Healthy food and recipe blog. Sharing simple recipes for worthy food.

Rhubarb Rhubarb Rhubarb

4/16/2013

"Rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb" These words are said to be used by actors to create undecipherable background noise in crowd scenes. Sometimes in researching the health benefits of a particular food, there is a lot of rhubarb to go through before you find clarity. The truth about Rhubarb, is that it's another great vegetable (most often used as a fruit) to add to your varied diet. It's high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, potassium and calcium; it's non-fat, low calorie and is very low on the glycemic index.** It is also high in polyphenols which are micronutrients that may help prevent diseases such as heart disease and cancer. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says, "Current evidence strongly supports a contribution of polyphenols to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and osteoporosis and suggests a role in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes mellitus." Does this mean it's "the new cancer-busting superfood" like The Telegraph newspaper claims? That's rhubarb - it's noise. There is truth that a study found that cooking rhubarb increased some of the polyphenols and that antioxidants were not destroyed in the cooking. This is good! But will eating a Rhubarb Crumble "bust" cancer? That would be great, but we definitely need more research! In the meantime, enjoy rhubarb as a unique and versatile food that adds flavor, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It is relatively high in polyphenols (at same level as blueberries.) And it can help with constipation - boiling it helps clean your pots and your insides! Pick up those long red stalks that are in season now - here are 3 recipes to get you started:

RHUBARB & STRAWBERRY SOUP
This is a refreshing tangy and sweet soup - good for lunch or as a starter. Serve chilled. (I ate some warm just after I made it and it was delish this way, too.)

Rhubarb - 3 cups chopped (5 stalks)
Strawberries - 2 cups fresh or frozen (I used frozen)
Water - 2 cups
Zest & juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup low fat natural yogurt
1 tablespoon cornflour/starch (mixed with a small bit of water to dissolve and prevent clumping)
3 cardamom pods split but left whole
(honey/agave syrup/mint)

Wash and chop rhubarb into large dice. Put in a saucepan with 2 cups water; boil for approximately 5 minutes until rhubarb soft.
Add strawberries, orange zest and juice.
Add the tablespoon cornflour/cornstarch paste and stir through.
Add cardamom pods.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Taste: I liked it as is, as the strawberries and orange add sweetness. If you need to up the sweet add a tablespoon of honey or agave syrup and stir through.
Remove the cardamom pods and blend. Use either a hand immersion blender or carefully pour into an upright blender.
Add the 1/4 cup natural yogurt and stir through with a spoon or whisk. You can garnish with some chopped fresh mint if you like.
Chill. Serve. Enjoy.

Stewed Rhubarb over Yogurt
Great for breakfast or a snack. This is too easy; I'm embarrassed to write the "recipe."

Chop 3 stalks rhubarb and put into saucepan. Add a good splash of water. Put the lid on and boil for a few minutes until soft - don't wait too long or the water will boil away and you'll burn it.
Put on top of Greek or regular natural yogurt.
Stir.

RHUBARB, STRAWBERRY & APPLE CRUMBLE
We made this in Kitchen Kids. A great and healthy dessert for the whole family. We make the most of fruit, whole grains and nuts and reduce the sugar and butter greatly.

Fruit ingredients:
rhubarb - 5 stalks
apple - 1 large, peeled and chopped
strawberries - fresh or frozen - 1 heaping cup
(can add raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, too)
water - 1/2 cup
zest of 1 orange
sugar - 1 tablespoon

Wash & chop rhubarb into 1/2 inch chunks (discard bottom and top bits). Put into saucepan with a tablespoon of sugar, zest of one orange and a small splash of water (2-3 tablespoons).

Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes with lid on.

Add apple. Check to see when rhubarb looks soft. Take off heat.

Stir in soft berries (if using frozen, throw into saucepan during last minute to just warm up - don’t want them to go mushy.)

☝That is your filling.

☟This is your topping...

Ingredients:
oats - 1 cup
wholemeal flour 1 1/2 cups
butter - 50 grams
brown sugar - 1/4 cup
chopped pecans (can use almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts) - 1/4 cup
cinnamon or allspice - 1 teaspoon
pinch of sea salt
rapeseed oil (or sunflower oil) - 1/4 cup

Mix oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, sea salt and chopped pecans. In separate bowl, mix butter and flour by hand, rubbing it together to combine until feels like sand. Add in oat mixture and stir. Pour in rapeseed oil and mix with a fork. (See my notes about rapeseed oil here.)

Lightly butter a baking dish. Pour fruit in bottom and cover with topping. Bake:

Place in preheated oven (180ºC/160ºfan oven) for approximately 20 minutes. (I’m guessing here - keep checking to see if fruit is nice and hot, bubbly - but before topping burns.)

A NOTE:
Both the soup and crumble use orange zest. When you are zesting a citrus fruit, be sure to use a small grating size and only zest the outermost layer of the fruit. If you grate too deeply, the zest becomes pithy and bitter. I have noticed in Kitchen Kids that kids loooove to zest and tend to overdo. Just in case you do, too - here's a picture of what your orange should look like:

(**The glycemic index is a rating of how fast a particular food raises your blood sugar.)

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The Day of the Pepper

3/13/2013

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If red peppers are on sale, go ahead and buy an armful. Raw, sautéd or roasted, they're so versatile, you can pepper them throughout your week finding a different way to serve them each time. Packed with vitamins (especially Vitamins A & C - did you know a red pepper has more than twice the Vitamin C of an orange?), minerals and phytonutrients*, they're a great nutritional addition to any meal. So, I've challenged myself to see if I can find a use for them in every meal of the day. Today, I'll highlight breakfast and lunch.

Breakfast: I call this the Gear Up 2 (see original Gear Up breakfast here.)
Ingredients:
1 red pepper, sliced
1 sweet potato, grated
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 large handful baby spinach
1 poached egg
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Put small pot of water on to boil.
Heat olive oil in a pan, add the red pepper, sweet potato and red onion and sauté. When they begin to soften after a few minutes, add the handful or so of spinach and continue to cook, stirring a few times to mix, until the spinach wilts.
Turn heat off and poach your egg. Simply boil a pot of water, add a splash of vinegar and drop the egg in. Allow it boil for about 3 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and drain the excess water.
Plate the veg and top with your poached egg.

Lunch: Roasted Peppers on a Bagel
Roasting brings out the sweetness of the pepper and dilutes the tangy flavour. After you roast them, store them in a bowl with the natural oils that seep out - then you won't need to add excess oils when using in pastas, sandwiches, antipasto, etc... They also keep well for a few days covered in the fridge.
Roast peppers can be used in a huge variety of dishes. For our lunch today, we're going to throw them on top half a bagel and cream cheese. Add a twist of black pepper and you have a delicious lunch.

Click here to learn how to quickly and easily make your own roast peppers in this previous Worthy post.

Tomorrow: Snack, Dinner and Dessert, too!

*Phytonutrients are plant chemicals that are not essential for keeping you alive, like vitamins and minerals are, but can help prevent disease and aid in the proper functioning of your body.

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Sweet Potato Pancakes

2/22/2013

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Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables. They're so versatile - I love them mashed as a base for meat or fish; sprinkled with cayenne pepper and baked as chips; as a base for a soup or curry; and here, they're the perfect addition to pancakes. Yes, pancakes. They taste great, are a fantastic source of vitamins and minerals and have a low glycemic index, which means they’ll give you energy for longer without a blood sugar spike. All at a low calorie price.

I made these with 2 of my Kitchen Kids' classes. Both times, the initial reaction of the kids was skeptical at best. But, relief!, turns out they all had a really positive reaction to the actual pancakes. Even the most ardent hater, who sat at distance and didn't even want to stir the batter, was won over first by the other kids' reactions and then by the taste of the pancake itself. Whew!
When you're making these - double the recipe and freeze some - they reheat really well in the microwave.
Add some berries on top and you’ve already got 2 portions of fruit and veg and it’s only breakfast!

SWEET POTATO PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cups plain flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon (can add the full teaspoon - depends on how cinnamon-y you like it)
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1 egg
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 1/2 cups milk
(veg. oil for pan)
(pecans)
(berries)

METHOD:
Boil a pot of water and add peeled and diced sweet potatoes. Boil them until soft - about 15 minutes - and then mash well.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside: plain flour, whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon.

Put 1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes into a separate mixing bowl and add a whisked egg. Pour in melted butter and whisk everything well.

Add milk and continue to whisk.

Add dry ingredients in and mix to a batter consistency.

Put a teaspoon of vegetable oil into a pan. Swirl it around and use a paper towel to wipe it over the whole surface. Heat the pan.

Check if pan is hot enough by flicking a bit of water on - if it sizzles, it’s ready.

Pour approximately 1/3 cup batter onto pan - shake the pan a small bit to help spread the batter out (as this batter can be a little thick).

When edges look dry, use a spatula to flip and cook other side (this side won’t take as long.)

Serve with chopped pecans and maple syrup - or even better, stewed fruit.

To stew fruit - wash and place berries into a saucepan (or use frozen). Add a tablespoon of water and bring to the boil. Simmer, roughly mashing fruit with spoon, and allow to thicken slightly.

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Low/No Carb Breakfast Ideas: Minus The Eggs

2/1/2013

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Breakfast is a real challenge for those who are trying to cut out excess carbohydrates in their diets. I love to start my day with whole grains, but there are those in my house, and maybe yours, who don't - so what to serve?
There are lots of healthy starts that include eggs - but, much as I'm a fan - I don't want to serve eggs everyday. (While eggs do contain cholesterol, research has shown that cholesterol in food affects blood cholesterol less than fats in food. And there are other heart healthy nutrients in eggs. That said, proceed with some caution and limit egg yolks to 1/day or, for those with diabetes or heart disease, 3/week. See here for information.)
I've been trolling through cookbooks and websites looking for inspiration - I have to say, I'm dismayed at some of the offerings! I found lots of suggestions using sugar substitutes and fake foods such as Eggcel and Weight Watchers jelly crystals. One recipe called for bacon drippings, one had Cool Whip in the mix, another quote was "this donut is actually low carb!" Ok... but is it good for me?! And I don't want salmon for breakfast either, no matter how flat a stomach it's supposed to give me. Hmmm... maybe I take that back... maybe some smoked salmon... Ok, let's add that to the "Go" list.

Here are a few low/no carb, no egg breakfast ideas to get us started:

Smoothies:
Everyone loves a smoothie! Put some yogurt (low-fat greek or natural - no sugary yogurts!), fruit of your choice (fresh or frozen is great, especially this time of year), some liquid - a splash of juice or water - to help pureé, into a blender and whizz up. You can add extras if you like: cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, nuts/seeds, even peanut butter or cocoa powder! Be creative and enjoy. Do remember - although a smoothie counts for 1 portion of fruits/veg per day, don't over do - your body doesn't always get the same satiated feeling from fruit that's been blended.

Cottage Cheese with fruit:
A good source of protein and calcium, cottage cheese is a great base for breakfast. Mix in some fruit - try pineapple or melon chunks (or chopped tomatoes for lunch).

Large grilled mushrooms with a small dollop of pesto:
Yum! I love this for lunch, and it has a breakfasty feel to it as well. Just wipe a pan with a smidge of olive oil, place 2 large mushrooms on - I weigh them down by putting a 2nd pan or 2 on top. Cook and turn, cook some more (or grill). Top with 1/2 teaspoon pesto. (You can add a sprinkling of grated cheese, too if you like - but if you're being really good, leave it off.)

Stewed apples over low-fat yogurt:
Or any fruit, really - the stewed apples just add a bit of warmth on these cold mornings. (To stew apples, just roughly chop - skin on - and put into a saucepan with a splash of water. Cover and simmer for a few minutes until softened.)

Smoked salmon rolls with low-fat cream cheese and red onion:
Why not? I've read articles touting how great salmon is for breakfast - omega 3's, great protein, low carb -but the idea of cooking salmon in the morning is anathema to me. But I think I could do these... you might even get super healthy and roll up some spinach leaves in there, too! I'll leave it up to you.

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Oatmeal With Ease

1/1/2013

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Presuming many New Year's resolutions will begin with a healthy breakfast this morning, a healthy start that tops many lists is oatmeal. (And for good reason!*) Good intentions will get you started, but if you're cooking oatmeal on the stove, simmering anywhere from 10 - 25 minutes, possibly soaking the oats overnight, prepping a variety of ingredients to add - your resolution may get broken before your breakfast is ready.
It doesn't have to be that complicated. You can use regular wholegrain rolled oats, not "instant," cooked in the microwave for 2 minutes - and get essentially the same health benefits as steel cut oats. And as it's easier to prepare, you are likely to consume more frequently, therefore upping the benefit. (http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/advantages-steel-cut-oats-3885.html) Most importantly, microwaving does not kill the nutrients in your food! (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/17/health/17real.html)

1 cup of oats
1 cup of non/low-fat milk

Combine in a microwave safe bowl (not plastic) and microwave for approximately 2 minutes. The actual cooking time will vary - test and see what works for you. For me, it's 2 minutes 10 seconds. Stir - you may need to add an extra tablespoon or so of milk to loosen. Done.

I like to top mine with fruit. In the off-season, I use frozen fruit warmed in the microwave for a minute. Frozen fruit has all of the nutrients of fresh, is less expensive and lasts longer. The texture can be affected when warming - your berries won't be as firm, but that works in this instance.

* Now - the reason oatmeal is top of the list of breakfast foods:

Fiber, soluble and non-soluble (oatmeal has more soluble: dissolves in water forming a gel - good for lowering cholesterol and keeping lower blood glucose levels), is an important part of any healthy diet. Increased fiber intake is associated with lower heart disease risk, substantially lower risk of type-2 diabetes, lower risk of diverticulitis (which affects 1/3 of all those over 45 in North America) and constipation. Fiber also helps you maintain a full feeling longer.

Weight management - whether you need to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, oatmeal is considered a part of a healthy diet that will help you achieve that. It's low in calories and low in fat. However, don't put these benefits at risk by adding butter, cream and sugar to your bowl! If you need sweetness, add some fruit and up the nutrients instead of upping the fat and calories.

Happy New Year! May you be resolute in your resolutions.

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Gear Up

12/27/2012

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Gear up for a day of holiday festivities with a healthy breakfast. It may not be Jan. 1 yet, but there's no harm - and every benefit - in gearing up for your healthy start a little early. There are a few days and nights left of consuming all the wrong foods & drinks, so try to fit in the right ones where you can.
It was hard to find much in my fridge this morning except bits of turkey, congealed gravy and lumps of cheese - but I did manage to dig up some wholesome ingredients among the leftovers. I gathered an avocado, a kiwi, a few cherry tomatoes and eggs. And out of my husband's Christmas stocking, a special jelly from www.Spicyman.com intimidatingly named "Acid Rain."

What goodness am I getting from these ingredients aside from a great taste and a fullness that doesn't leave a bloated state? Kiwis are the most nutrient dense of all fruits and are a great source of fibre (which will help with that post-holiday bloated feeling - check out www.kiwifruit.org) Aside from the avocados numerous nutrients - the monounsaturated "good" fats that are in avocados have been found to boost the body's ability to absorb the nutrients in foods consumed at the same time. Tomatoes are high in Vitamin C and the powerful antioxidant lycopene. Eggs are packed with nutrients and protein - and although they are high in cholesterol, only a very small amount of that actually passes into your blood, in fact there has been no connection found between egg consumption and heart disease.

The "Gear Up" breakfast, for 2
1 Avocado
1 kiwi
3 cherry tomatoes
squeeze of lime juice
2 eggs, poached *
2 teaspoons "Acid Rain" (or other hot sauce or chutney)

Chop the avocado, kiwi and tomatoes and toss together. Squeeze lime juice over. Top with a poached egg and finish with a small dollop of "Acid Rain."

* Poaching eggs is easy and without any added oils, a healthy way to prepare them. Simply boil a pot of water, add a splash of vinegar and drop the egg in. Allow it boil for about 3 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and drain the excess water.

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Scones

10/1/2012

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Monday, the 1st of October, and the morning is taking longer to break. Think we need scones to ease us into the week. They're not a "health" food, but the smell and taste of a warm scone can perk up weary sleepyheads.

Eating worthy food doesn't mean we can't ever have a treat - we can try to make our treats a little less sugary or fatty, though. Did you know you can halve the sugar content in many recipes? Not only does sugar sweeten foods, it also acts as a preservative. So, if you're not planning on keeping your baked goods for the week - and let's face it, who does?! - try your recipes with less sugar.

I adapted this recipe for Scones from The River Cottage Family Cookbook, using half the sugar and using low-fat natural yogurt in place of some butter and low-fat milk.

INGREDIENTS: (makes 10)
Self-raising flour - 450grams
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Baking powder - 2 teaspoons
Butter - 100g
Sugar - 50g
(Sultanas/Raisins, if you wish)
Low-fat Milk - 125ml
Low-fat Natural yogurt - 150ml

PREHEAT oven to 230º (210º fan oven)

SIFT flour, salt and baking powder into mixing bowl.

CUT butter into little cubes and add them into flour mixture.

RUB butter into the flour with your (clean!) hands. The chunks of butter should start to get much smaller as you rub the mixture. The mixture will become sandy or grainy feeling.

ADD the sugar (and sultanas, if using) and mix in using the butter knife.

COMBINE yogurt and milk in measuring jug. First put in the yogurt and add the milk so the total amount of liquid in the jug is approximately 275ml.

STIR the yogurt/milk into the dry mixture using the butter knife. It will be a sticky mess, but will come together into a dough.

SPRINKLE some flour on a clean, dry work surface.

PUT dough onto floured work surface and gently press dough down with your hands into a round about 3 cm thick.

STAMP out scones using pastry cutter and place on baking sheet.

BAKE in oven for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

*Be mindful of what you serve with your scone. Try not adding any or much butter, as there is already some in the mix. If you like yours with jam, as I do, make sure you're buying jams with no added sugar. If you have some berries, try squashing a few of them on top instead.
Also, baking is a great time for sharing! Get the extras out of the house and into the appreciative hands of a neighbor.

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Blueberry Parfait - for breakfast!

9/29/2012

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A super healthy breakfast that tastes like a delicious treat!

Blueberries: good for you? “Blueberries do have an abundance of phytonutrients, whose strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, some scientists believe, may help protect against heart disease, colon cancer and other maladies.” (New York Times)
-- Check

Greek Yogurt: good for you? Greek yogurt has more protein; less carbohydrates, sugar, lactose and sodium than regular yogurt. It does have more fat, though, so get low or non-fat if possible. If not, keep your portions in mind. Because greek yogurt has a high protein content, you will feel more full and satisfied with a smaller amount. (*Low-fat greek yogurt is currently hard to find in Ireland. I've emailed Glensik asking if & when they'll offer a natural low-fat version. If anyone out there knows of a brand selling it, please let me know!)
- Check

Pistachios: good for you?  A study published in the Journal of Nutrition, run by Pennsylvania State University, finds that pistachios help lower “bad” cholesterol and are full of protective “free radicals.”
- Check

I adapted this recipe from Martha Rose Shulman's Recipes For Health

Combine 1 CUP BLUEBERRIES (fresh or frozen depending on season),
1/4 CUP WATER,
1 TABLESPOON LIME JUICE (or lemon ), freshly squeezed.

Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes, until sauce thickens.

Shell the PISTACHIOS, roughly chop and toast on a dry pan for a few minutes.

You can present this in a traditional parfait arrangement: Pour a layer of GREEK YOGURT in bottom of glass, then spoon on some blueberry sauce. Alternate layers, finishing with the blueberries on top. Sprinkle toasted pistachios on top.
Or, if you're not feeling fancy, just put it into a bowl, swirl, and enjoy!
(*If you do want to serve this as a dessert, you can add a spoonful of honey to the greek yogurt to add a little more sweetness.)

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Granola

9/20/2012

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I like muesli - but sometimes, I do want something a bit sweeter like granola. When I read the ingredients though, I'm always put off by the huge sugar content. I want my cake, but I don't want to eat it!! So, I tried my own...

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

In a medium bowl, combine:
2 1/2 cups oats,
1/4 cup ground flax seeds,
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, and
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.
Whisk or stir to distribute ingredients.

In small bowl, whisk:
1/2 cup apple juice and
1 tablespoon honey.

Pour the wet into the dry and stir well to combine. Spread out evenly on baking tray and bake at 180ºC (160ºC fan oven/350ºF), for 20-25 minutes, stirring about half way through. Remove and let cool. Serve immediately or once fully cooled, put into an airtight container.

I had mine with a dollop of low-fat natural yogurt and a drizzle of honey. Mmm... sweet, but not too!

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Rhubarb Rhubarb Rhubarb

The Day of the Pepper

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Low/No Carb Breakfast Ideas: Minus The Eggs

Oatmeal With Ease

Gear Up

Scones

Blueberry Parfait - for breakfast!

Granola

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