tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86348423506283459782024-03-13T02:04:32.042-07:00Anti-Cancer ChallengeConnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-48071186321273865902013-02-26T16:34:00.004-08:002013-02-26T16:35:05.271-08:00In Praise Of Fungi - Mushroom Soup Recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Did you know that Japanese mushroom farmers are half as likely to develop stomach cancer as their non-mushroom-growing neighbors? (1)<br />
<br />
This may be due to the fact that they regularly eat the mushrooms they cultivate and benefit from the cancer-protective compounds in them.<br />
<br />
The best-known medicinal mushrooms are Asian varieties such as oyster mushrooms, maitake, shiitake or the non-edible reishi, but all mushrooms have a mindboggling array of health effects: they are anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, hypocholesterolemic, anti-tumor, cancer-preventive, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-allergic, nephroprotective, and anti-microbial (phew!).<br />
<br />
It’s worth noting that most of the laboratory research on medicinal mushrooms has been carried out using extracts that are much more concentrated than whole mushrooms we might include in our diet. Nonetheless, dietary mushrooms do appear to have a cancer-protective effect too – including the lowly button mushrooms sold in a supermarket near you!<br />
<br />
For instance, researchers at Perth University found that Chinese women eating on average 4 grams of dried button mushrooms daily cut their breast cancer risk by 47% compared to women eating none, while those eating 10 grams of fresh mushrooms daily lowered their risk by 64%. Those who combined mushrooms with regular green tea intake even saw their breast-cancer risk decline by 89% (2).<br />
<br />
Button mushrooms contain a fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) that’s thought to protect against breast and prostate cancer by binding onto so-called aromatase enzymes in the cancer cells and lessening their ability to produce estrogen. Since some breast and prostate cancer tumors are dependent upon estrogen for their growth, this blocking of the aromatase enzyme by the mushrooms’ CLA may help prevent or control these types of tumor (3), (4).<br />
<br />
A note of caution: raw button mushrooms – which are sometimes included in mixed salads – contain compounds called hydrazines that are thought to be carcinogenic (5). Hydrazines are destroyed by cooking, drying or canning, so it is best to eat mushrooms cooked, and to alternate button mushrooms and other varieties.<br />
<br />
And then there are shiitake mushrooms – my personal favorites thanks to their smoky-buttery flavor and velvety texture. In animal and cell studies shiitake extracts have been found to help block tumor growth, sometimes by triggering self-destruction by the cancer cells (apoptosis) (6). More than 100 compounds in shiitake mushrooms – knowns as “mycochemicals” – are thought to work together to accomplish these anti-cancer effects.<br />
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Mushrooms also have a gastronomic advantage: their unmistakable “mushroomy” flavor comes from glutamic acid, a natural version of the flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG). Unlike MSG, the natural occurring glutamic acid does not have a high sodium content. This makes mushrooms a wonderful way of adding a beefy, brothy (“umami”) flavor to stews and sauces, especially meatless ones.<br />
<br />
In the recipe that follows, the concentrated flavors of this soup belie its speed of preparation. You can use any mushrooms, but I recommend a mix of shiitake, oyster, porcini and white or brown button mushrooms. Some people like their mushroom soup light, with small bits of mushroom floating in the aromatic broth. If you prefer a thicker soup, add a little flour. Serves 4.<br />
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<br />
<b>Cream of Mushroom Soup </b>(Serves 4) – Recipe from <i>Zest for Life: The Mediterranean Anti-Cancer Diet</i><br />
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½ to 1 oz/10-15g dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms<br />
<br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
<br />
2 large shallots, or 1 small onion, finely chopped<br />
<br />
4 whole fresh shiitake mushrooms<br />
<br />
15oz/400g fresh mushrooms (e.g. a mixture that includes white and brown button mushrooms, maitake and oyster mushrooms), coarsely chopped<br />
<br />
½ tsp thyme<br />
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1 tbsp whole grain spelt or wheat flour (optional)<br />
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2fl oz/¼ cup/60ml white wine<br />
<br />
2 pints/1l vegetable broth<br />
<br />
squeeze of lemon juice<br />
<br />
salt & freshly ground black pepper<br />
<br />
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley<br />
<br />
pinch of red pepper flakes or paprika powder<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>Cashew Cream</u><br />
<br />
4.5oz/1 cup/125g unsalted, raw cashew nuts, soaked overnight in water<br />
<br />
3.5fl oz/scant 1/2 cup/100ml water<br />
<br />
pinch of salt<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Place dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water; rehydrate for 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
In a heavy cooking pot on low heat, gently warm oil and cook the shallots for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the fresh mushrooms and thyme and cook for another 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and releasing their juices. (For a thicker soup, add flour now and stir well until vegetables are evenly coated.)<br />
<br />
With a slotted spoon, remove rehydrated mushrooms from their soaking water, chop coarsely and add to mushroom-shallot mix. Add white wine and vegetable broth. Strain mushroom-soaking water through a cheesecloth to remove any forest grit and add to the mushrooms. Simmer for another 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
With a ladle, transfer the soup to a blender in two batches; for a slightly chunky soup, blend the first batch to a fine, creamy texture and the second batch only briefly to preserve some chunks; combine in the cooking pot. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.<br />
<br />
To prepare the cashew cream, drain soaking water, place nuts and fresh water in a small blender and whizz for about 2 minutes, or until you obtain a smooth, velvety cream. Add more water for a thinner consistency.<br />
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Ladle soup into serving bowls, drizzle with Cashew cream and sprinkle with red pepper flakes and chopped parsley. Store any remaining cashew cream in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator; keeps for up to 3 days.<br />
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<b>References</b><br />
<br />
(1) Monro J, Treatment of cancer with mushroom products. Arch Environ Health. 2003 Aug;58(8):533-7.<br />
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(2) Zhang M, Huang J, Xie X, Holman CD, Dietary intakes of mushrooms and green tea combine to reduce the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women. Int J Cancer. 2009 Mar 15;124(6):1404<br />
<br />
(3) Adams LS, Phung S, Wu X, Ki L, Chen S. White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) exhibits antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties and inhibits prostate tumor growth in athymic mice. Nutr Cancer. 2008;60(6):744-56.<br />
<br />
(4) Grube BJ, Eng ET, Kao YC et al. White Button Mushroom Phytochemicals Inhibit Aromatase Activity and Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation. J. Nutr., Dec 2001; 131: 3288 – 3293. 2001.<br />
<br />
(5) Toth B. Hepatocarcinogenesis by hydrazine mycotoxins of edible mushrooms. J Toxicol |Environ Health 1979 Mar-May;5(2-3):193-202.<br />
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(6) Fang N, Li Q, Yu S et al. Inhibition of Growth and Induction of Apoptosis in Human Cancer Cell Lines by an Ethyl Acetate Fraction from Shiitake Mushrooms. The Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, Volume 12, Number 2 (March 2006), pp. 125-132. 2006.<br />
- See more at: http://nutrelan.com/in-praise-of-fungi/#sthash.NbVc6imV.dpufConnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-64448719069178418722012-10-29T22:30:00.004-07:002012-10-29T22:32:04.308-07:00Pears: Underrated Nutritional Superstars<h2>
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<a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/pear-pancake-2-compressed.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2456" height="203" src="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/pear-pancake-2-compressed-300x203.jpg" title="pear pancake 2 compressed" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This
fall, instead of gravitating towards apples (I know — they’re so much
easier to love: ripening more predictably in our fruit bowls, traveling
better without bruising, simultaneously offering tart crunch and creamy
flesh, and coming in a wide range of different flavors, shapes and
colors), give pears a chance: this may be one of the healthiest food
choices you can make.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Pears
are a powerhouse of anti-cancer nutrition, especially if you eat their
skins. Recent studies have shown that the skin of pears contains three
to four times as many phenolic plant nutrients as the flesh. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">These
phytonutrients include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory flavonoids and
potentially anti-cancer phytonutrients like cinnamic acids. Pears are
also an excellent source of dietary fiber – both soluble and insoluble –
roughly half of which is concentrated in their skins.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">One
area in which pears have been found to be helpful is maintaining stable
blood glucose levels. Certain chemicals in food can improve our cells’
insulin sensitivity – i.e. their receptiveness to insulin, a hormone our
bodies produce to regulate blood glucose levels. High blood glucose and
insulin levels increase our cancer risk, so it’s important to keep
these moderate, and by sensitizing our cells to the effects of insulin,
we can lower both the insulin and the glucose circulating in our
bloodstream. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Of
special interest in this area have been three groups of flavonoids
(flavonols, flavan-3-ols, and anthocyanins); all pears contain
flavonoids falling within the first two groups, and red-skinned pears
contain anthocyanins as well. Most phytonutrients such as these provide
antioxidant as well as anti-inflammatory benefits. As a result, intake
of pears has now been associated with decreased risk of several common
chronic diseases that begin with chronic inflammation and excessive
oxidative stress, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Pears
also appear to reduce cancer risks. For one, fiber from pears can bind
together not only with bile acids as a whole, but also with a group of
bile acids called “secondary bile acids”. Excessive amounts of secondary
bile acids in the intestine can increase our risk of colorectal cancer.
By binding together with secondary bile acids, pear fibers can help
decrease their concentration in the intestine and lower our risk of
cancer development.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In
the case of stomach cancer, pear consumption has also been shown to
reduce risk. Here the key focus has not been on pear fiber, but on pear
phytonutrients, especially cinnamic acids (including coumaric acid,
ferulic acid, and 5-caffeoylquinic acid). In a recent study from Mexico
City, it took approximately two total fruit servings per day and four
daily vegetable servings to accomplish a decrease in gastric cancer
risk. Pears and mangos were among the key foods determined to provide
cinnamic acids in the study.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Esophageal
cancer (specifically, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, or ESCC) is a
third cancer type for which pear intake helps lower risk. In a very
large-scale study conducted by the National Institutes of Health and the
American Association of Retired Persons (involving 490,802
participants), pears were found to be a key food associated with reduced
risk of ESCC. Interestingly, numerous foods belonging the rose (<i>Rosaceae</i>) family were also found to lower risk of ESCC, including apples, plums, and strawberries (1).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">So
let’s hear if for pears! And why not celebrate them in style with this
delicious pan-cake that makes a nourishing breakfast, after-school snack
or dessert. It’s quick and simple to prepare, especially if you use a
well-seasoned cast-iron pan.</span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b><i>Pear and Almond Pancake </i></b><i>(serves 4-5) – loosely inspired by a recipe in the Oct/Nov 2012 edition of Fine Cooking.<br />
</i></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 ripe-yet-firm pears (organic)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon (organic)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3 large eggs</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">½ cup almond milk</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 tbsp raw, runny honey</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 tsp natural vanilla extract</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">pinch of salt</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">½ tsp ground cardamom or ginger</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">½ cup ground almonds</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 tbsp unsalted fresh butter or ghee (clarified butter)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 tbsp almond slivers</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 tsp confectioner’s sugar</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Pre-heat oven to 400°F/200°C.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Wash
the pears and cut them into eighths, removing the cores. Place them in a
bowl and drizzle with the lemon juice, toss to cover with the juice and
set aside.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In
a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs with an electric whisk on high speed
until they are light and foamy – about 3 minutes. Add almond milk,
honey, vanilla, salt, cardamom and lemon zest and mix on low speed to
combine. Add ground almonds and mix again to combine.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Heat
a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot – about 2
minutes. Add the butter or ghee (whichever using) and when it is hot,
add the pear slices. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden,
arrange pear slices in a single layer in the pan, pour batter evenly
over the pears and sprinkle with almond slivers. Slide the skillet into
the pre-heated oven and bake until the cake is set in the middle and
puffy around the sides, and the bottom is lightly browned – about 20
minutes.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Remove
and dust lightly with confectioner’s sugar (if desired). Serve with a
teaspoon of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream; can be served immediately
or eaten at room temperature.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>References</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(1)
My thanks to World’s Healthiest Foods for their detailed analysis of
pears’ health benefits. More information can be found here: <a href="http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=28">http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=28</a>.</span>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-24286880478533071082012-10-29T22:28:00.006-07:002012-10-29T22:28:43.414-07:00Is It Still Safe To Eat Rice?<h2>
</h2>
<a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Cauliflower-rice.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2441" height="300" src="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Cauliflower-rice-222x300.jpg" title="Cauliflower rice" width="222" /></a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In light of recent shocking <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm" target="_blank">revelations</a> by Consumer Reports Magazine, you may be wondering whether you should still be eating rice.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The
independent testing organization discovered that many widely-eaten rice
products – including white rice, brown rice, organic rice baby cereal,
and rice breakfast cereals – contain arsenic, a powerful carcinogen. The
products tested included well-known labels as well as store brands,
organic products and conventional ones; some were aimed at the booming
gluten-free market.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“In
virtually every product tested, we found measurable amounts of total
arsenic in its two forms,” the report stated. “We found significant
levels of inorganic arsenic, which is a carcinogen, in almost every
product category, along with organic arsenic, which is less toxic but
still of concern.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Some
doctors immediately advised limiting rice consumption, especially in
children, who are far more susceptible to the dangerous impacts of
arsenic exposure. Consumer Reports suggested capping weekly servings to
less than a cup of cooked rice for children and about 1½ cups of cooked
rice for adults.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The
FDA did not go as far as advising limiting rice consumption, or even
arsenic residues in rice. But it did say that the findings have prompted
it to test about 1,000 more samples by the end of the year in order to
come up with “science based” recommendations.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">So what’s a rice-eater to do in the meantime? This <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-10-03/features/ct-food-1003-rice-arsenic-cooking-tips-20121003_1_inorganic-arsenic-rice-consumption-brown-rice" target="_blank">article</a> in the Chicago Tribune offers some helpful suggestions:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Rinse your rice thoroughly. The FDA cites several studies indicating
that “thoroughly rinsing rice until the water is clear (four to six
changes of water) reduced the total arsenic content by up to
approximately 25-30 percent.”</span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Check your municipal water report. “Make sure your local water supply
does not have high levels of arsenic,” says John Duxbury of Cornell
University, who studies arsenic and rice. “If you do have high levels,
washing can make it worse. But if you are under 10 parts per billion, it
should help.”</span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Cook and drain your rice like pasta. “We say to use about 6 parts water
to 1 part rice,” says Michael Hansen, a senior staff scientist at
Consumer Reports. “And then drain off the water after it’s done.” The
FDA says that studies show rinsing and cooking in excess water can
reduce total arsenic levels by 50 to 60 percent. “However, it should be
noted that for enriched rice, rinsing will also likely reduce the amount
of added nutrients,” the agency said.</span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Choose aromatic rices. For those who are already fans of Indian basmati
or Thai jasmine rices, the news is not so bad. According to the
hundreds of recently released test results, aromatic rice varieties show
the lowest levels of inorganic arsenic. Imported basmati and jasmine
rices showed about half to one-eighth the level of arsenic as regular
rices grown in the Southern U.S.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Avoid brown rice</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">For people who eat a lot of brown rice – for instance, those who follow <a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/macrobiotic-diet" target="_blank">macrobiotic diets</a>
that consist to 50-60% of brown rice – the findings are particularly
bad news, for brown rice contains significantly more arsenic than white.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">And
arsenic isn’t the only problem in brown rice. It is also less
nutritious than many of us – myself included – have long believed. For
although it does contain more nutrients than white rice, it also
contains higher levels of phytic acid, a compound that blocks the
absorption of the nutrients in the rice (1). Phytic acid, which is
present in most whole grains and seeds, binds with minerals such as
zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium, making them unavailable for
absorption and assimilation. This is why phytic acid is often referred
to as an “anti-nutrient.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">To
top it all off, brown rice has been found to reduce the digestibility
of protein, and fat and to impair the absorption rates of sodium,
potassium and phosphorus (2).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">If
you think all the rinsing and draining described above are too much
like hard work, let me suggest a radical alternative to rice of all
kinds: Cauli-Rice. (Or as it’s called in my book, <em><a href="http://www.zestforlifediet.com/">Zest for Life</a></em>, “Cauliflower Couscous.”) How can I sing its praises?</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This dish does not contain any rice, and therefore is not likely to be laced with arsenic.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">It
is made from cauliflower, a vegetable from the brassica family known
for its powerful detoxifying and anti-cancer benefits. (In the recipe
below, turmeric, onions and garlic add further cancer-fighting
compounds.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Cauliflower
can be bought from a local grower rather than needing to be shipped
from a fragrant rice paddy half-way across the world, which is good news
for locavores.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This
dish has a satisfying crunchy texture not unlike that of rice and works
well as a side dish to any meal at which one would normally eat rice.</span> </li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The
most compelling argument, however, has to be cauliflower’s superior
nutritional value and vastly lower caloric and carbohydrate load, as
shown in the table below (selected data obtained from Nutritiondata.com;
see here for full profiles: <a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2391/2">cauliflower</a> and <a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5712/2">rice</a>).</span><br />
<br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong> </strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Cauliflower, cooked (100g)</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>White long-grain rice, boiled (100g)</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Calories</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">23</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">130</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Total carbohydrate</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4.4 g</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">28.2 g</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Omega 3 fatty acids</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">167 mg</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">50 mg</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Omega 6 fatty acids</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">13 mg</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">62 mg</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Vitamin C</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">44.3 mg</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">0 mg</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Vitamin K</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">13.8 mcg</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">0 mg</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Calcium</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">16 mg</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">10 mg</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Magnesium </strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">9 mg</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">12 mg</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Potassium</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">142 mg</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">35 mg</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Dietary fiber</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2.3 g</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">0.4 g</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Estimated glycemic load</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 (low)</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">15 (moderate-to-high)</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="153"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Inflammation rating</strong></span></td>
<td valign="top" width="208"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">18 (mildly anti-inflammatory)</span></td>
<td valign="top" width="234"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">-97 (mildly pro-inflammatory)</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Note
cauliflower’s anti-inflammatory rating (compared with rice’s
pro-inflammatory one); its vastly lower glycemic impact, its higher
fiber content and its more attractive omega-6-to-3 ratios (although
absolute quantities are small, cauliflower contains 12 times more
omega-3’s than omega-6’s, whereas rice has 1.24 times more omega-6’s
than omega-3’s). Because cauliflower contains six times fewer
carbohydrates than rice, eating it is also likely to trigger a much
smaller secretion of insulin, a hormone that promotes the growth and
spread of cancer cells.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I know which I’d rather eat! Without further ado, therefore, I give you:</span><br />
<h1>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>Cauliflower Rice (serves 4 as a side-dish)<strong> (from Zest for Life)</strong></em></span></h1>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>2 tbsp olive oil </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>1 onion, chopped </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>2 cloves garlic, chopped </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>1 tsp turmeric </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>1 cauliflower, cut into florets</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>squeeze of lemon juice</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>1 tbsp chopped parsley </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>salt & black pepper</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>black sesame seeds and/or chopped parsley or cilantro</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>In
a large pot gently warm olive oil on medium heat and cook chopped onion
and garlic until translucent. Add turmeric and cook for another minute,
stirring constantly.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>In
a food processor, chop raw cauliflower until it resembles the size of
rice grains. Add cauliflower and 2fl oz/¼ cup/60ml of water to the
onions and garlic, cover and cook, stirring regularly until the
cauliflower is al dente – about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt,
pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice and serve immediately, sprinkled, if
you like, with black sesame seeds and finely chopped herbs.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>References</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(1)
Callegaro Mda D, Tirapegui J. Comparison of the nutritional value
between brown rice and white rice. Arq Gastroenterol. 1996
Oct-Dec;33(4):225-31. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9302338">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9302338</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(2)
Miyoshi H, Okuda T, Okuda K, Koishi H. Effects of brown rice on
apparent digestibility and balance of nutrients in young men on low
protein diets. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 1987 Jun;33(3):207-18. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2822877">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2822877</a></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-38912195506812239922012-10-29T22:25:00.006-07:002012-10-29T22:25:50.144-07:00Watercress and Red Cabbage Salad<h2>
</h2>
<a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/watercress.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2430" height="199" src="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/watercress-300x199.jpg" title="Fresh Watercress" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Today’s
recipe is from Elyn Jacobs, who has not only overcome breast cancer,
but was inspired by her own healing journey to help others in theirs.
Following her treatment, she gave up her high-flying Wall Street job and
became a cancer coach and radio host. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Here is Elyn’s story (told by herself), followed by her delicious recipe for watercress and red cabbage salad:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“You have cancer” – the words you never want to hear. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Yet,
I heard them just days after I had decided to take a break from the
long hours of a Wall Street bond trader; I had put in 23 years; I was
45. My husband had convinced me to leave the relentless stress and enjoy
the boys. Our youngest was just about to turn one, his brother was
two. I then spent a glorious weekend with my girlfriends as we
celebrated our time together and my break from the “real world”.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Well,
my world was rocked when I returned home, went for my routine mammogram
and learned how very real my world was: stage one invasive breast
cancer; micro-calcifications were widely distributed throughout my left
breast, resembling constellations in the galaxy. I decided that a
bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction was the best option for me, for
my cancer.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">My
margins were declared clean and no nodal involvement was found; my
prognosis was good. No follow up treatment was necessary. Still, I felt
that if cancer liked my body once, it might like it again. My mother
lost her battle just after my surgery; my sister was diagnosed a few
months later. I was highly motivated to learn all I could about this
disease.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I
began extensive research and found there was much I could do to help
prevent recurrence. I consulted an integrative oncologist and he has
since been instrumental in my journey for wellness. We tweaked my diet,
added many supplements and worked on reducing my stress. He suggested
meditation, and while I am not very good with this, I have a modified
version that works for me.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I
did not know this then, but I would not return to Wall Street. My
encounter with breast cancer propelled me on a life-changing course.
What I discovered was that I had an amazing team; my husband, family,
friends and yes, my incredible team of doctors made my journey
relatively easy. I realized this was not the case for many, especially
as more and more people started coming to me for advice.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">So
I decided to become a coach to others, to empower them to find the best
treatment and team for their cancer. I travel with my clients to their
appointments, to make sure their questions are answered and to take
notes and provide clarity. I help my clients become active participants
in their care and their health. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Together we work on lifestyle changes
supportive of wellness; small steps, big payoffs. My goal is to help
them beat cancer, thrive and live well.” </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">You can visit Elyn at <a href="http://www.elynjacobs.wordpress.com/">www.elynjacobs.wordpress.com</a>. Or join her on her radio show, <em>Survive and Live Well, Tuesdays at 1pm, EST, on </em><a href="http://www.w4cs.com/"><em>www.W4CS.com</em></a><em> or listen via ITunes.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Watercress and Red Cabbage Salad</strong></span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Wash one bunch of watercress and chop (if using hydroponic, use two bunches if small)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Remove outer layers of red cabbage and shred, slice thin or chop (use about ¼ of a medium head for one bunch of watercress).</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Organic extra virgin olive oil, to taste, but approximately 2-3 Tablespoons</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Aged Balsamic vinegar, to taste, but approximately 1-2 Tablespoons</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Optional—add a handful of raw pine nuts or ¼ cup chopped parsley</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Toss
salad with a pinch of salt, fresh pepper (if desired) and drizzle with
balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Note: use the best quality oil and
vinegar you can find; most grocery store brands lack flavor and depth
and are often derived from chemical processes.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Serve at once</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong><em>Nutritition notes:</em></strong></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong><em>Watercress</em></strong><em>
offers a hefty dose of beta-carotene, copious amounts of calcium,
carotenes like lutein, and trace amounts of omega-3’s. Watercress also
contains a high amount of PEITC (phenylethylisotiocyante) which appears
to block cancer-causing chemicals, perhaps even protecting the lungs of
smokers from the carcinogens associated with tobacco (however, please
don’t smoke…I tell you this to understand the power of watercress).</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong><em>Red cabbage</em></strong><em>
boosts immunity and is a member of the cruciferous family, whose
indoles help with estrogen metabolism. It also contains anthocyanins, a
class of flavonids that provides as many as 36 different varieties of
anticancer chemicals. Cabbage also contains a significant amount of
glutamine, an amino acid that has anti-inflammatory properties. Red
Cabbage boosts the immune system’s ability to produce more antibodies.<strong> </strong>Red
cabbage contains large quantities of sulfur and other minerals that
work as cleansing agents for the digestive system. Raw red cabbage
cleans the bowels, thus helping to prevent indigestion and constipation<strong>.</strong></em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong><em>Parsley</em></strong><em>
has potent anti-inflammatory and anticancer abilities. The
phytochemicals in parsley can slow the speed of cell division, leaving
time for the cell to correct DNA mistakes or to activate apoptosis, and
recent research shows that one particular compound found in parsley and
celery, apigenin, can stop certain breast cancer tumor cells from
multiplying and growing, so it’s a good idea to have some everyday.</em></span>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-9995803052567906552012-10-29T22:22:00.002-07:002012-10-29T22:23:37.307-07:00Red-Pepper Hummus<a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Hummus-pine-kernels-cilantro-3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2391" height="198" src="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Hummus-pine-kernels-cilantro-3-300x198.jpg" title="Hummus pine kernels cilantro 3" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The <a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/" target="_blank"><i>Integrative Oncology Essentials </i></a>team – Brian Lawenda and myself – attended the <a href="http://www.integrativeonc.org/index.php/Ninth-International-SIO-Conference/" target="_blank">Society for Integrative Oncology’s Ninth International Conference</a> in Albuquerque, New Mexico, these past three days. It
was a fantastic event featuring presentations by leading experts in the
field of integrative oncology from a wide range of disciplines. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In
addition to “traditional” oncologists with an interest in integrative
medicine there were Chinese medicine practitioners, naturopaths,
ayurvedic doctors, body-mind practitioners, healing-touch therapists,
health educators, psychotherapists, herbalists, academic researchers and
even a nutritionist who teaches anti-cancer cooking classes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Yes,
yours truly hosted a workshop called “Let’s Get Cooking” at which I
gave a talk about the Mediterranean diet’s anti-cancer benefits that was
followed by a small demonstration of two healthy whole-food recipes:
the red-pepper hummus pictured above and the <a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/avocado-chocolate-nutella-pudding/" title="Avocado Chocolate “Nutella” Pudding">avocado-chocolate pudding </a>I posted a few days ago. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In
a relaxed and convivial atmosphere — as befits a Mediterranean food
event — and ignoring the fact that we were trying to “cook” in a
Marriott ballroom, we donned our aprons and milled around a hastily
assembled island of side-tables as everybody chipped in: one person
peeling a mound of garlic cloves, the next juicing the lemons, a third
spooning tahini into the blender whilst yet another added the grilled
peppers and mixed everything into a fine puree. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SIO-cooking-workshop.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-2395 " height="265" src="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SIO-cooking-workshop-300x265.jpg" title="SIO cooking workshop" width="300" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Yet more “sous-chefs”
doled the hummus into bowls, drizzled it with extra-virgin olive oil and
pine kernels, and finally everyone dug in, scooping up hummus with the
help of carrot and celery sticks and gluten-free falafel chips. More fun
teamwork was had as we prepared — and then wolfed down — the
avocado-chocolate pudding. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">All of which just goes to show: <i>in extremis</i>, you don’t even need a kitchen to prepare a Mediterranean meal! And: too many cooks don’t necessarily spoil the broth. <i>(My
heartfelt thanks Catherine Wood, who shlepped in countless kitchen
utensils from her home for this workshop. I couldn’t have done it
without you!)</i> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">For those of you who missed the workshop, here’s the hummus recipe.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Hummus
– a tasty Eastern-Mediterranean chickpea and sesame puree – is a
powerhouse of nutrition, supplying protein, fiber, phytoestrogens,
garlic and healthy oils. By adding red peppers, you’re also throwing in
powerful antioxidants such as lycopene, a member of the carotenoid
family thought to protect against prostate cancer, among others.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Hummus
makes a delicious dip for raw vegetables, a succulent sandwich filling
(topped, for example, with broccoli sprouts or grilled bell peppers) or a
speedy hors d’oeuvre served in an avocado half. It’s best to use chick
peas that you have prepared from scratch (ideally, sprouted first to
boost nutrient content and make them easier to digest). Alternatively,
you can use pre-cooked chickpeas from a glass jar. Try to avoid canned
chickpeas; as I have written about previously, some of the chemicals
used to make the plastic linings of food cans (such as bisphenol-A) are
thought to disrupt our bodies’ natural hormones because of their
estrogen-like chemical structure. </span><br />
<br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Red-pepper hummus </span></b><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(makes about 1.1lb/500g)</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">15oz/400g cooked chickpeas, drained </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 tbsp olive oil </span></i><i></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">juice of 1 lemon</span></i><i></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">pinch of lemon zest (untreated) </span></i><br />
<i>1 <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">clove garlic, crushed</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2-3 slices roast red peppers from a jar (packed in olive oil or water) – about 3.5 oz/100g</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">5 fl oz/⅔ cup/150 ml water or garbanzo cooking liquid</span></i><i></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3oz/1/3 cup/80g tahini (unsalted sesame paste) </span></i><i></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">olive oil and red pepper flakes, paprika powder or ground cumin as garnish</span></i><i></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">salt & freshly ground black pepper</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Drain
the softened chickpeas but reserve cooking liquid. Place chickpeas in a
food processor with olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, red pepper
slices and water (if you’ve soaked and cooked the chickpeas from
scratch, use the cooking liquid). Start blending and gradually add
tahini. The consistency should be like thick cream; if it seems too dry,
add more cooking liquid or water. </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Season
to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with
olive oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes or paprika powder or
ground cumin.</span></i>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-5686891812717057472012-10-29T22:16:00.002-07:002012-10-29T22:16:28.128-07:00Magical Chicken Soup<a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/chicken-broth.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2382" height="198" src="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/chicken-broth-300x198.jpg" title="chicken broth" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">To my mind,
<i> everything </i>about chicken soup is magical: the sweet, brothy scent that
wafts through the house as the ingredients’ aromas meld in my stock pot;
its deeply comforting flavors as I slowly slurp it down; and the
sustained sense of nourishment and belly-warmth I feel long after I have
finished my meal. No wonder mothers throughout the ages have
administered chicken soup to nourish their loved ones’ bodies and
souls. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Every
culinary culture has its chicken soup: in China it is perfumed with
ginger, scallions, black pepper, soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil; in
France they add bay leaf, fresh thyme, garlic and dry white wine; the
Greeks flavor their famous <em>avgolemono</em> soup with lemon and
thicken it with egg; the colonial Brits added Indian spices and split
yellow peas to their traditional English chicken soup, thus creating <em><a href="http://indianfood.about.com/od/sidesandsalads/r/mulligatawnsoup.htm" target="_blank">Mulligatawny</a> </em>–
a very useful recipe for any anti-cancer repertory. And let’s not
forget that all-time classic, Jewish chicken soup with matzoh balls or
egg noodles, widely described as “Jewish penicillin”. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In
fact, chicken soup is such an integral part of healing traditions
across the world that two Israeli researchers wrote a somewhat
tongue-in-cheek article in the Journal of the Canadian Medical
Association declaring it an “essential drug” (1).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Home-made
chicken soup is indeed a concentrated source of nutrients, which is
especially important for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or
radiation therapy in need of nutrient-rich but easy-to-digest food and
hydration. Vegetables, mushrooms and herbs provide a wide range of
vitamins and plant chemicals that can help our body get rid of toxins
and fight infections. The easily digested protein of chicken meat helps
prevent weight loss and supports immune strength. Indeed, chicken soup
has even been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect, which may be
why it is often used to combat colds and flus (2).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The recipe that follows contains ingredients – onions, leeks, <em>bok choi</em>,
garlic, celery and green tea – whose chemical components are thought to
enhance the effectiveness of various cancer treatments by increasing
cancer cells’ sensitivity to radiation or chemotherapy, protecting the
healthy tissues from the effects of the treatment, as well as supporting
the liver in breaking down toxins.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This
recipe doesn’t involve much work; just some light vegetable scrubbing,
peeling, chopping and patience as the chicken, vegetables and herbs
yield their comforting aromas to the broth. You can make this as chunky
or liquid as you want: if you feel weak and digestively challenged, you
may prefer to sip just the broth. If you want something more sustaining,
add some finely shredded chicken meat, mushrooms and <em>bok choy</em>, or perhaps a little pre-cooked basmati rice to make the soup even more satisfying.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A
small word of warning: according to the Environmental Working Group,
celery is often tainted with pesticide residues – in fact, it ranks
second on the organization’s “Dirty Dozen” list (2); I recommend you buy
organic celery only. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The
same goes for the chicken you use to make this soup: treat yourself to
an organically reared one (ideally, a chicken that’s led an active
outdoor life and is a little older than average: the older, the
tastier!) Most supermarket chickens are reared at lightning speed in
confined spaces and fattened with corn and antibiotics. They may look
nice and plump under their shiny shrink wrap, but they have little
flavor and contain unhealthy fats since corn is rich in inflammatory
omega-6 fatty acids that make their way into the meat of the chicken.</span><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Magical Chicken Soup</strong> (Serves 4-5)</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 small organic chicken (2-3lb/1-1½ kg), any giblets removed</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2
leeks, darkest third cut off, rinsed under running water (peeling the
outer leaves apart) to re-move any grit; then coarsely chopped</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3 carrots, peeled and sliced</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 ribs organic celery (non-organic celery may contain pesticide residues), coarsely chopped</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 large chunk of fresh ginger root (1-1½ inch/3-4 cm), coarsely sliced</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3 cloves garlic, chopped</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">½ tsp thyme </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 bay leaf</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">10fl oz/1 ¼ cups/300ml strong green tea</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3.5oz/⅔ cup/100g green peas (fresh or frozen) </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 head bok choi, green portions finely shredded</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">½ cup peas (fresh or frozen)</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3-4 tbsp cooked rice (optional)</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1-2 tbsp lemon juice, </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">a drizzle of Thai fish sauce (optional)</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) or parsley</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">salt & freshly ground black pepper</span></em>
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Wash
the chicken inside and out and place in a large cooking pot with a lid.
Sprinkle the chopped leeks, carrots, onion, celery and ginger around
the chicken along with bay leaf, thyme and a table-spoon of lemon juice.
Fill the pot with just enough cold water to barely cover the chicken.
Bring to the boil, skim off any foam that may rise to the surface, cover
and simmer on lowest setting for 1½ hours.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When
the chicken is cooked through, lift it out of the broth and set aside
to cool on a plate. Pour the broth through a fine-meshed strainer or
cheese cloth into another large pot and discard the vegetables. If you
want to drink just the broth, season it now with salt, pepper, fish
sauce (if desired), lemon juice and add a small sprinkling of chopped
cilantro or parsley. (You can shred the chicken meat and freeze it for
later use in a salad or soup.)</span></em><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">If
you want a more sustaining soup, bring the both back to a simmer and
add sliced shiitake mush-rooms; cook around 5 minutes until they begin
to soften. While the mushrooms are cooking, remove the chicken skin,
shred one or both chicken breasts (depending on how much meat you want)
and refrigerate or freeze the rest of the meat for another meal. </span></em><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Add
shredded meat, finely sliced bok choi, peas, cooked rice (if using) and
green tea to the broth and cook 1-2 minutes until the bok choi is soft
but still retains its bright green color. </span></em><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Season
to taste with pepper, salt, fish sauce (if desired) and lemon juice.
Sprinkle with cilantro (coriander) or parsley and serve immediately.</span></em><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">References</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(1) Is Chicken Soup an Essential Drug? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1230870/pdf/cmaj_161_12_1532.pdf</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(2)
Rennard BO, Ertl RF, Gossman GL, Robbins RA, Rennard SI. Chicken soup
inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis in vitro.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11035691 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(3) EWG’s Dirty Dozen list http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/</span>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-47738905256377146062012-10-29T22:13:00.001-07:002012-10-29T22:13:27.303-07:00Verity's Cottage Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGr3L6I6-dVjGbXCbSnQ9X5DvvUBmLQ5cDJOV3T2k68JKl4SpZ-Er9E6ZoR3xJLa03HAtOJxk4TY6hQBGyADKuNL0Ck4ApfEDgqf3VhwezAxH1QGG1jFlRThCiNdkvgFanfFqGBZ8mo0/s1600/Verity+on+the+beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGr3L6I6-dVjGbXCbSnQ9X5DvvUBmLQ5cDJOV3T2k68JKl4SpZ-Er9E6ZoR3xJLa03HAtOJxk4TY6hQBGyADKuNL0Ck4ApfEDgqf3VhwezAxH1QGG1jFlRThCiNdkvgFanfFqGBZ8mo0/s320/Verity+on+the+beach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Meet Verity, breast cancer thriver extraordinaire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Through
a combination of conventional and complementary treatments, exercise,
spiritual practice, dietary change and gritty determination, she is in
remission from stage IV – also known as metastatic – breast cancer.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Today’s recipe is hers, but first, I’d like to share her story with you.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Two
years ago – she had just celebrated her 37th birthday and her daughter
was about to turn one –Verity found a lump in her breast. In just a few
weeks that lump turned out not only to be breast cancer, but breast
cancer that had spread to her bones and was destroying her vertebrae.
Having just spent the past year settling into her new career as a
mother, Verity’s life was turned upside down again by the cancer
diagnosis.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Metastatic
breast cancer (MBC) is a disease where cancer has traveled through the
bloodstream and spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones,
liver, or brain. According to <a href="http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/types/recur_metast/living_metast" target="_blank">Breastcancer.org</a>,
“many women can live for years with metastatic cancer that’s under
control. For these women, living with a diagnosis of metastatic breast
cancer is like living with a chronic disease. It can go into remission,
be active sometimes and not others, or move quickly. It frequently
involves trying one treatment after another, ideally with breaks in
between treatments when you feel good. The goal of treatment is to help
you feel as well as possible and live a longer life.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Even
so, a stage IV diagnosis is grim: the median survival rate of women
with metastatic breast cancer is two to three years. Frustratingly for
MBC patients, there is relatively little funding for research into stage
IV breast cancer. According to <a href="http://www.metavivor.org/index.html" target="_blank">MetaVivor</a>,
a non-profit organization pushing for more MBC research funding, only
2-5% of U.S. breast-cancer research funds are being used to research
treatments for MBC, even though nearly one-third of breast cancer
patients have MBC.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“The
Pink Ribbon Movement continues to focus on prevention, early detection
and the stories of non-recurred survivors,” Metavivor says on its
website. However, “it scarcely mentions the existence or extent of the
metastatic breast cancer community. The ignored reality? Of those
diagnosed with breast cancer, 30% will metastasize and almost all of
those will die. The reality is just about as far from rosy pink as it
gets. <a href="http://www.metavivor.org/Awareness_Stats.html" target="_blank">Read the stats</a> the pink movement never mentions.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In
the absence of effective long-term treatments, many MBC patients do
what they can to boost their cancer defenses. Verity is one of them.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Soon after being diagnosed, she read Dr. David Servan-Schreiber’s book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Anticancer-New-Way-Life/dp/0670021644" target="_blank">Anticancer, A New Way Of Life</a>”
and began looking into integrative cancer treatments. In addition to
conventional treatments – surgery, chemotherapy and radiation – she used
a wide range of complementary interventions to support her treatment.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“I
regained a sense of control of my life through food, juicing, exercise,
and a combination of orthodox and complementary medicine,” Verity
explains. “The list goes on and I am forever refining it.” The most
frequently-read post on her blog, <a href="http://www.verityslifestyle.com/" target="_blank">Verity’s Lifestyle.com</a>, is entitled “<a href="http://www.verityslifestyle.com/on-cancer/veritys-anti-cancer-toolbox/" target="_blank">My Anti-Cancer Toolbox</a>” and lists all the resources she has used to help her back to health.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The
integrative approach Verity has used may be paying off. “As of this
breast Cancer Awareness Month [2012] I am officially in remission from
Stage IV cancer and intend to be the healthiest in mind, body and spirit
going forward.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">What
a journey it’s been. Two years ago, Verity recalls, “I didn’t know if I
was going to be able to go on lovely long dog walks in the country or
on the beach anymore. In fact I had even talked with my husband about
moving to a house more suitable should I need a wheelchair.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“My
back was so messed up from my collapsed vertebrae that I had to employ
the aid of two walking poles and although I got very speedy on them I
was also reliant on them. I visited my favorite beaches with a few of my
best friends last winter and quietly lamented to myself that I may
never be able to do a beautiful four-mile beach walk again.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Fast
forward to this spring and summer, after a lot of exercise and holistic
treatments.“I walked those four miles and more. Then I went on a juice
retreat … where I took up rebounding and yoga and walked six hilly miles
on several occasions,” Verity recounts. “At that retreat I also decided
that next year I will be walking the Moonwalk in London to raise money
for a variety of breast cancer charities including one that supported me
while I was ill, <a href="http://www.pennybrohncancercare.org/" target="_blank">Penny Brohn Cancer Care</a>.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This summer, Verity even braved the Norfolk surf with her body-board (see picture, above</span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">).
“Who’d have thought it two years ago – I wouldn’t!” she marvels, adding
wistfully: “I know I’m very lucky to be in this position and I never
take it for granted.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">On
her blog Verity posts delicious, healthy recipes she has developed over
the past two years. There is also an inspirational post by her husband
David: “<a href="http://www.verityslifestyle.com/on-cancer/on-being-supportive/" target="_blank">On Being Supportive</a>,” written to encourage partners of cancer patients.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">One
of Verity’s greatest allies has been her iron determination in the face
of MBC. “I decided very early on to use one of my strongest qualities
to regain health. I’m bossy, so I’ve used that with my cancer,” she
laughs. Still, even self-avowed bossy-boots have wobbly moments. “Don’t
think that I have a brave face all the time!” What has helped in those
moments has been her “great network of friends and family who support
me.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Verity has kindly contributed one of her recipes, a super-healthy vegetarian Cottage Pie (repla</span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/veritys-cottage-pie.jpg"></a></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">cing beef with lentils and peas) using a wide variety of anti-cancer herbs and vegetables. Perfect cancer-warrior soul food.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/veritys-cottage-pie.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright" height="224" src="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/veritys-cottage-pie-300x224.jpg" title="veritys cottage pie" width="300" /></a></span> </strong></span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Verity’s Cottage Pie</strong></span></i><br />
<br />
<u><i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>Filling</em></span></i></u><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This
recipe makes enough for 8-10 servings of pie filling; I make up half
then freeze the rest, adding the topping when I want to cook it.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 cup Puy lentils (small, dark green French lentils)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 cup of brown lentils</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 large onion, chopped</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3 garlic cloves, smashed and left for 10 minutes before finely chopping</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 tbsp of olive oil/coconut oil</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3 large Portobello mushrooms chopped into approx 1-inch/2cm cubes</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">6 medium carrots, chopped into quarter rounds</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 cups frozen peas</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 level tsp ground cinnamon</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 tsp dried mixed herbs</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 tbsp tomato purée 2 ½ pints/1.4l vegetable stock</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">freshly ground black pepper</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em><u>Topping </u>(for 4-5 portions) </em></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 leek, finely chopped</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2 tbsp olive oil</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Pre-soak the lentils in water for approximately 4 hours (even better to sprout them for 2 days). Drain the water.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In
a large saucepan gently cook the onions in the oil until translucent,
then add the garlic and stir for a couple of minutes. Add cinnamon,
mushrooms, carrots and lentils and cook over a gentle heat for a few
minutes. Next stir in the tomato purée and vegetable stock, cover and
simmer for approximately 30 minutes. You don’t want the mixture to get
dry – it needs“gravy” so it’s worth checking to see whether you need to
add a little extra water.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">While
this is simmering, cook the leeks gently in a saucepan with a little
oil and steam the sweet potato. When both are cooked, mix together with a
fork to create a chunky mash.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When
the lentil vegetable mixture is cooked add in the mixed herbs, peas and
plenty of freshly ground black pepper – stir well. Spoon half the
lentil-vegetable mixture into an ovenproof dish (about 11 x 8 inches /
27cm x 20cm) and scoop the topping over to cover. You can add some
grated organic goats’ cheese if you like.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Pop
into an oven pre-heated to 340°F (170°C) and bake for 25 – 30 minutes
until the top is just going brown. Serve with some lightly steamed
broccoli or cabbage.</span></i>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-16963601999261123422012-10-29T22:10:00.001-07:002012-10-29T22:14:41.550-07:00Healthy Chocolate-hazelnut Paste<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhhssvILe41oHXOQanizPx2YpZEF9p2Oouhbu-tB5aCIhhYLw6d7XOsJlgin8EL9r39fIRQzJgULGLmyBXnUxWeDsIyKElS8xm8riSXNIT3BqcSR2gT_PAXHCHnjawx3Koc8s434Rnnw/s1600/Nutri-Tella.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhhssvILe41oHXOQanizPx2YpZEF9p2Oouhbu-tB5aCIhhYLw6d7XOsJlgin8EL9r39fIRQzJgULGLmyBXnUxWeDsIyKElS8xm8riSXNIT3BqcSR2gT_PAXHCHnjawx3Koc8s434Rnnw/s320/Nutri-Tella.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A reader expressed surprise that I had included what she thought was commercial chocolate-hazelnut paste in my <a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/avocado-chocolate-nutella-pudding/" title="Avocado Chocolate “Nutella” Pudding">avocado-chocolate pudding</a>; please let me take this opportunity to clear up the misunderstanding with today’s recipe for a healthy alternative to Nutella<i>.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i> </i></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">First, a confession: as a child, I was a Nutella addict. Persuaded by advertisements like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ThIrw_LpuRA" target="_blank">this one</a>
that the sugary chocolate paste was an excellent source of energy for
growing children, my mother bought a steady supply of the sweet
confection and we ate it greedily, usually by the spoonful when no one
was looking, but also at breakfast, spread on white toast.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(By
the way, notice how the mom in the commercial talks about “multigrain
toast,” “whole wheat waffles” and “simple, quality ingredients like
hazelnuts”? I call that “health claim by association”: when you’re
selling a less-than-healthy product, pair it with healthy ones and hope
their health halo will extend to your sugary confection. Does Nutella
make you “ready to tackle the day”? Yes, for about an hour before the
likely blood-sugar crash… No to mention the long-term effects of eating
nutrient-depleted sugar pastes on white bread, washed down with OJ
year-in, year out… But I digress.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">It
was only decades later, when I began to understand the connection
between health and food, that I realized why spooning down Nutella was
not a good idea. A look at the ingredients as posted on their U.S.
website (1) sends shudders down my spine: they are listed (in this
order) as “sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, reduced
minerals whey (milk), lecithin as emulsifier (soy), vanillin: an
artificial flavor.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Hazelnuts in third place — that doesn’t sound so bad, you say? No, it doesn’t – until you realize that third place comes a <i>loooong</i>
way after sugar (which accounts for 54.4% of the paste) and palm oil
(30.3%), leaving only a measly 15% for hazelnuts, milk and cocoa (2).
Oh, and artificial flavoring.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Nutella
packs in 200 calories per two-tablespoon serving. I’m no calorie-phobe,
but when fast-developing children regularly eat 200 calories that are
entirely devoid of nutritional value, that’s a disaster. This is not to
say that we can’t occasionally indulge in a teaspoon of Nutella at a
hotel or when visiting a Nutella-eater’s house, but let’s try not to
bring it into our homes, because once it’s there, it’s hard to stop at
two tablespoons…</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Especially when we can make our own vastly more nutritious (and, I would argue, more delicious) Nutella replacement!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The following recipe, taken from my book <i><a href="http://www.zestforlifediet.com/">Zest for Life</a></i>,
is inspired by Nutella (even I can’t deny that hazelnuts and chocolate
are a match made in heaven), but is free from palm oil, sugar,
artificial flavorings and dairy. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Instead,
it’s heavy on hazelnuts, whose skins have an antioxidant capacity 7-8
times that of dark chocolate, 10 times that of espresso coffee, and 25
times that of blackberries (3). Hazelnuts also provide healthy
monounsaturated fats and protein, so this home-made paste is likely to
keep you sated longer than commercial equivalents and thus curb
snack-attacks.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The paste’s sweetness comes from honey (whose praises I sang in the <a href="http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/warming-ginger-and-lemon-infusion/" target="_blank">previous post</a>)
and prunes which, in addition to having a moderate glycemic impact,
contain natural compounds that have been shown to selectively kill human
breast cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact (which I have
written about <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201011/humble-fruits-pack-powerful-punch" target="_blank">here</a>).
These compounds – chlorogenic and neo-chlorogenic acid – have also been
shown in rodent studies to inhibit the spread of cancer cells
(metastasis).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b><i>Homemade Hazelnut-Chocolate Spread</i></b><i> (makes about 10oz/1¼ cup/300g)</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>5¼ oz/</i>⅔ <i>cup/150g hazelnut butter </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>3.5oz/scant
½ cup/100g prune puree (health-food shop, or make it yourself: combine
1/2 cup pitted prunes with 3-4 tbsp hot water in a food processor and
blend until smooth.) </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>2-3 tbsp honey (to taste) </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>1 heaped tbsp pure, unsweetened cocoa </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>2-3 tbsp lukewarm water </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>1 tsp natural vanilla extract</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>In
a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except hazelnut butter and
mix. With a metal spoon, carefully fold hazelnut paste into this
mixture, taking care not to stir too vigorously or the oil may separate
out. Add a little lukewarm water if you want a softer paste. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Transfer to an empty, clean jam jar; keeps for about two weeks in the refrigerator.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Slather
on wholegrain toast, waffles and pancakes, dab on banana slices or stir
into yogurt. (This paste is rich in calories, so enjoy sparingly – for
even nutrient-dense calories are calories!)</i></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">References</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(1) U.S. Nutella website: <a href="http://www.nutellausa.com/ingredients.htm">http://www.nutellausa.com/ingredients.htm</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(2) Australian Nutella website: <a href="http://www.nutella.com.au/faq/">http://www.nutella.com.au/faq/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(3) Del Rio D., Calani L., Dall’Asta M., Brighenti F.: <i><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=hazelnuts%20del%20rio">Polyphenolic composition of hazelnut skin</a></i>. J Agric Food Chem. 2011 Sep 28;59(18):9935-41:</span>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-79480286571103125602012-10-29T22:07:00.003-07:002012-10-29T22:07:56.092-07:00Avocado Chocolate "Nutella" Pudding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nLD-HFxZ4Ktuw9uUyRPbG6AXb6rU3B6ymiNCD2YdzvtH_vWHZMR73pNZIRxmmbSI8J4R_TSqA_2CbNShJr5ZR28g8lxK8REGebX7a3rUA7yqKk-x9Vq6-nOlvcNzqTyQi-QSInI7w9s/s1600/avocado+choc+mousse+4+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nLD-HFxZ4Ktuw9uUyRPbG6AXb6rU3B6ymiNCD2YdzvtH_vWHZMR73pNZIRxmmbSI8J4R_TSqA_2CbNShJr5ZR28g8lxK8REGebX7a3rUA7yqKk-x9Vq6-nOlvcNzqTyQi-QSInI7w9s/s320/avocado+choc+mousse+4+web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">If
you think you’ve misread the title of this dish – “Avocados and
chocolate? Surely not!” – please bear with us; it’s not what it seems. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Granted, it does sound like a bold combination; but when you think about it, avocadoes <em>are</em> fruits, and they don’t <em>have</em>
to be eaten as guacamole. Moreover, both avocados and chocolate contain
powerful anti-cancer nutrients, so that’s as good a reason as any for
us to enjoy this dish regularly.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This
confection is also ridiculously delicious, and that’s not something you
can say of a lot of gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free desserts. In
fact, it’s so non-avocado-ey that my hyper-sensitive and uber-critical
testers (my three kids) didn’t flinch when they tasted this, safe in the
conviction that they were eating a traditional egg-cream-chocolate
mousse. The avocado revelation blew them away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Before we start cooking, a quick nutritional review.<br />
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Avocados
are a veritable font of health. For one, they boast a long list of
carotenoids (powerful antioxidants erroneously associated only with red,
yellow and orange produce) such as beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and
lutein, and the more obscure neochrome, neoxanthin, chrysanthemaxanthin,
beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and violaxanthin.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Moreover, avocados contain several extremely healthy fats. (Yes, the terms “fat” and “health” <em>can</em> be compatible!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">First
are the phytosterols (such as beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and
stigmasterol), compounds that help to keep inflammation under control.
Second are avocados’ polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs), which
provide further anti-inflammatory benefits. Third is the oleic acid in
avocado (it’s also the predominant fatty acid in olive oil); oleic acid
helps our digestive tract form transport molecules that facilitate the
absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like carotenoids.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Add
to the list of anti-cancer factors in avocados the flavonoids
epicatechin and epigallocatechin 3-0-gallate, vitamins C and E, and the
minerals manganese, selenium, and zinc and omega-3 fatty acids, and
you’ve got yourself a super food! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Alas, there isn’t (yet) much research available on the anti-cancer properties of avocados, but one interesting <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Selective%20induction%20of%20apoptosis%20of%20human%20oral%20cancer%20cell%20lines%20by%20avocado%20extracts%20via%20a%20ROS-mediated%20mechanism">study</a>
showed that avocado extract can selectively kill oral cancer cells by
prompting them to self-destruct (a process called apoptosis); at the
same time, it supports the health of non-cancerous cells by increasing
their supply antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But
what about cocoa? Due to its high concentration of catechins and
procyanidins (plant chemicals with antioxidant properties), cocoa may
also have beneficial health effects against oxidative stress and chronic
inflammation. Procyanidins are prevalent in red wine, but cocoa is an
excellent alternative for teetotalers: for two to three squares of
good-quality chocolate containing 70-85% cocoa solids are equivalent to a
125 milliliter glass of procyanidin-rich red wine. Research into the
link between cocoa and cancer is still in its infancy, but scientists
have observed that cocoa procyanidins slow the development of breast
cancer in laboratory cell cultures, prostate cancer in rats and may
lower inflammation in humans.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Most
supermarkets sell chocolate with 70% cocoa content or more; if yours
doesn’t, you can find it at a health-food store or online. Raw cacao
(which hasn’t been roasted or processed with an alkalizing agent – a
process called “dutching”) is the best to use here as it contains a much
greater concentration of antioxidant flavonols than processed cocoa. (<a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-10/thc-nsr100808.php">One study</a>
found that 60% of natural cocoa’s original antioxidants were destroyed
by even light dutching, and 90% were destroyed by heavy dutching.)
Because some cocoa-producing countries allow the use on cocoa plants of
pesticides banned in the US and Europe, we suggest you buy cocoa
products with an organic certification.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Before
we finally start cooking, I should confess that I haven’t created this
recipe myself; it’s been rumbling around the internet, making the rounds
in the vegan and paleo diet communities (achieving a rare meeting of
minds over this one dish). I wish I knew who started it because I should
like to hug them and thank them for this fabulous addition to my
healthy-eating repertoire. I have adapted it slightly by adding hazelnut
butter to make it taste like my erstwhile favorite confection, Nutella.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Finally,
I’d also like to thank the amazing team at “World’s Healthiest Foods”
for supplying such detailed information about the <a href="http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5">benefits of avocados</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">And now for the recipe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong><br />
</strong></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Avocado-Chocolate “Nutella” Pudding (Serves 2-3)</strong></span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 ripe avocado</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1/4 cup cocoa powder</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1 tbsp hazelnut butter </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">6 tablespoons coconut or hazelnut milk</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Optional toppings: grated coconut, almond slivers, ground cocoa nibs, coarsely grated chocolate</span></em><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Place all the ingredients in a small electric blender. Blend until perfectly smooth and creamy. </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Spoon into cups/bowls/ramekins and top if desired.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Serve.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Swoon…</span></em>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-72329248614236639392012-10-29T22:05:00.001-07:002012-10-29T22:05:22.489-07:00Broccoli and Carrot Fritters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAzg2_0eQCyDoUauRbp0W7fvS-uprawXORx-_4iL_Q8g85w4gGODDiyo1SNFSl6vSkK3_SlDXzDNOw5C9siyVdpHVbRpwqHwSMYSDci6P5rEa9REXaOm-YqFMoBFrmc8MNQbkO-qIhOE/s1600/Broccoli+fritters+compressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAzg2_0eQCyDoUauRbp0W7fvS-uprawXORx-_4iL_Q8g85w4gGODDiyo1SNFSl6vSkK3_SlDXzDNOw5C9siyVdpHVbRpwqHwSMYSDci6P5rEa9REXaOm-YqFMoBFrmc8MNQbkO-qIhOE/s320/Broccoli+fritters+compressed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When
you type “broccoli” and “cancer” into the PubMed search field, you get
679 results, testament to broccoli’s cancer-busting antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Research
links it to a decreased risk of prostate cancer, colon cancer, breast
cancer, bladder cancer, and ovarian cancer, and studies into other types
of cancer are ongoing. My family eats it at least twice a week – often
more – and I would encourage you to do the same.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sulforaphane,
the molecule that gives brassicas their sharp taste, helps eliminate
toxic compounds linked to the development of cancer and may trigger the
self destruction (apoptosis) of some types of cancer cells. Among
brassicas, broccoli is the best source of sulforaphane. Sprouted
broccoli seeds, sold in health-food shops but also easy to grow at home,
are an even more concentrated source of this compound: they contain
between 10 and 100 times more sulforaphane than broccoli.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Broccoli
also contains a compound called indole-3-carbinol which has been found
in laboratory studies to inhibit the development of cancers of the
breast, stomach, colon, lung and liver, and may reverse pre-cancerous
changes in the cervix. It may also affect estrogen activity and thus
prevent estrogen-sensitive breast cancer. In addition, broccoli contains
a flavonoid called kaempferol which has powerful anti-inflammatory
properties.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">If
you want to eat more broccoli but are bored by plain, steamed (alas,
often overcooked) florets, why not try these nifty little fritters?
They’re actually a meal-in-one as they contain protein (from the eggs),
blood-sugar stabilizing starches (vegetables and coconut flour, lots of
sating fiber (ditto) and coconut oil’s healthy fats. Eat them on their
own, or top them with guacamole and broccoli sprouts or a slice of raw
salmon, sashimi-style. (Make sure any raw fish you eat is
super-super-fresh; if your immune system is weakened or you are
pregnant, replace raw fish with wasabi-salmon mousse – recipe coming
soon!).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">It’s
easy to double this recipe and freeze the fritters (separated by sheets
of baking parchment for easy defrosting) for quick re-heating at a
later date. These make great lunch-box fillers too! And if you suffer
from sensitivities, they’re gluten-free and dairy-free.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong><br />
</strong></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><strong>Broccoli and Carrot Fritters – Recipe </strong>(makes 10-12 fritters)</span></em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>1 head (approx. 8 oz) baby broccoli, or “adult” broccoli, stems removed</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>4 eggs</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>1 grated carrot (grate on the coarse side of a box grater)</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>1 tbsp grated ginger root</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>2 cloves garlic, crushed</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>2 tbsp coconut flour (available in health-food shops)</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>1 tbsp black sesame seeds</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>juice of ½ lime</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>salt, freshly ground black pepper</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>2-3 tbsp coconut oil</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>In
a medium pot fitted with a stainless steel steaming basket, bring an
inch of water to boil; meanwhile, chop the broccoli with a long kitchen
knife until you get coarse chunks resembling fine rubble. Steam the
broccoli for 5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain in a colander and set
aside.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>While
the broccoli is cooking, in a medium bowl beat the eggs with the grated
carrot, grated ginger, crushed garlic, coconut flour, sesame seeds,
cilantro and lime juice. Add the drained broccoli crumbs to this mixture
and stir to mix well. Season with salt and pepper.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>Gently
melt the coconut oil in a large, cast-iron frying pan. Once it’s hot,
spoon the broccoli batter into the pan – about two dessert spoons’ worth
of batter per fritter. Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden, then flip
with a spatula and cook the other side until golden.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>Remove and drain off any excess fat onto kitchen paper; keep warm until all fritters are cooked, then serve immediately.</em></span>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-78441020147406206632012-10-03T14:00:00.001-07:002012-10-03T15:28:49.199-07:00Eggplant "Pizzas"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEKZurglRuoeOGRtCgCtRbLzitoj6hfGdL0Oiq0XHKLKXb8lykQesEOBChPI-xpGEh2qu42Nika4pbxqAyhPSnObxDqJSvOwKFYiUtQGPVhxi1rQ4_DD3hf1IqoRjX58EPx4s5bej0F8/s1600/aubergine+pizza+may12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEKZurglRuoeOGRtCgCtRbLzitoj6hfGdL0Oiq0XHKLKXb8lykQesEOBChPI-xpGEh2qu42Nika4pbxqAyhPSnObxDqJSvOwKFYiUtQGPVhxi1rQ4_DD3hf1IqoRjX58EPx4s5bej0F8/s320/aubergine+pizza+may12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US">Grilled eggplant slices act as the
“pizza crust” onto which you can pile any number of vegetables, nuts, fish,
seeds, olives, capers, cheeses, etc. The version below contains seven
vegetables (including those used to make the sauce)! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an added benefit, they’re very easy to make,
and quick, too, if you have Basic tomato sauce (see below) in your refrigerator
or freezer. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US">Because of their high water content, many
people think that eggplants don’t offer much in the way of nutrients. However,
nothing could be further from the truth! In addition to providing a wide range
of vitamins and minerals, eggplants also contains important plant nutrients thought
to have anti-cancer benefits, such as caffeic and chlorogenic acid, and
flavonoids such as <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">nasunin</span>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US">Another way in which eggplants provide
cancer protection is by removing excess iron from our bodies, for nasunin is
not only a potent antioxidant, but also an iron chelator (a compound that binds
to iron, making it unavailable for use by the body). Although iron is an essential
nutrient, too much of it boosts the production of free radicals and is
associated with an increased risk of heart disease and cancer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By binding iron, nasunin lowers the risk of cellular
damage that can promote cancer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US">Most of eggplants’ healthy compounds are
concentrated in the skin, so either buy organic eggplants or, if you buy
conventionally grown eggplants, make sure you wash them thoroughly. One note of
caution: eggplants belong to the nightshade family of plants. For most people
this is not a problem, but people with nightshade allergies should avoid these
(along with tomatoes, peppers, cayenne and chili peppers and potatoes).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US">Serves 4 as a side dish or <i>hors
d’oeuvre</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">2 large, firm eggplants</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">2fl oz/¼ cup/60ml olive oil </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">7fl oz/scant 1 cup/200ml Basic tomato
sauce (see below) </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">6oz/170g roast peppers in olive oil</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">15 sliced chestnut or button
mushrooms </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">3oz/85g feta or mozzarella cheese </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">10 black olives, chopped or sliced </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">4 tbsp pine nuts</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond MT";">Preheat
grill to medium. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond MT";">With
a long knife, cut off a thin slice on either side of the eggplants, and then
slice the rest of the eggplants into 4-5 slices approximately as thick as your
index finger. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond MT";">Cover
a baking tray with parchment and lay eggplant slices on it; lightly brush both
sides with olive oil and slide under the grill. Grill 5-6 minutes on each side
until golden. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond MT";">Remove
and spread tomato sauce onto each eggplant slice. Top with grilled peppers,
mushrooms, cheese, olives and pine nuts or anything else you would top a pizza
with. Grill for another 8-10 minutes until the toppings begin to turn golden
and the cheese has melted. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond MT";">Lift
onto plates with a spatula. To really boost your vegetable quota, serve with a
mixed salad or steamed vegetables of your choice. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">Variation</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond MT";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond MT";">These
taste delicious on slices of sourdough bread that have been lightly toasted,
rubbed with fresh garlic and drizzled with olive oil, Spanish <i>tapa</i>-style.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Basic
Tomato Sauce </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US">This can be made in 15 minutes, but the
longer you let it simmer, the better it will taste. Unseasoned, unsalted
tomatoes in jars are fine if you can’t get fresh ones. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">2 tbsp olive oil </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">2 onions, chopped </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">2 cloves garlic, chopped </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">1¾lb/800g fresh tomatoes, coarsely
chopped</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">½ tsp each of thyme and oregano </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">1 bay leaf </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">3 tbsp tomato paste </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">salt & freshly ground black
pepper </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-US">acacia honey (optional)</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond MT";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond MT";">In
a heavy-bottomed pot, gently warm olive oil and cook onion and garlic until
translucent. Add tomatoes, herbs and tomato paste, bring to the boil, cover and
simmer on low heat for at least 15 minutes. If it seems too thick, add some
water or a splash of white or red wine. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond MT";">Remove
bay leaf. Transfer sauce to blender and liquidize until smooth and creamy.
Season with salt and pepper; add a little acacia honey if it is too acidic.</span></div>
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<![endif]-->Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-34235990900749509392012-10-02T16:22:00.002-07:002012-10-02T16:30:45.134-07:00Fruity Breakfast Lentils<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAPFr3Kji8Btyb1amzeLg7c37_k3Vuxs3CDsBsmFax-GDwXdqvmm9ohaJnP5CZ0piG4rCnSkrm6Nf8EiqWaUN3fbN-bXVQ3-zTBs9Gg6ub3_BI8umjLEvDl_D0U1zS4t6FnrujGQjj2M/s1600/dal+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAPFr3Kji8Btyb1amzeLg7c37_k3Vuxs3CDsBsmFax-GDwXdqvmm9ohaJnP5CZ0piG4rCnSkrm6Nf8EiqWaUN3fbN-bXVQ3-zTBs9Gg6ub3_BI8umjLEvDl_D0U1zS4t6FnrujGQjj2M/s320/dal+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the second dish in my “A Recipe A Day To Keep Cancer Away” initiative that will be running through the whole month of October.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This
vegan lentil stew — inspired by the classic Indian dish “dal” — makes a
surprisingly satisfying breakfast: It’s kinda sweet and kinda salty,
thus appealing <i>both</i> to those who want a starchy, sweet start to
the day and to those (myself included) who need a plate of filling,
savory food to get going.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of
course you can enjoy this dish at any time of the day, diluted, if you
like, into a more soupy texture with stock, water or coconut milk
(heavenly!). If you’re wondering how on earth to find the time to cook <i>dal</i>
in the morning: cook it ahead! I usually make twice this amount, freeze
it in small containers and defrost these whenever the need arises,
mornings included. I also freeze batches of cooked basmati rice to serve
alongside this dish and others.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From
a nutritional point of view this hits all the right buttons, for almost
every ingredient in this dish has anti-cancer properties. Here’s a
non-exhaustive list:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Onions and garlic</b>
contain organosulfur compounds that help prevent the onset and
progression of certain types of cancers, especially of the stomach,
colon and rectum, larynx and esophagus.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Ginger</b>
has powerful anti-inflammatory properties has been found to induce cell
death in ovarian cancer cells and to inhibit the growth of colorectal
cancer cells.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Curry powder</b>, and specifically one spice that gives it its yellow color, <b>turmeric</b>,
can reduce inflammation, inhibit the rapid growth of cancer cells,
induce their self-destruction (apoptosis) and discourage the growth of
blood vessels feeding tumors.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> Legumes such as lentils </b>contain
plant chemicals that play a role in cancer prevention, such as
saponins, protease inhibitors and phytic acid. Many legumes also contain
natural compounds that resemble a weak form of estrogen. These may
protect against certain types of cancer, notably breast and prostate
cancer. Legumes eaten with rice constitute complete proteins, making
this combo a boon for vegans and vegetarians.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Apples</b>
contain a long list of cancer-protective plant compounds such as
quercetin, chlorogenic acid and (when they’re red) anthocyanins. These
are mostly concentrated in the skin, so buy organic apples and leave the
skin on. Research suggests that apples can help lower the risk of
variuos cancer types, including colon, breast and lung cancer.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Tomatoes</b>
are rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds (the best-known
of which is lycopene) and are thought to lower the risk of prostate,
breast and pancreatic cancer. One of its compounds, called
alpha-tomatine, has also been shown in laboratory studies to trigger the
self-destruction (apoptosis) of prostate cancer cells.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Citrus fruit such as limes</b>
contain a range of compounds with antioxidant, anti-cancer and
immune-boosting properties. Limes, for instance, contain flavonoids that
have been shown to stop cell division in various types of cancer cells.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Cilantro</b>
contains an exceptionally high concentration of plant nutrients (e.g.
carvol, geraniol, limonene, quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol and many
others) with antimicrobial and blood-sugar balancing properties.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Coconut oil and ghee</b>, whilst not having any proven “anti-cancer” properties <i>per se</i>,
are excellent fats to use for cooking as they do not degrade at higher
temperatures. Most plant oils are oxidized by heat, thus creating free
radicals that can attack our cell membranes and lead to cancerous
changes; when cooking, therefore, it’s best to use stable fats like ghee
and coconut oil. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Fruity Breakfast Lentils recipe (Serves 4)</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>2 tbsp coconut oil</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>1 large onion, coarsely chopped</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>3 cloves garlic, finely chopped</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>1 tbsp freshly grated ginger</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>2 tsp curry powder</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>1 tsp turmeric powder</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>a pinch of chili powder (if using)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>2 cups red lentils</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>1 organic apple, cubed (skin left on)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>2 tomatoes, cubed</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>4 cups water</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>the juice of ½ lime</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>salt, pepper</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>1 large, red onion</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>1-2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped or whole (for garnish)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>black sesame seeds for garnish</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>a few thin slices of lime for garnish</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In
a medium pot with a heavy bottom, melt the coconut oil and cook the
onion and garlic until translucent (about 5 minutes), stirring
regularly. Add grated ginger, curry, turmeric and chili and continue
cooking for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the spices don’t burn.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Add
lentils, apple and tomato cubes and combine well; cook for 1-2 minutes,
stirring. Now add water, stir again and bring to a boil. As soon as the
mixture is bubbling, lower heat to lowest setting, cover and simmer for
about 30 minutes, or until the lentils turn into a soft mush. Stir
occasionally to break down the apples and tomatoes; this releases their
juices and moistens the lentil mixture, thus preventing it from burning.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While
the lentils are cooking, melt the ghee in a small frying pan on
moderate heat and cook the sliced red onion. Salt it lightly to draw out
its juices, cover and stir every 5-10 minutes, adding a little water if
the onion slices get too crisp or start to stick to the pan. Cook onion
for 15-20 minutes until it is soft and melting. Set aside and keep
warm.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once
the lentils and fruits are soft, remove from heat and season to taste
with salt, pepper and lime juice, cover and set aside. (If you want the
dish to be more filling, stir in another tablespoon of coconut oil or
ghee at this point.)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Serve
with a small portion of steamed basmati rice, slather with caramelized
onions, top with a slice of lime, sprinkle with black sesame seeds and
chopped cilantro and serve immediately.</span></span>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-14215444773674688902012-10-01T15:32:00.001-07:002012-10-01T15:35:01.823-07:00A Recipe A Day To Keep Cancer Away<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_N2dikKSX6UMgvPSw_dt6uK6-_Ym5wJp3hk8bv-tsRxpVtGrKNwyKW3r-sD5nAacFD0x9B65-unciWlNnPt90Vvh8S41G8lARq_kKuNc6sacSGbHqH46_75t8k54C_uDW7CovlAXI-Y/s1600/pink+ribbon+raspberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_N2dikKSX6UMgvPSw_dt6uK6-_Ym5wJp3hk8bv-tsRxpVtGrKNwyKW3r-sD5nAacFD0x9B65-unciWlNnPt90Vvh8S41G8lARq_kKuNc6sacSGbHqH46_75t8k54C_uDW7CovlAXI-Y/s320/pink+ribbon+raspberry.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">As my contribution to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I will publish
an anti-cancer recipe here every day throughout the month of October.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Echoing the
Breast Cancer Fund’s “<a href="http://www.breastcancerfund.org/reduce-your-risk/breast-cancer-prevention-month/">Prevention
is Power</a>” Campaign, I want to empower you to do what you can to prevent
cancer – not just breast cancer, but all other types of cancer too. By eating foods
with cancer-protective properties three (or more) times a day, you can boost
your body’s defenses against the disease in small but significant – and tasty!
– ways. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">The recipes
I will be posting here are a collection of my own anti-cancer favorites as
well as recipes from other talented authors and bloggers. They include
breakfasts, main meals, snacks and drinks, and are supported by scientific
information about the health benefits of the ingredients they contain.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Today I will
kick off with a fruity yet nourishing raspberry smoothie whose rosy color
echoes that of the pink ribbons of October. This recipe is from <i>Zest for Life</i><i> </i>and makes a satisfying breakfast, snack or a tasty after-school
snack for kids. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Raspberries
are rich in cancer-protective plant chemicals such as ellagitannin and
anthocyanins, which have been shown to reduce inflammation, to prevent the
spread of cancer cells and to trigger their self-destruction (apoptosis).
Raspberries and flax seeds are also an excellent source of lignans, plant
compounds that are converted by our gut bacteria into estrogen-like substances
that can help balance hormone levels in the body – very important in breast
cancer prevention. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">You can use
fresh or frozen raspberries, preferably organically grown to reduce your
exposure to pesticide residues. To ring in the changes, you can use other
berries here too, such as blueberries or blackberries – or a mix of various
berries. Makes 2 servings.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Berry
Booster</span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US">7oz/1
heaping cup/200g raspberries, fresh or frozen </span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US">2 tbsp
almond butter </span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US">1
banana </span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US">5fl
oz/</span></i><span class="A1"><span lang="EN-US">⅔</span></span><span class="A1"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-US">cup/150ml almond milk (unsweetened,
if possible)</span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">7oz/scant 1 cup/200g plain yogurt</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US"></span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US">1
tbsp slivered almonds</span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US">1
tbsp finely ground flax seeds </span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Place all the
ingredients (except the slivered almonds) in a blender and whizz into a creamy smoothie.
Add a little more milk if necessary to adjust thickness. Pour into tall glasses
and sprinkle with almonds. Serve immediately.</span></span></span>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-74620082814585021312012-09-18T08:23:00.001-07:002012-09-18T08:23:27.955-07:0010 Ways To Eat Organic On A Budget<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTEIYDx944S95qW_qv2_qfFFYTtYZfTud13VV961fauf_C8IM_kMRUX_mMc5WtJ3det85NI9BfYwk6GWeyNRWZf0FCcDg_pQgcVZmljDhY0yQOShQtOrLxPy8up80ugY6ujWpRB-DeW4/s1600/Salad+in+wallet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTEIYDx944S95qW_qv2_qfFFYTtYZfTud13VV961fauf_C8IM_kMRUX_mMc5WtJ3det85NI9BfYwk6GWeyNRWZf0FCcDg_pQgcVZmljDhY0yQOShQtOrLxPy8up80ugY6ujWpRB-DeW4/s320/Salad+in+wallet.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
All of us want to eat clean, uncontaminated foods, but not everybody
can afford to go organic. For people seeking to boost their defenses
against cancer, this dilemma can be a real headache.<br />
<br />
Because they
are more costly to produce, organic foods can easily carry a premium of
anywhere between 10% and 100% over their chemically-grown counterparts.
For some people – especially families with ever-hungry children or
people on lower incomes – this can seem excessive.<br />
<br />
And yet, the
cost of organic food doesn’t have to be prohibitive. Today I want to
show you how you can eat organic food without exploding your food
budget, by carefully choosing what you buy and how you shop.<br />
<br />
<strong>1. Be selective</strong><br />
It’s
not an “all-or-nothing” choice; if you can’t afford to go 100% organic,
pick those foods that you eat frequently and/or that may be
particularly prone to carrying pesticide residues and replace these with
organics.<br />
<br />
The Environmental Working Group publishes a <a class="ext" href="http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/" target="_blank">Shopper’s Guide</a><span class="ext"></span>
featuring the 12 foods that are highest in pesticide residues (the
“Dirty Dozen” features apples (worst), celery, sweet bell peppers,
peaches, strawberries, imported nectarines, grapes, spinach, lettuce and
cucumbers) and those that are least-contaminated (the “Clean Fifteen”
include mushrooms (best), watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potatoes,
cantaloupe, kiwi, eggplant, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas, cabbage,
avocado, pineapples, sweet corn and onions). Print out this list and
bring it shopping with you; when buying produce that’s high on the
“Dirty Dozen” list, make sure it’s organic; when choosing from the
least-contaminated foods, conventionally-grown items are fine.<br />
<br />
<strong>2. Shop creatively</strong><br />
Instead of buying all your
food at the supermarket – where the range of organic products can be
limited and the cost premium hefty – find alternative sources of clean
food such as farmers’ markets, health-food co-ops, community-supported
agriculture (CSA) schemes or farm shops. Not all the foods sold here are
necessarily 100% organic, so if this is important to you, make sure to
ask. Some farmers may be transitioning to organic farming, others may
already be practicing organic farming methods but their businesses may
be too small to warrant the cost of organic certification.<br />
<br />
A good place to start exploring affordable shopping options is the <a class="ext" href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc/BuyingGuide.cfm" target="_blank">Green People directory</a><span class="ext"></span> from the Organic Consumer<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/consumer-behavior" title="Psychology Today looks at Consumer Behavior"></a> Association or the <a class="ext" href="http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?pd=Home" target="_blank">Eat Well Guide</a><span class="ext"></span>. <a class="ext" href="http://www.localharvest.org/" target="_blank">Local Harvest</a><span class="ext"></span>
is an excellent website where you can search for farmers’ markets,
family farms and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area,
and the <a class="ext" href="http://www.coopdirectory.org/directory.htm#International" target="_blank">Co-op Directory Service</a><span class="ext"></span> offers a comprehensive list of local food co-ops throughout the U.S.<br />
<br />
If
you don’t have the time or energy to traipse around stores and markets
to compare prices, you can do so via the internet. You can even order
food – mostly dried staples like beans, rice, grains or dried fruit –
online. <a class="ext" href="http://www.organickitchen.com/markets/markets.html" target="_blank">Organic Kitchen</a><span class="ext"></span> publishes a list of online shops, and even Amazon.com sells a wide range of organic foods.<br />
<br />
<strong>3. Shop in bulk</strong><br />
In
some cases – especially at health-food shops – it is more
cost-effective to buy dry goods loose from self-service bins rather than
purchasing sealed packages. At farmers’ markets, buying a whole tray of
peaches or zucchini is often less expensive than buying them
individually weighed.<br />
<br />
Large bags of frozen vegetables and fruits often
cost less than smaller portions, and since they are frozen, you can use
as much as you need and return the rest to the freezer for later. Bulk
shopping and bulk cooking go hand-in-hand; when you see a good bulk
price for something, buy it, cook it and freeze it; you’ll feel so
smart!<br />
<br />
<strong>4. Shop for seasonal, locally grown produce</strong><br />
Fruits
and vegetables that are not in season are often transported over long
distances, making them expensive. Locally grown, seasonal produce is
cheaper and also better for our <a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/environmental-psychology" title="Psychology Today looks at Environmental Psychology">environment</a>.
Moreover, eating with the seasons is a great way of varying the foods
you eat – and variety is a key factor in dietary cancer prevention
because it ensures that you consume a vast range of nutrients.<br />
<br />
<strong>5. Buy house-brand organics</strong><br />
Most
mainstream supermarkets now carry organic options. Since any food with
the word “organic” on its label has to go through the same certification
process regardless of its brand name, you might as well save some money
by buying house-brand products. You may also want to start clipping
cou-pons; these can be found in store fliers, Sunday newspapers and the
inside of food packages.<br />
<br />
<strong>6. Avoid “super-foods”</strong><br />
Don’t
let advertisers fool you into buying exotic and costly “super-foods”
with promises of miracu-lous health benefits. It is important to eat a
wide variety of fruits and vegetables; no single fruit or vegetable is
superior to the rest.<br />
<br />
<strong>7. Making organic meat affordable</strong><br />
Organic
meat carries a significantly higher price tag than non-organically
reared meat, but you can offset the higher cost by eating less of it.
Due to the artificially low price of mass-produced animal foods, many of
us have gotten used to eating large slabs of meat; in truth, we don’t
need more than 3 oz (the size of a deck of cards) per meal to supply the
nutrients our bodies need. Reducing your meat portions shouldn’t
affect your nutrient intake since organically produced animal foods are
generally more nutritious than conventionally produced ones (and have
the added benefit that the animals weren’t fed antibiotics or growth hormones<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/hormones" title="Psychology Today looks at Hormones"></a>).<br />
<br />
You
can make further savings by buying meat and eggs directly from
producers (you can order it online too) rather than supermarkets. Meat
can be stretched further by combining it with pulses – for instance, in
any recipe that uses ground beef, such as lasagna, Bolognese sauce or
Shepherd’s Pie, you can replace half the meat with pre-cooked lentils,
thus adding crunch, flavor, fiber and plant chemicals. Lastly, instead
of buying prime cuts such as steak, cheaper cuts of stewing beef or
tasty morsels such as ox tail or beef cheeks make delicious meals. Using
meat in this way, rather than as the all-dominating centerpiece of a
meal, is typical of the Mediterranean diet<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/diet" title="Psychology Today looks at Diet"></a> and one of the reasons for its healthfulness.<br />
<br />
<strong>8. Meal planning & leftovers</strong><br />
When
you eat organic food, you want to make sure you’re not wasting any of
this precious resource! Therefore, plan your meals around your budget,
make a shopping list and stick to it; do not make impulse purchases
based on alluring advertisements or sudden cravings, but buy only what
you need. Freeze or recycle any leftovers into another dish to avoid
waste.<br />
<br />
<strong>9. D.I.Y.</strong><br />
Instead of buying
pre-washed, pre-chopped vegetables or fruits, get them whole, wash and
chop them yourself and pack them into containers for storage in the
refrigerator or freezer. Make popsicles from frozen fruit juice or
pureed fruit; these are usually tastier and healthier than their
shop-bought counterparts, at a fraction of the cost.<br />
<br />
<strong>10. Avoid processed organics</strong><br />
Fresh
organic vegetables, fruits, dairy, meat and eggs often contain higher
levels of nutrients than their conventional counterparts so you are
getting a greater nutritional bang for your buck. But when it comes to
processed foods made with organic ingredients, just say no. While
organic sodas, pretzels or cookies may <em>appear </em>healthier,
they’re still packed with sugar, sodium and/or white flour and devoid of
nutrition. Don’t waste your money: junk is junk, no matter how green.<br />
<br />
For more ideas on “budget organics” you may be interested in this book: <a class="ext" href="http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/fresh_choices/purchase.php" target="_blank"><em>Fresh Choices: Easy Recipes for Pure Food When You Can’t Buy 100% Organic</em></a><span class="ext"></span>.
It features information on organic food, tips on saving time or making
cooking easier, entertaining tidbits on food history and more than 100 recipes.Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-21891641638330204972012-09-18T08:19:00.003-07:002012-09-18T08:19:48.379-07:00Why It's Worth Eating Organic Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40t7gx3tO9imFJ5vHkgPitSo5EMBiMBz9dsJwj7c5y_izuQ2nvtHALyMCS-zYeNgWVcSnOtq0av4seLjTKhKwmPik1cTCT6u73XeXi1dU58xd5Mxg19GaMzGIihPaTMTKRI0nJCFYRkg/s1600/organic+food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40t7gx3tO9imFJ5vHkgPitSo5EMBiMBz9dsJwj7c5y_izuQ2nvtHALyMCS-zYeNgWVcSnOtq0av4seLjTKhKwmPik1cTCT6u73XeXi1dU58xd5Mxg19GaMzGIihPaTMTKRI0nJCFYRkg/s320/organic+food.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As the dust following the media storm over organic food settles, it’s
time to draw some conclusions. Mine is: if you want to lower your
cancer risk, you’re better off choosing organics. No matter what the
latest study says.<br />
<br />
This doesn’t make organic food a cancer
cure-all. Other lifestyle factors – like eating lots of plant foods,
having a healthy body weight, getting regular physical activity and
adequate rest, not smoking<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/smoking" title="Psychology Today looks at Smoking"></a> and keeping alcohol intake low – probably have a greater bearing on your cancer risk than whether you eat organic food.<br />
<br />
But
if you are eating as if your life depended on it – and there are many
in the cancer community who are – then organics should be part of the
picture.<br />
<br />
The <a class="ext" href="http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1355685" target="_blank">study</a><span class="ext"></span>
in question, a meta-analysis of 237 research papers conducted by a
group of Stanford researchers and published this week in the Annals of
Internal Medicine, concluded tersely that “(t)he published literature
lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more
nutritious than conventional foods. Consumption of organic foods may
reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant
bacteria.”<br />
<br />
This prompted many mainstream media outlets to conclude that organic food is largely a marketing gimmick and a waste of money. The New York Times headline read:
"Stanford Scientists Cast Doubt on Advantages of Organic Meat and
Produce," while CBS news opined: "Organic food hardly healthier, study
suggests."<br />
<br />
Granted, for a perfectly healthy person already eating a very healthy diet<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/diet" title="Psychology Today looks at Diet"></a>, organic food may offer only marginal benefit. But let’s look at the study’s assertions in the context of cancer protection:<br />
The
Stanford group’s first finding was that organically grown fruits and
vegetables don’t consistently contain more vitamins and minerals than
non-organically grown equivalents.<br />
<br />
This finding is at odds with the conclusion of a <a class="ext" href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07352689.2011.554417#preview" target="_blank">comprehensive meta-analysis</a><span class="ext"></span> published last year comparing organic and non-organic foods. Essentially covering the same literature as the Stanford team but using different and more rigorous selection criteria, these
Newcastle University researchers found that organically-grown produce
has on average 12% higher nutrient levels than its chemically grown
counterparts, particularly in the form of antioxidant molecules that plants develop to protect themselves from pests, and which boost human health through various mechanisms.<br />
<br />
In an <a class="ext" href="http://www.tfrec.wsu.edu/pdfs/P2566.pdf" target="_blank">in-depth critique</a><span class="ext"></span>
of the Stanford study, Charles Benbrook, research professor at
Washington State University, says the Stanford team does not define what
it means by a food being “significantly more nutritious” than another
food. As he sees it, such a food would need to deliver at least 50%
higher levels of several important nutrients per calorie or serving.<br />
<br />
“But
a food does not need to be 50% more nutrient dense to deliver important
health-promoting benefits,” he argues. “Achieving even a 10% increase
in the levels of key nutrients in commonly consumed foods would bring
about tangible health benefits across the U.S. population.”<br />
Next,
the Stanford team reports that pesticide residues, while higher in
conventional than in organically grown produce, are largely below safety
limits set by the U.S. government<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/politics" title="Psychology Today looks at Politics"></a>. That’s OK then, right? Well, not really.<br />
<br />
For
one, who’s to say that those “safe” amounts of pesticides really are
innocuous? Do safety limits take account of “cocktails” of several
pesticides and their possible synergistic effects? (While the EPA
regulates pesticide residues on an individual basis, they have not been
tested in combination, even though conventional farmers routinely use a
wide range of products at different times of the growing cycle.)<br />
<br />
Putting
aside whether pesticide “safety limits” are really safe, organic
produce contains significantly lower residues than chemically grown
produce. The Stanford researchers found a 30% "risk difference" between
organic and conventional food. To the casual reader this sounds like
organic foods carries a relatively unimpressive 30% lower risk of
exposing you to pesticides – right?<br />
<br />
Wrong, says Charles Benbrook.
To arrive at the 30% number, the Stanford team used a statistical method
that understates the true risk differential, he says. Crunching the
authors’ raw numbers, Benbrook finds "an overall 81% lower risk or
incidence of one or more pesticide residues in the organic samples
compared to the conventional samples."<br />
<br />
Moreover, he adds: “People
should be concerned about pesticide health risk, not just the number of
residues they are exposed to.” Benbrook notes "a 94% reduction in health
risk" from pesticides when eating organic foods. This health risk is
important during stages of life when humans are particularly vulnerable
to the adverse effects of pesticides and animal drugs<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/psychopharmacology" title="Psychology Today looks at Psychopharmacology"></a>, for instance before and during pregnancy<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/pregnancy" title="Psychology Today looks at Pregnancy"></a>,
through the first years of a child’s life, when battling a degenerative
disease and after 60, Benbrook highlights. These individuals may be
constrained in their ability to break down and clear pesticides from
their bodies and/or deal with the toxic insult caused by the residues,
he says.<br />
<br />
In the cancer context, some pesticides and drugs used to
treat farm animals have hormone-like effects (see, for example, reports <a class="ext" href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=pesticides-may-block-male-hormones" target="_blank">here</a><span class="ext"></span> and <a class="ext" href="http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/food_chem.jsp" target="_blank">here</a><span class="ext"></span>)
that may imbalance natural hormone levels and increase the risk of
certain types of cancer, such as breast or prostate cancers.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile,
in comparing organically reared chicken and pork, the Stanford team
found no differences in the incidence Escheria coli bacteria
contamination between organically and non-organically-reared anmials.
However, conventional meat was found to have a 33% higher risk for
contamination with bacteria resistant to three or more antibiotics than
organic products.<br />
<br />
I assume that’s because organically-reared
animals aren’t allowed to be treated with antibiotics in the first
place; nor can they be given synthetic growth hormones<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/hormones" title="Psychology Today looks at Hormones"></a>,
genetically engineered ingredients or anything else to enhance their
growth. This is a grave omission: by focusing on bacterial
contamination, the study fails to take into account a wide range of
other factors that can make animal foods healthy or unhealthy.<br />
<br />
Another
flaw of the Stanford study is that it includes no long-term
investigations of people consuming organic compared to chemically grown
food. The studies included ranged from two days to two years. In fact,
only 17 of the 237 studies examined by the researchers involved humans
at all (the rest examined the nutrient profiles and pesticide levels of
various foods). And of those 17, only three involved human health
outcomes (eczema, wheezing and atopy), none of them directly related to
cancer.<br />
<br />
Since cancer can take years – indeed decades – to show up,
it is impossible to extrapolate from this study (or any existing study,
for that matter) what the consumption of organic or non-organic foods
means for our cancer risk; reliable answers can only come from
long-term, large-scale population studies.<br />
<br />
To anyone unwilling to wait 20 years for such studies to be published, here’s my two cents’ worth.<br />
<br />
As
even the Stanford paper concedes, organic produce contains more phenols
– natural plant chemicals – and a more favorable omega-6-to-3 ratio of
essential fatty acids, nutritional factors that are widely thought to
lower our cancer risk. It also reveals that organic produce contains
fewer pesticide residues. And even though conventional pesticide
residues are deemed “safe,” in people whose bodies’ detoxification
capacity is impaired by cancer and its treatments, even “safe” levels of
pesticides may be too much. As far as I'm converned, the fewer the
better.<br />
<br />
Most of the people I know who are affected by cancer –
cancer patients, survivors or their families and friends – are highly
motivated individuals who are willing to do what they can to tip the
odds in their favor. Rather than wait for irrefutable proof – which
rarely emerges in any area of scientific enquiry – they prefer to adopt
the precautionary principle: avoiding a potentially unhealthy food until
it is proven harmless.<br />
<br />
In my next blog post I’ll talk about ways to eat clean, healthy food – organic and non-organic – without breaking the bank.<br />
<br />
<i>This article was first published on September 7, 2012 at PsychologyToday.com. </i>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-2139023601259381182012-09-18T08:12:00.002-07:002012-09-18T08:20:24.879-07:00How A Tech Breakdown Helped Me Reboot My Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NK5v0oxtSVAvwfEdWOQiJ1mLgInaWPgBZObwDmZas7tlETBQTMQ5Sz2w3E1GMmHD-XVJT-Ed4cD1Ai2ceOSpaJA_B5qNG13HVt3rG4PRmbPvyd0wfP69kUhkAoAk2pXd9fifqS8yc8M/s1600/internet+disconnect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NK5v0oxtSVAvwfEdWOQiJ1mLgInaWPgBZObwDmZas7tlETBQTMQ5Sz2w3E1GMmHD-XVJT-Ed4cD1Ai2ceOSpaJA_B5qNG13HVt3rG4PRmbPvyd0wfP69kUhkAoAk2pXd9fifqS8yc8M/s320/internet+disconnect.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It’s Day Five of my internet vacation, and I feel like I’m slowly getting my life back.<br />
<br />
Like
many life-altering experiences, this one wasn’t undertaken voluntarily;
it was foisted upon me by torrential rain that flooded the local
telephone exchange, cutting off our phone line and, with it, my access
to the World Wide Web.<br />
<br />
Having spent the first few days railing and
cursing, I eventually began to embrace the experience: for the time,
energy and mental space it has freed up have had uncountable positive
ripple-effects which I relate below.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Monday</b></i>:
After several hours’ internet-outage, I call the phone company in a
state of extreme agitation. The operator assures me someone will come in
the next 48 hours to fix the problem.<br />
“48 hours?!” I screech. “This is absolutely terrible -- I can’t do anything without the internet!”<br />
My 15 year old is in shock too. He’s just got back from school and wants to chat with his Facebook friends and play an online game. His face turns ashen as I tell him there’s no internet.<br />
<br />
“They’re working on it, right?” he keeps asking, checking the line every half hour for signs of life.<br />
Meanwhile, I rack my brain
about how I’m going to get documents to a client that I had promised
for Wednesday morning. I also need to find a recipe, check directions,
answer emails and buy a book. It feels as though my life has been put on
hold.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Tuesday</b></i>: My son sends me a text message from school: “Is the internet back up?” Afraid not.<br />
I
call my client and we agree that we I will print the documents and drop
them off at her kids’ school, which is on my morning route.
Surprisingly simple, really.<br />
<br />
I still fret about all the work that
isn't getting done. But, realizing that fretting won’t help, I take a
walk through nearby fields and even stop to meditate for 10 minutes. I return relaxed and somewhat cheerier. Back in my home office, however, I still feel rudderless and fustrated.<br />
<br />
It
occurs to me that I can check emails on my cell phone, though I quickly
discover that this isn't as gratifying as reading them on a computer
screen, complete with links to seduce me into hours of web surfing.
Smart-phone email is workmanlike and uninspiring; it gets the job done,
but there’s little incentive to linger.<br />
<br />
Come bedtime, there’s no
temptation to surf into the wee hours and then toss and turn in bed as I
digest the factoids I have just gleaned. I surprise myself by going to
bed at a ridiculously early 10 pm, and sleep better than I have in months. The next morning, I feel unusually refreshed.<br />
<i><b>Wednesday</b> </i>:
A phone repairman shows up. After poking about the wires he concludes
that there is indeed a fault, but that he’s not the man for the job; a
colleague will come the next day. My heart sinks further as I realize a
third day of lost productivity lies ahead.<br />
<br />
My son’s text messages from school are increasingly desperate: “Inet?” he inquires. Alas, no.<br />
Back
from school, he goes to the neighbors’ house to ask whether we can
“piggy-back” off their internet connection. They get chatting about my
son’s other passion: guitars. The neighbor, who collects high-end
electric guitars, lends my son his finest Gibson to help him while away
the hours of boredom caused by internet-deprivation. He returns home,
beaming, plugs the guitar into his amplifier and strums up a storm;
internet forgotten for a while.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Thursday</b></i>:
A different technician arrives. More poking; he tells me the problem
lies in a flooded telephone exchange three miles down the road that
needs to be drained; alas, a pump cannot be obtained until the next day.<br />
At
this point I’m past caring. I trudge back into my study and catch up on
long-overdue filing and reading, uninterrupted by the “pings” of
incoming emails and the half-hourly Facebook itch. Without constant
internet distractions, I can focus more clearly and get more done.<br />
<br />
One
problem remains: I have scheduled a Skype call I cannot miss. What to
do? I call a friend who lives nearby and ask if I might use his internet
connection. He welcomes me warmly, sets me up and the call goes through
smoothly. Afterwards, we sit on his sunny terrace, share a cup of tea
and shoot the breeze; something neither of us would ordinarily make the
time to do.<br />
<br />
What does any of this have to do with cancer prevention, you may well ask? Quite a lot, I believe.<br />
<br />
For
while the internet offers a wealth of information, entertainment and
support, it can become a curse, fragmenting our attention, distracting
us from real-life relationships, and keeping us “switched-on” 24/7. And
as research is increasingly suggesting, stress<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/stress" title="Psychology Today looks at Stress"></a>,
poor-quality sleep, insufficient physical activity, and a feeling that
we lack control over our lives may all increase our cancer risks.
Conversely, a sense of connectedness with others and of control over our
lives, joyful movement and calm mindfulness<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/mindfulness" title="Psychology Today looks at Mindfulness"></a> may bolster our physical defenses against disease.<br />
<br />
These
factors can even have nutritional implications, for when we’re
stressed, rushed or tired we’re more likely to make unwise food choices
that provide an environment<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/environmental-psychology" title="Psychology Today looks at Environmental Psychology"></a>
in which cancer cells flourish. If, on the other hand, we can take time
to plan meals, shop for and prepare healthy food, and enjoy delicious
home-cooked meals -- ideally with people whose company we enjoy -- this
can boost our overall health and well-being.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Friday</b></i>:
I'm back online; the fault has been repaired. As I watch 329 pent-up
emails flooding my inbox, I realise my internet vacation is over. I also
notice how few of these emails seem important. Turns out, I didn't miss
much these past five days.<br />
<br />
Looking back over the week, I realize I
need to change the way I use the internet. Of course I’m not going to
swear off the web altogether; I need it to communicate with clients, to
research and write, to stay in touch with family and friends, to keep up
with news and views and to buy plane tickets and birthday presents.<br />
<br />
But I do need to stop it running my life.<br />
<br />
One way to do this – as suggested in this <a class="ext" href="http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2012/04/coping-with-email-overload.html" target="_blank">excellent article</a><span class="ext"></span>
in the Harvard Business Review – might be to schedule specific times of
day to check emails (plus Facebook, Twitter, etc.), and taking
“mini-vacations” from these feeds during the intervening hours.<br />
<br />
But can I muster the discipline<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/self-control" title="Psychology Today looks at Self-Control"></a>?
As with all unhealthy temptations – be they email-checking, sugary
snacks or cigarettes – old habits can die hard and potential pretexts
for digressions abound.<br />
<br />
“The hardest part is resisting the
temptation to check during your off-email hours,” writes the HBR
article's author, Peter Bregman. “My advice? When you have the urge to
check your email, check yourself instead. What's going on for you? What
are you feeling? Take a deep breath and relax into an undistracted
moment.”<br />
<br />
Excellent advice that I am keen to apply. Though
considering that I'm writing this post at 8 pm on a Friday, I may still
have quite a way to go...<br />
<br />
<i>This article was originally published on May 25, 2012 on PsychologyToday.com. </i>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-13207209568336056572012-05-11T08:07:00.005-07:002012-05-11T08:07:50.465-07:00Let's Eat, Drink and Grow Old Together<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabXzpJiGZnp_JhcfzxsiqHpscf7bl9XCKBX8_E0YFuRmdi-fm9tNtnqoncDimVQBx6xJ3LQc9AIyeHmXbiivPF1GUaLITkptmUZ71krnhKAAJ7FGjK-riPysdmlp4xOXukokohPBqngE/s1600/Old+sicilians.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabXzpJiGZnp_JhcfzxsiqHpscf7bl9XCKBX8_E0YFuRmdi-fm9tNtnqoncDimVQBx6xJ3LQc9AIyeHmXbiivPF1GUaLITkptmUZ71krnhKAAJ7FGjK-riPysdmlp4xOXukokohPBqngE/s400/Old+sicilians.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Concetta Di Giorgio (97) and her husband Ernesto Bella (102)</i>*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Twenty years ago, in the early afternoon of December 25, I found myself
marooned in the depths of the Sicilian countryside in search of a meal.
Forgetting that in this part of the world no restaurant would be open on
Christmas Day, my boyfriend and I had crisscrossed the island for
several hours seeking sustenance, to no avail. Until we got to Enna.<br />
<br />
As
we drove slowly across the main square of this picturesque little town,
we couldn’t believe our luck as we espied a small restaurant, brightly
lit and filled with a cheerful diners seated along two long tables. As
we peered through the window, a middle-aged man got up from the table,
opened the door and and beckoned us in with a flourish. He apologized
profusely for the fact that his usual menu wasn’t available, but hoped
we didn’t mind having the Christmas meal the other guests were eating.
Deeply grateful for the prospect of <em>any</em> food passing our lips, we agreed enthusiastically.<br />
<br />
We were seated at a small table and the kindly <em>signore</em>
proceeded to ply us with platter upon platter of seasonal delicacies
that included pumpkin-stuffed ravioli in sage-infused butter, poached
fish with a delicately seasoned sauce, a refreshing salad of fennel
shavings drizzled with herbaceous olive oil and lemon juice,
pistachio-stuffed chicken and the most unctuously frothy <em>zabaglione</em> I had ever eaten.<br />
<br />
When
we were full to bursting we wanted to ask for the bill, but no one paid
any attention to us. Eventually I went over to the manager, now deep in
conversation with his other guests, and tried to convey to him in
broken Italian that we’d like to pay.<br />
<br />
Looking horrified, he shook
his head vehemently and said he wouldn’t take our money. Then, seeing my
perplexed expression, he burst out laughing and exclaimed: “<em>Buon Natale</em>!”
(Happy Christmas!). He explained that his restaurant was actually
closed and that the diners assembled here were not paying guests, but
his family, and that we, too, should be part of his happy clan – for
this meal at least. Overwhelmed with gratitude at this stranger’s
generous hospitality, we thanked him profusely and proceeded to exchange
hugs and handshakes with everyone in the room before stumbling out into
the twilit town square.<br />
<br />
As we were about to drive off the <em>signore</em>
came running after us, clutching a small box. Had we forgotten
something? “My wife asked me to give you these – traditional Sicilian
Christmas cookies,” he panted. “She baked them this morning.” A last hug
and a “<em>grazie mille</em>,” then he scuttled back to his restaurant.<br />
<br />
<b>Anti-aging secrets of Sicily's centenarians</b><br />
<br />
I’d
like to think that this warm and generous man is now well on his way to
becoming one of Sicily’s celebrated centenarians. For according to a <a class="ext" href="http://www.immunityageing.com/content/pdf/1742-4933-9-10.pdf" target="_blank">new study</a><span class="ext"></span> by a team<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/teamwork" title="Psychology Today looks at Teamwork"></a>
of researchers at the University of Palermo, one small region of Sicily
– the Sicani Mountains – some 100 miles to the west of Enna boasts more
than twice as many 100-year-olds than any other part of Europe (an
average of 4.32 centenarians per 10,000 inhabitants, compared with 2 per
10,000 in the rest of Europe). One of the reasons for their healthy
longevity is the convivial lifestyle we sampled that Christmas Day.<br />
<br />
“The
people we studied live in a healthy social environment mostly composed
by relatives -- sons and daughters or nephews and nieces,” Dr. Sonya
Vasto of the Department of Molecular and Biomolecular science at Palermo
University, lead author of the study, told me in an interview. “There
is always someone who takes care of them; they are never bored or
lonely.”<br />
<div class="article-image-wrap article-image-wrap-article-inline-half">
<div class="article-image-caption">
<br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKaFikPRbjnTflL7WpPSL98ukjloBaJRNu-189dtHIU3MSMs1pOhyphenhyphen9mLybOO2MD8PjJ4SFLbLz8JR3VTgDNITdAYd_t0RAIeIhtk55fV6Rq2NkhVpZqGGPWChN79ByDz_MP7vypuygG4/s1600/old+sicilian+lady+106+years.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKaFikPRbjnTflL7WpPSL98ukjloBaJRNu-189dtHIU3MSMs1pOhyphenhyphen9mLybOO2MD8PjJ4SFLbLz8JR3VTgDNITdAYd_t0RAIeIhtk55fV6Rq2NkhVpZqGGPWChN79ByDz_MP7vypuygG4/s320/old+sicilian+lady+106+years.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Vincenza Butera (106)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not only do these ancient Sicilians live long (the subjects
studied were between 100 and 107 years old), they do so while leading
active lives and remaining “free from heart disease, severe cognitive impairment, severe physical impairment, clinically evident cancer or renal insufficiency,” the study found.<br />
<br />
Just as important as their social context appears to be the diet of these long-lived Sicilians. According to Dr. Vasto, Sicilian
centenarians eat little food (they consume an average of 1,200 calories a
day) and their meals are modest: bread and a little milk for breakfast,
small portions of pasta and vegetables for lunch and a light dinner of
eggs and fresh cow’s or goat’s cheese, a little meat (generally
chicken), legumes (peas, beans and lentils) or occasional fish, always
served with plenty of vegetables which vary with the seasons since they
are grown locally.<br />
<br />
“For one month, they will eat the same two or
three types of vegetables that the soil offers. The following month, it
will be two or three different types of vegetables,” explains Dr. Vasto.
It’s the same with fruit: “They eat fruit according to the season; they
don’t eat apples in June, oranges in May or strawberries in October,”
says Dr. Vasto.<br />
<br />
The fruits and oil of locally-grown olives
(cultivars include Nocellara of Belice, Biancolilla, Giarraffa and
Ogliarola) may be another contributor to the Sicilian centenarians’ rude
health. In addition to healthy monounsaturated fats, these oils contain
vitamin E, polyphenols and coenzyme-Q whose antioxidant effects may offer substantial disease protection, Dr. Vasto says. Water
is the main drink, with red wine occasionally accompanying meals.<br />
<br />
A
final distinguishing factor is the fact that the centenarians’ diets
are low in blood-sugar fuelling carbohydrates. “Their diet has a low
glycemic index because it’s low in refined carbohydrates – no white
bread, not much pasta, no sweeteners, sweet beverages, canned food,
frozen meals, cookies, cakes or snacks,” Dr. Vasto lists, adding that
the centenarians they studied did not eat snacks between meals.<br />
<br />
Interestingly
– especially for island-dwellers – these super-healthy
hundred-year-olds don’t eat much fish, usually considered a staple food
in the Mediterranean diet. “The nearest town is 1½ hours’ drive away and
they rarely get access to fresh fish,” Dr. Vasto explains. And because
the people they studied don't like eating food in tins, canned fish is
not commonly eaten here.<br />
<br />
I wonder whether they derive the omega-3 fats their bodies require from leafy green vegetables, from the eggs of
free-ranging pastured chickens and from the dairy and meat of grass-fed
animals, known to have higher omega-3 concentrations than industrially
reared farm animals?<br />
<br />
And so it appears that Michael Pollan’s pithy healthy-eating prescription – <a class="ext" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank">“Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.”</a><span class="ext"></span> – is alive and well among the centenarians of western Sicily.<br />
But
as food habits around the Mediterranean – including Sicily – shift
towards increased consumption of processed foods, high-glycemic
carbohydrates, sugar and factory-farmed meat, eggs and dairy products,
will their grandchildren be as long-lived?<br />
<br />
*<em>Photographed with Palermo University researchers Sonya Vasto and Claudia Rizzo</em>.Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-35108241675991307142012-04-25T07:42:00.003-07:002012-04-25T07:45:33.934-07:00For Healthy Green Tea, Brew Your Own<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSr7Fv1Fk6dDU9tRky_Y1XoOLFJr5vQvbwYIWalQnU2B39ortK1ZdTpu3-n2wijYSjl9lbQHq9lZl3QspJZ9WGegCgX54sdVK7AnHx2owwgMKDjzXC3E9bPzsdlN4qBtuEt9PsM4y6pY/s1600/green+tea+cup+and+pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSr7Fv1Fk6dDU9tRky_Y1XoOLFJr5vQvbwYIWalQnU2B39ortK1ZdTpu3-n2wijYSjl9lbQHq9lZl3QspJZ9WGegCgX54sdVK7AnHx2owwgMKDjzXC3E9bPzsdlN4qBtuEt9PsM4y6pY/s320/green+tea+cup+and+pot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Never shy<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/shyness" title="Psychology Today looks at Shyness"></a>
about jumping on a health bandwagon, industrial beverage manufacturers
have been cashing in on the benefits of green tea, which they have
formulated in a dazzling array of delectable flavors. (Ginseng and honey
anyone? Nectarine white tea? And for the cancer-conscious, green tea
with pomegranate extract, perhaps?)<br />
<br />
Alas, these beverages have
very little nutritional value, and in terms of cancer prevention they
may actually be counter-productive. For one, this is because they are
usually sweetened with refined sugars (about 2 tablespoons of sugar per
standard 8oz/240ml glass). As is increasingly understood, sugar and the hormones<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/hormones" title="Psychology Today looks at Hormones"></a>
its consumption triggers—insulin and IGF-1—promote the growth and
spread of cancer cells, as well as fueling weight-gain, another cancer
risk factor.<br />
<br />
Moreover, bottled or canned tea beverages have levels of polyphenols and antioxidant activity 10 to 100 times lower than conventionally brewed tea, experts
say. "Many of the currently available cold bottled teas sold in the U.S.
are more like diluted sugar water than something that will help protect
your health," <a class="ext" href="http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2005/oct/health-issues-uncertain-tea-sales-boom" target="_blank">according to</a><span class="ext"></span>
Professor Ron Dashwood of Oregon University. "The antioxidant or
polyphenol activity found in some of them may be due in large part to
the fruit additives used as flavorings, and have little to do with the
tea polyphenols."<br />
<br />
Lastly, bisphenol-A and other estrogen-mimicking
compounds found in many plastic bottles and can linings may pose a
further risk (as I have described <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201204/another-reminder-ditch-cans-and-eat-fresh-food" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201111/plastic-fantastic-not" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
<br />
If it’s a fun, refreshing, sweet-tasting beverage you’re after, bottled tea drinks may be all right <i>occasionally</i>.
But if you are drinking tea to lower your risk of cancer, heart
disease, osteoporosis and a whole list of other degenerative conditions,
brew your own.<br />
<br />
Black, oolong, green and white tea come from the same <i>Camellia sinensis</i>
plant; white tea is the least processed and provides the largest
quantity of antioxidant and anti-cancer compounds, notably a flavonoid
by the tongue-twisting name of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).<br />
<br />
Tea—especially
the more widely studied green tea—is thought to have many anti-cancer
effects. For starters, it may prevent the formation of cancer cells:
Observational studies associate regular intake of green tea with lower
risk for bladder, colon, stomach, pancreatic and esophageal cancers.<br />
<br />
The phytochemicals in green tea have also been <a class="ext" href="http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/16/8/1662.full.pdf+html" target="_blank">shown</a><span class="ext"></span>
to increase the production and activity of detoxification enxymes in
humans and may enhance our ability to detoxify carcinogens. Where there
are cancerous cells present, green tea may slow their growth and spread:
it is <a class="ext" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Carlson%20JR%2C%20Bauer%20BA%2C%20Vincent%20A" target="_blank">thought to</a><span class="ext"></span> inhibit
angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels to nourish a tumor) and
trigger apoptosis (spontaneous self-destruction of cancer cells). <br />
<br />
If
three or four daily cups of green tea may have cancer-protective
properties, this doesn't mean you should guzzle a gallon a day for even
greater protection; "more" is not always "better." While the <a class="ext" href="http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/100/11/773.long" target="_blank">science is still unclear</a><span class="ext"></span>,
excessive amounts of plant compounds like EGCG -- particularly when
taken in the form of highly concentrated supplements -- may not
necessarily be helpful, especially for people undergoing radiation therapy<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/psychotherapy" title="Psychology Today looks at Psychotherapy"></a>,
and possibly chemotherapy too. This is because green tea's antioxidants
may protect not only normal tissues, but cancerous cells too, from the
intentionally oxidative effects of the treatment.<br />
<br />
It used to be
thought that green tea has to be drunk immediately after brewing to
obtain maximum EGCG levels. Adding lemon or lime juice to green tea,
however, helps to <a class="ext" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17688297" target="_blank">stabilize flavonoid levels</a><span class="ext"></span>, which means you can drink it hours later and still obtain good EGCG intake.<br />
<br />
My
clients often tell me they don’t drink green tea because they dislike
its bitter taste. The good news is: you don’t have to drink it plain. A
little added lemon juice and honey not only makes green tea taste
fresher and less bitter; researchers have also <a class="ext" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802066/?tool=pubmed" target="_blank">found</a><span class="ext"></span> that this enhances the body’s uptake of EGCG’s four-fold as compared with green tea drunk plain.<br />
<br />
Other
ways of reducing bitterness is not to brew the tea with boiling water
(keep it at 70°C to 80°C (155°F - 180°F)) and not to let it steep for
more than three minutes.<br />
<br />
As summer approaches, here’s another
great way to make the most of tea: cold-brew it! Not only is this type
of tea milder, lower in caffeine and more energy-efficient than
hot-brewed tea; it may also have greater antioxidant benefits. In an
Italian <a class="ext" href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814609011091" target="_blank">study</a><span class="ext"></span>,
tea steeped for two hours in cold water was substantially better at
protecting cholesterol from oxidation than tea that had been brewed with
hot water.<br />
<br />
To vary the flavors, add some chopped ginger, a sprig
of mint, or some unsweetened orange juice or cherry syrup to hot or cold
tea. Spice lovers may enjoy green tea brewed with Indian “chai” spices
and (cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cardamom, pepper) and a smidgen of
honey. (<i>Zest for Life</i> has three recipes for hot and cold green tea preparations, as well as chicken soup and chilled fruit soup made with green tea.)Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-67248052580783814622012-04-25T07:39:00.000-07:002012-04-25T07:45:47.563-07:00Glass drinking straws, really??<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKmFkRiWSikvZvwyINfmmOrzpXp4bU6E2kps-HzzxLCiA64W8hestgARCt14k7QaK1dI6f-QKkwTEMqpmWnFccmzkzgb5faFa66PeS44RFrg4aFeNFyV9B7aR4PzMplZ4vTVS2jgN1qg/s1600/coffee+in+paris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKmFkRiWSikvZvwyINfmmOrzpXp4bU6E2kps-HzzxLCiA64W8hestgARCt14k7QaK1dI6f-QKkwTEMqpmWnFccmzkzgb5faFa66PeS44RFrg4aFeNFyV9B7aR4PzMplZ4vTVS2jgN1qg/s320/coffee+in+paris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Glass drinking straws have become all the rage<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/anger" title="Psychology Today looks at Anger"></a> as health-conscious consumers seek to reduce their exposure to potentially cancer-causing plastic compounds in their food.<br />
<br />
From <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201204/Are%20glass%20straws%20the%20answer%20to%20BPA%20risks?" target="_blank">smoothie-slurping bloggers</a> worrying that plastic straws will “leach trace amounts of toxic chemicals into food and into your body” to <a class="ext" href="http://www.goodgirlgonegreen.com/green-living/glass-dharma-giveaway" target="_blank">environmentally conscious sippers</a><span class="ext"></span>
bent on “saving … sea creatures from ingesting little teeny tiny pieces
of plastic,” it seems the glass straw will save our health <i>and</i> that of our planet.<br />
<br />
Drawing my attention to this new phenomenon, a reader recently <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201204/another-reminder-ditch-cans-and-eat-fresh-food/comments#comment-222978" target="_blank">suggested</a>
that instead of drinking coffee through the plastic lids that coffee
houses pop on paper cups, we should sip it through glass straws poked
through said plastic lids. But does this really solve the problem of BPA
and plastic food containers? Unfortunately, no.<br />
<br />
For purely esthetic considerations, I’d be the first to favor glass
straws: they’re beautiful, natural, reusable and therefore
environment-friendly. Manufacturers even claim that they’re
shatter-proof, though I wouldn’t want to test this promise on my kids
(especially as they retail at a hefty $7 to $10 apiece!).<br />
<br />
But as
long as we continue drinking coffee, tea and other hot beverages from
plastic-lined paper cups, glass straws won’t make much difference. You
see, it’s the paper cup that’s the main culprit, not the plastic straw.<br />
<br />
Paper
cups intended for hot drinks are laminated with a liner made of
polyethylene that helps keep beverages warm and prevents the paper from
getting soggy and leaking. However, polyethylene has estrogenic
properties much like BPA, and these so-called “xenoestrogens” (man-made
chemicals that mimic the natural human hormones<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/hormones" title="Psychology Today looks at Hormones"></a>) are linked to a growing number of health problems, such as breast, ovarian, testicular, and prostate cancers, early puberty in girls, reduced sperm counts, altered functions of reproductive organs, obesity<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/obesity" title="Psychology Today looks at Obesity"></a> and behavioral problems.<br />
<br />
A US government funded <a class="ext" href="http://plastipure.com/most-bpa-free-products-found-to-leach-chemicals-having-significant-estrogenic-activity-ea" target="_blank">study</a><span class="ext"></span> published last year in the science journal <i><a class="ext" href="http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.1003220" target="_blank">Environmental Health Perspectives</a><span class="ext"></span></i>
found that the vast majority of commercially available food-grade
plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and
polyethylene terephthalate, leach estrogen-like compounds into the foods
and drinks they contain—even those that are marked as being “BPA-free.”<br />
<br />
Making
matters worse for the paper cup, it’s not environmentally friendly. Its
plastic lining prevents the cup from being recycled, and so every paper
cup that is manufactured and lined with plastic ends up in a landfill.
There, the paper will decompose, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas
with 23 times the heat-trapping power of carbon dioxide, according to <a class="ext" href="http://www.sustainabilityissexy.com/facts.html" target="_blank">Sustainability is Sexy</a><span class="ext"></span>,
a Seattle-based organization that seeks to “reduce the bitter
environmental, social and financial impact of disposable coffee cups”.<br />
<br />
So
here’s my bold recommendation: just do away with paper cups and glass
straws altogether. To enjoy a hot drink, all you need is an
old-fashioned cup made from ceramic, china or glass and a few minutes to
prepare and enjoy your drink.<br />
<br />
When you look at Mediterranean food traditions (which I celebrate in <a class="ext" href="http://www.zestforlifediet.com/" target="_blank"><i>Zest for Life</i></a><span class="ext"></span>),
people in France, Italy and Spain drink coffee mostly as a treat and a
gentle stimulant (one in the morning to get going, another after lunch
to help stimulate digestion, and occasionally a third as an afternoon
pick-me-up), not as a source of hydration.<br />
<br />
They drink small
quantities of strong coffee out of tiny espresso cups like the ones
pictured above. Because these small coffees don't take long to get
through, most people sit at a table or stand a bar and enjoy their
beverage without doing anything else (e.g. eating, driving, running for a
train, shopping, etc.). For this reason, plastic lids aren't necessary.<br />
<br />
If you <i>must</i>
carry coffee with you, I suggest you prepare it at home and fill it
into a stainless-steel thermos where it will keep warm for hours and not
spill if you have to run or drive. I do this when I take long road
trips and it works beautifully: I get to drink my favorite brand of
coffee from a non-reactive container at a fraction of the cost of a cup
of coffee from a coffee shop and without needing to use cardboard,
plastic or glass straws. It's better for the environment too, as this
generates no garbage except for a few (biodegradable) coffee grinds.Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-76935654048474193832012-04-06T14:29:00.001-07:002012-04-06T14:29:43.276-07:00Another Reminder To Ditch Cans And Eat Fresh Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DJ1NFGag76qpyYFVUTFQjGxmDZYKjXL0VEleFDPwVLOxJIheZNa04pSWyKkpvawBFqOE3OTGzGebVjzgrfRlRaKgATe9-p0KN_fUHOqKWlcSHDOlz_ejEJWR9l_PIpG28cW7VqKZQD0/s1600/soda+cans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DJ1NFGag76qpyYFVUTFQjGxmDZYKjXL0VEleFDPwVLOxJIheZNa04pSWyKkpvawBFqOE3OTGzGebVjzgrfRlRaKgATe9-p0KN_fUHOqKWlcSHDOlz_ejEJWR9l_PIpG28cW7VqKZQD0/s200/soda+cans.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The FDA's decision to let food manufacturers continue using bisphenol-A (BPA) in food packaging is the best news I've heard in a long time.<br />
<br />
This statement may surprise regular readers of this blog, who will remember me fulminating against BPA <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201104/kick-the-can-and-eat-fresh-food" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201111/making-your-home-plastic-free-zone%20" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201111/plastic-fantastic-not" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
The thing is: the ruling highlights that food manufacturers and regulators can't always be expected to make the best decisions for our health. And this realization -- somewhat perversely -- gladdens my heart because it should prompt consumers to think even harder about their food choices. (Sorry folks.)<br />
<br />
In response to a 2008 petition by the Natural Resources Defense Council's to ban BPA on the grounds that it causes harm, the Food and Drug Administration last Friday rejected the petition, claiming insufficient evidence for adverse health effects in humans. The agency did say it would continue studying BPA for more conclusive evidence, but critics argue there’s already ample evidence indicating that the chemical may increase the risk of <a class="ext" href="http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/chemicals-glossary/bisphenol-a.html" target="_blank">cancer</a><span class="ext"></span>, <a class="ext" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/06/us-bpa-chemical-tied-heart-disease-idUSTRE8251KL20120306" target="_blank">heart disease</a><span class="ext"></span>, <a class="ext" href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110606092740.htm" target="_blank">fertility problems</a><span class="ext"></span>, <a class="ext" href="http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/338202/title/BPA_fosters_diabetes-promoting_changes" target="_blank">diabetes</a><span class="ext"></span> and <a class="ext" href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080514091427.htm" target="_blank">obesity</a><span class="ext"></span>.<br />
<br />
BPA contains so-called xenoestrogens (i.e. estrogen-like chemicals that mimic the natural human hormones) that are being linked to a growing number of health problems, such as early pubertyin girls, reduced sperm counts, altered functions of reproductive organs, <a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/obesity" title="Psychology Today looks at Obesity">obesity</a>, and increased rates of breast, ovarian, testicular, and prostate cancers. They are thought to be particularly harmful to fetuses, infants and children, but may affect adults too. Particularly worryingly to cancer patients, <a class="ext" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2649216/pdf/EHP-117-175.pdf" target="_blank">BPA can block the effects</a><span class="ext"></span> of certain chemotherapy drugs<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/psychopharmacology" title="Psychology Today looks at Psychopharmacology"></a>, even at low concentrations.<br />
<br />
So what’s a concerned eater to do whilst the health authorities and food industry continue to drag their feet? (Which they may continue doing for some time to come, given that the leading players in the <a class="ext" href="http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-30/u-s-denies-request-to-ban-chemical-in-food-and-drink-packaging?category=%2Fnews%2Findustries%2F" target="_blank">$8bn BPA market and the $60bn canning industry</a><span class="ext"></span> aren’t likely to go quietly.)<br />
<br />
We can vote with our wallets.<br />
<br />
For one, we can choose BPA-free packaged foods (<a class="ext" href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/are-your-canned-foods-safe-to-eat-a-bpa-free-buying-guide/" target="_blank">this post</a><span class="ext"></span> lists products available in PBA-free cans). In response to consumer<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/consumer-behavior" title="Psychology Today looks at Consumer Behavior"></a> demand, some food producers, such as Eden Organic, began removing BPA from its cans years ago; others, such as Campbell’s Soup, joined them <a class="ext" href="http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/campbell-soup-will-phase-out-bpa-use/" target="_blank">more recently</a><span class="ext"></span>. Nestlé and Heinz and ConAgra have indicated they will phase out the chemical in coming years.<br />
<br />
To keep up the pressure on food manufacturers, packagers and retailers (who, following the FDA’s ruling, may feel tempted to continue using BPA), we should keep writing letters asking for dangerous plastics to be removed from our food. Feel free to use the form letter I suggest <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201111/plastic-fantastic-not" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
Even more radically, we can make more home-cooked meals from fresh, unprocessed food and cut down the amount of packaged comestibles we eat in the first place.<br />
<br />
As a <a class="ext" href="http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20110330/eating-fresh-foods-may-cut-exposure-to-bpa" target="_blank">study</a><span class="ext"></span> published last year showed, families who gave up canned foods and food packaged in plastic containers saw their levels of BPA fall by 66% in the space of three days. As I show regularly in <a class="ext" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/connermid?feature=mhee" target="_blank">my cooking videos</a><span class="ext"></span>, it doesn’t take much time or effort to prepare meals from fresh, unpackaged ingredients.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, here are some other simple ways of avoiding BPA and other plastics:<br />
<ul><li>Buy fresh, unpackaged food from vegetable stores, CSA schemes, farmers' markets etc. and using it up quickly</li>
<li>Use a freezer for long-term food storage, reducing the need for cans (frozen vegetables and fruits are more flavorful and nutritious than canned ones anyway)</li>
<li>Drink fresh water from glass or stainless steel containers, avoid sodas, beer and other beverages in cans.</li>
<li>Replace plastic storage containers with glass or stainless steel containers</li>
<li>Can your own food: I preserve vegetables and fruits in in glass jars (much tastier than store-bought canned equivalents) and was surprised to see how easy this is. When canning food, be careful to follow reliable instructions to avoid poisoning your family with dangerous bacteria. Also, don’t buy cans whose lids are lined with BPA-containing plastics; I recommend brands with glass lids and rubber seals (e.g. Weck).</li>
<li>Babies should drink from glass bottles; toddlers can use stainless steel sippy cups. Avoid plastic bottles or cups and formula packaged in plastic-lined containers.</li>
<li>Use ceramic, glass or metal bowls to prepare or serve food. This is especially important if you use a microwave oven.</li>
<li>Use wooden or stainless steel cooking tools (spoons, spatulas, strainers etc.) instead of plastics.</li>
<li>At the dining table, use china or earthenware plates, and pitchers and glasses made of glass, not plastic.</li>
<li>Instead of a plastic water kettle, use an old-fashioned enamel or stainless steel stove-top kettle.</li>
<li>Instead of using automatic espresso machines, opt for a stainless steel stovetop espresso maker. If you make drip-filtered coffee, use paper filters in a ceramic, glass or stainless steel filter holder, rather than plastic equivalents.</li>
</ul>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-24301954477937257362012-03-23T04:46:00.001-07:002012-03-23T04:47:08.950-07:00Trust Kids To Like Healthy Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWNk66LioPfLCLNbo6YRA-4JFwKqKYboZ2aM1x0-fVXDiYFSkaTyVe-KifddPn-2LvcCPI7-S76fcKFI0u4Ka7raCDSYjBXUN5rOCDxE0hD9_JuaXFuWalccHipah9P7gup4JjXbo4O4/s1600/girl+with+bell+peppers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWNk66LioPfLCLNbo6YRA-4JFwKqKYboZ2aM1x0-fVXDiYFSkaTyVe-KifddPn-2LvcCPI7-S76fcKFI0u4Ka7raCDSYjBXUN5rOCDxE0hD9_JuaXFuWalccHipah9P7gup4JjXbo4O4/s200/girl+with+bell+peppers.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">If you've visited this blog before, you'll know I have a strong propensity to proselytize. Nothing religious or political, don't worry. My abiding passion is delicious, healthy home cooking, and I'll chew your ear off about it if I get half a chance.</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm at my most zealous when it comes to feeding children, for the eating habits they develop in early childhood will stay with them for the rest of their lives -- both the good and the bad!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Children are the toughest customers when it comes to healthy eating. They love what nutrition scientists call "high food reward" fare (in plain English: anything addictively fatty, sugary, crispy, crunchy or nugget-shaped) and turn up their noses at anything vegetal, whole-grain or additive-free, especially when it comes out of a cooking pot rather than a package.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Or do they?</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In my experience, children *do* like healthy food -- provided it's tasty and attractively presented. The problem with a lot of "health food" is that it isn't always that appealing: steamed fish, overcooked vegetables, brown stews, chewy whole grains or "white cubes of nothingness" (as my oldest son describes tofu) just aren't that appealing. And so when faced with a perceived choice of brown sludge on the one hand and Happy Meals on the other, most kids will choose the latter. Can you blame them?</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"A few years ago, I went through a quinoa phase," recalls Delphine, a friend of mine. "My kids are still traumatized! Whenever I cook, they say: please don't let it be quinoa. And they just love McDonalds!"</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As with most things in life, however, there is a Middle Way: food that's healthy *and* tasty!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm very lucky that my kids (aged 9, 9 and 14) generally "real" food -- including more unusual items like seaweed, smelly cheese and bitter chocolate. I never got into cooking "kids' food" because I was too lazy to make separate meals for adults and kids, and too time-starved to make cute snacks like <a class="ext" href="http://www.gogomongo.com/2011/10/14/finger-food-fridays-caterpillars/" target="_blank">caterpillars made from miniature pancakes</a><span class="ext"></span>.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So instead, our kids have always eaten the same dishes as their parents<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/parenting" title="Psychology Today looks at Parenting"></a>: home-cooked vegetables, fish, meat, stews and soups, and for dessert, a fruit, a square or two of dark chocolate or -- on special occasions -- some home-made vanilla egg pudding. They generally eat these hungrily and happily.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They even take quite a lively interest in food -- not just the eating of it, but also shopping for it at the farmers' market and cooking it. All three help in the kitchen, with my oldest son producing whole meals single-handedly on days when I'm busy or he's bored.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course my kids aren't immune to the lure of "kids' foods" they see advertised in magazines and on billboards, and get to sample at their friends' houses or at school. As I have written about <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201105/faux-reo-cookies" target="_blank">before</a>, I am resigned to their occasional forays into the world of edible junk (which are nearly daily, given the amounds of sweets and candy bars their friends bring to school); it's just that I don't buy that stuff for them.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This strategy is bearing fruit, as a school week's worth of anecdotes will illustrate.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Monday I did something unusual: at the health-food store, buying some peppers for dinner, I picked up a roll of chocolate cookies for the kids as a snack after school. (I don't know what came over me -- I <i>never </i>buy cookies. Maybe a need to mitigate <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201106/am-i-food-fascist" target="_blank">my Food-Nazi reputation</a>?)</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When the kids got home, I produced the cookies with a triumphant flourish -- tadaaaah! Three disappointed pairs of eyes stared at me. "I'd much rather have one of those," mumbled my oldest, pointing at a red pepper peeking out of the shopping bag. "OK," I said, "you can have a pepper -- but are you really sure?" He was. Then the twins started clamoring: "If he can have a pepper, we want one too!" Sure, go wild! So they all started chomping on peppers and I improvised a side-dish of frozen spinach. The cookies are still in my kitchen cupboard.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Tuesday, my 14-year-old took a tub of dinner leftovers to school for lunch, a portion of lentil <i>byriani</i>, an vegetarian Indian dish. He was slightly worried his friends would make fun of him for eating something so "health-foody." Instead, attracted by the scents of cardamom, coriander, cilantro, garlic and caramelized onions, a class-mate took a taste of his lunch and liked it so much she offered him $5 for it! (Maybe I should set up a <i>byriani </i>stand outside the school?)</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Wednesday, my twins' school held a cake sale and of course I allowed them to buy a piece of cake at recess. My daughter picked a cupcake with blue icing, topped with a gummy-bear. "I was really surprised, it tasted horrible -- really artificial," she told me in the afternoon. "I picked off the icing and tried to eat just the cake, but even that was too sweet."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To satisfy their cravings for crispy-crunchy-fatty-spicy sensations, last night's dinner was home-made falafel: vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free garbanzo balls made from sprouted beans, cooked in olive oil and drizzled with a garlicky sesame dressing. Extreme healthiness nothwithstanding, my kids wolfed them down.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And today, my older son took a piece of home-made <a class="ext" href="http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2004/04/chocolate_zucchini_cake.php" target="_blank">chocolate-zucchini cake</a><span class="ext"></span> to school which he shared with a class mate known for his aversion to green vegetables. “He loved it – didn’t notice a thing, and I certainly wasn’t going to ruin his appetite by telling him,” my son reported cheerfully in the afternoon. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm not trying to brag; I simply want to show you that, contrary to what junk-food advertisers would have us believe, children actually like the taste of real food -- even those who, like my son's friends, don't eat like this regularly and whose mothers aren't health nuts. So please remember, it's never too late to teach your child (or yourself!) to enjoy healthy, tasty, home-made food!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are just some of the things that help get kids interested in healthy food:</span></div><ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Make dishes taste interesting by using exciting textures, spices, herbs, (natural!) colors and salt (yes, in moderation salt is fine)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Don't scrimp on fat -- healthy fats such as olive oil, cold-pressed nut oils, ghee, coconut oil or raw, pastured butter bring out the flavors of any dish and are wonderfully satisfying to young taste buds</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Encourage kids to be creative with food (e.g. assembling a wrap filled with healthy ingredients such as tuna salad, guacamole, hummus, egg salad and chopped raw vegetables; or dipping fresh fruit into dark melted chocolate or threading it onto kebabs)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Don't allow filling snacks in-between meals: come dinnertime, a ravenous child can't afford to be picky</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Downplay dessert: serve small desserts as an occasional treat, but teach children to fill up on mains, not afters</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Offer healthy, home-made versions of unhealthy foods, e.g. home-made chicken nuggets or fish sticks with home-made ketchup; bring home-made lemonade or pop corn to the movies </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Get kids involved in shopping and cooking, and ask them to suggest ideas for meals (a sure way to get them to eat that meal, since they suggested it!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Eat with your children and set an example by being a non-fussy eater who revels in simple, tasty food</span></li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you're new to cooking, check out my <a class="ext" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/connermid?feature=mhee" target="_blank">YouTube cooking videos</a><span class="ext"></span>, where I show how to make simple, tasty dishes that my children love and that even beginners can easily master.</span></div>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-91222256653844475152012-03-23T03:43:00.001-07:002012-03-23T03:44:57.363-07:00Marinated pork belly - recipe<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">In case you're confused: no, pork belly isn't a health food! For thousands of years, pork has been regarded with deep suspicion and accused of transmitting dangerous pathogens to humans. Indeed, a <a href="http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=5569" target="_blank">recent series of articles</a> on the Perfect Health Diet health blog linked pork consumption with liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and multiple sclerosis.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">Nonetheless, I include it here. For one, because just as it has been maligned by some for millennia, it has been widely eaten by others – including the famously long-lived Okinawans – for just as long. So I figure it can;t be *all* bad.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">Moreover, for people who simply can't bear to give up bacon, I wanted to offer a preparation is at least a healthi<i><b>er</b></i> alternative to mass-produced bacon. Nonetheless, I do feel it should remain an occasional treat, carefully prepared and enjoyed in small quantities.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">Having said this, a recent study run by the Weston A. Price Foundation, an organization that promotes ancestral foods and food preparation methods, found that fresh pork may not be all that unhealthy, provided if you treat it right.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">Although their study was very small, it yielded interesting findings, namely that marinating fresh meat in acidic substances such as vinegar, or curing and fermenting meat, as Italians and French have done for hundreds of years (yielding <i>prosciutto</i> and <i>saucisson sec</i>), may make it healthier than eating it fresh. (You can read a detailed description of this study <a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/cardiovascular-disease/how-does-pork-prepared-in-various-ways-affect-the-blood" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">Imagine my relief upon reading this study, for it tallies perfectly with the way I prepare pork belly at home: marinating the meat in lemon juice, garlic and spices. Slowly grilled or roasted at moderate temperature these marinated pork belly slices make a tasty addition to an old-fashioned farmer's breakfast. They can also be cubed and added to vegetable stir-fries or egg-fried rice.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">In addition to the potentially beneficial effects of acidic marination, this preparation also lacks other unhealthy compounds often found in processed pork: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">nitrates, nitrites, excess salt, artificial flavorings and carcinogenic chemicals resulting from smoking. Meat from free-ranging pastured hogs tends to be less fatty than from their intensively farmed cousins because of the more active foraging they do, so always buy the very highest-quality pork you can find—ideally, pastured in a meadow near you, from animals that haven't been treated with growth enhancing antibiotics or other drugs.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><b>Recipe</b>:</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">10-15 slices of pork belly, cut about 6mm/ 1/8 inch thick </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">juice of 1 lemon</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">2 cloves of garlic, crushed</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">½ tsp paprika powder</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">2 tbsp finely chopped parsley</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">a pinch of <i>herbes de Provence</i></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">freshly ground black pepper</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">Place all the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine with a whisk. Add the meat and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until it’s well coated on all sides with the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 3-4 hours. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">Line a baking tray or chopping board with baking parchment and place the meat strips on this, laid out nice and flat. Cover with more film or slip into a large plastic bag and place horizontally in the freezer. Freeze overnight, or at least 6 hours. Once frozen, remove the meat slices from the tray and store in a resealable plastic bag and place back in the freezer. Retrieve as needed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">The pork slices can be defrosted before cooking, but I usually pop them straight under the grill (on low to medium heat) where they defrost while cooking (the slices are so thin that they will easily cook through). Watch this closely to avoid the meat getting burnt. Salt lightly and serve.</span></div>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-55474133996320122562012-03-05T00:59:00.000-08:002012-03-05T00:59:22.222-08:00Home-made beef jerky<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DoNotShowMarkup/> <w:DoNotShowComments/> <w:DoNotShowInsertionsAndDeletions/> <w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>FR</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoARgMWjJeA9S2vZiD9gz2f1U8373kGwh9RBxAp4xudb1HiVkdosfr4rfL6cj72mgN9JW7wQsLHLRN0W3Sbav6Wvv35mhXvn1qVgjj103uKNMzgBWVvU6rs1HWktn77-zodT6MZT9H1lo/s1600/beef+jerky+web+compressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoARgMWjJeA9S2vZiD9gz2f1U8373kGwh9RBxAp4xudb1HiVkdosfr4rfL6cj72mgN9JW7wQsLHLRN0W3Sbav6Wvv35mhXvn1qVgjj103uKNMzgBWVvU6rs1HWktn77-zodT6MZT9H1lo/s320/beef+jerky+web+compressed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">There's nothing like chomping on a strip of lean, spicy dried meat when you're out hiking in the wild or stuck on a long car journey with no easy access to nutritious, satisfying food. High-quality protein eaten at regular intervals throughout the day can stave off cravings for sweet snacks and helps sustain energy. And because dried meat is a highly concentrated source of nutrients, little will go a long way.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span lang="EN-US">What makes this healthy?</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> <span> </span>First, we're avoiding the no-no's of most commercial jerky: excess sodium, sugar, artificial flavorings and preservatives. Conversely, the marinade used here brims with healthy ingredients: ginger, turmeric, pepper, lemon, red wine, raw cocoa powder, tomato paste, onions, garlic, cinnamon and apricots. Not only do these create a delicious bouquet of flavors, they also have a range of anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties that may work together synergistically to protect us from disease. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">As the meat is being dried rather than cooked, it’s important to use super-fresh meat for this recipe that’s been kept well chilled from the minute it left the butcher shop until the moment you start preparing the jerky. Once you get started, make sure your hands and all implements (chopping boards, knives, roasting grills) are spotless. Sorry to sound obsessive, but I don’t want you catching some nasty bug…</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Ingredients:</span></b><b><span lang="EN"><br />
</span></b><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">2 kg/4lb</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">lean meat</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">(</span></span><span lang="EN">e.g. </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">beef: </span></span><span lang="EN"><span> </span>or </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">skinless</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">duck breast</span></span><span lang="EN">), </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">cut into</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">slices</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">of about</span></span><span lang="EN"> 1/8 inch/</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">3mm thick, flattened</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">with</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">a</span></span><span lang="EN"> meat </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">tenderizer</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">and</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">cut</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">into strips</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">about</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">6-4 cm2-3 inches long.</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
<br />
</span><span class="hps"><i><span lang="EN">For the marinade</span></i></span><i><span lang="EN">:<br />
</span></i><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">4 onions, coarsely chopped</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">2 heads</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">garlic</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">(cloves peeled and coarsely chopped)</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">14 oz/400g</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">tomatoes (fresh, coarsely chopped, or from a jar)</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">3 tbsp tomato paste</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">fresh ginger</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">(about</span></span><span lang="EN"> 1 inch/</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">2</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">cm piece</span></span><span lang="EN">), finely grated<br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">3</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">tsp</span></span><span lang="EN"> ground </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">turmeric</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">1</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">tsp</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">freshly ground black pepper</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">2</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">tbsp pure cocoa</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">(unsweetened</span></span><span lang="EN">)<br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">1</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">tsp</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">allspice</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">½</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">tsp</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">cayenne pepper</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">1</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">tsp</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">cinnamon</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">½</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">bottle of organic red wine</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">scant ½ cup/100</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">ml</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">soy sauce</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">12 dried apricots</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">juice of</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">2</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">lemons</span></span><span lang="EN"><br />
<br />
</span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">Place all ingredients</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">for the marinade</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">in a saucepan</span></span><span lang="EN">, </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">cover and bring to</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">boil. Simmer</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">over low heat for</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">30 minutes, stirring occasionally</span></span><span lang="EN">. </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">Remove from heat</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">and leave to cool for</span></span><span lang="EN"> </span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">about 20 minutes. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPIxa5aBhpy0tlqPIExM5bcJJHE21tkW58OiNw6bOVMx8pBCdTRJ6wCom9FN-dsNJglKZwizLKk8iIXJ1OOOYJ3wLe808UCW94mIhjNoNMD-B74xH52AL7tMlcuizDJcr4-hegLw_-NQ/s1600/beef+jerky+raw+on+cake+rack+compressed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span lang="EN">Blend into a smooth paste with a liquidizer or hand-held pureeing device. Pour this into a large container with a tight-fitting lid, A<span class="hps">dd</span> <span class="hps">the sliced</span> </span><span class="hps"></span><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">meat and mix well</span></span><span lang="EN"> <span class="hps">to coat</span> <span class="hps">with marinade</span> <span class="hps">on all sides</span>. Seal tightly and m<span class="hps">arinate in</span> <span class="hps">refrigerator</span> <span class="hps">overnight.</span><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPIxa5aBhpy0tlqPIExM5bcJJHE21tkW58OiNw6bOVMx8pBCdTRJ6wCom9FN-dsNJglKZwizLKk8iIXJ1OOOYJ3wLe808UCW94mIhjNoNMD-B74xH52AL7tMlcuizDJcr4-hegLw_-NQ/s1600/beef+jerky+raw+on+cake+rack+compressed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPIxa5aBhpy0tlqPIExM5bcJJHE21tkW58OiNw6bOVMx8pBCdTRJ6wCom9FN-dsNJglKZwizLKk8iIXJ1OOOYJ3wLe808UCW94mIhjNoNMD-B74xH52AL7tMlcuizDJcr4-hegLw_-NQ/s320/beef+jerky+raw+on+cake+rack+compressed.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<span lang="EN"> <span class="hps">The next day</span>, <span class="hps">lay out meat slices on</span> <span class="hps">metal grills</span> (you can pack the meat quite tightly as it will </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPIxa5aBhpy0tlqPIExM5bcJJHE21tkW58OiNw6bOVMx8pBCdTRJ6wCom9FN-dsNJglKZwizLKk8iIXJ1OOOYJ3wLe808UCW94mIhjNoNMD-B74xH52AL7tMlcuizDJcr4-hegLw_-NQ/s1600/beef+jerky+raw+on+cake+rack+compressed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span lang="EN">shrink substantially during drying). </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPIxa5aBhpy0tlqPIExM5bcJJHE21tkW58OiNw6bOVMx8pBCdTRJ6wCom9FN-dsNJglKZwizLKk8iIXJ1OOOYJ3wLe808UCW94mIhjNoNMD-B74xH52AL7tMlcuizDJcr4-hegLw_-NQ/s1600/beef+jerky+raw+on+cake+rack+compressed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">Preheat oven to 70°C/160°F (the temperature at which bacteria are destroyed). Slide in meat grills (place a baking sheet underneath so you don’t mess up your oven) and bake for ½ hour. Then lower temperature to 55°C/135°F for the remainder of</span><span lang="EN-US"> the drying process. (</span><span lang="EN">These are the temperatures recommended by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to ensure that any pathogens are killed. Click <a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/jerky_and_food_safety/index.asp#5" target="_blank">here</a> for the official government guidelines on jerky-making.) </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="hps"><span lang="EN">Dry for about</span></span><span lang="EN"> <span class="hps">8 hours</span>, leaving the <span class="hps">oven door</span> <span class="hps">slightly ajar</span> <span class="hps">(</span>stick a wine cork <span class="hps">or other</span> <span class="hps">small object in</span> <span class="hps">the door to let</span> the evaporating <span class="hps">moisture escape</span>). <span class="hps">The jerky</span> <span class="hps">is ready when it</span> <span class="hps">has</span> <span class="hps">shrunk</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">nearly half its original size/weight</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">looks like leather</span> <span class="hps">–</span> <span class="hps">pliable but</span> <span class="hps">dry</span>.<br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Place jerky in a hermetically</span> <span class="hps">sealable container</span>. <span class="hps">Keeps</span> <span class="hps">for several weeks</span> <span class="hps">in the fridge</span>.</span></span></div>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-77567700270628361582012-03-03T02:14:00.001-08:002012-03-05T01:16:32.250-08:00Healthy meatballs recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGpUp9UC62OpyLqxawPIEh9T3fGgHVXFBKiz3Y0YgUdeu6QaiGW07io3huSwKw36RFm8DK3-5pTg5J9rQSgryh2ZYBsMQ8ej1b_To2tyUB44Wlromv8snSSFNeUuSZJUImVyM1LD1DV0/s1600/meatballs+cooked+compressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGpUp9UC62OpyLqxawPIEh9T3fGgHVXFBKiz3Y0YgUdeu6QaiGW07io3huSwKw36RFm8DK3-5pTg5J9rQSgryh2ZYBsMQ8ej1b_To2tyUB44Wlromv8snSSFNeUuSZJUImVyM1LD1DV0/s200/meatballs+cooked+compressed.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">From Spanish <i>albondigas</i> and Lebanese minced-lamb kekabs to Moroccan lamb or beef<i> kofta </i>or Greek <i>keftedes, </i>meatballs are a mainstay of Mediterranean cuisine. Traditionally -- before the advent of cheap, mass-produced meat -- they were an economical way of using up less-noble off-cuts of beef, pork or lamb and extending these with ingredients like vegetables, nuts, rice and herbs. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">The meatballs featured here are nearly 50% vegetables, which makes them a great way to get veggie-phobes (say, picky toddlers) to eat their greens while simultaneously persuading meat-phobes (rebellious teenagers, for instance) to eat a bit of meat.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">Meatballs work well as a sandwich or wrap filling, lunchbox fillers or finger food for kids, on picnics or long journeys (transported in a cooler) and as a sausage-substitute alongside weekend breakfast eggs. I usually make a big batch of these (tripling the recipe below), freeze them and defrost a few as needed. Occasionally I dump a handful into a pot of tomato sauce for a speedy dinner of spaghetti and meatballs.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">You can vary flavors by using different combinations of spices: for hints of Greece, add oregano, mint, garlic and a pinch of lemon zest; or head to Spain by adding garlic, ground almonds, paprika powder, ground cumin and chopped parsley; or go Lebanese with pine nuts and a pinch of cumin, coriander and cinnamon and chopped fresh cilantro, served with a light garlic dressing (ground lamb works great for all the above).</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span lang="EN-US">What makes these healthy? </span></i><span lang="EN-US">Start with top-quality grass-fed meat, whose praises I have already sung </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nourish/201202/is-there-such-thing-healthy-meat" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US">. These meatballs are baked in a moderate oven rather than fried, grilled or barbecued, further reducing potentially damaging chemicals. Lastly, this is a great way to boost your intake of plant phytochemicals, because nearly half of these "meatballs" is actually not meat (and not breadcrumbs either), but fresh vegetables and herbs.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Recipe</b> (makes about 25-30 meatballs):</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENWDqSKbhnsJnKH54S1OlQSvHKAZIxU4lrEEloXQebrs48sDCDrkLKPK2QUaokLNTS5exKdZWkHxkinbfFfQHHlKab71TRTQQtLBfwCcKcmTtAqYdXiOL9qtpNNMYtsXl_yanxH22d48/s1600/meatballs+-+vegetables+compressed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENWDqSKbhnsJnKH54S1OlQSvHKAZIxU4lrEEloXQebrs48sDCDrkLKPK2QUaokLNTS5exKdZWkHxkinbfFfQHHlKab71TRTQQtLBfwCcKcmTtAqYdXiOL9qtpNNMYtsXl_yanxH22d48/s200/meatballs+-+vegetables+compressed.jpg" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN-US">1 onion</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">1/2 to 1/3 (depending on size) celeriac root, peeled</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">2 medium carrots, peeled</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">1 large or 2 small leeks, partially sliced lengthwise and carefully rinsed under running water to wash out any grit stuck between the leaves</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">2 cloves garlic, crushed</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">2 handfuls fresh parsley</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">1 tbsp dried <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">herbes de Provence</i></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">2 tbsp olive oil</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">2 free-range, organic eggs</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">About 1 lb / 500g freshly ground beef (organic grass-finished, preferably)</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWn1M2VCn-LWilXf_HvDtJt2rLVDX8AicSeZQs4qiKY3McXcsK26KSyHHxhO4tPToKaAsRfztxK7JDQj0GDxANsZ1f3Wj-gDirbj6L9EEwiYynpXWdmQyPVi6R59GQBXhwSJsWBUcAV9w/s1600/meatballs+vegetables+chopped+compressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWn1M2VCn-LWilXf_HvDtJt2rLVDX8AicSeZQs4qiKY3McXcsK26KSyHHxhO4tPToKaAsRfztxK7JDQj0GDxANsZ1f3Wj-gDirbj6L9EEwiYynpXWdmQyPVi6R59GQBXhwSJsWBUcAV9w/s200/meatballs+vegetables+chopped+compressed.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US">Start by coarsely chopping carrots, celeriac, leek and parsley and placing them in a food processor equipped with an S-shaped blade. Chop until the vegetables are finely diced (but not mushy). Add crushed garlic and pulse again very briefly to combine.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Pre-heat oven to 350°F/180°C.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1s6Je7NYg_BNr_xFeKzjS6nqiVj7-URJSN8nKNLrxdY2dLzm2HR8TxEVn3qvJ7CQeh3NnTmfm_HxzMaRVt3H6r3JjPwzGGPFO9ORN9hAvuNAs5YT8hcSnkOp0cAPuBbQs2uXB13B4Q0/s1600/meatballs+vegetables+pan+compressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1s6Je7NYg_BNr_xFeKzjS6nqiVj7-URJSN8nKNLrxdY2dLzm2HR8TxEVn3qvJ7CQeh3NnTmfm_HxzMaRVt3H6r3JjPwzGGPFO9ORN9hAvuNAs5YT8hcSnkOp0cAPuBbQs2uXB13B4Q0/s1600/meatballs+vegetables+pan+compressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1s6Je7NYg_BNr_xFeKzjS6nqiVj7-URJSN8nKNLrxdY2dLzm2HR8TxEVn3qvJ7CQeh3NnTmfm_HxzMaRVt3H6r3JjPwzGGPFO9ORN9hAvuNAs5YT8hcSnkOp0cAPuBbQs2uXB13B4Q0/s200/meatballs+vegetables+pan+compressed.jpg" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN-US"> </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">In a large frying pan on moderate heat, warm 2 tbsp olive oil and tip in all the chopped vegetables and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">herbes de Provence</i>; salt and pepper lightly and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. (You can skip this stage, but as vegetables do contain quite a lot of moisture, there’s a risk that if you add them to the meat raw, your meatballs will end up becoming waterlogged…). Remove pan from heat.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4by4MEFNwbXXoJExStCopKxERjN3Ya-73esc6Cl0JwRUeGaUq9zbhf8duLJrqS87qH6DW0pI1uu9UHPqMC-Fq7bSRUWRMOCZAGXwOMPMGQWRKEd_umYWDWp2rdooyyO5yZi6K2X_0L4/s1600/meatballs+vegetables+mixing+bowl+eggs+compressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4by4MEFNwbXXoJExStCopKxERjN3Ya-73esc6Cl0JwRUeGaUq9zbhf8duLJrqS87qH6DW0pI1uu9UHPqMC-Fq7bSRUWRMOCZAGXwOMPMGQWRKEd_umYWDWp2rdooyyO5yZi6K2X_0L4/s200/meatballs+vegetables+mixing+bowl+eggs+compressed.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US">Place ground beef and the vegetable mixture into a large bowl and crack two raw eggs on top. Using an electric whisk (kneading attachments), a wooden spoon or your hands, knead all the ingredients thoroughly to combine. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizyctwuj6rbD4G5d5aUyRj7eLQLDL6UAbNF5-kOkK5tlXBRDzQTDDkIECaZveSHW-uPJGLESV4cPinLWsRxJ_EI4gn8vMBX8dWH1A2qwyvzsD5vbIt9l3_isGV6X0hYDODQwoHXUqKqA/s1600/meatballs+on+tray+compressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizyctwuj6rbD4G5d5aUyRj7eLQLDL6UAbNF5-kOkK5tlXBRDzQTDDkIECaZveSHW-uPJGLESV4cPinLWsRxJ_EI4gn8vMBX8dWH1A2qwyvzsD5vbIt9l3_isGV6X0hYDODQwoHXUqKqA/s200/meatballs+on+tray+compressed.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">Using your hands, shape meatballs roughly the size of a ping pong ball and place them on a lightly oiled baking tray. Slide into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes; the meatballs will render a little moisture but hopefully not too much. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">Remove tray from the oven and allow meatballs to cool. Transfer to a container with a tightly fitted lid and chill, then freeze.</span></div>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8634842350628345978.post-40236927293227951022012-03-01T04:27:00.001-08:002012-03-03T02:22:46.596-08:00Herby marinated “deli” chicken slices -- recipe<span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVSe0BaQ73RrwYpx5J6kN97uFF8rP5iSkGt3B0UV_Fto3Hfq6uaZJnV999yX8s2irEk0kecajpD_mbInC4jjOib2-0t-js0vWNmUfpbU9ni8S384DAlHYLQi4bNZsyqN_Mpm0OrWurDo/s1600/herby+marinated+chicken+web+format.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVSe0BaQ73RrwYpx5J6kN97uFF8rP5iSkGt3B0UV_Fto3Hfq6uaZJnV999yX8s2irEk0kecajpD_mbInC4jjOib2-0t-js0vWNmUfpbU9ni8S384DAlHYLQi4bNZsyqN_Mpm0OrWurDo/s200/herby+marinated+chicken+web+format.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span lang="EN-US">Check out my cooking video of this recipe on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEZQo_VuqRc&list=UUQEBDeWSZ4EvrC-OXCEkL4A&index=1&feature=plcp">YouTube</a>. </span></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">A versatile stand-by, this dish combines high-quality protein, a raft of anti-cancer ingredients (turmeric, garlic, olive oil, herbs, paprika, black pepper) and delicious flavors. While it takes a little time to make (most of it involving meat marinating while you’re off doing other things), you can prepare larger batches of chicken breasts by doubling or tripling this recipe and freeze these until needed; this way, your initial time investment will quickly pay off.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZs3N8ApV1Y7hdt69kyF0xz9CwJIOc7prJvYuiip-IrqfEP5p9k1tw9hyphenhyphenO00jfU6AZp5YhDdVmPZfgU5k7fyh7V7vL6OECxtiPztH7xbnq3i0-W_DRcQZOAIxHjkW_Vhxigt3P11eXyU/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZs3N8ApV1Y7hdt69kyF0xz9CwJIOc7prJvYuiip-IrqfEP5p9k1tw9hyphenhyphenO00jfU6AZp5YhDdVmPZfgU5k7fyh7V7vL6OECxtiPztH7xbnq3i0-W_DRcQZOAIxHjkW_Vhxigt3P11eXyU/s200/035.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US">Once it’s chilled, you can slice the meat thinly and use it to fill sandwiches (the picture to the right shows slices of chicken breast atop aslice of toasted sourdough bread, smeared with pesto underneath and a little home-made olive-oil mayonnaise on top, dusted with mild pepper flakes), or tortilla/salad wraps; slice it more thickly and scatter over a big salad; cube it and add it to risottos or soups; or, if you can't wait for it to chill, eat it hot, straight out of oven or pan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span lang="EN-US">What makes this healthy? </span></i><span lang="EN-US">The marinade is chock full of ingredients with cancer-protective properties: turmeric, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, parsley, black pepper, mixed herbs and paprika powder, with not a single nitrite, sweetener or flavor enhancer in sight. In fact, the marinade is so tasty that you don't need much salt either. And by marinating the meat in this aromatic mixture, you not only imbue it with flavor, you also protect it from the carcinogens that are often created when meat is cooked (see my previous post). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US">Make sure that you respect all necessary sanitary precautions, i.e. handling meat with clean hands and utensils, keeping the meat refrigerated in a sealed, clean container while raw (or after you’ve cooked it), and cooking it thoroughly.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">Here’s the recipe:</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">1.1lb / 500g skinless chicken breast (ideally organic, pastured)</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">2 cloves garlic, crushed</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">juice of ½ lemon</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">finely grated zest of ¼ lemon (untreated)</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">4 tbsp olive oil</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">1 tsp turmeric</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">1 tsp paprika powder</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">1 tsp <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Herbes de Provence</i></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">generous handful parsley</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">salt, pepper</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">De-vein the chicken breasts and place in a container that can be tightly sealed. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">Place the remaining ingredients (except salt) in a small chopper/blender and blend until emulsified. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">Pour marinade over the chicken breasts and spread with a spoon or spatula until the meat is fully coated. Cover dish tightly with food wrap (or use a container with a tight-fitting lid) and chill for at least 2-3 hours, ideally overnight.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">When you are ready to cook the meat, pre-heat the oven to 320F/160C, salt lightly on both sides and place in a clean oven-proof dish. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes until the breasts are cooked-through but still slightly soft to the touch (if in doubt, cut through the thickest part to check for doneness – the meat should be slightly juicy but no longer pink or translucent). </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">Remove to a plate to cool; then return to the fridge, well covered. </span></div>Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02549459673061764421noreply@blogger.com0