Food

Food – Cauliflower

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“A cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education.” Mark Twain

Include cauliflower as one of the cruciferous vegetables you eat on a regular basis if you want to receive the fantastic health benefits provided by the cruciferous vegetable family. As with all vegetables be sure not to overcook cauliflower. As an excellent source of vitamin C, and a very good source of manganese, cauliflower provides us with two core conventional antioxidants. … Cauliflower provides us with one of the hallmark anti-inflammatory nutrients.

The fiber content of cauliflower—over 9 grams in every 100 calories—makes this cruciferous vegetable a great choice for digestive system support. Yet the fiber content of cauliflower is only one of its digestive support mechanisms. Researchers have determined that the sulforaphane made from a glucosinolate in cauliflower (glucoraphanin) can help protect the lining of your stomach. Sulforaphane provides you with this health benefit by preventing bacterial overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori in your stomach or too much clinging by this bacterium to your stomach wall.

Cauliflower, a cruciferous vegetable, is in the same plant family as broccoli, kale, cabbage and collards. It has a compact head (called a “curd”), with an average size of six inches in diameter, composed of undeveloped flower buds. The flowers are attached to a central stalk. When broken apart into separate buds, cauliflower looks like a little tree, something that many kids are fascinated by.

Choose cauliflower heads that are surrounded by many thick green leaves. Store uncooked cauliflower in a paper or plastic bag in the refrigerator, stem side down, where it will keep for up to a week. Cauliflower contains phytonutrients that release odorous sulfur compounds when heated. To retain the vegetable’s crisp texture, and reduce nutrient loss, cook the cauliflower for only a short time. www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13

Cauliflower also contains vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine) and B9 (folic acid). It serves as a good source of proteins, phosphorus and potassium. www.3fatchicks.com/5-health-benefits-of-cauliflower/

Recipe – Savory Honey Dip

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½ cup tomato sauce

¼ cup honey

1 tsp. corn starch

2 Tbs. lemon juice

½ tsp. garlic salt

Combine all ingredients and cook them in a saucepan for a few minutes. Allow mixture to boil and thicken while stirring it to smooth the mixture. This serves as a glorious dip for spring rolls or other finger food. Simply delicious! Always a hit among the kids—they can never resist it!

Food – Honey to Your Health

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“And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.” Exodus 16:31

That honey container in your pantry has a few sweet secrets!

The name of this familiar and time–tested household remedy comes from Hebrew and means “enchant.”

Honey is an excellent source of all–natural energy at just 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon. This natural unprocessed sugar—fructose and glucose—directly enters the bloodstream and can deliver a quick punch of energy. Long used as a culinary sweetener, honey is valued for its many healing properties as well. Treatment with honey is referred to as apitherapy and includes replenishing energy, enhancing physical stamina and strengthening those weakened by illness or stress.

Honey can also help calm the mind and promote rejuvenating sleep. In addition, honey relieves indigestion and is used to treat cardiovascular disease and respiratory complaints. Finally, a thin coat of honey can be applied to the skin to disinfect and heal minor skin wounds and chapped lips.

Honey is a natural antibiotic that can act both internally and externally. It can be used as a conventional disinfectant treatment for wounds, sores and burns thanks to its antibacterial activity in fighting major species of bacteria.

Honey is also known for providing a delicate, sweet flavor to dressings, marinades and baked goods. As one of the most popular natural sweeteners, honey can be found in everything from baked beans to crunchy granola.

There are abundant honey recipes. Honey is such a versatile ingredient in cooking and has such a distinctive flavor that it brings a magical touch to almost all foods — cakes, pastries, homemade cookies, desserts, puddings, salad dressing and more.

Different countries and cultures use honey differently in their food and cooking. In western countries, people seem to use more honey as a spread on their bread and have plenty of honey recipes for baking, whereas people in eastern countries seem to do less of that and mostly prefer to go for just a refreshing chilled honey drink—honey mixed with icy water.

Recipe – Raspberry-Vanilla “Ice Cream” Sandwiches

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Recipe
Raspberry–Vanilla “Ice Cream” Sandwiches
2 cups cashews 2 pinches salt
2 cups water 2 ½ Tbsp. melted coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup 1 ½ tsp. ground cardamom
1 ½ Tbsp. vanilla extract 2 cups raspberries, lightly mashed
Seeds of one vanilla bean
Brownie Crust
2 cups almonds 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Medjool dates 2/3 cup walnuts
1 ½ cups raisins 2 pinches salt
½ cup carob powder 1 ½ tsp. water
Prepare the “ice cream”: In a high speed blender, blend the cashews, water, maple syrup, vanilla extract and scraped insides of the vanilla bean until completely smooth. Add the salt and coconut oil and blend to incorporate. Chill the liquid in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours. Process the chilled, thick cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Prepare the brownies: Grind the almonds into flour in a food processor. Add the dates and raisins. Process until they are completely broken down. Add the remaining ingredients and process to combine. Press half of the dough into an 8–inch–square pan. Set aside remaining dough and refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble the sandwiches: Once the “ice cream” is done churning (the consistency will be like soft-serve ice cream), mix in the cardamom. Then, gently mix in the raspberries, taking care not to overmix or the berries’ color will bleed. Spread the “ice cream” evenly over the brownie, working quickly to prevent melting. Immediately transfer to the freezer until frozen, at least 6 hours. Once frozen, firmly press the other half of the brownie dough on top. Cut into 1 ½ x 2 ½-inch bars. Store in freezer until ready to enjoy. Makes 15 servings.

 

Food – Rah Rah – Raw Desserts!

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Your foray into the tasty genre of raw desserts may begin as a fluke, as one lady learned as she was preparing to host a dinner. The morning of this event, her oven and stove malfunctioned.

While she was able to prepare dinner on the grill, dessert posed a problem. Instead of making a peach-blueberry crumble, she decided to marinate peaches in fresh orange juice and serve them with a sprinkle of sweetened nuts and a dollop of cashew crème, made by blending cashews with maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt in her Vita-mix blending machine.

From this experience she learned that raw desserts, often defined as food prepared with whole-food ingredients in their natural state (nothing is heated above 118°F, to preserve nutritional value), can be just as delicious and elegant as traditional desserts—and they can be a lot better health-wise.

“When it comes to ingredients in the raw desserts repertoire, nuts take center stage. Typically ground in a food processor to create crusts for cookies, cakes and bars, they are also blended to form a base for ice creams, puddings and creams, giving them that smooth, buttery consistency often found in dairy-based desserts.

“Other mainstay ingredients are coconut oil, coconut butter (a creamy paste made from dried, ground coconut meat) and nut butters. For sweetness, unrefined favorites include fresh fruit purées, raisins, Medjool dates, coconut nectar, coconut sugar, stevia and maple syrup. The boiled sap of maple trees, while technically not “raw,” is often used because it is minimally processed; contains manganese, zinc and other minerals; and has a distinct, irreplaceable flavor.

“Any style of dessert, whether raw or cooked, wouldn’t be complete without chocolate. Whole-food forms of chocolate include cacao nibs, cacao butter and cacao powder.” Carob chips or carob powder may be used in raw recipes as a chocolate substitute.

“The technique of making raw desserts is fairly easy. Ingredients quickly come together in a food processor or high–speed blender, and are then set aside in the fridge or freezer.” Since nothing is baked, it is the great flavor of the natural ingredients that makes these healthful treats taste delicious. The Costco Connection, August 2015, E-Commerce & Publishing, Costco Wholesale Corporation, Seattle, Washington.

Recipe
Raspberry–Vanilla “Ice Cream” Sandwiches
2 cups cashews 2 pinches salt
2 cups water 2 ½ Tbsp. melted coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup 1 ½ tsp. ground cardamom
1 ½ Tbsp. vanilla extract 2 cups raspberries, lightly mashed
Seeds of one vanilla bean
Brownie Crust
2 cups almonds 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Medjool dates 2/3 cup walnuts
1 ½ cups raisins 2 pinches salt
½ cup carob powder 1 ½ tsp. water
Prepare the “ice cream”: In a high speed blender, blend the cashews, water, maple syrup, vanilla extract and scraped insides of the vanilla bean until completely smooth. Add the salt and coconut oil and blend to incorporate. Chill the liquid in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours. Process the chilled, thick cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Prepare the brownies: Grind the almonds into flour in a food processor. Add the dates and raisins. Process until they are completely broken down. Add the remaining ingredients and process to combine. Press half of the dough into an 8–inch–square pan. Set aside remaining dough and refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble the sandwiches: Once the “ice cream” is done churning (the consistency will be like soft-serve ice cream), mix in the cardamom. Then, gently mix in the raspberries, taking care not to overmix or the berries’ color will bleed. Spread the “ice cream” evenly over the brownie, working quickly to prevent melting. Immediately transfer to the freezer until frozen, at least 6 hours. Once frozen, firmly press the other half of the brownie dough on top. Cut into 1 ½ x 2 ½-inch bars. Store in freezer until ready to enjoy. Makes 15 servings.

 

Recipe – Borscht

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Recipe – Borscht
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4 beets, whole 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
4 russet potatoes, diced 1 tsp. raw agave or sweetener of choice
1 onion, chopped ¼ head red; ¼ head white cabbage, shredded
1 green pepper, diced 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
2 carrots, grated Salt, to taste
6 cloves garlic, minced Fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. olive oil Healthy homemade sour cream
Boil beets until crisp tender. Remove from water; peel and set aside. Cook potatoes in beet water for about 10 minutes. Sauté onion, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic in olive oil until tender; add tomato paste; cook 2 minutes. Combine mixture into beet water. Add grated beets, cabbage, sweetener, salt and lemon juice. Gently simmer 40–50 minutes for flavors to enhance. Garnish with parsley and sour cream.

 

Food – The Unbeatable Beet

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Beet or beetroot has a bulbous, dark red root that may be eaten as a vegetable in a variety of ways. Beetroots are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, making them an excellent addition to your diet. Although commonly a beautiful reddish-purple hue, beets also come in varieties that feature white, yellow, orange, striped and even rainbow colored roots.

Beets pack a number of health benefits:

  • “Beets contain zero trans fat and zero saturated fat. They are also low calorie.
  • Beets are high in carbohydrates, which means they are a great instant energy source. They can be regarded as body fuel.
  • Beets contain folic acid, which is necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells. This is especially important for pregnant woman or anyone undergoing physical healing.
  • Studies have shown that betacyanin, the pigment that gives beets their red color, helps inhibit the formation of cancer-causing compounds and is protective against colon and stomach cancer. Beets have been used to help get rid of tumors and to aid in supporting people with blood diseases and leukemia.
  • Medical studies have also shown that including beets in a diet helps protect the body against heart disease.
  • Beets have been shown to help cleanse the blood, cleanse the colon and strengthen the gallbladder and liver.
  • Some people have used beets to treat and cure boils, abscesses and even acne.
  • Beets are one of the best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, highly beneficial for eye health.
  • Beets also contain betaine, which enhances serotonin production in the brain.
  • Beets are an excellent source of fiber and magnesium, which helps make and maintain RNA and DNA cells and prevent anemia.
  • Beets contain sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron and phosphorous. They are considered a fiber food and contain vitamins A and C as well as niacin.
  • Beets also contain potassium, which is necessary for building muscle and regulating the heart’s electrical activity, and manganese, which helps maintain muscle and nerve function, build bone strength, regulate blood sugar levels, and promote a healthy immune system.” www.healing.org/only-23.ht

Beets may be enjoyed in several ways: grate them raw over salads; steam; roast in the oven, cut in chunks and top a tossed salad, adding a favorite dressing; juice raw with other vegetables for a healthy drink or use diced or grated in soups. Borscht, a very popular vegetable soup made of beets is a delicious favorite in Poland, Russia, Germany and other European menus.

Recipe – Braised Celery

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Recipe
Braised Celery
8 stalks of celery, scrubbed and ends trimmed (chop and reserve leaves) Pinch of salt or seasoning salt
1 Tbsp. oil ½ cup of vegetable stock
Cut celery into 1-inch slices on the diagonal. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery, along with salt and cook until it starts to become tender. Add broth, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook for 5 minutes longer, allowing the broth to caramelize a little. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately, garnished with reserved chopped leaves. You may also add chopped tofu.

 

Food – Celery – Stalks of Protection

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This member of the parsley family contains compounds that may help lower blood pressure and perhaps help prevent cancer. Celery is also a good source of insoluble fiber as well as a number of essential nutrients, including potassium, vitamin C, and calcium.

Chomp Down on Blood Pressure

Celery has been used for centuries in Asia as a folk remedy for high blood pressure. In the United States, it took one man with high blood pressure and persistence to persuade researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center to put this remedy to the scientific test.

The story began when a man named Mr. Le was diagnosed with mild high blood pressure. Rather than cutting back on salt as his doctor advised, he began eating a quarter-pound (about four stalks) of celery per day. Within a week his blood pressure had dropped from 158/96 to 118/82.

William J. Elliott, M.D., Ph.D., who was then assistant professor of medicine and pharmacological and physiological science at the University of Chicago, decided to put celery to the test. Researchers injected test animals with a small amount of 3-n-butyl phthalide, a chemical compound that is found in celery. Within a week, the animals’ blood pressures dropped an average of 12 to 14 percent.

“Phthalide was found to relax the muscles of the arteries that regulate blood pressure, allowing the vessels to dilate,” says Dr. Elliott. In addition, the chemical reduced the amount of “stress hormones,” called catecholamines, in the blood. This may be helpful because stress hormones typically raise blood pressure by causing the blood vessels to constrict.

If you have high blood pressure and would like to give celery a try, try this strategy recommended by Asian folk practitioners. Eat four to five stalks every day for a week, then stop for three weeks. Then start over and eat celery for another week.

But don’t overdo it and start eating celery by the pound, Dr. Elliott warns. Celery does contain sodium—one stalk contains 35 milligrams—and for some people this can cause blood pressure to go up rather than down. “Eating a ton of celery can be dangerous if you have salt-sensitive hypertension,” he warns.

Blocking Cancer Cells

Who’d have thought that crunching celery might help prevent cancer? Celery contains a number of compounds that researchers believe may help prevent cancer cells from spreading.

For starters, celery contains compounds called acetylenics. “Acetylenics have been shown to stop the growth of tumor cells,” says Robert Rosen, Ph.D., associate director of the Center for Advanced Food Technology at Cook College, Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

In addition, celery contains compounds called phenolic acids, which block the action of hormonelike substances called prostaglandins. Some prostaglandins are thought to encourage the growth of tumor cells, says Dr. Rosen.

The Doctors Book of Food Remedies, by Selene Yeager and the Editors of Prevention Health Books, Rodale, pages 129–131.

Recipe
Braised Celery
8 stalks of celery, scrubbed and ends trimmed (chop and reserve leaves) Pinch of salt or seasoning salt
1 Tbsp. oil ½ cup of vegetable stock
Cut celery into 1-inch slices on the diagonal. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery, along with salt and cook until it starts to become tender. Add broth, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook for 5 minutes longer, allowing the broth to caramelize a little. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately, garnished with reserved chopped leaves. You may also add chopped tofu.

 

Recipe – Yummy Banana Oat Bars

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Recipe
Yummy Banana Oat Bars

Serves: 8
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant) 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 3/4 cup finely chopped apple
1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Press into a 9-by-9-inch baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, cut into squares or bars.