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Zucchini Muffins

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

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Not to brag, but I have a very exciting weekend ahead of me. My cousin is getting married! I can’t wait to get through this long day of work and studying, get on the plane, hang out with my family, and of course celebrate with the happy couple! I am so lucky that I get this excited to see family. I really am. They’re a fun bunch who really make family a priority. And we sure do know how to party…

 

I am the oldest of 8 first cousins, but only by 16 months. The youngest of the 8 is my brother who is 8 years younger than I am, so overall we are all pretty close in age – or at least it feels that way as we continue to get older and age gaps feel smaller and smaller. Being the oldest, I’ve always been the first to do everything – Bat Mitzvah, the big college process, move away from home, etc. It’s really not as exciting as it sounds – if you are the oldest in your family then you know that is just a code word for “guinea pig”. It’s nice not to be the first for once!

 

Since I know I am in for a busy weekend involving lots of travel and likely very little sleep, I made time to prepare these muffins that I can bring with me – on the plane, to my hair appointment, the bridal suite, you get the idea. They’re made with real ingredients that will help keep me energized. There’s no sweetener in them, but they have a very subtle sweetness from the zucchini and cinnamon. It’s important that I have options with me so that when I do get hungry I am not tempted by something that could upset my stomach. Bloated in a bridesmaid dress is not exactly my idea of a good time.

 

I adapted this muffin recipe from The Nourishing Gourmet. Since they have a very subtle flavor they are great by themselves or with a scoop of peanut butter or hummus on top. Either way, they’re a great snack to take with you when you’re on the move.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour

1 cup teff flour

3/4 cup of warm water

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

2 eggs

1 cup grated zucchini – leave skin on

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

 

Directions:

Combine flours with apple cider vinegar and water in medium mixing bowl. Cover and leave in warm room for 12 hours.

Preheat oven to 410 degrees

Line muffin pan

Combine remaining ingredients and whisk thoroughly

Fill muffin pan all the way

Cook until tops are firm and brown – about 30 minutes

Eat fresh out of the oven. Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator.

 

What are your favorite on-the-go snacks? How do you keep living well when you’re away from home and not following your regular routine? I’m traveling every 3 to 4 weeks for the rest of the year so your suggestions are welcome and appreciated!

Posted in Baking, Digestion, Summer, Ulcerative Colitis, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 2 Comments »

Crispy Salt & Vinegar Potatoes

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

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I lived in Asheville, NC, for 2.5 years, but can honestly say that it never felt like home. I always knew I’d be leaving and never really let myself get too attached. My fiancé and I expected to be in Asheville for 12 to 18 months, but when the economy collapsed our “short” stay turned into a long 29 months. Asheville is beautiful and a great place to visit, but this New Yorker at heart needs a bigger city for real peace of mind. I learned a lot from living in Asheville, but am grateful to have closed that chapter last March. I never expected to live in the Midwest again after college, but here I am. And very happy, I have to admit.

 

My fiancé and I bought our first house together. It’s a cozy old brick house in a perfectly central location to everything we need and like to be close to – grocery stores, restaurants, our offices and our social life.

 

When we both moved to Asheville and consolidated all of our stuff, there wasn’t too much to get rid of. It was a little hodgepodge and shall we say, an eclectic combination of tastes, but we knew we would be moving again in the near future and didn’t want to invest in anything new until we were living somewhere more permanent.

 

Well folks, that time has officially arrived!

 

Furnishing a home is so much fun – and this is coming from a girl that doesn’t like to shop. I want my home to be comfortable, but also functional. It’s where I need to be able to relax after a long day, break bread with my friends and family and build memories.

 

It’s been 6 months and we are nowhere close to being finished, but the “essential” stuff, like painting over the neon green kitchen walls (true story) and purchasing a dining room table and chairs have been taken care of. We even have pictures and art on the walls – sounds simple, but something we really didn’t do much of in Asheville. The rest will come together eventually.

 

I am patient and always looking for good deals and exploring ideas I see on my favorite home-related blogs and magazines. I’ve never really been able to relate to the concept of instant gratification, which you probably already know if you read this blog. I think it is much more rewarding to put in the time and effort, whether it’s regularly getting on the elliptical machine, or putting away a little bit of each paycheck and then jumping with delight when you fit back into your pre-pregnancy jeans or the new couch is delivered. Oh how I will jump in delight when we finally replace our current couch in the family room. One day…

 

So the whole point of this post – our backyard patio has been completely empty since Moving Day. Over Labor Day weekend we went shopping for a good sale and purchased a grill. Still no patio furniture, but now we can grill, which after being without one for the entire summer, I am loving and taking full advantage of as often as possible. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing wrong with eating outside on folding chairs or inviting friends over to grill and eating at our brand-spanking-new dining room table indoors. And because we waited so long to purchase the grill we really appreciate it. We don’t take it for granted.

 

Grilling is generally pretty easy and simple to do. We’ve been grilling lots of vegetables and meat that we get at the Farmer’s Market. I saw a recipe for grilling salt & vinegar potatoes on 101cookbooks.com that I had to try. They were pretty awesome and more natural than any salt & vinegar potato chips you can buy prepackaged at the grocery store. I will definitely be making these again.

 

Apologies, but there really aren’t any real measurements or quantities for this recipe. It’s more about the technique and you can make however much or little you want!

 

Ingredients:

Potatoes – preferably a white variation (versus sweet potatoes)

White wine vinegar

A little extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Any other spices you like to add to vinegar

 

Directions:

Slice potatoes into 1/4’’ slices

Place in large skillet, try to overlap as little as possible and pour in white wine vinegar – just enough to cover the potato slices

Bring vinegar to a boil

Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes – the potatoes should still be firm and not falling apart

Allow to cool in the vinegar for about 20 or 30 minutes

Drain, spray lightly with extra virgin olive oil, add salt and other preferred spices

Place potatoes on heated grill – flip when one side browns – about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from grill.

Retouch with spices if necessary

Serve.

Posted in Cincinnati, Eating Local, Entertaining, Frugal Living, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | No Comments »

Okra and Red Lentils

Sunday, September 11th, 2011

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I never heard of okra before moving to the south. It’s popular there, where it grows easily because there is little frost. The first time I brought it home I thought that my okra was spoiled because it was very slimy and sticky when I cut it open. Turns out, that’s just how okra is. Not exactly appetizing, to say the least, but you get used to it.

 

Putting up with a little slime is worth it, if you ask me. Okra packs in the health benefits – it’s a great tool to stabilize blood sugar, maintain a healthy gastro-intestinal tract and prevent constipation, gas and bloating.

 

It’s common to pair okra with acidic vegetables, like tomatoes, to reduce some of the slime. Or you can use the slime to thicken soups. So clearly a little slime goes a long way – drama-free digestion, lots of nutrients and thick soups – not too shabby.

 

At the Farmer’s Market this weekend, I picked up some okra at the request of my fiancé. I figured I would roast it with some tomatoes and call it a day. Easy. Simple. Real Food. Why over-think it, right?

 

I spent most of the day studying so I was grateful when Ryan took a break from football to help me get our meals ready for the week. He came up with an okra red lentil combination that was both creative and tasty. Yes, I know I’m a very lucky girl.

 

He modified the recipe found on this website.


Ingredients:

Okra with onions

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, sliced

4 dried red hot chilis, sliced with seeds

1 cup okra, sliced into 1/4′’ slices

dash of salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground ginger

 

Red Lentils

1 pound dried red lentils

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 garlic clove, sliced

1 dried red chili, chopped with seeds

pinch of salt

water to just cover lentils

 

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large pan. Add onion, garlic and chili. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add okra and spices. Cook until is soft and dries out. Set aside.

Pour olive oil into large pan on medium heat. Add onions and spices for lentils. Cook for 5 minutes.

Pour water and lentils into pan with onions. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are cooked – about 30 minutes.

Add okra mixture to lentils and mix with spoon.

Serve warm. It pairs well with brown rice or pita.

Posted in Asheville, Cincinnati, Digestion, Eating Local, Recipes, Rice, Soup, Summer, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | No Comments »

Cucumber Hummus

Friday, September 9th, 2011

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Brisk fall air might have made its way to Cincinnati this week, but there are still loads of the versatile summer staple – cucumbers – at the Farmer’s Market to remind me that the seasons haven’t turned just yet. But we’re getting close. I can almost smell fall in the air. I can’t wait for apples, pumpkins and all the sweet goodness that comes with fall.

 

But back to summer -

 

I added cucumber to the blender this week while making hummus and was very pleasantly surprised by the cool refreshing flavor it added. Just a hint of cucumber – not too overpowering at all.

 

Here’s a fun-filled fact I just learned about cucumbers – they are part of the same botanical family as watermelon, cantaloupe and all squashes. I guess I sort of see the resemblance with watermelon, but the other members of the family were a bit… unexpected.

 

Anyway, adding cucumber to hummus is an easy way to kick the nutrient-density of this dip up a few notches, cram in extra phytonutrients and maximize antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, which is always a good thing. This comes in handy, especially if you’re dipping chips into the hummus, which don’t really big a lot of nutrient-punch. Ok, they don’t bring any.

 

This is a great dip that I will definitely make for company, or just to have at home, again and again.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 large cucumber, peeled

2 cloves garlic

15 ounces cooked chickpeas

3 tablespoons tahini

juice from 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 – 2 tablespoons of water

 

Directions:

Put everything into blender or food processor and blend until thoroughly combined and smooth.

Use spatula to pour hummus into bowl.

Place bowl in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill. Hummus will thicken slightly.

Serve with fresh vegetables, crackers, chips or add a scoop to your salad or whatever else you’re eating!

Posted in Cincinnati, Eating Local, Entertaining, Frugal Living, Nutrients, Quick & Easy, Summer, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 1 Comment »

A Side of Summer

Wednesday, August 31st, 2011

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In case it wasn’t obvious, I thought you should know that I do not have a culinary background. I occasionally helped my mom in the kitchen growing up, but before my diagnosis, scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes were the extent of my skills in the kitchen.

 

I’ve learned a great deal about food these last few years and I can honestly say that the best recipes and tastiest meals are the ones that are also the simplest – use the fewest ingredients. Using real ingredients takes the work out of trying to make something taste good.

 

Some people go to culinary school. Others grow up in the kitchen learning generations of family secret recipes. I surf the web and browse magazines. I get inspiration for my meals from several sources, including what I already have at home in my cabinets and refrigerator, Mother Nature, and what I read on some of my favorite websites. What can I say? I guess it helps get the creative juices flowing.

 

After moving to Cincinnati, I became a subscriber of Better Homes & Gardens (BHG). I love playing around / daydreaming with ideas for our home almost as much as I love “playing” with food. And sometimes BHG even has some pretty interesting recipes. Their August 2011 issue had an interesting recipe with green beans and peaches – a combination I never considered before.

 

So that’s where I started – with the green beans and the peaches. Thank you BHG, but I got it from here.

 

Ingredients:

a very generous 1/2 pound green beans, tips trimmed

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, sliced in semicircles

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom seed

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 peach, cut into 1/2’’ slices

 

Directions:

Pour grapeseed oil onto large skillet and use medium heat

Mix garlic in oil and sauté for 2 minutes

Add onions and cardamom, mix again. Sauté for another 3 minutes.

Add grean beans and balsamic vinegar, mix well and cook until green beans are al dente – about 8 to 12 minutes
Remove and pour into glass or heat safe dish

Pour peach slices onto pan – gently mix with any leftover marinade in pan – sauté for about 2 minutes

Remove and add to green bean mixture

 

Where does your inspiration come from for meals for you and your family?

Posted in Cincinnati, Eating Local, Frugal Living, Quick & Easy, Summer, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | No Comments »

Spaghetti Squash in August!

Monday, August 29th, 2011

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One of my very first posts when I first launched my blog in 2009 was about spaghetti squash. It’s been a family favorite ever since we all started cleaning up our diet and focusing on local and real ingredients.


For whatever reason, I always thought spaghetti squash was an early to mid fall vegetable, but when I was strolling through the farmer’s market yesterday there it sat, pretty as ever, among the peppers, garlic, onions, tomatoes and other end-of summer vegetables. I’m not sure if this is special to the Tristate area, if Mother Nature is getting a little ahead of herself, or I was just plain wrong before, but I happily added a spaghetti squash to my already stuffed bag before heading home.


Now I gotta be honest here – this recipe takes a little longer than what I usually make. Not because it’s complicated – just because the ingredients all spend a lot of time in the oven. It’s a good meal to make on a Sunday afternoon when you’re hanging out watching football (that started, right?), or something.


So here you have it – dinner brought to you by your, or rather my, farmer’s market! We had some leftover raw kale salad that I made the day before, which compliments the spaghetti squash very nicely (or so I’m told, since I need my greens cooked).


Ingredients: (feeds 2-3)

1 medium spaghetti squash

1 large tomato

1 large onion

1/2 cup cooked chickpeas (canned, strained and rinsed is fine too)

1/2 teaspoon lemon thyme, chopped or dried

salt and pepper to taste

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Juice from 1/2 a lemon


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Slice squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds

Spray with a dash of extra virgin olive oil and place flesh down onto baking dish

Put squash in oven

Grease 8×8 baking dish

Chop tomatoes into large chunks and place into baking dish – skin should be on the bottom

Coarsely chop onion and place in medium mixing bowl

Chop garlic and add to bowl

Add chickpeas, salt, pepper, and lemon thyme

Add 1 teaspoon oil

Mix well

Add onion mixture to baking dish – getting in between the tomatoes, but try to keep the tomato skins touching the baking dish

Remove squash once it is tender enough to easily punch fork through each half

Place into oven and roast until tomatoes begin to shrivel – about 1.5 to 2 hours

Once you remove the squash, use forks to remove “spaghetti” from squash. Place into bowl.

Remove tomatoes. Add squash to baking dish and mix.

Add lemon juice

Serve warm or cold.

Posted in Cincinnati, Eating Local, Frugal Living, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 3 Comments »

Blackberry Oat Bars Take 2

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

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Remember these? May be not, since the last time I tried they came out completely wrong (but tasty). Well, I tried the blackberry oat bars again this weekend – only this time I used blueberries instead because that was what I had in my refrigerator. Oh and I followed the directions correctly. That’s what really made the difference.


They were pretty delicious. And definitely a go-to for company, potlucks or even something sweet and satisfying for us to have around the house just for us!

Posted in Baking, Desserts, Entertaining, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian / Vegan | No Comments »

Findlay Market

Sunday, August 7th, 2011

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To switch things up this weekend I decided to purchase my weekly supply of local goodies at the Findlay Market yesterday instead of the usual Hyde Park Farmer’s Market. I love the HP market, but Ryan and I were in the neighborhood on Saturday morning and wanted to see what all the hype was about.


Although the market had several local vendors with delicious sustainable-grown produce, the extra 15 minutes in the car, difficulty parking and large crowds are not my ideal shopping experience. I found it stressful, even though I came home with some great stuff. I was also happy to recognize many of the vendors from my Sunday mornings at the Hyde Park Farmer’s Market.


So while I think it is absolutely wonderful that there is a growing support of local businesses here in Cincinnati, I prefer the smaller and more relaxing experience in Hyde Park on Sundays. But that’s just me. I don’t need 10 different vendors selling tomatoes at Findlay if all 3 at Hyde Park are equally priced and the same quality.


I guess part of moving to a new city is keeping an open mind and trying new things. Now I have an even stronger appreciation for the market in Hyde Park.


I have to admit that there were some great deals. Like these blueberries from Michigan – not super local, but more local than what Whole Foods sells from California. And you can’t beat the price – 1 pound for 6 bucks! I loaded up and will keep a stash in the freezer.


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I also picked up a seedless watermelon – it was huge and was also 6 bucks. Without a doubt, it is the best one of the season so far.


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I also had to stop and admire all of the beautiful flowers being sold at the market. Absolutely exquisite.


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What do you like or dislike about your local Farmer’s Market? Anyone go to Findlay? May be I just caught it on a super crowded day and should give it another try? I’m still the “new girl” here so any recommendations are appreciated!

Posted in Cincinnati, Community, Eating Local, Frugal Living, Self Care, Stress, Summer | No Comments »

Eating Well is Sometimes a Group Effort

Friday, August 5th, 2011

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Making changes – big and small – to diet and lifestyle is tough. I’ll be the first to admit it.

 

It can be difficult for many reasons, but I think one of the most common is the potential impact a healthier way of living can have on said individual’s social life. Concerns of isolation, relapse and judgment are very real.

 

It took quite a few months for me to be comfortable in public with my dietary restrictions. I remember how guilty I felt asking my waiter about ingredients in a dish I wanted to order, or placing an order but with a bunch of substitutes so that by the end of the order the dish barely resembled the original item on the menu. Picture the famous restaurant scene from “When Harry Met Sally”, but worse. Yea, that was me. And I hated it. I went on dates and was so worried my date would think I “high maintenance” and had “food issues” so I ordered food that I knew was going to make me sick. Because the real me was easy going and orders a dish as-is off the menu. The real me wasn’t obsessed with weight or body image. This “other girl” wasn’t the real me.

 

A close friend of mine also had medical issues that required her to have somewhat similar dietary restrictions. She helped me feel more comfortable with eating in restaurants, talking about my dietary restrictions and most importantly, accepting my new reality. Thanks, Jules.

 

For many of you, my experience is extreme. I get that.

 

What I hear a lot from my clients, friends and family members is that they want to make a change but are worried about two things more than anything else; (1) the social implications and (2) the time it takes to prepare a healthy meal for themselves and their family.

 

My suggestion – ask your friends if they would be interested in a weekly recipe swap and/or alternate hosting a weeknight dinner each week. This way you get at least one night off of menu planning, preparing and cooking OR you’re just making double the amount you’d be making anyway. Your friends come over for dinner on the designated night or you go there. Agree ahead of time that dinner is casual, with a focus on eating whole nutrient-dense foods and catching-up with friends. There’s no need to pull out the fine china or prepare a three-course meal.

 

I am lucky enough to have friends like this in Cincinnati. We alternate one dinner each week. I get to try new recipes I might not have come up with on my own an so do they. Last night was my turn to host.

 

I kept things really simple – sautéed kale and onions, a stir-fry of quinoa, onions, peppers, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes and black beans with a ginger teriyaki sauce and baked patty pan squash.

 

I saw the patty pan squash at the farmer’s market earlier that week and wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. It was the first time I’d even heard of a “patty pan squash”. The woman who sold it to me said it’s great in the oven with some butter and parmesan cheese.  Well, that wasn’t going to work well for my dinner guests or me so this is what I did instead.

 

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Ingredients:

1 summer squash – cut into half inch slices

cumin – to taste

pepper – to taste

nutritional yeast – to taste

extra virgin olive oil – enough to lightly coat each side of the squash slices

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray or lightly coat olive oil on each slice of squash (both sides) and place onto bottom of baking dish. Squash may overlap slightly.

Sprinkle cumin and pepper.

Lightly coat with nutritional yeast.

Bake until slices are tender – about 15 minutes.

 

I was a little skeptical at first, since nutritional yeast doesn’t melt like cheese, but the reviews were very positive so I will definitely be making it again this summer.

 

So last night not only was I able to socialize, but I also had a healthy home cooked stress-free meal! Win, win all around.

Posted in Baking, Cincinnati, Community, Eating Local, Entertaining, Frugal Living, Health Coaching, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Self Care, Stress, Summer, Ulcerative Colitis, Vegetarian / Vegan | 1 Comment »

Blackberry Oat Bars

Monday, August 1st, 2011

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I know. I know. This picture isn’t exactly salivating-worthy. Let me explain.


I originally saw a recipe for blueberry oat bars on this website and wanted to give it a try – with a few modifications based on what I already had and what I had access to. However, I accidentally forgot to add the applesauce and water to the crust, but by the time I realized my error the layers had already been made. Instead of throwing everything away and starting over I decided to peel off the layers and save what I could. I purchased the blackberries at the farmer’s market the day before for the sole reason of making this recipe (there weren’t any blueberries available) and didn’t have a back-up supply on hand. So I added the water and applesauce and put everything back into the baking dish according to the recipe’s directions.


So while this outcome you see pictured above is not as aesthetically pleasing as it could be and the layers are not distinct, you can’t tell at all by the taste.


These bars are sweet enough for dessert, but light enough to compliment the summer heat. Personally, I love chocolate desserts year-round, but some of my friends prefer fruity desserts and I think this will make the perfect go-to recipe next time I’m dining with these folks.


I thought about waiting to share the recipe with y’all until I could make the bars correctly the first time around, but decided against it. I’m not a professional chef and don’t pretend to be one. Sometimes I mess up and my meals don’t always look pretty. But I use real ingredients and that is more important to me than what it looks like.


There was a time when I would have, without a doubt, thrown everything out and started over so that everything would look perfect for my readers. Perspective is a powerful thing and can completely change the way we deal with stress and expectations. I had 2 options once I realized my mistake. (1) I could have gotten upset and frustrated that I screwed up these oat bars. My entire day could have been ruined. A little bit of a drama-queen-like example, but I’m sure we all know people like this on some level. Instead of a baking mishap, may be it’s getting stuck in traffic, arriving late to a meeting, bad weather on a special day, you get the idea. (2) Or – I could say “Oh well. They still taste good.”

 

We’re only human. And sometimes stuff happens.


What really matters is how we handle it.

 

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Ingredients:

Filling:

1 pint blackberries

5 tablespoons agave nectar or honey

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons cornmeal

 

“Crust”

3 cups rolled oats (not the instant variety)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened organic applesauce

6 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.

In small saucepan combine blackberries, agave nectar and ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

When it is boiling, add vanilla and cornmeal. Stir as mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

Put 1.5 cups of rolled oats into blender and grind to a fine powder. Pour into medium-sized mixing bowl.

Add 1.5 cups of rolled oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix.

Add applesauce, agave and water. Mix well.

Spread half of the crust batter into the greased pan – smoothing to cover the bottom of the pan.

Spoon the blackberry filling over the batter and cover the filling with the remaining crust mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

*** Store somewhere cool – like your refrigerator – to extend “shelf life”.

Posted in Baking, Desserts, Eating Local, Entertaining, Health Coaching, Stress, Summer, Vegetarian / Vegan | 1 Comment »

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