It's All About Nutrition!

Roasted Potatoes Supreme

(from the “It’s All About Nutrition” kitchen)

This recipe is one of our favorite sidedishes and goes well with just about any main course you have in mind.

Ingredients:
2-3 medium red potatoes, skin on
2 medium sweet potatoes, skin on
1 large sweet red pepper
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
Extra virgin oil
Basil, thyme, dill, parsley, rosemary (fresh or dried)

Wash and scrub red potatoes and sweet potatoes leaving the skin on.

Cut red potatoes in half and then cut in half again; cube into 3/4 inch pieces.

Cut the ends off of sweet potatoes. Cut in half lengthwise then cut in half lengthwise again; cube sweet potatoes to about 3/4 inch pieces.

Cut the onion in half and then cut in half again; cut to preferred size…we like to use larger pieces because they hold up well during roasting.

Cut the ends off of a large red pepper and rinse off seeds; cut into 3/4 inch lengthwise strips and then cube into 1 inch pieces.

Put everything you have prepared into a one gallon ziplock type bag.

Add enough extra virgin oil to lightly coat the contents of the bag. Add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and fresh or dried basil, thyme, dill, parsley and rosemary (we used from our rosemary tree) to taste.

Seal bag and shake until all ingredients are completely coated with olive oil and seasonings.

Empty contents of bag on to a cookie sheet and cook at 350 F until soft and slightly brown.

Serves 4 – as a side dish

Being a return visitor it would be helpful if you would leave a thoughtful comment below...Thanks, Jeanne

About The Rosemary Tree

Even though Christmas has passed I would like to share a story. Our two year old black labrador retriever likes to eat the leaves of household plants so most of the plants had to be hidden in a room in the house where he can’t get at them. When deciding what to do about a Christmas tree, my husband and I agreed we would wait another year..or two..before buying a six foot tree.

I needed to find a small Christmas tree to be placed on a table so I set out to find one. I went to a few garden centers to find something small and wasn’t satisfied with the choices. At one of the garden centers, I noticed an unusual looking tree with a red bow on top. At closer observation, it was labeled as rosemary measuring two and a half feet tall…it was pruned to look like a tree.

So I thought…this is perfect for what I want. Not only does it look like a Christmas tree with its pine needle-like leaves but it can be used as an herb in the kitchen! When you run your fingers along the edges of the leaves, the fragrance is amazing! As long as it is cared for it will live a long time as an indoor plant.

Rosemary is one of the herbs that is used in our kitchen as a substitute for salt. Use rosemary sprigs on roasted cut-up potatoes. When roasting a chicken, place a rosemary sprig inside the chicken and some in the roasting pan. Chop rosemary leaves and use in soups and stews. Rosemary sprigs can be added to olive oil, heated, and when cooled, poured into a resealable jar to be used as a dressing.

Below are two pictures of our rosemary tree…One at a distance so you can see the shape and the other a closeup to see the actual leaves.

Additional Ways To Stay Hydrated

Here are some ways to increase your water intake:

* Carry a water bottle around with you as a reminder to drink – keep it on your desk and bring it in your car. Bring it with you when engaging in your favorite sport or physical activity.

* Keep a jug of water in your refrigerator. You can add a wedge of lemon, lime, or orange to it to add flavor. You can also add a little fruit juice for flavor.

* Try unsweetened flavored seltzer waters for a change of pace – they do not contain any calories and taste great too!

* Choose decaffeinated beverages (coffee, tea) over ones that are caffeinated.

* Drink throughout the day, not just when thirsty.

* If drinking alcoholic beverages, drink a lot of water (seltzer or sparkling water) also. Alternate alcoholic beverages with water at social occasions.

FDA Peanut Butter Warning Update

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to consumers to avoid peanut butter products due to contamination of Salmonella Typhimurium. The source of the Salmonella contamination has been traced back to a processing plant in Blakely, Ga owned by Peanut Corporation of America. This facility manufactures both peanut butter served to institutions and peanut paste (a product made from ground, roasted peanuts) that is distributed to food manufacturers to be used as an ingredient in products such as cakes, cookies, and candies, among others.

Certain products have been recalled and since the investigation is ongoing the FDA recommends that consumers avoid peanut butter products that have been recalled and discard them.

For more information and a list of recalled products go to: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html

Money-Saving Tips For Grocery Shopping

With the present state of the economy nowadays, it’s even more important to “stretch the dollar” so to speak.

* Clip coupons on items you need for your household and make sure to use them

* Review store circulars to see what is on sale …use coupons in conjunction with items on sale

* Buy in bulk for non-perishable items since it is less expensive in the long run…join a wholesale club to maximize savings

* Don’t forget about asking for a raincheck if the sale item you want is out of stock…ask at the customer service desk

* Try to do your errands all at once instead of several times during the week to save on gas

* Review sales receipts…you will be amazed at the amount of register mistakes made at point of sale. (My husband doesn’t pay much attention to sales receipts so he has to hear about it when he gets home!)

In a future post, I will discuss ways to shop for groceries from a food safety standpoint.