Friday, December 7, 2007

Yummy Greens from Yodah Yensen

Hi Folks,
Thought you might like a simple recipe for the greens of your choice. Today, we chose Swiss Chard. You will need:
2T Organic Butter or Butter Substitute*
1-3 Organic Garlic Cloves (depending on your taste buds)
1/2 C White Wine
1/2 Lemon, zested and squeezed
1-3 Mushrooms of Choosing**
1 bunch of Greens (SWISS CHARD, Beet Greens, Kale, Collards)

In a skillet***, Sautee butter and Garlic until slightly golden. Add White Wine, Lemon juice, zest, and mushrooms (sliced). Cook down (or until it starts smelling good). Add Greens (Chopped) and stir in until bright green (that is how you know it's done). Serve. Super yummy, quick AND nutritious.



*Smart Balance is a good one, non-GMO, non-Hydrogenated, Soy based and yummy. Coconut oil is also very good, helps metabolize fat inside the body.
**Chantrelles have a creamy, nutty flavor- Crimini have a bolder "mushroom" Flavor- Shitakes a light buttery flavor AND they boost the immune system. Black Mushrooms have a deep nuttiness, a little goes a long way, Same goes for Porcinis, they have a strong aromatic quality ( Mmmm Porcini's).
***(we prefer Cast Iron for it's benevolent gifts of it's minerals, IRON, but good stainless steel will do nicely as well)

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Speaking of grains....

Grains are wonderful...and very versatile. Last night I worked a long day. It was Monday and the weekend was spent moving into a new apartment. Where Mondays are concerned, although productive, by the time I got to the Bart train (Bay Area Rapid Transit), I felt a little cranky and drained. Since Friday's F.U.B.A.R meeting, pizza was the prevailing food group. (mmmm...pizza). Don't get me wrong, pizza's great. It's soul food of the highest order, BUT, enough is enough. Anyway, when I got home, my boyfriend( let's call him, Chester) surprised me by cooking dinner (if it's up to me,we may keep this one), Boiled skinned Beets -n- greens, and Buckwheat groats. Doesn't sound like much does it? Groats.... the word sounds like a combination of Goat and Gross. Yuck!
But gross, they were not! They were very, very tasty indeed! They sort of feel like barley in the mouth, and have a sort of brown rice nutty flavor. And the beets! such a fantastic colour and texture! After boiling, the skins slide right off. Using just a dash of my standard Vinaigrette (a dash of Sea Salt and Pepper, a splash of Olive Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar, and a touch of Wheat Free Tamari) you have Some Good Eating. Clean, Wholesome, Goood Eating.
These days it's getting more and more common to eat this way. It's not just for Hippy's and Eccentric Reclusive Billionaires anymore. WE see what it does for Gwyneth, Madonna , and Clooney. We all know that Liv Tyler is a little Glow worm. WE've all watched The Big O (Oprah) transform and get better and better with age, and Tina, we don't have to speak of her to see that she knows how to eat. They care about what they eat. or at least seem to. Back to the subject at hand.
After dinner, I felt great. Grains when paired with vegetables gives you a completely perfect balance of protein and carbohydrate. In Food combining, they are a perfect match. And Buck wheat is extremely easy to digest. And contrary to the name contains NO- WHEAT. Here is a helpful website with a complete list of grains and their attributes for those of you with food allergies or who know people who do- http://www.csaceliacs.org/gluten_grains.php. Personally, I don't have any food allergies that I know of, but I have friends that do, and they have opened me up to all sorts of alternatives to the standard Flours and grains. This way it's fun to try new recipes and it's easy to not go overboard on any one flour or grain and to have to pay the consequences. After all, we all know now that Processed flour ( and Wheat flours in general) are one of Cancer's favorite foods, So be sparing with it.
The adventure didn't stop with dinner's use of the Buckwheat Groats, this morning, Chester, made BG's as a hot cereal, with cinnamon, maple syrup, and a little rice milk, or as you would dress your oatmeal. This was fantastic! I have mounds of energy, and didn't feel bloated. What a great discovery! What a great Boyfriend!

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