The Denim Diaries by Kami Gray

It’s not exactly news that many American food manufacturers put cheap, fat-making, toxic, fake fillers in our food, but did you know that the ratio of fat-to-salt-to-sugar can also be cleverly combined to reach an ideal BLISSPOINT that makes food addictive and nearly impossible to resist? I didn’t! It doesn’t make a lick of a difference to me in terms of my own diet because those foods never reach my lips, but how are YOU doing in your attempt to avoid what author Dr. David Kessler of The End of Overeating calls HYPERPALATABLE FOODS?

In a recent article in the Washington Times, Dr. Kessler explains that, “Our brains start encoding everything about the hyperpalatable food - say a chocolate-chip cookie - so that the next time we see or think about a chocolate-chip cookie, we almost can hear the crinkle of the cellophane wrap, feel the crunch of the first bite between our teeth and taste the intense explosion of chocolate, fat and sugar. The experience of the chocolate-chip cookie becomes multisensory. Multisensory and almost impossible to resist, the thought of the cookie raises dopamine levels in the brain, which sends waves of anticipation through the body.”

So how do we avoid something like an overly-processed, packaged, strategically-engineered chocolate chip cookie in the first place? You can start by changing the way you think about a chocolate chip cookie. Visualize what it should look like, taste like, and feel like to eat it? I’m serious. Redefine what food bliss means to you. I didn’t know about all this blisspoint stuff when I wrote my book, but coincidentally, I discuss food bliss in my book — in a chapter appropriately titled, Food Bliss! To me, food bliss occurs every single time I take a bite of something, without exception, because I only eat foods that meet my criteria for healthy eating.

My chocolate chip cookie isn’t quite as sweet, gooey, or smooth in texture as your average store-bought cookie, but mine doesn’t make me fat because I can stop at just one as it’s not perfectly-engineered to prompt addictive behavior while I’m eating it. Because of my cookie’s wholesome ingredients, it also doesn’t drain my energy or contribute negatively to my health. I can trust my cookie because I made it - or someone I know and trust did. Wanna find out for yourself?

Here’s my chocolate chip cookie recipe (adapted from my sister Kelly’s energy bars, which are in the recipe section of my book):

NOTE: you can make these into cookies or bars…I’m lazy and bars are quicker and easier to prepare. Use local, certified organic ingredients if possible.

1 one-fourth cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon expeller-pressed organic canola oil

one-fourth cup toasted wheat germ

one-fourth cup whole wheat flour

one-fourth cup flaxseed meal

one-fourth cup amber agave nectar or raw honey

1 large egg white

2 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt

2 teaspoons unsulphured dark molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

one-half teaspoon sea salt

one-third cup dark chocolate chips

one-fourth cup raisins and/or chopped dried apples or apricots (optional)

one-fourth cup sunflower seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Brush an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan with canola oil. combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a separate, smaller bowl. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture until thoroughly combined. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and press down firmly and evenly using an oiled rubber spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven, let cool completely, and cut into bars to serve.

Make these sometime and let me know if these tasty treats hit your blisspoint.

How exciting! I recently received the message below in my Facebook inbox from a co-worker and friend that bought a copy of The Denim Diet at my book signing at Powell’s in March.

This isn’t just shameless self promotion I swear! Her letter illustrates perfectly just how easy it is to make small changes in your eating habits (by now you know I’m not a fan of the word DIET) and get BIG results.

Yay Hollye!

________________________________________

Hi Miss Kami,

Hope you are well. I wanted to let you know a couple of things:

1. I have lost about 10-12 pounds in about 7 weeks by cutting out most refined flour and eating only whole grains (I’m a huge convert of wheat berries and quinoa); however, I cannot bring myself to eat whole wheat pasta, but I have a way around that — I love other whole grains, so while the rests of the family is having their pasta (they are Italian, you know) I put my sauce over a whole grain.

2. Since I LOVE TO COOK I am developing all sorts of recipes to get the rest of the fam damily to eat better. If you’re ever interested in having a contributor/collaborator for a Denim Diet Cookbook, I’m your girl. You should try my banana nut muffins (which can be made with a variety of fruits/veggies ~ not just bananas). Instead of sugar/etc., they have a super light whole wheat flour, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, and either a tiny bit of butter or a little hazel nut oil and some apple sauce. They’re really great.

3. I’ve also been promoting your book with all my buddies not only here but across the country. Is your book available at other stores besides Powell’s? I have some friends who are internet adverse and will not order anything off Amazon, etc., but they will burn fossil fuels to go to Barnes & Noble/Borders what not. Let me know.

4. My bone spurs in my neck have made it necessary for me to quit paddling; however, I have stepped up my workouts at the gym (yoga, specifically) per my doctor’s orders. Thus, between sensible exercise (like you said, whatever works for you) and eating intelligently, it works.

So, if you need a testimonial from me regarding how your plan works, again, I’m your girl.

Love your book.

Talk to you later,

Hollye

________________________________________

How lucky are we?!? I begged Hollye for the Banana Nut Muffin recipe and a pretty picture to go along with it and here it is! Thank you girlfriend!

Banana Nut Muffin Recipe by Hollye Maxwell

Adapted from Baking Illustrated by the Editors of Cook’s Illustrated Magazine.

NOTE: I changed many of the ingredients for this recipe and some of the quantities; you may find that your oven and tastes push the recipe in a different direction; however, this adaptation fits The Denim Diet philosophy.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting the tins
1 ½ cups or so chopped nuts (pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts ~ the choice is yours)
¼ cup maple syrup
½ cup brown rice syrup
3 tablespoons applesauce
3 tablespoons melted and cooled unsalted butter (or if you’re really adventurous, use 3 T extra virgin olive oil)
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
3 very ripe, soft large bananas mashed (about 1 ½ cups or so)
¼ cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 large eggs lightly beaten (or one egg and one egg white)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toast the chopped nuts about 5 minutes on a baking sheet and cool.

While the nuts are toasting, grease your muffin tins with a little butter and dust with flour or use unbleached paper muffin liners. 

Mix the wet ingredients together.

Whisk the dry ingredients together.

Mix the wet into the dry by folding with a spatula.

Scoop about ½ cup of the mixture into the prepared muffin tins (more or less depending on how big you want your muffins).

Bake for about 25 minutes until a pick inserted has few crumbs clinging to it but be sure to start checking at 20 minutes as ovens vary widely in temperature/cooking time.  Also be sure to rotate the tins about halfway through the baking in order to bake them evenly.

Allow to cool in their pans for about 5 minutes then turn out and allow to cool completely before putting in a storage container.  They will keep about 3 to 4 days unrefrigerated in a container.

______________

Will someone who isn’t as lazy in the kitchen as I am PLEASE make these and let me know how they turn out?

And thank you Hollye! I’m very happy for you!

I know. I’ve gone too far. Why would anyone need a healthy birthday cake? Live a little right? Well…it wasn’t my idea! I swear! 

I wasn’t exactly babysitting, but my best friend has a very soon-to-be twelve year-old son. His name is Avery and I’ve been Aunt Kami to him since he was a cute little chubby-cheeked two year-old. His mom needed some couple time with her boyfriend (a seriously great guy) of two years. Before the great guy came along, it was just mother and son and when the former is out in the world without Avery, he calls her cell phone a lot! I offered to hang with Avery so they could enjoy a nice evening together without the constant interruption. When he’s with me, I provide plenty of distractions and I’m pretty strict with cell phone use unless there’s a real crisis. “I miss my Mom and want her to come home right now,” doesn’t fly with me. Our distraction last Saturday evening was making Avery’s Mom a birthday cake. We celebrated her birthday a few days prior, but neglected to make a cake, which is no good at all…no cake…no birthday wish!

Avery and Aunt Kami to the rescue. Here’s how it all went down. Avery claimed to be interested in taking a look at my book. He said his Mom thought it was funny and he’d been thinking about reading it. Flattery will, in fact, get you places dear boy. He picked it up, read a few pages, then looked up at me and declared he had a better idea. That didn’t take long! He thought we should make one of the recipes from the back of the book. I like it! He chose the Energy Bars and we made a plan to turn them into a layered energy bar cake. After walking to the grocery store for a few missing items (flax seed meal, brown rice syrup, toasted wheat germ, low-fat plain yogurt, and whole oats), we made an adorable cake and Avery liked the bars so much, he ate a few for dessert while we watched one of our all-time favorite movies, October Sky. After the movie, Avery made something that all of us mothers treasure dearly and keep forever…a home-made card.

And guess what? Avery never called his Mom once! When Mom arrived to pick up Avery - we lit the candles, sang happy birthday, mom made a wish, and we devoured the cake! How great is this kid? I love you Avery! Well done!

I blog often about how lazy I am in the kitchen. I’m ridiculously impatient when it comes to cooking and have fairly low standards when it comes to taste. I just want food to meet my criteria for healthy eating. That’s all fine and great when I’m only cooking for myself, but when I host a dinner party, game night, or book club, I don’t want to force my low standards on other people.

Last weekend I hosted game night for some friends from high school, some of whom I hadn’t spent time with in years. I wanted to at least try and make a good impression. It’s hard to go wrong with pasta unless you overcook the noodles. Lasagna is great because you can sneak healthy ingredients into it, make it ahead of time, and most people like it.

EVERYONE at my dinner table asked for the recipe so I’m guessing I did the lasagna justice. Here’s my easy recipe:

Yield: Makes one lasagna in 10x 13 metal cake pan or glass baking dish.

INGREDIENTS:

1 box Spelt Organic Lasagna Noodles (whole grain, super high in protein and fiber, and trust me, they’re delicious!)

1 jar organic marinara sauce

1 jar organic vodka sauce

1 cup part-skim shredded organic mozzarella cheese

One fourth cup shredded Italian parmesan cheese

1 pound buffalo sausage (I found mine at the Portland Farmer’s market and it had a little kick to it. You may need to do some looking to find buffalo, but it’s well worth it as it contains 76% less saturated that ground beef and contains tons of antioxidants….try northforkbison.com or healthybuffalo.com to order it online. Use Italian chicken sausage if you can’t find buffalo.)

1 white or yellow diced organic onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

Half teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

One fourth teaspoon chili flakes

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven on bake at 425 degrees. Sauté onion in olive oil over medium low heat in large sauté pan until onions are translucent. Add sausage until browned and fully cooked. Add jars of pasta sauce. Add pepper and chili flakes and stir. Turn up heat to boiling and then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often. Bring large pot of water to boiling and add a splash of olive oil to water. Add noodles to water and be careful to remove when almost fully cooked. They should be al dente.  Pour noodles into strainer over the kitchen sink. Allow to cool. Layer cake pan in the following order: sauce mixture, noodles (lay flat, covering entire pan in single layer), mozzarella and repeat until all ingredients are used up or you have reached the top edge of the pan, making sure that the top layer is sauce and not noodles. Dust top with leftover mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Place in oven for 20-30 minutes or until sauce bubbles and cheese has browned slightly. Cool for five to ten minutes and serve.

A fresh garden salad and whole wheat baguette make the perfect accompaniment to lasagna. Serve with sparking water (like San Pelligrino), pinot noir, or sauvignon blanc.

Let me know how it turns out or if you have any alternate suggestions for ingredients. Good luck!

Now that we’re figuring out that putting fake, chemical-laden, laboratory-created fillers in our food isn’t such a great idea after all, how about applying that same logic to what we clean our homes with? Better health for you, your family, and the environment is obviously a plus, but not to be overlooked is saving considerable money!

The current issue of Real Simple has some terrific ideas on how to clean your house naturally using things like vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, and table salt. Here are just a few examples (click on the orange arrows on the Real Simple site to move from room to room):

KITCHEN:

Stove Tops - Baking soda: In a dishpan, soak burners in 1 gallon warm water and 1/2 cup washing soda for 30 minutes. Rinse and dry. Price: $.99/16 OZ

Cutting Boards - Lemon Juice: To sanitize a chopping block, run a slice of lemon over the surface. Price: $2.89/15 OZ.

BATHROOM:

Walls - Vinegar: For moldy walls, spray vinegar on the affected areas. After about 15 minutes, rinse and let dry thoroughly. Price: $2.19/64 OZ

Faucets - Lemon Juice: Combat lime scale by rubbing lemon juice onto the taps and letting it sit overnight. Wipe with a damp cloth. Price: $2.89/15 OZ.

LIVING ROOM:

Upholstered Furniture - Baking Soda: To remove odors from upholstered furniture, sprinkle baking soda on the fabric, then vacuum. Price: .99/16 OZ

“Silk” Flower Arrangements - Table Salt: To remove dust, place the blooms inside a paper bag and pour in salt. Close the bag and shake vigorously. The salt will dislodge accumulated dust and dirt. Price: $.79/26 OZ

Anyone have any other hot tips?

My Mom sent the e-mail below to me yesterday in hopes that I would investigate the concept of baking with agave nectar because I never shut up about it. She also knows I’m not much of a baker and there’s a good chance I’m talking out my arse…so to speak. I’m not this time Mom! You can bake with Agave Nectar!  I’ll let you read her e-mail before I respond because this is my blog and I get to have the last word.

____________________

Hi Kam. 

I just finished baking oatmeal cookies using agave nectar.  They really didn’t turn out very well.  I used half the amount I would have used of regular sugar since it’s suppose to be twice as sweet.  They are not sweet enough. Also the texture is different…a little fluffy instead of the crunchy chewy texture when made with sugar.  I see there is a new book out called, Baking with Agave Nectar. Hopefully it addresses these issues. You should link to it since you mention agave nectar often.  It seems to be getting a lot of play.  I saw it featured at New Seasons with a display of agave nectar.

Love, Mom
Kathryn Gray
Urbansun Design - Passive Solar / Certified Green Builders
www.sunsmarthomes.com

_________________

Hi Mom!

First of all, contrary to what you might think, I have baked with agave nectar! I didn’t make oatmeal cookies so I can’t speak to that. I have made my sister Kelly’s (your favorite daughter) energy bars which are a tasty and healthy replacement for packaged, overly-processed protein and granola bars. I know you’re really making cookies for Daddy since you don’t have much of a sweet tooth…try these instead and see what Pops thinks! I also think part of healthy eating is changing your mind about what “sweet enough” means. Lower your standards and watch a miracle happen…weight loss, improved energy, higher metabolism, better brain power, and much more. Again, I’m talking to Dad here as you already know this.

I will definitely check out the book you mentioned and try a few recipes (supervised by someone who knows what they’re doing in the kitchen, of course) and get back to you! Oh and I was kidding about Kelly being your favorite…I know you love us both the same as we are unique and special in our own way…she’s just less feisty and more pleasant to be around!

Love you!

Kami

My Grandma turns 90 a week from Friday and with the help of her family, is planning a huge celebration. Trouble is…she’s fighting a nasty cold and cough and worried she won’t be well by the party. She lives by herself in a cozy apartment in a retirement home. She’s completely self-sufficient and sharp as they come, but her cooking skills have never been something we grandkids brag about. She says that’s fine with her because she’d rather be playing cards or doing sittercise anyway. So today, I’m making chicken soup for my Grandma’s cold.

If anyone in your family or group of friends is falling prey to what’s going around, make a big pot of soup for them and they can spend the weekend resting and getting better and not worrying about what to eat.

Spinach adds a wallop of healthy goodness to this hearty soup. Rosemary, the secret ingredient, contributes its own special fragrance. Serve with crusty whole wheat bread to soak up every last drop. Be sure to buy wholesome, organic ingredients so your pot of soup delivers the maximum dose of good health. Check out Eat Well Guide’s to Finding Good Food in your area.

Makes 8 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups chopped carrots

8 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon sea salt

One half teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (15-ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups diced cooked chicken breast

1 cup cooked brown rice, quinoa, or barley

1 bunch spinach, stemmed and rinsed, or 1 (10-ounce) package thawed frozen chopped spinach

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, and carrots until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, thyme, oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper, beans, rice (or other grain) and diced chicken. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted.

In an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution yesterday, writer Vikki Conwell asks cardiologist Paul Douglass to offer some heart healthy ideas for this Valentine’s Day.

Here are a few of Dr. Douglass’s recommendations from the article:

Dark chocolate. Studies have shown that 2 ounces of dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa) lowers blood pressure and provides antioxidants. Balance the calorie intake with increased exercise.

Red wine. A glass of red wine provides antioxidant protection for the heart’s blood vessels. Similar benefits can be derived from eating grapes or drinking grape juice.

Pedometer, running shoes, gym membership. Healthy adults should get at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. For help starting a walking regimen, visit www.americanheart/start.org.

Heart monitor. Keep track of your heart rate while walking or engaging in high-intensity exercise.

Healthy cookbooks. Eating right doesn’t have to taste bad with recipes that are light on fat and calories but high in flavor. Help your sweetheart curb their sweet tooth with more than 100 treats that don’t pack on the pounds.

Indoor/Outdoor Grill. Preparing meals with less fat improves your diet.

I have another idea…the following recipe for energy bars is in my upcoming book. They can easily be jazzed up for Valentine’s Day by making them heart-shaped with a cookie cutter and by drizzling dark chocolate on the top.  Yummy and healthy!

ENERGY BARS

Forget the packaged, processed granola or protein bars and fuel up with real, wholesome food made with raisins, dried fruit, oats, and whole wheat flour. This recipe is sweetened with agave nectar, which means you won’t get a spike in your blood sugar (insulin) level, a major cause of fat storage.

Makes 8 bars

1 one-fourth cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon expeller-pressed organic canola oil

one-fourth cup toasted wheat germ

one-fourth cup whole wheat flour

one-fourth cup flaxseed meal

one-fourth cup amber agave nectar

1 large egg white

2 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt

2 teaspoons unsulphured dark molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

one-third cup raisins and/or chopped dried apples or apricots

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

one-half teaspoon sea salt

one-third cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Brush an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan with canola oil. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over low heat, add the oats, and toast, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Pour the oats into a large bowl. Add to the oats all the remaining ingredients and stir until mixed. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and press down firmly and evenly using an oiled rubber spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven, let cool completely, and cut into bars to serve.

This cold and windy winter weather has made my skin dry and old-looking, like I have ten layers of dead skin on my face. So I decided today would be an at-home, pamper myself, spa day. My plan was to exfoliate, layer gobs of organic moisturizer on my face (rich black perlette grape is my fave), and gently massage my eye area with my favorite eye cream from Aveda. After digging through every drawer in my bathroom, I realized I was out of exfoliant. Thanks to Google and organic ingredients found in my refrigerator and pantry, I was able to make own. I may never buy store-bought exfoliant again!

The stuff I created myself made my skin ridiculously soft and positively glowing. Without measuring a thing, I mixed up used coffee grounds, chopped cucumber, lemon juice, plain yogurt, and raw honey in my food processor until it formed a thick paste. According to Natural Living for Women:

 coffee grounds are antibacterial, exfoliating and stimulating to the skin.

 lemon juice provides an astringent quality plus the vitamin C provides a boost.

 honey is healing and soothing along with an ability to help skin retain moisture.

 yogurt contains lactic acid which help skin slough off dead skin cells.

 cucumber provides cooling and astringent qualities.

I slathered the concoction on my clean face and let it sit for about ten minutes. Then using a circular motion with my fingers, I lightly massaged my face and neck for about two minutes and rinsed with warm water. Now I don’t have a cucumber for a salad tonight, but my face feels great and looks a million times better…and I saved a little money! Anyone else have a homemade beauty or health secret they’d like to share?

Need to take the chill off? I made a pot of my sister’s turkey soup recipe and ate it for a week. Spinach adds a wallop of healthy goodness to this hale and hearty, but easy to make soup. Rosemary, the secret ingredient, contributes its own special fragrance. Serve with a crusty whole wheat baguette and a garden salad. As always, don’t forget to use wholesome, organic ingredients, locally grown if possible. This recipe is in my book, The Denim Diet, along with thirty other great recipes that are healthy, filling, and perfect for your weight-reducing efforts.

Makes 8 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups chopped carrots

8 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 (15-ounce cans) white beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup cooked barley (optional)

3 cups diced cooked turkey breast

1 bunch spinach, stemmed and rinsed, or

1 (10-ounce) package thawed frozen chopped spinach

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, and carrots until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, herbs, salt, pepper, beans, cooked barley (optional) and turkey. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted.

I’ve been doing this empty nest business for almost four months and I’ve learned some things about myself. First of all, I was keeping the house neat and tidy for the kids. On my own, I’m a lot messier! I only pick up (or make my bed) if I’m absolutely positive someone is coming over and If I know them well, forget about it. Secondly, I really do hate to cook! I thought I hated to cook for my picky, ungrateful kids, but I find the whole process incredibly boring! Plus, by the time I’m hungry, I don’t have a lot of time. I’ve trained myself to only eat when I’m hungry so when that time has clearly arrived, I need something ASAP.

I’ve started to buy and make things that meet my criteria for healthy eating, but are also quick to make and relatively tasty. I have fairly low standards for taste…that’s one of my secret weapons for staying at my ideal, healthy weight. Here are a few 3 (main) ingredient bowls I made last week for lunch or dinner:

The Tuna Bowl – 4 ounces ahi tuna seared in olive oil, sea salt and freshly-ground pepper sliced over sautéed kale and one-half cup quinoa.

The Salmon Bowl – 4 ounces salmon seared in olive oil, sea salt and freshly-ground pepper cut into bite-size chunks over three-fourths cup whole wheat penne pasta with sautéed carrots.

The Veggie Bowl – one-half cup black beans, one-half cup whole wheat couscous, and sautéed spinach seasoned with sea salt, freshly-ground pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese.

Don’t get too hung up on how much of the kale, carrots, and spinach to use…use as much as you want. I use a lot! I also don’t obsess over how much olive oil to use. It’s a heart healthy oil that my body needs. So use what you need…probably around one tablespoon to sauté both the fish and the veggie. You can doctor these up by adding fresh herbs and an assortment of vegetables. Got any more ideas for empty nest bowls?

On special occasions like the party I went to yesterday celebrating my 4 year-old and 10 year-old niece’s birthdays, it might be considered rude to not partake in dessert. I’m lucky because my Mom makes it so guilt free. She made turkey chili and whole wheat cornbread with a garden salad. Yum! She also made whole wheat cupcakes made with lowfat yogurt for dessert. They were amazing! Not, you’ll get used to eating this type of weird healthy stuff amazing – seriously delicious! Here’s the recipe, but don’t forget to find great local, organic baking ingredients made as closely as possible to where you live!

WHOLE WHEAT CUPCAKES

2 cups organic whole wheat flour (like Bob’s Red Mill)

1 1/2 cups organic brown sugar (like Woodstock Farms)

4 teaspoons baking powder (like Bob’s Red Mill)

1 teaspoon sea salt (like Pacific Salt)

1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons salted organic butter (like Horizon)

2 eggs (like Organic Valley)

1 cup organic lowfat plain organic yogurt (Like Nancy’s)

1 teaspoon vanilla (like Simply Organic)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. For (1) 9×13, bake 40 to 50 minutes, or 25 to 30 minutes for 2) 8-inch pans.  If making cupcakes, grease top rim of muffin pan (if not using a nonstick pan) since you will want to fill cupcake tins/paper cups to top as whole wheat flour doesn’t rise much and you will want batter to spill over a bit making a “mushroom” shape at the top. Bake cupcakes for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Test with a toothpick to confirm cake is done.

Mix all the dry ingredients.  Cut butter into 4 or chunks and add one by one to dry mixture with low speed mixer or food processor until completely incorporated. Should be crumbly textured.  Add eggs, yogurt and vanilla and beat with electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.  Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Pour batter into prepared baking pans.

Makes (1) 9×13 cake, 2) 8-inch cake layers or about 12 cupcakes.

NOTE FROM MOM: This recipe was reworked by Kelly (Kami’s sister). I started with Whole Foods recipe found online for Natural Yellow Cake Mix.

I rarely cook. I’ve said this before, but I’m as lazy as it gets in the kitchen. I need things on hand that are quick and satisfying. To prove how infrequently I use my oven, I’ll share a little story with you. I had five women over a few weeks ago to help test thirty recipes for my book. I mostly supervised and tasted the results. One gal made spicy bean patties, which were fabulous by the way, but the recipe yielded so much of the mixture that after making four perfect patties, we decided to throw the rest of it in a pie dish and bake it in the oven to see what happens.

We’ll never know because two days ago I opened my oven to put in some sweet potato “fries” and found the spicy bean pie! I’m sharing the recipe here with you. These patties are so good you can eat them by themselves, but throwing them between a whole wheat bun, some avocado, Dijon mustard, lettuce and tomato will make you a superstar tonight at dinner. Put some sweet potato “fries” on the side and your family will be swimming in antioxidants. For the fries, cut up sweet potatoes in strips and throw them in a jelly roll pan. Douse with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, and broil for 18-20 minutes in the oven. You know they’re easy, because even I make them.

Kelly’s Spicy Bean Patties

1/2  cup uncooked quinoa

1/2 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels

2 (15-ounce) cans pinto and/or black beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cups pre-prepared organic salsa (like Amy’s Organic Mild Salsa)

1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

1 four-ounce can peeled green chilies, drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg and 1 egg white

 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2  teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To prepare quinoa: Place ½ cup quinoa and 1 cup water in a 1 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed (10-15 minutes).

To prepare the patties:  Puree the beans in a food processor until smooth, or put them in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher or puree using a ricer. Add cooked quinoa and all the remaining patty ingredients and mix well to blend. Shape into 6 four-inch patties.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium to high heat. Add the patties and sauté until browned, about 4 minutes on each side.

Photo Courtesy of bbcgoodfood.com

My family is a bit scattered this Thanksgiving and two of my sisters won’t be there. Translation…I might actually have to help cook dinner. My Mom will cook the turkey, but I’m researching recipes that will be delicious, healthy, and EASY to make. The challenging part every year is we have to trick my Dad into believing our carefully planned and uber healthy menu is also part of a traditional thanksgiving feast. In other words, we lie to him. Not really lie, we omit. He’s a meat and potatoes guy so we won’t tell him about the whole wheat bread in his stuffing, the sweet potatoes and agave nectar that will be mixed with the pumpkin in his pie, or that it’s really a nonfat yogurt topping that he’ll be drowning his pie with. We’ll let him have his mashed potatoes, but we’ll leave the skins on and secretly blend them with sweet potatoes and turn the lights down low so he can’t see the orange-ish hue. He’ll enjoy every bite and rave about our traditional family feast and joyfully do the dishes when we’re all finished.

Sure, it’s full of trickery and deceit, but thanks to our wicked ways, and a lot of walking and trips to the gym, my Dad is 66 and in great shape!

For the sweet potato pumpkin pie, I found the recipe shown below from cookinglight.com and made a few modifications. I will be making a whole wheat pie crust using the recipe on the Hodgson Mill website instead of their suggestion to use a pre-made one from Pillsbury.

Use certified organic ingredients whenever possible:

• 1  pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 medium)
• 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup agave nectar (sub for the brown sugar)
• 1/2  cup  2% reduced-fat milk
• 2  tablespoons  butter, softened
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon  five-spice powder or pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 3  large eggs, lightly beaten

Photo Courtery of quickspice.com

I may be the laziest cook in the universe. Just ask my poor kids. One of the easiest and healthiest lunch or dinners is to throw a bunch of good stuff in a bowl. Many restaurants have caught on to the “it’s better in a bowl movement.”

My friend wanted pizza yesterday at a place I knew wouldn’t carry whole wheat crust. I figured they would have something that would work for me, but I assumed I would have to make significant modifications to whatever I was ordering…I was pleasantly surprised because they had a terrific bowl on their menu. It wasn’t cheap, but at least I wasn’t stuck eating white crust.

Grilled chicken + quinoa bowl

organic black beans, sweet potatoes, red peppers, avocado + spicy cashew sauce

Another restaurant in town, called, The Whole Bowl, makes me equally happy and it’s half the price, but sans the chicken.”The Bowl” consists of:

A signature Tali sauce (made of lemon, spices, and garlic), short-grain brown rice, red and black beans, salsa, black olives, avocado, cilantro, and the option of sour cream and cheese for the dairy lovers.

Here’s a bowl I make at home for lunch:

Whole wheat couscous, sliced (nitrate-free) turkey, carrots, onions, and celery sautéed in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, freshly-ground pepper, freshly-grated parmesan cheese, and a dollop of lowfat sour cream on top.

It takes me about ten minutes to prepare and I’m good until three PM when I need a little dark chocolate and green tea pick-me-up.

Anyone have another good bowl idea?

It’s pumpkin season again and this healthier version of creamy pumpkin soup will help take the chill off. The small amount of half-and-half is divided by 8 bowls of soup. The only other fat comes from heart-healthy olive oil. Serve with a colorful garden salad and some chewy on the inside, crusty on the outside, whole-wheat baguette….a perfect fall dinner.

-2 tbls olive oil

-1 large chopped onion

-1 tbls raw brown sugar

-half teaspoon ground cinnamon

-8 cups vegetable broth

-2 (15 oz) cans pumpkin puree

-2 tsp sea salt

-half teaspoon ground ginger

-one-fourth teaspoon ground cloves

-one-fourth teaspoon black pepper

-half teaspoon dried thyme

-half cup half-and-half

-one and a half cups nonfat plain yogurt

-one-fourth cup finely chopped chives

-Nonfat plain yogurt for topping

Sauté the onion in olive oil in a medium saucepan until tender. Add 1 cup vegetable broth; bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Puree until smooth in a blender or with an immersion wand. Put pureed mixture in a large soup pan and add the remaining 7 cups vegetable broth, the pumpkin and the seasonings (except chives). Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in one and a half cups nonfat plain yogurt and half-and-half and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Do not boil. Ladle into soup bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt, chopped chives and just a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon.

A woman I met at a barbecue yesterday and I struck up a conversation about nutrition and kids.  She told me her five year-old son had just started kindergarten that week. I asked her son if they had snack time at school. He said yes, but that they had to bring their own snack. Apparently, one of the other kids brought Pop Tarts®. Her son had never heard of such a thing. He’s been raised on healthy, home-made, “real” foods his entire life. Rather than rant on about how unhealthy, fake, and toxic Pop Tarts® are (which is what I would have done), his Mom said, “Oh yeah. Pop Tarts®. I’ll make you some.” So she did and she went on to explain to her curious son that hers were a healthier, more nutritious, and even more delicious version.

Now he knows what a Pop Tart is and more importantly, knows his Mom is willing to not just tell him, but take the time to show him and let him experience first-hand what things he’ll be exposed to out there in the world of packaged, processed Pop Tarts® and a million other not-so-good-for-you things so he can learn the difference and make his own decisions.

Way to go Mom!

She used a recipe from Super Baby Foods by Ruth Yaron which I don’t have a copy of so I modified a recipe from Chowhound.com.

Whole Wheat Pop Tarts

(not just for kids)

1 c. organic whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 Tablespoon refined, organic, almond oil

3 Tablespoons refined, organic canola oil

2 Teaspoons agave nectar

2-3 tbsp. water, cold

Low-sugar, organic fruit spread (any variety)

Stir salt into pastry flour with fork. Mix water, agave nectar, and oils together with fork and pour into flour. Form dough into ball. Let rest in fridge for 1 hour. Roll out, make into rectangular shapes (slightly larger than your average pop tart). Place one Tablespoon fruit spread between two layers and pinch together or use fork to seal.

Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

A delicious compliment to your morning cup of coffee or tea.  Spread the goodness – coffee cake is easy to share. Bring a batch to work, book club, your next family brunch, or a church social. Throw some shaved dark chocolate on top and serve with Sweet Yogurt Cheese Spread (recipe below) and you’ve got the perfect, special-occasion dessert.   

2 and a 1/2  cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup organic soy flour

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup whey protein powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup buttermilk, or 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup amber agave nectar or raw honey

1 egg, or 2 egg whites

3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or 1/4 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons natural raw, brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan with Canola oil.

In a medium bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, soy flour, flaxseed meal, wheat germ, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.  Stir with a whisk to blend. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, agave nectar (or honey), eggs, yogurt, butter (or applesauce), and vanilla extract. Beat with a whisk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until blended; do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

For the topping: Stir the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake in the center of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into squares to serve.

Before summer is officially over, try one of my sister Kelly’s salad dressing recipes on your next garden salad. Both recipes would also work well with a chicken, shrimp, or crabmeat salad. To make sure your seafood, is “eco-best,” check out the Environmental Defense Organization’s website.

Raspberry Vinaigrette 

-1 tbls. olive oil

-2 tbls. raspberry vinegar

-3 cup fresh raspberries

-1 tbls nonfat plain yogurt

-3 tsp dry mustard

-pinch sea salt

-water

Combine all ingredients in blender, except water. Blend one minute. Add water 1 tsp at a time until desired consistency is reached. You can also mash the berries in a bowl with a fork, and then combine all of the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well to mix. Serve immediately.

Cilantro Lime Yogurt Dressing

-1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

-1 tbls minced fresh cilantro leaves or 1 tsp dried cilantro

-2 tbls minced scallion or chives

-juice of 1 lime with 1 tsp lime zest

-pinch of sea salt

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cilantro, scallions and lime juice.  Add salt to taste. Chill for at least an hour allowing the flavors to blend.

Have you noticed that there is always a bowl of porridge in fairy tales?  I never really knew that I’d been eating porridge all my life until I saw the recipe below.  In fact, porridge was likely responsible for many a good night’s sleep in my childhood. My Mom fed us porridge, but disguised it as oatmeal with a bunch of weird things added to it. My older sister Kelly makes a hearty porridge…she makes a hearty everything.  I wish she lived next door to me. I’ve been trying to devise a plan where we have side-by-side duplexes with a secret door between our kitchens. She puts food in and takes money out of my jar. Kind of like when you have a urinalysis, but there’s no money, just a sharpie so you can write your name on the plastic cup. Here is Kelly’s recipe for Wheatberry porridge.  She’ll let you sub quinoa for the wheatberries, but I wouldn’t take it any further than that…she’s kind of strict. Make a big pot on Monday morning and you’ll be eating like a queen or at least a frog or a prince all week.

Wheatberry (or Quinoa) Porridge

-13 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

-1 cup dried chopped apples and apricots (soaked for 20 minutes in boiling water and then drained) (or you substitute 1 cup raisins)

-1H cups nonfat milk (or water)

-1 cup nonfat plain yogurt sweetened with 1 tsp

evaporated cane juice brown sugar

-7 tsp sea salt

-13 cups cooked wheatberries (or quinoa)

-1 tbls  ground golden flax seed

-1 tbls wheat germ

-2 tsp evaporated cane juice, brown sugar or raw honey

-1 tsp ground cinnamon

-1 cup berries

-3 cup chopped raw almonds or hazelnuts

Bring milk (or water) to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in oats, apples and apricots and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for three minutes. Stir in cooked wheatberries (or quinoa) and cook until heated through, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from burner and stir in the nonfat plain yogurt, wheat germ and ground flax, brown sugar, cinnamon. Stir, top with almonds and serve. This takes a little more prep than your standard bowl of oatmeal or wheat farina, but the taste makes it well worth the extra effort.

http://www.blog.thelistbykamigray.com

http://www.thelistbykamigray.com