Garlic Basil Mashed Potatoes

I've found recently that potatoes get a bit of a bad rap.  Maybe that's because the only way we ever see them served are deep fried or covered in butter or sour cream.  The truth is, potatoes are a very healthy vegetable when prepared in a healthy way and a great source of potassium and fiber when you leave the skin on.  On top of that, what could be a better comfort food than mashed potatoes? This is a perfect side dish for any night of the week and goes great with almost any main dish.  Garlic mashed potatoes are something served almost anywhere you go, but these potatoes have a little bit of extra flavor with fresh basil and a healthy substitution of olive oil for butter.  So enjoy a healthier version of an old favorite!

Garlic Basil Mashed Potatoes

4 medium white potatoes
1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup skim milk
dash of salt
dash of freshly ground pepper

Boil potatoes with the skin on for about 30 minutes or until tender.  Place in a bowl and mash.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth.  Makes 4 servings.

What's in season?

What's the big deal about buying "in season"?  Buying food items that are considered to be in season, especially if you're buying them from local sources, offer so many benefits.  One is that you're getting the freshest possible product. Have you ever bought produce from the grocery store only to get it home and have it looking shriveled and inedible 12 hours later?  Chances are that fruit or vegetable traveled a pretty long way to your fridge and it probably didn't start its journey all that fresh to begin with.  Buying in season also usually means less expensive.  Who doesn't want less expensive produce?  Buying in season usually means more nutritious.  Fruits and vegetables tend to lose many nutrients after being harvested.  So the longer the time an item spends after being picked before it gets to your fork can be the difference between food high in vitamins and minerals and food that has virtually none.

So what's in season here? Despite the particularly warm winter we've been having...it's still winter.  I don't know about you, but the grass in my yard doesn't too green and I'm pretty sure there aren't any seedlings anxiously waiting to turn into sprouts anytime soon.  So is there anything "in season" in these cold climates we call home?  Yes!  During the winter months vegetables that are considered "in season" include all kinds of potatoes, beets, turnips, winter squash, parsnips, cabbage, and onions.  If these are foods you don't normally salivate over, be brave and give them a try!  I will try to come up with a few recipes that feature the less popular ones (beets and turnips) so stay tuned.  Also, don't forget about other farm products that are fresh all year round and you can always purchase local, organic versions of including eggs, milk, yogurt, poultry, and beef.  So go easy on your wallet, get more nutritious food, and support a local farm...buy something in season this week!

Farmer's Market Item of the Week: Butternut Squash

It may be February, but the Regional Market is still quite busy on Saturday mornings and full of produce, seafood, meat and dairy products.  My green kitchen creation this week features a winter favorite of mine, butternut squash.  Butternut squash is a great vegetable because, like sweet potatoes and other orange vegetables, it is full of beta carotene and fiber, and is extremely versatile.  Many people think of squash as that dish that gets passed around the Thanksgiving table with very few takers.  On the contrary, it can be used for many months past Thanksgiving as its super easy to cook and can be used in so many ways.  Today I made a butternut squash veggie pizza by substituting tomato sauce with pureed roasted squash.  Find the recipe below and feel free to substitute any vegetables that you like for your toppings.  I used red and green bell peppers as well as broccoli, onions, and garlic, but in the past I've also added eggplant for a more hearty topping.

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (how much depends on the size pizza you want to make)

1 medium butternut squash
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 small yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
dash of salt
dash of ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place whole squash in for about 5 minutes to soften.

Slice the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Place cut-side down on a cookie sheet and place back in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

When fully roasted, scoop out the soft inside of squash and place in a blender to puree.  This will be used as your pizza sauce.

To make the pizza crust, place a sprinkle of cornmeal on a pizza stone to prevent the dough form sticking.  Roll out the dough and spread pureed squash all over.  Coarsely chop vegetables to be used as your toppings and sautee in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat.  When the veggies are slightly softened, but still firm, spread over crust and top with a dash of salt and ground pepper.  Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and bake for 15-18 minutes at 375 degrees.

Slice and enjoy healthy dose of colorful veggies!

Organic Produce vs Conventional Produce

Buying all organic food may be something many of us would like to do, but it's expensive!  If it's not feasible to purchase all of your produce from the organic section, there are certain items that you can rest assured are pretty safe when conventionally grown, while others you'll probably want to pay the extra money for to buy organic.  This is due to the amount of pesticide residue that remains on the food and how easy it is to wash off.  However, if you're buying organic for reasons other than pesticide residue on your food, you'll of course want to buy whatever you can manage that's produced that way.  It all depends on your food philosophies.  Here are two lists that most of you have probably seen before called the "dirty dozen" and the "clean 15."  These lists offer foods that you're better off buying organic if you can (the dirty 12) and those that are pretty safe to eat from conventional sources (the clean 15).

The Dirty 12
1. celery
2. peaches
3. strawberries
4. apples
5. domestic blueberries
6. nectarines
7. sweet bell peppers
8. spinach, kale, collard greens
9. cherries
10. potatoes
11. imported grapes
12. lettuce

*If you can't purchase all of these fruits and vegetables from organic sources, pay attention to those that have a removable peel (apples, potatoes) since that is where most of the pesticide will be.  Those you might consider buying from conventional sources, unless you eat the peel.

The Clean 15
1. onions
2. avocados
3. sweet corn
4. pineapples
5. mango
6. sweet peas
7. asparagus
8. kiwi
9. cabbage
10. eggplant
11. cantaloupe
12. watermelon
13. grapefruit
14. sweet potatoes
15. sweet onions

*notice most of these foods have peels that are removed before being eaten.  Bananas could also be added to this list.

Another note about buying organic, if you buy from a farmer's market or other local source, the cost is usually less than the grocery store, and often very close to that of conventional produce, because the cost of transporting the produce from a far away farm is not an issue.  Just one more reason to buy local :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  Enjoy a glass of your favorite New York State wine with a side of locally made chocolate (there are so many to choose from!)

Inspire Moore wine, Hercules chocolate covered pretzels, and "Pizza and Wings" from the Chocolate Pizza Company 

Local Find of the Week: Mu Mu Muesli and Wake Robin Yogurt

A delicious creation for breakfast, pre- or post-workout, or a mid-afternoon snack!

Muesli (MYOOs-lee): a breakfast cereal made from raw or toasted cereal grains, dried fruits, nuts, and dried milk solids and usually eaten with milk or yogurt; sometimes known as granola*

When on my search for local ingredients this week, I stumbled upon two items from Upstate New York that make a delicious pair.  Mu Mu Muesli, made in Sharon Springs, NY, is a great mix of raw oats, dried raisins and figs, almonds, and a little bit of coconut.  I wouldn't compare it to granola as my view of granola is a bit more crunchy, but perhaps a hybrid of oatmeal and trail mix.  I followed the serving suggestion on the package of muesli, which called for 1/4 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of yogurt.  The yogurt I used was another local gem from Wake Robin Farms, located in Jordan, NY.  If you're not familiar with these two towns, they're similar in that if you blink, you might miss them.  Sharon Springs is located east of Utica near Canajoharie while Jordan is located approximately 20 minutes west of Syracuse.  I realized that I had seen both of the products produced in these towns many times before, as they're attractive packaging had caught my eye at both the grocery store and farmer's market.  Little did I know, however, that they're origins lie so close to home.

Here are the makings of my Mu Mu Muesli, you can't get much more simple than this:

Start with 1 cup Mu Mu Muesli (or a combination of your own similar ingredients)

Add 1/4 cup skim milk and 1/2 cup yogurt

Add some grated apple or fresh berries, I used a Cortland apple from the farmer's market, which was a little sweet.  I think a more tart apple like a granny smith or tart berries (as the MuMu makers suggest) would be delicious.

* From On Cooking 4th ed. by Alan M. Hause and Sarah R. Labensky.  Pearson Prentice Hall 2007.

Farmer's Market Item of the Week: Sweet Potatoes

Anyone that knows me fairly well knows that I love sweet potatoes.  I use them in so many recipes and am always on the hunt for new ways to eat them.  Why do I love them so much?  Because they pack a nutritional punch containing tons of vitamin A and beta carotene along with vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.  The best part about them? Just as the name states...they're sweet!  They taste like they should be a guilty pleasure, but they're really not.  I recently stumbled upon a recipe for Sweet Potato Muffins and with a few modifications came up with a really great creation for any time of day.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Muffins

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup melted, unsalted butter
1/4 cup applesauce (no sugar added)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato
3/4 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 375° F and grease 12 muffin cups.  Combine dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  In a separate bowl combine melted butter, applesauce, egg, milk, and sweet potato and mix until completely combined.  Pour liquid mixture into the bowl with dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Pour muffin batter into cups and bake for 23-25 minutes.  Yields 12 muffins.

Each muffin contains:
197 calories
5 grams of protein
3 grams of fiber
5 grams of fat

In the beginning...our raw materials may not be so pretty, but they'll definitely be tasty!  Wrap potatoes in foil and bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes depending on the size of the potato.

Once the potatoes are fully cooked, scoop out the soft center or pull off the peel.  Place in a bowl and mash.

Mmmm...our finished product! 

And we can't forget a baby-friendly version of our sweet potatoes!  Depending on the age of your little one, you'll want to handle the cooked sweet potatoes differently.  For babies still eating soft foods, prepare the sweet potato as directed above.  If your child is new to solid foods, you'll want to place the cooked sweet potato in a blender and puree until smooth.  If your little tot is eating foods with a little more texture, you can simply mash the potato after it is cooked (same as above) and serve it from there. Just be sure there aren't any large chunks hiding out before you serve them.  Sweet potatoes are a favorite of ours because not only are they super easy to cook, they freeze very well, and Addison is crazy about them.  They also serve as a nice base if you want to add other veggies as your child gets into eating more combinations.

Although not as good looking as the adult version, you're sure to get rave reviews from your little one (I hope!)

Welcome to KJ's Green Kitchen

          Thanks for visiting KJ's Green Kitchen!  I've started this blog to share my journey in making my life and my family's life a little healthier and a little more "green" through food.  I love pretty much everything about food, cooking it, eating it, and sharing it with the people I love.  I am currently studying to become a Registered Dietitian so I can help others enjoy food in a way that helps them to lead a healthier life.
          I live in Syracuse, NY, which for those of you who have never been here, has more to offer than just a frozen, tundra-like atmosphere.  In addition to being one of the snowiest cities in the US, we have a large number of green initiatives in our city including a huge push for eating locally and encouraging other means of sustainable eating.  Our Regional Market is a fantastic resource for those who want to eat fresh, locally grown food and support our area farmers.  It's open all year round and even in the winter offers a wide variety of wonderfully delicious fruits, vegetables, seafood, and meats. Going to the market every Saturday morning with my husband, Ryan, and our daughter, Addison, is one of the highlights of my weekend.  We gather all of the fresh, in season foods we can and head home for a weekend full of experimenting with new recipes, or old favorites, and making lots and lots of baby food for Addison.  Knowing that I'm feeding my family the freshest food I can while also supporting our local food system gives me a pretty good feeling.
          In my journey toward greener, healthier living I will be sharing my experiences in local food shopping, both at farmer's markets and local food co-ops, and the recipes I create with my findings.  I look forward to sharing my experiences in this blog and hopefully I will be able to inspire others to explore local foods as well.  Enjoy!