Weekend Cooking: Two Books That Offer Healthy Guidelines for the Food We Eat

Many of us have made the decision this year to take control of the food we put into our bodies and to maintain healthier eating habits. For me personally, I began this journey two years ago after realizing that for the first time in my life, I needed to go on a diet. But it wasn't a diet I needed. It was a lifestyle change that I could adapt and continue to practice for the rest of my life. I began reading the nutrition labels on the food I was buying and learning what to stay away from. There's a lot of information in those labels if only you take the time to understand what they mean. Now I look at food a lot differently than I used to and I don't buy food just because it tastes good. Even though it may taste good, that doesn't necessarily mean its good for you. For two years now I've completely cut out processed foods from my diet and I can tell a significant change in my body. Most of the food I eat I prepare fresh at home from ingredients I choose. I rarely eat fast-food and when I occasionally slide, I immediately regret it because of how it makes me feel and then I vow never to to it again.

For today's post I wanted to share two books that I've come across that have helped me tremendously in my quest for eating healthy. The first book, HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE,  is a self-published ebook by Ceps Weston and is available on Kindle (for 2.99). Though not written perfectly, the information provided in the book allowed me to overlook the sub-par writing. (In my opinion) I read this book in a day and though its not an in depth, technical book, it is very helpful in identifying ingredients you should definitely stay away from and why.  This book would be great for those just starting to realize that they want to have more knowledge about what they are putting into their bodies.

The second book I want to mention is a much more in depth look at food in general and the benefits of eating real food, not food that the 'industry' tells us is healthy and good for us. This book came out in 2008 and was featured on many of the morning news shows for its bold statements about how the food industry manipulating the public into thinking they're providing us with healthy alternatives. Its a very interesting book written by Nina Planck, who is a renowned food expert who grew up on a farm in Virginia eating 'real' food and selling it at farm stands. Her knowledge of food is very broad and is not at all related to food trends, just simple whole foods.  This book is aptly titled REAL FOOD: What To Eat and Why. In it, Ms. Planck shares her wealth of knowledge about foods that have been around for thousands of years and the benefits of them. For anyone looking to learn about food and maintaining a healthier lifestyle I highly recommend this book.  I promise you won't look at food the same way again.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope this post was helpful to you in some way. for more great cooking posts, please stop by Beth Fish Reads and check out all the other contributors for this weekly event. 

Weekend Cooking: Don't Settle for Boring Oatmeal

In today's cooking post I'd like to share an easy, quick way to spruce up your average oatmeal that will turn it into a real treat. Now that the Fall season has arrived (even here in Florida!), I'm turning to warm cereals for breakfast that leaves me satisfied and warms me up from the inside out.

Oatmeal is one of those cereals that is like a blank canvas. Left by itself, its not much to get excited about but by adding a few simple ingredients, it can be a masterpiece. I took a recipe from Bobby Flay's show, Brunch @ Bobby's and changed it just a little to make it work for me. He called it Apple Pie Oatmeal, but I just call is Yummy! Here's what you do:

In a medium saucepan add:

• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries
• 1/2 c. water
• a dab of butter

Bring to a boil, then simmer until sugar is dissolved. While that is cooking down, peel, core and dice 1 Granny Smith apple. Add to mixture and continue simmering until apples are soft but not mushy. While the apples are cooking down, prepare your oatmeal.  I like to add a tablespoon or so of brown sugar to my oatmeal when it is almost done cooking for an added sweetness. When apple mixture is cooked, transfer to glass dish so the mixture will stop cooking so the apples retain their shape and don't get mushy.

Serve oatmeal and top it with apple mixture with a touch of heavy cream or just plain whole milk on top. It's like having dessert for breakfast!

The great thing about this recipe is not only how quick and easy it us, but if you have left over topping, it keeps very well overnight in the fridge and can be heated up quickly the next morning while you make your oatmeal.

I know this is just a simple idea, but I've enjoyed it so much this week, I had to share it with y'all today. Please let me know if you tried it and what you thought..I promise, you'll never look at oatmeal the same again!  Have a wonderful Saturday and thanks for stopping by today!

For more Weekend Cooking posts, stop over at Beth Fish Reads, who hosts this fun weekly event. I'm sure you'll come away with some great foodie ideas.

Weekend Cooking: Ching He Huang's Everyday Easy Chinese Cookbook

In keeping with my healthy eating lifestyle, I'm really looking forward to the summer months when so many vegetables are in season. I am a veggie lover and could live quite happily on them alone. I enjoy my veggies a little on the crunchy side so they are quick and easy to prepare. I love eating stir-fry Chinese food, but as you know, take-out Chinese tends to be greasy and not very good for you. So I decided to make my own Chinese dishes at home.

I used to have a wok years ago but probably sold it in a garage sale years ago. Besides, I'm a much better cook now and probably didn't do that old wok justice anyway. So I recently bought a new, carbon steel wok. I seasoned it properly using peanut oil and a nice handful of chives. Then I got a few basic ingredients that are used in a lot of Chinese cuisine. To start out, I bought peanut oil, sesame oil, light and dark soy sauce, Chinese Five Spice and some rice vinegar. Those are considered staples in Chinese cooking. It can be pricey to start out but once you have those items, you won't have to buy them for awhile. Because I'm on a tight budget (living on disability will do that to a person), each week I allow myself another item. Before long I will have a nicely stocked pantry and will be able to make a wide variety of dishes.

Along with my wok, I bought a Chinese cookbook that featured many of the take-out favorites I love. I watch a lot of cooking shows on the weekend and I'm always learning new techniques and tips. I love watching Ching He Huang on The Cooking Channel. She makes wok cooking look so easy so I chose her cookbook, CHING'S EVERYDAY EASY CHINESE. It contains over 100 quick and easy Chinese favorites.

This is a very nice cookbook, published October 2011 with 240 pages of simple dishes ranging from breakfast to dinner, including some really quick appetizers.  In the introduction, Ching explains her purpose for writing this cookbook. She wants to show the world that Chinese food can be healthy and easy to make. Her passion for Chinese cooking is very evident in her defense of the cuisine not getting the respect cuisines from other cultures receive. Ching is a down to earth cook who doesn't come across pretentious at all and if you've ever watched her shows, her book is written exactly the way she talks on TV. She is not shy about her love of this cuisine and it shows in her passion and her dishes. She puts her own spin on some favorites that have been around for decades and explains why she does some things differently.

There are beautiful pictures to accompany the recipes and though it doesn't have a spiral binding, the book is not so large that it is clumsy in the kitchen. There is only one thing about this cookbook that disappointed me. and maybe it affects me more because of my low vision, but the font type of the introduction to the book and the recipes is so fair and light that I struggle to read them. I like reading about the dishes before each recipe but it has really been a problem for me to see. The font for the actual recipes is black and not the same thin font, so luckily I can see them much easier. It may sound a bit nit-picky but for me, its an issue.

I have enjoyed going through the book and marking the dishes I want to try. I know that for anyone who feels comfortable in a kitchen, you really don't need a recipe to create some great stir-fry, but its nice to have a guide, especially when you want to make something as classic as General Tso's Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork or Kung Pao Chicken, which are all included in this book.  

Unfortunately, most people believe that if you're trying to eat healthy you have to stay away from Chinese food and that just isn't true. Yes, most take out food from anywhere is bad for you but if you can get in the habit of cooking at home with fresh ingredients and stay away from the prepared foods with all the salt and additives, it will make a big difference to your body. And it isn't limited to Chinese cooking. I quit buying prepared foods awhile ago and try very hard to make all of my meals using fresh ingredients along with staying away from pasta. Once I got away from all those processed, packaged foods, I started feeling less sluggish and generally just felt better.  Personally, I get irritated when people say to me, 'Oh, I don't have time to cook'. That's ranks right up there with 'I don't have to time to read.' - But don't get me started on that one! Cooking a healthy meal, especially a Chinese meal doesn't take hours. It takes just a little planning and prep work. Once you turn that wok on, you must have your ingredients ready because it goes very quickly. Most times, my meal is ready in under 12 minutes.  

I have really enjoyed my new wok and the quick and healthy meals I've made. My wok cooking technique is getting better with each try. The most important ingredient in cooking is your imagination. Start with what you like and let your imagination help create dishes that are not only good, but good for you!

Be sure to stop by Beth Fish Reads for more Weekend Cooking posts every Saturday!

CHING'S EVERYDAY EASY CHINESE (Hardback)
Author: Ching He Huang
Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks
Published: October 2011
Length: 240 pp
Source: Bought

Weekend Cooking: Food & Wine's 20 Best Breakfast & Brunch Recipes (Kindle Edition)

Hello and welcome to Weekend Cooking! I don't know about you but breakfast and brunch are two of my favorite meals to cook. There are so many possibilities and there is no right or wrong combination. You can let your imagination go wild and you don't even have to have fancy ingredients. It's also a prefect way to use up leftover items in your refrigerator. That's why when I saw Food & Wine Magazine's 20 BEST BREAKFAST and BRUNCH RECIPES available for an amazing .99 at the Kindle Store, I jumped on it!

What's Inside...

Within this 61 page collection are favorite recipes from chefs and cooks, as well as Food and Wine's very own test kitchen. These recipes are not complicated - they are simple, elegant and smart ideas that I'm sure I'll be using often. The categories include: Egg dishes, such as omelets, frittatas, and sandwiches, to breakfast biscuits, pancakes, and muffins. It covers a wide range of dishes that would please even the pickiest palettes.  

Each recipe includes a beautiful photo of the finished product along with a brief introduction to the recipe by it's contributor. As a foodie, I always find it interesting to know the inspiration behind the development of a good dish. 

My Thoughts:

After purchasing a cookbook, I am always anxious to flip through the recipes and mark the ones that appeal to me. Many times, I am disappointed by either the 'special' ingredients I'd have to buy, or the difficult cooking method that makes me wary. But I am thrilled to say that when I scanned these recipes, I didn't have those feelings at all. There were many recipes that I immediately wanted to try and the ingredients were right there in my pantry. That made a huge impression on me right away. Another thing I like about this cookbook is the portion sizes. In some cookbooks, the recipe makes enough portions for a small dinner party and that is just way too much food for two or three people and I always have to cut the recipe in half and hope it turns out. That isn't necessary here. The photos that are included are very nice and even though the Kindle version doesn't do them justice, you still get a clear idea of what they're supposed to look like. I also enjoyed the introductions because, as a lover of foodie television, over the years, I have become familiar with certain chefs and its fun getting to know them a little better through their food. 

One of the recipes that I tried immediately was from Chef Spike Mendolsohn from Washington, D.C. Chef Spike was a contestant on Top Chef in the earlier seasons and though he didn't win the title of Top Chef, he has made quite a name for himself and has been very successful. His recipe for White House Honey-Oat Muffins jumped out at me right away. The dish was inspired by the honey bees that have made the White House their home. 

WHITE HOUSE HONEY-OAT MUFFINS

iNGREDIENTS

3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

1.  Preheat the oven to 375. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, mix the oats with the whole-wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, coriander and salt.

2.  In another bowl, whisk the honey with the buttermilk, canola oil and eggs. Pour the honey mixture into the dry ingredients; mix just until combined.

3.  Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups and bake for about 18 minutes, until they're golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  

I like this recipe because these muffins are perfect for breakfast: They're not too sweet because there's no sugar, only natural honey and they're made with half whole-wheat flour and oats. They are so simple to make and they turned out beautifully the very first time. I have one of these muffins with a cup of yogurt and I've got a great breakfast without feeling like I've been bad. If you're lucky enough not to have to worry about fat intake, you could spread a little honey butter on your muffin and that would be divine!

So that's just one of the many recipes that caught my eye from this cookbook. There are many more that I intend to try and I'll share them here on another Weekend Cooking post. The decision to add this cookbook to your Kindle Library is a no-brainer, especially considering you can pick it up for .99 right now! I promise you won't regret it! 

For more Weekend Cooking posts, please stop by Beth Fish Reads each and every Saturday for more foodie ideas and recipes. 

20 BEST BREAKFAST and BRUNCH RECIPES

Author: Food &Wine Magazine

Publisher: American Express Publishing Corporation

Published: December 20, 2012

Length: 61 pages

Source: Purchased

Weekend Cooking: Soup Season is Coming!

I realize that for many people, Fall weather is still a dream, but we are in the last stages of warmer weather and I, for one, am really looking forward to all the wonderful recipes of Fall. So I just couldn't resist sharing my new recipe for a hearty soup I developed earlier this week. I love a nice hearty soup, especially one that I can put into the crockpot, forget about it and this recipe is perfect for that as well!

I call this my Hearty Potato, Bean and Kielbasa Soup.  Kielbasa has always been a staple in my family and we've prepared it just about every way you can imagine. But I especially like it in soups. It has such great flavor and the longer the soup sits, the better it gets. First I'll show the stove-top method for this deliciously flavored soup. It only takes about 40 minutes to make, which is another reason I love it.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 nice sized carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, mined
32 oz. chicken broth (or half chicken/half beef)
2 large russet potatoes, cubed
1 can cannelloni beans, undrained
1 pd Kielbasa, sliced and halved (if you like smaller pieces, quarter the slices)
1 can cream soup (celery, chicken or mushroom)
8 oz.(or 1 soup can full)  whole milk
white mushroom caps, sliced (optional)
1 Tbsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a large soup pot, saute carrot, celery, onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. About 5-6 minutes. Add garlic last so it doesn't scorch and get bitter-tasting. You'll also want to season these with a pinch of salt and pepper so the flavor is layered throughout. Then add cubed potatoes and stir around for just a minute, then add broth and bring to a nice simmer. Add basil, oregano and bay leaf, or whatever combinations of seasonings you prefer. Stir and cover simmering until potatoes are just tender. Add sliced kielbasa and beans. Continue simmering for several minutes, then add cream soup and milk. Continue to simmer while soup begins to thicken a bit. If you like a thicker soup, you can add a milk/flour thickening to get your desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook until heated through - about 5 minutes. If you are adding mushrooms, do so now. Remove and discard bay leaf before serving. This soup is delicious served with slices of crusty bread.

If using a crockpot, simply put all ingredients and seasonings in crockpot, adding liquids last. Give it a nice stir to combine and cook on low for 8 hours or until vegetables and beans are soft.

One great thing about this recipe is that the longer it sits, the more flavor the kielbasa brings to the soup.  Another thing I love is that you can do so many variations of this recipe depending on what you have in your pantry. If you don't like the beans, omit them and add two more potatoes. Or add a can of whole kernel corn to make it more like a chowder and add some sweetness to the dish. You could even add a pinch or two of Cayenne pepper for a spicy soup.

When I made the soup earlier this week, it made great leftovers and reheated perfectly. It kept its consistency - not thick but also not runny. It was perfect for my taste. And I hope it is for yours too. This is the type of soup I thrive on and I'll probably never make it the same way twice. That's the beauty of it. I hope you will try it out and if you do, I'd love to hear how you liked it. Thanks for allowing me to share my love of soup with you.

For more great cooking posts, be sure to stop by BethFishReads for Weekend Cooking every Saturday!

Weekend Cooking: A Soup Craving

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share. (Novels about food, non-fiction, cookbook reviews etc.) that is hosted each week by Beth Fish Reads. If you have a food related item you'd like to share, just jump on over there and post your link.

It's been a while since I've participated so I'm really happy to be here today with a new recipe to share with all you foodies.  The recipe I am featuring is one of my own that I kind of just made up as I went along, based on my craving lately for polska kielbasa. I am also a huge lover of soup, especially this time of year so I came up with this hearty soup that is so easy, you can just toss everything into a crockpot and let it do it's thing! Or it can also be done on the stove top in a relatively short time. Now, on to the recipe...

 HEARTY POLSKA KIELBASA BEAN SOUP

Ingredients:

1 lb polska kielbasa, cut in slices, then halved or quartered (depending on how big a bite you want)

1 can kidney beans (light or dark), drained and rinsed

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 large onion, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

1 cup celery, diced

4 cans (14.5 oz) chicken broth (58 oz total)

1 Bay Leaf

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

Instructions:

Put all ingredients in crockpot except for tomatoes and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours. Add tomatoes last and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This recipe is so easy and versatile that you can change it and add whatever kind of bean or veggie that you like. The flavor comes from the kielbasa and the corn gives it just a touch of sweetness. However, if you are on Weight Watchers like me, or you are counting your fat intake, you can use low-fat or fat free turkey kielbasa, sodium-free broth and omit the corn (too much natural sugar).  My mom doesn't care for corn, so if I were making this for her, I'd add some fresh, shredded cabbage shortly before serving instead of the corn.  If your not a big bean person, you could substitute Ditalini pasta for some of the beans. Its a small, round pasta noodle that wouldn't overtake the soup. 

With the weather turning cooler this weekend, this soup will be just the thing to get me through.  I can't wait to dig in with a piece of fresh Italian bread - that I picked up from the bakery! If you do get the chance to try my recipe, I'd love to know if you liked it. Or if you have substitution ideas, please share them! 

Thank you for visiting today and allowing me to share my foodie ideas! Have a wonderful Saturday!

Recipe Review: Crunchy Oven 'Fried' Chicken

Hello and welcome to the weekend! Today I thought I'd do something a little different. I don't know about you, but I always see those thirty second commercials on TV, especially while watching The Food Network, that spotlights a simple recipe featuring a particular product. I've seen quite a few of them and always think, I need to try that one day. Well, I did just that and thought i'd share my results with you.

The recipe I tried was FRENCH'S(R) CRUNCHY ONION CHICKEN and the product they were featuring was the French Fried Onions. Since I am always looking for alternatives to frying foods, I was anxious to try it. Take a look at the recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 cups (4 oz) French's Frid Onions
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 4 (5 oz) boneless chicken breasts (Or you can use tenders)
• I egg, beaten

Directions

Place French Fried Onions and flour into plastic bag. Lightly crush with hands or rolling pin. Transfer to plate.

Dip chicken into egg, then coat with onion crumbs, pressing firmly to adhere. Place chicken on baking sheet.

Bake at 400' for 20 minutes or until no longer pink inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See, I told you it was simple!! OK, now on to my results. First I'll start with the positives:

• Like I said, its a very simple and quick recipe, especially for busy people
• Very few ingredients. No need to purchase special stuff you normally don't use. (I hate that!)
• If you have a toaster oven, like I do, you can use it instead of heating up a large oven, especially in this heat! And there's no splatter like when frying chicken on the stove top.
• The onions did give the chicken a nice flavor
• Easy clean-up. I used aluminum foil on my baking sheet so I didn't have to scrub baked-on coating from my tray.

Now for the negatives:

• I thought the coating was going to be crunchy, like the title implied. However, it really wasn't. It certainly did't look like the picture, especially after slicing it the way they show in the photo.
• Although it did have good onion flavor, it was a little too moist making it not stick to the chicken well at all. I even left my coating a little more coarse, thinking ahead that it would help with this, but it really didn't matter. I'm thinking the onions soaked up the egg too much and thats where the moistness came from.
• The recipe didn't mention turning the chicken half-way through baking, but if I were to make this again, I definitely would because the bottom side coating was, I hate to say it, soggy.
• Although the chicken did have some good onion-y flavor, I would definitely season it with at least salt and pepper, maybe some paprika or whatever you like before coating with the onion/flour mixture the next time. As you know, chicken is bland and really needs spicing up.

Well, those are my thoughts on this recipe. Even though I didn't love it, I wouldn't say I hated it either. I think I will attempt this dish again, making some distinct changes along the way. I like the idea of baking the chicken instead of frying, both for healthy eating reasons along with the cleanup points, but if you like your chicken crispy, maybe frying is the way to go. Your just not going to get that crunch this way, unless you leave the chicken in much longer, but then you take the chance of having dried out chicken when you're done, and who wants that?

To sum it up:

I will give this one another try. Hopefully, with the changes I will make, it will be better next time. FRENCH'S(R) has a great website where they feature this recipe and it even includes a step-by-step video. You can find it here. If you choose to try this recipe, I'd love to know how it worked for you. I followed the recipe the way they had it so I would have comparable results. All in all, if I were to use the same rating system as I do with my books, I would award this recipe 3 out of 5 stars.

This post is part of Weekend Cooking, a weekly event hosted by Beth Fish Reads. Please stop by and see all of the other food-related posts featured today. I hope you'll come back next Saturday for another recipe review!