Recipes from Judy Barbe

by Guest | Jun 27, 2019 | Eat Well

Judy Barbe was a featured speaker for the Tillamook County “Year of Wellness” in 2016. 

Thanks to a sponsorship by Tillamook County Wellness partner, Oregon Dairy & Nutrition Council, we will periodically feature articles and recipes from Judy Barbe, author, columnist and nutrition expert. As a registered dietician nutritionist and food enthusiast, Judy offers realistic food solutions to help people “live their best.”  
How would you rate your culinary skills? Do you wield a Chef’s knife like a Samurai or are reservations the best thing you make?
You don’t need to be a Top Chef to enjoy delicious food, but boosting kitchen confidence helps because when you cook, you are in control of what goes into your food and what goes in to your body. I can’t think of a better way to be master of your universe!
Taste is the number one reason why we choose a food. Yet, lack of flavor is often cited as a common frustration for people trying to make changes to their diets.
Rather than thinking of cooking as a spectator sport, jump in. Get your hands dirty. But start with freshly washed hands, please. Read through the recipe before starting, follow the directions, and taste as you cook so you can adjust seasonings.

Flavor Boosting Tips
Here are some simple strategies help you make food taste even better.

1. Maximize the flavor of meat, fish, and poultry with pan-searing, grilling, or broiling. You don’t want burnt food, but a crusty edge means the proteins and sugars have caramelized, which adds rich flavor. So heat the pan before you add the meat to sizzle and sear like in Vietnamese Beef Noodle Bowl.

2. Pep it up with peppers. Use red, green, and yellow peppers of all varieties or add a dash of hot pepper sauce. Sriracha®, a chile garlic sauce, can be drizzled over eggs, brushed over fish, or stirred in a dip. Try Quinoa and black bean stuffed poblanos.

3. Roast veggies in a hot (425°F) oven for a toasty flavor. Heat the pan while the oven heats to reduce the cooking time and get a nice browning on the food. Before roasting, toss them lightly with oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

4. Roasting fruit satisfies a sweet tooth. Roast pineapple, pears, grapes, or strawberries at 400°F until softened. Broil grapefruit or oranges.

5. Caramelize sliced onions to bring out their natural sugar. Cook them low and slow in a skillet with a small amount of oil. They can be used in fajitas, on a burger or grilled cheese sandwich, in a frittata, or try them on a pizza.

6. Whole-grains add texture and flavor. Try brown rice, farro, spelt, quinoa, or bulgur. Cooked grains are great in salads such as Layered Spelt Salad.

7. Enhance dishes with bold flavors, such as pomegranate seeds in a salad, fresh ginger in fruit dishes, or chipotle pepper in tacos. Fresh herbs such as basil or parsley punch up flavor in about any food.

8. Add a bright tang with lemon, lime, or orange juice or grated citrus peel. A splash of balsamic or rice vinegar works too. Acidic foods lift flavors and enhance sauces, soups, and salads. Orange juice brightens Carrot Coconut Ginger Soup

9. Give a flavor burst with horseradish, curry powder, freshly ground pepper, mustard, olives, salsas, and dried fruit. A dab may just do ya. Brussels Sprouts Salad has upfront dried cranberries, red onion and blue cheese.

Most Americans agree that the best meal — the healthiest, tastiest and most emotionally satisfying — is a freshly cooked homemade meal, yet more than 60 percent want an answer to “what’s for dinner?”
I’ve got a solution. Fish Tacos with Chipotle Crema that are filled with super good-for-you flavorful ingredients.

• Cabbage is a fish taco stable, but red cabbage has six times more antioxidants than green, and green cabbage is still one of our most nutritious vegetables.
• Yogurt chipotle sauce adds a creamy, spicy kick.
• Pickled onions add tangy crunch.

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Crema
Serves 2
1 pound white fish, such as Artic Char, Barramundi, Mahi Mahi
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried cumin
2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white or red vinegar
1 lime, quartered
6 small corn tortillas

Heat oven to 350°F.
Pickle the onions: In a small glass or stainless steel bowl, combine red onion and vinegar in a small glass or stainless steel bowl. Set aside, but stir them occasionally, for the 20-30 minutes you are preparing dinner. Store leftovers in refrigerator, covered for a couple of weeks.
Make the crema: In a separate bowl, combine yogurt and chipotle. Set aside.
Place fish on baking sheet. Rub olive oil and herbs over fish. Bake until just cooked through and fish turns opaque, about 10 minutes per inch.
Assemble tacos with fish pieces, cabbage, pickled onion and chipotle crema. Squeeze lime juice over top.

Recipe source: Judy Barbe, www.LiveBest.info
Judy Barbe is a registered dietitian, speaker, and author of Your 6-Week Guide to LiveBest: Simple Solutions for Fresh Food & Well-Being. Visit her website http://www.LiveBest.info for every day food solutions. What are you waiting for?

How To Eat Sustainably

by Guest | May 3, 2019 | Eat Well

Adapted from an article by Judith Yamada, Kitchen Maven
 
You’ve probably heard the old saying “you are what you eat,” right? Well, if you want to be more sustainable, a good place to start is in your own kitchen. Here are some simple suggestions to help you factor in the environmental, economic and social impacts of the foods you put on your plate:
WHEN POSSIBLE:

1. Learn about what’s IN SEASON where you live, the closer the better.
2. Grow a garden of the foods you love. And purchase, pick, or gather fresh foods, during harvest season, to freeze, dry or can for later use.
3. Become a member of a CSA (community supported agriculture) farming operation by purchasing a share from a local farm. In doing so, you purchase a portion of the season’s bounty and support the farm’s efforts. In return for your financial support, early in the season, the farmers plant and nurture an assortment of vegetables, herbs, sometimes fruit and flowers. They harvest the produce at its peak of flavor. You pick it up, fresh and convenient!
4. Buy seafood from local fishers instead of the supermarket. It supports your community and it tastes better. And look for Fair Trade and organic brands that are distributed close to home and provide a living wage for workers.
5. Support farms that raise animals humanely with space to move about freely. When buying organic, look for a certification like Oregon Tilth or USDA Organic to ensure they meet standards. These standards include protecting natural resources, conserving biodiversity and using only approved substances.
6. Be easy on yourself. We’re all busy and can’t always cook everything “fresh.” So buy canned or frozen foods that are simply processed. They have similar nutritional values of fresh options. Use them with fresh ingredients. In the winter, I sometimes sauté diced red peppers and garden chives with canned organic corn. It’s fresh tasting and colorful.

 
REMEMBER:

7. Read your labels to know what you’re really purchasing, as some products may have confusing claims. There are smartphone apps available that can help with deciding what to buy and/or tracking what you eat.
8. Wash all fruits, herbs and vegetables before consuming or cooking, including organic choices.
9. Some food, organic or not, can be shipped from long distances, which is a factor for a food’s overall carbon footprint. The fuel used to transport the food has an impact on our environment.
10. Lastly, don’t feel guilty about purchasing special foods that just can’t be produced locally. What would I do without coffee and chocolate? Don’t even want to think about that.

 
For information about sourcing locally sourced food and CSA programs visit foodrootsnw.org or call 503.815.2800. For more Wellness tips visit tillamookcountyhealthmatters.org and Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook.
Here’s a start. Why not try the following simple, delicious recipe for Winter Squash and Leek Risotto. It takes a bit of time, but the vegetable cooking can be done ahead. The results are impressive and comforting. And, after preparing and eating this healthy seasonal meal, you’ll find more pleasure in that cuppa joe and single serving brownie you enjoy for dessert.

Squash & Leek Risotto

Original recipe by Kitchen Maven
Serves 4
 
3 cups cooked and peeled butternut squash*, cut in 1” cubes
2 medium sized leeks
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – divided
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart mushroom OR vegetable broth
¾  teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
 
Carefully wash the leeks. Cut off root ends and the dark green tops. Discard these and use  only the white and lighter green parts of the leeks. Cut them in half lengthwise. Slice coarsely. Put 2 Tablespoons olive oil into a 12” saucepan. Heat the oil on medium heat just until you see it ripple. Add the leeks. Cook about 4 minutes, stirring often. Remove leek slices from pan.
Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to the same pan. Again, heat the oil until it begins rippling; add the rice, coating it with oil and stirring often for 3 or 4 minutes. Slowly stir in the wine until most of it is absorbed.
In a 2-quart saucepan, heat all of the broth. With a ladle, add ½ cup of the broth, to the rice, at a time, stirring slowly but constantly until most is absorbed. Continue adding ½ cups of broth, and stirring until all the broth has been absorbed into the rice. It will take about 20 – 25 minutes to do this, so get ready to chill for a while. Add salt and pepper. Stir and taste for seasoning.
Add the cooked leeks and squash back to the rice. Stir to heat, for about 4 minutes. Stir in the cheese and enjoy.
*To cook the squash in the microwave:
Add ½ cup water to a round microwave safe cake pan or pie pan. Cut the squash into chunks about 5” square, and place flesh side down in pan. Cover loosely with waxed paper and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Check for doneness. Rotate pan and microwave an additional 3-5 minutes, as needed. Cool completely and remove rind with a sharp paring knife. Cut the squash into 1” cubes.
 
 
 
 
 

Meal Planning 101: Scan, Plan & Cook

by Michelle | Mar 27, 2019 | Eat Well

Thanks to a sponsorship by Tillamook County Wellness partner, Oregon Dairy & Nutrition Council, we will periodically feature articles and recipes from Judy Barbe, author, columnist and nutrition expert. As a registered dietitian nutritionist and food enthusiast, Judy offers realistic food solutions to help people “live their best.” Judy was a featured speaker for the Tillamook County “Year of Wellness” in 2016.
Meal Planning 101: Scan, Plan & Cook
By Judy Barbe RDN, LiveBest
It’s 5 o’clock. Somewhere.
That means it’s time to kick back and relax. Right?
Somewhere. But not after work when the kids want attention and the dog demands even more. And you’re trying to get dinner on the table.
If you want to control chaos, save time and money, and reduce wasted food, meal planning is your ticket.  Here are three steps to get you going.

1. Scan

Before you grocery shop, scan your cupboards, fridge and freezer. Are there foods on hand you can use to start a recipe? Tomatoes (canned or fresh) can be simmered with olive oil and garlic to make a pasta sauce. If you have a can of olives, tuna or clams, add those. Do you have vegetables you can repurpose into a salad, soup, or salsa?

2. Plan

Plan at least 3 meals you can make this week. Check the grocery promotions to see what’s on sale and what’s in season. Seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables taste best and cost less. Ask the store produce manager to learn what’s in season. Plain frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are also good options. Keep high-fiber foods in mind. Fiber is found in plant foods such as beans, seeds, nuts, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Think about how you can use what you’re cooking in another meal. Cooking ground beef or turkey? Cook extra and freeze for another meal. Baking salmon? Save some for a salad with lettuce, avocado, cucumber and orange slices. Cooking quinoa? Make extra to add to soups, chili, or toss with black beans, corn, mango, green chiles and a vinaigrette.

1. Cook

Set aside a power hour for meal prep that will last all week.

• Set the oven to 350° F. to bake nuts, vegetables, or chicken. Potatoes can be reheated later and topped with broccoli and cheese or chili. Add chicken to salads or casseroles.
• While the oven is heating, chop vegetables for side dishes, snacks and lunches. Keep some raw and store them at eye level, in a clear container in the fridge. When they’re the first things you see, you’re more likely to eat them. Toss some with 1- 2 teaspoons of olive oil, spread on a baking sheet and bake until just tender. Add to tacos, pizza, salads, or a frittata.
• Simmer a pot of soup.  Split pea soup, Peruvian Quinoa or white bean chicken chili can give you a night or two of meals.
• Hard cook eggs. Perfect for breakfast, lunches, and snacks. Add in salads, such as canned beets, toasted walnuts and blue cheese crumbles or curry egg salad.
• Cook a whole grain such as quinoa, bulgur, or wheat berries. This is an easy way to boost fiber and protein in salads or stuff a pepper. Yogurt and fruit are another way to enjoy whole grains.
• Blend bean dip or hummus for a high-fiber snack that’s ready when hunger strikes. Pack it with veggies and whole-grain crackers for lunch.

As you finish, pack foods in airtight containers, label and place them in the fridge or freezer. The more you plan, the easier the routine becomes. You’ll also appreciate when the 5 o’clock rush is more like  “I’ve got this!”
 
Registered dietitian Judy Barbe specializes in realistic food solutions. She is author of Your 6-Week Guide to LiveBest: Simple Solutions for Fresh Food & Well-Being. Visit her website www.LiveBest.info.
 
 
 

Big Wave Café Offers Healthy, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan Options

by Guest | Mar 7, 2019 | Eat Well

The new year is not too far behind us and, already, the annual “eat healthy” resolution for many is put on the back burner, especially if you want to eat out.  That’s a common dilemma for those that have food sensitivities, or adhere to certain eating regimens, or are simply wanting to eat healthy – restaurants are often “off-limits”.  Big Wave Café aims to feed everyone, and their new menu and daily specials reflect that commitment.
“Several months ago, we adjusted our menu and designated dishes as gluten free, vegetarian and vegan,” said chef/owner Brian Williams.  “We were getting lots of these requests,” he continued, “We provide the foods our patrons want, and it’s especially important to provide healthy options, that are more than a salad.”  Williams doesn’t just talk-the-talk, “I’ve been focusing my own food choices on healthier options, and you just feel better.”
Nightly specials at Big Wave Café include a seasonal veggie rice bowl that’s a feast for all the senses.  A rainbow of seasonal vegetables which in January includes red, yellow and green bell peppers, broccolini, butternut squash, carrots and Brussels sprouts are lightly sautéed in olive oil, presented over steamed white rice with black beans and topped with a local Bennett Family Farms egg.  “We are breaking the barrier for folks that want to dine out and eat healthy,” said Williams.
A big part of healthy eating is freshness and seasonality.  Big Wave Café’s menu and specials reflect the best ingredients, locally sourced, and served in ways that showcase the flavors of the foods.  The Big Wave Café Mission states:  Food at the Oregon Coast is not only a necessity, but also a culture.  For this reason, our food is not prepared in advance but instead in the moment that you order.  We strive to use only fresh ingredients, and therefore it may take longer for us to serve your meal.
Looking for a delicious meal at a local restaurant that’s healthy too is easy at Big Wave Café. Join them for lunch or dinner 11 am to 9 pm, Friday through Tuesday (closed Wednesdays and Thursdays) at the entrance to the Manzanita, just off Highway 101 at 822 Laneda Avenue.  See their complete menu and more at www.oregonsbigwavecafe.com.