One-Pot Chicken With White Beans and Rosemary (Thrifty Thursday)

You probably wouldn't know this from reading my blog, but my favorite type of bean is the white bean (ie: cannellini beans).  I'd add them to everything if they didn't give me so much gas (sorry, but seriously, they do).  If I was able, I'd add these beans to all salads, soups, pasta dishes, whatever.  They are just so good! Anyway, you get it, I love them, so when I found this recipe in Martha Stewart's "Food" Magazine (which I sadly stopped getting for free, perhaps I should order it?!) I knew I had to make it (and of course I also knew to arm myself with some Beano). 

This recipe was thrifty in terms of money and time.  As far as the money, it cost about $2.50 a serving, and while the time to actually make the recipe wasn't necessarily short, the clean-up was a breeze because it was a one-pot meal.  

INSTAGRAM!
The Candid RD

Of course, my experience with this recipe wasn't as "thrifty" as it should have been.....

I was a complete idiot and put the chicken in my Le Creuset cassserole dish instead of the appropriate "French Oven" (see below).

Don't you worry, I brought that broken dish right into Bed, Bath and Beyond, where I had received it as a wedding present just 3 weeks before, and they gave me a new one. So kind (seriously, that was awesome).  But that wasn't the only "oops" moment on this particular day.   I was clearly not thinking straight because not only did I use a casserole dish for a direct heat application, but I also failed to follow the directions of the recipe.  Take note, I did not cut the whole chicken into ten pieces as the recipe suggests.  Martha would not be happy.  So, when you make this recipe, follow the directions, don't be like me.  Thankfully, either way, the recipe turned out to be fantastic.

"One-Pot" Chicken with White Beans and Rosemary

Serves 4

Source: Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (3.5-4 pounds) cut into 10 pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced**

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained**

1 sprig rosemary

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and seasons with salt and pepper.  In a large heavy pot, place chicken skin side down and cook over medium until pieces release easily from pot and are browned, about 10 minutes.  Flip and cook until browned, 5 minutes.  Transfer to plate.

2.  Add onion to pot and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add tomato paste and cook, stirring until fragrant and dark red, about 4 minutes.  Stir in 2 cups water, beans, and rosemary; season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a rapid simmer.  Return chicken to pot, skin side up.  Transfer to oven and bake until chicken is cooked through and liquid is slightly reduced, about 20 minutes.

3.  Serve

**NOTE: If you are following a low FODMAPs diet, omit the onion and be sure to take a Beano (or similar product) for the galactans (GOS) in the beans.  Keep in mind, however, products like Beano only help you digest the GOS not the fructans.  So if you are really sensitive to fructans (part of the "O" in FODMAPs) I wouldn't make this dish (or just eat a very small amount of the beans)

Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1/4th of recipe
Yes, it's a high calorie meal, but this filled me up for hours.  I would say this recipe could easily serve up to 6 people, if you want to reduce your serving and calories (it's still very, very filling)

Nutrition Highlights:  Lower in sodium (just above 300 mg, not bad at all!), excellent source of fiber vitamin C, calcium and iron, good source of vitamin A

QUESTION:    I told you my favorite bean, what's yours?  I also really love lentils (that's a new love for me, stay tuned for a lentil hummus recipe coming soon!)

Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd

NOTE: I love comments!  But, be sure to come back to read any replies to questions or comments, as they do not go directly to your e-mail.

Protein-Packed Quinoa Bean Burgers (Meatless Monday)

The supermarket where I work hires some really fantastic chefs who are always coming up with wonderful recipes, including many that are vegetarian.  Jacqui is a dietitian and chef who comes up with some of the recipes we have in our newsletter (check out Jaqui's blog!).  Several months ago she had this recipe for Quinoa Bean Burgers in the newsletter and I thought it sounded too wonderful not to try.   What I liked most about this recipe was that it had two sources of protein; quinoa and chickpeas.    And did you know that quinoa is a complete protein?  This means it has all the essential amino acids. 

When I was in school we were taught that you had to eat foods with all the essential amino acids in them, especially if you were on a vegetarian or vegan diet ( you didn't have to worry too much if you ate animal foods because they inherently contain all the essential AAs).  This piece of information turned out not to be true.  As long as you get multiple different sources of protein in your diet, which ultimately provide you with all of the essential amino acids, you should be just fine (have I really been out of school for that long?!).

You don't have to pair your beans with rice, as was once thought to be important.

As someone who follows a low FODMAPs diet, it's often difficult for me to eat beans and nuts, therefore most of the well-known higher-protein vegetarian foods have to be limited in my diet (ie: tofu, tempeh, satan, peanuts, cashews, pistachios), but I try hard to include at least one vegetarian recipe in my diet each week (as long as I have a Beano, or two, I'm typically ok!).  Quinoa is a great source of protein, and it's FODMAPs free, which is why I really loved that it was in this burger recipe.

I tried to make these burgers even more FODMAPs-friendly by omitting the garlic and decreasing the onion, but I felt the need to keep some of the onion in the recipe for that integral flavor. The recipe was a huge hit, and even Nick enjoyed it (he who claims to hate chickpeas and quinoa). The recipe was clearly not free of FODMAPs (check last week's recipe for that!) but it was definitely lower than most vegetarian burger recipes.  This recipe can, however, be gluten free, which could come in handy for some (especially if you plan to make this for a dinner gathering and you've got gluten free guests).  And if you're vegan, be sure to check out the option for flaxseed instead of eggs!  It makes for a lightly messier burger, but still very tasty.

Quinoa Bean Burgers
Slightly modified version of this recipe


Ingredients

(Makes 8)
Can be Made Gluten Free
Can be Made Vegan

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

1.5 cups water

2 eggs**

2 Tsbp. low-sodium soy sauce (be sure to find a gluten-free version if you want a gluten free burger)

1 tsp. black pepper

3/4 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

 1-15.5 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained well

2 Tbsp. garlic extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup diced (very small) red bell pepper

1 cup (chopped very small) carrots

1/4 cup cilantro

** If you want these to be vegan, you can use the following instead of eggs**

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

1/4 cup warm water

NOTE: The celery and onion both contain FODMAPs. Omit if needed.  Also, take a Beano for the beans!

Directions

1.  Place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Cook covered over medium heat for about 15-minutes until water is absorbed; set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine eggs, soy sauce, and pepper, and mix well (if using flaxseed, combine flaxseed, water, soy sauce and pepper. Set aside to thicken).

2.  Place onion and beans in a food processor and pulse until smooth; transfer to a large bowl.  Heat 1-2 teaspoons of oil in a medium skillet. Saute bell pepper and carrots for 4 minutes; add to onion-bean mixture in bowl.  Add cilantro, quinoa, and flaxseed mixture to bowl; mix well to combine.

3. Using 1/2 cup measure, shape mixture into 8 patties.  Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat  (use less to reduce calories).  Cook patties, 4 at a time, for 5-6 minutes on each side.  Carefully remove from skillet and repeat with remaining oil and patties.  Serve on a whole wheat bun, or English Muffin (or, however you want!)

Estimated Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 large burger, without a bun
Want a bun, but not all the calories? Look for the 100-calorie buns, or use a large piece of lettuce!

Nutrition Highlights:  Low saturated fat, cholesterol free, good source of iron and protein, excellent source of fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C

Nick and I ate our burgers double-decker style!  I enjoyed mine with some organic ketchup and a bit of omega-3 mayo.

Question:  What's your favorite burger topping??  I like pickles.  I like them a lot.  And I love ketchup on my burgers, and sometimes mustard and/or mayo.  Boring, right?  That's just how I roll!

 

Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd

Bean Burgers and a New Beano

What do you get when you mix these ingredients?

A wonderful bean burger!

What else?


Lots of gas!

But if you take one of these wonderful pills BEFORE you eat that fiber-filled bean burger, you won't get gas! Yep, your eyes aren't fooling you, Gas-X now makes their own version of Beano. Beano costs about two dollars more, so I suggest checking this out. With the Gas-X version you only need to take one pill and you're good to go (take it from me, they work just as well as Beano). Be sure to take the pill before your first bite of problem food.

Gina's Bean Burger Recipe
(Makes ~7 burgers)

1 can black beans (partially drained, keep about 1/4 cup worth of liquid)

1 cup Fiber One cereal

1 cup raw spinach

1 beaten egg (or 1/4 cup egg beaters)

4 T ground flaxseed

~1 T Red Hot

Garlic, as much or little as you want **I omitted this from mine because I can't eat garlic, boo**



1) Grind the Fiber One into a powder with your food processor or Magic Bullet

2) Smash the "almost fulled drained" beans in a medium sized bowl.

3) In a large bowl, combine the Fiber One, the beans, and the rest of the ingredients and blend well with a clean set of hands.

4) Make into patties and heat in a greased pan for about 3 minutes on each side!

Nutritional Highlights

- ~100 calories

- Lots of cholesterol-lowering fiber

- Phytoestrogens called lignans (may help fight estrogen-sensitive cancers)

- Iron, magnesium, and B vitamins for overall healthy and wellness


QUESTION: Do you like beans? Which beans are your favorite?! I love baked beans, although they are typically loaded with sugar. I also love black beans, obviously. And kidney beans are great in chili!

Mock Pesto with Brown Rice Pasta

I have a couple things I want to say. First, I updated the list of food I eat at night, on yesterday's post, so if you were one of the first 15 people to read it and you want a really candid view, check out the "night time eating" section again! I realized I wasn't completely honest, so I added more foods as I thought about it more. I do more mindless eating than I thought (I paid attention to it last night), so if you're curious, check it out.

Second, I was wrong about 1/2 cup cooked vegetables counting as 1 cup of vegetables, apparently that's not true anymore! Yikes, I need to update my MyPyramid knowledge. It is true for some veggies, mainly leafy greens. To learn more, click here. That being said, I only counted cooked veggies as 1 cup one time, so I still reached my fruit and veggie goal.

I received a lot of questions on yesterday's post. I tried to answer most of them, but some of you don't have blogs so I don't know how to contact you. Please leave your e-mail if you ask a question, thanks! If you asked about Nutritional Yeast, click the link to read more. Here are a couple of questions I received:

Q: I get really bad stomach pains occasionally from eating certain foods and have to take gas X. I don't take it consistently because I'm afraid that taking too much gas X or beano would have negative effects on me somehow. So sometimes I just suffer through the pain! I know from reading your blog that you rely on beano and (I think) Gas x for your stomach and I was wondering what your opinion was about taking these regularly!

A: This really depends on what you mean by "stomach pain". If it's gas and bloating, I say take the Gas X, if it helps. But remember, Gas X will not prevent gas and bloating, it will help relieve your gas and bloating (aka, it helps you fart!). If you want to prevent it in the first place, take Beano. I really don't think you can take too much Beano, as there is no note on the bottle as far as how many to consume in a day. It's very safe, and very effective. Rather than being afraid to eat veggies, I say take Beano whenever you can! As for the Gas X, the box says no more than 4 in a 24 hour period. If you take Beano, you shouldn't really need the Gas X, but if your stomach pain isn't from gas and bloating, you may want to see a doctor.

Q: Do you follow a general calorie allowance each day? or just follow your hunger cues? how often do you work out? do you incorporate both strength and cardio?

A: I typically consume around 1700-2400 calories a day (2400 on weekends because we eat out and I usually have drinks). I don't count calories, and I do eat by my hunger cues (intuitively!), but I have counted my calories before so I know the rough estimate of how many calories I consume. I workout 5 days a week, for 45-60 minutes each time. I do pilates and/or yoga twice a week, weights (using the band, and 8 pound weights for my arms and legs) about 3 times a week, and the elliptical or treadmill 4-5 times a week, for 30-40 minutes each time. I am also very active during the day, and rarely sit. This helps. Exercise is NOT the only thing you should do to maintain weight. If you aren't active during the day, exercise isn't going to make much of a difference. I stand all day, rather than sitting. If you can do that, I suggest it (I put my laptop on my ironing board!)

Quick, Cheap, and Healthy Recipe #13
Mock Pesto and Noodles

I love pesto sauce, who the heck doesn't?! But I don't always have the ingredients on hand. For my 2010 cookbook I wanted to come up with a recipe for pesto that uses ingredients that most people have in their home, which is really the purpose of my cookbook. With this idea I decided to try my own version of pesto, using dried basil and walnuts (or any nut). Thanks to my handy-dandy Magic Bullet, this was achievable.

I used brown rice pasta, which is both gluten and wheat free (yeah!). For anyone who is on a gluten or wheat free diet, I recommend this product as an alternative to whole wheat noodles. The nutrition facts are fairly similar, although the brown rice pasta has less protein (kind of a bummer if you are a vegetarian).

Ingredients In Mock Pesto Sauce
(makes 3 servings)

1/2 cup half and half **
1/2 cup soy milk
1/4 cup walnuts
3 T basil
1 T parmesan cheese
1 t olive oil
1 t garlic powder **
1/2 t salt

Directions
Throw all ingredients together in a blender or Magic Bullet, and blend!


**NOTE:  If you are following a low FODMAPs diet, be aware that the half and half and garlic powder contains FODMAPs.  You could use a garlic-infused oil instead, and omit the garlic powder, but if you're lactose intolerant the half and half may cause problems.  Look for a dairy-free half and half or take a Lactaid pill if you want to try this recipe!



Possible Modifications

• Use any type of nut, or pine nuts
• Use less milk or less half and half to make a thicker sauce
• Use any type of milk
• Add more basil
• Add other spices

Nutrition Facts
(includes the pesto sauce plus 1 cup whole grain pasta)


I served it with my turkey meatballs and a side of spinach and green beans.

I also served it (another night) with some fun green "spinach" noodles.

My Rate: 7.5 out of 10
It was good, but definitely not pesto. I may try to work with this a little more to make it thicker. It has true potential!

Coming Up

I may or may not post tomorrow, as I really need to catch up on reading all of your blogs! I am getting behind again since I will only allow myself to read 15 per day.

Thanks for reading, and have a great night/day!

Your Questions About Dietary Supplements, Answered!

Warning, this is a long one, but I really think it's worth reading, or maybe printing to read later. Pass this information around so people know the resources and what to look for when purchasing a safe and high quality supplement (if needed).

Question 1: If we eat a balanced diet, do we really need a supplement?

Answer 1: This depends on your definition of "balanced diet". There is a reason why the food guide pyramid and the US Dietary Recommendations exist, if you follow these recommendations you should get all of the proper nutrients you need. In reality very few people follow these guidelines. You should be getting 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables, at least 3-4 servings of whole grain (one serving equals 16 grams), 2-3 servings of dairy (includes soy drinks and yogurts) and plenty of protein (which is NOT hard to do). If you find it hard to reach this goal, I would suggest a multivitamin. Even I, one of the few Americans who follow the guidelines, used to take a half multivitamin everyday just to assure myself. I knew this wouldn't be harmful. I take a full multivitamin (generic Flintstone) one now because I am not eating fortified cereals or breads anymore, and because of my malabsorption issues. That being said, another reason you may want to take a multivitamin is if you eat all organic foods. Organic foods are not fortified or enriched, so especially young females may need a supplement for iron and folate.

Question 2: Can you get too much of some vitamins and minerals?

Answer 2: YES, and this is the reason why taking a bunch, or even just a few, supplements can be dangerous. It's almost impossible to overdose if you aren't taking a supplement, or if you are just taking one multivitamin a day. Some people take several supplements and don't realize how much of each nutrient they are consuming. This can be very dangerous. Most people who overdose are taking multivitamins that have way too much of certain nutrients. Specific vitamins to watch out for are vitamin E, niacin, and folate. Some supplement companies put way too much of these nutrients in their product, and many people take more vitamin E thinking that the more antioxidants they consume, the better. This is NOT the case. Too many antioxidants can actually have a negative effect.

Here is Nutrition Action's list of recommended multivitamins:

Best Brands for Premenopausal Women

Nature's Bounty ABC Plus

One-A-Day Maximum

Sundown Advanced Formula SunVite

Sundown Naturals Complete Daily

Best Brands for Men and Postmenopausal Women

One-A-Day Men's Health Formula

One-A-Day Men's 50+ Advantage

The above vitamins were chosen because they all contained the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals. Notice there are no specialty supplements on the lists. These are just the cheap ones you pick up at your local pharmacy. There is no need to waste your money on the really expensive brands.

If you have some multivitamins at home, make sure they contain the following:

Vitamin A: No more than 4,000 IU

Beta-Carotene: No more than 5,000 IU (there is no upper limit for beta carotene from food)

Vitamin C: 60-1,000 mg

Vitamin D: 400 IU or more

Vitamin E: 30-100 IU

Vitamin K: 20 mcg or more

Thiamin (B1): 1.2 mg or more

Riboflavin (B2): 1.7 mg or more

Niacin (B3): 16-35 mg

Vitamin B6: 2-100 mg

Folic Acid: No more than 400 mcg (** if you are taking a multivitamin avoid eating cereals or bars that provide 100% of the DV of folate!!**)

Vitamin B12: 6 mcg or more

Calcium: Don't rely on a supplement! (**Men shouldn't have more than 200 mg in their multi**)

Iron: No more than 10 mg (**Premenopausal women should have 18mg in their multi, men and postmenopausal may not need any in their supplement)

Phosphorus: No more than 350 mg

Magnesium: 100-350 mg

Zinc: 8-23 mg

Copper: .9-10 mg

Selenium: 20-105 mcg

Chromium: 35 mcg or more

NOTE: "OR MORE" does not mean there is no upper limit, only that the level in a majority of multivitamins are not high enough to cause harm

Source: Nutrition Action Healthletter

Quality symbols to look for on your supplement

Question 3: I hate veggies and don't get as many as I should, should I be taking any supplements? Multi, fish, or joint supplement??

Answer 3: Normally I would suggest trying to incorporate more vegetables and fruits, slowly, until you reach the daily recommendation (most people just want an easy fix so they can eat their McDonald's crap and then be "healthy" by taking a multivitamin) For the person who asked this question I know they just don't like veggies (and have tried)! I would say a multivitamin is probably a good idea, since it's clear you will never be reaching the 5-9 servings a day recommendation. Keep in mind, however, research shows that whole foods, rather than supplements, are better absorbed, and they provide a type of "synergy" where the compounds in the foods all work together to provide their benefits, which is much better than just taking a supplement with single nutrients all in one capsule. I don't recommend fish oil unless you don't eat any fish, then I would say it wouldn't hurt to take one. As for a joint supplement, there just isn't enough research backing up their efficacy!


Question 4: I should REALLLLLY take Beano. mmmm is it expensive?

Answer 4: Yeah, it's sort of expensive (about $18 for 100). This may not sound like a lot of money, but the serving size is 2-3 per serving of "offending" food. If you are like me and take the pills with 1-2 foods each day, they disappear pretty fast. Coupons are often available, and trust me, these babies work!


Question 5: Do you know which vitamin is good to take for leg cramps??? My calves have been so sore and they feel like they are two seconds away from Charlie Horse.


Answer 5: Muscle cramps are caused by dehydration, muscle fatigue, and electrolyte deficits. A specific nutrient is not recommended, but be sure to drink a Gatorade or Powerade if you are working out hard, for more than an hour. You can get the calorie free one (G2) if you want. Another option would be to start eating a banana daily, and just make sure you are getting 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and drinking the correct amount of fluid (take your weight in pounds and divide it by 2). Low blood calcium could also be the cause. Make sure you consume 3 servings of dairy, or at least 1000 mg calcium per day (for those under age 50).

Question 6: Do you know anything more on the acceptance of Truvia and rejection of stevia? I use pure stevia extract, but mainly for hot beverages and yogurt only.

Answer 6: There is really not much information available that goes beyond what Wikepedia says. You will find a lot of different information from people who try to claim that Stevia has been approved, but the truth is it has not. Do I think it's dangerous? Not really. At least not any more than any other sweetener. But again, when people use too much, it can be dangerous. This is from Wikepedia:

• In the United States, rebaudioside A is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as of December 2008.
• Critics note that the US FDA has not actually permitted the stevia plant itself to be used as a food additive, but only the rebaudioside A extract <----- Used in Truvia
• In May 2008, Coke and Cargill announced the availability of Truvia, a consumer brand stevia sweetener containing erythritol and Rebiana, which the FDA permitted as a food additive in December 2008

Studies have not shown Stevia to be 100% safe. Diabetics could have major side effects from Stevia (specifically high doses) due to it's effect on blood sugar (could dangerously decrease blood sugar).

Question 7: I should probably take some Vitamin D. I work all day in a dark room (no lights or windows!) So maybe this would be something I should look into?

Answer 7: All you need is 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight, twice a week, between 10 am and 3 pm, in order to get enough vitamin D. Working in a dark room really doesn't mean you can't get out for 15 minutes and get some sun. If you don't get even 15 minutes of sun, twice a week, I would probably recommend a supplement (especially during the winter when it's much more difficult to get sun!). Keep in mind, however, vitamin D is also found in some yogurts, milks, and bony fish.

Coming Up

Tonight I am home alone, without the Biggest Loser! As sad as that is, I have really been enjoying the Olympics so I think I'll survive. Tomorrow's post will include a new recipe and my thoughts on the "Raw Food Diet".

Thanks for reading, and have a great night/day!