Archive for April, 2011

Great Benefits of Asparagus

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

There are lots of vegetables out there, but do we know their benefits? We often know a lot of the benefits of the most popular vegetables, but what about the vegetables that tend to get overlooked, like asparagus? Asparagus is a great vegetable that literally can make a difference in your health.

Did you know asparagus can be used as a detoxifier, anti-aging agent, and aphrodisiac (who knew?)? It is also good for pain, and can even protect against cancer. It can do battle against osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, reduces your chances of getting heart disease, and can help against birth defects. So what doesn’t asparagus do? It seems like the vegetable of all vegetables.

Not sure what to do with asparagus once you buy it? I am including a tasty recipe for asparagus stir fry.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Heat a wok or skillet on medium heat. Drop in your asparagus, mushrooms, salt, and pepper flakes. Let the mixture cook for two minutes. While that is going, whisk stock and cornstarch in a bowl. Add it to what is already cooking and let it come to a boil over high heat. Cook until it thickens and serve. It’s that simple.

You can eat a great tasting meal as well as get all the benefits that asparagus has to offer.

Content ℅: http://hubpages.com/
Photo ℅: http://hubpages.com
Recipe ℅: http://www.asparagusrecipes.net

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Great Okra Recipes

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

When I was growing up up my parents used to have to practically chain me to a chair to get me to eat okra. I just never liked it. As I grew older and my taste buds changed, I learned that I actually like okra – and there are great things you can do with it. My parents just put it in pan and cooked it. But if you take some time and experiment there are many other possibilities.

I have friend who is Indian. She makes an awesome Indian okra dish. It is a quick dish to make; it takes 35 minutes total. And it tastes delicious. I am going to share the recipe with you now.

3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound sliced fresh okra
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Stir in the okra, and season with cumin, ginger, coriander, pepper and salt. Cook and stir for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until okra is tender.

Another one of my favorite recipes is stewed okra and peppers. We ate this a lot in the south. Once again this is a quick, easy recipe that can be served on its on or with something.

1 pound fresh okra, washed, trimmed, sliced
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
salt to taste

Place sliced okra in pan; cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Drain water and add remaining ingredients. Simmer mixture for 15 to 20 minutes longer, until okra is tender. Add salt, if desired, to taste.

Try these to make okra mouthwatering!

Sources:
AllRecipes.com
About.com

Photo: FatFreeVegan.com

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Quinoa as a Complete Protein

Monday, April 11th, 2011

An ancient grain recently came back into use again. This grain, called quinoa, was used by the Incas as a staple diet for strength and energy.

They called it “gold” because it was so good, and therefore precious in their eyes. It gives great strength and stamina. When analysing this grain it is obvious why there are so many benefits, as it is packed with good quality protein.

The protein is a complete protein, which means it has all of the nine essential amino acids that make up a protein. On closer examination it has higher quantities of essential nutrients than most foods. For example, it has an abundance of an amino acid called lysine which is used in your body all the time for tissue repair and building.

This “new” grain is so high in manganese as well as magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorous that it will be perfect for anyone who suffers from migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis. Quinoa also has an abundance of a vital vitamin called riboflavin, or vitamin B2, shown to help migraine sufferers. Most importantly, though, it improves energy metabolism in the brain and muscle cells.

The list of benefits for high blood pressure, diabetes, gallstones, and general prevention is long and complicated; you will need to do more research to find out the specifics. The amazing thing is that this “new” grain can now be purchased at your local health store.

You should purchase quinoa without any moisture. You can see this through the packaging. This will affect how long it will last. The manufacturer usually washes the saponin off the seeds, but a good wash will ensure that there is no excess saponin residue left before you start cooking.

Simply put it in a pot with one part grain and two parts water and you will see how it swells and changes in less than fifteen minutes, which is enough time for it to be cooked. Here are a few ideas for how to serve it. Once you have cooked your quinoa, you can eat it chilled with additional ingredients of your choice to make a salad. This lovely salad you can also season to your own taste. You can also cooked quinoa as a porridge for breakfast. For a twist on your favourite pasta recipe, use noodles made from quinoa. Sprouted quinoa can be used in salads and sandwiches just like you do with alfalfa sprouts. Add quinoa to your favourite vegetable soups. Ground quinoa flour can be added to cookie or muffin recipes as well.

Source: WHFoods.com

Images: Biodiversityexplorer.org

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Eating the Bad-Smelling Durian

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

Durian fruit is known all over Asia. If you can handle the smell, it comes with a taste that is extremely unusual and has been described with anything from deep appreciation to intense disgust. It belongs to the genus Durio and the family of Malvaceae, revered in southeast Asia as the “king of fruits”. It is a very large fruit, has an aroma like no other fruit and has a very thick outer husk which has spikes, making it very difficult to pick.

Depending on the species, the fruit inside could be yellow or red and the outside spiky husk is a greenish brown colour. The edible flesh emits a very distinctive odour which to some is highly offensive, while to others it smells delicious and described as anything from almonds, turpentine and even old gym socks. However the odour is so rank that it has even been banned in some hotels and public transportation in southeast Asia. Scientists are still not in agreement about the reason it smells so bad.

The cells inside make up the edible part and consist of rich glutinous pulp that has been described as having a flavor as rich custard, flavoured with almonds. This flavor has been well explored by the Asian culture and they present Durian in a variety of forms. They make Malay candy, ice cream and they even have there own Pulut Durian rice, which is the glutinous pulp cooked in coconut milk.

There are many different types of presentations of Durian. The red Durian is fried with onions and chillies and presented as a side dish. Even the unripe Durian may be cooked as a vegetable and can also be seen used as a preserve with sugar or salt. When the durian is minced with salt, onions and vinegar it is called a boder.

Durian seeds, which are the size of chestnuts, can be boiled, roasted or fried in coconut oil, but uncooked durian seeds can be toxic. The Javanese slice the seeds in thin slithers and cook them in sugar as a confectionery. Some of the many types of presentations of Durian are even therapeutic and recommended as an anti-pyretic.

Source: Wikipedia

Image: Wikipedia

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