Red Lentil Soup

Red lentil soup is a quick and easy splash of sunshine and cheerful orange color to brighten your winter days. It is so easy to cook, is high and protein, does not require previous soaking and it falls to a wonderful creamy mush as it cook. Perfect for when you don’t have enough time. Read more

Steak Marinated in Beer or Wine ‘Reduces Cancer Chemicals’

According to scientists marinating steak in beer or wine before cooking it dramatically reduces levels of chemicals that can cause cancer.

Researchers found that steeping the meat in alcohol for several hours cut the high levels of carcinogenic compounds triggered by frying it. They also discovered that beer was more effective than wine at lowering the cancer-forming chemicals, and also made for a better-looking and tastier meal.

New Scientist magazine, which reports the findings, stated: “If you are frying a steak and mindful of your health, then marinate it in either beer or red wine. Read more

Pomegranate - one of the most promising of health foods

image credit: peter

Renowned herbalist James Duke, a former ecologist with the USDA, has published (in the April, 2008 issue of Alternative & Complementary Therapies) an exhaustive review of the scientific literature on the pomegranate. His conclusion: it is “one of the most promising of health foods” with “a dozen known anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and some 3 dozen antioxidants.” Read more

9 Ways to Buy Organic Food Wisely

The current economy is making us all second-guess every purchase we make, including what the food we buy. A report by Nielsen Company, a market research firm, reported that organic food sales in the US rose only 4 percent in the four week period ending October 4th, compared to 20 percent a year in recent years.

But you do not need to give up on organic, just be more careful with your organic spending and focus on the area where you can get the bet value for money. Stick with these nine strategies and you will soon see your organic dollar stretching farther. Read more

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

Seasonal root veggies with a fragrant toss of rosemary and garlic.

SERVINGS
4

INGREDIENTS
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 head cauliflower, pulled apart of cut into small florets
6 to 10 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 shallot, coarsley chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 to 4 whole sprigs rosemary
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Combine the cauliflower, squash, garlic, and shallot in a roomy work bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables, season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and toss to coat. Pile the vegetables into a roasting pan or terra cotta baking dish. The vegetables shouldn’t be in a single layer, they’ll stay moist and steam each other when piled into the dish. Arrange the rosemary sprigs all around. Sprinkle with the pine nuts.

2. Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes. If they become a bit dry, drizzle with additional oil and add a few tablespoons of water, not a lot, just enough to bump up the moisture. After 20 minutes or so, the vegetables will be browning on top, so turn them with a spoon and continue roasting another 15 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender and caramelized on the bottom of the dish. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Adjust the seasonings and sprinkle with parmesan, if using. Cover the baking dish lightly with foil to allow vegetables to sweat and rest. After 5 minutes, the rosemary should be soft and fragrant. Any leaves remaining on the twigs can easily be pulled off and mixed with the juices.

Pumpkin, Apple and Leek Soup

Pumpkins are sweet, earthy and overflowing with healthy vitamins and beta-carotenes. Here they are combined with leeks, apples and cider to make a spicy, hearty soup, perfect for warming us on cold autumnal days. Read more

5 Superfood Groups for Autumn

Along with reducing energy use at home, one of the things we can all do to ease the stress on the environment and potentially save money, is to eat local and that means eating foods that are in season. With that in mind here are five superfood groups that are in season in the northern hemisphere during autumn, along with links to some great recipes for each of them.

1. Beets

The beet has a long history of cultivation strecthing back to the second millenium BC. The plant was probably domesticated somewhere along the Mediterranean, whence it was later spread to Babylonia by the 8th century BC and as far west as China by 850 AD. Beets’ potential effectiveness against colon cancer, in particular, has been demonstrated in several studies. Beets are also particularly rich in the B vitamin folate. The usually deep-red roots of garden beet are eaten boiled either as a cooked vegetable, or cold as a salad after cooking and adding oil and vinegar. A large proportion of the commercial production is processed into boiled and sterilised beets or into pickles. In Eastern Europe beet soup, such as cold borscht, is a popular dish.

2. Sweet Potatoes and Pumpkin

Besides simple starches, sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene (a vitamin A equivalent nutrient), vitamin C, and vitamin B6. In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato. It may be a beneficial food for diabetics, as preliminary studies on animals have revealed that it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance. The dark orange vegetable family outdoes all others in vitamin A content. Other dark orange vegetable that share these wonderful qualities include pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, and orange bell peppers.

Pumpkin, Apple and Leek Soup

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

3. Cruciferous Vegetables

Crucifers such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, collards and turnips contain indole alkaloids that may help prevent cancer. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have recently discovered that 3,3′-Diindolylmethane in Brassica vegetables is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity. They are also high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Along with their fabulous flavor, once you get the hang of cooking them, they may have an added bonus: they may help bolster memory as you age. Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that women who eat the most of these foods are the least likely to be forgetful.

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

4. The Alliums

Allium is the onion genus, with about 1250 species, making it one of the largest plant genera in the world. It includes foods such as garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, chives and shallots, which contain sulfur compounds that may protect against heart disease and some cancers, they can also help the liver deal with toxins and carcinogens. Onions may be especially beneficial for women, who are at increased risk of osteoporosis as they go through menopause, by destroying osteoclasts so that they do not break down bone. Some of the pleiomeric chemicals in onions have the potential to alleviate or prevent sore throat.

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

5. Beans

There are many foods within the bean family, including the commen bean, runner beans, soybeans, peas, lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas (garbanzos), vetches and lupins. An excellent source of protein, antioxidants, folic acid, potassium, dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates, beans are flavorful, nutritionally dense, inexpensive and versatile. Some kinds of raw beans and especially red and kidney beans, contain a harmful toxin (the lectin Phytohaemagglutinin) that must be destroyed by cooking. A recommended method is to boil the beans for at least ten minutes; undercooked beans may be more toxic than raw beans.

6 of the Best Foods for Maximizing Muscle Growth

Muscles do everything from helping you move and digest your food, to pumping nutrients throughout your body. So it is very important to keep them in good shape. We do this not only through exercise, but also through a diet that is rich in foods that aid muscle growth.

“Our heart, brain, skin and other organs are in a constant state of remodeling with tissue being built and broken down,” says Nancy Rodriguez, a registered dietitian and director of sports nutrition programs at the University of Connecticut. “Muscles offer a significant supply of amino acids to ensure these vital parts stay strong.” Read more

Green Tea - History, Preparation and Health Benefits

By Ken Rubin

Green tea, a delightfully refreshing beverage that has long been consumed in Asia and the Middle East, has become a regular staple in the United States. Once related to culinary exotica, green tea is now commonly available which is a good thing since this delicious beverage is steeped in history and may be one of the most nutritious super-foods to gain mass appeal in recent memory. Green tea can be readily purchased in many forms: as dry tea, mixed in health drinks, and even in ice cream. Read more

Chilled Salsa Soup Recipe

Cucumbers 4, green bell peppers 4, 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, 2 cups diced scallions, 1/2 cup Mexican-style canned mild green chilies, 2 cloves garlic, 1 Tbs. white wine vinegar

1. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and slice into chunks. Dice bell peppers. Place cucumbers, peppers, cilantro, scallions and green chiles in blender or food processor and blend till smooth.
2. Add garlic, vinegar, salt, oil and mix well.
3. Add water, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar. Thin soup by adding more water if needed.
4. Fill two ice-cube trays with chilled soup and freeze overnight.
5. Pack frozen cubes with chilled soup in large insulated containers. At serving time, pour soup into cups and top with a large spoonful of salsa.