{Recipe Redux} A Play on Patties, or Zucchini and Potato Stacks

This month’s Recipe Redux challenge was inspired by the imaginative food photography being displayed on Pinterest boards and blogs, with towering stacks of everything from burgers to veggies showing the playful side of food.  My favorite stack is my friends Steve and Jamie’s beautifully precarious mountain of blueberry pancakes.

When I thought of stacks, my mind kept returning to the alternating stacks of zucchini and potato in the traditional Cretan boureki, a dish my husband and I ate several times on our honeymoon in the Greek islands last year.     

It’s such a perfect stacked dish.

Layers of very thinly sliced zucchini and tomato, sandwiching creamy ricotta cheese and extra virgin olive oil, fresh mint and smoky pieces of oven-dried tomatoes.  It’s heaven.

Don’t be shy with the olive oil in this dish.  It’s a necessity. 

The boureki is delicious served warm for dinner, or cold the next morning for breakfast (I tested that theory, just to be sure).  I hope you enjoy, preferably with someone you love.

Boureki {Zucchini & Potato Gratin}, from the Island of Crete

Serves 4 - 6

1 pound russet potatoes

1 pound zucchini

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ - ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 cups homemade ricotta cheese, or good-quality purchased ricotta

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

8 halves oven-dried Roma tomatoes, chopped* (see recipe, above)

2 – 4 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Using a mandolin (or your knife), thinly sliced the potatoes.  Place in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of flour and a pinch of salt.  Again, using a mandolin (or knife), thinly slice the zucchini.  Place in another large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of flour and a pinch of salt.

Take a casserole or baking dish (I use one that is 10” x 8” x 3”) and coat the bottom with olive oil (3 – 4 tablespoons).  Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with a layer of the potatoes and then a layer of the zucchini, using about ¼ of each of the vegetables.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Place ¼ of the tomatoes  and ¼ of the mint, and then top the layer with ¼ of the ricotta and ¼ feta.  Repeat this process three more times, ending with ricotta and feta.  Pour about 1/3 – ½ cup of olive oil over the top (enough to cover the top in a thin layer).  Don’t be shy with the olive oil!  Place in the oven and bake for about an hour, or until the potatoes and zucchini are very tender and the boureki is browned on top.  Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. 

*If you don’t have the oven-dried tomatoes on hand, you could grate fresh tomatoes

Oven-Dried Tomatoes

12 Roma tomatoes

sea salt

extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise.  Squeeze each half to remove the seeds, and discard the seeds/pulp.  Place the tomatoes in a bowl and toss with sea salt and olive oil (about 2 tablespoons), to coat.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (for easy clean-up).  Place the tomatoes cut-side down on the baking sheet and roast for about an hour, or until the tomatoes are soft and starting to caramelize.  Remove and let cool to room temperature.  Store any leftover tomatoes in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator, up to 4 days.  

An InLinkz Link-up

Don’t Judge a Vegetable By Its Lack of Color

“Eat the rainbow.” You’ve heard nutrition professionals say it over and over again when advising the public about making healthy choices in produce. What they’re really emphasizing is variety—it is best to eat an array of colors in order to maximize nutrient intake. But, researchers are beginning to find that white vegetables often go overlooked, and color may not be the only indicator of nutritional quality. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate recognizes two vegetable subcategories on the basis of color—green and red/orange—no distinction is given to white vegetables, even though they also appear to play an important role in the phytochemical rainbow.
 

White veggies have health benefits, too. In June 2012, a group of scientists met at Purdue University to address the common misconceptions and fallacies surrounding white vegetables. The scientists concluded that increasing the intake of white vegetables such as cauliflower, kohlrabi, onions, white mushrooms, and white potatoes can notably increase the consumption of key nutrients lacking in the American diet, such as potassium, magnesium and fiber. Not only that, intake of white vegetables has been linked to a variety of health benefits, ranging from reduced inflammation and “bad” cholesterol levels to promoting heart health and cancer protection.

Potatoes in particular. Many misguided efforts to reduce the consumption of “white foods”—such as white bread and white sugar—in recent years have given potatoes a bad name. However, potatoes should not be relegated to a category of low-nutrient foods. Potatoes, the most popular American vegetable, serves as an important source of vegetable intake as a whole. And when they are heated and cooled, such as in potato salad, potatoes provide a good source of resistant starch, a form of fiber that can aid in weight and blood sugar control. The humble potato (along with beans) gives you the most nutritional bang for your buck when it comes to potassium and fiber content compared to dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables, according to a study published in May of 2013. However, potatoes are moderately high in carbohydrates (1 small baked potato has 29 grams, about the same amount found in a medium bagel half), so should be consumed in moderation.

 

White Hot Vegetables

Add some of these white vegetables to your repertoire and reap the benefits of a variety of nutrients and phytochemicals.

White Vegetables	Culinary Suggestions	Star Nutrients	Health Benefits*
Cauliflower	Roast, boil, steam or sauté as a side dish or entrée. Enjoy raw as an appetizer or in salads	Fiber, vitamins C and K, glucosinates	May help protect against cancer by lowering inflammation levels and boosting immune function
Garlic	Add to soups, pastas, marinades, dressings, grains, and vegetables	Allicin, quercetin, organosulfur compounds	Has been shown to lower inflammation, oxidative stress, cholesterol, and blood pressure in some studies
Ginger	Use in Asian and Indian sauces, or in beverages and baked goods	Gingerol, beta-carotene, caffeic acid	Exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial effects
Jerusalem Artichokes	Bake, steam, roast, sauté, or mash as a side dish	Vitamins C and K, potassium, and iron	May help boost immune function
Jicama	Eat raw as a snack, slice into salads, or sauté in stir-fries	Vitamin C and fiber	May help boost immune function
Kohlrabi	Slice, dice, or grate into salads; steam or boil as a side dish	Potassium, vitamin C, glucosinates, fiber	May help lower blood pressure, boost immune function, and help protect against cancer
Onions	Use as a flavoring for many dishes including salads, soups, side dishes, casseroles, sauces, and dips.	Quercetin, organosulfur compounds, vitamin C	May help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and help protect against cancer
Parsnips	Roast or cook as a side dish or slice in soups, casseroles, or stews	Vitamin C, fiber, falcarinol	Exhibits anti-clotting benefits and may help to protect against cancer
Turnips	Bake, steam, roast, sauté, or mash as a side dish; add to soups, casseroles or salads	Fiber, vitamin C, Glucosinates	May help protect against cancer by lowering inflammation levels and boosting immune function
White Corn	Boil or eat roasted on the cob as a side dish; add to soups and salads	Thiamin, folate, vitamin B 6	May protect against heart disease and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties
White Mushrooms	Eat fresh as an appetizer or in salads, add to soups and grain dishes, or sauté	Riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, copper, selenium, vitamin D (in UV-treated only)	May aid in cancer prevention, autoimmune disease protection, immune defense; shown to maintain healthy bones, teeth, and muscles
White Potatoes	Bake, steam, roast, sauté, or mash as a side dish; add to soups and casseroles	Vitamin B6 and C, fiber	May boost immune function and help to protect against cardiovascular disease

*Studies on health benefits based on preliminary research; additional research may be needed to further understand the role these vegetables play in human health.

 

KALE AND POTATO SALAD

 

Photo courtesy of Potatoes Goodness Unearthed, Inc

Ingredients:

1 lb petite Yukon gold potatoes, halved

¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 sliced shallot, divided
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste
¾ lb asparagus, trimmed, chopped (1-inch pieces)
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
¼ cup fat-free Greek yogurt
7 cup chopped (1-inch pieces) green curly kale
½ cup fresh scallions, chopped
¼ cup chopped walnuts
1 oz smoked or traditional Gorgonzola cheese

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Toss potatoes with 1 Tbsp oil, half of shallots, salt and pepper and transfer to a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, then add asparagus and roast for 10 minutes until golden and tender.

3. Puree remaining olive oil, shallots, vinegar and yogurt in a blender. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar.

4. Bring 1 inch of water in a large pot to a boil and add kale; cook for 1 minute until kale is bright green and lightly wilted; drain excess water.

5. Toss kale with dressing, potatoes and scallions and top with walnuts and Gorgonzola.

 Makes 6 servings

 Nutritional Information per Serving: 260 calories, 9 g protein, 29 g carbohydrates, 15 g fat, 4 g fiber, 210 mg sodium

 Recipe and photo courtesy of Potatoes Goodness Unearthed, Inc

 

This article was written by McKenzie for the September 2013 issue of Environmental Nutrition.

Cooking with Kids - Fast Food Makeovers

All kids love fast food.  Even kids who grow up with garden-loving parents who crafted homemade baby food and refused to feed their child sugar for the first years of his life succumb to the allure of the happy meal. 

There’s nothing wrong with having a hamburger or chicken fingers every now and then.  It’s part of growing up.  But, as a parent, you can arm yourself with tips and recipes for making your own fast food at home, so you can control the quality of the ingredients.  Make it fun, and your child will beg for the box with the prize inside just a little less.  Here are a few tips for making your own nourishing fast food experience at home.

      1. Invite your child into the kitchen to help make dinner.  Kids are more likely to eat what they cook.  Kids love projects, and cooking their own dinner gives them a sense of accomplishment and ownership.  Give them age-appropriate tasks like washing vegetables, measuring ingredients, dumping or stirring.   

   

        2. Cook with whole, real foods.  Studies have shown that food additives can affect a child’s behavior, and can aggravate attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  Start with whole, unprocessed foods that are free of artificial colors, preservatives and sweeteners, and you can rest assured your child is getting the nutrition she needs with the taste she wants.  For example, for a milk shake, blend milk with frozen bananas, peanut butter and some cocoa powder for a ‘Chunky Monkey’ shake.  And speaking of Chunky Monkey…   

      3. Give foods fun names.  A recent study shows kids eat twice as many vegetables when the veggies were labeled with cool, fun names, like ‘X-ray Vision Carrots’ and ‘Tiny Tasty Tree Tops.’  So, let your kids come up with fun names for foods and you’ll watch those veggies disappear!

      4. Give kids choices.  Like all of us, kids want to have control.  Let them choose between healthy options, and they’ll feel empowered.  For example, when you’re making pizza, set out bowls of different types of vegetable (and maybe even some fruit!) toppings, and let your child build his own pizza.  You may be surprised when he chooses spinach!    

      5.  Sneak in a little extra nutrition.  Studies suggest kids may have to taste a food 15 or 20 times before she starts to like it.  So, keep serving that side of broccoli and encouraging your child to at least taste it.  Eventually, her taste buds will start to accept it—and even like it!  In the meantime, there’s nothing wrong with sneaking a little more vegetables into her favorite foods, to make sure she’s getting all the nutrition she needs.  For example, shred carrots or zucchini and add it to hamburgers or meatballs, add shredded or puree veggies to the pasta sauce, or puree cauliflower and add it to mac n’ cheese.  You can even blend fresh spinach into a blueberry smoothie.  I promise, she’ll never know!  This works for picky husbands, too.  

      6. Don’t forget the fun drink.  Mostly, kids need water, water, water.  Sugar-filled sodas, sports drinks, and even juice provide extra calories with little nutritional value.  But, we all need a fun, flavorful drink every now and then.  Make your own ‘soda’ by adding a splash of 100% fruit juice to sparkling water, and even garnishing it with fresh fruit slices or berries.  

      7. Eat together as a family.  The research is clear—kids who eat dinner with their parents are healthier, happier and less likely to get into trouble as a teen.  The best conversations in our lives—and often our best memories—usually happen around the table.  There are 1,440 minutes in a day—make at least 30 of those minutes a dinner with your kids, and you’ll all be happier!

Here are a few online resources filled with articles and ideas for cooking with your kids.

Kids Eat Right (www.eatright.org/kids) is a site of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, focused on kids nutrition. 

Spatulatta (http://www.spatulatta.com) teaches children to cook with free step-by-step videos and encourages children to eat more vegetables and fruits.

Super Kids Nutrition (www.superkidsnutrition.com) provides articles, tips and resources for raising healthy eaters. 

The Kids Cook Monday (www.thekidscookmonday.org) provides articles, tips and resources for cooking with your kids.

ZisBoomBah (blog.zisboombah.com) is an interactive website that helps families get excited about healthy meals.

This article appears in the Fall 2013 issue of Bellingham Alive.

Here are two recipes for making your own happy meal at home.  

Crispy Chicken Fingers

Serves 4

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Sea salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten with a splash of water

1 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the chicken breasts into strips the size of ‘chicken fingers’.

Pour the whole wheat flour, eggs, and whole wheat panko bread crumbs each into separate bowls.  Season each well with sea salt and black pepper.  Pour the olive oil into the panko bread crumbs and toss well to evenly distribute the oil.

Bread each chicken by dipping each in (1) whole wheat flour, (2) egg, and (3) panko bread crumbs, patting on the panko bread crumbs to make sure they adhere well. 

Lay the prepared chicken tenders onto a rack set on a baking sheet.  Bake the chicken in the preheated oven until the chicken is cooked through and browned and crispy, about 12 to 15 minutes.

‘French Fries’

Serves 4

2 russet potatoes or sweet potatoes

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place a sheet pan in the oven to preheat.

Cut each potato into wedges of desired size, smaller for crispier potatoes and larger for steak fries.  Place potato wedges into a large bowl and toss with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.

Remove sheet pan from preheated oven.  Pour potatoes onto pan and arrange in a single layer.  Return pan to oven and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are deep golden brown.