Power of the Sweet Potato (or 'The Supreme Yam')

Sweet potatoes...not just for the holidays anymore. Seriously, we all need a reminder on the power of this colorful potato! One of Dr. Mao's must-eat foods, the sweet potato, and cousin yam, both provide more beta-carotene and vitamin C than carrots, more protein than wheat and rice, and more fiber than oat bran and as much potassium as a banana! A single skin-on sweet potato only contains 120 calories, and has over 1000 mcg of vitamin A (more than our daily requirement), plus good amounts of B6 and folate. Most importantly, both are a rich source of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), the mother lode of all hormones.

DHEA is what we call a "precursor hormone", one that remains latent in the body until it converts to a hormone that our body needs. It can become estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone, all so essential for our body's anti-aging defenses to work. DHEA doesn't stop there, it is a potent immunity booster, helps to control auto-immune disorders, and has been shown to possess significant anticancer properties. As the most abundant steroid in our body, DHEA also helps ward off arteriosclerosis, lowers blood pressure, reduces inflammation to the brain, prevents fat accumulation, and improves heart function. Need I say more??

My favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is simple...puncture a few times with a fork, bake in a hot (400˚ oven) until you see caramelized potato seeping out of your fork holes, slice open, add a little butter and S&P to taste. Depending on my mood, I might add cinnamon and brown sugar (sweet mood) or chili powder (hot mood). Both are delicious! Sweet potato fries are another quick favorite - I simply slice into strips, add a little olive oil and salt, and bake until done. Of course, make sure to keep the yummy skin on, lots of potent vitamins are in the skin!

When buying sweet potatoes (actually slightly healthier and definitely tastier than cousin yam), avoid ones with blemishes, cracks, soft spots and cuts. Store, uncovered, in a cool, dark spot (always hard for me to find!).

Sweet Potato Fries with rosemary

Add chili powder, paprika, thyme or cinnamon!

So, I'm thinking one a day will keep aging away!

Can you say Quinoa?

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah!) is one of my new food obsessions, and I find the history behind this edible seed so interesting. Quinoa has been an important food source for the past 6,000 years in the Andes region of South America and the ancient Incas viewed the crop as sacred. In fact, the Inca emperor would sow the first crop of the season with his "golden implements." However, during the European conquest of South America, the Spanish suppressed production of Quinoa since it was only a "food for the Indians". The conquistadors actually halted production for a time, and the Incas were forced to grow corn to survive.

Quinoa plant, quinoa in flower stage, harvested quinoa.

(photo credit: Wikipedia)

In modern times, quinoa has seen an increase in production, due to its' immense nutritional content. Quinoa is 12-18% protein and, unlike most grains, provides a balanced set of essential amino acids, making it an excellent food source. It's also a good source of fiber, magnesium, phosphorous and iron. Ask any vegetarian you know, and I'm sure they'll know the many benefits of this tiny seed.

To me, quinoa has a mild nutty flavor that you can enhance by lightly toasting the seeds prior to cooking. Use quinoa just like rice, couscous or any other grain, in soups, as a side dish, and even as a breakfast cereal. 

Here is a recipe that I've enjoyed time and time again...very quick and easy to prepare. Most store packaged quinoa has been pre-rinsed (otherwise it can have a soapy-like, bitter tasting residue), but I always soak mine in water for at least 10 minutes and then rinse well.

Quinoa and Black Beans (Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

I've added other vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms) and sometimes put a little cheese on top. This is delicious as a side dish or a meal in itself. 

For breakfast, quinoa is traditionally served with apples and honey, and I've enjoyed it with chopped pecans and craisins as well. 

So, looking for a protein rich grain source? Try Quinoa...and now you know how to pronounce it!

The "Second Spring"

Chinese culture reveres elders. So much so, that "menopause is actually called the 'second spring,' because the end of a woman's childbearing years gives rise to a new phase of life empowered by her accumulated wisdom," says Dr. Maoshing Ni. Now, I do believe I'm in the midst of major peri-menopause. My night sweats leave me soaked and frozen...too cold and tired to get up and change, but miserable for the rest of my beauty sleep (ha). I haven't had a full-on hot flash during the day, and only occasionally do I have an irregular cycle. Also, I promise you, this blog will never become a outlet for my menopausal woes. It's just another part of life that we need to adjust to and everyone needs to do what works for them to make things as least painful as possible.

So, for now at least, I want to do things the natural way, without any synthetic or bio-identical hormone therapy. I'm fortunate to have a few friends in the ob/gyn biz and they both say it's the way to go if you can tolerate the typical symptoms resulting from our lower estrogen production - these include the aforementioned hot flashes, insomnia, headaches, mood swings, dryness, diminished skin elasticity, memory loss...and did I mention mood swings?

Fortunately, there are many foods that are hight in phytoestrogens, the plant estrogens that are a weaker form of the body's hormone. Highest in this category include apples, brown rice, cabbage, carrots, beans, beets, citrus, cornmeal, oatmeal, potatoes, radish, fennel and soy.  Soybean, as well as most other beans, are rich in genistein, which, like estrogen, protects against bone loss and other aging issues. So, let's wait on the hormones while we can, and eat our way through menopause.

Here's a delicious, easy dish that should help with those mood swings..oh wait, I said I only had night sweats...well, just in case.

Chili Chicken over Rice - Recipe from my sister, Sue
I've been making for years now, and the family gives it two-thumbs up.

2 TBS Olive Oil (I cut this down my using organic spray olive oil)
3 Medium carrots, Chopped (I throw in the food processor)
4 Chicken Breasts, cut into thin strips
1 TBS Chili Powder...or more to taste (In Texas, we like it hot, so I put double)
1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Can Diced Tomatoes (again, organic, no added salt)
1/4 cup water


Brown Rice (as side)


Heat oil, cook carrots till tender. Stir in chicken and chili powder, cook until chicken browns. Stir in beans, tomatoes, 1/4 cup water and cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve over brown rice.


ENJOY!! 
PS - Seriously, I was going to make this for dinner last night and instead we had Subway! It's been a crazy week. As soon as I make the dish, I'll post a pic! 

The Sapphires of our Food Chain

Sapphires...the most precious and desireable of all blue gems. Sought after for their color, hardness, durability and luster. I just want one...hmm...maybe for my 50th?! So, while waiting, I'll just keep on eating my blueberries...the sapphires of our food chain. Sought after for their anti-oxidant properties (highest of all berries) and neuroprotective properties than can delay the onset of aging and age related memory loss by sheilding brain cells from damage by chemicals, plaque or trauma, says Dr. Maoshing Ni in Secrets of Longevity.

Wild blueberries always make the list of the top 10 foods, usually landing in first or second place...and Cornell University found wild blueberries topped the list for anti-oxidant activity in ALL foods.Why wild? They contain a much higher level of anti-oxidants than the cultivated variety, not to mention that they also taste sweeter and hold up better if you cook them.  Another plus for wild blueberries - at only 80 calories per cup you can snack on them all day long! Aim for a cup a day to receive the benefits..

Notice I keep saying WILD ...the best place to find wild blueberries, especially in the winter since these gems are not in season, is in the frozen food section. Just thaw and eat or cook with like fresh blueberries. Most grocers carry them when in season...you can tell wild blueberries by their size, they are much smaller than the cultivated ones.

My favorite new way to serve blueberries to my family is wild blueberry sauce - super easy and delicious! Serve over whole-wheat waffles, pancakes or toast for a satisfying and healthy breakfast. My 8 year old can't get enough of it!

Wild Blueberry Sauce

2 cups frozen wild blueberries, thawed
1/4 cup sugar (I have substitued splenda and it works great)
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp almond extract (optional)

Combine the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until berries pop (few minutes). Stir in cinnamon (a little almond extract tastes great too). Spoon blueberry sauce over your favorite whole wheat breakfast item! (And, for a special dessert, this is terrific over ice cream as well!)

Enjoy your wild blueberries - as valuable as sapphires!

Mmm, mmm, Garlic!

I think many of us have a love/hate relationship with garlic. So good in so many things, particularly delicious in Italian and Asian foods, both of which I happen to love. There's never been a good marinara or stir-fry made without this wonderful ingredient. The "hate" part comes from the smell - your breath, your hands (if you are the cook), and your pores the next day. But, we all need to find the love, because it is truly is one of nature's best remedies.

Dr. Mao recommends a clove a day. Allicin is the active ingredient in garlic, and studies have shown it helps to prevent atherosclerosis and coronary blockage, lowers cholesterol, reduce blood clot formation, stimulates the pituitary, regulates blood sugar, and helps to prevent cancer. WOW! And it doesn't end here..garlic is often used as an anti-bacterial to treat minor infections. Definitely a wonder bulb (garlic is a member of the lily family and closely related to onions and leeks), we all need to add more garlic to our daily diets. Also amazing to me is the actual nutritional content of garlic. This small bulb contains manganese, Vitamins B1, B6 and C, protein, phosphorous, selenium, calcium, potassium, iron and copper! So let you love of garlic begin!

Raw, fresh garlic is by far the best way to reap the benefits of this superior herb, and always make sure you store your garlic in a cool, dark place away from heat and light. This prevents sprouting and maximizes taste and freshness. Here are some terrific ways you can add garlic to your daily food intake:

* Raw cloves to salads, marinades and dressings
* To eggs after cooking
* To sour cream for potato topping
* Add to warm butter for bread topping
* To cooked meats for extra flavor
* To all steamed or sauteed vegetables - I particulariy LOVE sauteed spinach with garlic!
* Pureed garlic added to dips/hummus/guacamole

What do you like to put garlic in? I'd love to know!

A couple of my favorite garlic recipes! From Elise, of course! (see blog list)

http://elise.com/recipes/archives/004320spinach.php

Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

http://elise.com/recipes/archives/001712roasted_garlic.php

Roasted Garlic

Delicious on bread, in sour cream, mixed in pastas

So, even if you don't believe that garlic with keep away all the vampires and demons out there, add a clove to your daily diet. I, for one, am hoping that it doesn't keep them away...Go Team Edward!

Go Fish for Health

So I'm starting easy. In my last post I let you know that I would be following the recommendations in the book  "Secrets of Longevity" by Dr. Maoshing Ni.  Without even opening the book, I would have guessed there was a section (or page...another thing I love about this book, one tip per page!) on the healthy benefits of Omega-3, the fatty acids found in fish.  I love fish and since I've only consumed chicken, fish and dairy for animal protein over the past 28 years (no red meat, no pork), I eat it a lot!

There are so many reasons you must include fish in your diet! For animal products, it's highest in protein and lowest in fat.  The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week, particularily fatty fish (think tuna, salmon, trout) for the omega-3 fatty acids. Omega -3's help to protect blood vessels from plaque, reduce inflammation, prevent high blood pressure and help maintain good respiratory health. Populations with a diet consisting mainly of fish, fresh fruits, and local vegetables (another post topic), experience virtually no heart disease and have a high percentage of healthy seniors (excerpt from 'Secrets of Longevity').

Other products with Omega-3's include tofu, soy beans, canola, walnut and flax seeds and their oils. Dr. Mao and the AHA both recommend getting your vitamin and minerals from the food you eat, in lieu of dietary supplements, however, there are excellent sources of omega-3 supplements on the market. Look for supplements made from organic, cold-pressed oils.

Panko Crusted Salmon

Photo Credit: http://www.elise.com/

This leads me to last night's dinner, using yet another fantastic recipe from my favorite recipe site http://www.elise.com/. EVERY recipe I've made from this site is a winner. I love that she includes photos for each recipe, and that she has a HUGE following (read: lots of great comments) with readers that are not afraid to give their opinions.  Last night I made the 'Panko Crusted Salmon' with a side of peas and carrots. So easy and delicious,  I almost want it again tonight! It's baked salmon with a mustard/thyme coating, topped with whole-wheat (my substitute) panko breadcrumbs. I used far less olive oil than the recipe suggested and it was still exquisite. If you've never used panko breadcrumbs, you must give them a try. They really add a crunch that you don't get with the regular variety. I substitute them in almost everything now!

So, that's one fatty fish this week..with 5 days to go. I can do it! Can you??