What can we eat that won't kill us?

I read the other day that soy products and the cruciferous vegetables contain a substance that counters the hormones produced by the thyroid gland. I eat soy every day, and cruciferous vegetables (kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, etc) almost every day.

On a positive note, the articles also state that cooking the vegetables mitigates the harmful effect.

We know that the cruciferous vegetables contain superb antioxidants that defend our bodies against cancer. What do we do when we learn that something that is good for us may also produce harmful effects?

Except for occasionally eating broccoli raw, I steam or lightly saute my vegetables. Also, next time I do blood testing, I will request a thyroid check. Other than that, I will keep doing what I am doing now, which is to use fruits and vegetables as the foundation of my diet.

My next goal is to cut back significantly on sodium. Although I have never known myself to have high blood pressure, I think using a minimal amount of table salt is a good choice for preventing it. The effects of high blood pressure are a major killer in all cultures that have high sodium intake.

Cutting back on table salt is not going to be easy, but I will report on what I find that works in a future post.








© 2010 Charles Farrier Veggie World Cooking

Cauliflower Potato Soup with Kale and Nut Butters

The ingredients listed in the title may seem odd, but when you decide to do something daring in the kitchen, this one will be well worth the effort.

Ingredients (use organic where possible)

3 medium large red potatoes, cut to 1/4 inch slices
1 head cauliflower
1 bunch of jacinto (dino) kale, greens separated from ribs and chopped, ribs sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped, including stems
2 tablespoons raw cashew butter
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter, raw if available (Do not use peanut butter that contains added sugar. It will ruin this recipe.)
2 quarts water

Ingredients to add to individual servings

fresh tomatoes, cut into small wedges
chopped cashews
sea salt to taste

Procedure

Bring 1 quart water to a boil in a 4 quart pot and add potatoes. Cook over low heat and stir occasionally. After about 30 minutes, the potatoes will start to break as they are stirred. When that happens, continue cook for 10 more minutes. Then remove heat and allow the potatoes to stay in the hot water another 20 minutes, covered. At that point uncover and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, clean the cauliflower and remove the florets where they meet the stems. Cut the florets into bite-sized pieces. Cut the stems into 1/2 inch slices and keep them separate from the florets.

Clean the kale. Separate the greens from the stems. Chop the greens. Cut the stems into 1/4 inch slices.

Bring 1 quart water to a boil in a 6 quart pot. Add the kale and cauliflower stems. When water comes back to a boil cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cauliflower florets and cook them until they are beginning to approach tenderness. This should take about 6 minutes after water comes back to a low boil. Stir in the kale greens and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes and remove heat.

When potatoes are cool enough, parcel them with their cooking water into a food processor or blender, processing about 1/3 the total amount cooked at a time. Add the cashew and peanut butter to the mix during one of the blending sessions. Add the blended potatoes (and nut butters) to the cauliflower pot. Add the parsley. Stir thoroughly.

Individual servings

Add chopped raw cashews to the middle of each serving, surrounded by a ring of tomato wedges. Add sea salt to taste.

Enjoy warm or slightly hot, with cold tomato wedges. The tomatoes are essential to making this soup exceptional.

If you do not use the cashews on top, in case any guests may have a nut allergy, be sure to advise them that nut butters have been used.


© 2010 Charles Farrier Veggie World Cooking

Whole Wheat Rotini with Tomatoes and Chickpeas

This recipe is great for a complete grab-n-go lunch. Enjoy it warm, cold, or hot. The chickpeas and rotini provide substantial complimentary protein and the tomatoes are the best natural food source for lycopene.  Canned and fresh tomatoes are both included in this recipe in order to unleash their highest nutrient and flavor potential. The complex carbs in the rotini provide lasting energy.  Serve this dish with a green tea/fruit juice combo for an added boost of antioxidants and mental energy.

Enjoy during spring, summer, and autumn, especially when vine ripened tomatoes are available. For a dinner, serve with a side dish of steamed broccoli drizzled with lemon juice and a fruit salad.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Makes 10-12 servings


Ingredients (use organic where possible)

1 twelve ounce box rotini
1 fourteen ounce can diced premium quality tomatoes (Using low grade tomatoes will ruin this recipe!)
4 or 5 ripe roma tomatoes, diced
12 green onions, finely sliced
1 twenty-five ounce can chickpeas (garbonzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin, first cold pressed
Raw slivered almonds

Sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Cook the rotini according to box directions or to suite your taste.  Remove heat, cool, and discard water.
2. Add the canned tomatoes, including liquid.
3. Stir in the chick peas, roma tomatoes, green onions, parsley, and olive oil. 
4.  Top servings with slivered almonds and season with sea salt to taste.

© 2010 Charles Farrier Veggie World Cooking

(Recipe) Bok Choy, Leek,and Mushroom Soup

This soup has a unique and delicate flavor.

Ingredients

2 bunches bok choy
2 leeks
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
1 red or yellow bell pepper sliced lengthwise into thin strips and then cut diagonally into 1 inch lengths
1 pound crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced, larger pieces then cut again to bite-size pieces
1/2 cup cashew butter, preferably raw
5 tablespoons olive or peanut oil
raw sesame oil
water

Procedure

Separate the bok choy leaf stalks and wash.  Slice them diagonally into bite- size pieces, including the greens.

Remove the leek root tips and about 1/4 inch of the leaf tips.  Slice each leek lengthwise in two.  Wash them carefully, making sure to get the dirt out of the crevices.  Slice the leeks diagonally into bite-sized pieces.

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a 6 quart pot.  Stir in the bok choy and cover.  Cook over low heat for 4 minutes.  Remove heat.

In a large saute or fry pan saute the bell pepper in 1 tablespoon oil for 2 minutes over low heat.  Stir in the leeks and 2 more tablespoons oil.  Continue to saute an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Stir in the green onions and continue to saute an additional 2 minutes.  Cover and allow the mixture to steam for 3 additional minutes.  Remove heat and remove cover.


Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a 4 quart pot.  Stir in the bok choy and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove heat.  Add the sauteed vegetable mixture to the pot of bok choy.

Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons oil stirring over low heat.  After the mushrooms release their moisture, continue stirring while cooking for 2 more minutes.  Stir the mushrooms and their remaining liquid into the pot of bok choy and vegetables.

In a blender add 2 cups water and 1/2 cup cashew butter.  Blend at high speed until liquid consistency is reached, about 1 minute.  Stir this in to the soup mix.

Enjoy warm or cold, not hot.

Serve in soup bowls and salt to individual preference with table salt or sea salt.  Stir in 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil to individual servings if desired.

Soy or teryaki sauce will easily overpower the delicate flavor of this soup. Tamari sauce could be added to individual servings in very small amounts, 1/2 teaspoon at most.

I suggest always cooking over low heat (under 250°F) and for short durations. I do this in order to avoid toxic transformations of cooking oil and to preserve natural flavors and nutrients. Avoid using polyunsaturated fats for cooking because they can undergo unhealthy chemical changes when heated.

© 2010 Charles Farrier
Veggie World Cooking

(Recipe) Saute 'n Steam Veggie Mix: Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Squash,Tomato, and Mushrooms

photo © 2010 Charles Farrier

Yields 6 to 8 servings
Allow chopping time plus 20 minutes to prepare

Ingredients

• 4 crowns broccoli, florets cut from stems right at bottom of florets, larger florets cut down to bite-sized pieces, stems chopped.
  
• 12 crimini mushrooms, sliced
  
• 5 roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
  
• 1 orange, yellow, or red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized wedges
  
• 1 yellow squash, cut into bite-sized wedges

Optional Ingredients for Individual Servings

• Tamari sauce
• Cold pressed unrefined sesame seed oil
• Other seasonings as desired
• Canned chick peas, rinsed
• Fresh parsley, chopped
  

Procedure

Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a 4 quart pot. Add the broccoli stems, set the heat to low, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the florets and stir thoroughly until the florets are completely wet. Continue to cook, covered, over low heat for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and remove cover. Stir.

In a Super Pan (12 inch saute pan that has a lid) saute the bell pepper in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over low heat. The heat level is correct when bell pepper barely sizzles. We are not trying to brown the food, just lightly cook it. Push bell peppers to back edge of pan after cooking for 2 minutes.

Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Add mushrooms and stir constantly over low heat. Cook until mushrooms produce liquid and then 2 additional minutes. Push mushrooms to front edge of pan and add squash to middle of pan. There should still be a fair amount of liquid from the mushrooms left in the pan. If not, add 1/4 cup water.

Cover and continue cooking over low heat for 3 minutes or until squash begins to soften slightly at the edges. Remove cover, add tomatoes and stir the bell peppers, mushrooms, squash, and tomatoes together. Stir constantly over low heat for 1 more minute.

Remove heat. When broccoli cools enough, add it, including liquid, to pan of vegetables. Stir the broccoli into the mix.

Serve in bowls. Season to individual taste with tamari sauce and a small amount of sesame oil, or other seasonings as desired. This dish can be enjoyed hot, warm, or cold. If serving cold consider adding canned chick peas and a dash of fresh chopped parsley.

© 2010 Charles Farrier
Veggie World Cooking

(Recipe) Collard Vegetable Stew

Makes about 3 quarts, 10-12 servings
Takes about 1 hour plus chopping time (also allow 4-6 hours soaking time)

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of collard greens, center rib separated, leaves chopped into approximately one inch squares, and ribs into 1/4 inch lengths.

• 6 roma tomatoes, diced, or 1 fifteen ounce can of diced tomatoes

• 1 yellow or red bell pepper, diced

• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped

• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley, stems included

• 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  

• 4 bay leaves

• 1 cup split peas -- yellow, green, or both

• 1 cup of brown rice, or your favorite whole grain rice

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1.5 - 2 quarts water or vegetable stock
  

Optional Ingredients for Individual Servings

• Salt and additional seasonings, including fresh or granulated garlic
  

• 1/3 link Tofurky Italian Sausage (vegan, contains soy)

• Wedges of fresh tomato and fresh parsley
  

Procedure

Soak the rice and split peas separately for 4-6 hours or as indicated on the package. Discard the soaking water and rinse. Cook the rice as indicated on the package. For the split peas bring 3 cups water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, and add the split peas. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally and cook until very tender, about 45 minutes. Add more water if needed. If peas create foam, remove it as desired. Peas should create a broth as they near completed cooking. Remove the bay leaves when cooking is complete.

Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water. Add the collard veins, stir, cover the pot, and lower the heat. After 2 minutes add the collard leaves and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, turning the greens frequently. Turn off heat and leave covered for 2 minutes. After that remove cover and continue to turn occasionally as pot cools.

Saute the onions in a large pan over low heat using 1 tablespoon olive oil, stirring frequently. After 3 minutes add the bell pepper, continuing to stir. After 4 additional minutes add the tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes continue to saute an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and thoroughly mix in the parsley.

Mix the sauteed mixture into the collards. When the peas and rice have finished cooking and are cool enough to pour, add them with the pot of vegetables, including the broth made by the peas.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix thoroughly.

Add water as needed to create the desired consistency.

Refrigerate when the stew cools down.

Notes

Flavor is best after stew is refrigerated overnight.

Stew may be eaten hot or cold or anywhere in between. It generally requires less added salt when eaten cold.

You can double the amount of greens if you want to increase the nutrient density of this stew.

Kale can be added or substituted for the collard greens.

If any stew remains after 5 days it can be frozen into freezer safe containers.

Individual Serving Options

Salt and seasoning as desired, including garlic, fresh or granulated, as desired.

Stir in 1/3 diced Tofurky Italian Sausage link (vegan) . This adds moderate spiciness to the stew. For those who eat meat substitutes this adds quite a wow factor. 1/3 link adds almost 10 grams of protein.

Top with a ring of tomato wedges and sprinkle a tablespoon of fresh parsley across the center if desired.

© 2010 Charles Farrier
Veggie World Cooking