* 1/4 c rice or white vinegar
* 1/4 c water
* 1/4 c sugar
* 1 tblsp , soy sauce, or salt
* 1 chili, minced or tsp chili paste
* about 10 inches cucumber
* several sprigs coriander, finely minced
* crushed peanuts
In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and soy sauce and bring to boil.
Remove from heat and add chili.
Let cool. Meanwhile, slice cucumber in 1/2 lengthwise and slice thinly.
From: Adam Wetstein
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Caribbean Black Bean Soup
Serving Size: 4
In a soup pot or large saucepan, bring the water, coconut milk, and tomatoes (with liquid) to a boil over high heat, stirring often.
Whisk in the Instant Black Beans and season with salt and Tabasco.
Cover, turn off the heat, and let stand for 5 minutes.
Stir well and reheat if necessary.
Serve in soup bowls garnished with cilantro.
NOTES :
* or substitute one can of diced tomatoes plus 1 chopped jalapeno
From: Karen C. Greenlee
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 14 oz can "lite" coconut milk
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes w/green chiles*
- 1 7 oz pkg Fantastic Foods Instant Black Beans [i think we can use actual black beans]
- salt to taste
- Tabasco sauce to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
In a soup pot or large saucepan, bring the water, coconut milk, and tomatoes (with liquid) to a boil over high heat, stirring often.
Whisk in the Instant Black Beans and season with salt and Tabasco.
Cover, turn off the heat, and let stand for 5 minutes.
Stir well and reheat if necessary.
Serve in soup bowls garnished with cilantro.
NOTES :
* or substitute one can of diced tomatoes plus 1 chopped jalapeno
From: Karen C. Greenlee
Summer Vegetable Chowder
from Vegetarian Resource Center - Boston, USA
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/2 sweet red pepper, cut in 1 inch strips
* 1 hot chile pepper, seeded and minced (or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
* 6 ounces tender young okra, caps trimmed and pods sliced 1/2 inch thick
* 2 large tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and chopped; juice included (about 2 cups)
* 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or raw, (about 2 ears)
* 1-1/2 cups cooked black beans, drained
* other seasonings are optional
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
* 1-1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 pinch saffron threads
* seasonings (rosemary, sage, parsely, thyme, oregano, basil, etc)
* 1 tomato cut in wedges, for garnish
Over low flame, heat the oil in a large pot and soften the onion and garlic, stirring.
Add the peppers and cook for about 5 minute, then the okra, and continue to cook, still stirring from time to time, for 5 minutes or more.
Add the tomatoes, corn, black beans, and 1 cup water; cover and simmer for 15 minutes more.
You can serve the vegetable chowder now, simmered briefly, to enjoy it crunchy with bright fresh flavors, or simmer it longer to produce more of a stew.
Thin to taste with more water.
Shortly before serving, season wit h favorite herbs, stirring them slowly into the chowder..
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/2 sweet red pepper, cut in 1 inch strips
* 1 hot chile pepper, seeded and minced (or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
* 6 ounces tender young okra, caps trimmed and pods sliced 1/2 inch thick
* 2 large tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and chopped; juice included (about 2 cups)
* 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or raw, (about 2 ears)
* 1-1/2 cups cooked black beans, drained
* other seasonings are optional
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
* 1-1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 pinch saffron threads
* seasonings (rosemary, sage, parsely, thyme, oregano, basil, etc)
* 1 tomato cut in wedges, for garnish
Over low flame, heat the oil in a large pot and soften the onion and garlic, stirring.
Add the peppers and cook for about 5 minute, then the okra, and continue to cook, still stirring from time to time, for 5 minutes or more.
Add the tomatoes, corn, black beans, and 1 cup water; cover and simmer for 15 minutes more.
You can serve the vegetable chowder now, simmered briefly, to enjoy it crunchy with bright fresh flavors, or simmer it longer to produce more of a stew.
Thin to taste with more water.
Shortly before serving, season wit h favorite herbs, stirring them slowly into the chowder..
Roti bread
Variations on roti are popular throughout the Caribbean and parts of South America, including Guyana and Jamaica. The curry filling can be a potato vegetable curry.
(preparation time-approximately 1 and 1/2 hours)
* 1 cup flour
* dash baking soda
* milk (1 to 4 tablespoons, depending on humidity)
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* salt to taste
* (optional-use combination of flour and ground chick peas)
* corn meal, bread crumbs, ground chick peas, or flour (for cutting board)
* Also-rolling pin + cutting board or similar surface
In a big bowl, mix flour, and baking soda (and salt if you want any)
(Mix with your hands/fingers)
Add 1 tablespoon milk and work the mixture with your hands, trying to make a big ball.
Once you have the dough in a ball, stop adding milk.
Make the dough into 3 balls and let them rest for 10 minutes.
Put the oil in a in a bowl
(so that you can get to it with your fingers.
Roll out the dough on a board covered with bread crumbs or cornmeal or ground chick peas or flour.
Each ball chould make a circle 8" wide.
Don't worry if it's too hard to roll out at this stage; the dough may be tough.
Brush a thin layer of oil over the top surface of the circle and then scrunch it back up into a ball.
Do this for all 3 balls, then let them sit for 1/2 hour to rest.
The roll them out and oil them again.
This time it should be easier, but they may be a little more sticky, so make sure your board and rolling pin are well floured.
Now warm a frying pan with a thick, even bottom to medium heat, no oil (there is already oil on the roti).
Put one of the roti circles in and cook for about a minute.
Turn it and when the hot surface cools a little, wipe it with oil.
When there are some golden spots, the bread is done.
Keep it between 2 plates or under a cloth to keep it soft and warm.
Dump the potato curry mixture on top of the skin and fold the skin around it.
You can eat it with your hands, or if it is too messy, silverware.
From: Arlene Allen
(preparation time-approximately 1 and 1/2 hours)
* 1 cup flour
* dash baking soda
* milk (1 to 4 tablespoons, depending on humidity)
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* salt to taste
* (optional-use combination of flour and ground chick peas)
* corn meal, bread crumbs, ground chick peas, or flour (for cutting board)
* Also-rolling pin + cutting board or similar surface
In a big bowl, mix flour, and baking soda (and salt if you want any)
(Mix with your hands/fingers)
Add 1 tablespoon milk and work the mixture with your hands, trying to make a big ball.
Once you have the dough in a ball, stop adding milk.
Make the dough into 3 balls and let them rest for 10 minutes.
Put the oil in a in a bowl
(so that you can get to it with your fingers.
Roll out the dough on a board covered with bread crumbs or cornmeal or ground chick peas or flour.
Each ball chould make a circle 8" wide.
Don't worry if it's too hard to roll out at this stage; the dough may be tough.
Brush a thin layer of oil over the top surface of the circle and then scrunch it back up into a ball.
Do this for all 3 balls, then let them sit for 1/2 hour to rest.
The roll them out and oil them again.
This time it should be easier, but they may be a little more sticky, so make sure your board and rolling pin are well floured.
Now warm a frying pan with a thick, even bottom to medium heat, no oil (there is already oil on the roti).
Put one of the roti circles in and cook for about a minute.
Turn it and when the hot surface cools a little, wipe it with oil.
When there are some golden spots, the bread is done.
Keep it between 2 plates or under a cloth to keep it soft and warm.
Dump the potato curry mixture on top of the skin and fold the skin around it.
You can eat it with your hands, or if it is too messy, silverware.
From: Arlene Allen
Potato Curry with roti
(total preparatoion time-approx 1/2 hour plus time to wash/chop vegetables)
* 1/4 sunflower oil
* 2 tsp turmeric
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1/2 tsp allspice
* 1/2 ground ginger
* (instead of the above spices, you can use 4 tsp curry powder)
* 1 small onion, cut into small pieces
* 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
* 2 medium sized potatoes, washed, peeled, and chopped into 1/4" cubes
* salt to taste
Additional ingredients, (optional-depending on personal taste and what is available in the kitchen):
I like to add some or most of the following ingredients (if I have them)
* up to 1 cup chick peas
* up to 1 cup sweet potato, nigerian yam, or plantain (if adding these, then
* use less potatoes from above)
* up to 1 cup of red, yellow, or green pepper (cut into small pieces)
* up to 1/2 cup broccoli or cauliflower (chopped small)
* up to 1.2 cup sliced bok choy or cabbage
* 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water
Heat the spices in the oil on medium heat, in either a sturdy, deep frying pan, or a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Cook stiring for 5 minutes, careful not to burn spices.
Then add onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring.
You may have to turn down the heat a little bit so that the garlic doesn't burn.
Then add the potatoes and fry them up for 1-2 minutes, stirring.
This is also the time to add any of the following items:
chick peas, sweet potato, nigerian yam, plantain, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, or cabbage.
Add the water wo that it covers the bottom to at least 1/4" of liquid, (but not more than 1/2")
Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes on medium low heat (the mixture should gently bubble).
Taste for salt and be sure that potatoes are soft.
Add a little more water if necessary.
Serve on rice or scooped onto roti bread.
From: Arlene Allen
* 1/4 sunflower oil
* 2 tsp turmeric
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1/2 tsp allspice
* 1/2 ground ginger
* (instead of the above spices, you can use 4 tsp curry powder)
* 1 small onion, cut into small pieces
* 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
* 2 medium sized potatoes, washed, peeled, and chopped into 1/4" cubes
* salt to taste
Additional ingredients, (optional-depending on personal taste and what is available in the kitchen):
I like to add some or most of the following ingredients (if I have them)
* up to 1 cup chick peas
* up to 1 cup sweet potato, nigerian yam, or plantain (if adding these, then
* use less potatoes from above)
* up to 1 cup of red, yellow, or green pepper (cut into small pieces)
* up to 1/2 cup broccoli or cauliflower (chopped small)
* up to 1.2 cup sliced bok choy or cabbage
* 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water
Heat the spices in the oil on medium heat, in either a sturdy, deep frying pan, or a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Cook stiring for 5 minutes, careful not to burn spices.
Then add onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring.
You may have to turn down the heat a little bit so that the garlic doesn't burn.
Then add the potatoes and fry them up for 1-2 minutes, stirring.
This is also the time to add any of the following items:
chick peas, sweet potato, nigerian yam, plantain, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, or cabbage.
Add the water wo that it covers the bottom to at least 1/4" of liquid, (but not more than 1/2")
Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes on medium low heat (the mixture should gently bubble).
Taste for salt and be sure that potatoes are soft.
Add a little more water if necessary.
Serve on rice or scooped onto roti bread.
From: Arlene Allen
Ají de Lentejas (Bolivian spicy lentil stew)
from Vargas, La Paz, Bolivia
Serves 4. Cooking time: 35 minutes. While this recipe is Bolivian, ají is also typical of Peru/Bolivia/Ecuador and northern Chile, as is the salad that accompanies it, the Sarsa.
For the stew:
* 1 teaspoon of dried smoked hot peppers, ground (you may use chipotles for a very spicy meal, or Chile Ancho for a milder ají. If you have access to Andean Chilis, choose the yellow variety for spicy and the red variety for mild)
* 1 large onion, chopped finely
* 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
* 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1/2 bunch of flat (italian) parsley, finely chopped
* 1 cup of dried lentils
* olive oil,
* salt, pepper
* water
For Sarsa:
* One medium tomato, julienned
* 1/2 onion cut in fine, long pieces
* a handful of flat parsley, finely chopped
* The juice of 1 lime and salt to taste
Sarsa: Mix ingredients, and set aside--the longer this sits, the more the lime juice infuses everything with its flavor.
To cook the lentils: place in saucepan, cover with water, add salt, 1/2 garlic clove and oil. Bring to a boil and then bring the heat down to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Drain and remove the garlic. Set aside
While the lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Fry the garlic and the parsley at medium heat until the garlic is golden. Add the chopped onion until the onions become shiny (this means they're cooked but not yet golden). Add the ground hot pepper and a splash of water. Let the Aji cook for 1 minute. Keep stirring. Add the chopped tomatoes, 1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 25 mintues at low-medium heat. Add lentils and mix with sauce. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Serve with white rice and top with 1-2 spoons of sarsa
There are many many variations you can do with this basic stew-replace the lentils with garbanzo beans, seitan, fava beans. You may also make the stew spicier and counter that with the sweetness of cooked ripe plantains instead of beans. This is called "Ají de plátano". Be creative. Any legume that absorbs flavor well and is not overwhelming with its own flavor would work (black beans, because they are so flavorful, don't work very well).
Serves 4. Cooking time: 35 minutes. While this recipe is Bolivian, ají is also typical of Peru/Bolivia/Ecuador and northern Chile, as is the salad that accompanies it, the Sarsa.
For the stew:
* 1 teaspoon of dried smoked hot peppers, ground (you may use chipotles for a very spicy meal, or Chile Ancho for a milder ají. If you have access to Andean Chilis, choose the yellow variety for spicy and the red variety for mild)
* 1 large onion, chopped finely
* 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
* 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1/2 bunch of flat (italian) parsley, finely chopped
* 1 cup of dried lentils
* olive oil,
* salt, pepper
* water
For Sarsa:
* One medium tomato, julienned
* 1/2 onion cut in fine, long pieces
* a handful of flat parsley, finely chopped
* The juice of 1 lime and salt to taste
Sarsa: Mix ingredients, and set aside--the longer this sits, the more the lime juice infuses everything with its flavor.
To cook the lentils: place in saucepan, cover with water, add salt, 1/2 garlic clove and oil. Bring to a boil and then bring the heat down to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Drain and remove the garlic. Set aside
While the lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Fry the garlic and the parsley at medium heat until the garlic is golden. Add the chopped onion until the onions become shiny (this means they're cooked but not yet golden). Add the ground hot pepper and a splash of water. Let the Aji cook for 1 minute. Keep stirring. Add the chopped tomatoes, 1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 25 mintues at low-medium heat. Add lentils and mix with sauce. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Serve with white rice and top with 1-2 spoons of sarsa
There are many many variations you can do with this basic stew-replace the lentils with garbanzo beans, seitan, fava beans. You may also make the stew spicier and counter that with the sweetness of cooked ripe plantains instead of beans. This is called "Ají de plátano". Be creative. Any legume that absorbs flavor well and is not overwhelming with its own flavor would work (black beans, because they are so flavorful, don't work very well).
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Caribbean Baked Tofu Cutlets
Serving Size: 4
1 pound firm tofu -- sliced 1-inch thick
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon grated onion
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons coconut extract
Press tofu slices between two pans for one to two hours to squeeze out the water and compress the tofu.
While tofu is draining, combine remaining ingredients.
Mix well and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350¡ F.
Lightly oil a 7 x 11-inch baking pan or spray with a nonstick cooking spray.
Spoon about a third of the sauce into prepared pan.
Place pressed tofu on sauce and top with remaining sauce.
Bake uncovered, 45 minutes.
Per serving (excluding unknown items):
186 Calories; 10g Fat (44% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 426mg Sodium
from The Meatless Gourmet:
Easy Lowfat Favorites
by Bobbie Hinman
1 pound firm tofu -- sliced 1-inch thick
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon grated onion
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons coconut extract
Press tofu slices between two pans for one to two hours to squeeze out the water and compress the tofu.
While tofu is draining, combine remaining ingredients.
Mix well and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350¡ F.
Lightly oil a 7 x 11-inch baking pan or spray with a nonstick cooking spray.
Spoon about a third of the sauce into prepared pan.
Place pressed tofu on sauce and top with remaining sauce.
Bake uncovered, 45 minutes.
Per serving (excluding unknown items):
186 Calories; 10g Fat (44% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 426mg Sodium
from The Meatless Gourmet:
Easy Lowfat Favorites
by Bobbie Hinman
Caribbean Vegetable Stew
from Vegetarian Resource Center - Boston, USA
2 cups chopped onions
vegetable broth for sauteeing
3 cups chopped cabbage
1 fresh chile, minced (seeded for a milder "hot")
or 1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
2 cups water
3 cups diced sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes
salt to taste
2 cups undrained fresh or canned tomatoes
2 cups sliced okra
3 tbls. fresh lime juice (or kalamansi)
2 tbls. chopped fresh cilantro
chopped peanuts (optional)
sprigs of cilantro (optional)
In a nonreactive pot, saute the onions in the broth on medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes.
Add the cabbage and the chile or cayenne and continue to saute, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes.
Add the grated ginger and the water, cover the pot, and bring to a boil.
Stir in the sweet potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and simmer for 5 or 6 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender.
Add the tomatoes, okra, and lime juice.
Simmer until all of the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro and add more salt to taste.
Sprinkle the stew with chopped peanuts.
Top with a few sprigs of cilantro, if you like.
2 cups chopped onions
vegetable broth for sauteeing
3 cups chopped cabbage
1 fresh chile, minced (seeded for a milder "hot")
or 1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
2 cups water
3 cups diced sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes
salt to taste
2 cups undrained fresh or canned tomatoes
2 cups sliced okra
3 tbls. fresh lime juice (or kalamansi)
2 tbls. chopped fresh cilantro
chopped peanuts (optional)
sprigs of cilantro (optional)
In a nonreactive pot, saute the onions in the broth on medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes.
Add the cabbage and the chile or cayenne and continue to saute, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes.
Add the grated ginger and the water, cover the pot, and bring to a boil.
Stir in the sweet potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and simmer for 5 or 6 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender.
Add the tomatoes, okra, and lime juice.
Simmer until all of the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro and add more salt to taste.
Sprinkle the stew with chopped peanuts.
Top with a few sprigs of cilantro, if you like.
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup
6 red peppers, destemmed, deseeded, and cut into quarters lengthwise
olive oil
3 cups potatoes, peeled, and diced
2 cups red onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 T. olive oil
1 T. garlic, minced
1 T. chili powder
1 T. paprika
1 t. salt
1/8 t. white pepper
1/4 cup unbleached flour
4 cups vegetable stock, divided
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 cup soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice
Place the red peppers, skin side up, on a cookie sheet. Using your fingers, coat the skins with a little of the olive oil. Place the peppers under the broiler and broil for several minutes or until the skin has charred and blackened. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, place the peppers in a brown bag, and allow them to cool in the bag for 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag, remove and discard the blackened skins, place the peppers on a plate, and set aside.
In a large pot, saute the potato, red onion, and celery in olive oil for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and soft. Add the garlic, chili powder, paprika, salt, and white pepper, and saute an additional 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the vegetables, stir well, and cook an additional 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat.
Transfer the roasted red peppers and sauteed vegetables to a food processor. Add 1 cup vegetable stock and puree until smooth. Transfer the puree back to the large pot, add the remaining vegetable stock and sherry, and simmer over low heat until heated through. Stir in the soy milk, taste, and adjust the seasonings as needed.
olive oil
3 cups potatoes, peeled, and diced
2 cups red onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 T. olive oil
1 T. garlic, minced
1 T. chili powder
1 T. paprika
1 t. salt
1/8 t. white pepper
1/4 cup unbleached flour
4 cups vegetable stock, divided
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 cup soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice
Place the red peppers, skin side up, on a cookie sheet. Using your fingers, coat the skins with a little of the olive oil. Place the peppers under the broiler and broil for several minutes or until the skin has charred and blackened. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, place the peppers in a brown bag, and allow them to cool in the bag for 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag, remove and discard the blackened skins, place the peppers on a plate, and set aside.
In a large pot, saute the potato, red onion, and celery in olive oil for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and soft. Add the garlic, chili powder, paprika, salt, and white pepper, and saute an additional 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the vegetables, stir well, and cook an additional 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat.
Transfer the roasted red peppers and sauteed vegetables to a food processor. Add 1 cup vegetable stock and puree until smooth. Transfer the puree back to the large pot, add the remaining vegetable stock and sherry, and simmer over low heat until heated through. Stir in the soy milk, taste, and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Basic Nutrition 1
The first thing you need to know about nutrition is that it doesn't have to be intimidating.
On this page we will take you through some basic nutritional information and procedures on how to incorporate healthy eating into your life.
Don't try and understand it all!
People may see all the new research about every single little nutrient and vitamin and miracle pill that comes along and wonder how they can ever understand it all. Don't even try because you really don't need to know it all.
Step 1 - Understand the basics.
There are three major nutrients that you eat every day. This table will show you what they are, how many calories are in one gram of each, what their primary function in the body is and what foods they are found in.
Water:
Water is not often thought of as a nutrient but it is essential to all bodily functions and processes. Without water you would die. It is important to drink plenty of water throughout the day. The amount of water you need will depend on your body size, bodyfat percentage, activity level, climate and more.
Fiber:
Fiber is an essential part of your diet. It is an indigestible component of many natural-state carbohydrate foods such as grains. Fiber helps to move food through your digestive system as well as keeping you regular and helping you feel full after eating.
Step 2 - Use the Basics.
Once you know what the basics are, it is up to you to use that knowledge in your everyday eating habits. Here are some pointers to help guide you.
On this page we will take you through some basic nutritional information and procedures on how to incorporate healthy eating into your life.
Don't try and understand it all!
People may see all the new research about every single little nutrient and vitamin and miracle pill that comes along and wonder how they can ever understand it all. Don't even try because you really don't need to know it all.
Step 1 - Understand the basics.
There are three major nutrients that you eat every day. This table will show you what they are, how many calories are in one gram of each, what their primary function in the body is and what foods they are found in.
| Nutrient | Cal/gram | Function | Foods Found In |
| Protein | 4 |
| Eggs, meats, fish, beans, dairy products, soy. |
| Carbohydrates | 4 |
| Grains, pastas, cereals, breads, vegetables, fruits, corn syrup, anything with sugar in it. |
| Fat | 9 |
| All oils (e.g. olive, peanut, canola, vegetable), butter, margarine, meats, junk food. |
Water:
Water is not often thought of as a nutrient but it is essential to all bodily functions and processes. Without water you would die. It is important to drink plenty of water throughout the day. The amount of water you need will depend on your body size, bodyfat percentage, activity level, climate and more.
Fiber:
Fiber is an essential part of your diet. It is an indigestible component of many natural-state carbohydrate foods such as grains. Fiber helps to move food through your digestive system as well as keeping you regular and helping you feel full after eating.
Step 2 - Use the Basics.
Once you know what the basics are, it is up to you to use that knowledge in your everyday eating habits. Here are some pointers to help guide you.
- Eat foods that are unprocessed as much as possible. When foods are processed they lose nutritional value. Eating foods close to their natural state will give you the most benefits. Try to stay away from junk food. You know what constitutes junk food. Reducing the amount that you eat will have a huge impact on your health and well-being.
- Limit your eating of refined foods that have fat, salt and sugar in them.
- Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day and drink plenty of water.
- Breakfast should be your largest meal of the day. This gives your body the whole day to burn those calories. Dinner should be the smallest meal. Eating large amounts at night invariably leads to fat gain as your body doesn't have time to burn the calories before shutting down for the night. Eating then going to sleep is how sumo wrestlers attain their great size! Breakfast should be the largest meal of the day.
Carrot Salad Sandwich
from the The Wellness Lowfat Cookbook by the Univ. of California at Berkeley.
OPEN-FACED CARROT SALAD SANDWICH
1/2 small banana, peeled
1 cup shredded carrots
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp grated lemon zest
2 Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
1 slice whole-grain pumpernickel bread
2 thin unpeeled apple slices
Mash the banana in a small bowl. Add the carrots, lemon juice and
lemon zest, and stir to combine.
Place the lettuce on the bread, top with the carrot salad
and apple slices.
Per serving: 175 cal, 1g total fat, 0.1g sat fat, 0 mg chol,
193 mg sodium.
OPEN-FACED CARROT SALAD SANDWICH
1/2 small banana, peeled
1 cup shredded carrots
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp grated lemon zest
2 Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
1 slice whole-grain pumpernickel bread
2 thin unpeeled apple slices
Mash the banana in a small bowl. Add the carrots, lemon juice and
lemon zest, and stir to combine.
Place the lettuce on the bread, top with the carrot salad
and apple slices.
Per serving: 175 cal, 1g total fat, 0.1g sat fat, 0 mg chol,
193 mg sodium.
5 Low-Fat Cooking Techniques
by Sang An
Low-Fat Cooking Method: Puree
To say that something this creamy is good for you may sound dishonest. But it’s no lie. When you puree vegetables, they go from ordinary to velvety with the touch of a button.
Pureeing involves two basic steps: simmering the vegetables (say, squash or broccoli, sweet potatoes or cauliflower) until they’re tender, and blending them with broth until they’re smooth. (Adjusting the amount of broth determines whether you end up with a soup or a side dish.) If you want to put a little olive oil in your puree, fine. Wendy Bazilian, R.D., doctor of public health, and a nutrition specialist at the Golden Door Spa in Escondido, California, explains that eating low-fat isn’t just about avoiding fat. “It’s about choosing fats intelligently,” she says, adding that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommend that fewer than 35 percent of calories come from fat.
Tool Kit
Food processors are terrific for chopping, but for a really smooth puree you’ll need to pull out the blender. If you’re using a traditional countertop model, whir hot vegetables in batches, filling the jar only halfway — unless you want to spend the night cleaning the ceiling. A time-saving alternative is an immersion blender. Basically a blender on a stick, it can be placed directly into a pot of hot liquid.
The Finishing Touch
To make a puree even more enticing, add a garnish. Choose something with a contrasting texture and color, like pumpkin seeds or fresh herbs. Chopping the seeds distributes the crunch and makes a small sprinkle seem like an abundance; heating the seeds brings out their flavor and aroma.
Low-Fat Cooking Method: Broil
Because it doesn’t require cooking oil, broiling is a great way to cook healthfully. It works particularly well with thin, lean cuts of meat, which cook through before they dry out.
Chicken cutlets, thin cuts of pork, and fish are perfect candidates. Low-fat cuts sometimes lack flavor, so you may want to compensate by using a marinade, a glaze, or a spice paste. Nutrition specialist Wendy Bazilian, R.D., suggests looking beyond traditional American ingredients and exploring other cuisines for low-fat condiments, like hoisin sauce and rice vinegar. A plus: Less than 10 minutes of a broiler’s intense heat creates something that’s too often lacking in low-fat cooking — a crispy crust.
Tool Kit
A broiler pan has two parts: a slotted tray and a pan the tray rests on. The slots siphon off any fat that drips off the food. If you don’t have a broiler pan, you can place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. To avoid hours of soaking and scrubbing, line the pan or sheet with foil.
The Finishing Touch
To reinforce the flavor of the marinade or glaze, baste the food frequently during broiling using a pastry brush or a paintbrush (a new one, of course). If you’re serving the liquid with the meal, be sure to set some aside before you baste so you don’t contaminate the cooked food with bacteria from the raw meat.
Low-Fat Cooking Method: Steam
Steaming has a nutritional advantage besides requiring no fat. “It retains among the highest amounts of nutrients of any cooking technique,” nutrition specialist Wendy Bazilian, R.D., says. Steaming creates a closed environment that envelops the ingredients in moisture.
Tool Kit
The standard steaming setup consists of a collapsible metal basket in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. For a makeshift version, place a small heatproof bowl upside down in a deep pot, add 1/2 inch of water, and balance a small heatproof plate on top. Place the food on the plate, then cover the pot with its lid. If you steam often and in large amounts, consider a bamboo steamer; its large, stackable trays allow you to steam fish on one layer, vegetables on another.
The Finishing Touch
Drizzling a few drops of olive oil over steamed food just before serving will impart far more flavor than sautéing the ingredients in an entire tablespoon of fat. Splurge on extra-virgin olive oil, and use a pour-spout (a standard bartender’s tool, available at kitchen stores) to ensure a judicious pour.
Low-Fat Cooking Method: Poach
When you poach, the liquid gives an exceptionally tender texture to the food, which in turn infuses the liquid with its own flavor.
To poach, place chicken or fish in a large, shallow pan, add just enough water or broth to cover it, simmer gently so that only a stray bubble breaks the surface, and wait while the house fills with a wonderful aroma. (If you’re making chicken, you can keep the meal on the skinny by removing the skin before you poach it. “You immediately cut the fat grams by more than half,” nutrition specialist Wendy Bazilian, R.D., says.) Instead of pouring the cooking liquid down the drain, turn it into soup by adding vegetables and perhaps some pasta for substance. Recent research indicates that when people eat soup, they tend to fill up quickly due to the volume of liquid. As a result, they consume fewer calories overall without feeling deprived. “That psychological satisfaction,” Bazilian says, “is very, very important.”
Tool Kit
You’ll need two things: a saucepan that’s deep enough to submerge the ingredients and a watchful eye, so that only an occasional bubble breaks the surface (cooking meat at a rolling boil will make it tough).
The Finishing Touch
It takes only a modest amount of a highly flavorful ingredient, like Parmesan, to lend depth to soup. Try grating the cheese using the small holes on a box grater for fluffy, delicate shavings. As Bazilian explains, low-fat isn’t just about reducing but also about asking, What can we add that really boosts the flavor?
Low-Fat Cooking Method: Wrap
A combination of steaming and baking, this cooking method works splendidly with fish and chicken, which dry out easily, because the paper pouch traps the moisture and the juices.
Recent research has found that people who eat baked or broiled fish are more likely to reap the heart-healthy benefits of fish consumption than those who eat it cooked by any other means. As nutrition specialist Wendy Bazilian, R.D., says, “How you cook is just as important as what you cook.” Parchment cooking looks fancy — and sounds fancy, when you use its French name, en papillote — but it’s simple enough for everyday meals. Just place food on a piece of paper, wrap it up, and put it in the oven. When it’s ready, as you pull away the crinkly, slightly burnished edges of the parcels, you’ll feel almost as if you’re unwrapping a gift.
Tool Kit
Waterproof and oven-safe, parchment paper is the perfect packaging for this cooking method (look for it near the plastic wrap). Don’t substitute wax paper, which shouldn’t be directly exposed to heat. If the seams start to unfold as soon as you let go, use a lemon half or a carrot as a paperweight.
The Finishing Touch
The ingredients for a parchment package are limited only by your imagination. Use a different fish. Add some olives. Try asparagus instead of fennel, potatoes in place of beans. Whatever your creation, include a variety of colors as well as some fresh herbs, finely chopped garlic, or thinly sliced fresh ginger.
Low-Fat Cooking Method: Puree
To say that something this creamy is good for you may sound dishonest. But it’s no lie. When you puree vegetables, they go from ordinary to velvety with the touch of a button.
Pureeing involves two basic steps: simmering the vegetables (say, squash or broccoli, sweet potatoes or cauliflower) until they’re tender, and blending them with broth until they’re smooth. (Adjusting the amount of broth determines whether you end up with a soup or a side dish.) If you want to put a little olive oil in your puree, fine. Wendy Bazilian, R.D., doctor of public health, and a nutrition specialist at the Golden Door Spa in Escondido, California, explains that eating low-fat isn’t just about avoiding fat. “It’s about choosing fats intelligently,” she says, adding that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommend that fewer than 35 percent of calories come from fat.
Tool Kit
Food processors are terrific for chopping, but for a really smooth puree you’ll need to pull out the blender. If you’re using a traditional countertop model, whir hot vegetables in batches, filling the jar only halfway — unless you want to spend the night cleaning the ceiling. A time-saving alternative is an immersion blender. Basically a blender on a stick, it can be placed directly into a pot of hot liquid.
The Finishing Touch
To make a puree even more enticing, add a garnish. Choose something with a contrasting texture and color, like pumpkin seeds or fresh herbs. Chopping the seeds distributes the crunch and makes a small sprinkle seem like an abundance; heating the seeds brings out their flavor and aroma.
Low-Fat Cooking Method: Broil
Because it doesn’t require cooking oil, broiling is a great way to cook healthfully. It works particularly well with thin, lean cuts of meat, which cook through before they dry out.
Chicken cutlets, thin cuts of pork, and fish are perfect candidates. Low-fat cuts sometimes lack flavor, so you may want to compensate by using a marinade, a glaze, or a spice paste. Nutrition specialist Wendy Bazilian, R.D., suggests looking beyond traditional American ingredients and exploring other cuisines for low-fat condiments, like hoisin sauce and rice vinegar. A plus: Less than 10 minutes of a broiler’s intense heat creates something that’s too often lacking in low-fat cooking — a crispy crust.
Tool Kit
A broiler pan has two parts: a slotted tray and a pan the tray rests on. The slots siphon off any fat that drips off the food. If you don’t have a broiler pan, you can place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. To avoid hours of soaking and scrubbing, line the pan or sheet with foil.
The Finishing Touch
To reinforce the flavor of the marinade or glaze, baste the food frequently during broiling using a pastry brush or a paintbrush (a new one, of course). If you’re serving the liquid with the meal, be sure to set some aside before you baste so you don’t contaminate the cooked food with bacteria from the raw meat.
Low-Fat Cooking Method: Steam
Steaming has a nutritional advantage besides requiring no fat. “It retains among the highest amounts of nutrients of any cooking technique,” nutrition specialist Wendy Bazilian, R.D., says. Steaming creates a closed environment that envelops the ingredients in moisture.
Tool Kit
The standard steaming setup consists of a collapsible metal basket in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. For a makeshift version, place a small heatproof bowl upside down in a deep pot, add 1/2 inch of water, and balance a small heatproof plate on top. Place the food on the plate, then cover the pot with its lid. If you steam often and in large amounts, consider a bamboo steamer; its large, stackable trays allow you to steam fish on one layer, vegetables on another.
The Finishing Touch
Drizzling a few drops of olive oil over steamed food just before serving will impart far more flavor than sautéing the ingredients in an entire tablespoon of fat. Splurge on extra-virgin olive oil, and use a pour-spout (a standard bartender’s tool, available at kitchen stores) to ensure a judicious pour.
Low-Fat Cooking Method: Poach
When you poach, the liquid gives an exceptionally tender texture to the food, which in turn infuses the liquid with its own flavor.
To poach, place chicken or fish in a large, shallow pan, add just enough water or broth to cover it, simmer gently so that only a stray bubble breaks the surface, and wait while the house fills with a wonderful aroma. (If you’re making chicken, you can keep the meal on the skinny by removing the skin before you poach it. “You immediately cut the fat grams by more than half,” nutrition specialist Wendy Bazilian, R.D., says.) Instead of pouring the cooking liquid down the drain, turn it into soup by adding vegetables and perhaps some pasta for substance. Recent research indicates that when people eat soup, they tend to fill up quickly due to the volume of liquid. As a result, they consume fewer calories overall without feeling deprived. “That psychological satisfaction,” Bazilian says, “is very, very important.”
Tool Kit
You’ll need two things: a saucepan that’s deep enough to submerge the ingredients and a watchful eye, so that only an occasional bubble breaks the surface (cooking meat at a rolling boil will make it tough).
The Finishing Touch
It takes only a modest amount of a highly flavorful ingredient, like Parmesan, to lend depth to soup. Try grating the cheese using the small holes on a box grater for fluffy, delicate shavings. As Bazilian explains, low-fat isn’t just about reducing but also about asking, What can we add that really boosts the flavor?
Low-Fat Cooking Method: Wrap
A combination of steaming and baking, this cooking method works splendidly with fish and chicken, which dry out easily, because the paper pouch traps the moisture and the juices.
Recent research has found that people who eat baked or broiled fish are more likely to reap the heart-healthy benefits of fish consumption than those who eat it cooked by any other means. As nutrition specialist Wendy Bazilian, R.D., says, “How you cook is just as important as what you cook.” Parchment cooking looks fancy — and sounds fancy, when you use its French name, en papillote — but it’s simple enough for everyday meals. Just place food on a piece of paper, wrap it up, and put it in the oven. When it’s ready, as you pull away the crinkly, slightly burnished edges of the parcels, you’ll feel almost as if you’re unwrapping a gift.
Tool Kit
Waterproof and oven-safe, parchment paper is the perfect packaging for this cooking method (look for it near the plastic wrap). Don’t substitute wax paper, which shouldn’t be directly exposed to heat. If the seams start to unfold as soon as you let go, use a lemon half or a carrot as a paperweight.
The Finishing Touch
The ingredients for a parchment package are limited only by your imagination. Use a different fish. Add some olives. Try asparagus instead of fennel, potatoes in place of beans. Whatever your creation, include a variety of colors as well as some fresh herbs, finely chopped garlic, or thinly sliced fresh ginger.
Minced Mushroom Salad (Lahb Het - Thai)
From: adam Wetstein
* 10 dried mushrooms
* 1 c fresh mushrooms, diced
* juice of 1 lime
* 4-5 squirts soy sauce
* 1 tsp sugar
* 1-2 tblsp dried coarsely ground chilis
* 2 tblsp roasted ground rice
* 1 stalk lemon grass, finely chopped
* 2 shallots, finely chopped
* 2-3 green onions, finely chopped
* 4-5 bunches coriander, chopped
* 20 fresh mint leaves, chopped
Soak dried mushrooms in boiling water for 10 mins.
Cut off and discard stems; dice heads.
In a small saucepan, combine dried and fresh mushrooms with a few tablespoons water, lime juice, soy sauce, and sugar,
and cook 2 mins over high heat.
Turn heat down to medium, add dried ground chili, ground rice, and lemon grass and cook another minute, until mixture begins to thicken.
Remove from heat, add shallots and stir.
Let sit until cool, then add green onions, coriander, and mint and stir well.
* 10 dried mushrooms
* 1 c fresh mushrooms, diced
* juice of 1 lime
* 4-5 squirts soy sauce
* 1 tsp sugar
* 1-2 tblsp dried coarsely ground chilis
* 2 tblsp roasted ground rice
* 1 stalk lemon grass, finely chopped
* 2 shallots, finely chopped
* 2-3 green onions, finely chopped
* 4-5 bunches coriander, chopped
* 20 fresh mint leaves, chopped
Soak dried mushrooms in boiling water for 10 mins.
Cut off and discard stems; dice heads.
In a small saucepan, combine dried and fresh mushrooms with a few tablespoons water, lime juice, soy sauce, and sugar,
and cook 2 mins over high heat.
Turn heat down to medium, add dried ground chili, ground rice, and lemon grass and cook another minute, until mixture begins to thicken.
Remove from heat, add shallots and stir.
Let sit until cool, then add green onions, coriander, and mint and stir well.
Pecal (Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce)
Origin: Sumatera; Spicy; Serves: 6
* 1/2 pound kangkung, cut into 3-inch pieces
* 1 bunch of watercress, coarse stems discarded
* 1/4 pound chinese long beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 1/2 pound shredded cabbage
* 1/2 pound bean sprouts
* 3 garlic cloves, sliced
* 3 or 4 hot chilies, sliced and seeded
* 1 tsp corn oil
* 1 cup water
* 1 stalk of lemongrass or a 1-inch piece of lemon rind
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, crushed
Note: Use at least 4 of those vegetables.
Blanch the vegetables, separately, in boiling water for 2 minutes each.
Drain and let cool in separate dishes.
In a food processor, blend the garlic and chilies to form a paste.
Heat the oil in a skillet or wok and in it stir-fry the paste over moderate heat for 1 minute.
- Add the water, lemongrass, sugar, and salt and bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the peanuts and cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
In a serving bowl or on a platter arrange the water spinach and cover it with the watercress, then the long beans.
Arrange the cabbage and the bean sprouts on top.
Serve at room temperature.
Pour the warm sauce over all. Serve with krupuk (chips).
* 1/2 pound kangkung, cut into 3-inch pieces
* 1 bunch of watercress, coarse stems discarded
* 1/4 pound chinese long beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 1/2 pound shredded cabbage
* 1/2 pound bean sprouts
* 3 garlic cloves, sliced
* 3 or 4 hot chilies, sliced and seeded
* 1 tsp corn oil
* 1 cup water
* 1 stalk of lemongrass or a 1-inch piece of lemon rind
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, crushed
Note: Use at least 4 of those vegetables.
Blanch the vegetables, separately, in boiling water for 2 minutes each.
Drain and let cool in separate dishes.
In a food processor, blend the garlic and chilies to form a paste.
Heat the oil in a skillet or wok and in it stir-fry the paste over moderate heat for 1 minute.
- Add the water, lemongrass, sugar, and salt and bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the peanuts and cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
In a serving bowl or on a platter arrange the water spinach and cover it with the watercress, then the long beans.
Arrange the cabbage and the bean sprouts on top.
Serve at room temperature.
Pour the warm sauce over all. Serve with krupuk (chips).
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