This evening I cooked some more of my delicious vegetables purchased at the west side wholefoods. When my roommate walked in (returning from the gym) he first said "it smells really good in here". Then, I told him he was going to eat the rest of the Kale that was left on the stove, because I never see him eat dark leafy greens and they are incredibly important to have in the diet. Ha, oh to live with a nutrition student! The great news? He loved it! (this makes me happy)
Sauté Kale:
1. Rinse (and rinse well. Kale is the tight, curly green veggie and dirt will be found in the cracks)
2. one tablespoon of olive oil in the pan, with 2 diced garlic cloves
3. I sprinkle a little extra water to help create some steam
4. Place Kale in pan on medium heat. sauté (do not stir too much, allow it to sit)
5. Know that Kale is rough, and tough and will need more time than spinach for example to soften and wilt. Also, it shrinks, so put twice as much Kale in the pan than you think you want to eat because by the time it is done your serving is in half.
6. Season with salt & red pepper flakes for spunk :)
7. Cook over medium heat for about 7-9 minutes (maybe longer, depends on your heat level and how often you mess with it)
8. Taste, determine, toss, & serve.
Enjoy your dark leafy greens that have the following benefits:
calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, E and K. Seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli. Rich source of fiber & naturally occurring phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer.
(No this is not Kale. But they are the sprouts I cooked the night before! Roll them around in garlic and Olive oil as well, and bake for 30 min at 375). Green Vegetables = Superior
Fourth of July:
I probably ate some of the best food I have had in a while this weekend, as it was all home cooked and fresh as can be. I am living on a tight budget these days, and as hypocritical as it may sound...I have had a few nights of eating cereal for dinner in my apartment, despite the fact that I would tell all of you how easy it is to steam veggies or make soup. This weekend, we ate lavish breakfasts of chocolate chip pancakes, vegetable quiches, fresh berries, coffee and juice. Dinner was a picturesque barbeque every night with every kind of meat you could possibly imagine (no I did not sneak a single bite, because I really did not want to). However I lit up at the sight of the other options. The picture above is what I had for dinner Saturday night.
* A spinach salad tossed with carmelized onions
* Bean Salad: kidney beans, chickpeas, red beans, orange & red diced peppers, balsamic dressing
* Twice baked potatoe with cheddar cheese
* Squash & Zucchini pie, (freshly baked just hours before)
* Sliced avocado
* (The Guilty Pleasure) Pina Colada made special by my friends hubby. He makes the best pina colada ive ever had.
Recipe for You:
Avocado/Mango Salad
2 small avocados
1 cup walnuts
2 small mango
1 mignonette lettuce
---dressing---
1/4 cup olive oil
2 small tablespoons lemon juice
1 tsp mustard
1 tablespoon mayo
*chop lettuce
*cut avocado and mango into slices
*sprinkle walnuts in
*shake dressing ingredients in jar, pour over salad and gently toss
I came across this recipe in the kitchen at the log cabin. And I'd like to do a quick spotlight on walnuts, as they are found in this recipe and I want to make sure you don't cut them out at home. ;)
Walnuts: Notice how they crinkle? Does it remind you of a brain? (does it now that I said it)? Next time you look at a walnut think "brain food" because that is what it is. Sure its more then just that, but the brain is pretty important. You may have heard before how walnuts (and other nuts) are high in fat. This is true. But this is excellent news. Not all fat is created equal. Not all fat is "bad". I want to introduce you to one kind of fat, Omega-3 Alpha Linolenic Acid. ALA, a plant based Omega-3 (there are many kinds of Omega-3's) is a shorter chain fatty acid, and a "good guy". It has been linked to improving artery function after consumption of a high fat meal; which will inevitably improve your heart health as well. atherosclerosis is the clogging/hardening and narrowing of arteries which can lead to increased blood pressure and heart attack. Healthy Arteries = Healthy Heart. But how does this link to the brain? Back to the fat. Your brain is made of structural fat, so in order for it to function properly it needs to receive fat. Remember there is a difference between good and bad fat. Avocados and walnuts are two great examples of the kind of fats you want and need. In order to stay on track here, I will not go off into those details (at least for now). Omega-3s, which are Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids are especially fluid and flexible, making them easy to pass through the cell membrane. Being able to pass through the cell membrane allows for nutrients to easily flush in, as well as easy waste elimination out of the cells. This Omega-3 is a great teammate to have working on your brain cells, who are requiring this kind of fat in order to function.
Studies in the US have linked diets low in Omega-3 with high rates of depression, hyperactive disorders such as ADHD, and learning disorders. When I read that, I took a minute to think about it and the light bulb completely went off. Your brain does so much work: emotions, memory, sex drive, intellect...if you are not receiving the nutrients necessary for it to function, then of course you are going to see differences in your mood, which your brain controls. (If I skip a meal I turn into a bloody nightmare)! Proper nutrition, including examples such as Omega-3 fatty acids that your brain need, will not only uplift your mood; they will help you to do better in school or at work (depending where you are in life, or if you have children who maybe you care about their concentration ability in school).
ONE more thing about Walnuts. They contain Melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone which the pineal gland creates, which initializes and regulates our sleep. It is also a powerful antioxidant (antioxidants= soldiers in the fight against disease). This can make walnuts a great evening snack (and you only need about 4 to reap these benefits, which is good considering walnuts are high in calories and you do not want, or need to, finish a box in one sitting). Have some walnuts over sorbet for a light dessert, to help stay full and get a good nights rest.
TO RECAP: Walnuts, great for the heart, the brain, your arteries, your sleep habits, your mood, & your IQ. I think I have left you with enough reasons to include them in your diet, as well as flooded your brain with information. It is difficult to go into extreme detail on this page without losing track of subject or seeming scatterbrained. Post comments for any questions :)
Peace, Love, & Sleep (as I am running on 4 hours currently)
xxoo
June:
My apologies for not posting anything to cook these days. With the summer heat kicking at full force, I have (almost) lost my appetite. Nothing hot will do anymore, everything must be cold. Especially when you purposely dont turn your AC on in your apartment in a brave attempt to drive Con Edison insane and not raise your electric bill by 200$ a month for the summer. :)
Did I ever mention my roommate has a magic bullet? Do you know what a magic bullet is? It is this small portable blender that does not require an outlet, & it is terrific. So I am going to make a great summer recommendation....smoothie everything. Smoothie for breakfast, or lunch, or dessert, it will all be good. And its cold :)
Here are reasons why you should smoothie more than juice:
1. Fruit is great for you, but relying on fruit juices will have you missing out on fiber, which is found primarily in the skin of fruits. If you miss out on fiber, you are missing nutritional value, you wont stay full for as long, and you also can become (ahem) irregular. So by dumping whole blueberies, strawberries, peaches etc into your magic bullet or blender, you are drinking the entire fruit and reaping all the benefits.
2. You can add other nutritionally valuable ingredients to your smoothies such as lowfat milk, yogurt, or peanut butter & create your own recipes to fit your needs.
3. Smoothie-ing at home makes sure the employees at "smoothie stores" (which I wont name) aren't secretly dumping splenda, among other garbage into your not environmentally friendly styrofoam cup. At home we put all whole ingredients, no added sugar, & we drink it from a glass or "to go" cup.
My breakfast smoothie:
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1/2 banana
almond milk (amount depends on your desired thickness)
In this little peanut packer I have a serving of fruit (great for the morning because the sugar naturally found in fruit can be burned off during your morning walk to the train), a low fat/calorie milk substitute, & peanut butter for protein, good fat, and the calories I need to have energy to start my day. Hello amazingness.
My Berry Mix
Blueberries
Strawberries
Rasberries
Apple Juice
Rasberry Sorbet
Berries are high in antioxidants. Anti oxidants decrease free radicals in your body. Free radicals are linked to causing cancer. So there's that story. Plus, it doesn't hurt that berries taste amazing. Well, at least I think so.
Also, blueberries are great for a natural way to decrease inflammation.
**I will post some food pictures soon, but I figured after having my blueberry & banana smoothie this afternoon that I should start sharing.
xo happy june. and may you be blessed with air conditioning for the upcoming weeks.
Quinoa Salad
(Thanks to Brittany)
1 1/2 C cooked black beans
1 1/2 T red wine vinegar
1 1/2 C cooked corn
3/4 C green bell peppers, finely chopped
1/4 crushed fresh coriander
Dressing: 5T fresh lime juice
1T salt
1 1/4 t ground cumin
1/3 C olive Oil
Cook Quinoa as directed. (p.s.: do you know really just how good for you quinoa really is? Its incredible.) This is the power grain, cultivated about 5,000 years ago it was the staple food for the ancient Andes. It is high in protein and complex carbohydrates, low in fat, and richer in vitamins and minerals than other grains. It is GLUTEN FREE for those who are on the look out. It also is low on the glycemic index, meaning it absorbs slowly in your body and does not make your blood sugar levels sky rocket like a loaf of white bread might do to you. This is good news for all, but especially anyone who is diabetic. Quinoa is good news folks. Get ready to add this product (if it isn't already) to your grocery list.
Rinse beans and corn and add to quinoa.
Whisk dressing in seperate bowl and pour over quinoa.
Add chopped green peppers and coriander. Softly mix together. Season to taste.
I like this dish better cold, but it is yours to play with.
You're welcome for the quinoa recipe!!! :-)
ReplyDelete