After twenty plus years in the corporate world I am embarking on a new adventure, a career in Nutrition and Dietetics. Many chronic illnesses can be prevented with eating right, exercise and smoking cessation. So let's talk about the food..and eating healthy without sacrificing taste in a sustainable, affordable way!
And so it began, the start of my dietetic internship…ORIENTATION…a week in a lodge, situated on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire with 19 other interns with our three directors, our mentors. Twenty four of us together…eating together, cooking together, sharing bathrooms and enjoying the lake view together. There was excitement, there was homesickness, there were differences of opinion, diverse backgrounds and ages, there was skepticism, but most of all there was a lot of fun and camaraderie. Within our group we had Californians, someone born in Nigeria, people of Asian descent (Korea, China, Philippines), two women from Mumbai, India, a group from the midwest, the southeast, a few Bostonians, and a couple of native New Yorkers. We took turns cooking together and preparing meals for the rest of the group -- dinner, lunch and breakfast and dessert. A unique experience for me was to be involved in eating and preparing some traditional Indian recipes. At the end of orientation I asked my new friends, Sweta and Mital for their recipes. And they accommodated me. The first recipe was delicately spicy, the second had a bit more of a kick and benefited from being served with Raita, a yogurt, cucumber and cilantro sauce served as a side. Thanks to Sweta for sharing.
Biryani (Rice with vegetables) Ingredients: • For rice o 1 cup basmati or long grain rice o 2 cups water o 2 tablespoons oil o 1 teaspoon cumin seeds o 2 bay leaves o 1 teaspoon salt • For vegetables o 3 tablespoons oil o 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera) o 1 medium sized potato, chopped into 1/2″ cubes o 1 carrot, chopped o 1 cup cauliflower, cut into small pieces o 1 cup frozen green peas o 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped o 2 long sliced green peppers o 1 teaspoon grated ginger o 1 teaspoon salt o 1/2 teaspoon garam masala o 1 tablespoon lemon juice • For garnish: o 2 tablespoons minced cilantro Preparing the rice: 1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the oil by adding one cumin seed; if seed cracks right away oil is ready. 2. Add cumin seeds after cumin seeds crack add bay leaves and stir for few seconds. 3. Next add the rice. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. 4. Add water and salt, bring to a boil and turn the heat to low. Cover the pan. 5. Cook about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the water has evaporated. Turn off the heat and fluff the rice with a fork. Preparing the vegetables: 1. Use a frying pan to cook the vegetables. Add the vegetables in steps, the vegetables that need the most time to cook are added first and the vegetables that need the least time will be added last. 2. Heat the oil in frying pan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away oil is ready. 3. Add cumin seeds after cumin seeds crack, add potatoes, stir-fry them for about 2 minutes. 4. Add cauliflower and carrots. Let them cook for about another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 5. Next add green peas, bell pepper, ginger and green chilies. Let the vegetables cook for a few minutes till vegetables are tender. Turn off the heat. 6. Add garam masala and lemon juice. 7. Next gently fold the rice into the vegetables. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish the rice dish with cilantro. Serves 2 to4. (http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2007/01/20/vegetable-rice-pulav/)
When my kids were small we used to love to take them apple picking. We always thought the apples tasted better because we hand selected them ourselves. We are visiting my daughter soon and I thought I would bring her apples from the orchard nearby. (Although I suppose if she's reading this, she won't be surprised anymore.) One of my favorite things about going to the orchard is the smell of the apple pies baking and the scent of the cider with cinnamon. I love apple crisp, but, peeling the apples loses the benefits of the fiber in the apple. I usually add oats to my apple crisp, but recently found an easier way to make baked stuffed apples.
Use an apple corer to remove the core. Heat one teaspoon of light butter and add the following: 1 Tbsp Oats 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp raisins 1 tsp chopped almonds 1/2 tsp cinnamon After mixing the ingredients together, gently fill the middle of the apple with the mixture and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (bake longer if you prefer the apple to be a bit softer).
Apples, oats, raisins and nuts are rich in fiber and have the ability to make us feel full and help to "keep things moving." Fiber helps protects our digestive tract from diverticulosis and colon cancer. But these ingredients also have a lot of soluble fiber which helps to lower LDL or bad cholesterol. So as the saying goes, "..an apple a day keeps the doctor away."
One of the best ways to get the most out of your food is to eat foods in season whenever possible. Now, in the middle of September the tomatoes are so abundant. Who doesn't love a home grown tomato? Aside from eating it like an apple, in a salad, on a homemade pizza, making bruschetta or with basil and fresh mozzarella, what else can you do with tomatoes? Since I grew so many this year, I am going to try freezing them whole. This way when it gets cold in late fall or early winter, I can use the frozen tomatoes in lieu of canned tomatoes, for homemade soups. Granted, they won't be usable in a salad, but the advantage of using frozen tomatoes rather than canned is much less sodium. I'll let you know how it tastes!
It is nearing the end of September, with the leaves changing color and butternut squash is in season. Butternut squash is a winter squash high in vitamin A, Potassium, Manganese, and Magnesium. It is also a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids, a healthy fat providing protection from heart disease, central nervous system disorders, depression and rheumatoid arthritis. Winter squash refers to the category of squash with a thicker skin, as opposed to a summer squash like zucchini. It has a long shelf life but can look a bit daunting to cook because of it's thick skin, but once cut up it makes a delicious soup. The recipe below was given to me by my friend Michele; I have made it many times, including as a first course at Thanksgiving! I usually double the recipe and freeze half so I can reheat it with a sandwich on a night I get home late from work. Vitamin A (Retinol) is important for protecting skin, hair, bones and our immune system. Retinol is also believed to have anti-aging properties (check the back label of any anti-aging cream and you will probably see Retinol listed).
Try this soup! Curried Butternut Squash Soup 2 tsp. canola oil or olive oil 1 cup diced onion 2 celery stalks chopped 1 tablespoon curry powder (cumin works well too if you don't have curry) 4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth (more or less broth depending on how large the squash and how thin or thick you like your soup) 1 butternut squash (about 2 lb.) peeled and chopped with seeds removed 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 4 Tbsp nonfat plain greek yogurt or low fat sour cream (optional) 4 tsp. chopped fresh chives (optional) Heat oil in stock pot and add onion and celery and cook until soft. Add curry powder and cook for one more minute. Add squash, broth (I like the broth to just cover the squash cubes, but you can make thicker or thinner according to your taste.) Add salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes until squash is soft. Then take small batches and put in blender or food processor until soup is smooth. Pour into bowls and serve.
