Spring Salad

I made this incredible and super fast salad. I used organic fresh arugula from my garden. It grows so fast I need to find ways to use it. It is bitter so I paired it with corn and broad beans. Delicious.

Spring Salad
Fresh big arugula leaves
Half bag of frozen corn with broad beans
One small can of organic mushrooms
Two tomatoes
One can tuna in olive oil
Olive oil, salt and pepper

Now, I hate can tuna in water. It is disgusting. We only have can tuna in oil in Italy. The frozen corn and flat beans, I found at my supermarket. When it comes to corn always buy organic. I actually don’t like corn, never did. This the only one I like and only in salads. Most corn in USA is GMO or genetically modified organism. Independent research from the FDA and Monsanto, this latter produces gmos has indicated possible side effects for the health of the population and the environment. You can easily google the issue at stake. Anyway, since the FDA does not mandate gmo labeling it is hard to have a choice in terms of buying products like corn, or everything actually unless it is organic. The moral of the story is that I don’t eat corn unless it is organic and in a salad.

Sorry I got carried away…. Mix all ingredients together and enjoy cold with a fresh lemonade!!!

Also for those who were wondering whether I lost those cookies pounds from xmast, the answer is yes. I lost 4 pounds for an average of one pound each month. I think I hit a point during my work out and healthy diet in which i achieved a balance. I can eat like a pig again without having to worry. I think for me was definitely being more active since my diet has always being healthy. It is also true I eat pasta at least twice during a meal. I still do that. Ahahah

Edible Organic Orlando Stuffed Pepper

Orlando it is not only to be associated with Disney or Univeral. We enjoyed some local and organic cuisine. The first day we had lunch/dinner at Pine22. The simple and clean restaurant makes hamburgers. The meat comes from grass-fed cows. I have been obsessed with grass fed beef, milk and cheese. It just tastes so much better. One option Pine22 has is that you can finally have your burger without the bun, instead it is served on lettuce. Side dish is sweet potatoes. Verdict: quality was good but too greasy. I believe we have this idea that if it’s local and organic it must be healthy, light and gourmet. No, the burger was a burger. It was too heavy for my taste, but I would recommend trying it out. I think since we paid $12 for a burger a nicer presentation would be appreciated. Though, I had an organic beer that was delicious Peak Organic Pomegrade — The owner of Pine22, I was told, runs also another restaurant in Orlando on 55 Church Street – The Rusty Spoon – We had dinner there, because again the food was local and some organic. It was good- I had a pork pate` and a dish with fish, broth and grits (very southern). Shawn had a goulash that was amazing. Really reasonable prices and really good food and good selection. The reason why we picked these places was also based on location. We did not have to take the car and we went to different lounges/bars after dinner.

The recipe for today is inspired by the Edible Orlando magazine. Issue 7 of Spring 2012 had a wonderful recipe for stuffed green peppers. I took the freedom to adjust it with my preference for certain foods and availability in my fridge;)

Green Stuffed Pepper

4 medium size green pepper

1/2 cup of crumble feta cheese

1/2 crumble tofu (soft or hard)

1/2 shredded parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons red onions chopped finely

1 garlic clove minced

fresh cilantro to garnish

one chopped tomato

one tablespoon breadcrumbs homemade (you can also buy them)

salt, pepper, olive oil, oregano and thyme

Clean the peppers by removing the top, and internal seeds. Keep the top. You will need it later for decoration. In a bowl combine the feta, tofu, cheese, onion, chopped tomato, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, a sprinkle of olive oil, and breadcrumbs. Set aside.

Here the trick – Preheat the oven at 375 – Stuff each pepper with the filling top with some more cheese and breadcrumbs.  Cook for 50-60 minutes. When they come out serve on a plate with the top on it and fresh cilantro.

Serve with Fresh Grilled Jumbo Shrimp and Grilled veggies

To make the shrimp, just rinse with water and place on the grill until they turn pink. Don’t overcooked, unless you like it like that. Buy some organic corn or eggplants, zucchini. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and minced garlic. Place on the grill until cook.

Grilled chicken with roasted peppers

I was not planning to cook something good enough for the blog, but it actually turned out to be a cute and vibrant dish to make and healthy. I made it with whatever I had in the fridge.

grilled chicken with roasted peppers over rice (2 people)

brown rice (cook in the steamer according to package)

6 chicken strips (3 per person) seasoned with a mix of herbs

one red pepper

5 scallions chopped finely

one clove of garlic minced

salt and pepper, olive oil

half lemon

In a skillet pour some olive oil, the scallion and garlic chopped and the red pepper sliced. Salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 3 minutes, squeeze half the lemon and cook until the red pepper is medium soft. Don’t over cook the vegetable.

In the meantime of the grill, grill the chicken already seasoned with a mix of dry herbs you most enjoy. Cook until blackened on the outside and juicy inside.

Cook the rice in the steamer until ready.

Place half cup of rice on a plate. Place the 3 chicken strips on top of the brown rice. Add the pepper on the side and top with the green scallions. And that’s it. You got a meal in less than 30 minutes.

If you want to make it even less caloric, don’t include the rice. Instead cook with the red peppers some fresh spinach. It is a nice complement. If you don’t eat meat replace the meat with more spinach.

Sorry the picture is not that great. You need to realize that I cook and take picture at the same time with greasy hands. Also by the time I am done I am starving and ready to eat.

Herbs Focaccia

Do you know what PhD students do when they are waiting for IRB (Human subject approval)? They bake. There is nothing more irritating for a PhD student than waiting for IRB because there is nothing we can do to advance our study. We are stuck. I hate it.

So baking is the solution. It’s one of those thing that you really never had the chance to conquer. I decided to try to make focaccia- an italian flat bread so yummy in your tummy. I have made it few times, but only one time turned out excellent. It is all about yeast quantity, air, humidity, and heat. It’s very easy to screw it up.

I made two batches slightly different in methods. For one recipe I did not dissolve the yeast in warm water. For the other one I dissolved the yeast in warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes. For this latter recipe I used wheat flour; for the former unbleached organic regular flour. They both turned out good, but the unbleached one was super yummy.

Focaccia with herbs

1/2 small package of dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup cold water

2/1/2 or 3 cups flour

2 tables spoons of olive oil (extra virgin)

one spoon of sea salt

one tablespoon of Italian herbs (rosemary, oregano, thyme, etc)

2 cloves of garlic not peeled

So as I said before you can use unbleached or wheat flour. The 1/2 cup of warm water is to dissolve the yeast. Mix all dry ingredients in a mixer and mix together. Add slowly the yeast with warm water. Now you don’t want it to be hot because the yeast will not let the bread rise. It needs to be just tepid. Add the cold water slowly and the oil. Mix very well until you get a nice soft down. Place it on the counter top and knead. Knead as long as you can (10-20 minutes). The more the better focaccia you will get. Set aside in warm place wrapped in a kitchen towel. Let rise for 2 or 3 hours or until you see a difference in size.

Preheat oven at 425. Take a baking sheet or a glass pyrex (I used the pyrex) and sprinkle the bottom with olive oil. When the dough has risen, knead some more and then give it the shape of a flat bread, not as flat as a pizza, but not at chunky as a loaf of bread. It really depends how you like your focaccia. You can have a crunchy thin focaccia or soft one. I did something in between. Place the flatten dough in the pyrex and sprinkle with olive oil, herbs, garlic and salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until gold on top. Let it cool. Add some more salt or olive oil before serving. Yum Yum.

The picture is not that great. I was too eager to eat it that I almost forgot to take the picture. It was so good. Now, why is this healthy? I know it’s carbs, but it’s not processed food. If you go to the grocery store most breads have preservatives or additives to keep it fresh for more than one week. This includes corn derivates like corn syrup. These derivates are hard for our system to digest causing us to gain weight if not eaten with moderation. So, I ll rather have my own bread than something I don’t know where it came from.

Fried Oysters

I am tired. Here another recipe from the Romantic/Valentine’s dinner. It only took me forever to type all the recipes….and I am not even done….

Last night I had a total abandonment of healthy diet. I came back around 8 after having worked out for one hour and half and I was starving. It’s reasonable right? I had wished my dinner would have been ready, but it was not and everything in the kitchen required a lot of preparation. The intention was there. I started baking a sweet potatoe and had half a orange. But that was not enough. For dinner I had one chocolate cupcake that had been sitting in the fridge for one week and a mini chocolate mousse. I know. I did not even enjoy it, but I was hungry. So moral of the story. Rely on yourself for cooking and ALWAYS have a healthy ‘safe item’ in the house.

Fried oysters

8 fresh oysters (we buy them from teh gulf since we are only 40 minutes away)

2 eggs beaten and placed in a bowl

1/2 cup of unbleached flour

1/2 bread crambs or panko

canola oil or olive oil for frying (if you use the olive oil the oysters will have a bitter strong taste)

one lemon, salt and pepper

You will have 3 different bowls each filled with one ingridient (one for eggs, one for flour, one for breadf crambs)

Dip each oyster in flour, eggs, and bread crambs. Then place in hot oil and fry for 2 minutes or until crispy and gold on the outside. Sprinkle with lemon once the oysters are set aside on a plate.

We placed the oysters on top of the filet mignon

Food without Corn Syrup

Lately, I engaged in a discussion about food habits with my professors and some of my classmates. After a vivid discussion I decided to read Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which I suggest to anyone who cares about his/her own body. The first chapter of the book is enough to make us realize that we are made out of processed corn food, which is high in sugar and is artificially made. Even thought previous medical studies have not suggested that HFCS is the main leading cause of obesity, one might wonder why in a country with more than 63% obese people eating food high in calories made out of fats and sugar, new and MORE bad and artificial food elements are introduced in EVERYTHING we eat. Corn is given to our chicken, to our cows; corn syrup is found in bread, cereals, peanut butter, yogurt, cheese, etc. The reason of such an invasion of corn lays on economic reasons. However, I am not here to discuss politics. I am here to provide a list of food that does not have HFCS. I hope anyone can enjoy it.

 

Some of these items are from the local grocery in Florida.

Publix Orange Berry Whole Grain Muffins

Thomas Hearthy Grains English Muffins

Whole Grain Tandoori Naan 

Toufayan Bakeries Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Barilla Pasta 

Progresso 100% Natural Beef Broth Flavored

Bumble Bee Solic White Albacore in Oil

Smucker Low Sugar No artificial Sweetener Strawberry Preserve

Publix GreeWise Blue Corn Tortilla CHips

Athenos Hummus Black Olive

Claussen  Kosher Dill Halves

Il Villaggio Mozzarella Fior di Latte ciliegine

Publix Pizza Dough (with granulated sugar)

Olivia Feta Cheese

Fage Greek Yogurt with honey

Nueva Cucina Paella rice

Organic Whole wheat Couscous Fantastic World Foods

 

 

 

I am going to update this list as I go to the grocery. If you know of any items without corn syrup please post a comment and I will edit the list. 

Have a great day **HFCS FREE**:)