Adding Some Rainbow to Winter

Saute the stems of the chard

Loads of leafy greens

Chard. What is it? It's one of those elusive greens that seems to be mentioned in all the health magazines. This veggie is in the same family as beets and spinach and is also high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits. Chard packs a punch with Vitamins K, A and C. It's nutritional value is lauded, but does it taste any good?

The perfect mix of savory & sweet make this a delicious & healthy dinner

Last month I clipped a recipe that was printed in the Chicago Tribune for rainbow chard that sounded interesting and figured I'd give it a shot. It was DELICIOUS and rainbow chard has become my new veggie obsession. I've made this recipe at least 3 times now and decided I'd take some photos of this beautiful green to show you just how great it is.

When I make this recipe I typically serve it over brown rice. I have substituted peanut oil for sesame oil as well.

This recipe appeared in the January 19th Chicago Tribune

Stir-fried Swiss chard with pine nuts and balsamic butter

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Makes: 2 servings

From "Fast, Fresh and Green," by Susie Middleton

1 teaspoon each: balsamic vinegar, soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon dark brown sugar

12 ounces Swiss chard

1 tablespoon peanut oil

3 tablespoon pine nuts

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. Combine the vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Pull or cut the stems away from the chard leaves. Cut or rip the leaves into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Slice the stems crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces.

2. Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts; cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. (Watch carefully because they brown quickly.) Off the heat, transfer the pine nuts to a plate, leaving behind as much oil as possible.

3. Return the pan to the heat; add the chard stems and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until shrunken and beginning to brown lightly, about 5 minutes. (They will begin to crackle in the pan as moisture evaporates.) Add the garlic; stir-fry just until fragrant, a few seconds. Add all of the chard leaves and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; toss the chard leaves just until wilted, 30 to 45 seconds. Stir in the balsamic mixture; remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the butter until melted. Fold in half of the pine nuts. Transfer the chard to a serving bowl; garnish with the remaining pine nuts.

Nutrition information

Per serving: 237 calories, 76% of calories from fat, 21 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 10 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 739 mg sodium, 4 g fiber

Pasta Pasta!

Wow -- look at the size of that pasta!

I love making fresh pasta and especially when it's with friends. My sister gave me a fantastic pasta maker for my birthday a few years ago and I'll take it to friends' homes to make some tasty treats. A few weeks ago I ventured to Erin's house and we made spaghetti. The pasta was so light we only had to top it with olive oil, red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese. Delicious!

Add the out comes spaghetti!

Cook, add a little cheese and we're ready to eat

Weekend Forecast? Lots of GREAT Ethnic Restaurants

I was cleaning out my wallet this afternoon and realized I had several credit card receipts from recent dining adventures:

• Demera Ethiopian Restaurant (mmm, eating deliciously filling feast with friends)
• Lao Sze Chuan (celebrating the year of the rabbit!)
• Artopolis Cafe (Greek cafe fare)
• Nana (fantastic brunch fare in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood)
• The Bluebird (Belgian mussels in a modern, neighborhood bar)
• Sunda (high-end Asian fusion)

Looking at this small smattering of receipts I realized something. I get around. I eat out. And guess what? I love it!

Gourmet Oatmeal Heats Up A Cold Winter

Oatmeal. It seems that you're in one of two camps, you either love it or hate it. Personally, I have to be in an oatmeal mood or I won't eat it. Cold snowy weather (like we're having here in Chicago) helps the craving. Sometimes I think about oatmeal though and just think "blah". Sure it's filling but I want to feel satisfied. Sated. I need something with a little more zip.

If you haven't heard of Three Sisters Oatmeal, you're in for a treat. Dark Chocolate. Brown Sugar and Maple. Cinnamon and Apple. These are the sort of flavors that are going to add some zip to your morning. You can find the oats exclusively at Whole Foods. I was estatic (it doesn't take a lot folks) on a recent trip to Whole Foods when they had three packages for just $7. Yes, that's 15 bowls of hearty, gourmet oatmeal at a bargain. For you oatmeal purists who enjoy spending an hour making your oats, this product is not for you. You can only make Three Sisters in the microwave. Speedy and delicious.

Warm Weather Getaway...in Chicago

Grapefruit tree - Lincoln Park Conservatory

For those of you not in the Windy City right now, the weather is crap. It's something like 19 degrees with a wind chill probably in the single digits. On top of that lovely forecast we're enjoying some snow that changes to light hail and then to slush. Fun times right? For those of us who don't have a warm weather vacation in the works, there are a few places in the city you can head to for some summer-like temps. I'm not talking about tanning (boo, let's try to avoid those) but about our two fabulous (and free!) conservatories - the Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Garfield Park Conservatory.

...and a papaya tree too!

Though these locations are not food related, they promise a bit of respite from the frozen city tundra and a worthwhile activity to treat visitors to between dining destinations. My parents came in town this weekend and all I could think about was visiting one of the conservatories. Upon entering we were greeted with humid tropical conditions and the heavenly scent of orange jasmine. I love to take my time walking through and seeing all the lush greens. The Lincoln Park location has four main sections - the palms (humid), ferns (so relaxing there was a women meditating there today), orchids (vibrant colors across the rainbow) and the show space (for seasonal shows). This conservatory is located just around the corner from the Lincoln Park Zoo (also free) so you, your friends and family could spend the whole day enjoying the neighborhood.

The Garfield Park Conservatory (designed by famed landscape architect Jens Jensen) is the second largest conservatory in the country. I do love going here but public transportation to the destination can be a little exciting. If you're looking to visit the conservatory, plan to visit on Saturday, February 5 or Saturday the 12th for a sweet treat. The annual Sweet Saturdays will feature live music, tropical treat stations, hands-on activities and more. I'm sure it will be busy, but definitely think it's worth checking out!

Chicago - A Cupcake Kind of Town

Oh so tasty treat - Sprinkles

There have been countless articles about the emergence of the cupcake in Chicago and across the country. There was a great article in the New York Times last year about the cupcake craze, which seems to (shockingly) have picked up some speed, especially here in the Windy City. Really, what's not to like? You get a little cake and some frosting and magical things can happen. There is also the opportunity to get creative.

One of my favorite shops is More. This is a local Chicago shop, and though the staff is not particularly friendly, nor the shop overly inviting, I find myself craving their creative cakes (think bacon maple, sweet potato orange, cupcakes flavored like popular cocktails and even bacon ranch).

Another local shop I love dearly is Molly's. The cupcakes themselves are classic and decadent (here you can order them filled with sweet treats like cookie dough or Nutella), but the joy is entirely in the visit to the shop itself. You can top your cake with a variety of different sprinkles, order an Intelligentsia coffee drink, play a board game or two and take a seat on one of their indoor swings. This is a place where any adult can easily feel like a kid (ahem, that would be me!)

B-day treat of Phoebe's

I dream of Lakeview neighborhood Phoebe's Cupcakes which makes a divinely decadent salted caramel. Then there are the cakes (and cookies, and other desserts) available at Lincoln Park fave Sweet Mandy B's (they make pricey but beautiful birthday cakes to boot). On top of the local stores there are now the addition of cupcake trucks - just in case you need your fix and the sugar fairy isn't close enough.

As if we didn't have enough saturation in the cupcake market, there is now the addition of other national cupcake chains encroaching on our fare city. There is Sprinkles (of LA fame), Crumbs (of NY), and soon to opening the famed Magnolia Bakery (also of NY - hey, what is it with these guys?!)

Don't get me wrong, I do love my cupcakes, but is it any wonder that we're looking for new sugary treats? We need something to get us going through the cold winter months, and I like a little variety in my desserts. I've got a doughnut concept in mind, but its execution is still farther on the horizon. Until then, it will be....cupcakes.

Kicking the New Year off with a Healthy Spinach Treat

Happy New Year! I'm sure there are a lot of resolutions floating around out there and some, 48+ hours into 2011, they may already have been broken. No fear! You can kick things off on the right track b eating healthy right now. I (as you can read from past entries) do not always err on the healthy side. It's much easier for me in the summer/fall when I'm visiting farmers markets and stocking up on local produce, but in the winter? It's tough! I've been trying to shed a few more pounds though and in the frozen foods aisle of Whole Foods have discovered a fabulous new staple.

One of my absolute favorite treats to eat are Dr. Praeger's Spinach Pancakes. Sounds tempting right? These little cakes have 10 ingredients. That's it! Spinach my friends is number one. You think you're eating a potato pancake but all that healthy goodness is still there. Each pancake is 80 calories and just 4 grams of fat. There are 2 grams of fiber (that's 10% of your daily value folks) and 15% of your Vitamin A intake. I'll often eat two of these for breakfast and through in an egg and some fruit to start off the day.

Good stuff!