Healthy Food Books Giveaway

In preparation for the new year, we finally went through the cookbook shelves and picked a few that we just don't use anymore. All of them have worthwhile information; but these days we rely on the internet for recipes more than print books. And in our small home, every bit of space counts.

Rather just send the whole pile to the local Goodwill and hope they find good homes, I thought I'd offer them up to friends and other readers. First priority will go to anyone who responds quickly and can take an in-person handoff. After that, I'll use media mail to distribute; and what's left will be donated.

Over the coming weeks, I'll review/promote a few of my favorites. For today, here's the general list:

• Diet for a Small Planet, by Frances Moore Lappe (1975 ed)
• Recipes for a Small Planet, by Ellen Buchman Ewald (1973)
• Laurel's Kitchen, a Handbook for Vegetarian Cookery and Nutrition (1982)
• Crockpot Cooking (1975)
• Yeast Connection Handbook, by Wm Crook MD (1996) [about candida]
• Joyce Chen Cookbook (1976)
• Learn Chinese Cooking in Your Own Kitchen (1976)
• Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook (1998)
• Free to Eat, by Bronwyn Schweigerdt (2010)
• Great American Writers' Cookbook (1986)

Fiber35 Diet - Book Review

During the holidays and other times of year when celebratory foods all seem to be high-fat, simple-carb, and either sugary or greasy, I take refuge in simple snacks like baked yams, steel cut oats, or apples with peanut butter. What do they have in common? Well, besides being yummy and satisfying, fiber.

When I saw Brenda Watson on PBS giving her seminar on the Fiber35 Diet, I thought, "This is so simple - I don't need her book." I jotted down her key tips, researched the fiber content of foods we routinely eat at home, and made a few healthy changes. Focusing as recommended on good eating rather than self-deprivation, I dropped a few pounds, felt better, and re-established some good habits.

A year later, I found and consulted the book for a 'check-up.' Reading it provided useful reminders, detailed medical information, and much better instructions than the ones I had scribbled down. Once I got past the "Amazing! Secret! Miracle!" self-promotion, and the touching vignettes about Watson's clients, I found the nutrition and fitness facts well-explained.

For me, these are the parts that make the book worth owning as a reference:

• A thorough,understandable physiological explanation of how dietary fiber promotes weight loss
• An easy-to-follow plan to assess your current nutrition and achieve personal health and fitness goals
• Sections on boosting your metabolism, exercise basics, detoxification, supplements, hormones, phytonutrients, and disease prevention
• Charts on numerous foods and their fiber content per serving
• Dozens of simple recipes

A Vegetarian Noche Buena Feast

Years ago, our Cuba-born friend Ariela Boronat (yes - the artist) introduced us to a rather different Christmas tradition than my Protestant family's. Christmas day is for going to church, eating leftovers, and resting. Epiphany (January 6, when the Three Wise Men brought baby Jesus marvelous swag) is for exchanging gifts. And Christmas Eve, or Noche Buena, is a family holiday feast night.

A traditional Noche Buena feast may include dishes like arroz con pollo, roasted pork loin, and flan; but it must include these three staples:

• savory black beans and rice (aka Moros y Christianos, the gentle inside-joke name)
• crispy, garlicky fried yucca
• sweet, luscious platanos maduros

Once you've got this trinity covered, serve whatever you like as an appetizer, dessert, or optional additional protein. Just add friends and family, and you've got a feast worthy of Noche Buena.

Fruit Smoothies - Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

This December, I'm thankful for the farmers market strawberries in the freezer. Without them, making fruit smoothies in the winter just wouldn't feel right. Although half the fun of smoothies is the free rein to experiment, to 'customize the food creation experience' (also known as playing with your food), I played around with ingredients just until I found my favorite combination, then stuck with it.

My Fruit Smoothie Blend:

• One nice, ripe banana
• A few chunks of frozen mango
• A few frozen organic strawberries
• Several dollops of plain, nonfat yogurt
• Some not-too-sweet juice, like pomegranate or limeade

Do I measure? No. Every batch comes out a little different, letting me sample and comment as if I had actually been innovative.
I throw all these into a Vita Mix or a regular blender, let them sit to temper a bit, then blend til it's soup. Mmm . . . cool, smooth and sweet like a milkshake, with less of a sugar rush, and ever so much more virtuous. Refreshing in the summer, and a little dose of summer in the depths of winter.

Servings
My version, as described above, serves two. You can also make the whole batch and freeze half, to serve one person twice. Just let it thaw sufficiently to stir all ice crystals in and get the lovely creamy consistency back.

Calories
About 100 per serving, if you use just fruit and non-fat yogurt.

Fat
Zero grams! But considerably higher if you substitute ice cream or a creamier yogurt (really not necessary, if you use a good brand).

Fiber
About 3 grams per serving. Mostly that's soluble fiber, plus a wee bit of insoluble (you need both for a high-fiber diet ). To work more in, try a sprinkle of ground flax seed.

Carbs and Sugar
Some people are worried about all the sugar in a fruit smoothie, either because of diabetes, the candida diet, or a low-carb diet like Atkins.
Bear in mind the sugars in the yogurt are low, and you are having a half banana, 2-3 strawberries, a few mango chunks, and a splash of juice in one serving. If your diet allows that, you are not only ok but also getting the benefit of the calcium, phyto-nutrients, and fiber. Pairing it with some low-fat protein might make it a healthy breakfast food, even with health concerns to watch. And a half-serving, frozen, would make a nice treat when you crave ice cream.

Is there any protein?
Yes! Fruits and vegetables do have protein; and dairy can be a vegetarian protein source, too. Most Americans get too much protein, not too little; but if you are a vegetarian body builder or other type of athlete, try adding some of your favorite protein powder.

Can you make a vegan fruit smoothie?
Yes. With yogurt, the standard version fits well into a lacto vegetarian diet (ie, no meat, but dairy is allowed). In that way, it is like a mango lassi at an Indian restaurant.
To skip the lactose, try a soy substitute, or almond milk or rice milk (plus ice). If your substitute comes pre-sweetened, be aware of issues with candida and diabetes. On the plus side, this version would have no cholesterol.

Honey-Teriyaki Glazed Salmon

 When beekeeper Wayne Pitts appeared on the Bite-size Green TV episode The Buzz about Bees, he was a marvelous guest.  He not only shared humorous anecdotes, facts, and photos; but he also provided a cooking demonstration.  Like many good cooks, he tried a dish at a restaurant and said, "I could make this."  The result became his honey-teriyaki glazed grilled salmon.  Naturally, it's best if made from wild salmon and with honey from your own apiary.  If you can't become a beekeeper by suppertime, visit one at your local farmers market (Wayne can be found in Palo Alto every Sunday) and ask for a local variety.

Honey-teriyaki glazed salmon

Ingredients

• One cup honey, warmed
• One cup teriyaki
• A large fillet of wild-caught salmon
• Fresh leaf spinach, in bite-size pieces
• Two types of fruit, in small chunks (or whole, if berries)
• Blue cheese crumbles (or goat, if preferred)
• Walnut bits (or other nut, as preferred)
• Cherry tomatoes to garnish
• A fruity vinaigrette dressing

To prepare:

1. While warming the grill, fold a double layer of aluminum foil into a tray, and pour a layer of glaze into it. 
2. Place the salmon onto the glaze, and pour the remainder over the fillet.
3. Close the grill and let cook approx 20 minutes (med. heat). 
4. Check to make sure the salmon is caramelizing.
5. While the salmon is cooking, arrange the spinach on each plate.
6. When the salmon is done (and cooled, if you like), place a portion on each plate,  over the spinach.
7. Add the fruit, nuts, cheese and garnish to each plate, and drizzle with dressing.

Enjoy the quiet while everyone digs in.

Catalan Spinach

In the spring and summer, this vegetarian tapas dish provides an alternative to fresh, raw spinach salads. In the winter, it assuages my craving for dark greens.

Catalan Spinach, or espinacas, is quick, easy and full of flavor. It's packed with phyto-nutrients, but not fat or calories. As you might guess, it's from the Catalan region of Spain.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup raisins
20 ounces spinach, cleaned and de-stemmed
1 ounce good basalmic vinegar




Prep:
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan, and throw in the pine nuts.
2. When they begin to smell beautiful & sing, add the raisins.
3. Let the raisins plump for a minute, then add the spinach.
4. Toss for a minute while the spinach wilts.
5. Splash on the basalmic vinegar, and toss for another few seconds.
6. Salt to taste.

The spinach should be wilted, but still very green.
Serve immediately.

Platanos Maduros

Fried plantains, or platanos maduros, are a real treat worth the work.
But beware - they can be addictive!

First, find a store (such as El Mercadito Latino) that sells really, really ripe plaintains. The skins should be turning black.
This means that they are full of sweetness, being fully mature, or maduro.

Fried plantains with cuban black beans and crispy yucca

At home, peel them and keep the skins.
Slice them about 3/4 inch thick.

Round One:

• Heat vegetable oil (something with a high smoke point, so it won't break down) in a large skillet, preferably iron.
• When the oil passes the wooden spoon test, place the slices in and stand back.
• Flip and brown the second side, so both sides are lightly browned.
• Remove the cooked plantains, dry them briefly on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.

Round Two:

• When the rest of the meal is close to done, bring the oil back up to temperature.
• While it is heating, place the discs between the plantain skins and flatten them.
• Then put them into the hot oil for the second frying, and place on toweling again.
• As they cool, they should firm up but not become crunchy or hard. 

Salt to taste and serve warm.

If you've tried platanos maduros in a restaurant and wished you could replicate them, give it a try! And once you've made them at home, you'll appreciate fried plantains that someone else has cooked for you even more.

Cuban Yucca

Cuban yucca is a garlicy, crispy, chewy savory treat.
Also known as yuca, cassava, or manioc, it starts as a crunchy tuber with tough skin.
I highly recommend buying it pre-skinned and frozen. You can often find it in Asian groceries or Latin markets.

Cuban yucca (r) with beans, rice and plantains

•    1 lb yucca
•    1 tsp salt
•    2 tsp. lemon juice

To prepare:
Place water in a big pot and bring to a boil with the salt and lemon juice.
Boil the frozen chunks - but for only 10 minutes.
Remove the hard white stringy centers.
Drain and cool until you can cut the chunks into smaller bits.
Fry them in olive oil and lots of garlic.
Serve hot.

Moros y Christianos

Cuban black beans are sometimes called frijoles negros (alone) or moros y cristianos (with rice). The dish is both a staple and a celebratory food.

Ingredients:

Dried black beans (use instead of canned)

• 3 cans (15 ounces each) of black beans
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4-6 cloves garlic, diced or crushed through a press
• 1/3 cups olive oil for saute step
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1 Tbs vinegar

To prepare:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and add onion. Sautè until onion begins to soften.
2. Add garlic, green pepper, fresh ground pepper, and stock.
3. Drain the beans. Mash 1 cup of the beans, and add all beans to the pot.
4. Add the salt, oregano, bay leaf and sugar.
5. Allow to simmer for an hour and add the vinegar and orange juice, cooking slowly for up to an hour. If there’s too much liquid, cook uncovered for a while.

Serve with rice.
Serves approximately 8 people; and goes especially well with crispy yucca and fried plantains.

Note: the key to this recipe is the play between the sugar and the acid. If you don't have OJ, use a bit more of both the sugar and the vinegar. Adjust to taste.