Note: this piece first appeared in the February 2007 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.
The humble lentil is one of the easiest legumes to prepare. Unlike other beans, lentils require no soaking, so they are ideal to stock in your pantry for a last-minute meal. Because they are small, lentils are often easier to digest than other beans. Since they are easy to cook and less likely to cause digestive distress, lentils are a great first step for new bean cooks.
Lentils are hearty and satisfying. They have a wonderful earthy flavor that is delicious paired with whole grains and rich spices, such as curry. They work nicely with mild vegetables and make a yummy addition to warming winter meals. Like all beans, lentils are high in fiber and contain no cholesterol; they beautifully complement a heart-healthy diet program.
Note: this piece first appeared in the January 2007 issue of Clark Wellnes ForkBytes.
Dark green, leafy vegetables 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.
This January, why not try one or two new-to-you varieties of leafy greens? Curly kale, dinosaur kale, collard greens, mustard greens, green cabbage, and bok choy are just some of the delicious, healthful vegetables waiting to be discovered. Start with our recipes for some simple preparation ideas.
Note: this piece first appeared in the December 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.
Delicious and nutritious whole grains are one of my favorite food categories to recommend to clients during the holiday season. Whole grains like millet, brown rice, kasha, and spelt are soothing, nurturing, and grounding foods, so they’re fantastic antidotes to holiday-related chaos and stress. They’re also high in the B vitamins, which support the nervous system; they are calming and strengthening.
Unground whole grains (rather than processed whole-grain flours) are best — let your body, rather than a food manufacturer, process the food for you. This slows down the metabolism of the carbohydrates in the grains and helps to stabilize your blood sugar, keeping you focused and satiated longer.
Whole grains are easy to cook. Check out our recipes for some ideas to get you started. Enjoy!
Note: this piece first appeared in the November 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.
Cinnamon — the warm, sweet, aromatic spice — is one of my favorite flavors. In addition to being delicious, cinnamon is also quite health supportive. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is a warming spice, supportive for the spleen-pancreas, stomach, bladder, kidney, and liver. It helps nutrient absorption throughout the body and stimulates vital functions. Cinnamon also contains trace minerals, fiber, and beneficial phytochemicals. Its aroma can stimulate brain function, and it is antimicrobial. Best of all, cinnamon is absolutely delicious with the foods in season right now: squashes, root vegetables, apples, etc. Enjoy!
Note: this piece first appeared in the October 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.
Does an apple a day keep the doctor away? Maybe! Apples are packed with vitamins C and K, as well as healthy fiber (of both the soluble and insoluble varieties). They also contain minerals, especially potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Apples are cooling; they have a high water content and are cleansing for the liver and gallbladder. They are wonderful for digestion because they contain malic and tartaric acids, which inhibit fermentation in the stomach, and pectin, which helps support the appropriate balance of digestive flora.
There are thousands of varieties of apples available in the United States. My particular favorite apples to eat raw or in recipes are Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Gala, Jonagold, and Granny Smith. Why not try a new kind of apple this week? Enjoy!
Note: this piece first appeared in the September 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.
Millet is a fantastic, small grain originally from Ethiopia. It’s an ancient food, and it even makes an appearance in the Bible in an unleavened bread recipe (Ezekial 4:9).
Nutritionally speaking, millet is high in magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus. It is a healthy choice for cancer prevention and heart protection. It is high in fiber. And unlike most grains, which are acid-forming, millet is alkalizing to the body, which means it’s less likely to cause digestive difficulties than other grains.
Millet is one of my favorite whole grains. It’s fluffy and delicious — the perfect comfort food.
Like most grains, millet is a snap to prepare. Millet should be rinsed in a fine-mesh strainer before cooking. Simply combine one part rinsed millet to two parts water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. For more exotic preparations, check out our millet ideas. Enjoy!
Note: this piece first appeared in the August 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.
Sweet, sticky, fresh golden pineapple is one of my favorite hot-weather treats. It’s a cooling fruit, and it has a high water content. Pineapple is also high in cancer-preventing vitamin C, as well as the trace mineral manganese and vitamin B1.
Pineapple contains a special enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain aids protein digestion and is an anti-inflammatory that soothes the digestive tract.
A fresh pineapple can be intimidating to cut, but it’s easier than it looks. Simply slice off the top and bottom of the fruit and thickly peel off the brown or green skin using a sharp knife. Remove the core, slice the remaining flesh, and enjoy!
Dress up your fresh pineapple with some sweetened coconut cream, and use the peels for our recipe of the month!
Note: this piece first appeared in the June 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.
That wonderful leafy green that, in its canned form, gave Popeye the firepower to defeat his enemies, can do great things for you, too! Spinach is a wonderful, tender leafy green with a mild flavor. Despite Popeye’s preferences, it’s best when it’s fresh — both taste-wise and nutrient-wise.
Spinach is high in vitamins K and A and lutein, an important nutrient for eye health. It also contains iron, a vital mineral for hemoglobin production (hemoglobin carries oxygen to all body tissues!), especially considering how low it is in calories compared to other high-iron foods. Spinach is very high in calcium, but it also contains oxalic acid, a compound that can bind to calcium and other minerals, rendering these minerals unabsorbable and therefore not bio-available to your body. So, while spinach is a healthful food, it shouldn’t be consumed every day.
Looking for new ways to enjoy spinach? Check out our spinach recipes. Yum!
Note: this piece first appeared in the May 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.
Quinoa is the quintessential spring grain (although it is available year-round). It’s light and fluffy, and it cooks up in just 10 to 15 minutes, making it perfect for warmer weather when you don’t want to have a hot stove going for a long period of time.
Quinoa is an ancient food that sustained South Americans in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia for over 5,000 years. Its nutrient profile is impressive. Unlike other grains, quinoa is a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids; it’s also high in manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, and phosphorus.
To prepare quinoa, rinse the grain in a fine-mesh strainer and add to a pot of boiling water. Cover the pot, reduce the heat, and cook until all the water is absorbed (about 10 to 15 minutes). Use 1 part grain to 2 parts water. For more flavorful quinoa, try one of our delicious recipes! Yum!
Note: this piece first appeared in the April 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.
One of my favorite things about spring is that it’s a wonderful time of year to discover some delicious new veggies. Farmer’s markets are reopening or expanding after the winter season, and they’re always a fun place to make new produce discoveries. Even the regular supermarkets will have more fresh and local produce in the coming weeks.
This month, I challenge you to bring home one new-to-you vegetable each time you go to the market. Some of my favorite spring finds from past years are pea shoots (they taste like delicious peas in leaf form), garlic scapes (taste like garlic but look like curly chives), and even good old-fashioned asparagus (which you’ve probably seen but may not have tried). Let me know what new veggie loves you find!
