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Simple Sustenance: Summer in a Bowl — Honey-Ginger Papaya Salad

Published by Renu-Chhabra + Thursday, August 2, 2012 Permalink 0

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. —Virginia Woolf

Sunshine and outdoors! Summer is in full swing. We have been experiencing beautiful warm days — some warmer than others. But that’s the beauty of this season.

Farmers markets are exploding with seasonal produce and an abundance of flower power. And local honey farms are showcasing their products with great pride. In fact, I recently attended a lecture about bee pollination at our local Whole Foods Market. It is amazing how these tiny bees create something so rewarding, one bit at a time. It definitely makes me respect every drop of honey I use. Especially at a time when there is quite a buzz about honey among health-conscious people like me who try to avoid refined sugars, and want to preserve this precious commodity. So I say, love our honey bees and respect their hard work.

Dietitian Ariane Grumbach’s 10 rules for eating the French way and staying skinny

Published by Jonell Galloway + Friday, July 20, 2012 Permalink 0

translated and adapted by Jonell Galloway

10 rules that could be called Slow Food rules?

I discovered Ariane Grumbach on one of my favorite food sites, Larousse Cuisine. I’ve translated Grumbach’s 10 rules for eating à la française, adapting them slightly for a wider audience.

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Switzerland: Cucumber and Tarragon Salad Recipe

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, July 16, 2012 Permalink 0

Switzerland: Cucumber and Tarragon Salad Recipe

by Jonell Galloway

Spontaneous Cuisine: A Swiss Recipe

When the days are hot and sultry, few things can be as refreshing as a cold cucumber salad, especially this classic cucumber and tarragon salad. In Switzerland, we make it with sour cream and tarragon, while in France they cook the cucumbers slightly and then add crème fraîche and chives.

This salad goes perfectly with a grilled chicken breast or any white fish. It also goes perfectly with smoked or natural salmon, in which case you might want to replace the tarragon with fresh dill or dill seeds.

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Spontaneous Cuisine: Scallops, Green Asparagus and Strawberry Balsamic Sauce Recipe

Published by Jonell Galloway + Friday, April 13, 2012 Permalink 0

scallops asparagus and strawberry balsamic vinegar recipe

by Jonell Galloway

From the archives

Spontaneous Cuisine: Scallops, Green Asparagus and Strawberry Balsamic Sauce Recipe

This is another low-fat, high-fiber meal that fits perfectly in to any weight loss plan. All these ingredients are available as of late April in Switzerland.

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Barbie’s Secret to Weight Loss: Don’t Eat

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, April 2, 2012 Permalink 0

by Jonell Galloway

Reprint of our most popular article

Barbie’s secret to weight loss was “don’t eat”: Is that your teen’s philosophy?

The 1965 Slumber Party Barbie came with her very own How to Lose Weight book. The main message was “don’t eat.” Along with this book came a bathroom scale always set at 110 pounds/49.9 kilograms, says Teen Beauty Tips. According to Malisa Morsman, “Barbie is the plastic equivalent of a 5-foot, 9-inch (1.75 m) woman with a 36-inch (91.5 cm) bust, 33-inch (83.8 cm) hips, and an impossibly small 18-inch waist (45.7 cm).”

Photo courtesy of Mental Floss.

Spontaneous Cuisine: John Dory, Italian Green Wild Asparagus and Blood Orange Sauce

Published by Jonell Galloway + Wednesday, February 8, 2012 Permalink 0

by Jonell Galloway

Italian Blood Oranges are in Season and Reasonably Priced Now!

One of my favorite ways of creating tasty but healthy dishes is using fruit and vegetables as sauce. There are millions of ways to do this, depending mainly on the season.

Oranges are abundant at the moment, so I’ve been using a lot of orange juice to liven up dishes. It adds a burst of flavor, yet requires no cream or butter, thus making it low in calories and high in fiber.

The season is short for wild Italian asparagus, so take advantage of it in April and May.

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Thankful Moments — Honey-Ginger and Pomegranate Salad

Published by Esha-Chhabra + Tuesday, November 29, 2011 Permalink 0

by Renu Chhabra

“For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last Sunday, I went for a walk with my daughter in our neighborhood. It was a lovely autumn afternoon, and sunshine was gracing the landscape with its golden rays. Everywhere we looked, the view was stunning with trees dressed in red, green and golden tones. “Look at that red tree – it looks so majestic. Let’s take a picture of it,” I said. “And what about that wall covered with golden leaves? That’s very charming too,” she pointed out with excitement. Enjoying these simple moments was worth treasuring. We clicked several pictures of this beautiful scenery.

Are artificial sweeteners really harmless and calorie-free?

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, November 14, 2011 Permalink 0

by Jonell Galloway

A recent Huffington Post article revealed that in 1980, Donald Rumsfeld was head of G.D. Searle, as well as part of Ronald Reagan’s transition team, along with Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., later to be named head of the FDA. Hayes, not having experience in food additives, allowed Searle to reapply for approval of the use of aspertame, which had previously been banned because “it might induce brain tumors.”

Natural sugar vs. artificial

Potato News: Robuchon’s mashed potatoes, Swiss giant potatoes to be fed to pigs, calorie counting at chain restaurants, how potatoes changed the world

Published by Jonell Galloway + Tuesday, October 25, 2011 Permalink 0

by video

If you’ve ever had to the good luck to taste Joël Robuchon’s mashed potatoes, made with the variety Ratte, you probably daydream about them often enough. This here explains how to make them. Click Swiss Info to watch a video that explains how to make them.

Gawker says more than 10,000 tons of potatoes will end up in Swiss troughs this year. The dry spring and warm autumn made them too big to meet the standard sizes that can legally be sold in supermarkets.

Ever wonder how many calories are in those KFC mashed potatoes and gravy? article calculates “680 calories, and an even more shocking 2130 mg of sodium per serving.”

Potatoes from the New World most likely saved Europe from a famine in 18th century. This Smithsonian Around 200 varieties of Peruvian potatoes were... is a fascinating history of the potato and how it changed the world, and full of interesting facts.

Health Challenge: 101 ways to use quinoa, well actually 5 easy ways

Published by Jonell Galloway + Friday, October 21, 2011 Permalink 0

by Tamar Chamlian

Quinua (Quinoa) plants near Cachora, Apurímac,...

Quinoa is a health food addict’s best friend. I have a love affair with it.

If I were to tell you that it could be used in 101 ways, yes there would be. I’ll keep it simple to start, however, by listing 5 easy, quick-fix ways to incorporate this magic grain in your everyday meals.

Do you want to know what so “magical” about quinoa? Its glory is that it is high in protein and fiber, yet provides you with lots of long-lasting, balanced energy.

But I don’t only like quinoa because of its nutritional values. I also like it because it is easy to combine it with other ingredients when cooking.

I often come home after a long day and the just the thought of thirty minutes in the kitchen making a big homemade meal overwhelms me. And can my digestive system really handle a big heavy meal?

The quinoa is sitting there, set, ready to go in just 10 minutes (and sometimes even less).

Here are my 5 easy, healthy quick-fix dishes:

Mix cooked quinoa with salad greens, small green peas, corn, steamed zucchini and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil and lemon juice. Add some salt and pepper, and you have a wonderful salad that can serve as a well-balanced meal
Substitute it for rice as a side for grilled vegetables and chicken.
Growing up in the Middle East, we regularly had tabbouleh. Tabbouleh is made with bulgur. I now cook my traditional homemade tabbouleh with quinoa. The replacement of bulgur with quinoa is much healthier and lower in carbohydrates.
Eat quinoa as a breakfast cereal. Simply mix the cooked quinoa with non-dairy milk and let it simmer. Add some slivered almonds and cranberries. Add cinnamon if you want to spice it up.
Substitute your burger patties with a mixture quinoa and chickpea patties. Add herbs and spices, such as paprika, cumin, garlic, coriander, and thyme.

Quinoa is revolutionary in the world of cereals and grains. It is chock-full of nutrition and fiber.