Latkes and Homemade Applesauce

 The holidays are a great time for great food. I got to celebrate the holidays with delicious dishes like last night's Zucchini Potato Latkes with homemade applesauce--check out the recipes and save for next year or enjoy a belated holiday favorite :)

Homemade Bourbon Applesauce

Ingredients
6 small-medium apples, peeled cored, loosely chopped
1/4 cup bourbon
1-2 tsp cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp Allspice

Preparation
Place apples in heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add bourbon and spices. Cover and stir periodically until apples are softened, mashing with spoon as you stir. Takes about 30-40 minutes for chunky consistency  Remove from heat. Mmm!

Zucchini Potato Latkes

Ingredients
3 small-medium waxy potatoes, coarsely grated (for all grating in this, use large grate on box grater or food processor attachment like I did)
2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
1small onion (or 1/2 large), coarsely grated
1/4-1/3 cup flour (I used whole wheat--whatever you've got works)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil (for frying)

Preparation
Place grated vegetables in dish towel and wring out excess moisture.

In mixing bowl, combine egg, flour, salt and pepper. Add vegetables to egg mixture and toss until well combined. Add more flour as needed (extra flour and egg will make these fluffier on the inside vs. crispy the way I make them).

Heat half oil in large skillet, but do not let smoke. Drop rounded tablespoons of mixture into oil, and flatten. Fry first batch until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes) and flip. Brown on other side. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Repeat with remaining latke mixture and oil.

Keeping Salt in Check

Most of us have heard "cut cut cut sodium." But a recent study shows that too much AND too little may increase risk of cardiovascular death (aka heart attacks). An article published in the NYTimes this week discussed the study. So what does this really mean for your intake? You don't need to avoid salt entirely (this is quite impossible, really). But limiting your intake will likely be beneficial, especially given how much sodium is added to processed foods in our food supply. Try these simple tips to keep salt within healthy limits:

1. Choose fresh! Think seasonal fruits and veggies for vitamins, minerals, and flavor. Choose them instead of processed and packaged foods which often have ridiculous amounts of added sodium. 
2. Add spice. Salt a tad in cooking (just enough to bring out other flavors) and add dried/fresh herbs and spices for taste. 
3. Avoid salting food at the table. Food is typically salted during cooking (especially at restaurants), so keep the shaker off the table. 

Thanksgiving MyPlate

The MyPlate planner is the official recommendation on how to plan your meals. It's divided as follows:

• 1/2 vegetables (and fruit)
• 1/4 meat/protein
• 1/4 starch

Check out  my Thanksgiving plate below for a way to make your plate tomorrow match the guidelines (and save a small piece of pie for later to have as a snack!). It's a great way to not overdo it!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Spin

These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are full of surprises. From the more traditional Spiced Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pecan to a more unique Dark Chocolate with Cherries and Orange, these will not disappoint. The spices, nuts, and fruit give them a holiday flare that make great gifts. Since both batches start with the same base,  it's easy to whip up both varieties at once.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch ground clove

1 cup chopped pecans

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

1 cup dried cherries

2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

1. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment and place in refrigerator.
2. In standing mixer, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed. Stir in eggs, one at a time.
3. Sift together the flour and baking soda in separate bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter with the mixer on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half. Stir in the oats.
4. Divide dough in half and place in separate bowls. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, pecans and chocolate chips to one half and mix well. To other half, add dark chocolate, cherries, and orange zest and mix well. Refrigerate all dough 30 minutes to an hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350degrees.  Drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack.

Fall Treat--Pumpkin Muffins

The smell of these Whole Wheat Pumpkin Walnut Muffins makes welcoming the fall chill a little easier. The pumpkin keeps them moist and dried fruit adds a touch of sweetness. Canned pumpkin makes them especially easy. Grab one for breakfast, or serve instead of rolls alongside a Thanksgiving feast! 

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Walnut Muffins 

Adapted from Gourmet 

Ingredients

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons unsulfured molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup chopped pitted dates, raisins, or currants

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts + 2 Tbs minced walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 400degrees. Grease twelve ½ cup muffin cups, or place wrapper in each.

1.       Melt butter and cool slightly. Whisk together butter, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, molasses, and vanilla.

2.      Into a large bowl sift together flours, baking powder, spices, salt, and baking soda and whisk in brown sugar. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add pumpkin mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in fruit and ¾ cups chopped walnuts.

3.      Divide batter among cups. Sprinkle remaining 2 Tbs walnuts evenly over batter in each cup and bake muffins in middle of oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until puffed and a tester comes out clean.

4.      Cool muffins in cups 5 minutes and turn out onto a rack. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

Book Review: Born to Run

I'd heard a lot about Christopher McDougall's Born to Run. The book is a talented journalist's account of growing his own amateur athletic career by adopting the running stylings of Mexico's Tarahumara tribesmen. And all the adventures that come along with sticking a bunch of Americans in the depths of isolated canyons in Mexico to brave ultra-marathon distance runs.

While I wasn't moved to run barefoot or take up 100 mile distance running, I did notice a difference over my past few runs in the way I think (or better said, don't think) about my stride. McDougall was encouraged by his coach's study of the Tarahumara's way of running to  run like a kid again, a lesson in both gait and attitude.

The Tarahumara subsist on a close-to vegan diet, with nights spent getting drunk on corn beer--a diet that most of us would assume detrimental to the body and inadequate considering the ultradistances the Tarahumara run every day. Their lifestyle of living off the earth and enjoying multiple uphill marathon runs daily supports minimal rates of injury, great longevity, and a population that knows virtually no chronic disease.

So what exactly do they eat? One passage sums it up better than I ever could, so thought I'd share in case anyone out there feels ready for a dietary experiment:

 "Anything the Tarahumara eat, you can get very easily," Tony told me. "It's mostly pinto beans, squash, chili peppers, wild greens, pinole, and lots of chia." ...the traditional Tarahuma diet exceeds the United Nations' recommended daily [protein] intake by more than 50 percent. As for bone-strengthening calcium, that gets worked into tortillas and pinole with the limestone the Tarahumara women use to soften the corn.


Now I'll just need to remember to register for limestone tortilla flats.

Lamb Burgers with Kale Chips

I love a good burger--nothing satisfies a red meat craving quite like them! Jazzing up a standard burger recipe for company is an affordable and delicious way to impress. Making small patties and serving burgers alongside lots of vegetables can keep your portion of a fattier meat in check and still leave you full and satisfied.

This week I made lamb burgers for a weeknight dinner with friends and served them with whole wheat pita pockets, homemade yogurt lemon dill dressing, and a side of oven-roasted kale chips (a favorite, fast go-to recipe). The yogurt dressing would go great on a salad or as a chicken marinade, so make a big batch since you have to get out the blender anyway!

Lamb Burgers

Serves 6

Ingredients

1.5 lbs ground lamb

1 ounce feta, crumbled

3 Tbs chopped kalamata olives

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbs fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 Tbs fresh oregano leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients with lamb until combined. Form into 6 patties and refrigerate ~30 minutes.
2.  Grill on one side until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Turn and grill additional 3-4 minutes, until sides are browned and inside is pink.
3. Serve with pita, cucumber, tomato, and yogurt dressing. 

Yogurt Lemon Dill Dressing

Makes about 1.5 cups

Ingredients

1 cup Greek yogurt

Juice of 1 lemon

½ cup chopped fresh dill

¼ cucumber, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2-3 Tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

Blend all ingredients except olive oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil into blender until dressing reaches desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Kale Chips

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

1 bunch kale, washed, stems removed

2 Tbs olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Wash kale and remove stems. Dry leaves well, tear, and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Place leaves on cookie sheet and roast about 10 minutes, until crispy. 

Stonebarns Getaway

 Visiting Dan Barber's Blue Hill at Stone Barns this past weekend was the perfect way to spend a gorgeous fall weather and a friend's birthday. We hopped a train out of the city and got lunch at Blue Hill Cafe. The food at Blue Hill (restaurants in both Tarrytown and Manhattan) is sourced from the Stone Barns farm and a few other local farms. The cafe where we grabbed a picnic lunch was an affordable way to enjoy Blue Hill's delicious and exclusively seasonal food, especially since the main restaurants are pricey, though worth it for what might have been the best meal I've ever had (a blog for another time, if I'm lucky).

Lunch feast complete with iced coffee for one of the last hot days of the year. 

Barbara in front of the veggies

 We shared delicious baked goods, vegetable salad, soup, and frittata and then walked around to check out all the piglets!

Cuddling pigs
toward the end of our hike (read: stroll) we were ready for naptime too!

We all feasted that day.

All in all, a successful day-trip and terrific birthday extravaganza.

 

Fall for Soup

I find myself craving warm comfort foods this time every year. Homemade soup is one of my favorite ways to enjoy autumn produce. It warms the soul without needing to loosen your belt! Soup also stores easily--I made a large batch and will freeze some for quick weeknight dinners over the next couple weeks.

Check out what I doctored up tonight (and served with some toast spread with feta!). Try this creation, but keep in mind that it's easy to mix and match various vegetables, beans, and spices to create a unique dish each time.

Lentil Stew with Squash and Greens

Ingredients

1 Onion, diced

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/4 Kabocha squash, seeds removed and diced

2 large carrots, diced

3 large parsnips, diced

2 Tbs caraway seeds

2 Tbs dried basil

1 Tbs crushed red pepper

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

1/2 lb dried lentils, rinsed and picked over

2 cups low sodium beef broth + 2 cups water

1 bunch kale, stems removed and torn

1 bunch fresh basil

Directions

1. Oil large soup pot and saute onion and garlic until tender. Add squash, carrots, parsnips, and seasonings. Mix together and saute about 3 minutes. 

2. Add lentils, broth and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all vegetables and beans are tender, about 20 minutes. 

3. Remove bay leaves and stir in kale and basil until wilted. 

4. Serve or let cool before freezing/refrigerating. 

Spice Up Your Spice Cabinet

Try cooking with fresh and/or dried herbs and spices! In addition to helping you cut back on salt, herbs and spices have health properties all their own, including their antioxidant properties to help reduce risk of chronic diseases. Perking up your pantry is a great way to make sure affordable meals are never too long of a process. It can be daunting to dive into the spice rack world all by yourself, so check out some combinations below to match what flavor profile you're in the mood for:

• Curry + Cumin + Coriander Get the great taste of take-out without all the added fat and salt! This adds beautiful yellow color to roasted cauliflower, caramelized onions served over grilled chicken, or bean stews.
• Basil + Oregano + Caraway Seeds A new take on Italian classics. This mixture with anise flavor mimics the flavors of Italian sausage. Use either fresh or dried basil & oregano and dried caraway in tomato sauce with a bit of garlic or used to flavor lean cuts of meat. 
• Cinnamon + Cayenne Pepper Cinnamon is too rarely used in savory dishes! The natural sweetness of carrots or sweet potatoes go great with a dash of cinnamon and a bit of hot and spicy flavor. Can't handle the heat? Try it with chili powder instead of cayenne which has loads of flavor but won't leave your lips burning. 
• Rosemary + Thyme + Sage  This combo always makes me dream of Thanksgiving feasts. While it is delicious on poultry alongside a squirt of lemon, it is also a fabulous addition to roasted beets and parsnips. 

Highline Park Walk

NYC's High Line is a unexpected way to view the city in a historical and environmentally forward Park. From a unique vantage point, it offers gorgeous views that you can't get in a high-rise or from the street below. Earlier this summer, the second part of the park opened up, so you can now walk from Gansevoort in the Meatpacking District up to about 30th Street. In addition to enjoying the view, walking up and back is about 2 miles, and will burn you about 200 calories.

Get there hungry to enjoy some of the awesome vendors along the stroll--including my newest favorite, meltbakery. They have a variety of tasty cookie ice cream sandwiches, including Molasses with Pumpkin ice cream (middle) just in time for fall, and a classic Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Ice Cream (right).

Jeffrey's Grocery

For a laid back atmosphere with to-die-for dishes from start to finish, try Jeffrey's Grocery in the West Village. A close former New Yorker friend and I stopped in Saturday night for bar-side dinner. I often find myself more impressed by appetizers than entrees, and although I wouldn't take back a single bite of the starters,the hangar steak was a force to be reckoned with as well. As we looked around, we kept ordering--that's how good everything looked and tasted. We luckily saved room for the bartender's dessert recommendation and a tasty bottle of red wine on one of NYC's first fall-like weekends. Stumbling upon this restaurant was one of the weekend's highlights. Go hungry!

Octopus special with potato salad and zucchini ribbons.
Best dish of the night!

Tomato and Watermelon salad, conveniently split for 2. 

Hanger Steak (what was left anyway...) and chips with market crab dip.

Berry Shortcake a la mode to finish. 

Whole Wheat Pizza

Most Americans love pizza. But why waste the calories on the terrible 30 minute delivery place down the block? Thin-crust, fresh toppings is way more up my alley. I decided a couple weeks ago to get out my standing mixer and whip up a batch of pizza dough. This was my first attempt, but I was certain I could give this "junk-food" staple a new reputation. Using whole wheat flour instead of refined to boost vitamins and fiber and using fresh herbs, cheeses, and farmers market veggies as toppings, I felt like I got a lot of taste without the grease.

The dough recipe I used makes enough to serve about 8 people, 2 slices per person. I froze half, and was able to share round 2 with a dear friend. In addition to fabulous wine, we dined on 2 different whole wheat pizzas: White Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Prosciutto and Zucchini (recipe below), a simple Margarita with Heirloom Tomatoes, as well as an arugula and fig salad. I dare you to try it--you'll never call Domino's again. 

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Adapted from The Williams Sonoma Cookbook

Ingredients

1 package (or ~2.5 Tbs) active dry yeast

1 ½ cups warm water (105-115F)

1Tbs salt (plus ~1 tsp for seasoning)

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus about 1-2 tsp additional for greasing

3 ½ -4 cups whole wheat flour, divided

Preparation

1.       In bowl of a standing mixer with dough hook, sprinkle yeast over warm water and let stand until foamy (about 4 minutes). Add olive oil, ½ cup flour, and 1 Tbs salt; mix until creamy. Add additional flour, ½ cup at a time, and knead in mixer until dough is smooth but not sticky (about 10 minutes).

2.      Form dough into a ball, put in lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover bowl with towel or plastic and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Divide dough into 4 balls, kneading as you shape them.

NOTE: If freezing or refrigerating dough, after step 2 (first rise), wrap each ball in aluminum foil, and freeze up to 2 weeks or refrigerate up to 4 days. To re-use, thaw in refrigerator, then following steps 3-5 to complete.

3.      Place dough balls in bowl and cover with towel. Let rise (second rise) until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

4.      Preheat oven to 450F. Flatten each ball and gentry roll on floured surface, until about 8 inches in diameter (smaller if you like a thicker crust). Place rounds on flour-dusted baking sheet.

5.      Add toppings, and bake until edges are golden brown (about 10 minutes). 

Prosciutto, Zucchini and Caramelized Onion White Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust

Ingredients

¼ recipe Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (1 dough ball)

2 tsp olive oil

¼ cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 ounce part-skim mozzarella, sliced

½ large white onion, sliced and caramelized

2 ounces prosciutto, sliced and torn into small strips

1 cup zucchini, sliced

1.5 oz (a handful) Parmesan cheese, shredded

Freshly cracked black pepper

Preparation

With back of a spoon, spread ricotta and about 1-2 tsp olive oil over rolled-out pizza dough. Layer prosciutto, mozzarella, onions, and zucchini strips. Top with parmesan cheese and black pepper. Bake at 450F for about 10 minutes, until crust edges are golden brown and cheese begins to brown.

Peanut Cabbage Slaw With Mustard-Crusted Tofu

It tasted so good that we weren't
too picky about presentation! 

I recently had a friend over for a weeknight dinner, and decided to see if I could make a tofu-lover out of her. I often attempt to get people to love things they think they hate. I doctored up some Cabbage Slaw with homemade peanut sauce and served it alongside Mustard Crusted Tofu. Check out the recipes below:

Cabbage Slaw with Peanut Sauce

Serves 2 main dishes or 4 sides

(Nutrition Facts based on 4 servings)

Ingredients

For Slaw:

1 cup snow peas

 1 Tbs sesame oil

½ head cabbage, sliced thinly

3 green onions

1 cucumber, sliced into thin half-moons

2 Tbs sesame seeds, toasted

Freshly ground black pepper

For Sauce:

¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter

Juice of 2 limes

1 Tbs reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 garlic clove, minced

Preparation

Lightly sauté snow peas in sesame oil.  Toss sautéed snow peas with all ingredients for slaw in large bowl. In blender, blend all ingredients for dressing.  Toss slaw and dressing together, and let sit for 1 hour before serving.

Mustard Crusted Tofu

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 12oz package extra firm tofu

3 Tbs Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

3 Tbs olive oil

Preparation

Cut tofu into 5 strips. Place on paper towels or over colander for ~15 minutes. Coat tofu strips with mustard and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbs olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Place tofu in pan and fry on one side until golden brown. Just before turning, add remaining 1 Tbs olive oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Serve warm. 

Healthy Breakfast Swaps

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Whether it's quick cold cereal before a busy workday, diner breakfast, or homemade brunch, a morning meal can rev up your metabolism after a nightlong fast. But studies show that consuming too large of a breakfast doesn't keep you from consuming more calories later in the day. Check out some breakfast swaps to give you enough energy until lunch but keep it healthy in the morning:

Instead of: Large muffin
Try: Cook up 1/2 cup oatmeal in 1 cup water. Once cooked, add 2 Tbs peanut butter and a sliced banana. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Why: Craving a sweet breakfast? This oatmeal is my go-to in my morning routine. It's sweet without the added sugar of a muffin. The peanut butter and heart-healthy soluble fiber in the oatmeal make it filling--keeps me going until lunch. There's also a whole day's worth of potassium in the banana (great post-workout!)

Instead of: Bacon, egg and cheese on a roll at the deli
Try: Bacon and egg whites with tomato on whole wheat
Why: If you're craving a standard NYC deli breakfast, don't sacrifice the flavor entirely. We all love bacon every once in a while. Instead, treat yourself to the bacon, but cut out the sodium and calories from the cheese and leave out the saturated fat from the egg yolk. Switch to whole grain and add a veggie for added fiber.







Instead of: Eggs Benedict with Hash Browns

Try: Eggs Florentine with side of greens
Why: Vegetables are a great start to the morning! Save some calories by substituting spinach for the ham. Skip the fried potatoes and opt for greens instead--with all the starch from the English muffin, I bet you don't even miss them! Asking for Hollandaise on the side to cut calories even more.

Dancefloor Workout

I've had a couple amazing weekends recently. For the past 2 weekends I've been away at dear friends' weddings. After the ceremony is done, cocktails and dinner have been had, and the couple has had their first dance, my favorite part begins--the dancing. Just 30 minutes of vigorous dance floor breaking it down burns can burn up to 200 calories, or enough to compensate for a shared piece of wedding cake.  

Check out the sweaty dancefloor from a hot summer night
at a beautiful and clearly outrageously fun Charlottesville wedding!

Fish Tag

I recently had a delightful date night at Fish Tag, a new restaurant on the UWS opened by the same owners as the delicious Kefi Greek restaurant. Our favorite dishes were the appetizers and cheese plate that followed dinner.

Grilled Prawn, Feta, & Spicy Chilies Bruschetta

Chilled Sweet Corn Soup with Maine Crab Meat
(Our favorite dish of the night)

Smoked Octopus
Perfectly done--not chewy at all!

One of the other novel concepts about this restaurant is the layout of their menu to support perfect wine pairings--they even offer wine by the half glass, full glass, half bottle and full bottle to help you have the perfect wine with each bite. I had a great glass of rose, which was perfect for a hot NYC summer night.

Here's just part of the wine list as a preview. 

It was a great night out, and comes highly recommended!