Food In Many Forms

Preface: Found in the archives of drafts long gone unpublished, this was originally written in 2012. When the weather gets warmer, there is nothing more refreshing than a cool summer smoothie. But not all smoothies are created equal. Store-bought smoothies: Are often full of added sugars - look for turbinado, sweetened juice or honey in the ingredients list Can contain unnecessary additives to add protein, caffeine or electrolytes that are better sourced from whole foods Can have distorted portion sizes - do you need really need 20 oz of smoothie? Often contain everything but whole fruit, including sorbet, and juices There are some good smoothie choices out there though! Jamba Juice's Probiotic Fruit & Yogurt Blends are made with nonfat yogurt, soymilk and whole fruit, along with their probiotic blend. A small size smoothie ranges from 230-250 calories and provides 15% of your daily value of calcium.  At Smoothie King, you can ask to "Make it Ski...

On a chilly day like today, when the temperature never reaches above freezing, and the wind chill is in the negative digits, it is only natural to crave soups and stews. I had fish de-thawed in my fridge, so I initially thought I would make fish stew. Unfortunately, I didn't have all the ingredients, and I wasn't highly motivated to leave my house to go shopping. Luckily, Ellie Krieger saved the day with a simple, healthy and easy recipe, that I adapted below, using the fish I already had in my fridge! Great RD's must think alike! Ingredients 2 6 oz fish filets of your choice (Salmon, Tilapia, Cod, etc) Marinate overnight in a ziploc bag with : 2 Tbsp Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil 1 Tbsp Wildtree Hot & Spicy Fra Diavolo Blend ¼ tsp salt OR 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves ¼ tsp salt 2 teaspoons garlic grapeseed oil, divided 1 small onion, di...

I didn't pick this recipe, but if you knew my friends, you would know who did. This one friend in particular is a HUGE fan of anything with sour cream, buttermilk, cream cheese, whole milk - you name a dairy product that would scare a dietitian and she keeps it in her fridge. The good thing is that otherwise she eats extremely healthy and is a normal weight. She also is a fan of "Colorante", a spice often used in Spain to give food the appearance that it has been seasoned with saffron, which explains the distinct yellow color of our fish.  If I did it again, I would probably add some extra spice to the fish, it needed a little bit more kick. I could definitely see putting paprika, taco spice or Cajun seasonings, especially since I am not a big fan of jalapeno peppers. HEALTHY FISH TACOS WITH BUTTERMILK AVOCADO PUREE - PUREE OPTIONAL Start to finish: 40 minutes Servings: 4 Ingredients: Guess which one was made by a chef, and which one I made? 1 large Ha...

Hey y'all, I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I'm done socializing and soul-searching for the time being and I'm ready to focus on health, wellness and exercise - hooray! After partying my way through the months of July, August and September (and gaining at least five pounds), I am exhausted and ready to refocus on my well-being in the winter months. Concerns about my health also play a factor, because with my condition, good nutrition is a big contributor to improved quality of life.  So what does this refocusing involve? A lot more grocery shopping, upping the gym visits, less alcohol, more sleep. Pretty basic I think, but some how I had lost sight of these important basics when I was too busy having fun all summer in Atlantic City, the Jersey Shore, New York City and my hometown of Washington D.C.  Atlantic City I know exactly what people mean when they say, "I don't have time to cook" - I am one of the worst offenders - but...

I had a little soup mishap, and it didn't turn out quite as delicious-looking as this one. But it was still pretty tasty, and I'm confident that if I could learn to follow directions, I could make some legit potato leek soup. I made this recipe even shorter and quicker than it already is by not mashing the potatoes or pureeing the leeks. So it actually looked more like the soup pictured. But I would definitely have chopped up the potatoes and leeks into smaller pieces if I had known I was going to go the lazy route. Potato Leek Soup From Eatingwell.com Makes 6 1-cup servings Active Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes Ingredients 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil 3 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and thinly sliced (3 cups) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 1/4 pounds all-purpose potatoes, (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into small chunks 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream Salt &...

I'm a fan of just about every thing Giada makes, and I had my eye on this recipe for quite some time. A perfect healthy date night meal. Ingredients 4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs 2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon 1/4 cup olive oil 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced 3 ounces prosciutto, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1/2 cup white wine 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 tablespoons capers 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves Directions Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and pros...

Remember that menu I made for the week? It went out the window tonight in favor of enchiladas. I walked to the grocery store just to get sauce and taco shells, even after buying all my groceries for the week based on my "planned" menu. Oh well.  Sandra Lee has a recipe that uses the leftover components of black bean burgers to make black bean enchiladas. Well, I   didn't want black bean burgers, but I have to give Sandy Lee some credit for the idea. Ingredients: Filling: 1/4 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided 1/4 cup canned corn 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Enchiladas: 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce 4 soft taco shells 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onions in a small pan until browned. Turn stove to low and add garlic, beans and corn. Cook until heated through. Stir in cilan...

Have you ever heard of Skyr? The Icelandic yogurt that is full of protein and probiotics? It was on sale this week at my local grocery store so I had to try it! The orange ginger flavor had just the right amount of sweetness and the straining process gives the yogurt this amazing thick texture. Their website says: "...to make just one cup of skyr, with all that water going out, you need 3 - 4 times the amount of milk required to make a regular cup of yogurt. As a result of this process skyr comes out with 2-3 times the protein count of standard yogurt."  You have to try it if you get the chance. If you like Greek yogurt, you will definitely like this too, and skyr is naturally fat free!!

Hmmm... this picture may look questionable, but if you are looking for a satisfying, low-calorie breakfast, this may be just the thing.  What is in it? Well, turkey sausage bits, egg whites, 1 whole egg, and tomatoes and onions. How many calories? About 200 when you use non-stick cooking spray, like Pam.  Ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped tomato 1 whole egg 1/2 cup egg whites Milk, Salt, Pepper (optional) 1/3 cup pre-cooked turkey sausage bits  Cooking oil Fresh Thyme (optional) Directions: 1. Saute the onions, and add tomatoes when they begin to brown. 2. Throw in the sausage and cook until heated. I also added thyme at this step because I had it laying around.  3. Combine the egg and egg whites, and add milk, salt and pepper, if desired 4. Pour the eggs over the rest of the ingredients in the pan and cook until done.

Recently, I read several reviews of New York City restaurants that served amazing Dover Sole. Naturally, I had to go to Balducci's and try this fish for myself . This was just Grey Sole broiled with lemon juice, salt and pepper . I also made a sauce, but it just tasted like lemon juice, and it wasn't necessary. I definitely would make this again.

I am so conflicted about the issue of beans. Canned beans are so easy and convenient , but they are more expensive and full of salt. Dried beans are supposed to be so healthy for you , but every time I cook them it take more than three hours. According to what's cooking america , "The best way [to soak beans] is to put them in cold water; bring them gently to a boil and then with saucepan off the heat, allow them to remain in the water for 1 to 2 hours only." The package had similar directions, but after an hour of soaking, and another hour of simmering, I still had crunchy beans . I had to basically boil the beans for an hour to get any effect at all, adding cups of water at a time. I think I will continue to use both dry and canned and try to make up my own directions for  soaking beans without leaving them overnight.... Ingredients: Servings:4 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 -3 cloves garlic 2 (14 1/2 ounce) ca...

I needed to go grocery shopping yesterday, but with two exams this week, it just isn't happening until tomorrow. So, for once, I checked the freezer last night to see what I could defrost. I found Imitation Crab Meat - the kind you find in salad bars and is pre-cooked. I figured the worst case scenario was that I would eat it straight out of the bag as a snack. Well turns out inspiration came at the right time and I had delicious and light crab cake sandwiches for lunch! Ingredients: Whole wheat bread, 2 slices I package (7 oz) Imitation Crab Meat Two stalks of celery, finely chopped 2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped 4 Tbsp stone-ground mustard 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce  Zesty lemon seasoning, to taste Pepper, to taste  Sliced Cheese (optional) Directions: Mix together last 7 ingredients in a bowl and spread on toasted bread. Grill in George Foreman grill or panini maker until warm, or cheese is melted.

Before I came to college, I had already tried many different kinds of "veggie burgers". My family ate Boca Burger's, Gardenburgers and Dr.Praeger's California Burgers. My Dad even puts them in his grilled chicken sandwiches to get extra veggies in his diet. Consequently, I feel somewhat qualified to say that these are real tasty, especially when cooked in a George Foreman Grill, covered in melted provolone cheese and served in/on your favorite form of bread (today, I used Naan ).  After talking a lot about people in college who "don't cook" , I hope I can give people some ideas or inspiration to take simple steps towards eating healthy. These are really great because they can be frozen for later...I am going to find out how long they stay good in the refrigerator.