Radish, Pea and Red Onion Salad

Radish, snow or snap peas, and red onion offer a
crisp and refreshing salad for any hot-day meal.

This colorful salad comes together quickly and can be served over meats or (in the above case) fish, or as a base salad with chicken, beef, or pork on top.  If you prefer this as a salsa or dressing, dice the vegetables rather than slice them.  I found this recipe on the internet but can't for the life of me remember where.  Possibly foodnetwork or epicurious.  I apologize in advance for not giving credit where credit is due but will look for the source.  In the meantime, enjoy.

Serves:  6                    Prep time: 15 minutes

1 small red onion, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 bunch radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 pound snow peas, thinly sliced (you can use snap peas too)

4 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons canola or other light vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Thinly slice 1 red onion and 1 bunch radishes. Soak in ice water, 5 minutes; drain and pat dry. Whisk 4 teaspoons rice vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon each Dijon mustard and sugar in a bowl. Whisk in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add 8 ounces thinly sliced snow peas, the onion and radishes. Season and serve.

Calories per serving is approximately 65 with a good dose of vitamin C and iron.  Fiber and protein is about 2 grams per serving.

- Kim Fielding

Fresh-picked Snap Peas

A glimpse of our garden in April and May.  The peas are almost
 done but we are enjoying every pod that ripens before we move on
to our next crop.

Snap peas are most delicious when they are picked fresh.  More often than not, I will ask someone to pick them from the garden and what comes back in the basket is a slim offering.  Hmmm... the smiles on the faces indicate the pleasure of eating truly fresh produce just off the vine.  If you aren't able to grow them yourself, stroll through your local farmer's market or take advantage of the seasonal availability of this vegetable in your grocery stores.  One of the added benefits of buying seasonal and fresh produce is that it is usually less expensive than other out of season vegetables.

Simply wash the peas.  It is your choice whether or not to remove the ends.

We serve them raw.  Crunchy, sweet, addicting.  This is such a great appetizer or side dish in its simplicity.

One cup of raw snap peas has about 115 calories, about 7-1/2 grams fiber, almost 8 g. protein, almost a full daily allowance of vitamin C, and a third of our requirement for thiamin and manganese.  There are of course several other vitamins and minerals represented in this delicious food.  Enjoy.

- Kim Fielding

Exercise - Hiking

We love good healthy food and we like to write about it.  Dr. Mariam is the expert on what happens to our bodies when we put certain food products into them and she specializes in diabetes and obesity-related diseases among other things.  She brings such passion to informing the public about disease prevention that she conceived this blog.  I, on the other hand, know a lot less about the medical department but my passion is for cooking and nutrition.  With young people around both of our homes, we make it a point to cook consciously for them and with them that they may take their experiences into college and beyond.

Hiking in the Sierras.  For those of you familiar with this site,
Devil's Peak is in the background of this amazing overlook.
 One of our favorite walks - about two hours roundtrip. 
Despite all the snow and cool temperatures, I had to take
my sweatshirt off after making it to the top - refreshing!
May 7, 2012

With that said, what we haven't talked about yet is exercise.  Depending on where you live, hiking or walking outdoors may not be an option year-round.  Fresh air and time outdoors is vital to our health.  But just as important is physical movement.  During the winter in a snowy climate, how do you get enough exercise if you go to work everyday and can't conceive of skiing on the weekends to burn off extra calories?

Dr. Mariam is a firm believer in counting steps.  Walk 10,000 steps every day.  Purchase an inexpensive pedometer and fix it onto your belt or waistband.  Take a week or so to track how many steps you take each day and start to think about increasing that amount.   (I am guessing that most people who meet the 10,000 step challenge don't really need to worry about increasing that amount).

If you work in a multiple story building, try walking the stairs and build up to doing them more and more.  Incorporate walks during lunch and coffee breaks around buildings.  Of course you have all heard this one... park farther away from the entrance to your stores and office buildings.  Personally, I love all the fun videos out there to help you "shake your booty" in the privacy of your living room which allows you tons of giggle moments and burning calories at the same time.

If you have never exercised before and are thinking of trying it out, check with your doctor to make sure you don't have any health problems first.  Go into this process slowly until you feel comfortable with pushing yourself a little farther.

Walking cross-country for 1-1/2 hours burns about 490 calories
Slow-walking (about 2 miles per hour) burns about 2 calories per minute
Walking the dog burns about 3 calories per minute

I am not a fast walker.  I need to pause and catch my breath often
in these high altitude hikes.  The point being, take your time,
enjoy the scenery, drink water often, and just relax.

I love fitday.com where I pulled up these statistics.  Fitday.com helps with everything from goal setting to food tracking and calorie counting in addition to tracking exercise and your weight.  However, if you have another internet favorite that helps you track your exercise, go for it.  The most important thing is to just do it. 

- Kim  Fielding

Chicken Broth

Freshly made chicken broth in this version has no salt,
and is flavored with our favorite herbs and vegetables.

The amazing thing about buying a whole chicken is all the ways that you can use it.  This five-pound bird gave me eight cups of delicious broth and eight cups of shredded chicken which I promptly froze in airtight containers for later suppers.  Previously, I published a chicken noodle soup recipe which is an obvious way to use the broth and chicken.  Son #3 is a whiz at making crepes so that is one way to use up the chicken.  Enchiladas is another.  Martha Stewart has an amazing chicken enchilada recipe with spinach, onions, herbs, and sour cream that is to die for.  Chicken salad made a variety of ways such as curried, Waldorf style, or for a sandwich, offers another option.  Boil up some pasta and toss in cooked chicken and jack cheese for a quick meal for kids.  You get the idea.  Versatile and inexpensive, boiling an entire chicken is something every cook should know about.  In the following recipe, all ingredients are approximate.  Use your judgement.  For example, if you don't like carrots, don't add them in.

prep and cook time:  about 1-1/2 hours

10-12 cups water, to cover chicken in the pot
2 large celery stalks, rinsed and sliced
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 shallots, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 whole chicken
Big handful of rinsed and crudely chopped parsley
A couple twists of ground pepper
Salt to taste, optional

a mix of chopped vegetables is the beginning

Add all ingredients to a large stockpot. If you are salt sensitive, don't add the salt.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for at least an hour or until the chicken is cooked through.  I don't usually cover this while it is cooking and add more water as needed to cover the chicken.  However, other friends put a lid on their pot and the cooking time seems to move along faster.  It is your choice.  The smells in the kitchen are very homey either way.

not exactly pretty, but underneath it all is tender, moist chicken meat

Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the broth and let cool.  When cool enough to handle, discard the bones and skin and package the chicken for future meals.

I purchased this mesh sieve from Target, but any similar one will do

Pour the broth through a fine sieve into a large bowl to remove remaining small chicken pieces and vegetable debris.  If you prefer a clear broth, pour it through cook's gauze to filter out the finer residues.

Freeze portions of the broth as you desire and use up fresh broth within five days. 

If anyone has ideas for using left-over chicken, let us know! 

- Kim Fielding

Red Rice Salad with Pistachios

Red rice, cauliflower, pistachios, currants and spices provide
an exotic blend for this entertaining-worthy dish.

The New Whole Grains Cookbook, by Robin Asbell, has been around since 2007.  However, it never ceases to amaze me how we don't tire of her recipes.  As more of us seek ways to bring whole grains into our lives and push white processed grains and non-nutritious foods out, this beautiful and informative book offers a plethora of ways to do just that.

Red rice salad may be served hot or cold.  We find that it is a little sweet, a little tangy, and delicious prepared in advance making this a bonus for the cook (and the leftovers are great).  Red rice is available at Trader Joes and other grocers.

serves:  6-8                    prep time:  5 minutes
                                     total cook time:  50 minutes

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 cups water
1 cup red rice
1 medium carrot, sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 cup dried currants
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 scallions, sliced
1/2 cup pistachios
 

In a 2-quart pot, heat the oil and add the ginger and mustard seeds.  When you can smell the ginger and the mustard seeds start to pop, add the turmeric and chili powder and cook a few seconds more.  Add the water, rice, carrot slices, brown sugar, and salt, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 35 minutes.  When the timer goes off, quickly put the cauliflower florets and currants on top of the rice, replace the lid, and cook for another 10 minutes.  Remove from the hot burner and let stand, covered, for another 5 or so minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and place in a serving bowl.  Top with the scallions and pistachios to serve.

Considering 8 servings per batch, this recipe offers 165 calories, about 3 g fiber, and almost 4 g protein.  Additionally, there is abundant manganese and a huge serving of other minerals and vitamins.  Manganese is important for brain and neural functions and helps to fight free radicals which can damage cell membranes and DNA.  Manganese is present in whole grains, nuts, and seeds so those who eat these foods should not be deficient.  However, as much as 37% of our population may be deficient in this mineral because they don't eat enough of these foods.

- Kim Fielding

Raw Asparagus Salad

Raw asparagus ribbons with arugula and
toasted hazelnuts.

I never thought of raw asparagus as being appealing.  This salad totally changed my mind and is my current favorite.  Looking for something new and different for Easter holiday side dishes, this salad fits the bill.  Easy and quick - my kind of cooking!

I found this recipe on the Whole Living website via My New Roots blog written by Sara Britton.  Martha Stewart has Meatless Monday recipes on her site.  Check both of these out - you won't be disappointed.

serves:  6                    prep time:  15 minutes

1 bunch asparagus, woody stems snapped off
2 cups arugula
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 shallot, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Using a carrot peeler, peel the asparagus stalks into ribbons.  Cut the remaining tops lengthwise into halves.  Place in a bowl with the arugula and hazelnuts.

I left the skins on the hazelnuts and toasted them in
a skillet.  Crudely chop them for the salad.

Prepare the dressing.  Add enough to moisten the salad.  Enjoy. 

The original recipe suggested adding Pecorino Romano for serving if you wish to try that.  I make my salad dressings in a jar with a lid for easy mixing.  Just shake and go.

Calories for one serving are about 85.  In addition to vitamins, you will receive about 15% of your RDA for iron.  Eaten raw, asparagus has special properties to boost our immune system and help protect against cancer.

- Kim Fielding

Sprouted Bean Salad

Sprouted mung beans, green lentils, and adzuki beans get
a kick from pineapple, red pepper and basil.

If you are looking for fiber in a food that actually tastes good, you should try this simple recipe.  Scrounging through the refrigerator, I found fresh pineapple that I needed to finish up.  There you go - the inspiration for this dish.  The beans are available at Costco and other stores.

serves:  6                    prep and cook time:  15 minutes

1-1/2 cups tru Roots sprouted Bean Trio
1/4 cup diced pineapple
1/4 cup diced red pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Oil and rice wine vinaigrette

Sprouted and dehydrated makes these beans
more digestible and faster cooking.  Any similar
bean trio will suffice if you can't find this mix.

Boil the dried beans in 4-5 cups of water for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes then drain.  Put the beans in a bowl and add the pineapple, pepper, and basil.   Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, sea salt, and cracked pepper.  Add to moisten the salad and serve.  You may adjust seasoning as needed.

Each serving offers about 180 calories, almost 10 g each fiber (!) and protein, and 20% of your RDA for iron.

- Kim Fielding

Hot and Sour Broth with Mushrooms

Aromatic broth, mushrooms, and green onions enhance
tofu, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots.

I love hot and sour soup.  Whenever we eat Chinese food, I end up finishing everyone's soup off for them.  After taking a look at a variety of recipes over the years, I never quite found one that was easy or quick enough to prepare.  Until recently.  Fellow blogger Stephanie O'Dea has a slow cooker website that features her version of Hot and Sour Soup.  The men all liked it as do I.  Even with a couple of variations, this is a super simple recipe.

serves:  6                     prep time:  10 minute
cook time:  4-5 hours on high, 8-9 hours on low

I bought this crockpot at Costco decades ago.  Nowadays,
they are more sophisticated.  But this one still works great.

4 - 5 cups water
8 ounces firm tofu, cubed
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
7-8 fresh shitakes, stems removed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons low sodium Tamari (soy sauce)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Better than Boullion broth base
1 can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
1 can sliced water chestnuts. drained
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Green onion, sliced, for garnish

Place all ingredients in a crockpot except the green onions.  Put the lid on and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.  If you like soup that is more sour, add more rice wine vinegar.  If you like hot, then add more hot peppers.  This soup can accomodate other ingredients if you wish to experiment - egg, seaweed, Scriacha sauce or Sambal Oleek, and even shredded chicken.  Serve with sliced scallions on top.

Each cup of soup provides approximately 85 calories, 20% of your daily requirement for riboflavin, 18% of iron needs, about 40% for copper, and about 295 g sodium.

- Kim Fielding

Teach Food not Trig!

Here is my problem with American schools, and as a matter of fact with all schools that I know.  They force trigonometry on students but high school kids graduate without having the slightest idea about what is in the stuff they put into their mouths.  How many of these students will ever use trig in their life? Perhaps 20% or fewer, and that is in Silicon Valley, those kids who will design video games or something like that.  But all 100% will use food for their health or to cause disease. 

Most graduates have no idea what protein is, or carbs and whether certain fats are good or all are bad.  They think that "no cholesterol" is good, because that is what their parents are looking to buy in the supermarket.  They often have no idea that for soft drinks, the designation "no cholesterol" is meaningless, or because if there was any cholesterol in soda it would have been soup and not soda.

I was just watching some pictures on Facebook about a young woman's birthday party. Guess what, most participants looked like they have already developed metabolic syndrome, a condition that predisposes people to diabetes and heart disease.  Those kids look like they are in their twenties and by forty they will likely develop adult onset diabetes. 

Here is how medical terms have changed, thanks to "progress in our food industry".  Thirty years ago adult onset diabetes developed in people in their sixties, seventies and eighties.  Today that age is down to thirties and forties.  Food industry finds new ways of luring the naive consumer into sugary, sweet, poor quality (but never spoiling fats) that clog the liver with fat, cause insulin resistance, and bring out metabolic problems.  Now that might be too technical: it is the trig of eatiology. Hey, I just came up with a new word. Dibs on the patent!

Damn trig, let us teach our children basics of eatiology. 


- Dr. M       

Egg in a Green Nest

A slice of whole grain toast or a side of roasted potatoes
would compliment this meal nicely.  Earthy greens with an egg -
talk about power foods!

Dark leafy greens are a regular part of our diet.  My men all like them as does Zub the tortoise.  The three sons in college are all about quick, easy, and filling foods whenever they decide to spend time in the kitchen.  This meal was crafted on the fly with them in mind and what was available in the garden and in the fridge.

For each serving, start with a handful of greens - in this instance we used about a cup each of garden arugula and baby spinach.  Saute the greens with a small amount of olive oil (teaspoon or two) in a skillet until barely tender.

Once the greens soften, pile them in the middle of your pan and create a well to crack your egg into.  Cover the skillet with a lid so that the egg can cook through to your liking.  When done, scoop out with a spatula and plate.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Hubby likes hot sauce on his which is delicious.  You can also add a hint of garlic powder to the greens when cooking.

Calories for one egg with greens is about 160 and is a great start on your day's requirements for most vitamins.

- Kim Fielding