Eat Your Colors

I apologize for such a belated post. As you can imagine, the past week of finishing up work in time for vacation can be quite hectic and to be honest, I just did not have time to finish this post. But, here it is--Eat Your Colors!

You have probably heard it before--eat as many colors of fruits and vegetables as possible. Eat a rainbow. Sure it may sound silly, but this motto has merit. Different colors mean different nutrients. Each color helps your body in a unique way. For example, red fruits and veggies help your heart and blood system, whereas green fruits and veggies help your bones. Do you see where I'm going with this? That perhaps it is a good idea to eat a variety of colors of fruits and veggies? Well it is. Remember what you learned in elementary school...you want your plate to look like a rainbow (or to have at least three different colors present at all times). During the holiday season, it is especially difficult to eat healthfully. But, if you try to keep as many different colors of fruits and veggies on your plate, then at least you'll be giving your body some of the TLC it needs during a time of cookies, cakes, and other not-the-best-foods-for-us. 

In need of some recipes to make the rainbow on your plate complete? I have orange, yellow, green, and purple recipes below! 

Harvest Medley (from Southern Cooking)
Serves 6
Ingredients:
-1 winter squash (I used a sugar pumpkin, but you could use butternut, acorn, delicata, et.), cut into chunks
-2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
-2 tablespoons canola oil
-1 apple, chopped

-3 tablespoons butter, melted

-1/4 cup honey

-1/4 cup orange juice

-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

-1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

-1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted (if desired)

-canola oil spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. 

2. Combine winter squash and 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl and mix. Spread onto a baking sheet. 

3. Combine sweet potatoes and 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl and mix. Spread onto another baking sheet.

4. Bake squash for 10-15 minutes; bake sweet potatoes for 15-20 minutes (should be able to easily pierce with a fork).

5. Meanwhile combine melted butter, OJ, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30-60 seconds, until mixture starts to bubble and is hot to touch. 

6. Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with spray oil. Combine the squash and sweet potatoes in the baking dish. Pour the butter mixture evenly over. 

7. Bake for 15 minutes and then sprinkle chopped apple on top. 

8. Serve warm and sprinkle with walnuts. 

Roasted Squash and Brown Rice Casserole with Lemon-Tahini Sauce (adapted from Bon Appetit)
Serves 2
Ingredients:
-1 winter squash, cut into small chunks (I used butternut, but again you can use whatever type you want!)
-1 tablespoon canola oil
-juice from 1 lemon
-1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste...it's what you use to make hummus)
-1/2 cup uncooked brown rice (or any other grain you want--barley, bulgur, quinoa)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit; cook rice according to package
2. Combine squash with oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, checking every 15 minutes to give the mixture a stir.
3. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and tahini. Mix well. 
4. When squash is done roasting, drizzle the tahini sauce on top and mix well. 
5. In a bread pan, layer the brown rice on the bottom and top with the squash mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the oven.
6. Serve warm!

Brasicca Oleracea Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients:
-1 head of romanesco, cauliflower, or broccoli chopped into chunks
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-8 black oil-cured olives, pitted and chopped
-1 tablespoon capers
-1/4 cup parsley, chopped (you can add more or less parsley, depending on your taste) 
-2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. 
2. Combine romanesco/cauliflower/broccoli with oil and ground pepper in a medium bowl. Coat well. 
3. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes (check every 10 minutes and once the veggie starts to brown, it's done).
4. Combine remaining ingredients with roasted veggie in a bowl. Serve at room temperature


Red Cabbage and Apple Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients:
-1 red cabbage, thinly sliced

-2 apples (I recommend honey crisp, gala, fuji, or golden delicious), thinly sliced

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-2 1/2 teaspoons salt 

-1 teaspoon fennel seeds

-4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

-ground pepper

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat
2. Add the sliced cabbage and cook for about 10 minutes--stirring constantly--until cabbage starts to wilt and turns a deep purple color
3. Add the apples, fennel seeds, salt, and cider vinegar. Cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes--stirring occasionally--until apples are soft 
4. Top with freshly ground pepper and serve warm

Got Milk?

The milk in my fridge had a sell-by date of December 1. So yesterday--December 2--I decided to take a whiff and make sure the milk was still okay. Thankfully it was fine (there's nothing worse than smelling sour milk), but I knew I needed to use up the milk because you only a get a few days of good milk after the sell-by date. For those of you thinking "ew, but the date said December 1!" a tad bit of info: the sell-by date is just the date that the grocery store must sell the product; it is not the same thing as an expiration date. 

Anyways, I was trying to think of a way to use the 3+ cups of milk I had lingering in my fridge when I had a genius idea...macaroni and cheese! Not the boxed stuff with the bright orange "cheese" (term used loosely). Real homemade mac & cheese (which thankfully uses a couple cups of milk to make). 

I also have a few sugar pumpkins sitting on my counter and so I thought, why not add some pumpkin to my mac and cheese? Pumpkin...good. Cheese...good. It's settled...Pumpkin Mac & Cheese for Sunday night dinner.

I modified Michael Bittman's "Baked Macaroni and Cheese" recipe from his cookbook How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. The result...absolutely phenomenal macaroni and cheese. I am talking prize worthy. Sure, I am biased, but seriously this stuff tastes amazing. The recipe makes about 8 servings, so you can expect to have leftovers for lunch and another dinner or two. And you can always freeze some of it if you've had too much (what a silly statement...too much mac & cheese? HA!).

No, the recipe did not use all of the milk in my fridge. But it used most of it. So, if you are looking for a great way to use up some about-to-go-bad milk (or you are just in the mood for some damn good mac & cheese), then follow the recipe below: 

Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese
Serves 8

Ingredients:
-1 sugar pumpkin, seeded, peeled and cubed
-2 tablespoons canola oil
-2 1/2 cups low-fat milk (I used 2%)
-2 bay leaves (if you don't have bay leaves, just skip this ingredient)
-4 tablespoons butter
-1 red onion, chopped
-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
-1/2 pound of pasta...aka half a box (I used gemelli, but you can use elbows, penne, or whatever kind of pasta you like!)
-1 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
-1/2 - 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (really it is more like chunks of bread than crumbs. this is an optional ingredient)
-parsley, chopped (as garnish)

Directions:
1. Roast the pumpkin: preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Combine pumpkin cubes and canola oil in a bowl; make sure pumpkin is coated. Spread pumpkin onto baking sheet (may need to use 2 baking sheets) and bake for 25-30 minutes. Check and stir every 10 minutes. 
2. Cook the pasta according to package. I recommend heating the pasta pot while you do step #3. The pot should be boiling by the time you're done with step #4, at which point you can cook the pasta. 
3. Heat the milk: in a medium saucepan, combine the milk and bay leaves. Heat for about 5 minutes, until bubbles start to form on side of saucepan. Keep your eye on the saucepan and be careful not to burn the milk. Once bubbles form, transfer milk to a metal bowl. Remove bay leaves. 
4. Make the sauce: rinse out the saucepan you used to heat the milk. Melt the butter over medium heat, then add the red onion. Sautee for about 5 minutes, until onion begins to soften. Using a whisk, add the flour to the saucepan. Once flour and butter have started to clump, slowly whisk in about 1/3 cup of milk. Continue to whisk, until mixture is creamy, then add more milk. Continue whisking and slowly adding milk until it is all in the saucepan. Stir in the cheddar cheese. 
5. Combine it all together: in a big bowl combine the roasted pumpkin, pasta, and cheesy sauce. Add the parmesan cheese and pepper. 
6. Grease a 9x13 baking dish (or two 8x8 baking dishes) and pour in the pasta mixture. 
7. Top with fresh bread crumbs and bake for 15 minutes (should be bubbling)
8. Serve and garnish with parsley!

**For a spicier version add 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper to pumpkin before roasting, then another teaspoon when combining all the ingredients!

Breakfast Before the Big Feast

This is just a friendly reminder to eat breakfast on Thanksgiving day! You may think that skipping breakfast makes up for that third helping of your favorite Turkey Day foods...but you are wrong. 

Eating something in the morning...anything...jumpstarts your metabolism and gets your body to start burning calories. So if you eat a second helping of stuffing and cranberry sauce, at least your body is prepared to burn off some of those extra calories. But skipping breakfast slows down your body's metabolism. That third slice of pumpkin pie is going to sit nicely on your hips because your body isn't in the mood to quickly burn any calories.

I encourage you to review my words of wisdom from last year, on how to have a delectable Thanksgiving without feeling disgusting the next day. But if there is one piece of advice you are going to heed to tomorrow, let it be to eat breakfast. A large breakfast is unnecessary - you just need to get a lil bit o' something to start your metabolism. Here are a few suggestions for a light, yet substantial Thanksgiving breakfast: 

-one egg (boiled or sauteed) on top of a whole wheat english muffin
-1 cup cooked oatmeal with 1/2 cup chopped fruit (banana, apples, frozen blueberries, etc.) and 2 tablespoons almonds
-1 slice of whole wheat toast topped with 1 tablespoon peanut butter (or almond butter) and 1/2 a banana 

Happy Thanksgiving! Eat well and be well!

Trans-Fats: Clarification

Hopefully by now you are all reading the ingredient lists of the foods you buy and looking for products that contain zero trans-fats. And hopefully you are looking for the word "hydrogenated" in that ingredient list, which should trigger an automatic response of "ew! no trans-fats for me!" Good. 

However, a few weeks ago when I was shopping for Halloween candy I kept finding different words listed in the ingredient list (yes, I read the ingredient list of candy). Fully hydrogenated vs. partially hydrogenated vs. hydrogenated ...This got me thinking: do all these words mean the same thing? So after a little research (and a longwinded discussion with my co-workers) I came across some useful information regarding these variations of the finicky word "hydrogenated". Based on this newfound information, I must clarify parts of what I said in my previous post on identifying trans-fats. 

To clarify: if the ingredient list says...

"Fully (or Completely) Hydrogenated"... the product does not contain any trans-fats. Apparently the process by which fully hydrogenated oils are made does not result in trans-fats. Good to know.

"Partially Hydrogenated"... the product does contain trans-fats. As soon as you see these two words together, put the product away and look for a trans-fat free option.

"Hydrogenated"...the product may contain trans-fats. Ugh. How typically complicated. I would err on the side of caution and look for an alternative product. There is probably a healthier option that contains fewer ingredients anyways. 

I do not want to ruin anyone's love of candy, especially those who are big fans of Halloween. And annually having a few pieces of candy that are laden with partially-hydrogenated oils is not going to kill you. So feel free to stop reading now, if you would rather stay in blissful ignorance of the candies made with and without partially hydrogenated oils. For those who wish to be well-informed, read on. 

Candies that do not contain the word "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated":

--Reeses

--Kit-Kats

--Nestle Crunch bar

--Payday

--Peppermint Patty

--Mounds Bar

Candies that contain the ambiguous word "hydrogenated":

--3 Musketeers

--Milky Way

--Butterfingers

--Twix

--Snickers Almond

Candies that contain partially hydrogenated oils: 

--Snickers Dark

--Snickers Original

--Snickers Peanut Butter

--Baby Ruth 

**This is not a comprehensive list - just candies for which I was interested in knowing the ingredients lists. If there is a candy missing from the lists that you want to know more about, feel free to let me know or look it up yourself and report back! 

One-Bowl-Wonders

Making a meal with various side dishes can be fun and enjoyable (albeit, time intensive). And sometimes making a meal that is a one-bowl-wonder is just as satisfying. A one-bowl meal is nothing to feel ashamed or embarrassed by; and making this type of meal is not a sign of laziness, nor is it due to lack of creativity. Some meals just taste better in a bowl! Plus...these types of meals are usually quick to make and require far less clean-up than a multi-dish meal. 

The reason I am even writing this post is because over the past couple of days I found myself cooking one-bowl meals, for no real rhyme or reason. The recipes were incredibly delicious, easy to make, and perfect meals for those looking for relatively simple cooking. So I figured, why not share these recipes with you all? Try 'em out and let me know your thoughts!

Do you ever make one-bowl-wonder meals? If so, what are they? 

Spaghetti Squash Scampi
Serves 2
*this recipes only uses half of the spaghetti squash, but I recommend cooking the whole thing and using the remaining half for another dish!

Ingredients:
-1 spaghetti squash, cut in half (lengthwise) and seeds discarded 
-1 leek (or onion), chopped - be sure to clean the leeks
-1 tablespoon butter
-1 tablespoon olive oil

-4 garlic cloves, minced
-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

-2 tablespoons capers
-6 black cured olives or kalamata olives
-1/2 cup white wine
-2 cups frozen shrimp, scallops, and/or squid, thawed (I used the frozen seafood mix from Trader Joe's which consists of all three: scallops, shrimp, and squid)
-dash of ground black pepper
-handful of parsley, chopped
-Parmesan cheese, as topping

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Place squash (cut side down) in a 9x13 baking dish and add 1 cup of water. Bake for 35 minutes or until a fork can easily pierce through the squash skin. Wait for squash to cool, then scrape out insides of one half of squash into a bowl (it looks like spaghetti...hence the name of the squash). 
2. Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and cook for 5-7 minutes, until translucent & just beginning to becoming a golden color.
3. Add garlic and red pepper flakes to skillet; stir for another 1 minute. 
4. Add the capers, olives, and white wine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add seafood to skillet and simmer for additional 5-8 minutes, until shrimp starts to curl & become pink, and/or other seafood is cooked through (goes from translucent color to solid white). Add ground black pepper. 
5. Stir in parsley and mix well. Serve in a bowl and top with cheese.

Quinoa, Sweet Potato, & Kale Bowl
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooking For Health cookbook
Serves 4

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 red onion, chopped
-1 hot pepper (like jalapeno or chile) or 2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 sweet potato, diced
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed & drained according to package
-1 1/2 cup water
-1 bunch kale, leaves thinly sliced, and stems separated & chopped
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-3 tablespoons dried currants, raisins, or dried cranberries
-2 scallions, minced
-1/2 lemon, juiced
-ground black pepper
-3 tablespoons crumbled cheese (such as gorgonzola, feta, or goat cheese)

Directions:
1. Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the red onion and hot pepper (or garlic), and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. 
2. Add sweet potato, salt, and a dash of ground black pepper to saucepan; stir for 2 minutes.
3. Add quinoa and water to saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, until water is absorbed and sweet potato is tender.
4. As saucepan simmers, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, chopped kale stems, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, until kale stems start to soften. 
5. Add kale leaves to skillet and sauté until leaves are wilted, but still bright green. You may need to add 1/4 cup of water to help steam the leaves a bit. 
6. In a large bowl combine quinoa mixture with kale. Add the dried currants, scallions, and lemon juice. Mix well. 
7. Serve in a bowl and top with crumbled cheese.

Fabulous Fall Flavors

As some of you know, I love summer. That said, I am also an avid fan of fall. Predominantly because the foods are all so enjoyable...pumpkins, apples, and baking...fantastic! Thus far, I have taken full advantage of fall flavors, but last week I went to a whole new level of fall fun. You may recall that I am subscribed to a couple of food magazines (remember: make use of magazines). Over the past two months I giddily accumulated this year's fall-themed editions and slowly made my way through a few recipes. And last week I binged...I went on a cooking spree of recipes from these magazines. SUCH a good use of time...for me, anyways. All the recipes are scrumptious, easy to make, and great for your health. Enjoy these fabulous fall flavors...I sure did!

Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese (adapted from Bon Appetit)
I won't bother rewriting the recipe, since I only made one modication: I used low-fat milk instead of heavy cream, otherwise the recipe is super easy and insanely delicious! My grilled cheese was country bread from Iggy's Bread with some sharp cheddar cheese (grated).

Warm Salad of Bulgur and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Walnuts

(modified from Vegetarian Times)

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

-1 lb. Bussels sprouts, quartered lengthwise

-3 tablespoons canola oil

-1 cup bulgur

-1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

-1/2 cup dried cranberries

-1/4 cup parsley, chopped

-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

-1 tablespoon maple syrup

-1/2 lemon, juiced

-lemon zest from 1 lemon

-salt & pepper

Optional:

-1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

-1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees fahrenheit. Bring bulgur and 1 3/4 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and cook 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed.

2. Combine 2 tablespoons of oil and Brussels sprouts in a bowl. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish in a single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes until brown and crispy.

3. To make dressing: whisk together vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, zest, and 1 tablespoon of oil. 

4. Combine bulgur, sprouts, walnuts, cranberries, parsley, pomegranate seeds & cheese (if using), in a medium bowl. Add dressing and mix well. Season with salt & pepper.

Pumpkin-Pear Bread (from Vegetarian Times)

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients: 

-3/4 cups sugar

-1 cup all-purpose flour

-1 cup whole-wheat flour

-2 teaspoons baking powder

-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

-1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/2 cup vegetable oil

-1 large egg

-1/2 cup low-fat milk

-3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

-1 teaspoon

-1 15oz. can pears (canned in 100% juice!), chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Coat 8 or 9 inch bread loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. Whisk together sugar, flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. 

3. Whisk together oil and egg in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in milk, pumpkin, and vanilla. 

4. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold in pears. 

5. Spread batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Butternut Squash & Broccoli Rabe Lasagna (modified from Bon Appetit)

This recipe is more of a commitment. But the flavor is SO spectacular, that I highly recommend taking the time to make this recipe. If you follow the ingredient amounts from the original Bon Appetit recipe (but still use low-fat milk instead of cream!), then the lasagna will make 10-12 servings...freeze half of it for another time!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Filling

-1 butternut squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices

-2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra

-1 lb. broccoli rabe, tough stems removed

-crushed red pepper flakes

-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

-2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-2 teaspoons fresh sage, minced

-1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced

-salt & pepper

Bechamel Sauce & Assembly

-2 tablespoons unsalted butter

-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

-2 cups low-fat milk

-pinch of ground nutmeg

-1 bay leaf

-1/2 lb. lasagna noodles

-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Mix squash, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl together; place squash on a baking sheet and bake in oven for about 15 minutes.

2. Quickly blanch broccoli rabe, about 1-2 minutes. Drain, briefly cool under running cold water, and coarsely chop. Transfer to bowl, season with salt & pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil. 

3. In a bowl: mix together mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, sage, and rosemary. 

4. Bechamel: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until slightly thickened (make sure mixture doesn't turn brown), about 2-3 minutes. Increase heat slightly and slowly add milk. Add nutmeg and bay leaf. Simmer and stir constantly until shake-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.

5. Cook lasagna noodles according to package. Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.

6. Ladle 2 tablespoons bechamel into an 8x8 pan. To layer: line with single layer of noodles (cut noodles as fit), add 1/3 of butternut squash on top, followed by 1/3 of broccoli rabe, then dollop 1/3 of mozzarella-ricotta mixture randomly on top. Drizzle 1/4 cup of bechamel sauce. Repeat process 2 more times (total of 3 layers). 

7. Finishing layer should be noodles, topped with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. 

8. Bake lasagna uncovered until bubbly and starting to brown, approximately 45-55 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.

The Secret to Pomegranate Seeds

Found this AWESOME video for deseeding pomegranates...So naturally I bought a pomegranate to test out the technique. And yes, it definitely works: 

Step 1: Cut your pomegranate in half

Step 2: hold the pomegranate in your palm (seed side down) and smash with a wooden spoon - make sure to have a bowl with water under your hand

Don't be afraid to get your aggression out. Really smack the heck out of the pomegranate! 

This is the inside of the pomegranate, after all the seeds are smacked out.  

Ta-da! Pomegranate seeds!

A Bushel and a Peck...Of Apples

Two weekends ago my boyfriend and I went apple picking - a fun autumn activity to do in New England. In addition to the dozen apple-cider donuts we bought at the orchard (perhaps a bit excessive, but these donuts are an annual treat), we also walked away with half a bushel of apples. That is approximately 21-24 pounds of apples. You may be asking yourself, "why on earth would they want that many apples?!" Well my friends, I will give you one simple reason: applesauce. 

Homemade applesauce is insanely easy to make. Yet making applesauce from scratch rarely crosses anybody's mind. Have you ever thought about making applesauce? If you said yes, you are the 1%. 

Making applesauce at home requires four simple things: apples, cinnamon (preferably sticks, but ground cinnamon will do), water, and a pot (or sauce pan). That is it. Applesauce can be made with any sort of apple - it is a great way to use those bruised and battered apples you would otherwise throw away - and if you feel so inclined, you can add pears, cranberries, or even raisins. 

If I have yet to convince you as to why you should make applesauce at home, here is a math problem to help persuade you. A 25oz. jar of pre-made applesauce costs approximately $2. Five apples will cost about the same ($2) and make close to 60oz. of applesauce. I am not a math genius, but it seems clear to me which is the more budget-friendly choice. 

No, I did not make applesauce with the entire half-bushel of apples we picked. I also made apple crisp, a butternut squash and apple casserole, apple coleslaw, and apple-cranberry muffins (recipe below). And of course, the apples taste fantastic raw (or sometimes with a bit of peanut butter...). There is no need to buy a bushel or a peck of apples; half a dozen apples are enough to make a delectable batch of applesauce. Get cookin'!

Homemade Applesauce 
Makes approximately 60oz. of applesauce
Ingredients:
-5 medium-large apples, diced 
-2 cups water
-3 cinnamon sticks or 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan or pot over high heat. Water should cover about half of apples. 
2. Pot to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat. Let apples simmer for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
3. If mixture is a bit too watery for your liking, keep simmering the applesauce until it is a consistency you like. 
4. If you do not want apple skins in your applesauce: a) peel the apples before dicing them or b) make the applesauce as written, then pour the applesauce through a fine mesh sieve. 

Apple-Cranberry Muffins
Makes 12-16 muffins
Ingredients: 
-3/4 cup fresh cranberries, chopped (can use dried cranberries instead)
-1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
-1/4 cup granulated sugar
-1/4 cup brown sugar
-1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1/2 cup whole wheat flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/3 cup canola oil
-2/3 cup applesauce (use your homemade stuff!)
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-2 eggs

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine cranberries, apple, and sugars in a medium bowl. Mix together and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon).
4. In a different bowl, mix the wet ingredients together (oil, applesauce, vanilla, eggs). 
5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined. 
6. Add fruit mixture to bowl and gently fold into batter. 
7. Using non-stick spray, lightly coat a muffin tin. Spoon batter into tin, filling each muffin only 3/4 of the way (this will enable the recipe to yield 16 muffins instead of just 12). 
8. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tops of muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out dry. 
9. Cool muffins on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Cookie Recipe...As Promised

As I mentioned, I was absolutely craving cookies this past week. I needed something sweet after dinner and my usual piece of chocolate simply did not cut it. So, after a wonderful meal of ravioli and sauteed greens on Thursday night, I thought it was a wise idea to start baking cookies at 9:45pm at night. Brilliant idea, actually. The end result was so incredibly satisfying that I did not care how late I had to wait to taste these cookies. 

I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks - Moosewood Restaurant: Cooking For Health. I was looking for a relatively simple recipe (considering that it was 9:45pm at night and I had not planned to make cookies), so I did not want a recipe that called for something like 1 stick of butter at room temperature, since waiting for that much butter to soften would take way too long. Instead, this recipe was quick, easy, delicious, and also relatively healthy - as healthy as sweets can be.

If you are in the mood for a sweet fix, and you are willing to take 15 minutes to assemble the ingredients, then this is the recipe for you!

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from Cooking For Health's "Oatmeal Cookie" recipe)
Serving size: about 24 cookies (use an actual tablespoon to measure out portions)
Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature (tip: place to butter on top of the stove as the oven preheats - this expedites the process of warming the butter)
-2 tablespoons canola oil
-1/3 brown sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 large egg
-1/2 cup whole wheat flour
-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick oats!)
-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
-1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped (cranberries or raisins work too!)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Spray two baking sheets with oil or line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.With an electric mixer or whisk, beat together the butter and oil in a medium bowl, until blended and smooth. 
3. Beat in the sugar and vanilla. Add the egg and beat until creamy and smooth. 
4. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold these dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients. Stir until well blended.
5. Add the oats, chocolate chips, and dried cherries into the bowl. 
6. Drop 1 tablespoon sized rounds of cookie dough onto the baking sheets. Flatten each round of dough with your finger or back of spoon. You should have 24 tablespoon rounds (dough may seem really chunky and reluctant to stick together - do your best to push the dough together, but if it is crumbly do not worry). 
7. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. 
8. Let cookies cool on a wire rack. These taste great with coffee, tea, or milk. 

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies!

All week I have craved cookies...any kind, really... Though something with chocolate would be preferable. So at 9:45pm tonight I decided to fulfill my yearning for cookies by actually making some. I'll post the recipe tomorrow...for now you can ogle over the delectable photo.

A Few Shopping Tips

So I just realized that despite my daily grind of teaching people about healthy & affordable grocery shopping, I have never relayed any of this information in my blog. My apologies! I have so much information to share! However, I do not want to overwhelm anybody's brain, so I will contain this post to just a few fun and useful facts for shopping smartly.

#1 Navigate the perimeter: the majority of the food that you actually need is located on the perimeter of the store. Sure, you need to go down a few aisles to get things like canned goods, pasta, rice, bread, cereal, and coffee; but there is no need to snake through the aisles. The "snaking" method exposes you to tons of products that you do not actually need, but that look appealing/necessary (potato chips anyone?). Foods that are in their "whole" or original state (ex: produce, meat) are on the perimeter. Foods that are processed are in the aisles. Spare yourself the extra time and money that snaking through the aisles will illicit. Stick to the perimeter instead. 

#2 Make a list and stick to it: we've all heard it before - make a shopping list if you want to save money, blah blah blah. But seriously, it works; and even more so when you actually stick to the list. When you go shopping unprepared (especially in a large grocery store like Stop & Shop, Whole Foods, or even the Trader Joes in Union Square NYC) you may feel overwhelmed by all the options and start throwing anything that looks slightly useful/appetizing into your basket. However, if you go into a grocery store with some sort of plan (no matter what the size of the grocery store), you are equipping yourself with purpose and direction. There is less risk of feeling overwhelmed when you are focused on checking off each item from your list.

#3 Get in and out in 30 minutes: for every additional minute you spend in a grocery store, after you have already been there for 30 minutes, you will spend one additional dollar. What? For example: if you are in the grocery store for 37 minutes, you will spend $7 more than you meant to spend. Make sense? Do not linger in the grocery store. Get in, get out, and get on with your life. 

#4 Everything is real estate: items on the end-of-aisle displays are not there because they are the best deal, the healthiest choice, or the tastiest selection. Those items are placed at the end of the aisle because some company paid to have that item placed there. Do not be fooled into thinking that the grocery store has your best interests in mind when they put up displays or stock their shelves. There is a meticulous method to the location of every single item on a shelf or in an aisle: companies pay for product placement. Let's take the cereal aisle as an example: all the colorful cereal boxes (with cartoons and drawings) are located at kids' eye level, whereas cereal boxes claiming weight loss miracles are located at adults' eye level. Coincidence? Of course not! Companies pay to have their products placed where their target audience will see the product and therefore be more inclined to buy the product. 

#5 Never shop hungry: you know how it works - you go into the store starving and all of a sudden you must have that bag of chips, box of cookies, pint of ice cream, and every other snack food. Prevent these impulse purchases instigated by your grumbling tummy. Make sure you eat something - anything - before you go grocery shopping. And if you absolutely don't have time to eat a snack before you enter the store? Then go into the grocery store, grab a banana, apple, bag of carrots, or granola bar, buy it, then eat it as you shop. Your tummy will stop making noises and you'll be able to focus on the foods you actually need to buy - not the foods your stomach momentarily craves.

Shopping smartly takes practice. Start with small changes - like making a list for the first time or making a bag of trail mix to eat before you go into the store. Eventually you'll be  able to walk into a store and fill your basket with delicious, nutritious, and intentional choices. It is important to make healthy choices about the food you eat, but those healthy decisions don't start in the kitchen - they start when you are in a grocery store shopping for food.

Bread and Brownies

If you practice a gluten-free diet and are reading this post, I apologize in advance. The two recipes I am about to discuss are all about bread and flour...and the recipes are frickin' delicious (not to rub it in or anything). I made the first recipe last Friday night when I needed a quick, delicious, and filling meal to make for two hungry men...my boyfriend and a close guy friend of ours. I had about an hour to make something that would satisfy everyone's ravenous appetite and also taste damn good. I could have easily opted for a go-to recipe like quesadillas with salsa or pasta with roasted veggies; but I had not seen this friend in quite some time and I wanted to feed him a memorable meal. 

So what did I make? Panzanella - an Italian bread salad filled with tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and other yummy goodness. Usually the salad is a vegetarian meal and tastes fantastic that way. However, taking the food preferences of the men I was feeding into consideration, I decided to add some meat. The choice is yours and the dish will taste awesome no matter what. The surprising bonus of this recipe: it tastes even better the day after you make it! Leftovers will taste awesome, for a change.

And for dessert? Sadly on Friday night I did not make the following dessert recipe to accompany the Panzanella (recall: I was looking for a quick meal, so baking dessert was out of the question). Instead I made this dessert last night, after days of searching for a recipe. The reason for my search? Last week one of my best friends wrote to me saying that she needed a recipe for brownies. All of the brownie mixes she had seen at the grocery store contained partially hydrogenated oils, so she wanted a healthier option - either a mix without transfat or a recipe for making brownies from scratch. It made me happy to know that at least one of my dear readers is heeding my advice to avoid partially hydrogenated oils at all costs. 

So, I was on a quest for "healthy" brownies...preferably an easy recipe (since my friend is not very big on cooking). After a few days of skimming through my cookbooks, magazines, and online resources, I found this brownie recipe tucked away on my bookshelf. The recipe is fairly simple and as healthy as any chocolate-based dessert can be. I did not have an 8x8 inch pan in which to make brownies, so instead I made them in a muffin tin. Note to self- muffin tins produce perfect sized brownies! So, unless you are adamant that your brownies be square shaped, I highly recommend using a muffin tin. The cooking time is about the same - at least for the recipe I made. 

The next time you are planning a meal - be it for yourself or someone special - I highly recommend turning to these two recipes. Bread salad and brownies. They make quite the perfect couple. 

Panzanella (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Serves: 4
Ingredients:
-4 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
-handful of cherry tomatoes (heirloom, if you can find 'em), quartered
-1/2 cup olive oil
-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-salt & pepper
-1 loaf country bread (preferably a bit stale), chopped into 1-inch piece
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted and sliced (optional)
-1/4 cup capers (optional)
-1 large bunch of basil, chopped
-4 chicken sausages

Directions:
1. Put all tomatoes in a medium bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher, to extract juices. Add oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper to bowl and mix well. 
2. Add chopped bread to tomato mixture and toss until bread is well coated. Let sit for 30 minutes, so that bread can absorb the oil and other flavors.
3. Meanwhile, combine the red pepper, olives, capers, and basil in a separate bowl and set aside. 
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned all over.
5. Remove sausages from skillet, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices, and return to skillet. Cook  until slices are brown on both sides. 
6. Add pepper mixture to bread-tomato bowl and combine. Add sausages and mix well. 
7. Dish can be served at room temperature or put in the fridge if you are not eating right away. Enjoy!

Quick Chocolate Brownies
Makes 16 brownies in an 8x8" pan or 12 brownies in a muffin tin
Ingredients: 
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-1/3 cup cocoa powder
-1/4 cup whole wheat flour
-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-2 eggs, lightly beaten
-1/2 cup canola oil
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together (sugar, cocoa powder, both flours, baking soda, and salt). 
3. In another bowl, stir eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until well combined
4. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients with a spatula. Do not overmix or you will end up tough brownies - remember to fold ingredients together and not stir 
5. Grease 8x8" pan or muffin tins with canola oil (use a spray oil or a paper towel to spread oil). Pour batter into pan or tin (if using tin, be sure to evenly spread the batter - if the muffin tins are uneven then some will cook faster than others and you will end up with burnt and/or raw brownies)
6. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out clean. 
7. Cool on wire rack before serving. Enjoy!