“Diet for a Small Palate”
April 10, 2011
"A blueberry pincer grasp meets the World's Smallest Egg Sandwich"
Seems the last time I posted, peaches were in season–could that be right?
Georgia is nearly 10 months old with a fine-tuned pincer grasp. I’ve been busy cooking for two sleepy grown-ups and one small mouth; but, documenting it all on the other hand…
New blog rules. Less chatter, more recipes. Or maybe just recipes. And more for the finger-fooding, puree-smearing set.
Some quick stats to catch us all up:
- Baby G is roughly 17#, nearly walking, and just sprouted her first tooth.
- Her Mom receives roughly 5 consecutive hours of sleep per night. More than the President (I think), but less than her husband.
Grass-fed Beef Balls
Today’s Recipe: Meatballs-In-Law
Inspired by my husband’s Grandmother’s “Christmas Meatballs.” I like that the original recipe is wheat-free, gluten-free and egg-free, so I’ve kept it that way. Georgia loves to suck the sauce off the meatballs, then stuff into her mouth. Makes 20 (1 1/2″) meatballs
- 1# 85% lean grass-fed beef
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (or gluten-free oats), coarsely ground in a coffee grinder
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 T organic milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 T olive oil
- 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely ground using a food mill or processor
- 1 T balsamic vinegar
- 1 T Worcestershire sauce
- 2 T brown sugar
- Gently mix the beef, oats, onion, garlic, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl (using a clawed hand works best). Form into roughly 20 meatballs.
- Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook on all sides until a deep brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; transfer to a plate. Remove excess fat from pan, leaving just a sheen behind. Add tomato puree, vinegar, Worcestershire and sugar, stirring up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil. Add the meatballs and stir to coat with sauce; reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered about 25 minutes, turning the balls every 5 minutes.
- Test meatball’s temperature on your lip before serving to an infant. Serve with some chopped up steamed vegetables.
Our Georgia Peach has arrived!
August 10, 2010
Peach Cobbler with Local Jersey Peaches (sorry Georgia)
It has been seven (!) weeks since we received our very special delivery. Weighing in at 7# 13oz, our beautiful daughter Georgia arrived on June 19th. And just as I hoped, she came out hungry.
Thanks to our family and friends, we received weeks of home-cooked and dropped-off meals. It was absolutely priceless to spend time tending to our newborn rather than a stove. A brilliant website, Meal Train (www.mealtrain.com), helped make it possible. The site goes so far to ask about the recipients food likes/dislikes and allergies. Kind of amazing to be tended to in this way…a personal chef’s little fantasy.
So week 7 of motherhood! I’m probably sleeping just enough to not cut all my fingers off, so I went ahead and commemorated our sweet daughter Georgia with a peach cobbler (sans blueberries–http://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/peach-recipes-00412000067611/page6.html). And cooked us a meal while I was messing up the kitchen anyway–my favorite Swiss chard and black bean salad–with the seasonal addition of sweet corn, raw and crunchy like I like it!
Ingredients: Bananas
Strawberry and Fresh Mint
38 weeks into pregnancy and the ice cream cravings have finally hit hard. Vanilla Haagen Dazs with smashed Chocolate-Vanilla “Trader” Joe-Joe’s followed a solid week of Dr. Pepper floats.
My birthday dinner at Purple Yam (Ditmas Park, Brooklyn) concluded with Halo-Halo, a Philippine iced desert with sweet beans, palm seed, cocogel, agar agar, coconut sport and jackfruit topped with flan and purple yam ice cream. Wowzers. Forget about 8-ingredient desserts at home. I whipped up the following (pictured) in 5-10 minutes from 1-2 ingredients.
The Banana Ice Cream recipe has been floating around the blogosphere and I was psyched to puree something in the food processor other than my usual hummus. Strawberry and Fresh Mint Pops were an excuse to play with the Zoku Pop maker and experiment with homemade mint simple syrup. Not to mention, you can find teeming quarts of Jersey strawberries, 2 for $10, at most farmer’s markets in the area. And they are just about perfect.
Banana Ice Cream (sans cream)
- 3-4 very ripe bananas, sliced and frozen in a single layer
- A food processor
- While still frozen, add banana slices to the food processor. Pulse until the bananas clump; using spoon, scrape banana clumps evenly around blade and continue to process until smooth.
- Magically, the clumps turn into a creamy, soft-serve-textured icy treat. Scoop and serve.
Strawberry and Fresh Mint Pops
- 2 cups chilled, or frozen and thawed ripe strawberries
- 1/4 cup mint simple syrup (recipe below)
- 2-4 Tbsp cold water
- In a blender, add strawberries and syrup and puree. Add water and puree until the mixture is thin enough to be poured into any ice pop molds.
- Pour into molds and freeze. Pops frozen in the Zoku are ready to eat in 10 minutes.
Fresh Mint Simple Syrup
(Good for a month in the fridge. Add to iced tea, bourbons, rums, melons and berries with tasty results.)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 bunch mint–fresh from the farmer’s market is best–rinsed well
- Mix sugar and water in small saucepan (2 qt) and heat over med-low while stirring until dissolved. Syrup is ready when it goes from cloudy to clear. Remove from heat.
- Rub mint leaves between hands for a few seconds to release minty oils. Add a large handful of mint leaves to the pan of syrup; submerge leaves with spoon and let steep 30-60 minutes.
- Remove mint leaves. Transfer syrup to a glass Pyrex measuring cup and let cool. Store in an airtight glass bottle in refrigerator.
Seared Scallops and Bolognese Balls
April 18, 2010
Seared Scallops on Polenta with Asparagus
Clockwise from top: The Meatball Shop's Bolognese balls with pesto, braised collard greens, Spicy Pork Meatballs with spicy meat sauce, asparagus over polenta
When I ask friends about weekday dinner menus, I often hear one of three strategies:
- Throw some fish or chicken in a pan and microwave some veggies…
- Throw some fish or chicken on the Foreman grill and microwave some veggies…
- Take out.
Add in some nights of cereal, frozen pizza, and salads and I’m following the same formula. This week’s meal satisfaction to effort ratio was especially favorable…
Top photo: Thursday’s dinner. Seared Day Boat scallops (sweet & sustainable) with polenta and asparagus. Time commitment: 10 minutes–a 4-minute sear, a 6-minute steam, and a 5-min quick-cooking polenta. Tip: get a partner to stir the polenta while you sear and steam.
Bottom photo: Saturday’s dinner. Take out from The Meatball Shop (Stanton and Allen). Includes the weekly special Bolognese balls in a pesto sauce, and spicy pork balls in a spicy meat sauce, and a side of braised collard greens. Added leftover polenta and asparagus from Thurs. Time commitment: about 2 minutes in the microwave. Tip: Be prepared for a really heavy plate and, quite possibly, more leftovers.
Second Wind Linguine
April 7, 2010
Linguine with Gulf shrimp, Asparagus and Basil
As they say on Broadway, the Fridge and Tunnel show has ‘gone dark’ these last few weeks. Turns out, at 29 weeks pregnant, I needed a vacation! But Mama’s back in Brooklyn and back in business.
So I call this dish, Second Wind Linguine. A well-rested chef is a recipe for inspiration, or at the very least, motivation to cook at home again. I thought I’d focus on one stand-out ingredient and chose fresh Colossal Gulf shrimp. So colossal in fact that I halved them lengthwise (a great trick when you need the appearance of 1# of shrimp with a 1/2# budget. Just sharpen your knife first).
I saved the shrimp shells–don’t pay extra for shelled shrimp–and sauteed the shells in olive oil to begin my saute. This is a great tip for developing deep seafood flavor without the time commitment of making stock. Simply remove the whole shells once they are crispy and you are left with a flavored olive oil. Working 2 pots at the same time, you will have dinner ready in about 15 minutes–enjoy!
Second Wind Linguine with shrimp, asparagus and basil
- 1/2 lb fresh Colossal Gulf shrimp, shells reserved, halved lengthwise
- 1/2 # dried linguine pasta
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 bunch asparagus, top 2″ cut into pieces (reserve stems for another use)
- 1/3 cup dry white wine (try a Pinot Grigio)
- 2 tsp unsalted butter
- 7-8 large basil leaves, sliced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil for linguine. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add shrimp shells and saute until crispy, 4-5 minutes; remove shells with tongs. Begin cooking pasta to al dente.
- Add garlic to saute pan and cook 2 minutes over medium-low heat, do not brown. Add asparagus and saute 30 seconds; season. Add wine and cover pan; cook 2 minutes. Uncover pan and add shrimp; cook until just curled and opaque, 1-2 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted into the pan juices. Remove from heat.
- Drain pasta and add to pan along with 3/4 of the basil. Toss with tongs to coat. Garnish with remaining basil.
A Day in the Life of a Pregnant Dietitian-Chef
March 10, 2010
Kale & Butternut Squash Risotto with Goat Cheese
Happy Registered Dietitian Day! Hope my RD friends and colleagues enjoyed some well-deserved recognition. For the self-employed chef RD, I earned another day in the kitchen, and an inbox reminding me of my special holiday.
In honor of the holiday, I decided to keep a food journal to share with the blogosphere. Food journaling is something I usually ask of the clients that I counsel. Journals offer the RD a peek into her clients’ diet psyche…should they choose to be forthcoming.
I’ll admit that my day begins smoothly, but things start to get more interesting at 4pm. And eating ends on a high note–check out my dinner pics & recipe!
3/10:
- 8:30 am: Nature’s Path flax flakes with vanilla soymilk, a banana, cup of unsweetened white tea
- 11am: Prenatal yoga, which is making me very hungry. Thinking of lunch.
- 12pm: Two slices whole wheat toast with hummus, sliced avocado and Sriracha hot sauce. 1/2 navel orange, water, multivitamin (a prenatal horse pill), and 2 capsules DHA oil
- 1pm: On the train to a client’s home. One Lifesavers Pep-o-Mint. Some water. Baby is kicking.
- 3pm: An apple and small handful of almonds
- 4pm: Two Choco Leibnitz cookies (chocolate dipped butter cookies, yum)
- 4:15: Baby is kicking again. Noted, likes cookies.
- 4:30: 1/4 cup of couscous with pine nuts and cranberries (several spoonfuls of a client’s dish)
- 6pm: On the train. Another Lifesavers Pep-o-Mint. No one is giving up their seat for me tonight and my belly is practically thumping with baby kicks. Really hate the F train.
- 7pm: 3 celery sticks, 1/2 can Aranciata (fancy pants orange soda, on sale this week)
- 7:45: Kale and butternut squash risotto with goat cheese. Cleared the pantry of Arborio rice. Cleaned our plates.
- 10pm: One Liberte low-fat peach yogurt with 1/4 cup blueberries.
Kale and Butternut Squash Risotto with Goat Cheese
Sweet Madeira wine (what was open in the fridge) found a tangy partner in goat cheese, and some spice with freshly cracked black pepper.
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3/4 cup Arborio rice
- 1/4 cup Madeira wine
- 1 cup grated butternut squash (about 1/3 medium squash)
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 1 tsp butter
- 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled, divided
- Heat chicken stock on a back burner until simmering; turn to very low heat.
- In a medium pot, saute onion in olive oil until transluscent, about 3 minutes. Add rice and stir until well-coated, 1-2 minutes. Add wine and stir until evaporated.
- Add 2 ladles-full of hot stock to rice pot. Stir until liquid is almost absorbed. Add more stock, one ladle-full at a time, and stir until liquid is absorbed. After 10 minutes of stirring, add the kale and squash. Continue to add liquid and stir continuously until all liquid has been incorporated and the rice is al dente, about 18 minutes.
- Add butter to the rice and stir vigorously until risotto is creamy. Add 1 oz goat cheese and stir until melted. Add fresh-cracked black pepper to taste.
Grapefruit Gets Saucy
March 4, 2010
Wild Coho with Grapefruit Teriyaki sauce
This winter I’ve taken refuge in citrus. While piles of snow and gloom are being dumped on Brooklyn, I’m cozying up to clementines, tangelos and navels on my sofa. Just counting my days of apartment captivity in orange peels, waiting for spring to arrive!
So perhaps the best thing about citrus season is once you get bored with the peel & eat varieties, some clever grocer puts grapefruit on sale. Grapefruit, while notoriously bitter, is the most gorgeous citrus in my opinion (someday I will walk into a Benjamin Moore with a halved pink grapefruit asking for a color match). Usually all it takes is a special serrated knife and a drizzle of honey to get around the pith and much of the bitterness. Grapefruit takes kindly to heat and a little broiling or boiling can also bring out its sweetness. I adapted the following recipe from Kyle Shadix’s Grapefruit Teriyaki Glaze that appeared in the winter ADA Times magazine.
Reducing the Grapefruit Teriyaki Sauce
Grapefruit Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- Zest and juice of half an orange
- Juice of 1 grapefruit, preferably pink grapefruit (about 3/4 cup)
- 1/3 cup Tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp canola or olive oil
- 2 (4 oz) Wild Coho salmon fillets, skinned
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a small saucepan, saute onions and ginger until soft. Add orange zest and juice, grapefruit juice, soy sauce and sugar; bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Add oil to the sauce. Blend mixture until smooth.
Couscous soaking up the sauce, mmm.
- Place salmon fillets on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the salmon with the warm sauce until well-coated. Bake 5 minutes, brush on more sauce and then bake another 4-5 minutes. Serve over rice or couscous, and spoon over additional sauce if desired.
(Don’t) Hold the Mayo!
January 25, 2010
After confessing my second trimester mayonnaise cravings on Facebook, fellow readers replied with their favorite mayo memories:
“when i was little i LOVED mayo sandwiches on white bread. and i also put mayo on hot dogs.”
“Mayo, bologne and diced green peppers on white! That was my mom’s obsession.”
“I used to love mayo and American cheese sandwiches when I was little. Aahhh!”
Mayo is the stuff childhood comfort food was made of; but as adults, we are expected to know better or at least order the low-fat variety. Usually I save my slather of mayo for egg salads and BLTs, but my inner child (literally) prefers a steady stream.
So, thought I’d make my very favorite pasta salad that comes straight from the people at Hellmann’s (food companies love to send RDs promotional samples and recipes–did you know mayo is naturally rich in Omega 3 ALA’s?). This recipe reminded me of something I had in Spain, where vinegar, fish and veggies make up many a large midday meals.
Tuna & Bow Tie Salad
Tuna & Bow Tie Salad (Hellmann’s)
- 8 oz bow tie pasta
- 6 T Hellmann’s Regular or Light Mayo
- 2 T red wine vinegar
- 2 T chopped fresh basil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 (6 0z) cans tuna, drained and flaked
- 1 (9 oz) package frozen green beans, thawed
- 2 cups halved grape tomatoes
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- Cook the pasta according to the package; drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine mayo, vinegar, basil, garlic and pepper.
- Add remaining ingredients and pasta; toss well. Chill if desired.
Chunk Light tuna makes a killer Tonnato sauce
New Toy for a Healthy New Year!
January 2, 2010
The Zoku quick-pop maker
Watching my banana pops freeze
Roughly 10 minutes later...
The finished pop!
Happy New Year to all! In 2010 I have an even greater reason to eat healthfully–I’m eating for two! A baby Fridge and Tunneler will appear sometime in June, no doubt with a healthy appetite.
When you blog about food, and “pregnancy-induced nausea” hits for the greater portion of the first trimester, you slack a bit in the postings. A fairly good excuse, I think. While I still fit behind the sink and stove, we’ll see what the third trimester brings.
So each Christmas, Mrs. Claus-in-law brings her chef-in-law a fun kitchen tool or toy. This year I may have dropped a hint for the Zoku popsicle maker, a kit that produces frozen treats in less than 10 minutes. Instant gratification appropriate for the busy New Yorker (quick shout out to the Zoku company, fellow bridge and tunnelers located in Hoboken, New Jersey). I gifted the very same pop maker to my sister to make homemade treats for and with my milk-allergic niece Abigail. Here’s hoping she outgrows this allergy in 2010.
What would be the first pop of the new year? I had two ripe bananas, which steered me towards a pudding-style pop. This recipe is in honor of my niece Abigail, who loves bananas and sticks to soy milk these days.
Banana Soy Smoothie Pop with Honey and Nutmeg
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 1/2 cups vanilla soymilk
- 1-2 tsp honey*
- pinch of nutmeg
- Using an immersion (hand) blender or traditional blender, combine the above ingredients. Add more soymilk if mixture is too thick to pour into popsicle molds.
- Pour into the Zoku molds, or regular popsicle molds, and follow directions for freezing.
(*Omit the honey if sharing with a child under one year of age)
Ode to City Snow: Gingerbread Snowflakes
December 17, 2009
Cutting out ginger snowflakes
Adding some detail...
Brown snowflakes--just like in NYC!
Ready to be iced
Gingerbread Cookies
(from Simply Recipes)
For cookies:
- 3 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tbsp ground ginger
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup unsulfered molasses
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and spices. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in eggs and molasses. Gradually add the flour mixture; combine on low speed. Divide dough into thirds, form discs, and wrap each in plastic. Chill one hour or overnight. Before rolling out, let sit at room temp 5-10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350. On lightly floured parchment paper, roll a dough disc to 1/8″ thick. Cut out cookie shapes. Decorate with raisins or candy pieces if desired (and you don’t plan to ice them).
- Transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake until just crisp, but not browned, 8-10 minutes. Let cool on pan a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 16 5-inch cookies.
Royal Icing
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- Mix the egg white and lemon juice with a third of the sugar. Heat in microwave until the mixture’s temperature is 160.
- Beat in the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form. If icing is runny, add more powdered sugar until you get the desired consistency. Fill a piping bag (or ziptop sandwich bag with tip cut off) and use to decorate shapes.
