10 (Everyday) SuperFoods

These days, "superfoods" are all the rage. In every health food store, you'll see all kinds of fancy (and often very expensive) superfoods that are supposed to restore health, vitality, and have you living to 105 years old (they don't actually make those specific claims, but claims pretty close to these). Some recent and popular superfoods to hit the market include chia seeds, irish moss, goji berries, acai berries/powder, spirulina, maca... plus many, many more.

But what about everyday "superfoods"? Can I eat like a superhuman without breaking the bank? Why, yes, yes you can! Here are some of my top "everyday" superfoods (in no particular order):

Superfood loving: let's see, we have some sweet potatoes, onions, and broccoli! Three everyday all-stars. 

1. Oats - known for their soluble fiber, which keeps you full, your blood sugar regulated, and lower cholesterol by binding to excess cholesterol. I also love their versatility in cooking and baking. Gluten-free too, if you buy certified g-free oats. 
2. Spinach (and other greens) - greens are important for fiber (roughage), tons of vitamins, and loads of minerals. The healthiest vegetables are the greens. 
3. Grapefruits - we all love citrus for the vitamin C, but grapefruit is said to boost metabolism. 
4. Blueberries (and other berries) - high in antioxidants like vitamin C, fiber, and generally a "dark" fruit. Similar to the greens, the darker the fruit or vegetable, the more concentrated the nutrition. 
5. Almonds (and other nuts) - healthy fats and protein. An easy snack to have on hand. Almonds in particular are a source of calcium. 
6. Salmon - good old healthy fatty acids are found in salmon. These essential fats are good for our brain, skin, and mood. 
7. Seeds - flax, sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower are all awesome. Phytoestrogens are found in seeds, which help regulate our hormones and help our body deal with the synthetic hormones lingering due to all the plastics that are abundant in our modern world. 
8. Onions - anti-microbial (awesome to eat when sick), lower blood pressure, and have anti-cancer proprieties. 
9. Sweet Potatoes - lots of vitamin A. You can even eat the (cleaned) skin for extra fiber. A good source of complex carbohydrates. 
10. Broccoli (and other cruciferous vegetables) - high in calcium, vitamin C, and anti-cancer. Aside from greens, I'd say the cruciferous veggies are the best for your overall well-being. 

The Whole Grape.

In my Botanical Medicine class, we discussed how we've managed to find a healthy use for every part of the grape and have found many healthy products starting with grapes alone. Talk about a whole food; every aspect has been exploited to it's full health promoting potential. 

Image source here.

Whole Grape: The skin contains antioxidants, while the seeds contain phenols like tannins, flavonoids, and cyanin.

Dried Grapes (aka Raisins): 10% of the phenolic content of the fresh grapes. Flavinoids are maintained when grapes are dried.

Juice: Often used to sweeten other foods. More phenolic compounds and procyanidins compared to raisins.

Vinegar (aka Red Wine vinegar): The fermentation of grape juice creates acetic acid. 

Wine: Fermented grapes. Tannins are higher in red because the stems, seeds and skin are all included in the fermentation process of red wine only (how cool!). Some wine is aged in oak barrels, which adds even more tannin. Tannins make wine astringent (think mouth pucker).

Brandy: Distilled wine.

Cognac: A type of brandy found in the Cognac region of France.

Sherry: Wine that has been fortified with brandy after fermentation.

Port: Wine that has been fortified with brandy during fermentation. Often stored and aged in barrels. Overall contains more alcohol and sugar than Sherry.

Smooth Health.

The benefits of smoothies, 25 reasons to give them a go (in no particular order):

- They make it easier to eat a whole bunch of fruits and vegetables without much effort.  

- They easily conceal greens (add a big handful of spinach to some banana and berries, and you'll never know that there's a veggie in there). 

- They are a way to take supplements (Need fish oil? Throw it in! Flax seeds? They blend well too). 

- They are cool and refreshing, perfect for Summer time!

- They can contain the kitchen-sink (throw whatever you have on hand in the blender, or they can be custom flavored, like Apple Pie, PB&Banana, or ChocolateCoveredCherry flavored-smoothies). 

- The break down the fruits and vegetables into teeny-tiny particles, making nutrient absorption easier. 

- They are portable, great for meals on-the-go.

- Those containing protein powder make the protein more easily absorbable.

- They can be made the night before. 

- They are easily customizable to preferences, nutrition needs, and ingredients on hand. 

- They can be lower calorie for light snacks, or bulked-up for more meal-replacement smoothies.

- They are a heck-of-a-lot tastier and healthier than canned-meal replacement drinks (Ensure, Boost, etc). 

- They don't require a recipe or fancy cooking skills.  They are (almost) fool proof :P

- They are great post-workout, as they make the nutrients needed for muscle/tissue repair easily absorbable. 

- They are inexpensive (buy frozen fruit in bulk, use water instead of milk, add cheap rolled oats for more bulk, and seeds for a protein boost instead of fancier protein powders). 

- They can contain alcohol, for a fun alternative to 'girly drinks' on a Friday night.  

- They are meal-alternatives when sick and when nothing else is stomach-able or palatable.

- They are also meal-alternatives when undergoing medical treatment (chemotherapy, wisdom teeth-removal, etc).

- They are soothing for sore throats. 

- They are customizable to food allergies and sensitivities (easy to make ones that are gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, citrus-free, etc).

- They make good snacks (or light meals) for children, packing-in a lot of nutrition into their growing bodies. 
- There are oodles of smoothie recipes available online if you need inspiration.

- They never get boring because the contents are changeable.

- They can be eaten in a bowl, topped with cereal, granola, or more diced fruit. 

- They can be an alternative to milk. 

...have I convinced you yet that smoothies (and thus blenders) are a great health investment? ;)

Coocoo for Coconut.

  Coconut the ultimate superfood 

My-oh-my have we humans managed to exploit every last drop of goodness from this fruit (it isn't actually a nut). This one fruit has spawned at least ten different health products; products I use regularly and love.  Don't shy away from coconut products because of their 'high fat' content: the fat they contain is ridiculously healthy and actually can help with weight-loss. I'm here today with a summary of all the coconut goodies now available and how you can incorporate them into your life and diet.

Coconut Milk (Canned) - Creamy, smooth, and thick. Used in curries, both Indian and Thai. Cook rice in coconut milk for an extra creamy rice that is perfect to pair with a spicy curry or stew. Shake can before opening. Very mild coconut flavor.

Coconut Milk (Tetrapak) - This is sold as a replacement for moo-cow milk.  Sold with the soy and almond milk tetrapaks at major grocery stores.  Use in cereal or simply drink a glass on its own.  Sort of a rip-off, because this product is basically just watered down canned coconut milk.  Make your own for much cheaper by just buying the canned stuff and mixing it with water yourself.  Contains virtually no protein, so do not consider this as a true dairy replacement (if you do use it, make sure to get enough protein in your diet through other means).

Coconut Cream - Coconut milk that has the water removed. Very, very thick.  Often used in dairy-free baking, in place of heavy cream.

Coconut Flakes - Coconut flakes are a type of shredded coconut (you can buy finely shredded coconut (dessicated) or thick pieces which are in fact, flakes).  Furthermore, you can buy sweetened and unsweetened varieties.

Coconut Meat - If you buy a whole coconut and whack it open, the inner white part is the coconut 'meat'. Feel free to just snack away on this flesh!  The meat is chewy and slightly juicy. When dried, it makes coconut flakes (see above).

Coconut Water - Coconut water is available in Tetrapaks at grocery stores. It is an electrolyte-rich drink, great for re-hydrating after exercise or a sweaty day.

Coconut Oil - Great for cooking because it is heat-resistant. An amazing replacement for butter in baking. Also great in homemade body products as it melts upon contact with human skin (solid at room temperature, smooth on skin!). No coconut flavor.

Coconut Butter - Part nut-butter, part oil.  This is a super creamy, super coconutty spread.  You can use it in the same ways that you would use coconut oil, but this product has way more coconut flavor.  Naturally sweet because it contains coconut meat that has been creamy. A wonderful product if you love coconut flavor.

Coconut Flour - A gluten-free and grain-free flour.  Very soft; creates delicate baked goods. Be careful with moisture, because this flour absorbs liquid. 

Coconut Sugar - No coconut flavor. An alternative to refined sugar. Made from crystallized coconut sap. Contains more nutrients than white sugar; less processed. No coconut flavor.

 When I was young, my Mom used to make me oatmeal, but in order to find it palatable, I used to add lots of brown sugar and dairy cream (18% milk fat).  It was such a treat because the sugar melted and got all caramel-like.  Well, I had a craving for that same concoction, but seeing as I've cleaned up my diet quite a bit since then, I turned to the fabulous coconut to recreate this childhood dish.  Organic oats, coconut milk, and coconut sugar. Coconut to the rescue!

 

Tasted just like the good ol' days :)

Super Food Number Eight.

Becca's Super Food Number Eight: Sweet Potatoes.

Sweet potatoes are far superior than their white cousins. Loaded in beta-carotene (which is converted into vitamin A), it is important to eat sweet potatoes with a little fat to help absorb this fat-soluble vitamin that is important for our skin, growth, immunity, and especially vision. Sweet potatoes have vitamin C and lots of fiber too. Despite having "sweet" in its name, they are good for diabetics as they help modulate insulin levels and have a lower glycemic index than regular potatoes.

These orange spuds are also very tasty and surprisingly versatile. Although you may only recognize these spuds when deep-fried (e.g. sweet potato fries) or covered in marshmallow (e.g. traditional Thanksgiving casserole), I assure you that this vegetable is good even when it isn't drowning in sugar or smothered with fat! Other ways of preparing sweet potatoes are roasting them in chunks, baking them whole like a "baked potato", mashing them like "mashed potatoes", blending them in smoothies (their sweetness makes for a sweet and creamy smoothie), hiding them in biscuit recipes, and using them in traditional recipes that call for white potatoes, like layered on top of Sheppard's Pie or in potato salad. Oh, and sweet potato fries are easy to make am home: simply chop them thin, toss then in oil, DON'T salt them, bake them at 400F for 40ish minutes. Salt them after they come out of the oven (salting them before will make them soggy as salt draws the water out of them; salting after they are baked will keep them crisp). Sweet potatoes also make healthy dessert options; how about a baked sweet potato with coconut oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon?

Caribbean Salad
My new favorite way to serve sweet potatoes. This dish is filling (beans and rice), sweet (sweet potatoes), spicy (salsa), and cooling (avocado). Soooo gooood.

2 cups roasted or boiled sweet potatoes, cubed
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup salsa
1 cup black beans
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 onion, sauteed
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1/4 of an jalapeno, minced (optional)
2 avocados, diced

Combine all ingredients (except avocado) and mix well. Either heat on the stove or microwave, or serve cold. Top with half of a diced avocado per serving. Serves four.

Super Food Number Seven.

Becca's Super Food Number Seven: Carob.

Carob tastes similar to cocoa, yet has no caffeine, more nutrients, and the carob bean is naturally sweeter than the cocoa bean, meaning less sugar has to be added to make it palatable. You can find carob in solid form (like a chocolate bar; carob chips are also easy to find and are great for making trail mix or in baking) and in a powdered form (which looks like a very pale cocoa powder). Carob is a good for treating diarrhea (especially in children), as it has a high pectin content, meaning it gels when in contact with liquid and "bulks" things up (eww, sorry to have been so graphic!). Carob is also antimicrobial, so it can act as a natural preservative in baked goods and it helps to clean-up any microbes in the body. Lastly, carob is very high in calcium. Chocolate-y and calcium-y all in one? Carob, you are amazing.

Carob Balls These are no-bake and make for an healthy yet satisfying dessert. You could even make a batch for your V-Day Sweetheart.

2 cups chunky peanut butter
1 cup honey
1/2 cup carob powder
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup sesame seeds

Mix all ingredients (minus the sesame) together and roll into balls. Then roll the balls in sesame seeds (poor the seeds on a plate for easy coating). Makes 15-30 balls (depending on size). Refrigerate after making.

Other ways to use carob are here and here, or any time you need cocoa powder, you may substitute carob.

Super Food Number Six.

Becca's Super Food Number Six: Molasses.

Molasses is a by-product in the process of refining sugar cane into regular, granulated table sugar. Molasses is very high in iron and calcium (which are two important minerals for female and athlete health). Molasses is also awesome because it is a mineral-rich sweetener (containing potassium, manganese, magnesium, and copper). Next time you are craving sweet, opt for molasses for all of its added benefits; add it to toast, smoothies, on top of oatmeal, or of course in gingerbread...

Gingerbread Men (with a healthy twist!)

2 cups spelt flour (or all purpose, or whole wheat)
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon dried ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup maple syrup (or agave, or honey)
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons milk (soy, cow's, or almond), mixed with 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds (let sit for 5 minutes to gel)
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (or butter)

Combine all dry. Combine in all wet in a separate bowl. Add wet to dry and mix well. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Roll chilled dough onto parchment paper. Using a cookie cutter, create evenly spaced g-bread men (removing extra dough and later to make round ginger cookies). Bake for 10 minutes at 350F. Makes 12 g-bread men.

Note: for a spicier cookie, add more spices to taste. Luckily with vegan baking you can taste-test the batter without worrying about any Salmonella poisoning :P

Other recipe ideas: I use molasses to make homemade Teriyaki sauce (combine soy sauce/tamari/Bragg's, molasses, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper). I also have created an mega calcium-rich toast topper: combine equal parts molasses and tahini, stir to mix, spread on toast.

Super Food Number Six.

Becca's Super Food Number Six: Tempeh.

Tempeh is fermented soybeans and brown rice. It has a unique texture and taste and is often considered a healthier version than tofu (because it contains ‘good’ bacteria (probiotics)). Tempeh is very high in calcium, protein, and isoflavones (phytochemicals that help modulate estrogen levels in a good way). I wanted to include tempeh as a 'Super Food' because one, it contains probiotics which are so important for gastrointestinal health and two, because a lot of people (including many vegetarians!) do not know what tempeh is. Don't be alarmed by tempeh's weird appearance: it does look moldy and it does look chunky but these looks are totally normal.

Here is an Asian-inspired tempeh dish that is high in calcium (from the kale and tempeh) and contains two sources of probiotics (from the miso and tempeh).

1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cubed tempeh
2 large kale leaves, torn into pieces
2 tablespoons shredded dried nori

Bring about one centimeter of water to a boil in a frying pan, large pot, or wok. Place cubed tempeh into the water and let it boil for no more than 5 minutes (stirring to ensure that every side of the tempeh gets emerged in the boiling water). Drain off the water and reduce the heat to medium. Add the rice, stirring frequently to heat evenly. Reduce heat to low, add kale and nori, and stir well (they should both wilt slightly due to the heat of the rice and tempeh). Serve the dish and top with the the following sauce (which can be made in a blender or simply stirred well). Makes one large serving.

1 tablespoon miso
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water

Super Food Number Five.

Becca's Super Food Number Five: Quinoa.

Oh, how I adore this grain. What is quinoa? Well, in short it is a very protein-rich, seed-like, ancient grain that you cook and serve as you do rice... only quinoa cooks faster than rice (which is a bonus for those who are time-strapped). Quinoa comes in a variety of colors (the most common are red and white) and is a good source of magnesium and iron.

A quinoa recipe (one which Tony LOVED), but it is technically not my own because I originally made it with a classmate. Overall, it is very nutrient-rich, colorful (I think every color in the rainbow is represented... except for blue), and has a nice Indian-curry flavor.

2 cups quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup dry lentils

One large red pepper, chopped
One large yellow pepper, chopped
One zucchini, chopped
One onion, chopped
One eggplant, chopped

One can tomato paste
1/2 cup of coconut milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons curry masala mix
(...or a teaspoon each of dried garlic, ginger, tumeric, and paprika, 2 teaspoons of yellow curry powder, a 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, and an 1/8 of a teaspoon each of salt and cayenne pepper)

- Boil the quinoa and lentils in the water and veggie broth for about 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

- Saute all of the veggies in about a tablespoon of vegetable oil that is suitable to be used at a high heat (e.g. sunflower or safflower).

- Heat on low heat the 1/4 cup of water and coconut milk. Add the tomato paste and spices and stir until mixed.

- Combine the quinoa/lentils, the veggies, and the sauce in one large serving dish. Stir to mix. Enjoy on its own, with pita or Naan bread, with a fruit chutney or Raita.

Super Food Number Four.

Becca's Super Food Number Four: Oats.

Oats are wonderful sources of insoluble fiber (which is slower to digest and stabilizes blood sugar). Oats are also shown to reduce cholesterol (I studied this a lot during my undergraduate degree).

Most people love oatmeal, but what exactly is it? I present you with Oats 101:

Oatmeal is actually a type of oats that have been moistened into a porridge-like consistency. No one actually eats oats because oats are covered with a tough inedible husk. When the husk is removed, the oats are called oat groats. Steel cut oats are oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces. Rolled oats are oat groats that have been steamed and rolled flat. Instant oats (the ones that just require hot water to cook) are rolled oats that have been steamed more, chopped smaller, and rolled flatter. The latter only require hot water to "cook" because they are partially cooked. Lastly, oat flour is made of rolled oats that have been ground into a flour.

Here is a recipe that is perfect for oat lovers and for Hallowe'en.

Black and Orange Oat Squares

Base: 3/4 cup of rolled oats
3/4 cup of oat flour
1/4 cup of nut butter of choice (I used almond)
1/4 cup of liquid sweetener (maple syrup, brown rice syrup, honey, or agave)
1/4 cup of carob or cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons milk or water (to moisten the base if too dry)

Filling: 1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup liquid sweetener (maple syrup, brown rice syrup, honey, or agave)

Topping: 2 Tablespoons of carob or chocolate chips

Mix all base ingredients and press into a greased 8X8 baking pan. Mix all filling ingredients and spread over the base. Sprinkle with the chips. Bake at 350F for approximately 25 minutes. Makes 16 squares.

Super Food Number Three.

Becca's Super Food Number Three: Pumpkin Seeds.

I love pumpkin seeds, especially when they are made into butter. I am pretty sure it is my favorite way to dress my toast. It is very earthy and turns toast a lovely green color. But why rave about pumpkin seeds (or pumpkin seed butter, for that matter)? Well, here is a comparison to peanut butter: pumpkin seed butter is higher in protein, lower in fat and calories, has a third of the daily iron requirement (that's huge for such a small serving!), and is a source of calcium (peanut butter has no calcium and very little iron).

A couple of weeks ago I made a beautiful hummus using pumpkin seed butter. It was very unique, using lentils (not chickpeas), blended with pumpkin seed butter (not tahini), and flavored with Indian spices (in addition to the regular garlic, lemon juice, and salt). Check it out.

Super Food Number Two.

Becca's Super Food Number Two: Tahini.

Tahini is ground sesame seeds (i.e. it is sesame seed butter). If you've eaten hummus before, then you've tried tahini as it is a key ingredient in this popular spread/dip. Eating tahini raw is an acquired taste (many people find it bitter). If you are adventurous to try tahini spread on toast, I would try it drizzled with honey, agave, maple syrup, or layered with jam. Tahini is an awesome staple for vegans (or people avoiding dairy) because it adds a cream-less creaminess to foods, including salad dressings, veggie dips, pasta sauces, and desserts. Tahini is a super food because of its high levels of calcium and fiber.

I recently used tahini in this butternut squash salad. It is a very different combination of ingredients, but it has the consistency of potato salad, only made with squash, and with its creaminess coming from tahini and not mayonnaise. I doubled the amount of cilantro, but other than that, followed the recipe exactly:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/warm-butternut-squash-and-chickpea-salad/