Grand Granola

Recognizing friends, coworkers, or neighbors with a little gift around the holidays is always fun, but coming up with a gift idea is not always easy.  You want the gift to be useful, affordable, appropriate for a variety of ages and interests (and it can't be too girlie!).  Often times, it's homemade, which satisfies at least 2 out of the 3 criteria.  Some years, I just don't get around to it.  But during the holiday season, usually between thinking, "It really doesn't seem like that much work to send out Christmas cards," and finishing my shopping, I start a little arts and crafts project.

In past years, I've made salt and essential oil hand scrub or packaged my own "cranberry orange scone" kit in a mason jar.  Another year, I found lotion cheap and just handed that out to folks.  This year, inspired by the orange scone kit, I wanted to give an edible gift in a jar, but I wanted to try and make it healthier.

Everyone is entitled to indulge at Christmas, but I was especially inspired to plant a seed of healthiness because of so much diverticulitis I've seen in the hospital (and a friend came down recently with the disease).

Since the holidays are a time when everyone is bombarded with delicious (and processed) sweets, why add fuel to the fire?

So I made a tasty alternative to the scones or cookies in a jar: I'm calling it Grand Granola.  I made it over several days while preparing a power point for work and doing Christmas cards.  At first I tried to layer the ingredients so recipients could make the granola themselves at home, but the texture and density of the ingredients are too divergent and it looked like a mess.  Roasting the granola to gift a finish product took more work, however I think people liked having a "finished product" that was as tasty as it was visually appealing. The variety of nuts and their different shapes add visual appeal, but if you are making this for yourself, play around with your favorite combo (see note at end).

Grand Granola
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup shelled raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup whole, raw almonds (substitute walnuts if preferred)
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded or shaved
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey or agave nectar (agave nectar is easier to blend in because it's thinner)
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins

In large bowl, combine the oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and coconut.  Mix with a wooden spoon until well blended.  Add the oil and sweetener slowly as you stir so the mixture is uniformly coated with liquid ingredients.  This may take a few minutes.  Sprinkle on salt and stir.

Spread the mixture evenly on a large cookie sheet and roast at 275F for 60-75 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.  Cool completely.  Add dried fruit if desired.

Scoop ingredients into mason jars (I used pint-sized).  If you want to be fancy, cover the jars with fabric or add a stencil.  That's where my craftiness stops, however.  I was lucky to finish this project sans decorations!  And people loved it!  I did encourage folks to eat the granola within a week or two, because the dried fruit can make the roasted mixture soggy.  If you want long term storage, throw mixture in the freezer and take out what you want as desired.  Otherwise, skip the fruit and encourage recipients to add fresh or dried fruit of their own when they munch.

Serve alone as a snack (yum), with yogurt or your choice of milk.  Yes, you can even throw it on top of ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Note: feel free to substitute your favorite nuts or dried fruit for above.  I made one batch with pineapple tidbits: yum.  I also sprinkled cinnamon, vanilla, and/or almond extract on some batches.  Feel free to experiment and half fun with this tasty and high fiber snack.

High Fiber Happy Colon

My Grand Granola was inspired by many cases of diverticulitis I have seen in the hospital over the past several months.  Americans hear about weight loss and "general healthiness" properties of fiber.  Yet, many people don't understand why fiber is so important: it can prevent you from being hospitalized!  Diverticulitis is very common and preventable.  Hopefully as a fiber ambassador,  I can help prevent some diverticulitis attacks for friends, family and colleagues (basically anyone who will listen!) over the next few decades.  

Diverticulitis is an infection involving the large colon. It is a disease of the West. Basically, since the industrial revolution when processed grains became popular, people have not eaten a fraction of the fiber their bodies had evolved to process and this has lead to dysfunction of our  (ahem) "elimination" system.  How?  Well, since you asked....

Fiber absorbs water, makes our stools bulkier and makes waste easier to pass.  Think of squeezing a toothpaste tube.  When the tube is new, there's lots of bulk in the tube and it's easy to squeeze out what you need. As the tube empties,  you need more and more pressure to push out the paste.  An empty toothpaste  tube is like eating a low-fiber diet: less fiber means less bulk.  Therefore, more pressure is needed to eliminate waste.  Instead of tooth paste and your hand squeezing, however, pressure in the end portion of the colon where stool is formed (sigmoid colon) increases as the body tries to get rid of stool.  The pressure can become so overwhelming to the walls of the colon, that an inner layer of the colon pops through the muscular layers of the colon, just like how the inner tube of a tire can pop through the sidewall (this is called diverticulum or when there are many diverticular disease or diverticulosis).   

Risk factors?  Risk of heart disease and cancer is complicated, but this one is actually straight forward.  Like I said: a low fiber diet.  It is linked to obesity, which makes sense since most obese people probably aren't gaining weight on beans and nuts and other high fiber foods.  It has been associated with people who have constipation, but if the pressure is strong enough the colon will get the stool out--so even people who don't have a history of constipation can come down with it.  Though diverticular disease tends to run in families, there has been no genetic component identified.  The familial link is probably environmental: all those people tend to eat the same foods (and have the same habits).  So you can blame your diverticula on your mom, but it was her cooking, not here genes.

Food can collect in these outpouchings of the mucosal layer of the colon and sometimes get infected causing severe abdominal pain and fever (Divertulitis).  You can typically diagnose someone from their signs and symptoms (often a middle-aged to elderly person with fever and left lower abdominal pain), however it is common to order a CT scan to rule out an abscess caused by the infected contents. The treatment is antibiotics, pain medications and bowel rest.  If it happens often enough or becomes complicated by other factors, a patient might be a candidate for surgery.  During the surgery, the affected portion of the colon (usually there are multiple outpouchings) is just plain taken out and the remainder is hooked up the the rectum.  The surgery can last several hours and recovery in the hospital alone can be 4-7 days.  And that's without a complication!  There's always a risk of bleeding and organ or nerve injury any time you enter the belly.  Even with dedicated surgeons and vigilant post-op care, superficial wound infections run about 8%.  Anytime pieces of colon are hooked back together there is a chance for the "seams" to come loose, and then guess what happens inside your abdomen?  A sewage leak and a dirty mess--not to mention pain and infection!  Though uncomplicated outcomes are by far the norm, you still have a risk of being "that person" to have a leak.  I saw it while I have worked as an intern.  The 40's-year-old patient became so sick she was on a ventilator for several days.  The recovery will most likely be full, but slow, and in the mean time she has a colostomy and may have one forever.  That's not the end of the world, but a far cry from normalcy.  Though it's hard to blame the victim, the whole situation could be avoided by eating a high fiber diet.  

How much fiber?  Well the USDA suggests 14g per 1000 calories consumed (or about 25-30g daily for the average person), but there is no upper limit identified.  I say we probably can't eat enough through our diet.  Beans, grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts.  Daily.  Eat like the hunter/gatherer or non-westerners who have never heard of this disease, and this is one disease you might be able to avoid altogether.

Soup Season (ing)

Oh, Soup.

It's that time of year again.  I've been eating it about as fast as I can make it and experimenting, of course.  It's the scientist in me!  This version of a vegetable soup is traditional but also filling, hearty, and oh so tasty!  I challenge anyone who doesn't like vegetables to not love this soup.  It also includes some shining stars of the vegetable world that don't get as much attention in the daily life of most Americans (like cabbage and parsnips).  I think a big barrier to people getting enough fruits and vegetables in their diet is the fear of preparing a new food.  For those of you who aren't used to eating parsnips, prepare it just like a carrot (peel and slice/dice).  The flavor might surprise you! 

Vegetable Soup: Version I

1/2 Nappa Cabbage, chopped (about 4-5 cups)
4 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery stocks, sliced (include the tops as long as they are clean)
3 small parsnips, peeled and sliced finely
2-3 medium potatoes, cleaned and diced (skin on)
1 red pepper, finely sliced
1 medium zucchini, finely sliced
2 tomotoes, chopped
1 15oz can kidney beans
1-2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 quarts stock (chicken or vegetable)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

In medium stock pot, saute carrot and parsnip over medium heat for 5-10 minutes.  Add celery and cabbage  to root vegetable mixture.  You can add a little salt at this point and stir a few times over the next 5-10 minutes.  Pour in the stock (or cubes + water).  Bring the mixture to a simmer.  Add remaining vegetables.  Cook for about 20 more minutes until the potatoes are tender (if you want the soup to cook faster, cut the potatoes into smaller pieces before adding them to the mixture).  Add the seasonings to taste. 

For those who prefer soup sans beans, You can also add the beans to individual portions: about 1/2 cup of beans will give you a wallop of fiber and protein!  You could also try other bean varieties, like Navy Beans, for nautical inspiration :-)

Frozen Food Fried Rice or "Cooked in 60 Seconds" (almost) or First Three Things I Saw in the Freezer FR

The past few weeks have been the ultimate test, thus far, of maintaining a respectable, veggie-rich diet despite time constraints.  Things have been a little more demanding in the hospital and I have been pushing up against work hour restrictions (80 hours per week averaged over 4 weeks).  Today is a relaxing day off, though I have to say, on intense rotations like the one I am on now, my mind is at the hospital even today.  I would probably prefer to work 2 weeks straight and have a whole weekend off to really relax instead of one day off in 6 or 7, because one night and one day is just enough time to fall behind on your work when you return.  As it is, I already dream about my patients during the week! 

Anywho...did want to share a seriously lazy recipe I concocted out of necessity that isn't half bad from things that I already have in the freezer.  I have hardly been getting myself to the supermarket and have been relying more on frozen stuff.  It's not as tasty as fresh, but sure better than hospital food and way more convenient at this stage in the game. It's inspired by the first 3 things I saw in the freezer when I opened it up starving one evening. 

Frozen Food Fried Rice (FFFR)
serves 1 hungry person
1/3 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup pre-sliced frozen bell peppers (I got mine from Trader Joe's)
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 cup thawed shrimp (I used pre-cooked, but raw will work and probably taste fresher)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
McCormick Peppercorn Medley (it has coriander and allspice along with peppercorn blend)
couple dashes soy sauce
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup wild rice, cooked (or other pre-cooked, leftover grain)

Saute the onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until translucent.  Throw in the veggies.  Stir and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the shrimp and rice (if the shrimp are raw, add them prior to the rice, cook until just turning pink, then add the rice).  Season with the red pepper flakes, lots of the pepper medley, and soy sauce to taste.

This will surprise you.  It isn't the world's best meal by any means, but the effort to taste and nutrition ratio is on your side, by a landslide.  It takes more time to eat than to prepare!  At least I hope so.  I hate eating in a rush. 

Brekky with Oats

"Brekky" might be my favorite meal of the day, and I realize I haven't posted any recipes to break-the-fast!  I haven't eaten a cold breakfast in close to ten years because I have a small obsession with hot cereal. 

Here's the basic recipe for making a good day even better courtesy of your rice cooker.  The current recipe is inspired by the fall season. 

Steel Cut Oats in the Cooker (aka Someone wants to "Steel" my Breakfast it tastes so good)
1/4 cup Steel cut oats
2 Tablespoons raisins
2 Tablespoons ground flax (you can grind them in a coffee grinder, but don't expect to ever grind coffee in it again!)
2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds
half a firm apple, cut into bits
3/4 cup water
dash cinnamon
dash vanilla extract

Throw all ingredients above into rice cooker and place it on "porridge" setting.  Set timer to finish at the time you want to eat, or even a half hour later (the porridge will be done before the cooker says it will be, at least in my machine).  After cooking shake the cinnamon on top and stir in a little vanilla.  Top with milk, soy milk, yogurt or eat it plain (or top with more nuts!).  Top with brown sugar or maple syrup if you desire. 

If you don't have a rice cooker, you can still soak all the ingredients overnight, which will greatly cut down on cooking time and let the sugars from the raisins flavor the dish.  Simmer on medium heat  for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Then follow directions above.

Serves 1

Peanut Sauce with noodles and Veggie Deliciousness

 Peanut Power.  There is a reason this post features "peanut sauce" first.  Peanuts are one of the world's most perfect foods.  Satiating, cheap, high in protein.  Years ago, I told my friends that if this whole medical school thing didn't work out I would travel the world and "spread the gospel of peanut butter" because I thought it got a bum rap as a kid's food.

Now peanuts, and nuts in general are getting some well-deserved attention. 

I recently read an article linking those who ate peanuts and other high nutrient/high fat nuts with no increase in weight but increase in nutrition over people who ate foods with the same calorie content.  It was published at the University of Otago in Dunedin, NZ.  I believe it.  They are such a tasty and filling snack!  Pureed, they become the main ingredient to a much-requested, crowd-pleasing recipe of mine.  Enjoy!


Peanut Sauce with Noodles and Veggie Deliciousness
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce (or liquid aminos)
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
juice of freshly squeezed lime
1/3 cup coconut milk
2-3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup chili-garlic sauce (more to taste)

half a package of rice noodles, prepared as directed
3-4 scallions, chopped
1 cup purple cabbage, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup packed cilantro, chopped
2-3 tablespoons crushed peanuts for garnish

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a blender or bowl and mix with hand blender (my new favorite kitchen utensil).  Add a little more coconut milk or water if too thick.  Toss the noodles with the vegetables until well blended.  Pour the peanut sauce on top and mix until everything is well coated.  You can chill the salad in fridge until ready to serve for flavors to combine, but the whole combo is best served at room temperature.  Garnish with crushed peanuts and cilantro. 

This salad keeps for several days and does well with rotisserie chicken added or with firm and soft tofu for a protein-packed lunch or supper! 


 Tey, Sl, Brown, R., Gray, A., Chisholm, A., Delahunty, C.  Nuts improve diet quality compared to other energy-dense snacks while maintaining body weight.  J Nutr Metab. 2011. Epub 2011 Aug 10.

Green Leafies and Black-Eyes

So anyone who knows me knows that I preach the gospel of rice cooker cooking.  I bought my rice cooker from Amazon as a "Christmas Gift to myself" my first year of medical school.  Forking out more than a hundred bucks on a kitchen appliance seemed a little crazy at the time, but it was one of the best investments I have ever made.  I use that thing every day and sometimes twice a day and you will see how and why with my style of cooking. 

Nothing beats cooking beans in a rice cooker, because you can soak and cook in basically one step.  Soak overnight, then use the timer function to cook and they'll be done in the morning.  Or, soak all day and use the timer for the beans to be ready and waiting for you when you come home from work!

I finally hit up the farmer's market last week after weeks of absence, mostly due to bad timing and a demanding schedule.  Luckily, the bounty still abounds and I bought some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and crisp, tender kale.  Combining kale to homegrown collards in the recipe below was twice as nice, but you could use one or the other.  The black-eyed peas stick to your ribs.  Add extra water for a yummy broth to slurp up after a cool walk in the woods.

Green Leafies and Black-Eyes
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bunch kale, collards or both cut chopped finely into little threads
4oz dry black-eyed  peas, already reconstituted and cooked (or two cans ready-made)*
 2-3 large tomatoes, chopped
2 cups veggie broth (or water + broth cube)
1.5 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. paprika
3-4+ Tablespoons hot sauce such as chili-garlic, or Tabasco if you prefer
dash salt

Saute the onion and garlic over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until sweaty and smelly.  Add the kale, a dash of salt and stir.  Cook for 5-10 minutes until the kale is nice and wilted.  Add the beans and broth.  Cover.  Cook 10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and cook another 10-15 minutes.  Add the seasonings, stir, and turn off the heat but keep the lid on and let flavors combine.  Taste for final flavor adjustments. 

Rice cooker method: Truth be told, the last time I made this recipe, I did it all in the rice cooker on "slow cooker" mode.  I sauteed the onion and garlic in the oil first, then added everything else at once (sans spices).  It turned out splendidly.  I actually made this over my lunch break if you can believe it, and added some leftover squash for color and substance.

* To have thicker Green Leafies and Black Eyes, smash about half a cup of the beans with a fork before adding them to the pot.  The pulverized beans will add some creamy texture and a little complexity to the dish.  You can always add more water if you want it soupier.    Happy slurping.

Coronary Artery Disease: a rite of passage?

For the past 4 weeks, I have spent my days (and frequently, my nights) working up patients young and old for heart problems on the coronary care unit.  Most of these problems are related to coronary artery disease, the three word phrase synonymous for gunk in your arteries that causes heart attacks, strokes, and chest pains.  Having people present with chest pain to hospitals is so common in America that we have become incredibly efficient with algorithms with how to stratify risk and treat patients depending on chemical blood markers, EKG, and clinical symptoms.

If symptoms and tests are concerning enough, the patient gets sent to the "cath lab" which doesn't contain any Bunsen burners, but does has fancy xray equipment that specially trained cardiologists use to visualize the coronary arteries.  That is, after they consent the patient regarding risk/benefits of this invasive test (including the risk of losening a plaque in the process, releasing it into the blood stream and causing a stroke, which--though rare--did happen to a patient of mine this month).  Once inside the lab, the masked cardiologist drapes the patient and him/herself with layers of sterile blue and inserts a wire up through an access point (usually an artery in the arm or leg) and inject dye.  The xray takes a multiple images of the dye flow through the arteries and the patterns coalesce like a movie. Cardiologists examine the films of the dye pattern filling (or not filling) the main arteries and any auxiliary arteries over a period of just a few seconds.  They repeat the same film over and over, much like conspiracy theorists watch the grassy knoll tapes of JFK's assassination.  There are standard angles to capture in 2D a moving and dynamic 3D organ.  However, the interpretation of these films is where precision and art meet.  Cardiologists are trained for an additional three years after their internal medicine residency and in so doing learn to interpret "lesions" as they call them (read: plugged arteries) and where TIMI flow III exists (read: blood flow isn't compromised).  But where an angle of an artery is bent or there is blurred filling pattern,  one cardiologist might see constricted flow and another may see free flow.  To make it more complicated, the cardiologists have to make sure that the compromised vessel is the one causing the pain, as patients with severe disease can have many vessels that are partially occluded and it is important to try and address the one that is most likely the culprit.  "If it aint broke don't fix it" as they say, but when everything looks broke, it's sometimes hard to assess which is the most broken.

When the interventionalist (which is what the wire-inserting cardiologists are called) feel comfortable with determining a certain vessel could be causing the chest pain and EKG changes they place a stent (think a mini- culvert to keep open the vessel) or blow up a mini balloon (angioplasty) to open up the vessel and improve blood flow.  After a stent is placed, patients must take a drug that prevents the stent from clotting or occluding for at least a month and generally a year, called Plavix.  If you don't take Plavix or can't afford it at $200/month, you might not be a candidate for a stent at all.  I have seen patients who, because they couldn't afford the Plavix, don't get a stent.  (It went generic briefly a year or two ago, but the pharma company that makes it quickly fixed that!)

When there is disease in many of the main vessels, interventionalists usually don't bother placing a stent and simply call the cardiothoracic surgeons, as that patient has likely bought a ticket to have his/her chest cracked for open heart surgery.  At that point, the surgeon will harvest certain veins (usually a leg vein) to "bypass" the occluded blood vessels in the heart (think taking an alternate route during a traffic jam).  He/she can also use existing artery closer to the heart, depending on how many vessels are needed.  That way, even if the native artery eventually occludes with plaque, the patient will have the alternative route for blood flow.  CABG (coronary artery bypass grafting) can buy people many years, but it's not without it's own risks, months of recovery, and I haven't even talked about the fist fulls of medicines patients are sent out with...whether they get a cath or surgery or are medically managed (some people who have heart attacks don't get caths or CABG).

So... it was a typical day last week.  We had a patient, who was actually known personally by my very kind and dry-humored attending physician (fancy name for grey-haired boss) who had been experiencing heartburn-like symptoms (read: chest pain and he should have known better) for months.  He finally went in to be checked out and after a catheterization due to ongoing chest pain, was found to have multi-vessel disease.  Pop quiz students: what does he get next?  That's right: surgery consult.  In breaking the news that the patient would need surgery, my attending physician was trying to soften the blow as best he could to this stoic, professional man who did not want surgery. In doing so said, "You know, by a certain age, CABG is a rite of passage when you are an American."

I almost swallowed my teeth.  No.  No it's not. Voting at age 18 is a rite of passage...getting your driver's license and driving with the radio up so loud your ears hurt is a rite of passage ...even unsolicitously receiving your first edition of the AARP magazine at age 49 is a (not warmly received) rite of passage as an American.  But CABG, far and away, is preventable.  If you look at the risk factors for coronary heart disease, they are almost all modifiable: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes (which is 90% type 2 and related to obesity and diet), smoking.  Only family history is the non-modifiable risk factor, which, when people do have it (defined by someone in your family having a heart attack before age 55) is a major player, but not the only player.  When someone is having chest pain, we don't want to blame the victim at least in the time of crisis when he/she is facing a major operation and a brush with death.  But for the rest of us who never want a CABG, and for those who don't want a cath or surgery again, we CAN change the course.  (I'll site some literature on the subject...next time...as this will be an ongoing topic)

And so, I continue to believe in healthy living, more than ever.  Not in a punitive way because I'm afraid of dying.  Everyday I work in the hospital I become more aware that I will die.  But because it makes me happy to take care of my body and feel good doing so.  Day by day.  And ok, I admit it: I'm  more than a little scared of having a wire stuck up my heart!  

Date Balls

No smugness meant in this name...but it does cause guests to snicker.  They are 100% delicious and there's nothing bad inside!

1/2 cup Walnuts (unsalted)
1/2 cup Dates
1/2 cup Almonds (unsalted)
1/2 cup nut butter (I use almond but you can use peanut, etc.)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)

Coursely chop walnuts in a food processor.  Add the dates and chop until blended.  Add the almond butter, syrup, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla and mix thoroughly.  Blend in the almonds and mix until the almonds are chopped.  The dough should be thick, not too sticky and consistently blended.

Using your hands, roll balls about the diameter of a quarter (or whatever size you wish).  Place the formed balls on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.  Then, roll each ball in the coconut.  Refrigerate.  Best served cool but not cold.  For coconut enthusiasts, add a couple extra tablespoons of coconut to the date mixture before you form the balls! 

These things will knock your socks off.

French Connection

What happens when I take the first three things I have in the refrigerator and blend with some seasonings? Something unreasonably tasty and darn filling for lunch. French lentils, the fiber-filled and protein-packed powerhouse fancy cousin-with-an-accent of the more dull (but still delish) brown lentil keeps its shape when you cook it. Some sources say that french lentils keep the flavor of the terroir of the region where they are grown (just like French wine--and lets face it: French people!). My palate is not that sensitive, however I do find their texture more crisp than other lentils and perhaps a bit fresher. The french often serve their lentils cold in salads like this one, though there is nothing french about this salad!

1.5 cups cooked lentils (3/4 c lentils cooked in 1.5 cups water)
1 fresh peach diced
1 cup purple cabbage chopped
3-4 tablespoons best quality balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
salt/pepper to taste

Serves two for lunch. More for a side dish.

Throw all the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and stir. Can keep for several days. You can serve on a bed of spinach for more vegetable power!

Twice as Nice Rice

When I was a teenager, I attended a folk music festival in Canada with my best friend's family. It was 4-days guitars, sandals, and imported cotton dresses that flowed in the summer breeze on nights of sweaty dancing with thousands of other hippy-types. Camping during the event, we would prepare many of our meals prior to the drive north and one of the staples we endearingly termed, "Hippy Fried Rice." It was cheap, it was healthy, and it kept with modest refrigeration. Fast-forward to college, and HFR became a cheap, healthy staple to nourish and to nosh.

Twice as Nice Rice is a more refined (and more delicious) version that was inspired by its predecessor, HFR. Perhaps HFR inspired my desire for quick and healthy storable meals all those years ago!

Version I
2 cups pre-cooked brown rice (leftover saves the most time)
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup zucchini or summer squash, finely chopped
- 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
- 5-6 green onions
- 1 cup veggie/chicken broth
- 3-4 Tbsp. soy sauce/liquid aminos/ tamari sauce to taste
- 2 Tbsp. chili garlic sauce (to taste)
- 3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

Add the toasted sesame oil to a sauce pan over med-high heat. Add the carrots. Stir 1 minute. Add the other vegetables including green onions. Stir and cook about 3 minutes. The veggies should be warm and slightly tender but not fully cooked. Add the broth, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce. Stir. Add rice. Cook 4-5 minutes until hot and well mixed. Serve hot and accompanied with soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and flavor to taste.

Top with roasted cashews if you got 'um. They add a crunch and richness that is unstoppable.

Mood variations/additions

Add these when you add the rest of the vegetables and increase cooking time by 2-4 minutes.

COMFORT: 6oz bite-sized pieces of soft tofu. It has that nice mouth feel. You won't be disappointed.

POWER: add 1 cup chopped chicken (leftovers or rotisserie is easiest)

HAPPY: add 1-2 cups raw (or cooked) shrimp. Eating shrimp is an affordable luxury and always makes me happy.

FEISTY: 6oz crumbled seitan. a chewy powerhouse. You'll be satiated and satisfied you ate food occasionally pronounced like the devil.

HUNGRY: 2-3 eggs. Who doesn't have eggs in their fridge and don't they taste amazing when you are starved? After the rice and vegetables have cooked, scoot the rice and veggies to one size of your sauce pan/wok and crack the eggs right into the pan. scramble them first and then mix them into the rice.


AHHH OHH. It's October (or January):

What if I don't have summer squash zucchini?!

That's it. ABANDON SHIP. Break out the Tuna Helper. If you don't have all the ingredients as listed, it won't work.

No No No No No. Flexibility. summer squash is only an "impression" vegetable....the only reason I included it on the ingredient list is because I had some in my fridge the last time I made this delish, hearty dish.

And HELLO! Zucchini is an Italian vegetable and TANR is definitely Asian Inspired. Think, "What's in season?" and "What can I sneak in that's already in the fridge before it spoils?" (the latter is definitely on my mind most of the time as my eyes are bigger than my stomach at the farmer's market!)


In the future, I'll add other Versions. For now, enjoy Twice as Nice Rice. It's three times as nice when you eat the leftovers for lunch the next day!

Freaky Easy Daal

I made this with <3 minutes prep and cooked in the rice cooker (I'm sure you could do it in the slow cooker) on my way out to go for a run after a long day today.

1/2 cup yellow lentils
half an onion chopped
1 tablespoon minced ginger
half tsp salt (to taste)
several shakes curry powder (to taste)
1-2 cups water (depending on how thick you like it)

Throw all ingredients into the cooker (no sautee, oil, nothing) and press cook. I cooked it for about an hour, but it was done before then (but i was running). YUM. serve over rice or just slurp like soup. yum. i didn't even have garlic or bouillon because i didn't have any-- though i'm sure that would make it yummy too! also, you could add root veggies for a hearty meal. but I'm telling you it was so freaking easy and perfect for leftovers. Yay!

Old Faithful

Yesterday, I hosted a potluck with some other residents from my program. It was kind of bad timing as work has really picked up this week and I have been quite worn down. But it makes me happy to share good food with good people and I made two "Old Faithful" recipes for guests who hopefully liked the flavor and color combinations in high summer. I'll share one with you tonight. It's not that original, but it's still awesome.

Chop and Dump Salad
The look of this salad reminds me of confetti. It's so easy, delicious, and nutritious that when I forget to make it for a few months I kick myself because the effort to flavor ratio is quite in my favor!

1 can black beans (16oz), drained
2 cups frozen corn (or 1 can whole kernel corn)
1/3 cup chopped purple onion
1/2 cup (loosely packed) cilantro, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado chopped (optional, but really, how could you turn an avocado down?)
1/3 cup vinegar (pick your favorite I like apple cider)
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, dump the corn and black beans together. Next, chop up the tomatoes, avocado, onion and cilantro and add them to the bean mixture. Dump vinegar, extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Anybody can Chop and Dump!!

You can really make this salad shine by featuring it as an accompaniment to your favorite summer entree. You can also spruce it up to be a filling lunch salad by serving it on a bed of some chopped romaine lettuce. Embellish as you see fit: hard boiled egg, chicken, carrots. Hurray for high protein/high fiber beans to fill you up and never let you down.

Quinoa Queen

As you come to know me and my style of cooking you'll learn that I love quinoa. I have used it in cooking for years...probably since sometime in high school when I was experimenting with all the bulk foods in the local natural foods store. High in protein and fiber with a texture somehow similar to rice and couscous (with a grassiness that some either love immediately or affectionately acquire a taste for), it cooks as fast as white rice with way more nutrient value!

Here's a basic recipe.

Basic Training

1 cup Quinoa
2 cups Water

Bring water to boil. Add Quinoa and cook 15-20 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 4-5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Salt and pepper to taste. Personally, I always use a rice cooker and put it on the quick cook or white rice setting and it always comes out perfectly.

Savory Quinoa: use broth instead of the water or toss a bouillon cube into the water for instant flavor. Keep in mind you'll have to adjust the post-cooking salt in this case!

Toasty Quinoa: Saute 1 cup Quinoa and 1/4 cup slivered almonds in 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil or butter over medium heat until the grains begin to brown. Then add 2 cups liquid (broth or water) and cook as before. **Pepitas, sunflower seeds, walnut pieces work great, too!**

Curry Up! Eggplant vs. Taste and both win

Curry-Me-Crazy!

Think you hate eggplant? I challenge you to try this puppy. Keeps in the fridge for a few days or freeze for a lunch treat your work colleagues will fight over to try.

1 eggplant cut into bite sized pieces
3 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
1 14 or 16 oz can tomatoes
1 16 oz can coconut milk
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 Tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon ginger
1/2 Tablespoon red chili paste (red pepper flakes work, too--if you like it hot. If you are a true Midwesterner skip this step altogether!)
1 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan over medium heat, add cumin and mustard seeds. Cook until they start to pop. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, salt, and chili paste. Cook until the onions are golden brown. Then add the eggplant and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes stirring frequently until the eggplant is soft and mushy. Add the tomatoes and curry powder and bring to a boil. Then add the coconut milk and heat for a few more minutes. Season to taste, adding more curry or chili depending on your preference.

This recipe is also yummy without the coconut milk or with less, depending on your desire for richness or its availability in your cupboard.

Serve the Curry on a bed of brown rice, white rice, couscous, or quinoa.

**Note** Some people swear that soaking eggplant in a bath of saltwater prior to cooking takes away its bitterness and/or prevents it from turning brown. These are also probably the people who never smudge a manicure and always drive the speed limit. Personally, I think this is a high maintenance, fussy step that is unnecessary. I'm all about a favorable flavor to effort ratio!

Burgers, Pizza, and subs: oh my! Who said there's no such thing as a free lunch?

My first week of residency was filled with shaking hands and learning names, filling out forms, compliance training, tours...and an abundance of quick, convenience food that can feed a crowd. By the end of the exhausting few days (none of which came close to preparing me to assess my first patient!), a few colleagues mentioned to me that they felt bloated or yucky after eating all the free but salty and fatty food. I, on the other hand, had brought most of mine from home. I felt a bit embarrassed getting more than a few compliments on my greens with the kitchen-sink salad or asking for a microwave for my eggplant curry, but it was so delicious I wondered why more people didn't bring their own food from home. And I felt great!

What I now have realized is that people would like to, but they don't know how easy it is to prepare healthy, yummy meals in a quick and easy way.

It's my hope this blog can help readers become more confident at cooking healthy, easy meals that are easy to transport for lunch or on the go. Never cooked Swiss Chard? No problem! It's broccoli's first cousin and even more delish. Don't be intimidated by healthy fresh food...empower yourself to eat well and feel good.