Author Archives: Chef Julie RD

Lemon Vinaigrette

30 minutes or less, Cooking Tips, Dairy Free, Dietary, Dips, Sauces & Spreads, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Make ahead, Nut Free, Recipes, Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian

February 19, 2019 by Chef Julie RD

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Brighten any salad, grain, or vegetable dish with this simple lemon vinaigrette. Made with ingredients you probably already have on hand, simply whip this up in a mason jar.

I don’t think people realize how EASY it is to make a homemade dressing. The most basic vinaigrette recipe is mixing an acid and a base. Then just add seasonings you enjoy. Simply pour ingredients into a mason jar and shake away. Your dressing is made! How easy was that? Plus, making it in a mason jar is ready to store any leftovers.

If you want to go beyond the basics, use this guide to build your own vinaigrette.

Create a homemade vinaigrette

Choose your acid:

This can be in the form of vinegar or citrus juice. Pick something that matches with your salad mix-ins. Opt for a sweet acid like white wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, or an orange juiced, for salads that have fruit.

Try acids like apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, or other citrus juices.

Tip: Think about the components of your salad. If you have a salad with bright colors, avoid darker vinegar. Once the salad is dressed, those bright vibrant colors will look muddy. Remember – we eat with our eyes first!

Choose your base:

The base is oil. Use good quality oil. This can be a simple olive oil or fancy garlic and rosemary-infused walnut oil. Again think about the components of your salad. If there are avocados in your salad, why not try avocado oil?

Try oils like olive oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, pumpkin seed oil, hazelnut oil, or other flavor-infused oils.

Add seasonings:

If you are new to making dressings, simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing with a pinch of salt and pepper will work just fine. Once you are comfortable making dressings, try amping it up with other seasonings.

Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to add a little tanginess and also to help create a creamier vinaigrette. Add a teaspoon of miso for an umami flavor. Try using fresh herbs for a pop of flavor. For a sweet vinaigrette, add a little maple syrup or honey.

Once you start playing around with different combinations, you’ll start to know what flavor combinations you like best!

Lemon Vinaigrette

Author: Chef Julie Harrington, RD
Prep Time: 5
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 3/4 cup 1x
Category: dressing
Method: no-cook

Print Recipe

Description

This lemon vinaigrette is incredibly easy to make. Drizzle it on all your salad and veggie recipes!

Ingredients

Scale

1/3 cup olive oil
2 lemons, juiced (approx 1/3 cup juice)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Simply measure ingredients and add to a mason jar. Secure lid and shake. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Keywords: dressing, vinaigrette, homemade, mason jar, salad dressing, healthy fats, lemon, citrus, cooking tips

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Steel Cut Oats vs. Rolled Oats vs. Quick Oats – What’s the Difference?

Cooking Tips, Nutrition

February 17, 2019 by Chef Julie RD

2 Comments

February is Heart Health Month and oats have a stellar reputation for their heart health benefit. Do you know the difference between each variety of oats?

Fiber’s role in heart health

Dietary fiber can help improve blood cholesterol levels and lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity and even type 2 diabetes.

The American Heart Association recommends that at least half of the grains you eat be whole grains. Eating whole grains (like oats) are consistently associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease. Whole grain oats and oat bran can help lower blood cholesterol thanks to the power of beta-glucan – a soluble fiber, largely unique to oats, that basically tells your liver to pull LDL cholesterol out of the blood. Then, it binds to some of the cholesterol in your gut, keeping it from ever reaching your bloodstream.

You head to the grocery store to pick up oats, and there are so many options. Steel-cut oats, rolled oats, old-fashioned oats – what’s the difference?

different variety of oats on a wooden board

Steel Cut Oats

Steel-cut oats, also known as Irish or Scottish oats, are oats that are processed by chopping the whole oat groat into several pieces. This type of oatmeal takes the longest to cook. Why? Because the outside layer of the whole grain, the bran, is fully intact. A longer cook time penetrates through the bran creating tender, yet a chewy texture that retains much of its shape even after cooking.

Don’t have time in the morning to cook steel-cut oats? I don’t blame you! Prepare them in advance by cooking them over the stovetop, in a crockpot, or Instant Pot. Or try my frozen muffin tin method.

Get the recipe: Frozen (Single Serving) Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal

Rolled Oats

Rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats, are created when oat groats are steamed and then rolled into flakes. This process stabilizes the healthy oils in the oats, so they stay fresh longer, and helps the oats cook faster, by creating a greater surface area.

Rolled oats cook faster than steel-cut oats. They absorb more liquid and hold their shape well during cooking. With their faster cook time, enjoy a bowl of warm oatmeal in the morning or use in recipes like muffins, granola, pancakes, or other baked good recipes.

Get the recipe: Quinoa Oatmeal with Berries

Quick Oats

Quick oats, also known as minute oats or instant oats are rolled oats and that are steamed for even longer. As the most processed type of oat, instant oatmeal cooks in seconds and has a smooth, creamy, and soft consistency and mild flavor.

Quick cook more quickly than steel-cut or rolled oats, but retain less of their texture, and often cook up mushy. Plus, be mindful of the multiple varieties of quick oats in the shelf. Tip: Opt for the quick oats in the canister vs. the individual packets. Not only will you save money, but often the packets contain disodium phosphate (aka. salt), to help them swell even faster in the microwave, whereas the canister contains just the oats. Additionally, the packets contain added sugar, if choosing the flavored varieties.

Get the recipe: Apple Pie Overnight Oats

oatmeal with strawberries and raspberries in a white bowl

New Research

Consuming uncooked oats, like overnight oats that are soaked in milk or yogurt to soften, contain resistant starch. Resistant starch is a carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and ferments in the large intestine. As the fibers ferment they act as a prebiotic and feed the good bacteria in the gut.

The John Hopkins Patient Guide to Diabetes notes that “When starches are digested they typically break down into glucose. Because resistant starch is not digested in the small intestine, it doesn’t raise glucose. Gut health is improved as fermentation in the large intestine makes more good bacteria and less bad bacteria in the gut. Healthy gut bacteria can improve glycemic control. Other benefits of resistant starch include increased feeling of fullness, treatment and prevention of constipation, decrease in cholesterol, and lower risk of colon cancer. Resistant starch is fermented slowly so it causes less gas than other fibers.”

This post may contain affiliate links. To find out more information, please read my disclosure statement.

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One-Pan Chicken Sausage & Gnocchi Sauté

30 minutes or less, Beans & Grains, Dietary, Fall, Gluten Free, MAIN DISHES, Meat, Nut Free, One pot/dish, Recipes, Winter

February 12, 2019 by Chef Julie RD

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This one-pan chicken sausage & gnocchi saute utilizes simple ingredients to create a delicious meal in minutes.

I never understood the mad rush to the grocery store when there is an inkling of news about the possibility of snow. Previously, working as a retail dietitian, the madness was unreal. The aisles with the bread and milk would be completely wiped out. I guess everyone’s instinct is to survive on bread and milk if they get snowed in? I’ll never understand.

Sausage, gnocchi, and kale in a white bowl

My kitchen isn’t always completely stocked and with news of snow, I’m the last person you will see heading to the grocery store. I don’t want to deal with the craziness!

I think it’s fun to poke around the kitchen utilizing what I have on hand to create new meal ideas. I always say that makes me feel like I am on an episode of “Chopped“. (minus the crazy ingredients like cow’s tongue the contestants get in their mystery baskets)

One Pan Chicken Sausage & Gnocchi Sauté in a white bowl on a marble slab

Each kitchen no matter how big or small has four kitchen zones: the refrigerator, freezer, pantry, and countertops. Don’t just open the fridge and just decide “there’s nothing to eat, let’s grab take out.” Utilize the ingredients in each zone to create a meal. This recipe uses all four kitchen zones to create a delicious and balanced meal.

What Kind of Gnocchi Should I Use?

You can use the kind you find that are shelf-stable, frozen, and can even use cauliflower gnocchi instead of potato.

The gnocchi is cooked separately to start with, which is why you can use multiple brands of varieties.

If you haven’t tried Trader Joe’s gnocchi, you are truly missing out!

Ingredients for Chicken Sausage Gnocchi

Gnocchi – as I mentioned earlier you can choose your favorite

Olive oil

Chicken sausage – these are the link kind

Garlic cloves

White beans – any variety will work

Kale

Chicken broth – try to get low sodium if you can

How to Make Chicken Sausage Gnocchi in Less Than 30 Minutes

Before we get started, go ahead and cook the gnocchi according to the instructions on the packaging.

While that’s cooking, prep your kale by removing the ribs and chopping it coarsely.

Then add a tablespoon of oil over medium heat and cook the chicken sausages, just until they are browned. Take them out of the pan and set aside.

Using the same pan, heat the rest of the oil and add the minced garlic, drained white beans, and cooked gnocchi.

Cook until the gnocchi and beans are warmed. Be sure to keep a close watch on the garlic, you do not want it to burn. You can turn down the heat if needed.

Add the sausage links back to the pan followed by the kale and chicken broth. Stir and cover until the kale wilts.

Take the lid off and continue cooking just to allow the excess liquid to evaporate.

Top with some parm and serve!

chicken sausage and gnocchi in a white bowl next to a dish towel

No need to rush to the grocery store when there is snow in the forecast. Just utilize what you have in each kitchen zone! And with simply one pan, chicken sausage & gnocchi saute came together in minutes.