All Hail Allium: The Glory of Caramelized Onions

Posted on 3 April 2013 by Dr. P. K. Newby

Coming soon: white pizza with caramelized onions, chard, and white beans.

I add onions to just about everything I make. Sautéed white or yellow garden-variety onions (Allium cepa) are the starting point to virtually every soup and scallions or red onions top each salad. The garlicky taste of shallots appear in dishes like mussels or risotto, and leeks are fun when you want to change things up. Like spices, the various varieties of allium vegetables will add complexity and flavor to any dish. Not to mention a host of nutritional benefits that vary by subspecies and generally include vitamins C, B6, folate and fiber; minerals molybdenum and manganese; powerful polyphenol antioxidants like quercetin; and sulfur-containing compounds that are responsible for the pungent scent and tears that onions can produce. (More here on the mechanism for science nerds.) No doubt all of these components work together—and quercetin is particularly high in the outer layers, by the way, so don’t over peel—to give onions their powerful effect on health, from strong bones and anti-inflammatory properties to a reduced risk of some cancers. And, with a wide variety from which to choose, it should be easy to find an onion that works for your palate and cooking style.

I dare say that caramelized onions will work for pretty much anyone. What begins as a pungent onion, sometimes too much even to enjoy raw, morphs over time into this sweet delight that has a wide range of culinary applications ranging from fabulous French onion soup to sophisticated pizza topping or lovely omelet ingredient. It’s truly the examplar extraordinaire when it comes to celebrating onion’s complexity, versatility, and flavor.

Nothing difficult about it, all you need is time and patience.

(And possibly goggles, for the onion-cutting process.)

1. Cut a slew of onions into thin strips. Note: They shrink considerably during cooking so do make a bunch; they will keep in the fridge or can be frozen for another time. This batch included 2.5 onions; I should have made more (see photo 5).

CarmOnions_cut

2. Heat 2 tbsp olive or canola oil over medium-high, add onions, and lightly season with salt and black pepper. (See? There was room in the pan. But I didn’t feel like cutting more.)

COnions_before

3. Sauté on medium-high heat 6-7 minutes or so to begin the cooking process, allowing the onions to become lightly browned and soft. Then cook down on low/medium-low heat approximately 40-60 minutes, stirring periodically to ensure even browning. (Add a little more oil if needed.)

COnions_during

4. Deglaze the pan with white wine or sherry when almost finished cooking and mix in the tender leaves from several stems of fresh thyme. Continue cooking, taste, and reseason as needed.

COnions_thyme

5. Ta da! Onions are now caramelized. You can tell because a) they have a nice brown, caramel-ly color; b) only a small fraction of what you began with remains; and c) they taste sweet and sticky.

COnions_done

Cooking Notes

I really enjoy caramelizing onions and it’s super easy, but it’s not quick and you do need to toss them now and again to ensure even cooking. As well, onions can vary in their sugar content depending on the variety and when harvested. Occasionally the onions don’t brown like you are expecting, in which case go ahead and add a little honey or agave to move the process along. You really want to avoid this—the whole point is that the sugars develop during cooking—but sometimes it is necessary, I’ve found. As well, if you’ve never done this before you do need to find the sweet spot that works on your stove. Common recipes keep the onions on low the entire time, and that simply doesn’t work on my unit. For this reason, I jump start the browning by beginning at a higher heat to get things going and then turn the heat down to medium-low. If after 25 minutes not much is happening you’ll need to increase the heat. Finally, you can omit the deglazing piece if you don’t cook with alcohol; use a vegetable stock instead or just don’t do it, no big deal. That said, the combination of caramelized onions, fresh thyme, and sherry is divine.

Check back soon for a few recipes where I use caramelized onions. Until then, I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday. Thanks for reading!

Dr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She is currently training for the Boston Marathon, her third (more here, and here). She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more.

Mixed Greens with Avocado, White Beans, and Watermelon Radish

Posted on 2 April 2013 by Dr. P. K. Newby

Salad for Supper? Yes, Please.

Salad_Full I just don’t know what I’d do without my regular salads for dinner. Quick, easy, nutritious, delicious, and beautiful to boot. Less expensive than most other meals, too. For this reason I plan to dedicate one short post each week to the topic of salad with the sole purpose of inspiring you to bring more colorful veggies and healthy foods into your life on a regular basis. Each article will mainly comprise a picture and the ingredients, a little tangible “eating the P.K. Way” evidence for how I stay healthy and in shape. This should also be a nice break from my usual verbosity: a picture is worth a thousand words, so they say.

For my newer readers—thank you!—I’ve written specifically about the concept of a “big salad for dinner,” so please refer to that for the “why” (think: healthy weight and chronic disease prevention). And as for the “how,” well, I have an entire post dedicated to that, too, titled “Spring into Salad” written last year about this time. In that article, I provide all kinds of ideas for making your salad interesting and appealing, both visually and texturally. Sure, most of them start with a gorgeous bed of greens, but as to what else is on there? The sky’s the limit, with tons of options for making your meal more or less calorific depending on your energy needs on the day in question.

Today’s salad: mixed greens and spinach with avocado, white beans, watermelon radishes, and scallions. Dressing: extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

SaladOV

So. Salad for supper. It’s time.

Granola, the P.K. Way: The What, When, and Why

Posted on 30 March 2013 by Dr. P. K. Newby

Granola_Serve I enjoy making my own granola a few times a year. I mean, what’s not to like about toasty oats, all crunchy and sweet?

Well, tastiness aside, there’s actually a bunch not to like about granola, at least from a nutrition perspective. Compared to other ready-to-eat cereals—the way it’s often consumed—it’s very high in calories due to added sugar and fat, often saturated or trans, all of which are risk factors for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. For these reasons, there are many better choices for your regular breakfast, say, oatmeal or peanut butter on whole grain toast. Even high-protein egg dishes tend to be more healthful, especially when combined with loads of veggies like my breakfast taco or Southwestern scramble when you need a higher-energy meal. Granola is okay every now and again, sure, like muffins or pancakes (think: moderation)—but made or bought the traditional way it’s definitely not the best everyday breakfast.

So why today’s post, then? Well, for two reasons. First the “what.” Like all of my baking, such as yesterday’s dark chocolate chunk cookies with dried cherries and pecans, I always look for an opportunity to make foods I know people like (and I do, too) in a way that maximizes nutrition while maintaining the character of the original dish. It’s for this reason that instead of using just oats in my granola I include a few other good-for-you things, like wheat germ, flax seeds, and quinoa flakes. These additions increase the fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids among other vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that you get by increasing the diversity of the ingredients beyond the traditional oats. The quinoa flakes were a new incorporation today, since I was particularly looking to up the protein in my granola (which is otherwise pretty much all carbs with some fat).

Which brings me to the “when.” Today’s granola-making was instigated by my desire to create a recipe for peanut butter protein balls for my readers who are fitness enthusiasts. I have the upcoming Boston Marathon on my mind, you see, and I’ve been pondering a convenient post-workout protein boost. More generally speaking, I keep granola around in the fridge for occasional use in pancakes—a fond memory of the best pancakes ever from a restaurant I worked in twenty years ago—or for a topping for non-fat yogurt and fruit for the occasional post-dinner parfait. In other words, dessert.

And as for the why? Well, I think that part is obvious—yum—and I hope you enjoy my better-for-you recipe.

Once in a while.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups whole oats
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 wheat germ
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 -1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4-1/2 tsp ginger (optional)
3-4 tbsp canola oil
2-3 tbsp honey
2-3 tbsp brown sugar
Dried fruit of choice (optional)

Instructions

Mix together all dry ingredients and spices. In a sauce pan, whisk oil, honey, and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved. Pour over dry mixture and combine with hands, squeezing to keep some clusters together (as possible). Spread onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in an oven at 300 degrees F, tossing every 10 minutes, until browned and crisp, 35-45 minutes. Watch the granola carefully: it can quickly go from nicely browned to burnt. (I’ve learned.) Add chopped fruit as desired (raisins, cranberries, cherries, apricots, peaches…).

Granola_Baked

(Note: You know those delightful clumps of granola you find in the store-bought boxes? The only way to achieve that result is by adding a ton of fat and sugar to get things to stick together. Considering the trade-off, I’ve grown accustomed to the better-for-you version with its smaller-than-desired, regular oat-sized pieces.)

The Upshot

So enjoy your granola, my friends—I’m posting it on my blog, after all—but keep it as a treat. Although heart-healthy oats are great for you, granola’s “natural” and “health food” status are misleading at best. (And don’t get me started on granola bars, which are generally high-calorie desserts loaded in sugar, fat, and sodium.) If you don’t feel like making your own, be sure to compare nutrition labels and ingredients and you’ll see the major difference in composition. It’s generally best to avoid ”low fat” brands, which usually just have more sugar. Also check for the type of fat used; poly- or monounsaturated are best. Store bought versions vary, of course: brands made with soy or other protein sources provide a better balance of nutrients to keep you satiated throughout the morning.

All that said, though my recipe is made with canola oil (a monounsaturated fat) and has some other nutritious stuff in there, it’s still an energy-dense, sweet treat that should be considered as such and enjoyed only every now and again.

After all, it’s no oatmeal.

Granola_Serve2

Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Cherries and Walnuts

Posted on 29 March 2013 by Dr. P. K. Newby

ChocChipCookies_Full Thanks for indulging me these past few days with my cauliflower soup trifecta, including the basic (yet still fabulous) roasted and wonderful combinations including broccoli and artichokes. I actually have one more cauliflower-based soup to share, but I’ll hold off on that on for a few months.

Today, “c” stands not for cauliflower but for cookie. Here, we take everyone’s favorite, chocolate chip, and give it a nutrition boost by subbing in white whole wheat flour for white flour to retain the healthfulness of whole grains and using dark chocolate rather than milk or semi-sweet, which has less sugar and more of the bioactive components and antioxidants that are found in dark. That’s my normal recipe, by the way, when I just want a basic chocolate chip cookie. And by “my” recipe, I mean the famous Nestlé toll house recipe. I’ve made many other recipes over the years, of course, but I really do find this a solid chocolate chip cookie that never fails and is always delicious. I always add walnuts to my cookies, which are important not only for crunch but also texture, not to mention a few good omega-3 fatty acids; do what makes you happy. By the way, you’ll think I’m lying, but one day I made them with white flour—I had a craving but was out of whole wheat—and I truly did not like them nearly as much. The white whole wheat adds a texture and flavor that I really missed. I hope you’ll come to love it as much as I do.

When I want my cookie to be a little more classy, or just fee like mixing things up a bit, I add dried cherries and sub in pecans for the walnuts. (Note: while the nuts do not need to be toasted prior, I’ve found it brings in a bit more deliciousness if you do.)

ChocChipCookies_Half My last few baking notes for you today? First, make it mini, of course, like all of my sweet treats. Also, don’t make a whole slew that you then have hanging around your house for days on end: at least for me, that kind of temptation leads to weight gain. It’s best to keep your house generally clean of energy-dense foods that pack on calories; eat cookies only as an occasional treat. (More on that subject at “To Clean Up Your Diet, Clean Out Your House.”) I only ever mix half a batch (for our household of two) and then keep extra balls of frozen dough in the freezer. That way, you have warm-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies when you want them.

Just, you know, not every day.

So this Broccoli Walks Into a Cauliflower…

Posted on 27 March 2013 by Dr. P. K. Newby

Roasted Cauliflower Soup: It’s Just the Beginning

BroccCauli_SoupFull

To share my love of cauliflower in all its forms, I promised there would be several variations of cauliflower soup. Today’s recipe is the first example, and it’s dedicated to all of you out there who prefer the green crucifer to the white. This soup is just as delicious as basic cauliflower, but including broccoli in the mix is a little twist that adds style and lends a pretty light green hue. Both flavors come together beautifully in a creamy, heart-warming soup that’s perfect for cool spring days.

The steps are pretty much the same as described yesterday, so today I’m posting just a few brief notes and cooking photos.

1. Roast the cauliflower and broccoli (or follow the traditional boiling method). Note: You can use all parts of the vegetables in your soup, including the leaves and core. It tastes exactly the same, believe me, and reduces your food waste.

BroccCauli

2. Do the same bit with the onions, celery, and seasonings then add in your stock and veggies and simmer away.

BroccCauli_Stock

3. Purée and add cream if desired. Taste and season. Note: Don’t forget the dry mustard; it makes all the difference in the world. (And, no, the soup doesn’t then taste like mustard. Just: deliciousness.)

BroccCauli_Ladle

4. Garnish as desired, shown here with whole grain and flax seed croutons and a few scallions.

BroccCauli_Bowl

Mmmm mmmm good.

Way better than Campbell’s.

Divine Cauliflower Soup (Preferably Roasted)

Posted on 26 March 2013 by Dr. P. K. Newby

CauliSoup_Closeup I feel like I say “This is my favorite soup!” way too often. Of course, they can’t all be my favorites. That said, cauliflower soup really is a true favorite. This shouldn’t surprise you, given the unabashed affection I showed for roasted cauliflower, smashed cauliflower, and a few of its friends like aloo gobi and tri-color cauli salad.

(Regular readers, please forgive the redundancy. Long after you’ve read this post it goes into search engines, and those googlers know nothing of my cauliflower adoration and recent crucifer recipes.)

Today’s soup is simple to prepare, and it begins with roasted cauliflower. Now, if you’ve made cauliflower soup before, you might be familiar with the most common preparation, which basically boils the crap out of cauliflower along with the stock and onions, purées it up, and there you have it. Easy as pie. I made the soup this way for years following this method, and it’s solid. The idea for starting with roasted actually came from having leftover Sicilian salad.

And I’ve never looked back.

Cooking Instructions and Photos

1. Roast the cauliflower, as discussed here. Else begin with note 2.

CauliSmashed_Roasted

2. Sauté chopped onions and celery in olive oil in a medium hot pan about 5-7 minutes, until soft; season with salt, black pepper, and thyme (fresh if you have it, else dried). Add several cloves of crushed garlic and stir until fragrant ~45 seconds. Add vegetable stock and roasted cauliflower (or raw if not using roasted).

CauliSoup_Stock

3. Stir, bring up to a boil, then simmer ~20-25 minutes, until cauliflower is completely cooked and soft.

CauiSoup_Simmer

4. Purée soup. For a homogeneous soup, purée until smooth. For a more rustic soup, remove some of the cauliflower pieces before puréeing and add back at the end. For a thinner soup, add more stock. If desired, a bit of cream creates a velvety consistency that I like. A few tablespoons is all that is needed, as the soup is already beautifully thick, but a touch of cream is really lovely. Taste it before you add cream so you can decide what you prefer; it’s certainly not necessary if you prefer a vegan version.

CauliSoup_Blended

5. Finish seasoning with a grind or two of fresh nutmeg and additional salt and black pepper. Additional seasonings I add that really make a difference are dry mustard and white pepper. Note that the flavor of this soup will vary depending on what stock you used and whether or not you roasted the cauliflower, so you may need to futz with the seasonings: the more flavors you started with, the less you’ll need to add at this step.

6. Garnish the soup however it makes you happy. I often use just chopped scallions and other times I take it up a notch with whole grain croutons, toasted breadcrumbs, or a touch of grated cheddar if I’m feeling the need for a heartier meal. (Remember, to me, this and a salad is dinner.)

CauliSoup_Full

In closing, let me just say that if you are new to cooking and/or have limited time or desire to roast the cauliflower, I’d still highly recommend this soup. It’s delicious and satisfying either way: I honestly did make it using just raw, boiled cauliflower for years and it was still one of my favorites.

But when it comes to getting the most flavor out of your veggies, you really just can’t beat roasting. And if you begin with your own stock, too? And then dress it up all pretty so it’s truly dinner worthy?

Yeah, baby. That’s what I’m talking about.

Definitely a favorite.

Soup’s On! (Video)

Posted on 25 March 2013 by Dr. P. K. Newby

In perusing my food porn over at Pinterest, I was shocked to see I had only nine pictures of soup. How is that possible, given I eat soup about twice a week? Fortunately, I have a slew of photos, recipes, and videos in my archive just waiting to be shared. I’ll therefore be taking time in the coming weeks to tantalize your taste buds with a few of my favorites. Think: Mexican vegetable, roasted cauliflower, Moroccan red lentil, wild mushroom, and many more.

Aside from the many creative ways to prepare soup and the fantastic health benefits—here’s the skinny on soup—I just really love it, whatever the weather. And what’s the common denominator for all my recipes? Why, homemade vegetable stock, of course. It’s the starting point for all my soups and is simple to make. It’s also a great way to put veggie scraps to good use and limit your food waste and packaging. Cheaper, too. (More on all that here.)

Here’s the how-to.

Cooking Note. I forgot to add bay leaves to this batch, which I did in my short video intro to stock here. No worries, though. Whereas you want to include the basics in each stock—onion, carrots, celery, peppercorns, and a slew of water—the herbs and other veggies you add can vary. It’s really not an exact thing.

Thanks for watching! I look forward to sharing more soup recipes and videos with you very soon.

Boston Marathon 2013: Why I Run

Posted on 24 March 2013 by Dr. P. K. Newby

My Boston Marathon 2013 journey began back in December (“Game On”), continued through Valentine’s Day (“On Chocolate, Running, and Life”) and brings me to today, my longest run before the race. Before I leave, I am taking another pause from my food and science writing to tell you a bit more about why I’m running.

Video Postscript

I sit here at my desk, the sun on my shoulders. I sip black coffee and write. I search for the right words to end this post, something meaningful.

Yet, I am distracted.

My running clothes await. I need to get going on today’s 23 miles, the greatest distance I’ll travel before Monday, April 15.

And I won’t lie to you: I’m not particularly looking forward to it. Training for a marathon isn’t easy; my body yearns for rest. I watch my fundraising, anxiously, as it creeps toward my goal—more slowly than I’d like.

But I’m all taped up and ready to go. It’s time. Thus I’ll let the email I just received from RunKeeper provide the closing words that I can’t currently find, sound advice whether you’re simply heading out on a run, beginning a new venture, or fighting the fight for your life.

“What are you waiting for? The first step is the hardest.”

Swordfish Piccata with Smashed Cauliflower and Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Posted on 22 March 2013 by Dr. P. K. Newby

I’ll bet you have plenty of your own creative ideas for putting garlicky smashed cauliflower to good use. Go you! Even so, I can’t resist directing you to a dish I created in 2011, found here. Using a classic piccata sauce of white wine, lemon, and capers, my recipe takes it up a notch with creamy smashed cauliflower and caramelized Brussels sprouts for even more color and flavor. It truly is a must for swordfish lovers.

SwordPiccata

Other fishes would work nicely in this dish, too, like sole or flounder. (Just make sure to follow the cooking instructions here for thinner fillets.) You could also easily prepare this meal with another protein of your own choosing; chicken is classic, and I’ll bet tofu would be terrific.

So, whether you are a Christian reader who participates in the lenten tradition of eating fish on Fridays or are just looking for another sublime supper, this recipe is for you.

And I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Crucifer Revelations, Continued: Garlicky Smashed Cauliflower

Posted on 21 March 2013 by Dr. P. K. Newby

Cauli_Smashed Okay, so you now know how to roast cauliflower and have a few good ideas for using it, including a gorgeous tri-color cauliflower salad, savory Sicilian cauliflower, or a familiar Indian favorite, cauliflower and potatoes.

And let’s not forget about the simplest way possible, which is by the ~~handful~~ plateful, right off the roasting pan and into your mouth.

Today’s recipe starts with roasted cauliflower and smashes it up all potato-like in three simple steps. Whether a wonderful side dish or as a bed for your favorite protein, it’s a mouthwatering way to enjoy cauliflower that is both classy and comforting.

Move over, spuds. There’s a new game in town.

1. Roast (described here). (Yet another tantalizing photo.)

CauliSmashed_Roasted

2. Sauté a few cloves of garlic in 1 tbsp of olive oil for 45 seconds, then season with a grind of black pepper and 1-3 tbsp of cream (optional).

3. Smash in cauliflower. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Cauli_Mashing

Omitting step 2 is okay, though it will only take two extra minutes and the garlic and cream keep it from being nothing more than broken pieces of roasted cauliflower. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) Plus, er, garlic and cream? Need I say more? Believe me that garlicky smashed cauliflower is truly yet another crucifer revelation.

Do let’s be clear: it’s not the same thing as smashed potatoes and really can’t be considered in the same boat as mashed potatoes, which is its own thing altogether. For the record, I, too, love silken, creamy, mashed potatoes—who doesn’t?—but it’s something I eat on only very rare occasions. Cauliflower is much lower in calories, doesn’t have the same deleterious effect on your blood sugar, and has far more vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients compared to white potatoes.

And, perhaps most importantly, it’s absolutely divine.

Dr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She is currently training for the Boston Marathon, her third (more here and here), to raise money for cancer research. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen

Where Science is Sexy and Healthy Eating is Spectacular

Category Archives: Science

All Hail Allium: The Glory of Caramelized Onions

Mixed Greens with Avocado, White Beans, and Watermelon Radish

Granola, the P.K. Way: The What, When, and Why

Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Cherries and Walnuts

So this Broccoli Walks Into a Cauliflower…

Divine Cauliflower Soup (Preferably Roasted)

Soup’s On! (Video)

Boston Marathon 2013: Why I Run

Swordfish Piccata with Smashed Cauliflower and Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Crucifer Revelations, Continued: Garlicky Smashed Cauliflower

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