Brothers From Another Mother: My Favorite Root Vegetables!

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I don't know about you, but I can't walk two feet without running into a cookie... a cake... or a pie. It's that time of the year! Watch out pearly whites, Santa's got a sweet tooth and so do I! 

My mother has been making my favorite holiday cookie (Russian tea cakes) for as long as I can remember. Wait, hold on. I should actually give credit where credit is due, my mother's friend (and former college roommate) Carolyn is actually the one who's been making tea cakes for as long as I can remember.

...my mother just stole the recipe and claimed it as her own.

As lovely as tea cakes are, eating them for breakfast, lunch and dinner is clearly not the best move for optimal health (or desired waistline). Today I'd like to fill you in on a easy (and sneaky) way to curb that holiday sweet tooth... roasted root vegetables!

Now before I lose you to the cookie jar, hear me out. Roasted root vegetables give you that same feeling of satisfaction without leaving your body in crisis mode. When I'm craving something sinful, I just head to the organic produce section for some carrots and parsnips.

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which when converted into vitamin A, improves your vision, aids your skin in repair and slows down the aging process throughout your body. Carrots are also high in the carotenoids alpha-carotene and lutein, which have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease. Then to make matters even more spectacular, carrots produce a natural pesticide called falcarinol. Falcarinol protects the carrot's roots from fungal disease but has also been studied for its anti-cancer properties. Lastly, eating carrots stimulates your gums and triggers the production of saliva. The alkalinity of saliva works to counteract the destructive acidic bacteria that can cause cavities!

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Parsnips are just as exciting! If you're not familiar with parsnips, they look like carrots but are usually larger and more creamy in color. They have a nutty sweet taste and contain a bit more potassium than their brother the carrot. Your body uses potassium to control your blood pressure and fight the negative effects of sodium intake on your body. Parsnips also contain more folate than carrots, which you will remember is needed to prevent birth defects in babies and to ensure healthy cell creation and cancer protection throughout life. In addition to potassium and folate, parsnips have both soluble and insoluble fiber, helping to reduce your blood cholesterol and keep your digestive track healthy! And if that wasn't enough already, parsnips are full of vitamin C, which helps you maintain healthy tissue, teeth and gums, while also scavenging your body for cancer-causing free radicals.

On top of all their nutritional benefits, carrots and parsnips are exceptionally delicious when roasted. The process of roasting allows their natural sugars to release, making them sweet as can be! Some people even propose that because they're grown underground, root vegetables can help you feel grounded when you're feeling scatterbrained, confused or 'all over the place'. I know when I eat them, they make me feel calm and peaceful (maybe because they remind me of my grandmother's kitchen and the comfort I felt there). 

Today, I'm sharing my former roommate Katie's recipe for roasted carrots and parsnips (see? I know how to give credit where credit is due). She's one hell of a cook, and this recipe is just too delicious not to share. Thanks, Katie!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and gather your ingredients (a bunch of fresh dill, 1 huge parsnip, a small bunch
of carrots, 1 lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper).

Wash and grate the outer, dirty layer off both the carrots and parsnip (especially if they're not organic!). Slice the
carrots in half lengthwise, then in half again, then cut into thirds (you want thin bite size slivers).

Do the same thing for the parsnip. Because it's larger, you'll have to make a few more cuts. You want both vegetable pieces to be similar in size so that they cook at the same rate.

In a large mixing bowl, lightly coat the mixture with extra virgin olive oil or your choice of oil (you'll need just enough
so that they don't burn, around 2 Tbs. or so).

Salt and pepper them to taste and mix well.

Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray (you won't need much) or line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Pour the vegetables over the tray and spread them out as best you can. Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes total.

While your veggies are roasting, wash and finely chop a few sprigs of dill and cut your lemon open.

After about 20 minutes, flip the veggies and place back into the oven.

You'll know they're done when they start to brown and slightly crisp after about 40-45 minutes. They should have the
texture and consistency of a french fry.

Squeeze half a lemon over each cookie sheet (this recipe makes about 2 sheets worth) and sprinkle with fresh dill.
These roasted veggies make the perfect side dish, or like I said before, can easily substitute for dessert!

Spaghetti Squash: A Healthy Twist on a Classic Meal!

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Who here loves spaghetti as much as I do? Spaghetti was ALWAYS my go-to dish in the elementary school cafeteria. When that savory smell started wafting through the halls of my school, I couldn't get to lunch fast enough. Who cared about taco day or sloppy joe day (or my white shirt, for that matter) when there was spaghetti to be eaten! My love for spaghetti didn't stop at school though, spaghetti was a staple in my family. My grandmother made it for us when we went to visit, my mom threw it together for a quick dinner and even my dad had a special spaghetti sauce recipe up his sleeve.

Shamefully, I never knew how to make spaghetti. My version of spaghetti involved a saute pan, a jar of Classico and a package of spaghetti noodles. Walah! Done in under 10 minutes! Now, while a jar of Classico or Prego isn't all that bad in the taste department, let's be honest! Homemade is just SO MUCH BETTER!

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So today, I stole Adam's spaghetti recipe and added my own twist to make it healthier! Have you ever heard of spaghetti squash? This winter squash is pretty unusual. It's a close relative of the melon and the cucumber, but once you cook it, the flesh falls apart into strings of 'spaghetti'. Besides being so fun to make (kids will love scraping the inside and watching it transform into spaghetti), spaghetti squash is an excellent addition to your meal because it's full of...

OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS - I'm sure fish come to mind when you hear the term omega-3's, but fish are not the only way to get them! The omega-3's in spaghetti squash help prevent heart disease, cancer and arthritis inflammation, and the omega-6's found in squash promote brain function.

CAROTENOIDS - Carotenoids are the natural pigments found in plants - they make the tomatoes red and the squash yellow. Spaghetti squash, and other winter squash, are chock full of them. The beta-carotene and alpha-carotene found in spaghetti squash are converted by your body into the form of vitamin A that you need to maintain normal vision and glowing skin. They also act as antioxidants, helping your body prevent and fight inflammation. Now tell me, does your pasta do that?

FOLATE - I talk a lot about folate. The natural form found in food is EXTREMELY important in preventing birth defects and helping the body repair damage. Folate can play a major part in cancer prevention, and you need to make it an important component of your diet. Eating spaghetti squash is an easy way to do just that!

POTASSIUM - Bananas aren't the only good source of potassium! C'mon, you can be a little more creative than that! Spaghetti squash provides a solid contribution to your required daily value of potassium, which your body uses to keep your muscles and nerves functioning! 

VITAMIN C - Your body needs vitamin C to support a healthy immune system. Vitamin C scavenges your body for cancer-causing free radicals and helps to neutralize them. It also makes collagen, a type of skin tissue that aids in wound healing and repair.

So you see, you could make spaghetti the old-fashioned way OR you could increase your meal's nutritional content by substituting spaghetti squash. If you cook it correctly, the squash tastes fairly neutral and won't affect the taste of your favorite dish! Even Adam was pleasantly surprised! 

So here we go... healthy spaghetti with spaghetti squash!

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the outside of the squash and pat it dry.
Then, if you're not a man, find one. Sometimes you need a little extra muscle to cut the squash in half length-wise.

Now get rid of the man (j/k) and scoop out the center.
You'll want that part to look clean and smooth when you're finished.

Fill a baking dish with 1/2 inch of water and lay the squash in (cut side down). Pop into the oven and set your alarm
for 45 minutes. Cooking can take anywhere from 45-60 minutes, so you'll want to check it along the way.
Meanwhile, on to the sauce...

I like to prep everything before I start cooking. NOTE: This recipe is for 1 batch of spaghetti (makes 3-4 servings).
You can easily double to have tomorrow's dinner ready and waiting! Finely chop 2-3 cloves of garlic.

Finely chop 1 medium-sized red onion.

Chop 1 package of white button tomatoes.

Chop 1 can of small black olives (or leave these out if you don't care for them). At this point, you can also
use a potato peeler to peel a few carrots. I use the potato peeler because it gives me see-through slices that I can't
create with just a knife.

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1-2 Tbs. of extra virgin olive oil.

Throw in the garlic, red onion, and carrot slices (optional). Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now, instead of using ground beef, we opt for lean ground turkey. I swear you won't notice the difference and
you'll be doing your body a favor.

Add the turkey to the garlic/onion mixture and cook all the way through (approx. 5 minutes - no pink left).
While it's cooking, spice it up a bit with a dash of pepper, garlic salt, dried basil or red pepper (whatever you like)!
Once it's cooked, if your pan is swimming in oil or fat, just dump a bit out (if you don't, the sauce will end up soupy).

Now add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.

Throw in the olives, 1 can of diced tomatoes and 1 large can of crushed tomatoes.

Because I'm obsessed with spices, I add a bit more at this point. Make it your own!

Now I don't believe in sugar, but Adam does. It will make your spaghetti taste a little more sweet. Add 1 Tbs. at your own discretion (by no means is this a requirement). 

While the sauce is heating through, add 1-2 Tbs. of balsamic vinegar.

Once it's heated through, you're done! Look at that beautiful sauce! 

Now for the squash... it's done with you can pull it into strands with a fork and it still retains it's shape. We had a
humongous squash and it took exactly 1 hour. A small or medium squash will be closer to 45 minutes.

Have fun scraping the insides into spaghetti. I recommend putting the strands in a strainer
to remove excess water (just like you'd do for pasta). 

Then plate that healthy spaghetti up and enjoy! Think anyone will notice the difference?

Kale: No Longer the 'Jan Brady' of the Cabbage Family

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My brother's name is Cale, dangerously close to the spelling of our vegetable of the day. As a child, this made me giggle. My brother was named after a vegetable. WHAT in the world were my parents thinking? He would clearly be scarred when the little kids at school put two and two together.

If only the little kids had known how cool kale really is!

Kale has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. It was a staple of the Greek and Roman diets. Just recently, it came into the spotlight because of its 'superfood' status. It's also relatively inexpensive and easy to work into your meals.

Here's why you should jump on the 'kale train' ASAP. Kale is...

• A great source of vitamin C (which boosts your immune system), vitamin K (for bone health) and vitamin A (for healthy mucus membranes, skin and eyes).
• High in fiber.
• Full of health promoting phytochemicals that protect against prostate and colon cancers.
• Rich in iron (which helps protect you from anemia).
• Rich in carotenoids (strong antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties).
• Extremely low in calories and contains no fat.

I'm a huge fan of kale chips. Here's what you do...

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Thoroughly wash the kale and pat dry.

Tear the each leaf in half, discarding the stem. Then tear each half into 'chip size' pieces.

Drizzle the pieces with a light coat of olive oil...

...Then toss to coat evenly.

Place your chips on a non-stick baking pan, making sure they are evenly spaced (this is key!).

Now, bake the chips for 20 minutes total, flipping the chips halfway through so that both sides bake evenly. Allow to cool and enjoy! Oh...and eat as many as you want! They're good for you!

Here are some other great recipes to get you started...

PASTA WITH BLACK KALE, CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND PARSNIPS:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pasta-with-black-kale-caramelized-onions-parsnips-10000002012801/

Image courtesy of myrecipes.com

KALE WITH ROASTED PEPPERS AND OLIVES:

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/kale-roasted-peppers-olives-10000000524082/index.html

Image courtesy of realsimple.com

KALE, APPLE AND PANCETTA SALAD:

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/02/serious-salads-kale-apple-and-pancetta-salad.html

Image courtesy of seriouseats.com