The Greatest Thing Since Sliced.....

I knew that our recent day trip to Fire Island would be the ideal opportunity to re-create the ultimate hiker sandwich that I had been bragging about for years. The first incarnation of this sandwich was ten years ago after I had seen it made on a cooking show. Ten years later, I stepped it up a few notches and, instead of using all prepared and packaged goods, I made the pesto from scratch and grilled a few veggies to create a multitude of colorful layers and flavors. What was packed inside this Grandaisy rustic whole wheat loaf you ask? Pesto (basil, olive oil, walnuts, sans cheese), provolone, organic all natural Applegate Farms smoked turkey breast, roasted red bell peppers, arugula, grilled zucchini, squash, banana peppers, and jalapeño.

Once you have all your ingredients ready to go, this compact sandwich is very simple. To start, cut a hole on top of the loaf in order to be able to scoop out all the innards and to layer all the components of the sandwich. By creating an access through the top of the loaf instead of simply slicing the bread in two, you are creating an environment for all the elements to stay compacted and meld together - perfect for transporting on a long journey.  I made the pesto without cheese since I was using a salty moist provolone, yet I sill wanted the garlicky, basil layer to my sandwich. I put the pesto down first as the foundation for the sandwich to create a boundary from bread to fillers and also so with each bite you got garlicky pesto. Next, I layered provolone, which got a little melted with the travel, but added a great salty gooeyness to the sandwich. After that, smoked turkey, arugula, the roasted and grilled veggies and a final layer of cheese was added to seal together the layers. When constructing this sandwich, it is essential to get into all the corners of the bread so that each bite is inundated with flavor.

Once we arrived at the beach, the sandwich was “ripe” and ready for the taking. We brought along a handy serrated knife and, with the sand in our toes and the waves lapping in the background, we enjoyed layer upon layer of this multidimensional sandwich. The sandwich was made the night before and, with the proper layering technique and bread type, it should not get soggy. The components of this sandwich are totally up for interpretation. Next time, I am going to add artichoke hearts, eggplant and, jalepeno jack cheese. Whatever you decide to stuff in your hiker, it is the perfect treat for a day of hiking or lounging on the beach. 

Creamy and Dreamy, Not Necessarily a Coronary Bypass

Whole Wheat Orcchiette with Ricotta Walnut Sauce, Broccoli Rabe and Spicy Sausage

Sometimes you just can’t help but get cravings for gooey goodness that usually can only be found in calorically dense, high fat foods. Think again. I emulated this NYTs recipe Pasta with Walnut Sauce and bolstered it up with some spicy casing free, all natural chicken sausage. To slim it down, I used fat free ricotta cheese and to kick it up, I added an extra clove of garlic, chili flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

This pasta was creamy and delicious. The pureed walnut ricotta mixture tasted nutty and decadent and the broccoli rabe added a nice peppery balance to the velvety texture of the sauce.  The use of fat free ricotta not only slimmed down the pasta, but combined with the ground walnuts created a viscous quality that was smoothed out with some pasta water. This dish had a nice balance of polyunsaturated fat from the walnuts, which lowers cholesterol, lean protein and calcium from the fat free ricotta and antioxidant, cancer fighting qualities from the broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe is actually a member of the turnip or Brassica family and has vitamins A and C, folate, potassium and fiber!

Some people fear cheese for its high caloric and cholesterolly dense content, but at times it is imperative to let yourself indulge and enjoy the deliciousness and sometimes stink of cheese. It is important to keep in mind the key of moderation, as 1 oz (which looks like four dice) of most regular cheeses have 100 calories and 8+ grams of fat. Cholesterol and saturated fat in food have the ability to raise blood cholesterol levels, which can lead to the development of heart disease. There are some good alternative low fat and fat free cheese sources, such as laughing cow light, alpine lace and Jarlsberg lite, but unfortunately at the end of the day nothing really taste the same, so live a little…well just a little, 1 oz every now and then to be precise. 

Little Sweeties

Lean ground turkey burger studded with Old Chatham Ewe’s blue topped with caramelized onions accompanied by roasted sweet potato fries with garlic and ramps.

  

Most people are accustomed to a starchy side with their dinner and more importantly french fries with their burger. While cutting calories and saturated fat by opting for lean turkey meat, roasted sweet potatoes fries were paired with the burger instead of fried. Ground white meat turkey has a tendency to become dry when cooked, but by mixing it with lean ground dark turkey meat and studding the meat with onions and roquefort style blue cheese, allowed the burger to come out moist and flavorful. Turkey burgers are a quick and healthful meal to make, especially when you are craving something meaty, but want to avoid red meat and saturated fat.

Sweet potatoes are a tasty and nutritious low calorie element to add to a meal, particularly when looking for a starchy, hearty side. Sweet potatoes contain beta carotene, which is the component that gives the tuber its orange hue and gives the sweet, antioxidant properties. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A and also contain vitamin C, folic acid and potassium and have a decent amount of fiber. 

The fries were cut with the skin on, and tossed with a little olive oil, chopped garlic and salt and roasted at 400 F for 40 minutes. Ramps were sautéed with a little olive oil and spooned over the sweet potatoes to add an additional oniony, garlicky component. 

Something this "sweet" can be good for you too!

Rustic and Spicy Balls

Spicy Turkey Balls

Food has the ability to transcend time and emotion. Certain meals, smells, and tastes can transport you and provide comfort. From the perspective of a nutritionist to be, having an emotional relationship with food and using it as a crutch is obviously a hazard, but for someone who loves to cook and enjoys food and sharing the eating experience, certain meals become staples in our repertoire for more reasons than great taste. 

This is my go to recipe that is simple and comforting. By using ground white meat turkey instead of beef, veal, and/or pork, you create a leaner dish with a great deal less saturated fat. To insure moistness and flavor, I mixed the ground turkey meat with diced Bilinski’s all natural mild Italian, casing free, chicken sausage. The blend creates a nice texture to the meatball and adds a great flavor and a little fat.

Here is my recipe for a spicy and healthful version of turkey balls!

6 servings

2 tbsp canola oil

1 1/2 lb lean all natural hormone-free ground white meat turkey

1 package diced Bilinski’s all natural chicken sausage

2 1/4 cups chopped Spanish onions

1 head of garlic, diced

1 egg, beaten  

1 tbsp fennel seed

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tbsp of tomato paste

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 28 oz cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes

1/4 cup red wine

16 oz thinly sliced baby bella mushrooms

salt and pepper

1 cup torn fresh basil

Toast fennel seeds, oregano, thyme and cayenne pepper in a nonstick pan. Remove from heat once you can smell the spices.

Mix diced sausages, turkey meat, egg, 3/4 cup of onion and 3 tablespoon of garlic in a metal bowl. Add 1/2 of the toasted spices, salt and pepper.

Form turkey balls to your size preference.

Heat a cast iron pan with 1 tbsp of canola oil and add the balls. Cook the balls until the outside has a nice brown color, but the meat is not completely cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Remove the meat.

Add the rest of the canola oil, onion and garlic and deglaze the pan. Add the peppers. Once the garlic, onion, and pepper have softened, add the tomato paste and the remaining toasted spices. Once the paste has caramelized, add the red wine and let it reduce.

Add the two cans of tomatoes.

Bring the sauce to a boil and then down to a simmer.

Remove the sauce from the heat and blend using an emulsion blender. Blend the sauce until smooth.

Return the sauce to the heat and bring back to a simmer. 

Add the balls back into the sauce, 1/2 the basil and allow the sauce to cook for at least an hour.

10 minutes before serving add the mushrooms. 

Serve over your favorite whole-wheat pasta or vegetables and garish with freshly grated parmesan cheese, torn basil leaves and chili flakes.

For a spin on leftovers, I added the “aged” and more flavorful sauce and balls over steamed strips of kale. 

Did Someone Say Larb Gai?

                                       

                                                  An interpretation of a traditional Thai dish

DiPaola free-range, antibiotic free, 96% fat free, casing free turkey sausage (the turkey wasn't free), lemongrass, scallion, red pepper, cilantro, jalapeno with a ginger garlic sesame soy sauce.  Accompaniments: Boston lettuce, mint, jalapeno and lime.

Larb gai is an extremely simple and extraordinarily flavorful lean dish. This satisfying meal is crunchy, spicy and satiating. I have always been partial to the addition of spice to my food and capsaicin, which is the component in peppers which contains the heat, may also be beneficial to ones health. Capsaicin has anti-inflammatory benefits and is a phytochemical. A phytochemical is the active compound of a plant, which is thought to give the consumer protection from free radicals (harmful molecules). The fiery power of capsaicin helps control blood clotting and acts as a blood thinner which may aid in the reduction in risk of blood clots and artery disease. Capsaicin is also beneficial for digestion and can help fight bacteria in the stomach and prevent “poo stew”.

Hot peppers have the highest amount of capsaicin but sweet, green, yellow and red bell peppers all contain this powerful component. So if your food needs a pick me up, put some peppers in the pot!