Recipe: Chicken Divan

Credit for this recipe goes to Parade magazine (August 5, 2012) issue. If you're looking for an even quicker and easier version, check out Chef Jeff's recipe here.
  
Chicken Divan
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken bBrreasts (about a 1 1/2 lb total), cooked and sliced thin
1 large bunch of broccoli, trimmed and cut into 4-inch long spears
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 stick unsalted butter, diced
5 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp medium-dry sherry*
fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
 
* A dry white wine can be substituted for sherry, or check out these great subbing tips. You can also pick up an affordable bottle of cooking sherry at Trader Joe's.
 
Serves 6 and nutrition per serving is as follows: 370 calories, 13g carbs, 32g protein, 20g fat, 120mg cholesterol, 560mg sodium, 3g fiber

1. Cook the chicken as you like it - bake it, grill it, etc. Then cook the broccoli in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water for 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside covered.
 
2. In another saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook on low, stirring for 10 minutes or until thick.
 
3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, then add to the flour mixture. Next add the sherry and lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
 
4. Arrange broccoli on a flameproof platter, a 2-quart gratin dish, or another shallow casserole dish. Top with half the sauce. Then stir 1/4 cup Parmesan into the other half of the sauce. Arrange chicken on broccoli and pour the remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan.
 
5. Broil about 6 inches from heat for 1 minute or until sauce is golden and bubbling.
 
I really like this recipe because it's lower-carb and easy to create a high fat version for CFers and a low fat version for the rest of the family. This would involve just making two separate sauces - one with regular sodium chicken broth and cream for the CFer and one with low-sodium chicken broth and low fat milk for the rest of the family. Serve with whole wheat pasta or brown rice for a heartier meal.

Pretty Decent Spart Dip

We are stuck inside today due to another air quality alert so my project du jour is to clean out the fridge and freezer of anything that is starting to head south of the expiration date. Or has already made it there.

I had just enough ingredients to make this spinach and artichoke dip that I love and wanted to share with you. The good news is it's filled with lots of yummy cheeses and spinach, it's lower in carbs and is a great source of vitamins, protein, sodium and fat. The bad news is that I made it while Lil Guy is napping so it might be all gone before he gets a chance to try it.

Pretty Decent Spart Dip

One 8-oz package of cream cheese softened (leave on the counter for a bit)
1/8 cup mayo
1/8 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or a parmesan/romano blend
1/4 shredded mozzarella or shredded cheddar cheese
2 cloves garlic minced (or the minced garlic equivalent in a jar)
Dash of salt
One 14-oz can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
A little bit of Asiago cheese if desired

Mix all cheeses, mayo, garlic, salt with a spatula. Then gently stir in the chopped artichokes and spinach. Bake in a greased glass baking dish at 350F for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and browned. Serve warmed with pita chips or tortilla chips.

Notes:

• CFers should make sure all ingredients are full fat and not the "light" version.
• While I love fresh spinach, the stuff that comes in a frozen bag in the freezer section is already chopped and makes this a lot faster for preparation.
• Don't like/don't have artichokes? Just add more spinach - about 1/4 or 1/2 cup more additional depending on your personal preference.

Have leftovers? Try stuffing a chicken breast with a little bit of this stuff and baking in the oven.

Say CHEESE!

So in my whole label-reading experiment, I have learned one thing: cheese adds calories.

And by now all you expert parents of CFers are saying “no duh.”

Cheese adds calories to crackers (think Cheez-Its over Wheat Thins). Cheese adds calories to casseroles and fajitas. And it does it all without adding too many carbs. Yup, there’s no doubt about it, cheese is a CFers best friend.

The good news is when I was researching fat content of different cheeses, I came across Linda Stradley of “What’s Cooking America” and her great nutritional chart, including a long list of fat content by cheese type. Thanks Linda!

http://whatscookingamerica.net/NutritionalChart.htm

The bad news is that some of my personal favorite cheeses actually are lower in fat than I would have thought. And be careful – swiss is a great higher fat cheese unless you accidentally buy the low fat brand.

But I was pleasantly surprised to see Gruyere listed as one of the higher fat cheeses, which is great because I have a fantastic recipe to share for Quiche Lorraine.

Quiche Lorraine

3 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded/grated gruyere cheese*
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/8 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onions (we use white ones)
8 large slices of crispy bacon (the less fat the better)
1 9-inch deep dish pie shell frozen for 24 hours then thawed for 10 minutes

* The secret to a great quiche is the quality of the cheese. If you have the means and budget, find a gourmet cheese shop and ask for a recommendation for the best gruyere to bake with. You won't be disappointed.

Fry the bacon and break into small bits, trimming fat where necessary. Beat the eggs, milk and cream together. Then add the cheese and stir well. Next, add the onions, salt and pepper. When the pie shell is thawed, spread the bacon bits in the bottom of the pie shell. Pour the cheese mixture over the bacon bits, making sure that the cheese is spread evenly over the bottom of the pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees Farenheit for 35 minutes or until the crust starts to brown. Remove from oven and use a pie crust shield or just cover the crust edges with thin strips of tinfoil. Return the quiche to the oven for 15 minutes or until a fork comes out clean in the center of the quiche.

To truly low carb it, I found a crustless receipe using bread crumbs as a base here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Crustless-Quiche-241749

More “cheesy” articles here:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/379153-fat-grams-in-cheese/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/409887-cheese-nutrition-guide/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/296334-the-calories-in-sharp-cheddar-cheese/

Recipe: Turkey Meatloaf Sandwiches

I have to give credit to Giada DeLaurentiis for the original recipe, and my best friend from my high school years for showing me how to make it with some alterations that make it easy for a novice cook like me.

Photo courtesy of the Food Network

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs (alternatively you can use Italian breadcrumbs and just leave out the next ingredient)
• 1/4 tsp of Italian seasoning
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 cup grated Romano (don't use the shredded kind)
• 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (look around the veggie counter at your local grocery store, sometimes they sell ones that are already julienned and come in a resealable bag)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat (I really like Perdue's version)
• 1 package of bacon, preferrably without too much fat on it (cooks easier that way)
• 4 to 6 Italian rolls (We like Gonnella's cut top hamburger buns)

Sauce

• 3 cups arugula, about 3 ounces
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (we prefer Hellman's)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, seasoning, eggs, milk, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently mix to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Sometimes I use my hands to get it all together and shape it into a loaf.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (NOT wax paper), lay out the bacon strips vertically, overlapping the edge of the slices slightly, until you've made a large rectangle shape. At one end of the rectangle, place the turkey loaf. Using the parchment paper, wrap the bacon up and around the turkey loaf to cover completely. You might need to fold the ends (with the ends of the bacon) under the loaf. This is the trickiest part of the whole recipe, you can always reshape the loaf in the parchment paper if it gets squished in this process.

Place the parchment paper-covered loaf on another sheet of parchment paper - this will help absorb the grease that will come out from the bacon while cooking and won't make as much mess of your baking sheet. Bake the loaf until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. This usually takes about 1 hour 15 minutes in our oven and we cut the meatloaf in half about 45 minutes into baking to make sure the center is cooked well. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Sauce (optional) In a blender, combine the arugula, mayo and sour cream and process until smooth. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To make the sandwiches, slice the rolls and spread with the sauce. Slice the turkey meatloaf and place on the rolls to make sandwiches.

My Notes

Once you get the hang of rolling up the loaf inside the parchment paper, this is an easy recipe for the whole family to enjoy. Unfortunately the original recipe doesn't list any nutritional information. But anything wrapped and baked in bacon is bound to be heavier on the fat content, right?!

To add extra calories for CFers, toast the bread and spread some butter on it, add a slice or two of cheddar cheese, and don't be afraid to use that sauce (or sub in some ranch dressing).

If you're trying to low-carb it, serve it like regular meatloaf (but I have to tell you it's delicious on a gourmet hamburger bun). To strip calories for non-CF family members, you can skip the sauce and trim off the bacon before serving.

 

 

 

Lay out strips of bacon, place meatloaf at one end. Starting from the right, roll the meatloaf down to the left with the parchment paper.

 

Fold the extra ends of the parchment paper (with the bacon) underneath the meatloaf; reshape the loaf if some shifting has occured.

 

 

 

Cut meatloaf in half about 45 minutes into baking to help center cook nicely. Note the extra parchment paper helps soak up the bacon grease!



When fully baked, cut parchment paper away from loaf and slice into thick burger-style slices.
 



And serve! CFers don't forget the extra mayo/sour cream topping! (Yes, ,that is Chinet.)

Recipe: Banana Coconut Pudding

My sister-in-law introduced me to the idea of coconut milk as a high-fat option for Lil Guy. Right now he loves bananas so I searched the web for a recipe with both ingredients.
I wish I found this recipe earlier because, while I'm not into making my own homemade baby food, this is an easy way to add fat and flavor to bananas for babies and toddlers.

This recipe could probably stand for a little tweaking by a better cook than me but my first go around I tried this combo:

Ingredients
4 large bananas
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:
Peel the bananas and cut into small slices. In a medium saucepan, bring the coconut milk to boil, then add the sugar and cinnamon. Stir to dissolve. Add the bananas and bring back to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for about ten minutes until bananas are soft. Let cool a bit, then put mixture through blender to even out any lumps. Alternatively, you could pulse the bananas to a paste first and then add to saucepan.

Results:
Lil Guy wasn't a fan of the pudding on the first try but the recipe made about four small bowls. We gave it to him again the next day and he was a fan...maybe it just needed to sit in the fridge overnight for his taste?

Despite purchasing unsweetened coconut milk, I found the pudding to be too sweet for my taste so might lessen the sugar next time. Plus, I might try this custard version as another option (but beware it includes honey as an ingredient, which shouldn't be served to children under age one).

Alternative Versions:
Banana Vanilla Haupia from The Food Network
Banana Coconut Pudding from Epicurious

Turns out that bananas and coconut milk are a popular recipe in southeast Asian countries. The balance of ingredients and preparation create a range of dishes, from bananas in a type of milk sauce to something resembling more of a pudding texture.

Thai Style
Indonesian Style
Indonesian Style II
Vietnamese Style
Laotian Style
Cambodian Style

I was interested in comparing the nutritional quality of coconut milk to whole milk to half and half - see photo below. Note that the serving size of the half and half is 1/8 that of the other two options so when comparing, you'll find that cream definitely gives you a big caloric bang for your buck. Whole milk definitely has more calories - more than twice as many. But it also has more cholesterol and carbs. Coconut milk is a better source of Vitamin A and B12, which is also important for CFers. 

L-to-R: Target Brand Half and Half, Horizon Organic Whole Milk,
Trader Joe's Unsweeted Coconut Milk

So...verdict is that coconut milk might be a nice suitable substitution for milk in recipes where you want to give that coconut flavor. We hope to try more curry-and-coconut based recipes when Lil Guy gets older (and mom becomes a better cook).

Update: I tried making the custard version recipe and while I wasn't a big fan of the result, Lil Guy loves it! We made the recipe exactly and served it chilled.

CF couldn’t have happened to a better…or worse family!

Cystic fibrosis. To say it is easy. But to hear it as a diagnosis for your child is one of the hardest things.

One of the more ironic moments that follows is when the doctors tell you that your child has to stick to a diet with “liberal amounts of fat and sodium.” Salt and buttered applesauce anyone?

On the one hand, before CF happened to our family, we were pretty much following the CF diet already. Let’s be honest, our family looooves take out!

On the other hand, as a mom, I can’t cook. And it’s not so much a “don’t want to” thing. Instead, I appear to have whatever recessive genetic condition causes me to

burn things

               overcookthings

                                 turn things into mush

                                                             and break the garbage disposal in the entire process.

Your pulmonary team has probably already directed you to this ONE website for recipes. It’s not too bad, don’t get me wrong. The recipes on there seem good and easy to make.

But if you’re looking for something different, try "Google"ing “high fat high sodium diet.” The search results trend all these wonderful sites telling me how bad salt and butter are for our health. Well thank you Google but your search results are just not relevant.

This blog will be a collection of high-fat, high-sodium and (preferably) lower-carb recipes. We’ll also throw in our recommendations for menu options at fast food restaurants and where you can get more bang for your CF buck when it comes to grocery items.

We would love for members of the CF community to share their recipes and tips too – so please send them in, proper credit will be given on the site!