I’m sure you’ve heard the recommendations that a healthy diet should include lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and not so much refined food such a white flour, desserts, red meat, etc. A book written several years ago by Harvard nutritionists Walter C. Willett and Meir J. Stampfer, Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy (Simon & Schuster, August 2001), describes this nutritional approach, which is based on decades of research. The nutritional guidelines are easily summarized in their food pyramid. Basically, this “nutrition lifestyle” (don’t call it a diet), recommends sharply restricting red meat, potatoes and refined grain products such as white bread; limiting dairy products to one or two servings a day; replacing unhealthy saturated fat with healthier unsaturated vegetable oils; and emphasizing whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Notice that the bottom layer of the pyramid lists exercise and weight control. Although this is not actually nutritional, it stresses that your lifestyle should be based on a strong foundation of exercise. Also, near the bottom of the pyramid are whole grains and plant oils, which means that a significant proportion of your calories should come from these foods. As you move up the pyramid you should eat decreasing amounts of the listed food categories—fruits and vegetables, nuts and legumes, fish and poultry, not too much dairy products, until you get to the top. The foods listed at the top are ones to avoid most of the time—the whites (rice, bread, potatoes, pasta) and red meat and butter.

Given that your lifestyle should include a lot of whole grains, I offer a recipe for brown rice pilaf. Try replacing white rice or potatoes with this dish.

[stextbox id=”black” caption=”Perfect Brown Rice”]In a 1-quart sauce pan add 1 teaspoon of olive oil (optional), 3/4 cup of brown rice (I usually use basmati), and one can of chicken stock. Heat over high heat until the broth comes to a rolling boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low; cook for 45 minutes.[/stextbox]

Brown Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

The mirepoix, garlic and spices

¾   cup brown rice
1    can chicken broth
⅓   cup onion, chopped
⅓   cup celery, chopped
⅓   cup sweet peppers, chopped
2    cloves garlic, minced
1    tablespoon olive oil
1    teaspoon cumin
½   teaspoon coriander
1    teaspoon dried basil
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Sauté the onion, celery and peppers for 2-3 minutes until they are soft.  Add the minced garlic and saute another minute.  Stir in the rice and add the chicken broth and spices.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 45 minutes.

[stextbox id=”info” caption=”Try it with quinoa”]

Quinoa Pilaf

Substitute quinoa for brown rice and keep the rest of the recipe the same. Quinoa only needs to cook about 15-20 minutes.

Quinoa, (pronounced KEEN-wah) is an ancient grain that is indigenous to the Andes region of South America.  It contains more protein than any other grain and is a good source of fiber.  It can be cooked like rice and expands to about four times its original volume.  

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I like my omelettes creamy on the inside and soft on the outside without any brown color.  I’ve made plenty of omelettes the traditional way–flipped:  add 2 beaten eggs to a 10-inch skillet, cook until the eggs are firm on the bottom, then flip the eggs and cook the other side. Add other ingredients and fold. I have also messed up the flip a number of times and have gotten eggs all over the stove.  Making an omelette the traditional way is time consuming, if you make more than one.  It can also be messy. So, I came up with a modification.  This is a quick way to prepare an omelette for several people all at once.  This example is one with ham and cheese.  You can use whatever you like in your omelette.

A recipe is only a guide.

Ham and Cheese Omelette

Ingredients

8 eggs
2-3 tablespoon of half and half
1 teaspoon salt
1 pat butter
cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped onions
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet peppers
1/2 cup chopped ham
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions

Saute the onions and peppers in about a teaspoon of olive oil in a 8-inch non-stick skillet until they are soft but not brown.  Add the ham (pre-cooked) and saute briefly to heat through.  Set aside.

 Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the half and half and salt, and beat with a fork just until thoroughly mixed.

[stextbox id=”info”]I prepare eggs for an omelette the way I do when making scrambled eggs.  That is, with half and half and salt.  Some people say not to add salt until after cooking, but I don’t agree with that theory.  I’ve heard that salt and the fat from the half and half help keep the egg proteins from getting too hard.  Also, don’t beat the eggs too much, because that can also make the eggs tougher.[/stextbox]
Heat a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and cooking spray. (The cooking spray contains lecithin, which is an emulsifier, and that helps spread the butter around the pan.) Heat the butter until it bubbles, but do not brown it. Add the eggs and start stirring with a spatula. After about 30 seconds, the eggs should start to set up. Turn down the heat to low. Using the spatula, push the firmed-up eggs toward the center of the pan. As you push the eggs away from the edge of the pan, tilt the skillet slightly to move more eggs in behind the spatula. Cook on low heat until the eggs are cooked on the bottom, but still soft and runny on top. Remove from the stove. The entire cooking time will only be about 1-2 minutes, which could vary depending on the your stove.

Place the top oven rack to it’s top position, and turn on the broiler. Place the pan of eggs under the broiler until the eggs become firm but not completely rigid. Watch carefully. This will only take a few seconds. 

The thin outer edges of the omelette may start to separate from the edge of the pan as it broils. That’s OK, but that also means the omelette is probably done.

Remove the pan from the broiler and add the onions, peppers, ham.  Sprinkle cheese on top.  Place the pan back under the broiler for a few seconds, just until the cheese starts to melt.

Using a spatula and your hand, carefully fold the omelette over and turn it out onto a serving plate

Cut the omelette into 4 pieces and serve.

We served ours with cheese grits (made by the sous-chef, Ann), fresh strawberries, homemade biscuits (also made by the sous-chef), with butter, strawberry jam and blueberry jam.

You can write home about this.