Healthy Tips Blog 2010 February January 2009 December November October August Subscribe

COFFEE HOUSE QUALITY AT HOME Sunday, February 28, 2010

Wouldn’t it be great to enjoy your favorite coffee-house drinks at a portion of the price? Well, it’s easier than you think and you can elevate them by using the best quality ingredients. Let’s talk lattes—I mean tea lattes. They’re the new rage and quite easy to make at home, especially when fresh filtered hot water is ready to use at the press of a button from the CleanWater Countertop Filtration System. Start out by brewing a cup of earl grey tea. Steam some milk using your Cuisinart espresso maker or using a hand held frother. Add to your brewed tea and you’re ready to start sipping. And on days when you really want to treat yourself, add a teaspoon of homemade chocolate ganache for an exotic hot chocolate that doesn’t require a plane ride or stop at the ATM.

A BETTER BEVERAGE Monday, February 15, 2010

Childhood nutrition is a hot topic these days, with more and more parents looking for ways to teach their kids healthier eating habits. Well, what they drink is just as important. Sugary drinks and sodas are a source of empty calories, and in some cases contribute to dehydration. Don’t be fooled by 100% fruit juices either. It’s better for kids to get their daily servings from a fresh bite of fruit.

Get kids started early with good drinking habits and keep water readily available to encourage making a better beverage choice. Convenient countertop dispensers like the CleanWater System make it easy enough for older ones to quench their thirst at the press of a button. Save money on juice boxes and pack a reusable bottle with water in their lunchboxes, and don’t forget to keep an extra bottle handy for after school activities to keep them well-hydrated all day long. And remember, the best way to teach is to lead by example, so raise a glass together and say cheers to a happy and healthy family.

[University of Maryland]

THE DAILY DRINK Saturday, January 30, 2010

Remember mom saying to drink your eight cups a day? Well, we don’t want to say we told you so, but she was on to something. It may seem common sense that the human body loses water through sweating, but did you know even the simple act of breathing depletes our bodies of this very necessary resource? That’s why it’s important to replenish yourself with water throughout the day, not just at certain times.

The amount of water you need to drink to maintain a healthy body depends on the individual. Considerations like age, how active your lifestyle is, and your overall general health are the real determining factors. Breastfeeding mothers take note, it’s especially important to pay attention to your daily intake—for both proper milk production and your own well-being. Now, go fill up that reusable BPA-free bottle to keep yourself refreshed from the inside out.

[Mayo Clinic]

RESOLUTIONS Friday, January 15, 2010

Many people use the New Year as a time to start doing things differently. For some, that means taking on a healthier lifestyle and adding more glasses of H20 to their diet. The great thing about that resolution is it can also have a big impact on the environment. Last summer, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on the side effects of consuming bottled water. In addition to safety concerns on the actual water sources, purification methods and possible leaching of chemicals from the plastic bottles, the GAO determined that 75% of those bottles ended up in landfills rather than recycling bins.

This year change you can believe is easier than you think. Start by filling up a reusable BPA-free bottle before leaving the house to benefit your body and the planet.

[Source: GAO]

THE GIFT OF WATER Tuesday, December 8, 2009

A few years back, I took a different approach while holiday shopping for my family. I decided to make donations on their behalf to help those less fortunate. I had trees planted in honor of my aunt who is now disabled and hasn’t been able to garden in some years. For another aunt whose worn glasses most of her life, I donated an amount to cover the cost of an eye exam for a woman in Guatemala. My mom was the tough one to find the right fit and then, as I flipped through the gift catalog it hit me. My mom is my source of life, so it seemed fitting to make a donation that would cover the cost of a simple, yet vital gift: clean drinking water jugs.

I come back to that gift often. While it’s not as dire as the need in developing countries, I’m struck by how many places in our own country do not have safe drinking water. When I visit North Truro in Cape Cod every year, we are surrounded by the ocean and bay, yet the water from the kitchen faucet in our rental house is not suitable for drinking. My aunt down in Florida faces the same problem in her house, so this year I’m thinking the gift of clean, safe drinking water may need to be answered closer to home.

STOCK INVESTMENTS Friday, November 20, 2009

Soup season has arrived here in the North East (and our Midwest friends were probably putting up a pot in September when they had their first snowfall). It’s easy to add this comforting course to your weeknight menu by making stock in advance and storing in your freezer. Come dinnertime, just defrost it in the microwave, and you’re ready to saute and simmer some vegetables or leftover chicken. Paired with a salad, it’s a healthy, quick and easy way to balance all those holiday treats you’ll be eating from now until the New Year. I’m sure you’ve heard chefs say never cook with any wine you wouldn’t drink. Well, the same goes for water, so use only the best and purest when putting up your next pot.

Easy Everyday Vegetable Stock
Feel free to add whatever vegetable scraps you have around too, including mushroom stems, corn cobs, etc., adding more water if necessary.
makes about 4 cups

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 ribs celery, sliced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, cut into quarters
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 dried bay leaf
8 to 10 whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon salt
6 cup cold water

Heat a deep stock pot over medium flame. Add oil, then toss in celery, carrots, onion, garlic and other vegetables you're using. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until the carrots begin to caramelize and the mixture becomes very fragrant.
Add the bay leaf, peppercorns and salt. Stir to mix well, then slowly pour in the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until vegetables are extremely tender (read: they've released all their flavor). Pour through a metal sieve or strainer, discarding cooked vegetables (I always hate this step, and always intend to puree them to thicken sauces and soups, but...). You're ready to use for soup, as a consomme, or store in the refrigerator (up to one week) or the freezer (up to two months).

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
adapted from Jenny Linford's From My Mother's Kitchen

For stock:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds chicken legs & thighs
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 leek, bottom white part only
a few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
1 dried bay leaf

For soup:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 celery stalks sliced 1-inch thick
3 ounces fine eggs noodles or spaghetti, broken into pieces
¼ cup fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large stockpot. Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown in small batches, being careful not to overcrowd pan. When done, return chicken back to pot. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Pour in 6 cups of cold water, add leek, parsley and bay leaf and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for one hour.
Skim fat from surface of stock. Using tongs or a large slotted spoon, remove chicken from the pot and set aside. Pour stock through a fine strainer, and discard vegetables and herbs. Let chicken cool, then remove meat from bones and roughly chop; set aside.
Meanwhile, heat remaining oil over medium-low heat in stockpot. Add onion, carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes, then pour stock over vegetables. Bring to a boil, then add noodles and cook until desired tenderness, about 8 minutes for al dente. Add chopped chicken, stir in chopped parsley and cook until chicken is heated through. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

THE SECRET TO GREAT TASTING ICE Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Sure summer is the season for lounging with friends and frothy margaritas, but fall is one of my favorite cocktail times. Starting with Halloween, it seems to be a revolving door of parties, and what better reason to expand your mixology know-how?

The best drinks, whether non-alcoholic or spiked, start with clean, pure water. Aside from the taste minerals and metals impart in water, they also create a cloudy cube. For clean tasting, clear ice cubes you just need to remember two things: use hot, filtered water. Why hot water? In tech talk, it’s all about molecules and freezing time. Basically, you want to slow down the freezing process, so using hot water ensures a delayed cooling time. Luckily, there’s no need to start boiling water since the Cuisinart CleanWater Countertop Filtration System delivers filtered, hot water, right to your ice cube trays, with just a press of a button. Clean, fresh tasting ice helps bring out the full taste of your favorite drinks.

Need some cocktail ideas? Check out the recipes for our classic gimlets and sidecars.

Vodka Gimlets

The classic version of this drink uses gin and Rose’s Lime Juice. Sometimes change is good—I certainly think so in this case.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, lime juice and simple syrup. Stir vigorously until beads of sweat form on the outside of shaker. Strain into prepared glass. Serve immediately.

Sidecar

Modern twists on this drink use whiskey instead of brandy. On Mad Men Sunday nights though, I’m sticking with this classic recipe.

Add sugar to a small plate. Make two twists from orange rind, by cutting strips with a paring knife or vegetable peeler (try not to get any of the bitter white pith). Cut a wedge from remaining orange and wipe it around the rim of each glass. Dip rims in sugar and add one piece of rind to each glass.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add brandy, triple sec and lemon juice. Stir vigorously until beads of sweat form on the outside of shaker. Strain into prepared glass. Serve immediately.

SOURCE OF LIFE Thursday, October 8, 2009

We all know how important water is, but how often do we stop to take a moment and really think about it. Well, I did just that recently. There’s a fun and informative Test Your Water IQ quiz on this site. I gave it a go, figuring I’d blow it out of the ballpark. Well, guess who scored 56%? It just proves that for as much as we know there’s always more to learn. So if you think you know the answer to whether a tomato or pineapple has more water, or how many gallons of water are really used in a 5 minute shower(a lot is all I’ll say), try the quiz for yourself.

See conservation and appreciation of this natural resource goes beyond packing a reusable bottle, although that’s a great and noteworthy start. Start thinking about your relationship with water and how you consume it. Whether it’s for drinking, cooking or washing, it is a reminder that water is a vital part of our everyday life. Being Italian, I cook a lot of pasta and was quite curious if it’s possible to use less water than the norm for cooking it. Harold McGee wrote an article on this very question earlier this year for the New York Times. Most people only raise a glass with wine to say cheers—next time I’ll do it with pure, clean water and be thankful to have access to it every day.

A MATTER OF TASTE Thursday, August 20, 2009

Water. It’s a simple, nourishing beverage that we use everyday for drinking on its own. Years ago, my husband had a furniture-size water tank. I quickly ruled it out after we had children for fear of constantly mopping up spills—those buttons are way too tempting for little fingers. The problem is regular filtered water pitchers had to jockey for space in the very full fridge of a professional cook. The CleanWater Countertop Filtration system solved my dilemma. It ensures clean, fresh tasting water and freed up much needed space in the refrigerator.

I’ve also learned the type of water I use in recipes really does affect the final product. For boiling large pots of water to make pasta or mashed potatoes the stuff from the faucet is fine here in NYC. When it comes to making fresh lemonade and ice cubes—it’s a different story. Filtered water provides a cleaner flavor, and makes nice, clear ice cubes that won’t alter the taste of my cocktails and drinks as they melt. Oh, and there’s no need to chill water-based drinks before serving—the countertop system has a cold water dispenser. Since summer drink season is getting into full swing, here’s a recipe for something every well-stocked bar needs: simple syrup. Use it to sweeten lemonades, iced tea or coffee and even make your own lime sour mix for margaritas.

Simple Syrup

As easy as it sounds, this recipe is just equal parts water and sugar, so you can make or less if you remember your fractions from elementary school.

*based on a 1000-watt microwave

Summer Citrusade

Prepare the freshly squeezed juice using the citrus juicer attachment on your Cuisinart Stand Mixer.
Combine juice and water in a large pitcher. Add simple syrup, to taste, and stir well. Chill until ready to serve.

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