Food Philosophy and Taste-Tested Good-for-You Recipes

It's hard to believe it, but today I am celebrating my first full week as a credentialed dietitian.  I sat and passed the R.D. exam last Wednesday and I am so relieved to be past it!  As I finally let my attention turn to something else, I remembered a question I had fielded in June: "What is your food philosophy?"  Even though I have thought about this before and had a pretty well-developed idea of my food philosophy, I was unable to answer it.  It has been driving me crazy to leave it out there just hanging.  And even if it's only in my mind that I am able to provide the original asker with an answer, I'm going to give it a go anyway.  My food philosophy is that it is hard as all get out to eat perfectly (if we can even agree that there is one perfect way to eat), and it is darn near impossible to eat perfectly all the time, but it is not hard at all to eat better.  So my interpretation of my responsibility as a dietitian is to help you (any and all of you out there reading!) find ways to eat better and to improve your health.  I should also say that my secondary food philosophy is that food is good and we should eat good food often!  In that vein of thought, I have tested a couple healthy recipes lately and wanted to share them with y'all.  



The first recipe I tried recently and wanted to share is for quinoa [keen-wah], a food I mentioned in passing in my first Meatless Monday post.  Quinoa is often referred to as a grain, but is apparently not truly a grain or a cereal.  What it is is a very nutrient-rich food, as well as a complete protein source (which true grains are not).  For all intents and purposes though, at least in your kitchen, quinoa may be treated as a grain: it can be boiled, simmered, etc.  This recipe calls for the quinoa to be simmered in vegetable broth while you go about caramelizing your onion (Vidalia, every time!) and sautéing your zucchini.  I mostly followed this recipe, though I forwent the pine nuts and used dried thyme instead of fresh (which means using 1/3 to 1/2 as much).  But I am crazy about this recipe and cannot wait to make it again.  I have been searching for a way to enjoy quinoa because it is such a powerhouse of a food, but I have been tripped up until now.  I loved how the vegetables and the quinoa melded together, but husband stated he would prefer his kept separate next time.  This recipe is great as it is, but y'all should feel free to substitute different vegetables or herbs to make it your own--maybe your favorite vegetables from a stir-fry or on kebabs?  

With quinoa.

Before quinoa.

The second recipe is for some of the best mashed potatoes I have ever encountered!  I was craving comfort food a few weeks ago and searched for mashed potatoes recipes while we were at the grocery store.  (Side note: I love smart phones.)  Some of you may be hesitant to accept that any potato recipe could be deemed healthy.  The only thing unhealthy about potatoes are the high calorie toppings often associated with them (like the butter/sour cream/cheese/bacon found on your typical loaded baked potato).  A plain potato is a naturally low calorie, low fat food that is a good source of several nutrients (including potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin B6).  The great thing about this recipe is that it has loads of flavor and a great creamy consistency without any of the ingredients typically relied upon to provide them!  
  
For this recipe I did use Yukon Gold potatoes (my favorite for creamy mashed potatoes).  I did not, however, use any rosemary, and I simply washed the potatoes well rather than peeling them (this provides extra fiber as well as preserving the nutrients found just under the peel!).  I use Fage Greek Yogurt 0% for everything, and it was fantastic in this.  You could use a plain non-Greek yogurt as the recipe calls for, but I would always recommend going Greek.  It's the same as regular yogurt to a point, but it is strained which provides a higher protein product with a different (less gloop-y) consistency.  I love the stuff.  (Another side note: plain 0% Greek yogurt is a fantastic substitute for sour cream and mayonnaise in recipes or as a topping!)  I used a Vidalia onion in this recipe because I am Southern and you can't talk me out of it (but I think the sweetness works really well with the roasted garlic).  I was really surprised by how well all the textures worked together.  To be honest, I have a mild problem with onion texture, but had no issues with this recipe and found that everything mashed well together.  I wholeheartedly recommend trying this in place of your regular mashed potatoes -- it is a great low-fat recipe that absolutely does not taste like one.

I had leftovers from both recipes for lunch this week and it was A-MAZING!

I hope that some of y'all (really, all of y'all) try these recipes and enjoy them.  At the very least I hope you recognize that healthy recipes can taste just as good and hearty as those your used to (in the case of mashed potatoes), or that a healthy food doesn't have to be scary because it's new or unusual!  Also, for any of y'all that have been scared of potatoes in the past, I hope you now know that they are a fantastic food and should be included in your regular diet (though not hidden under gobs of cheese and butter!).  Lastly, I hope one or both of these recipes help you to improve your diet, whether it be by subbing a lighter dish for your favorite comfort food or by introducing a new dish that's full of veggie goodness and incorporates a new ingredient (quinoa!)--and therefore great ideas for your very own Meatless Monday!!


Thanks to all of y'all for reading.  Please don't hesitate to contact me with questions/concerns - and especially if you try these recipes, I'd love to hear about your experiences!