Week 16--Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard is a leafy green vegetable often used in Mediterranean cooking.  While the leaves are always green, chard stalks vary in color.  Chard has been bred to have highly nutritious leaves at the expense of the root, which is not as nutritious as the leaves.  Chard is, in fact, considered to be one of the healthiest vegetables available and a valuable addition to a healthy diet.

Swiss Chard is high in vitamins A, K, and C with a 175g serving containing 214%, 716%, and 53%, respectively, of the recommended daily value.  It is also rich in minerals, dietary fiber and protein. (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chard)

For this week's recipe I made a White Bean and Chard soup with Sausage (Note:  You will need some overnight preparation so please read entire recipe first).


Here is what you will need:

Ingredients


2 to 3 bunches of organic chard chopped coarsely (choose colorful stalks for more appeal)
1lb organic dry white beans (use canned if you absolutely must but I recommend cooking your own)
4 to 6 chicken sausages,sliced (I chose Mediterranean sausages from Trader Joes)
1 large organic onion chopped
5 to 6 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 organic orange bell pepper chopped
1/2 organic yellow bell pepper chopped
1 jar of organic marinara sauce
1/4 cup of dry red wine
Chicken stock (you will need about 1qt but maybe more)
cumin
salt
pepper
dry oregano
fresh basil
1TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions


Night Before


Soak beans in about 2 quarts of water

Morning of


Place beans in crockpot on high setting and cook for about 3 to 4 hrs or until done.  Add salt when finished cooking and set aside


Afternoon/evening of


1. Start by sauteing the sausages in the olive oil (about 5 minutes)
2. Add onions and bell peppers and cook for another 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender

3. Add garlic and cook for another minute
4. Add cumin, oregano and basil
5. Add wine and marinara sauce, cover and let simmer about 10 minutes

5. Add Swiss chard, cover and cook for about 10 minutes
6. Add beans and chicken stock and bring to boil.  Reduce temperature and simmer for about 15 minutes

7. Top with freshly chopped basil and Parmesan cheese (if desired)
8. Serve with crusty bread

Week 15--Artichokes

The total antioxidant capacity of artichokes is one of the highest reported for vegetables. This diuretic vegetable aids digestion and strengthens the liver and gall bladder functions. It also raises the HDL/LDL ratio which means lower "bad" cholesterol levels, and diminishes the risk of arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Artichokes contain the bioactive agents apigenin and luteolin which also seem to have bifidogenic effect on beneficial gut bacteria.  1 medium artichoke contains 60 calories, 7gms of fiber, and 4gms of protein.  Artichokes are also a great source of folate and magnesium. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artichoke)

I must confess that I was a bit intimidated by artichokes but I knew I had to feature them since they are at the peak of their growing season.  I cooked them once before and I can't say I was thrilled with the results but this time around I was pleasantly surprised.  This week I'm making a "Lemon Chicken with Artichokes and Olives." Here is what you will need:

Ingredients


4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (choose organic)
4 medium to large artichokes
2 lemons
1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives
2 cups of onions sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
6 cups water
1TB Olive oil
2tsp cumin
1tsp saffron threads
2tsp paprika
salt and pepper

Directions


1. Cut stems and outer layers of artichokes leaving just the tender hearts.  Slice in half and place in 4 cups of water with juice of one lemon.
2. Heat olive oil on large skillet.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook for 3 minutes on each side (or until brown).  Remove from pan and set aside.
4. On the same skillet add onion and garlic and cook until tender (~ 5 to 7 minutes).
5. Add cumin, paprika and saffron and cook for another minute
6. Add juice of one lemon and wine and cook until wine is reduced
7.  Add 2 cups of water and cover.  Simmer for about 5 minutes.
8. Add chicken to broth.

9. Drain artichokes and pat dry.  Add them to pan with chicken and broth.  Add Olives and salt and pepper as needed.  Cover pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

10. Once chicken is thoroughly cooked, turn off heat and add cilantro.
11. Suggestion:  serve with herbed brown rice, roasted sweet potatoes and sauteed broccolini .

12. I'm pretty proud of this dish :)

Week 14--Bok Choy

If you have ever eaten good-quality Chinese food, chances are you have tried Bok Choy.  What's special about this vegetable aside from its delicious sweetness is that it contains glucosilnolates, compounds that have been reported to prevent cancer.  It is also a great source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.  It is best stir-fried but you can also make it into salads and soups.  For this week's recipe I created a Bok Choy Tofu stir fry with chili garlic sauce.  Here is what you will need

Ingredients


1lb bok choy trimmed
2 1lb blocks of extra firm tofu (choose organic)
4 large cloves of garlic sliced
1tsp sesame oil
1TB soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1TB chili garlic sauce
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup water

Directions


1. Cut blocks of tofu and place among 2 sheets of paper or cloth towels.  Press with a weight.  When drained cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2. In a small bowl combine oyster sauce, chili sauce, soy sauce, and lemon juice.  Set aside

3. Heat a medium skillet or wok at high heat and add sesame oil.  Add garlic and stir fry for a minute.  Add tofu and cook until this begins to turn golden brown.  Once it begins to brown remove from pan and set aside.

4. In the same skillet or wok add bok choy and water.  Cover and let steam for 3 to 5 minutes or until bok choy begins to get tender but is not fully cooked.

5. Add sauce and tofu and continue to stir fry until well combined and heated thoroughly (~ 5 to 7 minutes)

6. Serve immediately with steaming rice or quinoa.

7. Enjoy!

Week 13--Cabbage

Wait, don't run!  I know what you are thinking: cabbage=Gas!  Well yes, maybe but don't go so fast.  Cabbage is one of the post powerful foods you can eat.  Can you give me a chance to convince you to eat it?  For starters, anti-cancer properties.  You  heard me.  Along with broccoli and other Brassica vegetables cabbage is a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.  (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage).  Cabbage is also an excellent source of vitamin C and contains significant amounts of glutamine, an amino acid that has anti-inflammatory properties.  Cabbage is low in calories and if cooked in the right way, quite delicious if I must say so myself.

This week I came up with another one of my own concoctions.  It is a curried cabbage and cauliflower soup with ginger.  Can you say detox fast enough?  Yes, and anti-inflammation too.

Here is what you will need:

Ingredients


1 large head of cabbage chopped
1 large head of cauliflower chopped
1 large onion chopped
2TB minced ginger
1TB earth balance
1 cup coconut milk (optional)
2TB curry powder
Juice of 3 to 4 lemons
cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and pepper
8 to 10 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
cilantro or parsley

Directions


1. Start by sauteing the onion, garlic, and ginger in a large stock pot with the earth balance (~5 minutes or until onion is cooked)
2. Add curry powder and saute an additional minute

3. Add chopped cabbage and cauliflower and mix with the onion mixture

4. Add broth and lemon juice and cover stock pot.  Cook for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender
5. Transfer vegetable mixture to blender or food processor and puree (you may need to do it in batches)
6. Return to pot
7. Add coconut milk (optional)
8. Season with salt and pepper
9. Enjoy topped with cayenne and cilantro or parsley