FEBRUARY P'UP RECIPES

Just one of the troubles with dieting – the temporary restraint approach to food in order to lose weight – is that it is perceived and approached as temporary. People who are on diets, too, transfer their personal authority over nutrition to the foods themselves. In other words, when you’re on a diet, you’re working for food instead of making food work for you.

I’ve known dieters who sacrifice and go hungry all day, head to gym, and often say that they’re working out in order to have a couple of teaspoons of mayonnaise on a sandwich or cream in their morning coffee. They keep spreadsheets in their heads, tracking income (calories) and outgo (exercise). Food choices are often limited to low-calorie, and often low-nutrition foods such as prepackaged “low fat” or “reduced calorie” frozen meals.

The thing is, food isn’t supposed to be something you work to enjoy. I’m afraid that’s a rather capitalist view of something so sustaining, so important, as one’s nutrition.

A better approach, one that is informing and shaping my project work with P’UP, is treating food like fuel – a necessary and important additive that keeps the miraculous human machine functioning at its optimal level. Good fuel, the sort of high-octane, nutritionally sound cuisine doesn’t have to be tasteless, boring, or even “diet.” In fact, the more you pursue taste and pleasure in tandem with high nutrition foods, the happier you will become while making a long-lasting lifestyle change.

I’m offering up three recipes this month, food choices that have made a difference in both my energy and culinary balances. This first recipe is a low-calorie but highly nutritious lunch option, and it’s very affordable.

Moving from culinary boredom to epicurean happiness is what these recipes are all about. Enjoy!



TEBOULEH

Combine in a medium bowl and let sit for at least an hour:

1 and 1/3 cups bulgur wheat
Two cups boiling water

Chop and then place in a large bowl:

1 bunch cilantro
1 large cucumber (seedy/sticky center removed)
1 medium purple onion (seriously – go with the purple. It’s a flavor thing)

Add:

1 to 1 ½ cups sliced grape or cherry tomatoes (this is a flavor thing, too. Other tomatoes have a different acid/sugar ratio that will affect the flavor of the dish).

To these chopped/sliced vegetables, add the bulgar. Toss.

For the dressing, whisk together:

¼ cup fresh lemon juice (one large lemon should do)
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (again, it’s a flavor thing. Table salt has a metallic taste kosher salt does not)
½ teaspoon ground pepper

Pour the dressing into the large bowl with the bulgur and veggies. Toss well.

Makes 8 servings (maybe 12), 2.5 points for one cup.

Bulgur nutritional info: 1 cup serving = 151 calories, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of protein, and 8 grams of dietary fiber (that’s 33 percent of your daily requirement!). A single serving of bulgur will also meet 10 percent of your daily intake needs for iron, and 2 percent of your daily need for calcium. It’s a powerful fuel that’s affordable. One bag of bulgur cost me $3.28 and fed my daughter and I lunch every day for three weeks.

This can be eaten on its own, or you can try this favorite:



TEBOULEH POCKETS

Take a whole-wheat pita, slice in half. Spread one tablespoon of hummus inside the pockets, as you would with mayo. Add 1/3 cup tebouleh, then stuff in a half cup of mixed greens.

This recipe, by the way, is only 4 points per serving for those on Weight Watchers.


ASIAN SPICE VEGETABLE SOUP




Prepare these vegetables and set aside:

2 – 3 cups bok choy, chopped
2 cups Napa cabbage, chopped (remove core and thick white sections)
2 bunches green onions, sliced
4 oyster mushrooms, freed from main stem, then each “petal” sliced in half
1 red bell pepper, sliced into “sticks”
2 cups sugar snap peas (snow peas are okay)
1 cup (1 can) sliced water chestnuts, drained
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Simmer together for ten minutes (no more):

6 cups chicken broth

4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh ginger, sliced then julienned into strips
½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Remove broth from heat. Add vegetables, stir to combine, and then place a lid on the pot. Let stand for at least 6 minutes, until vegetables are cooked, but vibrant and crispy.


Less than 120 calories per 1 cup serving. Great with a bowl of rice in the morning for breakfast. I swear … it’s really good on a cold morning. This is a half-point soup option for those on Weight Watchers.

EPIC(UREAN) FAIL

(PHOTO: New computer cam tries to capture my Cheshire Grin. Unfortunately, bad cake had paralyzed my mouth).

I had hoped to post a new recipe for a whole-wheat apple spice cake today.

Unfortunately, my first attempt is now a brick of healthy fodder on the bottom shelf of my refrigerator. It looks good, but something went awry in the preparation.

Maybe I’ve created a muffin recipe – a stay-with-you-all-day muffin. Maybe, well, maybe one shouldn’t try to use all whole-wheat flour instead of a flour blend. Whatever the case may be, it’s clear to me now that I’m no “Ace of Cakes.”

All I know is that a cake isn’t supposed to remind you of bran flakes, or roll on your tongue like Ready-Mix in a cement mixer. Cake isn’t supposed to dehydrate your face.

I may have just invented a cure for acne. On my second bite, when my mouth went bong-dry, I felt a pull from deep within my pores. I’ve had a glass of milk and two glasses of water since my first 2 by 2 inch square of apple spice disaster.

Drinking that much liquid after a piece of this epicurean experiment was like pulling the rip-cord on a life raft.

Despite this culinary misdeed, I’ve had an awesome day. I met Ryann and Schnook at the wall this afternoon, and enjoyed a couple of good hours of climbing and belaying. I knew it was time to quit while ascending my last climb of the day, when I forgot I had feet. It was as if I were dragging myself up the wall, sort of like when a dog hustles her hindquarters across shag carpet.

It wasn’t pretty.

A good fifteen feet after the bouldering line, my feet flailed about like flags flapping in the breeze. I looked down to Ryann, and yelled just one word:

“Dinner!”

We packed up and headed for our bikes. It was a delicious fall evening, crackling with excitement as Husker Nation scurried about campus in preparation for the showdown with Oklahoma. It was dark out, and I realized then that I had forgotten my halogen lamps. Stupid Daylight Savings time.

Riding hard, passing football fans and drunk idiots, I welcomed the chilled November night into my lungs. Two weeks ago I began the “step-down” smoking cessation program my doctor recommended. I can already feel a difference in my body and my mind. Even so, habitual self-destruction is harder to give up than one might think.

Addiction, even to something as pedestrian as nicotine, shapes and distorts who you are. It's difficult to imagine you and your life without it. It's difficult to admit you're entitled to good things, like love, or life. It's even more challenging to face down your inadequacies and self-destructive nature in a public sphere, with your life "Out There" for anyone to see.

P'UP, though, isn't some narcissistic endeavor. It is not so much a projector of my life as it is a microscope. Even the small things, stuff that doesn't seem related to climbing at all, is beneath the scope of the project. So here I am, thinking about all the years I wasted five minutes at a time, smoking to calm the uncertain beast that is, when matching my feet and plotting my approach, humbled and silent.

All my disappointments, the hurt, all those times I didn't get what I needed ... they all get left on the ground, stamped out and discarded, like a cigarette. I love that. So two weeks in to the new cessation program I’m making progress. Nov. 30 is the “no butts, baby, it’s-all-over-but-the-cryin’ deadline.

But it ain’t gonna be a walk in the park, and it definitely won’t be a piece of cake. Thank God.

FALL FEASTING: PART IV

Healthy eating doesn't mean you can't have the occasional treat. I'm finding that the treats themselves are better when packed with nutritionally rich additions, such as whole wheat flour and pumpkin, or sunflower seeds and oats. Moderation is key, of course. Both of these recipes freeze well, too.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins



Seriously, this is the best pumpkin muffin recipe I have in my epicurean arsenal...

1 and 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
2 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin or 1 cup fresh cooked (and cooled) mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup chocolate chips

Melt butter in the microwave, set aside to cool. Line muffin pans with 12 foil baking cups. Combine four, sugar, spices, soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir well. In another bowl, mix butter and pumpkin together, then add the eggs. Mix well. Add chocolate chips to the pumpkin mixture, stir to combine. Pour wet ingredients into the flour mixture, stir just to blend. Don't over blend - the batter should be lumpy. If you over mix quick breads, the gluten in the flour will lengthen and create chewy muffins. You don't want that! Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the muffins, when pressed, spring back at the touch. These are great warm, but the spice flavor improves the second and third days (if they last that long).

SUNFLOWER SEED COOKIES




1 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons almond OR vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups quick or old fashioned oats
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. Cream together sugars and butter, add extract and eggs. Beat until fluffy. Add flour mixture and blend well. Use a spoon to fold in oats, seeds, and coconut (and those chips if you're using them). Drop dough from teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

FALL FEASTING: PART III

I prefer to eat these vegetable dishes as entrees instead of sides, but my kid likes them as side dishes to chicken or pork.

ACORN SQUASH WITH COUSCOUS STUFFING



This recipe can be doubled nicely.

One large acorn squash, cut in half, seeds scooped out
Two teaspoons butter
cinnamon
Salt and pepper

Place squash, cut side down, into a shallow, greased (cooking spray or very light coating of vegetable oil) pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Turn squash over, put one teaspoon of butter into each half, sprinkle with cinnamon, and return to oven.

Couscous Stuffing

I cup apple juice
1 cup couscous
1/4 cup chopped dried pitted prunes
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup toasted pecans (optional)


While the squash roasts in the oven, bring apple juice to a boil. Remove from heat, add couscous. Let sit fifteen minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in dried fruits, spices, syrup, juice concentrate, salt, and pecans. When squash is fork tender, spoon about 3/4 cup of couscous mixture into the center of each squash half. Refrigerate remaining stuffing - it's a hearty breakfast and warms in about a minute in the microwave.

TWICE BAKED POTATOES WITH MUSHROOMS


(Yeah, I know the exposure on this photo sucks, but it was the only potato photo I have.)

3 regular sized russet baking potatoes, washed, dried and pierced
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup Italian Cheese blend (sold shredded in packages in the market)

Put potatoes in the microwave. Cook on high for four minutes. Turn over, cook an additional four minutes. Potatoes are done when an inserted fork can easily reach the center. If your potatoes are still firm, cook in 2-minute intervals until tender. Remove from microwave.

Melt butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and stir. Cook for one minute before adding garlic. Saute until mushrooms have softened and darkened in color. Set aside.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the potato pulp and place the pulp into a large bowl. Set the potato "skin" boats in a shallow baking dish. Once you've scooped the potatoes out, add the sour cream and salt. Mash with a masher or a hand mixer until fluffy. Add green onions and the contents of your saute pan - all those lovely mushrooms - and the cheese. Stir to blend. Fill each potato skin with the potato mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the tops of the potatoes start to brown. Makes six side servings or three main dish servings.

FALL FEASTING: PART II

As promised, here are two more of the fall feast recipes ...


ROSEMARY GARLIC ROASTED PORK CHOPS





Two thick-cut (1 inch) pork chops
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1/2 purple onion, sliced
1/2 granny smith apple, cored and sliced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil (do not use olive oil)
Salt and pepper to taste


The secret to tender and moist pork chops isn't found in flour dredge. Instead, a good roasted pork cut relies on a pan sear prior to baking. In a large fry pan, drizzle the oil and turn the heat to medium high. Do not season the chops with salt and pepper. Make sure the chops have been patted dry with a paper towel before placing them in the pan. Let them sizzle and sear for three to five minutes, or until the seared side is a golden brown. Turn chops with a spatula (don't pierce meat with forks while you sear them - you defeat your sealing purposes). Cook until the chops have a golden "crust." Place chops in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce on each chop. Use a brush or the back of a spoon to distribute the sauce evenly. Arrange garlic slices atop the chops, then onion and apple slices. Top each with a sprig of rosemary. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 -30 minutes. Makes two servings.

BAKED APPLES



Three Fuji, Jonathan, or Gala apples, cored, peeled, and sliced into 1/2 inch wide wedges
Two Granny Smith apples, cored, (do not peel), and sliced into 1/2 inch wide wedges
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons butter (optional)

Place sliced apples into a 1 and 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle sugar and spices atop, then toss ingredients together. If you want a natural juice baked apple, cover with foil or baking dish lid and bake for 30 minutes. If you want a silkier, smoother baked apple, slice butter into pats and place atop the apples, cover apples and bake 15 minutes then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes (or until apples are fork tender, on the verge of mushy). These apples go well with the rosemary garlic chops - the sweet of the apple brings out the savory notes of the rosemary and garlic. Makes five to six small or four generous servings.

FALL FEASTING: PART I

(Photo: E.F.R.'s Fennel and Orange Salad, Baked Apples and Rosemary Pork Chops, Fennel and Garbanzo Stew, Acorn Squash with Couscous Stuffing, Twice Baked Potatoes with Mushrooms, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, and Sunflower Seed Cookies)


It's been raining here in Lincoln, Nebraska so I thought this gloomy gray Thursday was perfect for cooking up a storm. I've cooked enough food for nearly a week, using my day off to help me make better choices when I'm working. I've also been experimenting with a vegetable I've avoided my entire life until this week: fennel.

Fennel is a bulb with a delicate anise flavor, like an extremely mild black licorice. It's crunchy like celery, but doesn't have the salty aftertaste. Fennel can be cooked or eaten raw. Today, I experimented with both a cooked and uncooked fennel recipe. I have to say, the results were pretty spectacular (if I do say so for myself).

This week, I took advantage of seasonal sales on specific vegetables and fruits, particularly fennel, apples and gourds. This time of year, squash and pumpkin are on sale, and the specials on apples have been awesome. I've also been thinking more about foods like couscous and dried fruits, most notably apricots and prunes (the latter gets a bad rap, I'm afraid, largely due to grandparental fondness for regularity).

This time of year, pork is also on sale. The chops I used in my recipe were a thrifty $1.49 a pound. To get that deal, however, I had to buy ten pounds of chops. Today I cooked two chops and put the rest in the freezer. I've also been scanning the bulk food bins at my local grocery store and have discovered dried fruits, nuts, and dried items such as bran, flax seed, and granola are cheaper that package goods. Bulk buying also reduces waste, and many stores will allow you to use reusable bags or containers of your own, so long as you print the proper labels from their scales.

Learning to shop for seasonal deals will help to lower your grocery bill while increasing your culinary repetoire. As the holidays near, turkey and fish will go on sale - so I'll experiment with both in November. The fennel recipes are featured in this post, the others will follow in the days to come.


FENNEL AND GARBANZO STEW




1 1/2 cups dried garbanzo beans
8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/4 pounds roma tomatoes - chopped
2 tablespoons dried basil leaves (or 2/3 cup fresh basil, sliced into thin strips)
1 large or two small fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped
1 1/2 medium purple onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh shelled or frozen peas

The night before: Rinse garbanzo beans and place in a medium bowl. Cover with water and let stand overnight or all day while you're at work.

Once the beans are soaked, drain and place in a 4 or 5 quart pan. Cover with stock. Add 2 of the three cloves of minced garlic and the red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Cook 45 minutes or until beans are tender. Once the beans are done, reduce heat to a slow simmer. Add chopped fennel and onions.

In a separate pan: Drizzle oil onto the pan surface and add tomatoes and basil. Stir. Add garlic (don't add it first - it burns quickly). Sautee until fresh basil wilts, or if using dried, until you can smell the flavors blending together - about five minutes. Add tomato mixture to the pot of beans. Add more stock if it needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for twenty more minutes, then remove from heat. Add peas, then cover the pan. Let stand five to ten minutes.

Makes four to six servings.



FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD




Four cups of mixed greens, including raddichio, spinach, and green leaf lettuce
2 navel oranges
1/8 c. olive oil
salt and pepper
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 medium purple onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup sliced raw almonds (optional)


Slice away the peel of one orange, taking care to remove the white inner rind. Halve the orange, then slice across the segments into 1/4 inch slices. Place in a large bowl with the fennel, purple onion, and cranberries. Cut the other orange in half. Squeeze the juice from the first half of the orange into a small bowl. Set aside. Cut away the rind from the other half, slice as you did with the first orange, and add to the bowl with the fennel. Salt and pepper the vegetables to taste.

In a small bowl, whisk olive oil together with the orange juice. There's no need to add vinegar or sugar - leave the natural flavors as they are. Drizzle the dressing over the orange and fennel mixture, then toss. Let it stand for about ten to fifteen minutes to let the flavors "meld." On each serving plate, place one cup of mixed greens. Top with 1/4 of the fennel and orange mixture. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve.

Makes four servings.

OH, MANNA!

I had a great climbing day today. I met Ryann at the wall and learned how to hang, do hanging crunches, and even a pull up (something I haven't done since 1984 when Mr. Trollinger, my junior high gym teacher, insisted I do so). Then I worked on traversing for awhile before getting back tot that Dolly Parton Project. On my first attempt, I fell. I didn't notice my fear so much as I felt my frustration. On my third and final effort, I made it three full moves farther than I had last time, including one that required some moxie on my part. When I arrived at the wall today, I was grumpy and tired. When I left, I was grinning and absolutely thrilled with my three-move improvement. I can see the top in my future ... not much longer now before I'll celebrate my successful completion of my first-ever route.

The big news, though, is from my kitchen. Today, I began my culinary adventure into the unknown. My small kitchen is now, officially, the "P'UP Culinary Testing Center." I might even buy a lab coat and goggles, just to make it fun. Today's adventure:


Pictured: Sweet Savory Couscous, Italian Cucumber and Tomato Salad, and Garlic Olives with Pickled Vegetables. Hummus with Pita Wedges



Looks good, don't it?

This was my lunch today and will be all week. Borrowing the Japanese tradition of "three bowl eating" - I decided I needed recipes I could cook once and eat for lunch for several days. Having prepared options in the fridge helps me to keep focused on Project Up. I thought it would be fun to explore healthy eating as culinary adventure instead of healthy eating as a punitive diet, you know, that crap you eat to make your butt smaller. I highly recommend the couscous. It was filling, satisfying, and the hint of sweetness from the raisins offset the savory spices and vegetables perfectly. I think a person could add ceyene pepper if they wanted to turn up the heat.

SWEET SAVORY COUSCOUS (Serve cold)

Place in a large bowl:

1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped green onion, including tops
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
15 ounce can of garbanzo or white navy beans, drained and rinsed

Set bowl aside. Stir together in a 2 qt. saucepan:

2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon finely diced fresh ginger root
1/2 cup raisins

Bring mixture to a boil. Immediately take off the heat and add:

2 cups couscous

Cover with a lid and let stand for five minutes. Meanwhile, make the "dressing":

Whisk together:

3 tablespoons grape seed or vegetable oil (the grape seed oil has a nutty flavor - it's awesome)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Uncover couscous and use a fork to fluff it and eliminate lumps. Toss the couscous mixture into the large bowl of vegetables. Toss to combine all the yummy goodness, then pour over the dressing and toss again. This is better cooked the day before and served cold. The flavors need a chance to meld. It'll keep in the fridge for several days.


ITALIAN CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD

Peel (or not - your choice) a cucumber and slice it in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds. Take four or five Roma tomatoes, cut them in half, take out the seeds and center membrane. Slice both the cucumber and the tomato into 1/4 inch wide slices. Thinly slice half of a small purple onion. Toss the onion, tomato and cucumber with 4 tablespoons of "Newman's Own Low-Fat Balsamic Vinegrette." Scooping out the seeds and membrane will allow this salad to keep several days longer than it would if you did not. Serve room temperature or cold, depending on your preference.

GARLIC OLIVES AND PICKLED VEGETABLES



One jar "California Hot Mix" by Menzetti's, a picked concoction of cauliflower, carrots, celery, onions, and peppers. Drain.
One can of black olives, drained
One small jar of stuffed green olives, drained
One can of artichoke hearts, drained
Three cloves of garlic, minced or three teaspoons of pre-diced, jarred garlic
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil

Place all of the drained, canned ingredients into a large bowl. Whisk together the garlic, seasoning and oil, then pour over the vegetables. Toss to coat. Place this mixture into the fridge. It gets more and more flavorful as the days pass, by the way. Important note: Olive oil partially congeals when refrigerated, vegetable oil does not. I prefer the flavor of the olive oil, so when I want to serve or eat this dish, I need to let it come to room temperature again. This usually isn't a problem since I'm packing my lunch to work.