The Healthy Cooking Coach

Moroccan BBQ Spice Mix & Moroccan Spiced Salmon

Herbs and spices can add pizzazz to so many dishes. They also contain powerful vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can serve as medicine. Cumin is one of my favorites. In 2005, I researched a lot about it and I wrote an entire article on this spice for Herb Companion. I’ll share a little about it and a couple of my favorite cumin recipes from my award-winning book, The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook.

Did you know
Cumin––one of the oldest and most popular seasonings in the world––is also one of most powerful antioxidants, rivaling all known anti-aging ingredients and foods. It has been used since antiquity and written about for more than 5000 years. Archaeologists found clay pots filled with cumin seeds in King Tut’s tomb.

Historical precedence
Historically herbalists and holistic physicians used cumin to stimulate the appetite, digestion, detoxification and menstruation; to relieve colic, gas, bloating, water retention, pain, inflammation, muscle spasms, hoarseness, asthmatic symptoms,  headaches  and diarrhea; and to rid humans and animals of worms.

What’s in it for you?
Herbalists have used cumin as a nervine for centuries. In his book Cumin Oil as a Plant and Spice, health writer Cass Ingram cites research published in the Journal of Food Science reporting on the high concentration of naturally occurring choline, inositol, and phospholipids, including phosphatidylethanolamine, a substance required for the development, repair and functioning of brain and nerve tissue and liver function. These substances also enhances cell membrane fluidity, crucial for protection against invasion by viruses.

Cumin oil also contains trace amounts of calcium, iron, phosphorus, fiber, fat, carbohydrate and protein. The plant’s volatile oils contain  bitter but powerful substances that possess potent antifungal, antimicrobial, anti parasitic, anti-toxic, antioxidant, anti-spasmodic and diuretic properties, according to The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless (Element Books, 1995).

Food Poisoning Protection
Cumin comes it in eighth place on a list of the Top 30 Spices with Antimicrobial Properties listed from greatest to least inhibition of food-spoilage bacteria. (Source: "Antimicrobial Functions of Spices: Why Some Like It Hot," Jennifer Billing and Paul W. Sherman, "The Quarterly Review of Biology", Vol. 73, No.1, March 1998). 

Seeds of Longevity
A study reported in the journal Phytotherapy Research (Vol. 10. 577-580 (1996) showed that both cumin seed and cumin oil given in relatively small doses increased the liver’s production of glutathione-S-transferase by as much as 700 percent. This enzyme helps the body detoxify cancer-causing chemicals.  Similar findings supporting the chemoprotective potentials of cumin published in Nutrition and Cancer (2003, Vol. 47, No. 2, P. 171-180) attributed these results to the spice’s ability to modulate carcinogen metabolism. 

Another study examining the anti-carcinogenic effects of nine Indian spices on cancer induced by benzo[a] pyrene (B[a]P) found cumin seeds effective at decreasing squamous cell carcinomas (Aruna K, Sivaramakrishnan VM. Anticarcinogenic effects of some Indian plant products. Food Chem Toxicol 1992;30:953-6.)

Cumin’s anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties have also been widely studied. Research results published in the World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology (Historical Archive, Vol. 10, Number 2, March 1994) found cumin oil effective at halting the growth of invasive forms of yeast, fungus, and bacteria, including e.coli. Similar findings published in The Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology, found cumin oil effective in extremely low concentrations (less than one tenth of one percent) at stopping the growth of invasive forms of toxic yeast (Ingram, Cass, Cumin Oil as a Plant and Spice, self published, Buffalo Grove, Illinois, 1997).

Extracting the Essence of Cumin
Most of the healing properties within the seed dissipate when irradiated, ground, or processed. Fof the most medicinal value, buy organic or biodynamically grown, non-irradiated seeds and grind them as close to the time you use them as . Buy high quality, food-grade oil of cumin for therapeutic use.

Here are two cumin recipes from my book, The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook. If you don't have a copy of this book, I recommend it, not just because I'm to the co-author, not just because it won two awards and more than 6,000 copies have been sold so far, but because many of my students, clients, and friends cook from it daily or weekly saying it is the most practical and user friendly of the cookbooks they own.

It's like three books in one, full of so much practical information not found in most cookbooks. Whether you eat a gluten free, grain free, dairy free, sugar free, paleo, primal, plant-based, produce-dominated, traditional foods or natural foods diet or aspire to any of these, this book can help you learn how to eat more fresh, nourishing foods food and eat exceptionally well on a daily basis.

Moroccan Barbecue Spice Mix    

Prep: 15 minutes/ Cooking: 3 to 4 minutes /Yield: about 2/3 cup
                   
Dry toasting whole spice seeds intensifies their flavor and fragrance. You can liberally rub this enticing spice mix over salmon, halibut, pork, chicken or beef before cooking, or add it to meatballs, meatloaf, or sautéed onions with chopped kale, collard greens, or cabbage with  sea salt, and black pepper with a little bit of broth, then cover and simmer for a delicious side dish. Thanks go to Chef Bruce Sherrod of Berkeley, CA, for sharing this recipe. (Do not use powdered spices for this recipe. You must start with whole spice seeds to avoid burning the spices during toasting.)
           
Note: To shell whole cardamom seeds, place 1 tablespoon of whole cardamom pods (they have a beige color) on a cutting board. Rock over them with a heavy-bottomed skillet or chef knife. Pull away and discard the shell fragments, then measure the black seeds. Repeat as needed. To skip this step, buy shelled cardamom seeds in the bulk spice section of natural foods stores.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup whole coriander seeds
1/4 cup whole fennel seeds
2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon whole shelled cardamom seeds
2 teaspoons whole cloves

1. To toast seeds: Combine spice seeds in a dry, medium-size skillet over moderate heat. Stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Pour seeds into a shallow bowl to cool.
2. To grind: Finely powder the toasted spices in a spice-dedicated coffee grinder (not the same one you use for coffee) or mortar and pestle. Store in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 6 months (use sooner if possible).
3. To use with fish or meat: Season steaks, chops, fish, beef or pork roast with coarsely ground black pepper and finely ground sea salt; roll the meat in a portionof spice mix and press firmly to coat all over. Sear seasoned fish or meat in a heavy, oven-proof skillet with coconut oil, clarified  butter or ghee (2 tablespoons per 11⁄2 to 2  pounds fish or meat) until hot but not smoking. Sear 1 to 2 minutes per  side, then finish in a preheated 400F oven.
4. Allow the seasoned meat to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes, or cover loosely with unbleached parchment paper and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before cooking. (See Index for Moroccan-Spiced Salmon, Moroccan-Spiced Pork Chops, or Moroccan-Spiced Pork Loin.)

Entire recipe (spices): 186 calories, 33 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 600 mg calcium, 70 mg sodium
1 tablespoon: 19 calories, 3 g carbohydrate, 1/2 g fat, 60 mg calcium, 7 mg sodium

Source: The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook by Rachel Albert & Don Matesz (Planetary Press, 2004). You’ll get the best price and fastest shipping by ordering from Planetary Press.

Moroccan-Spiced Salmon

Prep: 15 minutes + time for spice rub and sauce/ Cooking: 10 minutes /Yield: 6 to 8 servings   
                   
Berkeley chef Bruce Sherrod devised the spice rub that makes these crispy coated salmon fillets so delicious. You can prepare the spice rub and the barbecue sauce several days ahead. The sauce also freezes well. Round out the meal with whole grain bread, brown rice, qunioa, or herb-roasted potatoes, and a green salad, sautéed kale or collard greens, or steamed broccoli with cauliflower. Add a creamy carrot soup, beet salad, or steamed corn on the cob if you like.
 
Ingredients:
6 (6-ounce) or 9 (4 ounce) center-cut salmon fillets, each 1-inch thick (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon finely ground, unrefined, mineral-rich sea salt (Celtic, Himalayan, or Redmond Real Salt)
2 tablespoons avocado oil, birgin coconut oil, ghee, or clarified butter
1 recipe Moroccan Barbecue Spice Mix (from The Garden of Eating)
1 recipe Moroccan Barbecue Sauce (from The Garden of Eating), optional but desirable

1. Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Rinse fish, pat dry with unbleached paper towel and rest on a platter. 
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in each of two (10-inch) ovenproof cast-iron or heavy-bottom stainless steel skillets (or use 2 tablespoons of oil in one 12-to 13-inch chef pan) over medium-high heat.
3. Meanwhile, season salmon with pepper, and sea salt. Sprinkle fish with half the spice mix, turning to coat all sides. Add more as needed to coat and press firmly so an even layer adheres.
4. When oil is hot, add 3 salmon fillets, skin side up, to each medium skillet or all 6 pieces to 1 large skillet. Sauté for 2 minutes, then turn skin side down. Brown the second side for 2 minutes, then quickly transfer skillet(s) to preheated oven.
5. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until skin becomes crisp and you can easily pierce the fish with a thin-bladed knife. Remove skillets(s) with thick oven mitts (don’t touch those handles!). Serve with Moroccan Barbecue Sauce. Refrigerate leftovers and use within 2 days.

1 serving: 280 calories, 31 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat, 133 mg calcium, 240 mg sodium

Source: The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook by Rachel Albert & Don Matesz (Planetary Press, 2004). You’ll get the best price and fastest shipping by ordering from Planetary Press.

The Winner of the Make It Paleo Cookbook Giveaway

We have a winner! Kerri Maynard, a mother and CSA Farmer in Leavenworth, Kansas, won a copy of Bill Staley & Haley Mason's book, Make it Paleo, a cookbook containing over 200 grain-free recipes for any occasion. Ever since she heard about this book on my blog, she dropped hints to her husband about getting this as a birthday present.Now she will have the book and have some other fun birthday surprises.

It turns out that Kerri attended one of my 5-week cooking courses at the Southest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) in Tempe, AZ, in 2010, prior to moving to the midwest. At the same time, her husband attended nutrition courses led by the co-author of my Garden of Eating cookbook, Don Matesz. She's already versed in the benefits of eating a plant-based, produce-dominated diet that contains an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits supplemented with grassfed meat, wild caught fish, omega 3 eggs, healthy fats and oils, herbs, spices, unrefined sea salt, and judicious amounts of unrefined sweeteners.

Photo credit: Rachel Albert Copyright 2010©

I look forward to hearing about what Kerri tries and lkes from the book. Who knows, maybe her husband will make her birthday cake from the book. It has some absolutely beautiful pictures of recipes, such as Carrot Cake, Coconut Cake, Dark Chocolate Cake, and Lemon Cheesecake, that I wouldn't mind having for one of my birthdays either! I still haven't decided what I want to make for birthday this weekend. (I'll let you know when I do!)

Check out these two pictures from Bill& Hayley's book. They styled the food and took the pictures. No easy taks. Amazing! You can see more delicious pictures on their web site, Primal Palate.

Photo credit: Bill Staley Copyright © 2011

If you're not already subscribed to this blog and to my monthly e-mail newsletter, you may to do that now (see link in the upper left hand corner for email notification), so you'll hear about upcoming giveaways and get sneak peaks of recipes, shopping, cooking, and meal planning tips to help you eat extraordinarly well on a daily basis.

I'll post details on the next giveaway within the next week.

I appreciate all of you reading and following my blog and supporting my work.

Sincerely,
Chef Rachel

P.S. If you would like to learn more about and order Bill & Hayley's book, Make it Paleo, click on the title (to the left) or the icon below.

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs can be made gluten-free with one of the delicious gluten-free pastas on the market. My students and I have enjoyed Tinkyada (brown rice pasta) and Andean Dream (quinoa & brown rice pasta. If you’re diabetic, have blood sugar issues, insulin resistance, cancer, an autoimmune disorder, or some other health challenge that has motivated you to limit or avoiding pasta and other flour products, you don’t have to miss out on spaghetti and meatballs. You can replace pasta with spaghetti squash. Anyone wanting to add more vegetable servings to meals can benefit from using spaghetti squash in place of pasta. 

Bill Staley and Hayley Mason show you how to make grain-free twists on many classic ethnic dishes, including spaghetti and meatballs in their recently released book, Make it Paleo. My friend and former cooking assistant, Anne, made and gifted me with three recipes from their book. The meatballs were my favorite. I liked the flavor and texture and found that the recipe reheated well in the toaster oven and made a great accompaniment to cooked leafy greens.

Here’s my picture of the dish and meal.
Photo credit: Rachel Albert Copyright 2012©

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Prep time: 15 minutes        Cook time: 35 to 45 minutes         Serves: 4

I really enjoyed this dish. I like that their recipes list prep time, cook time, and yield, just as my books do! The only thing missing from the recipe is how to bake spaghetti squash in the oven. The authors recommend microwaving it; however, microwaving destroys more vitamin C and antioxidants that baking or steaming and creates unique and toxic compounds so I suggest avoid it altogether.

Meatball Ingredients:
    1 lb lean ground turkey, or choice of ground meat
    3/4 cup finely chopped onion
    1 egg, whisked
    2 tablespoons coconut aminos (you can sub low sodium, wheat-free tamari soy sauce)
    1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt, and pepper

Meatball Process:

1. Preheat oven to bake at 350.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
3. Form ground meat mixture into 1-inch balls, and place on two parchment lined baking sheets.
4. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
5. Serve.

Marinara Ingredients:
    2 cans salt-free Muir Glen diced tomatoes
    3/4 cup chopped onion
    2 tablespoons minced garlic
    1 tablespoon olive oil (avocado oil also works here)
    2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
    1 teaspoon (dried) oregano
    Salt and pepper to taste

Marinara Process:

1. In a sauce pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil on medium heat.
2. Once onion and garlic have reduced and infused the olive oil with flavor, add two cans of diced tomatoes.
3. Add salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley to sauce and stir, blending all ingredients.
4. Bring sauce to a boil, turn down to simmer, and let simmer for 20 minutes covered. If sauce starts to boil when covered, then remove lid.
5. Toss (cooked) spaghetti squash* with sauce, top with meat balls, and serve.

    * The authors recommend that you
Cut spaghetti squash in half, remove seeds, microwave each half for 10 minutes, and scoop out squash with a fork into a bowl.**
 
** Note: I recommend that you avoid microwaving anything and that you bake spaghetti squash. You’ll preserve more of the nutrients and avoid hazardous compounds that microwaving creates. As an example, microwaved broccoli loses 97% of crucial antioxidants compared to only 11% or less lost by steaming. For an easy tutorial on how to bake spaghetti squash, click here (allow 40 to 60 minutes to bake it; you can do that in advance of the meal).

The other recipes I tried
I’ve got more recipes flagged in their book that I want to make, including Grilled Olives, Oysters Rockefeller, Sunflower Sprout Salad, Artichoke & Avocado Salad, and Barbecue Sauce. I also want to make their Lamb Meatballs.

I made their Garlic & Herb Mashed Cauliflower recipe. It required a little more time and ingredients than the mashed cauliflower recipe in Paleo Comfort Foods. Still, I enjoyed trying a new twist on the popular low-carb take off on mashed potatoes.

Anne and I both found the Carrot Souffle both too salty and too oily. I’d like to try the recipe with only a tablespoon or two of oil or with 1/2 cup of coconut milk (and no oil) and with one quarter to one half the amount of salt. I love carrots and think it’s a great idea for a recipe.

The Banana bread had a lot going for it in terms of ingredients---coconut flour, omega 3 eggs, coconut oil, and a super low sugar content with 4 dates and only 1/2 tablespoon of maple syrup. Tastewise though, I wasn’t impressed. If I were to make this recipe again, I would change several things. I would try adding a whole cupful rather than just half a cup of banana. This would also add more moisture. I think the recipe needs more sweetness. I would try adding a dropper full of plain or vanilla stevia liquid and one or two tablespoons of maple syrup or honey. I would also use only 3 eggs. With 6 eggs, Anne and I both found the eggy flavor too strong, a problem that afflicts some recipes that use coconut flour as the only flour in the recipe.

To try
A woman who owned a cooking school I used to teach in said that if you find three recipes that you really like in a book, you've gotten your money's worth. I think you'll find more than that here. I still want to try more of the salads and sides. I think you'll find more than three favorites here. If you’re not on a diet that restricts sweeteners, including honey and maple syrup, and you want to wow family and friends, particularly those who are used to conventional desserts, try their Peppermint Patties, Pistachio Bark (I had something like this a couple of years ago at a friend’s Christmas party), birthday cakes, and almond flour cookies (I’ve made some like this and they were a huge hit), frozen desserts (I’m a fan of coconut milk ice cream alternatives; I don't think you can go wrong here).

I think Make it Paleo is a great book for anyone who wants to explore paleo, primal, gluten free, dairy free, grain free, produce-rich, anti-inflammatory recipes that use high quality ingredients.  Of all of the paleo and primal cookbooks I’ve perused and cooked from, this one has the MOST beautiful photographs. You could leave it on a coffee to wow your guests. Let me know what you think of the book and what you make and like from it.

To order your copy of Make it Paleo, click the title on the left or the icon below.

Win a Copy of The Foods Lovers Make it Paleo Cookbook

For the past three months I’ve been wanting to cook my way through The Foods Lovers Make it Paleo: over 200 grain-free recipes for any occasion by Bill Staley & Hayley Mason. I just had to juggle a lot of other things (including other books on my reading list) before I could really get into it. From the time I heard and read about this new book on Mark's Daily Apple (released in mid October) I knew it would be a feast for the eyes. Each of the book’s 215 recipes is accompanied by a mouth-watering, professional looking photograph taken by the authors.

What I’ve tried so far
Over the past couple of months I’ve made five recipes from the book:

• Garlic and Rosemary Aioli (page 322)
• Balsamic Onions (page 338
• Smoked Paprika Chicken Thighs (page 194)
• Egg Muffins (page 66)
• a variation on Scrambled Eggs with Lox & Capers (page 68)

The recipes I've tried, so far, from their book have been similar to things I’ve made before. For example, I regularly roast onions, sometimes with the additional of balsamic vinegar. I’ve tried many seasoning blends on chicken and baked egg and vegetable mixtures in muffin tins and ramekins. Still, I enjoy trying other people’s takes on recipe for the variety it adds to my diet.

Here’s the Garlic and Rosemary Aioli I served with blanched veggies and hard boiled eggs.

Photo credit: Rachel Albert © Copyright 2011

Whether you’re looking for delicious, gluten-free, grain-free menu ideas, making the transition from a conventional diet to one comprised of wholesome natural foods, or going 100% grain-free and paleo, The Foods Lovers Make it Paleo Cookbook provides a wealth of tips, techniques, and recipes, including healthy renditions of many classic French, Italian, Chinese, and classic American dishes.  

I served the Balsamic Onions over a few green salads.
Photo credit: Rachel Albert © Copyright 2011

Here’s what you get
You'll find an assortment of basic recipes that feature three to six ingredients and steps as well as fancier preparations that require more ingredients, time, and steps. I’ve flagged at least a dozen recipes that I want to try. I’ll post pictures, details, and some sample recipes from the book and the authors’ web site.

Like other paleo diet cookbooks, the authors recommend buying animal products that have been grass fed or pasture raised rather than factory farmed, focusing on wild rather than farmed fish, using heat-stable, high quality fats and oils and avoiding oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and avoiding artificial flavorings and colorings, trans fat, and refined sugars. While the book excludes grains, beans, and legumes, those who consume them occasionally (following the 80:20 rule of practice) or regularly (following a general whole foods diet), will still find plenty of inspiration in the produce, protein, and healthy dessert department in Bill & Haley’s book.

The specs
At 1 1/4-inches thick with 448 pages and a trim size of almost 8 1/2 x 11, the book is almost, but not quite, as big as my book, The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook. It’s a great resource for any food lover who values fresh, unrefined, real food. You’ll find recipes for everything from breakfast to appetizers and entrees and from side dishes to salads, soups, and and sauces, and from treats to cheats (healthy indulgences). The book also contains paleo diet basics, suggestions for stocking a paleo kitchen, including a glossary of what may be new and unfamiliar ingredients to some readers and guidelines for choosing the highest quality ingredients, cooking tips, and inspired menus.

I served the Smoked Paprika Chicken Thighs (below), thinly sliced, with Roasted Parsnips (from my book, The Garden of Eating), and a crisp green salad with a blueberry balsamic vinaigrette (a variation on another vinaigrette recipe from my book, The Garden of Eating).
 

Photo credit: Rachel Albert © Copyright 2011

You could be a winner!
Victory Belt publishing has generously offered up a copy of this book for a giveaway. That could be you! I hope you’ll enter and help spread the word about the giveaway to other people you know who might want to know about this book and have a chance at winning a copy of it.

As I try more recipes, I’ll post more pictures along with a few sample recipes.

How to enter the giveaway

Leave a comment below and
(a) Tell me why you want to win The Foods Lovers Make it Paleo Cookbook by Bill Staley & Hayley Mason.
(b) to receive bonus entries, spread the word about my blog and this giveaway.
Select as many actions as you like and BE SURE TO post a separate comment for each action telling me what you did so your extra entries will count:

   1. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel (watch my cooking dvds if you like)
   2. Subscribe to this blog (upper left side of this page)
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   4. Follow my Healthy Cooking Coach Page on Facebook
   5. Tweet about the giveaway and send me a link
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   7. Mention the giveaway to your family and friends and invite them to enter
   8. Mention the giveaway on your blog and send me a link
   9. Come up with your own creative idea and tell me about it
 
Note: Do any or all of the above and BE SURE TO post a separate comment for each action telling me what you did so your extra entries will count.

If you would like to purchase this book, click the image below to buy it on Amazon.

Deadline: Midnight, Friday, January 13th, 2012.
Selection criteria: Random drawing
Limitations: Drawing open only to US residents due to shipping restrictions.

By the way, the winner of the last week’s giveaway for the Eat Well, Feel Good Practical Paleo Living Cookbook is Allie Hobbs of Boise, ID. You could be the next lucky winner!