***Thank you so much for your concern and well wishes for me and my car.  I can’t tell you how much your kind and sweet words mean to me.  You made a dismal week a brighter one, and further proved to me that no person can ever take away the things that truly matter most to me.  I am blessed!  Thank you!!!***

Growing up in my household, tofu was a family favorite at the dinner table.  My grandmother added it to soups, stir-fried it with vegetables and often times, it was served as one of the main entrées.  I love the silky texture of tofu and how it can be easily added to practically any dish.  It soaks up any flavor you add to it and can be prepared in so many different ways.  At our house, tofu was as common as sliced bread.  For that reason, I tend to assume that my husband everybody is as fond of tofu as me.  Yeah, not so much…

Image Credit – polyvore.com

But I like a challenge and I’m not one to give something just one try.  I was a woman on a mission.  After a few less-than-stellar attempts at eliciting an enthusiastic response from Patrick on my tofu,  I decided to try something completely different.  Instead of just stir-frying or sautéing the tofu in various sauces and seasonings, I realized I needed to go down a whole other route.  If Patrick wasn’t so keen on the taste of tofu, perhaps I should try to make the tofu taste more like something else?  But just what could I magically transform this brick of protein to taste like?

Spicy Flax-coated Peanut Tofu
Makes 10 slices (serves 3)

• 1 brick of extra firm or firm tofu (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• 2 TBSP of peanut satay sauce (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• 1/2 TSP of sesame oil
• 1/2 TSP of garlic powder
• 1/2 TSP of ground ginger
• 1 TSP of dried cilantro
• a dash of cayenne pepper (you can use as much or as little as you’d like)
• dash of white pepper
• 1 TSP of lime juice
• 1 TSP of soy sauce
• 1/3 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1/3 cup of ground flax

Getting ready for the tofu…

Ooops, I forgot to add these…

1) Drain the tofu after opening the package.  Pat dry the tofu and roll in paper towels.  Place the paper towel-wrapped tofu between two plates with something heavy on top.  I used a tea kettle filled with water.  You could use a heavy frying pan, a book, a bowl full of fruit, etc.  Let the tofu press between the two plates for about 20 minutes.

Right out of the package…

All wrapped up…

Pressing…

2) While your tofu is being pressed, combine the peanut satay sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, ground ginger, dried cilantro, cayenne pepper, white pepper, lime juice and soy sauce in a medium-sized bowl.   Mix until well-blended.  Set aside.

The mix…

3) Once your tofu has been pressed and most of the liquid is gone, slice crosswise into 10 slices.

Sliced…

4) In a shallow bowl, add your egg whites.  In another shallow bowl, add your ground flax.  Line up your three bowls to create a dredging station.

5) Dip each piece of tofu in the egg whites, then the peanut satay mixture and finally, the ground flax.  Make sure each piece is well-coated.

6) Let the coated tofu sit and marinate in the fridge for about an hour.

7) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly cover an aluminum foil-covered baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer.

Oven ready…

Up close and personal…

8 ) Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, flipping your tofu about halfway through.  I cooked mine for 33 minutes and flipped after 18 minutes of cooking.  FYI, you don’t want to overcook your tofu.  Your tofu should still be somewhat soft to the touch when it’s done cooking.

They tend to puff out a bit while baking…

Baked to perfection!

My attempt at making a tofu dish, not taste like tofu, was a big success!  The ground flax coating gave the tofu an almost crispy fried taste and feel, without the grease and unhealthy fat.  The peanut satay sauce, along with the cayenne pepper and sesame oil, gave the tofu a unique spicy flavor.  There was a hint of spiciness, a bit of sweetness and then some savory all rolled into one.  The toasted ground flax gave this dish a nice subtle crunch and complemented the chewy texture that baked tofu tends to take on.  I really enjoyed the various textures in this recipe.  I think some are turned off by the mushiness of tofu, and baking tofu that has been previously pressed definitely removes this factor.  If you haven’t tried pressing your tofu before baking it, I highly recommend it.  It makes a huge difference!

Lotsa green with some protein!

Looks just like chicken…

Not only did I think my tofu recipe was pretty tasty, but Patrick really enjoyed it as well.  I served it with steamed spinach and broccoli and used honey mustard as a dipping sauce (in hindsight, I think a sauce made of Greek yogurt,  fresh cilantro, lime and garlic would have been fabulous!  There’s always next time…).  I didn’t tell Patrick what we were eating until after he took a bite.  He said it tasted good and wanted to know what he was eating.  When I told Patrick it was tofu, he laughed and said it tasted nothing like it.  He could hardly believe that it was baked, and not fried, and that he wasn’t consuming meat.  In fact the most memorable line of the night from Patrick was, “Wow, this is amazing!  They taste just like Wendy’s chicken tenders!”  Hahaha!  I’m not sure if I should take that as a compliment or as an insult, but if Patrick’s happy, then I’m happy!

Do you have any recipes or tricks for making certain foods taste like other foods?  I like being ‘fooled’ by food! Do you have a favorite tofu recipe?

Namasté,
Nicole

Yup.  It’s really official now.  We’re on the downward spiral.  I know as a Bostonian, I should revel in the fact that the blustering cold will be here soon and the ice and snow will only be a hop, skip and a jump behind.  But, I don’t.  I don’t like winter and I really don’t like winter-esque weather.  This past weekend, we set the clocks back an hour and that means it will be dark at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.  OK, that’s a lie.  But that’s what it’s going to feel like!  Can you tell Healthy Chow isn’t really a fan of winter?

That said, in order to keep my heart and soul warm and my mind sane, I have to do things that remind me of the days of summer and that trick me into thinking it’s really not close to freezing outside.  Hot yoga is one way to keep warm but what else can I do?  I guess I could be a snowbird and fly south, but I can’t run away until April.  I could fake and bake and surround myself with heat lamps, but that’s really not my style.  And then I realized something.  I realized that as a healthy food blogger, it is my job to find ways to keep my body and mind well, in addition to finding ways for food to assist me in that mission.  Since I love food and I love the joy it brings me when I can make something healthy and delicious and then eat it, why not put these passions into warding off my disdain for the cold weather?

With that notion in mind, I began flipping through my bookmarked recipes (thanks Lauren!) and did a little searchin’ online.  Finally, I came up with an idea for a dinner that would not only warm my taste buds, but would also help me find that tropical island in the midst of a nor’easter.

Getting Tropical Coconut Chicken & Pineapple Orange Couscous
Inspired by SayWhatYouNeedToSayBlog.com and Cooks.com
Serves 4

For the coconut chicken:

• 1/3 cup of orange juice
• 1 TSP of salt
• 1/3 cup of egg whites
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz. each)
• 1 cup of whole wheat panko crumbs (I used Ian’s Whole Wheat Panko Breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup of organic shredded coconut (I used Woodstock Farms brand)
• 1 TSP of curry powder
• 1 TBSP of Smart Balance Light, melted
• few dashes dried thyme
• few dashes of crushed red pepper
• few dashes of paprika
• few dashes of salt

Egg wash/marinade for the chicken

The makings for something tropical…

1) In a large bowl or pan, mix the orange juice, salt and egg whites.  Add your chicken breasts and let it marinate for about 15-30 minutes in the fridge.

Soakin’ it up…

2) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Once your chicken is done soaking up all the goodness, remove the chicken (place onto a plate) but reserve the marinade.

3) Mix the panko breadcrumbs, coconut, dried thyme, crushed red pepper, paprika and curry together in a shallow dish.

Look at all those colors!

All mixed up!

4) Take each piece of chicken and dredge it into the breadcrumb mixture, being sure to press the breadcrumbs mixture into each piece of chicken.

5) Place the breadcrumb coated chicken onto a foil-lined baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Ready for the oven!

6) Mix your melted butter with your reserved marinade and then pour this entire mixture over your chicken.

7) Cover the chicken with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Then, uncover the chicken and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes.

For the dipping sauces:

• a few TBSP of Trader Joe’s Peanut Satay Sauce mixed with a little water (enough to loosen it up)
• a few TBSP of dijon mustard mixed with honey (to taste)

Dippity, dippity, do!

For the pineapple orange couscous:

• 1 cup of whole wheat couscous, dry (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• 1/2 cup of pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 TSP of Smart Balance Light
• 1/3 cup of orange juice (plus another few splashes, if needed)
• 4 pineapple rings, chopped (8 oz. can)
• 1 TSP of cumin
• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro, just the leaves
• juice of half of a lime
• s&p

1) Combine the water with the pineapple juice in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil.

2) When water/pineapple mixture comes to a boil, pour in the couscous.  Stir the couscous and drop a lid on the pot.  Remove the pot from the heat.  Let the couscous sit covered for 5 minutes.

3) Once the couscous is cooked, add the Smart Balance.  Give the couscous a stir to melt the Smart Balance and then add the orange juice to loosen. Give the couscous another stir.

4) Add the pineapple, cumin and cilantro.  Keep stirring until well-blended and add more orange juice if still dry.

5) Add the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

If you look real close, you can see the pineapple chunks! I swear!

There you have it!  While the wind chill factor outside is dropping faster than the pounds on The Biggest Loser, you can have the taste of the tropics in your home.  Because the chicken has been baked in panko breadcrumbs and dried coconut, it tastes as if it’s been deep fried.  There’s just enough crispiness from the breading to add a nice texture to the chicken without making it taste too heavy.  I was quite impressed with Ian’s breadcrumbs.  It was the first time I had ever tried (and bought) one of their products and I was pleased with the results.  The ingredient list in the breadcrumbs is pretty short and recognizable.  Another plus!  The reserved marinade along with the melted Smart Balance helped to keep the chicken moist and lock in the citrus flavor.  And combining the citrus with the coconut really emphasized the ‘island-y’ feel to this dish.  I kinda wished I made myself a fruity umbrella drink to accompany this meal!

Nothing crumby about these!

The ingredients…

And what more can I say about couscous? Couscous takes about a hot minute to cook and soaks up the flavor of whatever you cook it in so well.  I love it’s versatility and the convenience of it.  While I boiled the dry couscous in pineapple juice, the pineapple taste wasn’t overwhelming when cooked.  Plus, the pineapple chunks and orange juice gave the recipe a subtly sweet flavor.  And having fresh cilantro in the couscous was a definite plus. Since cilantro is often used in dishes originating from warmer climate countries, it accentuated the ‘anywhere-but-the-Northeastern-US’ feel. The cumin complemented the cilantro by bringing some much needed warmth to the couscous.  It’s like having heat in a bottle!

So perhaps cooking this dish in the dead of winter or at the very end of fall won’t make the snow on your doorstep or the frost on the windshield of your car disappear, but it certainly will bring a little sunshine to your stomach and mind.  And just maybe for a few moments while you’re eating this meal, you’ll be able to feel the sand between your toes, versus your thick wool socks.  Now the only thing missing is a cabana boy…

Getting Tropical Coconut chicken

Pineapple Orange Couscous

Side of steamed broccoli

All together now…

What do you think of my plate?

Now there’s some Chow!

How do you cope with the winter blues?  Or, do you love the ‘colder’ months?

Namasté,
Nicole

If you read yesterday’s post, you’ll know I met a new orange gourd, fell in love and now we are running off and having a gang of gorgeous gourd-y babies.  Hehehe, I don’t know, but sometimes I think Healthy Chow is losing her mind! Anyway, I recently prepped and baked a kabocha and with the cooked and well-seasoned pieces, I made some meals that were reminiscent of these posts.  If convenience is king (or queen), then I’m a huge fan of the Royal Family.  You really can’t beat whipping up a fantastic tasting and healthy meal in under 30 minutes.  Hey, no wonder that Rachael Ray is so dang popular (I promise I won’t say ‘ee-vee-oh-oh’ or ‘into the hot tub these kiddies go’ in this post)!

OK, so let’s recap what I already made with my first ever kabocha.  After baking the cubed kabocha in olive oil and a ton of spices and seasonings, I made a simple whole wheat pasta dish with baby spinach, cannellini beans and ricotta cheese.  And, with almost the same ingredients I used in the pasta dish, I converted the recipe into omelet form.  But what else can one do with a squash? Hold onto your socks and I will show you…

Wrapped Up with Kabocha

If you like pressed sammies, paninis, wraps or toasty burritos, then this little delight is for you.  On a Joseph’s Flax, Oatbran and Whole Wheat Flour Tortilla, I spread 2 tablespoons of Cedar’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus along with a Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese wedge.  Then, I layered a handful of baby spinach and a few cubes of my cooked kabocha.  I rolled it up in a burrito-style fashion and toasted it on my panini press for a few minutes until the top started getting all roasty toasty.  Once the cheese starts oozing out and sizzling on the panini press (actually, don’t wait for that!), remove your wrap and cut in half to allow some of the heat to escape.  Once cooled, it’s time to devour! Oh me, oh my!  The warmed kabocha against the creamy hummus and swiss cheese was sensational.  I didn’t think a wrap as simple as this could taste so extraordinary.  Plus, how can you not love those colors together?

Everything in the Pot Kabocha Stir-Fry

With my last remaining pieces of kabocha (sniff, sniff), I decided to not only polish off my orange fibrous gourd, but I also decided to use up the remnants of anything else I could find in my fridge, freezer and cupboards.  That said, I began my hunt for anything that would taste good (fingers crossed) with my kabocha in a stir-fry.  I found about 4 oz. of Trader Joe’s firm tofu, about a cup and a half of Trader Joe’s frozen broccoli (thawed), some sliced white mushrooms, some raisins and a macoun apple.  In a large frying pan, I heated up 2 teaspoons of Smart Balance Light.  Once melted, I added my macoun apple, which I chopped into bite-sized pieces.  I then added some more spices and seasonings (it couldn’t hurt, right?): ground ginger, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, white pepper, curry powder and dried cilantro.  Once the apple pieces began softening and drowning browning in the pool of spices and seasonings, I added the mushrooms.  Once those cooked up a bit, I added the rest of my ingredients.  After everything has been stirred together and warmed, it’s done.  If you could have only smelled the cooked apple with cinnamon, nutmeg and curry – to.die.for.  And was this ‘everything-but-the-kitchen-sink’ stir-fry a success?  Uh, hell to the yeah! It was everything I could ask for in my final kabocha dish.  What a way to go out!  Gangstah!

Roasty Toasty Kabocha Seeds

And finally, do you remember the mess of kabocha seeds and pulp I had from my prepping experience?  Well, those teeny babies did not go to waste.  Healthy Chow has issues with wasting food (sound familiar, Allie? ) and thus, decided to make use of every bit of her kabocha.  You should see what I did with the green peel…I made a really groovy hat.  Just kidding, folks! But let’s get back to biz’nis, shall we? After rinsing the seeds and getting rid of all the stringy pulp, I used the same tray (and aluminum foil) that my kabocha pieces were cooked on and spread out my seeds in a single layer.  I sprayed the seeds with some cooking spray (you could use olive oil) and sprinkled them with salt.  Then, since the oven was still hot, I turned down the temperature to 325 degrees and cooked my kabocha seeds for 10 minutes.  And if you forget to take your seeds out of the oven (like me), have no fear because they start popping like popcorn kernels and will scare the bejeezus out of you.  Once they are cooled, you are free to eat.  They are great as is or feel free to use them as a topping for your oatmeal, soup or yogurt.  Just store them in an air-tight container and they should keep for quite some time, if they make it that long!

I know that from one kabocha I was able to make quite a few meals.  However, I was actually wishing there was more once my last bite of this delicious squash was gone.  The tender texture and sweet taste of my new found love was more than mildly addicting (OK, that sounded weird).  I’m just so happy that I took the time needed to properly prepare and cook my gourd.  After reading some of the instructions online, I was worried that this krazy little thing called kabocha was not going to be worth the trouble.  Boy, was I wrong! I guess if you just take the time to learn about something and are patient during the learning process, good things will come your way.  But the first step is to try.  Besides, I think when you make something on your own, it has the tendency to taste better – even if you aren’t a Food Network star.

What’s the biggest disaster you’ve ever had in your kitchen?  How did you react?  What did you do to recover?

Namasté,
Nicole

I have so many apples in my house and have eaten so many apples that I think I’m going bananas (hehehe – sorry, I couldn’t resist that one).  Remember my adventure at the apple farm?  Well, I’m a complete slacker! Just check out Lauren’s amazing apple creations here, here, here and here, as well as Shannon’s sweet and savory apple pie.  Those fab ladies are making great use of their fresh crop and me?  Not so much.

Well, to be honest with you, I had all these recipes containing apples lined up and ready to go but for some reason, I just can’t seem to execute! I want to make something hot, cinnamon-y, nutmeg-y and buttery, but I keep coming up short (I am only 5′1!).  Maybe it’s just that I want to save my apples for the ‘ultimate’ recipe.  But just what is the ultimate recipe?  After all, I have about 6-8 recipes bookmarked and I keep finding more every time I surf online, which is pretty much 50% of my day.  Perhaps I’m just afraid my apple cooking/baking won’t live up to my expectations? Or maybe I’m just lazy (Hey! Nobody’s perfect!)?  Whichever the case may be, I decided to finally bite the bullet (or apple) this past Saturday and whip out an apple dish that I just conjured up in my head.  And if I don’t say so myself, it came out pretty dang good!

Apple, Sausage & Broccoli Frittata

Serves 6-8

• 5 eggs (I used Trader Joe’s Organic Cage Free eggs, large sized)
• 2 egg whites (I used 1/3 of a cup of carton egg whites)
• 1/4 cup of reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup of nonfat cottage cheese
• 2 roasted garlic chicken sausage, chopped into bite-sized pieces ( I used Trader Joe’s brand, feel free to use any flavor)
• 1 small-medium apple, skin on (any kind, I used McIntosh), chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 1/2 cups of frozen broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup of chopped onion
• 1/2 cup of lowfat milk
• few dashes of adobo powder
• few dashes of dried rosemary
• few dashes of dried parsley
• few dashes of garlic powder
• s&p

The members of the cast

Easily the star of the show…

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Crack eggs into a mixing bowl, add egg whites, milk, adobo powder, parsley, salt and pepper.  Then add the cheddar cheese and the cottage cheese.  Mix with fork to get everything well-blended but be careful to not over mix.  Set aside.

All in the mix…

Eggy…

2) Coat a medium-sized frying pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Heat on medium-high.  Add the onions and apples to the frying pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions and apples begin to soften.

Apples + onions sitting in a tree…

3) Add the broccoli and sausage to the frying pan.  Then add the rosemary and garlic powder.  Cook for another 5 minutes until the sausage has browned and everything has been well-blended.

Everyone get in!

4) Pour the apple and sausage mixture into a greased (I used cooking spray) 11 x 7 baking dish.

All warm and toasty…

5) Then pour the egg mixture over the apple and sausage mixture.

Getting a nice soak…

6) Place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until the edges turn crispy and brown and the eggs are firm to the touch.

7) Serve immediately and enjoy!

This was the ‘ultimate’ brunch dish this weekend.  It was fast and easy (NOT like me ) and tasted wonderful.  I chose the roasted garlic flavored chicken sausage over the apple flavored chicken sausage because I didn’t want the apple flavoring in the frittata to be overpowering.  It was perfect! There was just enough sweetness from the McIntosh apple to take on the savory from the sausage, cheddar and seasoned eggs.  The soft pillows of melted cottage cheese gave the dish a richer taste and texture, without having to add too many extra calories or fat.  I also really enjoyed the dried rosemary against the eggs and chicken sausage; it certainly kicked up the taste of the frittata.

While most recipes I have seen online for frittatas use only whole eggs, I decided to reduce the amount and substitute with a couple of egg whites.  While the number of whole eggs were cut down, the taste definitely was not.  In fact, the egg whites gave the frittata a ‘lighter’ and ‘airier’ texture.  Plus, there wasn’t a whole lot of grease and you didn’t feel as if there was a brick sitting at the bottom of your stomach once you were done eating.  Also, the apple pieces seemed to freshen up the dish and eliminate the heavy taste that one often gets with eggs.

The sole drawback to this dish was that I only used one apple.  I really wish I could have added another, but one was plenty.  While my first instinct was to make a sweet recipe with my apple crop, I decided to mix it up a bit by seeing if I could incorporate the fruit into a savory dish.  It was the perfect combination! Patrick seemed to agree as he had about 2.5 pieces that early afternoon.  He said my frittata tasted so good, it didn’t even need ketchup! Now that’s saying a lot! I guess that’s why he’s the apple of my eye…

This picture was taken inside my homemade lightbox…

And this picture was taken by the window…
Which one do you like better?

What is your favorite dish to make for brunch?

Namasté,
Nicole

***To be sung to the tune of Phil Collins’ Sussudio***

There’s this salad that’s been on my mind…
All the time, su-su-salad-o!
Oh oh!
Now I don’t even know if it has a name…
But I think I like it just the same…
Su-su-salad-o!
Oh oh!

If you don’t know Healthy Chow, she loves her ’80s music, especially some Phil Collins.  She also loves her humungo salads.  Put the two together and you get that little silly diddy from up above that she conjured up in her head late one night.  And oh yeah, Healthy Chow is quite random as well, if you haven’t already noticed!

But whether you have a soft spot in your heart for music from the ’80s, Phil Collins (or Genesis) or just plain ole’ randomness, I wanted to dedicate this post to my recent love of the big salad.  I hate to admit this, but a few years ago, I didn’t really ‘love’ salads.  I knew I ’should’ eat them and I knew it was a good way to get my intake of vegetables.  However, I never really enjoyed them or wanted a salad.  And, the thought of ordering a salad as my meal while dining at a restaurant was the last thing I wanted to do.  I felt that if I ordered a salad, it wouldn’t get me full and that a salad wasn’t worth paying for at a restaurant.  Boy, was I wrong!

I’m not sure what exactly happened to turn the tide.  I know that a few years ago when I was trying to shed a few pounds, I turned to eating salads as a lighter option for my meals.  And I don’t mean the salads that are loaded with greasy cheese cubes, fried breaded chicken pieces, buttery croutons and creamy salad dressing.  I ordered the plain garden salads without dressing, cheese or croutons.  At first, these garden salads were not something I looked forward to eating.  I guess in my mind, plain salads were the equivalent of ‘rabbit food’.  But once I started telling myself that what I was eating was healthy and nourishing for me and I started focusing on how my salads tasted versus thinking about my preconceived notions of salads, I began to thoroughly enjoy my leafy greens.

While I was trying to cut back on calories by omitting dressings and/or cheeses, I also wanted a ‘naked’ salad for the fact that I wanted to truly taste the vegetables.  I wanted to savor their simplicity versus masking them and thus, hiding them, with something else.  I wanted to like eating my salads for the taste of the lettuce leaves and the vegetables, not for the taste of the blue cheese crumbles and the gobs of ranch dressing.  Now when my salad comes already dressed or covered in cheese, I get disappointed.  It’s not because I’m afraid all those extras are going to add to my calorie count, it’s because I no longer like the taste of a ‘wet’ salad.  I’ve been so used to just tasting plain veggies and leaves, that if I get a mouthful of vinaigrette or creamy Italian (TWSS), I just don’t like it.  Now, I’m not trying to preach that salad dressings should be a ‘no-no’ and that cheese should be avoided at all costs.  Don’t get me wrong, I do add the occasional sprinkle of cheese and/or nuts and I will dip my lettuce leaves in a side of dressing.  All I’m trying to say is that sometimes, what you’re covering up can be exactly what you need to see.

In addition to happily ordering salads when dining out, I now have incorporated salads into my meals at home. – especially the big salad (thanks for the inspiration, Mama Lovin – we miss you!).  Many people wonder how I get full off of just eating a salad for lunch or dinner, but they just haven’t seen my salads.  So, I thought I would post a few pictures of my humungo salads to show you, as well as some tips for fostering some of your own home salad love.

Tips for Making and Enjoying Quick, Healthy and Hearty Salads at Home:

1. Variety – Buy different produce.  If you’re going to be eating a salad, try to make it fun.  Thus, don’t make the same salad everyday.  Mix it up by stocking your fridge with various kinds of lettuce (romaine, baby spinach, kale, arugula, radicchio).  Also, give yourself a good selection of vegetables (cucumber, tomato, carrots, string beans, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper strips, celery…the list can go on forever).  While I do have my favorites and my salad staples, I try to do my best in incorporating something different as often as I can.  It also gives me an excuse to buy and try new things at the grocery store and at Trader Joe’s!
2. Convenience – Make this easy for yourself.  When you get home from the grocery store, wash your produce and slice/chop up your veggies.  Place them in separate storage containers.  Thus, when you go to make your salads, they are already there ready and waiting for you to select them.
3. Color – Try to make your salads as colorful as possible.  Think rainbow!  Different colors represent different vitamins and nutrients, so it’s wise to incorporate a different mix of fruits and vegetables everyday into your meals (to learn more about which vitamins and nutrients come from which color, see this article).  Not only will having a variety of color in your salads be healthier for you, it’s also more visually appealing.  Remember, we tend to eat with our eyes.
4. Texture – I like having cool, crisp cucumber slices in my salads, but I also like the creaminess of an avocado sliver.  Fresh and crunchy romaine lettuce is also one of my favorites, but I also like to add some steamed spinach for a softer and warmer taste.  Adding bean sprouts and/or alfalfa sprouts will also give your salad some more crunch and a unique taste.
5. Protein – Don’t just stop at vegetables.  Adding beans, hummus, tofu and tempeh is a good way to get some protein in your salad.  And of course, you can always add some tuna, grilled chicken, egg whites or a hard boiled egg.  This extra protein will also help to keep you fuller longer.
6. Get Creative – Salads can be pure vegetables, but I like to also add items like ricotta cheese, nonfat or lowfat cottage cheese, dried fruit and chopped nuts (I like to stick with just a sprinkling).   Some of my other creative favorites are salsa, pumpkin purée, grilled eggplant, grilled portobello mushrooms, broken up pieces of melba toast and guacamole.  With items such as cottage cheese, salsa and guacamole, there’s enough moisture and taste that I usually use them as dressings.  And don’t forget that fruit is also a great ingredient.  Just think sliced strawberries, a handful of grapes, some blueberries or even a few kiwi slices!
7. Herbs and Seasonings – Don’t forget the spice!  If you have some fresh herbs on hand, like some parsley, cilantro or basil, throw them into the mix.  Also, sea salt and cracked pepper (obvi) are a nice way to season your salad.  I’ve been to known to add garlic powder and/or adobo powder to my salad.  It gives it a nice kick!
8. Omegas – We probably all want to add more omega 3’s and 6’s into our life.  So, why not sprinkle some ground flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and/or walnuts to your salad (again, I like to add a light sprinkling here).
9. Dress it up – While I’m not the biggest salad dressing fan, I know I’m probably in the minority.  Try out some different dressings (just be sure to use it sparingly) – it might make your salad taste completely different from the day before.  Also, try making your own salad dressings.  With some mustard, olive oil, vinegar and some salt and pepper, you can have your own healthy and homemade dressing in no time.
10. Make it pretty – I like to arrange my salad in a way that it looks like art to me.  Instead of just plopping the ingredients onto your dish, make it look fancy.  Presentation is key!  Also, don’t stick to the same plates, bowls, dishes or utensils.  Jazz things up and use your fine china!
11. Speed – Since all of these items won’t last forever in your fridge, be sure to make and eat your salad.  I know that when there’s some wilting lettuce leaves in my fridge, it pushes me to eat my veggies versus reaching for a non-perishable item.
12. Enjoy! – Once you’ve finished making your salad creation, take the time to enjoy it.  I like eating my humungo salad not only because it tastes good, but because it takes me a good 15 minutes to eat it.  Unlike a sandwich that I can motor through in less than five minutes, a salad takes me more time to chew and thus, to savor.  Because there are so many different textures and different items going on in my salad, it gives me the chance to slowly eat and digest what was on my plate.

There you have it.  There are some shots of some of the various salads I’ve created, eaten and enjoyed over the past few weeks.  And I have to honestly say, I looked forward to eating each and every one of them!   There’s nothing like being able to ‘pig out’ on a salad, and then having a full, yet energized feeling afterward.  I may not have always been in love with the giant plate of fresh produce and greens, but now I’m a huge convert.  I guess you could say, “that Healthy Chow… she’s an easy lover…”

What’s your favorite song from the 80’s?  Or, do you have any tips for making a fun and healthy salad?

Namasté,
Nicole

***Do you like product giveaways?  If so, check these out…***

There is a Bondi Band giveaway at Silly Tater Tot .  It’s the same cute head band that Katy wore while running
in her 5k the other day!

Also, Nicci at Nicci’s Nifty Eats is giving away crunchy crackers and flatbreads from Doctor Kracker. They sure look good!

HAHA!  I just cracked myself up with that blog post title (I know, why don’t you just go give yourself a pat on the back?!).

Anyways, I keep reading about ‘broccoli slaw’ all over the food blogosphere in places such as here and here.  I’ll have to admit, I was a bit hesitant at first.  While I’m certainly NOT a picky eater and will pretty much eat everything anything that is put in front of me, I’m not a fan of coleslaw.  It’s odd to me.  Maybe it has to do with the fact that it’s usually drowned in mayo (and not the good kind like the Hellman’s Mom used to buy but the not-so-miraculous Miracle Whip)?  Maybe it’s because it always came all warm and soggy on my plate?  Or maybe it’s because someone told me once that restaurants made it out of the rancid lettuce and cabbage leftover from the day before’s meals?  Whatever the case was, I never liked it.

However, broccoli slaw is not the same thing as coleslaw and if everyone else is raving about it, maybe I was the one missing out?  I mean, it is just broccoli, carrots and red cabbage.  These are all things that I like and things that are good for me.  So what was I waiting for?  After all, I was always told as a child to try everything once.  So, a week or so ago when I was at the grocery store, I picked up a bag of this:

I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do with my new purchase.  I guess I could mix it in with one of my humungo salads?  Or perhaps shove some in a pita pocket for some added crunch to a sandwich?  Then, a light bulb went off.  I decided I would face my distaste for coleslaw head on.  I decided to make my own ‘lighter’ version of coleslaw.  Here is what I came up with:

-1/3 of the bag  or 3 oz. of broccoli slaw
-2 heaping TBSP of nonfat yogurt (I used Trader Joe’s European Style Nonfat Plain)
-1 TSP of dijon mustard
-a glug of red wine vinegar
-1 TSP of honey
-black pepper

Get yourself a small bowl and mix all of the ingredients except for the broccoli slaw and black pepper.  Mix until everything is well blended.  Taste and adjust ingredients accordingly.  Then, mix in your broccoli slaw and turn to coat.  Sprinkle with pepper.  All done.

Because the yogurt is more liquid-y than thick, my broccoli slaw served as a dressing for the rest of my salad.  Alongside the slaw, I had romaine lettuce, baby spinach, chopped plum tomatoes and cucumber slices.  I also had a yam that was about to bite the dust, so I peeled it and steamed it for an accompaniment to my salad.  I then melted some Smart Balance Omega-3 Light and drizzled that over my yam.

Wow, my salads are gettin’ all fancy on me…

The yam didn’t want to get left out of the ‘fancy pants party’…

All together now…

Paired with a frosty glass of seltzer water…

The verdict?  It was pretty good!  Nothing at all like the coleslaw that came in those clear dixie cups that I used to turn my nose at.  Plus, it was a much healthier version sans the greasy mayonnaise.  Because the dressing was so light and subtle, I could still taste the flavors of the vegetables.  The crunch was still there, too.  It was a nice added texture to my sometimes ‘boring’ salads.  I would definitely buy this again.  It’s an easy and healthy way to bulk up my salads and/or sandwiches and might even be good steamed a bit and eaten as a hot side (ok, why does Justin Timberlake now come to mind?).

Are there any foods that make you cringe?  Do you still dislike them or have you given them another shot?

Namasté,
Nicole

People always ask me what it’s like to have a twin sister.  They want to know if I like being a twin.  My answer has never been simple.  I actually don’t know what to say since my twin sister is the only sibling that I have and thus, it’s all that I know.  When people used to ask me this question when I was a little kid, my answer would depend on how I was feeling about my sister at the moment.  Being that we were our parents’ only children, shared a room and did every activity together, we had a tendency to fight with each other.  They were never serious arguments.  Just your usual, “shut your mouth”, “you’re dumb”, “I hate you”, and “stop looking at me”.  It was all silly kid stuff.  We were each other’s best friend but also each other’s worst enemy.

Now that Michelle and I are mature adults (ok, that one can be debated), we no longer bicker (as much).  Because I no longer live with my sister and see her on a daily basis, I look forward to the time we spend together.  She’s really the only person that knows exactly what I’m thinking before I can even utter a word.  And I know what her mood is going to be just by listening to her walk.  We can spend hours chatting over coffee about absolutely nothing.  No matter if I saw her an hour ago or a month ago, we still manage to talk to one another as if we were just reunited after a 50 year hiatus.

So when it was our birthday earlier this week, we decided obviously to spend it together.  We didn’t have any particularly special plans or elaborate reservations made.  We just wanted to spend the day together – the only way we know how to be and the only way we, as twins, know how to celebrate our special day.

At noon, Michelle and I met to get pedicures at a local nail salon.  We both were overdue for a good soak, scrub, cut and paint so this was the perfect way to spend the afternoon.  Because it was midday on a Tuesday, the salon was empty so the nail technicians were eager to wait on us and have something to do.  After studying the many wheels of Essie and OPI nail polish, I finally selected Marabou.  I wanted something light and feminine and not too ‘pink’ so this was the perfect shade.  Michelle opted for a light shade as well but wanted something a little more purple.  She chose Violin.  We both giggled at the names and giggled even harder when they scraped the bottoms of our feet (goodness, that is such a weird and ticklish feeling at the same time…TWSS)!

After our pedis, we were famished and decided on Thai for our birthday lunch.  Tantawan in Watertown is a cute little spot that has great prices with friendly and quick service.  We were immediately served glasses of iced water as we studied the menu.  We finally decided to split two lunch entrées: the yellow curry with chicken and the pad-si-ew with beef.  As a complimentary appetizer, we were both served a small cup of vegetable broth soup that had bits of string bean, carrot and baby corn.  It was a good way to settle my growling stomach.  Our entrées were pretty tasty and did the trick.  I wouldn’t say it’s exceptional Thai cuisine but it suited our taste buds just fine.

Free soup

Birthday lunch

Yellow curry with chicken, onion, pineapple, potato, green pepper and carrot – creamy & coconutty!

Pad-si-ew with beef, wide noodles, broccoli, carrot, celery & bits of egg

Healthy Chow’s healthy portion…she was hungry!

After lunch, we headed over to the mall and did a little bit of shopping.  Michelle bought a few summer tops while I opted for a new handbag.  The Chow sisters like to eat but they LOVE to shop!  By this point in the afternoon, we both need a little boost so we decided that iced coffees were a necessity.  They were refreshing and the perfect way to end our birthday afternoon together.  It was a simple, fun and relaxing day.  I’m so glad that Michelle was able to take the day off from work and spend the day with me.  We really do enjoy each other’s company and it’s the best birthday gift I could ask for – any year of my life.

It’s like looking in a mirror…

hugs

Thank you, Michelle!  Thank you for always being there for me.  I love being your twin.

What’s your fondest memory of your sibling?

Namasté,
Nicole