Fiber-Packed Morning Oats

Come, says Puss, without any more ado,

'tis time to go to breakfast; cats

don't live upon dialogues.

-L'Estrange

Readers of this blog know that oats aren't just for breakfast anymore. We eat them twice a week at dinner in Basil Pesto Sockeye Pie, which is a super food grand slam all by itself. But let's face it, oatmeal for breakfast is probably the best opportunity we have on a daily basis to get this important super food.

Oats are classified among the foods primarily responsible for providing soluble fiber to the body. Other common foods doing so include peas, beans (like pintos), barley, prune juice, plums, berries, bananas, apples, pears, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, and onions. The importance of soluble fiber, which is fiber which dissolves in water, is that unlike insoluble fiber, it ferments in the gut and produces short chain fatty acids which do a veritable host of important things for you.

Short chain fatty acids help control blood glucose levels, working on both the pancreas and the liver. They nourish the cells lining the colon walls. They suppress the synthesis of cholesterol and reduce levels of LDL and triglycerides. They increase the colon's acidity which in turn protects the lining from polyp formation while improving mineral absorption. Increased acidity also stimulates production of crucial elements of the immune protection system and improves the health of the colon's mucosal layer which helps inhibit inflammation and irritation.

As you can see, the health of your gut doesn't just make you happy in the toilet. It affects your over all health, touching on issues as diverse as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, cancer, and compromised immunity generally. You can improve your odds against these by making soluble fiber a daily habit. And oatmeal for breakfast is a fast and easy way to start doing that. The basic recipe includes quick oats and oat bran, which can be supplemented from day to day to keep it interesting and boost the levels of optimum nutrition. To accomplish that I always add some kind of berry and an ounce of nuts, and often some cinnamon and a tablespoon of raw wheat germ and/or ground flaxseed meal. As listed, the ingredients in the recipe below provide about 15 grams of dietary fiber. Everyone needs 25 grams per day, men even more. Eating this sort of breakfast gets you well on your way each and every day.

If you have more time, use whole oats and simmer them on the stove for about six or seven minutes. For a really delicious form of oats, try the steel cut variety toasted in a cast iron pan in a little butter and then cooked in milk on the stove for about thirty minutes, stirring constantly. I buy my oats in all their forms in bulk at Apple Valley stores, and I buy organic if they've got them.

Fiber-Packed Morning Oats

.25 cup quick oats--2 grams dietary fiber

.25 cup oat bran--6 grams dietary fiber

1 cup water

dash of salt

stir into a bowl and microwave for about two minutes

then add:

.5 cup fresh blueberries (or 1/3 cup dried cranberries)--2 grams dietary fiber

1 oz. (=.25 cup=30 grams) walnuts (or 1 oz. almonds)--2 grams dietary fiber

1 T raw wheat germ--1 gram dietary fiber

1 T ground flaxseed meal--2 grams dietary fiber

dash of cinnamon

sweetener if desired (I use Splenda)

stir and add a little water if necessary, and microwave if needed another minute or so

Ground Flaxseed Meal

Flaxseeds are the second person of the whole grains super food trinity which includes oats and wheat germ. Just a tablespoon or two each day goes a long way. Steven Pratt calls them "the best plant source of omega-3 fatty acids," in the form of ALA, the plant analogue to the wild salmon we so zealously value for its rich stores of the same acids in the form of EPA/DHA. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for cardiovascular health, and for cellular health generally throughout the body, especially in the brain.

As an insoluble fiber (fiber which does not dissolve in water), ground flaxseed meal contributes to a shorter transit time of food through the body, and just two tablespoons a day provide four grams of the suggested daily intake of twenty-five grams, or 15%. On top of the ALA, you also get protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, and, listen up ladies, lignans, the latter thought to help prevent and/or treat breast cancer.

Incorporating it into the diet is easy. You can add it straight to your morning oatmeal or other cereal, include it in a smoothie, or in cakes on the griddle. In fact, if you bake anything requiring oil or butter in the recipe, you can use flaxseed meal as a substitute, using the ratio 3 to 1. In other words, if using ground flaxseed meal instead, triple it (A recipe requiring 1/4 cup canola oil will require 3/4 cup ground flaxseed meal instead). Recipes "tend to brown more rapidly," as the Bob's Red Mill package says. I frequently substitute part of the oil or butter needed in a recipe with the ground flaxseed meal and never notice the difference, not even in my homemade bread.

I buy my ground flaxseed meal at an Apple Valley health food store near our home in Michigan, where I always find it refrigerated. And that's how I store it at home. Otherwise it can go rancid. Choose Bob's Red Mill. You won't be disappointed!

Filet of Salmon Teriyaki

I rarely get to make this anymore because we normally buy wild alaskan salmon in the big can, but when some kind soul sends a filet our way (thanks, Grandma and Grandpa), this is a fast, healthy, and easy way to prepare it.

Filet of Salmon Teriyaki

1 12-16 oz. filet of Atlantic salmon (cook skin side up if not skinless)

2 T frozen concentrate of orange juice

3 T soy sauce (I prefer San-J brand Organic Wheat Free Tamari Sauce)

1 large clove fresh garlic

.25 t dry ground ginger (or .5 t sized chunk fresh ginger root, peeled)

3 T extra virgin olive oil

3 green onions, diced finely

1 t sesame seeds

In the bowl of a food processor mince the garlic clove, then add the ginger (and mince if using fresh), followed by the orange juice concentrate, soy sauce and extra virgin olive oil. Blend thoroughly and pour the mixture into an oven safe baker. Place the salmon filet in the baker and turn it over a couple of times to coat.

While the salmon is marinating, pre-heat the oven on bake to 350 degrees F. Bake the salmon swimming in the marinade about 25 minutes uncovered on the center rack of the oven.

If you want to, you can cook the salmon in the microwave to save time. I've done it often and it turns out well. Just be careful not to overdo it. I use the same round Pyrex pie plate I use for my Basil Pesto Sockeye Pie, except I cover the salmon with microwave safe plastic wrap. Cook on high for about six minutes, depending on the power rating of your microwave. Test for doneness by flaking with a fork in the thickest part of the filet.

Serve topped with some of the sauce from the baker, the sesame seeds, and the green onion.

Brown rice on the side accepts the sauce well, and steamed broccoli florets rounds out this meal for a super foods triple play.

Hot Italian Sausage, Super Foods Style

Wednesdays and Saturdays at our house are Italian days, not because we're Italian, but because we like their food! My mother's maiden name is spelled just like a town in Tuscany, which was news to her. But her dad also looked more like a wiry Sicilian than a farmer from Germany. Hard to figure it out, after all these years. But this recipe for hot Italian sausage isn't hard, and you're going to love it, because it's delicious, good for you, and passes the kid test with flying colors!

You can make this sausage and serve it alongside the pasta with a fresh steamed vegetable with a little butter. (Broccoli florets are always popular here). Or you can break it up in my basic tomato sauce, semi home made, and serve it on the pasta. And it's also nice crumbled on the pizza! or in an omelet! How about in the lasagna?! Stuff it in the ravioli! Oh! Italian sausage! How do I love thee? Let me . . . get on with it.

Hot Italian Sausage Dry Seasoning Mix

.25 t garlic powder

.25 t dried thyme

.25 t freshly ground pepper

.5 t whole fennel seeds

1 t crushed red pepper flakes (pretty hot in this quantity, so be ready)

1 t salt

1.5 t paprika

Clean out the electric coffee grinder, but don't go crazy. Leave some traces of the espresso behind. It's good. Add all the ingredients above and let her rip for a minute or so. You have now made the seasoning for 1.25 lbs. of meat (and now you should clean the grinder thoroughly, unless you like your next cup a little spicy).

Hot Italian Sausage, Super Foods Style

1 prepared Hot Italian Sausage Dry Seasoning Mix recipe

1.25 lbs. ground turkey (half a 2.5 lb. flat of Jennie-O lean ground turkey)

Drop the turkey meat into a large bowl. Sprinkle the dry seasoning evenly over the turkey until you have covered it uniformly, then work it in with ye old trusty potato masher. Repeat until all the seasoning is mixed into the meat.

Next, oil or grease a 3/4 inch deep, 3 1/2 inch diameter form to receive the meat mixture to make sausage patties. (I use the rubber end of an old Zyliss Food Chopper. You can improvise with some other old lid to something, or buy one of those metal hamburger forms. It really doesn't matter if the size varies a little. If you're adventurous and have a KitchenAid mixer with a sausage making attachment, go for it! But you'll need casing!). Using a fork, load the form with meat and make a patty that holds together without being too densely packed. Plop it out onto a large plate and go on to the next one. I can make almost six with my form.

Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat for a couple minutes, then add canola oil to cover the bottom with a shallow pool. The high sides of the oven will help prevent splatters. Fry the patties two or three at a time over medium low heat, about four minutes per side. Drain and reserve the fried patties in a warm oven as you go. That's it. Badabing, badaboom.

Yogurt Lemon Thyme Marinated Chicken Breasts

Turkey breast meat, without the skin, is "the leanest source of meat protein on the planet," according to Steven Pratt in his SuperFoods HealthStyle. Its rich nutrient profile of selenium, B vitamins and zinc is thought to cut the risk for cancer while contributing to cardiovascular health. One of its other wonderful features is that it has 27 times less saturated fat than fresh ham, and 22 times less than flank steak! Ninety-five percent lean ground beef has 12 times more saturated fat than turkey breast. Even compared with chicken breast without the skin, turkey breast has 4 times less saturated fat. If the genetic cards you've been dealt put you at risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease, which end of that spectrum are you going to get your meat from? Although higher in saturated fat, boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale for $.99/lb. are hard to pass up.

A delicious way to eat turkey or chicken breast is broiled, but high heat broiling often turns it into rubber. The solution to this problem is to brine the meat, but to save on time, I brine and marinate at the same time, incorporating other superfoods and their sidekicks to add healthfulness and flavor. The last time I made this my family said, "Make it every Sunday!"

Yogurt Lemon Thyme Marinated Chicken Breasts

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

.5 t sugar

.5 t salt

2 T fresh lemon juice

.5 cup plain fat-free yogurt

3 T extra virgin olive oil

1 handful fresh thyme sprigs, washed and dried

Rinse the breasts, dry, and place in a shallow Pyrex baker. Into the bowl of a food processor, strip the thyme leaves off the sprigs. You'll want about two tablespoons full (or substitute one tablespoon dried thyme if you must). Then add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Pour this mixture over the breasts, then lift the breasts a little to coat the undersides. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for up to six hours before using, turning after three hours. I've marinated for as little as three hours with good results. Another way to marinate easily is to use a fresh clean freezer bag. Drop the breasts in and pour in the marinade. Seal it up and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

When you're ready to cook, set the broiler to high with a rack in the center of the oven. Into a stainless steel broiler pan place a smaller rack to elevate the meat while broiling. Remove the breasts from the marinade but don't scrape it off, and place them in the broiler pan. Broil 15 minutes on side one, and about 10 minutes on side two, and serve. You won't be disappointed!

'Nita's Cakes on the Griddle

It's Saturday. We sleep in, and 'Nita makes us a lazy breakfast. Sometimes it's Dutch Babies, but usually it's griddle cakes. She likes a recipe she adapted from "Wheat Germ Griddle Cakes" by Selma Johnson in Doris Janzen Longacre's More-with-Less Cookbook. The recipe makes 16 cakes. Serve them with butter and pure maple syrup. Then go out and cut the grass to work it off. Or not.

'Nita's Cakes on the Griddle

1 cup raw wheat germ

.5 cup oat bran

2.25 cups reduced fat milk

3 eggs

3 T canola oil

3 T ground flaxseed meal

1.25 cups unbleached bread flour

4 t baking powder (we prefer Hain brand "Featherweight Baking Powder" without aluminum)

1 T sugar

1.5 t salt

.5 t ground cinnamon

.25 t ground ginger

Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl with a whisk. Beat the eggs in another and add the milk and oil and mix. Then gradually add the wet to the dry, stirring as you go.

Preheat a cast iron griddle over medium heat for a few minutes. Coat it with a thin slip of canola oil. Drop a bead of batter on the griddle to test for readiness. Use a 1/4 cup ladle to pour out the batter. Reduce the heat to medium low and proceed. Keep the cakes warm in the oven as you go.

It's summer, so serve with some sliced water melon or other fresh fruit on the side.

Monday Night "Super Foods" Burrito

With all four elements of the burrito filling prepared as in the previous posts, you are ready to combine them. Once combined, you can set some aside in the fridge for reheating later and freeze the rest. In this post we'll combine everything and make some burritos right away.

Monday Night "Super Foods" Burrito

prepared pinto beans recipe

1 cup reserved pinto beans cooking liquid

prepared brown rice recipe

prepared ground turkey recipe

prepared dry seasoning mix recipe

1 package La Fuerza Tortillas de Harina (preferably "fat-free")

8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese (preferably reduced-fat), divided into one ounce portions

canola oil

Into the large cast-iron dutch oven containing the prepared turkey, add the dry seasoning mix and a splash of the bean cooking liquid and cook over medium heat, stirring with the hand-held potato masher. When thoroughly mixed and bubbly, add all the drained beans (including the onions and garlic) and stir with the masher. Then add all the rice and stir until combined. Now mash until the mixture reaches the consistency you prefer. Some like it with just some of the beans mashed and creamy and some left intact. Others will like it all mashed. Still others like it as is. Add more bean cooking liquid if necessary to reach the consistency you desire. At most you'll only need a half cup of the reserved liquid. We keep ours on the dry side to make the filling easier to handle. When it's ready, turn off that burner, and light another.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium for two minutes. Scoop up at most 2/3 cup of the burrito filling and drop it in the center of a room temperature 8.5 inch tortilla. Smooth it out from top to bottom down the center and make a little trough in it running the full length. Drop one ounce of cheese slices in the trough, and fold the sides of the tortilla over each other. Pour 3 T canola oil into the skillet, spread it around with a spatula, and drop the burrito in, folded side down to start. Reduce heat to medium low and fry carefully, one minute per side, for four minutes total, or until nicely browned. Add additional oil to the skillet as necessary.

Remove the burrito to an oven safe plate and keep it in a warm oven while you make the rest. Serve topped with your favorite things (no, not ice cream). We like La Victoria brand mild red taco sauce, sliced black olives, chopped green onions, chopped roma tomatoes, avocado slices, and chopped fresh baby spinach and romaine lettuce. Served this way, this meal is composed of at least ten of Pratt's super foods. Eleven if you top it all with some plain, fat-free yogurt. For a quick lunch, skip the frying and the toppings. Just assemble the burrito and heat it in the microwave for a minute or so.

Brown Rice, in the Microwave

In previous posts we have described the preparation of the pinto beans and the dry seasoning mix for Monday night Mexican style burritos. In this post we turn to the other elements used in the filling: brown rice and ground turkey.

Although raised in a "meat and potatoes" household in Wisconsin in the 60's and 70's, in our home today we rarely eat either. In place of potatoes, we eat brown rice, a super foods "sidekick" of the grain superstars oats, wheat germ, and ground flaxseed. Brown rice serves as a nice side dish along with simply steamed vegetables at a variety of meals. After it's cooked, you can stir in seasonings like fresh pesto to liven it up. And in a burrito, it functions as a filler to stretch the recipe. The notion that combining rice and beans is necessary to provide the body with a complete protein is now challenged.

The turkey in the final product we will describe is optional. We include turkey because it is another one of the super foods, which just also happens to add a taste kick reminiscent of the ground beef many people are accustomed to in a burrito. Because most beef today is corn fed, not grass fed, the amount of saturated fat in beef is much higher than it used to be, according to evidence presented in films such as "King Corn." Ground turkey makes a better substitute, in our opinion. And like the rice, it stretches the volume even farther. You can routinely find 5 lb. containers of Jennie-O brand fresh ground turkey at Sam's Club for less than two dollars a pound. I bring it home and divide the contents of the two containers into four equal parts and freeze them. It's not as lean as the turkey breast meat recommended by Steven Pratt in his books, but he's not a food Nazi, and neither am I!

Brown Rice, in the Microwave

1 cup long grain brown rice (do not rinse)

2 cups fresh water

1/8 t salt

1 T extra virgin olive oil

To a microwave-safe covered one quart casserole, add the rice, water, salt and oil, and give it a stir. Cover and place in the microwave. Set the oven for three stage cooking: 5 minutes on high, 20 minutes at 40% power, and 20 minutes at 30% power. When complete, allow to rest as is in the microwave to cool. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

The cooking power may have to be adjusted up or down, depending on the output of your microwave. For lower power countertop microwaves, try the percentages as described. For microwave hoods, start with 5 minutes on high, 20 minutes at 30%, and 20 minutes at 20%. If the power is too high, you'll get boil-over. If it's too low, you'll get underdone rice. Adjust accordingly.

Ground Turkey, Prepared

1.25 lbs. fresh ground turkey meat

2 T canola oil

Heat a large cast iron dutch oven over medium heat for two minutes. Add the oil and spread it around with a spatula, then add the meat. Let it brown for a few minutes and then turn the heat down a little. Take out ye old trusty hand-held potato masher and a hot pad and start mashing and stirring the meat as it cooks. (If you're using a fancy Le Creuset dutch oven with a finished cooking surface, don't use metal tools; they'll damage the surface). When it's all browned and nicely uniform in size, you are done!

At this point, you proceed with the combination of all the elements of the burrito filling, right in the cast iron pot, which we'll describe in the next post.

Pinto Beans

When it comes to beans for burrito filling, there are many choices available beyond the well known pinto bean. From the super foods perspective, the darker the bean's skin the more potent the phytochemicals, but the pinto is the most widely available economical choice. I've used black, pink, chili and red beans of all kinds in my recipe, but I usually end up with the old standby, the pinto bean, which I can acquire for roughly a dollar per pound. A one pound can of already cooked beans costs about the same price, but a pound of dry beans prepared will yield roughly three times the contents of that one pound can.

When buying any dried bean or legume, make sure to look for relatively recently harvested ones. The sell-by date on the package will be a clue. If the date is near, the package is not fresh and has been sitting around somewhere. Old beans are harder to cook, and can take what seems like forever.

The preparation time of dried beans only seems inordinately long. You just need to plan ahead. The soaking and the cooking can occur without your presence.

Prepared Pinto Beans

1 lb. dry pinto beans

1 large onion, cut into eighths (choose yellow or sweet)

3 cloves garlic, crushed with a chef's knife

.25 cup canola oil (or extra virgin olive oil)

Rinse the beans under cold water. Discard any stones or lumps of dirt you may find. Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with about four inches of fresh water. Let soak for at least six hours, refrigerated, and as long as overnight.

Drain off the water and rinse the beans again under cold water. Add them to a deep and heavy stainless steel stock pot. Cover with at least two inches of fresh water. Add the onion, garlic and oil and give it all a stir. Do not add any seasonings at this point. The salt will impede the cooking of the beans, not enhance it. Put on the lid and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the mixture starts to boil, you have two options. You can set the burner to low and boil the beans for about an hour until done, or you can set the burner to simmer and let the mixture cook for several hours unattended (I never leave the property with a fire on under a pot). I prefer the latter since it keeps the beans intact throughout the cooking process. A third option is to use a crock pot, but in that case you should get the contents boiling on high first and then set the pot on low before you leave for the day. That can delay you, but it works. If you soak the beans during the day while you are away, you can cook them in the crockpot overnight while you sleep.

You'll know the beans are done when you bite into one and it's creamy, not firm. Leave the beans in the pot with the water to cool for an hour, and then overnight if you wish in the refrigerator. Drain off the water into a large bowl through a mesh collander to capture the beans and reserve some of the cooking liquid (save a cup in the refrigerator).

If you don't use the beans immediately, they can be stored in the freezer.

Mexican Dry Seasoning Mix

Our favorite Mexican style meal is a burrito fried in a cast iron skillet and served topped with a mild Taco sauce, chopped green onions, sliced black olives, sliced avocado, chopped tomato, and chopped romaine and spinach greens. Every Monday is Mexican night at our house, and this is what we eat.

Producing it at home involves several steps, which involve much more time than many people will be willing to take. But the outcome is superior in taste, wholesomeness, and cost. And the recipe yields enough burrito filling to feed us many Mondays over. Just store it in the freezer. The basic steps involved include: preparing the pinto beans, brown rice, and meat filling, and assembling the dry seasoning mix. In this post we'll start with the last thing first.

Basic Mexican Dry Seasoning Mix

2 t salt

2 t chili powder

1 t crushed dried red pepper

.5 t dried oregano (or 1 t fresh oregano, chopped, see note)

1 t ground cumin

Mix together thoroughly in a small bowl. The mixture can be stored like any spice in a glass jar if you're not yet ready to proceed. This basic mix will be used to season the full recipe, which will include one pound of dry pinto beans prepared, one cup of dry brown rice prepared, and 1.25 pounds of raw ground turkey prepared. On those occasions when you choose not to include the ground turkey, the seasoning mix can be reduced by up to half to tone down the heat of it.

Note: The cumin and the oregano in this recipe are considered "superspices" by Steven Pratt. To get the full effect in the case of the oregano, however, it is best to use fresh oregano, in which case you'll want to prepare the spice mixture at the time of cooking in order to preserve the volatile oils. Chop the oregano and use 1 teaspoon.

Basil Pesto Sockeye Pie

Wild Alaskan Red Sockeye Salmon in the 14.75 oz. can is acknowledged to be one of the cleanest and most potent sources of omega 3 fatty acids, calcium and protein. But did you ever open up one of those things? Eek! Its price is often compelling compared to the putatively dirtier, farm-raised fresh salmons, but how do you serve this stuff, skin and bones and all?

I came up with a solution, and you know it's got to be good if my young son looks forward to eating it. We have it twice a week! The best part is the recipe combines no less than 6 super foods in one neat package, 7 if you make the pesto with spinach. My mother's meatloaf was the inspiration, may God rest her soul.

Basil Pesto Sockeye Pie

2 eggs, beaten in a large bowl

1 can (14.75 oz.) Wild Alaskan Red Sockeye Salmon, drained

.5 cup Basil Pesto Sauce recipe

.5 cup Tomato Sauce, Semi Home Made

2 cups organic quick oats

To the bowl of beaten eggs, add the salmon and mash with ye old trusty cheapo hand-held potato masher until it no longer looks 100% disgusting. Stir in the basil pesto sauce and the tomato sauce. Then add in the oatmeal, mashing away, until thoroughly mixed.

Let it stand and soak while you do the following:

Preheat the oven on bake to 375 degrees F. Grab a 10" Pyrex pie plate and thoroughly grease it with vegetable shortening, like Crisco. Plop the salmon mixture into the pie plate and flatten it out using the potato masher. You can smooth the surface more finely to finish using a silicone spatula. Place the pie in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 35 minutes, checking that a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for five minutes or so and slice it like pie. Serve with ketchup generously drizzled on top, two slices per adult.

Additional notes:

1) Canned salmon is often very high in sodium, containing nearly 1900 mg. per can, according to the label on the brand I buy. How much of this gets tossed out when you drain the salmon is not stated. Doctors often say a healthy adult should consume no more than 2000 mg. per day. You can reduce the sodium in this recipe if you need to by leaving the salt out of the basil pesto recipe (the teaspoon of salt in that recipe amounts to 2360 mg. distributed over approximately 1.25 cups, or approximately 944 mg. in .5 cup prepared pesto). Otherwise your minimum sodium intake per slice could be as high as almost 400 mg., plus whatever's in the ketchup and the Pecorino Romano cheese.

2) Your choice of oats is also important. I often use 100% rolled oats instead of quick oats to give the recipe a "toothier" quality. Since these take a little longer to "cook" when you make oatmeal, in this recipe you can help them along with a little more soaking time in the mixture (covered in the refrigerator) and an extra half cup of the tomato sauce. The added benefit is all the goodness of the whole grain.

Pesto

The principles of pesto are all the same: garlic and nuts, hard cheese and extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, and the greens, traditionally basil, as in Basil Pesto. We grow our own basil because it's better, and cheaper, and after washing and drying the leaves, they are easily stored in freezer bags. But we inevitably run out, usually by Christmas, and then we have found that baby spinach is an acceptable substitute, which is just fine, because spinach is a super food.

And you can make other substitutions as well. For the traditional pine nuts, try walnuts, another super food, or almonds. And for the traditional Parmesan cheese, which should be grated from a solid wedge, you can substitute Pecorino Romano, to liven up what the spinach loses from fragrant basil. If you're adventurous, experiment with other greens, like Italian flat leaf parsley. I've even done it with dill! Whew!

At any rate, spinach, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and nuts are all super foods, combined in a neat and delicious little package. Use it on some whole grain pasta, or in my famous Basil Pesto Sockeye Pie (recipe forthcoming!).

Basil Pesto (Baby Spinach Pesto)

2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed (or baby spinach)

3 cloves garlic

.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano)

.75 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 T pine nuts, or blanched almonds (or walnuts if you like)

1.5 t salt

.25 t ground pepper

In your food processor, pulse the garlic and nuts together, then add the salt and pepper and some of the oil and pulse some more. Then add some of the basil and cheese and more of the oil and pulse. Continue until everything has been added, and pulse til creamy, but do not pulse minute upon minute because this can make the oil bitter.

Since I use this sauce .5 cup at a time, I immediately freeze the sauce in little Glad containers of that size, and defrost it gently on the counter before I cook.

Blueberry Smoothie

Let's face it, the most important meal of the day is breakfast. But who has time? And who has the time to make it healthy? The answer is, you do. Here's a simple, fast way to get some calcium, some good bacteria for your gastrointestinal tract, the rich antioxidants found in blueberries, plus the abundant sources of omega 3 fatty acids, minerals, and fiber found in ground flaxseed meal and raw wheat germ:

Blueberry Smoothie

1 ripe banana

.5 cup frozen blueberries

.5 cup yogurt, Stonyfield Farm Plain Fat Free Organic

2 T raw wheat germ (available refrigerated at most health food stores, usually less than a dollar per pound)

2 T whole ground flaxseed meal, Bob's Red Mill, refrigerated

1 packet Splenda, to sweeten

.5 cup fat free milk, to thin

Add the first three ingredients to your food processor and pulse until blended. Then add the wheat germ and flaxseed meal and pulse. Add some sweetener, and then the milk, pulse, and you're done. You'll need a really big glass for this! Instead of sweetener and milk, you can substitute some fruit juice, if you'd rather. I sometimes do.

So there you go, out the door with four super foods in your tummy, just like that! One nice side benefit of this recipe is that all that ground flaxseed meal kind of "expands" in your stomach after about an hour, making you feel really full. You won't feel like eating for hours. If you don't like the feeling, just adjust the amount down to suit yourself.