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Yummy Healthy Food

FOOD INSPIRATION DURING THE TIME OF THE CORONAVIRUS

Spicy Grilled Chicken

5/13/2020

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​I got this recipe from the Boston Globe Magazine in an article written by Christopher Kimball.  It's the first thing that I cooked on the grill this spring.

This takes 10 minutes to prepare the spice rub.  After the chicken is covered in the spice mixture, it needs to rest for 45 minutes.  Then it's grilled for about 1/2 hour.   This recipe serves 4 people.

Ingredients:
-Extra virgin olive oil
-3 cloves of garlic
-1 TBS ground sumac (or 1/2 TBS lemon zest;  1/2 TBS black pepper; 1/2 tsp salt)
-2 tsp ground coriander
-2 tsp curry powder
-1 tsp garam masala
-1 tsp paprika
-3/4 tsp ground cumin
-1/2 tsp ground cardamon
-1/2 TBS salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-package of 4 bone-in chicken thighs
-package of 5-6 drumsticks

Steps:
1) Prepare spice rub
-Mince or grate garlic
-Combine 1 1/2 TBS olive and garlic in small skillet over low heat
-Stir until fragrant, but not brown, about 2 minutes
-Transfer to a small bowl
-Stir in all the spices to make a paste

2) Rub spice paste onto chicken
-Rub the paste between the skin and flesh of the chicken evenly
-Rub remainder of paste over the skin
-Let stand at room temperature for 45 minutes

​3) Grill
-Prepare grill for indirect cooking
-Turn all burners of gas grill to high and heat covered for 15 minutes
-Clean and oil the cooking grate
-Keep 1 of the burners on high and the other on low heat
-Place chicken thighs skin side up and drumsticks on low heat side
-Cook for 15 minutes
-Rearrange chicken so that the pieces away close to the high heat side are moved to the cooler side and vice versa
-Cook another 10 minutes
-Flip each piece of chicken over and move to high heat side of grill
-Cook another few minutes until skin is lightly brown and crisp
-Transfer to a platter

Enjoy!
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Spicy Eggplant, Red Pepper, Tomatoes and Couscous

5/13/2020

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​There is just enough heat in this recipe so that the spices linger in your mouth.
This takes 45 minutes to prepare start to finish and serves 4 people.

Ingredients:
-1 c of Israeli couscous
-1 eggplant
-1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
-1/2 red pepper
-olive oil for roasting and sauteing
-1/4 c chopped parsley
-2 TBS lemon juice
-2 cloves garlic
-1/4 tsp ground cumin
-1/4 tsp group coriander
-1/8 tsp cayenne

Steps:
1) Roast eggplant, tomatoes, red pepper
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Put eggplant in the oven for 30 minutes
-Remove seeds from red pepper & chop into 1 inch pieces
-Place red pepper and tomatoes in baking dish
-Toss with olive oil & put in oven
-Check on tomatoes and pepper every 10 minutes; stirring to keep from burning
-Remove tomatoes and pepper when they are browned but not burnt
-Remove eggplant when until soft when poked
-Slice eggplant in half & let cool
 
2) While veggies are roasting, prepare couscous
-Boil 1 1/4 c water in a saucepan
-Add 1 c couscous and 1/2 tsp salt
-Lower heat & simmer 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed
 
3) Saute herbs, tomatoes & peppers
-Mince or grate garlic
-Spoon out inside of eggplant
-Chop by hand or in food processor
-Chop tomatoes & pepper in food processor
-Chop parsley
-Add about 2TBS to skillet and heat medium low
-Add garlic & let soften (not brown)
-Add tomatoes, peppers, cumin, coriander & cayenne to skillet
-Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently
-Add eggplant, lemon juice, parsley, salt & pepper
-Remove from heat & mix with couscous
 
Enjoy!
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Moroccan Carrot Salad

5/13/2020

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This is a light and easy  to prepare dish.  It takes 15 minutes to prepare, needs at least an hour to marinate and serves 4 people.

Ingredients:
-8oz baby carrots
-2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
-1 1/2 TBS lemon juice
-2 TBS chopped parsley
-2 cloves garlic
-1/4 tsp ground cumin
 -1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
-1/2 tsp paprika
-pinch of salt
-1/8 tsp cayenne
 
Steps:
1) Grate carrots by hand or in a food processor. (I use a mini chopper.)
2) Grate or mince garlic
3) Chop parsley
4) Combine ingredients together
5) Let marinate for at least 1 hour

Enjoy!
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Quinoa Tabouli

5/11/2020

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​This takes about 40 minutes to complete, with 10 minutes prep time.

Ingredients:
-1/2 c red quinoa
-2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
-1 1/2 TBS lemon juice
-1 clove of garlic
-1/2 tsp cumin
-1 c chopped parsley
-3/4 c chopped tomatoes
-2 scallions
-1/4 c chopped olives (I like Kalamata olives)
-salt and pepper to taste

Steps:
1) Make quinoa
-put quinoa in a pot with 1 c of water
-bring to a boil
-simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed
 
2) Make dressing and add quinoa
-Add olive oil and lemon juice to a large bowl
-Grate or mince 1 clove of garlic and add to bowl
-Add cumin to bowl
-Add cooked quinoa to bowl and mix
-Let cool for 30 minutes
 
3)Mix ingredients together
-Chop parsley, tomatoes, scallions & olives
-Add to quinoa

Enjoy!
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Roasted Chicken and Summer Vegetables

5/11/2020

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A  good roast chicken makes almost anything possible.  It's great for company or a comfort food meal at home.  This is one of my favorite recipes. It's a whole meal in one roasting pan.

This takes about 20 minutes of prep time, requires 1 1/2 - 2 hours in the oven and serves 4 people.

Ingredients:
-whole chicken
- 2/3 c extra virgin olive oil
-1 lemon
-few sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme or oregano
-8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
-1 lb small, new potatoes
-1 eggplant
-1 red pepper

Steps:
1) Prepare chicken
-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
-Rub chicken all over with olive oil
-Place 1/2 of the lemon & 1-2 sprig of herbs inside the cavity of the chicken
-Please bird breast side down in large roasting pan
-Roast for about 30 minutes

2) Prepare vegetables
-Chop eggplant into 1 inch pieces
-Remove seeds from red pepper & cut into 1 inch pieces
-If potatoes are on the larger side, cut into quarters
 
3) Add potatoes to chicken
-Remove chicken from the oven & season with salt
-Turn chicken over
-Paste with juices from pan
-Add potatoes to roasting pan, pour enough olive oil to coat
-Roast for an additional 30 minutes

4) Add vegetables
-Add eggplant, red pepper, garlic cloves, remaining sprigs of herbs to pan
-Slice remaining 1/2 lemon and add to pan
-Drizzle vegetables with remaining olive oil
-Season with salt and pepper
-Return to oven for additional 30-50 minutes
-Baste and turn vegetables every 15 minutes
-Chicken is finished when meat thermometer is at 165 degrees or when juices run clear
 
5) Serve and enjoy!!
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Miracle Breakfast

5/5/2020

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I'm truly on a mission to help you live healthier.  I keep sharing things that have worked in my own life.  Some of you know how jazzed I've been about my "miracle breakfast." I started eating this when I realized that I wasn't getting enough fiber in my diet, even with eating whole grains and lots of veggies. (We should be getting between 30 to 50 grams of fiber a day. Average Americans only get 8-15 grams.)

I knew I had to make some changes.  I realized that I was often leaving the house with a Kashi bar and not eating a full breakfast.  So I switched to a really healthy bowl of oatmeal with lots of yummy stuff.

Why oatmeal? From a Chinese medicine perspective it's a food that strengthens the digestive and nervous systems, removes cholesterol from the body, and renews bone and connective tissue. From a sense of ease perspective, it's something that can be prepared in minutes and available wherever you are. (Just be sure that it's the kind with no added sugar.) I often bring packages of instant oatmeal and a mix of almonds, flaxseed and fiber when I'm traveling.
​
Here's my miracle breakfast with amounts of fiber.
                                1 package instant organic oatmeal                            4 grams
                                1/4 cup almonds                                                            3 grams
                                4 TBS ground flaxseed                                                  6 grams
                                1/3 cup Trader Joes Frozen Berry Medley                3 grams
                                1 TBS Great Shape Natural Fiber Supplement*       5 grams
                                                                                                                        ________
                                                                                                                             24 grams
                                *You might want to add this slowly to avoid gas and bloating.
 
If I still haven't convinced you, take the challenge. Try starting everyday for 3 weeks with my miracle breakfast. Let me know how you feel.
​
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Chinese Chicken and Veggie Wraps

5/5/2020

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This is a quick and easy recipe. It takes about 1/2 hour to prepare and serves 4 people.

This is adapted from 20 Minute Menus which has other healthy recipes that can be prepared in a short amount of time.

Ingredients:
Chicken and Veggies
-1 lb boneless chicken thighs
-1 bunch of broccoli
-12 baby carrots or 2 whole carrots or 1 c grated carrots
 
Sauce
-1 1/2 in piece of fresh ginger, minced
-3 TBS tahini
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 TBS Oriental Chili Sauce
-3 TBS water
-3 TBS rice vinegar
-2 TBS low sodium soy sauce
 
-10 inch whole wheat tortilla wrappers
-hoisin Sauce
 
Steps:
1) Cook chicken and veggies
-Place chicken thighs in large skillet and add just enough water to cover
-Wash broccoli and chop into small pea size pieces
-Grate carrots by hand or in food processor
-Add broccoli and carrots to skillet covering the chicken
-Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 7-8 minutes
 
2) Cook brown rice or heat tortillas
-Submerge package of rice in 1 quart of water in microwave-safe bowl
-Microwave for 10 minutes
Note: you can also place bag of rice in 1 quart boiling water for 10 minutes
-preheat toaster oven to 400 degrees
-Wrap tortillas in foil; place in oven for 10 minutes

3) Make sauce
-Mix together ginger, garlic, sesame paste, chili sauce, rice vinegar and sauce
(I use a mini food processor for this.)
-Put in large bowl
 
4) Combine ingredients
-Remove chicken, cool, cut into strips and place in large bowl
-Strain the veggies, saving the liquid
-Add veggies to bowl
-Add 3 TBS of liquid (chicken broth) and sauce to bowl
-Mix together well
Note: the remaining liquid is a delicious chicken broth.  I often have it as a bowl of soup. Or, you can save it for the next time you need chicken broth in a recipe.
 
5) Serve
-Spoon hoisin sauce on tortillas or serve with brown rice
-Add chicken and veggie mixture
-Enjoy!
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A Poem -- Kitchen I Love You

4/30/2020

2 Comments

 
Kitchen I love you
In your walls, no masks, no fear
Safely you hold me
The world has gone mad, filled with death and uncertainty
But you remain unfazed, familiar, steady
I feel your floor beneath my feet
 
Your cabinets with dishes, glasses, pots and pans
Drawers of silverware carefully arranged
Your pantry holds pasta, rice, cans of red tomatoes
Tuna, oatmeal, a dazzling display of riches
Refrigerator filled with lemons, grapefruits, greens spilling over drawers and shelves
Eggs set neatly in a tray — safe and unbreakable
 
I open your doors to find all that I need
A bunch of kale; an onion gently covered in brown, paper-like wrapping
Your countertops ready for food to be magically transformed
Sink shining, anticipating dirty dishes and silver
 
My heart beats to your rhythm
The rhythm of smells & tastes, sounds and sights
The chopping of onions, garlic, eggplant and pepper
The sizzle of oil in the cast iron skillet on your stove
Aroma of caramelized tomato paste with fresh oregano
All melding together into flavors that delight
 
Vase filled with roses and lilies bursting with color
Lasting at least a week until he buys me more
Candles lit, challah baked, wine poured for Sabbath prayers
These we still say joyously.
 
Kitchen I love you, but you have grown quiet these days
Do you wonder what has changed?
I thought you had all the secrets
You give forth food 3 times a day
I know your hidden crevices filled with forgotten staples — some gone bad
I’m with you more — new dishes to try
Bread to bake, sauce to stir
 
And yet, like me, you find yourself more & more alone
No family or friends grace your presence
Where are they?
Their hugs and smiles, laughter and conversation
Are you waiting for them with me?
Perhaps for a time when we can all eat and drink together
When you can once again share your abundance
 
Till then keep your cupboards full, your counters clean
Your magic fully alive
Kitchen, I love you
Please stay with me, hold me, keep me safe
2 Comments

Mexican Rice with Chopped Salad

4/29/2020

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Picture
This is one of those comfort foods that I've been making for years.  I'll list the specific ingredients that I use, but it's so adaptable that you can switch things up with your favorite meat (or if you're a vegetarian beans) in the rice, favorite salsa, etc...

This takes 1/2 hour to prepare start to finish and serves 4 people.

Ingredients:
Rice
-1 1/3 c brown rice (I use boil-in-bag precooked rice)
-2c TBS olive oil
-1 lb chopped turkey
-16 oz. salsa (8 oz. Trader Joe's Salsa Autentica, 8 oz.Garlic Chipotle Salsa)
-3/4 c Trader Joe's shredded soy cheese blend

Chopped Salad
-2 TBS olive oil
-1 TBS lime juice or balsamic vinegar
-1/8 tsp cumin
-1/2 avocado
-3 scallions
-1/2 pint grape tomatoes
-2 c spring mix lettuce
-10 pitted kalamata olives
-tortilla chips

Steps:
1) Prepare rice
-Submerge package of rice in 1 quart of water in microwave-safe bowl
-Microwave for 10 minutes
-Note: you can also put bag of rice in 1 quart of boiling water for 10 minutes
-While rice is cooking, heat 2 TBS olive oil in large skillet at medium heat
​-Add chopped turkey & brown for about 5 minutes
-Add salsa
-Reduce heat to low
-Add 1 1/3 c of the cooked rice and combine
-Add soy cheese and combine

2) Prepare chopped salad
-put 2 TBS olive oil in large bowl
-add lime juice or vinegar
-chop 1/2 avocado, add to bowl, stirring to coat the avocado so it doesn't brown
-chop scallions and quarter tomatoes, add to bowl
​-chop olives, add to bowl
-chop lettuce, add to bowl

3) Serve
-place rice mixture on a plate
-cover with chopped salad
-arrange tortilla chips around rice and salad

Enjoy!
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Couscous with sauted onions, tomato, red pepper and spinach

4/27/2020

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What I love about cooking is that it is so forgiving.  You can always add a little more of a little less of an ingredient or tweak a recipe so that it includes a favorite food or spice.  This is true of the recipe listed below.  Don't worry if you don't have the exact ingredients.

It takes about a 1/2 hour to prepare.  Most of the time is for sauteing the onions at low heat so that they are soft & sweet.

I often make couscous with veggies for lunch. You can refrigerate or freeze extra portions.  It's pretty simple to make, and it's good for you.

Ingredients:
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 tomato, chopped; or 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
1 TBS lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup dried couscous

Steps:
1) Saute onions
-heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat
-add the chopped onions & cook these for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally so they don't brown

2) Make couscous
-in a saucepan boil 3/4 c water
-add 3/4 c dry couscous
-stir well
-remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes

3) Saute other veggies
-add red pepper to onions; cook for 5 minutes on low heat
-add garlic and stir for 30 seconds
-add spinach & cover pot for a few minutes until spinach starts to wilt
-stir veggies so that spinach leaves melt into the other veggies

4) Mix everything together
-stir in lemon juice & oregano
-stir in couscous and serve



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    Author

    I love to cook, eat and entertain.  I'm starting this in the midst of the Coronavirus as my way to spread the love.

    Bon Appetit!

    ​Take a look at my Pantry List to keep your kitchen well-stocked.

    Breakfast
    • ​​Miracle Breakfast
    Soup
    • Carrot Ginger Soup
    • ​Chicken Soup
    • Sausage and Kale Soup with Farro
    Salad
    • ​Moroccan Carrot Salad
    • Summer Composed Vegetable Salad with Silken Tofu Aioli
    • ​Greens and Poached Eggs
    • Kale Salad with Roasted Beets and Squash
    • Summer-in-a-bowl.html
    Veggies
    • ​Couscous with Sauted Onion, Spinach & Pepper
    • Roasted Cauliflower
    • ​Quinoa Tabouli​​
    • ​Spicy Eggplant, Red Pepper, Tomatoes and Couscous ​
    Main Course
    • Barbecued Tempeh
    • Chinese Chicken & Veggie Wraps
    • ​Mexican Rice with Chopped Salad
    • Israeli Couscous with Roasted Veggies, Tofu & Caramelized Tomato
    • Roasted Chicken and Summer Vegetables
    • Spicy Grilled Chicken
    • Bonnie's Fried Rice​
    • Simplest dinner --Salmon, Asparagus, Couscous
    • ​Tofu, Broccoli and Penne with Capers, Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
    • ​Sesame-Ginger Chicken Meatballs with Brown Rice & Steamed Broccoli​
    • ​Fish Cakes with Capers and Quinoa Tabouli
    • Salmon Poached in Basil-Tomato Sauce
    • Chicken Meatballs with Penne & Tomato Sauce​
    • Mushroom-Tofu-Pecan Stuffed Squash
    Beverages
    • Ginger Lemon Tea

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    Poetry
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  • Home
  • Bio
    • Testimonials
  • Conditions Treated
    • CFS/ME & Fibromyalgia >
      • Hope for CFS & FMS
    • Musculoskeletal Pain
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    • Sleep Disturbances and Insomnia
    • Sports Injury
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