Category — Vegetables

Have you noticed these delightfully odd tomatoes in your grocery yet?  I discovered these beauties last year and have become a faithful purchaser ever since.  Heirloom tomatoes have gained popularity recently, but why?  Where did they come from?

That’s a debatable subject as the definition of what makes a “heirloom” tomato is not agreed upon yet.  Some say it must be a seed that has a 100 year legacy, others say fifty years is enough to get the stamp of approval.  There are some who argue that the tomato comes from the end of World War Two.  And still others that define the seeds as ones which have been passed down through the family for generations.

None of those definitions interest me however as much as that fact that it is generally agreed that no genetically modified organisms can be considered heirloom cultivars.  That says a great deal about why these tomatoes taste better than other varieties.  And that fact that people are out there arguing about the bloodline of this tomato means somebody gives a crap about quality!

Rotisserie chicken and salad is one of the easiest and most satisfying meals you can make, or not make, since you can buy the chickens at almost any grocery store these days.  This meal will still satisfy and take advantage of all the fresh bounty summer has to offer.

Consider the recipe from Real Simple for chicken with grape and blue cheese salad.  Just looking at the picture is all the inspiration you’ll need to jump off you tail and whip that one up.  Or try roast chicken with The Rosenthal salad.  This gets the “tried and true” stamp from our household.  You could serve the chicken with fresh corn on the cob and sliced heirloom tomatoes.  It dosn’t get easier than that nor is there a better time of year to get the delicious produce!

My mom grew up on a farm in Indiana, the corn capital of the U.S. I grew up eating corn on the cob… ear after ear after delicious, buttery ear of it. I stuffed myself on it. There was none of this “one ear per person” business. That was probably because this treat came to us in late July and August only since that’s when it was ready in our garden. My mom thinks people are crazy to eat corn from the grocery store that’s out of season. Maybe you will too once you taste her recipe.

Here’s how it’s really supposed to go down. You take a big pot, fill it with water and put it on to boil. Then you go outside, pick the corn and shuck it. You put it in the boiling pot of water for one minute only and serve it hot. I thought it was fun to use corn holders as a child, but whatever you do, roll that sweet corn in butter and put salt on it. It’s the best!

I have my husband to thank for this helpful tip. For health reasons, he avoids using oil when cooking. He always cringes when he sees me making a stir fry and I’m like, “What up!? I’m only using a little oil and tons of vegetables. What’s your problem?”

But then the other day when I was making tofu scramble I couldn’t be bothered to steam the vegetables in advance (or wash the extra pots afterwards) so I thought, “I’ll use the old man’s trick.” I put the seasonings in the skillet like normal plus the veggies that needed steaming. I threw a little water on top, put the lid on and voila! Two minutes later I had perfectly steamed veggies. By taking the lid off again, the extra bit of water cooked away so it wasn’t soupy. You can use this method for Chinese stir-fries, scrambled eggs or anything else you want to make in a skillet with cooked veggies.

And, without the extra pots to wash, you’re conserving water too. With a single move I’ve made my husband three times happier!

Here’s another debatable topic. Once again, The PH Miracle and many other veg junkies claim that the secret to increased health and vitality is a diet of raw, plant-based foods. According to some, this type of menu can even cure diseases such as juvenile diabetes and cancer…

But according to others, lightly steamed vegetables are highly superior to raw vegetables. I first read this in Dr. Motha’s book The Gentle Birth Method. This comes from the guidelines of an aruvedic diet. Again I fell upon this advice when reading a book on Chinese medicine. The theory being that, yes, raw vegetables do have more vitamins but they are also harder for the body to digest. Lightly steamed vegetables are easier on our digestive system therefore the rate of absorption of vitamins is higher.

I’ll probably continue to eat both raw and steamed, that way I’m covered!

Continuing with my respect for vegetables theme, this week I’d like to talk about some lesser-known alkaline friends. Like Hollywood actors, these background players have a lot to offer. They just need that first break so they can become star names. Let’s give these extras a lead role in your next kitchen production!

• JICAMA – We all have Mexico to thank for introducing us to one of their star players: the crunchy, mild, sweet tasting, not weird at all, easy to use… jicama (pronounced hik-a-ma). This root vegetable is gaining popularity in North America and Asia and can be used in a variety of salads and stews. Once peeled, it’s reminiscent of a potato or apple and what makes this vegetable top notch on my favorite picks list is that when refrigerated, it can stay good for up to a month!

  

• SWISS CHARD – Now is the time to get your hands on this giant of green goodness. Available through out the year, the best season for it runs from June through August. You’ll recognize it by the tall stalk that may be white, yellow or red and it’s dark green, fan-like leaves. Don’t be scared by the greenness of it! I’ve got a recipe that will get you hooked on it like sugar sticks.



• CELERY ROOT – A star in France and Germany, this interesting root is not as well known in American cuisine. It can be used in salads, soups and gratins and it also gets major points for it’s long time storing freshness: up to three months if refrigerated!



• WATERCRESS – One of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by human beings, watercress is a significant source of iron, calcium and folic acid. It also appears to have cancer-suppressing properties and is widely believed to help defend against lung cancer.

These vegetables aren’t just a pretty face. They’re packing loads vitamins. To check out a list of nutrition facts go to the Whole Foods siteand get the stats. Don’t let corporate America control what you eat. Employ an out-of-work vegetable today!

A team of Belgium scientists recently tested 29 different fruits and vegetables to see what happens to their antioxidant capacity over time. Details of the study can be found here. Interestingly, most of the fruits and vegetables had stable levels of antioxidants even after visual signs of spoilage began and many actually expressed higher levels of antioxidants as they began to spoil. So apparently there must be some sweet spot between fresh-off-the-vine and rancid where you get the most health benefits without causing yourself to hurl.

Not surprisingly, I’ve decided not to optimize my fruit and vegetable intake to take advantage of this new insight. Taste trumps nutrition in this case – especially since the difference was usually not that much (except for onions, see below*). But it’s good to know that even if you don’t have a garden or have a farmer’s market nearby that you can get the same (maybe even more) nutritional value from the fruits and vegetables at your local supermarket.

* There where some notable fruits and vegetables that you do want to eat as fresh as possible. These include apricots, spinach, bananas, broccoli and leeks. In contrast, the vegetable with the biggest increase over time was the onion, which continually increased its antioxidant capacity over time – after 23 days onions had over 10 times more than they had when they were fresh!