Heart of the Matter #32: Breads - Sweet and Savory

I don’t know about all of you, but I love the holiday season. It’s like a food-lover’s dream – the possibilities for making and eating delicious food are blissfully endless. I spend hours pouring over every food-themed magazine I can find and picking out all the cookie recipes and other fun foods that I want to make this holiday season…this year? Eggnog and a yule log...wow, that even rhymes. Plus, I’d love to hold a cookie exchange with my friends this year. Do you have anything you’re hoping to make this month?

The holidays are a perfect time of year for this month’s Heart of the Matter theme, “Breads: Sweet and Savory.” There are so many kinds of breads that go perfectly with the cooler weather that we’re getting here…warm, yeasty boules filled with herbs and crackled crusts, sweet loaves packed with tart cranberries and ginger to be eaten with tea, sticky rolls for breakfast…it will be a challenging just choosing what kind of a bread to make! And yes, believe it or not, we get cooler weather here in Hawaii! Along with lots of winter rain…and last week, it even snowed on Mauna Kea, the huge volcano that is on the Big Island! Even my hometown in Colorado is in the holiday spirit, getting decked out for a white Christmas with nearly 10 inches of snow coming in today!

So this month, send in your entry for a sweet or a savory bread (or heck, go wild and do both!). And of course it should please be heart-healthy too: your entry should be low in saturated fats (ie. not too much butter!), be low in salt (sodium), and if you'd like, abundant with vegetables or herbs or fruit. If you want to get more information, check out our useful links in the right hand marginal. Please only use your entry for this event so that we can keep things centred on heart-healthy recipes and please link to the event as well. Send your entries to me at phillipslayden AT gmail DOT com before (your) midnight Thursday, December 31, and please put "HotM" in your subject line so I can keep track of all the entries! ;) I'll post the round-up on January 1st so that we can all eat these healthy breads as part of our healthy new year's resolutions!

HotM #31 the roundup

It is time to post the HotM roundup, small but good! The theme for November was Retro and we got some really nice entries from some lovely ladies:

First we have labelga from Leafy Cooking who not only made a classic Kugelhopf but also baked it in a retro ceramic dish for Armistice Day.

Soma of eCurry gives us a delicious Machher Jhal/Fish in Spicy Sauce, a dish she used to see her mother and grandmother cook and she also gives us her story about it. Click over and read it!

Sorshe Begun (Baby brinjals in mustard & yoghurt gravy) is the tasty dish that Indrani of Appyayan sent me, it is a dish that her mother makes and she is still trying to make it the way her mother does it but it seems as if her mother's got the magic touch when it comes to Sorshe Begun!

Aparna from My Diverse Kitchen serves a dish that is more of a way of cooking vegetables than a specific dish itself and she has seen generations of women cook this way! Her Parippu Potta Beans Kari (French Beans With Lentils) are definitley worth trying!

I made Sweet Couscous With Pink Grapefruit and Pink Pepper and Michelle, who have had technical problems, will be posting her entry, Turkey Bacon Rumaki, as soon as she can!

Finally got my problems figured out (sort of...). Here is my retro dish - Healthy Rumaki a la Hawaii - turkey bacon wrapped around water chestnuts and pineapple, marinated in a semi-sweet, salty sauce. The recipe can be found on my blog, The Accidental Scientist. See you all next month!

Thank you again ladies, I really enjoyed dining with you!

Heart of the Matter #31 - Retro Dishes

Michelle has posted the HotM roundup and it is time that I announce the theme for November's HotM - this time we would like you to make heart healthy Retro Dishes! So dust off your old recipes and cookbooks, bother parents and relatives for how to do that particular dish they always had on their table or why not shake your memory a bit and see if your favourite dish of the past needs to be changed or if it is heart healthy as it is. Do you realize how fun this can be? I can't say how much I am looking forward seeing what you will come up with! But remember that your entry should be low in saturated fats (use lean meats and fish), be low in salt (sodium), and that you can be abundant with vegetables or fruit. If you want to get more information, check out our useful links in the right hand marginal. Please only use your entry for this event so that we can keep things centred on heart-healthy recipes and please link to the event as well. Send your entries to me at luculliandelights AT gmail DOT com before (your) midnight Sunday 29th of November.

Heart of the Matter 30: Seeds, Nuts and Things (Round-up)

This month's theme for the Heart of the Matter monthly healthy eating round-up was Seeds, Nuts and Seed-like things and I'm very excited because we got a lot of entries! Thank you to everyone who participated!

The first entry came in from Aparna, over at My Diverse Kitchen: A Vegetarian Kitchen in India, who sent in her take on the theme with her Healthy Granola Squares. I just love the look of them - fat and beautiful and full of yummy seeds and nuts!

Next to come in were the Chocolate Almond Soft Caramel Muffins from Dhanggit's Kitchen. These sound so decadent and delicious! Plus, those caramels remind me of being a kid too!

Nathan Lau, whom I have had the great pleasure of meeting when he and his lovely wife, Annie, were here visiting in Hawaii, submitted his entry for Roasted, Salted Pumpkin Seeds, one of my favorite October snacks (and the best reason to carve up a Halloween pumpkin). Their blog, House of Annie, has lots of great recipes they make both with and for their family.

Johanna over at Green Gourmet Giraffe, whose banner for her blog title I completely adore, turned in her recipe for fabulous-sounding Chocolate Sesame Cookies, which are vegan and have loads of interesting ingredients like tahini, molasses and those gorgeous black sesame seeds. Mmmm....

Tigerfish sent in a recipe for Millet Congee. Millet is a grain that I wish I used more in my own kitchen and I think I will have to try this recipe soon because I just so happen to have some in the cupboard (and congee is something I have always wanted to try)! You can see the recipe for this perfect fall dish over at Tigerfish's blog, Teczcape - An Escape to Food.

The next entry came from Tasty Curry Leaf - healthy Banana Sunflower Seed Cookies! These light, fluffy cookies use bananas instead of eggs and I think they look like a smashing success! Since we have an abundance of bananas all the time here in Hawaii, I think these will be another dish that is made soon in my house.

Champa from the blog, Stories from an Indian Kitchen, is new to blogging but thankfully already participating in events. These Vegan Almond Cookies are full of yummy things like cardamom and almond butter - I love the thought of that combination!

Our last two entries come from the blog, Pan Gravy Kadai Curry. The first entry was this Pan-fried and Almond-crusted Salmon on a bed of sauteed spinach. Since we all know the benefits of eating fish for omega-3-fatty acids to help our hearts, I'm always on the lookout for a good salmon recipe!
I have a dream of eating roasted chestnuts in New York City around Christmastime, but since it will be a long time since I go to NYC, I can't wait to try Pan Gravy Kadai Curry's second entry for Oven Roasted Chestnuts at home!

See you all next month for HotM 31, where Ilva will be host!

Heart of the Matter (HotM) 30: Seeds and Things

This month for Heart of the Matter, my co-host Ilva and I are going with the theme of Nuts, Seeds and Nut-Like Things. "Things" being other nut- and seed-like ingredients such as peanuts, which are considered nuts by most people (hence, the name) but are actually a type of legume. We got only a few entries last month (all of them fabulous!), but we're hoping to see more of you this month! Nuts make perfect Fall snacks and appetizers and are great in salads and breads...and seeds are perfect in things like granolas, muffins, breads and all sorts of things. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

So this month, send in your entry for the most creative thing you can think of to do with Nuts, seeds or other nut-like things. And of course it has to be heart-healthy too: your entry should be low in saturated fats (lean meats and fish), be low in salt (sodium), and if you'd like, abundant with vegetables or fruit. If you want to get more information, check out our useful links in the right hand marginal. Please only use your entry for this event so that we can keep things centred on heart-healthy recipes and please link to the event as well. Send your entries to me at phillipslayden AT gmail DOT com before (your) midnight Saturday the 31st of October, and please put "HotM" in your subject line so I can keep track of all the entries! ;)

See you then!
Michelle

A Roundup

September's (and half of August) HotM theme was the letter A, heart healthy food that in some way has an important A in it and although we didn't get many entries this month, they are very interesting and varied!

The first out is Lisa from The Cutting Edge of Ordinary who made us a non ordinary Crunchy Apple & Grape Salad that looks great and if you use lowfat mayonnaise, it is practically bursting of heart health!

The second up is Soma from eCurry who has made a delicious salad of Quinoa with Apricot, Asparagus & Almond, it sounds nice and fruity with a bit of an acid sting that I think must be perfect with quinoa. And she even managed to get in three straight A's into it! Bravo!

I really like labelga of Leafy Cooking's interpretation of the A theme, she made an Alcalic fruit drink with grapefruit and watermelon, a combination that I like very much, it's light, fruity and thirst quenching! And healthy too.

Sweatha of TastyCurryLeaf who sent in a lovely Almond Soup-Spanish Style and I am very happy she did because that is a kind of soup I am very attracted to and if you follow the link in her post you will get the recipe to another almond soup! Couldn't be better, could it?

My fellow HotM co-host who also happens to be one of my oldest food blogger friends, we started about the same time fours years ago, Michelle used one of Hawaii's deliciacies for her entry, sea Asparagus in her dish Sea Asparagus and Tofu Salad. Now I am not only envious of her for living in Hawaii but also that she can get sea asparagus when she wants...

I made Aubergine With Wine Cooked Lentils, Olives and Oregano and Avocado With Ovenbaked Honey Onions, Grilled Corn and Orzo

A big thank you very much to all of you and please let me know if I forgot someone or messed up the links! And keep your eyes open for Michelle's announcement of October's theme!

HotM 29 - A as in August (and September)

I am completely to blame for this very late HotM announcement, Michelle discreetly probed and pushed me but my brain obviously went on vacation coming here. Anyway, better late than never. So I am proudly presenting you with a new theme for what remains of August and as a bonus, September as well: A as in August (and September). Do you realize what a incredible freedom of choice this gives you? Dishes with names beginning with A, an enormous amount of ingredients that begin with A and I am sure there are plenty of other ways to interpret this theme. But I am putting a little restriction on it, if you choose to go for an ingredient beginning with the letter A it has to be the main ingredient but apart from that, you are free to do what you want. And of course it has to be heart-healthy too: your entry should be low in saturated fats (lean meats and fish), be low in salt (sodium), and that you can be abundant with vegetables or fruit. If you want to get more information, check out our useful links in the right hand marginal. Please only use your entry for this event so that we can keep things centred on heart-healthy recipes and please link to the event as well. Send your entries to me at luculliandelights AT gmail DOT com before (your) midnightSunday 27th of September.

Budget-Friendly Food - the Roundup

This month it was Michelle's turn to host the HotM but life came in the way so I took over, she has sent me all the entries and some has been sent to me directly but I am afraid that I have missed someone so please forgive me if it is so and send me a line with your entry so I can add it to the roundup. July month's theme was heart healthy Budget-Friendly Foods and I have here a bunch of wonderful dishes for you to explore!

Katie from Eat This has made a lovely Black-eyed pea and collard green soup, a lovely healthy and budget-friendly soup to make for many a dinner!

Next we have Lisa's Indian Lemon Brown Rice, I am a lemon lover myself so this really speaks to me. You can find it on her blog Lisa's Kitchen.

Aparna from My Diverse Kitchen has a new take on porridge, at least it is new to me but she points out savoury porridge was usual in Scotland when sugar and cream were too expensive, check out her Savoury Oatmeal Porridge With Vegetables. I will definitely try it!

Ratatouille is a wonderful healthy and for many of us a great budget-friendly dish, this particular version is served by Miri over at Peppermill, so head over there to have a bite!

We even have an appetizer, Labelga from Leafy Cooking has made some gorgeous Red Beet appetizers for us to enrich our meals!

I am personally a great fan of home made stock so Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe's double entry where she first makes Frugal Freezer Stock and Bean Stew with Cider and Honey (WIP) made me very happy indeed!

Soma of eCurry offers us a wonderfully tasty Vegetables & Lentils with Ground Spices and as I am at the moment craving Indian food for some reason, this will soon be on my table!

and I made a Grilled Zucchini and Chickpea Soup.

So here we are, now I let you free to roam the above entries for your favourite dish! Thank you to every one who participated, I am very happy to have had the pleasure of reading all your entries!

soon, very soon

This is just to let you know that the roundup will be up soon, we arrived in Sweden yesterday and I need to fix some issues with a reliable and working internet connection first but then I will fix the roundup among the first things!

Slight Change in Plans

Hi Everyone,

There has been a slight change in plans for Heart of the Matter this month, and I will not be able to do the round-up because I had to leave town unexpectedly. Please send your HotM entries to my co-host, Ilva, at Lucullian Delights. Her email is luculliandelights AT gmail DOT com. If you have already sent in your entry to me, please know that I have forwarded it on to her, so there is no need to re-send it if you have already. I apologize for the change and will see you next month.

Best,
Michelle
The Accidental Scientist

Heart of the Matter 28: Budget-Friendly Foods

If you’re in the U.S. or many other parts of the world, you’ve no doubt heard about The Recession for months now. Many people are tightening their belts and making changes in their lifestyle to try and conserve funds or prepare for uncertain times. But no matter where you are, it never hurts to be a bit frugal occasionally or to have a few meals in your repertoire that can stretch your pocketbook a bit further if needed. Thus, the theme for this month’s Heart of the Matter is “Budget-Friendly Foods.”

Your challenge this month is to come up with a meal that is budget-friendly AND heart healthy…either using ingredients that don’t cost much (or perhaps you grew yourself?) or even ingredients where a little goes a long way. Be creative and share with us how you save money when you cook! What’s your go-to meal at the end of the month or before payday comes? What do you make when you have a lot of people to feed but not a lot of money?

After the round-up, we’ll all have a suite of meals that we can use to help stretch our budget next month…And who knows, maybe that extra money you’ve saved could go towards a trip later on in the summer or spent on a bushel of extra juicy peaches while they’re in season?

After you’ve made your meal and blogged about it, send me the link before midnight on Friday, July 31 at phillipslayden AT gmail DOT com and stay tuned for the round-up a few days later.

Remember that your entry should be low in saturated fats (lean meats and fish), be low in salt (sodium), and that you can be abundant with vegetables or fruit. If you want to get more information, check out the useful links in the right hand marginal. Please only use your entry for this event so that we can keep things centered on heart-healthy recipes.

Join The Party-June's HotM Roundup!

It's time for the HotM roundup, June's theme was The Best of June's Produce and we have got quite a few great entries as you can see. I will get going straight away, today is going to be one of those busy (and hot) days and people are beginning to trickle in so join the party, there's room for each and every one of you and the buffet table is full of food!

Murasaki Shikibu from Samurai Viking Cuisine who has made a refreshing and light Frozen Melon Smoothie for us to sip while we wait for every one to arrive! Easy to drink and even easier when you know it is good for you!

Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen has made a lovely Aspargus Pesto Rice, elegant and full of flavours. Personally I really like the asparagus-pesto combination so this is going to find its way to my plate!

Fish is so good for your heart and Labelga from Leafy Cooking has brought an incredible little salad-Young Herrin and Fresh Pea Salad that brings you goodness both for your tastebuds and your body!

Spelt berry, asparagus, and strawberry salad, doesn't that sound good? It is Katie of Eat This who has prepared this lovely summery dish and I'm sure there's enough for all of us!

Soma from eCurry has made an incredible Farinata with Grilled Vegetables and how can I resist that? I will try to leave some for you too! Maybe...

Mango Madness, an irresistible name for a mango salsa, Aparna the cook in My Diverse Kitchen has made this fresh dish and also gives us suggestions to what it is good to pair it with.

Why don't you take some of Marla's of Bella Baita View's tasty Italian Style Quinoa Salad, be quick because I have a feeling it will finish soon, I saw a lot of guests queing up for it!

But leave some space for my good friend and co-host Michelle's, The Accidental Scientist, Lemony Summer Pasta Salad, it is packed with hearty goodness!

And there is more to eat, Sandeepa brought Methi Rice or Rice with Fenugreek Greens from Bong Mom's CookBook, healthy and full of interesting flavours!

And now it is time for the sweets and desserts: we have a Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie which ingeniously uses Tapioca pearls in the filling. It is Deborah of Pure Mothers who has baked it for us!

Are you thirsty? Curry Leaf from Experiments, Emotions, Experiences with food has made us a fantastic Mango Pineapple Agua Fresca to refresh us with, after all this food we need that!

And how will you be able to resist to nibble on Yasmeen from Health Nut's incredible Blueberry Almond Butter-Oats Bars? I am sure that I will even though all this food has made full!

I brought Sweet Mint Couscous With Summer Berrie and Basil Sugar for us!

Now we have eaten and eaten well so this is the time to relax, chat and enjoy each others company - Thank You for joying the party. I hope to see you here soon again!