Method to My Madness, part I

All this busy work in the kitchen ain’t for nothin’. A few recent stories in the press confirm that subscribing to a CSA is not only good for the environment also great for your body.
The Checklist
The NY Times came out with published the story (June 30, 2008) “The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating“.
My first thought after reading the title: “maybe not”. Sure enough, my skepticism proved correct. Out of the 11 foods listed, three are regular items in the weekly CSA allotment. Here’s the story with my comments in green.
Well: Tara Parker-Pope on Health

Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t. But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.

1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters. How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power. We’ve been getting regular doses. These ain’t the tasteless, mushy beets from the local salad bar. Real beets reward with a wonderful refreshing aroma and taste. Wash. Toss with olive oil. Bake for about 35 minutes at 400 degrees. Skin falls off. Enjoy!
2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
   How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches. Lately, I’ve been slicing the cabbage really thin and lightly steaming. Then, I cook a more hearty dish and serve it on top of a bed of steamed cabbage. Years ago, I came across a recipe for sweet and sour cabbage in a Chinese cookbook. I was excited to find an easy way to put some excitement into cabbage. Heat oil, toss in some red pepper (whole or flakes). Throw in the cabbage. Cover for a few minutes to cook. Uncover and add some rice vinegar and a bit of sugar, as needed.
3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
   How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil. I love this vegetable. Fortunately, the CSA provides plenty of chard and other similar greens. Growing up, I absolutely loved chard in fish soup. My grandma’s specialty. Lately, I’ve been using it in African Stew.
4. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
   How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal. I put cinnamon in everything. Lately, I’ve been adding it to oatmeal and any quick breads that I might bake, like banana bread or any muffin.
5. Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.
   How to eat: Just drink it. I buy fresh pomegranate juice at the local farmer’s market. The vendors make the juice during pomegranate season and freeze it — and then sell it year round. You must drink it immediately after purchasing. After a day in fridge, the juice loses its freshness and the difference is stark.
6. Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.
   How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked. Do dried plums have something that fresh plums don’t? I’ve been eating lots of plums — and occassionally have a few prunes for regularity. I’ll start thinking about how to incorporate plums into meals, especially now that the neighbor’s plum tree is bursting with fruit.
7. Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death. How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad. Ok, indeed, a food that I’m NOT eating. I’ll put it on my shopping list.
8. Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.’’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
   How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.  I eat sardines when I make puttanesca. It’s been awhile. I’m going to get a few cans, which I’m sure I can throw into other dishes, such as a flavoring for veggies.
9. Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,’’ it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. And maybe other healthy effects. Check out the National Library of Medicine’s listing: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-turmeric.html
   How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish. Good to know. Another item for my shopping list.
10. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
    How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds. I purchase big bags of frozen mixed berries at Costco. I usually put copious quantities in my smoothies.  And, sometimes I splurge and purchase fresh blueberries at either Trader Joe’s or Costco. I’ve been planning on planting a blueberry bush. That would be really cost effective. 
11. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
    How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg. My grandma used to bake pumpkin with a bit of honey. It was always a treat. I like making pumpkin bread and muffins w/ plenty of cinnamon.

You can find more details and recipes on the Men’s Health Web site, which published the original version of the list last year.

In my own house, I only have two of these items — pumpkin seeds, which I often roast and put on salads, and frozen blueberries, which I mix with milk, yogurt and other fruits for morning smoothies. How about you? Have any of these foods found their way into your shopping cart?

African Stew Spices Up Chard

Rinsing chard (yellow stems) and beet greens (red stems) for the African pineapple stew.

It’s been several weeks since I last had a taste of that yummy African stew that Joyce introduced me to. The dish combines greens (of all kinds) with crushed pineapple, peanut butter, cilantro, onions and garlic. A very hearty main dish that’s substantial enough to pair with wild rice.

I recently discovered that the recipe is also included in the famous Moosewood cookbook by Mollie Katzen. You can find many variations of the recipe online.

Here’s one from a blog called “Fat Free Vegan Kitchen“:

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African Pineapple Peanut Stew

1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1-2 bunches kale (4-8 cups sliced)
2 cups undrained canned crushed pineapple, in juice (20-ounce can)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt to taste
crushed skinless peanuts
chopped scallions

Prepare the kale by washing it and removing the large center stem from each leaf. Stack the leaves on a cutting board and slice them into one-inch thick slices.

In a large, covered wok or Dutch oven (non-stick preferred), sauté the onions for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic, and stir for another minute.Add the pineapple and its juice to the onions and bring to a simmer. Stir in the kale, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until just tender. Mix in the peanut butter, Tabasco, and parsley and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste, and serve topped with crushed peanuts and scallions, over rice or other grain. (This makes about 4 servings.)

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I used the beet greens from the red beets of two weeks ago, in addition to the beet greens from last week’s yellow beets. To that, I added an entire bag of Trader Joe’s “a chard of many colors.”

If you look at beet greens, they look like chard. That’s because beets are related to chard. I just learned that from reading “The Edible Salad Garden” by Rosalind Creasy. I bought the book eight years ago. Now that I have my own house and am settling down, I’m finally in a position to put the book’s material into practice.

So colorful and beautiful. The chard and beet greens sit ready for stewing.

Fragile Firsts

Some veggies are, let’s say, temperamental. They stay sit fresh and happy in the fridge until you have time for them. But, not strawberries or basil. Tonight, I washed the basil leaves that I received last night. Already, they were limp and a few black dots were evident. The strawberries had survived unscathed for its one evening in the fridge. I washed them and we ate them all. Yum, sweet and full of flavor.

Ahhh, the smell — and taste — of success this week. Previous weeks? Blackened basil leaves, half of which ended up in the trash. Mushy strawberries, soft and unpalatable — after just two days in the fridge.

The moral of the story: Get in gear for basil and strawberries. These delicious items don’t last long!

Authentic Arugula

Lifeless arugula from Trader Joe's languishes at the front of photo. CSAs arugala, in the back, promises more flavor and freshness. Trader Joe's new "wild arugula" product (not shown) is just as good as that from the CSA.

Trader Joe’s has very literally come up to the plate with REAL arugula flavor. It’s the taste I fell in love with when I first experienced arugula in the early 1990’s while visiting my sister in Manhattan. Since then, the herb’s popularity has exploded. The explosion introduced mass-produced varieties that would have never gained my affection. After all, who could fall in love with a coarse, cardboard-tasting salad green?

Trader Joe’s new “wild arugula” product takes me back to those days of first discovery, which included the novelty and excitement of the Big Apple and Bloomingdale’s.

My husband first brought the wild arugula home to eat with the pizza margherita we ordered for the evening. Since our trip to the Balkans, we’ve been eating all pizza topped with fresh arugula. I was skeptical, especially because we had just enjoyed wild arugula as part of our pricey brunch at the W Hotel in Westwood (yes, out on the pool deck that you often see in the popular series “Entourage”). The verdict? Surprisingly on target with flavor and texture. Two thumbs up for Trader Joe’s new wild arugula!

It’s All About Olive Oil

Just throw it in a pan with olive oil. Presto! Your veggies are cooked. Add garlic and chili flakes. It’s even better. The sure-all solution for all foreign — or familiar — vegetation.
Or, toss in olive oil and roast in the oven.
Yum! Refreshing yet satiating.

Warning: Do not try this with cardoons. It just won’t work.

Out From Under the Compost

YIkes! It’s been two months since my last post. Besides a bit of travel and work, I’ve been busy chopping, dicing, mincing, washing, sorting and all the busy work of preparing vegetables. Phew! Yes, all the sauteeing, roasting, stir frying and baking has been an adventure.

GOOD TIMES

-Greens and bulgur gratin with chewy mozarella
-African stew with chard, peanut butter, pineapple and other greens
-Pickled turnips and carrots more crisp and flavorful than that from a Vietnamese restaurant
-Dreamy, creamy potatoes not just mushy white starch

 

 NOT-SO-GOOD TIMES

-Rotting salad greens that sat in the fridge too long
-Rotting greens that sat and sat and sat in the fridge too long
-Ditto
Onward and upward!