My Foodie Call | Dial in to your health.

- Make friends with…Bean Pasta.
  
  Posted at 8:00 pm by myfoodiecall
  
  Nov 2nd
  
  Bean pasta.
  
  Sounds like an oxymoron of some sort.
  
  But it’s a thing.
  
  yes. These are beans camouflaged as pasta. For real, just beans.
  
  And because these products are just beans, they are naturally gluten-free.
  
  If your into that sort of thing, which I am.
  
  For those of you that don’t know, I got a Celiac diagnosis back in March after a biopsy from my Endoscopy showed damaged intestinal villi. I have a long history of GI problems (10+ years) so this was both a shock and a relief to finally have some answers.
  
  Yes, I did mourn the loss of certain wheat and other gluten containing foods. Corona on a hot day, cake batter ice cream, and Trader Joe’s Kringle. RIP old friends.
  
  On a positive note, this is a great time to be living with a Celiac diagnosis. The gluten-free trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, so there are many other fantastic options out there to fill the void.
  
  I can’t live without carb-y alternatives. These are a fave of mine. So, so good. Pfft. Who needs gluten.
  
  But gluten-free pasta? That’s a different story. I had already tried several gluten-free pastas (made from rice) before my diagnosis, but what I found with most of those pastas is that they were just not good. I found the pasta to either be slimy, clumpy and just not worth the time or effort. That said, when I found out that I had Celiac Disease and could no longer have anything with wheat or gluten, I had to venture a bit further to get my fix.
  
  Best discovery ever?
  
  Bean pastas.
  
  High protein. Just beans and water.
  
  First off, I can’t believe the nutrition profile of these babies. Just beans. What?
  
  Seriously.
  
  And check this out.
  
  25 g of protein in one serving?
  
  And let’s not kid ourselves. I’m not eating one serving.
  
  So come again. 50 grams of PLANT-BASED protein in 2 servings?
  
  You ask, but how does it taste?
  
  Happy to report that it tastes fantastic and has amazing texture. Chewy, but not rubbery.
  
  I have been eating bean pastas for about 6 months now and am super psyched to have these in my kitchen arsenal.
  
  Worth noting, the My Foodie Call kids approve of this pasta as well. Once they got past the funky color…
  
  yes. looks weird…but they got over it and you can too.
  
  Here is where I purchase my bean pastas.
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Explore-Asian-Organic-Spaghetti-7-05-Ounce/dp/B004NSG8F6
  
  Of course today’s post wouldn’t be complete without a recent recipe I whipped up to get you going on your bean pasta journey (if there was such a thing.)
  
  …and its a one pot recipe. So no mound of dishes to do. Sweet.
  
  Here is what you start with.
  
  Cook up that pasta with your bouillon cube.
  
  Add the jar of pesto.
  
  Add your diced tomatoes and (gasp) more beans….
  
  That’s pretty much it.
  
  Ingredients
  
  1 package Black Bean Pasta (7.05 oz)
  4 cups water
  1-2 Vegetable Flavor Bouillon Cubes (to taste)
  1 jar Pesto (7 or 8 oz)
  1 can No Salt Diced Tomatoes (14.5 oz) (Why no salt? Check out the sodium in those bouillon cubes. Plenty of salt. you don’t need it in the diced tomatoes.)
  1 can Cannellini (white kidney beans) rinsed and drained
  1/2- 3/4 cup fresh Parmesan Cheese (to taste)
  
  Directions
  Add pasta, water and bouillon to a large saucepan.
  Bring to a boil. Cook according to package directions, stirring frequently. When pasta is tender, do not drain, but reduce heat to low.
  Stir in jar of pesto.
  Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has reduced slightly.
  Stir in diced tomatoes and can of beans.
  Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
  Sprinkle with cheese before serving. Season to taste.
  
  Hearty, filling and seriously delicious.
  
  Posted in Make friends with..., Meatless mealtime | Tagged beans, gluten free, pasta, vegetarian
- Whole Wheat Flax ‘N Apple Muffins
  
  Posted at 8:00 pm by myfoodiecall
  
  Oct 23rd
  Whole wheat flour, seasonal apples and heart-healthy walnuts? What’s not to like.
  
  Although it’s October, apple season is thriving and there are still many amazing recipes to be made. As I write this I can smell the delicious apple turnovers I have baking up in the oven. I love to have something hot out of the oven and aromatic for my kids get home.
  I’m not sure about your kids, but mine come home from school spent and so grumpy. I presume its the long days mixed with just being flat out starving.
  
  “Yes, learning about the rivers in the South can be daunting, my dear 3rd grader….”
  
  That said often times I’ll look in my children’s lunch boxes to see foods barely touched. Their excuse is usually “I didn’t have time…” which is kind of mind boggling to me because I always make time to eat. Who doesn’t have time to eat?
  
  However, whether that’s the case (or not) or maybe they are just avoiding the specific foods that I pack, I can never be sure. What I am certain of is that to come home to a the scent of apple and cinnamon is a recipe for success.
  
  Here is a recent concoction that I made to diffuse the afternoon fuss.
  
  Here’s what you’ll need to gather.
  
  Mix up your dry. See the flaxseed meal? Not flaxseeds.
  
  Next my egg mixture.
  
  Mixing my wet into dry…
  
  Folded in apples and walnuts. Its thick, don’t worry…
  
  pile it in…
  
  healthy.
  
  Whole Wheat Flax ‘N Apple Muffins
  
  Ingredients
  - 1/4 cup flaxseed meal (not flaxseeds. You want the powder stuff. If you only have flaxseeds, pop them in your coffee grinder and pulse it a few times until it’s a powder)
  - 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
  - 1/2 cup sugar
  - 2 tsp baking powder
  - 1/2 tsp baking soda
  - 1/2 tsp salt
  - 1 egg, beaten
  - 1 1/2 cups finely chopped ORGANIC Apples. Here’s a reminder why.
  - 3 Tbs grapeseed oil
  - 1/2 almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (you could omit these, but walnuts pack a big dose of plant-based omega 3’s, I say load up!)
  Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pre-treat muffin tins.
  2. Blend dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. In a seprate bowl combine egg, grape seed oil and milk.
  4. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stir until just blended.
  5. Fold in chopped apples and nuts. (Don’t worry the batter will be thick!)
  6. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes back clean.
  Posted in Breakfast, Snacks | Tagged flax, walnuts, whole wheat
- Small changes…Eat what’s in season.
  
  Posted at 8:00 pm by myfoodiecall
  
  Oct 11th
  
  Woah, fall snuck up on me. Almost missed my apple moment.
  
  This guy.
  
  Do you embrace fall flavors and choose your food by the season?
  
  Apples in September, Pumpkin-laced EVERYTHING through October and beyond…
  
  Here’s a personal apple fave:
  
  Trader Joe’s Honey Crisp Cider.
  
  It’s “seasonal” and is crazy good. Love Honey Crisp apples. To have it in cider form? Seriously.
  
  But hey, I’m getting off topic.
  
  Do you eat seasonally?
  
  …on purpose?
  
  Here are 5 reasons you should try to PURPOSELY stay in season when planning your weekly menu.
  
  1)Better Flavor
  
  Duh. Seems obvious, but really, how do those packs of strawberries taste in January? They certainly don’t come close to the juiciness as if they were picked in June. If you choose produce that is in its rightful season, the flavor will be at its peak. (What to do in the winter? Buy the berries frozen. You will never catch me buying fresh blueberries in January. Like, ever.)
  
  2)More Nutrition
  
  Produce have way more nutrients when eaten in season. Think about it. If an organic apple is grown, picked, and packaged in New Zealand, by the time it reaches the states it’s already lost some of its nutritional value. A seasonal fruit or vegetable usually doesn’t have to endure as much travel, so it will be able to retain vital nutrients.
  
  3) Enhances your Creativity
  
  Want to feel like Bobby Flay? Step out of your comfort zone. When you eat seasonally, sometimes you are forced to explore new vegetables. Maybe its time to learn new recipes and get creative in the kitchen. For example, about 10 years ago I received a CSA box with celeriac in it. Had NO clue what to do with it.
  
  Do you know what this baby is? Crazy looking thing. Celeriac (yes, like celery). Anyhow, this became soup in my household. and it was good. Came so close to being the soup that never was (sad face)….but hey, I was forced to venture out.
  
  4) It helps to support your body’s needs
  
  Eating seasonally is better for your bodies needs during that particular time of year. A good example of this? Think about your traditional summer produce: Watermelon, berries, cucumbers…all very hydrating during the hot summer months. Autumn vegetables? Squashes, yams….All starchy, complex carbohydrates and a bit more dense. Your body needs preparation for the colder months.
  
  5) It’s better for the environment
  
  It is way easier to get locally produced foods when it is in season, therefore it doesn’t need to travel as much. Remember my example above about the organic apple from New Zealand? The apple would need to travel by air, boat or truck…Any form of transportation produces fossil fuels, which creates whats called a carbon footprint. So the further it travels, the larger the carbon footprint. So yeah, we are inadvertently messing with those poor polar bears habitat. Aren’t we all trying to help global warming not hurt it?
  
  Peace out and go local.
  
  Hey, did you know that this October 24th is Food Day??? Perfect day to practice.
  
  http://www.foodday.org//
  
  Posted in Small changes
- Whole Wheat Broccoli Mac N Cheese
  
  Posted at 8:00 pm by myfoodiecall
  
  Aug 27th
  
  Mac n cheese for the family that doesn’t want to give up mac n cheese.
  
  So my oldest loves mac n cheese. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it on the blog 12 times but she does. I mean what kid doesn’t. But she REALLY loves mac n cheese. Recently she had to create a “me” box for school and include things in it about herself. Guess what was included in this 15 year old’s box? A box of mac n cheese. Right next to her fashion design books was a box of Annie’s. True story.
  
  While I am definitely guilty of using Annie’s (many of times,) I do on occasion bust out my vegan mac n cheese recipe from time to time. While everyone likes it just fine and they certainly would not turn down any form of pasta, I am pretty sure they long for the real deal fat-laden mac n cheese. So here is my attempt at a healthier, non-veganized REAL mac n cheese.
  
  With broccoli.
  
  Vegetables have to be somewhere in the mix. duh.
  
  Here is how I started.
  
  I whisked up my cheese, flour and other dry ingredients.
  
  Meanwhile broccoli was roasting.
  
  I chopped it a bit further when it was done.
  
  All the while, my pot was busy cooking up some macaroni.
  
  Next I combined my drained, hot macaroni with the cheese concoction.
  
  Added my dose of green!
  
  Piled it into the casserole dish…added more cheese, my milk…dotted my butter…
  
  Baked… and voila. The finished product.
  
  Broccoli Mac n Cheese
  
  INGREDIENTS:
  16 ounce package whole wheat macaroni
  16 ounce package of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
  ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
  Salt and pepper to taste
  1 1/4 cups almond milk
  1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  
  1 head of broccoli (chopped and drizzled with a tablespoon oil of choice)
  
  DIRECTIONS:
  1) Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a casserole dish or a 9×13 pan. Set aside.
  
  2) Combine 2 1/4 cups cheese and nutritional yeast with dry ingredients (flour, ground mustard, salt and pepper).
  
  3) Spray a foil lined cookie sheet. Roast broccoli for 30 minutes and remove from oven, but keep the oven on because you will need it for your mac n cheese.
  4) While broccoli is roasting, cook macaroni according to package directions.
  
  5) Once macaroni is done, drain and return to pan.
  
  6) Combine cheese mixture with hot macaroni and stir.
  
  7) Add roasted broccoli and then fold whole mixture into the casserole dish.
  
  8) Pour milk over macaroni.
  
  9) Top with remaining cheese and dot with butter
  
  10) Bake for 35-45 minutes or until firm and golden brown. (You can stick a knife in the center to see if it has firmed up.)
  11) Let sit for 10-20 minutes before serving to set (like you would a lasagna).
  
  Posted in Meatless mealtime | Tagged broccoli, nutritional yeast, pasta, whole wheat
- What I pack my kid.
  
  Posted at 8:00 pm by myfoodiecall
  
  Mar 10th
  
  Hey. Are you still caring about your kids’ lunches this late in the year? Are you still writing little love notes of positivity? If yes, I hate you and move on to the next blog. 😕
  
  Today’s post is for people who seriously just can’t deal with the lunch bag process. No more ideas. Tapped out.
  
  This is about the time of year where we wind up shoving a hunk of bread (the heel) in our kid’s lunch to stop the insanity and get to the real to-do’s of the night. DVR and wine.
  
  If you are lacking lunch time inspiration, check out my non-fancy post on what I pack my kid. No Pinterest degree required.
  
  Non-fancy.
  
  A closer look.
  
  First up, the sandwich. Made on bagel thin bread.
  
  Today lets do almond butter, shall we?
  
  See nothing fancy. The bread is not shaped like a swan or anything cute you’d see on Pinterest.
  
  Let’s add some honey so my kid doesn’t complain.
  
  Poor dear. Here’s your honey, honey.
  
  Completed sandwich.
  
  Time for some vitamins. Cut mango always goes over well when I am feeling ambitious. Ambitious in that I actually have to cut their fruit. Apples, although easy to pack, can sometimes be such a snooze for a kids lunch…zzzz…and I hate that they get tossed in the school’s compost bin instead of eaten. (Hey, I wasn’t born yesterday. I know what my kid does with his apple.)
  
  Veggie next. Sliced red peppers. Check out the color on these. Awesome.
  
  Next up? Pre-packaged cashews from Trader Joe’s. Healthy fat and protein in a cute little sealed bag. Easy.
  
  Yogurt tube. Protein and calcium. Unsure why kids gravitate toward things titled squishers, but in this case it works for me.
  
  And the sweet treat to round out our lunch bag? A large, left-over chocolate chip cookie from our last batch.
  
  See? Clearly, I have not broken a sweat.
  
  Posted in What I pack my kid.
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