Consider wise food choices to improve your health and create a more vibrant you without dieting.
Choose organic over non-organic foods Avoid trans fats and saturated fats (i.e. donuts, fried foods etc) Eat lean proteins (e.g. fish, wild game, poultry, egg whites, tofu, legumes) Fill up on fruits and vegetables (consume between 8 and 10 servings per day) Consume carbohydrates in the form of whole grains and fiber (avoid bleached flour products) Choose berries over bananas, sweet potatoes over regular white potatoes Consume some protein along with carbohydrates rather than just eating the carbohydrates, e.g. almond nut butter with apples Choose brown rice over white rice Add foods high in antioxidants to your choices get colorful! Free radicals are blamed not only for making us look old but also for making us fat! Load up on the colorful antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. Incorporate omega-3 fatty acids into your lifestyle. Omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA are much needed for the structure and function of every cell in your body. These omega-3 help fight inflammation, helps maintain healthy supple skin, improve cardiovascular health, and support brain and nervous systems health. Consume 2 4 servings of fish per week wild salmon is a great choice! Or if fish is not an option, take the appropriate amount of EPA/DHA supplement in capsule form (1 2 g. daily).
Source: Dr. Robert Silverman of NY ChiroCare
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FISH TACOS
Serves 4
4, 6 oz. Tortilla crusted Tilapia 4 Whole wheat flour tortillas 8 oz. La Mers Salsa 1 Large ripe tomato Shredded Romaine lettuce 1 Green bell pepper, sliced thin 16 oz. Monterey & Cheddar Cheese, shredded 8 oz. Fresh cilantro, chopped small 8 oz. Sour cream on the side
Serve with Spanish rice and refried beans.
Preparation 1. Heat Precooked crusted Tilapia in a 400°F oven for 10 minutes, not covered. 2. Meanwhile washing and drying the lettuce and small dicing the tomato allowing any water or loose seeds to fall away. 3. After 10 minutes, place on top of the fillets the cheese mixture and peppers. Allow to broil until cheese is well melted. About 3 minutes more. 4. Place fish and cheese on open tortilla. Add salsa and romaine and fresh tomato. Roll sides in first and then roll tortilla until tight. Place back under broiler for 1 minute. 5. Serve with sour cream, Spanish rice or guacamole.
La Mer Seafood
For your holiday table Armonk Wines & Spirits recommends David Bruce Pinot Noir a medium bodied soft red wine that works well with many food combinations. Also Tariquet an inexpensive white wine from the South of France that will go perfectly with your holiday dishes and has become a shop favorite.
And for your New Year's Eve festivities, why not try Lamberti Prosecco from Northern Italy that is a fresh and lively bubbly and is versatile with foods or will make a memorable toast even more memorable.
Armonk Wines & Spirits at 383 Main Street is where service is our hallmark.
Holiday Recommendations from Wine Geeks Armonk:
For Dinner: Johnson Family Chardonnay 2008 (Sonoma Coast, California) $19.99 Buttery yellow apple and spiced pear notes interlaced with citrus and toasted hazelnuts - perfect pairing for most rich traditional holiday dishes at a high value pricepoint. For Gifts: Robert Craig 'Affinity' Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Napa Valley, California) $51.99 This high-scoring cult cab is perfect for the collector on your list. Smooth and velvety with plum, black cherry, sweet herbs and mocha.
For Celebrating: Drusian Rosι Mari NV (Veneto, Italy) $17.99 This festive pink sparkler from the home of Prosecco is made of 100% Pinot Nero. Laced with notes of cranberry, wild strawberry, peach and flowers.
Sautιed Spinach
Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 shallot, diced 1 bunch of fresh spinach kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in shallots and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add spinach, sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes until leaves are wilted and reduced.
Carrot Soup
1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 cup half-and-half 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth 2 1/2 cups sliced carrots 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper salt to taste ground black pepper to taste
Directions: 1. Steam carrots until tender. 2. In a blender or food processor, combine cooked carrots and 3/4 cup broth. Blend until smooth. Set aside. 3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, parsley, basil, and ground red pepper. Add half-and-half cream all at once. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in carrot mixture and remaining broth. Season with salt and black pepper. Thin with milk or water if needed.
Potato and Turnip Gratin
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional), plus more for baking dish 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, plus more if needed 3 sprigs robust herbs such as thyme or sage 2 pounds (total) potatoes, and turnips, peeled and thinly sliced Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Infuse liquid: Heat oven to 375 degrees, and butter a 2 1/2-quart oval gratin dish or 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring cream and thyme to just under a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and discard solids. 2. Arrange the vegetable slices in overlapping layers in the baking dish, alternating them and seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Dot with butter. Pour cream over top (it should almost cover the vegetables; add up to 1/2 cup more if necessary) and cover tightly with parchment-lined foil. 3. Bake: Bake until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes more.
Serve at once.
Armonk Recipes
While we gather around the table with friends and family, consider serving healthy meals with organic produce and meats. Mike Geller of Mike's Organic Delivery offers fresh seasonal vegetables delivered directly from local farms to your door.
Explore the options he offers via his Web site: mikesorganic delivery.com. Give it a try to appreciate the quality of his products and service.
He has graciously provided us with some of his favorite recipes below. Enjoy.
Sangria Glazed Prawns
Ingredients
Glaze: 3/4 cup red wine 1/4 cup apple juice 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup sherry 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon cornstarch 3 tablespoons cold water Prawns: 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon canola oil 1/2 cup diced red onion 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 apple, cored, diced 1 pound shrimp (21 to 25 count), cleaned and deveined (Fresh Or Frozen) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon paprika Sprigs of fresh mint
Directions For the glaze: Add all of the ingredients to a pot except the cornstarch and water. On medium to low heat, simmer the liquid mixture by 1/3. In small sauce bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and warm water till dissolved. Then whisk this into the hot mixture until fully dissolved. Lower heat and simmer until reduced by half and thick enough for to coat.
For the prawns: In medium saute pan, add butter and oil. Melt the butter and add onions and peppers. Cook until contents look moist and translucent. Add apples and *prawns, and cook until prawns turn pink and firm.
Toss with paprika and glaze. Garnish with fresh mint.
* If prawns are purchased precooked add them briefly for heating only. Add prawns after apples are slightly cooked and soft.
** Add skewers to turn into a great hors d'oeuvre
**Recipe can be pre-made and warmed to serve
Recipe courtesy of Josh Elstein of The Burger Factory
Celeriac & Apple Salad
1-cup quinoa 3 tbsp white-wine vinegar 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1 red onion peeled and sliced very thinly 2 oz. Extra virgin olive oil Ό head celeriac peeled and sliced 2 oz lemon juice 2-3 granny smith apples (350g after coring and slicing) 2 tsp poppy seeds 1 red chili, sliced thinly on an angle 2 tbsp coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add the quinoa and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain into a fine sieve, run under cold water and then shake well to remove all the water. Leave to cool down.
Put the vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to dissolve. Add the onion and, using your hands, rub the liquid into it. Add the rapeseed oil, stir and set aside to marinate.
Peel the celeriac, cut it into thick slices and then cut the slices into long strips. Place these in a large mixing bowl, along with the lemon juice, and stir well this will help prevent discoloration. Quarter the apples, remove and discard the cores, and cut the fruit into matchstick-shaped pieces similar to the celeriac. Add the apple to the celeriac bowl and stir well, so it, too, gets a protective coat of lemon juice. (The apples and celeriac can also be cut using a mandolin or a food processor.)
To finish, add the onion and any juices from its bowl to the apple and celeriac mix, and then stir in the cooked quinoa, poppy seeds, chili and coriander. Taste and add extra salt, sugar or vinegar, if you need them you're aiming for a pungent, sweet and sour flavor.
Roasted Kale with Sea Salt
4 cups firmly-packed kale 1 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp. good-quality sea salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and trim the kale: Peel off the tough stems by folding the kale leaves in half like a book and stripping the stems off. Toss with extra virgin olive oil. Roast for five minutes. Turn kale over. Roast another 7 to 10 minutes until kale turns brown and becomes paper thin and brittle. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve immediately.
Baked Beets
3 -4 medium unpeeled unwashed whole beets Preheat oven to 400°.
1. Trim roots and stems to 1/2", do not cut beets further! 2. Do not wash beets! 3. If there is dirt that bothers you, wipe it off with a paper towel; moisture will cause the beets to steam and that is not what you want. 4. Place beets in a casserole, cover with the lid and seal the entire casserole tightly with foil; bake at 400° for 60-90 minutes. 5. When beets are cool enough to handle, remove the roots and skins and slice.
Toss beats with 1-½ tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Italian Style Swiss Chard
Ingredients 1 bunch Swiss chard 1 cup water 1 tablespoon salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes salt to taste Directions 1. Wash the Swiss chard and cut into 1-inch strips. Separate the thick and tough stalk sections from the upper leafy strips. 2. Bring the water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil in a large saucepan. 3. Cook the stalk sections in the salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Stir in the leafy strips and cook until the leaves are wilted and the stalks are fork tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. 4. Heat the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium heat until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Add the drained Swiss chard, cook and stir for 2 minutes, season with salt to taste.
