Follower Sunday: “Thank You Readership!” Guest-Chef & Author, Sharon Palmer Inspires us with Moroccan Chicken

By Anthony J. Sepe

http://fromadietitiansperspective.blogspot.com

http://www.medicalnutritiontherapyservices.com

 

Each Sunday, I thank my readership for their loyalty and dedication to my blog, by providing a healthy recipe.  To those that know, this is a healthy repeat, but for those that are unaware and are new to the blog, this is my way of “giving back.”  It is also a way to “Pay it Forward.”  Each Sunday, not only will you have a healthy recipe, but you will have an expert in the field of dietetics, food and nutrition, provide the healthy recipe to you.  It is my pleasure to introduce this week, my colleague, Guest-Chef and Author, Sharon Palmer, RD.

 

Sharon Palmer, RD

Freelance Writer

Sharon Palmer is a registered dietitian and food and nutrition writer who has an excellent reputation in journalism. Sharon is also Editor at Environmental Nutrition,  an-award winning independent nutrition newsletter.

"I like to bring a personal, interesting edge to my writing. There are so many hot topics in nutrition that the public is fascinated by. I infuse my work with the latest in scientific-based information."

By the time she turned 10, Sharon Palmer couldn't stay out of the kitchen. She began baking bread, making granola, and cooking dinner every night for her family. It didn't take long for her to decide that she wanted to pursue a career as a dietitian, a field that could let her interests in food and nutrition take root and flourish.

Sharon received her Bachelor of Sciences Degree with Honors from Loma Linda University, California. She enjoyed a diverse 16-year dietetics career with experiences as a clinical dietitian, wellness dietitian, chief clinical dietitian, food and nutrition service director, and consultant dietitian. These positions allowed her to provide nutrition counseling and feed delicious meals to thousands of people.
"Good food should not only be healthy; it should be delicious. This is an exciting time for cuisine, because all that is simple, fresh, bold, and honors tradition is hot."
In 2000, Sharon combined her two great loves, food and writing. She focused most of her attention on writing features covering health, wellness, nutrition, cooking, wine, restaurant reviews, and entertainment, as well as developing original, tested recipes with nutritional analysis for publication.

Sharon has also become a passionate writer about food and environmental issues, writing a number of features on agriculture, local and organic foods, eco-friendly culinary practices, sustainability, food safety, humane animal practices, free trade, hunger, and food security. "People need to be aware of what it takes to get food to their dinner plates. They need to ask questions about their food. How did it grow? Were pesticides used in growing it? Were laborers paid a fair salary? Were the animals treated humanely? To what degree is the food processed? How far did it travel to get to you?"

In addition, Sharon has explored a wide variety of topics on the written page including relationships, family, children, travel, environment, budget, business, profile, education, sports, antiques, decor, art, pets, home improvement, and gardening.

Living in the chaparral hills overlooking Los Angeles with her two sons and husband, Sharon enjoys visiting the local farmers' market every week, cooking, and entertaining in her home for friends and family. This year she started her own organic vegetable garden in her back yard. Her youngest son has ambitions of becoming a chef. Sharon is also involved in her local community by serving as president of a regional school board and volunteering in a number of community efforts.

Over 650 of Sharon's features have been published in a variety of publications including Prevention, Oxygen, LA Times, Environmental Nutrition, Cooking Smart, Delicious Living, Food Product Design, Today's Dietitian, CULINOLOGY, Costco Connection, Trips and Journeys, Parent Teacher, Spider, Clubhouse Jr., Sporting Kid, Kids Pages, , Herbs for Health, Downtown News, Backwoods Home, Backhome, Diabetes Self- Management, , Long Term Care Interface, Diversity Allied Health Careers, Antique Trader, Antiques and Collectibles, Discovery Trails, Capper's, International Sommelier, Woodshop News, Tea, Dollar Stretcher, Cricket, American, Guideposts for Kids, Living Abroad, Caregivers, Food and Fitness Advisor, Fit Body, Pizza Today, Transitions Abroad, Orange Coast, Antique Roadshow Insider, Focus on Healthy Aging, Women's Health Advisor, Imagine, Enlightened Practice, , EPregnancy, QSR Magazine, PTO Today, Chicken Soup for the Soul Magazine, Fiery Foods, Diet & Fitness,Publix Greenwise, and Beyond. In addition, Sharon is a monthly columnist, contributing editor, and "Ask the Expert" for a variety of publications.

   

©  Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives

Recipe reprinted with permission by www.sharonpalmer.com .

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil

6 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (approximately 4 ounces per breast)

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 sticks whole cinnamon

2 t. ground cumin

2 t. ground turmeric

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

2 lemons

2 small plum tomatoes, chopped

1 c. water

18 large green olives

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Place chicken breasts in hot oil and cook on all sides until slightly browned on surface. Remove from pan and set aside. To pot add chopped onion, garlic, cinnamon sticks, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper. Stir and cook about 5 minutes until onion is cooked. Return chicken to pan and cover. Squeeze the juice of two lemons, reserving lemon peels. Add lemon juice to pot. Slice lemon peels into strips and add to pot with chopped tomatoes, water, and olives. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 45 minutes until chicken is tender, occasionally opening the lid to stir mixture and assure that adequate liquid is available in pot to avoid burning. When chicken is done, arrange contents on a platter, discarding cinnamon sticks. Serve immediately. (This dish is excellent served with couscous.)

Yield: 6 servings (1 chicken breast with 3 green olives per serving)

Sharon Palmer, RD
Food/Nutrition Writer
PO Box 1052
Duarte, CA  91009
(909) 262-4123

www.sharonpalmer.com