Saturday, August 14, 2010

Tartine-esque panini

2 slices Take and bake Pugliese bread (Trader Joes)
1/4 ounce roquefort cheese
dijon mustard
1 slice Jarlsberg Swiss lite
2 slices rosemary ham (Trader Joes) or 1 ounce thinly sliced ham

Spray 2 sides of bread generously with Olive oil using a misto.  Spread half of the blue cheese on the insides of the bread, then dijon mustard, add ham and swiss cheese alternating.  My method to grill is to place on med-high heat in cast iron for about 5 minutes.  Turn sandwich and press for another 5 minutes, watch to make sure the press stays flat on. 

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Perky Iced Americano!


So refreshing!!!
Brew one strong small cup of espresso.  Add a small sprinkle of Turbinado sugar and a teaspoon of Kahlua.  Stir with spoon and stick in freezer to cool down for 10-15 minutes.  Pour over a glass of ice and add water as desired.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Rustic French Tart

Crust:
125 gm Whole Wheat Flour
125 gm flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp herbs de Provence
1/4 cup(s) olive oil

Filling:
3 oz low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup(s) broccoli
1 roma tomato
1 Tbsp butter  
2 Chicken apple sausages TJs
2 turkey bacon slices TJ's
2 eggs  
1/4 cup(s) half-and-half cream
Grated fresh nutmeg
 
To make dough, combine 125 grams whole wheat flour, 125 grams flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp herbs de Provence, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup cold water.  Mix with fork, then knead and roll out on floured surface, then form into your quiche pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Over medium heat melt butter, saute 3 cloves chopped fresh garlic, broccoli.  Sprinkle half of the reduced aged cheddar over bottom of unbaked crust.  Arrange cooked and chopped sweet apple chicken sausages, turkey bacon, and broccoli over cheese.  Combine eggs, cream, the rest of the cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.

A bottle of Petit Syrah and you are set!  I only added 2 eggs cause that's all I had!  You really could put whatever filling you'd like in this crust.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Cinnamon Apple Meyer Lemon Caramel Dessert Calzones

In about a TBS of butter, saute 2 peeled apples chopped into small cubes until softened.  Add cinnamon, nutmeg and Lulu's Meyer Lemon caramel sauce, let cool.  Quarter pre-made pizza dough, I used 2 ounce per pie, extras you can make yummy dinner rolls with :)

Roll out on floured board into circle, add filling, fold over and bake at 400 for about 10 minutes, slightly underbaked. Top with ice cream {here shown with Bi-rite Salted Caramel and Brown sugar Ginger swirl.  Have one for breakfast the next morning!

Serves 4

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Salmon burgers with orzo salad and watercress


You can use this same recipe for crab and/or shrimp seafood cakes. Serves 4

Coho salmon (TJ's) defrosted and poached for 10 minutes
chopped celery, onion & fresh parsley
1 beaten egg & egg white
1 ounce grated parmesan
salt & lemon pepper, onion salt, herbs de provence, or any other seasoning you like.

Mix it all together well and saute on each side until golden. Top with mustard crema, made from sour cream, stoneground mustard, fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. Serve with watercress salad with simple dressing of olive oil, vinegar, brown sugar, salt & pepper, lemon rind and my orzo sun dried tomato goat cheese salad.

Orzo sun-dried tomato & goat cheese salad

I really thought this came out yummy! :) Serves 4 

1/2 cup Harvest grains blend from (TJ's) (Israeli style couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, red quinoa)
1 ounce Silver goat herb cheese (TJ's)
1 tbs garlic mint cheese (www.Bolaniandsauce.com or Whole Foods)
5-6 sun-dried tomatoes (reconsituted, chopped)
fresh Italian parsley, basil and/or mint (chopped)
1 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Tips for Increasing Calcium Absorption

Eat foods that are easy for the body to digest.
Eat the biggest meal at mid-day, when the digestive fire is strongest.
Avoid caffeine and refined carbohydrates such as sugar.
Avoid cold or iced drinks, which decrease the digestive fire.
Do a daily warm oil massage (abhyanga). It helps enhance digestion and flush away impurities, and is traditionally known to stimulate bone growth.
Go to bed by 10 p.m. so your body is at rest during its natural purification cycle from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Eat plenty of foods that are high in calcium, such as sesame seeds, green leafy vegetables, walnuts, coconut and coconut milk. 
Warm whole milk is also an excellent calcium-booster, but choose unhomogenized milk for greater absorption. To enhance digestion, drink your milk separate from meals.
Avoid vegetables from the nightshade family, including eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, and yellow, red and green sweet peppers.

Source: www.mapi.com

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Salted Caramel Cupcake

This is a variation to my Molten Lava Cake previously posted.

You can make single servings with TJ's No Guilt brownie mix! Mix 2 TBS with 1 TBS nonfat vanilla yogurt. I put mine in a ceramic ramekin, spray with olive oil and in the microwave for 50 seconds and you have a warm delicious treat :)   

 Add half a caramel and a few grains of coarse sea salt (push into the center after baking)

Molten Lava Cake

You can make single servings with TJ's No Guilt brownie mix!

Mix 2 TBS TJ's No Guilt brownie mix with 1 TBS nonfat vanilla yogurt (TJ's). Add one little square of dark chocolate before cooking for a molten lava cake. I put mine in a ceramic ramekin, spray with olive oil and in the microwave for 50 seconds for a warm delicious treat :)

Tip: put your mix in a zip lock baggie and vanilla yogurt in a tupperware.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Phytoestrogen food sources

Alfalfa sprouts
Almonds
anise
apples
barley
Beer
berries
Black beans
Black licorice
Blueberry
bourbon
Bread, rye
Broccoli
Cabbage
carrots
Cashews
Chestnuts
Coffee, decaf
Coffee, regular
Collards
Corn
Dried apricots
dried beans
Dried dates
Dried prunes
fennel
Flax bread
Flax seed
Fruits
Garlic
ginseng
Green beans
Hazel nuts
hops
Hummus
Lentils
Milk, cow
Multigrain bread
Mung bean sprouts
mung beans
oats
Olive oil
Onion
Peaches
Peanuts
Pistachios
pomegranates
Raspberry
rice
ricebran
Sesame seed
Soy bean sprouts
soy beans
soy beverages
Soy milk
Soy yogurt
Strawberry
Sunflower seed
Tea, black
Tea, green
tempeh
Tofu
Walnuts
Watermelon
wheat
wheat germ
Wine, red
Wine, white
Winter squash
yams

Phytoestrogen data source:
Thompson, L. U., Boucher, B. A., Lui, Z., Cotterchio, M., and Kreiger, N. 2006. Phytoestrogen content of foods consumed in Canada, including isoflavones, lignans and coumestan. Nutrition and Cancer, 54(2), 184-201.

Wikipedia

Friday, November 27, 2009

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Recipe by William Cotter-Member of Congress, CT YMCA cookbook 1974. I added fresh cranberries and reduced butter from 1/2 cup. Serves 8

6 apples sliced, peeled & cored
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg unbeaten
1/2 tsp cinnamon
grated nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, melted

Place apples and cranberries layered in a greased 8x10 pan. Mix dry ingredients plus egg with a fork and place on top of apples, try to mix in a bit with fork. Drizzle butter on top and sprinkle more cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake at 350 for 30-40 min.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Gingered squash

winter squash
Ginger syrup (www.gingerpeople.com)
chopped fresh thyme, oregano, rosemary
butter or ghee
sea salt & cinnamon

Half the squash, cook for 30 min in 400 degree oven face down in an inch of water or until tender. Remove seeds and scoop out into casserole dish, then bake.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Lemon drop

1 ounce vodka or lemon vodka
1/2 ounce limoncello
1/2 fresh lemon
fine sugar on rim of glass & lemon rind curl garnish

Portabello naan open face sandwich

Giant portabello mushroom (grilled on cast iron)
Masala Naan curry (TJ's) cut in half & warmed on cast iron skilled
eggplant hummus
jalapeno pepper jelly (bolaniandsauce.com or whole foods)
rocket arugula
garnish with heirloom cherry tomatoes & sea salt

Monday, July 13, 2009

Dutch yellow baby potato salad

This is my classic recipe, I like it served up warm or cold. Serves 4

1 lb baby dutch yellow potatoes halfed (boil approx. 1/2 hour)
celery, red onion, fresh parsley & cornichons (chopped)
1 TBS olive oil & splash vinegar
sweet relish
Salt & pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon pepper, dill, tarragon or any herbs you like

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Rangpur Tanquery tonic

1 ounce Rangpur Tanquery {botanicals & rangpur lime essence}
Q tonic
fresh lime