kamut greek salad.

as a dietitian-to-be I am in full support of finding ways to incorporate whole grains into our diets.

kamut is NOT a scary ancient grain.

kamut IS:

a.) high in fiber

b.) relatively high in protein

c.) low glycemic index

d.) delicious in this salad


**amendment amendment!!!**
kamut is NOT gluten free.
apologies to all my gluten intolerant, celiac friends!

whole grains include fiber, and fiber rich products play an important role in healthy weight maintenance.  not only do they take you longer to chew, but the bulk makes you feel fuller for longer. 

glycemic index refers to how much a carbohydrate-containing food is likely to raise a person's blood sugar.  

the lower a food ranks on the glycemic index, the more control you have over blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels. 

no, no, no type II diabetes!

mixing kamut into a familiar and tasty greek salad is a a great way to introduce this mighty grain to hesitant first-timers!


want whole grains, but maybe not greek salad? check out these other whole grain recipes!

- brussels sprouts with cranberries and farro

- pumpkin old fashioned oatmeal

- spiced up savory popcorn

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kamut greek salad

This recipe has the distinctive tastes of a classic Greek Salad.  The variety of crisp vegetables provide a fresh crunch, which are nicely contrasted by the nutty chew of the al dente kamut.  The crumbled feta add a creamy texture to each bite, as well as a level of complexity with its tangy flavor.  The simple vinaigrette didn’t overpower the flavors of the fresh vegetables, and the dried oregano lent a subtle aromatic flavor, which is characteristic of Mediterranean cuisine.  The acidity from the lemon, and the smoothness of the olive oil nicely complemented one another, without making the salad overly greasy.  

source: dietitians of canada: simply great food
serves: 8

the goodies:
- 1 c. kamut 
- 2 c. water      
- 2 green onions, chopped         
- 1 small carrot, grated
- ½ red bell pepper         
- ½ c. finely diced English cucumber
- ¼ c. freshly chopped parsley
- ¼ c. finely chopped black olives
- ¼ c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp dried oregano    
- ½ c. crumbled feta


the fun part:

1. Rinse kamut and then place in small saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cook until kamut is soft, about 1 hour. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool kamut. Drain well. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Meanwhile, prepare your remaining ingredients.  
3. In a large bowl, combine cooled kamut, green onions, carrot, red pepper, cucumber, parsley, olives, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with crumbled feta.
4. Think about how easy this recipe was, and enjoy!

what your body will like:

- per serving: calories: 152 - carbs: 20 g - protein: 5 g - fat: 6 g
- all of the fantastic fun facts I have listed above!

white chocolate and cranberry scones.

I love breakfast. 

I love pink.

I love love.

one day a year all my favorite things collide: valentine's day.

{breakfast + pink + love = heart shaped scones.}

white chocolate chip and cranberry scones.  

the goodies:
- 3 c. flour
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1.5 tbsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 lb butter, cold
- 2/3 c. fresh cranberries
- 1/3 c. white chocolate, chopped or chips
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 c. whipping cream + 2 tbsp. 

the fun part:
1.) preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.) mix the dry ingredients in food processor. add the cut up butter, and pulse.
3.) transfer flour/butter mixture into a bowl and add cranberries and white chocolate.
4.) combine eggs and cream in a separate bowl.
5.) make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the cream/egg mixture in. stir slightly, but do not overmix.  it will be shaggy.
6.) turn out the dough on a floured surface. gather the dough, pile it up and use the heel of your hand to smear it away from you. fold it together gently and smear again. continue until it becomes cohesive, but do no overwork.
7.) pat the dough into a circle, brush with remaining whipping cream, and strategically cut out heart shaped scones with cookie cutter.  (ps, if you're hoping to make these on any day other than february 14th, you can cut the circle into 8 wedges instead.)
8.) transfer to baking sheet and baking for 15-20 minutes.

what your body will like:
love!

speaking of love, everyone lovvved picnics and pantries valentine's day last year.  click here to see the most popular picnics and pantries post of all time!

brussels sprouts with cranberries and farro.

I am a creature of habit.  

I get it from my papa.  

I like cooking my oatmeal the same way every night before bed.  

I have a running route I like, and I stick to it. 

I like to grocery shop on sundays and do laundry on mondays.

I have the gym class scheduled memorized.  

lentils, squash and kale?  

they became a habit.  every day.

delicious, but two problems:

1. my body turned orange from the beta carotene (no, not really)

2. I had nothing new to blog about

but remember, there are no problems, only solutions! 

thanks to a visit from mama this past week, and the introduction of some new ingredients to my pantry, things are getting exciting again.

this recipe caught my eye immediately, and I have fallen in love with a brand new cyber recipe box at cookie and kate.  

I give her full credit for this delicious recipe, and would have followed it, had I the appropriate ingredients on hand.  instead, I strayed where needed and came up with this (delicious!) variation.  I would recommend checking her recipe out if you're interested in trying it yourself, but if you too don't have all the ingredients hiding in your kitchen, this version is tasty as well.

brussels sprouts with cranberries and farro.

source: cookie and kate
serves: 4 sides, 2 full servings


the goodies:
- 1 lb brussels sprouts, ends trimmed + cut in half length wise
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 2/3 c. fresh cranberries
- 1/3 c. walnuts, chopped and toasted
- 1/3 c. parmesan cheese, shaved
- 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup
- 1.5 c. farro (or barley, quinoa, or brown rice), cooked

the fun part:
1. if you do not have any left over grains to heat up, start to cook these now.

1 c. farro + 2.5 c. water + bring to boil, cover on low heat for 30 minutes
1 c. quinoa + 2 c. water + bring to boil, cover on low heat for 15 minutes
1 c. rice + 2 c. water + bring to boil, cover on low heat for 45 minutes

2. preheat your broiler.
3. set a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stove.  let it heat up for 2-3 minutes.  it should be so hot that a few drops of water sizzle and quickly disappear after contact
4. in a medium sized bow, toss the prepared brussels sprouts with olive oil and salt and pepper.  toss well so that the sprouts are evening coated in a thin layer of oil
5.  once the pan is hot, dump the sprouts into the pan and quickly rearrange them so that the flat sides are face down.  let them cook for 2 minutes.
6. toss the fresh cranberries into the pan and transfer the pan to your broiler.  the pan will be heavy and hot so use oven mitts and be careful!  let the brussels broil for about 2 minutes.  check the sprouts for doneness - their tops should be a little browned and the bottoms caramelized.  how long you leave them there depends on your preferences and your oven.  the cranberries should have started popping by now.
7. toss the warm farro, sprouts, cranberries, cheese and nuts in a bowl and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and maple syrup.  season with salt and pepper, if you choose.

{bon appetit!}

what your body will like:
per serving: 243 calories - 36 g carbs - 11 g fat - 9 g protein - 8 g fiber