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February 6th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Popcorn is a whole grain that’s naturally low in fat and calories, while high in complex carbohydrates and fiber. It has no artificial additives or preservatives, and it’s sugar-free.
Air-popped popcorn has only 31 calories per cup, while oil-popped popcorn weighs in at only 55 calories per cup. When lightly buttered, popcorn contains about 133 calories per cup.
Today’s Super Bowl-ready recipe transforms the everyday into the exotic. Organic curry powder offers a spicy change of pace, with toasted coconut, golden raisins and sliced almonds as optional additions.
Organic Bombay Popcorn
Makes 8 servings (1 cup each)
8 cups popped organic popcorn, warm
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons curry powder or hot curry powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup toasted coconut, golden raisins and/or sliced almonds, optional
- Place popcorn in a large bowl.
- Microwave butter 20 seconds, or until melted.
- Stir curry powder into butter until well blended.
- Drizzle seasoned butter over popcorn; stir to distribute.
- Sprinkle with salt, sugar and optional ingredients; stir gently until blended.
Craving Curry?
- Indian Chickpea Dip
- Simple Additions to Mashed Sweet Potato
- Curried Cauliflower
- Ginger Thai Sweet Potato Bisque
- Creamy Curried Soup with Wilted Spinach
- Pumpkin Curry Soup
- Thai Roasted Squash Soup
- Madras Curry Dip for Fish/Seafood
- Kootu Curry
Recipe and photo courtesy of The Popcorn Board
Tags: curry, Organic Food, popcorn, recipes, whole grains
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | No Comments »
February 5th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
There are two types of moms: those whose meat loaf became your ultimate comfort food and those who served scary bricks of incinerated beef.
As San Francisco Chronicle reporter Amanda Gold points out, meat loaf “has both staunch supporters and fervent detractors. But no matter whether it’s considered jail food or the stuff of happy childhood memories, it has made a definite resurgence in recent years, especially in local restaurants.”
These days, many of us substitute ground chicken or turkey for the traditional ground beef in an effort to reduce consumption of red meat. Baking single-serving mini meat loaves is another culinary trend—one that allows us to control portion size.
Today’s recipe comes from The New American Plate Cookbook, published by the American Institute for Cancer Research. Lean ground chicken is the base, with onion, carrots, mushrooms, parsley and marjoram adding substantial nutritional value, texture and subtle flavors. All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.
Round out your meal by filling the remaining two-thirds of your plate with almost any vegetable (try kid-pleasing Spicy Nutmeg Carrots) and a whole grain like Quinoa Pilaf.
Chicken Mini Meat Loaves
Makes 6 servings (two mini loaves per serving)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 pound ground chicken breast
1 tablespoon chopped marjoram or 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup dried whole-wheat breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
1 egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable cooking spray
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
Fresh parsley for garnish
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, mushrooms and poultry seasoning. Cook for about 5 minutes. Turn off and set aside. Let cool until no longer hot to touch.
- In large bowl, use fork to combine ground chicken with onion mixture, marjoram, parsley and breadcrumbs. Add Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and egg. Mix well.
- Coat 12-pan muffin tin (3-inch cups) with cooking spray. Spoon mixture into muffin pans, filling each about half full. Spread thin layer of tomato paste on top of each loaf.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Use external meat thermometer to ensure internal temperature of mini loaves reaches 170°F. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Per serving: 200 calories, 8 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 15 g carbohydrate, 19 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 460 mg sodium
Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research
Tags: chicken, meat loaf, Organic Food, recipes
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | 2 Comments »
February 1st, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
You’ll make the most nutritious—and delicious—produce choices when you buy locally grown organic fruits and vegetables that are in season. It’s also the most economical way to shop the produce aisle.
Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices. Some of the listed fruits and veggies are available year-round, but you’ll find higher quality at a lower cost this month.
- Apples
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Oranges
- Pears
Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.
Recipes to Inspire You
- Home-Style Minestrone
- Frozen Honey Banana Pops
- Spicy Nutmeg Carrots
- Granny Smith Guacamole
- Romaine, Pecan and Pear Salad
Tags: farmers market, fruits, Organic Food, recipes, vegetables
Posted in Organic Food, Organic Food Recipes | 1 Comment »
January 22nd, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Family is one of the most powerful influences on a child’s weight and health.
Win at Weight Loss: A Healthy Guide for the Whole Family offers simple steps parents can take to improve their own health habits and help their children “grow into” a healthier weight.
Today’s recipe, excerpted from the cookbook, features Alaskan cod—a sustainable fish choice. Avoid Atlantic cod, which makes the eco-worst list.
Start-to-finish time is 30 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.
Easy Corn Flake-Crusted Fish
Makes 4 servings
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup water
3 cups corn flakes, crushed to make about 1-2/3 cups
4 Alaskan cod fillets (4 to 6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons canola oil
- In a shallow dish, mix flour and salt. In another shallow dish, beat egg and water with fork. Place crushed cereal in a third shallow dish.
- Dip fish in flour, coating well; shake off excess.
- Dip floured fish in egg mixture and then in cereal, coating all sides completely. Place coated fish on an ungreased plate.
- In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Keeping at least 1 inch between fish fillets (and cooking in batches, if needed), cook fish in oil 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning once, until well browned and fish flakes easily with fork.
- If needed, place cooked fish on paper towels on a cookie sheet and keep warm in a 225°F oven while cooking remaining fish.
Recipe and photo reproduced by permission from Win at Weight Loss: A Healthy Guide for the Whole Family by Betty Crocker. Copyright © 2005 by Betty Crocker. All rights reserved.
Tags: books, Organic Food, recipes, sustainable fish
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | 1 Comment »
January 15th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
If the gang is coming over to watch football, you can nix the bagged snacks and serve this healthier, tastier appetizer.
The recipe is infused with classic Italian flavors, but you won’t have to spend hours chopping, stirring and sautéing. With only four ingredients, it’s light on effort, but long on enjoyment.
Prep time is 20 minutes, cook time is 20 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.
If you’re catering to a gourmet crowd, dress up the serving plate with sprigs of fresh basil or rosemary.
Tuscan Stuffed Mushrooms
Makes 40 appetizers
1 container (10.5 ounces) prepared bruschetta sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese
40 medium fresh white mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
40 small basil leaves (optional)
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease large baking sheet.
- Combine bruschetta sauce and cheese in a medium bowl.
- Fill each mushroom with 1 heaping teaspoon bruschetta mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a serving platter, and top with basil leaves.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Buitoni
Tags: appetizers, mushrooms, Organic Food, recipes
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | 1 Comment »
January 12th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
I picked up a new breakfast idea from the current issue of Health magazine:
- Toast 2 frozen whole-grain waffles.
- Top with 1/2 cup ricotta cheese.
- Slather with 1/2 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries (thawed).
The result is a cheesecake-like dish that takes only 5 minutes of prep time.
To keep things organic, I buy:
I’ve substituted fresh fruit (apples, pears, orange segments), but I really do enjoy the texture of the frozen berries, which drizzle juice over the ricotta cheese. It’s a healthful, filling breakfast “sundae” that’s rich in nutrients and flavor.
Tags: breakfast, cheese, Organic Food, recipes, shopping, strawberries, waffles
Posted in Organic Food, Organic Food Recipes | 1 Comment »
January 7th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Registered dietitian Cheryl Forberg, nutritionist for NBC’s The Biggest Loser, believes losing weight—and maintaining a healthy weight—can be achieved with a few basic food swaps.
“A lot of people are afraid that creating a healthier lifestyle will be too hard or too expensive, or that it will require too much time and effort,” says Forberg, coauthor of The Biggest Loser Simple Swaps: 100 Easy Changes to Start Living a Healthier Lifestyle and Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You.
In today’s recipe, Forberg swaps fat-free Greek yogurt for traditional fat-free yogurt. It has the same calorie count, but twice the protein and half the carbs.
Avocados and oranges are seasonal favorites this month and should be readily available at your local natural and organic food store.
Sliced Avocado and Oranges with Tahini Yogurt Sauce
Makes 4 servings
1 medium (8 ounces) avocado, peeled and sliced
2 medium (7 ounces) seedless navel oranges, peeled and segmented
4 tablespoons Tahini Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley or fresh cilantro, for garnish
1 teaspoon lightly toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- Alternate avocado slices with orange segments on four salad plates.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon Tahini Yogurt Sauce over each salad.
- Garnish with parsley or cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
Makes 1 cup
3/4 cup fat-free, plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender. Process or blend until smooth. Sauce should be the consistency of thick cream.
- If sauce is too thick to drizzle, you may need to add 1–2 teaspoons water.
Recipe courtesy of Positively Ageless by Cheryl Forberg, RD (Rodale, 2008). Photo courtesy of Avocados from Mexico.
Tags: Avocado, oranges, Organic Food, recipes, tahini, yogurt
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | 3 Comments »
January 5th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
The spice aisle at my local natural and organic food store is a culinary playground, and I’m always intrigued by the various spice blends designed to give homemade dishes an international flair.
Companies that produce these blends carefully combine up to a dozen herbs and spices to create foolproof seasonings that make life easy for home cooks.
In my experience, however, spice blends can be much more expensive than their individual components. That’s why I tend to buy individual herbs and spices to create my own blends. This also allows me to buy readily available organic ingredients, control the amount of salt used and tweak the recipe to suit my individual preferences (i.e., more pepper, less garlic).
Our recent post for Southwestern Gluten-Free Cornbread Dressing called for 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning. Instead of purchasing a bottle of the Cajun blend, I prefer to take the do-it-yourself approach. Dressing recipe creator Dana Jacobi (The Essential Best Foods Cookbook, New American Plate Cookbook) shares her DIY recipe here.
Simply combine the ingredients, and store them in a glass jar. You can quadruple the recipe so it’s ready to use when you’re seasoning meat, veggies, egg dishes, rice and other side dishes.
FYI: I reduce salt by 50% when preparing a spice blend. You can always add more salt, if your palate screams out for it.
For an Indian-flavored blend, check out Taj Rub.
DIY Cajun Seasoning
Makes 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Recipe courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research
Tags: Cajun, herbs, Organic Food, recipes, spice rub, spices
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | 3 Comments »
January 2nd, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
You’ll make the most nutritious—and delicious—produce choices when you buy locally grown organic fruits and vegetables that are in season. It’s also the most economical way to shop the produce aisle.
Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices. Grapes and sweet potatoes come off last month’s list.
- Apples
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Oranges
- Pears
Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.
Recipes to Inspire You
- Confetti Apple Slaw
- Granny Smith Guacamole
- Frozen Honey Banana Pops
- Spicy Nutmeg Carrots
- Home-Style Minestrone
- Wilted Greens with Pinot Pears
- Pear and Chocolate Spread
- Orange and Radish Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette
- Red Beet and Blood Orange Salad
- Warm Griddle Salad with Chicken and Apples
- Romaine, Pecan and Pear Salad
Tags: farmers market, fruits, Organic Food, recipes, vegetables
Posted in Organic Food, Organic Food Recipes | 3 Comments »
December 30th, 2009 - Barbara Feiner
John Rothstein, beverage manager and mixologist at Buddakan in New York City, knows that maple syrup adds complexity to cocktails.
We’re toasting the new year with his twist on the traditional lemon drop (vodka, lemon juice, sugar).
Rothstein blends light maple syrup and lemon juice with tequila, Sauvignon blanc and St-Germain, an artisanal liqueur made from freshly picked elderflower blossoms. To add some heat, he infuses the liqueur with jalapeño before mixing the drink.
Check out Laura’s review of organic vodkas before you go shopping.
Sweet & Spicy Maple Lemon Drop
1¾ ounces tequila
1½ ounces Sauvignon blanc
3/4 ounce jalapeño-infused elderflower liqueur (i.e., St-Germain)
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounce 100% pure light maple syrup
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.
- Shake and strain into chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with a lemon spiral.
Recipe and photo courtesy of the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers
Tags: cocktails, maple syrup, New Year’s Eve, Organic Food, recipes
Posted in Organic Food Recipes | No Comments »
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