Healthy May drink - fight the heat

Dear readers,

last week I spent in Germany and it did not feel like summer might be coming up at all...Hamburg, 11C, hail...but I can tell you, summer IS approaching and especially in the Southern hemisphere we are already facing temperatures over 40C combined with humidity. Which makes you want to drink all day long. Which also is a necessity as we are starting to sweat much more and our bodies off and on just need to be cooled down a bit, especially if we are outside a lot!

And then the complaints are starting..."Water is boring, I don't want to drink water all day, I need something tasty.." and so on. The last thing you want to do though is chug down some sugary drink, which in the end will make you feel even thirstier and add some nasty calories onto your daily food regime.

Following a few refreshing drinks in order to make your liquid intake less boring:

A very easy and very effective option is freshly squeezed watermelon juice! Extremely thirst quenching, add some lemon and some fresh mint leaves and have a jar ready in your fridge.

Further we have:


Green Tea! Prepare a strong brew and add for example just lemon juice, put the jar in the fridge and enjoy the cool refreshment. Another option is adding some Mango Nectar (sugar free) and some sprigs of fresh mint, leave it to cool and refresh! 

Easier than all of that: pour a big bottle of sparkling water into a jar over a lot of fresh mint or a freshly squeezed lemon. Delicious!  


Maybe it would not cross your mind thinking of summer drinks, but there is always cucumber (not an option for Germany at the moment! Sad, but true!). Cucumbers contain Vitamin C (surprise!) and important antioxidants. You can mix some chunks into your fresh watermelon juice or prepare as follows:

Cut up a cucumber into small chunks, cover in the amount of water you want to drink and let it soak in the fridge overnight. In the morning, strain the mixture and discard the chunks. 
Adding mint makes the drink even more cooling and refreshing, just let it soak with the cucumber chunks in the water overnight. I also like to add a squeeze of lime before serving.



I find these drinks not only very healthy, but also very addictive and like to keep big jars or bottles of them in my fridge! 

 






 

Health food - Asparagus

Dear readers,

in my native country, Germany, with May always comes the culinary excitement of asparagus and strawberries. I am talking white, thick asparagus and red, tasty strawberries fresh from the field!

In every other part of the world we mostly find the green asparagus, which has a completely different, more nutty and bitter taste and can be prepared in endless variations. Be it in a light Chinese garlic sauce, in an oven-bake with grated cheese and yogurt, in a salad with fresh greens and cherry tomatoes...no end to asparagus fantasies.

Let us have a quick look at what exactly this green vegetable brings you in terms of nutrients, which this overview found on www.harvestofthemonth.com shows very nicely:

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: ½ cup asparagus, cooked (90g)

Calories 20
Fat & Cholesterol free obviously!
Sodium 13mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Vitamin A 18% 

Vitamin C 12% 

Calcium 2%

Iron 5%

So, this tells us that we are dealing with a good source of Vitamin C, further we find Vitamin K and folate and it is a very important supplier of anticancerous antioxidants. 

One beautiful recipe, which I love to prepare and to enjoy as it is so healthy, nutritious and delicious, makes you feel just like springtime:

Green Asparagus with Poached Egg with Polenta and Spring Onions 

(Serves 2)

1 pack green asparagus spears
4 spring onions
2 tbsp polenta, quick-cooking
1/2 cup veggie stock
2 eggs
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp organic olive oil
2 tsp organic truffle oil if you have (adds that extra twist)
Freshly ground black pepper, some coarse sea salt 

Prepare the Polenta according to the cooking instructions.

 Vegetables: Slice spring onions, using as much of the green tops as reasonable. Trim and roll-cut the asparagus into 2,5cm lengths. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the spring onions and asparagus and stir-fry until crisp-tender.
Eggs: Prepare the poached eggs with the vinegar.
To serve: Spoon polenta on to 2 plates, spreading it out into a circle.  Top with a poached egg.  Spoon asparagus and spring onions around the egg, grind black pepper and some coarse sea salt over the egg, drizzle with truffle oil and serve.

 

Nutty recipes

Dear readers,

following my recent post, today I will entertain you with some nutty recipes:

First of all a very simple bread spread....

Green Olive & Almond Spread (serves 6 as an appetizer)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pitted briny green olives
• 1/4 cup unsalted (organic) almonds
• 1 teaspoon fresh herbs to your likings
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

And for all pasta lovers amongst you.....

Wholegrain pasta with walnut-tomato-pesto
(4 servings)

1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup slightly crushed walnuts
2 cloves garlic
6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes or some red pepper pieces 
6 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz wholegrain pasta (you know that it's good for you...)

Chop basil, walnuts, and garlic in food processor. Add tomatoes, cheese, salt, and red pepper. Pulse to combine, scraping down sides. Drizzle in oil with machine running. Process to a coarse paste. Cook pasta per package directions. Add 1 cup of cooking water to processor and pulse until smooth. Toss pesto with drained pasta in warm pot. If you do not have a food processor, use a knife and a fork as I do :)


Enjoy your health food!!!

Health food - Going nuts

Dear readers,

Happy Mother's day to all of you dedicated mums, who celebrate it today!!!

Today...let's go NUTS! There's often a bit of confusion regarding nuts as people tend to consider them too fat to include them into their daily diet. Yes, nuts ARE fat and your daily amount should not exceed a small handful of mixed nuts and seeds per day, but they provide us with extremely valuable calcium, phytoestrogens and omega-3 fatty acids. So, think bone food, hormonal balance, healthy brain cells and cancer prevention!!

Obviously I am talking about unsalted, unroasted natural, if not organic, nuts and seeds! 


Know your nuts as each of them provides you a different package of goodness:


-ALMONDS are cholesterol lowering
-BRAZIL NUTS are full of anti-cancerous selenium
-WALNUTS are a fantastic vegetarian source of Omega 3
-PEANUTS (they are not a member of the nut family, but are legumes!) are full of manganese
-SEEDS are full of vitamin E and a lot more (think linseeds/sesame seeds/pumpkin seeds/sunflower seeds)
-PUMPKIN and SESAME SEEDS contain phytoestrogens, which may be able to ease menopausal symptoms and can help to increase male fertility.
-LINSEEDS also contain phytoestrogens, which can help reduce menopausal problems and correct your hormonal balance.

All nuts are packed with the above mentioned plus vitamin E and contain iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and copper. 

What do I do with nuts?

Nuts can be added to your salads and sauces, to your morning porridge or put ground nuts and seeds through your fruit smoothie. Nut pastes spread on wholemeal bread or oatcakes are delicious and filling. Tahini paste made with ground sesame seeds is a useful cooking ingredient found in houmous and other Mediterranean dishes. 

And if you forgot to add them to any of your meals, just have a mixed handful of goodness in the evening, chew it thoroughly and enjoy the benefits!

 

No wonder squirrels are such healthy active little chaps...... 

If you are a calorie-counter check out this helpful page:

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/calories/calorie_counter/nuts_seeds.htm

Healthfood - The importance of eating grains

Dear readers,

first of all to those of you to whom it applies: HAPPY EASTER!!! 
In our part of the world Easter Sunday and Monday are just like any other working day, but of course we don't expect anything else. Had some Gold Bunnies though... 

Grains! Yes! Over and over I hear people say that they totally avoid carbohydrates in order to loose weight and it always gets me going. Yes, you might loose weight easier and quicker as you obviously burn your salad faster than your wholegrain bun, but that is the point: carbohydrates are the ones that keep you full by balancing your blood sugar level and they do NOT make you fat; it is what you eat with them and your portion size that makes you gain weight. Obviously, please note that our bodies are not made to gorge down the amounts of rice that Asian people consume. Always remember that different ethnic groups have very different metabolisms and thus need very different diets!

If you stop eating grain (I always refer to wholegrain! The essence of the grain is in the husk!) you deprive your body of essential nutrients and fiber. Many fibers even contain loads of good protein, which is especially important in a vegetarian diet. A healthy intake of fiber is vital for a healthy intestine and reduces the risk of bowel cancer. It is the amount and the quality of the cereals, which count!

Try to avoid wheat, many people cannot digest it very well. Pure rye is easy to digest, then there is spelt bread, which tastes fantastic and is easy to digest. 

Apart from these grains nowadays we have the whole lot of variety at your disposal, for example:

-Quinoa (which is a pseudocereal, but still. Rich in protein, magnesium and iron)
-Barley (low in gluten and high in phosphorus, which is important for bones and teeth)
-Millet (gluten-free with similar nutrients as wheat)
There is more out there! 


Use brown rice instead of white one, wholegrain pasta (I know, I know, but with a juicy, low-fat sauce it is delicious) and then there is buckwheat (see my resp. post on this healthy cerial).

You can use all these grains just as you use rice or pasta. Add grains to your salad and use them for your breakfast (e.g. Quinoa porridge).

Following a very easy Quinoa recipe as an example, to which you can add any vegetables you would like:

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 cup quinoa
• 3 cups water
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped and other veggies as you like
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 red onions, chopped

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa, water, and 1 pinch of salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes (it is ready when you can clearly see the white kernel). Once done, drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until the garlic softens and the aroma mellows, about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper, and corn; continue cooking until the pepper softens, about 5 minutes. Season with cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 minute more, then stir in the cooked quinoa and green onions. Serve hot or cold.

Broccoli recipes

Roasted Shrimp & Broccoli

(Serves 4)

1. Preheat the oven.

2. On a large cookie sheet, toss together 2 pounds of broccoli cut up into florets with a bit of stem

-2 Tbs olive oil

-1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/2 tsp. ground)

-1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (or 1/2 tsp. ground)

-1 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper and 

-1/8th tsp hot chili powder. 

Spread into a single layer and pop into the oven for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, toss together one pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined, with 

-2 Tbs olive oil

-lemon zest from one lemon

-1/2 tsp salt and 

-1/2 tsp pepper in a bowl. 

When the broccoli's been in the oven 10 minutes, add the shrimp to the broccoli and toss carefully.

4. Roast another 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the broccoli is tender and golden around the edges.

I served it in a big bowl of rice and squeezed some lemon on top. It was a big hit.

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

• 1 large bunch broccoli
• 1 small red onion
• 4 strips low-fat bacon
• cup raisins
• cup chopped walnuts

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 cup sugar or 1/2 cup sugar substitute
• cup plain non-fat yogurt

Directions

Chop broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Slice onion thinly. Broil bacon crisply and crumble onto paper towel; let sit 15 minutes. Mix broccoli, onion, bacon, raisins and walnuts in a salad bowl. Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, sugar and vinegar in a shaker container. Pour over broccoli just before serving. Toss and serve.

Enjoy your food!

Health food - Broccoli

Dear readers,
first of all I have to apologize for my long absence. The last two weeks have been incredibly busy with a lot of unpredictable appointments, which left me with no time to sit down in front of the computer and come up with valuable information and recipes as to not bore you with what you already knew. So, here I am and as it frequently happens, my dear husband comes up with the topic and I develop it. What a team-work! 

Yesterday when we were having dinner, he inquired about the benefits of Broccoli. He loves Broccoli (which is a good thing) and I had some answers for him right away. 
My father on the other hand hates Broccoli. He insists it is "an American vegetable". I consider myself mature enough in the meantime to have the right to contradict him. :) As he is on my mailing list, I suppose as soon as he reads where Broccoli originally came from, he will change his mind....


Here we go:

BROCCOLI IS NATIVE TO THE MEDITERRANEAN!!! (Dad? Listening?) 
It was engineered from a cabbage relative by the ancient Etruscans, who were considered to be horticultural geniuses. Can hardly get more historical... The ancient Romans considered Broccoli a uniquely valuable food (that was like 2000 years ago just for the records) and it only became known in the States as of the 1920's (Dad? Still listening?)

Enough with the historical excursion, let me talk about the benefits of this delicious vegetable, which you should consume if possible more than once a week:

Believe it or not, 100g Broccoli contain twice as much Vitamin C as 100g Orange!!! 

It is high in dietary fiber, comes with a rich supply of vitamins and minerals,  folate (folic acid), and potassium, it contains the phytochemical sulforaphane, which helps reduce the risk of cancer. In addition, broccoli contains a good amount of beta-carotene. And, unless you drown it in cheese sauce, broccoli is (like all green vegetables) low in calories and virtually fat free :).

In a separate post I will give some delicious recipes. Meanwhile...enjoy your Broccoli!!!