Sensational Sardines

If the only sardines you’ve had come in a tin boy are you missing out. Believe it or not, but fresh sardines are really amazing. Seriously, I’m not effing with you. Plus, these swimmers are nutritional winners and are a very sustainable seafood option.

Sardines are packed with protein, vitamin B12, selenium, calcium and more disease-thwarting omega-3 fatty acids than salmon. Plus, they are one of the few great food sources of vitamin D. The latest batch of science suggests in addition to building bones of steel, vitamin D can help safeguard against depression, heart disease and certain cancers. That is because it acts more like a hormone than a vitamin.

With abundant populations as a result of being prolific reproducers, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program says sardines are one of the best seafood choices you can make at the fishmonger.

Oh, and as an added bonus, sardines come with a very low sticker price compared to most other seafood. I get a good sized bag of frozen sardines for about six bucks.

There is actually no fish that is a “sardine.” It is a name given to many different diminutive fish of the herring family. Technicalities aside, the Portuguese are really on to something because, again, freshly cooked sardines are really delicious if you enjoy seafood. They are perfect for the summer grill because of the strong fishy smell they give off when cooking which may not be welcomed in the kitchen.

Most fresh sardines need to be cleaned, which is no big deal. Here’s how to do it:

Slice off the head of the fish and then make a cut down the belly stopping just short of the end.

From the head end, grab the tailbone and gently pull it out being careful not to pull out too much precious meat. Wash well with cold water and pat dry.

Now make this recipe!

Grilled Sardines with Lime-Chili Sauce

1 lb. sardines, cleaned

1-inch fresh ginger, grated

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 teaspoons garlic-chili paste or 1-2 small dried red chilies, crushed

Juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

To make the sauce, combine ginger, garlic chili sauce, lime, fish sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl and mix well. I often make this using a mortar and pestle.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Season sardines with salt and pepper. Place sardines on an oiled grill, skin side down, and cook until the flesh turns opaque, about 4-5 minutes. Do not flip the sardines during cooking. Place sardines on a serving dish and top with sauce.

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Great Grains

Bored stiff of rice and pasta? Here is an article I wrote for Competitor Running about some excellent alternative grains you may want to add to your pantry.

Great Grains

Crazy for Currants

For too few weeks a year, fresh currants are available at markets and this ultra-seasonal treat should not be missed. Like their berry counterparts, tart currants abound in vitamin C and phytochemicals, which help mop-up pesky free radicals that mess around with cells in the body to initiate a variety of chronic diseases. A recent U.K. study determined that individuals with higher blood vitamin C levels are less likely to develop diabetes.


Currants are available in black, red and white guises with the red variety being a really good value in my mind. At our local market, they are now available for 3 bucks a quart. We are such currant superfans, we picked up a whole flat of them. They freeze really well, so now we have plenty on hand to add to oatmeal, baked goods and yogurt.

One of the most common uses for currants in the kitchen is making jam. To make a truly nutrition packed toast or cracker spread, try this chia currant fruit spread. Salubrious chia seeds, which are now easy to find in stores or online at Navitus Naturals, contain a wealth of vitamins, minerals, protein and soluble fiber. When soaked in water, chia forms a tapioca-like gel that makes them especially good for making low sugar fruit spreads.

Chia Currant Spread

1 cup water

3 tablespoons chia

¾ cup currants

2 Tbsp sugar

In a bowl, mix together chia and water and let sit for at least 30 minutes to form a gel. Stir with a whisk occasionally to prevent clumping. Place the chia seed gel in a blender or food processor along with currants and sugar; process until smooth. Store in the fridge.

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Gorgeous Gazpacho

With the mercury rising and market’s bursting with exceptional vegetables at their finest, now is the perfect time to enjoy cold soups. Gazpacho is a tomato-based soup with Spanish origins. Traditionally, it’s made with tomatoes, cucumber and red peppers. The great thing about making refreshing Gazpacho at this time of year, the oven stays off keeping your kitchen cool. The other benefit is that each sip is loaded with lycopene – a red pigment antioxidant found in tomatoes that helps fend off a variety of cancers.


This is the perfect make-ahead soup as I noticed the flavours only got better after a day or two in the fridge. If you don’t have time to chill the soup before it needs to be served, try processing each batch with about 3 ice cubes.

Garden Fresh Gazpacho

Serves 6

Ingredients:

5 medium tomatoes, diced

1 English cucumber, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Hanful of fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey, agave syrup or sugar

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cilantro or chives

Instructions:

Combine tomato, cucumber, red pepper, onion, celery, jalapeno, garlic, and basil in a large bowl. Place half the vegetable mixture in a food processor or high-power blender such as a Vita-mix along with half the vinegar, olive oil, honey, cumin, salt and pepper. Process until desired consistency. Empty bowl of food processor and repeat with remaining ingredients. Chill for a couple hours but preferably overnight in the fridge to allow flavours to blend. Garnish with cilantro or chives and serve.

Apricots and Cherries

Tis’ the season when cherries and apricots are in-season at the same time. Both have some serious nutritional firepower that makes it worth scarfing them down in copious quantities.

Apricots obtain their orange colour from carotenoids such as beta-carotene. In the body, beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A which is necessary for the proper formation of immune cells. On its own, beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant to help fend off the cell damaging effects of free radicals. Each bite also provide potassium, a mineral that has blood pressure lowering capabilities by counterbalancing sodium.

Apricots ripen more quickly than other stone fruits so once home, gobble them up quickly.

A relative of plums, peaches, and nectarines, cherries are chock-full of anthocyanin antioxidants that are responsible for their rosy hue. Anthocyanin’s have been credited with reducing inflammation and helping keep the mind sharp. A big bowl of sour or sweet cherries also provides a good amount of vitamin C and potassium. And here is an interesting fact: Cherries are a rare food source of melatonin, which may help regulate sleep patterns.

Though you don’t often see them together in a recipe, here is a square recipe that proves they can be best buds. If you don’t have a cherry pitter, use the small end of a chopstick and press it through the stem end of a cherry. The pit should pop right out. I used coconut flour because I like the extra protein it gives back goods, but you could simply use all whole-wheat flour or other flour of choice. If you don’t want to use butter, I believe about the same amount of vegetable oil should work fine. These firm up after a spending overnight in the fridge so dry not to slice into them right away.

Over at Muffin Tin Mania, I have a great cherry cake recipe you might want to check out.

Cherry Apricot Squares

Ingredients:
2 cups pitted cherries, sliced in half
8-10 fresh apricots, pitted and chopped
¼ cup sugar of choice
1.5 Tbsp cornstarch
¾ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup coconut flour
1 cup quick cook oats
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-inch ginger, grated
½ cup butter, melted

In a medium size saucepan, combine cherries, apricots and 1/3 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for about 6 minutes or until apricots soften and fruit begins to breakdown. Stir in cornstarch and sugar; cook an additional 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mix together flours, oats, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and walnuts. Stir in maple syrup, vanilla, egg, ginger and butter. Press half the flour mixture into the bottom of a square pan making sure all the surface is covered. Top with the cherry apricot mixture. Cover fruit mixture with remaining flour mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden. Let cool at room temperature and then place in the fridge for several hours to help them hold together when slicing.

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Tremendous Tofu

One of the best ways to save cash and eat a little greener is to slash the amount of meat you eat. But I understand for most people tofu, often the poster child of the vegetarian movement, is about as exciting as watching the world lawn bowling championships. However, when prepared right, this low-fat protein powerhouse that is crammed with beneficial phytonutrients is really delicious (ok, it might not rouse the taste buds quite like juicy burger but it’s a worthy contender).

This is one of my favourite meals I have had in a long while and really suggest it for tofu newbie’s and veterans alike. Grilling tofu gives it an amazing smoky, meaty flavour. And the peppery pesto makes it even better. You can probably get away without pressing the water out of the tofu but for the best results, I suggest not skipping this step.

Grilled Tofu with Arugula Pesto

1 package firm tofu
1 oz (about 1 cup) arugula
0.5 oz (about ½ cup) basil
1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup olive or hemp oil

Slice tofu in half horizontally and lay it on a couple pieces of paper towel that are placed on a plate. Top with additional paper towel and another plate. Place a heavy object on the plate and let sit 15 minutes to press out the water.

Slice each half in half and then in half again horizontally to make 8 total tofu pieces. Brush each slab with oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a food processor, combine arugula, basil, walnuts, garlic, cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Process until well mixed but still chunky. With the machine running, drizzle in oil from the top until combined.

Preheat grill to medium and grill each tofu slab for about 4 minutes per side or until browned. (To prevent sticking, you may want to oil the grate as well). Lie tofu on a plate and top 4 slabs with pesto and then place the additional 4 tofu slices on top of the pesto.

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Color Me Healthy

 
The great thing about gamboling through the farmers’ market this time year is all the wonderful variety of produce available. So there is no better time than present to try some new local fruits and vegetables that perhaps you might not be accustomed to. A 2006 Journal of Nutrition study reported that a diet made up of many different fruits and vegetables, thus increasing one’s exposure to many different phytochemical antioxidants, did a better job at fending off oxidative DNA damage than did a diet made up of only a few core produce that would expose you to high levels of just a few phytocehmicals. Orange cauliflower anyone?

The desire to grow high yielding breeds that will hold up well to transport all with little concern for nutrition and flavor is speculated to be why a 2004 study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found levels of several nutrients including vitamin C, calcium and iron have declined in North American produce from 1950 through 1999. Read: Eat more better for you newfangled local fruits and vegetables.

In the picture above, a recent trip to the market produced peppery daikon radish, baby red onions, extra-terrestrial looking kohlrabi and orange cauliflower which contains several times more beta-carotone than the standard ho-hum white version. Besides the fetching hues and new flavors, cooking becomes more exciting when you have a fun, new food to experiment with.

Lentil Quinoa Salad

In my last post, I promised to provide a recipe that includes these preserved lemons. Their salty-tart flavor works really well with this no-fuss salad which includes plenty of bona fide superfoods.


Quinoa: My favorite whole-grain. Contains a good amount of high-quality protein, dietary fiber and magnesium, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Lentils: The little legume that could. Sky-high in iron, protein and dietary fiber to help fend off belly rolls. Use dried lentils for better flavor and texture. Unlike dried beans, they don’t require a pre-soak and cook up in half the time.

Red Pepper: Contains the highest vitamin C levels among all vegetables.

Tomatoes: Coming into season now meaning you can find varieties at the market that taste like tomatoes should. Excellent source of the potent antioxidant lycopene.

Walnuts: Has the highest omega-3 content of the nut varieties. Pecans would work here too.

I included chopped sorrel, a herb related to rhubarb with a distinctive tangy taste, because it’s growing well on our patio. If you can’t find sorrel, mint would be wonderful in this salad as well.

Of course, this recipe can be made without the lemons and still be very much delicious. In the absence of the preserved lemons, you could try squeezing some fresh lemon juice over it if you like.

This nutrient-packed salad is really great cold, so consider bringing it to work for lunches during the week.

Quinoa Lentil Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup dried green/brown/black lentils or 1 can green lentils, drained and rinsed

1 cup quinoa

1/3 cup walnuts pieces

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 cup chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Handful sorrel, chopped (optional)

2 Tbsp preserved lemon, finely diced (optional)

Instructions:

If using dried lentils, rinse the lentils and cook them in a saucepan of 3 cups simmering water, about 30 min until tender but still somewhat firm. Drain and discard the liquid. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat quinoa and 2 cups of water to boiling. Then cover and reduce heat to low. Allow to cook about 12 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to rest untouched for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. In a dry skillet, toast walnuts until browned and fragrant; set aside. In a large bowl, combine bell pepper, tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix in cooked quinoa and lentils. Place on serving plates and garnish with toasted walnuts, sorrel and preserved lemon.

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Preserved Lemons

For the sake of saving money and boosting flavor, I’m a big fan of making my own condiments. I’ve had good success with homemade mustard, barbecue sauce and hot sauce. One condiment style item that I had always been eager to try crafting is preserved lemons - lemons that have been pickled in salt and their own juices. It seems like a high-flying kitchen feat, but in reality it is really easy to pull off. Many Morrocon and Middle-Eastern dishes make use of salty-tart preserved lemons. They are great on grilled fish, sauteed vegetables or as a way to perk up lentils soups and salads. You could even sneak them into a batch of hummus, pesto or tapenade. For my next post, I’ll provide a wonderful lentil quinoa salad that is perfect for the fresh flavor of preserved lemons.

Preserved Lemons

Ingredients:

8 lemons, very well washed

About ½ cup Kosher salt (don’t use ordinary table salt)

Extra lemon juice if needed (it’s best to keep extra lemons on hand to have access to additonal lemon juice)

Cinnamon stick (optional)

Instructions:

Place 2 tablespoons of salt in the bottom of a large sterilized jar. You can sterilize it with hot, soapy water. Cut ¼-inch off the tip of a lemon. Cut the lemon as if you were going to cut it in half lengthwise, starting from the tip, but do not cut all the way. Keep the lemon attached at the base. Make another similiar cut, so now the lemon is quartered but still attached at the base. Pry the lemon open and generously sprinkle salt all over the insides and outsides of the lemon. Don’t be stingy with the salt!

Pack the lemon in the jar, squishing it down so that juice is extracted. Repeat this processes with remaining lemons. The top should be covered with juice so add more if necessary after you have squished in all the lemons. Top with two tablespoons salt. Toss in a cinnamon stick if you have one.

Seal the jar and let sit in the fridge for 3-4 weeks or until the rinds have softened. Add more juice as needed to keep the lemons covered. For the first few days, you may want to press down on the lemons a few times to help the juice rise to the top.

To use, remove a desired amount of lemon from the jar and rinse thoroughly to remove excess salt. Discard seeds and pulp before using and dice up the rind. You can store preserved lemons in the fridge for about six months.

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Edamame

The nutritional makeup of edamame, young green soybeans, leaves most foods green with envy. Here’s a breakdown:


A single cup of prepared edamame contains an impressive 8 grams of dietary fiber. On top of promoting a healthy digestive system, fiber fills you up so you are less likely to make a surreptitious commercial break run to the fridge for leftover birthday cake.

The same cup is chock-full of protein – 17 grams. Because soy contains a full compliment of essential amino acids, it’s considered a “complete” protein like beef, chicken and fish.

Edamame is abundant in vitamin K, a vitamin necessary for proper blood clotting and bone health.

Few foods contain more folate. Folate has been well publicized for its ability to help prevent birth defects, but this vitamin is also associated with improved heart health.

Edamame is a good vegetarian source of iron to help keep energy levels up and magnesium, an often underconsumed mineral which helps regulate blood sugar levels.

You can find edamame, in or out of the shell, in the freezer section of most grocery stores. I suggest purchasing organic edamame (here in Waterloo a bag costs about 4 bucks) to ensure that you are not purchasing genetically modified soy.

For a great snack, simply boil edamame and sprinkle with salt and lemon or turn it into this nutrition packed riff on traditional hummus. This spread is great as a dip for crudités, as a spread on toast and whole-grain crackers or, do as I did, and make it a base for a wrap with smoked salmon, roasted red pepper and fresh cilantro. I used garlic scapes from the garden, but regular garlic will do as well.

Edamame Sundried Tomato Hummus

1 cup shelled edamame, frozen

1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped

¼ cup tahini

¼ cup plain low fat yogurt or mayonnaise

3 garlic scapes or 2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 handful cilantro

Juice of ½ lemon

½ tsp cumin

¼ tsp cayenne or chili powder (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook edamame according to package directions. In a food processor or Vita-mix, add cooked edamame and the rest of the ingredients. Mix until desired consistency.

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