Live Healthy NYC: Zucchini Wild!

Live Healthy NYC: Zucchini Wild!: When my husband and kids took to planting our garden, I never imagined it would grow as abundantly as it has. I have plenty ...

Zucchini Wild!

When my husband and kids took to planting our garden, I never imagined it would grow as abundantly as it has. I have plenty of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, hot peppers, and herbs. But it is the zucchini that has grown with zest and has overtaken our garden! It is like a supernatural plant! I can’t pick it fast enough! 

Here are some fun facts that I didn’t know about the summer vegetable:

One zucchini has just 25 calories! They are 95% water! A baked potato has 130 calories!

Did you know that the flower of the plant is also edible!

The nutrients and vitamins found in zucchini can help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Zucchini is fat free, cholesterol free, low in sodium, rich in manganese and vitamin C.

A zucchini has more potassium than a banana.

Zucchini bread is one of the most popular ways to use zucchini.

And so, aside from grilling, sautéing, and roasting, I am trying to be creative as I cook with this delicious summer vegetable! I have found several great recipes that I will share with you, from sweet to savory!

My friend Melissa gave me this recipe for Chocolate and Zucchini cake! I wasn’t sure how the sweet and savory would blend, but she assured me it is all the rave! And she says that it is great for her 5yr old toddler because he loves it and has no idea that he is eating veggies too! What a bonus for a picky eater!

Chocolate & Zucchini Cake

- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 scant cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, or 1/2 cup virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules or 2 tablespoons strong cooled coffee -- this is just to deepen the chocolate flavor, you won't taste it in the finished product
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cupsunpeeled grated zucchini, from about 1 1/2 medium zucchini
- 1 cup good-quality bittersweet chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate
- Confectioner's sugar (optional)

Serves 12.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch round springform pan or an 8 1/2-inch square pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a mixer (or by hand in a large mixing bowl), beat the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the vanilla, coffee, and eggs, mixing well between each addition.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, chocolate chips, and about a third of the flour mixture, making sure the zucchini strands are well coated and not clumping too much.

Add the rest of the flour mixture into the egg batter. Mix until just combined; the batter will be thick.

Fold the zucchini mixture into the batter, and blend with a spatula without over mixing. Pour into the prepared cake pan, and level the surface.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer onto a rack to cool for 10 minutes, run a knife around the pan to loosen, and unclasp the sides of the pan. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or a chocolate glaze if desired.

The next recipe is for healthy zucchini muffins. They are great anytime of day - for breakfast, snack or healthy dessert! Both kids and adults love them!

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup applesauce

1 cup soft brown sugar
3 cups grated zucchini
2 teas vanilla
1-1/2 cup wholemeal flour
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teas salt
1 teas baking soda
1 teas baking powder
1 T ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions:
Beat eggs until light and foamy; add vegetable oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Mix lightly but blend thoroughly.

Mix together the remaining dry ingredients, except nuts until they are thoroughly blended.

Add the dry ingredients to the first mixture, stir just enough to blend everything together. Stir in walnuts.

Spoon the batter into lightly greased muffin tins, filling 3/4 of the muffin cup. Bake at  (325F) for about 20 minutes or until done. To check if they are done, insert a clean toothpick, skewer or wooden matchstick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, they’re done.

Cool and serve. Can be refrigerated for a few days (the flavor seems even nicer the next day), eaten warm from the oven, or wrap and freeze them.

Makes 24 small muffins.

This last recipe is for a warm zucchini salad! You can add a sprinkle of feta cheese if you want.

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons corn or safflower oil

Preparation

1.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.

Wash the zucchini, trim and discard the ends, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Arrange the rounds in one layer on a large cookie sheet and sprinkle them with the salt. Place in oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until they soften slightly.

3.

Transfer the rounds to a bowl and toss them lightly with the pepper, vinegar and oil. Serve immediately.

YIELD

6 servings

EATING HEALTHY WITH CELIAC DISEASE

How to eat healthy with Celiac Disease

Recently, I was asked by the owner of Menus To Venues, Joan Haberman, to write something about Celiac Disease. She is the President of a boutique event planning and catering company. Why write about Celiac Disease for a woman who owns this type of company? Well, more recently, she has begun working with clients who have specific dietary needs. She wants to spread the word that while people may have specific dietary needs, it is possible to have healthy choices that are tasty and fun for any type of event!

Celiac Disease is defined as “a disease in which chronic failure to digest food is triggered by hypersensitivity of the small intestine to gluten.” Gluten is a protein found in wheat and related grains. Experts don’t quite know why people get celiac disease- it may be genetic. It is estimated that 1 in 133 people in the US has the condition, and many don’t even know it. Some common symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating, and weight loss. Someone might not even show any symptoms until going through an emotionally or physically stressful event. It’s easy to confuse its symptoms with other intestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or lactose intolerance. There are medical tests to properly diagnose the illness and once diagnosed, it can be managed successfully by following a gluten-free diet.

Because gluten can be found in everything from breakfast cereals to prepared luncheon meats, the person with celiac needs to be aware of what’s in the foods they eat.

Here is a list of foods that are OK :

Foods made with the flours of corn, rice, buckwheat, sorghum, arrowroot, chickpeas, quinoa, tapioca, and potato. You can also eat all plain meat, fish, chicken, legumes, nuts, seeds, oils, milk, cheese, eggs, fruits and vegetables.

Here is a list of foods that are OFF LIMITS:

Beer and other grain-based alcohol products, breading (especially the coating on breaded cutlets), brown rice syrup (frequently made from barley), couscous, dry roasted nuts (because the processing agents  may contain wheat flour or flavorings), fried foods, gravies and sauces, luncheon and processed meats, modified food starch (modified cornstarch is ok), nondairy creamer, pastas, salad dressings, seasoning mixes, soy sauce (they may be fermented with wheat), udon noodles, wheat-free products (wheat-free does not mean gluten free; many wheat-free cookies and breads contain barley or rye flour, which contains gluten and other gluten-containing ingredients).

You can go to www.celiac.com for a more complete list of foods.

It is so important to READ the ingredients! Most grocery stores carry gluten-free products, such as gluten-free bread, cereal, baking mixes, cookies and crackers.

Eating a gluten-free diet is a lifelong commitment. But, if you have celiac disease, you are not alone. There are many support groups, cookbooks, and websites that are dedicated to living a gluten-free life.

Joan gave me a delicious recipe that she has given to her clients. I looked at it and thought how could I revise this to make it “healthier”. Taking a look at it, I would cut down on the cheeses. I  would use smaller amounts of feta, ricotta, and parmigiano. I don’t think I would “measure” the cheese, I would just eyeball about a palm full. I would use the 3 eggs and 4 egg whites. I think it sounds delicious!

SARA'S  SPINACH PIE

6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

•    3 tablespoons olive oil, more as needed

•    2 large yellow onions, finely chopped

•    Sea salt

•    2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and thoroughly dried

•    Vegetable oil or nonstick spray, for oiling pan

•    1 pound feta cheese, rinsed in cool water, then crumbled

•    12 ounces ricotta cheese, drained

•    5 ounces (about 2 cups) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

•    5 large eggs, lightly beaten

•    Fresh ground black pepper

•    1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, or to taste (optional)

Directions

1. In a large skillet over low heat, heat olive oil.  Add onions and pinch of salt, and sauté until soft and beginning to turn golden, 30 to 40 minutes.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

2. Return pan to medium eat.  Working in batches and adding oil 1 tablespoon at a time as needed, sauté spinach until wilted, then transfer to a bowl.  Coarsely chop cooked spinach, then squeeze hard to remove as much excess liquid as possible.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly oil a shallow 9-by-13 inch baking dish and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine feta, ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, eggs and a generous amount of pepper.  Mix well.  Add spinach and onion and mix thoroughly.  Add dill, and toss to blend.  Spoon into baking dish, pat down evenly and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

4. Bake pie for 30 minutes.  Raise heat to 350 degrees and bake until lightly firm in center and golden on top, about 20 more minutes.  If top begins to brown too much, cover lightly with foil.  To serve, allow pie to cool slightly before cutting into squares.  It may also be served cold.

  

Helpful Notes:

•    Wash, wash, wash those spinach leaves - crunchy dirt particles don't go well with the cheese.

•    Leftovers can be frozen in individual slices to eat at a later date. 

Live Healthy NYC: Take a Chill

Live Healthy NYC: Take a Chill: Chill out this July! July is National Ice Cream Month and July 15 th is National Ice Cream Day! So lets celebrate!!! I am ...

Take a Chill

Chill out this July!

July is National Ice Cream Month and July 15^th is National Ice Cream Day! So lets celebrate!!!

I am not suggesting that you sit down (or stand because you think that when you are standing, the calories somehow don’t count!) and eat the entire pint (or two) of your favorite ice cream!

There are many healthy ways to take part in the cool celebration without the fat (or guilt!). Cause after all, SUMMER IS HERE! And we have worked too hard to get here and we want to reap the rewards of feeling good and looking good!

Choosing the right frozen treat can be guilt-free and delicious!

For some pure indulgence that won’t make your bathing suit pop, try these treats:

·      Cadbury Double Chocolate Ice Cream Bars (150 calories per bar)

·      Skinny Cow Slimited Editions Best of Both Swirleds Ice Cream Sandwichs (150 calories per sandwich)

·      Edy’s  Mango Fruit Bars (80 calories per bar)

·      Ben & Jerry’s Raspberry Fudge Chunk Greek Frozen Yogurt (mini cup 180 calories)

·      Weight Watchers Divine Triple Chocolate Dessert Bars (110 calories per bar)

You can also make your own frozen treat with fresh fruit (I like to freeze the fruit before hand as it works best and really is like soft serve ice cream!)

Chocolate Soft Serve Ice Cream:

2-3 medium bananas (frozen)

¼ cup cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp maple syrup or stevia to taste

2-3 tbsp dark chocolate chips

Blend all ingredients (except choc chips) in a food processor until thick and smooth. Add chocolate chips and give one last pulse.

Can be eaten right away or put in a container and freeze. If you do freeze it, make sure to take it out at least 15 minutes before you are ready to eat, as it’s easier to scoop.

Here’s a healthy secret- you’re going to be shocked! You can add an avocado to this frozen treat for healthy fat and extra creaminess! NO ONE will ever notice! It’s a sure way to get the veggie in for those who often omit veggies! Just add it in to blend with all of the ingredients!

So, enjoy and indulge in a healthy way! Want more information and healthy fun tips, contact me at Rachel@livehealthynyc.com