St. Patty’s Pie Recipe

• 1 premade graham cracker crumb pie crust
• 1 8oz container Cool Whip
• 1 20oz can crushed pineapple (drained)
• 1 package (3.9oz) of pistachio pudding mix (Jello© Brand)
• Mix ingredients 2-4 in bowl; transfer to pie crust.
• Refrigerate 3 hours and enjoy!

Flank Steak with a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Flank Steak with a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb Flank Steak
• 1 container of gorgonzola cheese
• 1 4oz. container of heavy cream
• 1 tsp of garlic
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions

• Season each side of the flank steak with salt and pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. 
• Add  garlic to the pan and let it brown.   
• Add steak to pan; cook each side for about a minute and a half. 
• Once the steak is cooked, wrap it in tin foil and set it to the side.
• In the same sauce pan add the gorgonzola cheese and the heavy cream.
• Let the two heat up over low heat. Once the sauce is completely combined pour over the steak and serve.

Best served with a great salad and dinner rolls. Yum!

Healthier Chicken Pot Pie

Healthy Meal Makeover – Chicken Pot Pie

Since many of us have made the resolution to eat healthier this New Year, we have chosen a “lightened up” recipe. A classic chicken pot pie is full of flavor, but also fat.  Below is Ellie Krieger’s (from Food Network^®) healthier version of this American favorite!

 Ingredients

For the filling:

• Cooking spray
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups lowfat milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup peas, thawed if frozen
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

For the biscuit crust:

• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk

 Directions

To make the filling: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a large shallow casserole dish, or 6 individual casserole dishes with cooking spray.

Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the chicken with its juices to a bowl. .

Add 2 more teaspoons of oil to the same pan and heat it over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the green beans, garlic and remaining salt and pepper and cook for 2 minute more. Add the milk. Stir the flour into the broth until it is completely dissolved and add to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes more. Return the chicken with its juices back to the pan. Add the peas and thyme and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish or individual dishes.

To make the crust: Put the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse about 12 times, or until pebble sized pieces are formed.

Add the buttermilk then oil to the food processor and pulse until just moistened. Do not over mix. Drop the batter in 6 mounds on top of the chicken mixture (1 mound on each individual dish, if using) spreading the batter out slightly. Bake until filling is bubbling and the biscuit topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Greenbean Salad

Green Bean, Tomato & Black Olive Salad

I am not a fan of green bean casserole, so I made it my mission to find a green bean dish that I could enjoy during the holidays.  Not only is this healthier than a traditional green bean casserole, it is so good. I love it so much I make it year round. Enjoy. – Olivia Garza

Cook Time: 15 mins

Yield: 12 servings

Chill: 3 hrs.

• 2lbs Fresh Green Beans
• 1  8oz. can of  Sliced Black Olives
• 3 Roma Tomatoes
• 3 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp of Red Wine Vinegar
• Kosher Salt
• 1 tbsp of garlic
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1 container of Tomato Basil Feta Cheese

1. Trim the ends of the green beans and give them a quick rinse.
2. Place the green beans in a large pot of boiling water. The green beans should cook for 3-5 minutes or until the beans have turned a vibrant shade of green. Immediately place the green beans into an ice bath to stop the beans from over cooking.
3. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes and discard the seeds and place them to the side.
4. In a medium sauce pan heat the olive oil and after it is warm add the garlic and red wine vinegar and cook until the garlic is toasted.
5. Shut off the heat and add the tomatoes and black olives.
6. Remove the green beans from the ice bath and place in a large bowl.
7. Pour the tomato and black olive mixture over the green beans and add the feta cheese as well and toss everything together. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
8. Chill for at least 3 hours, (I usually make this the night before and let it marinate all night.)

“Tofurkey” – Tofu Turkey

Here is alternative recipe to turkey for the upcoming holiday season.
I love this tofu-turkey recipe! -Dr Bhatt
Ingredients

• 5 (16 oz) packages extra firm tofu
• 2 T sesame oil
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1 1/3 c. diced celery
• 1 c. chopped mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 c. dried sage
• 2 t dried thyme
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary
• ¼ c. tamari
• ½ c. sesame oil
• 2 T miso paste
• 5 T orange juice
• 1 t honey mustard
• ½ t orange zest
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 c. prepared herb stuffing
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Line a medium sized, round colander with a cheese cloth or a clean dish towel. Place the crumbled tofu in the colander. Place another cheese cloth over the top of the tofu. Place the colander over the top of a bowl to catch the liquid. Place heavy weight on top of tofu. Refrigerate the colander, tofu, and weight for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Make the stuffing: In a large frying pan sauté onion, celery and mushrooms in 2 T of the sesame oil until tender. Add the garlic, sage, thyme, salt and pepper, rosemary, and ¼ c. of the tamari. Stir well; cook for 5 minutes. Add prepared herb stuffing and mix well. Remove from heat.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet.
4. Combine ½ c sesame oil, ¼ c. tamari, miso, orange juice, mustard and orange zest in a small bowl: mix well.
5. Remove the weight from the tofu. Hollow out the tofu so that there is one inch of tofu still lining the colander. Place the scooped out tofu in a separate bowl. Brush the tofu lining with a small amount of the miso seasoning. Scoop the stuffing into the center of the tofu shell. Place the leftover tofu on top of the stuffing and press down firmly. Turn the stuffed tofu onto prepared cookie sheet. Putting the leftover tofu side of the “turkey” (the flat side) down. Gently pres on the sides of the “turkey” to form a more oval shape. Brush the tofu turkey with ½ of the oil-tamari mixture. Place the springs of rosemary on top of the tofu. Cover the “turkey” with foil.
6. Bake for one hour. After one hour, remove “turkey” from the oven and remove the foil. Baste the “turkey” with the remaining tamari0oil sauce (reserve 4 T of sauce). Return “turkey” to oven and bake another hour or until the tofu turkey is golden brown. Place the tofurkey on a serving platter, brush with the remaining tamari-oil mixture and serve hot.
7. ENJOY!!!
(From allrecipes.com)

Medicine and Mythology: The Origin of Halloween’s Werewolves and Vampires?

The myths of two of our favorite “monsters” may not be just the stuff of active imaginations and Hollywood hyperbole – could their origins rest with science and medicine?

When we think of modern day werewolves and vampires, of the former, we think of hairy, wolf-like, blood-thirsty beasts, snarling and frothing at the mouth, that transform from their human shape on the light of the full moon to attack humans. When we think of vampires, we think of pale, cloaked human-like figures with sharp canine teeth. As sunlight is harmful to them, they only come out at night to feed on the blood of humans and can transform at will into their also blood-thirsty counterparts, the vampire bat.

Many of the legends of werewolves and vampires originated from the European Middle Ages. During this time, it was common for nobility to inbreed, causing many ordinarily rare genetic diseases to be more common.

One disease in particular called Porphyria (por-fee-ree-a) involves enzyme defects of porphyrin, a protein that is part of the heme pathway. Heme is a component of hemoglobin which allows our red blood cells to hold on to oxygen. Heme is also a component of other protein groups including a set of detoxification proteins in the liver called the cytochrome p450 family. There are seven different types of Porphyria, and are classified under hepatic or erythropoeitic, depending on whether the defect occurs in liver or red blood cell porphyrins. Porphyrias have been detected in all races, in multiple ethnic groups on every continent.

In the more severe and rarer form of the Porphyrias, the symptoms start from infancy and include severe light sensitivity causing skin blistering, ulcerations, and tissue mutilation and excess facial and body hair (either coarse or fine). The teeth and even nails can become red in color from excess porphyrin deposition. Because of recession of the gum line and tautness of the skin of the lips, the teeth appear larger. Also, due to defects in porphyrin metabolism and because the red blood cells could break open (hemolytic anemia), the urine could turn brown, purple, or red and the spleen would enlarge. From liver disease, some sufferers could get jaundiced, giving their skin a yellow color from excess bilirubin. In addition, certain victims could get a rapid heartbeat with cardiac arrhythmias and high blood pressure, severe abdominal pain, and neurological and psychiatric disorders such as “lunacy,” seizures, and hallucinations.

Hmm, is this sounding familiar? Essentially, someone with severe Porphyria could only go outdoors at night. They could have extra hair making them appear animal-like. Also, they could have fang-like red teeth as if they just drank blood and red nails as if they ripped into flesh. They would behave crazily and aggressively due to their severe abdominal pain and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Though it has never been scientifically substantiated, it would not much of a leap of faith to think this may be the basis for vampire and werewolf lore.

Just to finish the story, certain medications, alcohol, hormone fluctuations, starvation, and infections would greatly worsen the symptoms. The treatment to this day, depending on whether the enzyme defect if based in liver or red blood cell enzymes, includes strict avoidance of sun and use of broad-spectrum sunscreens, certain blood product infusions OR taking blood away (phlebotomy), maintaining high carbohydrate diets, elimination of the previously mentioned triggers, and seizure and pain medications.

If it is hard for us in the modern era to believe that one disease can cause so many unusual characteristics, it is easy to envision how the active imagination of a Middle Ages mind could embellish the stories of these poor human sufferers to make them evil and ungodly.

Once again, truth may be stranger than fiction. Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Roopal Bhatt, MD is a dermatologist in the Four Points Area. To reach her for questions on this topic or others, please e-mail her at contact@fourpointsdermatology.com

Best-Ever Chocolate Cupcakes (by Lauren Baker)

• 1 (18.25-oz.) package devil’s food cake mix
• 1 (3.4-oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chocolate extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 (1.55-oz.) milk chocolate bars, chopped
• 1 container of your favorite icing (Cream Cheese is my favorite)
Preparation
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Put cupcake liners into two 12 count cupcake pans. Set aside.
• Beat cake mix and next 7 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute; beat at medium speed 2 minutes.
• Fold in chopped chocolate.
• Spoon batter into cupcake liners until they are 1/2 to 2/3 full.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool 5 minutes in the pans and remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• Frost cupcakes and decorate (if desired).
• Enjoy, and get ready for the compliments! ☺

This recipe was adapted from a Black Forest Cake recipe, but my daughter prefers cupcakes (and they are more fun for her and me to eat). She likes to help me cook, so it is fun mother/daughter time. Get in the kitchen, and have some fun!
To see the original recipe, go to the following link: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001727434