Vegan Potato Salad

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celery, cooking, cooking methods, peas, potato, recipe, salad, side dish, snacks, steam, vegan, vegetables, vitamin c

Potatoes are probably one of the most readily available produce out there. They are available all year long, and when prepared correctly, can be nutritious as well. They contain vitamin B6, potassium and vitamin C. Generally, nutrition and taste vary depending on the type of potatoes: from russet to red to purple potatoes, potatoes come in a lot of different varieties.

While everyone have their own concept of the ideal potato salad, I like my potatoes to be a little on the firm side with skins intact (more nutritious). I prefer to use red potatoes, purple potatoes or fingerling potatoes, but feel free to sub the recipe with your favorite potatoes. Be sure to pick organic potatoes, to avoid GMOs.

Here is my vegan potato recipe:

• 1 lbs. organic potatoes
• 1 cup of vegan mayonnaise (I use Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise®)
• 2 tbsp. pickle brine
• 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 11/2 tbsp. Swiss sweet mustard
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 cup thinly chopped celery
• 1/2 cup peas (frozen or fresh)

DIRECTIONS:

1. The best way is to steam whole potatoes, as it retains more of its water soluble vitamins (such as vitamin C) than boiling. But, you can also boil them as an alternative.
   1. To steam: steam potatoes in a large pot ~10 minutes
   2. To boil: cook whole potatoes with water in a pot in medium heat until the water boils. Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Cool the potatoes.
3. If you are using frozen peas, make sure to boil or steam the peas first (~3 minutes).
4. Cut the potatoes into bite size cubes.
5. Add the cut potatoes along with celery and peas in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and mix.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss gently.
7. Cover and refrigerate the potato salad for at least an hour. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

-NZ

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Mushroom and Veggie Pot Pie Holiday Recipe

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Food, holiday recipe, Mushroom, one pot dish, pot pie, recipe, vegetables, vegetarian

With holiday season in full bloom, we can look forward to get-togethers, parties and of course…food. To stay healthy, consider incorporating healthy food into traditional dishes. One great example would be to make a vegetarian pot pie. Plus you are free to add whatever vegetable you have available.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 tablespoon unsalted organic butter (or grape seed oil)
• 1/2 large heads fennel, finely chopped (you can also use celery)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cups of white button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 organic potato, diced small (you can also use squash)
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/4 cup parsely, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup organic milk or milk substitute
• 2 tablespoon white wine
• 1 large egg yolk
• 7 ounces store-bought puff pastry
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter in medium heat. Add fennel, onions, and carrots, and cook until onions are translucent.
3. Add potato to the pan, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Add mushrooms, seal the pan with a lid and let it cook until the mushrooms let off water and are shrunken.
5. Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir to coat, and cook until raw flavor is gone. Then pour in broth and milk, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
6. Remove from heat, add peas, herbs, and wine, and mix well. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the content into a baking pan.
7. Whisk egg  yolk together with 2 teaspoons water and a pinch of salt until evenly mixed. Set aside.
8. Take the defrosted dough out and top it over the filling. Brush dough with egg wash and cut slits on top to vent.
9. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until crust is golden brown and mixture is bubbling.
10. Serve hot!

-NZ

April = Asparagus

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asparagus, cooking, Food, greens, nutrition, recipe, seasonal vegetables, spring vegetables, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

April brings in asparagus season. Asparagus season only lasts as long as the spring and its quality of taste deteriorates fast after picking. Asparagus is best eaten during its fresh season.

Asparagus has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits. High fiber content and umami taste makes asparagus healthy and filling. Compared to other vegetables, asparagus contains the highest amount of folic acid. It is also high in vitamin K, B vitamins, vitamin C and E.

I don’t like eating asparagus by itself so I try to find creative ways to incorporate this healthy veggie into my diet. Below are some tips:

1. Creamy Asparagus Soup
   

   Creamy Spring Asparagus Soup

The taste of asparagus is changed completely when pureed into a soup. It taste refreshing. Whole foods has a good asparagus soup recipe.

2. Asparagus fried rice

Diced asparagus mixed with onions and other vegetables helps me to forget that I am actually eating asparagus. Sautee the asparagus and onions with carrots, corn, and eggs, then add cooked rice to complete the dish.

3. Shaved asparagus salad
   

   Shaved Asparagus Salad from CHOW

Use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice the asparagus into strips. Season it with olive oil, roasted pine nuts, and lemon vinaigrette to make an easy and tasty salad. Check out the recipe from CHOW.

How do you enjoy asparagus? Please feel free to share!

-NZ

Farmers Market

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farmers market, farming, fruits, local, organic, produce, sustainable living, vegetables

SF Embarcadero

Nancy and I spent a sunny Saturday strolling the Embarcadero Farmers’ Market, taking in nature’s abundance and variety while feeling connected to community in a way that isn’t always easy in large cities like San Francisco. Having spent her early childhood in China, Nancy told me how she feels nostalgic at farmers’ markets since they remind her of the shopping trips through outdoor markets that she took with her grandmother as a child. Growing up in a large metropolis like Shanghai, the only time Mother Nature presented herself was through the variety of produce and livestock at the marketplace.

The city living we’re accustomed to often shelters us to the point that we feel like we exist independently from nature, rather than living in a state of interdependence. Farmers’ markets brings our interdependence with nature to the forefront, awakening us to a reality that we’re not always as aware of as we should be.

One thing we took notice of was just how different the experience of shopping is at a farmers’ market in comparison to grocery stores. The individuality of fruits and vegetables are celebrated by farmers, while large grocery stores often discard perfectly good fruits and veggies to maintain an artificial standard of uniformity. Here, we could find a tall wide squash sitting next to a small oddly shaped one, each at home with the other.

Nature’s sensory variety is part of the nourishment it yields.

We’d love for you to share your farmers’ market experiences and how you support local and organic!

-SM & NZ

Simple Shishito Peppers Recipe

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cooking, greens, healthy, recipe, sautee, shishito peppers, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

I love a simple recipe that doesn’t require an a litany of ingredients. Maybe it’s because I tend to cook for myself, or because I am a purist and love to savor the natural taste of each fresh ingredient. That’s why shishito peppers are among my favorites. They taste amazing on their own, and with just 20 calories to a cup, they are a perfect snack! These peppers are also a great source of vitamins A and C.

The recipe below takes less than 4 minutes to cook and has almost no prep time!

Note: shishito peppers are NOT spicy, so if you want some kick, you can add cayenne or other chili peppers for taste.

Ingredients: (serving 1)

• 1 cup of fresh shishito peppers
• 1 tbsp of olive or sesame oil
• 1 lime wedge
• sea salt (optional)

 

Directions:

1. Wash the shishito peppers and pat dry
2. Add 1 tbsp of oil into a skillet and heat the skillet in medium heat until hot.
3. Add the shishito peppers into the hot skillet and cover. Toss the skillet in a circular motion with the lid on, so that the peppers cook evenly. You want them to be charred on one side.
4. Let it cook for ~2-3 minutes.
5. Serve hot and sprinkle lime on top. You can also add sea salt for taste.

ENJOY!

-NZ

Healthy Okra Dish for Outdoor BBQ-Ing and for the Kitchen

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BBQ, dish, Food, grill, healthy, okra, outdoor, recipe, roasted, summer, vegetables

I am happy to see a lot of okra at the farmer’s market lately. I love okra! It’s rich in fiber, vitamin C, folate, and vitamin K. Okra is great food for healthy skin (provided its not fried) and its richness in folate also means it’s great for pregnant women.

One alternative to fried okra and okra stew is roasted or grilled okra. You can prepare this on your grill or in the kitchen. It is light, healthy and the seared taste really complements the okra’s natural flavor, so this is a great way to sneak some healthy veggies into a BBQ day. Below is a simple, no frill recipe for a last minute cooking/grilling.

Ingredients (4 servings):

• 1 lb okra
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper and salt for taste
• Lemon (optional)

In the kitchen:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Rinse the okra, drain and pat dry with a paper towel. Trim away the stem ends and the tips.
3. Place okra in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt to taste and toss with the olive oil until coated.
4. Using a tong, place the okra on a sheet pan in one layer.
5. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, shaking the pan every five minutes. Cook until okra is lightly seared and tender. Drizzle with some lemon juice for taste. Serve hot.

On the Grill:

1. Rinse the okra, drain, and pat dry with a paper towel. Trim away the stem ends and the tips.
2. Place okra in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt to taste and toss with the olive oil until coated.
3. Using a tong, place the okra on a sheet of aluminum foil.
4. In high heat, grill for 10 minutes or until okra is lightly seared and tender (Turn the okra after 5 minutes so it cooks evenly).
5. Drizzle with some lemon juice for taste. Serve hot.

-NZ

Shanghai Cuisine: A Culinary Tour!

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Food, greens, herbs, Shanghai, Shanghainese cuisine, Shepherd's-purse, vegetables

I’ve spent about 5 days in Shanghai visiting sites and seeing extended family. Food is a very central part of Chinese culture, and this is particularly true of Shanghai, a city renowned for its delicacies and street fare like Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings). Food is everywhere and at the heart of every event.

Shepherd’s-purse

During my stay, I’ve encountered a uniquely Shanghainese ingredient that was particularly memorable.

 Shepherd’s-Purse

This vegetable is a member of the mustard family common in Shanghai cuisine. It is often prepared as a stand-alone dish, added into stir-fry, or used as part of wonton fillings. One common dish in Shanghai is a cold plate of shepherd’s-purse cooked with flavored tofu and sesame seeds. It is very light yet very flavorful.

Shepherd’s-Purse cooked with tofu

Medicinally, dried tincture of shepherd’s-purse is also used to stop bleeding and hemorrhaging. Since it is known to help with muscle contraction, shepherd’s-purse is used to help those with low blood pressure and heart failure as well.

Next time when you are traveling or at a Chinese restaurant, see if you can find a dish with shepherd’s-purse and give it a try. I hope you’re as delighted by it as I was.

-NZ

Cancer-fighting Cruciferous Vegetables: Follow-up post to cruciferous vegetable cups with peanut sauce

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anti-cancer, antioxidant, cruciferous, eating healthy, fight cancer, glucosinolate, greens, nutrition, sulfurophane, vegetables

In my last post, I passed on a dinner recipe involving plenty of delicious cruciferous vegetables. This time, I’d like to discuss their many health benefits.

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, arugula, collards and bok-choy get their name from the cross-like shape made from four branches coming off their stems. They’ve also recently gotten some impressive press for having cancer preventive properties that come from glucosinolates, the sulfur compounds that give broccoli and other cruciferous veggies their pungent taste. The most well-known of these is the compound sulfurophane.

Sulfurophane is purported to detoxify cancer-causing compounds before they enter cells. Antioxidants in cruciferous veggies also detoxify free radicals, which are the culprits behind the DNA damage that causes cancer. They’re also proven to have anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Sulfurophane induces cell death in cancer cells. It also inhibits tumor blood vessel formation (which cancer cells need to live and grow), and tumor cell migration (which is how cancer cells spread).

Sadly, studies that show a definitive link between eating cruciferous veggies and a decrease in specific cancers are few and far between. But all cruciferous veggies fall into the “dark-green vegetable” category, and the extensive benefits of eating your greens is well and thoroughly documented.

According to the National Cancer Institute, there have been studies showing that cruciferous vegetables or glucosinolates have an effect on mechanisms related to cancer. An interesting 20 subject study published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association showed that measured levels of oxidative stress levels dropped by 22% when they spent 3 weeks eating 1-2 cups of cruciferous vegetables. This was a significant decrease in comparison to when the same participants took a multivitamin-with-fiber supplement (0.2% drop). Another study found that a glucosinolate called indole-3 carbinol was more effective than a placebo in reducing the growth of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix. (In plain English, that means cauliflower chemicals stopped tumor progression.)

How to Eat Cruciferous Vegetables 

When these veggies are eaten lightly steamed or raw, more of the nutrients remain preserved. When you blend cruciferous vegetables, the enzyme myrosinase is released, which converts glucosinolates to their active version. Consider blending cruciferous veggies and then using them in cooking as a base for stews, soups, curries and gravies.

References

• National Cancer Institute: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/diet/cruciferous-vegetables
• Natural Medicines Comprehensive database: Monographs on Sulforophane and Indole-3 Carbinol
• WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/super-veggies-cruciferous-vegetables
• Super Immunity  The Essential Nutrition Guide for Boosting Your Body’s Defenses to Live Longer, Stronger, and Disease Free, by Joel Fuhrman

Written by Deepa Sannidhi, MD and Bill Lagakos, Ph.D.

Brussels Sprouts and Recipe

Tags

antioxidants, brussels sprouts, cooking, cruciferous, greens, nutrition, recipes, vegetables

As the holiday season approaches, we tend to gravitate towards warm, hearty recipes that remind us of comforting family meals. Cruciferous vegetables are a great way to add heartiness to a meal without adding greasiness. Enjoy our series on cruciferous vegetables with an introductory entry about brussels sprouts!

Brussels Sprouts

You’ve seen them all over the restaurant menu. Maybe you’ve seen them at your local grocery store. Not only are brussels sprouts healthy, filling and delicious, they are easy to prepare. What more could you ask for?

While all cruciferous vegetables are potent disease fighting foods, brussels sprouts outshine kale, broccoli, and mustard greens in terms of their phytonutrient content. They are also rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and antioxidants. Plus, brussels sprouts lower cholesterol by binding to bile acid in the gastrointestinal tract and eliminating them from your body. This is especially enhanced when the brussels sprouts are steamed.

When cooking brussels sprouts, it is important to steam them to maintain their nutritional value. Avoid overcooking as it can lead to the release of an unpleasant sulfurous smell. These sulfur-containing compounds in cruciferous vegetables turn into isothiocyanates (ITCs), proven for their powerful immune-boosting and anticancer effects.

Recipes

• 1 pound small or medium brussels sprouts, trimmed, cut in half
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted olive oil

Directions

1. Fit a large pot with a steamer insert; fill with water to bottom of insert
2. Cover and bring pot to a boil
3. Add Brussels sprouts and season with salt
4. Steam for 6 – 8 minutes and toss Brussels sprouts halfway through until bright green and just tender
5. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and olive oil

-NZ

Watercress and Stir-Fry

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cooking, fry, green receipe, greens, pan fry, receipe, sautee, stir-fry, vegetable receipe, vegetables, watercress

There are many ways to enjoy vegetables, but growing up in my family it’s hard to forget the smell of vegetables in a sizzling wok. It always makes my mouth water and run towards the kitchen in eager anticipation.

Stir-frying is fast, easy and versatile. It’s great for almost anything. Below are just few tips to a successful vegetable stir-fry.

1. Avoid using excessive oil. It is best to start with ~less than a tablespoon of oil
2. When cooking leafy greens, best to pat dry the vegetables to remove as much water as possible before putting them in the wok
3. In general, do not cook the greens for longer than 4-5 minutes

Watercress is great for stir-fries. It is hardier than spinach but requires very little prepping and cooking time. A superfood, watercress is packed with phytonutrients and is renowned for its anti-cancer properties. For details, check out the link on Medical News Today that reports some of the studies done on health benefits of watercress.

Watercress Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of watercress, trimmed and pat dry
• Half onion, diced
• 1 cup of mushrooms
• 4 cloves of garlic, diced
• ¼ cup basil
• Sea salt or soy sauce
• Coconut or olive oil

Preparation:

1. heat 1 tbs of oil in a skillet or wok until hot in medium heat
2. Toss in onion and half of the diced garlic until both are slightly browned
3. Add mushroom and soy sauce and toss constantly for 1 minute
4. Transfer contents into bowl
5. Heat 1 tbs of oil and remainder of garlic using medium heat
6. Add the watercress and basil and toss for 30 seconds
7. Transfer the cooked mushroom/onion into the pan and toss for 1 minute
8. Serve hot