Pomegranate

Pomegranate's are pretty, they make up bits in potporri baskets and appear in fall designs and wreaths, on our dinner tables and around the home as decor. You have probably walked past them in the grocery store, smiling whimsically at the thought of purchasing one, though not knowing what you will do with it when you get it back home.

The thing is they are delicious. They are also good for you high in anti-oxidants, and polyphenols. They would make a wonderful addition to your fruit bowl and an ingredient in many dishes that are good for you. It has been cultivated for millenia in Iran and up to the Himalayas and throughout the Mediterranean regions. Now is the time for Pomegranates as they arrive in markets late summer, early fall. You have most likely tasted the sweet juice of the pomegranate and not even known it if you have ever had Grenadine added to a mixed drink or ever had a shirley temple as the Spanish word for pomegranate is grenadine.

To eat them you really just need to slice right into the leathery skin and quarter the fruit. Wear an apron as the juice is a brilliant, ruby red and has a tendency to squirt out of the fruit when cut. Inside you will find a fleshy-white pulp in which lots and lots of little seed pods of garnet are enclosed. These seeds are what you want to use. Just invert the quarter of each pomegranate slice over a bowl and gently remove the seeds with your hands. You can eat them whole or spit them out after you have enjoyed the flavor packed seeds! You can also press them gently through a sieve and extract the crimson juice for use in dishes, though I would recommend purchasing something called Pomegranate Molasses as this is a syrupy and very thick pressing of many pomegranates for use in dishes as you won't get as much juice from pressing. Grenadine isn't recommended as it is sweetened and contains a lot of sugar

What I like to do with Pomegranate seeds is once I get them into the bowl, throw away the pulp and the leathery flesh, and toss them into a nice salad as a crunchy, fruity, pop.

One of my favorite salads this time of year is something that uses seasonal ingredients, like Pomegranates, apples, and mixed greens. If you like add some bone boosting cheese such as a tangy chevre from vermont or california like Humboldt Fog, or Cypress Grove Purple Haze.

I like to take a great extra virgin olive oil, maybe some Sciabica's olive oil infused with lemon, and a sherry vinegar and whisk them together a little. A good ratio to remember for viniagrettes is 1:3 vinegar to oil. Or just take your greens and lightly toss them in the oil and splash a touch of vinegar. Season lightly with salt and pepper and add diced fall apples such as Honeycrisp and your pomegranate seeds and an ounce of cheese. You can also add some roasted, skin-off chicken that has cooled to the salad, or even bulk it up with roasted butternut squash that has been diced into bite-sized pieces. As far as the pomegranate molasses is concerned if you can find it in the Asian or Indian food aisle use it to drizzle on poultry or into rice pilaf. It isn't sweet enough itself to use on ice cream, but the seeds are! I look for Mediterranean or import stores for the molassas.

Think of the pomegranate as versatile and you won't be scared away from it. Eat it as a popcorn substitute while watching a movie, or drop some into Sangria for an exotic, fruity kick. You can bake chicken with it, or add it on top of yogurt for a parfait with some grapes and granola. The health benefits are worth the little work it takes it get the sparkling, ruby seeds out and into the bowl for use in so many ways. So next time you think of passing by the unassuming pomegranate think again, and put one in your basket.

Simply Soy

There is really nothing "simple" about this power house member of the Pea family. Used in Asia for over 5000 years as a source of vegetarian protein fondly called "Tuna of the forest", and in Chinese medicine. Soy is universal in today's nutrition. Click Here for nutrition analysis of edamame, or the simple soybean.
Derivatives made from the soy bean are everywhere. Tempeh, Tofu, Tamari, Soy Sauce, Miso Paste, Soy Milk, Soy Cheese, Soy Mayonnaise, Soy Yogurt, Tofu Sour Cream, Soy Nuts, Soy Nut-Butter, Textured Soy Protein, Soy bean oil, Soy flour, and you get my point?
High in fiber and protein, containing heart healthy Omega-3's, Soy helps reduce blood pressure and menopause symptoms as well as increasing bone strength to ward off Osteoporosis. It helps reduce risk factors for many types of cancer as well as for diabetes.
It is so easy to add it to your diet and many of my recipes in the book contain Soy based ingredients already!
Let's start with Tofu. You have your extra firm, firm, medium, soft and silken. All are great to add to your diet and all require you to rinse and drain them prior to use. Generally speaking extra firm or firm are your best option when using in dishes such as a stir fry. If you freeze these two prior to use they take on a "chewier/meatier" texture that can be a little more satisfying if you are one who is coming of a basic "meat-and-potatoes" diet to the Pain Free Diet. You can get something called "pressed Tofu" which is void of almost all the moisture already and you can grill it or stir fry it. Tofu is basically of a sponge-like texture and while that can seem gross it also means that is soaks up marinades very well. So take advantage of that. To press out the liquid just gently squeeze it with a clean dish towel or paper towels, or let it drain out in a colander with a gentle weight on it overnight. A basic marinade for tofu that I really like is as follows for1 cake of Firm Tofu, rinsed and drained (pressed) :
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons Tamari
1 teaspoon Chili Paste or Siracha brand chili sauce
(Can substitute 1 teaspoon chili flakes also)
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
2 cloves fresh garlic, smashed really well
1 stalk of scallion (green onion) sliced thinly on a diagonal
1/2 teaspoon Splenda or 1 teaspoon sugar since this is such a small amount
Optional: 2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
I like the fish sauce for the "umame" flavor it brings, it doesn't really make it taste fishy at all and adds a bit of mystery.
Just whisk together and marinate for a few hours or overnight. Then blot dry and use in stir fry or grill or pan sear, or bake it. You can play around with ingredients like Soy-Butter if you want more of a Satay flavor. Or even go Italian by using Balsamic, olive oil, and garlic, black pepper and a little sea salt. Think of your Tofu as a substitute for meat and you get the picture. You can even Barbeque it if you want to. Make sure that the sugar content in your sauce of choice is low enough to fit in the diet though.
That covers the firm Tofu but what about Silken or Soft? This is the preferred Tofu for dressings, smoothies or shakes, dressings and desserts like custards of substitutions for fats in desserts. You should not freeze this kind of tofu as the texture is very delicate, think "flan" as a reference to texture for this type. A cup of this Tofu is a great addition to a smoothie with fresh berries and a banana, or a half of an avocado and strawberries and some form of allowable sweetener.
Tempeh is the Indonesian meat substitute. This is going to sound gross but it is okay; it is made by injecting the soy beans and other grains and allowing it to ferment. It is pressed into a cake and sold as tempeh. It is very safe to eat and actually pretty tasty! Well, you used to eat Cheeses with blue mold! Don't even ask me what is in the Fish Sauce you just put in your Tofu marinade! Before using Tempeh it is best to steam it for about 10 minutes or simmer it, to soften it. Then you use it just like you would meat or firm tofu. You can marinate this as well. It has a chewier, saltier, nuttier flavor than regular Tofu and for that it is liked by vegetarians or health conscious people like yourselves. Tempeh can even be crumbled like ground beef and used to make chili or sauces. You can also find "Textured Soy Protein", and this is used in products like "Chick Patties" and "Garden Burgers".
Another great by-product of Soy is Miso-Paste. It comes in a variety of colors and strengths. It is a thick paste made from soybeans and grains that has been fermented and then aged for up to three years. It's a staple in Japan, where it's used to flavor soups, dipping sauces, meats, and dressings. There are literally hundreds of varieties of miso, and the Japanese match them to dishes with the same care that Americans match wines to meals. The darker kinds are saltier and more pungent, the lighter are sweeter and milder. Two types that are easily found in American markets are white and red miso.
White Miso, or "Shiro-Miso" is the lightest and sweetest of them all. It can be used to make miso soup, or broths for soup or to make dressings or marinades. 1 Tablespoonwhite miso can substitute 1 bullion cube and reduce a lot of sodium and still offer flavor and more nutrition.
Red Miso or "Aka-Miso" is red in color, and generally has barley or rice as an ingredient. It is more pungent and is the preferred miso in most Asian countries. It is great for rubs, or marinades. You can also use this to substitute bullion in soups. Always add miso to soups and stews at the end, since boiling it destroys beneficial bacteria and causes it to curdle.

Lemony-Miso Dressing:
1/2 Cup White Miso
1/3 Cup water
2 Teaspoons grated, fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 whole lemon, cut into 1/4
1 packet or teaspoon Splenda brand sweetener or 2 Tablespoons Agave Nectar or Honey for sweetness
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil

In a blender add all ingredients except oil and blend really well. Add the lemons as they are and the oils in the rind will help add texture and a very lemony-punch. Add the olive oil last and blend until emulsified. Check for flavoring and add a little black pepper and sea salt if desired.
You can go so far as to add fresh Edamame to your salad. You don't have to actually do anything to it. You can get it frozen shelled or in the shell and you can shell them yourself. A lot of people like to microwave or steam them prior to eating and this is okay, but not necessary. This dressing would also be great with some asparagus as well!

As far as desserts and baked goods remember to use Silken Tofu, or Soy Milk. You can also make quick Summer treats like Popsicles by blending soy yogurt and fresh berries together and freezing in popsicle molds. Click Here for a link to Soy Foods desserts that are made with Soy products. I would use extra virgin oil instead of vegetable but you can use any with "good" fats of course.
I hope this helps you ease into eating more Soy based foods and enjoy the health benefits. Try some of my recipes from the book like the snack bars which contain soy flour and dried berries!

Simply Asparagus

Don't mess up asparagus, nothing breaks my heart more than someone who overcooks this member of the Lily family. Just don't make my cry. There are several varieties, wild, white, violet or purple, and the usual green. It has been declared an almost perfect food by the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board (yes there is an advisory board on asparagus so don't laugh) because it is high in folacin, vitamin B6, gluthaonine, thiamin, FIBER, potassium, and rutin which strengthens capillary walls. Green asparagus is what you usually find in most American markets, however if you search you can also find White, Purple, and Wild asparagus. White is popular in Europe and grows this way because the stalks are deprived of sunlight, making them milder and delicate in flavor. In Italy and Great Britain violet or purple asparagus can be found, they are heartier and have thicker, woodier stalks. Wild asparagus is something I have had the pleasure of eating and cooking while I was in Minneapolis. They are thin, and weed-like looking mimickers of cultivated asparagus, but asparagus never the less. I loved their fresh flavor and they required very little cooking at all, as they are so thin and delicate.
Generally I've always been taught that you hold an asparagus stalk gently in two hands and bend it until it snaps, then you know where to cut. Or you can just snap the whole bunch this way. I am used to cooking in batches so I cut, I want to get my prep done in time for dinner and keep my job....so you can snap all you like. If the stalks are hearty, say on green or purple asparagus you can take a vegetable peeler and peel then gently, this is the preferred preparation for fresh white asparagus as well. Have a pot of boiling, salted water at the ready and.....AND.....an ice bath also at the ready. Well I guess you could forgo the ice bath if you are going to eat the asparagus right away, but if cooking for later, or for salads just get the ice bath also. To do that you just get a large enough bowl, or container to hold enough ice and some water that you can submerge the blanched asparagus in. It has to cover to h alt the cooking process, because think ab out it, asparagus is just a lot of water filled pockets of fibrous goodness, and once you bring the insides up to boiling point you have to cool it instantly or the insides will remain hot and continue to steam it to un-appetizing flaccidity.
So if you've chosen your asparagus and peeled it and snapped or snipped it go ahead and toss it into that pot of rapidly boiling, salted, water. Wait until the water comes back up to a boil, and quickly remove the asparagus to the water bath, completely submerging it under the ice for about 3 minutes. Drain and blot dry. Now deciding on what to do with it?
You could eat it right there! Slice it on a 1/4" diagonal, and toss it in a stir fry with some shrimp, pan sear it with some Olive oil, garlic and cracked black pepper with a squirt of lemon. You could bake it with shredded Parmesan. Chop it up and mix it with some crab meat and bread crumbs for crab cakes. Really it's so versatile and easy....EASY....spritz it with olive oil spray and a sprinkling of sea salt and toss it on a hot grill for a few minutes and that pairs well with cedar planked wild salmon. Now, if you can somehow get your hands on some wild asparagus, just be gentle with it. Very little trimming is needed, very little cooking, even just a toss in a hot pan with some oil and seasonings will do the trick. Just blanch and serve.
So, whether you peel it or not, blanch or grill, saute or bake, asparagus is for all of us. I hope you enjoy some soon.