Tasty Tuesday: Juice!

I used to be very anti-juice - I wanted to eat my nutrition vs. drink it.  Lately, though, I've been doing a lot of research on raw/vegan diets (OK, I'll admit, much of this research was post steak dinner, but I'm researching!) and I'm turned on to juice ... the right kind that is.  So, recently we bought a super cheap juicer and have been enjoying noisy messy Saturday mornings where, you guessed it, we juice!  Here's my favorite right now:
1 Apple
1 Beet
2 Carrots
Ginger

And that's it!  Delish.  Super sweet, though - this juice could be a dessert... almost.

Tasty Tuesday: 10-minute white bean soup

Some days there just isn't time to cook a "proper" dinner.  Today was definitely one of those days - I don't know where the hours went but between work, the gym, work, baby time, and work, there wasn't much time. 

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion
• 1 tomato
• 1 small green squash
• 1 can white beans
• 1/2 bunch basil
• Parmesian to taste
• 2 slides prosciutto

 The deets:

• Saute onion in the oil
• Add 1/2 tomato
• Add squash
• Let veg simmer until soft
• Add white beans in the liquid from the can
• Simmer for 7-minutes
• Bowl with basil, the other half of the tomato, parmesian and prsciutto
• Eat and enjoy!

 The best part?   If you buy 1 more can of white beans you can mix it with the other half of the basil and a pinch of parmesian for an awesome baby food mixture for the week.  Wilson and Cole LOVE their white bean soup.

Why it's good?  You get a killer kick of fiber, protein, and carb from the beans, meat and veg.  You also get an instant faux trip to Greece through your pallet.  Yum!

Tasty Tuesday: caprese salad

I love caprese salad. You have your sweet tomatoes, mixed with the kick of basil, topped with creamy mozzarella - delicious!  Tonight we made a great caprese with tomatoes from our corner market (who happens to sell produce to all the local restaurants) and the BEST mozzarella from Trader Jos.

"Grown up" dinner aside, we used leftover tomatoes and basil to make the boys' food mixing them with white beans and parmesean.  Yum!  Cole hummed the entire dinner.  Wilson ate it just so he could quickly move on to fruit (his fav).

Tasty Tuesday: steak and salad

I haven't written one of these in a while. Tonight after a very long, very hard day at work (for both Matt and I - something about the week after a long weekend), we wanted a quick easy meal. We talked about delivery but there were too many options and it exhausted us trying to decide. We talked about getting a pre-prepared dinner from over the hill, but the whole "hill" thing killed that idea. We thought on microwave meals, but realized our freezer has been taken over by milk, not microwave meals. Then I realized in a fit of wanting to be some kind of domestic goddess, this weekend at the market I bought steak - not just any steak, fillet Mignon. And thus came the dinner of champions...Total prep time: 15min
Total cook time: 20min

Steak:
2 1/3 lb fillets (we're not rich you know)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tblsp crushed garlic

In a non-stick pan, sear steak with salt, pepper, and garlic. Put in baking tin in pre-heated oven for 15min.

Salad:
2c spring lettuce
4 strawberries sliced
2 boiled beats sliced
1 tsp soft peppered goat cheese
6 black olives
Olive oil and vinager dressing

Why it's good for moms:
I've been getting random bruises all over my legs. I'm not sure if it's from bonking into furniture in the times of morning that no-one should be up, or from low iron - if the latter, the steak helps.

Why it's good for runners:
Protein + fats + carb = the perfect energy mix. Tomorrow morning I'll be ready to bound out of bed, lace up my shoes ... and feed the boys, clean up puke, change diapers, play, and get to work. But I'll be ready.

Tasty Tuesday: Chicken Enchiladas

For special occasions (Christmas, anniversaries, my birthday) Matt sometimes goes above and beyond and makes the BEST chicken enchiladas. I think this is a perfect freezable as we can make a batch and segment them into a few bags to freeze for multiple meals. I always thought it was some secrete family recipe, but nooooooooo - just tonight he fessed up that it's an Emeril recipe from Food Network.com - BAM!

Here's the magic recipe:

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 cup New Mexican chili powder
• 16 ounces chicken stock
• 10 ounces tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt
• 3 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
• 1 onion, chopped
• 10 corn tortillas
• 1 cup sour cream, for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make sauce: In a saucepan heat 3 tablespoons oil, add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook 30 seconds. Stir in stock, tomato puree, oregano and cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until flavors are well-blended. Season to taste with salt.

Combine cheese, chicken and onion for filling. Heat remaining 1/2 cup oil in a skillet until hot. Using tongs dip in tortillas, one at a time, to soften, and drain on paper towels. Dip each tortilla in sauce. On a plate fill with a generous spoonful of filling and roll up; place enchilada seam-side down in a baking dish and repeat until all ingredients are used up. Top with remaining sauce. Bake 30 minutes. To serve, top with sour cream and scallions.

p.s. it may not be a family recipe, but these enchiladas are amazing.

Tasty Tuesday: I need help!

As we try to fill up our freezer, it seems my cooking creativity is waning. Any ideas for delicious homemade frozen dinners? No, I don't want to buy a box of lasagna (a) because I'm not a huge fan, b) because that doesn't quite fall in the "homemade" bucket).

I know there are some creative cooks out there ... help please!

Tasty Tuesday: Foods to Freeze - Soup!

In preparation for the impending sleepless nights and minimal time allowance in the kitchen, we're prepping a series of frozen meals that we can pop out and prepare. First on the docket? Chicken soup - the perfect meal to get through the coldest weather in San Francisco (summer :o) ).

Ingredients:

• Organic chicken breast with skin no bone
• 1 jabanero pepper (seeds removed)
• 1 turnip
• 1 celery root
• 1 squash
• Handful barley
• 1 can organic white beans

To cook:

• Cover chicken breast with water in a large pan
• Add barley
  
• Bring to boil - then, turn down to simmer
• Add jabanero
• After 5min, add turnip and celery root
• After 5 more min, add squash and white beans
• Simmer for 10 min
• Take chicken out and remove skin and break up chicken

Let cool and freeze! I love this soup with pesto sauce. Sometimes we vary it and make it more Thai style (with bamboo shoots, fish oil, rice noodles, and no beans) - for now I'm making it "normal" style.

What I'm loving today: Tommy's Margarita Mix

No, I'm not downing margaritas in the celebratory homestretch waiting for the boys. I have, however, had a hankering for the salty sweet taste for weeks - I'm an uber marg fan. After running the Rock 'n Roll marathon last year my first wish was to have a margarita (rocks with salt of course) in hand. Actually, scratch that, first wish was to have movement of my legs back - then came the marg.

Last week Matt found the platinum of margarita mixes for me - Tommy's Drink Mix. This mix is PERFECT for a virgin margarita (sub sparkling water for the tequilla) after a long hot day. Because there isn't much sugar and it's light on the juice index, this hasn't been effecting my GD by spiking my blood sugar too much. Here are the deets:

• Hand-picked, subtly sweet 100% fresh-squeezed slightly tart, aromatic limes
  
• Organic Agave nectar
• Purified water
• Touch of organic cane sugar

YUM!

Tasty Tuesday: Pregnancy with gestational diabetes

Yesterday, while finishing a mouthful of delicious peanut M&Ms, I got a call from my doctor saying I have gestational diabetes (GD). Bummer! I thought I was immune - I workout, try to eat well (fruit and yogurt for breakfast, salad for lunch, salad and chicken for dinner with the occasional candy thrown in), but my body decided I need to improve my habits (aka, ditch the M&Ms).

So this tasty Tuesday is not so sweet, but still delicious ...

New favorite breakfast? Greek yogurt - specifically Fage. This is great with granola, fruit (but not too much), sugar free jam, and on it's own.

Bottom line - YUM!

If anyone else is facing GD, here's a handy food list someone sent me:

Good Choices:

All meats and seafood

Most Veggies (carrots and sweet potatoes are naturally sweet)

Small amounts of whole wheat pasta, lentils, quinoa

Cheese

Greek Yogurt (Fage) from Trader Joes has the lowest sugar of any yogurt on the market

Almonds (very good)

Thin sliced whole grain bread

Any fruit the size of a medium apple (this size = 15 carbs)

Small whole grain crackers

Cottage cheese

Not Good Choices:

White bread, rice, potatoes

Anything breaded or coated

Juice (choose whole fruit over juice)

Chips, pretzles, candy, ice cream, dessert of any kind of pastries

Obviously, doctor knows best, and I'm off to see a maternity diabetes dietitian tomorrow. Here's a good site for extra GD research, too: http://www.diabeticmommy.com/34-gestational-diabetes-diet.html.

To eat: Baked Egg "Cupcakes"

My co-worker shared this recipe, and I love it! This is a fast, easy, and healthy way to make breakfast for a few days (or mid-morning snacks).




Ingredients:

• 9 whole eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 1 C spinach
• 4 slices prociutto
• 1/4 C parmasan cheese
• 2 TBSP olive oil

To make:

• Pre-heat oven to 350
  
• Mix all ingredients except olive oil in a bowl
• Oil a cupcake pan (12-cupcake sections)
• Pour mix into the 12 sections
• Put pan into oven and cook for 30-minutes
• Let cool
• Enjoy!

Why they're good:
Eggs have tons of nutrients - top of my list right now is DHA (gotta make those boys smart!)
Procuitto has protein and a lot of sodium which is helpful for long runs (or spin classes in my case)
Spinach has a ton of iron and calcium - great for growing bones
Parmesan is packed with calcium

I'm going to guess these tasty eggcakes pack ~100-150 cal each, little fat, and negligible carbs (from the veg) making them a perfect snack food (on top of breakfast).

Tasty (Taco) Tuesday! Cinco de Mayo

We decided to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year in all it's greasy glory! After (an awesome) spin class, I met Matt at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place on Broadway for some takeout. We wound up with two super tacos, beans and rice, and chips, non-alcoholic Beck's (they don't make non-alc Corona) - delicious!

Tasty Tuesday: gummy bears

Need I say more? I'm partial to the sugar free vitamin C kind. I LOVE gummies - I love eating them, playing with them (yes, I admit, I play with my food - my boys will be better than me), and daydreaming about them while finishing a gruelling spin class.
If you're interested, here's the history of the gummy/gummi from Wikipedia:
The Gummi Bear originates from Germany where it is popular under the name Gummibär (help·info) (rubber bear) or Gummibärchen (help·info) (little rubber bear). Hans Riegel of Bonn invented bear-shaped sweets and started the Haribo company in 1922, which produced and introduced its Gold-Bear product in the 1960s. Trolli is another gummi candy manufacturer and the first to introduce gummi worms in 1981.

Thank you Hans!

Tasty Tuesday: bacon salad

Let me first clear this with - I LOVE bacon. Bacon and eggs, BLTs, steak wrapped in bacon - you name it, I love it. So when I'm too tired to cook, a great go-to is bacon salad. Bacon salad is easy, fast, can be healthy, and oh-so-good.

Serves 2:
Toss organic mixed greens in a bowl with
1 chopped up tomato
1/2 avocado
2 tbsp soft goat cheese
5 slices of cooked bacon

Matt prefers bacon cooked in a skillet - I dig the micro-bacon (wrap bacon in paper towels and microwave for 2-3min until crispy brown.

To dress:
2 tbsp olive oil (I love the kind from Lucas ranch)
2 tbsp balsamic
pinch sea salt
pinch pepper

Yesterday I healthed it up a bit by adding 6 spears of steamed asparagus cut in 1-in sections.

Yum!

Tasty Tuesday: Taco night!

Throughout college every Tuesday was "Taco Tuesday." Fast forward a few years and when I first lived here Linz and I would go to Nick's Crispy Tacos (side note, best tacos outside of San Diego) every Tuesday to continue the tradition. When Nick's started catering more and more to the bridge and tunnel crowd (nothing wrong there) and changing their reggae to top 10 greatest hits, we scrapped taco Tuesday in lieu of other Ts (Thai Tuesday, tilapia Tuesday, etc.)

This week, with Lis in town and "family dinner" very in order, we decided to re-introduce Taco Tuesday. Phew!

Now that you're caught up to speed, here are the tasty (and easy!) specifics:
Tacos - beef and turkey:

• In separate pans saute onions, then add the meat
• Salt to taste (no taco packets - too many chemicals)
• Saute until browned

Taco toppings:
Chop up and add the following to small bowls for people to build tacos themselves:

• 1 avocado cubed
• 1c shredded cheese (my fav is tillamook)
• 1c shredded lettuce
• 1/2 white onion
• Sour cream
• Salsa (I skimmed and didn't make it fresh this time)

Taco shells:
(Trader Joes sells great organic corn tortillas)

• In a pan heat olive oil
• 1by1 heat shells on both sides
• Place on a plate between paper towels to remove excess oil

Serve all family style and enjoy! The best part of family dinner? Extra hands for dishes :) Thanks Lis and Jamie!

To do: brunch!

I love brunch - it's hands down, one of my favorite meals. Today we had some old co-workers and friends over for a perfect Spring brunch: frittata, salad, fruit, bread and brie, and mimosas (for the non-preg diners).

Fittata is surprisingly simple! I decided to make it with a twist because I didn't feel like waiting for potatoes to boil and soften enough for the frittata. So, here are the two kinds I made:

Parmesan, asparagus, and mushroom:

• In a pan, saute handful of asparagus (8 spears?) and add 3/4c mushrooms until soft
• In a bowl whisk 8 eggs with 1/2c parmesan
• Put eggs/cheese and sauted veggies in a baking dish
• Put in pre-heated oven at 350 for 25min

Cheddar, egg:

• In a pan, saute 1/2 white onion
• In a bowl, whisk 8 eggs and 1/2c cheddar
• Put eggs/cheese and sauted onion in a baking dish
• Put in pre-heated oven at 350 for 25min

Why frittata is good:

• Eggs are loaded with nutrients: riboflavin, B12, and choline, which may well not only help developing brains in utero, but protect us from age-related memory loss; omega-3s
• Asparagus root contains compounds called steroidal glycosides, which may help reduce inflammation; calcium, magnesium and iodine and is an excellent source of folic acid
• Onions are low in saturated fat (which I made up for with the cheese) and high in vitamin C, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, folate and manganese

Tasty Tuesday: Argentinian steak

It's official, we found the best steakhouse in San Francisco - El Raigon Argentina. Walking home from Bay Club one night I took the "direct route" up and over Coit Tower hill and down Union Street. Tucked away in between houses and apartments was El Raigon - a simple steakhouse with exposed brick walls, butcher block tables, and a simple menu - meat and potatoes. We wound up going last weekend to celebrate Matt's test success and were SO impressed. I love steak and I love eating out and this place took the prize for best of both out of all the restaurants I've tried in my 6 years living in the city.

So bueno.

Here's what we ordered:

• Salad
  
• Empanadas
• Entrana
• Mashed potatoes
• Red potatoes
• Squash

And, the waiter (seeing as I couldn't partake in the great Argentinian wine) ran across the street and bought a non-alcoholic Beck's so I could celebrate, too.

Tasty Tuesday: Power Foods

As I haven't cooked anything new and exciting recently, I'm referencing the "must eats" for pregnant women (everyone really).

SF Gate suggests the following Power Foods:

1. Sardines - personally I like the giant ones in Portugal on a cobblestone street with live music ... the can stinking up the kitchen just doesn't do it for me. But, these are packed with omega 3s which help babies brains and eyes develop.
2. Frozen wild blueberries - yum! I love all berries. Frozen are good because when they're frozen they retain their nutrients.
3. Swiss chard - I do love chard. I like it steamed, stir fried, etc. etc. Chard packs beta carotene which helps babies cell and tissue development.
   
4. Spelt - when I do no wheat/sugar/dairy, spelt bread is a staple. Bottom line, it is easily digested and just ... well, makes everything go right through.
5. Kidney beans - I have to admit, I haven't enjoyed these red beauties in quite some time. I should, though, they're packed with protein, fiber, antioxidants, and iron. What more could you ask for?
6. Sesame seeds - I am a sucker for the sesame seed treats they sell in China Town. These are packed with calcium. Does the fact I always get them stuck in my teeth mean they're a "slow release calcium" food?
7. Plain yogurt - lately I have been having a love affair with Greek yogurt. I love it with honey, fruit, nuts, jam ... really just about anything. And, it has 25% of the daily calcium requirement plus protein and other vitamins.

I just ate dinner but this tasty list is making me hungry again! Maybe it's the boys and not the list ... whatever, I'm off to eat a yogurt and blueberry treat. Hold the sardines.

Tasty Tuesday: St. Patty's feast!

(I'm drinking soda, BTW, not wine)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Being St. Patty's Day, here is a recipe I hold near and dear from Healthy Cooking. I'm a huge fan of corned beef so any excuse to make and eat it is good enough for me...

Corned beef brisket - 3lbs
Cabbage - 1/2 head (cut in 1 inch size)
White Onions - 2 (cubed)
Beef soup stock or water - 1 to 2 cups
Salt and pepper (add to taste)

Mix the ingredients in the crock pot, except the cabbage. Cook on low for 6 hours and then add in the cabbage for 2 more hours.

The cabbage is added near the end for the second corned beef crock pot recipe because it doesn't take long to cook.

Tasty Tuesday: Baked and boiled baby artichokes

I love artichokes. I love dipping them and eating them like chips, pealing leaf by leaf to get to the sweet center, and spending my time with dinner. My new favorite trick is boiling then baking. With baby artichokes you don't need much time so these are a perfect in-a-pinch healthy treat.

• Boil artichokes for 20-min (2 at a time in one pot)
• Cut artichokes in half and drizzle balsamic vinegar and salt on the center
  
• In pre-heated oven on 350, bake for 10 minutes
• Eat and enjoy!

I love dipping the leaves in mayonnaise with lemon. This is the not-so-healthy add-on.

Check out the California artichoke advisory board for more recipes (yes, there's really an advisory board).

Tasty Tuesday: Skillet Steak

When I get too tired it's typically because I need iron or vitamin B. Tonight I thought it was the former, so we made a Skillet Steak the "clean" way (aka, no frying).

Ingredients:
1 lb steak
1/2 onion
1/2 red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot peppers to taste

1 C loose spinach
1/2 avocado
1/2 tomato
1/4 C black olives

Steak:
Pre-heat oven to 350, once warm, put steak in a skillet and season with salt and pepper
Cook for 15-min (this is medium (I'm a medium rare or rare fan but I need to stick to thoroughly cooked right now))
Bring pan up to stove-top on medium heat and add chopped up onions and red bell pepper
Saute meat with veg until the outside of the steak is crispy and the veg are soft
Plate with hot peppers to taste

Salad:
Plate loose spinach with chopped up avocado, tomato, and olives
Oil/balsamic drizzle
Salt and pepper to taste