All Posts in Category: Health
Old Hollywood Inspired Halibut with Puttanesca Sauce
1 can quality plum tomatoes such as organic Muir Glenn (28 ounces) or 2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup oil-cured black olives, halved and pitted
or green olives if you prefer
2 tablespoons capers
3 tsp anchovy paste
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 halibut steaks (about 6 to 8 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Drain tomatoes, reserving 1/2 cup liquid. Seed and coarsely chop tomatoes. If using diced tomatoes, use entire can, no chopping and seeding required. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic, and cook until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion, and cook, until transparent, about 5 minutes. Raise heat to medium high; add tomatoes, reserved liquid, olives, capers, anchovies, and rosemary, and cook, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Heat remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of halibut steaks with salt and pepper. Cook steaks until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes on each side.
Reheat sauce until it simmers. Stir in parsley. Serve halibut with a little sauce on each steak. Top with fresh basil (optional). Serve with a nice bottle of wine, fresh warm baguette to dip in the puttanesca sauce and your favorite Frank Sinatra tunes.
*Adapted from and inspired by a traditional Martha Stewart Recipe
When I shared with Stephen what I would be making for dinner he said, “What? You’re cooking fish just for the Hal-i-but?” Yep. That sums my husbands humor. Oy!
*Stephen is a much better writer than comedian… and he has had quite an interesting life in Old Hollywood.
Bon Appetit & Namaste!
Spice it up & Live Longer!
Cayenne pepper has been used for centuries as a medicinal and culinary herb. The Aztecs and Mayans used it quite extensively as a staple in their diets.
Medicinal herbalists revere it in the alternative health community for its remarkable array of health benefits and get this: turning up the heat in your food just might spice up your quality of life.
If you check it out online, you’ll discover the crazy health benefits that you will receive by adding this spice into your daily diet.
“Much scientific research has been initiated to validate what naturopathic practitioners have known for years: It can stop heart attacks, nourish the heart with vital nutrients, remove plaque from the arteries, help rebuild flesh destroyed or harmed by frostbite, heal hemorrhoids, re-build stomach tissue, heal stomach ulcers, fortify your overall health, and mitigate the most wrenching of diseases….it improves circulation, rebuilds blood cells, lowers cholesterol, emulsifies triglycerides, removes toxins from the bloodstream and improves overall heart health. It’s even a great insect repellent.
As mentioned, it can also heal ulcers, which seems contradictory, considering its native calidity or heat. It immediately equalizes blood pressure in your system, shrinks hemorrhoids, and heals the gall bladder too.
It can be used as a diuretic as well, helping in elimination both with urine and with built-up fecal matter in the intestines. It has wonderful, scientifically-proven antifungal properties as well.”
~www.CayennePepper.info
The addition of cayenne pepper (or a similar spice like red pepper flakes) to your daily diet can also speed up your metabolism and aid in weight loss.
My husband Stephen is a spice wuss so after his heart attack I had him taking one cool cayenne tablet every morning with his morning coffee. It’s better to put the powder in warm water with some lemon and even a dash of maple syrup and down it to have your body reap immediate benefits.
One doctor claims to never have had a patient suffer a heart attack because at the first sign of trouble he instructs them to down his version of cayenne tea. Within moments, they are up and running again.
I am currently taking cayenne to stop a cold and detox my body.
Check out these 17 benefits of cayenne pepper here.
Whether you take cayenne pepper in pill form or add it to delicious recipes, you can rest assured you are doing something wonderful for your health, body and lifestyle.
Check out the recipe Penne With Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Chicken. It is from Oprah’s former chef Rosie and is a low cal family favorite packing a heart healthy punch.
Bon Appetite and Namaste!
SKINNY PENNE PASTA WITH CHICKEN & SUN-DRIED TOMATOES
This heart healthy sauce (you would never know it) derives its distinctive addictive character from smoky crushed red pepper flakes, flavorful sun dried-tomatoes, and slightly sweet evaporated skim milk.
Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ cup boiling water
• 6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ cup dry white wine or low-fat chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 3 Tbsp chopped shallot (1 large shallot) or green onion
• 1¼ cups chopped fresh mushrooms
• ½ cup fresh peas or frozen peas, thawed
• 8 oz penne pasta
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 12 oz evaporated skim milk
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl, add boiling water, and set aside. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
While waiting for water boil, combine chicken and wine in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning on top of chicken. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the center of the meat is no longer pink.Remove chicken from dish, shred the meat, and reserve the cooking juices.
Drain the sun-dried tomatoes and slice them thinly. Pour the reserved cooking juices from chicken into a sauté pan. Add shallots, mushrooms, peas, and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté over low heat for a few minutes, until liquid has been absorbed and the vegetables are wilted.
Remove the pan from heat and cover it to keep the vegetables warm.
Add penne to the water in the large pot, which should be at a full boil. Cook over high heat about 8 – 12 minutes or until desired doneness.
While pasta is cooking prepare sauce.
Preheat a small, heavy saucepan for about 1 minute over medium heat, and then spray it twice with vegetable spray. Toss in the garlic and flour, and then using a whisk, blend in the evaporated milk.
Add nutmeg and red pepper flakes. Whisking constantly, bring mixture to a boil. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Reduce heat and stir in basil. Drain pasta and transfer to a
warm serving dish. Add the chicken, vegetables, and sauce.
Top with fresh basil and serve with shaved Parmesan if you desire.
Bon Appetite and Namaste!
Heart Healthy Lentils With Roasted Red Peppers, Dill, Mint and Feta
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
This simple vegetarian dish comes together in just 30 minutes, making it a good choice for a protein-rich weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, grated
1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces, about 1 1/2 cups total
*½ cup sun dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (I omitted and added fresh lemon juice for heart health)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (divided)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (divided)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
*Lemon juice
Instructions
Cook the lentils in a large pot of gently boiling water just until tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Drain.
While the lentils are cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet until it is hot enough to sizzle a piece of onion. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the red peppers, salt and black pepper.
Keep warm over low heat.
Add the cooked lentils, 2 tablespoons of the dill and 1 tablespoon of the mint and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes. At this point I also added sun dried tomatoes (great for the heart) which added texture and sweetness. Sprinkle with the vinegar and stir to combine. * I also added lots of fresh lemon juice….yummy.
Spoon into a serving dish and sprinkle with the feta if desired. Top with the remaining 2 tablespoons dill and the remaining 1 tablespoon mint.
From “Fresh & Fast Vegetarian” by Marie Simmons
Recipe Published November 8, 2011 in The Oregonian
These delicious lentils are wonderful served with Tuna or halibut baked in parchment with olive oil, capers, red peppers and thyme.
Want to literally keep your heart happy? Eat lentils.
* Lentils, a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal.
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as lentils, helps prevent heart disease.
Lentils’ contribution to heart health lies not just in their fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate and magnesium these little wonders supply. Lentils’ magnesium puts yet another plus in the column of its beneficial cardiovascular effects. Magnesium is Nature’s own calcium channel blocker. When enough magnesium is around, veins and arteries breathe a sigh of relief and relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Studies show that a deficiency of magnesium is not only associated with heart attack but that immediately following a heart attack, lack of sufficient magnesium promotes free radical injury to the heart.
When researchers analyzed this data in relation to the risk of death from heart disease, they found that legumes were associated with a whopping 82% reduction in risk!!
Heres to your heart health!
Try pairing with Grilled or Pan Seared Salmon with Fresh Lemon Juice for a feast for the heart. Also wonderful served chilled.
Adapted from “Fresh & Fast Vegetarian” by Marie Simmons as seen in The Oregonian’s Foodday & Living section.
Bon Appetit and Namaste!
Fresh Tomato Sauce Sicilian
“In Sicily a good tomato sauce is considered an absolute basic in the kitchen.”
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
9 cups cored, chopped very fresh tomatoes
4 28-oz cans whole tomatoes, crushed with juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup homemade chicken stock
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried rosemary
6 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (about 10 dashes each)
Directions
Heat an 8 to 10-quart heavy bottom pot and add the oil, garlic, and onion. Saute until the onion is clear. Add the remaining ingredients except butter and salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and gently cook, uncovered 4 hours, stirring often. Stir in the butter and salt and pepper to taste.
This delicious sauce freezes well. I used almost all of it with two shredded pot roasts for our Bolognese dinner with our firemen and their wives.
Bon Appetit & Namaste!
Fire House Bolognese
Winter Salad with Roasted Beets and Citrus Reduction Dressing
It has been one year and six weeks since my husband Stephen had his heart attack and died four times before coming back to life. He is now down forty pounds, looking and feeling fantastic, and enjoying plenty of delicious, heart healthy fare.
While compiling menus for our Christmas gathering, I came across this tasty recipe created by Cooking Light Associate Food Editor, Timothy Cebula. This colorful salad celebrates the produce of the season and would make a knock out addition to any holiday table.
Ingredients
4 medium beets (red and golden)
Cooking spray
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 4 oranges)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups torn Boston
2 cups trimmed watercress
2 cups torn radicchio
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Leave root and 1-inch stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place beets on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat beets with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until tender. Cool beets slightly. Trim off beet roots and stems; rub off skins. Cut beets into 1/2-inch-thick wedges.
3. Bring juice and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan; cook 10 minutes or until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Pour into a medium bowl; cool slightly. Add shallots, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk.
4. Combine lettuce, watercress, and radicchio. Sprinkle lettuce mixture with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss gently to combine. Arrange about 1 cup lettuce mixture on each of 8 salad plates. Divide beets evenly among salads. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon dressing
*December 2009 Cooking Light magazine (Photo by Randy Mayor)
Delicious served with seafood or even a filet on the grill.
Note: I was going to serve Oregon Dungeness Crabs along side our salad for Christmas Eve but the season is opening late this year and not until months end. Please let me know if you have any fabulous ideas! Perhaps Bacala (or fresh cod) With Wine Broth & Crusty Bread? XO
Bon Appetit & Namaste!