Gifted

Some time 2 weeks ago, I stumbled into a big tub of fresh figs in the clinic I work at. While I was eyeing them and wondering if they're up for grabs, my coworker told me that a patient had brought them in and I can take as many as I want since no one else seemed to be interested in them. I thought JACKPOT!!

I wasn't a fan of figs so I had no idea why I was so excited about them (wasn't, being the operative word here). I hadn't cooked with them before, and I don't seek them out at farmers markets. The most recent memory of figs for me was coming across some beautiful light green ones at San Francisco's Ferry Plaza Farmers Market almost 3 years ago.

On my commute home, I was going through the recipe archive in my head. A little search on the interweb gave me tons of ideas but I went with the mixed greens, figs, and wheat berries combo. It sounded tasty, fool-proof enough to execute, and most importantly, I had a bag of uncooked wheat berries in the pantry. How often does the culinary stars align where you find a recipe and have ALL the ingredients for it? It was a sign from above.

Farm to Table: Spaghetti alla Cinese

Worthy of a magazine cover...
photo by eating partner, Delwin L. 

Legend has it that 13th Century traveler Marco Polo brought back what is now known as pasta from his travel to China. Whether that's a true story or a mere sensationalized tale, pasta is popular outside of just Italy. Spaghetti alla Cinese, or Chinese Spaghetti, is a homage to the legendary Chinese influence on these noodles. It marries whole wheat spaghetti with modernized Chinese flavors using sweet soy sauce, spring onion, and Japanese mustard. The result is a light yet satisfying meal appeals to the eyes and palate alike.

Freshly picked produce from the farmers market lend bright flavors to this dish. But feel free to substitute any of the veggies with whatever's available at the market. Julienned bok choy will work well when squash isn't available, and bean sprouts will be just fine in place of pea sprouts.This version is vegan-friendly but grilled chicken or shrimp may be added to nudge meat-lovers to try this dish.

To Lend a Helping Hand

As my friend was in a packing frenzy in anticipation of next week's move, I offered to take dinner off her to-do list by bringing dinner to her. Not a grand gesture by any means, but it's the most intimate and pragmatic way I know how to show people I care about them. Truthfully, food can say so much more than the best card you can find at Hallmark.

Wanting to bring something homey and comforting, I immediately thought of lasagna. There's something calming about layering my favorite ingredients and finding melty mozzarella laced with marinara oozing from each layer. But being a dietitian, I have a (robust) tendency to tweak recipes to give them a nutritious reincarnation.

This dish isn't big on looks, but it's mighty big on taste (as confirmed by my "taste panel")! Because it's pasta-less, Lasag-touille is suitable for those who have to watch their carb intake or follow the Consistent Carbohydrate Diet (CCD) to manage diabetes. And might I add it's a terrific way to use up leftover veggies in the bottom of your crisper drawer.

Beating the Summer Heat

Doing real cooking in the summer is no fun. The stove just adds to the permeating heat that's already trapped inside the house. And attempting to do anything with the oven will just result in dripping sweat.

4-Minute Egg and Apple Salad

I can sense the skepticism across cyberspace already... eggs and apples?!?  I didn't think they belong together either, but somehow runny yolks manages to be friends with pretty much every food (not sure if they can be pals with chocolate though).

2011: Year of the Veggies

Chinese/Lunar New Year is just around the corner, and in Chinese zodiac, 2011 is year of the rabbit. In the culinary realm, 2011 might be known as Year of the Vegetable. Cue applause from veggie supporters everywhere!

Meatless Monday: Quinoa, Spinach & Butternut Squash

During my routine restaurant Yelping (which has quickly turned into a favorite pastime of mine), I stumbled upon Huckleberry. It boasts a menu that was thiiiiiis close to convincing me to brave the LA traffic and drive across town to get to. Specifically, I had been eyeing the "Quinoa, spinach & butternut squash with two sunny side up eggs" on the breakfast menu. Yes, quinoa for breakfast! What a brilliant concept... and absolutely wholesome and nutritious! Then Lynn over at The Actor's Diet posted about the exact dish that had tantalized me for almost a whole week.

Box o' Harvest into Plates o' Grub!

This week, I've been trying to incorporate all the veggies from my CSA box in my dinners. So here is a snippet of what went down in my kitchen laboratory. 

Tuesday: Parmesan chicken breast salad tossed in homemade honey mustard dressing with mixed quinoa.

[Japanese mustard lends a pungent wasabi-like spiciness that makes store-bought honey mustard taste like weak sauce.] 

Wednesday: Sautéed kale and turkey meatball over whole wheat penne (with some grated parm, of course).

[Sauteing kale with a fruity white wine like a Viognier balances out the veggie's bitterness.]

Thursday: Red wine beef stew with carrots and assorted squash. 

[Using liquid from the stew to make a gravy that intensifies the flavors.]

Meatless Monday: Box o' Harvest

After a week of much anticipation and waiting, the day to pick up my very first CSA box finally came! CSA, or community supported agriculture, has gained popularity in some regions because consumers are more interested in locally grown organic food. A byproduct of the partnership between consumers and CSA is economic support for local farmers. Another plus for supporters of CSA is the element of epicurean surprise- the produce changes every week to reflect the current crops and harvests.

CSA boxes are usually ordered online and either delivered to a designated address or picked up at a location. The plans are flexible (weekly, monthly, etc.), and some are rather affordable! I had decided to try the $15 box from South Central Farmers' Cooperative and picked up at Whole Foods Market on Arroyo Parkway. My box awaited me with carrots, yellow and scallop squash, zucchinis, artichokes, a variety of kale, some chard, and two types of lettuces.

The experience of getting fresh cut veggies that still have dirt on them is unparalleled. There was quite a bit of washing and trimming to be done after I got the box home, but it was well worth the effort. Not only was everything fresh and crisp, each vegetable carried their natural fragrance that is often lost in commercially-grown produce.

Now it's time to figure out what to do with my glorious box o' harvest on this Meatless Monday! I would appreciate any recipes or ideas on how to use these veggies (especially scallop squash and artichokes)!

Meatless Monday: Leftover Curry

After a satisfying dinner at my favorite Thai restaurant, it saddened me to see the servers take the dishes that held the curry away. The once tasty Panang shrimp curry is resting happily in my belly, but remaining in the dish is the savory sauce that I hate to leave behind. 

Refusing to let the perfectly delicious curry become food waste this time, I decided to take it home even though all the shrimps in the sauce had been gobbled up. So what is a teensy amount of leftover curry good for? A second meal! 

Using leftover brown rice, bean sprouts, Chinese cabbage, and some carrots, the Panang curry from last night's dinner was jazzed up to become my vegetarian curry lunch today. I simply softened coins of carrots and chopped cabbage and scooped the delicious curry into the pot. Liquid for thinning the sauce wasn't necessary because the veggies release lots of water. Lastly, I added in rinsed bean sprouts and gave it a good stir. Topped the veggies on a bed of brown rice and lunch was ready! Tofu and other veggies are great substitutions if you don't have these ingredients on hand. 

This method not only reduces food waste but also saves time and money. Of course, further waste reduction can be achieved when you BYOT- bring your own Tupperware- if you anticipate on bringing some leftovers home. 

Leftover curry with veggies  for Meatless Monday is sure to satisfy your taste buds and keep your wallet fat!

Meatless Monday: The Original Veggie Burger

Most veggie patties in the frozen section are shaped and colored to look like meat patties. But vegetables are glorious harvests from the earth that deserve to be celebrated in its whole form. While veggie patties are dandy alternatives to meat patties, the vegetarian option still went through substantial processing before they arrive on the market shelves.

Portobello mushrooms are the perfect candidate to take the place of frozen veggie patties. These large mushrooms are thick and juicy which lends well to grilling. They also have a meaty flavor with a hint of earthiness that elevates any dish to a new level. Mushrooms are packed with some important B vitamins such as riboflavin and niacin as well as essential minerals. Since they're from plant kingdom, mushrooms are naturally cholesterol free and low in fat.

Pictured above is the ever-satisfying portobello mushroom burger with tomato aioli at Whole Foods Market which is a fantastic lunch or dinner option for this Meatless Monday.

Update: Dirty Dozen vs. Clean 15

Breaking news: The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has revised the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15! 
The new guide to pesticides is now available to download at foodnews.org in PDF. Tech-savvy folks, no need to fret; the app for this new guide is coming soon!

New to the Dirty Dozen are blueberries and potatoes while carrots and pears are no longer on the "most dirtied" list. As for the Clean 15, honeydew melons, cantaloupe, and grapefruits are the new comers. 

One thing to keep in mind is that the Clean 15 fruits and veggies may still have trace amounts of pesticides on their skins. While the EWG deem these the cleanest produce as far as chemicals are concerned, it is still worthwhile to support organic whenever possible. Organic agriculture is more sustainable for the environment and has less ecological impact for animals, plants, and the planet. Not to mention organic produce tastes so much better!  

In case, you're not familiar with the Dirty Dozen, click here to read about it and how it can affect your health.

Special thanks to my fellow nutrition guru Lindsey P. for letting me know about the update!

FoV of the Month: Okra for Meatless Monday

The oblong, green okra pods of the cotton family were first introduced to the U.S. by Ethiopian slaves. Okra, or lady fingers, remain as a popular vegetable in the South today.

Aside from appearing in the fried form, okra is commonly found in Indian cuisine where they're used in curry dishes. They can also be sautéed and stewed with tomatoes, corn kernels, onions, or sweet peppers to make a variety of nutritious dishes as they're packed with fiber and vitamin C. 

If okra is new to you, don't be alarmed by its slimy texture. The pods become more slimy after they've been washed so keep them dry until they're ready to be used. Also, trimming off the ends and minimizing overcooking okra can reduce the sliminess. However, this texture is perfectly normal and can help thicken stews and soups to a desired consistency.

When buying okra, look for pods that are shorter than 4 inches and are bright green and firm. Longer pods are usually more fibrous and tough. In California, these pods are in season from about May to October although they're available fresh year-round in the southern states.

Celebrate the beginning of okra season this Meatless Monday! 

Photo from chinesevegetables.co.uk

Meatless Monday: The Little Green Giants

Before soybeans mature and take on a buttery-yellow hue, they are housed in bright green pods. Most of us know baby soybeans as edamame or those fuzzy bean pods served at Japanese restaurants.

These beans are small in size but definitely pack a BIG nutritional punch! In each 1/2 cup, there are 127 calories, a whopping 11 grams of protein, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, and 4 grams of fiber. That is about twice the amount of protein in a large egg minus the saturated fat and cholesterol! 

Edamame make a wonderful snack but an even more delicious side dish. An edamame mash is a great alternative to mashed potatoes. It's also a fun side dish to serve to little kids because of the bright green color. Try this simple, no fuss recipe using these little green giants from Parents magazine on this Meatless Monday!

Edamame Mash
Ingredients:
1 lb. frozen shelled edamame beans, thawed
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

[-] Boil edamame for 5 minutes to soften
[-] Drain beans, reserve about 1/3 cup of cooking water
[-] Place edamame, lemon, oil, salt, soy sauce, and pepper in a food processor.
[-] Puree, slowly adding the reserved liquid, until smooth

Photo from foodnetwork.com

FoV of the Month: Artichokes for Meatless Monday (or Any Day)

I'm always amazed at how our ancestors found out certain fruits and veggies are edible. Take an artichoke for example. It has pointy petals that are bounded so tightly that I would never think to cut one up to eat.

Native to the Mediterranean, the artichokes now eaten in the U.S.A. are almost exclusively grown in California. Castroville in Monterey County is responsible for almost 100% of the production in the country. The edible part of artichoke is actually the bud of a violet-blue flower.  Harvesting is still done entirely by hand and requires great skills to harvest efficiently. 

Even though they don't look like an ordinary vegetable, artichokes are packed with fiber and antioxidants and are a good source of potassium. Each medium sized globe contains 3 grams of fiber and only 25 calories. This amazing veggie also has the reputation of being a cure for hangovers! 

Fresh artichokes require a bit of preparation since each petal needs to be trimmed. Frozen artichokes lack the bright green color but are equally nutritious. Frozen artichokes can be put in a blender to make dips or tossed into a pasta. Baby artichokes make a perfect side dish. Larger ones can be stuffed with mixtures of couscous, cheeses, and chopped veggies.

April is the beginning of artichoke season! Get some at your local market and give it a try on this Meatless Monday (or any other day)!

For more info and recipe ideas, visit artichokes.org.

Photo by Matthew Wallenstein

Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Seafood

Vegetarian seafood? Yes, you read that right! Featured in the photos are shrimps, cuttlefish, and even eel!

These delicious faux-seafood are made with gluten and soy. They're popular components of Chinese cuisine, especially in vegetarian dishes. Gluten and soy products come in many different shapes and sizes and can be cooked in various ways to take on distinct flavors. Also, some Buddhists adopt the vegetarian lifestyle as part of their practice. Since many Chinese are followers of this belief, they often use gluten and soy products to jazz up vegetarian dishes. Besides adding pizazz, these ingredients double-duty as sources of protein.

Vegetables are amazing just the way they are and don't need to be pressed and molded to imitate meat. But I do have to admit it's kind of fun to order these vegetarian seafood dishes once in a while. If you haven't tried these play-on-food yet, give it go on this Meatless Monday!

Exposing the Dirty Dozen

Let's face it: organic fruits and vegetables can be expensive. As much as I want support organic agriculture 100%, high prices often stand in the way. I'm guessing many of you are in the same boat as me. 

To help us decide which produce items are most worth purchasing organic for, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) published a list of 12 fruits and vegetables that are most dirtied by pesticides. They're collectively known as the Dirty Dozen.

While the nutrient content of non-organic versus organic produce is still hotly debated, the amount of pesticide ingestion from traditionally grown fruits and veggies is undeniable. Pesticides have been linked to hormone imbalances, cancers, nervous system disorders, and irritations of the eye, skin, and lungs. Pesticide ingestion is especially a problem for babies and young children. Because they're smaller in size, they can be affected by these chemicals in much smaller concentrations.

EWG conducted studies that showed avoiding the Dirty Dozen can reduce pesticide ingestion by almost 80%! Imported fruits and veggies can be particularly high in these chemicals because pesticide use isn't as firmly regulated in some countries as in the U.S.

It is true that washing and peeling helps get rid of pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables. But there is always going to be some left on the skins no matter how much washing, soaking, rinsing you do. Peeling can take care of the problem but not in all cases. I.e. peeling a strawberry would be ridiculous. Or peeling an apple since 80% of its fiber is in the skin! That's a lot of value (both nutrition and money) down the drain.

EWG offers a handy  pocket-sized printable guide AND an iPhone app that list the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15. Get yours by visiting foodnews.org.

FoV of the Month: Asparagus

Happy March, Healing Foodie readers! To celebrate the start of each month, I'll be highlighting a produce item that is in-season for the month. So you ask what is FoV? It stands for "Fruit or Veggie". The FoV star of March is asparagus!

Green-stalked asparagus are the most common variety we come across, but they come in white and purple, too. The freshest asparagus will have firm stalks with tight tips. The stalk girth is indicative of the age of the plant. While it is best to use the vegetable on the same day as it was purchased, they can be stored in the fridge up to 4 days either in plastic bag or stand upright in an inch of water with a cover.

Asparagus has about 20 calories in every 1/2 cup and is a fair source of fiber, iron, and potassium. This vegetable contains a sulfuric compound called mercaptan that is responsible for the interesting odor change in urine. Although it is strange, the odor is completely normal.

If you like these beautiful green stalks, you can enjoy them from February through June. Asparagus work wonderfully in appetizers, vegetarian pasta dishes, refreshing salads, or by themselves as a side. Try sauteing whole stalks with a sprinkle of pancetta bits for a delicious side dish.

April will sneak up on us soon. Stay tuned for the next FoV of the Month!