Archive for April, 2010

Sandy beaches. Pink Pagoda. Hawaiian Fish Tacos.

April 30, 2010 · Filed under Fish, Recipes · Tagged , , ,

If you like reading my blog about food, and feel good about what you eat and how you look…then become very CLOSE to your new Personal Shopper, Kim Main Brooks.  This woman has the lock and key to the fashion world and good taste.  Reading her blog on FaceBook has cost me some serious dough (too MANY good ideas and finds), but it is so much fun, I just can’t quit!

I met Kim in Maui and she is full of fun, fabulous info!  While in Maui she kept talking about how they just had Fish Tacos, were making Fish Taco’s again, wanted another Fish Taco.  What the heck, I need in on this action!  So Kim sent me her Famous (I am adding that part) Hawaiian Fish Taco Recipe and IT WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!

 

For those of you who claim you don’t cook, this is exactly the kind of recipe you need.  Have fun with it, add what you feel like adding, crack open a Corona Light, add a lime, hit Jimmy Buffet on the Ipod…say Pink Pagoda out loud a few times because it makes you smile, and is fun to say.

My Girl Kim’s Famous Hawaiian Fish Taco’s

(Because it is 5 O’Clock somewhere!)

First MAKE YOUR BONE DUST

Bone Dust recipe (by Canadian Cookbook writer – Ted Reader)
Makes about 2 1/4 cups
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 cup chili powder
3 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp mild Indian curry
2 Tbsp dry, hot mustard, such as Keen’s or Coleman’s
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground cayenne
 
  • In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.  Transfer the seasoning mixture to a container, seal tightly and store in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

Second PREP THE FISH

Fresh Mahi Mahi is the way to go.  Backup fish= Cod or Tilapia. 

2.5 lbs for 7 adults, 3 kids (2 tacos each for the adults/3 tacos total on kid side of things) with no fish leftover.
Cover fresh fish with “Bone Dust” rub and drizzle with olive oil.  Cover and let sit.
  • Grill fish on the BBQ ( it took 15 mins. on lower heat).  Use warm fresh tortilla’s and load them up with the fish, chopped avocado, chopped cabbage, sour cream and freshly made salsa.  Hot sauce on the side for the heat seekers.

Third MAKE YOUR SALSA

Salsa just had a bevy of veggies in it and you could use anything:
Chopped japanese cucumber
Chopped jimica
Chopped cilantro
Chopped mild Maui onion
1 large jalepeno chopped (could have used 2)
2 medium sized tomatoes chopped
1 large mango chopped (could have used another small)
I think that was it.  It’s super yummy and feels like a really healthy meal.   The kids love it to as there is no fishy taste to the true cod, Mahi Mahi, or tilapia.
 
Great Recipe Kim!  Here are some of my tips:
  • Buy the cabbage chopped in a bag at Trader Joe’s
  • Try Fat Free Greek Yogurt for a zip instead of sour cream
  • Mango Salsa at Costco is YUMMY if you are rushed
  • A can of pineapple is always a good addition if you are finding mangos are not in season or not at the store you go to
  • Costco carries frozen Tilapia and Mahi Mahi

NOTICE there is no CHEESE!  Try it this way before tossing it on, you really DO NOT NEED IT!

And for all of you that are like me, and your body thinks a simple carb is an automatic pound-per-bite, try tossing it all over a bed of lettuce, or shredding the lettuce and add it to the cabbage, salsa and place the fish on top!

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Family Style.

April 27, 2010 · Filed under 411, Beef, Kid Tip, kids, side dishes, Veggies · Tagged , , , ,

Eating family style has so many benefits. First and foremost, your kids want to be like you. If they see you heaping loads of fresh, yummy veggies onto your plate, they will want to do the same (maybe not at first, but trust me-it will come). Secondly, I think kids can get immediately turned off by thinking they HAVE to eat something simply because it is on their plate. On the other hand, if I serve fruit and veggies on a platter in the middle of the table, it takes the immediate “I’m not eating that” out of the equation, and instead the kids become curious as to what is for dinner.

Even if I make a meal that maybe does not lend itself to being served “Family Style” I try to find a way to present it that way.

Benefits of eating “Family Style”:

  • Teaches your children fine motor skills as they pass bowls, use tongs and other serving pieces
  • Teaches manners as they say “please” and “thank you”
  • Teaches sharing and the concept of taking turns
  • Slows down eating for the whole family
  • Lends to the “art of conversation”, as food is passed and people settle in there is time to talk (learning to wait your turn to talk, not interrupting)
  • Teaches children social skills and the etiquette of eating in a group setting (patience, waiting while everyone gets food on their plates)
  • People (adults and kids) learn to take what they feel they are hungry for, and learn to gauge how much food they need on their plates
  • People also tend to take less as they want to be sure there is enough for everyone at the table

If your family is not eating at least one meal per day together- reevaluate. Study after study has shown that kids who eat with their families:

  1. Are better adjusted
  2. Perform better academically
  3. Have improved nutrition, and overall healthier eating habits
  4. Communicate more openly

Putting it all together:

Dinner a few nights ago was the Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce and Grilled Asparagus with Lemon and Garlic

After the asparagus were marinated for a bit, I took the marinade and tossed some chopped tomatoes and cucumbers in it. I then placed those veggies over a bed of lettuce and gently tossed it with my hands. That acted as a bit of dressing for the greens, adding very few calories, but lots of flavor. The sliced steak and grilled asparagus were then put on the bed of greens.  A dinner I could have served separately on each plate was served Family Style! Perfect!

Another evening our main course was taking a bit longer than I had anticipated. I served the fruit and veggies for that evening as an appetizer, and the kids gobbled it down. Presentation is so important when trying to teach your kids to like fruit and veggies.

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The Food Revolution needs your help!

April 24, 2010 · Filed under 411, Advice from the Experts · Tagged ,

http://www.jamieoliver.com/jfr-beta/petition.php#petForm

If you have kids this MATTERS to you!

If you haven’t heard about this yet, the campaign is to get healthy foods into the school systems around the USA. Jamie Oliver (an English chef) led the campaign in England and was able to change the system!

It was a real eye opener to see the foods that kids are currently getting in schools. Chocolate and strawberry milk with their cereal (more sugar than in a Coke!), pizza for breakfast, french fries every day (this counts as a vegetable serving), just to name a few. Processed foods, served with more processed foods, and you all know how I feel about processed foods…BOOOOOO!!!!

There is one school district in the US that has been used as a case study for the healthier foods. It was great to see the parents and kids getting behind it in last week’s episode.

They hope to roll it out across the country, but they need everyone’s help and MANY more signatures on the petition to take to the President! I hope you will take a few minutes to look into this and sign the petition. Then pass it along to other people you know.

Jamie’s Food Philosophy
My philosophy to food and healthy eating has always been about enjoying everything in a balanced, and sane way. Food is one of life’s greatest joys yet we’ve reached this really sad point where we’re turning food into the enemy, and something to be afraid of. I believe that when you use good ingredients to make pasta dishes, salads, stews, burgers, grilled vegetables, fruit salads, and even outrageous cakes, they all have a place in our diets. We just need to rediscover our common sense: if you want to curl up and eat macaroni and cheese every once in a while – that’s alright! Just have a sensible portion next to a fresh salad, and don’t eat a big old helping of chocolate cake afterwards. 

Knowing how to cook means you’ll be able to turn all sorts of fresh ingredients into meals when they’re in season, at their best, and cheapest! Cooking this way will always be cheaper than buying processed food, not to mention better for you. And because you’ll be cooking a variety of lovely things, you’ll naturally start to find a sensible balance. Some days you’ll feel like making something light, and fresh, other days you’ll want something warming and hearty. If you’ve got to snack between meals, try to go for something healthy rather than loading up on chocolate or potato crisps. Basically, as long as we all recognize that treats should be treats, not a daily occurrence, we’ll be in a good place. So when I talk about having a ‘healthy’ approach to food, and eating better I’m talking about achieving that sense of balance: lots of the good stuff, loads of variety, and the odd indulgence every now and then.

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Steak. It’s what’s for dinner.

April 24, 2010 · Filed under Beef, Lamb, Recipes · Tagged ,

I know I don’t post a lot of red meat recipes, but I still enjoy a good steak, and since we don’t eat red meat very often when we do I buy it hormone free, and grass fed.  When you are spending a bit more on a meat, and not eating it often, you want to make every bite count.

Jillian Michaels was on the Today Show and this recipe sounded DELICIOUS!  Guess what? It is!

This is from her new cookbook (which I do not have, but plan to get) “Master Your Metabolism”.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Jillian Michaels “Master your Metabolism Cookbook”

Serves four

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion • 3 garlic cloves • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes • 1/2 cup packed flat- leaf parsley leaves • 2 tablespoons packed fresh oregano leaves • 1/4 cup extra- virgin olive oil • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper • 1 pound skirt steak • Olive oil spray, for the grill

DIRECTIONS

In the work bowl of a food processor, place the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the parsley and oregano leaves, and pulse until the herbs are coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Place the skirt steak in a shallow pan and pour 1/3 cup of the chimichurri sauce over it. Turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate, preferably for at least four hours and up to overnight. Cover and refrigerate the remaining sauce.

  1. If using a gas or charcoal grill, spray the grill with olive oil and prepare a medium-hot grill. If using a grill pan, spray it with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
  2. Grill the steak for four to five minutes per side for medium-rare.
  3. Let stand on a cutting board for 5 to 10 minutes. Thinly slice the steak and divide among four plates.
  4. Top each serving with one generous teaspoon of chimichurri sauce and serve.

The 411 on Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce: Calories 339/ Fat 25g/Carbs 2.8/Protein 24g/Sodium 193

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Magical Breakfast Blaster

April 19, 2010 · Filed under Breakfast, kids, Shake It Up!!! · Tagged , , ,

Reposting per a discussion I had today.  Really, I know many Mom’s reading this blog can tell you NO ONE in your home will complain when you make this for breakfast!  And you will love rinsing the blender out and being all done with meal one!  Add a healthy piece of toast like (Mack’s Flax-buy it at Costco and freeze it, remember real food will go bad), with some peanut butter and you have served a pretty well-rounded, healthy breakfast..with little effort. 

 At our house we set the alarm so we are downstairs early enough to all eat breakfast together and chat about the day ahead !  NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Seriously, mornings are chaos at our house.  Ideally the kids have oatmeal, high-fiber cereal with fresh fruit or yogurt, or maybe eggs and toast.  But MOST mornings we are on the run so the cereal gets inhaled, or breakfast barely gets finished and we throw fruit or a snack bar at them in the car. 

Doctor Oz shared the shake he and his wife serve their kids for breakfast and it looked like a winner.  Sure enough both kids SUCKED it down! 

So blend it up and throw it in some to-go cups if you feel like the kids didn’t get enough to eat!  Check out the protein, they will be ready to hit the books FOR SURE! 

The Magical Breakfast Blaster

Magical Breakfast Blaster

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings so double for 4 ppl 

1/2 large ripe banana, broken into chunks (or other fruit of your choice)
1 scoop (1/3 cup) Whey Protein
1/2 tablespoon flaxseed oil
1/4 cup frozen blueberries (or any frozen berries)
1/2 tablespoon apple juice concentrate or honey or agave nectar
1 teaspoon psyllium seed husks
8 ounces water 

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Optional: Add a few cubes of ice, as well as powdered vitamins. Cover; blend until fairly smooth. 

PS.: Don’t forget to say MAGICAL, that part is VERY important! 

The 411 on Magical Breakfast Blaster: | 136 calories per serving/Healthy fats: 2.4g/Fiber: 6.3/Protein: 29g

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Agave Update

April 18, 2010 · Filed under 411, Advice from the Experts · Tagged

So I met this fabulous gal, Lisa, at Trader Joe’s the other day.  She is attending Bastyr and sent me some fabulous recipes I will share soon!

But I wanted to share this info she gave me on Agave Nectar as well.  I don’t use very much of it, but I will probably use even less now.

Thanks Lisa!

I noticed that you recommend agave nectar on your blog and I thought you might want to read this.  Agave is highly controversial right now because we are learning that it is an extremely processed food that in the end is fractionated to between 70-90% fructose.  This is more than high fructose corn syrup.  If you know the metabolism of free fructose you know that this is not good.  This article explains it very well.  With this research, the nutrition department at Bastyr has decided to eliminate agave from the instructional kitchen. 
 

 http://www.naturalnews.com/024892.html

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My FAVORITE veggie is now in Season!

April 15, 2010 · Filed under Recipes, side dishes, Veggies · Tagged ,

April=Asparagus, and Asparagus are the bomb!  I honestly think the reason this veggie became my favorite is because of my Grandmother.  No matter how formal her table was asparagus was the one food she insisted we all eat by hand!  Now when you are a small child sitting at a table adorned in crystal and china and the head of the table picks up her veggies with her hands and starts eating…well, I WAS IN!

We also come from a family that commercial fished salmon and we eat it still about 2 or 3 times a week.  Asparagus happen to be the perfect veggie to compliment this awesome fish!

I have a hard time finding asparagus recipes that are easy, and consistently good! (easy yes, always good…harder)

Recently I stumbled onto Gwen Ashley’s web site,

http://penandfork.wordpress.com/

Grilled Asparagus with Lemon and Garlic

Serves 6

1-1/2 pounds thick speared asparagus
2 medium cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil (lemon flavored if you have it)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim asparagus to even lengths, then peel from just below the flowered tip. Place the asparagus in a shallow baking pan. Whisk together the remaining ingredients, and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the asparagus, tossing to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes up to 2 hours.

Heat the grill to medium-high (375-400 degrees). Drain the asparagus and discard the marinade. Place the asparagus on the grill. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes, moving the asparagus around a bit on the grill with tongs. Remove when the asparagus is still crisp tender, but shows signs of grill marks. Serve warm, or room temperature.

This will be like the green bean recipe…a go to, you just know it will taste great every time!

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