Thankgiving Breakfast November 27, 2009

Jamie says:  I hope everyone is having a very happy Thanksgiving holiday.  I enjoyed watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and doing some Turkey Day baking.  I woke up early, so I started working on Thanksgiving breakfast.  I set the table with our Christmas Spode to kick off the Christmas season.  My contribution to breakfast was a fresh fruit salad made with an array of fruits- bananas, grapes, kiwi, oranges, watermelon, raspberries, and pomegranate seeds.  It was beautiful, delicious, and healthy.  Mom and Dad soon joined me in the kitchen- scrambling eggs, heating up the bacon, pouring tea, coffee, and juice, and bringing Mom’s tasty pumpkin bread to the table.  I also toasted up some English muffins.  I spread my Mom’s homemade cranberries on one half and made an open-faced egg sandwich with the other half.  We sat down to breakfast just in time to watch the ribbon cutting of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade- perfect timing!  We had a beautiful holiday together.  Happy Left-over Day!

Nutrition note:  There are no “bad” foods, just foods that should be enjoyed occasionally.  Everything can be enjoyed in moderation and part of a balanced diet.

Everyone Loves Pizza Night November 24, 2009

Jamie says:  Sometimes, there’s nothing like a good slice of pizza- especially one that has your favorite toppings!  Kathryn and I baked this veggie pizza for dinner.  Side by side, we stood washing, slicing, and tossing the topping onto the dough.  We purchased the pizza dough from the Publix Bakery, and pressed it onto a baking sheet sprayed with PAM.  We then mixed tomato sauce, tomato paste, and Italian seasonings (basil and oregano) together and spread it on the dough.  We sprinkled low-fat mozzarella cheese on top and added sliced onion (another onion from Mom and Dad’s trip to Georgia), fresh minced garlic, fresh mushrooms, jarred roasted red peppers, and canned artichoke hearts, anchovies, and olives.  We baked the pizza for about 25 minutes, and topped it with a dash of garlic salt.  It was quite tasty. 

Nutrition note:  To add more veggies to your diet, try loading your pizza with veggies instead of meat.  Veggie are low in calories and fat-free.

Yogurt Key Lime Pie November 23, 2009

Jamie says:  Happy Thanksgiving!  I attended a Thanksgiving potluck dinner this weekend where everyone brought a dish and dressed up as pilgrims and Indians.  It was a lot of fun and the food was delicious.  I had been thinking about making a graham cracker crust for weeks now, so I decided this was the perfect time to try.  I found a recipe for a blueberry pie and used the graham cracker crust recipe as a guide.  I really enjoyed the Publix fat free light key lime pie yogurt I tried recently, so  I was inspired to make a healthier key lime pie by substituting key lime pie filling for this tasty yogurt.  The filling was thinner than a typical key lime pie because I used yogurt, but I think it was worth it.  I received a lot of complements, so I guess my experimental pie turned out quite well!  Here’s the recipe: 

Preheat oven to 325°F.  Toast 1 cup walnuts in oven for about 6 minutes or until lightly toasted.  Coarsely chop walnuts.  Finely crush 10 graham cracker sheets (= 20 squares) in a ziplock bag.  Whisk 2 large egg whites in a medium sized bowl until frothy.  Add chopped walnuts, graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons Smart Balance Omega 3 spread, 2 tablespoons canola oil, and a pinch of salt to egg whites.  Blend until smooth.  Press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan.  Bake for 18 minutes.   Allow to cool completely.  Pour 3 six ounce containers of fat free light key lime pie yogurt (Publix brand) into the pie crust and spread evenly.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Nutrition note: Simple substitutions can add up.  To reduce the amount of calories and saturated fat in a recipe, try using a heart-healthy spread with no trans fats (like Smart Balance spread) instead of butter.

Playing with Parsnips November 22, 2009

Jamie says:  I was set on making chicken with black beans and rice, but sometimes things do not go exactly as planned.  When I looked at the directions on the container of rice, I realized I didn’t have an hour to wait for the rice to cook- and good thing because that’s when I decided to spice up the black beans and throw in some parsnips. 

To make this Latin-inspired meal, I first washed and chopped up a bag of parsnips.  Parsnips are new to me, but I really enjoy them.  They have a texture and shape like a carrot and taste somewhat like a potato.  I coated the parsnips with extra virgin olive oil, seasoned sea salt, and ground pepper.  To make the chicken, I poured some of my Uncle Rick’s herb seasonings on top and baked it.  I then sautéed slices of onion in extra virgin olive oil.  After they turned a nice caramel color, I added black beans and some dried cilantro.  I topped the beans with chunks of fresh tomato.

I was very pleased with dinner.  It was delicious and the presentation was beautiful with a nice array of colors.  Kathryn couldn’t stop raving over the meal, which is like music to a chef’s ears.

Nutrition note: 1/2 cup of black beans contains about 25% of the daily value of fiber.

Make Your Own Croutons – in Minutes! November 16, 2009

Crunchy Corn and Crouton Salad

Kathryn says:  My Mom taught me how to make croutons.  Although I’m not a fan of restaurant croutons, homemade ones are delicious!

 

I cut up a slice of whole-grain bread into squares, spread them out on a baking sheet, drizzled olive oil, sea salt and ground pepper on top, and broiled them in the oven for just a few minutes.  If you try this, make sure you check them every minute or so, because they bake quickly, and you don’t want to burn them!  They also emit an amazing bakery aroma while they’re cooking.

 

I sprinkled Publix mixed pre-washed lettuce on my plate and topped it with tomatoes, leftover ground pork that I had pan-fried the night before, and leftover corn on the cob that I cut off the cob, tomatoes, and more olive oil.  Gotta love using up those leftovers!  I sprinkled the hot croutons on top, of course.  It was incredibly flavorful and crunchy salad.  I highly recommend this one.

A Lovely Fall Salad November 16, 2009

Pumpkin Chick Pea Salad

Kathryn says:  I delighted in a light, tasty salad for lunch.  I threw in some arrugula, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, chick peas and salted pumpkin seeds, and dressed it with apple cider vinegar.

Sweet Pumpkin Seeds! November 16, 2009

Sweet Pumpkin Seeds

Kathryn says:  For Halloween, we carved some wicked pumpkins!  (Mom and I made one with UF on it.)

We cooked our first batch of seeds with salt – the traditional style.

For our second batch, I felt like satisfying my sweet tooth and experimenting a bit.  I sprinkled brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and a couple drops of almond extract on the seeds.  Then, I baked them in the oven at about 400 degrees for a few hours, until they were crispy.  Yum!

Rachel Ray would be proud of me this week November 14, 2009

Pork Burger Salad with Corn on the Cob

1. Jamie says:  I didn’t think I could top Sunday’s fish dinner, but this bun-less pork burger with corn sure came close!  To make this dinner, I first pan-fried onions with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and ground pepper until browned.  (We’re still working on that bag of onions from Mom and Dad’s trip to Georgia.)  After setting the onions aside, I cooked the corn in the same pan rolling it with some Smart Balance Omega Buttery Spread until it was lightly brown on all “sides.”  I then mixed ground pork with Gourmet Warehouse of Hilton Head Honey Garlic Marinade.  I cooked the pork in a second pan until it was brown.  I then drained the juices and added Publix sharp cheddar fancy shredded cheese on top.  While the food was cooking I chopped lettuce.  I used the lettuce as the base of my bun-less pork burger salad.  I added the pork burger and then the cooked onions on top.  I drew a circle around the pork burger with Publix Greenwise Organic Tomato Ketchup and some lines with Publix Spicy Brown Mustard.  I felt like an artist.  Next, I added Italian seasoned sea salt to the corn.  I enjoyed eating the pork burger as a salad- it wasn’t nearly as messy.  The honey garlic taste was incredibly flavorful and gave the pork burger a tasty kick.  For “dessert,” I had a slice of toasted Pepperidge Farm Oatmeal bread with Smucker’s Natural Chunky Peanut Butter and apple slices on top.  Rachel Ray would be proud of me this week!

Nutrition note:  Aim for a balanced meal by incorporating multiple food groups into your meal.  The food groups are: Grains, Milk, Fruit, Vegetables, and Meat & Beans.

Fish so good, it made me smile November 11, 2009

Breaded Tilapia with Anchovies, Artichoke Hearts, Black Olives, and Parmesan Cheese

Jamie says:  Sunday night is fish night.  After attending  a Zumba dance class, I was in need of  a quick meal so that I could get to studying for my Proteins and Amino Acids exam.  So I quickly whipped up this fish and added it to Kathryn’s fabulous zucchini, which she kindly left on the stove for me.  It was so quick and easy- and most importantly, so DELICIOUS.  To make this Heavenly fish, I put a piece of tilapia in a pan with Smart Balance Omega Buttery Spread (made with extra virgin olive oil).  I then added Ian’s Panko Breadcrumbs (Italian style).  After flipping the fish, I added 2 anchovies (King Oscar flat anchovies), lots of artichoke hearts (Vigo brand, canned and quartered), and some black olives (Publix small).  Lastly, I sprinkled Publix Parmesan shredded cheese on top.  The golden brown fish was tender, flakey, and moist.  The bread crumbs melded the buttery and salty flavors together.  This fish dish had the perfect medley of flavors.  The meal had me scraping plate for more, and I left the table with a smile…it was that good!

Nutrition Note:  Smart Balance Omega Buttery Spread is a good substitute for butter.  It has omega 3 fatty acids which are protective against cardiovascular disease.  The spread also has added vitamins including vitamin D, which is important for bone health and decreasing the risk of many chronic diseases.  (Just don’t overdo it, because it is still a source of fat.)

Italian Dinner for 3 November 8, 2009

Italian Dinner for 3Whole Grain Pasta with Onion and Sausage Red Sauce and Broccoli

Whole Grain Pasta with Onion and Sausage Red Sauce and Broccoli

Jamie says: Kathryn has been sick this week, so I told her I would cook her a nice pasta dinner last night.  I invited Eric to join us, too.  After swim practice, I began to cook.  Although it was a Friday evening, it felt like Sunday because the house smelled like red sauce…reminding me of Sunday evenings at my Grandma’s house.  I cooked the red sauce in my Grandma’s Grandmother’s skillet!  As I was cooking, Kathryn was playing recordings of her singing.  It was very pleasant.  Dinner was whole grain pasta with onion and sausage red sauce with oven toasted broccoli.  To make the dinner, I first chopped fresh broccoli and added olive oil, Italian seasoned sea salt, and pepper and baked in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  I then boiled a box of Barilla whole grain rotini until it was soft.  To make my sauce, I first sauteed chopped onions (from Mom and Dad’s trip to Georgia) with extra virgin olive oil in my special skillet.  I then added chopped sausage- cooking until the meat was done.  Finally I added, a large can of Hunt’s Whole tomatoes (I cut these into smaller pieces) and 1 can of Contadina Organic tomatoe sauce (thank you Mom for sending us that whole case).  I added dried basil and parsley to the sauce, too.  To serve, I topped the pasta with the sauce and then the broccoli.  We had a little fresh basil and parsley growing, so I added that on top.  Kathryn was raving over it and Eric liked it, too.  (I think Grandma’s skillet deserves some of the credit, too.)  It was a nice and relaxing Friday night. 

     Nutrition note: The whole grain pasta is an excellent source of fiber.  Fiber helps keep you full.