Posts Tagged ‘Vegetables’

© Chef LaLa

Whether served raw or cooked, vegetables are excellent sources of vital nutrients for our bodies to function properly.  Each vegetable provides something different so, as with any food, its a good idea to have variety to gain the maximum nutritional benefits as well as experience the many flavors and textures out there.  One of the best ways to cook vegetables easily and still retain the color, texture, flavor and nutrients is to steam them.  If you don’t have a steamer, you can simply use a saucepan on your stovetop or your microwave and achieve the same results. 

To steam on the stovetop, you will need a large cooking pot and a steamer basket or collander that fits inside. Fill the pot with enough water to touch the bottom of the colander or steamer basket. Once the water comes to a boil, add vegetables and loosely cover to let the steam escape.  You can even add some herbs to the cooking water for added flavor and aroma.  When steaming in the microwave, place your vegetables in a microwave-safe bowl, add a few tablespoons of water, cover with microwave safe plastic wrap, leaving one corner open to vent.

All vegetables have different cooking times depending on their size and thickness, but most take no more than a few minutes. For the more commonly steamed vegetables, refer to the following chart:

Vegetable	Stovetop Steam Time	Microwave Steam Time
Asparagus	4-6 minutes depending on thickness (will be darker color when done)	4-6 minutes depending on thickness (will be darker color when done)
Broccoli	5 minutes (will be darker color when done)	3-5 minutes (will be darker color when done)
Brussel sprouts	10 minutes	7 minutes
Carrots	Sliced ¼” thick 6-8 minutes	Sliced ¼” thick 5 minutes
Cauliflower	6 minutes	3-4 minutes
Green Beans	5 minutes	3-4 minutes
Peas	3 minutes	1-2 minutes
Zucchini	6-7 minutes	6-8 minutes

© Chef LaLa

To ensure your gardening efforts are environmentally safe, there are a few factors to consider. 

1. Plan - stick to what will grow in the climate and soil you have to work with
2. Care – use rainwater when possible to water your plants and in areas facing drought consider planting things that don’t need a lot of water.  Use organic fertilizers instead of manure (pasteurized chicken manure has less odor or a liquid made from fish and seaweed by-products)
3. Control – most of the bugs in your garden are harmless and some are more beneficial than the pesticides you might use to control them.  Hang bird feeders or nesting gardens near your garden to have the birds consume the bugs.  If necessary, use an insecticidal soap which is hearty enough to kill pests but safe.
4. Share – excess fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers are great to share with friends, family and neighbors.  You won’t have wasted a moment of your time or your harvest and others will enjoy your efforts.
5. Recycle – leftover plant waste can be put into a composting bin in your yard to use as fertilizer or mulch for next season’s crop rather than taking up space in a landfill.

With the vast majority of the American population, especially kids, lacking enough calcium for strong bones and teeth, it’s time to get creative and find flavorful new ways for your family to get the recommended daily amount.  Even individuals who are watching their fat intake or lactose intolerant can benefit from eating cheese.  Small amounts of cheese which is easier to digest than milk, due to the fermentation process, can provide large amounts of calcium.  What better way to get your body strong than to enjoy some flavorful, delicate cheeses from around the world. Cheese became popular around 4000 years ago when people started breeding animals and processing their milk to produce cheese, a great source of calcium and protein.  Cheese is most commonly made from cows milk, however, there are varieties made from other mammals including sheep, goats, buffalo, reindeer, camels and yaks. One of the most nutritious cheeses in terms of low calories, high protein and calcium, is Romano cheese with 452 mg of calcium and only 165 calories per 1.5 ounces. Other good sources of calcium include: Swiss, part-skim ricotta, pasteurized process American, provolone, part-skim mozzarella and cheddar cheese. 

Need a little more excitement and like to experiment with flavor?  There are many varieties of cheeses, some with mild flavor, strong flavor, some soft, some hard, with flavors and textures for all palates. Check the yellow pages for cheese shops in your area or visit your local specialty market, supermarket or farmer’s market.  Try samples, ask for recommendations, and enjoy.  Cheese is great for entertaining, as a fondue, as a snack in your child’s lunch, or a mid-afternoon treat or appetizer before dinner.  Be sure to store and serve cheese at recommended temperatures and choose cheeses for children, pregnant women and people with weaker immune systems that are pasturized.  Most cheeses are; however some softer cheeses such as brie and cheeses in other countries, though flavorful and quite safe for adults in good health, can contain bacteria that can make some people ill.

Try cheese cubes as a snack or appetizer or cheese slices on crackers or in your favorite sandwich.  Try shredded or grated cheese on fresh or baked pasta, in soups, salads or on vegetables. Remember a little goes a long way and you can mix flavors.  Savor the taste and texture and enjoy with your favorite beverage!

© Chef LaLa

Summer is almost here and summer vegetables are beginning to arrive in your local supermarkets, specialty markets and farmer’s markets.  Experts recommend consuming 5 servings* a day of fruits and vegetables to help reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer. Summer veggies are not only nutritious and delicious, they’ll help you look and feel your best by providing vitamin C, potassium, lutein, folate, iron, fiber, and essential hydration.  Try one or more of these summer veggies today:

Arugula	Eggplant	Potatoes
Avocados	Garlic	Shallots
Green Beans	Kohlrabi	Summer Squash
Beans	Mushrooms	Swiss chard
Beets	Okra	Tomatoes
Collards	Onions	Zucchini
Corn	Sugar Snap Peas
Cucumber	Peppers

Try some of these ideas… 

·         Skip the chips which make you thirstier and opt for bright crunchy carrots and celery which are low in calories and fat and high in nutrients that will keep you feeling refreshed

·         Add some fresh veggies to your summer salad for a cool light meal packed with nutrients

·         Load your baked potato or pasta with cooked veggies instead of butter or rich sauces or even toss with light olive oil or add to your favorite light sauces to give you flavor and energy on a hot summer day 

* One serving of vegetables is equivalent to ¼ cup dry or one medium sized fresh vegetable such as a carrot or ¾ of a cup of juice or ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw veggies.

© Chef LaLa

By making a few changes to be more active, eliminate stress, and eat healthier, we can work at reducing the 3 biggest risk factors for heart disease which are obesity, hypertension, and high cholesterol and give ourselves the chance to live longer, healthier, more active lives. 

Sounds easy and makes sense, yet our busy lifestyles have many of us leading unhealthy lifestyles by eating unhealthy prepared foods loaded with saturated fats, salt, and refined sugar to save time and then driving to the market to get more when we run out instead of walking because we are again trying to save time.  This all leads back to stressing our systems by rushing around and getting nowhere good, which can, over time, lead to chronic disease. Millions of American children and adults are at great risk because they are overweight or obese, have high blood pressure, and/or high cholesterol that are not being treated or are not under control. 

Talk to your doctor about changes you can make in your family’s diet that can ultimately save their lives.  There are plenty of changes you can make right now like taking a walk to the market to get some fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  Talk to your doctor about whether a Mediterranean diet might work for you which can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of diabetes, another risk factor for heart disease.

Diabetes is a growing problem worldwide, so researchers continue to look for lifestyle behaviors that can be changed in order to prevent or reverse this trend. More and more, experts are devoting attention to the Mediterranean diet.  Since the 1960’s it has been noted that people living in the Mediterranean have had food habits which can clearly be linked to good health because they consume a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, grains, and olive oil with minimal amounts of animal products.  The Mediterranean diet boasts whole foods and a lower intake of fat, most importantly saturated fat, by the consumption of olive oil over other oils which is proven to reduce insulin resistance and reduce the chances of developing diabetes by 1/5^th over diets that feature whole milk and butter which are shown to increase the risk of diabetes.

Overall, the Mediterranean diet has several components that impact diabetes…

• Consumption of fiber satiates and causes diabetics to eat less and consume less sugar
• Olive oil has anti-inflamatory properties which may decrease the risk of chronic disease and adds nutrients to food rather than just adding fat like other oils may tend to do
• Energy density or calorie content of the Mediterranean diet is lower than the typical American diet and shows a decreased risk of obesity and related chronic health problems by increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
• High Antioxidant intake from consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of type II diabetes.

The balance of micronutirents, phytochemicals, and fiber seem to play a major role in improving glycemic control which is very important in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. Be sure to consult with your primary care physician regarding your own health needs. 

Spring Fruits and Vegetables

Spring is finally here! So are the wonderfully sweet and juicy spring fruits such as: Apricots, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Casaba Melon, Cherries, Currants, Figs, Nectarines, Papayas, Pineapples, Raspberries, Rhubarb, and Strawberries, Your whole family will enjoy these fruits and you’ll feel good about providing great nutrition and a delicious snack fresh, cooked, or in your favorite dish. For our latest ideas recipes that include your favorite fruits, please visit www.cheflala.com/lifestyle/healthyrecipes/recipes-by-type/fruits

Also in season are delicious and nutritious spring vegetables such as: Asparagus, Snap Beans, Carrots, Fennel, Garlic, Okra, Onions, Green Onions, English Peas, Sugar Snap Peas, Rhubarb, Shallot, Spinach, and Swiss Chard.  For recipe ideas to enjoy your spring vegetables, please visit www.cheflala.com/lifestyle/healthyrecipes/recipes-by-type/vegetables.

Advice from the FDA on handling fresh produce…http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qa-prod1.html