Truth about Turmeric

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Turmeric really doesn’t need much introduction these days. For those who don’t do much cooking, it is a bright yellow spice commonly used in Indian cooking. If you are wondering what business turmeric has in finding its way into our lattes, it is because of its super food status in culinary medicine. Turmeric has potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects which can potentially prevent and treat arthritis, cancer, heart disease and diabetes.  As a food enthusiast, I am no stranger to cooking with turmeric but I am curious whether drinking a cup of turmeric tea latte per day (a.k.a Golden Milk) will keep my knee pain away.

The medicinal effect of turmeric is attributed to its active compound, curcumin. It has been used to help prevent ailments for generations in Asia. Research indicates that you need to get 500 to 1,000 milligrams of curcumin per day for an anti-inflammatory effect. The average Indian diet provides around 60-100 milligrams of curcumin (2,000-2,500 milligrams of turmeric) per day. In other words, you would need to consume more than 10 times the amount of turmeric than what’s in a typical Indian diet. The truth is that it is not easy to get a therapeutic dose of curcumin without some supplementation. However, if you decide to take on the challenge with eating real food for your curcumin,  keep in mind that you will need to add at least 2 1/2 Tablespoons (17 grams) of turmeric a day in your diet to get 500 milligrams of curcumin. Also, curcumin is not easily absorbed and it needs to be combined with fat and black pepper to enhance its absorption. I am sharing my recipe of the Oven Roasted Turmeric Cauliflower that is super easy and delicious with an abundant amount of turmeric. Cauliflower is naturally high in antioxidant so this packs an extra anti-inflammatory punch.

Along with boosting curcumin in your diet to flight inflammation, it is beneficial to avoid inflammation inducing foods – sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial trans fats, refined carbohydrates, processed meats, and alcohol – at the same time. This is a good way to double down on the battle against inflammation!

Cauliflower

Oven Roasted Turmeric Cauliflower

1 large head of cauliflower

1/4 cup Olive oil

2 Tbsp turmeric

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. Cut cauliflower into florets and put on a rimmed baking sheet.
  3. whisk olive oil, turmeric, salt and pepper in a bowl and drizzle over cauliflower to coat pieces.
  4. Roast cauliflower in oven until tender and slightly brown for 15-25 minutes, turning halfway.

 

 

Eat Smarter, Live Longer

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As I was cleaning out my stash of food magazines, I came across the 2017 issues of Food & Wine. Many of its recipes I have not tried as I was on overdrive with work during that time. The February issue was entitled “Eat Smarter Live Longer” which grabbed my attention. It is comforting to know the plant-based food trend hasn’t changed much in the last couple years and I am still on the right track as a smart eater. In hopes of influencing my meat-eating husband in the right direction, I made the Chickpeas and Kale in Spicy Pomodoro Sauce from the magazine. When I served it at lunch today, he said “I thought some bacon would be great in this until I tasted it and realized it doesn’t need it at all.” This is a recipe for 4 and just the two of us polished it off. I think this says it all!

This recipe was created by Chef Missy Robbins of Brooklyn’s award-winning Lilia restaurant who took an age old Italian classic, pasta al pomodoro, and made it gluten-free by replacing pasta with chickpeas. Then she added kale, one of the healthiest greens of the 21t century to pump up the nutritional quotient. No wonder Food & Wine named this recipe one of their top 40. Below is the recipe from the February issue of Food & Wine magazine. For more healthy food ideas, check out my Instagram @healthydigz.

Chickpeas and Kale in Spicy Pomodoro Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • One 28-ounce can whole peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • One 8-ounce bunch of Tuscan kale, stemmed and chopped
  • Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • Torn basil and marjoram leaves, 
for garnish
  • Finely grated Pecorino Romano, 
for serving

How to Make It

Step 1

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant 
but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and 
the sauce is thickened, about 25 minutes.

Step 2

Stir the kale into the sauce and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. Spoon into bowls and garnish with torn basil 
and marjoram leaves. Top with finely grated pecorino and serve hot.

First meal in Spain

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Just arrived in Barcelona last night after a long flight from San Francisoco. My family and I were looking for a delicious, but of course healthy meal, near our rented apartment located about 1/2 mile from the beach. It’s never easy spoting healthy restaurant food when traveling, but the chance is slim when you’re a foreign country where you don’t speak the language. Checking out the menu before sitting down is always a smart move. Even then, you never know if the menu description is accurate and if the dishes will meet your expectation when they show up. Our 2 dishes were not only nutritious but gluten-free and complement well in flavor. The Grilled vegetables with goat cheese was drizzled with generous amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A slice of lightly grilled goat cheese was a perfect topping on the vegetables. The grilled shrimp with coconut listed on the menu was a dish of 5 huge shrimps that came with heads and shells, served with a slaw type salad. The shrimps tastes fresh and had a hint of coconut milk. All this yummy food went perfectly with a glass of local Cava. Not only am I going back for this meal again, I will be adding these 2 dishes to my repertoire of healthy recipes!

Breakfast in Bed

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Today is my son’s 8th birthday. To continue with our family tradition, he was served breakfast in bed this morning. Since it was a work day for me, it’s got to be fast and easy but special at the same time. My Heart Healthy Raspberry Scone is perfect for the occasion. It’s delicious, nutritious and extremely yummy! Try this recipe and let me know what you think.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup organic butter

1 cup fresh or frozen organic raspberries

1 cup buttermilk

Combine all-purpose flour and whole wheat flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raspberries; add buttermilk and mix lightly. Drop by spoonfuls into 10 mounds on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in 425F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.

Each scone has 150 Calories, 5 g fat, 4 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, and 2 g fiber.