So I broke my elbow…. put your microscopic violin away. Whenever I get sick or injured, which luckily does not happen often, I always look for nutritive solutions which can assist in my recovery. To make light of an annoying aliment, I utilized the opportunity to take an expansive view of my diet and see if I am lacking in certain nutrients that could aid in recovery. With broken bones and damaged ligaments, I immediately thought about calcium, phosphorus, Vitamin D and protein as well as anti-inflammatory agents to further assist with healing.
Read moreTaco, Taco Night, I Love it When, its Taco Night
Sprouted corn tortillas, seared wild grouper, vegenaise crema, salted cabbage, pico de gallo, guac, and organic broccoli sprouts
Read moreDipity Dopity Do
In honor of my good friend’s visit, I threw together a little gathering to welcome her home. Having excess time is not something I am familiar with anymore, as the demands of school and my dietetic internship have taken priority of my life. Luckily, I was able to throw together two very simple and nutritious dips to accompany my cheese platter, crudités, and home made pita chips. At the end of the day, all you need is some wine and good company.
Read moreGoodnight Irene
Irene came and went and caused most of us to hibernate in our houses for most of the weekend. To our great disappointment, a member of The Crunchy Radish had their birthday festivities put on hold due to the storm. To make the best of things, we made a birthday dinner with some goods that we loaded up on the day before at the farmers’ market.
Read moreHere Fishy Fishy
This was certainly not your typical "run of the mill" fish dinner. Our friendly fishmonger generously supplied us with some incredible silky, smooth black cod and not one but two types of caviar! This was an exceptional and special meal and we deeply appreciated having “friends with benefits."
Read moreEasy Peasy Pesto
Buckwheat pasta with spinach basil pesto, oven roasted tomatoes, broccoli and peas
Gazpacho
After consulting with the family chef about proper tomato usage for this summery soup, San Marzano puree was used over fresh tomatoes or tomato juice. Unless the tomatoes are extremely ripe, high quality canned is recommended. At first, I felt like I was cheating, since this soup was intended to encapsulate summer, but once chilled, the gazpacho was the pure essence of tomatoey, cucumbery, and garlicky peppery goodness.
Besides swapping the tomato juice for canned, I relied on my trusty
for guidance for the Gazpacho. A cucumber, red bell pepper, small yellow onion, garlic, parsley, scallions, lemon and lime juice, basil, cumin, and cayenne pepper were gently pureed with the tomatoes, white vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and chilled.
For a spin on another summery favorite, I pulverized a box of organic spinach, basil, parsley, four garlic cloves, two tablespoons toasted walnuts and a little drizzling of olive oil to create a pesto. I found that spinach has a high level of water content, so you really only need a little olive oil to meld the sauce together. I mixed in parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to finish. To bolster up the buckwheat pasta, I added roasted cherry tomatoes and organic broccoli and peas (both frozen). The cherry tomatoes were oven roasted with oregano, basil, canola oil, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. This created a nice slightly charred and sweet tomato that burst with flavor.
The buckwheat pasta not only had a lovely hue, but also added a nutty quality and provided added fiber. The pasta was also loaded with vegetables from the spinach; which is packed with folate, beta-carotene, vitamin K, fiber, magnesium and calcium, the broccoli; which also has beta-carotene, fiber and calcium, along with iron and vitamins A, C and D, and peas, which are a good source of protein. Walnuts provided omega-3 and antioxidants.
This was a lovely summery meal that left plenty of leftovers…. too bad my fridge is broken.
mmmmm lactobacillus
I heart yogurt, whether it is in the liqudy extra tart and fermented kefir form, to ultra thick and creamy Greek, or the more conventional sour plain fat-free Stonyfield Farm organic form - all forms bring me pleasure. Yogurt is also quite multidimensional and can be used for more than filling you up at breakfast. The various kinds of yogurt can be used in a multitude of ways; from sauces, dips or shakes, the possibilities are limitless. Not only is fat-free yogurt a great source of lean protein, calcium, vitamin A and some sources even have vitamin D, yogurt contains the beneficial bacteria lactobacillus. This bacterium helps establish a healthy environment in the gut and aids in digesting lactose (milk sugar). Lactobacillus along with Bifidobacterium are the common species of probiotics. Now I know that the benefits of probiotics are certainly no earth-shattering revelation, but it can’t hurt to be reminded of the beneficial balance that probiotics create between harmful and harmless bacteria. The harmless bacteria compete for space and nutrients with the harmful bacteria and prevent its growth. Additionally, probiotics boost immune responses that protect the body. Furthermore, most lactose intolerant individuals can tolerate yogurt because the bacteria produces lactase (the enzyme that digests lactose).
YAY Bacteria!
Name That Omega-3
This snack or appetizer was inspired by a dish served at Prune restaurant in the east village. The chef Gabrielle Hamilton explained that the dish she serves of canned sardines, Triscuits and cornichon were based on the meals that she ate and could afford as a young newly transplanted New Yorker. Yet although simplistic, the combination of spicy mustard, minerally meaty fish and salty cornies are delicious and satisfying and a great way to get your omegas. The sustainable canned Portuguese Sardines weren't at all fishy and packed protein, calcium, iron, B12, vitamin D, phosphorous and of course omega-3. Omega-3 is a type of polyunsaturated fat and is essential to the diet because it cannot be made in the body. Omega-3 fat protects against multiple forms of cancer, is anti-inflammatory, assists in increasing good cholesterol and lowers bad, decreases the risk of blood clots and heart attacks and because of the incredibly high calcium content in sardines, helps prevent bone loss and improves bone strength.
If simply taking the sardines out of the tin and smothering them with mustard isn’t your forte, consider adding them to a salad, stuffing them in your sandwich, smashing them on your crostini, mixing them with your pasta or chopping them up in your sauce or marinade, the options are endless and to your benefit!
Beet It
Kale, Kefir and ...... Couscous
This tabouli was inspired by a dish that I had out last week with a dear friend. Whether it was the great company, the candlelight or the Cote de Rhone, the delicate balance of smooth butternut squash, slightly crunchy kale and bulgur wheat was lovely and I knew I had to emulate it at home. In my version I did a blend of whole wheat couscous and bulgur wheat cooked in low sodium vegetable broth, added chickpeas and finished it with with grated parmesan.
Kale is one of my all time favorite greens. It holds up incredibly well, is hearty, filling and can be prepared in a diverse amount of ways. Kale is also incredibly nutritious and is a wonderful source of vitamins K, A and C, dietary fiber and calcium. Kale is also anti-inflammatory and an an antioxidant, which means it helps fight off chronic disease and cancer. So get your Kale on!
To accompany my tabouli I made roasted beets with arugula, toasted sunflower seeds and finished it with some horseradish "cream". To make a creamy dressing, I used kefir, a fermented yogurt that is full of probiotics. Fat free kefir is a nice substitution for full or partial fat dairy products, since it has a creamy consistency, but the tartness of yogurt. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that improve gastrointestinal health and may aid in calcium absorption. Kefir is also a good source of protein, vitamins D and K and calcium.