When Winter Rears its Head....

I say EAT SQUASH!

In my neck of the woods, winter has finally reared its white cold head, leaving behind prairie grass covered in diamonds and a white dusting of snow lightly covering barn roofs and streets. For me it wasn’t bad, really rather a nice break. No power outages like last year, no scrambling for propane or jugs of water. This storm gave me the opportunity to work on recipes and think about the spring to come.

Winter is a fine time to take advantage of all the different varieties of squash available like Spaghetti, Butternut, and when you can find it - Hubbard. And of course all the other squash. What a treat!

Spaghetti Squash is by far one of my most favorite of the cultivar. My favorite way to prepare it is not an elaborate replacement for real spaghetti but simply roasted with a really nice olive oil and a tiny bit of salt and pepper. The other night I served it with brown rice that was laced with nuts. Next to a big salad, it was a wonderful meal.

I’ve been told that many people will avoid squash because they’re not comfortable with preparing it. I’ll share with you how I prepare it. It’s simple and easy and leaves no excuses not to indulge yourself!

This preparation method works for any squash including Hubbard and Butternut.
Here are directions for Spaghetti Squash:

• Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.
• (First of all, let’s recognize it’s an awkward shape to work with so make sure your cutting board is stable and securely placed.)
• Start by carefully cutting both ends off.
• Place the cut squash up right so it can stand on its own on the cut you’ve made.
• Carefully, cut it in half.
• Scoop out the seeds. I scoop the seeds out with an ice cream scoop and throw them in the compost pile. (I once had the best spaghetti squash growing out of my compost pile!)
• Now place the squash skin side down in a baking dish that will fit both sides. Drizzle each side lightly with a nice olive oil, and give a light sprinkling of salt and pepper.
• Pour enough water to cover about ¼ inch of the bottom of the baking dish.
• Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Be careful when removing the foil because steam will have built up.
• Let the squash cool slightly then scoop out the meat and serve.
  

A variety of different squashes become available late fall at the farmers market. That’s a great opportunity to try some heirloom varieties. You will be surprised at the uniqueness in flavor and the unique history as well. Squash preserves over winter so I recommend buying six or seven squashes in the fall and then find a cold place in your garage to store them. A card board box lined with newspaper works great for storing squash over winter and will allow you to have a wide variety to choose from throughout winter.
Enjoy!

Creamy Potato Soup

While driving home from a friend’s house last night I noticed a drastic drop in temperature. The thermometer that hangs on a little fence outside my front door read twenty eight degrees. Even with the cold it was a perfect Oklahoma winter evening. The crisp, clear night showed a sky overcome with bright stars. The chickens were all snuggled up in their coup while the goats silently watched me as made my rounds to each pen. My two Great Pyrenees trotted alongside me ready to jump into action if danger should present itself . Yesterday was a beautiful day and the rest of the week promises much of the same and to my utter amusement Thursday’s forecast is for seventy degrees. This is my dilemma.

In two weeks time the green house goes up and so starts the beginning of planting seeds, getting garden beds ready, ordering compost and preparing the farm to be the nurturing host to the expected twenty or so kids that will be popping out joyfully come early march. All this and I feel as though winter never really settled in. I suppose not having any major disasters helps. No power losses, cars in ditches, no ice for me to test out the cushioning seat of my Carrharts overalls :).

Of course, then there is the Marathon. The one I promised myself to run in April 2008. Making time to run has been a challenge for me. The cold is a good excuse not to run in the mornings, but in my particular situation I have afternoons - so really my challenge is what everyone else’s challenge is; making the time, putting it into my routine, and making it a habit so I don’t even have to think about the reasons not to run. Many years ago I ran a huge corporate restaurant in Seattle. It was ingrained in all of us managers that twenty one days of running makes a habit. That is all it takes is doing something twenty one days? Is that for real? I’ll run when I get home this afternoon and at least a long brisk walk on Thursday then a little run on Friday, then a nice walk on Saturday etc…..I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

This soup recipe is a must try. It’s hearty enough for a generous meal with a salad and bread. It hits the spot especially on the cold winter evenings we are having. The soup is thick like porridge, but silky and creamy.

We have gotten a couple of Chuckwagon Challenge recipes, and let me tell you - they are putting me to the test. But don’t be shy friends because I need more recipes. Send them my way!

Creamy Potato Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 ribs celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled, diced
1 tablespoon dried mustard
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
6 white new potatoes
4 cups vegetable stock
½ tablespoon per serving of light sour cream (used for garnish)
Sauté onions until caramelized add minced garlic and brown, add celery, carrots and potatoes, mustard, dill, salt and pepper, mix well so mustard is incorporated. Add stock and let it simmer until potatoes can be mashed easily with a fork. Use a hand held blender to puree soup well. This will take about 45 minutes from start to finish. Serve with ½ tablespoon of light sour cream over the top. This soup freezes very well!

Serves: 6 Calories: 310 Protein: 7g Carbohydrates: 65g Total fat: 3g
Saturated fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Fiber: 7g Sodium: 210mg

Seretean Wellness Center at Oklahoma State University
Chef: Lisa Becklund

Cowboy Up Everybody and Get Ready for the CHUCKWAGON CHALLENGE!

We’re going and prove that some of our most favorite and cherished recipes that we refer to as the “heart attack special” can be good for us!

Here’s the challenge:
You send me your comfort food/"not so good for you" recipes and we will transform your recipe into a “yum-yum-I-can-eat-this” recipe. Really, the challenge is on us to make this happen. We have to make it taste great too! Resembling the original recipe it will also be HEART HEALTHY. Why did I come up with this? No, I was not dropped on my head as a small child. (If I was, I assure you it was an accident and all charges were dropped.) Truly, I am taking on this challenge because I have what’s commonly known as, “I know it’s bad for me but I’m going to eat it anyway” syndrome. As a chef I’ve always wanted to explore ways to make good food healthy for me.

What’s in it for you? Why would you give away your cherished recipe to me, who no doubt am going to dissect it into a million nutritionally dense pieces? Well, the top four transformed recipes will be featured for the March 26th cooking demo as well as on the cowboy bites blog! There will be a parade and a dinner on Mars! (Not really)

Deadline for submission is February 26th

Don’t be shy. Now e-mail your recipe right this second to cowboybites@okstate.edu

Also, check out our cooking demo schedule on the side panel!

New Beginnings

I’m careful not to use the word resolution because I’ve come to believe that particular word and its meaning doesn’t always fit with what’s going on in my life. And usually resolution means that I am agreeing with myself to do something I really don’t want to do and have an accepted understanding that whatever it is, if I make it a resolution it’s going to be tough! Why start the year with self doubt?

I am trading in my “resolution” for a “New Beginning”. Somehow I feel lighter already. The great thing about new beginnings is they can start all the time and every day. Every morning there it is, not to say there is not commitment involved. I am learning that a new beginning can start either when something else stops or if it’s something entirely new in my life - but the main point that I’ve come to understand is that new beginnings need space. They need a clear point to start from, a clean slate. I have discovered when I make room for this “new beginning” it stays with me a lot longer.

One of my exciting new beginnings is running. Late summer of 08’ I took up running after my sister passed away and I had embarked on some major personal challenges. At the time I was so wrapped up in my sadness and grief I found myself up late at night pacing the creaky wood floors of my farm house. Really what I wanted to do was run, I wanted to just run, run anywhere just away. I craved something that would physically exert and exhaust me. But, I wanted to do it constructively and I wanted to be able to benefit from it. (Thankfully, I left my destructive behavior back in my 20’s) My brother in law has been an avid runner ever since I can remember and I never quite understood what he got out of it. He would run 30 miles and it would be like nothing for him. I rather thought it was a little freakish really, but I asked him how to start.

I started the run walk method. Walk five minutes, run three minutes, walk, run, walk, run. Then run a little farther walk a little less. I noticed the difference immediately my head became clearer and I started to see improvements in my body. I finally got up to running a full mile! Now after four months of mindful running I am up to three miles if I really push myself. In November I ran my first 5K at the Route 66 Marathon. Four months ago I couldn’t run a half a block. This year I plan to run a half marathon with my brother in law and some good friends. The first one is in April. I don’t know if I will be ready to run the whole thing but if not it won’t be from my lack of trying. What a transformation for me.
2009 represents a year of accomplishments and personal/spiritual growth and new beginnings. I am so grateful to be apart of a community of people that make growing better, easier, and worth it! Here’s to your new beginning!

It’s of course worth mentioning that eating well has been a great benefit for my ability to thrive. This following recipe is out of the Best Bites Cookbook and if you don’t have the book yet it is so worth having it. Click HERE to order your cookbook online or stop at the Seretean Wellness Center and buy one today!

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium-size carrots, peeled and finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
8 cups good quality chicken broth, low-sodium
2 cups frozen egg noodles
Parsley, chopped for garnish

Cover the chicken with water in a medium saucepan and cook on low until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from pan and when cool enough to handle, cut or shred into pieces. Reserve the cooking liquid and use it as part of the chicken broth.

Heat stockpot over medium-low heat; add olive oil. When oil is hot, add onions, celery and carrots, salt and pepper; cook until tender (about 15 minutes).

Add the stock to the pot and heat until simmering. Add chicken pasta and simmer gently for about 25 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 8; Calories:250; Protein: 24 g; Carbohydrates: 19g; Total fat: 8 g;
Saturated fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 75 mg; Fiber 3 g; Sodium: 350 mg