Potatoes, Carrots & Onions - Oh my!

When teaching anything about food, whether it’s storage or cooking, always start with nutrition.  One of the biggest points of resistance to storing and using basic ingredients is the amount of time and effort involved in getting it from the shelf to the table.

Unfortunately, we have become a nation dependent on the BBMM diet.

Box – Bowl – Microwave – Mouth

I mean really, it says it tastes great – the kids will eat it – and it’s so easy!

Most of us know or at least suspect that this food is not all that nutritious, but we get sucked in by the convenience factor and the ease of preparation; while the hype and the high flavor keeps the kids clamoring for more.  But the cost to budget and body are beginning to become obvious.

Most people will respond to change if they can see a compelling reason why.

 Cost per serving, nutrition, and honestly - taste

Another problem facing us is that, for some reason or other, our society is always looking for the ultimate food; the mystical fruit that will be the perfect food in one convenient handful.  We’ve all seen the fads that come and go, the wild claims every now and again, but that’s not the way it works.  We need to ingest a variety of healthy foods every day to maintain health and prevent disease in our bodies.

NOTE:  When trying to enlist the co-operation of children it is always good to use child-friendly teaching moments and visual aids.  On your search engine page, type in things like, fun with carrots, or games with (name your product) etc.  The boards of the various farmer lead produce organizations will have lots of games, mazes, jokes, etc. for helping kids bridge the gap between BBMM and nutritious options.  Giving kids a packet of seeds and helping them nurture a garden also helps them have a stake in the game.

Whatever you do - Have fun with this.  Keep presentation ligh hearted and positive.  People respond well to up-beat energy but will reject outright any negativity or dire predictions.  Spend some time in your own "kitchen-lab" and always consult the Master Chef.  He's deeply invested in keeping his children vital, healthy and blessed.   He will assist you at every turn.

We're very interested in your great ideas and success stories. . . and yes, even your not so successful stories.  Please feel free to give me a call.  I love hearing from you and I'm willing and ready to help in any way I can.

ONIONS

 

Type 

Onions vary from sweet to spicy, small to large and come in different colors. They come in yellow, white, green and red, sometimes referred to as purple. According to the Centers for Disease Control Fruits and Veggies More Matters website, the onion crop is dedicated to approximately 88 percent yellow onions, 7 percent red onions and 5 percent white onions. Yellow onions are popular for cooking since they are versatile and full of flavor. The Vidalia onion is known for its sweetness while the red or purple onion is known for its spicy tang.  GREEN ONIONS – retain a wider array of nutrients because they are generally eaten raw.  Cooking negates vitamin C and reduces the effectiveness of some other nutrients.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/242849-what-is-the-nutritional-value-of-an-onion/#ixzz2H7Q6Keow

Basic Nutrition

A 1-cup serving of chopped onions contains 51 calories and 0.13 g of fat. If you follow a 2,000-calorie diet, this accounts for 2.5 percent of the calories and very little of the 44 to 78 g of fat you may consume daily. Each cup of onions also provides 11.6 g of carbohydrates, a nutrient used for fuel in your body. While protein is also used for energy, it is a secondary source. One serving of onions has 1.3 g of protein.

Vitamins

One serving of onions provides 11.5 percent of the vitamin B-6 you need each day. This makes onions a smart choice for cognitive and nerve function as vitamin B-6 helps your body manufacture serotonin and make myelin, the layer of fats and proteins that cover your nerves. MayoClinic.com reports that many Americans suffer from a mild vitamin B-6 deficiency, which can impact the nerves in your legs and arms. You also get 5.9 percent of the daily recommended intake of folate as well as 3.9 percent of the vitamin C your body requires each day.

Flavonoid:  Quercetin.

·         Another source for quercetin is found in tea and and apples

·         Research shows that absorption of quercetin from onions is twice that from tea and more than three times that from apples.

·         Quercetin protects against cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancer

·        onions are a good source of oligomers, which help the growth of bifidobacteria and suppress the growth of bad bacteria in the colon.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/242849-what-is-the-nutritional-value-of-an-onion/#ixzz2H7PmB0U3

Minerals

While onions may not be the first thing you reach for to increase your calcium intake - -

·         one serving of this vegetable provides 8.5 percent of the calcium you need daily.

·         Each serving of onion provides a small amount of manganese as well.

·          In addition, eating onions may help your body more effectively get some minerals from the grains you eat. Research published in the July 2010 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" notes that consuming up to 3 g of onion per 10 g of grains increased the amount of available zinc and iron up to 73 percent, making grains more nutritious. (approx. 3 to 1)

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/392981-what-nutritional-value-do-onions-have/#ixzz2H7PJc49y

 

CELERY

What's New and Beneficial About Celery

• crunchy, low-cal vegetable
• key part of your health support
• Recent research - anti-inflammatory health benefits, including digestive tract itself.
• unique non-starch polysaccharides in celery appear especially important.
• Unlike starchy polysaccharides that provide plants with a way to store simple sugars, these non-starch polysaccharides in celery help provide this vegetable with its unique structure made from pectins.

In addition to well-known antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids,

·         Help protect blood vessels from rupture or leakage

• Enhance the power of your vitamin C
• Protect cells from oxygen damage
• Prevent excessive inflammation throughout your body

*********************

• scientists have now identified at least a dozen other types of antioxidant nutrients in celery.
•  These antioxidants
• help protect us against unwanted oxygen damage to our cells, blood vessels, and organ systems.
• steam celery without excessive loss of its phenol-based antioxidants. In a recent study, researchers compared the impact of steaming 83-99% of these antioxidants were retained in the celery even after 10 minutes.
• Storage:  5-7 days as a window of time for consuming fresh celery.
• wait to chop up your celery just before you are adding it to a salad or cooked dish This will help to preserve its maximum nutrient potential.
• Regrow:  Using the last 1 ½ to 2” of the stock, place stock in water and watch it grow.  The dark green leaves and little ribs are perfect for flavoring anything the requires celery.

Just a little trivia for the fellas:  research suggests that celery contains a hormone knows as androsterone.  This hormone, which releases via the sweat glands, is said to attract women.  :)

 

***** Want a fun way to serve kids a heaping helping of veggie goodness?  Try out this goofy little octopus idea.  The dip could include spinach or any number of other grated veggies.

Ocean’s Away 

1 extra-large carrot

Small bowl for ocean

Yummy dip for ocean foam

Celery sticks for fencing

Chips or crackers for sand

Extra vegetables for dipping

1 Olive or 2 raisins for eyes

Directions:

Pour dip Into a smallish, bluish dish/bowl

Peel carrot and cut into 2 pieces about 3 inches down from top

Attach raisin/olive eyes to top of carrot and set into dip dish

Cut the bottom half of the carrot into sticks (reserving 8 for legs)

Place legs on octopus by inserting one end of the carrot sticks into the dip with ends touching the large piece of carrot at base.  Other end of stick should be out of the dip.

Make a “fence” around the outside edge of the bowl with celery sticks

Set bowl on a tray

Spread crackers, or other dip-ables for sand

Have other vegetables on hand for more tasty dipping fun

 

CARROTS

Carrot Nutrition

Relatively low in calories and high in nutrients, carrots have a high nutrient density.

·         One cup of raw carrots — about the size of a whole medium carrot — contains about 30 to 50 calories and no fat or cholesterol.

·         High in carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.

·         University of Illinois - ½-cup serving of cooked carrots contains so much beta carotene that it delivers four times the daily recommended intake of vitamin A.

·         Beta carotene can change in the body into a substance called retinoic acid, which is widely used to treat cancers (Tufts University)

·          

·         High in calcium, potassium, folic acid, magnesium and copper, along with vitamins B, C, D and E.

·         Dr. Cisneros Texas Ag Experiment Station -  “carrots may be underachievers”

They can be so much more if they experience abiotic stress.  “When you stress the carrot it actually triggers this genetic response, and the plant will synthesize chemical compounds.  You end up with a carrot that is healthier than the original carrot in a short period of time with a very cheap and easy stressor.”  Knife/fridge/super carrot

His lab has successfully increased the amount of antioxident  activity in carrots up to five times.

·        Green leaves, can also be eaten - high in vitamin K.

Steaming - Unlike many other vegetables, carrots lose very little nutritional value during the cooking process and are more nutritious cooked than raw.

·         University of Illinois Extension explains that slightly cooking carrots breaks down the vegetable’s tough cellular walls, which allows the body to absorb the nutrients more easily.

·         Steaming carrots also helps boost their antioxidant levels, which helps improve their disease-fighting capabilities.

The Harvard Medical School website acknowledges that steaming carrots actually reduces their carotenoid content. Further research is necessary to determine the exact reason why steaming cuts the carotenoid levels.

·         Steaming takes longer than boiling and the vegetables are exposed to heat, oxygen and light for longer. As a result, they have a greater opportunity to lose nutrients.

·      Even with the slightly reduced carotenoid levels, however, steamed carrots are still extremely healthy

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/530291-nutritional-value-of-steamed carrots/#ixzz2H7ekKhAT

POTATOES

1 medium potato

Approx.  620 mg of potassium – more than a banana

o   Essential for obtaining optimal muscle performance

o   Improves nerves’ response to stimulation

o   Iron - essential in helping the body convert food to energy as well as resist infection.

B vitamins

o   Helps body make red blood cells and amino acids.

Vitamin C

o   48% of your daily value requirement

o   Healthy connective tissues and helps to heal wounds

 

No fat or cholesterol and minimal sodium  

2 grams highly digestible protein

o   Comparable to 4 ounces of milk

Skin contains fiber

 

CARBO FACTS

One of the most popular and consistant myths is about carbohydrates.  Despite the hype, scientific evidence indicates that when carbohydrates are consumed in normal amounts they DO NOT -

o   Cause weight gain and obesity

o   Automatically cause blood sugar spikes and insulin surges

o   Cause diabetes, heart disease or cancer

o   Carbohydrates are the body’s primary fuel source. 

o   Muscles prefer them and the brain relies on them.

o   If severely cut from the diet the body will begin breaking down muscles and other protein contain tissue (vital organs) to make them for use

o   Weight loss fads – as soon as a person goes back to normal eating the weight rapidly returns

o   Weight gain comes from consuming more calories than you expend, regardless of where those calories come from – carbohydrates, proteins or fats.

o   A healthy dietary balance comes from consuming a rich variety of foods that are low in calories content yet high in essential nutrients.

One medium potato with the skin contains –

o   45% of the daily value for vitamin C

o   620 mg potassium – comparable to bananas, spinache & broccoli

o   Trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, phsphorus, iron and zinc

o   110 calories

o   No fat

o   2 grams dietary fiber – more than many “whole” grain breads, pastas and cereals.

o   The Majority of nutrients are not found in the skin, but in the potato itself.  However, there are still some nutrients and of course fiber in the skin.  Leaving the skins on the potato also make it easy to prepare.

 http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2770/2

 

GARLIC

Old stories of garlic’s healing properties have been around for ages, but modern scientific research has isolated two main medicinal ingredients: allicin and dially sulphides. These sulphides have a strong odor giving the plant the nick name, stinking rose.

BENEFITS:

Through the centuries this aromatic herb has been credited with cures for everything from the common cold to the plague.

Science has begun to shed a little light on the subject now and is telling us that garlic may be able to assist some people in the management of blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

We are also learning that garlic is a powerful broad-spectrum antibiotic.  The bacteria in the body do not appear to evolve resistance to the garlic as they do to many modern pharmaceutical antibiotics.  This means that there’s no need for concern about breeding antibiotic resistant “superbugs”.

Studies have also shown that garlic – especially aged garlic – can be a powerful antioxidant.  Antioxidants can help protect the body against damaging free radicals. 

Side-Effects

Apart from garlic breath there are other possible side effects, especially if used to excess. remember Jared’s story?

Raw garlic is very strong, so eating too much can cause irritation to the digestive system.

Stock / Broth / Gravy / Soup / Casserole

Broth - The liquid remaining after boiling animal bones or simmering fish or vegetables.  (You’ll get more flavor if you bake the bones first because baking breaks down the fibers and allows more flavor to be infused into the water.)

Stock – broth infused with various seasoning to create greater flavor.

Gravy – Stock or broth that has been thickened; flour and cornstarch being the most common thickeners.

Soup - liquid food: a liquid food made by cooking meat, fish, vegetables, or other ingredients in water, milk, or stock.

Casserole - Mixing meat, vegetables and sometimes cheeses with some form of starch (Potatoes, pasta, pie crust, biscuit topping) together then baking it in a shallow dish called a casserole dish.

   Emeril Lagasse’s Beef Stock  - Version: 1

Ingredients

• 7 pounds beef bones, sawed into 2-inch pieces
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 2 cups claret wine
• 20 peppercorns
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 5 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
• 1 1/2 gallons water

·         Instructions

·         Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the bones on a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and brush with the tomato paste. Lay the vegetables over the bones. Return to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Place the pan on the stove and deglaze with the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan for browned particles. Put this mixture in a large stock pot. Add the peppercorns, garlic, and herbs. Season with salt. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 4 hours. Remove from the heat and skim off any fat that has risen to the surface. Strain the liquid and discard the bones.

Yield: 1/2 gallon

 

Version: 2

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef bones, sawed into two-inch pieces if possible
• 1 pound stew beef
• 2 medium yellow onions, unpeeled, halved
• 2 carrots, peeled, cut into one-inch chunks
• 2 ribs celery cut into thirds
• 3 unpeeled garlic cloves
• 5 parsley sprigs, with stems
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 gallon water

·         Instructions

·         Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the bones on a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes. Add the onions and carrots, and continue roasting for 30 minutes longer, stirring the meat and vegetables once or twice. Remove from the oven and place all of the roasted ingredients in stockpot or kettle. Deglaze the roasting pan with two cups of water and pour this liquid over the meat and vegetables. Add the remaining water and ingredients to the stockpot. Bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 4 hours. At the end of the 4 hours, pour the entire contents of the stockpot through a colander or sieve. Cool. Chill the stock overnight and then remove the fat that has accumulated on the surface. Stock is ready to use or freeze.

Makes about 2 quarts

 

Emeril Lagasse’s Brown Beef Stock

Ingredients

• 8 pounds beef bones and trimmings (have your butcher saw them into 4-inch pieces)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 ounces tomato paste, thinned with 2 tablespoons water
• 6 to 7 quarts cold water
• 8 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in oil (oil drained off)

MIREPOIX: (mixed finely diced vegetables: mixed finely diced vegetables, typically carrot, onion, and celery, lightly fried and used as a seasoning in stews, soups, and sauces, or on which to lay meat for roasting or braising)

• 8 ounces onions, coarsely chopped
• 4 ounces carrots, coarsely chopped
• 4 ounces celery, coarsely chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, halved
• SPICE SACHET:  ( a small cloth bag containing spices and or herbs that is dropped into or hung in pot of stock to add flavor then removed to when cooking is complete.)
• 4 parsley stems, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 whole clove
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

·         Instructions

·         Place the sachet ingredients in a piece of cheesecloth and tie with string at the top.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a sheet pan and place in the oven to heat. Place the bones on the sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Paint the bones with a thin layer of the thinned tomato paste, and roast for an additional 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly browned. Place the bones in the stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer. Skim any scum that forms on the surface as needed.

Drain and reserve the fat from the pan; add a little warm water to the pan, mix around and scrape up the crusty bits, then pour everything into the stockpot. Continue to simmer the stock for 6 to 7 hours, skimming as needed. If necessary, you may add more hot water to keep the bones covered.

Toss the mirepoix with the reserved fat and brown in the oven. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, browned mirepoix and the sachet to the pot. Simmer for another 1 to 2 hours. Strain the stock through cheesecloth, and cool the stock in an ice-water bath. Transfer to a container and refrigerate overnight. The next day, skim off all the fat that's risen to the surface. All done! And oh, the tasty stock you have now!

Makes about one gallon

 

Emeril Lagasse’s Basic Chicken Stock

Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken parts, such as wings, backs, carcasses, and necks, rinsed in cool water
• 2 cups coarsely chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
• 1 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a heavy knife
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

 

·         Instructions

·         Put all the ingredients in a stockpot. Add enough cold water to cover the bones by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours, occasionally skimming off the foam that forms on the surface.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Cool completely. Cover tightly and refrigerate. (The stock can be refrigerated for up to three days. Or freeze in airtight containers for up to two months.)

Yield: 3 quarts