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In this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast, we celebrate the Super Bowl with two deliciously healthy recipes that we hope you’ll share with your family and friends.  The first recipe for Tailgate Chili is made with two types of beans – Great Northern and red kidney – and is perfect for the vegetarians in your life. Our other recipe for Post-Season Pesto Pizza is bursting with flavor thanks to two of our favorite ingredients: caramelized onions and basil pesto. This recipe is also versatile — you can use the ingredients and layer them on two 16-ounce Italian bread loaves versus the two pizza crusts.  As for who we are rooting for in this year’s Super Bowl … The Patriots of course (ooops, they didn’t even make it into the playoffs this year)!

For the past few weeks, we’ve been experimenting with our new Fagor Duo Pressure Cooker.  Like many people, our comfort level with the pressure cooker had been less than cozy.  After all, we’re old enough to remember the stories about exploding pressure cookers — though perhaps they were nothing more than urban legends.  The new, modern-day pressure cookers are safe to use and turn the dinner hour in to the dinner minutes. 

Recently, after speaking with pressure cooker guru, Jill Nussinow, we decided to give this handy kitchen tool a  try.  We’ve been so impressed with our dinner results that we decidedto give away a fabulous Fagor Duo Pressure Cooker to one  randomly selected winner.  That’s a $100 value!  To enter, all you have to do is post a comment below sharing your favorite pressure cooker recipe or why you want one.  The giveaway ends at 5:00 PM on Friday, February 20th. 

Now, for more tips on using your pressure cooker, please enjoy the following guest post from Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen^TM

I began using a pressure cooker when my son was three. I say that it changed my cooking life, and probably the rest of it, too. I felt like the best mom in the world because my then-vegetarian son loved lentil soup.  (My omnivore husband will eat just about anything.) I could make the soup in 20 minutes, from start to finish. Thus began my love affair with the pressure cooker.

Shane's Fabulous Lentil Soup

My son had a biweekly play date when he was almost four. His friend would ask me every week, “Do you have any risotto?” I would always answer slyly, “I don’t but I can make  you some.” About 12 minutes later, he’d have his “plain” risotto which included only onions or leeks and vegetable broth. It became his favorite risotto. His mom wanted to know my secret so I told her about my pressure cooker. She bought a pressure cooker, and then her risotto became the best in the world. I could go on about why you might want to pressure cook but I will just share five of the many reasons.

Cook Healthier Foods More Easily and Quickly:  Legumes, whole grains and vegetables are a snap to cook. Beans become soup or chili, seasoned to your liking, in less than an hour. Barley, brown or wild rice cook in less than 25 minutes. Instead of microwaving, pressure cook fresh vegetables and get flavorful one-minute broccoli or carrots in two. No added fat needed in these triple-ply bottom stainless steel pots.

Boost Nutrition and Cook Big:  A Journal of Food Science study revealed more nutrition in pressure-cooked broccoli compared to other cooking methods. Colors stay bright and food stays firm. Batch cooking is easy; freezing leftovers such as 3-minute steel cut oats or lentil soup is a breeze.

Save Money:  One hundred dollars or less buys a pot that lasts a lifetime.  Home cooking pressure-perfect soup, stew, chili and pot roast is fast and inexpensive. Pressure cooked beans beat the canned version for cost and taste.

Save Energy and Time:  Cooking temperature rises to 240 degrees+ versus 212° F, reducing cooking time by 50% to 70% over stovetop cooking. Cook on gas, electric, glass top or induction. Energy saving for you and the planet.

Clean-Up is a Breeze with One Pot Cooking:  Start by sautéing or browning, then add the remaining ingredients at once, or in stages, with the modern pressure cooker quick-release feature. Clean the pot, rinse the gasket, and you’re done.

Cooking meat is easy. A whole chicken takes about 25 minutes at pressure and a 3-pound pork roast comes out fork tender in just 45 minutes at pressure (plus release time). I’ve also successfully made meat loaf, beef stew, Asian beef tips with vegetables and fajita chicken and rice. The modern pressure cooker is safe, quiet and efficient, relieving you of the nighttime pressure involved with making dinner.

You may be wondering, though, why you’d want to use this instead of the crockpot.  For the answers take a look at my November 24th  blog post. For more information about pressure cooking you can check out my website where you can see me in action with the modern pressure cooker.

Just because it’s cold outside (especially here in New England where we live) doesn’t mean vegetables are out of season. Cruise the supermarket produce section and you’ll see an array of colorful winter veggies – everything from broccoli and Brussels sprouts to snow peas and squash. In this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast, we tempt your family’s taste buds with two vegetable side dishes: Saucy Spaghetti Squash and Mashed Potatoes & Turnips.

From Liz:

Last week, I spent seven magical days at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico.  Just an hour’s drive from San Diego and a world away from my hectic, on-the-go life as a mom, I took advantage of all the amazing activities spa had to offer.  My days were filled with a wide variety of classes – yoga, body bar, dance, strength training, hiking, and even sculpting (I actually sculpted a head out of clay).  I also indulged in a few spa treatments and savored delicious meals featuring just-picked organic produce grown right at the Ranch.

One of the highlights of the trip was the two cooking classes I took at La Cucina Que Canta, Rancho La Puerta’s culinary center. The first was taught by dietitian pal, Carolyn O’Neil, my companion on the trip, and the second by La Cucina’s resident teaching chef, Ana Lorena Najar.  Anna’s recipes reflected her style of modern Mexican cuisine using locally-grown, seasonal and organic ingredients.  I prepared Arrozo a la Mexicana – brown rice with carrots, corn, onion and other ingredients picked from the garden — and watched as guests prepared Sopa de Tortilla, Shrimp a la Diabla and Ricotta Cheese Cake.

Carolyn O'Neil (center) and Chef Anna Lorena Najar (right)

Of all the recipes I tried at La Cucina, the one that jumped out as the most family friendly was the Ricotta Cheesecake with Seasonal Fruit.  It actually reminded me of our Mini Mango Cheesecake recipe.  If you try the cheesecake, let me know what you think of it!

Cheesecake with Seasonal Fruit

Makes 12 Servings

Crust:

• 3 cups corn or wheat flakes cereal
• 1/4 cup agave or maple syrup

Cheesecake:

• 3 large egg whites
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups cottage cheese*
• 8 ounces cream cheese*
• 1/2 cup sour cream*
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 orange
• 3/4 cup agave or maple syrup, divided
• 2 cups ripe seasonal fruit, diced
• Lavender blooms (optional)

*I think you could easily switch to lowfat and reduced fat cottage cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese.

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. In a food processor, combine the corn flakes and agave or maple syrup. Pulse until coarsely ground. Firmly press the crust into the bottom of an oiled 9-inch springform pan or a cake pan with a removable bottom.
3. Cut a piece of parchment paper to line the sides of the pan, and fit the paper snugly around the edge. Brush the paper lightly with oil (this helps release the cheesecake from the pan).
4. In a food processor or blender, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, zest, and ½ cup agave or maple syrup. Process until completely smooth. Pour the cheese mix over the crust.
5. Bake 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then release the cheesecake and remove the paper. Chill, uncovered, until completely firm.

To serve: Set the cake on a serving plate and top with the fruit. Drizzle the remaining 1/3 agave or maple syrup over the fruit and decorate with lavender flowers or other edible flowers.

For more recipes from the Ranch, be sure to check out Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta: Recipes from the World-Famous Spa, written by spa founder, Deborah Szekely.

When our cookbook was released in 2004, we wanted to share our recipes and tips with fellow moms and dads, so we started a series of cooking demonstrations called Meal Makeover Mom Cooking Parties.  We traveled the country and met amazing people along the way.  Since we couldn’t keep up with the travel, we created a do-it-yourself guide – complete with a sample invitation, suggested recipes, and an FAQ — on our website.  The parties are perfect for mother’s groups, PTAs, or a bunch of friends who want to get together to learn and laugh!  Some of the recipes we suggest are Corny Salmon Cakes and B.L.T. in a Bowl.  In this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast we share stories from some of our most memorable cooking parties and encourage listeners to gather up some friends and host their own event.  We’ll even call in during your party to answer any questions you may have!

If you look at the back of a Graham cracker box, chances are you’ll see their tried-and-true recipe for pie crust. It’s made with five tablespoons of butter – that’s over half a stick — and it tastes pretty darn good. But all that butter bothered Jennifer S., a mom of two from Greensburg, PA which is why she sent it to us for a Recipe Rescue.

“When I was younger, without kids, I didn’t think as much about what I put on the table.  Now, as a mom, I want to make sure every little bite counts especially because I have two picky eaters at home.  A child’s number one job in life is to grow and develop. You need to give them good nutrition to grow in a healthy manner,” Jennifer told us. 

Ah, picky eaters. We hear it all the time.  So when we sat down to “rescue” Jennifer’s pie crust, we too wanted to make every bite count.  As overachievers we also decided to create a super healthy strawberry filling for Jennifer’s new pie crust so she could treat her family to a complete (and nutritious) dessert.

For the crust, we cut the butter from five tablespoons down to just one, added one egg white (the yolk made the crust too dense and gummy so we stuck with the white only), one tablespoon of sugar versus the original four, and two tablespoons of ground flaxseed for a boost of heart-healthy omega-3 fat. 

Double Strawberry Smoothie Pie

Makes 8 Servings

Pie Crust:

• 1 ¼ cups Graham Cracker crumbs (or enough crushed Graham crackers to equal 1 ¼ cups)
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 egg white, beaten
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Pie Filling:

• 1 ½ cups frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 cup cranberry strawberry juice, divided
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatine
• 3/4 cup strawberry lowfat yogurt
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the Graham cracker crumbs, flaxseed, sugar, egg white, butter, and canola oil until well combined.
2. Using the back of a large spoon, press the crumb mixture firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool before filling.
3. Meanwhile, in a blender, blend together the strawberries and ½ cup of the juice until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally to break up any frothy bubbles
4. Place the remaining ½ cup juice in a large bowl. Sprinkle the gelatine over the juice and let stand 1 minute. Add the hot juice mixture and stir or gently whisk until the gelatine completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and sugar
5. Pour the mixture into the pie plate. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. Serve with whipped cream as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 180 calories, 6g fat (1.5g saturated, 0.5g omega-3), 130mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 4g protein, 20% vitamin C

Jennifer, her family (minus 7-year old Max … but we’ll get to that in a minute), and the friends she invited for dinner the night she tried our Recipe Rescue all gave the pie two thumbs up.  “It didn’t taste like the one on the box because the ingredients changed.  It was actually better. It had a nice flavor and texture and it wasn’t greasy like it can sometimes be given all the butter,” said Jennifer. 

Five-year old Ainsley said, “Oh my gosh, this is amazing mom,” while husband Chris asked for seconds.  As for Max … “He took a tiny mouthful but I’m not sure a single molecule passed his lips,” said Jennifer.  Given that it takes a lot of perseverance to get Max to try new foods, The Meal Makeover Moms promise not to take it personally.

All in all, our Double Strawberry Smoothie Pie was a smashing success.  “It was an amazing pie and will become a dessert staple around here,” promised Jennifer.

For years now, we’ve been giving your favorite recipes a healthy makeover.  In this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast, we share our best-kept secrets for rescuing recipes – everything from replacing the saturated fat from butter and shortening with healthier oils like canola and increasing the fiber and nutrients by using whole wheat flour, oats, and ground flax seed in our baked goods.  If you think healthy means bland and boring, you’ll love our tips and tricks for making your tried-and-true recipes fast, flavorful and more nutritious than ever.

The two recipes we rescue in this show are Cheesy Spinach Bites — a healthier version of spinach balls — and Double Strawberry Smoothie Pie, with a better-for-you Graham cracker crust.

You know you’re getting old when prune recipes start looking really good!  Even though Liz was up in New Hampshire skiing with friends and Janice was back in Boston celebrating with a crowd of 20, we each prepared recipes featuring prunes (AKA dried plums) over the New Year break.  We hadn’t spoken in over a week so clearly there was some sort of warped mental telepathy going on!

Liz was at Loon Mountain visiting her friend Wendy. For New Year’s Eve dinner, they prepared Chicken Marbella from The Silver Palate Cookbook.  Instead of a whole chicken cut into pieces, they used boneless, skinless chicken breast halves.  The recipe was intended more for the seven couples at the party than the kids (though a few did try it) given its somewhat sophisticated ingredient combination: capers, pitted prunes, Spanish green olives, dried oregano, and white wine.  The prunes added a delicious sweetness to the dish, not to mention a nice burst of fiber and health-promoting antioxidants.

For New Year’s day, Liz created a simple, hearty slow cooker recipe using two pounds lean stew beef, one medium onion (diced), one cup of the leftover pitted prunes (that’s about 24), and one cup of all-natural BBQ sauce.  It cooked for about seven hours on low. When it was done, Liz pulled the meat and prunes apart using two forks and then served the savory mixture on whole grain burger buns.  This was without a doubt one of the most family-friendly recipes ever!

Now for Janice’s prune story.  On New Year’s Eve, she took about 25 pitted prunes, wrapped each one with a small slice of Prosciutto, secured it with a tooth pick and then baked them at 400 degrees for 10 minutes on a foil-lined baking sheet.  The combo of sweet and salty made this easy-does-it appetizer a real crowd pleaser.

Besides tasting great, we’re pleased to report that our recipes helped to ring in 2009 with an extra dash of good nutrition!