What I'm Making For Thanksgiving

Roasted Butternut Squash with Farro, Spinach, and Pistachio Herbed Pesto

       

I have always been one who cares far more about the sides than the poultry centerpiece on Thanksgiving. Luckily, my family hosts an enormous gathering, which is bombarded with side dishes. Like most Thanksgivings, it turns into somewhat of a potluck, and everyone contributes something. Despite my passion for health, I have never been one who enjoys rich, cream and butter-laden dishes. I hate that feeling of overstuffed food guilt which can strike you post-engorgement. So, I am happy to contribute this vegetable and hearty grain side dish with just the right amount of decadence.

I got this recipe from Sprouted Kitchen. Its delicious…I hope my family finds it to be too.

For my version I used farro cooked in low sodium vegetable broth. Parsley, cilantro, basil, and chives for the pesto, and doubled the amount of spinach since it shrinks so much when adding the farro cooking liquid. The addition of lime in the pesto adds a nice complexity and makes the dish bright and vibrant.

I hope everyone has a happy and healthy Thanksgiving….and try not to stuff yourself too much.

Here are some quick pointers to help you from overdoing it on the big day…for those of you who, like me, get to celebrate Thanksgiving twice, these tips are even more important if you participate in part I and part II of glutton fest

• Never arrive starving. Make sure you have some protein in your system prior to your feast. Protein helps curb hunger, satiates, and prevents you from going on a free-for-all once the food is served.
• Balance your plate. As you are loading up, make sure half of your plate is full of fiber rich vegetables. Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, mashed or roasted, don’t count. Ideally, starchy vegetables, grains and/or other carbohydrates should occupy 1/4 of your plate, and the other 1/4 should contain your protein. 
• Choose white meat over dark. It has less fat and always remove the skin. 
• Choose your indulgences. Don’t make a dessert plate or load up on all starchy sides. Select two indulgent sides and portion out two tablespoons to enjoy.
• Drink water, sparkling or flat, throughout your meal to help pace yourself and to prevent over indulging.
• Move! Get some exercise before your meal so you feel like you have earned your treats.

 

                    

                 Happy Thanksgiving!

So I Broke My Elbow....

So I broke my elbow…. put your microscopic violin away. Whenever I get sick or injured, which luckily does not happen often, I always look for nutritive solutions which can assist in my recovery. To make light of an annoying aliment, I utilized the opportunity to take an expansive view of my diet and see if I am lacking in certain nutrients that could aid in recovery. With broken bones and damaged ligaments, I immediately thought about calcium, phosphorus, Vitamin D and protein as well as anti-inflammatory agents to further assist with healing.

Calcium, Phosphorus, and Vitamin D are essential for making bones strong and healthy. Common sources of calcium and phosphorous include milk, yogurt and cheese, additionally, calcium can also be found in salmon and sardines (especially if the bones are consumed), almonds, and dark leafy greens (kale, turnip greens, spinach and collards). Calcium is also fortified in orange juice, many cereals, tofu, and plant-based milks.

Phosphorus is a major component in bone mineralization and can be found in whole grains, certain vegetables (broccoli, mushrooms, pumpkin, and corn to name a few), legumes, and chocolate. 

Calcium, phosphorus, and Vitamin D work together to allow for the most advantageous absorption. Vitamin D can be obtained from the sun’s rays, supplements, and food. Food sources of Vitamin D are limited but can be found in egg yolks, fatty fish, oysters, fortified milk and bread. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, men and woman should consume 1000 mg of Calcium a day and 600-800 IU of Vitamin D daily; these amounts increase after age 50. 

Vitamin C is an important anti-inflammatory agent that boosts the immune system as well and encourages bone growth, muscle and cartilage development. Vitamin C is found in most fruits and vegetables.

To try and eat the most “healing” foods which provide my body with the essentials necessary to foster a speedy recovery, I dabbled in some roasted organic chicken, plenty of Siggi’s yogurt, eggs, upped my intake of orange carrot juice, and made sure that I had an array of whole grains and satisfying dark, leafy greens.

If you are dealing with an aliment or just want some recipe ideas to increase your vitamin C, D, phosphorus and calcium intake, here is what I made recently (with some major help from my buddy). I hope you get inspired!

Roasted butternut squash topped with toasted pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds, and shaved parm

Butternut squash is not only one of my favorite squashes it is loaded with beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin C and calcium! This was a delicious Fall-appropriate dish that was bursting with color and flavor. Cubed butternut squash was tossed with canola oil and roasted for 30-40 minutes. Once tender and slightly caramelized, I topped the squash with shaved parm, toasted pepitas, pomegranate seeds, and finished with aged balsamic.

Wheat berries with organic rosemary roasted shiitakes, and dino kale (lacinato kale)

Wheat berries are phosphorus rich, the mushrooms contain potassium and the kale is dense in calcium, vitamins A, K and C. This was a really earthy dish. I cooked the wheat berries in low-sodium vegetable stock for added flavor and braised the kale in stock as well. The mushrooms were roasted with rosemary and olive oil for 30 minutes and then mixed together with the kale and wheat berries.

The cool lime dip was a nice contrast for the spiced carrots which are beta-carotene rich and a nice alternative to a starchy side.

Moroccan spiced organic purple carrot fries with lime coriander dip

1-bunch carrots
1-tablespoon canola oil (eyeball depending on the amount of carrots you have)
2-tsp Moroccan spice blend (chili powder, turmeric, garlic powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, chili flakes, oregano, onion powder, and coriander)

Lime Coriander Dip

¼ cup fat free plain Greek yogurt, vegenasie, or mindful mayo

Juice of ½ a lime

1 tsp coriander

Preheat oven to 375° F

Cut carrot into sticks

In a bowl coat carrots with canola oil and spice blend

Transfer to a roasting pan and spread out evenly

Roast for 20-30 minutes until tender and slightly crisp

Mix all the dip ingredients together

Happy Healing




Sources

Skate Skate Baby

Chickpea flour encrusted-pan seared skate with caper mustard sauce and roasted cauliflower 

Fresh pappardelle with roasted butternut squash, broccoli rabe and parmigiano reggigano

Sauteed mixed mushrooms with rosemary and garlic

As the end of October begins to encroach upon us and each evening seems to begin a litter earlier, the abundance of fall produce shines in the farmers' markets and groceries. Squash is the quintessential fall vegetable, and there are numerous types that all have unique and delectable attributes. For my pasta recipe, which I actually got from the Today Show (don’t judge), I settled on the ever faithful, delicate, and delicious butternut squash. It was simply roasted with olive oil and then combined with vegetable stock, garlic, chilies, broccoli rabe, a little pasta water, and tossed with the fresh pasta and cheese. The fresh pasta made it relatively light and the sweet butternut squash balanced really well with the peppery bitterness of the rabe.

Butternut squash is a great source of beta-carotene, which is the precurser to Vitamin A. Beta-carotene is an anti-oxidant and helps flight free radicals, which are damaging substances that attack healthy cells in the body. If healthy cells are damaged, they are more prone to cancer and disease.  Other sources of beta-carotene include: tomatoes, broccoli, dark leafy greens, carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach.

On a separate occasion, I picked up some skate for a quick and simple supper. Skate is a fish that is part of the ray family. It is mild in taste, has medium firmness, and is tender to the bite. For the skate preparation, I took a spin on the traditional prep and  coated my skate in chickpea flour, a fiber and iron rich alternative to traditional wheat flour. It gave the skate the same desired crisp texture on the outside and enhanced the flavor with a slight nuttiness. I pan seared the skate in Earth Balance vegan all natural spread for about 5 minutes a side. I took the skate out and made a sauce with the pan remnants. I added a little more Earth Balance, some Dijon mustard, white wine, and capers, and let it slightly reduce. After about 3 minutes the sauce was done, and the skate was ready to be devoured. A quick, simple, and healthful meal on a crisp fall night. 

Check back soon for black bean and butternut squash chili with swiss chard and pumpkin spiced cookies...mmmm fall!