Blueberry Muffins

I found / combined this recipe from a couple others. They turned out delicious. And today, it was one of these blueberry muffins that powered my first 5k (and run at all) back at altitude. And despite my concerns about altitude sickness and general out of shapeness, it was one of my best ever! But this is a blog about food, so all I'm trying to say is they are delicious and full of some decently balanced nutrients (atleast in my book).

Blueberry Muffins
DRY INGREDIENTS
1 C all purpose flour
1 C barley flour
2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt (we use kosher)
WET INGREDIENTS:
1 C Nonfat vanilla yogurt
2 eggs
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup frozen blueberries

METHOD: Whisk together all dry ingredients in a medium large bowl. Set aside. Whisk together all wet ingedients in a medium bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and STIR JUST ENOUGH TO COMBINE (Do not over mix).

Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with non stick spray. Bake at 375degree F for 15-18 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

I do not have a muffin pan and instead split the batter equally between my 8 ramikins. For these, I baked 10 minutes at 375 and 16 minutes at 350. (though I suggest that with caution. The oven in the apartment we just moved into is probably older than I am and I haven't taken the time to double check how accurate the temperature setting actually is. It seems to be taking longer than normal for most things)
Now, for something I haven't ever posted with my recipes: NUTRITIONAL CONTENT!!

I found this tool online at http://caloriecount.about.com/ . It may not be super precise, but atleast it will give you an idea of what you are eating.

serving size: 78 g (1 muffin out of 12 per recipe)
calories: 183       calories from fat: 53
total fat: 5.9g
saturated fat: .8g
Cholesterol: 32mg
Sodium: 125mg
Total carbohydrates: 28.7g
dietary fiber: 1.8g
sugars: 10.7g
protien: 4.5g
Vitamin A 1%
Vitamin C 2%
Iron 9%
Calcium 6%

So there you have it: another recipe to enjoy...
Cheers! LiA

Herbage

I write today's blog as an homage to my late basil plant that died this week after a long battle with mealy bugs and a voyage halfway across the country. It was a mere five months old (which in the life of a plant cared for by me is ANCIENT) and didn't deserve such a cruel death.

An herb is defined as a plant that does not have a woody stem and dies back to the ground each winter, leaving only its root system behind.

Once again I've picked an ingredient that has both history and culinary merit (those are, after all the best, right?). Evidence of herbs goes back to early cave paintings 12000-25000BC and have had significant use in many cultures. The ancient Greeks and Romans crowned their leaders with dill and laurel. The Romans also used dill to purify the air. In the middle ages, herbs were used to both preserve meat and cover the rotting flavor of food pre-refrigeration. Herbs were also used to mask odors of non or irregular bathers. This is one period of history in which herbal medicine did not progress as the Catholic Church burned "herbalists" (aka: witch trials).

Most recently, herbs have come back into the limelight as we've experienced a revolution of the culinary sort in our culture. Not only are herbs full of flavor, contribute to a flavor profile, but they contain no calories or fat making them appealing to cooks with healthier intentions.

In terms of gardening, herbs are super hardy garden plants and were even quoted today in the Chicago Tribune as being the easiest of all edible plants to maintain.  Multiple sources state that the basics to successful herb gardening are simply: fast draining soil, 6 hours of sunlight a day, and regular harvesting.

Herbs are excellent for container gardens as long as the container drains well, water is given regularly when the soil starts to appear / feel dry and you clip them often. Clipping not only encourages the plant to give off new shoots, but also keeps the root system in control which is important when the root system is contained in a specific space as in container gardening.

Lastly, I thought I would include an herby recipe. A final homage to my lost little basil plant that did provide a handful of successful pesto dishes, the traditional basil pesto.

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 T garlic, minced
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method: Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor. Process on high until ingredients are ground. With machine still on, drizzle in olive oil slowly and process until a paste forms.

Most commonly served with pasta, but also tasty with grilled meats and vegetables.

Cheers,
LiA

references:
backyardgardener.com
herbgardeningguru.com
ChicagoTribune.com

Oh Barley....

So many of us may be aware of the presence of Barley in our diets: in our beer! But this past week I have discovered that barley is a nutritious and delicious cereal grain with a whole heap of benefits to including in one's daily diet.

Barley boasts to being the oldest grain and for good reason... Archeologists have found evidence of barley growing wild as early as 17000BC!!!! The grain has been cultivated for more than 6000 years and was the principal "bread grain" of most ancient civilizations (Chinese, Greek, Egyptian, Roman...) up until the 14th century. The fact that it is one of the most drought and saline tolerant cereal crops most likely aided to its significance in ancient life.

But barley is not just ancient, it also has been proven to be very beneficial to one's health. Being high in both soluble and insoluble fiber means that it has been shown to aid in all forms of digestion issues. Barley has also been shown to decrease arterial plaque, lower cholesterol, and both prevent and cure gallstones.

The grain has 8 essential amino acids, making it a delight for those not getting complete protiens (vegetarians, people with severe food restrictions because did I mention, its gluten free). Barley is high in magnesium. According to some research I found on the internet, the magnesium content reacts with the body's enzymes in a certain way to control glucose levels, making it very beneficial to type 2 diabetes patients. Some other contents in this small package of goodness: selenium (a mineral), tocotrienols and lignans (both anti-oxidants). Some other claims I read on the internet: barley aids in cell growth and repair, can help with children's asthma, and should be consumed regularly by all. On islamonline.net, Howard Lutz is quoted as saying that barley, "Improves stamina, sexual energy, calirty of thought and reduces addiction to thing that are bad for you." Not being a medical professional, I am not backing any of these claims up, but I am inserting a little barley into my regular diet.

So I found this recipe for Barley Water. Actually, I saw it on the Barley episode of "Good Eats," and then looked it up online. In Britain, Barley water is apparently a popular soft drink. So popular in fact, that Robinsons brand of Barley water has been the official drink of Wimbledon since 1935. Barley water gives you all the nutritional benefits of Barley and tastes delicious too! (I think it tastes just like an orange julius!)

2 quarts water
1 cup hulled barley
2 lemons
1 orange
1/4 cup honey

Place the water and the barley into a medium saucepan; cover, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the barley comes to a boil, decrease the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. While the liquid is cooking, peel the lemons and orange, being careful not to cut into the white pith. Juice the fruits and place the juice along with the peel into a 3 quart pitcher and set aside. After 30 minutes, strain the barley through a fine mesh strainer into the pitcher. Discard the barley (ie: save it for later!!!). Add the honey and stir to combine. Refrigerate until chilled.

So that is all I've got for now! Enjoy a little more barley in your life and I'll be back with something else delicious soon!

Cheers! LiA

...Cole Slaw...

Wow, haven't posted in a WHILE.... Things have been busy and ever changing, but here I am today with an exciting recipe.

I've always avoided coleslaw on the assumption that, "I don't like it." (Picky kid thinking). A couple years ago, I worked at a five star resort and was regularly in charge of making salad dressings from scratch, including the cole slaw dressing. There I learned that a "proper" slaw dressing is just: 1/3 vinegar (I suggest apple cidar for a standard coleslaw), 1/3 sugar, and 1/3 mayonaise. You combine this in equal parts because the vinegar cuts the sugar, the sugar cuts the fat, and the fat cuts the vinegar. Its works together...

So I was in charge of making this dressing about once a week. And the first time I tried it, I thought, "well I can understand how this would be appealing to some and I can taste it for the sake of knowing what it is supposed to taste like." It took a few more tastes, but eventually, I was pulling more and more cabbage out of the mix, "tasting again" to "make sure the proportions were correct."

Nowadays, my husband and I have a little sushi joint we go to every once in a while that has this awesome salad they serve. Its not the typical asian salad (lots of iceburg, a couple carrots, a tasty ginger dressing) but instead an asian slaw. It has cabbage, crab, carrots, a DELICIOUS dressing, and is garnished with toasted sesame seeds. At times, I find I am craving it.

On a side note, We have long been attempting to make the ultimate Asian salad dressing. We recently realized that the ingedient... the "little thing that is missing" most likely is MISO. (opinion based on watching a "Good Eats" show based on Miso)

Well, a series of accidents later, here I am with an AWESOME Asian coleslaw recipe.

~1/2 head green cabbage, sliced very fine (or a package of "coleslaw salad mix" in the bag salad area of produce section
~1 large carrot, cut into matchstick sized pieces
~1/2 cup bean sprouts
~1/2 jar of "Galeos worlds best miso toasted sesame seed dressing"
~1/4 lb crab meat

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. You can also add "crispy wonton strips" that are commonly sold in the produce / salad area of your grocer.

Now, for the awesome news: this is MUCH healthier than a typical coleslaw. a) you get some protien from the crab. b) this is my final reason for loving the galeos dressing: its not a nasty greasy oily salty thing as so many prepared ("convenience") foods are. In fact, comparing the labels on the miso dressing with kraft foods Balsamic, the miso dressing has 22 calories as opposed to over 100, 1/4 the fat, 1/10th the sodium, 1/8th the carbs..... And it has tons more flavor!

So, I suggest giving it a try. I think you will find it is a refreshing alternative to what we all think at the suggestion of cole slaw: this is no cabbage soaked in mayonaise.

Enjoy!
Cheers,
LiA