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Cosmo Hippie Chef

Tag Archives: spinach

The Best Bang for Your Bite- Spring Edition

02 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by cosmohippiechef in seasonal

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

artichokes, arugula, asparagus, beets, chard, fennel, green onions, mint, parsley, peas, radishes, spinach

DSCN2824

Love:

Those of us who live in the SLC can probably, safety say it’s SPRING! We know not to get over zealous, we could possibly get snow until June! It’s true folks, but we’ll take the fact that we have had 70 degree weather as a sign that it is time to stop hibernating and get out and see each others faces again.

Also, it’s time to start planting seeds in our gardens which is exactly what we did after our Easter brunch with the family. Working out in the garden got me thinking about this post, I have been getting a lot of request to share what is in season. I did a post on like this for Winter veggies and thought it was time for a Spring version. Thanks to my TBC (Tall Bitches Club) Kim I have this new BEAUTIFUL book on vegetables, one of the coolest books and gift. ‘Vegetable Literacy’ by Deborah Madison. I’ll be using this book for info on the veggies below. Enjoy!

Nutrition:

1. Artichokes- Artichokes are rich in antioxidants, high in fiber, endowed with vitamins C,K and B6 and with such minerals as magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese and phosphorus. Artichoke leaves also contain an extract called cynarin which is the basis of herbal medicines that are used for treating the liver, gall bladder and kidneys, reduces high cholesterol, lowers high blood pressure and other conditions.

Food: Artichoke Cottage Cheese Dip w/ Crispy Pancetta

2. Arugula- Arugula is in the cruciferous family (think cabbage). Like other cruciferous veggies arugula contains a group of anticancer compounds know as glucosinolates. These compounds exert antioxidant activity, but more importantly they are potent simulators of natural detoxifying enzymes in the body. Like other greens, arugula is rich in essential vitamins and minerals, as well as phytochemicals, such a carotenes and chlorophyll.

Food: Wild Mushroom Ravioli w/ Spinach Arugula Salad

3. Asparagus- Asparagus is low in calories and sodium but high in folate and is a significant source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C and B6, potassium, and thiamine. Also a great source of fiber.

Food: Quinoa w/ Spring Veggies and Miso Dressing

4. Beets- Beets are LOADED with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C, they are a good source of calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, sodium and iron. Their leaves are packed with even more nutritional goodies, such as choline and folate. Today beet juice is thought to cleanse the kidneys and gall bladder among other things.

Food: Spinach Beet and Quinoa Salad-It’s What’s for Lunch

5. Chard and other greens- Chard and greens are nutritionally awesome, it possesses vitamins K, A, C, B and E, the M minerals, magnesium and manganese, along with potassium and iron. Chard has high fiber but almost no calories.

Food: Tortilla Soup

6. Fennel- Fennel helps sweeten the breath and aids in digestion. They are regarded as a purifier, as the base for an effective cough syrup and as a repellent for fleas. Fennel provides eaters with vitamin C, folate and potassium.

Food: Roasted Fennel Tomato Soup

7. Green onions/scallions- Strong tasting onions are the ones who that prevent blood clotting, lower the heart rate, benefit the stomach and provide us with a long list of vitamins, B, C,and E, and disease fighting quercetin in amounts that far exceed those found in other extremely good-for-you veggies.

Food: Pineapple Pad Thai w/ Crispy Tofu

8. Mint- Mint contains a compound known as perillyl alcohol that has been shown to inhibit the growth or formation of cancer. It also contains the substance rosmarinic acid, a powerful antioxidant that blocks the production of allergy-producing leukotrienes.

Food: Minty Pea Dip & Pistachio Stuffed Dates

9. Parsley- Parsley is high in vitamin C, A and the more elusive K. It is also a good source of antioxidant nutrients, rich in folate, good for the heart, and according to one study, helps prevent some forms of arthritis.

Food: Pasta alla Friends

10. Peas/pea greens- Peas fall into the Legume family which are of special importance: they are among the oldest cultivated plants, they have nurtured people all over the world, they’ve often taken the place of meat, and they contain some of the attributes we’re obsessed with today, namely, low to moderate glycemic index number, a high proportion of protein, vitamins and minerals; and fiber-lots of fiber. Plus, they are in some instances, delicacies (consider a bowl of fresh peas).

Food: Pea and Kale Puree w/ Pasta and Scallops

11. Radishes- Radishes are a member of the cruciferous family (cabbage), the radish shares the cancer-protective actions of it cousins broccoli, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts. They help maintain a healthy gallbladder and liver and improve digestion.

Food: No recipe- I guess I know what’s next on the list!

12. Spinach- The fresher and the greener and more lively, the more vitamin C spinach contains. Good source of vitamins A and K, manganese and folate in great amounts, the first two exceeding daily values by a long shot.

Food: Ravioli Salad

The ‘Big’ Salad

14 Monday May 2012

Posted by cosmohippiechef in beans, dressing, salad, seasonal

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

asparagus, beets, parsley, peas, salad, seasonal, spinach, vegetables

Food:

The Big Salad

Spinach, chopped (in season)

Arugula

Roasted Chickpeas (2c. fresh cooked, or canned chickpeas, toss with 2 tsp. olive oil 1/2 tsp. salt- bake 400 degrees for 30-45 min.)

Beets, roasted or raw and diced (in season)

Asparagus, roasted and chopped (in season)

Peas, steamed (in season)

Parsley, chopped

Clifford Farms Bacon, chopped (local, I bake mine @375 for 15 minutes)

Avocado, diced

Goat cheese, crumbled (local)

1. Toss lightly all of the ingredients into a BIG bowl. Season with a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper.

2. Dress with your favorite salad dressing. Here are two you might try,

Hummus Dressing or Tomato Vinaigrette

Nutrition:

Spinach, beets, asparagus and peas are all in season right now. When the Downtown Farmers Market opens June 9 these will be some of the first seasons picks. Local, seasonal produce is the best bang for your bite. Take advantage and make this salad!

Love:

When I was a kid I would spent hours in the kitchen making these very elaborate salads with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and anything else I could get my hands on. Plus, I would make my then signature dressing of oil, vinegar, lemon salt and pepper. I loved those salads! They are what sustained my childhood. Now days I still love salads but I think my taste buds have grown up a bit, no more iceberg!  Last week when I was at a loss on what to make for dinner I thought ‘why not a BIG salad?’ and Viola! dinner was done. We enjoyed these all week, the color of the beets, peas and asparagus, the crunch from the crispy chickpeas and the creamy tart flavor of the goat cheese took our senses to a whole other level. With the weather warming up this was the perfect meal to enjoy outside in the backyard, and the bonus is that I prepped all the ingredients at the beginning of the week so they were ready to go each night. I hope this inspires you to make your own BIG salad, ENJOY!

An Oldie But A Goodie- Beet, Spinach and Quinoa Salad

11 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by cosmohippiechef in dressing, quinoa, salad, seasonal, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

beets, quinoa, salad, seasonal, spinach

Food:

Beet, Spinach and Quinoa Salad

*Update: This time I made my own homemade goat milk ricotta cheese to go on top.

Nutrition:

Beets: Beetroots are a great source of fiber, manganese and potassium. Beetroots have been shown to help disorders of the liver, mainly for their stimulating effects on the liver’s detoxification process. The pigment that gives beets their rich, purple-crimson color, betacyanin, is a powerful cancer-fighting agent.

Love:

This is one of mine and Billy’s favorite salads to have for lunch. Beets and spinach are spring veggies and since SLC is going to be feeling like spring this week I thought it was the perfect time to make this salad again. Enjoy!

P.S. Pictured below is the Tomato Vinaigrette that I make to go with this salad. This dressing is shaken not stirred.

Shaken not stirred

Super Smoothie- Recovery Spa Week

05 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by cosmohippiechef in breakfast

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

fruit, gluten free, kale, spinach, vegan

Food:

Power Smoothie- Serves 2

1/2c. chopped kale

1/2c. chopped spinach

1/2c. parsley leaves

10 chunks of pineapple (about 1/2c-3/4c)

1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped

1/2c. frozen organic blueberries

1c. coconut water

1/2c. water

*optional add ins*

2 tsp. bee pollen

2 squirts, marine phytoplankton

2 tsp. maca powder

Directions: 

Everything goes into the blender, blend until mixed well. Divide between two glasses Serve immediately!

Nutrition:

Kale- Kale is beneficial to the digestive and nervous system and is a rich source of various atni-cancer chemicals.

Spinach– A super source of antioxidant and cancer antagonists, containing about four times as much beta-carotene and three times more lutein then broccoli.

Parsley– A blood builder and purifier. Helps release retained water from the body.

Ginger– Ginger is a great tonic for the digestive tract, it stimulates digestion and keeps the intestinal muscles toned. Acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Pineapple– Helps detox the body, an anti-inflammatory. The greatest value lies in its digestive power, which closely resembles that of human  gastric juices.

Blueberries– Blueberries contain silicon which helps protect the pancreas, also has anti-viral activity.

Love:

I have fallen in love with smoothies again, I say that because smoothies used to be a HUGE of our diet but they were loosing their appeal after years of having them. Now days we start our days with raw oatmeal (during the week) or hot steel-cut oats, 10 grain and our newest amaranth porridge (on the weekends). But a couple of weeks ago I started to mix up some fun new creations, as well as this week wanting to cleanse our systems and shake things up a bit. This recipe is adapted from whole living’s 28 day challenge. Smoothies are a great way to get an abundance of vitamins, minerals and a big chunk of veggies/fruit servings in one sitting-yay! Enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Cottage Cheese Dip w/Crispy Pancetta

06 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by cosmohippiechef in dips, Snack

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

cheese, gluten free, spinach

Food:

Spinach Artichoke Cottage Cheese Dip w/Crispy Pancetta

1 16oz container low-fat cottage cheese (I like Nancy’s Organic low-fat because it’s cultured like yogurt)

1 box frozen spinach, defrosted and excess water squeezed out (frozen spinach is the best bang for your buck when using in dips)

1 can artichokes, drained and chopped

1 leek, sliced and sautéed just until soft

1/4c. pecorino cheese, grated (you could also use parmesan)

1/2 lb. pancetta, diced and sautéed until crispy (this ends up being about 1/2c. of crispy bits)

1 lemon, zest and juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Start by scooping the cottage cheese into the food processor, next add the grated cheese, zest and juice of lemon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse just a few times to smooth out.

2. Next add the spinach, artichokes, and leek. Process again until mixed well. Taste for salt and pepper and add more if needed.

3. Scoop the dip into a bowl and fold in the crispy pancetta. If you make this dip ahead of time add the crispy pancetta just before serving. I served mine with fresh carrot sticks. YUM!!!

Nutrition:

Low fat Cottage Cheese- Low fat cottage cheese is a great alternative when making dips. It is low in fat, and good great source of calcium as well as HIGH in protein. There are cultured kinds as well which is an added benefit.

Spinach: Spinach tops the list along with other green leafy vegetables as a food most eaten by people who don’t get cancer. Great source of antioxidants and cancer antagonists, containing about four times more beta-carotene and three times more lutein than broccoli. Rich in fiber, helps lower blood cholesterol.

Artichokes: High in fiber, calcium and iron. Excellent for the digestive tract, the heart, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. They are good to eat for reduction of weight.

Lemon: This fruit ranks high in its medicinal value. It is a good blood and body purifier and a mild diuretic. The juice also aids in the removal of old drug poisons from the body.

Crispy Pancetta: Just because it tastes good and is fun from time to time.

Love:

I made this scrumpcious dip for the Super Bowl, the thing that I love about this dip is that its healthy enough for the ladies with the low-fat cottage cheese, spinach and artichokes but makes the men happy due do the crispy pancetta. Everyone is happy! If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, top a baked potato or sweet potato for a quick dinner. Enjoy!

Chana Masala

23 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by cosmohippiechef in beans, vegan

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

beans, gluten free, spinach, tomatoes, vegan

The aroma from these modest seasoning will fill up your whole house with food love.

Food:

Chana Masala- Makes 4-6 servings

1/c. olive oil (you could use canola oil or I think coconut oil would be amazing)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp. cumin seeds (I didn’t have cumin seeds so I just used ground cumin)

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. garam masala, plus more for serving (I found this spice in the bulk section of my grocery store, they carry spices in bulk-AWESOME)

3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed under the side of your knife

1 tsp. salt, or to taste

1 28oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (I used 2 jars of my canned tomatoes)

1 T. cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving

pinch of red pepper flakes, more to taste

2 15oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/3-1/2 c. plain yogurt (I used greek yogurt, if vegan omit yogurt)

water

a few lemon wedges, for serving

*I added a container of fresh spinach just before serving. Turn the heat off before adding the spinach and the let the heat from the mixture wilt the spinach.

* I served the Chana Masala over Millet, Millet is a gluten-free grain that you can find in the bulk section of the grocery store. It has a 2-1 cooking ratio, I like to toast my millet in a dry saute pan over medium heat until just starting to brown. Add the water and a pinch of salt, place the lid on the pan and turn the heat to low- cook for 20-25 minutes and fluff with a fork.

Directions-

1. Pour the olive oil into a dutch oven or large pot and turn the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook stirring occasionally until deeply caramelized. It’s okay if they get a little charred in spots, be patient! The more color the more full-flavored the dish will be.

2. Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic, cumin seeds, coriander, ginger, garam masala, cardamom pods and salt. Cook stirring constantly until fragrant and toasty, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4c. water and stir to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook until the water as evaporated completely. Pour in the juice from the tomatoes, use your hand to break up the tomatoes before adding them to the pot.

3. Raise the heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, add the cilantro and cayenne and continue to cook gently, stirring occasionally until the mixture reduces and starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas stirring well and cook for 5 minutes. Add 2 T. water and cook another 5 minutes, add another 2 T. water and cook until absorbed, a few minutes more. This process helps concentrate the flavors as well as it makes the chickpeas more tender and toothsome. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

4. Stir in yogurt if using and fresh spinach if using. Serve over rice or grain of your choice and garnish w/chopped cilantro, slice of lemon and a pinch or two of garam masala.

Nutrition:

Chickpeas- Chickpeas are a good source of protein and fiber. They can help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels, making them a great food for diabetics and insulin-resistant individuals. Serving them with high quality grains (like Millet), garbanzo beans are extremely low-fat, complete protein food.

Spinach- Spinach is an EXCELLENT source of vitamin K, carotenes, vitamin C and folic acid. Historically it was regarded as a plant with remarkable ability to restore energy, increase vitality and improve the quality of the blood. Spinach contains twice as much iron as most other greens, it is also one of the most alkaline-producing foods- making it useful in helping regulate body PH. Spinach, like other chlorophyll (green) and carotene containing veggies is a strong protector against cancer.

Millet- Millet is generally superior to wheat, corn, and rice in terms of its protein content. Millet is also a good source of minerals phosphorous and magnesium as well as B vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and B6. It is a gluten-free grain and like other grains is a good source of fiber and offers protection against heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

(Courtesy of ‘The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods’)

Love:

I found this recipe in a book that we read for Slow Food Book Club called ‘A Homemade Life’ by Molly Wizenberg. I read that book in two days this fall on a little getaway that Bill-y and I took to Sundance after a sad loss we had just went through. This book was a perfect escape, and I knew the second that I read the recipe for Chana Masala that we I had to make it! In the book it says that this dish is better after a few days, so I made it last Monday and we had it for Wednesday nights dinner, then again for lunch on Sunday and the rest will be eaten for tonight’s dinner. It’s delish, a great vegan/vegetarian meal and a perfect winter dish to warm you up. Enjoy!

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