Our family is trying the Feingold Diet. This diet is directed for ADHD and after seeing an excellent response in one of our cousins over the holidays we decided to give it a try.  It eliminate ALL artifical color, flavors and sweeteners plus several preservatives.  In the beginning you also eliminate many "good foods" such as tomatoes and apples that produce natural salicyates which you can try to add back in later.  It is too soon to tell the effects but I will keep you updated.  So the upcoming months of recipes will be reflective of this challenging program.  Here is one dinner I found the recipe in Clean Eating Magazine we all enjoyed.  I got the tortilla at Whole Foods (they have a list of approved foods you choose from in the beginning that have been researched for additives ect..).  Was a hit with everyone.  Shrimp and Artichoke Quesadillas

3 oz cream cheese 1/2 cup plain yogurt 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 2 cloves garlic clove, minced 5 ounces frozen spinach, chopped thawed and squeezed excess liquid 4 ounces cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped 4 1/2 ounces frozen artichokes, thawed and chopped 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese, grated (recipe called for mozzarella I used cheddar) 12 6-inch corn tortillas (about 6 inches)- I used whole wheat flour and white flour olive oil

1 In mixer blend cream cheese (softened) on high for about 1 minute until smooth. Add yogurt and blend one more minute. Reduce to medium and add garlic, lemon juice. With spatula fold in spinach, artichokes and cheese. 2 Place tortillas on work surface and brush with olive oil (I used spray oil). Spread 1/3 cup filling (for 6 inch tortilla) Top with second tortilla (coated in oil). Repeat. ( I used larger tortillas and than cut them into triangles when serving. 3 Place tortillas in large cast iron or hot skillet or on hot griddle in batches and cook 4-6 minutes until mixture melted and tortilla light brown. Can keep warm in oven while cooking rest. if cooking on large griddle not necessary.

Servings: 8 Yield: 3 pieces

Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1/8 of a recipe (2.9 ounces). Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. Amount Per Serving Calories 102.57 Calories From Fat (56%) 57.42 % Daily Value Total Fat 6.53g 10% Saturated Fat 4.03g 20% Cholesterol 47.67mg 16% Sodium 147.08mg 6% Potassium 240.32mg 7% Total Carbohydrates 4.18g 1% Fiber 1.27g 5% Sugar 1.23g Protein 7.44g 15%

i was hoping to have some leftovers to pack in the lunch boxes the next day but did not have ANY left. 

Moroccan Chicken with Fennel

CSA Ingredients: fennel, mushrooms and red onion

This recipe is an adaptation from a recipe I found at:

 http://www.food.com/recipe/moroccan-spiced-chicken-and-fennel-184880#ixzz2056ooOO9

I love fennel!  I have often used it raw in salad but it is so good cooked.

Chicken and Fennel

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups fennel, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fennel leaves, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed but not neccessary)  

Couscous

• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 2 cups water

Directions:

1. Combine spices with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Season chicken to coat both sides.
2. Preheat large nonstick skillet, add olive oil. Cook chicken breasts about 5 minutes each side. Remove chicken and keep warm.  Chicken might be slightly pink inside at this point. 
3. Add the fennel and onions to the pan and saute for 7 mnutes or so. The fennel should be tender but not mushy.
4. Boil two cups of water with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add couscous to water and turn off heat. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff the grains before serving.
5. Add juice bring to a boil for about 1 minute.  Stir until it just begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Add chicken and chopped fennel, cover the pan with the lid cook 2 more minutes.  Chicken should be cooked until fully cooked but do not overcook so your chicken is moist.
7. Spoon coucous onto plate, with chicken and fennel and onions. Spoon portion of sauce on top.

In the photos I had added some mushrooms I had in my CSA box but their delicate flavor was lost with the rich spices so I would not do it again.

Kitchen tip: we don't drink much juice but it sometime's nice to have some OJ for cooking.  I take OJ and put into ice cube trays and freeze.  I keep a freezer bag full of the OJ cubes and when I want to use it to cook I can use just the amount I need.  I also do this with broth.

This recipe had 5 stars from everyone!!

Recipe Review: Eggplant Involtini

This recipe is from Cooking Light APRIL 2012- it highlighted several of this weeks CSA items so I was excited to give it a try!

CSA ingredients: eggplant, garlic and some Parmigiano cheese from our cheese subscription (we get family friendly cheeses every other week)

• Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 3 eggplant rolls)
• Ready In Time:1 Hour, 30 Minutes
• Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 3 large)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed and divided
• 12 (1/4-inch-thick) lengthwise slices eggplant (about 2 medium)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray

• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1 ounce whole-wheat French bread, toasted and torn into pieces
• 8 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, divided
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup) and divided

Preparation

1. Combine oil and tomatoes in a medium saucepan; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 garlic cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups. Cool 10 minutes. Place mixture in a food processor; process until smooth. Set aside.

2. Preheat broiler to high.

3. Sprinkle eggplant slices evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; arrange slices in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Lightly coat eggplant with cooking spray. Broil 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 375°.

5. Place remaining 2 garlic cloves in a mini food processor; pulse until chopped. Add nuts and bread; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form. Add ricotta, rind, and egg; process until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup basil and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano.

6. Spread 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce over the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread 2 tablespoons ricotta mixture onto each eggplant slice; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Place rolls, seam sides down, over sauce in dish. Spoon remaining sauce over rolls. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining basil.

My version:  This recipe is fairly time consuming.  I used bottled marinara (my favorite is 3 cheese from Trader Joe's) since I did not have too much time today.   So I started at Step 2.  Cut eggplant very thin.  Since the kids are not eggplant fans I added extra tomato sauce and cooked some pasta.  I used the sauce from the eggplant over the pasta for the kids.  Lexi however ate 2 servings of eggplant so I have won one over!  Also if you do not have the french bread on hand bread crumbs can be used in place. 

To seed a tomato simply cut it half and scoop out the center part that is full of seeds the same way you would seed a canaloupe. 

Recipe Makeover- Jambalaya

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday and healthy do NOT belong in the same sentence. I mean the whole point of Mardi Gras is to indulge in all of the things about to be given up during the Lenten season.  However, we like to enjoy a little Mardi Gras celebration at our house (esp after 4 years in Mobile, AL) and our favorite part is the King Cake!  This year we decided on some Jambalaya.  If this was the only high fat food we would encounter for the week then it probably would not be a big deal but lets face it.  There will be Girl Scout cookies passed around the office, cupcakes at school for the next birthday ect..  We are far from perfect with this whole nutrition thing but if I can at least have healthy food in the home it is a step in the right direction.  That is where a recipe makeover comes in.

I found a nice looking Jambalaya recipe in this month's Bon Appetit Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya- you can find it at Epicurious.com.  Problem was the saturated fat.  An adult eating a 2000 calorie/day diet should not have more then 20 grams of saturated fats a day. Basically Saturated fats are the artery cloggers- they raise your cholesterol.  For kids their total dietary fat intake should be 25-30% of their diet- that is for all fats not just saturated.  So basically the whole family benefits from limiting saturated fat.  The original recipe has 50 grams of fat and 17 grams of saturated fat per serving!  That is an entire day of fat in one meal and we want to eat King Cake for dessert!  Imagine a restaurant now where the portion size is 2-3 servings- you are getting 2-3 days of saturated fat in one meal- that is why the American diet is such a problem.

So here goes the recipe makeover; 1. Decrease the sausage from 1 1/2 pounds to 3/4 pounds.  2. Decrease the amount of applewood bacon but don't eliminate it or substitute turkey bacon it won't get the smokey flavor you need for Jambalaya  3. Reduce chicken thighs (higher in saturated fats) and add some chicken breast (lean and low in saturated fats) 4. Add some shrimp 5. Change from white to brown rice 6. Eliminate cayenne pepper and use mild sausage so the kids will eat it (but can be made with cayenne and spicy sausage for those wanting an authentic version).

The makeover version is still not health food but look at the difference:
                           Original                                     Makeover
Total Fat             51 grams                                   20 grams
Saturated Fat    17 grams                                  6 grams
Sodium               2527 mg                                    1044mg
Calories              754                                            361

Here is the recipe- this is NOT quick and easy but worth the effort when you are craving some Cajun flavors.

Meredith's Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

6 oz applewood-smoked bacon, diced
3/4 lb mild sausages, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes
1 lb chicken breasts
3 large skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch piece
1  large onions, chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1 8-to 10-ounce red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 8-to 10-ounce green or yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
6 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme

I love the colors seen while this dish sautes

1 Tbs chili powder
1/4 tsp (or more) cayenne pepper (optional)
1 can 28-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes and green chiles
2  cup chicken broth
1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined), chopped into bite sized pieces
2 cup brown rice
8 green onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
Chopped fresh Italian parsley

1. Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Cook bacon and sausage in very large pot over medium-high heat until brown but not yet crisp and sausage start to brown in spots, about 10 minutes. Add onions, celery, and bell peppers. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Mix in chicken. Cook until outside of chicken turns white, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes. Mix in paprika, thyme, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional). Cook 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes with chiles and broth; stir to blend well. Add more cayenne, if desired. Mix in rice.

2. Bring jambalaya to boil. Cover pot. Place in oven and bake until rice is tender and liquids are almost absorbed about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and add chopped shrimp. Leave covered about 10 minutes until remaining liquid absorbed and shrimp cooked thoroughly.  Sprinkle jambalaya with chopped parsley and serve.

Servings: 8-10

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Ratings
Jamie *****
Meredith *****
Clay ****
Colin ***
Lexi ***

Jamie said he liked this version as much as any of the full fat versions he has tried- maybe better- "I don't like really greasy food"!

I don't think the modifications lost any of the rich flavor we love in Jambylaya!

Chicken and Black Bean Quesadilla

 Black Bean and Chicken Quesadilla

This is a family fun recipe.  It is quite simple and fun for the kids- they get to assemble their own dinner.

Since we are focusing on whole grains lets start with choosing the tortillas.   Here is the label from ours- these are whole grain tortillas.  Notice the flour is enriched wheat flour- this is not as good as "wheat flour" which would be 100% whole grains.  However, the fiber content is 4gms likley from the addition of a multi-grained blend.  They also do not have partially hydrogenated oils often found in tortillas to enhance shelf life. More on this to come but basically partially hydrogenated oils raise your bad cholesterol and should be avoided. 

Next selection is the cheese. This is an inexpensive meal so the cheese is the place to make sure to get a high quality product.  This variety is hormone and antibiotic free (more on this to come later as well).  By using a reduced fat product you also decrease saturated fat intake which is what gives cheese its bad reputation.

Recipe:


6 whole grain torillas
2 cups cooked chicken cut in bite sized pieces
1 cup shredded cheese
1 can black beans drained
diced cilantro
Pepper and onion blend sauteed (this was a frozen variety- if not using organic make sure to rinse even if frozen to reduce residual pesticides)

Spray one side of tortilla with cooking spray and turn over.  Assemble with toppings of choice- basically do not use more then 2 spoonfuls of each or you cannot fold it in half. 

Place onto griddle over med-low heat and grill until cheese melted and tortilla crisp.

Serve with sour cream and salsa if desired.

We also had a mixed green salad.

Ratings:- I will put ratings for each meal to give you the family perspective.  This gives you an idea of how 2 seven year olds and a 4 year old did with the meal!

5 stars- I want this every night!  My favorite!
4 stars- I want this again-loved it.
3 stars- Very good. Would make it again.
2 stars- Good.
1 star- OK
0 stars- yuck! Never agian- we are ordering out tonight.

Jamie: ****
Meredith: ****
Clay: ****
Colin: ****
Lexi: **