Tag Archives: #food

Garlic Scapes: A powerful little veggie

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The garlic scape is a vegetable that not a lot of people seem to know about…but those of us who do, we buy them up as soon as we see them, and gobble them up just as fast! They are very unique little veggies, not only because of their shape and flavor, but because of the amazing nutritional value and their versatility too!

Garlic ScapesWhat are Garlic Scapes?

Garlic scapes are the curly, green, and quite odd-shaped stems that grow out of garlic bulbs to start flowering. Most farmers tend to cut them off to allow the bulbs to grow larger, and those stems are quite tasty! What do they taste like? Think a milder garlic flavor mixed with the consistency (not flavor) of asparagus. You can eat them raw (add a chopped scape to a salad for a different flavor), sautéed, grilled, or make them into a pesto. (We made a pesto the other night that really knocked the families socks off…so you can always blanch the scapes before making into a pesto to make it a little less intense!)

Garlic Scape Pesto:
1/2c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2lb garlic scapes (chopped to break them up)
drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Combine all in a food processor, drizzle in EVOO to get the perfect consistency (like a regular pesto). And you’re done!  Enjoy what you want, and freeze the rest for up to a month.

Garlic Pesto

Garlic Pesto

Why are they so great?

Garlic scapes have many of the same benefits of regular garlic, and are full of antioxidants that help to decrease inflammation, which can help to prevent high blood pressure (which leads to heart disease), and high cholesterol.  Antioxidants are also claimed to help prevent cancer cells from forming, so they have that going for them too. They also have pretty high levels of vitamin C, calcium, fiber, and at only 30 calories per serving, that’s one powerful punch of nutrition!

Where can I find them?

if you belong to a CSA (Community Sustained Agriculture) and get boxes of local veggies, you might see these guys pop up every now and again for about a month (right now is high season, or you can find them at farmer’s markets, and basically anywhere that sells local farm fresh foods. On occasion, a larger store, like Whole Foods will have them, but not likely for long because they are bought up quickly.  They can stay in your fridge for about a few weeks and still stay fresh, but if you love them, and just want a break for a bit during the one month they are usually available, you can freeze them and thaw them out when you are ready to get your scape on!

Go find some, give them a try, and let me know what you think!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Is Quorn Really Healthy?

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Many people ask me about Quorn™ and whether I think it’s healthy or not. The first time I heard about it, I had no idea what the person was talking about and had to do some research. Once I looked into it, and started asking around, I realized it is much more popular than I had imagined, and it kind of made me feel like I was living under a rock. I was a little shocked at all the controversy here in the US over this mycoprotein meat substitute though.

from www.quorn.com

from www.quorn.com

What is Quorn™?

Quorn™ is a meat substitute that is a mycoprotein (which merely means it’s a protein from a fungus: think mushrooms). These mycoproteins were first cultivated in the 1950’s-60’s for animal and human feeding, in case there was a shortage of protein availability (I have no idea why this was a huge concern, but apparently it was in some circles.) Thus, the process was created, and proteins were derived from fungus, but it is a created biomass, so it isn’t actually grown in nature, it is created in a lab. The fungus that Quorn™ is made form is not actually a mushroom per say, but it is of the same genus, and it is fermented through a patented technique, and Quorn™ is made. Quorn™ is a high protein, low-fat, low-calorie, and high fiber alternative to meat, that supposedly has the same texture, and similar taste to meat (I haven’t eaten it, but all meats taste differently, so I’m not too sure about that claim.) The Quorn™ product was first sold in the UK in the early 1990’s, the rest of the EU in the late 1990’s, and came to the US in the early 2000’s. Currently you can buy Quorn™ in specialty made food items, or just frozen as itself in which you can add it to your own meals in place of meat.

What is the controversy?

There were three main issues that came to pass when Quorn™ hit the market: it was claiming to be “a mushroom based product”, it was also claiming to be vegetarian but used non-free range eggs (AKA battery eggs) in processing, and there were fears it would cause allergic reactions. The mushroom base allegations, were legitimate in that the proteins are created from a fungus that is not a mushroom, technically, but who wants to read “this is a fungus based product” on their food? I wouldn’t reach for that first, I will be honest with you. But, Quorn™ changed it’s labeling to remove that statement altogether, and it is not described anywhere on the Quorn™ website what it is actually created from (which is in no way a negative, just an interesting side note.) The Quorn™ company worked with the Vegetarian Society to start using free-range eggs, and obtain their seal of vegetarian approval, so while it is not vegan (some products also contain milk), it is considered a vegetarian product. The final claim about allergies, was truly unfounded; there was one asthma attack related to the product, but there are many other products on the market with a much higher allergic reaction rate, such as soy, wheat, etc. Besides the Vegetarian Society, the other claims were made by a competitor in the market, so while they may have had some merit, it was more to give negative press to the product.

Final Verdict?

I have never eaten Quorn™, but I do know many people who do, as an alternative to meat and to decrease their fat and calories in meals. Personally, I stick to lean meats and vegetarian meals, I don’t usually even add tofu to meals because I get protein in other ways, but I think that it is a viable alternative for vegetarians looking to add more protein and for those looking to cut calories. I try to eat a clean diet that is minimally processed, and Quorn™ is clearly a lab created processed food, however, this is something that can be very effective to help with calorie reduction in dieting or for adding lean proteins on the go (if you don’t have time to prepare meals, the high protein pre-packaged ones seem pretty easy.) While I don’t consider it an option or me, I think it is a “healthier” alternative for  those who eat a high fat, high cholesterol diet and are looking to decrease fat and calorie intake. If you eat Quorn™ as a staple, give some  feedback for the rest of the readers!

Yours in Good Health

B

Go Nuts Today…and Every Other Day Too!

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For ages the adage has always been “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” but a couple of recent studies from Harvard may make us all rethink that saying! Of course, if you have a nut allergy, you can disregard all of this information…because eats nuts will certainly send you right TO the doctor and ostensibly shorten your life span altogether!

How can Nuts Improve your Overall Health?

The studies showed that nut eaters (and for these studies peanuts were considered nuts, even though they are actually legumes, and part of the bean family) who had at least a serving of nuts every day, were much less likely to die of cancer (in general), respiratory disease, and cardiac (heart) disease. And they found that over the 30+ years that the studies were being done, daily nut eaters had a 20% reduced risk of dying than those who did not eat nuts every day. This data came from, as stated earlier, an over 30 year research study assessing the nutritional and health status of over 120,000 Nurses and Physicians starting in 1980. A different study found that eating nuts actually helps to decrease the amount of Low Density Lipoproteins (LDLs) which are also known as the “bad” cholesterol, along with lowering your blood pressure and your blood pressure in response to stressful situations. Eating nuts actually helps to protect your heart by decreasing the circulating bad cholesterol, and decreasing your inflammatory response, which can cause plaques to build up and lead to heart attacks or long-term cardiac disease.

NutsNuts are High in Fat and Fat is Bad?

The studies actually found that people who tend to eat more nuts, had lower incidences of gaining weight during the study periods, because nuts are a perfect blend of protein and fiber which helps to delay absorption and makes you feel full longer. So, as long as you stick to a serving of nuts a day, and try to stick to the unsalted version, you shouldn’t see any weight gain, and the health benefits are astounding! The studies found that all nuts are beneficial, so no nut is considered better than another. So feel good about adding nuts to salads, eating them plain as a snack, putting nut butter on an English muffin/bagel for breakfast (ditch the cream cheese or butter), and try making nut crusted proteins (i.e. chicken or fish) as your main dish for dinner to super protein boost your meals!

Yours in Good Health

B

Quinoa…an amazing gluten-free alternative to rice!

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I have a ton of friends who are allergic to gluten, and had heard from one of them about Quinoa a couple of years ago, but it was super hard to find where I lived in Boston…now I can find it in every supermarket I go to, and it is a staple of my diet.  I must say, I make amazing black bean and rice, which I always made with brown rice, but now I always put atop a bed of quinoa.  I was under the impression that everyone knew about this amazing south american treat, but out to dinner with friends the other night, I asked them about it and they had never heard of it, so I wanted to give so nutritional facts about this gluten-free alternative to rice (which also happens to be in the spinach family, randomly enough).

Its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians, vegans and athletes (actually, probably everyone due to the other contents listed below!!). Unlike wheat or rice, which are low in lysine, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source, and super good for you!  It also is a great source of dietary fiber and phosphorous, and is high in magnesium and iron.  And, as I said before, it is gluten-free and considered very easily digested by the human body.

(cooked red quinoa…see the little curly tails?  That means it’s cooked!!)

Quinoa is light and fluffy after being cooked, and has a mild nutty flavor (don’t worry those of you who are allergic to nuts as I am, it is not even closely related to the nut family) and can be used as an alternative for rice or couscous, and also can be made into a flour to be used for gluten-free baking.  A suggested mix is three parts quinoa flour, three parts sorghum flour, two parts potato starch, and one part tapioca starch, for  gluten-free baking mix!!


I really urge you guys to try it, it is a great alternative to other carbs for dinner (i.e. rice, potatoes, couscous) because it also has a great mix of protein and vitamins/minerals, and you can always spruce it up with some spices and steamed veggies (one of my favorite side dishes), and it is so yummy on its own, you don’t need to laden it with butter to taste good.  One more quick step to a healthier meal!!  So, give it a try, and tell me what you think!


Yours in Good Health

 B