Sweet Treat Recipe Roundup
Post by Paula Jahn, Co-owner and Registered Dietitian at Nourish Northwest
Sugar has been on my mind lately. It has also been a hot topic in the media and the subject of scientific scrutiny in the last couple years. Today, we presented our most popular corporate wellness talk called Shake the Sugar. Since Nourish Northwest opened three years ago this month (happy birthday, little business!), we have delivered that talk at least 20 times. This presentation resonates with almost everyone. The sweet stuff has such a hold on us; with new research suggesting its addictive properties, it’s easy to see why the relationship is so strong.
One of the reasons we consume too much sugar as a society, is that sugar is in many packaged products that are not even trying to be sweet. I have many clients who would not define themselves as having a “sweet tooth,” but who eat more than the recommended daily amount of sugar (about 25 grams or less for women) from processed foods such as condiments, crackers, chips, granola bars, and cereal. According to a study conducted by the Environmental Working Group, the average cold breakfast cereal contains more than 9 grams of added sugar per serving.
I really like pastry chef Emily Luchetti’s philosophy on sweets. She started a campaign called DessertWorthy to raise awareness of our sugar problem and offers sound advice on when and how to indulge in a special sweet treat. It must be serious is a pastry chef is telling us to eat less sugar.
As a dietitian, I take the no-deprivation approach. I encourage intentional, meaningful choices when a craving strikes. Eat a favorite dessert that has been well-made and that tastes really good. Eat it mindfully. In the context of a diet full of lots of vegetables and other whole foods, the occasional indulgence of the real deal will not contribute significantly to overall sugar intake.
It’s all the better if your treat of choice is full of nutrient-dense whole foods and minimally process sweetener. I’ve compiled a list of our favorite sweet treats at Nourish. They are made with wholesome ingredients and are satisfying and decadent. Just like dessert should be.
Here they are, in no particular order:
Poached Pears with Wine and Walnut Cream
From forest to plate: A Feast of Nettles
Post by Olivia Martino, Registered Dietitian and Co-Owner, Nourish Northwest
My grad school experience was very different from many other dietitians. Instead of learning the guidelines of the Food Guide Pyramid and how many servings of dairy you were supposed to eat a day, we were out in the woods learning how to harvest stinging nettles. Then we brought them back into our teaching kitchen and made nettle souffles, while learning about their high calcium content. These experiences were what made me passionate about nutrition. Not only was I learning to challenge conventional beliefs, but how exciting to be able to find nutritious foods right in your backyard and to develop the skills to make them into a delicious meal.
I moved out of the Northwest for a few years to work in Kentucky, in a environment where even if nettles were available, if I told a patient to go harvest some instead of drinking milk, I probably would have been fired from my job. I found myself quickly having to adapt some of my ideals to become more realistic. Flash forward to now and I am working at my own practice in Portland, where I am able to blend some of those fun things I learned at Bastyr, along with realistic, individualized patient goals. Because let’s be honest, how many times have I even foraged my own nettles? The answer would be twice, the time I just told you about and the time I am about to tell you about. Apparently, nettles would not be a good, reliable source of calcium for me. I need to learn to get it other ways on the daily basis and I get an extra boost of the bone building nutrient when I do make the effort to get out and do some harvesting. But when I do get that chance every few years, it reminds me of my passion for nutrition, discovering new things and living healthfully. This spring, if you live in the northwest, give nettles a try and inspire yourself to be healthy!
Finding Nettles
Nettles grow in early spring in areas of lower elevation in wet soil. I found a ton of them at the Aldrich Butte Hike in Southwest Washington They grow anywhere from 3-8 feet tall and look like this:
If you have any doubt whether or not it’s a nettle, you will know when it stings you. However, you really don’t want that to happen; it really does hurt and leaves a rash that can last for a couple of days. Do your research ahead of time, look at several pictures of them and wear long sleeves and pants, gardening gloves and bring gardening sheers and a paper bag. Once you spot them, there are usually a ton more in the area.
Working with Nettles
If you aren’t going to work with the nettles right away use tongs to transfer them into an airtight container and put them in the fridge. Use them within a few days. When ready to use, bring a large pot of water to a boil and transfer leaves into the water with tongs. Prepare an ice bath nearby. Boil nettles for 1 minute then plunge into the ice water and let sit for another minute. Dry on clean kitchen towels.
Now you are ready to use them in cooking! There are many different ways to use nettles, but I typically think of them as any other green and use them like I would kale, spinach, chard etc. Since I had harvested so many, I wanted to experiment with a few different ways of using them. I invited some friends over to share in my bounty, and here is what we had:
Nettle Pesto with Corn Cakes
adapted from Edible Portland
Makes 1 generous cup
Ingredients:
3 cups raw stinging nettles
3 medium garlic cloves
1/4 walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Using tongs or gloves, measure 3 tightly packed cups of raw young nettle tops. Add them to salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, drain immediately and then place the greens in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Cool, strain and squeeze dry using a tea towel to remove every drop of moisture that you can.
2. Coarsely chop the nettles to make about 1 cup. Add them to the bowl of a food processor with the garlic cloves and walnuts. While pulsing, slowly add the olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper You might add a small knob of soft butter and a squeeze of lemon juice if it needs brightening. Blend once more to incorporate the final additions.
Nettle Chive Soup
from the Herb Farm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld
Ingredients
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 cups stock
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp long-grain white rice
1 Tsp salt
6 ounces blanched nettle leaves
1 cup coarsely snipped chives
freshly ground black pepper
Garnish: creme fraiche/yogurt sour cream/heavy cream; chives
Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion and cook about sick minutes. Add stock, mushrooms, rice and salt and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the rice is very soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Add blanched nettle leaves ad chives and blend in a food processor or using an immersion blender. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as necessary.
4. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and chives
Arugula Salad with Pickled Radishes and Nettle Miso Dressing
from the cozyherbivoreblogspot.com
- 2 large cherry radishes
- 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon rice wine or mirin
- pinch of sea salt & freshly cracked pepper
- 1 1/2 cup (loosely packed) blanched stinging nettles (see instructions for blanching below)
- 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mellow miso paste
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- pinch of sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 handfuls fresh arugula, washed and spun dry
- 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese, divided (optional, omit for a vegan salad)
- 2 teaspoons sunflower seeds or pepitas, divided
- Make the pickles: in a shallow bowl, combine champagne vinegar, mirin, sea salt & pepper. Place sliced radishes in bowl and set aside.
- Assemble dressing. To blanch the nettles: bring a large stockpot of salted water to a rapid boil. Place a bowl of ice water next to the stove. Wearing heavy kitchen gloves and using tongs, carefully submerge fresh stinging nettles in the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove nettles from boiling water with tongs and immediately submerge in ice bath. After 60 seconds, remove nettles from ice bath and place on a clean kitchen towel. Roll nettles up in kitchen towel and squeeze all excess moisture out. (The blanching water can then be drunk as a tincture– stinging nettle tea is a diuretic and is said to reduce inflammation)
- Place blanched nettles, apple cider vinegar, miso paste, and agave nectar in a stand blender. Season with a healthy pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. With the blender running, carefully stream in olive oil until a smooth consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Assemble salad: remove radishes from vinegar. (Save radish-infused vinegar for another salad dressing!) Toss fresh arugula in a couple tablespoons of dressing, or until each leaf is evenly coated but not soggy. Arrange dressed arugula on a plate and garnish with crumbled goat cheese, pickled radish rounds and pepitas. Savor this season of new beginnings.
Nettle Flatbread with Fontina, Mushrooms and Coppa
I made this one up by putting above ingredients on a homemade pizza dough.
Everything (and Anything) Breakfast Cookies
Post by Paula Jahn, Co-owner and Registered Dietitian at Nourish Northwest
It is easy to get stuck in a rut with breakfast. Not only is it the meal that most frequently lacks variety, but it is also eaten early, so the mindlessness that comes with monotony is often welcome.
I, Paula Jahn, registered dietitian, give you permission to break away from the same ol’ breakfast and eat cookies!
Not that anyone needs permission to eat cookies ever, but the act seems to need a good reason when it’s first thing in the morning. Well, look no further than this recipe for justification. These are healthy, balanced cookies full of plant-based protein and healthy fats to keep you satisfied and energetic throughout the morning.
They are also a great way to use up odd bits of nuts, seeds and dried fruit lurking in the cupboard. I cleaned out my pantry and discovered some obscure, but perfectly good, bags of dried fruit and seeds. Dried persimmons are not a common snack. But, chopped up, they are perfect add-ins.
Use creative freedom with the recipe below. The amounts of wet and dry ingredients help to form a dough but feel free to use any and all mix-ins. It is like a choose your own adventure cookie.
Everything (and Anything) Breakfast Cookies
Makes about 18 cookies
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup nut or seed butter (almond, peanut, sunflower)
2 Tbs pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs chia seeds
2 Tbs hemp seeds
½ cup all-purpose flour (whole wheat, gluten free blend)
1 ½ cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbs fat (melted grassfed butter, coconut oil, avocado oil)
¼ cup chopped dried fruit (unsweetened, unsulfured) I used chopped persimmons and prunes
Mix-ins…Cacao nibs, chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips……Go crazy!
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl mash the bananas, then add almond butter, applesauce, baking powder, baking soda, fat of choice, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla. Stir.
- Add oats, flour, chia seeds and hemp seeds. Mix well.
- Add dried fruit and optional mix-ins.
- Drop cookies by spoonfuls on a baking sheet and press down slightly to flatten. Make them as uniform in size as possible (generously rounded tablespoons).
- Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden brown.
- Rest on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in an air-tight container to keep fresh for up to 5 days.
A Case for Pizza! And a recipe for perfect dough
Post by Olivia Martino, Registered Dietitian and Co-Owner, Nourish Northwest
Pizza is healthy. You can quote me on that. Of course, there is a spectrum of health to discuss following that statement. Let’s put a meat lover’s double stuffed crust on one end and a homemade veggie pizza with whole grain or cornmeal crust on another. There’s a lot that falls in between and will suit you depending on your overall diet and nutrition goals. Following our overall philosophy on nutrition and making sure everything is balanced, focused around vegetables and home-cooked as often as possible, you can certainly make a pizza choice that fits our definition of healthy.
A little tip to to make that home-cooked part a little easier is to make your own dough ahead of time and freeze it. The following recipe makes 4 balls of dough, so it’s perfect for saving for later. I have also been known to stock up on Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods pizza dough to make life even more easy. Sometimes, I look forward to the meditative kneading of the dough, while other times the task feels overwhelming and messy.
Another tip that is not necessary but highly recommended is to get a pizza stone. A pizza stone not only makes the crust super crispy and delicious but it makes the cooking time really fast. Once you get the stone and the oven pre-heated, the pizza itself will only take 5-8 minutes to cook. If you have the dough pre-made, you can assemble and bake a whole pizza in 15 minutes. That’s less time than it will take to order a pizza and get it delivered. It’s also a fraction of the price and it’s a fun thing to do with the family or friends. Have everyone bring their own topping and make it a pizza party!
That brings me to my last tip… get creative with toppings and chose lots of veggies. In the winter we like to top pizzas with roasted veggies; in the summer sauteed zucchini. An ofcourse, you gotta throw some kale on there for good measure.
PIZZA DOUGH
Makes 4, 12” pizzas
Ingredients
1 ¾ warm water
1 packet dry yeast
1 Tbs honey
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1-2 cups whole wheat flour*
2-3 cups white bread flour
PROCEDURE
- Place water, yeast, and honey in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
- Add oil, 1 cup whole wheat flour, then salt and mix together.
- Add the rest of the flour as needed and knead into soft dough. Knead for about 15 minutes and add flour as needed. Leave in a warm place and rise until tripled in volume. This may take about 2-3 hours.
4. Cut dough into 4-5 equal pieces and roll into balls. Place on oiled tray, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The flavor is more developed if left overnight. Remove from refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes before using
5. Flour crust well before shaping.
6. Using your fists, stretch the dough into a thin disc.
7. Place on the back of a cookie sheet or a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal.
8. Place toppings on dough, leaving a border for the crust. Make sure to not overload the pizza with toppings. This will cause the crust to not bake properly.
9. Place pizza stone in oven and preheat for at least 30 minutes on the highest setting, 500 degrees for most ovens.
10. Gently and swiftly slide assembled pizza onto stone. You may want to sprinkle the stone with a little cornmeal just before putting pizza in oven
11. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the dough is bubbly and browned. Watch the pizza carefully!
Recipe: Stuffed Chard Rolls
Post by Paula Jahn, Co-owner and Dietitian at Nourish Northwest
This is the time of year when I start to get local produce fatigue. Spring is technically here, but we will not see the results from the farms for weeks or months to come. April and May are the in between time when I patiently wait for local spring greens, strawberries and cherries. Winter squash is not really in season anymore (though it feels like winter), and even if I could find it, I’m usually so sick of roasted squash by now.
So, this is the perfect time to get creative with what we have. Hearty greens are a vegetable that we can rely on year round. Chard (Swiss, rainbow, red) has been looking great lately. The standard treatment is to either sauté it with garlic or toss it into soup. I love it for its spinach-like flavor, hearty bite and nutrient density. I was inspired by our new Asian Fusion cooking class to make a wrap or roll out of chard leaves instead of rice paper. I made them vegan, but they reminded me of a stuffed cabbage dish my mom used to make. You know, the one with a rice and meat mixture, smothered in tomato sauce.
I made the filling the night before and just warmed the rolls in the oven before serving. They were a big hit, even with my two year old!
Preparation
Combine rice medley, 2 cups of water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Cover and simmer until the rice is just tender, 45 to 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, position the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet and sauté until the vegetables are tender and onion is golden, stirring often, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and grated ginger and stir for 1 minute.
Add the raisins, then tofu cubes, cumin, and turmeric and stir gently to coat with the spices.
Pour in the coconut milk and simmer just until the coconut milk is reduced and coats the vegetable mixture thickly, about 1 minute. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or more to taste if desired. Remove from heat and let cool while preparing the chard leaves.
Using tongs and working with 1 leaf half at a time, dip the leaf into the pot of boiling salted water for 10 seconds, then transfer to paper towels to drain. When cool, use a sharp knife to cut the thick stem away from the leaf, leaving 3 inches at the top intact. It will look like a “V” cut away.
Place a chard leaf on a work surface and place 1/3 cup rice filling onto the top (with thin stem intact) end of the leaf. Fold the sides of the leaves up over the filling, then roll up the leaf, enclosing the filling completely (like a burrito). Repeat with the remaining 12 Leaves.
Place rolls in prepared dish and top with marinara sauce. Bake for 20 minutes, until warmed through. Serve and enjoy!