The Dietitian's Dish has moved!!

Hello Friends!

It's been such a long time since I've posted and I apologize for the inconsistency. I've actually been giving my business website, Dietitian in the Kitchen, a facelift!  This blog will be officially moved to my new business website URL - all of the old posts, as well as new ones, can be found here:

www.ditkfood.com

Hope to see you there for new posts on food, fitness, and the healthy life : )  Be sure to check out my new services too at www.ditkfood.com/services!

Here's to healthy living,
Whitney Reist
Dietitian in the Kitchen

Wedding Week

Hello friends! Wow, it's been a while, huh? Due to a pretty recent and very significant, life-changing event, I had to take a blogging hiatus.  I'm happy to say that while I was away, I became Mrs. Whitney Reist and married the most perfect guy for me, Mr. Ryan Bradley Reist.  This hunk of burning love happens to be a dietitian as well, and the best part of it all is that he LOVES food. Particularly my food, and he is never one to skimp on complements for the chef ! ; )

We are definitely self-proclaimed "foodies" and as you can imagine, the food served at our wedding was a BIG deal for us.  Luckily, Chef Jim Schaal at the Kyle house in Fincastle, VA did not disappoint! http://www.schaalsevents.com/kyle.php
His food was so amazing, and his staff was so thoughtful that they made Ryan and I a picnic basket of all sorts of delicious goodies to take back to our hotel after the wedding. *Sigh* SO nice.

The folks at Kyle House were so great to work with that they let me submit recipes for what I wanted at the reception AND bring in my own homemade wedding cakes and desserts for a dessert bar! You're probably thinking "you made your own desserts?" "Don't you already have enough to do the week of your wedding?"
The answer is yes and yes but it was totally worth it!

Ryan and I wanted our wedding and reception to have lots of personal touches that meant something special to us, so making our cakes and desserts was the perfect way to get that "homemade" feel. My mom was so sweet to help me with the undertaking and Ryan was kind enough to taste all of the recipes I tested before the big event ; ) Since it was a spring wedding, we decided to go with springtime desserts: fresh strawberry cupcakes and wedding cake, lemon bars, and key lime tarts.  Straying from the spring theme, Ryan requested a red velvet cake for his groom's cake - but it's all good - R.V. is my all-time fav!

Here are a few pics of  all the fun we had doing the desserts and the finished product!

Making strawberry puree - this went into the cake batter and between the cake layers.

 3 layers for the mini wedding cake:

 LOTS of cupcakes - we made about 150.

 Frosting the layers - we used a cream cheese icing for the cake and vanilla buttercream for the hydrangea cupcakes.

 Pink and coral hydrangea cupcakes - icing art courtesy of my multi-talented mother : )

 Our beautiful dessert table - designed by the amazing Mrs. Dawn Hight (my mom)

Finished product: Fresh Strawberry Cake and Cupcakes on the beautiful cake stand my dad made and varnished from tree stumps in our backyard.  I told him he could get some serious $$ for it on Etsy!

*Sigh* So pretty. AND you could not beat the fresh homemade taste! Cake toppers from Etsy :)

 Home Red Velvet Aggie Grooms cake - delish! Cake stand courtesy of my father : )

The best Key Lime Tarts - secret: we made and froze the shells a month ahead of time, made fresh lime curd 2 days before the wedding, thawed and filled the tarts on the day of.

Lemon bars - Ina's recipe, of course!

We had such an amazing time at the wedding, and everything was absolutely perfect, just the way I had imagined! If you'd like any of the dessert recipes, just leave your e-mail address and I'll be happy to share : )

But now I'd like to share a little about what my handsome dietitian husband and I ate during those busy hectic days leading up to the wedding.  As you can imagine, time was of the essence and there was not much of it. Whatever we ate had to involve easy prep, ingredients I usually have on hand, and make for excellent leftovers.  Here were two of our favorite dishes from that crazy busy time:

Crock Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal - this one's so simple your 5 yr old could make it......

 What you need:
- 1 cup of Steel Cut Oatmeal
 - 1/2 cup of honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup (I used Sugar-Free maple syrup for this batch because it's what I had. You can even omit sweetener if you want, the dried fruit adds a nice sweetness already)
 - 1 T ground cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup dried apricots
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup milk product of choice (soy, almond, or rice milk will work just fine)

 1. Place all of the above ingredients in your crockpot (water not added in this pic)

 2. Once you've added the water, give it a good stir.
3. Turn your crockpot on low, put the lid on, and go to bed.
***Note: my crockpot is OLD and very small. I suspect if I were to make it in a bigger one that the oatmeal would burn or be very dry after being on Low for 8 hours or so.  If you have one of the crockpots where you can set it to keep warm after a certain number of hours, then I'd recommend cooking the oatmeal on low for 5 hours, then set it to "Keep Warm" until you wake up.

After about 7.5 hours, I woke up to the deliciously intoxicating smell of steaming hot oatmeal.  And look at the fruit in it! Those apricots and cranberries plump up during the cooking and are sumptuously sweet and juicy, it's like little nuggets of fruit jam in your oatmeal. So yummy!

 4. Get yourself a hearty serving of whole grain deliciousness. Add extra water or milk to make it as creamy as you like.

 5. ENJOY and make it a great day!

P.S. This makes amazing breakfast all week long. Just refrigerate the leftovers, reheat on the stove-top or microwave and add milk/water as needed to thin it out.

Loaded Sweet Potatoes

This has become a weeknight favorite for us. It makes great leftovers, and the toppings can essentially be made from leftovers or whatever you have on hand. It's simple, filling, and bursting with flavor. You are probably used to loaded baked potatoes, but, have an open mind and load up a sweet potato. You won't be sorry!

What you need :
- Whole, roasted sweet potatoes
   ***You really can't beat a slow roasted sweet potato. Please PLEASE do not microwave them to cook them. You will really be missing out on a deep, caramelized flavor and even, creamy texture. I like to roast mine at 375 F on a lightly greased baking sheet for 60-90 min until they are soft to the touch. Let cool 10 minutes before stuffing.
- Strips of grilled or sauteed chicken breast.
    ***I like to sprinkle a little salt, pepper, and curry powder on mine before sauteing in olive oil.  The mild sweetness and heat of the curry powder actually complements the sweet potato very nicely.
-Fresh baby spinach, about 3 cups.
    ***You can lightly saute the spinach if you like after sauteing the chicken. However, I've found that if I just roll up the spinach leaves and cut into thin strips (about 1/4''), they wilt to just the right texture when you stuff them in a piping hot sweet potato.
- A soft cheese. I've used feta and blue in this recipe; Gorgonzola would be good as well.
- Cararmelized onions
- Dried cranberries
- Toasted nut of choice
- Optional: buttermilk dressing an

 All set and ready for you and the fam to load up as you please!

Happy eating : )
Mrs. Reist

Knife Skills

Today we are going to have a chat about the most important cooking tool you have in your kitchen....I mean, really, this tool can make or break your culinary adventures, slow things down or speed things up.....

I'm guessing you gather from this blog title that I'm talking about your knives. I know this is a nutrition/cooking blog, but I always get so many questions about this from family and friends and have heard endless lectures on the subject from Chefs I've worked with that I think it's worth blogging about : )

The best investment you can make in your cooking skills and in your kitchen is having a good knife (or two).  Now practically speaking, most of you (myself included) probably have an arsenal of mismatched knives that include a set you either received as a gift and/or "hand-me-down" knives from a family member or friend.  Chances are, you probably only use one or two of them on a daily basis.  Am I right?

The truth is, all a well-equipped cook really needs (in mint condition anyway) are a good "Chef's knife", a pairing knife, and a honing steel (shown from top to bottom below).  A chef's knife is what you will use to chop, dice, mince, julienne, and cut through and around intimidating pieces of stubbornly large produce such as butternut squash, pumpkins and the like.  A good pairing knife can be used to carve and make smaller, more precise cuts and shapes.  It's short length and light weight will give you more control and precision.  As for the honing steel, well, we'll get to that in a minute.

As you can see, mine are a mismatch of Wusthof and Mercer, but both knives are great quality and are REALLY sharp.  Those are are probably the 2 most important factors to consider when it comes to these two knives:

QUALITY - consider your chef's knife and pairing knife to be an investment that will last 25+ years (for the everyday home cook).  As far as the brand goes, there's a lot to choose from. Most of my research and conversations in culinary school or with other chefs has pointed to Wusthof (made in Germany) and Shun (made in Japan) as the gold standards of quality cutlery.  Henckels aren't bad either. Mercer is a restaurant supply brand that came in my chef''s kit at school and so far has proven to be good quality.

Any of the above mentioned brands are going to be great quality knives, but when choosing the right chef's knife you also must consider the knife feels in your hand with regards to the length, weight, and handle.  Obviously we could talk about this for days, but hopefully this information will give you a starting point.  For me personally, I have a tiny hand and small body frame, so a 6'' chef's knife is just right for me and the Wusthof Classic felt most comfortable in my hand because of the light weight and rounded blade. However, most people do just fine with a 8'' knife, which is the standard length for a chef's knife (pairing knives are usually 3'').

Now I know the above mentioned brands are pricey, but remember that you don't have to buy an entire set. Start out purchasing a good chef's knife - Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table always have specials where the honing steel is included, and sometimes a starter kit -which is typically a chef's, paring, and utility knife.  Bonus: Sur la Table is ALWAYS having some type of cutlery special, so sign up for the e-mails and there's a good chance you can get a good chef's knife with a steel for about $70.

CARE:  for simplicity's sake, I'm just going to lay out a few rules here:
   1. USE YOUR HONING STEEL. Every. Time. You. Use. Your. Knife. See, I told you I would get to it.  A common misconception about honing steels is that they are used to sharpen your knives. Which is why most people don't use them that often.  The purpose of a steel is actually to keep your knife sharp.  You see, your knife is made up of layers of metal or steel that, with each and every use, become sloppy and misaligned.  When you use a honing steel, it brings those layers back into alignment, resulting in a knife that stays sharp.  I can't tell you what a difference it makes when you use the steel before, during and after each use.  Keep it right next to your cutting board when you are cooking and wash it right along with your knife after each use. How do you use it? Good question.  See the link below and watch the video at the bottom of the page:
 Using a Steel
 So we know that a honing steel keeps your knife sharp, so how often should you sharpen it? Well, keep in mind that every time you sharpen your knife, whether it be with an electric sharpener or whether you get it professionally sharpened, it will take metal off the edge of your blade.  This results in the blade becoming narrower and narrower each time, and eventually you will be left with a skeleton of the knife you originally purchased. If you diligently use your steel correctly, you'll likely need to have your knife professionally sharpened once every year. I take mine to the nearest kitchen store (Sur la Table in Dallas), and it costs about $15.

   2. NEVER clean your knife in the dishwasher. Ever.  I see so many people do this and I cringe. Think dull, water-stained spotted knives. Not good! When you are done using your knife. you should immediately wash it in warm water and soap.  Use a soft sponge to clean it - try to avoid any scouring pads with metal as they can scratch your blade.  As soon as you wash it, dry it off thoroughly.  Allowing it to air-dry -  or placing it in a knife block while wet -  can result in water stains.

Bonus:

• Besides a chef's and pairing knife, the next most important knife to consider investing in is a good utility knife for cutting/trimming raw meat. I say this because nothing will take the edge off your knife faster than meat.  Seriously, my chef's knife could barely slice through butter when I finished the 6-week meat fabrication class at Le Cordon Bleu. SO DULL.  Which is why I started reserving meat cutting and trimming for my utility knife alone.  And yes, I do use my honing steel on the utility knife before, during, and after any culinary adventure that involves raw meat!

        Utility knife:

PRACTICE
Makes perfect.  No joke - the first 6 weeks of culinary school the only thing we did in our lab was cut things.  And chop. And mince, carve, what have you. Homework assignments included buying 10 pounds of various vegetables and practicing different cuts at home.  We spent A LOT of time on this.  And I definitely felt I was developing carpal tunnel syndrome at one point.  But you don't have to go to culinary school to learn the basics of essential knife cuts.  Epicurious has some great tutorials: Knife Skills Or take a basic beginner's class.  For all my Texas friends, Central Market has a WONDERFUL knife skills class where you spend 3 hours learning about knives, various cuts, and preparing a delicious meal with the fruit of your labor.  For everyone else, Sur La Table has a great one as well - so check them out and sign up (makes a great gift too)!

And because you have stuck with me through this ridiculously long post, here's a recipe as your reward (and it will help you practice your skills)!

Honey-Kissed Roasted Root Vegetables

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1/2 tsp each of coarse-ground salt and pepper
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 T honey
• An assortment of root vegetables equivalent to 6 cups of 1'' cut veggies.  For this particular day, I chose the following: 2 medium butternut squash, 3 turnips, 3 large carrots.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 415.

2. Line 2 baking sheets with foil.

3. Mix salt, pepper, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

4. Prep veggies 

Slice the ends off the turnips to get a flat base, then remove the ends around the sides with your knife by making curved cuts from top to bottom with the base of the turnip on your cutting board.

Cut your turnips into 1'' disks, then 1'' sticks, then 1'' cubes.

 Remove the ends of the butternut squash like you did the turnip, but be sure to have a sharp knife, firm grip, and a cutting board that stay's put (with a wet paper towel or grip underneath). Then cut the squash in half width-wise.

 Use your knife to carefully remove the skin from around the squash with the base of the vegetable flat on the board.

Cut the top half of your squash into disks, then sticks, then cubes like above.  The bottom half of your squash will need to be sliced in half length wise so you can remove the seeds. From there, just cut into 1'' sticks and 1'' cubes!

As for the carrots, well, I'll let you figure that one out :)

5. Place veggies on baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil (about 1 T). Sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper and cinnamon mixture.  Drizzle 1 T honey over veggies, and toss them all to make sure they are evenly coated. Spread out evenly on baking sheets, and don't over-crowd the sheets as this can result in steaming your veggies and not roasting them (which will deprive you of that lovely caramel coating that develops on the outside of veggies when they are roasted).

6. Roast for about 30 minutes or until caramelized and tender when pierced with a fork.  To make sure they cook and caramelize evenly, I recommend tossing them every 10 minutes of roasting and rotating the sheets on the levels of your oven if you use more than one pan. Don' t they smell wonderful???

7. Enjoy the delectable caramely-roasted goodness of the little jewel-toned gems of your labor : ) 

Here's to good knives and practice, practice, practice!
Whitney

     

Eggstraordinary Mini Frittatas

Eggs are such a perfect choice for getting your day started - nutritionally-speaking because they provide just the right amount of protein and fat you need to help you feel satisfied until your next meal.  Not to mention, they nutritionally dense, providing your body with Vitamins A, D, B-complex, and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin which promote healthy vision. But practically speaking, eggs a great because they are so easy to fix and the possibilities of what you can make with them are endless!

These Mini Frittatas are one of my easiest go-to breakfast items - in fact, they are one of my most-requested breakfast dishes from the clients I cook for each week.  They are the perfect thing to make ahead on a Sunday evening/afternoon to use up leftovers from the weekend, and will taste great heated up on Monday morning to jump-start your day.  Variety is another bonus - there are SO many variations yet do be discovered with your creativity in the comfort of your own kitchen :) I'll provide a few to get you started!

Here's the basic building blocks of the recipe - variations follow:

Eggstraordinary Mini Frittatas
Makes 12 individual servings

Special equipment: Muffin pan

Ingredients:

• 6 whole eggs with 4 additional egg whites
• 1 cup cheese of your choice
• 1 cup mix-ins of your choice
• Baker's Joy cooking spray (or any kind of fat with a dusting of flour on top to keep them from sticking)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 and lightly grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin
2. Whisk eggs and egg whites together until smooth
3. Stir in mix-ins and desired seasonings
4. Fill each muffin cup with 1/4 cup egg mixture
5. Top each cup with 1 T cheese
6. Bake at 350 for 15 min until set and toothpick comes out clean (or until temperature reaches 145 degrees).
7. To reheat, microwave 1 frittata for about 45 seconds - don't overcook!
8. Serving: 2 frittatas or 1 frittata with slice of toast or folded in a tortilla for a taco-style roll-up

Variations:

Mediterranean Chicken Sausage

• 4 oz cooked Italian chicken sausage 
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, wilted  
• 1/3 cup chopped and drained roasted red peppers
• 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese

Mushroom Swiss

• 1 pint box of fresh mushroom sauteed and seasoned with 1 clove garlic, minced garlic, coarse Kosher salt, pepper, and 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Spinach Pesto Artichoke

•  2 cups fresh baby spinach, wilted
• 1/2 cup chopped and drained artichoke quarters
• Mix top two ingredients into egg mixture
• 1/4 cup pesto, preferably homemade (top each muffin cup with 1 tsp pesto)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (top each muffin cup with 1 Tbsp cheese)

Southwestern Pepper Jack

(These are great wrapped in a tortilla and topped with salsa!)

• 4 oz cooked Aidells Mango Jalapeno Chicken Sausage
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 cup shredded  Pepper-Jack cheese

Photos:

Mediterranean Chicken Sausage

Mushroom Swiss

Here's to happy and healthful eating!

Whitney