take me out to the deeeee-lish

topics! i’ve got topics! get em while they are hot! two for a dollar? special offer, today only. how about three for free? 

welcome to blogger stadium! if i can be of any assistance, please, let me know. gratuity will be included for parties of one or more. as in, *thank you* for stopping by! we’ve got a triple-header ahead of us today, so settle in. 

yesterday’s winning team, greek week, will kick off the tourney today. team stats are 9 of the 150 healthiest foods on earth, coached by writer jonny bowden. get ready for the highlights, folks. let’s go through the roster: 

extra virgin olive oil ranks high on the list. as of the book’s publishing in 2007, “evoo” was one of only three foods on the fda’s list of “food or food substances whose label may contain a health claim benefit.” others were omega-3 fats and walnuts. it’s a good source of antioxidants, lowers the bad cholesterol and raises the good, and has been shown to lower blood pressure. (among many other great stats.)

tomatoes contain lycopene, which protects against cancer and heart disease; other nutrients which fight disease and promote healthy vision; and they are an excellent source of vitamin c as well as many other vitamins and minerals. 

parsley helps detoxify your system because of the chlorophyll in it. it also reduces blood glucose levels which goes hand in hand with losing weight, and contains a wealth of anticancer agents, vitamins and minerals. 

lemons are, of course, known for their soothing properties and high vitamin c content. the juice and the peel contain important chemicals known to fight cancer, a big one being limonene (found in the peel). lemon peel combined with hot black tea reduces the risk of skin cancer by 30%. one tablespoon of lemon peel a week will do you well. 

garbanzo beans/chickpeas lower the risk of heart disease and have 12.5g of fiber (which is shown to lower cholesterol, blood sugar and the risk of colon cancer) per cup. great amounts of calcium, magnesium, folate, potassium and protein. 

garlic is a huge star. it lowers cholesterol, prevents blood clots, has anticancer properties and is shown to aid in weight control. just to name a few. be sure it is crushed or chopped to get the full health benefit.

tahini (or sesame seeds/sesame butter) has the right combination of qualities to label it an effective fat burner. also contains antioxidants, helps lower cholesterol, and is a great source for calcium, fiber, protein and more.

sweet peppers are a great source of vitamins c and a, lower the risk of lung cancer, and stimulate the immune system. the more ripe (red), the more nutrients.

labna (yogurt) is another superstar. eaten regularly, it improves immunity, digestion and cholesterol and has anticancer properties. it’s a good source of calcium, but did you know that calcium is one of many vitamins and minerals that is better absorbed with a little bit of fat? so it’s actually *better* for you to use lowfat instead of nonfat!

…time for the 7th inning stretch…

while you’re stretching your legs, stop on over to

and taste some of the delicacies they have to offer! it can also be found anytime on the right side of this page, in the blue sidebar. there are over 1500 blogs, all devoted to food, and the delish is honored to be named among them. whether you’re a blogger or a reader, you are sure to find endless entertainment and food ideas here. if you have a food blog, sign up! it’s a great way to network with other bloggers, and all you need to qualify is a food blog that is at least a month old with at least five posts. 

and now for the final event of the evening. team smarter than pancakes, coached by shaye, led us to a fun blogging event, put on by sarah at homemade.

sarah has created a blogging event called tastes to remember. she’s collecting submissions for “recipes that remind you of your childhood.” it’s kind of like a craft show or a swap meet in the world of bloggers. i can’t wait to see some of the recipes that people submit.

so, step right up to get your soft pretzel and beer cheese.

yes, that is what i said, pretzel and beer cheese. i know, not exactly a health food. jason (the resident umpire) gave me puppy dog eyes and he asked *really* nice. right before i started this food reform, i made a big trip to sam’s club, where i got a monster-sized box of soft pretzels and a whole bunch of different cheeses. i have made this before and it’s one of our very favorite sunday afternoon snacks. but i haven’t made it in a couple months, swear!

this food combo is reminiscent of all of those friday nights spent at the roller rink, or at a football game, or at the mall… you know, the soft pretzel with the “cheese product” dipping sauce and the canned jalapenos? it kind of makes me shudder to think of that awful cheese now, but of course, it’s always been one of my favorites. i can remember long before the low-carb craze, my mom used to buy these pretzels once in awhile because they are “lowfat.” my dad, my hero, a real man of genius, (jk, dad!) was mr. salt-putter-onner.

so, here’s an adult version of the cheese sauce. (i want to make my own soft pretzels one day, but gotta use these up first!)

 

jalapeno beer cheese

 

 

• 1/2 stick butter
• 2 fresh jalapenos, sliced
• 1/2 c. chopped green onion
• 3-4 oz. strong flavored beer (we used three floyds’ robert the bruce, a scottish ale)
• 1/2 c. pinconning cheese (we use the tub style by williams cheese, found at sam’s)
• 1/4 c. horseradish cheese (we use the tub style by williams cheese, found at sam’s)
• 1/2 block cream cheese
• 1/4 c. zesty horseradish sauce (scant)

 

in medium saucepan, melt butter. add jalapenos (with seeds) and green onion and saute about 5 minutes. just enough to soften slightly, but hold the color. add remaining ingredients and cook until softened and combined. 

this is pretty spicy, so depending on your peppers and your taste, you may want to scale back the jalapenos a little. it’s not eye-watering spicy, but we are used to spicy foods, and it’s definitely got zing. 

if you wanted to use block style versions of the pinconning and horseradish cheeses (or cheddar works too), just shred before adding to the mix, and add a little milk if it needs thinned out. or more beer! we like this to be a little on the thin side because it sticks to the pretzel really well, and doesn’t start to harden and get chunky as it cools.