Our Christmas

My family is filled with people who love to cook and when we go home we're always treated to great food. My Aunt Nancy knows how to cook everything, from traditional Italian food (my dad's family is 100% Italian) to wholesome vegetable dishes from her garden. Then we have my mom and I who both love great food and new recipes. We're also graced with my brother's fiancee, Sara, a culinary school grad and professional pastry cook. After much deliberation, we decided to split cooking honors on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Today, Christmas Eve, Sara undertook the pivotal task of making a traditional four course Italian meal. Assisting is my dad, an eager culinary pupil, and my brother who has turned into our resident sous chef. Below they are seen creating the Butternut and acorn squash ravioli.

My dad's favorite meals consist of many courses, conversation, and wine. My two cousins, Maddi and Emily, are vegetarians so we have both meat and veggie dishes tonight. Our Christmas Eve menu is as follows:

Antipasti

-Plate of Italian Meats, Cheeses and Olives from Tenuta’s (a great Italian market in Kenosha, WI; definitely worth a trip).

-Winter Vegetables Panzanella (Italian bread salad)

Primi Piatti

-Squash ravioli with butter sage sauce

Secondi Piatti

-Braciole (Round steak flattened then layered with prosciutto, pine nuts, mozzarella and raisins rolled up, browned and simmered in marinara sauce for 6-8 hours)

-Stuffed Peppers for the Vegetarians

Dolce

Tiramisu Cake (Sara promised she would write a post with the recipe for me later)

My mom, Aunt Nancy, Maddi and I will have our turn in the kitchen tomorrow, Christmas Day. In order to spend Christmas with friends and family we brined the turkey and prepped our dishes today. Here is our list of sides:

-Curried Cauliflower with Capers Source: Cooking Light
     -Recipe changes: doubled the curry powder

-Swiss Chard and Sweet Potato Gratin Source: Smitten Kitchen 
      -Recipe changes: substituted skim milk for heavy cream

- Corn Bread and Broccoli Rabe Strata Source New York Times

MMmmm...I can't wait to eat. May your holiday be filled with family and finger-lickin', lip-smackin', melt in your mouth food just like mine. 

BUON NATALE From: Tenley the elf (my fox red labrador retriever), Ryan, and I

Christmas Gift Ideas that Promote Health!

Unsure what to get a friend or family member for Christmas? What about a gift that can improve their health. Here are some last minute gift ideas that will benefit your loved ones health. 

Magic Bullet

• This mini super blender makes having more fruits easy with how quick it can make a smoothie or protein shake that’s grab and go. It works great even with frozen fruit.

Stability Ball

• A great work out tool for balance and strength. They help strengthen your core and can be used for multiple exercises for a reasonable price. Some even come with an instructional DVD. As a bonus gift you could throw in some free weights to use with their stability ball.

Entry fee an Athletic event

• If you have a friend or family member who always talks about doing a 5K race, bike race, triathlon or half marathon but never signs up. Paying their entry fee may be the motivation they need to train. Or maybe you want to give a person new to working out a goal. Try entering yourself and them into a 5K walk or run that’s a few months out so they have something to work towards.

Gift card to see a registered dietitian or personal trainer

• Help someone get healthy by connecting them with an expert who can help them set an individual plan for them for eating and meals or assist them with a workout routine. Call your doctors clinic to find out if they have dietitians available or where to go.

Digital Food Scale

• This is a great tool for portioning food and learning more about what you are eating.

Gift card for a local co-op

• Who doesn’t want a gift card for food shopping and what better way then to let them try out a local co-op.

Money towards joining a CSA

• Only 6% of Americans consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables a day. Here’s a way to help someone get more fruits and vegetables into their home. Pay their fee to join a Community Supported Agriculture program. You will get fruits and vegetables that are local and in season to cook with weekly. It’s a great way to try out more fruits and vegetables without having to go grocery shopping.
• I’m a cooking light fanatic. They give light versions of great recipes that are always loved by my friends and family

All New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook

• I’m a cooking light fanatic and what better way to share healthy recipes then to get their cookbook. This book has light versions of great recipes that are always loved by my friends and family.

Thin for Life by Anne Fletcher, MS, RD

• She shares inspiring stories and secrets from people who have lost weight and kept the weight off. She also gives 10 keys to success with weight loss. A motivating book that shares advice from an expert as well.

A reusable stainless steel water bottle

• Hydration is key for good health. Did you know that water makes up more than ½ your body? 
• There are varying recommendations for water intake. Most people have heard of 6 to 8 8 ounces glasses of water a day but that varies per person based on physical activity, age and if you are sick or not. For most people drinking when you are thirsty will keep you hydrated.

Gift card to a spa

• We live with stresses all around us. While some stress is okay, being overstressed can be detrimental to our health and also contribute to difficulty losing weight

Heart Rate Monitor

• Great for active people or for beginners. A lot of new heart rate monitors come with GPS and can track your pace, location or speed and some even count calories. This small device can be a very motivating tool.

Link to the Twin Cities Live clip on this topic

Boeuf Bourguignon

My best friend Rachel and I both have a love for cooking but we live in different states so we rarely get to cook together. Luckily, every Christmas we take a day off for a long weekend together.  This year we decided to tackle Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon recipe. After patting the beef dry, chopping, browning, baking, mixing, baking and then sautéing the mushrooms and onions we were set.

At about the 30th step and an hour in we started to wonder if this was going to be worth all the effort. A few hours later as the smell filled the house our confidence in this dish grew. While this isn't a light recipe nor was it a quick and easy recipe it was definitely worth it. I have never been a big a beef eater since the texture isn't my favorite but this was perfect. So for the once a year I am up for a good comfort stew I think I'll make it again.  If you have the time and a good cooking partner (because you're in the kitchen for awhile) I highly recommend tackling the iconic Julia Child's recipe. Here is the online recipe. The video they have helped explain a few of the steps to us.

Food of the Month: Chili

I thought I would start a food of the month and what better way to start then with a warm meal for this cold month of December. Chili is one of my favorite things to make since I love spice, cilantro, soup, beans and vegetables and chili mixes all of that together. Chili can be a very healthy meal since it's loaded with  tomatoes, vegetables and beans. Try to avoid loading it with sour cream, cheese and chips. I usually add a small amount of light sour cream or I add a few slices of avocado and cilantro. One great thing about chili is you can serve it to almost anyone since you can make it vegetarian, gluten free or dairy free very easily. There are so many types of chili and I love trying new recipes. Since I love spice I usually end up adding extra jalapenos, chili peppers or chili powder then the recipes calls for. 

 Here are a few I love. I hope you find them as tasty as I do. Let me know what you think! 

Southwestern Chili Source: Cooking Light March 2005

I just made this recipe for friends that love spice like my husband and I do. It was dynamite and I highly recommend it. I used Andouille sausage in place of the Cajun smoked sausage and ground bison in place of the ground sirloin

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili (Vegetarian) Source: Cooking Light October 2005

This is a fun way to have the flavor of chili with the taste of sweet potatoes. My friend Beanie made this recipe for Ryan and I and we loved it. I'm going to dedicate this one to Kristen Angel since she asked for vegetarian recipes on my blog and I think she'll like this vegetarian twist to chili!)

Chili Con Carne  Source: Cooking Light January 2010

My husband made this recipe for a group of people coming over to watch football last winter. This Texas style  chili packs flavor without beans. This was the first chili I can remember that I ate without beans. I really enjoyed the taste of the beef and flavor of the base. It was a great change up to how I usually think of chili.  

Turkey and Bean Chili Source: Cooking Light September 2010

I love this recipe because it's quick and easy. I've made it following the recipe exactly and I've also done it with the addition of bell peppers since I had them left over from my garden. 

Chicken Chili Recipe: Source: My dear friend Claire

This was the first chili I ever made and my go to for a few years before I started experimenting with new chili recipes.  I still love the flavor of it and the fact that it's a chicken chili without cream. The marinaded chicken adds a lot of flavor. 

Ingredients: 

- 14 oz can of black beans (drained - I use the no added salt canned black beans)
- 1 can red beans (drained)
- 1/2 can refried beans
- 29 oz can of crushed tomatos
- 1 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- Chipotle marinade
- 4 Chicken breasts
- 1 Red pepper (chopped)
- 1 Green pepper (chopped)
- 1 Jalapeno pepper (chopped)
- 1 Yellow onion (chopped)
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp salt

Directions: 

Marinate the chicken in the Lawry's marinade (for at least 30 minutes)
and cut into chunks.  In skillet add olive oil and brown chicken.
Remove chicken from pan once cooked.  In same pan saute onion, red and
green peppers and garlic.  In large pot add chricken broth, red and
black beans and tomatos.  Stir.  Add chicken and 1/2 can of refried
beans.  Add seasoning.  Let simmer as desired.  Ready when heated.

Fending off Holiday Weight Gain

 

Most website claim that the average holiday weight gain is 5 or more pounds from Thanksgiving to New Years and surveys show that the average American reports a 5 pounds weight gain. The good news is a report in the New England Journal of Medicine actually showed the average American only gains one pound during this holiday season (although they did find that those already overweight tend to gain more). The bad news is most people don’t lose the weight. While it’s just a pound now imagine adding 5 pounds in the next 5 years. Here are some tips for fending off holiday weight gain and how to tackle the holiday parties. 

• Continue your exercise routine. If you have plans after work try switching to a morning routine.
• Don’t eat more in anticipation for a New Years diet. When people anticipate a diet they tend to overindulge on high fat, unhealthy foods before they start. If weight loss is your New Years Resolution make sure to focus on overall lifestyle changes that can start now and will last throughout the year and not an unrealistic change that won’t last through January.
• Watch your portion sizes. It’s okay to have dessert but watch your serving size. 
• Don’t skip meals. When you skip a meal you usually arrive at the next meal over hungry which leads to overindulging.
• Think Moderation: Remember that weight gain comes from excess calorie intake over time. Having some unhealthy foods such as a holiday dessert won’t immediately cause weight gain. It’s indulging too often or eating too much that cause weight gain over the holidays.

Tips for Tackling Holiday Parties

•  Don’t arrive starving. Have a healthy snack before you go.
• Use a plate for dips and finger foods. This will help control your portions.
• Stay hydrated with water. 
• Choose your drink wisely. If you choose to have alcoholic beverages limit yourself to 1-2 drinks and stay away from drinks with high calorie mixers such as egg nog, cider, flavored martinis and punch. Choose wine, light beer or if you want a cocktail make sure it is made with a low or no calorie mixer like club soda, diet soda or tonic water.
• When you are at a holiday party with a buffet, prioritize. Most buffets have a wide range of foods and so many of us try to sample each one to be polite. The truth is you don’t have to sample everything available. Choose what you would enjoy the most and pass up the filler items.
• Lastly, if you're the host don’t make food the only focus. Holidays are a great time to catch up with close friends and family. Try setting up the food in a different room than you will be socializing so people don’t continue to pick at the food just because it's in arms reach.

5 Fattening Holiday Foods

December has arrived, which means it’s time for holiday parties, cocktail hours and Christmas cookies. We all want to enjoy some of our favorite holiday foods but which ones should we avoid. Check out my recent Twin Cities Live Segment to see five of the Most Fattening Holiday Foods. Click the link and then click on Fattening Holiday Foods to see if your favorite holiday foods are on the list.

Twin Cities Live: 5 Fattening Holiday Foods Clip

Muffins: The Good and The Bad

Most muffins are like cupcakes without the frosting. While the average muffin used to be 150-200 calories and 5 grams of fat a muffin now averages 400 calories, 20 grams of fat and 40 grams of sugar. A quick stop at Starbuck's for a Zucchini Walnut Muffin will load you with 490 calories and 28g Fat. Even most reduced fat muffins served at coffee chains range from 340-370 calories, depending on the shop. While they are lower in fat they're still a high calorie food. Some of the reasons muffins are high in calories are because of the large serving sizes, sugar and streusel toppings and the flavors offered. Browsing coffee shops, bakeries, gas stations and grocery stores you'll find flavors like chocolate chip, strawberry cheesecake, coffee cake and peanut butter chocolate chip which are more like desserts than a good breakfast choice.

However, muffins aren't always unhealthy. Here's my advice. Skip the pastry case at the coffee shop and bake your own muffins. That way you get to control the amount of sugar and fat you are adding. Plus, you can make them with whole grains.  My favorite magazine, Cooking Light, had a great recipe for Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins in the August 2010 issue that I have falling in love with. I have made these muffins four times including last night and each time they are a huge hit.  It is a great kid friendly recipe and healthy alternative to blueberry muffins at the store. It calls for lowfat buttermilk, oatmeal and whole wheat flour plus nutrient loaded blueberries. One batch makes 16 muffins (that is if you make the appropriate serving size, which would be a cupcake pan not a large muffin pan). Each muffin contains 190 calories, 5g Fat, plus 2.4g Fiber.

Cooking Light Oatmeal Blueberry Muffin