Interview with Abbi from Diabetiquette

Last week, I sat down with Abbi Fischer of Diabetiquette (http://diabetiquette.wordpress.com/) and had an honest and informative discussion about Diabetes and diet. Abbi has had Type 1 diabetes since she was a child and is full of information about how to continue living vibrantly, while keeping special diet requirements in mind. Our interview is below--just click  play!

In the interview, Abbi mentions a resource of hers--a book called The Everything Guide to Cooking for Children with Diabetes. I look forward to sharing a few recipes from this book on flavorfull. Please let me know if you have any questions about making healthy choices as a diabetic, or if you have other healthy diet questions you'd like answered. And, check out Abbi's blog! 

Quinoa Pilaf from Eat Tweet!

Here's the recipe for today:

Quinoa Pilaf

Brwn1/3c onion&carrot/T buttr&oil;  +t garlic/1/2t s+p&turmeric/c quinoa 2 m. Boil + 2c h2o. Cvr,simmr15m.Fluff+2T cilantro&mint.

That, my friends, is a twitter recipe. Maureen Evans (@cookbook) has published Eat Tweet, a twitter cookbook. Over 1,000 recipes are written in 140 characters or less. Of course, it does take a bit of decoding. 

When I heard about this book, I was incredibly excited to check out a combination of a fairly new technology and a cookbook! I bought it as sort of a novelty and didn't expect a whole hell of a lot from a recipe that took less space to communicate than a summary news lead. But I was pleasantly surprised. This quinoa pilaf is the first thing I've made from the book and it is seriously delicious. I've written the recipe in my usual format, with my own adaptations below. Besides making a delicious dinner, this is a one pot meal. And, you know how I love a one pot meal.

Quinoa Pilaf

Adapted from Eat Tweet by Alexandra Rogers

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Sunflower Oil (or vegetable oil, or a combination of butter and olive oil)

1/3 c. onion, medium diced

2/3 cup carrots, sliced into 1/2" thin pieces

1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 cup quinoa*

2 cups water

2 Tablespoons fresh mint, minced

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

Recipe

Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Once the oil is hot (it should sizzle when a drop of water touches the pan--it is too hot if a drop of water causes the oil to pop)--add the onions and carrots. Let cook, stirring only once or twice, until the onions are tender and slightly brown (about 5-6 minutes). Add garlic, salt, pepper, turmeric and quinoa and let cook for two minutes, stirring only enough to coat the quinoa with the mixture in the pot. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring down to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until water is fully absorbed. Add mint and cilantro, fluff with a fork and serve. Serves 4.

*Quinoa is a slightly nutty tasting grain that is gluten-free and good for you! It can often be found in the health food aisle at your grocery store. 

Union South-A New Dining Destination on the UW Campus

Students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have over 5 new dining options to explore this week. The new (and improved) Union South opened last week on campus, amid student fanfare.  I had the opportunity to take a quick look around today and was stunned by the options. 

Though I'm most excited for the opening of Ginger Root, a restaurant that will serve Asian cuisine starting in the Fall of 2011, I can definitely appreciate the various opportunities for pizza, sandwiches, pub fare, ice cream and of course...every college student's favorites...coffee & beer. 

In fact, and this may be a first, I think I'd like to go on a date in my student union. To go get Beer & Tapas. Or maybe wine from a wine bar! The possibilities are endless! Okay, well, that might be an exaggeration. But, the point is, Union South is amazingly cool. If you live in the Madison area and haven't checked it out yet, go there immediately. And, grab a beer. And maybe some pub fare. No matter what you eat, live it up.

Caprese Skewers

Last Saturday night I had a much-overdue girls night. We cooked dinner, drank white wine, and talked (alot). I served these caprese skewers as an appetizer and they went over really well. I've also seen them served in the catering industry at weddings and corporate events alike. They're tasty, elegant, super easy to make, and appropriate in pretty much any situation. 

Caprese Skewers

By Alexandra Rogers

Ingredients

40 grape tomatoes, washed and dried

40 fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini mozzarella)

1 package of fresh basil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

20 bamboo skewers

Recipe

Cut bamboo skewers in half and discard bottom half. You should have 20 3-4" skewers (with pointy tips) remaining. Set aside.

Pour balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and set on medium-medium-high heat. Simmer for approximately 5-6 minutes, or until liquid has reduced to half. The liquid should coat the back of a spoon and stick, instead of sliding off like balsamic vinegar straight out of the bottle would. Set aside.

On each skewer, alternate 1 bocconcini mozzarella ball, 1/2 leaf of basil, 1 grape tomato, 1/2 leaf of basil, 1 bocconcini mozzarella ball, 1/2 leaf of basil, 1 grape tomato. Feel free to change up the order, but be sure that each bite will have basil, tomato and mozzarella in it. 

Place finished skewers on serving dish or parchment paper and drizzle evenly with reduced balsamic vinegar. 

Makes 20 caprese skewers.

Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips

The last few weeks were a little rough. I barely saw my kitchen, my bed or my boyfriend. Meanwhile, my little graduate school community was experiencing quite a few hardships. So, I decided to bring cookies into school. Because cookies make everything better.

There is something about getting lost in the ritual of baking that calms me down. It's funny, because I don't consider myself a baker (I'm much more natural as a cook because I tend to think of measuring as an option). Maybe growing up in a house where my mother baked to solve problems or soothe heartache actually rubbed off on me. I love the smell of butter and sugar coming together, and the way the aroma of vanilla extract rises out of the bowl as I add it. Snacking on dough while rounding spoonfuls of batter onto a cookie sheet is sweet (pun intended). Concentrating on getting the right amount of flour and baking soda and salt puts my mind in the kitchen and nowhere else. I'm hoping the people that eat these cookies will have a moment of relief as well. 

Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips
By Reese's


Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
1-2/3 cups (10 ounce bag) peanut butter chips
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla


Recipe
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt, then set aside.


In the bowl of a standup mixer, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy and well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla. Once wet ingredients are well combined, add the dry mixture slowly. 


Once all ingredients are well combined, add peanut butter chips. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not bake over 10 minutes. The cookies will rise in the oven, but will fall while cooling. 


Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies. Maybe more, if you don't eat the dough while cooking, like I did...Enjoy with milk.

4 Tips For A Healthy Relationship With Protein

I know it isn't National Nutrition Month anymore, but eating health is important year-round. I asked Katherine Pike, R.D. to answer a few questions about healthy eating and I'll share her answers with you over the next few weeks. Today, we're going to discuss protein.
Protein consumption is not, according to Pike, a "one-size fits all" type of situation. However, there are some good practices that can help you stay healthy.
  
How much protein should I eat?
Some studies have found that people who eat more than 18 ounces of red meat a week have a higher risk of colon cancer and cardiovascular problems. 18 ounces of red meat is equal to three 6-ounce portions of beef or duck, and those meals can add up faster than you might realize. Pike recommends the "hand" model of protein control. You can find out more about this handy (couldn't help myself) method here.
  
Strive for balance. According to the USDA, the ideal daily balance between protein, carbs and fat is:
Fat: 20-35%
Protein: 10-35%
Carbohydrates*: 45-65%
  

*Pike says people tend to think of only pasta, rice and bread as carbohydrates, but forget that some fruits and vegetables are also carbohydrates. 

  
Does it matter what type of protein I eat?
First, realize that while a 6-ounce steak might deliver a lot of protein, it also delivers fat, including saturated fat. According to Pike, a 6-ounce steak has 38 grams of protein, but it also delivers almost 75% of the recommended daily intake of saturated fat.
  
What type of protein should I eat, then?
Pike recommends the following lean protein sources:
Beans
Fish
Poultry
  
When should I eat protein?
It is best to consume protein with each meal because, among other reasons, it helps you feel fuller than eating a carbohydrate-loaded meal. Here's why:
  
Carbohydrates, like potatoes and cereal, are burned quickly--because they provide your body with its primary source of fuel, glucose. If you have carbs for breakfast (like cereal, for instance) you might get hungry for your next meal faster than if you had eaten protein (like eggs).
  
Stay tuned for more on healthy eating.