes a little while for our systems to get us to whole grain if they aren’t use to it. I recommend starting with ¼ cup at a time and working up to 100% whole wheat flour.

This recipe probably goes more on the comfort food side of the spectrum instead of completely healthy and nutritious, but the goal here is to move the needle one recipe at a time. This recipe came from my Swedish heritage—my grandfather is 100% Swedish, so it’s funny that this recipe is aptly named just that: Swedish pancakes.Whole Wheat Swedish Pancakes

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour*
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
3 cups milk
3 Tbs. butter, melted, plus a tablespoon to coat the pan.
*Note: If you are just starting out with whole wheat flour, start out with ½ half cup flour and 1 cup regular flour. You could even start with ¼ cup.)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high or low for 30 seconds. It should be a soupy consistency, and you will notice that the cold milk has hardened the butter into hard little bits—this is okay. In fact, my brother insists that these little butter chunkies are the secret to great Swedish pancakes.
Heat a good non-stick or cast iron skillet on medium. Coat pan with butter—seriously, don’t use oil. It ruins the flavor of the pancake, or rather leaves it blah.
Pour ½ cup of batter into the hot pan and swirl the batter immediately by picking up the pan and getting the batter to coat the entire bottom of the pan and a little of the sides.
When the pancake edges start to pull away from the edge of the pan, gently flip the pancake—you can help this process by running a knife or spatula around the edges. Cook only a minute longer and serve with warm maple syrup, berry compote, or pancake topping of your choice.

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Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Ever in a pinch for a quick, elegant-looking dessert that will work for everyone? Picture two big, flat, thin coconut cookies with vanilla icecream sandwiched in the middle, sprinkled with a little powdered sugar or toasted coconut and carmel sauce around the plate. It's a gourmet twist that appeals to our hometown tastebuds that can be done in half an hour!
This achieves the same flavors that people love about the cookie part of chocolate chip cookies, but adds a little twist with some sweetened coconut. If you are not a fan of oatmeal, just add more flour in its place an omit the oatmeal. I think the oatmeal gives it a nice texture however. Again, this recipe gives you big, flat cookies, not fat lumpy cookies, so don't feel like you messed up the recipe when they come out of the oven. They are flat and thin because there is more liquid in the recipe than other traditional cookie recipes. This is one of my favorites because I love the buttery, sugar cookie that is the foundation for chocolate chip cookies, except it is with coconut instead!
This dough can be stored in parchment/wax paper in the freezer, so anytime you need quick cookies, just pull it out, cut off a few rounds, and pop them in the oven. If you like the idea of toasted coconut, just set your broiler to low, put coconut flakes on a cookie sheet, and watch them--about 5 minutes or less depending on your oven.

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 Tbs. HOT water
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup coconut, shredded and sweetened

Preheat your oven to 370 degrees. In a mixer, cream shortening and butter until fluffy. Add sugar and then eggs, one at a time. Add hot water and let combine. Add the vanilla, salt, and soda. Last, add the flour, slowly, and then the oatmeal and coconut. The dough will be gooy--this is just how you want it. Using 2 spoons, scoop in small amounts (about 1/8 cup each) onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

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Dijon Tarragon Salmon with Dill Butter

If you are new to cooking fish, don't know where to start, or are just looking for a great recipe, then this one is for you! This recipe is VERY simple and VERY tasty. There is nothing I like less than flavorless fish! I used wild coho salmon--it has amazing flavor and a natural intense red color both before you cook it and after when you are eating it. I prefer wild salmon to farm raised because I like where the fish come from and what they feed--naturally speaking. It is definitely more expensive, but well-worth it in my opinion. For 3 fillets at my local market, I paid $11.99 total. In a pinch I will go for farm raised, but it can't even compare to the flavor of wild salmon!

At this point in time, I am not much into marinating for two reasons. First, I adore the taste of salmon without all the bells and whistles of a marinade. When too many things are added to fish, I feel like I am eating the sauce/marinade as the focus instead of the fish. Secondly, I like to be able to come home and cook things quick = the likely hood that I will take time to marinate ahead of time very small. I do love good seasoning/spreads on top that are fast, easy, and add flavor yet don't overpower the natural flavor of the fish.

From start to finish, this took me 15 minutes to prepare. Roughly 3 minutes to rinse/season the fish and get it in the oven; 9 minutes to bake (for thicker pieces 11 minutes); and 2 minutes to dish up and finish. It actually took the rice longer to cook! Food factoid: you know that the salmon is done when it springs back at you when you push on it--not with your fingers mind you, although you could--but I prefer to use the bottom of a fork or a spatula. Hard salmon means it is overcooked and DRY, and believe me, that is not so fun to eat. Moist salmon, on the other hand, will have you coming back for seconds!

Dijon Tarragon Salmon with Dill Butter

2-3 Fillets wild salmon

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Sea salt and pepper to liberally season fillets

2 Tbs. dijon mustard (about 1 Tbs. per fillet; enough to coat the top of each one)

1/2 tsp. dry Tarragon or 1 tsp. fresh

Dill Butter

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp. dry dill, or 1 tsp. fresh

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil (I like to pinch the edges together so all the juices don't run out). Rinse the salmon under cold water, wipe of excess water (or you can pat dry) and place the fillets skin-side down. Pour 1/4 tsp. lemon juice on each fillet, and then liberally season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 Tbs. of dijon mustard on top of each fillet, enough to coat. Add more if you need more. Sprinkle the top of each fillet with about 1/4 tsp. Tarragon. If you are using dry Tarragon, mash it between your fingers as you go in order to get the oils out of the spice (they may seem dryer than dry, but it's there.) Place the baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 9-11 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Meanwhile, soften 1/4 cup butter in the microwave. Watch it because you don't want melted. Mince the dill on a cutting board in order to get those wonderful oils to come out and add flavor to the butter. Add the minced dill to the butter and combine. Note: you can save any remaining dill butter in the freezer.

When the salmon comes out of the oven, top it with the dill butter while the salmon is still warm, about 1 Tbs. per fillet. Serve with rice and veggies of your choice.

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The Soggy Leftover Solution

Soggy leftovers often get a bad rap and end up down the drain or in the trash. For foods like fish (especially but not limited to the battered variety), potatoes (including the occasional french fry), pizza, and enchiladas, just to name a few. Even when they are gourmet, such as a garlic chichen pesto pizza or roasted baby potatoes with carmelized onions, the sogginess factor pops them all into the same bucket: destined for the disposal. It seems like such a waste though; how can we restore theses once magnificent dishes to yesterday's glory? The answer is simple and right in your own kitchen: the BROILER.

When set on high or low, a few minutes in this magic spa for food will tighten, shape, crisp, and restore flavor to almost any food, not to mention heat it up! The most recent dish that I used this magic on was the roasted red pepper quiche mentioned a few days back. I popped the remaining quiche under the broiler on high for about 5 minutes, no more. What came out was melty cheese, crisp crust, and ingredients heated just right. No microwave can touch the broiler for this purpose. In fact, the microwave is probably the main culprit for giving leftovers such a bad rap, since microwaves turn things to mush when they are reheated. Whether you find yourself in the category of those who will eat leftovers or those who won't, this solution will have you falling in love with leftovers all over again!

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WAKE ME UP WITH A GREEN VEGGIE SMOOTHIE!

So why do we care about fruits and veggies? Well, if it helps me feel better and shed a couple pounds, I’m interested. For starters, many of the famed weight-loss companies prescribe eating more servings of fruits and veggies—roughly 5-6 per day, not only to get all the nutrients DAILY that our bodies need—but because they help naturally clean out our colon (gross, I know, but it is the best, cheapest, and most natural way to do it). Some people believe that our bodies actually need 10-15 serving, but as I am not a medical doctor, I will leave the decision making up to you! Second, they are higher in fiber, so they satisfy our hunger better and we tend to overeat less. Now, I’m not suggesting we all become rabbits because that would drive me to eat donuts, but when we start to regularly eat more veggies, we feel better mentally because we are taking care of ourselves, and we actually FEEL better physically.

My friend Marilisa gave me this recipe for an awesome green veggie smoothie. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but aren’t we all looking for things that are super healthy but taste good at the same time? Oh! I almost forgot to mention this added benefit: eating more fruits and veggies is NOT going to pack on the pounds. Instead, doing so will enable your body to get in balance and thereby lose weight, particularly if you are choosing veggies that are low on the glycemic index scale (less prone to spiking your blood sugar level). For example, pineapple is quite sweet (although it works in this recipe to balance all the veggies), so you can omit or substitute as you like. For example, if you don’t like the tomato, leave it out and give the rest a shot. You may find that you try it without a few things and work up to adding them back in, or maybe you start with one handful of spinach and work up to 4. Get creative and find what works for you and what you like.


GREEN VEGGIE SMOOTHIE

1 cup water
4 handfuls of spinach (spinach is over 40% protein)
1/2 lemon peeled
1 cup frozen berries (blue berries, strawberries, raspberries)
1 banana
1 slice frozen pineapple with core (core has the most nutrients in it -- freeze your pineapple in slices on a cookie sheet when its frozen throw it all together in one Ziploc bag)
1/2 apple with core, or pear with core, or half a peach. (freeze fruit when it goes on sale and throw it in my smoothies)
5 baby Carrots
1 tomato

Directions:
Combine together in a high power blender and enjoy!

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Roasted Red Pepper & Spinach Quiche and a word about Pie Crusts

This week I took a stab at incorporating a great factoid into my cooking: foods that have ingredients that are high in fiber are more satisfying to us, so we eat less of them. Oh how I would love to be satisfied with less of my favorite foods! So often I find myself loving my favorite foods so much that I want to keep eating them...all day long. That just doesn't work for those of us trying to fit into our jeans or swimsuits!

So, I thought a quiche might be able to help me on this quest. What is a quiche after all? Like pie crusts, not all quiches are created equal. I will spare you and me both the historical review and suffice it to say that I was looking for more than just the traditional egg and cheese quiche. I came across a yummy variation online, to which I made my own modifications, such as adding roasted red peppers (from a jar...seriously, they are a blessed convenience), raw spinach, yellow onion, and then the traditional eggs and cheese.

If you are puckering your lips, consider this first. I am not a fan of spinach--like, not at all. But, I know that I need it and all its nutrients, from warding off carcinogens to needed vitamins and the like. I thought I would try shredding a handful into my quiche. While spinach quiche is hardly groundbreaking, I felt a little adventurous with this mix. To my great surprise, not only did it turn out to have fabulous flavor, but I noticed that I was satisfied before I'd finished one piece. A drastic contrast to this is when I bake bread, only to want piece after piece after piece. Clearly, I found a winner with this veggie cheese souffle. Other variations that I would consider adding in the future are different types of cheeses together such as feta, sausage, or a blend of mushrooms.

Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Quiche
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
5 eggs, lightly beaten
½ tsp. salt 10 ounces shredded reduced-fat Tillamook Cheddar cheese (the only kid of cheddar I buy)
1 handfull of raw spinach, washed and dried1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell (I use a recipe for a 10 inch so that I have enough dough for a pretty edge--see note and recipe below)
Top with green or red salsa
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Prepare your pie crust first--rolled out and in its pan--and let it chill in the fridge while you make the quiche mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, eggs and salt until smooth. Add cheese, spinach, red peppers, and onion to your egg mixture and combine. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Place pie pan on a cookie sheet and cover quiche with foil so the crust doesn't burn. The cookie sheet will facilitate even baking. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove cover, and bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until top is golden brown and filling is set.

A NOTE ABOUT PIE CRUSTS

Now, you might be thinking about the crust, which there was one in this case. Not all quiches have crusts, but I prefer one. Perhaps you are thinking that I was satified because of all the yummy goodness that comes in a pie crust. Well, think again while I provide perspective on a non-talked about issue: imposter pie crusts.

Yes, I said it. Imposter pie crusts. I attempted something new recently in my pie crust that my mother and grandmother would scorn at: organic, non-hydrogenated, all vegetable shortening. Sounds like a good option to regular shortening or butter, right? Wrongo. What it produced was the hardest, nastiest, flavorless pie crust I have ever partially eaten. And why was it all these things? Perhaps because the fat in butter or shortening provides two things--flavor and consistency. Now, I am not a science cook like Alton Brown on Food network (whose factoids I adore by the way), but I can tell you that shortening and butter are the real deal when it comes to creating fantastic pie crusts. For the best crust, I used unsalted butter. Note: if you choose to use butter instead of shortening, be very mindful that your crust is chilled before baking or the crust will slide down the sides of the pan. When the butter is cold, it holds up the dough when baking. If it starts out gooey, you will be disappointed with a sunken crust. I avoid this by chilling the dough in the freezer for 5 minutes after mixing together, and chilling again once I get it in the pie pan for 10 minutes in the fridge.

10-Inch Pie Crust Recipe (adapted from The Southern Living Cookbook)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3-4 Tbs. COLD water

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An Introduction...

Yummy treats can come from many places, but when the time permits, I make them from scratch with the best ingredients. Don't get me wrong--I love enjoying a decadent dessert from a hip bakery--but how often do I really have time to frequent said bakery? Or, do I really want to spend $12 a couple desserts when I could spend $12 on ingredients and share my own homemade dessert with friends or just family at the end of a busy day? I confess, I do both, but given the schedule life throws my way, the latter is more often the case.

This blog is dedicated to those who are active in life, strive to be healthy, and yet make take time to enjoy the yummy goodness that good food has to offer, whether you make it at home or find it your own town. I cook with butter and olive oil, enjoy a mix of different food, and at the end of the day will always enjoy dessert!

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