Happy Earth Day!

While every day is really Earth Day (where else would we go?), it is a good reminder to think about our place in the great salad bowl of life and rededicate ourselves to living lightly on great mother Gaia.

One of the biggest impacts you can have on your ecological footprint is to make food choices that are lower on the food chain, closest to their natural state, sourced close to home, and grown with minimal use of chemical inputs.

As a bonus, these foods also tend to be the tastiest, freshest, most nutrient dense, and most supportive of a vibrant local economy.  So I invite you to make yourself a big tasty salad - from your yard, fields, forests, and/or markets - and think about what it means to be a citizen of earth.

A good place to start is with this Earth Day post on Gardening in the Round (where you can also find inspiration to grown your own!).

Happy Eating Happy Earth Day

Cran-Pineapple Allergy-Fighting Smoothie

After doing some research into foods that help one through the spring allergy season, I got the idea for this cranberry-pineapple ‘meal in a jar’.  Tangy and sweet, this smoothie is great for a quick breakfast or 3pm slump pick-me-up while being full of immune-boosting quercetin (see the previous post for all the info).

It is basically the same ratio that I use for all my smoothies, so is infinitely adaptable depending on your mood and larder.  And don’t skip the fresh greens – you won’t even taste them – though all green powders are not created equally and some of those you definitely will taste.  The one I used includes stevia and apple flavor, and so adds some fruity sweetness even though it darkens the color somewhat of the end result.  If you are adventurous go with spirulina or alfalfa powder as greener-tasting alternatives.

Cran-Pineapple Smoothie

Makes one quart

In the blender vessel, add:

• 1 cup frozen cranberries with no added sugar
• 1/3 can pineapple chunks and juice (from a 20oz can, about ½ c; canned in juice with no added sugar)
• 1 handful mixed baby greens (spinach, kale, chard, mesculun mix or lettuce)
• 1 scoop green powder (I used Garden of Life’s RAW Organic Green Superfood in Apple)
• 1 t flaxseeds (chia or hemp would work too)
• 1 t cold-pressed oil (I used flax)

Then pour in enough liquid to make up to the 3 cup line in the blender (while all of the above is already in there). I used a combination of:

• a third of the pineapple juice from the can
• ~ 2 c coconut water, and
• tap water to make up the remainder

Other good options for the liquid are more pineapple juice, other fruit juice such as apple or cranberry, or just go with straight tap water.  If the fruit is not frozen, or you like things especially cold, you may want to add some ice cubes.

Blend on low to incorporate – I find the green powder gets everywhere but in the smoothie if you abruptly start on high – then move to high speed until thoroughly blended and smooth.

I love the flavors of this blend but it is definitely a thinner consistency, more like juice than what you might consider a typical smoothie.  If you want to add some more body and/or protein for additional ‘staying power’ some good choices are (chose one or two): 

• 1 heaping T nut butter
• 2 oz silken tofu
• 2 T more seeds
• 1 T fiber powder
• 1 T protein powder
• ½ a medium avocado (flesh only; omit the cold-pressed oil above to reduce fat if desired)
• ½ c yogurt

Either drink the whole quart yourself, or another good option is to go halfers with a friend and then have some raw seedy crackers and fresh fruit on the side (while you peruse food magazines for more food ideas, as is happening here!).

Shown are Okanagan Rawsome Apple Sesame Flax Crisps - sooooo delicious if you find yourself in British Columbia, Alberta or Saskatchewan.  Thanks to my friend Alana for sharing so I could bring some home! 

Enjoy!

Foods for Spring Allergy Sufferers

Kale in bloom

The recent rains may have helped reduce the amount of pollen swirling around out there, but judging by the plethora of allergy medication ads I’m seeing, we are still in the full swing of the season.

I mentioned some foods in a previous post that might relieve allergy symptoms, including broccoli, kale, collards, and grapefruit. Some more to add to the list include garlic, buckwheat, pineapple, and those high in the antioxidant quercetin.  A bonus is that many of these foods to double or triple duty in the allergy battle and so are great to work into your diet at every opportunity.

Garlic

A great way to cook either kale or collards is with garlic and onions, along with a little lemon and red pepper flake to add a some zing.  So there you go, a nutritious and delicious allergy-fighting powerhouse!  Garlic has been used since time immemorial as a health tonic and for good reason: its antiviral and antifungal, reduces ear and sinus infections, and promotes healthy intestinal flora while eliminating toxins [i] (among a host of other things).

For an allergy-friendly feast: reduce or eliminate the cheese (to cut down on mucous) in this Leek & Kale Tart Recipe, use whatever mushrooms you have available as the chanterelles are a fall delight, and pump up the garlic for a great spring dish.  Heck, you could even make the crust with buckwheat flour…

Buckwheat

Buckwheat, contrary to the name, is not wheat but a relative of rhubarb and is naturally gluten-free [ii].  You can find buckwheat as groats or flour, both untoasted and toasted (which is usually referred to as Kasha).  Try this in a pilaf, as a side dish, or this Creamy Coconut Buckwheat Breakfast Recipe. 

It is very fast cooking, filling, and does not cause an insulin spike like some other grains.  This large starchy pseudo-grain is very high in all eight essential amino acids, calcium, vitamin E, and almost the whole range of B vitamins

Pineapple

This delicious tropical fruit contains the enzyme bromelain, which helps to break down the agents that cause swollen tissues – like in your poor nose, perhaps – has a soothing effect on a sore throat, and also aids the digestion of protein and starches [iii]. While few of us are lucky enough to consider pineapple a local crop, it does hit peak season in late winter and early spring.  Of course you can also find it frozen and canned – avoid it dried though, as it’s often loaded with sugar.  Make a pineapple smoothie, add some to plain yogurt, or make a tropical-inspired marinade to get your dose of bromelain. Update: here is a Cran-Pineapple Allergy-Fighting Recipe idea!

Foods High in Quercetin

Capers

Quercetin (supposedly pronounced kwer-SI-tin, though I say it kwer-CET-in) is a yellow plant pigment found in varying concentrations in leaves, fruits, vegetables and grains.  It is an antioxidant that had been shown to reduce allergic reactions by preventing the replication of histamine-secreting cells [iv] – those responsible for your swollen nasal passages and watery eyes.  Foods especially high in this flavonol include, in decreasing order: fresh & canned capers, lovage, sorrel, radish leaves, carob, dill, cilantro, Hungarian wax peppers, fennel leaves, red onion, radicchio, watercress, buckwheat, kale, cranberry, black plums, cow peas, sweet potato, red apples, broccoli, and black tea [v].  Other good sources are blue-green algae and red wine [vi].

Now most of us are probably more likely to have a bottle of red wine in the cupboard rather than have blue-green algae on hand, and some of these are definitely not ‘seasonal’ during allergy season.  As we’ve covered kale and buckwheat so far - and I’m sure you have an idea of what to do with dill and cilantro - the following are some foods that you might find more readily this time of year that I’d like to highlight:

Capers

These savory-salty gems are the brined, unopened flower buds of the Caper Bush (Capparis spinosa) native to the Mediterranean. I just love them for adding umami flavor to devilled eggs, to use in a Greek salad when you don’t have olives, as a critical component of Pasta Puntanesca, or to make a wonderful Herb Vinaigrette or Parsley Gremolata. Who knew I was loading up on quercetin when I was concocting these?!  If you've never used them, its worth getting to know these allergy-friendly superstars. 

Lovage in Spring

Lovage

I grow lovage in my Portland garden, and it’s pushing up its beautiful green leaves just in time! This celery-like herb is a great addition to the kitchen, and I often use the leaves as a substitute for celery or parsley.  In fact the gremolata recipe above would be great with lovage – I might just have to try that for lunch! You can also wait until the hollow stalks are larger and use them as straws for refreshing summer coolers or a piquant bloody Mary.

Onions

Onions, especially red ones, have a good dose of quercetin - however this is mostly concentrated in the skin and the layer close to it, along with the area near the stem end. So one of the best ways to use (and gain from) these otherwise composted parts is to so make veggie stock with cut, whole onions – such as this recipe by The CrisperWhisperer.  Other ways to load up on onions are with the Quick Pickled variety, or add savory Unctuous Onion Base to some veggie broth for a wonderful soup base.

There was so much “eating for spring allergies” information that I want to share with you that its spilled into yet another post! So stay tuned from some recipes inspired by my research into quercetin, as well as some herbs that would make great spring tonic teas… Until then, check out some of these allergy-fishing foods.

DISCLAIMER: The contents provided by Very Good Food ~ For Goodness Sake are for educational purposes only, and is in no way intended to substitute for the advice of a health care professional. I encourage you to be skeptical and critical of any internet-sources of information. If you are taking prescription medication or have a chronic condition, consult a physician or a qualified medical herbalist to ensure that you get the best, most relevant care for you.

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[i] Wood, Rebecca. 1999. Garlic (Allium sativum). The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. Penguin Compass: New York, NY. p 47-48.

[ii] Wood, Rebecca. 1999. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum). The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. Penguin Compass: New York, NY. p 140-141.

[iii] Wood, Rebecca. 1999. Pineapple  (Ananas comosus). The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. Penguin Compass: New York, NY. p 262-263.

[iv] Balch, Phyllis A. 2002. Quercetin. Prescription for Herbal Healing. Penguin Puntam: New York, NY. P 113-114.

[v] Wikipedia. 9 Feb 2014. Quercetin. Availble at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercetin (Accessed 4 Apr 2014).

[vi]Balch, Phyllis A. 2002. Quercetin. Prescription for Herbal Healing. Penguin Puntam: New York, NY. P 113-114.