Day 4: DAIKON

I've been explaining daikon as "it's like a radish..." for almost two years now at the Restaurant when guests ask about it on the menu. In fact it absolutely is a radish, known as white icicle radish, oriental radish, or daikon meaning "large root" in Japanese. It is often pickled for use as a condiment, and is rumored to help digest starches and fats, which is why they are commonly served with tempura dishes. The flavor is more mild and sweeter than the small radishes we're familiar with, so I chose to use it julienned with carrots in a salad of romaine lettuce and sprinkled crushed peanuts. Topped with a traditional "vinaigrette", this root added a wonderfully crisp and juicy crunch to my greens!

Amazu Dressing:

1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup water, and 1.5 tbs sugar. Warm to dissolve sugar, then cool in fridge

HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:

+ 1/2 cup, raw, has only 18 calories...it's basically half water and half fiber
+ provides 25% of your daily vitamin C needs!
+ 0g sugar, 0.5g protein, 1g dietary fiber
+ a bit of vitamin B, folate, iron, potassium, and copper
+ provides active enzymes (when raw only!) that aid in digestion

not quite as nutrient-packed as chard, but for almost no calories adds a fantastic amount of vitamin C to your salad or stir-fry!

FUN FACTS:

+ another variety of daikon radish, Sakurajima-daikon, can grow up to 2 feet wide and weight up to 100 pounds!
+ juice of daikon is sold both as a digestive aid and as an anti-carcinogen
+ the top part of the root (near the leaves) is sweetest, so best for eating raw; the bottom half tastes better when stir-fried to reduce the bitter flavor

Day 3: CHARD

Let's just call it chard, whether Swiss, Ruby, Rhubarb, or Rainbow (pictured). It is a relative of the beet, and also a vegetable I never ate growing up. But after learning about this wonder-food I am making it a goal to eat chard every week!

On the recommendation of a dear friend, I prepared my chard by saute-ing chopped leaves and stalks in olive oil and sprinkling with balsamic vinegar before taking out of the pan. Check out these AMAZING stats.

HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:

1 cup chard, cooked, has:
+ 4g dietary fiber and 3g protein
+ 214% daily vitamin A!!
+ 716% daily vitamin K!!! crazy!
+ about 1/3 of your daily need for iron, magnesium, potassium, and manganese
+ small amount of omega-6 fatty acids, and decent amount of vits C and E

A and K are both fat-soluble vitamins (along with D and E)...this means that the body will store any excess amounts in fatty tissue of the liver. Vitamins B and C are excreted in urine when we don't need them, so there's not much danger in over-consumption of those. But there are definitely toxic side-effects from over-consumption of A,D,E, and K, which is why I would not recommend eating chard every day even with its superpower-status.

Interestingly, my celiac disease's damage to the small intestine occurs in one of the areas where fat-absorption takes place. Due to this, active celiac disease can prevent absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins, which is why when I was first diagnosed my doctors all recommended me taking extra supplements of these vitamins as well as calcium and iron. Vitamins are necessary for most mineral absorption, which explains why when I took gobs of iron supplements prior to my diagnosis I saw absolutely NO change in my anemia..it just wasn't gettin' through!

FUN FACTS:

+ chard has amazing anti-oxidant power which neutralizes free-radicals
+ it is shown to reduce arterial plaque and promote colon health
+ those with white stalks are the most tender (and edible)
+ "Swiss chard" was named by the French in order to distinguish it from spinach

Day 2: BRUSSEL SPROUTS

I'll keep this "alphabetical" thing going while I can...plus this happens to be the only other vegetable left in my fridge! Looks like I'll be going to the grocery store tomorrow...

Brussel sprouts have a notoriously bad reputation...I remember refusing to eat them at a friend's house when I was young, and still hadn't touched them until about a year ago when a coworker prepared them for a dinner party and I was obligated to fork a few onto my plate. To the skeptic, they may smell sulfurous or taste bitter. But stripped of the yellow outer leaves and cooked properly, they lose their funk and the densely packed centers' "meaty" quality makes them very satisfying (you'll learn that I'm all about satiety).



HOW I PREPARED THEM:

+ rinsed under water and cut in half down the center
+ spread halves on foil-covered baking sheet
+ drizzled olive oil, cracked black pepper, and sea salt over the top
+ baked in the oven at 400 degrees F for 35 minutes

This method leaves them with a bit more of their crunch, rather than steaming which I have also tried and enjoyed.


HOW GOOD THEY ARE FOR YOU:

1 cup of brussel sprouts steamed or baked (not boiled) have:
+ 37 calories
+ less than 1g fat: includes omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (great unsaturated fats)
+ 3g dietary fiber, 3g protein, and only 2g sugar
+ very low glycemic load (so if you eat them with a more sugar-rich food, this will help to slow down the metabolism of the whole meal!)
+ NO cholesterol, AND some good plant phytosterols
+ a decent amount of potassium, manganese, iron, vitamins A & B, and folate
++ 200% daily value of Vitamin K!! AWESOME!
++ 125% daily value of Vitamin C! - almost as much as 1 orange! and SO much less sugar! (1 orange has 17g sugars)

FUN FACTS:

+ the British consume 6 times more brussel sprouts than Americans (that childhood friend's parents were from England...if I had only known this then, I would have been forewarned from eating dinner at their house...)
+ recent research suggests that one of their nutrients - sinigrin - may prevent colon cancer. This is the same compound responsible for their gaseous smell ;) how ironic
+ cutting an X with your knife at the base of the sprout helps even cooking all the way through to the center


Wow, who knew? Brussel sprouts are awesome, anti-inflammatory foods. I will warn you ahead of time though...they will probably make you gassy, being the cruciferous vegetable that they are! Steaming adequately and chewing well help to reduce gas by helping your body to digest them and allow your GI tract to absorb more of the nutrients :)

Day 1: ARTICHOKE

Let's start at the very beginning...A is for Artichoke!

Now, I'm actually being very easy on myself because this is a vegetable that I already love, but rarely eat because they're expensive. Right now, though, it is artichoke season so they are on sale! $1 for an artichoke doesn't seem so bad, and having just eaten a whole one by myself I am feeling pretty dang satisfied!

Here's what I think about 'em:

1. EASY to prepare: rinse under water, wrap in plastic wrap, microwave for 4 minutes, let stand for 1 minute, and voila! Perfectly delectible artichoke! Steaming this way rather than boiling in water ensures that the nutrients don't leave the artichoke and end up in your pan. Baking or grilling are also tastey ways of preparing artichoke while preserving nutrients, but I'm all about speed and ease.

2. They're one of those foods that are an EXPERIENCE to eat, like pistachios or pomegranates: you have to work for every bite of food! While some may find this annoying, I like how it limits the pace of your meal (you can't just inhale an artichoke in 30 seconds) and think the process adds to its satiety.

3. DIP in some sort of fat: traditionally one would strip off a leaf of artichoke, dip the non-pokey edge in mayo, melted butter, olive oil, margarine, etc, and scrape the "meat" off with your teeth. Overall you consume no more than 1 tbs of fat, but it adds perfect balance to the meal! A little bit of fat = a lot of satiety!

HOW GOOD THEY ARE FOR YOU:

+ an average medium artichoke has only 25 calories
+ 6g of dietary fiber (25% daily recommendation)
+ only 1g sugar
+ 4g protein
+ no fat, no cholesterol (but any dip will likely add fat)
+ recently ranked #1 in antioxidant content by USDA: contains many phytochemicals that help the liver generate new cells, not to mention a significant amount of potassium, vitamin C, folate, and magnesium
+ known to lower blood cholesterol levels

FUN FACTS:
+ people claim they can cure a hangover
+ California grows almost 100% of artichokes eaten in the US
+ "Cynar" liqueor is made from the artichoke (and tastes like artichoke!)

don't be afraid of this pokey-chokey...try one today!

21-Day Vegetable Challenge!!!!

I am not a big fan of vegetables....fruit, I LOVE, but vegetables I have a hard time craving or even swallowing. While I know I get many great nutrients from fruits, I also find that they raise my blood sugar level too high and leave me feeling some sort of "sugar crash", even if I eat them with almond butter, whole nuts, cheese, or soy yogurt (adding proteins and fats lowers the overall glycemic index of the meal, meaning a slower and more steady release of glucose into the blood and longer-lasting energy). Vegetables, on the other hand, provide many nutrients not found in fruits, have much lower sugar levels, and provide essential fiber, all of which help lead to a more satisfying and filling meal. SOOOO... like your mother always told you, you should eat your vegetables!

This leads me to my challenge: I am going to eat a different vegetable each day for 21 days, trying them in preparations that will hopefully be tastey! In doing so I will hold myself accountable for trying new foods even if I don't think they "sound good", and will hopefully discover some great vegetables with amazing nutrients ,that I actually like to eat too!

In vinegar we trust?

Tonight I was researching vinegar for my organic chemistry class (since vinegar contains acetic acid derived from alcohol, in case you didn't know or, eh hem, cared) and this simple topic led me to celiac disease, just as so many things in my world seem to do. About 2 months ago I had a celiac guest at the Restaurant to whom I recommended a dish that contained mayonnaise. When it arrived at the table she informed me that she couldn't eat mayonnaise because it contains vinegar, which is commonly made from fermented wheat or barley. Turns out Chef makes his own mayonnaise from rice wine vinegar, which completely delighted her and resulted in a happy ending. But I myself was left a bit lost by the encounter, since all of the books I have read insist that regular vinegar is free of gluten.

So in researching vinegar tonight I learned more about why it is technically deemed gluten-free: white vinegar (most commonly used) is made from distilled alcohols, which have been evaporated from their original source (such as beer) and recondensed as a more pure form of alcohol that will not contain any protein or "prolamines" (which gluten is). This is why celiacs are now told that they can drink vodkas, gins, whiskeys, and bourbons if they are 100% distilled liquors, even though they are orginally made from a wheat, barley, or rye source.

BUT..."old-school" celiacs insist that they get sick even from distilled products, which would include vinegar. This would mean that ketchup, salad dressings, mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, and many many other condiments would be off-limits. It would be tempting to dismiss these people by claiming they are "psyching themselves out", as though they get sick because they know it's from a gluten-source. Or perhaps all of these people simply drink too much alcohol and feel sick just like every other drunk! I do not think it is reasonable, however, to dismiss so many reactions. This makes me wonder if "science" does not yet fully understand the issue: perhaps some component of gluten remains in the distilled product which also triggers the celiac response? Or maybe contamination is at fault, even if the intended product is free of gluten.

Since I still can rarely identify my symptoms of celiac disease, it is very difficult to know how MY body is reacting, if I am having an immune response to all of these vinegars and alcohols without knowing it. Some celiacs get sick, others don't...so who do I trust? Especially when the former stance would mean MANY MANY more restrictions.

What happens to you if you eat it???

This is by far the most common question I get asked when someone finds out I am allergic to gluten. I actually find it VERY difficult to answer. This is because I know that if I ate gluten right then and there, my symptoms would not show up immediately, and very likely they would never be apparent to anyone watching. My common responses of "I get sick", or "my immune system damages my small intestine" are usually too intangible to satisfy the inquisitor.

In the Restaurant we tend to be cynical (not openly, of course) toward difficult patrons with specific needs who insist they are allergic to onion, can't eat garlic, or are allergic to nuts and dairy and wheat, and are vegetarian by choice, etc... The most commonly ludicrous seems to be "I'm vegetarian...but I eat chicken and fish". Often when we try to accomodate this person's dietary restrictions, and warn them "this sauce has [forbidden ingredient] in it", they will eat it anyway. I can't tell you how many times someone has insisted that they need a special dish made for them because of their special needs, and halfway through the meal I see them eating off of all of the other plates which I have clearly told them are NOT safe for them to eat.

We bitch because the diner asks us to jump through hoops for them, often with a big attitude, only to demonstrate that our effort wasn't very necessary or appreciated. But when I think about my own dietary restrictions I become aware that, while so many of us who "know" we must follow dietary restrictions for the good of our health, we struggle even more with restricting ourselves from our appetites. Though I wish these guests were more gracious with us and more honest with themselves, I admit that I too have eaten something that I either didn't want to know I was allergic to or did know but ate it anyway. I know how this can appear hypocritical....but really it is a demonstration of the power-struggle at work once we label a food as forbidden. The ability to "cheat" and eat the forbidden foods is likely correlated to the severity of the symptoms, though I know even "deathly allergic" people will sometimes consciously test their limits (and wind up in the ER).

Celiac disease is a more complex allergy (in fact, it is an auto-immune disorder) with a very wide range of symptoms and consequences, many of which are not life-and-death but which absolutely effect quality of life. Sometimes I wish I had a very simple answer for people, or that they wouldn't need me to turn red and puff up like a fish after eating gluten in order to see my diet as IMPORTANT. Although I do feel challenged by the questions, I realize that most of it is curiosity, and that what is most important at the end of the day is that I don't feel tired, achey, depressed, bloated, anemic, and grumpy.