Dijon Walnut Chicken

This recipe is a favorite at our house for a couple of reasons. 1. It’s soooooo easy! 2. It’s so good! This recipe has essentially 3 ingredients that we almost always have on hand making it perfect for those evening when we need a quick meal. I originally heard about it from our receptionist Linda and have since seen a number of versions on the internet and in cookbooks but I’ve found this one perfect for us. I like to make enough to have leftovers because it’s great on a salad for lunch too.

Dijon Walnut Chicken

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Dijon mustard like a Grey Poupon

Walnuts, finely chopped

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a hand chopper or food processor finely chop the walnuts. The amount you need will depend on how many  chicken breasts you are using. Place the chopped walnuts in a shallow dish.

Place chicken in a large Ziploc bag and coat with Dijon mustard. Make sure each piece is covered in mustard.

Remove the chicken and roll in the walnuts to coat. Place in a 9×13 pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

 

Seriously, it doesn’t get much easier than that! While the chicken is baking, steam some fresh broccoli to serve with it. Top your broccoli with some extra virgin olive oil  and salt and pepper and you have a delicious meal!

The Dangers of Aspartame

Aspartame is quite controversial.  Although many claim it has been well studied and proven safe, the facts just don’t add up.  Check out the video below for detailed information about aspartame and your health.

Paleo Breakfast Bread

This recipe comes from Dr. Court’s Uncle Me. He sent it to us last week and I decided to make them Sunday morning. They are AMAZING! They remind me of coffee cake but a little lighter. The original recipe calls for stevia but you absolutely do not need it. The bread is plenty sweet without it. I also used a crunchy almond butter as that was all I had on hand and we thought they were fantastic. This bread is a great alternative to a wheat based breakfast bread but remember they are still pretty sweet and should probably be considered a once in a while treat.

Paleo Breakfast Bread

Serves 4

• ½ cup creamy roasted almond butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. In a large bowl, with a hand blender, mix almond butter until creamy
2. Mix in eggs, honey and vanilla
3. Add salt, baking soda and cinnamon
4. Mix well with hand blender until all ingredients are combined
5. Transfer batter into a well-greased 8×8 inch Pyrex baking dish
6. Bake at 325° for 12 to 15 minutes

Enjoy topped with butter along with the Fresh Veggie and Herb Scramble…now I call that a breakfast of champions!

The Obesity Gene

Is there really an obesity gene? I think the answer is yes and no.  First the yes.

There are likely genes that predispose someone to being overweight or obese.  It is not just one gene but perhaps 10 or 50, or maybe 1,000.  I don’t think we will ever be able to say for certain what specific genes are the “obesity genes.” Certainly it is more difficult with something like this because metabolism is so complex.

The answer to our question might also be no.  While our genes are responsible for many things, the environment plays a huge role.  Diet and exercise are potent modifiers of our genes.  Someone who is genetically predisposed to being overweight may not be overweight with proper diet and exercise.  And if that’s true then, in a sense, being overweight is not genetic.

For more information watch the video below.

The Health Benefits of Chocolate!

Finally! Some good news! Chocolate has some great health benefits and, in moderation, can be a tasty part of a healthy diet. See the video below for more information!

Fresh Veggie and Herb Scramble

One of the things we hear most often in the office is,”What can I eat for breakfast?” To which we usually reply, “Why eggs, of course.” For more information eggs check out this post: The Myth of Eggs and Cholesterol.

Once a patient starts eating eggs the next question asked is, “How can you eat eggs EVERY day?” They say they get so sick of them. And I agree when I eat a couple of plain scrambled eggs or fried eggs. But since I started making these eggs I actually wake up excited to eat breakfast. I’d eat them for every meal if I could. I LOVE them! They have so much flavor and so much variety that I’m never tired of them.

We also often hear that people don’t have time to make a good breakfast in the morning. If that applies to you, I urge you to make a large egg casserole using the same ingredients found in the Veggie and Herb Scramble. We do this as well and it makes getting a nutritious and satisfying breakfast very easy.

 

Fresh Veggie and Herb Scramble

Onions (red, white, green)

Mushrooms (any variety)

Cherry Tomatoes (or any variety)

Sun-dried Tomatoes

Spinach (or Kale, Broccoli, Asparagus etc.)

Fresh Basil (or Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley, Cilantro, whatever I have on hand)

Feta Cheese (or Parmesan, Cheddar, Swiss, Goat,  Mozzarella, Gouda…you get the idea)

Eggs

Butter

Salt and Pepper

Garlic Powder

Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

 

Heat up a little butter in a small saute pan.

Add the veggies and fresh herbs to the pan….I know it looks like a lot of veggies but it will cook down! (It’s approximately 2 cups of chopped veggies.)

Add salt and pepper to taste along with some red pepper flakes and a dusting of garlic powder.

Saute until veggies have softened.

Crack eggs into the pan and mix with veggies. (Generally, Dr. Court has 3 eggs and I use 2 but it depends on your nutritional needs.)

Cook eggs through then add approximately a 1/4 c. of cheese.

Once the cheese is melted, transfer to a plate and ENJOY!

Serves 1. You can make a larger batch for your whole family.

 

I have given you the  Go-To list of veggies I use almost every day, however I try to switch it up through out the week. The thing that makes these so good is that you can use whatever you have available. We have used leftover roasted veggies (even roasted root veggies like sweet potato, turnip and beets), sauteed veggies with chicken or beef, leftover Sun-dried Tomato, Olive and Artichoke topping (one of my personal favorites, however link doesn’t tell you to add 1 can drained artichoke hearts but the recipe in her book does), leftover black beans from a Mexican restaurant…you name it.

Give it a try and let me know your favorite combination!

 

Zucchini Boats

I discovered this recipe while browsing on Pinterest. If you have never been to pinterest, I highly recommend you check it out, BUT only if you have time to kill. If you are looking for recipes, they’ve got them while not all of them are healthy, they still look good. In addition to recipes, they have DIY projects, room decor, style decor, travel, architecture, literature, prints, the list goes on and on. “What do you do with these things?” you say. You pin them to a board that you can go back and look at later. Very similar to an inspiration board but online.

Anyway, I came across this recipe while browsing one day and thought, “that sounds great but I’d leave out the bread crumbs.” Here is the original recipe and below you will find my changes. This is super easy and always tastes great! Enjoy!

Zucchini Boats

Zucchini

Grape tomatoes

Grated Parmesan cheese

Mozzarella or Fontina cheese

Fresh basil

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil

Garlic

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and trim a little off the bottom so it sits still in a baking dish

Scoop out the center where the seeds are with a spoon

Brush the surface with a mixture of crushed garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper

Arrange halved grape tomatoes into the grooves, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes

Remove and place diced fontina or mozzarella between the tomatoes, place them back in, but now under the broiler until golden and bubbling

Remove and drizzle with olive oil and fresh chopped basil.