Apple Blondie

Here is a start to desserts for the fall, quick, low carb and brimming with fruit.. the way I like it. In this case apples, but pears or plums  (in summer) work well too!  This was adapted from a NY Times apple cake recipe. Add vanilla and lemon zest, which are key flavor enhancers  for all things apple. One slice is approximately  178 calories.  Look for more information on apples in  A Connecticut Kitchen .

2 1/2 cups of chopped unpeeled apples  (note: Granny Smith should be peeled) about 4-5 apples

2/3 cup of all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

4 tablespoons of butter softened

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 /2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1/2 cup walnuts chopped

1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar

Lightly butter  a 9 inch cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, spices and baking soda together.  Cream sugar and butter with an electric mixer.  Add egg, lemon zest and vanilla extract and continue  mixing on medium speed. Add flour, a few tablespoons at a time until incorporated and smooth . Mixture will be somewhat stiff and dry. Add apples and nuts and stir with a spoon until flour butter mixture coats all the apples. Place the batter in the buttered pan and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

 

 

 

Next month I promise sweet stuff, as in desserts but for Thanskgiving coming up, I am still on squash..and for good reason.  The Delicata squash…you know the “gourd looking” thing that you think is inedible.. Well the news is that it is edible and great tasting.  

Not only low in calorie and giving you plenty of Vitamin A and Carotenoids, all good for your skin, this squash doesn’t need peeling like our friend Butternut squash and is a great finger food. Called bohemian or sweet potato squash, low in carbohydrate at 18 grams of carb per 1/2 half squash, 30 calories per serving. Tastes like sweet potatoes and when roasted with grated cheese , it takes on a fritter like consistency.

• 1 delicata squash, halved with seeds removed

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• a sprinkle of red pepper flakes

• a few pinches of black pepper and salt

• 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese

•  1 teaspoon of thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Halve squash and remove seeds for other uses. Slice in 1/2  inch slices.  Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until squash is well coated. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spread the sliced squash on the sheet  allowing room between the slices.

Bake for 25 minutes or until on the dry side and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle a little more cheese on the squash as they cool. Serve.

 

You pass them by in the produce aisle every time, neglected and waiting for your attention! It’s the butternut squash next to the acorn squash. The skin is so tough you wonder how to attack it. Well as long as you have the techniques down, you are on the road to lighter lower calories meals. Here is the link showing how to peel butternut squash for educational purposes only from the website, My Recipes.com Recipes.

You are adding a wonderful carbohydrate to your diet that is low in calories and high in Vitamin A and doesn’t spike your blood sugar like regular white potatoes do. Also a beauty kick for your skin with carotenoids,  Beta carotene and Zeaxanthin as well.   Try the following recipe for butternut squash with a wonderful flavor combo of shallots thyme and apple and paired with any cooked chicken.

Compare Nutrition Facts:

1/2  cup cooked acorn squash or a quarter of cut baked squash: 42 calories 7  grams of carbohydrate   Glycemic Index  41

1/2 cup cooked butternut squash : 42 calories, 10  grams of carbohydrate  Glycemic Index: 41

White baked potato medium:  185 calories 42 grams of carbohydrate  Glycemic Index 81

Baked Sweet Potato  medium : 90 kcals 21 grams of carbohydrate Glycemic Index: 61

Roasted Chicken with Butternut Squash, Shallots and Apples

recipe adapted from Food and Wine 2011

• Any roasted chicken cut up
• 1  2lb butternut squash peeled and cubed
• 2 shallots finely chopped
• 1 peeled and chopped apple
• 3 tablespoons of honey
• 2 pinches of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup golden raisins

Cube butternut squash, add to saucepan with 1/2 cup of water, and on medium heat sweat the squash until tender, 20 minutes, partially covered. Add the shallots, honey, a pat of butter, raisins, pepper, cinnamon and chopped apple. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Add the thyme leaves. Remove from heat. Serve with roast chicken.

 

 

 

Ok so you want something sweet and satisfying but cake is too “fattening” and the thought of eating an apple is not cutting it for a dessert. Well try baked apples for good skin nutrition and fiber without the high calories.  ( see my upcoming newsletter on eating apples for a facelift) coming soon.  Apples have quercetin and pectin, two strongly effective nutrients for promoting skin health. Being from New England, the apple is especially crisp and fresh in the fall for all kinds of dishes.

The apple in this recipe is paired with dried figs to give a “meatiness” to the dessert with lemon zest and some added chopped walnuts if desired.  Jonagolds are out now and great for baking, for they are juicy, hold their shape and taste really “applely”.  Second best are Rome and than Golden delicious (not red delicious) apples.  In my book Connecticut Kitchen, I have a chapter called a Primer on Apples for baking and cooking. 

Baked apples are a low fat and low carbohydrate treat right from the oven.

• 4  medium apples cored and peeled 1/3 of the way
• 4 dried figs stems removed and chopped ( or 1/4 of golden raisins)
• zest of a 1/2 lemon
• 3 teaspoons of coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg
• 1-2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix  chopped figs with lemon zest and juice, chopped walnuts if desired, and 2 teaspoons of coconut sugar together. Stuff the apples and place apples in a baking dish.  Pour 1/2 cup of water in bottom of the dish to prevent burning. Pour the maples syrup over the apples, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, and uncover for another 20 minutes until a crack appears on the flesh of the apple. Remove from oven and spoon the liquid from bottom of pan over the apples.

 

 

The kiwi berry grows in Northern China, Siberia and Korea. Oregon and Pennsylvania farms are the only ones  in the United States  growing these sweet berries. The berry likes cold damp conditions. Bring them home and let them ripen to super soft. They taste like sweet grapes with a kiwi side note. You find them in your berry section. Try them. They go well with raspberries and honey in a fruit salad.

Nutrition facts: 1/2 cup 54 calories, and 80 mg Vitmain C. The skin of the berry contains phytochemicals, important as antioxidants for better skin and the anti inflammatory response.

 

Chicken or Pork with Concord Grapes and Balsamic Vinegar Glaze

Late August and all of September is the perfect time to indulge in a superfood high in anthocyanins, a molecule found in purple fruits like concord grapes, Italien plums and sable grapes. Think of them as the CIA of immune function, using the Lymphocytes (or T cells) as  seveillance of the epithelial tissue.  Concord grapes, like other grapes have resveratrol an artery relaxant, for blood pressure and a reducer of clot formation. 1/2 cup of concord grapes has 30 calories, and 7 grams of sugar (carbohydrate) Not a bad snack and with incredible health benefits. Now try cooking with them. Makes great sauces. In the following recipe, I love crushed fennel with chicken or pork. Get a mortar and pestle and crush the seeds by hand or  in a spice grinder grind seeds for 30 seconds.

Pork Chop or Chicken with Concord Grapes:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts halved or two pork chops
• 1/2 cup of concord grapes
• 2 tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and  1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup of red wine
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• pinch of salt and pepper for the sauce

Mix the flour, crushed fennel seeds, salt and pepper with a fork in a shallow pan and lightly coat the meat. Heat olive oil in a pan and saute the chicken or pork chops for 4 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and let rest on a board. In the same pan add all the other ingredients and cook for 3 minutes until a glaze forms. Return the meat back to the pan for an additional 2 minutes and serve.

 

 

 

Watercress Salad with Oranges and Black Olives

We are at the later part of summer and the grill is still with us. Green salads are an all year round dish but I love to add sweetness to a salad and no better way than with grilled apricots and peaches (left) .  Try an Italian chicory leaf from the cabbage family called Radicchio. 1/2 cup yields 4 grams of carbohydrate and is considered a low starch vegetable for carbohydrate counting as in diabetic diets, (all leafy vegetables are low carbs!)  It’s the red and white stripped lettuce that we usually pass up for the more common vegetables. Pair the fruit and Radicchio with a sweet vinaigrette.

I am very fond of arugala and watercress as well. Watercress has a great nutrient profile: has 70% of Vitamin C in 1/2  cup, and contains phytonutrients called isocyanates, anti cancer fighting molecules. Arugala is another great green packed with Vitamin A, beta carotene and folate. Try substituting these greens for ice berg or romaine sometime.

Some hints: love Moroccan oil cured olives. Try to find them in olive section where antipasto marinated vegetables are.

Honey Orange Dressing   ( Watercress Salad with oranges and black olives)

• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of champagne vinegar or red vinegar
• juice of one lemon
• cracked black pepper
• pinch of sea salt
• zest of a 1/2 small orange
• Mix all ingredients together.

Balsamic, Raspberry, Shallot Vinaigrette for Grilled Fruit and Radicchio Salad)

• 1 shallot minced fine
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup raspberries mashed through a sieve (to remove seeds)
• pinch of salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1-2 teaspoons  of brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and pour over salad and serves 4

 

 

I was inspired on my trip home to NYC  this month to enjoy a meal with friends at the Queen of Sheba restaurant on 10th Avenue.

Why so inspired? In addition to healthy eating with great taste and value is also high fiber and spice combinations of cardamom, paprika and cumin .  Ethiopian may not be on the radar for dining in the American culture but this cuisine is sure to please.  The high fiber content eludes most people, who dine in restaurants today. All dishes are served with Injera, a pancake which makes it easy to scoop the meal and eat with your hand. They use a combination of spices called Berbere (about 12 of them!)  t0 to make a wonderful solo taste for your palate.

This cuisine is worth trying due to wheat free ingredients, cooked greens and legumes, chickpeas and lentils. Maybe not so much IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) among Ethiopians with their higher fiber content low gluten and cooked greens. Will check that out. Also easy to prepare with standard ingredients from the supermarket. Keep the berbere on hand, a spice combination to be used in the cooking and their vinaigrettes. I had the Salata, a mixture of tomatoes and avocado and some red onion, and a vinaigrette of oilive oil, lime juice, a little green chili and a pinch of the Berbere seasoning. An excellent side salad.

The basic Ethiopian pancake called Injera, tastes like sourdough bread but thin like a crepe, made with the ancient grain Teff.  If  you are not able to obtain freshly made teff pancakes in an Indien- African grocer, substitute pita or lavash. Nutrition facts:  1/2 cup of teff cooked has 7 grams of protein, and can be eaten as porridge (cooked cereal). Provides iron unlike other grains, calcium and Vitamin C.

I had a dish called Kitfo a classic dish of cubed beef and collard greens . The dish utilizes berbere seasoning: note: I use ground spices if whole spices and a spice grinder not available.

• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder

Mix all together in a glass jar and store with your other spices. When ready to use add a couple of drops of olive oil to make a paste.

KITFO

1 lb of inch cubed sirloin or tenderloin beef

1 lb of collars greens prepared and set aside.

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 teaspoon of fresh ginger minced

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small green chili or  1 tablespoon of canned chilis, mild or medium heat

1 teaspoon of berbere seasoning

1 tablespoon pf lemon juice

Saute the onion until translucent, add the garlic and ginger and continue to saute for 2 minutes. Add the cubed beef and Berbere seasoning and continue to cook for 5 minutes until the meet is done and fork tender. Add the slightly cooked collard greens in the end and mix thoroughly. Remove from the heat add the lemon juice and serve with Injera bread, pita or lavash.

Ethiopian Tomato Avocado salad

2 tomatoes chopped

1 avocado chopped

1/2 cup of chopped red onion

1 teaspoon green chilis

vinaigrette:

lemon juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar

pinch of sugar

1/8 teaspoon red cayenne pepper

a pinch of berbere seasoning

Mix all together and pour over the tomatoes, avocado and red onions.

At 77 calories  per one cup, this is a low calorie snack with a lot of healthy punch. Cherries are also lower in carbohydrate at 19 grams per cup. We are  in cherry season in the West and Northwest. Rich in beta carotene, anthocyanins ( good for skin) and quercetin for fighting cancer, cherries are a wonderful addition to pies, tarts or a clafouti, which is a French baked dessert and easy to make. Also considered a insulin conserver, cherries also fight diabetes by using their anthocyanins to control blood sugar by pumping up insulin in the pancreatic beta cells, where insulin is formed. Not bad a for a great tasting fruit.

Cherry Apricot Clafouti

• 2 cups cherries pitted
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 2 tablespoons of almond flour ( ground almonds)
• 1/4 cup sugar, coconut sugar or Splenda
• 4 large eggs
• 1  1/2 cup whole milk or 1/2 and 1/2
• 1 /2 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 apricots pitted and quartered (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the eggs and milk together with the extract and 1/2 and 1/2. Add the sugar, almond meal and flour and mix together until well combined. Place the cherries at the bottom of the buttered tart pan or square baking dish. Pour the batter over the fruit and place the quartered apricots over the batter. Bake until puffed and golden, for 45 minutes.

 

 

Here is a dish that encompasses our love of bread, the goodness of vegetables and the great taste of tomatoes . A blog on eating bread? from a nutritionist?  Well in this Italian salad called Panzanella, I do!

Panzanella was a 14th century salad utilizing stale bread and tomatoes. You had to be thrifty in Medieval times. But now with the grill and the oven, I like my bread toasted with a little olive oil. Here is a way to have your starch but not raise those blood sugars.

I used toasted croutons, or cubed ciabatta or French bread. Then add chopped cucumber, add roasted zucchini and red peppers. I like roasting my veggies. Make a great vinaigrette (below). Add fresh mozzarella, before serving and this reminds me of summer!

Have your bread as a small serving of carbohydrate equaling a 1/2 slice of bread or about 7 grams of carbs,  50 calories along with non starchy vegetables like red peppers, zucchini and cucumbers.  This is a great salad for a low carbohydrate meal with some protein.  Soy cheese can be substituted. Also good for diabetics too. The fresh mozzarella added in the end with a vinaigrette of  marinated caper, red onion, heirloom tomatoes or cherry tomatoes and you have a salad that rocks!

Let’s get started:

Salad Ingredients

1 1/2  cup of cubed toasted bread

1 /2 cup of chopped cucumber

1 small zucchini chopped

1/2 sliced red pepper

1 /2 small sliced red onion

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1-2 heirloom tomatoes chopped or 1/2  cup cherry tomatoes

4  slices of fresh mozzarella chopped into cubes

vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons of  olive oil

pinch of salt

2 -3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

5  fresh basil leaves rolled and chopped

1 tablespoon of capers

1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

pinch of salt and black pepper

Preheat oven @ 375 degrees. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over  the red peppers and zucchini and bake in a roasting pan or cookie sheet for 20 minutes.  Set aside. Bake up the bread cubes with a little drizzle olive oil until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Set aside. Proceed to make the vinaigrette and add the tomatoes and cucumbers to the marinade with the red onion. Let sit to absorb the flavors.

Slice the mozzarella, add to the cooled vegetables and bread mixture and add the vinaigrette.