I love my husband.  And while I know he loves me, I know he also loves his food.  Patrick will try and eat anything I make.  He has his favorites, he’s been the guinea pig for some of my ‘not-so-ordinary’ creations and he has even compared one of my dishes to tasting like fast food (but in a good way!).  But sometimes, Patrick just wants what he wants.  And sometimes, Patrick just wants a cheeseburger.

Image Credit – cafepress.com

Now, don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing wrong with a cheeseburger.  In fact, I enjoy eating them myself.  However, I can’t remember the last time I had a real cheeseburger.  I usually opt for a turkey burger or a veggie burger.  I think the last time I had a beef burger, it didn’t quite agree with me and thus, I’m now a bit leery.  So the thought of having a burger for dinner, would not be my first choice.  But the last time I ‘denied’ my husband of a meal, the restaurant ended up shutting its doors.  Lesson learned.  That said, we were off to satisfy Patrick’s craving.

Four Burgers is a cute little restaurant located in Central Square, Massachusetts, that serves, you guessed it, four different kinds of burger.  I first heard of this burger joint on the Phantom Gourmet, and I remember the rave reviews it received.  Since I’m a believer in the Phantom and this restaurant was only about 10 minutes away from our house, we figured we’d give it a go.

Cute, huh?

Notice the four circles?

This is such a fun and cozy place!  The four burgers that Four Burgers serves are all natural beef, vegetarian, turkey and wild salmon (they also had a lamb burger on special the day we were there).  I loved the decor and how the ‘four burger’ theme carried throughout the restaurant.  In addition, I really appreciated Four Burgers’ mission: To become the most “unique” and “original” burger concept in the market by providing top quality burgers and service. We are dedicated to making burger lovers out of everyone! Four Burgers also has some admirable core values.  Some of my favorites are that they use only the freshest, high quality, local products whenever possible, and they are mindful of their impact on the environment and the community.  And if that isn’t enough, their menu didn’t look so bad either.

Who needs a bigger menu?

Patrick took all of two seconds to figure out what he wanted to order (grass-fed, all-natural beef hamburger with cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon and mushroom).  I couldn’t decide if I wanted a turkey burger (with apple & cranberry chutney, lettuce, tomato) or an organic vegan black bean burger.  They both sounded beyond good, but finally, I decided to go the meatless route.  And of course, no burger meal (meat or veggie) would be complete without a side order of french fries.  But in our case, we ordered what Four Burgers called, the ‘half & half’, which was half regular french fries and half sweet potato fries.  In our case, the side was more of an entrée!

So how did our burgers taste?  One word.  Phenomenal.  I’ve had my share of veggie burgers, and this one was one of the best I’ve had in quite some time.  It was flavorful, moist, thick and filling.  And, it was green in tint!  I’m guessing this was from all the fresh herbs that were inside.  My veggie burger also came with lettuce, guacamole and salsa (I could have also ordered it with mango BBQ sauce) all within a fluffy whole wheat bun.  While I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner, Patrick was on cloud nine with his.  To quote him exactly, “This is soooooo good!  The burger is juicy, has a slight char-grill taste, which you know I like.  And, the bacon is crispy.  You know how I like my crispy bacon!  I can’t believe we didn’t come to this place sooner!“  Um, yeah.  I think it’s safe to say Patrick really liked his dinner.  And what about the fries?  Perfection.  Both the regular french and the sweet potato were so, so, delicious!  I really hate to admit this but, we polished off the whole plate.  They were so worth it!

YUM!

My black bean burger close-faced…

And, open-faced…

Patrick’s ultimate cheeseburger…

Look at all of those layers!

Drooling…

Patrick and I give Four Burgers, four stars and four thumbs up!  The atmosphere was excellent, the food was excellent and the fact that they only use the highest quality ingredients and are environmentally sound is excellent.  We couldn’t have been more pleased with our meal.  While the menu was simple (in addition to the four burgers, they also offered an all natural hot dog, a mesclun greens salad, as well as a few sweet treats), the taste was nothing short of extraordinary.  But then again being able to provide great food with friendly service, coupled with a good conscience, doesn’t have to be complicated.

Pretty cool, huh?

(these might be the noisiest chairs on the planet!  just sayin’…)

What’s your favorite kind of burger?  What toppings do you like to put on your burger?

Namasté,
Nicole

When I find something I like, I tend to get a tad bit obsessed. For example, after I took my first hot yoga class, I immediately signed-up for an unlimited membership to my studio and began practicing close to every day of the week.  When I was a youngster and fell hard for New Kids on the Block (they will never be N.K.O.T.B), I covered my walls with their posters, never missed a concert and bought every teen magazine that had their pictures plastered all over them (I also convinced myself that I was going to marry Jordan, but that’s a story for another time).  My first trip to Trader Joe’s led to about three more trips in that same week.  And then there’s food.  When I find something that tickles my fancy, watch out!  It’s almost as if I think the store is going to run out of my newly found item, or all of the sudden my taste buds are going to change and I will no longer fancy it.  As you already know, I’ve been known to hoard things, and if I’m in love with a new ‘flavor of the week’, then chances are there will be multiples of the item in my shopping cart.

Image Credit – survivaldigest.com

OK, I’m not that bad!

In one of my recent posts, I talked about how I ‘re-discovered’ Swiss chard.  I love the unique taste of this leafy green and the fact that it’s loaded with vitamins and nutrients.  Plus, it literally cooks up in a hot minute.  It’s also healthy for your wallet.  So really, what’s there not to like about this veggie?  I can’t seem to find a single darn thing.  Not sure if this is actually fact for me, or simply my justification for being obsessed with the chard of Swiss, but I can’t stop dreaming of new and creative ways to eat it.  I even challenged the Healthy Chow brain to come up with a little diddy using only the ingredients that existed in my fridge and cabinets.  My creation came out quite well.  I’m pretty sure you won’t be hatin’…

You Won’t Be Hatin’ POM, Swiss Chard, Chickpeas & Bacon
Serves 2 (as an entrée) or 4 (as a side dish)

• 1/3 cup of POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup of chicken broth (I used Trader Joe’s Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth)
• 1 TBSP of Worcestershire sauce
• few dashes of white pepper
• few dashes of onion powder
• 1/2 TSP of Dijon mustard
• 1/2 TSP of corn starch dissolved in 1 1/2 TBSP of warm water
• 1 bunch of Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 5 slices of turkey bacon (I used Jennie-O brand)
• 4-5 medium-sized white mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 cup of chickpeas (I used canned)
• sea salt to taste

1) In a small saucepan, combine the POM juice, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, white pepper and onion powder.  Heat everything on medium/medium-high heat.  Keep stirring as it starts to come to a slow boil.

2) Add the Dijon mustard.  Mix until the Dijon mustard is well-blended (there will be little lumps of mustard, it won’t completely dissolve).  Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and keep stirring until the sauce begins to thicken.  It should take about 3 – 5 minutes.  Turn the heat to low, cover and set aside.

3) Heat a large skillet on medium-high.  Once the skillet is hot to the touch, add the bacon in a single layer.  Allow the bacon to cook for about 3 minutes or until it begins to crisp.  Flip the bacon and cook on the other side for another few minutes.  Once it has reached your desired crispiness, drain on a paper towel-covered plate.

4) In the same skillet, add the Swiss chard and begin moving the Swiss chard around in order to mix in with the bacon drippings (because it’s turkey bacon, it won’t be very greasy).  Allow the Swiss chard to wilt a bit, it should take a couple of minutes.  Then, add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet.  Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown.  Add the white pepper and sea salt to taste.

5) Turn down the heat to medium.  Begin tearing the bacon into bite-sized pieces.  I left mine on the larger side for a more rustic look   Add the bacon to the skillet and stir until warmed.  Finally, add the chickpeas.

6) Add the pomegranate juice mixture to the skillet.  Mix until everything is well-blended and the juice reduces a bit. It should take another minute or so.

7) EAT!  This is great as a side dish, or as your main dish served over a hot bowl of brown rice or quinoa.  Heck, eat it in pita pocket if you want!

DEE-VINE!  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I began combing all of these ingredients together.  While I like the unique taste of Swiss chard, I know many are turned off by its mildly bitter taste.  Thus, I wanted to find something to cook the Swiss chard in that would remove or lessen some of that often considered undesirable taste.  Because POM juice is tart and semi-sweet, I figured it would be a good match.  The saltiness and smokiness from the turkey bacon rounded out this dish and added to the layers of flavor.  I threw in some chickpeas for an additional kick of protein, and mushrooms because I like the taste of mushrooms   If you’re wondering, the POM juice wasn’t overly tart or overbearing in this dish.  In fact, it nicely lightened the recipe without making it taste too fruit-like.  And, the POM juice made this recipe even more nutritious by adding a boost of antioxidants!

It’s safe to say that my obsession with Swiss chard won’t be going anywhere any time soon.  Even when I tossed various random ingredients with this vegetable, it still tasted great.  Actually, I didn’t even eat this recipe with any rice, quinoa or bread.  I ate it as soon as I plated it.  With all those beautiful colors and fabulous flavors, I just couldn’t resist.  I guess I’d just rather declare, “I’ll Be Loving You Forever” versus “Hangin’ Tough” and fighting my love for this mighty green!  (Oh yes, that was corny.  But like I said before, I was obsessed!)

Do you have any guilty pleasures?  Perhaps a cheesy TV show, band or movie?  Come on, I know you do…

Namasté,
Nicole

Are there any foods out there that you know are good for you, but you just haven’t had the chance to try or eat?  Well, for me, that list is pretty long.  Ever since I started reading blogs and writing one of my own, I’ve come to the realization that I’ll never be able to run out of healthy foods to eat.  I love this fact!  When I’m in the produce aisle at the grocery store, I take my time wandering around because I enjoy looking at all the new items just waiting for me to select them.   I get so excited about trying new foods, and I get even more pumped when I discover that I love the new foods and can then incorporate them into my repertoire.  Is Healthy Chow a foodie dork, or what?!

Image Credit – sodahead.com

One of my most recent loves is Swiss chard.  I’ve seen this leafy green on more blogs and websites than the cast of The Jersey Shore and I finally decided to give it a shot.  Plus, Swiss chard is packed with vitamins (vitamins A, C, E and K, magnesium, iron and potassium to name a few) and nutrients.  It’s high in antioxidants, promotes cardiovascular health and helps your body produce energy.  But to be perfectly honest, my grandmother used to cook Swiss chard quite a lot when I was a child.  Thus, this technically wasn’t a brand new food for me.  However, being that I haven’t eaten Swiss chard in decades and I didn’t remember what it tasted like, I considered it uncharted territory.  While I was anxious to try this ‘vegetable valedictorian’, I’ll have to admit that a bunch of it sat in my fridge for more than a week.  I’m not quite sure why?  I guess I just wanted to find the ‘perfect’ recipe for my veggie.  But just what is ‘perfect’?  I had no clue (can you imagine?!).  But because I didn’t want my ‘leafy green‘ to turn into a ‘leafy brown‘, I knew I had to execute, and I had to execute fast.    That said, I decided to combine the new with one of my old favorites.  I figured if I could spruce up an oldie and give it a boost in nutritional value, I couldn’t lose (or miss).

Talk about leafy and green!

Can’t Miss Swiss Chard & Bean Pasta
Serves 4

• 4 – 5 oz. of whole wheat pasta (I used a mixture of angel hair and rigatoni)
• 1 bunch of Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped into bite-sized pieces*
• 1 cup of frozen cubed butternut squash
• 1 TSP of minced garlic
• few dashes of garlic powder
• 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water (you probably won’t need all of this)
• 1 TBSP of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of cooked cannellini beans (I used canned - rinsed and drained)
• 1/2 TSP of red pepper flakes (you can use more or less based on your preference)
• few dashes of parmesan cheese (grated, shredded, whichever you have on hand)
• s&p

1) Begin cooking your pasta according to the directions.  You’ll want to cook it al dente.

2) Add your butternut squash to the boiling pasta pot about two minutes before your pasta is done cooking.  Make sure to reserve about about a 1/2 cup of the pasta water.   Drain and rinse.

It kinda looks like chunks of mango floating in my pasta!

3) While your pasta is cooking, your can begin cooking your Swiss chard.  In a large skillet, add about an inch of water and heat on high.  When the water comes to a boil, add your Swiss chard.  Turn down your heat to medium and place a lid on your skillet.  Let your Swiss chard steam for about 7-10 minutes, or until the steams and leaves have softened.

Time for a steam bath…

*To chop Swiss chard, line up all the stems and cut off about 1/2 inch from the bottom.  You want to remove any of the dried out and brown edges.  While holding the base of the stem with one hand (making a fist), use your other hand to rip the leaves off of the stem by quickly running your hand over the leaves.  They should come off pretty easily.  Then, chop the leaves and stems into bite-sized pieces.

4) When your Swiss chard is finished steaming, drain out most of the water.  Add the garlic and garlic powder to the skillet and give it a good stir.

Steamed with minced garlic…

5) Add your cooked pasta and butternut squash to the skillet.  Add your olive oil and stir to blend everything together.  If the pasta is a bit dry, add some of your reserved pasta water to the skillet.  I would add about 1/4 cup first, and then add more if necessary.

6) Add your cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Gently mix everything together.  Add more seasoning to taste.

There’s a whole lotta everything in this recipe!

Makin’ it a little spicy!

7) Once everything is well-blended and warm, plate it and top with parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Loving all the flavors and colors!

So good and so good for you!

I don’t know about you, but I can’t not like pasta.  I <3 all carbs and pasta may just be on the top of that list.  But, one serving of pasta (about 2/3 of a cup dry) just doesn’t fill this hungry Healthy Chow.  I could honestly eat a pound of pasta in one sitting.  But we all know that that isn’t the healthiest thing to do.  By bulking up my pasta dishes with tons of vegetables, beans and other forms of protein, I can trick myself into getting full and being satisfied with only one serving of my favorite carb delight.  This recipe definitely achieved that goal.  My stomach was happy, as well as my taste buds.  The Swiss chard was delicious!  Swiss chard has a mildly bitter and salty taste, but it’s not one that’s offensive.  In fact, I liked it because this flavor was so unique.  The butternut squash gave this dish a subtle sweetness, while the buttery tasting cannellini beans gave this dish some needed depth.  And obviously, when you top anything (especially a carb) with parmesan cheese, food goes from tasting fine to fantastic!

Looks like a good bite to me!

I’m so glad that I finally tried Swiss chard.  What was I waiting for? It was so simple to make and made me happy knowing I was cooking and enjoying such a healthy food.  While this vegetable tasted great in my pasta, I know I would like it just as much steamed as a side.  Similar to spinach, Swiss chard doesn’t require much seasoning or spice in order for it to taste good (IMHO).  I even sampled a few pieces while it was raw, and loved it.  Now I can understand why this green has been all the rage.  It’s nutritious, delicious, easy to prepare and won’t be chard on your wallet.  Hahaha!  In fact, this vegetable is so wonderful that I not only give it a thumbs up, but it might just deserve a fist pump!

This weekend, I’m attending a food photography seminar (organized by the wonderful Kerstin from Cake, Batter and Bowl) along with some other local food bloggers.  I’m so excited!  We were told to bring any item of food that we’re having issues photographing.  I’m not quite sure what to bring?  Is there anything you have trouble photographing?

***Would you like to win a $200 Visa Giftcard?  Check out Cheat Day News and Reviews to find out how!***

Namasté,
Nicole

I know it’s been cold all around the country, but it seems it’s been especially cold up in the Northeast.  I mean, when you’re wearing two pair of gloves, two pair of pants, two fleece jackets and a winter coat and you’re still numb, that’s not good.  Fortunately, this bitter cold spell is ending and we’ll soon have just regular winter temperatures.  Phew!

Other than practicing yoga in a hot and humid studio, drinking absurd amounts of hot water with lemon and herbal tea, never taking off my Snuggie (just kidding.  I don’t have one, but right now, it doesn’t seem like a bad idea!) and soaking in a bubble bath until I start looking like a prune, the only way I can stay warm physically and mentally is by eating vats of steaming hot soup.  Can you blame me?

Image Credit – mediabistro.com

Last night, I had a big bowl of broth on the brain.  I just couldn’t let it go.  All I could picture was that warm and toasty feeling in my stomach and how happy I would be.  I had to have my soup.  But, just any soup wasn’t going to do.  I had a hankering for Thai.  I needed soup from one of my favorite Thai restaurants, Dok Bua.  It’s just too bad that the timing of my soup hunger had to coincide with the Celtics/Lakers game.  And we can’t forget that I am married to Sport Billy.

Lucky for me, Patrick was also in the mood for Thai.  However, we had to make a deal.  We could have dinner at Dok Bua, but it had to be quick so that we could make it back for the last quarter of the Celtics game.  Done and done.  As long as I could have my soup, I didn’t mind having to rush back home to see the end of the game.  Healthy Chow knows how to compromise!

Dok Bua is a charming, little Thai restaurant in Brookline.  The prices are great, the food is delicious and the service is always prompt and exceptional.  While I have many favorites at this place, without question, I had to have my chicken noodle soup (guay-tiow-kai) tonight.  It’s simple, hearty, delectable and a nice bang for your buck.  Plus, soup takes me a good 10 minutes longer to inhale eat than a noodle dish would, and being able to eat slower is always a bonus for me.

Because we were dining on the earlier side, we were one of the only patrons in the restaurant.  Thus, our food was served immediately.  Obviously, Patrick was psyched about this as he was trying his hardest to make the end of the game, and I was psyched because I could finally eat my soup!

My chicken noodle soup was perfect.  The broth base was savory and bursting with flavor from the fresh scallion and cilantro.  The rice noodles were plentiful and the chicken gave this dish just the right amount of protein.  To top off my soup, I was given fresh bean sprouts and Thai basil.  I love adding bean sprouts to my soup as it gives a healthy crunch and adding Thai basil to anything is always wonderful.  It’s fragrant, sweet and has a mild licorice flavor.  It definitely made my soup even better, if that was even possible!

Patrick seemed to really enjoy his meal as well.  He ordered the chicken pad-si-ew dinner special, his all-time favorite.  Pad-si-ew is sautéed wide rice noodles in a spicy and savory brown sauce.  The dinner specials at Dok Bua come with a cup of tom yum soup, two egg rolls, two fried pork dumplings and steamed jasmine rice.  Needless to say, this is a lot of food, but certainly one of the best Thai food deals you can get in town.  Now you know why we love this place!

While my dinner tonight was most enjoyable, it was quickly coming to an end.  The Celtics were up and the clock was ticking.  But there’s always time for fortune cookies.  It’s just the right amount of sweetness to curb my post-dinner sugar craving.

“The future is the most expensive luxury in the world.”
“There is no reference for beauty.”

We got home just in time to catch the last few minutes of the game.  Literally, Patrick was running from the car into our condo building.  I don’t know why, but I thought this was the most hilarious thing!  Unfortunately, our night did not end in a ‘win-win’ situation.  While my giant bowl of soup was able to keep me warm and take some of that chill out of me, the Celtics lost their game to the Lakers by one point.  Oh well.  Nevertheless, we had a great dinner out and this was a relaxing way to end our frigidly cold winter weekend.  When you have wonderful company that warms your heart and a hot meal to warm your belly, how can you complain?  It’s just what the dok-tor ordered!

Better luck next time, C’s!

How do you keep warm during the winter?  Are you a soup person?  What’s your favorite kind of soup?

Namasté,
Nicole

***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

I’m not quite sure what happened?  Healthy Chow is a gal who loves her sleep and doesn’t usually have a hard time catching her Z’s.  However, after having a fun-filled Christmas Eve night, I could not fall asleep.  Perhaps it was the excitement of Christmas on the horizon that kept me wide awake?  Or, maybe it was all the sugar and carbs I had that prevented me be able to watch the back of my eyelids? Whichever the case was, I think I slept for about two hours total and was ready to greet the day at 3:30am!  INSANE! I tried to just rest and take some deep breaths in order to calm my mind, but I guess my mind just wasn’t having any of it.  That said, I decided to get out of bed at 6am.  I’m surprised I didn’t see or hear Santa coming down my chimney?  Hehehehehe!

Image Credit – christmas.howstuffworks.com

Much like the day before, I spent the whole day hanging out with my two hot friends – my stove and my oven.  Dang, were they on fie-yah!  Christmas dinner was going to be at MHC’s (Mother Healthy Chow) house and while she and my aunt were going to be cooking the main entrées, a roast beef and a turkey, I was in charge of bringing a hot appetizer, a yummy vegetable dish, a unique lasagna and a fun dessert.  Because Healthy Chow is a girl who likes to makes things as easy as possible for herself, I made a double-batch of the key lime pie I made on Christmas Eve, so that dessert for Christmas Day would be all set.  And I also made the same hot app – it was tasty the day before, so why not recreate the same hit?  For my new dishes, I made 1.5 trays of pumpkin and sausage lasagna and a broccoli casserole.  Hoooo-weeeee!  It’s a good thing I was running on pure adrenaline because much like the day before, I finished up my cooking just in the St. Nick of time!

When my sister and I arrived at MHC and Darrell’s home, we were greeted by the bright view of the ocean, as well as the hosts of the party and the wafting smell of deliciously home-cooked food! Apparently, MHC was on the same schedule as her daughter.  She must have greeted the sun on Christmas morning with the amount of food she had cooked and all the beautiful decorations in their home.  I love the toasty feeling of homes on holidays when they’re filled with family.  They’re so inviting and full of love, a gift that no kind of money can buy.

Uncle Victor, my cousins and Patrick revving up their appetites

My sister, my aunt, MHC and my uncle checking out the view

The not-so-childlike kids’ table

Fresh kielbasa brought by my aunt, a festive bean dip made by Michelle and the remnants of my bite-sized biscuit cups (I guess the hungry mouths were working faster than my picture snapping abilities)

Carve up that bird, Auntie!

Once all of our family members had arrived, it was time to be seated for dinner.  We were all working up such a frenzy in the kitchen (my mother was getting all the last-minute details in order, my aunt was in charge of gravy making and meat carving, Michelle was cooking up her corn bread stuffing and I was heating up my prepared dishes), that it was almost sundown by the time the dinner bell rang.  But that’s perfectly fine, because while I was busy as a bee in the kitchen, I was working up a hunger that could give a mean sting!

A feast for king and queens

Succulent roasted turkey courtesy of my Aunt Joanie

My cheesy broccoli casserole topped with whole wheat panko breadcrumbs

A bowl of delight – mashed potatoes!

My pumpkin and sausage lasagna – more cheesy goodness!

Michelle’s savory herbed cornbread stuffing

MHC’s roast beef – juicy and cooked to perfection!

And I thought there was only going to be a ham on Christmas Eve!

Everyone waiting for the blogger to finish snapping her pictures…

My dinner plate

Garlicky-lemon caesar salad

Much like the previous night, once dinner was over, we slowly migrated to dessert.  And if I thought dinner was already grandiose enough, dessert was definitely fighting for a place in the spotlight.  Darrell’s dad brought over three huge desserts from Montillio’s Bakery: a strawberry shortcake, a chocolate layer cake and a blueberry pie.  There were also my Aunt Mary’s mini pecan tarts, a tiramisu, as well as my key lime pie.  Sah-weet! And to go along with our dessert, MHC played coffee barista again and made us all our very own cappuccinos and mocha lattes.  You can’t beat that!

Berries and cream = heaven!

How festive!

Check out all those blueberries!

The Montillio’s Bakery trio along with my key lime pie and a tiramisu

Hmmm, fantastically frothy!

Can we give you a few Bucks for being our Star?

Too much turkey, Patrick?

And what’s a holiday without a few holiday pictures?  Not a complete one in my book!

MHC and her helpers

Our gracious hosts for the evening

Look, Mom!  I can take a picture of myself!

To conclude the night, we exchanged a few gifts, as well as many smiles.  I was so excited to give my mother and Darrell their gifts, as I knew my selections were spot-on this year.  You know how when you see something, it just feels right and you know it’s the perfect gift? Well, this happened twice for me.  Can you believe?!

What could it be?

Nambé Kissing Salt and Pepper Shakers!

And…

A set of Nambé Twist Coasters!

And finally, Burberry rain boots!  How chic!

Strut your stuff, MHC!

Ah, and that concludes another Christmas.  While I think I worked harder this year than any other year, I couldn’t have been more happy and satisfied.  Being able to provide deliciously home-cooked food for your family on the holidays is truly a feeling of which I hope to have more.  That synergy that exists when family is working together to achieve a common goal is something I want to experience as much as I can.  No matter if it’s Christmas or any other day, it’s a feeling and spirit that can’t be beat or bought.  Thank you again, Mom and Darrell, for a wonderful Christmas!  Love you!

Even though I had my share of Christmas sweets, I didn’t have one Christmas cookie this year.  Can you believe?  Do you have a favorite cookie recipe?  If so, what is it?  I’m participating in a cookie swap and I could use some suggestions.  Thanks!

Namasté,
Nicole

WOW!  Christmas came and went with a bang!  I think I blinked my eyes and it was instantly over.  However, I did have a blast and enjoyed every minute of this glorious holiday.  As I mentioned in my previous post, this year I wanted to really be involved with the cooking and preparation, versus just lounging around as I did in years past.  Thus, for Christmas Eve, after much deliberating and thought, I decided on baking a ham, making a hot appetizer and whipping up a tasty dessert.  That said, I was up at the crack-a-lackin’ of dawn to get a good stretch in at yoga and then it was time to hunker down in the kitchen.  I was cooking up a storm!  Not to pat myself on the back, but everything came out better than I expected.  Also, everything took a bit longer than expected.  Before I knew it, it was time to rush out the door to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law-to-be’s place for Christmas Eve dinner.  We made it just in time! Phew!

When Patrick and I walked in, the festivities had already started.  Patrick’s family was socializing and munching on appetizers as I was getting my goodies settled in the kitchen.  Among the array of finger foods were shrimp cocktail, an antipasto platter, baked brie and fresh fruit.

Hello everyone!

Hmmm, shrimp cocktail!

What a spread!

A little bit of everything…

My hot appetizer: bite-sized biscuit cups with caramelized onion, mushrooms, gorgonzola and bacon

My baked ham with tangy honey citrus glaze.  Check out that garnish; it’s all about the presentation!

A yummy lasagna – courtesy of my mother-in-law, Ellen.  Thanks El! (BTW, it wasn’t 10:57 pm.  The clock was a little wacky!)

My sister-in-law, Carolyn’s, green bean casserole.  So good!

How’s the food, Pat?

Carolyn and Greg

Uncle Norm and Auntie Margo

My dinner plate (or bowl, as we ran out of plates)

After Carolyn and I finished prepping and serving dinner, we cleaned up and got the living room area ready for the activity portion of the night – gift opening! There were some wonderful gifts this year (much like every year) and we were all quite pleased.  While I love the gifts that I received, I also loved watching the excitement and joy on the faces of my family members.  There were so many laughs and good times shared, exactly what the holidays should be about.

I think Ellen really liked her new coat! Priceless!

Uncle and Nephew

My father-in-law, Dan, loving his 2010 calendar of Colby (Carolyn’s dog)

The hosts for the evening: Kevin and Vanja

Which is the better gift, Carolyn?  The handbag or Greg?

Healthy Chow’s best gift ever!

Cheers!

Healthy Chow happily posing with some of her Christmas gifts

Once we finished opening our gifts, we had digested our dinner and made room for our next course – dessert! On the agenda were chocolate and vanilla frosted cupcakes, Carolyn’s homemade apple crisp and my freshly baked (or chilled) key lime pie.  Everything was delicious!  I loved the buttery, yet light taste of the apple crisp with the toasted oatmeal topping.  And my key lime pie was tart and refreshing.  It tasted very tropical! I definitely had a taste (and a little bit more) of everything

I’m glad I saved room for dessert!

Ah, cupcakes!

What a lovely night!  Kevin and Vanja did a fantastic job decorating their home giving it a warm, Christmas feeling and hosted a great party.  We all had a such an amazing time enjoying each other’s company and sharing so many laughs.  Not to mention, the food was delicious! I’m proud to say that my first-ever baked ham came out quite well and was a hit!  It felt great to be able to fully contribute to my family’s dinner and to know that I was able to help in giving them a nice meal on Christmas Eve.  I think all of our bellies were quite full and happy.  What a splendid way to end the day and to prep myself for the next big event…Christmas!

I hope you had a Merry Christmas!

Did you make anything for your holiday meal?  If so, would you make it again?  Do you like cooking on the holidays?

Namasté,
Nicole

Do you ever just go on a tear when you’re shopping, whether it be at the mall or at the grocery store, and you start buying things you don’t need, but at that instant, you’re convinced life would be so much better if you bought it?  Well, this happens to me quite often and especially when I’m at the grocery store (cough, cough, Trader Joe’s).  I see things that look interesting and if they’re reasonably priced, I convince myself that I must buy them.  And then I come home, unload my bags and stare at my new products with delight, envisioning what I can make with them.

The hands on the clock go flying around and the pages on the calendar turn…(do you like the drama?)

Image Credit - guardian.co.uk

About a few months go by and my excitement for the new products dwindles.  For whatever reason, these products get pushed to the back of the fridge and the cupboard (to make room for more new products) and the expiration dates that seemed to be light years away, are now just around the corner.  All of the sudden, it becomes a do or die situation – meaning I either eat the food or I dump it.  Sound familiar?

The other day, I was faced with the aforementioned situation (no, not that ‘Situation’.  Just a regular situation).  I looked in my fridge and I saw that I had a package of Trader Joe’s Organic 3-Grain Tempeh that expired was about to expire and a bag of Shirataki fettuccine noodles that had about a week of life left.  I knew I wanted to have some sort of pasta dish (I guess I really had no choice) and wanted the tempeh to accompany it (again, I wasn’t left with much of a choice).  But they really don’t go together and the thought of combining them didn’t sound too appetizing.  And then it hit me!  The light bulb went off.  I started rummaging online for some tips and in a short time, dinner was served!

Meatless Meatballs and Fake Fettuccine
Inspired by Soap and Chocolate

For the meatballs (makes 12 meatballs):

• 1 8 oz. package of tempeh (I used Trader Joe’s Organic 3-Grain Tempeh)
• 1 TBSP of grated parmesan cheese
• 2 TBSP of ground flax in 3 TBSP of water (I used Trader Joe’s Golden Roasted Flax Seed, ground)
• 1 1/2 TBSP of pesto (I used Classico brand, but your own homemade version would be even better)
• 7 oz. can of mushrooms, chopped (yeah, I’m not sure why I had these in my kitchen, but they’re gone now!)
• 1/4 cup of onion, minced
• few shakes of garlic powder
• few shakes of dried oregano
• few shakes of dried basil
• few shakes of dried parsley
• s&p

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) In a small cup, add your flax to your water and let it sit for about five minutes.

3) Crumble your block of tempeh into a small bowl.  I steamed mine for about 6 minutes on each side in the microwave to soften before crumbling.

4) When your tempeh is the consistency of chunky rice, add your parmesan cheese and flax mixture.  Give it a little mix.  Then add your mushrooms, onions, pesto and seasonings.  Mix everything around until it all gets sticky.

5) On a foil lined rimmed baking sheet covered with cooking spray, shape the tempeh mixture into about 12 balls.

6) Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes, until beginning to brown.

For the fettuccine:

• 1 8 oz. bag of Shirataki fettuccine noodles
• 1 TSP of pesto
• few shakes of parmesan cheese

1) In a colander, wash your Shirataki noodles thoroughly (rinse for a few minutes).  If you can still smell them, keep rinsing!

2) Microwave the noodles in a bowl for about 1 minute.  Drain the water from the bowl.  Microwave for another minute or so.  If the noodles are still wet, microwave again or pat dry with some paper towels.  You want dry noodles.

3) Once dry and hot, add the pesto.  Stir until the pesto is well-blended into the noodles.

4) Serve with a few of the ‘meatballs’.  Top with parmesan cheese and eat!

WOW!  These meatballs weren’t missing the meat (TWSS…it’s been awhile!) and neither was I (tee hee).  The distinct tempeh flavor that most know and not everyone is a fan of, totally disappeared in this recipe.  With the parmesan cheese, onions, mushrooms, pesto and seasonings, these meatballs tasted just like traditional meatballs.  The only thing that was a tad different was the consistency.  I think the initial steaming of the tempeh made the ‘meat’ in the meatballs too wet and adding the canned mushrooms contributed to the wetness.  Thus, the meatballs crumbled a little too easily.  Next time, I am going to add more flax, use fresh mushrooms and not steam the tempeh.  Hopefully, the meatballs will hold their shape better.  However, the taste of this recipe more than made up for the crumbliness (a word?).  In addition, eating these meatless wonders with my ‘not-so’ noodles, made me think I was having a real Italian-inspired meal.  I would have never guessed in a million years that I was really eating soybeans in cake-like form along with more soybeans combined with some yam flour.  HA!

So, I’m still not sure why I decided to wait so long to use these grocery goodies.  It’s not that I all of the sudden have a change in heart and in taste buds.  I just seem to forget that I bought these foods.  Not good. I guess the lesson here is to be happy with what you have (or at least make use of what you have) before deciding that you need more.  This is a lesson that doesn’t have an expiration date and is something I going to try my hardest to keep fresh in my mind.

Have you ever had your ‘15 minutes’ of fame?  If so, what was it?  My sister and I were in the play, The King and I, with Yul Brynner when we were eight years old.  That was my 15 minutes.  Do you ever wish you were famous?

Namasté,
Nicole

Image Credit – frmarkdwhite.wordpress.com

“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can”…OK, keep saying this to yourself, Healthy Chow.  You only have about four more months to go.  Have no idea what I’m talking about (don’t worry, people rarely do!)?  I’m referring to my promise to not complain about winter and the weather.  I decided last week that I was going to change my negative attitude about this change in season in hopes of being able to appreciate the beauty in winter.  I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but it was something that I had to do.  There was no way I was going to spend another winter with my head down complaining and groaning every time another snow flake fell to the ground.  That said, when we had a bout with my friends, the snow, the wind and the freezing rain, I had to find a way to keep my chin up and to keep my heart (and belly) warm.  And what better way to do that than to make one of my favorite comfort food meals?  (And to quiet an nagging inquisitive husband who keeps asking when I’m going to make his favorite chicken and rice dish again?)

Oh So Nice Easy Chicken and Rice
Serves 4 – 6

• 2 – 2 1/4 lbs. of boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
• 1 pouch of dry onion soup mix (I used Lipton’s)
• 1 cup of long grain white rice (don’t use instant)
• 2 cups of water
• 3 TBSP of Worcestershire sauce
• few shakes of dried rosemary
• few shakes of garlic powder
• cracked black pepper

1) Rinse and pat dry your chicken.  Cover generously with dried rosemary, garlic powder and cracked black pepper.  Let sit in fridge to marinate for about 30 minutes.

2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, mix together the rice, water, onion soup mix and Worcestershire sauce.  Pour the rice mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3) Layer the chicken over the rice, making sure there is no overlapping.  Cover with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

4) Chicken voila!

Don’t you use just love these easy and yummy recipes that can come together in a few short minutes?  I paired this dinner with some steamed broccoli and it became a balanced meal in an instant.  Plus, because this recipe made so much food, I had plenty of leftovers.  Score! While the chicken is moist and flavorful, the rice is hands-down my favorite part of the meal.  I love how the rice soaks up all the goodness from the soup mix and the juices from the chicken.  It’s truly heavenly!  I used chicken thighs versus breasts because I wanted the chicken to stay moist.  Because there isn’t any oil used in or on the chicken, I feel as though the thighs are a better choice.  But, I have made this recipe with bone-in chicken breasts and it’s still quite delicious.  You won’t even miss the chicken skin (well, I usually take the skin off, but Patrick tends to like it)!  While the pieces of chicken seem quite large, they do shrink up immensely once they’ve been cooked.  I tend to get much more rice than I do chicken – no complaining here!

Speaking of complaining, with my belly full of this comforting dish, I didn’t even think about what was going on outdoors.  I could still hear the rain and wind beating and howling outside my window, but the aroma from my dinner more than compensated.  This is one of my favorite recipes for so many reasons: it’s delectable, simple to make, doesn’t require many ingredients, uses kitchen staples or things you probably have on hand, it’s inexpensive and has a fast clean-up.  While I still can’t say I’m a lover of winter, I can say I have found ways to make this season more pleasurable.  And with that said, I can proudly say, “winter, winter, chicken dinner!”

“Thank you, everyone…I’ll be here all week!”

Image Credit – louisianaclassicalmusic.com

What’s the best joke you’ve ever heard?  Or, what’s the most recent joke you’ve heard?  Do you have a favorite comedian/comedienne?

Namasté,
Nicole

I have a secret.  I always thought brussels sprouts were weird.  I mean, they are mini cabbages, right?  So, what’s the allure?  Whenever I saw brussels sprouts either on a menu or on the table (not at the Healthy Chow house, at a friend’s house), I sort of shuttered.  Who knows why?  The truth is, I had never even tried a brussels sprout.  I thought they looked weird and people would always say (on tv) that they ‘hated’ them.  BTW, when I say ‘people’, I mean Punky Brewster.  I remember how she hated them, but used to always say before going to a commercial break, “I’ll be back before you can say ‘brussels sprout’!”  I think it may have been Punky that seeded the idea in my head that these mini leafy veggies were not so much.  But I digress…

Image Credit – kristievosper.typepad.com

Anyway, while my days of watching Punky B. on tv (hey, that rhymes!) are over (tears streaming down my face), my days of fearing the brussels sprout are also over.  In fact, I can’t believe I ever gave them the cold shoulder in the first place!  And, they are so good for you!  According to WHFoods.com:

Brussels sprouts reduced the development of pre-cancerous cells 41-52% in the colon and 27-67% in the liver, and drastically diminished the size (85-91%) of pre-cancerous lesions in the liver.

…a cup of Brussels sprouts contains a whopping 1122 IU of vitamin A plus 669 IU of beta-carotene, both of which play important roles in defending the body against infection and promoting supple, glowing skin.

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, is known to reduce the risk of a number of cancers, especially lung, colon, breast, ovarian and bladder cancer. Now, research reveals that crucifers provide significant cardiovascular benefits as well.

After reading all the nutritional benefits, for Thanksgiving this year, I decided to bring a dish that contained the ever-so-mighty brussels sprout.  I figured, my family can all ‘thank’ me later (get it?).

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries, Chickpeas and Pecans
Serves 10 – 12

• 2 1/2 lbs. of brussels sprouts
• 2 1/2 TBSP of olive oil
• 4 TBSP of orange muscat champagne vinegar (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• 3 oz. of pecans, chopped (I used Green Valley Pecans)
• 1 1/4 cup of chickpeas
• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 2 1/2 oz. of goat cheese (I used about half of the tube of the Trader Joe’s brand)
• few shakes of adobo powder
• s&p

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2) Wash and trim your brussels sprouts.  I cut the stems off and discarded any of the outer layers that looked wilted or ‘not-so-fresh’.  I then quartered each sprout (you can just halve lengthwise the smaller ones).

3) Place your prepared brussels sprouts in a large bowl and add the olive oil and champagne vinegar.  Gently toss everything together and make sure all the sprouts are evenly coated.  I used my hands to do this.

4) Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray (I had to use a large baking sheet and a small one).  Spread the brussels sprouts in a single layer on the sheet, making sure they do not overlap.

5) Roast for 35 minutes and add the chickpeas about halfway through.  Add the dried cranberries and pecans for the last 15 minutes.  Shake the pan and move some of the brussels, cranberries and pecans around occasionally while roasting in the oven to ensure even cooking.  You’ll see some of the brussels sprout edges browning and crisping – that means they are done!

6) Transfer the contents of the pan to a large bowl or serving dish.  Season with adobo powder, salt and pepper to taste.

7) While everything is still hot, add your goat cheese.* I crumbled the goat cheese in smaller pieces before adding it to the top of the brussels sprouts.  Gently toss to ensure the goat cheese is evenly distributed.

8 ) Eat, eat, eat!

*If bringing this to a party, I would suggest waiting until the dish has been heated and is about to be served before adding and mixing in the goat cheese.

This dish was a hit at my Thanksgiving dinner table.  While some were a bit concerned that they had never tried a brussels sprout and thus, had some preconceived notions about the miniature cabbages, most ended up really enjoying my dish.  I think what turns people off about brussels sprouts is the fact that they can taste a bit bitter.  By adding orange muscat champagne vinegar and dried cranberries, the dish was subtly sweetened and the bitterness was counteracted.  I also feel that roasting the brussels brought out their natural sweetness and also added to the rustic look of this recipe.  And of course, when you add silky smooth goat cheese and crunchy pecans to anything, it always tastes good!

I guess I can see why the brussel sprout gets a bum rap.  They are sort of odd looking and probably not on the top of the list of vegetables you’d want to eat raw.  But when they’ve been prepared, paired with some great ingredients, graced with some pizazz and basically given a chance, they can turn your world around.  Remember what Punky did for Henry?

“Every time I turn around, I see the girl that turns my world around. Standing there…”

Are there any foods that you’ve grown to love? Or, any foods you ‘thought’ you didn’t like, but actually now love since you’ve tried them?

***Wanna win some free gourmet chocolate?  If that’s a yes, check out Kerstin’s blog for her fantastic Hotel Chocolat giveaway!***

Namasté,
Nicole