Robin Asbell's Real Food Digest

Heart-Healthy Hearts!

Valentine’s is a big chocolate holiday. The chocolate industry predicts that this week, 60 million pounds of chocolates will be purchased, and most of them will be snatched off the shelf on the day before Valentine’s Day.

Nothing like putting it off!

So this year, I am planning ahead, and making some super-simple chocolate for my sweetie. As long as I am at it, I’m going to sprinkle in some healthy stuff, that just happens to be delicious. Dark Chocolate, Cherries, and Almonds, a triple threat of superfoods, but once you take a bite, health will be the last thing on your mind.

By making my own, I can use organic, fair trade chocolate, free of GMOS and high-fructose corn syrup, which lurk in mainstream candy brands.

So I’ll fill you in now to get you motivated, and stave off any guilty you may have about eating treats!

Did you know that cherries are a bonanza of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory chemicals? Pick dried sour cherries to put in these chocolates, and you are staving off aches and pains that are definitely un-romantic. The complete package of super-nutrition in cherries improve heart health, fight gout, and speed up recovery from exercise. Buy extra and throw the leftovers in your salads, cereal, and muffins, and you can eat your medicine in the most delightful way.

Almonds are another superfood, packed with fiber, protein, good fats, potassium, folic acid, and Vitamin E. eating them on a regular basis contributes to healthy body weight, good blood pressure and heart health, and glowing skin. They are even a pre-biotic, that feed good bacteria in the gut. Don’t worry that nuts have fat. It’s worth it.

Oh, and if you haven’t already heard, dark chocolate is also a health food, full of antioxidants and pleasure-inducing chemicals. Go for higher cocoa content for maximum intensity.

As always, a combination of amazing real, whole foods is both swoon-inducing delicious, and darn good for you.

Good thing, because I want my sweetie around for a long time. This way, we can enjoy the ride!

Easy Valentine’s Day Clusters

I made these in a special pan with little heart-shaped cups, each of which holds about a tablespoon. If you don’t have such a pan, you can just drop these by the spoonful onto waxed paper, or into muffin cups. The cocoa serves two purposes, it helps release the candy from the pan, and it covers up that you didn’t temper the chocolate. If these even last long enough to care.

1 tablespoon cocoa

neutral oil, for pan

1/4 cup dried sour cherries (sweetened with apple juice)

a couple of tablespoons of brandy, optional

12 whole almonds

1 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Lightly oil the cups of your pan, or just spread some waxed paper on a sheet pan. Dust the cocoa powder on the oil or paper, using a fine sieve to spread it evenly over the oil. This will help you release the chocolates. Soak the cherries in brandy, if desired, then drain. Toast the nuts for about 15 minutes in a 325 degree oven, until quite toasted. Cool and chop very coarsely.

Low-Tech Candy Making

Drop a few cherries and chunks of nut into each cup, then melt the chocolate. Either use a double boiler, or microwave for two minutes and stir. Use a spoon to drop chocolate into each cup, and tap the pan on the counter to make the chocolate creep down into the crevices around the cherries and nuts. Chill the chocolates until firm.

Turn the pan over on your cutting board and tap it, hopefully the chocolates will fall out. If not, run some warm water in a sheet pan, and set the pan in the water for about 30 seconds, then dry it off. Return to your cutting board and use a paring knife to extract the chocolates. Serve fruit side up.

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.

So the big feast is over. Did you knock yourself out, baking for weeks, up before dawn to start cooking? I’ve done that. Or did you sail effortlessly into a family gathering, where all you had to do was bring your wonderful self?  I hope you had a blast, either way. Whether you shared your meals with omnivores or ate with fellow veg-heads, you probably have the universal end result. Leftovers.

So, like millions of other people, you are facing that declining curve of interest in foods that in many cases, you only eat once a year. Stuffing? Mmmm, can’t wait, love it like crazy, but eating it for four days in a row, well, it gets old. I have the added experience of making Thanksgiving dishes for a couple of weeks beforehand for my blog, and preparing them for private clients who love having all the sides ready to re-heat when the big day comes. By the time I get to Thanksgiving, I’m ready to add some spice and interest to the usual flavors.

So, what am I doing about my left-overs? Well, I was lucky and didn’t have many. The one that I really need to repurpose is my cranberry orange relish. You know the one, a pound of cranberries, an orange, zested and pulp removed, and a cup of sugar. You grind that in a blender or food processor and it is a fresh, tart, traditional side.

It’s also something you only need a spoonful or two of on the side of the plate. So what will I do with the remainder?

I decided to go Mexican.

I took my cranberry relish and stirred in some salt and chipotle powder until it was spicy and smoky. I sautéed a couple of onions and a couple of cloves of garlic in some olive oil, then into the sauté pan I tossed a package of chicken style seitan and seasoned that with ground cumin and salt. I shredded some romaine that I bought for Holiday salad, and got out some leftover cashew cheese. Of course, you could use another dairy or non-dairy cheese, whatever is handy.

Voila, a whole wheat tortilla brings the whole thing together into a hearty burrito.

Thankful for another meal, I will dive in and relish the heck out of my relish.

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.

If you are sharing the holidays with loved ones, chances are that you will be smiling across a table with a big roast turkey in the middle of it. That is part of living in the world we live in, for most of us. It’s really best to focus on the warm feeling of spending time with family and friends, and leave the discussions about food politics to another time.

Not to wimp out, but I’ve never seen much good come from explaining veganism to people with a mouthful of turkey. It’s just impolite.

No, save the explanations of your diet style for those who ask, preferably for another day.

Today, if you have some vegan love to spread, it’s going to have to be through delicious food. The best way to sway hearts and minds at Thanksgiving is to make such mouth-watering meatless sides that people start to see what a great life you are living. There you are, with your tasty wild rice stuffing and roasted brussels sprouts, and you look so healthy and happy. Those roasted sweet potato fries are terrific, and gee, it never occurred to me that they could be good in something with no bacon, cream or butter.

In the catering business, we sometimes refer to “heavy apps.” These are not for your I-phone, but refer to appetizers that are substantial enough to carry people through a party where no other food is served. Vegans can use this concept to add weight to sides, appetizers, or salads that they can share with everyone. Then, if you arrive at a bacon festival, in a pinch you can construct a good meal from them. Making a side or app heavier is just about adding some protein and heft, with things like nuts, beans, seeds, avocadoes, olives, and even whole grains instead of white, to make things satisfying. You can build a salad platter or a dip try to bring along that has lots of plant based proteins, just by adding extras. Just about any veggie or salad is yummy with a sprinkling of nuts.

Then, to rock the buffet table, make my stuffing and brussels sprouts recipes. They are delicious, and they will be devoured, I promise.

Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Shallots

From Big Vegan, Over 350 Recipes, No Meat No Dairy All Delicious (Chronicle Books)

If you don’t like boiled Brussels sprouts, you must try this version. All the sweetness and tenderness is concentrated and amplified by maple and Dijon. This is a great holiday side dish.

Serves 6

1          lb/455 g fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

2          small shallots, quartered

1          tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1          tbsp maple syrup

1          tsp Dijon mustard

Salt

Black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F/200° C/gas 6. In a heavy roasting pan/tray or baking pan, toss together the Brussels sprouts, shallots, oil, syrup, and mustard.

2. Roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir, and roast until the sprouts are tender, about 15-20 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Wild Rice and Walnut Stuffing with Apples

My favorite thing about Thanksgiving when I was growing up was always the sage-laced stuffing. This hearty rendition has chewy wild rice and whole wheat bread, and apples and nuts for even more sensations as you chew. Don’t wait for the holidays to make this dish; it’s a great way to use up stale bread and can be made with bulgur, buckwheat, or any of the rices.

Makes 6 cups, about 6 servings
1 cup water

1/4 cup wild rice
4 cups cubed whole wheat bread (about 5 slices)
2 tablespoons Earth Balance or oil
1/2 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil and cook the wild rice in it. Put the bread cubes in a large bowl and let them dry out for an hour or so, if you have time.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F In a large Dutch oven or pasta pot, heat the butter or oil and sauté the onion, celery, and carrot over medium heat until all are tender. Add the apples, stock, pepper, herbs, and salt and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cooked wild rice. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the bread cubes.
3. Scrape the stuffing into a 2-quart casserole or baking dish and top with the chopped walnuts, pressing the mixture down with the back of a spoon. You can cover and refrigerate the stuffing for up to 4 days at this point. Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

http://www.meatlessmonday.com/widgets/hm_widget_as4.swf(Meatless Mondays Recipes, in case you need more!)

Shred Me For Happiness

We all hear about how many servings of fruits and vegetables we should eat, ranging from the five-a-day of the USDA to healthy eating experts who nudge it up to 8 or 9. Too bad most Americans have a hard time getting up to five, unless you count french fries and ketchup for two.

Well, a recent study looked at not just the correlation between servings of fruits and veg and physical health, which is well documented, but also at happiness and mental health. And it turns out that the more fruits and veg people ate, the higher they ranked in happiness.

For the study, health researchers from the University of Warwick and Dartmouth College, used data from several randomized, cross-sectional surveys that followed the eating habits of about 80,000 people living in the U.K. The fruits and vegetables typically consumed by each person were compared with their life satisfaction, mental well-being, presence of mental disorders, self-reported health, happiness, nervousness, and how often they “feel low.”

They factored in other variables, too, including other the rest of their diets, alcohol, and lots of demographic, social and economic factors.

Turns out that the number of servings that corresponded to the highest happiness was seven. Seven servings of fruits and veg. I know that may seem like a lot of chopping and chewing, to some of you.

So, think appliances. Juicer, to make seven servings into a jarful of tasty juice to sip on all day, if you want to do it that way. Blender, for green smoothies and pureed vegetable soups and sauces. Processor, for dips, and shredded salads. Try this salad, one I throw together in minutes, just by pushing some veggies through the chute.

It really is that simple. Happiness.

Beets Depression?

Gingery Beet-Kale Slaw

This is an exercise in using a kitchen appliance to make vegetables fast and easy. Who knew that a shredding attachment really could bring happiness?

Serves 4-6

1 medium beet
2 medium granny Smith apple
1 bunch Tuscan Kale
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon agave
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, thinly sliced then sliced in slivers
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

1. In a food processor fitted with a shredding blade, coarsely shred the beet and apple. Switch to the slicing blade, and thinly slice the kale by rolling the leaves up and pushing them slowly through the blade. Alternatively, use a grater for the beets and apple and slice the kale by hand. Put the shreds in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the rice vinegar, agave, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Pour over the kale mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle the sesame over it all. Serve chilled.

I hope last week’s breakfast course got your appetite warmed up for this week’ desserts. Take a tour of these blogs, and I promise that you will be craving some yummy desserts from Sweet and Easy.

The bonus with these treats is that they are made with Real Food, not white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or other refined foods. All plant based, adding no cholesterol to your life.

To make up for the fact that you can’t actually taste the goodies (sorry!) we are also going to be giving away books. Yes, that’s right, you can leave a comment on these blogs and enter to win a copy of Sweet and Easy, shipped right to your doorstep. Be sure to weigh in by November 15th, so we can get them to you in time for the Holidays!

So, consider yourself invited. Brew up a cup of tea, coffee or pour a glass of your favorite (non-dairy) milk, and pop on over to all our kitchen tables. These are some of the most talented bloggers and food writers out there, so you will enjoy their blogs. I hope you will continue to visit long after this potluck is over!

Blog Potluck Menu for Sweet and Easy Vegan-Just click on the links!

OCTOBER 22, Dessert

PB and J Crisp

Micaela Preston, Mindful Momma

Orange Plum Bars

Lia Huber, Nourish Network

Cashew Blondies

Nava Atlas, Veg Kitchen

Nectarine Cobbler With Cinnamon Swirl Topping

Robin Robertson, Vegan Planet

Sweet Potato Coconut Cupcakes

Jennifer St James, Tiny Kitchen Stories

OCTOBER 15, Breakfast

Mocha Scones with Cacao Nibs

Shaina Olmanson’s Food for my Family Blog

Jumbo Buckwheat Cakes with Strawberry Sauce

Leinana Two Moons Vegan Good Things Blog

Coconut Banana Granola

JL Fields JL Goes Vegan Blog

Sweet Polenta with Cherry Sauce

Julie Hasson’s Kitchenette

First things first, I’m not Irish. I have some Scottish blood mixed with my all-American mutt lineage, which may make me a stone’s throw from it. But when St Paddy’s Day rolls around, we can all be Irish for a day. The idea of a simple, rustic cuisine based on local, peasant ingredients appeals to everyone. For vegetarians, well, we skip the corned beef and go straight to the cabbage.

The story of the potato famine is well-known, a lesson we have been learning over and over since pre-history. A population dependent upon a single crop for its survival was devastated by a blight on that crop, and people were left with nothing to eat.

If you read the history of this terrible time, you’ll understand two things. One is why the Irish have been so angry with the British for so long. The second is that hunger in this big world is always politically based. During the famine, wealthy British landowners continued to grow crops for export, filling warehouses and ships with grain while Irish families starved and died in the streets outside. The British government did little to help, insisting that bailing out the people would create dependency, and preferring to follow a “laissez faire” philosophy. There was plenty of food to be had, if the people in power had been willing to bring it.  Thousands of people died.

Pretty good reason to drink some beer, huh? Well, while you’re Irish for a day, raise a glass to the indomitable spirit and strength of the Irish people. Maybe the next time you get a letter from an organization fighting hunger, consider eating potatoes and cabbage for a week and donating what you save on food to help.

I’ve always thought it was a tiny bit of justice that the foods that were relegated to peasants were often secretly nutritious. The 1% have historically lorded it over everyone by eating lots of meat and fat, while the hard working farmers were left eating plant foods. Of course, it’s cold comfort to know your greens prevent cancer if you are starving, but we have to look for something positive in all this.

Peasant Food for Today

So for St Patricks Day, let’s celebrate the lowly root vegetables and cabbage. Traditional potato dishes, like Boxty, a mash of potatoes with butter and scallions, are the kind of rib-sticking, easy food that fuels physical labor. Today, I thought it would be fun to eat a version of Colcannon, another classic Irish dish. Instead of white potatoes, I’m going to up the nutrition with a big sweet potato, and celebrate the cabbage, the most peasant of all peasant foods. Of course, you can use potatoes, too.

Yes, in a karmic payback, the cabbage that was fed to peasants and livestock is now known to be a superfood. Like all members of the brassica family, cabbage has a slew of anti-cancer chemicals and antioxidants. Cabbage offers up something called glucosinolates, which are allies in preveting colon, prostate and bladder cancers. Common cabbage is also rich in polyphenols, which are both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant chemicals.  Cabbage also lowers cholesterol and helps create a healthy environment in the digestive tract, keeping good bacterial balance.

Cabbage is high in vitamin C, but really stands out for providing 66% of the vitamin K you need in one cup. It’s one of those very low-calorie foods that you can eat lots of to feel full and satisfied without gaining weight.

Especially with potatoes.

Peasant Food

Colorful Colcannon

For my updated colcannon, I roasted off a big sweet potato and then put it in the fridge to get completely cold. That way it will be easy to cut in chunks, as well as save me time in the kitchen. You can do the same thing with three medium yukon golds for a more traditional colcannon. If you are ovo-lacto, an Irish Cheddar would be a good thing to shred over the colcannon.

1 roasted sweet potato, cold (about 1 1/2 pound)

1 tablespoon Earth Balance or olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 cups cabbage, chopped

1 teaspoon caraway seed or celery seed

2 cups spinach, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the cold sweet potato into chunks, reserve. In a large cast iron skillet, heat the fat, then add the onion. Stir for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat to soften and brown a little. Add the cabbage and caraway or celery seeds and keep stirring, let the cabbage get very soft and browned in spots. When it’s all soft and sweet, stir in the sweet potato and stir until heated through, then add the spinach and stir until wilted. Salt and pepper to taste.

In the cast iron pan, sizzling

Well, it’s time for the big Valentine’s romantic meal, and lots of people are making reservations for gourmet restaurant feasts. They will dine on oysters and steak, cream doused pastas, and then a big chocolate dessert, all accompanied by plenty of alcohol. Then, if they are lucky, they will head home to pursue romance in the bedroom.

Unfortunately, that big, heavy meal and all that alcohol will probably only hinder their activities. In fact, they may find themselves slipping into a sugar coma before they even get started.

So my advice to you, if you want to get lucky on Valentines, and all year long, is eat a light meal of plant-based aphrodisiac foods.

These foods, unlike their sat-fat laden alternatives, actually nourish the sexual systems. Believe it or not, guys who eat right don’t need Viagra. In fact viagra was inspired by a chemical that you can get from a good diet, nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is made in the body from l-arginine, and it has the unique ability to relax the blood vessels. It’s really good for circulation and heart health in general, but that particular action is helpful for the now famous ED, or erectile dysfunction. L-arginine is high in meats, but also in beans, nuts and seeds.

That’s right, the natural foods version of viagra is right there in a healthy pantry. OK, viagra is an amped up version that works right away, while the one you get from food needs to be a part of your diet daily to make a difference. And why not? The plant foods that contain l-arginine are delicious, and healthy for you in so many ways.You can also buy it in supplement form, if you want to make sure you are taking care of your circulation.

If thinking about sex will get the dudes to eat nutrition all-stars, then so be it, bring on the sexy stuff.

So, for a pre-romance meal, try this sexy salad.

A few handfuls of Arugala provides a peppery, mineral rich base, that has long been considered an aphrodisiac.

Sprinkle on some cooked black beans, rich in l-arginine, which converts to nitric acid, the blood vessel relaxing compound that inspired the invention of Viagra.

Top that with sliced avocado, which replenishes your good fats, potassium and vitamin E that helps produce hormones for keeping things flowing.

A few sliced cherry tomatoes, or “pomme d’amour” as the French used to call it, boost your vitamin c and the lycopene needed for prostate health.

A drizzling of a nut or seed oil amps up the Omega 3 fats for your heart and necessary good circulation, as well as more hormone production.

Top that with a generous sprinkling of sunflower seeds, which pack plenty of zinc that men need for sexual health.

Squeeze a lime over the pile and shower it with minced red chiles, which raise your metabolism and warm your lips in a provocative way.

A sprinkling of coarse salt and some cracked black pepper is all you need.

Save the dessert for after the romance. You’ll have earned a treat.

Chop 'em and boil 'em!

2012 is just beginning, and the new year is a good time to start a new habit. Call it a New Years resolution if you want, as long as that doesn’t mean you will forget about it by February. I propose that just about everyone out there could live better and feel better if they eat more vegetables. Simple, and genuinely easy, just more veggies, every day.

Of course, eating more veg is going to take a plan. Take a look at your routine, and ask yourself-where can I add veggies? Even the vegetarians and vegans can spend a day eating cereal for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch, and if you don’t really pile them up at dinner, your all day total is a few slivers on the sandwich and the cup or so tossed in with the pasta you threw together. I know, I’ve done it myself.

9 servings a day is ideal, which is about 8 ½ cups. You may ask, how will I eat all that? Well, one great benefit of eating more veggies is that you are probably going to lose weight. All that fiber and goodness just fills you up, so you eat so much less of other foods that you can’t help it.

So, here are some ideas for adding significant amounts of veggies to your daily life.

Veggies at breakfast. Instead of the sweet foods we tend to eat, try a savory scramble, loaded up with veggies and tofu. Miso soup is a great Japanese tradition at breakfast-just add more veggies. Or, a smoothie that combines fruit with spinach or other greens will camouflage the veggies in a sweet shake.

Click to go to a Green Smoothie Recipe

Veggies as snacks. Buy bags of things like baby carrots, or whatever snack veg you like. If you need a little dip or dressing to make them appealing, go ahead. If cooked veggies appeal to you more, blanch a bunch by dropping them in boiling water, then drain and chill to take with all week. I like to eat raw mushrooms, sliced zucchini and other veggies while I cook, with a little salt. Keep some handy. If you are hungry between meals, stay full this way.

Veggies at meals. Plan to have salads and or veggie soups at your meals. Buy the bagged salad, some tomatoes and cukes, or whatever you like on salad, and make a simple dressing for the week. Make the veggie soup recipe below, or your favorite vegetable soup. If you start the meal with salad and soup, you will never make it to dessert.

Juice. If you have a juicer, now is the time to drag it out of wherever you have hidden it, and use that January New Leaf energy to get juicing. I admit, my Champion was in the basement, and I have installed it in the kitchen, cluttered as it feels. I worked up to this by buying wonderful green drinks at my Coop when I shop, and grabbing a fresh juice whenever I could find one. I’m finding that this is also a great way to use up kale stems, celery leaves, and other leafy greens.

Slip Them in. Whenever you are cooking, even putting a sandwich together, always add a vegetable, more than you usually would. Maybe you can keep roasted red peppers in the fridge for sandwiches, or bagged spinach to add to just about anything, from pasta to tofu.

Just do it.

For a super simple veggie soup for the week, bring one of those boxes of veggie stock to a boil in a big pot. Add a couple of chopped carrots, an onion, a couple of ribs of celery. Once the veggies are tender, add a 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes. Bring back to a simmer and add a bunch of chopped kale or other greens, or a couple cups of chopped cabbage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This soup can be reaheated as is, or you can take some out each day and season it differently. Try it curried, with a can of beans, or try it Italian style with lots of fresh herbs and garlic. Puree it for a sauce, or whisk some miso with water and stir it in.

Eat More Veggies, it’s just that simple.

Happy 2012-it’s already starting off a little greener!