YoLadies | Food and Health

Dad's Limoncello

2011-03-29T05:15:34Z

I want to do business in Italy.

My dad used to do that, mostly in the Naples region, and would always come home with different and amazing recipes that his hosts generously passed along. Although proper Italian food is an art form that I'm sure none of the family could really master, making a good batch of limoncello is another thing.

Sure, it's easier to just buy a bottle in the store, but you'll never get a really great taste of limoncello until you make it yourself. It's not difficult but is involved, and evokes a bit of a bootlegger/bathtub gin kind of feel. This has become a family tradition, and in the spirit of passing along the love, I'm sharing the recipe so y'all can enjoy this tasty treat.

Although limoncello is great any time of year, warm weather months are particularly great for imbibing. Drink it the traditional way - in an aperitif glass as a digestive after dinner - or mix it with soda and ice for a refreshing cocktail.

Ingredients:
20 large lemons (Sorrento lemons, if you can get them)
1 liter Everclear
1 -1.5 liters water
3 3/4 cup sugar

* Peel the lemons and soak the peels only in 1 liter of Everclear for 7 days.
* After 7 days, strain the liquid into a separate container.
* Bring the water to a boil (I use 1.5 liters - are you kidding? You can use 1 though, if you're brave)
* Dissolve the sugar in the water, and then allow to cool
* Combine the Everclear with the sugar water, pour into bottles, and chill in the freezer.

Keep this in the freezer for maximum refreshment.

Drink responsibly, and enjoy!

Juicing: the easy way to get your five-a-day

2011-03-16T09:50:01Z

This is a re-publish of an article from last year - a great reminder of yummy and refreshing ways to up your veggie intake!

Juicing is an excellent way to get your recommend 5-A-Day servings of fruits & veggies. My husband and I got a Breville Juicer for a Christmas present from his folks and we absolutely love it. We started out by going to the store and getting everything under the sun to juice. It was pretty much trial and error for us until we found the concoctions we like. We have a hard time getting all of our fruits and veggies due to our busy schedules. Juicing is so easy and I swear you feel better afterwards.

The juice of the fruits and veggies are loaded with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and cancer fighting antioxidants. Research has found that your body is able to absorb more of the nutrients of fruits and veggies via juice vs. eating them. When we eat fruits and veggies alot of the nutrients are lost through the digestive process. Not only does the juice taste great and does great things for your body, it looks absolutely beautiful. The juice seems to glow with rich life invigorating energy. I always imagine that the glow of the juice is radiating through my body and into every cell as I drink it!

Juicing should be a part of everyone's diet due to the lack of nutrients we receive through our food sources. Many diets in America rely heavily on processed foods which are low in life sustaining nutrients. Conventionally grown fruits and veggies have been proven to be lower in vitamins and minerals vs. their organic counterparts. Conventional fruits and veggies can be less nutritious due to repetitive planting on the same land which leads to soil depletion and poor nutrient quality in the crops that are produced. It is best to go Organic when you can! Juicing can be used for many things ranging from cancer treatment, constipation, poor eyesight, energy levels, detoxification, water retention, weight loss, and to improve complexions!

Homemade juice is so yummy and it is practically fat-free, sodium free, cholesterol free, and very low in calories. You can juice anything from berries to garlic to greens! See below for some wonderful Juicing Recipes from Aunt Apple's Kitchen!

Aunt Apple's Veggie Explosion

3-4 Tomatos
5-6 Stalks of Celery
1 Cucumber
1 Handful of Spinach
2-3 cloves of Garlic
1 Green Bell Pepper
3 Carrots
1/2 of a Peeled Lemon

Aunt Apple's Orange Ginger Fruity

2 Oranges
1 Large Apple
2-3 Handfuls of Baby Carrots
3 Green Onions
1/2 of a Peeled Lemon
1 Piece of Ginger the Size of a Nickel

In Health,

Aunt Apple

Defining Beauty: Whose Standard Is This, Anyway?

2011-02-24T06:08:33Z

Thanks to Laura Fenamore for sharing this article with us! Please visit her at OnePinky.com

by Laura Fenamore

America is fascinated with celebrity bodies - how Kourtney Kardashian got back her pre-baby body, what Julia Roberts eats for breakfast, Kirstie Alley's weight fluctuation. One of the goals in my coaching practice is to show women that it is "possible to love who and what they see in the mirror".

But my students and I are up against some deeply ingrained, unrealistic standards of beauty.

A Week in the Media: Pasta, Hips, Weddings

Media attention to all things celebrity related feeds, or perhaps even has created, this fascination. Here's just a sampling of the recent play celebrity body image has gotten in print . . .

A recent article points to celebrity eating habits as depicted in the media. Interviews in fashion and lifestyle magazines make a point of demonstrating how much and decadently female celebrities eat. The author suggests that the chronicling of what Cate Blanchett and Minka Kelly wolf down is backlash against the perception that women such as these starve themselves to maintain their figures.

And yet the fact that celebrities have to defend their eating habits says a lot about how celebrities often (or least how they are perceived to) behave.

Before that came an article enumerating all the faults celebrities found with their bodies. It is oddly comforting to know that even these seemingly perfect women have body image issues like the rest of us. But at the same time, if Jennifer Aniston thinks her butt is big and Jessica Alba doesn't like her hips, it kind of makes me us all want to throw in the towel. It seems that they are just perpetuating the myth that women can never be happy with their bodies.

And of course, in line at the grocery store just this past weekend, US Weekly informs me that Jessica Simpson is on a strict diet so she can look good for her wedding! I mean, these messages are everywhere. Being thin will make us as happy and desirable as these women are. Are we supposed to believe that? They think so.

Beautiful Size 12

There are some women bucking the trend all together. The gorgeous Crystal Renn, after recovering from anorexia, has graced many fashion spreads as a "plus-size model." Yet these women, who have more in common with the average woman than "regular" models, are the exception to the rule, as their qualified title indicates.

Then there's the case of Raven-Symone, star of "That's So Raven" (and those of us who didn't watch Nickelodeon may remember her as the youngest Cosby on "The Cosby Show"). In an interview with People magazine, full-figured Raven said she responds to critics of her weight, "I'm healthy, I exercise, I believe in myself, and I think I'm beautiful." However, Raven again is the exception to the rule; far more often, fashion and celebrity magazines boast stories of women who lose weight to become beautiful.

Healthy, Not Skinny

Don't get me wrong -releasing unhealthy weight is vital for health; after all, America is also facing an obesity epidemic. I myself used to weigh 100 pounds more than I do now, a weight which was extremely detrimental to my health. But what inspired me to release weight was wanting to be healthy, not wanting to conform to a standard of beauty society had for me. Healthy comes in a whole variety of sizes - ask a doctor for guidance if you're not sure what your healthy weight range is.

And in the process of shedding 100 pounds, I learned the crucial lesson that I had to and could love myself no matter what the size. I have a serious problem with the propagation of the myth that skinny equals happy.

Recently, Ms. Renn did lose some weight, which again garnered much media attention. Her response hit the nail on the head:

"I feel pressure - probably more from any other place - probably from the public and the media . . . I had anorexia ultimately because someone else set the standard for me and I wanted to follow it. And if I followed what the public wanted from me or what the media wants from me, I'd be doing the same thing. I'd have a binge eating disorder. I think the most important thing that we all need to know, whether you're a model, a normal person walking around, you're an editor, you're a photographer, you're anybody out in the world - it's about individual health. You cannot tell if someone is healthy, where they are mentally, from the outside, because health is different for everybody at different sizes."

Preach it, sister.

What do YOU think?

Originally published at OnePinky.com

The e-cig experiment

2011-02-16T09:41:37Z

If you would have told my former 15 year old self - who started smoking to impress a cool guy - that I would someday be able to say that I had been smoking for twenty-six years, you would have seen nothing less than a daft blank stare. It's hard to see ourselves existing that far in advance, and any consequences for the impressionable young tend to exist only in the moment. Needless to say, impressing the cool guy won out, and my lungs, skin, taste buds, and sense of smell have paid the price.

So here I am, twenty six years later, truly addicted and hating it. I don't want to someday say that I've been smoking for fifty years, or that if only I would have quit earlier [enter any what-if here]. It stinks, and makes getting a cold much worse than in a non-smoker. And, it's expensive. I could be traveling in style with the money I would save as a former smoker, or driving a better car.

After unsuccessfully trying to quit using the patch (can't handle non-stop nicotine), the lozenge (burns the hell out of the esophogus), and the gum (tastes like crap), I decided to give the electronic cigarette a try. I ordered from Blu - who has nothing to do with this article - and received my starter pack in the mail on Monday. I'm really excited to try what seems like a better option to quit smoking without using anti-depressants or anything else mentioned above. I'd love to hear from others who either are trying to quit using this tool or have actually quit using it.

I started using my e-cig Monday night, after starting the day with regular ones. I ordered the traditional tobacco flavor to emulate the smoking experience I've known all these years, although there are flavor options like Java, Cherry, and Menthol for those who like something different. I purchased a pack of full flavor cartridges and two packs of light cartridges to see which one would be most like my one pack a day Marlboro Light habit.

After a full twenty-four hours of use, here are my impressions so far:

Flavor: - The full flavor is good as far as taste - it has a coffee-ish flavor and is very smooth. I tried the light flavor cartridge today, and it has a slightly different taste, kind of citrusey. There isn't a huge, slap-in-the-face taste difference in the way there is with Marlboro reds vs. lights though, and both are more similar to lights than heavier tobacco blends.

Similarity to smoking - The amount of vapor I get from dragging off of the cigarette is very similar to the smoke inhaled from a normal cig, and although there is a difference, the flavor and "smoke" I am able to exhale makes it seem close to actually smoking a lit cigarette. The e-cig is heavier than a regular one, so handling it is a different experience, and I've had to forgo a more lady-like holding between the forefinger and middle finger and hold it like a dude - between the forefinger and thumb - instead. The strength of the hit lessens as the battery loses charge, so switching between charged batteries is something to deal with, although it hasn't been a problem.

Battery charge - The battery, once fully charged, lasts about six hours. There are two battery cigs, so one can always be charging while the other is in use. It comes with the cig pack looking charger and also with a USB adapter, so the cigs can be charged on a computer as well.

So far, it's much more enjoyable than the other stop smoking aids on the market, and it will be interesting to see if my love for this thing continues. Anyone else out there have luck with the e-cig?

Superbowl food the Dallas way

2011-02-01T03:35:20Z

Even if you can't make it to The Big D for the Superbowl festivities, you can still eat like you were right here. While Texas is known for its spicy Tex-Mex fare - and that's a big part of life here - Dallasites are also known for broadening their cuisine horizons and veering off into healthier territories, as well. Adding jalapenos to sushi, or just about anything for that matter, is a great way to Dallas anything up.

Here is a list of traditional Dallas style recipes for great Superbowl party goodness. Feel free to suggest anything we might have missed!

Nothing says Texas like chili, and this recipe is great. It's not tomato based, like many, so it has a meatier flavor and is especially great for cold winter days. Adding chopped tomatoes will add a little zing - adjust to taste. Add fritos and top with cheddar cheese for frito chili pie.

Another classic Texas dish that is perfect for a cold weather party is Tortilla Soup. Rachel from A Southern Fairytale has a great version with Mindy's Tortilla Soup.

If you've never had brisket tacos before, try this recipe from The Homesick Texan. This is the perfect combination of Texas barbecue and Mexican food, and you can make them as big or small as you'd like.

If you're barbecuing, potato salad is a must-have side dish. Texas potato salad is known for mustard and bacon - Paula Deen has a great version that will make your mouth water.

Cheese stuffed jalapenos are one of the best munchie-menu items you can have. This recipe from Paul Mayville is a classic that my family uses. You can add gulf shrimp, chicken or beef, if you'd like.

Although Houston is better known for its Louisiana transplants and bayou cuisine, Dallas restaurants are privy to the art of gumbo. There isn't a better recipe than Jenny's though - our very own Cajun queen gave up her family gumbo recipe here.

Don't forget the margaritas and the Shiner beer!

Cream Cheese and Lox Omelette

2011-01-26T01:36:21Z

If you're tired of the same old omelette, or the same old bagel, try switching them up and embellishing your eggs with something different. There are a lot of great smoked salmon omelette recipes out there, but this is one of the best and easiest to make at home. I got this particular recipe from a friend, who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent. It's great.

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/8 cup milk or half and half
1 tbsp butter
3-4 thin slices of lox
2-3 tbsp softened cream cheese (adjust to taste)
1 thinly sliced green onion
1 tsp capers

Whisk the eggs with the milk or half and half until well blended. Melt the butter over low heat, and pour the egg mixture in. Allow to cook until the sides begin to stiffen, then gently flip. Add the cream cheese and lox to one side of the egg mixture. When the bottom side has cooked, add the onions and capers and gently fold the omelette.

This recipe is great for a special brunch - fab with mimosas!

Seasonal Affective Disorder (or, how to turn that frown upside down)

2011-01-05T05:15:49Z

We all know about Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, cabin fever, or winter blues. Symptoms include sadness, fatigue, oversleeping, irritability, and overeating, especially of carbs. Many of us chalk it up to being in a funk and needing a little warm weather, and just suck it up until the golden sun starts shining more hours of the day.

There are things you can do to alleviate some of those symptoms though - although of course if they become severe enough, a doctor should be consulted for appropriate treatment. Sometimes, anti-depressants or light therapy may be needed and can be dangerous (or just inaccessible) without a doctor.

So what can you do to help make the next few months a little more bearable if you're not in full-on depression but need to snap out of it? Here are some tips on handling the winter blues and putting on a happyish attitude:

Open up the blinds - Just opening up your curtains and blinds and letting a little sunlight in can do wonders for your attitude.
Go outside, even if it's cold - Going outside for a brief walk, even when it's cold, is another great way to alleviate the symptoms of SAD. Especially if you don't have many windows in your home, just a walk around the block will perk you up a bit.
Use full spectrum light bulbs - Full spectrum bulbs simulate natural light and will help lighten the symptoms of SAD.
Exercise - Get on the treadmill or break out your dusty pilates video. Getting some physical action increases endorphins and helps you feel better, no matter the weather. Also, by working off some of the carbs you've been craving, you'll kill two birds with one stone.
Remember your vitamins - Taking a good multi-vitamin and B-complex supplements will also help keep you healthy and happy during the dark winter months.

Anyone old enough to remember the Northern Exposure episode where Walt got addicted to a light hat that he was prescribed for his SAD symptoms will wonder where that is on the list. You can buy them, but it's recommended that a doctor supervise this treatment, as too much light can be harmful.

Take care of your body and soak up the sun - just a few more months!

Good Luck Food for the New Year

2010-12-28T04:20:38Z

All over the world, the superstitious part of many of us eat something special to bring luck in the new year. Black-eyed peas is a classic good luck dish in the southern U.S., served either plain or in the Hoppin' John recipe - a yummy combination of black-eyed peas, celery, ham hock, onion and rice. Lentil or split pea soup are other legume-y ways to get good luck. Fish, pork, pomegranates, noodles, and of course sweets can also bring you luck in the New Year, but be careful of eating lobster, lest you move backwards. Don't eat chicken, either, as it apparently can fly away with your luck. Not sure how that one works but that's what they say.

I'm thinking that noodles are going to be my choice. No offense to legumes and cabbage, but we will be having overnight guests and well, you know.

Any other lucky New Year foods out there that we should know about?

Cazuelitas con Huevos Y Chiles Poblanos

2010-12-08T17:28:30Z

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of staying at the Los Poblanos Inn in Albuquerque. This place is magical - a great escape from daily life into a totally different world. On top of the art, lavender, nature and friendly staff, the food is amazing.

After going gaga over this egg dish, I was given the recipe and thought I'd share it with our readers. It's a nice alternative for the usual Sunday brunch fare:

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups thick cream
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups grated queso Chihuahua (or Monterey Jack or medium sharp Cheddar)
2 large roasted and diced chiles poblanos, with seeds and membranes removed

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a fork, adding the cream and salt a little at a time.

Divide the cheese evenly among 6 ramekins (cazuelitas), top with the chiles, and fill with the egg mixture. Place the ramekins in a hot water bath and bake for 40 minutes or until set.

Serves 6.

Bacon...in cookies...oh hell yes!

2010-11-22T21:33:16Z

I love to bake and I love to try new stuff, so this recipe (forwarded by a buddy who has now earned my undying devotion) got me all tingly. Chocolate, bacon, brown sugar, butter...all the yumminess in the world in one handy serving size. No, they're not healthy, but sometimes you just have to say "What the hell!".

Enjoy!

Candied Bacon-Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks (Chips are fine.)
1 cup Candied Bacon Bits (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat the sugars and butter together until smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Whisk together the flour and salt, then sift them into the batter. Stir in the chocolate chunks and bacon bits.
3. Using a small cookie scoop or a teaspoon, scoop the cookie dough into small balls, about 1-inch in diameter, and place them 2 inches apart on each of the baking sheets.
4. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until pale golden brown. Rotate sheets halfway through baking for even browning. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Candied Bacon Bits

Ingredients:

8 strips bacon
1/2 cup light brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Lay the strips of bacon on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or aluminum foil, shiny side down.
3. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar evenly over each strip of bacon.
4. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. At around the 8 minute mark, flip the bacon strips over and drag them through the dark, syrupy liquid that's collected on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the rest of the brown sugar and continue to bake until a deep mahogany color. 5. Remove from oven and cool the strips on a wire rack.
6. Once crisp and cooled, chop into little pieces, about the size of grains of rice.

NOTE: Make sure that your bacon is very crispy or your cookies will be overly chewy!

The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Makes about 3 dozen 2-inch cookies.

Red potato & Leek Soup

2010-11-15T08:23:04Z

Potato soup is a tasty, comforting cold weather favorite. While some of the yummiest varieties are cream or milk based and may even have bacon, cheese and sour cream added, we're tossing a broth-based potato soup into the mix for a lighter version. It is super easy to make and tastes great.

Ingredients:
12-15 small to medium red potatoes
1 large leek
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp dried thyme (or 3-5 sprigs of fresh thyme)
3 bay leaves
water

Rinse and cut the potatoes (with skins) into varied sizes and shapes (to give it texture). Cut the leek into thin slices. Saute the leek and thyme in olive oil and butter until the leek is pliable. Add the potatoes and bay leaves, and cover with water. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook until the potatoes can be cut with a spoon. Salt to taste.

Thanksgiving recipes of the stars

2010-11-11T01:53:06Z

The New York Times published a great article about cooking up Marilyn Monroe's recipe for stuffing. It's cool to see the recipe as she wrote it by hand, in the same way that anyone might jot one down either as it's dictated or as the process is done or remembered.

It has inspired me, as we close in on Thanksgiving, to look up a few other recipes by the well-known and give them a try this year. I found Abe Lincoln's Pecan Pie recipe, Katherine Hepburn's recipe for brownies, and Reba McEntire's recipe for Praline Sweet Potato Casserole.

Although actually cooking after Thanksgiving Day is not something many of us look forward to, anyone with the energy might be tempted to try Mark Bittman's recipe for Grilled Turkey Hash - it looks divine and sounds a lot more interesting than cold turkey sandwiches.

Anyone else feeling experimental with Thanksgiving Dinner, this year?

Joanne's Baked Acorn Squash

2010-10-31T20:27:19Z

This is an easy to make and delicious side dish. It is great served with roasted chicken and potatoes, and even though the butter and brown sugar add some fat and calories, acorn squash is rich in vitamins A, B6, and C, and are also a great source of fiber and potassium.

Directions:
One acorn squash serves two people

Preheat the oven to 400 deg. F.

Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the pulp and seeds. Place 1 tbsp of butter in the middle of each half the squash. Sprinkle 1 tsp of brown sugar over the butter. Place 1 strip of bacon on top, covering the fleshy parts of the squash, as well as the butter and sugar.

Bake the squash halves for approximately 1 hour, or until the flesh is tender.

Jewish Penicillin (aka Chicken Soup)

2010-10-24T04:16:12Z

It's soup season, and what better way to kick it off than with a recipe for chicken soup. Scientists have guessed that there may be anti-inflammatory properties in chicken soup, and it seems to be due to a combination of ingredients rather than the chicken stock, itself. Some people think that cooking the chicken with the bones is the key, others swear it's the dill. Whatever it is, it tastes good, and is a heck of a lot more comforting than Nyquil.

I learned this amazing recipe from an old friend, and can almost guarantee that - even if it doesn't actually cure a cold - it will definitely make a sick person feel better.

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized whole chicken
2 medium yams
2 medium russet potatoes
2 celery stalks
2-3 large carrots
1 large zucchini
1 large yellow squash
1 tbsp dill

Cut the vegetables into 1-2 inch long pieces. Slice the celery thin.

Rinse off the chicken and place whole into a large stew pot. Fill with water to cover the chicken, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer the chicken for 30 minutes. Carefully lift the chicken from the pot of stock, remove the skin, and cut the meat from the bone in small, shredded pieces. Place the chicken meat back into the stock, along with the vegetables and dill, and cook until the vegetables are softened (30-45 minutes). Salt and pepper to taste.

Here's to a healthy and tasty fall and winter!

"Bad" food cravings, what do they mean?

2010-10-01T17:49:32Z

We all know about food cravings - who hasn't had one? Although it's well known that food cravings are typically your body's way of telling you that it needs a certain vitamin or mineral, you might be surprised to find out that even the cravings for things that aren't typically associated with health are also your body's cry for something healthy.

Believe it or not, craving a nice cold glass of soda-pop can signal a deficiency in calcium. The phosphoric acid found in soda binds calcium, but the caffeine that is typically found in sodas causes calcium excretion. Try eating cheese, black-eyed peas, kale, sardines, broccoli, or corn tortillas to curb the soda cravings.

It is easy to succumb to chocolate cravings for its serotonin releasing properties to get us through a tough time. Chocolate increases our feeling of well-being and helps us de-stress, but do you know that it can also be your body's way of telling you it needs magnesium? If you're craving chocolate even on the happiest of days, try eating whole grain bread or eating more nuts to get the magnesium you need with fewer calories and no sugar high.

Cravings for red meat might seem obvious - you could have a protein or iron deficiency. Be sure you are getting enough protein, if not through eating meat then through foods like tofu, beans, and nuts. Those foods are also a good source of iron, along with spinach, prunes, and brussels sprouts.

Of course, food cravings can signal medical conditions that require doctor's attention as well, so if eating healthier doesn't help, it might be time to get a professional opinion. Don't ignore your body craving certain foods though - even the foods we know aren't healthy in large amounts. It probably means you are missing something in your diet.