High Protein 'Spread'

Often times patients are looking for something that is high protein that they can use as a dip/spread on crackers/pretzels or fruit like apples. It could also be added to a protein shake (make sure you mix shake in the blender for proper emulsifying. Here is a nifty idea I modified from something my mother makes to put on toast.

1 very ripe banana (you want the banana to have some brown spots, it will be very sweet at that point)
2 tablespoons peanut butter/almond butter/cashew butter/walnut butter
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Mash banana. Stir in nut butter, wheat germ and seeds.

Can be stored in an airtight container in ice box for up to 4 days. Please note: the banana will turn brown due to oxygen contact. It is still fine to eat.

Entire Mix has 20 grams of protein (if using peanut butter) and 10 grams of fiber - a serving should roughly be 2 tablespoons at a time.

ENJOY!

High protein Turkey Burgers (from leftover T-day turkey!!)

I know people out there are getting excited for Turkey Day, the holiday formerly known as Thanksgiving, but many people get anxious about what to do with all those leftovers! Here is an idea for your leftover turkey meat (or you can use 1 lb of fresh ground turkey) that is high protein and flavor packed! 

Ingredients:

1 large Portobello mushroom cap

1 Tbsp coarsely chopped shallot

3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

4 cups leftover turkey, skin and bones removed

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp allspice

1 egg

2 Tbsp non fat plain yogurt (plain Greek is fine too)

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350^o F.

2. Use a spoon to scrape out the gills from the underside of the mushroom cap. Cut the cap into 1 inch pieces and transfer to a food processor. Add the shallot and parsley and pulse until coarsely chopped.

3. Transfer the mushroom mixture into a large bowl. Then add the turkey to food professor and coarsely chop then add to mushroom mix in bowl.

  4. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl, mix gently with your hands until just combines. Divide into 4 - 1 inch thick patties. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm so patties are easy to handle.

  5. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with PAM. Place burger patties on a cookie sheet in the oven for 12-15 minutes until they are cooked throughout. Top turkey burger with 2 slices of avocado and 1 tsp salsa for garnish (optional). 

     1 patty has approx 42 grams protein!

    ENJOY!

Fun Fact Today on Broccoli

1 Cup of broccoli contains:

74mgs of Vit C as much as a regular sized orange
6 grams of fiber
94 mgs of calcium as much as 3oz milk
2.5 grams of protein

So when all your friends tell you to give up broccoli for a new fad like kale or arugula or mustard greens, you don't need to fret, there is still a very useful (and healthful place) on your plate for your old friend, Broccoli!

Chicken Soup (with all leftovers!)

Just put all those leftovers in the pot!!

1 onion, diced
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 cabbage diced into chunks about 1" square
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup edamame, shelled
leftover meat from a roast chicken, skin removed
1-2 packages soft/precooked-udon noodles**
2-3 cups Chicken broth
1-2 cups water
2 table spoons olive oil
1/2 cup fresh parsley


1. Saute onions, mushrooms and cabbage in olive oil over medium-low heat for about 7  minutes.
2. Add chicken, broth, water, noodles, and 1/2 package of the noodle seasoning if using 1 pack of noodles (if using 2 packages add 1 seasoning packet) and stir to combine. Raise heat to high and bring to simmer, then reduce heat to low. Let cook about 10 minutes.
3. Add spinach and edamame, cook 1 minute more.
4. When you are ready to eat, drop parley on top of soup and stir in. Serve!!

ENJOY!!
**Bariatric surgery patients should replace the udon noodles with shirataki noodle which are less chewy, find them in the produce section in a bag with liquid. Strain liquid before adding noodles to pot.

Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup with Kale

Let's call this recipe a 'sibling' to the lentil and leek stew with beet greens. All the same cooking methods and principles, just changed up some of the ingredients.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups sliced onion
3 large cloves garlic
1 cup diced green pepper
1 diced red jalapeno, seeds removed (if you want more heat keep seeds and add to soup), if you can't find a red jalapeno a green one will work just fine
1 diced tomato
1 pound, brown lentils
1 medium butternut squash diced (about 3-4 cups)
2 teaspoons West Indian spice blend
3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
4 springs fresh rosemary, stems removed
1 bunch fresh parsley, stems removed

2 cups fresh kale, broken up
salt and pepper

1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil. Add peppers and cook about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and West Indian spices. Stir to combine.
2. Add lentils, squash and broth. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Cook until lentils are soft. (add water if necessary)
3. Add kale and herbs, stir to combine - cook another 15 minutes to soften kale. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary.

ENJOY!!

Lentil-Leek Stew with Beet Greens

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cup thinly sliced leeks (white parts only - this was two large leeks)
2 cups diced white onion (it was 1 very large onion)
1 bulb garlic, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 bag (1 lb) brown lentil
1 quart (4 cups) chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon West Indian spice blend
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup torn fresh beet greens
optional: grated/shaved parmesan and Romano cheeses
salt and pepper

1. Heat olive oil over low-medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Let saute for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, take sliced leeks and place in bowl of water. Separate the layers with your fingers. When all layers have been separated so you are just left with rings, pour leeks and water into a strainer/colander. Then rinse again with water (leeks can be very gritty you want to make sure to wash thoroughly). Strain well and add to onion mixture. Season pot with salt and pepper. Let cook 1-2 minutes more.
3. Add pepper, tomatoes, rosemary and West Indian blend. Stir and cook another 5 minutes.
4. Add lentils and broth, stir well. Raise heat to high, when it starts to boil, reduce to simmer. Stir again, partially cover pan with proper lid, and let cook until lentils are soft (approx 30 minutes, but you can let sit on burner on low heat for up to 2 hours as long as you periodically stir it).
4. 5-10 minutes before serving, add thyme leaves and beet greens. Stir to mix. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Cook 5-10 minutes more.

Portion into bowls, top with grated cheese if desired.

ENJOY!!!

Apple-Cabbage Slaw with walnuts and balsamic

Some days it's just to hot to cook and other days you get goodies from the farmer's market or CSA program and wonder what the heck to do with the items! I found myself in that double-whamy situation last night and this is what I came up with. No cooking necessary and full of fiber!!


1 small head green cabbage (about the size of softball), quartered and then thin sliced
1 small red onion fine diced (about 2/3 cup)
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced lengthwise, seeds and pith removed, fine diced
1 large red apple, shredded (I just pulled one off a tree outside, but a Pink lady would work nicely or a Granny Smith would add some nice tang whichever you prefer)
1 handful raw walnuts, rough chop (cashews would also be nice or raw pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (I used white balsamic so that the color of the vegetables wouldn't change but you could use regular balsamic as well)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1. Combine all the vegetables, apple and nuts in a bowl.
2. Whisk oil, vinegar and mustard together and then pour over slaw mix. Toss to combine and coat vegetables fully.
3. If not serving immediately, let sit in ice box up to overnight. I let it sit for 30 minutes before dinner and the cabbage had started to soften from the acid but none of the other vegetables were getting soggy yet at that point.

ENJOY!!!

Overnight Oats = breakfast without thinking

These can soak overnight and up to 3 days if you want to make a whole bunch of them at a time!

Makes getting out the door in the morning easy and great start to your day a snap!








3/4 cup old fashion oats
3/4-1 cup milk of your choice, I prefer unsweet almond (milk should cover the oats)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4-1/3 cup fruit, I used blueberries and strawberries this morning, but peaches/mango/frozen mixed berries/bananas would all be great!

1. Put oats, cinnamon, fruit into a Tupperware container. Pour in enough milk to completely cover oats.
2. Put lid on Tupperware
and place in the fridge. When ready to eat, give it a stir and you are done!

ENJOY!

Coconut Panna Cotta, by Chef Joe

Recipe #2 from 8/3/15 Support Group

1 oz (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup half and half
1/3 cup Splenda
1.5 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin into water and let stand about 1 minute. Then heat, over low heat until gelatin is dissolved, then remove pan from heat.
2. In large saucepan, bring coconut milk, half and half, and Splenda just to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring. Remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture and vanilla.
3. Pour into shallow serving dishes or into a baking dish with sides at least 1/2" high. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight to let the panna cotta 'set up'.

Would be great, served topped with fresh raspberries and mango cubes!

ENJOY!

Summer Squash Casserole

I found myself in a predicament with too much summer squash hanging around the kitchen from the local CSA. What does one do with all those squashes?! So I thought I would whip up a side dish for dinner that could then be portioned out and taken for lunches to work.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
3 large cloves fresh garlic, sliced
5 summer squash ('yellow squash') sliced - zucchini or kuda squashes would also be excellent or a mix of all three, roughly 6 cups raw
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated cheese (I grated Dubliner)
fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat olive oil over med-low, add garlic and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I grind fresh Himalayan salt and pepper right into the pan). Saute until very soft and fragrant, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove onions and garlic and place in bottom of a glass baking dish
4. Add squash to pan, slightly increase heat, add balsamic and a little more salt and pepper, and let saute until squash starts to soften, about 10 minutes. Then spread over onions in baking dish.
5. Meanwhile, in a separate small saucepan, melt the butter then add the flour and stir until a paste forms. This is your roux to thicken your milk with. Stir the roux in pan until it starts to brown. You are basically toasting the mixture. The darker the brown, the deeper the flavor, but you can definitely burn it too! When the mixture is between the color of a raw walnut and almond it is done. Remove to a plate.
6. Heat milk in same pan (less dish washing!) over medium heat. When milk is warm but not boiling, add thyme, oregano and roux. Raise the temperature of the burner to med-high, whisk the mixture to combine the roux and start the thickening process. As bubbles start to appear on the surface of the milk, it will start to thicken. Cook about another five minutes, whisking constantly, then pour over vegetables in baking dish. NOTE: it might not be enough liquid to fully cover vegetables and that is correct! Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top and grate cheese over breadcrumbs. Bake about 20 minutes or until topping is browned to your liking.
7. Remove from heat and top with ripped fresh basil leaves.

ENJOY!!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake, by Chef Joe

Chocolate, 100% Whey Isolate protein powder
2-3 tablespoons peanut butter*
2 cups skim milk**
1/2 cup silken tofu

1. Blend protein, milk, and peanut butter in blender until smooth. Add tofu and blend again. If shake is to thin, you can add more tofu and/or ice and blend more.

approx 100 grams protein for the entire recipe, to be sipped over the course of the day

*feel free to substitute almond butter, cashew butter or soynut butter as long as they don't have added sugars
**unsweetened soy milk or unsweetened almond milk are also good liquids to use in this recipe and will feel better to to people's GI systems who might be struggling with lactose post-operatively.

ENJOY!!

Pesto-Pork (or chicken) Pinwheels with Grilled Peaches

It's peach season people!! Time to find some fun things to do with your peaches. Give this recipe (adapted from one in Eating Well Magazine) a try out on your BB-Q!!

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup prepared pesto (see Big Ter's Famous Pesto recipe under 'sauces' or purchase at store)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1 pound pork tenderloin (or chicken breasts), trimmed
2 large peaches, quartered

1. Preheat grill to medium.
2. Combine breadcrumbs and pesto in a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
3. Lay pork on a cutting board. CAREFULLY, slice pork (or chicken) the short way by holding your knife blade parallel to the cutting board and cutting 3/4 of the way across (place your free hand on top of the meat to hold it steady). DO NOT cut through the far end (leave about a thumb nail's worth of meat connected). Open the pork slice up so that you have a piece of meat that is now twice as wide but half as thin. Spread a thin layer of pesto mixture on the meat, leave 1" of meat along the far edge without pesto on it (you are going to roll the meat up the long way not the direction you cut it).
4. Starting with the side closest to you, roll the meat tightly lengthwise. Brush with olive oil mixture.
5. Slice roll crosswise (if using pork you will get 6-8 equal slices, if using chicken you will get 2-4 slices). Insert a skewer through 2-3 pinwheels to help hold the meat in its rolled up shape while cooking. (NOTE: if using wooden/bamboo skewers you need to SOAK them in water at least 30  minutes prior to use so they don't catch fire. If you using metal skewers you can lightly oil them prior to skewering the meat or spray with cooking spray so it is easy to remove meat once cooked). Toss peaches in oil mix and skewer as well.
6. Oil the grill rack. Place meat and peach skewers on grill. Grill, flipping all skewers once. Peaches should be soft (will take about 5 minutes) and meat should read 145 degrees if pork (take about 8-10 minutes) or 165 if chicken (takes about 10-12 minutes).
7. Remove from grill (metal skewers will be hot!! use tongs or pot holders).

ENJOY!!!

Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus (or Zucchini)

The July edition of our Support Group Newsletter featured the following recipe from EatingWell.com. Asparagus isn't really in season anymore, but summer squashes like Zucchini are in full force so they would be a great fresh substitute for the asparagus and thus we added them as an idea to the recipe!!




16 asparagus spears trimmed or 16 strips of zucchini cut length wise about 1/4" -1/2" wide
1-2 tsp olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 thin slices prosciutto, cut in half length wise

1. Heat grill to medium.

2. Toss asparagus or zucchini with oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Wrap 1 length of prosciutto around the middle of 4 asparagus/zucchini spears. Repeat, making 4 bundles. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the asparagus bundles, turning once or twice, until the asparagus is tender and charred in spots, about 10 minutes.

Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) 

ENJOY!!!

Herb Frittata

Eat this frittata hot, at room temperature or cold. It holds well in the fridge and would be a great dinner on a warm summer night out on the patio.

Ingredients:

1 cup egg whites

¼ cup firm tofu

1 cup mixed fresh herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, oregano, thyme, chives) - remove stems and rip up any large leaves/pieces

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, or crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method of preparation:

           *Heat oven to 350° F.

          * In a bowl, add the two tablespoons of water and the red bell pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on HIGH for 3 ½ minutes, until you can remove the skin of the red pepper. Also remove the seeds from inside, and chop finely.

     *Using a fork, mash the tofu, and add to a new bowl. Add the egg whites, the zucchini, the mushrooms, onion, and red bell pepper, and mix until everything has been incorporated.

     *Add the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

     *Spray a baking dish with the olive oil spray, then pour the mixture into the dish.

     *Bake the egg white tofu mixture for 15 – 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

     

     ENJOY!!!

Salmon on a Cedar Plank

Grilling season is upon us people!! And the restaurant trend from a few years ago of food grilled atop cedar planks has reached the home kitchen. It is very easy to do once you find the right materials, and there is only step that is absolutely crucial and if forgotten means you'll have to buy takeout (soaking the plank so it doesn't go up in flames). However, we quickly realized that cedar planks are expensive!! Fancy-land William-Sonoma sells a package of 3 or 4 cedar grilling planks for  between $11-14, which would add about $4 to the cost of the meal (because I will not reuse the cedar plank and thus would have to buy new ones all the time). Planks could be vigorously scrubbed so that you could perhaps get another use or two out of each of them, but they do get charred by the grill flames and the oils of the food you are cooking seep into the wood, and while these could give an off flavor to the food next cooked on the plank, I would be more concerned with contamination and food borne illness from whatever bacteria was growing on the plank in the days after use as the wood dried out. So my fabulously inventive father came up with a money saving solution! He went to Home Depot and bought a bundle, yes I said a bundle, of cedar shingles (the ones you would use to side your house or roof) for $9.25. You will have to cut each shingle in half or thirds because it is to long, but that will give you enough planks for almost the whole summer and will only add cents to your meal cost not dollars!

YOU MUST BUY UNTREATED SHINGLES otherwise they will contain toxic chemicals what will leach into your food.

Ingredients:
Salmon fillet (salmon steaks will work fine as well - salmon could be interchanged with any seafood or meat - scallops, swordfish, chicken, sausages, porkloin would probably taste best)
Lemon slices
Cedar plank

1. Soak wood plank 20-30  minutes
2. Heat grill to medium-high heat (we estimated it was about 400 degrees).
3. Place fish on plank skin side down, top with lemon slices, place plank on grill - cook about 15-20 minutes.

ENJOY!!!!

Crock Pot Chicken - any way you want it!

A patient came in today and wanted to share a recipe idea with everyone so here goes!!

4-6 celery stalks
1, 5-6 pound chicken
Rub of your choice (mango salsa/garlic powder + teriyaki/sriracha/herbs de provence/taco sauce or whatever you can think up!)
Chicken broth

1. Spread celery stalks on the bottom of crock pot.
2. Rinse and dry chicken, place in crock pot on top of celery
3. Rub chicken with spices or pour salsa/sauce over top.
4. Pour about 1 inch of chicken broth into bottom of pot.
5. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours, there will be a lot of liquid in the crock pot when you are done.
6. Remove chicken from crock pot.

ENJOY!!!!

Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Plum Sauce

Original Recipe: Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery, edited by the fab 

intern Lumi Bota to follow our program guidelines

When we were trying to come up with an Asian-style pork recipe, almost every one we researched contained hoisin sauce (very heavy on sugar). So we 

concocted this plum sauce, which not only tastes incredible, but is

incredibly versatile as well.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon paprika

1 packet artificial sweetener (Splenda or Sweet ‘N Low)

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground thyme

1 pound lean pork tenderloin 

Fresh plum sauce (makes approximately 1 cup):

Cooking spray

½ cup onion, chopped

3 large red or purple plums, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Brown-sugar artificial sweetener (1 teaspoon equivalent)

Method of preparation:

1.      To make the plum sauce: coat a nonstick saucepan with cooking spray. Heat and sauté onion until just translucent. Add all other ingredients and cook over low flame for 10 minutes until thick. Let cool slightly, pour into food processor, and blend until smooth.

2.      Preheat the oven to 375° F.

3.      In a small bowl, mix all spices and sweetener together to form a dry rub.

4.      Rub spice mixture all over tenderloin and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

5.      Spoon ¼ cup of the plum sauce onto tenderloin and bake for another 10 minutes.

6.      ENJOY!!!

Toasted Coconut Custard

8 large eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla

2-4 packets of Stevia or Truvia (depending on how sweet you like it)

2/3 cup shredded coconut (you can add more or less depending how coconutty you like it)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet spread coconut out in one layer. Toast in the oven until it starts to brown. Remove from oven.

2. Beat eggs in a bowl with vanilla and stevia. Add toasted coconut.

3. Use Pam/pan spray to coat a pyrex glass baking dish. (A pie dish or smaller will be appropriate in size. You also will need to be able to sit this glass dish inside a roasting pan so find one that is small enough to work but also has sides that are higher then 1". Its ok if your custard is thick/deep, it will just take longer to cook.)

4. Once glass dish is sprayed with Pam, pour the egg/coconut mixture in. Set glass baking dish into the roasting pan and set on the rack of the oven. Using a pitcher (or coffee pot) pour water into the baking dish until it comes at least 1/2 way up the sides of the glass baking dish. This helps the custard to cook evenly and not burn on the sides. Cook custard until a toothpick or knife inserted into the middle of the custard (all the way to the bottom) comes out without chunks of wet egg on it.

ENJOY!!

Simple Suppers - Smoked Salmon

Who says you actually have to cook for dinner? There is no reason why your meal needs to look like a 'stereotypical American meal'. If we remember that we are eating to no longer be hungry, not to be full - something as simple as smoked salmon with whole wheat/grain crackers can be put out and enjoyed on a spring or summer evening. No cooking, no clean up! Even the 5 year old loved it!!

Additional accoutrements or substitution ideas:
-whole grain mustard instead of cream cheese
-diced onions instead of/in addition to capers
-mango salsa
-mix Old Bay seasoning into cream cheese for some zing!
-pickled ginger
-lemon or lime wedges
-mix fresh dill and lemon juice into some plain, nonfat yogurt
-roasted asparagus (on the side)

Sweet & Salty Fix

Patients are always wanting a sweet & salty fix, and while we focus on trying not to give into cravings for different foods if they are connected to times of stress or emotions and instead work on controlling the behaviors behind these 'food attacks', you still might need something in your arsenal for other times when you are looking for something sweet & salty because you stomach is growling and that is what you would like to have.

I had never seen the 100% cacao bars in super markets before (the closest I had come was 99% bars from the Lindt store). These bars are not for eating straight (unless you are crazy like me), they are bitter and a little alkaline because they contain 0 sugar and 0 artificial sweeteners, but they will give you the taste of REAL chocolate/cacoa. When mixed with some other flavors like peanut and graham (or banana) you have quite a delectable item. The taste of the pure cacao will take some getting used to, but give it a chance, you will probably never want to go back to milk chocolate again!


*1 graham cracker (look for one that is low sugar - most name brand crackers have 8 grams of sugar and they have added sugar and honey to them)
*1-2 tablespoons natural peanut butter - I like Smucker's because I find it to be the most salty (bad dietitian) and I like the peanut butter to be slightly salty (100-200kcals, 1-2 grams sugar, 3-7 grams protein)
*2 squares from a 100% cacao bar (146 kcals, 0 grams sugar, 4 grams protein)

Enjoy!!!

**Your best bet to find them in the super market is to look in the baking section**

Breakfast Bruscetta

This came across my desk from the Fruit and Veggies - More Matters group. I have added a tweak or two to accommodate a bariatric patient.

Serves 4-6

1 ripe avocado
2 medium tomatoes
1 green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
4 hard boiled eggs, shells removed
1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
whole wheat baguette, sliced or whole wheat crackers
cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1. Dice up the avocado, tomato, eggs, and green onion - mix in a bowl with fresh ground black pepper and olive oil. Toss in most of the basil - reserve about 1 teaspoon for garnish.
2. Toast baguette slices then spread ricotta over them (or just spread ricotta on crackers)
3. Top with the avocado mixture and sprinkle with more basil.

ENJOY!!!

Food Trend: Extend Nutrition's SF Protein Bars

New brand of protein bars that I came across - Extend Nutrition. Initially created for diabetics these bars have roughly 4.5 grams of fat, 150 calories, 0 grams of sugar (about 8 grams of sugar alcohol) and 10 grams of protein. Click the link below to be redirected to their site!

Extend Nutrition Protein Bars

Last Minute Lemon Noodles

Sometimes its hard when you get home late to throw something together for dinner, especially if you haven't been to the market in a while. I found myself in a similar situation the other night with many odds and ends left in the ice box and this is what came together for me. It took about 14 minutes (or the time needed to boil water and soften noodles. For bariatric patients, you probably won't be able to tolerate the Kami Japanese noodles so I would recommend the Shirataki noodles that can be found in the produce section of your local grocer as they do not expand.

Serves 2 people or 3-4 bariatric patients

1-8oz package Kame noodles (or 2 packs Shirataki noodles)
3/4 cup leftover butternut squash (or frozen butternut squash cubes or puree)
1 tomato diced
1 cup lettuce (or spinach) cut to desired size
1/2 cup cucumber chunks
juice and pulp from half a lemon
1/2 cup grated/shredded Parmesan cheese
fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon mushroom-sage infused olive oil + 3 tablespoons regular extra virgin olive oil (you can use all plain EVOO if you don't have a stash of infused oils at home)

1. Boil water and cook noodles. NOTE: if using Shirataki noodles they are already cooked you are putting them in boiling water to heat and get rid of the smell this takes 1 minute only
2. Meanwhile put all vegetables in bowl (make sure you have microwaved the squash so that it is warm)
3. Strain noodles and put in bowl on top of vegetables. Top with oil, cheese, lemon, black pepper. Stir to combine.

ENJOY!!!

A Breakfast (or Anytime) Scramble - Ecuadorian Style

I came across this recipe (by Liz Spittler) in my latest Edition of Food & Nutrition Magazine. If you can't find canned hominy in your local grocery store, canned corn will work just fine. You might have to look for canned hominy in the ethnic aisle at the grocery store.

Hominy is actually corn kernels that have had their germ and hull removed with an alkali solution of lye or slaked lime. It comes in white or yellow - the yellow is slightly sweeter then the white version. Canned hominy is fully cooked and ready for use, if you find dried hominy pellets then you will have to soak them for several hours and then simmer them to soften (just like you would have to do dried beans). The most famous/well known use for hominy is as a ground item called grits.

1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup chopped scallions (including the green ends)
1/4 cup diced white or yellow onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 eggs
1 cup hominy, drained and rinse
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Combine seasoning in a bowl and mash garlic in to form a paste (this will be easiest if you use a mortar and pestle).
2. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onions, paste and scallions, cook until onions start to soften. Add hominy, stirring to coat and cook for about 1 minute. Add milk and let simmer until milk is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, scramble eggs in a bowl. Add eggs and pepper to skillet once milk is absorbed and stir occasionally until eggs are cooked through and fluffy, sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.

ENJOY!!!

Video: It Starts Today

Video can also be viewed via this link: http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/u=c703615329d025d1d557cbf61&id=9862f05bfc&e=90ab571b89

Olive Oil Basted, Poached Egg Breakfast

Farm fresh eggs are one of the most beautiful things you can cook. The yolk is a bright but burnt orange color from a diet richer in nutrients then commercially kept laying hens. Our chickens get corn and grain daily and we 'treat' them daily with vegetable and fruit scraps, stale bread and crackers, leftover cooked grains like rice and quinoa, and fresh grass (seasonally obviously!!). They have a pen/paddock that they can roam in with the freedom to go back inside whenever they would like. You can see from the photo that the yolk is a much richer color then conventional eggs and typically the richer orange color is indicative of a higher omega content and higher nutrient volumes like vitamin A and beta-carotene. They have a much deeper flavor, slightly more earthy and not so bland as commercial eggs, if you can find a friend or CSA program that sells farm fresh eggs you should take advantage of it and purchase eggs from them.

Feta cheese comes from many places. In grocery stores most of the feta in the dairy section would be known as Greek feta, but French feta is also common and usually found in the specialty cheese aisle at major grocery stores. However, I find that Bulgarian feta has the nicest flavor. It is creamier then its Greek and French counterparts which can be more dry and crumbly, it has a touch - a small touch, more salt which helps to develop the flavor but makes it no way salty. Bulgarian feta is easily found in Armenian/Turkish/Lebanese food markets but you could probably also find it at a specialty cheese shop or even a market like Whole Foods. It is well worth the slightly higher price (about $1/pound more), you will use less cheese then with an inferior product which doesn't have as much flavor.

For the breakfast:
eggs (1-2 per person)
olive oil
slice of a crusty type bread like ciabatta, toasted (optional)
feta cheese
mixed fruit

1. Heat olive oil in a non-stick saute pan over medium heat - depending on size of pan you will need about 3 tablespoons (or 1 tablespoon/egg BUT don't use a pan that is too large for the number of eggs in it - a large saute pan about 8" in diameter is good for 3-5 eggs, for 1-2 eggs use one that is more like 5-6" in diameter). Meanwhile toast your bread if you are using it.
2. Crack eggs right into pan, let them cook until the whites of the eggs become solid or completely white (the eggs to the right are half-way done).
3. Tip the pan slightly to collect some olive oil in a spoon and spoon it over the eggs yolks. Do this 2-3 times for each yolk and then the eggs will be cooked with a runny yolk center. Remove from heat.
4. Spread feta over the toast if you are having toast, and then place your egg over toast; if you are not using toast, place egg on plate and crumble some feta over the top of the egg. You can drizzle some more olive oil over the top if you so desire.

ENJOY!!!

Shish Kebabs

Getting back to my Middle East roots with this one! "Shish kebab" literally means "skewered meat". This recipe makes quite a bit, so this recipe would be great for a small dinner party (say 6-9 adults) or cut it in half for a more manageable amount of food. Armenians use a lot of lamb, but if you prefer beef that would work in this recipe just as well, as would skinless chicken thighs. The kebabs are best grilled, and we use an old fashioned Webber Charcoal grill with real charcoal (not briquettes) but whatever kind of grill you have is fine or you could cook them in the oven (I would do it at 400 degrees in the oven).

5 pound lamb roast, fat and silver skin removed, cubed into approx 2" chunks
1 can tomato paste (not the 4oz can the next size up)
1 large white onion sliced
1 head of garlic, skins removed, cloves sliced
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cumin
black pepper (about 1/2 tablespoon)

1. In a large roasting pan mix the tomato paste with the lemon juice and vinegar to loosen up the tomato paste. Then add onions, garlic, and seasoning - mix again. Add meat and stir it around until it is completely covered in the marinate. Cover and let sit in ice box for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.
2. Before grilling, bring meat out of ice box and let come to room temp on the counter (about 20 minutes). While the meat is warming up, work on skewering it on metal skewers (this way they won't burn on the grill). Collect up all the onions and put them in a little homemade tinfoil pan/pouch that can also go on the grill.
3. Cook to desired doneness on grill - medium rare is perfect to me but some prefer it to be more towards medium (well done is sacrilege and should never occur). The fire should be a medium-high heat, and remember to turn the skewers every 5 minutes approx so that you get some charring on each side - USE TONGS the skewers are going to be hot!! :) Leave onions in their makeshift pan on the grill for the whole time the meat is cooking. They will be good and hot and have plenty of flavor from the marinate!

Enjoy!