Have you noticed all of the interest around this topic.  I know from personal experience that I have a gluten sensitivity and I feel better when I avoid gluten. I miss the delicious whole grain breads and pastas so I don’t know why one would go gluten-free if they didn’t need to.   I think there are some misconceptions that a gluten -free diet may be better for you, but that is not necessarily true.

If you are thinking about it or have questions about it, our friend Marsha Hudnall, MS RD at Green Mountain has just written a good overview article Do You need to Go Gluten-free that you will want to check out. 

                        

For those of you that are searching for some good basics, I have found that Rudi’s multi-grain bread and Tinkyada rice pasta are both quite good.  I made a great pasta dish by tossing the rice pasta with some fresh grape or cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, Italian ham(optional), fresh herbs, a little olive oil and salt and pepper.  Yummy!    

 

                                       

 

Also, I was able to get some wonderful gluten-free corn pasta from Italy.  If you ever have a chance to get it, it’s a real taste treat.  (This simple recipe works with the corn pasta too.)

Buon Appetito!

 

                               

It seems that the Fourth of July starts the summer events rolling.  Outdoor “get togethers” means getting the grill fired up.  Doesn’t grilling make everything taste better?   And I love that there is no kitchen clean up.   Here are a couple of ideas that are so simple and healthy. 

Grilled Salmon on a plank- follow the directions for the plank -which means an hour or so of soaking thus a little planning ahead.  I use cedar, but maple or alder wood is good too. 

Lay the salmon fillets on the plank; top with thinly sliced lemon, thinly sliced sweet onion and thyme sprigs.  Place on the grill and cook according to plank directions or about 15 minutes. I brush on a little Thai peanut sauce just before taking it off, but that is totally optional.   Serve with some grilled asparagus or green beans and maybe a green salad and you are all set with an easy, healthy meal.

                                                  

 

 Turkey Juicy Lucy-another easy and fun idea. This is one of our favorites that we have shared with you before, but it bears repeating!  See the directions for making on our recipe page or on our DVD.

                                               

Government officials (US Department of Agriculture) recently announced that they will be ditching the old Food Guide Pyramid and going with a “new” simpler design called

My Plate. www.choosemyplate.gov A simple circle with half filled with fruits and vegetables and rest made up of grains and proteins foods like chicken or nuts. 

We think its good advice because we at First Kitchen Cooks have been recommending this since we introduced it four years ago as a healthy but simple way to eat. We call it the Plate Model.

 

To review what we include in our First Kitchen DVD,

When preparing any meal, no matter how simple, think about including these 3 primary food items:

 

A protein food ─ like grilled chicken- you can also have beef, fish, cheese, eggs, or beans.

 

A carbohydrate food ─ like corn, or rice, pasta, whole grain bread, or potatoes.

 

And a vegetable like green salad, green beans, broccoli, tomatoes… or a fruit such as apples, grapes, bananas, and berries.

 

By following this simple plate model you will have mastered the concept of balanced eating.

 

p.s. Keep in mind that adding a beverage like a glass of milk could be counted as part of your protein food and of course a good source of calcium.  When you think of your meal it does not always have to fit nicely on the plate.  It could be a food that combines all three groups in one like pizza,  stew, an entrée salad. For example, a chicken quesadillas made with shredded chicken, roasted red pepper, green onions and shredded cheese and some chopped tomato and shredded lettuce along side would fit nicely into this model.  Remember- if you keep this plate model in mind you can easily check   “”How healthy is my meal?”

                          

Yes we live in Minneapolis and our city was just voted the healthiest city by the American College of Sports Medicine.  Many factors gave us this best rating such as our overall good health, education, income, and a higher percentage of physical activity. These are things your would expect to be evaluated, but there are several other factors I find interesting and reason to be proud of us and our city. 

For example, we have a higher percentage of city land in parks, more people bike and walk to work, more dog parks and more tennis courts.   

A couple additional factors near and dear to our hearts- there are more farmers markets and more people eating the recommended 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. 

                                    

So take advantage of our long awaited warm weather and get out and stroll your local farmers market. Get creative with the early produce.  One of the things I just made was my version of Cobb salad with freshly picked leaf lettuce.

I added fresh corn cut from the cob, blue cheese, crisp bacon, grape tomatoes, avocado, hard cooked egg and a little sliced Italian ham.  Yummm!

To get step-by-step directions for making Cobb Salad -including how to cook a hard-boiled egg-check out the lunch section of our First Kitchen DVD.

I just came back from a great vacation in the Caribbean where fresh fruit and vegetables abound making it so easy to eat healthily.   One of the favorite things that I ate every day was fresh mango.  So when I arrived home I was so happy to see that mangoes seem to be plentiful in the grocery store here now as well.  Plentiful means they are also pretty inexpensive, so I can continue to eat them.  

They are great just sliced, but for variety as a salad or dessert I made up a quick yogurt dip to serve with them.  Using these spices kind of gives me that island feel.

Enjoy!

 

                                   

Spicy Yogurt Dip

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

1/8 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

 

In small bowl, whisk together ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

 

You may not have noticed, but the US government recently released new dietary advice for Amercians-The 2010 Dietary Guidelines.   It didn’t seem to get much press because they are not very different from the old ones.  But in case you missed them here is the link to read them in detail. www.dietaryguidelines.gov   There are two basic concepts that they want us to focus on:

Maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight. 

Another words eat less and exercise more. 

Focus on consuming nutrient–dense foods and beverages.

That means reducing sodium, fat and refined grains and replacing them with fruits, vegetable, whole grains, lean meats and seafood, eggs, beans, and peas nuts and seeds and low-fat milk products,

 

They’ve offered some tips to try and translate this into something more practical.  Here are a couple that we think are helpful.

Avoid oversized portions:

I think this is especially true when eating out.  The servings many times are just more than we want or need.  Try to be conscious of this.  Eat until you’re satisfied - not necessarily everything that is on your plate. Many times it is something you can take home and have for another meal. 

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables:

This is advice we at First Kitchen have been providing in our DVD.  We show you how to use the plate model and that is really all the advice you need to eat a healthy diet.

 

Oh they did say to enjoy your food too!  We agree with that and that means there is place for all foods in balance – and yes that includes chocolate, especially dark chocolate.   

Super Bowl Sunday means lots of celebrating and eating.  If you're hosting a party or going to one, chances are you are trying to think of something to make or bring.  Rather than the usual chips and dip or seven layer salad, how about something that is delicious as well as very healthy.
This shrimp, avocado and mango appetizer is not only impressive looking it is in the team colors- hint, hint- Go Packers!  Sorry but those of us in the Midwest have to cheer for our neighbors.  
 
                                         
Its very simple to make.  Gently toss together:
8 ounces frozen cooked shrimp,chopped
1 ripe diced mango
1 ripe diced avocado
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
Dash of hot pepper sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
 
I like to serve this with serve  the scoop shaped tortilla chips.

adapted from recipe by chefmeow

It might save on your heating bill, but unfortunately it won’t be a very effective weight loss program.  

Too bad for those of us living in the colder climes- I was hoping for a bigger benefit, but according to an article in the NY times, Dr. Wayne Askew of the U. of Utah, says its not going to help much.

 “Yes, caloric expenditure will increase if one stays lightly dressed, but not much.  A more effective way would be to walk up and down a few flights of stairs.”  He says basal metabolic rate increases slightly in colder climates. “ A more significant increase can be expected if it is cold enough to cause shivering, which warms the body through quick involuntary contractions and relaxations of muscles.”   Well we are doing plenty of that these days.

 

“And it is very difficult to perform work requiring fine motor coordination, such as writing or using a computer, when shivering,” Dr. Askew said.

 “When the core body temperature gets dangerously low and the shivering response is maximally stimulated, Dr. Askew said, energy expenditure can be as high as that from work requiring 40 percent to 50 percent of the person’s maximum aerobic capacity. But if the core temperature drops low enough, the shivering response ceases and hypothermia can rapidly set in.”  Not a good thing!

 

So after all that I think we need to stay warm while sitting at our computers, but get

bundled up and get out and enjoy some vigorous exercise like snow showing, cross country skiing or just a good walk.

December seems to be a time for lots of parties and celebrations. We’ve read the articles about how to avoid weight gain and stresses during this period.  You’ve probably heard it all, so nothing new here- but I think some things are worth repeating.

The first one we always hear is “don’t go to a party hungry”. 

You’re probably thinking -why not? There will be lots of great tasting things there, but will we go for too many high fat, high calorie choices if we are starving. Then later we will wish we hadn’t.  

Eating a healthy snack or meal before hand will make it easier to make healthier choices at the party.  Maybe hang out by the fresh fruit plate- or if you have already had your dinner, have a small serving of a great tasting dessert without first loading up all of the high fat dips and chips. 

Another tip - “Be selective”- sometimes things look great, but are they really worth the calories?  That goes for the appetizers as well as the holiday drinks.

Here is one of my downfalls- at work it seems that everyday someone brings in some great homemade candy, cookies or bars and puts them by the communal coffee pot.  This adds up over a course of the holiday season.  I’m trying to be mindful about it- just have one.

 As always the advice is “ keep up your fitness routine”.  That’s easier said than done sometimes –especially if you live where it’s now cold and snowy. Going out for a walk or run is not always so appealing.  I find the hardest part is getting started.  Once I’m out- it is so invigorating. 

Maybe its time to get out the skis (downhill or cross-country).  It’s great exercise and a fun way to enjoy the snow.  

And finally, here is a super easy recipe for a healthy appetizer to bring or serve at your next party. We call it Spicy Yogurt Dip

1 cup plain fat-free yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix all ingredients.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Serve with fresh fruit such as apple and pear wedges.

                                                     

Happy Holidays and Happy Winter!

Now that the weather is turning colder and it’s getting dark earlier, I have tendency to want to hibernate.  I want to stay indoors and eat comfort food (translate- I really mean high fat /high calorie food).

Of course we’re not bears so that’s not going to work for us so well.   So what are some tips to motivate us?  We’d love to hear from you with your ideas, but a couple ideas from us:

 

If you’ve been thinking about joining a workout club- now might be the time. 

There are more and more affordable ones around.

But I have found an inexpensive and all around good exercise is walking.

Getting out and walking every day really helps me adjust not only my attitude, but also it helps me gradually adjust to the cold weather.   It’s getting started that’s the hardest.  Get a friend to join you. 

 Some good news- staying indoors more gives us more time to cook some healthy but hearty dishes.  They don’t have to be complicated, but some recipes may take a bit longer to prepare.   One of my favorites is this stew.  While it takes some time for it to simmer, the preparation time is easy and I have a couple short cuts that make it even quicker.   And having some left over is great for tomorrow’s meal!

                                                  

                                        

Chicken Butternut Squash and Tomato Stew

Makes 3-4 servings

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 package (1¼ pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenders, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup chopped sweet onion

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 14 -ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes

1 14.5-ounce can chicken broth (about 1 ¾ cups)

¼ cup white wine (optional)

1 teaspoon dried sage or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, if available

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

2 cups peeled, chopped butternut squash *

¼ cup frozen peas (optional)

 

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Toss chicken, flour, salt and pepper in plastic or paper bag to lightly coat chicken. Add chicken to the pot and brown about 15 minutes.

Remove chicken and add onion and garlic to pan and sauté on medium heat about 5 minutes.  Return chicken, onions and garlic to the pan.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer about 45 minutes. 

Add cut up squash, bring to boil and simmer 30 -40 minutes or until squash is tender.

Stir in frozen peas (optional) and reheat for a minute or two.

 

 

*Acorn squash or pumpkin is a good substitute for butternut squash. To save time I buy the cut -pieces of squash in the produce section.