Comforty Goodness

My mom's infamously easy tuna noodle casserole was, hands down, a top five most frequently requested meal of my childhood - lucky her!  I carried the recipe in my 'first time living alone' box of tricks when I left for college.  And I continued to whip it up until gluten-free ruled my life.  The recipe was nixed from memory upon reading the ingredients of every cream of mushroom soup can I could find.  

Although I rarely eat gluten-free at restaurants since finding out I'm not officially intolerant, I steer clear of bringing glutenous groceries home.  In my opinion, gluten in the average American diet is beyond excessive and not as necessary as your handy dandy food pyramid makes it seem.

Off my soap box, back to the meal...  

Every few trips to the market, I head to the gluten-free aisle to grab a bag of brown rice pasta.  Most of the items on that aisle, though gluten-free, tend to be super processed and hokey, so I grab what I need and go.  This time...  I noticed a gluten-free cream of mushroom soup and my most memorable cozy, comfort meal came to mind.

Mom's Recipe - Altered (2 servings)

4 oz. of Gluten-Free Elbows

1/2 Can of Gluten-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

2-1/2 oz. of Albacore Tuna in Water, Drained if Canned

1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated

Boil noodles per package instructions.  Mix noodles, soup, and tuna together and pour into an oven safe bowl (I used a pie plate).  Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

Super Food Smoothie

I've seen wheatgrass advertised from time to time over the years, but never gave it a second thought.  Why?  Simply put, in my experience, the taste was wretched.  

But when I saw the lone pallet of grass at Greenwise last week, I felt the need to own it.  And since the impulsive need to own, well, anything is far from uncommon for me, I decided to think about it.  After all, it was a twenty dollar piece of sod.

I used the same methodology as I do with clothes, shoes, make-up, appliances, gadgets, electronics, everything.  If I go home and never give it a second thought, then I must not have wanted said thing all that badly.  However, if I found it was all I could think about and it made an appearance or two in my day dreams and night dreams alike - there must be a need.

I'm somewhat sad to say that wheatgrass crossed my mind that many times in one week that I allowed myself to bring the pallet home.  To justify my purchase, it's going to be a "green" smoothie kind of week.  And to justify the taste, I'll keep in mind that one ounce of wheatgrass contains the same amount of nutrients as 2-1/2 pounds of green veggies.  That…  Is a lot of veggies.

Super Food Smoothie:

1/2 Cup Wild Blueberries

1 Sambazon Acai Package

1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar

1 Gala Apple

2"x2" Square of Wheatgrass

1/2 Cup Water

8 Ice Cubes

Hunky Halibut

I bought this fish for no other purpose than I like halibut (I know stuff like this now).  I figured I could dust it with seasoning, broil it, and call it dinner; however, there's a theoretical limit to how many times I can post about broiled fish.  And likewise, there's a not so theoretical limit to how many times I can eat the "same" fish.

Due to my broiling assumption, I did not recipe hunt for alternatives nor did I purchase any ingredients out of the norm at the market.  Dilemma?  A bit of a dilemma...

Light bulbs and sirens went off simultaneously as I remembered the ridiculous amounts of wine I had recently purchased to stock my wine fridge.  Going only off of ingredients I thought might taste OK, I started mixing.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the smallest saucepan you own.  Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and 2 stalks of chopped green onions to the melted butter and stir over medium heat for a few minutes.  Add 1 cup of white wine (I used Souv Blanc), salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil.  Add fish fillet and poach, turning mid-way, for 6-8 minutes or until fish is cooked all the way through.  Spoon a small amount of the broth over the fish and disregard the rest.

For the record, poaching is the new broiling in this kitchen!

Colorful Coverage

Pictured above is my staple go-to dinner.  And while it happens to be super simple, it also happens to have a purpose - greens for metabolism protection, reds for cancer prevention, and both for heart-disease prevention.  Who knew a ten minute meal could have your color bases covered?

Typically, I wilt spinach leaves with heated red sauce and throw in some gluten free pasta, but tonight I was reminded of my frozen food debacle and decided I wanted to "cream" my own greens.  So much better than frozen!  It might even cook faster than the five to seven nuking minutes required by the previously mentioned frozen fare.

Melt 1/4 to 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a pan.  Throw in a couple handfuls of baby spinach leaves until they are fully wilted.  Sprinkle with a tablespoon or so of sharp white cheese, stir, and voila!

Spaghetti? Sort Of...

A few weeks ago, a friend suggested a spaghetti squash recipe she made post kicking butt at the Boston Marathon.  I raided her leftovers and knew I'd give it a shot.

After a weekend of birthday/mother's day glutton, I was craving something veggieful.  And subbing a meal's primary starch with a veggie?  Well, that sounded right about where I wanted to be.  I scribbled down the ingredients and B-lined it to the market on my way home from the office.  

My excitement for the recipe grew as I realized my basket was only lacking two ingredients and I hadn't yet left the produce department.  And feta and kalamatas?  I barely had to brush the processed aisles to scoop those up!

This dish was a delightful main course, but could also be served along side a lean meat for a more "complete" meal.


Side Note:  Tastes even better chilled the next day.

Quickie Lunch

Meal satisfaction, for me, tends to come hand in hand with simplicity.  And uncoincidentally, my simple means faster and fresher.  Five ingredients or less is a good theory in my book.

This 'five or less'-er lunch was protein packed and full of feel goodness.

- Turkey Breast, Thinly Sliced & Cooked

- Baby Spinach Leaves

- Shallots, Chopped

- Sunflower Seeds

- Raspberry Vinaigrette

Gluten-Free Goodness

Today as I headed north on Florida Ave, feelings of excitement replaced the usual feelings of annoyance that accompany the drive.  Seminole Heights is always the center of "up and coming" talk, but it's difficult to witness the follow through as it's not on a route often traveled.  But as I looked for 6605, I noticed more than increasing numbers on abandoned buildings, I noticed new storefronts.

The ideals of New Urbanism are ingrained in my being (another big thanks to Tammy).  And a good storefront, as nerdy as it may seem, makes me giddy.  Don't worry, I can type and push up my theoretical nerd glasses simultaneously.  But back to the point, North Florida is on the path to being...  hip?  As I opened the door and entered Viitals Bakery & Cafe, that thought was no longer a question.  North Florida is, in fact, on the path to being hip.

I was immediately drawn to the heart-shaped cookies, but refrained.  Well, for a moment.  My lunch date was running late and my belly was raging with hunger, so I ordered one and took a seat.  "You know, I like to heat those up in the toaster oven for 30 seconds, it makes them really -- ".  Sold!  I bet she's never seen a girl in a high waisted skirt and ballet flats run so fast with cookie in hand.  And 90 seconds later, the cookie was heated, delicious as promised, and gone.

We ordered the Sophisticated Panini and the Caprese Sandwich - both beyond satisfying.  I couldn't wait to get back to the office and tell my Heights friends about the new hot spot in their hood.

P.S.  Viitals now makes gluten-free pizza crust for Gourmet Pizza Company and that pretty much makes me do kartwheels on the inside!

The Trifecta of Diet Awesome

After graduation and the few additional LBs that tag along with a newly acquired desk job, I sampled every diet under the sun. There were many that I hated, few that I tolerated, and barely any that I enjoyed. What I've come to realize is that most diets are created from a logical, nutrition-based concept, but taken to extremes in order for people to LOSE WEIGHT FAST! (think Billy Mays).

The diets that were my favorite, uncoincidentally, were the same diets that made me feel my best. Unfortunately, my favorites fall into the extreme category and were difficult to stick to as they tended to make me feel isolated and anti-social. So what were they?

- South Beach / Low Carb (most of 2007)
- Vegan (September 2008)
- Gluten-Free (August 2009 - December 2009)

I was recently tested for food allergies to confirm my suspicions that an allergy must be the cause of a lifetime of stomach mishaps. If it looks like an egg, it must be an egg, right? Wrong. A panel consisting of well over 30 food allergens and I tested negative for every last one of them. Really?? No answers! And so, my quest for optimal health continues...

I fell off the gluten-free wagon about two weeks ago upon receiving my test results AND as holiday goodies started pouring in my office doors. Evil monkeys!

I'm diet-less once again and scheming my next fitness plot. Each time I re-start the scheming process, I'm convinced, I "know" I will find the perfect way to be. So what's my plan today? The Trifecta of Diet Awesome! The Trifecta will be the result of dissecting the above mentioned favorites, cherry picking them if you will, creating a pro/con list and tossing all the cons. If only boys were this simple!

South Beach Pros: Low Gylcemic Index, High Fiber
South Beach Cons: Use of artificial sweeteners, Lots of Meat, Lots of Dairy

Vegan Pros: Alkaline Diet, Sustainable Lifestyle
Vegan Cons: DIFFICULT TO EAT ANYWHERE!

Gluten-Free Pros: No Gluten = Less Sluggish/Difficult to enter food coma
Gluten-Free Cons: Somewhat difficult to eat out, Limited selection at the supermarket

So it is, my newest mission will be to eat foods low on the glycemic index, high on the fiber list, minimal animal, and very minimal gluten (wheat). If I find myself at a steakhouse swimming in a glorious pool of beef and bread, I won't freak, but I also won't venture often.

Wish me luck and happy holidays!