Nuts and Squash (sounds like spam)

Sorry it's been a few weeks since I've added anything here, I've been busy at work and haven't been cooking as much. Today I just want to add this fun recipe for pecans and walnuts that you can add to green salads, desserts, apple salads, trail mix, etc. Pecans and walnuts are quite expensive (but less so at WinCo Foods- sorry Utahns-where you can buy them bulk) and Dr. Mirkin (check out his excellent Good Foods Book in which he teaches all about eating whole grains) recommends eating them in moderation although they are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and protein. This recipe is for spicy pecans, but you can alter the Cayenne to taste.

• 1 cup whole pecans or walnuts

• 1/3 cup brown sugar (I use SugarTwin)

• 2 Tablespoons water

• two shakes cayenne pepper

Bake on a cookie sheet or pie tin at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

I'm pretty sure you've seen pecans in salad before, but just in case I added the picture.

Moving on to the squash part of this post, one other great way to use these nuts is on top of baked acorn squash. If you've never baked acorn squash before it is a very tasty yellow (on the inside) veggie, and is also good mashed like yams (as Jessica taught me in Hong Kong). There are baking instructions on the squash label (that is, the little sticker on the rind-think apples) when you buy it at the grocery store, but to eat it with nuts:

1. Cut the squash in half and slice off a small piece of rind so that it will sit cut side up in a baking dish.
   
2. Brush the cut sides with melted "butter" and stick a fork in it to make vents all over the cut surface.
   
3. Bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees.
4. Pour the unbaked pecan/walnut mix on top of the squash "bowls" drizzling some of the sugar water around the rims.
   
5. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the squash is soft all the way through (use a fork to find out).
   
6. Eat with with a spoon, it is really delicious.
   

Well, that's all for today friends. I have a few more recipes on the docket this week so stay tuned!

Polenta

Polenta is easy, and it's good because it's made out of the same stuff as cornbread: cornmeal. You can buy it dry labeled as "polenta" or just as plain yellow cornmeal. You can also buy it pre-cooked, and refrigerated- which you can take home and slice into patties and fry in olive oil- which is good- but you can do that yourself at home for a few dollars cheaper, and without extra labor.

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 3 cups water
• a couple of teaspoons of salt or seasoning salt
• 3 tablespoons Smart Balance "butter"
• a handful of frozen corn
• pasta sauce or pico de gallo
  

1. Boil the water in a saucepan.
2. Add the polenta and salt.
3. Reduce heat and cook for about 15 minutes or until thick (think about the same consistency as oatmeal).
4. Add frozen corn and "butter" in the last few minutes before turning off burner.
5. Spoon into bowl(s) and top with pico de gallo or pizza sauce.
   

I like pico de gallo on polenta, but Garth doesn't like to go that spicy, so sometimes while the polenta is cooking, I throw an 8oz can of diced tomatoes, the same amount of fresh sliced mushrooms, half an onion chopped and some Italian spices in a frying pan and let that all simmer while the polenta is cooking. Then I put all of that over spaghetti sauce on the polenta after it's ready. Basically, the polenta flavor is very versatile, so whatever sauce sounds good-give it a try because it probably will be.

An alternative preparation is to boil the polenta as above omitting adding the frozen corn, but when it's done, instead of eating it, put it in a bread pan in the fridge overnight. The next day, turn the bread pan upside down on a cutting board to get the polenta out. Slice the loaf into 1/2 inch slices and then cut those into 2 inch squares. Fry the squares in olive oil and serve with the same sauces as above. This is for when you don't feel like eating mush. Polenta is not made out of whole grains, it's made out of ground up grains (which is a difference that you slowly start to notice)- so it doesn't have quite as many benefits. I've never tried adding wheat berries to polenta but I think it would be a really good vehicle for getting the wheatberries into a day's diet if someone else wants to try it. No matter what, it is really good for variety and it's a no-brain recipe, so I cook it maybe once a month. Plus it's pretty.