Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Whoops, I forgot to write about the last two weeks.  That being said, I'm sad to see the show end. I feel anxious that the "revolution" will stop in it's tracks. I am hearing rumors that the schools have gone back to their old ways (which we kind of saw in the last episode), but I hope that's not true. I shudder to think my daughter will be attending school and possibly be trading her friends her wholesome, healthy meals for cheap, processed chemical-crap. YUCK.


I think Jamie Oliver and all involved had great intentions, great ideas, and I do hope they have inspired people.  If nothing else, the show provided a great eye-opening experience for my husband and I and opened up many great conversations between us.

I really hope a follow up episode and possibly a spin-off tv show develop in the future!

Make Your Own: Smashed Potatoes

Photo: © David Loftus 2009

This recipe is a new twist on an old family favorite. Leave the skins on the potatoes for added nutrition.

Ingredients:

Smashed Potatoes

• 2 1/4 pounds potatoes
• Splash of milk
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sprig fresh rosemary
• Olive oil

Directions:

Scrub your potatoes clean, cut them in half, and put them into a pan of salted, boiling water. Boil for about 10 minutes until tender. Stick a knife into them to check they're soft all the way through. Drain in a colander and return them to the pan. Add the milk, butter, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mash until smooth and creamy, adding another splash of milk if necessary. Pick a rosemary leaves off the woody stalk and lightly push them into the potato. You can drizzle with a little olive oil, or use olive oil instead of butter.

This recipe is taken from Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion). © Jamie Oliver, 2009

Thanks, Oprah.

Make Your Own: Chicken Nuggets

I have two great chicken nugget recipes to share with you. Once comes from our awesome reader, Jacki.  The second is from Jamie Oliver.



"Crispy Chicken Bites"
From The Eat-Clean Diet for Family and Kids: Simple Strategies for Lasting Health and Fitness

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 oz. each)
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Pinch garlic powder
1/2 cup water or low-sodium chicken stock
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Prep:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400
2. cut chicken into nugget-sized pieces (about 1 1/2 inch squares)
3. Combine all dry ingredients in a large container with a tight fitting lid (this is coating mixture)
4. Combine water/stock and egg in a medium bowl. Dip each chicken piece in water/stock/egg mixture then place in coating mixture
5. Be sure each piece is well coated
6. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 100    Cals from fat: 32  Fat: 3.5 g   Saturated fat: 0.5 g
Trans fat: 0g      Protein: 12g            Carbs: 7g       Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sodium: 370mg      Cholesterol: 0mg



Though this recipe is called crunchy garlic chicken, it was presented on Oprah as homemade chicken nuggets.  Basically the only difference is, you slice chicken into 1cm wide slices.

I don't recall him specifically using crackers on Oprah- he presented them as bread crumbs, so you could make your own or use what's in your pantry.

Crunchy Garlic Chicken

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lemon
• 6 cream or plain crackers , such as Jacob's
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 4 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 heaping Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg , preferably free-range or organic
• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets , preferably free-range or organic
• Olive oil

Directions:

To prepare your chicken: Peel the garlic and zest the lemon. Put your crackers into a food processor with the butter, garlic, parsley sprigs, lemon zest and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whiz until the mixture is very fine, then pour these crumbs on to a plate. Sprinkle the flour on to a second plate. Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork. Lightly score the underside of the chicken breasts. Put a square of plastic wrap over each one and bash a few times with the bottom of a pan until the breasts flatten out a bit. Dip the chicken into the flour until both sides are completely coated, then dip into the egg and finally into the flavored crumbs. Push the crumbs on to the chicken breasts so they stick—you want the meat to be totally coated.


To cook your chicken: You can either bake or fry the chicken. If baking, preheat your oven to its highest temperature (475°), place your chicken on a sheet pan and cook for 15 minutes. If frying, put a frying pan on a medium heat, add a few good lugs of olive oil and cook the chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through, golden and crisp.

To serve your chicken: Either serve the chicken breasts whole, or cut them into strips and pile them on a plate. Beautiful and simple served with a lemon wedge for squeezing over, and a tiny sprinkling of salt. Great with a lovely fresh salad or simply dressed veggies.

This recipe is taken from Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals

Thanks Oprah.

Food Revolution: Week Three

My favorite part: 
Okay, are you serious?! The flash mob dance scene was fabulous! If you don't know too much about me, I danced when I was young (tap & jazz) and also was on dance team in college (Go Griffins!).  I love dance, I love musicals, and you better bet your bottom dollar I love bollywood street dance scenes!!!

Jamie made a bet with the local dj~ he thought he could teach 1,000 people to cook in only five days.  In order to tap into a large amount of people in a short amount of time, Jamie decided to get students at Marshall University involved by creating a "flash mob" to spread the word.


Pure glorious-ness (yes, that's now a word, I have powers like that).

If you're in google reader, click over to the blog, you MUST see this.




I was surprised that:
Jamie took the radio DJ to a funeral home to see just how badly obesity can affect people, even after their lives have ended.  I had no idea caskets were made so large, and that you have to purchase two cemetery plots if you are that large.

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Go Jamie! Go Local Government!
I was impressed that the mayor and state governor showed up to support Jamie's Kitchen.  Let's hope the momentum sticks.

Looking forward:
Can't wait to watch tonight's episode, but playoff hockey is taking presidence;)





Tell me your thoughts, I'd love to hear them!



Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Pantry Must Haves

Did you enjoy the kitchen essential list I posted a few days ago?  Well Jamie Oliver is at it again.  Check out this list:

Pantry Essentials

Whole grain mustard Extra-virgin olive oil Sesame oil White wine vinegar Bread flour Whole wheat flour Baking powder Dried yeast Superfine sugar Brown sugar Confectioner's sugar Unsweetened cocoa powder Chow mein noodles Canned cannellini beans Canned kidney beans Canned tuna Canned coconut milk Anchovies Quick-cook couscous Basmati rice Brown rice Oatmeal

Honey Maple syrup Almonds/hazelnuts or mixed nuts Mixed seeds Chicken, vegetable and beef broth stock cubes Jarred pesto Ketchup Tabasco sauce Mayonnaise Dijon mustard English mustard Olive oil Canola oil Red wine vinegar Balsamic vinegar All-purpose flour Cornstarch Dried pasta Canned garbanzo beans Canned tomatoes Baking powder Soy sauce Worcestershire sauce Plain crackers—unsalted saltines

SPICES Ground cinnamon Chile powder Dried oregano Ground cumin Ground coriander Curry powder Smoked paprika Five-spice powder Sea salt Black peppercorns This is pretty concrete and I'm pleased to say I have most of them! How about you? Do you have most of these? Did he miss any?

What Do You NEED in Your Kitchen?

Okay, by now, you must know that Jamie Oliver is right up there with Dr. Oz on my list of fabulous people.  Oprah has several articles about/by Jamie Oliver and I particularly liked this one...

Which do you have? Are there any things that he missed? Are any of these non-essentials?

Photo: Thinkstock ©2010

Kitchen Equipment List

Stuff to Buy Right Now:
Extra-large, nonstick frying pan
Set of thick-bottomed saucepans (large, medium, small)
Good, sturdy sheet pans
Nest of mixing bowls
Knives (chef's knife, serrated carving knife, small paring knife)
Can opener
Speed (vegetable) peeler
Pestle and mortar
Weighing scales and measuring cups
Large colander
Large measuring cup
Box grater/Microplane grater

Stuff You Can Pick Up Later:
Large grill pan
Extra-large casserole pan or dutch oven
Wok
Metal tongs
Wooden spoons
Metal whisk
Potato masher
Ladle, slotted spoon and slotted turner
Plastic spatula
Rolling pin
Strainers
Salad spinner
Thick, sturdy wooden chopping board and a small plastic chopping board
Food processor

Food Revolution: Week Two

I figure I'd better post about week two before week THREE airs tonight!

My favorite part: 
Love, love, love the idea to have high school students cook for and speak to state senators and other bigwigs in the local government.  What is more moving than hearing real stories from our youth?  It's so easy to be removed from reality and Jamie had the perfect plan to let the students' voice be heard.

I thought it was cool that the kids actually cooked for the guests, all the while, the guests thought they were eating food cooked by a famous chef. Sneaky, sneaky, Jamie!


I was surprised by:
Jamie being so taken by the young boy who has anger management issues, and it made my love for him become even more solidified. He seems truly caring toward these students~ and that shows in his actions, not just his words.


Go Jamie! Go Alice!
Peace out, french fries, and please, please, America, STOP COUNTING FRIES AS VEGGIES!!!!!!!!

::steps off soap box::

I feel like Alice,  the "lunch lady" is beginning to soften up a bit. I can't blame her for being resistent, she has a job to do, and he is rocking her very being at that school.

Looking forward:
Tonight's episode looks really good~ he takes the radio DJ to the local funeral home to show plus-sized coffins. I had not idea these existed, but when you think about it, of course they would.  What a creative way to bring the message home.




Tell me your thoughts, I'd love to hear them!



Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Two Awesome TV Shows

Wow, chef Jamie Oliver is really tackling the obesity epidemic.  He has two shows coming out soon that focus on both meals at home and at school.

The first show premieres tomorrow night on abc--Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Set your dvr for 8pm for a two hour special.  From ABC's website:

Jamie is inviting viewers to take a stand and change the way America eats, in our home kitchens, schools and workplaces with the thought-provoking new series, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, which has a special sneak preview SUNDAY, MARCH 21 10|9c on ABC, followed by a 2-hour premiere on FRIDAY MARCH 26 8|7c.

In the six-part series, Jamie heads to Huntington, West Virginia. Why? Well, Huntington has been called the unhealthiest city in America. Jamie wants to do something about that. Through his efforts in this one town, he hopes to start a chain reaction of positive change across the country.




Awesome. My dvr is set!!!  My sister told me about another show coming up also by Jamie Oliver on TLC: Jamie's School Lunch Project.  We actually had a funny conversation about the new shows--


D-Did you hear about the new show by that chef...Jamie Oliver?
C-Yea! This week on ABC?
D-No, it's on in May on TLC.
C- What? The one where he goes to people's homes?
D-No, what? He's taking over school lunches.

HA! Little did we know there were TWO shows!

Will you be watching tomorrow night? I am psyched!

In searching for a photo for this post, I came across this book by Jamie Oliver. I might have to check this one out!





[If you're in google reader, click over to the blog to see it.]