Chopped Junior

Well, last week I probably got a B+ for all my posts.  This week?  Total F.  I'm sorry!  However, I have yummy things planned for next week... some healthy and some very, very indulgent.  But before you go off on your weekend ways, I wanted to share some news (in case you don't follow me on Instagram).  This coming Tuesday the 26th I will be guest judging on Chopped Junior!  We watch this show as a family ALL of the time, and recently my 7 year-old asked for his own Chopped box (I gave him corn, bacon, tortellini and broccoli - stay tuned).  I was so honored and thrilled to be a tiny part of this show, and watching these kids cook was a humbling experience to say the least.

I hope you watch and enjoy!  8/7c on Food Network :)      

The Hungry Brain: Book Update

In January of this year, I handed in a complete manuscript draft of my first book, The Hungry Brain, to my editor at Flatiron Books.  This book represents more than two full-time years of my life, and I can't wait for it to hit shelves.  It's markedly different from any other book in its category, and believe it has the potential to substantially change the public conversation on eating behavior and obesity.

In the process of writing The Hungry Brain, I read countless papers and interviewed 36 leading researchers in the fields of neuroscience, obesity research, and anthropology.  I had my brain scanned in an fMRI machine while looking at junk food.  I commissioned and compiled 47 illustrations, schematics, and graphs, mostly by a skilled medical illustrator named Shizuka Aoki.  Yet the book will be accessible to anyone who loves science.

This book is not about me or my world views.  It's not a conspiracy story about how everything we've been told is actually wrong, nor is it a critique of existing ideas about eating behavior and obesity-- although I do correct some misconceptions along the way.  It's about the incredible and rapidly evolving world of research that has so much to teach us about ourselves, but rarely trickles down into the public sphere in a useful form.

In interviews this year, I said I thought the book would be out around September 2016.  That was based on a rough estimate my agent gave me last year.  Sadly, it won't be out until first quarter 2017-- the gears turn slowly in the publishing industry.  But the good news is that Flatiron Books is using this time to do a great job of copyediting, interior design, cover design, and marketing, to make sure this book is as good as it can be, and gets into as many hands as possible.  I'll provide a better date estimate when I have one.

In the meantime, enjoy this short description of the book:

From an obesity and neuroscience researcher with a knack for storytelling, The Hungry Brain uses cutting-edge science to answer the questions: why do we overeat, and what can we do about it?

No one wants to overeat. And certainly no one wants to overeat for years, become overweight, and end up with a high risk of diabetes or heart disease--yet two thirds of Americans do precisely that.  Even though we know better, we often eat too much. Why does our behavior betray our own intentions to be lean and healthy? The problem, argues obesity and neuroscience researcher Stephan J. Guyenet, is not necessarily a lack of willpower or an incorrect understanding of what to eat. Rather, our appetites and food choices are led astray by ancient, instinctive brain circuits that play by the rules of a survival game that no longer exists. And these circuits don�t care about how you look in a bathing suit next summer.

To make the case, The Hungry Brain takes readers on an eye-opening journey through cutting-edge neuroscience that has never before been available to a general audience. The Hungry Brain delivers profound insights into why the brain undermines our weight goals and transforms these insights into practical guidelines for eating well and staying slim. Along the way, it explores how the human brain works, revealing how this mysterious organ makes us who we are.

Don't throw those veggie tops away! On CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Don�t Throw It Away 2.0
This morning, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod, I presented the following recipes with items that many people throw out.

Last year, I encouraged cooks and people who love things from the garden and farmer�s markets to not throw radish leaves away. I have a couple of recipes for them on my blog. Now, I see people throwing carrot and beet tops away. These delicate leaves are delicious and so easy to make into many dishes.

Carrot Top Pesto

1 bunch carrot top greens, chopped (today from Almost Urban Farms at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)
2-3 bunches basil (or chives, cilantro, etc.) (Fresh today from Reimer�s at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)
3-5 cloves garlic
�- � cup parmesan reggianno or Padano
� cup walnuts (or almonds or pine nuts, or, pumpkin seeds)
1 (+/-) ground black pepper
Olive oil

In a food processor or blender, grind up garlic and nuts, and cheese if cut and not grated. Add chopped carrot greens and basil or other herbs and pepper. Drizzle in olive oil as it blends until a smooth paste or the consistency that you desire.

Use on pasta, fish, seafood, as a compound butter for steaks, in sauces, etc.

I�m serving it today on linguine from Nature�s Pasta.

Stuffed Beet Leaves

1 lb ground beef (or lamb) (I used Wildfire Farms ground beef, available at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)

1-3 shallots, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 tbs Turkish Baharat (or your favourite seasonings)
� finely chopped pepper (optional)
2 tbs chopped fresh dill
1 tbs good tomato paste (Available at Millad�s)
2 tbs pomegranate molasses (optional, available at Millad�s)
Salt, to taste
� cup bulgur (can use cooked rice, quinoa, etc.)
� cup stock (I used chicken stock that I make and freeze)
1 bunch beet leaves
Chicken stock for cooking

Preheat oven to 350F.

Saut� the shallots until soft and add the ground beef. After browned, add vegetables, seasonings and cook until soft. Add tomato paste and pomegranate molasses. Stir in the bulgur and add stock. Simmer until the bulgur is softened. Set filling aside.

Line a baking dish with a few beet leaves. Stack the beet leaves for stuffing. You can soften the rib by gently running your finger along it, to make rolling the leaves easier.

Fill each leaf with the meat filling and roll like a small burrito or dolma. Place each roll in the baking dish on top of the leaves. Add chicken stock to the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until soft.

Serve hot, cold, or warm. Top with yoghurt tahini sauce or a cream sauce with dill.

Enjoy!

Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini
1 large zucchini, halved and sliced lengthwise, cutting out centre marrow
Centre marrow of zucchini, chopped
2 shallots, sliced
� green or red pepper, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs Turkish Baharat
Olive oil
Pinch salt
5 fresh dates, pitted
1 tbs good tomato paste
� cup wine, tea or juice, to deglaze
1 cup cooked quinoa
Options: chopped mushrooms, green onions, chilies

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake zucchini pieces with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil, until almost soft. Prepare filling.

In a medium saucepan on medium heat, heat olive oil and add sliced shallots and minced garlic. Add remaining vegetables and cook until soft and most moisture is cooked out. Add all seasonings, dates and tomato paste. Deglaze and cook until soft. Mix in cooked quinoa. 
Spoon filling into zucchini pieces and bake until crisp on top and zucchini is soft. Serve hot, cold or warm.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

At first glance, doesn't that sort of look like cheesy garlic bread?  WELL IT'S NOT!  Oh, you gathered that because the title of this post is "Spaghetti Squash Bolognese"??  Stop rubbing your smart brains in our faces.  But you're right, this is spaghetti squash that is roasted first and then topped with a ground turkey-based marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and roasted again until the cheese gets all bubbly and golden.  It's very simple to make (although I always make Carson slice the squash in half as I fear for the safety of my fingers) and easily would feed a family of 4 if not more.      

You can find the recipe HERE.

*I would feel remiss not to bring up the recent terror attacks in France.  A friend of mine who is an American citizen living there summed up how I've been feeling lately by writing... "it's like a bad dream, the kind you want to shake off when you wake up with a hug from your partner or kids."  I wish I could understand, or provide answers, especially because my son is old enough to ask questions, but instead I feel confused, frustrated, lost and tired.  And oddly, I keep thinking about these people who carry out such acts of hatred, and I keep imagining them as babies.  Innocent little babies, with their lives in front of them.  I want to wrap them up in my arms, and I want to love them.  Is that just the strangest thing?  I don't know, I guess it helps me to believe that love will always win.

Easy Edamame Hummus

Look at me, 3 blog posts in 3 days!  It reminds me of olden times, when I only had one child and Carson and I were able to stay up later than 9pm to watch television together.  Alas, things have changed.  My children have multiplied by 3, I'm halfway through my 30's, and I have no idea what Pokemon Go is.  All of that means, semi-homemade tricks are crucial in my kitchen.  Recently, I've been wanting to make hummus from scratch - and I'll get to it - but for now, taking store-bought hummus and blending it with shelled edamame beans will do!  (My kids love hummus, so I'm also hoping this might turn them onto the idea of green foods in general... maybe?)  Here's what I did:

Take one family-size portion of hummus (1 lb.) and throw it in a blender or food processor.  Add roughly 2 cups of shelled edamame and blend until smooth, adding olive oil if needed.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon.  Sprinkle more olive oil on top before serving.

Easy!  Delicious!  And maybe, just maybe, you'll save some time in the kitchen and you can apply it to watching an episode of Orange is the New Black, Season 3 (because you'll never be current).

Pineapple Vodka Soft Serve

Yep, you read that correctly.  This is creamy soft serve, made from chunks of fresh pineapple with, yes, VODKA in it.  Tasty videos for the win again!!  When I saw this it wasn't a question of WILL I make it, it was WHEN.  While it did require freezing for 6 hours, the entire process was pretty simple!  Especially if you're lazy and buy pre-chopped up pineapple like me.  This is the perfect little (adult) treat for the summer heat.  

You can find the recipe in the comment section HERE.