2014 Reading List

Looking for a new book to pick up for 2015?  Here is a quick list of titles that kept me busy over the past year.  A few of my friends and I started a book club which helped me branch out a little and cure a few "Oh I always wanted to read that!" problems.  We have completed five books so far and are currently reading Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness which I am absolutely loving and strongly recommend at this point.  My two completed favorites of the year include The Glass Castle: A Memoir and Scar Tissue.  What books would you recommend for me or my book club to read in the coming months?

2014 Reading List:

The Language of Flowers - Vanessa Diffenbaugh

My Drunk Kitchen - Hannah Hart

Giada's Feel Good Food - Giada de Laurentiis

On the Road - Jack Kerouac

The 5 Love Languages - Gray Chapman

Sisterhood Everlasting - Ann Brashares

Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis and Larry Soloman

Gone Girl: A Novel - Gillian Flynn

The Glass Castle: A Memoir - Jeannette Walls

Fifth Mountain - Paulo Coelho

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness - Susannah Cahalan (not yet finished)

5 Ingredient White Bean Soup

Hope you all had a safe and wonderful New Years!  I had a nice few weeks off from blogging but I'm happy to be back.
This first recipe of 2015 is so fast and easy you might be surprised how great it tastes.  It is also a great base for a number of variations just by adding chicken, sausage, mushrooms or whatever else you may have in your kitchen.  Because this white bean soup stores well and it is a perfect meal to prepare on Sunday and you'll be set for lunches for the week.
Enjoy this cozy meal that you can be sure will be in line with your New Year's resolutions!

5 Ingredient White Bean Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
2 16-ounce cans of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 to 1 cup of spinach, kale or other leafy greens
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot.  Add shallots and sauté until golden brown.  Add 4 cups of broth and beans to pot.
Remove about 1/2 cup of beans and a few tablespoons of broth and puree in a food processor.  Add back to pot and add greens.
Serve with homemade croutons or crunchy bread.

Nutrition Facts: 469 Calories, 6g Fat, 76g Carbohydrates, 30g Protein, 31g Fiber, 294mg Sodium, 1783mg Potassium

Cranberry Couscous with Spinach

When the side dish becomes the star!  This couscous recipe is one that looks good and tastes even better if that’s possible.  I looked at a package of cranberries this weekend and thought “We have to make something with these.”   As I was perusing similar recipes, most I found were topped with green onion or cilantro but I decided to use spinach for and additional calcium punch.  Love those dark leafy greens.

The result is a light yet satisfying combination of tart and sweet.  We served it hot and Mediterranean style with hummus, homemade pita chips and bok choy.  After having it for lunch the following day I can’t decide if I prefer it hot or cold but I’ll let you decide.  The colors make it a perfect addition to any holiday meal!

“Couscous: The food so nice, they named it twice!” -Pineapple Express

Cranberry Couscous with Spinach

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked couscous
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup spinach cut into ribbons
¼ cup walnuts

Dressing:

Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:  Prepare couscous according to directions.  Add to serving bowl.  Gently combine cranberries, spinach, walnuts.  Top with dressing, stir and serve.  Can be served warm or cold. 

Nutrition Facts:   221 Calories, 12g Fat, 25g Carbohydrate, 5g Protein, 2g Fiber, 34mg Sodium, 92mg Potassium

Doggy Birthday Carrot Cake

Someone at Lemon Pantry turned two this weekend!  My basset hound mix Penny celebrated her second birthday with me in style.  I made her a doggy birthday cake both this year and last but I updated the recipe a bit and thought I would share incase any of you are as dog-lady crazy as I am.  You know this recipe is a keeper because it's always gone in under 60 seconds.
I cook the cake in a bread pan to get a rectangle that can be cut into a bone or other shape easily.  I usually do a Google Image search for a cartoon bone, print and then lay the shape on the cake and cut around it with a knife.  I then mix together some plain Greek yogurt and peanut butter for frosting and you can decorate with a Milkbone or cut a straw into a "candle".
I'll leave you with a peek at some of my favorite pictures of my rescue girl from this past year.  Happy 2nd Birthday, Penny!

Doggy Birthday Carrot Cake 

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat or brown rice flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup honey

Frosting:

2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix flour and baking soda together.  Incorporate rest of ingredients and mix well.  Grease a bread pan with a small amount of oil.  Add batter to pan in an even layer.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.  Let cool for 20 minutes and flip pan upside down to remove.  Use stencil to cut out a bone or other shape if desired (discard the rest or serve to dog party guests).  Mix frosting in small bowl. Frost and serve!

Black Bean & Butternut Squash Quesadillas (Dairy Free!)

In the spirit of the holidays, I decided to feature butternut squash in a unique way this week, in one of my favorite foods, quesadillas!  It gives this meal a creamy, hearty base that's packed with vitamins and minerals.  The black beans add some extra protein and the spinach tops this meal off with 10% of your daily value of calcium (pretty impressive for a cheese-less quesadilla).  

I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends!  See you back here soon!

Black Bean & Butternut Squash Quesadillas
Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butternut squash
1/2 cup black beans
1/4 cup corn
1/2 cup fresh spinach
2-10 inch whole wheat tortillas
1/2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Directions:
Sauté or microwave squash until soft.  Spread squash on half of each tortilla and mash with a fork.  Layer black bean and corn on top of squash.  Sauté spinach until wilted and place on tortilla.  Fold each tortilla in half and add butter to pan on medium heat.  Cook each tortilla until golden brown on each side, about 3-5 minutes per side.  Remove from heat and let rest for 1-2 minutes.  Cut each tortilla into thirds and serve with salsa or other toppings.

Nutrition Facts: 369 Calories, 9g Fat, 60g Carbohydrates, 15g Protein, 12g Fiber, 194mg Sodium, 972mg Potassium

Black and White Chili

Football season is in full swing and, for many people, with that comes Sundays spent drinking beer, eating chips and dip and many batches of chili.  Chili can be a delicious, low stress meal made from basically whatever you happen to have in your pantry, all in one pot.  It kind of reminds me of those infomercials: "Just set it and forget it!".  Someone please give their marketing guy a raise!

This weekend I made what I call "Black and White Chili" because we had an abundance of black beans and white beans in the cupboard.  Insert pun about the referees' uniforms here.  Consider substituting garbanzo or kidney beans and adding ground beef or turkey for just a few variations to this game day staple.    

Black and White Chili
Makes 12 1-cup servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups onion, diced
1 cup orange bell pepper
2 16-ounce cans petite diced tomatoes, not drained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 15-ounce cans black beans
1 15-ounce cans small white beans
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add garlic, onion and peppers and sauté for 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse beans and add to pot.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and enough water to rinse the cans to the pot.  Stir in seasonings and reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts: 409 Calories, 3g Fat, 74g Carbohydrate, 25g Protein, 18.5g Fiber, 219mg Sodium, 2015mg Potassium

What is a Registered Dietitian and what can they do for me?

A big thank you to Kelli over Hungry Hobby for the great cookbooks and FNCE swag I received in the mail this week! 

 

If any of you have ever been to FNCE or the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (you can see why we call it FNCE) you know all about the great resources, presentations, networking and FREE STUFF!  Last month it was held in Atlanta, Georgia and it is the largest conference for nutrition professionals in the world.  It will be coming back to Boston, Massachusetts in 2016 and you can bet I’ll be there.

So what exactly is a nutrition professional?  What is the difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian? 

A dietitian is a nutritionist but not all nutritionists are dietitians.  Make sense?  If not then let me explain.

Nutritionists usually have a degree or course in nutrition and focus on wellness, working with the general public.  Registered Dietitians (RD’s) are food and nutrition experts who use research-based evidence to improve health and fight disease.  All complete an approved internship program, pass a registration exam and many seek advanced degrees.  Also, some states such as Maine require Registered Dietitians to be licensed in order to practice under state guidelines.   RD’s now have the options to refer to themselves as Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) as a way to reflect to the public what we do.

Where do Registered Dietitians work?

Registered Dietitians may work in hospitals, grocery stores, private practice, community and public health, food industry, journalism, sports nutrition or corporate wellness programs.  The list goes on and on! 

As a clinical dietitian, I work with the healthcare team to provide optimal nutrition for those with acute and chronic diseases.  This can include conducting assessments, providing education or making recommendations for enteral (nutrition administered to the GI tract) or parenteral nutrition (nutrition administered to the bloodstream). 

What can a Registered Dietitian do for you?

Provide individualized nutrition counselling for weight management, food allergies and intolerances, healthful eating and prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.

Many insurance companies will cover a visit to a Registered Dietitian at the recommendation of your doctor so be sure to ask!