Are You Ready for Some Football?!

This time of year, the only thing left to look forward to is football.  Unless you're one of those people looking forward to Valentine's day, but I'm not going to go there.  On a freezing Sunday what could be better than crowding around with a bunch of screaming fans and drinking a few beers? Oh that sounds pretty good.

Well kids, it's playoff season which means you have spent the whole regular season eating wings and pizza and drinking your fair share of bud light.  And I bet on most game days you have not given any thought to how many calories are in chicken wings or what blue cheese dressing is actually made of.  But let me tell you-it's not pretty. The spirit of the game should not prevent you from keeping your New Year's resolution or make you look like a line backer.

In honor of the playoffs and the much anticipated Super Bowl (which happens to fall on my birthday) why not snazz it up a bit?  Upgrade some of the snacks at your next party and you won't feel bad about having that extra beer.  Cut out the excess fat from fried foods and all that processed junk with these great recipes.  Plus, they are super quick and easy, so you can save all your energy for the game.

The chicken, spinach and feta meatballs will curb your craving for chicken bites and won't make you struggle with saucy fingers or meat in your teeth.  The chickpeas can replace greasy chips, salty peanuts and candy, providing the perfect pop-able snack you can munch on all game!

Chickpea Pops

1 15oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon of coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more for extra spice)

Toss the chickpeas in olive oil and a pinch of salt.  Spread evenly onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes tossing often.  Bake until the chickpeas are slightly crispy on the outside.  Remove and place in a bowl.  Add seasoning and toss well to coat.  Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Meatballs with Spinach and Feta
Makes approximately 18-20 

1 pound ground chicken
1 small onion, finely diced
2 gloves of garlic, chopped
1 egg
2-3 cups chopped spinach
1/2 cup Better Breadcrumbs
1/4-1/2 cup of crumbled feta (depending on how cheesy you want them to be)

Drizzle olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  Clean about half a bunch of spinach, remove the stems and chop to yield 2-3 cups.  Add the onion to the pan and saute until translucent.  Add the garlic and chopped spinach and cook until the spinach is fully cooked.  Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Form into balls approximately 1 inch in diameter.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.

Soup's On!

It's freakin' freezin'.  There is no debating that.  So the thought of eating anything other than something warm and cozy is out of the question.  This is one of my favorite soups to make during the cold winter months.  It's a remix of the classic Italian stracciatella soup or even better, Chinese egg drop soup.  Everyone loves egg drop soup.  That iridescent yellow color and odd texture are so not natural yet you find it irresistible, especially when it comes with the crunchy noodles.  Why not try making the healthier version at home?!  It is super easy and adding spinach provides extra color, flavor and vitamins. Snuggle up with a mug of this and you'll be warm in no time!


Tip: Cleaning Spinach

Whenever you clean a leafy green, it is best not to use a strainer.  Use a large bowl and fill it with ice water.  Place the greens into the ice water and swish them around gently to remove all the dirt and sediment.  The greens will stay afloat on top and the dirt and sediment will shake off to the bottom. Lift them out of the water onto a towel or into a strainer. 

Egg Drop Soup with Spinach
Makes 8 cups

2 cups of chicken stock
6 cups of water
5-6 cups of fresh spinach
2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons of parmigiano reggiano cheese plus more for finishing
salt and pepper to taste

Bring the chicken stock and water to a slow boil.  In a bowl, combine the eggs and egg whites with 2 tablespoons of parmigiano reggiano cheese. Scramble the mixture well.  Then, add a bit of the warm broth to the egg mixture and continue to whip.  Add the egg mixture to the boiling water.  The egg mixture will immediately float to the top taking the appearance of strands of string.  If necessary, use a fork to break up the egg even more. Add the fresh spinach and allow to cook for 2-3 more minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve and finish with additional parmigiano reggiano cheese.

What makes this bite better?

Whenever I use a pre-made broth, I always dilute it with water.  This reduces the amount of sodium, preventing the broth from being too salty or taking on a flavor that overpowers delicate vegetables or the eggs.  Also, instead of using 4 whole eggs I used 2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites.  This not only reduces the amount of fat and cholesterol but also makes the egg more "stringy" and prevents too much clumping. 

Holiday Hang-On

The holidays are behind us and it is time to bid farewell to my daily indulgence of christmas cookies.  While the decadent dinners and mandatory desserts have to go, there are some holiday favorites that I will hang on to in the new year.  This fennel salad is one my holiday favorites and it is a great addition to any meal in these cold winter months. Not to mention, it is exceptionally easy to prepare.

I never tried fennel until I got to college.  One of my best friend's mothers told us we needed to eat it because it would help cleanse our livers from all our drinking.  True or not, fennel does have a crisp, cleansing appeal that makes it a wonderful compliment to most of the savory dishes served in the winter.  The fennel is paired with tart bites of pomegranate and sweet splashes of citrus.

In the winter months, you can find delicious varieties of citrus to choose from- satsuma, tangerine, blood orange and mandarin oranges will all work wonderfully.

Fennel with Pomegranate and Orange

Serves 6-8

1 bulb of fennel

1 orange (2 if using a smaller fruit like tangerines)

1/2-3/4 cup of pomegranate seeds

1 tablespoon Extra-virgin Olive Oil

Sea salt to taste 

Clean and slice the fennel.  Cut 1/4 of the orange and set aside for later use.  Peel the rest of the orange and slice into bite size pieces.  Add the pomegranate seeds.  Drizzle olive oil and squeeze the juice from the remaining orange slice (1-2 tablespoons).  Season with salt to taste. Toss well and allow the flavors to marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.  Enjoy :)

What makes this bite better?

Pomegranates are known for their antioxidant power and are a great addition to any dish.  Citrus is an excellent dietary source of Vitamin C.  During winter months, when cold and flu season are at their peak, the extra burst of Vitamin C provided by this salad could come in quite handy.

Happy New Year!

This holiday season hit me like a whirl wind.  Amongst the craziness I enjoyed wonderful times with family and friends, celebrated with holiday traditions, ate delicious meals and cataloged lots of cherished memories. Not leaving much time for writing about all of it, I am excited to begin the new year on A Better Bite.

Now that we have unwrapped our presents, braved a blizzard and made it through the holiday madness we mark the beginning of a new year.  Along with the countdown, the party hats and the champagne, most of us have welcomed our new year with a resolution.  If you are like most people, you have made this year's resolution to lose weight.  And like most people, it will most likely last a week or two and then you will forget about it.

This year, my resolution is to keep my resolutions.  Rather than making a list of unrealistic goals, I have committed myself to figuring out how to actually achieve the goals I have set for myself in the new year.  Instead of setting a resolution to "lose weight" identify an approach that will lead to that result.  Saying you are going to lose weight doesn't define how you are going to create a healthier lifestyle. Resolutions that are focused on the process are much more likely to produce results.  You can't just say, you have to figure out how to do.  Activities that can lead to a healthier lifestyle and weight loss include learning to cook, creating a regular exercise schedule, cutting out processed foods or increasing fruits and vegetable consumption.

For 2011, sit down and evaluate your lifestyle.  What can you do to make this year a little bit healthier?  Pick one aspect of your life that you can realistically change-then do it.  Take this New Year as an opportunity to accomplish something you have been meaning to do to better yourself.

Wishing you a happy, healthier and better New Year :)

Back to Basics: The Magic of Mirepoix

Mire-what?? Mirepoix.  It's time to brush up on some food basics.  Even seasoned home cooks who use these three main ingredients quite often are unfamiliar with its name.  A mirepoix is made up of onions, carrots and celery.  The ratio is usually two parts onion to one part carrot and one part celery.  It is the foundation of most stocks, stews, soups and sauces.  It is a culinary fundamental, mastered by chefs in the first week of their training, yet a staple most home cooks have no idea about.  During the winter months, especially when stews and soups are in demand, these three ingredients can be a culinary go to to create the perfect dish.  A mirepoix adds flavor and aroma and using a mirepoix eliminates the need to add extra fat, sugar or salt to enhance the flavor.

Keep these three ingredients on hand.  They are probably the most inexpensive vegetables to buy and keep better than most other vegetables.  You can even prepare your mirepoix in large batches, freeze it and use it as you need it.  The quantities below should give you the approximate ratio for a simple soup (lots of recipes to follow!).  The size of the vegetables in the mirepoix are based on the cooking time of the dish. For example, if you will be using the mirepoix for a braise that will cook for hours, the pieces can be larger.  If you are making a soup that will not cook for as long, cut the vegetables in smaller pieces. The pieces should generally be the same size so they cook uniformly.

Can't figure out what to cook?!

Mirepoix + stock + additional vegetables + protein= a perfect, healthy soup!

Mirepoix

2 small white onions

1 large carrot

2 stalks celery

Turkey Tip #3

Turkey Tip #3:  Keep it Balanced

If you look at the basics of a Thanksgiving meal, it doesn't look all that bad.  Turkey is a wonderful source of lean protein and cranberry sauce is packed with antioxidants.  Even red wine has its health benefits.  It's once we hit the mash potatoes and gravy and skip the greens and salad that we go down hill.  Just like any other meal, keep your Thanksgiving meal balanced.  Make some room on your Thanksgiving table for some delicious, yet healthy options. Eat veggies and healthy grains along with your Turkey and keep the sugar and starchy carbs to a minimum. You will have a fantastic and healthy meal.  And even better, you won't have to feel bad about your extensive dessert sampling.

These sides are a great way to balance out a Thanksgiving table and they will put your stuffing and mash potatoes to shame.  Quinoa is a wonderful grain that is also high protein (a complete source of all the amino acids!) and has a unique nutty flavor.  In addition to being a power vegetable, Brussels sprouts can be a substitute for baby potatoes or a greens topped with cheese (hint: no broccoli with cheese sauce). In addition to being very easy to prepare, these dishes are vegetarian so they will take the pressure off worrying about  an unknown guests dietary needs. What you didn't know your son's new girlfriend was vegetarian?!

Baked Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts

1 lb. Brussel sprouts
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. honey
Sea Salt

Clean the brussel sprouts and bring a pot of water to a boil.  Blanch the brussels sprouts by boiling for about 3 minutes then removing and immediately submerging in a bowl of ice water. Remove and drain on a towel. This step can be done in advance, even the day before.

Add the brussels sprouts to a baking sheet.  Add walnuts and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Sprinkle sea salt.  Toss to coat.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, occasionally tossing to cook evenly on all sides. Remove, finish by tossing with 1 teaspoon of honey.

Quinoa with Almonds and Golden Raisins

1 cup red quinoa
1tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup golden raisins

In a pot, bring olive oil to medium heat.  Add quinoa and stir to coat evenly.  Raise to high heat and add water until it comes to a boil.  Once at a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover.  Allow to cook until all the water has been absorbed, about 20-25 minutes.  Remove the lid and add slivered almonds and golden raisins.  Toss and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy :)

Turkey Tip #2

Turkey Tip #2:  Remember Portion Size
Even the healthiest of us can not resist stuffing and gravy on Thanksgiving.  Try to tell me not to eat a piece of pumpkin pie?  It won't be pretty.  We are going to eat our favorites during the holidays and pretending to restrict yourself or worse, feeling guilty about it, is going to wind up back firing.  Instead of denying yourself or over indulging, remember that portion size is a great way to regulate calorie intake.  We all know that after three bites of pumpkin bite we are happy.  But then we think of poor children in a far away country, or the calorie race we are having against our cousin, and for some reason we feel like we need to eat the whole dang thing.  Put the fork down.  Eat what you want- in moderation.  Indulge, but do so until you have had enough, not until you've had so much you can't move out of your seat.

These pumpkin pie bites will help you resist temptation.  You won't even need to cut yourself a smaller piece because these little guys are small enough.  They are the perfect size to get in all the Thanksgiving flavor required, but not so large that they will break your belt.

Pumpkin Pie Bites
Makes about 24

1 regular cupcake pan
Cooking spray
Flour (preferably whole wheat)
Pie Crust Dough (from a box or homemade just not pre-made)
Pumpkin Pie Filling
Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Brown sugar for finishing

Prepare the pie dough and the pumpkin pie filling.  For this recipe I prepared Libby's pumpkin pie filling using the 30 oz can and substituting low fat evaporated milk in place of regular.  Spray the cupcake pan with cooking spray and smear with a paper towel to ensure even coating.  Sprinkle flour in each cupcake mold and then shake the pan to make sure the flour has evenly coated each mold.  Flip the pan upside down and tap to remove any excess flour.  Form the dough into tiny balls about 1 inch in size.  Place one ball in each mold.  Press the dough into the bottom of each mold to form the crust.  Allow the dough to reach up the sides of the molds as well.  Fill the molds with the pumpkin pie filling (about 2 tablespoons).

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Do not follow the instructions on the pie box or the pumpkin filling.  The temperatures needed to be adjust due to the small size.  Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, remove from the oven.  Allow to cool for about 30 minutes.  Remove from the pan by using a sharp knife to go around the sides of each pie.  This will allow for easy removal.  Place onto a plate.  Finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar.  Allow to cool completely.  Refrigerate or serve.  Enjoy :)