SuperSPICE of the Week [+ a recipe]: Rosemary
PIN IT!
What is the first thing you notice about this picture? If you are like most people, you’ll respond with “That delicious looking lamb!” or “Those buttery potatoes!” However, the last thing you’d probably mention are the twigs of rosemary garnishing both of those focal points. Now, if you were to do a taste test, the answer would probably be VERY different and that rosemary mixture would be one the first tastes you register. That’s one of the reasons why I love spices. All you need is a dash of something to change an entire dish’s taste. One thing I love the most about Rosemary, in particular, is not only how it changes the taste of whatever it’s added to, but also the texture. On top of being a delicious addition to your dinner, Rosemary is also full of health benefits that help all parts of our body!
Rosemary’s cancer fighting powers
New studies are finding a strong link between this herb and a lower risk of cancer
Chefs love Rosemary because of the delicious and unique flavor it adds to most rather plain ingredients. Scientists and nutritionists have found another reason to love it, it reduces your risk of cancer! According to a study done by Kansas State [in Manhattan], as featured in SELF magazine, Rosemary inhibits the formation of Heterocyclic Aimes [HCAs], which are carcinogenic compounds [chemicals] that are released when meat is cooked at certain temperatures, by 79%! Researchers have found that 17 different HCA’s that are created as a result of cooking muscle meats pose serious cancer risks to humans [Source]. Next time you are roasting a chicken or cooking a steak, add a dash of rosemary to prevent cancer!
Rosemary as a Natural Remedy
Along with protecting us from cancer, rosemary and rosemary oil [an essential oil made from plucked rosemary leaves] have been proven to be natural remedies to many common ailments, such as headaches, the cold and indigestion! Along with these, rosemary oil [in conjunction with a massage] has been shown to relieve the pain of muscle pain and soreness. According to Phyllis Balch, author of Prescription for Herbal Healing, rosemary can lessen the effects of Alzheimer’s disease by promoting circulation to the brain, which works to help promote memory. Balch also found that this powerful herb protects our DNA from cancerous-causing chemicals that would normally bind to and mutate strands of our precious DNA! Rosemary is also linked with higher energy and concentration level, so when you are feeling tired or unmotivated, have a cup of rosemary tea to get a jolt!
That’s one very powerful little herb, isn’t it? Well to celebrate the wonderful heath benefits of Rosemary and the coming of fall, I’m featuring a delicious and easy dinner recipe that will satisfy your taste buds as well as your desire for good health! Recipe courtesy of All Recipes.
Pork Tenderloin Studded with Rosemary and Garlic
Looks DELICIOUS doesn’t it? [Via]
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking spray
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 475°.
- Combine the rosemary and garlic. Make several 1/2-inch-deep slits in pork; place about half of rosemary mixture in slits. Rub pork with remaining rosemary mixture; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pork on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Insert a meat thermometer into thickest portion of pork.
- Bake at 475° for 20 minutes or until the thermometer registers 160° or desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Nutritional Information [per slice]: 147 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 25 grams of protein and 342 m.g. of sodium.
Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Garlic-Rosemary Roast Chicken
I’m not the most domestic of women, but there are days that I could out-cook, out-clean and out-charm any 1950’s housewife. I had one of these days on Sunday, where I not only cleaned my entire apartment, but did all the laundry and cooked all three meals [actually cooked with recipes and ingredients]! Although all of that is worthy of praise [Sunday’s are usually my wine + Bridezilla’s day], I’m most proud of my successful dinner, which I think ups to me housewife status. So what was this meal? I made a delicious garlic-rosemary roast chicken! I’ve roasted one before, but it didn’t turn out great. This one was juicy, very flavorful and absolutely delectable. I’m one recipe away from wearing pearls and heels in the kitchen and wearing a fancy apron! [PS. The reason there aren’t many pictures is because a raw chicken is not quite photogenic!]
Garlic-Rosemary Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp margarine or butter
- 8 cloves garlic [or 1tbsp garlic powder]
- 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 roasting chicken (6-7 lb)
- Kitchen twine
- 1 onion, sliced
Preparation
- Heat oven to 400°. Lightly coat a roasting pan and rack with cooking spray.
- Combine garlic, rosemary and salt in a bowl.
- Remove giblets and neck from chicken; trim off fat.
- Rub butter generously on the top and bottom of the chicken.
- Starting at the neck cavity, gently loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks; spread 2/4 rosemary mixture evenly under skin. Spread the remaining mixture over the top of the skin on both sides.
- Tuck wing tips under back of chicken; tie ends of drumsticks together with twine.
- Season with additional salt and black pepper; place breast side up in pan.
- Roast, basting twice with pan juices until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (and not touching bone) reads 175°, about 1 3/4 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before carving (remove skin). Garnish with rosemary sprigs and lemon slices, if desired, and serve.
Nutritional Information [per serving]: 241 calories, 9.3 grams of fat, 36 grams of fiber and 1 gram of fiber
A Fit/Fall Tip: Take Your Workout Outside!
After a hot summer, it’s about time for some mid-60’s and 70’s afternoons. To celebrate the cooler air that is to come, take your workout from inside four walls to the great outdoors. Not only does nature’s terrain offer natural and often more difficult resistance, you are presented with beautiful scenery and refreshing sights to take your mind of the actual workout! There are also some rather “mundane” tasks that normally we force our significant others to do [mostly husbands] that pack a serious calorie burn and can be fun if done with someone else! So this fall, lace up your hiking boots & running shoes, grab your rake, kayak and backpack and hit the great wide wonder that is the outdoors for an exhilarating workout!
Hiking
There’s no better way to clear your head and appreciate nature’s true beauty than by standing on top of a mountain you just huffed and puffed your way up. Not only is the scene worth the trip, but hiking is also a very intense and effective lower body workout and works to tones your glutes, thighs, hamstrings and calves! You can also burn up to 400 calories an hour [for a 150lb person, moderately hiking up an incline] so it’s a very powerful workout! Hiking is also a perfect activity for a couple or a group of friends! So not only is it a great workout, it’s a fun one too!
Running outdoors
As I just recently told my friend, running outside is an amazing workout because most terrain offers a natural resistance, which increases your ability to burn calories and tone your body. Much like hiking, running outdoors provides you with unbeatable scenery which helps to reduce the normal boredom felt when doing a redundant exercise. You can burn up to 550 calories per 45 minutes of running [running about 6/7 miles per hour for a 150lb person] outside. Although you can get a similar calorie burn running indoors, the fresh air and scenery make this a must exercise when the air changes.
Raking Leaves
If you want a fun way to burn calories this fall, grab a rake and start raking! According to Livestrong.com, you can burn up to 205 calories per 30 minutes you rake leaves! Add an additional 35 calories by jumping into the leaves you just raked! Raking is not only a solid calorie burner, but also a great toning exercise for your upper body [arms, chest and back] as well as your core! Instead of making your hubby or kids rake, do it yourself for a great outdoor workout and a fun way to relieve stress!
Claire
Tags:calorie burn outsideouts, fall work, hiking, outdoor activities, raking leaves, running outdoors
Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Bacon Mac N Cheese
If you’ve kept up with me on here, you know by now I love macaroni and cheese and since my adventures into the cooking world, I’ve found some delicious low-calorie and low-fat alternatives to my once beloved Velveeta. As with the rest of my life, I tend to bore easily, so this time around, I wanted to add something different to this batch, just to give it a totally different flavor. To satisfy my fickle taste buds, I found a recipe that has bacon, onions and hot sauce in it! Sound too weird to be good? Trust me folks, it’s delicious! I added another 1/2 tsp of hot sauce and 1 cup of fat free ricotta cheese for a cheesier and creamier flavor. To keep the recipe even lower in fat, substitute turkey bacon instead of the regular!
Bacon Macaroni and Cheese
Ingriedients
- 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups skim milk, divided
- 2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup of fat free ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 1 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 slices center-cut turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs, divided
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees
- Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook 8 minutes or until al dente; drain
- Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until it cools to 155°
- Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese
- Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper, and bacon; stir
- Add pasta; toss
- Spoon into a 2-quart broiler-safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese and breadcrumbs [spoon and cover entire width of pan]
- Bake for 20-23 minutes
Nutritional Information [per cup serving]: 375 calories, 11.8 grams of fat, 20 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber and 44 m.g. of cholesterol
Superfood of the Week [+ a recipe!]: Lentils
Aren’t these just the prettiest legumes you’ve ever seen? This week’s superfood is for my friend Annie [MarryYouMe], who mentioned last week how much she had really gotten into eating lentils! Well I responded with “Well they are so good for you!” However, I wasn’t sure exactly how good they were until I did a little bit of research on my own. These are the classic example of how good things can come in tiny packages, because these itty bitty beans pack some serious health benefits!
Full of Fiber…
Lentils are full of fiber, so instead of tomato soup for lunch, switch to a lentil based one to keep you on track & full!
According to WH Foods, most legumes in general are full of dietary fiber, but lentils lead the pack with containing the most. Lentils are full of soluble fiber which work to alleviate constipation and prevent diseases like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis. If you really want to keep your fiber level high, opt for green lentils instead of red or pink ones. Green lentils contain 31% fiber while red or pink lentils contain only 11%. Along with keeping your digestive system in check, soluble fiber also stabilizes our blood sugar, which is why it’s very highly recommended to people with diabetes. The fiber also perks up our energy levels and works to reduce cholesterol levels, which also prevents heart disease!
And More Vitamins & Minerals Too!
The pigment in Beluga black lentils acts as a serious antioxidant & prevents some very serious illnesses!
Not only are lentils full of ‘the good stuff’ [fiber] they are also full of many other vitamins and minerals imperative to fighting off disease and helping us stay healthy! Lentils contain more than twice as much iron as any other legumes! According to Health Magazine, lentils also are higher in most B vitamins and folate, which make it a key food to eat when you are expecting! As mentioned in the photo caption above, black lentils [b/c of the antioxidant capability of the pigment in the skin] protect against heart disease, cancer and the aging process! So trade your anti-wrinkle cream for a bowl of lentil soup!
A Recipe to Enjoy!
If you are like me, it’s hard to digest uncooked, dry beans. [I’d rather gag, thank you]. To avoid this, try cooking lentils in a soup, which is one of the easiest and most popular ways to incorporate this bean into your diet and is also a perfect addition to your fall soup lineup! And the spice in this soup adds an extra kick! Recipe is courtesy of Nami-Nami.
Red Lentil Spicy Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tsp cumin seeds, slightly crushed
- 1.5-2 tsp coriander seeds, slighly crushed
- 1 tsp red chilli flakes
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes or passata
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 2 medium carrots, coarsely grated
- 2 litres chicken stock
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, finely chopped [as garmish]
- plain yogurt/sour cream [as garnish]
Preperation
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add onion and fry gently for 7-8 minutes, until onion softens.
- Add the garlic, crushed cumin and coriander seeds (I use my pestle & mortar), chilli flakes. Give it a stir and fry for another minute.
- Add the tomatoes, red lentils, grated carrot and hot chicken stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, half-covered, for 30-45 minutes, until lentils begin to break up.
- Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Dilute with hot water, if necessary.
- Serve with a dollop of coriander cream (mix coriander and cream yogurt together).
Nutritional Information [per cup]: 270 calories, 10 grams of fat and 10 grams of protein
