The Hemp Connection [Search results for tomatoes] 

Most people tend to think of soup as a winter/comfort food. I love it year round, but especially in the summer. I use my slow cooker, which doesn't heat up the kitchen. I have a week's worth of lunches or dinners when I'm finished, which I can heat in the microwave. Neither of those appliances heat up my kitchen. Plus, it's a great way to take even more advantage of summer's bounty and all of the related antioxidants. For me, a pretty perfect meal is a fresh salad with a vinaigrette dressing, a bowl of soup, a piece of hearty whole grain bread, and some fresh fruit for dessert. Tonight I'm making a red pepper/cauliflower soup and enjoying some of this week's very cheap cherries for dessert. Here is the recipe. And I'm putting some of my other favorites below. If you want something cooler, I'm giving you recipes for gazpacho and cucumber soup.

Bon appetit!

Red Pepper-Cauliflower Soup (adapted from Sunset Magazine)

6 large red bell peppers,stemmed and cored, halved lengthwise, and pressed flat
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 shallots, peeled and choped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 quart fat-skimmed chicken broth
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 teaspoon sugar
freshly ground pepper
extra-virgin olive oils, chopped fresh chives, and lemon wedges (optional)

1. Preheat broiler to high. Arrange bell pepper skin side up on baking sheet. Broil, watching carefully, until skins are blackened,about 10 minutes. Remove peppers from oven and let cool. Peel over a bowl to collect juices; set peppers and juices aside.

2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add shallots, salt, and cayenne and cook, stiorring until soft, 3 minutes. Add broth and cauliflower. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to as immer. Cover and cook 20 minutes. Add peppers with juices and cook, covered, until cauliflower is tender, 10 minutes. Puree in batches in a blender and add sugar. add pepper to taste.

3. Serve hot or cold, garnished with a drizzle of olive ol, some chives, and a squeeze of lemon juice of you like.

Chicken and Corn Summer Chowder (from Sunset Magazine)

2 slices turkey bacon, chopped (I used an apple-smoked ham hock)
1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp flour
1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
6 cups reduced-sodium or homemade chicken broth
4 cups shredded cooked chicken (you can get this pre-cooked to make it easy)
kernels cut from 3 ears corn
1/4 to 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
2 limes cut into wedges
freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, cook bacon until fat renders and meat starts to brown. (Alternately, place ham hock into soup at last stage). Add onion, reduce heat to medium, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring, until flour smells cooked (like baked pie crust) but hasn't started to brown, about 3 minutes.

2. Add potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to keep mixture simmering and cook until potatoes are barely tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and corn and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir inyogurt to taste. Heat through, about 2 minutes. Serve in soup bowls, garnished with tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, a squirt or two of lime juice, and pepper to taste.

Summer Gazpacho (from Sunset Magazine)

4 lbs. tomatoes, cored
1 1/2 lbs. cucumbers, washed and scrubbed
tomato juice base: 3 cups tomato juice, 3/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 large bell peppers, 1 yellow and 1 green, stemmed and seeded
1/2 cup diced onion
1 large firm-ripe avocado
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup Greek yogurt

Chop 3 tomatoes and 1 cucumber. Fill a blendor or food processor with vegetables; with motor running add enough of the tomato juice base to smoothly puree mixture. Pour mixture into a large bowl or tureen. If needed, puree any remaining chopped vegetables. Add to tureen with any remaining tomato base.

Cut remaining tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers into about 3/8 inch cubes. Add to bowl along with onion; mix.cover, and chill until cold, about 2 hours, or up to 1 day.

Peel, pit, and slice avocado into 10 to 12 wedges; coat wedges with lemon juice. Stir gazpacho and ladle into wide soup bowls; top with avocado slices and spoonfuls of yogurt. Offer olive oil to drizzle into portions to taste; season to taste with salt. Makes 9 or 10 servings.

Cold Cucumber Soup (adapted from Emeril Lagasse)
6 pounds cucumbers (about 6 cucumbers), peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (12 cups)
2 yellow bell peppers, stem and seeds removed, coarsely chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
3 to 4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 cups plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Directions

Combine the cucumbers, bell peppers, green onions, jalapenos, cilantro, mint, dill, garlic, Essence, salt, cayenne, yogurt, 2 cups sour cream, olive oil, and white wine vinegar in a large bowl. Working in batches, puree the ingredients in a blender until very smooth. Transfer the soup to the refrigerator until well chilled, at least 2 hours. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve the soup, with each bowl garnished with a dollop of the remaining sour cream and some of the minced chives.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Not long ago Sasha Ottey of PCOS Challenge e-mailed me to see if I knew anything about"eggplant water". Seems it had been written up in the Los Angeles Times as a weight loss aid. It sounded strange, and she was looking to see if there was any scientific backing.

I was a little skeptical, but I did go to the National Library of Medicine database to see if anything existed. There was nothing about eggplant water specifically, but I did find a research abstract about the potential benefits of an eggplant-based diet. It appears that the antioxidants in eggplant are especially good for combating the types of degenerative processes common to insulin resistance.

Here it is, along with the reference. And below that, is a recipe for ratatouille, my favorite eggplant recipe. Enjoy!

National Diabetes Education Program of NIH, Mayo Clinic and American Diabetes Association recommend eggplant-based diet as a choice for management of type 2 diabetes. The rationale for this suggestion is the high fiber and low soluble carbohydrate content of eggplant. We propose that a more physiologically relevant explanation lies in the phenolic-linked antioxidant activity and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory potential of eggplant which could reduce hyperglycemia-induced pathogenesis. Results from this study indicate that phenolic-enriched extracts of eggplant with moderate free radical scavenging-linked antioxidant activity had high alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity and in specific cases moderate to high angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. Inhibition of these enzymes provide a strong biochemical basis for management of type 2 diabetes by controlling glucose absorption and reducing associated hypertension, respectively. This phenolic antioxidant-enriched dietary strategy also has the potential to reduce hyperglycemia-induced pathogenesis linked to cellular oxidation stress. These results provide strong rationale for further animal and clinical studies.

Kwon YI, Apostolidis E, Shetty K. In vitro studies of eggplant (Solanum melongena) phenolics as inhibitors of key enzymes relevant for type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Bioresour Technol. 2008 May;99(8):2981-8. Epub 2007 Aug 13.

Ratatouille

2 1/2 lb tomatoes (4 large)
8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
20 fresh basil leaves, torn in half
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 lb eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 large onions (1 1/2 lb total), quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
3 assorted bell peppers (green, red, and/or yellow; 1 1/2 lb total), cut into 1-inch pieces
4 medium zucchini (2 lb), quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick pieces
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Garnish: Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings and fresh basil

Cut an X in bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch together in a 4-quart pot of boiling water 1 minute. Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, peel off skin, beginning from scored end, with paring knife.

Coarsely chop tomatoes and transfer to a 5-quart heavy pot with garlic, parsley, basil, and 1/3 cup oil. Simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down and sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.

While sauce is simmering, toss eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large colander and let stand in sink 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook onions in 3 tablespoons oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer onions with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, then add 3 tablespoons oil to skillet and cook bell peppers with 1/4 teaspoon salt over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer peppers with slotted spoon to bowl with onions. Add 3 tablespoons oil to skillet and cook zucchini with 1/4 teaspoon salt over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer zucchini with slotted spoon to bowl with other vegetables.

While zucchini are cooking, pat eggplant dry with paper towels. Add remaining oil (about 1/4 cup) to skillet and cook eggplant over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to12 minutes.

Add vegetables, remaining teaspoon salt, and black pepper to tomato sauce and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 1 hour. Cool, uncovered, and serve warm or at room temperature.

This is an excerpt from Christine Marquette's blog. I love the juxtaposition of vegetarian eating and NASCAR, as we tend to compartmentalize people into stereotypes, which this post serves to challenge us about. You can live in NASCAR country and be a kindler, gentler, eater…as Chris expertly details! She's changing her part of the world, one road race at a time.

If you live in Austin, and would like to work personally with Christine, please visit her website.

For those of you who have been following my blog, you may remember that back in April this year I wrote about my experience eating vegetarian at NASCAR for the first time. Well, this past weekend was the second race weekend we attended at Texas Motor Speedway this year.

I have to say, I learned so much back in April that this time it was a breeze! I made some of the same things (homemade hummus for sandwiches, black bean burger patties), but I also pre-made some other things that we would be able to just heat up via microwave or crock-pot. For example, for Friday night I made “Lima Bake,” which is a super tasty recipe I found on the back of HEB’s dried lima bean bag. Once you have cooked the limas, you just sauté some onions and garlic, then add canned diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and the beans. Top it off with a little cheddar cheese and your done. It is super yummy!

I also pre-made my “famous chili.” This is actually a newer “made up” recipe for me. I used to make tofu chili, but apparently I have over-eaten soy and can no longer tolerate it (I know, tough for a vegetarian!), so I’ve had to be creative in using other vegetarian high-protein foods. Recently I’ve really gotten into “Quorn” products (a “mycoprotein” very similar to mushrooms). I try not to use them too often, but for those occasions when you really need something other than beans or nuts, it is great! I now make my chili using Quorn’s “beef” crumbles, pinto beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, TONS of chili powder, cumin, onions, jalapeños or serranos, and garlic.

For all our vegetable “side dishes,” I pre-washed EVERYTHING (that way I also would not have to worry about any cross-contamination issues). So we had various colored peppers, potatoes, and “salad” vegetables (mixed greens, red onions, tomatoes, etc.) that were all basically ready to go when we got there and would go with just about anything we decided to eat.

I think I’m starting a new trend too; I actually saw a guy at the truck race (the first race of the weekend on Friday night) wearing a Vegetarian hoodie! Granted, I think it was the one that says “Vegetarian. Ancient tribal slang for the village idiot who can’t hunt, fish, or ride.” It was a little hard to read because he was carrying stuff that obscured part of it, but I think that was the one he was wearing. Not exactly sure how I feel about that, but it’s a start!

Another “start” was at our campsite. We formed a giant “U-shape” with 3 other RV’s, and each night we all had dinner together. Saturday night I shared my famous vegetarian chili and it got rave reviews. Sunday night it was my black bean burgers. It was pretty funny, one guy that I had not met at the spring race but was there for the fall race was very excited to have the opportunity to try some vegetarian food! He had never had meatless chili or “bean” burgers before! He also informed me that he is always looking for ways to increase his vegetable intake, so he was quite happy to find some ways of actually having vegetable based entrees.

I guess my next big vegetarian “project” will be the football crowd, although there I have a head start, as I can always point to Tony Gonzalez as an actual “player” example!

Excerpt from: Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Dummies ®, Wiley Publishing, Nov. 2011

Meri, Meri, Meri…you've got me trained like a Pavlov's dog…every time I see an email from you entitled"recipe"…I'm salivating before I even open it!

Photo by http://www.lovjoyphotographer.com/

Chicken Stew with Chick Peas and Plum Tomatoes
Prep time: 12 min Cook Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken thighs
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 (14.5oz) can chickpeas, drained
1 large can (28oz) plum tomatoes
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
¼ cup red lentils
½ cup long grain rice
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Directions

1 In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Add the onion, celery, spices, and chickpeas and cook for 3 minutes to heat spices.

2 Pour in the tomatoes and chicken stock and then add in the lentils and rice. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

3 Stir in the lemon juice and divide stew into 6 bowls. Garnish each bowl with 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro and serve. Per serving: Calories 346 (From Fat 82); Fat 9g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 38mg; Sodium 721mg; Carbohydrate 47g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 22g.

In PCOS-land (that’s where we all live, by the way — PCOS-land – as in, this body IS PCOS-land), there’s an endless stream of advice about diet, nutrition, eating disordered behavior, and how to combat all of your problems with food. I know that for me, as well as for many of the PCOS clients I see, this leads to a gradual death of the love of food. “Diet” is absolutely a four letter word, and even the term “eating plan” can feel onerous and restrictive. Many, if not most of us, have experimented with various forms of restriction designed to improve our health. No sugar, no wheat, no dairy, no coffee, no alcohol, no, no, no, NO! Sometimes, I get so caught up in the NO, NO, NO that I forget how much I adore food, and all of its splendid permutations. Nature delivers this glory to us (well, sometimes we have to tweak it with a little processing), and we reject it?! Something about that feels really wrong to me.

The other day, I went to a local farmers’ market, and had the joy and privilege of sampling everything from heirloom tomatoes in all their batiky-looking hues to tree-ripened apricots, raw cane juice, hummus, pastry, and some wickedly good burrata, the fresh Italian cheese that’s made of mozzarella and cream. To say it is made of mozzarella and cream does not quite do justice to the beauty of this plump ball of handmade cheese, bathing in its slightly creamy water bath. Burrata – good burrata – is all soft luscious edible heaven, creamy, cheesy, delicate and mild, with a hint of a buttery quality. It’s semi-symmetrical and pleasingly pale. Sometimes I just want to look at it, or perhaps hold it gently in my hand, like an egg about to hatch, more than I actually want to eat it, but that would be a crime!

I forgot the fresh basil leaves, but decided to make a farmers’ market lunch with caprese salad (tomato/cheese) as the focus. The mottled golden-green heirloom tomatoes, and the blackish brown ones, thickly sliced and lightly salted with a little sea salt – no pepper for distraction! – and a little olive oil, alternated beautifully with equally thick slices of that fat ball of burrata. With a medley of fresh stone fruit on the side, the apricots, plums, peaches, and nectarines all in a state of perfect ripeness, I was happy. Let me say that again – my food made me HAPPY – wow. It wasn’t a source of torture, guilt, deprivation, or punishment.

It looked beautiful, tasted fabulous, energized my body, was super fresh, and, most importantly, I had given myself the gift of the complete and utter pleasure and joy of food. And yes, I followed it up with three bites of fabulous French pastry, just for pleasure, and without a hint of guilt. My body felt fine, and my mind and soul were infinitely improved for having had the experience. It’s still summer – maybe you’d like to play too.

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a Health Psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles, California. She specializes in counseling women and couples who are coping with infertility, PCOS, and related endocrine disorders and chronic illnesses.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. HOUSE or her practice, or obtain referrals in the Los Angeles area, please visit her website at www.drhousemd.com, or e-mail her at Gretchen@drhousemd.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @askdrhousemd.

For those of you who love green tea, you may wish to expand on your experiences with matcha. This version of tea is made by covering tea bushes before harvest, which causes them to turn a darker green. The biochemistry of this change gives matcha a sweeter flavor than traditional green tea.

This form of green tea is a super power house; gram for gram, it ranks higher in antioxidants than many of the foods consistently on health writers'"top ten supefoods" lists. In fact, researchers recently reported that the ECGC content of matcha can be up to 137 times higher than commercial green tea!

These leaves are then ground into a super-fine powder, which can be used in baking and cooking. If you've ever had green tea ice cream or a green tea smoothie, it is likely matcha that provided the flavor. I think it adds a beautiful color to whatever it is used in.

Most recipes on the Internet using matcha seem to be oriented toward sweets. However, if you look, there are some really interesting options in other categories. I've posted some of the most interesting below, along with links to the websites where I found theme so that you can be inspired in your own kitchen.

If you can't find match locally, consider visiting my friend Kerstin Wingert's online store. That is where I've found it and she is very popular in Phoenix because of her attention to quality in her products.

A storage note: Once opened, matcha does oxidize quickly so be sure to have a plan for using it, or share with friends and have fun tasting each others' creations!

One of the many smoothie recipes I found

Matcha Mango Smoothies

1 1/4 cups mango chunks
1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk or low-fat milk
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon matcha tea powder
1/2 cup ice cubes
Honey or agave syrup (optional)

Add mango, soymilk, yogurt and matcha tea powder to blender container. Cover and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes; cover and blend until smooth. Taste for sweetness. Add honey or agave syrup if needed; cover and blend to combine. Pour into 2 glasses.

Makes 2 servings (1 1/4 cups each)

Tip: Adding too much matcha tea can result in a bitter flavor. Start with a small amount of matcha and adjust according to taste.

Here is the most interesting one I found. It is on my list to try!

Green Tea Fish Stew

5 Tbls. Olive oil
1 Clove garlic; peeled
4 medium Potatoes; peeled and diced
1 lb. Flounder, cod or red snapper fillets cut in chunks
2 bottles clam juice
2 cups water
16 ozs. diced or pureed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Crushed red pepper or to taste
3 Tbls. Chopped parsley
1 tsp. Matcha green tea powder

Heat oil in Dutch oven. Add garlic; sauté until well browned. Discard garlic. Add potatoes to Dutch oven, cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Add fish, stock, tomatoes, wine, Matcha, bay leaf, salt, crushed red pepper, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until fish and potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaf. Serve sprinkled with parsley. Serves 4

http://www.islandteashop.com/recipes/green-tea/poultry-fish-meat.php

You could probably cut the sugar in this one. Be sure to use dark, high quality chocolate. A great holiday treat!

Matcha Almonds
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
8 ounces unblanched almonds
2 teaspoons butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon matcha (powdered green tea) or more to taste

Preparation

1.Combine the sugar and 1/3 cup water in a saucepan and slowly heat to boiling, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook sugar syrup until it reaches 240 degrees, or to soft-ball stage. Add almonds and stir to coat. Add the butter and remove from the heat. Stir until the almonds are glazed with syrup. Cook over medium-low heat until little liquid is left in the pan.

2.Add the chocolate and heat until it melts and almonds are completely coated. Set aside to cool.

3.When almonds are cool, dust from on high with the matcha to coat evenly.

YIELD About 3/4 pound

http://events.nytimes.com/recipes/11700/2003/01/19/Matcha-Almonds/recipe.html

And just for a little fun, here is matcha martini recipe! Isn't this the most Christmasy looking beverage! The photo shows a strawberry garnish, the recipe suggests mint and cinnamon, but for this holiday in particular, garnished with a candy cane it would be so pretty!

Matcha Zentini

* 1 tsp ZenMatcha powder
* 1 ounce Godiva White Chocolate liquer
* 1 ounce vanilla vodka
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Shake well over ice and pour.

Garnish with a mint leaf and cinnamon (can substitute cream and clear white chocolate liquer for Godiva liqueur)

http://zenmatchatea.com/matcha/tea/recipes/matcha-martini-recipes

Weiss, David J; Anderton, Christopher R (2003-09-05). Determination of catchins in matcha green ttea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. Journal of Chromatography 1011 (1-2): 173–180.

Fenugreek you say? What the heck is fenugreek? It's a spice popular in India, northern Africa, and the Middle East that has multiple benefits for PCOS:

--it can lower your lipids
--it can help to control blood sugar
--it can help improve milk production in women who have trouble breastfeeding
--antioxidant action in the face of high blood glucose

In women struggling with lactation, fenugreek tea (made with the leaves of the plant) has been found to be beneficial. The Fenugreek spice has been added to flour to provide functional properties and it has found to be beneficial in this format as well.

And since we're on the topic of hair loss this week, here's an Ayurvedic remedy using Fenugreek:

Mix ground fenugreed seeds with water and yogurt to make a paste. Rub into hair and wash after 30 minutes.

I'm giving you two recipes, the first one from India, and the second one from Ethiopia. If you like spicy foods, you're going to love adding this herb/spice to your culinary creations!

Methi Murgh (fenugreek chicken) from allrecipes.com

Ingredients
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 (4 to 6 pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (skin removed and discarded)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 black cardamom pod
4 whole cloves
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
4 green chile peppers, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh fenugreek leaves
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
salt to taste
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Directions

1.Heat the oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat; brown the chicken pieces evenly on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from cooker and set aside. Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamom pod, cloves, onion slices, ginger-garlic paste, and green chile peppers to the pressure cooker and cook until the onions are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the spinach, fresh fenugreek leaves, dried fenugreek leaves, turmeric, red pepper, and salt into the mixture and cook until the spinach and fenugreek leaves begin to wilt and darken in color, about 5 minutes. Pour the water over the mixture and return the chicken pieces to the pressure cooker; bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

2.Fasten the lid on the pressure cooker; cook until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Release pressure fully and remove the lid; sprinkle the garam masala over the dish. Cook and stir until the liquid thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Berbere — spiced lentil stew from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant

Berbere

2 teaspoons cumin seeds
4 whole cloves
3/4 teaspoons cardamom seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
8 — 10 small dried red chiles
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root (1 teaspoon dried)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

In a small frying pan, on medium-low heat, toast the cumin, whole cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, allspice, fenugreek, and coriander for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.

Discard the stems from the chiles. In a spice grinder or wtih a mortar and pestle, finely grind together the toasted spices and the chiles. Mix in the remaining ingredients.

Store Berbere refrigerated in a well-sealed jar or a tightly closed plastic bag.

Yemiser W'et (Spicy Lentil Stew)

1 cup dried brown lentils
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 clarified butter
1 tablespoon Berbere
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
plain yogurt or cottage cheese

Rinse and cook the lentils.

Meanwhile, saute the onions and garlic in the clarified butter, until the onions are just translucent. Add the berbere, cumin, and paprika and saute for a few minutes more, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock and continue simmering.

When the lentils are cooked, drain them and mix them into the saute. Add the green peas and cook for another 5 mintues. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Roberts KT. The Potential of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) as a Functional Food and Nutraceutical and Its Effects on Glycemia and Lipidemia. J Med Food. 2011 Aug 23. [Epub ahead of print]
Middha SK, Bhattacharjee B, Saini D, Baliga MS, Nagaveni MB, Usha T. Protective role of Trigonella foenum graceum extract against oxidative stress in hyperglycemic rats. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2011 Apr;15(4):427-35.
Turkyılmaz C, Onal E, Hirfanoglu IM, Turan O, Koç E, Ergenekon E, Atalay Y. The effect of galactagogue herbal tea on breast milk production and short-term catch-up of birth weight in the first week of life. J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Feb;17(2):139-42. Epub 2011 Jan 24.

Ever since hearing Dr. Johnston speak about her research demonstrating that vinegar consumed just before a meal helps keep the blood glucose lower, I've been noticing more interesting ways to act on that simple interaction.

Here is one I just found in a food industry newsletter at the bottom of my Expo West pile.

Tillen Farms has a variety of pickled vegetables including: green beans, asparagus, bell peppers, snap pea, carrots, and tomatoes. They would be a great addition to a salad, or something to snack on while waiting for dinner to finish.

For more information visit www.tillenfarms.com.

Enjoy!

I live two blocks from Fresh and Easy and I love to take my lunch breaks over there to see what is happening at the sample counter and new on the shelves.

Yesterday I checked out their new line of simmer sauces, which are simply ready made sauces that can be used as the basis for a quick and easy meal.

I encourage clients to maintain an inventory of"emergency" ingredients for 2 or 3 easy meals to make in a pinch. Simmer sauces would be perfect for this. They're a bit high in sodium to use on a daily basis, but once in awhile, they're so much better than a pizza or fast food run.

Of the 11 varieties that I found in my particular store, 5 were made with anti-inflammatory fats. I played a little game of"Stump the Demo Guy" with my friend Steven, asking him what he might make if he had these in his own kitchen. Here is what he came up with.

Cacciatore: poured in with sauteed mushrooms and eggplant and served over quinoa.

Provencal: used with tilapia, served with green beans and olive oil-brushed, rosemary-sprinkled sweet potato fries.

Burgundy wine: as a cooking sauce for a lean cut of beef, such as flank steak

Chile verde: a healthy rice bowl with pre-cooked brown rice, canned black beans, chopped tomatoes, topped with the simmer sauce.

Texas chili: along with browned ground turkey and a can of kidney beans, poured over zero-carb shirataki noodles with a bit of shredded low-fat cheese for a Cincinnati specialty (more commonly known as five-way chili).

One of my litmus tests for how healthy a vegan's diet truly is, is to listen to how they describe what they eat. If they focus on telling me what they DON'T eat, and have a limited list of what they DO eat, I start to consider that what we're describing is an eating disorder, not a vegan eater.

Here's a challenge to encourage you to be more vegan and less disordered. It comes from the blog http://www.lunchboxbunch.com/., and it's a list of 100 vegan foods. I've been instructed to italicize foods I'd never try, and bold face foods I have eaten. And to encourage you to share the challenge on your own blogs.

I'm a pretty adventurous eater so there are no italics. I did better than I thought I would, actually, since I am not 100% vegan myself. I now have some great items to add to my own list!

Have fun!
1. Molasses

2. Cactus/Nopales
3. Scrambled Tofu
4. Grilled Portobella Caps
5. Fresh Ground Horseradish
6. Sweet Potato Biscuits
7. Arepa
8. Vegan Cole Slaw
9. Ginger Carrot Soup
10. Fiddlehead Ferns
11. Roasted Elephant Garlic
12. Umeboshi
13. Almond Butter Toast
14. Aloe Vera
15. H and H Bagel NYC
16. Slow Roasted Butternut Squash
17. White truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Freshly ground wasabi
20. Coconut Milk Ice Cream (not store bought)
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Orchard-fresh pressed apple cider
23. Organic California Mango (in season Sept-Oct only)
24. Quinoa
25. Papaya Smoothie
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet (habanero) pepper (just a bite!…hot!
27. Goji Berry Tea
28. Fennel
29. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie
30. Radishes and Vegan Buttery Spread
31. Starfruit
32. Oven fresh Sourdough bread
33. Sangria made with premium fruit and juices
34. Sauerkraut
35. Acai Smoothie
36. Blue Foot Mushrooms
37. Vegan Cupcake from Babycakes nyc
38. Sweet Potatoes and Tempeh combo
39. Falafel
40. Spelt Crust Pizza
41. Salt and Pepper Oyster Mushrooms
42. Jicama Slaw
43. Pumpkin Edamame Ginger Dumplings
44. Hemp Milk
45. Rose Champagne
46. Fuyu
47. Raw Avocado-Coconut Soup
48. Tofu Pesto Sandwich
49. Apple-Lemon-Ginger-Cayenne fresh-pressed juice…with Extra Ginger
50. Grilled Seitan
51. Prickly pear
52. Fresh Pressed Almond Milk
53. Concord Grapes off the vine
54. Ramps
55. Coconut Water fresh from a young coconut
56. Organic Arugula
57. Vidalia Onion
58. Sampler of organic produce from Diamond Organics
59. Honeycrisp Apple
60. Poi
61. Vegan Campfire-toasted Smores
62. Grape seed Oil
63. Farm fresh-picked Peach
64. Freshly-made pita bread with freshly-made hummus
65. Chestnut Snack Packs
66. Fresh Guava
67. Mint Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
68. Raw Mallomar from One Lucky Duck, NYC
69. Fried plantains
70. Mache
71. Golden Beets
72. Barrel-Fresh Pickles
73. Liquid Smoke
74. Meyer Lemon
75. Veggie Paella
76. Vegan Lasagna (raw optional)
77. Kombucha
78. Homemade Soy Milk
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Lychee Bellini
81. Tempeh Bacon
82. Sprouted Grain Bread
83. Lemon Pepper Tempeh
84. Vanilla Bean
85. Watercress
86. Carrot you pulled out of the ground yourself
87. Vegan In-Season Fruit Pie
88. Flowers
89. Corn Chowder
90. High Quality Vegan Raw Chocolate
91. Yellow fuzz-free Kiwi
92. White Flesh Grapefruit
93. harissa
94. Coconut Oil
95. Jackfruit
96. Homemade Risotto
97. Spirulina
98. Seedless 'Pixie' Tangerine
99. Gourmet Sorbet, not store bought
100. Fresh Plucked English Peas

Do you tend to think of salads as a place to use vegetables? Or do you categorize salads as"those with vegetables" and"those with fruit"? Start mixing things up! In my kitchen, a salad is always started with veggies, but then I always add some type of seed or nut, and some type of fruit.

What's in your fruit bin? Peaches, grapes, berries? Toss them with the lettuce and tomatoes. They'll add color, antioxidants, and flavor.

I am starting this weekly feature as a response to the 25 year long quest for menus that clients consistently ask for.

I have always had a problem with menus, primarily because I have yet to see them help someone eat better. I have given them out, they get lost or tossed in the trash, or clients try them for a few days and abandon them because they couldn't follow them. Or…they bring out a sense of rebellion that sabotages healthy eating. I also think giving out menus implies that there is a"perfect" way to eat, which simply isn't true.

Clients, I believe, have a perception of dietitians as being perfect eaters, which so isn't true as well.

A menu is only an educated guess, and it cannot possibly be derived from my office with complete knowledge of what challenges arise in YOUR day and what foods are available to you. I feel I have more of a chance of undermining your success by handing you this uninformed document than I do encouraging your confidence with food.

I'd like to bridge the gap between dietitians and people who are not, by using this feature to show what realistic eating consists of. I'm going to start it off, and hopefully get other blog contributors to check in with their own diaries as well.

I want you to see that my life isn't perfect, and therefore my eating is not either. I do my best, always try to do better, and hopefully, 80% of the time, I make good choices, which include foods I enjoy eating.

Here goes…this is my day from yesterday. By the way, I eat about 1500 calories on days when I am not exercising. I do not measure my foods, so my menu does not include portions. If you want to replicate this and you do measure foods, you will need to adjust that individually. Remember, this is not an exercise in how to weigh and measure or eat exactly 1500 calories, it is an exercise in observing how other people eat.

I hope it helps! Here is my eating from yesterday.

Breakfast

Big bowl of oatmeal with sliced almonds, dried blueberries, and shredded oatmeal.
Glass of milk
Orange from my patio tree

Lunch (an elderly friend invited me over for lunch and I ate what he served even though I'm not fond of mayonnaise-based salads, knowing he was very much going out of his way to do something nice.)

Roasted chicken breast and thigh (chicken breast was very big)
Scoop of store-made potato salad, scoop of coleslaw
Banana

Snack
Stopped at Trader Joe's and sampled a bite of roast pork, liked it so had a second sample: )

Dinner

Can of tuna on whole wheat bread
Sliced tomatoes
Orange from my patio tree
Leftover potato salad and coleslaw from lunch
2 ounces of Trader Joe's chocolate with ancho chili powder

I was busy running errands and it got dark before I could get out and run, so this was a less active day for me.

This week's radio guest, Urban Farmer Greg Peterson, opened my eyes to how similar the processes of growing a healthy garden and growing a healthy body can be!

If you're intrested in learning more about sustainable living, gardening for beginners, even raising tilapia--yes--tilapia--on your patio--you won't want to miss this interview!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/incystforhormones/2010/12/13/gardening-its-good-therapy-for-whatever-ails-you

As for me, I'm passing on the tilapia for now…but I am going to try planting my tomatoes at a different time of year to see if my thumb is greener than I've been thinking.

Greg's website is http://www.urbanfarm.org/, and it's packed with great resources including one I am always asked about, a"which fruits and vegetables are in season?" chart.

Here are Greg's titles from amazon.com, which I promised I would post for anyone who would like more reading.

Thanks Greg! I'll think of you every time I make fresh bruschetta from my own patio from now on!

How Green Am I? Simple Steps to Cultivating an Earth-Friendly Lifestyle (The Urban Farm's Simple Sustainability Series)

My Ordinary Extraordinary Yard (The Urban Farm's Simple Sustainability Series)

Fowl Play, Your Guide to Keeping Chickens in the City (The Urban Farm's Simple Sustainability Series)

Grow Wherever You Go! Discovering the Place Where Your Garden Lives (The Urban Farm's Simple Sustainability Series)

This post is interestingly timed, given what I wrote a few days ago about the importance of melatonin in maintaining fertility. The chemical pathways for both melatonin and niacin get their start with the amino acid L-tryptophan.

When a strong pro-inflammatory process is predominant, and the body wants to make more melatonin, it may do so at the expense of having enough ingredients to also make niacin…perhaps explaining why large doses of niacin have been found helpful to correct the lipid abnormalities associated with inflammation.

I've blogged before that people who eat more vegetables do sleep better and this may be one reason why. It gives your body what it needs to fight inflammation so that melatonin can be used to help you sleep!

For both vegans and omnivores, niacin is relatively easy to find. Mother Nature likely designed it that way because it's so important for fighting inflammation. The times you're most likely to get into trouble is if you're a chronic restrictive eater/dieter, or you're eating primarily processed carbohydrates.

See how you do with your niacin foods this week — it will be good for reducing inflammation, promoting sleep, and with the PCOS Diva's menus, pretty darn tasty!

liver, heart and kidney
chicken
beef
fish: tuna, salmon
milk
eggs

avocados
dates
tomatoes
leaf vegetables
broccoli
carrots
sweet potatoes
asparagus
nuts
whole grain products
legumes
saltbush seeds
mushrooms
brewer's yeast
Vegemite (from spent brewer's yeast)

Did you know that vitamin C is necessary for collagen formation? And since PCOS ages skin as radically as it ages the rest of your organs, you need this vitamin more than ever?

If you've gone on a drastic low-carbohydrate diet, you may be depriving yourself of many great vitamin C sources, as they tend to come from fruits:

strawberries
lemons
papaya
kiwi fruit
cantaloupe
oranges
grapefruit
limes
raspberries
pineapple
watermelon

Whenever I make a salad, I throw in some kind of fruit and some kind of seed/nut. Turns out, if I do that and add the vinaigrette with the 2 parts vinegar/1 part oil ratio, it helps to moderate the influence of the sugar in the fruit. And some of the fruits, strawberries, for example, help to keep blood sugar from spiking as well.

Vegetables also have vitamin C:

broccoli
bell peppers
kale
cauliflower
mustard and turnip greens
brussels sprouts
chard, cabbage
spinach
snow peas
tomatoes
zucchini
asparagus
celery
lettuce
fennel
peppermint
parsley

As long as you're eating fruits and vegetables, preferably in their whole form, on a regular basis, it's not hard at all to get enough vitamin C. If you're looking for some ideas, PCOS Diva has put together a week's worth of menus focusing on vitamin C.

Your skin will thank you for it!

I'm sitting at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market this afternoon, waiting for a meeting with a client. I love their aguas frescas, and it's always fun to try one at the Market, because their flavor creations are creative…and they make your tastebuds dance!

If you've never heard of an agua fresca, it's a Mexican specialty, typically made with some type of fruit juice as a base. However, the juice is diluted with water and spiced up with a variety of flavors. Here's one of my favorite links if you're interested in trying some in your own kitchen.

Today, the Market made an agua fresca that tasted just like Bloody Mary Mix. Mario, their fresca master, is somewhat of an artist, and he didn't have the exact recipe to share, but I did get the ingredients (see below). If you're super creative, DO try this at home!

By the way, their version is named the Bloody Natalie, after one of the Market's employees. She's been extra helpful on a few inCYST projects, and I wanted to use this blog post as an excuse to give her a shout out, and thank her for her support of all of you readers. Here's a little bit about Natalie from the Market's website. Stop by, say hi, thank the human Natalie, and taste the liquid one!

Flame grapes
Tomatoes
Carrots
Celery
Red beets
Purple cabbage
Orange peppers
Thai chili
Cucumber
Garlic
Radish
Ginger
Parsley
Bail
Cumin
Coriander
Black pepper

I mentioned yesterday in my Facebook status that I was making black eyed peas, and the response to the recipe was positive enough that I thought I'd share it here!

Black eyed peas are one of those things you don't hear much about unless someone in your family comes from south of the Mason-Dixon line. They are commonly eaten on New Year's Day for good luck. I'm used to having them cooked with a ham hock, served with greens. But I saw this recipe in my new Costco cookbook and had to try it. It's supposed to be a dip for chips, but I loved it as a cold salad.

Black eyed peas, by the way, are a decent source of folate, for those of you who are trying to conceive or who are pregnant.

Enjoy!

Cowboy Caviar

1 lb. frozen corn
1/2 lb. black eyed peas, cooked (I just piled them in the slow cooker first thing this morning)
1 avocado, peeled and diced
2/3 cup cilantro, … Read Morechopped
2-3 green onions, chopped
4 Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin

In a medium bowl, combine first 6 ingredients.
In a small bowl, whisk together next 6 ingredients. Add to the vegetable mixture and toss to coat.

I'm hearing more and more that many of you are switching to raw eating, and you're asking me if it's good for PCOS. It's not something that has been formally researched, so my answer is pulled together using what I do know about nutrition.

"Raw" refers to whether or not a food's temperature has exceeded a certain temperature during preparation. I actually tried to write a blog post about this several years ago and at the time could not find a specified temperature defining"raw" for a long time. I finally found something that suggested if it stayed below 124 degrees it would be considered raw. Then, last year, I ate lunch at the Whole Foods Venice, and decided to try a raw lunch for myself. The name of the restaurant that prepared my food was"118 Degrees," referring to the threshold raw temperature. This week, when researching it again, found everything from 104 to 118 degrees listed, without any scientific references for any of those values. It's one reason the diet can't be studied easily — those who follow it have yet to consistently define it.

One of the issues I have with any of those temperatures is that some of the foods popular in the raw community, by virtue of the fact that they grow in tropical climates, are regularly exposed to temperatures exceeding even the highest threshold. The mesquite trees growing in my backyard, yesterday alone, were exposed to an ambient temperature of 118 degrees the entire afternoon. The mesquite beans are dark, meaning they absorb heat and get even hotter. The flour made from them would not technically be raw, though mesquite flour is valued by the raw community. Coconuts, rice…both grow in tropical climates and therefore cannot be guaranteed to be"raw" if the benchmark is the definition above.

I'm assuming for the average person, for whom food is sustenance and not a religion,"raw" more likely means food that was not formally heated during preparation, and for the rest of this article that is the definition I will use.

Though raw eating has not been studied with regards to PCOS, it has been studied. It has been found to have both risks and benefits. The very first study of a raw food diet, published in 1985, found that after 7 months, subjects following this diet dropped their blood pressure, lost weight, and tended to spontaneously give up smoking and drinking.

One study found that raw foodists have lower cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. However, a couple of other cardiovascular risk factors, serum homocysteine and HDL, were elevated, likely because a raw diet tends to be low in vitamin B12. It would be wise to take a multi-vitamin just to be safe.

Another study reported more dental caries in raw foodists. I'm assuming this is related to the increased carbohydrate and simple sugar content of the diet. So don't forget to brush and floss!

Here's what all you readers really need to pay attention to. One study specifically looked at menstrual function and raw food. It found that about 30% of women studied who were under 45 years of age had partial to complete amenorrhea, with subjects eating high amounts of raw food (>90%) being more affected than moderate raw food dieters. Ouch, ouch, OUCH.

A raw diet is also low in DHA and EPA, the omega-3 fatty acids primarily found in fish. If you're a raw foodist and also vegan, consider taking an omega-3 supplement derived from marine algae.

One benefit to a raw diet is that most people who consume it eat far more fruits and dark green leafy vegetables than they used to. Yay for antioxidants! Interestingly, however, one study found that though raw foodists had higher beta-carotene levels than average, their serum lycopene levels were low. Since lycopene is found in easily found fresh fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and watermelon, this suggests that even when eating raw, it's important to make conscious choices and not limit yourself to a few favorites. It can't just be about carrot juice!

The flip side of all those fruits and vegetables, however, is that protein is a difficult nutrient to get with this diet without soaking and sprouting legumes, in adequate quantities to balance out all of that carbohydrate. It may aggravate your insulin resistance. Be sure to add some protein powder to your cooking to prevent that from happening. Growing Naturals organic brown rice protein isolate powder has designed its product to be raw-compatible; be sure to check them out!

Another natural consequence of cutting out so much protein is that the fat content of the diet naturally increases. And even if it's raw fat, and good fat, it still has calories. I would recommend working out some menus on paper or running them through http://www.fitday.com/ just to be sure the diet doesn't push you in the wrong direction.

How your diet affects your health appears to be more determined by the proportions of carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that your diet contains. If you want to do that with raw foods, just be sure you do it right.

Douglass JM, Rasgon IM, Fleiss PM, Schmidt RD, Peters SN, Abelmann EA. Effects of a raw food diet on hypertension and obesity. South Med J. 1985 Jul;78(7):841-4.

Koebnick C, Garcia AL, Dagnelie PC, Strassner C, Lindemans J, Katz N, Leitzmann C, Hoffmann I. Long-term consumption of a raw food diet is associated with favorable serum LDL cholesterol and triglycerides but also with elevated plasma homocysteine and low serum HDL cholesterol in humans. J Nutr. 2005 Oct;135(10):2372-8.

Ganss C, Schlechtriemen M, Klimek J. Dental erosions in subjects living on a raw food diet. Caries Res. 1999;33(1):74-80.

Koebnick C, Strassner C, Hoffmann I, Leitzmann C. Consequences of a long-term raw food diet on body weight and menstruation: results of a questionnaire survey. Ann Nutr Metab. 1999;43(2):69-79.

Garcia AL, Koebnick C, Dagnelie PC, Strassner C, Elmadfa I, Katz N, Leitzmann C, Hoffmann I. Long-term strict raw food diet is associated with favourable plasma beta-carotene and low plasma lycopene concentrations in Germans. Br J Nutr. 2008 Jun;99(6):1293-300. Epub 2007 Nov 21.

If you're a frequent traveler, chances are you have already had an opportunity to experience the new security measures at the airport, which include the new full body scanner.

One of the biggest concerns about this scanner has been the radiation exposure these scanners emit. Because radiation can affect fertility, a concern of many readers of this blog, I did some fact checking.

What is interesting to note is that before these scanners were even in existence, anyone stepping on an airplane was already increasing their exposure to radiation! In a 1998 study published in Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, scientists concluded that an airline captain is exposed to 37% more radiation per year (219 millirem) than a nuclear power plant worker in the same period of time (160 millirem). For the pilot, that is the equivalent to 22 chest x-rays, for the power plant worker, 16 chest x-rays.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, in an independent study, reported that the average scan with the TSA backscatter x-ray scanner provides 0.0024 millirem of radiation exposure. Meaning, you would have to have 4,000 TSA scans to equal one x-ray. The people at greatest risk for increased radiation exposure from these machines is most likely the TSA workers themselves, who conduct their work in the presence of the scanners for hours at a time.

Bottom line:

1. Your biggest dose of radiation exposure is actually coming from the time you spend on the airplane at altitude, not the short amount of time in the scanner.
2. If you are a pilot, flight attendant, or frequent flyer with concerns about fertility, it certainly is a good strategy to start being more diligent about your intake of antioxidants. I've listed the important ones below that are consistently recommended as cancer fighters.
3. If you are a reporter researching the scanner issue, instead of scaring travelers, perhaps the more relevant issue is why TSA is not requiring its employees to wear dosimeters to be sure their own exposure over time is not an occupational risk. It might also be a very quick way to identify a machine that is malfunctioning and exposing flyers to unnecessary additional radiation.
4. Flight crews and TSA employees might want to consider packing their bags with more fruits and vegetables. Especially since these are not items commonly available in airport food courts.
5. In addition to the standard security questions TSA members should ask for your 24 hour diet recall to be sure you're sufficiently protected for your flight. (Couldn't resist that one…just KIDDING!)
6. For our specific population most likely reading this post, I strongly recommend you discuss your travel strategy with the appropriate caregiver if you have a history of cancer, are in the middle of infertility treatment, or have a history of sexual abuse. It's best to know what choices are most appropriate for your personal situation before standing in the TSA line.

So if you're heading home at altitude for Thanksgiving, consider that the broccoli, cranberries, and sweet potatoes (even a small extra sliver of pumpkin pie) aren't all that bad if you're going to have seconds. Enjoy them, as well as your family.

BEST ANTIOXIDANTS FOR COUNTERING RADIATION

Vitamin C parsley, broccoli, bell pepper, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts.

Vitamin E mustard greens, chard, sunflower seeds, turnip greens

Vitamin A carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, beef, collards, kale, turnip greens, beet greens, winter squash

Lutein and Zeaxanthin kale, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, garden peas, Brussels sprouts

Proanthocyanadins apples, cinnamon, cocoa, grape seed, grape skin, red wine, cranberry, black currant, green tea, black tea, and chokecherry.

Selenium button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, cod, shrimp, snapper, tuna, halibut, calf's liver, and salmon.

Lycopene tomatoes, pink grapefruit, watermelon, and guava

Our blog statistics have shown over time, that we get quite a bit of regular traffic from the other side of the world. I have to admit, my advice is hemisphere-centric, since I've never been south of the Equator. So I invited a friend from Australia, Olwen Anderson, who works with PCOS in her part of the world, to share a little bit of advice. Here's hoping for our Aussie readers, it introduces you to someone close to you who can help you, and that what Olwen has to say, is helpful!

Legumes are a girl’s best friend… when you have PCOS

Olwen Anderson is an Australian Nutritionist-Naturopath who specialises in treatment of hormone imbalances and gut disorders. Her blog contains lots of PCOS-friendly recipes: Visit www.olwenanderson.com.au

Been diagnosed with PCOS? Meet your new nutritional “best friend” – legumes.

When you think about food as medicine, legumes should almost be a compulsory prescription for good health. These amazing little vegetables are packed to the brim with nutrition that can help moderate your hormones. They taste great; and once you learn how to prepare and use them, they will open up a whole new culinary world for you.

Legumes include chick peas (or garbanzo beans), black eyed beans, haricot, lima beans, kidney beans, soy beans and many other dried beans that are a staple food in many countries. In fact, legumes are one of the powerful plant foods common in countries where people routinely live happy, productive lives to 100 plus.

Phytoestrogens and fibre are two outstanding features of legumes that will benefit you. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant chemicals that have a molecular shape similar to estrogen. When digested, they ‘latch on’ to the estrogen receptors of cell membranes, and effectively block real estrogen molecules from connecting with the cell. This means that when you have plenty of the right fibre in your diet, you’re automatically reducing the effects of excess circulating estrogen.

Its good bacteria in your intestines that convert plant phytoestrogens to their active form. These good bacteria feed and breed on soluble and insoluble dietary fibre. Fortunately legumes are packed with fibre, so your intestinal bacteria will love them. When there’s plenty of fibre in your diet, your body produces more sex hormone binding globulin. This transporter molecule travels through your bloodstream, picking up and removing excess hormones, including excessive androgen hormones like testosterone. Exactly what you want to happen in your body.

Even better, legumes are packed with nutrients: Some protein, a little of the good fats, and complex carbohydrates. They’ll take ages to digest, resulting in smoother blood glucose management; and they’re packed with minerals too.

But won’t they make me flatulent?

Many women worry that if they start enjoying legumes, they will become windy. To prevent this, start with small quantities (about one tablespoon) and build up over a few days to half a cup so your intestinal bacteria have a chance to adjust.

It’s easy to incorporate legumes into your diet every day:

- Sprinkle chick peas (garbanzo beans) through your salad

- Enjoy some home made baked beans for breakfast with poached salmon

- Fresh broad beans, steamed and mashed, make a great vegetable side dish

- Include legumes in your stews, casseroles and soups. Like minestrone soup; or lentil stew.

You can buy legumes canned; but the dried variety, cooked, taste so much better. (Also, avoiding canned food helps you avoid suspected endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA). Buy dried legumes, soak for a few hours, boil until cooked, (firm but not crisp), then freeze in portion size containers.

I always keep containers of cooked legumes meal-ready in the freezer. Then, if I want a quick meal, I can take one out, stir-fry in a hot pan with garlic, spices, some kangaroo fillet, a few baby tomatoes and a handful of baby spinach leaves. Fast, healthy, one-pot cooking.

Looking for recipe inspiration to enjoy legumes?

- Visit my web site at www.olwenanderson.com.au (recipes tag on the blog)

- Look at recipe books for cultures where legumes are part of the daily diet: South American, Mediterranean, Indian.