Food

Food – Parsnip, A Cousin of the Carrot

by

The parsnip’s unique flavor comes after the first frost, when the vegetable is still in the ground. Many times the parsnip is harvested before the first frost and thus loses that unique flavor.

“Parsnips look like an anemic version of their cousin, the carrot. The parsnip’s starchy root, however, is one of the most nourishing in the whole carrot family. This starch is converted to sugar whenever the root is exposed to the frost. Parsnip isn’t a common vegetable anymore, even though most of us have heard of it. … Refrigerated in a plastic bag, parsnips keep for nearly a month.

“Fatigue Fighter and Cleanser. Imagine a food so highly concentrated with energy-giving properties that it is a remarkable internal cleansing agent as well. Such a one is parsnip, which is loaded with more food energy than most of our common vegetables except potatoes, yet is a relatively strong diuretic for helping to remove toxins from the body.

“A diet of parsnips, steamed or baked for lunch and dinner for at least a week, becomes an extremely valuable cleansing agent and has even assisted in getting rid of some stones in the kidneys and bladder. Parsnips in the diet once a day or at least every other day is very useful for strengthening those who have hypoglycemia or are just recently recovering from serious illness or surgery or both. [Emphasis author’s.]

“Save the juice left from cooked parsnips and drink a glass morning and evening for up to 6 weeks to get rid of gallstones. This is an old remedy from colonial America, which was introduced by the renowned eighteenth-century religious reformer the Reverend John Wesley.” Heinerman’s New Encyclopedia of Fruits & Vegetables, page 338, by Parker Publishing Company, Inc. 1995.

Small, tender parsnips may be peeled, grated and put into salads. Parsnips are best roasted in the oven, although many like them steamed and mashed like potatoes. You can add them to soups and stews near the end of the cooking time. Peeled and pared parsnips will turn dark when exposed to the air, so cook them right away or hold them in water with lemon juice added. Parsnips may also be substituted for carrots in most recipes.

Recipe
Carrot-Parsnip Mash
6 medium peeled parsnips ½ tsp. salt, optional
6 medium carrots, washed or peeled
Place peeled parsnips and carrots in a pot of water. Bring to boil and simmer until tender. Drain, mash and season. Or, in the alternative: You may cut parsnips and carrots into chunks, boil and drain. Or cook parsnips with potatoes and mash together when done.

 

Recipe – Three Melon Salad

by

 

½ watermelon, cubed 3 Tbsp. mint leaves, torn
½ cantaloupe, cubed ¼ tsp. grated lime peel
½ honeydew, cubed Juice of 1 lime
Halve melons; scrape out seeds of cantaloupe and honeydew. Cut melon halves into slices and cube, cutting away rinds. Place fruit in serving bowl. Add mint leaves and lime; stir to combine. Serve chilled.

 

Food – Watermelon

by

What is the perfect treat to beat the summer’s heat? Cold, crisp, juicy, refeshing, hydrating, thirst-quenching watermelon is the right choice for hot summer days. It is rightly named as watermelon is rich in water, about 92%, and low in sugar, about 6%, making it excellent for maintaining good hydration and restoring important electrolytes. Also containing essential rehydration salts, it helps hydrate the body and skin, reducing to a great extent the chance of dehydration. Bring it along on picnics, beach visits and other outdoor activities. Use this gift of nature to help supplement your daily water requirement to stay well hydrated, taming summer thirst.

Despite the fact that watermelon is made up of mostly water, it is considered a nutrient-dense food, providing high amounts of vitamins, amino acids, phytonutrients, antioxidants, licopene, with modest amounts of potassium and fiber and low amounts of sodium and fat.

“Watermelon is an excellent fruit that effectively hydrates, detoxifies, and cleanses the entire body. It is rich in vitamins A and C as well as lycopene, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin which are excellent for providing protection from lung, mouth, pancreatic, breast, prostate, endometrial, and colon cancer.

“It is known to significantly reduce inflammation, help flush out edema, aid in weight loss, and alleviate depression. Watermelon can also boost the immune system as well as strengthen vision. …

“Watermelon is loaded with antioxidants that have the ability to neutralize free radical molecules and aid in the prevention of chronic illnesses.” www.vibrationsofhealth.com/watermelon-does-all-this/

Watermelon is believed to have originated in Africa and been brought to America across the Atlantic Ocean by African slaves where it spread to the rest of the tropical and subtropical regions. The slave trade was a major means in transporting watermelon to the U.S. Slaves would plant watermelon seeds in the cotton fields so they could enjoy them during the hot months of July and August. European colonists who settled in the Americas also brought with them watermelon seeds and by 1862, watermelons were widely grown throughout Massachusetts.

Over 1,200 varieties of watermelon are grown worldwide in 96 countries. Over 300 types of watermelons are grown in the U.S. Watermelon producers in America anually grow more than 4 billion pounds of the delicious fruit. They come in various sizes and colors of red, pink, yellow, orange, white or even green flesh. Japanese producers grow square watermelon. Square glass boxes are placed around a growing fruit so as it grows it becomes square. They are conveniently small and do not roll around like their “normal” counterparts, but can cost from $80 to $125.

While most people enjoy the sweet flesh, watermelons can also be made into juice, added to smoothies or made into pops and sorbets. Instead of throwing away the rind, which contains one of the best sources of blood-building chlorophyll and high organic sodium as well as other health promoting nutrients, blend with a little lime for a healthy refreshing drink. The seeds can also be eaten, providing small but helpful amounts of protein, iron, and zinc.

 

Recipe
Three Melon Salad
½ watermelon, cubed 3 Tbsp. mint leaves, torn
½ cantaloupe, cubed ¼ tsp. grated lime peel
½ honeydew, cubed Juice of 1 lime
Halve melons; scrape out seeds of cantaloupe and honeydew. Cut melon halves into slices and cube, cutting away rinds. Place fruit in serving bowl. Add mint leaves and lime; stir to combine. Serve chilled.

 

Recipe – Fig and Banana Cookies

by

Fig and Banana Cookies
2 ripe bananas, mashed ½ tsp. cardamom
1 ¼ cups ground almonds, lightly packed 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
¾ cup dried figs, chopped 1 Tbsp. natural sweetener of choice (if using liquid, add ½ tsp. chia seeds), optional
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let sit 5-10 minutes. Drop 1 ½ Tbsp. dough on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten cookies to desired thickness. Bake in 400F oven for 7-10 minutes, until cookies firm up and edges turn golden. Let cool completely. Enjoy!

Food – Figgy Figs

by

Delicious sweet fig fruit, dried or fresh, has been a popular delicacy in the Mediterranean diet since biblical times. A member of the family of mulberry, figs are botanically identified as Ficus carica and universally called the “common fig” or “edible fig” in a genus including over 1,000 species.

Part of the wonder of the fig comes from its unique taste and texture. Figs are the sweetest of all fruits, boosting a 55% sugar content and featuring a complex texture that combines the chewiness of their flesh, the smoothness of their skin, and the crunchiness of their seeds.

Fig trees never blossom because the flowers are on the inside. Figs are not technically a fruit but are inverted flowers. Tiny flowers bloom within the pear-shaped pod called syconia, which later matures into the fruit. Each flower within the syconium then produces a single, one-seeded, hard-shelled fruit called achene which gives the fig its crunch. The fig is made up of masses of achene. Thus when you eat a fig, you are actually eating multiple fruits.

Neither bee nor wind contribute to the pollination of figs. Instead, a unique species of wasp, only about ⅛ inch long, pollinates the numerous, tiny club-shaped ovaries extending toward the central hollow cavity of the syconium, as it enters and exits through the small pore or apex on the rounded end of the fig.

Figs have been known to have many medicinal properties. Traditional medicine around the world has made use of figs as poultices on tumors, warts, and wounds. The fruit and leaves have been pulverized and gargled to relieve sore throats. Juice extracted from the leaves are beneficial in soothing insect bites. Used as a facial mask, figs tighten and nourish the skin. Due to high alkalinity, figs diminish desire for cigarettes for those who want to quit smoking.

Figs are dense in phenolic antioxidants. Although sweetest at the firm to tender stage, the riper they are, the more antioxidants they provide, with the dried fruit providing higher concentrations of antioxidants than the fresh fruit. Figs have been shown to increase antioxidant activity in humans for four hours after consumption.

Figs are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, most notoriously when Adam and Eve covered their nakedness with fig leaves after they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:7). Isaiah used them to heal skin problems (Isaiah 38:21). In the New Testament Jesus used fig symbolism in some of His parables (Matthew 21; Luke 21).

“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:32, 33). Be ready, be watchful, ever ready for His soon return!

Recipe

Fig and Banana Cookies
2 ripe bananas, mashed ½ tsp. cardamom
1 ¼ cups ground almonds, lightly packed 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
¾ cup dried figs, chopped 1 Tbsp. natural sweetener of choice (if using liquid, add ½ tsp. chia seeds), optional
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let sit 5-10 minutes. Drop 1 ½ Tbsp. dough on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten cookies to desired thickness. Bake in 400F oven for 7-10 minutes, until cookies firm up and edges turn golden. Let cool completely. Enjoy!

Recipe – Pistachio Sesame Seed Balls

by
Recipe
Pistachio Sesame Seed Balls
½ cup almond butter ½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup pistachios 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
6 medjool dates, pitted
Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until the pistachios are chopped finely and everything is well blended. Take out a spoonful at a time, squeeze in the palm of your hand a couple of times to make the mixture tight and compact, and then roll into a ball shape. Put in the refrigerator for approximately 15–30 minutes to firm. Makes 14–16 small balls. These balls are quick and healthy! Enjoy!

Food – The Yummy Pistachio

by

Once you begin munching on pistachio nuts it is very hard to stop. They taste so good and also they are so good for you.

“While most of the positive research on nuts has not distinguished among the various types, some research has. One study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, specifically investigated pistachio nuts and concluded that eating pistachio nuts instead of other dietary fat calories improved lipid profiles and decreased coronary risk. A second study, published recently in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease, indicated that the consumption of pistachio nuts decreased oxidative stress and improved both total cholesterol and HDL (“good”) cholesterol in healthy volunteers. (There was a trend toward reducing triglycerides and LDL [“bad”] cholesterol, but this didn’t reach statistical significance.) The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL, reported to be one of the most specific risk factors for cardiovascular disease, fell by 21 percent in the pistachio-eating group.

“If pistachio nuts had a public-relations agent, she would have been mighty happy with the results of a recent study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. The study was the most comprehensive analysis of nut and seed varieties to date—it examined twenty-seven different products. Though pistachio nuts did not have the highest phytosterol content of all (that distinction went to sesame seeds and wheat germ), they did have the highest phytosterol content of any product generally considered a snack food (270 mg per 100 g). ‘Given the many possible mechanisms of action of phytosterols on cholesterol metabolism, it is important to have quantitative estimates of total phytosterol content,’ reported the team of researchers from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The main phytosterol identified in all the nut and seed samples as beta-sitosterol, which is known not only for lowering cholesterol but also the supporting of prostate health.

“Unsalted pistachios have a very high potassium-to-sodium ratio, which helps normalize blood pressure and maintain water balance in the body. Pistachio nuts also contain the powerful antioxidant vitamin E, which boosts the immune system. (Best of all, the vitamin E in pistachio nuts is mostly the gamma-tocopherol form found in most supplements.) Pistachios also contain magnesium and phosphorus and trace amounts of other minerals and vitamins, as well as phytosterols. Extracts from the pistachio kernel have shown significant antiviral activity.

“And they’re so delicious.

“Note: Some pistachio growers and importers dye the nut red, which exposes the kernels to chemical dyes. You’re better off with the plain kind.” The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., 156, 157.

 

Recipe
Pistachio Sesame Seed Balls
½ cup almond butter ½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup pistachios 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
6 medjool dates, pitted
Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until the pistachios are chopped finely and everything is well blended. Take out a spoonful at a time, squeeze in the palm of your hand a couple of times to make the mixture tight and compact, and then roll into a ball shape. Put in the refrigerator for approximately 15–30 minutes to firm. Makes 14–16 small balls. These balls are quick and healthy! Enjoy!

 

 

Recipe – Almond Butter Balls

by

 

Recipe
Almond Butter Balls
½ cup almond butter         ½ cup honey
1 cup wheat germ             ¼ cup unsweetened coconut
 

Mix almond butter, wheat germ and honey and roll into little balls. Then roll in the coconut. Eat fresh, refrigerate so they will firm up, or freeze. Yummy!

 

Food – The Forgotten Wheat Germ

by

I do not hear much talk about wheat germ—it could be a lost nutritional additive that may give our health a needed boost.

“Wheat germ is part of a wheat kernel and is responsible for helping the plant reproduce and spawn new wheat. While it’s removed from most processed wheat products, it is a major nutritional component of whole grain wheat.

“Wheat germ, along with the husk, is removed from refined wheat products …

“Wheat germ is added to some granolas, cereals, and cornbread, and is also available raw.

“Wheat germ … is an excellent source of vegetable proteins, along with fiber and healthy fats. It is also a good source of magnesium, zinc, thiamin, folate, potassium, and phosphorus. Wheat germ is also high in vitamin E, an essential nutrient with antioxidant properties—natural sources of antioxidants are best in preventing disease.”

Excerpts from: www.healthline.com/health/wheat-germ-benefits#2

“Unfortunately, this kernel, which includes the wheat germ, is tragically removed during the refining of whole wheat grains to white flour. In the manufacturing process, it is removed because its healthy oils can go rancid quickly, so removing it makes it easier for food production companies to keep wheat in storage much longer. The germ itself makes up only about 3% of the kernel, and you need over 50 pounds of wheat to get one pound of wheat germ.

“Because it is meant to feed the new plant, wheat germ is packed with good nutrients. Two tablespoons of raw wheat germ have about 1.5 grams of unsaturated fat, 9 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, 2 grams dietary fiber, 2 grams of sugars, no cholesterol and about 60 calories. This is plenty of protein and fiber.

“Plus, it has a number of other healthy nutrients. …

“Wheat germ is fantastic food that usually is in the form of a coarse powder. You can easily incorporate it into protein shakes, oatmeal, casseroles, muffins, and sprinkled over cereal. … You can even make a tea out of it by brewing one tablespoon per two cups of water; steep for 20 minutes, then filter and drink.”

www.doctoroz.com/article/why-you-need-wheat-germ

I think it would be a good idea to return this nice little healthy germ into our recipes to increase the health benefits of our families!

 

Recipe
Almond Butter Balls
½ cup almond butter         ½ cup honey
1 cup wheat germ             ¼ cup unsweetened coconut
 

Mix almond butter, wheat germ and honey and roll into little balls. Then roll in the coconut. Eat fresh, refrigerate so they will firm up, or freeze. Yummy!

 

Recipe – Vegan Cracker Cheese

by

 

1 cup water ½ cup unbleached white flour
½ cup nutritional yeast flakes ½ cup chopped red pepper
3 Tbsp. light tahini 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 ½ tsp. or less salt Optional: a few sliced olives
Blend all ingredients. Pour into small baking dish (I use a glass baking dish 7” x 5” x 1 ½”), and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Cool, refrigerate and slice as needed. My grandkids love it on crackers!