Can you ID this fig? Lattarula Fig? #GardenCuizine Late summer FIG harvest @EatRight_NJ

Lattarula Fig?
Ficus carica Italian Honey 

Can you help me identify this fig variety? Today, I picked a few small bowls of delicious, ripe figs off a healthy shrub in Woodbury, New Jersey. And, noticed so many more still to ripen! As you may remember from previous GardenCuizine postings, we have a few fig trees at our house. But, our little fig trees are not growing like the hearty shrub I saw today. 

Our struggling figs include a Chicago Fig. I'm not sure what variety the other fig tree is. Both fig trees we have are not producing, even after surviving several years in the ground outside with no pampering or winter cover. 

The figs I picked today are from a shrub-like fig tree that is thriving! It is growing in NJ and planted directly in the ground with no special attention. In fact, I was told it has been chopped to the ground from landscapers a few times in years past. It must be around 8 to10 foot high and wide.The leaves are not exactly the same as the fig trees we have.

The greenish figs are soft and a little bit yellow when fully ripe. I'm thinking it may be a Lattarula Fig. What do you think? I've never heard of or seen that variety for sale locally, have you? 

Whatever variety it is, I will try to propagate it from cuttings and let you know how it works. Or, I may try saving seeds like I do tomato seeds and see if they grow.

Happy Gardening!

Blog post and photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

@Eatingsoulfully Preparing Nopal Cactus for salad #GardenCuizine #MexicanCooking #Diabetic #Nopales

Preparing Nopales
Prickly Pear Cactus

Ingredients 
Fresh Prickly Pear Cactus pads

I knew I wanted to cook nutritious Prickly Pear Cactus after reading Constance Brown-Riggs' article about it's health benefits in Today's Dietitian magazine. Our first recipe was a Cactus Salad. This popular Mexican dish tasted better than you may think! But, finding the cactus may be a little tricky.  

First, we went to our local ShopRite. They only had Cactus Pears, which is the fruit of the Prickly Pear Cactus. Then we tried Wegman's, another supermarket. One of their produce guys told us they have not carried Nopales since October. I asked him if it was a seasonal item; he said he didn't think so. I did a quick search for local Mexican markets on my iPhone... we took a short drive and found it at Mi Ranchito in Moorestown, NJ - success!

We lucked out, the moist, green paddles were already prepared and ready-to-go in plastic baggies with 4 paddles per baggie. The cactus was in the stores refrigerated section next to a batch of fresh cilantro. 

To prepare Prickly Pear Cactus pads, carefully trim the thorns off and slice off the nubs too. To do it, run your chefs knife along each side; then trim around the outer edge (see above photo).

Cactus can be cooked several ways. One way is to brush each side with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill. We cut ours into bite sized pieces and boiled it for use in Cactus Salad. The cooking liquid reminded me of Aloe Vera juice so I saved it to add to smoothies. Even Mom loves this high fiber nutritious food. 

GardenCuizine Cactus recipes coming soon....

Related Links
Dynamics of Diabetes: Prickly Pear Cactus 
Cactus Pears

Blog post and photo Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Plantain Nutrition and Questions about Plantains versus Bananas #GardenCuizine

Plantain Nutrition
Good Source dietary Fiber

Today, Harry and I had some food photography fun shooting some fresh fruit on the table. In the arrangement we included plantains. Plantains (Maduros) are enjoyed in Latin America and many parts of the world; including the USA, Africa and throughout the Caribbean. Our family never really bought them before. Questions that we had were:

1) Do plantains taste like a banana?
2) Can you eat plantains raw?
3) Do you eat plantains green?

Plantains have thicker skins and are larger than bananas. Like bananas, plantains are a carbohydrate food, but unlike bananas, they are not as sweet so plantains are usually served as a starch rather than a fruit and are cooked before being eaten. Most people do not eat plantains raw. 

As you can see in the photo, plantains can be pretty green compared to the bright yellow lemons. Go ahead and cook them when green, but they taste better if allowed to ripen. At any stage of ripeness, plantains can be boiled, fried or grilled*. To peel plantains, cut off each end then score the thick skin lengthwise with your knife. The skin can then be easily peeled off.

Since we are still celebrating the New Year, we plan to fry our plantains and serve them with black-eyed peas for good luck!

Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year!

*update: 1/4/15- last night we made Nigerian Ewa Dodo with fried plantains. In just one day after I took the above photo, the green plantains turned yellow. We should have let them ripen a few days longer. After cooking the yellow plantains, we thought they tasted too starchy and dry. We learned that for best flavor, allow plantains to ripen to the point of showing black spots before peeling and cooking. 

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Plantains
Good Source: dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium

1/2 cup cooked mashed Plantain 100g = 116 Calories; total Carbohydrate 31g; dietary Fiber 2.5g (9% DV); Protein 1g; Vitamin A: 909 IU (18% DV); Vitamin C: 11mg (18% DV); Vitamin B6: 0.2mg (12% DV); Folate: 26 mcg (6% DV); Potassium 465mg (13% DV) 

For Comparison 1 small Banana raw = 101g; 90 Calories; total Carbohydrate 21g; dietary Fiber 3g (11% DV); Protein 1g; Vitamin A: 65 IU (1% DV); Vitamin C: 9mg (15% DV); Vitamin B6 0.4mg (19% DV); Folate 20mcg (5% DV); Potassium: 362mg (10% DV)
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

@cheezit @GoldfishSmiles @Quaker Quick Whole Grain Family Snack Mix @kidseatright #NNM

Dietitian Approved
Quick, Whole Grain 

Family Snack Mix

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Snacks and Sweets are a major contributor to added sugars and saturated fat intake. What's the solution? Plan ahead and make healthy snacks for your family to help prevent eating unhealthy snacks. 

This affordable, healthy family snack is under 200 calories and is a good source of dietary fiber. The best part is convenience - it can be made in just a matter of minutes. Make a large batch and teach your family how to portion out a handful.  

Portion Control Tip: keep a small Dixie cup in the storage bowl to use as a 2 ounce serving scoop.

Ingredients
2 cups whole grain cereal (Quaker Oat Squares, Cheerios, etc)
1 cup low salt nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews or mixed nuts)
1 cup raisins
1 cup whole grain Cheez-It® crackers OR whole grain Goldfish® crackers

Putting it all together
Easy - Put all ingredients in a bowl. Gently mix to combine. Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Data: one handful (30g) made using Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal, whole almonds and whole grain Cheeze-It crackers: 151 calories, 11g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0 zero trans fat, 25mg Sodium, 3g (12% DV) dietary Fiber, 5g Protein, 11g total Carbohydrates, (6% DV) calcium, (8% DV) iron

Blog post and photo Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Breakfast or Brunch Eggs in Avocado #GardenCuizine

Breakfast or Brunch

Eggs in Avocado

Protein-rich eggs and creamy, nutritious avocado go perfect together for breakfast or brunch. The dish can be made in a skillet or baked in the oven. I first discovered it thanks to one of my weight loss management patients who tried and liked a recipe she saw on The Chew.

Some cooks prefer to bake the egg in avocado with the skin on or some prefer to remove the avocado skin first and cook the egg and avocado in a skillet. We found that the egg whites did not cook through in the skillet since they were suspended by the avocado. So we removed the avocado skin and did a combination cooking method that browned the avocado in an oven-proof skillet first then finished and cooked the egg in avocado in a preheated oven. This ensured the egg to be food safe with the raw egg whites completely cooked.

Yields: 4 servings
Preheat oven to 350°F
 
Ingredients
2 avocados
4 eggs
paprika
olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh herbs - optional

Putting it all together

• Carefully slice around the avocado, cutting each avocado in half. Using a large spoon scoop out the avocado away from the skin - try not to break it. Remove the pits.
• In a large oven-safe skillet, add a little olive oil and heat over medium high heat.
• Add the avocado halves sliced side down. Simmer until golden and gently flip using a spatula.
• Crack an egg into each half, sprinkle with paprika, season with salt and pepper, and finish in a preheated 350°F oven. Garnish with fresh herbs from your garden!

Optional accompaniments: pan seared Canadian bacon and toasted bagels, whole grain bread or raisin bread. 

GardenCuizine Avocado Nutrition: ½ whole avocado 100g: calories 161; total fat 14g; total carbohydrate 8g; dietary fiber 7g (28% DV); protein 2g; Vitamin C 10 mg (17% DV); Vitamin E 2.1mg (7% DV); Vitamin B6 .25 mg (13% DV); Folate 82 mcg (21% DV); Potassium 488 mg (14% DV)

Excellent source: dietary Fiber, Folate
Good Source: Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium
Rich source of heart healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats

Avocados contain other nutrients including 25 milligrams beta-sitosterol (plant sterol) per 1-oz. serving. Plant sterols have been scientifically shown to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Buon Appetito!

Related Links
Michael Symon's Eggs and Avocado with Tomato and Basil
California Avocado Nutrition 
Avocados, Cholesterol, and Plant Sterols 
Blog post and photos Copyright (C)2014 Wind. All rights reserved.
Note in the photo I only used 1 1/2 avocados not a full 2 as the recipe calls for since we were just serving 3 people this morning.

Hoppin' John w/ greens. Good Luck recipe for all Year #GardenCuizine #vegetarian

Vegetarian Hoppin' John makes a nutritious New Year's side dish that you can enjoy throughout the year. Hoppin' John is traditionally made with ground meat or a meaty ham bone or ham hocks. My version adds greens making it an ideal side dish versus a main course. 

• For a vegetarian main course with complete protein, serve Hoppin' John with greens over organic quinoa grain, brown rice, or other whole grain.

What if I overcook the beans?
If you overcook the beans, just puree them and make a hummus-type bean dip or make them into bean burgers or croquettes. Never toss out overcooked beans. Beans can add dietary fiber and nutrients to many recipes.

Hoppin' John (Frijol de Carita) with Greens  
GardenCuizine freestyle recipe (...meaning use your own measurements of ingredients. Beans, soups or stews never have to be "exact". However, ingredient measurements are noted below for those who prefer to follow a recipe)

Ingredients
2 cups dry Black-eye or heirloom Yellow-eye peas (Cowpeas) - reserve cooking liquid (We use dried beans and cook without pre-soaking. You can also use frozen or canned cowpeas.
1 strip Kombu seaweed* (optional; I use about a 6 inch by 1 inch piece)

2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 cup yellow Onion - chopped
1 cup Celery - chopped
1 cup Carrots - chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp grated ginger
1/8 tsp dried thyme
pinch dried, minced hot pepper 
1 bunch fresh or 1 package frozen chopped spinach, turnip, collard or mustard greens

1/2 teaspoon salt 
ground black pepper
hot sauce - optional
fresh or dried parsley or other favorite herbs - optional

Putting it all together

• Rinse dried beans; place in stockpot. Cover with water - about 6 cups and add a small strip of wakame seaweed if desired. Bring to boil, simmer and slowly cook beans until tender but still a little firm. Drain and save any cooking liquid - set aside.
  
• Reusing the same stockpot, add olive oil over medium heat and saute chopped onions, celery and carrots. Stir in cumin seeds, garlic, ginger, thyme, and hot peppers. Add greens. Cover with a little bean cooking liquid or water and simmer until greens are heated through.
• Stir in cowpeas and simmer until the flavors all blend
• Season to taste with salt, pepper and optional hot sauce
• Stir in or garnish with chopped fresh parsley if you have it
• Serve as a side dish or over cooked brown rice or quinoa. Some chefs like Latin-Cuban-Puertorican cook Nydia Pichardo like to serve Frijol de Carita with coconut rice garnished with crisp plantain chips.

Good Luck and best wishes for a 

Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Photo and recipe copyright (C)2014 Wind. All rights reserved. Rev 1/6/17.

Fiber and Vitamin C Whole Cranberry Jelly #GardenCuizine #HappyThanksgiving

Whole Cranberry Jelly

Add dietary fiber and vitamin C to your Thanksgiving table with homemade whole cranberry jelly. Homemade cranberry jelly can be prepared in under 10 minutes. You can reap even more fiber and antioxidant benefits from using more whole cranberries than canned cranberry jelly when you make it yourself at home.

We've used Ocean Spray Cranberries; this year we came across Paradise Meadow Cape Cod Cranberries. Select any brand, just read the label and look for just one ingredient - Cranberries. You can find whole cranberries at your grocery market in the produce section. Bags of whole cranberries can be frozen for later use in baking and cooking.

• Most commercial cranberry recipes call for using one cup of sugar; you can reduce the sugar as low as desired. This year we cut the sugar in half. Using less sugar will result in slightly more tart flavor and looser texture that is more like compote than jelly.
• Persimmons or other fruit can be added to your cranberry jelly for a variation. 
• Also, Splenda can be substituted for sugar for those who must avoid sugar after bariatric weight loss surgery.

Ingredients 
12 ounce bag of whole cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (or 1/4 tsp ground)

Putting it all together
Rinse and drain the cranberries. Place all ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to simmer. Cover and periodically uncover, stir and squish the whole burst berries along the side of the pot using a spoon. When most of the berries are smashed, turn off heat and cool for a few minutes before pouring into your serving bowl. Set aside to cool a little more before moving to the refrigerator until serving.

Cranberry Nutrition
Cranberries are a good source of dietary Fiber and Antioxidants including Vitamin C
2 ounces (56g) fresh cranberries: 2.6g dietary fiber (10% DV); 6.8g carbohydrate (2% DV); 7mg vitamin C (12% DV)

Happy Thanksgiving!
Related Links
Cranberry Anti-Inflammatory and Cardiovascular benefits 
Photo and blogpost Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved. Updated 11/25/2021

Propagating FIG trees from cuttings #GardenCuizine FIGS: fabulous for dietary fiber

Propagating Fig Trees

Gardeners propagate fig trees using various methods either from cuttings or air layering. I'm going to try propagating fig trees from cuttings. Our little, lone fig tree (unknown ID) is taking forever to yield figs. Over the past 5 or so years, the growth has been quite slow. It started out as literally a 3-foot stick. Now it is 5 feet with a small amount of branching at the top. The few figs that we thought we saw last year - disappeared! They probably got eaten by squirrels. After years of anticipating fresh figs, we're still waiting... The good news is that there are other varieties of figs to grow that may actually yield us a fig harvest. The same goes for you in your USDA zone. If at first you don't succeed, try another type of fig tree.

At a Dave's Garden Mid-Atlantic region plant swap yesterday, we received a generous handful of fig tree cuttings from a fellow Dave's Gardener who thinks her tree could be a common fig cultivar named 'Celeste'. 

We weren't planning on starting fig trees from cuttings, but since we received them - it's sure worth a try. I'm going to try rooting the fig cuttings as recommended by New England Gardener on his 'How to Grow a Fig Tree from a Cutting' YouTube video:

Propagating Fig tree cuttings 

from a dormant tree

Stage One

1) Get cuttings from a dormant fig tree that grows in or near your USDA zone
2) Wet newspaper; squeeze out excess water
3) Wrap each cutting in newspaper, keep the tips sticking out
4) Place cutting(s) into a plastic bag. New England Gardener uses a baggie. Our cuttings were longer than his and would only fit in a plastic shopping bag
5)  Place in a warm area out of direct sunlight for a few weeks. We put ours on our microwave next to the refrigerator, which generates some warmth
6) Open the bag daily for some air circulation; then close again. 
7) After 2-3 weeks, check for developed roots and proceed with Stage Two 

 I'll update this post regardless of the outcome. Fingers are crossed that this works. And, if it does, we may end up with a Fig Tree forest.

Happy and Healthy Gardening! 

UPDATES: week one: have been checking and airing out the cuttings daily; noticed some mold starting on the ends that had some leaf buds starting to show, therefore uncovered the ends. Plastic bag still covers the slightly moist newsprint-covered stems. Plan to continue to air out daily by opening the bag just for a moment or so and then covering again.

• 5/26/13 - as expected, the newspaper near the open end started to dry out. Took a look deeper at the covered stems and some cuttings still looked like some mold is growing. This could be because my cuttings were not completely dormant, they had some growth showing. Unwrapped all the cuttings and put in a vase w/water. New plan is to put each cutting in its own recycled water bottle w/moistened peat moss and see what happens... 
• 6/7/13- well, I decided not to put the cuttings in peat moss; instead, they all got dipped in rooting hormone and placed in potting soil. We didn't have enough clear plastic bottles to use, which would have been nice to view root (if any) development. Will have to wait and see. They were on our porch. Today, the pots are in our driveway getting a good rain soaking from tropical storm Andrea that is passing through our region. 
• 7/28/13 - they all appear dead. I'm not going to toss them yet just in case there is a chance that one will show a sign of life in the future. A member of Dave's Gardens who also received cuttings from the same source as me, reported having success wrapping her fig cuttings in moist newspaper and waiting patiently. Perhaps I should have ignored the mold and kept our fig cuttings in the newsprint longer rather than jumping the gun and planting them in soil before having any roots.
  

Related Links:
Uncommon Nutrition from the Common Fig - Ficus carica

Pomegranates > buy at Christmas and enjoy POMS for months ever after! #GardenCuizine

Pomegranate Seeds

Did you know Pomegranates (Punica granatum L.) have incredible keeping quality and storage capacity? According to Purdue University, the pomegranate is similar to an apple in having a long storage life. They say pomegranates can be stored up to 7 months without shrinking or going bad and if maintained at a temperature of 32º to 41º F (0º-5º C), the fruits actually improve in storage - becoming juicier and even more flavorful. 

We discovered that this indeed is true. The pomegranates that we had from Christmas stored in our refrigerator are still just as juicy, if not even more juicy, then the day we bought them! So next year stock up on pomegranates so you have plenty of POMS for your sweet Valentine ♥

To extract the seeds, simply wash the pomegranate and cut it in half. Then get a small bowl of water and dip the fruit into the water and gently squeeze it. For the most part, the seeds will fall into the water. You may have to poke and pluck out a few. Then, pick out any big membrane pieces that may have fallen into the water. Strain the seeds and save the liquid and the seeds to use in recipes. I haven't tried it yet, but according to POM Wonderful, the seeds (Arils) can be frozen for even longer storage.

Pomegranate seeds are an acquired taste. Some people are not too thrilled with them (like my husband, Harry). But they are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. And a few here and there make for a lovely gourmet food presentation. We use them atop salads; tonight we are tossing some in to a side dish of cous cous.

GardenCuizine Pomegranate Seed Nutrition data
Good Source: dietary Fiber and Vitamin C
Pomegranate seeds 1/2 cup arils (87g): 72 calories; dietary Fiber 3.4g (14% DV); Vitamin C 9 mg (15% DV); Folate 33 mcg (8% DV) 

Related Links
Pomegranate Purdue University 
Pomegranate Recipes 
Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Pomegranates
Blog post and photo Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved. 

ALMONDS = great choice for a Nutritious snack or in your next healthy recipe! #GardenCuizine

♥ Heart Healthy

 ALMONDS
Great Choice for a Nutritious Snack!

Fruits, Vegetables, NUTS, and Seeds are good sources of PLANT STEROLS that have been shown to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Scientific evidence also suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. (See nutrition information for fat content).

Almonds harvested from Prunus dulcis trees grow well in California and Utah according to the USDA. The US is among the top world producers of almonds, with California producing over 80%. Spain, Iran, Morocco and Italy are among other almond producers. It was exciting to see almond trees growing in Sicily. The blooms are beautiful like peach blooms. Most species require pollination to yield the almonds.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reports good evidence that daily consumption of 2 to 3 g plant sterols* lowers total cholesterol concentrations in a dose dependent manner by 4 to 11% and LDL cholesterol concentrations by 7 to 15% without changing HDL cholesterol or triacylglycerol concentrations. Eat almonds as a healthy snack or add them to your favorite recipes.

* plant sterols are also added to some margarines, low-fat yogurts, orange juice, breads, and cereals - read the labels and look for the health claim "lowers cholesterol" 

 ♥ ALMONDS Nutrition:
calculated by Diana Wind, RD using USDA Nutrient Reference Data
Excellent Source: Vitamin E
Good Source: Protein; dietary Fiber; Riboflavin; Magnesium

 ________________________

1 oz (28g): 161 calories; Sodium 0 mg; dietary Fiber 3.4g (14% DV); Protein 6g (12% DV); Potassium 197 mg (6% DV); Calcium 74 mg (7% DV); Magnesium 75mg (19% DV); Vitamin E 7.3 mg (37% DV); Iron 1 mg (6%DV); Monounsaturated Fat 9g; Polyunsaturated fat 3.4g; Saturated Fat 1g; Riboflavin 0.3 mg (17% DV); Beta-sitosterol 37 mg 
Related Links
All About Almonds
Life Cycle of an Almond
Blog post Copyright (C)2012 Wind. All rights reserved.

International Year of Quinoa 2013 #GardenCuizine @QuinoaCorp @aiq2013 @IYQ2013

• Quinoa, also spelled Quinua, gets the honor of being in the international spotlight this year. Quinoa is an ancient grain, not a newcomer by any means. Have you ever tried it? My family has been enjoying whole grain quinoa for years now. I first had quinoa that was sold by Ancient Harvest Quinoa Corporation back in the 1980's when it was being offered in my health food store. Today, quinoa products are available in common grocery stores, not just in specialty food markets.

• Quinoa cooks up quickly and has a pleasant light and fluffy texture. Like rice, it works well in soups or cooked with added flavors from veggies, fruits, nuts and herbal seasonings.  

• Quinoa provides such exceptional nutrition that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations wants us all to celebrate quinoa and quinoa farmers for providing such a nutritious functional food in the fight against malnutrition and world hunger.

• And, if you enjoy gardening, you may want to try quinoa in your garden. Quinoa grows similar to amaranth, adding rich colors and texture to yard and garden landscapes.

Read more about Quinoa 

in my Dave's Garden article
"The International Year of Quinoa"

Related Links 
International Year of Quinoa 2013 
Quinoa Recipes

Happy New Year! @EatRight Eat More #GardenCuizine Why? Disease Prevention.

You and Your Family deserve to
 Celebrate the New Year 

with a Wealth of Good Nutrition

Eat more dietary fiber and phytonutrients from beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables 

Healthy New Year Menu

• Hoppin' John made with Blackeye Peas, Frijol Carita, (Cowpeas) - symbolic for coins - "peas for pennies"
• Collard, Turnip or Mustard greens - symbolic for greens, currency $ dollars
• Cornbread - symbolic for gold and a staple for any Southern inspired meal
• Pork for added protein but not necessary when beans are served with brown rice or other grain since grains and beans makeup a complete high quality protein.

Hoppin' John is an American meal inspired by African, French and Caribbean ancestry. The main ingredient - cowpeas - are seeds of a green bean subspecies of Vigna unguiculata legumes. Other Vigna subspecies include Chinese long beans (shown in above photo), also known as yardlong beans that can be grown in your home, community or school gardens.  

These unique legumes are enjoyed for Good Luck at New Year's and are common in cuisines of Southeastern Asia, Thailand and Southern China. Cultivars include Chinese Red Noodle, Blue Goose and Texas Pinkeye.

Related Links
Barley Hoppin' John recipe
Cowpeas please! The History and Importance of the Cowpea plant by Melody Rose
Fruits and Veggies, More Matters
Blogpost Copyright (C)2012 Wind. All rights reserved. Photo yardlong beans displayed in Singapore, courtesy of Wikipedia