The Healthy Cooking Coach

Eat Well, Feel Good, Practical Paleo Living Cookbook Giveaway

If you read Tuesday’s post about this book and you want more gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, produce- and protein-rich recipes and you’re looking for more ideas, Eat Well, Feel Good, Practical Paleo Living may be a book for you.

I’ve posted her super-simple, creamy and delicious Cilantro-Lime Dressing below. In the photo on the right I served it with Roasted Carrot, Parsnip & Ginger Soup (from Diane's book), romaine lettuce w/cucumber, roasted eggplant, onion and garlic and a Green Chile Turkey Burger (aslo from Diane's book).

Your chance to win this cookbook
Diane Frampton has graciously donated a copy of her cookbook to one of my readers. I will select one winner next week. Enter as many times as you like but remember to post separate comments for each action you take. Click the comment button at the end of this posts to do that.

Photo credit: Rachel Albert Copyright 2011©
 
How to enter:

Leave a comment below and
(a) Tell me why you want to win Eat Well, Feel Good, Practical Paleo Living.
(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)
   3. Subscribe to my newsletter (upper left side of this page)
   4. Follow my Healthy Cooking Coach Page on Facebook
   5. Tweet about the giveaway and send me a link
   6. Announce the giveaway on Facebook and send me a link
   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.

Deadline: Midnight, Thursday, December 29th, 2011.
Selection criteria: Random drawing
Limitations: Drawing open only to US residents due to shipping restrictions.

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

This dressing makes a great topping for a crisp green salad, a bed of greens topped with grilled or roasted veggies, or a blanched vegetable salad. For one-dish dining, add some cooked fish, poultry, beef, bison, or lamb to the green salad before or after dressing.

My note: The recipe info says “makes 4 servings.” I thought it made 8 to 12 servings (1/4 cup of oil per serving would be a lot of oi per person!).

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cider vinegar (I use Bragg's raw apple cider vinegar)
juice of 1 lime (use 2 if they're small)
1/4 cup cilantro, leaves removed and finely chopped (double for a thicker dressing )
1 teaspoon [finely ground, unrefined] sea salt (I use Celtic Sea Salt or Redmond Real Salt)
1 teaspoon ground pepper (I used black; white pepper also works)
1 cup olive oil (I used extra virgin)

Mix all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor. (I used a Vita Mix. A blender would also work.) With the machine running, add oil slowly down the feed tube until emulsified.

My notes: I poured the dressing into a wide-mouth glass jar before refrigerating it.

Source: Eat Well, Feel Good, Practical Paleo Living by Diane Frampton (2011).

Gluten Free Pasta with Dairy-Free Pesto

If you follow a wheat-free or gluten-free diet, or you aspire to, you may be pining for pasta. I realize you don’t just want pasta, you want great tasting pasta to enjoy in your favorite recipes. Five to 10 years ago that might have been an iffy proposition. All that has changed. Here in 2011, it’s definitely a reality. I’ve tried several brands of gluten-free pasta and listened to colleagues, friends, and bloggers who cook and eat a lot of pasta.

If you tried some of the earlier gluten-free pasta options and found them soggy and unpalatable, don’t rule out the newer versions. I found two brands I really like and highly recommend.

The brand that receives the most raves is Tinkyata Pasta. This stone ground whole grain brown rice pasta has a firm texture and great taste. It’s free of wheat, gluten, corn, eggs, dairy, casein, nuts, and peanuts. So if you or your family members have multiple food allergies, this is probably the best brand for you. It's also certified organic and kosher certified. It has a great mouthfeel and holds up well to sauces.

Tinyata makes 18 wheat-free, gluten-free pastas, including spaghetti, spinach spaghetti, spirals, vegetable spirals, shells, grand shells, fusilli, elbows, fettucini, lasagna, penne, and little dreams (a kid kind of shape). Ingredients: organic brown rice, rice brand, and water. Spinach and vegetable pastas contain added vegetables. 

I tried their brown rice spaghetti a few months ago when one of my cooking students used it to make her final recipe for Whole Foods Cuisine I. She topped it with the Practically Paleo Pesto recipe from my book, The Garden of Eating. (The recipe can be made with basil and parsley, mint and parsley, or cilantro and parsley.) My students were impressed with the pasta and the pesto. I would definitely buy that pasta. I want to try some of the other shapes made by Tinkyata. I have a dairy-free mac & cheese recipe from The Spunky Coconut Blog flagged in my inbox. I'll let you know when I try it.

The other gluten-free pasta I really like is Andean Dream Gluten-Free Spaghetti. It’s gluten-free, corn-free, organic, and Kosher. Ingredients: organic Royal Quinoa and rice flour.

I prepared it according to the package directions for the final class and potluck for my recent 5-week Whole FoodsI Cuisine course at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) in Tempe, AZ. I topped it with Practically Paleo Pesto pulled from my freezer (recipe from The Garden of Eating). I set out parmesan cheese, dulse flakes with toasted sesame seeds, and sea salt as optional additions; people seemed to enjoy it as is.

The plate on the right, my lunch on Saturday, contains Caveman Chili, Better Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Mushrooms, and Herb Scrambled Eggs from The Garden of Eating, the Quiona-Rice pasta with Practically Paleo Pesto, a mini grassfed beef kafta kabob, and Glutino rice crackers. One of my students also made a chicken recipe from my book that was also a hit (not pictured) that I'm eating for lunch today. For dessert, we had three flavors of Ice Dream, dairy-free, coconut milk "ice cream", (from my Ice Dream Cookbook) with Mango and Blueberry Sauces, Karly's Cocoa Sauce, and cakey-textured Chocolate Chip Ice Dream Sandwich Cookies from the same book. The verdict: An enthusiastic row of forks up! You can find some of those recipes on my blog.

Even the skeptics were impressed with the pasta. One had never eaten gluten-free pasta and doubtedthat it would taste good; the other had tried gluten-free pasta years ago and had been so underwhelemed that he gave up on buying it again. The skeptics and the rest of loved the flavor, texture, and mouthfeel. I now have a eight new converts to gluten-free pasta.

By the way, if you like Quinoa check out my Cooking with Quinoa Class at Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ, on Sunday, June 26th, 2011. The same class will also run on Sunday, July 17th, 2011. You can read more on the Cooking Class page of this blog. I will show you more great ways to add quinoa to your recipe repertoire.

If you want to make my Practically Paleo Pesto, a dairy-free twist on the classic, click here. Adjust the garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper to your liking. I frequently make it to use up leftovers parsley, basil, cilantro, mint, or some combination of these. It freezes fairly well. I pour it into varying sized small jars (label the contents and date it), cover it with a layer of olive or avocado oil, and freeze. When I want it, I transfer it from the freezer to the fridge a day or so in advance, making it ready to add to Angeled Eggs (Deviled eggs minus the evil sounding name), blanched vegetables, a tossed green salad, an omelet, or mayo. It’s also great spooned over cooked chicken breast, pork loin, sliced tomatoes, or over baked potato, polenta, or gluten-free pasta.

Note: To punch up the flavor after defrosting, you may need to adjust the seasonings. Also, remember, every time you remove some of the pesto from the jar you need to add a layer of olive or avocado oil to the jar to completely cover the pesto to keep it from oxidizing.

If you don't already own a copy of my Garden of Eating Cookbook, click here for ordering information. If you buy it directly from my secured web site you'll receive it within one to two weeks if you order it by insured media mail (faster if you pay for expedited delivery). You'll receive a sample shopping list that goes with the sample month of menus in chapter 13. You'll also get it for a much better price ($34.95 +  sales tax if you live in Arizona) than anywhere else online. Expect to pay $130 or more for a copy on Amazon.

Do you have a favorite brand of gluten-free pasta? Do you have a favorite use for pesto? An unusual ingredient you add to it? I'd love to hear from you. Please let me know by posting a comment below. Click comments and follow the prompts. Come back as often as you like to share more info with my readers. You can do this with any of my blog posts.

Paleo & Primal Pesto with Mint & Parsley

I love pesto, but not the usual kind with parmesan cheese. I actually prefer dairy-free pesto made from fresh herbs, nuts, garlic, olive or avocado oil, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. I have a master recipe that I adjust, depending upon what herbs I have on hand. I’ve made it with basil and parsley, with cilantro and parsley, and with mint and parsley. I recently made a lot of the mint version afer I inadvertently left six packages of fresh pint at home when I needed to take them with me for a big dinner event I was doing for 40 people. (Yes, I do occasionally forget the 110th ingredient when I'm packing for a cooking class, cooking party, or big dinner party.) Lucky for me someone picked up mint for my big shindig and I knew what I to do with the overflow of mint in my fridge the next day. Lucky for me Practically Paleo/Primal Pesto freezes well!

Pesto beyond pasta
Pesto’s extremely versatile. Think beyond pasta! (If you do serve it over pasta, try gluten-free brown rice pasta or quinoa pasta.) I like to drizzle or dollup it over blanched vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, sweet red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, green beans, or some combination of two or more of these). I like to serve this for breakfast, lunch, or dinner with some kind of protein and fresh fruit or a starchy or dense vegetable.

You’ll see a recent breakfast on the right. Sometimes I toss the pesto over a green salad (romaine or baby greens with sliced fresh tomatoes scallions or roasted onions, and cucumber or celery) with or without diced chicken breast or salmon.

The pesto in the photo on the right has noticeable traces of oil because I scooped it out of the jar I'd covered with oil a couple of days before. Photo credit: Rachel Albert © Copyright 2011.

You can also serve the pesto over grilled freshly cooked tuna, pork, or a burger at the table. Mix it with homemade mayonnaise and use it as a spread for a lettuce-based wrap or a dip for chicken tenders. Drizzle it over an omelet. Dollup it over a baked potato. Dunk celery and jicama sticks in it. If you eat goat cheese, I think it would be yummy poured over soft goat cheese then served with jicama sticks.

Preserving pesto
Whether refrigerating or freezing the pesto, once I pour it into jars (I prefer 8 ounce or smaller jars) for storage I pour olive or avocado oil over the top to keep the air off and prevent oxidation. That makes it look good so you’ll still want to eat it. Each time you scoop out some pesto, add a layer of oil on top to cover it. If you plan to freeze it in glass jars, leave an inch of space below the lip (indentation) in the jar to allow for expansion during freezing. To thaw, transfer a frozen jar of pesto from the freezer to the frige and allow all day or overnight for it to defrost.

Super vibrant green pesto
I recently discovered that using the Vita Mix (rather than the food processor) to puree the pesto emulsfied it more, turning it a lovely green avocado color and removing every last lump. It had a consistentcy like mayonnaiase. I’m sure a BlendTek would work just as well.

Practically Paleo/Primal Pesto

Prep: 20 to 30 minutes/ Cooking: 5 to 15 minutes (for nuts)/ Yield: 2 cups; 16 servings
                   
Unlike conventional pesto, this one is made without Parmesan cheese, or any cheese for that matter. If you're a little short on mint, add more parsley to make up the difference. If you need to avoid nuts, try the take-off on Pistou––the French Provençal version of pesto without nuts.  Either can be used to baste salmon, white meat fish, or chicken before baking, roasting, or grilling. It can also be stuffed under the skin of chicken breasts before baking.

Source: Modified from a recipe found in The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook by Rachel Albert & Don Matesz
   
Ingredients:
2 packed cups fresh mint leaves, rinsed, spun or patted dried, stems removed (see variations below)
1/4 cup lightly toasted walnuts or toasted or raw pine nuts; double if desired
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, washed and dried, stems removed (double if desired)
1 teaspoon finely ground, unrefined sea salt (Celtic Sea Salt or Redmond Real Salt), or to taste
2 to 3 medium to large garlic cloves, chopped or crushed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; double if desired
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or (refined or virgin pressed) avocado oil
Additional oil or preservative-free chicken broth, optional
3 drops vitamin-E oil (optional), as a preservative
1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper

1. Process all ingredients in blender, Vita-Mix, or food processor and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape sides with spatula. For thinner consistency, add a dash of oil, broth, or stock with motor running. (For best results and the most vibrant green hue, use a Vita Mix or blender and puree until the mixture is totally green and free of lumps. I couldn’t get it as smooth with the food processor.)
   
2. Taste and adjust sea salt, pepper, or lemon juice to your tastes. If too salty, add more parsley a handful at a time and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides with a spatula.
3. Transfer to clean wide-mouth jar that allows very little air space.
4. Cover and refrigerate. After each use, top with thin layer of olive oil to prevent oxidation.
5. Use within 1 week, or freeze in ice trays, transfer to sealed container, and use frozen pesto within 2 months. 

2 tablespoons: 75 calories, 1 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 11 mg calcium, 115 mg sodium
  
Variations:

• Practically Paleo Pumpkinseed Pesto: Replace nuts with lightly toasted pumpkinseeds. Use hulled green pumpkinseeds sold in natural foods stores.
• Practically Paleo Pistou: Omit nuts. Add 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste. This will eliminate 17 grams of fat and 189 calories from master recipe. Add more parsley or mint as needed to thicken.

If you like this recipe, order a copy of this book! You’ll love it!
The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook by Rachel Albert & Don Matesz

Healthy Edible Gift Ideas

I prefer making rather than buying gifts over the holidays and throughout the year. No one asks where I bought the gift. They don’t want the receipt and they never ask about returning the gift. Sometimes they ask for the recipe if I don’t include it with the goodies. I save money, avoid standing in long lines, and have the satisfaction of knowing the recipient will rarely ever receive the same gift from someone else.

Although many of the recipes I show people how to make throughout the year work as gifts, I rarely have time in each class to suggest this. Each year, if I can, I teach a class focused on making and sharing delicious food over the holidays. Sometimes I lead it in the late summer or early fall (think Christmas in July or August for those who might want to plan far ahead). This year I opted to do it the weekend before Thanksgiving.

This year I called it Healthy Edible Gifts from the Hearth and held it at SWIHA (Southwest Institute of  Healing Arts in Tempe), where I teach two five-week whole foods (think natural foods rather than the chain that goes by the same name) cooking courses throughout the year along with some afternoon classes, and two online cooking courses.

My aim was to show people how to savor the season without spending a fortune by making healthy food gifts from inexpensive, whole foods ingredients. I shared wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free recipes free of refined sugar. Since we made it a hands-on class, I did most of my work ahead of time: shopping, planning, and setting up work stations for the class. My students did most of the work in class, after I gave them an overview of the recipes, techniques, and ingredients.

Here’s what they made for gift giving:
Moroccan Barbecue Spice Mix
Moroccan Barbecue Sauce
Cranberry-Apricot Chutney with Chipotle
Poppy Seed Pineapple Drizzle & Dressing
My Favorite Macaroond Dipped in Dark Chocolate      
Naturally Sweetened Dark-Chocolate-Dipped Date Nut “Truffles”
Homemade Apple Sauce                          

Here’s what they made to go with the spice rub and sauces above:
Moroccan BBQ Spiced Wild Alaskan Salmon
Vanilla Omelet with Cinnamon to go with the Cranberry Apricot Chutney

Here’s what I made ahead and gave them samples of to take home:     
Homemade Beef Jerky
Fruit Rollups/Fruit Leather
Dried Apple Chips

Here’s what my assistant and I made to round out the meal:
A crisp, colorful green salad (to go with the salad dressing they made)
Roasted onions, baby turnips, and sweet bell peppers (to enhance the salad)

Once they were sitting down, enjoying their meal, I walked them through planning,  wrapping, decorating, packing, freezing, and shipping tips.

The morning after
Here’s what I had for brunch the day after the class. I love leftovers and cooking classes give me plenty of delicious things to work into meals at home. It’s one of the great benefits of doing what I do.

If you’re looking for more ideas for gifts you can make and share with family and friends, check out the two posts below from 2008 and 2009. Consider getting copies of my books, The Garden of Eating and The Ice Dream Cookbook, to give as gifts and to use yourself for making edible gifts for others. The books have been hugely popular with conventional eaters, people into natural foods, whole foods, real foods, slow foods, paleo and primal diets, wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, moderate-carb, and high-carb diets, the Zone, Crossfit, and other ways of eating. My mid December of this year (20101), I hope to have my first set of cooking dvds ready for sale.

For more great gift ideas, click here and here

If you’re interested in cooking classes in the Phoenix metro area, click here to see the list of upcoming classes I’m teaching. If you’d like to give a gift certificate for a group or private cooking class, cooking party, kitchen coaching, or healthy shopping tour for someone on your list, please contact me by email (see my contact info under my photo, upper right side of page). 

Queen Creek Olive Oil is King

Like to eat? Love to learn? Want to know what Phoenix, Arizona has over Spain, Greece, and Italy?  Take a trip to Arizona’s only working olive farm and mill, Queen Creek Olive Mill for a tour of the facilities to find out!

What do you know?
Open Sunday through Wednesday from 9am to 5pm and Thursday through Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm with live music every Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 pm, the mill offers hourly tours ($5 per person; kids 12 and younger attend free) from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. If you’d like to bring your own group, you can book a private tour in the evening. You’ll learn about the history of the mill, how they harvest and process the olives, about different grades of olive oil and their percentages of purity, and what makes Queen Creek Olive Oil superior to most imported olive oils. Sample the olives, oils, tapenades, and  balsamic vinegars, grab a bite in the restaurant, or buy goodies to go. (Looking for unusual holiday gifts? This could be your go-to place to find them.)

How old is your oil?
I know a fair amount about olive oil and I picked up new facts on the tour of the olive mill that I will surely weave into the classes I teach and the articles I write. I was surprised to learn about the shelf life of extra-virgin olive oil (it’s best used within one year of pressing). I thought it was longer! 

They’re not saying (nor am I) that you’ll keel over if you use 18-month-old olive oil, but it won’t have as good a flavor and it will have a lower polyphenol content than younger olive oil. (Polyphenols are chemical substances found in colorful plants––think dark chocolate, berries, grapes, green leafies, green tea, etc.––that have antioxidant properties, i.e., they may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, macular degeneration, and other diseases, and help us age more gracefully by protecting our cells from excessive oxidation and damage. Oxidation is normal, natural, and inevitable, but too much of it can cause premature aging and an early demise.)

Olive everything
The store at Queen Creek Olive Mill features at least 10 varieties of marinated and stuffed olives (ever had mesquite smoked almonds or wasabi ginger sake olives?), plain and infused oils (from blood orange to chocolate-flavored olive oil), olive spreads, artisan butter, cheese, and bread, cakes and cupcakes made with extra-virgin olive oil, flavored balsamic vinegars and vinaigrettes, and olive oil bath and beauty products (a must try if you’re as careful about what you put on your body as you are about what you put into it), and wines, most (roughly 80%) of the products they sell come from local (AZ) sources. The bottled olives come from California (that's more local than olives from Europe).

We sipped some of the chocolate olive oil, marveling at the smoothness and deep chocolatel flavor. I’m curious about using it in baking and in sauces. I’ll let you know when I try it and what I make with it. I’m thinking it would be good mixed with honey, maple syrup, unsweetened cocoa powder, and vanilla extract (click here for proportions from my recipe for Karly’s Carob & Cocoa Sauces from my Ice Dream Cookbook) to make a drizzle for fresh berries, sliced bananas, fruit salad, poached pears, ice cream, Ice Dream or other non-dairy frozen desserts, cake, or your favorite person.

Dining at Del Piero at the mill
The olive mill has a Tuscan-inspired café that uses local and organic products to make  appetizers, bruschettas, soups and salads, sandwiches, and desserts from del Piero family recipes. The herbs come from our organic garden, meats come from The Pork Shop (a local meat shop), and the oils, tapenades, and balsamic vinegars come from their mill. They offer gourmet meals to go and custom-made cakes (made with XV olive oil….and wheat; they don’t currently offer gluten-free baked goods), and gelato from two local companies: Udder Delights and Berto’s (note: some gelato flavors may contain gluten).

Gluten-free options at the olive mill?
Most menu items include bread (salads automatically come with a slice of it), if you're sensitive to gluten or have Celiac Disease AND you let them know, they can accommodate you. I called and quizzed someone from their kitchen to make sure! She said they are trained on how to avoid cross contamination; they will leave off the bread (and add extra lettuce or other veggies) by request, don a fresh pair of gloves; and use separate preparation surfaces and utensils. I asked if they've considered carrying gluten-free breads and crackers. She said they have discussed it but haven’t done it yet. If  you want that option, please call Queen Creek Olive Mill and request that they add this to their menu and shop.

I ordered the Sevi-del Piero’s Chicken Salad: Tequila lime roasted free range chicken with red onion, capers, cranberries, roasted pecans, celery, fresh garden herbs, and del Piero garlic aioli ($8.99) without the Ciabatta bread and potato chips, and a Seasonal Green Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette ($5.99). I was expecting more nuts, more cranberries, more aioli, and waaaay more chicken  than I got. Nothing out of the ordinary except that they charged us $8.99 for less than 2/3 of a cup of chicken salad on a single piece of lettuce (photo right!). They didn't bump up the portion of anything on the plate when they left off the bread and potato chips. Oh, well... I had room for dessert.

My friend ordered the Lucca sandwich ($8.99): Herb roasted turkey breast, brie, sliced apple, leafy greens, and Caramelized Red Onion & Fig Tapenade on a multi-grain ciabatta. He had them substitute a different cheese but that was the only change. His sandwich came with potato chips. The portion seemed satisfying to him. He also ordered iced tea and chocolate olive oil cupcakes (photo above) to go (Note: these and other baked goods at the mill are not gluten-free!).

My favorite dish: pumpkin gelato drizzled with fig balsamic vinegar. Mmmm! I’d heard of balsamic glaze over ice cream, but hadn’t tried it until now. My friend ordered raspberry-pomengranate and chocolate and gelato ($3.89 for a small but ample cup).

Although I appreciate the fact that they use a lot of local and organic products, I think they need to make changes in how they serve people who special order. My friend thought the food was good and the the price was high for the tiny portion of chicken salad I received. We liked the assortment of fresh olives on the plates, the tour and what we learned on it, and the outdoor dining. Still, we were glad that we stopped at the olive mill for a tour and lunch on our way to hike Usery Pass in the Superstition Mountains.

Queen Creek Olive Mill is located at 25062 S. Meridian Road in Queen Creek, AZ 85242. Phone: (480) 888-9290. You can visit their web site to learn more and sign up for their newsletter. If you can't get to the mill, you can buy the oil and olives and some of the farmers' markets around the valley, including the downtown Phoenix Public Market on Saturday mornings at 1st & McKinley.

I’d love to hear from you
Have you been to Queen Creek Olive Mill? What did you like and learn? Would you go back? Would you bring a friend, family member, or houseguest? Have you cooked with Queen Creek Olive Oil or tried the olive oil beauty care products they sell?

Photo credits: Rachel Albert © Copyright 2010).

The Great Avocado Oil Giveaway

Forget forbidden fruits! Avocados and avocado oil should be near the top of your shopping list. Avocados are a source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamins, important minerals, and health-protective antioxidants. 

What’s in it for you?
Half a medium avocado (about four ounces) provides a whopping 500 milligrams of potassium––more than you’d find in a medium banana! Half an avocado also contains more than 1/3 of the RDA for folate (folic acid), 10% or more of the RDA for iron, magnesium, betacarotene, Vitamins C, Vitamin E, and vitamin B-6.

Photo credit: Rachel Albert Copyright© 2010

*  Avocados contain powerful antioxidant and disease fighting phytonutrients.

*  Avocados rival many other anti-aging foods, including grapes and red wine…and you won’t get pulled over for eating them at breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

* Avocados contain more lutein than any other fruit. This carotenoid provides powerful protection against cataracts and macular degeneration, major causes of blindness in the elderly.

* Avocados contain at least twice as much beta-sitosterol (a plant sterol that inhibits cholesterol absorption in the intestines) as corn, green soybeans, or olives. They contain more than four times as much beta-sitosterol as olive oil, bananas, apples, grapes, plums, cherries, and cantaloupe.

* Ounce for ounce avocados contain three times as much glutathione as bananas, apples, cantaloupes, grapes, plums, and cherries. This antioxidant may protect against cancer.

* Avocadoes are a good source of vitamin E (best provided by whole foods that contain a complex of nutrients not found in pills).

Photo credit: Rachel Albert Copyright© 2010

Now there’s another way to eat avocados
Besides eating eating the fruit, you can also reap the benefits of avocado by using
avocado oil. Avocado oil can be used in much the same way you’d use olive oil. You can use it for sauting, grilling, and roasting, in salad dressings, dips, sauces (try pesto), and spreads, and anywhere you’d ordinarily use other edible oils. It has a delicate flavor and pairs well with vegetables, fish, poultry, meat, eggs, and grains. Avocado oil has a higher smoke point (519˚F) than most other oils, including olive, making it more stable when exposed to heat.

Like olive oil, avocado oil comes in different grades, from extra-virgin to refined. Extra-virgin versions retain more of the vitamins and antioxidants than refined versions. (Refined avocado oil has the most mild flavor and can be used in breads, cookies, cakes, and other goodies, although it lacks the vitamin and antioxidant content of virgin-pressed avocado oil).

Fresh, new oil
I recently started experimenting with Miramerica extra-virgin avocado oil, a brand made from a blend of Haas and Fuerte avocadoes handpicked high in the Andes Mountains of South America, brought to climate-controlled ripening chambers and ripened completely before pressing. The pulp is extracted using a centrifuge, then cold-pressed (temperatures are strictly controlled to preserve the vitamins and antioxidants in the fruit), then packed in dark bottles to keep the light out and further protect the oil from oxidation.

Photo credit: Rachel Albert Copyright© 2010

Although I’ve used refined avocado oil, I had not previously experimented much with extra-virgin avocado oil until recently. It has a lovely lime-green color (from the carotenes it contains) and a subtle flavor and frangrance. I’ve used it to make savory and sweet salad dressings and sauces and drizzled it over blanched vegetables at the table. It’s also great for baking and roasting. I love the flavor! To learn more about Miramerica and their products, click here.

Would you like to Win a bottle of Miramerica Extra-Virgin Avocado Oil?
You could be one of the lucky recipients! Enter as many times as you like. Two lucky winners will receive a bottle of this delicious oil.

Rules for entering
1) Leave a comment below with a link to your favorite avocado oil recipe or tell how you would like to use this oil.

To receive bonus entries, spread the word about this blog and this giveaway:
(select as many of the following as you like):

2) Watch one of my YouTube videos and leave a comment about it below
3) Subscribe to my YouTube page and leave a comment about that below
3) Subscribe to my blog ( link halfway down this page on the left) and leave a comment telling me you subscribed
4) Publicize the giveaway, then leave a comment about what you did, e.g.,
    a) Tweet about the giveaway with a link to my blog
    b) blog about the giveaway and leave the link
    c) announce the giveaway on Facebook and send me a link
    d) mention the giveaway to your family and friends
    e) come up with your own creative idea
5) do any or all of the above; post a separate comment for each action

Deadline: Midnight, Thursday, October 21st, 2010.
Selection criteria: Random drawing
Limitations: Drawing open only to US residents due to shipping restrictions.

 

Mustard––More Than a Spread for Bread

According to food historians, mustard is the oldest condiment known to man. Mustard seeds have been found in the tombs of the ancient Egyptian pharoahs. Botanically, they belong to the brassica family, along with broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables.

The origins of mustard
According to Barry Levenson, holder of the largest collection of prepared mustards in the world, and curator of The Hount Horeb Mustard Museum, Mount Horeb, WI,“Mustard as we know it (wet mustard), a condiment sauce made from the seeds of the mustard plant in combination with some liquid (water, wine, beer, etc), dates back to the 14th century and perhaps even earlier.”

More than a condiment
Mustard’s uses extend beyond that of a mere spread for bread. The seeds, leaves, and roots has been used as food, fodder, fertilizer, seasonings,  medicine, and as a standard of excellence for millennia. Every part of the plant can and has historicially been used. We’ll focus on the seeds for now.                       Photo credit right: Wikipedia

Mustard in medicine
As medicine, mustard musters up more than 40 restorative properties, from poultices and plasters to infusions, baths, liniments, and antiseptic solutions. Ancient medical texts mention using mustard to treat pulmonary disease, congestion, bronchitis, weak appetite, constipation, digestive weakness, sore throats, tooth aches, hiccups, snake and scorpion bites, skin rashes, scorpion bites, rheumatism, arthritis and many other ailments.

Before the advent of aspirin, people made mustard plasters (aka poultices) and applied them to various body parts to relieve aches and pains. They also used mustard in foot baths and full body baths to increase blood flow to inflamed tissues.

You can find mustard references in the British Pharmacopoeia, ancient and modern Chinese medicine texts, and the writings of some of history’s most renowned healers: sixth century Greek Scientist, Pythagoras (you thought he was only a mathematician?); ancient Greek physician Aesculapius,  Hippocrates, John Gerard, author of the Brittish Pharmacopoeia; Nicholas Culpepper, an English botanist, herbalist, physician, and author of The Complete Herbal (1653); and Dr. Bach, known for his famous flower remedies.

Can you cut the mustard?
As a standard of excellence, the eighteenth century phrase,“the proper mustard” meant the genuine article, or real thing. In the 19th century,“keen as mustard” refered to someone who could add something––usually zest––to a situation. In the 20th century, someone who could perform at the required level was “up to mustard,” while someone  who failed to keep up or measure up, was described as “unable to cut the mustard.”

Photo credit: Rachel Albert© 2010

Mustard Trivia
*  Mustard plants produce about 1,000 pounds of seeds per acre.

* One pound of mustard contains approximately 250,000 seeds.

*  In one year at New York's Yankee Stadium, people consume more than 1,600 gallons plus 2,000,000 individual packets of mustard.

*  Most of the mustard seeds used in Dijon, France are actually grown in the United States and Canada. Canada produces about 90 percent of the world's supply of mustard seeds.

* Benjamin Franklin allegedly brought mustard seeds to the United States

*  Worldwide, consumers eat more than 700 million pounds of mustard annually.

*  The Mustard Museum in Mount Horeb, WI, holds the world's largest collection of mustards, with over 3,700 varieties.

* Ground mustard has little or no aroma or flavor until you add liquid to it.

* Most commercial mustards get their distinct yellow color from the addition of turmeric.

What do you do with mustard?
Besides using wet mustard as a condiment at the table, I add the ground seeds or prepared (wet mustard) to dips and salad dressings, omeletes and scrambled eggs, lettuce wraps, beef and bison jerky, curried greens, and chutney. Do you have any unusual uses for it? I’ve heard of people adding it to chocolate cake. I’ve not tried that though!

Caution: If you follow a gluten-free diet, read labels carefully. Some brands contain wheat flour. My favorite, True Natural Taste Creamy White Mustard, is not only gluten-free, it's also certified organic, and made from a 5000-year old recipe. It comes in many flavors too!

Here’s a recipe I modified from my book, The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook. For more wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, primal, and healthy recipes, click here to order your copy. If you buy the book directly from the publisher, you’ll receive a sample shopping list that goes with the sample month of menus contained in the book.

Honey-Mustard Chicken with Ginger 

Prep: 30 minutes/ Cooking: 8 to 12 minutes/Yield: 6 servings
                                           
Honey and mustard do wonders to moisten and flavor chicken breasts when paired with olive oil. Ginger adds a zingy taste and helps improve digestion and fight inflammation. This makes a delicious topping for salad greens or a main-course salad made with an assortment of raw, roasted, or grilled vegetables. A creamy carrot, squash, or tomato soup or side of roasted sweet potato fries makes a great accompaniment.

Chicken:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast fillets, cut into 1-inch x 2-inch strips or chicken tenders left whole

Honey Mustard Marinade:
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup creamy white, yellow, or Dijon mustard (True Natural Taste white mustard is my favorite)
2 tablespoons honey (double if desired)
1 tablespoon finely grated and minced fresh gingerroot or 1 teaspoon ground ginger (fresh produces the best flavor)
1/4 teaspoon ground red or black pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt or 1 to 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

1. Add chicken to glass or Pyrex pie plate or bowl. Combine Honey Mustard Marinade ingredients and pour over chicken. Stir and turn chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, all day, or overnight, turning the chicken pieces once or twice.
2. To bake: Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Transfer the chicken and marinade to an oblong 14x9x2 or 18x9x2-inch heatproof Pryex baking pan if it has not been marinating in one.  Bake until chicken pieces reach an internal temperature of 160˚F or the juices run clear and chicken is the same color throughout when cut in half.
3. To broil or grill: Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the marinade. Cook chicken pieces on the grill, under the broiler, or in a liberally oiled, heavy-bottomed skillet, griddle, or grill pan over medium heat, about 3 minutes per side, or until firm, meat is beige throughout, and juices run clear when test piece is cut in half.
4.  If you removed chicken from the marinade to broil or grill, while the chicken cooks, add about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of water to the leftover marinade and bring to boil in a saucepan, cook at a boil for 10 minutes, then reduce heat and cook for at least 4 minutes or until thick. Baste chicken with this mixture as it cooks on the grill or under the broiler, or cook the juices down to about 1/4 cup and spoon over the chicken after cooked. After baking chicken, boil down the pan juices to reduce to about 1/4 cup, then spoon over chicken.
5. Serve chicken while warm. Refrigerate leftovers and use within 3 days. (They’re delicious cold, especially over a green salad.)

1 serving: 230 calories, 30 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat, 15 mg calcium, 128 mg sodium

Variations:

*  In step 1, add 1 tablespoon minced fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, tarragon, dill, or basil.

*  Honey-Mustard Chicken with chipotle: Replace ginger with 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle. Omit black pepper. Garnish with minced cilantro before serving.

*   Honey-Mustard Chicken Salad: Serve chicken over individual plates heaped with raw spinach, arugula, or spring greens, minced scallions, parsley, red radishes, celery, fresh or sun-dried tomato slices, avocado, sliced avocado and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice or your favorite salad dressing. Add roasted onions, bell peppers, and/or carrots, if desired.

Source: The Garden of Eating: A Produce Dominated Diet & Cookbook by Rachel Albert & Don Matesz (Planetary Press, 2004). For more info or to order your copy, click here.

Dairy Free Cilantro Pesto

I’m one of those people who likes cilantro.  Some people think it tastes soapy. Not me! I like it as a garnish, added liberally to salads, salsa, marinades, and pesto. I’ve made several versions of cilantro pesto without the cheese.

If you like cilantro and pesto and you follow a paleo or primal diet or simply avoid or minimize cheese because of food allergies, sensitivities, or digestive issues, the recipes below will serve your you needs.

Pesto without cheese
I’ve found it easy to omit cheese (whether feta or Parmesan) from pesto. I usually add sea salt to make for the briny flavor of cheese. Pesto’s tty forgiving. Although I usually measure when I make it (so I and others can replicate the results if they come out great), I find it’s pretty easy to replace some of the cilantro with parsley or even chives, depending on what’s at hand. I’ve made it with onions and without, with red peppers and without. Same for black pepper.

Pesto beyond pasta
I can’t remember the last time I had pesto on pasta. I eat pasta so rarely; it’s not part of my weekly or monthly diet. When I do eat it I buy gluten-free rice pasta or have rice noodles in an Asian restaurant. I usually serve pesto with blanched veggies, use it to dress a tossed green salad, use it as a topping for chicken, a basting agent for white meat fish, as a dip for jicama, or occasionally as a spread for brown rice crackers topped with cucumber rounds.

Recently I discovered that cilantro pesto tastes great mixed with Grape Seed Oil Vegenaise or Olve & Flax OIl Vegenaise mayo and eggs to make egg salad or with egg yolks to make Angeled Eggs (a guilt-free version of Deviled eggs).

Photo credit right: Chef Rachel Albert ©2010

Cilantro on ice
If you’re cooking for one or you’re the only one in your house that likes cilantro or pesto, you can freeze some of what you make. I freeze foods in wide-mouth jars.  For small portions (1/2 to 3/4 cup portions) I use jam jars (sold in the canning section of hardware stores, supermarkets, and superstores), leftover mustard jars, or glass bottles saved from nutritional supplements.

Defrosting pesto
Make sure to label the jar with the contents and date before storing it the fridge. You must leave an inch of space in the top of the jar (below the lip in the jar) and place the jar in the refrigerator until it feels cold to the touch before transferring it the freezer, so it doesn’t shatter. To thaw, simply transfer the jar the fridge the day or night before you plan to use it. If necessary you can run the jar under warm (but not hot) water once it’s partially thawed.

Photo credit right: Chef Rachel Albert ©2010

What follows are two version of cilantro pest with some of the variations I’ve tried. Some natural foods experts claim that eating cilantro can help your body get rid of stored mercury. I haven’t seen any studies to back this up, but it certainly wouldn’t help. The vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in green foods will help your body deal with stress and the onslaught of free radicals we’re exposed to every day.

Do you have a favorite cilantro pesto recipe?

Cilantro Pesto #1

Yield: about  1 1/4 cups

The initial idea for this recipe came from this web site. I’ve tinkered with the ingredients. Unlike traditional basil-based pesto, this sauce requires no Parmesan. The complementary flavors include red onion and chiles. The original recipe called for Serrano chiles. I’ve used ground chipotle and also canned jalepeno peppers in separate batches. Although you can use almonds, I’ve also prepared it with pine nuts.

Photo credit right: Chef Rachel Albert ©2010

I like to spread this pesto over raw cucumber or jicama slices, use it as a dip or sauce for blanched broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and radish or bell pepper slices, over chicken or fish, or as an addition to egg salad or the filling for angeled eggs. It also pairs well with brown rice crackers or brown rice pasta.

Ingredients
2 cups, packed, of cilantro, large stems removed
*
1/4 to 1/2 cup blanched almonds
, toasted walnuts, or raw or lightly toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup chopped red onion
 or green onions/scallion
1/2 teaspoon chopped and seeded serrano chile
 or 1 tablespoon canned jalapeno pepper (double if desired)
1/2 teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt
 (I use Redmond Real Salt or Celtic Sea Salt)
2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed, optional
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice (double if desired), optional
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil or avocado oil or as needed to blend

Additional oil to cover the puree in storage

1. In a food processor or Vita-Mix, pulse the cilantro, almonds or other nuts, onion, chile pepper, and sea salt until well blended. With the food processor running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream.
2. Add more oil as needed to create the desired consistency. Whatever you don't plan to use within a few days spoon into a glass jars and cover with a layer of olive or avocado oil and a tight fitting lid; use within 1 week.
   
3. For longer storage, freeze the pesto in small jars (see notes above), covered with a thin layer of oil to prevent oxidation. You could also freeze pesto in stainless steel ice cube trays, then top out the frozen cubes and strore in a larger containter for future use.

Variation:

• Replace 1/2 to 1 cup of cilantro with parsley that’s been washed, spun dry, and had the stems removed.

Cilantro Pesto  #2

Yield: About 1 1/4 cups but don’t quote me; I forgot to measure the yield last time!

I found this recipe on Rebeccca Woods’ web site.  She’s a natural foods chef, author, speaker, and nutrition educator who recommends, seaweed and cilantro for chelating mercury stored in our tissues. She says they both chelate mercury and safely discharge it from the body so she recommends their frequent use. I started with her recipe then omitted the Parmesan cheese and replaced some of the cilantro with parsley.

She uses this pesto as a topping for grilled fish (see Pacific Halibut), chicken or vegetables, cilantro pesto is also good as a dip, over pasta or grains and on sandwiches. This pesto keeps in the refrigerator for several days. For optimum flavor, bring it to room temperature before serving.”

I like to serve this sauce with raw cucumber or jicama slices or blanched vegetables, over cooked chicken or white meat fish, as a basting sauce for baked fish, as an addition to egg salad or the filling for angeled eggs. It also pairs well with brown rice crackers or brown rice pasta.

Tips: Be sure to wash the parsley impeccably well to remove all traces of sand. Remove large stems, rinse parsley leaves again, spin dry, then use. If using walnuts, I place them on a clean dish towel, folding the towel over the nuts to cover, then I rub the towel back and forth to remove the bitter skins. This reduces bitterness and keeps the nuts from irritating the roof of your mouth.

Ingredients:
2 cups rinsed, loosely packed fresh cilantro, large stems removed
1 cup rinsed fresh parsley, large stems removed
½ cup roasted pine nuts, walnuts* or macadamia nuts

2 cloves garlic
, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon lime juice
; lemon juice also works (double if desired)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, plus additional oil to cover the puree in storage
½ teaspoon mineral rich sea salt or to taste (I use Redmond Real Salt or Celtic Sea Salt)

1. Strip the cilantro leaves from the stems and set the leaves aside. Coarsely chop the stems and place them in a food processor or blender.
2. Add the nuts, garlic, lime juice, oil, and sea salt and process to a uniform consistency. Add the leaves and process until the leaves are coarsely chopped. Add additional oil or citrus juice as/if needed to produce the desired consistency.
3. Whatever you don't plan to use within a few days spoon into a glass jars and cover with a layer of olive or avocado oil and a tight fitting lid; use within 1 week. For longer storage, freeze the pesto in small jars (see notes above), covered with a thin layer of oil to prevent oxidation. Alternatively, you could freeze it in stainless steel ice cube trays, then top out the frozen cubes and store in a larger containter for future use.

Raw, Fermented Salad Dressing

Looking for a good salad dressing? It’s difficult to find a store bought brand that doesn’t contain refined vegetable oils ( corn, safflower, sunflower, canola, cottonseed, partially hydrogenated oil, or generic vegetable oil), fructose or high fructose corn syrup. Many supermarket brands includes those hazardous ingredients along with artificial colorings, flavorings, chemical preservatives, and sometimes MSG.

Salmon bellies with herbs, green salad with avocado and ZukayTomato Provencal Dressing. Photo by Chef Rachel Albert-Matesz © 2009

Very few companies are willing to pay what it costs to make dressings with pure, extra virgin olive oil. They use cheap vegetable oils that are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids that promote inflammation, suppress your immune system, and increase your risk for developing cancer and other degenerative diseases. Photo Zukay Foods

When I heard about Zukay’s Raw Fermented Salad Dressings on the Cheeseslave blog, I thought, “I’d like to try them.” So I contacted the company, told them what I do for a living, and asked them to send me a sample pack to test, which they did.

Cultured salad dressing?
These unique dressings are modeled on the practice of fermenting vegetables, fruits, and condiments practiced by traditional people around the world. If you look at the cuisines of China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Germany, and many others you will find picked or fermented foods. This practice was used to extend the shelf life and season of vegetables, to add flavor, add beneficial cultures (good bacteria) to the diet, aid digestion, and support health.

Very few people make cultured foods nowadays. It’s a lost art. I did it years ago when I was into macrobiotics, but I don’t do it now and haven't for many years. Who pickles garlic, onions, radishes, peppers, or cauliflower? Who makes sauerkraut, sushi ginger pickles, or natural dill pickles? Bottled version of these foods in stores  are usually pasteurized, which destroys the live cultures these foods used to contain when people made them for local consumption, and many contain vinegar where salt and time were used the sour them in the past. Many more contain artificial flavorings and colorings.

Now you don’t have to make these probiotic products even if you want to enjoy the flavor of old fashioned fermented foods free of additives. Zukay Live Foods is located in rural, eastern Pennsylvania (luscious farming country; I think they have more farmers’ markets per capita than anywhere else in the U.S). The founders of the company, who have been conscientious natural foods shoppers and eaters for years, get their ingredients from as close to home as possible. They support family farms in their state and region. They use simple ingredients without chemical names and numbers to make products you could reproduce in your own kitchen–––if you had the time and inclination to do it.

Beef kafata kabob, blanched veggies w/Zukay Cucumber Mint Dressig & olive oil. Photo above taken by me, Chef Rachel Albert-Matesz © 2009

What no oil?
Not only are these dressings made without refined vegetable oils, chemical preservatives, refined sugars, or additives, they’re also fat-free and oil-free. But this isn’t your typical fat-free salad dressing. These dressings are made to be mixed or served with other wholesome foods.

If you’re like me–––and you don’t follow a fat-free diet¬¬¬–––you can add extra virgin olive or avocado oil to the dressing in whatever ratio you like or you could serve the dressings over a salad tossed with sliced avocado, chopped olives, soaked and dehydrated or toasted nuts, or bacon. You can use the traditional 1 part acid (vinegar or lemon juice) plus 3 parts oil ratio (although I found that too dilute with these products) or mix Zukay salad dressings with 1 or 2 parts oil, which I thought came out just right.

Salt-free salad dressing
Since they’re made without added salt, you can add that to taste or leave it out. Try unrefined mineral rich sea salt (I like Celtic Sea Salt or Redmond Real Salt) or wheat-free tamari soy sauce (Eden or San J brand) or add some sea vegetable flakes to your favorite foods at the table.

Low carb dressing
Since these dressings don’t contain sugar or other sweeteners, you can use them even if you’re following a low carb diet. They contain only 1 or 2 grams of carbohydrate per serving (2 tablespoons), which amounts to only 4 to 8 calories before you add your favorite fat or oil source.

Six flavors to choose from
Carrot Ginger
Tomato Provencal
Cucumber Mint
Sweet Onion Basil
Red Pepper Cilantro
Tomato Pepper Pesto

I’m not sure which one I like best. This week I’ve been into Tomato Provencal. Last week I was keen on Cucumber Mint. The week before I preferred Sweet Onion Basil. Rather than add oil to each bottle, I have mixed a portion of a dressing with oil in a smaller bottle or poured the oil-free mixture over a salad and added avocado to my serving. I haven’t tried them as a marinade for chicken, but might try that next week. Not just for raw salads, I’ve used them over parboiled vegetables. Check out previous posts to learn this technique.

Photo right courtesy Zukay Live Foods.

If you’re not in the habit of eating cultured (naturally fermented foods) on a daily basis, it might take a few days or a week or two to get into the flavor. Your taste buds might need some time to adjust. Adding some unrefined sea salt can help. Once they do, I think you’ll really enjoy the dressings. I found that after a few weeks I liked the dressings even more than on the first or second try.

Where to get these dressings
Zukay is a start up company. Right now their products are sold in limited areas. If you don’t find them in natural foods stores in your town or city, you can order them directly from Zukay online. You can also ask your local health foods stores to stock their products! They also sell fermented salsa and relishes. I haven’t tried them yet.

If you try these dressings, tell me how you like them.

Pomegranate Dressing

Judicious Use of juice
I’m not a big fan of fruit juice. It’s all too easy for people to drink the concentrated essence of the many pieces of fruit, taking in far too much fruit and sugar in a single serving. This can elevate insulin levels and also contribute a lot of empty calories to your diet or your child’s diet. However, I think fruit juice can safely be used in cooking. You can use it to replace sugar in some recipes, such as salad dressing, where it provides a sweet taste with added antioxidants you wouldn’t get if you used sugar, honey, agave nectar, or other sweeteners. The key: use 100% real fruit juice.

Photo credit: Pom Wonderful

One of my favorite ways to use fruit juice in cooking is to boil it down, making what’s know as a reduction, then thicken it with arrowroot, allow it to cool, and add a mild tasting oil such as flax oil, unrefined avocado, almond, or hemp seed oil.

I usually use pineapple or orange juice for this, although I’ve also combined cranberry and white grape juice. Sometimes I add poppy seeds and dried, rubbed sage. I always add mustard, ground black or white pepper. Sea salt is optional, but does punch up the flavor of the other ingredients. This week I tried something different: Pomegranate juice.

Ancient fruit
Botanists believe that pomegranates were among the earliest cultivated foods, planted sometime between 4000 and 3000 B.C. The fruit has been revered as a symbol of health, fertility, and rebirth.

Try Pom Wonderful Pomegranate juice
I received samples of POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice. The name comes from the “Wonderful” variety of pomegranate used exclusively in this brand of juice. Like apples, grapes, and pears, there are many varieties of pomegranate and each one contains differing levels of antioxidants and vitamins. The Wonderful variety is revered for its combination and concentrations of powerful antioxidants, its delicious taste, and its deep crimson color.

Photo credit: Pom Wonderful

Know the Source
POM juice is grown, picked, juiced (using a proprietary technology), and manufactured by a single company located in the San Joaquin Valley. They even manufacture the bottles they use, which are made of harder, and thus more stable, plastic. Because they don’t buy their juice from other companies, they know what goes into their product and what doesn’t. They don’t add sugar, preservatives, colors, or cheap fillers to their juice the way some companies do and they never use imported juice. When buying fruit juices, read labels carefully some companies mix expensive juices, such as pomegranate, with cheaper juices, such as apple or white grape, to reduce their costs.

Health benefits of pomegranate
You’ve probably heard that pomegranates promote heart health, prostate health, and circulation. The research on that was done with Pom Wonderful Pomegranate juice.
POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice is the only pomegranate juice backed by $25 million in medical research. Actually, they’re the only pomegranate juice backed by any medical research at all.

Photo credit: Pom Wonderful

Wine vs. pomegranate jJuice
Go for the juice! According to the company that manufactures Pom Wonderful Pomegrante Juice, tests showed that ounce for ounce, pomegranate juice contains 17% more polyphenol antioxidants than red wine. (6.1 mM vs. 5.2mM) and that 100% pomegranate juice neutralized 54% more free radicals than the same size serving of red wine (71% vs. 46% neutralization).

Best of all, you won’t get pulled over for drinking pomegranate juice.  If you are going to drink it, I suggest mixing 1 part pomegranate juice with 1, 2 or 3 parts sparkling mineral water (preferably water you've filtered at home using a Multi Pure Home Drinking Water Filtration System and carbonated using a Soda Stream Soda Maker) for a delicious, festive looking, low sugar mocktail.

Pomegranate juice vs. other beverages
Hundreds of scientific tests have shown that POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice contains more and stronger antioxidants than concord grape juice, blueberry juice, cranberry juice, orange juice, apple juice, acai juice, black cherry juice, and green tea.

Click here to view research on POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice for cardiovascular health, atherosclerosis, prostate, health, and more.

Photo credit: Pom Wonderful

Cooking with Pomegranate juice
I love the tangy and slightly sweet flavor pomegranate juice adds to the salad dressing recipe below. You can also use it as the liquid for brining a turkey, poaching fish, marinating pork, making a glaze for chicken breasts, game hens, or leg of lamb, and more.

You can add whole pomegranate seeds to so many dishes for a festive look and interesting texture. I look forward to making pomegranate syrup as an Ice Dream topping and even pomegranate ice dream and many other recipes this fall.

For more recipes and gorgeous pictures using pomegranate juice and whole pomegranate fruit, click here

Pomegranate Drizzle and Poppy Seed Pomegranate Drizzle     

Prep: 15 minutes/ Cooking: 45 minutes/ Yield: 2 3/4 cups; 11 servings

This sweet and tangy dressing revals store bought salad dressings! It has a silky smooth texture and great taste and it’s better for your health. It’s free of high fructose corn syrup, soy, safflower, canola, and cottonseed oil, and chemical names or numbers. It also contains less fat and calories than most bottled dressings. The sweetness it does contain provides powerful antioxidants.

Consider making a double batch to share with family and friends. It would make a great gift during the holidays. Chef Jeff McKahon of Toledo Ohio’s Rohr Fish & Seafood inspired this recipe, originally made with orange juice.

Note: For a sweeter taste, add xylitol after powdering it in a spice-dedicated coffee grinder or 1 cup at a time in a Vita-Mix so it resembles powdered sugar. This will help it dissolve and eliminate any gritty texture.  

Ingredients:

• 1 quart (4 cups) 100% pure pomegranate juice (I used POM Wonderful Juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt (Celtic or Redmond Real Salt; links below), optional
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds, optional (tastes great with and without)
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper or white pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot powder dissolved in 3 tablespoons cool or cold filtered water
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup Barleen’s flax seed oil, extra firgin avocado oil, Eden® unrefined, untoasted sesame oil or Nutiva hempseed oil (see links below)
  
• 3 drops vitamin-E oil (from a dropper bottle or capsule)
• 2 teaspoons Now® Apple Fiber Powder for thickness, optional (see link below)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon, yellow, or Creamy White Mustard (see link below)
• 1 to 3 tablespoons powdered xylitol (see notes above) or 1 to 2 tablespoons honey, optional

1. Bring the pomegranate juice and optional salt to a rolling boil in a wide and shallow 2- or 3-quart pot. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until reduced to 2 cups (check volume by pouring the juice intao a heat-proof Pyrex measuring container).
2. Add optional poppy seeds, pepper, and dissolved arrowroot. Stir over medium-low heat until mixture thickens, turns clear, and coats the  back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Cool the pot in an ice-bath or at room temperature or refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Add the oil, vitamin-E oil, optional apple fiber, and mustard and whisk or process in a blender or with an immersion blender. If you prefer a sweeter taste, add powdered xylitol or erythritol 1 tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition.
4. Pour into one or more glass jars, label, and refrigerate until cold, and then freeze what you don’t plan to consume within a month, leaving 1-inch of head-space in the top of each wide-mouth jar.

Figures not available using pomegranate juice in the recipe above

1/4 cup serving w/pineapple juice: 160 calories, 1 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate (1/2 g fiber), 11 g fat, 50 mg calcium

1/4 cup serving w/orange juice: 145 calories, 1 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat, 43 mg calcium

Source: Recipe modified from The Garden of Eating: A Produce—Dominated Diet & Cookbook by Rachel Albert-Matesz & Don Matesz