http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?pfriendly=1&tname=recipe&dbid=95
5-Minute Kale
With this delicious, easy-to-prepare recipe you can include kale as part of your Healthiest Way of Eating in a matter of minutes. Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables around with one serving providing you with an excellent source of vitamins A and E. Enjoy!
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
* 1 pound kale
* Mediterranean Dressing
* 2 tsp lemon juice
* 1 medium clove garlic, pressed
* 1 TBs extra virgin olive oil
* salt & black pepper to taste
* 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Directions:
1. Chop garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to enhance its health-promoting properties.
2. Fill bottom of steamer with 2 inches of water and bring to boil.
3. While water is coming to a boil, slice kale leaves into 1/2-inch slices, and cut again crosswise. Cut stems into 1/4-inch slices. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out it health-promoting properties.
4. When water comes to a boil add kale to steamer basket and cover. Steam for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer to a bowl and toss with Mediterranean Dressing ingredients. Mediterranean Dressing does not have to be made separately. For the best flavor it is best to toss with dressing while kale is still hot.
6. Top with sunflower seeds. Serves 2
© 2001-2009 The George Mateljan Foundation
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?pfriendly=1&tname=recipe&dbid=102
5-Minute Collard Greens
Collard greens are a highly nutritious green rich in calcium, and becoming increasingly popular side dish that complements almost any meal.
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
* 1 pound collard greens chopped
* Mediterranean Dressing
* 1 tsp lemon juice
* 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or chopped
* 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
* sea salt and black pepper to taste
* 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Directions:
1. Fill bottom of steamer with 2 inches of water.
2. While steam is building up, slice collard greens leaves into 1/2-inch slices and cut again crosswise. Cut stems into 1/4-inch slices, and let both leaves and stems sit for at least 5 minutes to enhance their health-promoting properties.
3. Press or chop garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out more of its health-promoting properties.
4. Steam collard greens for no more than 5 minutes.
5. Transfer to a bowl. For more flavor, toss collard greens with the remaining ingredients while they are still hot. (Mediterranean Dressing does not need to be made separately).
6. Top with sunflower seeds.
Serves 2
Healthy Cooking Tips:
Optional: to mellow the flavor of garlic, add garlic to collard greens for the last 2 minutes of steaming.
© 2001-2009 The George Mateljan Foundation
Food value and the vitamins and minerals are here for this dish:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=recipe&dbid=102
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=recipe&dbid=96
Steamed Mexican Corn on the Cob
The red chili powder will add a spicy twist to this summer favorite – corn on the cob!
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
* 4 ears fresh corn on the cob
* 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tsp red chili powder
* salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a steamer with a tight fitting lid. Do not salt water.
2. Remove husks and corn silk from corn cobs. Place the corn in the steamer basket, cover, and steam for 5 minutes.
3. While corn is steaming mix together olive oil, chili powder, salt and pepper.
4. Remove corn from steamer, brush with oil mixture and serve hot. Serves 4
© 2001-2009 The George Mateljan Foundation
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=recipe&dbid=100
Mediterranean Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is one of our most nutrient-rich foods and so easy to prepare. It is a great complement to almost any meal.
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
* 2 large bunches chopped Swiss chard
* 1 medium clove garlic, pressed
* ½ TBS balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice
* extra virgin olive oil to taste
* salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out its health-promoting properties.
2. Bring lightly salted water to a rapid boil in a large pot. Cut off tough bottom part of stems.
3. Add the chopped leaves to the boiling water and simmer for only 3 minutes, until tender.
4. Strain through colander and press out excess water. Toss with rest of ingredients. Make sure you don’t toss chard with dressing until you are ready to serve. Otherwise the flavor will become diluted. Serves 2
© 2001-2009 The George Mateljan Foundation
http://www.mediterrasian.com/recipe_makeovers_chicken_pf.htm
Recipe Makeovers
Fried chicken
Crunchy, tasty fried chicken with less calories and far less “bad” fats than regular fried chicken from a fast food outlet.
Fried chicken was always a special treat in our family when I was growing up. I loved the taste and texture of the crispy chicken, and thoroughly enjoyed the coleslaw and fries (or potato and gravy) served on the side.
I also remember thinking to myself that, even though it was fast food, it can’t be all that bad because I knew that chicken was healthy.
I’m under no such illusion these days. I realize that chicken meat may be healthy, but deep-fried chicken is anything but. Yes, the underlying chicken meat is low in saturated fat and rich in high-quality protein. But it’s what’s on the outside that spoils things.
For a start, fried chicken is typically cooked with the skin on. Chickens store lots of their fat in their skin, and a lot of this fat is saturated fat, which can raise “bad” LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. To make matters worse, the chicken is then breaded and deep-fried in fat. Fast food outlets like KFC use partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil to fry their chicken. Unfortunately partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil contains lots of trans fat, which studies show is even more harmful to your heart and arteries than saturated fat.
All this fat isn’t only bad for your health, it also contains lots of calories, which isn’t good for your waistline either. Most of us then compound the damage by eating foods like commercial coleslaw and French fries with the chicken. These foods are also high in calories, and French fries typically contain high amounts of trans fat.
So, in no way or form is fried chicken healthy for you (as KFC tried to promote recently in U.S. television advertisements—before receiving a severe rebuke for false advertising from the Federal Trade Commission) and should be eaten sparingly or on special occasions.
Healthy fried chicken
However, there is a way to enjoy the taste of fried chicken more regularly. Our recipe for fried chicken is oven-fried instead of deep-fried. And in our version we remove the skin and liberally brush the chicken with healthy peanut oil which is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
Let’s have a look at the nutritional difference between our fried chicken and typical fried chicken from a fast food outlet:
Quite clearly our chicken is far healthier. Not only is it lower in calories but it contains much less saturated fat and no trans fat compared to the fast food version.
The great thing about this chicken is that it’s not only healthy, it also tastes delicious. And if you want to turn this into a true feast, why not have this fried chicken with some healthy antioxidant-rich coleslaw and healthy French fries.
Now let’s look at the simple steps involved in preparing and cooking healthy fried chicken. (This recipe serves 2.)
1. Mix together coating
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F then combine 1/3 cup of fine bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon paprika and ½ teaspoon ground white pepper in a large bowl.
2. Brush chicken with oil
Pat dry 4 skinless chicken pieces (two breast pieces and 2 drumsticks) with a paper towel, then brush with 3 tablespoons of peanut oil.
3. Roll chicken pieces in mixture
Roll each chicken piece in the bread crumb mixture, pressing to coat well.
4. Bake for an hour
Place the chicken pieces on a non-stick baking tray (or lightly grease a regular baking tray with oil). BAKE for 1 hour without turning.
5. Serve with accompaniments
Serve with your choice of accompaniments.
© 2004 - 2009 MEDITERRASIAN.COM
http://www.mediterrasian.com/recipe_makeovers_pizza.htm
Recipe Makeovers
Pizza
When pizza is made the traditional Italian way it not only tastes delicious but it contains less calories and more nutrients than regular fast food pizza.
Pizza, when it’s made in a traditional way, has little resemblance to the pizza available in most fast food outlets. These pizzas are usually topped with lots of meat, lots of cheese, very few vegetables, and are served on a thick doughy crust.
Compare this to a traditionally prepared pizza which contains little or no meat, moderate amounts of good quality cheese, fish or seafood like anchovies or shrimp, a variety of vegetables and fresh herbs, and served on a thin crisp crust.
In fact, when pizza is made in a traditional way like this, it not only makes a wonderful meal (especially when it’s served with a fresh tossed salad and little red wine) it’s also very good for your body as well.
The tomato sauce that is spread over the crust is rich in vitamins and contains a powerful phytochemical called lycopene which protects against certain cancers. The vegetables on the pizza are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. By choosing fish like anchovies or seafood like shrimp on your pizza instead of meaty toppings you get lots of good quality protein without the high saturated fat content. Fish and shellfish are also a good source of health-promoting omega-3 fat. The crust supplies your body with energy-giving carbohydrates, B-vitamins and dietary fiber. And because the pizza isn’t drowned in cheese you get the benefits of the protein and calcium it contains without ingesting too much saturated fat.
So pizza, prepared the right way, can be good for you. But that’s little surprise because so many of the traditional foods eaten throughout the Mediterranean and Asia taste good and are also good for you. That’s what makes this way of eating so easy to live with!
Ordering your own
The recipe I’m about to show you for pizza is easy to prepare at home. But sometimes you might not even have the time to prepare this simple recipe. That’s fine because you can just follow the principles of a traditionally prepared pizza when you order a pizza from a fast food outlet. Simply make sure to order your pizza on a thin base, tell them to halve the cheese and double the vegetables and choose a fish or seafood topping (like anchovies, shrimp, tuna, smoked salmon, smoked oysters, clams, calamari) instead of a meaty topping. If you do choose to have meat on your pizza, use it sparingly by telling them to halve the amount. Diced chicken is another low saturated fat alternative to meat on your pizza.
How to make a healthy pizza
Before I show you step-by-step how to create your own healthy pizza at home let’s have a look at the nutrient comparison between a slice of typical fast food pizza and a slice of our healthier version:
What a difference! For a start there’s almost half the amount of calories in our version, which means you’ll fill up on our pizza without filling out. Because the pizza contains no meat and we haven’t gone overboard with the cheese, a slice of this pizza contains four times less potentially harmful saturated fat than a regular pizza. Our traditional-style pizza also contains more dietary fiber than a regular pizza and just as much protein.
Here’s how to make this pizza at home. This recipe makes 1 pizza, or enough for 2-3 people.
1. Prepare the vegetables
Finely dice ½ a red pepper (capsicum), finely slice a quarter of a red onion, finely chop 1 tablespoon of fresh flat-leaf parsley, and halve 5 pitted black olives
2. Cube the cheese
Cut 2½ oz (75g) of mozzarella cheese into very small cubes.
3. Mix together the tomato sauce
Mix together ½ clove of crushed garlic, 3 tablespoons of chopped canned tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and ½ teaspoon of sea salt in a small bowl.
4. Spread the tomato sauce over the crust
Spread the tomato sauce over 1 store-bought pre-baked pizza crust (about 12-inches in diameter and thin crust). Alternatively use a large whole grain pita bread as the crust.
5. Top with shrimp and scallops
Top the pizza with 8 large peeled raw shrimp and 8 scallops (roe removed).
6. Add other toppings
Arrange the sliced onion, finely diced pepper and halved olives evenly over the pizza.
7. Add the cheese
Evenly place the cubed mozzarella cheese over the top of the pizza.
8. Bake and serve
Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F and place the pizza on the oven baking rack and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a tablespoon of lemon juice, a little freshly ground black pepper and the chopped parsley. Cut into 8 slices to serve.
© 2004 - 2009 MEDITERRASIAN.COM
[TVP a storage food]
http://www.mediterrasian.com/recipe_makeovers_tacos.htm
Recipe Makeovers
Tacos
Mouthwatering tacos loaded with tasty fillings but not loaded with saturated fat and calories.
When you think about it, there are a lot of high calorie ingredients in a typical taco. The high fat taco shell, the ground beef, the cheese, the guacamole. At first glance it would seem a difficult task to reduce the calories in a taco without somehow drastically altering the taste.
But let me assure you, it is possible, and the results are very tasty.
Let’s start with the taco shell. Taco shells are typically cooked with partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil which contains unhealthy trans fat. Soft taco shells are a healthier alternative and they contain less calories than regular taco shells. So if you decide to make this recipe frequently I would certainly recommend wrapping the filling ingredients in a soft taco shell instead of regular taco shells.
But there’s something special about the crunch of a taco shell contrasting with the mixture of soft filling ingredients, so in this instance I’m going to use regular taco shells.
Adapting the ground beef filling
The savory ground beef filling in a taco is also high in calories and saturated fat. In fact ground beef (also known as beef mince) is one of the fattiest types of meat with around 60 percent of calories coming from fat—a lot of it saturated.
Instead, our savory ground beef filling is going to be made from TVP (textured vegetable protein). When I did a makeover on cheeseburgers I used this versatile soy-based product, that looks and tastes like ground beef, to make hamburger patties.
This time I’ll turn the TVP into a “beef” chili mixture for filling tacos. This not only reduces the calorie and saturated fat content, but you also get the health benefits of soy.
The guacamole and cheese
Guacamole is made from avocados, which are high in fat. But most of this fat is heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. So guacamole is the ideal ingredient to give you that “mouth feel” of fat without compromising your health. (Just remember, guacamole is still high in calories so we won’t go drowning our tacos in it.)
Cheese contains a fair amount of saturated fat, but I’m not going to recommend you use low fat cheese as a substitute. Simply use real full-flavored cheese in small amounts. Too much cheese on a taco takes away from the flavors of the other ingredients and tends to easily spill out of the taco anyway.
Before I show you how to make these healthy tacos, let’s take a look at the nutritional difference between our healthy tacos and a regular taco:
Our recipe has reduced the calories substantially, and our taco contains three times less saturated fat than a typical taco. And remember, if you want to make this recipe even healthier use soft taco shells instead of regular taco shells.
Here’s how you make these tacos. This recipe makes 12 tacos, which serves four people.
1. Soak the TVP
Pour ¾ cup boiling water over 1 cup TVP in a bowl, cover, and set aside for 15 minutes to soak.
2. Dice onion and peppers
Dice an onion, half a red pepper and half a green pepper.
3. Cook the onion and peppers
Cook the onion and peppers in a frying pan over a medium heat in 1 tablespoon of canola or peanut oil for 5 minutes. Add 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1½ teaspoons paprika and ½ teaspoon chili powder and cook, stirring, for a minute.
4. Add the other ingredients
Add the soaked TVP, ½ cup rinsed and drained canned red kidney beans, 14 oz (420g) canned chopped tomatoes, 1 cup beef stock, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Prepare the guacamole and fresh ingredients
While the chili simmers, make the guacamole. Mash 1 halved, deseeded and peeled avocado with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ clove crushed garlic, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper with a fork until well combined. Next, prepare the other fillings and put into separate bowls: 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce; 3 diced tomatoes; 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese; guacamole and ready-made salsa.
6. Heat the taco shells and serve
Place the tacos on a baking tray and heat according to packet instructions. Fill each taco with some shredded lettuce, a couple of tablespoons of chili, diced tomato, salsa, a little guacamole and grated cheese to serve.
© 2004 - 2009 MEDITERRASIAN.COM
http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/fats.htm
Healing Foods Pyramid
Healthy Fats Image
This Facts About reviews healthy fats and gives examples of foods to choose from as well as foods to avoid. We provide a guide for selecting an appropriate portion size, and recommendations for incorporating healthy changes into your diet.
What are the recommended servings per day?
* 3-9 servings per day (see serving sizes below)
What are the different types of healthy fats and oils?
[Has many links and lots of information.]
Am I the only one that for the past 2 nights, has had to go and sign in again, in the middle of posting a post?
http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/02/09/the-amazing-ancient-healing-powers-of-the-olive-tree/#more-1585
Amazing Ancient Healing Powers of the Olive Tree Explained
Author photo Written by Lucille Chi
Published on February 9th, 2009
Posted in culinary traditions, nutrition and health, organics
The olive tree contains great symbolism. We all know and love the beautiful branches depicted in art, the delicious olives, and olive oil naturally, but did you know that olive leaves are medicinal and healing? Olive leaf extract comes from the leaves of the olive tree, and the leaf contains antioxidants as well as antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory healing properties.
Recorded history of olive leaf’s medicinal use dates back thousands of years, as it was used by the ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean cultures as a medicine and health tonic. Olive leaf is the first botanical cited in the Bible as well. Now modern natural medicine has rediscovered the healing leaves of the olive tree.
These days, olive leaf is known in science worldwide to be anti-aging, and an immunostimulant, that can also act as a natural antibiotic. In fact it was recently proven that an extract made directly from fresh olive leaves was shown to have an antioxidant power almost double green tea extract and 400% higher than Vitamin C.
* » Read more on culinary traditions
* » See peer reviews of Vitamins, Supplements and Herbal Remedies at Green Home
Olive leaf contains antioxidant properties that help protect the body from environmental damage, and free radicals. Olive leaf can be taken as a liquid extract, tea, powder or capsule. Olive leaf is taken to fight colds and flu, infections, it’s a good heart tonic, and it has also been proven to reduce bad cholesterol.
Here is a simple recipe for grinding up the leaves to make delightful olive leaf tea. If you are looking for a really good organic variety, check out Edible Nature. Do you have an olive tree in your garden or nearby? What magical healing properties it contains!
Above image of an olive tree is in the public domain.
Recipes and more info on uses of Olive tea:
http://www.olivetea.com/olive_tea_preparation.htm
[I have used crockpots for over 30 years and never knew that they should be preheated, an excellent idea....granny]
http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/11/08/eat-better-and-cheaper-with-fewer-dirty-dishes/#more-1198
Eat Better and Cheaper with Fewer Dirty Dishes
Written by Kay Sexton
Published on November 8th, 2008
13 Comments
Posted in Eat.Drink.Better, food crisis, local food, recipes
slow cooking ingredients
Everybody is feeling the ‘credit crunch’ and there are fears that people will be forced to buy cheaper and less healthy food as a result. But there are ways that we can all use the current energy and cash crunch to improve our diets and save both costs and energy.
* » Read more on Eat.Drink.Better
* » See peer reviews of Organic Foods and Drinks at Green Home
Slow cooking saves you time, money and energy
Fast food is energy and packaging intensive – the energy used to precook and process foods, packaged them and then transport them is considerably more than we would use is we bought fresh local food and prepared it ourselves. In autumn most of us will discover that local fresh fall food is probably some green and many root vegetables, and many of us won’t be familiar with cooking methods to make many of these crops into tasty dishes.
Enter the crock pot - a slow cooker that usually consists of a electric element that surrounds a ceramic cooking dish and lid. It offers a way of cooking dense foods slowly without supervision and without using the energy that ovens and hobs require. Most vegetable only or meat and vegetable combinations can be left to cook for eight to 10 hours because the meal won’t burn if left longer than expected and you don’t have to worry about the electricity bill because crock pots are very economical: low wattage equipment running for an extended period costs less than high wattage equipment used for a short time.
There are other advantages: foods, especially cheaper cuts of meat, that are cooked slowly are more tender; the one-stage preparation system means that working parents can prepare a meal in the morning and come home to find it cooked in the evening; in summer the food cooks but the chef doesn’t, as a crock pot doesn’t heat the kitchen in the way that other cooking methods do and best of all, at the end of the cooking time there’s just the ceramic pot and lid to wash – less dirty dishes.
Some crock pot tips
Heat the pot according to the manufacturer’s instructions and prepare the food according to your recipe before adding ingredients to the cooker – some meats (like poultry) must be heated thoroughly before slow cooking and pulses should be boiled to ensure toxins are destroyed.
Don’t be tempted to lift the lid! It adds 20 minutes to the cooking time whenever you do.
Sauces will not thicken in a slow cooker so you may wish to add cream or cornflour for the last hour of cooking time to make them more substantial
Crock Pot Autumn Stew
You can vary the ingredients in this meal according to what is cheap and good in your locality – if you can’t get squash try potatoes, sweet potatoes or rutabaga. You can also use lima or pinto beans instead of garbanzos
* 2 cups cubed butternut squash
* 2 cups chopped carrots
* 2 onions, chopped
* 1 cup chopped zucchini
* 2 (14 oz.) cans chopped tomatoes
* 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
* 14 oz. can vegetable broth or home-made vegetable stock
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* Herbs and seasoning to suit your family.
Add all the ingredients to a four quart slow cooker and mix well to combine. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with cheese before serving with crusty bread.
[Recipe calls for wheat gluten, could oats or cornmeal be used, as we might have in our storage foods?
We will all be Vegans if this depression lasts any longer....granny]
http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/02/01/vegan-bbq-ribs/#more-1568
Vegan BBQ “Ribs”
Written by Amy Bell
Published on February 1st, 2009
3 Comments
Posted in Eat.Drink.Better, recipes, vegetarian
Eating fewer animal products is a great way to improve your health, along with the health of the planet.
If you’re not yet ready to give up meat altogether, try having a couple of vegetarian days a week. You’ll soon discover the joys of meatless dining, and learn to appreciate the flavors and variety of vegetarian meals.
This is a great recipe if you’re wanting something slightly “meaty” and covered with spicy BBQ sauce!
* » Read more on Eat.Drink.Better
* » See peer reviews of Organic Foods and Drinks at Green Home
Vegan BBQ “Ribs”
Use organic ingredients whenever possible
* 1 cup vital wheat gluten
* 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
* 1 & 1/2 teaspoons paprika
* 2 teaspoons onion powder
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3/4 cup warm water
* 2 heaping tablespoons tahini
* 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
* 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
* 1 cup BBQ sauce Use your favorite bottled sauce (look for one without high fructose corn syrup, worcestershire sauce, or anchovies), or if you have a homemade recipe you enjoy, use that instead.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil an 8×8 baking dish.
Mix the water with the tahini, tamari, and liquid smoke. Stir until blended.
In a separate bowl, mix the wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
Add the wet mixture to the dry, stir to combine, and then knead for a couple minutes until strands of gluten form.
Press and stretch dough into pan, cut into 8 strips, turn pan and cut strips in half to form 16 strips total.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven , re-cut strips, and cover with BBQ sauce.
Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes more.
Enjoy!
Xiaolu said on February 1st, 2009 at 11:48 pm
That recipe appears to be adapted from Susan of the FatFreeVegan Blog (http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/05/barbecued-seitan-ribz.html). It’s quite tasty though my boyfriend tells me it doesn’t taste anything like the real thing (I’ve never tried ribs).
http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2009/01/17/eat-better-eat-cheaper-enjoy-breakfast/#more-1531
Eat Better, Eat Cheaper - Enjoy Breakfast
Written by Kay Sexton
Published on January 17th, 2009
4 Comments
Posted in Eat.Drink.Better, nutrition and health, recipes, vegetarian
granolaEverybody knows that they should start the day with a nutritious breakfast because it provides energy and gives the body enough nutrients to avoid snacking on unhealthy foods later in the morning, so it can actually help us lose weight. And everybody knows that healthy cereals are usually something we should be eating more of. And many of us are looking at our food budgets and wondering where we can save money.
I discovered this recipe by accident. I always eat breakfast, but don’t like raisins or sultanas unless they are rehydrated, so most packaged cereals just didn’t appeal to me. Then I realised that if I made my own cereal I could pack it with the things I do like: nuts and seeds, and dried apples, and leave out the things I don’t. But making cereal in the oven was complicated and not cheap – it meant standing over a tray of grains, stirring them every few minutes, and even then they would sometimes scorch, and using the whole oven’s heat on low just to crisp grains seemed environmentally insane.
* » Read more on Eat.Drink.Better
* » See peer reviews of Vitamins, Supplements and Herbal Remedies at Green Home
The solution is the crockpot granola recipe! One secret to this is to prop open the lid of your dry crockpot to let the minimal amount of moisture in the ingredients evaporate away. Another is to use a cups recipe as it seems to offer better proportions that weighing the ingredients on a scale, I don’t know why, but it does.
Crockpot Granola
Ingredients
* 5 cups oats (I use half jumbo oats, half normal for texture variety)
* 1 cup wheat germ
* 1 cup chopped or broken nuts and seeds(these can be entirely to your own taste)
* 2/3 cup honey (I only use 1/3 but some people like a sweeter cereal)
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil (use a good cold-pressed oil here, I use olive with a small amount of walnut added for extra flavour)
Directions
Place all ingredients into your slow cooker and mix well. Cook on the low setting for four to six hours depending on the size and heat of your pot. Remember to stir occasionally – prop the lid open with a wooden spoon to allow for evaporation.
When cooked, tip into a shallow dish or tray to cool and then store in airtight container. You can personalise this recipe a thousand ways. I make one batch with dried apple chunks, a teaspoon of cinnamon and chopped toasted hazelnuts. Served with hot milk this is a real winter warmer. Another contains sesame seeds and chopped pistachios and I tend to eat it with fresh fruit and yoghurt, which gives it a vaguely Middle Eastern flavour.
And, depending on your current breakfast cereal, I’d be willing to bet you’ll save between half and three-quarters of your current spending, and get a breakfast granola that’s tailored to your own preferences. It also makes fantastic granola bars and marvellous flapjacks …
Green Diva’s Guide to Delicious Living: Healthy, Colorful Raw Root Veggie Slaw Recipe
Author photo Written by Megan McWilliams
Published on January 29th, 2009
Posted in Eat.Drink.Better, nutrition and health, recipes, vegetarian
Raw Root Veggie Slaw
This delicious wintry salad/slaw was concocted by committee - myself, Dorothy Mullen and Cynthia Mutterperl - a couple of Sundays ago. We were all in Dor’s kitchen on a very snowy Sunday for her monthly Suppers dinner. Usually there is a larger group, but Cindy and I were the only silly (and fortunate because we had an awesome dinner!) souls that didn’t stay home because of the weather.
We had a great discussion about blood sugar issues and the benefits of being gluten free. We are all working on eliminating wheat and gluten from our lives. Dor has developed some fascinating curriculum about her work with nutrition and blood sugar among other health concerns. Go to the Suppers website to learn more about what she is up to.
The rest of the meal consisted of delicious jazzed up rice and beans and roasted butternut squash with roasted onions and garlic - yum. But, here’s the recipe for:
Sunday Supper’s January Root Veggie Slaw Recipe
* » Read more on Eat.Drink.Better
* » See peer reviews of Vitamins, Supplements and Herbal Remedies at Green Home
Ingredients
4 - 5 cups shredded root veggies cleaned/scraped (carrots, parsnips, beets - we threw in green beans for fun. I suspect kale would work too.)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sesame oil
2 T. ginger
3 T. toasted sesame seeds
10 drops liquid stevia (or to taste)
1/2 head roasted garlic
Instructions
We used a food processor with the shredding thing to pretty quickly get the veggies prepared. We happened to have roasted garlic prepared for another part of dinner, so if you don’t have time to roast garlic (which takes almost an hour), just use a couple of heads of crushed raw garlic. Mix it all up and enjoy!
http://hudsonsaratogafarmreport.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Winter 2008 Vegetable IPM Newsletter
Vegetable IPM News
Cornell Cooperative Extension
.
Vol. 13 Number 5 Winter, 2008
.
Table of Contents
- Seed Directory info
- 08 Eastern NY Organic potato trial results
- Notes on Potato Varieties Under Evaluation for NOFANY
- 2006-07 New York State Sweet Potato Cultivar Trial
.
Potato Issue
This issue of the Vegetable IPM News will be dedicated to potatoes. Many seed growers run out of certain varieties so order your seed early. If you have any questions on potato varieties, feel free to e-mail me with your questions. - John
.
Seed Directory
You can obtain a free copy of the New York Certified Seed Potatoes 2008 Crop Directory. This little booklet list all the seed growers in New York state and the potato seed varieties each grows. To obtain a copy,
you can call – 607-255-9869
e-mail aaw4@cornell.edu or write
New York Seed Improvement project
103C Leeland Lab
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
.
2008 Organic Potato Variety Trial - Eastern NY
John Mishanec, Cornell University
.
In 2008, two Organic Potato Variety trials were held in Eastern NY. One at Taliaferro Farms in New Paltz, NY and the other at Sisters Hill farms in Millbrook, NY. I would like to thank Pete Talifarro and David Hamilton for hosting the trials. With some descriptions, I have included Dr. Keith Perry’s (KP) observations from his trials.
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Varieties
.[continues and there is a lot of information here on potatoes]
http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/Home.htm
Welcome to the Cornell Plant Pathology Vegetable Disease Web Page. Vegetable MD Online was developed to provide access to the many Vegetable Disease Fact Sheets produced over the years by Media Services at Cornell. The addition of color photographs enhances the use of these sheets for plant disease diagnosis.
Navigating through this web site is very easy. By clicking on Diseases by Crops on the sidebar, seed packets of your favorite vegetables appear, and by clicking on the crop of interest, a listing of the current fact sheets available is displayed. Magnification of the photos provided in each sheet is possible.
A link is also provided to the Photo Gallery, which provides additional photographs not appearing in the original fact sheet. This will be updated on a regular basis, as the “typical symptoms” may not always appear every season.
Information in this site is in a constant state of change. Thus reference to the News Articles/Disease Alerts will highlight recent changes in disease management guidelines and options, and also provide news items suitable for newsletter articles intended for Extension Educator’s Service Letters.
Finally, additional links to other useful sites are provided, including the Glossary, an On-line Glossary of Technical Terms in Plant Pathology and to the Commercial Vegetable Guidelines.
Pest & Disease Guides in SpanishChili: Espanol symbol
There is something here you have to see, it is beautiful.
Also links to the Gourd Societies.
[I did not read this one, don’t think it is organic..granny]
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/recommends/
Welcome to the 2009
Cornell Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Vegetable Crops
pdf files on pages in this document require Acrobat Reader
Cornell Vegetable Team
http://www.hort.cornell.edu/extension/commercial/vegetables/vegeteam/index.html
About this site...
The 2009 Integrated Crop and Pest Management Recommendations Website is designed to enhance information provided in the hardcopy book through links to fact sheets, photographs, and other relevant data.
Linked websites:
* NYSAES Integrated Pest Management Program
* The Northeastern Pest Management Center has links to information on IPM in the northeast and throughout the US
* University of California Statewide IPM Project
* Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide
* Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture, and Development: Global Crop Pests Identification and Information
* BIOLOGICAL CONTROL: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America
* Plant Disease Diagnosis Clinic
* IPM Vegetable Fact Sheets
* Sustainable Farming Connection
* Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas
* Measuring Environmental Impact of Pesiticides
*
Crop Data Management Systems - click on the “CDMS” button in the Recommendations banner.
* New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
* Vegetable MD Online
* Northeast Weather Association
Keyword Search
A keyword search for website is also provided for your convenience. It can be reached by clicking on the “Search” button in the banner.
Contents
Clicking on the “Content” button in the Guidelines banner will bring you to a list of Chapter 1 though 28. From this page you can reach any of the general information and commodities chapters. Alternatively, you can browse through sequential chapters by using the “Next Chapter” button at the bottom of each page.
NOTE:
Every effort has been made to provide correct, complete, and up-to-date pest management information for New York State at the time this publication was released for printing (October, 2008). Changes in pesticide registrations, regulations, and guidelines occurring after publication are available in county cooperative extension offices or from the Pesticide Management Education Program web site (http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/).
Trade names used herein are for convenience only. No endorsement of products is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products implied.
These guidelines are not a substitute for pesticide labeling. Always read the product label before applying any pesticide.
The guidelines in this bulletin reflect the current (and past) authors best effort to interpret a complex body of scientific research, and to translate this into practical management options. Following the guidance provided in this bulletin does not assure compliance with any applicable law, rule, regulation or standard, or the achievement of particular discharge levels from agricultural land.
Updates and additional information for this Guideline are available athttp://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/recommends/.
Content Editors:
Stephen Reiners (Department of Horticultural Sciences, Geneva) and Curtis H. Petzoldt (NYS IPM Program)
Discipline Editors
Entomology: Coordinator: Brian A. Nault (Entomology – Geneva).
Contributors: Michael P. Hoffmann (Entomology – Ithaca), Anthony P. Shelton (Entomology – Geneva), and Ward M. Tingey (Entomology – Ithaca).
Plant Pathology: : Coordinator: Thomas A. Zitter (Plant Pathology – Ithaca). Contributors: George S. Abawi (Plant Pathology – Geneva), Helene R. Dillard (Plant Pathology – Geneva), Margaret T. McGrath (Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center, Riverhead), and Christine D. Smart (Plant Pathology – Geneva).
Weed Management: Coordinator: Robin R. Bellinder (Horticulture – Ithaca).
Vegetable Culture: Coordinator: Stephen Reiners (Horticultural Sciences – Geneva). Contributors: Donald E. Halseth (Horticulture – Ithaca), and Anu Rangarajan (Horticulture – Ithaca).
IPM: Coordinator: Curtis H. Petzoldt (NYS IPM Program).
Pesticides: Coordinator: Michael Helms (Pesticide Management Education Program, Ithaca) Contributors: Ronald Gardner and William G. Smith (Pesticide Management Education Program, Ithaca).
Pesticide Calibration: Coordinator: Andrew J. Landers (Entomology – Geneva).
Animal Management: : Coordinator: Paul D. Curtis (Natural Resources – Ithaca).
http://www.mediterrasian.com/links.htm
Oldways
Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust is a non-profit educational organization whose goal is to promote healthy eating based on traditional ethnic cuisines from around the world. Since its founding in 1988, Oldways has been at the forefront in educating the public about the benefits of following these “old ways” of eating. In fact, Oldways helped develop both the Mediterranean and Asian Diet Pyramids. Oldways’ Web site has a detailed analysis of the Mediterranean and Asian Pyramids, and it also includes a range of other educational material to help you follow healthy traditional dietary and lifestyle practices.
AsiaFood
This easy-to-navigate site focuses on food from all regions of Asia. Features a wide variety of tasty Asian recipes divided into 13 categories including rice and noodles, poultry, seafood, meats and desserts. Also includes an extensive glossary of Asian food terms, and articles on various aspects of Asian food and cooking.
Mostly Eating
Run by Sophie, a nutritionist from England, Mostly Eating focuses on healthy, sustainable foods that are also delicious and easy to prepare. Her site features dozens of mouthwatering recipes (including many Mediterranean and Asian inspired recipes) accompanied by gorgeous food photos that Sophie takes herself.
Organically Cooked
Written by Maria, an ex-pat New Zealander who has lived on the Greek island of Crete for many years, this blog is full of delicious authentic Greek recipes, as well as wonderful stories chronicling the daily life of Maria’s Cretan family as told through the food they eat.
International Olive Oil Council
By far the most commonly used oil throughout the Mediterranean region comes from the fruit of the olive tree. Indeed, olives have been grown and cultivated throughout the Mediterranean—from Italy, Spain and Greece to Morocco, Turkey and Tunisia—since ancient times. This site, produced by the International Olive Oil Council, highlights why olive oil is so prized—not only for its taste, but also for its nutritional properties. The site includes the history of olive oil, tips on selecting and using olive oil, as well as a detailed look at the health benefits of incorporating olive oil into your diet. The site also features a large selection of healthy dishes that all use olive oil in some form.
Gourmed
Well-designed and easy to navigate, the site includes a large collection of recipes from all over the Mediterranean region including Greek, Italian, Spanish and Moroccan. Also includes a wealth of articles from experts about Mediterranean dietary and cultural practices, as well as health articles and a drinks guide.
CliffordAWright.com
This inspiring site radiates the passion that its creator, Clifford A. Wright, has for the glorious food of the Mediterranean. For over thirty years, the renowned cook and author has traveled throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East gathering authentic recipes and tracing the history of Mediterranean cuisines and cultures. He presents a mouth-watering collection of regional recipes with an emphasis on robust home cooking.
[more ____ hidden links, so go to the url....granny]
http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/seasonings.htm
Healing Foods Pyramid
Seasonings Image
This Facts About reviews spices and herbs and gives examples. We provide a guide for selecting an appropriate portion size, and recommendations for incorporating healthy changes into your diet.
What are the recommended servings per day?
* Use a variety of spices, herbs, and alliums in your daily food preparation. Experiment cautiously with hot peppers.
What are spices, herbs, alliums and hot peppers?
* Herbs refer to leaves of low-growing shrubs. They can be used fresh or dried.
* Spices may be the seeds, buds, berries, bark, root, or fruit of tropical plants and trees
* Alliums are bulbous plants that are used as flavoring for foods and for their medicinal properties. They are found in most regions of the world except the tropics, New Zealand and Australia.
* Hot peppers are edible, pungent fruits of the species Capsicum. They are used as spices and flavoring for foods and for their medicinal properties.
Why choose a variety of seasonings?
* Seasonings are grown for their culinary and medicinal properties
* They may be helpful in many medical conditions, such as:
o Nausea
o Infections
o Anti-inflammatory conditions
o Autoimmune disorders
o High blood pressure
o Cholesterol levels
Selected Food Sources
The following information is not meant to be an exhaustive list. Due to limited space, we have highlighted only a few of the many beneficial seasonings.
Selected Seasonings
Spices
curry, turmeric, cumin, chili pepper, fennel, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, mustard seed, black pepper, paprika, salt, cardamom, vanilla, horseradish, anise
Herbs
parsley, chives, thyme, sage, oregano, mint, rosemary, tarragon, basil, dill, cilantro, coriander, marjoram, caraway, savory
Alliums
green onions, onions, shallots, leeks, chives, garlic
Hot Peppers
cayenne, jalapeno, Anaheim , chipotle, habanero, Serrano, ancho
Special Considerations
Whole Turmeric in Powdered Form
* Tumeric is the yellow spice most familiar in Indian cooking and American prepared mustard
* Has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
* May decrease symptoms of autoimmune disorders, arthritis, tendonitis, and other disorders with inflammation
* Curcumin is the part of turmeric that gives the yellow color
Fresh Ginger Root
* Ginger is an underground stem or rhizome which sprouts large pink and orange flowers that look as if they have been carved out of wax
* Has anti-inflammatory properties
* Helps with nausea and motion sickness
* Decreases symptoms of arthritis and bursitis
* Reduces platelet aggregation
Fresh Garlic Cloves
* Garlic cloves are the segments of a head or bulb of garlic
* Natural antibiotic and antiviral agent as a result of sulfur-containing compounds
* May help with infections: colds, sore throat, ear infections in children, fungal or yeast infections
* May slow development of atherosclerosis, improve high blood pressure and decrease total and LDL (bad) cholesterol by reducing blood platelet stickiness and artery spasms
* May decrease risk of developing colorectal, prostate, breast, liver, skin, and digestive tract cancers by inhibiting the growth of tumors and stimulating the immune system
Fresh or Dried Peppermint
* Fresh or dried peppermint are the leaves from the peppermint plant
* Used as a digestive remedy for relief of heartburn, indigestion, and nausea
* May soothe the lower GI tract by decreasing spasms and gas formation
* Contains antioxidants called flavonoids which stimulate bile and saliva production
* Its soothing effect results from the stimulation of salivation, which increases the swallowing reflex and suppresses cough
Cayenne Pepper
* A very pungent spice produced by drying and grinding the orange to deep-red fruits of small-fruited species of Capsicum
* Capsicum is used to stimulate digestion
* Eases toothache pain
* Improves peripheral circulation
* Reduces blood clotting tendencies
* Decreases cholesterol
* Helps to prevent arteriosclerosis and heart disease
Whole food vs. supplements
* Whole foods are the best sources of vitamins, minerals, and other plant compounds that help you stay healthy and fight disease
* We recommend these foods in their natural form. Taking them in supplement form may reduce their effectiveness and may increase the risk of side effects.
Interactions with medications and medical conditions
Because of their medicinal qualities, some spices and herbs may interact with medications. We advise individuals to contact their physician if taking medications.
How to use seasonings
1. Spices and herbs should be stored in a cool, dry place.
2. Green herbs should be protected against direct sunlight exposure.
3. Ground spices release flavor immediately, therefore add them at the end of the cooking period.
4. Whole spices should be added at the beginning of cooking so their full flavor can be extracted.
5. Crumbling whole herbs just before use helps to release their flavor.
6. Chopping or mashing garlic releases an active medicinal component, allicin.
7. To reduce the heat of hot peppers, remove the seeds.
8. Fresh herbs can be added to salads, soups and sauces.
This Facts About document is published by Monica Myklebust, MD, and Jenna Wunder, MPH, RD, at University of Michigan Integrative Medicine Clinical Services. Our mission is to care for people using an Integrative Medicine model that reaffirms the importance of relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches to achieve optimal health and healing.
Resources
Add a Little SPICE (& HERBS) to Your Life!
Henneman, Alice
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
NU Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County
www.lancaster.unl.edu/food
Accessed May 8, 2006
Allium
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
www.britannica.com
Accessed May 8, 2006
Capsicum
Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database
www.naturaldatabase.com
Accessed May 8, 2006
Cayenne Pepper
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
www.britannica.com
Accessed May 8, 2006
Chili Pepper
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
www.britannica.com
Accessed May 8, 2006
Garlic
Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database
www.naturaldatabase.com
Accessed May 8, 2006
Ginger
Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database
www.naturaldatabase.com
Accessed May 8, 2006
Bennion M and Scheule B. Introductory Foods. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.:2000.
Peppermint Leaf
Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database
www.naturaldatabase.com
Accessed May 8, 2006
Popping Pills or Peeling Bananas?
Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
www.tuftsdaily.com
Accessed May 8, 2006
Original Research and Review Articles
Bielory L. Complementary and alternative interventions in asthma, allergy and immunology. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 2004;93(Suppl 1):45s-54s.
Calder PC, et al. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, inflammation and immunity. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2002;56(Suppl 3):14s-19s.
Craig WG. Health-promoting properties of common herbs. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1999;70(Suppl):491s-499s.
Grigoleit HG, et al. Gastrointestinal clinical pharmacology of peppermint oil. Phytomedicine. 2005;12:607-611.
Grigoleit HG, et al. Peppermint oil in irritable bowl syndrome. Phytomedicine. 2005;12:601-606.
Grzanna R, et al. Ginger – an herbal medicinal product with broad anti-inflammatory actions. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2005;8(2):125-132.
Fleishauer AT, et al. Garlic consumption and cancer prevention: meta-analysis of colorectal and stomach cancers. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000;72:1047-1052.
Mason L, et al. Systematic review of topical capsaicin for the treatment of chronic pain. British Journal of Medicine. 2004;328(7446):998.
Sharma RA, et al. Curcumin: the story so far. European Journal of Cancer. 2005;41:1955-1968.
Srinivasan K, et al. The effects of spices on cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity and on serum and hepatic cholesterol levels in the rat. Internal Journal for Vitamin Nutrition Research. 1991;61(4):364-369.
I found a new slot machine, you choose something, in up to 3 wheels and search and get recipes that supply it....LOL
This is for Vitamin B-12
http://www.whfoods.com/recipestoc.php
and here is the main index for over 100 quick and healthy recipes:
http://www.whfoods.com/recipestoc.php