Monday, January 9, 2012
As the new year rolls around, a lot of people try to make resolutions to eat healthier. As I mentioned in my last post, I realized mid-December that my vegetable intake was not what it should be. Ever since then I’ve been trying to make an effort to eat a more balanced diet. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not “on a diet”, I’m just trying to eat more than just peanut butter sandwiches every day!
I was really excited when Michael from Whole Foods Market in Franklin, TN contacted me about their Pantry Staples Giveaway. They too want to inspire you to eat healthier, and they want to show you that it can be affordable. They have compiled a huge list of groceries priced at about $50, that are great pantry staples. These are things I agree are important to have on hand at all times, because when combined with a couple fresh ingredients, you can get a healthy meal. To see a list of the ingredients, and to enter to win one of the “Pantry Staples for a Year”, head on over to the Whole Foods Blog.
These are all the pantry staples you can get at Whole Foods for around $50. Looks like a lot of great beginnings for healthy meals!
That’s not all, I was also offered the chance to to do a giveaway for my readers as well! One lucky winner will win a $50 gift card to Whole Foods! All you have to do to enter my giveaway is tell me “What pantry staple do you always keep on hand?” While it doesn’t qualify for any extra entries, they would LOVE to hear from you on Whole Foods Market – Franklin Facebook Page. Head on over there and leave them the same comment about what pantry staple you always keep on hand.
Not sure if you can tell what everything is from my photo, but one of the pantry staples is almond milk. I used to be really good about keeping almond milk on hand to make smoothies. I liked that it was lower in calories than regular milk, and for some reason I just prefer it’s taste in smoothies. Somewhere along the way I got out of the smoothie habit. But for Christmas I received an immersion blender, and I’ve been inspired to put it to good use. I have a can of chocolate protein powder on hand, and some really ripe bananas I froze, and a bit of leftover canned pumpkin. It might seem like a weird combo, but it actually worked great! I’m glad I’ve been inspired to get back on the smoothie train, as this was nutritious and filling!
I plan on blogging more of the meals I make with my pantry staples, and I’ve already got a great start. (Recipes coming soon!) But please, feel free to provide me with ideas or suggestions of what to make with some of these ingredients. 🙂
FINE PRINT FOR MY GIVEAWAY: Must be a legal resident of the US or Canada (except in Quebec, where it is void) age 18 or older to participate. Employees of Whole Foods Market, Inc., are not eligible. Void where prohibited. Giveaway ends Sunday, January 15th at 10pm CST. One entry per person. You must answer the question in a comment, and provide an email address to win. The winner will be notified via email, and has 48 hours to respond, or another winner will be chosen.
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Chocolate Pumpkin Banana Smoothie
Yield: 1 smoothie
Total Time: 5 min
The pumpkin I really just threw in because I had it leftover in the fridge. It's flavor addition was pretty subtle, but I like the healthy vitamins it added!
Ingredients:
8 oz almond milk
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 frozen banana
1/4 cup pumpkin
ice cubes as needed
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a blender, or use an immersion blender. Blend until smooth, adding ice as needed.
And, now for a little side note about the Franklin Whole Foods Market. As you may have heard me mention before, I live in the heart of Nashville. There’s a perimeter of the city I very rarely leave, so I hadn’t ever made it over to the Franklin store, as I visit the Green Hills location because of proximity. As a Nashville food blogger I even got invited to a sneak preview before they opened, but I was out of town that day. Man, oh man, you Williamson Countians sure are lucky! Nathan & I were really impressed with the size & spaciousness of the store. Also, we loved the fact that they have a wine bar, and a growler refill station. At one point as I was shopping for extra ingredients I turned my head and Nathan had disappeared. Sure enough he wasn’t hard to find, I just headed towards the beer where he was sampling Lazy Magnolia’s limited Ginger Jaque, and he filled up a growler to enjoy. Also, I love that they have my favorite gelato in house, Bravo Gelato (remember when I got to go behind the scenes?). I couldn’t leave without some dessert, and HOLY COW that Sorghum + Gingersnap Gelato was so incredible! And, like the Green Hills store I’m used to, they too have cooking classes. Follow them on Twitter, or like them on Facebook for for info!
*DISCLOSURE: Whole Foods Market – Franklin, TN provided me with my pantry staples in exchange for promoting their giveaway. They also provided me with a $50 gift card to giveaway to one of my readers.*
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Sometime, mid to late December, in the midst of many cookies, candies, treats, and parties, I realized my veggie intake had gotten way too low for my liking. I’m normally a big fan of veggies, but especially since I’m eating for two, I want to provide BOTH our bodies with the nutrients vegetables can give. So, while this meal definitely falls under the “fugly” category, I’ve decided to blog it anyway.
Normally, whenever we eat a dinner with chicken thighs, Nathan will eat 2 thighs. As he’s said many times in the past, he just needs meat, and a lot of it, to feel full. With potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onion, and even an apple, this meal has plenty of vegetables and even a fruit! I loaded his plate up with lots of veggies, and put on one chicken thigh, fully expecting him to go back for more chicken. I was very surprised when he finished his plate and said “Thanks for dinner, that was really good. I’m full.” I think the bacon really adds so much flavor to this dish. The best way to eat a well rounded (non-vegetarian) meal in my opinion is with lots of flavor, lots of veggies, and a little bit of meat. Some people might shy away from bacon, or chicken thighs, because of the fat. While it’s true chicken thighs have more fat than breast, the flavor is so much better. Besides, the amount of meat we ate filled us up more than the same amount of white meat would have. It may not be the prettiest meal, but this one’s definitely a keeper!
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Braised Chicken Thighs with Winter Vegetables
Yield: 4 servings
This recipe is from Everyday Food, by chef Floyd Cardoz, recent Top Chef winner. He suggested for added flavor, to marinate the chicken. Because I had time, and the ingredients, I did. I recommend it if you have the time too, but I'm sure this recipe will be fine without.
Ingredients:
Optional Marinade:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds), patted dry
coarse salt and ground pepper
3 slices bacon, diced medium
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 sweet onion, such as Vidalia, cut into 3/4-inch wedges
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 small Savoy cabbage, cored and thick ribs removed, cut into 1/2-by-2-inch strips
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith or Mutsu, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions:
Optional Marinade: Combine marinade ingredients in medium container and whisk to combine. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour, until ready to cook.
Preheat oven to 375°. In a large ovenproof pan, heat oil over medium- high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until browned on both sides, 8 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Reduce heat to medium, add bacon and garlic to pan, and cook until bacon fat is rendered, 5 minutes. Add onion, potato, and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and bake 20 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and stir in cabbage, apple, red-pepper flakes, broth, and mustard. Add chicken, return to oven, and bake until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring vegetables halfway through.
per serv: 418 cal; 17 g fat (5 g sat fat); 33 g protein; 32 g carb; 5 g fiber
adapted from the Jan/Feb issue of Everyday Food (not online at this point)
Thursday, December 22, 2011
‘Tis the season for cheese, cookies, and candy! Am I right? Those are basically the three main food groups for the holidays. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I love parties with good food & good friends. We’ve been fortunate to be invited to some unique & fun parties this season.
Here’s some highlights from a couple of our events:
A rockin’ ugly sweater party. (I chose a Christmas holiday nurse’s scrub, with a menagerie of animals including Santa holding an opossum.)
Our Nashville Food Blogger’s Potluck (this very cheese ball is on that table!) My oh my did I stuff myself silly that night! Major thanks to Sky Blue Cafe for letting us hold our party there!
Holiday Party = reason to pull out the curling iron! So I took this photo in the host’s bathroom, but there was great lighting, how could I not?
We’ve been well blessed this season, and love any reason to gather with family or friends. This cheese ball is the perfect appetizer to snack on at any party. While I first made it in late summer for my cousin’s baby shower, it was so enjoyed by that crowd I decided to turn to it again this holiday season. After all, the only color in the cheese ball is red & green from the bacon & parsley! It’s very simple to make, and tastes amazing, so it’s perfect for a party any time of year!
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Bacon Parmesan Cheese Ball
Yield: one 4 1/2-inch ball
Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I always choose thick-cut bacon)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of kosher salt
cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in the bacon and green onions. Add the black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper if using. Using a rubber spatula, gather the cheese mixture into a rough ball. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and scatter the parsley all over. Transfer the ball to the plastic wrap. Tightly wrap the cheese ball in the plastic wrap making sure the parsley adheres, twisting at one end to form a tight ball. Chill the ball for at least 3 hours. When ready to serve, remove the plastic and place the ball on a serving plate. serve with assorted crackers and vegetables. Enjoy!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
If you’re like me, you can never find enough cookie recipes to bookmark & hope to make. I thought since it’s prime cookie baking season, I’d share some “oldies but goodies” if you’re looking for inspiration this season. If you know me, you will know I have a hard time with the word “favorite”. So please note these are not in any particular order, as each cookie is near and dear to my heart (and belly).
Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps
These cookies are definitely festive for the holiday season. They look like they were dusted with snow! They’re the perfect combination of chocolate with a hint of espresso. And if you’re a fan of chewy cookies, then you’ll love these! Have a napkin handy when you eat these, to help dust off the “fallen snow” that may get on your clothes. 😉
Double Ginger Crackles
I first made these cookies last year, and fell in love with them immediately! They have the perfect amount of spice & kick, and will delight any ginger lover. If the rules of the Food Blogger Cookie Swap hadn’t been to make a new recipe, THESE would have been the ones I made & shipped! They’re absolutely perfect with a cup of coffee or cappuccino.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
When I asked the producing team on the show I edit what cookies they’d like to see in my cookie gifts to them, classic Chocolate Chip Cookies were repeatedly requested. Who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie? These cookies are my hands down favorite! They require a little extra time, as you need to let the dough rest 24 hours, but they are definitely worth it!
Nutella Cookies
These cookies remain one of my top hits here at ErinsFoodFiles, with good reason! Nutella has a bit of a cult following, and these cookies will satisfy any Nutella-lover. While they look crispy, they’re actually soft and chewy. When made with a small cookie scoop, this recipe produces a LOT of cookies to go around. And, their small size helps reduce any cookie-guilt you might have when it comes to eating 2 or 3 in one day. At least for me! 😉
Buttered Rum Meltaways
In case you haven’t noticed, every cookie so far has been of the “soft & chewy” variety. There’s a reason for that, and his name is Nathan. Nathan just prefers his cookies that way. Every once in a while I’ll stray from his tastes to make a cookie I know he won’t like. It seems I sometimes forget how much I really like shortbread cookies! These are crisp & buttery, and really will “melt away” in your mouth. These are another great seasonal recipe, and also great because you store the log of dough in the freezer, which makes them perfect for on-demand baking.
Homemade Graham Crackers
And, coming out of left field, are these homemade graham crackers. As soon as I discovered homemade graham crackers were possible I knew I needed to make them, stat! These are exceptionally delicious combined with homemade marshmallows & good chocolate for homemade s’mores. Or, as the basis of an ice cream sandwich pictured above. But these are also definitely enjoyed all on their own. I included them in this cookie roundup, because I know homemade gifts & gift sets are popular at Christmas time. And I just plain love them.
Those are all the cookies I’m featuring today, but for even more inspiration this holiday season, feel free to browse the rest of my cookie archive, or my candy archive. There’s plenty of sweet treats to be found. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!
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