Recipe: Garden Slaw With Tender Broccoli Flowers

This tasty and unique fresh salad is a great way to use up some of those broccoli plants that may start to bolt (go to flower) in the late spring.  Zesty mustard, honey, and yogurt add a kick to the mildly sweet crunch of broccoli in this new twist on the traditional slaw salad.

Garden Slaw With Tender Broccoli Flowers
(Serves 4-6.)

Broccoli buds. (Photo credit: Chiot's Run)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sliced raw almonds, toasted
1 bunch mature broccoli stems (may substitute cabbage slaw)
2 carrots, peeled
3 Tbsp light olive oil
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
fresh broccoli flowers for garnish (fresh, cleaned, and stamen or pistil removed)

Directions:

• Start by toasting the almonds: put them in a small skillet, without oil, over medium heat and shake until almonds start to get golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• Make slaw by peeling the tough skin off the broccoli stems, then using the peeler, make curls out of the tender insides of the broccoli stems. Put in bowl.
• Use the peeler to make curly slaw out of carrots, add to bowl.
• Make dressing by whisking together the remaining ingredients until smooth; then pour the dressing over the slaw.
• Add the toasted almonds, tossing to combine.
• Let stand for 30 minutes, tossing several times.
• To serve, spoon portions onto individual salad plates. Top with fresh cleaned broccoli flowers for garnish and flavor.

Recipe: Sweet Blueberry Almond Bars

These tasty streusel-like bars are a great dessert or a yummy snack. Fresh-ground almond flour gives a lovely nutty flavor to these bars, which include the healthy benefits of both nuts and fresh blueberries, as well as cinnamon. These make a tasty on-the-run snack, and the kids will like them too!

Sweet Blueberry Almond Bars

Ingredients:

Almonds (Photo credit: Shelby PDX)

1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted and ground fine
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp confectioners sugar, divided
1 1/4 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature (organic if possible)
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
1 lb fresh blueberries
1 orange, zested

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper; or butter the pan, dust with flour, and shake out excess.
• Toast almonds on baking sheet in 350 oven for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking often, until golden brown; then put in blender or food processor and grind until fine.
• Put flour, ground almonds, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
• In mixing bowl put 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar and butter, and mix with beater until light and fluffy.
• Add almond extract and continue beating until just blended.
• Slowly add flour mixture, mixing with beater on medium until crumbly texture develops. 
• Remove 1 cup of crumbly dough from bowl and set aside.
• Press remaining dough into a crust just on the bottom of the baking pan.
• In a bowl, toss together the blueberries, orange zest, and remaining 1 Tbsp sugar; arrange evenly over the dough in pan.
• Take 1 cup of crumbly dough that was set aside and sprinkle over blueberries evenly.
• Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove and let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
• Cut into squares when cool.

Recipe - Simple Homemade Almond Butter

This very simple recipe is a great way to add some healthy fats and protein to your diet. Makes a tasty  nutritionally balanced snack on whole-grain bread, or as a dip for veggies or fruit such as bananas and apples. And you'll know it only has the good stuff, since you made it yourself!

Simple Almond Butter

Almonds (Photo credit: Shelby PDX)

Ingredients:
2 cups raw almonds
2 teaspoons of olive oil (more or less for texture)

Directions:

1. Place the almonds on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring them once or twice during that time.  Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
2. Put 1/2 cup of the almonds in your food processor and pulse to break them up. (You can save a bit of time by chopping the almonds up a little by hand before putting them in the food processor. You can do this on a cutting board with a large knife or by putting the nuts in a ziplock bag and hitting with a rolling pin or sturdy heavy-bottomed pan.)
3. Drizzle in a bit of the oil and turn processor on and let it run for a minute, stopping to scrape down the sides a few times. A ball will begin to form. Stop the processor and use a fork to break the ball apart.  Then, start the processor again.
4. Add more nuts, then more olive oil, and keep repeating the process.  Keep drizzling in oil until you get a consistency you like.  Also, the longer you process the nuts, the creamy the mixture will get.
5. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator - will keep for several weeks.
6. You can add salt or other flavorings if you like.

What You'll Need For This Recipe:
   

Recipe: Almond Crusted Chicken Cutlets With Fennel Tomato Salad

Here is a slightly more advanced recipe, full of great healthy fresh flavors and nutrients. Fill up on this one and you'll give your body a special treat! Whole, fresh ingredients provide your body with the fuel it needs to have lots of energy to get some great exercise to support your weight-loss efforts. And it's so tasty, it can satisfy even the most gourmet palate.

Almond Crusted Chicken Cutlets With Fennel Tomato Salad
(Serves 4.)

Fennel (Photo credit: Satrina0)

Ingredients:

2 fennel bulbs, cleaned and sliced thin
1 Tbsp fronds from the fennel
4 stalks celery, chopped
12 grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 lemons, zested and juiced
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
1 lb chicken cutlets
2 cups almond meal
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a glass bowl, put the fennel, fronds, celery, grape tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss together.  Add the Parmesan cheese and toss together once more gently. Set aside.
2. Divide the almond meal evenly between two shallow dishes, and salt and pepper both to taste. Put beaten eggs in a separate shallow dish.
3. Dredge the chicken cutlets in the following order: almond, egg, almond.  Put each on a platter.
4. Pour about 1/4 inch of olive or other healthy cooking oil into a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  When oil sizzles, take coated cutlets and gently lay a few in, cooking until nice and golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, removing to a cooling rack covered with paper towels. Continue cooking cutlets, making sure not to over-crowd the skillet.
5. Serve by putting a cutlet on a plate and spoon generous amounts of fennel salad next to and over the cutlet.

The almond meal replaces the use of flour or cornmeal to make the crust, which may be more suitable for your diet.

5 Surprising Foods That Can Help You Lose Weight

If you're trying to get ready to fit into that bikini, it may surprise you to know that you don't have to give up all your favorite foods and nibble on celery sticks and carrots all day to get your metabolism going.  Many foods are thought to be fattening, when in fact they actually can help your body burn fat so you can slim down faster.  There are good reasons to re-think some of the “forbidden” foods when deciding what foods to choose for your diet.  Let's take a look at a few of these much-maligned foods to set the record straight.

Almonds

Shelled almonds (Prunus dulcis) Italiano: Mandorle sgusciate (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who would have thought that this small nut would have such a significant impact on weight loss? A Purdue University study showed that when compared to eating rice cakes, people who ate a handful of almonds felt fuller longer. Surprisingly, almonds are loaded with fat, but it's good fat. It's the kind of fat that your brain and body needs to function. Enjoy about 16 to 20 almonds every day to satisfy your hunger without overloading on calories. Raw almonds contain the most health benefits (and I also find them the tastiest). 

Olive Oil

A healthy intake of fats can help you lose weight. How? By controlling hunger. Fats make you feel full, and stay full longer. Monounsaturated fats are a good choice because you will keep cholesterol under control while satisfying your cravings, and olive oil fits the bill. Eliminating fats from your diet to lose weight has been a dieting standard for many years, but certain fats are essential to a healthy diet.  This concept is surprising to many long-term dieters.  But, in these modern times, science has proven that oils, if they're the right oils, provides nutrition that your body needs as well as weight loss benefits. (Which goes right along with our philosophy of eating whole, natural foods.)

Peanut Butter

Who would have guessed that a kid-friendly food could be diet friendly, too? Peanut butter is packed with niacin, which keeps the digestive system on track and prevents belly bloat. Just keep an eye on portion size because peanut butter can have a lot of fat and even sugar.  Limit yourself to no more than two tablespoons a day and be sure to pick an all-natural peanut butter so you avoid the added sugars. Real peanut butter - the kind that's good for you - contains only two ingredients: peanuts, and salt. (Unsalted varieties are also available.)

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, the true "parmesan" (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Parmigiano- Reggiano Cheese

Another on the list of unexpected foods to help slim you down is a particular favorite of most foodies. This low-calorie, calcium-rich treat activates the body's fat-burning hormones, say University of Wisconsin researchers. This cheese also has a higher protein content compared to other dairy products. Consider adding this powerhouse of flavor to roasted vegetables for that little extra boost - you'll be doing something good for your body and your taste buds at the same time!

Animal Fats

What?? We've been told for so long that you have to eliminate animal fat from your diet to lose weight, that it's hard to wrap your head around this one, right?  But, new research has proven that animal fat provides some nutritional value you need and may be a better choice than other forms of fat in some cases.  (Yes, I put that in bold type because it is such a shift in mindset for many people!) Not only does fat in your food make you feel full, but certain animal fats may provide your body with some missing elements.  Even the much dreaded lard has been making a dietary come back.  Your body needs vitamin D to feel good and to function properly.  Interestingly, foods that provide vitamin D, all of which are animal foods, tend to be high in cholesterol.  What does this have to do with weight loss?  If you are not getting enough vitamin D, you will not be as active.  You will have less energy, and your bones and muscles are also going to suffer, keeping you sedentary, which is a disaster when trying to lose weight.  So, animal fats in moderation should be on your weight loss radar.

Through the years, there have been diet gurus who have pitched some pretty far-fetched ideas about weight loss.  Usually, it comes down to moderation.  Avoiding certain foods entirely, even the foods that “sound” fattening, may not be the best way to lose weight and keep it off.  It's confusing, I know.  But, give it some thought and decide for yourself which weight loss theories make sense to you. I think when you really start delving into this for yourself, and looking at the research, as well as using common sense, you'll start to clearly see that whole, natural foods are almost always good for you, in the proper balance, no matter what they are. Just stay away from processed foods, including sugar and white flour, and you'll be surprised how much better you feel, and how quickly you can slim down.

For more interesting research and recipes related to this topic, see these books: