Cobb Salad

When planning a menu for a summer gathering, there are a few variables that must be taken into consideration.  Easy preparation should be a priority.  Most, if not all of the meal needs to be prepared in advance.  No one likes to spend their time in the kitchen while entertaining, especially during the summer.  In addition, it is impossible to anticipate everyone's dietary restrictions or food preferences so it's important to have a meal that is adaptable.  Leaving the assembly to your guests ensures everyone will eat what they want and like.  MYO Cobb Salad is the great way to change up the summer party offerings while keeping things delicious and light.  Plus, I can't resist the urge to use this amazing chalkboard table overlay (it's just a piece of chalkboard painted glass!).

Burgers and hotdogs, step aside.  This is perfect for this weekend's poolside party or backyard bash!

Summer Party: Make Your Own Cobb Salad

 Cobb essentials: Blue Cheese and Bacon

Vegetarian-friendly meat on the side; salt and pepper to taste

What makes this bite better?
At this point in the summer everyone has had their fill of burgers and hot dogs.  Salads can be surprisingly filling and serve as refreshing substitutes to the typical summer spread.  Substituting Balsamic Vinegar dressing instead of a heavy blue cheese dressing saves lots of calories and improves the profile of the dish.  To save a few more calories, remove the yolks of the egg whites before adding them to your salad.  This salad is full of healthy protein (grilled chicken and hard-boiled egg) as well as healthy fat (avocado).  Blue cheese and bacon can be added in small quantities to add huge flavor and great texture without tons of calories.

MYO Cobb Salad

Grilled Chicken

Applewood smoked bacon

Blue Cheese crumbles

Avocado

Hard-Boiled Egg

Mixed Greens/Spinach

Balsamic Vinegar

The trick to a great cobb salad is perfectly cooked chicken and outstanding bacon (not that bacon isn't always outstanding).  All the other ingredients can be easily prepared by slicing, dicing, pouring and tossing.  

Grilled Chicken
The best way to cook chicken is to use a food thermometer to prevent it from drying out.  Trim the excess fat from each chicken breast and season each side with salt and pepper.  Heat a grill pan to high heat and cook the chicken on each side for about 3 minutes (this will create grill marks= visual appeal).  Lower the heat to medium and allow the chicken to cook about 5 more minutes.  Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken.  Remove from heat once the temperature reaches 165 degrees (this is the temperature required to kill salmonella).  Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Bacon
The Applewood Smoked Bacon from Whole Foods is my favorite.  It's thick cut and incredibly flavorful,  so you only need to use a small amount to gain tons of flavor and texture.

Mushroom and Kale Stir Fry

On rare occasions when I was little we would have "breakfast for dinner."  Looking back, the idea seems simple enough and makes complete sense. When there is no time to assemble an entire dinner, you reach for the ingredients you always have on hand-bread, eggs etc.  However, when I was little this seemed so exciting and completely out of the ordinary.  This makes me think about how much meal ideology shapes our diets.  Healthy ideas, like eating vegetables at breakfast or eggs at dinner, sometimes seem odd.  But, that doesn't necessarily mean we can't do it.

I eat this dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The veggies and brown rice give me enough fiber and energy to keep me full.  The egg is a great source of protein, especially since I am always trying to cut back on the amount of meat I eat.  Go ahead- eat outside of the box.

What makes this bite better?
Whenever people are looking to lose weight, protein takes center stage and everything else gets cut out.  However, most people in the pursuit of weight loss forget that too much meat in our diet is detrimental to our health.  Eggs are a great meat substitute for multiple reasons.  Not only are they an excellent source of protein, but they are affordable.  It isn't always easy to purchase organic, local, humanely raised meats; the purchase of these meats is often limited not only by price but also by availability.  Organic, cage-free eggs are readily available and while they may seem expensive compared to regular eggs, they are quite reasonable compared to their chicken and beef counterparts.

Mushroom and Kale Stir Fry

Mushrooms 

Kale

Brown Rice

Eggs

Crushed Red Pepper

Onion

Chicken Stock (optional)

Clean and chop the kale and mushrooms.  I used cremini and portobello mushrooms because I prefer a heartier mushroom in a vegetarian dish.  Prepare brown rice according to instructions (I typically use boil-in-a-bag brown rice because it's so easy).  Dice the onion and in a large pan, sauté with olive oil for 3-5 minutes.  Add the kale and sauté for about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and allow to brown on one side before sautéing.  Add the crushed red pepper and salt to desired taste.  Add about 1/4 cup of chicken stock (or use water) to create a slight broth.  Add desired amount of brown rice and combine.  In a separate pan, prepare one egg for each person (I prefer sunny side up).  The yolk creates a sauce that works wonderfully with the spice.  If you are preparing the eggs scrambled, you can add them directly to the stir fry.  I always serve this dish with jalapeño salsa.  Serve and Enjoy :)

TIP: This dish is very easy to make in large quantities and save for meals throughout the week.  The mushrooms-kale rice can be an excellent side during another meal or can be very satisfying on its own.

Egg Muffins with Mushrooms, Chives and Gruyere

Whenever people try to restructure their eating habits, the hardest hurdle to overcome is convenience.  Rightfully so- everyone wants what is easiest, quickest and cheapest.  However, that usually is not what is best for us.  Adopting and maintaining a healthier diet requires the perfect combination of nutritional quality and ease.  

I am always looking for new ways to address this dilemma, especially to cater to people's busy lifestyles.  I got the idea for these easy egg muffins from Pinterest (where I get my ideas for everything in life).  The homemade version of these egg muffins ensure that they are actually made with eggs, and not whatever yellow liquid happens to be used in processed egg products.  You can make enough for the whole week and freeze the leftovers, so you always a breakfast on hand that is healthy, quick and convenient. 

What makes this bite better?

One of the current trends in Nutrition research explores the "built" environment.  The "built" environment is defined by the things around us and how they impact our health.  Factors such as the number of fast food restaurants, ability to walk places, access to supermarkets and the number of parks in your neighborhood contribute to your health, without you even knowing it!  Many studies exist on this topic and show that the more often you are exposed fast food restaurants, the more likely you are to go to one.  This study also found that people who frequent fast food restaurants as little as once per week have overall less healthy diets than those who never visit fast food restaurants.  Obviously, fast food consumption is linked to weight gain, obesity and other obesity-related diseases.  If you live in an area with a lot of fast food chains, taking measures to avoid temptation is essential.  These egg muffins provide the convenience you need, without requiring you to take a trip to your nearest fast food establishment. 

Egg Muffins with Mushrooms, Chives and Gruyere

8-9 eggs

Chives

Mushrooms

Gruyere

Salt

Pepper

Beat the eggs with salt and pepper and distribute evenly in a lightly oiled cupcake baking pan.  Clean and dice the mushrooms and chives.  Cut the gruyere into small cubes.  Add all other ingredients to the egg mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and allow the eggs to cool in the oven.  Remove and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper if desired.  Store in the refrigerator or freezer.  Reheat for breakfast.  Serve on pita, an english muffin or enjoy alone! 

Yogurt with Flax, Honey, Almonds and Fruit

We have reached the most critical time of year when those of us who have made New Year's resolutions will decide whether or not we are actually going to keep them.  Most resolutions are prompted by the guilty behaviors of the holiday season- save money, lose five pounds, make more of an effort to keep in touch with friends and family.  However, once the holidays are far enough behind us, we lose the steam that encouraged us to make those resolutions in the first place.  In my humble opinion, one of the most common reasons people give up on their New Year's resolution is simply because they did not have a strategy for how to implement their new found improvements in the first place.  A plan is key.

Many of my family and friends recruited my help in their pursuit to lose weight in the new year.  A few dietary assessments and eating habit evaluations later, everyone is always surprised by my plan- "You need to get more..."  More fruits, more vegetables, more fiber, more water, more exercise, more sleep.  Granted I could have put together a few "less" statements but they aren't as important.  Often, if we focus on increasing what is good for us, the negative elements seem to creep out on their own.  Identify the healthy elements missing from your diet and add them.  This yummy breakfast is ideal for increasing intake of fiber, omega-3, antioxidants and low-fat dairy and it is full of power foods such as blueberries, almonds, oats and flax.  Not to mention, it's a perfect way to start your day.

What makes this bite better?
When people begin their New Year's resolutions for weight loss, they often target every meal and cut out everything they normally eat.  This is not an effective strategy for integrating and maintaining healthy weight loss.  This is why I prefer to recommend people begin by re-vamping their breakfast.  Not only is it an easy meal to improve but it also sets the tone for the rest of the day, hopefully encouraging better food choices.  This breakfast is satisfying and full of healthy components like fiber and omega-3s that are often difficult for new health buffs to integrate into other meals.  The health benefits of omega-3s are vast and flax is an easier, much less expensive and more environmentally sustainable source of omega-3 than fish or fish oil supplements.

Yogurt with Flax, Honey, Almonds and Fruit

3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1/2 cup oats

1-2 cups fruit (bananas and blueberries are my favorite!)

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 teaspoon flax seeds

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, or in a to-go container in the morning.  I used rolled oats because they were what I had on hand.  However, for the highest fiber content, use steel cut oats.  Enjoy :) 

Toffee Triangle Cookies

Tis the season to bake cookies and boy, do I bake some cookies.  Holiday baking has been an obsessive hobby of mine since I was very, very little.  I take pride in accurately measuring each ingredient and decorating every single cookie to perfection.  Ironically, this only pertains to holiday baking.  Any other time of the year, I have no patience for the precision that is required for the art of baking.  That being said, I try to take advantage of my inclination when it strikes.  Every year around this time, I wrap up my final exams, put on some holiday tunes and turn my kitchen into my own personal rendition of Santa's bake shop.  Every single recipe I make is very special to me; most of them are passed down from my Oma and have become holiday staples in my mother's kitchen, year after year.  This is only my humble interpretation of my mom's cookies, which always seem to turn out better than mine, simply because they are made with so much love. 

What makes this bite better?

Love.  Lots and lots of love.

 Toffee Triangles 

1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Approximately 1 cup chopped walnuts
1 egg yolk
2 cups of flour
10-12oz Chocolate (milk, dark or a combo!)
Sea Salt

Mix together butter and brown sugar then add the egg yolk and vanilla.  Add flour.  Grease a large cookie sheet with butter and then press dough evenly into the sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden.  Remove from the oven and immediately place chocolate pieces onto the cookie.  Spread evenly. Sprinkle walnuts and sea salt to finish. Gently press the walnuts into the chocolate. Let cool completely and store in the refrigerator until needed.  Cut diagonally into triangles.  Store in an air tight container. 

Spicy Cauliflower

Thanksgiving this year, as in every year past, was fantastic.  It was filled with family, friends, laughs and of course, too much food.  When the preparation responsibilities were divvied up,  I was assigned the obligatory task of preparing "healthy" sides. I was determined to prepare vegetables that upstaged even those dishes covered in cream sauce and marshmallows.  I wanted to prove a point. Vegetables are just as tasty, exciting and essential to a holiday spread as any other dish.

What makes this bite better?
If you are going to prepare a spicy dish to compliment any meal, it should be Thanksgiving.  A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that adding red pepper to a meal significantly decreased subsequent calorie intake- a real benefit on a day when calorie counts are through the roof!  The researchers also found that chili may stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for our bodies internal processes including digestion. The benefits of chili pepper were further highlighted in an article published in a Harvard Health Letter that showed adding chili to a meal reduces appetite, increases metabolism, speeds up fat oxidation and regulates insulin levels.  On a day like Thanksgiving, when our bodies can absolutely use a little help in digestion, limiting calorie intake and controlling blood sugar, spice it up!  Keep this recipe on hand for the days of heavy eating that lie ahead.

Spicy Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower

2 red chili peppers 

3-4 large pieces of garlic

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Parmigiano reggiano cheese

Lemon

Salt

Pepper

Clean and cut the cauliflower into bit size pieces.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and toss the cauliflower lightly in olive oil.  Spread evenly on the baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Toss frequently to cook evenly on all sides.  Cut the chili pepper and garlic and place in a bowl. Add the crushed red pepper chili flakes and cover in olive oil.  Once the cauliflower is cooked through and has a nice browning, remove from the oven and heat a sauté pan over medium on the stove. Heat the olive oil mixture and then add the cauliflower.  Add the juice from one half a fresh lemon.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Allow the flavors to blend and adjust spice to preference by adding more chili flakes.  Remove from heat and finish with parmigiano reggiano cheese.  Serve and enjoy!

Apple Chips

In order get in the spirit of fall, my best friend Kate and I went to a farm in upstate New York to drink apple cider, sample local wine and pick all the apples we could carry.  We lugged home bags upon bags of apples.  While pies and crumbles were on our list of treats to make, we just did not have enough time or enough recipes to make use of all our apples.  Making apple chips was a great way to turn the remainder of fall fresh apples into an easy, healthy snack.  The cinnamon adds a nice spice and they fill the house with an amazing aroma; an ideal treat for the approaching holidays!

What makes this bite better?

Apparently scientitsts have decided the old adage "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" has some validity.  Recent research on apples has given these fruits, traditionally reserved for the teacher's desk, a more prominent place in the diet.  Other fruits and vegetables, such as berries and dark leafy greens, usually get all the credit in disease prevention.  However, a recent study published in Stroke, the journal of the American Heart Association, has shown that a higher intake of white fruits and vegetables, such as apples, was inversely associated with risk of stroke.  Risk was further reduced as intake increased.  Fruits from the other color groups did not show the same association. 

Apple Chips

Apples
Lemon

Sugar (optional)

Cinnamon (optional)

Fill a large bowl with ice water.  Squeeze one half of a fresh lemon into the water.  Clean and slice the apples using a mandolin.  Remove all seeds and immediately place the apple slices in the water bath to prevent browning.  Set the oven to 200 degrees.  Dry the apples slices and place them on parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Mix equal parts cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the apples, if desired.  Bake at 200 degrees until the apples are completely dehydrated, approximately 2 hours. Enjoy :)