Salad Dressing Recipes

 I love to cook, and I love to make healthy things...in case you hadn't figured that out already.

Today, a patient, who is trying to avoid sugar, asked me what to do about salad dressings, since they have so much sugar.  I suggested making her own.  Years ago, my friend Diana made her own balsamic dill vinaigrette.  It inspired me to think differently about salad dressings and to have a little fun with the creative and very tasty process.  I have listed below some of my favorites.  So Ms. M., thank you for the inspiration to write down the following: 

Raspberry Rosemary Vinaigrette

1 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/2-2/3 c. white wine vinegar

1 c. raspberries (fresh or frozen), pureed in blender or food processor

2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped (can substitute with 1 -1½ T. dried rosemary)

White Wine Mustard Dill Vinaigrette

1 c. extra virgin olive oil

2/3 c. white wine vinegar

2 T. mustard

2 T. fresh dill (can substitute with 1 T. dried dill)

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 c. extra virgin olive oil

2/3 c. balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic

2 T. fresh dill (can substitute with 1 T. dried dill)

Tarragon Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 c. extra virgin olive oil

2/3 c. balsamic vinegar

2½ T. fresh tarragon (can substitute with 1-1½ T. dried tarragon)

Parsley Rosemary Vinaigrette

1 c. extra virgin olive oil

2/3 c. balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic

2 T. fresh parsley, chopped

2 T. fresh dill (can substitute with 1 T. dried dill)

2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped (can substitute with 1 -1½ T. dried rosemary)

Parsley Basil Oil*

1 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. fresh parsley, chopped

2 T. fresh basil, chopped

*Can turn into a vinaigrette with adding 1/2-2/3 cup of favorite vinegar.

Please feel free to use your favorite vinegar(s) in these recipes for a different twist.  The same goes with the herbs.  This is definitely a license to be creative and let your taste buds sizzle.  

To your health and the enjoyment of delicious food…or as my 22 month-old niece likes to say, “Mmm mmm, delicioso.”  Enjoy!

Farmers Markets in the Area

Take advantage of the fresh produce, meats, cheeses and other delectables, organic and non-organic, along with all the extras available at the local farmers markets. 

To our health and that of the entire community.  Enjoy!

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Marketing Wellness
Tuesdays
201 W. Kenyon Rd, Champaign
Tuesdays: 1-5:30
Accept WIC farmers market vouchers and LINK card

Farmers Market on Historic North First Street
(north of University)
Thursdays: 3-7 pm

Urbana Market at the Square
Illinois & Vine (Lincoln Sqaure)
Saturdays: 7-Noon

A Little Tuscany, a Little Napa and Cannellini Beans

This weekend, I was perusing a favorite cookbook.  The chef is 1st or 2nd generation Italian and lives in Napa Valley, California.  I love the freshness of Tuscan cuisine and that of Napa.  Lots of vegetables, lots of herbs, and plenty of sunshine and nutrients.  Two recipes called for cannellini beans.  And while I did not make either of the recipes, I took inspiration from each to create a dish that delighted me immensely.  Now I just need to figure out what to call it.  No creative juices on that front at the moment.  Oh well.  On to the good stuff...

All ingredients are organic unless otherwise notes:

2 c. cannellini beans
2 cloves garlic
3 medium carrots
3 stalks celery
3 cups fresh basil
1/2 medium onion
Sea salt (Portuguese) to taste

Cook the cannellini beans.  4 cups of water for 2 cups of beans.  Bring to a boil then let simmer on medium-low to low heat.  Cook until tender (2-3 hours depending on heat level).  Several recipes call for draining and then adding more water and boiling again, etc.  Feel free to use your best judgment here.  I am merely relaying my methods over the weekend - no draining and adding more water - same water the whole time.

While beans are still al dente, add 2 cloves of garlic, minced.  Cook for 10 minutes.  In the interim prepare the carrots and celery.  Thinly slice and finely chop both and add to the beans and garlic.  Cook 25 minutes.  Chop basil and thinly slice and chop onions.  Just prior to removing from heat, add basil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and drain and excess water.  Then, add onion.  Let cool 20-30 minutes and enjoy.  It's great hot or cold. 

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4-6 as a side dish.

Cannellini beans would be great a million different ways.  More vegetables, different herbs.  The beans have a nice flavor and pick up the essence of the vegetables and herbs with which they are cooked.  These beans are loaded with plenty of protein and fiber to give that added boost with the added benefit of helping to stabilize blood sugar and cholesterol levels.  Add the nutrient-rich vegetables and herbs and you get a dish that packs a great punch on all levels: tons of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, good carbs, protein.  It's a winner any way you look at it.

To your health...enjoy!

Quesadillas...and Painting

Last weekend included a project and fun food with my mom.  I have been waiting to paint my kitchen for nearly five years.  I saw the color the moment I stepped into my house as I moved in.  A bright sunny yellow, the color of plaster walls soaked with sunshine in Tuscany.  Brings peace to my mind and joy to my spirit.  My mother came up for the occasion to help and offer guidance.  We did a lot of laughing.  However, before we embarked on our painting spree, we made great quesadillas to provide the energy and sustenance we would need to last til midnight.

Quesadillas are a family favorite, and I always like to try new things, making something a bit different than the norm.  And while this is not a severe departure, it was new and fun for us, not to mention healthy and hearty.  Hope you enjoy.

Black bean mixture - made with dried black beans (cooked), organic onion, cumin, sea salt, and pepper
Organic short and long grain brown rice
Organic ground beef with organic cumin, sea salt and pepper
Organic roma tomatoes
Organic onions
Fresh organic cilantro
Organic tortillas
Mixture of Italian cheeses
Fresh pico de gallo from a favorite local Mexican restaurant (El Toro rules!)

We stuffed these quesadillas full, and in turn, Mom and I were stuffed.  With all the great food we indulged just a bit, eating a few bites of a light, delectable strawberry cake from another favorite local restaurant (Jim Gould's).  Then, it was time to paint.  Walls soaked with sunshine, hearty healthy food, a little sweet, and great fun with my mom does the body and soul good - at least it does this body and soul good.

To your health...and joy.

Warding Off the Illustrious Cold: Onion Wild Rice Soup

I haven't had a cold in over a year, but one finally caught up with me.  The stars aligned. In two weeks time the following occurred: I ate out more than I like.  I held a sick child two days in a row.  I was sleep deprived and very stressed.  Then, I ate something that upset my stomach, which was the last straw.  These were enough to put me on the bench for a few days.

The above is not my natural routine.  I eat out only on occasion.  I eat a diet rich in organic fresh whole foods - lots of lean meats and poultry, vegetables and fruits (generally at least 5 daily), whole grains.  I also drink plenty of water and occasionally enjoy mineral water.  Pellegrino is my favorite, Gerolsteiner a close second.  I tend to get a fair amount of rest and also build in ample margin, allowing myself time for rejuvenation and refreshing.  This generally works to keep me healthy.  For example, even given the horrendous cold season last fall and this spring (and my significant exposure), I had not succumbed to infection as so many had.

Taking care of ourselves is important, something I need to be reminded on occasion.  It is the very thing that keeps us vital, healthy and able to give to and take care of others.  To take care of myself last night, I made a nice hearty soup (but light enough for spring) with lots of nutrients to boost the immune system.  Onions have lots of sulfur compounds to help kill infection, the carrots vitamin A and lots of phytonutrients.  And celery is touted to clean the blood (don't know the mechanism on this.)  Then, there is the protein, B vitamins and trace minerals in the rice.  All in all, it's a great combo, one of the first things to which I turn when I start to feel flu-like symptoms.  Hope you enjoy.

Onion Wild Rice Soup
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 1/2-2 c. wild rice, cooked
3 1/2 c. water
1 t. parsley, dried
1 1/2 t. basil, dried
Salt and pepper to taste

Note: I prefer to use fresh herbs.  When using fresh herbs, generally 2 times the amount of dried.

Cook rice prior to making soup.  Generally 2 1/2 c. of water to cook 1 1/2 c. rice.  Yields ~2- 2 1/2 c. rice.  Saute onions in 1 T. olive oil, 1 T. butter until translucent.  Add water.  Cook 15 minutes on medium low heat (to extract essence of onion).  Add carrots, celery and rice.  Cook 10 minutes.  Add herbs, salt and pepper.  Simmer 2-3 minutes.

Enjoy.  To your health and mine.  Hope you have a great Memorial Day.

Finding Peace

It is so easy to become bogged down with the day-to-day of life that we leave no time for what I like to call margin.  Margin is the space we leave in our lives for restoration, time to be refreshed, rejuvenated, and yes, restored.

Margin can look like a million different things.  For my mother it would be spending time in her perennial beds, digging in the dirt and enjoying her flowers.  My brother, being a landscape architect in the wiles of New York City, would be similar.  My sister shares their passion for digging in the dirt, along with jumping on a trampoline and time alone with God.  For my dad it is snowmobiling.  For my sister-in-law it is getting out of the city and to the ocean, especially if the temperature is above 90 degrees.  For my brother-in-law it is things like fantasy football, sports (especially the St. Louis Cardinals), nature, and snowmobiling with my dad.  For me it is a combination of those things and more.  I love nature, and taking a walk in the woods is wonderful.  Sitting by the ocean is tops.  Horseback riding, a quiet day to sip tea by the fire and read a great book.  A good movie.  Laughing with my girlfriends.  (I recently heard of a study that found 1 hour of laughing with your girlfriends is the same as an hour of yoga.  Fabulous!)  Time alone with God every morning.  Writing.  All these things and more are ways that I step back from life's toils and busy-ness and refresh.

Yesterday after work, it was a walk in the park, touch a few trees, smell the blooms on a crab apple tree, then home for good food.  Great for the soul.  When we take time, even if it is a few minutes each day, to breathe or get quiet, it refreshes us.  There are great physiological implications as well.  These practices allow our often overstressed nervous systems to quiet.  When this happens, our hormones and blood sugar stabilize, our heart rates and blood pressure decrease, our minds clear; we can regain our focus and breathe.

I cannot stress the importance of this enough.  We need to take time for the things that refresh us as much as we need to eat nutritious foods and exercise.  Time to breathe isn't a luxury; it's a need.  And when we don't take time to do it, even if only for a few moments, each day, we pay a heavy price.  We age more quickly, our health and bodies deteriorate, and we place ourselves at greater risk to develop chronic illnesses.  Not good.

Consider this a license to relax and have a little fun.  I encourage you to make a list of 10 things you love to do and that make you laugh out loud.  Then, do one of those things every day.

Enjoy and reap the life-changing benefits of taking time to restore.  It brings more peace than you can imagine.

Salmon Burgers

Last night, I went home rather tired and not having any desire to cook.  However, after a supplement and soak in the tub, I was rejuvenated and inspired.  I have wanted to try my hand at salmon burgers ever since I tasted this bite of heaven at Escobar's several weeks ago.  My poor co-worker Carly has been ever patient with me as I have lamented and lamented about this.  I am pleased to report that the experiment was a success.  I actually wished I had two stomachs so that I could have kept eating.

I used a combination of pink and red salmon, finely chopped onions and two eggs.  I mixed the combination in a bowl and set them in a very hot skillet with a little olive oil.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  The secret, however, is in the sauce.  I wanted to make a basil aioli just like it was served at Escobar's, but no basil.  So I made a mustard dill mayonnaise and scallion chive yogurt.  (I like to use plain organic yogurt in place of sour cream.)

Lots of omega 3's and other good things for the immune system.  And also lots of delight for the palate.  Enjoy.

Mustard Dill Mayonnaise
2 egg yolks
2 T. mustard
1 c. oil
1 T. dill

Place in bowl and mix or place in blender.  Warm bowl for best results.

Scallion Chive Yogurt
1 c. yogurt
2 T. finely chopped scallions
1 t. chives

Mix in small bowl.

What to do on a Blustery Spring Weekend: How About Carrot Ginger Soup?

This weekend was a beautiful weekend to stay inside, sip tea, watch movies, and cook.  A time to rest, restore and wholly be delighted by the sights and sounds of beauty that come from the deepest recesses of the imagination.  And I took full advantage.  With the blustery cold weather I was inspired to make soup - ginger carrot soup to be exact.  It was wonderful, rich, warm, and fully delightful.  I love to eat things that actually allow me to feel I am getting healthier as I eat them.  This was definitely one of them.

I will give you the recipe as I tried it.  It needed more ginger for my taste, so there may be an updated list of ingredients at some point as I continue to test this:

3 T. unsalted butter
1 1/2 onions, peeled and chopped
4 c. chicken broth
2 pounds of carrots, ends cut off, rinsed and chopped
2 T. grated fresh ginger
2 c. 2% milk 
Salt & pepper
Plain yogurt

In a large pan melt butter over medium heat.  Add onions.  Stir and cook until onions are translucent.  Add broth, carrots and ginger.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until carrots are tender and can be pierced easily with a fork.  Let cool for 10-15 minutes.

Transfer mixture to blender in batches.  Fill blender only to approximately 1/2 full to prevent hot liquid from spurting out of the blender.  Pulse mixture then slowly advance setting to puree until smooth.  Return mixture to the pan and add milk.*  Bring soup to a boil slowly and salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls.  Garnish with dollop of organic plain yogurt (serves as good replacement for sour cream) and sprig of parsley or thyme.

* This may be better, i.e., smoother and richer with whole milk or heavy whipping cream.

The prep time is 20-25 minutes.  Cook time is ~45 minutes.

Along with this wonderful spring soup, steep your favorite tea or spring drink, fire up a movie and enjoy.  So often we are geared on being productive that we forget slowing down and enjoying great food, entertainment, the company of friends, or just the quiet of being able to breathe are some of the most restorative things we can do.  They nourish us physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.  And when we take time for these things, we are restored and made whole from the inside out and the outside in.  Enjoy.  And laugh lots.

Spring Is Here: Celebrate with Smoothies

I love spring.  It is a time of awakening, of new beginnings and great change.  Suddenly a landscape barren of green and leaves bursts forth with new color.  Blooms on the magnolias are coming alive.  The red buds are close behind.  And ah, the daffodils, jonquils and tulips.  Everything is coming to life.  There couldn't be a better time for us to fall in line and add a little more color to our lives as well.

I recommend starting with fresh green leafy vegetables and dark berries.  These foods are chocked full of nutrients that fill us with energy - magnesium, B vitamins, vitamins C, A & K, trace minerals, and more phytonutrients than we can imagine.  They also have lots of fiber, which helps keep our digestive tracts healthy and moving freely.  Some studies have shown that the fiber and nutrients in these foods can lower cholesterol and reduce our risks for things like heart disease and cancer.  I was so inspired the other day that I decided to throw all these together into a smoothie that tasted like life (see recipes below).  It was wonderful.  I literally could feel myself getting healthier.

So look to those darkly pigmented fruits and vegetables for the very things that will give you a great boost.  Spring into spring and bring on the color in your diet.  It will change you forever-  from the inside out.

Enjoy!

A couple of my favorite smoothie recipes:

1/4 c. blackberries
1/4 c. black raspberries
1 small carrot finely chopped
1/4-1/2 c. kale, romaine or other green/lettuce
1/2 c. organic plain yogurt (whole or lowfat - not nonfat)
1/2 c. juice of your choice

1 c. mixed berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries)
1/2 c. organic milk of your choice or organic plain yogurt
1/2 c. green of your choice (kale, romaine, lettuce, etc.)
1/2 c. dark juice (pomegranate, blueberry, black raspberry, acai)
1/4 tsp. fresh ginger - minced 

Just throw in the blender and enjoy.

P.S.  I lean toward smoothies instead of juicing because you still get the fiber, which is just as important as the nutrients.

A Journey Toward Healing

This journey started a long time ago when my mother touted constantly that we should make our plates colorful.  She taught us well.  But even so, a mostly healthy lifestyle didn't prevent me from having significant health challenges.  I had everything from heart issues to serious fatigue to illnesses that were debilitating and nearly took my life - all by the time I was 31.

Health is a mystery, elusive at times yet wholly attainable.  I think the first hurdle is our diet, i.e., our daily food intake.  It is important that we view ourselves as uniquely designed, high-performance machines that need constant fueling.  That fuel takes on many forms.  A few examples would be: 

For the Body: a wide variety of nutritious, chemical and antibiotic-free foods (organic if possible)

For the Mind: knowledge, information, challenges, reading, relaxation, vacation

For the Spirit: prayer, meditation, deep breathing (from the diaphragm), relaxation, vacation, rest

This is not a comprehensive list, but it is a good start.  We need fuel, nourishment, rest - and lots of it.  Finding healthy foods that work best for you as an individual is a good place to begin.  According to research by William Wolcott and a few others, even foods that are healthy may not be healthy for certain individuals depending on how our bodies process these foods.  I encourage you to keep a food journal and document how you feel after eating.  Sometimes it can be about striking the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat.  Sometimes it can be about eating certain foods at certain times of the day.  Sometimes it is about cutting out as much toxicity from our diets as possible.  Look for foods and food combinations that energize and satisfy you.  It takes time to figure out some of these things, but it is worth it.

Also, there is a sea of information out there telling us to eat this and not that or that and not this.  It is often confusing and overwhelming.  While there is no one diet that will work for optimal health, here are a few rules of thumb:

Variety - meats, poultry, fish, lots of fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains.  We need a variety of foods loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and other good things for us.   As we vary the types of foods we eat, we increase our chances of getting the nutrients we need in order to function well.

Think color - Generally, the more color a food has the more antioxidants and other nutrients it has.

Eat whole foods - Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store - fresh foods.  Cut out processed foods - items in a box - loaded with chemicals and preservatives.

Drink plenty of water - Dehydration is a common occurrence.  When severe, it can cause flu-like symptoms and feelings of fatigue.  Cut out pop and caffeine.  They may give you an initial boost, but these are pure poison - the pop especially - and the caffeine wears out your adrenal glands which produce the hormones that give us energy.

Things we don't need - growth hormone and antibiotic residues found in conventionally raised meat, poultry and dairy; pollutants/pesticides found on conventionally raised fruits and vegetables.  Go organic whenever possible.

If going organic seems overwhelming, focus on what I consider to be the top three: meat, poultry and dairy.  Cutting out this toxic load is important and the benefits are innumerable.

Whatever you decide to do, don't stress about it.  Take your time.  Baby steps are the best way to achieve lifelong change.  And you are entirely worth it!