Quinoa--The Amazing Food

I don’t usually watch Dr. Oz, but I was folding laundry the other day and turned on the television. There he was describing his anti-cancer food list. I had just visited Dr. Andrew Weil’s website and perused his anti-inflammatory food list. Lists of healthy foods can be found everywhere. Natural foods cookbook author and teacher, Christina Pirello, in a blog on Huffington Post, identifies the top ten ingredients for a healthy life. Cookbook author Martha Rose Shulman added her thoughts in an article for the New York Times on “Recipes for Health: 12 Foods for Every Pantry.” Suggestions on how to eat well are everywhere!

Today there are lots of books written on super foods and foods that will change your life. This is a good thing. So many notable, informed and thoughtful people are bringing good food and good health to the American public’s attention. I decided to carefully look over their advice and see if there was common ground. They all offer healthy and healing suggestions.

I started to experiment with recipes using the recommended foods, beginning with quinoa—it is ranked #1 on Christina’s top ten list. It is an exceptional food! Quinoa comes from the Andes Mountains of South America and is considered the “gold of the Incas.” It might very well be the “supergrain of the future.” In fact it is "actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard" and is a seed. Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain and is a complete protein, which means it has all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, potassium and riboflavin. It is easy to digest and has a light crunchy and nutty flavor. After trying several food combinations with quinoa I came up with this recipe:

Quinoa Vegetable Stew

2 TBS Olive Oil
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced
1 cup buttenut squash, diced
1 cup button mushrooms, quartered
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of saffron
2 cups water
1/2 cup quinoa which has been rinsed very well.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and saute for several minutes. Add some salt. Add the spices. Cook for another minute. Add garlic and mushrooms. Saute for 1 minute. Add quinoa and stir for 1 more minute. Add 2 cups of water. Add the carrots and squash. Cover and simmer until until the liquid is absorbed about 20 minutes. Five minutes before the end of the cooking time add salt and pepper to taste. Let the stew sit on the stove with the heat off for 5-10 minutes. If you wish garnish with flat leaf parsley, cilantro or mint.

**Quinoa is coated with a natural substance called saponin that protects the grain. Rinsing the quinoa removes this substance and avoids a bitter taste.
**Cilantro has a long list of healing benefits. Cilantro is a good source of iron and magnesium, reduces inflammation in the body and contains immune boosting properties among other benefits.
*** Parsley contains vitamin C and iron and the plant is a good source of manganese and calcium. It is also exceptionally high in potassium.
**Mint is rich in vitamin A, C, B12, thiamine, folic acid and riboflavin.

Grains Are Not The Enemy

I used to love to eat bologna sandwiches on soft, squishy white bread. I added lots of mayonnaise, and I would have a great lunch--or so I thought. If I was feeling really adventurous, I would tuck in some potato chips. Only later did I find out that there was nothing about that meal that nourished my body.

When I began to switch over to a plant-based diet, I eliminated some of the white foods that were so heavily featured at my meals. That meant that I didn't eat white bread, white potatoes, white rice or white flour products.

I made a commitment to eat a whole grain at one meal each day. I tried it for a month and began to feel differently. Sometimes I would have a plain, simple grain -- like short grain brown rice. At another meal I might add a grain to a soup. Cooking grains can be so simple, yet so delicious. I took it slowly, and my taste buds began to enjoy the flavors of these foods.

You might want to try these recipes.

Really Good Brown Rice

2 cups short or medium grain brown rice
4 cups water
salt

Wash or rinse your rice through a strainer. Repeat this a couple of times.

Put the rice in a pot and add the water and salt. Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot leaving a small gap to keep the water from boiling over.

Let the rice cook 35 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for about 5 minutes.

I also find that I like the texure of the rice better when I soak the grains for several hours before it is cooked. Try it both ways and see which suits you.


Fried Rice

Leftover brown cooked brown rice
1/2 red onion, sliced into half moons
1/2 yellow or red pepper, sliced thinly
1/2 carrot, sliced into thin matchsticks
1 TBS shoyu (or to taste)
A few tablespoons water
Some snow peas, sliced thinly
1 scallion, sliced
Olive oil or sesame oil

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and pinch of salt and saute for a minute. Add the carrot and saute for 2 minutes. Add the red pepper. Add the rice and season with the shoyu. Stir everything together. Sprinkle the water over the top of the rice and place the snow peas on top. Cover and let it sit with the heat off for 5 minutes. Mix everything together and top with a sliced scallion.


Lentils and Brown Rice

11/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup lentils
1 carrot, diced
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Scallions or parsley for garnish

Heat the oil in a pan. Saute the onion and garlic. Add some salt. After a few minutes, add the carrot and saute for another few minutes. Add the rice and stir. Add the lentils and stir. Season with salt and pepper and cook for another couple of minutes. Top with chopped scallions or parsley.


*Grains are divided into two groups: whole grains and refined grains. I try to never eat refined grains. Refined grains have been milled, which removes their bran and germ and in the process takes away dietary fiber, iron and many B vitamins. Whole grains, on the other hand, contain the entire kernel--the bran, germ, and endosperm. It is important to vary the grains that you eat.

**Here's an interesting tidbit about parsley and scallions. Parsley has vitamin C and vitamin K and antioxidants that benefit digestion and carotenoids, such as beta-carotene. Scallions, on the other hand, have vitamins A,B and C.

Shiitakes Are Good For You!

I got an email today from my sister asking me about "the Japanese mushrooms you put into soup." Those Japanese mushrooms are dried shiitake mushrooms or dried donko mushrooms, and I use them in a variety of recipes including soups and stews. I became interested in shiitake mushrooms when I learned that they have medicinal properties--especially for the liver and for the maintenance of a healthy weight.

Dried shiitake mushrooms have an intense smoky flavor. They can be stored indefinitely and reconstituted by soaking. They have been used in Chinese medicine for over 6,000 years. Shiitake mushrooms are an excellent source of selenium and a very good source of iron in addition to dietary fiber, protein and vitamin C.

Studies have shown that these mushrooms have an active compound whose healing benefit is in its ability to boost the immune system and cleanse the blood. Shiitake mushrooms are amazing--they have been shown to reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol. Although not quite as powerful, fresh shiitake mushrooms are milder and cook up quicker. I eat them a couple of times a week.

I had lasagne with shiitakes last night for dinner. I think you would enjoy the recipe.

Vegan lasagne with tofu and shiitake mushrooms

12 lasagne noodles prepared according to the directions on the box (you can also use the no-boil lasagne noodles)

1 pound firm tofu (to make a "ricotta")

Basil to taste

Sea salt

Pepper

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, chopped

Olive oil for sauteeing the onion and mushrooms

Broccoli that has been steamed for several minutes

Homemade tomato sauce or 1 jar of organic pasta sauce (check the ingredients for the kind made without sugar)

To make the "ricotta:" Put tofu, basil, salt and pepper, 1 TBS olive oil into a food processor and blend until smooth.

To make the tomato sauce: Saute the onion, garlic, and sliced shiitake mushrooms in some olive oil. When the onions are translucent, add the tomato sauce and cook for several minutes.

Assembling the lasagne: Boil the lasagne noodles if you are not using the no-boil variety. Put a little bit of sauce in the bottom of a rectangular or square baking dish. Put down one layer of noodles. Cover it with sauce, broccoli, and some of the tofu mixture. Make another layer starting with the noodles, sauce, broccoli and tofu mixture. Continue until you have used everything. Bake covered with aluminum foil in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes. Let sit for 15-30 minutes before cutting.

Mangia -- and healthy eating!

Greens, Greens, Greens

Last night I made dandelion greens. Bitter greens are good for the liver, and I wanted to try something different. Much to my surprise they were delicious. Who would have guessed that those pesky weeds in the backyard are good for you? When they are sauteed with garlic and red pepper flakes, they deliver a savory vegetable dish that is quite nutritious. A cup of dandelion greens packs a whopping 2712 IU of vitamin A, 151 mcg of vitamin K, calcium and iron -- out performing broccoli. Dandelion greens also support digestion and aid in reducing swelling and inflammation. I always feel energized and uplifted after eating greens.


My cooking teacher has said that you can never eat too many greens. Actually, when you think that you have had enough, eat 20% more. There are so many greens to choose from--bok choy, carrot tops, chinese cabbage, endive, escarole, kale, leeks, turnip greens, sprouts, daikon greens, collards and many more. I usually eat greens at breakfast and dinner but you could have a salad for lunch and include another 20% very easily. Greens can be boiled, blanched, sauteed, and eaten raw. Add them to a soup or stew. They are very versatile. Just start experimenting with greens, and you will find the ones you like.


Sauteed Dandelion Greens:


2 bunches of greens
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
olive oil
several cloves minced garlic

Cut the greens into 2 inch pieces. Cook greens in a pot of salted water for 10 minutes. This helps to lessen the bitter taste. While the greens are cooking, saute the garlic and red pepper flakes in the olive oil. Drain the greens and add to the olive oil mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Good healthy eating!

Being a herbivore

Welcome! I am here to share with you my thoughts, feelings and knowledge about eating a healthy plant-based diet. I started to eat this way to heal myself and discovered that it is a lifestyle choice that I love. Each week I will post a selection of recipes that you might consider cooking for your dinners. I will include snack selections as well as breakfast and lunch ideas.


I have been eating a macrobiotic diet for almost five years and I am evolving into the type of herbivore that suits me. I have grown away from a strict macrobiotic diet and now include some food choices that are not strictly macrobiotic--like tomato sauce. I try to eat and cook with organic foods as much as possible and focus on eating whole grains and fresh vegetables. I never use refined sugar products but eat desserts regularly.


The food I cook is so delicious that I can't understand why everyone doesn't eat this way. I hope that you will join me on my journey as I continue to discover the most delicious and healthy food on the planet. You will hear about my experiences at cooking school and my trip to Italy to discover how the Italians cook healthy food naturally. Good healthy eating!