get your yummy back

musings from a health supportive culinary artist

Crispy Broiled Cod August 22, 2010

Filed under: how to make it,where to see it — chezdesblog @ 9:57 pm
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Tonight I made Crispy Broiled Cod. It was tasty! I adapted it from a recipe I read in Cooking Light several months ago. The feature article was about Barton Seaver, a Washington D.C.-based seafood chef and advocate committed to ocean conservation and seafood sustainability. The article is a good read and includes recommendations such as ”the top 5 fish for the home cook” and “the top 5 to try in restaurants.”

Seaver also has a great web site, which is worth checking out. In addition to delicious recipes, his site includes interesting articles,  a description of his projects, and links to people and organizations he calls “My Heros.”

I am drawn to his recipes for their simplicity and approach. I have never considered brining seafood - only meat and poultry - but why not? Brining is a process of soaking meat, or in this case, fish, in a salty solution whereby the process of osmosis denatures proteins and traps water in cells so meat stays tender and moist while cooking.    

Soaking the cod fillets in a salty brine for 15 minutes does wonders for infusing them with flavor and keeping them moist while cooking at a high temperature. Chef Seaver uses salt, water, and sugar in his basic brine. In my version, I use salt, water, and fresh-squeezed orange juice (instead of sugar) to compliment the orange zest in the panko crust. If black cod is too hard to find, or too expensive, Chef Seaver recommends halibut as an alternative. Enjoy!

 

Grilled Chicken with Mango-Sesame Sauce June 3, 2010

Filed under: how to make it,where to see it — chezdesblog @ 3:36 pm
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grilled chicken with mango-sesame sauceWant to transform the same ol’ same ol’ grilled chicken into something special? Try Grilled Chicken with Mango-Sesame Sauce. It’s quickly becoming a family favorite. I especially like this sauce because it’s simple, it can be made ahead of time (up to 1 week!), and it relies on pantry staples. If you don’t consider mango chutney a pantry staple, you can use apricot preserves. They work just as well. 

This sauce also adds great flavor to grilled salmon and grilled vegetables. I use it on 1/4-inch slices of red onion and throw them on the grill with the chicken. Grilling onions transforms them into a sweet, creamy (healthy!)  accompaniment for grilled meats.

Want to get the fancy “cross-hatch” marks on your grilled chicken? Try this. Lay the breasts down on the grill, on a diagonal, pointing towards 10 o’clock. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Next, turn the breasts so they are pointing towards 2 o’clock. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Now, flip the chicken over and do the same 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock routine on the other side, 3 minutes each direction, covered, for a total cooking time of 12 minutes. Remember to let grilled chicken rest off of the grill for 4-5 minutes before serving. This preserves its juicy goodness.

In other yummy news, I just finished a project for No-Cook Summer Meals including three new recipes for Curry Chicken Salad with Papaya, Mediterranean Tuna Salad Sandwiches, and Chilled Cucumber Soup with Fresh Herbs and Strawberries. Check it out!

 

Navigating the Farmers’ Market May 6, 2010

Filed under: where to get it,where to see it — chezdesblog @ 10:00 am
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There’s nothing like spending a morning or afternoon outdoors, at the market, surrounded by the bounty of your local farms. A trip to the farmers’ market is a way of nourishing your community and yourself. In many communities, farmers’ markets are held on the weekdays, which is a nice way to shake things up and avoid skipping it for the sake of other (more important?) items on the weekend’s to-do list.

I have friends who like the idea of the farmers’ market but are paralyzed by the thought of actually purchasing produce and cooking with it. Either that, or, they go crazy buying produce at the farmers’ market, get it home, look at it and think – “uh-oh, what now?”

I find that a little pre-planning goes a long way when it comes to visiting the farmers’ market. You need to take cash to buy produce and reusable bags to carry it home. It’s also nice to have a shopping list, which means you’ve thought a bit about what you want to cook for the week. Visit the recipe index for inspiration.

It’s also helpful to have some guidelines in mind for selecting the best possible produce whether it’s fresh herbs, greens, asparagus, summer fruit, corn, berries, or root vegetables. For guidelines and more tips on how to make the most of your next visit to the farmers’ market, see my article on How to Pick Farmers’ Market Produce.

 

Boston Revisited April 20, 2010

Filed under: where to see it — chezdesblog @ 6:57 pm

As if running the Boston Marathon is not thrilling enough, I got to meet Ryan and Sara Hall. That’s me pictured at left, with my husband, Ryan (left) and Sara (right).

Ryan placed fourth overall in the marathon on Monday by running a screaming 2:08:41, setting the record for an American on the Boston course. Sara ran the Boston Athletic Association Invitational Mile in 4:40.7, taking second place by a mere 7/10s of a second. We were in the stands cheering her on - it was a thrill to watch!

It’s inspiring to be surrounded by people committed to health, fitness, and personal goals. As a competitor and spectator at athletic events, I love cheering people on and being surrounded by their energy. In addition to training and competing full-time, the Halls have launched the Hall Steps Foundation dedicated to using the energy that fuel runners’ athletic achievements to support social justice initiatives. Check it out – and be inspired.

As for me, I am happy to report that after eight marathons, I’ve learned how to run my race.  I started this race rather conservatively, knowing that the downhills at first would invite me to go out too fast, knowing that Heartbreak Hill was waiting for me at mile 20, and knowing that the pounding downhills of miles 21 – 26 were between me and the finish line. I was feeling good and totally stoked after seeing my friends at mile 14, so having saved my reserves for the second half, I cruised into the hills and down the home stretch. 

After the race, I enjoyed a celebratory dinner with the Halls which included Belgian beer, salad, bread, and hangar steak. Not my average meal, but one I enjoyed immensely.

 

Boston or Bust April 12, 2010

Filed under: where to see it — chezdesblog @ 2:12 pm
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This is a big week. I run the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 19th. With months of physical training under my belt, I am going through the motions of mentally preparing for the race. In past marathons, these are the things that have worked for me: 

~ Visualization. I know the course, including terrain and landmarks. This is incredibly helpful as I mentally prepare for Heartbreak Hill and all the Boston course has to offer. I can see myself successfully approaching each landmark and making it to the next, one mile at a time.

~ Diet. I reduce my fiber intake for a few days before the race. Otherwise, I don’t do anything out of the ordinary, which is tempting when I know I’m about to burn 2600 calories in one morning (!!). Four hours before the race, I eat oatmeal and have a cup of coffee and water. One hour before the race, I have a Power Bar and more water. The 10:30 am start time is late and a little tricky, but this eating plan has worked for me in the past.

~ Rest. After months of intense training, it’s actually hard to rest. This week, I will run 3 miles on Mon, Wed and Fri. No spinning this week and no weight training. I will not run on Saturday or Sunday before the race (on Monday). It’s tempting to stray from this plan, especially when my husband will probably run while in Boston. Nevertheless, I’ll stay back if I’m smart. Runs at that point do nothing for my fitness level and rest is what I need most. Walking around Boston for two days will keep me loose.

~ Race nutrition. There will be hydration stops every mile along the way. I never drink that often on training runs. I usually grab fluids every 3 miles or so. So, my race plan is to use every other stop to take 2-3 gulps of Gatorade. I will also stick with my usual Gu plan, which is one every hour, which for me is every 7-8 miles. I have practiced this with long runs, so I know it works for me.

Other than that, I just need to keep it real. This is my third marathon in six months. I’ve never attempted a race schedule like this before, so I am in new territory. I will be running the race with family and friends, which makes it extra special, so I need to just enjoy the experience. It’s probably no surprise that there’s not a lot of food experimentation happening this week. Although, I am trying a new recipe for dinner tonight using an old favorite – Portobello mushrooms. I’ll let you know how it goes!

 

Go Green for St. Patty’s Day March 15, 2010

Filed under: how to make it,where to see it — chezdesblog @ 12:12 am
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I have an idea…how about we all skip the green food dye and go for some real green on St. Patty’s Day?

It could be kind of fun to pull together a meal with a “green” theme. How about making Pesto? Toss it with pasta, fresh tomatoes, and parmesan; add some chicken or spicy sausage if you like. Pesto is also nice stirred into brown rice. Don’t worry if it’s not basil season, arugula makes a delicious substitute. Go ahead and make a full batch. Freeze the extra in an ice-cube tray for future use.

You could make Green Chile Pork Posole, Split Pea Soup, or Brown Rice and Chicken Stir-Fry with Edamame and Walnuts.  Asparagus, Peas, and Basil makes a nice green side dish, or try Broccoli Apple Salad. For another “green” side, you could also saute some red onion in olive oil, add some cooked shelled edamame, and then toss in some fresh chopped mint at the end. Mmmm.

While we’re on the subject, be on the lookout for green garlic. I spotted some at the farmer’s market yesterday. You can use it like you would scallions, however, it resembles scallions in looks only. The taste is lovely, soft and subtlety garlic. Delicious – and green!

 

Food Fight! November 12, 2009

Filed under: how to make it,where to see it — chezdesblog @ 1:17 pm
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main-logoImagine if you will watching local chefs battle it out, tasting samples from 60 local restaurants, and witnessing on-stage shenanigans involving Anthony Bourdain, Jose Andres, Eric Ripert, Carla Hall and Ted Allen. That was us last night at the Capital Food Fight event to benefit DC Central Kitchen. We ate, drank, and schmoozed until we could take no more. It was fabulous foodie fun for a great cause.  

As for recipes this week, we are still living in the land of apples and pears. One way to enjoy both is by making Apple and Pear Chips. Another way to enjoy both is with Apple Pear Slaw. I learned this recipe in the kitchen at Golden Door. Dressed with a blend of lime juice, ginger juice and agave nectar, it’s delicious any time of day.

I read an interesting article this week considering the virtue of substituting agave nectar for sugar. Calorically, the difference between the two is negligible. However, agave nectar is sweeter than sugar and its glycemic index is significantly lower than sugar’s. This means you can use less agave than sugar to achieve the same sweetness without spiking blood sugar as much. Bottom-line: neither one holds nutritional value, and although agave nectar is a good alternative to sugar, it is best to use both sparingly.

 

Buffalo: The Other Red Meat September 3, 2009

Filed under: how to make it,where to see it — chezdesblog @ 7:42 pm
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buffalo meatsSo, there we were, at the farmers’ market on Sunday, cruising the stands as usual. Thinking ahead to the dinner hour, we made our way over to the Cibola Farms stand thinking we’d settle on some tasty pork chops or something up that alley. Then we saw the buffalo meat. (Just for the record, buffalo is a common name for the North American Bison. Buffalo. Bison. Same thing.) Buffalo meat is low in fat (97% fat free), and when compared to beef, it’s lower in calories and cholesterol, and higher in protein.

Individual cuts of buffalo are identical to beef, except for color. Pre-cooked, buffalo meat is a deeper red because it lacks the marbling (internal streaks of fat) that beef has, which means it will cook more rapidly than beef, so be warned.

You can often find buffalo meat at farmer’s markets, in gourmet markets, or always online. I am always sure to purchase meat from high quality purveyors committed to sustainable farming practices and products free of growth hormones and antibiotics.   

Eventually, we settled on some delicious Buffalo and Pork Chorizo with Chiptole. Inspired, I made Spicy Black Beans with Chorizo and Chipotle Cream, and teamed them up with some brown rice, grilled vegetables and whole wheat tortillas for a very tasty meal.

 

Grand Canyon Calling August 25, 2009

Filed under: where to see it — chezdesblog @ 9:37 am

KD on the trailThis past weekend, we hiked the Grand Canyon. That’s right – hiked the Grand Canyon – as in climbed all the way down and then back up again. We left the North Rim via the North Kaibab trail at 6:15 a.m. on Saturday. By noon, we made it to Phantom Ranch on the bank of the Colorado River. Over the course of 15.5 miles, we experienced a 5,850 foot elevation change (from 8,000+ feet above sea level on the Rim to 2,500 feet above sea level at Phantom Ranch). On Sunday, we did it again – in reverse.

This trek is not to be taken lightly. Hikers are subject to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, hypothermia (combination of exhaustion and exposure), and hyponatremia (low sodium in blood). In addition to staying hydrated, every hour we consumed about 200 calories with a focus on salty snacks such as salted nuts, crackers and pretzels.

Honestly, I was overwhelmed by this experience – in a good way. The scenery was unparalleled. The silence; soothing. The camaraderie; comforting. But more than anything, the personal sense of accomplishment for having set a big hairy audacious goal and achieved it; extraordinary. I have no doubt that my commitment to health, fitness and good eats fueled my ability to put one foot in front of the other, especially on the way out of the canyon!

Although I woke up this morning in desperate need of a trip to the grocery store and a massage, I am more committed than ever to maintaining my yummy and the basics of our healthy lifestyle. I am trying some new recipes this week and promise to report back on my experiments…

 

Pick Your Own July 29, 2009

Filed under: where to get it,where to see it — chezdesblog @ 8:37 am
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blueberriesNot all of us have the time, turf, or sunlight to grow our own fruit and vegetables, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pick our own! At pickyourown.org, locate a farm near you where you can “pick-your-own” seasonal produce at its nutritional peak. What a satisfying summer outing!

This time of year, some common crops in the U.S. include blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, and plums. Of course, the selection will vary based on where you live. They suggest using the contact information provided to confirm the information posted before heading out.

This helpful website includes tips for what to wear, what to bring, how to pick, and what to do with your farm fresh produce once you get home.This takes farm to table to whole new level – at home!