A "Colorful" Dinner For My 3 Year Old!

I bought some purple cauliflower from Underwood Family Farms the other day. I steamed it and then whipped it into mashers. :) Kids love color, and this was my son's plate the other night.

So pretty :) Of course he ate the mango first....

Healthy Food Fusions!!

(Article from - trendhunter.com)

Studies are beginning to prove that the interactions of the foods we eat can be much more healthy for us than eating one beneficial food at a time. Here are the most powerful food synergies currently known to science as per Best Life:

1. Tomatoes + Avocados
2. Oatmeal + Orange Juice
3. Broccoli + Tomatoes
4. Blueberries + Grapes
5. Apples + Chocolate
6. Lemon + Kale
7. Soy + Salmon
8. Peanuts + Whole Wheat
9. Red Meat + Rosemary
10. Turmeric + Black Pepper
11. Garlic + Fish
12. Eggs + Cantaloupe
13. Almonds + Yogurt

I think I’ll go make a peanut butter sandwich right now, on whole wheat bread, of course!

Epidemiologist David R. Jacobs, PhD, of the University of Minnesota calls it food synergy, and he, along with many other nutritionists, believes it might explain why Italians drizzle cold-pressed olive oil over tomatoes and why the Japanese pair raw fish with soybeans. "The complexity of food combinations is fascinating because it's tested in a way we can't test drugs: by evolution," says Jacobs. And, he adds, "it's tested in the most complex of systems: life." (bestlifeonline)

Video - How To Make Matzoh Balls on Epicurious.com

Passover Recipes: Martha Stewart Show - Craigie on Main's Matzo Ball Soup

This was on yesterday. I never knew Martha is REALLY into Matzo Ball Soup. This seams like a really Simple recipe. Chef Maws reiterated that when forming the matzo balls, don't roll and condense like a meatball. You want your balls to be light and fluffy :)

"A family recipe from chef Tony Maws."
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/tony-maws-matzo-ball-soup
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
2 large eggs, beaten
6 cups plus 2 tablespoons Basic Chicken Stock
2 tablespoons schmaltz
1/2 cup matzo meal
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 carrot, thinly sliced
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
Directions
1.In a large bowl, mix together eggs and 2 tablespoons chicken stock. Add schmaltz and stir to combine. Add matzo meal and season with salt and pepper; stir until just combined. Transfer to refrigerator to chill for 4 hours.
2.Place chicken stock in a large pot over high heat; bring to a boil. Using damp hands, form matzo mixture into four to six 1 1/2-inch balls. Drop into boiling stock. Add carrot. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Serve immediately garnished with parsley leaves.

Kale-Pomegranate Quinoa Stuffing - Dr. Oz's Thanksgiving SUPERFOOD LIST

This is NOT just for Thanksgiving. This is going into my monthly rotation for sure! This recipe is SO HEALTHY AND the pomegranates are a BURST OF FLAVOR in your mouth!!

I will post a picture next time I make this. I have to say this is so DELICIOUS!!! and filling and I ate the entire thing myself over a 4 day span. The only down side of this recipe is the next day, after being in the refrigerator, it doesn't look as pretty but the taste is even better.

**I made a few additions such as: 1/4c Roasted Corn & a little Goat Cheese sprinkled over and melted in & 1 Leek cut up (light green to white part)

Article & Recipe from Natural Health Magazine -

Pomegranate
**(Bought this at Trader Joe's: currently they have them already seeded and still in shell)

WHY IT'S A SUPERFOOD A favorite of Dr. Oz's, pomegranate may be one of the gut-friendliest foods around. Its anti-inflammatory compounds help protect the colon from damage caused by diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's.

Leek
**(Bought this at Trader Joe's already trimmed and Whole Foods has HUGE ones)

WHY IT'S A SUPERFOOD A single leek provides over half the recommended daily value of vitamin K, "a nutrient so vital to bone health that people deficient in vitamin K2 [which the body makes from K] get osteoporosis," Dr. Oz says.

Quinoa
**(Bought this at Trader Joe's - Organic)

WHY IT'S A SUPERFOOD Quinoa is a triplethreat: "gluten-free, a complete protein, and a prebiotic [meaning it stimulates the growth of probiotics or good bacteria already found in the gut]," Dr. Oz says.

Kale

**(Bought this at WHOLE FOODS)

WHY IT'S A SUPERFOOD Consuming the leafy green increases HDL ("good") cholesterol and decreases LDL ("bad") cholesterol. "It's also a very good source of calcium, which your heart needs in order to beat properly," Dr. Oz says.

Kale-Pomegranate Quinoa Stuffing

Serves 12

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,
divided
6 cloves garlic, finely sliced, divided
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 pounds young kale, stems and leaves
coarsely chopped
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups pecans
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (strip the
leaves from the stems)
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

1. Preheat oven to 325[degrees]F. Lightly oil a 9 x
13-inch glass baking dish.

2. In a large saucepan over medium-high
heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add
half of the garlic and cook until soft but
not yet golden. Raise heat to high, add
the stock and kale and toss to combine.
Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover
and continue cooking, stirring until all the
liquid has evaporated. Season with salt
and white pepper. Set aside to cool.

3. Add cooled, cooked kale and pecans to
a food processor; pulse several times until
pecans are chopped and kale is shredded
but mixture is still chunky.

4. In a separate saucepan over medium-high
heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil;
add the onion and remaining garlic; saute
2 to 3 minutes. Add the sage and continue
cooking until onion is caramelized,
approximately 3 to 4 more minutes. Stir
in the pecan-kale mixture.

5. Transfer the onion-pecan-kale mixture
to a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked
quinoa and stir to combine. Stir in the
remaining tablespoon of oil and melted
butter. Season with salt and white pepper.
Add the egg and wine and toss to
coat. Transfer the mixture to the prepared
baking dish. Cover and bake 30 minutes.
Garnish with pomegranate seeds before
serving.

Per serving: 220 calories, 18 g fat (2.5 g
saturated), 13 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein,
3 g fiber, 214 mg sodium (9% Daily Value).

Quinoa Turkery Burgers - Healthy, Savory & Kid Friendly

These QUINOA TURKEY BURGERS are AMAZING...so tasty and delicious. Thank you to my friend S for giving me this recipe. She is brilliant. :)








Ingredients -

1. Ground Turkey Meat - Trader Joes
2. 1 Tube - Mirepoix - TJ (onions, carrots, celery)
3. 1 Box - Organic Quinoa - TJ
4. 1-2 Organic Eggs
5. Worchestire Sauce
6. Garlic Salt & Pepper & Cumin

• Cook Quinoa according to the package, when finished, set aside to cool (I usually have left over quinoa depending on how many burgers I make)
• Saute Mirepoix in some Evvo until really soft
• Remove from pan and set aside to cool
• Dump turkey meat into a big bowl
• Season turkey meat with a little garlic salt & pepper & cumin & worchestire sauce
• Mix in soft veggies according to your liking
• Add 1-2 eggs for binding
• Form into hamburger patties
• Grill like you would a burger or you can cook on stove top in a pan

*Worchestire Sauce - I know this has HFCS in it so I tried the one from Whole Foods which is HFCS free and just DID NOT taste the same :( so, I stay with the one from Ralphs but only use a little.

*We put Organic Ketchup (TJ) on ours and I always make a few extra for the next couple days.

*I have also broken them up a couple days later (when Baby P has had enough) and put them in pasta sauce

Does cooking with CILANTRO help you excrete TOXIC METALS??

The other day I was at Whole Foods buying salmon and the fish monger and I started chatting about farm raised fish vs wild caught fish. Then, the topic of some fish containing mercury and other toxic metals came up. He suggested cooking fish with CILANTRO to help the body excrete the toxic metals.....interesting, I thought. I happen to LOVE cilantro. :)

I found this article @ http://anaturalcure.com/

Detox Cilantro is Chinese Parsley
Cilantro Quite accidentally, a researcher named Dr. Yoshiaki Omura discovered that some patients were excreting more toxic metals after consuming a Chinese soup containing Cilantro. Cilantro is a common herb whose seed, coriander, is a familiar culinary spice. In China, Cilantro is called Chinese parsley, and it is used in cooking. It is also common in some
Italian dishes. It is a member of the carrot family and has a distinct taste that most people either love or hate. Cilantro can mobilize mercury and other toxic metals rapidly from the CNS. The mobilized mercury appears to be either excreted via the stool, the urine, or translocated into more peripheral tissues. This is a revolutionary discovery and makes Cilantro one
of the first known substances that mobilizes mercury from the CNS. After Cilantro consumption, rapid changes in the brain and spinal chord can be seen when using autonomic response testing, and the appearance of mercury in more peripheral tissues (liver, intestines) becomes evident as a result of mercury mobilization.

Thai-Style Halibut with Coconut-Curry Broth : Ellie Krieger Food Network

(Photo coutesy of Foodnetwork.com)
This is such a DELICIOUS and GOURMET way to prepare Halibut. It only takes 10-15 mins of prep time and is so HEALTHY for you. My 2.5 yr old son even loves it. (Make sure you buy boneless halibut if feeding to kids.)

My friend B referred this recipe to me and I have made it a bunch of times ever since. It is sooo good and great way to get in a helping of fish.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/thai-style-halibut-with-coconut-curry-broth-recipe/index.html

Ingredients
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 shallots, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 1/2 teaspoons red curry paste*, or 2 teaspoons curry powder (This is REALLY spicy so I only add a tiny bit)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup light coconut milk (I use the Organic Coconut Milk fromWhole Foods)
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon, plus more for seasoning
4 (6-ounce) pieces halibut fillet, skin removed (I buy the frozen Halibut from Trader Joe's)
Steamed spinach**
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked brown rice, for serving

Directions
In a large saute pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes.

Season the halibut with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Arrange the fish in the pan and gently shake the pan so the fish is coated with the sauce. Cover and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 7 minutes.

Arrange a pile of steamed spinach in the bottom of 4 soup plates. Top with the fish fillets. Stir the cilantro, scallions, and lime juice into the sauce and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the sauce over the fish and serve with rice.

Adobo Chicken - Cooking Light

This is such an EASY and TASTY recipe for weeknights. It only takes about 15mins to prepare and the longer it sits in the pot the better it gets. I have noted my changes below to make the prep even easier and recipe even healthier.

(Photo coutesy of Cookinglite.com)


http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1924726

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (I buy the ORGANIC Boneless thighs from Trader Joe's)
2 cups chopped onion (I buy the already cut onion in the bag from TJ)
5 garlic cloves, minced (I buy the ready-to-mince garlic cloves from TJ)
6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons honey (I use the Agave Nectar from TJ)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
**For the Rice to use the 3 Min Brown Rice from TJ
Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently.

2. Return chicken to pan. Add soy sauce and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf); bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 12 minutes. Uncover and cook 20 minutes or until chicken is done and sauce thickens. Discard bay leaf. Serve over rice.

"SMELLS SO GOOD" Apple Cranberry Turkey Breasts

If you LOVE savory turkey with sweet cranberry, this is the dish for you!!!

I buy the TURKEY BREASTS at Trader Joe's along with the DRIED CRANBERRIES or DRIED ORANGE CRANBERRIES and ORGANIC APPLES.

This is sooo EASY and the presentation is so COLORFUL.

• Saute cut up apples, approx 2, and cranberries with a little EVVO & butter for a few minutes - med low heat
• Season the Turkey Breasts with some garlic salt & pepper
• Kinda move the apple mixture to the side of the pan and put the turkey in to brown on both sides
• Add a little basil
• Cover turkey with apple mixture and cover to simmer for 15-20 mins
• Serve with Brown Rice or Veggie mixture
• You will love this makes your kitchen smell...so delicious!

Quick & so Easy "Gourmet" Pasta Sauce

"Hey! - Can I get a little sauce with my pasta?"

Ingredients: (What I use)

Trader Joe's - 1 Jar - Three Cheese Sauce or Organic Vodka Sauce or Bolognese Sauce

• Trader Joe's - Ground Turkey Meat


• Trader Joe's - Already cut onions, about 3/4 of a bag


• Trader Joe's - Ready-to-go Garlic, 3 cloves minced


• Dried Basil & Oregano


• Red Wine (Any - What you like to drink) **This adds a beautiful after taste which the adults taste and kids go along with :)

________________________

Saute onions and garlic in Evvo for a few minutes
Add ground turkey meat and break up while almost cooking all the way through
Sprinkle Basil all over and some oregano to taste,.. along with Salt & Pepper
**You can add some wine now to deglaze the pan or wait to add it at the end, make sure you burn off the alcohol so the taste is just a hint
Add Pasta Sauce
Simmer for 20-30 mins to marry flavors

Kashi - Black Bean Mango Frozen Entree

This is sooo good. You can use it for so many meals and it is PACKED with healthy food. I buy this at Whole Foods. It's approx. $6 but sometimes on sale.

1. Main Entree (I add a Brown Rice packet from Trader Joe's)
2. Put it over Organic Herb Salad (TJ)
3. Put it in a Breakfast Burrito
4. Use as a side dish with eggs and toast
5. Put it in lettuce cups as a side dish

ORGANIC BROWN RICE PENNE PASTA - TRADER JOES

I feel I have tried most of the brown rice and whole wheat pastas out there. This one is REALLY good and most importantly, has a "PASTA" like texture.

Baby P LOVES it, my husband on the other hand, HATES it, I really like it. :)
It's wheat-free, cholesterol-free, sodium-free.

*Personal Note: I only really prefer the PENNE Pasta not the FUSILLI.

**My Cooking Tips:

• Stir constantly, it gets gummy and sticky
  
• You need to experiment with how soft you like to eat it, personal preference


• Rinse with lots of water after you cook it

In my experience, you can only reheat it ONCE after being in the referigerator. It gets REALLY hard (microwave for a few seconds with a little water) This step sometimes works and sometimes doesn't work.