Trying new things - dinner tonight!

Recently I've been reading a book called This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader by Joan Dye Gussow. I won't go in to the book at this time, but tucked into the pages are delicious recipes. Last night's reading featured a potato frittata.  Now, I know what a frittata is, but I've actually never made one before. At least, not before today. I did not have all the ingredients on hand, but I figured that frittatas are similar to omelets and you can put just about anything into an omelet, so I decided just to use what I had handy. Here's what I used:

• 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 lb red potatoes, sliced thin
• 1 small white onion, sliced thin
• 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced thin
• large handful of spinach, torn
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 eggs, beaten (you could use mostly egg whites or egg substitute as well)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (or grated Italian blend cheeses)

Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a 12 inch cast iron skillet (or other heat proof skillet - it needs to be able to go from stove top to oven) heat the olive oil and garlic - allowing the garlic to infuse into the oil. Do this over medium-low heat.  Remove the garlic after it has infused the oil, and then add the potatoes and onions to the oil. Turn up the heat to medium or medium/high. 

Allow the mixture to cook (untouched) for about 5 minutes and then add the mushrooms. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary. Cook for 2-3 more minutes, then flip the mixture over and cook for 5 minutes (so the onions, potatoes, and mushrooms get nice and brown).

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together.  In the final 2 minutes of cooking, add the torn spinach and allow to wilt. 

 Once the mixture has finished cooking, turn of the stove top and pour the egg mixture in. Rearrange the potato mixture so the eggs can get under and around. 

Now, pop the skillet directly in your preheated oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until golden on top. Turn the oven off and sprinkle the cheese on top of the frittata. Allow the frittata to sit in the warm oven for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese. That's it! It's that simple! Now, just cut your Rosemary Potato Frittata into wedges and serve with a small salad for a complete meal. YUM! 

My Absence Explained

Hello blog friends!

I know, I know, it has been quite a while since I've posted. I hate to keep you all in suspense for so long! I do have a good reason though, I promise! This past week, Mr. Maestro and I had the pleasure of hosting the Maestro family "kiddies" for the week (I have not yet coined clever names with which to refer to them - I'll be working on that).  We had so much fun! Mr. Maestro was on Spring Break (wahoo!) last week, so he got to spend a bit more time with them than I did.  Needless to say, I was busy having SO MUCH FUN I just didn't have time to post!

Here are just SOME of the adventures we had:

We attended a Gala...

 {These are our best "Jazz" poses - I'm playing the trumpet and Mr. Maestro is on the drums}

We had a picnic in the park...

We ate some yummy "multi-chef" meals...

Never fear, even in the midst of the par-tay-ing, we still had time to get a few projects completed. 

I'll share one of them today.

 I celebrated St. Patty's day by going green with an herb garden! I LOVE having fresh herbs throughout the spring and summer! I planted Rosemary, Sweet Basil, German Thyme, Boxwood Basil, Oregano, and Mint. I have been using these herbs nearly every day since.

I don't really have a lot of space for a garden, and what space I do have gets very little sun. I solved this little conundrum by hanging my herb garden on the wall, er...fence (where it can take advantage of the mid-day sun). I planted each herb in a separate bucket (with drainage holes), and hung the buckets on a painted 2x4 with decorative hooks. This will be my third season to use this little set-up, and I must say it works marvelously well! Here's a quick pic:
 

I love to cook...but the clean-up...Ugh!

I think most of us know that cooking meals at home is a much healthier alternative to eating out or taking out our food. When we are our own chefs, we tend to use fewer processed ingredients, which means less fat (especially trans fat - bleck!) and sodium in our diets. We also tend to consume smaller portions. Smaller portions, less Calories, and less fat = healthier eating and a healthier you!
{Confession Time Alert}
Why is it, then, that it can be SO hard to cook during the week? {And I really do love to cook!} I've decided that a part of the reason why it's easier to turn a blind eye to my pantry and cooking utensils is because while I love cooking, I HATE cleaning up my mess! I have several friends with cooking/cleaning arrangements with their spouses that seem to work well, but that doesn't work for me. Why you might ask? Well, Mr. Maestro and I really enjoy cooking together - which means that, in fairness, we would have to clean together {which we could both do without}. All too often the dinner dishes get left in the sink overnight with the promise that we'll take care of them "first thing in the morning." And do we? Um.....not usually. Usually, I huff and puff and clean them up when I get home from work - leaving me totally inspired to make another mess and cook again...right. 
I know, I know...this is a very silly and petty "problem."  I'm sure all you moms out there are reading this and thinking "Just you wait...you have no idea..." And you're right. And it's silly. And I need to get over it. I'm working on it, ok?
So why have I shared with you this rambling rant? Well, I recently stumbled across an article called How to solve 19 Kitchen Connundrums {you can find it here}. I'd like to share a few of these problem solvers with you. I hope that they inspire me to view kitchen clean-up as a less daunting task!

Conundrum: Cheese Stuck to a Grater

Solution: To make grater cleanup a breeze, spritz with nonstick cooking spray before grating cheese and the residue will wipe right off.
{STP sidenote: Why have I not thought of this before? This is such a simple solution!}

Conundrum: Stains on Plastic Storage Containers

Solution: Tomato sauce and other acidic foods leave stains on plastic that even the dishwasher won't remove. Set those plastic pieces out in the sun to naturally bleach the stains away. (Rub lemon juice on especially stubborn spots first. Baking soda also works well in bleaching color out of plastic, and it helps get rid of strong odors.)
{STP sidenote: I get so irritated when tomato sauces turn my spatulas and storage containers orange! I have another solution for this issue that I will be sharing soon - stay tuned!}

Conundrum: Milk Scum

Solution: Cream sauces, custards, and other cooked-milk mixtures nearly always adhere to pans. To fix this problem, fill the pot with warm water and add several tablespoons of baking soda or a powdered cleanser like Bon Ami ($11 for a pack of six canisters, bonami.com). Bring to a boil and let boil until the scorched milk loosens and floats to the surface.

{STP Sidenote: BonAmi is great! I use it to clean my glass stove top and stainless steel sink - works like a charm!}

Conundrum: Cooked-on Egg

Solution: Add a bit of water to the skillet and return it to the heat for a few minutes. This will loosen the egg and allow you to wipe out the pan effortlessly.

Conundrum: Resude on the Exterior of a Pot

Solution: Clean aluminum (without color or decorative finish), copper bottoms, stainless steel, or glass using a paste made from Bar Keepers Friend, and water. Wet the surface first and scrub with a soft, damp cloth. Do not leave the paste on for longer than a minute. Rinse and reapply if necessary.

{STP Sidenote: Bon Ami works great for this too!}

I'm curious, what are your kitchen conundrum solutions? Please share!

 

Two Hour Window Update

Hi!

Today I thought I'd share a super easy, low cost, and no sew window transformation I recently completed.  As you all know, just a few weeks ago, Mom and I attempted the daunting task of slipcovering the RED couches - with great {I think} results! After completing the couches, the curtains that "dress" the patio doors started to look a little "circusy." See what I mean?

I had heard rumors of "drop cloth" curtains in blogdom and thought I'd give them a try. When I went to my local home-improvement store, there were several sizes of drop cloths to choose from. I went with 6'x9'.  I love the linen look of the canvas!

I got two drop cloths - one panel for each side of my patio doors. 

Here is the final cost:

Not too shabby!

I washed and partially dried the drop cloths, removing them from the dryer while still a tad damp. Then I  ironed them to get all the wrinkles out {Ironing was the hardest part, it just requires some patience}.  Once that was done, I adjusted the length of the curtains by folding the unused portion behind the top and used my curtain clip rings to clip them in place on the fold line!  Easy, peasy!

Here is the finished result:

To me, the room is starting to feel much more serene and "grown up." The neutral palette is also a plus, since we'll be putting our townhouse on the market soon. Keep your fingers crossed for selling - I'd love to find a new dream house! 

Eating Right with Color: Meal Makeover #1

For a long time, the average American has had a skewed perception of what a healthy diet really looks like. When you ask someone to describe a balanced meal, the response is often something a little like this:

 What's wrong with this you might ask? There is a meat and two vegetables, right? Isn't that the recipe for health?  Well, let's break it down. Red meat isn't bad for you, but it does have the highest amount of saturated fat (bad fat) of any of the meats. This particular slab of meat is also rather large - taking up about half of the dinner plate. Look at your palm....ok, now look at the size (proportionally) of that piece of meat. See the difference? The palm is a good indicator of a serving of meat - it usually equals about 3 ounces. I'd wager that this steak is upwards of 12-16 ounces - wowzers!  Now lets take a look at the vegetables. Both are starches. There is nothing wrong with a starch, but they don't offer the same nutrient packed punch that some other veggies do - also, they will have the same effect on your blood glucose {blood sugar} that regular sugar will - they are carbohydrates. This is especially important if you  or someone you are cooking for has diabetes.

Now look at this plate. This is more of a "transitional" plate.

As you can see, the green starchy vegetable has been replaced with a green non-starchy vegetable and the mashed potatoes have been switched out for fiber packed whole grain brown rice.  The steak is considerably smaller too!  It's probably only about 6 ounces at this point. But we still have some work to do...

So what is the ultimate goal? Well this is an example of the New American Plate.

This plate still contains some of that fiber packed whole grain brown rice, but it also is full of vitamin and nutrient rich vegetables - stocked full of antioxidants that can help with disease prevention!  The plate is more than half filled with veggies (3/4 as a matter of fact) and the remaining portion (1/4) is left for a "flavoring" of meat.  Just enough to provide a satisfying and protein rich addition to a diet based on whole grains and vegetables.

Today's recipe is based on this New American Plate Concept, and it's a great one that will help you Eat Right {with color} for dinner tonight!

{Read what the American Institute for Cancer Research has to say about the New American Plate}

Sirloin with Sugar Snap Pea & Pasta Salad with Gremolata Dressing

**A gremolata is made with fresh parsley, garlic and lemon peel. This fresh-tasting dressing is an outstanding accompaniment to beef and pasta**

4 Servings

Water

2 cups fresh sugar snap peas 

2 cups cooked gemelli or corkscrew pasta 

1 cup grape or teardrop tomatoes, cut in halves

Gremolata Dressing: 

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1 teaspoon pepper 

1 boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 3⁄4 inchthick (about 1 pound) 

Salt, as desired

Freshly grated lemon peel 

Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1.Bring water to boil in large saucepan. Add peas; cook 2 to 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain; rinse under cold water. Combine peas, pasta and tomatoes in large bowl. Set aside.

2.Whisk Gremolata Dressing ingredients in small bowl until well blended. Toss 2 table- spoons dressing with pasta mixture. Set aside.

3.Combine garlic and pepper; press evenly onto beef steak. Place steak on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 2 to 3 inches from heat. Broil 9–12 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning once.

4.Carve steak into thin slices; season with salt, as desired. Add steak slices and remaining dressing to pasta mixture; toss to coat evenly. Garnish with lemon peel and parsley, if desired.

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Nutrition Facts per Serving:

Calories: 369 Monounsaturated fat: 7 g Carbohydrate: 31 g Niacin: 10.0 mg Iron: 4.4 mg

Fat: 12 g Cholesterol: 50 mg Fiber: 4.2 g Vitamin B6: 0.7 mg Selenium: 46.5 mcg

Saturated fat: 3 g Sodium: 216 mg Protein: 32 g Vitamin B12: 1.4 mcg Zinc: 5.3 mg

Recipe provided courtesy of John Wiley & Sons, From The Healthy Beef Cookbook by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association & American Dietetic Association ©2006, John Wiley & Sons.

The end of a very long day...

My day started a wee bit early @ 4 AM as I woke up and prepared to drive to Nashville for the Tennessee Dietetic Association meeting this morning. I arrived by 8:30 {after dealing with some Nashville traffic} just in time for a bite of breakfast and the first speaker of the day.

Today I learned a lot of things.

I learned to prioritize my life based on my values. I learned that healthy relationships oxygenate life, while unhealthy ones take your breath away. I learned that listening to music with 60-84 beats per minute is energizing (I think I'll ask Mr. Maestro to hook me up with some of this music so that I can test this theory), because this is the typical beats per minute of the human heart.  Chere Bork, a self-proclaimed health and life balance enthusiast {and registered dietitian} helped us to examine our daily schedule and look for energy highs and lows. She also told us to take a nap - I can buy into that!

I  learned that PCOS (poly cystic ovary syndrome) effects 1 of every 10 women and that is the most common endocrine disorder in premenopausal women. I learned that by the age of 30, 30% of women with PCOS will have type II Diabetes and that by the age of 60, 60% of women with PCOS will have it!  I also learned that nutrition therapy can have a very real effect on the treatment of this disorder!  If you, or someone you know suffers from PCOS, you need to check out this site: PCOS Nutrition Center

I learned about the obesity epidemic in Tennessee - and what the Tennessee Department of Health and the Tennessee Obesity Task Force is doing to make a healthy lifestyle easily accessible to the general population. This involves making communities more "walkable," introducing real grocery stores into food deserts, and changing policies to make health promotion a priority. To check out what's happening and become a member of the Tennessee Obesity Task Force go here: eatwellplaymoretn.org

One of my favorite presentations of the day was from Janet Helm - a registered dietitian and author of the Nutrition Unplugged blog.  She gave practical advice on using social media like Facebook, Twitter, and blogs as a tool for distributing sound nutrition advice to the general public.  She really had some cool things to say - and some suggestions of things that I plan to do to make this blog more valuable to you, dear reader!  In fact, I was so inspired by her presentation, that I created a Twitter account on the spot! Follow me @sweetomatopie {P.S. - I am [obviously] a Tweeting rookie - so please be patient!}

Perhaps one of my favorite parts of the day was catching up with some old friends. One of the gals I got to see today is Sarah-Jane Bedwell, also known as Nashville's Nutrition Expert. Sarah-Jane and I graduated from Harding University in the same class and our careers as RDs have taken us in very different directions. I am so inspired by her! She is truly a nutrition entrepreneur and is really making a name for herself speaking all over the country, on her monthly TV spots, with her own nutrition private practice, and through various other speaking and media engagements.  You go girl!

Oh yeah, I also won a little award. :)

Happy National Nutrition Month!

Today, March 1st, marks the first day of National Nutrition Month.  Since 1980, the American Dietetic Association {the worlds largest organization of food and nutrition professionals - with over 70,000 members!} has been the key sponsor of this month-long celebration - which is intended to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.   This year's theme is:

You might wonder what "eating right with color" means. Simply stated, this is a call to return to the basics of healthy eating. When you look at your plate, what do you see? Do you see a plate filled with mostly yellow, brown, and white colors? An easy trick for making your meals more healthy is to fill your plate with a rainbow of {naturally occurring} colors. Different colored fruits and veggies have different health benefits. Here is an easy breakdown of the benefits of each color:

Red produce contains properties that can heart health, increase immunity, maintain vision, and may even reduce cancer risks. Examples of red produce:

• Fruits: cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, red/pink grape fruit, red grapes and watermelon
• Vegetables: beets, red onions, red peppers, red potatoes, rhubarb and tomatoes

Orange and deep yellow produce contain nutrients that support healthy vision and promote immunity, they can also reduce the risk of certain cancers. Examples of orange/deep yellow produce:

• Fruits: apricot, cantaloupe, grapefruit, mango, papaya, peach and pineapple
• Vegetables: carrots, yellow pepper, yellow corn and sweet potatoes

Green fruits and vegetables indicate antioxidant potential and may help promote healthy vision and reduce cancer risks.

• Fruits: avocado, apples, grapes, honeydew, kiwi and lime
• Vegetables: artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, green peppers and leafy greens such as spinach

Purple and blue  produce also have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits and may help with memory, urinary tract health and can aid in reducing the risk of cancer.

• Fruits: blackberries, blueberries, plums, raisins
• Vegetables: eggplant, purple cabbage, purple-fleshed potato

White, tan and brown foods sometimes contain nutrients that may promote heart health and reduce cancer risks.

• Fruits: banana, brown pear, dates and white peaches
• Vegetables: cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, turnips, white-fleshed potato and white corn

So what are you waiting for? Tonight for dinner, be sure that your family "eats the rainbow!"

Read more about National Nutrition Month here: American Dietetic Association