A pantry soup recipe!

Need a fantastic recipe for a quick and an easy soup? Well this is it! It can be made with pantry staples, which makes it even more appealing. It only gets better the next day as most soups do. This is a recipe vegetarians and carnivores alike will love. My husband who is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, loves this soup. It can be made in 30 minutes or less. Make this soup next time there is a chill in the air or want something quick on the table!

Simmering tomatoes, broth and herbs

Tortellini Soup

Serves: 4-6 servings      Cook Time:  15 min   Prep Time: 5 min

Cooked Tortellini

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup leeks, sliced
• 1 35 oz. can whole plum tomatoes,
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp basil
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 can chickpeas,drained
• 1 package cheese tortellini
• 10 oz bag baby spinach
• salt to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and saute until soft. Add tomatoes and using a wooden spoon break into bite size pieces. Then add basil, thyme, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Then add chickpeas and tortellini.  Cook tortellini in broth according to package. When tortellini is done, stir in spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can garnish with parmesan and basil if desired. Enjoy this quick and wonderful soup.

Finished Soup!

Back to Basics: Caramelized Onions

Onions cut 1/4" thin for optimal caramelization

Honestly, I'm not a big onion fan. My friends would tell you how I loath the thought of them in anything. Yet, when caramelized something magical happens. The natural sweetness of the onion comes out. The texture becomes soft and the onion reduces down to a wonderful complex sweetness. The result is an ingredient that can be used in almost anything. They are great in fritattas, on sandwiches, pizza, soups or added to your favorite dressing. Keep these onions on hand for a wonderful boost of flavor in your everyday dishes!

Onions being sautéed

Caramelized Onions

Yields: 1 cup   Cook Time: 20 min      Prep Time: 2 min

• 2 Tablespoons Oil
• 1 Onion, sliced 1/4" thin

Directions

Onions beginning to caramelize

Heat pan on medium high heat. Add onions and let sit for 4-5 minutes. Once it starts to brown, stir more frequently. Continue cooking until onions are brown/tan and have dramatically reduced in size. It take approximately 15-20 minutes.

Finished onions

A nutty smoothy!

Smoothies are my go to morning breakfast. They are loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Plus, they taste delicious too! It's a great way to sneak some veggies in as well. This smoothie is so scrumptious that it could be served as a dessert. Sometimes, I add cacao powder for an extra oxidant boost. If your allergic to peanuts, substitute cashew, almond, or walnut butter. To spice this drink up a bit add cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Serves: 2   Cook Time: 0 min      Prep Time: 2 min

• 1 Cup Milk or Milk Substitute
• 1 large ripe Banana, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
• 1 Teaspoon Honey
• a handful of ice

Directions

Place all ingredients in blender and enjoy.

A healthy dip!

Hummus is a wonderful middle eastern dip to have in your fridge. Instead of buying those expensive and high in sodium pre made hummus, try making it yourself. It will save you some money and taste fabulous!

Hummus is not only easy and taste great, but its a great source of nutrients. It's highly nutritional due to a high source of fiber and protein.  Hummus is low in sodium, fat and calories. The veggies that you dip in it, give you an additional nutritional boost. Enjoy this snack and be guilt free.

It took me awhile to achieve a smooth hummus. I had made it multiple times before and couldn't perfect the texture. There were many techniques to increase it being smooth, but did I really wanna spend time removing all the skins from chickpeas or starting from dried beans? This is supposed to be a quick and easy snack. After many trials and recipe adjustments, I had found a wonderfully quick way to make a beautifully smooth hummus.

Hummus Ingredients

Hummus

All ingredients are in

• 1 15 oz. can Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans, drained and liquid reserved

• 4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 Lemon, juiced and zested (zest optional)

• 2 Tablespoons Tahini (sesame seed paste)

• 1/4 Cup Chickpea Liquid

• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin

• 1 Clove Garlic

• Salt to taste

Directions

Place all ingredients except lemon zest in food processor or Vitamix. Make sure to stir your tahini. It is like the peanut butter of the middle east. It separates when it sits, so mix it up a bit. Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste and lemon zest to taste. Serve with cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, pita bread, or pita chips.

A delightful dip!

Some alternative uses for hummus include:

• middle eastern style seven layer dip
• middle eastern style pizza
• sandwich spread
• can be made in a light salad dressing
• serve with falafel

A colorful presentation!

A tropical granola!

Granola is a wonderful snack and easily adaptable to whatever maybe in your pantry. It's fabulous with milk or yogurt. This granola would taste delightful with some fresh pineapple or mangoes. It will bring your senses to the tropics. Right now in Ohio, we are not yet experiencing spring weather, but this granola will make your day much brighter and warmer.

Don't forget to make this granola your own. Use whatever nuts or dried fruit you have around the house. You may also switch out the sweetener for brown sugar, sugar or agave nectar if you like. For a richer, granola you may use butter in place of coconut oil.

For a nutrient kick, add flaxseeds, chia seeds or even some dried milk for a protein boost.

Tropical Flavors

Hawaiian Granola

Mixed Granola

Serves: 8-10   Cook Time: 35-40 min      Prep Time: 5 min

• 3 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
• 1 Cup Macademia Nut, roughly chopped
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
• 1 Egg White, slightly beaten
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 1/4 Cup Melted Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Cup Crystallized Ginger, minced

Directions

Combine all ingredients except crystallized ginger. Bake at 325 degree F for 40 minutes or until golden brown and dried out. Stirring every 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Then add crystallized ginger and stir to combine.

Finished Granola

An easy and elegant dinner!

Roast chicken is an amazing food that makes a beautiful presentation.  It is super simple to make and the flavor possibilities are endless! Here is the way that I make roast chicken frequently, but feel free to change it to your preferences.

Prepped Chicken

Herb Roasted Chicken

Serves: 6-8   Cook Time: 3-4 min      Prep Time: 5 min

Golden Brown and Flavorful Chicken

• 1 whole chicken
• 3 Sprigs thyme
• 3 sprigs sage
• 1 lemon
• 5 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• Olive oil to coat

Preheat oven to 450F. Place half a lemon, 1 onion cut in half in the cavity of the chicken.  Place the herbs underneath skin of the breasts.  Coat skin with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a bed of  celery, onion and carrots.  Cook chicken to at least 160F. It needs to cook for about an hour and half or so. Let the chicken rest for twenty minutes, in order to continue cooking the chicken.  The temperature will continue to raise to 165F.  This will allows the juices to redistribute giving you a juicy chicken breast or thigh.  Enjoy this wonderful dish and impress your guests!

5 Habits for Healthier You

Its that time of year again, where everyone is dieting and exercising to get ready for spring and summer.    But eating healthy is not always easy.  There is many temptations such as desserts at the office, drinks with friends and dining out with family.  It makes it difficult to make wholesome decisions for your and your body!  Well, I'm here to help.  By making simple decisions and preparing contingency plans, it is much easier to keep up a healthy lifestyle. Just remember, falling off the wagon doesn't mean you can't get back on!  Try to have fun with these lifestyle changes and enjoy the wonderful health benefits!


Switch out the pop for water
By simply drinking water instead of pop you will save 138 calories per can.  If you are not a big fan of water, then add oranges, mint, lime or even berries to flavor your water naturally.  By keeping yourself hydrated, you will be less likely to eat something when your not hungry.  It will allow you to not waste calories on a nutritionally empty food.  Plus, you won't get the bloating feeling that pop or soda can cause.  This same rule can apply to other drinks as well such as juices, gatorade or other sugar filled beverages.  It's easy to drink many of your calories and not even realize it.  So feel healthier by making this simple switch!

Snack on fresh fruit and vegetables
By snacking on fresh fruit and vegetables you get a wide variety of nutrients and fiber in your diet.  The fiber from these will keep your full longer. On top of these benefits, many people don't get enough of their vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are low calorie treats which allow you to eat a bigger volume of them without all the calorie guilt.
If you aren't a big fan of veggies, try adding some green in your smoothie or sneak some into a meatloaf or rice dish.  I also encourage you to roast or grill vegetables for a different flavor.  Different cooking methods can give vegetables a lift of flavor.  So do something other than steam or boil you wonderful greens and you might surprised by the results.
If you cut up your fruits and vegetables ahead a time it makes it easier to grab them for a snack.  When your home from the store cut and prepare produce as necessary. You can even put them in snack bags or container to grab the next morning to take to work.

Plan your meals
I know meal planning seems like a daunting task, but it really aids in managing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  By planning your meals, you know exactly what your eating.  It allows to plan variety of great tasting dinners.  Remember, healthy meals don't have to take a long time or to much effort! A simple grilled fish and sauteed vegetables can taste delicious and be nutritious as well.  So allow yourself at least 20-30 minutes a week to plan your grocery list and meal plan.  This will make you less likely to order pizza or pick up chinese on the way home.

Decrease your intake of pre-made and processed food
Processed food is loaded with preservatives, sugar and fat.  These foods often have many ingredients and are loaded with calories.  Processed food is devoid of many nutrients and fiber. It is nearly impossible to get all the nutrients you need by eating these kinds of foods.  These foods usually contain high of amounts of sugar, fat and sodium, which can make it challenging to be healthy.  By simply switching out these processed food for whole foods you will be amazed by the results. Control whats in your food and feel better about yourself.

Remember to keep moving
No matter how healthy you eat, exercise is a must!  Exercise promotes lean muscle growth.  It improves your cardiovascular system.  Exercise also burns calories and releases stress.  There are infinite number of benefits to exercising. Twenty minutes of exercise a day can make vast improvements in your life. Try not to make it a chore, find some form of working out you enjoy.  It could be taking a karate, boxing or dance class.  In the summer, play tennis, go hiking, or swimming.  These are all activities that are great for your heart and body.  So remember, to keep moving for a healthier you.

A warming winter soup!

Nothing says comfort in the winter like a warm, welcoming soup. It heats you up inside and out. Plus, you can freeze the leftovers to enjoy at another time. As a bonus, this soup is cooks up quickly and can be made with items that you would have on hand anyway. For a richer soup, add a couple tablespoons of butter and some heavy cream. It will give the soup a creamier mouthfeel and more velvety texture.

Carrot Dill Soup

Diced Aromatics

• 2 pounds carrots peeled and sliced
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup fresh dill chopped

Directions

Pureed Soup

Adding carrots and sautéing

Saute onions and celery in a couple tablespoons of olive oil until tender. Add carrots and cook for another 3 minutes. Add stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Simmer until carrots are tender. Puree using an immersion blender or blender. Add fresh dill and combine throughly. Serve with toasted baguette or in a bread bowl.

Finished Soup

A powerful green smoothie!

Have you heard all the rage about green smoothies? They are the latest and greatest food craze. It is basically a smoothie made mostly of kale, spinach, lettuce, parsley, celery etc. Given that there are many benefits to eating deliciously green veggies. My friend in dayton was nice enough to come over and experiment with me to come up with a delicious green smoothie. This is a slight variation of what we came up with. If you like to drink your veggies, give this green smoothie a try!

Smoothie Ingredients

Finished Smoothie

Green Smoothie

Serves: 2       Cook Time: 0 min       Prep Time: 5 min

• 1 cup pineapple, diced
• 1 apple, diced
• 11 oz coconut water
• 2 cups kale or spinach

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender.  Blend until smooth and there are no chunks left.  Enjoy the health benefits and the great taste of this green drink!

A colorful sweet beet salad!

Beets are not very popular in the United States. I never used to like them growing up, until I had them at a friends house from their garden. It was so sweet, almost like candy. Now I love them! They are a super healthy food and have such gorgeous color. They have a very earthy flavor and can be tricky to prepare for the home cook. In culinary school, beets were a must learn. We cooked them in multiple classes and used them in a variety of dishes. I really learned to appreciate the beet and how delicious they truly can be. If you are not a fan, I encourage you to give them another try. If you already appreciate beets, this salad is for you!

Beet and Walnut Salad

Serves: 4-6         Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min         Prep Time: 15 min

• 2 lbs. red beets, roasted and sliced thinly
• 2 bunches, golden beets, roasted and sliced thinly
• 1 orange, juiced
• 1/2 orange, zested
• 1/4 cup, white wine vinegar
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon, dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup evoo
• 1/4 cup roasted walnut oil
• 1 5 oz. container spring mix
• 1/2 cup candied walnuts - How To
• 4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

To roast beets, clean and trim. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil or canola oil. Wrap in aluminium foil. Place in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour or until easily pierced with a knife. Let cool. Peel and slice beets. Make sure to keep the red beets separate from the golden beets, because the color will bleed and ruin the presentation. Combine orange juice, zest, vinegar, shallot, mustard. Slowly drizzle in both oils and whisk until emulsified. Set aside. Drizzle each beet with enough dressing to coat. In another bowl, drizzle the lettuce with dressing to coat. Alternate the red and golden beets around the plate. In the middle, place the dressed spring mix and top with walnuts and goat cheese. Enjoy. Feel free to present this salad however you want. Use your creativity and let your culinary free spirit out. There is endless options for plating this salad.

Orange walnut dressing

Candied walnuts

Creative presentation

Tip- Beets are a super food. It is low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It is high in potassium and magnesium, which plays in a huge role in the function of the heart and an important role in muscle function. Lastly, it provides a large amount of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that can help prevent free radicals from forming in the body. Another benefit of this vitamin is that removes plaque from arteries. This allows for the lowering of blood pressure. These are just a couple benefits of eating beets. So try to incorporate them more in your diet. They do wonders for the body and are full of many vitamins and minerals! Remember, the more colorful a fruit or vegetable is the better it is for you!

A healthy potato salad!

Potato salad is an American classic, and an important cornerstone in all fourth of July festivities. My take on this classic is healthier because I leave out mayonnaise and the sugar that many restaurants and stores add. This is just a fresher, more modern take on a classic dish, it is a cross between the classic French potato salad and the American version.

Herbed Potato Salad

Serves: 4-6        Cook Time: 30 min              Prep Time: 15 min

• 1 1/2 Pounds Red Potatoes
• 1 1/2 Pounds Yukon Gold
• 2 Tablespoons Chives, Chopped
• 1 Package Basil, Chiffonade
• 3 Tablespoons Parsley, Minced
• 3 Tablespoons Dill, Minced
• 1/4 Cup Champagne Vinegar
• 1 Cup 2% Fage Yogurt
• 1/2 Cup Light Sour Cream
• 2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Place potatoes in a pot full of cold water. Heat until boiling and cook potatoes until a knife goes through easily. Drain and cool. Once cool cut into quarters and set aside. Add chopped herbs to cooked potatoes. For dressing, combine vinegar, yogurt, sour cream, mustard and salt and pepper. Toss with dressing.

Tip- Buy potatoes that are all close to the same size. This will help them cook in the same amount of time. If you have some larger potatoes, cut them down to size. If you are in a hurry, quarter them first and then cook, this will help them cook and cool faster.

Grocery Store 101

Ever have trouble trying to pick out healthy food when shopping? The grocery store can make this task a difficult one. There are so many already prepared goodies and free samples of them. How do you navigate with so many choices and still get a great dinner on the table? It can be hard to make nutritious choices, when there is so many options.  Here a few tips to get you through with a healthy cart.

Shop Around the Perimeter

The perimeter of the grocery store has the most nutritious foods. This includes: produce, dairy, meat, and seafood. The produce allows you to get fresh fruits and vegetables. Load up on these foods for snacks and as sides for lunch and dinner. Buying a rainbow of colors in produce helps to get all the nutrients necessary and give some variation in your diet. The dairy section contains low fat yogurts, milk and cheese. This will help you get the Vitamin D and Calcium you need. Try to stay away from a lot of heavy cream, cream cheese and other highly processed dairy foods. The meat section is a great way to get your protein and add variety to your meals. Great lean meat options include chicken breast, turkey, flank steak and pork loin. The seafood department has many nourishing options between the lean fish, hearty shrimp and omega three fish such as salmon and arctic char. It is a exceptional place to get your protein and explore some alternative protein sources.

Avoid Food Products in the Inner Isles

The corollary to shopping around the perimeter is to avoid buy too many products from the inner isles of the store, which tend to be highly processed. These foods have scientific sounding ingredient lists that go on and on. Most of the time they lack many of the needed nutrients and are loaded with preservatives. Items in these isles are generally high in sodium, sugar, and fat, which can have multiple negative effects on the human body. These foods have a long shelf life, but that is accomplished by loading them full of preservatives. Longer shelf life, generally means less nutrients. However, there are exceptions, such as: canned tomatoes, dried beans or canned beans, spices, bulk items, nuts, whole grain pasta and other whole grain products. These are important items to keep on hand in order to help make a quick meal. Canned tomatoes can be used to make an impressive sauce or added to a variety of dishes. Beans can be used as a protein in a side or salad. Spices add many nutrients and antioxidants to your meal. Whole grains add fiber and are a great starch to have with your meal. Nuts are great as a snack and be used in a variety of ways when cooking.

Canned versus Frozen Foods

The nutrients in frozen fruits and vegetables are far higher than in their canned counterparts. Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at the perfect ripeness and then flash frozen. This allows the nutrients to be locked in at their peak. Taste is much greater and truer in these item as well. Canned foods are loaded with sodium and have a long shelf life due to the processing that is involved in order to preserve food this way. If fresh is not available, frozen is the way to go. It is optimal way to keep wholesome items on hand as well. I always have frozen peas, spinach and mixed vegetables in my freezer. I can use these items to make last minute meals or side dishes. They can also be added to soups, sauces, curries, and rice for a nutritional boost.

Ingredient List 

An important part of shopping is reading food labels. This may not be something that you are in the habit of yet, but is very beneficial. It is important to know what is being digested in your body. A good rule of thumb is the shorter the list the better. The more ingredients in the food item usually the less healthy that item. More ingredients often means more preservatives. A second rule is if you don't know what an ingredient is don't eat it. When you don't understand what is on the label, you probably don't want to eat it. Food items should have a simple list with ingredients which you can pronounce and understand. Most of the science terms on food labels are often preservatives.

Bulk Foods

Buying bulk food is a marvelous in terms of nutrition. You can get great healthful items here such as nuts, brown rice, quinoa, steel cut oats and many others. When you buy these items here you save money because you are not paying for packaging. You can also just get the exact amount you need. This can make buying healthy more affordable.

Buying Local

One of the best ways to support your community and your health is by buying local. Many grocery stores label food that has specifically come from a local source. Buying local gives you the most nutrients available because it did not have far to travel before you purchased it. The sooner an item is consumed after being picked the more nutrients are in it. Shopping at farmers markets are a great way to get local ingredients and products. No matter where you live, you can find some great products and produce from local farmers. There are often free samples to try so you can know what you like. Also beneficial is that they can answer any questions you may have, which is a great way to learn. Buying local products and produce is a great way to support your community!

Organic or Not?

I personally try to buy organic as much as possible. It is not always affordable so I keep to a general rule. The thicker the skin on a particular type of fruit or vegetable the less important it is to buy organic. Or if you are going to eat the skin buy organic. Items such as lettuce, nectarines, peaches, parsley, potatoes, cilantro, berries, apples, pears, and tomatoes, I buy organically. Items such as pineapple, bananas, and avocados have a much thicker skin so the pesticides do not penetrate into the fruit or vegetable as much. It is not as necessary to buy these organic.

Bring a list

It is very important to bring a list when shopping. This helps you navigate and get what you really need. A list allows you to plan your menu. This way you can plan around what is on sale or what is already in your fridge. Sticking to a list will help you pass up on those impulse buys. It is much easier to buy healthy when you know ahead of time what you will be making. If I go to the store without a list, I tend to buy items that don't really make a complete meal. I end up with way to much of one item or not enough of another, and I tend to spend money on items I don't really need.

Don't go hungry

Another very important tip to follow is: Do not shop on an empty stomach! When I am hungry, I often come home with twice as much as I needed, and I buys items I can't possible make before they go bad. A good time to go is after a meal like breakfast or lunch. This helps you make rational decisions and  avoid adding impulse items to your cart. Do yourself a favor and have snack before going to the grocery store.