Cooking with Coley

While deep down I’m still in a state of affliction from the Patriots disappointing loss last week, I can’t deny that I’ll still be in front of the TV for Super Bowl XLV.  I also can’t deny that  part of my affinity for the event is making some yummy snacks. And while I’m all for “cheating” on the weekends and indulging in some of my favorite greasy foods, it can’t hurt to make a few lighter and leaner options when you’re surrounded by fried foods and guilty pleasures.

So whether you are preparing for hosting a big game party, or looking for a distraction because your team isn’t in it, here are some tips and ideas for lower fat, lower calorie game time munchies.  Plus this way you can save some of those cals for game day cocktails.

Here are some suggestions I received today from Carl Germano, RD, CDN and a NY Board certified clinical nutritionist.

1.      Instead of: Beef Sliders with Cheese

Try: Turkey Sliders with sliced tomato

Cooking with Coley  (CWC) add on: look for wheat rolls or serve bun free with a toothpick – they’re even easier to eat that way!

2.      Instead of: Franks in the Blanket with Mustard

Try: Chicken Teriyaki Skewers

3.      Instead of: Nachos with Cheese & Jalapenos

Try: Baked Nachos with Guacamole, Tomatoes and Jalapenos

CWC add on: Buy Multigrain or Baked Tostitos and spice it up with other veggies and a part-skim cheese

4.      Instead of: Beef Chili with Shredded Cheese

Try: Low Fat Turkey Chili with Black Beans, Corn & Salsa

CWC add on: Buy 99% fat free turkey burger and add enough spices that you won’t even know it’s turkey!  Promise!  Ground cumin and dried chipotle peppers can do the trick.  Let me know if you need a recipe.

5.      Instead of: Fried Buffalo Wings with Ranch dip

Try: Baked Chicken Wings with hot sauce dip

CWC add on: Also consider a chicken wing dip – you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, light cheese and celery for dipping

I give this recipe five stars.  Can I do that?  Rate my own recipes?  Either way, this is an all-time favorite.

I experimented with this dish last week, and it came out so good that I made it again just a few days later.  Whole wheat soba noodles are an ideal way to create a balanced meal that packs in carbs, veggies and protein.  Whether they’re in a soup, a stir fry or a salad, they add an incredible amount of heartiness.  Soba noodles cook in just about five minutes, and my favorite brand, Annie Chun’s Japanese Buckwheat Noodles, are 100% natural.  Add them to your grocery list this week.

What you’ll need (for 3 large servings):

For the dressing:

• Fresh grated ginger root (to taste)
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 clove fresh garlic, crushed or minced
• Chili sauce, sriracha or a chopped chili pepper (optional – add to taste)

For the noodles/veggies:

• Whole wheat soba noodles (approximately 3 servings)
• Chopped scallions (approximately 1 cup)
• Shredded carrots (approximately 1 cup)
• Shredded cabbage (approximately 1 cup)
• Edamame (deshelled)
• Handful of chopped cilantro

For the chicken:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp hoison sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Other ingredients:

• Chopped romaine and/or baby spinach (enough to cover a serving platter)
• Crushed peanuts (1/4 cup)

Procedure:

• Prepare the dressing and veggies while the noodles are cooking
• For the dressing, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and fresh ginger to taste (I use about 1/2 tbsp grated; also add fresh chilis or sriracha at this time to add some heat if you’d like)
• Mix the veggies together (scallions, carrots, cabbage, edamame, cilantro)
• Once noodles are cooked, pour dressing over noodles and chill for 5 minutes
• Then mix veggies into noodles and dressing (you don’t want to do this immediately because the warm noodles will wilt the cabbage as well as make the purple coloring of the cabbage run)
• Chill noodles/veggies
• Heat EVOO in a pan, add hoison and soy to pan and saute chicken on medium high; after searing each side, cover the chicken and cook on low until cooked through
• Once chicken is cooked, cool for 3-5 minutes and slice thinly
• Cover a serving plate with chopped lettuce/baby spinach; top with chilled noodles/veggies
• Layer chicken over noodles and top with peanuts to garnish

This dish is great for leftovers, but I should mention that the purple cabbage starts to turn everything purple as it sits.  While it may not look as appealing, it tastes just as good the next day.  If entertaining a group, plan to prepare shortly before serving.

I’m all about eating healthy, but I must admit it’s not always cheap.  A week’s worth of produce and lean protein adds up quick. 

In the March issue of ShopSmart, a magazine from the publisher of Consumer Reports, they lay out 25 suggestions for food and drinks that pack lots of nutrition for the buck. While not every item on the list will appear in my shopping cart anytime soon, there are a few great suggestions that I wanted to share (pricing and nutritional information provided from ShopSmart):

• Cabbage (16 cents per serving; $2.50 for one medium head): Not only is it loaded with vitamins A and C, but if kept in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator it will last for about two weeks. I love, love, love purple cabbage and almost always have it in my fridge.  It’s great to add to salads, stir fry and an Asian style brown rice.         
• Quinoa (50 cents per serving; $3.99 per 12-ounce package): Quinoa has almost 50 percent more fiber than brown rice, plus a dose of protein. Keep in a cool, dark place in an airtight container for about one year.  Quinoa makes a great side or can be part of a tasty summer salad. 
• Dried black beans (24 cents per  serving; $1.45 for 16-ounce bag):  All beans are  stellar sources of protein, fiber, and blood-pressure-friendly potassium, but dark beans pack more nutrients. Use black beans for a soup or add them to a salad for more protein.   And of course they are great will all Mexican dishes. 
• Frozen  shrimp  ($1.36;  $14.99  per  2-pound  bag):  Frozen  shrimp  is  a  low-calorie  and relatively cheap source of omega-3s. Shrimp is great to have on hand to throw into pasta, a stir fry or to create a kebab for the grill. It lasts in the freezer generally up to a year.   

Check out the full list of healthy bargain buys in ShopSmart’s March issue or in the press release.

I LOVE pasta.  Carbs in general really.  So when I have one of my many cravings, I try to pack in as much protein and veggies as possible to save some cals and get some nutrients.

Here’s a super yummy pasta dish I made recently that is filling and nutritious.  I got creative after a wonderful Russo’s excursion, so my fridge was packed with produce.  If you don’t have all the ingredients on hand, use what you have -it’s a great recipe to modify!

(Healthy) Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe

What you’ll need for 2-3 (large) servings:

• 1 dozen small red round tomatoes on the vine, cut in quarters
• 2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups frozen pees
• Fresh basil (handful)
• 1/2 white onion chopped
• 6 cloves garlic chopped
• 1/4 cup white wine (you don’t want anything too sweet)
• 1 lb shrimp (cleaned and de-shelled)
• Fresh Romano cheese, grated
• Cajun seasoning (to taste)
• 2 tbsps light cream (only adds 60 cals total!)
• 1 tbsp light butter (only adds 45 cals total!)
• 3 servings whole wheat pasta (I used farfalle aka bow ties)
• 4 thin pieces of prosciutto chopped (optional – Ryan particularly liked the addition of this.  By only adding a minimal amount, you can add a nice saltiness and flavor; pancetta would also work)
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Procedure

• Sauté onions and garlic in 1 EVOO
• Add prosciutto and sauté
• Add mushrooms, butter, and tomatoes and allow them to cook for a few minutes
• Add wine and basil and cook for another 5 minutes until tomatoes break down
• Add cream
• Cover and simmer sauce for approximately 10 minutes and add Cajun seasoning to taste  and peas at about 5 minutes in (you can also add fresh grated cheese or 1 tbsp Romano cheese here, but it’s optional and will thicken the sauce) Note: Peas do not take long to cook/thaw out, so you want to add them when nearly finished so they remain bright green for aesthetic -reasons.
• Cook pasta separately; keep slightly hard (it will continue to cook when added to sauce)
• Season shrimp (either with a bit of Cajun, or simple salt and pepper will do) and stir fry separately in a pan with EVOO (make sure oil is hot)
• Toss pasta in sauce for approximately 2 minutes (or until pasta is cooked to your liking), toss shrimp in and serve
• Add fresh grated Romano on top (I used the Pampered Chef grater I recently won—I love it!  Using fresh cheese makes a world of difference)

Oh and before you go, have you voted yet today for my soup recipe in the New England Country Soup Challenge?  If not, please do! http://www.soupchallenge.com/view_recipe.php?entry_id=21

You can vote every day, once a day, until February 13.

Is there a difference between dry and wet measuring cups? Do you really need both?

The simple answer is yes.  The measurements may not be precise if you don’t use the appropriate cup; this is crucial for baking.

Dry ingredients are easiest measured when you can level the cup. Once the cup is overfilled, you can then use a knife (or other straight edge) to scrape across the top and level the amount to the right measurement (the measuring cup should be filled to the brim).  If you attempt to measure a dry ingredient such as flour in a wet cup, you won’t be able to achieve this exact measurement with the leveling technique.

On the other hand, when measuring a liquid with a dry measuring cup, it’s tough not to spill when filling it to the brim.  However, with a wet measuring cup, you can easily measure the liquid to the appropriate line.

A Fenway treasure and Boston hidden gem, Church is a little restaurant with a lot of flair tucked into the heart of Fenway on Queensberry Street.

Chef Laura Henry-Zoubir (also the Executive Chef of The Regal Beagle) serves up an eclectic seasonal menu with creativity and refined flavors. With possibly the best (prime beef) slider I’ve ever eaten to delicious pan seared scallops, the menu offers an abundance of options from the garden, farm and sea. There are light options for grazing or hearty comfort mains, but no matter what you are in the mood for, you’ll find something delicious.

Like the menu, the atmosphere is cozy yet slightly swanky making it a great spot for dining with friends or impressing a date.

Still not sold? Here are three irrefutable reasons why you want to check out Church:

Salvation Brunch - Church on Sunday is a natural fit. And you don’t need to be Christian. Besides the amazing food, the prices are extremely reasonable. Unlike most other brunch spots, Church offers a delicious omelet that you can add every filling to without paying per ingredient.  That’s right – broccoli, cheese, chorizo, ham, avocado or whatever it is you prefer – add ‘em all and pay one flat price.  Brunch is also served on Saturdays.

$1 Taco Tuesday - Spicy chicken, black beans and slaw to ground pork with cotija cheese, apple-tomatillo salsa and chipotle creme – you never know what twist they’re going to put on their tacos.  For only $1, every Tuesday Church offers one taco option

that you can order an unlimited amount of.  Although you won’t see it advertised or on their menu, just ask your server or call ahead and find out what the Tuesday special is.  Also, I should mention if they’re serving soft shell tacos, three or four should be more than enough to fill you!

Seven Deadly Sins - I’d be remiss if I didn’t give props to the bar and cocktails at Church.  The Seven Deadly Sins menu is not only witty in name but brilliant in taste.  I recommend Envy – fresh kiwis and vodka makes for an unbeatable taste.

So Bostonians, do yourself a favor and don’t stay cooped up this entire winter.  Head to Church for some fancy fare and yummy cocktails and you won’t regret it.