Thursday, August 26, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Spices and Herbs: Their Health Benefits
I was going to do a piece on herbs and spices and then this just come into my mailbox today. Very timely!
If you don't have a herb garden, you are really missing something. You don't need a large area to plant a herb garden. you can also use containers but you must remember to water the plants frequently or use a device that helps to maintain the soil moisture.
I tried the combo Tomato and Herb Topsy-Turvy Planter this year -- in addition to containers for salad plants and other herrbs. Except for the parsley which has not done well, the herbs, salad plants, and tomatoes are just chugging along.
I hope to have my first harvest of Early Girl tomatoes later this month. Can't wait to have it with basil and mozarella cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil and spritz of lemon or lime juice; and some zest, of course!
Next year, I will try some heirloom tomatoes.
Everyday herbs and spices may do more than enhance the flavor of food.
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
Common herbs and spices may help protect against certain chronic conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Herbs, including basil and parsley, are from plants and plant parts. Spices often come from the seeds, berries, bark, or roots of plants.
Seasonings, such as cinnamon, often lead lists of commonly eaten foods with the highest levels of measured antioxidant activity.
“Studies show that many different herbs and spices offer health benefits,” says David Heber, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, and director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. Most of the evidence exists for cinnamon, chili peppers, turmeric, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary, Heber tells WebMD.
Polyphenols, a type of plant compound, provide one of the main health benefits associated with herbs and spices. Polyphenols are also abundant in certain fruits and vegetables, tea, and red wine.
Certain herbs and spices curb inflammation in the body, which may give rise to heart disease and cancer. For example, antioxidants in cinnamon have been linked to lower inflammation, as well as reductions in blood glucose concentrations in people with diabetes.
Savor the Flavor, Reap the Rewards
Liberally seasoning your food with herbs and spices may also help if you use them in place of other flavor boosters.
“Using herbs and spices expands your palette without extra calories and may decrease the amount of salt, fat, and sugar you use without sacrificing flavor,” says Kate Geagan, MS, RD, author of Go Green,Get Lean: Trim Your Waistline with the Ultimate Low-Carbon Footprint Diet.
The proposed Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 suggests that adults limit their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams a day to manage high blood pressure and reduce the risk of developing the condition. If the guidelines are adopted, nearly all Americans will need to find alternatives to salt and other sodium-based additives.
Seasonings may even play a part in weight control.
“Tastier foods are more satisfying than bland ones, which you tend to eat faster, and with less fulfillment,” Heber says. If you’re not satisfied, you’re more likely to overeat.
According to Heber, dihydrocapsiate, a compound in chili peppers, boosted fat-burning capacity when people ate it three times a day during a study. And a recent study in Cell Metabolism showed that consuming capsaicin, the ingredient in chili peppers that provides heat, lowered blood pressure in lab animals.
Maximize the Health Benefits of Herbs and Spices
Research about the therapeutic effects of herbs and spices is enticing, but how does it translate to what you eat every day?
Quite easily, as a matter of fact. It turns out that relatively small amounts of dried and fresh herbs and spices may have health benefits.
For example, Heber says it’s reasonable to expect benefits from 1.5 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Spread it throughout the day to make it most palatable.
“Use herbs and spices at their peak to get the most out of them,” Geagan says. “The active compounds in herbs and spices degrade with time.”
Capitalize on the potency of dried herbs and spices by purchasing brands with “Best By” dates on them, and storing them in airtight containers away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight.
Using fresh herbs or spices? Double the amount to get the same levels of active substances in their dried counterparts, Heber says.
Herbs and Spices: A Little Goes a Long Way
You don’t need to make drastic changes in your eating plan to benefit from seasonings. Here’s how to incorporate more herbs and spices into your favorite foods.
Ground cinnamon:
- Add 1.25 teaspoons to prepared oatmeal; 1 cup Greek yogurt mixed with 2 teaspoons molasses or honey, or artificial sweetener; and French toast batter.
- Sprinkle half a teaspoon of cinnamon over ground coffee before brewing.
- Top a fat-free latte or hot cocoa with ground cinnamon.
Chili peppers: Add chopped peppers to chili, burgers, soups, stews, salsa, and egg dishes.
Turmeric:
- Sprinkle on egg salad.
- Mix half a teaspoon turmeric with 1 cup Greek yogurt and use as a dip or sandwich spread.
- Add to chicken or seafood casseroles, and to water when cooking rice.
Garlic: Add fresh chopped or minced garlic to pasta dishes, stir-fry dishes, pizza, fresh tomato sauce, and meat and poultry recipes.
Oregano:
- Add 1/8 teaspoon dried to scrambled eggs, salad dressings, and store-bought or homemade marinara sauce.
- Sprinkle some on top of pizza, and stir into black bean soup.
Basil: Make a sandwich with low-fat mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves; add fresh leaves to green salads.
Thyme:
- Sprinkle dried thyme onto cooked vegetables in place of butter or margarine.
- Add 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme to two scrambled eggs, and to salad dressings.
- Use it in a rub when cooking salmon.
- Add fresh thyme to chicken salad and chicken soup.
Rosemary: Add dried crushed rosemary to mashed potatoes and vegetable omelets.
Parsley: Add chopped flat leaf parsley to meatballs and meat loaf, and to bulgur salad.
Ginger:
- Grate fresh ginger into quick bread batters and vinaigrette.
- Add chopped ginger to stir-fries. Sprinkle ground ginger on cooked carrots.
Cloves: Sprinkle ground cloves on applesauce, add to quick bread batters, and add a pinch to hot tea.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Lemon Verbena
I first learned about the herb Lemon Verbena from chef Kathy Casey. Kathy is a female chef and owner of Kathy Casey Food Studios in Ballard, WA, where she holds cooking demonstrations and events for corporate and other clients.
She is one of the few female chefs that was on the New York scene in the 1980s and during the heights of Wall Street's glory days.
Kathy often uses Lemon Verbena, a very refreshing lemony herb, in just about everything that she does. She uses Lemon Verbena in Salads, as a garnish, and in her legendary cocktails.
Her culinary store - Dish D'Lish carries her cocktails mixes, which she calls "Cocktailor", and her legendary spice mixes. Try her "Cha Cha Chipotle Lime Spice" or 'French Seasoning Salt" on omelettes or fish or chicken dishes. Her spices are to die for!
Banana Foster - "Zesty Spice Cake" Trifle!
I created the "Banana Foster - Zesty Spice Cake Trifle" quite by accident. I peeled a very unripe banana but did not want to toss it out so I fried it in butter with brown sugar, honey, a mix of orange and lemon zest and pumpkin pie spices. I then layered the banana with the remaining "Zesty Spice Cake" to make a "Trifle" layered with yogurt sweetened with honey, and other fruits --strawberries, nectarines and peaches! You can add blueberries and blackberries too! Yummy!
The "Banana Foster - Zesty Spice Cake Trifle" is light, refreshing, easy to make and does not take much time to complete! It certainly beats same old, same old! The recipe is simple because you don't have to use or prepare a custard and add gelatin and wait for hours on end for it to set. Yogurt has the consistency of custard and works just as well and without the calories.
Let me know what you think. Here we go!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 or 5 slices of the "Zesty Spice Cake" (Click link to see recipe)
- 1 cup yogurt (2 cups for 3 or more servings)
- 1 cup zesty spiced apple compote (Click link to see recipe
- 2 firm bananas - peeled and sliced
- Other fruits: strawberries, peaches, nectarines (all sliced); and seasonal berries - blueberries, strawberries, blackberries
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons honey, maple syrup or Agave nectar
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons orange lemon or lime juice
- Orange, Lime or Lemon zest for garnish
- Optional, Brandy, Liquer, Orange Juice or Apple Cider for deglazing
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix the yogurt, honey and citrus juice in a bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
2. Place a frying pan on medium heat and add butter.
3. Add the sliced bananas, citrus zest, honey , a teaspoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pumpkin pie spice mix.
4. Cook sliced bananas for one minute on each side, turn off the heat. remove the pan from the stove and let the bananas cool down. [You can add brandy or liquer before removing the bananas from the stove and flame up the bananas to burn off the alcohol and create the true "Banana Foster" effect and some much needed drama! You can also use orange juice or apple cider to deglaze the good stuff from the pan.]
5. Layer a glass trifle bowl with a row of half of the sliced bananas. [You can also use the cover of your cake stand. Just turn the top upside down and set it on the bottom. If you have never used your cake stand since you got it -- you now have a good use for it. You can also use it as a punch bowl! Now you know!]
6. Add a layer of the zesty spiced apple compote to the layer of sliced fried bananas.
7. Crumble one or two slices of the "Zesty Spice Cake" on top of the bananas and apple compote.
8. Add a layer of seasonal fresh fruit on top of the cake layer. Just use whatever fruits you have -- let your imagination run wild!
9. Add half of the yogurt mix on top of the fruit mix. Repeat the banana, apple compote, cake, fruit and yogurt layers.
10. Decorate the top of the trifle with a layer of fresh fruits and garnish with swirls of citrus zest and a sprig of mint leaves.
11. You can make individual trifles in dessert bowls instead of making all the trifle in one big bowl. It is just prettier when you use a big bowl and then serve into the smaller dessert bowls. Just do whatever works best for you!
So voila! There you have it! A light refreshing dessert and not too late to try before summer is over and all the summer fruits are gone!
Calories: Unknown. You can reduce the total calories by using a low fat yogurt. You can also use Agave nectar instead of the honey and brown sugar.
Prep and Total Cooking Time: Less than 30 minutes.
Zesty Spice Cake!
I made this "Zesty Spice Cake" for the first time this past winter. I threw the ingredients together and was really quite surprised how well the unintentional "Zesty Spice Cake" turned out.
The whole idea is to reduce the preparation time by using some pre-packaged items such as the Betty Crocker SuperMoist Cake Mix - Spice, Trader Joe's Organic Spiced Apple Sauce and Trader Joe's Multigrain Pancake Mix with other ingredients. I was pleasantly surprised how delicious, spicy and moist the cake tasted!
Later, I used the remaining "Zesty Spice Cake" to make a "Trifle" layered with yogurt sweetened with honey, and fruits -- strawberries, nectarines and peaches! Yummy!
I decided to post the recipe because the ladies at my Trader Joe's store and Oroweat Bakery Outlet all want to try this recipe. I told them I had to patent it first! I am sure you will all agree that it needs to be patented when you try it.
Let me know what you think. Here we go!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist Cake Mix - Spice 18.25 oz (reserve two tablespoons for Streusel topping)
- 1/4 cup oats (reserve two tablespoons for Streusel topping)
- 1/4 cup Trader Joe's Multigrain Pancake mix (reserve two tablespoons for the Streusel topping, You can substitute another pancake mix.)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup chopped plums, apricots or dates
- 1/4 cup orange and lemon zest (reserve two tablespoons for the apple compote and Streusel topping
- 2 raw medium organic carrots, peeled and grated
- Small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about two tablespoons)
- 4 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix (comprising cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and allspice - reserve two teaspoons for apple sauce and Streusel topping. You can also make this from scratch using a coffee grinder to grind cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice.)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt for apple and Streusel topping
- 3 tablespoons organic brown sugar (for apple sauce -- reserve one tablespoons for Streusel topping
- 1/2 cup melted butter (reserve one tablespoon in small bowl for the Streusel topping)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup squeezed orange juice (you can add a little lemon juice to the orange juice)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 -- 4oz cups Trader Joe's Organic Apple Sauce with Cinnamon (you can substitute any apple sauce)
- 1 cup apple compote (peel, core and chop two medium apples and cook it in the microwave with 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of zest, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and a pinch of salt). You can also use Trader Joe's Chunky Spiced Apple Sauce.
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare the chopped apple compote: peel, core, chop and cook the apple in the microwave with 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of zest and 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, drizzle of honey, and a pinch of salt. Allow the apple compote to cool before adding to other ingredients. Reserve some of the apple compote for serving with the cake.2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Sift the Betty Crocker SuperMoist Cake Mix - Spice into a mixing bowl.
4. Add the dry ingredients: oats, raisins, chopped dried fruits (plums, apricots or dates), baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and orange and lemon zest; and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon, or large splatula.
5. Add the wet ingredients: spiced apple sauce, grated fresh ginger, beaten eggs, honey, melted butter, orange juice, vanilla and milk; and mix with a hand or electric whisk.
6. Fold the apple compote, grated carrots, raisins and chopped dried fruits into the cake mixture.
7. Spray two cake pans with Pam Spray or manually grease the cakes pans with butter, cooking oil, lard or other fat. To make it easier to remove the cake from the cake pan, you can sprinkle flour into the cake pan and use it to lightly coat the entire pan.
8. Pour the "Zesty Spice Cake" mixture into cake pans and top the cake mixture with the Streusel topping. See below for the Streusel topping.
9. Streusel topping: Add the reserved Betty Crocker SuperMoist Cake Mix - Spice, oats, Trader Joe's Multigrain Pancake mix, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, orange and lemon zest, and pinch of salt to the melted butter to make the Streusel topping for the cake. The mixture should have a crumb-like texture.
10. Sprinkle the Streusel topping on the cake mixture.
11. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.To test for done-ness -- insert a bamboo barbecue stick into the center of the cake. It should come out clean.
12. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
13. Serve the moist "Zesty Spice Cake" warm with a dollop of fresh cream and a generous scoop of the zesty spiced apple compote. You can also serve it with other seasonal fruits such as banana, strawberries, blackberries, nectarines, peaches, mango, raspberries, grilled pineapples or other summer fruits, or stewed pineapples (stew the pineapples with brown sugar, ginger and cloves).
14. Wrap the remaining "Zesty Spice Cake" with aluminum foil and place it in the freezer. To make it easier to use in the future, I suggest that you slice the remaining cake with a bread-knife first before you freeze it. It also makes sense to wrap four or five slices together so you don't have to unwrap all the slices just to take out a few.
The "Zesty Spice Cake" is great for Afternoon Tea or High Tea -- with a cup of organic Green or Black Tea or ice cold Iced Tea.
Try the "Zesty Spice Cake" recipe and give me your feedback! I would love to hear from you! Enjoy!
Calories: The estimated calories for the Betty Crocker SuperMoist Cake Mix - Spice is 270 calories (prepared) with 120 calories from fat. The calorie count will be much higher with butter and the additional ingredients. You can substitute canola or grapeseed oil for the butter, if you want to do a lower calorie version of the "Zesty Spice Cake". However, butter makes everything taste so much better!
Another thing, do not use the Betty Crocker SuperMoist Cake Mix - Carrot. The carrot bits are made with carrot powder and coloring -- not real carrots! Not good stuff or "good eats" as Chef Alton Brown would say. Stay clear of it!
Prep and Total Cooking Time: I don't know -- maybe one or two hours! I was not keeping track or the time -- just having fun on a cold winter's night and trying to keep warm in the kitchen!
At a future date, I will post another version of the "Zesty Spice Cake" recipe with all organic and from scratch ingredients. Stay tuned!
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