Friday, May 18, 2012

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Cheese and Apple Omelet ='s why didn't I think of this before?

I'm dog sitting for the weekend and have access to the most tripped out, organic, vegetarian kitchen EVER!  We're talking not a single name brand package in sight.  Mason jars filled to the brim with grains, beans, spices, and teas for as far as the eye can see.  There's a garden in the back with more greens than even I can consume in a year, including edible flowers.  I haven't even gotten to the best part-an entire library of vegetarian cookbooks!  

(Cue cherub singing "Awwwww" soundtrack please)

I didn't even care that the dogs woke me up at 4:45am to be let outside.  I started browsing cookbooks and dreaming of breakfast while I waited for their perky arrival.   The result?  Cream cheese and apple omelets with a side of apple topped garden greens. I know. I know. You are thinking, "Really Joanie? Who has time for that?"  It took me 15 min.  If your knife skills are better than mine, you can probably knock an additional 4 min off that.  I took my first bite and said to the dogs, "Why didn't I think of this before?"

I've included all the directions, assuming you've never made an omelet before.  This isn't an insult to your intelligence, I happen to make really terrible, burnt omelets and found the cookbook instructions helpful.  I had a few "Ah ha!" moments along the way.  

Cheese and Apple Omelet
adapted from
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

  • 4-5 eggs (makes 2)
  • 2 Tbsp milk
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp cream cheese, sliced in strips or pulled
  • Leafy greens
  • 3/4 of small apple, cored and chopped
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • Honey or agave nectar, to drizzle
- Combine apple, cinnamon together, top with a small drizzle of honey or agave and set aside

- Beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together in a bowl

- Put a med sized skillet over med-high heat and wait 1 min

- Melt butter, swirl until it foams, then pour in egg mixture

- Cook undisturbed for 30 secs, then use rubber spatula to push edges toward center.  As you do this, tip the pan to allow the uncooked eggs in the center to reach the perimeter

- Continue the process until the omelet is mostly cooked but a little runny in the center

- Add apple mixture and strips of cream cheese

- Hold pan at 45-degree angle so omelet begins to slide, fold in half

- Cook for about 1 min on each side

- Serve with a side of delicious greens topped with a few leftover apple pieces, drizzled olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste

Nerd alert photoshoot in the garden.  



Enjoy!



Joanie Johnson, CHC
Motivated Nutrition
814-442-5311





Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The symptoms?  Disgusting nose dripping, excessive impolite sniffling, post-nasal drip induced coughing, headaches and all around miserableness.  Gross, right?!

The culprit?  Seasonal allergies.

Ugh.  Need I say more?

While the good ol' American way of treatment involves an armory of over the counter anti-hystimines on a regimented schedule of swallow pills, get drowsy, block symptoms, repeat, I encourage you to find a more natural way of coping.

Hypocrites, the father of modern medicine, wisely stated, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."  He figured it all out two and a half thousand years ago- we should listen.  


Here are a few quick tips to help fight those annoying allergies.


Vamp it up!  
Not the blue eyeshadow kind of vamping.  I'm talking vampires!  Onions and garlic are nature's natural anti-hystimine.  They are packed full of quercetin which helps alleviate symptoms of pollinosis.  Say what?!  In other words, quercetin's help put a stop to the gross nose stuff that pollen in the air causes.

Eat your greens
No brainer.  Fresh produce, especially GREENS are full of carotenoids.   A study in Public Health Nutrition (2006; 9:4) 472-9) showed that more carotenoids ='s less allergy suffering.  Green up!

Be a C student
I'm giving you the ok to be average.  Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radicals.  Allergies occur when free radicals attack your cellular membranes and antioxidants put a stop to these radical dudes before the damage occurs.  Chow down on lots of citrus fruits, kiwi, and strawberries.  And while your at it sneak in some more vitamin C rich greens like cabbage, spinach, broccoli, and kale.  I told you to eat your greens!


Fight hard and eat well,


Joanie


Joanie Johnson, CHC
Motivated Nutrition
www.motivatednutrition.net
joanie@motivatednutrition.net