Lady finger

What is green, likes a little southern heat, and is also known as lady finger?  It is often fried in the South, but tastes FABULOUS baked, sautéed, or thrown in soups and stews!

Okra!  It grows best in warm weather, but can be enjoyed all year long.  It is a vegetable with a high content of fiber, vitamin A, folates (great for those ladies who are pregnant), vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin K, iron, calcium, manganese, and magnesium.  Whoa- that is a mouth full of stuff that does a body good! 

Bake it, don't fry!

No need to fry that okra to get it tasty.  Try baking it!  I like to cut up okra and place on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle a little olive oil, & then sprinkle sea salt.  Sometimes I will experiment with other spices too (like lemon pepper).  Then, I stick it in the oven for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees.  I like it slightly crispy so may leave it in longer if it isn't quite there yet.

A few storing tips:

• Do not wash until ready to use (otherwise it will get overly slimy)
• Use within 2 to 3 days
• Store in the warmest part of the fridge in a paper bag

Other quick recipe ideas I found:

• Stewed okra and tomatoes: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/stewed_okra_tomatoes.html
• Hot & sour okra pickles: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/hot_sour_pickled_okra.html
• Grilled okra: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grilled-Okra/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=okra&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

Eat well,
Bri

Nutty Bites: Hummus

Hummus makes the perfect dip!

If I were Webster, I would have created the word hummus to mean: the one who hums.  But, since I am not Webster, I will refrain.  Instead, I will jump on the hummus bandwagon and eat it.  Have you tried it yet?



Hummus, in my humbly option (see what I did there?), can either be extremely tasty or blah!  The secret is in the flavor or brand.  I have not made my own yet so I am a brand snob.  However, there are plenty of great recipes out there.  The brands & flavors that are my favorite are Pita Pal Original & Hope Hummus Spicy Avocado (pictured above). Yum!

 

It is also nutritious.  Garbanzo beans are a great source of fiber and folic acid.  Beans, in general, can help lower cholesterol too.  I have nothing bad to say about the other typical ingredients either, which include olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini.  Tahini is sesame seed butter and adds some protein, fiber, calcium, and monounsaturated fat.

 

What I love about hummus is that it is so versatile.  If you are new to hummus, use it as a dip for your veggies, toasted pita, or pretzels.  Or even try it as a condiment on your sandwich, burger, or wrap.  A friend of mine even mixes it with salsa to create a spicier dip.  WebMD mentioned blending hummus with broth, water, or wine until you get your desired drizzling consistency for dressing on cold pasta salads.  Lots of options!

 

Want a tasty recipe to make on your own?  Check this out from Bobby Flay on the Food Network website http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/spicy-hummus-with-grilled-pita-recipe/index.html 

 

What is your favorite thing to eat with hummus?

 

Eat well,

Bri

 

 

 

Breakfast at Starbucks

Breakfast at Starbucks!

I used to teach 6am Pure Barre classes every other week.  I am a morning person sometimes, but definitely not when I have to wake up at 5am.  Sleep to me is what confetti cake is to a 3 yr old birthday boy.  I take as much as I need & I savor it!  So, to make up for the early morning and less than desired sleep, I would make a trip to Starbucks.  There happens to be one just down the street from the studio.  Starbucks market researchers- good job on that one!

Did you know that Starbucks has some tasty breakfast options?  I have two favorites that I get whenever I need something quick and do not have time to eat at home before heading out the door.  One is the Turkey bacon, Egg white, Cheddar on an English Muffin and another is the Steel Cut Oatmeal.  Not that you have to count calories, but they are both under 350 calories too!

Now, the trick with places like Starbucks is not falling into the sugar drink trap.  Make sure your favorite drink there is not overloaded with calories and sugar.  Try it skinny or find another favorite drink.  There are lots of options and plenty are fine for the waistline. My favorite?  Hot tea... duh!

I have to mention something else because my brother and I talked about this recently.  I know Starbucks stores are everywhere and it is hard for the smaller coffee/tea companies to build a biz.  If you have a favorite small biz, by all means support it.  I personally try to support both- I love that I can find a Starbucks anytime I want a hot tea, but I also love the vibe of a local coffee/tea place. 

Eat well,
Bri

Fast & Frozen

Love me some evol.

I rarely can say that I love a good frozen meal.  However, these days I need something quick and easy for when I am in the office or whenever I have to rush from one thing to the next.  Let's face it- we live in a fast paced world.

So what to do when you need a frozen meal?  Check out evol.  It's tasty and all the ingredients are easy to pronounce.  I found this brand at Target, but I am sure other stores have it as well.  Or having no luck?  No worries. Just remember a few things:


1. Frozen meals are usually high in sodium and are going to have many more ingredients than cooking yourself so don't get stuck in the rut of using these multiple times per day.  I would recommend no more than 3 meals per week, but if your schedule is packed to the nines then frozen meals are still better than Big Macs.
2. Pick a frozen meal where you recognize the majority of the ingredients.  Bonus points if you recognize them all!



Niiiiiiice ingredients!

3. Fill up with protein.  Pick one with at least 10g of protein, preferably even more.  The meal in the picture had 20g of protein, which is perfect. 

A lot females need more iron.  This particular meal I had (Fire Grilled Steak) provides 25% of your daily intake of iron. It is also relatively high in fat, but low in saturated fat.  That's the fat I look for.  If an item is high in saturated fat or trans fat, I try to stay away for the most part.

Got a frozen meal you love?

Eat well,
Bri

Snap, Crackle, Spit!

To kick off this post, I want to get you thinking about a few favorites.  Maestro, cue "My favorite things" from the Sound of Music soundtrack now please. 

So here it goes... what is your favorite snack to eat at the ballpark?  What is your favorite road trip snack?  What is your favorite snack that involves spitting?  Hey, don't say gross!  Even ladies do it.

My guess is you may have said sunflower seeds for at least one of the above.  And if you didn't, boy are you missing out. 

Sunflower seeds at la casa de Patasoona (Peterson in my own language) used to come in bags by the dozen.  My dad and two brothers were the biggest fans, but of course even my friends knew where they could find those seeds.  And talk about road trips- we never left home without them.  Even to this day, I can often find a bag of seeds in Nick's car and Brady's truck.

Why are sunflower seeds so great for road trips?  First, they are budget-friendly and one bag lasts forever.  Second, they are nutritious- think protein, fiber, zinc, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin E, & phosphorus to name more than a few.  Third, they fill you up and the act of cracking the shell keeps you busy so you are less likely to pig out on the high-fat, high-carb packaged foods that say "eat me" to you when you walk down those aisles at the gas station.

For you spit-phobic peeps, have no shame.  You can often find roasted kernels at grocery stores.  These are great for topping your salad, sprinkling into your hot or cold cereal, layering into a parfait or trail mix, and even baking in with your breads or muffins.  Some health food stores even carry sunflower seed butter, which is an alternative for those of you with peanut allergies. 

Whether you are on a road trip, at a sporting event, enjoying an outdoor picnic, or singing by a campfire don't forget your bag of seeds when you need that little munch.

Eat well,
Bri