Behold the Mighty Avacado!

OK, folks, our very own Chimmy has an avocado lover's dream dish to share with us. She likes to think of it as an alternative to potato salad. It's certainly a great way to include the many nutritional benefits of this fruit and a delicious alternative to guacamole.


Try it and let us know what you think!


Avacado Salad

Ingredients:

4 granny smith apples, cubed
4 celery sticks, chopped/cubed
4 avocado, cubed
2 hard boiled eggs (or more), cubed-like :)
1/2 lemon, cut into two wedges
pine nuts (optional)
salt
black pepper

Directions:

Combine apples and celery; squeeze one of the lemon wedges (helps keep apples from going brown and adds zing)

Toss in avocado and hard boiled eggs

Squeeze in second lemon wedge

Add salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve

I change it up sometimes adding dried fruits (dates) or sprinkle some Gorgonzola cheese and use walnuts instead of pine nuts... have fun with it! You can also serve on a bed of greens. I liked it best with watercress and Boston lettuce.

And, of course, I also add however much avocado my heart desires!

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Thank you Chimmy!

And, if you want ten compelling reasons to eat avacadoes, other than because they are yummy, here you go:

Prostate Cancer Prevention
Avocados have been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer.

Oral Cancer Defense
Research has shown that certain compounds in avocados are able to seek out pre-cancerous and cancerous oral cancer cells and destroy them without harming healthy cells.

Breast Cancer Protection
Avocado, like olive oil, is high in oleic acid, which has been shown to prevent breast cancer in numerous studies.

Eye Health
Avocados have more of the carotenoid lutein than any other commonly consumed fruit. Lutein protects against macular degeneration and cataracts, two disabling age-related eye diseases.

Lower Cholesterol
Avocados are high in beta-sitosterol, a compound that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. In one study, 45 volunteers experienced an average drop in cholesterol of 17% after eating avocados for only one week.

Heart Health
One cup of avocado has 23% of the recommended daily value of folate. Studies show that people who eat diets rich in folate have a much lower incidence of heart disease than those who don't. The vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, and glutathione in avocado are also great for your heart.

Stroke Prevention
The high levels of folate in avocado are also protective against strokes. People who eat diets rich in folate have a much lower risk of stroke than those who don't.

Better Nutrient Absorption
Research has found that certain nutrients are absorbed better when eaten with avocado. In one study, when participants ate a salad containing avocados, they absorbed five times the amount of carotenoids (a group of nutrients that includes lycopene and beta carotene) than those who didn't include avocados.

Glutathione Source
Avocados are an excellent source of glutathione, an important antioxidant that researchers say is important in preventing aging, cancer, and heart disease.

Vitamin E Powerhouse
Avocados are the best fruit source of vitamin E, an essential vitamin that protects against many diseases and helps maintains overall health.

The King of Quesadillas

This recipe reminds me of something the King - Elvis Presley - would eat. His love of peanut butter and bananas is legendary so why not grill up a tasty version of this classic combination?

I would like to take full credit for this super easy recipe since both my children (well, all three of them if you count Eric), as well as myself, enjoyed this little concoction. However, it was our very own Jeannie C. who shared this recipe with me.

Banana Quesadilla
Spread all-natural peanut butter (or almond butter) on a 100% whole wheat tortilla.

Sprinkle a little cinnamon and slice bananas on half of the tortilla.

Fold in half and grill until warm and golden brown.

Slice, serve and enjoy.

How easy, easy, easy is that? And, if your kids are into dipping food into something, consider a side of plain yogurt or fresh fruit salsa for dunking and dipping.

This is a fast, nutritious lunch for kids and toddlers but would also be a great pre- or post-workout recovery snack for the kid in all of us.

Thank you Jeannie!

Weekend Recipe

Our dear friend Jeannie has a hummus recipe to share with us today. Evidently she has been finding loads of delicious recipes in "Eat, Drink & Be Vegan" by Dreena Burton and this is one of those little gems.

And, friends, please don't FREAK OUT when you see the word 'vegan.' It's just a word. It doesn't have to be scary. It doesn’t mean you have to start wearing plastic shoes and carrying a canvas purse. And you don't actually have to be a vegan or even a vegetarian to enjoy a vegan recipe. As I've mentioned before, we do not eat a strictly vegan, or even purely vegetarian, diet here at the Entlich household. However, we do eat a predominately plant-based diet with plenty of vegetarian and vegan meals making a star performance at the dinner table.

And we really like hummus around here. It could have something to do with my overwhelming desire to move to a Mediterranean climate or my love of fancy kitchen appliances like food processors. Regardless, we eat more than our fair share of hummus and I can't wait to try this one!

Roasted Red Pepper and Almond Hummus


Ingredients:
1/2 cups raw almonds
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cooked (or canned) chickpeas
1/2 cup roasted red peppers (from jar), excess liquid drained and patted dry
1 medium clove garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2-4 Tbsp. water, to thin as needed

Directions:
In a food processor, add 1/2 cup almonds and pulse until very fine.

Add vinegar, oil, chickpeas, roasted red peppers, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper.

Puree until smooth, gradually adding water as desired to thin dip; scraping down sides of bowl several times.

Once smooth, add parsley and puree briefly to lightly incorporate ingredients.

Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Drizzle with additional oil to finish, if desired.

Optional for garnish: 1/4 - 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley and/or 1-2 tbsp chopped almonds

Jeannie's Kid-Tested Mother-Approved Recipes

Jeannie is a fellow nature-loving, healthy-ish eating Colorado Monkee. We "met" through Glennon's blog, Momastery, and learned that we used to live just blocks apart from one another in my old Denver 'hood before we moved up to Steamboat. I like her a lot and I think you will too. I also think she looks a lot like my sister-in-law Becky. Beck ... don't you think you two could be sisters??

Anyway, Jeannie has two kid-friendly, oaty-delicious recipes to share with us today. Everyone ... meet Jeannie!



Hi Full.AtLasters and fellow Monkees. I'm excited to be able to share with you a couple recipes that are a regular part of the Cimino/Brisson household. I've always considered myself a health-conscious, physically active person. Although, the "conscious" hasn't always translated to "action" if you know what I mean. I mean, I know that a banana is healthier for you then a Peppermint Patty, but dammit, sometimes I just want the Peppermint Patty! And if I've spent the whole day snowboarding, doesn't that mean I deserve a burger and fries?!

I became more active about my family's health when my son, Henry was born. I became more careful about what I ate because I realized that if I wasn't getting sleep, the only thing I had left to give me energy and some sense of sanity was the right food. Oh, and I REALLY wanted to lose that baby weight too! I also became intrigued by the idea that I could make Henry's food from scratch, and had a lot of fun learning about that. It had never occurred to me before that I could make baby food AND that being in the kitchen could be fun and not feel like a chore.

Seven months later, I became pregnant again with my daugher, Olive. (No, this was not planned, people!) And while preparing for a homebirth, I learned a heck of a lot about how nutrition has an impact on labor and delivery, something I didn't learn as much about when I was pregnant with Henry.

I made a completely crazy decision this past summer to try and become a vegan. I was in Cape Cod with a great group of friends and it just so happened that the book, "The China Study" was on the nightstand in my room. I was astounded by the research between animal protein and long-term health conditions. This was the same time that I learned more about a very special friend's experience with rheumatoid arthritis. It turns out that after trying several medications, none of which were working well for her, she switched to a plant-based diet. Almost two years later she is symptom free and takes no medication.

Both the book and hearing more about Michele's story was compelling enough for me to make a change. It's taken me a long time to adjust, but I would say that now 80-90% (depending on the day) of mine and my children's diet is vegan and I noticed the change in how I felt pretty quickly. (Husband is more 50/50 because he makes his own breakfast and lunch! Too bad for him that I make dinner.)

So, are you hating me right now?! Well, don't! Because I still crave (and can be found giving into eating) Twizzler bites, M&Ms, Raisinets, Peppermint Patties, of course, oh, and I love Toblerones!, flank steak, and being the good Italian that I am, chicken parmigiana, really cheesy lasagna, baked ziti, manicotti...and the list goes on and on. I just take it one meal or snack at a time.

Thanks to Erin, I say to myself everyday, "Progress, not perfection." And that is an important piece of being healthy for me.

Buon appetito!


Banana Oat Cookies (courtesy of my friend, Julie N. Hi Julie!)



This is an easy and quick recipe that is a great healthy snack for little ones. I make it weekly and my son (and now 10 month old daughter!) loves them. I'm become a bit addicted also. It also doubles as a toddler activity; Henry helps me make them everytime. So, if you're snowed in and have run out of ideas, this will kill about a 30-45 minutes including bake time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two baking sheets with cooking spray.

Combine:
3 mashed ripe medium bananas
2 cups of old fashioned oats
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
Add:
A dash of cinnamon (I usually make it a couple heavy dashs)
A dash of salt

Optional to add any of the following:
A tbsp or two of agave nectar (to make it sweeter)
1/4-1/2 cup of any one of the following (dried cranberries, raisins, dates, or walnuts).

Spoon tbsp-sized drops onto the baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen. (For you high altitude ladies and gents, bake about about 21-22 minutes.)

Good to know: Your older kids may not like these! I recently offered them to some of the neighborhood kids and they about gagged. Ha! So, if giving them to kids, they're probably best for the little ones who haven't tasted much sugar yet. But, who knows, maybe someone will prove me wrong. You could always try putting some fruit spread on the top. I put apple butter on one this morning and it was tasty.
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Four-Grain Pancakes
(This is a recipe I adapted from the Joy of Cooking. I make these weekly as well and we can't eat them fast enough! NO ONE will know they don't contain dairy products.)




Combine in large bowl:
1 cup of whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Whisk in small bowl:
3 tbsp ground flaxseed with 9 tbsp lukewarm water and let sit while you combine the following in a medium bowl:

1 3/4 cups plant milk (soy, almond or rice milk)
4 tbsp butter substitute, melted (I use Earth Balance sticks)
1/4 cup honey or agave nectar

Add flaxseed/water mix to this bowl.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and you are ready to make the pancakes!

Optional: If you have fresh blueberries on hand, add a cup to the batter. You will not be disappointed.

Finally, I drizzle them with agave nectar instead of syrup. Yum! Enjoy!


Thanks Jeannie!

And, don't forget that oats are a significant source of dietary fiber and have been proven to reduce blood cholesterol. They also help stabilize blood sugar, help prevent heart disease and contain important phytochemicals that have been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Those are some pretty compelling reasons to try these recipes, don't you think?


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Kathleen's Brown Rice with Winter Squash

Good morning!

Kathleen has a delicious looking vegetarian dinner of brown rice with winter squash and cashews to share with us today.

You should know that Kathleen has not always been a healthy-ish eater or a fancy-pants in the kitchen. Over the past 18 months she has slowly been teaching herself to cook healthy, low-fat meals and has lost 83 pounds. That’s right … eighty-three pounds! Let’s pause here to give Kathleen a HUGE virtual high-five for all of her hard work.

Just 18 months ago she was a connoisseur of processed foods and confessed to me that she didn’t know how to cook something unless it came in a box. So she had to literally start from scratch in the kitchen and, in the process, has learned to view cooking as a way to calm and nourish herself as well as a means to care for her loved ones. It’s not to say she doesn’t still struggle with her old demons but she is making progress and moving in the right directions. And that, my friends, is what we are all about here … progress, not perfection.

For those of you that don't know, this is what a butternut squash looks like.


After you slice it in half you have to scoop out the seeds, then you can peel and chop it and use it in recipes. See Glennon, it's not so scary is it?


Brown Rice with Winter Squash and Cashews

Ingredients:
1 cup short grain brown rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 pound winter squash such as butternut, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 1/4 cups unsalted vegetable stock
1/4 teaspoon salt (can omit if stock and/or cashews are salted)
2/3 cup roasted unsalted cashews
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Rinse and drain rice.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until shallot is soft.
Add cumin, coriander, and rice and cook, stirring, for another minute.
Add squash and vegetable stock and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40-50 minutes, or until rice is tender and water has been absorbed.
Remove from heat, stir in cashews, and season to taste.

Allison's Recipes

Allison told me that she cooks with a lot of beans at her house. Smart girl. Not only are they nutrient-dense, meaning they have much nutrition for few calories, but they are also a very economical way to cook. Try including a few vegetarian meals each week and watch your grocery bill start to lighten up (pun intended there folks).

Everyone ... meet Allison!



In the interest of full disclosure, I don’t feel remotely qualified to talk about food and/or nutrition. Yesterday was not one of my better days in terms of making good food choices. Both my husband and I are from South Louisiana, and our beloved Saints were in the Super Bowl. I spent most of the day in the kitchen making some of our favorite Louisiana dishes, none of which were particularly healthy.

The following recipes are two that I make frequently. I am trying to move my family’s diet towards one that is more plant-based, primarily because I believe it is better for us and more affordable. We do still eat meat, but only a few times a week. Luckily, everyone (including my two children, ages 4 and 2) likes beans, so we have them at least once a week. We tend to eat relatively healthy meals -- lots of fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes, and I try not to buy much processed food. I read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle several years ago, and, based on those books, I have been working at changing how my family eats.

However, I still struggle with my weight. I weigh about 30 pounds more now than I did before I got pregnant the first time just over five years ago. I exercise regularly and try to make good food choices, but I have two major food issues: (1) portion control and (2) emotional eating. I’m working on making better choices, both in what I eat and how much I eat, but it’s not easy. I know what I need to do, I just haven’t been able to make myself do it.


Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:
1 pound dark red kidney beans
6 cups water (or 4 cups of water and 2 cups of stock)
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups finely chopped bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 cups of steamed rice


Directions:
Rinse the beans and place them in a large saucepan. Add the water, bring the pot to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it and let the beans soak while preparing the other ingredients. Place the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, black and cayenne pepper in slow cooker. Add the soaked beans and stir to mix. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 3 1/2 hours, or until beans are tender. Remove about 1/4 cup of beans from slow cooker to a small blow. Mash to a smooth paste with back of spoon and stir them back in. Cook on low for about 30 more minutes or on high for 15 minutes. Serve over steamed rice.



Black-Eyed Peas and Rice

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 pound black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and rinsed
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
Bay leaf
1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
Salt, black pepper, and cayenne
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
3 cups steamed rice

Directions:
Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, cook for 4 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the peas are creamy and tender, stir occasionally. If the liquid evaporates, add more water or stock. Adjust seasonings, and garnish with green onions. Serve over rice.

Note: I have made it before with one can of black-eyed peas. To do that, reduce the amount of stock by half, and let the peas cook for about 20 minutes, instead of 40.

Allison's Vegetarian Chili

Happy Friday everyone. Here's a hearty, healthy chili recipe from our very own Allison. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Allison's Vegetarian Chili

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce
1/3 cup couscous (I use whole wheat couscous)
1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

NOTE: If you aren't concerned about this being truly vegetarian, you can substitute chicken stock for the vegetable broth. Also, you should adjust (or omit) the jalapeno and hot sauce to your family's preference.

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients but the corn, couscous, shredded cheese, cilantro and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Five to 10 minutes before serving (depending on temperature of slow cooker) add corn and couscous, cover and cook, until couscous is tender. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

Just before serving, top each serving with shredded cheese and cilantro.

This makes a giant batch of chili; it is great left-over and can even be frozen and used later.