Top Ten of Green and Lean '12

"And so happy Christmas, I hope you had fun.  

Another year over, and a new one just begun."  

- John Lennon

I started this blog four years ago.  At that time, I had recently turned 30 and decided I needed to overhaul my lifestyle habits to include more physical activity and healthy balanced nutritious eating.  I wasn’t willing to go the "diet" rice cake and cayenne water route, however, so I spent many hours in my kitchen cleaning, chopping, preparing, and cooking a lot of vegetables.  

Since I needed a place to record all the great healthy food I was cooking and eating, I started this Green and Lean blog.  It kept me accountable, it kept me entertained, and it kept me busy.  I have loved every minute of this blog.

Green and Lean has MORE than served its intended purpose in my life.  Throughout these four years, I’ve maintained a significant weight loss, I’ve discovered new foods, I’ve become more confident in the kitchen, and I’ve really enjoyed my readers and commenters.

And, as often happens in life, things grow and change.  I have grown and changed.  I no longer want to spend one or two nights a week taking photographs (I was terrible at that part anyways) and trying to think of something interesting to say about me or my food.  I am finding myself more often re-making a good recipe from the archive, rather than trying to dream up something new.  And, I'm finding a majority of my time now needs to be spent outside of the kitchen with people I care about.

So, it's time to say goodbye to this space I've called my little slice of the Internet for the last four years.  

Please know I will continue to live as much as possible according to the food philosophy I preach here.  I will continue to eat as much homemade food as I can: mostly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, some fish, seafood, and poultry, excellent quality cheese, lots and lots of red, white, pink, and sparkling wines, and occasional homemade, all-natural sweet indulgences.  It makes sense for me, and seems to be working.  My health has never been better.

Thank you so much for reading, commenting, talking to me or listening to me talk about food, or sharing this blog with others.  I would have NEVER kept it up for this long without your awesome feedback.  I am so blessed to be surrounded by such supportive people, both in person and virtually. 

May your 2013 and beyond be filled with amazing meals, shared with wonderful people.  And, if you see me around, PLEASE tell me all about it!

Here are my favorite recipes of 2012:

10.  Strawberry Icebox Cake – A dead simple and beautiful summer dessert.  I know lots of you have made it, because you’ve told me about it!  I’m glad you like it.

9.  Dragon Bowl – One giant bowl of nutrition, so similar to Hippie Chow.  Use the Carrot Ginger dressing to switch it up if you get sick of the Tahini dressing!

8.  Okonomiyaki – Just because I love saying it and I had a lot of fun writing that post.  Sometimes I think I’m very hilarious.  This was one of those times.

7.  Almond Milk – So simple!  So cheap!  So devoid of fillers, additives, chemicals, sweeteners, and preservatives! It’s just plain silly to buy it in a carton when you can make it at home.

6.  Rosettes and Fattigmand – I only ate two tiny pieces of fattigmand on Christmas Eve, but we were all happy to have it on the sweets tray.  It’s our heritage!

5.  Honey Mustard Roasted Chicken – Everyone needs a “go-to” chicken recipe.  This is mine.  Perfect for entertaining and a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

4.  Grilled Zucchini Enchiladas – Mexican food is probably what I crave most.  This is a slightly healthier take on it.  Plus it uses all that zucchini we have in the summer!

3.  Yoatmeal – Nearly every weekday morning since this post I’ve eaten combined oats and yogurt for my breakfast.  I like it with any combination of peanut butter, fruit, coconut, nuts, or whatever I can scrounge from the fridge or pantry.  So filling, and a great start to every day.

2.  Vegetable Stock – I use it all the time, and if I'm running low in the freezer, I panic.  I use it for soups, risotto, cooking beans or grains, making gravy, etc.  It’s FREE and takes only an hour.  Plus you get second life out of your vegetable scraps.  It’s the ultimate in recycling!

1.  Colin’s Garlic Citrus Shrimp – I can’t not mention him, I miss him terribly.  He and Johanna have been a huge inspiration to me and motivation for getting and staying healthy.  Knowing these two amazing individuals has cured me from ever again taking my health or the health of my loved ones for granted.  If there is any silver lining in the awful diagnoses these two have faced, it's that they have both helped me change my life for the better, and for that I will be always grateful.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Top Ten of Green and Lean '11

TWO YEARS AGO:  Top Ten of Green and Lean '10

THREE YEARS AGO:  Top Ten of Green and Lean '09

Mushroom Stroganoff

Merry Christmas boys and girls!  Yesterday as I drove home from work, I heard Mary Lucia on The Current (an amazing Mpls public radio station 89.3 FM, available to live stream online!) putting all stressed out people ON NOTICE.

Looch said, in a nutshell, if you are all stressed and cranky and grinchy this Christmas because you have lots of gifts to buy, food to prepare, places to go, and things to do, then you need to SUCK IT UP and GET OVER YOURSELF.  Even if your family is crazy (which, frankly, they all are), you need to enjoy every single second with them.  Because you never know how many Christmases you will have with them.

Well, Looch, you are so right on.  It hit especially close to home for me, as I ache in sadness for one of my very closest and dearest friends who has dealt with unimaginable grief and pain this year.  It's been an awful but important lesson for me to learn: do not take the health of your loved ones for granted.

Through the sadness, the only way I can think of to honor Colin and Johanna is to hug my family and friends as much as possible, say "I love you" frequently to those I love, spend time with them, and take care of my own health with nutritious food and activity.  It seems like it's not enough, but indeed it is all I have to offer.

So this is the simple meal I made for a couple of friends this week as we met to wish each other a Merry Christmas.  It's a super quick 30-minute meal, which leaves plenty of time for sharing a great bottle of red wine and catching up on each others' lives.  Plus it's quite healthy, with lots and lots of mushrooms providing important B Vitamins and minerals.  Throw some oiled and salted broccoli in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes and you've got a complete meal.

Mushroom Stroganoff
Serves 4

2 Tbsp each olive oil and butter
4 packages mushrooms (I used half crimini, half white button), sliced thick
1 large yellow or white onion, diced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, leaves pulled from stems and chopped (dried would probably work too)
2 Tbsp flour
up to 2 cups vegetable stock/broth
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
Egg noodles
Flat leaf parsley

Start boiling a big pot of water for the noodles.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute mushrooms, onion, and thyme in the olive oil until they soften and begin to brown (about 8-10 minutes).  They'll release a bunch of liquid, and then that liquid will start to cook down.

Drop your egg noodles into the boiling salted water and cook according to package instructions.

When the liquid has mostly cooked out of the mushrooms, add the butter and flour and stir together for at least 1 full minute.  Slowly add the vegetable stock/broth and let cook 2-3 minutes to thicken.  I used about 1.5 cups to get the right saucy gravy consistency.  You can make it thicker or thinner by using more or less stock.

Season mushroom mixture with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.  Stir in sour cream and remove from heat. Serve over egg noodles and garnish with fresh parsley.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Homemade Kahlua
TWO YEARS AGO:  Spicy Beans and Tomatoes on Polenta
THREE YEARS AGO:  Creamed Mushroom and Artichoke Pasta

Baked Brie with Root Beer Cranberry Sauce

Once again (sooner than I imagined possible), it's that time of year where I could either be:

A)  Super cranky and fighting crowds at a mall trying to find a gift that can be considered thoughtful while cursing the mind shattering sounds of the Salvation Army bell ringers,

OR 

B)  Blissfully spending evenings sipping holiday cocktails with my favorite people, decorating Christmas trees, and making seasons bright because I've purchased all my gifts online before Thanksgiving.

For the second year in a row, I've done option B.  And. It. Has. Been. Fantastic.  I'm totally the irritatingly cheerful one wishing everyone a Merry Christmas more than two full weeks before the big day.  I have all my thoughtful presents wrapped, and some are even homemade (what else do you do when your boyfriend wants a Willie Nelson tree topper?  You make it, of course)!

When the holiday spirit is all up in my business like this, I enjoy every day and night so much and I don't want December to end!  Tonight Marney and I went for our first snowy walk of the season.  It was beautiful and still outside, with tiny flakes slowly blanketing the path and our heads while also illuminating the beautiful Minneapolis lakes and parks.

Earlier this week, my amazing friend Ann (i.e. the Hostess with the Mostess) threw a lovely holiday dinner party and I brought this cheesy, nutty, sweet appetizer.  The color is so perfectly suited to holiday parties, it's a beautiful addition to your menu and table.  If you don't like brie, the sauce is just as good (if not better) as a condiment on a cheese tray, complementing Swiss, havarti, and bleu cheese exceptionally well.

The cranberry sauce recipe makes at least a quart and you won't need it all for your baked brie appetizer.  I recommend you use leftover sauce in the following ways:

1. Shake 2 Tbsp sauce with 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar and 4 Tbsp olive oil in a jar to make a dressing for a field green salad with feta and toasted nuts.
2. Mix 1 Tbsp sauce with 1 Tbsp mayonnaise and spread on a turkey or apple/cheddar sandwich.
3. Mix a spoonful or two into your morning yogurt or oatmeal (or yoatmeal)
4. Drizzle a spoonful over ice cream.
5. Make a batch of piping hot popovers and eat slathered in sauce.
6. Substitute for jelly in a PB&J sandwich, or anywhere else you would use jelly (like in baking).

I got the recipe for this sauce from my co-worker Lori who's husband was an editor on a country cookbook several years ago (so sorry I can't find the name of the book) and this recipe is in the book.  

Baked Brie with Root Beer Cranberry Sauce

Serves 6-8 as an appetizer, with lots of leftover cranberry sauce

1 can root beer

1 bag cranberries

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 wheel brie cheese

3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Crackers, apple slices, and/or pear slices for serving.

Optional:  pulse cranberries in a food processor.  I did this because I like a more chutney-like consistency in my sauce.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring root beer and cranberries to a boil.  Whisk in sugars and cornstarch, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Chill to set.

To serve appetizer, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut top rind off brie.  Scoop as much cranberry sauce and toasted pecans you can fit on top.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is soft and gooey.  Serve with crackers, or apple/pear slices.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Roasted Vegetable Crepe Cake

TWO YEARS AGO:  Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

THREE YEARS AGO:  Green and Lean Loaf