Articles: Food Focus

Greens We Can Believe In

Note: this piece first appeared in the January 2009 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Welcome to 2009! January is always a month of change and new beginnings, and that’s never been more true than this year in Washington, D.C., and the rest of the country as we prepare to inaugurate a new president. Harness this energy of change by trying something new and different in 2009. What would really excite and ignite your passion this year? Skydiving? Singing lessons? Experimenting with new cuisines?

To support your new year’s goals, we’re focused this month on one of the most important — but often neglected — food categories: leafy green vegetables. Read on for the whys and hows of leafy greens!

Delicious & Nutritious Leafy Greens

Dark green, leafy vegetables, such as kale, collards, and mustard greens, are a favorite choice among health food and nutrition experts. They are revered for their fantastic nutrient profile; leafy greens are a great source of fiber, calcium, folic acid, and beta-carotene, and many varieties are also high in vitamins C, A, and/or K.

Greens are great cleansers, so they are ideal to emphasize in your post–holiday indulgence meal choices. Well-cooked greens are particularly beneficial. If you find the flavor of greens to be bitter, try adding a little acidic flavor, such as lemon or umeboshi vinegar, to your cooked greens.

To prepare greens, wash the leaves well and tear or cut into bite-sized pieces. Greens shrink quite a bit during the cooking process, but they are much easier to chew and digest if they are already cut into small pieces before cooking. Place the cut greens in a steamer with a generous pinch of salt and steam until tender, usually around ten minutes. Alternatively, sauté your greens in a little extra-virgin olive oil and garlic. If the greens are very tough, add a small amount of water and cover your sauté pan to allow them to steam a few minutes before serving.

This month, challenge yourself to try one or two new varieties of leafy greens and enjoy their fresh, light, delicious flavor!

Hello, Pumpkin

Note: this piece first appeared in the November 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

One of the loveliest gifts of the season is the bounty of autumn vegetables, especially root vegetables and winter squash. But one of the most iconic veggies of the holidays, the pumpkin, has been reduced to a product we buy in a can. Revamp your relationship to pumpkin this year by using your own freshly made pumpkin purée in your pies and breads, and roast your own seeds for snacks, salads, and soup toppings. I’ve demystified the process for you below, so read on for the details!

Working with Fresh Pumpkin

The bright orange pumpkin is a quintessential symbol of fall, seen everywhere from the front porch (carved, of course) to the holiday table (both as a centerpiece element and in pie form). Pumpkin is highly nutritious, providing large amounts of beta-carotene (the precursor to vitamin A), vitamin C, and potassium as well as fiber. The delicious flavor of pumpkin works well in a variety of recipes, especially sweet dishes such as the classic pumpkin pie, bread, cookies, and muffins. It’s also lovely served in savory items like soups or roasted vegetable side dishes. Since pumpkin is so readily available puréed in cans, many home cooks have never cooked a fresh pumpkin, but once you experience the superior fresh flavor, improved nutrition, and fun experience of cooking with fresh pumpkin, you’ll be hooked!

Working with pumpkin is similar to working with any winter squash, such as butternut or acorn. Choose small pie pumpkins for cooking (they have the best flavor and are the most tender). To begin, cut off the top and bottom of the pumpkin with a large chef’s knife, then slice the squash in half vertically, exposing the seed- and pulp-filled cavity in the middle. Scrape out these “guts” with a spoon and set them aside in a bowl or strainer (we’ll come back to those shortly).

Once your pumpkin is cleaned, you’re ready to cook it! Pumpkin adapts well to a variety of cooking methods. My favorite methods are roasting (place halves or quarters on a baking sheet and roast at 425ºF for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender) and steaming (place in a steaming rack or basket and steam over boiling water for about 15 minutes or until tender). After the pumpkin is cooked, scoop out the flesh or remove peel with a paring knife, then purée in a food processor or blender (adding water, if needed, to achieve the desired consistency). Store the fresh purée in flat freezer bags in the freezer to enjoy months of fresh pumpkin in recipes!

Freshly roasted pumpkin seeds are one of the great rewards of using fresh pumpkin. To prepare the seeds, simply separate them from the stringy, fleshy parts you removed from the middle cavity of the pumpkin (I do this in a colander in the sink), then spread the seeds on a baking sheet and allow to dry overnight. Drizzle the dried seeds with extra-virgin olive oil and a high-quality sea salt and, if you like, additional seasonings such as curry powder or other spices, then roast in a 300ºF oven for about 30 minutes or until lightly brown and crisp. Pumpkin seeds are very nutritious, with good amounts of iron, zinc, and phosphorus, and they are absolutely delicious sprinkled on soups or salads or eaten on their own as a snack.

I hope using your own pumpkin and pumpkin seeds adds a special touch to your holiday meals this year!

Close Encounters of the Fresh Kind: Finding & Selecting Fresh Food

Note: this piece first appeared in the October 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

As we move into colder months, finding good quality fresh food can be a challenge. The abundance of spring and summer is a distant memory, and the fall harvest will wind down soon. Sometimes, it can be hard to navigate the world of produce selection, especially when you don’t know what to look for.

I’ve shared some of my favorite tips and tricks for finding the freshest and best-quality food available below. Use these tips to help you locate and select the best and freshest food!

1. Know what’s in season. Seasonal foods are fresh, abundant, delicious, and less expensive. Even in snowy winter months, many fresh foods are available! Fresh produce items available in the D.C. area in October include apples, pumpkins, spinach, green beans, and peppers, among others.

2. Buy local. Locally grown food has traveled less distance from the farm to your plate and is always fresher. Farmers’ markets and roadside stands are the best places to find local food, and many markets operate year-round.

3. Inspect your veggies. Leafy green vegetables should be vibrantly colored and firm, not wilting. Squashes should have a hard shell and deep color. Root vegetables should be firm and hardy. Avoid discoloration and signs of breakdown in all vegetables.

4. Pick your fruits. Berries should be firm and free of mold. Apples, pears, and stone fruit should be unbruised.

5. Serve ASAP. Though many produce items do store well, in general, eat produce as soon as it’s ripe to enjoy full nutritional and energetic benefits!

Living Off la Ferme

Note: this piece first appeared in the July 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend your summer on an organic farm in southern France? Moi aussi! Well, I’m pleased to introduce you to Sara Scott, who is doing just that this summer. Sara is a recent graduate of American University, where she wrote an undergraduate thesis on sustainable farming in the D.C. area. She’s shared some wonderful information with you below about her experience on the farm, as well as some gardening tips for growing your own food at home. Sara has also provided us with a traditional bread recipe produced regularly in her host family’s kitchen. Check out Sara’s blog at sarafarminginfrance.blogspot.com!

Living Off the Farm: Organic Farming in Southern France
by Sara Scott

Contact Sara with questions or comments at GoSoccer27@aol.com!

What is a 21-year-old Washingtonian doing in the fields of southern France? This American city slicker is passionate about discovering how organic farmers grow the bounty of the earth that we find in our grocery stores and how these advocates for sustainable agriculture practice good eating habits. Although I also get to improve my French language skills and explore the area as a tourist, my experience at the dinner table of my host family has been the most life-changing aspect of this experience.

I used to treasure exotic and international cuisine back in the United States, believing that indulging in new ingredients and dishes from around the world gave me a taste for foreign cultures, but I feel even more spoiled eating the fresh and plentiful food solely from this region of the Cévennes National Park. The meals always include something gathered from one of the many gardens on the farm. For example, we eat homemade preserves for breakfast, which are made from the raspberries and strawberries grown outside my bedroom window. For lunch and dinner, salad greens, raw vegetables (carrots, radishes, onions, cucumbers), and fresh herbs (parsley, mint, chives, etc.) from the farm are either placed on the table for everyone to take as they are, or they are incorporated in dishes. Lunch is typically the largest meal — it is always at least as large as dinner — so that we have more energy to carry us through our afternoon tasks. Leftovers are often saved and stored properly for the next meal.

The rest of the food on the table comes from local markets and, sometimes, the grocery store. The bread, meat, and cheese usually come from the markets and in wonderful, creative varieties. Even small cheese rounds are sometimes decorated with herbs and edible flowers on top! My host parents try to buy organic at the grocery store and the markets, but many products are still unavailable as organic. They buy as much as possible from local producers because they know the people who made or grew the product, they know how the product was made or grown, and there are probably less additives or chemicals in the product. Bread is served with every meal, in addition to cheese at the end.

Getting my protein depends a lot on what is freshest. We eat eggs often because there are hens on the farm. Lamb is also popular because many farmers have sheep in the region. We also eat roasted chicken, baked fish, canned duck, and ground beef. All of this meat comes from the region, typically prepared without any preservatives or additives because they are not needed if sold locally. Everything tastes incredibly pure and flavorful. Making a commitment to eating locally produced meat and seafood definitely doesn’t limit one’s choices; the varieties are endless.

The weather greatly affects what we eat and how the food tastes. The weather has been very rainy, so the plants are suffering from a lack of sunlight. We even had to spray them with natural nutrients to help them recover. The strawberries were just barely sweet, the radishes and onions had a softer bite, and many vegetables were smaller (potatoes, squash, lettuce, etc.). Mushrooms have flourished in the forests, though, so we sometimes take trips to gather them. We later cook them in stir-fries or in lasagna. Letting them dry outside on a sunny day would also give them a beautiful, smoky flavor.

I certainly feel healthier eating from the farm and the farmers’ market stands. The fridge and cupboards are fairly empty since we usually eat whatever is gathered or purchased that day or the day before. The freezer does get a lot of use, however, particularly for meat and fruit spreads. The family even has a separate appliance in their cellar that is entirely a freezer! Freezing seems to be the best method to keeping foods stay fresh longer while preserving their unique taste.

I strongly recommend shopping often, buying limiting quantities, and enjoying your cooking experience with what you buy — or grow! Here are some gardening tips to help you discover the advantages of eating from your backyard:

1) Buy plants that have already started growing, perhaps from a gardening center or nearby farm.
2) Ask the seller of the plant for care instructions and ways to cook with it.
3) Sprinkle natural minerals and dung in the soil before planting.
4) Weed often.
5) Think about building a greenhouse to help protect the plants against undesirable weather.
6) If you would like firmer and more aromatic herbs, grow them outside. Greenhouse or indoor herbs typically are more fragile and weaker.

To learn more about my adventures in France, please visit my blog by clicking below!

Visit Sara’s blog!

Alternative Flours Explained

Note: this piece first appeared in the June 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Food allergies are on the rise in the United States. The incidence of food allergies has doubled in the past 10 years, and now over 12 million people in this country suffer from food allergies (3 million of these are children). It’s no wonder we’re seeing an explosion of media, cookbooks, and food products designed to support the diets of adults and children with food allergies, especially allergies to wheat and/or gluten.

When you first find out you or your child are allergic to gluten, it can be very challenging to figure out how to cook. So I’m pleased to introduce you to Andrea Boje, The Holistic Chef. Andrea is a personal chef in southern New Jersey who specializes in cooking for food sensitivities and allergies, and she’s shared some of her knowledge below to help you navigate some of the gluten-free flour choices available in stores.

Alternative Flours Explained
by Chef Andrea Boje

There are a lot of flours out there besides wheat but most people do not know what to do with them. Reading the label of a gluten-free bread can also be a little confusing when you see ingredients like sorghum and xanthan gum. Just what are they? Below is a list of flours and baking ingredients with descriptions of what they are made from and how they can be used.

Almond Flour – made by grinding blanched almonds (skins removed) into a fine powder. The consistency is more like corn meal than wheat flour. You can find extra fine Italian almond flour, which has more flavor but can be very pricey. Baking with almond flour requires using more eggs to provide more structure. Use it in cakes, cookies, and other sweet baked goods. You can make it yourself by grinding blanched almonds in a high-speed blender.

Brown Rice Flour – made from stone-ground brown rice. Used in gluten-free baked goods as a replacement for wheat flour. Can also be used to thicken soups and stews. I prefer to use this instead of white rice as it contains more fiber and therefore has a higher nutritional value. The higher fiber content will contribute to a heavier product than recipes made with white rice flour. Can also produce a gritty product when used alone and is best when combined with other flours like sorghum flour, potato flour, and tapioca starch.

Coconut Flour – delicious alternative to wheat and other grain flours. It is very high in fiber, low in digestible carbohydrates, and a good source of protein. It gives baked goods a rich, springy texture but needs a lot more liquid than other flours. Replace up to 20 percent of the all-purpose flour called for in a recipe with coconut flour, adding an equivalent amount of additional liquid to the recipe. You will not need as much sugar when using this flour as the coconut has a natural sweetness.

Millet Flour – adds a subtle flavor, creamy color, and more vitamins and minerals than other grains. Substitute 1/4 cup millet flour for an equal amount of unbleached white flour in any baked good. Can be a little gritty (like rice flour) and contains no gluten; it is best to substitute only about 25 percent of the all-purpose flour called for in a recipe with millet flour when baking.

Potato Flour – made from dehydrated potatoes. Used in bread, pancake, and waffle recipes and as a thickener for sauces, gravies and soups. It adds smoothness and moisture in gluten-free baking. It is high in carbohydrates and lacks fiber, which makes it necessary to use it along with other flours as a mixture.

Quinoa Flour – made by grinding the whole grain quinoa to a powder. Highly nutritious, containing more protein, calcium, and iron than other grains. It has a light nutty flavor. Not recommended to use alone as it does not contain any gluten; use quinoa flour for up to 25 percent of other flours in a recipe.

Sorghum Flour – sorghum is an annual grass originating in Africa and a popular cereal crop worldwide. It has a higher protein content than corn and about equal to wheat. It is neutral in flavor, which allows it to absorb other flavors well.

Tapioca Flour – made from the cassava root. Once ground, it takes the form of a light, soft, fine white flour. It is starchy and slightly sweet; It adds a chewy texture to baked goods and is a good thickener. Use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of tapioca flour per recipe to lighten and sweeten breads made with heavier flours like brown rice and millet.

Xanthan Gum – a natural, complex carbohydrate made from a tiny microorganism called Xanthomonas campestris. Using about 1/4 teaspoon in bread and other gluten-free baked goods adds volume and viscosity (which usually comes from the gluten in wheat). It is also used as a thickener and emulsifier in dairy products, salad dressings, and other foods.

My favorite blend for gluten free baking is 1 cup rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, 1/2 cup potato flour, and 3/4 cup sorghum flour. Mix flours and keep in an airtight container. Use this mix to replace an equal amount of all-purpose wheat flour in your recipe of choice. Sometimes I add a little quinoa or millet flour as well. These flours come out best when there are eggs in the recipe and do not come out as well with egg replacers.

Andrea Boje, the Holistic Chef, is a personal chef in southern New Jersey specializing in cooking for clients with food sensitivities and allergies. She is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health & Culinary Arts. Keep up with Andrea’s latest recipes and articles at her blog and visit her website at theholisticchef.com!

Soothing & Cleansing Soups

Note: this piece first appeared in the March 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Soup is a great choice during the winter-spring transition. In colder, wintry weather, choose soups that are hearty with heavier, protein-rich ingredients such as beans, fish, and lean meats. Creamier blended soups and warming ingredients, such as ginger, cayenne pepper, and cumin, are all perfect for winter. Our ____ is a great choice for a warming, soothing winter soup. Give it a try in these first few weeks of March!

In spring, clear, broth-based soups are more appropriate. Choose recipes with light vegetables to support your body’s natural cleansing process in warmer weather. Clear soups are volumetric, meaning that they have a high water content and look like a lot of food even though they usually don’t contain a lot of calories — helpful if you want to shed a few winter pounds as the weather warms up.

All soups require a good deal of liquid (water or stock) as a base. To make your own homemade stock, place carrots, onions, celery, a few sprigs of parsley, some peppercorns, a bay leaf, and some leftover bones from animal foods (if desired) in a large pot, fill the pot with water, and place on the stove on high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and allow to simmer for several hours (the longer the better!). Strain and discard the solid ingredients, cool down the liquid, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. If you use animal bones, you may need to strain the stock again just before use (or use a fat separator to degrease it).

Soups are a great medium for showcasing your own creativity. To create your own soup, just sauté the ingredients of your choice in a bit of olive or other vegetable oil, add liquid, bring to a boil, and then simmer until done. Enjoy experimenting with herbs, spices, and seasonings to make your own delicious soups!

Breakfast Time!

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but many of us still struggle with our morning meals. Breakfast presents several challenges for many people. One of the most common issues is a lack of time to prepare a healthful breakfast. It’s true that it can be difficult to fit in a three-course meal when you’re rushing to get to work, but a little planning and preparation can help you make breakfast happen. Once you form the habit of eating in the morning, you’ll quickly enjoy the benefits of better mental focus during the day, more stamina, and a more efficient metabolism.

When we first begin working together, many of my clients feel they can’t choke anything down in the morning. If the idea of food before 11am repulses you, you should first examine what you’re eating the night before. If you tend to indulge in late-night snacks or heavy meals before bed, you may be suffering from a morning-after food hangover. Work on reducing and eventually eliminating eating at night. Simultaneously, begin having something small and light in the mornings. A cup of herbal tea is a great place to start, then you can graduate to warm broth and eventually move on to soup and maybe hot cereal.

A great way to figure out what foods work well for you in the morning is to conduct a breakfast experiment. When I guide my clients through this experiment, I provide a list of different food suggestions (for example: oatmeal, a baked sweet potato, toast, coffee, eggs, steamed vegetables, granola, fresh fruit, a bagel with cream cheese, a doughnut…). Choose ONE item from the list per day for five days. Have as much of your selection as you want, but eat only that particular food for that morning. Immediately after eating, check in with your body. How are you feeling about what you just ate? Do you feel satisfied? Are you craving anything? Write down your observations. Then, two hours later, check in again. How is that food doing? Do you feel hungry yet? Have you been able to focus this morning? Again, record your observations. The next morning, do the same thing with a different food selection. This experiment can teach you a lot about how your body reacts to foods in general as well as helping you choose the breakfast foods that work best for you.

It’s also helpful to shake up your routine. Breakfast is the most common meal to get stuck in a rut. If you’re tired of the same old cereal or yogurt or smoothie, try something completely different for a day or two and see how it goes.

And don’t limit yourself to eggs, toast, cereal, and coffee. Redefine your idea of what “breakfast food” is. Dinner leftovers often make a great breakfast. A fruit-based dessert item, such as a fruit crisp, can be a lovely breakfast the next morning. Miso soup is quick to prepare and makes a fantastic breakfast (and it’s very portable!). Some spicy black beans and salsa on a tortilla can make a nice morning meal, too. And having some vegetables in the morning, especially leafy greens, makes me feel terrific all day. Why not give it a try?

Food Focus: Water

Note: this piece first appeared in the May 2007 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Water is essential for life. The cytoplasm in each and every cell of your body is about 70 percent water (incidentally, about 70 percent of Earth’s surface is also water). Those cells make up every part of you, from your liver to your skin to your heart to your brain. Maintaining water balance on the cellular level is essential for every function of your body. Because our individual cells are mostly made up of water, supporting their natural state by taking in lots and lots of water makes us feel better and function at our best.

Appropriate water intake also supports the body’s natural cleansing processes. Drinking lots of clean, fresh water ensures that toxins are flushed out of the body rapidly and regularly. Simply adding more water to your daily intake helps create a cleanse-like effect in the body even if you don’t change your diet.

So how do you know whether you’re drinking enough? The easiest way to tell is to start noticing your urine. Urine should be pale and odorless. If your urine is a dark color or has a strong odor, increase your water intake.

High–water content foods are also key for cleansing the body. Vegetables, such as cucumbers and celery, and fruits, especially melons, have a much higher water content than other foods, such as beans, grains, and animal proteins. High–water content foods should be eaten in addition to water you’re drinking rather than in place of it. Browse our recipes for some tasty ideas!

For a gentle short-term cleanse, try emphasizing simply prepared high-water content fruits and vegetables and de-emphasizing (or temporarily eliminating) proteins and grains for a few days. Be sure to drink lots of water throughout!

Food Focus: Leeks

Note: this piece first appeared in the April 2007 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Leeks are a wonderful alternative to regular onions. They lend a mild flavor to dishes and can also be prepared simply and served on their own.

Leeks are part of the Allium family of vegetables (along with onions, shallots, scallions, and garlic). They contain a special compound called allicin, which is an anti-fungal phytochemical. Allium vegetables are helpful in preventing atherosclerosis, and they assist the body in burning fat. Leeks are also high in manganese, vitamins B6 and C, folate, and iron.

Leeks are always very dirty. The easiest way to clean them is to chop them first, then place the cut leeks in a bowl of clean water. Gently lift the leeks out of the water — the dirt will sink to the bottom of the bowl.

See our recipes for some tasty leek preparation ideas!

Food Focus: Carrots

Note: this piece first appeared in the March 2007 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Bright orange, crunchy, sweet carrots are a favorite vegetable for almost everyone. Carrots are hardy root vegetables that provide grounding, strengthening energy. They also provide a delicious sweet taste balanced by fiber and nutrients to help curb sweet cravings naturally and gently.

Carrots are a wonderful source of antioxidants. They are particularly famous for their high levels of beta-carotene, which transforms to vitamin A in the body and protects vision.

Look for organic carrots with the greens attached. The greens are fragile and should be used soon after purchasing, but their delicious, carrot-like taste is worth the trouble. Use the greens in salads for a distinctive and unique flavor.

Carrots are delicious both raw and cooked. See our carrot recipes for inspiration!

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