Friday Recipe - Squash Pasta (Vegan, mostly raw, grain-free)

Someone else's more gourmet picture - to entice you!

This is a really easy recipe and requires just a handful of in-season ingredients. Run to the market and grab a spaghetti squash, one large heirloom tomato, a couple medium zucchini, a handful of basil leaves, a lemon, 2 or 3 cloves of garlic and an amazingly delicious Reed avocado (my favorite!, but any avocado will do). Parsley, olive oil, butter, any other desired herbs optional. So... vegan, mostly raw AND grain-free!

Did I mention a serving this dish will get you at least 10% of ALL your vitamins and minerals except D, B12, Sodium and Selenium -- in only about 250 calories?? Sprinkle on some sea salt for sodium. You can add a good amount of selenium and B12 you non-vegetarians can pair with some sardines, salmon or lamb.

This can be done a day in advance.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and wash your spaghetti squash. Place it on a baking sheet or in a pan and cook for about 50-60 minutes. A knife should easily cut into it when it is done. Set aside and let cool.
Here is what this looks like.

Look at that beautiful avocado!

While this cools, wash your other ingredients. In a blender, add the zucchini (chopped to reasonable size for your blender), juice of the lemon, minced garlic cloves, basil leaves, and avocado. Use as much avocado as you like. My husband and I used about 1/3 of one of the large Reed varieties. Zucchini and squash are very low calorie so the avocado and any olive oil will provide the bulk of calories in this meal. Blend the ingredients into a delicious sauce.

I forgot my parsley and added my tomatoes in before sauce

Your squash should be cool by now. Slice it in half long-ways and scoop out the seeds and set them aside. Scoop out the inside of the squash and toss in a bowl with some parsley and olive oil or butter (optional). Mix your sauce into the noodles, which should still be warm.
Dice your tomato and add to a small skillet with water. Saute briefly to warm the tomatoes and increase their lycopene. Toss on top of your pasta.

And you're done! Actually, the sauce would be equally as delicious on raw zucchini noodles if you want to keep everything raw. If you like some crunch, just reserve a little of your zucchini and dice into small bits and sprinkle on your noodles.

This should make 2 servings, plus lots of extra spaghetti squash for later!

ESTIMATED NUTRITION PER SERVING:

(using 1 cup spaghetti squash per person, 1 TBsp olive oil total recipe, parsley, 3 cloves garlic, half of a medium avocado and 1 cup diced tomato per person)

• 260 calories
• 32g carbs; 10g fiber; 13g sugar
• 16g fat (half olive oil, half avocado); 2g saturated fat
• 7g protein

VITAMINS/MINERALS:

• 100%+: Vitamin K, Vitamin C
• 40-50%: Vitamin A, B6, Manganese, Potassium, Folate
• 20-25%: Riboflavin, Magnesium, Niacin, Copper, Pan. Acid

FOOD GAME TIME!!!

I PROMISE THIS ISN'T POLITICAL, haha

HINT

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday Spotlight - Riboflavin (B2)

Do you suffer from migraines? Are you concerned about developing cataracts in your later year? Well, Riboflavin may be for you. A couple studies suggest that riboflavin might help prevent cataracts and migraines (although further research is needed).

Riboflavin is a B-vitamin, B2 to be exact. It is also a water-soluble vitamin, which means that your body doesn't store surplus Riboflavin (what it can't metabolize) but rather eliminates the excess. So, unlike Vitamins D and K, which are fat-soluble and can store longer in the body, Riboflavin must be ingested regularly to prevent deficiency.

So, why do we need it? Like other B vitamins, Riboflavin is essential in making the energy in food available to your body for use by converting carbohydrates into glucose. B vitamins are also useful in metabolizing fats and proteins. Riboflavin is also an antioxidant, helps the body utilize other B vitamins (B6 and folate), and plays a role in red blood cell production.

Boys and girls are recommended to get 0.5 to 1 milligrams a day of Riboflavin daily (infants - 0.3mg, increase with age). Teenage females are suggested to have 1 mg a day, increasing to 1.1 mg in adulthood. Pregnant/lactating women are recommended to get 1.4-1.6 mg a day. Teenage boys and adult men are recommended to get 1.3 mg a day. Be aware that B2 supplements can interfere with a number of medications so always ask your doctor before starting a daily vitamin regimen.

Good sources of B2 include almonds, boiled eggs, deer meat, organ meats, whole grains, wild rice, mushrooms (especially cremini), milk, and spinach.

Monday Special - Radishes

Radishes, radishes. Not sure what to say about these. I'm not a big fan - a bit spicy for my tastes. But, maybe I've just never known how to prepare them. Well, let's investigate...

First off, what are they?? Radishes are cruciferous veggies - like cabbage, kale, broccoli, etc. They are also root vegetables like carrots, which simply means they are the roots of the plant. 

The most common radish is the small, round, red-outside, white-inside radish, however radishes can be long and look like carrots, and can also be white, purple, pink, or black. The greens of the radish can also be eaten - although they are quite tart like mustard greens.

Radishes are easy to grow and have a short harvest cycle. While they are abundant at my farmers market right now, and they are generally available year-round, radishes typically have two seasons - spring and fall. Spring varieties tend to be more mild than winter varieties, and therefore are more often to be eaten raw than the winter types.

Radish-pineapple juice
Vitamin C powerhouse

A 3.5 oz serving (which is a little less than a cup of slices) yields only 16 calories and virtually no fat. They do pack 3.5g carbs, 1.6g fiber and 1.9g sugar. While a serving contains small amounts of many vitamins and minerals, it mostly delivers on Vitamin C, containing 25% of the daily recommended value. Radishes also stimulate bile flow which aids in fat digestion. However, this is most likely achieved by drinking radish juice, so that you get enough radish to benefit from it. Radishes have also been used to break up gallstones and kidney stones.

Pick radishes that are firm with fresh-looking greens. Store your radishes in the refrigerator but REMOVE THE TOPS first or your radishes will dry out. Again, milder-flavored radishes can be eaten raw, adding a peppery bite to a salad or sandwich. If the radish is too pungent, you can always steam, roast, saute or boil them! I find pickled radish quite tasty. Radishes pair well with creamy cheeses, dill, citrus, cucumber, fava beans and smoked or salted fish. As for the greens, you can saute them to keep some flavor or boil them to make them tender and mild. They are sometimes added to potato soups or used in juice recipes.


If you are a radish-lover, plant some! They grow well in containers if you have limited space. They are also great companion plants for beet, bush and pole beans, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, melons, parsnip, peas, spinach and squash. They protect from squash borers, cucumber beetles, and rust flies. Finally, radishes are cool-season vegetables, so avoid summer harvest unless you want a tough, bitter crop. Also, do not plant with cabbage, cauliflower, turnips or Brussels sprouts.

So what do you think? Worth trying again? Or did you already love them??

MADE WITH LOVE

SO, what started off as a joke to my husband and I when we started on our real food journey - has now become a philosophy. When we go through our food planning, we obviously aim for gold, but in reality we can't always achieve that. Maybe one day I will have enough time or experience or access to a good food supply 24/7, but until then, we make compromises. And we call it: the MADE WITH LOVE standard.

For example, when it comes to animal-based foods, we prefer 100% grass fed cows and happy, free-to-roam-and-eat-bugs chickens, but these aren't always available or affordable. While we are not at this time willing to eat CAFO-raised industrial animal products, we will sometimes dine at places that source animals that haven't been given antibiotics or hormones. And perhaps the chickens aren't pastured all day but they have been given organic feed and not crammed into tiny cages. So in other words, at some level, it was "made with love".

Fruits and vegetables are actually the most difficult thing to find at restaurants. Many restaurants say they try to source local, organic as much as possible - but what does this mean? Usually, it means a couple sides may have organic ingredients. You have to rely on the word of the owner, unless the farms are listed on the menu - a good indication that they have quality food suppliers, but not proof positive. However, while we avoid chain restaurants like the plague (I'm talking Chili's - no Chipotle), a local restaurant that prepares fresh food from scratch is a great alternative.

Or maybe I'm just too tired to cook from scratch at home, or just seriously in need of something different. Well, that's why we have canned salsa, raw kale chips, Food for Life tortillas and bread, and snack bars. They aren't the best, but are arguably better than fast food or macaroni and cheese. There is no way splurging on walnuts and almonds and dates is comparable to eating a big mac.

Although I try my best to keep my household supplied with unprocessed, whole fruits and veggies and spoiled livestock, I'm not perfect. But knowing that there are good options for those times and what those are, where to get them, or keeping a stash stocked in the house can help you stick to your diet without starving. As long as it's made with love, it's ok by us.



What do you consider to be made with love?

Friday Recipe - Sweet Egg Stacks with Glazed Long Beans

Well, this recipe will be MOSTLY from the market. Carrots aren't really in season yet, so I jumped the gun a bit here. But I couldn't resist. And sweet potatoes are a favorite at my house so I couldn't resist when I saw them at the market this week. You might be getting a bunch of sweet potato recipes over the next couple months. You've been warned.

So, this meal doesn't take very long to prepare. You need a machine with which to shred carrots and potatoes, a large skillet and a boiling pot. And lots of eggs.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

SWEET EGG STACKS
*Recipe from Multiply Delicious
Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded sweet potato (took about half my sweet potato)

Dry ingredients

• 1 cup shredded carrots (took less than two large carrots; maybe only one)
• 8 eggs (sounds like a lot, but only 2 per person!)
• 4 teaspoons coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• dash of nutmeg
• coconut oil

GLAZED LONG BEANS
Ingredients:

1 bunch long beans, onion, garlic

• 2 bunches long beans (~1 pound)
• handful diced onion
• 1/2 Tablespoon minced ginger (or 1 tsp ground) *adjust for your tastes... I prefer only a hint
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• Dash red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup stock (any flavor)
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• Sprinkle of sesame seeds (Approx 1 Tbsp)

Ah! Forgot the ginger!!

Ok, I prefer my eggs hot versus the long beans, so we need to cook those first. However, to ensure they don't sit too long, we want to prepare the egg stackers first.

Wash and shred your carrots and potato and place into a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the coconut flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and sea salt. Add this to the sweet potato and carrot bowl. Then whisk together 4 eggs; add this to the potato/carrot mix. This is skillet-ready so let's hop over to the beans.
Boil water and a pinch of salt in a large pot. Add the long beans and cook about 2 minutes, or until they start to get tender. Set aside.
Place some coconut oil (not too much - we will be using it for the egg stackers as well) in the skillet and warm to medium-high heat. Cook your onions, ginger (if fresh and not ground) and garlic in the skillet. After a couple minutes, add the red pepper flakes and long beans. If you have ground ginger, sprinkle this on the long beans now. Cook another 5 minutes and add the stock and honey. Let the beans cook in the broth until ti is mostly soaked into the beans. Remove from skillet and garnish with salt and pepper, if desired. Keep them in a warmed oven if you want to keep them hot.

Now, clean off the skillet or get a second skillet to make the sweet egg stacks. (Or don't! If you don't mind mixing your food.) Again, add your coconut oil and turn the stove top to medium heat. Once the skillet is warmed up, form the carrot/potato mixture into 4 even patties and place into skillet. After a couple minutes, flip to cook the other side. Once these are done, set on your serving plates with the long beans. The final step is to fry some eggs however you prefer (we like over-medium in our household so the whites are firm and the yolks run all over the stackers!) and set them atop your stackers. Bon appetit!

Estimated nutritional value (per serving):
*Assumed 2 Tbsp coconut oil

Energy

• 315 calories
• only 250 without coconut oil
• 14g fat; 6g saturated
• 11g and 3g if no coconut oil
• 24 carbs, 6g fiber, 9g sugar
• approx. half sugar is honey
• 8% sodium - NOT INCLUDING SEA SALT
• 94% cholesterol
• all from eggs

Vitamins/Minerals

• 168% Vitamin A
• 48% Selenium; 40% Vitamin D
• 36% Riboflavin; 34% Manganese
• 20-30%: Phosphorus, Vitamin K, Folate, B12, Vitamin C, B6
• 15-19%: Vitamin E, Iron, Pan. Acid, Copper, Calcium

Shared with Fighting Back Friday

Wednesday Spotlight - Vitamin Solubility and the Bs!

So, I figured we might take a little break from the vitamin/mineral highlights and talk about vitamin solubility. In doing so, we will naturally touch on the B-vitamins, as you will see. Solubility is important because it can help you more efficiently plan you nutrient intake. You see, some vitamins will store for a period of time in our bodies, whereas some must be replenished regularly.

FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS store in the liver when not immediately used by our bodies. These vitamins are A, D, E and K. Foods that contain these vitamins also are less likely to lose them during cooking. Therefore, you can plan on cooking the following foods without loss of these particular nutrients:

• Vitamin A: liver, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin
• Vitamin D: egg yolks
• Vitamin E: green, leafy vegetables
• Vitamin K: green, leafy vegetables

I wrote about Vitamin K and Vitamin D in August, so check those out if you want to learn more - and stay tuned for A and E!

WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS are eliminated through our urine when the body has metabolized all it can. They do not store in the body and therefore need to be taken regularly, preferably daily or throughout the day, if possible. Cooking foods with water-soluble nutrients will reduce these vitamins. The various B vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble. Luckily, a lot of the C-dense foods, such as citrus fruit (oranges, limes, lemons, strawberries, melons), are mostly consumed raw. However, squash, broccoli, and bell peppers will lose some amount of their vitamin C if cooked. I wrote about Vitamin C on August 22, so take a look back if you are interested in learning more about that powerhouse nutrient!

Now, there are 8 B vitamins, and rather than inundate you in speaking to each of them individually, I will just give you an introduction here.

• B1 = Thiamin
• B2 = Riboflavin
• B3 = Niacin (spotlight on Sept 12)
• B5 = Pantothenic acid
• B6
• B7 = Biotin
• B9 = Folate
• B12 (spotlight on Aug 8)

B vitamins are important because they play an important role in the metabolism of foods for energy. They also promote red blood cell formation and contribute to the health of your skin, hair, muscles and nervous system. B vitamins also reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Good sources of B vitamins include animal proteins (turkey, tuna, liver, meat), whole grains, potatoes, beans, and lentils. Unfortunately, most of these foods must be cooked. Bananas are another source of B vitamins and are typically eaten raw. Beer drinkers and vegans need to be monitoring their B intake (specifically B12 for vegans) as they are at particular risk for deficiency.

As always, try to get your vitamins from whole foods because supplements are not biologically the same and can also lead to toxicity in large amounts. But, if you have allergies, inability to source certain foods, ethical objections, or simply personal tastes that restrict your diet in a way that affects your nutrient intake, do what you gotta do!

Monday Special - Bell Peppers (Sweet peppers)

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, we love bell peppers at my house. We put them in everything! And we are sad that they are on the way out. Maybe because I am in a hotter part of the country I might get them through fall at the market, but bell peppers are typically a summer/early autumn treat.

Some cool facts about bell peppers that you may not know:

• Red (and orange and yellow, etc) bell peppers are vine-ripened green bell peppers. (and my favorite!); although, some green bell peppers are green when ripe.
• In addition to red, orange, yellow, and green, peppers can also be purple or brown or ivory. The red, orange and yellow however tend to be sweeter than the green, purple.
• Non-green bell peppers also cost more because of the extra time to ripen!
• Green bell peppers have twice the vitamin C of oranges; red/yellow have four times as much.
• Paprika is made from either bell pepper and/or chili peppers.

Bell pepper is another very versatile food, which again, is why it is so adored at our house. We often add to salads or raw meal mixes (corn, okra, tomato, etc); we layer in hummus wraps or just cut into strips to dip into hummus. Some people grill bell peppers (whole or k-bobs), saute into dishes (yummy in omelettes!), or bake stuffed with rice or meat in the oven. While these are all delicious ideas, cooking reduces the nutrients in the peppers, so try to eat them raw as much as possible. Sometimes we just scramble our eggs and add in the veggies after or quickly at the end. Or, make your rice/beans/meat before hand and mix with veggies to stuff into a raw pepper. Be creative!

Bell pepper are a low-calorie food. One 3.5 ounce, raw serving contains between 20 and 30 calories, with negligible carbs, fat and protein. All sweet peppers are a great source of Vitamin C, but red peppers have substantially more than green and yellow peppers having quite a bit more than red. Green and red peppers provide some Vitamin B6 and only red peppers (versus green and yellow) provide a substantial amount of Vitamin A, and about 11% folate.

In addition to these nutrients, bell peppers are an excellent source of antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties. To get the most of these benefits, look for ripe peppers that have deep coloring. The stems should be green and not dried out. The vegetable and its skin should be firm. Store them in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. If you want to freeze them for use when no longer in season (as I fully plan on doing), dice the peppers and freeze on a cookie sheet like fruit before putting into a freezer container. This is to make sure they freeze individually and don't stick together. Try to use the peppers within 6 months of freezing. Peppers thaw quickly and while they will have lost their crispness, they can still be used when cooking.

Bell peppers are good for containers if you would like to grow them next year and have limited garden space.

So, if you like bell peppers like me, take advantage and get your crisp, shiny peppers while you still can!

Friday Recipe - Longhorn Pasta

This week I put together a couple pasta dishes - one vegan, one not. I have been dying to try some specialty items from the market, so I decided to make a meal that incorporated both as well as found a way to sneak some eggplant into my diet. Thus, longhorn pasta was born!

Sorry! I am working on getting a better camera.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• A pound of meat* 
• Approximately 2 cups of dry pasta of your choice*
• 1 large eggplant
• 4 to 6 large cremini mushrooms (depending on your love of the shroom)
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 1 or 2 jalapenos, depending on size
• 1 clove garlic (more if you LOVE garlic)
• A couple handfuls of purslane
• A jar of your favorite tomato sauce (I couldn't find this at the market, unfortunately)
• Spices/herbs of your choice - I used chili powder, paprika, oregano, parsley, black pepper
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

*SHOUT OUTS:

I used Texas Longhorn Land and Cattle Co. - Port Lavaca, TX - for the meat. This is a grass-fed ground beef used from the whole cow - they don't slice off all the prime cuts for steaks and grind the leftovers. You can contact sixmile@icsi.net for more information about their product.


For the pasta, I used Tavola's Roasted Red Pepper infused organic durum semolina rigatoni - this is truly a made-with-love product. Check them out on Facebook at Tavola pasta - Houston, TX.

I also like to put extra onion and pepper into the meat.

To get started, thaw the ground beef and wash and dice all the vegetables (from eggplant to purslane on list above). Once the beef is thawed, massage your spices into it. Set that aside and place your dry pasta into a pot and add plenty of water. Bring to a boil.







While that works into a boil, place a tablespoon of coconut oil into a large skillet and put over medium-high heat on the stove. Toss in your garlic and onion and let saute for a couple minutes. Then add the eggplant, mushrooms and jalapeno and saute these a few more minutes. All the vegetables should be quite cooked in 10 minutes.

Your noodles might also be boiling at this time and you can set a timer to 8 - 10 minutes and let the pasta boil uncovered. Add the meat to the sauteed skillet veggies and brown to perfection.
When everything is complete, portion the pasta into 4 servings, top with sauce and meat/veggie combo and enjoy. Sprinkle in some cheese for an extra treat.










For a vegan version, skip the meat! Easy as that. Because I love spinach, I sauteed some quickly in a skillet and topped on my noodles also.

Yum! Does anyone have some great ideas on different versions of this dish? Or maybe even some local pastas or specialty meats you want to share?



Linked with: Fight Back Friday

Anything GMO should NOT be labeled ALL NATURAL

Blurb from The Institute for Responsible Technology:

"It is now possible for plants to be engineered with genes taken from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. Scientists have worked on some interesting combinations:

• Spider genes were inserted into goat DNA, in hopes that the goat milk would contain spider web protein for use in bulletproof vests.
• Cow genes turned pigskins into cowhides.
• Jellyfish genes lit up pigs' noses in the dark.
• Artic fish genes gave tomatoes and strawberries tolerance to frost.

Field trials have included:

• Corn engineered with human genes (Dow)
• Sugarcane engineered with human genes (Hawaii Agriculture Research Center)
• Corn engineered with jellyfish genes (Stanford University)
• Tobacco engineered with lettuce genes (University of Hawaii)
• Rice engineered with human genes (Applied Phytologics)
• Corn engineered with hepatitis virus genes (Prodigene)
• Potatoes that glowed in the dark when they needed watering.
• Human genes were inserted into corn to produce spermicide."

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-basics/the-ge-process

Does any of this seem natural to you??

Wednesday Spotlight - Niacin

Niacin is a B-vitamin, B3 to be exact. It is also a water-soluble vitamin, which means that your body doesn't store surplus niacin (what it can't metabolize) but rather eliminates the excess. So, unlike Vitamins D and K, which are fat-soluble and can store longer in the body, Niacin must be ingested regularly to prevent deficiency.

So, why do we need it? Niacin is essential in turning your food calories into energy for the body, the utilization of fats and cholesterol production. It is necessary for DNA production and plays a role in insulin metabolism. A study published in 2004 reported that a study of seniors (age 65+) who consumed higher amounts of Niacin were 70% less likely to develop Alzheimer's. Niacin also has been shown to lower cholesterol and some health professionals claim it can effectively fight depression.

Boys and girls are recommended to get 2 to 8 milligrams a day of Niacin (babies - 2mg, increase with age). Puberty-age children are suggested to have 12mg a day, with teenagers and adults requiring 14mg if female, 16mg if male. Pregnant/lactating women are recommended to get 17-18mg a day.

People who might require higher amounts of niacin in their diet include those with chronic bowel problems as well as the usual suspects such as those with high-stress lifestyles, heavy alcohol intake, etc. Additionally, deficiency in tryptophan (an amino acid found in many seafoods and poultry) and other B-vitamins (namely B1, B6, B12) can lead to niacin deficiency.

An easy way to meet you daily B3 requirements is to get a couple servings a day of meat proteins like fish, poultry and beef. If you adhere to a vegan diet, peanuts, brown rice, sunflower seeds, potatoes, tomatoes and mushrooms are some plant sources of niacin.

• 60-80% Daily Recommended Value (adults) = tuna, chicken
• 31%-50% DRV = turkey, halibut, salmon, beef, deer, lamb
• 15-30% DRV = mushrooms (cremini/shitake), shrimp, sardines, peanuts, spelt

So maybe you have high cholesterol? Maybe you are feeling weak or never hungry? Are you having skin or digestive problems? Ask your doctor about incorporating more Niacin into your routine. And come Thanksgiving, instead of stuffing yourself with turkey all afternoon, bag a bunch of smaller portions to take home and eat throughout the next few days. 

Monday Spotlight - Eggplant

Eggplant. I don't know if you are like me but I typically have never cared for it much. But, it seems to be dominating the farmer's market these days so I figure I need to address it.

Eggplant is typically in season July - October. Eggplant, although referred to as a vegetable, is actually a fruit. It comes in many varieties, shapes (oblong/round), sizes (2 - 12 inches long), and colors (white to deep purple).

Now, eggplant isn't a particulary nutrient-dense food as far as standard vitamins and minerals go (lucky for those of us that don't really prefer it anyways!), however as you might have guessed from it's pigmentation (well, the deep purple ones at least) it carries a lot of cancer-fighting antioxidants. Eggplant might also be able to reduce cholesterol and protect brain cells. One serving of cooked eggplant will provide you 10% of the daily recommended amount of fiber in under 35 calories.

Eggplant can be cooked many ways - or just eaten raw! Although many people do not opt to eat them raw as some claim the skins are inedible. Eggplant parmaggiana and lasagna are often popular choices for eggplant, but adding them to casseroles, pastas, omelets or stews work fine as well. In fact, these are great ways to sneak in eggplant into many meals, particulary if diced first. Grilling or broiling are other healthy alternatives. If the skin is particularly bitter or the plant has been stored for longer than two days, try slicing the eggplant, sprinkling with sea salt and placing in a collander in the sink for 20 minutes or so. Wipe them off before eating or cooking them. This is your best bet for getting out some of its bitterness.

Grilled eggplant and tomato snack

Picking an eggplant can be a little tricky. If you are buying direct from your farmer, you can just ask him or her to help you determine the ripeness. One distinct advantage to a farmer's market is that the farmer usually picks what is ready for harvest right before bringing it to you. If you source your eggplant from the grocery store, press your thumb into the skin and watch to see if the skin bounces back. If it does, it should be ripe. If it is too hard that you can't make a finger impression, it is not ripe; if it is too soft, it is overripe. Like melons, the eggplant should feel heavier than it looks. If it sounds hollow when tapping it, chances are it isn't the eggplant for you. Eggplants have a short shelf life so try to avoid buying them unless you are jonesing for some purple stuff in your life.

So, if they call to you, eat them up! Cancer prevention is never a bad thing. But if you pass, that's ok too. Just make sure you are getting your blues and purples and blacks elsewhere (generally a good indication of antioxidant value) and that you incorporate whole fruits and vegetables into your diet. If you want to keep healthy, that is!

Friday Recipe - Curry Rabbit and Figs with Black Eyed BEANS and Spinach

With the exception of the broth, this entire recipe was sourced from the local farmers market - which could be one of my first ever - and only the beginning! I normally would have my own broth or one from my favorite chef, but unfortunately, he has been on break for the summer - sad face.

Sorry! Took this picture and had forgotten the figs!

So, I think rabbit is kind of safe (like chicken - feel like it goes with anything), but with the advice of the friendly folks at the farmers market, I was able to put something together a little more sophisticated than usual (granted, only slightly - I'm all about easy and fast cooking - minimal cleanup!). Here are my ingredients:

• A rabbit of any size - mine was a little over 3 pounds
• 16 ounces (or more or less depending on your tastes) curry sauce of choice (mine courtesy of The Curry Cup http://thecurrycup.tumblr.com/#)

• If you can't find a similar product at your market, just mix some tomato sauce (watered down a bit) with indian spices and herbs of your choice like coriander, cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and clove and add in a bay leaf, onions, garlic and salt
• 16 ounces black eyed beans (fresh)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 8 figs
• A couple bunches of spinach

In preparation for this meal, marinate the rabbit in the curry sauce in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes beforehand. Then, rinse the blackeyes and put them in the crock pot. Add the vegetable broth and water until there is more than enough water for the beans to absorb when cooking. Then place the marinated rabbit into the pot and pour in the marinade. Set the crock pot to the low setting and cover.

Now, many people cut up the rabbit into a handful of pieces and brown it before putting into a slow cooker. This is braising. I am sure this enhances the flavor, but is an extra step (and more dishes to clean!) that I don't care to take. You can do whatever you like.

After an hour on low, rinse the cilantro, roughly chop it and placed on top of the rabbit and peas. Set the timer for another hour. When the hour has passed, check the temperature of the rabbit. I usually cook my chicken and rabbit to about 160 degrees, but most people cook a little higher than that. I find personally that if I let my meats get much hotter, they become too dry. But safety first and do what makes your comfortable.

Now, you might find the rabbit is done but the beans could use a little more time. That's actually perfect! Turn the slow cooker to high and let them sit a little longer. I let mine go somewhere between another 30 minutes to an hour before I pulled them. If you want to keep the rabbit warm, place it in a covered pan and put in a warm oven - very low temperature; again, I would rather have room temperature tender rabbit on hot beans than dry meat.

When the beans are getting close to done (about 20 minutes left), wash and chop your figs and place them into the slow cooker. Once the beans and figs are done, wash your spinach and quickly saute in a pan on the stove. I usually drop some water into a non-stick pan and cover, stirring frequently to ensure it doesn't overcook. I sprinkle with pepper and ground garlic if I have it.


Now that everything is done, throw everything together and drizzle the marinade all over. Now, just enjoy! 

Had some leftover cauliflower here - not from market :(

Nutrition (estimated as best as possible for rabbit, spinach, figs, blackeyes and veggie broth):

Does NOT include sauce, spices, cilantro, any added salt

per serving...

• General:
• 400 calories
• 4g fat, 1g saturated fat
• 53 carbs - 15g fiber - 17g sugar (half of sugar from fig)
• 39g protein
• Nutrients:
• 405% Vitamin A
• 37% Vitamin C
• 23% Vitamin E
• 1172% Vitamin K
• 26% Thiamin
• 45% Riboflavin
• 44% Niacin
• 45% B6
• 121% Folate
• 92% B12
• 50% Calcium
• 71% Iron
• 70% Magnesium
• 39% Phosphorus
• 56% Potassium
• 34% Zinc
• 36% Copper
• 135% Manganese
• 28% Selenium
• 35% Cholesterol

Estimated servings = 8

Estimated cost/serving = $7.50

A bit of a premium to regular meals, but quality rabbit, fresh beans and homemade curry sauce were definitely worth it!

The REAL FOOD REVOLUTION

EDUCATION
What is the industrial food system feeding us? How do I nourish my body? What does it need? Where do I get it? How do I grow it? What small things can I do to live a sustainable lifestyle? What can I do to keep good foods available to those that want them? All these things I strive to help you understand through this blog. At my age, most of the people I know aren't changing their lifestyle. I am still happy if I can get even one person to consume one less soda, to go to the farmers market, to try raw milk! Small victories.
A true change I feel is most likely to happen at a young age. Companies rely on the numerous studies that show tastes are formed in childhood - hence why limiting advertising of junk food to impressionable young minds will never happen. Teaching children about where foods come from, how to prepare homemade food, how to grow your own food - all these things lead to greater awareness and respect for real foods. Plant the seeds of nutritional knowledge in your children and watch them grow!

INNOVATION
Something my husband and I are always seeking. Self-watering garden containers. Conversion of old boat frames to underground backyard winter food cellars. Mobile slaughterhouses. I have watched my father-in-law create a feed trough for his cows from a retired water heater. The list goes on and on. People have been gardening since the beginning of time and there is no lack of tips and tricks out there. And if you go to a farmers market, especially during slow season, you will find people interested in helping others. Talk up some Greenhorns and you will find no lack of innovation.

ACTION (including ACTIVISM)
Finally, we must take action to fight for our right to real food. To grow it, eat it, share it with our friends and families and communities. Whether it's growing your own garden, even if just a single pot, or signing some online petitions to label GMOs or submitting public comments against modified salmon and apples, telling your friends, committing to only consuming locally and/or organically grown foods... whatever it is, big or small, just ACT! Recycle and compost! Attend or host a Raw Milk Riders event or join in Lemonade Freedom Day. Teach your kids about food. Eat in season. Vote. Start beekeeping! Do family dinners at home versus going out to eat, and if you need a break, see if your local farmers market has ready-made meals! Or go all in; buy a house that has room to garden or farm; trade in that stressful, time-demanding cubicle job and find something that allows you to enjoy your family, your life; stop spending your dollars on consumer "goods" and start spending them on nourishing your body and soul!

Whether food is your passion or not, live your life how you want to live it. Fight for what you want. And realize that just because everyone else does it, doesn't mean you have to. 

SPECIAL POST - MUST READ ADDITION

Yep, so important that I actually posted a blog, rather than just on Facebook, for this information.

http://www.hungryforchange.tv/book-trailer

Please register and get the first chapter for free!!! Share with all your friends!

Wednesday Spotlight - Manganese

Manganese. Funny to say, but a seriously important mineral your body needs, helping it to use other nutrients (like thiamin and biotin and choline) and process proteins, carbs, and fatty acids. Manganese also activates the enzymes used in bone formation and is involved in the production of both sex and thyroid hormones.


That was a mouthful! But we aren't done yet! Manganese also supports urine production, the metabolism of blood sugar, and antioxidant activity. So, as you can see, lack of manganese can interfere with your body's operations in many ways.

So, how much manganese is recommended to avoid deficiency? Girls are recommended to get 1.2-1.6 milligrams of manganese a day, increasing to 1.8 milligrams in adulthood, and 2 milligrams if pregnant/lactating. Boys have higher needs for manganese as they reach puberty - 1.9 milligrams, increasing to 2.2 milligrams during the teen years. Adult men require 2.3 milligrams a day. Individuals that excessively sweat (working outdoors in the summer or engaging in long periods of exercise) and people with liver or gallbladder disorders may require higher amounts of manganese.

A great source of manganese is black eyed beans!! Yep, those yummy non-peas I wrote about yesterday. Here are some ways to incorporate manganese into your diet:

• 1 cup of cooked black eyed beans = 0.9mg
• 1 cup lentils/lima beans/navy beans = 1mg
• 1 cup of brown rice = 1.8mg
• 1 cup oatmeal = 1.4mg
• 5 ounces of raw spinach = 1.3mg
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon = 0.9mg 
• 1 cup pineapple = 1.5mg
• 1 cup raspberries = 0.8mg
• 1 cup grapes = 0.7mg

NOTE: A breakfast smoothie of 2 cups raw spinach, a banana, 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup raspberries and 1 tsp cinnamon = 2.9mg manganese - and you don't have to worry about it for the rest of the day! And if you are a die-hard oatmeal breakfast person, add a couple teaspoons of cinnamon and you have covered your daily recommended needs before lunch also.

But, please, eat your beans anyways!

Monday Special - Black Eyed BEANS! (COWPEAS)

Yep, I'm going to call them Black Eyed Beans from now on - since they are beans, not peas. Did you know black eyed beans enjoy a long season - from May to November. Anyone else shocked that they are NOT in season at New Years?? (I'm showing my southern roots again, aren't I?)

Black eyed BEANS are as nutritious as any other bean. In fact, America's top heart hospital, the Cleveland Clinic, listed them as one of the top 5 beans to eat for heart health.
For a cup- serving (of boiled/drained beans), you get:

• 160 calories, but less than 1g of fat
• 34g carbs (8g fiber)
• 5g protein
• Nutrition(as % of daily recommended value)
• 10-19%: Thiamin, Robiflavin, Niacin, Iron, Zinc, Copper
• 20-30%: Vitamin A, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium
• 45-55%: Vitamin K, Folate, Manganese
• Low-glycemic food with blood-cholesterol lowering phytosterols

If you buy them dried, you will need to pre-soak prior to cooking, like any other bean. Blackeyes are versatile like most beans and can be made a side dish (plain with salt and pepper or dressed up and simmered in a broth or sauce), added to soups or salads or chilis, or paired with rice.

So, don't save them for that New Year's bash. (Although you can set some aside to keep the tradition alive if you prefer.) Eat them up throughout the summer and fall, when you can get them super fresh. Check in on Friday for my weekly recipe; it will include black eyed peas and a couple other in-season yummies!

Fun fact: Black eyed peas originate in Africa and are drought-resistant. For information on growing your own cowbeans, read this backyard gardening article, which explains how to select, grow and store beans... whether ground or container-bound.
http://www.gardeningblog.net/how-to-grow/black-eyed-peas/