Quick, Easy, and Delicious June 28, 2009

Curried White Beans and Kale

Jamie says:  I came up with the recipe for the curried white beans and kale because I needed a quick and easy side dish to accompany dinner.  I wasn’t expecting it to be the highlight of the meal- but it was!  My recipe is so simple.  I heated extra virgin olive oil in a pan; cooked the kale in it; stirred in some great northern beans to heat them; and mixed in some curry.  And there you have it- a quick, easy, delicious, and nutritious side dish.

Orange You Glad you Like Chocolate? June 27, 2009

Dark-Chocolate Orange Starburst

Kathryn says: I just started reading SuperFoods HealthStyle (http://www.amazon.com/SuperFoods-HealthStyle-Proven-Strategies-Lifelong/dp/0060755474), a good summer health read that promotes vigor, disease prevention and life extension.  It was recommended on another food blog, http://www.katheats.com/.  So far the book has discussed the benefits of exercise and it has identified some SuperFoods – foods with lots of health benefits.  The first two SuperFoods it discussed were oranges and dark chocolate, so I woke up craving both of them.  I took an orange out of the refrigerator, peeled it and split it open like a starburst.  Pretty!  Then, I sprinkled cinnamon on top.  I love cinnamon.  It’s great on nearly anything, and I’ve heard it has many health benefits.  Next, I microwaved two squares of Dove Promises Silky Smooth Dark Chocolate (http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:BSk8dMLtJigJ:www.dovechocolate.com/products_all_p1.html+dove+dark+chocolate+promises&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us) for about a minute, stopping to stir it after 30 seconds.  I drizzled the melted chocolate on the oranges and ate it right away.  The cold oranges and warm chocolate made for an amazing burst of juicy flavor.

A Plate of Pancakes June 27, 2009

Poppy Banana Peach, Coffee Peanut, Cinnamon Peach Whole Wheat Pancakes

Jamie says:  I was really craving pancakes this morning, and I wanted to try a few flavor/ingredient combinations.  So, while I drank my glass of milk, I went “shopping” in the pantry.  I used the whole wheat pancake mix from Kodiak (http://www.kodiakcakes.com/kodiakcakes.htm).  The Del Monte peaches that I used were canned in 100% fruit juice.  I made a variety of pancakes: poppy seed banana, coffee peanut, canned peach cinnamon, and banana peach poppy.  My thoughts?  I liked the strong flavor of the banana mixed with the crunch of the poppy seed.  The nutty flavor of peanuts was awesome, but the flavor of the burned instant coffee was not what I was hoping for.  The peaches and cinnamon were a nice pair- sweet and spice.  The banana peach poppy was a nice combination, too.  My pancake craving has now been satisfied.

A Colorful Plate June 27, 2009

Butternut Squash with Garlic Kale and Black Beans

A Spoon of Butternut Squash with Garlic Kale and Black Beans

Jamie says:  What I really liked about this lunch was the color!  The bright orange, vibrant green, warm brown, and dark black were beautiful on the white plate.  It’s also perfect for two (I shared my other half with Kathryn).  To make the dish, I cut a butternut squash in half (and seeded it with a spoon) and put the cut side down on a pan with a little water on the bottom and cooked it in the oven for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.  Meanwhile, I began reading my Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook (http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/books/sportsnutrition.asp), which I am really enjoying.  I then minced about 4 cloves of garlic and cooked the pieces in a pan with extra virgin olive oil until they were brown and crispy.  I set the garlic aside and used the same pan to cook some kale in the leftover olive oil.  I then put everything together- I topped the squash with the kale, put some black beans on the side, and sprinkled the crispy garlic on top.  It was very filling.  The garlic was my favorite part!

Food is Art June 25, 2009

Strawberry Java Cottage Cheese Waffle

Sunshine Cottage Cheese English Muffin

Jamie says:  Food is art (but art isn’t always food).  I love breakfast.  This morning I wanted to try something new, so I made myself (what I’d like to call) a Strawberry Java Cottage Cheese Waffle.  I blended about 1 cup of strawberries, 1/2 tsp instant coffee, and 1/2 tsp flax seeds in a small blender.  I then toasted a Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Oat waffle (http://www.kashi.com/products/heart_to_heart_waffles_original) and spread a 4 oz container of Breakstone’s LiveActive 2% Cottage Cheese (http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Products/ProductInfoDisplay.aspx?SiteId=1&Product=2100001328&) on top.  I love the taste and the nutrition profile of these two products.  Lastly, I drizzled the blended fruit mixture on top of the cottage cheese and added some sliced some bananas on top.  I cut up some extra banana slices to dip in the remaining fruit mixture.  I made Dad breakfast, too- a Sunshine Cottage Cheese English Muffin.  I blended about 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 2 strawberries, and 1/2 tsp flax seeds.  I put this topping on 1/2 of an English muffin with the same cottage cheese.  They were both very good, but I liked the thickness and cooler temperature of Dad’s even better.  Nutrition note- to get the nutritional benefit of the flax seeds they should be ground.

A New Favorite June 25, 2009

Jamie's Famous Sweet Potatoes

Baked Asparagus, Onions, and Eggplant

Black Bean and Baked Veggie Wrap

Jamie says:  I have been especially enjoying cooking lately.  Cooking is very rewarding- it allows me to be creative and to share my ”masterpiece” with others.  The contrasting colors, mouthwatering aromas, and delicious tastes all culminate together to create a fine work of art.  Last night we created the Black Bean and Baked Veggie Wrap.  I had fun coming up with this new meal.  The dinner had no meat, but the wrap had so much flavor and was so filling that we didn’t even miss it.  Kathryn helped me cut the veggies and bake them (in olive oil at 350 degrees until soft).   We baked the sweet potatoes first (one of my favorite dishes), and later cooked the asparagus, onion, and eggplant in a separate dish.  I put the veggies in a TOUFAYAN Wrap (www.TOUFAYAN.com) with black beans, canned mushrooms, shredded cheese, and sour cream.  I like the wrap, which is high in fiber and has added calcium, too.  This meal was delicious and will definitely be repeated soon!

Dad called it “an A+ meal” June 24, 2009

Pork Burger

Grilled Corn and Veggie Kabobs

Jamie says:  Dinner was a team effort- J and K in the kitchen and Dad on the grill.  Dad suggested pork burgers, K came up with the perfect recipe for them, and I thought grilled corn and veggie kabobs would make the perfect side dishes.  To make the pork burgers, K mixed minced Vadalia onions, garlic powder, sea salt, pepper, dill, oregano, and parsley  into the ground pork, which was then cooked on the grill by Dad.  To prepare the corn, I used PAM cooking spray to lightly coat the corn with oil.  I then cut eggplant, plum tomatoes, and green pepper and put the veggies on kabobs; I then drizzled a little olive oil on the veggie kabobs and sprayed them with PAM.  The burgers were served on whole wheat bread and topped with the condiments of our choosing- ketchup, deli mustard, yellow mustard, shredded lettuce, chopped scallions, relish, munster cheese, and/or mozzerella cheese.  When Mom came home from work, we enjoyed this nice summer meal together.  Dad thought the dinner was perfect for the night and called it “an A+ meal.” 

Father’s Day Breakfast June 24, 2009

Father’s Day French Toast Breakfast

French Toast Topped with Fruit

Kathryn says:  J and I made Dad his favorite breakfast for Father’s Day – French toast.  We used Dad’s favorite French toast bread – Nature’s Own White Wheat Bread.  For the batter, I beat two eggs in a bowl with Lactaid milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon.  Then, I sprayed the griddle with Pam, dipped the bread in the batter and put it on the griddle.  I threw some sliced almonds on the griddle to toast them.  I put the cooked French toast on a plate, cut out a paper heart and placed it on the bread.  Then, I sifted confectioner’s sugar over the bread.  I removed the paper heart and was left with a loving piece of french toast.  I repeated this for the other French toast.  Lastly, I sprinkled the toasted almonds on top. 

Jamie cut up some fresh fruit which Dad ended up putting on his French toast.  J also made Dad tea and put it in the “Dad” mug.

Mom microwaved some bacon for a side.

It was a family success, and Dad was proud of our cooking abilities.

Dinner for Three June 23, 2009

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Lemon Rosemary Chicken, White Corn and Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Lemon Rosemary Chicken Breasts

Boiled White Corn

Kathryn says:  I was at my aunt and uncle’s house when Dad called to tell me I was on dinner duty for the evening.  Dad suggested chicken.  My uncle put together a bag of spices and some rosemary sprigs from their garden for the chicken and sent me on my way to cook for my parents.

To make the stuffed Portobello mushrooms, I carved out the mushrooms and put the carvings into a frying pan with spinach leaves, fresh sliced garlic and olive oil and cooked it until the spinach was wilted and the garlic was browned.  Then, I poured the mixture into the hollowed mushrooms.  I added chopped tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, black olives, oregano, basil and an anchovy to each mushroom.  I put them in a pan and baked them at 350 degrees in the oven for about 12 minutes.

To make the corn, I simply rinsed and dropped the cobs into a large pot of water and set the burner on high.  I let the corn come to a boil and then drained the pot.

To make the chicken breasts, I put them in a pan and coated them in olive oil.  Then, I poured a mixture of spices (garam masala,adobo, smoked paprika, ginger and Florida seasoned pepper) on them.  Next, I cut thin slices of lemon and squeezed the juice over the chicken.  I placed the slices over the chicken.  Then, I chopped an onion and added it to the pan.  Lastly, I added fresh rosemary and baked it at 350 degrees until it was thoroughly cooked. 

The simple corn made for a nice contrast to the flavorful chicken and mushrooms.  Our taste buds were dancing!

Happy Father’s Day June 22, 2009

Banana Bread

Jamie says:  Dad loves banana bread, so I got up early on Father’s Day and baked him a loaf.  I found a recipe for banana bread that I saved from one of the University of Florida Food Science and Human Nutrition meetings.  However, I made many modifications- including substituting an equal amount of apple sauce for butter, adding chocolate chips and almond slivers, and using light and dark brown sugar instead of white sugar.  It was quite tasty.  Dad was wearing his Gator Dad t-shirt, so I served it on a UF football field cutting board .  Go Gators!  Go Dad!