It’s almost impossible to escape the buzz about the benefits of moving towards a plant-based diet. Bill Clinton adopted a plant-based diet, lost weight, reversed his heart disease and re-gained his health. Famed NY Times food writer, Mark Bittman, adopted a plant-based diet, dropped 36 pounds and avoided a health disaster. Moving towards a more plant-based diet can have huge health benefits for us all…but how do we get enough protein?

The first question usually is, can we really get enough protein from plants? The answer is yes. We can get high quality, healthy protein from beans, grains, seeds, legumes, nuts, even fruits and vegetables. The best part is, you don’t have to go totally vegan. You can remain an omnivore and still gain benefits.

Why Plant-Based Protein?

First, plant-based protein is healthy for everyone. Next, plant-based protein is budget friendly, costing less than poultry, meat, or seafood. It’s more planet friendly as well. Need another reason? It’s healthy to mix up our protein sources. We can get plenty of protein from plants. In fact, you may already enjoy many of these foods, not even realizing that they are providing you with healthy plant-based protein.

How Much Protein Do We Need?

The answer might surprise you.  The daily recommended intake is approximately 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men. Another way to figure your need is by multiplying your weight in pounds by .36 (or .8 grams per kilo). This number will tell you approximately how many grams a day your body needs. This may vary with age, exercise levels and special health concerns (like pregnancy), but it’s a good starting point. Another way to look at it, protein should be between 10% – 35% of your diet.

While protein intake is a critical part of being healthy, we eat far more protein than needed in this country. One culprit, over-sized portions. Do you realize that a serving of protein is considered just 3 ounces? I’ll use chicken as the example, as most of us eat a lot of chicken. A 6-ounce chicken breast has more than 60 grams of protein. And a 6-ounce steak logs in around 42 grams, along with a dose of unhealthy saturated fat. Adequate protein is essential, but too much protein can lead to weight gain and health problems.

Where to Get Plant-Based Protein

Canned Beans

Canned beans are an excellent source of protein. Beans provide approximately 12-14 grams of protein in a cooked cup (260 grams), as well as healthy fiber. A versatile ingredient, beans can be made into soups, stews, dips, tossed into salads and pastas. Beans can be the star of a dish or a supporting player.

Having canned beans in the pantry insures you can always have something healthy to eat on short notice. For canned beans, choose no salt added brands and rinse beans before using. Look for brands like Eden Organic. They have “no salt added” beans and package in BPA-free cans. Some companies (like Trader Joe’s), package their beans in BPA-free cans but do not label them. A call to any company will provide the answer if you are concerned about BPA.

Dried Beans

Dried beans are particularly budget friendly and are available in interesting varieties often not found in cans. The extra time it takes to cook them will reward you with rich tasting beans. Start by soaking dried beans overnight in cold water. The next morning, drain and start the cooking process, most of which is hands-off simmering time.

Forget to soak your beans overnight? No problem. I often use the quick soak method to get beans started, or use a pressure cooker to speed the process. For more information, read Cooking Beans 101 from Whole Foods. You can find dry beans in bulk at many grocers. Another great option, check out my favorite supplier of heirloom beans, Rancho Gordo. I can’t live without their cannellini beans.

For recipe ideas, try  White Bean Salad, Black Bean-Pumpkin Soup or easy lemon-cumin hummus 

Lentils

Lentils (also called pulses) are a nutritionally powerful member of the legume family, offering important vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. Just 1 cup of cooked lentils provides approximately 18 grams of protein, making it a very high-protein, plant-based source. Lentils come in many colors from black to brown and green, red (really orange) or even black (Beluga lentils). Lentils cook more quickly than dried beans and can be enjoyed on their own or added to soups, stews, and salads like beans. Here is a link to the US Dry Pea & Lentil Council for recipes and information.

Nuts

Whether you sprinkle them on salads, onto oatmeal, mix them into granola, sprinkle them over cooked vegetables, or mix a bit into pasta for a nice crunch, nuts can add protein to your diet. I snack on raw almonds every day.

Just 1 ounce (28 grams) of almonds or pistachios provides 6 grams of protein. Cashews, 5 grams per ounce (28 grams). For walnuts and pine nuts, 4 grams per ounce. For pecans, 3 grams per ounce. Nuts are also high in fat. Yes, it’s a healthy fat, but you still may need to be careful and balance how much you consume in your overall diet.

Many of these nuts come as delicious nut butters, like almond butter. Almond butter makes for a good afternoon snack when paired with apples or vegetables. While 2 tablespoons of almond butter provides 7 grams of protein, it’s also high in fat, so you may want to watch how much you consume.

Fruits and Vegetables

Vegetables contain some protein, about 1-2 grams in each ½ cup serving. And they are packed with micronutrients and healthy fiber. For example, spinach, asparagus and broccoli have between 4-5 grams of protein per cup.

While we don’t usually think of fruit as having protein, some do have a small amount. An avocado provides 4 grams of protein plus all essential amino acids making it a complete protein. And avocados are also an excellent source of heart and brain-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. A cup of cherries has about 3 grams of protein. Some lists include dried fruit like apricots or plums. The issue with dried fruit is the high sugar content.

A Guide to Plant-Based Protein, Part 2 will be published shortly. In part 2 I’ll cover grains, seeds, soy and super-green powders. 

References

Vegetarian protein sources from Rodale

Benefits of Varying our Proteins and other information, Harvard School of Public Health

How Much Protein Do I Need, Harvard School of Public Health

Protein in our Diet, from National Institutes of Health

How to get started with plant-based proteins, from MindBodyGreen

Is Too Much Protein Bad? From Livestrong

Nutrition for Everyone – Information on protein consumption from the CDC

Everyone loves recipes that are easy and quick to put together, healthy, and versatile in how you can use them. In honor of May being National Salad Month, I have two new salads for you. The first, a colorful, flavorful Southwestern Black Bean Salad. The second, which I’ll post soon, is a new “green” quinoa salad recipe with spinach, cucumber and herbs.

Preparation Tips

Start by making a lightly spiced vinaigrette to dress the salad. Combine olive oil, lime juice, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk together and set aside.

Next, drain and rinse canned black beans and place in a medium bowl. I buy Eden Foods organic black beans (black turtle beans) because they don’t add sodium and use a BPA-free can.

For the corn, I generally use frozen, organic kernels. Thaw under cold running water in a sieve, then steam for a few minutes to cook. Cool before adding to the beans. If fresh corn is available, cook 2-3 cobs for 3 minutes in boiling salted water and cut the kernels off the cobs.

For tomatoes, choose what looks the best. I usually go for Roma tomatoes because they are meaty. Cut the tops off, quarter them lengthwise, slice out the “guts”, cut into long strips, then crosswise into dice. These photos will help.

Lastly add the herbs, onion and diced avocado. Toss with dressing, and serve.

Ideas for Serving

• Serve as a side dish for grilled chicken, fish or shrimp
• Serve with your favorite burger, maybe a turkey burger
• Roll in a whole wheat or brown rice tortilla for a wrap
• Spoon into soft tortillas along with shredded cabbage (and a little cheese) for vegetarian tacos
• Serve along side baked corn chips as a snack or dip
• Package it up for a picnic or trip to the beach or pool

Southwestern Black Bean Salad

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Quick, easy, healthy and versatile, this salad is a great one to have in your recipe folder. Canned black beans work great. Start by using part of the dressing, toss gently, taste and add a little more if desired. If you can’t stand cilantro, use flat leaf parsley or fresh oregano instead.

Serves: about 6 (halves easily)

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2-15 ounce cans (425 grams each) black beans (I buy Eden Organics)
• 2-3 large Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup cooked corn kernels
• 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 large ripe avocado, diced small
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin and a little salt and pepper. Taste the vinaigrette and adjust to your taste preferences. Set aside.
2. Rinse and drain beans and add to a medium bowl. Add tomato, corn, red onion, avocado, cilantro and toss gently. Drizzle with a little of the vinaigrette and toss again. Taste and add more dressing if desired 

Trying to figure out what to cook for Mother’s Day dinner? Look no further. Here is a terrific make-ahead technique for baking chicken breasts in parchment. Its so easy and healthy, yet looks impressive. Make the chicken packets hours ahead and bake them when you are ready. Spend your time enjoying mom on Mother’s Day, not in the kitchen.

Baking in Parchment Paper – An Easy Technique

My first encounter with cooking “en papillote”, the French term for in parchment, was years ago when I worked in a fine dining restaurant. The restaurant baked fish in parchment. It was so moist and flavorful. Years later, I adapted that technique to baking chicken breasts.

Baking chicken in parchment is easy. Simply place a split boneless, skinless chicken breast atop a pile of thinly sliced vegetables spread with a mixture of whole grain mustard (like Maille Old Style Dijon), herbs and olive oil, then seal the packet and bake. The chicken and vegetables steam inside the parchment in about 15 minutes.

Best of all, you can make the packets ahead of time and refrigerate for several hours, then bake when you are ready for dinner. It’s a great time-saving step for not only Mother’s Day dinner but for family or friend as well. Anytime!

Making Parchment Packets

Parchment paper is widely available today. You can find rolls of baking parchment (made by Reynolds or others) along side of foil and plastic film in most grocery store aisles. Note – parchment is not wax paper. They are very different. Parchment will come either white or unbleached and may say either non-stick or silicone on the box.

To make packets, cut a piece of parchment 18″ long. Standard rolls are 15″ wide. Fold and crease the sheet in half to make a 9″ x 15″ piece. From here, cut a wide, fat half-heart shape with scissors. This will become your packet.

Prepare Chicken and Vegetable Packets

Split boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally to form thin cutlets. Set aside.

Next, cut carrots into thin matchsticks. You can use a knife, a julienne peeler (a neat, inexpensive little tool for your kitchen) or a julienne slicer. Clean the leek and slice crosswise into thin rings or half moons.

With the parchment heart open like a book, layer the vegetables, then chicken into the middle, season, and spread with a thin paste of olive oil, mustard and fresh thyme leaves.

Seal the packets by folding and tightly creasing the edges around the heart every few inches until completely enclosed and sealed.

You can place the chicken packets in the refrigerator for several hours ahead of time or bake right away. If you refrigerate the packets, allow then to stand at room temperature for approximately 30-40 minutes to get the chill off for better baking.

Bake Your Chicken Packets

To bake the chicken packets, pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the packets on a metal baking sheets. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Packets will be browning at the edges. Remove from the oven. To serve, place packets on plates and slit open the parchment packets, being careful of the hot steam. Slide chicken and vegetables out onto the plate and enjoy.

Chicken Breasts Baked in Parchment

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Baking chicken in parchment is easy, healthy and fun if you have never tried the technique. The chicken and vegetables steam to perfection inside the parchment. Make the packets a few hours ahead and refrigerate, then bake when you are ready.

Serves 2 (doubles easily)

Ingredients

• Two pieces 18″x15″ parchment paper (such as Reynolds non-stick)
•  1 – 10 to 12 ounce (283-340 grams) boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard (such as Maille Old Style Whole Grain)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2-3 large carrots
• 1 small leek
• Half of a lemon

Directions

1. Make your parchment hearts. Fold pieces of parchment in half along the long side (18″) and crease like a book. Next, cut a large, fat half heart shape from each piece. See photos in the post for example.
2. Trim the chicken. With a large sharp knife, slice your chicken breast horizontally into long thin cutlets. See photos in the post for example.
3. Prep your vegetables. Peel carrots and cut in half across the center for more manageable pieces. Cut carrots into long, thin strips (julienne) with a knife. You can also use a julienne peeler  (a fun little tool!) or a julienne slicer. For leek, cut off the dark green top and the root end, using only the white and light green part. Slice the leek lengthwise and run under cold water to clean out any dirt or sand. Slice the leek crosswise into thin half moons.
4. Build your packets. Place half of the carrots and leek on half of the parchment heart. Top with a piece of chicken. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Mix olive oil and mustard together and spread half on each chicken breast. Sprinkle each with fresh thyme leaves. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top of each.
5. Seal your packets.Starting at the top of the heart, seal packets by creasing and folding every few inches around the heart until you get to the tail end. You want to create a tight seal so the packets will steam.
6. To bake now, pre-heat oven to 425 degrees (218 C). Place packets on a metal baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. If baking later, refrigerated the packets for several hours. Remove from the refrigerator 3-40 minutes before baking to get the chill off, then bake.
7. To serve, place packet on a plate and slit packet open with a knife or scissors, being careful of the hot steam. Slide contents onto the plate and enjoy.

Fresh green beans in just five minutes. Yep. That’s all it takes, excluding the time for water to boil. So simple! After just five minutes you can dress the green beans in a variety of ways and eat immediately or chill for heating later. I shared this simple technique with a friend recently and she told me her kids will now eat green beans.  I hope it will help you get a quick vegetable dish on the table for your family. Plus there are many things you can do with cooked fresh green beans!

How to Cook Green Beans

Briefly cooking something in boiling water is called blanching. It’s typically done with vegetables to partially cook them for heating or finishing at a later time. With green beans, they are cooked perfectly in five minutes. Green beans stay bright green and are perfectly tender, not gray, overcooked or soggy.

Green beans cooked this way can be served immediately with a splash of olive oil or coconut oil, a little salt and pepper, and maybe a sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs. You can dress them up many ways for variety.

This also technique helps you to cook ahead and save time. If cooking for eating later, immediately plunge the cooked green beans into a bowl filled with ice water. Chill a few minutes then drain, dry and refrigerate for 4 days. Just heat and dress as desired.

To save time cleaning the green beans (snapping off the stem end), buy the ready-to-cook baby green beans widely available in produce sections these days. They are sometimes called French green beans or haricot vert. These tender, slim green beans are my favorite. Figure about 3 ounces of raw fresh green beans per person.

What to do With Basic Green Beans

• Simply dress with olive oil, salt and pepper, plus a little fresh chopped parsley or other herb
• Add chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, pistachios or pine nuts for crunch and texture
• Sprinkle with citrus zest for color and flavor
• Use a “fancy” finishing oil, such as walnut, hazelnut, white truffle (my favorite)
• Make a cool green bean, tomato and corn salad. This is great for warmer weather
• A more dressed up side dish, Green beans with shallots, pecans and pomegranate seeds
• Top green beans with oven-roasted baby tomatoes (which you can make ahead in 20-25 minutes)
• Drizzle with store-bought or homemade Balsamic syrup
• Use green beans as part of a Salad Nicoise along with cooked or smoked salmon or chicken for a full-meal salad
• Toss with sauteed mushrooms  (I often use sliced shitake mushrooms) and a little toasted sesame oil and ginger for Asian flavor

Five Minute Fresh Green Beans

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Fresh green beans cook in just five minutes in boiling, salted water, making it easy and quick to get a fresh vegetable on the dinner table. You can use them in many other ways too! See more recipe ideas and links in my post.

Serves: 4 (scales up or down easily)

Ingredients

• 12 ounces (340 grams) fresh, raw green beans (I like the French beans or haricot vert the best)
• 1 tablespoon sea salt for cooking water
• Salt and pepper to season after cooking
• A drizzle of olive, coconut or white truffle oil to dress before serving
• Fresh chopped herbs such as parsley (optional)

Garnish options: A sprinkle of chopped walnuts, pecans, pistachios or pine nuts, a drizzle of Balsamic syrup, oven-roasted baby tomatoes, pomegranate seeds, citrus zest. See post for more ideas.

Directions

1. Fill a large pot (5 quarts or liters) 3/4 full with cold water. Bring to a full boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. The water will bubble up wildly. Drop green beans in and set timer for 5 minutes. Ready a strainer or colander to drain cooked green beans. Dress as desired and serve while hot.

Note – If you are cooking green beans ahead for future use, ready a large bowl of ice water. When 5 minutes is up, move green beans to the ice water. When cold (just a few minutes), drain and refrigerate. Cooked green beans will keep 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

This Mother’s Day, remembering my mom and all of the baking we did together, I decided to overhaul her 1950’s recipe for banana bread. Out with the white flour, refined white sugar and nasty partially hydrogenated fat. In with gluten-free flours, coconut sugar and coconut oil. What a difference 50 years makes. This is the best banana bread I have ever made!

1950’s Banana Bread Made New

Mom’s original recipe used granulated white sugar, Crisco, and standard issue all-purpose white flour. This was the way to bake in the 1950’s, no questions asked. How things have changed. We know now how unhealthy those ingredients are. So how to save an old favorite recipe? Here’s how.

Gluten-Free Baking

I’ve been experimenting with ready-mixed gluten-free flour blends for the last several years but had not taken the leap into blending my own. That changed this weekend.

Thanks to a recent cooking class by Shauna Ahern, the Gluten-Free Girl, and Dr. Jean Layton’s book, Gluten-Free Baking for Dummies, I felt empowered to take the leap. It was easy and the results were the best!

Gluten-Free Flours

If you only bake gluten-free on occasion or are new to gluten-free baking, ready-made blends from Bobs Red Mill and Cup4Cup work nicely and are handy to have in the pantry. If you live a gluten-free life, I encourage you take the next step.

Today there is an amazing array of gluten-free flours available. You’ll find flours made from rice, seeds and cereal grains, nuts, even beans and legumes. To create flour blends, you mix them with a starch, which provide structure, support and a tender texture.

If the sound of these “exotic” flours throws you, start with one of the pre-made blends from Bob’s Red Mill or Cup4Cup. When you get committed to gluten-free baking, pick up the individual flours to make this bread.

The Best Banana Bread

Testing recipes, I baked my banana bread three ways. First with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour and the second with gluten-free Cup4Cup. Both loaves came out nicely with great flavor and texture. Then I decided to put learning into action and create my own gluten-free flour blend with Bob’s Red Mill flours.

By blending teff flour, sweet rice flour, brown rice flour and sorghum flour with cornstarch, I created a terrific flour blend for my new gluten-free banana bread recipe. This loaf has a rich brown, almost chocolaty color, a tender crust, slices nicely and tastes fantastic. We do not have a photo of this version yet (but will add one next time I bake). The main photo was made with a pre-made blend. Note – When buying cornstarch, choose an aluminum-free, non-GMO brand such as Bob’s Red Mill or Rumford.

Tools

Digital kitchen scale – You will need a digital kitchen scale to weight your ingredients. Weighing ingredients is far more accurate. It is also needed when you are working with gluten-free flours because they all have different weights. Measuring by volume (cups and tablespoons) will not produce the same results.

Pan – I use a light silver colored, uncoated, heavyweight aluminized steel loaf pan. The one I use is made by Chicago Metallic and measures approximately 10″ x 5″ (24 cm x 11 cm). If your pan is a different size, you may need to adjust your baking time.

Beyond Flour – Other Updates

I switched out Crisco for unrefined coconut oil and used organic coconut palm sugar (from Wholesome Sweeteners) instead of refined white sugar. While chopped walnuts were in the original recipe, I added unsweetened coconut flakes for more coconut flavor.

At the class by Shauna and Danny Ahern, they said once you start baking and cooking with gluten-free flours, you will see how much more interesting it is. I already know that is true and can’t wait to play around more. More recipes to come!

The Best Banana Bread (Gluten-Free)

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By using gluten-free fours, coconut oil and coconut sugar, this overhaul of my mom’s 1950′s banana bread recipe is the best I’ve ever made. If you are new to gluten-free baking, try one of the packaged blends I note in the post. For the best bread, buy the flours as outlined below.

You’ll need a digital kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients in grams for accuracy. See notes below for weights on Bob’s Red Mill and Cup4Cup pre-made blends.

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 66 grams of cornstarch (aluminum-free and non-GMO)
• 25 grams sweet rice flour
• 25 grams brown rice flour
• 50 grams sorghum flour
• 53 grams teff flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (or guar gum)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 medium very ripe bananas (16 ounces/454 grams with skin on)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (224 grams) unrefined organic coconut oil
• 1 cup (128 grams)of organic coconut palm sugar (Wholesome Sweeteners)
• 1/2 cup (71 grams) chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup (22 grams) unsweetened flaked coconut (the fluffy dry kind)

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (177 C). Using a paper towel, grease a light colored metal baking pan, approximately 5 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ (14×27 cm) with coconut oil.
2. Using a digital kitchen scale and a medium bowl, weigh all of the dry ingredients together, cornstarch through salt, and whisk to blend. Set aside
3. In a medium bowl, mash the skinned bananas together with the eggs, coconut oil and sugar until smooth. Alternatively, place in the bowl of a food processor and briefly puree together.
4. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together, then stir in the nuts and coconut.
5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 50 minutes. The top will feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
6. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes. Run a long thin slicing knife between the pan and bread to loosen it, then turn the bread out on the rack to cool completely before slicing. Freeze what you don’t eat within a couple days.

Notes for using ready-mixed gluten-free blended flours

For Bob’s Red Mill, I used 256 grams ( 1 3/4 cups or 9 ounces). For the Cup4cup, I used 278 grams ( 1 3/4 cups or 9 3/4 ounces).

Helpful Links

I highly recommend the book Gluten-Free Baking for Dummies by Dr. Jean Layton and Linda Larsen. If you like to bake and are gluten-free, this book is a fantastic resource in learning about GF baking and flours. I have not tried their recipes yet as I am doing my own experimenting and recipe development, but I’m sure they are great.

Here are links to Shauna Ahern’s gluten-free cookbooks. Her latest is Gluten-Free Girl Every Day. Her original book is Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef (her husband Danny)

Details, details. The right little garnish can make a simple soup or salad a lot more fun, interesting and tasty to eat. Lately I’ve been making these thin, crisp, golden tortilla strips or chips to garnish soups, salads and chilies. They provide a nice, satisfying crunch. Everyone has gone crazy for them, so I thought I’d share this quick basic recipe.

Homemade Baked Corn Tortilla Strips or Chips

Baking homemade tortilla strips to garnish soups and salads takes just 9 minutes in a 350 oven. I discovered sprouted corn tortillas made by Food For Life. These fantastic tortillas are made from freshly sprouted 100% organic whole kernel corn, not corn meal or corn flour. And being organic, they are not made with GMO (genetically modified) corn. New to sprouted grains? Here is why they are good for you.

The process of sprouting a grain increases its digestibility (in this case corn) and absorption of minerals. Sprouting also releases more antioxidants that are naturally stored in grains and seeds. Read more about this on the Food For Life site.

These organic, sprouted corn tortillas have a more rustic texture compared to standard corn tortillas. I found them at Whole Foods in the refrigerated deli section. Alternatively you can use regular coarse-textured corn tortillas. Choose organic corn tortillas if you can.  Corn is one of the top GMO crops grown. If you buy organic, they will be non-GMO (from genetically modified seed).

Fresh-Baked in Minutes

Cut the tortillas in half, then cut the halves into thin strips. Toss with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes (convection) or until they are golden and crisp. They are hard to stop eating. If you cut the strips larger, you can have chips instead of strips.

Where to Use Them

Use strips or chips to garnish Chicken Tortilla Soup, Gazpacho or Vegetable Chili. I’ve also used them on salads, like a Southwestern chicken salad I did recently for a catered lunch. Top chopped hearts of Romaine with black beans, corn kernels, tomatoes, avocado and sliced chicken breast. Drizzle with a cumin-lime vinaigrette, then finish with these crunchy strips.

Baked Corn Tortilla Chips

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The right garnish can make a simple soup or salad a lot more fun, interesting and tasty to eat. Thin baked tortilla strips are easy to make and definitely hard to stop eating! They give a satisfying crunch to many dishes. I like to use organic sprouted corn tortillas. Cut them wider and you’ll have homemade tortillas chips. Find them in the refrigerated section of health-oriented grocers. Leftovers keep awhile in an airtight container in the pantry.

Serves 4 (scales up or down easily)

Ingredients

• 4 6″ (15 cm) organic sprouted corn tortillas (I use Food For Life brand)
• A little olive oil
• A sprinkle of sea salt or kosher salt

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut tortillas in half, then cut them into crosswise into thin strips or wider for chips. Scatter the strips on a metal rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss with your hands to coat the strips. Bake for approximately 9 minutes (convection oven) or until crisp and golden. The timing will depend on your oven.

Many people have commented about how much they love the photos on A Food Centric Life. Several years ago when I started the blog, I asked my photographer-husband, Kent, to use his photography skills to take some shots of my food. Kent quickly found that making food look good on camera has its own special set of challenges.

Photographing Food

Kent and I work as a team to publish the blog. He does the photography, while I do the food styling and writing. In this post, we share some of the things we have learned over the years about composing, styling and shooting our food images. We will also be teaching a Food Photography and Styling Workshop in late May. More information is available at the end of this article.

Tell A Story

When we prepare for a food shoot, we talk about the story first. The story may be about enjoying some crème brulee and espresso at a bistro in Paris, or grilling burgers in the park for a picnic on a rustic table, or something else very simple.

Ask yourself –  what the food or recipe mean to you? Does it have meaning in your life? What is the setting? Is it a holiday, a seasonal dish, a family favorite? What props, colors and textures are involved? How will you tell that story to the viewer with your image? 

Light with Direction

Create or look for light that has direction. It can be light through a window, or doorway. We often shoot food in our garage with the open garage door creating a large space with directional light. Or, we create directional light using studio lights when natural light is not available.

Set up the shot so that the light is coming from behind or from the side. Think about light direction like the hands on a clock. If the food is at 6:00, backlight is 12:00, and side light is 9:00 or 3:00. Lighting this way creates depth and interest in the food. Never light food directly from the front, and absolutely do not shoot food with a flash mounted on your camera!

Diffuse and Reflect

A common mistake is to over light food images. Once you have created a scene with directional light, then can decide how much highlight and shadow works for the shot. Use a diffuser to soften the light and control highlights. Not all food images use soft light, but it works great for many.

Use a reflector to control the amount of shadow. We use pieces of basic foam core board that you can buy at any art supply stores as a reflector. Position the foam core opposite the light. Use white foam core to reflect light and brighten the shadows, and black foam core to take light away, creating deeper shadows. It’s amazing what you can do with your food images by just experimenting with reflectors.

Work the Composition

Amazingly subtle changes in your composition can make or break your image, so really work your shot angles, direction of the light, placement of the food and props in the shot. Use the composition rule of thirds and avoid placing food dead center in the frame.

Style the Food

The job of a food stylist is to make the food look its best for the camera and create direction or flow of movement for the eye. Unless you are working a well budgeted food shoot, likely the food stylist is you!

Buy top quality food and ingredients. You want beautiful food for beautiful food photos. When styling, think how you can create movement in the image. Add a flowing napkin with complementary color, for example, or maybe a utensil. Think about how you can add textures and create lines that draw the viewer’s eye into the food scene.

Learn More about Food Photography

If you are interested in learning more about how to style, light, shoot and edit fantastic food images, join our Food Photography & Styling Workshop on May 23-26, 2013 in California’s Paso Robles wine country.

Spring might be here on the calendar but mornings are still chilly. Instead of my frozen fruit and protein smoothie, I was craving something warm to start my day. The solution? Steel-cut oats. But being used to a high protein smoothie, how could oatmeal do the job? Here’s how.

High-Protein Breakfast

Steel cut oats have 7 grams of protein per dry ¼ cup (44 grams) serving, so the oats alone are a good start for a high-protein breakfast. Add 1½ tablespoons (15 grams) of hemp seeds, and that adds 5 grams of protein. For even more protein, double the hemp seeds. Gain a bit more with the almond milk, and you have a healthy, high-protein breakfast that comes from whole grain and plant-based sources.

Hemp Seeds: Complete Plant-Based Protein

Grown for thousands of years, hemp seeds are known as one of nature’s most perfect foods. Like many other seeds that we eat like grains (think of quinoa), hemp seeds are an  excellent source of plant-based protein. Hemp seeds provide complete protein, meaning it has all of the essential amino acids as well as magnesium, iron and zinc. Another benefit, hemp seeds supply an ideal balance of omega-3 and omegs-6 fatty acids.

Easy Overnight Steel-Cut Oats

I’ve tried a few ways of cooking steel cut oats. The best technique so far was one I found on TheKitchn. They suggested cooking them a bit the night before and allowing them to stand all night on the stove. Worked great. I had perfectly creamy steel cut oats in the morning. If you follow this simple technique, you will be happy at breakfast time.

In a 2-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat 2 teaspoons of coconut oil. Add 1 cup of steel cut oats and cook the oats for a few minutes, until they smell toasty.  Add water and bring to a full boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and move to a cool burner. Allow the oats to stand overnight on the stove. They turn creamy and wonderful while you are sleeping.

Breakfast is Ready

In the morning (about 10 hours later), I scooped out a portion of oats, heated them up, and then added the hemp seed, almond milk (homemade is best, here is my recipe) and a few dried cranberries. You can add a sprinkle of nuts, a drizzle of honey or raw coconut sugar, a bit of toasted coconut or fresh berries. Be sure to add the hemp seed, because it pumps up the protein and adds nice texture and flavor.

1 cup of dry steel-cut oats (176 grams) is enough for 4 servings. Cook oats in just the water. Heat a portion for breakfast and add your goodies. Refrigerate the rest of your oats for the next day. Unlike rolled oats, steel-cut oats just get creamier when re-heated. They don’t turn into wall paper paste. A healthy, high-protein breakfast is within reach even on time-crunched mornings.

Ingredient Notes

Steel cut oats: I buy Bob’s Red Mill Organic Steel Cut Oats in the blue label bag. Oats do not naturally contain gluten, but because these are packaged in a facility that also handles wheat, they cannot be labeled as gluten-free. We follow a gluten-free diet but are not sensitive to gluten, so for us, these work well. If you are sensitive to gluten, I recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free steel cut oats.

Shelled hemp seeds: For the hemp seeds, I purchase Navitas Naturals which are available at health-oriented markets as well as online. Navitas Naturals brand is certified organic, raw and gluten-free. Bob’s Red Mill also offers hulled hemp seeds, but they are not certified gluten-free or organic. Choose what is best for you.

Steel Cut Oatmeal with Hemp Seeds and Dried Cranberries

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This high-protein breakfast can be ready in minutes in the morning, getting your busy day started right. Briefly cook steel-cut oats before going to bed and allow them to stand overnight. In the morning, heat up a portion, then add hemp seeds and other garnishes for a fantastic breakfast. Steel cut oats and hemp seeds are available gluten-free. Cooking method thanks to The Kitchn.

Serves 4 (but make the full amount and heat up the extra through the week)

Ingredients

Steel cut oats

• 1-2 teaspoons coconut oil (or other healthy, neutral-flavored oil)
• 1 cup (176 grams) organic steel cut oats
• 3 cups filtered water

Additions Per Serving

• 1 1/2 – 3 tablespoons (15 – 30 grams) organic hemp seeds
• Almond milk (or other milk, however much you prefer)

Options (customize to your heart’s desire)

• 1 tablespoon dried cranberries
• small handful of fresh berries
• A drizzle of honey
• a small sprinkle of raw coconut sugar
• 1/2 sliced banana
• a sprinkle of chopped walnuts
• a sprinkle of raw toasted coconut

Directions

1. In a 2 quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the coconut oil until melted and hot. Add steel cut oats and cook over medium heat, stirring, until toasty smelling, about 3 minutes. Add the water and bring to a full boil, stir the oats, cover and remove from the heat. Allow oats to stand on a cool burner overnight.

• For 4 portions: Heat the oats in the pot over low heat stirring in your milk. Place in bowls, add hemp seeds and any options. Serve warm.

• For 1-2 portions: Scoop out a quarter to half of the oats and heat with almond milk. Stir in hemp seeds. Add any preferred options. Refrigerate what is left for another day

Helpful Links:

More information on the nutritional power of hemp seed

Creamy, tangy, eggy bites of deliciousness. Deviled eggs and I go way back. So much, my mom used to tell me to please leave some for everyone else when she made them. Deviled eggs are a perfect appetizer for any celebration. Who can resist a good deviled egg? Then I got a crazy idea to combine my smoked salmon dip with the deviled egg filing. Can’t leave a classic alone, so here’s a new twist. Smoked salmon deviled eggs.

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs – Hot Water Method

The problem with deviled eggs is the pain of peeling them. Sometimes they cooperate and many times, they just won’t. You end up with a shaggy mess of eggs when the shell sticks and they don’t want to be peeled. Peeling for pretty eggs seems impossible. I’ve just discovered a better way to hard boil my eggs. New to me at least, and maybe to you too.

I grew up with the cold water method (bring eggs to a simmer in cold water, cover, move to a cool burner). I tried the bake method in the oven. Those failed, but it was good experiment.

The way that produced perfect eggs? The hot water method. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add white vinegar and salt. Turn heat down to a good simmer. You don’t want the eggs to jump around and get cracked. Gently lower eggs into the water with a spider or mesh skimmer. The water should cover the eggs by about an inch. Cook for 15 minutes uncovered. Immediately drain and cover with cold water. I add ice to cool fast.

When the eggs are cool enough to peel, gently tap the egg all over then peel. I have never had eggs peel so easily or perfectly. Cut them in half, and the yolk is perfectly yellow. No green ring to signify over-cooking. Why did I not know this years ago? Live and learn…then share!

Smoked Salmon Filling

To make this creamy, salmon-colored filling, puree the ingredients together in a food processor. I started with my traditional deviled egg recipe and added 8 ounces of smoked salmon, smoked spices, a little horseradish for some kick, and lemon juice. Taste the filling and make any adjustments for your tastes. You’ll want the filling to be fairly stiff if you plan to pipe it, so don’t add too much liquid.

Smoked paprika is widely available these days I order mine from Chefs Warehouse. It’s a “Texas-style” smoked paprika, and you know they do everything bigger in Texas. They sell smoked pepper too.

Tricks for Filling Your Eggs

To fill your eggs, either spoon the filling in or use a piping bag with a large star tip (about an #865) or plain tip. Piping bags are not only fun to use, but they safely hold the filling until you are ready to fill the eggs. I keep a box of 18″ disposable piping bags in my kitchen. They are handy for many types of fillings,  mousses and frosting.

To fill a piping bag, place the bag in a blender to hold it upright. Sure makes it easier!

If you are transporting the eggs to a party, place the filling into a piping bag fitted with the tip and secure the top with a rubber band. Pack your egg halves in a sturdy container for travel. When you arrive, place the egg halves on a plate, snip the tip off your piping bag and fill the eggs. Garnish and enjoy. Your guests will be wowed!

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

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Add smoked salmon and smoked spices to my traditional creamy filing for deviled eggs and you have a fantastic twist on a classic. Chopped fresh dill or lemon zest, along with paprika, makes a nice garnish.

Serves: 8-12 (cut in half for a smaller crowd)

Yield: 24 halves

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of white vinegar (to boil the eggs)
• 1 tablespoon of salt (to boil the eggs)
• 12 large or extra-large organic eggs, free of any cracks
• ½ cup reduced fat mayonnaise (I use Veganaise)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 8 ounces (226 grams) smoked salmon
• 2 tablespoon creamy horseradish sauce (I use Follow Your Heart brand)
• Juice of 1 lemon (if it’s large, start with half)
• 1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika (plus extra for garnish if desired)
• Salt, to taste
• Smoked pepper, to taste (or regular ground black pepper)

Optional garnishes

Paprika, regular or smoked
Finely chopped chives
Fresh chopped dill
Fresh chopped cilantro
Lemon zest

Directions

Cook Eggs

1. Fill a wide pan (I use a 6 quart/liter) with enough water to cover the eggs. Bring the water to a boil. Add the vinegar and salt. Lower the heat to s strong simmer and carefully lower each egg into the water with a spider or skimmer. Water should cover the eggs by an inch or two.
2. Cook eggs for 15 minutes, uncovered, at a strong simmer (small bubbles, not big ones) . Carefully move the pan to the sink, drain off the hot water and fill with cold water. I add ice to speed the cooling. When eggs are cool, crack them all over and peel. Peel under cold running water is a good trick.
3. Slice eggs in half top to bottom (not across the equator). Pop out the yolks and set white halves on a plate. Cover and refrigerate until time to fill.

Make Filing-Fill Eggs

1. Place cooked yolks, mayonnaise, Dijon, salmon, horseradish, lemon juice and spices in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with a steel knife. Puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings for your preference. Place filling in a piping bag fitted with a tip or in a bowl, covered, until ready to fill. When ready to serve, fill eggs, garnish and enjoy.

Other links

If you want to find the large metal tips for piping, find a local restaurant supply. The ones I use are in the #865 range of sizes. I think this Ateco set on Amazon will do and give you options.

Dried herbs and spices are an important backbone of every pantry. With dried herbs and spices you can transform simple dishes into something special, flavorful and different each day. Here are 10 tips and helpful information about using dried herbs and spices, plus how to enter the Cooking Planit Spice Giveaway!

10 tips for buying and using dried herbs and spices:

• Date the bottles. When you open new bottle, be sure to write the date on the container. Dried herbs and spices last from 6 months to 1 year. They don’t spoil, but they do lose their potency and flavor.
• Freshness. How to tell if your herbs and spices are old? The smell test. If they don’t have a strong fragrance, the flavor is likely gone. Toss them and buy a new bottle.
• Buy new-to-you herbs and spices in small quantities to experiment, then in larger quantities to save money when you find the ones you use most frequently.
• Storage. Store herbs and spices in a cool dark place, away from sunlight and heat. Sun and heat accelerate their expiration. Some people store them in the freezer for longer staying power. And make sure the container is airtight.
• Dried herbs and spices need time and moisture to rehydrate during cooking to release their flavor. Add dried herbs around the start of cooking to help them rehydrate and release their flavor. With spices it will depend on the recipe. One example, I will add mine to sautéing onions and oil to release their scent and flavor when making a chili, stew or sauce.
• The rule for substituting dried herbs for fresh is 1:3. Example, use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs versus 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) of a fresh herb. Dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor, so you use less. Their taste can also be a bit different than the fresh version. As always, taste and adjust for your personal preference. Use more if needed.
• Rub dried herbs between your hands to release the natural oils before putting into the pot. A trick my mom taught me years ago.
• Herb or spice? Dried herbs are the leaves of the plants. Spices are from the stems, bark (like cinnamon) and seeds of plants. Some plants produce both. Cilantro is the leaf form of the plant and coriander is the seed which is ground into a spice (or used whole)
• Spices are most often used in dried form. Some come in whole and ground forms, such as nutmeg, mace and cinnamon. Whole spices can stay aromatic for longer periods, but you have to grind them yourself. Ground is usually more convenient to use.
• To reduce sodium in your diet, ramp up the flavors with herbs, spices and salt-free blends to make up for less salt that you won’t miss because of the great flavors.

The Cooking Planit Spice Giveaway!

Win a fantastic quality, high herb and spice collection from Cooking Planit! The collection includes 26 of the most commonly used herbs and spices every kitchen should have. The retail value is over $100. It’s a great chance to try some new things or refresh your collection (and we can all admit to having old stuff in the pantry). What’s included? Here’s the list! Many of these are favorites that I could not live without.

While you are at it, check out the Cooking Planit application. This award-winning app helps cooks with planning, shopping and even the cooking process so everything comes out on time.

The top 26 spices every kitchen should have:

 Three Chances to Enter and Win!

• First chance to win: Subscribe to A Food Centric Life and receive a free recipe each week
• Second chance to win: “Like” A Food Centric Life on Facebook and leave a comment below and tell me about your favorite spice
  
• Third chance to win: Twitter about the Cooking Planit Spice Giveaway and mention @FoodCentricLife. Paste a link to your Tweet in an additional comment below

Want more chances to win? Each participating site listed below will run their own unique week-long contest with a winner being announced on the eighth day. That’s 50 total contests and 50 chances to win this terrific giveaway! Be sure to check them out.

The Official Rules (You know, these days the legal stuff has to be listed, below)

No purchase necessary to enter or win. Giveaway is open only to legal residents of the 50 states of the U.S. and the District of Columbia, with a U.S. shipping address, who are physically located and residing therein, and who are 18 years of age at time of entry.

The sweepstakes starts at the time of this post Sunday March 24, 2013 and ends Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 11:59 PM PST. Winners will be chosen by the luck of the draw, via a random number generator, at that time. The winner will be chosen on day 8 and notified via email. Winner must respond within 5 days or the prize will be forfeited. Another random number will be generated and a new winner announced. This prize has been gifted to A Food Centric Life for the giveaway from Cooking Planit.