Category Archives: vegetables

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard | Jonathunder

I love Swiss chard. Of course I love all of the dark leafy green but Swiss chard is one of my favorites. Colorful, delicious and easy to use in so many different ways it's really a fabulous green to add to your food plan. I just finished planting some in my garden and am eagerly awaiting it's growth so that we can enjoy it.

Apparently originally from Sicily one of the great things about Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris) is that you can eat the leaves when they are young and quite tender but they are still tasty when they are larger and more mature. The ruby and rainbow varieties are more colorful and I confess a preference that is totally related to that color as I enjoy seeing their beautiful stems and leaves in the garden or in my dishes. For productivity however, the plain green variety does seem to produce more heavily. On the other hand, like beets, the red and rainbow varieties are higher in betacyanins, which are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and believed to support detoxification.

Nutritionally, like all the dark leafy greens, Swiss chard is a powerhouse food to add to your diet. One cup of the cooked greens provides more than the RDV for vitamin K and vitamin A and around 50% of the RDV for vitamin C. It also delivers a substantial amount of minerals like magnesium, manganese, potassium, and iron.

Recently I came across these two recipes for Swiss chard from Martha Rose Schulman in her New York Times column and they look so delicious they will definitely be included in how we eat this fabulous green this summer.

Stir Fried Swiss Chard and Red Peppers

Swiss Chard and Chickpea Minestrone

What's your favorite way to eat this wonderful leafy vegetable? I'd love it if you'd share a recipe or two.

Eat White Food

by Miraimmune system, legumes, pantry, protein, vegetables, vegetarian

I frequently spend a lot of time asking people to eat the colors of the rainbow. There are so many tasty colorful foods that I am at a loss to understand how the Standard American Diet came to be mostly beige. On my Facebook Fan Page I often push colorful foods. For the most part this means fruits and vegetables that are higher in nutrients, tasty and easy to incorporate into the diet in their whole food form.

Today however I'm here to advocate for white foods; at least some of them. I'll still be one of the first to tell you that white rice, white pasta, white bread, white potatoes and that ilk are primarily simple carbs and not a great choice. But there are some other white foods that are fabulous and should definitely be part of your nutritionally dense, healthy eating plan.

Cauliflower ] photo: Liftarn

Cauliflower – A cruciferous vegetable that is loaded with vitamin C, cauliflower also provides vitamin K, and some folate. It's also got a type of phytonutrient called glucosinolates which are a good choice for detoxification activity within our bodies. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties make cauliflower high on the list for cancer prevention and heart health while it's high levels of fiber make it a great choice for supporting healthy digestion. You can eat it raw, steamed, baked, roasted, and cooked. Don't forget about the greens, these are also edible and make a great addition to a stir fry or curried greens.

Parsnip | photo: A.Cahalan

Parsnips – A root vegetable that is loaded with fiber, parsnips also provide vitamin C, vitamin K and folate. They have a wonderful mineral content that includes calcium (yes folks, 1 C. of parsnips gives you 5% of your RDV for calcium), magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese. I've read that before people knew that potatoes were edible, parsnips were one of the prized root vegetable for their mild, delicious flavor. They can be eaten raw, cooked, mashed, steamed, and make a wonderful addition to a root vegetable medley or a carrot, sweet potato, parsnip latke.

Garlic | photo: geocachernemesis

Garlic – Another wonderful root vegetable garlic is a fabulous antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, cancer fighting, immune system boosting food that needs to be a part of your diet. If chopped and let to sit for a few minutes oxidization boosts the powerful antioxidant allicins. Many people, myself included, when feeling a little under the weather, will chop a clove or two of garlic and swallow it down raw (do not do this on an empty stomach as it may cause digestive upset). Delicious, healthy, easy to use in a vast array of dishes, it's one white vegetable that belongs in your pantry. As tasty as it is, it's no wonder that there's a recipe for chicken with 40 cloves of garlic.

White Onion | photo: multadroit

Onions – there are all different types of onions so it seems a bit odd to single out the white ones since I tend to use them all. The white ones include sweets, cipollinis, shallots, pearl onions and more. Try them all, they're delicious and so good for you. High in chromium, which is great for your blood sugar, onions also have a high level of sulfur compounds which makes them a great choice as a heart healthy, immune boost, cancer fighting, anti-inflammatory vegetable. They also provide copper which is important for bone health.

Mushrooms | photo: Chris 73

Mushrooms – everyone is going crazy for shitake, oyster, portobello, maitake and other mushrooms these days. But that doesn't mean that you should discount those tasty white mushrooms. They pack a nutritious punch with lots of fiber, vitamin B12 (especially important for vegetarians and vegans), potassium, copper, and selenium. 1/2 cup of mushrooms provides a whole lot of flavor yet only 7 calories. Another easy, versatile vegetable they can be used in many different ways in a wide variety of cuisines.

White Beans | photo: Rasbak

White Beans – This color covers a number of different kinds of beans, navy, great northern, cannellini, pea beans, and more. A great source of protein, white beans also offer a great source of iron and fiber. They are good for stabilizing blood sugar, good for your heart, your digestion and can be eaten so many different ways. They pair well with an almost endless combination of vegetables, herbs, and spices. One of my favorite ways to eat them is cold (after cooking) in a salad drizzled with a pesto dressing.

Celeriac | photo: AlbertCahalan

Celeriac – Sometimes referred to as celery root this tastes like a cross between celery and parsley. It's great in combination with other root vegetables, goes great into a slaw, cooks up well in a casserole, and is another great choice to add to your diet. Low in calories but high in vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese it's considered a detoxifying vegetable. It may also help with blood pressure health and support bone health.

So eat a rainbow of food, whole foods that is, but don't forget white is all the colors of the rainbow and needs to be part of your plate too.

Green Tomato Chutney

by Mirapantry, preserving, produce, recipes, tomatoes, vegetables

I was amused by a conversation with QuantumVegan’s about harvesting fifty pounds of tomatoes. That's a LOT of tomatoes! When we lived in Vermont that kind of a harvest was sure to mean we were getting green tomatoes. The growing season is so short there tomatoes don't always have time to ripen. So you come up with lots of good ways to use green tomatoes. There's green tomato pie, green tomato salsa, the ubiquitous fried green tomatoes, and more. Luckily green tomatoes have lots of nutrition, including lycopene.

Nutritional Profile

According to the USDA, the nutritional profile of green and red tomatoes is almost the same. Green tomatoes have twice the vitamin C, more vitamin K, and more calcium. Red tomatoes have more vitamin A, E, and potassium.

Apparently, they have the same amount of lycopene and it is believed that the chlorophyll in the green tomatoes hides the red pigment which indicates a lycopene-rich food.

Recipe

Green tomatoes are versatile and can be made into pie (it's delicious, trust me), pasta sauce, and all manner of preserved goods.

If you're getting close to the end of your growing season and you're looking at a large crop of green tomatoes, here's my favorite way to use them up; green tomato chutney. It goes very well with cheese and crackers, it is excellent with cold roast meats, delicious as a side to a spicy vegetarian lentil dish, it's a very versatile condiment to have in your pantry. This recipe is based on one from Fancy Pantry which appears to be out of print. I find it to be a good book with lots of wonderful recipes and well worth having. But in the meantime here's my version:

Green Tomato Chutney

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Servings 6 pints

Ingredients

4 pounds green tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks
4 pounds green apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
2 C. yellow onions, minced
2 C. raisins
3 cloves garlic minced
3 C. evaporated cane juice crystals
1 1/2 C. raw apple cider vinegar
3 T. minced fresh ginger
2 T. mustard seed
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. red pepper flakes

Instructions

In a large stock pot mix together tomatoes, apples, onions, raisins, garlic, cane juice crystals, salt, and vinegar.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Continue to boil for approximately 30 minutes continuing to stir frequently. The fruits will begin to soften and meld together.
Add the spices.
Boil for another 10-15 minutes until you reach the consistency you want.
Ladle into hot sterile jars and seal according to directions.
Bath for 10 minutes remove and let cool.

Notes

This recipe needs to settle to allow all of the flavors to come together. Let it sit in a cool dark space for at least a month before opening.

Shitake Pinto Bean Burgers

by Miralegumes, recipes, vegetables, vegetarianbeans, burger, shitake, vegan

My friend Alexandra shared this fabulous recipe with me and is letting me share it with all of you.

I love bean burgers but confess that sometimes I get tired of the same recipe over and over again. I also usually make lentil or black bean burgers. This recipe sparked my interest because it was a different kind of bean and the addition of shitake mushrooms.

Mushrooms can be a very wonderful food to add to your diet. Asian cultures promote the use of mushrooms for the medicinal values, they do have healthy properties, and they are very tasty. Shitake mushrooms in particular have something called lentian in them, a substance that helps to boost the immune system, and studies indicate that it has anti-cancer properties. Shitake mushrooms are also a good source of iron, vitamin C, and fiber as well as providing some protein.

Here's Alexandra's recipe, let us know what you paired it with.

Shitake Pinto Bean Burgers

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Ingredients

3 1/2 cups or 1 can of pinto beans
1 cup rough chop shitake mushrooms
1 small red onion diced
1/2 cup green onions diced
3-4 cloves of crushed garlic
1/2 tsp each of cumin and corriander
Sprinkle of chipotle chili powder

Instructions

Saute garlic and onions for 2-3 minutes
Add mushrooms, green onions, cumin and corriander
Cook for 2-3 minutes
While veggies are cooking, mash beans
Add veggies, chipotle chili powder, salt & pepper to beans, mix well
Shape into patties
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
Spread a bit of coconut oil on paper (helps with browning)
Place patties on cookie sheet and bake in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes
These are great topped with avocado and a side of greens. Enjoy

How To Make Traditional Lacto-Fermented Pickles

by Miralacto-fermentation, probiotics, vegetableslato fermentation

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in lacto-fermented foods, including pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, and other probiotic-rich recipes.

The traditional lacto-fermentation process uses lactobacilli, a beneficial microbe that converts starches and sugars in food into lactic acid, which preserves the food and promotes a healthy bacterial balance in the gut.

Challenges

Lacto-fermented foods can be an excellent addition to canned vegetables, providing a boost to digestive health. However, many commercial food processes don't allow for lacto-fermentation due to longer production time, increased interaction with the food, and shorter shelf life.

I've been canning and preserving for over 20 years. Quite frankly I've never understood why pickle manufacturers felt it necessary to add yellow #2 to pickles. It doesn't add anything to the flavor. If you want your pickles to be yellow just add turmeric.

To make your own lacto-fermented pickles at home, you don't necessarily need a fermentation crock; a 1-gallon glass jar and pickle weights can suffice. The key is to ensure the brine is strong enough to preserve the cucumbers until the lactobacilli take over the preserving process, and that the cucumbers are fully submerged in the brine.

Tips

Some individuals are concerned about lacto-fermenting without the use of whey. However, whey is not strictly necessary if the brine is at the right percentage. If you live in a hot climate and have trouble getting fermentation started due to air conditioning, adding 2 tablespoons of whey can help kick off the ferment.

To make your own whey, simply strain plain organic yogurt overnight in a lined colander in the refrigerator. In the morning, you will have creamy Greek-style yogurt and clear strained whey, which can be used for soaking beans, grains, and lacto-fermented foods.

Another traditional tip from a reader's grandmother is to add grape leaves to the jar to enhance lacto-fermentation and make your pickles crisp. This sounds like it could be a good idea, as grapes are known for their natural bacteria content, which can aid the fermentation process.

Recipe

Here is a classic lacto-fermented pickle recipe that you can try at home. This recipe is for a two-quart jar, but you can easily double the ingredients if you wish to make a gallon jar.

Lacto-fermented Pickles

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Ingredients

4 large pickling cucumbers (only because this is what fit - if using baby cukes you may need more)
3 cloves of garlic, crushed, not peeled
2 bay leaves
1/2 t. celery seed
1/2 t. dill seed
1 quart of water
1 1/2 T. kosher salt

Instructions

Sterilize the jar
Wash the cucumbers
Add spices to the jar
Mix together water and salt until salt is completely dissolved (this is your brine)
Pour brine over cucumbers and herbs
Use pickle weights to hold down the cucumbers
Loosely cover jar with wax paper and a ring or rubber band
Let sit in a warm (not hot) dark place
After 4 days you can cut off small pieces of pickle to taste
When it tastes pickle-y enough you can put it in the refrigerator
This will slow down but not completely stop the fermentation process

For those who want a faster option, quick refrigerator pickles are also a great alternative to store-bought pickles.

Quick Refrigerator Pickle Recipe

by Miralacto-fermentation, pickles, probiotics, recipes, vegetables

Summer is a wonderful time for fresh and in season foods like salads or grilled meats. I’ve been known to serve it on the side of egg dishes, it’s fabulous on tacos, and I will even confess to occasionally eating it straight out of the jar. If you’re making any of these dishes it can be delicious to add a gentle pickle as a condiment on the side.

This recipe is not only super easy to make, it’s delicious and adds a nice fresh snap to whatever you’re serving. It’s also a bit of a DIY pickle project because you can change the recipe depending on what’s available or what you’re in the mood for. Although you can buy some of your vegetables already julienned into matchsticks I prefer to do it myself using a julienne peeler. My preferred peeler is this wide handled, soft grip version by Oxo. If you’re making a lot of these pickles (something I’ve been known to do once summer arrives) a mandoline slicer is going to be faster and easier.

One nice thing about this recipe is that the pickles continue to get more flavorful the longer they’re in the brine. Once you’re done with the pickles the leftover brine is so wonderful that it’s nice for making a vinaigrette.

Quick Refrigerator Shredded Pickle Recipe

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Ingredients

½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Seasonings: see note below
2 cups julienned veggies - carrots, red onion, vidalia onion, golden beets, zucchini, English cucumber, radish, kohlrabi, jicama

Instructions

Wash and dry a wide mouth quart canning jar (or other large jar)
Bring vinegars and water to a gentle boil
Add garlic, salt, and seasonings, continue to boil until salt has dissolved
Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes
Add the veggies to your jar
Pour the still hot brine over the veggies
Let the jar cool to room temperature before adding a lid and placing in the fridge
Lasts 2-3 weeks in the fridge

Notes

Seasoning note:

Depending on what flavor you want you can use different herbs or spices. For this amount of liquid I like to use 1-2 of the following:

1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2-3 sprigs of fresh herbs - thyme, tarragon, oregano, or dill
If you don’t have fresh herbs you can use ⅓ teaspoon of dried

Quick Pickle Vinaigrette

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Ingredients

Drain/strain your quick pickle jar to remove any floaty bits
¼ cup quick pickle brine
Generous pinch of sea salt (taste it first to see if it needs it)
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ cup good quality ＊olive oil
1 tablespoon dried onions (I like to use my dehydrated vidalias here)
½ teaspoon minced fresh parsley

Instructions

Whisk together brine, salt (if using) and mustard
Slowly whisk in olive oil until mixture is emulsified
Whisk in onion and parsley
This recipe can be used immediately or stored in the fridge up to 2 weeks!

Notes

＊olive oil

This recipe can be used immediately or stored in the fridge up to 2 weeks

Curried Carrot Sprout Salad

by Miralegumes, recipes, vegetables, vegetarian

In the tastes-better-than-the-picture category we have today's lunch offering. A conversation earlier in the day with my friend Blujay about ways to use sprouts brought up the idea of putting them into a curried carrot salad.

Salads are so wonderful in the warmer months, keeping a couple on hand in the fridge means you always have something for lunch or dinner. I love the idea of assembling a bunch of different salads for a composed plate as a refreshing way to make a meal. If you don't happen to have fresh sprouts on hand you many grocery stores now carry them although they're certainly easy to make and I think it's better to get them fresh, it's certainly easy to do.

Curried Carrot Sprout Salad

6 large carrots, topped and shredded
1 C. fresh bean sprouts
1/4 C. dried currants
1/4 C. raw sunflower seeds
1/4 C. chopped walnuts
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 t. curry powder
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together
Let sit in fridge for at least two hours to chill and for flavor to settle

Bean sprouts are very healthy. The act of sprouting forces the bean to convert some of it's starches, this makes it more easily digestible. Many of the nutrients are increased by sprouting as well, especially vitamin A, vitamin C and some of the B vitamins. They can be made year round using very simple equipment, just a pot, a sieve and an insulated space.

I use mine in salads, green smoothies, blended into soups and sometimes just as a snack. They are delicious

Homemade Bean Sprouts

1/2 C. assorted dried beans (I like adzuki, mung, lentil and black beans)
Sort through beans and rinse
Put in a metal pot, cover with water and set in the oven overnight (oven is off)
In the morning drain and rinse the beans well
Return to the oven
Repeat until beans have 1/2″ long tails

Rinse and eat
May be stored in the fridge but make sure they are fully dry before you do that to avoid spoilage

Note: when making your sprouts it is helpful to put a note stating “sprouts” on the oven door so that people don't preheat the oven without looking and accidentally cook your sprouts. Just saying…

Tre Colori

by Mirakale, recipes, vegetables, vegetarian

This could more accurately be called “Fridge Rummage” as that's how all of these ingredients came together but tre colori (three colors in Italian) sounds better.

I had a lonely little eggplant that needed to be cooked. Looking into my fridge for inspiration I found a half a red pepper, half of a large Spanish onion, 2 medium portabella mushrooms and about six leaves of kale.

Adding two cloves of garlic, olive oil, basil, oregano (both from the herb garden), salt and pepper I turned it into the tastes-better-than-the-picture-looks image to the left.

All the vegetables are cut to a medium dice and the kale is done chiffonade style; the herbs are minced.

Dice the eggplant, salt and set aside to drain while cutting other veggies
Heat 2 T. of olive oil, add onions and stir until soft and golden
Add garlic and saute for one minute
Add red peppers and kale and saute until kale begins to wilt
Rinse and add eggplant, add 1-2 more T. of olive oil and saute until eggplant is starting to soften
Then add the mushrooms and herbs and cook until mushrooms and eggplant are done (5-7 minutes)
Salt and pepper to taste

Served over whole grain penne pasta it was delicious!

Chayote Squash

by Mirafruit, super foods, vegetables, vegetarian

I recently had a wonderful sandwich made with a soft cheese and raw chayote squash on a crusty french bread. The crisp fresh flavor of the chayote complimented the soft cheese and gave the sandwich a wonderful consistency.

Chayote (pronounced chai-oh-tee) is a member of the curcurbitaceae family, which also includes melons, cucumbers, and squash. Sometimes call a pear squash it can be eaten either raw or cooked.

Nutritionally it is an excellent addition to your diet, being very low in calories, only 25 per cup, with a high level of vitamin C, folate, and manganese (a mineral that is important for bone growth). That one cup also provides a modest amount of protein and 2 grams of fiber. It is believed to have diuretic properties and apparently there are Central American cultures that use it to treat kidney stones and other urinary disorders.

Currently at their peak they can be added to a wide range of raw salads or cooked dishes. Consider trying this wonderful recipe from Epicurious.

When choosing a chayote in the grocery store or farmer's market make sure to choose a firm unblemished fruit.

photo courtesy of David Monniaux | Wikimedia Commons

Okra And Remembering To Read The Labels

by Miraadditives, habits, labeling, pickles, poison, vegetables

I have a confession to make. I don't much like okra. Maybe it's from growing up in the northeast where I was not really exposed to it much as a child. Whatever the reason I mostly find it unappealing. I have discovered that I can tolerate it steamed, I despise it cooked, boiled, or fried. However, it's not half bad when it's pickled. It's a pity that I don't like it more because it's low in calories, high in fiber, has a modest amount of protein, and provides vitamins A and C as well as iron and calcium.

Okra also has a mucilaginous quality that helps to escort cholesterol and bile acids out of the body. As an alkaline food it is also believed to help heal intestinal ulcers and be useful in the treatment of IBS.

When I was at the grocery store today I happened to spy a jar of pickled okra on the shelves. Since this is my least objectionable way to eat it I decided to try it again, scooped up a jar and finished my grocery shopping.

Unfortunately I ignored my own advice and I did not stop to read the label. After getting home I did read the label and it turns out these pickles contain polysorbate-80. I refuse to eat any ingredient that has a number (nature doesn't number food). According to my Consumer Dictionary of Food Additives polysorbate-80 is an emulsifier “associated with the contaminant 1,4 dioxane, known to cause cancer in animals.” It is also “widely used in baby lotions, cold creams, cream deodorants, antiperspirants, suntan lotions and path oils.”

I'm not sure why these pickles need to be emulsified but I certainly don't care to eat an ingredient also used in lotions and potions like cold cream. This serves as a personal reminder to ALWAYS read the label.

Needless to say I will be returning this to the store. I wonder what the counter clerk will say/think when I explain why I'm bringing it back.

photo courtesy of: Gerard Cohen | Wikimedia Commons