Brussels Sprouts Two Ways

I came across this recipe in January's issue of Bon Appetit Magazine and have made it a dozen times since reading it. As a child I did not grow up eating Brussels Sprouts so now that I know I love them I am always looking for a new recipe to spice them up and this recipe really hit the mark.

Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Chile

Ingredients:

- 4 cups halved brussels sprouts

- Kosher salt

- 1/4 cup vegetable oil

- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic

- 1/4 cup oyster sauce

-  4 teaspoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

- 2 teaspoons soy sauce, preferably Thai thin soy sauce (such as Healthy Boy)

- 2 teaspoons sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon (or more) 1/8"-thick slices of red Thai chiles

- Pinch of ground white pepper

- 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth

Directions:

Blanch brussels sprouts in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, about 15 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until light golden brown, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl.

Increase heat to high; add brussels sprouts. Stir-fry until they begin to soften, 2–3 minutes. Add oyster sauce and next 5 ingredients. Stir-fry for 30 seconds; add chicken broth. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes; add more chiles, if desired. Stir in garlic.

If you are looking for something a little less spicy then here is a recipe for you...

Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Shallots

Ingredients:

- 1 pound Brussels sprouts

- 2 large shallots, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings

- 2 medium crisp, firm apples (such as Gala, Honeycrisp or Braeburn), cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

- 1/2 cup water, divided

- 1/4 cup cider vinegar, divided

- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

- 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:

Rinse Brussels sprouts well and pull off any loose or yellowing leaves. Trim the stem ends and then quarter each sprout. Set aside.

Heat a large high-sided sauté pan over high heat. Add shallots to the very hot pan and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add apples and 1/4 cup water, scraping any brown bits from the bottom as the water sizzles. Cook until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes. 

Add Brussels sprouts, remaining 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons vinegar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until the sprouts and apples are tender enough to be pierced all the way through with a fork, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Uncover, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar and the leaves pulled from sprigs of thyme. Scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan as liquid sizzles and reduces until nearly gone. Transfer to a serving bowl with any of the remaining liquid and serve immediately.

Kale Waldorf Salad

I found a basic salad recipe while looking through the Whole Foods App on my iPhone, I highly recommend this app, it has great healthy recipes that are easy to prepare. I have made a few changes to the original recipe and find it to be heavenly. The dressing works so well with the Kale as well as on other salads or used as a dip or marinade.

Serves 4-6 people 

Ingredients:

4 cups packed finely chopped raw kale

1 large red apple, such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, chopped, divided
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons craisins, divided

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, divided

 

For Dressing:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water, more if needed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt 

Directions:

Place kale in a large bowl. Add half the apple to kale along with celery, 1/4 cup walnuts and 1/4 cup raisins. Put remaining apple in a blender along with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts, remaining 2 tablespoons raisins, mustard, water, vinegar and salt. Purée until well combined and slightly thick, adding water if needed to thin. Pour dressing over kale salad and toss to combine.

*place the salad when dressed in the fridge for 15 minutes once dressed, it allows the kale to soak up the dressing and the leaves fill with flavor. 

Fun Fruity Salad

I read a recipe in a magazine a few years back that incorporated Asian Pears into salad. I have since been addicted to the costly fruit, so I do try and put it to good use. Here is a recipe for one of my favorite salads.

Ingredients:

For Salad:

- Handful of Spinach Leaves

- Handful of Romaine Lettuce

- Handful of Pea Shoots

- 4-6 Strawberries

- 1/2 Asian Pear

- 1 stalk Hearts of Palm

- 1/4 Cucumber

- 1/4 Avocado

- 3oz Chicken

For Dressing:

- EVOO

- Balsamic Vinegar

- Water

- 1 Egg Yolk

For the Salad:

Well folks it’s a salad, so I will keep it simple. Cut up the lettuce, dice up the vegetables, slice the fruit and chicken and mix it all in a bowl.

For the Dressing:

I use this container to make measuring easy and so I have dressing for a few days. 2 parts vinegar, 1 part water, 1 part EVOO, 1 egg yolk... then SHAKEEEEEE!

Pour some dressing on top of the salad and enjoy!

Peak Inside the Fridge and Cabinets of a Health Coach

Eating food that tastes good and is good for you is much easier than people seem to think. I believe in simplicity and my fridge and cabinets reflect the way I eat. Every Monday I take an hour to go to the Farmer's Market and Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or Food Emporium or a combination of the three, I then go home and stock my fridge with all of my fresh ingredients. 

The reason I go the same day each week is because I am usually all out of food. In my fridge I keep foods that only have a shelf life of about a week. In doing so I make sure that I am having the freshest and most pure ingredients. The fewer the ingredients on the label the better, and I try to keep any labeled food out of the fridge.

Which brings me to my cabinets; I keep them stocked with staples, and items which have minimal items on the ingredient lists. 

Now, welcome to my fridge....

As you can see it is full of bright colors and not many packaged items are stored. Now let's go though shelf by shelf. 

Shelf 1: 

- Kale

- Broccoli

- Mustard Greens

- Mizuna

I always like to have ingredients for green juice in my fridge and Kale and Broccoli are two things that I always toss in the juicer. Mustard Greens and Mizuna I have been sautéing with EVOO, Jalapeño and Sea Salt and eating alone, as a side dish or mixing into salads, pastas or eggs. 

Shelf 2: 

- Swiss Chard

- Spinach 

- Crunchy Sprouts

- Sweet Pea Shoots

- Butternut Squash Cubes

- Orange and Red Cherry Tomatoes 

- Rotisserie Chicken Breast

Like the green vegetables on the shelf above I use Swiss Chard and Spinach the same way. I also use the Swiss Chard in my homemade Miso Soup. Crunchy Sprouts, Sweet Pea Shoots and tomatoes I add into salads or snack on by the handful. I always pick up a rotisserie chicken breast to have available if I am in need of a quick meal or quick protein fix before a morning workout. I picked up butternut squash cubes as well not for a soup this week but to roast with some other veggies as a side dish or addition to pasta.

Shelf 3:

- Asparagus

- Butternut Squash Soup

- Organic Miso

- Strawberries

- Pineapple

- Blueberries

- Raspberries

- Blackberries

- Kombuca

- Rice Vinegar

- Hearts of Palm

- Mayonnaise

It is important for me to have mixed berries, I snack on them throughout the day as well as evening and also use strawberries when making morning smoothies. Organic Miso, Rice Vinegar, Kombucha, Hearts of Palm and Mayonnaise are staples in my fridge. I enjoy making my own miso based soup filled with veggies, use rice vinegar on rice as well as salads and other dishes, kombucha is a great drink alternative to my ever favorite WATER, hearts of palm make it into every salad dish I make and mayonnaise comes in handy from time to time in salad dressings and other dishes. I made Butternut Squash soup a few weeks ago and portioned it out into containers and have been defrosting a container each week; it comes in handy to have homeade soup. I also picked up some asparagus to enjoy grilled with some fish for dinner and in other dishes throughout the week. 

Drawer 1:

- Bucheron - flakey, creamy goat's milk cheese

- Rustico Red Pepper - sheep's milk cheese

- Tilapia

- Branzino

- Cockles

Being allergic to dairy from a cow I like to try a new cheese now and then that is goat or sheep based and today while shopping I decided to pick up two. I had not tried either and am pleased with both the taste and texture alone and look forward to incorporating them into some dishes this week as well as enjoying plain. Fish is a great lunch so I decided to pick up two pieces as well as some cockles to add a little flavor to the tilapia. 

 

Drawer 2: 

- Carrots

- Apples

- Avocados

- Oranges

- Lemons 

- Beets

All of these items are staples each week in my fridge; I eat them as is add them to salads or use to make juice. 

Drawer 3:

- Sweet Potatoes

- Cucumbers

- Onion

- Garlic

- Lemon

- Lime

Again these are items that you can always find in my fridge, I stock up on cucumbers as most of the juice I make has 1-2 cucumbers. I also keep sweet potatoes available as a healthy addition to any lunch or dinner. Onion, garlic, lemon and lime add flavor to any dish and should be on hand when cooking.

Now that you see how I keep my fridge stocked it is time to look into my cabinet. 

Shelf 1:

- Whole Wheat Cous Cous

- Lipton Cold Brew Iced Tea

- Mixed Grains from Trader Joes

- Quinoa from Trader Joes

- Brown Rice

All low in ingredients these foods are not highly processed and good staples to have available for any meal. 

Shelf 2: 

- De Boles Organic Angel Hair with Whole Wheat and Flax

- De Boles Gluten Free Rice Fettuccini  

- De Boles Organic Spinach Fettuccini

- De Boles Organic Artichoke Flour Spaghetti 

- Organic Chicken Broth

- Israeli Cous Cous

- Walnut Halves

- Sunflower Seeds

- Almonds

- Brown Rice

Clearly when I find something I stick with it and De Boles is a new favorite brand of mine and I am not letting it go anywhere. Having been on gluten free diets in the past when testing allergies I have learned what is best for my body and that is staying away from white flour. De Boles has tons of gluten free and whole grain pasta options which are a great household staples. Chicken Broth should be a staple in any home, and try the low sodium option (your body will thank you). Nuts and seeds are great for snacking and adding to salads, and more brown rice never hurt.

How does your fridge measure up? What are your household staples?

Superfoods Part XIV

Time to appreciate the superfoods of the fall season, be sure not to miss these fabulous three foods.

Butternut Squash - Low in fat, butternut squash delivers an ample dose of dietary fiber, making it an exceptionally heart-friendly choice. It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems. The folate content adds yet another boost to its heart-healthy reputation and helps guard against brain and spinal-cord-related birth defects. The tangerine hue, of a squash indicates butternut's most noteworthy health perk. The color signals an abundance of powerhouse nutrients known as carotenoids, shown to protect against heart disease. In particular it boasts very high levels of beta-carotene (which your body automatically converts to vitamin A), identified as a deterrent against breast cancer and age-related macular degeneration, as well as a supporter of healthy lung development in fetuses and newborns. What's more, with only a 1-cup serving, you get nearly half the recommended daily dose of antioxidant-rich vitamin C. To top it off, butternut squash may have anti-inflammatory effects because of its high antioxidant content. Incorporating more of this hearty winter staple into your diet could help reduce risk of inflammation-related disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.

How to Prepare: Roast a butternut squash and use to make a sweet and creamy soup, boil and mash in combination with white or sweet potatoes, or even blend cooked squash with white beans, garlic and seasonings for a hearty dip.

Sweet Potato - This potato is rich in vitamins A, C, E, copper and fiber. This orange root vegetable is one of nature's candies. One cup cooked has 180 calories, 41 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber and 4 grams of protein.

How to Prepare: Easy as 1,2,3… Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet with tin foil. Wash and dry the potatoes. Poke holes with a fork, and you can rub with olive oil, or not. Bake for 45 minutes or until a fork inserted meets softness. Once they're done, let them cool. Then peel the skins off and enjoy. You can do almost anything with them. Eat them just as they are, or throw them in your food processor with some orange zest and a touch of cinnamon and clove, or make them into a healthy fry. 

Leeks – Like onions and garlic, Leeks belong to a vegetable family called the Allium vegetables. Since leeks are related to garlic and onions, they contain many of the same beneficial compounds found in these well-researched, health-promoting vegetables. They are a good source of dietary fiber, containing goodly amounts of folic acid, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. Easier to digest than standard onions, leeks have laxative, antiseptic, diuretic, and anti-arthritic properties.

How to Prepare: Sauté leeks and fennel and garnish with fresh lemon juice and thyme. Add finely chopped leeks to salads or slice them into an omelet or frittata. Prepare a cold soup made from puréed cooked leeks and potatoes. Add leeks to broth and stews for extra flavoring. Or braise leeks sprinkled with fennel or mustard seeds make a wonderful side dish for fish, poultry or steak.

Be sure to check out my past Super Food Entries:

Superfoods Part I / Superfoods Part II / Superfoods Part III / Superfoods Part IV / Superfoods Part V / Superfoods Part VI / Superfoods Part VII / Superfoods Part VIII / Superfoods Part IX / Superfoods Part X / Superfoods XI / Superfoods Part XII / Superfoods XIII

A Sweet Treat

I am a big lover of melons, but a few years ago while on a Candida cleanse a doctor advised me to stop eating cantaloupe since it tends to grow mold on the skin. With that said my love for watermelon and honeydew grew exponentially. That was until this week. 

While shopping in the farmer’s market I took a bite of a sample Honey Sweet Melon that had been sliced up, this melon was DELICIOUS!!!! When sliced up this melon is white in color and from the outside it looks very similar to honeydew. 

I picked up the melon at Lani Farm’s they always have great produce ranging from items new to me  such as Shishito Peppers, Avocado Squash and Tatsoi to staples such as tomatoes and asparagus. 

Be sure to check out the Honey Melon while it is still in season.

Adventures from Agata & Valentina

While out and about on the Upper East Side this week I decided to drop into Agata & Valentina to see what fun foods they had prepared.

I decided to drop by the Appetizing and Smoked Fish counter where I found some great looking cooked octopus as well as mussels in a spicy tomato sauce.

While both of these items tasted fantastic alone. I decided to turn them both into two separate meals of both a salad and “pasta”.

Octopus Salad

Ingredients:

Pre-cooked octopus

½ avocado

½ cup of watermelon

½ cup of cherry tomatoes – halved

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve.

A simple summer salad that tastes great. Can’t get pre-cooked octopus? Try to make some on your own, or substitute for salmon or another fish of your liking. Also great as a light snack without fish.

Zucchini and Spicy Mussel "Pasta"

Ingredients:

Pre-cooked mussels

1 large zucchini

1 tbsp EVOO

Julienne zucchini and add to pan with EVOO. Sauté zucchini until soft and add in mussels until heated. Once warm place in bowl and serve.

Zucchini is an easy vegetable to turn into “pasta” and can be paired with any protein you may like. Have fun experimenting and getting to know your taste buds.