Cooking with Flaxseed and Wheat Germ (Podcast
#119)

post from Meal Makeover Moms' Kitchen on 06 October 2010 09:22:31 PM. © Meal Makeover Moms' Kitchen

Cooking with flaxseed and wheat germ can add a nice burst of good nutrition to your family’s diet, and they’re certainly versatile. You can add a tablespoon or two to your batters and breadings or simply sprinkle some on top of your cereal or yogurt. Hey, they even blend in nicely with fruit smoothies! Flaxseed and wheat germ are both good sources of fiber and wheat germ tops the charts when it comes to heart-healthy vitamin E. As for flaxseed, it’s an ALA omega-3 fat superstar.

We talked up the health and flavor benefits of flax and wheat germ on this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast and shared two recipes. The first is a recipe for cranberry muffins that features wheat germ, and the second is our new Cheesy Chicken Parmesan (a recipe in No Whine with Dinner) which illustrates how ground flaxseed and wheat germ can be used in coatings and breadings.

Orange-Cranberry Wheat Germ Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

According to Cooking Light magazine, where we found this recipe, these muffins are at their best warm, so reheat briefly if you make ahead. Liz’s boys have been eating them for breakfast all week (as has Liz), and the muffins are awesome toasted up and topped with strawberry jam.

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raw wheat germ
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 large eggs
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (* we used granulated sugar)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.

2. Combine brown sugar, oil, rind, juice, and eggs; stir with a whisk. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir just until combined. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake 17 minutes, or until muffins spring back when touched in center.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 197 calories(26% from fat), 5.8g fat (sat 0.6g,mono 3.1g, poly 1.6g), 54mg calcium, 33.8g carbohydrate, 149mg sodium, 3.4g protein, 1.2gm fiber

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Cheesy Chicken Parmesan

Makes 4 Servings

Four 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup pasta sauce
3/4 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, optional

1. Wrap the chicken breast halves between wax paper or plastic wrap. Place on a cutting board and pound into ¼-inch-thick pieces using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy saucepan. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and flaxseed in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Whisk together the egg and water in another bowl, and place the flour on a large plate.

3. To bread the chicken, coat both sides with the flour and shake off excess. Dip in the egg and then coat evenly with the bread crumb mixture.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining oil, flip the chicken, and cook an additional 2 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.

5. Transfer to a baking sheet and top each chicken breast evenly with the pasta sauce and the shredded cheese. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese melts, about 7 minutes. Top with the chopped basil as desired and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 cutlet): 450 calories, 18g fat (5g saturated), 500mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 41g protein, 10% vitamin A, 25% calcium, 15% iron

Print Recipe

If you have a favorite recipe or way to use flaxseed or wheat germ, feel free to share it here.

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http://mealmakeovermoms.com/kitchen/2010/10/06/cooking-with-flaxseed-and-wheat-ge
rm-podcast-119/

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10 Creepy Halloween Cocktails: 5 Under 200
Calories, 5 Way Over

post from Blisstree » EAT on 06 October 2010 05:29:52 PM. © Blisstree » EAT

Halloween isn't just about Milk Duds, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, candy corn, and caramel apples. Actually, it is about those things, but later on in the evening (after we've raided everyone's plastic jack-o-lanterns), we like to mix things up...into a cocktail or two, that is. While we're not usually fans of gimmicky alcoholic drinks with cutesy names, October 31 is one night when we don't mind looking (or acting) stupid. However, we did just polish off a king-size Milky Way, so we really should watch how much we're eating. To help, we found five creepily colorful Halloween cocktails under 200 calories, and five more with frightening calorie counts. (Which you can drink, as long as you lay off the Laffy Taffy.) ... More »

Post from: BlissTree

10 Creepy Halloween Cocktails: 5 Under 200 Calories, 5 Way Over

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-over/

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The Marie Claire Controversy: Are Health Bloggers
Giving You Eating Disorders

post from Blisstree » EAT on 06 October 2010 05:26:31 PM. © Blisstree » EAT

If you're not an avid Marie Claire reader (no judgment), you may have missed The Hunger Diaries: How Health Writers Are Putting You at Risk, a recent article that outlines why today's hugely popular health and fitness blogs are normalizing a culture of body-obsessed, eating-disordered workout addicts. In the article, reporter Katie Drummond discusses six top bloggers who organized a "Health and Fitness Summit" in August: Kath Younger of katheats.com, Tina Haupert of carrotsncake.com, Meghann Anderson of graduatemeghann.com, Caitlin Boyle of healthytippingpoint.com, Heather Pare of hangrypants.com and Jenna Weber of eatliverun.com, critiquing them for what Drummond calls "an arguably unhealthy obsession with food, exercise, and weight." ... More »

Post from: BlissTree

The Marie Claire Controversy: Are Health Bloggers Giving You Eating Disorders?

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you-eating-disorders/

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No Fruit, No Toys: San Francisco's Proposed Happy
Meal Ban

post from Blisstree » EAT on 06 October 2010 05:05:05 PM. © Blisstree » EAT

The city of San Francisco has proposed banning Happy Meal toys unless the fast food restaurant includes a fruit and vegetable portion and lowers calories in the meal. Obviously, McDonald's execs are up in arms about the proposal. McDonald's nutritional director even said that there was no evidence that adding fruits and vegetables to meals would fight childhood obesity. ... More »

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No Fruit, No Toys: San Francisco's Proposed Happy Meal Ban

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/

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What is an easy candy recipe to give out during
the holidays

post from Delightful Gourmet on 06 October 2010 04:23:03 PM. © Delightful Gourmet

I knew it was our last thanksgiving together. It was our first and our last all in one. Now that seems strange, but for this year we were celebrating with our exchange student from England. We wanted to share all our traditions with her. We played mud football Thanksgiving morning with some of our cousins. I sprained my ankle, but nothing was going to stop us from enjoying this holiday. My Grandparents came from California and brought up two pecan pies. Auntie Sue made her famous Southern sweet potato pie and I even tried my hand in making the cranberry sauce.

Our exchange student seemed over whelmed, but we didn?t care, we were determined to share our Holiday with her. And share we did. By the end of the year, she was a true family member. I loved her like a real sister.

But sometimes things have to end. Jana had to go home in June and back to her family and to her own wonderful traditions. We cried and hugged at the airport and I felt like I lost my best friend. We vowed to stay in touch and over the years we have. Of course it is not the same, but it is still very sweet.

At Thanksgiving I start thinking about what holiday gifts I want to send to Jana and her family. Sending holiday gifts over the ocean can be very expensive, but it is something I love to do.

I usually try to make some kind of candy, because it is easy to send and can stay fresh for a longer time. I add a note and talk about some of the wonderful things we shared that year. Jana even tried to fix Thanksgiving dinner for her family. She had lots of funny stories about trying to cook a duck, because she could not find a turkey. I know it is not the same, but somehow I know when she gets my package of homemade goodies, she is smiling and remembering. I will always miss her, but a part of her is in my heart.

My favorite candy to send is Tiger butter. Not sure where it got its name, but it is easy and oh so good. It is the perfect holiday gift to send and it mails easily too. So if you need an inexpensive holiday gift to send to someone who is special to you. Try this. It is good for the heart and don?t forget to add a note.

TIGER BUTTER

16 ounces white chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions

Butter a 10x15 pan. Set aside.

Place white chocolate in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until melted, stirring frequently. Stir in peanut butter.

Spread into prepared pan. Drizzle with melted milk chocolate chips, stirring through mixture to create a marbled effect. Let stand until set. Break into bite-sized pieces. Enjoy!

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e-out.html

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It's That Time of Year

post from What Smells So Good? on 06 October 2010 04:22:27 PM. © What Smells So Good?

And as much as it may be true, I'm not referring to the start of cold and flu season. Yeah, a good portion of my classmates are feeling the cold weather cold at IHN - and I for once have managed to escape scot free so far (but I did get stuck into the walk-in clinic for kidney tests. Joy of joys).
But no. Not cold and flu season. ?

Fall is comfort season. The time of year where you can start to don bulky sweaters to mask any sort of post-Thanksgiving pooch, curl up with your family and enjoy a warming hearty meal. After a Summer of light beer, salads and bemoaning the bikini (or not!), mashed potatoes, turkey and trimmings are making themselves at home. And you know we can't forget the pumpkin!
I'm not talking just pie either. Nuh uh... pumpkin is one versatile veggie! And it's tasty, which is a fairly recent revelation to me, since believe it or not I abhorred the taste of pumpkin, sweet potatoes, or really any Winter-squash-like food until I was 18! Once I figured out how to make it bend to my will, though, all bets were off. I still hate pumpkin pie (Though I am making two of them - apple butter style - this week for family Thanksgiving dinners!) but I stir it into beans and tomato sauces as a thickener, cram it into pasta, bake it into muffins, cakes and cookies, and even loaves of bread and bagels!

I know that the original recipe for pumpkin spice bagels is courtesy of the vegan blog Have Cake Will Travel, but this time around I was in a "mucking around" mood and Mom was craving some of my bread filled with "stuff". So I took the recipe and ran with it - and a gazillion substitutions and additions later I had a sweet batch of boiled rings with a wealth of beta-carotene, fibre and protein. I'm sending them along to Susan's YeastSpotting event too!
A - Plus Pumpkin BagelsMakes 81/2 tbsp instant yeast1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups 12-grain flour
1 1/2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup diced dates
1/4 cup hemp hearts (what am I talking about?)
2 tbsp whole flaxseed, lightly crushed
2 tbsp honey
1 egg white

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together yeast, flours, gluten, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
Mix together water, yogurt, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla, then add all at once to the dry mixture.
Mix on low speed for 15 minutes, until supple.
Cover and allow to stand 10 minutes.
Add dates, hemp hearts and flaxseed and knead in to evenly disperse.
Cover and allow to rest 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment or foil.
Divide dough into 8 pieces, about 5.7 oz each (if you're weighing them). Shape each portion into a ring and place on the sheets.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add honey.
Two at a time, add dough rings to the water and cook 1 minute per side. Drain well and place back on sheets.
Brush with egg white and bake 20 minutes, one sheet at a time. Cool completely on a rack.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 290.6
Total Fat: 5.6 g
Cholesterol: 26.7 mg
Sodium: 29.4 mg
Total Carbs: 52.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 9.3 g
Protein: 15.2 g

?And don't forget, World Bread Day is coming up soon too! Will I see you in the fray on October 16?

Read The Full Article:
http://yummysmells.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-that-time-of-year.html

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Good Things Come in Eco-Friendly Packages: 5
Foods and Drinks That Won't Ruin The Environment

post from Blisstree » EAT on 06 October 2010 04:10:47 PM. © Blisstree » EAT

We're disappointed that Frito Lay is ditching their biodegradable bags ? consumers don't like the noise, but we aren't fans of landfills packed with food wrappers, either. Fortunately, more companies are starting to change their packaging ? choosing recycled, compostable, or lightweight packaging whenever possible. We found five foods and drinks whose packaging doesn't require virgin paper, and won't fill landfills. ... More »

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Good Things Come in Eco-Friendly Packages: 5 Foods and Drinks That Won't Ruin The Environment

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inks-that-wont-ruin-the-environment/

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Good Things Come In Eco-Friendly Packages: 5
Foods and Drinks That Won't Trash the Environment

We're disappointed that Frito Lay is ditching their biodegradable bags ? consumers don't like the noise, but we're not fans of landfills packed with food wrappers, either. Fortunately, more companies are starting to change their packaging ? choosing recycled, compostable, or lightweight packaging whenever possible. We found five foods and drinks whose packaging doesn't require virgin paper, live forever in a landfill, or float in the ocean for years to come. Because good things come in eco-friendly packages: ... More »

Post from: BlissTree

Good Things Come In Eco-Friendly Packages: 5 Foods and Drinks That Won't Trash the Environment

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inks-that-wont-ruin-the-environment/

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Indian Women Can Serve Liquor and Kids Like
Spaghetti Tacos: The Wednesday Food Section

How's Your Food Pyramid? The New York Times says you need to beef up your vegetable section. (Even Benefits Don't Tempt Us To Vegetables)Indian Women Win Right to Tend Bar: A 1914 law banning women from tending bar in New Delhi has finally been lifted, according to The Los Angeles Times. (Cheers From Industry, Activists as Indian Capital Allows Women to Legally Tend Bar)Fishy Farming: The Washington Post reports that volunteers in the Chesapeake Bay Area have banded together to save an endangered species: The oyster. (This Year, Gardening Includes Oysters)Fall Flavor: A soup recipe with pinto beans and vegetables from The Seattle Times. (Recipe: Savory Pinto-Bean-Vegetable Soup With Autumn Spices)Shock-O-Taco: Spaghetti tacos are a surprise food fad among tweens, if The New York Times is to be believed. Kids these days. (Spaghetti Tacos: Silly Enough for Young Eaters) ... More »

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Indian Women Can Serve Liquor and Kids Like Spaghetti Tacos: The Wednesday Food Section

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cos-the-wednesday-food-section/

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Chicken Chili

Chicken chili is a dish that I have wanted to try for awhile. I was really happy with this soup but although it had the same usual chili ingredients it was hard to compare to chili and not a substitute for that comfort food craving. It had a very southwestern flavor and we sure loved that. I served shredded cheese and fresh chopped scallions on the side.

4 chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cooked and shredded
1 (15 oz) can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can of tomato sauce
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 large white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves. crushed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 green chili, stem removed and split
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups water
1 teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon flour

1. In a 9-inch non-stick skillet on medium heat add onions, bell pepper and garlic.

2. In an 8-quart pot add water, tomato sauce, tomatoes, kidney beans, meat mixture, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, chili, sugar, chicken and butter. Mix well, stir in flour mixing well.

3. Reduce heat to low and allow chili to simmer for 30 minutes.

Yields: 6 servings

Read The Full Article:
http://www.yasalamcooking.com/2010/10/chicken-chili.html