A Pinch of Page

Every time my husband and I pass the produce section in the grocery store I invariably ask if we can make Brussels sprouts.  And he invariably answers with a less-than-enthusiastic ‘ehhh’.  Being the Brussels sprout lover that I am, I finally decided to just buy some and see what I could do with it to make it appealing to a non-fan.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Prosciutto and Parmesan

I used my food processor to shred my sprouts but you could do it the old fashioned way with a knife and cutting board without too much effort.  If you can’t find prosciutto you can easily substitute with pancetta or simple bacon.  Also, since the meat is fairly salty there is no need to season this dish with more salt.  This recipe makes about 3 cups.

• 1 pound whole Brussels sprouts
• 2-3 ounces prosciutto (I used 3 ounces for the sake of my husband, but I thought it was a bit too much), chopped into small pieces
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Trim your Brussels Sprouts by cutting the stem off each sprout and removing any wayward or discolored outer leaves.  Coarsely shred the sprouts in your food processor in batches, or chop them by hand with a large, sharp knife.

Place the shredded sprouts and chopped prosciutto on a baking sheet (lined with tin foil if you prefer), drizzle with the olive oil, and season to taste with black pepper.  Toss to evenly coat, then spread evenly on the baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes, remove to stir, and bake again for another 5 minutes.  Stir again, add the green onions and parmesan cheese, and place back in the oven for a final 3 minutes.  Serve hot.

My husband dug right in to these Brussels Sprouts before realizing which vegetable he was eating.  And the verdict?  Success!  They are crunchy and salty with a hint of cheese and make a an easy, healthy side dish for any meal.  Note to self: adding pork products to just about anything will make my husband happy.  Enjoy…

Calling all oatmeal junkies!  There’s a new hot breakfast cereal in town and it’s made with one of the oldest crops around, quinoa.  I have posted on the health benefits of quinoa before but up until now I have only consumed it as a savory rice or pasta alternative.  Well today I tried it as a warm cereal in the morning and I am officially hooked (and I think you will be too).

Warm Breakfast Quinoa

I used what I had in the fridge for my toppings, but below are a few other variations you could make to enhance your sweet quinoa experience.  This recipe made one huge helping, or two small-medium helpings of cereal.

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk (milk alternatives will work just fine)
• Generous sprinkling of ground cinnamon to taste, plus more for garnishing
• Drizzle of honey to taste, plus more for garnishing
• Handful of fresh blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries
• Sprinkle of toasted chopped walnuts

Pour the quinoa, water, and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is soft and all of the liquid has been absorbed.  Stir in the cinnamon and honey.  Gently fold in or top with your berries and walnuts, garnish, and serve.

As promised, here are some other topping ideas to get you started:

• dried apricots with toasted almonds
• chopped pears or apples with raisins (cook the fruit with the quinoa to soften it)
• sliced bananas with peanut or almond butter
• sliced peaches or nectarines with toasted pecans

This was a fairly easy hot breakfast to make in the morning while I got myself ready for the day, and it was filling and nutritious to boot.  If your an oatmeal fanatic or health food nut, or just enjoy a hearty and warm breakfast in the morning, give this breakfast quinoa a try and I think you’ll be fully satisfied.  Enjoy…

For my first recipe of 2010, I chose to do an old favorite.  Whether it’s my pregnancy cravings or the chilly weather outside, I have recently been wanting to make (and eat!) some homemade wintertime cookies.  My sister, Brooke, shared this recipe with me when I was in college and it has remained a go-to cookie for us both since then.  Instead of traditional gingersnaps, these cookies are baked soft and chewy for a buttery twist on the crispy version.

Ginger Chews

I especially like this recipe because I almost always have the necessary ingredients in my cupboard and because it’s easy to put together.  Rolling the balls of dough is slightly time consuming but is not at all difficult or messy.  Also, if you like thicker, chewier cookies remember to refrigerate your dough before rolling and baking the cookies; alternately, if you prefer thinner cookies with crispy edges roll the ball of dough and bake immediately after mixing.  This recipe make about 3 dozen cookies.

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup molasses
• non-stick cooking spray (optional)
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Combine your sugar, butter, and molasses in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth.  (Tip: spray the inside of your measuring cup with the non-stick cooking spray before measuring your molasses to ensure that it easily slides out of the cup without any sticking.)  Add the egg and blend again until smooth.  Add the rest of the ingredients (using only the 1 cup of sugar at this point) and mix until just combined.

Pour the 1/4 cup of sugar into a shallow bowl.  Using your hands, roll the dough into even balls about the size of a chestnut or buckeye (or whatever size you prefer).  Place each ball of dough in the bowl of sugar and roll it around to coat the outside.  Evenly space your balls of dough on at least two cookie sheets and bake for about 8 minutes, or until the tops crack.  Since I like to under bake my cookies, I let them sit on the cookie sheet just until they can be moved to a wire rack for cooling without breaking.

Usually I make the thicker kind of ginger chew but this last batch came out thin with crispy edges and they were just as delicious.  These are tasty any time of year, but the heavily spiced flavor is just right during the winter months.  Forget those crunchy gingersnaps, I really think that ginger cookies were meant to be soft!  Enjoy…

Hello fellow foodies!

It has been quite some time since my last post, and I must admit that I miss the blogging world.  Since then, a LOT has changed in our lives – and all for the better!  We made the move to North Carolina and are loving the new house and being back on the east coast.  The dog now has a yard in which to play, the husband has a new jet on which to train, and I’m happy being able to drive back to Maryland again!

The other big news is that I am currently 24 weeks pregnant.  This has affected my blogging in two ways:  I decided that a strict Paleo diet wasn’t for me during the pregnancy, and I simply haven’t felt like cooking as often!  The basics of the Paleo diet is still something we strive for (more fresh foods in their true forms), but I have incorporated dairy and whole grains back into my meals for a more balanced diet for the babe.  I still try to avoid ‘white carbs’ when I can and I tell that my body is happier without them.

As far as the cooking goes, I honestly haven’t felt as motivated or creative in the past few months.  I have made plenty of old recipes but the fatigue of pregnancy has taken its toll (and my husband has been very patient with me)!  Even though we aren’t eating a new meal every night anymore, we do still watch what we eat – if not more so now than before.  We buy more organics (everything from milk to soup to frozen pizza) and consume more lean meats and fresh fruits and veggies than ever before.  Luckily I dodged most of the early pregnancy symptoms and I feel healthy and am staying active.

So!  Now that you all know why I’ve been absent from the blog for so long, I’m ready to come back and post some new recipes.  They might not all be Paleo friendly but I hope you will find them all to be tasty!

Enjoy…

As you may have noticed, I have taken the past month or so off from blogging.  It has been a busy time for us, full of important events and good family fellowship.  On August 7th, my husband received his pilot’s wings, passed down and pinned on by his father.  My husband was also selected to fly Harriers out of Yuma, Arizona (again following in his dad’s footsteps), with about a year of training first in eastern North Carolina.  

In the weeks following his ceremony I have been busy packing, traveling to weddings, house-hunting, and working on some graphic design side projects, not to mention working from home!  Needless to say, blogging has been relegated to the back burner.  

Food is never far from my thoughts, however.  Recently I have been toying with the idea of significantly changing my diet, and I finally decided to take the plunge and try out something new.  I am taking on a loose version of the Paleo Diet (short for Paleolithic Diet), in which you eat only foods that our stone age ancestors would recognize.  Strictly speaking, it means no dairy, nothing in the grain/pasta/rice/flour/potato family, no legumes (meaning beans, peanuts, and soy products), no salty foods or fatty meats, and no refined sugars or sweets.  Like I said, I will be aiming for a LOOSE interpretation of this!

In essence, this diet plan is meant to get people to eat food in its most basic form, without subjecting it to any ‘modern’ processing (we’re talking pre-agricultural revolution here) or pasteurizing.  The idea is to incorporate more fruits, vegetables, lean protein, eggs, and nuts into your diet, and minimizing everything else; this plan will aid in digestion and will allow your body to absorb more vitamins and nutrients per caloric intake.  As a fruit and veggie lover this sounds feasible, but as an oat and yogurt lover it is also a challenge.  

Now, I love going out to eat and indulging on cheesy pasta as much as the next gal, and I will still continue to ‘cheat’ along the way.  But as a general rule, and especially at home, I am going to try to implement and abide by these guidelines as often as I can.  Even my husband is on board!

I stopped by the health food store today and made some initial purchases:

• Raw whole almonds, from the bulk food section
• Unsweetened toasted coconut flakes or ‘chips’, from the bulk food section
• Unsweetened vanilla almond milk (Almond Breeze Brand)
• A stock of fruit and nut bars made by:
•                    -LaraBars
•                    -Raw Revolution
•                    -Pure 
• Raw honey
• Raw almond butter
• Unsweetened banana chips, from the bulk food section
• Organic dark chocolate, with 87% cacao (for my sweet tooth)
• Unsweetened apple rings
• Pre-packaged ‘Date nut rolls’, containing dates, unsweetened coconut, and almond pieces
• Dark leafy greens (I got spinach and mustard greens)
• Fresh vegetables (Anything that can be eaten raw.  I got baby carrots, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms.)
• Fresh fruits (I like apples, strawberries, blueberries, melon, and bananas)
• Dried fruits (I bought cranberries and apricots)
• Lean meats and seafood (I got tilapia, shrimp, chicken, and turkey cutlets.)

I’m still figuring out this food plan (ok, so maybe I went to Chili’s last night for margaritas and appetizers), but I will be posting more recipes and ideas that follow this diet here on the blog.  So far I have made the following steps:

-Avoid all store-bought bottled salad dressings and marinades.  I still use vinegar (even though the diet recommends eliminating it), but fresh citrus juice and olive oil are a great subsitute.

-Substitute raw, organic snack bars for oat-based, granola bars

-Snack on raw veggies (e.g carrots, cucumber) and fresh fruit

-Incorporate more dried fruits and nuts (up to 2 ounces dried fruit and up to 4 ounces nuts per day, or more to maintain or gain weight)

-Limit fatty meats such as bacon, pork sausage, beef or pork ribs, fatty cuts of beef or high fat ground beef, and lamb  (I did this before anyway, due to naturally high cholesterol)

-Add lean protein to each meal when possible, to help me feel full

-Make smart choices when eating out (using salsa as a salad dressing is one choice that I make often)

-Season foods with spices like black pepper, garlic, ginger, and ground cayenne to add flavor without salt

-Remove fruit juices from my diet altogether (I love drinking La Croix sparkling waters instead)

-Plan dinners with one meat and two vegetables, instead of the classic ‘meat-vegetable-starch’ meals

Anyone who knows me (or has read this blog!) knows that I could never be a Paleo Diet purist.  Instead I hope to incorporate some of the basic ideas into my everyday meal plans and snacking habits.  If you have adopted these rules into your own diet, I’d love to hear from you – and for those who are curious about the plan, I will post my feedback as I go along!  Enjoy…