The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (27 page)

1½ pounds whole parsnips, trimmed and peeled

1 tablespoon canola oil

• Preheat oven to 500°F.

• Put the parsnips in a baking pan that allows them to fit snugly in a single layer. Drizzle oil over the parsnips and roll them in it until they are coated on all sides. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.

• Turn parsnips, using tongs. Return the pan to the oven. Roast for another 15 minutes.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
151 calories, 29 g carbohydrate, 2.2 g protein, 4 g fat, 6.1 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Radishes, perhaps surprisingly, are yet another cruciferous vegetable. The familiar red, white, or purple radish seen in grocery stores is a spring or summer radish. It is rich in vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium, as well as a good source of vitamin B
₆
, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium. Radishes are also relatively high in fiber.

Radish greens are said to have six times the vitamin C of the roots, and they provide calcium as well. The Oriental radish, also known as daikon, is a larger, winter radish. It is also a good source of vitamin C.

As with the other cruciferous vegetables, radishes contain compounds that show potential in fighting cancer. Daikon also contains an enzyme called myrosinase that is believed to help in digestion and that, in the presence of water, converts to thiocyanates and isothiocyanates, some of which may be involved in the radish's anti-cancer benefits.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (SUMMER RADISHES)
Ten medium raw summer radishes provide 8 calories, 1.6 g carbohydrate, 0.3 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 0.7 g dietary fiber, 4 IU vitamin A, 10 mg vitamin C, 12 mcg folic acid, 104 mg potassium, 11 mg sodium, 8 mg phosphorus, 9 mg calcium, and 4 mg magnesium.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (ORIENTAL RADISH)
One raw Oriental radish (daikon) provides 61 calories, 13.9 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 0.34 g fat, 5 g dietary fiber, 74.4 mg vitamin C, 95 mcg folic acid, 767 mg potassium, 71 mg sodium, 78 mg phosphorus, 91 mg calcium, and 54 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Look for spring and summer radishes at farmer's markets. Choose brightly colored radishes that are smooth and firm and not too big. If you can find them fresh with the green tops on, all the better. Trim off the greens, and store the greens and bulbs separately in the refrigerator. Eat the greens within a day or two; the bulbs will keep up to a week. Radishes don't need to be peeled. Just scrub them before eating.

Daikon and other winter radishes should be smooth and hard, with no soft spots or bruises; they are usually white.

Livit Recipe

20 small colorful radishes, trimmed, scrubbed, and thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into fine slivers

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon agave nectar

• In a salad serving bowl, combine radishes and green pepper.

• In a cup, whisk together the cider vinegar, soy sauce, and agave nectar. Drizzle this dressing over the radishes and peppers. Toss gently until they are well coated. Serve.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
18 calories, 4 g carbohydrate, 0.7 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 0.6 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Rhubarb is a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and calcium, and it also provides some potassium. Rhubarb is very low in calories, and half of its carbohydrates are dietary fiber. Since it is very tart, rhubarb is usually sweetened with sugar when cooked. Its unusual flavor has led to its use in traditional medicine in many regions. It is known for its laxative effect, and the roots were initially cultivated for use as a purgative or cathartic.

More recently, researchers have been investigating rhubarb's potential as a cancer-fighting food. Anthraquinones in rhubarb appear to attack cancer cells in several different ways, including starving tumor cells by interfering with their ability to take in glucose, limiting their proliferation, and preventing metastasis (the traveling of cancer cells to other parts of the body). One rhubarb extract may also help relax blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. Another appears to help constrict
blood vessels, useful for stopping bleeding. Rhubarb also appears to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Rhubarb, however, is a food that not only contains measurable amounts of oxalates, but is actually quite high in them. The leaves are so high in oxalic acid that they are regarded as poisonous, and although they were used in some traditional soups, it is better to avoid eating them altogether. The leaves also contain a second toxin, possibly anthraquinone glycoside, which is thought to be related to its laxative effect. The stalks contain much less oxalate, and these can be eaten by those who are not at risk. However, rhubarb 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 cup of frozen raw rhubarb provides 29 calories, 7 g carbohydrate, 0.8 g protein. 0.2 g fat, 2.5 g dietary fiber, 147 IU vitamin A, 7 mg vitamin C, 11 mcg folic acid, 148 mg potassium, 3 mg sodium, 266 mg calcium, 16 mg phosphorus, and 25 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Fresh local rhubarb is often available at farmer's markets in late spring—sometimes as early as April. Because it's ready so early, there is sometimes a second crop around the beginning of July. Some varieties of rhubarb are still green in color when ripe, but the redder the stalks, the more anthocyanins it is likely to contain, so if you have a choice, buy red ones. Stalks should be firm, glossy, and crisp.

If you buy rhubarb stalks with the leaves on, remember that the leaves are toxic—only the stalks are edible. Cut the leaves off and discard them as soon as you get the rhubarb home. Stored in plastic zipper bags, rhubarb stalks will keep in the refrigerator for two or three weeks. Peel any tough outer strings before cooking.

To crisp rhubarb before cooking, stand the trimmed stalks in a glass of cold water.

Rhubarb freezes well. Wash and trim the stalks, then drop them into boiling water. Boil for one minute, then remove, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking, drain, and pack in plastic zipper bags.

Livit Recipe

¼ cup non-hydrogenated margarine plus enough margarine to grease the dish

2 large bananas, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices

1 pound raw rhubarb, washed, trimmed, and diced
OR
10 ounces frozen rhubarb, thawed

2 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

½ cup whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup graham cracker crumbs (about 6 squares)

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

¼ cup skim milk

• Preheat oven to 400°F.

• Using a small amount of margarine, grease the inside of a 9” pie plate or a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish.

• In a medium bowl, combine the bananas, rhubarb, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon this mixture into the greased baking dish.

• In another medium bowl, combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, and baking powder. Cut in the ¼ cup margarine until the mixture is crumbly.

• In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg, then add the milk. Mix them together and add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients.

• Drop the batter by spoonfuls over the top of the fruit mixture, covering the top as evenly as possible. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

YIELD
6 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
217.6 calories, 31.1 g carbohydrate, 4.2 g protein, 9.6 g fat, 3.4 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Rutabagas are believed to have begun as a cross between a cabbage and a turnip, both cruciferous vegetables. They are also known as “Swedish turnips,” sometimes shortened to “swedes.” Rutabagas are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A and potassium. They are also high in fiber.

Rutabagas are loaded with phytochemicals, including carotenoids, terpenes, flavonoids, coumarins, indoles, phenolic acids, and isothiocyanates. Many of these chemicals are believed to act as antioxidants and cancer fighters; they may also help preserve vision and lower blood pressure.

Cooked rutabagas are somewhere in between our “starchy vegetable” and “true vegetable” categories. They provide about 35 calories per half-cup serving. But they can also be eaten raw, which preserves more of their vitamins A and C, so try them in thin slices as an addition to salads.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One-half cup of boiled rutabaga cubes provides 33 calories, 7.4 g carbohydrate, 1.1 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 1.5 g dietary fiber, 477 IU vitamin A, 16 mg vitamin C, 13 mcg folic acid, 277 mg potassium, 17 mg sodium, 48 mg phosphorus, 41 mg calcium, and 20 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Rutabagas are a vegetable that has historically stored well over the winter. They should be firm and heavy, without soft spots or signs of shriveling. Rutabagas will keep in the refrigerator for three to four weeks. If you want to freeze rutabagas, cook and mash them first.

Livit Recipe

1 rutabaga (2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 cup organic skim milk
OR
1% milk

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• Put the rutabaga into a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover the rutabaga. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the rutabaga is tender. Drain the rutabaga and discard the water.

• In the container of a food processor or blender, puree the cooked rutabaga.

• Heat the milk in the saucepan over low heat. Once the milk is warm, stir in the rutabaga. Add nutmeg. Cook, stirring, for another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve in soup bowls.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
(made with 1% milk) 76 calories, 14.4 g carbohydrate, 3.7 g protein, 0.9 g fat, 3.5 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Traditionally, salsa is made of tomatoes, hot peppers, onions, lemon or lime juice, and cilantro, but you can add any number of fruits or vegetables to it for variety. In diet terms, it is a “free” condiment, that is, the calorie content is so low for the quantities at which it is normally eaten that it's not worth counting.

Ironically, for something that tastes so good, almost all the ingredients have significant health benefits. The tomatoes bring vitamin C and lycopene, the peppers add capsaicin, and the onions bring their Allium-family goodness. Salsa is full of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering, and cancer-fighting compounds. This is one treat it's hard to overdose on!

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One-quarter cup of a typical salsa provides 10 calories, 2 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 0 g fat, 0 g dietary fiber, 125 mg sodium, 54 IU vitamin A, 9 mg vitamin C, 1 mg calcium, and 30 mg phosphorus.

Bringing It Home

If you are buying salsa, choose one that's low in sodium—less than 140 mg per serving. The salsas sold in the refrigerator case will have more fresh goodness and zing than those that are sold in jars on the shelves. The refrigerated salsas are usually uncooked—or less cooked—than what is sold in shelf-stable jars, and they may also have fewer preservatives. But salsa is even more wonderful when you make it yourself. Try adding diced jicama, oranges, pears, or berries!

If refrigerated, fresh salsa lasts about a week.

Livit Recipe

See Handling Jalapeños! on page 86. Remember to keep your hands away from your eyes!

3 medium fresh tomatoes, diced

½ red onion, diced

1 jalapeño pepper, with stems and seeds removed, finely diced (reserve trimmed pepper ribs)

1 serrano pepper, with stems and seeds removed, finely diced (reserve trimmed pepper ribs)

1 lime, juice only

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt

Pepper

Oregano, optional

Cumin, optional

• In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, peppers, lime juice, and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste; add the oregano and cumin, if using. Taste. If the salsa isn't hot enough, dice some of the reserved pepper ribs very finely (remember to put gloves back on) and add just a little at a time to the salsa.

• Let the salsa sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend.

•
NOTE
Sometimes the flavor gets hotter as the salsa sits, so don't go overboard with adding pepper right away.

YIELD
32 servings (2 tablespoons each), or about 3 to 4 cups

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
3.6 calories, 0.8 g carbohydrate, 0.1 g protein, 0 g fat, 0.2 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Scallions are also known as spring onions or green onions. Some scallions found in stores are young onions of the standard yellow or white cooking variety, harvested before they have had time to develop full round bulbs. There are also varieties that
are specifically bred as green onions. The green tops are often used along with the bulb, so scallions may provide more of vitamins A, C, and K than their more mature relations. They are also a source of folate, calcium, and potassium.