Archive for Veggies

The Mysterious Radish

July 14, 2010 · Filed under Appetizers, Veggies · Tagged , ,

Radishes seem to be popping up all over (no pun intended).  Do you see radishes in the store and think “gross”, “yuck”…or like me, simply have no idea what to do with them?  Time to make friends with these little red gems, they are easy, yummy, and lots of fun!

I know they are good for us because my Husband’s family eats them ALL the time, and I am finding that many of the things we are now calling “health food” have been staples in the Eastern European diet for centuries and have many health benefits (apple cider vinegar, beets, dark rye bread, fish oils, berries, barley, oats….and the list goes on).

At a recent family celebration I was reminded that they are a traditional, and DELICIOUS taco topping finely diced and sprinkled on top!  We made taco salads the other night and added them as well.  They add a great texture, and crunch!

Then I get an email form my friend Stacie passing on a super-yummy summertime appetizer!  I gave it a try last night and HUGE thumbs up!

Stacie’s Summertime Radish Treat

Toasted bread slices

(toast, or brush with olive oil and broil briefly)

Add ricotta cheese

Add FINELY sliced radish

Add lemon zest

Sprinkle with pepper and sea salt

Drink (and this part is key) with chilled glass of white wine

Radishes are easy to grow, and fun for the kids to plant, water and see results fast!

If you buy fresh radishes from a farmers market, or co-op they will probably have some dirt or grit on them, just rinse them off, chop the tops off and you are all set!

Radishes contain as much potassium as bananas, half the ascorbic acid of oranges, are an excellent source of vitamin C, folate, fiber and magnesium!  Calories are hardly worth mentioning, kind of like lettuce & cucumbers, so fill up on them!

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Tomato-Goat Cheese Gratin

June 5, 2010 · Filed under Recipes, Veggies

Sweet, juicy tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C, and the super-healthy antioxidant lycopene. Adding a little fat helps your body absorb lycopene more easily, so Laura Pensiero suggests her Tomato–Goat Cheese Gratin (adapted from Hudson Valley Mediterranean: The Gigi Good Food Cookbook):

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the dish

1¼ cups coarse fresh bread crumbs from crusty bread (or unseasoned dried bread
crumbs)

1½ pounds (about 3) large tomatoes, sliced 1 inch thick

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons freshly grated Grana Padano or parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Oil a 9-inch square or oval gratin dish or casserole.

2. Combine the olive oil and the bread crumbs in a small bowl, and set aside.

3. Arrange a third of the tomato slices, slightly overlapping, in the prepared gratin dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with one-third each of the goat cheese, bread-crumb mixture, and chives.

4. Repeat with two more layers of tomatoes, salt and pepper, and cheese, crumbs, and chives.

5. Sprinkle the Grana Padano over the top. Bake in the middle of the oven until the gratin is bubbly and the crumbs are golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

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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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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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Sticker Shock, 9 is the numer we are looking for!

March 19, 2010 · Filed under 411, Fruit, Organics, Veggies · Tagged , ,

You know those annoying little stickers you have to peel off your fruit?  Well they are ACTUALLY super-secret code that we were probably never meant to decifer….but guess what?  It is the 21st Century and it is time to stop looking the other way and ask “Why is this sticker on my apple?”

The sticker is there my friends to tell you:

1)  I am clean to eat 

A five digit code starting with “9″ means the product was organically grown (that’s right organically!!!)

so 9-4-2-0-3 = GOOD FOR ME

2) Enjoy me, I am covered in tons of pesticides and other things you can’t pronounce

Produce that is conventionally grown with synthetic pesticides, etc. is a 4 digit number starting with a 4  as in 4265

& 3)  (This is my favorite)  I have been tampered with and I am GMO’s…Gentically Modified My friends!!

A five digit code starting with “8″ means the product is genetically modified (can we all say LAME Mr. Fruit Grower!  I feed this stuff to my babies!!!)

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A Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides

March 17, 2010 · Filed under Advice from the Experts, Fruit, Grocery List, Store Fav's, Organics, Veggies · Tagged ,

Print it and take it with you when you shop!!  (Great tip Tracy)

This list gives you the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15, as well as some basic info.

http://www.foodnews.org/EWG-shoppers-guide-download-final.pdf

This list gives you a more comprehensive overview of 47 commonly eaten fruits and veggies

http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php

The Full List: 47 Fruits & Veggies

 

RANK FRUIT OR VEGGIE SCORE
1 (worst) Peach 100 (highest pesticide load)
2 Apple 93
3 Sweet Bell Pepper 83
4 Celery 82
5 Nectarine 81
6 Strawberries 80
7 Cherries 73
8 Kale 69
9 Lettuce 67
10 Grapes – Imported 66
11 Carrot 63
12 Pear 63
13 Collard Greens 60
14 Spinach 58
15 Potato 56
16 Green Beans 53
17 Summer Squash 53
18 Pepper 51
19 Cucumber 50
20 Raspberries 46
21 Grapes – Domestic 44
22 Plum 44
23 Orange 44
24 Cauliflower 39
25 Tangerine 37
26 Mushrooms 36
27 Banana 34
28 Winter Squash 34
29 Cantaloupe 33
30 Cranberries 33
31 Honeydew Melon 30
32 Grapefruit 29
33 Sweet Potato 29
34 Tomato 29
35 Broccoli 28
36 Watermelon 26
37 Papaya 20
38 Eggplant 20
39 Cabbage 17
40 Kiwi 13
41 Sweet Peas – Frozen 10
42 Asparagus 10
43 Mango 9
44 Pineapple 7
45 Sweet Corn – Frozen 2
46 Avocado 1
47 (best) Onion 1 (lowest pesticide load)

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Simple. Healthy. Easy. DELICIOUS!

January 19, 2010 · Filed under Recipes, side dishes, Veggies · Tagged

 

 

Green beans seem to be a staple in our home year-round.  This recipe actually came out of the back of an Oprah magazine over two years ago and we make these roasted green beans at least once a week.  This recipe really is as easy as it comes and makes for a quick veggie with any meal, or works to accompany a fancier dish should you be entertaining.  (I have emailed this recipe upon request every time I have served it.)

Slow-Roasted Green Beans with Sea Salt and Olive Oil

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 pounds green beans , ends trimmed (mixing yellow and green beans makes for a nice presentation when entertaining you can also buy beans already trimmed if you prefer) 
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (just eye-ball it and drizzle over the beans)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 300°.  Place beans in one layer on a large baking sheet with a rim.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss with hands. Place in oven and roast 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and slightly golden in spots.  Remove and serve warm or at room temperature.

I have also served these with crumbled feta or goat cheese on top.

 

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Grilled Cheese PLEASE!

December 28, 2009 · Filed under kids, Quick Dinner Ideas, Veggies

Who didn’t grow up on grilled cheese?

Does this look familiar?

Grilled Cheese of the past!

So that sandwich above is white bread, fried in butter, LOADED with fat! IT tastes GREAT! But at 500 calories (high in fat and sugar) who eats that on a regular basis? You think of it as a treat for yourself, or easy kid food, right? NO MORE!

Even the grilled cheese can be CLEAN food, and healthified!!!

Green Apple & Cheese

So the first thing I used my new mandolin on was a grilled cheese with green apple sandwich! TO DIE FOR! I had tried this before but my apple slices were too chunky and thick, and tasted cold when I ate the sandwich. With the mandolin they were PAPER-THIN & Perfect!

My perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich:

  • Two slices grainy, nutty, high-fiber bread
  • Cover both slices with a yummy mustard of your choice
  • place thin apple slices on one side
  • place thin slices of your favorite cheese (low-fat or not, moderation is the key to cheese, a little goes a long way, it is being melted afterall)
  • place in pan coated with pam or olive oil
  • place a brick covered with tin-foil, or another heavy pan
  • flip, repeat, and serve!

For my kids I might add a bit more cheese, and a little less mustard! Get creative and use the grilled cheese as a place to fit in some veggies….cheese does amazing things and will allow you to add in some more fruit or veggies in an easy, quick way!

Try to choose a bread that has no sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and too many things you can not pronounce. ALWAYS find a bread that has 2 – 3 grams of fiber per 100 calories, a good rule of thumb. I don’t buy bread that has under 4 grams per slice. It is just such an easy way to get in 8 of the 25 grams we are suppose to have per day! If your family has always eaten white, highly processed bread start changing it out slowly. If you have little kids high-fiber bread is all they will ever know, just serve it, they won’t know any better and you are doing them a good deed that will last a lifetime!

Grilled Cheese with Herbs

Grilled Cheese & Pear

Tomato with Ham & Cheese

Grilled Cheese with Veggies

Grilled Cheese with Veggies

This last one pretty much looks like it has last nights salad on it, and you know what…what a great way to use left-over salad!!!

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Easy Snack or Appetizer Anytime!

December 22, 2009 · Filed under Appetizers, kids, Snacks, Veggies · Tagged

The two foods we consume the most in our home are hummus and cucumbers.  I would say both are eaten most every day, and often together.  My husband taught the kids to use cucumber slices like chips to scoop up their hummus and they love it!  This little snack-bite is simple, easy, tastes great and can be made to look festive for the Holidays!  We put this out while preparing dinner, which lets us snack, without filling up before enjoying our meal!

  • 1 container of hummus
  • 1 English cucumber, sliced
  • 1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, cut into small strips
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or some cilantro

    • Place humus onto cucumber slices, top with a roasted red pepper strip and garnish with cilantro or thyme. Serve immediately.

    *Another version of this snack is to sprinkle the hummus with lemon pepper instead of the roasted red-pepper strip.

    *Use a vegetable peeler or zester/scorer to take off strips of the cucumber to make a decorative edge. Or pull the tines of a fork down the outside length of the cucumber without peeling to make a decorative edge.

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    Simply in Season

    December 11, 2009 · Filed under 411, Reference/Books/Help, Veggies

    Here is a great resource for discovering what fruits and veggies are in Season, as well as what each fruit/veggie offers as far as nutrients.

    Click this link and access each fruit/veggie from the right-hand side of the page!

    http://www.worldcommunitycookbook.org/season/guide/general.html

    Leave a comment »

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