A Practical Guide To Healthy Living

Halloween’s right around the corner.  You’re going to be tempted, very tempted, by all that candy . . . and for those of you who have kids, you KNOW you’re gonna sneak some treats out of their stash once they’ve gone to bed, right?  How to back away from the bowl?  Read on . . . .

1. Name 5 things you see in front of you.
2. Identify 4 colors you see.
3. Describe 3 things your body’s feeling (like temperature, or a texture)
4. Identify 2 sounds.
5. State 1 thing you can smell.

These 5 simple steps zero you in on your senses, thus quieting the craving chatter in your head.  Once you’re tuned into your body better, you can make the choice about whether you’re really hungry, or munchin’ just because.

Boo!

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If you’ve been apple picking lately, chances are you still have a lot of apples on hand.  Like us.  I estimate there’s at least 15 pounds still waiting for me in the refrigerator.  And if you’re like me, there’s only so much pie, crumble, crisp, Betty, etc. you can handle (my mind says “yes”, but my booty says “no!”).  So how ’bout cooking up dinner with them apples?

Chicken with Cider Mustard Sauce (adapted from the Nutrition Action Healthletter)

Put the chicken in a plastic Ziploc bag and pound to an even thickness of 1/2-inch.  Heat 1 T. of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Sauté the chicken in two batches until browned, about 4-5 minutes each side.  Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 T. of oil and sauté the shallots and 1/2 the diced apples for 3 minutes.  Add the cider and boil until it’s reduced by half, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and mix in the remaining apple and the mustard.  Season generously with pepper.  Pour the sauce over the chicken.

Serves 4.

P.S.  The Nutrition Action hyperlink up there leads you to some other tasty looking, healthful recipes incorporating apples . . . .

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Hey sweet readers . . . are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year?  Feeling overwhelmed, perhaps, just thinking of all you have to do to get ready?  This post from last year might help start your engine!

Go get-’em!  I get energized by battle metaphors – it’s not very Martha Stewart, but I gotta be me.

A few of you have asked for ways to deal with hosting, so below is my 12-step program for handling a holiday.  The goal of this is to minimize stress leading up to Thanksgiving, so please, tweak and tailor it to your needs.

1. Get yourself a folder with pockets.  You’re going to keep all your Thanksgiving-related stuff in here (recipes, guest lists, shopping lists, time-lines etc.).
2. Plan your guest list.  I do all my lists on the computer so that I can easily edit them.  Divide up your list into adults and kids – if the kids are small, they’ll eat less – a big factor in deciding what size turkey to buy.
3. Order a turkey, if you’re going to order one.  Here’s a good turkey-guide from Reader’s Digest – it gives you guidance as to how much to allow per person.
4. Plan your menu.  List all the dishes you’re going to serve, and gather up all your recipes – whether from your own collection or clipped from magazines – and put these in your folder.  Don’t forget cocktails, if you’re interested in those – you might need special ingredients. If your recipes come from cookbooks, note the cookbook name and page number next to the item on your menu.
5. Make assignments.  If your guests are local, most would love to bring something to contribute to the meal.  Don’t be a hero – let them!  Note who’s responsible for what next to each item on your menu list.  [Read more →]

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This Tip’s for my Boston-area followers . . . others of you might find inspiration from Bon Appetit’s “The Hot 10″ list.

I don’t know ’bout you, but I’m a pie girl.  I love it.  More than cake, even.  I like my homemade the best (if I do say so myself . . . don’t knock lard ’til you’ve had my crust, I tell you!), but when I’m feeling lazy, I trust Petsi of Petsi Pies in Somerville to make it for me.  Truth be told, I find Petsi’s crust to be a little on the bland side, and not quite flaky enough . . . but I’m being really picky here.  Her pies are freshly made, seasonally inspired and delicious.  No one will hate you for bringing one of these sweeties to a gathering, trust me.  Just be sure to call ahead for special flavors or to ensure that popular pies are still available for purchase . . . you know what they say about that early bird!

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Cod & Napa With Miso Sesame Vinaigrette (adapted from Gourmet)

For cabbage

For fish

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish with canola oil and place cod in the dish.  Salt and pepper the cod and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette by puréeing all the vinaigrette ingredients in a blender/mini food processor until smooth.

Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic until golden, about 30 seconds. Add the cabbage and sauté until the cabbage wilts, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.

Divide cabbage among 4 plates, then top with fish and drizzle with some dressing. Serve remainder on the side.

Serves 4.

Note!  You can make the dressing 1 day ahead and refrigerate it, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.  This would be awesome with tofu, too – just cut your extra-firm tofu into steaks, press to drain, and then fry in a little peanut oil ’til crispy on the outside.  Use the same frying pan as you use for the cabbage – when cabbage is done, transfer to a boil, wipe out the pan and fry up your tofu.  We had rice noodles on the side – plain for L. (really? plain rice noodles? gack.) and ours were drizzled with vinaigrette.  The vinaigrette’s good . . . . I bet you could think of 101 ways to use the stuff if you put your mind to it!

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It’s soup season.  For real now, I think – that last blast of warm weather we got in Boston was flukey (it always happens, right?).  Now it’s chilly and sometimes wet and well, perfect for puttin’ up a pot of soup.  This stew hit the spot.  If you’re not familiar with Eating Well magazine, you need to check them out.  They consistently turn out healthy, mostly easy recipes that are full of flavor.  And if you’re not up for another subscription, there’s LOTS to enjoy on their site.  You can thank me later.

Sausage, Potato, Leek & Spinach Stew (adapted from Eating Well Magazine)

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and leeks and cook, stirring occasionally and crumbling the sausage with a wooden spoon, until the leeks are tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and salt and stir until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add wine, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover and cook until the wine is almost evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes and broth; cover and bring to a boil. Stir in spinach and scallions and cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in beans. Cover and let stand for 1 minute. Divide among 6 soup bowls and sprinkle each portion with parsley.

Serves 6.

This is awesome left over.  I put a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach in a big soup bowl, added some stew, and microwaved it . . . warm, filling, flavorful and packed with veggie goodness.

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I’ve talked about it before – you need to be eating whole grains.  Not the refined ones, the ones with the nutrient-rich bran and germ intact – you’ll get vitamins, minerals and fiber from these.  If you’re a more average American than me, you eat sandwiches often, and bread can be a good place to get a dose of whole grains into your diet – but wait, what do all those labels mean?  “Stone ground?”  “Multi-grain?” Are those the real deal?

As you should with all foods – bypass the health claims and labels and head for the list of ingredients.  Look for the word “whole” in the first few ingredients – as in “whole wheat flour,” “whole oat flour,” etc.  And what if you’re not a bread or sandwich eater?  There are lots of delicious options for you, and here are some tasty ways to prepare them . . . .

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As much as I like to cook, I’m newer to roasted chickens than I would like to admit.  Some of it I chalk it up to ignorance . . . I thought it’d take a long time, be a total pain in the butt, etc.  But really, it’s pretty simple – more than a 30-minute meal, but it’s mostly hands-off prep.  The other reason I roast chickens more often is that roasted chicken is one of L.’s all-time favorite meals.  This is a girl who, when asked what she’d miss most after a trip to Madrid, cited “roasted chickens” as number two (ham was number one, and her baby cousin didn’t rank!?).  As most of you know, my small friend eats almost NOTHING I blog about.  Travesty.  I don’t take it personally, ’cause really, the girl is missing out.  But if I can make at least some things that knock the whole crowd’s socks off, well, I’ll work the crowd-pleaser, for sure.

[Read more →]

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