Read A Good Food Day: Reboot Your Health with Food That Tastes Great Online
Authors: Marco Canora,Tammy Walker
A Good Food Day: Reboot Your Health with Food That Tastes Great (32 page)
LAMB
STEW
SERVES 6
STEW
SERVES 6
Grass-fed lamb is a great alternative to beef—it’s tender, just as versatile, and can be very lean when trimmed well. The smell of lamb simmering with Indian spices and hearty, aromatic vegetables is intoxicating. The size of the vegetables for your stew is a matter of preference—big, chunky pieces or a small dice—either way works. Plain Greek yogurt is a surprise ingredient here; it adds tangy richness and thickens the broth. It seems like a minor addition, but I wouldn’t make this without it.
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Feel free to substitute veal stew meat or boneless chicken thighs here.
2 pounds grass-fed lamb stew meat, trimmed of excess fat
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 small yellow onions, roughly chopped (about 1½ cups)
3 small carrots, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 small Japanese or regular sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 bay leaves
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
¼ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 cup frozen peas
1
Let the lamb come to room temperature about 20 minutes before cooking. Season the lamb with salt and pepper.
Let the lamb come to room temperature about 20 minutes before cooking. Season the lamb with salt and pepper.
2
Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and turn the heat to high. When you see wisps of smoke from the pan, add half the lamb and cook without touching it for 2 minutes. Turn each piece and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the lamb to a bowl to rest. Repeat with the remaining lamb.
Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and turn the heat to high. When you see wisps of smoke from the pan, add half the lamb and cook without touching it for 2 minutes. Turn each piece and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the lamb to a bowl to rest. Repeat with the remaining lamb.
3
Add the onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, and a big pinch of salt to the same pan. (There should be a little fat still in the pan, but if it seems dry, add another tablespoon of olive oil.) Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and begin to take on a little browning, about 5 minutes. Add the spices, bay leaves, garlic, and ginger and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables.
Add the onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, and a big pinch of salt to the same pan. (There should be a little fat still in the pan, but if it seems dry, add another tablespoon of olive oil.) Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and begin to take on a little browning, about 5 minutes. Add the spices, bay leaves, garlic, and ginger and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables.
4
Return the lamb to the pan along with the tomatoes and just enough water to cover the lamb and vegetables, about 2 cups. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, then cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer, stirring a couple of times, until the lamb is tender and the stew has thickened, about 1 hour.
Return the lamb to the pan along with the tomatoes and just enough water to cover the lamb and vegetables, about 2 cups. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, then cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer, stirring a couple of times, until the lamb is tender and the stew has thickened, about 1 hour.
5
Stir in the yogurt and peas, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 15 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the yogurt and peas, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 15 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
SNACKS CAN BE A DOUBLE-EDGED
sword. They’re good for keeping energy levels up and preventing you from overeating at your next meal, but they’re also notorious for wrecking an otherwise good food day. Most easy-to-reach-for snack foods are processed, junky, and full of simple carbs—the kind of food that leads you to nail a meal’s worth of calories in a few minutes without realizing it.
sword. They’re good for keeping energy levels up and preventing you from overeating at your next meal, but they’re also notorious for wrecking an otherwise good food day. Most easy-to-reach-for snack foods are processed, junky, and full of simple carbs—the kind of food that leads you to nail a meal’s worth of calories in a few minutes without realizing it.
Chips, crackers, cookies, muffins, even so-called “healthy” snacks like granola bars and organic cheese puffs, are often engineered by big food companies to be addictive. Teams of people in lab coats are creating food that piles on sugar, salt, and fat to a degree of maximum flavor they call “the bliss point.” I used to get blissed out on a package of Chips Ahoy cookies on my way home from work, polishing off an entire sleeve as a “snack.” Because it was full of sugar, it did nothing to stave off my hunger, so I kept on eating. Those moments are rarer now, but there are still times when I’m drawn to the salty snack aisle at the bodega across the street from Hearth. Before I know it, I purchase and tear into a bag of cheese Doritos, and once I start eating them, there’s no stopping until the bag is empty. They
are designed to have that exact effect: If processed foods are in the mix, snacking is almost guaranteed to get out of hand.
are designed to have that exact effect: If processed foods are in the mix, snacking is almost guaranteed to get out of hand.
These days, my first line of defense against destructive snacking habits is making smart food choices for my main meals. I find that when I fill up on protein, fiber, and good fats, I don’t have to rely on snacks often. I also don’t raid the fridge every time I feel the slightest hunger pang. I think this contributes to a lack of consciousness about what true hunger feels like, and it kick-starts constant snacking.
My other snack strategy is preparation. On work nights, my dinner is usually early-bird style, about 5 p.m. By the time Hearth’s dinner service is over six hours later, I’m starving. I don’t do meals at that hour anymore, but I still need something to take the edge off my hunger before going to bed. This is when it pays to be prepared with snacks like the ones here. Being hungry without a quality snack on hand leads to crazy impulse choices like vending machine garbage, the pint of ice cream in the fridge, or the cookies and ham-and-potato-chip sandwiches I used to fatten up on.
While things like carrot sticks and plain raw almonds are quality snacks, these don’t usually cut it for me. I need something with big flavor and a combination of nutrients like healthy fats, protein, and fiber from complex carbohydrates to quiet the rumble of hunger. A small portion of last night’s dinner leftovers is one of my favorite snacks—a few bites of roasted broccoli with a nugget of roast chicken or several spoonfuls of quinoa with some avocado slices.
Traditional snacks come into play more when I’m running around and need something portable, or when crunchy, salty cravings hit. Since I like having a stash on hand (and it’s no added effort to make extras), I’ve scaled all the snack recipes to cups and quarts. The nuts, seeds, and popcorns here are also the sort of sharable snacks I put out as little nibbles when we have friends over. While my snacks haven’t been tested for their bliss point, I can tell you the bowls are always emptied and everyone seems pretty damn happy.
SPICED
PUMPKIN SEEDS
MAKES 2 CUPS
PUMPKIN SEEDS
MAKES 2 CUPS
In the world of portable protein-filled snacks, nuts get all the attention, but pumpkin seeds are an equally smart choice. I use hulled pumpkin seeds that I buy in bulk at the grocery store, but you can substitute seeds from a fresh pumpkin—the white shell is perfectly edible. A quarter cup of these will do you right when you need a spicy-sweet and crunchy snack. As a garnish, toss them on salads, soups, yogurt, or oatmeal.
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Pumpkin seeds have a healthy dose of omega-3s and the immune system supporter zinc. They’re also the only seed that is alkaline-forming.
2 cups raw hulled pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2
In a large bowl, toss together the seeds, maple syrup, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until they are evenly coated. Spread the seeds in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.
In a large bowl, toss together the seeds, maple syrup, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until they are evenly coated. Spread the seeds in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.
3
Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, until the seeds puff up and are lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Let them cool before storing in an airtight container.
Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, until the seeds puff up and are lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Let them cool before storing in an airtight container.
EVERYTHING GOOD GRANOLA
MAKES ABOUT 8 CUPS
MAKES ABOUT 8 CUPS
Most commercially made granolas are sugar bombs full of corn syrup, highly refined oils, and questionable fillers—far from the virtuous food that the package leads us to think it is. Making your own is simple and more affordable, and allows you to control the type and amount of sweetener and oil. You also have the freedom to throw in whatever nuts, fruits, and seeds you like. In this version, I go with everything but the kitchen sink. The combination of three seeds with coconut flakes and cashews make it super-crunchy. I know granolas generally live among the breakfast foods in cookbooks, but it’s more of a snack for me. I’ll have a couple of handfuls to tide me over between meals, drop some into yogurt, or pack it up for traveling.
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You can substitute regular honey, but it’s worth looking for chestnut honey. It has a mildly nutty, almost savory, taste that gives the granola a complex, dark sweetness.
⅓ cup virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons unsulfured blackstrap molasses
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons chestnut honey
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup chia seeds
½ cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds
½ cup raw hulled sunflower seeds
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Fine sea salt
½ cup dried cranberries
1
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2
In a small saucepan, combine the coconut oil, 2 tablespoons water, cinnamon, ginger, molasses, maple syrup, and honey and whisk over medium-low heat until everything is melted together, 3 to 5 minutes.
In a small saucepan, combine the coconut oil, 2 tablespoons water, cinnamon, ginger, molasses, maple syrup, and honey and whisk over medium-low heat until everything is melted together, 3 to 5 minutes.
3
In a large bowl, combine the oats, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, coconut flakes, and a couple of pinches of salt. Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, coconut flakes, and a couple of pinches of salt. Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
4
Divide the granola between the baking sheets and spread in a thin, even layer. Bake for 30 minutes, then stir with a spatula. Continue baking until the oats are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheets; it will harden and become crispy as it sits. Divide the dried cranberries between the two batches and toss to combine. Store in airtight containers at room temperature. (This also freezes like a champ.)
Divide the granola between the baking sheets and spread in a thin, even layer. Bake for 30 minutes, then stir with a spatula. Continue baking until the oats are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheets; it will harden and become crispy as it sits. Divide the dried cranberries between the two batches and toss to combine. Store in airtight containers at room temperature. (This also freezes like a champ.)
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