Jennifer – Page 14 – Discover Healthy Food

Product Review – Ghost Pepper Salt

My new favorite seasoning: Ghost Pepper Salt from @savoryspicefranklin! Adds a nice kick to a green salad… Just a few granules will do!

Store review: Savory Spice Shop in Franklin, Tennessee

Did you know that you can buy green oregano… not dull brown? Next time you’re tempted to buy a bottle of oregano at the grocery store, closely look at the ingredients. Do you see a bunch of little twigs in there? I never noticed the twigs and random stuff in my oregano before. But, after spending an afternoon at the Savory Spice Shop in Franklin, Tennessee, I’ll never look at my spices again. Once you go to one of their 30+ stores, you’ll never look at spices the same way either. And you’ll be glad for it, trust me.

I happened upon the Savory Spice Shop while checking out the quaint town of Franklin with a friend. Debbie wanted to check on some special ingredients for a unique recipe. You never need to ask me twice to explore a food store!

I instantly fell in love the moment I opened the door and the fresh aroma of spices poured out into the chilly afternoon air. Not only were the spices organized in a pleasing and helpful way, but the Spice Merchants were so much fun to chat with about food and cooking! It’s no wonder that I found myself buying an ounce of Ghost Pepper Salt and a small bottle of Black Onyx Chocolate Sugar.

Toward the end of our shopping, Hollie Rollins, the store owner came bouncing into the shop. Her outgoing and helpful nature made me realize that I need to interview her for Discover Healthy Food. So, I arranged to return the following day and get the real scoop on Savory Spice Shop.

Hollie warmly greeted me and gave me a personal tour of the shop. For a foodie, there’s nothing like going into the back room to see where the magic happens. The chilled storage room was expertly organized to allow the staff to access buckets and buckets of fresh spices. To keep the inventory fresh, Hollie is able to order small quantities from corporate so that she can manage the amount of product moving through the store.

Recommended action item: Take a look at your current spices – how old are they? After a couple of years, you might as well be cooking with dried leaves you’ve collected from the yard. Purge your spice drawer and go online to purchase fresh new ingredients from Savory Spice Shop.

Being able to purchase the spices in various quantities is a boon for the kitchen. If you’re a restaurant that goes through cumin by the bucket load, or the home chef that takes months to use a few tablespoons, Savory Spice Shop can meet your quantity needs – with any spice. It’s a wonderful personalized service you won’t find at most grocery stores.

When Hollie and her husband opened for business in October 2013, their mission was to “help people get good food on the table at a good price and not packaged!” She sticks to her mission of providing the freshest, cleanest, sustainably farmed spices from around the world. When she showed me the difference of their oregano next to a store bought variety, I could see instantly what she meant by high quality at a great price. Green leaves compared to brown little twigs is really no comparison!

Observing the customer service provided by the staff and was really impressed with Chris, the Assistant Manager. A customer was excited to try some new curry powders, yet Chris encouraged her to explore another option… something that she guaranteed the customer would truly enjoy even more than the first choice. Chris didn’t just stand at the counter and ring up the sale, rather she engaged the customer to have an even more enjoyable experience with the curry blends. “I love working here,” Chris beamed with pride, “because I’m fulfilling the needs of the foodie community!”. Her enthusiasm and genuine care for the customer is not to be found at the neighborhood big box store.

A repeat customer confidently stepped into the store with her 11-year old daughter and out-of-town sister in tow. Pointing out her favorite spice to use on everything (Cantanzaro Herbs), she told me that she loves coming into Savory Spice Shop for “the variety and finding things you’ve never heard of… or thought of before!”. The personable service and one-on-one attention is really helpful, but not overbearing. “They explain what you need to know, but then let you go and explore the shop.” It’s one of her favorite shops to bring people to… Wow! Talk about a testimonial!

The shop’s best selling products include the Parmesan Pesto Sprinkle (great on pasta and biscuits) and Capitol Hill Seasoning (for chicken, fish, dairy, and veggies). The Memphis BBQ rub is a big seller – maybe because they’re in Tennessee? One of Chris’s favorite recipes is to sear Mt. Elbert rubbed pork chops then cover in apple sauce and bake.

“Nobody should eat Frankenfood!” is Hollie’s biggest concern about eating these days. People don’t know what’s in their meals, so she’s seeing a movement away from packaged foods. She loves providing ingredients that are easy to use so that cooking isn’t complicated… allowing people to provide healthier food for their families.

Next time you’re in the Nashville area, do yourself a favor and check out the cute town of Franklin. Stop in at Savory Spice Shop get ready for a sensory delight!

I’ll see you at the table!

Product Review – Naked Green Smoothie

Start your day with a green smoothie. If you can’t make one yourself, you might want to consider Naked as a great store bought option.

Healthy Hotel Breakfast

One of the biggest challenges about traveling is the food. When I’m away from home, it’s like I have some “pass” to not eat healthy. But I certainly know that is NOT the case! In fact, it’s the breakfast buffet which is included in the daily rate hotel rate that can really get me!

Before I started eating healthier, one of my favorite breakfast items was biscuits and gravy. Here I find myself at the gorgeous Coldsprings Marriott in Franklin, Tennessee… Yep, you guessed it. BIG problem! The south is KNOWN for their “comfort food“, which certainly includes biscuits and gravy… Not to mention all the other yumminess the Marriott generously offers at their breakfast buffet.

Darn that generous Southern hospitality!

Knowing my weaknesses, I aimed for the oatmeal and piled high the berries and melon slices. Luckily they also had nuts (albeit not raw) and raisins. Not shy about going back for more berries and fruit too… Best to fill my stomach with good fuel in the morning!

Tummy full and great way to start the day while traveling! What is your travel healthy breakfast tip?

I’ll see you at the table…

Recipe: Polenta Artichoke Bake

Healthy and easy recipe – great for families and individuals because you’ll want leftovers!

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
1-12 oz white beans, drained and rinsed
1-14 oz can diced tomatoes 1-20 oz spaghetti sauce (any flavor works)
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cup celery,
1/2 inch slice
3 cups fresh frozen artichoke hearts
2 tablespoons organic no-salt seasoning
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 package polenta, cut into 8-1 inch rounds
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more/less depending on your love of heat)

Directions:
In large pot, on medium-high heat, water saute garlic and onion for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add celery and artichoke hearts and saute 3 more minutes.
Add diced tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, spices and beans, mix thoroughly and heat through for at least 15 minutes.
In 9×11 baking dish, place polenta rounds in two rows of 4.
Carefully pour sauce over the polenta, spread evenly.
Bake 20-30 minutes, or until bubbling on top.
Garnish with fresh basil Serve warm with green salad on the side.
Enjoy!

I’ll see you at the table!

Restaurant Review: Subway – Utah

I was running between appointments starving but needed something fast for lunch. So, thought I’d give Subway another try. Pleasantly surprised to find they have a Veggie Patty option now. It was surprisingly tasty, moist and filling. Trying to avoid too many bread carbs, I went with the 6″ size. Loaded with as many veggies as you like, it’s a pretty good option. Mine had spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, banana peppers, and green bell peppers. I opted for sriracha for sauce instead of mayo or mustard. All-in-all, I thought the service at The District Subway was great – friendly, reasonably fast, and helpful.

Recipe: Toasted Naan

Too late for breakfast, but starving and needing a snack before my lunch meeting… Toasted mini #naan with artichoke hummus and kale, Brussels sprouts and salad piled on top. The creaminess and crunchiness are fabulous combo.

Restaurant review: el Patio del Cordobes – Spain

After walking around Granada, we stopped for lunch to rest out tired feet! Kathy enjoyed her meat lasagna. I had a tiny bite – very moist meat with loads of cheese melted on top. I thought the dish was quite salty. I really liked the eggplant fries with honey sauce drizzled on top. Makes me want to play around in the kitchen to see how I can create a healthier version! The green salad was pretty good, but iceburg lettuce has virtually no nutritional value. But it was fresh and refreshing! Interestingly though, I was hard pressed to find very many veggie options on their menu. Just about everything had cheese or meat.

A funny thing we’ve noticed about Spanish waiters, is that they rarely smile. And when they do, it seems forced. So much for an enjoyable experience with the wait staff… maybe they need a customer service training on the merits of playing nice so that guests want to tip you – just sayin’! But the venue was nice and simple.

Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts

A vegetable with a bad name for itself, Brussels sprouts have historically been steamed and then served swimming in a butter bath to cover the bitter taste – no wonder most of us hated them when we were young. But we also know these little green rounds are packed with tons of vitamins… So, give this easy recipe a try and you just might fall in love!

Ingredients:
2 cups Brussels sprouts per person
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, which is about 180 degrees celsius (had to figure out conversion between Fahrenheit and Celsius while cooking in Spain!).
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don’t have, bake directly on the baking sheet.
Cut off ends of washed Brussels sprouts, then cut in half. Place into a large bowl. Toss with 1/4 cup olive oil. Add more OO if serving more than 4 people.
Sprouts shouldn’t be super wet, just a little drizzle. Spread sprouts evenly on baking sheet. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over Brussels sprouts.
I use very little salt, or use non-salt instead. (One of my favorites is Costco’s Organic No-salt Seasoning).
Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are brown and some sprout leaves are crispy.
Serve immediately with meal. Great with couscous and green salad, as shown, for full dinner. Extra sprouts make great leftovers, but these taste so good it’s rare to have any left over!

Shopping tip:
When buying groceries internationally or in the USA, Brussels sprouts aren’t necessarily better when bought in bulk. The pre-packaged are usually just as good.

Enjoy and I’ll see you at the table!

Recipe: Lentil Vegetable Soup

While traveling, I look for places to stay where I have access to a kitchen which allows me to cook healthy food and save money from eating out all the time. A pot of soup that is ready to eat whenever I’m hungry is a great way to eat healthy too.

On the first night of this two week trip to Spain, I headed to the grocery store and bought several items to sustain me for a few days. Perhaps I bought too much because while walking home, several times I had to set the bags down in order to give my arms a break!

Cooking for someone else can be interesting too because they don’t always like what you like to eat. But, luckily my travel partner is game to try anything I will cook on this trip. She is curious to know what it would be like to try some recipes that don’t have sugar, oil nor salt.

Lentil Vegetable Soup: (Yield: 2 quarts)
Ingredients:
Half red bell pepper, diced
Half broccoli head, rough chop
Half yellow onion, diced
2 clove garlic, minced
2 small turnip, diced
5 small yellow potatoes, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk leek, white end sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
2 medium zucchini, diced
3 stalk celery, diced
1-12oz can diced tomatoes
2 cup cooked lentils
2 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Directions:

Using a large soup pot, on medium high heat, water sauté the onion for about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and leek, continue water sauté for 3 minutes.
Add carrot, celery, bell pepper, continue water sauté for 3-5 minutes or until celery is soft.
Add broccoli, zucchini, can diced tomatoes, lentils and seasoning. Stir thoroughly and bring to soft bubbling boil.
In a separate pot, boil diced potato and turnip for 10-15 minutes until soft. Strain and add to vegetables when they have reached the soft boil. Stir to thoroughly incorporate.
Using a handheld blender, purée about 1/3 of the soup mixture. If you don’t have a blender, then you can enjoy a chunkier style.
Add the frozen peas, turn down heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If you want it spicy, add 1 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes.

Serve hot with bread or toasts. For a fuller meal, add a green salad and fruit for dessert. Enjoy!

Note from my travel companion: She added salt because is accustomed to eating food with added salt, but overall loved the soup and ate several meals from this one pot. Guess she liked it!

In the comments section below, let me know what you think of the recipe. Thank you!

Healthy food close to home and far away tastes great and fuels your body to have the energy to enjoy the trip. I’ll see you at the table!