Prospero's Kitchen

You're too busy, too worn-out, and can't think about being healthy

That sounds like a lot of us, doesn't it? But if you regularly take even a few moments out of your frantic life, you'll see results very soon.

Try walking. You can walk from where you park your car at the end of the parking lot to your office, classroom, grocery story, or shopping mall. You didn't notice that much, did you? If you can't walk, try wall push ups

Try chilling. You're at your desk and the papers are piled up in front of you. They're a mess and you're on edge. Try closing your eyes for ten seconds, breathing deeply, imagining that you're breathing out all that clutter in your mind. Easy. Right?

You're exhausted at the end of the day and can't even think about cooking. What you want to do is stop on the way home and pick up something at the drive-through. Try resisting the urge to grab a quick fix that's usually over salted and high in fat. Instead when you get home, take out a carton of flavored low-fat or fat-free yogurt or a small carton of flavored low-fat or fat-free milk and drink it while you're sitting down. Then, when you've got some energy back, take out some nutritious leftovers or stir-up a Super Easy recipe like the one below. Add an apple or other fruit of your choice and you're on your way to a strong, vital, healthy life!

Toasted Cheese with Tomato Slice

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 teaspoons lite mayonnaise

2 slices whole grain bread

2 slices reduced-fat cheese such as mozzarella or Swiss

2 slices from a large tomato, if available

Method

Cover cookie sheet or toaster oven tray with aluminum foil. Spread lite mayonnaise onto each of two bread slices. Place cheese and then tomato on each slice of bread. Put the cookie sheet into the oven or the tray into a toaster oven. Toast until the cheese begins to melt and the bread turns brown. Remove with a spatula onto plates.

 

Healthy, Easy, Chocolate Mousse!

Becoming healthy means we pay attention to what we put into our bodies. It doesn't mean giving up our sacred, favorite goodies. With this recipe you get your chocolate fix without the downside of high fat.

The essential threes of health are exercise, stress relief, and most of all healthy eating. And healthy food means loading our plates with colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains (not white flour), and lean protein (no saturated fats or trans fat).

The dish here, Healthy, Easy, Chocolate Mousse has cocoa powder as an all important ingredient to chocolate lovers. There's no settled definition of the cocoa pod. Some say the inner part, from which we get out cocoa, is a seed, some say a nut. What matters to us is that with cocoa powder the fat has been removed and we get the powder, plain and simple.

The other part of this dish that is important to us healthy eaters is the tofu, which is derived from soy beans and is very high in protein.

Overall this amazingly good, healthy dessert is very low in calories and a good source of protein, too. Make it, enjoy it, and don't feel the least bit guilty.

(This recipe was tested by Emma Allan, UK, photo by Emma, also.)

Chocolate Mousse Light

This tastes rich and delicious and it’s so good for you as well as being extremely easy to make. I recommend you try this easy recipe.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

8-12 ounces plain silk tofu

1/3 to ½ cup cocoa, regular, not extra-dark

½ cup sugar or honey, or to taste

1 tablespoon vanilla, or to taste

1 tablespoon milk or more as needed, low-fat or skim, or “milk” of your choice, just enough to liquefy

Method

Add all ingredients except milk to blender bowl. You can also use a handheld blender in a small bowl.  Blend until smooth, adding milk only if needed to liquefy. Adjust sweetener, cocoa, and vanilla to taste. Pour into a bowl, serving dish, or individual custard cups. Chill 2 to 3 hours or more until ready to serve. The mousse will set as it chills. It keeps well in refrigerator.

White Fish Fillet with Tomato, Onion, Capers, and Olives

This recipe is a prime example of the easy, delicious, healthy recipes that I'm collecting for you.

The cook who tested this recipe says, “This was the first time I had ever used capers in a recipe, and I love the flavor they added. The dish was really easy and really tasty. I like the fact that it cooks all in one skillet and is done in about 30 minutes. You can bet I'll be cooking this recipe again and again!” 

Let me know what you think!

 

White Fish Fillet with Tomato, Onion, Capers, and Olives

Serves 4-8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or canola oil

½ cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 14.5-ounce can tomatoes, diced, any flavor

1 tablespoon capers (optional)

2 tablespoons canned black olives, sliced and drained (optional)

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried parsley 

1 pound raw fish fillets such as tilapia, snapper, sea bass, grouper, sole, or flounder (Tilapia is very inexpensive.)

Juice of ½ lemon or 1 teaspoon vinegar

Method

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté onion till tender. Add fresh garlic, if using, and sauté for 1 minute more. Stir in canned tomatoes with juice, powdered garlic, if using, and parsley. Add red pepper flakes, capers, and black olives, if using. Cover and simmer on low for about 10 minutes. (This dish tastes best if you use most ingredients when cooking it.)

Remove cover and add raw fillets. Drizzle the lemon juice or vinegar over the fillets and spoon the sauce over them. Re-cover and simmer for another 10-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

Serve over about ½ to ¾ cup cooked brown rice, couscous, or other whole wheat pasta.

 

 

What You Eat Determines Your Health--Mostly

The basics of healthy eating are so simple it'll be hard for you to forget them.

• Eat lots of colorful vegetables and fruit. They can be fresh, canned, or frozen, which is especially high in nutrients because they're packed immediately after harvest.
• Use “good” fats. That's olive oil and canola oil. Other vegetable oils work well, too. The polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and fish lower disease risks. Our bodies absolutely need good fats to function well.
• But we don't need the "bad" fats that clog our arteries and cause diseases. Stay away from saturated fats found in red meats and full-fat dairy and from trans fats, hydrogenated oils, found in processed foods and baked goods.
  
• Whole grains need to be a part of our diets, not white flour, which is considered a "bad" carb. Whole grains are a good source of fiber and needed nutrients such as selenium, magnesium, and potassium.
• Use low-fat proteins, such as skinless chicken breast, beans, and nuts, and lean cuts of beef and pork. And have two servings a week of fish.

Here's today's recipe, a one-pan dish with low-fat proteins, white beans:

Amazing Response from Recipe Testers

My asking for Recipe Testers a couple of days ago got a generous and welcome response. Testers who worked on Chefs of the Triangle recipes from the chefs answered. New testers who are interested in the book and in being a part of its coming into being answered.

I'm grateful and overwhelmed.

My goal is the get the book to the publisher before the end of July. So if you'd like to join the rest of us in testing the recipes, please do. Your reward is that you'll be a part of creating this book on leading a healthy lifestyle and eating healthy food, directed to busy people.

Your name is published in the book and you receive a free published book. Who knows? It might even help you?

Sign on to be a Recipe Tester today!

Why Bother? After All, It's a Lot of Trouble

Because You'll Gain Increased Energy and Stamina, Clearer Mind, and A Better Quality of Life

But you don't have the time to devote to eating better, exercising, even chilling out. You've already got too many activities, many responsibilities, and lots of things that must be done—now! You eat on the run--in a meeting, at your desk, in the car as you're taking the kids to school. And you don’t exercise. Probably don’t get enough sleep. And surely don’t eat right.

Who has the time to cook? It's too easy to go out to eat or pick up a fast food meal.

Yet the facts are that by paying attention to three simple aspects of a healthy life, the dividends far exceed the time and effort expended. Those three cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle are:

• Exercise
• Rest and stress relief, and, above all
• Healthy eating

If  you decide to give your body and mind the chance to become healthy, to soar at their optimums, you'll see almost immediate results from minimum changes to your life. You'll be surprised at how easy these changes will be, and you'll end up feeling good about yourself, having a longer life span, and finding yourself free from all those diseases that are associated with the way your were living before--unhealthily. And when you make the decision to be healthy, you'll be more in control of your life.

How about a healthy, easy recipe for today?

First Make the Decision to Live a Long and Vital Life

Your first and most important step on this journey to a healthy and vital life is to decide that you're going to do what it takes to make that change. I know you dread the thought of eating the right foods, giving up your favorite treats, shunning exercise because it tires you out, and not to mention the time it takes to calm down! Who wants to do all that? Just for being healthy? Not you. Not most people.

That's where this blog comes in. You'll see that becoming healthy and vital and more energetic is actually kind of easy. A lot easier than you ever dreamed it could be. You're going to discover the whole thing is really very do-able.

You'll find out the shortcuts--didn't think there were shortcuts, did you?--to a healthy diet with lots of simple and easy-to-make recipes; to finding the time for exercise, time that was there all along; and to looking for calming moments in your daily life.

Stay with me. We'll do this together.

Now for the recipe of the day:

We're on the way to Easy Health!

Here it is! We're starting again to give you what you'll need to begin a healthy life, the very easy way. This is for Busy, Busy people, for those who don't have the time to cook or exercise or calm themselves, and for those who may have difficulty managing the kitchen and gym. My goal is to inform you why you need to take this easy journey to health, and then to show you some shortcuts. You'll find out that anyone can become healthy.

And believe me, doing so is really worth it. You'll feel so much better. You'll like yourself and those around you more. You'll discover there's a great deal to love about life. All this just by taking better care of yourself. The Easy Way.

Trust me. I'll show you how to do this every step of the way. And along the way, you'll find recipes and menus for good, healthy food that's not only delicious but very simple to make and keep in your kitchen. And if you don't like to cook or don't know how, I've got other ways of eating healthy.

So read on. Visit often. Let me know what you want and need to become healthy. And we'll enjoy ourselves while we're becoming healthy, strong, and vital persons.

Greg Cox Discusses National Coverage of Our Food Scene

In the November 21 edition of the News and Observer, Greg Cox reviews the recent mention by Bon Appetit of Fins in Raleigh. He compares the coverage of the food scene in Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh in the national press. This time, finally, Raleigh was cited as having one of the country's Best Seafood Restaurants--Fins. Raleigh is usually left out of the national coverage. The problem is that Raleigh doesn't have a critical mass of foodies flocking to the the fine restaurants they do have. Chain restaurants are their favorites. Whereas Durham and Chapel Hill have the chefs, restaurants, and foodies to cause a buzz  Maybe Raleigh will catch up.

Lunch at Guglhupf

Yesterday two friends and I had lunch at Guglhupf, the bakery with a kitchen, on Chapel Hill Boulevard next to Foster's Market. We were in the eatery that serves breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. I had a Mediterranean salad and my friends had sandwiches with a small salad on the side. For desert we shared a double chocolate mousse. Sounds good, doesn't it? Frankly, it was all disappointing. The salad was drenched in a dressing that masked the individual flavor of the greens and cheeses--feta and goat. The sandwiches were dry. And the mousse wasn't as an intense chocolate as you'd expect. Maybe I'm used to dark chocolate now. I'm sorry. It's a great place to sit and talk. The food used to be so much better.

Our Chefs at Southern Season

We have wonderful chefs here in the Triangle. Several are featured in upcoming CLASS events at Southern Season in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

• April McGreger, Preserving Summer's Bounty, April 19, 6 p.m. $30. April is former pastry chef at Lantern and now owner of Farmer's Daughter in Carrboro.
• Charlie Deal, Taste of the Triangle: Jujube, September 4, 6 p.m., $45. Charlie is chef/owner of Jubube in Chapel Hill.
• Chip Smith, Taste of the Triangle: Bonne Soiree, September 7, 2 p.m., $45. Chip is chef and co-owner of the Chapel Hill restaurant, Bonne Soiree.
• Bret Jennings, Taste of the Triangle: Elaine's on Franklin, October 1, 6 p.m., $45. Bret is chef and proprietor of Elaine's on Franklin in Chapel Hill.
• Lionel Vatinet, Taste  of the Triangle: Basic Artisan Bread Baking. October 16, 6 p.m., $50. Lionel is owner of La Farm Bakery in Cary.
• Jason Cunningham, Great Chefs Cook Vegan promotion, spring, 2009.

Register at southernseason.com or call 877-929-7133.

The Pie Ladies

Yesterday, two very accomplished women gave a class on pie making at Southern Season to raise money for Slow Food Triangle. Phoebe Lawless, former pastry chef at Magnolia Grill and now owner of Scratch Seasonal Artisan Bakery, and April McGreger, former pastry chef at Lantern and now owner of Farmer's Daughter, demonstrated pie-making techniques to approximately 50 people. I was one of them.

They made, and we tasted, double-crusted blueberry pie, black-bottomed coconut cream pie, lemon-buttermilk chess pie with blackberry crush, and summer vegetable pot pie. Absolutely delicious, and they made it look so easy.

You can sign up for weekly delivery of pies by Phoebe through her Community Supported Pie organization or order individual desserts. And she's at the South Estes Farmer's Market outside Southern Season on Saturday mornings. Go to www.piefantasy.com. April sets up her wares at the Farmer's Daughter booth at the Wednesday and Saturday Carrboro Farmer's Market.

Visiting Rock of Ages Winery

This is off subject, but I wanted to tell you about a great visit to a local winery. Sunday three friends and I met at the Rock of Ages Winery in Hurdle Mills north of Durham. Before we went, the anticipated drive for twenty miles north on Guess Road seemed daunting. But it was easy. The directions on the website for the Winery are better than Mapquest or Google Maps.

We drove up the road past grape vines at about 4:30 in the afternoon, thinking an hour and a half before the 6:00 closing would be enough. But it wasn't, so at 6:00 we went outside to the covered drive and sat at one of the tables in the breeze. The young hostess invited us to stay as long as we liked.

The wine we tasted was good. Try the steel-barrel Chardonnay and the red Shiraz. They were out of Cabernet Sauvigon and won't have it for another two years! We had a small dish of cheese and crackers with them.

The building is grand, I can't think of a better word to describe it. Large enough for weddings and receptions that are held there. It was a delightful way to spend a summer Sunday afternoon.

Definition of 'Cook'

Michael Ruhlman had a really good definition of what makes a 'cook' in his recent blog. (See link to the right side of this entry.)

"Really good cooking is a craft, and those recipes that best describe that craft, whether simple or advanced, move all cooks forward. Those recipes that help you avoid craft, to get around it, set people who want to become better cooks, back.

"Do you want fast and simple?  Grill a steak.  Want a great sauce that doesn’t involve making and reducing veal stock?  Mince a shallot and mix it with some soft butter and lemon juice. But don’t get mad at a recipe for a classical Bordelaise sauce.

"I understand that some people, most people, want to eat good unprocessed food but don’t have the desire or time to learn to cook or prepare elaborate recipes from America’s most talented chefs.  Those are the people who most need to learn the few basic techniques upon which all cooking is based.  Those who cook for pleasure won’t progress as cooks until they do that as well.  It wouldn't take long. There are just a handful of them."

          Michael Ruhlman

Six Plates Stopover

Earlier tonight my friend and I stopped by Six Plates. Most people were sitting outside in the gorgeous spring evening, but we stayed inside and absorbed the gentle atmosphere. My friend had the chilled gazpacho with the shrimp-avocado-Elodie Farms chevre panini. I had the tuna stack, a minutely constructed small cup of sashimi grade tuna in a avocado, mango, and vanilla vinaigrette.

Most memorable was the salted caramel gelato: vanilla salt and dark chocolate caramel gelato. And the perfect wine for chocolate, said Matthew Beason, Sant Evasio Brachetto D'Aqui '06. Barely sweet light red and with a slight sparkle, chilled as if it were a champagne, it was perfect with the chocolate, and I would have had more and will when I have my next chocolate fix.

The Frenzy: Mother's Day and Graduation

All the chefs in the area are preparing for the Big Weekend that has already started with families coming to town and getting together--where else--at an excellent restaurant. Last night, in fact, I had dinner at Pop's. The sauteed ocean scallops with greens and potatoes were wonderful. Balanced taste and texture. And tomorrow I'm going to Six Plates with a friend or two.

Next week though I'm interviewing Walter Royal, who was gracious and welcoming, and Sara Foster, of the indispensable Foster's. Look for the posts to follow.

My Laaaast Truffle

Sitting on my front porch, I took out my last truffle from Dolly Mama and slowly savored it, looking for the notes she's hidden in each truffle. I detected cherry. Or it may have been strawberry. And a hint of coffee. Beautiful on a Monday morning.

The hazelnut truffle

I can keep this up till my box of truffles is empty. Tonight was hazelnut truffle. The shell thin, crisp, and dark, enrobing the ganache. The silkiness touched my tongue and offered a deep, dark chocolate taste with just an undertone of hazelnut. Nothing heavy. All heavenly.
         The Kitchen

Hello, Dolly!

In a day or two you'll see my post on Dolly Mama. She can detect the differences in the tastes of chocolates from different regions. But more importantly for you and me, she makes exquisite truffles from these chocolates, local cream, and the fruits she often finds at the Durham Farmer's Market.

Watch this space for the conversation I had this afternoon with her about her work.

Things You Learn by Listening

Rue Cler Bakery is "fantastic."
The starter for the pizza dough there is fourteen years old.
Chef Ted Domville's hero is Charlie Trotter.

Read about these things as well as much more in the post, "Ted Domville: A Chef with a Plan," below.