An Easy Winter's Night Meal

 This should be the month for no fuss cooking.Recipes should be simple but filling. One way is to do this is using polenta.It's a great way to add to any meal, especially if it's paired with a simple saute.

I had this in mind (after being influenced by David' Tanis' recipes in Wednesday 's New York Times food section. A polenta log can be sliced and tastes the best fried on a griddle.

I fried them in Melt plant butter for flavor and crispness. You could make polenta the old fashioned way, in a big pot but this is constantly storring it. It could stick and even burn. Buying the logs is a better way of preparing it without all that fuss.. You can also slice and fry up the polenta the next day too.

As for the saute, I've had enough of the traditional tomato  sauce that usually goes with it. A nice spinach and mushrroom sauce would work with this. It had the added bonus of kale in the mix. I used about two to three cups of the combined greens , about  sixteen ounces and about four cups of already cut baby bella mushrooms.It was cooking the mushrooms in a mix of olive oil and Melt plant butter. Halfway through I added about a cup of veggie stock for a kind of gravy and generous lashings of garlic powder ,salt and pepper. After the Baby Bellas were cooked for about fifteen minutes the spinach and kale were added.

This  was cooked for about ten minutes until soft and  turned a deep emerald green.

The end result was an amazing dinner. full of good for you ingredients and flavor.

It rreally was the perfect meal , so easy to create and just right for a frosty evening. You can vary it with a pinch of red pepper or cayenne. Add vegan sausages or any kind of meat for a heartier dinner. Better yet it was great for a hot lunch the next day.

This is the month for simple cooking and eating. Try this tasty saute with polenta rounds for a filling and easy dinner.It's a delicious way to kick back in the kitchen.

Cleaning Out Your Dietary Closet

I recently went through a rough week of gall and stomach problems. The reason for these problems I had created such a toxic diet  for myself. It took a week of throwing out and skipping all that junky food. Mine was not a healthy diet to begin with, with a overload of salty , sweet and fried. it was time to clean out.

One of the biggest taboos for anyone with gall problems is caffeinated drinks.That meant nixing the Pepsi along with hot cocoa out of my life. Luckily I am a big BAI fan and it was easy to change over to this tasty but all natural juice (also luckily their newest flavor is Kula Watermelon, a lovely light flavor that reminds one of hot summer nights eating chilled slices of melon).Grape and apple juice are also gallbladder diet must haves.Again, I love grape juice so this was a big plus to switch over (another good thing about grape juice - it freezes well so I will be making ice pops this summer with it) The herbal tea switchover takes some getting used to - herbal blends sometimes have a medicinal taste and aftertaste to them. Chamomile is the best  and can be tempered with  a small drop of dark honey. The diet also requires subbing in honey and agave for sugar. Water is a definite must. It helps to flush everything from the liver to the gallbladder. I will have to give up the usual glass of tap to spring water, which is always a plus.

Fried food and snacks are big cholesterol causers, Cholesterol is the main ingredient in gall stones and sludge, a kind of slimy grit that can clog up gall ducts . Potato chips are definitely off the table as are French fries. Surprisingly there is a substitiute. Green beans. Steam them first and then chill with a simple vinaigrette dressing (olive oil and vinegar are allowed, in fact the last is encouraged).Eat them with your fingers and it has that fun finger food feel. You can also just steam and pat dry with a paper towel. They then can be dipped into a homemade vinaigrette for less mess..If you want you can add some fruit  such as blueberry or pomegranate to the vinegar for  a delicate sweet flavor. Kale, along with Brussels sprouts will be turned into tasty chips if I want a fun snack. Garbanzo beans are another can eat.I have already made hummus, a lighter version of what 's sold in the stores. This recipe I found a few years ago on the internet and it is easy to make.I'ts mixing pureed cannelini and white beans with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and the juice of half a fresh lemon.

This is only the beginning of the new diet. Tomorrow I'll be highlighting the new meal plan I'll be following. It's another step to acquiring good gut health.