The Holistic Kitchen

Not to mention their color is exceptionally festive .

• By the spoonful
  
• On a green salad
  
• In a fruit salad
  
• By the spoonful
  
• Blended in a smoothie
  
• In a tart, pie or pastry pocket
  
• Did I mention by the spoonful?
  

 The mighty onion is a kitchen workhorse!   

As a member of the allium family (along with garlic and leeks), onions are a rich source of nutrients that benefit the cardio-vascular system.  Studies have shown their nutrient profile to lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides as well as protect the heart and blood vessels.  Additionally, the allium family has been credited with anti-cancer properties. 

As important as this is (especially considering their wide availability and low cost), I love the noble onion for the flavor profile it brings to the table!  Leave it raw and enjoy a powerful, spicy twist to your dish.  Sauté them in a small amount of olive oil or even broth, and taste the sweetness they bring.  Allow them to slowly caramelize over low heat with frequent movement (so they don't burn) and enhance the sweetness even further (think French Onion Soup).  YUMMMMM!

No matter what you are cooking, it is important that the pieces be very close in size.  Not only does this provide a uniform look , more importantly, it allows the food to cook at a uniform rate, so it's all done together, rather than small pieces burning while larger pieces get underway.  Make sense?  So here are some tips on getting a nice uniform dice to a whole (or half) onion: 

1. Trim off the sprout end (that's the opposite of the root end).  DON'T trim the root end off!  
2. Stand the onion on the newly trimmed end with root end up and slice the whole thing through from root down to cutting board.     
3. Working with one half at a time, peel away the outer layers that are either skin or tougher.
4. Lay one onion half flat on the cut side, root end away from you.
5. Make lengthwise cuts from root to tip – the width varies according to the size of the dice you want.  Do not cut through the root – leave it in tact so that you could pick the whole thing up as one piece by the root.
6. Turn the half 90 degrees and slice across the lengthwise cuts you just made (width of slices according to the size cuts you want).

VOILÀ!  A perfect dice!

Can't stop practicing? (the vision of Meryl Streep as Julia Child comes to mind) – portion them out by the cup or whole/half onion, then package them up in freezer safe containers, ready to grab when your next recipe calls for diced onion.

For those of you who’ve worked with me, heard me lecture or read my book, you know I don’t believe in relying on soy products, such a tofu, for plant-based protein. There are some compelling reasons for this, but I'll save them for a later discussion. Suffice it to say that raw, sprouted or processed soybeans can cause more problems than they solve and should not be relied upon as a protein mainstay – and now for the exceptions!

• Miso soup – heat some low sodium vegetable broth, add a heavy pinch of toasted nori crinkles and stir in a tablespoon miso until dissolved. Voilà! Soup.
• Use in place of Parmesan in your favorite Pesto recipe.
• Toss pasta noodles with olive and miso to distribute evenly, then dress with your favorite sauce.

Lemons

Lemons are a must in the kitchen!    

Use lemon juice to brighten the flavors in nearly any dish.

Use lemon juice to prevent browning of fruits such as apples and avocados.

Use lemon juice on salads and in dressing, instead of vinegar (especially if you have been told to avoid fermented foods for reasons of yeast overgrowth or Candida).

Use lemon juice to deodorize your hands from fish, garlic, etc.

Drink warm lemon water daily, to support your liver. Though lemons provide acidic flavoring, they are actually very alkaline (that’s a good thing)!

Use lemon juice as a solvent for gummy, sticky things.

When lemons are in season, squeeze the juice and freeze it in ice cube trays for a quick "juice of one lemon" fix.

Best way to extract the juice?  If you have a quantity, I recommend an electric citrus juicer.  Just one or two lemons?  Forget about fancy gadgets – cut the lemon in half, grab a fork, stick it n one half and squeeze!  Repeat until it's given all it will.  If you do this over a strainer, you won't have to go picking out seeds.

And don't forget that fabulous zest for a delightful lemony edge in a recipe – you'll notice the difference when you use the zest a recipe calls for, instead of substituting juice.   

Remember:  Harvest the zest before squeezing the juice!! 

Are lemons out of season, crazy expensive or just a nuisance for you? Look for Organic lemon juice, NOT from concentrate in the natural section of your grocery store. It’s a staple in my refrigerator!

Kefir is a fermented milk drink, similar in flavor, but superior in content to yogurt (and thinner, so it's drinkable).  Kefir is loaded with probiotics (beneficial bacteria), which colonize a healthy gut.  Also, kefir contains a good strain of yeast that helps to remove the bad yeasts – good news for those who have Candida (that’s most of us, actually).

Did you know that the majority of your immune system is in your gut?  It is an easy statement then, that a kefir beverage supports immunity (like crazy!!)

If you’re lactose intolerant, you’ll like that kefir eats the dairy lactose in the fermenting process, essentially gobbling it up.  By the time it’s kefir, the lactose is gone – people who are generally lactose intolerant have no issue with kefir and can still enjoy all the “cultural” benefits.  Side note:  my previous post on Dairy suggests that those with lactose intolerance may also enjoy RAW dairy products without issue, due their enzymatic activity.

If you’re Vegan or simply do not consume dairy products at all, you can still enjoy the health benefits of kefir in other forms, such as young coconut water kefir or fruit juice kefir, however, the grains used in fermentation are different from those used in dairy kefir and the resulting product has fewer (roughly half) the bacterial strains.

It’s easy to make your own and worthwhile because the store bought versions are a. much more expensive and b. have only about 20% of the bacterial strains that homemade can have – provided you are using grains vs. powder as your starter.

If you are new to the benefits of fermented foods, they are worth your investigation for the immense health benefits they provide.  Kefir is just the beginning!

Check out these resources:

KefirPlus.com

Kefir.net

Dominic Anfiteatro (I call him the Godfather of kefir!)

KefirCheese.com

Chef’s note:  You are right – I have previously suggested avoiding most, if not all consumption of animal based proteins, including dairy. If you find this "difficult to swallow"  Kefir, especially from RAW dairy, if available in your area, is a healthier option to retain in your diet, due to the multitude of digestive and immune benefits it offers.

The health benefits of garlic are well documented, from natural pest repellent, to natural anti-biotic.

Raw garlic is high in compounds that are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and also fight free radical damage and inflammation with powerful antioxidant properties.

Though garlic is reputed to be beneficial in lowering LDL’s (“bad” cholesterol), studies have not proven this.  I don’t mind that – there are a lot of foods with a healthy track record of benefits that “studies” have not been able to prove.  When you consider that garlic is widely used in the Mediterranean and heart disease is much lower there than in the U.S., I’m willing to make the leap that it plays a healthy role!

The rich, sweet flavor of roasted garlic can be mashed into a paste and used in a multitude of ways, such as whisking with oil and vinegar for a dressing, adding to mashed potatoes or spreading on rustic bread instead of butter, just to name a few!

Method 1 (whole bulbs):

Place whole bulbs on a bed of coarse salt in a small baking dish.  Roast in a hot oven (temp is not actually critical – anywhere from 325F to 475F will do) until the skin has turned brown and juices are beginning to escape.

Allow the bulbs to cool.  Slice off the bottom and squeeze out the flesh.

Method 2 (individual cloves):

Leave the skin ON.  "Crack" individual cloves with the flat side of your chef's knife and a bit of pressure from the palm of your hand.  Toss the cracked cloves with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or in a baking dish, for approximately 20 minutes at 425F.  Cool slightly (just enough so you can handle them).  Discard skins and proceed with use of the flesh!

Mmmmm.  I can smell it from here!!

 As stated previously, I’m an advocate of eating less animal protein (see my Free Report to learn why), but of the animal protein I do eat, I choose that which is the least evolved, such as naturally raised, local eggs and wild caught fish.

Wild caught is important; it’s not just about sustainability, but even more so about health.  Farm raised fish are treated similarly to factory raised cattle and chickens – conditions are crowded, disease is likely and their feed is contaminated with high levels of PCB’s, dioxin and mercury.  Additionally, they are intentionally fattened to increase weight and therefore market price.  When you consider that contaminants accumulate in fat, farm raised fish offer double jeopardy.

Statistics indicate that farmed fish contain as much as 40 time more PCB’s than any other protein source, including dairy, beef, pork or poultry and 5-10 times more PCB’s as wild caught fish.

This because wild caught fish have less fat to store contaminants in and because their food is less contaminated than that utilized in farms.

Additionally, the beneficial omega 3 fatty acids for which fish are appreciated are better quality and more plentiful in wild caught fish.

So when you go to the market to buy fish, you could be doing yourself more harm than good to buy the more affordable farm raised options.  Yes, the wild caught is generally quite pricy, but considering it too has some natural contamination, the price helps to space consumption!

The next dilemma is determining whether or not it has been labeled “wild caught” with integrity.  Unfortunately, there is a reasonable amount of misrepresentation going on, according to the Environmental Working Group.  In my humble opinion, the EWG is a trustworthy source of information regarding levels of toxins in differing types of fish and articles on where to find the safest source.

If you are eating fish even once per week, it is advisable to investigate methods for removing the toxins from yourself, before they accumulate in your fatty tissue. There are many natural ways to remove toxins, some more laborious than others.  I like this one.

Love sushi?  ME TOO!!!  So I limit my indulgence to once or twice a month.  You can bet that the majority of sushi grade fish, is going to be farmed because “fat is where the flavor’s at”!

If you think “Organic” farmed fish is the answer, this article may change your mind.

Perhaps it’s time to turn the family vacation into a deep sea or Copper River fishing expedition and savor the souvenirs all year long from your freezer…..

 Eggs

I’m an advocate of eating less animal protein (see my Free Report to learn why), but of the animal protein I do eat, I choose that which is the least evolved, emphasizing naturally raised, local eggs and wild caught fish.

Consider these points about eggs:

·       They are available year round

·       They can be eaten alone or used as an ingredient

·       They are a kitchen workhorse, acting as volumizer, emulsifier and/or binder

·       They help prevent blood clots

·       They reduce serum cholesterol

·       They promote weight loss

·       They protect against cataracts and age related Macular Degeneration

·       They are a good source of Vitamin D, Iodine, B12 and other micronutrients.

How is this so?  Eggs YOLKS are the richest food source of choline, which is vital to brain health and messaging throughout the nervous system.

It is estimated that more than 90% of Americans are deficient in choline.  Both the choline and B12 in egg yolks convert damaging homocysteine into safe components, thereby improving cardiovascular health.

It is true that egg yolks are high in cholesterol, but more recent studies have revealed that eating 1-2 eggs, daily, coupled with a low fat diet, creates NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE in blood levels of cholesterol or risk of heart disease and (I think it bears repeating) can actually improve it!

And, as if these points aren’t enough, choline inhibits inflammation ~ yahooooo!!

If you’re like me and allergic to egg WHITES, you can eat your yolks alone – raw in a morning smoothie, swallow ‘em whole or scramble them with your favorite milk product (mine’s coconut milk).  It is also worth noting that if you are allergic to the whites, the protein associated with the allergy is often neutralized at high temperatures, such as those associated with baking.

If you’d like to learn more about the health benefits of eggs, I recommend the following link: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=92

Most of the recipes I create are completely dairy-free.  Why?  A couple reasons.  1.  In general, I try to eat more vegetable protein than animal protein.  2.  A member of my family has an undiagnosed allergy to dairy.  Something about it causes production of excess mucus.  Charming, right? 

It turns out an awful lot of other people have issues with dairy.  Studies show that dairy mal-digestion increases with age and even the number of youngsters with dairy mal-digestion is on the rise (significantly).

Could this be due to the hormones, antibiotics and genetically modified feed the cows receive?  Perhaps.  But for those with intolerance, even consuming organic dairy products does not resolve the issue.

Here’s a nifty notation:  Many people who suffer lactose intolerance are able to consume RAW milk products, without issue!  Pasteurization kills the enzymes that digest the lactose, as well as other, helpful bacteria.  If you are lucky enough to live in one of the few states that permit the sale of raw milk, give it a try!  Don’t forget to inquire about the use of hormones, antibiotics and genetically modified feed in the herd, though.  You still want an organic product!

Similarly, raw cheeses also have the digestive enzymes intact.  Check the label to see if the cheese is made with raw or pasteurized milk.  Raw milk cheeses are permissible on the market if they have been aged a minimum of 60 days.

Now for the best part of all:  ORGANIC, RAW MILK PRODUCTS, LOADED WITH HEALING PROBIOTICS, such as raw milk yogurt, kefir and kefir cheeses (kefir being my personal favorite).  These are the “crème del la crème”:  NO LACTOSE PLUS PROBIOTICS – the “friendly” bacteria.  Intestinal health is paramount to overall health.  Probiotics introduce healthy bacteria into the intestine for optimal conditions.  In fermented yogurt and kefir, lactose feeds the fermentation. What you are left with is a tart, lactose free dairy product that is chalk full of gut-friendly bacteria!  YUMMM.

Learn more about the benefits of raw milk (cow or goat) products here.  To learn more about raw milk, probiotic cheeses, (aka the healthiest cheese in the USA) visit KefirCheese.com and tell Rose and Marmy that Chef Nancy sent you!