You Can Eat That: Recipe Of The Week
By robyn | May 11, 2008
Who can resist the smell of barbeque? Last week ( not this one as the weather has been so-so), I distinctly recall the scent of outdoor barbeque wafting through my neighborhood. However, most likely had I been invited to the gatherings, I probably would have faced the usual fare of hot dogs and burgers.
Why not make this summer barbeque a real treat and healthy too. Yesterday I taught 8 women how to grill correctly and one of their favorites on the menu was my Chinese 5 Spice salmon( 5 spice is a combination of cloves, cinnamon, fennel white pepper and anise). With the flavors of the East combined with the smokiness of the grill, I am sure we had some very jealous neighbors salivating.
The trick to grilling skin on salmon is to actually cook it one one side only, the skin side down and then cover the lid and cook on medium heat. Turning salmon on a grill can be a messy affair and the salmon cooked on one side only yields a marvelous crispy skin, yet tender and moist piece of salmon.
Let’s hope next weekend will be better weather wise than this one, so you can drag out the grilling tools and enjoy the rich taste of nutritous grilled salmon.
CHINESE FIVE SPICE MARINATED SALMON
½ cup rice wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1/2 cup minced scallions
2 tsp minced chives
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp Chinese five spice
4 filets of salmon
Combine all ingredients. Let the salmon marinate 1 hour.
Prepare a medium fire. Place the salmon skin side down on the hot grate. Cover the grill. Grill the salmon for about 12-15 minutes until cooked through ( a little less for those who like their salmon a little rarer). The skin will be dark and crisp. Remove the salmon with a long handled spatula.
This method has certain benefits:
The direct grilling makes for a crisp fish skin, nice for presentation purposes
Covering the grill allows the fish to cook from the top to the bottom , without having to turn it which often becomes a messy affair
And the fish looks terrific
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You Can Eat That: Product of the Week
By robyn | May 11, 2008
More and more I am coming up against people with gluten allergies. As I counsel clients with a wide range of nutritional challenges, I am finidng more and more of them are intolerant to gluten.
With so many products containing wheat and other gluten containing ingredients, my mission has been of late to find products that for this population.
A wonderful little product I found recently will help those with intolerances enjoy their midday need for a little crunch. Mary’s Gone Crackers is an organic, wheat free, gluten free crispy cracker that for once does not taste like the box it came in!
In several yummy flavors, Mary’s Gone Crackers is made from brown rice, quinoa ( that’s pronounced keen-wa!), flax seeds and sesame seeds so you can imagine what a crunch!!!
The delightful little crackers have about 120 calories in a very generous 13 crackers serving wiht 3.5g of fat and an impressive 3 grams of fiber.
But even more than the nice nutritional breakdown, this crackers satisfies ( try claiming that with the styrofoam rice crackers you PRETEND to like). Mary may have “Gone Crackers”, but by buying these crackers, they’ll be GONE very quickly!
On your grocers shelf. www.marysgonecrackers.com
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Adventures with Barb: Dining out Healthfully or at least trying to in DC
By robyn | May 11, 2008
For my clients who do not wish to be vegetarian, I at least try to steer them towards more healthful seafood dishes. And a place Barb and I have found most useful to us on our dining adventures has been Grillfish. Grillfish has of course been the easiest of the restaurants for us to navigate ( we are striving for a balance between making this easy and making it more challenging) for getting a nice plain grilled piece of succulent fish is what Grillfish is all about.
Sure you could go for the fried stuff or seafood in cream sauces, so for those of you that cling to your fat, don’t worry , there is something like that for you here. But a good look around the room led us to believe that many health conscience people dine here for what we saw paraded out of the kitchen were endless plates of freshly grilled fishes and shellfishes, basically unadored served with healthy sides of fresh steamed vegetables.
For the two times we have dined here, Barb and I created our own little meal; the waiters were more than happy to oblige. We just loved the smoky grilled salmon over a bed of mixed mesclun greens with all sorts of vegetables, and of course dressing on the side. This isn’t actually a menu item, but we put it together and the wait staff serve it to us with more than smile.
So if you are looking for a just a good piece of fish that’s not fussed with served by a competent and friendly staff in a very nice warm dining room, Grillfish might be just the ticket.
Grillfish: 1200 New Hampshrie Avenue, Washington DC 20036. Lunch: Mon-Friday 12-4pm, Dinner: Mon-Thur 4-10pm, Friday 4-11pm, Sat 5-11pm, Sun 5-10pm
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MMM.. Martha! What it was like to be on Martha Stewart Radio!
By robyn | May 11, 2008
It was a great honor and much fun to have been on Martha Stewart Radio this past Wed May 7th, at 12:15pmEST and then again at 9pmEST.; what a class act! But then again, we all know Martha would be nothing less! I was actually interviewed by an extremely competent host named Betsy Karetnick. She has a great radio personality and effusive personality.
Having been on many radio shows, I will have to say I count Martha Stewart Radio now among my favorites. We discussed all about making food for people with diabetes delicious and we had a wonderful caller who shared a healthy recipe with me.
All in all, I hope I get invited back; it was alot of 20 minute fun!
MMMM… Martha!
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HOW SWEET IT IS: Comments on low calorie sweetners in today’s Washington Post Health Section
By robyn | May 6, 2008
In today’s Post Health Section, the wonderful Sally Squires lays out the what and whys of low calorie sweetners and what is best to use. Her bottom line comments that sucralose( Splenda, as we know it) is probably the better one to use was very spot on. So far the safety studies come up pretty clean and it takes most like sugar ( that’s because it is made from sugar)
Although I specialize in diabetic cooking, I don’t heavily rely on low calorie sweetners and would prefer my clients get used to the taste of no sugar or use very small amounts of the real thing. But there are those times when a quantity of sugar is needed for baking and only a low calorie sweetener would work for such a population.
Let me know what you think? If you have diabetes, what do you use? Even if you don’t, let me know how have successfully gotten off the “sugar track”.
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Adventures with Barb: Eating out healthy or at least trying to in DC
By robyn | May 5, 2008
When the book, French Women Don’t Get Fat made its debut, I did absolutely agree with all the lovely author wrote. However, for American audiences we have a bit more of challenge. So, Barb and I decided to venture out to a French restaurant and see what indeed would fit for us.
We chose Bistrot Du Coin on Conn Avenue in Dupont Circle as it does indeed remind me of the many of the French bistros I have visited and loved during my many trips to France. As many of my Washington readers know, Tom Sietsema, restaurant critic for the Washington Post rated Bistrot Du Coin’s noise level practically off the charts, but at lunch , it was just pleasantly humming with tourists and businesspeople.
So with the noise levels under control, time to dig into the menu! After perusing the long list, I came up with a few options for us. The Salade Nicoise could work with its greens, tuna, egg, anchovies and olives. Just ask for light on the olives and anchovies and dressing on the side. Albeit the salad is a little protein heavy, but not too much so ( hey, its better than their big portion of Hanger Steak).
There is also a grilled salmon on the menu that could fit our healthy lifestyles. But what we ultimately settled on were two salads: Barb: an artichoke and greens and me: a field green salad, dressing on the side, natch! And then two steaming bowls of really to die for mussels prepared with tomatoes and garlic. There are several preparations of mussels on the menu, but our choice was clearly the least artery clogging ( there are preparations with cream and sausage among others). The mussels were perfect, soft, not chewy and redolent of garlic( with all the garlic the French use and all the kissing they do, I think the garlic becomes just part of their being, no one seems to mind that you can reek of the stuff!)
Mussels are naturally low in calories and a good source of iron and eating them takes a little work, which we were both happy to indulge in.
Beyond our choice and the Salade Nicoise and Salmon as mentioned above, everything else onthe menu was a bit much: lots of heavy French casseroles and steaks, tartines( open face sandwiches) which were just too big ( you could take home half) and really nothing to speak of for dessert.
But all in all we dined well and in an atmosphere that is typical Parisian with an adorable and very competent waiter all on a glorious sun filled day. Really, what more can you ask for.
Oooh , La, La! Viva la Francais!
Bistrot Du Coin, 1738 Conn Avenue, Washington DC, 202-234-6969, Open 7 days a week.
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I’m going to be on Martha Stewart Radio, this Wed, May 7th, 12:15pmEST!
By robyn | May 5, 2008
Ask me if I am excited?! I am gong to be on Martha Stewart Radio this Wed, May 7th, 12:15pm EST on Sirius. For more info on her radio show go to www.marthastewart.com/radio
I’ll be talking about my new book, YOU CAN EAT THAT: AWESOME FOOD FOR KIDS WITH DIABETES( Cleveland Clinic) , as well as my work as a nutritionist and culinary instructor. We will also be discussing my biggest bestseller, DIABETIC MEALS IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS!( American Diabetes Association)
MMMMM… Martha!!!
Hope you’ll tune in!!
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Recipe of the Week: Beloved Fried Chicken
By robyn | May 4, 2008
In today’s Washington Post’s Sunday Source, there is a article pitting Food Editor Joe Yonan’s take on fast food fried chicken with Joe Heim, a non foodie Post staff writer. But any way you look at Chick Fil A, KFC, Popeyes and McDonalds is still going to give you the artery clogging, greasy little bird that you can do without.
So why not just make your own. It’s not hard and you control what goes in it.
Here is one of my favorite recipes for fried chicken and with summer fast approaching, the chicken is great hot or cold, slipped into a sandwich or cut into pieces to adorn a crisp cool salad.
THE BEST OVEN FRIED CHICKEN6 servings/ serving size: 3-4 ounces
preparation time: 15 minutes All the crunch, without the fat!
Crust:
1 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 tsp paprika
Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste
3 egg whites
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless, halved chicken breasts
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients for crust in a ziploc bag.
2. In a separate shallow bowl, beat egg whites. Add tabasco.
3. Dip each chicken breast into beaten eggs. Roll in the crumb mixture.
4. Spread chicken breasts out onto a cookie sheet. Sprinkle each breast with some olive oil.
5. Bake the breasts for 30-35 minutes until no traces of pink remain and chicken is tender.
5 grams of fat per serving
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Adventures with Barb: Dining out healthfully or at least trying to in DC
By robyn | May 4, 2008
There’s a new ad on TV for Weight Watchers saying that the WW program works because they teach you how to eat and that includes dining out. As a professional nutritionist, I don’t always agree with some fo the WW guidelines, but in this case I do, about restaurant eating I mean.
I grew up in the hotel business and no one enjoys a meal out like I do. After teaching in home cooking many, many times in a week, I do indeed enjoy a wonderful meal out. It’s not only the food, but a chance to have someone else wait on me.
But what I found out among my clients is that restaurant dining is not just a diversion from time to time, it can be almost an everyday event. So I have to make sure that these clients do well in restaurant situations.
Enter Barb M. A client of mine for quite some time, Barb and I began a short while ago to have our counseling sessions take place over a meal. Talk about real life! So every couple weeks on a Friday we venture into the world of restaurant dining. Our first one, MeiWah restaurant located at 1200 New Hampshire was about the last place I would venture into, but a very pleasant surprise was awaiting me.
When Barb told me she had eaten there several times before as it was close to her office and she said she could eat there healthfully, I thought to myself” My God, have I taught this woman nothing. How could she possibly think she can eat here. Have I failed as a nutritionist?!
Upon entering the bustling restaurant and as the menu was brought to us, I was almost afraid to open it up. After passing by the usual suspects Orange Beef, General Tso’s Chicken, Spring Rolls, I began to get a sinking feeling and a massive headache. But then, a ray of hope as my eyes filtered down ot the very bottom of each page and there it was: All items can be steamed with sauce on the side. Now mind you , this was not for just one or two dishes, IT WAS FOR THE WHOLE MENU! I think I am liking Chinese.
I enjoyed a wonderful plate of steamed chicken, moist and tender with light brown sauce on the side ( I needed very little as the chicken reallywas fab!) and steamed broccoli all presented very beautifully. Barb had tofu with spinach , extremely tasty.
As we watched platters of Twice Cooked Duck and BBQ spareribs being paraded around the lovely dining room, we have to admit, we felt supremely smug. Here we are in a very good Chinese restaurant partaking in one of the beloved cuisines among us Americans and we are eating not only healthy, but really tasty food!
I am so proud of Barb, perhaps I really have taught her a thing or two!!
MeiWah Restaurant, 1200 New Hampshire Ave, Washington, DC 20036, 202-833-2888. There is a MD location as well at 4457 Willard Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD
Hours of operation:
Mon-Thur: 11:30am-10:30pm, Friday: 11:30am-11:00pm, Sat 12noon-11:00pm, Sun, 12noon-10:30pm
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Product of the Week:Morning Becomes Electra
By robyn | May 4, 2008
Ever stand inthe grocery store and are totally confused on which brand to buy? Well, you have a new found friend, a person who actually likes to go grocery shopping as I am in one type of a grocery store or another at least 3 times a day! ( yes, a day!). With the work I do as a nutritionist and culinary instructor, the grocery store is indeed my lab.
So I am always on the lookout for new exciting, tasty and of course healthy foods to try. Having reviewed products for several magazines, now I am making my suggestions to a wider audience.
So here is this week’s supermarket find!
When I was in Greece several years ago, it was very hard to leave the country. Yes, the Acropolis was mesmerizing, the sunsets over Santorini were enthralling, the laid back lifestyle enticing, but it was the food of course that made me want to stay in this wonderful country forever. And while I am a self admitted “not a morning person”, I could not wait for the sunrise just so I could have my breakfast of yogurt, a drizzle of honey and fresh fruit.
After my return I longed for that creamy heavenly taste of Greek yogurt. Dannon was not just going to cut it anymore. To my utter delight, I found Fage Greek yogurt and ever since that trip to Greece several years ago, Fage Yogurt has replaced all others.
Greek yogurt is strained yogurt. Simply put, its rich, creamy and has a far better flavor than anything else I have ever had. Luckily there is a non fat version and its tastes just like its full fat counterpart ( not easily said about most non fat yogurts). I know, I accidently picked up the full fat version of Fage once and it tasted exactly like the non fat version. And whoever knew PLAIN yogurt could taste so good. All it needs a a very small drizzle of honey ( our grocery stores do indeed sell Greek honey, another treat, another time, I will tell you about my adventures with greek honey) and you can pretend you are Shirley Valentine( for those of you who don’t know what I am talking about Shirley Valentine is the name a movie and the lead character who escapes her dreary life in England and heads to Greece in search of something different. She “finds herself” there and well… oh you just have to see this really glorious movie, it’ll make you want to hop the next plane to Greece!)
Fage yogurt can be found at Whole Foods and Trader Joes. I have yet to see it in a major grocery chain such as Safeway or Giant, but let me know if you do, I’d like everyone to have access to this great yogurt!!!
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