Tag: Healthy Eats

Hail to the Kale Caesar

IMG_7367My son has been insisting I make kale Caesar salad and while loving Ceasar in a restaurant, I haven’t made it before, partly because I wasn’t sure how to deal with the raw eggs. Boy, am I glad he made me look into it as I discovered this delicious, easy-to-make romaine caesar salad which has become an instant classic in our house. Come and cook with us!
While kale is no longer the only superfood that is around, it is still a remarkable food packed with vitamin K, A and C and containing an indirect antioxidant glucosinolates which can reduce levels of harmful estrogens that may promote cancer growth in hormone-sensitive cells. In addition, the romaine lettuce delivers the eye-healthy antioxidant carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin which studies have linked to reduced risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. And they are both high in insoluble fiber, which 96% of Americans don’t get enough and could use much more of. In fact, in a French study of 6000 individuals, those with the highest intake of insoluble fiber had lower blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and homocysteine levels. So bring on the Romaine Kale Caesar salad!
The salad mixes romaine and kale which doubles up the nutrition and crispiness of the dish. Instead of using mayo, the dressing uses the ingredients of it but the egg is cooked which can be reassuring for those of us trying to avoid the risks associated with consuming raw eggs. You can go lighter on the anchovies, although I think they provide a depth of flavor that is unmistakably Caesar.
So, if you are like my son and love Caesar salads, give this salad a try and let us know what you think. Come and cook with us!

April is Perfect for Ratatouille

IMG_6592Back home we say: “Der April macht was er will” which means that “April does what it wants”. Given the agricultural background of my valley, this saying refers to the weather and the fact that it is highly unreliable during the month of April. I thought of this these past few weeks when my two boys spent more than one day at sailing regattas (or practices) rigging, de-rigging, sailing and bailing in miserable wet and cold conditions. Overall, they were troopers and I tried to have a hearty pot of comfort food waiting for them at home. In addition to goulash, chili con carne and pulled pork, I knew I would make them happy with a big pot of ratatouille. Have you made ratatouille before? This week you get a chance to try it, too. Come and cook with us!

Ratatouille is French and consists of a simple dish featuring zucchini, onions, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes either stewed on the stove-top or, my preference, first roasted in the oven and then combined and stirred with a nice dose of tomato paste to let the flavors meld. In fact, the word ratatouille is a blend of the French words ratouiller to disturb, shake and tatouiller to stir. It’s a hearty vegetarian dish that gets better over time and tastes just as good cold as it does warm. So make a lot, make it often and don’t be afraid of left-overs.

My kids favorite way to eat ratatouille is over soft polenta with either a poached egg or some tasty melted cheese layered in between, preferably gorgonzola dolce but any decent melting cheese will do.

In Italy, we have a similar dish called peperonata which comes from the word “peperone” which isn’t the “pepperoni” you put on your pizza but rather, bell peppers. It’s similar and often also features potatoes which are usually not in a ratatouille.

So next time you’re in the supermarket, stock up on zucchini (non-GMO), eggplants, bell peppers (organic as per EWG’s 2016 Dirty Dozen list which is hot off the press), onions and tomato paste and make a big pot of ratatouille. Hope you and yours like it as much as mine do! Come and cook with us!

Ratatouille

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Do Weeknight Dinner Like a Chef!

IMG_3818The beauty of reviewing cookbooks with a group of fabulous and passionate home chefs is that I learn a lot about how others cook and I get to discover books that would otherwise not have been on my radar. One of these examples is a fabulous book called Chefs’ Easy Weeknight Dinners published by Food & Wine Magazine. Almost every recipe in the book is a must-do, and the one I would like to share with you this week is the Ginger-Braised Pork Meatballs in Coconut Broth. Yes, it’s just as delicious as it sounds. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Do Weeknight Dinner Like a Chef!”

A Fennel Marathon

IMG_3348Did you know that fennel is the Greek name for marathon? Not because eating fennel gives you stamina and endurance. Rather, the Greek beat the Persians in 490 B.C., in a fennel field that is exactly 26 miles and 385 yards from Athens. They sent a runner to bring the good news into town and ever since then, the length of a marathon race has remained the same as the distance between the fennel field and town. Luckily, you don’t have to go that far out of your way to get some fennel. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “A Fennel Marathon”

Simple Beef Pot Roast à la Omi

IMG_1344Whenever I am fortunate enough to visit with my grandmother Omi, she is usually either in her store selling screws, nails and door-knobs or at the stove. Either way, the conversation will always steer towards her lunch plans and more often than not, she has a pot-roast braising in the kitchen. This isn’t necessarily a warm-weather-type of meal, unless you live in the Dolomites where it is generally always on the cooler side, but it is great, fast and delicious and I wanted to share it as my Omi’s quintessential meal. Come and cook with us!

We love any recipe that doesn’t take too much active involvement, so this simple pot roast is ideal when you want a real meal and have the time to prepare it a few hours in advance. You don’t have to stay there and nurse it the whole time, although checking on the liquid level is a good idea. Alternatively, you can transfer the whole affair into a slow-cooker and you’re golden. As with many meat dishes, browning the seasoned roast on all side is key to get that delicious umami flavor: it’s called the Maillard reaction. This doesn’t really “seal in the juices”, although that sounds like a great strategy. Instead, it creates those complex flavor compounds that make browned meat taste so delicious.

The type of cut that is used for this dish is not high end, so think chuck, round or brisket with lots of connective tissue that will tenderize the meat and make it succulent. If at all possible, buy the organic grass-fed variety, thereby opting for quality vs. quantity, which is always a good strategy when it comes to food.

A pot-roast is a beautiful thing and I hope you will find the opportunity to give this dish a try. Come and cook with us!

Beef Post Roast

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