WINTER 2008
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Pg 28 - FOODSTUFF
News, Notes & Fresh Ideas - By Alia Akkam
Tea Time
Sure, a can of soda is convenient and delivers an energy boost, but it's far from healthy. Instead, let an elegant bottle of premium, unsweetened green tea, the only one on the market featuring high-quality stone-ground matcha, do the trick. Iyemon Cha, available in both original and roasted green varieties, is made with organic tea leaves, selected by a master tea blender at the 200-year-old Fujukuen tea house in Kyoto. "Green tea contains numerous beneficial compounds, collectively called polyphenols, that have been shown in research to help protect cells against everyday free radicals and boost the immune system," says Minh-Hai Tran, M.S., R.D., a Seattle-based nutritionist and dietician. "Higher consumption of green tea has been linked to a lower risk of certain cancers and heart disease. Unfortunately, most bottled tea beverages on the market are simply sugary waters containing little tea. Iyemon Cha is a great, accessible alternative for health-conscious consumers on the go."
"I was traveling to Asia on a business trip over three years ago when I saw everyone from cab drivers, office workers, and people shopping, drinking bucket-like cups of loose-leaf tea-and it was served at every meal. Drinking loose-leaf teas was clearly embedded in daily life," recalls Juliette Sussman, founder of Teavalize, an innovative 60-day program designed to boost health by drinking tea. "The connection to teas and health came from women talking to me about how growing up, their mothers taught them the benefits of teas for a long life-and how it can help cut the oil and fat in the foods they ate." Sussman's Teavalize system celebrates this simple, healthful ritual, featuring fresh teas from China's prime tea-growing regions. Just plop a packet of tea (Oolong Boost in the morning, Pu'er Essential after meals) into the infuser and add hot water, and you're set to go.
Fishing Around
Anyone serious about sticking to a healthy diet can't escape the growing popularity of Omega-3s found in fish oil. With endorsements from the American Heart Association to Andrew Weil to the World Health Organization, Omega-3s' health benefits are now in the public eye. "Omega-3s/fish oil is a leading category in overall nutritional supplementation. If you survey individuals who use vitamin, mineral, and/or herbal supplements, I would argue that fish oil and multivitamins are the most common products used," explains Douglas MacKay, naturopathic doctor and research advisor for Nordic Naturals. "As far as the general population, people are not turned on to fish oil because they do not focus on prevention. We have a bad habit of waiting until we get sick and then we supplement."
Nordic Naturals is a current leader on the omega front for both its Omega-3 purified fish oil and capsules, as well as its commitment to the environment. They use only wild fish and all their by-product is used for either animal or human consumption. Another brand to consider is Barlean's. Known for its flax oil, they have now introduced a complete Omega-3 source: the ultra-purified Fresh Catch fish oil line harvested from fresh waters in all-natural orange and lemonade flavors. Their Omega Swirl pushes Omega-3s into the dessert sphere; their molecularly distilled cod liver oil has the taste and texture of a fruit smoothie. Mary Kent Hearon, nutritional health counselor and founder of Columbia, South Carolina-based Dragonfly Wellness, says that Omega-3s can enhance the body by increasing memory, aiding circulation, and regulating metabolism. Especially pertinent to the winter, MacKay says that Omega-3s can help keep dry skin and eyes moisturized while balancing the immune response.
When shopping for a fish oil, Hearon says it is essential to look for one that has been molecularly distilled-meaning there are no harmful traces of Mercury or other toxins in the product-like Nordic Naturals. When in the grocery store, looking for alternatives to straight fish oil, stock up on sardines, mackerel, anchovies, and cod liver. These cold water fish, along with almonds, avocado, and flax seeds, are rich with Omega-3s. Seeking out foods packed with Omega-3s becomes easier when leafing through a creative cookbook like Omega 3 Cuisine: Recipes for Health and Pleasure, by Alan Roettinger and Udo Erasmus. Erasmus, author of Fats that Heal Fats that Kill, has also created Udo's Oil 369 Blend, derived from organically grown plant sources, which protects Omega-3 fats from heat, light, and oxygen. The new book features recipes integrating Udo's Oil into healthful, easy-to-prepare dishes like potato-leek soup with rosemary, quinoa pilaf and goji-raspberry sorbet. "People really don't understand the difference between good fats and bad fats," Hearon explains. "Omega-3s are an essential fat, a good fat that our body needs."
Mariel's Mission
Mariel Hemingway may have seduced us as the ingenue in Woody Allen's Manhattan nearly 30 years ago, but behind that angelic face, this granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway never had it easy. Instead of falling into a destructive vortex like others in her famous family have, Hemingway says she has always been on a journey to well-being. "I was on a mission to survive," she points out. For Hemingway, survival has included sustainable food (macrobiotic and raw), silence, and plenty of yoga (she practices at least four times a week.) The author of Mariel Hemingway's Healthy Living From the Inside Out, she encourages readers to strive for better personal health. Mariel now spends her days speaking as a wellness expert at spas around the country, sharing messages of inspiration on her blog at www.marielhemingway.com, and rolling out nutritious products under her new company, Mariel's Kitchen. The first of these is the Blisscuit, a flour-free, sugar-free cookie ("it tastes like a cookie-not a health bar") made with almond meal that she plans to showcase in flavors from lemon poppyseed to carob. The Blisscuit, just the first step in a grand lineup eventually to include healthy sauces, soups, and non-dairy ice cream, is intended to help people successfully break the habit of overeating carbs. Hemingway has also found time to endorse Healthy Curb, a food-based supplement devoid of any caffeine, stimulants or herbs that builds cell walls while providing more energy and curbing one's appetite for bad food. She thinks it's one essential tool for getting people started toward a healthier lifestyle. "Everything we ingest has the ability to heal or hinder our health. You may not recognize it at first, but eventually, the detrimental effects of poor food choices makes their toll on your body, your energy, your ability to be a spouse, a parent, a friend and a worker," she explains. "Healthy Curb is a gift because it is not a diet pill; it is the real deal. It actually curbs your appetitie and reduces your desire for junk food." In early 2009, look for Hemingway's newest tome, this one focusing on how to green your kitchen and eat what's in season. "I'm trying to get people back to the ritual of real food," she says.
Turkey Tips from a Spa Chef
"The holiday season always excites me. As a kid, when school let out for the holidays, I always anticipated the huge spread that was going to be displayed at my grandmother's ranch house in Colorado," says Bill Wavrin, renowned executive chef and director of food and beverage at the Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Southern California and editorial adviser to this magazine.
Now, when prepping for the big holiday himself, Wavrin seeks out the best birds he can find, which, he points out, are much more accessible these days. "Even Costco offers organic birds," he says. " I look for the ones that are labeled organic, free-roaming, free of hormones, free of antibiotics, and preferably fed on sustainable grasses."
An organic bird, oven-roasted and stuffed with rosemary and sage, is the centerpiece of Wavrin's modern, deconstructed Thanksgiving Day menu, which also features parsley and roasted garlic crushed red and purple potatoes; vanilla and orange zested red yams; cranberry-blueberry relish (see recipe); and brandied apple custard tart.
Cranberry-Blueberry Relish
Makes 7 cups
Ingredients
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1 cup unsweetened orange juice
1 cup cranberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup dried sour cherries, pitted
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Method:
Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cranberries and apples and cook, stirring, until apples start to turn golden, about five minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until cranberries have broken down and chutney is starting to thicken, about 25 minutes.
Add to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. It is better overnight, so the flavors can marry. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Recipes for a Healthier You
When the weather turns bone-chilling, we'd much rather hunker down at home and get our stoves going than swaddle up in heavy coats and scarves just to get a bite to eat. To avoid packing on those pounds that are so easy to mask under the many layers the season calls for, here are a few cookbooks to help lead you in a healthy direction this winter
Simply Organic
To showcase that eating organically is not a trend, but rather a lifestyle, Jesse Ziff Cool, a San Francisco sustainable food expert, created Simply Organic (Chronicle Books.) In this cookbook, Ziff Cool supplies readers with a handy list of the best foods to eat organically. She also celebrates each season, organizing her recipes around specific times of the year, like early winter and first of spring, so only the freshest fruits and veggies make their way onto your menu. On a bleak, chilly evening, enliven the kitchen with a feast of Ziff Cool's recipes for roasted rutabaga lamb sausage; chicken with dried cherries, capers and chiles; and steamed vanilla custard with bananas.
Food 2.0
To keep the staff at Google revitalized and focused, chef Charlie Ayers (former caterer for The Grateful Dead) was brought on board to churn out healthy, flavorful, sustainable menus. In Food 2.0: Secrets from the Chef Who Fed Google (DK Publishing), Ayers dispenses his expertise on raw and organic cooking and shares recipes that regaled the employees of the dot com powerhouse. In addition to dishes like cauliflower-almond-garlic soup, Japanese beef curry, and sweet potato biscuits (perfect winter grub), Ayers also guides readers with shopping tips and encourages them to appreciate natural food sources.
Site We Like
Michael Morton, who once managed several homeless shelters on the Central Coast of California, wished that those families he saw hit the street day after day had the privilege of fortifying themselves with the proper nutrients. With the mission of providing healthful foods and supplements to those in need, Morton, founder of the American Holistic Health Association, teamed up with philanthropists to launch Nourish America in 1999.
"In my nine years experience at Nourish America, I've worked with many low-income families who are tirelessly working several jobs to provide their families with food and shelter. When parents are overworked and cutting back on essential grocery items, they and their children become malnourished," explains Mary Morton, communications and program director. "At Nourish America, we find that when most families receive support with nourishing foods and supplements, their minds clear, they have the energy to push on, and they begin to create a life that will truly support them."
A visit to www.nourishamerica.org reveals the breadth of programs and accomplishments already under the non-profit's belt. Through "Waste Not. Nourish America!," vendors can choose to donate short-dated products to Nourish America instead of just shipping them back to the manufacturer's warehouse. Thanks to the Office Depot Foundation, Nourish America is distributing 15,000 free backpacks and multivitamins to low-income students in Los Angeles and Denver. Nourish America (and this magazine, see page 112) was also instrumental in gathering supplies for the hardest hit victims of this year's devastating Iowa tornadoes and floods. Along with its donors in the natural products industry, brands such as Clif Bar, Aveda, and Natural Alternatives International, they gathered over one million dollars in donated products. "I think the greatest challenge is coming to grips with the escalating need here in the United States," points out Morton. "We have been fortunate to be able to provide nutritional help to hundreds of thousands throughout the United States, but with the downturn in the economy, there is much more work to do." Check out www.nourishamerica.org to find out how you can make an impactful donation.