The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (54 page)

1 carrot, peeled and diced

2 large leeks, white and light parts only, cleaned and sliced

4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

2½ cups organic 1% milk

Salt and pepper

Dandelion buds and/or flower petals, as garnish

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add greens, carrot, and leeks. Cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes.

• Add stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Whisk in milk. Continue stirring until it thickens.

• Pour the mixture into a blender jar, and puree until smooth. (Be careful, it's hot!) Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into individual bowls, and garnish with flowers or buds. Serve.

•
NOTE
If using mature or bitter greens, blanch them in a pot of boiling salted water and drain, squeezing out the excess water, before chopping.

•
VARIATION
For a tangier soup, add Dijon mustard to taste.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
243.1 calories, 39.2 g carbohydrate, 12.3 g protein, 6.6 g fat, 10.2 g dietary fiber

Endive, which is the second growth of the chicory plant, can be pale yellow or purple in color and has a pungent, bitter flavor. Endive is a good source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, B vitamins, folic acid, vitamin C, and selenium. Endive is rich in compounds that help boost the immune system, detoxify the body, promote regularity, lower the risk of cataracts, and protect the heart.

This crisp, lettuce-like vegetable makes a unique addition to salads. It can also be served as a hot side dish if steamed or sautéed.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One-half cup of chopped, raw endive provides 4 calories, 0.8 g carbohydrate, 0.3 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 0.8 g dietary fiber, 513 IU vitamin A, 2 mg vitamin C, 36 mcg folic acid, 79 mg potassium, 6 mg sodium, 7 mg phosphorus, 13 mg calcium, and 4 mg magnesium.

When selecting endive at the market, choose crisp, firmly packed heads that are white or pale yellow in color. Endive that is decidedly green has been exposed to too much light and may taste more bitter than its paler counterparts. Look for flow-pack clear film packaging, which is made specifically to protect the endive from light and prolong its shelf life.

Store endive in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator. If it is not in a flow-pack pouch, wrap the heads in a paper towel to protect them from excess light and place them in a plastic bag.

When you are ready to use the endive, remove any torn or damaged leaves, trim the bottom, and wash each leaf. If you are using the endive raw, you may want to remove the slightly more bitter core from the head. You can do this easily by cutting the endive in half lengthwise and then cutting away the core. If you are cooking the endive, it is not necessary to remove the core, as it will soften and sweeten with cooking.

Livit Recipe

4 bunches fresh small beets, with stems

removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey
OR
agave nectar

1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon crushed dried thyme

½ cup safflower oil

Salt and pepper

1 pound spring lettuce mix

2 medium heads endive

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

• Preheat oven to 450°F.

• Put beets and oil into a 9” × 13” baking dish. Turn the beets with a spoon to coat. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until tender. Allow beets to cool enough to be handled, then peel and dice them.

• To make the dressing, put the lemon juice, vinegar, honey, mustard, and thyme into a blender jar, and pulse to combine. Continue blending the ingredients, adding the oil gradually until the dressing is emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.

• Put lettuce mix into a salad bowl. Add dressing, and toss gently to coat.

• Rinse the endive, tear off whole leaves, and pat them dry. Arrange 3 leaves on each plate. Top the leaves with dressed salad greens, diced beets, and feta cheese. Serve.

YIELD
8 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
297.2 calories, 24.7 g carbohydrate, 7.8 g protein, 20 g fat, 9.6 g dietary fiber

Fennel is a popular vegetable, spice, and flavoring, as well as an ingredient in traditional medicines. It is one of the key flavorings in absinthe. Fennel contains an anise-flavored compound called anethole, which is a potent antimicrobial against bacteria, yeast, and fungi. A lab study has shown anethole to be effective against some kinds of intestinal worms. Anethole may have some analgesic, or pain-reducing, effects and some anti-convulsant effects as well. Anethole also acts as a phytoestrogen.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One cup of raw fennel bulb slices provides 27 calories, 6.3 g carbohydrate, 1.1 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 2.7 g dietary fiber, 117 IU vitamin A, 10 mg vitamin C, 23 mcg folic acid, 360 mg potassium, 45 mg sodium, 44 mg phosphorus, 43 mg calcium, and 15 mg magnesium.

FENNEL IN PREGNANCY

Because fennel's phytoestrogen effects have not been thoroughly studied, women who are pregnant should avoid over-consumption of fennel or using it as a supplement. Too much fennel may lead to breathing problems or irregular heartbeat.

Look for good quality fennel with bulbs that are clean, firm, and solid, and without signs of splitting, bruising, or spotting. Fennel bulbs should be whitish or pale green in color. Choose stalks that are relatively straight and closely packed around the bulb. Stalks and leaves should be green in color. Stay away from any flowering buds, because this indicates that the vegetable is past maturity. Fresh fennel has a fragrant aroma, smelling subtly of licorice or anise. It is usually available from autumn through early spring.

Store fresh fennel in the refrigerator crisper, where it will stay fresh for about four days. It is best to consume fennel soon after purchasing, since it tends to lose flavor as it ages. Although fresh fennel can be blanched and frozen, it seems to lose much of its flavor during this process. If dried fennel seeds are stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry location, they will keep for about six months. They will stay fresh somewhat longer if stored in the refrigerator.

Livit Recipe

1 fennel bulb (about 1 pound), trimmed and thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and julienned

4 skinless salmon fillets, 1½ inches thick (about 6 ounces each)

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

½ cup white wine

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt

Ground pepper

• Preheat oven to 400°F.

• Blanch fennel and carrot in boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

• Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper, approximately 12” × 16” each, and distribute the fennel and carrot evenly on each piece. Place a salmon fillet on each mound of the vegetable mixture. Top each fillet with lemon slices and chives. Drizzle each fillet with wine and olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

• Fold parchment to enclose salmon in a package, and twist ends to secure. Put the salmon packages on a baking sheet and bake for 14 to 16 minutes. Open a package to check doneness. Salmon is done when its center is slightly translucent.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
242.6 calories, 10.3 g carbohydrate, 23.1 g protein, 10.8 g fat, 4 g dietary fiber

Fenugreek seeds are hard, yellowish brown, and angular. Both Indian Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine recommend it to treat arthritis, asthma, and bronchitis, and to improve digestion, maintain a healthy metabolism, increase libido and male potency, cure skin problems (such as wounds, rashes, and boils), treat sore throat, and cure acid reflux.

Fenugreek also has a long history of use for the treatment of reproductive disorders—to induce labor, to treat hormonal disorders, to help with breast enlargement, and to reduce menstrual pain.

Recent studies have shown that fenugreek helps lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels, and may have potential against diabetes and heart disease.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One teaspoon fenugreek seed provides 13 calories, 2.3 g carbohydrate, 0.9 g protein, 0.3 g fat, 1 g dietary fiber, 2 IU vitamin A, 2 mcg folic acid, 31 mg potassium, 3 mg sodium, 12 mg phosphorus, 7 mg calcium, 1.34 mg iron, and 8 mg magnesium.

Uncooked fenugreek seeds have an unpleasant, bitter taste, so the seeds are usually lightly roasted. Since they are extremely hard, fenugreek seeds are worth buying already ground—even in Indian curries, it is usually used ground.

Livit Recipe

A spicy and nutritious accompaniment to curries.

1½ cups lentils, sorted and rinsed

4 cups water

2 dried chilies, left whole

¼ teaspoon turmeric
Salt, optional

1 tablespoon safflower oil

1 teaspoon water

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 cup chopped onions

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root

1 cup finely chopped fenugreek leaves

4 cups chopped fresh spinach

1 lemon, juice only

• Put the lentils into a medium saucepan, and cover with the 4 cups of water. Add the dried chilies, turmeric, and salt, if using. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until lentils are very tender, or about 35 minutes.

• About 10 minutes before the lentils are completely cooked, heat the oil in a small saucepan with the 1 teaspoon of water, and add the cumin seeds. Cook for 10 to 15 seconds. Stir in onions and ginger, and cook for an additional 7 minutes, or until the onions are softened and translucent. Add the fenugreek and spinach, and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.

• Once the lentils are cooked, discard the chilies. Add the onion-spinach mixture and lemon juice to the lentils. Add salt to taste. Serve.

•
NOTE
This dish is delicious served on top of brown or wild rice, or with a whole wheat roll.

YIELD
6 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
111.4 calories, 15.1 g carbohydrate, 5.7 g protein, 3 g fat, 5.5 g dietary fiber

Garlic is a member of the onion family, all of whose members are rich in a variety of powerful sulfur-containing compounds, including thiosulfinates, sulfoxides and di-thiins—compounds responsible both for garlic's characteristically pungent odor and for its health-promoting effects.

Garlic is an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of vitamin B
₆
and vitamin C, and a good source of selenium, though you probably won't eat enough of it for it to serve as a significant source of any of these nutrients.

The sulfur compounds in garlic and other alliums appear to stimulate the production of nitric oxide in the linings of blood vessels, which helps to relax them and may lower blood pressure. Garlic is also rich in antioxidants.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
Three cloves of raw garlic provide 13 calories, 3 g carbohydrate, 0.6 g protein, 0 g fat, 0.2 g dietary fiber, 3 mg vitamin C, 36 mg potassium, 2 mg sodium, 14 mg phosphorus, 16 mg calcium, and 2 mg magnesium.

For maximum flavor and nutritional benefits, always purchase fresh garlic. Although garlic in flake, powder, or paste form may be more convenient, you will derive less culinary and health benefits from these forms. Purchase garlic that is plump and has unbroken skin. Gently squeeze the garlic bulb between your fingers to make sure it feels firm and is not damp. Stay clear of garlic that is soft, shriveled, or moldy, or that has begun to sprout.

It is not necessary to refrigerate garlic. Some people freeze peeled garlic; however, this process reduces its flavor profile and changes its texture.

Livit Recipe

1 pound organic fresh green beans

2 teaspoons safflower oil
OR
canola oil

1 small onion, chopped (about
cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons paprika

1 can (16 ounces) coarsely chopped tomatoes, drained (reserve liquid)

• In a steamer pot, steam the green beans for 5 minutes, then rinse with cold water to stop the cooling process. Set aside.