What's Cooking?

Tuna Salad with Olives and Artichokes and Cranberries

• 12 Ounces Chunk Light Tuna, flaked
• 8 oz chopped canned artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup chopped black olives
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

Combine tuna, artichokes, olives, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest and oregano in a medium bowl.

Hint: I use chunk light tuna instead of white tuna because it comes from smaller fish and has significantly less mercury.

Red grapes cut in half are really good in this salad too. If you are trying to lighten up..serve it on lettuce leaves rather than slices bread.

Something Pretty

What's Cooking?

Fruit Salad for Lunch


I'm in a mood to lighten up so this weekend I'm doing fruits and veggies. I'm home alone..can cook or not as it moves me...so here's my hopeful little nod toward warmer weather approaching.


Of course it is loaded with vitamin C.


Strawberries and Kiwi fruit were both on sale today...and this will surely be even more delicious in summer when the Rocky Ford melons are in...


Blackberries or raspberries would be nice in here too!

Salad:

•                Half a small cantaloupe cut into 3/4- inch chunks (about 2 cups)

•                1 (16 ounce) container strawberries, quartered (about 3 cups)

•                5 medium kiwis, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks (about 2 1/2 cups)

Dressing:

•                3 tablespoons honey

•                3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

•                1 teaspoon lime zest

•               garnish with fresh herb sprinkle...basil or whatever moves you...

Directions

Place all of the fruit into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the honey, lime juice, zest, and mint. Right before serving, pour the dressing over the fruit and toss gently to combine.

The Mind Blowing Relationship of Breast Cancer Incidence and Vitamin D Serum Levels

This is why I go on so much about the importance of knowing one's vitamin D levels. I saw Dr Cedric Garland present this slide at a vitamin D symposium in Canada a couple of years ago. As this slide came up he was saying..."the trend was so linear that they ( the researchers) had never seen breast cancer in a woman with a serum level of 70ng/ml." That statement had a profound impact on me...and in that exact moment I made it my goal to have my levels and the levels of every woman in my family be at or higher than 70ng/ml. 

click graph to enlarge

Data from: Lowe LC, et al. Plasma 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentrations, vitamin D receptor genotype and breast cancer risk in a UK Caucasian population. Eur J Cancer. 2005;41:1164-9.

Great News!

Click on image to enlarge

Real Food is More Available Than Ever!


There are now more than 6,000 farmers markets nationwide (Source: www.ams.usda.gov)— about a 250 percent increase since 1994. They’re searchable too, thanks to the USDA. 

(Community Supported Agriculture programs — CSAs — and food coops are also searchable, courtesy of  localharvest.org  .)

And increasing efforts are being made to get that food to the people who really need it: Wholesome Wave, for example, began a voucher program in 2008 that doubles the value of federal food stamps (SNAP) at participating farmers markets; that program has grown more than tenfold in less than three years. (http://wholesomewave.org/what-we-do/double-value-coupon-program/)

 

More than just your eyesight...vitamin A supports gene expression...

Study Indicates Vitamin A Plays Key Role in the Human Body

More direct role for Vitamin A than previously believed in sperm cell production, development of central nervous system, and other vital physiological functions.

The study provided evidence to show that Vitamin A, or retinol, the most common dietary form of the vitamin and the parental compound of the retinoid group, is directly involved in nuclear receptor signaling pathways -- a process which activates genes in the human body.

Van Andel Research Institute (2011, March 18). Vitamin A plays key role in the human body, study suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 22, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2011/03/110317131038.htm

Experts say...get moving and stay alive!

Here's another great reason to make exercise part of your routine…slashing the risk of colorectal cancer. Colon and rectal cancers are among the most prevalent cancers in the US. These cancers are more common in people whose diets are high in fat and low in fiber. A recent study of over 150,000 men and women examined the effect of consistent exercise on the risk of dying from colon cancer. Over a ten year follow-up period, it was found that those who exercised consistently for at least ten years had the lowest risk of colon cancer death. It was also found that being physically active even after the diagnosis can reduce the risk of recurrence and death! These findings highlight the importance of lifelong physical activity to reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Wolin KY, Patel AV, Campbell PT, et al. Change in physical activity and colon cancer incidence and mortality. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. Dec2010;19(12):3000-4.

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/