Healthy Autumn Popovers

Inspired by an old-fashioned side for English roast dinner, popovers are a great side for a holiday meal, but our version is light and simple enough to make any night of the week. The batter comes together in seconds (using a blender) and they bake up in no time. These are sure to become a fall family favorite!

• 1 cup milk (skim, low-fat, whole)
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• pan spray
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In order listed, place the milk, eggs, melted butter, salt, thyme and flour in a blender. Pulse the blender for about 10 seconds, creating a batter. A few small lumps are fine. Set the batter aside to rest.

Meanwhile, place an empty popover pan or muffin tin (large or small) in the hot oven for 5 minutes.

Remove the hot pan from the oven and spray the pan with oil. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on the bottom of each muffin cup and pour enough batter into each cup to come halfway up the sides. Return the pan to the oven.

Bake the popovers at 425 F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 F and continue to bake until they are nicely browned and the centers spring back when tapped by a finger, 10 to 20 minutes longer, depending on the size of the cups. Serve promptly.

* For a sweet version: omit the parmesan cheese and substitute 1/3 cup of pureed pumpkin for the thyme.

Is it Possible to Eat Healthy During the Holidays?

We think so!  Here are some helpful tips to set your family up for success, which may also start a few healthy holiday eating traditions!

• Set yourself up for a positive outcome by setting the achievable goal of maintaining your current weight through the end of the year. 
• Start each day with a substantial high-protein, low-fat breakfast that will keep you satisfied and resilient to morning and noon-time temptations. Try egg whites, low fat cheese with whole grain bread, non-fat yogurt with whole grain cereal, etc.
• Whether you're a cook or a guest at Thanksgiving, re-mix a traditional side dish by making a much healthier version of the original. Instead of a green bean casserole with gloppy canned goo and canned fried whatchamacallits, blanch fresh green beans for just 2 or 3 minutes until they are tender-crisp, drain, toss with a touch of olive oil and a little bit of salt and top with toasted sliced almonds. For a new take on sweet potatoes, make our recipea for kid-friendly Moroccan-Style Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon, Raisins and Walnuts. 
• For dessert, make a low-calorie pumpkin pie so that, no matter what anyone else brings, you have a healthy option.
• On Turkey day, have a little something before dinner time with your kids like a piece of fruit or yogurt to curb everyone's holiday appetite. Stick with white meat and then select one or two sides and forego the rest.
• Try to stay active, even when it's dreary outside. Take the family ice skating or try walking briskly from store to store in the mall while you do your holiday shopping.

Sources: 

* northjersey.com

Multigrain Pancakes for the Holidays

With the kids home from school for the long holiday weekend, try making our new favorite breakfast at home one morning. These hearty flapjacks are nutty and delicious, full of whole grains that are sure to satisfy the whole family, but they won't weigh anyone down. These are also great for out-of-town guests looking to off-set the big turkey dinner.

Multigrain Pancakes made with Whole Grain Cereal

• 1/2 cup dry steel-cut oats or cracked multigrain cereal blend (We use a 6-grain blend from our local Co-op's bulk section)
• 3 cups water
• Multi-grain pancake batter (from 3/4 cup dry pre-made mix, prepared as directed. We use Arrowhead Mills)
• Canola or vegetable oil (spray)

Combine the dry grains with the water in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the grains are tender-chewy, about 40 mins. Alternatively, cook the grains in a rice cooker! (Either way, this step can be done the night before or up to a couple days in advance, with the cooked grains stored in an airtight container in the fridge. If prepared in advance, microwave (or otherwise heat) the grains with some additional water and stir to loosen them before adding to the pancake batter.)

Prepare multigrain pancake batter as directed. With oatmeal or multigrain hot cereal in a thick but pourable state, add to the pancake batter, adding water if needed to achieve a slightly-thick pancake batter consistency.

Preheat a non-stick griddle pan over medium heat. Brush or spray lightly with canola or vegetable oil, then spoon the batter onto the pan. When bubbles form, flip the pancakes. When golden brown on both sides, serve with maple syrup or with a spread of all-fruit jam.

Leftover pancakes keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated back on a griddle pan or in the microwave.

*Variation: Should you have leftover cooked brown rice, quinoa, or other grain kickin' around in the fridge, use 1.5 cups of any cooked grain in place of the oatmeal/multigrain cereal. For brown rice and other larger whole grains, we like to dump them on a large cutting board and run our knife across them a few times to cut the whole grains into pieces before incorporating into pancakes.

Make it a Green Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving around the corner, here are a few easy tips for a great green holiday that are also useful all year round.

Repurpose Stale Bread & Bread Heels
Collect these in an airtight container in the freezer for making holiday stuffing, croutons for a salad, or bread crumbs to top a vegetable gratin. (Crispy breadcrumbs and a little cheese might be just the trick to turn your kids on to more kinds of veggies.)

photo from slashfood.com

Reuse Cooking Water
Use the same pot of boiling water to blanch veggies, cook pasta, then use the water to soak beans or grains, incorporate it into soups, or (if unsalted) to water the garden.

Fill Up the Oven
Utilize the oven when its hot. While roasting a bird or baking a lasagna, co-roast on another rack for meals later in the week (like sweet peppers and onions for a sandwich, or cubes of butternut squash bound for a quinoa salad).

Invest in Glass/Ceramic Containers
Airtight glass containers are freezable and microwavable. Note that most brands state they are not oven-safe when you read the fine print. (Although we don't recommend it, some daring folks have baked, frozen and microwaved mini mac 'n cheese, lasagna, and fruit crisps at 350 F successfully.)

We do recommend ceramic containers from Good Cook that are dishwasher, freezer, microwave and oven safe (and come with a lid for storage only). What a great way to package leftovers for your guests to take home!

Make Stock 
Should no one at your Thanksgiving meal already have plans for what's left of the turkey, make stock. Put the carcass in a pot with a carrot, a halved onion and a rib of celery and a few springs of thyme, cover with cool water and bring to a simmer. After 2 hours, you'll have several quarts of stock to freeze and use in soups or risotto for many meals to come.


References: Whole Living Magazine, July/August 2010