Some Foods You Should NOT Be Eating

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/the-7-foods-experts-wont-eat-547963/

While reading this article (brought to my attention by my brother, Dan) this morning, I must say that I was surprised by some of the foods the experts choose to stay away from. For one- canned tomatoes! But it makes total sense when you read the article. The problem is the lined tin cans, which leach chemicals as a result of tomatoes high acidity. The good news? You can find tomatoes in glass cans, which do not need to be lined. *Tip of the day:* Anything that is acidic, should be bought in glass (i.e. ketchup, mayonnaise, vinegar, hot sauce- pretty much all you're condiments).

Another tip, only buy organic potatoes! Because they grow under the ground, they absorb all pesticides, fungicides, etc. sprayed above ground. And washing doesn't help. Yes, they are more expensive, but think about it. You are paying to NOT eat chemical. I'd say it's worth it.

What to do with organic potatoes:

Cheesy (but low-fat) Homefries

Ingredients:

4 medium sized organic potatoes, washed, unpeeled and diced in cubes)- tip! Leave the skins on! They contain many of the nutrients as well as added fiber!
1/2 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. rosemary (dried or fresh)
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 c. grated cheese- I like montery jack

The quick way to make homefries is to parbake (or bake ahead of time) the potatoes in the microwave first. Wash the potatoes and poke holes in them with a fork. Put in microwave on high for 7 minutes. In the meantime, dice onion, garlic and rosemary and heat in a large frying pan on low heat in olive oil (a cast iron skillet works great for getting the potatoes crispy). When the potatoes are finished, let them cool on a cutting board for a bit until you can handle them. Then dice into cubes and throw them in the pan (increase heat to medium). You may need to add more oil to the pan at this point if you feel it is too dry. Add generous amounts of salt & pepper. Toss around pan and let sit for 2 minutes before stirring. Continue cooking potatoes all the way through and until they begin to get brown around the edges. Just before ready to serve, top with cheese. Try them with hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot is good) or ketchup (in glass, of course!). Serves 4-5.

You can also make a mean scramble with these potatoes if you toss in some spicy sausage (you can find chicken sausage with chorizo or andouille spices- just make sure they do not have MSG), roasted red peppers, and beaten eggs. Delicious!

What to do on a Snow Day- Homemade granola!

Tip of the day: Use the time you have to prepare for days when you don't have time.

Well here I am sitting on the couch, watching the snow fall, thinking about the delicious (and healthy) breakfast I just ate. It's a snow day around here (which, for a substitute means that I don't get paid...:-( BUT! There is a silver lining. I get to cook! On days when I have free time I like to make up batches of things for those days when I am feeling lazy or rushed. I'll make things like sauce, big batches of soup, bread, pizza dough, and one of my favorites....granola!

OK, so granola has gotten a bit of a bad rap. Hippy food, right? Well, have you ever had granola, along with low fat yogurt, topped with dried fruits, a drizzle of honey, and some nuts, for crunch? It's more like a breakfast sundae than health food and it is just about my favorite breakfast. (p.s. get low fat plain yogurt and look for a kind with active cultures. I LOVE Stoneyfield Farms).

Want a killer recipe for granola? It is much fresher, much more delicious, super flexible and MUCH cheaper to make your own. Look no further than my own version for crunchy granola:

Crunchy Granola:

Ingredients:
6 cups rolled oats (not instant oats, check the box)
2 cups mixed nuts & seeds (whatever you like. Try: slivered almonds, pecans, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and flax seeds for a boost of Omega-3')
1/2 to 1 cup of liquid sweetner, to taste (that can be honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave nectar-I like 3/4 c. honey)
1/4 smooth, natural peanut butter (*check the label* only peanuts and salt! no oils)
pinch of salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (also try adding nutmeg, ground ginger, vanilla bean, etc.)
1 cup dried fruits (I like cherries and blueberries)

Preheat oven to 300. In a large, microwave safe bowl, combine sweetner, peanut butter, and spices. (*not fruit*) Heat on high for 15 second intervals, stirring in between until the mixture is pourable. Alternately, you can do this on the stove top on low heat stirring frequently. When mixture is combined, throw oats and nuts/seeds into liquid and combine thoroughly. Pour and spread out onto baking pan that is covered in parchment, foil (greased), or silicone baking mat (Silpat). Remember, fruit should not be in yet. Bake in oven for at least 30 minutes, but stir occasionally to check for doneness. The longer it's in, the crunchier it gets. But don't let it go too far or you will have burnt instead of crunchy! Let cool completely. Now stir in the dried fruit. Store in airtight container or ziplock baggies.

Enjoy as is, with yogurt, or as cereal for an energizing and filling breakfast!