The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (24 page)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 large onion, thinly sliced, with rings separated

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 can (10½ ounces) low-sodium cream of mushroom soup
OR
reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup

¾ cup skim milk

Salt and pepper

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Spray the inside of a 9” × 9” baking dish with vegetable oil.

• Add 1 inch of water to a steamer pot and bring it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, put the green beans into the steamer insert. Steam for about 6 minutes, until they are bright green but still crisp. Remove from heat and drain.

• In a pie plate or shallow dish, mix the flour and salt. Toss the onion rings in the flour and salt mixture until they are well coated.

• In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the coated onions. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy, turning them once or twice. If they start to stick, spray them lightly with oil. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, mix the green beans, soup concentrate, milk, and half of the crisped onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Top with the remaining crisped onions and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
191.7 calories, 34.2 g carbohydrate, 6.4 g protein, 3.5 g fat, 6.1 g dietary fiber

Benefits

What makes hot peppers hot is a group of six acids called capsaicinoids, primarily capsaicin. These compounds likely evolved because they discourage animals from eating the peppers and act as anti-fungal agents. But they have such a powerful and unique effect on the nerves and tissues of mammals, including humans, that they are being studied for a variety of possible health benefits.

Both in the laboratory and in animal studies, capsaicin has been shown to kill prostate cancer cells and to inhibit the onset of tumor growth and cell mutations that might lead to cancer. Some studies have also suggested that capsaicin may have a role to play in curbing obesity and treating type 1 diabetes, because it appears to reduce the amount of insulin needed to lower blood sugar after a meal. It also appears to inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes 80 percent of stomach ulcers. Because of its profound effect on nerves, it is used in a variety of pain-relief therapies. And because it acts on Substance P, which is involved in the body's inflammatory response, it may turn out to be a strong anti-inflammatory. Studies have shown that countries where the cuisine includes a lot of hot pepper have lower rates of heart disease and stroke.

Hot peppers are also high in vitamins A and C, the B vitamins (especially B
₆
), and the minerals potassium, magnesium, and iron.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One raw hot chili pepper provides 18 calories, 4.3 g carbohydrate, 0.9 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 0.7 g dietary fiber, 347 IU vitamin A, 109 mg vitamin C, 11 mcg folic acid, 153 mg potassium, 3 mg sodium, 21 mg phosphorus, 8 mg calcium, 11 mg magnesium, and 0.14 mg zinc.

Bringing It Home

Whether your hot peppers are red, yellow, or green, choose peppers that are glossy and have tight, richly colored skins, with no soft or blackened spots. Keep them in the refrigerator in paper bags or wrapped in paper towels—not in plastic, which tends to allow them to become damp and spoil.

When handling chili peppers, especially the hottest varieties, wear disposable latex (or non-latex, if you are allergic) gloves, and be careful not to get your fingers near your eyes. The hottest parts of the peppers are the central ribs and the pith surrounding the seeds, so if you want a milder dish, trim those parts away. If you're going for fire, be sure to include them!

Livit Recipe

See Safe Handling of Poultry on page 211.

3 to 6 fresh red chili peppers, halved and seeded

1 small fresh ginger root (about 1 inch long), peeled and cut in half

½ lemon, zest only

4 skinless, boneless split chicken breasts (3 to 4 ounces each), cut into ¼-inch strips

6 cups water

6 small red onions
OR
shallots, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

Salt and pepper

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the peppers, ginger root, and lemon zest. Mix for 1 to 2 minutes, until they are well blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, turn the chicken in the seasoning mixture until it is well coated.

• Put the chicken and seasonings into a 3-quart saucepan and pour the water over it. Add most of the onions (reserving a small amount for garnish) and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes, or until the water is reduced and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining onion slices. Serve.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
197 calories, 15.3 g carbohydrate, 29.7 g protein, 1.8 g fat, 2.7 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Jicama is mostly water. It is a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. It also contains inulin, which is partly responsible for its sweet taste. In addition, inulin increases the absorption of calcium, and possibly of magnesium. Combined with the fiber and water found in jicama, these nutrients help both hydration and blood pressure. Although it is a sweet-tasting source of fiber, it does not appear to raise blood sugar or triglyceride levels.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
Three and one-half ounces of raw jicama provides 46 calories, 10.6 g carbohydrate, 0.86 g protein, 0.11 g fat, 5.8 g dietary fiber, 19 IU vitamin A, 24 mg vitamin C, 8 mcg folic acid, 135 mg potassium, 4 mg sodium, 16 mg phosphorus, 11 mg calcium, and 11 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Jicama is an edible root, tan in color, and shaped somewhat like a turnip. Although it can grow quite large, the crisp, sweet taste is best in jicama about the size of a grapefruit. It should be firm and dry. Rootlets should be dry, and the tuber should have no soft or dark spots. Jicama will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks.

Jicama can be eaten raw and is an interesting addition to salads, salsas, and stir-fries.

Livit Recipe

1 fresh lime, juice only

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound jicama, peeled and diced

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

2 scallions, minced

1 cup raspberries

• In a large bowl, mix the lime juice, salt, chili powder, and cayenne. Add the jicama, oranges, and scallions. Toss together gently until the jicama is coated. Transfer to a serving bowl.

• Just before serving, gently rinse and drain the berries, and arrange them evenly over the top of the jicama mixture. (Raspberries are too fragile to mix in with the other ingredients; they would be crushed.) Serve cold.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
85 calories, 20.3 g carbohydrate, 1.7 g protein, 0.3 g fat, 8.6 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Kale is a leafy member of the Brassica genus. As a dark, green leafy vegetable, it is rich in vitamin K. In addition to the benefits typical of the cruciferous vegetables, kale also provides a flavonoid called kaempferol that appears to reduce the risk of heart disease. In one 8-year study, kaempferol, in combination with the flavonoids quercetin and myricetin, reduced the risk of pancreatic cancer by 23 percent.

Kale is rich in the antioxidant vitamins A and C, as well as several carotenoids, including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These compounds help protect vision and lower the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. It is also a good source of B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, and B
₆
, and the minerals calcium and iron.

Kale is one of a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, so over-consumption can cause problems for those with kidney disease, gout, vulvar pain, rheumatoid arthritis, or other conditions that may require a low-oxalate diet.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One-half cup of cooked, chopped kale provides 21 calories, 3.7 g carbohydrate, 1.2 g protein, 0.3 g fat, 1.3 g dietary fiber, 4810 IU vitamin A, 27 mg vitamin C, 9 mcg folic acid, 148 mg potassium, 15 mg sodium, 18 mg phosphorus, 47 mg calcium, and 12 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Kale should have firm, very dark green leaves with no brown or dry spots. Smaller leaves will be less tough and strong-flavored than large ones. Kale is available at farmer's markets in the eastern United States near the end of summer and through the winter in California. Like many greens, it is better fresh, but travels well.

Don't wash kale before storing it in the refrigerator. It will keep for a few days, though the flavor becomes more bitter the longer it is stored. For a less bitter experience, trim away not only the stems but the central vein on each leaf.

Kale, collard greens, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and dandelion greens can all be used more or less interchangeably in recipes. See the entries on those vegetables for more ideas on how to handle and enjoy these nutritional powerhouses.

Livit Recipe

1 lemon, juice only

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup dried cranberries

1 tablespoon pine nuts

1 bunch kale (about ¾ pound with stems), rinsed, with stems and central veins trimmed away, and leaves cut into 1-inch strips

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. Whisk the olive oil in slowly until the dressing is emulsified. Add the dried cranberries and pine nuts to the vinegar and oil.

• In a large salad bowl, combine the kale with the mandarin oranges. Add the dressing. Toss gently.

•
NOTE
You can make enough to last through the week, but keep the kale separate from the oranges and dressing. Combine just before eating for a great quick veggie side to any meal.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
125 calories, 24.4 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 3 g fat, 2.3 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Kelp is included here as an example of the “sea vegetables”—oceanic plants that are eaten in many parts of the world, from Ireland and the Canadian Maritimes to Japan and Korea. They are especially rich in minerals, including calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, and trace minerals. They also contain vitamin A.

Because of the mineral-rich environment of the sea, kelp provides the broadest range of minerals of any food. Kelp is an excellent source of vitamin K, and provides the B vitamins folate, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid. People who eat kelp have been found to have a lower risk of intestinal and breast cancers. Sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine, necessary to healthy thyroid function and the prevention of goiter. If you have stopped using ordinary iodized table salt, you may wish to add sea vegetables to your meals to provide this essential mineral. You can even keep a container of kelp flakes on the dinner table and use it instead of table salt for seasoning foods.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
Three and one-half ounces of raw kelp provides 43 calories, 9.6 g carbohydrate, 1.7 g protein, 0.6 g fat, 1.3 g dietary fiber, 116 IU vitamin A, 3 mg vitamin C, 180 mcg folic acid, 89 mg potassium, 42 mg phosphorus, 233 mg sodium, 168 mg calcium, 2.85 mg iron, 121 mg magnesium, and 1.23 mg zinc.

Bringing It Home

Although kelp is listed as the SuperFood, there are many other sea vegetables, including nori, dulse, hijiki, kombu, wakame, and arame. All are worth exploring. Virtually all seaweeds are sold dried, in tightly sealed packages. They will last for several months if kept tightly sealed at room temperature.

Make homemade vegetable sushi rolls by wrapping rice and your favorite vegetables in sheets of nori. Slice nori into small strips to sprinkle on top of salads. When cooking beans, put kelp in the cooking water. It will expedite the cooking process and improve beans' digestibility by reducing the chemicals that can cause flatulence.

Because of their high sodium content, however, be sure to drink a lot of water to balance out the sodium when eating kelp or other sea vegetables.

Livit Recipe

This recipe calls for two kinds of seaweed. You can also garnish it with powdered kelp.

1 piece kombu (dried kelp), 8” × 3”, brushed clean

½ cup dried wakame

¼ cup shiro miso (white fermented-soybean paste)

½ pound soft tofu, drained and diced into ½-inch cubes

3 or 4 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced

• Fill a deep 2-quart pot with water and soak the kombu in the water for about 30 minutes.

• Put the wakame into a medium bowl, and add warm water until it is covered by about 1 inch of water. Allow the wakame to soak for 15 minutes. Drain the wakame in a colander and set it aside.

• Place the pot containing the kombu over low heat. Cook until the water appears about to boil (with small bubbles along the edges). Remove the kombu from the broth.