From the category archives:

Health and Fitness

Tuna Pizza Recipe from StarKist

by Joi on August 30, 2010

1 pouch (6.4oz.) StarKist® Chunk Light Tuna in Oil
1 large prepared pizza crust
2 tbsp.olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jar (6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (or 1 Tablespoon dried basil)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 °F.
2. Place pizza crust on baking sheet.
3. Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds (do not burn).
4. Spread sautéed garlic oil over pizza crust. Spread flaked tuna over crust evenly. Top with red peppers, artichokes, red onion and feta cheese. Sprinkle with basil.
5. Bake 8 – 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

When I was in high school, my mom asked me one Saturday what I wanted her to fix for lunch.  Like most typical American teenagers, one of the first things that sprang to mind was PIZZA.  So, while I lost myself in Gilligan reruns, she clanged and banged in the kitchen until something smelled amazing.  When she brought our plates into the living room, she told me that she’d used StarKist tuna as a topping on one of the pizzas and (my favorite pizza topping) green olives on the other.

Making what must have been an outstanding face, I told her I hoped she’d brought me a couple of slices of the one with olives only.   She smiled and said there was one slice of each on my plate.

Parents.

I remember thinking she’d finally gone completely around the bin but I thought it best to humor her.  Surprisingly, the tuna pizza was freaking amazing.  Of course, back then it would have been “Like, totally cool!”

Give the recipe above a try as soon as you possibly can.  Tuna on pizza is something that you have to try to truly appreciate.  It’s wonderful!  Plus, the pizza above is healthy as well – you have to love that.

With or without green olives and Gilligan.

Cooking for Isaiah Has Recipes That’ll Astonish PLUS a Tailgating Recipe for Proof

by Joi on August 23, 2010

I was recently sent a new cookbook to review that I’m very excited about. Excited to tell you about and excited to cook each and every recipe in the 223 page book! You know how, sometimes, as you’re thumbing through a cookbook you’ll go, “I might make that… I’ll try that one… nah… nah… There’s one I might try…. nah…” With this cookbook, I thumbed through the entire book and each recipe was met with a, “I can’t wait to make that one!”

Not a single nah.

Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy Delicious Meals was written by Silvana Nardone, founding editor in Chief of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine. Rachael Ray, herself, wrote the foreword. Silvana is also a columnist for Every Day with Rachael Ray with the “No-Recipe Zone” and “Sweet Spot” columns.

However, in this particular interest, I’m certain she carries a much simpler name – one worn closer to the heart. When you get down to it, this cookbook was written by “Isaiah’s Mom.”

Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy Delicious Meals is a labor of love. Silvana Nardone was challenged to create delicious meals for her young son, Isaiah, after he was diagnosed with food intolerances to gluten and dairy.

Description:
“The cornbread was flavorful, moist and light with a deliciously tender crumb. My only hope with this recipe was that Isaiah would love it… And then Isaiah took a bite. The look on his face was pure heaven.”
Cooking for Isaiah is a love story of Silvana Nardone’s journey to develop great-tasting meals for her son, Isaiah, after he was diagnosed with food intolerances to gluten and dairy. The results of her efforts are found in the pages of this book, through 135 recipes that are not only easy to make, but taste and look delicious.
From “S’mores Pancakes with Marshmallow Sauce” to “Double-Decker Toasted Cornbread and Spicy Greens Stack,” and “Chicken and Waffles with Maple Bacon Gravy” to “Chocolate Birthday Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting,” all of the recipes in Cooking for Isaiah are entirely free of gluten and dairy. Crafted with a variety of cooks in mind, an ingredient substitution chart shows you what to swap if, for example, you need to cook without gluten, but dairy is okay. You’ll also find Silvana’s tried-and-tested all-purpose flour and pancake mix recipes, sure to make gluten-free cooking and baking accessible to all. Written by Silvana Nardone, Editor in Chief of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine, this charming, personal cookbook belongs on every cook’s shelf.

The cookbook is a labor of love.  Silvana Nardone was challenged to develop delicious (so delicious even a child would love them, without feeling like he was being robbed of a normal childhood filled with the kinds of foods kids love) meals for her son, Isaiah, after he was diagnosed with food-intolerances to gluten and dairy.

Remarkably, symptoms that had been plaguing young Isaiah cleared up almost immediately after his mom removed gluten and dairy from his diet.

While this cookbook would seem like a gift straight from Heaven for people of all ages who avoid gluten and/or dairy, I want to make one thing perfectly clear: Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy Delicious Meals is an outstanding cookbook for anyone – even those of us who are bedfellows with gluten and dairy.

There are two groups of people who will want to RUSH over to Amazon and buy this cookbook the very minute they finish reading this cookbook review:

  1. Anyone who is gluten and/or dairy-intolerant – or loves someone who is.  These highly-original and creative recipes and meal ideas will knock your socks off.  The recipes will open up a whole new culinary world in which you’ll delight in exploring.  It’ll make eating fun and exciting again.
  2. Everyone else!  Even those of us who aren’t the least bit intolerant of gluten or dairy will fall instantly in love with this cookbook.  There is a wonderful chart on the inside back cover (as well as on page 17) that gives you substitutions to use if you want to… well… gluten-ize and dairy-ize the recipes.   Basically, it’s as simple as using your everyday flour, cow’s milk, pancake mix, and cornbread where the author has used her own gluten-free recipe for flour and pancake mix, or where she has substituted with Rice Milk (although I’m such a fanatic for Rice Milk, I wouldn’t dream of substituting for it… LOVE the stuff!).

The creativity the mom-author shows in these recipes boggles the mind while it leaves you drooling over the pictures (the ones in the book as well as the ones in your own mind).

About the Author, Silvana Nardone
Silvana Nardone is the founding Editor in Chief of Every Day with Rachael Ray, where she has been honored with the magazine industry’s top awards since its launch in 2005. She is the magazine’s “No-Recipe Zone” and “Sweet Spot” columnist. A writer, editor, cooking instructor, and food consultant, she is the coauthor of Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian, has been featured in many publications including the New York Times, and has appeared on NBC Weekend Today, WCBS News This Morning, WABC Eyewitness News This Morning, E! Entertainment True Hollywood Story, Fox News Fox & Friends, and the Food Network’s Roker on the Road. She was profiled by Big Apple Parent and About.com for her focus on gluten-free and dairy- free cooking. Silvana owned an Italian bakery, Fanciulla, when Rachael Ray hired her to launch her magazine. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband Stephen and two children, Isaiah and Chiara. Visit her blog at DishTowelDiaries.com.

The first recipe I made from this outstanding cookbook was the Toasted Ham-and-Tomato Cornbread Sandwiches with Jalapeno Mayonnaise.  I simply used my favorite Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe instead of the “Double Corn Cornbread” called for.  The Double Corn Cornbread recipe is found in the book on page 75 and sounds awesome.  In fact, I plan to give it a try – but I simply had the ingredients on hand for Buttermilk Cornbread, so I went with it.

Besides, I adore buttermilk cornbread and I knew there’d be enough left over for breakfast the next morning.  I love to split cornbread in half, butter it, and toast it lightly on the griddle, right beside eggs as they fry.  Then I top off the cornbread with a layer of Pepper Jelly and place the fried egg right up on top.  SO GOOD.  Then again, the cornbread with pepper jelly is a special experience, with or without the egg.

Toasted Ham-and-Tomato Cornbread Sandwiches with Jalapeno Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves (I used cilantro)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt
4 (4-inch) squares Double Corn Cornbread (page 75) or store-bought cornbread – split and toasted
shredded lettuce (about 2 cups) for topping
1 pound deli-sliced smoked ham
4 tomato slices, for topping

1. In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, jalapenos, cilantro, lime juice, honey, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Process until smooth. (This jalapeno mayonnaise is so good you’ll want to eat it straight from the food processor bowl – trust me on this one. Your’s truly spread some on a Ritz cracker and had a fine time.)
2. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the jalapeno mayonnaise on each cornbread bottom; top each with shredded lettuce, ham, and a tomato slice. Spread the remaining jalapeno mayonnaise on each cornbread top and set in place. To serve, cut diagonally.

I actually cooked my cornbread in a large round pan, so my sandwiches were triangular. They were all kinds of cute and even more delicious than I can tell you – however, next time (and there will be many, many next times) I’ll go the square route because it’d be easier to maneuver the tomatoes and lettuce on a wider playing field.

The jalapeno mayonnaise would be incredible on…

  • BLTs
  • Homemade Vegetarian Subway Sandwiches
  • Turkey Paninis
  • Chicken Paninis,
  • Egg sandwiches
  • Ritz Crackers…

The Toasted Ham-and-Tomato Cornbread Sandwiches with Jalapeno Mayonnaise would be an excellent recipe for tailgating.  You’d surely rack up points for creativity AND taste.

Recipes such as this one keep your family on their toes.  The reason I love creative, original recipes is this:  They show your family that you love them enough to make their meals extra-special.  Who wants to come home to the same meal every night?  Keep things interesting and unexpected!

Other Recipes in Cooking for Isaiah:

  • Penne with Walnut Cream Sauce
  • Tomato Live Black Bean Soup with Avocado Cream
  • Chicken Potpie Soup
  • Hash Brown Belgian Waffles with Apple Sausage and Fried Eggs (You should see the picture!)
  • Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Doughnuts
  • Bacon-Apple Cornbread Stuffing
  • Creamed Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
  • Grilled BBQ Onion-Smothered Double Bacon Burgers (I don’t think a teenager would even breath between bites.)
  • Raspberry-Lemon Meringue Layer Cake
  • Chocolate Birthday Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting
  • Super Fudge Brownies
  • Rocky Road Rice Crispy Treats
  • Grilled Vegetable Pesto Pizza
  • Chocolate Chip-Banana Split Belgian Waffles with Wet Walnuts and Hot Fudge Sauce
  • Grilled Corn Cakes with Strawberry Syrup
  • Isaiah’s Pumpkin Muffins with Crumble Topping
  • Asparagus Risotto Casserole
  • Creamy Corn Chowder
  • Isaiah’s Whipped Hot Cocoaccino (I’m enjoying one right this minute!!!  This is so delicious – it calls for rice milk, which I always have on hand.  Amazing – you’d know how amazing if you could see me licking my lips like crazy.)

Do yourself a huge favor and order a copy of Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy Delicious Meals right now. You will not find recipes like these anywhere else.

As for me, my oldest daughter will be home on her lunch break in a few minutes, and I plan on meeting her in the kitchen with a mug of Isaiah’s Whipped Hot Cocoaccino. She’s kind of under the weather and I KNOW this will set her world right again.

Perfectly Peachy Fresh Fruit Salad Recipe

by Joi on August 2, 2010

I’m a total fruit fanatic and can never have enough fruit on hand. It’s healthy, delicious, fragrant, and a bowl of fruit (nature’s dessert) just makes a whole room look more attractive.

Below is one of my favorite recipes for fruit salad.  Feel free to experiment with different fruits, but don’t even think about leaving out the peaches.

Fresh Fruit Salad Recipe

2 Peaches
2 Apples
2 Nectarines
2 cups Strawberries
1 cup Red Seedless Grapes
1 cup White Seedless Grapes
2 Bananas
1 pkg. Peach Glaze
3 Tbs. Honey
3 Tbs. Lemon Juice

Use fresh fruit – very important! Slice and place the fruit combination into a large bowl. Combine the peach glaze, honey, and lemon juice. Pour over fruit and mix gently but well.

Keep refrigerated and just TRY not to eat it all at once!  I kid you now when I say this can easily pass for dessert.

Amco Tomato Mozzarella Slicer: One Sharp Kitchen Gadget

by Joi on July 19, 2010

I was recently sent a new kitchen gadget to review – which means I’ve been walking a little straighter, smiling a little more, and continually  humming, “What a Wonderful World.”

Yeah, this gal loves kitchen gadgets.

The source of the humming this time around is the Amco Tomato Slicer. Ingenious!

We eat a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of tomatoes – year round, really, but never more so than during the summer. We eat the ones from our own garden and we buy regularly from local farmers’ trucks. Our farmers and their families feed our country and tend our land – the least we can do is buy from them on a regular basis.

We also love cheese in our home – so a Tomato Mozzarella Slicer was a perfect fit for our kitchen.

It’s fantastic! I’ve used it for red tomatoes, green tomatoes, and mozzarella. It keeps my hands clean and gives my knives a day off. Giving knives a vacation day is just a good managerial strategy – keeps them sharp, you know.

My oldest daughter (Emily) has a fierce allergy to touching tomatoes – her hands break out when she comes into contact with the juices. This kitchen gadget would be ideal for anyone with such an allergy. They could slice tomatoes for their family and give hydro-cortisone the day off as well.

The Tomato Mozzarella Slicer creates uniform, attractive tomato slices for sandwiches, burgers, and salads. It also allows you to slice green tomatoes perfectly for fried green tomatoes – a staple in my kitchen.

Here’s a fresh, quick, delicious, and easy recipe to try for a change of pace from traditional salads:

Quick & Easy Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Slice a couple of tomatoes and a ball of mozzarella. Lie them on a platter in an attractive manner – fanning them out mozzarella, tomato, mozzarella, tomato, etc. Then drizzle (or mist) lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Now, sprinkle fresh basil over the mozzarella and tomatoes. Outstanding!

This type of quick salad is as healthy as it is good – it adheres to the basics of the Mediterranean Diet, which is always a great way to eat. It’s perfect served alongside soup, spaghetti, lasagna, manicotti, or any Italian recipe you can think of. It also makes a healthy snack for watching television or playing games.

Product Description for this Kitchen Gadget

Slice tomatoes into uniform 1/4-inch thick slices with one easy motion. Create perfect slices every time for hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and more. Simply position tomato in holder, center slicing blades above tomato and press down. Slicer can even cut mozzarella for perfect caprese salad. ABS with stainless steel blades. By Amco. With unique, patented kitchen products Amco’s devotion to innovation has driven new industry standards and redefined categories. They continue to revolutionize the market with ingenious gadgets that simplify and enhance the culinary experience. With a team of in-house designers whose sole purpose is to conceptualize and design new kitchen tools, Amco continues to be at the forefront of innovative, efficient and timeless kitchenware products.

Head over to Amazon for a closer look and to order your’s today: Tomato Mozzarella Slicer

Recipes From the Root Cellar: Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

by Joi on July 15, 2010

I was recently sent a copy of a wonderful cookbook to preview: Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables. I can’t even tell you how much a cookbook fanatic and collector like me loves getting her oven mitts on new cookbooks! Especially when they’re as packed with great recipes as this cookbook is.

Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables is wonderfully written by Andrea Chesman. She is the author of several cookbooks, including, Mom’s Best Desserts and Mom’s Best One-Dish Suppers.

About Recipes From the Root Cellar
Nothing tastes better than the seasonal bounty of local farms. Everyone loves the spring-is-here excitement of peas and asparagus and the summer sweetness of tomatoes and corn. Now it’s time to give the hearty, long-lasting bounty of the autumn garden its due. Whether these vegetables are eaten straight from the garden, out of a well-tended root cellar, or straight from the market, their flavors reward the home cook, and their nutritional benefits pack a powerful punch.

Sweet winter squashes, robust hardy greens, jewel-toned root vegetables, and potatoes of every variety are the staples that make eating locally so delicious and satisfying during the cold months of late autumn and winter.

These cold-weather treasures work wonderfully well in soups (Celery Root Bisque, Creamy Leek and Root Vegetable Soup, Portuguese Kale Soup) and baked entrees (White Lasagna with Winter Squash, Chicken Pot Pie with Root Vegetables, Winter Vegetable Pot Roast), but they also shine in winter salads. Warm Goat Cheese and Beet Salad; Endive, Pear, and Walnut Salad; and Thai Cabbage Salad can be the centerpieces of light winter dinners or delicious preludes to the main event.

With this collection of more than 250 recipes, veteran cookbook author and gardening enthusiast Andrea Chesman deliciously demonstrates how locavores in all parts of North America can eat seasonal produce year-round. Whether they’re eaten in soups or salads, side dishes or entrees, root-cellar vegetables can be a delicious part of every cooks winter kitchen.

Recipes include:

  • Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Garden Cornbread
  • Deep-Fried Root Vegetable Chips with Garlic Aioli
  • Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries
  • Cashew Carrots
  • Applesauce
  • Braised Collards with Bacon
  • Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
  • Deep-Fried Onion Rings
  • Root Vegetable Bread Pudding
  • White Lasagna with Winter Squash
  • Ravioli with Smoky Greens
  • Baked Winter Squash
  • Mashed Potatoes with Greens
  • Chicken Stew with Root Vegetables
  • ….and hundreds more!

One of the most delicious soups in the world is Italian Wedding Soup.  Words can’t even describe this soup! Below is a perfect version of Italian Wedding Soup from Recipes From the Root Cellar.

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe


12 cups chicken broth or turkey broth
1 pound ground turkey, or 1/2 pound ground pork and 1/2 pound ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup acini de pepe, pastina, or orzo (or other small pasta shapes)
1-1/2 pounds Lacinato kale, cut into ribbons (about 18 cups lightly packed; remove and discard tough stems)

Bring the broth to a simmer in a large saucepan.

To make the meatballs, combine the meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic,1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor.  Process until well mixed.  Alternatively, mix by hand in a large bowl.  With wet hands (to prevent the meat from sticking), form the meat mixture into 1/2-inch balls (the size of marbles) and add to the simmering soup.  Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Increase the heat slightly, add the pasta, and boil gently until cooked al dente, about 10 minutes.  Add the greens and continue to boil gently until tender, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning, remove from the heat, and serve.

Kitchen Note: The greens can be altered with the season, using curly kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole, chard, spinach, broccoli di rube, chicory, and cabbage, so feel free to substitute.  – Page 107, Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables

Whenever I make Italian Wedding Soup, I always use orzo – but the other suggestions the author makes are pastas I’m going to have to try.  I’m especially intrigued by the use of kale.  I’ve always used spinach and have never even thought of anything else.  But Kale, mustard greens, or cabbage – fascinating!  I can’t even tell you how much I love curly kale – so I know what I’ll be adding to my next pot of Italian Wedding Soup!

Truth be told, I’m craving a big bowl of soup right about now – in spite of the fact that it’s over 100 degrees outside (at least that’s what one of my outside cats just reported).  Soup is always the perfect thing for a meal, isn’t it?

Here are a few of the other soup recipes in Recipes From the Root Cellar:

  • Cream of Garlic Soup (YUM!)
  • Cabbage and Tomato Soup
  • White Bean and Cabbage Soup (my husband will love this one)
  • Miso Noodle Bowl
  • Onion-Miso Soup
  • Chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable broth, turkey broth, mushroom broth (!!!)
  • … and many more

I LOVE that she included recipes for vegetable broth and mushroom broth. When cooking things like stuffing or dressing, I always need at least one that’s completely vegetarian for my daughter, Brittany.  This mushroom broth will be ideal.

The applesauce recipe will also be put to great use as we have a great number of apple trees in our yard.  The author also includes recipes for Applesauce Crumb Cake and Maple-Apple Tea Cake.

In addition to the many recipes that I’ll use again and again, I also love the tips and quotes sprinkled throughout the 365 page cookbook.  There’s also a great section called “An Introduction to Winter Vegetables” – very informative.  There are cooking, buying, and storage ideas for Collard Greens, Kale, mustard greens, cabbage, garlic, leeks, shallots, onions, artichokes, squashes, beets, and many more.

From pages 18 and 19:  Jerusalem Artichokes

Jerusalem artichokes can be thinly sliced and added to salads, much like water chestnuts.  Their flavor is ore developed when cooked, and they are best roasted (see page 159).  They can be cooked alone or with potatoes and mashed.  They are also quite good pickled – just adapt your favorite dilly bean or bread-and-butter recipe.

If you love cooking and you love food – you’ll love this cookbook.  We all know we need to eat more vegetables for our health – it’s cookbooks like this one that help us feed ourselves, and our families, the kind of vegetable dishes we’ll all WANT to eat.  Again and again.

Click the following link to read more about Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables and order your own copy from Amazon.

Tips for Grilling and Barbecuing Safety This Summer

by Joi on July 1, 2010

Barbequing is one of America’s favorite summer pastimes, especially during Fourth of July weekend. However, grilling and barbecuing have recently been linked to food poisoning and even cancer.   Needless to say, this has all of us exercising caution.

ChicagoHealers.com Dr. Martha Howard M.D. provides the following tips for staying safe during summer grilling:

Safety Hazards:

  • An April 2006 presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research showed that when PhIP, a barbecue/char chemical, was added to rats’ food, they developed cancerous changes in their intestines, spleens and prostates within four weeks.
  • HCAs, heterocyclic amines, are also produced when meat is charred. This compound can increase the risk of breast, stomach, colon, and prostate cancer.
  • PAHs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are produced by smoking fat from chicken, fish or meat and can damage lung, liver, skin and kidney tissue.

Tips for Safe Barbequing:

  • Clean the grill: get rid of the old fats left over from previous meals.
  • Avoid petroleum starters for charcoal: If you use charcoal, use a wood starter and stack your charcoal up in a 2 pound metal can with the ends cut off. Lift off the can with tongs and spread out the coals when they are well started.
  • Proper timing: Avoid a time gap between opening the valve and starting the grill.
  • Wash your hands: Keep your hands clean and use separate plates and cutting boards for raw and cooked meats.  Be sure to wash hands again before putting on long, heat-proof barbecue gloves.
  • Trim meat: Trim most of the fat from meat; less fat means fewer PAHs.
  • Use marinades: This protects the meat from charring.  Put the marinade on, and refrigerate until use. Don’t let meat sit out.
  • Pre-cooking: Use pre-cooking prior to grilling, especially for items like raw brats. Avoid taking burgers, chicken or other meats directly from the freezer to the grill.
  • Cutting techniques: Cut meat and chicken into smaller pieces so they cook through.
  • Flipping: Turn down the fire, and turn your burgers, steaks, chops, or chicken often, so they cook through, and come out golden brown.
  • Meat thermometer: If you are cooking a thicker portion of meat or chicken, use a meat thermometer.
    • Chicken:  165 degrees
    • Hamburger: 160 degrees
    • Pork: 150 degrees
    • Hot dogs: 140 degrees
    • Steak: 145 degrees for medium rare and 160 degrees for medium.
  • Cleaning up: At the end of the barbecue, be sure to put out your charcoal completely, and if you are using propane, be sure the valve is turned off.

About ChicagoHealers.com

Chicago Healers (www.chicagohealers.com) is the nation’s pioneer prescreened integrative health care network, offering a comprehensive understanding of each practitioner’s services, approach, and philosophy.  Our holistic health experts teach and advocate natural and empowered health and life choices through their practices, the media, educational events, and our website.  With close to 200 practitioners and over 300 treatment services, Chicago Healers has provided nearly 400 free educational events for Chicagoans and has been featured in 300+ TV news programs and print publications.  For more information, visit www.chicagohealers.com.

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables? Be Creative!

by Joi on June 17, 2010

Today is actually Eat Your Vegetables Day.  What better time to have a vegetarian supper.  In our house, we have at least 2 suppers a week without meat.  Fortunately, we all love vegetables so much that we never even miss it.

Some people have a lot of trouble getting their kids to eat vegetables.  It’s funny, my three daughters have always been really, really good about eating their vegetables and fruit.  Compared to a lot of other kids, they’re culinary saints.  I’m not sure if the reason is that I’ve always fixed them and tried to make them as creative and delicious as possible or if we’re just lucky.

One reason may actually go back to when they were babies.  When each of my girls were ready to eat baby food, I started them out with vegetables.  My thinking was that if they got accustomed to the sweet, delicious fruit baby food, they might not be interested in the corn, green beans, sweet potatoes, or beets.  So, each of our babies had corn as their first baby food.   Then sweet potatoes… then apple sauce.

Whatever the reason(s), they’ll try any vegetable or fruit put in front of them and finish off most of them.

Any parent of “grown” children knows that when your children reach their teens and twenties, you get new children: Their boyfriends/girlfriends!  Our youngest daughter’s boyfriend is a sweetheart and we love him to distraction.  When it comes to vegetables, he’s like most kids – if it’s green, he doesn’t even want to look at it!  He loves green beans, though, but they’d darned sure better be seasoned with ham or bacon!

One of my signature dishes is a great Spinach Artichoke dip.  My husband, all of my girls, and our oldest’s boyfriend adore this dip.  But I always make sure I have salsa or a cheese dip for Mr. Not-If-It’s-Green!

If you have kids in your family who have similar aversions to fruit and vegetables (even if it is just green ones), take heart.  With a little creativity, you can present vegetables and fruit to them as a fun food.  Many restaurants are making it easier.

  • When you take your kids to Subway, order a fun little bag of apple slices.
  • At fast food restaurants, order salads to go with their sandwiches instead of fries.
  • The fruit and yogurt parfait at McDonald’s can be approached as  a “treat.”  Treat it with the same excitement you would an ice cream cone and your kids will pick up on the excitement.

Around the house, let your kids help in the kitchen.  Encourage them to pick out vegetables and fruit they want to try at the supermarket, then let them help you fix them. Many parents make the mistake of treating fruit and vegetables as something “healthy” that their kids HAVE to eat…. sort of like medicine!  Treat vegetables and fruit like any other food – something delicious and fun to eat.

Disney’s Family Fun website offers a lot of cool ideas for getting your kids to eat their vegetables.  The adorable creation above is their Cucumber Snake.  Is he cute or what?  His “snake pit”?  Hummus!

Gather lots of different vegetables for your kids to come up with their own creations.  You can use hummus, ranch, or peanut butter for dipping fun.

Click the following link for the recipe/directions: Crazy Cucumber Snake: Get Your Kids to Eat Their Vegetables!

Organic ProBugs from Lifeway Foods: Your Kids Will Love These

by Joi on June 10, 2010

Absolutely delicious. That’s what came to mind when I tasted Lifeway Organic’s ProBugs Organic Whole Milk Kefir – Strawbanana Split.

When I was first contacted, I thought, “ProBugs…Kefir?… Sounds like a laboratory experiment…” – but I agreed to test a few because of something I’ve learned over the years: If someone is willing to send you a product and encourages you to let your readers know what you think (good, bad, or indifferent), they have a great deal of confidence and pride in their stuff…. and for good reason.

Never fails.

My youngest daughter, Stephany, and I were anxious to test them as soon as they came in the mail. I made sure to save one for my oldest daughter, Emily – she with the probiotic yogurt obsession.

All three of us were completely blown away by how delicious these drinks are. They come in very, very colorful kid-friendly disposable containers. They’re the perfect size for little hands and feature no-spill spouts for little mouths. I guarantee your kids will love these – and so will you! They remind me of a strawberry shake or a fruity smoothie.

Kids will drink every drop and never realize how healthy each one is for them.

The organic ProBugs line from Lifeway Foods is the perfect chance to turn your children (of all ages!) onto healthy foods. Too many unhealthy foods are available for them – we’ve got to “right” the ship and start providing our kids with healthier alternatives.

Please visit Lifeway.net for great information, healthful facts, and even a little fun for the kids.

Put ‘em Up! A Guide to Drying, Freezing, Canning, and Pickling Food

by Joi on June 7, 2010

I was recently sent a copy of Put ‘em Up!: A Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide for the Creative Cook, from Drying and Freezing to Canning and Pickling by Sherri Brooks Vinton and, after devouring ever page, I couldn’t wait to share it with you.

For a lot of reasons, I’m drawn to the concept of preserving foods at home. Health, safety, and economic concerns are leading many cooks to explore the notions of freezing, canning, drying, and pickling their own foods.

Besides, it’s just crazy fun!

About Put ‘em Up: A Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide

PRESERVING IS BACK, AND IT’S BETTER THAN EVER. Flavors are brighter, batch sizes are more flexible, and modern methods make the process safer and easier. Eating locally is on everybodys mind, and nothing is more local than Heirloom Salsa made from vine-fresh tomatoes or a quick batch of Ice-Box Berry Jam saved from the seasons last berries. Even beginners who never made peach jam or dill pickles in their grandmothers kitchens are eager to pick up preserving skills as a way to save money, extend the local harvest, and control the quality of preserved ingredients.

The step-by-step instructions in Put ‘em Up will have the most timid beginners filling their pantries and freezers with the preserved goodness of summer in no time. An extensive Techniques section includes complete how-to for every kind of preserving: refrigerating and freezing, air- and oven-drying, cold- and hot-pack canning, and pickling. And with recipe yields as small as a few pints or as large as several gallons, readers can easily choose recipes that work for the amount of produce and time at hand.

Real food advocate Sherri Brooks Vinton offers recipes with exciting flavor combinations to please contemporary palates and put preserved fruits and vegetables on dinner-party menus everywhere. Pickled Asparagus and Wasabi Beans are delicious additions to holiday relish trays; Sweet Pepper Marmalade perks up cool-weather roasts; and Berry Bourbon is an unexpected base for a warming cocktail.

The best versions of tried-and-true favorites are all here too. Bushels of fresh-picked apples are easily turned into applesauce, dried fruit rings, jelly, butter, or even brandy. Falling-off-the-vine tomatoes can be frozen whole, oven dried, canned, or made into a tangy marinara. Options for pickling cucumbers range from Bread and Butter Chips and Dill Spears to Asian Ice-Box Pickles. Something delicious for every pantry!

Recipes in Put ‘em Up Include:

  • Pickled Asparagus
  • Wasabi Beans
  • Beet Relish
  • Grannys Chow-Chow
  • Cantaloupe Agua Fresca
  • Asian Carrot Slaw
  • Easy Bake Tomato Paste
  • Curried Cauliflower
  • Sweet and Sour Pickled Onions
  • Cherry and Black Pepper Preserves
  • Pickled Jalapenos
  • Three-Chili Hot Sauce
  • Preserved Lemons
  • Candied Citrus Rind
  • Heirloom Tomato Salsa
  • Oven-Dried Sweet Corn
  • Bread and Butter Chips
  • Roasted Garlic Butter
  • Dill Pesto with Feta
  • Dried Pear Chips
  • Watermelon Agua Fresca
  • Heirloom Watermelon Jelly
  • Sugar Plums
  • Classic Strawberry Jam
  • Sweet Pepper Marmalade
  • Salsa Verde
  • Oven-Dried Tomatoes
  • Pickled Watermelon Rind
  • Strawberry Vinegar
  • Pickled Beets with Dill
  • Frozen Carrots
  • Many More!

Chapters in Put ‘em Up Include

  • Making Jams and Jellies
  • Making Salsas, Chutneys, and Relishes
  • Making Butters, Sauces, and Ketchups
  • Food Preservation Method: Refrigeration
  • Food Preservation Method: Freezing
  • Food Preservation Method: Infusion
  • Food Preservation Method: Drying
  • Food Preservation Method: Boiling Water-Method
  • Blanching
  • Resources
  • And countless recipes, tips, and techniques!
Recipe: Watermelon Agua Fresca (Page 286)

1 small melon or half of a large one, rind removed, fruit cut into large chunks
1 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
Juice of 1 lime
1. Set a fine-mesh sieve or colander lined with dampened cheesecloth over a bowl.  Puree the melon in a blender or food processor, working in batches as necessary.  Transfer the pureed melon to the sieve as you go.  Let drain fully; compost solids.
2.  Pour the melon juice into a pitcher.  Add the water, sugar, and lime juice and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Serve over ice, with a splash of seltzer, if you like.
Refrigerate without ice or seltzer for up to 3 days or freeze juice in 8 ounce servings for up to 3 months.

About the Author: Sherri Brooks Vinton

Sherri Brooks Vinton is the founder of FarmFriendly LLC, which helps chefs, restaurateurs, and food organizations support local agriculture.  She is a former governor of Slow Food USA, and a member of the Chef’s Collaborative, Women’s Chefs and Restaurateurs, Northeast Organic Farmers Association, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.  She is the author of The Real Food Revival and lives in Connecticut.

Put ‘em Up!: A Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide for the Creative Cook, from Drying and Freezing to Canning and Pickling is a wonderful book for the cook who is new to home preserving as well as for the seasoned pro. Honestly, all the information you need is right in these pages.

The book is bright, beautiful, and very enjoyable to read. The recipes are clear, easy to follow, and can’t be found anywhere else. Shake a leg and order your copy from Amazon today. Your family will sing your praises all winter long – in between bites, that is.

Put ‘em Up!: A Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide for the Creative Cook

Fruit Dip That’ll Have Them Begging for More Fruit

by Joi on May 27, 2010

We all know that fruit is wonderfully healthy for us and we try to put it in front of our families as often as possible.  Sometimes it’s a hit, sometimes not so much.

I love fruit so much that it’s like dessert for me, but not every member of my family feels the same way.  I encourage my husband to eat more fruit with Cottage Cheese and vanilla yogurt (usually with added nuts or granola).  My oldest daughter, Emily, is a huge fan of breakfast food, so I can easily serve her raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries in oatmeal, in pancakes, or alongside French Toast.  Both of them also like fruit salads and cereal with fruit.

Our youngest daughters, Brittany and Stephany, have always been a little bit of a challenge – especially Brittany.  The following Fruit Dip recipe (along with caramel sauce for apples and pears) is one sure-fire way I can get fruit into ALL of my family members.

Delicious Creamy Fruit Dip Recipe

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons of your favorite syrup (not butter-flavored or light, though)
Fresh Fruit (or you’ve defeated your purpose!)

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugars, and syrup. Beat until smooth and creamy. Chill until ready to serve.

This fruit dip is excellent with strawberries, apples (stir in a little caramel sauce in place of the syrup for an extra treat with apples), pears, peaches (have mercy!), grapes, blackberries, your fingers…. did I type that out loud??

Another Idea: If you’ve made a killer fruit salad, this dip is delicious and beautiful when drizzled over the whole shebang.

Yield: 2 delicious cups

Click the following link to find out which fruits made the Top 20 list of Superfoods according to South Beach Diet.

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