Blog Update

To my valued readers. I haven't forgotten about you or my blog. I have been working on changing my blog to an official website. In the meantime my extra time blogging has gone towards converting things. I promise I will post again soon and I can't wait to reveal the new site. Hopefully be the end of January it will be working. Happy New Years!

Sina

Feel Better Soup

After 6 days of being sick at home this past week I was craving some hot homemade soup. So, between naps, chugging water, coughing and blowing my nose I woke up from a nap with enough energy to do a little chopping for some comfort soup before another nap. I already needed to run to Byerlys in my pajamas to get baby Vick's Vapor Rub so I picked up a rotisserie chicken. I got home and browsed the 101 healthy soups on Cooking Light and found a base recipe to use: Tuscan Chicken, Bean and Spinach Soup. I say base as I made a ton of modifications to fit what was in my cupboard.

Here was my version of what I call the
Feel Better Soup
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
2 cups peeled and diced squash
1 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can canellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups low sodium broth
4 cups water
2 Tbsp chopped parsley, rosemary and cilantro each
3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
6 ounce bag of spinach
salt and pepper (I added more than usual since I used less broth and more water)
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Heat dutch oven over medium-high heat, add oil and butter. Let butter melt then add onion, carrots, celery, squash, mushrooms and garlic.
2. Sautee for ~ 5 minutes or until squash is soft
3. Add beans, broth, water and herbs; bring to a boil
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes
5. Add chicken, salt and pepper; cook for 2 minutes
6. Add spinach, let wilt (~3 minutes).
7. Serve in a bowl with sprinkled parmesan cheese on top.

Gifts Ideas for a Healthy Kitchen!

If you've ever walked into a kitchen store you've probably seen kitchen gadgets and appliances on every wall. Having the tools to prepare healthy food is key in maintaining your waist line. Wondering which ones to start with. Today, I'm featuring a few of my favorite items and items I aspire to have. Just in time for  the holidays in case you still needed a gift idea for that hard to buy person or are thinking ahead for great wedding shower/gift ideas for someone starting their kitchen collection. As you will see they range in price.

Vitamix: This fancy blender is known for being the creme dela creme in the cooking world. It can make amazing pureed soups and blend ANYTHING. From my friends that have it nothing compares. It would be great for a new mom to make baby food or for someone trying to follow a healthy diet. It can process whole foods and is used in many restaurants nationwide.
$449-649
Link

Magic Bullet: This mini blender is great for smoothies and dressing and is very convenient for an on the go person. It is available at many stores for a great price. I use mine year round and love how easy it can chop ice and frozen fruit. It makes getting my fruit intake in easy all winter and it's great for a breakfast on the go. Just as seen on TV it's that simple. I have official become a smoothie fanatic thanks to this amazing gadget. Great for families, college students and people cooking for one.
$50 at Target or Target.com
Link

Microplane Zester & Citrus Press:  Wondering how you can add more flavor without fat? Think citrus. Citrus zest and juice can add extra flavor to dressings, sides and lean proteins. The microplane zester is also great for adding shaved cheese or garlic to dishes and could also be used to shave chocolate. This is my favorite kitchen gadget and a great gift for any new or seasoned chef
Zester: ~$14 at Target or Target.com Link or $15.95 at Crate and Barrel Link
Citrus Press: $16.95 Crate and Barrel Link

Pampered Chef Measure, Mix and Pour Salad Dressing holder: While many companies have salad dressing holders I love Pampered Chefs because they give recipes on the outside for people who are new to making dressings. This product is always in use at our house with a homemade vinaigrette dressing ready for salads or marinating. It's a great way to cut the additives and salt in dressings.
$12 Pampered Chef
Link

Garlic Press: I know I already told you my favorite gadget it the mircoplane but I may have to correct myself and say that is tied with my garlic press. Another great way to add flavor to dishes without adding more butter or oil is using garlic or fresh herbs. While I love garlic I've always hated peeling and dicing the little cloves. Besides how long it take your hands smell after. Not anymore. This Pampered Chef garlic press lets you put the clove in unpeeled and the outcome is minced garlic. So, go in your cupboard and toss out your can of minced garlic and get the real stuff with more flavor and less pickling.
$16.50 at Pampered Chef
Link 

Food Scale: If you've never been good at eyeballing portion sizes or know someone who struggles having appropriate portions at their meals a food scale is the perfect item for their kitchen. This will eliminate any room for error. These vary in style from just showing the weight in grams or ounces to having more nutritional information available with the scale as well.
Perfect Portion Digital Food Scale: $49.99 at Target
Link 

Food of the Month

Cheese, Cheese, Cheese!

If you're saying to yourself, why cheese? Well, for one, the packers are on a nice winning streak and I'm a proud cheese head and two, because the holidays make me think of delicious cheese dishes and plates.

I started my food of the month off a few days behind but with a great entrance.
Barefoot Contessa's Mac and Cheese
This was a great dish for a Sunday afternoon. I made mine with Trader Joe's organic vegetable radiatore noodles and I split my milk (1/2 skim milk and 1/2 2% lactaid milk). I also used a gruyere/swiss mix instead of straight gruyere cheese and it was delicious. Also, I only had whole wheat bread so I used this to make the bread crumbs. Lastly, and this was my mistake, I added 3/4 Tbsp instead of 1/2 tsp of nutmeg but we all liked it. I think I would do a 1/2 Tbsp if I made it again.
-From a nutrition standpoint for macaroni and cheese I would classify this one in the middle. It's not a low fat recipe but it also isn't an insane recipe with cream and extra pounds of cheese. You could always cut back on how much cheese you add if you want to lighten it up even more.  I found it to be a nice balance that can be paired with some veggies or a side salad to round out the meal.

Another one of my favorite recipes for the holiday season to bring as an appetizer is the Pesto Cheese Blossom from The Food Network.
-To make this healthier I always use fat free cream cheese.  You mix the cream cheese with garlic so it will still have a good flavor. I opt out of adding the pistachios since I'm not a big fan of them but I know others who have made this with them. I've brought this to a work party, friends party and made it for family and everyone loves it. Plus you can make it the day ahead and it's Christmas colors.

It's hard to talk about cheese and not talk about serving sizes. Cheese, in the right portion size is a great source of calcium but it is often over ate. Since it is made from milk it is higher in fat so it's important to note how much you are eating. I would stick to 1- 1.5 ounces per serving. This looks like 6 dice and while that seems like a lot of plain cheese it adds up quickly when cheese is added to things like pizza, nachos, macaroni and cheese, etc...

Another thing to note is some cheese are a little lower in fat than others. For example, feta, provolone, mozzarella and swiss cheese have less natural fat than cheddar and havarti cheese. Another great cheese is Laughing Cow, who make a great portioned swiss cheese with 50 calories per wedge plus a light version that comes in multiple flavors for only 35 calories per wedge. It is a great substitution for cream cheese or to spread on sandwiches. Another way to cut back on the fat in cheese is to choose ones made with 2% milk. They will have less fat without sacrificing taste and texture like some fat free cheeses do.

Fighting Fruit Fatigue

You may remember I talked about fruit fatigue at the beginning of the month in my choose cherries post. Well today I discussed ways to fight fruit fatigue on Twin Cities Live. Try new ways to to eat fruit instead of only eating apples, bananas, oranges and watermelon. Many fruits are available year round in dried, juice, frozen or canned forms. The recommended amount of fruit for adults is 1-2 cups per day. Only one if 5 Americans are getting enough fruit each day, are you? I hope so and if not read on for some great ways to increase your fruit intake for a long, healthy life.

I showed viewers ways to cook with dried cherries, tart cherry juice, pears, grapefruits and grapefruit juice! I was also lucky enough to be accompanied by my cousin Jess who took so many lovely pictures during the segment.  Check out the finished dishes below (recipes linked at the bottom). I highly recommend the cherry chili for a delicious warm winter dish, the smoothie for breakfast or a snack, the baked brie as a Christmas party appetizer, the salad as a dinner party starter, the grapefruit slaw served with tilapia or cod and the ginger grapefruit spritzer as a party cocktail!

Prepping the food before the show

Cherry Chili and the Yogurt Cherry Smoothie ingredients ready to make live

Candied Walnut, Pear and Leafy Green Salad and Baked Brie en Crout with Pears

Grapefruit Slaw and Ginger Grapefruit Spritzers

Twin Cities Live Segment: Fruit Fatigue Link
Recipe Links 
Cherry Chili
Cherry Yogurt Smoothie
Candied Walnut, Pear and Leafy Green Salad - try topping with goat cheese
Brie en Croute with Pears - I used croissants in place of the frozen pastry puff
Grapefruit Slaw - I topped it with grated fresh ginger
Ginger Grapefruit Spritzer

What was your favorite Thanksgiving dish this year?

I was in charge of a vegetable side for our Thanksgiving meal and I chose to make a Brussel Sprouts recipe that I had tried a few weeks back and was a huge success! I made them ahead of time according to the recipe directions with the  addition of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top then we reheated them in the oven before we ate. If you like Brussel sprouts you'll love this recipe that combines the flavors of garlic, bacon and shallots with this crunchy vegetable.

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic and Shallots (recipe linked) - Cooking Light November 2012

Now, the best part about post-Thanksgiving. Sharing recipes from your meals. I'd love to hear what your favorite dish was or new things you tried. I love trying new recipes in the winter!

The perfect post-Thanksgiving dinner picture: Tenley taking a nap after enjoying her large marrow bone while the family ate their meal.

My Breakfast Obsession: Cherry, Walnut Oatmeal

Easy to prepare and very healthy; a whole grain breakfast that's low in sodium, provides one serving of fruit and heart healthy walnuts and soy milk. What's not to love? Try it out and let me know what you think. You'll never go back to instant oatmeal again!

Sina's Cherry, Walnut Oatmeal Recipe
Ingredients:
-1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oats (yes regular oats not instant)
-3/4 cup Vanilla Soy Milk (you could use regular milk as well)
-1-2 Tbsp Chopped Walnuts
-1/4 cup Dried Cherries
-1 Tbsp Brown Sugar or 1/2 Tbsp Honey
-Sprinkle of Cinnamon (optional)

Directions: 
1. Mix first four ingredients in a bowl and microwave for 2 minutes
2. Remove from microwave and mix in sweetener (brown sugar or honey) and cinnamon if desired
3. Enjoy!!!

Check out the Sodium Difference
1 packet Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Maple & Brown Sugar = 260mg sodium
1/2 cup dry Quaker Old Fashioned Oats = 0 mg sodium

A Gluten Free, Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Have you ever hosted a dinner party for friends or family members that have food restrictions you aren't used to you and you can't think of what to make? Most people have been there as I have and if you said no to this question don't think it won't happen as Gluten Free diets and allergies are on the rise.

Take my Aunt Nancy's Thanksgiving challenge this year. Please two men who like meat, a vegetarian daughter, a daughter with Celiacs who is strictly gluten free and isn't a huge meat eater and her own cravings. Sounds like a lot; I agree. The good thing is she owns a ton of cook books, is well read and loves to explore new recipes which means her meal will still rock the house! Her menu will inspire you to think outside the box for your holiday meal this year and remind you to include everyone, even those with food restrictions. 

The Reeves/Postorino Gluten Free Thanksgiving Menu

For the Vegetarian

-Triple-Corn Spoon Bread -A Cornbread Casserole that you can make with gluten free cornbread (a tradition in the Reeves household) Source: Cooking Light November 1997

-Gravy: Using gluten free baking mix (see below pie recipe for this) to make a roux. Once that's cooked, add vegetable broth and season appropriately to finish it.  This will likely be a little thinner that gravy made with flour

-Gluten Free Stuffing- My AUnt plans to make one of the rice recipes from this link: 5 Gluten Free Stuffing Recipes from the NY Times

-Mashed Sweet and White Potatoes (mixed together- a great combination for those who haven't tried it)

-Roasted Parsnips, Carrots and Onions

-Brussel Sprouts

-Pumpkin Pie with Gluten free pie crust (see recipe below)

For the Gluten Free: 

-Same as above + Turkey

For the rest:

-All of the above + Rolls

My Aunt tested the pie crust this weekend and here is her advise.  Roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper sprinkled with gluten free baking mix. The crusts were crumbly when they were warm but they firmed up nicely overnight. Overall, she said they passed the test although my Uncle thought they were more sweet than regular crusts (likely from the sugar that's added to the mix). Either of the below gluten free baking mixes will work, one requires a food scale and the other uses standard kitchen measuring devices. 

Gluten Free Pie Crust

2.5 C gluten free mix (see below)

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar (optional; use if making a sweet/dessert pie)

8 T cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

6 T shortening

4-6 T ice water

-Combine dry ingredients.  Add butter and shortening and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add ice water, 1-2 T at a time until the dough can be formed into a ball.  Divide dough in half.  Flatten each half into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Can also be frozen.

-To make crust, roll out between two pieces of parchment paper.   Add filling of your choice and bake (at time/temp as per pie filling).

Gluten Free Baking Mix 1

From the New York Times

Combine:

2 C oat flour

2 C brown rice flour

2 C sorghum flour

5 T corn flour or corn meal

1 C potato starch

1 C arrowroot powder

Store in dry sealed container.  Use in place of regular flour.

Gluten Free Baking Mix 2

From glutenfreegirl.com

Combine:

200 gm brown rice flour

150 gm sorghum flour

50 gm potato flour

250 gm sweet rice flour

150 gm potato starch

100 gm arrowroot flour

100 gm cornstarch

Store in dry sealed container.  Use in place of regular flour.

Comments and debriefing from my family to follow post-Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Food Fact: The average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 this year is $49.20 which is up 13% from last year according to the American Farm Bureau Federation

The amazing cooks I know...

This month I want to feature another amazing cook I know; my best friend Rachel.

You've probably heard me talk about Rachel before as she is one of the three women who inspired me to love cooking (her, my mom and my Aunt Nancy). Rachel has always been great at baking and trying fun new recipes. We both are Cooking Light addicts so it's fun to hear what she makes out of the magazine each month and what I chose to make. Often times there is some overlap as we seem to have the same taste. She is also the proud mother to a new gorgeous baby girl, Alexis. Alexis is the luckiest girl in the world as she will always have delicious lunches that her friends will be jealous of. 

I asked Rachel to think of a recipe she makes a lot to feature on the blog and she thought of the perfect dish; jambalaya. This is great for two reasons. One, I can think of multiple times I've been on the phone with Rachel as she makes this and two, I don't eat shellfish so my blog is lacking great recipes with shrimp.

Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage (click on the title to bring you to the recipe)
Source: Cooking Light April 2005


You know you've become an expert at a recipe when you have your to do adjustments. Here are Rachel's recommended adjustments after many preparations.
-Double the Shrimp and Sausage
-Use a little extra of all the spices. If you're nervous just do a few extra shakes of each
-Add Rotisserie Chicken

Serve with Cornbread

What better recipe to make on a cold evening than this flavorful, spicy dish. My mom has already said she can't wait to make this recipe! Enjoy!!!

Choose Cherries

Fall is upon us which means colder weather, falling leaves and for many back to the routine cold weather fruits. Nearly half of the fruit Americans eat are from oranges, bananas, apples and watermelon alone. While I love all four of those I also find myself searching for more variety and trying to avoid the dreaded fruit fatigue. Whether your 20, 30, 80 or a small child, we can all benefit from fruit so don't let your intake go down this winter because of boredom! Only one in five Americans currently reaches their recommended intake of fruit each day (1-2 cups). One easy way to increase your intake is to try new fruit and recipes and fight off fruit fatigue. That's why November's food of the month is tart cherries.

Cherries are known as a super fruit for their powerful antioxidant properties that help reduce inflammation and in turn may help decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease or decrease the symptoms of arthritis. They are also a great source of potassium and recent research shows they may relieve muscle pain for active adults.

It's no surprise that eighty-seven percent of Americans put taste as their number one consideration when purchasing food. Cherries sweet, tart and juicy flavor will keep you coming back for more. Another plus for cherries are the many forms available year round (fresh, frozen or dried) making it easy to add them to your daily intake. They're also a great fruit for the holiday season; their bold red color can brighten any dish and add flavor to meats, stuffings, sides and desserts.

To start out this month I made a new cherry smoothie recipe from Choose Cherries. I really enjoyed the hint of cinnamon mixed with the sweet honey and tart cherries. 


Cherry Berry Smoothie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup frozen tart cherries, pitted
1/2 cup 1% low fat milk
1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon cherry juice concentrate
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)
8 ice cubes

Garnish:
1 tablespoon slivered toasted almonds
1 tablespoon chopped dried tart cherries

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into two chilled glasses

Another one of my favorite ways to eat cherries is in a pork dish my mother in law makes. If you like savory with a touch of sweet I highly recommend trying this recipe.

Pork Roast Tenderloin with Dried Cherries and Rosemary: Serves 6
Source: The Foster’s Market Cookbook by Sara Foster 

Ingredients:

Two 1-pound pork tenderloins

½ cup dried cherries

1/3 cup dry red wine

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¾ cup good-quality, all-natural cranberry juice

4 garlic cloves, minced

6 shallots, cut in half lengthwise

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Directions:

1. Rinse the pork loin, pat dry, and place in a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish.  Set aside.

2. Whisk together the cherries, wine, vinegar, cranberry juice, shallots, and rosemary in a bowl.  Pour this mixture over the pork, cover, and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight, turning the pork several times.

 3. Heat the olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat.  Remove the pork from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and place the pork in the heated skillet.  Cook the pork on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes total time, until light brown.   (I browned in my electric skillet then transferred to a baking dish).

 4. Pour the reserved marinade over the pork and place the skillet (or baking dish) in the oven.  Roast, basting several times, 20 to 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 150 to 155 degrees.  The meat will be a very light pink color.  (NOTE:  The pork will continue cooking after it is removed from the oven).

 5. Remove the pork from the baking dish and place on a grooved carving board.  Cover the pork loosely and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

 6. Season with salt and pepper.  Slice into ¼-inch pieces and spoon the pan juices over the pork.  Serve immediately.

I'm also really excited to try Cooking Light's Wild Rice Stuffing with Dried Cherries and Toasted Pecans from the November 2011 issue.

For more information and numerous great cherry recipes go to Choose Cherries

Potato Leek Soup

You may be wondering if our crop share ended since I haven't posted in awhile. The answer is no and the reason I hadn't posted in awhile is the recent shares have been for foods that we often eat raw (carrots, lettuce, arugula, cucumbers) or things like onions and garlic that I add to everything.

This past weeks share I did receive a few special treats: potatoes and leeks. It was like someone was saying to me "Make potato leek soup." I have had leeks at restaurants but I've never cooked with them before so I was so happy to get them in my crop share to prep on my own. I was also excited when I found a potato leek recipe that called for all ingredients I had at home: Potatoes (check), leeks (check), butter (check), broth (check even though I used chicken), salt, pepper and thyme (check- I used dried) and cream (As you can imagine I didn't have this but also didn't plan to use it; skim milk was my substitute). I also didn't make the cheddar toasts but they do sound amazing and I would recommend trying them if you have time.

Golden Potato Leek Soup with Cheddar Toasts

Source: Cooking Light, October 2005

Notice the burned in "S" on my favorite wooden spoon. My friend Claire's mom did that by hand!

My first time with cooking with leeks was a success. Perfect for a cold fall evening or light meal. Probably good I made it a night my husband wasn't home for dinner as I don't think he would have enjoyed it as much. He prefers bold flavors and this was subtle and simple.  I'm not sure I would go out of my way to buy the ingredients to make it again unless I was sick and craving a light soup but I would recommend trying it you typically like potato soup or potato leek soup.

Healthy Soups

I am presenting my first cooking segment on Twin Cities Live tomorrow, Wednesday October 12th. I'm going to make two of the soups I've blogged about before: Roasted Tomato Basil Soup and Spicy Tuscan Soup. 

People often think of soup and picture cream based options. While these may taste good they are high in fat and calories. I'm going to show broth based soups that are healthy but still flavorful.

Tips to Make Healthy Soup:

-Use water or low sodium broths as your base

-Try adding a small amount of skim milk or 1% milk to soup to add creaminess without much fat

-Start with onions, garlic, carrots and/or celery to get lots of flavor without calories

-Think fresh herbs and spices for added taste instead of loads of salt

-Choose lean meats. Try making chicken chili or choose a lean ground beef or ground turkey breast (make sure it says turkey breast otherwise the turkey may contain some of the skin and not all breast meat)

-Load up on vegetables: zucchini, tomatoes, squash, potatoes, corn, peppers, kale and beans are great additives to soup

-When adding beans, look for low sodium varieties. If these aren't available drain your beans in a strainer and run cold water over them for a minute to wash off some of the sodium

HEALTHY SOUP RECIPES FROM TWIN CITIES LIVE SEGMENT 10/12/2011

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Source: Barefoot Contessa

-To make this recipe healthier I use olive oil to sautee the onions instead of butter and I use a low sodium chicken broth (I've also made it with vegetable stock for a vegetarian version)

-Don't have a food mill, don't worry. I used a food processor to blend the tomatoes and basil in the end. An immersion blender would also work. 

  

Spicy Tuscan Soup Adapted from Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden

Ingredients:

- 2 medium russet potatoes (or 3 small ones)

- ½ small white onion, chopped

- 1 pound of Spicy Italian Sauage (in bulk, not with casein) or for you can substitute ground turkey breast and add extra crushed red pepper or for a Vegetarian soup use meatless crumbles instead of sausage

- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced

- 5 ½ cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

- ½ cup milk (I used skim but use whatever you have in your house)

-4 cups chopped Kale (ripped off the vein)

- 1 can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

- ½ tsp salt

- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Poke holes in the baked potatoes and microwave them for 6-8 minutes (until tender). Set aside to cool.

2. Heat dutch oven to medium high and add onion and sausage to the pan. Cook 5 minutes then add garlic and continue to cook until meat is brown

3. While the meat is cooking rinse and chop the Kale and peel and dice the potatoes

4. Add broth and milk to the onions and meat once the meat is brown

5. Add kale, garbanzo beans, salt and crushed red pepper flakes

6. Simmer for 30 minutes and serve.

Stuffed French Toast with Berries

Brunch for one please!

My friend Brent and I had planned to make a decadent brunch this morning but sadly he came down with an awful cold. I considered just pouring myself a bowl of cereal but being a breakfast and brunch lover I still made the stuffed french toast that we had picked out earlier in the week as I was craving a big breakfast.

I was excited when I went to Target and saw they had Wheat French Bread. Yes, wheat, not whole wheat but the fiber content was better than the white so I felt better about eating a large portion. I also picked up a container of raspberry to top the french toast vs making the strawberry sauce that the recipe suggested. Less work and just as good. While cooking for one can sometimes be no fun I found my morning kitchen session perfect. No one home, windows open enjoying the perfect fall weather, past Cities 97 samplers shuffling on my Ipod and a new pumpkin candle burning in the dining room...pure bliss.  

THE INGREDIENTS

Preparation: French bread with the cream cheese filling ready to be dipped in the egg mixture

Mmmmm....cooking...

The finished product: Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Raspberries and Light Syrup

Sina's Rating: 5 out of 5

I would definitely make this again for a few reasons. I liked using a french bread as the base (although I picked out a non crusty one) and I also found the milk, vanilla extract and egg mixture easily absorbable for the bread compared to a heavier egg mixture. Since I love cinnamon I added some to the milk mixture before I dipped the bread which gave it a great flavor and the fresh berries on top were perfect. Very easy, delicious and a healthier french toast breakfast. 

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light June 2005: Cheese Stuffed French Toast

Sina's recipe adjustments (in blue):

Ingredients

• 12 (1-ounce) diagonally cut slices French bread
• 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 (8-ounce) tub reduced-fat cream cheese
• 2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large egg whites
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Preparation

  • Cut a horizontal slit through bottom crust of each slice of bread to form a pocket (I cut the bread in thin slices). Combine powdered sugar and cream cheese; stir well. Spread mixture evenly into pockets of bread (I put cream cheese between two of the thin slices).
  • Combine milk, sugar, vanilla extract, egg whites, and eggs in a bowl; beat well with a wire whisk. Pour milk mixture evenly over bread slices. Cover and chill 1 hour or until liquid is absorbed (As I was hungry, I fully immersed the bread in the milk mixture for a few seconds then cooked immediately after that vs waiting an hour)
  • Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat until hot. Arrange half of bread slices in skillet, and cook 3 minutes. Turn bread over, and cook 3 minutes or until browned; remove from skillet. Repeat procedure with the remaining bread slices.
  • I served mine with fresh raspberries and light maple syrup

YumPower

My hospitals organization, HealthPartners, has launched a new healthy campaign called YumPower. I am excited to be a part of an organization that promotes healthy living to their employees but also provides employees and community members with the tools they needs to practice living healthy on a daily basis. For those of you not from Minnesota or who haven't heard of YumPower it's a website with tools to help people eat better and teach people to look at food in a fresh new way. You can sign up to a get a weekly healthy eating text or check out their site this fall for cooking videos, a phone app, recipes and healthy tips for eating healthy in or out.

To help promote the new campaign they are hosting a cooking contest. The criteria state they are looking for a recipe that contains at least two fruits and/or vegetables, are creative and delicious, are quick and easy to make and if possible only use whole grains, lean meat and healthy fats (aka no trans fat please).

I can already think of some of my favorite dishes that would work for the contest and I encourage you to submit some of your healthy recipes. Often times we don't give ourselves credit for the baked chicken we whipped up with whole grains even though it's tasty enough to fit in a cook book. The best part is, celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern will be judging the top five finalists recipes in a cook-off.

I'd love to hear the recipes you submit. Share them on my blog or email me separately! Good luck

Link to YumPower's recipe contest

YumPower Website

Food of the Month

I can't believe it's already October. While the leaves have started to change the weather here in Minnesota has been unseasonably warm with expected highs in the upper 70's/low 80's all week. It was a perfect weekend for me from weather to Wisconsin sports (if you  missed it the Badgers, Brewers and Packers all won) to a belly full of delicious, crunchy, sweet apples!

It's apple season and I am so happy about it. I'm not a person that eats apples year round but when it comes to the fall I eat enough to last me the rest of the year. Lately, I've been on a two a day average switching off between Honeycrisp and Haralson's, both grown in Minnesota. If you couldn't tell, apples are this month's food of the month.

Apples contain ~ 90 calories, a little over 3 grams of fiber and surprisingly they are ~85% water. They are very nutritious for us containing many nutrients including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, pectins and fiber. A new variety available this year is called the SweeTango which was developed by the University of Minnesota. It is said to have the texture of a honeycrisp and the flavor of a Zestar. I can't wait to try it or hear your reviews if you took a bite out of one already.

If you want to eat more fruit or are craving something sweet and fresh grab an apple and start crunching away.
Want more information on Minnesota apple varieties flavor and use? Check out UMN extensions link below

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/dg1111.html 

Crop Share Box #8

What this Box Contained

Cucumbers, Italian Garlic, Summer Squash, Sweet Spanish Onions, Sweet Corn, Watermelon, Melons, Arugula, Edamame, Tomatoes, Red Grape Tomatoes, Orange or Red Ukraine Peppers, Roaster Peppers, Corn, Eggplant, Basil, Potatoes

Pictured Above

From Front Left to Right: Red Grape Tomatoes, Eggplant, Roaster Peppers, Potatoes, Basil

From Back Left to Right:  Edamame, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Arugula, Summer Squash, Orange Ukraine Pepper, Cantaloupe, Corn

New Recipes & Meals I Made

Crop Share Chopped Salad (side)
Rating: Sina: 4
Chopped Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, corn off the cob, chick peas, cucumbers and homemade mustard vinaigrette

Omelets for dinner

Swiss cheese, tomato, pepper, spinach and zucchini omelettes with a side of tomatoes with basil and cooked zucchini.

Jicama Cole Slaw and Fish Tacos (see bottom of post for recipe):
These are my favorite fish tacos. I got the idea of making a jicama cole slaw for the top of fish tacos from a restaurant in town called Chino Latinos. The roasted red pepper sauce is also a great touch. You can also add shredded lettuce or cheese to the tacos but we ate them with just the fish, jicama slaw and sauce. I'm disappointed at how they look in this picture because they taste much better than that! Also, I added cherry tomatoes to the slaw this time since I wanted to use them up.
Ratings: Sina: 4, Ryan: 4

Breakfast sandwiches with arugula, tomato, pecorino cheese and an egg on an English muffin. 

Potato and Swiss Chard Gratin

The original recipe is from Smitten kitchen and posted on my holiday blog from last year when we made it the correct way (with sweet potatoes). Since I had swiss chard in the garden and extra garlic and scallions I figured I'd make it with my crop share potatoes from the last box and this box

Ratings: Sina: 4 (delicious but not as good as when you make it with sweet potatoes)

Sina’s Fish Tacos (combining three recipes for the fish, sauce and slaw)

Baja Fish Tacos (Recipe from Baja Fish Tacos on myrecipes.com):

3-4 tbsp taco seasoning

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp orange juice

2 pounds tilapia or mahi-mahi

Flour or corn tortillas

Avocado slices

1 lime: wedged

Directions:

1. Combine first 2 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add fish; toss to coat.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish; sautee 5 minutes or until fish is done

3. Warm tortillas according to package directions.

I then Served the fish tacos with the jicama slaw, avocados, sauce and have people add what they like.

Roasted Red Pepper and Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:

(Recipe from Mediterranean fish tacos courtesy Rachel ray, 2008)

2 roasted red peppers, patted dry

1 cup fat free yogurt

½ tsp ground cumin

¼ cucumber, peeled and grated

Directions: Combine red peppers and yogurt in food processor. Add cumin, 1 clove garlic, zest and juice of ½ lemon, cucumber and process until smooth, transfer to a bowl.

Add to the top of the fish tacos

Jicama Cole Slaw (Recipe from Jicama Slaw courtesy Emeril Lagasse):

1 cup fat free yogurt

3 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves

1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

3 cups shredded or julienned jicama

½ bunch green onions, sliced thinly on the bias

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Directions: (great side with the fish tacos or you can put it on your tacos)

1. Combine the yogurt, lime juice, cider vinegar, sugar, cilantro, cumin, salt and peppers and whisk to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop

2. When ready to serve, combine the jicama, green onions, and red bell peppers in a large bowl and add the dressing. Toss gently but thoroughly to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately