Week 21--Avocado

Avocados are in season, but you wouldn't know the difference because here in California they are available year round.  Fortunately for us they originate in Central Mexico and the climate of the area allows for year round availability at a relatively low price.

Avocados were a staple in my family growing up.   My mother used to add them to salads and soups, and even  slice them as snacks sprinkled with chili, lime, and salt.  And then of course there is the all famous guacamole which is forever present at Carne Asadas (Mexican BBQs), and just about any picnic or get together.  I make a decent guacamole but not until recently have I really started eating and appreciating avocados.

About 75% of an avocado's calories come from fat, most of which is monounsaturated fat.  On a 100g basis, avocados have 35% more potassium (485mg) than bananas (358mg).  They are rich in B vitamins as well as vitamin E and vitamin K.  Avocados have a high fiber content of 75% insoluble and 25% soluble fiber.  High avocado intake was shown in one preliminary study to lower blood cholesterol levels.  Specifically, after a seven-day diet rich in avocados, mild hypercholesterolemia patients showed a 17% decrease in total serum cholesterol levels.  These subjects also showed a 22% decrease in both LDL (harmful cholesterol) and triglyceride levels and 11% increase in HDL (helpful cholesterol) levels.  (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado)

This week's recipe I pulled out of my sleeve.  I  had a few ingredients in my refrigerator that I wanted to use and I created a Lentil, Quinoa, and Swiss Chard salad with Avocado Dressing.  Here is what you will need (remember to choose organic whenever possible):

Ingredients

1 large bunch of swiss chard, chopped

1/2 cup of cilantro chopped

4 stalks of green onion chopped

2 stalks of fresh garlic chopped

1/2 large red bell pepper chopped

1 cup cooked black lentils

1 cup cooked quinoa

Dressing

Juice of 3 lemons

Juice of 1 orange

1TB cold pressed grapeseed oil

1tsp dry thyme

1tsp dry basil

3 cloves of garlic

salt and pepper

1 large ripe avocado

Directions

1 Mix together all salad ingredients in a large bowl

2. In a food processor or blender, mix together all salad dressing ingredients.  Pulse until smooth.  Pour over salad.

3. Mix well, refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight

4. Enjoy!

Week 20--Tempeh (missing recipe)

I've been running a week behind in my recipe collection, so this week I decided to include another "out of the box" recipe that features tempeh.  But first, let's review (or learn) what tempeh is.

Tempeh is a traditional soy product made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form, similar to a very firm vegetarian burger patty.  Tempeh's fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins.  It has a firm texture and earthy flavor which becomes more pronounced as it ages.  Because of its nutritional value, tempeh is used worldwide in vegetarian cuisine; some consider it to be a meat analogue. (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh)

For this week's recipe I recreated my all traditional chile colorado recipe to include tempeh instead of beef.  Here is what you will need:

Ingredients


2 12oz packages of tempeh sliced into "fingers"
6 to 8 guajillo dry chiles
1/2 onion
4 cloves of garlic
2TB white vinegar
1TB oregano
1TB olive oil
4 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees


2. In a skillet over medium heat toast the chilies until fragrant (~2 minutes on each side)

3. Cover with water, bring to a boil, cover and steam for about 15 minutes

4. On a separate skillet heat olive oil and brown tempeh fingers.  You may need to do it in separate batches.

5. Blend together onion, garlic, tomatoes, oregano, vinegar, and chiles with some or all their liquid (Note:  There should be at least 2 cups of liquid).  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour over tempeh.

6. Bring to a light boil, cover, and place skillet inside oven.  Bake for 30 minutes or until tempeh has absorbed most of the liquid.

7. Season with salt and pepper as needed.  

8. Enjoy!

Week 19--Butter Lettuce

Whenever I eat out there are some things that if I see on the menu I must order them.  One of these is butter lettuce, and the other is lettuce wraps.  Butter lettuce is just so creamy and delicious it melts in my mouth.  And of course what's not to like about lettuce wraps except that they can be quite messy, but I don't mind :)

Butter lettuce is low in Sodium, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol.  It is also a good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Calcium, Magnesium, and Phosphorous, and a great source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron, Potassium, and Maganese (Source:  http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Vegetables/ButterLet.html) 

This week's recipe combines my two favorites:  Thai lettuce wraps with no other than butter lettuce.  I saw the recipe in the most recent edition of Woman's Health but I made some modifications.  

Here is what you will need:

Ingredients

1 large head of butter lettuce (choose a large loose head with thick leaves and an even green coloring)

1lb ground turkey (See note and picture below)

1/2 red onion chopped

3 small shallots sliced thinly

1 serrano pepper stemmed and sliced thinly

4 cloves of garlic

1 large yellow bell pepper

1 inch of ginger minced

1/3 cup lime juice

2TB lemon juice

2TB Thai fish sauce

1TB chili garlic sauce

1TB honey

1TB grapeseed oil

For topping:

Cilantro leaves

In a bowl mix together:  1TB soy sauce, 1TB chili garlic sauce, 1TB Siracha

I found this turkey at Costco.  It comes in a package with 3- 1lb tubs in the freezer section.  Look for it!

Directions

1. In a bowl, whisk lime juice, lemon juice, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, and honey.  Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion,  bell pepper, shallots, ginger, garlic, and chili.  Cook until vegetables are cooked through (~5 minutes)

3. Add turkey.  Season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until meat and vegetables are cooked through, (~ 5 minutes). 

4. Add the dressing to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add mint. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Spoon turkey mix onto lettuce leaves and garnish with cilantro and sauce

6. Enjoy!

Week 18--Broccoli

An old time favorite of mine, broccoli is high in vitamin C as well as dietary fiber; it contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties.  Broccoli contains the compound glucoraphanin, which can be processed into an anti-cancer compound sulforaphane.  It is also an excellent source of indole 3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.  Broccoli has the highest levels of carotenoids in the brassica family.   It is particularly rich in lutein and also provides a modest amount of beta-carotene. A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggresive prostate cancer.  Broccoli consumption has also been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of heart disease.  (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broccoli).

Boiling broccoli reduces the levels of suspected anti-carcinogenic compounds, however other preparation methods such as steaming, microwaving, and stir frrying have no significant effect on the compounds.  Don't be shy about eating it raw.  In fact, here is a recipe I believe you will learn to love:  

Mediterranean Crunch Salad: Here is the original recipe.  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=2935. Below is my version with a few modifications.

Ingredients


1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans 
1 cucumber, chopped 
1 cup small broccoli florets 
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved 
1 cup finely sliced kale, tough stems removed 
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 
2 tablespoons finely chopped Kalamata olives 
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
3 to 4 cloves of garlic minced
2TB lemon juice

1TB Sumac 

1 small garlic clove, minced 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup champagne vinegar

Directions


Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Week 17--Spinach

I'm really getting to like these weekly posts as I learn so much about the nutritional content of different vegetables. When in season, vegetables are at their peak in nutrition and we can get them for the lowest price, a win-win in my opinion.  This week I'm learning about spinach.

Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, steamed, or quickly boiled.  It is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, folate, betaine, iron, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, copper, protein, phosphorous, zinc, niacin, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids.  Spinach along with other green leafy vegetables is considered to be a rich source of iron and calcium (source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinach)

For this week I prepared a Red Lentil Stew with Spinach.  I got an inspiration from here:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/coconut-curry-lentil-stew-served-over-quinoa/detail.aspx).  But I've made some modifications to the original recipe.  Here is what you will need:

Ingredients (remember, choose organic whenever possible, especially the spinach)


4 cups red lentils
1 large onion chopped
4 to 6 cloves of garlic minced
4 to 6 tomatoes chopped
8 to 10 cups of fresh spinach
1 cup of coconut milk
1TB coconut oil (choose cold pressed)
2TB curry powder
1TB cumin
2tsp cinnamon
1TB dry thyme
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste

Directions


1. Melt coconut oil in large stock pot and saute onion and garlic until tender (~ 5 minutes)

2. Add curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, and thyme and cook just until fragrant (~ 1 minute)
3. Add tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes
4. Add coconut milk and stock and bring to a boil

5. Add lentils and simmer on low heat until lentils are cooked (about 15 minutes). Do not overcook!  You will end up with mushy lentils.
6. Stir in spinach and cilantro, cover and turn off heat (Note:  Spinach will not boil, it will simply steam in the hot lentils). Let sit covered for approximately 10 minutes.

7.  Serve over warm quinoa

8. And if you prefer, with a side of roasted vegetables (I chose brussels sprouts, bell peppers, crimini and portabella mushrooms, and eggplant)

9. I sprinkled a little lemon juice on my lentils.  Yum!