A few of my good friends are egg haters. I get it. If you think about the etiology of an egg...it's weird. As a self-proclaimed "pescatarian" who dabbles in Jewish penicillin and homemade turkey meatballs, I rely on eggs as one of my "go to" sources of protein. During the week, my breakfasts typically consist of a Siggi's thrown into my bag, then eaten in haste with the neon blue glow of my computer screen as ambiance. Now as a working girl, the weekends are my opportunity to enjoy a leisurely and warm breakfast, typically accompanied by Williamsburg mayo on some form of sprouted grain. In honor of Passover and in an effort to utilize my matzo in a more highbrow way than slathered with Earth Balance, I found inspiration from a recipe in the
Read moreSo I Broke My Elbow....
So I broke my elbow…. put your microscopic violin away. Whenever I get sick or injured, which luckily does not happen often, I always look for nutritive solutions which can assist in my recovery. To make light of an annoying aliment, I utilized the opportunity to take an expansive view of my diet and see if I am lacking in certain nutrients that could aid in recovery. With broken bones and damaged ligaments, I immediately thought about calcium, phosphorus, Vitamin D and protein as well as anti-inflammatory agents to further assist with healing.
Read moreTonno e Pomodori aka Tuna and Tomatoes
I am well overdue for a post, but I am finally mentally ready to re-devote myself to The Crunchy Radish. For the past 6 months I have been immersed in the clinical rotations of my dietetic internship. Now that I have finally completed that phase, I am moving forward and will soon take the RD exam and, fingers crossed, find a job. In the meantime, I hope to continue to be able to offer some nutritive tips and recipe ideas. Post internship, I am even more versed on nutrition and overall wellness, and ideally can serve as a unique and intelligible source of nutrition information and cooking basics. So, thank you to those who continue to follow my updates despite my recent lapse.
Read moreSpread the Joy
The recipe for this pasta dish was given to me by one of my loyal readers (the number of which I can probably count on one hand). It is simple, smooth, and scrumptious, and tastes decadent despite its healthful ingredients. Whipped avocado becomes a creamy and dreamy sauce and was the perfect foundation for my spiced rubbed salmon.
Read moreNot Your Muddah's Casserole
On my most recent venture to the Union Square Farmer’s Market, I found myself constantly fighting to focus on procuring useful ingredients. I get so distracted by the beauty and bounty of fresh produce, that I loose track of what I need to aquire for my next meal. That day was definitely one of those occasions. I arrived home with a plethora of gorgeous fresh and somewhat unique produce and I wanted to delineate a little from my normal grilled corn or zucchini and tomato salad. To step out of my comfort zone, I flipped through my handy Moosewood cookbook and found an intriguing recipe for carrot and mushroom "loaf", which was perfect since I had snagged a bunch of carrots and a bag of cremini mushrooms. I also gathered some sweet potato greens, pimento padrao peppers, and what is a trip to the summer green market without corn, tomatoes and fuzy peaches.
Read moreEasy Peasy Pesto
Buckwheat pasta with spinach basil pesto, oven roasted tomatoes, broccoli and peas
Gazpacho
After consulting with the family chef about proper tomato usage for this summery soup, San Marzano puree was used over fresh tomatoes or tomato juice. Unless the tomatoes are extremely ripe, high quality canned is recommended. At first, I felt like I was cheating, since this soup was intended to encapsulate summer, but once chilled, the gazpacho was the pure essence of tomatoey, cucumbery, and garlicky peppery goodness.
Besides swapping the tomato juice for canned, I relied on my trusty
for guidance for the Gazpacho. A cucumber, red bell pepper, small yellow onion, garlic, parsley, scallions, lemon and lime juice, basil, cumin, and cayenne pepper were gently pureed with the tomatoes, white vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and chilled.
For a spin on another summery favorite, I pulverized a box of organic spinach, basil, parsley, four garlic cloves, two tablespoons toasted walnuts and a little drizzling of olive oil to create a pesto. I found that spinach has a high level of water content, so you really only need a little olive oil to meld the sauce together. I mixed in parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to finish. To bolster up the buckwheat pasta, I added roasted cherry tomatoes and organic broccoli and peas (both frozen). The cherry tomatoes were oven roasted with oregano, basil, canola oil, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. This created a nice slightly charred and sweet tomato that burst with flavor.
The buckwheat pasta not only had a lovely hue, but also added a nutty quality and provided added fiber. The pasta was also loaded with vegetables from the spinach; which is packed with folate, beta-carotene, vitamin K, fiber, magnesium and calcium, the broccoli; which also has beta-carotene, fiber and calcium, along with iron and vitamins A, C and D, and peas, which are a good source of protein. Walnuts provided omega-3 and antioxidants.
This was a lovely summery meal that left plenty of leftovers…. too bad my fridge is broken.
mmmmm lactobacillus
I heart yogurt, whether it is in the liqudy extra tart and fermented kefir form, to ultra thick and creamy Greek, or the more conventional sour plain fat-free Stonyfield Farm organic form - all forms bring me pleasure. Yogurt is also quite multidimensional and can be used for more than filling you up at breakfast. The various kinds of yogurt can be used in a multitude of ways; from sauces, dips or shakes, the possibilities are limitless. Not only is fat-free yogurt a great source of lean protein, calcium, vitamin A and some sources even have vitamin D, yogurt contains the beneficial bacteria lactobacillus. This bacterium helps establish a healthy environment in the gut and aids in digesting lactose (milk sugar). Lactobacillus along with Bifidobacterium are the common species of probiotics. Now I know that the benefits of probiotics are certainly no earth-shattering revelation, but it can’t hurt to be reminded of the beneficial balance that probiotics create between harmful and harmless bacteria. The harmless bacteria compete for space and nutrients with the harmful bacteria and prevent its growth. Additionally, probiotics boost immune responses that protect the body. Furthermore, most lactose intolerant individuals can tolerate yogurt because the bacteria produces lactase (the enzyme that digests lactose).
YAY Bacteria!
OH NO! Not Salmon Again!
Orange soy glazed salmon with ginger pepper salsa and black japonica rice with kale
Salmon can be boring, dry and flavorless and a lot of people feel inclined to eat it because of the widely advertised health benefits. Yes, salmon has a slew of healthy properties, but it does not have to be over cooked and bland. The gingery salsa, sweet and sour glaze, and crunchy kale with black rice created a nice flavorful and hearty balance that will leave you graving for your omega, protein, and anti-inflammatory fix.
This dish was inspired by a recipe that appears in the Canyon Ranch cookbook Nourish. For the salsa, I used a good amount of ginger, basil, red, green and yellow bell peppers, scallions, a little low sodium soy sauce, a splash of sesame oil, the juice of a lemon and lime, some fresh cracked pepper and some dashes of hot sauce. I made the salsa about an hour in advance to allow the flavors to meld together. The sauce, which was brushed on the salmon before pan searing, was composed of orange juice, low sodium soy sauce, agave nectar and minced garlic. The nutty japonica rice was cooked per the instructions and mixed with steamed kale. I mixed the rice with a little of the marinade and cracked pepper. I prefer my salmon on the rare side, so I only cooked the fish for about 3 minutes a side. The salmon was very moist and juicy, slightly crisp on the outside and bursting with flavor from the salsa and the marinade. This dish was very quick to make, especially with the advanced salsa prep. It was light, sweet, spicy and tart and was perfect for a hot summer night.
Ginger is an extremely beneficial root. It has anti-inflammatory properties as well as aids in GI discomfort, helps with nausea and is immune boosting. Salmon has a multitude of touted benefits. Not only is it an ideal source of omega 3 fatty acid, which decreases risk for cardiovascular problems, salmon possesses vitamin D, which lowers the risk for certain cancers, is integral for bone and teeth health, and aids with cognitive and certain organ function. Selenium is also present in salmon and aids in joint health, is cardio protective and helps convert the thyroid hormone to its active form.
Here fishy fishy……
Name That Omega-3
This snack or appetizer was inspired by a dish served at Prune restaurant in the east village. The chef Gabrielle Hamilton explained that the dish she serves of canned sardines, Triscuits and cornichon were based on the meals that she ate and could afford as a young newly transplanted New Yorker. Yet although simplistic, the combination of spicy mustard, minerally meaty fish and salty cornies are delicious and satisfying and a great way to get your omegas. The sustainable canned Portuguese Sardines weren't at all fishy and packed protein, calcium, iron, B12, vitamin D, phosphorous and of course omega-3. Omega-3 is a type of polyunsaturated fat and is essential to the diet because it cannot be made in the body. Omega-3 fat protects against multiple forms of cancer, is anti-inflammatory, assists in increasing good cholesterol and lowers bad, decreases the risk of blood clots and heart attacks and because of the incredibly high calcium content in sardines, helps prevent bone loss and improves bone strength.
If simply taking the sardines out of the tin and smothering them with mustard isn’t your forte, consider adding them to a salad, stuffing them in your sandwich, smashing them on your crostini, mixing them with your pasta or chopping them up in your sauce or marinade, the options are endless and to your benefit!