Roasted Beet Salad

Roasting beets brings out their natural sweetness and provides a delicious way to enjoy these folate-rich vegetables. Below is a recipe from epicurious.com- enjoy!

Roasted Beet Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch beets (3/4 pound without greens or 1 1/4 pound with), trimmed
• 1/4 cup sliced natural almonds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large Asian pear
• 3 cups mâche or baby arugula (3 ounces)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Wrap beets in foil and roast in middle of oven until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Unwrap beets and cool.

While beets are roasting, cook almonds in oil in a small skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden. Cool almonds in oil (nuts will get darker as they cool). Transfer almonds with a slotted spoon to a small bowl and season with salt.

Stir together shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, and oil from almonds in a large bowl.

Slip skins from beets and halve large beets. Cut beets into 1/4-inch-thick slices and add to dressing, tossing to coat.

Quarter and core pear and cut into julienne strips.

Arrange beets on a platter and drizzle with any dressing remaining in bowl. Top with mâche, then pear. Sprinkle with almonds.

Cooks’ note: Beets may be roasted and tossed with dressing 1 day ahead, then chilled and covered. (Keep toasted almonds, covered, at room temperature. Bring dressing to room temperature before using.)

See the original recipe here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Beet-Salad-1022189#

Salmon “Bulgogi” with Bok Choy and Mushrooms

Winter casseroles weighing you down? Lighten up and get your recommended daily allowance of omega-3 fatty acids by preparing this delicious, highly-rated recipe from Bon Appetit. Mushrooms and bok choy are an ideal compliment to the Asian marinade, and you can add brown rice or quinoa to make it heartier.  Be sure to buy high quality fish from a reputable market or fishmonger.

Ingredients

• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled, divided
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry Sherry
• 1 3/4-inch cube peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 3/4 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce*
• 4 6-ounce center-cut skinless salmon fillets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large bok choy, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips (about 7 cups)
• 4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced

* Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets

Preparation

Blend 1 garlic clove and next 7 ingredients in mini processor. Arrange salmon in 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon marinade over. Let marinate 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500°F. Arrange fish, with some marinade still clinging, on rimmed baking sheet. Transfer any marinade in dish to small saucepan. Roast fish until just opaque in center, about 8 minutes. Bring marinade in saucepan to boil; set aside and reserve for glaze.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add bok choy and mushrooms; using garlic press, press in 1 garlic clove. Stir-fry until mushrooms are tender and bok choy is wilted, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide vegetables among plates. Top with salmon. Brush fish with glaze.

See the original recipe and a photo here: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/bestof/toprecipes/bestsalmonrecipes/recipes/food/views/Salmon-Bulgogi-with-Bok-Choy-and-Mushrooms-242481

Warm Up with Ginger Carrot Soup

Looking for a delicious and healthful way to boost your immunity? Try this recipe from Dr. Andrew Weil, one of the most respected integrative medicine physicians.   Ginger-Carrot Soup

Description

Usually found in tropical gardens, ginger root – which is actually an underground stem, or rhizome – sprouts large pink and orange flowers that look as if they’ve been carved out of wax. Although they are a much more common sight in home gardens, carrots (a member of the parsley family) aren’t given to such showy blooms. Nevertheless, carrots pack a nutritional punch as impressive as any ginger blossom. Put the two roots together and you’ve got one of the most delicious flavor combinations I know of. Buy smooth ginger pieces (wrinkled ones are old and dry) and peel the skin away. Ginger is a wonderful digestive aid that strengthens the lining of the upper gastrointestinal tract, protecting against ulcers and parasites. The carotenes from carrots fortify the immune system and help maintain healthy skin and hair. When buying carrots, avoid those with cracks and be sure to remove carrot greenery, as it leaches moisture and vitamins from the roots. Food as Medicine Ginger has been shown to significantly reduce both nausea and vomiting associated with “morning sickness” that some women experience during pregnancy.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil 1 medium onion, chopped 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root 3 cups carrots, chopped 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped 8 cups vegetable stock Salt to taste Dash of dry sherry Dash of nutmeg Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the canola oil in a large pot, add the onion and ginger, and sauté, stirring, just until the onion is translucent.2. Add the carrots, potato and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and boil gently until the vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes.3. Purée the soup in batches in a blender or food processor.4. Add salt to taste and flavor with the sherry and nutmeg. Serve plain or garnished with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro.Find the original article and recipe here: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/RCP00232/Ginger-Carrot-Soup.html

Mediterranean Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables

I love fresh, crisp salads during the summer, but they often don’t have the same appeal to me in the winter, mainly because I live in a cold-weather climate. One of my favorite ways during this time of year to get my salad fix (and my fill of veggies) is to whip up a roasted vegetable salad. It may be a slightly labor intensive, but it’s easy, flavorful, and allows for unlimited creativity with ingredients.

I have listed a delicious recipe below from Bon Appetit, but feel free to alter it to your taste. You can add any grain you like, such as couscous, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta. Feel free to thow in fresh arugula or greens, add a handful of toasted pine nuts or walnuts, or top it off with some crumbled feta or chevre cheese to make it extra decadent.  You can even turn it into a heartier meal by topping it with a piece of fresh fish, shrimp, or marinated chicken.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables

yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1-to-1 1/4 pound eggplant, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
• 2 medium-size zucchini, each cut lengthwise into 4 wedges
• 3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 2 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 10 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 3 1/2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 10-ounce box couscous
• 1 cup pitted brine-cured black olives (such as Kalamata), halved
• 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons drained capers
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Divide first 5 ingredients between 2 heavy large baking sheets. Brush vegetables with 3 tablespoons oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle herbs over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, turning occasionally, about 45 minutes. Cool. Remove and discard peels from garlic. Coarsely chop garlic. Cut roasted vegetables into 3/4-inch pieces. Set aside.

Bring 2 1/2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon oil to boil in medium saucepan. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork. Transfer to large bowl.

Gently mix roasted garlic and vegetables, 1/4 cup oil, olives, lemon juice, capers and basil into couscous. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.)

Find the original recipe here:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mediterranean-Couscous-Salad-with-Roasted-Vegetables-4318

Happy Eating!

-Shanna Grimes

Super Stressbuster Foods

Enjoy this article on stressbuster foods during the holidays from Qi Mail, Acufinder.com

The foods that you eat play a crucial role in your overall well-being as well as your ability to handle stress.

Over 1400 chemical changes occur as stress hormones, such as cortisone, deplete important nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin C and magnesium from the body.

Here are three foods that can replenish your supply of these nutrients and enhance your ability to manage stress:

Cauliflower – Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and kale are chock full of stress-relieving B vitamins. Cauliflower is also one of the very best sources of vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid.

Pantothenic acid helps turn carbohydrates and fats into usable energy and improves your ability to respond to stress by supporting your adrenal glands. Fatigue, listlessness, numbness and tingling or burning pain in the
feet are all indications that you may need more vitamin B5 in your diet.

Salmon – Salmon is a healthy and delicious way to get your dose of B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin B12 supports production of red blood cells, allows nerve cells to develop properly and is essential to the synthesis of the “happy” brain chemical serotonin.

Among the many benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, a 2003 study published in Diabetes & Metabolism found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids significantly reduced the stress response and kept the stress hormones
cortisol and epinephrine in check.

Blackberries – Blackberries are jam packed with Vitamin C, calcium and magnesium. Vitamin C has shown to be a powerful stress reducer that can lower blood pressure and return cortisol levels to normal faster when taken
during periods of stress.

Blackberries have more than double the amounts of vitamin C, calcium and magnesium than their popular cousin, the blueberry.

Eat well, stay healthy and enjoy the holiday season!

Staying Healthy This Autumn

Foods to Keep You Going 

In traditional Chinese medicine, Fall is the season associated with the Lungs and Large Intestine organ systems, which protect the body against the invasion of pathogens and safeguard our internal resources. Common ailments during this time of year are often associated with dryness and include colds, flu, allergies, breathing difficulties, bronchitis, skin issues and constipation. To help support these organ systems and cultivate good health, we encourage you to eat “with the season” and choose foods that nourish these systems. 

• Autumn is a very drying season. Keep hydrated with warming, moistening and soft foods that help your skin retain its moisture during dry weather. Soups, stews, and roasted vegetables are especially nourishing, and eating warm foods prepares the body for the transition into colder temperatures. Also be sure to drink herbal or caffeine-free tea, or room-temperature water throughout the day.
• In Chinese medicine, white foods are known to alleviate dryness and hydrate the body. Cruciferous white vegetables also contain high amounts of isothiocyanates, which are cancer-fighting compounds and immune boosters. Examples of white foods are white mushrooms, potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, turnips, parsnips, pears, radishes, and white meat (we don’t recommend refined starches and grains such as white bread and rice, however).
• Enjoy the bounty of the fall harvest, including root vegetables, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins, and use warming spices to reduce phlegm such as cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. Fruits such as apples and pears are especially wonderful when paired with these spices.
• Avoid raw and cold foods, as they create dampness or phlegm that is stored in the lungs. Avoid excess dairy products as well, as they can exasperate phlegm.
• Consider scheduling regular acupuncture treatments and/or asking us for supplements and herbs to support your immune system for the transition into winter.

Stay warm, eat well, and take time to nourish your body and mind as we transition into the busy holiday season. We wish you a healthy and peaceful Autumn!