Robin Asbell's Real Food Digest

Beans, Full of Healthy Fiber or FODMAPS?

Right off the bat, let’s get one thing straight between us. Digestion is very important. Everybody eats, and digests food, and it’s nothing to be skittish about. Digestion is so central to your health and well-being that we can’t really afford to ignore it.

Especially when it’s not going well. For millions of people, it’s not going well.

For people with digestive issues, daily discomfort and symptoms can be crippling. For years, a visit to a doctor to seek help for things like chronic gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and the like has been a frustrating experience. Most doctors will tell patients that they have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and offer very little help. The typical advice is to avoid alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, and stress. Maybe it’s dairy products, they say, and of course it may be hormonal. Each patient is left to try to figure out which foods make her symptoms worse, by experimentation.

But there is another way. At the 2013 IACP conference, I attended a seminar by Patsy Catsos on food issues, and I learned about a component in foods that just might be the source of much of this trouble.

According to Catsos, there is a whole other way of eating for IBS. The culprit, it seems is a component in foods that is called FODMAPS. This stands for Fermentable Oligo-Mono and Disaccharides and Polyols.

What the heck are those?

The key thing to understand is the fermentable part. For people with “normal” guts, eating foods that ferment in the digestive process is seen as good. Grains, beans, and lots of vegetables and fruits contain fermentable bits, and the good bacteria in the digestive tract flourish while breaking them down. But for the IBS sufferer, this process causes problems. I asked Catsos if we know why this happens to some people.

“We don’t fully understand why fermentable carbohydrates cause more trouble for some people than for others. It is beginning to look like the gut microbiome of people with IBS is different; their resident microbes might produce more or different types of gas.” said Catsos.

It seems that consuming FODMAPS has an “osmotic effect,” which means that as they are digested, the gut pulls in water from the body, with disastrous results. for IBS sufferers, this causes pain, bloating and diarrhea, or constipation. As gut bacteria consume the FODMAP sugars, they give off gases, also causing problems.

So, if you are one of the 20% of Americans with IBS, it might pay to find out more about FODMAPS. It’s also good to know that their effects are cumulative. Eating a little bit of one one day might be fine, but as they add up over the day, their effects become pronounced.

There are groups of foods that contain certain FODMAPS, and these are the main categories.

LACTOSE

Dairy products contain lactose, a common FODMAP.

FRUCTOSE

All fruits and vegetables and many natural sweeteners contain some fructose. But, IBS sufferers can usually do well with fruits that have a balance of fructose and glucose, and by keeping that cumulative effect in mind. High fructose to glucose fruits include apples, pears, stone fruits, watermelon and blackberries. Better choices are Strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, kiwi, ripe bananas, and citrus. Honey and agave are high in fructose.

FRUCTANS

These are fermentable fibers found in wheat, whole grains, and in some fiber supplements. They are also in onions and garlic. For non-IBS people, they are great. For the IBS patient, they are not.

GALACTANS

Like fructans, these indigestible starches are a favorite of bacteria in the gut. They are in beans, pistachios and cashews.

POLYOLS

A naturally occurring  sugar alcohol that is also used like an artificial sweetener in sugar-free foods. They are present in mushrooms, sweet corn, and stone fruits. Mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, and other -ols are to be avoided, as they cause the “osmotic effect.”

In light of all the problems people are having these days figuring out their food allergies and intolerances, the FODMAP concept is worth learning about. I often meet people who are convinced that they are allergic to gluten or some other food, when they may be FODMAP sensitive. I asked Catsos if she saw this too.

“Yes. I try to get the word out on that as often as I can. I believe that many people who feel better on a “gluten-free” or a “dairy-free” diet are really feeling better because they are eating less FODMAPs. Avoiding all gluten and dairy is probably overkill for many of these folks. Extra dietary restriction make life more difficult and expensive, and make it more difficult to get the nutritional benefits of a varied diet. I work with people every week who are very excited to find out they can enjoy yogurt or bread again without pain.”

If giving up wheat gives you relief from digestive symptoms, it may well be the fructans, not the gluten. As much as I love to sing the praises of healthy foods like whole grains, beans, and onions, there are people out there who just can’t tolerate all that fermentation going on inside them.

In the end, most people with digestive sensitivites become their own food detectives. If you have these issues, keep a food journal, and see if you can find a pattern. A FODMAP elimination diet, in which you cut put all the food groups with the offending sugars for 2-3 weeks, may make you feel better. Then, Catsos says there is good reason to be hopeful.

And if you have been frustrated by your doctor’s lack of info on this issue, that is changing, too, according to Catsos.

“Drs. Peter Gibson and Susan Shepherd (from Australia) spoke at the 2011 American College of Gastroenterology Annual meeting. Since then, awareness of the diet has grown by leaps and bounds. It’s true, in the past doctors had very few effective treatment options to offer people with IBS, a situation I can assure you was very frustrating for everyone involved. Of course, doctors aren’t trained to guide patients through an elimination diet. They don’t have the time or inclination to talk about label reading, recipe modification and menu planning with their clients. Doctors are learning how to recognize good candidates for the diet, though, and hopefully will refer them directly to a registered dietitian.”

For more on Patsy Catsos MS, RD, LD, and info on her books, check out www.ibsfree.net

Diet Food?

Are you still worried about the fat in nuts, avoiding them because you heard that they are too high fat? Well, banish those thoughts. Researchers have been looking at the benefits of nuts, and it turns out that eating nuts is associated with lower body weight, as well as many incredible health benefits.

Dr Robert Mattes, a prof of Foods and Nutrition at Purdue, gave a presentation at the 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition in March. He concludes that nuts are so satisfying that you can eat them in the morning, and you will compensate by eating fewer calories later, automatically. Eating nuts for breakfast has also been shown to prevent blood sugar spikes throughout the morning, and they are low on the glycemic index. Also, the fact that we don’t really pulverize them completely when we chew means that some of the nut calories are not absorbed.

Other studies have linked eating nuts to brain health, cardiovascular health, and more. Vegetarians and vegans can look to walnuts for valuable EFA’s, in a really tasty package. Raw nuts are slightly more beneficial, since some nutrients are damaged by heat, but if you like toasted nuts, keep on eating them.

All nuts contain lots of fiber, some protein, and each one has unique qualities.

If you have a taste for almonds, you are indulging in one of the healthiest nuts, with a big dose of vitamin E, calcium, and almost all healthy monounsaturated fat.

Walnuts? Famed for those Essential Fatty Acids that everyone takes fish oil to get, but much tastier.

Pistachios have been found to have the highest levels of LDL cholesterol lowering plant sterols of all the nuts, and they have bonus high levels of potassium. Hazelnuts have extra folate, the B-vitamin that protects against birth defects, and possibly cancer and heart disease.

If you love your Pecans, they are cholesterol-fighters, and they are loaded with beta-sitasterol, the latest natural cure for prostate issues.

So, do you ever eat nuts for breakfast? One easy way is just to sprinkle them into your granola, muesli, or hot cereal. Sprinkle them over pancakes and french toast, or scatter them on your morning fruit. The nuts will slow down your absorption and digestion of those healthy, complex carbs, keeping you full all morning.

For a simple muesli, just mix a cup of rolled oats with 3 cups of your preferred non-dairy milk and a handful of dried fruit and put it in the fridge overnight, tightly covered. The next morning, just serve it with a handful of chopped whole almonds, walnuts, pistachios, or your fave nut.

Nutty Muesli

You’ll feel fuller, nourish your brain, and above all, enjoy that delicious breakfast.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Chips and Guac

Maybe it’s because I am a middle child. These days, I’m trying to find a little common ground. I travel in the foodie world, where the next person I see might be on a gluten free diet, the next vegan, and the next is eschewing carbohydrates via a paleo style regimen.

It’s interesting to me, that the place where all these eating styles intersect is in the healthy plant world. And for some reason, one of the few rooty, starchy vegetables that paleos can have is the sweet potato.

It could not have happened to a lovelier tuber. The sweet potato wins by having so much fiber, a cup of cubes has 3 g fiber, and 3 g protein. The lively orange tones of the sweet potato give it a leg up on the oft-rejected potato, since the pigments are a giveaway of the amazingly high level of antioxidants. The carotenoids in that same cup of cubes gives you 711% of the days Vitamin A, which will protect you from several kinds of cancer, from sun damage, and keep your eyes healthy.

It’s also got a respectable dose of vitamin C, 27% of your day’s needs. It’s got B6 and and  potassium, all good for your heart and manganese, which pairs up with the fiber to keep blood sugar stable.

Overall, a pretty great root veg. So, since I usually use lots of them in everything from muffins to curries, I thought I should try making them into a slightly decadent snack.

If you don’t have a mandoline slicer, you might enjoy this recipe post on Sweet Potato “Fries” with Peanut Sauce.

For health conscious people, potato chips are a long-lost treat, and so a sweet potato chip might really hit the spot.

Evyone will love a sweet potato chip. These are brushed with coconut oil, baked at high heat, and then sprinkled with smoky chipotle and coarse salt. For a perfect paleo vegan dip, I threw together a simple guacamole, also made with nutrition superstars. You do need a mandoline or chop top slicer box, to make nice thin slices.

Sliced 1/8th of an inch thick

Chipotle Sweet Potato Chips with Guacamole

Serves 2 hungry people

1 big sweet potato, I used a 15 ounce Garnet Yam

coconut oil

ground chipotle powder

coarse salt

1 ripe avocado

1 large garlic clove, crushed

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 pinch salt

8 large Santa Sweet pear shaped cherry tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 450. Set the mandoline to 1/8 inch and slice the sweet potato in rounds. Melt the coconut oil and brush two sheet pans lightly with the oil, then arrange the rounds on the oil, and brush  lightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking for doneness at 10. Rotate the pans halfway. When the edges are curled and some of them are deeply browned and look almost burnt, take them out and sprinkle with chipotle and salt. Cool on racks for five minutes before transferring the chips to a large bowl, then repeat to roast all the rest of the slices.

Eat them up, they soften after they sit for a few hours.

For the Guac, mash the avocado and then add the garlic, lime and salt. Mash and stir to a chunky paste. Stir in the tomatoes.

Serve chips with guac.

Exotic Citrus Fun

Greetings from Minnesota, where things are grey and cold. Nothing epic, but it’s definitely a time when folks feel a little low on energy. Add the recent outbreaks of flu and you have a real yearning for some healthy fruit that just might give you an edge in the war with germs.

Luckily, this time of year is citrus season, somewhere far far away. Places like Peru, Israel, South Africa, and Spain. As much as we love to eat local, these bright, tart fruits are exactly the antidote to the heavy food and weather we are slogging through right now.

So, when I visited my nearby Seward Community Coop to shop, I was delighted to see a display of some new, exotic citrus that is not usually available. In the front of the photo above, the tiny yellow fruits are Limequats, a cross between a kumquat and a lime. To the left are wrinkly green Kaffir or Makrut Limes. Behind them, yellow-greenish Meyer Lemons. The three deep orange, small fruits are Tangerinequats, and to their left, smaller Kumquats. The big ones in back, Cara Cara oranges, to their right, a group of Blood Oranges, and in the center, Satsuma Mandarins, with the stem and leaf attached.

I didn’t pick up the Buddha Hand, but bravo for having it.

You see, all that stuff they say about vitamin C and colds, well, there is something to it. Linus Pauling, the scientist and nobel laureate, studied and popularized C throughout the 1970′s and 80′s. Pauling recommended megadoses of C as the key to a long and healthy life, and he lived to be 93.

C has been shown repeatedly to shorten the length and severity of upper respiratory infections. It also boosts your phagocytes and T-cells, the immune system warriors that patrol your body. C is also a potent antioxidant, which boosts healing and prevents problems.

But don’t think that taking C pills is a better option that the fruit. Whole foods are always best. My basket full of citrus contains far more than just vitamin C. The blood oranges are red from anthocyanin, a potent antioxidant. The edible peels of the tangerinequat and kumquat are full of terpenes, valuable anti-cancer chemicals. All citrus has zeanthin and carotenoids that also protect.

But mostly, they are ourageously delicious, juicy and fun.

I immediately took my citrus home to give these newcomers a try. I’ve had kumquats, but the lime-and tangerinequats were new to me. All the ‘quats are edible peel and all, so I took a juicy bit of a tangerinequat first. Yow, it was tart, with a definite tangerine undertone. Then, a bracing chomp on the limequat. It was also intensely tart, but with a more mysterious perfumey quality. I sliced some of the fruits and took a look at their jewel-toned sections.

My Citrus Sampler

They were gorgeous, right? So, since I was going to a friend’s house for dinner that night, I decided to play with making this citrus haul into an interesting salad. I got out my sharp chef and supremed all the fruit- you know, slicing off all the peel and pith, then slicing out the sections, leaving behind the membranes and removing the seeds. I went with lots of blood oranges, since they were so beautiful, and a medley of everything but the kaffir limes, which are really all about peel, not the juice. I will use those to flavor a Thai curry or something. This is what I got:

My Supreme Citrus Medley

It was a little messy, the juice was definitely flying. So, then I took all those membranes that had been cut away and squeezed them into a strainer over a bowl, and extracted all that precious juice. I whisked in some agave, to balance the tart ‘quats, and salt, pepper and olive oil. I poured it over the fruit and let it soak on the way to the party, where I arranged some cress on a platter, mounded the fruit in the center, and drizzled the remaining dressing over it. I scattered some sugared pecans over it and we dined.

Sorry, didn’t get a picture of that.

It got eaten up pretty quickly, which is a good sign, right?

The other things I would love to do with these exotic ‘quats in the future include salting them like Moroccan preserved lemons, and candying them in an agave syrup. I did throw one into my juice mix today, and it added that bit of tartness I like with my greens and cukes.

So, if you see some exotic new citrus out there, pick some up. It’s great fun to play with!

Tasty Superfood!

This week, I have been doing my holiday baking, and the smell of warming spices fills the house. I love using lots of spice, especially because I know how incredibly good for you most spices are.

Cinnamon is one of the superstars, so I often just double the amount called for in a cookie or muffin. It’s usually an improvement!

Surprised? Yes, cinnamon, just about everyone’s fave single spice is a healing, medicinal herb. The same sprinkle of golden brown that we love on toast, in pie, in buns and bars and even curry, is sold in pill form so you can take it every day.

Have you ever been in an airport or bakery and gotten a whiff of cinnamon buns, and felt a sudden rush? Believe it or not, just smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function. Scientists at Wheeling Jesuit University found that cinnamon improved participants scores on tasks involving attention, memory, and visual-motor response speed.

More on Cinnamon and Alertness

Are you concerned with cholesterol and blood sugar? Well, in studies, cassia cinnamon lowers bad cholesterol.  And for all the pre-diabetic and diabetic folks, cinnamon also lowers blood sugar levels and facilitates insulin production. In one study, just one gram per day reduced blood sugar in Type 2 diabetics by 18-29%. (A tablespoon is 8 grams.)

More on Lowering Cholesterol

More on Cinnamon and Blood Sugar

Cinnamon can help with headaches, migraines, and arthritis pain. It contains the same salicylic acids that make aspirin so valuable. Like aspirin, it has been shown to prevent clotting, and to inhibit inflammation.

More on Salicylates in Cinnamon

It’s been studied and found to help with Alzheimer’s, possibly protecting the brain from forming the damaging plaque that causes so much trouble.

More on Cinnamon and Alzheimer’s Disease

Cinnamon has been used throughout history as a food preservative, since it inhibits the growth of bacteria. It’s also good at fighting off fungal infections and bad bacteria in your body, and creates an environment in which candida can’t over grow.

The great thing about cinnamon is that it’s so tasty that you will love every minute of eating healthy. It’s one of the many win-win foods, both delicious and good for you. Of course, don’t go overboard, a tablespoon a day is probably the max for a healthy person to add to her diet. If you are on blood thinners, or being treated for diabetes or any health conditions, ask your doctor. If your blood is already being thinned, adding cinnamon may cause problems.

Cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon can easily be brewed into your morning tea or coffee, or steeped in hot water with a slice of ginger and a spritz of lemon. Try stirring it into your hot cereal, or blending it into your smoothie. Bake up some of your favorite treats, like banana bread or oatmeal cookies, but add a couple of teaspoons of cinnamon. Anytime you eat apples, pears or other cinnamon -friendly fruit, make a cinnamon agave or sucanat dip for it and dip away. I mixed half sucanat and half cinnamon and ground it in the spice grinder.

Apples with Sucanat and Cinnamon, Yum!

Try my super- cinnamony apple-walnut granola, and you can reap the benefits of cinnamon, whole grains, and heart and brain boosting nuts. All delicious!

Cinnamony Apple Walnut Granola

 Cinnamony Apple Walnut Granola with Cranberries

Makes about 8 cups

6 cups thick rolled oats, reserve one

3 tablespoons cinnamon (yes, it’s alot!)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 can apple juice concentrate, thawed

1/2 cup brown sugar or sucanat

1/2 cup canola or coconut oil

2 cups coarsely broken walnuts

2 cups dried cranberries (with apple juice, preferably)

Preheat the oven to 300 F. Lightly oil two sheet pans with rims. In a large bowl, mix 5 cups of the oats, the cinnamon and salt. Grind one cup of oats to a fine powder in a food processor, blender, or spice grinder. Add that to the bowl.

In another bowl, stir the apple concentrate, sugar or sucanat, and oil. Stir until the sweetener is dissolved. Pour over the oats and mix well. Let stand for 10 minutes to soak in. Add the walnuts and toss, then spread on the two sheet pans.

Bake for 30 minutes, then use a spatula to turn the granola, then reverse the position of the pans and bake for 30 minutes more. Turn the granola again and bake for 15-20 minutes, just until browned. It may not seem crisp but it will firm up as it cools. Cool on racks.

Add the cranberries after it cools and store in an airtight container.

My Ripe Persimmons

Around the holidays we start seeing some traditional fruits, like cranberries and those little mandarin oranges that everyone likes. You may also come across a gorgeous orange fruit a little bigger than those mandarins, called a persimmon.Now, you may be an old pro with persimmons, or you may be one of the many who have never even tried one.

I hope you will try one.

There are two common varieties of persimmon, the squat Fuyu and the longer, pointed Hachiya. Their names are a dead giveaway for their origins, as the commonly eaten persimmons originated in China and spread to Japan, and didn’t make it to the US til the 1850′s. There is a variety of persimmon that is native to the US, it grows in the Eastern States and is traditionally eaten in a steamed pudding.

But, the ones that come to a store near you will probably be Fuyus and Hachiyas.

The persimmon is a unique fruit, often described as astringent or tannic, and it can be a pucker-inducing experience if you bite into one that has not fully ripened. Seriously, an unripe persimmon will make your mouth numb, it is so potently drying and bitter. But once it’s ripe, that same fruit is a sugar bomb, creamy and sweeter than many fruits.

I sometimes think that the ripening factor is why they have not caught on in all US households, but really, they are no more difficult than bananas.

Yes, like a banana, the persimmon should just be left to sit on the counter or windowsill until it is ready to eat. Unlike the banana, it can take a week or more, so don’t rush it. Wait until it is deep orange, soft and a little puckered, but don’t let it fully collapse. Buy a few and keep an eye on them. They will make a transformation from hard and astringent to butter soft and sweet. It’s really amazing.

And why, you may ask, should I learn to eat this odd, sunset colored little fruit? Well, like all fruits, it is darn good for you. The deep orange is a tip off that is has loads of carotene and other antioxidants. Vitamin C, B vitamins, minerals, its a real winner. But the main thing is, its delicious and really beautiful.

And really, aren’t you getting bored with bananas? Persimmons are great for all sorts of fruity uses, from muffins and scones to chutney and jam. The soft, sweet flesh is great in salads, cookies, you name it.

I made this lovely persimmon and cranberry chutney, it took about 15 minutes, start to finish.

Quick Cranberry Persimmon Chutney

Cranberry Persimmon Chutney

Makes about a cup

1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup cranberries

1 medium Fuyu persimmon, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup agave syrup

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Put the spices in a small saucepan and dry toast over medium high heat until fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce to low and cook, stirring often, until thick.

Beautiful persimmons and cranberries

I had one left, so I had it for breakfast. I let it ripen up, then sliced it in wedges and stripped off the thin peels. I cooked up my quinoa breakfast porridge with a handful of dried cranberries, then doused it with vanilla almond milk and scattered the persimmon wedges on top. It was so pretty I could hardly stand it.

Jazz Up the Holiday with Nuts and Spice!

It’s that time of year! Time to find something that’s not a big fat roasted bird to put in the center of the table. You may well be sharing a table with folks who are going to be carving one up, but the best way to enjoy the occasion is to make yourself a dish so cute and enticing that EVERYONE wants it.

Of course, you made plenty, and they can have some. They might just like it so much that the turkey ends up as a garnish to your fabu fancy entree.

So what might be so appealing? I’m betting that these stuffed squashes will. Imagine, there among the drab green bean casseroles and brown gravies, your brilliant, orange mini squash orbs. Everything else is sage-y and meaty, but from your entree, the scent of curry and coconut wafts alluringly.

Sure, folks may veer toward the familiars at first, but they will feel the pull of crunch cashews and creamy roasted squash. I promise. And when they do, they will be eating gluten free, whole grain millet, healthy squash and antioxidant rich turmeric and spices.

For another take on the Thanksgiving main course, scroll down for my Stuffed Mock Turkey Roast. It’s the best one I have ever had, more tender and less rubbery that the store bought versions. It’s a vegan mainstay, packed with umami and savory flavors.

This stuffed squash recipe is from my book, Big Vegan, Over 350 Recipes, No Meat No Dairy All Delicious, published by Chronicle Books. For your convenience, I also included the Stuffed Mock Turkey Recipe From Big Vegan, and a great Big Salad Recipe from The New Vegetarian.

So go ahead, make enough for everyone. They will thank you later!

Nutty Curry-Stuffed Squashes

These colorful, single-serving squash halves are speckled with golden millet, green jalapeño, and crunchy nuts. Redolent of spice and a touch of coconut, they will draw your guests to the table by scent alone.

Serves 6

3          small sweet dumpling squash or mini pumpkins (about 13 oz/370 g each)

1          tsp canola oil

½         cup/60 g chopped onion

1          tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger

1          tsp black mustard seeds

1          medium jalapeño, chopped

1          tsp whole cumin seeds

1          tsp ground coriander

¼         tsp ground turmeric

¼         tsp ground cinnamon

¼         cup/50 g millet

½         cup/120 ml coconut milk

½         tsp salt

½         cup/55 g raw cashews

½         cup/55 g whole almonds, toasted

2 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F/200° C/gas 6. Cut the squashes in half from the stem to the tip, or if you are using pumpkins that sit flat, cut off the tops as shown in the photo above. Scoop out the seeds and place them cut-side down on oiled baking sheets/trays. Bake for 10 minutes (they will not be completely cooked). Take the pans out and flip the squash halves over. When they have cooled, use a spoon to cut into the flesh, loosening it in spots but leaving it in the shell. Reduce the oven temperature to 375° F/190° C/gas 5.

2. In a 2-qt/2-L saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion, ginger, and mustard seeds. Sauté over medium-high heat until the onions are golden, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeño, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon and stir until they are fragrant. Add the millet and stir to coat, then add the ¼ cup/60 ml water, the coconut milk, and salt and bring them to a boil. When it boils, cover the pan and turn the heat to low. Cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the nuts, then stuff the mixture into the squashes. Sprinkle each with 1 tsp of coconut.

3. Bake the squashes until the filling is set and bubbling and the squashes are easily pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Let them cool slightly before serving.

Homemade Mock Turkey Roast with Stuffing

For those of you who miss the turkey on holidays, or just want a home-style vegan meal anytime, this is a good way to mock up a bird. It’s really not much trouble, now that we can use gluten flour to make mock turkey with no kneading required—and lots of tasty, chewy goodness. Serve it with Basic Mushroom Gravy and all the traditional trimmings.

It’s great fun to share your vegan food with family and friends, so go for it. The salad will certainly win some converts. Enjoy!

Mock Turkey

2          tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

½         cup/60 g minced onion

2          cloves garlic, minced

2          cups/255 g gluten flour

1          cup/115 g chickpea flour

½         cup nutritional yeast

1          tsp salt

6          oz/170 g reduced-fat or regular firm tofu, drained and pressed

1          cup/240 ml vegetable stock

¼         cup/60 ml tamari

½         tsp ground sage

Stuffing

1          cup/55 g cubed bread

1          tsp extra-virgin olive oil

½         cup/60 g chopped onion

¼         cup/60 ml vegetable stock

½         tsp ground sage

½         tsp dried thyme

½         tsp salt

2          tbsp walnuts, chopped

The Mock Turkey in a Wide Loaf Shape

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F/180° C/gas 4. Oil a 3- to 4-cup/720 to 960-ml metal bowl or a small loaf pan. Put a teapot of water on to simmer for the bain marie later.

2. To make the mock turkey: In a small sauté/frying pan, heat the oil, then sauté the onion and garlic until soft and sweet, 5 to 10 minutes. Mix together the flours, yeast, and salt in a medium bowl. In a blender or food processor, puree the tofu until very smooth. Add the stock, tamari, and sageto the tofu and blend. Add the onions and all the oil from the pan and puree. Stir the contents of the blender into the flour mixture until smooth. Scoop about two thirds of the dough into the oiled bowl.

3. To make the stuffing: Put the bread cubes in a medium bowl. Heat the oil in a small sauté/frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions until soft and clear. Add the bread, stock, sage, thyme, and salt and stir until the bread is soft. Stir in the nuts.

4. Press the stuffing into a ball (or if you are using a loaf pan, into an oblong) and press it into the center of the mock turkey dough, then cover it with the remaining dough. Flatten the top, brush it with oil, and cover with foil. Put the bowl in a baking dish and pour in boiling water to make a bain marie. Carefully transfer it to the oven and bake for 2 hours. When the “turkey” is quite firm, take it out of the water bath, then put the bowl on a rack to cool. Run a paring knife around the edge to loosen it, then invert it onto a cutting board or platter. Slice the “turkey” and serve it with gravy and trimmings.

Big Salad with Caramelized Pumpkinseeds, Pears and Pomegranate

From The New Vegetarian (Chronicle Books)

Serves 6
This is a great wintertime salad, with the pomegranates that only appear around the holidays and pears and pumpkinseeds. To take seeds out of the pomegranate, cut through the skin from stem to tip, dividing the fruit in quarters. Hold it over a bowl and pull apart the sections, then tear apart the pieces, gently freeing the seeds.

1 cup pumpkinseeds, raw
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large romaine lettuce, washed and dried
2 small shallot, thinly sliced
2 large bosc pears, sliced
1 large garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh mint, optional
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice concentrate
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon agave or organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup toasted pumpkinseed oil
1 small pomegranate, arils (seeds) removed

1. Make the pumpkinseed topping up to a week ahead. Heat the oil for a minute in a medium non-stick skillet. Add the pumpkinseeds and toss in the pan over high heat, until the seeds are popping and browning, about 3 minutes. Take off the heat and add the brown sugar and toss constantly until seeds are coated with melted sugar (careful-it will burn easily). Quickly mix in the spices and salt, then spread on a plate to cool. Cool completely and store in an air tight container until ready to use.
2. Make dressing in processor by mincing garlic and mint. Add pomegranate concentrate, lemon, honey and salt and pulse to mix. Gradually drizzle in oil with machine running.
3. Wash and dry romaine, then slice across the leaf in 1/2 inch wide strips. Arrange on plates or in bowl. Top with shallots, pears. Drizzle over the dressing and top with the pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds. Serve right away.

Grilled Broccoli with Pistachio Dressing

Kale. It’s on t-shirts, it’s a statement, it’s a movement. Kale chips are hot, people are blending it into smoothies, juicing it, cutting edge restaurants are serving kale salads.

Did you hear, kale has more iron per calorie than steak?

Don’t get me wrong, I love kale. I’m eating it, too, saving my stems for juice, I’ve got a big patch of it growing in my garden, where I can count on it to regrow abundantly every time I pick some. But kale has been around forever, and it’s always been great. It’s just taking its well-deserved turn in the spotlight.

Not long ago, we were similarly smitten with broccoli. Broccoli sprouts, broccoli slaw, salad, etc. Maybe we moved on because it doesn’t go into smoothies as easily, or become a nacho chip for snacking?

Good ol’ broccoli was the big star for years, in part because of its wildly abundant, powerful antioxidants. Vitamin C is the big one, and by the miracle of nature, it’s flanked by chemicals that boost its effectiveness. Carotenoids lutein and zeanthin, the ones that protect vision, and beta carotene are represented. Flavonoids like quercitin and kaempherol also fight oxidative stress. That reduces inflammation, which we now know plays a part in many diseases. There are a whole bunch of glucosinalates in there that detox the system. All this makes for a potent anti-cancer cocktail.

Broccoli is not so different from all its cousins in the brassica family, including kale, cabbages and cauliflower. Sulforaphane, a sulferous compound found in all the brassicas, is touted for protected heart health and lowering cholesterol. It also helps protect your skin from sun damage. A recent study at the Linus Pauling Institute found that sulforaphane works in multiple ways to prevent cancer at the cellular level, restoring the balance needed for our DNA to work well. The Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study found that women who ate the most cruciferous vegetables had a 62% higher chance of surviving breast cancer.

Beyond all that, Broccoli is a great source or vitamin K and folate, a good source of vitamin A, molybdenum and manganese, potassium, B6, B2, B3, B5, protein, iron, magnesium and calcium, vitamin E and selenium.

Whew!

So, ready to give broccoli back a place in your vegetable drawer? It’s still sweet and delicious, shaped like little trees, and excellent for dipping in a tasty sauce. The sprouts are superconcentrated with C and many of those magical chemicals, so if you can buy or sprout your own, you will be able to enjoy their crisp, broccoli flavor in salads, sandwiches and stir fries.

Still grilling? Broccoli takes on a nice char, making it a little more kale-chip-like if that is what you need. Slice it in big spears, douse it in olive oil and grill it til the tips are well browned. You can also use the grill wok to cook smaller pieces. At that point, toss it on pizza, in pasta, or eat it with a tasty sauce.

Grilled Broccoli

The preferred cooking method for maximum nutrients in broccoli is steaming, so don’t forget your fave steamer recipes. I like to chop an onion and throw in some waterchestnuts, or whatever veggie I have on had to fill out the mix. A light steam makes it more digestible, and you can leave it crisp-tender for dips and salads, too. The stems are useful, too, just peel them and use in the recipe, as dippers, or to puree for a broccoli soup or dip.

Oh broccoli, we still love you, we really do.

Grilled Broccoli with Pistachio Dressing

This dressing is based on a walnut one I make for Japanese meals. I wanted the green color of the nuts, the sweet and sour lightness of the vinegar and mirin, and for the whole thing to take 2 minutes. So there you go.

Serves 4

1 bunch broccoli

olive or other oil

1/4 cup shelled pistachios

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon mirin

1 pinch salt

1.  Slice the broccoli in planks, less than half an inch thick with large florets at the top. Light the grill, fire up that gas on high to get the grate nice and hot. When hot, toss the broccoli with oil. Place the broccoli on the hot grate, and turn the flames to low under the broccoli. Press down on the stems with your tongs to get good contact with the grill and make grill marks. Turn as you go.

2. When the broccoli is marked, browned on top and crisp tender in the stems, take off the grill and take into the house. Let cool a bit.

3. In a food processor, grind the pistachios until fine, then add the rive vinegar, mirin and salt. Process until a chunky puree is formed. Spoon over the broccoli. Toss, if desired (I didn’t) and serve.

All Good Stuff, You Can’t Go Wrong

It’s that time of year. The sweet corn is ripe and ready, and time to feast. I’ve been enjoying the heck out of it, boiled and slathered, grilled, and my current fave, sauteed.

I have decided that the cooking method that will heat up the kitchen the least is to cut the kernels off the cob, then saute them. Unlike a big pot of boiling water, it doesn’t fill the kitchen with steam. You can just soften them a bit and cook the other veggies that go in the dish, and then turn off the burner in just a few minutes.

Don’t be swayed by gimmicks and widgets. The best tool for taking corn off the cob is a chefs knife. Just tear off the husks and remove the silk. Place the cob on your cutting board and slice the kernels off each side, turning it as you go.

A pile of Sweet Corn!

Of course, I had some beautiful, young kale from my own garden, with tender, slim stems that went easily into the dish. Great Tomatoes, garlic, what else did I need?

My lovely kale

I was visiting family recently, and I improvised a version of this dish, to rave reviews. A trip to the farmer’s market, a few strokes of the knife, and voila, a big bowl of summer goodness.

Of course, you could take it another direction, with chiles and cumin and cilantro for a South Western feel, or Basil and a shot of white wine vinegar for an Italian vibe.

Sauteed Corn, Tomatoes and Greens from the Garden

If you are a dairy lover, use butter for the saute. I had kale, but chard or collards would do, and spinach would work, just cook for a few minutes less. Yum.

Makes about 6 cups

6 ears corn on cob, whole
3 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil or coconut spread
4 ounces kale, leaves and stems chopped separately
2 small tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper

Put a large saute pan on the stove. Chop the onions and heat the oil for a minute, then add the onions. Stir over high heat until the onions start to soften, then lower the heat to medium low and stir for as long as you have time. The longer the better. Add kale stems.
While the onions cook, cut the corn off the cobs. When the onions are soft, add the corn to the pan and keep stirring. Raise heat to medium high.
Cook for about 3 minutes, until the corn turns a little darker shade, then add the kale, tomatoes and garlic, then keep stirring. When the kale is wilted, salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a large bowl. Cool or chill.

Quinoa and Purslane Salad with Walnuts

Ok, maybe I tricked you into coming here after your search for “best weed”. But, you are welcome to weigh in on my assessment. I really think that Purslane, also called “pigweed” could well hold the title of best weed.

My Volunteer Purslane

Maybe I should call it a wild-foraged plant, kind of like how we try to call seaweed “sea vegetables” to make them sound better. So, like many gardeners, I have often ripped out and thrown away this little plant, with it’s sprawling habits and plump, juicy little leaves. Even after I knew what it was, it just sprang up in between the rows, and unless I was making salad right then, I might just throw it in the compost.

Then I saw it on a menu in an upscale restaurant, and thought, maybe purslane’s time has come. It’s being grown or foraged for chefs who want something unique, and here it is in my yard.

You see, as vegetarians, we should be farming this stuff, and eating more of it than spinach. Why? Well, like spinach it has lots of vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber. But it really shines when it comes to Omega 3′s. These succulent, lemony little leaves are like the salmon of the plant world, with 350 mg of alpha-linolenic acid per 100 g.

It’s one of the best green vegs for vitamin A, and has decent amounts of lots of minerals, like magnesium and potassium. Like other lemony tasting leaves, it has some oxalic acid, so people who have problems with that should keep it to a minimum.

My little garden gem is so prevalent that I see it in cracks in the sidewalk, alongside parking lots, and trying to take over herb pots outside.

So, if you are looking for a vegan source of Omega 3′s, this is the cheapest possible one. Avoid eating anything that might be sprayed or polluted, and go for a foraging hunt. It takes some washing to get it all clean, but once you have it, it’s versatile. It can be eaten raw, as in the recipe to follow, or steamed, or stewed into soups. It’s slightly sticky juices actually thicken things a bit. Think of it as spinach with a little lemon added, and go to town.

Quinoa-Purslane Salad with Walnuts

It’s Farmers Market season, and I had some excellent cukes and tomatoes to throw in here, but feel free to use whatever is best-some fresh corn kernels, zucchini, peppers, all would be good.

Serves 5, Makes about 5 cups

1 cup red quinoa, cook in 3 cups water

2 cups cleaned purslane leaves

1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced

12 big yellow grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup walnut oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon salt

cracked black pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1. Cook and cool quinoa. Wash the purslane well and remove the tough stems. Spread some on the rim of the platter for garnish, then toss the quinoa, purslane, cuke and tomatoes in a large bowl. Whisk together the walnut oil, lemon, salt and pepper and pour over, add walnuts and toss. Serve or chill for a day.