Friday, November 19, 2010

My new favorite food is..

Parsley!!
WHA??? you say. I know- wierd. I did not like parsley too much until about 3 months ago. My new favorite thing is to buy a bunch and make different salads with it for lunch. I've always liked tabboule, as long as there was hummus, but nothing more. Now, there is something about that makes my tummy really happy. Those of you who know me, know that my stomach is rarely very happy. But, parsley! Parsley makes her feel nice and healthy.

Just in case you want to know..

Promote Optimal Health


Parsley's volatile oils-particularly myristicin-have been shown to inhibit tumor formation in animal studies, and particularly, tumor formation in the lungs. Myristicin has also been shown to activate the enzyme glutathione-S-transferase, which helps attach the molecule glutathione to oxidized molecules that would otherwise do damage in the body. The activity of parsley's volatile oils qualifies it as a "chemoprotective" food, and in particular, a food that can help neutralize particular types of carcinogens (like the benzopyrenes that are part of cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke).

A Rich Source of Anti-Oxidant Nutrients

The flavonoids in parsley-especially luteolin-have been shown to function as antioxidants that combine with highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules (called oxygen radicals) and help prevent oxygen-based damage to cells. In addition, extracts from parsley have been used in animal studies to help increase the antioxidant capacity of the blood.

In addition to its volatile oils and flavonoids, parsley is an excellent source of two vital nutrients that are also important for the prevention of many diseases: vitamin C and vitamin A (notably through its concentration of the pro-vitamin A carotenoid, beta-carotene).

Vitamin C has many different functions. It is the body's primary water-soluble antioxidant, rendering harmless otherwise dangerous free radicals in all water-soluble areas of the body. High levels of free radicals contribute to the development and progression of a wide variety of diseases, including atherosclerosis, colon cancer, diabetes, and asthma. This may explain why people who consume healthy amounts of vitamin C-containing foods have reduced risks for all these conditions. Vitamin C is also a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, which explains its usefulness in conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. And since vitamin C is needed for the healthy function of the immune system, it can also be helpful for preventing recurrent ear infections or colds.

Beta-carotene, another important antioxidant, works in the fat-soluble areas of the body. Diets with beta-carotene-rich foods are also associated with a reduced risk for the development and progression of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetes, and colon cancer. Like vitamin C, beta-carotene may also be helpful in reducing the severity of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. And beta-carotene is converted by the body to vitamin A, a nutrient so important to a strong immune system that its nickname is the "anti-infective vitamin."

Parsley for a Healthy Heart

Parsley is a good source of folic acid, one of the most important B vitamins. While it plays numerous roles in the body, one of its most critical roles in relation to cardiovascular health is its necessary participation in the process through which the body converts homocysteine into benign molecules. Homocysteine is a potentially dangerous molecule that, at high levels, can directly damage blood vessels, and high levels of homocysteine are associated with a significantly increased risk of heart attack and stroke in people with atherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease. Enjoying foods rich in folic acid, like parsley, is an especially good idea for individuals who either have, or wish to prevent, these diseases. Folic acid is also a critical nutrient for proper cell division and is therefore vitally important for cancer-prevention in two areas of the body that contain rapidly dividing cells-the colon, and in women, the cervix.

Protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis

While one study suggests that high doses of supplemental vitamin C makes osteoarthritis, a type of degenerative arthritis that occurs with aging, worse in laboratory animals, another indicates that vitamin C-rich foods, such as parsley, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints.

The findings, presented in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases were drawn from a study of more than 20,000 subjects who kept diet diaries and were arthritis-free when the study began, and focused on subjects who developed inflammatory polyarthritis and similar subjects who remained arthritis-free during the follow-up period. Subjects who consumed the lowest amounts of vitamin C-rich foods were more than three times more likely to develop arthritis than those who consumed the highest amounts.

So, next time parsley appears on your plate as a garnish, recognize its true worth and partake of its abilities to improve your health. As an added bonus, you'll also enjoy parsley's legendary ability to cleanse your palate and your breath at the end of your meal.

Retrieved from:  http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=100#nutritionalprofile

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Cooking Club

Making Wild Rice Stuffing for Cooking Club this evening. Will post recipe if it turns out!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Success!!!!!


Soul Food Veggie Pot-Luck

Menu
  • Chicken Fried Tofu
  • Black Eyed Peas-Hoppin' John
  • Hush Puppies
  • Mac n' Cheese
  • Kale Salad
  • Greens, Greens and More Greens (3 different ways)
  • Brussell Sprout Cole Slaw
  • Corn Bread
  • Gravy
  • Okra Gumbo served on Rice





**Photos by Jacob Yeung

I will post recipes as soon as I get them!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Quick, Simple, Delicious Brownie Crumbly Mess.

(YES- I do keep the knife in the pan and just eat them out of it.. )

The title says it. I can't decide how I feel about this recipe. It is vegan, therefore there are no eggs involved. BUT- there is also nothing added as a binder..

I did make this at 12:30 a.m when my sweet tooth was overwhelming and it definitely satisfied the taste buds. They really are delicious-just a bit crumbly. REALLY good in a bowl with rice milk poured over top or even ice cream!

The weren't dry either. Like a lot of vegan desserts. They were very most and would be even better with a bag of chocolate chips thrown in! MM MMmm Mmmmm.

Ingredients


2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

** THEN add.-1 cup of walnuts and 1 bag of chocolate chips.**

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Pour in water, vegetable oil and vanilla; mix until well blended. Spread evenly in a 9x13 inch baking pan.

3.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top is no longer shiny. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Adapted from: http://www.allrecipes.com/


SO easy!

Because this is a basic brownie recipe, one would easily add egg replacer. I usually use Ener-G Egg Replacer, which I believe is made with potato starch. I have never tried flax, but I hear it works well.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Vegetarian Okra Gumbo Recipe with Kidney Beans

Vegetarian Okra Gumbo Recipe with Kidney Beans

Making this on Sunday for the pot-luck. Without the liquid smoke 'cuz that stuff freaks me out!

I will let you know how it is!

=)