Maple Glazed Parsnips and Carrots!

I love Fall, and particularly the color of the vegetables at the market this time of year.  I have to say though, my family is so addicted to butternut squash, that I find I make that most of the time.  Root vegetables are at their best in fall and winter, so I decided to pick up some carrots and parsnips in lieu of butternut squash.

Carrots are best known for their rich supply of the antioxidant nutrient - beta carotene, but also for a wide variety of antioxidants and other health supporting nutrients.  Carrots have been found to benefit the cardiovascular system, vision health and cancer - specifically, colon cancer.

When selecting carrots, roots should be firm, smooth, relatively straight and bright in color.  The deeper the orange color, the more beta-carotene present in the carrot.  Avoid carrots that are excessively cracked or forked as well as those that are limp or rubbery.  In addition, if the carrots don't have their tops attached, look at the stem end to insure that it's not dark - this is a sign of age.  If the green tops are attached, they should be bright colored, feathery and not wilted.  Since the sugars are concentrated in the carrots' core, generally those with larger diameters will have a larger core and be sweeter.

Parsnips also a root vegetable are similar to carrots, although lighter in color.  They are rich in fiber and potassium.    Fiber promotes healthy digestion, helps regulate blood sugar levels, makes us feel full, and may help reduce cholesterol levels.  Parsnips are also low in saturated fat, rich in vitamin K and C, and high in folate.  When selecting parsnips, look for characteristics similar to carrots, as described above.

Eating vegetables in the raw is always the best way to get all their nutritional value since cooking will strip them of some of their nutrients.  However, having a diet rich in vegetables and fruit is most important, even if you don't always eat them raw.

After purchasing my parsnips and carrots I wanted to prepare them so they'd be caramelized, just like when I roast my butternut squash.  I came across a recipe from Nigella Lawson that I knew my family would love -  Maple Glazed Parsnips   I decided to add the carrots for color since parsnips are creamy white.  Nigella's recipe make these root vegetables taste like candy.  Yum, they were so good! 

Here's the recipe.....

Maple Roasted Parsnips and Carrots

Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 pounds parsnips and carrots (Approx. 1 1/8 pounds of each)
• ½ cup canola oil (I used about 1/4 cup)
• ½ cup pure maple syrup (I used about 1/4 cup)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Peel the parsnips and carrots then halve them crosswise, then halve or quarter each piece lengthwise.
• Place parsnips and carrots into a roasting pan, lined with heavy duty foil. Pour the oil over the vegetables and mix them well so that the oil covers all of the pieces.
• Pour the maple syrup over the vegetables and transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Roast the parsnips for 35 minutes, or until they are tender and golden brown.

ENJOY!!!

Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook Giveaway

Last week I posted a recipe for Wheat Berry Salad with Orange Glazed Chicken.  Many of you are well aware when cooking certain types of grains it can take hours.  It wasn't until I prepared this Wheat Berry Salad that I learned I could utilize my rice cooker to do the task. I thought rice cookers were just for rice!

Babysitting my stove for 1 1/2 hours isn't my idea of fun, especially if walking away can lead to stuck burnt grains on the bottom of my pot.  But, I was thrilled to read that there is a cookbook dediciated to all the foods you can prepare in your rice cooker.  Now my rice cooker doesn't have to be an appliance that collects dust most of the time but one that can be used often.

Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann who wrote "The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook" share 250 No-Fail recipes from breakfast dishes straight through to dinner and dessert all using your handy little rice cooker.

For those of you that don't have a rice cooker I highly recommend getting one.  Up to now I used mine most often when teaching sushi classes to make sushi rice or at home for jasmine rice.  Rice comes out perfect every time, and all I have to do is put in the rice with water and turn on - the machine does the rest.

Rice cookers come in a broad range of prices however, you don't have to purchase the most expensive one.  In fact, I've seen them for as low as $7 at Walgreens and Target and have personally used those with great success.  The one I currently own was given to me as a gift from my sister.  It was a bit pricey but works like a charm.  I've had mine for probably 20 years. 

If you cook any type of grain at all, do yourself a favor - purchase a rice cooker and sign up for my giveaway.  Of course if you've already got one you definitely want to enter for your chance to win this fantastic cookbook. 

In it's 10th Anniversary edition Hensperger and Kaufmann will help you make Risotto, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings, dishes like Steamed Halibut Steaks and Scallops with Sweet Red Pepper Sauce, Tamales, Poached Dried Figs in Red Wine Sauce among so many others.  Who knew your rice cooker could be so versatile?  No me!

For your chance to win The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook simply post a comment letting me know why you'd like to win this cookbook, and if you own a rice cooker what dishes you currently prepare in it?

For a second chance to increase your odds of winning, "Like Me" on Facebook and post in the comments section below.

For a third chance of winning, "Follow By Email" in the top right of my blog and post a comment letting me know.

The giveaway for The Ultimate Rice Cooker  Cookbook will be selected at Random on Monday, March 19th, 2012. Please be sure when posting your comment to provide a link where you can be contacted.  This way in the event you win The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook I'll be able to reach you for your mailing address.

Remember, if you don't win you can always purchase the book on Amazon.

Good Luck!

THE WINNER OF THE ULTIMATE RICE COOKER COOKBOOK IS:

Nami @ Just One Cookbook

CONGRATULATIONS NAMI!

Darkness is closing in on my grilling time!

The days are getting shorter and although Daylight Savings Time doesn't happen until November this year, I feel like my time at the grill is closing in on me.  I know I can still grill when it's dark out, and I do however, I just don't enjoy it as much.

With that in mind and feeling like an Indian Summer day I decided to grill up some chicken breasts with an Asian Ramen Noodle Slaw for dinner.  This meal feels like comfort food to me, light yet, soothing.

I used boneless skinless chicken breasts but feel free to use any type of chicken you like.  The balance of flavors makes this dish great hot or cold.  Plus, the next day I like to slice the chicken up and add it to my Asian Slaw for an entree' salad.  I think you'll like this recipe!


Asian Citrus Chicken
serves 4-6

Ingredients:

zest of one orange
6 tbsp. fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup light soy sauce
3 tbsp. honey
2 tsp Asian Chili Sauce
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, minced

Directions:

Combine the marinade ingredients and place in a zip lock baggie and mix well.  Reserve 1/4 of the marinade for basting.  Add chicken to the zip lock bag, mix and refrigerate 30 minutes - no more than 8 hours. 

After time in the refrigerator take out and place on a preheated grill.  Grill approximately 4-5 minutes on one side then flip, brush with additional marinade and grill for an additional 4-5 minutes.  Breasts should register 160F degrees when done.  You can also check using the finger or touch method.

Plate up and serve with Asian Ramen Noodle Slaw (recipe below)

Don't forget to come to my "Virtual Cookie Swap & Giveaway" and share your cookies with us!!!

I was introduced to the Ramen Noodle Slaw about 6 years ago and have been in love with it ever since.  If you've never tried it but love slaw, you'll love this.  Ramen Noodles come in many varieties from Chicken, Beef, Asian (which isn't shown here) and several others. Feel free to change up the type of oil and vinegar you use.  When I use Ramen Chicken, I use Canola Oil and Cider Vinegar - experiment you can't go wrong.

Here's my Asian Ramen Noodle Slaw - trust me this is absolutely delicious!

Asian Ramen Noodle Slaw

serves a lot

Ingredients:

1 pkg cole slaw mix (I used Rainbow Slaw mix here)

1/2 cup roasted & salted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup toasted almond slivers

2 pkgs, Ramen Asian Noodles (crushed)

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Dressing:

whisk all ingredients together

1/2 cup Sesame Oil

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Rice Vinegar, unseasoned

2 pkg Ramen Asian seasoning

Keep dressing & dry ingredients separate until ready to serve.  You may not wish to pour all of the dressing on the slaw depending on your tastes.  In fact, in my photo above I halved the dressing proportions since we don't use much, and it was still great. 

This is so delicious that you'll find yourself eating the entire bowl.  Well at least I did!

Enjoy!!!

Grilled Watermelon Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction

There's nothing better than watermelon in the summer.  Whether having it as a side dish, dessert, watermelon gazpacho or salad, it's refreshing and light.  

This sweet, juicy watermelon is actually packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature.  An excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A  it's so refreshing and light, I could literally sit down and eat and entire bowl and not feel stuffed.  This is probably due to the fact that's it's packed with 92% water, making it an extremely thirst-quenching fruit. Plus, it has a good concentration of lycopene, it's rich in B vitamins necessary for energy production and magnesium and potassium. And at only 48 calories per cup, it packs more nutrients per calorie - an outstanding health benefit!

Of course, all this helps to know when I eat buckets full.  However, I eat it mostly because I just love it and it's so refreshing and satisfying. 

So last night I decided to make BBQ Salmon with a Grilled Watermelon Salad with Goat Cheese, and a Balsamic Reduction.  Since I had some pineapple I decided to add that to the grill as well and set that under my salmon for a light and luscious meal. 

The Watermelon Salad was so delicious that I thought I'd share the recipe with you.  For my next post I'll share my salmon dish that I think you'll enjoy as well.  All are so simple to prepare in addition to being healthy and delicious!

In the recipe below, adjust the amount of watermelon needed for the amount of people you're serving.


Grilled Watermelon Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients:

Watermelon (seedless)
Spring Mix lettuce or Arugula
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Goat Cheese, crumbled

Directions:

For each serving cut 2 rectangular pieces of watermelon (about 3"x2") and set out on a paper towel for approximately 30 minutes.  This will absorb the extra water in the melon and allow it to get to room temperature before grilling.

Prior to grilling rub just one side of each piece of watermelon with olive oil.  Place each piece, oil side down, onto a very hot grill.   Grill just the one side for about 8 minutes.  After about 4 minutes you can rotate the watermelon to create hatch marks, if desired.

Place one piece grill side down on a plate.  Top with Spring Mix or Arugula.  Then place the other grilled piece of watermelon with the grill marks facing up on top of the Spring Mix. Set a couple pieces of the Spring Mix on top with some goat cheese crumbles.  Additionally, sprinkle some of the goat cheese around the plate and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.  (My balsamic reduction moved a bit as I moved my plate to the outdoors for photo taking).

Balsamic Reduction:

Take one bottle of balsamic vinegar and place in a heavy duty saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and reduce until just 1/4 of the vinegar is remaining in the pan.  It will be thick and sweet.  Perfect for salads, ice cream on fruit, etc.  Cool before serving. 

Store in a squirt bottle for easy serving.  Will last indefinitely.

Serve and enjoy this light, delicious and refreshing salad!

Have a Happy & Safe 4th of July!

Turmeric: The Spice, Health Benefits & Recipe

Oftentimes when I'm out running around and lunch time rolls around I'll stop in at Whole Foods, an incredible health foods market, to pick up some lunch. They have a vast variety of prepared foods to choose from that are so healthy and fresh. I love it.

One of my favorite side dishes that they have is an Israeli Couscous often labeled Cranberry Couscous but I have seen the same dish with other names. I usually get this along with some grilled salmon.

When I first ordered this dish I couldn't figure out what wonderful flavor I was tasting. It wasn't curry but had the same characteristics of curry with the bright golden color but a softer flavor. When I asked for the ingredient list I realized it was Turmeric. So when I came home I got on my computer to get all the facts on just "What is Tumeric?"

First of all Turmeric can be found in the spice section of the grocery store. It is a root, or rhizome, that looks like ginger on the outside with a bright orange flesh inside. The orange powder is ground from the rhizomes that are first boiled for hours and then dried for weeks. Dried turmeric has an earthy and slightly bitter taste.

Turmeric grows in the tropical forests of India, China, Southeast Asia, Jamaica, and Peru where it has been used for thousands of years. In Indian food, turmeric is an ingredient in curry, garam masala spice blends, and in chutneys. In Asian cooking, turmeric is used in soups, rice, salads, sauces, eggs, lentils, and fish recipes. Turmeric is also an ingredient in Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pickles.

Besides being a food, Turmeric is one of nature's most powerful healers. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin which has potent anti-inflammatory properties and has been known in Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicines for thousands of years. Recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's disease

Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric to your diet:

1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.

2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.

3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.

4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.

5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.

6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.

7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.

8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.

9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.

10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.

11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.

12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.

13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.

14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.

16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.

17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.

18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.

19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.

20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin condition.

Afer rummaging through all the information on this incredible spice I decided I need to start adding it to my daily diet and find more recipes to include it in.

Turmeric comes in capsules, teas and liquid extracts, but Indian lore says it's better to eat the ground turmeric than to take the extracted curcumin. Turmeric is considered safe when used as a spice in foods, but more research is needed to establish the safety of turmeric when used in herbal remedies.

It's been said that if you take a round tablespoon of turmeric a day that should be enough to do the trick. But before going to the store there are a few precautions you should be aware of.

It should be used with caution by people with gallstones, stomach ulcers, or bile duct obstruction as turmeric may exacerbate these conditions.

Turmeric can be a uterine stimulant, so pregnant women should consult with a doctor before taking turmeric during pregnancy.

People with serious liver or heart conditions should also consult with a doctor before taking turmeric supplements.

However, unless taken in higher doses you shouldn't have a problem but, it's always a good idea to consult with your physician.

Recipe:

After eating the Cranberry Couscous numerous times I decided to try and get the recipe. Low and behold I did and I thought I'd share this tasty side dish with you.




Cranberry Couscous
serves 4-6 people

Ingredients:


Salad:
2 cups Israeli couscous, uncooked
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup toasted pecans, quartered
2 scallions, minced

Dressing:
3 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 orange, zest
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:


Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add the couscous. When it's done (roughly 8-10 mins, or when it's al dente), drain it but do not rinse. Set aside and let cool while you mince the scallions, toast and chop the pecans, and make the dressing.

In a small bowl, whisk together the canola oil, vinegar, honey, orange zest and juice, spices and salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the couscous, cranberries, pecans and scallions. Pour the well-whisked dressing over it and toss to combine.

Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge for a few hours to blend the flavors.

Enjoy!