Recipe: Salmon, Sweet Potatoes & Kale

I love it when a dish comes together without doing all that much planning. This dish was made from a few basic ingredients that I like to keep in the house - namely some frozen fish, root vegetables, and dark leafy greens.

Sometimes a meal can be comprised of three simple dishes, rather than one complex one. It's the way I like to cook and recommend trying it for those that get turned off by elaborate recipes. This meal only took about 30 minutes to make.

To prepare I first diced the sweet potatoes. I coated them in olive oil and thyme and roasted in the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, I sauteed some kale with olive oil and garlic. And lastly seared the wild salmon on a cast iron pan with some coconut oil, cooking 5 minutes on each side.

That's it. Dinner is served.

The truth about calcium

Milk: it's been marketed to us as the holy grail for calcium. Yet for many of us, it's probably not the best place to get calcium in our diets.

"Go to the place where cows get theirs," urged Dr. Anne Marie Colbin, author of the new book A Whole Foods Approach to Bone Health at her free public talk on Thursday. Namely, leafy green vegetables. This was just one of the many useful nuggets of wisdom Dr. Colbin provided to the room full of science writers (and one blogger) in midtown Manhattan.

I was excited to attend this talk after listening to Dr. Colbin as a student at Integrative Nutrition. She's got this great no-nonsense way about her, and is passionate about cooking with vegetables and whole grains. She is the founder of The Natural Gourmet Institute, a health supportive cooking school in Manhattan. Every Friday night the school opens its door to the public, where one can enjoy a three course meal prepared by its students ($40).

On the menu at her school you will find many greens and other foods she recommends eating, namely - root vegetables, protein, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. You also won't find much milk, sugar, white flour, or nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant).

Why these foods? To understand, Dr. Colbin suggests we think of our bones as a mineral savings account. They house 99% of our body's calcium store, 85% of its phosphorus, and 40-60% of its sodium and magnesium. Certain foods (like greens and whole grains) add to our mineral store, while other convenience-oriented foods (sugar, flour) and nightshade vegetables make withdrawals from our store.

An occasional withdrawal is fine, provided one makes the necessary deposits.

Her talk reminded me that we must rethink what we've been told. Namely, that milk and calcium supplements are the solution. For one, most commercially available milk is made from cows that are not grass fed (the place where the calcium is coming from), and has been tainted by growth hormones, antibiotics, and refining. If you need further evidence, look no further than a Harvard Nurses Study that found women who drink two or more glasses of milk per day have a 50% greater chance of bone fractures than those who drink more than one glass per week.

And while good intentioned calcium supplements, don't guarantee that extra calcium will go to your bones. Calcium from these supplements often flood our bloodstream, which looks for any place to deposit it (including our kidneys and other organs), which can cause other health complications.

In other words, stick with the food. And if you forget, remember the innate wisdom of the cow.

*Photo courtesy Theiz on Flickr

Recipe: Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

I've just noticed that it's been a while since I've posted a recipe. In fact, my overall posting has been down considerably in the last month.

With my wedding only three months away, my mind has been focused towards other things. Instead of dreaming up new ways to eat whole grains, vegetables, and legumes, I've been focused on finding a DJ and designing our invitations.

It doesn't mean I've given up on eating well. Rather I'm sticking to simple food preparations and tried and true recipes (e.g. beans and rice, salmon and greens, vegetables and whole grains). These are dishes that I can make intuitively, and almost feel odd posting a recipe.

This dish for Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes is one of my favorites from the last couple of weeks. And regardless of where you stand on cruciferous vegetables, I am confident you will like this recipe. I never liked Brussels sprouts until I tried them roasted. You'll want to make sure they get nicely browned in the oven. They go well with sweet potatoes and quinoa.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and may it serve as a reminder that good food doesn't have to be complicated.

Serves 2

10 Brussels sprouts, buds removed and cut in halves
1 large sweet potato, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 sprigs of thyme or rosemary
1/2 tbsp butter (optional)
1 cup cooked quinoa

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place cut Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes in a small baking pan. Coat with olive oil, sea salt and either thyme or rosemary. And if desired throw in a few pats of butter. Mix well. Roast for 25 minutes, removing halfway to stir.

3. Serve with cooked quinoa

Recipe: Lemongrass Tofu with Green Beans

If you've ever searched for a way to make tofu more appealing, this recipe is for you.

I was inspired to make this Vietnamese dish after finding a great book, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table by Mia Pham. The main ingredient, lemongrass, was conveniently found on the shelves of my local food co-op. I imagine others may have to search a bit harder to find (try an Asian grocery store or natural foods store).

My version is slightly different from the book. I added green beans, replaced sugar with agave nectar, and spiced it up a bit with some Sriracha sauce (a spicy Thai condiment you can find in many Asian restaurants and increasingly in grocery stores).

When using lemongrass, you'll want to peel away the tough outer layers. In fact, you'll probably discard more of it than you'll use. The soft, fragrant center is what you'll want to be cooking with.

Serves 4

2 lemongrass stalks, outer layers peeled, inner white part thinly sliced and finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari (or soy sauce)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (optional)
12 ounces tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
4 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon, minced garlic
1/2 lb fresh green beans, cut in 2 inch pieces, stems removed

1. Combine the lemongrass, tamari, crushed red pepper, turmeric, agave nectar, and salt in a bowl. Add the tofu cubes and turn to coat them evenly. Marinate for 30 minutes. [If you desire a little more spice, I suggest adding some Sriracha sauce]

2. Heat half the oil in a large cast iron skillet over moderately high heat. Add the onion, shallots and garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, add the green beans, a bit of water, and cook for another 5 minutes until cooked (but not too soft). Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

3. In the same pan, heat the remaining oil over moderate heat. Add the tofu mixture and using spatula or chopsticks, turn so it cooks evenly, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Add the onion and green bean mixture and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and transfer to serving plate. Serve with brown rice.

Recipe: Japanese breakfast

Looking for something different from the usual toast or cereal?

Try making this Japanese-inspired dish. I find it a great way to start the day, and also a great use of leftover brown rice. Budget about 30 minutes to prep and cook this meal. You'll be glad you did!

Serves 1-2

2 eggs
4 bok choy stem/leaves
1 carrot, diced
1 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
Sriracha hot sauce (optional)
Sesame seeds or gomasio (optional)

Beat eggs in a small bowl. Separate bok choy leaves from stems. Chop both into bite sized pieces.

Heat oil in frying pan over medium-low heat. Saute bok choy stems, carrots for 4 minutes. Add bok choy leaves, cooked rice, vinegar and tamari and cook for another couple minutes. Remove vegetables and put on plate.

Add a little oil to pan if it's dry, add the eggs, and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until eggs are mostly cooked. Scramble eggs and add to plate. Add Sriracha, Gomasio to taste. Enjoy!

Recipe: Greek salad with feta and olives

I put together this salad for a picnic in Prospect Park this weekend. It was such a hit with my group that I thought I would post the recipe.

I love this salad this time of year as all the ingredients are in season. I think the key to this salad is the addition of herbs, like parsley and thyme, which give it a strong fresh taste. A good quality extra virgin olive oil is nice too (cold filtered, unrefined). Look for these ingredients at your local farmers market!

It is also important to remember this is only a salad. So feel free to deviate from the measurements listed. You can't do wrong with a few more cherry tomatoes or olives. Make it your own creation!

Serves 3-4

1 bunch red leaf lettuce, chopped
1/5 bunch parsley, chopped finely
1 to 2 cucumbers, peeled and diced
8-10 Cherry tomatoes, quartered
8 Kalamata olives with pits
A few springs of thyme
2 oz feta cheese

Dressing (approximate measurements)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup of vinegar (use any combination of red wine and balsamic)
1 tsp dijon mustard
Thyme, dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients for dressing into a small jar. Shake until well mixed. Next, place salad ingredients into a large bowl. Add dressing to salad. Mix and serve.

Recipe: Red Lentil Soup with Mustard Greens and Lime

This recipe is a variation of classical Indian dahl. Red lentils? The bright yellow color of this summery soup comes from turmeric, a great medicinal spice. Enjoy!

Serves 4 to 6

2 cups split red lentils, picked over and rinsed several times
1 tablespoon turmeric
4 tablespoons butter
Salt
1 large onion, finely diced (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 bunch mustard greens, chopped (or other green vegetable)
Juice of 3 limes or to taste
1 cup cooked rice
4 to 6 tablespoons yogurt

Put the lentils in a soup pot with 2 1/2 quarts water, the turmeric, 1 tablespoon of the butter, and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft and falling apart, about 20 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, prepare the onion flavoring:
In a medium skillet over low heat, cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter with the cumin and mustard, stirring occasionally. When soft, about the time the lentils are cooked or after 15 minutes, add the cilantro and cook for a minute more.

Add the onion mixture to the soup, then add the juice of 2 limes. Taste, then add more if needed to bring up the flavors. The soup should be a tad sour.

Just before serving:
Add then last tablespoon of butter to a wide skillet. When foamy, add the mustard greens and cook just long enough to wilt.

If the rice is warm, place a spoonful in each bowl. If it's leftover rice, add it to the soup and let it heat through for a minute.

Serve the soup, divide the mustard greens among the bowls, and swirl in a spoonful of yogurt.

-Recipe adapted from"Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison