Ensalada de Nopalitos

image via imelectric

The benefits of cactus (plural is cacti) are far and wide. Cactus, also known as nopales or nopalitos, contains beta carotene and helps with hangovers (!!!), glucose (anti-diabetic!), metabolic, cardiovascular and digestive disorders. It's an anti-inflammatory and it tastes gooooddd...

Here's an excellent recipe via fabulous foods:

Ingredients:	Salad: 1 jar (15 ounces) nopalitos (prickly pear cactus) 2-3 Roma tomatoes, diced 1/2 medium sweet onion, diced 1/2 bell pepper (green, yellow or red), diced 1/3 cup chopped cilantro 1-2 serrano or jalepeño chiles (or to taste) 1/4 cup crumbled Mexican queso cheese or feta cheese Dressing: 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon olive oil salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:	Mix all salad ingredients together. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad, toss well to coat. This salad can be made a few hours ahead of time and refrigerated until needed.

Bánh mì

Photo courtesy of Tony Cenicola of NY TIMES

If you haven't eaten or even heard of Bánh mì then you must be living under a rock. Seems like these Vietnamese sandwiches are all the rage. So study up and get with the most celebrated sandwich of the hour.

Bánh mì Wikipage
NY Times on Bánh mì
Another NY Times article
Bánh mì Recipe via Herbivoracious:

Serves 4

• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small batons
• 1/2 daikon radish, peeled and cut into small batons
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. white vinegar
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 English cucumber, cut into small batons
• 1/2 white onion, sliced thin
• 1 or more jalapeno or other hot pepper (to your taste), sliced thin
• 1 avocado, sliced
• mint leaves
• cilantro leaves
• 1 pound firm tofu, sliced into 1/2" thick slabs
• oil for pan--frying
• mayonnaise to taste, seasoned with sriracha or other flavoring as desired
• 4 crusty baguette-style rolls

1. Marinate the carrot and daikon in the water, vinegar and sugar.
2. Pan fry the tofu in a small amount of oil until nicely browned on both sides. Drain, pat dry with a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cut the baguette part way through. Dress it with mayo. For my taste, rather heavily.
4. Fill each sandwich with all of the ingredients, and offer additional sriracha sauce on the side.
5. Add Sriracha for HEAT.
   

Bon Appetite!

Squash It

Kabocha Squash, or the Japanese Pumpkin, is tender, creamy, fragrant, and sweet. Not pretty to look at with a dull green bumpy skin, it more than makes up for it in flavor! It tastes sweet potato and is one of the most flavorful of the hard squash.

This thing is loaded with beta carotene along with vitamin C, iron and potassium as well as folic acid (good for your pum pum), calcium, and trace B vitamins.

You can make it with ease - warm up the oven to 350 degrees, cut the squash in half, empty the seeds, place in a lightly oiled oven dish with lid and bake for approx 30-40 minutes. Voila! You've got an incredible delicacy ready to eat.

There are other ways to make it. Here are some more recipes to explore:

• Vegan White Bean Stew in Kabocha Squash Bowl
• Kabocha Squash, Shallot and Rosemary Saute
• Kabocha Squash Pie
• Kabocha Soup
• Kabocha with Ponzu

Source: Delicious Organics - All about Squash

Get Your Veg On! July's Zukes Spread

Since so many of the ladies enjoyed this at the July meeting and for those that didn't get the opportunity to try it, here's the recipe.

(makes 6-8 servings)
4 zucchini (green and yellow, with or without skin)
3-4 Garlic cloves
1/2 cup of lemon juice (or more to taste)
1 cup of sesame tahini
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (or to taste)
1/4 chopped parsley
pinch of paprika (or more)





Procedure: cube the zucchini, add to a food processor or blender, do not over chop, make sure there are chunks
add garlic (you may want to cut into smaller pieces)
mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and add to the zucchini/garlic mix and pulse until smooth.

Adding lemon slices, parsley and paprika on smooth surface for garnish is always pretty!
You can play with the quantities in terms of flavoring, but if you want to make 6-8 servings, I would stick to 4 zukes.

Go-Go-Goji Berries Go

Goji berries grow on an evergreen shrub found in temperate and subtropical regions in China, Mongolia and in the Himalayas in Tibet.

Goji berries are usually found dried. They are shriveled red berries that look like red raisins and contain over 18 antioxidants, a wide array of vitamin B and more iron than spinach (move over popeye).

Goji berries have been used for 6,000 years by herbalists in China, Tibet and India to:

• protect the liver
  
• help eyesight
  
• improve sexual function and fertility
  
• strengthen the legs

Goji extracts may prevent the growth of cancer cells, reduce blood glucose, and lower cholesterol levels. Source: Altmedicine.about.com

Goji berries can be found at your local health food store in bulk as well as pre-packaged and in Himalayan trail mix (all the rage at the moment). You may choose to use Goji berries in tea, smoothies, cooking, baking and a favorite - as an addition to your oatmeal.

The Thai Dinner Class at Live Live in NYC

The Thai Dinner Class - Live Food Preparation Event & Webinar
Raw Food Pioneer & Master Chef Raw Chef Dan teaches some of his favorite Thai dishes in the raw.

Thai Salad / Salad Dressing
Spring Rolls with Thai Dipping Sauce
"Fish" Cakes with Thai Dipping Sauce
Vegetable Green Curry
Broccoli in a Garlic Black Pepper Sauce
Coconut Rice Pudding with Caramelized Pineapple

Sunday, June 29th @ 11am
live live & organic
261 east 10th street, NYC
Tel: 212-505-5504
Email: info@live-live.com
$60 pre-registration required

To sign up for this event @ Live Live & Organic please follow the link above, or if you are unable to make it in person, follow the link below for the webinar.

Live internet broadcast of this event $40, pre-registration required
If you can't make it to the actual event in NYC, Quest.tv is providing a live internet broadcast, click here to sign up and see this amazing online class live through the Quest.tv website.

Recipes will be available for sale for those who cannot make this class.

Broccoli Rabe over Polenta

Okie...

So I made this broccoli rabe polenta this week. It was sooo yummy! It was quick because I bought the mix..err I cheat. But either way I felt proud of myself.

Interesting Fact:
Polenta was originally considered a peasant food before the mid 20th century because it was so accessible. Now you can get really creative with it and prepare it with high quality oils and meats. I like it just plain though =)>

Total Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup(s) polenta mix

• 1 cup(s) onion(s), sweet, chopped

• 4 teaspoon oil, olive

• 3 clove(s) garlic, minced

• 1 pounds broccoli rabe, coarsely chopped, or 3 cups coarsely chopped broccoli flowerets

• 3 1/2 ounce(s) pepper(s), red sweet, roasted, rinsed, drained, and chopped

• 1 cup(s) broth, vegetable

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1/4 cup(s) nuts, pine nuts, or slivered almonds, toasted

Preparation

1. Prepare polenta according to package directions. Cover and keep warm.

2. In a large skillet cook onion in hot oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds. Add broccoli rabe. Cook, covered, about 3 minutes or just until tender. (If using broccoli flowerets, cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender.) Stir in roasted red peppers.

3. In a small bowl gradually stir broth into cornstarch; add to vegetable mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

4. To serve, divide the polenta among 4 dinner plates. Spoon the vegetable mixture over cooked polenta. Sprinkle with toasted nuts.

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 394, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 256mg, Dietary Fiber: 11g, Total Fat: 11g, Carbs: 67g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Protein: 12g

Exchanges: Vegetable: 4, Starch: 2.5, Fat: 2

Carb Choices: 3.5

Cabbage and Chicken Soup

Hi Ladies...

So I have been on the healthy cooking tip lately, mostly as venture to assist my weight management goals as well as to ease my hefty spending on dining out. I have tried a few recipes that are truly delicious and easy to prepare. Thus I wanted to share with you lovelies...expect new recipes from me every week!!!

Please note: I am not vegetarian so not all my shared recipes will be veggie friendly, however there are exchange options on the bottom of each recipe for veggie opt-ins

Enjoy =)>

Cabbage and Chicken Soup:
I made this dish on Wednesdays, I was feeling a bit under the weather and soup was in order. It had a very robust taste due to the bay leave and caraway seeds.

DID YOU KNOW:
Cabbage contains significant amounts glutamine, an amino acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients

• 4 cup(s) water
• 3 cup(s) broth, chicken, fat-free, salt-free
• 2 cup(s) tomato(es), chopped
• 1/2 stalk(s) celery, chopped
• 4 onion(s), green, chopped with tops
• 1 potato(es), peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 3 cup(s) cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup(s) chicken, cooked, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon sugar

Preparation

1. In a large soup pot, combine the water, broth, tomatoes, celery, onion, potato, bay leaf, salt, thyme, and caraway seeds.

2. Simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Add the cabbage, chicken, lemon juice, and sugar. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 81, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 526mg, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Total Fat: 2g, Carbs: 9g, Sugars: 4g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Protein: 7g

Exchanges: Vegetable: 2, Lean Meat: 1

Carb Choices: 0.5