Okay, so let me confide in you all a bit... lately, I've been in a time of transition. Been a little stressed, been having a little bit of acid reflux due to that stress. So I did some research online to see what kind of foods counteract stress. Here are a few of my faves:
~Spinach
~Avocados
~Salmon (and other fatty fishies like tuna)
~Complex carbs like whole grain breads, oatmeal, brown rice, that sort of thing
~Oranges (though they say it's for the vitamin C, so on my list this would be grapefruits and limes)
~black tea (yay iced tea!!)
~PISTACHIOS <3
~fresh, crunchy veggies (carrots, peppers, celery, jicama, kohlrabi... YUM) So, given this awesome list of foods, I figured I'd give some awesome recipes for each of them. Easy Fresh
Spinach Salad
No stressing about this salad! Just toss together any or all of the following:
1 cup packed fresh baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup toasted pecan pieces or sliced almonds
1/4 cup jicama, cut into matchsticks
a couple tablespoons dried cranberries (cranberries are a great source of powerful antioxidants... a must in any great salad!)
1/8 cup shredded carrots handful of fresh, cute grape tomatoes
1/4 cup chick peas or red kidney beans
mandarin orange wedges
... and dig in! This can easily be paired with the salmon recipe below for a yummy, healthy, stress-free meal. As for dressing, depending on what you put into the salad, this one has some possibilities: balsamic vinegar+olive oil, raspberry vinaigrette, lemon/lime juice+olive oil and fresh herbs, just a bit of salt and pepper... be creative! Too often we don't think about how our dressing can play up the unique flavors and textures in our salad.
On to the avocados: Guacamole is probably the most popular way to eat avocados, and doesn't have to be with chips (though it is awesome that way); it's a great dip for veggies too. And quesadillas. And it's an awesome topping for black bean burgers, and a spread for sammiches. Here's an easy way to make it!
Guacamole
3 medium, very ripe Hass avocados
1 small yellow onion or shallot, minced
1 nice, fat clove garlic, minced
a sprinkle of chili powder (depending on how spicy you like it)
a pinch of salt
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
optional: a seeded, diced jalapeno pepper
Cut the avocados in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh into a medium bowl. Mash with a fork until somewhere between smooth and chunky (sorry for the weak description... you'll know it when you see it), then stir in the remaining ingredients and salt to taste. Chill for a half hour-- if you can wait that long-- then stir again and enjoy! Note: if you saute the onion and garlic (and the jalapeno, if you add it) with a little salt and pepper before adding them to the mix it gives the guac an amazing flavor... then again, caramelized onions are the perfect seasoning, are they not?
Tea... who doesn't love iced tea in the summer? And as it turns out (in case there was ever any doubting this), black tea has lots of antioxidant compounds that help combat stress's negative effects on the body. (And you get your vitamin C from the lemons too!)
Awesome Arnold Palmer
1 qt filtered water
8-10 black tea bags (depending on the strength of the tea you like)
another 2 cups filtered water
honey or agave nectar
lots of fresh lemons (about 6-8)
Boil the first water, pour over the tea bags in a large glass measuring cup or pitcher (MAKE SURE it's tempered glass otherwise it will crack!), let steep for about 4-5 minutes. Remove bags, set aside to cool.
Squeeze the lemons into another measuring cup or other convenient container; sweeten with honey or agave to taste (be careful with the honey! It's very sweet, and easy to add too much). Once it's just right, add the 2 cups water and stir together, then add to the pitcher of brewed tea. Chill, covered, for an hour... then pour over ice and throw in some fresh mint leaves and enjoy!
Totally Delicious Salmon
3-4 oz wild-caught sockeye salmon per person eating (I prefer fillet to steak, but follow your heart)
a couple tablespoons all-purpose flour, whisked with some salt and pepper
fresh or dried dill, mint, basil or parsley, minced if fresh
fresh lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit juice (lemon+dill is good, grapefruit+mint, lime+basil...)
canola oil and butter
Alrighty kids, this is one we haven't tackled (GET IT???) before. First off, make sure you have a clear sink and a clean, neat workspace, that way when it gets fishy it'll be easy to clean up. Now, even though I love bamboo cutting boards, I would prefer you use a plastic one for this. Again, easier to clean... and bamboo boards and utensils aren't dishwashable. *sigh*
Lay some clean, dry paper towels out on your board (for drying the fish after you rinse it) and grab a plate with a raised rim, or a baking dish of some sort and spread the flour mixture evenly in it. This is going to be the nice coating we're going to put on our fishy to keep it from sticking to the pan. Speaking of the pan, at this point start heating it over medium heat, so it'll be nice and hot by the time you're ready for the fish to go in.
Rinse the fish briefly with cold water and lay it on the paper towels, skin side up, and blot the whole thing dryish. You want a little moisture on there, so the flour will stick.
Next, place it (again, skin side up) in the flour mixture and press it in to make sure the whole fillet gets covered, then flip and do the same with the skin side down. Pour some canola oil and throw a pat of butter into the now-hot pan. Pick up the fishy, shake it off, and lay it in the pan (skin side up!!!) letting it fall away from you so if the oil splatters, it doesn't splatter your way. As soon as you do that, start swirling the pan so the fish is constantly moving around and doesn't have a chance to stick. Cook it for about 4-5 minutes on each side (flip it carefully, away from you), a little more if the fillet is very thick. If you're not sure, take a fork and cut into the center of the fillet. If it flakes, the fish is done; if not, cook it a bit longer. Don't overcook it though! If you do, it'll be tough. It won't be terrible... just not as spectacular as it could be. And you want your fish to live up to its potential, do you not? Okay then. No more arguing.
Once the fish is cooked, lay it onto a serving plate and turn the heat waaaay down low, and make your sauce. Throw another pat or 2 of butter in the pan, then once it's melted add the citrus juice and whisk it together. (Make sure to get all those little yummy bits of stuck stuff off the bottom of the pan! They are priceless in a pan gravy.) Season with salt and pepper as needed, and add those yummy herbs, stirring them around a bit just until wilted. Now pour it over your fish in the serving plate, and watch the faces at the table go bug-eyed over it. Enjoy!
Now for some good old whole grains. Yes, it's basic stuff; yes, it's necessary. I'm definitely a fan of plain toast with a little butter and raspberry preserves when I'm having a tough time winding down... but what about those chilly winter mornings when you're not feeling the eggs and sausage but you don't want cold cereal? Well kids, you have options. Steel-cut oats are FABULOUS, as is a cereal that is still carried in some supermarkets... it's called Wheatena, and it was my favorite breakfast growing up. You could also make a nice snack of it if you're having a rough day and need something warm and comforting to eat while watching reruns of [insert favorite guilty-pleasure TV show here].
Wheatena has cooking directions on the box, so I won't go into it here. I will tell you some yummy things to put in it though: various nuts, such as toasted walnuts or pecans or some sliced almonds; raisins or dried cranberries; maple syrup, agave nectar, organic brown sugar; a pinch of cinnamon and/or nutmeg. Oh, and some butter or a splash of milk, soy milk, almond milk, etc. DELISH!!
Steel cut oats, on the other hand, are not so easy to master; there are lots of things that can go wrong. Here's a recipe from eHow.com that will make them so tasty and beautiful, you won't want to eat anything else for weeks. (Not that I'm advocating an oats-alone diet! You need your veggies and beans and all that other good stuff!)
2 Tbsp good butter
1 cup steel-cut oats
3 cups boiling water
a pinch of salt
1 cup milk (or almond, soy... you get the picture)
Heat the butter in a heavy-bottom sauce pan over medium heat, throw in the oats and toast, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Slowly and carefully, add the 3 cups boiling water and pinch of salt, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally (make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot so the oatmeal doesn't stick) . Stir in the milk and continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes, then remove from heat and let it stand, covered, for about 2 minutes. Serve, sprinkle on some cinnamon and brown sugar, and let it make you feel all warm inside. Ahhh...
You can keep leftovers for up to 3 days; this stuff reheats remarkably well. Just add a little milk and zap it.
Okay kids, I think I've given you a good bit to chew on (ha!) for now. Enjoy.
Ciao!
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