News Taffy

Though I haven’t found many new recipes lately, I am always on the lookout for nutritious dishes to try and I share the best and easiest ones to encourage others to cook at home. I have a renewed passion for cooking since exploring a sugar free diet. Here are a few tips on avoiding added sugar in your diet. A great recipe follows.

Don’t add sugar to recipes where it really isn’t necessary. Some recipes call for a teaspoon or tablespoon here and there but I have long found you won’t miss it if you don’t add it. Obviously, you need sugar in cookies but not pancakes as you are about to pour syrup on them.

I now use natural, sugar and salt free peanut butter in smoothies plus I have made the switch to plain yogurt instead of vanilla in smoothies to further reduce the sugar. It’s all what you get used to eating. Don’t add other sweeteners like honey to your smoothies; rely on the sweetness of the fruit alone.

Make your own salad dressing by using olive oil and vinegar with a few herbs thrown in. Dried herbs are fine but use fresh if you have them. Cheaper and tastier than commercial and quick to do.

Kale is my new favorite vegetable and should be yours too. One cup of kale has about 33 calories and a whopping 206% of your daily value of vitamin A and 134% of vitamin C! It only has 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein unfortunately. Try preparing it this way: tear it into bite sized pieces, toss it with some olive oil, salt and pepper and spread it on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes or until the edges start to brown and it is crispy. We eat it like popcorn! Kale can also be added raw to salads like the following recipe.

I tried this out on my family just last night. We love pesto and I usually make my own since I grow basil in a pot and it takes seconds to whip it up in a blender. We all gave this recipe a high rating. It was a nice, quick side dish for the pan sautéed fish I served.

Curly Kale and Curly Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS:

*2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

*2 ounces shaved Parmesan

*1/4 cup sliced green onions

*1/3 cup toasted, chopped pecans

*8 to 12 oz. curly pasta such as cavatappi

*1 bunch curly Kale, washed and dried

*7 oz. purchased pesto, or better, make your own

*1/4 cup red wine vinegar, I used a bit more

*1/2 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS: Cook pasta according to package directions. While it cooks and drains, tear Kale into bite sized pieces, leaving out the ribs. Put beans, Kale, green onions, pecans and pasta in a large bowl. Mix pesto, salt and vinegar in a measuring cup and pour over ingredients. Toss gently till beans, pasta and Kale are coated. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Enjoy at room temperature or cold the next day.