From the category archives:

Health and Fitness

Eating Well on a Budget? For Reals?

by Joi on March 14, 2010

One of the books I’d most recommend to anyone right now is The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well on a Budget by Lucy Beale and Jessica Partridge. At a time when we’re all challenging ourselves to stay on a budget AND eat healthy, this is the book we absolutely needed the most. If you’re like me, you’d just about decided that eating as healthy as you wanted to was out of your budget. I was pretty much at that point when this outstanding book came along.

After arming myself with the knowledge and tips from these authors, I know that it isn’t just possible to eat well on a budget, it’s deliciously possible.

First, a few all-important facts:

You and your family won’t gain weight if you each eat about 2,000 calories a day per adult.
You don’t need to purchase more food than your target number of calories for the week.
You won’t be wasting food or letting it rot in the refrigerator. If it rots because no one eats it, be wary if you consider purchasing that food in the future.

Throughout the book, the authors provide a lot of what I call “Roadblocks” – thoughts and circumstances that lead us to choose poorly while at the supermarket or restaurant. They offer ways around, or through, these roadblocks. There are also great tips on saving money, staying on a budget, eating healthier foods, and making each calorie count.

There are also a lot of wonderful recipes… we’ll get to them in a minute!

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well on a Budget has 21 chapters in all and is over 300 pages in length. I suppose you’d expect authors who are so budget conscious to give their readers even more than they paid for. I’m very grateful and you will be as well.

A Few of the Chapters From Eating Well on a Budget

The Best Nutrition at the Best Price

The Budget

Food and Menu Planning

Eating Out on a Budget

The Shopping List

More Ways to Save on Food

Breakfasts

Beef and Pork Main Dishes

Desserts

The next time you dine out at a sit-down restaurant, notice the price of coffee, tea, and a glass of wine. They’re probably higher than you thought. You may choose not to order them again. – - Page 18, Eating Well on a Budget

I was really glad to see that the authors covered all aspects of dining – at home as well as in restaurants. They’ve included great tips on saving money each and every time we place a bite or drink into our mouths.

Chapter 2 includes a clear, perfectly laid-out plan for starting to budget. They tell you the tools you’ll need (receipts, notebook, calculator) to become a budgeting whiz and how you’ll need to go about the process.

Food Preparation is covered in Chapter 5 and includes…

Cooking to save money
Preparing in quantity, eating in moderation
Making delicious use of leftovers
Keeping prepared foods on hand

Here’s one of the great tips (“Kitchen Wise“) from this chapter: Keep sandwich fillings on hand for quick meals on the run. You’ll need bread, mayonnaise or mustard, and fillings, such as cheese, sliced meats, tuna, or peanut butter. Add an apple or other piece of fruit, and you have a balanced meal.

Some of the Remarkable Recipes in Eating Well on a Budget

The recipes the authors have chosen sound delicious! What’s more, they’ve included dietary information, cooking time, prep time, serving size, and “Tasty Tidbits.” Again, giving the reader far more than he or she expected.

A few of my favorite recipes from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well on a Budget are:

Hummus
White Chili
Creamy Clam Chowder
Nine Vegetable Soup
Grown Up Peanut Butter and Jelly (YUM!)
Baked French Toast with Honey Walnut Syrup
Chile Egg Puff
Savory Spinach and Bacon Bake
Zesty Breakfast Burritos
Just Right Cheese Omelet (made with Monterey Jack Cheese!)
Hawaiian Ham Rollups
Egg Salad with Red Pepper and Walnuts
Ham and White Bean Soup
Red Chili
Quick Beef Fajitas
Lemon Pecan Stuffed Chicken
Herbed Salmon Cakes
Lasagna with Meat and Cheese
Fruit Glazed Carrots
Raspberry Banana Bread
Slow-Cooked Pudding and Fruit Cake
Cookies Flavored with Tea
Pear Cobbler
Buttermilk Corn Bread
Cheese Grits Casserole
Many, Many more!

Since we’re all thinking about Easter meals and Easter recipes, I thought I’d include the Fruit-Glazed Carrots recipe in the review. Save this one (better yet, print it out) for your Easter meal. There’s also a great recipe for Mustard-Glazed Ham in the book. Order today and you’ll be set long before Easter gets here!

Fruit-Glazed Carrots Recipe

Page 246, Eating Well on a Budget

4 cups sliced carrots
2 TBS water
2 TBS fruit jam or jelly – peach, strawberry, or apricot
1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 TBS olive oil
dash salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place carrots in a microwave-safe bowl with water. Cover and microwave on high for 8 minutes. Drain well. Add jam, vinegar, and olive oil. Mix gently.

Transfer carrots to a lightly oiled 8×8x2 or 9×9x2 inch baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Bake 15 minutes. Serve hot or chill 20 minutes before serving.

Variation: Try orange marmalade or chutney to intensify the flavor of the carrots. For a spicy taste, substitute 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce for the vinegar.

Kitchen Wise: The sauce for these carrots tastes great on other vegetables as well, such as broccoli, snap peas, and spinach. You can also serve the sauce on the side for dipping. – Page 246, Eating Well on a Budget

Hmmmmm, I just happened to think of another way to use this sauce. Have you ever made homemade fried jalapenos? This sauce (particularly if you use Red Plum or a berry-based jelly) would be outstanding to dip fried jalapenos in.

Do yourself, your family, and your budget a huge favor and head over to Amazon right now to order this wonderful book. I wouldn’t recommend it to you if I didn’t know 100 percent that you’ll love it as much as I do. Here’s the link to healthier eating and a happier budget: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well on a Budget

Chipotle Corn Chowder Recipe from Dave Lieberman

by Joi on March 11, 2010

March is popular month for many reasons. As a sports fan, I associate it with March Madness (Go UK!) and pre-season baseball. Those of us who are nature lovers, associate it with the return of robins and other favorite birds and the blooming of beautiful flowers, plants, and trees. But March has more up her sleeve than all of this. Did you know that March is also National Nutrition Month?!

Who knew? Quite the over-achiever Miss March.

Your family will love this chock-full-o-veggies chowder recipe from Dave Lieberman, campaign spokesperson for Del Monte “Value without Sacrifice” and Chef and Author of The 10 Things You Need to Eat: And More Than 100 Easy and Delicious Ways to Prepare Them.

Tip from Dave: Just because you’re cooking doesn’t mean you have to slave in the kitchen. There are simple things you can do to create delicious, memorable meals that don’t require a lot of time or money. My biggest tip this year is for budget-conscious consumers to stock up on pantry staples to supplement fresh or frozen items.

And with nutrients such as fiber and vitamin C, Del Monte Whole Kernel Corn is a staple item that everyone should have in their pantry!

Chipotle Corn Chowder Recipe

3 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil
Flesh from a 3-to-4 pound pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, diced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart reduced-sodium College Inn® Chicken Broth
1 can Del Monte® 50% Less Salt Whole Kernel Corn, drained (Dave’s pick for a lot more quality and nutritional value, without sacrificing taste)
2 chipotle peppers, roughly chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
5 thyme sprigs
to taste salt
to taste black pepper, freshly ground
1 small bunch cilantro, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped

Directions:

Heat the butter or oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the pumpkin and/or squash and onion and cook 5 minutes.
Add the flour and stir into the onion and pumpkin. Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring all the while. Add the corn, chipotle peppers, cream, and thyme and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin/squash is fork tender but not falling apart.
Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in most of the cilantro leaves, reserving some for garnish.
Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish with the remaining cilantro leaves.

Vegetarian Recipe: Raw Hummus Romaine Roll-Ups!

by Joi on March 1, 2010

The vegetarian recipe below is from the wonderful cookbook you see pictured above – The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Being Vegetarian. I’ve already reviewed this book on Get Cooking, so I’ll spare you the details about how much you need your own copy (which you do!). You can find my review linked below the recipe. I’m even more impressed with this cookbook now that I’ve re-read it and tried out more of the recipes. There are more than just recipes, of course, there is a wealth of information for everyone – whether you are…

A vegetarian who hasn’t touched meat in years.
A new vegetarian.
A semi-vegetarian.
A fish, and chicken-lover who is trying to eat more vegetables and more vegetarian meals.
Eating a burger right this minute and wish I’d shut-up about veggies.

No matter what category you’re in, you’ll love this book. Personally, I’m a 4… a very happy 4 who is about to eat a fish sandwich for lunch.

Vegetarian Recipe: Raw Hummus Romaine Roll-Ups

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Serving Size: 1 Roll-up
1 cup sprouted garbanzo beans (or steamed)
1/2 cup tahini
1 cup olive oil
2 TBS fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 TBS tamari
Salt
Pinch cayenne
Water
Large romaine lettuce leaves (washed, patted dry)
Feta cheese, crumbled
1 tomato, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped

Place the garbanzo beans in a blender or a food processor. Add tahini, olive oil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, tamari, salt, and cayenne, and blend until creamy.

Spread several tablespoons hummus onto 1 romaine leaf, and top with crumbled feta cheese, chopped tomato, and chopped cucumber. Roll and eat.

This makes an outstanding hummus – whether you bring the romaine lettuce to the party or not. I love this hummus served with raw vegetables and/or crackers.

From my own experience (this isn’t from the book), you can substitute creamy peanut butter for tahini and soy sauce for the tamari. Tahini can be pretty costly. It depends on the mood I’m in at the grocery store whether I buy it or just use peanut butter. I’m familiar with both and, honestly, can’t tell a discernible enough difference to recommend one over the other.

The wonderful recipe above is from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Being Vegetarian by Frankie Avalon Wolfe, M.H., Ph.D. You can read my review of the cookbook and see if you’d be interested in a copy of your own. Whether you are a vegetarian or not, this really is an outstanding book.

Chocolate, As Prescribed By the Doctor

by Joi on February 17, 2010

Nothing but love. I’ve got nothing but love for Dr. Al Sears right now. He has the following to say about a close, dear friend of mine, Chocolate:

If you ate chocolate on Valentine’s Day, I have some news for you. You don’t have to feel guilty.

In fact, I have evidence that you may have cut your risk from dying of a stroke nearly in half.

Two studies give us great news about chocolate.

The first study found that people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22% less likely to have a stroke.

The second study found that people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46% less likely to die following a stroke than those who didn’t eat chocolate.

About 80% of strokes occur when there isn’t enough blood getting to the brain.3 Your brain is starved of oxygen and nutrients and begins to die immediately.

Chocolate helps to counteract that in two ways. It’s rich in antioxidants and helps to increase circulation.

Flavonoids fight silent inflammation, which is the leading cause of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and many others.

You can find flavonoids in vegetables, tea, and red wine, but cocoa has more flavonoids. In fact, dark chocolate contains up to four times the antioxidants found in tea.

The good doctor… well, let’s just go ahead and call him the grand doctor… has this advice for finding the best sources of chocolate:

Look for chocolate that contains 70% or more cocoa. This is the ingredient that contains health benefits.

Check how much sugar is added to the chocolate you choose. Keep it as low as possible. But choose sugar over artificial sweeteners or chocolate labeled “sugar free.”

Beware of other chemicals in the chocolate. Choose a brand that has pure ingredients and no chemical additives.

Make chocolate your special treat of choice once a week.

You can find good quality chocolate at a health-food store. More and more it’s finding its way into grocery and drug stores. Read the label to be sure of the quality and content.

Only one problem, when he says to make chocolate your “special treat of choice once a week…” don’t you imagine that he meant once an hour?

Source: Dr. Al Sears

How to Make a Banana Smoothie

by Joi on February 11, 2010

I bought a new blender yesterday with one thing in mind – Smoothies! I’ve tried out a few and I’m completely hooked. So far, my favorites are Blueberry Smoothies, Strawberry Smoothies, and Banana Smoothies.

A banana smoothie is a healthy, quick cold treat that you can make any time of year, not just in summer. There are a variety of ways to make a banana smoothie, but in this article we’ll stick with the basics.

Here are the tools and utensils you’ll need to make your banana smoothie:

A blender
Knife to cut up your banana
Serving glasses
Measuring cups

And here are the ingredients that we’ll be using to make our banana smoothie:

1 ripe banana
1 cup of crushed ice
1 cup of cold milk
1 tbsp of brown sugar

Here’s how to make the perfect banana smoothie every time

Some people like to freeze their banana first before adding it to the blender, but I find it turns out great using a regular room temperature banana.

Peel your banana and break it or cut it up into pieces and add it to your blender. Then pour in the ice, milk and add the brown sugar.

Turn on your blender and hold the top of the lid firmly in place. This is important because with something hard like ice inside, there’s a possibility that the lid could get knocked off and then you’d end up with a mess. If you don’t have crushed ice, use ice cubes instead, but pulse the blender a few times to break the ice cubes into smaller pieces.

Blending time should take about 30-60 seconds, but make sure your banana smoothie has a smooth creamy texture before serving.

When the mixture is finished blending, pour it out into a glass and if you decide to use a straw to drink from, use bigger straws to make it easier.

Video: How to make a banana smoothie

(I have no idea who this is in the video below – I just thought it might be helpful for my readers!)

I’ve become a Smoothie addict, so you’ll be seeing plenty of smoothie recipes, tips, and what not. I’m working on iced coffee drinks as well…. I’ll bet you already assumed that. So transparent.

Healthy Recipes from Prevention’s Flat Belly Diet For Men

by Joi on February 6, 2010

Football and unhealthy food often go hand in hand. Chips, dips, nachos, wings — not necessarily the best food for one’s waistline! The following recipes are from Prevention’s new book, The Flat Belly Diet! for Men and I can easily see them putting the other foods on the DL – as in Don’t touch List. Okay, that would actually be the DTL, but we’ll just let it go.

Of course, these recipes will be fantastic whether it’s Superbowl Sunday or not.

Every recipe in this book, written by Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief of Prevention, with Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, weighs in at less than 400 calories per serving and boasts a MUFA, or mono-unsaturated fatty acid, which have been proven to help shed belly fat (including the dangerous visceral fat that increases your risk for a number of serious health problems) and improve heart health.

They certainly have my attention, how about you?

For more information, visit Flat Belly Diet for Men.com. After checking out Flat Belly Diet for Men’s website, you’ll want to head to Prevention’s website for more great recipes from the Flat Belly Diet. There’s a Spinach-Pesto dip that I have an appointment with soon. Very soon.

SPICY CHICKEN CHEESE STEAK WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND PEPPERS

Preparation time: 10 minutes / Cooking time: 16 minutes / Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup olive oil (MUFA)
12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces shredded 50 percent reduced fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (8-ounce) French baguette, split lengthwise

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and reserve. Return the skillet to the stove and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, oregano, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 9 minutes, or until the onions are golden. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute, or until starting to brown. Add the chicken, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Cook 1 minute, or until hot. Remove from the heat and add in the cheese, stirring until melted.

2. Top the baguette with the chicken mixture. Cut into 4 portions and serve.

*********************************

BLACK AND RED BEAN CHILI WITH WAGON WHEELS

Preparation time: 10 minutes / Cooking time: 30 minutes / Makes 4 Servings

4 ounces wagon wheel pasta
1/4 cup olive oil (MUFA)
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (15-ounce) no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Bring pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions, then drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook 1 minute. Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and salt, stirring until the chocolate has melted. Serve over the pasta.

Original Super Bowl Recipes Courtesy of the Amazing Avocado!

by Joi on January 31, 2010

I can’t even tell you how much I love avocados. I’ve tried before and felt that I came up short, so I figure why even try? Suffice to say, I could eat two every single day for the rest of my life and want more. I use them in guacamole (of course), on paninis, in tossed salads, in pasta salads, on pizza, in tacos, in fajitas, and I’ve even put them into scrambled eggs before.

I also love to slice them, remove the pit, and sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice inside. Then I toss a little finely chopped tomato with a little olive oil and salt and glob the tomato mixture onto the avocado. If I have fresh cilantro on hand, I sprinkle some on top. Then I have a party in my mouth. Naturally, I also simply slice them and eat them quite often as well.

A year or so ago, while reading a favorite cookbook, Nigella Express, I came across this quote from the beautiful author: “I eat an enormous amount of avocados…. (I remember reading) when I was really quite young, just in my teens, that the dogs that lived in avocado orchards always had shiny, glossy coats because of all the windfall fruit they snaffled up daily. That image has stuck with me, and it is such an appealing one. I always have it in mind as I prepare myself an avocado, which is often.”

Ever since reading that quote, I picture Nigella’s gorgeous hair when I cut open an avocado!

Below you’ll find a wealth of Avocado information – how to pick an avocado, how to cut an avocado, how to prepare an avocado, the nutritional values of avocados, a guacamole recipe, and a Chicken and Avocado Pizza recipe. Have mercy! The avocado recipes below (as well as the ones linked to at the end of this Mega Avocado Post) can give you the power to have the best Superbowl Snacks on the block when the Colts and the Saints fight it out for the big one. This has nothing to do with avocados or even cooking, but for the first time EVER, I honestly don’t care which team wins this year – I like them about the same. Peyton Manning is a class act and the Colts are a classy organization -what’s not to like about them? At the same time, the Saints are a lot of fun to watch and they’ve really built their program up to a position of dominance. It’d be great to see them rewarded for all their hard work.

I guess I’ll just sit back and enjoy the game, almost as much as the snacks!

Guacamole Monster Dip Recipe

1 fully ripened Avocado from Mexico – halved, pitted and diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon wasabi
1 cup plain thick Greek-style yogurt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

In bowl, combine avocado, yogurt, ginger, salt, wasabi, garlic, and lime juice; stir until well mixed.
Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Garnish with chopped chives, if desired.
Serve as a dip with chips or vegetables or topping for iceberg lettuce wedges or romaine hearts.

Preparation time is about 5 minutes. Yields about 1-1/2 cups.

Chicken and Avocado Pizza Recipe

California-style pizza, ready to enjoy in less than 15 minutes | Serves 2-4

1 12-inch Boboli ready-made pizza crust
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/4 teaspoon chipotle Tabasco
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 fully ripened Avocado from Mexico, halved pitted, peeled and sliced

-Heat oven to 425°F. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet; bake crust 7 minutes.
-In small bowl, combine pizza sauce and Tabasco.
-Spread pizza with sauce; top with chicken, Avocado and cheese.
-Bake until crust is crisp on the bottom, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Yields 8 slices.

Nutritional Information for Avocados:

One-fifth of a medium avocado (3 slices), or about one ounce, has only 50 calories.
Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 8% folate, 4% fiber, 2% iron, 4% potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene.
Avocados contribute good fats to one’s diet, providing 3 grams monounsaturated fat and 0.5 polyunsaturated grams fat per 1 oz. serving.
Avocados have a favorable unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio of 3.5 grams to 0.5 grams, making them a great substitute for foods rich in saturated fats.
Avocados can help consumers meet the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA), which are to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat. According to the AHA, mono and polyunsaturated fats, when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease risk for heart disease.
Avocados are cholesterol- and sodium-free, and more than 50 percent of the fruit’s fat content comes from monounsaturated fats. The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat.
Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.
Avocados contain 76 milligrams beta-sitosterol in a 3-oz serving of avocado. Beta-sitosterol is a natural plant sterol which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Avocados contain 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein in a 1 oz. serving, which some studies suggest may help maintain healthy eyes.

How to Choose the Perfect Avocado from Mexico

(Or, How to recognize your Hass!)

Avocados from Mexico are available year round. You can spot a ripe Hass Avocado from Mexico by its green-black pebbly textured skin.
Look for the “Avocados from Mexico” sticker
It appears on only the finest Avocados imported from Mexico.
Hass has heft
When you hold the Avocado, it should feel heavy for its size and have no mushy spots.

Get it ripe
Avocados mature on the tree, but they soften and develop their fullest flavor after picking. You can count on a firm green Avocado to ripen within three to four days. If the skin is a mottled color – green with black patches – it will be ready for use in a shorter time, two to three days.

Need your Avocado now?
If you need Avocados to use right away, look for fruit whose skin has turned dark green or black. The Avocado should yield to gentle pressure from a thumb.

Avocado Ripening and Storage Information

How to tell if your Avocado is ripe
To determine if your Avocado from Mexico is ripe, gently press on the bottom with your finger; ripe Avocados will feel slightly soft. And when shopping for and storing Avocados, use this guide:

Storing ripe Avocados
Avocados at stages 2 – 4 can be stored at room temperature in an area with good circulation to continue their ripening. For speedier ripening, keep Avocados in a closed paper bag. To slow down ripening, refrigerate them until a few days before use.
Avocados at stages 4 – 5 can be stored in your refrigerator (36º to 40º F) for up to one week. When saving part of an Avocado for later use, cover the exposed flesh with plastic wrap to slow oxidation.

How to Cut and Prepare an Avocado

Cut
Using a sharp knife, cut into the Avocado straight down, longitudinally (from top to bottom) until you hit the pit.
Twist
Take the Avocado and twist it until it separates into two halves, one of which will contain the pit.
Hit
Carefully strike the pit with your knife. Using a twisting motion, use the knife’s leverage to loosen and dislodge the pit.
Spoon
With a spoon, gently scoop away the Avocado’s flesh from the outer skin.
Enjoy
Your Avocado is now ready to make your appetizer or entrée a work of culinary art.

Ways to Serve Avocados

Avocados are most commonly used to make guacamole, but they are so versatile and can be incorporated into many other dishes like main entrees,, salads, dips, desserts, and sandwiches.

Avocados substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce dietary intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.

Images, recipes, and information are courtesy of www.theamazingavocado.com. Visit their site for hundreds of recipes. I just found one for Fish Tacos that I’ll be trying this week (I’d make it tonight if I didn’t already have a huge pot of Great Northern beans, potatoes, and ham cooking!). Another favorite is the Portabella Burgers with Avocado Spread. I’ve linked you to the page containing these recipes – be sure to browse around for more. That’s where I’m headed!

Classic Quesadillas Without the Classic Extra Fat and Calories

by Joi on January 27, 2010

On another blog recently, I was pointing out my husband’s outrageous loyalty to favorite brands (NordicTrack among others). I got to thinking about it and I might even be more loyal to certain brands when it comes to cooking and cleaning. You certainly know about my dedication to Sargento Cheeses and Beemer (online) Cheeses. I figure, if something’s outstanding, why wander away from it.

When I’m in the grocery store, in the dairy and cheese aisle, I don’t even bother looking at the other brands of cheese – I just look at the varieties of Sargento. (By the way, I realize this is reading kind of like a commercial, so I’ll just add that I am not being paid in any way to say these words! I just think this brand of cheese is ridiculously good.)

Sargento has been offering delicious, better than average cheese for some time now – but recently they began adding Reduced Fat cheeses to their line-up. I ignored them for a while, pretending like I didn’t see them any more than they saw me. Then I tried them and was blown straight away. If the packages didn’t tell me that they were reduced fat, I swear I’d never know.

I recently bought a few bags of Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese (Shredded Reduced Fat Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, & Asadero Cheese). I used one bag with Chicken Tacos and the other with a recipe for Classic Quesadillas that was on the back of the bag. Delicious! The recipe is below and you must, must, must try it.

Classic Quesadillas Recipe with Sargento’s Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese

2 cups (8 oz.) Sargento® Shredded Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese, divided
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp. chopped bottled jalapeño peppers
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
1/2 cup chunky-style salsa
1/4 cup fat-free or light sour cream (optional)

Directions:

Combine 1-1/2 cups cheese, beans, cilantro and jalapeño peppers in a medium bowl; mix well. Spoon onto tortillas; fold each tortilla over.
Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat until hot. Place 2 quesadillas in skillet. Cook 1 minute or until golden brown on bottom. Turn; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Cover; reduce heat. Cook 2 minutes more or until golden brown and cheese is melted. Cover to keep warm.
Repeat with remaining quesadillas and cheese. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

I didn’t have any sour cream on hand, although it is wonderful with quesadillas, tacos, burritos, etc. In addition to the salsa, I served these with one of my favorite things on earth – guacamole. I almost always have at least 2 avocados rolling around the kitchen. Actually, make that at least 4 – two on the counter ready to go and a few more on a shelf, softening up. It’s my avocado system and it’s a delicious one.

So are these quesadillas!

Iron Chef America Bamboo Steamer

by Joi on January 25, 2010

Tonight for supper I made fish, shrimp cocktails, boiled baby carrots in a buttery dill and rosemary sauce, and steamed vegetables. I arranged a combination of red peppers, squash, wax beans, mushroom caps, red onion slices, and celery into each layer of my beloved bamboo steamer and steamed the vegetables until they were a tender crisp.

I added some bay leaves to the water in the pot below and the entire kitchen smelled amazing. Fortunately, the vegetables tasted just as good as my nose told me they would.

If you don’t have a bamboo steamer yet, I urge you to buy one this week. I have two electric steamers and 1 bamboo steamer. I haven’t used either of the electric ones since the bamboo steamer moved in. It’s love! Steaming vegetables is a wonderfully healthy way to cook…. and oh so classy.

The Iron Chef America 12-in. Bamboo Bamboo Steamer at the top of the post is from Cooking.com.

Features:
Iron Chef is an innovative cooking competition from from Japan. Originally produced by Fuji TV, Iron Chef combined the excitement of a one on one sports competition with gourmet cooking. The title Iron Chef comes from the original Japanese title, Ironmen of Cooking. The bamboo steamer is made from all natural bamboo with an authentic handmade Chinese design. The double-woven lid allows the steam to hover in the top while the bottom keeps the vegetables from soaking in water. One of the healthiest methods of cooking, steaming allows for the foods natural oils and flavors to be released so that no oils are needed.

Jamie Oliver Leads an American Revolution

by Joi on January 22, 2010

It’s certainly no secret that American eating habits have gotten out of hand. What’s worse, these habits are becoming increasingly unhealthy as more and more Americans rely too much on processed and fast food.

People are losing touch with the concept of integrating a balanced diet into their everyday routine, and this has become more evident as obesity, heart disease and diabetes threaten to create the first generation of children with shorter life expectancies than their parents. If you want to get a real sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, re-read that last sentence.

I was reading a few articles on one of my favorite websites this morning (Health.com). One article in particular stuck in my mind. Keep reading, but don’t expect that sick feeling to get any better.

From Health.com:

One in five teens in the U.S.—and more than 40% of obese teens—have abnormal cholesterol, whether it’s low HDL (good cholesterol); high LDL (bad cholesterol); or high levels of triglycerides, another type of blood fat, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Read the entire article….

None of us want our young people to have serious health problems that could have been prevented. What’s more, we want to make their life expectancies greater than ours, not less! We HAVE to start setting better examples, cooking healthier meals, and do everything within our power to heal and mend the wounds that have been inflicted by poor choices.

Someone else feels this way and I believe you’ve heard of him. This fall, one of the most entertaining Food Network stars ever, British chef Jaime Oliver, began a campaign for an American Food Revolution in which he aims to change how Americans eat — by helping them learn to cook healthier meals and make better choices. Over the years, Jamie says that he’s “consistently observed the most radical, inspiring and completely emotional changes, simply through showing people how to cook a handful of meals.”

To spread the word and gain momentum, Jamie has created a petition, promoting healthy food for children, that he will present to the White House. I know you’ll want to lend your support, as I certainly will mine. You can find the petition here: http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/petition.

I love the fact that Jamie Oliver cares enough about the health and fitness of young people enough to take action. And what action – to the White House no less! You have to appreciate the irony as well – this time around, the American Revolution is being led by a British chef to help save young American lives. God willing, the British will win this time.

Jamie Oliver’s initiative is all about creating easy, fresh meals at home. In that vein, below are a few basic “Jam Jar” salad dressings which help make eating more salad and veggies a pleasure (for people of all ages).

French Dressing

Peel and finely chop ¼ of a clove of garlic • Put the garlic, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of white or red wine vinegar, and 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a jam jar with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • Put the lid on the jar and shake well

Yogurt Dressing

Put 1/3 cup of natural yogurt, 2 tablespoons of white or red wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into a jam jar with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • Put the lid on the jar and shake well

Balsamic Dressing

Put 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar into a jam jar with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • Put the lid on the jar and shake well

Credit: Recipes from Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals (Hyperion; October 2009)

Now, go sign that petition!

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