My 5 Tips for a Healthier, Happier You in 2015

Making a resolution to improve your health this year?  Avoid fad diets and follow my top 5 tips for a healthier year ahead.  Counting calories is not a sustainable way to stay healthy.  I recommend the principles below to any client, regardless if they are at a healthy body weight or not.

1. Eliminate all sugar sweetened beverages from your diet.

Did you know that 8 oz of orange juice has as much sugar as 8 oz of coke?  Although the sugar from orange juice is naturally occurring, it still has the same impact on weight gain and blood sugar as a soda.  Instead of drinking juice, try having a glass of water and eating a piece of fruit.  As far as  sports drinks are concerned, they are not needed unless you are engaging in greater than 1 hr of cardiovascular activity.  Most of us don’t realize that we are drinking 500-1000 calories daily.  We also don’t realize that sugar, more so than fat consumption, plays a significant role in raising our blood triglyceride levels. When I counsel a client on weight loss, this is the first tip I give.  Given that 500 additional calories daily amounts to an additional pound of weight gain per week, make the decision to kick your sugary drink habit.  By the way, claims such as “all natural”, “organic” and “no sugar added” do not necessarily mean healthy.

Don’t feel like drinking water all the time?  Check out some easy substitutes for your favorite sugary drinks:

Soda or Pop

• Try one sweetened with a natural sugar free sweetener, Stevia.  Try Zevia, which comes in all of your favorite flavors.
• Don’t need the sweetness but craving the bubbles? Try carbonated flavored water such as La Croix or Dasani Sparklers

Sports Drinks

• Try Nuun tablets- these are portable tablets that you can carry with you and drop into a bottle of water anywhere, anytime.  Plus, you get all the electrolytes without the added sugar.

Juice

Try water infused with one of these delicious combinations below:

• citrus (lemon, lime, orange or a combination)
• mint & cucumber for a refreshing twist
• an herbal tea bag such as Passion by Tazo

2. Make half of your plate non-starchy vegetables.

 By filling your plate with vegetables, you leave less room for more calorically dense starches and proteins.  Don’t get me wrong, I want you to include some starch and protein, as these are important for satiety- BUT- in the appropriate portion sizes.  As a rule of thumb, your portion of starch should be the size of your fist.  And avoid having a second helping; however, if you’re still hungry, you can always have more non-starchy vegetables.  Try tossing green vegetables such as broccoli or asparagus in a small amount of olive oil, minced garlic and a light sprinkling of seasoning.  Roast in the oven for a crispy (and more delicious version) of your classic steamed (and mushy) vegetable.

3. Listen to your body.

Many of us mistake the desire for the taste of food with true hunger.  A large portion of us turn to food when we are stressed, emotional or bored.  Ask yourself when you feel the desire to eat: “Is this mouth (desire for taste), heart (emotional coping), or stomach hunger (true hunger)?”  If the answer is not stomach hunger, go for a walk, phone a friend, or take a bath to put the craving at bay.

4. Stick to set meal and snack times.

I think some of us (myself included) once got a little carried away with the idea that it is beneficial to have smaller, more frequent meals.  However, there is a difference between having set snack times and grazing.  I recommend setting 3 meal and 2-3 snack times throughout the day.  By snack time, I mean sitting down at a table, distraction free (that means electronics off), and enjoying your food.  In the “in between” times, avoid having that cracker or cookie that tempts you when you walk by your pantry every 15 minutes.  Many of us forget about the “nibbles” throughout the day, yet wonder why we can’t lose weight.  The nibbles add up.

5. Include 30 minutes of activity daily.

I always tell my clients that 30 minutes of activity does not necessarily mean going for a run.  More vigorous activity is important here and there, but meeting a friend for a walk, bike ride or swim does play a role in weight maintenance.  A word of caution- many of us over estimate our energy expenditure and therefore feel we can “splurge” on days we are active.  This is not the case.  Find an activity that you don’t dread doing.  My favorite this year has been Barre 3– it’s a mix of pilates, yoga and ballet (don’t get scared off by the ballet, I really have no artistic talent).  I love it, and so does my mind and body!  Most importantly, I look forward to it at the end of my work day.  If you are looking for online workouts that you can do just about anywhere, they have that option available too.

Most importantly, set some goals to be healthy for you, and your health, not just to look great in your jeans.  

Here’s to a healthier you!  Happy New Year!

– Lauren

Christmas in Canada

Someone special making his entrance on Christmas morning. Neil Diamond’s Christmas album had to be playing, by request.

 

 

I hope all of you had a lovely holiday.  As this week was a little different, I decided to share some moments from my holiday with you, and a few recipes that we enjoyed along the way.  It was such a treat to spend the week with my family- it was definitely the greatest gift this year! 

Raspberry Almond Muffins

I recently joined a group of nutrition-focused bloggers, the Recipe Redux.  Each month we are challenged to create a healthy recipe that fits within the theme.  This month’s theme, “Grab a Book and Cook,” challenged us to open one of our cookbooks to either page 42 or 142, and makeover the recipe.  Since it’s the holidays, I opened my Butter Baked Goods Cookbook by Rosie Daykin and found a delicious (but, definitely butter packed, hence the title of the book) rhubard almond muffin recipe.

December 14-20

Happy Holidays!  This week was somewhat hectic getting ready to travel back up North for Christmas.  Doug and I will be spending Christmas with my family in Vancouver, AND I am SO excited to see them.  Typically on Christmas, my aunt, uncle and cousins from Victoria spend Christmas with us.  We take turns each year as to which family travels to the other’s house.  As little kids, we always wanted to experience Christmas morning at our own houses, and therefore left the travel to Christmas Day.  This usually involved rushing to a ferry and overall was not the most pleasant experience.

Now in our twenties, we decided we could handle Christmas morning at a house other than our own.  For the first year, we will be getting together on Christmas Eve.  With my two cousins also being medical students, and me living in New Orleans, our visits are less frequent.  I am so looking forward to seeing them!

One of my favorite things to do is spend time in the kitchen with my Mom and prepare a feast for Christmas Dinner.  I’m hoping to snap a few photos along the way to share with you later.

I wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Your support for this little blogging endeavor has been the best gift- thank you!

 

 

Sunday

• Quinoa Gratin (LG Original)– This recipe is a little more exciting (and sorry, I’m biased) than your typical preparation of quinoa as a salad.  If you haven’t tried quinoa yet, give this one a try.  This recipe has been adored by foodies and picky eaters alike. 

Monday

• Repeat Quinoa Gratin (LG Original)- I will be honest, I actually ate this for lunch 3 days paired with a basic green salad.

 

Tuesday

• Fish Tacos (LG Original)– Doug and I love to try tacos at all different restaurants, and, especially from food trucks.  Our favorite places to get a taco in New Orleans are Taceaux Loceaux and the Rum House.  It always amazes me how many unique variations can be made from the basic taco.  This recipe is on the healthier side, but full of flavor.  This is a great idea fordinner parties, as it’s always fun to lay out all of the toppings and have guests build a taco suited to their taste.   

 

 

 

Wednesday

• One Pot Cheesy Turkey Taco Chili Mac (Skinnytaste)– Another winner from Skinnytaste.  This was absolutely delicious, healthy, so easy. and only dirtied one pot.  Does it get any better?  This served us for 2 lunches and 2 dinners.  Make it tonight.

Thursday

• Repeat One Pot Cheesy Turkey Taco Chili Mac (Skinnytaste)

Marilea’s Cinnamon Rolls

When I spent Christmas with Doug’s family a couple years ago, I woke up to the aroma of his mom’s cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning.  These cinnamon rolls are a crucial part to their Christmas traditions.  Last year, Marilea shared the recipe with me and I was able to share them with my family.  Of course, my family loved them as well.  I plan to make them for Christmas morning this year, but I wanted to share the recipe with you in advance so you may be able to enjoy them as well!

December 7-13

This week is all about keeping it simple- and healthy.  With the holidays around the corner, heavy lunches, treats and adult beverages are in abundance- so- I decided to keep all of my meals this week on the healthier side.  Don’t worry, there will definitely be some indulgences along the way, which I will tell you all about later :)

I have included two recipes that I have made over and over again (Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust & Southwest Chowder),  as well as a new recipe (Kale & Brussel Sprouts Salad) which will definitely be making many more appearances in the future.  The best part of this week is that it’s easy.  You’ll notice I purchase a rotisserie chicken and use it for two dishes that span across 3 nights of meals.

Look for my next post, coming soon, that will include my favorite Christmas dessert recipes.  I have been responsible for the desserts at Christmas dinner for 10+ years, so these are tried, tested, and devoured recipes.

Sunday

• Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust (Oprah)– Looking for some delicious comfort food without the guilt?  I have been making this recipe for years.  The cornbread topping is a nice twist to the classic pie crust.  I actually made and baked this right in my dutch oven, which makes it a one pot meal!  To do so, prepare the filing in the dutch oven (as outlined to do in a saucepan) and when finished, spread the cornbread batter on top.  If you don’t have a dutch oven, transfer the mixture from the sauce pan to the casserole dish, as outlined in the recipe.  Buy a rotisserie chicken to save on time (and prep).  You’ll even have leftover chicken to add to your salad on Tuesday.

  

Monday

• Repeat Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust- This actually fed us both for dinner the next day, as well as Doug for lunch (and breakfast).  

Tuesday

• Kale & Brussel Sprouts Salad with Bacon and Pecorino (Sugar & Grace)– Yum.  This is my new favorite salad recipe.  I used a hand mandolin to shave the brussels sprouts
  which looks something like this.  However, if you have a full-sized food processor (on my Christmas wish list), try using the thin slicing disc to expedite the process!  We added the remaining rotisserie chicken we had purchased for the pot pie to amp up the protein and make it a meal.

Wednesday

• Southwest Chowder (AG – that’s my Mom- original) + Leftover Kale & Brussel Sprouts Salad- My Mom came up with this soup recipe by making several changes to anoriginal published several years ago in her hometown’s local paper.  Originally known as “Yam Soup,” my Mom re-named it “Southwest Chowder” to entice my brother and his friends (who were tweens at the time) to eat it.  A couple bowls each later, my Mom was set on the name.  For parents out there, this soup is a great way to incorporate vegetables in your children’s diets (maybe minus the jalepeno).  

Thursday

• Repeat Southwest Chowder & Whole Wheat English Muffins (Double Thyme) with Avocado & Sambal Oelek- Ok- so you don’t have to make the english muffins from scratch- but- if you have some time- I dare you to.  I eat an english muffin every morning for breakfast and started to notice that most of the store bought versions are dry and lacking in flavor.  Once you try this homemade version, you will not go back.  I keep making batches (it makes about 16), pre-slicing them and freezing them.  This makes it that much easier to pop them into the toaster in the morning (with my fav, almond butter, or on weekends, made into an egg, sharp cheddar & arugula sandwich).  If I just made your mouth water, add an egg (cooked your favorite way), some cheddar and arugula to your avocado & sambal oelek english muffin to pair with this soup for dinner.  

• 

  If you don’t have a biscuit cutter, use the top of a pint glass (like I did, here)

The Grocery List (For the Complete Week’s Recipes minus the English Muffins)

Produce

• onion (1)
• potato (1)
  

  Caught red handed! This is what happens when I try to start making soup after work- he just couldn’t wait. I want to tell you about my most favorite cheese- Saint-Andre- seen here. If you are a fan of brie, this takes it to a whole new level. Doug has caught on and now pulls out the fig jam with it- I’d say his taste buds are becoming more sophisticated (which is good when he’s my official taste tester)

• carrots (about 4)
• 1 lemon (for 2 Tbsp of juice)
• shallot (1)
• garlic
• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 lb. brussels sprouts
• red bell pepper (1)
• parsley
• yams (enough for 3 cups)

Non-Perishables

• chicken stock (2 cups for the pot pie and 6 cups for the soup*)
• tabasco sauce or other hot sauce (I used sriracha)
• yellow cornmeal
• baking powder
• sugar
• salt
• dijon mustard
• olive oil
• 1/4 cup almonds (I used sliced)
• dried oregano
• cumin
• wild rice (I use Lundberg Wild Rice Blend)

Dairy

• milk (about 3/4 cup)
• pecorino or parmesan chcese

Meat & Poultry

• 1 rotisserie chicken
• egg (1)
• 4 slices of bacon

Other

• frozen peas
• frozen corn

* Use vegetable stock for the soup if you want to keep it vegetarian

Neapolitan Squares

Thank you for sharing the blog love the past week- I really appreciate it!  The winners of my giveaway are Steffanie W. & Maricel P. Congrats!

This square recipe has made many appearances on our Christmas cookie platter for many years.  I love this recipe because it is so different from the typical offerings on a Christmas cookie platter, and is very eye-catching.  This square would also be very pretty at a baby shower or birthday party.  The recipe comes from an old family friend.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour

Filling

• 2 cups flaked coconut
• 1 tin sweetened condensed milk

Whipped Butter Icing

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup icing (powdered) sugar
• 2 Tbsp. half and half
• red food coloring

Method

1. Whisk together graham crumbs, brown sugar and flour.  Add melted butter and stir to combine.

2. Press into an 8 x 8″ greased and parchment lined baking pan.

3. Bake crust at 350°F for 10 minutes.

4. Combine filling ingredients and spread over baked crust.

5. Bake at 350°F for an additional 20 minutes.  Cool completely.

6. To prepare the icing, beat butter using an electric mixer for 2 minutes.

7. Add icing sugar and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

8. Add half and half and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

9. Add a couple drops of food coloring until desired color is reached.  Spread icing on top of filling.

10.  Chill.  Cut into small squares or triangles.

Neapolitan Squares

• Print

Lauren Gibson, RD

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

Filling

• 2 cups flaked coconut
• 1 tin sweetened condensed milk

Whipped Butter Icing

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup icing (powdered) sugar
• 2 Tbsp. half and half
• red food coloring

Method

1. Whisk together graham crumbs, brown sugar and flour.  Add melted butter and stir to combine.
2. Press into an 8 x 8″ greased and parchment lined baking pan.
3. Bake crust at 350°F for 10 minutes.
4. Combine filling ingredients and spread over baked crust.
5. Bake at 350°F for an additional 20 minutes.  Cool completely.
6. To prepare the icing, beat butter using an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
7. Add icing sugar and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
8. Add half and half and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
9. Add a couple drops of food coloring until desired color is reached.  Spread icing on top of filling.
10.  Chill.  Cut into small squares or triangles.

http://www.laurengibsonrd.com

 

 

November 30- December 6

After Thanksgiving, I was looking to take a major break from cooking this week, hence the slow cooker recipe.  Since buying a slow cooker, I knew I had to try a pulled pork recipe, as it is one of Doug’s favorites.  Myself, I’m not the hugest pork/beef person.  Now, this isn’t for nutritional reasons, but because I simply never enjoyed the taste of either… and then… I moved to the South.  The barbeque is pretty out of this world.  I’m still picky with my meats, but have grown a liking to pulled pork (especially with some good coleslaw, beans and cornbread).  Anyways, tired of turkey, we tried our hand at a slow cooker pulled pork recipe.  Wow- was it delicious- and so easy.  I immediately shared the recipe with my Mom, who made the recipe this past week.  My family agreed- it was a winner.

Also- don’t forget to enter my giveaway that ends this Tuesday.  Check out my last post “Gift Ideas” for details.  Make sure you tag me in your post!

 

 

Sunday

Pulled Pork Sliders (Using Easy Slowcooker Pulled Pork from Chow)– You’ll see in the recipe that there are two options to either add back the juices or a BBQ sauce to the mixture at the end.  We added back about 1/3 cup of the juices and about 1/3 cup of Sweet Baby Ray’s Sweet n’ Spicy barbeque sauce.  We also used a 2.8 lb pork shoulder and didn’t change the quantities of any of the other ingredients; however, we did have some of the spice rub left at the end.

Coleslaw– To make the recipe a little lighter, I made a vinegar rather than a mayonnaise-based recipe.  The acidity was  a nice balance to the deep flavors of the pork.  

We also mixed together some sambal oelek with some light mayo to add a light spread to the bun.  I actually had mine without any mayo, but added additional BBQ sauce.  It was delicious.

 

Monday

Pulled Pork Tacos– We had leftover pork and decided to switch things up by using the pork in tacos instead of sliders.  We used small corn tortillas and I mixed light sour cream with some adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers.  This time, we paired it with any easy pineapple salsa.  The pork was a hit again that night.

Pineapple Salsa (Two Peas and Their Pod)

Tuesday

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken (Skinnytaste)– This is in my top 3 for my favorite recipes I have tried from Skinnytaste.  To significantly lower the carbohydrate content of the meal, you use broccoli slaw instead of approximately half the amount of rice noodles you would typically use in the dish.  You will hardly notice a difference between the cooked rice noodles and the cooked broccoli slaw.  I used regular natural peanut butter instead of Better’n Peanut Butter.  Remember, we shouldn’t be scared of some healthy fat here and there!  

Wednesday

Repeat Asian Peanut Chicken Noodles (Skinnytaste)

Thursday

Leftover Spanakopita– Ok, so I cheated here and pulled out some leftover slices from the freezer.  After the chicken and pork, I felt like I needed a vegetarian dish to balance out the week.  Check out my recipe if you missed the earlier post.

The Grocery List for the Entire Week’s Dishes (minus the Spanakopita)

Produce

• ginger root
• garlic (you will need an entire bulb)
• limes (3)
• green onions (2 bunches)
• carrots (buy shredded if you don’t feel like julienning them yourself)
• 1 bag broccoli slaw
• bean sprouts (about 1 cup)
• cilantro
• yellow onions (2)
• red onion (1 small)
• red cabbage (1/2 small head)
• green cabbage (1/2 small head)
• 1 small pineapple (or 1 large can of whole rings)
• red bell pepper (1)
• jalepeno (1)

Non-Perishables

• chicken broth
• peanut butter
• sriracha chili sauce
• honey
• soy sauce
• sesame oil
• rice noodles
• shelled peanuts
• brown sugar
• chili powder
• cumin
• cinnamon
• grainy mustard (use can substitute with dijon)
• celery seed
• apple cider vinegar
• olive oil

Dairy

Meat & Poultry

• 16 oz chicken breast
• pork shoulder (recipe calls for 4 1/2-5 lbs; we used a 3 lb roast)

Other

Gift Ideas for the Cook in Your Life

Stuck on gift ideas for your loved ones?

With the holidays around the corner, I wanted to share some of my favorite kitchen tools/gadgets.  Kitchen tools also work great as stocking stuffers.

Enter to win a giveaway (from me) at the end of the post- Happy Holidays!

Under $10

1. Good Grips Mini Angled Measuring Cup– I think I use this every time I make a savory dish.  It saves you from measuring out each tablespoon in sauce and dressing recipes.  I love it.

2. Julienne Peeler– Ever wonder how restaurants make those beautiful carrot ribbons on salads?  This is how.  I know it seems like an odd tool, but I actually use is at least twice a week.  I also use it to make finely julienned carrots for Asian dishes in addition to salads.

3. Conversion Dish Towel (Crate & Barrel)– This dishtowel serves the dual purpose of being a handy guide to complete those difficult measurement conversions, while keeping your dishes dry.

4. Electronic Kitchen Scale– Ok, this is currently $10.37, so I kind of cheated on the $10 category.  However, I think every cook needs one of these.  I own this exact one and have had it for a year.  It works great, despite being much cheaper than others.  It’s very helpful when recipes list ingredients by weight rather than in traditional household measures.

Under $25

5. Cookie/Muffin Scoops- These are my secret (well not so secret) tools that are the key to making uniformly shaped and evenly baked cookies, muffins or cupcakes.  The muffin scooper also works great for making burgers or crab cakes.  I use the OXO large cookie scoop for regular cookies, the medium scoop for more decadent cookies and the trigger scoop for muffins, cupcakes (or burgers).  

6. Cooper Instant Read Thermometer– This is the industrial grade, run through your dishwasher, instant read thermometer that I first used in the hospital kitchen during my dietetic internship.  It’s the key to getting perfectly cooked meat, every time.  Also, it has a great warranty.  Being a bit over-the-top with food safety, this saves us from eating over-cooked meat.  

7. Microplane Graters– These are the best for grating parmesan cheese, nutmeg or citrus- you name it.  My picture here features an old version of the citrus grater, but any of the graters are fantastic.

8. Acetum Blaze Balsamic Glaze– Drizzle this over anything, and the presentation of your dish will look professional.  I use it as a finish on salads, pastas, pizza… the list goes on…

9. Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twinsharp Select Kitchen Knife Sharpener– Ok, I too have always been told that you can never bring a knife back to its original sharpness without taking it to a shop to put the edge back on it.  This sharpener changed everything.  I no longer “slip” when chopping onions or only cut through the flesh of a red pepper.

Under $50

10. Riedel Wine Glasses– I may enjoy wine (just a little).  Pick your favorite glass to suit your taste.

11. Pampered Chef Pizza Stone– I grew up with “Friday Night Pizza Night.”  My Mom would make delicious homemade pizza on this stone.  When I was young, I dropped this exact stone and smashed it.  I recently bought another, and now remember why I loved it so much.

$100+

12. Le Creuset Dutch Oven– We were very lucky to receive one of these last year for Christmas.  This is hands down my favorite piece of cookware.  Everything cooks beautifully in it.

My Favorite Cookbooks

1. The Whitewater Cookbook Series (Shelley Adams)- These books are from the Whitewater Ski Resort in Nelson, British Columbia (my home province!)  The recipes are fresh and innovative, and the photographs, beautiful.  The recipes have a great mix of local BC flavor with an ethnic twist.  My favorite recipes are 1) Chicken Charmoula (from Whitewater Cooks with Friends) 2) Ahi Tuna Tartare (from Whitewater Cooks at Home) and 3) Panko Crusted Miso Sablefish (from Whitewater Cooks with Friends).

2. The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook Series (Ina Garten)- What more can I say?  I own the series.  I can always count on Ina’s recipes to turn out, and be devoured.  Now, her recipes typically aren’t low-cal but I love to make adaptations of them.  I think my favorite is “Barefoot Contessa at Home,” mainly because it contains the recipes for 1) Beatty’s Chocolate Cake, 2) Coconut Cake and 3) Triple Berry Muffins.  Her savory recipes in the books are also delicious, but these 3 stand out for me.  For those of you who already have her entire collection, she has a new addition to the series, “Make it Ahead” which was released this past Fall.

3. Butter Baked Goods (Rosie Daykin)- This very pretty cookbook is the creation of a local bakery in the Dunbar neighborhood in Vancouver.  It is a must for any baker in your life.  It contains many classic recipes for cakes, squares, pies and cookies.  I think I have made the Butterscotch Walnut Bars ten times in the past year.  It’s also available on Amazon in the US for all my Yankee friends.

4. The Skinnytaste Cookbook (Gina Homolka)- I recently purchased this book because I had made so many delicious (and healthy!!!) recipes from her blog.  This is my favorite book right now for weeknight cooking, as I can count on the recipes to be nutritious and delicious.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need more gift ideas!

GIVEAWAY: Share the link to my blog on your Facebook page and be entered to win one of these gifts for yourself!!!

(PS- I ship throughout the US or Canada).

Steps for Sharing:

1) Hit the “Facebook” icon at the end of this post, or the end of any of the posts I have written thus far (pick your favorite).

2) Should you desire, write a quick comment about my blog in the “Say something about this…” Make sure you tag me in the post.

3) Hit “Share Link.”

4) Facebook will notify me that you have shared my blog and I will enter you into the contest!

Contest closes at midnight on Tuesday, December 9th.

I will announce the winners on Wednesday, December 10th- just in time for you to receive the tools for your holiday baking!

 

November 23-29

To all my Yankee friends, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We joined our friends, Betsy & Jeff, at their house for the big event.  Betsy’s parents were in town from Portland, Oregon, which made it extra special.  Betsy, her Mom and I cooked for most of the day on Thursday.  The boys were busy fulfilling the other traditional thanksgiving duties of watching football and tasting seasonal craft beers while we prepared the feast.  I will be honest- they were essential in getting the bird in the oven and carving and “staging’ the meat (as Jeff put it).  I guess the long hours spent during their surgery rotations were worth it…

I am so thankful for my family, my relationship, my health and friends that now span across two countries.  As I was laughing with Betsy and her Mom in the kitchen, I thought of how lucky I am to be in New Orleans and have met such fantastic people.  For any of you that are pondering a major life decision, I challenge you to move out of your comfort zone and just “experience.” As most of you know, it wasn’t an easy feat for me to move here.  Now that I am here, and settled, I am so grateful for this experience.

Below are some snippets of my day of gratitude.  Because Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday, I only made 4 days worth of meals this week.  You will notice that one of the main dishes is vegetarian and the other fish- I did this specifically in anticipation of the amount of poultry I was going to eat for the remainder of the week!  All 3 of these dishes are regulars on my meal roster.  I hope you give each a try!

xo Lauren

 

Sunday

Thai Fish Curry (Chatelaine)– This is quick to prepare on a weeknight, and is an easy way to include at least one serving of fish in your weekly roster.  I can also usually get by with having all of the ingredients in my fridge/freezer/pantry already.

Monday

Repeat Thai Fish Curry (Chatelaine)

 

Tuesday

Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese & Candied Pecan Salad (LG Original)

Pasta alla Formiana (adapted from Giada de Laurentiis)

Similar to the curry, Pasta all Formiana is easy to prepare the night you are going to eat it.  It is delicious hot or cold, and as leftovers the next day.  It sounds odd, but I find this dish to almost taste like a hearty slice of pizza without having any cheese in the dish (I think it’s the hefty amount of oregano and garlic that does this).  The salad is one of my well-known recipes amongst friends and family.  It goes with pretty much any meal.

Wednesday

Repeat Pasta alla Formiana

Repeat Beet, Goat Cheese & Candied Pecan Salad (LG Original)

 

 

 

Thursday (Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!)

Betsy did a great job of planning a wonderful spread of dishes- below is a roster of them.  I hope you save some of these for Christmas or your next Thanksgiving.  These recipes are definitely not easy on the waistline, but it was Thanksgiving after all. Check out my friend Meme (who also happens to be an RD)’s blog, Living Well Kitchen, for great tips on tackling Thanksgiving dinner the right way.  I love Meme’s ideas.

1. Porcini Mushroom Turkey with Mushroom Gravy (Bon Appetit) – This dish, although somewhat involved, has re-appeared at many of my Christmas and Thanksgiving tables.  The gravy does takes some time, but is so worth it.  Everyone agreed.

2. Leeann (Betsy’s Mom)’s  Mashed Potatoes- These were so good.  I think Leeann “whips” this together from experience, rather than following a recipe.  Perhaps I will include her own recipe in a future post.

3. Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussel Sprouts (Joy in the Jumble)– OMG.  These were so tasty.  One of the nurses I work with, Brittany, prepared this for our Thanksgiving feast at work and I had to get the recipe.  Betsy and I put them together last minute and added bacon.  YUM.

4. Green Bean Casserole- Your classic, French’s onions side of the package recipe.

5. Sweet Potato Casserole

6. Kristyn’s Roasted Squash and Pecan Salad- There’s a funny story to go with this one.  I will share this salad recipe in a later post.

7. Stuffing.

8. Apple Crisp- Betsy’s Grandmother’s recipe.  It’s a secret.

9. Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cupcakes (Your Cup of Cake)– Betsy requested I make these, as she had tried them at her Thanksgiving celebration last year.  At first glance, the recipe seemed to be an odd concoction, but wow, were they to die for… They were so moist and a great combination of flavors.  I would definitely make them again.

The Grocery List for the Complete Week’s Dishes (Minus the Thanksgiving Dishes)

Produce

• 1 bunch green onions
• garlic
• 1 lb butternut squash (to expedite the process, you can often buy this pre-cut into cubes)
• 2 limes
• 4-5 large tomatoes
• 1 x 8 oz package of button or cremini mushrooms
• 1 yellow onion
• mixed salad greens
• 2 golden beets (can be substituted for an additional 2 red beets)
• 2 red beets

Non-Perishables

• olive oil
• green curry paste
• 1 can light coconut milk
• fish sauce
• jasmine rice (I prefer brown, but white is fine too)
• 1 x 28 oz can of tomatoes
• 1/2 lb. whole wheat penne, rigatoni or rotini pasta- check out why I choose wheat over white here
• dried oregano (3 Tbsp.)
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• light corn syrup
• cayenne pepper
• white sugar
• balsamic vinegar
• dijon mustard

Dairy

• 1 x 4 oz log of goat cheese

Meat, Poultry & Fish

• 500 g (approx 1 lb) of firm white fish such as tilapia or cod- I use frozen tilapia

Other

• mixed olives (approximately 1/3 cup)