One of the more interesting things about cooking foods in season is coming up with different ways to use them. Something you may have noticed is that there is not a lot of variety of fresh local produce available in early spring. Of course, we always have broccoli and cauliflower, root vegetables, and some early crops of green beans, tomatoes, and zucchini which aren’t always that flavorful. I bought strawberries the other day and nibbled into them occasionally to see how sweet they were while I was cutting them up for a fruit salad. They were sour. Unless they are coming from out of the country, this is just not their season.
So, how do you come up with creative ideas for the local produce in season that is available to you? Beyond basic side dishes at dinner, one needs to think about breakfast and lunch as well. With that in mind, I came up with a Veggie Scramble for our Alpha subscribers which uses either fresh or left-over greens. I actually prefer using left-over chards or spinach that has been sautéed with garlic from a previous night's dinner in this simple breakfast. The flavors are already there, you just need to add the eggs.
Egg and Veggie Scramble
serves: 2 prep time: 10 minutes
1 cup of cooked leafy greens such as chards, collards, or spinach, chopped finely
1 tablespoon olive oil
Two large eggs, stirred in a small bowl to mix the yolk and white. If you wish, you may use Egg Beaters or just egg whites.
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat for about a minute. Add the greens to the pan and reheat them gently. Add the eggs into the pan and gently stir until the eggs are cooked. Season to taste.
A healthy breakfast idea:
April Veggie Scramble
½ cup of fresh mango and pineapple fruit cup
A slice of toasted whole grain bread, use it to scoop up the eggs so you can avoid the butter on the toast.
Eat Tasty, Live Healthy!
-Kim Fielding
Apr 29, 2010
Apr 28, 2010
Effects of snacking on the weight.
The best snack is no snack at all. Everyone wonders about French paradox: how do French eat foie gras, chocolate, cheese, bread and lots of wine and stay slim? One of the answers to the French slimness is no snacking. So if one can eat three meals a day and stay away from a snack that is great as long as you don’t starve yourself and then jump at the food and eat a huge portion. Truly if the meals are nutritious and contain proportional amounts of carbohydrates, protein and fat then the person stays full for five to six hours until the next meal. A good example for French breakfast is a butter croissant and a cup of coffee with cream, simple and satisfying with 380 calories, 23g of fat, 6grams of protein and 37 g of carbohydrate.
There are two reasons for American love-story with snacks. One is based on hormonal changes, like surge of insulin and a subsequent drop of the blood glucose. There are several other gut hormones, like leptin, GLP-1, and ghrelin that are responsible for abnormal satiety and increased appetite in overweight people. These hormones are either over activated because the snack is too sugary or the person is already overweight. The other one is of Pavlovian origin (remember the bell) – you look for a snack at a certain time, just by habit. Most snacks are packaged brightly and contain some or many of the worst ingredients (refined sugars, partially hydrogenated fats, high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, etc.) that were chemically created and introduced into our food realm sometime after 1980s. So if you wish to be like French and thin, then you need to stop eating snacks and cut down the portions of the main meals and do another thing that French do - stretch the good meal, and stop eating when you are 80 percent full and not 135 percent. And don’t forget to enjoy a glass of wine. In the summary, it’s simple and clear - eat less food, and foods that do not make you eat more food. Michael Pollan, the author of “In Defense of Food” says “Eat less food, mostly plants.” That is quite brilliant though hard to do.
However, not all snaking is bad for you; just the ones that come from vending machines, middle sections of supermarkets and movie theaters. When you eat a big dinner and then go to a movie and get buttered popcorn and a slurpee that constitutes for both - hormonal and Pavlovian disaster.
There is also some smart snacking, sometimes even necessary snacking. There are several scenarios when snacks are good for you. First, is when you haven’t eaten for 3-4 hours and now you are heading to the gym - snacking would help you to build muscle versus breaking it (letting the glycogen ooze out). Before going to the gym have a banana and milk or soy milk, or peanut butter sandwich and a big glass of water.
There are also some people who would prefer to eat multiple small meals per day. If that fits better with your daily plan then you should be able to lose weight as long as you keep a negative calorie balance. Those people are called grazers. If you’re a grazer then you should have a breakfast, lunch and dinner around 300 calories each and then 3-4 snacks about 150 calories each. You should be able to lose the weight; it’s just not the French way.
Here are some examples of healthy snacks; raw vegetables (those you can eat at any time and in large portions), whole grain crackers (about six) and low fat cheese, Baby bell cheese, handful of nuts, dark chocolate, food bars (approved by Alpha-plan), plain yogurt with berries or other fruit, popcorn with little salt and no fats (Newman’s Own), oatmeal or chocolate chip cookie that is under 150 calories, an apple or any other seasonal fruit, pocket bread with hummus and any of your favorite food as long as it’s under 150 calories.
There are two reasons for American love-story with snacks. One is based on hormonal changes, like surge of insulin and a subsequent drop of the blood glucose. There are several other gut hormones, like leptin, GLP-1, and ghrelin that are responsible for abnormal satiety and increased appetite in overweight people. These hormones are either over activated because the snack is too sugary or the person is already overweight. The other one is of Pavlovian origin (remember the bell) – you look for a snack at a certain time, just by habit. Most snacks are packaged brightly and contain some or many of the worst ingredients (refined sugars, partially hydrogenated fats, high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, etc.) that were chemically created and introduced into our food realm sometime after 1980s. So if you wish to be like French and thin, then you need to stop eating snacks and cut down the portions of the main meals and do another thing that French do - stretch the good meal, and stop eating when you are 80 percent full and not 135 percent. And don’t forget to enjoy a glass of wine. In the summary, it’s simple and clear - eat less food, and foods that do not make you eat more food. Michael Pollan, the author of “In Defense of Food” says “Eat less food, mostly plants.” That is quite brilliant though hard to do.
However, not all snaking is bad for you; just the ones that come from vending machines, middle sections of supermarkets and movie theaters. When you eat a big dinner and then go to a movie and get buttered popcorn and a slurpee that constitutes for both - hormonal and Pavlovian disaster.
There is also some smart snacking, sometimes even necessary snacking. There are several scenarios when snacks are good for you. First, is when you haven’t eaten for 3-4 hours and now you are heading to the gym - snacking would help you to build muscle versus breaking it (letting the glycogen ooze out). Before going to the gym have a banana and milk or soy milk, or peanut butter sandwich and a big glass of water.
There are also some people who would prefer to eat multiple small meals per day. If that fits better with your daily plan then you should be able to lose weight as long as you keep a negative calorie balance. Those people are called grazers. If you’re a grazer then you should have a breakfast, lunch and dinner around 300 calories each and then 3-4 snacks about 150 calories each. You should be able to lose the weight; it’s just not the French way.
Here are some examples of healthy snacks; raw vegetables (those you can eat at any time and in large portions), whole grain crackers (about six) and low fat cheese, Baby bell cheese, handful of nuts, dark chocolate, food bars (approved by Alpha-plan), plain yogurt with berries or other fruit, popcorn with little salt and no fats (Newman’s Own), oatmeal or chocolate chip cookie that is under 150 calories, an apple or any other seasonal fruit, pocket bread with hummus and any of your favorite food as long as it’s under 150 calories.
Apr 26, 2010
White Bean Picnic Salad
Beans are extremely easy to cook. They are high in fiber and protein and can be found year round in the stores. For a quick recipe, one can use canned beans. But an even better alternative is to use dried beans. They are inexpensive and take very little effort once you know how to cook them.
Empty your beans into a stew pot. Sort through them and discard any small stones or shriveled beans. Add water to the pot and cover the beans by 2 inches or so. To cook beans, there are two ways to get started: slow soak (overnight) or quick soak. 1) To slow soak your beans, let them sit in the water overnight or for at least 6-8 hours. Drain the beans and water in a colander. Place the beans back into the pot and add new water to cover by the same 2 inches. 2) To quick soak, boil the beans for about 15 minutes, let them cool on the stove, drain them and cover with more water. At this point, whether you slow or fast soaked your beans, you are now ready to actually cook them to tenderness.
Different beans take differing amounts of time to cook. Size makes a difference and sometimes variety does too. For small white navy beans, I cook them about 1 ½ hours or until they are soft enough but not mushy. Drain them and season to taste. The following recipe is a great picnic addition. It serves 12 people for a pound of beans. That’s a great deal!
White Beans with Garlic, Roasted Tomatoes, and Fresh Basil
1 pound bag of dried navy beans
1 head of fresh garlic, the top of which is sliced off to expose the cloves
8-10 Roma tomatoes
Olive oil
Sugar, salt and pepper
¼ cup chopped basil and a basil sprig for decor
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Slow soak or quick soak your beans and drain the beans and soaking water through a colander. Add the beans and the entire head of garlic back into the pot and add fresh water to cover by a couple of inches. Bring the beans to a slow simmer and cook until tender. Drain the beans and put them into a bowl. Squeeze the juices from the cooked head of garlic into the beans and discard the skins.
While the beans are cooking, slowly roast the tomatoes. Set the oven to 325 degrees. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into fourths lengthwise. Put them onto a baking sheet with a rim and drizzle with olive oil, a sprinkle of sugar, dash of salt and black pepper. Use your hands and toss the tomatoes to coat them with the seasoning and oil. Bake the tomatoes until they are almost carmelized, about an hour.
Add the tomatoes to the cooked beans with the garlic. Scrape in any juices from the pan as well. Stir in the fresh chopped basil, sea salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly. Serve with the basil sprig on top.
One of the reasons I like this as a picnic dish is that it is delicious served at room temperature. Enjoy!
- Kim Fielding
Empty your beans into a stew pot. Sort through them and discard any small stones or shriveled beans. Add water to the pot and cover the beans by 2 inches or so. To cook beans, there are two ways to get started: slow soak (overnight) or quick soak. 1) To slow soak your beans, let them sit in the water overnight or for at least 6-8 hours. Drain the beans and water in a colander. Place the beans back into the pot and add new water to cover by the same 2 inches. 2) To quick soak, boil the beans for about 15 minutes, let them cool on the stove, drain them and cover with more water. At this point, whether you slow or fast soaked your beans, you are now ready to actually cook them to tenderness.
Different beans take differing amounts of time to cook. Size makes a difference and sometimes variety does too. For small white navy beans, I cook them about 1 ½ hours or until they are soft enough but not mushy. Drain them and season to taste. The following recipe is a great picnic addition. It serves 12 people for a pound of beans. That’s a great deal!
White Beans with Garlic, Roasted Tomatoes, and Fresh Basil
1 pound bag of dried navy beans
1 head of fresh garlic, the top of which is sliced off to expose the cloves
8-10 Roma tomatoes
Olive oil
Sugar, salt and pepper
¼ cup chopped basil and a basil sprig for decor
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Slow soak or quick soak your beans and drain the beans and soaking water through a colander. Add the beans and the entire head of garlic back into the pot and add fresh water to cover by a couple of inches. Bring the beans to a slow simmer and cook until tender. Drain the beans and put them into a bowl. Squeeze the juices from the cooked head of garlic into the beans and discard the skins.
While the beans are cooking, slowly roast the tomatoes. Set the oven to 325 degrees. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into fourths lengthwise. Put them onto a baking sheet with a rim and drizzle with olive oil, a sprinkle of sugar, dash of salt and black pepper. Use your hands and toss the tomatoes to coat them with the seasoning and oil. Bake the tomatoes until they are almost carmelized, about an hour.
Add the tomatoes to the cooked beans with the garlic. Scrape in any juices from the pan as well. Stir in the fresh chopped basil, sea salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly. Serve with the basil sprig on top.
One of the reasons I like this as a picnic dish is that it is delicious served at room temperature. Enjoy!
- Kim Fielding
Apr 24, 2010
TV and cardiovascular death.
Humans are not made to sit for a long time. Australian researchers who tracked the TV viewing habits of 8,800 people over a six-year span have some sobering statistics for people who love to relax in front of the TV for prolonged periods of time. If you watch TV more than two and up to four hours a day, your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease increases by 19 percent. If your viewing habit is more than four hours a day, your risk of death from cardiovascular disease skyrockets by 80 percent. In fact, every hour beyond two hours of sedentary viewing ups the risk by 18 percent. Obviously sitting in front of the computer is not any different. Same pertains to sitting in a train or airplane.
The Australians researchers from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, also found that even if heavy TV viewers routinely exercise 30 or 45 minutes a day, they are just as susceptible to the higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The reason why, the researchers think, is that humans are not built to sit for long periods. Prolonged inactivity affects how the body metabolizes fats and other substances that increase cardiovascular risks. The solution to the problem is to keep active within the period of inactivity. For instance,you can do laundry, or ironing while watching TV. Get up and walk, go up and down the stairs, jump rope or march in place -everything works. Just move and that seems to be beneficial in preventing cardiovascular disease. The study results were published in Circulation magazine.
The Australians researchers from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, also found that even if heavy TV viewers routinely exercise 30 or 45 minutes a day, they are just as susceptible to the higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The reason why, the researchers think, is that humans are not built to sit for long periods. Prolonged inactivity affects how the body metabolizes fats and other substances that increase cardiovascular risks. The solution to the problem is to keep active within the period of inactivity. For instance,you can do laundry, or ironing while watching TV. Get up and walk, go up and down the stairs, jump rope or march in place -everything works. Just move and that seems to be beneficial in preventing cardiovascular disease. The study results were published in Circulation magazine.
Apr 23, 2010
Sweet Potato Fries
 |
| Simply peel the sweet potatoes and slice into wedges |
Roasting sweet potatoes in a moderate oven brings out their sweetness so there is no need to add extra sugars to this recipe.
serving size: about 6 slices prep time: 10 minutes
Sweet potatoes (each potato may serve between 2-3 people)
Olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
Peel the sweet potatoes and trim off the ends. Cut them into “steak fry” type wedges, about 4 inches long. Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over them, about 2 tablespoons per potato. Using your hands, gently toss the potatoes to evenly distribute the oil over them. Lightly season them with sea salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes again.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes. Take them out of the oven and turn them over on the pan. Return to the oven and continue cooking until they are tender, about 8 minutes more. If the wedges are larger, they will take longer to cook. Likewise if they are smaller in size, their cooking time will be less. You be the judge. You want them to be tender but not mushy.
A serving of sweet potato fries offers about 150 calories and 4 g fiber.
An easy midweek menu:
Roasted sweet potato fries
Tossed green salad with light vinaigrette
Pork Tenderloin, seasoned with garlic
powder, salt and pepper
powder, salt and pepper
Steamed green peas
- Kim Fielding
Apr 21, 2010
Simply Poached Asparagus
As I mentioned before, asparagus is full of great nutrients. In season, this vegetable is affordable (which it usually isn’t). Don’t be put off by the smell if you happen to be one of those that repeat the asparagus in your urine. It is natural and very temporary!
In our last blog, I mentioned snapping off the ends in the recipe. What this means is this: holding both ends of the asparagus in each hand, bend the stalk until it snaps. This is the point that determines where the woody part ends and the tender part begins. Most of the asparagus in your bunch should snap off at about the same point.
Although I previously gave you a great recipe to follow, this one is even easier!
serving size: 4-6 asparagus stalks per person prep time: 10 minutes
Asparagus, snapped and rinsed
Water
Olive oil
Salt
Optional toppings, see Note below
Place the asparagus in a skillet and add enough water to cover them. Add about a spoonful of olive oil to the water. Set aside until almost ready to serve your meal.
About five minutes before you are ready to serve, set the skillet over medium to high heat on the stove. Allow it to come to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Place a lid on the skillet but leave it slightly ajar so that the steam escapes. After about 3-4 minutes, check to see if they are cooked by gently poking one of the stalks with the tip of a sharp knife. If it goes into the stalk easily, the veggie is cooked. Skinny asparagus will cook really fast, fat asparagus takes a minute longer. Judge cooking accordingly. Remove the asparagus from the heat and drain the water. Season to taste with salt and serve.
Note: Asparagus is great by itself, but sometimes we like to add flavors to complement a meal. Here are some suggestions for enhancing this side dish (although it doesn’t really need it!):
• A squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of Tamari (a non-wheat soy sauce), and a sprinkle of sesame seeds
• Light vinaigrette and sliced scallions
• A drizzle of good olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and cracked black pepper
What is great about asparagus is that it can be served hot or cold. It is nice to have this option in the springtime when cooking several dishes or for a crowd such as on Mother’s Day, Easter, or Father’s Day.
- Kim Fielding
In our last blog, I mentioned snapping off the ends in the recipe. What this means is this: holding both ends of the asparagus in each hand, bend the stalk until it snaps. This is the point that determines where the woody part ends and the tender part begins. Most of the asparagus in your bunch should snap off at about the same point.
Although I previously gave you a great recipe to follow, this one is even easier!
serving size: 4-6 asparagus stalks per person prep time: 10 minutes
Asparagus, snapped and rinsed
Water
Olive oil
Salt
Optional toppings, see Note below
Place the asparagus in a skillet and add enough water to cover them. Add about a spoonful of olive oil to the water. Set aside until almost ready to serve your meal.
About five minutes before you are ready to serve, set the skillet over medium to high heat on the stove. Allow it to come to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Place a lid on the skillet but leave it slightly ajar so that the steam escapes. After about 3-4 minutes, check to see if they are cooked by gently poking one of the stalks with the tip of a sharp knife. If it goes into the stalk easily, the veggie is cooked. Skinny asparagus will cook really fast, fat asparagus takes a minute longer. Judge cooking accordingly. Remove the asparagus from the heat and drain the water. Season to taste with salt and serve.
Note: Asparagus is great by itself, but sometimes we like to add flavors to complement a meal. Here are some suggestions for enhancing this side dish (although it doesn’t really need it!):
• A squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of Tamari (a non-wheat soy sauce), and a sprinkle of sesame seeds
• Light vinaigrette and sliced scallions
• A drizzle of good olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and cracked black pepper
What is great about asparagus is that it can be served hot or cold. It is nice to have this option in the springtime when cooking several dishes or for a crowd such as on Mother’s Day, Easter, or Father’s Day.
- Kim Fielding
Apr 20, 2010
How to enjoy your movie without packing on the pounds
Movies are notorious for the amount of calories consumed by oblivious movie goers. People come to a movie theatre to enjoy a movie, get distracted from their own issues and enjoy adventurous lives of the characters in the movie. The goal is certainly not to consume hundreds to thousand of calories but to enjoy the movie. Frequently it’s also a social event. But even going to restaurants, sometimes people get fewer calories than at a movie.
It is a part of American tradition – to get large buttery popcorn (that has gotten tremendously large over the last 20 years), a sugary drink and candy, right before getting comfortable for about two hours of complete immobility. Then the viewer forgets about their own problems, including weight, and dives into the realm of Hollywood problems. The only connection with the world remains the bucket of popcorn, the candy and the sugary drink to wash the fat and the salt down. The faster the pace of the movie, the faster people chew and get to another fistful of greasy popcorn or Milk Duds. People who buy all three best seller junk-foods at the theatre – popcorn, candy and soda usually consume about 1200-2500 calories, 60 grams of saturated fat, 2000 mg of sodium and 20-35 teaspoons of sugar.
But why put the body through such trauma? “Because when you go to a movie you always get popcorn and an icee!” was my son’s answer when he was ten.
But the main calorie consumers are not ten. Many are adults with already present pot-bellies. If you’re trying to eat healthy yet you go to movies and consume a large portion of calories, even if it is only occasionally, that still could be the cause of the weight not coming down or even growing weight.
Here is the solution – you can’t afford the American movie snack- tradition. Just get a small bottle of water (the large one will force you to spend some of the precious movie time in the bathroom) or chew gum. Why not unbuttered popcorn? Because at the theaters all the popcorn comes from packages, which have some oil, frequently, partially hydrogenated added to it. Buttered only means an additional butter added to it. So, here is a novel thought - just enjoy the movie without adding another task like eating or drinking.
It is a part of American tradition – to get large buttery popcorn (that has gotten tremendously large over the last 20 years), a sugary drink and candy, right before getting comfortable for about two hours of complete immobility. Then the viewer forgets about their own problems, including weight, and dives into the realm of Hollywood problems. The only connection with the world remains the bucket of popcorn, the candy and the sugary drink to wash the fat and the salt down. The faster the pace of the movie, the faster people chew and get to another fistful of greasy popcorn or Milk Duds. People who buy all three best seller junk-foods at the theatre – popcorn, candy and soda usually consume about 1200-2500 calories, 60 grams of saturated fat, 2000 mg of sodium and 20-35 teaspoons of sugar.
But why put the body through such trauma? “Because when you go to a movie you always get popcorn and an icee!” was my son’s answer when he was ten.
But the main calorie consumers are not ten. Many are adults with already present pot-bellies. If you’re trying to eat healthy yet you go to movies and consume a large portion of calories, even if it is only occasionally, that still could be the cause of the weight not coming down or even growing weight.
Here is the solution – you can’t afford the American movie snack- tradition. Just get a small bottle of water (the large one will force you to spend some of the precious movie time in the bathroom) or chew gum. Why not unbuttered popcorn? Because at the theaters all the popcorn comes from packages, which have some oil, frequently, partially hydrogenated added to it. Buttered only means an additional butter added to it. So, here is a novel thought - just enjoy the movie without adding another task like eating or drinking.
Apr 17, 2010
Alzheimer's disease and eating habits.
Researchers found that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as well as omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The findings from researchers from Columbia University were published online in Archives of Neurology.
Analysis of data from more than 2,000 dementia-free adults ages 65 and older revealed that that the dietary pattern, characterized by eating more salads, nuts, tomatoes, fish, poultry, cruciferous vegetables, fruits, dark and green leafy vegetables and lesser quantities of red meat, organ meat, butter, and high-fat dairy products lowered the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This pattern of diet, also known as Mediterranean-style diet, has been shown to lower heart disease and diabetes. It has been also shown that heart disease independent of strokes increases Alzheimer’s disease. The current study is based on questionnaires filled out by participants and can’t suggest definite proof, but eating healthy certainly can’t be bad and has many proven ways of improving the brain. Here’s what you can do:
1. By eating green leafy vegetables, people consume large amount of folate, which can reduce homocysteine levels, improving atherosclerosis.
2. Vitamin E rich foods, with strong antioxidant effects, like nuts, seeds and vegetable oils are shown to prevent the cognitive decline.
3. A diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids has been shown to improve heart and brain function through multiple mechanisms.
4. Eating less meat and saturated fat certainly will decrease the inflammation and prevent the progression of atherosclerosis.
While scientists are debating whether there is definite correlation or link between diet and Alzheimer’s disease, it just makes sense to eat a Mediterranean-style diet, or a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish and poor in saturated fats, processed and fried foods. Farmers markets are opening everywhere and those are full of foods for brightening the brain.
Analysis of data from more than 2,000 dementia-free adults ages 65 and older revealed that that the dietary pattern, characterized by eating more salads, nuts, tomatoes, fish, poultry, cruciferous vegetables, fruits, dark and green leafy vegetables and lesser quantities of red meat, organ meat, butter, and high-fat dairy products lowered the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This pattern of diet, also known as Mediterranean-style diet, has been shown to lower heart disease and diabetes. It has been also shown that heart disease independent of strokes increases Alzheimer’s disease. The current study is based on questionnaires filled out by participants and can’t suggest definite proof, but eating healthy certainly can’t be bad and has many proven ways of improving the brain. Here’s what you can do:
1. By eating green leafy vegetables, people consume large amount of folate, which can reduce homocysteine levels, improving atherosclerosis.
2. Vitamin E rich foods, with strong antioxidant effects, like nuts, seeds and vegetable oils are shown to prevent the cognitive decline.
3. A diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids has been shown to improve heart and brain function through multiple mechanisms.
4. Eating less meat and saturated fat certainly will decrease the inflammation and prevent the progression of atherosclerosis.
While scientists are debating whether there is definite correlation or link between diet and Alzheimer’s disease, it just makes sense to eat a Mediterranean-style diet, or a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish and poor in saturated fats, processed and fried foods. Farmers markets are opening everywhere and those are full of foods for brightening the brain.
Asparagus is Here!
Asparagus originated in the eastern Mediterranean regions but is now grown throughout the world. In North America, it signals the start of spring and is at its peak in April and May. While green asparagus is the most commonly seen, white and purple varieties are also grown.
Asparagus is a nutritional powerhouse and is an excellent source of vitamin K, folate, vitamins C and A, and many others. Asparagus has a natural diuretic effect due to its combination of high potassium, low sodium, and the amino acid asparagines and it promotes gut health. One cup of boiled asparagus contributes over 100% of our daily value of vitamin K and almost 70% of folate, 3 grams of our recommended daily fiber and only 43 calories!
Fresh steamed or grilled asparagus is a great side dish for lunch or dinner. It can be tossed with a vinaigrette, stir-fried, or mixed into pasta dishes or omelets. It is delicious in soups and pairs well with all meats and fish.
serves: 2 prep time: 10 minutes
One reason I like this dish so much is that you can prepare it up to a day before and serve it at room temperature.
10-12 asparagus spears
¼ cup diced red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: a tablespoon or so of chopped shallots mixed into the dressing
Snap off the bottoms of the asparagus stalks and cook in a skillet of simmering water about 5 minutes or until just tender. Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the stalks but as soon as you take the asparagus off the heat, cool them down immediately in cold water or they will continue to cook and get too soft. While the asparagus is cooking, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper and walnuts in a small bowl. Add the shallots if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the cooked asparagus on a platter and spoon the red pepper and walnut mixture over.
If you make this in advance – just store the asparagus and dressing separately. Spoon the red pepper mixture over just before serving.
Calories: 115 per serving
- Kim Fielding
Asparagus is a nutritional powerhouse and is an excellent source of vitamin K, folate, vitamins C and A, and many others. Asparagus has a natural diuretic effect due to its combination of high potassium, low sodium, and the amino acid asparagines and it promotes gut health. One cup of boiled asparagus contributes over 100% of our daily value of vitamin K and almost 70% of folate, 3 grams of our recommended daily fiber and only 43 calories!
Fresh steamed or grilled asparagus is a great side dish for lunch or dinner. It can be tossed with a vinaigrette, stir-fried, or mixed into pasta dishes or omelets. It is delicious in soups and pairs well with all meats and fish.
serves: 2 prep time: 10 minutes
One reason I like this dish so much is that you can prepare it up to a day before and serve it at room temperature.
10-12 asparagus spears
¼ cup diced red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: a tablespoon or so of chopped shallots mixed into the dressing
Snap off the bottoms of the asparagus stalks and cook in a skillet of simmering water about 5 minutes or until just tender. Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the stalks but as soon as you take the asparagus off the heat, cool them down immediately in cold water or they will continue to cook and get too soft. While the asparagus is cooking, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper and walnuts in a small bowl. Add the shallots if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the cooked asparagus on a platter and spoon the red pepper and walnut mixture over.
If you make this in advance – just store the asparagus and dressing separately. Spoon the red pepper mixture over just before serving.
Calories: 115 per serving
- Kim Fielding
Apr 15, 2010
Back to Collards - Lasagna
Recently I had the opportunity to learn how to use collards as a substitute for pasta noodles. Imagine using the large collard leaves instead of lasagna noodles in good old fashioned lasagna, or as an alternate to grape leaves as in dolmas.
The key to using the collards is to steam or poach them first. Trim the hard stem off the bottom of the leaf and rinse the leaves of any sand or dust. Set them aside. Half fill a skillet with water and place it on the stove. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat and slip a collard leaf into the water. Allow it to soften for about 1-2 minutes, depending on the size of the leaf. Remove the leaf from the water and place it on a plate to cool.
Once you have cooked a bunch of collard leaves, now you can use them in your recipes. I typically halve each leaf and get two “pasta noodles” or “grape leaves” out of each collard leaf. To make this vegetarian, swap out the turkey meat with tofu or chopped steamed veggies such as zucchini, fennel, cauliflower, leeks, root vegetables, or whatever you like!
Easy Collard Lasagna
serves: 6-8 prep time: 30 minutes
One bunch of collards, stems removed, poached and halved (see instructions above)
Olive oil
One onion, chopped
Two cloves garlic, minced
One package of ground turkey meat
Large pinches of dried thyme, oregano, basil, and marjoram
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
One jar of organic marinara sauce
One small container of low-fat ricotta
One 8-ounce package of grated mozzarella
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
In a large skillet, add a splash of olive oil and set the stove top heat on medium. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground turkey meat and stir to break up the large pieces. Add the spices, sea salt and pepper and cook until the onions are soft and the meat is no longer pink.
In a 9 x 13” baking dish, spoon a couple tablespoons of marinara sauce on the bottom on the pan. Layer collard leaf halves to cover the bottom of the dish and sauce. Spread half of the cooked turkey mixture over the leaves, half of the ricotta in small spoonfuls dropped over the turkey, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and 1/3 of the marinara sauce over the other ingredients. Add another layer of the collard leaves, the rest of the turkey meat, the rest of the ricotta, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and 1/3 of the marinara sauce. Add a final layer of collard leaves, the rest of the marinara sauce, the rest of the mozzarella cheese and top with the Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until bubbly.
Serve with a fresh green house salad. Yum!
- Kim Fielding
The key to using the collards is to steam or poach them first. Trim the hard stem off the bottom of the leaf and rinse the leaves of any sand or dust. Set them aside. Half fill a skillet with water and place it on the stove. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat and slip a collard leaf into the water. Allow it to soften for about 1-2 minutes, depending on the size of the leaf. Remove the leaf from the water and place it on a plate to cool.
Once you have cooked a bunch of collard leaves, now you can use them in your recipes. I typically halve each leaf and get two “pasta noodles” or “grape leaves” out of each collard leaf. To make this vegetarian, swap out the turkey meat with tofu or chopped steamed veggies such as zucchini, fennel, cauliflower, leeks, root vegetables, or whatever you like!
Easy Collard Lasagna
serves: 6-8 prep time: 30 minutes
One bunch of collards, stems removed, poached and halved (see instructions above)
Olive oil
One onion, chopped
Two cloves garlic, minced
One package of ground turkey meat
Large pinches of dried thyme, oregano, basil, and marjoram
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
One jar of organic marinara sauce
One small container of low-fat ricotta
One 8-ounce package of grated mozzarella
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
In a large skillet, add a splash of olive oil and set the stove top heat on medium. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground turkey meat and stir to break up the large pieces. Add the spices, sea salt and pepper and cook until the onions are soft and the meat is no longer pink.
In a 9 x 13” baking dish, spoon a couple tablespoons of marinara sauce on the bottom on the pan. Layer collard leaf halves to cover the bottom of the dish and sauce. Spread half of the cooked turkey mixture over the leaves, half of the ricotta in small spoonfuls dropped over the turkey, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and 1/3 of the marinara sauce over the other ingredients. Add another layer of the collard leaves, the rest of the turkey meat, the rest of the ricotta, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and 1/3 of the marinara sauce. Add a final layer of collard leaves, the rest of the marinara sauce, the rest of the mozzarella cheese and top with the Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until bubbly.
Serve with a fresh green house salad. Yum!
- Kim Fielding
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