Sharing Autumn Bounty!

I made this lovely salad for dinner this evening!  It came out so well, that I wanted to share it with all of my regulars!

WARM FALL SALAD


Ingredients:
1/2 cup pine nuts, roasted
1/2 of a spaghetti squash
2 cups chopped fingerling potatoes (I chose mixed ones)
8 leaves red leaf lettuce, chopped
2 Pears, cored and thinly sliced
2 cups cubed rotisserie chicken (already cooked)
1/2 red onion, diced
Olive oil (for spaghetti squash and potatoes)
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:
Juice of 1/2 Lemon (or lime)
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Mustard powder (or yellow mustard)
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste

PREPARATION:

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 DEGREES    Line a baking sheet and spread out pine nuts over it.  When oven is ready, place baking sheet on center rack and roast pine nuts for 7-10 minutes stirring twice.  Remove from oven when done.  Up the heat to 450 degrees.  Slice spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds from one of the halves.  Brush a little olive oil over the squash flesh and season with salt and pepper.  Place on a lined baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes on center rack.  Meanwhile wash and dice fingerling potatoes.  Toss lightly with olive oil.  Season potatoes with salt, pepper and a little garlic powder.  After the spaghetti squash has roasted for 30 minutes add diced potatoes to the same baking sheet along with the spaghetti squash, and place back in oven to roast for another 10 minutes.  Wash and slice red leaf lettuce.  Slice pears.  Cube 1/2 the meat from the rotisserie chicken that is hot.  Dice 1/2 of a red onion.  When the spaghetti squash is out of the oven, fluff the squash with a fork and place the squash flesh into a large salad bowl.  Add all other ingredients.  Mix up dressing in a small bowl with a whisk to emulsify well.  Pour dressing over salad and toss well to coat evenly.  Serve immediately.

This is a really unique and delicious recipe!  Try it!  It's a little work, but it is really worth it!


PEACE - LOVE & JOY

Linda

Bronchitis Epidemic?

Lungs...we don't think about them as we go around breathing freely every day.  We don't think about them at all unless something goes awry!

I have seen a huge outbreak of bronchitis this year.  I finally caught a nasty case of it myself.  In an effort not to "share" it with all my doctor's other patients, I called in for some prescriptions which she was glad to furnish.  She didn't want me sharing it either! 

This seems to be a particularly contagious, and difficult to beat bronchitis.  It takes weeks and weeks, and unfortunately antibiotics don't seem to help much.  I have gone through Amoxicillin and and half way through a dose of Levofloxacin (whih is a kind of super antibiotic given to people who are exposed to Anthrax!).  All to no avail.  Cough syrups and drops haven't helped either.  This stuff is debilitating! 

So here is some advice for those of you have been lucky enough NOT to have gotten this stuff yet:

1.  Avoid closed in crowded areas...

2.  Hand washing is essential...everything you touch has germs on it...especially places like those
     handles on grocery carts, restaurant door handles, telephones, remotes...especially in hotels, etc.

3.  Stay out of smoke filled rooms and avoid any area with low air quality.

4.  And, although this may sound silly, AVOID individuals who are coughing! 

You must also focus on HEALTHY eating...avoid fatty/fried foods.  Eat more fresh vegetables.
Eat less meat.  Avoid large amounts of sugar, which can damage your immune system. 

Whether or not your bronchitis is viral or bacterial, it will take TIME to get rid of it.  Don't expect an antibiotic to work overnight, and don't quit taking it if you do happen to feel better.  I personally feel that the current round of bronchitis is probably viral and very contagious.  Closed in environments like airplanes, busses, trains other public transportation are particularly dangerous for acquiring lung diseases.  If you haven't had a TB test in years....get tested!  Although people seem to believe that TB is not a problem any more...believe me it still is.  The even scarier part is that the new TB strains are more difficult to treat. 

If bronchitis becomes chronic, it can damage the lungs and lead to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and debilitating illness.  Pay attention to those lungs!  They are irreplaceable.

So, a reminder...wash hands...stay out of enclosed, crowded places, avoid those coughing people.  Take care of yourselves and stay healthy!!!

Egg On Your Face

Ever heard anyone say "you have egg on your face!"
It usually doesn't mean what you see in the picture here however!  The definition usually goes something like this... often implies that you have made a serious mistake, but more strictly it indicates that something you have done (or some turn of events) has left you looking embarrassed or foolish.
Been there done that!

However, this morning I really had egg on my face.  I had taken the girls to IHop for breakfast.  They love going out for breakfast there when they spend the night with me.  As usual, the breakfast was yummy and the service was great!  On my way out to pay the check however, the waitress stopped me and pointed to my chin and said, "you have a little egg on your face," and handed me a napkin to wipe it with.  I hadn't felt the crumble of scrambled egg on my face, but I sure did appreciate her telling me it was there.

It brought to mind a time when I was working at a physician's office in Warner Robins, Georgia.  I had been at work all day seeing patients and late that afternoon my daughter dropped by.  She took one look at me and said, "Mom!  Why are your eybrows PINK!?!?!"

"What," I said as I ran for the bathroom mirror.  As you can see, I don't look at myself in the mirror very much!  Much to my horror my eyebrows were actually Hot Pink!!  They had been that way all day.  Apparently in my hurry to get dressed for work in the semi dark that morning, I had grabbed a lip liner rather than my eyebrow pencil!  Good Grief!  I quickly wiped the offending stuff off my eyebrows and went out to talk with my friend and the office secretary, Deedee. 

"Deedee, for goodness sakes why didn't you tell me I had pink eyebrows?"  She looked at me totally innocently and said,

"I thought you were just trying something new."  Oh my gosh she had been looking at me all day as had all the patients and the doctor, and nobody had said a word about those atrocious looking eyebrows!  I felt like a complete idiot!!!

Anyway, I am telling you all this to say that if you notice something out of the ordinary like spinach in the teeth, egg on the face or Pink Eyebrows, for goodness sakes say something!  Most of the time I am sure it will be greatly appreciated, and if you happen to run into someone who doesn't appreciate it, just chalk it up and go on.

I just made a great pasta salad, and I want to share the recipe with you.  Pasta salad is great for summer and doesn't have to be laden with mayo or other heavy dressings to be absolutely delicious.

Cook 2 cups rotini pasta until tender and drain and set aside.
Chop finely
    1/2 medium vidalia onion (or other mild onion)
    1 medium sized firm tomato
    3 stalks celery
    1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
and combine in a large bowl.
Add 1/2 cup Caesar Dressing and 2 teaspoons garlic salt and mix thoroughly.

Chill

The kids loved this and they ate it up without picking out the tomatoes they won't eat any other way.  Just make sure you chop the vegetables finely.  You could even add shredded carrots or zucchini to beef up the veggie factor in this salad.  The proportion of vegetables to pasta is significant and you still have that wonderful pasta texture and flavor to enjoy!

Eat up!

God Bless - Peace, Love and Joy

Before the McMuffin!

That lovely sandwich you see there is a Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich!  Yummo!  This morning while at Denny's for breakfast, I had a craving for a BLT with a fried egg on it.  It always takes me back about 40 years when I eat one of these.  At my second job in Washington, D.C. back in 1967, I worked downtown on 17th and K streets.  I lived about 40 miles out of town, and it always seemed too early for breakfast when I rose to dress and leave for work.  I was extremely happy there was a tiny deli type shop on one of the floors of the building where I worked.  I was happy because, if I timed it just right I could get there in just enough time to have a BLT on whole wheat with a hard fried egg and a cup of hot coffee before starting work each day.

I have good memories of those days.  I was young and healthy and really enjoyed those sandwiches.  It just seemed to get my day off to a great start.  Those were the days before the McMuffin!  Now, I don't have anything against the McMuffin per se, but it just isn't the same as a perfectly made BLT with nice fresh tomatoes, lettuce and crispy bacon and that freshly fried egg...sigh.  I didn't have to count calories back in those days.  The BLT is actually the second most popular sandwich in the USA!  I was kind of worried about the calories in the sandwich, but after checking it out I was surprised to find if made on whole grain bread, it only has about 180 calories, compared to the egg McMuffin which has about 300!

That sounds like a pretty good argument for keeping my BLT habit alive and well.  Fast food has been the downfall of the American diet.  Much of the obesity problems we are experiencing in this country today can be attributed to the fast food/drive thru experience.  So, if you would like to be more healthy and have less calories, yet have a delicious way to start the day - start it with a BLT.  Cook some bacon ahead and have it in the fridge for quick access.  Toast a couple slices of nice whole grain bread.  Slice a fresh tomato and pull off a piece of lettuce...there ya go...you can even have a "little" mayo and some salt and pepper and still be under 200 calories for all.  It is satisfying, healthy and will give you just the get up and go you need to start a perfect day.  Ah, for the days before the Egg McMuffin!

Here Fishy Fishy!

I absolutely LOVE fresh fish.  I guess part of the reason is that I grew up near the water and it was always available to us.  As a result, I also learned at an early age how to clean and scale a fish.

I live in a retirement community now, and one of my neighbors has a grandson who fishes regularly.
When he gets an extra or two, he always calls and asks if I would like one.  I never say no.  He knows that I know how to clean the fish, so I always get it scales on and guts in!

One time when I was out at the store, I told my hubby (who grew up in Pittsburgh and until he met me thought the only kind of fish there was was fish sticks!) that the neighbor was going to be calling about some fish he had for me.  Well, while I was out the neighbor actually did call him to come and pick up the fish.  When he got there the man asked him if he was going to clean it for me.
My husband gave him an appalled look and explained that he didn't have a clue what to do with it.
The neighbor said, "Oh, come on out back and I'll show ya'."
"Thanks Bob," Kevin replied "but I'll just wait for Linda to come back."  The neighbor laughed and called him a lazy city slicker!  Too funny!

Yesterday, my neighbor Bob called again with a nice large bass for me.  As usual, it needed to be cleaned and scaled.  My only dilemma now is that because I live here in the retirement community I do not have a great place to do this.  One time I attempted to do it at my kitchen sink...MISTAKE!  I had scales positively everywhere...I mean those things can land on the ceiling.

So, now I proceed outside on a planter box with the hose running on low and a large plastic tray and a stainless pan.  Here are some simple instructions on this if you would like to try it!  Oh come on, you may not be perfect the first time, but the results are truly worth it.

1.  You will want to do this outside, or in a place where you can clean up easily -- scales will fly everywhere. I learned this the hard way.
2.  The easiest tool to scale a fish is a butter knife. They make special scalers, but you don't need one.
3.  Start scaling your fish by holding it firmly with one hand and scraping from tail to head with the knife.

4.  Make sure you get the scales on the top of the fish and near the fins -- and don't forget the tail.

Don't forget the collar of the fish! It is often the tastiest part, but you wouldn't want a mouth full of scales when you bite into it, would you? (you can cut the head off after scaling if you prefer to, but believe me, you will be wasting some very tasty fish if you do.

5.  You start the gutting process by slipping the tip of your fillet knife into the vent and slicing upwards -- away from the fish, and away from the guts -- toward the head.

You complete the cut by forcing the knife through the bony portion that lies between the pelvic fins (the ones that are paired up on the belly of the fish) and on up to the base of the lower jaw.
6.  You remove the guts by reaching in and grabbing them right at the base of the head, where you will feel everything connect. Pinch that spot and pull the whole lot out. On large fish you will have to cut this with your knife -- be careful you don't cut yourself!
7.  At this point you can scrape out the liver, which is attached to the backbone of the fish, and cut out what remains of the swim bladder, which is a whitish sac that also attaches itself to the cavity.
8.  The gills will impart a bitter flavor to your fish, and will make it spoil faster, so they need to go. You can most easily do this by cutting them where they attach at either end of the arc that they form. I use kitchen shears, but you could use your knife. On small fish, you can just rip them out.
Once the attachments are cut, you can remove the gills easily.
9.  Now wash the scaled, gutted fish well in ice-cold water, then pack on a bed of crush ice until you're ready to cook it.
10.  OR if you are not going to cook the fish immediately, put your cleaned and scaled fish in a large container and fill it with water and place in the freezer.  Fish will keep for MONTHS frozen in water like this and taste just as delicious without any freezer damage.

You can cook your fish however, you like, but I love to bake them .... here is a simple recipe for doing just that!

BAKING A FISH

• Baking is a particularly easy way to prepare fish.
• To bake fish, preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
• Rinse fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Lightly oil a shallow baking dish and place fish skin side down.
• Season as desired.
• Bake 6 to 12 minutes per inch thickness. Add 5 minutes to total cooking time if fish is being baked in a thick sauce or wrapped in foil. 

So, with Summer almost here and the fishing is fine, get out there and get yourself a fish or two or more!  And, just n case all this cleaning and scaling sounds like a bit much for you, find a great fish market and have them prepare it for you...it's definitely good eating.

Here's to healthy eating! Eat more Fish!

God Bless...Peace, Love and Joy!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

What a lovely, white and snowy looking flower!  It is so cold outside this morning it is hard to believe that yesterday it was in the seventies!  But, as is typical of this time of year, a cold front rolled in last night and dropped the temperatures into the thirties!  Yike!  That is such a shock to your system. 

Spring isn't far off though, and we will be planting sweet and savory things in our garden and enjoying the harvested goodies.

Today I want to talk about PEAS!  Particularly the sweet little green peas better known as English Peas.  First let me give you a little nutritional information about these little gems.

Nutritional Value
As a fresh vegetable source of protein, English peas are second only to lima beans. A three-fourths cup serving contains about 100 calories and more protein than a tablespoon of peanut butter or a whole egg, and less than one-half gram of fat. Pretty good news there, huh?

So now lets talk about some delicious ways to serve those nutritious little green treasures.

First here is a SIMPLE little salad you can serve any time..

 

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon (use 2 slices if you are trying to cut down on fats)
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed and drained
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (you may use GREEK yogurt in place of the mayo, just add a little salt)
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Let cool.

In a medium serving bowl, combine the bacon, peas, cheese, and eggs. Stir in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Here is a nice side to serve with a Sunday Dinner...

Just remember not to overcook the peas!

Ingredients:

Servings:

4

Units: US

• 1 lb tiny peas
• 2 ounces butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt and pepper , to taste

Directions:

1. Cook peas in a small amount of boiling, salted water, until tender (if using frozen peas, follow package instructions).
2. Drain, and set aside.
3. In another saucepan, heat the butter, and add the peas, mint and sugar.
4. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, tossing to mix.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
    
    
   AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST,  for those hummus lovers out there...here is a green pea hummus..
    
   1 lb frozen or fresh english peas

   3 garlic cloves (crushed)

   3 tbsps tahini

   1 lemon juice

   1 tsp ground cumin

   1 tbsp olive oil

   chili powder

   salt

   black pepper

    

   1	Add the peas to a pan of boiling water and simmer for 3 minutes.
   2	Drain the peas and put in a food processor along with all the other ingredients; mix well until a paste is formed.
   3	Season with sea salt and black pepper according to taste.
   4	Serve the green pea hummus in a dipping bowl, form a small hole in the centre of the mixture and add a tablespoon of olive oil and lightly dust with chili powder.

    

   Amount Per Serving

   Calories 129

   Calories from Fat 54

   % Daily Value *

   Total Fat 6 g	9%
   Saturated Fat 864 mg	4%
   Trans Fat	0%
   Cholesterol	0%
   Sodium 735 mg	31%
   Total Carbohydrate 14 g	5%
   Dietary Fiber 5 g	20%
   Sugars 4 g

   Protein 5 g

   Vitamin A	31%
   Vitamin C 14 mg	24%
   Calcium 62 mg	6%
   Iron 3 mg	14%
   Potassium 180 mg	1%

   * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

    

   If you haven't tried hummus yet, this might be a great place for you to start!

    

   So get out there and get those peas today.  And, by the way, frozen peas are one of the few vegetables that are just about as good as fresh!  Eat up!

    

   God Bless - Peace, Love and Joy!