Dirty Dozen! Clean Fifteen!

 Morning All!

I had to share this youtube post with you.  An 11 year old boy's interpretation of what's wrong with our food system - the appealing marketing, the factory farming that leads to the food that is being raised on genetically modified seeds - and how this is just dangerous and not as nature intended it to be!

Please watch it - show it to your kids!  I think he's an inspiration to all of us!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvVZwJbs54c
My favorite quote:  "We can pay the farmer or we can pay the hospital!"

I'm posting my list of foods that will help you decide what foods to buy organic and what foods you can buy conventionally.  These times are tough economically so if you are interested in making the best choices for your family - the ones with the greatest pesticide residue are the Dirty Dozen.  These are the best to buy organically.

Dirty Dozen (Buy these Organic):

1.      Peach

2.     Apple

3.     Bell pepper

4.     Celery

5.     Nectarine

6.     Strawberries

7.     Cherries

8.     Kale

9.     Lettuce

10.   Grapes (imported)

11.   Carrots

12.    Pears

Clean 15 (Lowest in Pesticides)

1.      Onion

2.     Avocado

3.     Sweet corn

4.     Pineapple

5.     Mango

6.     Asparagus

7.     Sweet peas

8.     Kiwi

9.     Cabbage

10.  Eggplant

11.   Papaya

12.   Watermelon

13.    Broccoli

14.    Tomato

15.    Sweet potato

Hope this lists helps you in your food shopping!  I have more fantastic food

shopping strategies in my upcoming book:

"Winning the Game:   The Busy Mom's Manual for

Refueling her Athletic Family in Six Easy Steps"

Organically grown purple carrot!!

The video:  Monsanto Corporation Gets Owned By Eleven Year Old Boy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvVZwJbs54c

Steel Oats in the Crock Pot?

Hello Friends!
Yes, I am already planning my breakfast for tomorrow! It is so damp and cold here in the Northeast and my belly has been growling all day.  I haven't made one of my favorite breakfasts in a long time as it hasn't been a terribly cold winter as of yet.  But here it is ... the best breakfast you don't have to make other than throw the ingredients in the crock pot when you are getting ready for bed.  You wake up thinking you are in a B&B as it is done before your eyes are even open. 

If you're anything like me, breakfast is a chore.  Not that I don't love it when someone like my husband makes me breakfast (ahem ...)  but I am usually so busy at least on the weekday mornings that I wait too long to eat and then start to shake!  We don't want to hear it but breakfast is so important to take part in.  First you are "breaking the fast," of not eating for probably a good 10 hours or so - those of you who think that by skipping this meal you will lose weight... you are completely missing out on a metabolism boosting tool.  Keep your internal digestive fires roaring with at least 3 meals a day.  If you skip breakfast, you are going to gain weight as your body goes into the "emergency" zone of holding onto all food.  It thinks it may not get any food so it slows down the rate of burning energy. You will never lose weight without eating breakfast.  So here's a simple recipe that you can dress up as much as you like or keep it plain if that is what works for you.  Simplicity rocks in my house because you can always tailor it to your needs individually :).

Crockpot Steel Cut Oats

4 C. water
1 C. Steel cut oats
dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds  (optional)
sweetener such as agave syrup, xylitol, honey, brown sugar, brown rice syrup
Fresh blueberries or other berries to be added after cooking

Measure 4 cups of water into the crock pot.  Add the cup of steel cut oats.  Stir Well and add desired optional fruits if using.  Cover crock pot and cook on low overnight (about 8 hours).  You can substitute some milk for the water  (Ex. 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup milk).

I love to make this plain and add my fruits to the oatmeal after it's done cooking.  This way I can offer it to my family to make it in their own style!  I also love to add nuts to my bowl of oats as I tend to burn off oatmeal quickly.  This slows it down and I love the way they taste.  There is a nice 4 grams of fiber (2 being insoluble which is great), 4 grams of protein, 26 grams of carbohydrates and no sodium, sugar (without the fruits) or trans fats.  This is also a great pre-game meal for our young athletes!!

So get those crock pots out tonight to start your engines tomorrow morning without having to think about it!  Done!  Awesome!

You can find this recipe and others that may help your family in my upcoming book:
Winning the Game:  A Busy Mom's Guide to Refueling her Athletic Family in Six Easy Steps

Coming Soon! 

Round 2 - Radiation!

New Year's Eve with my Girls!

Hello Friends!
Sometimes it's hard to remember why I started this blog two years ago! I love writing about food and all the little tricks that help me in the "Manager of the House" position! Here we are almost 2 years to the day of being diagnosed with a brain tumor. It's been a great two years in all that has healed, my brain becoming symmetrical again, and a new appreciation for life. If it wasn't for the help of my family, doctors and friends I would have had a much harder time dealing with the unexpected curve ball thrown my way. And for that, I am grateful to say the least.

Two years later I am happy to report that all is well. However there is a great opportunity for me to tell this residual tumor I've had enough of her (yes, I feel she is a female!) presence. You see these pesky meningioma tumors will continue to grow in many patients. There is no guarantee that they will not grow so we have to assume that growth will happen at some point. Being that my tumor is in a tricky spot near all my nerves in my face and eyes, the medical staff I'm working with feel that I need to stop it's growth before it grows. Otherwise the complications are not so good. So, we are at a point where we need to decide between two kinds of radiation to stop this sucker in her path. One choice is the gamma knife which is a one time shot of serious rays to the tumor. It continues to work it's magic long after the procedure. The other is called IMRT. This is an option preferred by my doctor as it gives the brain a chance to heal between sessions without as much chance for damage to the surrounding nerves. The only bummer is I would have to have it done Monday through Friday for 6 weeks in NYC. So, we are currently finding out anything we can about these options to make the best choice as it needs to be done in the coming months. The awesome part of this is that there are options out there that don't require you to have you skull opened with another craniotomy.

Thank you to those of you who have already volunteered to help out with this next phase ...I am just chalking this up to another life experience! You are incredibly generous and I am so blessed. I will update you as we find out what is the best option to take. As much as this just sucks, I am ready to knock this one out for the count for good!

Peace and Love,
Krista

Stir Fry Recipe

Stir-Fry!!

So I am still waiting for the repair man to come and resurrect my oven!  I truly don't mind but my kids are all of a sudden asking to make brownies!  They never ask ... must be the power of knowing they cannot make them!  So out comes my wok tonight.  Last night was the grill's turn as I grilled some marinated turkey breast that was great and I had some leftover (not a huge amount) but I threw that in a butternut squash organic soup that I had and some frozen veggies and had myself a very satisfying bowl of soup on this rainy day!  Ok...I digress ... the stir fry is so easy and it's really hard to mess up so I will try to give you a recipe.  I generally don't follow stir fry recipes - I just use what I have on hand to make it what it is.

Use any kind of veggies you want!  Just remember to cook the denser, harder veggies first (carrots, peppers, etc) and the lighter ones after these (broccoli, corn, snap peas, etc).

Use any kind of meat you have (of course you don't need meat to do a stir fry) especially if you have some leftover chicken from last night's meal, turkey, steak, shrimp, scallops (I never do scallops but I assume you can do them if they are small).

So here's a recipe to try out - tweak as necessary!

Stir Fry
Serves 4

3 Tablespoons of Oil: choice of coconut oil, sesame oil, olive oil (I use a combination)
1 lb of boneless chicken breasts or other meat

1/2 cup soy sauce
fresh ginger minced - about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon
chicken broth
OR
A marinade with an asian flair (no msg please)

1/2 cup or more of chopped carrots
1/2 cup or more of chopped peppers
1/2 cup or more broccoli crowns with some stem
1/2 cup or more red pepper chopped
1/2 cup or more of snow peas
1/2 onion chopped
minced garlic to your liking (anywhere from 1 to 4 cloves)
chopped raw peanuts for garnish
chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

First make a sauce that you will put aside until the last step:  1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/2 cup soy sauce, grated fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon corn starch.  Beat with wire whisk until smooth.

Marinate your chicken at least 20 mins.  Cut into bite sized pieces.  Heat your wok to medium high.  Add the oils to the wok and let heat up.  Add your chicken to the wok and stir.  Cook until the meat is slightly browned but completely cooked through.  Remove from pan.

Add your vegetable to the wok in the order of hardness or sized pieces.  Stir fry until done to your liking.  Add chicken pieces back into wok along with the sesame sauce.  Stir until well blended and the sauce has thickened.  Garnish with peanuts and cilantro if desired.  Serve over rice.

PS ... I made this tonight with the following:
2 carrots,
1 small head of broccoli
some chopped and destemmed kale
frozen corn
frozen sweet peas

I marinated with a Soy Vay sauce from T Joe's ...so easy.

And although I thought no one noticed the kale, Sophie just told me she loved the kale!  She loved this stir-fry because I didn't use onions.  Although I love onions and garlic, not everyone does and you know what?  It was dang good!  

Stay tuned for my suggested condiment tray that addresses all kinds of tastes when you have fussy eaters!!

And yes, that book is still in the works!  Can't wait to share it with you very soon :)

Post Game/Practice Food Ideas

Hey Busy Super Moms!
Ever wonder what those little (ok now some of them are getting bigger than us) thoroughbreds should eat after a practice or game? You know how they always want to hit the the ice cream truck in the Spring/Summer or maybe your house freezer now that it's cold? I know it happens here every night!

We all have heard about pre-game foods but many people aren't aware how important those after event meals/snacks are. So why does it matter what they eat after the game, practice, meet, etc? It's over, they're done right? Give 'em the ice cream it's not a big deal!

True, I'll be honest, they do get ice cream here some nights. What is important is that they replenish somehow. Research done on muscle repair shows that we are able to refuel those muscles more quickly when it's done in the first 30 minutes after working out. The increased blood flow brings more nutrients to the muscle cells to make glycogen. Muscles need to store glycogen for energy. So ultimately you want to feed your athlete some carbohydrate rich foods with a bit of protein. Although no research is found for children, a ratio of 1 part protein to 4 parts carbohydrate is best for adults.

The benefits to post game eating is that they can come back stronger the next day. You know those tournaments that are all weekend? Swim meets that are three days? Eating to refuel their bodies is one strategy to keep them going.

Stay tuned for more young athlete strategies in my upcoming book:
"Winning the Game: The Busy Mom's Manual for Refueling her Athletic Family in Six Easy Steps."

What to do with the PANINI/GRILL?

Hey Foodie Friends!
Just wanted to pass along another easy quick dinner idea ... and no it's not a crock pot/slow cooker recipe!! It's made with a panini maker/griddler. My poor double oven is still hibernating ... still waiting for the repair man to appear with the needed part so I'm using all my gadgets that can cook!
This is just an easy idea for your weekend lunch or casual dinner that tasted fantastic! I tried it two different ways this weekend: on whole wheat tortilla and on leftover crusty brick oven bread. Trader Joe is making a fantastic "Misto alla Griglia" or marinated eggplant and zuccini - frozen. I simply defrosted the veggies in the microwave and placed them onto the bread of the day (flat wheat tortillas or the crusty italian), added a few pinches of feta cheese and grilled them with my Cuisinart Griddler. This is a great tool to have and it does so many things ... but in a pinch it is great to have to use up leftover meat and veggies. Another reason it is great for us busy moms is that it is user friendly for our young chefs! Yes, I trust them to use it to start creating some interesting meals! I of course end up cleaning it - but we are getting there! You can certainly use whatever you have in your refrigerator like grilled chicken, leftover spinach from a salad, cooked veggies that might work in the wrap, kale, swiss chard, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, etc. Get the idea? I like to spray the grill with some olive oil or use a bit of Earth's Balance on the exterior of the bread for one of my kids who loves crusty sandwiches!

If you ever thought about buying one of these little grills for your kitchen I would highly recommend it!
Enjoy!
Krista

Lemon Chicken with Potatoes in the Slow Cooker

Hey Everyone!

Hope you had a great holiday season with lots of good food and drinks! Ok, maybe we've all had too much of that good stuff! Anyway I didn't forget about this blog ... just a little side tracked the last three weeks!

I love this blog because it helps me to try new recipes that maybe I wouldn't have tried! As of right now there are 4 hours and 11 minutes left in my dinner for tonight. Yep, another crock pot/slow cooker dinner! I am forced to use the crock pot tonight as it's way too cold to stand over the grill, the cook top of my stove is tired as my double oven died on me Christmas Eve! LESSON TO ALL: NEVER HIT THE SELF CLEAN BUTTON THE DAY BEFORE A HOLIDAY! Why I chose to clean the oven the day before I hosted Christmas is beyond me! I was going to get it dirty anyway! Sometimes we are perfectionists and ha ha now I have learned it just doesn't matter if your oven is dirty! Hopefully by Friday it will be back to working order ... anywhooo my schedule has been twisted for the last few weeks, add a horrible stomach virus for my daughter on New Year Eve and now my husband home from work with a bug and I'm so looking forward to getting back on track! Sometimes we kind of fall out of our comfort zones ... and that's ok. We learn to deal with whatever has happened and grow from it. Whether it be a hurricane in September, a blizzard in October, a lost job, commuting a zillion miles, crazy busy schedules, health issues, flooding several times a year or other challenging situations, we can always expand from them.

Ok, no more soap box for me ... waiting for my dinner:

Lemon Chicken and Potatoes
Serves 4

4 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into wedges)
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 1/2 pounds bone in chicken, skin removed (breasts, legs, thighs)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 medium lemon, sliced and seeded

Scatter potatoes in the crock pot and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until nicely browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. Place the chicken on top of potatoes.

Add the onions to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the wine and lemon juice and bring it to a simmer. Pour the mixture over the chicken and potatoes.

Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 hours. Tuck the lemon slices around the chicken pieces and cook for 1 hour more, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot with some colorful veggies like steamed carrots, green beans or broccoli.

Recipe courtesy of "The Italian Slow Cooker" by Michele Scicolone

The funny looking lemon I am holding above ... I couldn't resist picking it up! At Eataly in NYC ... they have some beautiful fruits and veggies! This is called "The Buddha's Hand" variety! So cool!

Be Well,
Krista