keep your diet real

I have always thought of quinoa as a savory grain, until the day my friend from Peru introduced it to me in a smoothie. Quinoa, pronounced (keen-wa), is considered a whole grain and has a fluffy and creamy texture and a nutty flavor when cooked. Quinoa is awesome for many reasons. Here are my top reasons to eat quinoa if you have never had it before.

1. Quinoa is loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber!
2. A little goes a long way. A box of organic quinoa from Trader Joe’s ($3.99) lasts a week. Those little grains really blow up when they hit hot water.
3. Tastes so good you might want to slap somebody. Please don’t slap anyone.

Quinoa Porridge

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa (dry)
• 1 cup of water
• cinnamon (to taste)
• nutmeg (to taste)
• agave nectar, honey, brown sugar, or your sweetener of choice (to taste)
• 1/2 cup or more of milk or a dash of cream
• walnuts
• dried cherries

Directions

1. In a medium size sauce pan on medium/high heat, bring the water and quinoa to a rolling boil.
2. Turn to low, cover, and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.
3. Stir in milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts, cherries, and sweetener.
4. Enjoy!

A few weeks ago, I was talking with another dietitian, Katie Mulligan, who recently wrote a Holiday Eating Survival Guide for KYDR. She mentioned the idea of creating a healthy recipe using leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner! I loved the idea and that is when I came up with this recipe.

I don’t know what your fridge looks like the day after Thanksgiving, but if it looks anything like mine, you are left with more food than you know what to do with.

Here are a few ways to make the most of your delicious Thanksgiving leftovers while keeping portion sizes in check:

• Make take-home plates for each of your guests.
• Freeze leftovers in freezer safe containers or bags.
• Use up the leftover turkey in creative ways (i.e. turkey chili, curried turkey salad roll-ups)
• Have a Black Friday pre-shopping brunch using Thanksgiving leftovers!

Thanksgiving is generally a day of indulgence. Overindulging 1 day in 365 is not a big deal, the problem begins when we eat Thanksgiving sized meals for the next two weeks straight and then continue to eat that way for the rest of the year. We all know what that can lead to.

The recipe that I came up with will help you to use up the cranberry compote and the leftover whole wheat bread served with Thanksgiving dinner. The cranberry apple compote recipe is super easy to make. Plus, it is healthier and much tastier than the canned stuff. I hope that you enjoy eating it as much as I enjoyed cooking and photographing it.

Cranberry Apple Compote

Ingredients

• ¼ cup water
• 6 oz orange juice
• ¼ to ½ cup of brown sugar (packed)
• 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger (peeled, and finely minced)
• 12 oz bag of organic whole fresh cranberries (rinsed)
• 1 organic Braeburn apple (washed, cored, and diced)

Directions

1. In a medium size saucepan, heat the water, orange juice, brown sugar, and ginger over medium-high heat until it begins to boil.
2. Add the cranberries and apple. Stir, cover, and allow the mixture to boil on low heat for 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool (if serving at room temperature, you may wish to place in the refrigerator before serving). Alternatively, this sauce can be served hot (which is how I served it with the French toast).

And now for the French Toast…

Whole Wheat French Toast

Ingredients

• 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread (about 1.5 inches thick)
• ¼ cup milk (I use 1%)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and eggs.
2. Whisk together until well combined.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter or butter equivalent in a frying pan or griddle until butter begins to sizzle (on medium heat).
4. Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture until well absorbed on both sides.
5. Place each slice of bread into the pan, side by side, and cook each side for about 2 minutes (each side) or until golden brown.
6. Serve with warm cranberry apple compote. Garnish with apple slices and/or walnuts. Enjoy!
7. French toast can be sliced in half or into sticks.

Have a healthy, safe, happy, and blessed Thanksgiving Day with your family and friends!

What do you make with your Thanksgiving leftovers?

Today: Poppyseed bagel with cream cheese, lox, red onion, dill, capers, and sliced lemon

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Today: Pomegranate parfait with pomegranate Greek yogurt, pomegranate seeds, Kashi Go Lean cereal, and sliced almonds (this one reminds me of what I imagine Courtney’s breakfast looking like)

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I’m not ashamed to admit that my love for fruit is somewhat obscene…

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