Thanksgiving rebound

I have officially overdosed on my turkey quota for the year. After 3 days straight of turkey and Thanksgiving leftovers in some form or another, I'll save Mr. Turkey for 2009. I hope you all had a warm, family and friend-filled Thanksgiving holiday...overflowing with good food. My family loves the holiday so damn much, we tend to opt for two Thanksgiving meals and all the leftover turkey sandwiches you can eat (I come from a long line of Jewish mothers, what can you do). I must say though, our table (both of them), is always well-balanced...roasted turkey, mashed sweet potatoes, a pear-pomegranate salad (see recipe below), roasted Brussels-sprouts, garlic mashed potatoes, orange-cranberry relish, and my grandmother's classic recipe for insane stuffing. Good thing dinner is actually pretty darn healthful, despite plentiful, because desserts are off-the-hook in my family -- between my uncle's infamous cheesecake, my mom's killer apple pie and a newly-fangled pear-almond tart by yours truly, you could easily go into sugar shock by the end of the evening. (And for the record, I did not have all 3 in one sitting...small slices is my secret to having a little of everything!).
All said and eaten, it's amazing how you can go into the holiday with the best of intentions, keep meals relatively reasonable, and still come out of the weekend feeling like the poor turkey probably does...plump, roasted, and totally over-done. That's the goodness of comforting holiday meals, and I love every bite of it. The trick is to maintain your normal eating routine as much as you can in the days before and after the big feast. Keep tabs on portions of leftovers and treats so you can work them in smartly...like the remains of my fave homemade pumpkin bread that was stashed into my bag on my way back to NYC (thanks Dad!).
Take some time to reboot and rebound from a few days of heavy nibbling and imbibing. Back to basics for most meals, weaving in leftovers and treats here and there (if you still have any). With yesterday's cold, nasty weather, I decided it was the perfect day for a little post-Thanksgiving chicken soup to warm me up and set me up for a nice week of rebounding back into my normal routine...kind of like when you're rebounding from a break-up. It ain't easy to pull yourself out of the depths of relationship despair, but once you do, you feel like a million bucks. After a big grocery shopping trip, I successfully restocked my fridge with tons of fresh produce and all my standard staples to set me smooth-sailing for the week.
So back to the chicken soup...if you never thought you'd be able to whip up homemade chicken soup, think again. This might be one of the easiest, fail-safe recipes ever -- I added some brown rice this time for some depth, but you can leave it out if you wish.

Your Mama's Chicken Soup
1 small whole chicken (ideally free-range or organic)
3-4 celery stalks, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped (leave the skin on for extra fiber and save time on peeling)
2 small yellow onions, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup brown rice, if desired
1/2 cup chopped leeks, if desired (chop up the white part)
2 small Russet or golden potatoes, if desired
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan or pecorino romano cheese for grating

Get out a massively large pot (like a good-sized pasta pot), wash the chicken and plop it in the pot. Fill up the pot to cover the chicken, about 3/4 of the way to the top. Add in chopped onion, carrot and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to medium and let simmer for about an hour, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Turn the heat off, take the chicken out and skin it, removing white meat (and a little dark if you like) from the breast, thighs and wings. Dump the meat back in the pot. Add in your rice, potatoes and leeks and simmer on medium-low for another 45 minutes until the potatoes and rice are fully cook. Serve up in small bowls with 2-3 tablespoons of the pecorino cheese (my fave because it adds a nice kick of salty, cheesy goodness!).
Makes about 6-8 servings. Sorry, no pic, but I promise it's really tasty!

Turkey Fest '08

What could be better than good friends, good food and a little kickstart to the holiday season. Every year, my friends and I throw a pre-Thanksgiving potluck turkey fest--ringing up a little warmth and cheer before we all head home for the real deal. Typically the one hosting the festivities, I love spending a good part of the day (and usually the day prior) in the kitchen doing some serious, cold-weather cooking. There's something a bit more soothing about cooking during fall and winter -- dishes sometimes take slightly longer to cook, but it's certainly worth the time. Braving freezing cold weather or being active in a warm kitchen (I swear, prepping for a big dinner is a workout in itself!)...I'll take the kitchen thanks. Anyhow, some good 'ol standbys made a repeat appearance on the menu this year - obviously our turkey mascot this year was on hand, recipe to come). This post kicks off a bunch of tasty, not-too-time-consuming, deceptively healthy recipes for the holidays. Stay tuned for tips and tactics throughout the month on how to navigate your way through the holiday season, absolutely doing it up without going overboard and kicking yourself come January 1. Nothing's worse than feeling like you have to be strapped to a treadmill for a month straight in order to work off a few too many holiday benders. Something I often remind people of is that you can always find healthful balance and an upside to your holiday spread -- Thanksgiving staples like sweet potatoes and squash are loaded with antioxidants, beta-carotene and fiber; green beans are packed with vitamins K, A and C; even your favorite pumpkin pie brings value to the table stacked with antioxidants and beta-carotene. True, those sweet potatoes can be loaded with butter and marshmellows, the green beans smothered in mouthwatering bacon grease, the pumpkin pie isn't complete without a buttery-flaky crust. The key is -- drumroll -- moderation. I know, I know, it ain't sexy or fun, but it's true. Have the good stuff, just head into the game with your head on. Play smart and take small amounts of your favorite, heavier dishes. Zone in on lighter basics like roast turkey, salad, cranberry sauce and veggies. And if you're facing really dire straights at the in-laws, a friend's or relative's, remember it's one meal...smart portions let you leave room for dessert which is a T-giving must-have in my book. And if dessert really isn't all that worth it, wait for something that really is -- trust me, I guarantee you'll have your pick throughout the month.

Ok, to start off some holiday recipes, I'm posting up course 1 -- an appetizer that has evolved into an annual tradition among my friends. I created this a few years back out of a love for all things butternut squash, parmesan cheese and cherry. Sounds odd, but you'll be coming back for more.

Butternut Squash Bruschetta w. Pine Nuts & Sour Cherries
1 medium-large butternut squash (roasted, peeled and cubed)
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 tsp olive oil
1 can cannelini beans (white beans), rinsed and drained
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 cup sour cherries, jarred in natural juices and drained
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped (1-2 Tablespoons)
½ - ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
salt, to taste
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

1 crusty French or whole wheat baguette

additional olive oil for brushing

Preparation: Cut butternut squash in half, brush with olive oil and roast at 350 (cut side down) for about 30-35 minutes, or until about ¾ the way done (still slightly hard, but able to be cut). For an easy shortcut, places both halves in the microwave for 7-9 minute. Allow squash to cool, peel/cut skin off and cut into small chunks. Heat oil in a deep frying pan/saucepan and sauté onion until translucent. Add in cannelini beans, squash, chicken broth & rosemary -- decrease heat and bring to a medium-low simmer. Add salt to taste, add in cherries, parmesan and pine nuts, cook until majority of broth evaporates and ingredients become warm and “stew-like” – squash should be slightly mashed/slightly chunky.
Cut baguette into thin slices about 1" thick. Arrange on a cookie sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Toast in oven at 350 for 4-5 minutes. Place a spoonful of squash mixture onto bruschetta toasts and arrange on a serving tray or plate.
Makes 2-3 dozen bruschetta
pics, beginning and end:

Meeting the 'Naked Chef'!

What an incredible chance meeting this morning walking through the Union Square farmer's market. I'm a huge fan of one 'naked' chef who's doing some incredible things across the pond. I had the pleasure and good luck of running into British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver this morning while he was filming some greenmarket footage. Why am I such a fan of Jamie? He's taking the way Brits view food by storm...and it's working. He recognized the growing problems with Britain's (and the U.S.'s) growing waistlines and increasing dependence on convenience and processed foods. Over 60% of Americans (and Brits) are overweight or obese and only 27% of Americans consume 3 or more serving of fruits and veggies daily -- umm...that's just damn scary. Through a number of different avenues - from his blogs, website, hit tv cooking shows and non-profit programs like Fifteen, Jamie is working to get people in the UK back in their kitchens -- getting excited by fresh, good-for-you ingredients, simple nutritious (and delicious) dishes. He's making good, fresh food cool again and he's been leading the charge in reforming the school food system in Britain, getting not only kids, lunch ladies and parents on board, but also the Prime Minister. His latest campaign, Ministry of Food, serves to re-educate Brits town by town, one community a time, in healthier ways of cooking -- encouraging people to spread the word, get friends and family involved...let's make cooking freaking fun again people!

I have to say, what he's been able to do overseas in such a short time is impressive and damn exciting (I admit, I was little gitty chatting with him this morning). The guy's just plain cool. Check him out on the Today Show this week - he's in town promoting his new cookbook, Jamie at Home.

In a single sentence this morning, Jamie summed up why he's doing what he's doing and it directly echoes why I write this blog and do what I do when working with clients and the media through Nourish. In speaking about the lack of healthful eating habits and the growing overweight epedemic Jamie stated: "The UK is f*cked and America's even worse." Classic line and unfortunately dead on. What can we do to take the momentum he's grown in the UK and really infuse our society? I'm hoping that President-elect Obama will help make better eating in this country a priority over the next four years...because it absolutely is one. My vote's an overwhelming 'yes'. What's something simple you yourself can do to get cooking again?