2009 November | Healthy Family Cooking

Archive for November, 2009

Thankgiving Leftovers Recipe

Friday, November 27th, 2009

I hope you enjoyed your feast last night with family and friends, and that the rest of your holiday weekend is a wonderful break (and that you don’t have to fight too much holiday traffic!). If you are looking for a way to use up that leftover turkey, you might enjoy this healthy and delicious salad that can be served warm or cold.

Have a happy and healthy weekend.

Warmly, Aviva

Wild Rice and Turkey Salad

Prep (10 min.) + Cook (60 min.) + time to cool
6 servings

1 cup wild rice blend (such as Lundberg)
1 cup cooked turkey breast, chopped
1 cup sliced celery (about 2 stalks)
¼ cup - ½ cup thinly sliced scallions, to taste
½ cup dried cranberries (or use raisins or pomegranate seeds)
¼ cup light balsamic vinaigrette dressing (such as Newman’s Own)
½ cup pecans, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
salt and black pepper to taste (optional)

Prepare the rice according to the package directions, using water or leftover chicken broth.

In a medium serving bowl, combine the turkey, celery, scallions and cranberries. When the rice is cooked, combine it with the ingredients in the bowl. Stir in the vinaigrette dressing. Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 days. Just before serving, stir in the pecans.

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Kids Can Help You Select Healthy Snacks

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

I love this note I received last week, following up on the list of healthy snacks on my website:

Hi Aviva: I have to tell you a funny story - I printed out your “Snack Attack” list yesterday and gave it to my daughters, ages 6 and 4. My older daughter patiently read every option out loud, discussed it with her sister, and then wrote down yes, no, or maybe next to each one, depending on whether they thought they might like it or not. I couldn’t believe how seriously they took the task, how well they collaborated, and how easily they were entertained by it. Plus, I now have a fully anotated list on my fridge to refer to when we get the munchies. (And, of course, they’re particularly excited about the options that involve chocolate and such.)

Thank you for the list!”
Molly Thompson, Bozeman, MT

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Thanksgiving Dinner Survival Guide: 10 Steps to a Calmer Feast

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

I get the jitters before hosting almost any gathering, but with all the build-up to Thanksgiving, it feels like the stakes are even higher than usual. To keep it in perspective, I try to remember what’s most important-to be with family and friends and appreciate our blessings. But if I’m hosting the feast, there’s still a lot of work to be done! I’ve devised some strategies for making the evening easier on us, while still indulging our guests (following this article are a few of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes for you to enjoy):

Don’t try to do it alone: Just because I love to cook, doesn’t mean I have to do it all! If anyone volunteers to bring something, I take them up on it. I also try to involve the kids with the preparation, either by asking them to make place cards or table decorations, or clean the house. (A friend of mine cherishes the Thanksgiving tablecloth her kids made on which they traced their hands in autumn colors and wrote what they were thankful for.)
Make a menu ahead of time: By the Sunday before the feast, I make a list of everything we’re serving, from appetizers to coffee. I note who is making each of them and when I need to start my assignments-I even jot down my daily tasks on my calendar.
Grocery shop early: Just like every week, I make a detailed grocery list (consulting the menu I’ve decided on) and buy the groceries by Tuesday, so I can start cooking on Wednesday.
Cook in advance: Most of the trimmings can be cooked well in advance of dinner, and then warmed before the meal. Even the turkey can be finished cooking (we even slice it!) hours before the meal. (Just put that Norman Rockwell image of the father cutting the bird at the table out of your mind!)
Get the house and table ready the night before: To avoid exhaustion on the big day, I make sure the house looks nice and the table is set before I go to bed on Wednesday.
Keep appetizers easy: Before dinner, I serve simple foods, such as gourmet cheeses, nuts, store-bought gourmet spread for crackers, vegetables and dip, and fresh popcorn.
Send the kids out for a picnic and sports before the meal: This strategy, suggested by my friend and Scramble colleague, Jeanne Rossomme, frees the kitchen for the big feast, and calms the kids so there’s a higher probability of civilized behavior when guests arrive.
Have plastic containers ready so you can pack up leftovers, making clean-up easier. But save a slice of cooked turkey breast for next week’s recipe for Turkey Pot Pie!
Take the last 30 minutes off: An experienced hostess once told me that I should try to hold sacred the last half hour before guests arrive. I use this time to get myself cleaned up and put my feet up for a few minutes. That way I’m not utterly exhausted before the evening begins.
Give thanks and eat slowly: After sitting down, each guest shares one thing for which they are thankful-this simple tradition really sets the right mood. Then we enjoy the feast we’ve all helped to prepare, and we try to remember to savor the time together after all our hard work.

I hope you have good food, easy travels, and a holiday that’s fuller of gratitude than gripes.

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Cornbread Stuffing with Pomegranate Seeds

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Prep (25 minutes) + Cook (40 minutes)
10 side dish servings

I spotted this recipe on the POM Wonderful web site a few years ago, and tinkered with it a bit to make it healthier-it’s heavenly on the Thanksgiving table. You can make the stuffing up to a day ahead and heat it in the oven before dinner.

1 pomegranate
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup dried cranberries
2 - 3 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 - 4 scallions, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
12 oz. cornbread stuffing mix
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
20 oz. reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

To remove the pomegranate seeds from the fruit, deeply score the pomegranate and place it in a bowl of water. Break it open underwater to free the seeds (also called arils). Keep breaking and freeing seeds until they’re released from the pomegranate’s skin. Remove the white membranes that are floating in the water and drain the seeds. Reserve 1 cup of seeds and refrigerate the remainder for another use (or, if you’re like me, eat them immediately).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a large round casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the apricots, cranberries, celery, and scallions for about 5 minutes until softened. Remove them from the heat.

Place the stuffing mix in a large bowl; add the apricot mixture, pomegranate seeds, melted butter, egg, and broth, and mix well. Smooth the stuffing mixture into the casserole and cover it with foil. Bake it for 25 minutes, remove the foil, and return it to the oven for 15 more minutes or until the stuffing is golden brown.

Nutritional Information per serving(% based upon daily values):
190 calories, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 32 g carbohydrate, 62 mg cholesterol, 332 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein

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Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

This fabulous recipe, created by my friend (and co-author of my first cookbook), Lisa Flaxman, is a guaranteed winner-it won second prize in Parenting magazine’s Recipes 2000 Contest. This can provide a lovely start to the Thanksgiving feast.

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium chunks
1 firm apple, such as Gala or Jonagold, peeled, cored and quartered
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste (optional)
3 - 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 cup nonfat sour cream for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the sweet potatoes, apples, onions and garlic in a roasting pan. Toss them with the oil and a few shakes of salt and pepper (optional). Roast, tossing every 10 minutes, until they are soft, about 30 minutes. (Meanwhile, prepare the Zucchini Fritters, if you are serving them.)

Puree the vegetable/apple mixture in a blender or food processor (or in the pot using an immersion blender), adding just enough broth to cover it. Add more broth to the blender until the soup reaches the desired consistency, so it is smooth and not too thick. If you are using a blender, you will probably need to puree the soup in two batches.

Warm the soup over low heat in a stockpot until ready to serve, or refrigerate it for up to 1 day or freeze it for up to 3 months. Stir in sour cream at the table for a creamier taste, if desired.

Scramble Flavor Booster: Add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. ground ginger or 1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger to the roasted vegetables before blending, or 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. ground chipotle chili pepper for a spicy bite.

Nutritional Information per serving (% based upon daily values):
Calories 120, Total Fat 5g, 8%, Saturated Fat 0g, 0%, Cholesterol 0mg, 0%, Sodium 310mg, 13%, Total Carbohydrate 16g, 5%, Dietary Fiber 2g, 9%, Protein 2g, Sugar 9g

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Thanksgiving Delight: Sweet Potato Pie

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Prep (20 minutes +) + Cook (2 hours)

8 servings

This wonderful side dish has graced my family’s Thanksgiving table for as long as I can remember, and everybody seems to want the recipe-so here it is! The sweet potatoes don’t need to be tended to while boiling, so you can cook them any time during the day, and you can make the filling up to a day in advance. This pie can be part of a weeknight meal with cornbread and a rotisserie chicken.

3 Tbsp. butter
3 medium sweet potatoes
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. nutmeg or cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup nonfat or low fat milk
1 prepared pie crust, or make your own (see directions below)

Remove the butter from the refrigerator to soften it. In a medium pot, bring enough water to cover the potatoes to a boil. Meanwhile, peel and cut the potatoes into large cubes, and add them to the heating water and boil for 15 - 20 minutes until they are fork tender. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Drain the potatoes thoroughly and put them in a large bowl (alternatively, use an electric mixer). Mash the sweet potatoes with the butter and all the remaining ingredients except the crust. Whip the mixture until it is mostly smooth. (At this point, you can refrigerate the filling for up to 48 hours). Spoon the sweet potatoes into the crust and bake it for an hour (or up to 1 1/2 hours if you like a browner top). Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving it.

To make your own 20 minute pie crust: Combine 1 cup of flour and 1/2 tsp. salt in a bowl. With two forks, cut 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. butter or Crisco into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. ice water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, over the pastry mixture, tossing lightly with the fork after each addition and sprinkling only the dry portion. Pastry should be just moist enough to hold together, but not sticky. With a large piece of waxed paper underneath and on top of the dough so it doesn’t stick to the rolling pin, roll the dough into a circular shape. Lift off the top piece of wax paper, and flip the dough into a pie plate, gently pressing it into the plate and removing the waxed paper. With your fingers, flute the crust to the rim of the pie plate to adhere it. Trim the edges with a paring knife and patch the crust if needed. Refrigerate the crust until you are ready to fill it.

Nutritional Information per serving (% based upon daily values):
Calories 210, Total Fat 10g, 15%, Saturated Fat 3.5g, 18%, Cholesterol 40mg, 13%, Sodium 270mg, 11%, Total Carbohydrate 28g, 9%, Dietary Fiber 1g, 5%, Protein 3g, Sugar 10g

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Are you a voracious reader like me? Special offer and a Book Club Recipe

Monday, November 9th, 2009

In addition to cooking, one of my other great passions is reading great books. I’m just finishing an absolutely wonderful novel by Lorie Moore, called A Gate at the Stairs. Every sentence reads like a poem, but the plot is keeping me engaged to the last page (which I WILL finish today before my book club arrives at 7:30!).

I wanted to tell you about Bookbrowse, a terrific resource for book lovers that I really enjoy. Bookbrowse has great reviews of new books, author interviews, book club guides, and many more resources for book lovers. Owner Davina Morgan-Witts also wanted me to tell you about their new one-month free trial option, for those who like to take a nibble before they commit to a whole bite.

Subscribe to BookBrowse and discover the books that truly give you what you want from reading!

As a BookBrowse member you’ll enjoy our interactive online-magazines with in-depth reviews, the stories behind the books, book club chats, author interviews, book news and more.

In addition, our previews of high profile and notable books will keep you way ahead of the crowd; and you’ll be able to find just the right books for you and your family by browsing our wide variety of themed reading lists and our handpicked ‘readalike’ suggestions from one book to another.

You’ll also be able to catalog and comment on any book anyway you want in your Personal Reading List; and receive free prepublication copies of books through our First Impressions program (USA residents only). Books are subject to availability with most members who take part receiving 2-3 books each year.

All this for just $29.95 for a year or $9.95 for 3 months.

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“My book club friends think I’m so smart because I’m so informed about books!” - Betty, USA
I particularly like the previews, I put books on hold at my library and usually get them early.” - Barbara, Australia
“What an absolute gem for book lovers! It wants for nothing” - Marty, Canada
“Thank you for BookBrowse. It would be a bargain at twice the price.” - Karen, USA

Tonight my book club is coming for dinner, and I’m going to serve them Risotto with Sausage and Mushrooms, with Roasted Carrots and Parsnips, and a Spinach Provolone Bread from Great Harvest Bread Company (my favorite resource for fresh bread when I don’t have time to make my own.

If you don’t have access to The Six O’Clock Scramble recipes through either the website or the cookbooks, here’s the recipe for the risotto:

Risotto with Sausage and Mushrooms

Prep + Cook = 30 minutes
8 servings, about 2 cups each

Our friend, Karen Murray, gave me this terrific and easy recipe. According to Scramble recipe tester, Debbie Firestone, the risotto smells as “heavenly” as it tastes. You can use any kind of sausage your family likes. Serve it with roasted parsnips or carrots.

1 lb. Italian sausage (or use meatless sausage)
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cups Arborio (changed from white) rice, uncooked
28 - 30 oz. low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup white wine (or use additional broth)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

Remove the sausages from their casings and crumble them coarsely (if using precooked or meatless sausage, dice it into 1/4-inch pieces).

In a large skillet or saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, sausage and garlic and sauté them until the onions are tender and the sausage is browned, about 5 minutes. (Meanwhile, prepare the parsnips or carrots, if you are serving them.)

Add the mushrooms and rice, and stir until the rice is coated and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Add the broth, wine and pepper and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer the mixture for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender.

Stir in the peas and cheese and serve it immediately.

Scramble Flavor Booster: Use spicy Italian sausage and season the risotto with lots of freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated cheese.

Tip: If you don’t like mushrooms, you can leave them out of this dish and it will still taste divine.

Side Dish suggestion: To make roasted parsnips or carrots, cut 1 lb. of parsnips or carrots lengthwise into quarters and cut those strips into 1-inch pieces. In a roasting pan, toss the pieces with 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Roast them in the oven at 450 degrees until they are slightly browned (15-20 minutes). The longer you cook them, the sweeter they will become.

Nutritional Information per serving:
Calories 510, Total Fat 28g, 43%, Saturated Fat 9g, 45%, Cholesterol 50mg, 17%, Sodium 560mg, 23%, Total Carbohydrate 44g, 15% Dietary Fiber 2g, 8% Sugar 3g, Protein 17g

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More about BPA in Cans from Consumers Union

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

In this week’s Six O’Clock Scramble newsletter, I addressed the benefits of using fresh vs. frozen vs. canned foods, and touched on the issue of BPA in cans which may pose a danger to our health. For more on this topic, please read the following article by Naomi Starkman of Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports (a source I’ve long trusted): http://civileats.com/2009/11/02/tests-find-wide-range-of-bisphenol-a-in-canned-soups-juice-and-more/

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Some Fabulous Websites Have Been Spreading Scramble Love

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

In the last few weeks a few terrific websites have been sending new customers my way. I want to thank Nicole Heady’s Capture the Moment blog, Austin Kidbits, and Daily Candy Kids, in particular for their features:

http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/2009/10/happytuesday.html

http://www.dailycandy.com/kids/all-cities/article/76882/Aviva-Goldfarbs-Mini-Meatloaf-Muffin-Recipe

http://austin.gokidbits.com/tidbit/word-to-your-mother-2

I appreciate the recognition of these bloggers and feel fortunate that their authors enjoy The Scramble enough to help me spread the word. Thank you!

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