Green Options » strawberry

Alkaline Eating for Better Body Chemistry, PH Levels, and Overall Health

Lucille Chi — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:43:11 +0000

Going to a body and nutrition expert with my husband is one of the best things we’ve done for ourselves. What was the key take away? Warning! Turn Alkaline!

Turn Alkaline? Are we magicians? Well according to biochemists we are! You can change your body chemistry with what you eat!

Chemicals have seeped into foods, air, and water, which in turn lower our system’s ability to control the chemistry of our body fluids, increasing illness and chronic disease.

The sad fact is that most food consumption in the wealthiest nations has shifted from nutritious raw foods to low nutritional value processed foods and we need to shift it back. Now that our total biological terrain is at risk, we urgently need to do some clean up by shifting our body chemistry back to the raw, organic foods it was designed to function on as we’ve evolved.

Below I’ve listed out a quick list of the good foods (alkaline) to treat your body to often…

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Last Seasonal Strawberry Fling: Streusel-Topped Pie in the Solar Oven

Lisa Kivirist — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:42:38 +0000

I confess, I’m slow to change. At least when it comes to cooking. A devout recipe follower, I measure my cups and teaspoons and follow recipe direction as if they were sent from above.

Until this week, when I finally took our new solar oven out of the box. We bought this Global Sun Oven last winter to use at our farm and B&B, Inn Serendipity, with all good intentions. No plug in required, just open it up and heat up and bake.

Which is where I got stuck, as I would not only be cooking out of my box, I’d be cooking out of my kitchen. But my husband, John, helped by setting it up for the first time, conducting a mini-science project that even our seven-year old could handle of angling it to garner maximum solar gain. I had one of my new favorite pies ready to stick in the oven (“Strawberry and Rhubarb Streusel Pie” – recipe below), and took it outside instead.

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Have your Corn-and-Pesticide-Free Strawberry Shortcake…and Eat it Too!

Gina Munsey — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:45:32 +0000

It’s strawberry season, at least for those of us who live in the temperate western or southern regions of the United States. But before you rush out to snatch up a flat of the sweet-smelling jewels from the stand on the corner, keep in mind that strawberries rank sixth on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen, a list of the twelve most-contaminated fruits and vegetables. Researchers found a total of thirty-eight pesticides on all the strawberries tested–up to eight different pesticides on a single strawberry alone. And despite the widespread publicity a few years ago regarding the phase out of methyl bromide, it is still being used on strawberries under critical-use exemptions.

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New Years Local Food Cheers: Ring in 2009 with a Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri

Lisa Kivirist — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:06:57 +0000

My roots and love for Wisconsin run deep, ever since we traded the Chicago urban corporate scene for organic farming and sustainable living on our rural acreage a dozen years ago. And at heart, I’m a four-season loving gal. But man, that fourth season of winter can run a bit long here – especially this year with record snowfall and low temperatures this past month.

So you have to develop a sense of humor as a Midwestern farmer to ride out the winter each year, latching on to whatever gets you through the bleak season. Cocktails, anyone? There’s something about frozen, fruity blender drinks – sipped slowly around the glow of the fiery woodstove – that for a brief, granted illusionary moment, transport us farming cheeseheads to another warmer place and time.

If you’re looking for something special to sip on tonight – a drink that reminds you of warm summer breezes and local June flavors gone by – look to your freezer for stockpiled strawberries and whip out the blender for Frozen Strawberry Daiquiris.

June of 2008 gifted our farm with a bumper crop of strawberries. So much so that we eventually maxed out on eating fresh and started freezing those little red gems. We “tray freeze” the berries – lining up clean, hulled berries on a flat cookie sheet, placing the tray in our chest freezer and packing them in freezer bags once hardened. While some strawberries eventually made their way into sauces and jams, the bulk of these frozen babies end up in cocktail glasses this time of year, as the snow piles and wind blows outside.

Here’s our house recipe – but feel free to adapt with ingredients you have around. Think about using some local spirits, when possible.

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Glowing Naturally in the Summer Sun, Part II

Lucille Chi — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:28:42 +0000

Earlier this week we talked about some DIY tips for a healthy glow in the summer sunshine and we will continue to share skin saving tips throughout summer. Please remember when trying these natural remedies for the skin always use a good full spectrum sun protection (preferably organic). When we’re out in that sexy bikini or sundress always try to have good sun coverage for your special skin type. Stay tuned for our brilliant expert tips on great summer skin here on Feelgood Style.

Today I’d love to share more natural home remedies for glowing skin. Fruits like strawberries and papaya contain enzymes that cleanse the skin of impurities. Avocado is a rich natural moisturizer. Anti-inflammatory skin soothers like cucumber and chamomile prevent redness and calm skin after a gorgeous day in the sunshine.

Chamomile is not only a relaxing tea, but it also calms the skin. This beautiful skin article talks about how to make a simple hot chamomile towel mask to feel refreshed. Some swear by placing cool chamomile tea bags under the eyes to reduce puffy, red or tired eyes.

I also have a great summer tip for this flower. Put a little cool steeped chamomile H20 into a sprtizer bottle, and bring it with you when you are out in the sunshine! If you are a blond or brunette it will lift sunlight highlights in your lovely locks!

Cucumber cools the delicate eye area. Try placing a slice over each eye for a mini facial. For an easy cucumber face toner here is a little recipe. Keep it in the fridge for an added cooling effect after freshening up from a yoga class, brisk walk, or bike ride.

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Eat The Strawberry: Remember to Savor the Moment

Lisa Kivirist — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:57:44 +0000

A few years ago, I was walking through our farm gardens, when all of a sudden I turned around, and there stood a hungry tiger, licking his chomps. “Hmmm, that’s a peculiar non-native species to roam the Wisconsin countryside,” I said to myself, and then ran like hell across the field.

All of a sudden, I came to the edge of a cliff, staring down into the deep canyon below. ‘Hmmm, this canyon wasn’t here yesterday,” I noted, as the tiger quickly caught up to me. As I looked down, at the bottom of the canyon stood a second tiger, ready for dinner. I saw a small branch growing out of the edge of the cliff, and I quickly jumped and grabbed the branch, dangling precipitously over the cliff drop off, but hey, I figured I’m still alive.

I look up to see not only tiger number one snarling down at me, but two voracious mice, chewing away on my branch. But as the branch started to crack and my life flashed before me, my eye catches a strawberry, dangling from its vine. Not just any strawberry, but a perfectly ruby red ripe beauty, moist with morning dew. And I reach out, picked it and ate that strawberry.

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Maternal Meringue: How Mom Taught Me to Eat My Words

Lisa Kivirist — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:50:17 +0000

Flipping through recipes looking for a Mother’s Day dinner dessert, I lingered on “Cherry Berry on a Cloud,” one of my mom’s classic recipes. Mom’s the matriarch of meringues, amassing a collection of dessert recipes that blend crisp yet fluffy meringues with flavorful fillings and toppings.

But today I wasn’t drawn to this recipe for my menu plan. With all things maternal on all our radars this week, I realized if my mom and I had a theme dish showcasing the heart of our relationship, it would have to be the meringue.

Let me first confess that my mom is still a dash dazed and confused over the fact that my livelihood today roots in food. I farm and grow organic food, write about food and sustainable agriculture, cook our B&B breakfasts, lust over cookbooks like romance novels. She’s perplexed not because of my love for food, but over the fact that I never showed one iota of interest in cooking growing up.

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Vegan BBQ, Burgers, and Backyard Bites: Fabulous and Flavorful Favorites

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:00:50 +0000

Editor's note: We're pleased to welcome Colleen Patrick-Goudreau to the Green Options writing team! Colleen has taught vegan cooking classes in Oakland, California, for seven years, and is a columnist for VegNews magazine, and a contributing writer for KQED radio's Perspectives program. Her first cookbook, The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Recipes for Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets, will be published in October. Colleen has a real knack for making vegan cooking and eating accessible to those of us who may be a bit mystified by the idea of taking animal products out of our diets, and we're very happy to have her on board.

In my work as a vegan educator, advocate, and cooking instructor, one of my goals is to take "vegan food" out of the box. There tends to be a notion that “vegan food” exists in a food group separate from “normal food” or reserved only for those who label themselves “vegan.” But the fact is that even non-vegans eat “vegan” food every day — they just don’t call it “vegan.” Plant-based cuisine is simply made up of the foods we already eat and love: vegetables, fruit, legumes, grains, nuts, beans, seeds, mushrooms, herbs, and spices. When we recognize that “vegan” food is already part of our meals, we take the mystery out of the label.

Plant foods contain all the flavors, textures, and colors that satisfy our palates and our senses. In fact, it is flavor, texture, and familiarity we crave whenever we eat, and all of these elements are found in the rich array of plant foods available to us. The Holy Triumvirate of meat, dairy, and eggs has become so dominant in our daily diets that they have replaced what was once the foundation of the human diet: plant foods. Even when we do eat vegetables, we tend to drown them in fat-laden cheeses, oily butters, and heavy cream sauces – forgetting that the vegetables themselves contain all the flavor we crave.

I’m always surprised when people declare that “vegan food” is bland and boring. I usually remind them that the herbs and spices we flavor our food with are all plant-based – they’re all “vegan.” Considering the fact that we’re the only animal who has to cook and flavor meat before we eat it, it’s not surprising that the things with which we typically serve our hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks are plant-based: ketchup, mustard, relish, sauerkraut, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco sauce, chili sauce, horseradish, liquid smoke, vinegars, lime and lemon juices, and, of course, salt and pepper. You also have your capers, wasabi, tahini, soy sauce, chutneys, and a variety of other condiments to provide flavor, heat, and texture.

A backyard barbecue is the perfect occasion to showcase delicious, nutritious, animal-free foods that will satisfy bellies and arouse taste buds.

**GRILL IT UP**

Every summer, I’m dismayed by the “safety tips” about grilling meat that give people the false impression that they can actually prevent the carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds (heterocyclic amines) from forming when they cook meat (including chicken, beef, pork, and fish) at high temperatures. There is no magic formula that people can follow to ensure that these compounds do not form – whether you’re grilling or pan-frying. Undercook your meat, and you risk consuming dangerous food-borne pathogens; heat your meat at high temperatures, and you risk cancer. But what happens when you cook vegetables? They get hot! These cancer-causing substances are not present when plant-based foods, including meatless burgers and hot dogs, are cooked. Period. So, heat up your grill and enjoy these fantastically delicious grilled fiber-rich foods:

*Seasoned eggplant slices
*Marinated Portobello mushrooms
*Skewers of bell peppers, red onions, and summer squash
*Corn on the cob (grilled in their husks)
*Polenta squares (cooked with red onions, garlic, and sundried tomatoes) topped with dairy-free pesto
*Yellow and sweet potatoes or yams
*Tempeh marinated in barbecue sauce
*Tofu flavored with a ginger, citrus marinade

**TOSS IT UP**

A huge array of summer salads can be made from beans, pasta, potatoes, tofu, tempeh, or grains. The options are endless. I’ve included a couple recipes and suggestions below, and many more can be found in my online cookbook.

*Toss pasta (penne, fusilli, et. al.) with chopped raw veggies, lightly toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and a little extra-virgin olive oil.
*Combine spinach leaves with fresh raspberries, sunflower seeds, brazil or macadamia nuts, and mandarin orange slices in advance, and toss with seasoned rice vinegar just before serving.
*Spread Focaccia bread with dairy-free pesto, and add grilled veggies (eggplant, zucchini squash), thinly sliced tofu, roasted red peppers, fresh tomatoes, and basil. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Tantalizing Thai Slaw a.k.a. Holy Slaw
I call this “Holy Slaw” because it tastes so darn good. This really is filling enough for a meal, but it’s a great side with a veggie burger. Serves 4 as a complete meal; serves 6 as a side

INGREDIENTS

1 small head green cabbage, shredded
½-1 whole head red cabbage, shredded
1 cup shredded carrot
1 red onion, sliced thinly
1 cup roasted, unsalted, peanuts
1 block (about 1 pound) firm or extra firm tofu
½ cup chopped green onion
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-2 teaspoons toasted or raw sesame seeds (black seeds add beautiful color!)
½ cup chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)
Sesame oil (optional)
Orange Ginger Vinaigrette (see below)

DIRECTIONS

The tofu is optional, as this delicious salad is perfect on its own. Adding sautéed tofu will add some more flavor and texture. If adding the tofu, fry it up with a little sesame oil to make it nice and crispy. Let it cool and then add to the other ingredients. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Voila!

*Oil-free version with tofu: if using a non-stick pan, you can just add the cubed tofu directly to a non-stick skillet. Just let it get golden brown and crispy before turning it over. Don’t fuss with it; let it get brown, and then turn it. Delicious!

Orange Ginger Vinaigrette
¼ cup orange juice
¼-½ cup seasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons grated ginger
2 teaspoons garlic, minced

Cannellini Beans with Tomatoes & Herbs
This light, fresh salad is perfect for a picnic or BBQ. The lemon zest is an especially nice addition and adds beautiful color to this delicious, healthful dish. Makes 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cans of Cannellini beans (or other white beans, such as Great Northern or Navy), drained and rinsed
3 or 4 tomatoes (cherry, heirloom, or any tomatoes in season)
½ medium size red onion, diced
1 cup fresh, frozen (thawed), or canned corn kernels
2 red, yellow, orange, or green bell pepper, finely diced
1 ripe avocado, diced
Assortment of fresh herbs: marjoram, basil, thyme, sage, minced
3 tablespoons vinegar, your choice (red, white wine vinegar, seasoned rice vinegar)
Juice from 1 lemon
Zest of 2 lemons
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and set aside for 15 minutes or more to allow the flavors to develop. Add salt and serve at room temperature.

Serving Suggestions and Variations:
*You can use any bean you like for this salad. White beans are just one suggestion. You can use kidney, chick peas, black, pinto – or a combination of all them!
*You may add a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil.
*Fresh tomatoes are best, and keep in mind that tomatoes don’t do well refrigerated. So, if you wanted to make this salad in advance, just eliminate the tomatoes, store in the fridge, and add the tomatoes just before serving.

**SWEETEN IT UP**
Don’t forget dessert! Another misconception about “vegan food” is that desserts are somehow inferior to those prepared with cow’s milk, dairy butter, and chicken’s eggs. These are unnecessary ingredients. What rich baked goods can’t do without, however, is fat, moisture, and leavening – all of which exist outside of animal products. Here are a couple treats to serve at your next summertime soiree. More can be found in the desserts section of our online cookbook as well as in our upcoming cookbook, The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Recipes for Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets available for pre-order on Amazon.com and other online stores. (Ask your local bookstore to carry it!)

No-Bake Strawberry Pie with Chocolate Chunks
This amazingly delicious pie is perfect when strawberries are at their height in the summer. Get the sweetest, ripest strawberries you can find at your farmer’s market. It is best when served within an hour or two of preparing it, since it is at its most fresh then, but it holds up just fine in the fridge. Serves 8-12

INGREDIENTS

Crust:
2 cups raw almonds or pecans
¾ cup pitted dates, preferably Medjool

Filling:
5 cups sliced ripe organic strawberries
5 pitted dates, soaked 10 minutes in warm water and drained
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Dark chocolate chunks, preferably from a good, organic, fair-trade bar (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the nuts in a food processor and grind until they’re a coarse meal. Add the ¾ cup of dates (for the crust) and process until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into a non-stick or very lightly oiled pie plate or spring form pan.

2. Arrange 4 cups of the sliced strawberries on top of the crust and set aside.

3. In a food processor or blender, combine the remaining 1 cup of strawberries with the 5 soaked dates and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Pour the sauce mixture over strawberries.

4. Arrange the chocolate chunks on the top of the sauce (optional), and refrigerate the pie for 1 hour before serving. This will help the pie set and will be perfect for slicing.

Decadent Chocolate Cake
This chocolate cake might be the easiest cake in the world to make – and is the most versatile as well. No eggs or dairy make it cholesterol- and cruelty-free, and it takes about 5 minutes to prepare. Makes one 9-inch cake or 8 cupcakes. Double it for a layer cake or a bundt cake

INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar (white or turbinado)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
1 cup cold water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl until mixed thoroughly. No need to sift.

2. Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. Stir until well mixed.

3. Pour into a 9×9-inch baking dish (or cupcake or bundt pan), and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

4. Cool completely, then frost with Chocolate Frosting (below).

Chocolate Frosting
Makes enough for one 9-inch cake or 8 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons softened non-dairy butter (Earth Balance is the best!)
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup cocoa, sifted
½ teaspoon vanilla or ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
2-4 tablespoons water or non-dairy milk (almond milk adds a subtle touch of special flavor)

DIRECTIONS
Cream the non-dairy butter in a small bowl then add the sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and enough liquid to make a thick but spreadable frosting.

ENJOY!