Strawberry Fields Forever

“Let me take you down, ‘Cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real, and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever.”
-The Beatles, “Strawberry Fields Forever” (1967)

First Berry of 2013 Season (Photo: Mireille Blacke)

One cup of unsweetened strawberries provides 50 calories and three grams of fiber, making strawberries a filling, low-calorie snack option. Strawberries have no saturated fat or cholesterol, and are low in sodium. Strawberries are also a good source of vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, and manganese. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant in the body, helping to boost immunity and fight infection, counter inflammation, prevent heart disease, and protect against cancer. B-complex vitamins (such as folic acid) in strawberries help the body with carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism. Potassium is a mineral involved in the body’s cell and body fluid regulation, heart rate control, and blood pressure stability. The mineral manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for enzymes needed in fat and protein metabolism, and antioxidant utilization. Strawberries rank in the top fruits with regard to antioxidant content (others include blueberries, cherries, and raspberries).

Recommendations from this Registered Dietitian (RD):

1. Rah-rah raw. To get the most nutrients from your strawberries, eat them raw. Assure ripeness by avoiding those with green or white tips. Strawberries absorb high levels of pesticides when grown conventionally. According to the Environmental Working Group, strawberries are the second highest of pesticide-laden and most consistently contaminated fruits and vegetables. Translation: splurge for organic strawberries.
2. Scratch that itch. Individuals with an allergy to strawberries or Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) may experience symptoms ranging from acute anaphylaxis to simple dermatitis. If you exhibit physical reactions after ingesting strawberries, consult with your healthcare professional to assess your food allergy or sensitivity status.
3. Be berry gentle. Eight medium-sized strawberries equal one serving. Handle those with care; heating, capping, injuring, cutting, or juicing strawberries will reduce the strawberry’s vitamin content.
4. Strive for five. The average adult requires 1 ½ – 2 cups of fruit per day, according to the USDA’s MyPlate guidelines (this site will also help you determine your daily nutritional needs). Cover half of your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal. Add strawberries for color and variety in your diet and also reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and numerous other conditions. Strawberries are a great addition to green or fruit salads, as a between-meal snack, or added to muffins, pies, cakes, dry cereals, and dairy (ice cream, milkshakes, smoothies, and yogurts).    

  Click here for the rest of my online article on strawberries for OKRA Magazine. For a full nutrition    article archive, click here.

Season(ings) Greetings: Cinnamon

For the Third Day of Spicy Christmas: Cinnamon...

Cappuccino and Cinnamon Stick (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

Cinnamon is an antioxidant and nutrient powerhouse, containing calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C and B₁, B₂, and B₃. Translation? Cinnamon has been shown to protect against inflammation, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Cinnamon consumption is also associated with greater diabetic control, increased brain functioning and peripheral circulation, and improved digestion and fat metabolism. The scent of cinnamon is linked with boosted attention, helpful in dealing with holiday fatigue. 
Tip: Play with cinnamon’s versatility in sweet and not-sweet dishes; add cinnamon to sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and ground coffee. 
Note: Minimize cinnamon consumption during pregnancy, as it may stimulate early contractions.
Associated recipes: Revved Up Spicy Cider with cinnamon and nutmeg, Spiced Watermelon Rind with cinnamon and clove, and Kumquat au Rhum with cinnamon and peppercorn.

Move on to Clove, Cumin, and Fennel here...
For a full archive of my nutrition articles for OKRA Magazine, click here. 

Just Peachy

Hard to believe summer is nearly over. I'm not as upset by this as many of my friends seem to be, since I am more a fan of the fall season by far. I have had ideas for topics for appropriate seasonal foods for fall swimming in my head for months. It was far more difficult to find something for August. I chose peaches for their versatility and because I find them to be greatly overlooked in favor of more exotic fruits. Even though I am firmly on Team Nectarine if I had to choose, I came away with a greater appreciation for the peach after writing this article:

Just Peachy: Dissecting a Juicy Favorite

Some peachy recommendations from this RD:

1)    Blossom with versatility. Stretch your creativity and incorporate new uses for peaches in your diet, both as a whole fruit and as an ingredient. Be sure to eat whole peaches unpeeled (as in smoothies) since most of the vitamin C content is contained beneath the skin. (But see #6 below for an important caveat.)
2)    The eyes have it. The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin in peaches help to protect eyes from macular degeneration, which is a major cause of blindness. It is especially important to add foods like peaches to your diet that contain these types of phytochemicals to help prevent eye diseases, particularly if you are at high risk for them. Try a Peach Chutney recipe to enjoy peaches when they are no longer in season.
3)    Go frigid for fertility. Frozen peach slices contain more vitamin C than fresh peaches and may result in higher sperm counts, due to the prevention of sperm agglutination (clumping).
4)    Run from the fuzz.  Named after the “nectar of the gods,” a nectarine is a peach that has naturally mutated to the point where trichomes are not produced by the skin, and fuzz does not grow.  Like regular peaches, nectarines are great baked or raw and you can easily substitute nectarines for peaches in most recipes if you prefer.
5)    Create a colorful plate. Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables at each meal: the more colorful the better. Including peaches (or nectarines) in salsa or salads can really make things festive. In 2011, the USDA replaced the well-known Food Pyramid with the more easily managed MyPlate. Serving size and food group needs vary by the individual, and you can determine your own needs by visiting the MyPlate site.
6)    Take a stand for organic. According to the Environmental Working Group, peaches are the fourth highest of pesticide-laden of fruits and vegetables, which means it makes sense in the case of peaches to splurge for organic. I encourage visits to farmers markets and local fruit/peach stands. To find a farmers market near you, visit the USDA website.

Even though summer is nearing its end, there is no reason you can’t toss in some juicy peaches and let those bursts of flavor and color extend the season, enjoying some health benefits along the way. And if you’re like me and choose to remain on Team Nectarine, I won’t have any problems with it whatsoever.

For my full article archive at OKRA Magazine, click here. 

The Heat Is On: Cayenne Pepper

Here is my latest article (in full) on cayenne peppers in OKRA magazine: cayenne. I hope you enjoy the following excerpt:

Recommendations from this Registered Dietitian (RD):

1) Show your true colors. Cayenne peppers are green initially, and turn red gradually as they ripen. The greater the redness, the hotter the pepper. Inner membranes and seeds add to the heat. Bright red color indicates high vitamin A and beta-carotene levels.
2) Enjoy “hot” chocolate this summer. Cayenne is more commonly used in chocolate confections and baked goods, with great success. Choose a more healthful combination involving dark chocolate. Click here for a cayenne-spiced chocolate cupcake recipe. Keep in mind that while dark chocolate has healthy properties (such as antioxidants), it also has significant sugar, fat, and calories; enjoy in moderation.
3) Entice with spice. Cayenne pepper is one of the most frequently used spices in dishes from Louisiana, and it is part of the foundation of Cajun cooking. A recipe I have used frequently in recent years for Cajun deviled eggs can be found here.

Sinfully hot: Cajun style deviled eggs. Photo by Rock Gumbo.

4) Fire it up. Add a pinch of cayenne to existing recipes to enhance many of your basic meals. Introduce some kick to your standard salad dressings, soups or meats, by slicing, chopping or frying whole peppers. Try drying and soaking them in oil for a spicy infusion. Check out OKRA’s own New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp recipe here to see what I mean.
5) It works both ways. The capsicum’s heat can be used to mask strong flavors in other foods that some may find unappealing, particularly bitter flavors in collards, kale, and mustard greens. As I have stated in previous articles, I have no problem with culinary sneakiness when it comes to getting healthier foods into your kids or picky eaters. Try this recipe for Quick Collards with Prosciutto.
6) Turn up the heat. Though cayenne does have a thermogenic (heat-producing) effect and can boost metabolism, weight loss efforts require long-term and reasonable lifestyle changes. Maple syrup diets (which feature cayenne as an ingredient) do not qualify!
7) Feel the burn. Tolerance for spice and heat varies, and cayenne is no exception. Add cayenne to your recipes gradually when cooking (a pinch at a time) to avoid excessively hot (and painful) results. Adding potatoes or noodles will cool down a hot dish by spice absorption/neutralization. Milk or yogurt will also help to cool a burning mouth. When cooking with cayenne, avoid touching your skin, particularly your face, lips and eyes.

When I completed my Dietetic Internship, I rewarded myself by adopting a hybrid rescue cat (a marbled Bengal to be exact) with vibrant green eyes and ginger coloring, somewhat improbably (but aptly) named Cayenne. His name partly drew me to him. In addition to the typical Bengal hyperactivity and intelligence, Cayenne has much of the fire and spicy qualities associated with the pepper for which he is named. Appropriately, he has also been for me, at times, a pain reliever, a stomach irritant, a metabolic booster (Bengals need exercise!!), and an appetite suppressant/weight loss agent. Like a Bengal cat, a spice like cayenne is not well tolerated by every person. Now, after some time with my Bengal Cayenne (and more recently his brother Cajun), I do occasionally get adventurous with spicier foods in my Southern travels. To locals, my choices are still relatively timid. But after many years of enjoying Southern food, I now view the role of cayenne pepper a little differently, and maybe someday I can make a Bengal-like leap to the next level.

Cayenne: Bengal version

My full article on cayenne pepper can be found here.
A full archive of my articles for OKRA Magazine can be found here.  

Some Like It Hot: Cayenne Pepper

Though I am completely in love with the food and culture of New Orleans and many other cities of the South, I freely admit I am a culinary coward when it comes to spicy food, and generally will not indulge in some of the more popular dishes found in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana. I always ask my server or host about the strength of the spice in a particular dish, and am usually told “Oh, it’s mild.” I clarify myself with “I’m a Yankee…from Connecticut…so, really, how spicy is it?” and then, with a slow grin, I am usually advised to order something else.

Fresh cayenne peppers (Capsicum frutescens) are the preferred hot capsicum (a type of pepper plant in the nightshade family) in the South and a key ingredient in hot and spicy dishes. The thin, long, hot pepper in its ground form is a common ingredient in Cajun dishes in particular. The ground powder adds reddish-brown color and fiery heat to sauces, soups, and stews. Cayenne peppers are remarkably diverse in cooking, eaten as readily as a spice or condiment with seafood (scallops, crab, oysters, sardines, smoked salmon and trout, fried mussels, lobster, and crawfish), egg dishes (omelettes and soufflés), meats (roasted, grilled, stewed, or fried), chicken, fish, or in vegetable dishes, soups, casseroles, hors d’oeuvres, and a variety of sauces (barbecue, shellfish, curries, cheese, Worcestershire and tartar sauces) and dips (salsa, avocado, and vegetable). 

In Hot Pursuit: Cayenne Peppers (I Ate That!)

 

Cayenne and other chili peppers were grown for thousands of years in the West Indies and Central and South America. Spanish explorers (who were clearly very busy and dedicated) introduced them to the rest of the world in the 15^th and 16^th centuries. Christopher Columbus is credited with introducing cayenne pepper to Europe (as a substitute for very expensive black pepper) after finding the capsicum on the Caribbean Islands, and Ferdinand Magellan is historically noted as introducing it to Asia and Africa. Today, cayenne peppers are grown on all continents. 

One of the most popular brands of cayenne is Tabasco sauce, which is the nationally marketed liquid form of cayenne pepper grown on Avery Island, LA. Recipes will note use of Tabasco or cayenne specifically because even though they serve the same purpose, each reacts differently in the cooking process and different quantities are required. The Tabasco company recipe search is worth a web visit for some great suggested uses of cayenne and Tabasco, such as this recipe for Cajun Blackening Rub. 

Liquid Fire: Tabasco Sauce (Flickr.com)

 My full article about cayenne pepper in OKRA Magazine can be found here. Click here for a full archive of my nutrition articles.

The Perks of Coffee: Get Mugged

Who doesn't love coffee, or at least the caffeine buzz it offers? I decided to explore that concept further in my first article for OKRA Magazine. An excerpt follows, and the full article can be found by clicking:
The Perks of Coffee: Get Mugged

One of my first experiences in visiting New Orleans over 15 years ago was sampling café au lait and beignets at Café du Monde. Like many unknowing tourists, I wore black and paid the price, quickly getting covered in powdered sugar. Another surprise was the coffee's chicory taste, which was quite the jolt to this Yankee’s taste buds. My love of New Orleans is matched only by my love of coffee, and mixing the two together? Magical. 

New Orleans Coffee Talk (M. Blacke)

Recommendations from this Registered Dietitian (RD):
It is possible to make healthy choices at any coffee shop when you understand your options. Knowing that plain black coffee typically has only 4 calories per 6-ounce serving is helpful, but is that really why most of us journey to coffee shops? My 16-ounce mocha latte says no! However, it is possible to enjoy the more “interesting” beverages in a more healthful fashion. Some tips:

1. Lose the cream. This is a tough one for many of us. Frankly, I would be a hypocrite if I said I didn’t use cream in my coffee. I firmly believe that moderation is the key to making healthier food choices, and I would not advise any client I’m counseling to abstain entirely from a food they adore if doing so will result in craving and over-indulging elsewhere. Yes, cream is high in calories and fat: 2 tablespoons of Half & Half (one serving) contains 2 grams of saturated fat (the “bad” kind) and 40 calories. Keep in mind that a 2-tablespoon serving of cream is multiplied several times over in your cup from most coffee establishments. Using skim milk instead of cream can save up to 150 calories and 15 grams of fat. Let’s not forget whipped cream, which tops off many coffee shop creations, and can add 100 calories and over 10 grams of fat to your beverage. But as long as it doesn’t become a habit, indulging in the occasional “with whip” is okay with this RD.

2.  Watch those portion sizes when monitoring nutrient and caffeine intake. While a traditional serving size of black coffee varies between six to eight ounces, most of us are easily downing twice that in a single medium or grande size beverage from popular coffeehouse chains.

3.  When I visited Café du Monde for the first time, like countless others, my café au lait was partnered with its extremely appealing and diet-challenging accomplice: the beignet. Beignets are usually served in sets of three, so splitting a serving with a friend will allow you to enjoy the taste and experience, while cutting back on some unneeded calories and fat.

4.  It doesn’t apply to café au lait and some of the traditional Southern coffee concoctions, but more recent caffeine suppliers offer substantial menu options involving flavored syrups. What’s the damage? One pump of syrup can add 20 calories and 5 grams of sugar to that latte. Though not all establishments can accommodate such a request, it is worth it to ask for sugar-free syrup options, or to minimize your intake with one pump of the regular stuff.

5.  If you desire more sweetness from your coffee kick, consider sugar substitutes (such as Splenda/sucralose) or natural alternative sweeteners (such as Truvia/stevia) to minimize calories and lessen risk of dental caries. Avoid sweeteners with aspartame, which has been associated with unpleasant neurological and psychiatric side effects.

So by all means, enjoy that café au lait from Café du Monde or get your java fix from any of the other wonderful coffee shops around New Orleans. Give chicory coffee a try if you haven’t had the experience. Just benefit from my past mistakes if you partner your brew with beignets: wear white.

A little beignet with your powdered sugar... (M. Blacke)

For the full article on coffee in OKRA, click here.

For my full archive of OKRA articles, click here.

Food Museums

I am completely in love with the idea of this place:

Museum of Food and Drink 

According to MOFAD:

 

"The Museum of Food and Drink is a private, nonprofit, corporation (started by Dave Arnold) dedicated to educating its visitors about the history, culture, production, commerce and science of food. The museum's goal is to become the country's best food educator -an establishment that encourages a well-rounded understanding of what we eat and why we eat it. This is a museum everyone can and should appreciate: Food is culture, and The Museum of Food and Drink shows why."

They have an opening for an intern/apprentice, and it sounds like an amazing opportunity. 

MOFAD Apprentice/Intern

I think I need to schedule a road trip soon!

Come to think of it, I will...but I will be NOLA-bound. New Orleans is home to this magical place: Southern Food and Beverage Museum

More info: More MOFAD
and So Much SOFAB
as well as SOFAB Living History