Roasted Vegetarian Dinner
February 28, 2010 – 7:08 pm | No Comment

This wonderful vegetarian dinner was easy to make. It used 15 different vegetables and only took about 15 minutes to prep. The baking time was 1-1/2 hours – and it was unattended. The house smelled wonderful and now we have leftovers for tomorrow, too.

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How to make a tropical fruit platter
February 5, 2010 – 1:20 pm | 3 Comments

A recent trip to our favorite farmer’s market in Homestead (Robert is Here) yielded many prizes. We know it is not so warm everywhere as here so we thought we would share some tropic love and particularly to get ready for Nutrition Month – back to basics – why not develop a love of fruit and learn about new ones!?

Here are the names:

The Caneel fruit is most exquisite and easy to use. You let it sit out until it gets very soft and then you scoop it with a spoon. We decided to use an ice cream scoop to display its beautiful golden flesh in neat round balls. It tastes like an egg custard and it has a texture like velvet.

The Black Sapote is equally rich in its flavor and texture. It looks and tastes like chocolate. We were quite struck with it when we sliced it in half after allowing it to soften. Look at how beautiful the color is!

We could envision serving it with a little whipped cream and chocolate shavings but we never quite got that far because it was swooped from the platter. The texture is like avocado but the flavor has a distinct cocoa flavor.

The mango is so lovely – inside and out – look at its color:

Here is part of our platter:

  • The sapodilla is on the left front – it tastes like a sweet pear steeped in cloves. Directions: peel the skin off, remove core and cut in cubes.
  • The passion fruit is so colorful and aromatic – truly exotic. Directions: cut them in half and loosened the seeds, which are the edible part.
  • Next to the passion fruit you will see the black sapote (chocolate fruit). Directions: cut in half, scoop out pulp away from seeds and peel; we like to cut it in chunks like cookie dough.
  • The mango is sliced and on the right. Directions: peel away the skin, slice the fruit in thin strips from the pit.

And here is the other half of the platter:

  • Apple bananas, far right. Directions: peel and quarter lengthwise. Sprinkle with Key lime juice for flavor and to keep them from turning brown.
  • Ugli fruit, wedges in the center. Directions: remove the peel like a tangerine; separate the sections which come apart easily.
  • The scooped Caneel is on the middle left and looks like pumpkin ice cream. Directions: cut in half and use ice cream scoop to form the soft flesh into balls.
  • Mango is on the left here again.

Here is the whole platter:

The Ugli fruit was a great surprise. We have seen them in the grocery store but never paid them much attention. But it was obvious from their abundance and the reputation of Robert’s that these fruits were very fresh so we had to try one.

Ugli fruit tastes like lemonade candy! And look at the sections – they are large but they come apart very easily. We love these and would buy them again and again!

Here is a photo of the Ugli fruit, the pomelo and the grapefruit just for comparison:

Here are the sections from the Red Indian River Grapefruit and the Pomelo – they were so sweet and juicy and this plate was gobbled for breakfast! Directions: peel the fruit, remove the core and seeds, cut into wedges – removing any more seeds that appear.

This citrus plate made a lovely centerpiece and we enjoyed using these in our meals all week long:

The orange platter kept in the refrigerator and these were wedged and peeled for dessert and lunchboxes:

One good idea was to peel and wrap the tangerines so they could be “on the go” with us or ready for lunch boxes – less messy for the person eating them on the go:

The star fruit were very plentiful and their playful shape can come in handy for fruit salad or as a tart garnish for fish. I was able to snap a photo of them growing on the trees in the nearby Fruit and Spice Park in Homestead. Directions: slice them thin – no peeling needed.

We do have more cooking instruction materials here:

Cooking Demo Volume 1 and 2

Cooking Demo Volume 1 and 2

MyPyramid Cooking Demo Kit

MyPyramid Cooking Demo Kit

25 ingredients 15 different meals

25 ingredients 15 different meals

Steak Dinner Without the Steak in 20 minutes flat
January 17, 2010 – 9:53 pm | One Comment
Steak Dinner Without the Steak in 20 minutes flat

Here is a fun steak dinner – but without the steak! It was made in 20 minutes flat – and all we had to do was cut the potato. On the plate: steak oven fries, …

Winter Fruit Desserts – More Fruit, Fewer Calories – Watch Video Recipes and Learn FAST!
December 14, 2009 – 8:55 pm | No Comment
Winter Fruit Desserts – More Fruit, Fewer Calories – Watch Video Recipes and Learn FAST!

Cranberry-Poached Pears:

Watch this video and learn to make a stunning dessert with a pear, some cranberries, water, sugar and spices – all in about a minute and a half!
Here is the recipe:
4 pears, peeled, halved, …

Make a Pear Centerpiece or Pear Salad Or Pear Appetizer
September 28, 2009 – 1:29 pm | No Comment
Make a Pear Centerpiece or Pear Salad Or Pear Appetizer

We have been working on some lovely ideas for pears for the fall and for the holidays. Thanks to Cindy Silver, MS, RD, from Lowes Foods, for her request for pear recipes and ideas.We believe …

Chinese Tea Party
September 22, 2009 – 11:48 am | One Comment
Chinese Tea Party

My poor neighbor – she had no idea who she was inviting to her tea party! You see, there is no way I can sit at something like this and not photograph it! But I …

Tips for living a low sodium diet and BP outcome
September 18, 2009 – 9:47 am | No Comment
Tips for living a low sodium diet and BP outcome

I have been cooking at home a lot more. Usually I cook a lot but end up eating 2-3 meals out a week – like a bagel stop for breakfast and a favorite (healthy lowfat …

Two Weeks Green Equals 2 Pounds Lost
August 19, 2009 – 9:44 pm | No Comment
Two Weeks Green Equals 2 Pounds Lost

It is amazing how healthy you can eat when you have all of the right ingredients on hand, you are not eating convenience foods and you cannot go out to eat. I guess it does help that I love to cook but I made really basic stuff.

Maggie Moon, What’s In Your ‘Frig?
August 13, 2009 – 2:45 pm | No Comment
Maggie Moon, What’s In Your ‘Frig?

Maggie Moon, MS, RD, is one of our advisors and she publishes a blog here: http://www.maggiemoon.com/
We saw a creative article that she published in Today’s Dietitian, where she asks what is in  your refrigerator. So, …

Make A Bowl
July 16, 2009 – 8:26 am | No Comment
Make A Bowl

Here are ideas for your refrigerator to help make fruits and veggies more enticing! Make bowls of ready to eat fruits or veggies with a fun theme (keep them covered so they taste fresh):
• Salad bowl – Put together lettuce and …

McDonald’s McCafe Coffee – Best Bets
July 16, 2009 – 8:20 am | 4 Comments
McDonald’s McCafe Coffee – Best Bets

Salmon is less expensive than hot dogs
July 13, 2009 – 5:05 pm | One Comment
Salmon is less expensive than hot dogs

Frugal Heart Healthy Proteins
Stacey L. Krawczyk, MS, RD, LDN
The Webster’s Dictionary defines the word Frugal as: characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources
Who isn’t looking for the opportunity to save a little …

The colors of health
June 26, 2009 – 9:39 am | No Comment
The colors of health

Whoever said healthy is boring?! These are all great choices – and colorful and fun, too!

5 good things about peeps
April 10, 2009 – 10:59 am | One Comment
5 good things about peeps

if you eat the whole box of peeps it is only 280 calories