Popeye Was Right, Spinach Packs a Punch!

   Has never been tastier!

If you ever watched Popeye (or just lived on planet Earth), then you already know that spinach will make you big and strong.  Well, Spinach is good for you, but just how good is it?
   Spinach has the highest concentrations of nutrients, fat burning compounds, vitamins and minerals to protect and heal the body. It contains a wide array of proteins, protective photo-chemicals and healthy bacteria.  Spinach really is a nutritional powerhouse, containing large amounts of vitamins K, A, and C, folate, magnesium, calcium and iron.

   The folate in spinach helps to lower the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. Folate also reduces the risk of colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers and helps stop uncontrolled cell growth, one of the primary characteristics of all cancers.
   Spinach contains a carotanoid that kills prostate cancer cells, and it also prevents the cells from multiplying.  The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach help protect against colon cancer and aids in  fighting inflammation, making them integral components in the prevention of dementia, especially in older adults.
   Spinach is loaded with vitamin K (one cup of cooked spinach provides over 1,000% of the recommended daily amount!), which builds strong bones by helping absorb calcium.
   Spinach is also rich in lutein, which protects against macular degeneration, eye disease, and it helps keep artery walls clear of cholesterol buildup.
   Finally, there is the Popeye complex (well, that's what I like to call it!)... Spinach helps to build cleaner muscles and tissues, aid your digestive system function and more effectively protect you against disease and illness.
   Because fresh spinach is just so awesome, it should be a daily staple in your diet.  Every grocery store, year round, no matter where you live, carries spinach.  So you have NO excuses not to be adding some to your menu!  You'd be hard pressed to find a more nutritionally and culinarily sound green. So do your body a favor and aim for a few ounces -- raw, sauteed, or lightly steamed, every day.


Tips:
- Sneak it in... Add a handful of fresh spinach to your next fruit smoothie or juice. It'll change the color but not the taste.

- Spinach is highly susceptible to pesticides, so stick to organic.

Spinach Quiche
1 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
10 ounce spinach, Chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
4 oz package feta cheese , crumbled
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1  pie crust, deep dish, unbaked
2 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

1- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2- Saute garlic, onion, and mushrooms in evoo until lightly browned.  Stir in spinach.
3- Place vegetables, feta and cheddar cheese in crust. Season with salt and pepper.
4- Whisk together eggs and milk. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.
5- Bake in preheated oven for 40 - 50 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.
6- Enjoy!

Creamed Spinach Stuffed Tomato
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fennel, thinnly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb baby spinach
2 Tbl parmesan cheese, grated
4 large beefsteak tomatoes
1- Saute fennel in evoo, add garlic, season with salt and pepper and saute until translucent.
2- Add spinach and heavy cream to the garlic and fennel and cook until spinach is wilted and add parmesan.
3- Preheat broiler.
4- Trim the tops off tomatoes and scoop out the seeds. Stuff tomatoes with creamed spinach broil to lightly brown.
5- Enjoy!

You are the Apple of My Pie!

Going Green...

   Has never been tastier! 
If you ever watched Popeye (or just lived on planet Earth), then you already know that spinach will make you big and strong.  Well, Spinach is good for you, but just how good is it?
   Spinach has the highest concentrations of nutrients, fat burning compounds, vitamins and minerals to protect and heal the body. It contains a wide array of proteins, protective photo-chemicals and healthy bacteria.  Spinach really is a nutritional powerhouse, containing large amounts of vitamins K, A, and C, folate, magnesium, calcium and iron.

   The folate in spinach helps to lower the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. Folate also reduces the risk of colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers and helps stop uncontrolled cell growth, one of the primary characteristics of all cancers.
   Spinach contains a carotanoid that kills prostate cancer cells, and it also prevents the cells from multiplying.  The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach help protect against colon cancer and aids in  fighting inflammation, making them integral components in the prevention of dementia, especially in older adults.
   Spinach is loaded with vitamin K (one cup of cooked spinach provides over 1,000% of the recommended daily amount!), which builds strong bones by helping absorb calcium.
   Spinach is also rich in lutein, which protects against macular degeneration, eye disease, and it helps keep artery walls clear of cholesterol buildup.
   Finally, there is the Popeye complex (well, that's what I like to call it!)... Spinach helps to build cleaner muscles and tissues, aid your digestive system function and more effectively protect you against disease and illness.
   Because fresh spinach is just so awesome, it should be a daily staple in your diet.  Every grocery store, year round, no matter where you live, carries spinach.  So you have NO excuses not to be adding some to your menu!  You'd be hard pressed to find a more nutritionally and culinarily sound green. So do your body a favor and aim for a few ounces -- raw, sauteed, or lightly steamed, every day.


Tips:
- Sneak it in... Add a handful of fresh spinach to your next fruit smoothie or juice. It'll change the color but not the taste.

- Spinach is highly susceptible to pesticides, so stick to organic.

Spinach Quiche
1 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
10 ounce spinach, Chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
4 oz package feta cheese , crumbled
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1  pie crust, deep dish, unbaked
2 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

1- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2- Saute garlic, onion, and mushrooms in evoo until lightly browned.  Stir in spinach.
3- Place vegetables, feta and cheddar cheese in crust. Season with salt and pepper.
4- Whisk together eggs and milk. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.
5- Bake in preheated oven for 40 - 50 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.
6- Enjoy!

Creamed Spinach Stuffed Tomato
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fennel, thinnly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb baby spinach
2 Tbl parmesan cheese, grated
4 large beefsteak tomatoes
1- Saute fennel in evoo, add garlic, season with salt and pepper and saute until translucent.
2- Add spinach and heavy cream to the garlic and fennel and cook until spinach is wilted and add parmesan.
3- Preheat broiler.
4- Trim the tops off tomatoes and scoop out the seeds. Stuff tomatoes with creamed spinach broil to lightly brown.
5- Enjoy!

Healthy Changes for a Happy New Year

Happy New Years (ok, so I'm a day or 2... or 3 late)!

 

     Too many of us are too familiar with this New Year's scenerio... the ball drops, you vow to keep your distance from carbs and spend the rest of the year on the treadmill, but two weeks into January, your motivation plummets, your starch cravings have become difficult to ignore, and you've skipped more than a few days at the gym. Come February, your sneakers have collected dust and you've forgotten all about your New Year's resolution.

     Sounds too familiar, right? Well, you are certainly not alone!  Two of the most common New Year's resolutions are to lose weight and exercise more often.  Rather than setting yourself up for failure, why not start 2011 off on the right foot by making healthy life changes you can actually keep? 

     A few EASY ways that you can keep your healthy resolutions all year long are to make small changes that will transform your life.  Here are some suggestions to make the most of your New Year’s resolution:

Aim For 5 Servings Of Fruits And Vegetables Per Day

Fruit and vegetables taste delicious and there's so much variety to choose from. They're a good source of vitamins and minerals, and dietary fiber. They can also help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Fruit and vegetables are low in fat and calories and high in taste!

Swap Sugary Drinks For Water

Water is one of the best tools for weight loss because it doesn't have

any calories.  It is also a great  appetite suppressant, and often when we think we're hungry, we're really just thirsty. Water has no fat, no calories, no carbs, no sugar, so drink plenty to help your weight-loss.

Eat Breakfast

Did you know... in order to gain weight, sumo wrestlers in Japan don't eat breakfast?  Really! Skipping breakfast slows down the metabolism and encourages weight gain. Start your day with a breakfast that combines fiber and lean protein, in order to rev up your metabolism and keep you full till lunchtime.

Add More Fiber to Your Diet

Fiber-rich foods decrease hunger, so you are likely to eat less during the day. You can easily add more to your diet by having high fiber cereal for breakfast, or as a snack mixed with yogurt in the afternoon.

Increase your Dairy Intake

Not getting enough calcium triggers the release of calcitrol, a hormone that causes fat storage. Instead meeting your daily calcium needs helps you burn fat more efficiently. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products for the nutrients your body needs, without the extra calories.

Spice it up

Increasing your intake of capsaicin (the compound that gives hot sauce and chili peppers their kick) temporarily boosts your metabolism and helps you feel satiated after meals. Go ahead and heat things up.  Try adding Tabasco sauce to your eggs, curry to your soup, and hot peppers to your chili. Spices will add flavor and health benefits to your dish.

Start your meal with soup

Soup is one of the most filling foods, and a big bowl of it is a great way to avoid higher calorie temptations. Most soups are low in calories and high in fiber, making them healthy and satisfying. Aim for broth based soups filled with vegetables, which tend to have a lot fewer calories than cream based soups.



 Remember, these tips are not just for weight loss but also to make you feel more energized, stronger, healthier and younger. Live a better quality of life.  Don’t give up because you splurged. DON’T GIVE UP !!
     Good luck in sticking with the resolutions and shedding the pounds.

Enjoy!
Chef Heather



Calorie Conscience Christmas

  We are well into the wonderful time of year for celebrations of all types.  Some parties honor Tacky Christmas Sweaters while others are Classy Cocktail Gatherings, and some are Pajama Parties with Family.  Regardless of how you celebrate, there's a good chance you're heading somewhere containing a whole bunch of extra calories this weeked, next weekend, or any time between now and Jan. 2.

   Since the cold is not generally conducive to working out, I can't think of anything better than to offer some healthy cooking tips on how to stay in shape (not circular) without having to work out in the bitter cold, desperately trying to run off eggnog and candy canes.  Here are a few that come in handy with holiday baking, when calories seems to shoot through the roof:

Substitutes for:

Sugar
Vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, stevia.
   It is easy to swap out sugar in exchange for artificial substitutes such as Splenda, Equal or Sweet'n Low, but these give a pretty fake taste and aftertaste. You can pick up the natural altenatives at any grocery stores.

Eggs
Flaxseed/water mix (1tsp flax to 3 tsp water=1 egg) or egg whites (2 egg whites=1 egg).
   Not only does this cut calories, but also cholesterol!

Oil
Mashed banana or tofu, unsweetened applesauce.
   Use equal amounts applesauce as the oil that the recipe calls for. This is best for cakes, muffins, scones and bread. Mashed banana is better for cookies. For brownies use silken tofu.

Butter
Peanut butter, coconut butter.

Milk
Rice and low-calorie almond milk.
  Avoiding dairy immediately improves the health quality of any recipe.

All-purpose flour
Whole-wheat flour.
  According to livestrong.com, "Baking with whole grains, rather than all-purpose white flour, can add fiber to your diet, and high-fiber diets have been proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases."

   With all the holiday parties in full gear it is best to show up with cookies that you know aren't loaded with artificial sweeteners or sugar. How do you know? 'Cause you baked them yourself.
   Happy Baking!

WPDH Breakfast

Good Morning WPDH listeners... (well, for those of us writing this, good night)
    Here is a delicious and heart healthy rice pudding recipe that you must try... I mean,
healthy rice pudding.... really.... good for breakfast!!!!  How could you not try it?
Enjoy!

Brown Rice Pudding (240 calories)                                              

1/2 cup Brown Sushi Rice, (or Arborio)

1/4 cup Agave

1 can Light Coconut Milk
1-1/3 cups Skim Milk
4 Egg Whites
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, stir together the milk and the rice. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.


2 Reduce heat to medium high and boil for 5-6 minutes or until the rice is cooked, stirring occasionally.

3 In a seperate bowl, mix coconut milk, egg whites, and extracts.  Temper. (Add some hot cooked rice to eggs and then return all to rice... this will keep eggs from scrambling) 

4 Increase the heat to medium and stir occasionally, until pudding consistency.
5 Top with fruit and/or Nuts

6 Serve and Enjoy!

Summer is Coming

  If you are like most, the warm spring weather has you starting to think about getting your body bathing suit ready. There are multiple facets of healthy weight loss. Exercise and diet are very important in creating a healthier you, but even more crucial is the phsycology behind it!
  The most common problem found with dieting is psychological. In today's post, I will discuss the first part in healthy weight loss, the mental part.
  There are a few techniques that can affect the appetite and help limit your desire to overeat. Often healthy food has a bad conotation... healthy must mean bland and blah. Well that's not the case. Before you eat with your mouth... you eat with your eyes. I'm sure you've been in a situation where you saw something that looked unappealing, and although it may taste spectacular, you are turned off. The simple solution... make your meal look pretty. You don't have to be an artist, if you think natural, you are set. Try to get at least three different colors on your plate... Green Kale, Red Beets, and Orange Carrots or Green Avocado, Red Tomatoes, and Yellow Corn. They may be healthy, but if it looks good... you have a far better chance of enjoying it! One of the other things that you will visually assess is portion size... a full plate will most likely have you thinking of a full belly. Two easy answers are: fill half of your plate with a salad, than add the appropriate portions of your meal. By adding the greens and fresh veggies you will be adding limited calories but lots of vitamins, nutrients, cellulose and fiber (both are very filling). The other option, eat off of a smaller plate. If it looks abundant, you will trick yourself into feeling full sooner... and ultimately training yourself with portion control.
   Dieting is very much a lifestyle choice. If you are mentally prepared, you can do anything.
Keep an eye out for our next dieting tip.

-Chef Heather
The Chocolate Mousse
http://www.chocolatemoussecatering.com/
845-518-6533