Recipe - Strawberry Banana Yogurt Pops

Beat the heat this summer with this tasty frozen treat the kids will love! Sweet bananas and strawberries mixed with yogurt offers a healthy alternative to ice cream and sugary ice pops - it'll keep them from getting hungry but without hyping them up on sugar.

These are great to take in the cooler for short trips or picnics as well. Just pack ice around them to keep them frozen until ready to eat.

 (Photo credit: Growing a Green Family)

Banana Strawberry Yogurt Pops
(Yields 6 pops.)

Ingredients:

2 cups strawberries, washed and hulled
1 banana
1 cup vanilla yogurt
½ cup milk (whole milk has more nutrients, is easier to digest, and will keep them full longer)
1 tbsp honey

Instructions:

• Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into the popsicle molds and freeze until firm.

Recipe: Fresh Garden Corn Souffle

If you've got a lot of corn from your garden this summer, here's a new and tasty way to use some of it up. The sweetness of fresh corn gets a flavorful kick with peppers and onions, and the smooth richness of milk and eggs gives it a luxurious edge perfect for a summer dinner party. Check this one out, and it may become one of your new summer favorites!

Garden Corn Souffle
(Serves 4-6 as a side dish.)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

2 cups corn, fresh cut from cob
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 cups milk, scalded
1 small red, yellow or green bell pepper, finely diced
2 Tbsp grated sweet onion
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Set a larger baking dish out (that the casserole will fit in).  You will be baking the casserole in a water bath in the larger dish.
• With a sharp knife, cut corn kernels from cob (stand corn cob on its tip, holding by large stem end, and run knife blade from top to bottom, removing kernels. If you want to cut the tip off so that it stands flat, this may make the task easier.)
• In a cold mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy, then whisk in milk and melted butter until blended.
• Put corn, bell pepper, onion, salt, and black pepper in bowl with egg mixture and stir to combine.
• Pour the mixture into the casserole and set it in the larger baking dish and set in oven, then fill a pitcher with hot water from faucet and pour carefully into larger baking dish so casserole is sitting in a water bath inside the oven.  Slide all the way into the preheated oven and bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes.
• Test to see if done by inserting a thin knife blade into center; it should come out clean if the eggs are set.
• Remove and let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Corn: The Summer Veggie We All Love

I'm a huge vegetable lover, but few can compete with corn in my affections - it's really one of my favorites and I can't ever have too much of it! I am always so excited for corn season to start - and as it started early this year, I've already been enjoying it for several weeks now. No other vegetable brings up the memory of summer and warm weather fun like corn. An ear of corn buttered and seasoned to your liking is just the right thing to get you in the mood for a picnic. But, there is more to corn than that summer favorite. Let's take a closer look at some of corn's better qualities and characteristics.

(Photo credit: IITA Image Library)

Corn is the well-recognized product of stalks growing tall in vast fields that reach the horizon.  The layers of broad leaves are the germinating environment for the ears themselves, and as the corn grows inside this cocoon, male and female flowers mature and release pollen as the entire plant matures.

In the United States, corn is the leading field crop by a two-to-one margin.  We know what corn on the cob looks like. But, this summer picnic staple has a bigger audience than that. Corn is used to produce everything from fuel alcohol for a cleaner burning gasoline, to butters, cereals, soft drinks, and snack foods. It is also grown as feed for livestock.

History

Corn or “maize” has been grown since prehistoric times by some of the earliest civilizations in our world's history. Mayan and Olmec cultures were among the first to cultivate corn in the southern part of Mexico, and the crop began to spread through the Americas by the year 1700 B.C. 

When Europeans began to travel to and settle in the Americas, they traded corn with their mother country, and corn began to be a well-known staple of diets around the world. Today, corn is produced on every continent in the world except Antarctica.

Health Benefits
Although there something to be said for limiting your consumption of corn sugars, corn itself does have a healthy side too. Corn's most significant contributions for our health is as a source of vitamins B1, B5, and C, as well as folate, manganese, phosphorus, and dietary fiber. Folate helps reduce the risk of birth defects, heart attack and colon cancer. The B vitamins support memory function which can reduce the onset of Alzheimer's Disease.

A diet rich in whole grains, such as the grain processed from dried corn, (cornmeal for instance) is also generally known to contain phytonutrients that may help ward off disease to our organs and vital tissues. Research has also shown that eating fresh sweet corn can support the growth of friendly bacteria in the large intestine which can help lower the risk of colon cancer.  Eating corn has been long believed to add much needed fiber to our diet.  That fiber can come from eating sweet corn or cornmeal.

Genetic diversity of corn. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fun Facts

You can get creative with corn.  Of course, dried cornstalks are often bundled and used to decorate homes and businesses during the fall.  Also, a corncob can be treated and hollowed out to make pipes for smoking.

Scientifically speaking, the name for corn is “zea mays” which leads us to the word “maize,” the traditional name by which the Native Americans called this crop.  However, many cultures throughout the world have cultivated corn and called it by a variation of the word.  The colors of corn may surprise you. We normally see sweet corn on the table in shades of yellow, but corn is grown in a variety of colors which include red, purple, blue, and even pink.  Some of this corn is strictly ornamental, but some is edible, too.

How to Eat

Choosing a fresh ear of corn means choosing ears that have green husks that are not dried out. You can check the freshness of individual kernels by pressing on them with a fingernail. The freshest corn will emit a milky, white fluid that indicates the corn is at its peak of sweetness and flavor. The husks protect the corn and keep it fresh, so they should only be removed when you're ready to eat the ears you've purchased.  I know many stores husk the corn, trim it, and wrap it in plastic. Try to avoid this unless it's your only option - instead look for corn that is still in the husk for optimum freshness and sweetness.

Fresh sweet corn in husk. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The most common variety of corn is either yellow sweet corn or the white and yellow combination colored sweet corn.  But you may find a variety of colors in your region, including black, blue, and violet. These darker varieties generally contain more antioxidants and protein levels and less starch than lighter color specimens.  If you can't find fresh ears of dark colored corn, check out the blue corn chips which are common in many markets nowadays. These are increasingly popular and make a beautiful, and nutritious, snack.

Frozen whole kernel sweet corn is your next best choice after corn on the cob.  The corn is picked ripe, then quickly removed from the cob, blanched and flash frozen.  The quality may often surpass fresh corn toward the end of the season.  

There are a number of delicious cold salads you can make with corn. You'll also find corn adds a wonderful filling taste and texture to many soups, chili, and casseroles. And don't forget the corn products, like cornmeal, cornflour, and other dried corn ingredients we can cook with.

If you are a grilling fanatic, you'll surely want to add corn to your menu.  Just remove the silk, keep the husks wrapped tightly and soak in cold water.  Remove and place on low grill on indirect heat until you can smell the sweet corn aroma.  Remove and baste with seasoned butter for even more savory goodness.

Be sure to check back later this week for more tasty ideas for preparing fresh corn this summer!

Recipe: California Style Gazpacho

The quintessential summer soup, gazpacho has gained popularity in many gourmet restaurants across the country. But you don't have to fork up the big bucks to enjoy this cool summer treat. Check out the recipe below and learn how to make your own fresh, flavorful, and veggie-packed gazpacho right at home from fresh healthy ingredients from your own garden - or a local farm stand.

California Style Gazpacho

Ingredients:

Gazpacho. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4 cups tomato juice, chilled
1/2 of a whole chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, including 1/2 tsp of the sauce
2 cups fresh, ripe, diced tomatoes
1 medium green bell pepper, diced fine
1 small sweet onion, diced fine
2 small cucumbers, scrubbed and diced fine
2 green onions, chopped fine
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic flakes, chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp hot sauce (more or less to taste)
4 to 6 ripe avocados
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Sour cream or Greek yogurt to garnish

Directions:

1. Put the tomato juice, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce in your food processor and process on puree until smooth.
2. Add diced tomato and pulse until chopped slightly and combined well; pour into a large bowl.
3. Add to the bowl the remaining ingredients - except avocado and cilantro - cover with a glass plate or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. When ready to serve, peel the avocado and dice small.
5. Stir the avocado pieces and cilantro into the cold soup and serve immediately.
6. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt if desired.

Recipe: 21st Century Green Bean Casserole

Always a favorite for potlucks, this year-round classic gets a modern-day update with fresh green beans, home-made onion rings, and almond milk. Low in carbs and heavy fats, this dish is full of vegetables, protein, and flavor. Try it out at your next potluck or office party - they won't even know how healthy it is!

21st Century Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

Green bean casserole (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

16 oz. fresh green beans, washed and cut into 2" pieces
1 large onion
drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup almond meal
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbsp cooking oil (or butter, or mix of both)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp almond meal or flour
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk plus 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Start by making your own oven-fried onions. Cut the onion into thin rings and put in bowl, drizzle olive oil over and toss to separate the onions and to coat with the oil.
• Add 1/4 cup almond meal (or a bit more if desired) to onions and toss to coat, then dump onto a baking sheet, spreading out to a single layer.  Put in preheated oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown, stirring around once or twice; remove when they are golden brown. Set aside.

• Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
• Put the mushrooms in a large skillet with the oil or butter over medium heat and cook until soft and starting to brown, then add the salt, pepper, and thyme, stir to combine.
• Sprinkle in the almond meal or flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. 
• Continue stirring and slowly pour in the milk, then the cream, and simmer gently for another 2 to 3 minutes until mixture thickens. (Cook until sauce reaches the thickness you like.)
• Put beans in casserole dish, pour in creamy mushroom mix, 1/2 of the oven-fried onions, stir together.
• Cover casserole and put in 350 degree oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until mixture is hot and bubbly.
• Uncover casserole dish, spread the remaining oven-fried onions on top and cook, uncovered, another 5 to 10 or until the top and edges start to get brown.

    

Why Low Carb Is Better Than No Carb

In today’s world, people will try all kinds of diet fads in an effort to lose weight. Everyone has a different opinion about what works, and truth be told, depending on your body type and metabolism, different things can work differently for different people. However, it troubles me when I see people going to extremes - in either direction - which just aren't healthy. That's why, while I do advocate lower-carb diets - our society as a whole eats WAY too many highly processed, high-carb foods - I would also steer clear of a diet where carbohydrates are cut out in their entirety. A healthy eating plan should include fats, carbohydrates, and protein. To follow a diet without any of these essentials would be to endanger your health.

America's carbohydrate addiction (Photo credit: Newbirth35)

Carbohydrates are the most plentiful of all nutrients. Carbohydrates (or "carbs" for short) can be found in most foods that we eat. Carbohydrates are made of simple and complex sugars that are metabolized by the body for energy OR stored as fat when no more energy is needed. (Yes, many people for some reason cling to the outdated idea that FAT is stored in the body as fat, when in fact, CARBS are much more likely to be making you fat.) Examples of simple carbohydrates include sugar, white flour, and many processed foods such as pastas, breads, and other grains. Complex carbohydrates are include vegetables, whole grains including all their natural fiber, and some fruits. Eating less of the simple and more of the complex types may be a good way for some people to lose weight.

Diets that advocate no carbohydrates force the body to obtain all of its energy from protein and fats. When protein from food is no longer available to meet the body’s energy needs, the body begins siphoning it from the muscle tissue of the body. In essence, the body begins eating itself for fuel. No one wants that! The body needs glucose (sugar) to function. Interestingly enough, the glucose needed by the brain must come from carbohydrates and not protein sources.

Now, carbohydrates have been classified by their glycemic index (GI) number. This method of rating carbohydrates helps people make wiser choices about what they include in their diets. Foods with high GI’s (greater than fifty) cause the body to store fat (simple carbs). Foods with a low GI number (less than fifty); cause the body to burn fat (complex carbs).

Several foods containing complex carbohydrates. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On a diet that features low GI carbohydrates, the insulin level in the body is maintained at a steady level. These carbohydrates are processed at a slower rate by the body. The other hormone, glucagon, can work to burn the sugars for energy in the cells. You don’t feel hungry all the time when the insulin hormone level in the body has no major fluctuations. When you expend energy during physical activity, the body starts releasing fat stores to use for energy metabolism. Low carbohydrate diets provide the body with energy without going into crisis mode.

Eat the right carbohydrates. Choose fresh vegetables and fruits. Whole grain or seven grain breads and pastas are preferred to those made with white flour. Beans and nuts are good for a low carbohydrate diet. If you must have potatoes, try sweet potatoes. The GI number is lower and they are great with a dab of real  butter - the fat in the butter actually helps your body process the vitamins and nutrients in the sweet potatoes.

Don’t try to cut out all of your carbohydrates. Reducing them can be a great help for many people trying to lose weight - and can offer other health benefits if you lower your consumption of processed foods, but choosing the right types is more important than how much you consume.

Keep an eye on this blog, as we do share low-carb recipes here fairly frequently - and we'll have a couple for you later this week!

Recipe - Bubbly Hot Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes

This is a great summer stuffed tomato recipe that is also popular with the low-carb crowd due to the lack of added bread crumbs, rice, or packaged stuffing mix. 

Tomatoes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Plum tomatoes are the ideal choice for this recipe due to the fact they are less watery than other tomatoes which makes the pulp you scoop out firmer. The tomato itself has a more concentrated flavor than many varieties.  That's why sauces are often made from plum tomatoes. You can, if you choose however, make this recipe with regular slicing tomatoes as well.

In some areas tomatoes might not be ready yet, but I couldn't wait to share this one, after the homemade mozzarella recipe from Monday - it's just too tasty!  So if you don't have ripe tomatoes yet, you may want to bookmark this one for later....

Bubbly Hot Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes
(Makes 4 servings.)

Ingredients:

4 plum tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn small
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the plum tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the insides out onto a work surface, setting the tomato shells on a baking sheet, cut side up.
3. Chop up the insides that you scooped out and put in a bowl.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix together until well blended.
5. Spoon this mixture into the tomato shells on the baking sheet.  Top with more Parmesan cheese if desired.
6. Put in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
7. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve warm.