Avoiding Pesticides

I can't always buy organic but am still concerned with eating foods that aren't grown with pesticides. I came across this website today that ranks foods according to pesticide contamination. I didn't know that some foods tend to have more pesticides than others but according to this report they do.

http://www.foodnews.org/methodology.php

Below is the list of best and worst foods that they have ranked according to pesticide contamination.

Also, there's an interesting article that describes how large conventional farmers just received a grant from the USDA to go towards fighting this list, arguing that the list is a public health risk.

http://www.greenchipstocks.com/articles/tax-dollars-funding-attack-on-organic-foods/1156

Lettuce and Shiitake Sautee

Thank God, lettuce is not only for salads :)

When life tends to be colder and the days shorter, I crave steamy hot food. This is a gratifying way to prepare lettuce that will warm your insides. This dish will take you about 10-15 minutes from start to finish and is sure to satisfy.

Ingredients:

1 head of romaine or iceberg lettuce

1 very large shiitake mushroom (or 4-6 smaller)

1 T peanut oil

Sauce:

2 T Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1/2 T agave syrup

1/2 T brown rice vinegar

Wash and dry the mushroom and lettuce.

Coarsely chop the lettuce and set aside.

Add peanut oil to the wok and heat on medium high. Meanwhile, chop the mushroom into 1 inch pieces and add to the wok once it's hot. Stir constantly. Add lettuce and keep stirring. After 1 minute, turn the heat to medium and add the sauce to the wok. Keep stirring until the lettuce slightly softens and take off heat.

Ready to serve!

Health Benefits:

Lettuce

Romaine lettuce is known to have the greatest nutritional value of all the lettuce varieties. It is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, folic acid, manganese and chromium. Iceberg lettuce is a good source of choline and the outer leaves may contain 50% more nutrients than the stem.

Microgreens Salad

I've been a little busy lately so I took advantage of the prepackaged greens at Trader Joe's. If you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, your local grocery will have similar ingredients. If they don't have microgreens then you can replace them with sprouts. This recipe is so easy and will take hardly any time to prepare.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 bag of mixed baby lettuce

1 pkg of microgreens

1 yellow bell pepper

Dressing:

the juice of 2 lemons

1 T olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Topping:

3/4 cup of roasted cashews

Chop the yellow bell pepper into bite-sized pieces. Mix all of the ingredients together into a large serving bowl.

Mix the dressing ingredients separately into a small bowl, add to the salad and mix thoroughly so that the dressing coats the salad.

Top individual salads with the cashews.

Health Benefits

Bell Peppers

Bell Peppers are high in vitamin C and A. They are good for eyesight, cardiovascular health and a protection against arthritis.

Note:

I like to buy nuts raw and roast them when I use them. This way they are fresher and more tasty. If you buy the cashews raw, set the oven to 350˚ and allow the cashews to roast for 7-9 minutes or until fragrant and lightly brown.

Also, I'm a fan of baby greens in salads, they tend to offer a subtler flavor and softer texture than more mature greens.

Sheila's Olive-Fennel Bread

Yesterday, a friend shared with me her recipe for homemade bread. The bread looks and tastes like artisan bread from a local farmer's market. So delicious!

The recipe below can be varied from olive bread to raisin walnut or garlic depending upon what you add to the mix. We made two batches, one olive-fennel and the other without the olives and with an additional touch of sesame oil.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 cup soaked & cooked wheat berries

1 cup bran flakes

6 cups all purpose flour

2 cups olives (olives can be switched out with raisins, nuts, cinnamon, garlic, cheese, etc)

2 3/4 cups of liquid (water or olive juice)

heaping T of yeast

handful of fennel

handful of oat flakes

Measure yeast into a small bowl and add 1/2 cup of warm water. Stir gently and let rest for 5 minutes or until it starts to foam.

Having a Kitchen Aid for this recipe helps though it is not necessary. Place all ingredients (except for the oat flakes) into the Kitchen Aid and use the dough hook on a slow setting to mix. If not using a Kitchen Aid then stir ingredients together in a large bowl and transfer the dough to a surface sprinkled with flour and knead by hand to continue the mixing.

Add 1 T grapeseed oil to another large bowl. Once the ingredients are mixed together well then add the dough to the bowl and cover well with the oil. Cover the bowl with a plastic bag and set it aside in a warm place to let it rise. We placed the bowl on top of an oven set to 250˚ and occassionally rotated the bowl so that it warmed evenly.

The rising time may vary from season to season. In the Southern California summer it takes about 30-45 minutes and can take days in the winter. Our batch took about 45 minutes to an hour for the first rise.

While the dough is rising, sprinkle oat flakes onto a baking tray. After the dough rises once, take the dough out of the bowl place it, knead thoroughly and place on top of the oat flakes on the baking tray and shape accordingly. Cover the dough a second time, place in a warm spot and let it rise. It should take about the same time as the first rising.

Preheat the oven to 450˚. Once the dough has risen a second time, uncover it and place into the oven and splash about 1/2 cup of water on the bottom of the inside of the oven (the space below the baking tray) and close the oven door. This is done to make the bread extra crusty. Bake for 10 minutes then splash another 1/2 cup of water on the bottom of the inside of the oven again, close the door and bake at 425˚ for another 37 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven, brush with olive oil and set on a rack or on it's side to cool.

Bon Appetit!

Note:

The baking time may vary with ovens, so make sure to make adjustments. Also, to expedite the process you might want to cook the wheat berries in a large batch ahead of time and freeze one cup portions into plastic baggies. It's good to have these on hand anyways, they are good additions to oatmeal, cereals, salads and soups. Click here to check out how to cook wheat berries.

South Pasadena Farmer's Market

Last week I went to the South Pasadena Farmer's Market with a friend. Honestly, it had been a little while since I'd been to a farmer's market, so I was a bit overwhelmed by all of the beautiful produce and exciting food possibilities sitting before me.

After wandering around, sampling delectable goodies and chatting with my friend, we picked up some dinner from a stand and sat down to enjoy it together.

One of the items I picked out was some fresh, organic lima beans. I've always been sucker for lima beans. These were plump and super fresh.

Here's a simple recipe for lima beans.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh lima beans

1 lemon

1/2 T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Place the beans in a pot with water that sits about an inch above the beans. Bring to a boil and vigorously simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Strain the beans and place into a serving bowl. In a separate bowl mix the juice of the lemon with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the beans and gently stir to coat each bean.

Brown rice and salmon would complete this dish nicely or just eat as a snack.

Health Benefits:

Lima Beans

Lima beans are high in fiber and a good source of protein, potassium, iron and folate. They also make a good food for detoxifying from sulfites which are found in preservatives often used in salad bars. Lima beans are also known to contribute to heart health because of their fiber, magnesium and folate levels.

P.S. Please do not eat lima beans raw as uncooked limas contain chemical compounds that can mess with the body. When cooked these compounds are no longer a risk.

Apple & Cabbage Juice

So here's a juice that I tried today. It's a bit of everything as I had a variety of veggies and fruits in my fridge. It turned out both beautiful to look at and pleasant to taste!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1/2 small red cabbage

2 apples

2 carrots

1/2 cucumber

1 inch ginger

Health Benefits:

Red Cabbage

Red Cabbage is rich in vitamins K and C. Also, this veggie is a significant source of anti-oxidants and has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Cabbage is good for digestive tract and cardiovascular support. The red color comes from a high concentration of anthocyanin polyphenols which means red cabbage has more phytonutrients than green cabbage. Phyto- what you might say. Phytonutrients are basically the nutrients of a plant and these are essential for a healthy body, mind and spirit!

Tahini Dressing

Tahini is delicious. In June I posted a recipe for tahini cookies which are quite tasty and in August I featured Panos Bakery which serves a yummy pastry made with tahini called tahinli ekmek. Today I'm writing about another savory way to use tahini. Tahini is basically ground up sesame seeds that form a paste and there are many ways to enjoy it. One of my favorites is to use it as a dressing. As a vegan I don't often eat things that are creamy, but tahini dressing is creamy without the cream. Here's the recipe and a salad to go along with it.

Tahini Dressing:

3 T raw tahini

2 T olive oil

2 T honey

the juice of 5 lemons

pinch of salt

Salad:

1 head of leaf lettuce

2 kale leaves

1 large tomato

3 cups of chickpeas

To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

To make the salad wash the lettuce, kale and tomato. Coarsely chop the lettuce and kale and add it to a large salad bowl. Chop the tomato and add to the bowl. Add the cooked chickpeas to the bowl as well. (If using dried chickpeas, soak for 6-8 hours in water. Strain the beans from the water. Place the chickpeas in a pot. Add fresh water and boil for about 40-45 minutes.)

Mix together all the salad ingredients. Serve up the salad in small bowls and top with the dressing.

Bon appetit!

Kale & Cumin

Kale is a wonder veggie! It's good in stews, soups, salads, sauteed dishes and juices. This veggie is potent in taste and nutrients so it can be challenging to wield such a flavor in cooking. I threw together this dish at the last minute the other evening and it turned out pretty well. It would serve as a great side dish, small meal or snack. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2-3 kale leaves

1 inch of fresh ginger

1 tsp cumin

pinch of salt

1 tsp grapeseed oil

Topping:

1/2 cup raw peanuts or raw almond slivers

Preheat oven to 300˚

Place either the raw almonds or peanuts into a pan and place in the oven. Let them roast for about 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Wash and coarsely chop the kale. Peel the ginger and finely dice.

Pour the oil into a wok and heat at medium high. After a minute, add the ginger to the wok and stir constantly about 40 seconds to a minute. Add the chopped kale and continue to stir until the kale begins to soften. Immediately remove from the heat. Add the cumin and salt to the kale. Stir in thoroughly and serve.

Health Benefits

Kale

Kale is a cruciferous vegetable referring to the family of vegetables to which it belongs and this family is famous for its cancer preventative properties. This veggie is loaded with vitamins K, A and C and is rich in calcium, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Note:

I used very little oil in this dish and the cooking time is very brief so the consistency of the kale is leafy and crisp. It's similar to a raw texture but slightly softer and warm. Also, make sure you get basic kale for this dish. It should be a medium green color with curly edges to the leaves.

Spinach and Basil Salad

This is a simple salad to prepare and quite refreshing.

Ingredients:

3-4 handfuls of baby spinach

4 leaves of fresh basil

1 small red onion

1 avocado

2 handfuls of tri-color cherry tomatoes

Dressing:

1 T mustard seeds

1 T balsamic vinegar

2 T olive oil

Heat mustard seeds in a hot wok stirring until they begin to pop. Turn off the heat and let them cool.

Slice the red onion and halve the larger cherry tomatoes. Break the stems off of the basil to be composted or thrown away and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces to add to the salad. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Minus the avocado mix all the ingredients with the dressing into a large serving bowl then slice the avocado on top of the salad to finish.

Health Benefits:

Mustard Seeds

Apparently mustard seeds were once used medicinally in ancient Rome and Greece. These little guys have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. The seeds are high in selenium which has been shown to help lessen the severity of asthma and decrease symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and they are a good source of magnesium which can positively effect sleep patterns in menopausal women and reduce the frequency of migraines. Hurray for the mustard seed!

Genetically Modified Salmon

I read an article this morning about the FDA considering to endorse genetically modified salmon. The fish are modified to constantly produce growth hormones in order to speed up their life cycle. It seems like their potential effect on the environment and our health is not something to take lightly. And there's the possibility that these salmon would be sold without any indication that they've been genetically modified.

The article is brief and informative: http://www.ktxs.com/news/25098481/detail.html

Four Cafe

Four Cafe is a dining spot in the Eagle Rock area of Los Angeles. I've passed by it several times and been curious as the caption outside of their restaurant reads: "fresh, seasonal, local." How could one resist such a slogan?!

I tried it for the first time this evening and found it quite satisfying. The space is intimate, filled with a row of sturdy wooden tables and the staff was very friendly. My meal consisted of Summer Squash Soup, Miso Tofu Salad and Iced Jasmine Mint Tea. I ordered the half soup / salad and it was plenty of food. My friend had the Red Curry Chicken Soup and the Hawaiian BBQ Pork Sandwich which looked delicious. The menu has a couple options that are explicitly vegan and others to appease the carnivores.

In my first impressions, this spot is definitely worth a visit! Check out Four Cafe and pics from our meal below. (The Summer Squash Soup is the green soup.)

Seafood Stew

This stew is based off of a recipe that I found in the Spices of Life cookbook. It's a cozy dish with a lot of flavor. Use fresh ingredients as much as possible. It enhances the taste and nutritional value.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 T tamarind concentrate

3 1/2 cup water

14 1/2 oz can peeled tomatoes

1 pound cod fillets

1/2 pound of raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 inch ginger

1 tsp tumeric

6 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno

1/2 cup cilantro

Spice Seasonings:

1 tsp mustard seeds

4 curry leaves, shredded finely

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chile flakes

Bring water and tamarind to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Meanwhile, blend ginger, garlic, jalapeno and tomatoes and add to the heated water. Add 1/4 cup of the cilantro and turmeric to the pot as well. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 12 minutes.

In a wok or skillet, dry roast the mustard seeds until they pop. Add the other spice seasonings and toast for a minute stirring regularly. Add the spices to the soup.

Wash the fish and shrimp and pat dry. Cut the fish into bite sized strips or squares. Add the fish to the soup and cook, partially covered on a medium low heat for about 8-10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook, partially covered for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve bowls with a scoop of brown rice. Ladle the stew on top of the rice and sprinkle the remaining cilantro in each bowl as a garnish.

Melon Juice with herbs

Juicing is a great way to beat the heat of summer and jump start one's energy on a lazy hot day. I threw together a hodge-podge of leftovers and this juice turned out quite refreshing!

Ingredients:

4 carrots

1/6 of a canary melon

1/4 bundle of cilantro

1/4 bundle of mint

1/2 inch of ginger

Health Benefits:

Mint

Mint has been known to have healing properties for digestion and is a powerful antioxidant. It also contains vitamin A, C, B12, folic acid and riboflavin and quite a few minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.

A Side of Bulgur

This dish is inspired by a yummy Turkish dish called kisir. Kisir is kind of a side dish / salad that can go with a variety of dishes and is usually accompanied with a thick plain yogurt. Greek yogurt is found in most local supermarkets and is a nice option. My favorite is FAGE though I like the dish without the yogurt as well.

Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup bulgur

2 cups water

1 small tomato

1/2 cucumber

1 cup coarsely chopped parsley

3/4 cup diced mint

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 T red pepper flakes

the juice of 1 lemon

Side:

1 container of thick plain yogurt

Fill a pot with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat and add bulgur. Cover and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Drain bulgur of any excess water and fluff with a fork so that it cools and dries not too sticky or clumped.

Chop tomato and cucumber into small bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Add chopped herbs, lemon juice and spices. Once the bulgur has cooled add it as well. Slowly stir ingredients together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve!

Guests can add a scoop of yogurt alongside their portion as they like.

Health Benefits:

Bulgur

Bulgur is a form of wheat and a good source of fiber, protein, folate, vitamin E, magnesium and potassium. It's also very low in calories and good for weight loss routines. I like to use the medium grain bulgur in this dish.

Panos Bakery

Panos Bakery is a neighborhood bakery that's definitely worth a visit. On their window they advertise tahini bread. Having lived in Turkey for a couple years, tahini and bread in the same phrase gets me very excited! Though this is not a Turkish bakery, this bread is the closest I've found to tahinli ekmek since moving back to the states.

I tried their spinach pastry and the tahini bread. Both are quite delicious and I think vegan??? The round, flat pastry is the tahini bread and the triangle pieces are stuffed with spinach. Yum!

P.S. For those who don't know tahini is basically ground up sesame seeds that form a sesame paste. When I lived in Turkey I would mix it with something like a grape molasses and spread it on bread for breakfast.

Rosemary Chickpeas

I love chickpeas! They are filling, nutritious and delicious in texture and taste!

This is a simple salad that's strength lies in the fresh rosemary and sweet onion as complements to the nutty chickpea flavor.

Ingredients:

3 cups of uncooked chickpeas

1 vidalia (sweet) onion

Dressing:

1 T white balsamic vinegar

2 T olive oil

2 T finely chopped rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

Soak chickpeas in water for 6-8 hours.

Peel onion and place chickpeas and whole onion in a large pot with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove onion and let cool. Simmer chickpeas for 15 minutes. Strain chickpeas from the water and set aside to dry and cool.

In a separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients together. Place cooled chickpeas and chopped onion into a large bowl and stir in the dressing.

Bon Appetit!

Health Benefits:

Rosemary

This fragrant herb has been known to help digestion, immune system function and increase the blood flow to the brain. Perhaps this latter trait is why ancient Greek students wore sprigs of rosemary in their hair to assist in their studies for exams.

Raw Squash and Herbs

Last week at my yoga studio, I picked up a yummy looking squash someone shared from their garden. I honestly am still not sure what it is though my guess is butternut. It looked atypical from a butternut squash on the outside, inside it was identical.

I decided I wanted to enjoy this garden fresh veggie raw with loads of garden fresh herbs to complement. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

4 sprigs of oregano

2 sprigs of oregano flowers

2 sprigs of basil

2 baby leaves of swiss chard

Dressing:

1 T olive oil

2 T agave syrup

the juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper to taste

Optional Topping:

dried cranberries

sesame seeds

Peel, seed and finely chop the squash. Finely dice oregano and oregano flowers. Coarsely chop basil and swiss chard. Mix dressing ingredients in a separate bowl. Gently stir together all ingredients. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes before serving.

Health Benefits:

Why eat raw? Apparently raw veggies have a higher nutrient content than cooked. Also raw veggies provide natural enzymes which allows one's body to take the energy from producing digestive enzymes and apply it to other essential processes. When untouched by the cooking process the fibrous element of veggies is extremely effective. At Health 101 there's an article for more info regarding raw food consumption.

Note:

Make sure these herbs are fresh. It makes all the difference!

Oregano Oil

When I was sick a week or so ago my boyfriend introduced me to Oregano Oil. It's amazing!

About 2-4 drops twice a day applied under the tongue helps sore throat and congestion issues. The dosage may vary between brands so make sure you check before using. Just a heads up, the oil's a little spicy but the spicy kick feels so good to a little congestion.

If you're in the Pasadena area it can be found at Grassroots Natural Market and Kitchen in South Pasadena as well as Whole Foods Market.

Compost

I've heard about composting for awhile but have just started to give it a try. From what I understand, composting is the biodegradation of organic matter, in other words, it's the cycle of life: a plant drops a leaf to the ground and microbes turn it into something that the plant can consume.

My compost heap is about a week old and so far I've contributed dried leaves and fresh green leaves from my yard, pulp from my juicer, skins and rinds of fruits and vegetables and dying flowers from bouquets. All of these would've naturally gone into my trash and instead they are becoming nutrient rich fertilizer in my back yard! There is no bin that contains the pile, just a 6" deep, 1' wide hole dug into the dirt. Instead of buying worms, I'm hoping the worms from my yard will find their way into the heap.

Here's a pic of my pile before adding dried leaves to the mix.

Some sites about composting:

http://www.howtocompost.org/

http://www.plowhearth.com/magazine/compost_how_to.asp

Jicama, Watercress & Avocado Salad

Given my recent posts, I think it's clear that I have a thing for peanuts :)

This salad is refreshing and unique. Minus the peanuts it's all raw. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 medium jicama

1 bunch of watercress

1 avocado

Dressing:

1 lime if using a juicer, if hand squeezing use 2 limes

1 T peanut oil

2 T agave syrup

1 jalapeno

Topping:

1 cup roasted spanish peanuts

If the peanuts are raw, roast them in the oven at 300˚. Remove from the oven when the peanuts start to lightly brown.

Coarsely chop jicama, watercress and avocado and place in serving bowl. Finely dice the jalapeno. In a separate bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over the vegetables in the bowl. Slowly stir to coat each vegetable lightly with the dressing.

Place the salad onto individual plates and top with roasted peanuts.

Health Benefits:

Watercress:

Wow, this veggie is both delicious and nutritious! Watercress is packed with vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, E, manganese and carotenes. Watercress also contains calcium, fiber and iron. Also, if you're looking to increase sexual energy, fertility and mental acuity this leafy goodness might be worth a try.

Peanut & Corn Stir Fry

This dish is good, easy and perfect for summer. The corn offers a soft texture and lightly sweet flavor while the peanuts mix in a crispy crunch. Mmmmm :)

I used frozen corn for quicker prep, but fresh corn would be a terrific supplement, especially when in season.

Ingredients:

1 small bag of frozen corn (or 3-4 ears of corn)

2 medium to large zucchinis

1/2 red onion (optional)

2-3 cloves of garlic

2 T peanut oil

2 T soy sauce

1 T agave syrup

Topping:

2-3 cups of raw peanuts

Take the frozen corn out of the bag and place into a strainer. Run luke warm water over the corn to bring it to room temperature. Allow the corn to dry in the strainer or spread out on thick paper towels.

In the meantime, put 1 T of peanut oil in the wok and heat it on medium high to high for about a minute. The wok should be pretty hot. Pour raw peanuts into the wok and stir constantly until light brown. Remove the peanuts from the wok and place onto a plate to cool.

Chop the zucchini into small bite-sized pieces or about the size of the kernels of corn. Coarsely chop the red onion into small bite-sized pieces as well. Finely dice the garlic.

Put 1 T of peanut oil into the wok and heat again for about a minute on medium high to high. Put the garlic in the wok and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add the red onion and stir fry for another 30 seconds. Add zucchini and stir fry for another minute. (If using fresh corn, add the kernels along with the zucchini.) If using the frozen corn, add the corn after the zucchini and stir fry for another few seconds. Turn off the heat and stir in the soy sauce and agave syrup.

When serving this dish, I like to keep the peanuts separate and allow my guests to add as much as they like. If there are left-overs, place the peanuts in a separate bag, this way they will remain dry and crisp.

Notes:

I have a pet peeve of overcooked vegetables as this often robs them of their texture, flavor and nutritional value, so I try to cook them as lightly as possible. Especially with this dish, this is important.

I used Spanish peanuts as they were the only raw peanut I could find. These come with the skin on, so I like to peel the skin away from at least a few of them for presentation.

LA Times Food Articles

I read two interesting food related articles in the LA Times this week.

The first is in regards to raw food. Federal, state and local authorities raided Rawesome Foods of Venice confiscating raw dairy products, organic honey, raw cane syrup, amongst other things.

How much of a danger can organic honey or non-pasteurized foods have upon the body? What do authorities consider as good health practices and how much of that is politically influenced? Does the dairy industry have a role in all of this?

The article is definitely worth a read:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-raw-food-raid-20100725,0,4951907.story

The second article relates to eating wild foods and highlights the work of Christopher Nyerges, editor of Wilderness Way magazine, author of Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants and the head of Eagle Rock's School of Self-Reliance.

There are some other interesting references at the end of the article as well:

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-forager-20100729,0,6934097.story

Grassroots

Grassroots Natural Market and Kitchen of South Pasadena is a good spot to find herbal and nutrition supplements. They also serve lunch and breakfast items so you can grab a quick bite to eat while shopping.

Check them out at:

www.grassrootsnaturalmarket.net/

I take a daily calcium supplement which is pictured in this post, Bluebonnet's Calcium Magnesium Citrate with natural blueberry flavor. What I look for in a calcium supplement is calcium citrate (this does not cause constipation as other forms of calcium might) and has a significant content of vitamin D which has been touted for cancer prevention and contains magnesium for effective absorption into the body. I found this supplement initially at Sprouts in Claremont, CA but I've not been able to find it in the Pasadena area until I visited Grassroots the other day. Yay! Thank you Grassroots!

Lentil Salad

I love lentils! The lentils that I used in this recipe are considered French lentils and are dark green with speckles. In a salad lentils are best slightly firm and not overcooked. When lentils are cooked until soft they make for better stews, soups and curries.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 cups of water

1 cup of uncooked French lentils

1/2 small red onion

1 small red tomato

2-3 red radishes

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 sprig of fresh rosemary

2 garlic cloves

1 T olive oil

Dressing:

1 T olive oil

1 T white balsamic vinegar

1 T Dijon mustard

the juice of 1 lemon

Dice thyme, rosemary and garlic. Bring water to a boil with the bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and garlic cloves. Once the water reaches a boil, turn heat down to a simmer, add lentils, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 20 - 25 minutes.

Stir together dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Coarsely chop tomato and red radishes. Chop red onion into long thin slivers. Add tomato, red radish and onion to the bowl of dressing and gently stir together.

Once the lentils are ready, drain them through a mesh colander so that the lentils and herbs don't fall out and allow to cool. At this point I added the lentils to the bowl while they were still warm and gently mixed the ingredients. Because the lentils were still hot, this gave the raw vegetables a sort of blanched effect. If you prefer, let the lentils cool and then stir together with the other ingredients. This salad can be enjoyed warm, room temp or cool.

Happy eating!

Health Benefits:

Lentils:

Lentils are super nutritious and low in calories. They are rich in fiber, iron, protein, potassium and vitamin B1 amongst other things. These legumes are good for helping to lower cholesterol, increase energy and manage blood sugar disorders. Lentils are not only good for you but also pretty...they come in brown, black, orange, red and yellow.

Note:

I think I actually might like this salad a little better without the Dijon added to the dressing. I like to taste the vegetables and herbs and felt the Dijon might be a little to obvious of a flavor.

Peaches!!!!

Having lived for many years with the peach as my state fruit (Georgia), I have a special place in my palate for its fragrant sweetness!

I've been eating a peach a day the last week or so as they are in season. Munching on them for breakfast alongside toast or as a topping on cereal is a lovely way to start the day.

Health Benefits:

Peaches are part of the stone fruit family along with cherries, nectarines and plums, named for the single seed in their center. Peaches are high in vitamin A, C and a significant source of iron, potassium and fiber. Make sure to eat the skin as it contains the highest concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Honeysuckle Water

I found this tea at Bird Pick Tea and Herb, a tea store in Old Town Pasadena that carries a nice variety of teas. Their store is full of glass bins of black, green, herbal, fruit and root teas and they allow their customers to lift the lid and sniff whatever tea might be of interest. This might not be the most sanitary, but is fun!



Honeysuckle water is light and refreshing, perfect for a hot summer afternoon!

Fill a pitcher with water and pour into a large pot. Bring water to a boil and then turn off. Add 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the tea to about 1 quart of water (less is more with this tea.) Allow to brew for about 3-5 minutes and then using a wire mesh strainer, separate the honeysuckle from the water, pour into a pitcher and refrigerate.

Good Health?

What does it mean to have good health? These days it's hard to keep up with what's good and bad in the world of food. Growing up I heard such slogans as milk does the body good, an apple a day keeps the doctor away but does milk really do the body good and a daily apple keep one healthy?

As I'm traveling along this food journey, I'm realizing that being patient and personally invested in my body through such questions is essential.

Here's an interesting quote from my recent reading in The China Study:
"If nutrition were better understood, and prevention and natural treatments were more accepted in the medical community, we would not be pouring so many toxic, potentially lethal drugs into our bodies at the last stage of disease. We would not be frantically searching for the new medicine that alleviates the symptoms but often does nothing to address the fundamental causes of our illnesses. We would not be spending our money developing, patenting and commercializing "magic bullet" drugs that often cause additional health problems. The current system has not lived up to its promise. It is time to shift our thinking toward a broader perspective on health, one that includes a proper understanding and use of good nutrition...
...so, what is my prescription for good health? In short, it is about the multiple health benefits of consuming plant-based foods, and the largely unappreciated health dangers of consuming animal-based foods, including all types of meat, dairy and eggs..."

- T. Colin Campbell, PhD from The China Study

Roasted Cauliflower

My brother taught me how to make this dish. It's delicious even for those who aren't lovers of cauliflower and very easy to make. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
3 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garam masala
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 400˚

Wash cauliflower, peel off leaves, cut off the stem and pat dry.

Break the cauliflower florets off and cut them into bit sized pieces. Place the pieces into a mixing bowl and add olive oil, salt and garam masala. Gently stir to coat each piece of cauliflower.

Place aluminum foil on a baking tray and place pieces of prepared cauliflower on the aluminum foil. Dust lightly with a bit more garam masala.

Roast for 20 minutes then take out the tray and turn the cauliflower pieces over. Roast 5-7 more minutes. The cauliflower should be lightly browning on both sides. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. This dish can be served warm, cool or at room temperature and makes for a yummy snack in between meals.

Health Benefits:
Cauliflower:
Cauliflower is loaded with vitamin C and is in the cruciferous family of vegetables which is famous for cancer prevention properties. Vitamin K, folate and potassium can also be found in this yummy vegetable.
Garam Masala:
Garam Masala is a spice combination that can be found at most local supermarkets. Aspects of this tasty spice contribute to control of blood sugar, anti-inflammation, boosting of brain function and iron intake.

Note:
As a way to enjoy the whole vegetable, I saved the leaves and stem of the cauliflower to add to a juice. Apparently, these are edible and nutritious!
Also, cruciferous vegetables tend to smell not so nice because of natural chemicals that are actually very good for you...so you might want to cook with a window open ;)

Spinach and Tomato Quinoa

This is my first time cooking quinoa and so far so good. Next time, I think I might try lightly toasting the quinoa before cooking it as this can bring out the nutty flavor of the grain. From start to finish this recipe can be ready in 30 minutes and makes for a very satisfying meal. I found the bursts of sweetness from the grape tomatoes quite a nice complement to this subtle grain.



Ingredients
5 oz baby spinach
10 oz sweet grape tomatoes
1 1/2 cups of red quinoa
6 cloves garlic
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp grapeseed oil
salt and pepper to taste

First soak the quinoa for 5 minutes and rinse thoroughly. Drain and set aside. Fill a pot with twice as much water as the quinoa, in this case 3 cups. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, add quinoa. Bring water to a boil again then turn down and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn off heat, drain any excess water and allow to sit covered for another 2 minutes. Lift cover and fluff quinoa with a fork.

While the quinoa is cooking. Peel and crush garlic. Put Grapeseed oil into wok or skillet and heat skillet at medium high for a minute before adding the garlic. Stir garlic until it just begins to lightly brown and then add spinach and stir until it starts to soften. Add tomatoes and stir for another 2 minutes. Turn the heat off and drain any liquid from the wok. Add the tomato, spinach and garlic to the quinoa. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and mix gently.

This dish can be served slightly warm or cooled.

Bon Appetit!

Quinoa Health Benefits:
Known as chisaya mama or the mother of all grains quinoa is gluten free and packed with protein. It makes for a great alternative to soy protein for vegans and vegetarians and is easy to prepare. Quinoa can help with migraine headaches, cardiovascular health and offers a good source of fiber and antioxidants.

Sunflower Granola

This granola requires only 3 main ingredients and is a delectable way to start the day.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of oats

3/4 cup of raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup of dried cranberries

2 T agave syrup

2 T peanut oil

Preheat oven to 300˚F.

Mix dry ingredients together. Add agave syrup and peanut oil and mix thoroughly.

Place aluminum foil along the bottom of 1 to 2" deep pans and spread granola across creating a thin layer so that most of the pieces are exposed. Place into pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir the granola every 7-10 minutes while baking.

Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely before packaging it. Stirring occasionally while cooling will help it not to clump.

Note:

For the peanut oil, I used the top oil from my jar of peanut butter. I don't like the excess oil that sits at the top of natural brands of peanut butter so before using the jar, I drain the oil into a separate container to use for cooking.

Fresh Parsley Salad

I enjoy this salad without any dressing as the raw veggies carry so much flavor on their own. Also, just a heads up, this salad is a little spicy. It makes for a great filling / topping to omelets and baked / roasted potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of italian parsley

1 3/4 cups of kidney beans

3 celery stalks

1 small red onion

1 scallion

1 green jalapeño

If kidney beans are dried, soak them overnight in water. Once soaked, rinse the beans and place in a large pot with water. Bring them to a boil and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Strain them from the water, set them aside and let them cool.

In a large serving bowl, combine coarsely chopped parsley, diced onion, scallions, jalapeños and chopped celery. Add the cooled kidney beans and gently mix ingredients. It's ready to serve!

Health Benefits:

Kidney Beans:

Great source of fiber, iron, protein, magnesium, folate and potassium. Iron being especially helpful for pregnant, lactating or menstruating women.

These beans are also rich in molybdenum, which is good to consume if you eat a lot of prepared foods high in preservatives such as sulfites. Molybdenum helps to detoxify sulfites.

Jalapeños:

Chilli peppers are amazing!!! These guys fight headaches, high blood pressure, inflammation, have more vitamin C than an orange, help protect your heart, relieve congestion and the list goes on.

Tahini Cookies

Yum! I love these cookies. When I first discovered them at Earth Fare, a grocery market in North Carolina, I fell in love. If you are a fan of sesame, you will most likely enjoy this cookie.

Yields 12 to 15 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted sunflower seeds

2 cups oats

1 cup honey

3/4 cup raw tahini

1 pinch of salt

Stir together dry ingredients. Add the honey and tahini and stir so that the ingredients are well mixed.

Spoon out patties of the mixture onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. My cookies were about 2" in diameter. Bake at 350˚ for about ten minutes. Rotate the cookie sheet about 6 minutes into baking. Remove from oven once the edges lightly brown. Allow the cookies to cool for several minutes before serving.

Plant verses Animal Protein

A couple years ago I heard great things about The China Study and bought it for my mother. Finally, I've come around to read it myself. In perusing the introduction, it seems like it will be quite a read!

Highlights from the intro:

The authors, T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II, mention a study conducted in India in which one group of rats was fed aflatoxin, a highly carcinogenic (cancer causing) toxin as well as a 20% protein diet (a similar level of protein in most American diets) and the other group was also fed aflatoxin but a 5% protein diet. The result was that all of the rats with the high protein diet had evidence of liver cancer and all of the rats with the lower protein diet were cancer free despite being exposed to one of the most potent carcinogens ever discovered.

The Campbells continue to argue that in their studies low protein diets inhibit the initiation of cancer by aflatoxin regardless of the amount of the toxin that is administered. Also, after cancer initiation, low protein diets inhibit subsequent cancer growth. Apparently, monitoring dietary protein seems so significant that one could turn on and off the cancer growth simply by shifting the level of protein consumed! That's crazy!

So what type of protein is bad? According to the Campbells the protein that promotes cancer is casein which makes up 87% of cow's milk protein and the types of proteins that do not promote cancer, even at high levels of intake, are plant proteins.

Wow! And that's just a snippet of the short introduction to the book.

Avocado & Grapefruit Salad

This is a delicious way to enjoy summer and very simple to prepare.

Ingredients:

1 avocado

1 pink grapefruit

1 5oz pkg of baby arugula

Dressing:

1 lemon

1 T white balsamic vinegar

1/2 T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Slice avocado into a small mixing bowl. Slice and squeeze lemon over the avocado and make sure that the juice touches all of the pieces. Place washed and dried arugula into a serving bowl and add the avocado and lemon juice mixture. Then peel the grapefruit and divide the flesh into bitable chunks and add to the serving bowl. I preserve the white skin of the pulp, known as the albedo, as much as possible as it contains a significant amount of the fruit's nutritional benefits. Combine the remaining dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl and add to the salad. Slowly stir the salad to coat each piece of the arugula lightly with the dressing and serve.

Health Benefits:

Grapefruit

Contains high amounts of vitamin C, calcium, folic acid, phosphorous and potassium. Also, nutritive phytonutrients present help fight cancer and various diseases. This yummy fruit has also been known to assist in treating insomnia, digestive disorders, fatigue, weight loss and the common cold.

Avocado

Avocados are a great source of vitamin E as well as glutathione which is known to help prevent aging, cancer and heart disease.

Garden Note:

After eating the avocado, keep the seed and plant it in a 4 to 5" pot of fertile soil and keep the soil with water. The top of the seed should barely peak above the surface of the soil. In about three weeks you should see the leaf buds growing.

Kimchi Jigae

A friend of mine shared his recipe for kimchi jigae with me recently. It's easy and quite tasty!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 5oz can tuna

3/4 cup - 1 cup kimchi

1 conservative sized green onion

2-3 pinches of red pepper flakes and/or powder

1/2 T miso paste

1 clove diced garlic

drizzle sesame oil

The ingredients are approximate measurements and can be adjusted to taste.

Combine all ingredients in cooking pot and cook 20 minutes at a low simmer. Serve with banchan and rice.