Category Archives: Food

Great day for a salad…

This is a guest post by Stefanie Stevenson, MD, our Integrative Physician at Nourish!

I am not an innate chef.  In fact, I’m a bit intimidated by cooking at times, so when I experiment and have a success I am thrilled to share it.  I had one today!  I raced out of the house today to get to a hair appointment only to learn that it was NEXT Thursday.  Bonus – I had time I didn’t expect!  Even though I wasn’t crazy about getting the cutting board out and making a mess (the kitchen was actually clean!), I did it anyway and I’m so happy I did!

The result was a wonderful salad with green leaf lettuce, chopped up swiss chard with the yellow stems, cherry tomatoes, jicama, green beans left over from last night, currants (my new favorite thing for a salad), red bell pepper, and kalamata olives with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar….yum!  (I even snapped a pic on my phone – check it out!)

I was so excited about my salad and having a moment to sit outside to eat that I found myself gobbling it down.  I hate that!  When I noticed what I was doing I slowed down and practiced what I teach others to do – eat mindfully – I kept the forkful of food in my mouth before I even started chewing and then I appreciated the variety of flavors as I chewed and paused before I swallowed.  It was so much more enjoyable!

Try a salad yourself and tell us what you made in the comments below…we’d love to hear about it!

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Healthy Mother’s Day Breakfast for Kids

I’m ready for a mimosa of my own! This morning I took all three of the munchkins on air with me on Fox19 for my Healthy Living segment. One of the producers had suggested that I do a healthy breakfast easy enough for kids to make…and that I bring my own children to make it. (Yikes!)

My kids love to be in the kitchen and  I really believe that it’s the only way anyone can learn how to cook. But cooking in our kitchen is one thing and cooking on live TV is quite another. I waited until yesterday to tell them because we can only handle SO MUCH anticipation in our house…but I have to say that they had a ball and it’s one of those days I’ll definitely always remember.

We made three simple dishes that are easy enough for children to make with just a little help from an adult.  They’re healthy, too, so you can enjoy them guilt-free! Happy Mother’s Day one and all.

 

Here’s the link to the video.  And the recipes follow…

 

“Flower” Eggs  in Bell Pepper Rings  (I saw these on Pinterest and thought – adorable!)

Serves – up to you!
1 red, 1 orange, and 1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1/4″ thick rings, seeds removed
1-2 eggs per person
salt and pepper
Heat a nonstick griddle to 350 and place bell pepper rings on the griddle (1-2 per person). Crack an egg into the center of each ring and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Break yolk if desired and cook until desired level of doneness. Remove with a spatula.

 

Fruit, Yogurt, and Granola Parfaits

Serves 4
4 cups Nonfat greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp. stevia or 1 Tbsp. honey
dash of cinnamon
Cut fruit – melon, honeydew, pineapple
Berries – strawberries, blueberries, blackberries
2 cups Lowfat granola
In tall parfait glasses (or drinking glasses) layer granola, yogurt, and fruit, alternating to create a pretty pattern. Serve with an iced tea spoon!

 

Mock Mimosas

Serves 4
2 cups fruit juice (orange, cranberry, pomegranate)
4 cups sparkling water
Orange slices for garnish
Mix fruit juice and sparkling water in a pitcher. Pour into stemmed glasses and top with a fruit garnish .

 

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Calabrese Tomato Sauce with Ginger

I love tomatoes. I especially love fresh tomatoes, but when I can’t wait anymore and tomato season is still months away, a good can of tomatoes will do! This simple sauce is great over pasta, and the addition of fresh ginger gives it that little something extra. You  can make the sauce ahead and store it for a busy weeknight ; doubling the recipe and freezing some is also a good idea!

 

Calabrese Tomato Sauce with Ginger

 

serves 4-6

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon peeled and finely minced fresh ginger

1 – 28-oz. can high-quality whole tomatoes (such as Muir Glen)

1 tablespoon double-concentrated tomato paste (see note below)

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

 

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and ginger; saute until tender, 3-5 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes and their juices, breaking them into small pieces with your hands. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

3. Simmer the sauce until thick, about 15 minutes.

4. Serve over large shells or tube pastas.

 

Note: Double-Concentrated Tomato Paste is found in the specialty Italian section at most grocery stores. It is more concentrated than typical tomato paste, giving it a fuller tomato flavor. It is a tube sold in a box and can be stored in your refrigerator for quite a while. It is worth paying a little bit more for this versus buying a small can and throwing away half of it when you only need a tablespoon or two for a recipe!

 

 

 

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