Kathleen Rowland's Blog, page 37

Eat– for Good Health

Grilled Fish with Peach and Pepper Salsa






I make my own salsa– green olives, nectarines and peaches (pitted, chopped) with chopped fresh parsley, red onion, olive oil. First, sauté the fish and then add the above combo.  When I find Dover Sole, I feel lucky and want to do something special with it.  I’ll serve this with brown rice, green beans, and a tossed salad.   

Places– of Charm

Yippee, we “inherited” a pool with our newly purchased home.  I am learning all I can about pool maintenance and found John Brace’s book, POOL MAINTENANCE MADE EASY, to be helpful.  I printed out the swimming pool service record on his website, www.poolmaintenancemadeeasy.com on his website.  Yesterday I spent around a hundred dollars at Walmart buying a leaf skimmer, net, and wide brush (with a telescoping handle that fits all).  Also I bought the chlorine tablets with the insert-within floater.  Just in case there’s algae clinging to corners, I bought a scotch-brite pool and spa scrubber and a bottle of algae guard to prevent algae.  Most importantly I bought the hth 6-way test kit for total chlorine, bromine, pH, total alkalinity, total hardness, and cyanuric acid. 

Eat– for Good Health

Some diet ideas are worthy, and some are not.  I endorse Mark Bittman’s Vegan Before 6:00 PM. Doesn’t he look happy in the photo below? 

Six years ago, Mark Bittman’s weight, blood pressure and blood sugar were creeping into the danger zone.

The man who gave us “How to Cook Everything” and took viewers on a PBS tour in “Best Recipes in the World” has always indulged and eaten well. But as with many people, middle age and his diet caught up with him. His doctor made a radical suggestion: Consider becoming a vegan.  It was a blunt wake-up call for the New York Times columnist and bestselling cookbook author.  As someone who has built a career writing about food, Bittman wasn’t inclined to go all or nothing. He didn’t want to do pills, either. Taking stock of what he knew, he came up with Vegan Before 6:00. Focusing on increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits and legumes, he cut out junk food. Keeping things in check during the day, he culled a flexible diet cutting out animal products before dinner while allowing for indulgences in the evening.

Now 35 pounds lighter, he’s in better health and sharing this mindful “semi-vegan” approach.

                   

Wordsmith– I also write books

Storytellers Soiree met yesterday in Glendora, California. What a great meet-up! Isn’t there a ghostliness about pen names? How secretive should we be? Authors choose to have pen names if writing in different genres. I enjoy the outspoken opinions of talented, successful authors, Tina Gayle and M. Catherine Berg. These are names you may know. Mostly Tina writes contemporary romance but has two alternative pen names, one for erotica and one for young adult. M. Catherine Berg writes funny mystery. I write under my real name, Kathleen Rowland, but once published a young adult which confused my typical audience who were looking for spicy romantic suspense. Here’s a little secret– my upcoming New Adult (characters’ ages range from 18 to early thirties) will be written under the pen name of Rudyard Rowland. For book covers I’ll shorten it to Rud Row. My friends thought Rudyard Rowland was too long and tedious. I appreciate good friends who say it like it is. http://www.rudyardrowland.com. Yessirree, I’m in the submission process for the series.

People craft– taking care of ourselves

Here are a few tricks to look slimmer this summer.  Confidence is as easy as putting on the right style of dresses.  Choose an A-line that flows around the hips or one with a structured band that nips your waist.  Another style trick is thinning your face by applying bronzer along your jaw to give the appearance of depth.  Keep it to a light dusting to avoid looking like you forgot to blend.

Do you have style tricks you’d like to share?

 

People appreciation

These photos are from THE ENGAGEMENT CELEBRATION at son Ted and fiancé Via’s loft in Los Angeles.  Here are Via and Ted– the photo was wide, and the rest of us were cut off.  What fun we had!  The time went so fast.

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Eat– for Good Health

Friends, son Teddy and girlfriend Via are engaged!   Daughter Janice and I are putting on a party today at their L.A. loft, and one of the items we are making to bring is SAUTEED SAUSAGE AND GRAPES WITH BROCCOLI RABE.   This recipe is courtesy of Cooking Light.  We had a heavier version in Tuscany

       Ingredients   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           




1
pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and coarsely chopped


2
tablespoons olive oil, divided


2
(4-ounce) links hot or sweet pork Italian sausage, casings removed


3
cups green grapes, sliced in half lengthwise


¼
teaspoon kosher salt, divided


¼
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided


1
cup thinly sliced red onion


1
tablespoon minced garlic


¼
cup white wine or water


1
teaspoon red wine vinegar


1
ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved (about ¼ cup

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

1. Cook broccoli rabe in boiling water 1 1/2 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well. Place in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage; cook for 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add grapes, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook for 2 minutes or until grapes begin to soften. Add sausage mixture to broccoli rabe.

3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes or until soft. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, sausage mixture, and vinegar. Toss to combine; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese; serve immediately.

Eat– for Good Health

Friends, there are several versions of ciopinno from the mid-1800s.  Fisherman gathered the day’s catch and added seasonal vegetables.  Delicious! Now that we are home from a couple weeks in beautiful italy, I am cooking italian favorites. 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 pound crab legs, cut into 4-inch pieces
1 pound medium shrimp, (30-40 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 pound firm white fish fillet, such as cod (see Tip), haddock or halibut
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Heat oil in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and green pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in wine and bring to a boil; cook for 3 minutes, then add tomatoes, clam juice, parsley, bay leaf, oregano and crushed red pepper. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth is rich and thick, 20 to 30 minutes.
Add mussels, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the mussels with tongs as they open, reserving them in a large bowl. Discard any mussels that do not open. Add crab legs, return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the crab is heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove with tongs and reserve along with the mussels. Add shrimp, fish and chopped basil; cover and simmer until the shrimp turns pink and the fish is opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Return the reserved mussels and crab legs to the pot. Reheat briefly and serve.

Eat– for Good Health

My husband, Gerry, is playing tennis tonight and requested HARVEST TURKEY SALAD WITH CRANBERRIES, Gorgonzola Cheese, pecans, pears on field greens.  We use Wishbone’s balsamic spray.  Eating a light dinner before playing has advantages, but he usually has ice cream after he gets home!  I don’t eat anything after six, but I do enjoy a cup of tea. 

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Eat– for Good Health

Tuscany Chicken combines tomatoes, zucchini, onion, and snow peas with chicken and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Preparation is made more easy with Italian salad dressing.  260 calories per serving is ideal for anyone losing a pound or two a week on the GOLD STANDARD OF THIN plan. Serve with a field greens salad.

 

Ingredients serve 4

4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb)
1/4 cup olive oil base Italian salad dressing
1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup snow peas
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cover with lid.
Cook 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until done (165º F). Transfer to platter and cover
to keep warm.

2.  Add the salad dressing, zucchini and onions to skillet; cook on medium heat 4 minutes  or until vegetables are crisp tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes and snow peas; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through.

3.  Top chicken with vegetable mixture and cheese.