When I got home from clinical today, I looked like this:
Now, that is one tired girl.
I now have an even greater respect for professionals, dietitians or otherwise, who work in the health care field with people who are very sick. How they continue to see patients struggling with basic needs, even life itself, and not get constantly down in the dumps is amazing. I saw a patient today who is in such pain, yet he was so cheerful and kind it breaks my heart.
Anyhoo, it was a day of learning and growing :) Peter has been wonderful about making delicious eats when I’m busy. He cranked up the smoker again and created some spicy chicken thighs.
The coating contained
* orange juice
* peanut butter (!!)
* peanut oil
* star anise, pulverized in our super-blender
* pasilla de oaxaca peppers (hot, baby!)
Unusual, no?
So, how was it? The chicken was moist and tender, and the coating had a nice bite, but the anise was a little overwhelming. That’s a strong flavor! Peter promised that he would put a little less anise in the coating next time.
To get in some whole grains (and just because), I enjoyed a little Barbara’s Shredded Oats and chocolate chips for dessert:
For those of you who have pets, have you ever noticed them expressing … jealousy? Bonnie has been with Peter for a long time (she predates me, in fact), and she guards her Peter closely.
Then, about 1.5 years ago, here comes Maddies:
Now, how can you resist cuddling a puppy like that?
Naturally, Bonnie is so jealous of the new arrival that she refuses to play with or acknowledge Maddie at all. So, imagine my surprise when I saw them playing with each other:
Less like a shower cap and more like nothing at all!
Today, we toured the food service operations at Hartford Hospital and the University of Connecticut Health Center, each of which serves hundreds of patients (and hundreds to thousands of patrons in their cafeterias). Hartford Hospital uses a cook-chill system, where chefs prepare large quantities of food two days in advance, then uses an enormous blast-chiller to quickly cool the food to a safe temperature. In contrast, the UConn Health Center uses a restaurant-style system, where patients can call and order food from the kitchen whenever they want (considering dietary needs and restrictions, of course). Both systems have advantages and disadvantages, but each requires a tremendous amount of organization to run smoothly. I don’t know how they do it!
These pictures are all from the UConn Health Center:
Prep area.
That's a lot of stuffed shells.
I wish we had a can storage system like this!
Requested meals waiting on the trayline, ready to be brought upstairs.
Nice cafeteria.
Between hospitals, a few of us hung out at Starbucks, studying a little medical nutrition therapy and talking about the current health care reform. This program has some smart ladies!
At home, the dogs were so excited to see me that they couldn’t stay on all four paws:
Love the love.
For dinner, I decided to whip up a veggi-rific dish full of bright colors and healthy fats.
THIH Pesto Veggie Stacks
Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes
2 onions, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced (I used one red and one green for some nice color)
1 zucchini, sliced
1 portabella mushroom, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Pesto:
a HUGE bunch of basil and/or parsley
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (any nut will do)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
Sauté 2 cloves garlic and eggplant in olive oil until soft.
Prepare veggies:
Place all pesto ingredients except for olive oil into food processor and blend until smooth. Drizzle olive oil slowly into paste while processor is running:
Layer vegetables with Parmesan cheese and pesto however you would like. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes.
Like the scarf you can knit from yarn scraps, this dish is a good way to use any leftover veggies. You can customize with all your favorite veggies, such as cauliflower, potatoes, even leafy greens like kale.
I enjoyed mine with chicken sausage:
Sausage was (and still is) one of my favorite foods. I used to eat links and links of sausage when I was younger without a second thought to what they contain. By nature, sausage contains a LOT of fat (how else are they so moist?). I don’t eat sausage often because of the high amount of saturated fat, but it is a nice treat to have occasionally. I don’t deny myself sausage, because then I would crave it constantly. I enjoy it in moderation, just like every food. :)
I’m off to finish an assignment. The weather forecast predicts inches of snow, so I’m crossing my fingers for a snow day tomorrow! Have a nice evening!
Disclaimer: The information presented on this website is for education purposes only. Please consult your doctor and/or registered dietitian for your health and nutrition needs.
