It's not easy being green....

Last year I hired a holistic nutritionist to review what I was eating and offer some insight to help me regain my energy and skip in my step. For six months, she introduced me to a whole new world of nutrient dense food whose purpose was to "nourish" good health. All of my current cooking adventures are a result from this very transformative experience. But I have to tell you, I was kind of skeptical at first. Especially the morning I received a gift from her the first week I signed on.

It was this book:

I was pretty shocked when I looked through it. To me, even the cover picture looked foreign! Each chapter described one new dark leafy green. Swiss chard (was it a cheese?!) Kale- curly and dino! Bok choy. Dandelion greens - um, is that what's growing on my lawn? I thought, what have I gotten myself into?


Truth is, I really trusted my nutritionist. Also, I've never been afraid of trying something new. I started out slowly with something sweet like sauteed kale with pinenuts and raisins. It turned out to be darn tasty. Soon I was learning which dark leafy greens I needed to boil or steam first to make more tender and which benefited from Asian flavorings like dark sesame oil. And just like my foodie mentor promised, I actually started to crave them! To this day, though, I still haven't tried those dandelion greens.

Are you still with me, or do you already miss the post about chocolate and pumpkin?

My favorite leafy green by far is rainbow swiss chard. I'm still trying to get my hubby to like them as much as I do. Yesterday I finally won him over with a bit of a twist on an Ellie Krieger recipe. I replaced the cabbage with chard.

Sesame Stir-Fried Chinese Greens by Ellie Krieger

1 T sesame seeds
2 t canola oil
2 pounds of bok choy or napa cabbage, cut across into 1 inch wide strips
2 T low sodium soy sauce
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 t toasted sesame oil

Toast the sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat until golden, about two minutes, stirring frequently; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the bok choy or cabbage and stir fry until it begins to soften slightly, 1-2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil and cook until just done, 1-2 minutes longer. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve immediately.

• First, I cut the chard leaves off their colorful stems and threw the stems away. I know I could of cooked them too, but I just decided to make this a leafy side dish.
• I think that chard can be rather tough if I don't boil them for a few minutes before the stir fry. Just 5 minutes will do it. Drain them well then add them to the skillet.
• I served this with baked turbot (white fish fillet similar to sea bass.) The whole meal, greens and all, took less than 20 minutes from prep to table!
• If you're interested in buying "Greens, Glorious, Greens, check out this website http://www.simpleliving.net/main/item.asp?itemid=1046
• If you're at all curious about what guidance a holistic nutritionist provides, check out her website at http://www.heidirothbard.com/. I didn't meet in person with Heidi, but rather we held our sessions over the phone and by email. It was an extremely effective program which I recommend highly.

Divide and Conquer

For me and other foodies, portion control can be a problem. I haven't talked much about "dieting" on my blog, because I truly believe in living a healthy lifestyle. The word "diet" to me feels like something temporary. I've made a few changes in my life that seem simple but help me reach my goal of moderation and find a balance between eating and exercise.

If you're utilizing healthy cooking techinques such as grilling and steaming your lean proteins and vegetables, trying out new grains and making your meals as colorful as possible, you're already taking great steps and I'm sure you're appreciating the benefits. I love good food and I love to eat, so I started to make eating meals a special occasion, by setting my table with beautiful linens, shutting off the television and planning to spend thirty minutes at the table. This way, I eat slowly, drink my water and savor the food that's in front of me.


I've left measuring and weighing food behind me and now I just divide and conquer...my plate that is. Here's a visual for you courtesy of Eating Well magazine:

Eating Well magazine suggests the following:

"Fill one half with vegetables and divide the other half into two quarters. Fill one quarter with lean protein, such as fish, skinless poultry, lean beef, beans or tofu. Fill the other quarter with a grain-based or starchy side dish, preferably a whole grain like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta or a slice of whole-grain bread. If you focus on making most of your meals look this way, you’ll automatically be following healthy eating guidelines and choosing appropriate portions—without having to pull out a calorie counter or a measuring cup every time."

I would add to be aware of your dish size. Quartering your plate is great, but don't go over the plate rim! Also, I have a selection of bowls that range from a 1/2 cup to a full cup. I use these when enjoying yogurt, cereal and yes, even ice cream. Doing this helps me to not feel deprived because I get to fill up my plate or bowl. Surprisingly I don't even reach for seconds, because I feel satisfied.

Since I cook the majority of my meals, I don't usually eat out. But I have to share some information about a local restaurant (Bethesda, MD and downtown DC) that's getting it right. Their delicious, healthy fare is presented beautifully AND is appropriately sized. They even include the nutritional information for each appetizer, entree and dessert on their menus. Check out http://www.rockcreekrestaurant.com/ when you get a moment.

"Superfoods" for Breakfast and Dessert

I love the term superfood. It brings up images of blueberries wearing red tights and a cape, doesn't it? C'mon that's funny.

But seriously, this "super" title is given to a handful of foods that we all should try to include in our daily meals. Considering the nutritional powerhouses that they are, they might as well leap tall buildings in a single bound. Chocolate, a superfood? You betcha. Hopefully that thought will entice you to check out this link: http://www.superfoodsrx.com/superfoods/

In the meantime, I made a recipe from the website above today that doubled as breakfast and dessert. Pretty cool. I managed to squeeze in five superfoods: blueberries, oats, yogurt, oranges and honey.

For breakfast, I made my usual Bob Red Mill's 5 Grain Oatmeal and added the following recipe:

2 pints strawberries, oganic
3 medium bananas, ripe
1 pint of blueberries, organic
2 medium oranges, zest and juice
2 tablespoons honey

Quarter the strawberries, slice the bananas, andadd the blueberries. Gently toss with fresh orange juice, zest, and honey. Put the mixture in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

• You can also toast some crushed walnuts and add to this mixture. I burnt mine accidentally while toasting them this morning, so I didn't use them. 1/4 cup of this mixture was a tasty and filling addition to my 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal this morning. I enjoyed this meal at 8:30am this morning and didn't feel a hunger pang until 12:30pm. And I worked out in between - that really blows my mind. I used to graze between meals because I was so hungry. But not anymore. This meal will fill you up and give you tremendous energy.
• Almost 12 hours later, this mixture was even better. The longer it sat in the fridge, the more the flavor deepened. I topped a 3/4 cup of fat free French Vanilla yogurt with another 1/4 cup of the fruit. It was so good, that I started to imagine this as a parfait for my next dinner party.
• By the way, I found a "microplane" buried deep in a kitchen drawer today. Basically it's a zester with an attitude. Sadly, I've been using a grater to get some zest off my oranges, but man that microplane zests like it was its job and it wanted a promotion.

My Grocery List! - Updated January 2008

This list is my master grocery list. I edit it depending on what meals I'm planning on. I know it's a long list of fresh items that have the potential to go bad in the fridge. However, I have found that when I buy it and I can see it (with an organized fridge), then I will eat it. Has anyone else discovered that shopping trips are quicker when armed with a list? I know it sounds simple, but I've gone to the grocery store both with and without a list. I spend more money and time when I do the latter.

One thing I feel very proud of is that the majority of my grocery cart is filled with bagged items and not prepared or boxed food. This list contains the main ingredients for the majority of my meals.

Please take a look at my entry about what's in my pantry to see the list of healthy items that will turn these items into truly delicious and healthy meals. You may consider adding some of the pantry items to your grocery list, as well.

Without further ado, here's the grocery list for Winter 2007:

PRODUCE SECTION

For Snacking
Carrots
Red Seedless Grapes
Fuji or Honeycrisp Apples
Clementine Oranges

For Breakfast (additions to smoothies or oatmeal)
Banana
Strawberries
Blueberries

For Cooked Greens
Spinach
Kale
Swiss Chard

For Roasting as side dishes
Cauliflower
Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash (already cut and cubed)
Yukon Potatoes
Parsnips

For Steaming as side dishes
Broccoli
Asparagus

For flavor when cooking
Green Onion (Scallions)
Garlic Cloves
Shallots
Yellow Onions
Ginger root
Fresh herbs (dill, thyme, bay leaves, parsley, etc)
Pinenuts

For flavor after cooking
Lemons
Limes

For salads
Romaine Lettuce
Tomatoes (grape or beefsteak)
Dried cranberries
Almonds or walnuts

DAIRY SECTION
Butter
Eggs
Fat Free Milk
Goat Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Soy Milk

SOUPS (use these for rice, sauces, soup bases, everything!)
Chicken Broth
Vegetable Broth

GRAINS
Multi-Grain Bread (Fiber >4g)
Flax seed - sprinkle on yogurt or oatmeal
Bob's Red Mill 5 or 8 grain cereal (for hot breakfasts)

PROTEIN
Lean Chicken Breasts
Salmon
Ground Turkey
Firm Tofu
Canned Beans (garbanzo, black beans, kidney, etc.)

Take a Peek Inside My Pantry...Updated January 2008

I spent last weekend taking everything out of my pantry and re-organizing it. As you can see, Sami, our golden retriever, wanted to help. As I took things out, I created a master list of what I had and what I needed. Here is a list of the pantry items I use the most in my healthy cooking endeavors:

BAKING
Flour
Whole Wheat Flour
Organic Honey
Agave
Organic Maple Syrup
Brown Sugar
Molasses

BEANS
Kidney Beans
Chickpeas (Garbanzo)
Black Beans
Cannelini Beans (White Northern)

BEVERAGES
Cold Tea Mixes
Hot Teas

BREAKFAST
Kashi Cereal
5 Grain Hot Cereal (Red Mill)
Whole Grain Pancake/Waffle Mix
Whey Protein (for smoothies)

COOKING
Canola Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (one for cooking and one great one for dressing)
Cooking Wine (White, Marsala, Sherry, etc.)
Vinegars (Red Wine, Champagne, Balsamic, Apple Cider, etc.)
Worcestershire
Panko - Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
Cooking Spray

FRUITS
Raisins
Cranberries
Dates
Apricots
Canned Pineapple
Canned Mandarin Oranges

GRAINS
Wild Rice
Brown Rice
Whole Wheat Couscous
Quinoa
Lentils
Kashi 7 Grain Pilaf

NUTS
Natural Peanut Butter
Almonds
Pinenuts
Cashews

PASTA
Whole Wheat Fusilli
Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
Whole Wheat Spaghetti

SAUCES/SPICES
Chili Garlic Paste

Mirin

Sake

Dark (or Toasted) Sesame Oil

Oyster or Fish Sauce

Hot Sauce
Tabasco Sauce
Seafood Spice Rub

Toasted Sesame Seeds (white or black)
Kosher Salt

Sea Salt
Cumin
Basil
Ground Black Pepper
Oregano
Garlic Powder
Thyme
Dill
Sesame Seeds
Dry Mustard
Rosemary
Red Pepper Flakes
Chili Pepper
Curry
Cayenne Pepper
Nutmeg
Cloves
All Spice
Cinnamon
Cinnamon Sticks
Bay Leaves
Saffron

VEGETABLES
Tomato Paste
Diced or Whole Tomatoes
Sun Dried Tomatoes
Roasted Red Peppers