Weight of the Nation and Your Family
The following is not a sponsored post in any way. It’s something I’m passionate about. I’m definitely not the poster child for healthy living, but I am working at it, day by day, and hope this may inspire you to do the same.
We all know that we need to eat healthy and eat less, but do we act upon it like we should? What are the consequences for continuing the bad habits we’ve developed? How does it affect us and our children?
Being someone that loves food, I felt that I had a good grasp on what was healthy, what portions were appropriate, and how it affected me and my family long term.
After watching Weight of the Nation (currently running on HBO), I learned that I still had a lot to learn. It’s an eye-opening series and covers a lot of topics – everything from health risks associated to obesity, healthy food options in the public school system, and how our increasing obesity rates are affecting the American work force.
If you don’t have HBO, think about getting the DVD when it comes out at the end of July, and read the book, which is already available. If you do have HBO, set your DVR and watch it with your family – especially your kids. We have to teach them now that there is a problem and what small steps they can start taking to make a difference.
A few online resources:
Herbed Zucchini Feta Fritters
from Food and Wine
http://www.foodandwine.com © Michael Turek
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini (about 1 3/4 pounds), coarsely shredded
- Kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped mint
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 medium cucumber—peeled, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup Greek-style plain yogurt
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Pile the shredded zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt. Toss the zucchini well and let stand for 5 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible and transfer the zucchini to a large bowl. Stir in the eggs, flour, dill, parsley, 1/4 cup of the mint and the feta. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and refrigerate the fritter batter for about 10 minutes.
- In a food processor, coarsely puree the chopped cucumber. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the yogurt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of mint and season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil to 350°. Set a paper towel-covered baking sheet near the stove. Working in batches, drop rounded tablespoons of the fritter batter into the hot oil and fry, turning the fritters a few times, until browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining fritter batter. Discard the paper towels and reheat the fritters in the oven for about 3 minutes. Serve the zucchini fritters hot with the cucumber-yogurt sauce.
Culinaire Dictionnaire – 26 May 2012
Mise en place: (pronounced [miz on plas], literally “putting in place”) is a French phrase defined by the Culinary Institute of America as “everything in place”, as in set up. It is used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients (e.g., cuts of meat, relishes, sauces, par-cooked items, spices, freshly chopped vegetables, and other components) that a cook will require for the menu items that he or she expects to prepare during his/her shift.
http://www.sheknows.com
Pecorino-Crusted Chicken with Mushroom Salad
from Bon Appétit
http://www.bonappetit.com
Ingredients
- 1 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan
Preparation
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Toss first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature, tossing often, until mushrooms soften, 20—30 minutes.
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Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; set a wire rack inside. Season chicken with salt and pepper; place on rack. Spread mayonnaise on chicken; sprinkle with cheese.
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Bake for 5 minutes. Turn on broiler. Broil until chicken is cooked through and cheese is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve with salad.
Foie Gras
As the debate over California’s impending ban on foie gras continues, I’ve been doing a lot of reading on how the ducks are raised. I came across this clip from No Reservations where Anthony Bourdain visits Hudson Valley for a firsthand look.
