PPLD's Cookbook & Recipe Blog - LibGuides at Poughkeepsie Public Library District

One-Dish Cooking (revisited)

Roasted Chicken Sausage, Peppers and Potatoes

September 19, 2024.

by Bridget O’Donnell

The last four weeks I’ve had to take a break from jogging due to a ‘running injury.’ Thankfully, nothing was broken or permanently damaged () but the invisible injury was severe enough that not only were my weekend 6-13 mile jogs out of the question, so was walking almost any distance with some degree of speed. When even crossing the street within the crosswalk felt like an extreme sport, I had to accept my current limitation. Numerous studies validate that physical activity is essential for overall health and well-being. Not quite ready to give up or live vicariously through other’s athletic endeavors, I focused my attention on the low impact exercises that I could still do. Paying more attention to correct posture, riding the stationary bike, using the elliptical, core workouts, stretching and, strengthening the injured muscles have helped keep me motivated. To save on superfluous leg work I tried to simplify other routine tasks, including making dinner. Subsequently, I came across Crip Up the Kitchen by Jules Sherred, and The Pot and How to Use It by Roger Ebert. The extremely abridged and hopefully not too curt premise is that both cookbook authors are disabled, and focus on what they can make from a particular appliance despite their own limitations. Sherred favors the instant pot and Ebert, the rice cooker. The overall message, I think, is the importance of being able to continue to prepare food as a healthier alternative to other pre-made, over-processed options. This month we revisit that same idea and experiment with creating an entire meal on a single sheet pan. ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.’

**Injury update: Just before starting to work on this blog entry I went for a short jog to assess where I was in my road to recovery. Jogging a little over a mile wasn’t disabling but, I did notice some discomfort later that day and understand that I’m not quite ready to do more. This could be viewed as an opportunity to set new goals**

Title of cookbook/website: Skinnytaste One and Done: 140 No-Fuss Dinners for Your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Sheet Pan, Air Fryer, Dutch Oven, and More

Author of Recipe: Gina Homolka with Heather K. Jones, R.D.

What prompted you to check out this recipe?

My injury prompted me to try this recipe; I thought a more hands- (and legs-) free way to put dinner on the table would allow me more time to multitask and ultimately rest at the end of the day.

What did you like about this recipe?

This meal can actually be completely prepared in one pan. Seasoning or marinating in a separate dish is one thing, but other one-dish cookbooks require pre-cooking some of the ingredients, and then combining everything on a sheet pan to be finished in the oven (ie: Chicken Sausages with Braised Red Cabbage and Potatoes - The Complete One Pot, pg. 102). Along the same vein, sometimes there's a fine line between making sauces, too (ie: Tahini Roasted Cod with Asparagus and Thyme - Dinner in One, pg. 37). The extra steps don't mean the recipe isn't worth the additional ingredients and dishes, it just requires more work.

In general, I like how versatile the one-dish cooking method is. Scroll down to “References” for more cookbooks with sheet pan (and/or one-dish) meals.

What didn't you like about this recipe?

Although I often find myself borrowing from Skinnytaste.com, this wasn't the cookbook I originally had in mind because it didn't focus heavily on sheet pan meals. However, it had the recipe we liked the best. Thankfully, chapters are divided by cooking vessel so, I jumped to “Sheet Pan & Baking Dish” (pg. 72) before looking through the rest of the cookbook for future dinner adaptations.

Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):

Roasted Sausage, Peppers, and Potatoes (pg. 89).

Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?

Homolka encourages using any kind of sausage including substituting spicy or kielbasa if that's your preference; this time I chose sweet Italian chicken sausage. The amounts for the remaining ingredients were measured by eye but the author's suggested portions were considered as a reference.

Would you recommend this recipe?

Definitely worth trying!

References:

Books (listed alphabetically by title) -

Anatomy & 100 Stretching Exercises for Runners / Guillermo Seijas Albir.

The Complete One Pot: 400 Meals: Skillet, Sheet Pan, Instant Pot, Dutch Oven + More / America’s Test Kitchen.

Crip Up the Kitchen: Tools, Tips and Recipes For the Disabled Cook / Jules Sherred.

Dinner in One: Exceptional and Easy One-Pan Meals / Melissa Clark.

Good Housekeeping Sheet Pan Cooking: 70 Easy Recipes.

The Long Distance Runner's Guide to Injury Prevention and Treatment: How to Avoid Common Problems and Deal with Them When They Happen / edited by Brian J. Krabak, MD, MBA, FACSM, Grant S. Lipman, MD, FACEP, and Brandee L. Waite, MD, FAAPMR. (This was my attempt at self-diagnosis. From this title I thought I might be able to pinpoint the pain, learn how to talk about it or more importantly, tell someone how and where it hurts. Includes Symptoms, Initial Treatments and “Following adequate rest,” how to return to running – what kind of physical therapy/stretching may be necessary.)

The Pot and How to Use It: The Mystery and Romance of the Rice Cooker / Roger Ebert. (eBook available through Hoopla.)

The Republic / Plato.

Skinnytaste One and Done: 140 No-Fuss Dinners for Your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Sheet Pan, Air Fryer, Dutch Oven, and More / Gina Homolka.

Whole In One: Complete, Healthy Meals in a Single Pot, Sheet Pan, or Skillet / Ellie Krieger.

Yoga for Runners / Christine Felstead.

Websites -

Homolka, Gina. “Healthy Recipes Made with Real Food.” Skinnytaste, 21 August 2024, www.skinnytaste.com/.

“Necessity Is the Mother of Invention Definition & Meaning.” Dictionary.Com, www.dictionary.com/browse/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention. Accessed 19 September 2024.

“Why Is Physical Activity So Important for Health and Well-Being?” American Heart Association, 26 August 2024, www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/why-is-physical-activity-so-important-for-health-and-wellbeing#:~:text=Being%20more%20active%20may%20help,Keep%20your%20weight%20under%20control.

Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover Online Library catalog:

One-dish meals.

Sheet pan, Cook* (Try this keyword search instead of the quick subject to help narrow results.)

Recent Posts

One-Dish Cooking (revisited)

One-Dish Cooking (revisited)Roasted Chicken Sausage, Peppers and Potatoes September 19, 2024.by Bridget O’DonnellThe last four weeks I’ve had to take a break from jogging due to a ‘running injury.’ Thankfully, nothing was broken or permanently damaged () but the invisible injury was severe enough that not only were my weekend 6-13 mile jogs out of the question, so was walking almost any distance with some degree of speed. When even crossing the street within the crosswalk felt like an extreme sport, I had to accept my current limitation. Numerous studies validate that physical activity is essential for overall health and well-being. Not quite ready to give up or live vicariously through other’s athletic endeavors, I focused my attention on the low impact exercises that I could still do. Paying more attention to correct posture, riding the stationary bike, using the elliptical, core workouts, stretching and, strengthening the injured muscles have helped keep me motivated. To save on superfluous leg work I tried to simplify other routine tasks, including making dinner. Subsequently, I came across Crip Up the Kitchen by Jules Sherred, and The Pot and How to Use It by Roger Ebert. The extremely abridged and hopefully not too curt premise is that both cookbook authors are disabled, and focus on what they can make from a particular appliance despite their own limitations. Sherred favors the instant pot and Ebert, the rice cooker. The overall message, I think, is the importance of being able to continue to prepare food as a healthier alternative to other pre-made, over-processed options. This month we revisit that same idea and experiment with creating an entire meal on a single sheet pan. ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.’ **Injury update: Just before starting to work on this blog entry I went for a short jog to assess where I was in my road to recovery. Jogging a little over a mile wasn’t disabling but, I did notice some discomfort later that day and understand that I’m not quite ready to do more. This could be viewed as an opportunity to set new goals**Title of cookbook/website: Skinnytaste One and Done: 140 No-Fuss Dinners for Your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Sheet Pan, Air Fryer, Dutch Oven, and More Author of Recipe: Gina Homolka with Heather K. Jones, R.D. What prompted you to check out this recipe?My injury prompted me to try this recipe; I thought a more hands- (and legs-) free way to put dinner on the table would allow me more time to multitask and ultimately rest at the end of the day. What did you like about this recipe?This meal can actually be completely prepared in one pan. Seasoning or marinating in a separate dish is one thing, but other one-dish cookbooks require pre-cooking some of the ingredients, and then combining everything on a sheet pan to be finished in the oven (ie: Chicken Sausages with Braised Red Cabbage and Potatoes - The Complete One Pot, pg. 102). Along the same vein, sometimes there's a fine line between making sauces, too (ie: Tahini Roasted Cod with Asparagus and Thyme - Dinner in One, pg. 37). The extra steps don't mean the recipe isn't worth the additional ingredients and dishes, it just requires more work. In general, I like how versatile the one-dish cooking method is. Scroll down to “References” for more cookbooks with sheet pan (and/or one-dish) meals. What didn't you like about this recipe?Although I often find myself borrowing from Skinnytaste.com, this wasn't the cookbook I originally had in mind because it didn't focus heavily on sheet pan meals. However, it had the recipe we liked the best. Thankfully, chapters are divided by cooking vessel so, I jumped to “Sheet Pan & Baking Dish” (pg. 72) before looking through the rest of the cookbook for future dinner adaptations. Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):Roasted Sausage, Peppers, and Potatoes (pg. 89). Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?Homolka encourages using any kind of sausage including substituting spicy or kielbasa if that's your preference; this time I chose sweet Italian chicken sausage. The amounts for the remaining ingredients were measured by eye but the author's suggested portions were considered as a reference. Would you recommend this recipe?Definitely worth trying!Thanks to the meat thermometer this dish didn’t follow a recipe. Overall it has a Mediterranean influence but the chicken was prepared with a Mesquite dry rub. The pan is a little crowded because it was an attempt to make space in the ‘fridge.' Easily serves four complete dinners (with a small spoonful of crumbled goat cheese). Any leftover vegetables could double as a side for a completely different dinner.Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas (Whole in One, pgs. 197-98 - The wholesome recipes found in each chapter are organized by Skillet, Pot and Sheet Pan.)These fajitas are excellent with shredded and/or crumbled cheese and green salsa served in a soft street-sized wrap.Top aluminum foil tray: Tahini Roasted Cod with Asparagus and Thyme(Dinner in One, pg. 37 - The author suggests protein substitutions as well as alternative to make dishes vegetarian.)Bottom foil tray: Lemon-Herb Cod Fillets with Crispy Garlic Potatoes(The Complete One Pot, pg. 243 - The recipes are short, often taking up only half a page.)References: Books (listed alphabetically by title) - Anatomy & 100 Stretching Exercises for Runners / Guillermo Seijas Albir.The Complete One Pot: 400 Meals: Skillet, Sheet Pan, Instant Pot, Dutch Oven + More / America’s Test Kitchen.Crip Up the Kitchen: Tools, Tips and Recipes For the Disabled Cook / Jules Sherred.Dinner in One: Exceptional and Easy One-Pan Meals / Melissa Clark.Good Housekeeping Sheet Pan Cooking: 70 Easy Recipes.The Long Distance Runner's Guide to Injury Prevention and Treatment: How to Avoid Common Problems and Deal with Them When They Happen / edited by Brian J. Krabak, MD, MBA, FACSM, Grant S. Lipman, MD, FACEP, and Brandee L. Waite, MD, FAAPMR. (This was my attempt at self-diagnosis. From this title I thought I might be able to pinpoint the pain, learn how to talk about it or more importantly, tell someone how and where it hurts. Includes Symptoms, Initial Treatments and “Following adequate rest,” how to return to running – what kind of physical therapy/stretching may be necessary.)The Pot and How to Use It: The Mystery and Romance of the Rice Cooker / Roger Ebert. (eBook available through Hoopla.)The Republic / Plato.Skinnytaste One and Done: 140 No-Fuss Dinners for Your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Sheet Pan, Air Fryer, Dutch Oven, and More / Gina Homolka.Whole In One: Complete, Healthy Meals in a Single Pot, Sheet Pan, or Skillet / Ellie Krieger.Yoga for Runners / Christine Felstead.Websites - Homolka, Gina. “Healthy Recipes Made with Real Food.” Skinnytaste, 21 August 2024, www.skinnytaste.com/. “Necessity Is the Mother of Invention Definition & Meaning.” Dictionary.Com, www.dictionary.com/browse/necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention. Accessed 19 September 2024. “Why Is Physical Activity So Important for Health and Well-Being?” American Heart Association, 26 August 2024, www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/why-is-physical-activity-so-important-for-health-and-wellbeing#:~:text=Being%20more%20active%20may%20help,Keep%20your%20weight%20under%20control. Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover Online Library catalog:One-dish meals.Sheet pan, Cook* (Try this keyword search instead of the quick subject to help narrow results.)...

Tu Voila!

Tu Voila! August 20, 2024.by Bridget O’DonnellIn 2023 while renewing our CSA vegetable share, I added-on a 10-week berry share without hesitating. Since the 2024 berry share started we’ve eaten berries every day, sometimes more than once a day, we also shared a few quarts and still had plenty left to freeze. (Thank you Greig Farm!!)In addition to strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and peaches, a few consecutive weeks also included 2 quarts of blueberries. So awesome! But, once our carefully curated collection started falling out of the freezer every time the door was opened, it was time to make more than a few intermittent protein smoothies. In an attempt to see myself as being successful I told anyone who would listen, “I AM going to make blueberry muffins before the berry share ends.”Throughout the penultimate week of the berry share I looked for recipes containing and/or omitting a few ingredients and finally settled on “Healthy Blueberry Muffins“ by Lisa Longley. To create a lower-glycemic and more nutrient dense breakfast or, fuel before a longer jog I borrowed ingredients from the “Superhero Smash Muffin” recipe in Rise & Run (pg. 100). Even with blueberries, I think the original recipe was intended to be more savory than sweet. Unfortunately, when I doubled Longley’s recipe I forgot to double the honey so they were even more so, making each bite with blueberry that much…MORE. Thankfully, my mistake could easily be remedied with spreadable honey, jam or jelly. Overall, the muffins were palatable and provided hours of sustenance but, I'm going to change a few things in the next batch. Langley's recipe calls for [olive] oil which I usually substitute with unsweetened applesauce in baked goods. Next time I’ll omit the oil and add some banana to give them a subtle sweetness and add moisture. Ultimately, I achieved my goal () but we still had enough berries in the freezer to fill a bucket so I tried a recipe that I would never have thought of on my own…Title of cookbook/website: Epicurious.com Author of Recipe: Anna Stockwell and Emily Saladino What prompted you to check out this recipe?In between patiently listening to me repeat the mantra to make blueberry muffins Lauren C., another CSA member, suggested that I try Clafoutis. She said it looks really impressive at a dinner party and isn’t difficult to make; the New York Times has a good recipe. After a little research, this became the inspiration for this month’s What's Cooking Blog review. What did you like about this recipe? Clafoutis (kla - fou - ti) is a French dish traditionally made with cherries. Over time it has evolved so “almost any fruit can be used.” It can be sweet or a little more savory depending on the amount of sugar added or the type of fruit used. It’s versatile, served for dessert or brunch either at room temperature or cold (so leftovers can be refrigerated). What didn’t you like about this recipe?This recipe isn’t vegan or gluten-free so I can’t share it with people who observe those dietary guidelines. The recipe would also be challenging to reduce, let’s say in half, because it calls for three eggs. Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):Any-Fruit Clafoutis Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?After reading through a healthy portion of the Notes at the bottom of the NYTimes recipe and comparing other ‘classic’ recipes to the one by Epicurious.com I decided to try the following modifications. Ingredients that I used:ButterWhole milkEggs[⅓ cup] Granulated cane sugarAll purpose + almond floursLemon zestFine sea saltFrozen berries (black-, blue- and, rasp-berries)Ground gingerwhisky Modifications: Combine ¾ cup all-purpose flour with ¼ cup fine almond flour (for added texture).Prepare the fruit with a portion of the sugar.[After mixing the dry ingredients, including the remaining sugar with a fork because I don’t own a sifter] Add the dry ingredients to a blender containing the frothy mixture a little at a time to avoid clumping. Add 1 teaspoons of ginger powder and a splash of whisky to the blender (optional or, add more to taste).To grease the baking dish, add approximately 2 tablespoons of butter to a cast iron skillet. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and place the skillet in for 6 minutes until the butter has melted. Following Nik Sharma’s recipe on NYTimes.com from step 4 on, I poured a ½ inch layer of the batter [without fruit] in the skillet and baked it for 15 minutes. Then, I arranged 3 cups of prepared fruit in the bottom of the skillet, poured the remaining batter over top and baked it.Begin to check for doneness around 45-50 minutes, rather than 60-65 minutes as instructed. One note suggested that Clafoutis should be slightly browning, not golden brown. Tu Voila! Before serving lightly dust confectioner’s sugar over the top (pictured below). We tried ours with a small spoon of cottage cheese on one side of the plate and a small spoon of vanilla ice cream on the other side for taste testing. The ice cream was the winning accompagnement. (All suggestions in this bullet are optional.)Would you recommend this recipe?Yes, I shared the entire skillet (with vanilla ice cream). There were no complaints. We might say it was berry good! Honestly, I can’t believe it actually worked!!Any-Fruit Clafoutis (with black-, blue- and rasp-berries)Healthy Blueberry Muffin (with Spreadable Honey) References:Books - The Everything Low-Cholesterol Cookbook / Laura Livesey. (Blueberry Almond Muffins, pg. 238 - I was interested in making this but didn't have all the ingredients. Livesey notes that ‘dark berries have up to 50% more antioxidants than lighter colored berries. This includes black-, blue-, cran-, elder- and, boysenberries.’) Rise & Run: Recipes, Rituals, and Runs to Fuel Your Day / Shalane Flanagan & Elyse Kopecky. (Superhero Smash Muffins, pg. 100 - I borrowed the idea of mixing oat and almond flours and, adding ground flax.) Websites -Bellis, Mary. The History of the Refrigerator - and Freezer, theinventors.org/library/inventors/blrefrigerator.htm. Accessed 15 August 2024. Longley, Lisa. “Healthy Blueberry Muffins.” Simple Joy, 29 May 2024, www.simplejoy.com/healthy-blueberry-muffins/. Miquel, Julien. “How to Pronounce Clafoutis? (CORRECTLY).” Youtube, 1 July 2020, www.google.com/search?q=how+to+pronounce+clafoutis&rlz=1C1CHMO_enUS673US674&oq=how+to+pronounce+clafoutis&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDU4MDZqMGoxqAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:a49dce47,vid:iiaqzbnMDls,st:0. Accessed 15 August 2024. - (00:52 minute video) “Poughkeepsie Farm Project Online Store.” PFP Farm Store, pfpfarmstore.com/. Accessed 15 August 2024. Saladino, Emily, and Anna Stockwell. “How to Make Clafoutis, with (Almost) Any Kind of Fruit.” Epicurious, 21 May 2024, www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-make-clafoutis-with-any-kind-of-fruit-article. Sharma, Nik. “Blueberry-Ginger Clafoutis.” The New York Times, 13 May 2021, cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022224-blueberry-ginger-clafoutis. - (You will need a subscription to see this recipe.) Shulman, Martha Rose. “Berry Clafoutis.” The New York Times, 20 May 2014, cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016382-berry-clafoutis. “Welcome to the Greig Farm: Pick Your Own.” Greig Farm, www.thegreigfarm.com/. Accessed 15 August 2024. Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover Online Library catalog:Cooking (Berries) - (Results narrowed by Age group: Adult ; Literary Form: Non-Fiction)Berries. - (Results narrowed by Age group: Adult ; Literary Form: Non-Fiction ; Concepts/Subjects/Themes: Desserts, Cooking (Natural foods), Baking, Gardening, Fruit, Berries, Health, Container gardening, Nutrition, Smoothies (Beverages), Fruit-culture)...

Go Green!

Go Green!July 22, 2024.by Bridget O’DonnellYou’ve probably read or heard how important it is to incorporate a rainbow of fruits and vegetables into your diet, I’m sure I’ve mentioned it in a previous What’s Cooking Blog entry or two. This month we certainly don’t discredit that school of thought but, for brevity's sake, focus on the benefits of eating GREEN. Unfortunately, some benefits of eating green fruits and vegetables (and I don’t mean penicillin) aren’t always highlighted in the first few results of a Google search. Sometimes you have to know what questions to ask to create a more effective generative AI prompt. (Don't let the end of that sentence scare you. If you play video games or frequent anything like Siri, YouTube, Social Media or LinkedIn you're already using AI.) To apply some of the terms mentioned in last month's entry, for example, I asked Google if green vegetables are low glycemic. They are. Although I'm not diabetic, eating a cup of greens definitely helps regulate my blood sugar after I’ve had something really sweet. (*Ask your doctor to explain the difference between glycemic index and glycemic load.) To continue the experiment I asked if leafy greens can help reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure and cholesterol. In another search I asked if herbs, like basil, could do the same. There weren't a lot of cons to eating either but be selective when sourcing health information; there's a lot of good and bad information on the internet. Watch for personal intolerances and be aware that some foods should be avoided when taking certain medications. Greens are versatile. Enjoy them raw, prepared as a hot/cold infusion, baked or sautéed if you can. They’re super foods so you may notice that you feel a little more Super after consuming them! Title of cookbook/website: Love & Lemons Author of Recipe: Jeanine Donofrio What prompted you to check out this recipe?Last Saturday was a busy day… After working outside in the summer heat for a few hours, I [went for a jog,] cleaned the herbs that I picked from the farm then rendered an overripe avocado into guacamole for lunch. With that project ‘cleaned up,’ I steeped a batch of Tulsi basil (aka: Holy basil) tea and a smaller batch of mint tea. (Thank You for the mint, Moira! And, I can't wait to try Asian mint in my eggs, Grace!) Moving briskly through Saturday's itinerary, I crossed a few non-edible things off my to-do list then switched gears to start making dinner. In summary, dinner prompted me to check out this recipe. On my drive to the farm that morning I remember thinking basil pesto would make dinner more interesting for a couple nights. Although I make pesto regularly during the summer months, I wanted a quick reference for measurements; this recipe is a classic. What did you like about this recipe? Pesto is amazing! Dinner was delicious. (Try freezing leftover pesto in ice cube trays. Aside from the ingredients, the two main variations that I've come across with this means of preservation include: adding the cheese and/or garlic after defrosting and, pouring a thin layer of olive oil on the top of the pesto before covering it with plastic wrap and freezing. Just about everything is optional.) What didn’t you like about this recipe?Adding more olive oil (or reserved pasta water) may have given my pesto a smoother texture, if that's what I was really going for. Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website):Basil Pesto Recipe Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions?My pesto usually includes spinach to enhance the nutrient density and color. Alas, I didn't have any and wanted to avoid a trip to the store to buy one thing (because it's never really one thing). Walnuts or almonds are what I'd usually use as a substitute for pine nuts but we only had pecans and pistachios. So, I made myself comfortable and shelled a little over half a cup of pistachios (because I ate a few) but, you can use almost any nut you have or like. Would you recommend this recipe?Pesto dishes always make me feel healthy and energized! For dinner I spread the pesto on top of white fish, like Natalie Perry's recipe and, as a transfer of learning, on top of chicken tenderloins. Both dishes were baked simultaneously at 350°F. The proteins were served over thin pasta tossed with the remaining pesto and a side salad. Guacamole on Sourdough Toast (aka, Avocado Toast), Skinnytaste.com - recipe reduced for 1 avocado, cilantro omitted.Basil Pistachio Pesto References:Books - An Avocado A Day: More Than 70 Recipes for Enjoying Nature's Most Delicious Superfood / Lara Ferroni. - ("Gaby's Famous Guacamole" pg. 27)Growing Your Own Tea Garden: The Guide to Growing and Harvesting Flavorful Teas in Your Backyard / Jodi Helmer.H2Oh!: Infused Waters for Health and Hydration / Mimi Kirk.The Pesto Cookbook: Dozens of Surprising Flavor Combinations from Fresh Herbs and Greens / Olwen Woodier. - (This cookbook has a “Classic Genovese Pesto” on pg. 24 that's similar to the recipe highlighted in this post; I've never made pesto with butter, though.)Websites - Donofrio, Jeanine. “Basil Pesto Recipe.” Love & Lemons, 16 May 2024, www.loveandlemons.com/pesto-recipe/.“Eat Your Way to Better Health: Why Leafy Greens Are Your Magic Weapon.” Summa Health, www.summahealth.org/flourish/entries/2024/03/eat-your-way-to-better-health-why-leafy-greens-are-your-magic-weapon#:~:text=The%20health%20benefits%20of%20leafy%20greens&text=Minerals%20like%20calcium%2C%20potassium%2C%20magnesium,can%20reduce%20inflammation%20and%20bloating. Accessed 18 July 2024.Homolka, Gina. “The Best Guacamole Recipe.” Skinnytaste, 28 April 2024, www.skinnytaste.com/guacamole-recipe/.“Low-Glycemic Index Diet: What’s Behind the Claims?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2 November 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/low-glycemic-index-diet/art-20048478. Marr, Bernard. “15 Amazing Real-World Applications of AI Everyone Should Know About.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 20 February 2024, www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2023/05/10/15-amazing-real-world-applications-of-ai-everyone-should-know-about/.Perry, Natalie. “Baked Cod with Pesto.” Perry’s Plate, 18 June 2024, www.perrysplate.com/2014/03/baked-fish-lemon-basil-pesto-two-sides.html.Streed, Joel. “Eat the Rainbow for Good Health.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 21 July 2022, newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/eat-the-rainbow-for-good-health/.Tsang Barrett, Teri. “11 Best Pine Nut Substitutes for Pesto.” The Pioneer Woman, www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/cooking-tips-tutorials/g36791977/pine-nut-substitute/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_pw_md_pmx_hybd_mix_us_18891731492&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwhvi0BhA4EiwAX25uj1inDdzLcON4N0Q0d_J5X4_78pwl8OO8fDfRszBE-wAe9IEdqTPYwhoCF6UQAvD_BwE. Accessed 22 July 2024.WebMD Editorial Contributors, and Zilpah Sheikh. “Health Benefits of Basil.” WebMD, www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-basil. Accessed 18 July 2024.WebMD Editorial Contributors, and Christine Mikstas. “What Are Low Glycemic Foods?” Web, www.webmd.com/diet/what-are-low-glycemic-foods. Accessed 18 July 2024.“What Is Generative Ai? An Easy-to-Understand Video with Example.” YouTube, Kotwel, 14 July 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n2ZmTWg7fI.Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover Online Library catalog:Cooking (Herbs)Cooking (Vegetables) - (Results narrowed by Literary Form: Non-Fiction)...

Sugar. Oh, honey, honey

Sugar. Oh, Honey, Honey… July 5, 2024. by Bridget O’Donnell Routine bloodwork brought our attention to a few numbers that have slowly encroached on borderline to moderately elevated, with cholesterol and glucose in the forefront. Despite a lifestyle of predominately clean eating and regular exercise, I’ve tentatively watched my numbers continue to rise a nominal amount for the last two years. Now that we both needed to make a more concerted effort, I felt the time spent reading about how we might begin to do this was overdue. Total cholesterol - Glucose (aka: Sugar) - Charts provided by: healthline.com Current government websites generated from a google search seem to gloss over how someone might begin to reverse the anomaly and improve their numbers. By suggesting a handful of foods to eat or avoid, and encouraging daily but light exercise, resources like the American Heart Association and Dietary Guidelines (.gov) can speak to a wider audience. Unfortunately, (or to be honest, fortunately), people have different bodies, heredities, lifestyles and goals. We all have limitations, but try to be thankful for the abilities and good health you do have. Authoritative print resources pertaining to cholesterol appear to be more heavily published between the late 1990s to about 2017. As is often the case, research shifts over time. Subsequent publications that contain the word cholesterol also seem to address the phenomenon of comorbidity, suggesting that high cholesterol has a close relationship with other health issues. The antiquated argument that people developed this condition solely by eating foods containing cholesterol and saturated fats has been replaced with cholesterol's relation to other conditions and chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and inflammation. Thankfully, diet and lifestyle changes made to counter the aforementioned also aid in lowering cholesterol. Stress, aging and a few other factors could also be considered, but I recently read that children can have high cholesterol too(!!!). To help avoid medications, I came across suggestions for intermittent fasting and following the DASH, South Beach, Mediterranean, and Keto diets. [The Keto diet would never be one that I would rely on personally.] Additional recommendations include avoiding an overconsumption of starches, carbohydrates and ultimately, sugar, while adding more fiber and foods with a low glycemic index/load to your diet. With more books checked out than I can feasibly read from cover to cover before leaving to attend a conference, I’ve only scratched the surface. To be continued... **Talk to your doctor about how your diet might affect personal health issues and/or ask for a referral to discuss them with a specialist like a dietician** So now what? Sugar seems to be the culprit of many aliments, so that’s where we’re starting. Because our numbers are borderline and we're more or less asymptomatic, I feel there's a little less urgency to reinvent the wheel. We’re not going to throw away everything we already have containing starch, carbohydrates or sugar. but we will be more conscious about how often (and how much) we consume them. We will also try to be more aware of what we buy in the future. Working in our favor, we’ve already cut out most foods with processed sugar. Our meals are balanced and plant forward--especially during the CSA vegetable season which, for us, covers most of the year. (During this period I don't get many colds; Popeye may have been on to something.) Moving forward, we can look for more foods that have a lower glycemic index, like strawberries, but to be fair we will still occasionally have gelato or full fat ice cream. Hopefully our efforts are enough to curb pre-diabetes and collectively lower our cholesterol without medication. Tangentially, while writing this blog entry I came across an email from the Walkway over the Hudson that referred to June's full moon as the "strawberry moon." According to Nasa, this name refers to the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries in the north-eastern United States. Serendipitously, for the 2024 season I had the foresight to purchase a berry share from a local farm working cooperatively with my CSA. The first few weeks they’ve had strawberries. Strawberry Shortcake any everyone? The second and third week I had to freeze a large portion of the 'berries to arrest ripening. Those will be perfect for smoothies. Their short harvesting season does make me wonder where the groceries stores are sourcing the 'berries they sell all year long. Using 1 cup of fresh strawberries I revisited the strawberry-rhubarb pairing (suggested in PPLD's What’s Cooking Blog for “All-Season Mocktails, Spritzers, Syrups and Shrubs”) and made a "Naturally Sweet Strawberry and Rhubarb Compote.” -- Add less honey for a lower sugar version, which I did, or substitute agave for a vegetarian/vegan version. Canning & Preserving has another recipe on page 57 that you might also want to try. ....Serve over angel food cake with whipped cream (as shown in the photo at the top of this post), over pancakes or waffles, ice cream or gelato, on toast with or without your choice of nut butter, in parfait or yogurt with or without granola... You get the idea. Whatever you decide to put it on, Enjoy!! If you can tolerate a little more sugar you might consider giving the following recipe a try. One of our Librarians, Kayleigh H. found a recipe for this street food on TikTok then created a batch in our staff kitchen for a Teen program. It may not be low-sugar per se but it is made with fruit, strawberries work well. Tanghulu is probably a little healthier than some of the snacks sold at the convenience store, too. Title of cookbook/website: Aubrey's Kitchen Author of Recipe: Aubrey ... What prompted you to check out this recipe? Checked out the recipe because of videos on TikTok. What did you like about this recipe? This recipe was really easy to make! All you need is sugar and water in a 2:1 ratio and fruit. History: Tanghulu is a popular northern Chinese street food traditionally made with hawthorn fruit, but you can use strawberries, grapes, blueberries, clementines- whatever fruit you desire, but fruit with an enclosed skin works best. What didn’t you like about this recipe? [Nothing] Favorite recipes (that you tried from the cookbook/website): Tanghulu! Did you alter the recipe or make any substitutions? Nope! Would you recommend this cookbook? Yes. References: Books - American Heart Association Healthy Fats, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook: Delicious Recipes to Help Reduce Bad Fats and Lower Your Cholesterol. Canning & Preserving: 80+ Simple, Small-Batch Recipes / Good Housekeeping. Cholesterol: the Essential Guide / Sara Kirkham. The Dash Diet Action Plan: Proven to Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol without Medication / Marla Heller. Diabetes & Heart Healthy Cookbook: More than 160 Delicious Recipes for Everything from Snacks to Desserts / American Heart Association. Eating For Lower Cholesterol: A Balanced Approach to Heart Health with Recipes Everyone Will Love / Catherine Jones with Elaine Trujillo. The Fiber Fueled Cookbook: Inspiring Plant-Based Recipes to Turbocharge Your Health / Will Bulsiewicz, recipes by Alexandra Caspero. The Glycemic Load Diet Cookbook: 150 Recipes to Help You Lose Weight and Reverse Insulin Resistance / Rob Thompson & Dana Carpender. The Great Cholesterol Myth. Why Lowering Your Cholesterol Won't Prevent Heart Disease--and the Statin-Free Plan That Will / Johnny Bowden. Perfect Cholesterol In Just Three Weeks (Without Drugs!): The Answer to High Cholesterol / Dr. David M. Vitko. Websites - “The Archies - Sugar Sugar.” YouTube, 14 Feb. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcLObPhKdDk. Aubry. “Tanghulu.” Aubrey’s Kitchen, 10 Sept. 2020, aubreyskitchen.com/tanghulu/. “Cholesterol - Search Results.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, search.nih.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=nhlbi_nhlbi_prod&query=cholesterol&commit=Search. Accessed 5 July 2024. “Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).” Poughkeepsie Farm Project, www.farmproject.org/csa. Accessed 5 July 2024. Goldman, Rena, et al. “The Recommended Cholesterol Levels By Age.” Healthline, Healthline Media, www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/levels-by-age#adults. Accessed 5 July 2024. Hartnett, Kayleigh. “Tanghulu.” Canva, https://www.canva.com/design/DAGHfDtWWNM/N9WC_HcJ8_BQuMKenjDVSA/edit. Accessed 5 July 2024. - Link to sheets w/recipe and instructions Hoskins, Mike, and Stacy Sampson. “Blood Sugar Level Chart Based on Age.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 24 Mar. 2023, www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/blood-sugar-levels-chart-by-age#glucose-by-age. Johnston, Gordon. “The Next Full Moon Is the Strawberry Moon - NASA Science.” NASA, 13 June 2024, science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/the-next-full-moon-is-the-strawberry-moon-2/. Mansour, Donna. “Naturally Sweetened Strawberry Rhubarb Compote.” Whole Food Bellies, 4 June 2019, www.wholefoodbellies.com/strawberry-rhubarb-compote/. Quick Subject/Concept links to the Discover Online Library catalog: Canning and preserving Cholesterol Natural Sugar* - (Results narrowed by Format: Book; Literary Form: Non-fiction; Concepts: Nutrition, Cooking (Natural foods), Sugar-free diet, Desserts, Baking, Reducing diets, Detoxification (Health)) Sugar-Free Diet ...

One-Dish Cooking (revisited)

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