Little Eats for Little Ones

As an RD mom, I'm constantly asked about ideas for little palates. My pals over at the Southeast Dairy Association offers some great ones here.

Check 'em out & let me know what you think.

~Regan

Nutrition at your fingertips

The amount of nutrition information available to the average consumer is mind boggling. Even more mind boggling is the amount of "bad" nutrition information disguised as helpful hints and credible science. Sometimes I'm so thankful that as a mom, wife, daughter and basic day-to-day air breather, I'm an RD who actually knows the truth about eating well. Otherwise, I'm not sure where my everyday eating would be. 

But for those out there who aren't educated in the aforementioned matters and don't have a personal nutrition guru to gab with, the guess work is over. Nutrition Blogs Network recently launched and provides the only one-stop shopping for folks looking to read the real digs on what's good, bad and beyond in the food world.

The humble little blog (yours truly) sharing this info with you isn't included on the list... I can certainly raise my hand for inclusion if I'm so inclined. But regardless of my listing or not, I encourage you to check out the site and bookmark it as one of your main "go to" sites for good info. Likely the list will grow, but I can already attest to the high quality of many of the bloggers listed. Admittedly, this collection is way overdue, but a big thank you to those who had a hand in making it happen.

~Regan

(image courtsey of http://www.flickr.com/photos/darrenhester/4010448281/)

I wish I...

That's how my son starts so many of his sentences (remember, he's 3)... "I wish I..." had some chocolate milk. "I wish I..." had a race car like that. "I wish I..." It's quite cute, really.

So when I saw this blog posting by Mrs. Whellbarrow's Kitchen, I thought "I wish I was gonna get that as a Mother's Day present." It's not that I sit around and long for presents at holidays. On the contrary, my husband and seldom exchange gifts... we're both too practical. But I guess that's the allure here. An "edible" salad bowl. One where you actually cultivate your own lettuces. As they say, "LUV it!"

If you're struggling with what to give the matriarch in your family, I suggest you check out that idea. It's really the gift that keeps on giving. I mean, think about it... we all need to consume more fresh veggies. With your edible salad bowl, your greens are no farther than the pot you've placed them in.

I wish I ...

~Regan

A Daring Baker to be

I'm so far behind on my personal blog reading right now, it's scary. We're still in the woes of house negotiations... we've experienced a "set back." I hope to be able to report soon that it's resolved. It's those woes, though, that have me behind on many personal pursuits... keeping up with a toddler, a newborn and a business, just hasn't left much "me" time. 

That said, I've decided to carve out some "me" time, do or die, by joining an online cooking club: The Daring Bakers. Those of you who are regulars to the food blog circuit know it no doubt... if you haven't, I encourage you to check it out. 

I'm posting this here to hold myself accountable to the first one I've been approved for, which is this month! Yikes! If... and that's a big if... if I make it into my new kitchen by May 21st (as I'm supposed to at this point) that only gives me a week to create the first challenge. OY! Fingers crossed that I can do it... and fingers crossed that I have a kitchen to cook in of my own VERY SOON.

~Regan

Apple-Amaretto Bread Pudding

I really hate to waste food. Period. I rarely succeed at using up every bite that I purchase, but I try. 

Throwing away food is a drain on my budget and an unfortunate reminder of how much excess we have that we don't appreciate. I haven't always felt that way... Its not that I ever really enjoyed throwing away food, I just really didn't pay attention. (Disclaimer: I also don't believe in cleaning your plate, just for the sake of cleaning your plate... that leads to overeating, another shortcoming of our society.) Instead, I now try to

1) take/order only what I can eat (which proves sometimes difficult at restaurants)

and

2) use up leftovers as often as possible.

The recipe that follows fits the bill. 1) I can eat every last bite ;-) and 2) it is one of the more tasty ways to use up leftovers...leftover bread. It's based on a very similar Cooking Light recipe (if you aren't familiar with CL's recipe site, www.myrecipes.com, get familiar with it. You won't regret these recipes.)

Anyway, the good thing about bread pudding is that you can improvise --  use virtually any bread you have leftover (we actually had a pack of wheat rolls), your favorite fruits and any yummy liquor or liqueur that might be lingering on your shelf.

And as you linger over every last bite, you'll likely think to yourself... conservation never tasted so good....

~Regan

Amaretto-Apple Bread Pudding

1 1/4  cups  1% low-fat milk
1/2  cup  sugar
1  tablespoon  vanilla extract
1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
4  large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4  cup  raisins
1 apple, cored and diced
4  cups cubed bread
 1/2  cup  sugar
1/4  cup  light-colored corn syrup
1/4  cup  butter
1/4  cup  Amaretto

1. Combine milk, and next 5 ingredients (milk through eggs) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine bread, raisins and apple in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; pour egg mixture evenly over bread cubes. Cover and chill 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Bake, covered, at 350° for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
4. To prepare sauce, combine 1/2 cup sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup bourbon. Serve with warm bread pudding.



Thumbs Up to Janet Helm

I don't usually make personal endorsements... so this posting is a bit off-center for me. But I have to give a thumbs up to fellow RD Janet Helm for not only her recent posting on her blog Nutrition Unplugged, but in general, her ability to boil down nutrition info into easy to understand language that most of us... well... can understand. Her recent posting on Kombucha is spot-on... and I love how she addresses both the good and the bad on the topic (a tact of hers that I find so refreshing... rather than all the one-sided "bad" press on so many topics.)

Janet's made a career out of being an RD who brings nutrition info to the masses, rather than patient by patient. And I applaud her for her work. If you're interested in subscribing to a blog that's always on top of the latest nutrition debate, give hers a try.

(Disclaimer: I don't work for or with Janet, although we have crossed paths briefly in professional pursuits. I just consider her a good example of what's right with our profession. Do you agree?)

Kombucha

They're like Cheese Straws, eh?

Okay... so I'm a Cheese Straw Champ... I make 'em EVERY Christmas (really, I start making them in the fall... I think they're a great addition to a good Southern tailgate during football season.) So when I saw this version posted on Dinner with Julie, I couldn't help but share. I'm regularly asked for my cheese straw recipe, which I shared here. But I think these might be a nice variation. I only use Cabot Cheddar for my straws (yeah, yeah... I work for them a good bit, but even when I didn't... I knew their Cheddar was THE BEST.) I sometimes like to sneak a little bit of their Habanero in... we like our Cheese Straws spicy down South... but I digress. 

I share Julie's version because one of the more difficult challenges of the traditional straw recipe is piping out the super firm dough. I love that hers is more free form... and frankly, looks a little less "dainty" (we always serve cheese straws at showers & teas... it's sort of a "ladies who lunch" kind of thing.) When I get in my new kitchen, these are definitely on the list.

So what about you? Cheese Straws... free form and fancified?

Fruit of the Earth

In case you haven't heard (um, yeah... right... you're obviously not living on Mars or you wouldn't be reading this blog, eh?) it's Earth Day. Among my friends, family & colleagues views about the merits of such a day differ... especially as it relates to issues of climate change, vegetarianism, etc. 

I'm not about to touch that here... discuss among yourselves and I'll listen in.

What I do want to touch on is the one concept I hope we can all agree: farmers feed this country and without them, where would our plates (and palates) be?

That in mind, I'm sharing these images of a recent trip to a local strawberry patch with my favorite strawberry picker. If you don't celebrate Earth Day in any other way today, at least enjoy the fruits of the Earth as seen below.

 

Update on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 7:13AM by The Professional Palate - Regan Jones RD

I just read this awesome recipe this morning for a Strawberry-Mint Jam from Flamingo Musings. If you're like me, you need some inspiration like this when you find yourself with a basket full of freshly picked strawberries (although I'll confess that the Strawberry Cobbler I made with my son did the trick quite nicely.)

If you get a chance to make these, leave a comment on her site. I'm sure she'd love the feedback!

~Regan

Update on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 7:25PM by The Professional Palate - Regan Jones RD

Oh... I just HAVE to share this link to Ezra Pound Cake's Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp.

1... Because Strawberries & Rhubarb are such a classic spring fruit dessert combo

and

2... Because I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED (yes, shouting) Funny Girl when I was growing up.

This makes me smile ;-)

~Regan

http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/archives/5839?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ezrapoundcake+%28Ezra+Pound+Cake%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Cobblers are coming!

I recently had the pleasure of sharing a "Strawberry Pickin'" with my favorite berry eater... he's nearly 4 years old and is the other half of a sibling twosome that occupies every corner of my heart. Can't wait to share the pics of that day. 

In the meantime, I'm totally inspired to put the berries to work with this: Cobblers In a Jar. (Disclaimer: I anticipate a plentiful "blueberry pickin'" later this summer off of our family farm... so if I don't quite make it for these strawberries, I'll be back with that post later.)

Anyway, I hope you'll consider visiting a u-pick in your area. Or at the very least, head over to the local farmers' market and pick up a basket of your local faves. Your farmers (and your taste buds) will thank you!

Online Cooking Clubs

Things are "beginning" to setlle down a little. We still are not in our new home yet (which means, sadly, not in my new kitchen... and frankly, cooking in someone else's kitchen just doesn't tempt me that much.)

That said, I've got a LONG list of recipes I'm dying to start cooking once we get moved in. I read A LOT of food blogs... I just ooh & aaah over the images & recipes... and one concept has really gotten my attention lately: Online Cooking Clubs.

I saw this one recently: http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/ ... and thought I could get pretty excited about it.

I also know of a baking group at http://www.bigblackdogs.net/2009/10/announcing-hbinfive-new-baking-group.html ... here again, right up my alley.

All of this leaves me wondering...

     What other great cooking clubs are out there?

     What am I missing out on?

Sooo much cooking. So little time!!

Please feel free to leave your suggestions for Cooking Clubs in the comments!!

(image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathancohen/4444189805/)