My New Favorite HEALTHY Thing

Let's skip the sandwich. Huh?  Why would you want to skip a delicious satisfying sandwich when you can pile all your yummy fillings into a low calorie, low carb, high-protein, high fiber wrap?  You wouldn't, and you don't have to.  My new favorite thing is a tortilla called Let's Skip The Sandwich.  (You thought I was kidding, didn't you?  I never kid about food.  Never.)

My local store had four varieties of the generous-sized tortillas, including whole wheat, multi-grain, chia seed, and high-fiber.  I started with the plain multi-grain, which provides the following nutrients:  60 calories (hardly worth talking about), 2 grams of fat (ditto), 11 grams of carbs (of which 7 are fiber), and 6 grams of protein.  I haven't seen counts that impressive in a long time.  (No sign of a gluten-free variety, but if they aren't already producing one, it's only a matter of time.) 

I warmed mine in the toaster (for a little chewiness), loaded it up with my sandwich fillings o' the day, and folded it in half like a taco.  There was more than enough room for all the goodies, AND it didn't fall apart halfway through lunch.  They would also make scrumptious warm tacos, wraps, quesadillas (sweet or savory), and pizzas.  

So Let's Skip The Sandwich!  Look for them in your local grocery store and let me know how you like them.  

Juice it Up

I hate throwing out food.  Hatehatehate it.  I've been known to make leftovers out of leftovers.  Not so you could recognize them, of course, but they're still leftover leftovers.  You can ask my husband if they're tasty, and if you happen to ask him in person, please note that he is a robust and obviously well-fed individual.  So laugh at me if you must.

Not only do I hate throwing out food, I hate throwing out what comes with the food.  So I am going to share my latest secret with you: Juice.  That's right, juice.  Juice from pickles, olives, hot peppers, capers, pickled vegetables, beets, literally anything in your refrigerator.  When you use the last pickle, do not even think about throwing out that juice.  Save it, and if you're really clever, save it with all the other juices you've accumulated so you have a zesty mix.  Now, here's what you do with it:

1)  Mix it with a little olive oil for a salad vinaigrette.

2.) Add it to soups or sauces to liven them up.  

3.) Combine it with olive oil to saute meat or vegetables.

4.) Add it to plain Greek yogurt and fresh herbs for vegetable dip or for baked potatoes.

5.) Use it to deglaze the pan after browning meat or fish.  

6.) Combine it with mayonnaise or Greek yogurt to moisten tuna, chicken, or egg salad.  

7.) Add it to the tomato juice in your bloody Mary.  

8.) Dirty PICKLE martinis, anyone?

The beauty of this kind of juice is that it will keep for quite a long time, and you can just keep adding to it.  Of course, if the idea of old pickles sitting around in your refrigerator gives you the willies, just forget you read this article.  This tip is not for you.  But that also means that you have no sense of culinary adventure and are quite possibly no fun.  (Insert raspberry here.) 

Other ideas?  Let me hear them!

Squat, 2, 3 -- Ouch!

If you awakened this morning after yesterday's gym workout feeling stiff and sore, you're experiencing DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness, which is just a fancy term for "Good workout!"  Fight the urge to stay in bed all day because the best thing you can do is move around.  Move gently, of course, but get the blood flowing to those muscles, and after they're warmed up, stretch them VERY gently.  

In addition, watermelon, ginger root, and tart cherry juice may help relieve some of that inflammation.  Not to mention an ibuprofen, a hot bath, and possibly a nice little glass of wine in the evening.  Whatever it takes!

Good workout!

 

Not Actually The Daily Double

Brace yourself.  A math teacher named Dan Anderson (whose cup apparently runneth over with free time) recently performed some simple calculations and discovered that, in fact, a Double Stuf Oreo cookie is really only stuffed with 1.86 times the amount of creme that's in a regular Oreo.  (Now I know why I've been lying awake at night.)   I'm guessing the "simple calculations" involved lots of creme scraping and a fair amount of cookie eating, but then it's summer, after all, and Mr. Anderson was probably anxious to be able to share a lively "What I Did With My Summer Vacation" story when classes resume. 

So there.  You heard it here first.  Now you can turn your attention back to something that really matters.  

123 Years, Anyone?

How many years do you hope to live?  If longevity is your goal, you may want to consider moving to Bolivia, though you probably wouldn't ever be in strong contention for the title of oldest living individual there because that honor has already been bestowed upon Carmelo Flores.  He and his family claim he was born in 1890, though it is impossible to confirm because that country didn't start issuing birth certificates until 1940.  Suffice to say that Mr. Flores certainly LOOKS every minute of his 123 years, and I mention that with all due respect and admiration, though we probably shouldn't be anxiously awaiting a miracle moisturizer from South American anytime soon.  I'm just saying . . .

Of more interest is the fact that Carmelo attributes his longevity to daily walks in shoes made of recycled tires, frequent naps (or sometimes just one long one, God bless him), and a diet rich in quinoa, mushrooms, and coca, a mild stimulant that staves off hunger and which he keeps in his mouth most of the time.  He does not eat noodles or rice and says that quinoa and potatoes are particularly delicious together.  There is a lesson here for us.  

Quinoa is a superior gluten-free source of protein, fiber, and iron.  Since it is a small seed, it cooks up fairly quickly and adds a pleasant texture to salads or vegetable dishes.  If you've already tried it in those forms, here's a new idea for you, and one that is reminiscent of how our friend Carmelo may sometimes eat it.

QUINOA CAKES   

2 cups of cooked and cooled quinoa
1/2 tsp. of salt
2 tsps. of smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. of cumin
1/2 tsp. of dried oregano
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients into a "dough" moist enough to form into balls that hold their shape.  If the mixture is too dry, add another egg.  Heat a lightly oiled skillet.  Form the quinoa mixture into 1/4-cup-size balls, then place them in the hot skillet and use a spatula to gently flatten them out.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, then flip and brown the other side, about 2 minutes more.  Remove from pan and season with sea salt and fresh black pepper.  

I suspect a dipping sauce would be a nice accompaniment to these -- perhaps plain Greek yogurt mixed with Dijon mustard, green onions, and garlic powder.  

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling healthier already.  Thank you, Carmelo Flores!

Got Zucchini?

I'm not a gardener, but I understand that if you are, this time of year you are up to your sweet patootie in zucchini.  It's coming in fast and furiously, you've eaten it every way you can think of, and you've started giving it to everyone you know.  I also understand that in neighborhoods where virtually everyone is gardening, you might tip-toe out under cover of darkness to leave a heaping bag of zucchini on someone else's porch, only to come home and find another heaping bag of someone else's zucchini on your own porch!  Apparently, you can't give the stuff away!  

Well, when you've had enough of that tip-toeing around under cover of darkness, here are a couple of my favorite ways to eat zucchini:

Cut the ends off a green zucchini and then use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin.  Continue using the peeler to shave long, thin strips until you have a nice little pile of "noodles."  Saute them lightly in olive oil and serve with black pepper and Parmesan cheese.  

Thicker, full-length slices of zucchini can also be used in place of pasta when you're making lasagna.

I haven't tried this recipe myself yet, but it looks like a winner:

Lemon-Zucchini Bars 

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar

1 cup of flour

Pinch of salt

2 large eggs

1 egg white

3/4 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tbsp.)

1 medium yellow zucchini, skin on, halved lengthwise, seeded and grated

In a medium bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth.  Blend in flour and salt, then press the dough into the bottom of an 8" square baking pan.  Chill until firm, about 15 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Remove crust from refrigerator, poke with a fork in several places, and bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.  

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg white, and sugar.  Add lemon juice, zest, and grated zucchini.  Pour over the crust while it's still hot.  Return to the oven and continue baking until the filling is set and very lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes.  Let cool completely before cutting into squares.  

This recipe also works well with green zucchini and lime juice/zest.  

I hope someone will try one of these yummy-sounding bars and let me know how they are!

It's A Balancing Act

You're out running errands and you'll be home for lunch before too long but you're getting kind of peckish and -- WHOOPS! -- what ho?  It's the golden arches looming seductively in the distance.  Just a plain hamburger, you think, just an innocent little plain hamburger.  What could be the harm?  Well, very little, if you stick to the innocent little plain hamburger.  But if can do that once you pull up to the drive-thru menu and are bombarded by all those tantalizing pictures of scrumptious looking treats, then you are a better person than I.  

When it comes to eating healthfully, preparation is the name of the game.  That means you need a plan for those times when you're behind schedule and getting hungry and your next meal is nowhere in sight.  Introducing my favorite secret weapon: BALANCE BARS.  Nothing new, they've been around for years, but they're still my favorite meal-on-the-run.  They come in a wide variety of flavors, have about 200 calories, and provide a perfect balance of protein and good carbs, plus a little fat thrown in for satisfaction.  And remember, you don't necessarily have to eat the whole thing at once.  I can nibble on one all day if I just need a couple bites of something to make me happy.  

Most grocery and drug stores sell them for about $1 each. Check out my two favorite flavors -- Lemon Meringue Crunch and Chocolate Raspberry.  Keep it balanced!

Fighting Inflammation With Food

If you suffer from an inflammatory condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, the foods you eat may have an impact on the amount of discomfort you have to endure.  Sugar and saturated fats have a tendency to exacerbate symptoms, while the following foods may help reduce inflammation:

Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines)

Whole grains (rather than processed)

Dark leafy greens

Nuts (particularly almonds and walnuts)

Soy (soy milk, tofu, edamame)

Low-fat dairy products

Colorful peppers (red, green, orange, purple)

Tomatoes

Beets

Ginger and turmeric

Garlic and onions

Olive oil

Berries

Tart cherries

When adding these powerhouses to your diet, pay attention to your symptoms (you might even consider writing them down on a daily basis) to help you determine if certain foods work better for you than others.  Meanwhile, what a healthy nutritional line-up!

Corn On The Cob Redux

Garrison Keillor wrote, "People have tried and they have tried, but sex is not better than sweet corn."  

Forgive me, but how can I not post a quote like that?  

Celebrate the Mollusk!

Stand up and cheer, everybody, it's National Oyster Day!  Haven't you been looking for an excuse to slurp down a platter of the briny treats?  Well, now you can feel even better about it because they are low in fat and calories and a rich source of zinc and Vitamin B12.  To me, eating oysters is mostly about the ritual (lemon juice, hot sauce, 1-2-3 slurp!) and about sharing them with someone who enjoys them just as much.  Another dozen, please!

PB Redux

You clever peanut butter lovers have probably already thought of this, but here goes anyway.  If you're a sandwich fan, consider trading the jelly or jam for fresh fruit -- apples, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, nectarines, plums, bananas, or even melon.  You'll get less sugar and more vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.  It's all good!

Of course, if you want to have some real fun, throw a little bacon on that bad boy, and then you've really got yourself a SANDWICH.   You heard it here first.

Just When You Were Starting To Get Worried . . . .

Fear not!  If we're having a day, it's somebody's holiday somewhere.  And this is no exception.  August 1st is National Raspberry Cream Pie Day!  Haven't you just been looking for an excuse to gobble up a raspberry cream pie?  Pardon me for mentioning this, but I can't honestly remember the last time I saw, heard about, or ate a raspberry cream pie.  Strawberry, lemon, chocolate, coconut -- yes, but not raspberry.  I guess it was just time for one of the more obscure fruits to have its moment.  So let's celebrate!

Meanwhile, keep your eyeballs open for National Let's All Trim Our Toenails Day, National Eat Nothing But Chocolate Day, and my personal favorite, National 24 Hours To Say Anything You Want Day!!

 

What CAN'T You Do With A Chicken?

You're late leaving work, you still have to pick up the kids/dogs/grandma, and in about 30 minutes, someone is going to be whining for DINNER.  What's a stressed out cook to do?  Stop at whatever grocery store is most convenient, run in and grab a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken (and that's ALL), and get back in your car and go.  Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy.  

Unless you've been living in a barn, you are well aware that every supermarket on this continent now offers precooked rotisserie chickens, and maybe you've already taken advantage of that convenience.  And yes, maybe you've also thought to yourself, "You know, I could buy an uncooked chicken and all the other fixings for dinner for less than I'm paying for this little precooked devil," but right now we are talking about the value of your time and about stress reduction -- priceless.  

Of course, the no-frills way to enjoy a rotisserie chicken is straight out of its handy plastic nest, separated into everybody's favorite parts.  And don't forget to use the yummy juices swirling around in the bottom of the container.  Instant mashed potatoes, anyone?  (You didn't hear that from me.)

But if you have just a few more minutes, here are some other tasty options for that birdie:

1) Shred chicken and put it on top of a big green salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, hard-boiled eggs, artichokes, black beans, and anything else you have in the fridge or in a can in your pantry.

2) OR stuff all those ingredients along with the chicken into large lettuce leaves (Romaine and butter lettuce work nicely) and call it lettuce wraps.

3) Fill warmed taco shells with shredded chicken, cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, lettuce, and salsa.  

4) OR load all those ingredients onto a pile of tortilla chips then top with salsa for a taco salad.

4) Mix shredded chicken with prepared BBQ sauce and serve on warmed buns topped with cole slaw.

5) Add shredded chicken to a stir fry of green onions, red bell peppers, mushrooms, green beans, carrots, soy sauce, and a little Sriracha if you roll that way, and serve it all over rice.  

6) Boil water for pasta and cook it while you're shredding the chicken.  Then combine those two ingredients with a little sour cream, shredded cheese, and whatever vegetables you have on hand (conveniently zapped in the microwave).  

7) Add shredded chicken to leftover soup or chili to pump up the protein.  

There really isn't anything you CAN'T do with a rotisserie chicken.  And for heaven's sake, don't miss out on the bonus opportunity -- put that carcass in a pot with onions, carrots, celery, water or prepared broth, and seasonings (salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, sage, the list goes on), and make soup for another night.  Double birdie whammy!