The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (50 page)

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One ounce of walnut pieces provides 190 calories, 4 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, 19 g fat, and 1 g dietary fiber.

Bringing It Home

Walnuts in their shells should feel heavy, and the shells should be intact. Still in their shells, walnuts will keep for up to six months, especially if kept away from light, heat, and moisture. If you are buying shelled walnuts from bulk bins, smell them to make sure they are not rancid—they should have a pleasant nutty smell. If they are pre-packaged, check the expiration date and try to choose nutmeats that appear to be plump and in good condition.

As with most nuts, walnuts' high fat content renders them susceptible to rancidity. Store shelled walnuts in a sealed container in the refrigerator. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to six months. In the freezer, they will keep for up to a year.

Livit Recipe

4 eggs

1 cup walnuts

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 onion, minced

1 can (15 ounces) peas, drained

Salt and pepper

• Preheat oven to 300°F.

• In a small saucepan, arrange the eggs in a single layer and cover them by 1 inch with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the water has reached a full boil, remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand for about 17 minutes. Drain, and rinse the eggs in cold water.

• Meanwhile, spread the walnuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Toast the walnuts in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until they begin to brown. Remove from oven and allow them to cool.

• In a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil, and sauté two thirds of the onion, stirring often, until the onion is browned and caramelized.

• Put the walnuts in a blender jar, and process until they are finely chopped. Add the peas, the sautéed onion, and the remaining raw onion. Blend until smooth.

• Peel the eggs and cut them into quarters. Add the eggs to the walnut mixture, and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend to combine.

• Refrigerate for several hours or overnight to give the flavors time to meld.

•
NOTE
This is delicious served with whole wheat crackers or matzo.

YIELD
2 cups

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
87 calories, 4.2 g carbohydrate, 3.7 g protein, 6.6 g fat, 1.4 g dietary fiber

8
Sweeteners and Desserts

We all crave a little sweetness in life. Although fruits and dried fruits may satisfy the sweet tooth sometimes, it's amazing what a little honey or a few chocolate chips can do to brighten the palate. The sweeteners included as SuperFoods provide both more nutrients than refined white sugar and a less extreme spike to the blood sugar.

Agave is a succulent plant, one species of which is used for making tequila. Although they are commonly referred to as cacti, agave plants are related to the lily family rather than the cactus.

The sap of some agave plants is sweet enough that native Mexicans called it “honey water,” and it is now used commercially as the basis for a sweetener. The natural sap is a source of iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. However, the agave syrup or nectar currently marketed is heavily processed, and is therefore much more refined than the simple sap.

Agave syrup is 90 percent fructose and therefore tastes very sweet, so less of it can be used to provide the same sweetening effect as table sugar. Depending on
how heavily refined the agave syrup is, it may—or may not—have a better glycemic profile than refined cane sugar.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One teaspoon of agave syrup provides 15 calories, 4 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 0 g fat, 0 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugars.

Agave syrup is shelf-stable and does not need refrigeration. It can be used in place of sugar or other sweeteners in recipes, but a few adjustments are necessary: Because agave syrup is sweeter, use only about ¾ cup of agave syrup where you would use 1 cup of sugar, reduce liquids by one third, and lower oven temperatures for baking by 25°F.

Both light and dark agave syrups are available. The light syrup has a neutral sweetness, whereas the darker syrups have a more distinctive flavor.

Livit Recipe

1 cup agave syrup

1 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 cup sake (rice wine)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 piece fresh ginger root (1 to 2 inches long), grated

1 teaspoon sesame oil

• In a small bowl, whisk together the agave syrup, soy sauce, sake, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Use immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

•
NOTE
This teriyaki sauce is delicious on chicken, fish, or vegetables.

YIELD
48 servings (1 tablespoon each), or about 3 cups

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
22 calories, 1.2 g carbohydrates, 1.3 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 0.1 g dietary fiber

Honey's sweetness comes from fructose and glucose, as well as other complex sugars. It contains very slight amounts of vitamins and minerals, but given the amounts normally consumed, honey cannot be considered a significant source of any of them. For centuries, honey has been used topically for its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One tablespoon of strained or extracted honey provides 64 calories, 17.3 g carbohydrate, 0.1 g protein, 0 g fat, 0.2 g dietary fiber, 11 mg potassium, and 1 mg sodium.

Honey is usually marketed according to the amount of processing it has received. Raw honey is removed from the comb without heating above 120°F and may contain some pollen and wax as a result. Pasteurized honey is heated to destroy yeast and other microbes; pasteurization also liquefies crystals and extends the honey's shelf life.

Honey is sometimes marketed according to the types of flowers from which it was made. Single-flower honeys often have unique flavors.

If honey absorbs moisture from the air, it may begin to ferment, so store it in a sealed container. Kept in a cool place away from light, it will keep for a very long time.

Although honey has antimicrobial properties, it sometimes also contains endospores of
Clostridium botulinum,
which can cause botulism poisoning in young children. Honey should never be given to children under one year of age.

Livit Recipe

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour plus enough flour to dust the oiled loaf pan

¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon salt

1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites
OR
3 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites

cup honey

½ cup strong green tea

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, rolled lightly in flour

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Lightly oil and flour a 9” × 5” loaf pan.

• In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.

• In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, tea, and applesauce.

• Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients, and stir them together until the batter is smooth. Add the walnuts to the batter. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

• Bake for 1 hour, or until a tester in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

YIELD
12 slices

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
(WITH NUTS) 216 calories, 43.8 g carbohydrates, 4.3 g protein, 3.9 g fat, 1.6 g dietary fiber

Maple syrup is an excellent source of manganese and a good source of zinc, though the amount of maple syrup that would be consumed as a sweetener would not provide a significant amount of either nutrient.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One tablespoon of maple syrup provides 52 calories, 13.4 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 0 g fat, 0 g dietary fiber, 41 mg potassium, 2 mg sodium, 13 mg calcium, 3 mg magnesium, and 0.83 mg zinc.

Choose real maple syrup, not “maple flavored” or “pancake” syrups, which are mostly corn syrup. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grading system for maple syrups dates from a time when maple was a cheap substitute for white sugar, so Grade A maple syrup has the most delicate taste and lightest color. At one time Grade B maple syrup was mainly reserved for cooking and commercial use because of its stronger maple taste and darker color—but these factors now make Grade B a popular choice among those who want every calorie packed with flavor.

To substitute maple syrup for sugar when cooking, use three quarters of a cup of syrup in place of one cup of sugar. In baking, also reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by about three tablespoons for each cup of maple syrup.

Maple syrup is especially good on hot cereals and in yogurt. You can also use it in salad dressings, which may allow you to reduce or eliminate the oil.

Livit Recipe

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

• In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, syrup, lemon juice, and olive oil until it is emulsified. Stir in the garlic, and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over salad greens.

•
NOTE
This dressing is especially good on greens with a stronger taste, such as spinach or dandelions.

YIELD
16 servings (1 tablespoon each), or about 1 cup

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
56.7 calories, 7 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 3.4 g fat, 0 g dietary fiber

Blackstrap molasses is a product of sugar-making: It is the syrup that remains after the process has extracted all the sugar that it can. Although much of the sucrose has been crystallized out into sugar, most of the calories in blackstrap molasses still come from sugar. It is also a significant source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. This mineral content is good for building strong bones, maintaining hydration, and lowering blood pressure. The iron in molasses is vital to preventing anemia and producing red blood cells, especially important if one's diet is low in other sources of iron, such as red meat. This nutrient probably accounts for blackstrap molasses' early reputation as a health food.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One tablespoon of blackstrap molasses provides 47 calories, 12.2 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 0 g fat, 0 g dietary fiber, 498 mg potassium, 11 mg sodium, 172 mg calcium, 8 mg phosphorus, 3.5 mg iron, and 43 mg magnesium.

Sulfured blackstrap molasses is made from young sugar cane, processed with sulfur dioxide. Unsulfured molasses can be produced from mature sugar cane, because sulfur dioxide is not necessary for that production process. Since sulfur dioxide imparts a taste that some people find unpleasant and is toxic in large amounts, opt for unsulfured blackstrap molasses when possible.