Power Foods

Winter is a good time to literally take inventory of how many of these power foods you have on hand, restock and reminds you to incorporate them into your daily diet. I also take this as a good opportunity to go through non perishables + canned goods to give to my local food pantry.

Almonds: good fiber, protein good for your heart. Go ahead and go nuts!

Apples: Vitamin C and soluble fiber and helps keep the doctor away.

Beets: rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters; save fresh stems for salads for a double bonus.

Blueberries: big plant compounds to prevent chronic diseases. Toss in cereal and yogurt to get your day started right.

Broccoli: missed your O.J. today? Have a glass of broccoli; it’s powerhouse of calcium, potassium, folate, fiber, Vitamins A & C. 

Red Beans: excellent source of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, thiamin, and copper, low fat low cal source of protein and fiber. A complete meal with steamed brown rice.

Spinach: Vitamin A and C folate. Good source of riboflavin, vitamin B-6, calcium iron and magnesium. Boost your immune system and keep hair and skin healthy. Seemed to work for Popeye.

Salmon: Omega-3 fatty acids, aids in keeping blood from clotting, good source of protein. Need more reason, just try this tasty recipe for Cedar Planked Salmon.

Sweet Potatoes: high in antioxidant beta-carotene which can slow the aging process. Good fiber, fat free, and under 60 calories per tuber.

Swiss chard: a leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes. Sorry, the DMV still requires an eye test for drivers license even if you eat your Swiss chard.

Pumpkin seeds: the most nutritious part of the pumpkin. Full of magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death. Helpful in the dugout during a Game Day too.

Sardines: high in omega-3’s, loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins. Enough said.

Turmeric: more than just a yellow color to paella, it contains anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

Wheat Germ: great boost to your immune system and cardio health. Go ahead treat yourself to an ice cream topped with wheat germ, you are doing yourself good. 

Vegetable Juice: when choosing, select a low sodium version because it’s filled with lycopene, an antioxidant that reduces risk of heart attack and prostate cancer. 

Source: 'Recipes for a Healthy Active Life', by George Hirsch, Living it UP! TV series companion cookbook

Full Moon

What happens when you harvest olives is Spain during October's full moon? (Well, besides creating a brilliant marketing hook?) Spain's Pago Baldios San Carlos will say "absolutely the best olive oil pressed from Spain's arbequina and cornicabra olives." The Pago Baldios San Carlos Family has been in the agricultural biz since the 17th century, so they might have the hang of the pressing thing by now. Their view of their products continues to come from a more holistic or living well driven lifestyle + necessity, rather than desire for a luxury product to market. They have many years of evidence that their pressed oil is good for you too. Focus is on quality yielded and not quantity; acknowledging olive oil is only 3% of the world's vegetable oil consumption. A calming reality, I guess.

This award winning oil is also making it's way to the finest Michelin Chef kitchens around world. ImPRESSive. Pun intended.

Pain de Mie

I'm sure you'll agree the aroma of freshly baked bread is comforting during the cold winter season. Pain de Mie is just another way of saying a fresh baked pullman loaf of bread (a long rectangular loaf). Do you prefer yours toasted with butter or jam? Or, maybe you fancy a simple egg salad, tuna salad or BLT sandwich? You might want to go for the full energy classic combo of peanut butter and banana.

Baking really is a science and baking bread successfully proves that there are so many factors to consider when thinking about how your loaf is going to bake-up. For example, the air temperature, the quality of the flour, the type of liquid used - are all to be taken into consideration. But, I'll spare you and won't turn this into a Baking 101 Class. I've given you a basic but fail-safe recipe should you want to bring out your inner most boulanger (bread baker).

Pain de Mie

Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 1 loaf

2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 cup water
6 Tablespoons sweet butter, softened
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons potato flour
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

For Full Recipe

Pan of the Hour

I always say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and prefer not to rush through it and compromise the quality of this meal to save a few minutes by eating a breakfast snack. I think of breakfast as the jumping point for my day, and look forward to making it count by allotting enough time for it everyday. My routine breakfast starts with a good juice, banana or fresh fruit, yogurt and cereal with a cup of coffee.  To keep breakfast from being too routine I include eggs + toast every couple of days, which really only takes a few minutes to prepare. Your body will thank you for it mid-morning, when you have all the brain power to think clearly until lunch time. 

Here's the pan that assists me. Yes it's nonstick, which permits me to use less fat when scrambling eggs or making an omelette. Always use a nonstick spatula.

Tip: There's a good rule to follow; the egg pan is only used for eggs. 

Nonstick d5 Pan by AllClad.