Posts Tagged ‘Eating Local’

red quinoa = sweet & satisfying

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

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You have heard me say this before, and I promise you will hear me say it again – I love sweet foods. I really do. I hear comments all the time from people feeling stressed and anxious by the war on their sweet tooth or whatever it is they crave, that never seems to end.  The way I see it – cravings are just our body’s way of trying to tell us something. Our bodies work hard to maintain homeostasis 24/7 doing all sorts of crazy things, like maintaining body temperature and controlling muscle movements in our digestive system to make sure we are constantly in a state of balance. That’s a pretty tough job! So why should the foods we crave mean anything different? We just have to listen!


Instead of chowing down on candy bars and chocolate to satisfy my cravings, I incorporate naturally sweet foods into my diet on a regular basis. This way my body gets what it needs without the harmful effects of sugar like suppression of the immune system, varicose veins, and weight gain. And you know what? I don’t really crave the high-sugar and high-processed sweets that you typically find in a movie theater or the checkout counter of your local convenience store. They just don’t “talk to me” the way they used to years ago.


So next time you feel like having something sweet try red quinoa. It’s a whole-grain so it will be absorbed into your bloodstream slowly, keeping your mood and energy leveled, but sweeter than regular quinoa to satisfy the sweet craving. For more information about the benefits of whole-grains check out my post on why we need carbs. 

 

I added local veggies and sesame seeds to the cooked quinoa. Check out the recipe below. 

 

Ingredients

1 cup red quinoa, cooked

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1/4 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup peppers, chopped

1/2 cup dark leafy greens (I used swiss chard)


Directions

To cook the quinoa I like to use a rice cooker. It’s so easy – all you have to do is rinse the quinoa, add water (1 part quinoa to 2 parts water), hit the “cook” button and that’s it! It turns itself off once cooked.

If you use the stove – rinse your grains to remove the bitter coating, saponin. Quinoa is usually rinsed before it’s packaged, but it can’t hurt to rinse it again. Combine 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups of water in a saucepan, cover with lid and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook until the water has been absorbed – approximately 15 minutes. Remove from heat.


Roast sesame seeds – place in dry saucepan and apply heat. Once they start popping, they are done. Keep your eye on these guys so they don’t burn.

 

Water saute veggies

 

Combine quinoa, sesame seeds and veggies


So next time you have a craving don’t panic and grab the first edible item in site! Listen to your body and see what it really wants.

 

 

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Posted in Eating Local, Kitchen Gadgets, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Sugar, Vegetarian / Vegan | 3 Comments »

sunshine & soup – it doesn’t get any better.

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

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Yesterday was one of the nicest days we have seen in Asheville in awhile – not a cloud in the sky, breezy but not too chilly and the different colored leaves were really starting to pop. It was absolutely gorgeous! I spent the morning studying, but was itching for an excuse to be outdoors when I remembered that the local Downtown Tailgate Market was open until 6:30pm. Perfect! I grabbed my reusable grocery bag and took a stroll to the market. 


Asheville is great for health counselors and the health conscious. There is strong support for local food and local farmers with Farmer’s Markets scattered throughout Asheville year-round and several restaurants offering local and seasonal selections on their menus. When family and friends visit they are always amazed by the diverse and delicious cuisines available in Asheville. Anyway, enough bragging about Asheville.


The Downtown Tailgate Market is one of the smaller markets in Asheville, but it is right up the road from my apartment so I was able to walk and maximize my time outdoors. Local food, sunshine and exercise – it was a triple bonus!


The nights have been getting cold up here in the mountains so I knew I wanted to make soup. I tend to be cold constantly so once fall settles in, I immediately start to crave hot (temperature, not spice) foods. I already had beans and carrots, but I needed more vegetables to add to the soup. Here is a picture of all of the delicious vegetables that I got – and for a whopping $13.25. Pretty sweet huh?


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Buying local foods directly from the farmers is less expensive than buying the same food item in your grocery store – there aren’t any transportation costs or middlemen involved to jack up the price. Plus you’re getting more flavor in your food because it was picked at its peak level of ripeness and taste – it did not ripen in the back of a truck. 


I got to be outdoors the entire time I was shopping, mingle with other members of the community, chat with the farmers and see and smell varieties of vegetables that you don’t typically see in the grocery store. See the skinny green stalks with purple and white stems to the left of the squash in the picture? That’s celery. Yea – celery. Smells like celery, tastes like celery, but it definitely does not look like the thick, light green stalks of celery you typically see in grocery stores. Pretty cool, huh? I didn’t have to sit in traffic or wait in line either. It doesn’t get any better…

 

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Here is my recipe for the black bean soup that I made with the celery.


Ingredients

2 cups black beans

3 – 5 carrots, chopped

celery, chopped – I used my entire bunch, but if you are using thicker stalks than I think 3 should do it

Kale (or dark leafy green of your choice) – 1/2 to 1 bunch, chopped (more about that below) – I love dark leafy greens so I used an entire bunch. Add however much you prefer – after all this is your soup, right?

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 onion, chopped

Dr. Fuhrman’s Vegizest (You can still make soup without this ingredient. I highly recommend it for flavor and added nutrients.)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Onion powder to taste

Pepper to taste

Mrs. Dash to taste



Directions

Rinse beans and pour into large soup pot

Add 6 cups of water (for more nutrients replace 1 cup with carrot juice)

Add chopped onions, carrots, garlic, celery, tomatoes and spices

Cover with lid and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook until beans are tender – about 45 minutes to 1 hour

Once beans are tender, add chopped kale and stir into the soup – the kale will cook immediately

Remove from heat and allow to cool

Use immersion blender to blend soup to preferred thickness (this isn’t necessary to enjoy the soup. I like soup that is really thick so I prefer to blend)


About the kale (or any leafy green you choose)… when you cut it up, you want to remove the stem first – like this. Cut down both sides of the stem. Toss the step and chop the remaining halves.

 

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Then you can stack a few leaves on top of each other before you slice them width-wise. This will save you time.


My entire apartment smelled like soup. Mmmmm. Ryan came home and wanted to know what was cookin’ – it smelled so good. I hope you enjoy this healthy and filling soup throughout the cold months ahead!

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Posted in Asheville, Eating Local, Organic, Recipes, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 2 Comments »

Be Green. Be Healthy. Eat Local.

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

This month’s cooking class focused on why we should all try to eat locally grown foods whenever possible – for reasons that I will elaborate on shortly. Preparing for the class began when our farmer friend Jonathan, arrived at Wendy’s house with boxes of fresh vegetables that he picked earlier that morning. His backseat was full of bright and beautiful vegetable varieties that I had never seen before! Eggplants that were long and skinny with thorns (I pricked myself several times that day) and peppers that came in all shapes, sizes and colors, including purple! It was really amazing!


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On the menu: local Sunburst trout, southern style okra and tomatoes, baked eggplant parmesan and to top it off – a vegan blueberry cobbler. Yum yum!


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Local Sunburst Trout

1 – 1 1/2 lbs Trout fillets
salt and pepper, to taste


Rinse trout and pat dry. Place in single layer on lightly greased baking sheet. Salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F.


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Southern Style Okra and Tomatoes
3 tablespoon butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups diced tomatoes, peeled and cored
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chicken base
4 cups sliced fresh or frozen okra
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper and garlic. Saute until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent. Add seasoned salt, garlic powder, tomatoes, water, chicken base and okra. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.


Baked Eggplant Parmesan
1 med. eggplant
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 c. flavored bread crumbs
Dried Italian Seasoning
Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

Pare and cut eggplant into 1/4 inch slices crosswise. Pat eggplant with paper towels to reduce wetness. Place in single layer on lightly greased baking sheet. Drizzle slices with olive oil. Then top with dried italian seasoning, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until tender.


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Vegan Blueberry Cobbler
10-inch deep dish pie plate, greased
1/2 cup Earth Balance, melted
5 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup soymilk, or other non-dairy milk
Ground cinnamon, optional

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a medium bowl, toss the berries with 1/4 cup of sugar.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and remaining sugar. Add the milk and melted butter, whisking to combine. Scrape the batter into prepared baking dish. Place berries on top (don’t stir, as the batter will rise to the top as it bakes). If desired, sprinkle top of cobbler lightly with ground cinnamon. Bake cobbler in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top of crust is golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cobbler cool on a rack before serving.


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So why should we eat locally grown foods? What difference does it really make? The short answer – it makes a HUGE difference! From the way the food tastes to the carbon footprints we leave behind , eating locally grown foods is a small thing we can do to better ourselves and the environment. Think about it – wouldn’t a fruit or vegetables taste better if it was picked when it was ripe instead of ripening in a truck?

For more information about eating local check out my August newsletter.

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Posted in Cooking Classes | 3 Comments »

the EAT LOCAL issue

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

Finally it is trendy and profitable to be green! We get federal tax credits for applying or installing energy efficient items in our homes and businesses. Now a new sector of employment, there is even a special term for jobs in the “being-green” industry called “green-collar” jobs. We can make green while being green! One of the easiest and least expensive ways to “go green” is by eating locally grown foods. An added perk – it’s healthier too!

 

Top 10 Reasons to Eat Locally Grown Foods:

Be Kind to your Taste Buds: Taste the Difference
Produce has more time to ripen when eaten locally. Instead of picking bananas that are green and hard that ripen in a truck, you can eat a banana that was picked 24 hours ago. Believe me, you can taste the difference. These foods are picked at their peak taste. It’s that simple.

Know What You’re Eating
E. Coli in our spinach, peanut-butter, ice-cream and romaine lettuce recalled nation-wide; it’s hard to know what is really in our food. The US does not require genetically modified foods to be labeled as such. Add pesticides, preservatives, “organic” versus “natural”, free-range and grass-fed to the mix and it can be hard to find answers. If you want control over what you put in your body, eat foods that are grown locally. It’s much easier to get answers.

Get In Touch with Mother Nature
When we eat with the seasons we are in harmony with the environment. Summer fruits and vegetables (like berries, tomatoes and cucumbers) are light and refreshing to keep us cool in the summer heat. Root vegetables are perfect for stews and keep us warm, strong and grounded in the winter.

Give Back: Support Small Farms
According to Food Inc., the average grocery store has 47,000 products on its shelves but only a handful of corporations actually own and control these products. These corporations strongly influence our government that create and enforce policies concerning food production and safety. We can change this by voting at grocery stores. The scanners cast our vote when we buy organic or not, local or not, etc. Do you need proof? Walmart started to carry organic products because of customer requests.

Local Food = Local Economy
Money that is made locally typically stays within the community.

Rediscover Your Neighborhood
You are more likely to have a conversation or hear a story about the food you’re going to eat when you shop locally. The stories add character to your meal.

Have New Travel Experiences
See cities in a new way when you travel! You’ll meet interesting people who are likely to give you a real flavor of your destination city or town; more than sightseeing or eating at touristy restaurants.

Discover Variety
When a farmer does not have the pressure of growing “name brand” produce to sell to large grocery stores, he can experiment with new kinds of produce. Each variety of a fruit or vegetable provides different phytonutrients (these are health protecting compounds found in plants).

Be Social
Most of us consider grocery shopping to be an obligation, something that’s not meant to be fun or enjoyable; stores or crowded and lines are long. Eat locally and you will find the complete opposite is true.

Be Healthier (may be even lose some weight!)
Fewer pesticides and preservatives, seasonal eating, variety of fruits and veggies, fresh and rich tasting – what part of eating locally grown foods is unhealthy?

Be Green
Eating locally grown foods:
•    Puts fewer chemicals into the air from pesticides and preservatives.
•    Uses less oil and gas to get your food from the place it’s grown to your plate.
•    Protects biodiversity.
•    Lets the farmer focus on actually growing your food – not the processing, packaging, refrigeration and marketing – all of which deplete energy and natural resources.

I encourage you to rediscover your neighborhood and try locally grown foods! What better way to give back to your community, benefit the environment, yourself and loved ones all at the same time!

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Posted in Eating Local, Organic | 3 Comments »