Our family tends to eat well and healthfully. A good result our good relation to food is that none of us ever diets and none of us has a BMI in the overweight range. We eat what I would call a green Mediterranean diet; vegetables and salads are our staples. We have wine with our evening meal, otherwise it's only water, coffee or tea. Ours is more accurately called an Indo-Mediterranean diet, since we are very fond of Indian cuisine.
One might assume that we're rather Spartan in our eating habits, but we're not. We put a major emphasis on taste. In fact, we only eat what is healthful if we can make it taste good. And we can--at least to our satisfaction. (We do, however, rather severely limit our added sugar intake, consuming even less than the recommended amount of about six teaspoons per day, including the sugar found in processed foods. For some more details of our opinion on added sugar, please refer to "The Sweet God of Premature Death," on my blog,)
Once in a while we invent our own recipes, though we usually merely modify to our taste and whims recipes that we either know well or have found online. I would like to share with you two original recipes. I make no claims that they are especially creative; I make no claims of being a gourmet. That both these dishes are easy to make, taste good--at least to my family's taste--and are good for you is, however, undeniable. I will include a little information about why they are so healthful.
1. Redrad Porridge
Ingredients: radishes, tahini and beet hummus.
Health Benefits: Regarding radishes, there is a well known proverb in China that is a variation of "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." The benefits of eating radishes are considerable. They contain very few calories and much fiber--they thus satisfy hunger in a healthful fashion. They are also rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and other good things.
When I went into my local grocery store and asked if they had tahini, the clerk was completely flummoxed and replied, "Ta-WHO?" It's actually not too hard to find, though. The basic ingredient is sesame seeds. In our local ethnic grocery, a large bottle sells for under $4.00. Some have more oil, which floats at the top of the bottle. This is ideal; simply mix the contents up. The benefits of tahini are also considerable; it is rich in minerals, protein, calcium and vitamins, especially vitamin E and B-group vitamins. (We assert that there is no reason to take vitamins by mouth if one eats well--which is easy to do once one decides to do it.)
Hummus is better known and is also conducive to good health; it is rich in vitamins and minerals as well. It is made from chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, and sesame seeds.
Directions:
Take four large radishes per person, cut them up--quarter them or cut them into slices. Put them in a bowl.
Add three heaping tablespoons of tahini and two heaping tablespoons of beet hummus. Mix together to a loose paste. (If too dry, add a bit of olive oil.) Optional: add a little bit of lemon juice to taste; add a dash of ground pepper; garnish with finely cut radish slices.
That's it! Eat it with a spoon like porridge. If beet hummus is not available, any variety of hummus will do. Redrad porridge is ideal as a snack. Instead of having a piece of cake or a cookie with your tea or coffee, try this easily-prepared dish.
2, Gach
Ingredients: whole-wheat penne or any other form of whole-wheat pasta, turmeric, chili powder (cayenne powder), karela powder, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt
Although we don't serve pasta often, it is often this dish when we do. The recipe dates back to the early 1990s. The name refers to a dish--a very different dish--served during an episode of a very popular TV show at the time. (If you know the name of the series, let me know in the comment section.)
Health Benefits: whole-wheat pasta, compared to refined, white pasta, has a much higher nutritional value; it contains all three parts of the grain, while white pasta contains only one. The glycemic index (that is, the tendency to raise blood sugar) is lower as well. The benefits of olive oil, an integral part of the Mediterranean diet, are well known. There is evidence that heat destroys some of the nutritional value; the olive oil in this recipe, however, comes straight out of the bottle. Turmeric has been called "the world's healthiest food" for a variety of reasons. There is evidence that it lowers blood sugar, prevents cancer, and reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease, etc. It is quite high in antioxidants. Karela or bitter melon is not only highly nutritious but possesses considerable glucose-lowering properties as well. The vegetable can readily be found in Indian and Chinese grocery stores or online; the powdered form is rarer. If it is unavailable, one can omit this ingredient and still wind up with a tasty dish. The benefits of garlic are proverbial.
Directions:
Cook 8 oz of whole-wheat pasta al dente, drain, and place in a serving dish. Add a generous quantity of olive oil until all the pasta is covered, without any pooling of oil at the bottom of the dish, about three or four tablespoons. Add four cloves of garlic via a garlic press. Add one teaspoon of turmeric powder, half a teaspoon of chili powder and 3/4 teaspoon of karela powder. Finally, add a pinch or two of rock salt. Combine. May be garnished with grated Parmesan cheese. Serves two to three as a side dish.
That's it!
We wish you happy and healthy eating by following these two simple recipes and other ones like it. I invite you to provide in the comments section recipes and food tips of your own.
One might assume that we're rather Spartan in our eating habits, but we're not. We put a major emphasis on taste. In fact, we only eat what is healthful if we can make it taste good. And we can--at least to our satisfaction. (We do, however, rather severely limit our added sugar intake, consuming even less than the recommended amount of about six teaspoons per day, including the sugar found in processed foods. For some more details of our opinion on added sugar, please refer to "The Sweet God of Premature Death," on my blog,)
Once in a while we invent our own recipes, though we usually merely modify to our taste and whims recipes that we either know well or have found online. I would like to share with you two original recipes. I make no claims that they are especially creative; I make no claims of being a gourmet. That both these dishes are easy to make, taste good--at least to my family's taste--and are good for you is, however, undeniable. I will include a little information about why they are so healthful.
1. Redrad Porridge
Ingredients: radishes, tahini and beet hummus.
Health Benefits: Regarding radishes, there is a well known proverb in China that is a variation of "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." The benefits of eating radishes are considerable. They contain very few calories and much fiber--they thus satisfy hunger in a healthful fashion. They are also rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and other good things.
When I went into my local grocery store and asked if they had tahini, the clerk was completely flummoxed and replied, "Ta-WHO?" It's actually not too hard to find, though. The basic ingredient is sesame seeds. In our local ethnic grocery, a large bottle sells for under $4.00. Some have more oil, which floats at the top of the bottle. This is ideal; simply mix the contents up. The benefits of tahini are also considerable; it is rich in minerals, protein, calcium and vitamins, especially vitamin E and B-group vitamins. (We assert that there is no reason to take vitamins by mouth if one eats well--which is easy to do once one decides to do it.)
Hummus is better known and is also conducive to good health; it is rich in vitamins and minerals as well. It is made from chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, and sesame seeds.
Directions:
Take four large radishes per person, cut them up--quarter them or cut them into slices. Put them in a bowl.
Add three heaping tablespoons of tahini and two heaping tablespoons of beet hummus. Mix together to a loose paste. (If too dry, add a bit of olive oil.) Optional: add a little bit of lemon juice to taste; add a dash of ground pepper; garnish with finely cut radish slices.
That's it! Eat it with a spoon like porridge. If beet hummus is not available, any variety of hummus will do. Redrad porridge is ideal as a snack. Instead of having a piece of cake or a cookie with your tea or coffee, try this easily-prepared dish.
2, Gach
Ingredients: whole-wheat penne or any other form of whole-wheat pasta, turmeric, chili powder (cayenne powder), karela powder, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt
Although we don't serve pasta often, it is often this dish when we do. The recipe dates back to the early 1990s. The name refers to a dish--a very different dish--served during an episode of a very popular TV show at the time. (If you know the name of the series, let me know in the comment section.)
Health Benefits: whole-wheat pasta, compared to refined, white pasta, has a much higher nutritional value; it contains all three parts of the grain, while white pasta contains only one. The glycemic index (that is, the tendency to raise blood sugar) is lower as well. The benefits of olive oil, an integral part of the Mediterranean diet, are well known. There is evidence that heat destroys some of the nutritional value; the olive oil in this recipe, however, comes straight out of the bottle. Turmeric has been called "the world's healthiest food" for a variety of reasons. There is evidence that it lowers blood sugar, prevents cancer, and reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease, etc. It is quite high in antioxidants. Karela or bitter melon is not only highly nutritious but possesses considerable glucose-lowering properties as well. The vegetable can readily be found in Indian and Chinese grocery stores or online; the powdered form is rarer. If it is unavailable, one can omit this ingredient and still wind up with a tasty dish. The benefits of garlic are proverbial.
Directions:
Cook 8 oz of whole-wheat pasta al dente, drain, and place in a serving dish. Add a generous quantity of olive oil until all the pasta is covered, without any pooling of oil at the bottom of the dish, about three or four tablespoons. Add four cloves of garlic via a garlic press. Add one teaspoon of turmeric powder, half a teaspoon of chili powder and 3/4 teaspoon of karela powder. Finally, add a pinch or two of rock salt. Combine. May be garnished with grated Parmesan cheese. Serves two to three as a side dish.
That's it!
We wish you happy and healthy eating by following these two simple recipes and other ones like it. I invite you to provide in the comments section recipes and food tips of your own.
No comments:
Post a Comment