Week in Food

Quick Red Lentils

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:28:48 -0500

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a chance to post! And I will only be able to post sporadically due to my being in thesis at my grad program, but I will try my best to keep the blog alive.

This is healthy comfort food! A great recipe for vegetarians and omnivores alike. Lentils are a great source of protein, but you could also toss in some cubed chicken breasts for a super protein punch. The ingredients list may seem intimidating, but if you don’t have all of the spices, just work with what you have. It will still be delicious and comforting!

GET

1 tbsp canola or olive oil
1 chopped leek
2 cloves minced garlic
4 cups veg or chicken stock
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
3 cups red lentils
1 medium or large turnip/ rutabaga, cubed, pretty small 1/2 inch or smaller
2 chopped celery stalks
2 chopped carrots
3 cardamon pods (or tsp cardamon)
1 tbsp butter (clarified or regular)
1/2 lime (juice)
tsp grated lime zest
tbsp agave or sugar
tbsp tomato paste
tsp allspice
tsp coriander
tbsp sea salt
tbsp chili oil or chili or a dash of cayenne
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

COOK

Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add leeks, cook for about 5 min, add garlic, saute for about a minute. Add stock, water, bay leaf, then lentils, and all ingredients through lime juice (Add cubed chicken breast now too). Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally about 20 min or so. Next add the rest of the ingredients and cook about another 10 min until lentils are falling apart soft. Serve over Basmati or brown rice. Garnish with fresh parley, cilantro - or both!

Divine Red Sauce

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:33:00 -0500

I made this incredible red sauce to go over baked cod with a spinach salad topped with roasted red peppers and garlic and mashed potatoes on the side. Sadly I lost the photos of that meal, but I made extra sauce to have for the week and here it is on a piece of toast with spinach and sheep cheese (Caña de Oveja). Fine dining in about 2 minutes.

Red Sauce:

GET

1 container of cherry tomatoes
1 roasted red bell pepper
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon corriander
2 tbsp whole fresh or died rosemary
1 lemon
1 tspn blood orange or white wine vinegar
1/2 tspn black pepper

PREPARE

Roast the sliced pepper for about 45 min on 400. Use about 1/3 of the pepper in the sauce, use the rest to put on sandwiches or salads, etc. No need to remove skins from tomatoes, just wash well. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend well, until it’s foamy. You can store this for about a week in the fridge, though it gets a little tangy with time. Just add a touch of agave if the citrus becomes too strong. Top salads, sandwiches, fish or whatever you like. It’s fantastic tossed with quinoa. Actually, it’s so good you might want to eat it by the spoonful.

Red Sauce and roasted peppers in my new glass storage containers. If you store this sauce in plastic the acid in the tomatoes, lemon and vinegar will leach toxins into your food:

This Perel Blood Orange Vinegar is zesty and subtle, works really well in my recipes:

Sunday Pancakes and Delicious Vermont Maple Syrup

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:57:00 -0500

We finally broke our oatmeal ritual and had buttermilk pancakes this morning, with a wonderful maple syrup from the Union Square farmer’s market. It’s $2 more than the Whole Foods organic 32oz, but well worth it. If you see Deep Mountain Vermont Maple Syrup, get it.

And this is my favorite butter. It’s Amish, it’s good.

Japanese Style Brown Rice

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:46:00 -0500

I made this flavored rice to go with a burdock, beet, kale and dulse salad I’d been eating most of last week. The recipe for the entire salad is posted earlier, search: gobo. The rice is based on a traditional Japanese recipe a friend from Japan was describing, but I threw it together with what I had. Red wine instead of mirin, etc…

GET:

2 cups brown rice
2 chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped burdock (optional)
tbsp raw sesame seeds
tbsp sesame oil
tbsp soy sauce
tbsp fish sauce (optional)
2 tbsp wine or mirin
1/2 cup seaweed (I used dulse and another kind I’m missing the name of)

COOK

Throw ingredients (and water) in rice cooker and viola! Your done. Cooks about 45 minutes. This pairs nicely with greens and raw or steamed veggies.

Turnip, Squash, Coconut and Lamb Stew with Basil and Chutney

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:30:00 -0500

This lovely lamb stew was a weeknight meal, but about a week ago, so I have no weekday to report. I had it for lunch for several days in a row without the roasted veggies on top, they definitely give this stew character.

GET

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 minced leek (light green and white parts only)
1-3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat, then cut into bite-size chunks
2 mince cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced ginger root
1 small butternut squash (1 to 2 pounds), peeled and cut into bite-size pieces (may substitute 2 cups pre-cut butternut squash pieces)
1 large rutabaga turnip (4 to 6 ounces), peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 1/4 cups coconut milk (do not use low-fat)
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
fresh basil
chutney of choice
sweet brown rice

COOK

Heat the oven to 400. Cube the squash and rutabaga into 1/2” squares. Place them on a lightly olive oil greased baking pan, drizzle with olive oil too. Bake for about 45 minutes, until soft.

Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add leeks, cook for about 5 min. Add the lamb pieces and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring to make sure the pieces are lightly browned on all sides. Add garlic and ginger; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the half the squash and turnip, then coriander, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne and salt, stirring to mix well, then add the coconut milk and broth; stir to combine. Bring to a boil and cook on low heat for about an hour or until the lamb is quite tender. Taste and add salt as needed.

For the rice I use a rice cooker, you can also follow stove tope directions.

Plate the rice, then cover with the stew, add the roasted veggies and garnish with chopped basil and chutney. I like a spicy plum chutney.

BENEFITS

To come…

Wednesday Japanese style Kale, Gobo and Beets

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:16:00 -0500

I will use the same ingredients in my cooking over the course of the week because I usually only have time shop once. But sometimes I really get into a food and will cook with it for months. Perhaps it’s something my body needs, or the season is to blame, either way it makes for a deeper relationship with the food.

Kale has been huge for me in the past couple of months. I eat it with everything and never tire of it. Beets are always a staple. And gobo is my new favorite root veggie.

Another kale and beet recipe.

GET

boiled/ grated beets
raw shredded carrots
chopped/ torn kale
raw thinly sliced gobo (burdock root with skin, scrubbed well)
soy sauce or Braggs Liquid Aminos
sesame oil
sesame seeds
finely chopped Dulse seaweed
Japanese topping seaweed flakes (optional)

MAKE

Boil and grate beets (search beets for cooking instructions). I used the beets I made earlier this week. Toss all ingredients together, mix well. Make sure the oil and soy sauce covers all ingredients well. This is nice if it has time to marinade for a little while, but can also be had right away. Top with more sesame seeds and optional Japanese seaweed flakes. I’ve listed no proportions, as you can make this to your liking. Just taste as you make.

BENEFITS

To come…

Two Cheese, Pinot Nior Wednesday - Tastes Good

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:52:00 -0500

There is a cheese I’ve often had that comes in a white rind with a luscious cream between it and the white flaky center that guarantees to be delicious. Although I know it’s not a cow’s milk, I haven’t paid enough attention to be certain of it being sheep’s or goat’s milk, what region it comes form or any other details. I recently heard that goat’s and sheeps’s milk cheeses from the Pyrenees mountain regions are particularly wonderful. When the disinterested sales person at Whole Foods assured me he had no Pyrenees cheeses, I decided to buy both a goat’s and sheep’s milk cheese from Spain, that bore the aforementioned characteristics hoping one would be a Pyrenees.

I paired my Caña de Oveja and Caña de Cabra with a cheap Pinot Nior from Moldova, by Apollo Creek. The wine together with both cheeses was heavenly. Neither turned out to be from the Pyrenees region, but both were very good, both only mildly pungent. The Caña de Oveja sheep’s milk however was incredible. It was richer, woodsy-er and much more complex. I can now understand why people eat cheese for dessert, it’s as if part of this cheese ripened into honey. It seems that it’s the sheep’s milk I should seek out. Perhaps now I need to narrow down a region?

Caña de Oveja is an unusual soft-ripened sheep’s milk cheese from Murcia, an area known primarily for goat cheese, caña de oveja ripens from the outside in, so it should be soft and luscious under the rind. Expect mushroom aromas and a tangy finish.

Caña de Cabra is creamy and mild but has a full and happily satisfying flavor. Tangy citrus notes balance the rich creaminess of the cheese and there’s a fleeting hint of deep woods’ mushrooms that grow in shady spots.

The Caña de Oveja seen on the right. No contest.

BENEFITS

Cheese has lots of calcium. Calcium Helps Prevent Colon Cancer, Osteoporosis, Migraine and PMS. Also is best known for its role in maintaining the strength and density of bones. In a process known as bone mineralization, calcium and phosphorus join to form calcium phosphate. Calcium phosphate is a major component of the mineral complex (called hydroxyapatite) that gives structure and strength to bones. Calcium also plays a role in many other vital physiological activities, including blood clotting, nerve conduction, muscle contraction, regulation of enzyme activity, cell membrane function and blood pressure regulation.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=121

Moderate consumption of wine is associated with a longer and healthier life than that of abstainers (an observation supported by a great mass of published evidence). While at least half of the benefits associated with wine consumption appear to be derived from the alcohol itself, there are other components of wine that contribute to the same benefits.

Alcohol’s health benefits chiefly favor the cardiovascular system, and are dramatically reflected in reduced risks of atherosclerotic heart attacks, ischemic strokes and limb amputations due to compromised blood supply. Most intriguing are the poly-phenolic flavonoids, also known as antioxidants… found in grapes, chiefly the skins, their concentrations tend to be higher in red wines (when skins are included in fermentation) than white (when skins are culled).

http://www.thewinenews.com/aprmay00/comment.html

Apollo Creek, Moldova: http://www.snooth.com/wine/apollo-creek-pinot-noir-2008/

Chemicals in your food. Don't count on the FDA.

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:35:00 -0500

Chemicals in your food. Don't count on the FDA.:

BPA, a synthetic estrogen used in plastic food containers and the lining of your canned foods is FDA approved and slowly poisoning you.

“Scholars have noted some increasing reports of boys born with malformed genitals, girls who begin puberty at age 6 or 8 or even earlier, breast cancer in women and men alike, and declining sperm counts among men.”

You may have already heard about this, but if you are not aware of this, please read on. The FDA is not going to make a move anytime soon, but you should.

Polish grated beet salad

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:36:00 -0500

One of my favorite Polish foods is a simple grated beet “salad”. It’s not what American’s think of when they refer to a salad, just grated beets. This is a variation the traditional dish.

GET

beets w/ tops
1 carrot
pepper
coarse kosher sea salt
white wine vinegar

COOK

Cut beet tops off and reserve. Leave about an inch of beet top on beets. Place beets with skins and a pinch of salt in water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 min. Stick a fork in the beet to check if tender. Rinse with cold water and slush off the skins with your hands, they slide right off. Grate the beets and raw carrot. Add a touch of salt and taste.

You may like it as is: sweet and delicate. Try a bite with a bit of pepper and a touch of vinegar. If you like it, you can add the pepper and vinegar as you go or mix it into the whole batch.

This can sit in your fridge for at least a week. For a full Polish experience have it with pickled herring or a pork cutlet and mashed potatoes! For a Mediterranean spin dice instead of grating and add basil, goat cheese and olive oil. Just basil works nicely too.

As for the tops, I will post a recipe once I cook them later this week.

BENEFITS

Amazing beets. These colorful root vegetables contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer. The pigment that gives beets their rich, purple-crimson color-betacyanin-is also a powerful cancer-fighting agent.

Beets are an excellent source of the B vitamin, folate, and a very good source of manganese and potassium. Beets are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49#healthbenefits

Saturday Special Coconut Curry Chicken

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:47:00 -0500

This recipe is special, it calls for sage.

GET

3 organic chicken breasts
1/2 cup stock
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 big garlic cloves
1/3 of med red onion
1 tbsp fish sauce (or 1/2 tsp sea salt salt)
1 tbsp +1/2 tsp lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 tbsp agave
1 tbsp minced sage (about 5 leaves)
fresh basil
brown rice

COOK

Reserve chicken and basil, put all other ingredients in a pot and stir well. Then add 1/2” cubed chicken and marinate in fridge preferable over night or at least an hour. Once it’s ready to cook, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Try the chicken to see if it’s cooked through, it might need another 5 minutes. Make brown rice in a rice cooker or follow stove top instructions. Once plated, garnish with basil. This dish is mildly spicy.

You can make this vegan, just replace the chicken with bell pepper, carrot, broccoli or any other vegetables of choice. Or add the veggies in with the chicken. No need to marinate the veggies, just add when you’re ready to cook.

BENEFITS

To come…

Saturday sweet potato, squash, kale and split pea soup

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:35:00 -0500

This soup was inspired by Ira’s Tuesday Night Split-Pea Stew, but has a flavor all of its own. Hearty, rich and heavy on cumin!

These proportions are for 6 qt stockpot.

GET

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 minced leek
1 chopped red onion
3 cloves minced garlic
2-3 medium russet potatoes 1/2”cubed
1 Delicata squash 1/2” cubed
2 potatoes 1” cubed
1 sweet potato 1/2” cubed
1/2 cup yellow split peas
6 cups water or broth of choice
1 qt low-sodium chicken stock or veggie
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp lime or lemon
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp minced fresh sage (about 4 leaves)
fresh ground cumin (use a mortar+pestle)
1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
3 leaves chopped kale

COOK

Saute onions and leeks until golden-brown. Once they’re done add garlic, saute for about a minute. Add stock, water, then peas, squash, potatoes, bay leaf, lemon, salt, pepper and cook about 35 min or so, until veggies are soft. About 10 min before the soup is done cooking add the sage, cumin and nutmeg. Once the heat is off add the kale. It will add a lovely splash of color and flavor to the soup.

BENEFITS

Kale is one of the Organosulfur Phytonutrients that Help Prevent Cancer… these 10-15 glucosinolates present in Kale appear able to lessen the occurrence of a wide variety of cancers, including breast and ovarian cancers…” Rich in vitamins A, C, K and manganese.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38#healthbenefits

Potatoes are a very good source of vitamin C, a good source of vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber. Potatoes also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity. Among these important health-promoting compounds are carotenoids, flavonoids, and caffeic acid, as well as unique tuber storage proteins, such as patatin, which exhibit activity against free radicals.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=48#nutritionalprofile

Sweet potatoes contain unique root storage proteins that have been observed to have significant antioxidant capacities. This root vegetable is an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), a very good source of vitamin C and manganese, and a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. This is an Antioxidant-Rich, Anti-Inflammatory Food. Both beta-carotene and vitamin C are very powerful antioxidants that work in the body to eliminate free radicals. Free radicals are chemicals that damage cells and cell membranes and are associated with the development of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, and colon cancer.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64#healthbenefits

“Winter squash, like other richly colored vegetables, provide excellent sources of carotenes. Generally, the richer the color, the richer the concentration. They also offer a very good source of vitamins B1 and C, folic acid, pantothenic acid, fiber, potassium, vitamin B6 and niacin….”

http://www.everynutrient.com/healthbenefitsofsquash.html

Dried peas are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. They are also of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. Dried peas also provide good to excellent amounts of four important minerals, two B-vitamins, protein, and isoflavones (notably daidzein). Isoflavones are phytonutrients that can act like weak estrogens in the body and whose dietary consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of certain health conditions, including breast and prostate cancer, amongst other health conditions.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=56

Burdock Tea, will make you beautiful within and without

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:46:00 -0500

This tea has a wonderful smokey flavor and is an easy way to access the benefits burdock has to offer. You can also buy burdock root, cut thin slices, cover with boiling water and brew for 10 min. I’ve found the tea to be more flavorful.

I will soon try cooking with burdock and post once I’ve got a good recipe to share.

Get the tea cheap here: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/bulkherb/b.html

BENEFITS

Burdock root, also known as gobo or “Poor-man’s potatoes”, is an important food in Japan known for it’s many healing properties. Traditionally, burdock root was used in Europe, India and China to treat respiratory disorders, abscesses, joint pain, urinary problems and to overcome serious health challenges by stimulating cellular regeneration, detoxification and cleansing. The German Pharmacopoeia lists this herbal drug for treating gastrointestinal complaints, as well as joint and bone conditions. The tea is also considered to be a traditional blood purifier and diuretic. Up to seventy-five percent of the root is made up of complex carbohydrates known as fructo-oligo-saccharides (FOS), including 27-45% inulin. Based on clinical studies, intake of FOS significantly increases beneficial bifidobacteria within the gastrointestinal tract and eliminates bacterial pathogens. This ultimately stimulates the immune system and effectively suppresses abnormal cell growth. The high levels of FOS in burdock root and its water extract also help to keep blood sugar levels constant and reduce hyperglycemia. Burdock root and its tea also contain at least five powerful flavonoid-type antioxidants that are more powerful antioxidants than vitamin C. Based on many studies with animals exposed to toxic chemicals, the tea very effectively protects the body against cellular damage and abnormal growths. The tea also has powerful anti-inflammatory activity based on studies and reduces liver damage from toxic chemicals. As a mildly bitter-tasting herb, it increases saliva and bile secretion, which aids digestion and cleanses the liver. These qualities of burdock root tea support proper hormone balances within the body and this may explain its traditional use for treating acne, eczema, endometriosis, fibroids and psoriasis. Burdock root tea can also be applied externally for treating skin conditions.

http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/Canada/HealthInformation/Encyclopedias/BurdockRoot.htm

Sunday Night Indian Spice Rutabaga + Turnip Soup

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:15:00 -0500

I can’t seem to get enough of my root vegetables. This soup boasts 5 varieties: rutabaga, turnip, carrot and potato. Eight if you count the bulbs (onion + garlic) and the rhizome (ginger). Very hearty, flavorful and complex - in a peasant stew sort of way.

GET

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large chopped leek (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 chopped red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 QT vegetable or chicken broth
1 big 1/2-inch cubed pieces peeled rutabaga
1 big 1/2-inch cubed pieces peeled turnip
4 sliced carrots
2 small peeled diced russet potatoes
1 14oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp blood orange vinegar or lemon juice
sea salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
half of 1/4 tsp ground cardamon
half of 1/4 tsp ground clove
pinch of cayenne

COOK

Heat oil in 4QT or larger stockpot over medium-low heat. Add leek and onion, saute until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, saute 1 min. Add broth, turnips, rutabagas, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes with juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, add vinegar or lemon juice, sea salt, cracked pepper, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes. A few minutes before the soup is done, add cardamon, clove and cayenne.

BENEFITS

to come….

Great White: Loosen Brothers Dr. L Riesling - $15

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:27:00 -0500

A friend served this wine with a wonderful fish stew. The stew was great, but this wine was pretty spectacular. Goes for about $15, well worth it if you like white.

Polish Sauerkraut

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:43:00 -0500

If you live near a Polish deli, Skalniak makes a very good basic homemade style sauerkraut. I’m not sure why the English translation on the label reads “processed sauerkraut”, the Polish text below read “home style recipe”.

To be sure you have a quality kraut you may want to look into making your own. From what I know it simply requires layering raw chopped cabbage with salt in an air-tight jar and letting it sit in a dark place at room temperature until it has fermented. I am actually looking into doing this myself and will post my results once I’ve made a first batch. Or get this book: Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, by Ellix Katz

To take advantage of saurkraut’s ability to promote the growth of healthy bowel flora, take a daily spoonful on an empty stomach and wait a half hour before eating other food.

BENEFITS

Raw sauerkraut will increase your libido!

Traditionally it has been used to treat constipation and to aid gut function. It is also rich in enzymes that can aid protein digestion and the health of your liver. Sauerkraut is a good source of Calcium and Magnesium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Archaeologists have discovered that fermented plant foods were first consumed by prehistoric hunter gatherers. The Chinese have been fermenting cabbage since 200 BC, and traditionally used sauerkraut juice as a cure for many common ailments. The Romans carried barrels of sauerkraut to prevent intestinal infections on long excursions, and Genghis Khan is said to have transported pickled cabbage to Europe in the 13th Century.

Apart from its deliciously tangy flavour, sauerkraut offers remarkable health benefits. The fibre and lactic acid bacteria improve digestion and promote the growth of healthy bowel flora, protecting against many diseases of the digestive tract. Finnish researchers recently reported in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, that the fermentation of cabbage produces compounds called isothiocyanates which appear protective against cancer.

http://www.thehealthbank.co.uk/nutrition_articles/sauerkraut.html

Sunday Morning Egg

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:12:58 -0500

I love soft boiled eggs. I especially enjoy them in this lovely Polish egg holder.

This morning I had my two eggs with toast, watercress drizzled with olive oil, cracked pepper, coarse unprocessed sea salt. Simply delicious.

BENEFITS

Search: Egg

One of my all time favorite foods: BEETS

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:23:00 -0400

I have made numerous dishes with beets and will post them with time, but I wanted to make a brief mention now with this simple snack or side dish recipe.

GET

medium sized peeled red beets
olive oil
pumpkin seeds
cracked pepper
sea salt
fresh basil
goat cheese (optional)

PREPARE

Slice raw peeled beets thinly. You can simply use the vegetable peeler to shave the beet into slices. Coat with olive oil, add the rest of the ingredients except the basil leaves and optional cheese. Toss well. Top with basil and cheese.

OPTION

You can use cooked beets for this dish. I prefer raw for nutritional reasons. When you cook beets, they bleed and loose some nutritional properties. If you choose to cook them, get smaller beets, scrub the skin lightly, leave 1/2 inch of the beet top in tact. Place beets in water with a pinch of salt, bring water to a boil and cook 15-20 minutes. They will still be firm, but slightly sweeter and softer.

BENEFITS

Amazing beets, these colorful root vegetables contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer. The pigment that gives beets their rich, purple-crimson color-betacyanin-is also a powerful cancer-fighting agent.

Beets are an excellent source of the B vitamin, folate, and a very good source of manganese and potassium. Beets are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49#healthbenefits

SATURDAY PECAN+PEAR STEEL CUT OATS

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:18:00 -0400

I am a creature of habit, as is my partner. We have had oatmeal nearly every weekend for the past 6 months. I try to bring some excitement to the ritual with various fruit and nut combinations. This morning I toasted pecans to add to the pear recipe from a week ago. I think I actually preferred it with walnuts, which I hadn’t toasted, but simply added to the oatmeal mixture while it was cooking. That was a bit healthier than toasting and one less pan to clean. Nonetheless, this was quite good too. If you like pecans, give it a try!

Top with honey. The Whole Foods Brand (365) organic raw honey is a perfect pairing. It is very sweet and flowery, which I don’t like as much in my tea or yogurt, but works very nicely here. The Organic WFB 365 Maple Syrup is also a good buy for a the amount. Get the extra dark for cooking variety, it’s a Grade B which is more nutritious and flavorful than lighter Grade A syrups.

BENEFITS

Raw Honey - Antioxidant, Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal

The health benefits of honey - like all foods - depend on the quality of the honey. But in this case, the situation is even more extreme, because the pollen that collects on the bees’ legs as they move from plant to plant is only as healthful and as diverse as those plants. In addition, the processing of honey often removes many of the phytonutrients found in raw honey as it exists in the hive. Raw honey, for example, contains small amounts of the same resins found in propolis. Propolis, sometimes called “bee glue,” is actually a complex mixture of resins and other substances that honeybees use to seal the hive and make it safe from bacteria and other micro-organisms. Honeybees make propolis by combining plant resins with their own secretions. However, substances like road tar have also been found in propolis. Bee keepers sometimes use special screens around the inside of the hive boxes to trap propolis, since bees will spread this substance around the honeycomb and seal cracks with the anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal resins. The resins found in propolis only represent a small part of the phytonutrients found in propolis and honey, however. Other phytonutrients found both in honey and propolis have been shown to posssess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties. These substances include caffeic acid methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate, and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate. Researchers have discovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two enzymes, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and lipoxygenase. When raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96#nutritionalprofile

For other benefits search: Steel Cut Oats

A Few Convenient Organic Markets

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:24:00 -0400

BROOKLYN

THE GARDEN, 921 Manhattan Ave, between Greenpoint Ave & Kent St
(718) 389-6448 www.thegardenfoodmarket.com/

Park Slope Food COOP, 782 Union St
(718) 622-0560 http://foodcoop.com/

MANHATTAN

Integral Yoga Natural Foods, 229 West 13th Street, between 7th +8th Ave 212-243-2642 http://www.integralyoganaturalfoods.com/

Commodities Natural Market, 165 1st Ave, between 10th St & 11th St 212-260-2600 www.commoditiesnaturalmarket.com/

Westerly Natural Market, 913 8th Ave, between 54th and 55th St 212-586-5262 http://www.westerlynaturalmarket.com

30 min Impromptu Winter Veggies

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:02:00 -0400

I was on my way home one of the first blustery Fall evenings and had an insatiable craving for potatoes and carrots. It turned out a delicious and pretty meal.

GET

scrubbed, cubed potatoes with skins
1/2” biased cut carrots (cut at an angle)
stemmed, chopped kale
chopped big red onion
2 minced garlic cloves
grated ginger
lemon juice
agave syrup
sea salt
cracked pepper
olive oil
butter

COOK

Place potatoes in plenty of water with a pinch of salt. Boil and cook until tender. When the potatoes are cubed they cook fast. Check them with a fork after about 8-10 minutes of boiling. They should be quite soft, but not crumbling. Drain, add butter (sub w/ olive oil for vegan opt) and salt to taste. Mash to desired consistency. I like them a little chunky, the skins add a nice texture too.

While the potatoes are cooking, you can get two skillets going, one needs a lid. Saute onions with salt and pepper until golden on low heat, stir occasionally, about 10 minutes.

In the other pot heat oil. Add garlic and ginger, saute on low heat for about a minute, then scoop out and reserve. Add carrots, lemon juice and pinch of salt to oil, cook on low heat with lid on for about 10 minutes, stir every minute or so. Add agave to taste just before the carrots are done cooking. Once the carrots are off the heat, return ginger and garlic, toss well.

Arrange the potatoes, carrots and kale on plate. Top the kale with the hot onions and a touch of olive oil and a splash of vinegar. Salt and crack pepper if needed.

BENEFITS

“Organosulfur Phytonutrients that Help Prevent Cancer… these 10-15 glucosinolates present in Kale appear able to lessen the occurrence of a wide variety of cancers, including breast and ovarian cancers…” Rich in vitamins A, C, K and manganese.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38#healthbenefits

Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds, and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. Carrots’ antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promote good vision, especially night vision.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=21

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=48#nutritionalprofile