Happy St. Patrick's Day

I am about as Irish as they come. And I have both of my grandmothers to thank for that. Mary Ryan and Claire Moriarty ensured that March 17th would always be a special day for my family and me. And if being Irish was not enough, I of course went to Notre Dame, the most Irish Catholic school in the country, own more green t-shirts than the leprechaun, can do the jig, and scream "Go Irish" more days of the year than not. It's in my blood, it's in my heart, it's who I am.

With all that though, I somehow have never come to appreciate corned beef. Year after year, I stick my nose up at that pink colored meat, never getting too excited for any St. Patty's Day celebration knowing that I will spend the majority of the event hungry and praying that a salad will be served alongside my least favorite food. I really do not know where my dislike of corned beef came from. Perhaps I had a bad experience with it at one point in time and have blocked out the memory, leaving nothing but negative feelings and a gag reflex. Or perhaps just because we were not served corned beef as children, I therefore have come to believe that I do not like it. I am really not sure, but what I do know is that I have been avoiding it for 26 straight years.

This year though, I received a formal request for corned beef. I have to admit, my husband (knowing my dislike) was pretty sly. He submitted it the Monday before St. Patrick's Day from the safety of his office, while I was cruising some 35,000 feet above land. He embedded his plea at the very bottom of an email as if it was nothing and in hopes that I would not really notice with all the other items he had rattled off before reaching his real point. He simply asked "Will you please make corned beef on Thursday?" Had I not been harboring feelings of slight guilt for leaving him home alone and stuck working long days and even longer nights, while I jetted down to Florida for a family event, I probably would have said no. But my guilt was still lingering and I found myself at Whole Foods picking out my least favorite meat.

Having never eaten more than a bite of corned beef, let alone made it, I felt a little overwhelmed by the task at hand. I read through several recipes and took ideas from each to create our feast. The first thing I realized was that nearly every recipe called for the meat to brine for a minimum of a week. It was already Monday, and the dinner was expected to be served on Thursday, so 3 days would have to work this time. To create my brine I boiled a large pot of water with an ungodly amount of salt and about 1/2 a cup of brown sugar. Once the water had begun to boil, I added in peppercorns, cloves, all spice, and about 6 bay leaves. After the salt and sugar had dissolved, I then removed the pot from the heat, and began adding ice cubes until it returned to room temperature. From here I simply added my meat to the pot, covered it and threw it in the refrigerator for the next 3 days.

On Thursday, the real fun began. I removed the meat from the brine and trimmed off the majority of the fat. I then placed the meat in a dutch oven and covered entirely with water.

To the pot I added a can of Ale beer, a handful of cinnamon sticks and bay leaves, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and cloves. I then chopped up an onion and a half and threw that into the pot as well.

I brought the pot to a boil and then reduced the heat and let it boil for the next six hours, adding a little more water as needed.

Towards the end of those six hours, I chopped up my carrots and potatoes to later be baked with the beef.

I also mixed up my rub for the meat. I combined 1/4 cup of brown sugar, a little bit of mustard powder, ground cloves, ground ginger, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. I mixed those together and set aside until the meat was ready for the oven.

Meanwhile, I boiled the potatoes and carrots so that they would be soft and just need to crisp up in the oven.

Once the meat was extremely tender, I transferred it along with all of the onions into my baking pan. I covered the meat with the dry rub and surrounded it with the cooked potatoes and carrots. I seasoned the vegetables with sea salt, black pepper and a little bit of onion powder, before placing in a 325 degree oven.

I let the meat and vegetables bake for about 25 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots were crisp and golden.

After allowing the meat rest for several minutes, I let the husband join in the fun and thinly slice the meat. Note: I also removed the excess dry rub from atop of the meat before serving. I found that it was a little too sweet for my liking. In the future, I will probably make only about half of the rub. Although tasty, I wanted a more savory dish and found the rub to be just a tad too sweet.

I served my first ever corned beef along with the onions, carrots and potatoes and zucchini bread (recipe below).

Much to my surprise the husband requested zucchini bread with this meal instead of the more traditional Irish Soda Bread. I was happy to oblige him, especially since it was quick and easy to make and left our whole condo smelling wonderfully of cinnamon (I used the Joy of Cooking recipe, but added whole wheat flour).

To make the zucchini bread first grate 2 medium sized zucchinis.

Combine 1 cup of flour, 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon in one bowl.

In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup of sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until completely blended. Add in the grated zucchini and pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

I have to say that I think my first corned beef was actually a success! I had feared a total disaster and had even planned a back-up meal just in case. But I was pleasantly surprised with our St. Patrick's Day feast, and even found myself enjoying the food rather than wishing it was some other holiday. Although I do not think I will make corned beef throughout the year, I know we have now started a new St. Patrick's Day tradition; one that will make my grandmothers, both Ryan and Moriarty, proud every March 17th from here on out. And I know my husband is pleased that his wife is now willing to make one of his favorite meals.

And just because it is March Madness and in my blood GO IRISH! Take us to the final four!

baby and cheese and bread

A lot of changes have been happening recently. Changes that have affected both my diet and, in some ways, my cooking. They have all been good changes, wonderful changes in fact, but nonetheless, have had me quite busy.

Change #1:

In mid-October my husband and I received the best piece of news of 2010. Well, technically I received the news first and then, while trembling, attempted to share the news with him as well. In June of 2011 we will be adding a new member to our little family - we are going to have a baby! 

Finding out you are going to be a parent for the first time invokes a great number of emotions. First, there was the overwhelming excitement that made my hands tremble and my voice shake as I attempted to tell my husband (according to him, I didn’t need to say anything, the look on my face gave it away). Then there was a bit of nervousness that started to boil up inside and I quickly found myself asking a million questions. ‘Am I ready to be someone’s mother?’ ‘Can we afford to have a baby?’ ‘How do I pick a doctor?’ ‘How should we tell our families?’ ‘When should we tell our friends?’ ‘What foods should I avoid?’ ‘Should I stop running?’ ‘Am I getting enough calcium?’ ‘Should I have started a prenatal already?’ There were probably one thousand other questions that ran through my head in about a 2 minute span, but you get the idea.

After the nervousness calmed down, reality started to set in and my extreme excitement quickly took its place. At our first doctor's appointment, we were able to get many of our questions answered and I was also handed me a packet (as in multiple pages stapled together) of all the foods and drinks I am not allowed to consume while pregnant, hence the change in diet:

No lunch meat unless heated until steaming

No raw foods, including but not limited to sushi or raw eggs (there goes batter tasting!)

Limit caffeine intake to 300 mg or less a day

No soft cheeses

Limited seafood intake to one serving per week

No fish with high contents of Mercury (swordfish, shark, king mackerel, etc.)

All meat must be cooked to well done

No artificial sweeteners

No alcohol (obviously)

No mayonnaise or mayonnaise-based products unless made at home

Limit number of processed foods

No Herbal teas

No smoked or cured meats

No Apple cider or any other unpasteurized beverages

Again the list went on and on - for 8 plus pages. As a first time mother-to-be I am more than happy to follow these rules and perhaps a little bit too uptight about them (although sometimes, especially when you are 6 weeks pregnant and traveling through Europe, it can be very difficult and unnerving to find foods that you are allowed to eat - like the one time in Fussen, Germany when I unknowingly ate an item from the do not eat list and then proceeded to cry for 20 minutes while my poor husband tried to console me by telling me women have been having babies for centuries and most likely ate things from the "do not eat list"), so the rules have changed my eating habits a bit and forced me to look a little bit more carefully before throwing an item into the shopping cart or ordering off of a menu. 

In addition to the required changes, my appetite has also had its ups and downs. There are days when nothing sounds appetizing and the thought of eating turns my stomach; then there are days when I am starving all day long, no matter how much or what I consume. Every day brings something new - and I never know what the baby is going to want to eat that particular day. For example, in my first trimester I could not get enough carrots. I ate so many carrots that I started to worry that our baby may actually come out orange. It’s been an adventure, but of the best kind and I have been working on and experimenting with many pregnancy friendly meals to share here with all of you. So stay tuned! 

Change # 2:

After we found out that we were expecting, we also decided to change our surroundings. My husband was offered a great job in Milwaukee, so after the holidays, we packed up our belongings and headed north to the great state of cheese. Although we have not been here for too long, I can already tell that the culture in Milwaukee will have an influence on our cooking and eating habits. Not only do they love their cheese, beer and fried foods here, but there are also an abundance of food stores (finally, a Whole Foods!) and a vast array of restaurants options. I can only imagine that in the next few months as we explore our new city and become familiar with our  new surroundings, that there will be many blog worthy meals. 

As for now, I am sitting in our furniture-less condo waiting for the Time-Warner Cable man to arrive and hook up our Internet. Once that is done, I can guarantee, many more posts. And once I fully explore the city, I hope to integrate all of the great food, flavors and cooking styles this part of the country has to offer; but the beer tasting and brewery tours will have to wait another six months! 

In Honor of Jillian: Low-Fat Banana Bread

I am addicted to Losing it with Jillian. I do not know what it is about this show, but I am hooked. Ever since I saw the last 15 minutes of the very first episode I was done for. I was never a fan of The Biggest Loser, so I am not entirely sure where my addiction is coming from. Perhaps it is because I am an avid runner and am hooked on the endorphins that result. I cannot imagine my life without my workouts. They are my sanity and as crazy as some people find it, I love them. Or maybe it’s because I truly enjoy healthy homemade meals over greasy restaurant food. Or perhaps this is just a freaking good show, either way I am a dedicated viewer.

In any given episode, Jillian surprises the contestant’s by showing up at their houses and promptly moving in with them for a week of serious booty kicking. In that week she teaches them everything they need to know about healthy eating (throws out all the junk food in their house and always takes them to Subway – a little advertising – at least it’s not the extreme and obvious product placement that was The Biggest Loser), exercising (sweat, blood and tears) and even does a little family intervention when necessary. Jillian screams and yells at the contestants as is her known way. There is often crying and occasionally throwing up. It’s great. 

At the end of the week, Jillian sits the contestants down and they all make vows of what they are going to accomplish over the next six weeks before her return. This usually involves a weight loss goal, family promises, and lots and lots of tears and hugs. And with that Jillian is off, only to return six weeks later for the big unveiling. 

The show ends with Jillian’s return and the contestants get to show off their new bodies. Often there is drastic weight loss and obvious change, other times the contestants are looking healthier and fit, but it’s not the “wow” moment you were expecting. Either way, episode after episode, I am impressed with Jillian and her ability to significantly change these people’s lives in one short week. Granted, I am not a complete fool and know that during those six weeks there is presumably a lot of coaching and guidance from Jillian’s staff, health professionals and access to her website (jillianmichaels.com) which is stocked full of helpful weight loss tools. But still, what this show is doing for families across America is truly amazing and inspiring. 

So in honor of Jillian and all she is doing to fight obesity, heart disease, diabetes and the general unhealthiness that plagues our country, I wanted to share some healthy recipes for everyone who is working hard to achieve their weight loss goals and/or lifestyles changes. I do not believe in forbidding any one item from your diet (side note – when I say “diet” I am not referring to the modern term of dieting, but rather the food we consume each day – we all have diets). Rather, I am a strong proponent of moderation, healthy choices and active lifestyles. For many people, the idea of completely cutting out one type of food – be it carbohydrates, sugar, desserts, etc. – can actually be more harmful than occasionally allowing it. By eliminating particular foods, many people end up wanting it more, unable to get it out of their minds, eventually resulting in a blown diets and binge reactions. Although this is not the case for everyone, I have seen it happen enough to know that for me moderation, healthy choices and an active lifestyle is where it’s at. 

Often on Losing it with Jillian the contestants say something along the lines of “I do not know how to make healthy choices,” “I need someone to teach me,” or “I do not know what is good for me and what is not.” These statements appall me time after time. I am waiting for the moment when such statements will no longer shock me to my core; it has yet to happen. Instead, it is jaw to the floor and me yelling to Adam in the other room “how the hell do they not know!” 

Often Jillian will discover that the contestants consume high quantities of fried, processed, greasy food. Many times there are scenes of a family gulping down fast food/high calories meals from McDonald's and other similar chains, as well as myriads of other “oh so not good for you” items. It would be one things if these occurrences were once every couple of weeks, but for many of these families it is daily affair. It is no surprise that many of them are at high risk for diabetes and/or using sleep apnea machines because their bodies cannot breathe on their own. It is truly heart breaking, often times, infuriating and even more proof that we need better education and wellness programs in our schools and workplaces.

Jillian is doing her part to help educate and fight this epidemic and I want to at least do something to help support individuals like the ones one this show. So with no further ado and in the spirit of healthy choices and moderation, here is my better for you, cannot resist banana bread. It is perfect for breakfast, snacks, dessert or just anytime you need a boost of energy (see below for alterations). This bread is packed full of healthy ingredients such as whole wheat flour, low-fat yogurt and is overflowing with vitamin packed bananas. It tastes so great, that you wouldn't have know it is low-fat until I told you. This bread is not dry or bland like other low-fat baked goods and I know Jillian would most definitely approve.  So use this recipe instead of the other full-fat ones and remember it’s all about moderation, healthy choices and active lifestyles.

Low-Fat Banana Bread:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of butter

2 large eggs

1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt

3 large ripe bananas

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl add the softened butter and sugar and beat until mixed. Add one egg at a time and beat until fully incorporated. Add the mashed bananas, yogurt and vanilla. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon. A little bit at a time, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir only until ingredients are mixed. Do not over mix the batter.

Pour into a Pam sprayed loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until your cake tester comes out clean.

Alterations:  Adding 1/2 cup of chocolate or peanut butter chips to this recipe will turn it into a decadent dessert (and a much better option than chocolate cake!) that the whole family can enjoy without adding too many extra calories. In fact, try dark chocolate chips which are full of good for you antioxidants! And if you need a power breakfast, feel free to add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts to provide an extra energy boost and help you power through your morning.  

Continue to look for other “In honor of Jillian” recipes and feel free to leave comments for any other "In honor of Jillian" recipes you would like to see!