Pumpkin Spice Linzer Cookie

• ¾ pound unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice ( or substitute ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg)
• ¾ cup pumpkin butter (see recipe below)
• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

• 1 (29-oz) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• ¾ cup apple cider
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup granulated sugar

For the cookie:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until just combined. Add the vanilla. Gradually add in flour mixture on low just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten to a disk. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Servings: Over 8

Pumpkin Butter

Recipes Copyright © 2011 Carla Hall

Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program lead by the National Dairy Council (NDC) and NFL, in collaboration with USDA. It encourages kids to consume healthy foods, like low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, veggies and whole grains. In that spirit, I was invited to the Summit to prepare a healthy snack option that would be easy for kids and schools to incorporate into their daily routines. I decided to share a recipe for my favorite healthy snack, fruit and nut granola with low-fat yogurt. The students helped me mix together the oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit, then we all tasted our handiwork on top of yogurt parfaits!

I was so inspired by the many students and teachers committed to adding fresh, healthy options to their schools’ cafeteria menus, making breakfast a priority and incorporating movement and exercise into their daily routines. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to share my passion for tasty, nutritious foods with the younger generation. Their ground-level efforts are the driving force toward ending the obesity epidemic for good!

Check out the Fuel Up to Play 60 Facebook page for a copy of my granola and yogurt recipe, and for more photos from the Student Ambassador Summit!

It’s important to eat in moderation, stick to regular mealtimes, and eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, protein and whole grains. Below are five quick tips to help get you on your way to optimal health:

1. Take stock of your kitchen. First and foremost, get rid of all unhealthy foods in your kitchen. Stock your kitchen so you can see what is available to cook a delicious meal. By having your choices more visible, you can better plan your healthy meals for the day or grab a nutritious snack on the go. Finally, be sure to stock up on the nutritious foods you love. For instance, if you love raw vegetables, have a bowl cleaned and cut up in the fridge so you can easily access it when you are hungry.
2. Choose your sweets wisely. Sweets can be the hardest to give up, but who said you have to totally give up the foods you love completely—just make smart choices. For instance, instead of having a whole dessert split a sweet treat with a friend. By eating your dessert slowly and savoring every bite you will appreciate those sugary splurges even more. Think about making healthy substitutions by switching out soda for sparkling water or choosing to top a bowl full of fresh fruit with low-fat ice cream instead of the other way around.
3. Select carbs high in fiber. You don’t have to avoid carbohydrates, just think about how you plan your meals with the right carbs. Prepare your favorite sandwiches with whole-grain bread instead of white bread, use steel-cut oats at breakfast instead of processed cereals or instant oatmeal, keep whole wheat pasta in your pantry instead of regular pasta, and brown rice instead of white rice.
4. Choose fats carefully. Although some fats are healthy, they are all high in calories so it’s important to choose carefully. Instead of snacking on cheese, chips or crackers, a great option is to enjoy a handful of nuts or seeds.  You’d be surprised how satisfying this snack can be, especially if you chew them slowly and enjoy the natural flavor whether you’re munching on a few at home or taking them with you if you’re in the car on a long commute. Be careful not to overindulge though, nuts, while they’re good for you, are high in calories and add up fast.
5. Make the choice to stay healthy. To stay healthy and to lessen your risk of diabetes in the future, healthy cooking and eating is all about modification –  not deprivation. It starts with coming up with a healthy, delicious eating plan that is high in nutrients, low in fat, and moderate in calories. Don’t be afraid to break out of your routine, get creative and try new things! If you’re here at AHIP today, stop by the Alere Health booth #401 and I’ll share some great, new nutritious recipes with you to try at home.  Be sure to check out my recipes, posted on Alere’s Facebook page — www.facebook.com/alerehealth.

A major component of living a healthy lifestyle begins in the kitchen. Having prepared food and snacks available to you at a moment’s notice will always help you eat wisely. Planning goes hand-in-hand with healthy eating and one of the easiest ways to do that is to have a plan for your kitchen! Here are three ideas to get your started:

1. Don’t plan your meal around protein. In the past, meals were planned around what protein you wanted to serve and then from there you would add the starch, vegetable, etc. Today, to achieve a healthier balance on your plate, meat should be considered more of a side dish and plan the main entree around the grains, fruits or vegetables that will be prepared.
2. Color, texture and temperature are your friends. Plan a meal that is rich in taste and delightful to the palette. Your meals should be full of color, the recipes should vary in temperature, and include textures from smooth to crunchy.
3. Keep your pantry stocked. Create a list of food and cooking staples that you use regularly. These staples can include your favorite spices and herbs, baking supplies such as flour and sugar substitutes, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, low-sodium canned goods, condiments and more.  One of the key benefits of having a pantry list is that you can buy the staples on sale and save money for you and your family.

To see my pantry list, download a copy from Alere’s Facebook site, or visit me this week at the AHIP Institute Conference at the Alere Health booth #401, where I will provide take-home pantry lists with samples from my delicious recipes.

I did two cooking demonstrations at the Kid’s Kitchen. Several young people helped me make black bean, vegetable quesadillas. Here is a video of one of the demonstrations.

I also did two reading of Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, assisted by my mama, Audrey Hall.

I took some pictures while on the White House grounds. I’ll add them to this post soon.

I heard your requests for the recipes that I made at the World Health Care Congress. Have fun with them!

Spicy Carrot and Ginger Soup

Serves 4

This recipe demonstrates the use of herbal tea bags as a bouquet garni, or as a flavoring agent for the soup. Also using vegetable and fruit juices in addition to or in place of stock is another way to add layers of flavor. Instead of heavy cream add silken tofu for creaminess and additional protein.

Ingredients:
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup carrot juice (freshly juiced or bottled; Note: If using bottled check for low sugar.)
1 cup coconut water
3 bags high quality lemon ginger tea
2” fresh ginger, cut into ¼” slices
2 dried chiles, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 medium carrots, roughly chopped
1 leek, white and light green parts only, washed and roughly chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup silken tofu
Garnish: ¼ cup flake coconut (unsweetened), toasted
zest of one lime

Preparation:
1. In a small pot combine stock, carrot juice, coconut water and bring to a boil. Add tea bags, ginger and dried chilies. Reduce heat and allow mixture to simmer for at least 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, heat a medium size pot to medium heat. Add olive oil, then carrots, leeks, onions, and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until onions are translucent.
3. Strain stock mixture into pot with vegetables. If you like lots of ginger, add the ginger pieces in. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and allow soup to simmer until carrots are tender. In two batches, puree soup in blender with half the tofu per batch, until soup is silky smooth. Return pureed soup to pot and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Roasted Butternut Squash Chili with Crisp Polenta Rounds

Makes ½ gallon

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely diced
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated on microplane
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
½ teaspoon dried chile flakes
Salt to taste
½ cup roasted tomatoes
1 cans chick peas, drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
3 pounds butternut squash, diced into ½” cubes
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
Ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat large pot on medium-low heat. Add oil, then onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and continue to cook until onions are translucent and sweet. Stir in cumin, paprika, chile flakes and salt.
2. Add roasted tomatoes, chick peas and vegetable broth. Check seasonings. Simmer for 20 – 25 minutes.
3. Preparing the squash: In a large bowl, toss butternut squash in olive oil and salt & pepper. Pan roast squash in small batches until seared nicely and golden brown. Set aside. (Squash should have a bite.)
4. Add fresh oregano. Adjust seasoning (salt , if necessary.) Add squash 10 -15 minutes before serving. Serve with crispy polenta.

Crisp Polenta Rounds

½ sheet pan or about 30 – 2” rounds

Ingredients:

6 cups water
Table salt, to taste
1 ½ cups medium-grind cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into large chunks
¾ cup grated cheddar cheese, plus more for garnishing
Ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, add 1½ teaspoons salt, and pour cornmeal into the water in a very slow stream from a measuring cup, while whisking in a circular motion to prevent lumps.
2. Cover and cook about 30 minutes, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon once every 5 minutes and making sure to scrape clean the bottom and corners of the pot. Cook until the polenta has lost its raw cornmeal taste and becomes soft and smooth.
3. Stir in butter, cheddar, salt and pepper to taste. Spread hot polenta in buttered or oiled sheet pan. Place wax paper or parchment paper on top and smooth with hands. Chill.
4. When totally cooled, punch polenta out into rounds or cut into squares. Heat oil in pan and fry polenta rounds and/or squares until lightly brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with chili.

All recipes Copyright @ Carla Hall

Indulge you say? Yes, indulge! Everyone needs to treat themselves from time to time for following a healthy and balanced lifestyle, but be sure to treat yourself in moderation. Know when enough is enough.

Here are some quick tips to help you eat the things you love without overindulging.

1. Pay attention to your body and stop when you have had enough. I love food and I love to eat, and being a Chef I am constantly around food. So, if I don’t pay attention to portion sizes and my body’s cues, I’ll keep eating and eating until the food is gone. Eating slowly helps me pace myself and allows my brain to catch up.  Matthew is constantly alerting me when I eat too fast.
2. Eat only when you’re hungry. This can be difficult for most people. One great way to tell if you are really hungry or just being impulsive is to ask yourself if the plate was full of broccoli would you still eat it? If you wouldn’t then don’t reach for the treats that are tempting you.
3. Give in to your cravings from time to time. If you have a sweet tooth then go ahead and eat a cookie. But only have one instead of two or three . . . or the whole plate. Easier said than done – I know. Eating in moderation requires training on your part. If you are able to train yourself to give into cravings without binging then you will be able to enjoy the not-so-good foods from time to time.
4. Use your salad plates. Studies have shown that using smaller plates at meal time will help you eat less.  Small plates are fashionable at the restaurants, why not at your home?  Another easy trick is to keep the serving dishes in the kitchen while you eat in the dining room – this forces you to get up and walk to the kitchen if you want more.

Everything in moderation leads to a happier, healthier life, as demonstrated in my approach to cooking natural and organic infused meals with Southern and French-inspired flair. Beyond what you put in your mouth, regular exercise every day will help you add balance to your life. It’s a natural progression to watch what you eat if you have a consistent exercise regime.

Those who have a balance of diet and exercise will ultimately reach total health and wellness faster than those who don’t. To hear more about balancing diet and exercise, and to pick up some yummy recipes to incorporate into your everyday routine, visit me at the World Health Care Conference through April 6^th, where I will be hootie-hooing at the Alere booth #203. Hope to see you here!

Eating healthy is important for everyone, but with the alarming statistics of childhood obesity in this country, it’s more crucial than ever to make sure our nation’s children are getting the nutrition they need and avoiding the sugars and fat they don’t need.

According to the American Heart Association, one in three children today in the United States are considered obese or overweight. The AHA says the risks associated with this condition are endless and include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma and sleep apnea, not to mention the detrimental effects it can have on a child’s self-esteem.

As a chef and concerned citizen, I am honored to be a Chef Ambassador for First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Campaign and on the board of Gen YOUth Foundation; two initiatives focused on raising a healthier generation of kids in this country. Part of my role in these campaigns is to prepare healthy lunch recipes and ideas based on the federal daily budget of $2.60 per student. Challenging yes, but not impossible.

What’s also challenging is finding time to bring healthy meals and habits into your kitchen at home. I always encourage people to cook with love, whether you are cooking a meal for yourself, for friends or for family. This means truly caring about what your children are eating and helping them to eat balanced, nutritious meals.

A fun way to get younger children to start paying attention to what they’re eating is playing the globe game. You simply spin a globe and have your child randomly point to a country. Then look up a nutritious recipe from that country and teach your child about the healthy ingredients that are going into the meal. By playing the globe game, you not only get your kids to be actively involved in cooking healthy meals, you also help teach them about geography and culture.

Another great way to get your children thinking about healthy foods is to plant an herb garden with them in your backyard.  Have your child taste the herbs fresh from the garden and then see if they can identify the flavors in each dish. Cooking is all about engaging them in the process and building positive attitudes toward natural ingredients.

Children who develop healthy eating habits when they’re young are much less likely to make poor diet choices as adults. If you are attending the WHC April 4 to 6, visit me at the Alere booth #203 and I’ll share some great nutritious recipes with you to try at home with your family.

Toodles Poodles!

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Hootie Hoo!