What's Cooking? Garlic Chicken and CousCous

In anticipation of the much acclaimed (and sad to say somewhat anticlimactic) rising of the Supermoon... and mostly because we don't get enough chances to visit..I invited my BFF's Jann, Melissa and Sue for dinner last night. We ended up with three teens in and out all evening too...the more the merrier...but good thing the recipe made a lot. Oh yes...the recipe! Adapted from Anne Burrell. It's time consuming...but not hard and the result? Your house smells like heaven and yes...it tastes scrumptious! Even the teens were loving it! Comfort food that is ready ahead of time so you can just be with your guests and have fun. I served it with a salad.

Garlic Chicken and Couscous


It takes some time to put this together, but if you do it ahead you can let it rest in the refrigerator and bake it an hour or so before dinner.

Ingredients: Chicken

•                2 whole garlic bulbs, which you will roast whole.

•                1 lemon, zested and juiced

•                1 large bunch thyme, leaves only, or about two teaspoons dried if fresh isn't handy...

•                1 teaspoon ground cumin

•                Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

•                Kosher salt

•                Extra-virgin olive oil

•                1 (4 to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 to 10 parts

Couscous:

•                Kosher salt 

•              1 package Couscous

•                Extra-virgin olive oil

•                1 large onion, sliced

•                3 ribs celery, sliced thin on the bias

•                Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

•                1 1/2 cups dry white wine

•                3 tablespoons tomato paste

•                Large pinch saffron

•                2 zucchini, green part only, cut into 1/2-inch dice

•                2 to 3 cups chicken stock, plus one more cup reserved.

Optional pine nuts for garnish

Directions

Chicken:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the garlic bulbs in a small tin and roast them until they are soft when squeezed, about 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let cool.

When the garlic bulbs are cool, slice the tops off and squeeze out the roasted garlic. Add the garlic to a food processor or a bowl, along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, cumin, crushed red pepper and salt, to taste. Add a little olive oil and puree or mash into a loose paste. Massage the mixture all over the chicken pieces and let sit for at least 1 hour. This is important don't cut corners here. The flavor you will get is really outstanding!

Couscous: This is where I took the most liberty with my recipe...her version had you partially cooking the couscous in water and letting it finish in the oven...I cut corners and it was delicious...

Follow the package directions using chicken stock instead of water and prepare the couscous. over medium heat. After the couscous is done fluff it with a fork and set it aside.

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and brown it on all sides. Remove it to a plate.

 Drain away most of the fat in the saute pan and saute the onions and celery. Season with salt, to taste, and the crushed red pepper. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up all the sticky bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook the onions and celery for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in the saffron, zucchini, cooked couscous, and a little of the chicken stock. Stir to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Transfer the mix to an ovenproof dish. I used my Cazuela for this..arrange the chicken, skin side up, in the couscous and add some more chicken stock to keep everything nice and moist. Sprinkle with pine nuts, if you like them and cover with foil. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan.

Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, covered, then remove the foil and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and serve.

Oh yes...you can have a Cazuela of your very own...order it from Amazon! They come in lots of different sizes..I used the big one....

http://www.amazon.com/15-Inch-Cazuela-Terra-Cotta-Tienda/dp/B0030F24SS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1300625064&sr=8-6

Supermoon! Get Ready To Do Some Howling!

'Supermoon' Rises: Biggest Full Moon in 18 Years Occurs Saturday Night

The dazzling full moon sets behind the Very Large Telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert in this photo released June 7, 2010 by the European Southern Observatory. The moon appears larger than normal due to an optical illusion of perspective. Photo CREDIT: Gordon Gillet, ESO. 

Thanks to a fluke of orbital mechanics that brings the moon closer to Earth than that it has been in more than 18 years, the biggest full moon of 2011 will occur on Saturday, leading some observers to dub it a "supermoon."

On Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, the moon will arrive at its closest point to the Earth in 2011:  a distance of 221,565 miles (356,575 kilometers) away. And only 50 minutes earlier, the moon will officially be full.

At its peak, the supermoon of March may appear 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than lesser full moons (when the moon is at its farthest from Earth), weather permitting. Yet to the casual observer, it may be hard to tell the difference.

http://www.space.com/11163-supermoon-biggest-full-moon-2011.html

What's Cooking?

Blackened Salmon 

Yesterday I ran into the market to pick up a few things and spotted a gorgeous filet of salmon...so I thought I'd blacken it for supper...and it was well...delicious!

Here are the seasonings..I keep a little jar of this ready so that when I'm in the mood for a bit of zip..it is ready to go.


1/2 cup paprika

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 tablespoon onion powder

3 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoons cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Here's what you do.
Fire up the grill....

Place a cast iron skillet onto your grill and let it get really hot. Cooking this dish indoors will fill your kitchen with smoke..I speak from experience and do not recommend it. If you don't have a skillet you can use on your grill, just grill the salmon directly on the grill...which is what I did this time.

Mix the seasonings, and pour some in a flat bowl. Brush both sides of your salmon steaks or filets liberally with coconut oil, normally I cook with olive oil but I'm blackening here so I want an oil that can handle a higher heat..coconut oil is great for this. Now press one side of the salmon down onto the spices, and then place the seasoned side down in the skillet or on the grill. Sear/grill until blackened. Flip the salmon over and cook till it is done to your preferred degree of doneness.

A green salad...some sauteed spinach, a loaf of crusty bread..and you're good to go!

What's Cooking?

Roasted Brussels Sprouts...


I know lots of people who hear "Brussels sprouts" and think YUK! Not me! I dearly love the little beauties..just about any way they are made...but this recipe is a favorite...it came from Ina Garten..she made them this week on her show and I had to run right out and make them for myself that afternoon...
So since today is St Patricks Day and I'm thinking about green things...here is something green and delicious for you..and so much healthier than green beer....


Feel free to improvise...like..splash them with Balsamic Vinegar partway through the roasting process...garnish with crispy bacon or Prosciutto..( naughty!) or dried cranberries...


Roasting them makes them sweet and the contrast of the salt on the surface and the sweet interiors just makes me so happy! I wish my daughter would try them...but she just wrinkles her nose. Picky...sheesh....

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, this will serve about 4 people

3 tablespoons good olive oil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Lots more Kosher salt for seasoning before they are served....

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the end of each Brussels sprout. If there are any yellow leaves pull those off.  If you like you can cut them in half...I had large ones so I did this time and they roasted a little faster. Put the sprouts in a mixing bowl and add the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir them well to be sure they are coated. Put the sprouts on a sheet pan and roast them for 35 to 40 minutes, if you cut them in half they light be done sooner so watch them...they are ready when they are brown and crisp outside and tender inside. I open the oven and stir them on the pan a few times during roasting to brown them on all sides. Sprinkle with more kosher salt, you want them salty, but you be the judge of this...and serve hot.

Prepare to be amazed!

What Are We Eating? What the Average American Consumes in a Year

The average American is 36.6 years old and eats 1,996.3 lbs. of food per year. The average man is 5’9” and weighs 190 lbs. The average woman is 5’4” and weighs 164 lbs.

Each year, Americans eat 85.5 lbs. of fats and oils. They eat 110 lbs. of red meat, including 62.4 lbs. of beef and 46.5 lbs. of pork. Americans eat 73.6 lbs. of poultry, including 60.4 lbs. of chicken. They eat 16.1 lbs. of fish and shellfish and 32.7 lbs. of eggs.

Americans eat 31.4 lbs. of cheese each year and 600.5 lbs. of non-cheese dairy products. They drink 181 lbs. of beverage milks. Americans eat 192.3 lbs. of flour and cereal products, including 134.1 lbs. of wheat flour. They eat 141.6 lbs. of caloric sweeteners, including 42 lbs. of corn syrup. Americans consume 56 lbs. of corn each year and eat 415.4 lbs. of vegetables. 

Every year, Americans eat 24 lbs. of coffee, cocoa and nuts. Americans eat 273.2 lbs. of fruit each year.

These foods include 29 lbs. of French fries, 23 lbs. of pizza and 24 lbs. of ice cream. Americans drink 53 gallons of soda each year, averaging about one gallon each week. 

Americans eat 24 lbs. of artificial sweeteners each year. They eat 2.736 lbs. of sodium, which is 47 percent more than recommended. Americans consume 0.2 lbs. of caffeine each year, about 90,700 mg. In total, 

Americans eat an average of 2,700 calories each day. Follow the link below to an excellent chart illustrating all of this...

Visual Economics: Food Consumption in America - http://www.visualeconomics.com/food-consumption-in-america_2010-07-12/#ixzz1GmsGDS1D
http://www.visualeconomics.com/ 

Co-Q-10 Effective for Lowering LDL Cholesterol Levels

If you have elevated LDL cholesterol and have trouble tolerating statins I have great news for you!


The journal IUBMB LIfe which reports the work of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology reports that treating healthy people with 150 mg of Ubiquinol (a special form of Co-Q-10) safely and effectively reduced LDL levels by 12.7% after only two weeks!

That's a dramatic reduction for such a short treatment period!


It is important to note that drugs that reduce cholesterol levels can be hard to tolerate, because of the associated muscle pain and weakness and liver toxicity. 


Co-Q-10 is a fat soluble antioxidant that works to protect cells from free radical damage, protects cholesterol from oxidation, reducing risk of blood vessel disease, and supports the production of energy.  You can find Ubiquinol at your favorite natural food store or online. 

Schmelzer C, Niklowitz P, Okun JG, et al. Ubiquinol-induced gene expression signatures are translated into altered parameters of erythropoiesis and reduced low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in humans. IUBMB Life Jan2011;63(1):42-8.
 

Low Vitamin D and Risk of Depression

Older men and women whose vitamin D blood levels are below 30ng/ml are more likely to become depressed over time, new research shows.

A flood of studies have shown potential health benefits of vitamin D, and the price we might pay for having a vitamin D deficiency. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and more severe asthma.

In people of all ages, insufficient vitamin D is quite common, and in elders low vitamin D has been linked to fractures, worse physical function, greater frailty, and a wide variety of chronic illness.

Be sure to get your Vitamin D levels tested. Ideally you want to be between 30 and 100ng/ml in US measurement..or above 75nmol/L in Canada, UK or NZ


Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Depressive Symptoms in Older Women and Men
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 95, No. 7 3225-3233

I Want To See You...

“I want to see you.

Know your voice.


Recognize you when you
first come ’round the corner.


Sense your scent when I come
into a room you’ve just left.


Know the lift of your heel,
the glide of your foot.


Become familiar with the way
you purse your lips
then let them part,
just the slightest bit,
when I lean in to your space
and kiss you.


I want to know the joy
of how you whisper
“more”


~ Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi


My thanks to Patrick Brinksma for this beautiful poem from Rumi.... his inspirational blog is here...food for your soul...
http://www.patrickbrinksma.nl/

"If you can imagine it, you can create it. 


If you can dream it, you can become it." 


~ William Arthur Ward

From Mice to Men? Diet Patterns in Pregnancy Have Lasting Impact on Offspring...

An animal study at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia suggests that a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet ( Think Western Pattern Diet...or Standard American Diet) causes oxidative stress—an excess of deleterious free radicals—during pregnancy, predisposing the offspring to obesity and diabetes. Feeding rats antioxidants before and during pregnancy completely prevented obesity and glucose intolerance in their offspring.

If the results in animals prove to be similar in humans, the research may have implications for reducing obesity rates in children.

Jolie says...Don't wait for a similar human study..we rarely get such good pregnancy research funded in nutrition...Mom's to be...boost your antioxidant intake with nourishing fruits and veggies, think Mediterranean Diet... take Omega 3's and take a high quality prenatal.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/antioxidants-in-pregnancy-prevent-obesity-in-animal-offspring

Taking a little break...at the shore

We're off to the wedding...here's our view

Peace.....

Through the dunes and to the sand...

Sunset on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico

The Power of Your Plate...

Biologists Show How Veggies Work in Cancer-Fighting Diet

Did you know: vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage are filled with compounds that could help reverse or prevent cancers and other aging-related diseases? It's called "epigenetics"...and some amazing things have emerged from this work...such as...

Compounds in some veggies and foods suppress gene aberrations that over time cause fatal diseases.

and...these foods actually reverse harmful genetic developments...

for instance...sipping tea compounds called polyphenols in daily amounts that are equivalent to approximately three cups of green tea has been shown to reverse breast cancer in laboratory mice by suppressing the gene that triggers the disease. 

Similarly, a daily cup of broccoli sprouts, which has sulforaphane as an active compound, has been shown to reduce the risk of developing many different cancers. You can get broccoli sprouts at places like Whole Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market, among others...

So have more of these: soybeans, cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. Broccoli sprouts...Green tea, fava beans, kale, grapes and the spice turmeric.

http://www.newswise.com/articles/uab-biologists-show-how-veggies-work-in-cancer-fighting-diet

Protecting against a second heart attack...

Have you or has a loved one had a heart attack? Would you like to know some tried and true steps for slashing the chance of a second one? Here are some steps…and there is a book on the subject. See the link at the bottom of this post.

For starters, if you are under the care of a doctor, fill your prescriptions and take your medications! Studies show that patients who fail to fill any of their prescriptions have an 80 % greater chance of dying in the year following their heart attack, compared to people who faithfully take their meds. Patients who pick and choose,  filling only some of their prescriptions have a 40 % increase in risk of death in the year following their heart attack. This is huge and easy to remedy. Take your meds…

Know about and avoid the plaque-building, heart stopping foods. Stop eating, or cut way back on foods from the western pattern diet—red meat, cream and cheese, and trans fats from margarines, spreads, chips and snack foods. Fried foods are particularly dangerous. Refined sugars are culprits too. These are the “heart attack on a plate” foods that explain the comparatively high rates of heart disease in western cultures. These foods hasten plaque buildup, increase inflammation, make you gain weight which burdens the heart and thus raise your risk of another heart attack. 



Instead, build a diet of foods that heal the arteries, reduce inflammation and strengthen your heart. The most well studied and scientifically endorsed diet for cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment is the Mediterranean Diet. In this diet, extra virgin olive oil is the primary source of fat. Fresh dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and collard greens, and vegetables of all types figure prominently. You’ll enjoy fresh fruits such as figs, apples and pears. Instead of refined “white flour” breads and cereals, you’ll have heart healthy and slimming whole grains such as oatmeal. You’ll eat the cholesterol lowering legumes such as lentils. In addition, your primary protein will be Omega 3 rich fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Snacks might be walnuts or macadamia nuts, and you will enjoy a relaxing glass of antioxidant rich red wine with meals. And as the name of this blog hints… a daily treat of rich and decadent deep, dark chocolate has been proven to help treat and reverse heart disease.

Walk. Every step counts. A daily exercise regimen  is integral to reversing heart disease. Walking is one of the simplest, safest and least expensive heart-health-promoting strategies. Walking longer distances frequently has been proven to be the best exercise prescription for heart patients. Exercise improves your tendency to gain weight, raises protective HDL cholesterol, normalizes blood pressure levels, helps to open and clear clogged blood vessels, and boosts mood.

Take these heart smart supplements. Not all supplements are created equally when it comes to treating and reversing plaque build-up. A few stand out among the crowd and should be in every heart attack survivor’s medicine chest:

Niacin, the B vitamin available over the counter or as a prescription drug, has been proven to possess the greatest capacity to increase your blood level of “good” cholesterol, HDL—compared to other drugs.

With over thirty years of research supporting its safety and effectiveness, you and your doctor should discuss adding this vitamin as a second agent on top of your statin to boost your fight against plaque. Please note that a normal effect of Niacin is the “ Niacin Flush” which demonstrates the vitamin’s efficacy as a vasodilator. The flush makes your face, neck, chest and arms turn bright red and itch..it isn’t harmful, but you should know that it might happen. Drinking a glass of cold water or taking an aspirin with your niacin can reduce the severity of the flush, and it usually passes in about 30 minutes. There is a no-flush version of niacin called Enduracin which you can find via the internet.

           

Omega 3’s from the Sea. Did you know that taking the right Omega 3s actually slashes your risk of a first or second heart attack?
Lovaza is the Omega 3 prescription fish oil supplement, recommended by many doctors today, and guaranteed by the Food and Drug Administration to be free of contaminants and impurities. One Lovaza capsule provides approximately 900 milligrams of mixed EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids.

But! You don’t have to involve your insurance in order to afford Lovaza, however. There are high quality, Omega 3 supplements sold in natural food stores and online, that supply the American Heart Association’s suggested amount of 1000 mg of EPA and DHA combined in two capsules or in a teaspoon full of liquid, and they cost far less than the prescription form does. Not to mention reducing the burden of the cost of health care, for all of us…just be sure the product label states that it has been tested by an FDA registered lab and found to be fresh, fully potent and free of detrimental levels of major contaminants such as mercury lead and PCB’s.

The American Heart Association says all heart patients should be taking 1000 to 4000 mg of EPA and DHA daily—under their doctor’s supervision. Note: the higher dose is for patients who need to reduce their triglyceride levels.

           

Vitamin D.  Inadequate dietary intake of this essential nutrient results in vitamin D deficiency, and studies are accumulating suggesting that a low vitamin D status negatively affects cardiovascular health. In fact major studies show that being deficient can double your risk of heart attack! I suggest that at your next check-up ask your doctor to test your vitamin D level and to consider taking a daily supplement of vitamin D, to boost your level, if it is indeed low. Scroll down for a separate post on new reasons to take higher doses of vitamin D.

CoEnzyme Q-10. Some of the medications that heart patients take deplete this important heart strengthening nutrient. Some researchers suggest that the depletion of COQ10 could account for some side effects associated with statin drugs such as muscle pain and elevated liver enzymes which suggest liver damage. I suggest 100 mg daily.

Some of the points above were adapted from an article promoting the book you see here...

it's on Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Prevent-Second-Heart-Attack-Reverse/dp/030746525X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299525150&sr=8-1

What's cooking?

Jambalaya!
I've been in a "heartsick for the south" kind of mood the last few days...probably because I am headed home at the end of the week to watch my nephew Coy marry his best friend Shena (yay!) so when this morning on Food Network I saw Pat and Gina Neely make this rice dish...I knew what was on the menu tonight! Here it is...I followed their recipe exactly...but next time I think I might add shrimp...I have to say...it was so easy and it really is delicious...do try it!

Smoked Sausage and Chicken Jambalaya

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced into circles
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
2 cups long grain white rice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Browning the chicken...

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the Dutch oven and brown on each side, about 8 minutes total. Remove to a plate and reserve.

Add sausage, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and thyme and saute until translucent and sausage is browned, about 8 minutes. Don't worry about the little browned bits that stick to the bottom of the pot after this step...the vegetables will give off some steam and the broth will allow you to scrape them up into the dish..those little brown bits are loaded with flavor...

Stir in rice, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, and reserved chicken, and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook on low, covered, for 20 minutes.

Let's eat!

Turn off heat and let rice stand, covered, 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Fluff rice with fork and stir in green onions and parsley.