Easy Breadsticks

AARP Book Review

Think Food, from AARP, features a total of fifty brain-healthy recipes, all gathered from bloggers in collaboration with Posit Science.

The book begins with a message from Posit Science expounding upon the key elements of brain health, including exercise, social activities, learning, and finally nutrition. It is nutrition, obviously, that is the focus of this book. However, Posit Science explains, they are not cooks, and so they called upon a global community of bloggers to piece together an arrangement of brain-healthy recipes.

The recipes are divided in five basic categories – Snacks, Appetizers, Sides and Salads, Main Courses, and Desserts. Skimming through the book for the first time, I was expecting yet another health-food book whose primary merits are in its nutritional rather than culinary value – I was pleasantly mistaken.

‘Snacks’ is the shortest and simplest of the chapters, featuring Flaxseed Grissini, Pecan, Orange, and Cranberry Muffins, a Blueberry-nana Smoothie, and Amy’s Cinnamon Almonds. From there, however, the book moves directly into Smoked Salmon Canape with Sesame Brittle, its first appetizer offering. Other appetizers include Sundried Tomato and Goat Cheese Mini-Quiches, and a butternut squash sage dip, among others.

Salads includes several entries that I personally found quite interesting, including the Spinach and Feta Quinoa Salad, and the Sardine, Chickpea, and Celery Salad. Main courses featured breakfast items such as Eggs Backed In Cream, and entrees such as Garlic Salmon over Spinach, and Balsamic Garlic Chicken over Angel Hair Pasta, making for a varied and fresh arrangement.

Desserts from think food include such items as Seductive Strawberry and Pomegranate Pie, Dark Chocolate Strawberry Tart, and Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, among others.

Overall, Think Food accomplishes what it set out to do, providing examples of brain-healthy foods that one need not regard as ‘health food.’ It brings attention to ‘standard’ ingredients such as garlic, eggs, and various proteins that aside from being staples in the kitchen, also possess potent brain-health qualities.

Needless to say, I would recommend Think Food, and am very pleased to have had the opportunity to feature it on Living the Gourmet.

*I was given this book to review, all opinions expressed are my own*

The fall crispness is upon the land and bringing with it the beautiful painting of colors. It is a time to be thankful; especially for all of the small things.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

¼ cup Crisco shortening

½ cup water

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. turmeric

½ tsp. Olive oil

Parchment paper

Place flour in a large bowl; add the seasonings. Add the Crisco to the flour and work it with your fingers into small pieces. Slowly add the water while working the dough.

You may need a touch more or less water depending on the consistency of the dough. You want the dough to be workable, not too sticky. Form the dough into a ball.

Place the olive oil in the palm of your hand and rub it on the outside of the dough, then pat the dough with flour.

Dust a clean surface with flour to roll out the dough.

Roll the dough out to about ¼ inch in thickness. Cut dough into approximately two inch strips and roll these strips into sticks.

Place on parchment paper and bake.

Preheat Oven 375 degrees:

Bake the breadsticks about 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden.

Enjoy with Love,

Catherine

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