Dishing It Up!

by Victoria Mattson

Victoria Mattson is owner of Let’s Dish!, a “make and take meal kitchen” located at 11605 State Ave. in Marysville. Phone 360-658-9903 or visit www.letsdish.com.

Scroll down to see previous columns and recipes.

11/20/08

Put those leftovers to good use in casserole

Thanksgiving dinner preparations are now underway! The abundant feasts created this time of the year rarely can be consumed in one sitting. Leftovers are as much a tradition in many households as the main dinner.

This recipe for Turkey Casserole has been part of my own Thanksgiving tradition since the time I cooked my first solo turkey dinner. It was handed to me by a dear lady who had also been serving it for a very long time. This casserole uses left-over turkey meat and stuffing. By adding a few other ingredients, a favorite dish is born!

Before I shared this recipe with NCO readers, I wanted someone who wasn’t intimately involved with the recipe to try it. Maria, who works here at Let’s Dish!, was kind enough to be the tester. Her son said the casserole was “amazing.” Maria advises those making this for the first time to be aware that the “white” sauce made with chicken broth does not get as thick as traditional white sauces do. Another preparation hint in this recipe is to stir a small amount of the heated sauce into the bowl of beaten eggs. This is done to take the chill off the eggs to prevent them from curdling when combined with the remaining warm sauce.

Turkey and Stuffing Casserole

3 to 4 cups prepared stuffing

3 cups cooked turkey, cubed

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

4 cups chicken broth

6 eggs, beaten

2 cups sour cream

1 cup milk

2 cups mushrooms, sliced or chopped

2 tablespoons butter

¼ cup pimento (optional)

Preheat oven to 325.

Spray a 13x9x2 inch pan with cooking spray.  Spread prepared stuffing into the bottom of this pan. Cover with a layer of cubed turkey.  (Cooked chicken can also be used.)

Use a large saucepan to make the roux and white sauce.  Melt ¼ cup butter and blend in flour, salt and pepper.  Slowly add chicken broth, cook and stir until mixture is well blended and thickens slightly.  Cool for about 5 minutes.

Stir a small amount of the hot broth mixture into the beaten eggs.  Combine the remaining broth mixture with the eggs.  Pour this combination over the turkey and stuffing.  Bake for 40-45 minutes until a knife inserted halfway to center comes out clean.  Let stand 5 minutes to set. 

Meanwhile, make the sour cream gravy.  In a medium pan, sauté mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter for 4-5 minutes.  Add the sour cream, milk and pimento and stir to heat. Cut in squares and serve with mushroom sauce spooned on top.

11/06/08

Modify favorites for better nutrition

As many of us emphasize healthy eating these days, a number of our “old favorite” recipes don’t seem to make the grade. Oftentimes, the meals on our favorites list are laden with ingredients we are advised to “use sparingly.” Happily, many of these recipes can be modified to reduce calories and increase nutrients, allowing us to bring favorite dishes to our tables without guilt.

You can makeover many of your “old favorites” by using some simple strategies to decrease the calories and fat content and add precious nutrients. Here are a few suggestions:

• Add spinach, kale, broccoli or other green vegetables to casseroles and egg dishes to increase nutrients.
• Use healthy vegetable oils such as olive oil in place of saturated fats like butter.
• Use non-fat or low-fat cheese, yogurt and milk.
• Substitute whole grains for refined ones in pasta, rice, bread and flour.
• Reduce sodium levels by substituting fresh herbs for salt or using low-sodium broths.
• Make cakes, cookies and muffins with whole wheat pastry flour and vegetable oils.

Here is a recipe that I have modified for cheese manicotti. Manicotti is a tube-shaped pasta, which is cooked, stuffed with cheese or meat, covered with sauce, and then baked. This Four Cheese Manicotti recipe was “lightened up” by using nonfat ricotta cheese, a combination of nonfat and light cream cheese, and by using less mozzarella and parmesan cheese than traditional recipes specify. And finally, spinach was added to increase the nutrient value.

Lowfat Four-Cheese Manicotti

12 manicotti shells

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided in half

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided in half

1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning

½ teaspoon pepper

1 (15 ounce) carton non-fat ricotta cheese

1 (8 ounce) package garden vegetable-flavored light cream cheese, softened

4 ounce block nonfat cream cheese, softened

½ cup finely chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained & squeezed dry

1 (27 ounce) jar low-fat, reduced sodium tomato sauce

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese with Italian seasoning and pepper. Add ricotta and both cream cheeses and mix until smooth. Stir in onion, garlic and spinach.

Spoon mozzarella cheese mixture into cooked manicotti, using about 1/3 cup per shell.

Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup sauce evenly over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the stuffed manicotti in the pan and cover with remaining sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 400?F for 25 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Continue baking, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted.

10/23/08

Wheat-free lasagna uses polenta as base

Favorite comfort foods are often paired with delightful memories of the past. I grew up visiting my grandfather who lived alongside a small lake in Indiana. On many a morning for breakfast, he would fry up corn meal mush, which we had formed the night before. I slathered butter on each slice, doused it with maple syrup, and smiled all the way through breakfast.

Although I rarely enjoy my cornmeal fried these days, I do enjoy cornmeal by its Italian name of polenta. Polenta is made by boiling fine ground cornmeal. Bob’s Red Mill carries an excellent polenta grind. However, it can be a time consuming process to cook polenta from scratch, often taking 45 minutes of constant stirring. Luckily, polenta can be purchased already made! It is typically found in the refrigerated section of local grocery stores, wrapped in a cylindrical tube.

This recipe for Polenta Lasagna with Spinach describes a quick, easy-fix dinner that satisfies the need for comfort food. Minimal preparation goes into the dish prior to baking it in the oven. The dish can be easily changed to meet your individual preferences, such as using more or less sauce, cheese, or chopped spinach. This lasagna has the added benefit of no wheat/pasta which allows those with gluten allergies to enjoy tasty lasagna.

Polenta Lasagna with Spinach

15 oz ricotta cheese

2-3 cups spinach, chopped

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

24 oz roll of polenta

24 oz jar marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade sauce

¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 13x9” pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of the pan. Cut polenta roll into approximately 16 slices. Each slice should be about ¼ to ½ inch thick. Lay the polenta slices in a single layer on top of the marinara sauce.

In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, salt and pepper. Spoon this spinach mixture evenly over the polenta slices. Sprinkle the spinach layer with half the mozzarella cheese and all the parmesan cheese. Spoon the remaining sauce over the cheese. Finish with a layer of the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving.

10/09/08

Veggies, grains help prevent cancer

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is dedicated to increasing awareness of breast cancer issues. These issues include early detection, the importance of mammography screening, and taking charge of one’s own health to help prevent breast cancer. 

It is well documented that a healthy diet plays a major role in the prevention of many types of cancer, including breast cancer. Taking charge of one’s own health must include eating foods that both nourish and protect the body. A cancer-prevention diet is one that is high in fiber, low in fat and contains an abundance of plant-based foods including fruits, vegetables, grains and beans.

The Cancer Project has an excellent website detailing how to build your strength against cancer through your food choices. The Cancer Project began in 1991 as a program of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Visit www.cancerproject.org to learn about how a diet rich in plant-based foods contributes to cancer prevention.

Recommendations to eat 5-7 servings of fruit and vegetables per day are well broadcast. And it is relatively easy to do!  “Servings” are small, universally defined as 1 cup raw or ½ cup cooked. For dinner, a salad including 2 cups fresh spinach and 1 cup of steamed vegetables would yield 4 vegetable servings. By simply including a serving of fruit for breakfast and one for lunch, you have 6 servings that day.

Stir-fry meals are excellent choices for combining vegetables and whole grains. This month Let’s Dish! is featuring a Pink Ribbon Stir Fry which combines four different vegetables with low fat chicken strips and whole grain brown rice. You can drop by Let’s Dish! without a reservation, dish up this one meal, and quickly cook it for dinner the same night. Let’s Dish! will donate a dollar per dish to Komen for the Cure for each Pink Ribbon Stir Fry sold.

Here is a quick, easy recipe for Minestrone Soup. It is a low-fat dish combining vegetables, whole grains and beans.

Meatless Minestrone

½ cup celery, chopped

¼ cup onion, chopped

1 cup frozen or 3 cups fresh spinach, chopped

2 cups frozen green beans

2 cups fresh mushrooms

1 cup black or kidney beans

1 cup pinto beans

3 cups chopped tomatoes, not drained

2 tsp garlic, chopped

2 tsp tomato paste

2 TBSP olive oil

2 tsp Italian Seasoning

4 cups chicken or beef broth

1 ½ cup whole wheat macaroni or other small whole grain pasta

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes. 

9/25/08

Friends exchange homegrown treats

Laurie Bingham and Kolby Hatch were trading bragging rights about their own homemade version of blackberry jam. Laurie made hers using Black Cap blackberries. Kolby favored wild Evergreen blackberries. This berry discussion sparked a delicious dessert exchange between the two.

Laurie works at Marysville Middle School and has two teenage sons. Kolby, a junior at Lakewood High School, is a friend of Laurie’s son, Steve.

Laurie had a cache of Black Cap blackberries, and to back up her claim about the delights of this particular berry, she made a Blackberry Cobbler for Kolby. Using fresh berries, Laurie was demonstrating how wonderful food tastes when it comes from the home garden. Kolby graciously returned the cobbler pan filled with luscious, hand-made Lemon Bars. And a delightful tradition was started!

When zucchini ripened in Laurie’s garden, Kolby received a Zucchini Fudge Cake from her. The pan came back from Kolby filled with sensational Mississippi Mud Bars. When blueberries ripened, Laurie cooked a sauce for Kolby made with fresh blueberries and paired that with Swedish Almond Cake she made at Let’s Dish! The Binghams and the Hatches are wondering what delicious desserts are next!

Laurie has volunteered her recipe for Zucchini Fudge Cake because she is sure that several gardens are still over-abundant with zucchini. Laurie’s recipe makes 2 cakes, allowing the baker to keep one cake and give the second cake to another family.

Zucchini Fudge Cake

4 eggs

2 ¼ cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

¾ cup butter, softened

3 cups flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¾ tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

3 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup walnuts

12 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy. Add sugar gradually and beat until thick and lemon colored. Mix in vanilla and butter. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until dry ingredients have been incorporated. Stir in buttermilk, zucchini, walnuts and chocolate chips. Divide the batter in half and pour into four 8 or 9” greased pans or two greased 13x9x2” pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake springs back when touched in the center.

Frosting:

1 cup soft or melted butter

1 tablespoon vanilla

½ cup milk

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

2 pounds powdered sugar

Using a mixer, cream together the butter, vanilla and milk. Gradually add the cocoa and powdered sugar, mixing slowly until all the sugar is incorporated. Increase the speed and mix until fluffy and voluminous, about 2-3 minutes. Spread over the cooled cakes.

9/11/08

America on the Move

With the end of summer and the return to routines, many families turn their focus back to resuming healthy practices. The Marysville YMCA is helping with this. September 20 – 27 is America on the Move week at the YMCA. America on the Move is a national YMCA program designed to motivate and inspire families to take “small steps” to promote active living and healthy eating.

The festivities begin Saturday, September 20, with the Steptember Fun Run, which includes a 2-mile run/walk, a 5-mile run, and a 50-yard Kiddy Dash. The afternoon will feature various activities in the gym including tae-kwon-do, breakdancing, Zumba and family yoga.

The healthy eating demonstrations begin at 1 p.m. when Michael Aspen, an employee of Let’s Dish!, will demonstrate how busy families can prepare healthy meals quickly. Michael, a locally and internationally trained personal chef, is also owner of “A Taste of the Good Life” and teaches cooking classes from his home and at Gretchen’s in Mount Vernon. Michael will be providing tips and shortcuts to prepare the evening meal when busy families are short on time.

Also from 1 to 3 p.m., YMCA nutritionist Cheryl Crance will talk about healthy school lunches. Kids will enjoy the “hands-on” nature of her demonstrations. Until then, Cheryl has these ideas for healthy after-school snacks:

• Dip a peeled banana in yogurt, roll it in cereal crumbs and freeze it
• Mix ready to eat cereal, nuts and dried fruit in a bag for a quick take-along snack
• Sprinkle parmesan cheese on popcorn
• Add blueberries or raspberries and granola to vanilla yogurt
• Create “Ants on a Log” by spreading celery with peanut butter or cream cheese, and dotting with raisins
• Dip apple slices into smooth or crunchy peanut butter

Visit www.ymca-snoco.org for more America on the Move healthy living ideas and branch activities.

8/28/08

BBQ brisket, Texas-style

As we celebrate our nation’s laborers during this last long weekend of the summer, backyard barbecue grills all over the country will be fired up. Getting together with friends and family is a perfect time to indulge in a scrumptious slow-cooked beef brisket.

I first came across this dish when my husband, Jim, and I lived in Plano, just outside of Dallas, Texas. We moved to Texas from Michigan and were looking forward to immersing ourselves into the “cowboy boots” Texas culture. As it turned out, the neighborhood where we moved was populated by Midwesterners from Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and Illinois! Luckily our neighbor from Wisconsin was also very interested in Texan cuisine and introduced us to this BBQ brisket, which originated in San Antonio.

This brisket is marinated overnight and cooked slowly (5-6 hours) with low heat. It can be cooked on the grill or in the oven. The BBQ sauce itself is very versatile and will quickly become one of your favorites. It can be used for chicken, ribs, hamburgers, or any time you need a tangy, spicy sauce.

Brisket

6-8 pound lean boneless beef brisket

1 - 4oz bottle liquid smoke

Garlic salt

Onion salt

Celery salt

Worcestershire sauce

Salt and Pepper

BBQ Sauce

1 – 14 oz bottle catsup

1 catsup bottle of water

½ cup brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

½ teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons A-1 Sauce

Place meat in a long shallow pan. Cover with 4 oz. of liquid smoke and sprinkle generously with the garlic, onion and celery salts. Refrigerate overnight.

When ready to cook, sprinkle generously with Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake at 275 degrees for 4-5 hours.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine all the BBQ sauce ingredients listed above. Simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Cover brisket with BBQ sauce and bake uncovered for another hour.

Cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice on the bias, against the grain, for best results. It freezes well.

8/14/08

Going organic? Compare the prices, danger levels

Organic produce is offered more and more in our grocery stores. What does organic mean? An organic tomato has the same genetic make-up as a conventional tomato. The difference comes from how they are grown.

In order for a food to be labeled “certified organic,” it must meet the USDA's National Organic Program requirements. These requirements include the use of only “natural” products throughout the growth, preparation, and preservation states of food production. “Natural” in this context means synthetic fertilizers and pesticides cannot be used for fruits, vegetables or grains. For animals, the requirements stipulate that antibiotics have not been used to keep the animals healthy.

Are organic foods better for us? The research data is mixed on this point. Some research suggests that organic foods have higher nutritional values than conventional foods. This is attributed to the fact that, in the absence of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, plants may boost their production of vitamins and antioxidants in order to strengthen their natural resistance to bugs and weeds.

Some studies have linked pesticides in our food to a myriad of illnesses from headaches to cancer. Some have shown that even low levels of the neurotoxins found in pesticides could be dangerous to developing fetuses and young children. Conversely, other studies have shown the small amount of pesticides allowed by the USDA for conventionally grown produce is not harmful.

It is widely understood that organic foods are much higher in price than conventionally grown foods. Is it worth the extra price to buy organic food? This is certainly a personal preference. Perhaps a good solution to reducing exposure to potentially hazardous fertilizers and pesticides involves purchasing the most highly contaminated fruits and vegetables from organic sources. Produce that is grown with the least pesticides can be purchased from non-organic sources.

The not-for-profit Environmental Working Group has reviewed the results of over 43,000 USDA and FDA tests for pesticides on popular fruits and vegetables. They have prepared a list which ranks produce from the most commonly contaminated to the least. Fragile fruits and vegetables often require a greater use of pesticides compared to hardier produce. The list below includes the 10 most and the 10 least contaminated from that study. This information can be used to help you decide which fruits and vegetables to buy organic or conventional.

Source: Environmental Working Groups, Foodnews.org

7/31/08

Fruits and berries make delicious dessert mix

July and August are peak harvest months for fruits and vegetables here in the Puget Sound area. Now is the time to indulge in these wonderful foods. Roadside produce stands and Farmers Markets make this local produce available for our tables. To find which fruits and vegetables from our region ripen in August, visit this excellent website, PugetSoundFresh.org. There you will find the Harvest Schedule for Puget Sound grown produce, a list of Farmers Markets, and recipes from Puget Sound farms and restaurants.

With such an abundance of fresh local fruits and vegetables currently available, I was overwhelmed with choices for this month’s recipe. Then I received my box of fresh fruit from Klesick Farms (www.klesickfarm.com). In this box, along with cherries, cantaloupe and bananas, were nectarines, blueberries and plums. I knew right then what recipe to share.

One of my favorite summertime recipes is a medley of nectarines, blueberries and plums, simply prepared and served with sweetened sour cream.

Washington’s crop of blueberries has been steadily increasing over the past few years. Demand for blueberries has been increasing, possibly from all the reports of the berry’s good health benefits. They have been studied widely for their ability to reduce the risk of some diseases, including inflammation, certain cancers, urinary tract infections and conditions of aging.

All three of the fruits in this recipe are very good sources of Vitamin C and dietary fiber. Plums are rich in damage preventing antioxidants as well as Vitamins A and B12.  Interestingly, nectarines and peaches are essentially the same fruit - a minor genetic variation produces a smooth rather than fuzzy skin. Choose ripe nectarines and plums, which will yield to gentle pressure when they are ready to eat.

Medley of Fresh Nectarines, Blueberries and Plums

3 large ripe nectarines, pitted, each cut into 8 wedges

1 pint fresh blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

6 purple plums, pitted, quartered

Sour cream sprinkled with brown sugar (optional)

Mix nectarines, blueberries, and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat until nectarines are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Add plums and stir to mix. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. To serve, spoon fruit into bowls and if desired top with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkled lightly with brown sugar.

7/03/08

Fresh summer veggies make tasty and nutritious side dish

This is the time of the year when it’s easy to eat more than the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Local farms are bursting with fresh produce and roadside stands are stocked with fresh-picked delights. Give in to temptation and buy fresh veggies with gusto. Different vegetables can be combined into a stir-fry or sautéed. Mix and match the season’s freshest vegetables for different flavor combinations.

An early summer delight is found in sugar snap peas. Both the pea and the pod are sweet enough to eat raw. One cup of sugar snap peas has minimal calories, is high in vitamin C, and provides 3 grams of fiber. Choose peas that are plump and bright green in color. To prepare the peas for cooking (or eating raw), snap off the woody stem found at the tip of the pod and pull off the fibrous strings found along the sides.

I chose Shitake mushrooms for this side dish because of their exotic taste and excellent nutritional profile. Low in calories, they are a great source of a powerful antioxidant (L-ergothioneine). Shitakes are very costly, but buying them in season and in small amounts allows them to be affordably enjoyed.

Select mushrooms that are plump, firm and clean. Do not wash mushrooms as they quickly become soggy. To clean, wipe them with a damp paper towel or a mushroom brush. To prepare the mushrooms for cooking, cut off the stem and slice the cap in half or quarters depending on their size.

After I prepped the veggies, it only took me about 10 minutes from pan to table to prepare this fresh and flavorful side dish.

Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas with Shitake Mushrooms

½ pound sugar snap peas, cleaned, with strings removed

3-4 ounces Shitake mushrooms, cleaned and cut (as detailed above)

½ cup sweet onion, sliced and quartered

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 clove chopped garlic

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place sugar snap peas in a colander and rinse under cold water. Shake well and drain. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 15-20 seconds. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. Add the peas and toss and cook for 2-4 minutes, depending on their size. Do not overcook. The peas should still be crisp. Add the salt and pepper, remove from heat, and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

6/19/08

It's time for fresh berries!

Strawberries truly are a wonderful delicacy to celebrate. Fresh, local berries burst with flavor, are super sweet, and drip with juice when you bite into them. The local harvest for berries is only 3-4 weeks, and it is just beginning here in Marysville.

Local residents are eagerly awaiting the ripening of the strawberries from Due’s Berry Farm. Marge and Clarence Due have been growing strawberries together for the past 47 years, much to the delight of Snohomish County residents. Marge and Clarence are the third generation that has farmed the land located in north Marysville. Their son Wayne and his wife Becky are also involved in the business, as well as teaching the fifth generation of Dues to carry on the tradition.

After experiencing the coldest and wettest spring that Marge can remember, the Dues are looking for a week of sunshine and 70 degree temperatures to ripen up the berries and dry out the soil.

Fresh local strawberries are delightful eaten fresh and have just 45 calories per cup. They also have 3 grams of fiber per cup and are an excellent source of Vitamin C and flavonoids.

Berries can be frozen quite effectively, allowing you to stock up during the season. The faster you get them from the vine to the freezer, the more delicious and nutritious they will be when you serve them. To freeze whole berries, wash them in cold water and remove the green hulls. Roll them in sugar (if desired) and then spread them on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, pack them into a container, leaving about 1 inch of air at the top. One long-time customer of the Dues came up from Seattle to get her berries, which she froze in this manner and then added to her martinis. She would return each year and stock up on a years’ worth of martini berries!

During June and July, Let’s Dish! is pairing Due’s strawberries with Swedish Almond Cake for one of our dessert entrees. On the day the berries are picked, Let’s Dish! will turn them into a sauce, made by taking half the berries and blending them briefly in the food processor, which will be immediately frozen. The second half will be cut in halves or quarters and added into the blended berries. Since the local berries are so sweet, no extra sugar needs to be added to this sauce.

For an “old fashioned, authentic” Strawberry Shortcake recipe – “the way shortcake should taste” Marge recommends the recipe found on the Bisquick box. Also in the quick and easy category, look in the grocery store refrigerated case for “shortcake” biscuits or use a scone mix. And stock up on the whipped cream!

Stop by Due’s Berry Farm at 4604-152nd St. NE, Marysville, to purchase berries that are picked fresh daily. Or bring the kids for a U-pick strawberry afternoon. Call 360-659-3875 for harvest information and hours.

Due’s berries can also be found at various berry stands around town, including in front of E&E Lumber, The Burger Mill, Furniture World, and at 14003 Smoky Point Blvd. Local grocery stores carrying Due’s strawberries include Allen Creek Thriftway, Arlington Haggen’s, and Smokey Point Safeway.

6/05/08

Organic produce from local growers--delivered

Many of us vow to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, and are striving to incorporate this intention into our busy lives.

Tristan Klesick and the folks at The Klesick Family Farm of Stanwood are dedicated to “Helping Busy People Eat Healthy.” The Klesicks’ Organic Produce Shoppe delivers fresh organic fruits and vegetables right to the doorstep of their Snohomish County customers. What could be more convenient than that? Each week customers receive either a “family” or “small” box of assorted seasonal fruits and vegetables.

The Organic Produce Shoppe works with other local organic growers to provide the fresh produce that is delivered each week. Tristan is a fierce advocate of preserving local farmlands in the face of enormous pressure for urban growth. Additionally, his farm is a certified “Salmon Safe Farm” meaning the operation is careful to keep the watershed healthy for native salmon.

About half of their vegetable farming is done with the assistance of a team of draft horses. During the last week of May, Tristan and his team of horses were preparing the seed beds in advance of planting the season’s green beans. The farm also grows potatoes, spinach, carrots, lettuce, broccoli, onions, beets, winter squash, cucumbers, cabbage, sugar snap peas and strawberries. 

Each box of produce is delivered with a delightful newsletter written by Tristan. He always includes recipes or helpful information on how to cook the vegetables in that week’s box. Here is his advice on asparagus.

“Asparagus is always best when used fresh so don’t wait too long to enjoy it! If you must store it before use, first trim the ends then stand stalks upright in about one inch of water in a tall container. Cover the tops with a plastic bag and refrigerate. To prepare, gently snap each asparagus stalk at the bottom. It should break at the very spot where the woodiness begins. Discard woody ends. To cook, lay spears in an inch of water. Bring to a gentle boil. Thin spears will take only 3-5 minutes, thicker ones can take up to 10 minutes. Cook until just tender, being careful not to overcook and then serve immediately.”

Visit the Klesicks’ Web site for more information at www.organicproduceshoppe.com.

5/22/08

Kids' contest winner shares breakfast dish

One of the best ways to get kids interested in eating healthy meals is to get them involved in creating and cooking them. When they are involved in the preparation, they will eat foods they normally wouldn’t touch.

This spring, Let’s Dish! held a Kids’ Breakfast Recipe Contest. The contestants were invited to submit their favorite breakfast recipe. Extra points were awarded for using whole foods and for recipes that could be quickly prepared in the morning.

The winner of the Kids’ Breakfast Recipe Contest is Natasha Flitz. Her winning recipe is for Fruity Tutti Breakfast Soupy. Like many excellent cooks, she experimented with different recipes and then modified the ingredients to her own liking.

Natasha is a 4th grader at Allen Creek Elementary School in Marysville. She loves to read and when I last talked with her, she had the most reading points of anyone in her class. She likes fiction books and has read the Harry Potter books twice. She also likes to swim. As the contest winner, she was offered a choice of tickets from local sporting venues. She chose day passes to the Marysville YMCA so she and her family can enjoy the swimming pool there.

This recipe is a winner for many reasons. It is easy for kids to start the day right with this yummy soupy. Not only does the Soupy taste delicious, it contains many healthy ingredients. Yogurt provides some protein and the variety of fruit in the Soupy supplies fiber and numerous vitamins. And it is very quick and easy to prepare, which is very important in the morning!

Natasha sometimes adds a piece of toast with this for breakfast. A hard-boiled egg would also be a good accompaniment, adding some extra protein to the meal.

Fruity Tutti Breakfast Soupy

1. Put ½ cup orange juice in a bowl.
2. Add 1 cup light vanilla yogurt and stir.
3. Add 1 sliced banana.
4. Put in 1 cup raspberries (fresh or if frozen, thawed) and stir.
5. Ladle, eat and enjoy breakfast soup.

Thanks, Natasha, for sharing your recipe with us all.

5/08/08

Crisp broccoli salad perfect for potlucks

The Soroptimists of Marysville recently gathered together to welcome visitors from New Zealand.  Marjory-Ellen & Mike McArthur came to Marysville as recipients of a Soroptimist Grant of Friendship. We determined one of the best ways to get to know them was to have a potluck dinner at a member’s home.

Alice Demmig brought a broccoli and fruit salad to dinner and it was excellent. It was so delicious that several of us asked for the recipe. Many long-term residents of Marysville will remember that Alice and her husband Herb owned and operated the Marysville Home Bakery on State Street for many years. These days Alice cooks many recipes from A Taste of Home. This broccoli and fruit salad is an adaptation of that recipe.

This delightful salad presents several fruits and vegetables in raw form, which is an excellent way to maximize the nutrient intake from them. Using low-fat mayonnaise keeps the fat calories down, and adding walnuts provides an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Broccoli and Fruit Salad

1 can 8 oz. pineapple chunks

4 cups of broccoli florets, cut to bite-size

2 ribs of celery, chopped

1 cup red grapes, halved

1 cup green grapes, halved

1 cup of walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup of chives, snipped

1 cup low-fat mayonnaise

Drain the pineapple, reserving 2 Tablespoons of liquid for the dressing. Combine all the ingredients except the mayonnaise in a large bowl. Place the mayonnaise into a small bowl and stir in the reserved pineapple juice. Add the mayonnaise into the vegetable salad and toss until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

4/24/08

Convenience, taste and healthy eating

America has become a society hooked on convenience. One need only drive down Main Street in virtually any town and you will quickly run out of fingers counting the fast food joints sprouting up here and there. Or walk down the frozen food aisle at your local grocery store and notice how many frozen, ready to cook meals are stocked and ready to buy. Of course we all need food, and our busy lifestyles want it FAST!

This type of convenience comes with a high price: namely, good nutrition. Most fast food meals and frozen dinners contain outrageous amounts of salt, sugar and fat, and processed ingredients which have had the nutrients processed right out of them. Our addiction to these types of foods has produced an epidemic of obesity and the resulting health problems that this causes.

What can we do to stem this tide? For my part, I am sharing recipes that feature wholesome ingredients. With a little planning, meals can be prepared in advance, and then used to feed you and yours quickly, without resorting to commercially prepared food. Consider some of this column’s recently published meals: Caldie’s Lasagna, Breakfast Burritos, or Cheryl’s Chili. Each of these meals can be made in advance, and then cooked quickly or re-heated to give you the convenience you need. By the way, if you haven’t saved them, copies of all the recipes from this column are available at Let’s Dish!

In my professional life, Let’s Dish! provides customers with convenient meals without compromising taste or good nutrition. We publish our ingredients, nutritional information, and even Weight Watcher Points (copyright) both in our store and on our web site. And although make and take meal kitchens began as places where many meals are prepared in advance, Let’s Dish! has now evolved so customers can stop by on their way home, spend a short time in our kitchen, and leave with just one meal to feed their family that night.

Here is a versatile recipe that you can make ahead of time. This Marinara sauce is totally fat free and is easy to make. You can store it in sealed plastic bags in the freezer in whatever serving size works best for you. Then reheat the sauce in the microwave or on the stove and serve it over pasta or rice. It can also be used as a sauce for fish, poultry or meat, or as a soup or stew base.

Marinara Sauce

3 (15 oz) cans low sodium tomato sauce

2 ½ cups water

2 medium onions, finely chopped, about 3 cups

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon each: dried leaf oregano and basil, crushed

¾ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt (Optional)

¼ teaspoon each, dried: rosemary and thyme, crushed

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf, broken

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Cool to room temperature, divide portions and freeze in plastic bags.

4/10/08

Granola bars are Curves-friendly

National Women’s Nutrition Week is April 13-19. As I think about women’s nutrition and good health, I think of Helen Knutson and her daughter, Tricia Bellizzi. This mother/daughter team enables women in the Marysville and Lake Stevens area to stay active and learn about sound nutrition practices. Helen and Tricia are co-owners of the Marysville, North Marysville, and Lake Stevens Curves fitness clubs.

Helen and Tricia are in this business because they love helping women improve their own lives. Every day they see the benefits women experience as they get in shape and use healthy ingredients to fuel their bodies.

The Curves fitness clubs provide a fun, fast and effective workout, designed specifically for women. The atmosphere inside each club is casual, chatty, and very supportive. Helen and Tricia teach a six-week program that shows women how to eat properly throughout their lives, avoiding the fad diet traps. Contact Helen or Tricia by calling the Marysville Curves at 360-657-5525.

When asked if she had a Curves-friendly recipe to share, Helen thought right away of the Curves Breakfast Cereal Granola Bars. This recipe was developed by Pam Trimble, a Curves employee in the Marysville club, because she didn’t like the granola bars that were available in the stores. This unique recipe combines two different cereals with dried fruit, seeds, and honey. Find the granola and roasted seeds in the bulk section of local food stores.

Curves Breakfast Cereal Granola Bar

2 ½ cups Curves Honey Crunch cereal

2 ½ cups granola

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 ½ teas cinnamon

1 cup roasted pumpkin seed kernels

1 cup roasted sunflower seed kernels

1 ¾ cups dried fruit such as cranberries or cherries

3 eggs

3 TBSP canola oil

1 cup honey

Pre-heat the oven to 375?F. Mix first eight ingredients together, adding eggs, oil and honey last. Mix until well coated. May add up to ¼ cup more honey if desired.

Lightly oil or spray two cooking sheets (with raised edges). Press mixture evenly onto pans to a shy half-inch depth. Bake 25-27 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately cut into 2x2 squares with the edge of a spatula and cool on waxed paper. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for a week to 10 days.

3/27/08

Try healthy lentil soup

As a volunteer for the Marysville Healthy Community Project, I have the opportunity to interact with many dynamic community members. One such person is Dorothy Stanton.

Dorothy and her late husband, Ray, raised their family in Seattle. Once the kids were grown, Dorothy and Ray retired early and moved to Hawaii for 7 sun-drenched years.

In 1990 they returned to their family here in Washington and settled in Marysville.

Dorothy loves to read and so she began volunteering in our community with the Marysville Friends of the Library. She has served on several community advisory boards over the years and today sits on the Boards of the Marysville Parks Department as well as the Marysville Library. She is also a member of the Advisory Committee for Channel 21 and serves on the “Access to Healthy Foods” subcommittee for the Marysville Healthy Communities Project.

The recipe that Dorothy is sharing today comes from her daughter, Christine, who now lives in the Spokane area. Dorothy chose to share this one with us because it is quick, easy, tasty and healthy!  She describes this soup as being good when fresh, but even better the next day.

Christine's Lentil Soup

1 Tablespoon olive or canola oil

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ teas coriander

1 tsp cumin

 ½ tsp powdered ginger

 ½ tsp mustard powder

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 medium lemon

1 cup lentils

5 cups water

½ cup nonfat plain yogurt

½ cup chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

In a heavy 3-quart pan, cook/gently brown onion and minced garlic in olive or canola oil.

When softened, stir in all the ground spices and cook for 1 minute. Add 5 or 6 thin slices of the lemon rind. Add lentils and water. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

When ready to serve, remove ½ cup of soup to a 1 pint bowl, and add to it the ½ cup yogurt. Stir together well and return mixture to the soup pot. Stir in the juice and pulp of the lemon if desired, and salt to taste. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Makes about 2 quarts.

3/13/08

Discover Quinoa, a delicious ‘supergrain’

Nutritionists consistently advise us to eat foods containing whole grains. Consumption of whole grain foods and dietary fiber is linked to all sorts of positive health benefits from improved cardiovascular function to cancer prevention. Following the advice to eat whole grains most often leads us to brown rice and whole wheat bread. However, another delicious whole grain is Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa).

Quinoa is a recent addition to North America. The crop is native to the Andes and has been cultivated in Bolivia, Chile and Peru for more than 5,000 years. Nutritionally dubbed a “supergrain,” it is really the seed of a leafy plant that’s distantly related to spinach.

The grain has a unique, nutty flavor and slightly crunchy texture. It is a rich and balanced source of nutrients, is easy on the stomach, and is quick and simple to prepare.

Quinoa is an excellent source of complete protein. It contains all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa offers more iron than other grains and contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin, as well as other B vitamins. It is also a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper and manganese.

Locally, Quinoa can be found in the Natural Foods section of many grocery stores, often in the bulk food sections. Pastas made with Quinoa are also starting to appear and are an excellent alternative to traditional Durum wheat pastas.

Here is a recipe for an easy side dish.

Quinoa Pilaf

1 cup dry Quinoa

2 cups chicken broth (or water and chicken base)

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1/4 cup green onion, diced

1/4 cup sweet red pepper, diced 

1/4 cup celery, diced    

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon dried parsley

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water 2-3 minutes until the water runs clear; drain well.

 2. Combine the quinoa with 2 cups broth (or water and chicken base) and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium low heat until the germ has spiraled out from each grain, about 10-15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a medium skillet. Sauté the onion, red pepper, celery, and garlic 4-5 minutes. Stir in oregano, parsley, salt and pepper.

4. Combine the cooked Quinoa with the sautéed vegetables and sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired.