The Healthy Cooking Coach

When Life Gives You Lemons…

Buy an electric citrus juicer.  Every winter for the past five or six years my cooking students, Ray and Gloria McNally, have generously given me bags of fresh lemons from their trees.  I’ve dutifully and tediously juiced them by hand using a wooden citrus reamer or a hand held lemon press.

Several times Ray has recommended I get an electric citrus juicer he got inexpensively from Fry’s Electronics for $12 to $18.  This year I took him seriously. I figured that was a bargain compared to the price of the two massages I would probably need to relieve the ache of carpal tunnel syndrome that juicing that many lemons by hand was likely to aggravate.

I don’t live close to a Fry’s Electronics Store so I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond hoping to get a $15 citrus juicer I found on their online site. They were out of that one so I got the Cuisinart version. I paid a little more for the Cuisinart model but I knew it would be worth it. I own a Cuisinart convention toaster oven, crock pot, pressure cooker, mini chopper, three of their ice cream makers, a set of their grill tools, and their stainless steel pots and pans. I've been impressed with the quality and durability of all of their products.

Besides, I had a Bed, Bath and Beyond 20% off coupon and I knew either company would replace the machine if it failed. FYI: B, B & B coupons never expire. The store will honor they past the expiration date and allow you to use more than on $5 off coupon per visit. So back to the lemons taking up almost one-third of my prime refrigerator space.

101 lemons
I decided not to tackle only a portion of my lemon supply at one time. I wanted to see how long it would take to wash, halve, and juice 101 lemons, and get them into jars in the freezer. I set my collection of small mustard, sun-dried tomato, and canning jars along with a supply of empty vitamin bottles on the counter.

I rinsed the lemons in the sink, halved them in batches of 12 and placed them in a bowl next to my new citrus juicer. I reviewed the directions (always a good idea when you buy a new appliance) and got to work. In 90 minutes I juiced 101 lemons, producing 8 quarts of juice that I promptly poured into the jars with a narrow funnel.

How to freeze in glass jars
I use as little plastic as possible for food storage. I store most foods in glass jars or Pyrex and Corningware containers with lids, whether they’re destined for the fridge or freezer.

The key to freezing in glass is to leave an inch of space in the jar between the juice and the top of the jar if it has the same diameter top to bottom. If the jar narrows at the top, leave an inch of space below the place where the jar narrows so it won’t shatter during freezing when the liquid expands. 

I chose small jars for the lemon juice so I would be likely to use each jar of thawed juice within a week––before it turns sour.  When citrus juice turns sour it becomes so bitter and sharp that it can ruin a recipe.  If this happens, don’t toss it—you can use it to soak casserole dishes, pots, and pans with baked-on or burned residues or to remove the doughy coating left on bowls, utensils, and food processors after mixing bread dough. You can also use it to clean your kitchen sink by mixing it with a little baking soda.

What can you do with the peels from your labor? Compost if you have a yard and garden. Rub the peels over your elbows to soften rough spots. Rub them on your face as an astringent before discarding them. If you have has many as I do and no where else to deposit them, you may have to just toss them.

If you live in a citrus growing region and you're growing tired of lemonade, here’s another idea from my previous cookbook, The Garden of Eating.

Remember, Lemon juice makes a great stand in for vinegar in this and many other recipes.

Lemonette–––alternative to vinaigrette

Prep: 10 minutes/ Yield: 3/4 cup; 6 servings

Replace vinegar with lemon juice and vinaigrette becomes Lemonette. A good rule of thumb for vinaigrette is 1 part (tablespoon) vinegar to 2 or 3 parts (tablespoons) oil. Use more oil relative to to vinegar if you prefer a less sour taste. Add a dash of honey if you want a sweet taste. Not just for tossed salads, this dressing tastes great with parboiled vegetables or as a seasoning for tabouli made from brown rice or quinoa.

FYI: Look for unrefined, virgin-pressed oils sold in dark bottles. Olive oil dressings thicken in the refrigerator. Store them in the side door or remove the bottle 15 to 20 minutes before serving to allow the mixture to liquefy or briefly run the bottle under warm water. 

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, optional
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black or white pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon (raw, preferably local) honey, optional
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed, about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon finely ground, unrefined sea salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive, walnut, or flax oil or unrefined, untoasted sesame oil (such as Eden brand), or a combination of 2 or 3 oils
1 tablespoon warm water

1.  Combine all of the ingredients except the water in blender or small food processor. Cover and process until smooth. With machine running, add 1 tablespoon warm water and blend again.
2.  Taste, adjust as needed, then pour into small jar, and serve or cover and refrigerate.
3.  Use within 2 weeks for best flavor.

2 tablespoons: 166 calories, 1/2 g carbohydrate, 18 grams fat

Variations:

*  Add 2/3 to 1 tablespoon Dijon, creamy white, or yellow mustard to the recipe above.

*  Shallot Lemonette: Use garlic or omit. Increase pepper to 1/2 teaspoon, add 2 minced shallots, and 1 1/2 teaspoons dried, crumbled or 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh basil leaves. 

*  Shallot & Mustard Lemonette: Add 2 teaspoons Dijon or creamy white mustard to Shallot Vinaigrette.

*  Italian Lemonette: Add 1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon each of dried, crumbled basil, oregano, and thyme or rosemary leaves.

*  French Lemonette: Add 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard and 2 teaspoons dried or 2 rounded tablespoons minced fresh herbs (basil, thyme, chives, dill, oregano, parsley, or some combination). 

*  Mediterranean Lemonette: Add 2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley and 2 teaspoons minced fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled thyme.  

Source: The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook by Rachel Albert-Matesz & Don Matesz (Planetary Press 2004).

Tired of Cereal Monotony?

How do you break your nightly fast? Do you, your spouse or partner, and kids start the day with cold cereal and milk? Although cold cereal may seem lost the most convenient option, cold cereal has several surprising strikes against it.

FYI: The picture on the right comes from a pro-oatmeal post by Anthony Stalter posted on Bottom Line Fitness.

What's wrong with cold cereal?
If you ask me, cold cereal has at least three strikes against it even if it doesn't contain added sugars, (which most do), wheat or artificial colorings and flavorings (which many do), or partially hydrogenated oils (which a surprising number do).

1) Cold cereal is expensive. For the cost of one box of cold cereal you can buy
enough old fashioned rolled oats to make at least 30 to 40 large bowls of oatmeal.
Switching from cold cereal to hot cereal can help you save money and stretch your food
dollars.

2) Cold cereals contain high levels of acrylamide, a carcinogen produced when
starches are processed at high temperatures (French fries and potato chips contain even
higher amounts of it). The higher the temperature used to cook or manufacture these
foods, the more of this toxin the final product contains. The fluffing, puffing, and
extruding process used to turn grains into ready-to-eat fast food comes at a cost to the
grain and your health.

3) Cold cereals have a high glycemic index and a low satiety value. Because they're full of hot air and not much else you have the illusion of having eaten without taking in many calories, grams of protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, or antioxidants. The high glycemic index gives you the sugar rush and crash that makes you sluggish, sleepy, or ravenous shortly after eating. Studies looking at the effects of different breakfasts on appetite, blood sugar, and weight control give cold cereal a big boo! In contrast, a breakfast of old fashioned oatmeal served with fruit wins the nod of researchers and dieters alike. Add protein and a healthy source of fat or oil and you have even more fans for this meal.

If you're going to at cereal, choose oatmeal
But not the instant kind. Go for old fashioned (thick), longer, slower cooking rolled oats
for sustained energy. A traditional standby, oats contain 50 percent more protein than
wheat and twice as much protein as brown rice. While most of the fiber in other grains is
the insoluble type, half the fiber in oats is the soluble variety (a friendlier fiber also predominant in fruits and vegetables), which has a cholesterol-reducing effect.

What's in a cup of oatmeal?
A one-cup serving of cooked oatmeal contains only 145 calories. It provides 2 grams of
fat, 126 mg of potassium, 25 grams of carbohydrate (4 grams of fiber, half of it soluble),
and 6 grams of protein. The soluble fiber slows down the digestion of starch, which helps
prevent blood sugar spikes. Oats are as a good source of selenium, phosphorus and
manganese, magnesium, GLA (gamma linolenic acid), ALA (linolenic acid), among
others. Herbalists classify oats as a nervine; they help relax the nervous system.

Oats and the gluten free diet
If you have celiac disease and follow a gluten free diet, be aware that most commercial
oats are cross contaminated with wheat and other gluten-containing grains in the field,
during harvest, processing, and packaging. So, look for safe gluten-free oats, which you
can mail order from Cream Hill Estates, Gluten Free Oats, or Bob's Red Mill. Note: Read labels, not all Bob's Red Mill oat products are gluten-free.

Tired of the same old cereal?
Eating oatmeal doesn't have to mean you eat the same old mush morning after morning.
During my vegetarian and vegan years, I created a lot of oatmeals.  I cooked oats with amaranth, oats with millet, oats with kasha (roasted buckwheat groats), oats with quinoa, oats with leftover brown rice, oats with leftover cornbread, oats with cornmeal, oats with corn off the cob, oats with winter squash, oats with mochi, and many more variations on the theme. One thing I never tried, never even thought of trying, was oatmeal cooked in coffee. I realize millions of Americans probably drink coffee with their oatmeal, but to cook the two together?

Over the holidays, my friend Carol (a great source of unusual and usually delicious recipes) recommended I try her newfound favorite breakfast: Oatmeal cooked in coffee. Since coffee has never been a regular part of my diet, I automatically thought of replacing coffee with my favorite caffeine-free herbal coffee alternative, Teeccino. If you're going to use coffee, I recommend NutriCafe, a Fair Trade organic coffee bean infused with powerful herbal extracts that support health.

Soak your oats
My friend Carol doesn't soak her oats, but I've done it for years to tenderize the grain, start the sprouting process, and liberate more nutrients. Soaking also adds a subtle sweetness and many people find soaked and simmered oatmeal more digestible. You can start your cereal cooking first thing in the morning and leave it to cook while you shower, get dressed, or pack lunch(es). You do not need to stir the cereal as it comes to boil or during cooking (see secrets for success below!)

So here it is.  Try the soaked oats with and without coffee or Teccino and let me know what you think.

Carol's Coffee-n-Oatmeal     

Soaking: overnight    Cooking:30 minutes   Yield: 2 (1 cup) servings     

Secrets for success: 1) Do not stir the cereal before or during cooking or the starches will separate,
sink to the bottom, stick and burn; 2) After the cooking time has elapsed, allow cereal to stand undisturbed with the lid on for 10 to 15 minutes so the steam will condense and loosen any stuck cereal from bottom and sides of the pot to reduce clean up.

Ingredients:
1 cups thick or old fashioned rolled oats/oatmeal (not instant or quick cooking)
2 cups cool or cold brewed coffee or Teeccino (instead of water)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon unrefined, mineral-rich sea salt (I like Celtic, Eden, and Real Salt)

Last minute mix-ins:
Vanilla-flavored stevia extract powder or raw, unfiltered honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or apple or pumpkin pie spice
Butter, virgin coconut oil, flax oil, coconut milk, shredded unsweetened coconut, or
chopped toasted nuts
1 apple or pear, peeled, cored, and finely chopped (see variations below)

1. Before going to bed, combine the rolled oats and cold coffee or Teeccino (or water if you don't want coffee) in a 2-quart pot. Allow it to soak at room temperature, uncovered or with a bamboo sushi mat on top overnight.
2. In the morning, add sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat without stirring and cover. If
using a gas range, slip a heat deflector under the pot as soon as it boils. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes without stirring. When the cooking time has elapsed, turn off, and remove the pot from the burner. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes with the lid on.
3. Stir well with a bamboo rice paddle or large wooden spoon. If cereal seems too thick
for your tastes, stir in hot water a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency.
4. Spoon cereal into bowls. Add stevia extract liquid a few drops at a time or a drizzle of honey, cinnamon or pie spice, and stir. Top with butter, coconut oil or flax oil or sprinkle with chopped toasted nuts. Add apple pear or your favorite fresh or dried fruit. See variations below for more protein.
5. Transfer leftover, unseasoned cereal to a stainless steel or other heat-proof bowl. Cover with a lid or small plate and refrigerate. Use within 2 days.
6. Reheat leftovers in a double boiler or using a heatproof bowl on top of a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam for 15 minutes.

Variations:

*  For added protein: Stir a one-ounce scoop of plain or vanilla whey protein you're
your cereal before serving or top it or serve with a cup of organic goat, cow, sheep,
waterbuffalo milk or yogurt.

*  For Soaked and Simmered Oats without coffee: Replace coffee with filtered water.

*  For variety: Replace the apple with a pear or with fresh blueberries, sliced straweberries, banana, raisins, or chopped, pitted dates.

Do You Like Chocolate?

 Do have have a yen for chocolate? Do you consider your fondness for it a weakness or a healthy habit? Do you consider chocolate a necessary evil, an unnecessary addiction, or a justifiable indulgence? However you feel about it you may be relieved to learn that in other cultures and at other times in history, cacao beans have been viewed held in extaordinarily high esteem.

The ancient Aztecs viewed the cacoa tree as a gift from the God of Wisdom and Knowledge. They believed Chocolatl, a beverage of ground cacao beans, fermented corn mash, vanilla, and hot spices promoted physical strength, mental clarity, and sexual vigor. They reduced their drink to the consistency of honey, and drank it cold.

Aztec Emperor Montezuma II allegedly lived on a steady diet of liquid chocolate, drinking 50 golden goblets full of his cherished elixor every day. He fathered 19 children, so maybe there is something to the association with chocolate and libido.

For a slideshow on the history of chocolate, including how chocolate became associated with love, seduction, and Valentine’s Day, the introduction of choclate milk, and more click here

Thanks to a growing body of research, the benefits of cacao (or cocoa) have been making headlines. If you like dark chocolate, you’re now in good graces. If you don’t, you can certainly condition your taste buds by slowly increasing the bitterness of the chocolate you consume.

Dark chocolate contains some of the same flavonoids found in green tea, red wine, cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, apples, and brightly colored vegetables. Dark Chocolate promises to promote the elasticity of blood vessles and improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, reduce oxidative stress, protect our cells from damaging free radicals that would otherwise speed up the againg process. Additional research suggests that it can elevate your mood (you knew this, right?) and promote relaxation.Milk chocolate and semi sweet chocolate don't provide the same benefits.

Look for unsweetenened baker's chocolate, cacao beans, unsweetened cocoa powder, or bittersweet dark chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 65% and preferable 70 to 85%, or products made from them. The less sugar they contain the better.

Looking for a great hot chocolate mix made without refined sugar?
I recently tried EnerHealth Botanicals Cocoa Mojo, an instant hot cocoa mix made from organic, fair trade cocoa beans, polysaccharide extracts of four medicinal immune-enhancing mushrooms–––Cordyceps Sinensis, Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi), Corioulus Versicolor and Agaricus Blazei), and low glycemic coconut palm sugar. I followed the package instructions:

Mix 1 heaping tablespoon of Coco MoJo into 8 ounces of your favorite liquid (milk, water, soy, or nut milk) or 8 ounces of water and 1 tablespoon of Coconut Milk Powder in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, whisking to dissolve. How does it taste? Not at all medicinal! I liked it. Let me know what you think if you try it.

If you drink coffee, try EnerFoods NutriCafe for coffee infused with medicinal mushroom extracts, or  Teeccino, a caffeine-free herbal coffee alternative made from chicory root, you could add Cocoa Mojo to it to create a mocha flavor. For chocolate milk, you could dissolve the powder in a 1/4 cup of warm goat, cow, or nut milk, then add 3/4 of a cup of cold milk.

Mike Adams, The Health Ranger, recommends blending Cocoa Mojo with an avocado, raw almond milk, a superfoods powdered product called Delicious Greens superfood, and stevia or a fresh pear for  a super delicious, highly nutritious chocolate beverage.

Looking for more healthy chocolate recipes?
Click here to learn more about my most recent cookbook, The Ice Dream Cookbook: Dairy Free Ice Cream Alternatives with Gluten-Free Cookies, Compotes & Sauces

Looking for cooking classes to learn how to make more healthy chocolate indulgences?
Click here for a schedule of my upcoming classes in the Phoenix Metro area. I have several dessert classes that can teach you how to make delicious desserts without wheat, gluten, dairy products, or refined sugar.

Catch Chef Rachel on Blog Talk Radio

Sometimes people ask me how I got started as a natural foods chef, cooking instructor, and healthy cooking coach. Today I'll answer that question and share my career journey on a radio interview with Dr. Arlene Barro, author of Win Without Competing, one of my late mother's long-time friends. I Dr. Arlene when I was a child and I hadn't seen her in more than 20 years. Thanks to the internet, she found me and we reconnected a couple of months ago.

After we shared about our mutual projects, career progress, and life changes, she asked me if I wanted to be a guest on her show because she thought a lot of what I've done exemplifies her Right Fit Method for professional and personal life. The show airs tonight (Wednesday, March 4th, 2009, 6 to 7 pm Pacific Time, 5 pm Mountain).

This morning Dr. Arlene called to tell me that our upcoming is a Today's Pick on Blog Talk Radio, an honor that has happened only three times with her radio show guests.

Show Description:
"The Match-Making Chef" Dr. Arlene’s guest is Award-Winning (USA Book News Best Cookbook and Glyph Award for Best Cookbook) natural foods Chef Rachel Albert-Matesz, who developed 130 recipes for best-selling author Barry Sears, including 90 recipes for Zone Meals in Seconds. Chef Rachel, author of the The Ice Dream Cookbook and The Healthy Cooking Coach blog, will share her career journey and passion for matching her mouthwatering recipes to your health needs.

Click here for the Show Link to listen to the archived version. I hope you can tune in to the show and tell me what you think of it.