Ultimate Paella

Paella is a traditional Spanish dish from Valencia that consists of rice, peas, saffron, paprika, olive oil and chicken along with seafood such as shrimp,, mussels, clams, squid, etc.  The base of any good paella, or just about anything else :), is sofrito, a blend of garlic, onion and tomato, sautéed in olive oil. The really good thing about paella is that it is a naturally a healthy dish…even with the Chorizo, as often as you will make this dish, it’s ok. Paella is warming, delicious Spanish comfort food at its best, enjoy!

Total Time: 2 hr 30 min

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 1 whole chicken, about 3-4 pounds, skinned and cut into pieces (wings, thighs, breasts, etc)
• 1 dozen Littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• ½ pound baby squid
• 2 Spanish or Argentine chorizo sausages, thickly sliced
• 4 cups short grain brown rice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion, diced
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed and rough chopped
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1-15 ounce can no salt whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
• Himalayan sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 cups warm water
• Generous pinch of saffron threads
• 1 cup sweet peas (can use defrosted frozen peas or canned with no added salt. If you use canned, rinse them first)
• Lemon wedges, for garnish
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped (reserve 4 sprigs for plate garnish)

Equipment:

• Paella pan or large, wide and shallow skillet

Directions

·         Season the chicken with the paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and let sit, covered, for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

·         Heat oil in a paella pan over medium-high heat.

·         Saute the chorizo until browned, remove and reserve but keep the oil in the pan.

·         Add chicken and brown on all sides.

·         Add salt and freshly ground pepper.

·         When browned fully, remove the chicken from pan and reserve.

·         Sauté the onions, garlic, and parsley. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes on a medium heat.

·         Add tomatoes and cook down until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld to complete the sofrito.

·         Fold in the rice and stir-fry to coat the grains and toast a bit – 3 minutes.

·         Add the water and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid.

·         Return the chicken and chorizo and add the saffron, stirring to incorporate.

·         Add the clams, mussels, squid and shrimp, folding them into the rice. (The shrimp will take about 6-7 minutes to cook through. The clams and mussels are done when they open) 

**DISCARD ANY CLAMS OR MUSSELS THAT DO NOT OPEN!

·         Give the pan a good shake and let the paella simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente - about 15 minutes. 

            

     When the paella is cooked and the rice looks fluffy and moist, turn the heat up for 40 seconds until you can smell the rice toast at the bottom, then it's perfect. The ideal paella has a toasted rice bottom called socarrat.This means toasted, not burnt!

Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. Stir in peas and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Hearty-Healthy Quiche

For those of you that want a filling but healthy brunch on New Year's day, try this hearty but healthy quiche!

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes 

Ingredients (8 servings )

• Canola or Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage links, removed from casings
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 4 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 6 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted according to package directions
• 1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie pan with cooking spray.
2. Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl lined with paper towels. Coat the pan with cooking spray, add onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add spinach and stir until just wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the sausage; set aside.
3. Whisk eggs, egg whites, milk and pepper in a medium bowl.
4. Unroll phyllo onto a clean, dry surface. Cover with a sheet of wax paper and then a damp kitchen towel. Place one sheet of dough into the prepared pie pan, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining phyllo, spraying and sprinkling between each layer, turning each sheet at a 45° angle to cover the entire pan. Trim the phyllo edge with kitchen shears to be level with the rim of the pan. Spread the sausage mixture in an even layer on top of the phyllo; pour in the egg mixture and top with cheese.
5. Bake the quiche until the top is browned and the phyllo is crispy, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Tips & Notes

• Thaw frozen phyllo in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight before preparing the recipe.

Nutrition

Per serving: 236 calories; 9 g fat ( 3 g sat , 3 g mono ); 153 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein; 2 g fiber; 543 mg sodium; 289 mg potassium.

Ring in the New Year Right!

Well, it's the end of the holiday season and the year and I don't know about you, but I'm still full from the holiday feasting…and a bit tired from all the shopping, guests, etc that goes along with the holidays…but (don’t you just hate that word ) we still have one more rather important party to get on with! I don’t know about you but I want to welcome in the New Year sharing a good time, some laughs, good food and drink with my friends, but I also want to relax and feel comfortable and not rushed. So, I'm going to plan a simple New Year's Eve party, and I'm going to show you how you can do the same.

First and foremost, this will be an informal gathering…no dinner, just drinks and hors d'oeuvres and a good time. No need to set a dress code or anything like that, just tell your guests what you’re planning as far as food goes and let them come as they are. 

Anyway, let’s get to the food. I plan on serving just a few hors d'oeuvres that really pack flavor into small packages. First up, my Spinach & Feta Puff Pastry , also called Spanakopita. This is a light, flaky and delicately delicious combination of spinach, feta cheese, garlic and pine nuts, all wrapped up in puff pastry or phyllo dough. It is extremely easy to make and bakes in 15 minutes. I would suggest doing all the prep beforehand, up to wrapping the pastries. If you do create the pastry beforehand you MUST keep them refrigerated right up until you place them in the oven to bake!

The second hors d'oeuvre will be my Crab Mousse , another light delight that can be served with either whole-grain crackers or atop a slice of cucumber…or even tucked in a leaf of endive. However you decide to present this creamy, delicious mousse, it will be a huge hit, trust me!

Keeping with the seafood theme of the crab mousse, the third item offered up with be my Thai Lemon Shrimp. This sweet and spicy shrimp will surprise your guests with its complex yet complimenting flavors of sweet coconut and brown sugar bouncing off the spicy chili sauce…a crowd pleaser for sure!

Next, I’m planning on serving my Caprese Sandwiches to cool down and chill out from the spiciness of the Thai shrimp. These delicate yet delicious sandwiches are so simple to make, let you 8 year old daughter help you :) A simple slice of tomato is coupled with provolone cheese and fresh basil, complimented by my Veganaise , a healthy, light vegetarian mayo that is surprisingly like its heavier, unhealthy mayo cousin.

I also want to include a salad of some kind so I’ve decided to go with my Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato and Feta salad. This is another dish that is so simple to make that you can re-hire your children to help put it together. Chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese is tossed with a simple olive oil and lemon dressing…healthy, light, clean and delicious!

Of course you have to offer something sweet as well, so I’ve opted to serve two desserts.: my Italian Hazelnut Cookies , crispy, sweet cookies made from toasted hazelnut, sugar and vanilla and my Antioxidant Fruit Salad, a simple mix of mango, blueberries and pomegranate, delicious, bright and full of anti-oxidant goodness to start the recuperation phase and help avoid the “day after” side effects of ringing in your new year.

That’s it…simple yet elegantly healthy food that will have your guests talking about this party for weeks to come…but wait! There’s more! The final item that is an absolute must for after-party eating…and the very best hangover cure that I’ve ever experienced…Ceviche! Yes, I said ceviche. This final dish should be served either right before your guests leave for the night or, if you’re like me and the party goes on until early the next morning, for breakfast! Trust me when I tell you that you will thank me for recommending this wonderful dish as the final touch to a perfect evening…the Pièce de résistance if you will.

So, here's wishing for you the very best, happy and healthy new year! Don’t drink and drive…stay safe and healthy this new year!

Mental Health - Live Creatively Maladjusted

Dr. Patch Adams, Chairperson of the International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment.

From earliest childhood, parents and other well-meaning adults instruct us on how to behave, what to do and say, how to avoid problems with others, cultivate good manners and relationships. As we become a little older, these early instructors are joined by fashion and makeup designers, the media and the advertising industry who tell us just how and who to be in order to gain the approval of others. All of this is supposed to help us navigate through life without emotional pain —“to assure your ego’s survival and protection from getting hurt.” In other words, all of these well-meant efforts are geared towards our ego, but what about our Spirit?

We must distinguish between living from personality (ego) and living from character (Spirit). The word “personality” comes from the Latin word “persona,” a word that denoted the mask worn by actors. When we live from our personality or ego, we move through life based on acceptance by our peers, following the latest trends, looking for happiness that can be extracted from our experiences; when things get emotionally challenging or don’t feel safe, the personality-driven person will panic. And living from personality is “an agreement with mediocrity.”

The word “character” on the other hand represents our innate strengths and virtues. It is related to the French word “caractère” and means “imprint on the soul”. While our personality is the façade that we tend to display to the world, “character is revealed when the mask is removed.” When we live from character, we move through life even-minded; happiness is an inherent quality of our life, regardless of the situations in which we may find ourselves. The International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment is about developing and displaying character instead of ego 24/7/365.

Are your own core values determining your life or are you driven by fashion and trends, being accepted by others, being cool? Have you made a conscious decision about what is running you? Do you serve the world, or do you expect the world to serve you? Living from character means living in integrity with your true and divine nature. In Martin Luther King’s terminology, living from character means being a thermostat instead of a thermometer — while the thermometer merely reflects what is, the thermostat sets the status quo. Living from our true character means contributing to the improvement of our civilization, coming from compassion versus judgment.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his address to the American Psychological Association in 1967, urged "Creative Maladjustment" as the appropriate behavioral response to life in an unjust society.

Compliance with the norm of social injustice is problematic, Dr. King noted. But one can abide in a wholesome and justifiable position in the face of injustice through creative maladjustment, by which he meant a commitment to upholding the values of freedom and dignity for all.

Every great man in history dared to be different and put up with scorn and ridicule from people who were going through life based on personality. All these contributors to the betterment of civilization have been (or are) nonconformists and are “creatively maladjusted.

Living creatively maladjusted means two things. The first is the courage to defy society’s standards and step out of the stale conformist’s role and entertaining “new ways of being in the world” since it is our complete lack of creativity that keeps our world enmeshed in false fear, useless wars, greed and turmoil. Becoming creatively maladjusted opens the way towards a “genuinely civilized global society.

For more information on living creatively maladjusted or for information on how to join the International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment, go to http://www.mindfreedom.org/go/alt

Live healthy people!