Recipes to Repeat

I haven't made the time to write up any of our recent eats.  So, here's a catalog of dishes that we MUST make again soon.

Vegetarian Chili (modifed version of this)

Tofu Sofritas in Oven Baked Crispy Tortilla Shells

Beef and Mint Keema with Kidney Beans

Veggie Cream Cheese with bell pepper and kale

Salmon Matar and Paneer Matar (not pictured)

Pernil Pork Shoulder with rice and sprouted mung beans

Notes from Eating on the Wild Side

There is so much nutritional and culinary treasure in this tome.  Below are my greatest take-aways from reading Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson.

Lettuce

• Choose deeply colored lettuce
• For freshness store in a zip top bag with 10 - 20 pin pricks
• Raddichio (di Chioggia and especially di Treviso) are antioxidant superstars

Alliums

• For maximum allicin remember to "Press then Rest" your garlic cloves - that is press then let the garlic sit for ten minutes before cooking
• Save onion skins for broth - a high concentration of bionutrients are located in the skins
• Scallions have 140 times more phytonutrients than white onions

Potatoes

• Top taters when it comes to phytonutrients are Purple Peruvian (#1 by a long shot), French Fingerling and large purple
• When you peel a potato you lose half of the total antioxidants
• To reduce the sugar in potatoes, cook then refrigerate for 24 hours
• Potatoes with colorful skin AND flesh are the most nutritious

Other Root Veggies

• whole cooked carrots are the more nutritious than cutting then cooking
• Red beet juice reduces the energy needed to walk and run and can boost athletic performance
• Beet leave are more nutrient dense than the root

Tomatoes

• small tomatoes have more sugar and lycopene
• Cooked and processed tomatoes have a more easily absorbed and higher concentration of lycopene
• Skin and seed are the most nutritious parts of the fruit and contain glutamate (aka umami)

Crucifers

• Broccoli hierarchy of nutrition: super fresh (less than three days old), raw over cooked, whole head over florets, steamed for 5 minutes or less over boiled or microwaved
• Kale is most nutritious when eaten raw

Legumes

• 70% of the antioxidants are lost to the bean cooking liquid - consume the cooking liquid or simmer dried legumes then let them sit in the pot liquor for another hour to reabsorb some of the nutrients
• Pressure cooked beans have the most antioxidant activity
• Varieties with the highest antioxidant activity are lentils, black beans, dark red kidney beans and pinto beans
• Canned beans are higher in nutrients than home cooked beans

Apples

• Eat the skins or you're loosing 50% of the nutrients!  
• For a more nutritious apple crisp, peel the apples but then process in the food pro processor processor and incorporate into the crisp topping
• Selected Top Nutrient honors go to: Braeburn, Cortland, Gala, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith and Red Delicous 

Berries

• cooked blueberries are better than raw
• Eat blue- and blackberries several times a week for the most health benefit
• Eat frozen berries frozen or thaw in the microwave for max nutrient retention
• Increase the antioxidants in strawberries by storing on the counter for two days

Stone Fruit

• White-fleshed peaches and nectarines are richer in phytonutrients than yellow-fleshed
• Tart Montmorency and Balaton cherries reduce inflammation
• Prunes are one of the most nutritious foods you can buy

Grapes

• Go for red, purple and black grapes if you're after anthocyanins (especially Muscadine and Concord)
• Store grapes in a micro-perforated bag in the fridge

Citrus

• Eat the membranes for added nutrients.  Slice oranges to make the membrane less noticeable
• Deeply colored flesh equals more phytonutrients

Tropical Fruit

• Mangoes and Guavas are the most nutritious tropical fruits

Melon

• Choose seedless watermelon with deeply colored red flesh for more nutrients.  Store at room temp for a few days to increase nutrient value.
• Scrub the outside of melons well before cutting to remove bacteria

Eating on the Wild Side was a great read and remains a great reference for me.  I highly recommend it for those of us seeking insight into the sustenance behind the plants we enjoy eating.

Tofu Sofritas Bowl

Tofu Sofritas

adapted from Farmgirl

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoons ground ancho or chipotle chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ medium onion, diced small (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon diced mild Hatch chilis
• 1 cup fire roasted tomatoes (about half a 16 oz can)
• 1 (16-ounce package) organic extra-firm tofu (Trader Joe's Sprouted Tofu), drained, dried well and crumbled
• 1 cup liquid (water, beer, broth or reserved canned bean liquid)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup (or tomato paste)
• juice of half a lime

1. Combine all the spices in a small bowl. 

2. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and warm the oil. Saute the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chilies and spices, and continue cooking and stirring until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add the tomatoes; cook another minute. Add the crumbled tofu, liquid of choice, ketchup and lime juice and cook until the liquid has reduced and the flavors have melded, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. 

4. Serve with lime rice, black beans, avocado, corn, red peppers, green onions, salsa, shredded lettuce and a oven toasted tortilla.