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