Crock-Pot Cooking is Convenient Cooking

By Reston Hartsell and Tsz- Kiu Chui

September is the month of the year that gets us excited about fall. Temperature fluctuations have many, including myself, hopelessly optimistic about cooler temperatures, leaves changing colors, Labor Day festivities, and plenty of college football. Rather than looking forward to the sea of orange that fills Neyland Stadium on game day, others view September as the month prior to seasonal pumpkin treats (Starbucks fans rejoice!). While it is exciting to think all of the activities and festivities that occur during the month, it is worth mentioning that September runs the gauntlet for health awareness issues, such as Childhood Cancer Awareness; Blood Cancer Awareness; Ovarian Cancer Awareness; National Food Safety Education; Healthy Aging; National Childhood Obesity Awareness; Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN); and even National Yoga Awareness!

Your health, according to the World Health Organization, is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”1 To prevent disease, physically speaking, we all can do our part to eat our fair share of pumpkin treats (Kidding! Moderation is the key!). On a more serious note, taking care of our social well-being is key when we are stressed and overworked. When I need to decompress and reflect, I often reminisce about the fun times of playing Catch Phrase during the holidays or thinking of memories of staying up too late telling stories with friends. Of all places, the kitchen table was where these fun times occurred, and I often didn’t want to remove myself from the fun to cook or clean up the dishes. Yet, eating is a special event that allows us to further be in communion with those around us. If you should find yourself away from the table making a meal, why not try something easy like cooking with a crockpot?

If you are like me and want to find more time to be with your friends, while cooking at the same time, I recommend getting “crocky.” Yes, I’m creating a word, but stick with me for a moment. The art of getting “crocky” is the state of cooking in a crockpot (or slow cooker), while simultaneously enjoying one’s social environment, preferably in one’s home with or without a glass of wine. Crockpots are convenient, affordable, easy-to-use, and fun! There are numerous uses for crockpots that range from snack mixes to desserts. However, for the sake of our physical well-being, delicious nutritious crockpot cooking is key. If you are busy, tired and overwhelmed with work, crockpots may offer you an escape from the routine question of asking yourself, “What should I make for dinner?” Rocky Top, it is time to get “crocky!” Let’s make September the month to bring back the crockpots. Happy September, Crock Potters!

Caramelized Apple Slow Cooker Oatmeal

breakfast-pic1

Want a hot and ready-to-eat oatmeal for breakfast?  Try this recipe!  You can simply make this before you go to bed and enjoy your freshly cooked oatmeal in the morning!

 

 

 

View recipe: http://nourishingjoy.com/caramelized-apple-slow-cooker-oatmeal/

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

 soup-pic2Craving for soup? You can make it as simple as this recipe.  More importantly, it’s easy and delicious!

 

 

View recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/89539/slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup/

Company Pot Roast

pot-roast-picYou can’t leave pot roast out when cooking with your crock pot!  This recipe might take a little more time for preparation in advance, but it’s going to be well worth it.

 

 

 

View Recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/company-pot-roast

Snack: Pumpkin Nutella Slow Cooker Granola

 pumpkin-nutella-picIt’s Fall! You got to have pumpkin! Try this easy recipe with your crackpot to make your own seasonal granola.

 

 

 

 

View Recipe: http://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/2014/10/22/nutella-pumpkin-slow-cooker-granola/

 

For More Crockpot Recipes Please Visit The Link Below:

http://greatist.com/eat/healthy-crock-pot-recipes-for-breakfast

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/top-rated-recipes/slow-cooker-favorites

  1. Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.

img_11373Reston Hartsell Contact
UT Knoxville

Reston is a graduate student in the Healthy Eating and Activity Laboratory. He received his Bachelor’s of Science in Health Sciences from Furman University in Greenville, SC. He is a dual graduate student seeking a Master’s of Science in Nutrition with a concentration in Public Health Nutrition and a Master’s of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Education. His hobbies include cooking, ceramics, tennis, and being outside.

headshot-22 Tsz- Kiu Chui Contact
UT Knoxville

Kiu is originally from Hong Kong and is currently a graduate student pursuing her Master’s of Science degree in Public Health Nutrition at UT.  She’s also a registered dietitian, who practiced in both clinical and community settings, with a passion to inspire people to enjoy healthy food.  When Kiu is not in school, she’s probably traveling, making Chinese food or playing volleyball.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

5 Recipes for Finding the Perfect Iced Tea

By Britton Sharp

As in the famous lyrics from Joni Mitchell, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” If my life had a soundtrack, that song would have been playing when I moved to Eastern Europe and had to bid farewell to the beloved beverage of my southern heritage.

Growing up, nothing tasted more like home than a glass of sweet iced tea from a Mason jar while sitting in a rocking chair. Rather than being defeated by the move overseas, this creative, transplanted southerner began to experiment to get just the right mix of home. I also discovered a few new recipes by adding a splash of fruit to my teas to go with the season.

My family’s last name is Sharp, but we’re a Lipton family when it comes to tea. I prefer Lipton for the classic tea experience. The recipes below come from several years of trial and error (I left out the error recipes), culminating in what my friends now refer to as “B’s Teas.”

I hope you enjoy them!

Classic Southern TeaClassic Southern Tea
Don’t mess with a good thing!
*Ingredients: Lipton tea bags (family size or individual), Optional: Sugar

  • Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add one, family size Lipton tea bag or four, individual Lipton tea bags.
  • Turn down the heat. Let the tea simmer until it’s a nice mahogany brown color. (Note: The darker the tea, the stronger the flavor.)
  • For sweet tea, add your preferred amount of sugar to a serving pitcher. (Note: Sugar In The Raw will give you a slightly earthier flavor, while regular granulated sugar will produce the usual, classic taste.)
  • Mix the tea into the serving pitcher—preferably over the kitchen sink—while the tea is still hot.
  • Place the finished tea in the fridge to cool. (Note: Tea must be stored in the fridge. If left too long in the sun or at room temperature, it will take on a slightly fermented flavor.)

Peach TeaPeach Tea
Great for summer parties.

*Ingredients: 8 bags Twinings English Breakfast Tea (red box), 1 to 2 quarts peach juice (usually found in juice aisle) and fresh or frozen sliced peaches, Optional: Sugar

  • Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add tea bags.
  • Turn down the heat. Let the tea simmer until it’s a nice walnut brown color, slightly darker than mahogany.
  • In a serving pitcher, mix peach juice to taste. For sweet tea, also add sugar to taste.
  • Pour the tea into the serving pitcher while the tea is still hot.
  • Place the finished tea in the fridge to cool. The longer the tea chills, the better it will taste so it is best if made the night before or a few hours ahead of time.
  • Before serving, add some frozen peaches to the pitcher or serving cups.

Blueberry TeaBlueberry Tea
Great for July 4, late summer or early fall parties.

*Ingredients: 8 bags Twinings English Breakfast Tea (red box), 1 to 2 quarts blueberry juice (usually found in juice aisle) and frozen or fresh blueberries, Optional: Sugar

  • Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add tea bags.
  • Turn down the heat. Let the tea simmer until it’s a nice walnut brown color, slightly darker than a mahogany.
  • In a serving pitcher, mix blueberry juice to taste. For sweet tea, also add sugar to taste.
  • Mix the tea into the serving pitcher while the tea is still hot.
  • Place the finished tea in the fridge to cool.
  • Before serving, add some frozen blueberries to the pitcher or serving cups.

Apple TeaApple Tea
Great for fall or winter parties.

*Ingredients: 4 bags Twinings English Breakfast Tea (red box), 4 bags Twinings Chai Spiced Tea (red box), 1 to 2 quarts apple juice, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and apple slices, Optional: Sugar

  • Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add Twinings English Breakfast tea bags and Twinings Chai Spiced tea bags.
  • Turn down the heat. Let the tea simmer until it’s a nice mahogany brown color. (Note: The darker the tea, the stronger the flavor. The apple tea recipe can handle a slightly stronger tea flavor than the classic tea recipe.)
  • In a serving pitcher, mix apple juice to taste. For sweet tea, also add sugar to taste.
  • Mix the tea into the serving pitcher while the tea is still hot.
  • This tea can be served cold or hot.
  • For a spiced flavor, add cinnamon sticks and a pinch of nutmeg before serving. Lightly coat some apple slices with lemon juice to prevent them from browning too quickly. Add apples to the tea.

Orange TeaOrange Tea
Great for late fall, winter or early spring parties.

*Ingredients: 8 bags Twinings Lady Gray Tea (blue box), 1 to 2 quarts pulp-free or low-pulp orange juice and orange slices

  • Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add tea bags. Lady Gray tea has hints of citrus that complement the orange juice.
  • Turn down the heat. Let the tea simmer until it’s a nice walnut brown color.
  • In a serving pitcher, mix pulp-free or low-pulp orange juice to taste.
  • Mix the tea into the serving pitcher while the tea is still hot.
  • You may chill this tea in the fridge or serve it hot.
  • Before serving, add some orange slices to the pitcher or serving cups.

Britton Sharp HeadshotBritton Sharp Website Contact
UT Knoxville, Campus Ministers Council, Collegiate Abbey

Britton is an artist, writer, gardener, husband and father. When he isn’t chasing toddlers with his wife, Brooks, you can find Britton writing in a coffee shop or water color painting downtown. As vice president of the Campus Ministers Council and director of Collegiate Abbey, he works to provide self-care resources to UT Knoxville faculty and staff.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

A Trial-By-Error Smoothie and Juice Adventure

By Lili’a Uili Neville

I love Netflix binges. I am a sucker for binging on documentaries because I rationalize that learning new things justifies spending an entire Sunday afternoon glued to the couch.

About three years ago, my husband and I had a weekend where we binged on food-related documentaries. Of the numerous ones we watched, “No Impact Man: The Documentary,” “Forks Over Knives,” and “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” were our favorites. While I highly recommend all three, “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead sparked a smoothie and juice adventure in our kitchen.

The documentary follows an Australian man as he travels across the United States. He juice fasts for 60 days and then adopts a plant-based diet. We had never made smoothies or juices but were inspired to give them a shot.

To Include or Not to Include Fiber

We didn’t have a blender or juicer and really didn’t even know the difference, so our journey began with research.

We found that blenders don’t filter anything out. Everything that goes into the blender ends up in the juice or smoothie. Juicers pulverize whatever you put in and separate solids from liquids, so only the juice comes out.

There really isn’t a definitive answer about whether blending or juicing is better. In my opinion, it’s best to do some research on blending versus juicing and make a decision based on your dietary needs or preference. My husband needs a high-fiber diet, so we opted for the blender. Plus, I have a beverage preference for frozen margaritas!

Vitamix was the most highly recommended blender at the time—and probably still is—but was out of our price range. The Ninja brand of blenders had great reviews, too, and my husband’s coworker vouched for its quality and reliability.

Ninja Mega Kitchen System
Ninja Mega Kitchen System

I waited patiently for a sale and finally bought a Ninja Mega Kitchen System. I chose the kitchen system over other models because it has a built-in food processor and includes a 72-ounce blender pitcher, eight-cup food processor bowl and two, 16-ounce blender cups.

 

 

The adventure really began once we got the blender. We began by blending random veggies and fruits and forcing ourselves to drink every gross concoction we produced.

That was a bad idea that led to a lot of gagging—but also a lot of laughing!

Eventually, our trial-by-error method produced recipes that actually tasted good. But I really don’t recommend this hit-or-miss approach. I’m a big Pinterest user and recommend the site for finding smoothie and juice recipes. You can find healthy smoothies for breakfast, juice recipes for detox, smoothie ingredient “formulas,” or follow a juice and smoothie board.

Protein Smoothie Recipe

As a vegetarian and distance runner, I’m very mindful of my protein intake. I need to consume at least 60 grams of protein—especially on long-run days—so I have to be intentional about replenishing lost nutrients.

My smoothies always include a scoop of Garden of Life Raw Organic Chocolate Protein Powder. I like this brand because it’s vegan and better tasting than other protein powders I’ve tried. If you don’t need the extra protein, you can skip it or swap it for another supplement, such as flax or chia seed.

Ingredients:
1 banana
15 ounces plain Greek yogurt (Peach and strawberry are also yummy)
8 ounces Soy milk (Any type of milk is fine)
1 scoop Garden of Life Raw Organic Chocolate Protein Powder
2 to 4 ice cubes

Directions:
Put all ingredients in a 16 ounce blender cup. Blend. (Makes a 16-ounce smoothie drink.)

Veggie Juice Recipe

My husband loves chicken fingers, Taco Bell, Philly Cheese steaks and basically all unhealthy foods. He eats a vegetarian and (mostly) clean-eating diet at home, but he always splurges on meat and a deep-fried something-or-other side when we eat out. Since he’s prone to indulging in unhealthy foods, he likes to make veggie juices to ensure he’s getting essential vitamins—before he demolishes a large french fry.

He drinks each 72-ounce batch within 24 to 36 hours because there are no preservatives. Therefore, the juice can spoil. You can add most any veggies to this drink, but I caution against tomatoes, broccoli and carrots because the taste and/or texture gets funky. The sweetness of the apple and pineapple juice offsets the veggie flavors, so you don’t need to add honey, agave nectar or other sugar or sweeteners. Also, use natural apple juice and pineapple juice to avoid high-fructose corn syrup.

Ingredients:
1 banana
1 washed Romaine heart (can swap for kale)
1 washed green or yellow squash (or both if they are small)
1 washed cucumber
Apple Juice
Pineapple Juice

Directions:
Put all ingredients in a 72-ounce blender pitcher. (You may need to give the veggies a rough chop to fit them into the blender.) Fill the pitcher ¾ full with apple juice. Fill the remaining space in the blender with pineapple juice. Blend. (Makes 72 ounces of veggie juice.)

An Ongoing Adventure

Blending smoothies or juice is now a staple in our weekly meal plan. Sometimes I toss in a random fruit or veggie just for kicks, but mainly we stick to our trusted recipes or new ideas from Pinterest. I hope you’re inspired to give them a try, too!


 

Lili'a HeadshotLili’a Uili Neville Contact
UT Knoxville

Lili’a Uili Neville is a runner, environmentalist and health nut. Lili’a is the communications director in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity at UT Knoxville. When she’s not at work, she is underestimating how long it will take her to complete a craft project, telling funny stories about her dog and cat or having a classy date night with her husband.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

You are What You Eat—And What it Eats, Too

A Crash Course on Clean Eating

By Lili’a Uili Neville

I am Samoan, and in general, we have a reputation for being quite large people—think Dwayne Johnson, formerly known as “The Rock.”

In all seriousness, present day Samoans have startling obesity and diabetes rates.

From what I understand of the research, as Samoans and other Oceanic peoples explored the Pacific Ocean, their metabolism adapted to store fats for longer periods of time to sustain them until they reached land. Present day Samoans still have this metabolism but no longer have open-ocean voyages that utilize the stored fat.

Me with my Samoan relatives in 2009.
Me with my Samoan relatives in 2009.

I often joke that if I look at a piece of cake, I gain five pounds. But I joke to mask the reality.

My recent family history includes widespread cholesterol problems, morbid obesity and adult-onset diabetes resulting in death.

Since I have to be very careful about what I eat, I’ve tried all sorts of diets and eating habits. It was about two years ago when I realized eating right requires intention and commitment.

As I became more intentional about my food choices, I found the clean eating lifestyle.

Clean eating means that you only consume food with zero or minimal amounts of processing.

Switching to a clean eating lifestyle may mean your typical food options will become limited, which can be overwhelming and hard. But for me, it’s been the right approach.

If you’re interested in learning more, I’ve included some tips, recommendations, recipes and even my weekly grocery list to help you get started.

Tip #1: If it comes in a sealed package, stay clear. There are exceptions, but it’s an easy standard to remember.

8 Recommendations for Clean Eating

1) Sweets: Don’t eat them.
If you’re eating clean, you’re not eating white flour or white sugar, and that’s the foundation of almost every sweet. Instead, try clean baking at home by using almond flour, honey, maple syrup, molasses or agave nectar.

2) Condiments: Look at the ingredients.
If it doesn’t use high-fructose corn syrup, it probably uses white sugar. Neither qualify for eating clean. Like clean baking, you can make clean condiments to use at home.

3) Drinks: Almost all drinks are not clean.
Stick to water, coffee, tea and herbal infusions instead.

4) Proteins: You are what you eat—and what it eats, too.
Corn-fed animals, hot dogs, sausages, hams and sandwich meats are not clean. As an alternative, purchase whole meats straight from a butcher. The animal itself should be the only ingredient. For ground meats, most butchers will freshly grind meat you select from their store.

If you’re a vegetarian, clean proteins can be slightly more difficult to consume because meat substitutes are highly processed. My personal clean protein go-tos are eggs (I have two every morning) and beans. When it comes to actually substituting for meat, I prefer beans and tofu instead of processed veggie burgers, meatless crumbles, “chik” fingers, etc. Tofu is processed soy milk but it is still considered to be a clean protein. To replace veggie burgers, I make black bean burgers from scratch. To replace meatless crumbles, I use my day-old black bean burgers and stir-fry them so they are slightly crunchy. When it comes to “chik” products, I have spent a substantial amount of time and energy learning the secret to breading and baking/frying tofu. The trick is soaking the tofu in salt water for 10-15 minutes before patting dry and using cornstarch in your breading.

5) Fruits and Vegetables: Raw vegetables are your best friend.
Be careful with fruit because natural sugars are unhealthy when eaten in excess.

Fruits and Veggies

6) Fats and Oils: Butter is clean and fairly healthy as long as you don’t eat it in excess. Use oils sparingly because they aren’t very healthy. Your typical oils like vegetable or canola are not clean, but olive and coconut oils are clean.

7) Grains: Avoid packaged breads at home and in restaurants.
Whole grain, packaged bread will use clean ingredients like whole-wheat flour and water but also use unclean ingredients like sugar, juice concentrates, milk and a variety of preservatives.

Tip #2: If you want to eat bread, consume local artisan bread because the processing will be substantially less.

Truly, bread isn’t the problem. Whole wheat, almond and other whole-grain flours are clean. The problem is with white flour. This is where clean eating hurts me the most. No packaged breads or white flour means no sandwiches, subs, buns, crackers, chips, cereal, granola bars, pasta, noodles, pizza, calzone, pita and basically everything we like to eat because the American diet is based on grains.

I get my bread fix by eating starchy tubers and whole grains. I eat a potato almost every day at breakfast. Getting that big starch portion first thing in the morning helps me avoid bread at lunch. At dinner, I typically cook with basmati, jasmine, brown and long grain rice.

8) Restaurants: Clean eating problems typically arise at restaurants.
However, most chain and upscale restaurants will have clean meat or fish options and whole food sides, like rice, baked potatoes (no fries!) and vegetables.

Fast-food restaurants are problematic—but not impossible. I recommend starting with the salad options. Pick off the croutons and forgive yourself for the cheese and dressing.

To be completely honest, I have a hard time eating salads from fast-food restaurants. I’m really picky about lettuce. Like, really picky. If you can’t bear to eat a fast-food salad, most places have apple slices or fruit cups on their sides menu that will hold you over until you can find clean food.

 Tip #3: Wendy’s restaurants have a variety of baked potato options.

Getting Started at the Grocery Store

After getting your fill of produce, add these clean items to your cart:

  • Unsweetened almond, soy, coconut milk or creamer
  • Honey
  • Greek yogurt
  • Organic eggs
  • Tofu
  • Beans (Black, garbanzo, kidney, navy)
  • Whole nuts (Almonds, peanuts, cashews)
  • Rice or nut crackers
  • Rice (Brown, long grain, wild)
  • Oats
  • Quinoa
  • Whole-wheat flour

Always check ingredients on packaged foods, but a few brands are pretty trustworthy:

  • Trader Joe’s
  • Kroger’s Simply Truth Organic
  • Earth Balance
  • Blue Diamond

2 New Recipes to Try for Whole Grain Salads


Lili'a Uili NevilleLili’a Uili Neville  Contact
UT Knoxville

Lili’a Uili Neville is a runner, environmentalist and health nut. Lili’a is the communications director in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity at UT Knoxville. When she’s not at work, she is underestimating how long it will take her to complete a craft project, telling funny stories about her dog and cat or having a classy date night with her husband.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Recipe: Healthy Shrimp Scampi

By Dr. Gloria Browning

Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons butter

Instructions
Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta thoroughly.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes. Turn shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

Add garlic to the saucepan and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add lemon juice if desired, and parsley, salt and pepper. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add butter and cooked shrimp. Toss until shrimp are coated with sauce.

Divide pasta among warmed individual bowls. Top each serving with shrimp and sauce. Serve immediately.


Recommended by Dr. Gloria Browning  Contact
Associate Professor, Department of Nursing
UT Martin

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Recipe: Paleo Chicken Parmesan

By Dr. Mace Coday

Sauce:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2, 28 ounce (800 ml) cans of tomato puree
1, 16 ounce (475 ml) can crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 cup water

Chicken:
2 pounds of chicken thighs
1 and 1/2 cups almond flour
6 tablespoons coconut oil
3 eggs
2 tablespoons butter (or ghee)
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Instructions
Cook onions and garlic in oil until tender, about five minutes. Add in the rest of the sauce ingredients, mix well and bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes. Cover after five minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. In a bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix well. Dredge each piece of chicken, first in the dry mix, then eggs, then dry mix again. Carefully place each piece of chicken in the frying pan with the butter or ghee and fry until golden brown, or about three minutes on each side. Remove chicken from the pan and set it aside.

Pour your sauce into the frying pan. Heat the sauce to a simmer and then add the chicken back into the pan on top of the sauce. Simmer for another five minutes, then cover and cook in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Remove the cover after 10 minutes. If you want to add mozzarella cheese slices, this is the time to do it. Place one on each piece of chicken. Cook uncovered for another 10 minutes.


Recommended by Dr. Mace Coday  Contact
Professor, Preventive Medicine and Psychiatry
UT Health Science Center

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Recipe: Baked Vegetables

By Melissa Powell

Ingredients
2 yellow squash, sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper, to taste, optional
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Instructions
Combine the squash, zucchini and tomatoes in a bowl; toss to mix. Add the olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper; toss to coat. Spread one-third of the vegetables in a baking dish and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat the layers two more times. Bake, covered with foil, at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Serves 4.


Recommended by Melissa Powell  Contact
UT Chattanooga
Clinical Instructor, Lecturer and Registered Dietician, Department of Health and Human Performance

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Recipe: Julie’s Cauliflower Patties

By Julie Floyd

Ingredients
1/4 cup finely diced onion (optional)
1 head cauliflower, finely chopped, cooked and drained well
1 cup panko crumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Dash of hot sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Mix 1/2 cup panko, the egg and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Add Worcestershire, mustard and hot sauce. Fold the cooked, chopped cauliflower into the panko mixture. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Shape into patties, and cook until crispy golden brown.


Recommended by Julie Floyd  Contact
UT Martin
Associate Professor, Department of Nursing

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Recipe: Fruity and Nutty Whole Grain Cereal

By Rebecca Krukowksi

Ingredients
6 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup of oat bran
1 cup of wheat germ
1/2 cup of ground pecans
1/2 cup of ground walnuts
1/2 cup of sliced or slivered almonds
1/2 cup of flaxseed
1/3 cup of sesame seeds
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
3/4 cup of honey or molasses
3/4 cups of oil (any type other than olive oil)
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of any combination of dried fruit (chopped if needed)

Instructions
Combine oats, oat bran, wheat germ, nuts and seeds in a bowl or pan with high sides. Mix well and set aside. Combine honey/molasses, oil, cinnamon and vanilla in a measuring cup. Pour over the oat mixture. Toss until well blended.

Microwave on 50% power (don’t miss this or you will burn your cereal) for 10 minutes. Stir well and microwave again on 50% power for 10 minutes. Cool. Add dried fruit. Store in refrigerator in air-tight container.


Recommended by Rebecca Krukowksi  Contact
Assistant Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine
UT Health Science Center

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.