Monthly Archives: July 2012

Cherry-Almond Spinach Salad and Island Granola

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I have a confession to make… I’m not exactly in love with summer. I grew up a hot-natured child in the sticky, sweltering South. Summertime found me occasionally (ok, often) grouchy when the temperatures climbed into the upper 90s and 100+, simmering for weeks at a time, drenched in humidity. I have fond memories of walking into my grandparents’ house after playing outdoors and standing in front of the air conditioning unit for a solid ten minutes, inhaling as much icy air as my lungs would hold and dreaming of snow.

Me and my Papa at Myrtle Beach, summer of 1987.

Unfortunately, I’m still one to gripe about the heat when it gets really bad, but I’ve gotten much better. I’ve finally learned to focus on the positive and treasure the summer months for the bounty of fresh produce. The Southern girl in me lives for tomato sandwich season. I grew up climbing peach trees and making homemade peach ice cream. I can eat cherries by the pound without coming up for air. On hotter days I start to fantasize about autumn – but then I remember that by then, there will be no more lush, ripe tomatoes, stone fruit dripping with juice, or farmers’ markets overflowing with zucchini and eggplant. I think living in New England really puts seasons into perspective. Besides the summer being much more merciful here, it’s short-lived and long-awaited. That means I have a lot of things to cook before it’s gone!

These two recipes are sweet celebrations of summer – light, healthy, verdant, bursting with flavor.

Spinach Salad with Fresh Cherries, Toasted Almonds and Goat Cheese

Spinach Salad with Fresh Cherries + Toasted Almonds + Goat Cheese

This simple summer salad is as beautiful and as easy as it gets. Crunchy, juicy, savory, sweet. Enjoy.

Makes one serving, easily multiplied.

1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach, washed
Handful of cherries, pitted and halved
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Simple balsamic vinaigrette (use your favorite ratio)

You know what to do!

“Island” Granola with Coconut + Almonds + Mango

If you haven’t made homemade granola yet, what are you waiting for? Maybe you have some misconceptions about it. Granola is an expensive “health food” product sold in the “natural” aisle of the supermarket. It can’t be easily whipped up in your own kitchen, right? Wrong. It’s easy, cheap, healthy, and delicious. Packaged granola is pricey and typically full of sugar and fat. Control your sugar intake and your budget by simply going homemade. I’ve only made my own granola once or twice, but after making it several times at work recently (for 250 kids!) I remembered just how much I love it. Believe me, if I can single-handedly make 250 snacks in less than 30 minutes, you can make enough for your own household.

This fruity granola hints at tropical vacations and crystal clear waters. If you’re like me and lack AC, wait for an evening or cooler day to turn on the oven. In Boston, we were lucky enough to get a huge thunderstorm yesterday that swept out the sticky heat. Alternatively, make this in winter when you’re missing the warmth!

Makes about 5 cups of granola.

4 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup local honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground ginger
pinch of salt
1 cup shredded coconut, toasted
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
6 oz dried mango, chopped (unsweetened, if possible – if not, use less honey)
1 tbsp flax seeds (optional)
*If you want extra crunchy, clumpy granola, add an egg white. I avoid using egg whites because it’s hard to find a use for an extra yolk and I hate to waste.

  1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. If your oven will fit two, go ahead and prepare two – I had to work in batches.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, almonds, flax seeds, ginger and salt.
  3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together coconut oil, honey, vanilla and egg white if using. Fold into oat mixture and coat evenly.
  4. Spread granola in a thin, even layer on the prepared baking sheet. This is important! If it’s not spread out thinly, it will not get crunchy.
  5. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes, for about 15-20 minutes until golden-brown and starting to crisp. Allow to cool on the pan for several minutes before transferring to a large mixing bowl. Granola gets crunchier as it cools.
  6. Add in coconut and chopped mango. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks (if it lasts that long!)

        

Cutting the Crap {Part Three} Satisfaction, Not Sacrifice – and Bean Burgers 2 Ways

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If you’ve been following this mini-series, “Cutting the Crap”, you know I’ve been explaining the perils of processed foods, why they are worth ditching, and just how to go about it. Sometimes, that feels like a lot of negativity, so now it’s time for the best part: the delicious rewards of replacing processed foods with wholesome, homemade meals. If you’re just arriving, you can check back on the Introduction to “Cutting the Crap” and parts One and Two – or cut straight to the delicious recipes below!

Summer is the perfect time for burgers. Hell, what am I saying? It is always the perfect time for burgers!! I love a cheesy, juicy burger (whether beef, turkey, or bison [the best]) just as much as the next foodie, but I also keep my meat intake to weekly or less, and my red meat consumption even rarer. But who wouldn’t love to come home from work on a Tuesday night and sink their teeth into a fresh burger? Hopefully, you’re already past the point of swinging by the drive through to get your fix. You might be a vegetarian, or just really enjoy a good veggie burger, and I am with you! There was a time (cough, high school) when I would eat Boca burgers probably two or three times a week, assuming it was a healthy vegan product. It might be slightly better for you than a quarter pounder, but have you ever stopped to wonder what’s in it? Why does it have that faint “grilled flavor”? Why is a blend of soy and vegetables brown and spongy?

Let’s do some research. This is the ingredient list for the Boca “Cheeseburger” product (source: http://www.bocaburger.com).

Ingredients: WATER, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, PASTEURIZED PROCESS CHEDDAR CHEESE (CHEDDAR CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES], WATER, MILKFAT, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE, SALT, ARTIFICIAL COLOR), CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF WHEAT GLUTEN, CANOLA OIL, CHEESE FLAVOR (WHEY, BUTTER [CREAM, SALT], CHEDDAR CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES], BUTTERMILK SOLIDS, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, NATURAL FLAVOR, ENZYME MODIFIED CHEDDAR CHEESE [MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE], YELLOW 6, TURMERIC [COLOR], ENZYME MODIFIED CREAM, ENZYME MODIFIED BUTTERFAT), YEAST EXTRACT, METHYLCELLULOSE, SUGAR, CARAMEL COLOR, ONION POWDER, NATURAL FLAVOR (NON-MEAT), DRIED SOY SAUCE (SOYBEANS, WHEAT, SALT), SALT, SESAME OIL, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, DISODIUM INOSINATE, LACTIC ACID, SUCCINIC ACID. CONTAINS: SOY, WHEAT, MILK, SESAME.

Going back to one of my favorite examples from Michael Pollan’s Food Rules, the sheer number of ingredients is far from appetizing. If I start to get tired of reading halfway through, I’ve got a serious problem with the product. Even worse, if I can’t imagine what “methylcelluose” or “sodium hexametaphosphate” is, I really don’t want this “food” item in my body. No thank you.

The solution is not to over-indulge in meaty burgers! Those are delicious treats for special occasions. I want you to eat them, but on the 4th of July or at your buddy’s birthday party, not every other weeknight, ok? There’s a happy, healthy  compromise in a surprisingly simple combination of beans, eggs, and breadcrumbs – it doesn’t take much more than that to create magical burger bliss.

My all-time favorite go-to veggie burger recipe is the classic Black Bean Burger. These are incredibly easy and truly fantastic – my former roommates, one of whom was a diehard carb-rejecting carnivore – loved and begged for these burgers time after time. The recipe I linked to is a base, to which I usually add some extra heat like chipotle en adobo, and sometimes cilantro. Do not bake them, as the recipe suggests, unless you have no other choice. I typically use a George Foreman grill, cast iron grill pan, or aluminum foil over a charcoal grill. Serve with avocado, lettuce, tomato, and homemade ketchup. Sweet potato fries on the side are 100% mandatory. A summery Mexican beer is strongly recommended.

With that simple formula in mind, I decided to go Greek. For me, summertime is accompanied by a near-constant craving for all flavors Mediterranean. I could eat hummus, tabbouleh and baba ghanouj for days and days. And sometimes I do. But I decided to get a little more creative and make a veggie burger that incorporated chickpeas, carrots, feta, parsley and lemon. And I absolutely had to find something to eat tzatziki on, other than a spoon. And thus, a star was born:

Chickpea Carrot Feta Burgers with Tzatziki

Burgers

1 regular can of chickpeas, drained
1/2 red or yellow onion, quartered
1 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 lemon
3 cloves garlic
2 eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs
olive oil
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
salt + pepper
additional spices, optional
(I have a great “Greek Blend” from World Market – you could use crushed red pepper flakes and/or coriander seeds)

Tzatziki

1 pint non-fat Greek yogurt
1 large English cucumber, peeled
1/2 lemon
olive oil
salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp mint, finely chopped

  1. Make tzatziki first so the flavors can really blend. If you even have a chance to make it a day ahead, it’s that much better. Halve the cucumber and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Shred it using the large holes of a box grater, toss with a  generous pinch of salt, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. This causes the cucumber to release its water, which you can then drain.
  2. Stir together all ingredients and season to taste. Keep chilled, and keep in mind this tastes better with time. Try your best to keep your paws off it while you make the burgers!

To make the burgers:

  1. Pulse garlic and onion in a food processor until finely diced. Add chickpeas and roughly pulse so that about half the chickpeas are pureed and half are only slightly crushed. You want some texture; we are not going for hummus here.
  2. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in eggs, feta, carrots, parsley, bread crumbs, seasoning, and the zest and juice of your 1/2 lemon. Add enough bread crumbs and olive oil to reach a consistency that you can form into patties. You might have to play around with this; I don’t really cook with measurements.
  3. Form burger mixture into patties; you should end up with about 6, depending on the size. Sliders are always a winner! (You’d get at least 12.)
  4. Heat some olive oil in a non-stick skillet. I often use a cast-iron grill pan, but I found having full contact with a flat heating surface to be beneficial for this recipe. Sear the burgers until lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes per side. Serve on whole wheat burger buns with a generous heap of tzatziki. A nice quinoa tabbouleh or Greek salad would make a perfect side dish. Personally, I find these very filling.

Have a fabulous week, and expect more exciting, healthy, and unprocessed recipes coming soon! Still have questions about ditching processed food? Shoot!

Cutting the Crap {Part Two} Breaking Up

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If this is your first stop here, be sure to check out the introduction to this three-part series on processed foods, “Cutting the Crap”, and Part One.

Welcome to Part Two of the Cutting the Crap series. We’ve covered what processed food means, and why it’s worthwhile to kick the habit. I touched on setting your own personal boundaries as to what’s too processed for you. Today we’ll look into just how to go about this big (or small) shift in habits. The important thing is to take it at your own pace, to choose what’s important to you, and to define your own limits and goals. Ready to end your unhealthy relationship with “edible food-like substances”? Put on your tough pants and take a stand.

When you take a look at what you really eat on a daily basis, it might be overwhelming to think about cutting out all the processed food and making massive lifestyle changes. Don’t be intimidated – like anything, take it one step at a time and go at your own pace. To give you an example, my own eating habits have changed very dramatically – but very slowly – over the last ten years. I first started thinking hard about my food choices as a teenager, and became a vegetarian at 15 (motivated strictly by animal welfare). Later I tried veganism for about a year and a half, and spent several years bouncing back and forth between being a vegetarian, a pescatarian and an omnivore. In college I gained – and then lost – about 15 or 20 pounds. When I lost that weight I started to focus a lot more on health and eating a balanced diet. Throughout my early twenties I’ve learned a lot about nutrition, sustainability, and where our food actually comes from. I started cooking a lot more and leading a healthier lifestyle. These days, I’ve focused a lot more attention on avoiding processed foods, minimizing (not eliminating) my meat consumption, and trying to cut out refined white flours and sugars.

It’s a journey – and it’s funny to think back on eating Spaghettios when I was a 16 year old vegetarian. If I could meet my teenage self, she’d be dismayed that I eat meat now – while 25 year old me would be disgusted at the ramen noodles and teddy grahams she called lunch. Perspective, folks.

Making a drastic change overnight is not only unpleasant, it’s unsustainable. The evolution of what I eat has taken years to reach this point. Taking it all on at once would be ridiculous and nearly guaranteed to fail. In my work in social services, we talk about “meeting people where they are”. I recommend you do the same with your self and your habits. Start where you are now, and set your own pace. Nobody can make these choices or changes for you.

  1. Prioritize. What do you most want to change: giving up fast food, cooking more often, packing your lunch, eating less sodium, eating more fruits and veggies, ending your sweet tooth? One thing at a time; choose what matters.
  2. Take it slow. I used to have an epic sweet tooth. I’d put a good 2 tablespoons of sugar in my coffee every morning. When I decided this had to change, I switched to “raw” sugar. Then I reduced how much I used. Then I tried alternatives like maple syrup and stevia. Now, I don’t sweeten my coffee at all. I would have considered this unthinkable 6 months ago, but it only took a couple of weeks to kick the habit. I don’t miss it one bit, but I also doubt cold-turkey would have worked.
  3. Read the label. Yes, I already said this. I will say it until you hear me. It’s the simplest thing, but it makes all the difference. If you can’t identify it, why would you put it in your mouth?! Do we really need high fructose corn syrup in tomato soup?! If you’re the all-or-nothing type, go through your cabinets and fridge and ditch everything with a scary ingredient list. If that feels too wasteful or extreme, gradually transition and replace those products next time you shop.
  4. Cook. The best way to understand where your food comes from is to make it yourself. No, you don’t have to milk the cow or pick the apples (though it’s fun!), but if you start with simple, whole foods and a cookbook, you can make anything – and I promise it’s a million times better than any frozen meal or drive through window.
  5. Replace. You don’t have to give up sweets (or whatever your vice is). I still love chocolate chip cookies. But I bake them from scratch. I use honey instead of sugar in my muffins. Switch from white pasta to whole wheat. Use more herbs and spices instead of over-salting your food. Make your own sweet potato fries. You get the idea.
  6. DIY. This is a big step, so wait until you’ve tackled your first few priorities. But when you’re ready, there are so many wonderful things you buy off a shelf that you could make yourself. Start with salad dressing. Most bottled varieties are high in sodium, sugar, artificial ingredients and preservatives. Fresh vinaigrette is an easy technique to master and far more delicious, too. When you’re feeling bold, start making vegetable/chicken stock, mayonnaise or even ketchup! Yes, ketchup - once I made my own, I never looked back.
  7. Skip the Shortcut. It’s a sign of the times: “recipes” everywhere on the internet for shortcut solutions like combining pudding mix and cake mix to make… god knows what sugar bomb… I’ve even seen recipes for using a can of Diet Coke to replace the liquids in a boxed cake mix. I’m sorry y’all: that’s just nasty (yeah, my Southern voice came out for that one). Just stop. Baking is one of life’s simple pleasures. It is just as easy, much more fun, and a whole lot tastier if you do it from scratch. Cake is just flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. Why do you need a box of artificial flavors and creepy stuff like powdered eggs? You don’t. When you make these things from scratch, you save money, learn a new skill, and can take pride in your work. (Plus you can be creative, ie: cinnamon and orange zest brownies!) Best of all: you know exactly what’s in it and where it came from.

I hope one thing is getting through to you from all of this: your eating habits are personal; they are yours and no one else’s. You are the only person who can decide what’s right for you. If you’re not ready to give up processed foods, don’t sweat it: the option will always be there. If it takes you 5 years to gradually transition your diet, know that it will be worth it and you are making a change for the better. If your style is cold-turkey, be bold and go for it! The point is: you are in charge of your life and your health. You make the decisions every day about how you treat your body. You get to choose what, how, and when.

Still stuck? Reluctant? Comment on this post and tell us what’s holding you back. What kind of support do you need? Where could you use some advice? Have a success story? Share it to encourage others.