White Bean, Tomato, and Arugula Sandwich

From Delicious Living
Serves 4 / Beans, whole grains, and garlic excel at lowering blood cholesterol levels, and tomatoes boast heart-healthy antioxidants. Prep tip: This open-face sandwich works best with a sturdy peasant or country-style loaf that stands up to the hearty bean topping. Serving tip: Serve with a side of soup or salad.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 (5 ounce) package arugula
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium small white beans, drained
1 1/2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes, about 2
4 slices whole-grain peasant bread, toasted
4 teaspoons julienned basil

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil. Stir in arugula, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper, and sauté 1–2 minutes or until arugula wilts. Remove arugula to plate.
2. Add remaining oil to skillet and place over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1–2 minutes or until garlic starts to turn light brown. Stir in beans, mashing gently with a fork to break up some of the beans. Cook 2–3 minutes to allow beans to pick up flavors. Stir in tomatoes and turn heat to low; cook for 2–3 minutes or until warmed throughout. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
3. Place toasted bread slices on dinner plates. Top each with one-quarter of arugula mixture (about 1/4 cup), spreading in an even layer. Spoon tomato-bean mixture (a scant 1/2 cup) over arugula and sprinkle with basil.

PER SERVING: 296 cal, 35% fat cal, 12g fat, 2g sat fat, 0mg chol, 12g protein, 40g carb, 10g fiber, 521mg sodium

Spaghetti with Almond Sauce and Vegetable Confetti

Serves 4 / Nuts and nut butters are rich in good monounsaturated fats, and vegetables in the dish contribute antioxidants and fiber. Using whole-grain noodles adds a heart-healthy dose of fiber. Ingredient tip: Look for chile-garlic sauce in the Asian section of your market.

1/3 cup freshly ground unsalted almond butter or bottled almond butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce
8 ounces thin whole-wheat spaghetti
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cup grated carrot (large hole of a box grater)
1 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion, divided
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1. Combine almond butter, 1 tablespoon water, and next four ingredients (vinegar through chile-garlic sauce) in a large serving bowl; whisk to blend.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil; add spaghetti and peas and cook for 8 minutes. Stir in carrots and continue cooking for 2 minutes or until spaghetti is are tender. Drain and add spaghetti to bowl with almond butter mixture. Toss to blend. Stir in 1 1/4 cups onion, cilantro or mint, almonds, and salt. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup onions.
PER SERVING: 431 cal, 32% fat cal, 16g fat, 2g sat fat, 0mg chol, 16g protein, 62g carb, 5g fiber, 520mg sodium

Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database

From Delicious Living.........................................

Picking a personal care product shouldn’t be like digging into a box of chocolates: You should always know what you’re going to get. That’s why for this year’s beauty awards we chose from the purest options available, heading to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database to find those products with a 0- or 1-out-of-10 ranking (meaning the ingredients pose no or a very low hazard). What did we get when we put them to the test? Ten excellent natural picks that do what they promise to—and are free of the startlingly ubiquitous personal care villains, such as 1,4-dioxane and parabens. Visit cosmeticdatabase.com

Polenta

Have you ever seen those tubes of polenta at the store and thought, "what the hell do you do with that?" Or is that just me?  Anyways, I came across some information in Delicious Living magazine (I love this freebie!) and thought I would share.  Plus, I love anything you can buy in bulk.  Enjoy.  Eat Well, Carolyn

(Pesto Polenta with Sautéed Portobello Slices - recipe below)

From Delicious Living....

An Italian staple, polenta is ground corn that’s cooked into a creamy porridge; it can also be cooled to form firm polenta cakes suitable for baking, frying, or grilling. Look for grainy raw polenta in bulk bins and prepackages it’s coarser than the finely ground cornmeal used in cornbread. 

Polenta makes a tasty, gluten-free breakfast. Bring 2 cups water to a boil, then add 1/2 cup medium-grain polenta in a thin, steady stream, whisking as you pour. (Double the amounts if you want leftover polenta.) Reduce heat to low and simmer polenta, whisking often, until thick, scraping pan sides with a wooden spoon as needed. Stir in raisins, chopped almonds, and nutmeg, plus milk or cream. Or stir in a little butter, then pour into a wide bowl and top with sautéed spinach and a poached egg.

Serve soft and loose polenta with juicy stews and braised meats; it deliciously soaks up flavor. Pour leftover polenta into a square pan, cover, and refrigerate; when cool, cut into squares. Layer pieces in a baking dish with marinara and grated cheese; bake until bubbly. Or pan-fry squares and top with sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, and olives. You’ll also find polenta preformed and sold in tubes, usually in the pasta aisle; just remove the covering, slice crosswise into disks, and use as desired.

 And now that you are intrigued with polenta, how a recipe.....

Pesto Polenta with Sautéed Portobello Slices
Portobello mushrooms squick me out (the gills and spongy texture...yick) so I substituted about 2 pounds shiitake and cremini mushrooms instead. I also used quick cooking Italian polenta prepared according to the package directions, and it was fine.

3 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning
1 cup medium ground corn meal
1/4 cup vegan pesto (homemade or store bought)
3 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add the salt, and slowly whisk in the cornmeal stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until thick, about 30 minutes. Near the end of the cooking time, thin the pesto with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and stir it into the polenta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Spoon the polenta into a lightly oiled, shallow, 10-inch square baking dish. Spread it evenly over the bottom. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes

3. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushroom slices, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook until the mushroom slices are tender, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over very low heat.

4. Preheat the oven to 375º F. When the polenta is firm, cut into four squares. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet and brush with remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Bake until hot and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

5. To serve, transfer polenta to individual plates, spoon some of the mushrooms on top, and serve hot.

What are you thankful for?

A message board that I am part of posted a thread titled, "Thankful Thursday."  I love when I'm able to reflect on my life and realize how amazing it is. Here is what I'm an thankful for on this "Thankful Thursday."  What are you thankful for?

My Current Location: Prescott Valley, Arizona

I am thankful for my health - the ability to exercise daily and eat well - and feel wonderful!

I am thankful for the start of a wonderful marriage to an amazing person.  We are having so much fun.

I am thankful for a job I love - traveling all over the county - and time for peace and quiet while I'm on the road.  

That being said, I am thankful for the weeks I work from home and can be with my dog all day long!

I am thankful for an amazing family - parents who are the most giving ever and a sister who is my best friend.

I am thankful for my friends because they are always there when I need them.

That's my thankful Thursday

Cherry-Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

from Delicious Living

Serves 10
Although similar in flavor to stove-top oatmeal, this baked version has a mix of textures: a slightly firm, almost crusty top and a meltingly soft interior.
Prep tip: For a vegan dish, use soy, rice, or almond milk.
2 1/2 cups reduced-fat (2 percent) milk
11/4 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup date sugar or turbinado sugar
1 3/4 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup chopped almonds, toasted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. 2. In a large bowl, combine milk, water, vanilla extract, and sugar. In a second large bowl, combine oats, cherries, almonds, and cinnamon. Pour liquid ingredients into oat mixture and stir. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.
PER SERVING: 183 cal, 28% fat cal, 6g fat, 1g sat fat, 5mg chol, 6g protein, 27g carb, 4g fiber, 28mg sodium

Chocolate Almond Truffles

from Delicious Living

Makes about 36 / The better-quality chocolate you use, the richer and more delectable these simple, not-too-sweet truffles will taste. If almond flavoring isn't your favorite, substitute Frangelico or orange liqueur for the amaretto; roll in crushed hazelnuts or cocoa laced lightly with orange zest.

1 cup vanilla soy milk
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3-4 tablespoons amaretto, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 cup raw almonds
Pinch of salt


1. Heat soy milk in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolates until smooth. Add amaretto and almond extract, if desired, and whisk. Place in refrigerator and cool for 2 hours or until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 300°. Toast almonds for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Cool. Transfer almonds to a food processor and add a pinch of salt. Grind until fine.
3. When chocolate is firm, scoop out portions and roll quickly between your palms, forming walnut-size balls. Roll each ball in crushed almonds, pressing into sides. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and keep cool until ready to serve.


PER SERVING (1 truffle): 119 cal, 64% fat cal, 9g fat, 2g sat fat, 0mg chol, 2g protein, 9g carb, 1g fiber, 4mg sodium