pleasure in simple things

friday field trip

I developed a renewed enthusiasm towards healthful eating after listening to Claire Criscuolo when I attended a presentation she gave recently at the Trumbull, CT library.  Claire is definitely a Connecticut icon.  Her restaurant, Claire’s Corner Copia, has provided a healthy eating location in New Haven for 37 years – starting long before healthy and organic eating became trendy.  Her philosophy of “flavor first with a healthy edge” dismisses any preconceived notions about healthy food not tasting good.  The “flavor first” is evident when trying the first bite at Corner Copia.  Not surprisingly, the restaurant was named one of the top 10 heart-healthy restaurants in the U.S. by MSN.  Although I have eaten at her restaurant many times, I had never before heard Claire speak about her passion for healthy eating and I sure have been missing something!

Claire grew up in a family of Italian heritage with a mom that served a selection of fresh vegetables every day, many from her own garden…It seems she bypassed the whole “Betty Crocker” era of casseroles and Shake ‘n Bake.  Instead, the Criscuolo family ate the way many of us aspire to eat – fresh and healthy with no processed foods and plenty of fruits and vegetables.  When people tell Claire she is forward thinking, she responds by saying that she is backward thinking – eating the way her parents did – like “the old days.”

Claire’s Italian mom told her not to “cheat her stomach” and Claire has definitely taken those words to heart.  Her continuing commitment to educating herself about healthy eating is demonstrated in many ways…most recently by her meetings with researchers to address how food preparation can aid with eliminating cancers.

The session at the library contained a cooking demonstration* for a healthful and tasty salad and was packed with tips for incorporating great foods into daily eating.

*If you want to try one of the recipes from Claire’s newest book, I have included the recipe for the salad she prepared for us at the end of this post.

Probably the #1 tip I took away from the session was to BE PREPARED.  Things seemed to click into perspective for me when Claire asked the attendees why it is that everyone can spend so much time researching the latest iphone, but not the food they put in their bodies?  The key to  being prepared is to always have great food choices available in your home.

Claire has a smoothie for breakfast most days – something I have quickly adopted since I always seem to be too busy to think of a sit-down breakfast.  She always has organic fruit in her freezer and organic spinach in her fridge (part of that ‘being prepared’ thing!).  Unsweetened coconut milk or herb tea can serve as the liquid.  Cinnamon and honey are healthy additions.  I may need to put a juicer on my Christmas list!

Claire is a big proponent of making soups; suggesting this is a wonderful way to add extra fruits and/or vegetables to a meal.  Her idea of hosting a soup exchange will definitely replace the cookie swap on my holiday calendar!

Claire’s store even makes their own cleaning supplies, which you can easily replicate by following the directions on the store’s website (www.clairescornercopia.com  click on recipes and scroll down to household cleaning).

If you haven’t yet been to Claire’s Corner Copia and happen to be in the New Haven area, the restaurant is located on the edge of the Yale campus, right on Chapel Street.  And, if you are genuinely trying to incorporate more healthful eating into your life, I would definitely recommend checking out Clarie’s books – the most recent title is  Welcome to Claire’s.  At the very least, I hope this post motivates you to spend a few extra moments thinking about your food choices…the time I spent with Claire certainly did that for me!

Chimichurri Quinoa and Bean Salad

• salt
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, or 1 tablespoon dried
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 1/2 orange)
• 1 cup grapeseed oil, dairy-free mayonnaise, or other mayonnaise
• pepper, to taste
• 1, 12 ounce can organic black beans, drained
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 small sweet organic onion, diced
• 12 sweet grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 large broccoli crown, florets separated into small pieces

Bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil in a medium covered pot over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low-medium and add the quinoa.  Cover and cook at a simmer for about 25 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is just tender.

Turn the quinoa into a large bowl, and using two forks, toss the quinoa to fluff it and to separate the grains.  Set aside to cool, occasionally tossing the quinoa to facilitate cooling.

Meanwhile, prepare the chimichurri.  Place the garlic, cilantro, parsley, oregano, pepper flakes, jalapeno, vinegar, lemon and orange juices, oil or mayonnaise, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  cover and process for about 30 seconds until well blended.  Taste for seasonings.

When the quinoa is cooled to room temperature, add the beans, carrot, onion, tomatoes, and broccoli.  Using two wooden spoons, toss to combine.  Add the chimichurri and toss well to coat.  Taste for seasonings.  Serve at room temperature or refigerate for up to 2 days.  Toss again before serving.

Hope you enjoyed this visit with Claire from Claire’s Corner Copia!

Thanks for visiting!  Have a wonderful weekend, Jackie