Amazing Artichokes

Artichokes deserve their very own post!  Simply because artichokes are the detox powerhouse.  However, many people, including myself don't *really* like to buy them because they look at the vegetable and think, how would I eat this thing????  Don't worry, I used to think that way too...and here is my attempt to debunk your hesitations.

First, let me talk about the incredible properties of artichokes.  They are a liver-cleansing food, in other words detoxification.  Detoxification is important for battling diseases and keeping a healthy body.  Artichokes are a good source of silymarin, which helps protect and nourish the liver.

According to herbal experts Joe and Teresa Graydon, Ph.D. (authors of The People's Pharmacy), patients with chronic gastrointestinal (GI) upset who were given artichoke extract showed incredible improvement.  Another study showed patients experience relief from stomach pain, nausea and vomiting.  [Remember, findingfoodorlove.com does not provide medical advice, please consult your physician--but what awesome results!]

Second, how to consume whole artichokes.  After you buy a artichoke from the store, you will want to peel the outside layers by the stem, remove any fibers or small leaves at the bottom of the artichoke.  Next, cut the spikey tips of the artichoke leaves.  After you go around cutting all of them, cut off the top where all the leaves start to bunch up so you end up with something that looks like my picture.

Steam the artichokes for about 15-20 minutes.

That's it!  Now eat.  Just pull the leaves off and scrape the base of the leaf with your teeth.  When you get down to the heart of the artichoke, remove the hairy 'choke' (inedible fuzzy part).

I can eat with no dip.  It's really healthy.  It does take some work to eat, but in my opinion, when we have to work for our food, I think we eat better portions.

Source: The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden

Roasted Vegetables Recipe

 
New year means let's try some new recipes!  This recipe may not be new, but it is a good time to eat squashes, parsnips and root vegetables.  These are usually high in beta-carotene which is an antioxidant.  And antioxidants are SUPER important because they protect our cells from free radicals that cause damage.  Plus, roast these puppies, and you will be amazed at the flavor.

Roasted Vegetables

Serves 8

• 1 small butternut squash (1 1/2 pounds), pared, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 1 pound carrots, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1 pound parsnips, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1 small rutabaga (1 pound), pared, halved, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 1 pound shallots, peeled, halved if large
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425° F.  Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Cover with foil.  Place the vegetables in oven. Roast 1 1/2 hours, uncover, and roast 30 minutes longer, tossing occasionally until vegetables are tender and golden brown. 

*Findfoodlove note: the reason this recipe take so long is because it serves 8 people!  You probably can halve the recipe and the baking time to serve 4 people.

Source and picture source: wholeliving.com

Pizza Dough Recipe

I have been making quite a few vegetable pesto pizzas lately with our abundant organic vegetable harvest coming out of our garden.  The vegetables burst with flavor, and the homemade pesto complements nicely.  If you follow my blog, I tend to limit my refined flour intake; however, every once in awhile, particularly with our vegetable yield, this pizza is a delicious meal to enjoy and savor.

My pizza in the picture is a bit messed up because I started cutting before realizing that I wanted to take a photo!  Alas, it is what it is, I guess I will just have to make more pizzas to get a better photo.

Some people have asked about my pizza dough recipe, and unfortunately, I don't really have a recipe for this!  But, this one below by Jamie Oliver is pretty close. 

Jamie Oliver's Pizza Dough

• 7 cups strong white bread flour or Tipo "00" flour or 5 cups strong white bread flour or Tipo "00" flour, plus 2 cups finely ground semolina flour
• 1 level tablespoon fine sea salt
• 2 (1/4-ounce) packets active dried yeast
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups lukewarm water

The directions can be found on the foodnetwork website: Jamie Oliver's Pizza Dough

I would do a third of this recipe if making one pizza.  I explore with my recipes, so just use it as a starting point.  You never know what you might discover!

One of my past posts on refined flour: Two Culprits to Low Energy and Burgeoning Waists

Love the Fava a Lotta

Say that 100 times for a tongue twister!  Fava beans (also called broadbeans) are not as popular as other beans, but this vegetable has a distinct look and taste.  The peapod is BIG.  Take your typical green bean and magnify it a few hundred percent.  It's like they should belong to food of giants.  The bean is more like a lima bean, but has an even more solid texture and it gets filling when you eat it.  This makes sense because fava beans are loaded with fiber.  A half cup yields 4-5 grams of the 25 grams of fiber that we need daily.*

In addition to the loads of fiber, other awesome benefits of fava beans are that they are low fat, saturated fat free, cholesterol free, good source of vitamin B1, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Also a really good source of folate and manganese.**

When choosing fava beans, you want fresh and firm.  No markings on the pod.  There is, however, some bronzing on the outside.  You want pods that are slightly weighty and plump to the touch.

So why don't we eat this bean more often?  One downside - you have to shuck them from the pod and so they get somewhat labor-intensive.  Takes some planning rather than just wash and use.  Great as a side dish though and super yummy when sauteed.  Here is my fava bean dish.

Source of top picture: http://www.healthytimesblog.com/2011/05/welcome-these-seasonal-spring-foods-i/ and reference for *
Other sources including **: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=11589

Okra-licious

Okra has come to be a favorite vegetable of mine.  Growing up, we never ate okra (for one it was usually over $2 a pound, a threshold my mom rarely crossed, and two, it was not a common Chinese vegetable), but just a few years ago, she started to buy it, and I had it for the first time on one of my trips home to visit. 

No turning back for this omnivore.  Okra is highly nutritious.   The vegetable is very popular among West Asians, Northern Indians and the eastern Mediterranean.  Okra is a really good source of fiber, vitamin B6, and folic acid (Ladies, you need folic acid!).  Really good for your intestinal tract. 

The taste might take a little getting used to.  If the okra isn’t chopped up, it has a bit of a gooey/sticky substance that holds the seeds in.  I have come to really like that part of the vegetable, but others may not prefer it as much.  When you buy okra, look for fresh green pods.   You don’t want too many dark markings on it.  You also want to look for smaller pods (3 inches or smaller), otherwise the okra becomes tough and stringy. 

Okra is versatile and can be cooked in a number of ways.  I tried this recipe when I held a dinner party awhile back.  I ended up making the dish a bit more complex than what I have posted below, but the base of it is here.  I think people like the way I cooked the okra, since it was somewhat clear from the remains of the dish that some people were “fishing” for the okra. haha

I would use a glass dish to bake in because the okra goo ended up burning on my metallic one.  I am saving you from the trouble.


Roasted Okra and More

Vegetables:
3 medium sized potatoes
3/4 pound of okra
½ bag of frozen edamame (or fresh)
1/3 bag of frozen corn (or fresh)
2 scallions

Roast potatoes and okra:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
Halve potatoes lengthwise and toss with scallion pieces, rosemary sprigs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread potato mixture in a large roasting pan and roast, stirring once, 20 minutes. Stir potatoes and add okra to pan, tossing to coat. Continue to roast until okra and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes more.

Cook the frozen stuff, edamame beans and corn, while potatoes roast:
Cook beans in 1 quart (unsalted) boiling water in a 3- to 4-quart pot 4 minutes or follow instruction of bag, remove from heat and drain.
Return water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon salt, then cook corn until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain corn in a sieve and immediately transfer to bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain corn again.

Combine all vegetables in your backing sheet, season with oregano, extra olive oil if needed, salt and pepper for taste.

Source: http://www.neurophys.wisc.edu/ravi/okra/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okra