Whole Real Food

January 7, 2016January 7, 2016

Oh My Goodness! Oranges!

Post-Christmas until the end of March is the best season for oranges and grapefruit, unless you live where citrus grows; then it’s longer. (Mandarin oranges are in season until just before Christmas.)

I look forward to eating oranges in season. They are juicy and sweet but tangy. My favourites are Cara Cara oranges and Tangerines, which show up late in the season, (March). Of course fruit seasons vary slightly from year to year.

I believe in seasonal eating. When fruit is in season, it is usually ripe, sweet, and relatively inexpensive. I think human digestive systems do well with eating one food for a while (in season). Eat your fill and move onto the next season.

Local is nice but completely impractical when our frost-free growing season is only 90 days. There aren’t many fruit trees that can survive our winters. Citrus does best with zero frost-free days. Recall panicked Florida orange growers when frost threatens!

Why do you want to eat oranges? Citrus fruits are a great source of Vitamin C and the bioflavonoids that help C do its job. High in fibre, low in fat, they even have a small amount of protein. Oranges have folate, vital in fetus development and Vitamin A (Retinoids and Carotenoids) for various tasks to maintain bodily health.

The value of these nutrients in this delicious sphere, with its very own colour, far exceeds what you can get from a supplement or multi-vitamin. The synthetics don’t include the micronutrients and trace minerals that make the nutrition team inside the orange work so harmoniously.

What about orange juice? I recommend it only if you juice it yourself, (and consume it sparingly. It’s not whole without the fibre.) Many orange juice brands contain unlabelled substances like colours, flavours, preservatives and agricultural chemical residues. They’re also pasteurized, effectively killing most nutrients. Some brands sneak in sugar, or worse, aspartame. The juice, without pulp is little more than sugar water, spiking your blood sugar levels.

It’s best to eat the whole fruit. I do juice oranges that are past their prime eating stage. I use the juice to flavour salad dressings and desserts or we pour a bit into our smoothies. It’s easy to overdo orange juice. Beware!

Eating Ideas: add oranges to salads for some pizzazz. Pair oranges with cranberry in recipes for an interesting taste combination. My grandma taught me to add orange juice and zest to a white cake recipe for an elegant but simple dessert.

Oranges. Get them while they’re good.

Remember to Eat the Food, The Whole Food and Nothing but the Food.

My Orange Chiffon Cake recipe

For a complete report on the nutrition of oranges see: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrientprofile&dbid=31

Shelley Goldbeck, DTM has studied food for over 35 years, after an epiphany at the grocery store led her to put back the doughnuts and cookies and buy the peaches instead! Her food choices have evolved and she enjoys sharing the results of her research with others. Shelley is a Thinker, Writer, and Speaker based in Calgary, AB.

January 7, 2016January 7, 2016

Orange Chiffon Cake

Orange or Lemon Chiffon Cake

(Gluten-free adaption by Shelley Goldbeck)

Ingredients

1 and 3/4 cups cake flour (for gluten-free I use a combination of rice, almond, coconut, and/or sorghum flours and cornstarch, tapioca, potato and/or arrowroot. I have better luck with gluten-free baking if I use some almond or coconut flour).
1 tablespoon gluten-free baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar (or ¼ c honey)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (olive or coconut oil)
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup water (I include the juice from two oranges or lemons)
1 tablespoon lemon or orange zest
6 egg whites (room temp is best for getting them fluffy)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup white sugar (or 1/3 c honey or other natural sweetener like agave)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar. Add oil, egg yolks, water and lemon rind. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
In a small bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until peaks form. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, and beat until very stiff and shiny peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Turn batter into ungreased 10 inch tube/bundt pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (If you use honey, you may have to reduce the cooking temp and increase the time as honey browns easily.) Invert cake and cool completely in pan. When cool, loosen edges and shake pan to remove cake.

Decorate with powdered sugar and lemon/orange slices.

Variations on this cake recipe:

White cake: no lemon, add 2 tsp vanilla
Spice cake: remove lemon. Add 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp cloves, ¼ tsp allspice or to taste.
Chocolate: remove lemon. Add ½ cup cocoa (or to taste)
Add poppy seeds

Cake may be cut into pieces and frozen in single servings. You can also make cupcakes.

May 10, 2015May 10, 2015

Sweet Potato Brownies

2 medium to large sweet potatoes, baked

14 Medjool dates

⅔ cup ground almonds

½ cup brown rice flour

4 tbsp raw cacao

3 tbsp pure maple syrup

¾ c chopped walnuts

Peel the sweet potatoes and put them in the food processor with the pitted dates Blend. Put the remaining ingredients except nuts in a bowl before mixing in the sweet potato and date combination. Stir well.

Spoon the mixture into a lined baking dish (9”x9”). Spread chopped nuts on top and press slightly into the batter. Cook for about 20 minutes at 400*F, or until you can pierce the brownie cake with a fork and bring it out dry.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Cut into squares.

October 31, 2014October 31, 2014

What to do with Halloween Candy

Happy Halloween! The little munchkins will be vibrating in anticipation all day and then vibrating all weekend from the sugar rush.

In our family we are fully aware of the evils of sugar. We used to think it was harmless, that a binge on baby chocolate bars once a year wasn’t so bad.

Only it was never one night. We’d buy crates of individually wrapped candy in late September. By mid-October, we were out, except for the one kind in the variety pack that we don’t like. (You can never buy a variety pack with all the types you like; there’s always a dud!)

We’d buy three more crates, give out one, and have the other two consumed within days of Halloween.

When my children were small there were always battles over the candy. One year I rationed it. That was received like snow in June. So then I decided to let them gorge themselves on Halloween and then ration the rest. That was mildly successful: the gorging part was popular; rationing spawned battles.

My Grandtoys are gluten and dairy-free so Halloween has changed. Where most kids love to get chocolate, my little ones can’t eat it, unless it’s dark chocolate. Twizzlers are made with wheat, so they can’t have them. Half of what they collect needs to be given away.

Then there’s that sugar problem. I once had some Skittles left over from Halloween. I would give the Grandtoys each a package after dinner. The youngest would almost immediately start spinning, acting up, poking her sister. Whether it was the sugar or the food colour, I’m not sure, but the rest of those went in the garbage.

“No Halloween” is not a viable option but there are things one can do.

Walk the talk: I don’t eat sugar so I feel off when I give it to others, especially children. So what to give? This year we have one box of baby chocolate bars, some bags of cashews and for the discriminating palates of my Grandtoys, packs of seaweed. Yes seaweed! They love it! Some years we’ve given fruit leather, still sugar, but with fibre and some nutrients.
Halloween parties: This year, my Grandtoys’ cul de sac is throwing a Halloween party. The focus will be on fun, not on collecting too much candy. There will be some, of course, but my daughter’s battle over candy will be minimized.
Buy your children’s candy. This is a fabulous idea I heard about a couple years ago. A mother gave her child $50 to surrender the majority of the candy. I think she let her keep a few pieces. The child gets to have fun collecting candy but doesn’t suffer the negative effects of all that sugar.

I long for the days when an apple was an appropriate contribution to the pillowcase. I wonder if it was candy manufacturers that put razor blades in apples and started the fear mindset. It soon became common knowledge that it wasn’t safe to eat Halloween apples.But poison in the form of sugar with artificial colours and flavours is okay. Aargh!

Have a safe fun Halloween. Do what you can to avoid overdosing on sugar. Your body will thank you.

To learn more about sugar, read past blogs My Sugar Story.

October 22, 2014October 22, 2014

Eeks! Ebola!

Everyday, Ebola news dominates.

It’s interesting to watch the circus and alarming to see and hear some of the reactions.

Here are my observations and questions:

Why has Ebola spread so quickly? It seems as though the “authorities” have been syrupy slow to react. And you know what stirs me up? Airports continue to accept travelers from Africa, even Liberia, where the largest outbreak appears to be. They get in but my granddaughters’ juice boxes were confiscated at Security. Too dangerous. Didn’t you know six year olds make bombs out of juice boxes all the time? (They once took my lunch: hummous because it was too liquid. They left me my pita but naked, it wasn’t palatable!) The lax handling of this by the US Government et al is more evidence that airport security measures are largely to give the impression they’re addressing security concerns when in fact, it’s all a charade.
Consider this report: The US Government owns the patent on Ebola. Why? Aren’t patents granted to creators? Why is the US Government creating deadly viruses? Just asking. If this is true was Ebola released on purpose? If not, who’s guarding the lab? Is it the same contractor that’s screening passengers at airports?
Just as the Ebola epidemic was becoming a common headline the pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline announced that they had a vaccine, miraculously ready to test on human guinea pigs. What a wonderful coincidence! They will reduce ten years of studies into 12 months! Makes one wonder if the patent owner is colluding with GSK.
Who is lining up to get the Ebola vaccine? Think about the clinical trials. Group A gets untested vaccine. Group B gets the placebo. Do they purposely expose both groups to Ebola and see who gets it? Seems rather dangerous. Both scare me: an injection of virus that could cause Ebola (not to mention the vaccine adjuvants which are known poisons) or the placebo, which means there’s no protection. Where do I sign up?
Why a vaccine not a cure? If the US Government created it, surely they’ve been working on ways to prevent and cure it. Shouldn’t all possibilities be considered? I’ve seen reports that massive doses of vitamin C or colloidal silver can help bolster the immune system’s troops but these options are not being considered. When properly armed, our immune systems are marvelously designed to resist a host of hostile organisms. But most people are woefully malnourished and their immune defenses are weak. Africans are notoriously undernourished, or so we’re led to believe by news reports and Save the Children ads.

If you’re concerned about Ebola, I suggest minimizing trips to Africa for now.

Avoid the vaccine; it needs testing. Don’t be a guinea pig.

Nourish yourself by eating a wide variety of unprocessed foods and whole food supplements. For example, studies show that Vitamin D bolsters the immune system, so get some sun or eat some fish.

Most of all, don’t dwell on this issue. Have you ever noticed that when you focus on disaster that seems to be what shows up? Race car drivers are trained not to look at the wall because if they look there, they drive there.

Eyes on the road.

October 7, 2014

Charismatic Carrots

Our skin will be turning orange soon: we have consumed so many fresh garden carrots in the last two weeks.

Carrot harvesting season is comforting for me. While digging, topping, washing, trimming, drying, and bagging carrots consume many hours, there’s comfort in knowing we’ll have garden carrots at least until Christmas.

It has also been fun sharing our bounty with those of our friends who really appreciate carrots from the garden.

Carrots are relatively easy to grow in our short growing season, especially since they can tolerate freezing temperatures well into fall. Their requirements include, fertile soil without lumps, regular rainwater, and weeding once or twice before the carrots take hold. After that, one can pretty much forget them unless it’s to do some thinning. I tend to not bother. I simply begin harvesting the bigger ones early in the season, which leaves room for the remaining roots to grow.

A carrot from the garden is a different animal from anything one can buy in the grocery stores or even the farmer’s markets. They have a subtle sweetness and as teeth grind the crunchy flesh one can taste the succulent natural sugars bursting from the juice.

There are many good reasons to eat carrots for health. One serving (one large carrot)contains more than the Recommended Daily Allowance for Vitamin A (betacarotene). They are known to contain phytonutrients and other antioxidants like Vitamin C.

They are low in calories; one cup has about 50 calories. While they do have sugar, their total carbohydrates are only about 5% of calories. They are low on the glycemic index, likely because of their fibre.

One thing that always bothered me about the Atkins Diet is the vilification of carrots. “They’re too high in sugar” people tell me. Nonsense! Calories and carbohydrates are not the only reasons to eat a food. Nutrient density should be the goal. Carrots should be eaten with gusto, given their stellar nutritional profile. In-depth nutritional analysis here: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrientprofile&dbid=76

Carrots are versatile. I use them as a base for many dishes, along with onions, celery and garlic. From there, I make stir fries, soups and stews. Carrots can be eaten raw with dips, in salads and slaws, and even in desserts. I’ve used pureed carrot in lieu of pumpkin in pies for decades and nobody knows the difference unless I tell them. That was especially fun with my father and sister who both claim to dislike carrots. They couldn’t believe they were eating carrots.

Plan to plant some carrots next spring, even in pots or in a small bed near your home’s foundation. You will reap the rewards for much of the summer and into fall.

To help you consume your bounty of carrots, check out these three recipes.

Carrot (Pumpkin) Pie

Apron Pocket

Carrot & Dill Soup

Learn more abut carrots: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=21

October 7, 2014

Carrot & Dill Soup

2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil

1 stalk chopped celery

1 chopped onions

2 cloves minced garlic

½ tsp salt & pepper or to taste

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups turkey, chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups water

½ cup chopped fresh dill leaves

Heat butter in large pot. Cook celery, onion, garlic, salt & pepper for about 5 minutes.

Add carrots. Cook for 4 minutes.

Add stock and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cover. Simmer until carrots are tender, about 35 min.

Puree finished soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. Let cool & reheat or serve immediately. Garnish with dill.

October 7, 2014October 7, 2014

Apron Pocket

(adapted from a dish, Mother’s Apron Pocket, at Mother’s Restaurant in Newport Beach, California)

1 whole grain pita, cut in half and opened

Inside the pockets layer:

1 small grated carrot

1 small grated beet

a few slices of red or green onion

4 sliced raw mushrooms

1 avocado, sliced

1 sliced tomato, optional

Drizzle with a bit of lemon juice.

This is a delicious mostly raw lunch!

October 7, 2014

Carrot (Pumpkin Pie)

2 unbaked pie shells

1&1/4 cup pumpkin or pureed carrots*

3/4 cup brown sugar

pinch salt

3/4 tsp ginger

1&1/4 tsp cinnamon

4 Tbsp light molasses

3 eggs

2/3 cup milk (or almond milk)

1 cup evaporated milk (or canned coconut milk)

Mix all ingredients together and pour into pie shells. Bake in 350F oven for 50 min or until filling is set. (Touch with a clean fingertip. If it’s still liquid, cook longer). Cool and top with whipped cream or whipped coconut milk.

I have also made this crust-less.

*Slice and boil about 3 cups carrots. When tender, mash or puree with an immersion blender. Use in place of mashed pumpkin in any recipe.

September 15, 2014September 15, 2014

Home-Grown Tomatoes

photo belongs to www.ShelleyGoldbeck.com

“The only things that money can’t buy are love and home-grown tomatoes.”

I heard this in a song last week and I believe it to be true.

There is nothing like the taste of home-grown tomatoes. The tomatoes we get in the stores are mere thick-skinned, tasteless, mealy, red orbs, even when we pay $4 per pound for the privilege of buying them “on the vine”. They’re designed to look pretty in the supermarket, all the same size and shape, and thick-skinned to survive travelling the globe.

Many Calgary gardeners picked bushels of green tomatoes off their plants prior to the first snow of the season, the summer season! We got several inches from September 8 to 11,

devastating our city’s mature deciduous trees.

I simply covered my tomatoes and prayed. They were late starting and had just begun looking promising after six weeks of decent summer weather. I thought we’d get a skiff of snow, some frost and then I’d uncover them and they would flourish in our two additional months of summer. Dreamer!

Almost a week later I have yet to uncover them. The snow was followed by several nights of serious frost. I’m frankly, scared to look.

For those who picked them all, here are some tips for getting the most out of your home-grown tomatoes.

Sort them. I put them one layer deep, not touching each other, in stackable boxes in a cool dark place. I tend to put the larger tomatoes together and the cherries, grapes and other minis together.
Check often. Tomatoes can ripen overnight, it seems. One day there are none. The next, there are too many to reasonably consume.
Eat them. In tomato season, I serve sliced tomatoes at almost every meal. They provide enzymes, vitamin C, lycopene, and taste so wonderful! A fabulous dish is tomato soup (see recipe) made with home-grown tomatoes. You’ll never go back to the canned stuff.
Freeze them. When the ripening tomatoes exceed our ability to consume them, I wash and dry the excess, pop them whole into freezer bags and freeze. Then when I need canned tomatoes for a soup, stew, or other dish, I simply run the frozen tomatoes under hot water. The skins peel right off and I throw the tomatoes into the pot, chopped or not. As canned tomatoes are quite salty, I usually add salt to the dish. Freezing is so much easier than canning tomatoes, less labour, heat, and electricity. I can use just one tomato or a number. (When I open a can, I have to use them all!) I rarely buy canned tomatoes: even the organic ones come in plastic lined tins, a source of toxins.
Share them! Non-gardeners have no idea how wonderful home-grown tomatoes taste. If you share this “candy*” with them, you might motivate them grow their own tomatoes.

It seems to me there would be more of the other thing money can’t buy, love, if more people knew the joy of home-grown tomatoes.

*That’s what my friend called them to get her reluctant Grandtoy to try her home-grown tomatoes. Grandtoy agreed and ate more!

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