Category Archives: Recipes

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Zucchini Walnut Bread

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This recipe is adapted from the kitchen of my friend Toby.  In addition to being the mother of several expert zucchini (and berry) pickers, she always knows where to find the best produce, and then turn it into magical and delicious recipes for her beautiful family!

If you’ve never visited “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart protecting the health and well-being of the ones you love!!

Then check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” and “The Most Popular Blog Posts of All” for more great ideas and recipes!
 
  • 3 cups King Arthur’s whole wheat flour
  • 2 cups grated zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups local honey
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon

  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

    Grease and flour two 8×4-inch loaf pans. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a small-medium bowl.  In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, olive oil, vanilla, and honey.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, and beat well.  Stir in the grated zucchini and nuts until well combined, and pour the batter into the prepared pans.  Bake for 40-60 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out
    clean.  Cool the pans on a rack for 20 minutes, and then remove the breads from the pans and allow them to cool completely.

    Awesome trick:  If you use the same measuring cup to measure out first the olive oil and then the honey, all the honey will slide out easily and none will stick to the sides.  

    Also:  This batter works well for making muffins too.  The baking time will go down to about 20-23 minutes.


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    • YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Rosemary’s Almonds

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    In honor of my colleague and co-worker’s beautiful baby girl, Rosemary!
     
    The herb garden is filled with basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and chives, among others.  I absolutely adore having fresh herbs at the kitchen door to snip and savor at a whim.  Here is a great recipe to make with rosemary.  It also works wonderfully with a combination of thyme and chives (use 1 teaspoon of each).
     

    If you’ve never visited “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart protecting the health and well-being of the ones you love!!

    Then check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” and “The Most Popular Blog Posts of All” for more great ideas and recipes!

    2 cups of raw almonds (not roasted or salted)
    2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, stripped from the stem and chopped finely
    1 Tbsp olive oil
    1 tsp chili powder
    1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
    1/2 tsp salt

    Combine 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small-medium bowl. Add the almonds, and stir until they are well coated.  

    Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 F.  Check once or twice and stir the almonds around a bit to keep them from burning.  These are fantastic on the way home from work when you are starving and dinner is still at least an hour away, not to mention the fact that you have to make it when you get home.  If you serve them to your kids, don’t plan on there being any leftovers.

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    YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Vavavoom Carrot Juice

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    It’s 2 large carrots, 1/2 apple (cored and peeled), a very thin slice from a little knob of ginger, and 1/2 a squeezed lime.  Then it’s a Vitamix, 4-6 ice cubes, and yum!


    So the thing is…this makes a great afternoon snack, or a delicious addition to a lunch, but it makes an unbelievably stimulating breakfast.  Va-va-voom!

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    If you’ve never visited “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart protecting the health and well-being of the ones you love!!

    Then check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” and “The Most Popular Blog Posts of All” for more great ideas and recipes!

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    Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD and follow her on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.

    YOUR HEALTHY TABLE: A Sunday Dinner in August

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    Last Sunday night we sat down to a wonderful dinner of…

    thinly sliced purple peppers with whole grape tomatoes, dressed lightly with olive oil and salt; 

    followed by…
    Sauteed bass filets
    Small red beets marinated in white vinegar
    Roasted broccoli and eggplant
    Corn on the cob

    followed by…
    Cubes of watermelon….

    and washed down with iced tea…

    ahhhhh….summer.


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    If you’ve never visited “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on protecting the health and well-being of the ones you love!!
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    Check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” and “The Most Popular Blog Posts of All” for more great blog posts!
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    Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  
    To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.

     

    YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Sprout Salad

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    Twice this week I brought to work a lunch that was particularly delicious, nutritious, crunchy, flavorful, satisfying and filling, not to mention easy and self-enclosed.  Not just that but it was incredibly inexpensive. 

    Like many of the things we eat around here, it did not require more time all in all, but it did take some planning.  I prepared two jars, one with mung beans and the other with green lentils.  You can also use white beans, black beans, soybeans, chick peas, adzuki beans, or any other legume.  

    Here is a step-by-step instruction kit for sprout salad.
    2T dry beans of any kind, rinsed
    water
    jar
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    olive oil
    salt & pepper
    1. Place the beans in a medium-sized glass or plastic jar, approx. 2-3 cups in volume, and fill the jar 2/3 full with water.  Then leave the jar on the kitchen counter and forget about it.  Time estimate:  3 minutes.
    2. After 6-8 hours, or overnight, drain the water through your fingers while keeping the beans inside the jar.  Rinse once or twice, each time draining all the water.  Now lay the jar on its side and shake the beans so they rest along the sides of the jar instead of on the bottom.  Time estimate: 1 minute.
    3.  Rinse the beans twice daily.  Continue to leave the jar by the kitchen sink.  It’s very important to leave them near the faucet where you will see them and remember to rinse them.  Do not put the jar into a cabinet or dark place or you will discover moldy beans in a few weeks.  Time estimate: 30 sec x twice daily x 3 days = 3 minutes.
    4.  In 1-2 days you will see tiny root tails beginning to peak out.  In 2-4 days the sprouts will fill the jar at least halfway, if not higher, and they will be ready to eat.  Rinse the beans one last time, cover the jar with its lid and place the jar in the refrigerator.  I like sprouts better with small roots than with long ones, so I harvest on the early side.  Time estimate: 30 seconds.
    5.  In the morning, open the jar, and add 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few shakes of pepper.  Then recap the jar, place it in your purse or lunchbag, and take it to work for lunch.  Time estimate: 30 seconds.  (Total time: 8 minutes)
    Sprout salad is a great idea when you know that you aren’t going to have time to go to the supermarket to buy fresh greens that week.  If you keep a few containers of dry beans in your cabinet, then you can start a couple of batches whenever you’d like.  Plan to eat your sprouts 1-2 days after you refrigerate them.
    Take whatever else you’d like to complement your wonderful sprout salad.  Today I brought multi-colored cherry tomatoes, watermelon slices, and some dark chocolate.  

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    If you’ve never visited “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

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    Check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” and “The Most Popular Blog Posts of All” for more great blog posts!

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    Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

    To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.


    YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Lia Huber’s Guacamole

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    I have to guess that if my counter is covered with large, ripe avocados, then yours is too.  Here’s something that you can do with them.  I’ve always been a big fan of putting hard boiled egg in guacamole, but the jicama is a beautiful addition that gives unexpectedly satisfying crunch
    to this particular guacamole.  Don’t skimp on the lime juice!

    2 large, ripe avocados
    1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and coarsely mashed
    2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
    1/4 cup jicama, peeled and cut into a 1/4-inch dice
    1/4 cup lime juice, divided
    1/2 teaspoon oregano
    1/2 teaspoon minced fresh hot chiles
    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Chop up the hard boiled egg on a cutting board until the pieces are on the small side but not tiny.  Then scrape the flesh from the avocados into a bowl, add in the egg, and mash “roughly” [Lia’s word] with a fork until more-or-less mixed. Add in the onion, jicama, 2 tablespoons lime juice, oregano, chiles, salt and pepper to taste.  If you’re me, just add in the rest of the lime juice now. Otherwise, add the remainder a teaspoon at a time until you’re happy with the taste. Serve in a beautiful bowl (preferably in the cream, yellow, orange, or red spectrum), or maybe on a small platter lined with bib lettuce.

    Take care to blend the ingredients only until just barely mixed, but not so much so that the avocado becomes a smooth paste. You want to see chunks of the avocados along with the jicama, onion and egg. 

    And here, from Lia, is a direct link to the recipe: 

    http://nourishnetwork.com/2010/02/05/guatemalan-guacamole/ 

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    If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

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    Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!

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    Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

    To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.


    YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Fresh Tomato Salad

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    This is not the time of year to turn on the oven.  Or the stove, for that matter.  But the tomatoes are starting to ripen, and you won’t need more than a knife and a cutting board for this recipe.  It’s simple, but it’s oh-so-much more than the sum of its three ingredients.

    If possible, start with warm tomatoes, straight from the garden.  If not, room temperature tomatoes will work just fine.  But do NOT make this salad with cold, recently refrigerated tomatoes unless you like the taste of corrugated cardboard.
    By the way, the end result looks particularly beautiful if you can get more than one color of tomatoes.  But it’s a great recipe either way.
    3 medium-large tomatoes or 2 cups of cherry tomatoes
    3 tablespoons olive oil (it’s a generous amount, but you need it)
    1 teaspoon kosher salt
    If you’re using large tomatoes, turn them on their side and slice through them into large round cross sections.  Then layer them in a large shallow bowl. 
    If you’re using cherry tomatoes, slice each one in half, and toss them into the bowl. 
    Then sprinkle on the salt and olive oil, and mix well.  Give it a at least a few minutes to make a juice at the bottom of the bowl before you serve it.  

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    If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

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    Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!

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    Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

    To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.

    Peach, Nectarine, Apricot, or Plum Chutney

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    You should see my kitchen counter.  My husband adores stone fruits, and ‘tis the season!  I love them all, too, but something needs to be done about this, because there is much more than we can eat.

    Here’s something wonderful you can do with nectarines, peaches, apricots and plums, in any combination you choose.  I am crazy about sweet and sour, so this recipe resonates with me.  Also, it freezes very well, so you can save some to serve with your Thanksgiving turkey.

    4 ripe peaches, nectarines, apricots or plums in any combination 

    1 cup pitted cherries (optional)

    1/4 cup very thinly sliced sweet onion (like Vidalia)

    4 tablespoons honey

    3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

    1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

    1/2 teaspoon turmeric

    1/2 teaspoon garam masala 

    Halve, pit, and slice the stone fruits into thin slices. Add the onions and cherries (optional). Combine in a large bowl, and add the honey, vinegar, and spices. Toss gently, and let stand at room temperature 1-2 hours, tossing occasionally. Then refrigerate. 

    This chutney tastes great cold or at room temperature.  

    Note: If you can’t find garam masala, substitute a good, fragrant curry powder.  The taste will be different, but also wonderful.  

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    If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

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    Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!

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    Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

    To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.


    YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Roasted Red Cabbage

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    Ingredients

    1 whole cabbage, rinsed and cored (peel away any dry or moldy outer leaves)
    2 T olive oil
    1 t kosher salt
    (and that’s it!)

    This red cabbage has been sitting on my kitchen counter for almost a month.  Enough is enough.


    Yesterday I readied a cookie sheet by heating it first at 450 for a few minutes, and then tilting it to spread 1 T olive oil evenly over the surface.  Meanwhile, I sliced a whole head of red cabbage into approximately 3/4 inch slices and then laid them on the heated, oiled cookie sheet for roasting.  Some slices were thinner and some thicker, but I ended up with 7-8 slices in all.

    Then I poured a bit more oil into my hand and spread it all over the cut surfaces of the cabbage, sprinkled them with kosher salt, maybe a bit less than 1 teaspoon, and returned the cookie sheet to the oven.

    The cabbage roasted at 450 for about 20 minutes, got flipped with a big, broad spatula, and then roasted for about 10 more minutes.  Beware: the volume of cabbage shrank by almost half!

    This is a simple and truly delicious recipe.  A whole head of cabbage was eaten by just 5 people!


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    If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

    ———————————————————————-

    Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!

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    Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

    To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.

    YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Zucchini Frittata

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    This recipe (from Lia Huber at Nourish Network), with just a few very simple ingredients, reminds me of a truly wonderful dish made with potatoes instead of zucchini (and called tortilla espagnola) that a very sweet young woman from Spain made for us on a number of lucky occasions many years ago when our children were small.

    2 medium-sized zucchini
    1 large sweet onion
    4 tablespoons virgin olive oil, divided in two equal portions
    1/4 cup minced parsley
    1 tsp. each salt and pepper
    8 large eggs, beaten

    Preheat oven on broil with the rack in the upper third of the oven.

    Slice the zucchini and onion crosswise as thinly as possible, no more than 1/8 inch thick if you can manage it. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the zucchini and onions until tender and beginning to soften for about 10 minutes. Add parsley, salt, and pepper, allow to cool 5 min. Then slide vegetables into a large bowl, add the beaten eggs, and mix well. 

    Reheat the sauté pan over high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Swirl the oil and then pour in the egg mixture, tilting the pan to spread it evenly. Reduce heat to low and cook 15 min. Run a spatula around the edges and shake occasionally until the center of the frittata is almost but not quite set.

    Transfer pan to the oven and broil the frittata 3-4 minutes until the top of the frittata is browned. Then invert onto a large serving plate. Serve warm or allow to cool and serve at room temperature. It turns scrambled eggs into a great dinner or a spectacular brunch. A thin slice with a pickle makes a great snack.