Healthy Facts

I can only handle two this week! But these are two really amazing foods that you are going to love. ENJOY them!

Swiss Chard

If swiss chard had a dollar for every nutrient it contained, it would be paying for the health care crisis. Which brings up an interesting point. Hippocrates said let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be food, or something along those lines. Which is attainable when you are eating your CSA veggies every week! And it is something to remember when you go to the doctor or are trying to treat an ailment. Food is a huge reason for many chronic illnesses and health conditions, but alternatively can be used to treat many diseases.

Healthy Facts:

• Often called the healthiest vegetable because it contains so many important nutrients. This is why - Rating system awards Swiss chard with excellent marks for its concentrations of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E, and dietary fiber. Swiss chard also emerges as a very good or good source of copper, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, protein, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, folate, biotin, niacin and pantothenic acid. That’s a TON! I could spend all day talking about each of those benefits, but instead I encourage you to eat it up and feel this for yourself.
• Good for your bones - One cup contains over 300% of your daily recommended value of Vitamin K. It is necessary for cell growth and blood clotting. More recent studies are finding that Vitamin K is essential for bone development and some say even more important than calcium. Swiss chard also contains magnesium, which is also an essential ingredient for strong bones. It gives bones their structure.
• Vitamin A - Contains 109.9% of your daily recommended value of Vitamin A. The body converts the beta carotene into Vitamin A, so it is like getting two nutrients in one. Vitamin A is good for vision, lung health, immune system, and your skin. Vitamin A is sometimes called the miracle vitamin!

Parsley

I mentioned last week that cucumbers are my favorite vegetable to juice. Parsley is my favorite herb and juicing it is a really good way to get nutrients from parsley, since most of the time it is only used as a garnish and not a main ingredient. Parsley juice is very potent and can be a strong stimulant and diuretic - so don’t drink it before bed! Being so green also makes it a good blood cleanser and it is also helps with liver, bladder and kidney problems. I also would not suggest drinking it by itself or in large amounts. You can throw a little bit of it in pretty much any juice that you make, but my absolute favorite is cucumber, parsley and red grapes. Proportions can vary based on how sweet you want it. I make this for Rafi and he really likes it!

Interesting thing about parsley – in ancient times it was used to decorate tombstones. Please decorate my tombstone with parsley and swiss chard :).

Healthy Facts:

• Considered a “chemoprotective” food – Parsley contains volatile oils which are known to neutralize carcinogens (particularly from cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke) and even inhibit tumor formation.
  
• Rich in antioxidants – flavonoids combined with oxygen containing molecules help prevent oxygen-based damage. Have you heard of oxidative stress? It causes chronic illnesses and AGING. Parsley also increases your body’s ability to absorb antioxidants.
  
• 3 times as much vitamin C as oranges – more than any other herb or vegetable! This offers strong protection against rheumatoid arthritis.
  
• Great for your heart – excellent source of folic acid, which converts homocysteine into benign molecules. Homocysteine damages blood vessels and at high doses is related to heart attack and stroke.
  
  Eat your garnish!

Greens Recipes

Here is a link to a post that has over 200 recipes for various and sundry greens.

Don't forget to check your teeth afterwards ;0

Healthy Facts on This Week's Share..and News!

Hi everyone,

I have not posted for a few weeks, I know. But it is for very good reasons! Mainly, finishing up school and starting my newest venture – I am going to be a Pilates instructor! But it was too bad that I missed the last few weeks since there were a lot of really good veggies like swiss chard, cabbage, and beets! I hope that these will come up again this season so we can talk about them then. The best news? I am now a certified holistic health counselor who is ready to go out and help make the world a healthier place one day at a time. Know anyone who wants some help in this area? Send them my way!

Red Beets

First - don’t throw away the greens! They contain a large amount of nutrients and have strong cleansing properties. I hesitantly say that the greens aren’t something that should be eaten everyday due to the high level of oxalic acid, which can take the calcium straight from your bones. The United States has the highest rate of osteoporosis and so we definitely don't want to do anything to heighten our risk. So just don’t eat beet greens everyday for the rest of your life, DO eat them when you get the chance.

Red Beets get their color from Betacyanin, which contains powerful antioxidants.

Antioxidants = cancer prevention, don’t forget that.

Beets have been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times and it is clear why. Some people say beets are magical(that would be me saying that). They are used for so many things: as a laxative, to fight bad breath, cleanse the body and clear up coughs and headaches…and even as an aphrodisiac. They could even help your mental health. Beets are a good source of betaine, which is a mood modifier because it produces relaxation effects and is used to treat depression. Betaine affects the serotonin, which affects mood and appetite. Hmmm, anyone see a food-mood connection here?

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are my favorite veggie to juice. They are so mild because they are mostly water, but still full of helpful things. But don’t peel them because most of the fiber and minerals are in the outer skin. The inner flesh is good, too. This is where the silica lives. Silica is a mineral that aids bone and connective tissue growth and development and enhances the bodies use of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and boron. You are born with a certain amount of silica, which slowly dissipates as you age. Silica is a critical element for our bodies, but is not as recognized like it should. There are a ton of things it does for your body, too many for me to get into today. But, I will say that it is one of the most important building blocks for your body's structure, so lets give Silica some props and eat some cucumbers!

Green Onions

Green onions are kinda like baby onions that aren’t full grown, but have already developed a nutritional name of their own. Their benefits are pretty much a cross breed of greens and onions. In one cup, you will get about a third of your daily Vitamin C and about a quarter of the Vitamin A that you body needs. Both good vitamins for your immune system and cell growth. Green onions are also good for Vitamin K and Folate. Folate is essential during rapid cell growth, such as pregnancy, and can help prevent anemia. Many processed foods are enriched with folate (think white flour), but it is always best to get things in their natural forms.

Alternative medicine uses green onions to normalize blood pressure, promote sweat, prevent diarrhea, increase blood circulation, increase appetite, and many more. Colon cancer prevention is probably what it is best known for in the alternative therapy world. There are a few different ways that green onions are used to heal. You can make a hot compress, grind it into a paste, or even put it in a bag near your bed if you cannot sleep!

A guy I used to know once told me to try a green onion, butter and salt sandwich. Not sure if he thought I had diarrhea or my blood wasn't moving fast enough or what, but it definitely gave me heart burn…I don’t recommend it, but I will put some next to my bed next time I can't sleep!

Fresh From the Garden Sliders

I made some cute and tasty, vegetarian sliders.  Check them out here.

CSA Crudite with Herbed Creme Fraiche Dip

Sure, you could pick up one of those sad, limp, tasteless, pre-made veggie trays at the grocery, but doesn't this look a lot more appetizing?  

Remember last week's turnips?  I used a wavy cutter and sliced them to look like chips.  This week's broccoli and cauliflower - blanched for a minute or so in boiling water, then plunged into ice water.  Same for that pretty handful of green beans I picked up at the farmer's market yesterday.

The carrots and radishes just needed a quick wash.  I peeled the carrots, but left a little bit of the greens on to use as a handle.

For the dip, I took a container of creme fraiche (like sour cream, but with a richer flavor - look for it in the either the cheese or dairy case, depending on the market) then I took a trip through my herb garden, which yielded a bunch of chives, some lemon basil, some lemon balm, a little mint, and some parsley.  I chopped the herbs, added some salt and pepper, and instant fresh dip.

Farmer's Market Demo: July 4th, 2009

Happy Fourth of July!  Another beautiful day in the Cuyahoga Valley, and there were plenty of folks out enjoying the day and visiting the farmer's market.  

I made a Sweet Onion Relish with Dill, and a Fresh Snap Pea & Radish Salad with Mint and Feta.

Sweet Onion Relish with Dill (adapted from a recipe on The Sweet Onion Source )

2 large sweet onions, peeled, and chopped

3 T olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 T honey

S&P

2-3 T fresh dill, chopped

Heat oil in large skillet over low heat.  Saute the onions for about 15 minutes, 'til soft, but not brown.  Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for a few minutes.  Off heat add honey, s&p, and dill.

Great served over hot dogs, sausage, turkey or veggie burgers.

Snap Pea Salad with Radishes, Mint and Feta Cheese  (based on recipe from NY Times)

1 basket of snap peas, remove strings and slice thinly on the bias

1 bunch of radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 bunch of fresh mint, chopped

1 container of feta crumbles from Lake Erie Creamery 

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 t balsamic vinegar

3 T olive oil

S&P 

Toss peas, radishes, mint and cheese in large bowl.  Whisk oil into lemon and vinegar, season with s&P.  Pour dressing over salad.  Taste - add more s&p if needed.

All We Are Saying: Give Beets a Chance

Beets are at the farmer's market, and in your CSA box.  Red ones, yellow ones, and the pretty red and white striped, Chiogga.  

Today for the Stan Hywet market demo I did a Raw Beet Salad, then I sauteed the greens in olive oil with some chopped garlic.  Many people told me they didn't realize that you could eat beets raw, so the salad was a hit.

Pictured are a few of my samplers who were nice enough to offer me some of their cooking experience.  They actually inspired the use of the maple syrup which balanced out my overaggressive squeeze of lemon juice.  

Raw Beet Salad with Cumin & Coriander Dressing

4 medium to large beets, peeled, then julienned or finely grated (wear gloves and an apron unless you want to look like a ax murderer)

1 small bunch of fresh green onions, thinly sliced, including green tops

1 t red wine vinegar

1 t fresh lemon juice

1/4 t ground cumin

1/4 t ground coriander

3-4 T extra virgin olive oil

2 t maple syrup

Coarse kosher salt

 and freshly ground black pepper

Place beets and onions in glass serving bowl.  Combine vinegar, lemon, cumin, coriander in small bowl.  Whisk in olive oil until it emulsifies.  Taste and season.  Add maple syrup if desired.

*if you are feeling really ambitious, toast whole cumin seeds and coriander in a small skillet over medium heat until they smelly fragrant, then grind in spice grinder or w/mortar and pestle

Sauteed Beet Greens with Garlic and Olive Oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

beet greens, rinsed

1 T extra virgin olive oil.

Chop stems, then leaves of beet greens.  Heat oil in large saute pan.  Add stems, saute a few minutes to soften, then add leaves and garlic and saute a few minutes more.  Season with salt and pepper.

White House Gardens Week #3

Dear Shareholders:

This week is a bumper crop. Doesn't matter how much I plan, the vegetables are ready when they are ready and there's nothing I can do about it. In your share this week you will find Swiss chard, beets (red, gold, or chioggia), cabbage (green and/or red), broccoli, cauliflower, and shelling peas.

The amount of broccoli and cauliflower is disappointing. They are hard to grow in the summer, but I plant much more to be harvested in the fall when the weather is cooler and they taste much better. (The cooler temperatures really make them sweeter). I don't really like to grow them this time of year, but I thought I would try it again. I am convinced that cauliflower should be left for the fall, and that's that! The heads are tiny for the most part and some may be past their prime because of the hot temperatures. The cooler fall temperatures have an effect on lots of vegetables by increasing their sugar content, such as spinach, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli raab, mustard greens, turnips, etc. They taste different than the ones grown in the summer. Just thought I'd mention that so you could compare the taste with what you are experiencing now and what you receive in the fall. My favorite time of year to grow is late August through October. The weed pressure is less, there is more rain and less heat, and the vegetables taste spectacular.

If you got a small head of green cabbage, then you also got a small red cabbage. There will be more red cabbage for everyone next week.

This week is probably the last for the peas. I hope you enjoyed them, I know I did. I especially like eating them right out of the pod while standing in the garden.

I will attach some recipes from home tonight, as soon as I figure out how to attach them to a post from my word documents. Any suggestions internet/blog fairy?

Debbie

EDITED To ADD Recipes:

Cole Slaw

10 cup cabbage tossed with salt
½ t. salt – let cabbage drain tossed with salt for a couple of hours

Dressing
1 cup cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar – white or apple cider


Creamed Swiss Chard With Prosciutto

This recipe is one of my sister’s favorites. You can use prosciutto, pancetta, or bacon. They all work great.

2 T. olive oil
¼ cup diced prosciutto
¼ cup minced yellow onion
1 T. minced garlic
8 cups chopped Swiss chard leaves (you can use the stems also, separate them from the leaves and cook the stems first, then add the leaves)
1/3 heavy cream
Salt and pepper as needed
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ t. grated nutmeg

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add the onion and garlic. Saute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is aromatic, about 1 minute more.
Add the Swiss chard, sautéing just until the leaves wilt, about five minutes. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Cook the Swiss chard until it is tender, about 5 minutes.
Season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan and nutmeg. Serve immediately ina heated bowl or on heated plates.