The Fun Food Feed

This Spring’s Featured Ingredient is Lentils.

Lentils are part of the legume family, along with beans, peas, and peanuts. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, from yellow to orange-red to green, brown and black.

Archeological evidence shows lentils were eaten over 10,000 years ago.  They are believed to be one of the first crops domesticated in the Near East.

Lens is the Latin name for Lentils, due to their lens shape, like the lenses in our eyes.

Millions of tons of lentils are grown throughout the world every year primarily in Canada, India, Turkey and the United States.  Lentils are a staple comfort food in West and South Asia, as well as the Mediterranean.  1

In India, they are commonly given as an offering to the gods in temples. In Italy, eating lentils on New Year’s Eve traditionally symbolizes hope for a prosperous new year, likely due to their coin-like shape.  In Grimm’s Fairy Tales’ “Cinderella,” her evil stepmother tells Cinderella she will let her go to the ball if she can fish all the lentils out of the ash in the fire place.  2

The National Lentil Festival is held annually in Pullman, Washington August 16-17th.  This Palouse Region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho grows a quarter of the lentils in the United States.  At the Festival one can enjoy a parade, kids’ lentil land, tournaments, farm exhibit, lentil trivia, the crowning of a lentil king & queen, as well as a plethora of foods containing lentils – including lentil pancakes!  3

Lentils contain protein, carbohydrate, iron, B vitamins, folate and fiber.  4

Unlike most of its fellow legumes, lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking, and cook more quickly.  Lentils with husks remain whole with moderate cooking.  Lentils without husks tend to cook down more quickly into a thick purée.

This Spring’s recipe is for Lentil Samosas.  Our recipe is adapted from one by Food Network Chef Aarti Sequeira, called “Mum’s Everyday Red Lentils.”

A samosa is a fried or baked triangular pastry with a savory filling.   Popular fillings include lentils, spiced potatoes, peas, ground lamb, ground beef or ground chicken.  Samosas are often accompanied by a sauce called chutney.  They are popular  in South and Central Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Africa.

Many cultures have their own version of the meal one can hold in one’s hand:  American hot pockets, Mexican empanadas, British pastes, Italian calzones, Russian piroshkis, Jewish knishes.  Stuffed with whatever strikes one’s fancy, samosas are an easy meal one can grab on the go.  Make a batch, throw them in the fridge/freezer, and bake them up all week/month long.

Variations:  Our recipe calls for brown lentils, which are still wearing their husks, take longer to cook, and retain their shape during cooking.  For smoother, faster cooking lentils one can substitute a hulled variety of lentil, such as red lentils.  Reduce the water in the lentil recipe to 3 cups, and reduce the cooking time to 30-40 minutes.

Another alternate cooking method to deep-frying is to sauté the samosas in a pan instead of baking them.  Simply brown the samosas in the pan on medium heat on all sides.  This method creates a softer samosa.

Lentil Samosas

Preparation Time:  3 hours

Yield:  18-22 Samosas

Ingredients:

1 batch of Lentil Daal with Spiced Oil (recipes below)
3-4 potatoes, mashed
16 large flour tortillas, cut into 3″ strips
optional: melted butter or oil for brushing assembled samosas before baking

Equipment:

large pot with a heavy bottom
spatula
small skillet with lid
baking sheet
knife
cutting board
spoon
hot mitts/gloves, thick long sleeved shirt, ski mask, goggles for spiced oil preparation
optional: pastry brush for brushing samosas with butter/oil before baking

Lentil Daal:

2 tablespoons oil/butter
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups water
1 cup brown lentils
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 inch fresh ginger root, peeled & minced
salt to taste, added at end of cooking
1 cup frozen peas & carrots
optional, but recommended: 1 batch of Spiced Oil (recipe below)
optional: 1 serrano chile, seeded & sliced in half for heat

Lentil Daal Instructions:

Saute onions, garlic in butter/oil in heavy bottomed pot until translucent.

Add water, lentils, tomatoes, ginger and optional chile and bring to a boil.

Simmer for ~2 hours, stirring occasionally with spatula until lentils are tender, almost falling apart, and water has evaporated off creating a thick texture.  Add water while cooking if lentils are becoming too thick but not yet cooked tender.  Remove optional chile when lentils reach desired heat level.

Add Spiced Oil (recipe below), and frozen peas & carrots.

Add salt to taste.

Let cool while preparing other ingredients.

Spiced Oil (Bagaar):

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika or bafaat powder
1 Tablespoon oil

Spiced Oil Instructions:

Send little ones outside to play for a few minutes to eliminate the risk of being burned by splattering oil.  Put on hot mitts/gloves, a thick shirt with long sleeves, ski mask, and goggles.

In small skillet, over medium-high heat, warm oil.

Add seeds and IMMEDIATELY COVER so as not to get covered in splattering hot oil.

Add spices, stirring while they sizzle and bubble for a moment before pouring into lentils.

Samosa Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Cut tortillas into 3″ wide strips.

Place a generous tablespoon of lentil daal, and of mashed potatoes onto the center of the tortilla strip.

Fold tortilla around filling into a triangular shape.

Place samosa on baking sheet.  Optional: Brush triangles with melted butter/oil.

Bake at 400F until golden brown and crisp, 10-20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool until warm.

Enjoy alone, or dip in chutney.

References:

1.  “Lentils” - North Dakota State University Department of Agricultural Economics

2.  “World’s Healthiest Foods: Lentils (India) –  Health Magazine

3.  Lentil Fest!

4.  USDA Nutrient Database

Happy New Year from the Fun Food Feed!

This Winter’s featured ingredient is Sprouted Wheat Bread.  Sprouted grain breads contain whole grains (a.k.a. kernels or berries) that have been first sprouted, mixed with other ingredients, and then baked into bread.  Whole grain includes the bran, germ and endosperm of the grain, providing more fiber and naturally-occurring vitamins and proteins than refined grains.  Wheat, millet, barley, oat, lentil and soy are often used to make sprouted grain breads. Bread that is made from grains and legumes can provide a complete set of essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein.  1

These multi grain-legume sprouted breads are said to have been first inspired by the passage Ezekiel 4:9 from the Bible: “Take also unto yourself wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make yourself bread of it, according to the number of the days that you shall lie upon your side, three hundred and ninety days shall you eat of it.”  2

A comparison of nutritional analyses shows that sprouted grains contain about 75% the energy (carbohydrates), slightly higher protein and about 40% of the fat when compared to whole grains.   Sprouting grains can produce more antioxidants, including vitamin C, and B vitamins.  3

This quarter’s recipe is for Sprouted Wheat French Toast.  Growing up, french toast was my family’s favorite Saturday morning breakfast.  Our french toast is cut into fingers or nuggets for dipping into our warm Maple Caramel Sauce (recipe below).

Sprouted Wheat French Toast

Preparation Time:  20 minutes

Yield:  1-2 servings; 6 French Toast Sticks

Ingredients:

3 slices sprouted wheat bread
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/16 teaspoon nutmeg
1/16 teaspoon salt
butter for sautéing

Maple Caramel Sauce

1/3 cup maple syrup
1 Tablespoon butter
Pinch salt

Equipment:

knife
cutting board
baking dish
fork or whisk
measuring spoons
measuring cups
pan
spatula
metal pitcher

Instructions:

1.  Cut bread into “sticks” or “nuggets” (halved sticks).

2.  Mix remaining ingredients in baking dish.

3.  Soak cut bread in “bath.”

4.  Bring Maple Caramel Sauce ingredients to a boil in metal pitcher.

5.  Saute soaked bread over medium heat in pan until browned on both sides.

6.  Serve immediately with warm Maple Caramel Sauce and fresh fruit.

1.  Food for Life Ezekiel Bread

2.  King James 2000 Bible (copyright 2003)

3.  “Nutritive Value of Foods, Home and Garden Bulletin No. 72 (HG-72)”. United States Department of Agriculture. 2002. Retrieved 2012-01-12.

Fingerling potatoes were bred in Europe.

They are “finger-sized” potatoes, that can be red, orange, yellow, purple or white in color.

Fingerlings can be baked, roasted, grilled, steamed, sautéed, boiled, fried or mashed.  Toss whole in a little salted oil and roast on a baking sheet at 400F until browned and fork tender for an easy, delicious snack.  2

Science!  Use your potato as an electrical conductor to power time!  3

Potatoes have gotten a bad rep in the past few years.  Due to the recent demonization of carbohydrates, white-colored foods, and our culture’s love of the deep fat fryer, many now unfortunately view potatoes as a “junk” food.  Let us not forget, carbohydrates are an important food group, and part of a balanced diet.  Indeed, carbohydrates are our brain’s favorite food!  Potatoes have kept countries, like Ireland, alive in times of famine.  Spanish sailors are said to have used potatoes as protection from scurvy due to their vitamin C content.

Potatoes are low in fat and provide (with skin on) vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6, phytochemicals, fiber, and trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.  4

This week’s recipe is for Fingerling Soup du Gore.  Fortify one’s family against the sugar blues this All Hallows’ Eve with this horrifyingly hearty soup.  Serve a la carte, as a complete meal, or with cheese toast (recipe below).

Making the soup is half the fun: Take your child to the market and look for “gory” looking ingredients together, then smash and tear them apart like monsters, and throw them into your cauldron.

For an extra “bloody” broth, add optional tomato paste or red food coloring.

Fingerling Soup du Gore  

Preparation Time:  1 hour

Yield:  6 – 8 Servings

Ingredients:

olive oil for sautéing
eye balls  (pearl onions, root end cut off) 
flesh  (chicken cut into irregular pieces)
plasma  (chicken broth, big 4 cup box)
blood & gore  (canned stewed tomatoes, torn, with juice)
fingers  (fingerling potatoes)
teeth  (corn kernels) 
brains  (cauliflowerettes) 
kidneys  (canned kidney beans, rinsed) 
flesh  (zucchini, smashed) 
severed toes  (baby carrots, halved) 
finger nails (garlic cloves, sliced)
grubs  (steamed rice, barley, or gnocchi)
Optional: extra blood  (tomato paste or red food coloring)

Equipment:

knife
cutting board
cauldron  (large, thick-bottomed pot)
spatula
ladle or large spoon
 

Eyeball Instructions: 

1.  Place pot/pan on stove burner.

2.  Coat the bottom of the pot/pan with a little olive oil.

3.  Arrange the pearl onions, cut side down, in the pot/pan.

4.  Turn on the burner to medium, and saute onions until cut side browned, forming an “iris” on the “eyeballs.”

5.  Set aside.

Soup Instructions:

1.  Heat the pot on high medium.

2.  Add a little oil, and brown chicken.

3.  Add broth and rest of ingredients.

4.  Bring to boil. 

5.  Reduce heat and simmer, while whispering incantations, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are fork tender. 

6.  Serve warm a la carte, as a complete meal, or with cheese toast (recipe below).

Cheese Toast Instructions:

Place slices of cheese on slices of bread.

Broil on baking sheet, until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

References:

1.  Potato Goodness

2.  Strohauer Farms  

3.  Potato Clock Video  

4.  USDA Nutrient Database

Happy Birthday to The Fun Food Feed!

This entry marks one year since the launching of the Fun Food Feed!  It has been a wonderful experience creating each entry, learning more about food, and eating the spoils.  For its second year, the Fun Food Feed schedule will move from biweekly to quarterly.  Thank you to all subscribers for your support.  Here’s to the years to come!

This week’s ingredient is the world’s favorite fowl: Chicken.  Eaten in almost every culture, this versatile bird is as contemporary as it is traditional.  Raising chickens has become increasingly popular in recent years among city dwellers for meat, eggs, pest control, and as beloved pets.

Chickens are believed to have been originally domesticated in Southeast Asia.  From there, they were initially transported to other parts of the world, not for food, but for cock fighting.  In Greek fables, even lions were afraid of roosters.

Chickens are sociable birds whose communities are based on a hierarchy or gruesome “pecking order” where “whipping birds” are chosen by the flock to peck mercilessly.  Dominant birds have priority for food and nesting locations.  Despite this instinctual practice, chickens are also prized for their courtesy.  When a rooster finds food, he often invites other chickens to join him by clucking, and holding up the food in his beak and dropping it before them.  Hens may also demonstrate this behavior with their chicks.  When courting a hen, a rooster may perform a “circle dance,” around the hen he fancies.

Chickens are omnivores.  In the wild, they often eat grass, and scratch at the soil in search of seeds, grain, insects and even larger animals such as lizards or young mice.

Hens are instinctually compelled to lay their eggs in the same location, or where other eggs are present.  Some farmers use this to their advantage by placing faux eggs (or golf balls) in their hen houses.  Sometimes, two hens will decide they both want the same nest and share it.  If the nest is a small one, one may lay its eggs while perched atop the other.

Chickens have been considered a sacred animal in many cultures.  The Romans are said to have used chickens as oracles, interpreting their flying and feeding patterns before battle.  Others have used them for sacrifice or vessels for evil.  The Jewish religious text, the Talmud speaks of learning courtesy toward one’s partner from the rooster:  “Had the Torah not been given to us, we would have learned modesty from cats, honest toil from ants, chastity from doves and gallantry from cocks.“ 1, 2

Chickens may live for five to ten years, depending on their breed.  Guiness World Records proclaimed an Old English Game hen named Matilda to be the World’s Oldest Living Chicken in 2004.  She was named after “Waltzing Matilda,” an Australian folk song due to her penchant for stepping side to side, appearing to “waltz.”  Near the end of her life, she performed in a magical act with her two caretakers.  She lived to a ripe old age of 16 years.  3

Chickens farmed for meat are called broiler chickens.  These chickens typically take less than 6 weeks to reach slaughter size. A free range or organic meat chicken will usually be slaughtered between 8-14 weeks of age.  4

For the ethically minded, purchasing chicken meat can be controversial.  So many choices to consider: Organic, free-range, pastured, local, home-grown, conventional (or textured vegetable protein).  Which was the “happiest” chicken?  Which is the most ecologically friendly?  Which is healthiest for us and our families?

Here are some links & articles to learn more about chicken farming practices:

USDA:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Organic Farming

U.S. Department of Agriculture; “Animal Raising Claims in the Labeling of Meat and Poultry Products”; October 2008

U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service: U.S. Certified Organic Farmland Acreage, Livestock Numbers, and Farm Operations

FAO:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Animal Welfare and the Intensification of Animal Production

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Producing and Marketing Quality Organic Products: Opportunities and Challenges; October 1999

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Food Quality and Safety

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Approaches to Promoting Animal Welfare

Home-grown:

Judge John Hodgman Podcast Episode 68: The Cluck Stops Here

Slow Foods USA

Backyard Chickens

Articles:

Rachel Steffan.  “The Difference Between Organic & Free-Range Chicken.”  National Geographic.

Martin Hickman. “The true cost of cheap chicken.”  The Independent.

This week’s recipe is for Baked Chicken Nuggets.  Our nuggets are battered with corn flake crumbs. Cornflakes are low fat, crispy, golden, and inexpensive.   Many baked nugget recipes call for seasoned bread crumbs or panko bread crumbs, which are deep fried.  Our guilt-free crispy nuggets have all the flavor without the added fat.

Recommendation:

For extra juicy, flavorful chicken nuggets, marinate the chicken pieces in a brine overnight made from 1 teaspoon of salt dissolved in 2 cups of warm water.  Rinse and dry chicken before using.

Variations:

Use cookie cutters to cut the raw chicken into shapes before battering and baking.

Use large pieces of chicken for crispy chicken sandwiches.

Slice large chicken pieces into strips and serve with sticky rice and katsu sauce for Japanese chicken katsu.

Top nuggets with marinara sauce and mozzarella, and bake for an easy Italian entree.

For an entree salad, top with coarsely chopped nuggets.

Toss nuggets in sauce for boneless hot wings.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

Preparation Time:  45 minutes

Yield:  8-10 nuggets

Ingredients:

3/4 pound chicken, cut into 1.5″ x 1″ x 0.5″ pieces
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 egg, whisked
1 Tablespoon milk
1 cup corn flake crumbs
oil for baking sheet

Equipment:

1 medium bowl for chicken
3 small bowls for flour, egg wash & crumbs
baking sheet
spatula

Instructions:

1.  Place chicken in medium bowl.

Mix flour, salt, pepper, and optional seasonings in small bowl.

Mix egg and milk together in a second small bowl.

Place corn flake crumbs in a third small bowl.

2.  Dip piece of chicken in seasoned flour, shaking off excess flour.

3.  Dip floured chicken piece in egg wash.

4.  Dip washed chicken piece in corn flake crumbs.

5.  Arrange nuggets on lightly oiled baking sheet, leaving space around each nugget for optimal crisping.

6.  Bake 15-20 minutes in preheated 400F oven, until cooked through but still juicy.

7.  Serve warm with favorite dipping sauce.

Falafel

This week’s featured ingredient is nature’s gummy vitamin:  Barhi Dates!

Dates are believed to have originated in the Middle East.

Its name comes from the Ancient Greek word for finger, dáktulos, because of the fruit’s elongated shape.

There are three main groups of dates: soft (e.g. ‘Barhi’, ‘Halawy’, ‘Khadrawy’, ‘Medjool’), semi-dry (e.g. ‘Dayri’, ‘Deglet Noor’, ‘Zahdi’), and dry (e.g. ‘Thoory’).

Dates ripen in four stages: kimri (unripe), khalal (full-size, crunchy), rutab (ripe, soft), tamr (ripe, sun-dried).

Barhi dates have a soft, almost caramel-like texture and flavor, especially in the rutab stage.  They are one of the few varieties that are also enjoyed in the halal stage, when they are yellow and crunchy, and taste like a cross between a persimmon and an apple.  They ripen during the Summer (see photos below).

Dates are used in a variety of ways around the world.  They are pitted and stuffed with fillings such as nuts, candied orange peel, marzipan or cream cheese.  Dates are also used in puddings, cakes, milk shakes, and savory dishes.  Dates can be processed into syrups, powders or “sugars,” and more recently sparkling date juice.

The fruit and its syrup are claimed to have many medicinal qualities, including easing tummy troubles, and soothing a sore throat.  3

Dates provide a wide range of essential nutrients, such as potassium, boron, cobalt, copper, fluorine, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and zinc, as well as sugars and fiber.  4

A Visit to Shields’ Date Garden

Indio, California, home of the National Date Festival, is just an hour  from my home in Joshua Tree.  Barhi dates are now in season, so my husband, Patrick and I jumped in the car and drove down to Shields’ Date Garden to enjoy the harvest.

Floyd and Bess Shields came to the California desert in 1924 and started Shields Date Garden, a date grove with a gift shop, cafe, and “theater” showing a film about date cultivation and nutrition.  5

The Shields’ Date Tree Grove (note the ladders hanging from the trunks):

So many dates to sample!

The three delicious stages of Barhi dates:

Patrick tastes a Yellow Barhi:

This week’s recipe is for Raw Date Cookies.  Kids love making and eating these wholesome cookies.  Barhi dates have a distinctive caramel flavor, and smooth texture.  See Reference section below for mail order suppliers.  Or, just substitute another more widely available delicious soft date: Medjools.  One can substitute one’s favorite nut butter and sweet spice as well.

Variation: Enrobe cookies in melted chocolate or ganache.

Raw Date Cookies

Preparation Time:  15 minutes

Yield:  25-30 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup oat bran or quick oats, plus a little extra for “dusting”
1 cup almond butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt
1/2-3/4 cup barhi dates, pitted and coarsely chopped

toppings, such as nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate

Equipment:

bowl

measuring cups

measuring spoons

spoon or hands

Instructions:
1.  Stir together oat bran, almond butter, cinnamon, and salt.

2.  Stir in date chunks, leaving chunks of date in the dough.

3.  Form into bite-sized balls.

4.  Roll balls in a little oat bran.

5.  Decorate with favorite toppings, or enrobe in melted chocolate.  Enjoy!

Cookies can be stored in the refrigerator/freezer in air-tight container for up to 2 months.

References:

1.  Morton, J. 1987. Date. p. 5–11. In: Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton. Miami, FL. — Purdue University. Center for New Crops and Plants Products.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/date.html

2.  Sahih Bukhari Translation

http://www.cmje.org/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/065-sbt.php#007.065.356

3.  Walid Al-Shahib, Richard J. Marshall (2003). ”The fruit of the date palm: its possible use as the best food for the future?”. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 54 (4): 247–259.

http://missclasses.com/mp3s/Prize%20CD%202010/Dates/10182308.pdf

4.  USDA Nutrient Database

5.  Bahri Date Supplier – Shields Date Garden

http://www.shieldsdategarden.com/

6.  Bahri Date Supplier – Flying Disc Ranch

http://www.flyingdiscranch.com/dates.html

Butterhead Lettuce Cups

Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 Tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce (or honey/sugar)
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar to taste
1 Tablespoon soy sauce to taste
pinch black pepper
a little water to thin texture if needed

References:

Bell Peppers are sweet chilies that grow in almost every color of the rainbow:  red, orange, yellow, green, white, and purple.

Green bell peppers are unripened bell peppers.  Red, orange, and yellow bells are thus sweeter than green or purple bells.

Chilies are native to the Americas.  Chili seeds were later carried to Spain, and from there spread to other European, African and Asian countries.  1

Red bells have more vitamins and nutrients than green bells and contain the antioxidant lycopene.  A red, orange, or yellow bell pepper can contain more vitamin C than an orange!  2

This week’s recipe is Rainbow Chili.  This chili contains a rainbow of fresh ingredients from red tomatoes to purple-black beans.  I am especially fond of this chili, not only because it is flavorful and hearty without being heavy, but because the recipe is adapted from the one used in the Pure Foods Kids Workshop.  While studying dietetics at Bastyr University near Seattle, I had the opportunity to volunteer with this amazing program:

The Pure Foods Kids Workshop provides free nutrition education in the classroom for 4th and 5th graders in the Seattle area.  Along with learning to define a whole food, read food labels and critically evaluate food products, they make and eat chili together.

When I first started volunteering with the program, I thought the students might reject the vegetarian chili, and was pleasantly surprised over and over when nearly all the students tasted the chili and many returned for seconds.

Why were the students so open to trying this new food?   Dicing up the vegetables themselves, measuring the ingredients, and smelling the aroma of the simmering chili invested them in the fruits of their labor.  This became a lasting reminder about the power of kids cooking (and gardening), and my inspiration for beginning this blog.    I hope you and your little ones enjoy it as well!  3

Rainbow Chili

Preparation Time:  45 minutes

Yield:  4-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon oil

1 onion, chopped fine

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1  1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 can kidney beans, rinsed

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

2 ears corn kernels, or 1 cup frozen corn

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Optional: baked corn chips for dipping

Equipment:

knife

cutting board

measuring spoons

measuring cups

large pot

spatula

ladle

Instructions:

Saute onions and garlic in oil over medium heat until translucent.

Stir in bell peppers.

Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper.

Stir in black beans and kidney beans.

Stir in tomatoes with canning juice.

Stir in corn.

Bring the chili to a boil, and let simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in cilantro.

Enjoy as its own complete meal,

Or with baked corn chips!

References:

1.  Azhar Ali Farooqi; B. S. Sreeramu; K. N. Srinivasappa (2005).  Cultivation of Spice Crops. Universities Press. pp. 336.

2.  USDA Nutrient Database

3.  Pure Foods Workshop

The tomato is a round fruit which grows on vines, ripening mainly in the summer.

Tomatoes belong to the nightshade family.

They are most commonly red, but can also be green, yellow, orange, pink, black, brown, ivory, white, purple, striped, and can have fuzzy skin.

Originated in South America, the word “tomato” comes from the Aztecan word tomatl, literally “the swelling fruit“.  1

The Southwest native Americans are thought to have believed that those who witnessed the ingestion of tomato seeds were blessed with powers of divination.  2

When the Spanish colonized the Americas, they brought the tomato back to Europe and their various colonies.

In Britain, and certain areas of Italy, such as Florence, people were initially hesitant to eat the new fruit.  In Florence, the fruit was used solely as a tabletop decoration before it was incorporated into the local cuisine in the late 17th or early 18th century.

Poison!  Reportedly, one of the earliest cultivators in England was John Gerard, a barber-surgeon.  Gerard is said to have known the tomato was eaten in Spain and Italy.  Nonetheless, he believed it was poisonous.  Gerard’s views were influential, and the tomato was considered unfit for eating (though not necessarily poisonous) for many years in Britain and its North American colonies.

Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, carotene, and other antioxidants.  Tomatoes contain the fat-soluble carotene lycopene.  Research suggests these antioxidants may help prevent certain cancers, heart disease, and neurodegenerative diseases.  3, 4, 5

This week’s recipe is Tomato Bruschetta.  Bruschetta is an Italian antipasto or appetizer.  It is traditionally composed of slices of grilled bread, rubbed with garlic, and drizzled with olive oil.   They are often topped with tomatoes and herbs, or prosciutto.  This is a great dish for Fourth of July cookouts, as they can be made on a BBQ grill.  6

Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1 large, ripe tomato, chopped
1 mini baguette, sliced
1 Tablespoon butter
3 teaspoons olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tablespoons parmesan
salt to taste
2 Tablespoons mozzarella cheese, grated
Optional: chiffenaded fresh basil for garnish

Equipment:

cutting board
knife
bowl
grater
measuring spoons
fork
butter knife
baking sheet

Instructions:

1. Place oven rack approximately 6″ from oven broiler.  Preheat oven on broil setting.  (Or fire up the grill.)

2.  Mash together butter, olive oil, garlic, parmesan, and salt to taste with fork in bowl.

3.  Spread on bread slices.

4.  Place buttered bread on baking sheet and place under broiler.  

5.  Remove bruschetta from oven when golden brown and cheese melts.

6.  Top bruschetta with tomatoes, salted to taste.

7.  Top tomatoes with mozzarella cheese.

8.  Return to broiler until cheese melts.

9.  Optional: Garnish tomato bruschetta with fresh basil.

10.  Enjoy!

References: 

1.  Smith, A. F. (1994). The Tomato in America: Early History, Culture, and Cookery. Columbia SC, USA: University of South Carolina Press.

2.  Donnelly, L. (2008-10-26). “Killer Tomatoes”. The East Hampton Star.

3.  USDA Nutrient Database

4.  Lycopene – Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center

5.  Shidfar, F.; Froghifar, N.; Vafa, M.; Rajab, A.; Hosseini, S.; Shidfar, S.; Gohari, M. (2011). “The Effects of Tomato Consumption on Serum Glucose, Apolipoprotein B, Apolipoprotein A-I, Homocysteine and Blood Pressure in Type 2 Diabetic Patients”. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 62 (3): 289–294.

6.  Bruschetta – Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Peaches have come into season with Joshua Tree’s warm summer weather.

Peaches have yellow, white, and even red flesh, commonly with a velvety, “fuzzy” skin.  1

The nectarine is a kind of fuzz-less peach with a smooth skin.  Several genetic studies have concluded nectarines are created due to a recessive gene, whereas a fuzzy peach skin is dominant.  2

Peaches are high in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and bioactive flavonols.  3

Important historical peach-producing areas are China, Korea, Iran, France, Italy, Spain and Greece.  More recently, California, South Carolina, and Georgia in the US have become large peach producers, as well as regions of Canada and Australia.  Georgia is known as the “Peach State” and has become a kind of peach “mecca.”  It holds an annual peach festival, serving up the world’s largest peach cobbler.

In Korea, peaches are considered one of the ten immortal plants and animals.  They are believed to symbolize happiness, wealth and longevity.  Peaches and peach trees are believed to chase away spirits.

The peach is native to China, where it has been cultivated as early as 2000 BC.  Peaches were a favorite fruit of kings and emperors.  4

The Legend of the Monkey King

Wu Cheng’en’s classic Chinese novel, “The Journey to the West” opens with the story of a Monkey King, in which peaches play an important role in his path away from greed and dishonesty toward enlightenment.  Below is my synopsis of its Waley translation:

Once upon a time, a monkey was born.  He was the smartest monkey of his tribe, and as he grew, so did his quest for strength and power.   Soon he became the Monkey King.  He could lift his 17,881 pound golden staff with ease.  He could travel 33,554 miles in one somersault. The Monkey King could transform into whatever animal or object he wished – he was however unable to transform his tail.

He was a mischievous monkey, and soon had drawn the attention of the gods.  The gods invited the Monkey King to join them in heaven to keep a watchful eye on him, where the monkey believed he would receive an honorable place as one of the gods. Instead, he was made their stable boy, the lowest job in heaven.  But it was when the gods threw a great royal banquet at the empress’s jade palace, and did not invite him, that the Monkey King rebelled and became immortal.

The jade palace was surrounded by a grove of peach trees.  The peaches on these trees ripened every three thousand years.  After one bite of one of these peaches, one became immortal, with great strength.  On the day of the banquet, the Monkey King persuaded the palace guardians to leave him alone in the peach grove so he could take a nap.  After they left, he instead climbed into the largest tree and gorged himself on the peaches of immortality and fled.

Upon discovering that he had stolen the peaches of immortality, the gods amassed their greatest warriors and captured the Monkey King.  As punishment, they locked him in a fiery magic cauldron, but when it was opened 49 days later, the Monkey King leaped out, stronger than ever.  Finally the gods appealed to the Buddha to help them.

The Buddha picked up the Monkey King and placed him on the great palm of his hand.  He made a bet with the Monkey King:  ”If you can jump off of my hand, I will set you free,” he said.  The Monkey King took a great leap, flying over valleys and rivers and mountains, until nothing was visible except for five pillars.  He alighted on one of the pillars, and signed his name, believing he had bested the Buddha.  It was then that he realized the five “pillars” were really the Buddha’s fingers.  The Buddha then turned his hand into a mountain, with the Monkey King sealed inside, where he remained imprisoned for the next five centuries.

After the Monkey King was released from the mountain, he was given the task of accompanying the great monk and scholar,  Xuanzang,  on a journey to recover the sacred books of Buddhist wisdom from India.  These books were associated with attaining enlightenment.  Over the course of the journey, the Monkey King made the decision that he wanted to use his powers for good.  He volunteered to become Xuanzang’s disciple, or student.  Through out the monk’s epic journey, the Monkey King protected him from demons and bandits.  They encountered eighty-one tribulations before accomplishing their mission and returning safely to China.  There, the Monkey King was granted Buddhahood for his service.  5

Watch a human “Monkey King”:

Monkey Kung Fu Champion

Listen to “peachy” music while you cook:

Grunge-Pop Song, “Peaches” by Presidents of the USA

This week’s recipe is for Peach Crumble.  Fruit can be a healthful and delicious dessert  for our families.  Our crumble recipe lets peaches take center stage.  Made with whole grains, and low in sugar, it’s a dessert that tastes sinful, but that one can feel good about.  Using naturally sweet, fully-ripened, soft peaches eliminates the need to sugar or pre-cook the peaches.  If one’s peaches aren’t fully ripe, and one can’t wait a moment longer to eat them, they can be poached in some peach/white grape juice or sautéed in a little butter until soft, and then used in recipe below.

Peach Crumble

Preparation Time:  45-75 minutes

Yield:  6-8 servings

Ingredients:

Crumble Topping

3 Tablespoons butter

6 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons whole grain flour

3 Tablespoons quick oats

1/2 cup almond butter, freshly ground

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt to taste

optional:  generous sprinkle of cinnamon

Peach Crumble

8 peaches, fully ripened and soft, sliced/torn into pieces

1 batch of Crumble Topping, above

Equipment:

large bowl

measuring cups

measuring spoons

fork

knife

baking dish, 8×8″

Instructions:

1.  Mash crumble topping ingredients together in large bowl with fork.

2.  Arrange peaches in baking dish.  Cover with crumble topping.

3.  Bake 30-60 minutes in 400 degree oven until topping browned, and peaches soft.

4.  Enjoy warm solo or a la mode.

Storage:  Store cobbler leftovers in refrigerator up to 5 days.

Heat leftovers in 350F oven to recrisp crumble topping.

References:

1.  Desmond R. Layne, Daniele Bassi. The Peach: Botany, Production and Uses. CABI 2008.

2.  Research Article “Development of a second-generation genetic linkage map for peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] and characterization of morphological traits affecting flower and fruit.”

3.  USDA Nutrient Database

4.  Geissler, John (2009). The New Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 82.

5.  Wu Cheng’en (1500-1582). Journey to the West. Translated by Foreign Languages Press, Beijing 1993.