The Potato Salad Flip: Healthy Potato Salad + a Quick Lunch On-the-Go

Potato Salad Flip: Mediterranean Veggie Potato Salad

An often repeated theme in my advice to eat healthy and well is to amp up the vegetables and decrease the carbs in a recipe. This decreases quickly-absorbed carbohydrates that cause fluctuations in blood sugar and lead to excess hunger. Replacing some of the carbs with fiber- and nutrient-rich vegetables also decreases total calories while making you feel full longer.

Using an oil-based dressing--such as a vinaigrette--also works with your body's hormones to help tell your brain that you are full. You do have to be careful when using oil-based dressings because, while they are healthy, they are high in calories. The trick to getting the most flavor without excess calories is to toss your salad with just enough vinaigrette to make the salad glisten, but not enough to pool in the bottom of the bowl.

Using herbs (basil is used in this recipe) helps add flavor without extra calories.

This recipe is called the "potato salad flip" because it replaces most of the potatoes with vegetables and the traditional mayonnaise-based dressing with a healthy vinaigrette. I love this recipe because it's easy to make any number of servings when you have limited time and keeps from breakfast until lunchtime at room temperature if needed. The recipe below is for a single, large serving.

Potato Salad Flip: Mediterranean Veggie Potato Salad

Ingredients:
1 small waxy potato (red or yellow work best, avoid Russets), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 handful of broccoli florets
1 handful sliced zucchini
1 handful diced red bell pepper
1 handful cherry tomatoes, halved
3 large basil leaves, rolled up and sliced thinly (this is called "chiffonade") or chopped
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-1/2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
5 olives of your choice
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Microwave (or boil) cubed potato until a fork can be inserted easily, but not mushy--about 3-4 minutes.
2. Microwave broccoli, zucchini and bell pepper 3 minutes in a bowl covered with a plate.
3. Toss together potatoes and cooked vegetables and allow to cool to room temperature. Alternatively, if you need to hurry, transfer the mixture to a cool container and place into the freezer for 10 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, basil, olive oil, vinegar, olives, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
5. Serve or pack in a container with securely sealing lid and take for a quick lunch on-the-go.

Makes: 1 serving

Hints:
--Make different variations by trying different vegetables, herbs and vinaigrettes.
--For additional protein, add a few cubes of smoked tofu, cheese or grilled chicken. If you do this, make sure to refrigerate the salad until shortly before ready to eat, however.

Coconut Oil & Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Coconut Almond Cranberry Cookies (Vegan)

I'm not going to lie - these aren't the healthiest cookies. 

But, they are delicious and have some redeeming health qualities!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Cranberry Cookies

These cookies are golden, craggy, crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, filled with big chunks of almonds, chocolate and dried cranberries, and accentuated with crispy bits of shaved coconut.

Drooling yet?

Now that I have your attention, there are a few healthy attributes:

• Half of the flour is whole wheat
• Cholesterol-free
• Omega-3's from flax seeds
• Heart-healthy fiber from old-fashioned oatmeal & almonds
• Dark chocolate
• Not necessarily healthier, but meet the following diet requirements: egg-free, dairy-free, vegan.

Reality: these cookies may be better for you than the alternative without the healthy attributes, but they still have plenty of sugar and calories. They are a treat, not a health food.

What about coconut oil? 

One of the nutrition questions I get asked most is whether coconut oil is healthful or harmful. There answer is complicated. In the 1980's highly processed tropical oils (palm and coconut) got a bad rap due to their high saturated fat content. Since then, science has guided us away (rightfully so!) from the "all fat is bad" mantra. We then went through a phase that accepted oils that are liquid at room temperature - monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) - as healthy but saturated fat as evil. More recently, there have been an increasing number of studies to show that all saturated fats (SFAs) are not created equal. For example, virgin coconut oil increases HDL (good) cholesterol more than it increases LDL (bad) cholesterol and therefore has a favorable effect on the overall cholesterol profile. There is no evidence that coconut oil increases heart disease. In fact, the countries in the world that have the highest intakes of virgin coconut oil, and have not yet turned to the Western Diet, have very low rates of heart disease.

Choosing coconut oil:

My recommendations are based on available information. There are many unknowns when it comes to coconut oil, however, so sometimes I just have to make an educated guess.

• I use virgin (aka. pure) organic coconut oil. This has a distinctly coconutty flavor, but lacks the processing with hexane and hydrogenation of many of the non-organic, refined coconut oils.
• Look for the terms "cold-pressed," "expeller-pressed," and "centrifuged" as this means that the extraction of the oil from the coconut was likely not done with chemicals.
• Look for extra virgin, virgin or pure coconut oil.
• Avoid "refined" coconut oil unless it's organic. Refined coconut oil has very little coconut taste, but if it's not organic, it likely went through chemical extraction, hydrogenation and bleaching.
• Bleaching is often used to help hide the color and taste of rancid oil.
• Hydrogenation is what is definitely bad for you and increases risk of heart disease.
• Hexane and other organic solvents used in chemical extraction can be safe if regulated and handled properly, however, hexane is a known neurotoxin, so I tend to avoid it in food when possible.

Back to cookies!

Oatmeal Almond Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies - Recipe

Just out of the oven (on a silicone baking mat on a 1/2 sheet pan)

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoon ground flax seed (can substitute 2 medium eggs for flax and water)

4 Tablespoons boiling water

½ cup Earth Balance (1 stick), or unsalted butter

1/3 c + 1 Tablespoon virgin coconut oil (can substitute 1 more stick of Earth Balance, but omit salt)

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (can use regular whole wheat flour, but it will taste "wheatier")

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped (leave some nearly whole)

¾ cup shaved coconut, unsweetened

¾ cup dried cranberries

1 cup chocolate chips

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Stir together flax seed and hot water, set aside and cool to near room temperature before using. Alternatively, you can omit flax and water and replace with 2 medium eggs.
3. In mixer, beat together Earth Balance, coconut oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar for 3 minutes.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together both flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt until thoroughly combined. Stir in almonds, coconut, cranberries and chocolate chips.
5. In mixer, beat in vanilla extract until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down sides of mixer, then add flax/water mixture and beat just for 20-30 seconds just until well combined.
6. Add half of the dry mixture to the mixer and mix for 5 seconds, just to somewhat combined. Then, add remaining half of the dry mixture and mix 5-10 seconds, just until you no longer see dry flour.
7. On baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mat, drop by 2 Tablespoon (or 1 heaping Tablespoon) size balls with at least 3 inches between cookies and press down to flatten slightly.
8. Bake on bottom rack of oven for 6 minutes, then rotate pan and move to top rack for an additional 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven with edges are just beginning to turn golden.
9. Let rest on pan set on a cooling rack for 2 minutes, then transfer cookies to cooling rack to finish cooling to room temperature before storing in an airtight container.

Makes: 2.5-3 dozen cookies

Quick Tips: Tangerine Season

It's citrus season - the time of year when the juiciest oranges, lemons, limes, mandarins, pomelos, grapefruits and tangerines can be found. The season generally runs through late fall until spring. In addition to having the tastiest citrus fruit this time of year, it is also the cheapest part of the year to buy.

Just-picked Tangerines

Budget tip: buying seasonally usually means you're getting produce at the time of year that it's least expensive.

If your only exposure to fruits and vegetables is a traditional American supermarket, it's difficult to tell what is and is not in season. The best gauge in that situation is to look at prices regularly. As prices on certain items start to dip, that's a good indication that there's a surplus on the market...or the store just needs to get rid of that item. 

At least once a season, I suggest looking online in your area to get a sense of what is truly in-season. In the late spring, summer and early fall, you can also go to farmer's markets to see for yourself and support your local farmers. Another great seasonal way to eat and support local farms is to buy a farm share or sign up for a CSA (community-supported agriculture). The basic idea behind these are to pay money ahead to a farmer, so that they have a sense of what monetary resources they can depend on for the season, and then the farmer gives you a weekly allotment of fresh-from-the ground fruits and vegetables. To learn more about farm shares and CSA, check out the post My First Foray into CSA. 

Nutrition: 1 large tangerine has about 60 calories, 12 grams of naturally-occurring sugars, 2 grams fiber, 1/2 your daily vitamin C requirement, as well as a small amount of calcium, folate, B vitamins, vitamin A and potassium. 

Radish Enoki Avocado Tangerine Salad - YUM!
Find this gorgeous picture (credit Yunhee Kim) and recipe from the book, Feast, at Serious Eats

Chef tips: These are the easiest to peel citrus fruit! Look for fruit that is slightly heavy for its size with pebbly skin and no deep grooves (i.e. the one in the center of the picture above has deep grooves and if purchasing, you should avoid that one) and no signs of soft spots or mold. Tangerines taste best eaten at room temperature and will last about a week sitting out in a bowl. Refrigerate if you plan to keep them longer, but let them warm to room temperature before eating for the tastiest fruit. 

Tangerines are great for a quick snack or to slice and put in green or fruit salads. Use segments as a garnish. The juice is fantastic in custard desserts, sorbets, cocktails, marinades and quick breads. The zest is also great in quick breads (muffins, scones, pancakes, breads). The peel can be boiled in sugar syrup to candy it. This can be eaten as is or dipped in dark or white chocolate for a decadent treat. Whole tangerine peel is also used in marmalade and in Szechuan cuisine.

*To learn how to zest citrus fruit, check out the end of this post .

Health Research: Tangerines and other citrus fruits contain many anti-oxidants and phytonutrients that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Studies in the last few years have looked at a flavonoid called nobiletin which has been shown in mice to reduce atherosclerosis (plaque and blockages in blood vessels), fatty liver, prevent weight gain and keep blood sugar in the normal range (reduce insulin resistance) compared to mice who where given the same diet and living conditions but no nobiletin. More research is needed in people, but preliminary studies suggest that this compound could play a role in prevention and treatment of breast cancer and liver cancer as well as treatment of depression. Further studies are being conducted on all of the above as well as in Alzheimer's disease.

Vegan-Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu: update with stock recipe

What's on your Thanksgiving menu?

Growing up, I always knew exactly what would be on the table. Everyone was assigned to bring their "usual." There were always hits and misses, both with the food and the level of drama, but everyone ate their fill and was, overall, thankful for spending another year together.

As an adult, traditions and dietary needs have changed. It seems that there's always a vegetarian at the table now and many people want to lighten up the classics. In this spirit, I am reposting last year's Vegan-Vegetarian Holiday Menu which gives some vegetarian main-course options - from stuffed acorn squash to info on widely available faux turkey products - as well as a new take on some of the classics but without the heavy cream sauces, marshmallows and grease. There's also a different recipe for Acorn Squash Stuffed with White Beans and Kale in another post earlier in the month. The sides from the Vegan-Vegetarian Holiday Menu are guaranteed delicious! For your omnivores, now is probably not the time to sub out the turkey or turkey gravy (there will be real and faux turkey at our house this Thanksgiving), but everything else can can be made plant-based and no one will feel like anything is less delicious or decadent than the "usuals."

This year, I will be making some of these items and experimenting with some new recipes...check back after Thanksgiving for the results of those experiments!

In my busy preparation, I decided to try out a new, intriguing vegetable stock recipe. In all honesty, it has been years since I took the time to make vegetable stock. After doing so last night, I am kicking myself for wasted years! The result is a super easy, delicious broth that would be great alone and will definitely elevate the taste of my stuffing, gravy and other dishes needing stock this Thanksgiving. I also made plenty of extra to use in soups and stews throughout the cold months as well.

Pros of homemade stock (versus store-bought):

• Sodium-free
• Taste is SO good - no store-bought comparison is available!
• Less food waste (see below)
• Can be made for nearly free!

Cons of homemade stock (versus store-bought):

• Takes planning
• Requires freezer space for storage

The reason that homemade stock can both reduce food waste and be nearly free is that you can keep a container in your freezer where you put all of your carrot, celery, onion, mushroom, garlic, parsley, thyme, eggplant, sweet pepper, tomato, green and green bean scraps into the container. Once you have enough to make stock you can just dump the contents into a pan, cover with water to 1-inch above the ingredients, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 40 minutes. To make a good stock great, add some or all of the aromatics shown in the recipe below to your vegetable scraps. Strain out the vegetable scraps, and use the stock in a recipe or portion the stock into containers and freeze for later use. That's it!

Warning: do NOT put broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, starchy vegetables, brussels sprouts, beets, artichokes, asparagus, turnips, rutabagas or corn in stock. These vegetable will either give a strong, "off" taste to the stock or make it very cloudy.

If you want to try a specific recipe for my favorite stock, here you go:

Vegetable Stock

Vegetable Ingredients:

1 medium onion, quartered (no need to remove the skin)

1 large carrot, chopped roughly into 1-inch pieces

The leafy end of a bunch of celery (approximately the top 1/4 of the bunch), roughly chopped

Greens of 3 leeks, washed well (the white parts are used in most recipes, use them for something fancier than stock)

3 cloves garlic, smashed (no need to remove the peel)

3/4-1 ounce mixed dried mushrooms (I used a $1.99 package from Trader Joe's) or 3-4 ounces shiitake mushroom stems (the inedible parts of the mushroom) or other fresh mushroom scraps

1 (4-inch) piece of kombu or kelp, optional (gives body to the stock)

Aromatic Ingredients:

3 bay leaves

6 sprigs thyme

1 small handful of parsley stems (or 6 springs of parsely)

1-1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns

1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds or greens from 1 small bulb of fennel (aka. anise)

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a large stock pot (at least 1-1/2 gallons). Add water to cover by 1 to 1-1/2 inches.

2. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Turn heat down until stock is at barely a simmer and cooking for 40 minutes.

3. Strain out vegetables and either use stock or portion into containers and freeze for later use.

Yield: 3+ quarts.

A New Project - My Everyday Meals

I was reflecting on this blog/website's content the other day and realized that I wanted to add a parallel project that has a similar flavor, but a slightly different focus.

The Vegan Breakfast Sandwich - want some bagel with those veggies?

ChefinResidency.com's content is meant to teach, in a detailed and easy-to-understand way, about how to cook and eat delicious, healthy food that won't take forever or break the bank and doesn't require a lot of special skills. Another goal is to help people to better understand what a healthy diet is and to dispel nutrition myths. The time that it takes to create each post - cooking, documenting, photographing and/or recording video, writing and editing - is substantial. Best case scenario, I get a post published every week or two.

When it comes to mealtimes, my husband always asks, "are you going to put this on your website?" Generally, because of the time limitation, the answer is no. We both agree that it is a shame that people can't see the delicious plant-based dishes that we eat on a regular basis!

Vietnamese Rice Noodles, Herbs & Vegetables with Spicy Lime Dressing

You see, people frequently ask us, "what can you eat?" This is because I am vegan and my husband is a flexitarian (vegan most meals, fish thrown in a couple times per week, but won't pass up a delicious steak if it's put in front of him) - and we're from the Midwest, raised on meat, potatoes and more cheese than anyone should ever eat. A vegan diet is one in which someone eats no animal products - no milk/dairy products, eggs, meat, fish or poultry. Most people are confused by my food choices knowing how I grew up, that I went to French culinary school and taught traditional cooking methods for years (including some butchery!). They think that I now deprive myself of all of that deliciousness - something they never could/would do.

While, I do occasionally think about the amazing tastes of some of those French classics, I can honestly say that I don't feel the least bit deprived being vegan. To non-vegans, this sounds unbelievable - I know, I've been in your shoes. This is why, I decided to succumb to Instagram and start sharing some of our weeknight meals.

Follow my everyday meals at: http://instagram.com/chefinresidency

Stir-fried Asian Vegetables with Basil-Lemon Sauce & Fried Cashews

To make sure that I am able to keep this up, I'm just posting the picture and a brief description. No editing, no recipes, no fuss. I am excited to see how it goes! Of course, if you're dying for a recipe, let me know and I'll try to tell you what it is - very little of what I'll post will be from a recipe since I rarely cook by recipes. The recipes that I share on the blog are made by me carefully documenting what I do in the kitchen so I can share with you later (again, lots of time required).

Spicy Yellow Curry with Lemongrass Tofu & Brown Rice

Elephant in the "room": no, I do not expect that everyone will become vegan nor do I proselytize about this to people on the street. I recognize that this is a personal choice that I've made for a variety of reasons - including that vegan is a healthy diet that is very low (compared with most others) in terms of it's stress on the environment and resources required to produce food, it's cholesterol-free and those that eat vegan have the lowest rate of obesity. It has also been shown to be an effective treatment for heart disease and diabetes and lengthens telomeres (aging is associated with shortening of telomeres). When done right, it also provides plenty of all the nutrients you need to stay healthy. If people are interested in learning more about a vegan diet, by all means, let me know and I'll write future posts on the topic!

However, I recognize that these reasons are not important to everyone. What should be important to everyone, though, is being the healthiest, happiest version of yourself you can be. Who doesn't want to add life to their years? Part of this includes eating right. Part of eating right is increasing the number of plant-based foods in your diet - vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes/beans and healthy oils. The goal of this website is to help you do that regardless of your dietary framework. Look for an upcoming post on "What is a healthy diet." This will highlight what a healthy diet is for those with a variety of preferences and restrictions - including omnivore, flexitarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, etc.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Marinara and Basil Flowers, Sautéed Chinese Broccoli with Red Peppers & Toasted Artisan Bread with Garlic Oil

Finally, whether it is about this new project or the website, I would love your feedback (good or bad - I can take it)!

Knife Skills #3: Pomegranates

Pomegranates are one of the superfoods of the moment. This is mainly due to their powerful antioxidant effects.

Pomegranates are being studied for their effects on many conditions including:


- prostate cancer
- nerve damage and lung damage due to chemotherapy
- increasing sperm counts
- preventing infections
- preventing diabetes
- preventing gingivitis
- lowering blood pressure
- sports recovery after a hard workout

...I could go on.






Of course, many of these studies are in animals and use concentrated extracts. Others show real promise in humans by drinking the juice or eating the arils (the little red seeds) alone. More studies are definitely needed before I can give any solid recommendation to use pomegranates for the conditions above. One thing is for sure, though - you've got nothing to lose by adding them to your diet.

Next question: how do you get the edible arils out without squirting red juice everywhere or wrestling  with the fruit in an attempt to peel it?

Check out the video Knife Skills #3: Pomegranates

Try pomegranate arils:
- eat just as they are!
- as a garnish on a salad
- dipped in chocolate to make a bark
- in a smoothie
- on ice cream or frozen yogurt
- on cereal
- on pancakes
- make homemade fruit salsa


Try these ingredients made with pomegranate:
pomegranate molasses: a very tart-sweet syrup, made from concentrated pomegranate juice. It's used most often in Middle Eastern or Mediterranean cuisine.
        Uses:
           - in salad dressing or drizzled over a salad
           - drizzled over soups, grain dishes, hummus/dips, or grilled vegetables and meat
           - great in marinades

pomegranate juice: Pom brand pomegranate juice is ubiquitous in grocery stores now. Beware, though, juice is a concentrated, (natural) sugary beverage that is most healthy used as an ingredient, flavoring in food, sports recovery drink or a rare treat. As a rule, it's generally better to drink water and eat fruit rather than drink fruit juice regularly.
         Uses:
             - in vinaigrette salad dressings
             - in marinades
             - in smoothies or cocktails

Thanksgiving: Acorn Squash Stuffed with White Beans & Kale

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. Focused on family, friends and being thankful - it eschews the commercial focus of so many other holidays. As a chef, of course, I also love that it involves cooking with the bounty of the harvest.

There are definitely a few standbys on my holiday table, but at least half are up for experimentation each year.

(Successful) Experiment #1: Squash sans butter and brown sugar. This recipe is a hearty, savory take on acorn squash that could serve as a main dish for any vegetarians at your table - or a delicious side for everyone else.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with White Beans & Kale

Acorn Squash Stuffed with White Beans & Kale

Ingredients:

2 medium acorn squash

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 small or medium onion, chopped in 1/4-inch dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons water*

1/3 cup sundried tomatoes or 2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 large bunch of kale or chard, washed and roughly chopped

1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed

1/2 cup coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Note)

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. If using, add sundried tomatoes to a small bowl and add just enough boiling water to cover (~1/2 cup). Let rest for 10 minutes or until reconstituted, then finely slice. Keep liquid, you’ll use it later. Alternatively, you can use sundried tomatoes packed in oil. If you do, do not soak them in boiling water, just slice thinly.

3. Cut squash in half (from stem to slightly pointed end). Scoop seeds out with a tablespoon. Cut a small slice off the rounded, green (uncut) sides, to make a base that sits flat when you put them on a pan.

4. Place squash, flesh side up, on a microwave safe dish (generally, only 2 halves at a time will fit in the microwave). Brush exposed yellow-orange flesh with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 5 minutes. Repeat with other two squash halves. This is just to shorten cooking time. If you prefer, you can cook entirely in the oven, but this will take 1-1/2 hours rather than the 20-30 minutes written below.

5. Transfer partially-cooked squash to baking sheet, flesh side up, and put into oven for 20-30 minutes while you cook the filling. Check to see if they are done with a fork, there should be very little resistance when the flesh is pierced. If there is a lot of resistance, return to oven for 10-15 more minutes and test again.

6. Heat large sauté pan, over medium high heat. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. When warmed, reduce heat to medium and add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions start to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.

7. If using tomato paste, add now and cook stirring constantly 1 minute. Add kale and tomato soaking liquid, if you have it, or 2 tablespoons water. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook covered, stirring every minute for 3-5 minutes or until kale is tender. Add beans and sundried tomatoes, if using. Stir to combine. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at at time, if things start to stick to the pan. Cook until beans are heated through (1-2 minutes).

8. In a small bowl, add bread crumbs, 1 Tablespoon of oil and a couple pinches of salt; stir well. Set aside.

9. Fill squash halves will kale mixture. Top with bread crumb mixture.

10. Turn broiler to low. Place baking sheet with stuffed squash under broiler (with ~3-4 inches space from top of squash to broiler) and broil until crumbs start to brown. Watch closely as they can burn quickly.

Finished, just out of the broiler - This is what the crumbs should look like after being toasted.

Serves: 4 as a main dish, 8 as a side.

*If using tomato paste, you will need additional water. You may need a couple of extra tablespoons of water regardless.

Note: I used 2 slices Good Seed bread, cut into 1-inch cubes and pulsed in the food processor until the size of crumbs you see in the picture above. This made a bit more than called for in  the recipe.

A giant bite waiting to be eaten

Nutrition facts for main dish serving (1/2 squash with filling). Calories 430, Fat 12g, Carbs 72g (Fiber 15g, Sugars 3g), Protein 15g, Vit A 429%, Vit C 316%, Calcium 32%, Iron 39%. Sodium depends on the amount of salt you add.