Your Favourite Food Channel aka Healthy Yums

Okay, so maybe this doesn't sound appetizing to some, but actually it was really good. healthyyums and I were making brownies and as per usual trying different substitutions for margarine. Earlier we tried applesauce and it worked well, but this time we decided to try something different. While healthyyums was busy mixing all the flour, cocoa powder and eggs, I was in charge of the bananas, beets and honey (although the honey was actually supposed to be her responsibility until I convinced her otherwise). I put 1/2 of a cooked beet (still have a few left from the first time I cooked them) through my trusty garlic press and mashed it together with two small ripe bananas. The bananas didn't take long to turn into a smooth liquid, but the beets were somewhat more resistant. I thought that if I mixed 1/2 cup of honey in, it might make them more compliant, but it did nothing to help. In the end I strained the mixture and used a fork to extract all the liquid that I could. What remained in the strainer is what you see spread over a piece of rye toast above. Any trace of beet was masked by the banana and honey flavor (a good thing), the look was spot on for jam and I'm happy to say it was quite healthy. Score!

Earlier today I stopped at one of the local chain grocery stores here in Denmark called Netto (translates to Net... not very interesting, sorry) to escape the snow and cold. While there I saw quite a lot of root-like vegetables which seem to be very popular here. My personal opinion of root-like vegetables is one of mostly dislike. Apart from carrots, the occasional potato and ginger (although I think that's more of a spice then a vegetable), I try to steer clear of most roots due to bad experiences as a child (and adult actually). Take the beet for example: The only way I have ever had it is sliced and boiled which is not tasty at all (and I've heard it stains your teeth).

I decided while at the store that I'm going to find a good way to cook these stubborn veggies. So I brought home a 1.5 kg bag of beets and a 750g bag of mysterious roots that looked interesting (I passed up on the parsnips because we cooked those while in the UK over Christmas).

The mysterious root turned out to be the Jerusalem artichoke (commonly referred to as the Sunchoke); a tuber from a certain breed of Sunflower native to certain parts of the US (I had to come all the way to Denmark to find this out). The Sunchoke is a good source of potassium. It is also high in iron, fiber, niacin, thiamine, phosphorus and copper. The consistency has a likeness to that of the potato, but it is crunchier and sweeter with undertones of sunflower seed.
healthyyums found me an easy recipe for Sunchoke Chips which I modified slightly. After washing, I sliced the sunchokes thinly, laid them out on a baking sheet (with a bit of sunflower seed oil), salted lightly, and baked at 200ºC (about 400ºF) for approximately 20 minutes. The results were quite good and tasted very much like potato crisps/chips. I paired it with a bit of the Lucky 5's tomato sauce with great success. I still have quite a few Sunchokes left so I'll be incorporating them into future recipes... stay tuned.

healthyyums butts in: Firstly, I think sunchokes taste something in between a potato and a parsnip. Now secondly, I've discovered a theory online claiming that we can thank the French explorer Samuel de Champlain for the name 'Jerusalem artichoke'. He first encountered sunchokes in Massachusetts in 1605 and thought they tasted very much like artichokes. He sent some tubers back to France, and they started growing them successfully and were sold on Parisian streets. Oo la la! The word Jerusalem was thought to somehow come about from the Italian word for sunflower, 'girasole'. Think of the telephone game and how the word 'girasole' was passed down from ear to ear to ear to its final form of 'Jerusalem'. :o)

According to some, Jerusalem artichokes are also rich in inulin, a carbohydrate linked with good intestinal health (thanks to its prebiotic properties). For this reason, it is a good potato substitute for diabetics becaused the carbohydrates are stored in the form of inulin, which breaks down to fructose, the better sugar for diabetes. However, it can also produce flatulence, so beware.

Chicken in Denmark is not overly expensive, but you can save money by buying a whole chicken instead of the pre-cut pieces. One benefit of the extra work involved is that you have plenty of scraps leftover to make a really tasty (and healthy if you cool it and separate the fat) chicken soup broth. I usually throw in a few carrots, an onion, broccoli stems (or celery), and salt to taste. Then I let it simmer overnight with the cover on. In the morning I strain the broth and refrigerate until I can separate the fat. The vegetables I sometimes use elsewhere, but since they've lost most of their nutrients to the broth, its solely for taste.

Today was pretty busy and I didn't feel very creative come dinnertime. I decided to put myself to good use by cutting up chicken and making soup. Slowly my creativity (and hunger) awakened, and although the soup wouldn't be fully ready for a few hours, I decided to make a sandwich. I remember watching a Friends episode (The One With Ross's Sandwich) where Ross gets a special sandwich made for him after every Thanksgiving by Monica. You never get to see the sandwich, but its described as being really large with 3 slices of bread. The thing that makes it special is the middle slice of bread is soaked in gravy, and it is lovingly referred to (by Ross) as 'The Moistmaker'. Anyways, someone eats his sandwich, Ross goes nuts, and is asked to take a leave of absence because of his anger issues.

All of this was going through my head tonight and I figured I'd create my own. Enter the Chicken Soup Sandwich! It all starts with 3 slices of dark rye bread (mørkt rugbrød in Danish), the middle of which is soaked in chicken soup (luckily rye bread is sturdy otherwise I don't think it would work). Underneath 'The Moistmaker' is a layer of grilled eggplant, followed by a bed of fresh spinach leaves, and finally a layer of sliced tomatoes. On top of 'The Moistmaker' are strips of chicken breast and sliced mushrooms (both sautéed in olive oil and garlic). The entire sandwich once assembled is grilled to perfection. The result was quite good and definitely lived up to the hype (although small mouths beware - this one might require some oral stretching).

This was a combined effort between Mr. Green and I. Which basically means that I came up with the idea, and Mr. Green executed it :o). He said he felt like something chocolatey and this idea has been on my mind for a while only I haven't really had the chance to try it out so I thought...AHAH, perfect opportunity! :o)

So I suggested a rolled crepe with a thick chocolate spread (or chocolate goo as I like calling it) as a filling. How can this be healthy, you ask? If you make your own spread, of course!

The crepe batter was made with sifted whole grain flour, a little baking powder, an egg, and soy milk (unsweetened, always unsweetened). The chocolate spread...oooh I'm so tickled to share this with you, was made with a mixture of cocoa powder (natural and unsweetened), honey (slightly better than sugar because it's one step less processed) and soy milk. So the only sugar in this concoction was from the honey, and not much was used in the first place!

And it worked! The crepe was beautifully made and the chocolate goo was thick, rich and tasted quite decadent, only we know it really wasn't that bad :o).




And don't forget to use a non-stick pan so you don't have to add any fats to this!

Note: We really do apologise for the quality of our photos. We lost our only camera last November and have been making do with a 3 MP camera phone ever since.

Here's another open sandwich Mr. Green made for me. Mr. Green loves sandwiches! I love sandwiches just as much as the next person does, but sometimes two slices of bread is too heavy for me and so Mr. Green makes open-faced sandwiches then.

What I didn't realise until we got to Denmark, is that open-faced sandwiches is a very traditional, sandwich type deal in Scandinavia. They call it smørrebrød here, and typically consists of a slice of whole-grain rye bread (like the above), and could be topped with smoked salmon (also like the above). Unbeknown to Mr. Green, he's actually made us smørrebrød for dinner tonight! :o)

(Tip of the day: Smoked salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which means healthy fats, niacin, vitamin B6, protein, vitamin B12 and selenium. However, it is also high in sodium, so pair it with low-fat and low-sodium options and remember, everything in moderation!)

Mr. Green's been at it again, playing around in the kitchen. Apparently he dreamed this one up while taking a mid-day power nap. He got up with a vengeance, refused to let me make lunch, and came up with this,

Baked stuffed tomatoes and mushrooms. With chopped chillies on top for my spicy palate. YUM!


Now I'm not sure what he stuffed them with, I know there was cheese, spinach, possibly some egg, but I can assure you it tasted absolutely delicious. The tomatoes were baked just the right amount for it to retain its firmness, but yet was juicy and soft inside. The mushrooms too, were cooked juuuuust nice.

I think he still wants to work on this dish a little more. Once he's perfected it, I'm sure he'll make an appearance on this site and share the recipe. Stay tuned!

I am so lucky to have someone who loves cooking and eating as much as I do. Except Mr Green probably pays more attention to presentation than I do. Hence, this is what I got when I asked for a pesto and spinach sandwich.