Month: May 2009

Savor One Thing at Each Meal this Week

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Here’s your mindful eating practice exercise for this week: At every meal, savor one thing. I mean really, truly tune in. It could be the sharp, lemony aroma of cilantro in a salsa. It might be the way a tannic red wine grips you at the back of the throat. It may be the way your daughter squishes her face up as she chews her broccoli. Whatever it is you choose to notice, I promise it will take zero extra time out of your day. Yet it will have a profound impact on how you feel walking away from that meal.

Jay Dixit writes in a Psychology Today article, “When subjects in a study took a few minutes each day to actively savor something they usually hurried through . . . they began experiencing more joy, happiness, and other positive emotions.” In my own life, I’ve found that locking on to a particular moment is like boring a well into my soul’s memory.  Amidst a blur of activity, my thoughts become more and more concentrated until they hit the roomy, spacious place of connection. It is there that I feel wholly nourished. And while the moment itself may only last a few seconds, the experience–senses, emotions, thoughts–is engraved so deeply that I can dip into it and be replenished whenever I choose.

Savoring the moment is one of life’s great conundrums: it sounds so easy and yet takes such deliberate effort. I urge you to give it a try this week, though–with this arugula pesto if it tickles your fancy–and see how it nourishes you.

Eat Half of What You Normally Do

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

This sounds radical, I know. But the truth is, most of us eat too much, albeit unwittingly. At a recent conference I attended–with an audience full of food service providers–most people had no idea how many calories an average person needed in a day (the answer is 2,000). And when we don’t know how much we should be eating, we’ll often just eat what’s put in front of us . . . even if it’s more than we need.

So for the next week, if you usually eat a bagel in the morning, bag half for the next day. If you eat a tuna sandwich for lunch, split it with a friend instead. Note both your weight and how you feel throughout the week–both physically and emotionally. Note, too, what you tend to compensate with if you do get hungry . . . but remember, whether it’s a bag of chips or an apple, only eat half of what you normally do!

Try Something Totally New

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

nton-small-icon Stand on one foot while tossing a salad, experiment with a new spice, try a new preparation of an old stand-by. Sometimes we get so–well, let’s call a spade a spade–bored with the same-old routine in the kitchen that we end up barreling mindlessly through a meal. No big deal, you say? Hardly. Studies show that we eat more when we’re not paying attention . . . and just as bad, if what’s at the end of our forks doesn’t even register on our radar, we’re probably not going to walk away from the table satisfied.
 
So this week’s “nibble to noodle” is all about bringing a renewed sense of wonder and whimsy to mealtime. To get you started, here’s a recipe that puts a new spin on the usual poultry . . . with a sweet-tart glaze that’s just in time for Valentine’s.

Buy only fresh produce this week

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

nton-small-iconIf you’re anything like me, right about this time you’re lamenting just how much STUFF you’ve accumulated over the past year. Those dried mushrooms I just had to have from the cheese shop; the pound of pinto beans I bought on sale last fall; the two extra pork chops that have been in the freezer since the holidays.
 
Take this week to clean house–and your pantry, freezer and fridge–by using what you have on hand and buying only fresh produce. You’ll be amazed at the impact a tidier pantry has on your psyche . . . not to mention your budget.

Spiced Lamb and Bulgur Sliders in Lettuce “Buns”

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

One way of feeling like you’re eating more when eating less is by serving it in a different form. Three of these “sliders” equates to about half the meat in a normal burger, yet they’re so flavorful, satisfying and filling, you’ll never miss the other half. 

lamb-bulgur-sliders-recipe
1/3 cup bulgur
1/3 pound ground lamb
1/3 pound lean ground beef
1/2 onion, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped mint
1-1/2 teaspoons red curry paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Yogurt Sauce (Tzatziki)

1 cucumber, peeled, grated and spun dry in salad spinner
1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt (like Fage)
5 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt

Soak bulgur in 1/2 cup hot water for half an hour. Fluff with a fork.

Combine bulgur and next 9 ingredients. Then chill, covered, for a half hour.

Mix cucumber, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and pepper in a small bowl. Season with salt and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Shape meat mixture into 12 balls and flatten into thick miniburgers. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through. Serve sliders in large lettuce leaves and dollop with yogurt sauce.

Serves 4

Fusilli with Artichokes and Swiss Chard

Posted on by — 3 Comments ↓

I love this dish. It’s winter and spring, and light and creamy all at the same time . . . a perfect pasta for late spring.

Fusilli with Artichokes and Swiss Chard

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup trimmed baby artichokes (or defrosted frozen artichoke hearts), quartered lengthwise
3 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 bunch Swiss chard, cleaned, stemmed and cut into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
Sea salt and crushed red pepper
1/2 pound whole wheat fusilli pasta
1 ounce soft goat cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and swirl in 1 tablespoon oil. Add the artichokes to the pan, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add shallots and garlic, and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, until all are a nice golden brown. Add Swiss chard, lemon zest, juice and broth, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan. Lower heat to medium, season with salt and red pepper. Cover, and cook for 10 more minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions less 1 minute. Drain and return to pot. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil into the artichoke mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Pour artichoke mixture into pasta pot and toss several times to mix well. Divide pasta amongst four bowls and top with crumbled goat cheese.

Serves 4

Chicken and Mushroom Lettuce Cups

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

I find that finger food naturally slows down a meal and focuses attention. When you’ve got juice dripping down your wrist and have to reach over your neighbor for the lettuce platter, it’s hard not to have the meal take on a different tenor.

chicken-mushroom-cups-recipe

2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups minced cremini mushrooms
1 cup minced shiitake mushrooms
1 pound ground chicken breast
3 cups shredded Napa cabbage
Kosher salt and crushed red pepper
1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and minced
1 cup minced green onions
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
24 Bibb lettuce leaves

Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and chicken and sauté for 6-8 minutes, until meat is no longer pink and mushrooms are tender. Add cabbage, salt, red pepper and water chestnuts, and cook for 5 minutes, until cabbage wilts and liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in onions, oyster sauce and soy sauce. Cool slightly and stir in cilantro.

Serve with a platter of lettuce leaves.

Serves 6 as a main course and 8 as an appetizer

Green Pea Coulis

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Peas definitely fall into the “can’t get better than fresh-from-the-garden” category. Here, they end up in a gorgeous, Kelly-green coulis. Try with seared fish or roasted lamb.

pea-coulis1

1/2 pound English peas, enough for 2 cups shelled (organic frozen peas will work in a pinch)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon spring or green onion, minced
1 tablespoon tarragon or chervil, minced
1 teaspoon fresh mint, minced
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor blend together peas, garlic, spring onion, chervil, mint and vinegar. Add oil in a steady stream until emulsified and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Thai Chicken Larb

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Larb is a type of salad made with minced or ground meat. This version uses chicken, but you could make it with duck or even pork or lamb. Serve this flavorful filling with lettuce leaves and let everyone stuff their own to give a flavor of the communal nature of Thai meals.

1-1/2 tablespoons grated lime rind
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely chopped serrano chile
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1-1/2 pounds ground chicken (or turkey)
2 tablespoon minced shallots
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 head romaine lettuce (or 1 head of cabbage), leaves separated

Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and shallots, and sauté 5 minutes, stirring to crumble. Drizzle with juice mixture, stirring to coat. Turn into a bowl and mix with mint. Serve with lettuce or cabbage leaves.

Serves 4