The crucifer is a paradoxical vegetable: it is uniquely good for us and, at the same time, it is not. What seems to matter  is how we prepare and eat it, and the choices we make in this regard are meaningful ones.

Let’s start by clarifying which of the more common vegetables are crucifers, and the length of this list may surprise you: arugula, brussel sprouts, swiss chard, mustard greens, radishes, horseradish, turnips, bok choy, cabbage, kale, watercress, wasabi, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, rutabagas and collard greens.

The good news about crucifers is that they are said to have substantial cancer fighting power. According to Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, they prevent precancerous cells from developing and promote the suicide of cancer cells; they also break down certain carcinogens.  These are important reasons to try, when we can, to incorporate cruciferous vegetables into our diets.

Yet the bad news about crucifers is that, in certain situations, the very same chemicals that fight cancer may also be toxic and do us harm. It is not unusual for plants to contain toxic chemicals; they provide an important means of self defense and necessary protection against the elements. The naturally-occurring chemicals in crucifers are called goitrogens. Current research suggests that when we consume them in small amounts, they increase our need for iodine. When taken in large amounts, they can damage the delicate thyroid gland. They are also thought to prevent iodine from passing into breast milk, which is worth knowing if you’re a nursing mother. Read the complete post »

December is here, and that means it’s holiday season for most of us, a time of year that often involves welcoming guests and spending more hours in the kitchen than we may be used to. If you’re already feeling stress because you believe you can’t gracefully pull off all that’s expected of you, it may help to remember that serving a holiday meal is not a performance, and your guests are not coming to judge or measure. These are people you love, who love you. We all long to eat homemade meals with family and friends, especially when the meal is a celebration, so you can be sure your guests will arrive feeling anticipation and gratitude.

One way to take the pressure off yourself as cook, and to shift some of the emphasis away from the meal, is to give your guests an ample welcome by offering starters to nibble on and to take away hunger’s edge. Try beginning with a loaf of hearty whole grain bread; then add a plate of olives or tapenade, a bowl of bean spread, marinated goat cheese, and pickled red onions for crunch and color. If these don’t measure up to your idea of holiday fare, how about mixed baby greens tossed in a vinaigrette; miniature potato pancakes with spoonfuls of applesauce; or whatever is traditional in your family? The point is to provide starters that are good tasting and easy to prepare in advance, and that don’t cost a king’s ransom–and their purpose is to begin satisfying your guests before they formally gather around the table. If you follow these with a main course that has some depth, a salad or some simple side dishes and a refreshing finish, you’ll have a meal to remember and one you can pull off. What’s more, even if you buy the main course, side dishes or dessert, your starters will earn you the credit and reward for having served up a home-cooked celebration.

Read the complete post »

This is a recipe, slightly tweaked by me, that I learned during my chef’s training at the Natural Gourmet Institute. The sauce is one of my favorite ways to consume tempeh, and it’s especially good served warm over whole wheat fusilli. One of the best qualities of this dish is that it’s even better reheated than it is on day one. Tempeh, by the way, is a form of fermented soy, and the fact that it’s fermented makes it more digestible, more nutritious and more protein-rich than soy that is not fermented.

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 (8 ounce) package tempeh, any variety, grated
1 onion, peeled and diced into 1/4″ pieces
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon each dried oregano and basil
1 cup red wine
1 28-ounce can tomato puree
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
optional: 1-2 tablespoons of maple crystals or brown rice syrup

16-ounce package of whole wheat fusilli or other whole wheat pasta

Recipe

1. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into a medium-sized lidded pot.

2. Unwrap the tempeh and grate it over the pot using the large teeth of a box grater. Place the pot on the stove top over a medium-low heat and saute the tempeh until it becomes very brown and crispy, about 10-15 minutes. The cooked tempeh will leave a coating on the bottom of the pan, which is fine. This coating should become slightly brown, but should not burn. If it begins to burn, the heat is too high.

3. Add the remaining olive oil, along with the diced onions and sea salt, and cook until the onions are softened, about 10 minutes more.

4. Add the minced garlic, oregano and basil and cook a few minutes longer. Then add the red wine and simmer the mixture until nearly all the wine has cooked off. As it simmers, use a wooden spoon to scrape the coating off the bottom of the pot, adding flavor to the mixture as you do.

5. Pour the tomato puree into the pot and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes.

6. Season with sea salt, freshly-ground pepper and maple crystals or brown rice syrup, if needed. Serve over hot pasta.

Serves 4

I learned this recipe from Chef Peter Berley. It’s beautiful to look at, tastes delicious, and is filled with the most nourishing bounty of the season.

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds carrots
2 medium turnips (about 1/2 pound)
2 medium parsnips (about 1/2 pound)
2 medium red onions (about 1/2 pound)
1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
2-1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
8 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus extra to taste
freshly ground black pepper
3-4 cups arugula, spinach or frissee or sturdy salad green of your choice (washed and torn into bite-sized pieces)
juice of 1/2 lemon
extra-virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, sauteed in 1/2 teaspoons olive oil until they “pop”

Recipe

1. Position a rack on the middle shelf of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Line a large roasting pan with a sheet of parchment paper.

2. Peel the carrots, turnips and parsnips ( or leave unpeeled, if you like) and cut them into bite-sized pieces

3. Peel the onions but leave the roots in tact. Cut each onion in half from root to stem; then cut each half into 3 wedges. The roots will keep the wedges from falling apart.

4. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables and ginger (without the garlic) with the oil, maple syrup and salt.

5. Spread the vegetables in the roasting pan in a single layer and roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through for even browning.

6. Stir the garlic cloves into the vegetables and roast for another 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and caramelized, stirring halfway through for even browning.

7. Season the vegetables with balsamic vinegar and black pepper to taste.

8. Dress the salad greens with lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt. While they’re still warm, toss the roasted vegetables with the greens and parsley and serve immediately, sprinkled with pumpkin seeds.

This is my favorite winter soup recipe. It was published in Gourmet magazine a couple of years ago and I have changed it only slightly. It has a flavor so haunting and sublime that it elevates bean soup to a whole new level. There is nothing humble about this dish. If you have trouble finding Borlotti beans, try ordering them from Goldmine Natural Foods http://www.goldminenaturalfood.com/.

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 pound dried borlotti (cranberry) beans (2-2/3 cups), picked over and rinsed
10 cups water for cooking
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional oil for drizzling
2 medium onions, chopped
1-3/4 teaspoons coarse sea salt
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
5 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled, or 1 tablespooon chopped, fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
fine sea salt
1 roughly 3″ x 2″ piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, optional
3/4 pound dried ditalini or other small tubular pasta

Recipe

1. At least 6 hours before cooking, soak the beans in cool water at room temperature. When you are ready to make the soup, drain the beans and discard the soaking water.

2. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a wide, heavy soup pot over a medium heat. Saute the onions with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, dried or fresh rosemary and pepper. Then saute, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the beans with 10 cups of water and Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (if using) and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender, 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours (depending on age of beans). Add more water if necessary to keep the beans covered and stir more frequently toward the end of cooking. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup olive oil and the remaining 1-1/4 teaspoons sea salt. Cool, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.

4. Discard the cheese rind and coarsely puree the soup using an immersion blender or traditional blender.

5. Reheat the soup over a  low heat, stirring frequently and thinning soup as desired with additional water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. While the soup is reheating, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al-dente, then drain in a colander and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and pepper to taste.

7. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with spoonfuls of pasta and drizzles of olive oil.