Sautéed Kale with roasted Tahini Sauce #GardenCuizine favorite!

Nutrient Dense

Sautéed Kale
with roasted Tahini Sauce

Back in the day, a favorite staple at my health food restaurant was Kale drizzled with tahini sauce. This was 15-25 years ago when Kale was not even popular in the main stream. Our health conscious customers would eat their kale and always comment "What was on the greens?" We sold many bottles of Helen's Pure Foods Michele's Sesame Tahini dressing back then. Michele's dressing is still available in the Philadelphia area if you want to check it out. Tahini dressing is high in fat*, so use it sparingly. *heart healthy monounsaturated fat from the pureed sesame seeds. You can whip up your own sesame tahini sauce at home too. All you need is some roasted tahini.

Many sesame tahini brands are on the market; look for roasted versus raw for best flavor. I often use Joyva brand. Having the highest oil content of any seed, sesame tahini will have a layer of oil on top even more than what you see with pure, natural peanut butter. It takes a little patience initially to cut into the settled brick of nut paste. Slowly cut and mix it to an emulsified consistency; it will be liquidy and much thinner than peanut butter. After mixing, store sesame tahini in the refrigerator and use as needed. Tahini adds flavor to homemade hummus recipes too.

Nutrient Dense Kale
Cruciferous vegetables include kale, cabbage, kohlrabi, cauliflower, collards, arugula, mustard greens, horseradish, broccoli, bok choy, watercress and Brussels sprouts. They are all cole crop members of the botanical genus Brassica. Kale (Brassica oleracea) has a long history and has been cultivated in kitchen gardens for over 2,000 years. 

Brassica veggies provide a wealth of nutrition and health benefits. Beneficial compounds may help prevent cancer. Boiling may decrease the bioavailability of beneficial glucosinolates, so steaming or sautéing is recommended as a preferable cooking method. Eat more of these vegetables as part of your healthy diet. To make Kale with roasted tahini dressing here's what you will need:

Serves 4 (with plenty of extra dressing to save for another time)
Ingredients
bunch Kale - from your garden or from the market - organic preferably
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
clove garlic
1/8 teaspoon dried hot pepper - optional
 
Tahini dressing:
4 tablespoons roasted sesame tahini
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
splash low sodium soy sauce
splash hot chili sesame oil

Putting it all together

• Rinse kale; no need to use a salad spinner to dry kale; any water on the leaves will help cook the kale
• Pull kale off stems and break into bite size pieces using your hands; set aside in a strainer
• chop the kale stems into small pieces
• chop the onion
• Mince garlic and if desired, pinch dried hot pepper from your garden

In a small bowl, combine tahini dressing ingredients and gently whisk until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste; add more or less water to desired consistency. Set aside.  

In a wok or large skillet, heat olive oil - sauté chopped onion and kale stems until onion is transparent and kale bits are tender. Add garlic, stir. Add kale and stir. Add a little (1-3 tablespoons) water, cover and simmer until tender.

Serve kale drizzled with tahini dressing and enjoy!

Grow your own Kale
Seeds are available from many providers. Look for heirlooms.

• Italian Lacinato Nero di Toscana 
• Dwarf Blue curled Scotch Kale
• Red Russian Kale 
• Redbor

GardenCuizine Kale Nutrition Data:  approximately 2 cup raw/ 1 cup sautéed Kale (not including other ingredients)
Excellent source: Vitamin A, vitamin C, Vitamin K, Copper, Manganese, Isothiocyanates
Good source: dietary Fiber, Thiamin, Riboflavin, vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Potassium

Dietary Fiber 2.6g (10% DV); Protein 4.4g (8% DV); omega 3 fatty acids 242 mg; Vitamin A 20,604 IU (412% DV WOW!);  Vitamin C 160mg (268% DV); Vitamin K 1,094 mcg (1,368% DV); Thiamin 0.2mg (10% DV); Riboflavin 0.2mg (10% DV); Vitamin B6 0.4mg (18% DV); Folate 38mcg (10% DV); Calcium 181mg (18% DV); Potassium 598mg (18% DV); Copper 0.4mg (20% DV); Manganese 1.0mg (52% DV)

Related Links
Growing Cole Crops 
Crispy Kale Chips
Eat More Kale - but Make Sure it's Edible Kale
Photo collage and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

@TheDeersHeadInn Sautéed Diver Scallops w/ Spinach, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives and Feta over Capellini #GardenCuizine

Mediterranean Scallops

The Deer's Head Inn

Elizabethtown, NY

What a pleasure it was to luck out and discover a restaurant in the gateway to the Adirondack High Peaks with a chef who is generous with nutritious garden vegetables. I'm not sure if it was Chef Matt Baldwin who prepared our meals that hot Saturday, July 20th, evening - the night of the Elizabethtown Day fireworks - but kudos to all who worked that night; we really enjoyed our meals.

The photo shows their Mediterranean Scallops dinner entree, which featured sautéed Diver Scallops with Spinach, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives and Feta over Capellini served with a generous side of steamed asparagus.

The Deer's Head Inn is located in the Adirondack mountains in the home of the Essex County seat - Elizabethtown, NY. We stumbled across their historic Inn (est. 1808) and restaurant after having to go into E-town to get our car repaired. Our server couldn't have been nicer too. We will surely return the next time we visit this quaint and charming town.
photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Fabulous Folate: Beets * Spinach * Black-eyed peas * Asparagus * Brussels sprouts * Romaine lettuce #GardenCuizine

Fabulous Folate

An important water soluble 

B Vitamin

Take a look at which foods contain folate and be sure to eat them. When it comes to Folate - a natural, water soluble B vitamin - think of the word "foliage" since Folate is found in vegetables like spinach, turnip greens and Romaine lettuce. Folate is also found in other foods too, including: fruits,fruit juices, nuts, beans, peas, dairy products, poultry, meat, eggs, seafood, and grains. Brussels sprouts, asparagus, breakfast cereals, liver, black-eyed peas, rice, and yeast are excellent sources of folate.
 
Folate is needed by our bodies to serve as a coenzyme or cosubstrate in protein metabolism and in single-carbon transfers in the synthesis of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). We need folate for proper cell division. An impairment in adults can lead to megaloblastic anemia, an indicator of folate deficiency. Folate is especially important for the prevention of neural tube defects in newborns.

The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that to reduce the risk of having a pregnancy affected by spina bifida or anencephaly, women capable of becoming pregnant should consume at least 400 micrograms (mcg) a day of synthetic folic acid either from a vitamin supplement, breakfast cereals or other fortified foods, in addition to eating a healthy diet that includes folate-rich foods. Folate requirements increase during pregnancy to 600 mcg a day. Folate is an important nutrient regardless of planning a pregnancy. In fact, men need folate too. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) by the Institute of Medicine for males age 14 to 70+ is 400 mcg a day.

Since January 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required manufacturers to add folic acid to enrich breads, cereals, flours, cornmeals, pasta, and other grain products. Cereals and grains are widely consumed in the United States, therefore are important contributors of folic acid to the American diet.

Add some of these selected Food Sources of Folate to your daily diet
Food	mcg Folate per serving	Percent  DV*
Beef liver, braised, 3 ounces	215	54
Turnip greens, boiled 1 cup	170	42
Spinach, boiled, ½ cup	131	33
Black-eyed peas (cowpeas), boiled, ½ cup	105	26
Breakfast cereals, fortified with 25%DV	100	25
Asparagus, boiled, 4 spears	89	22
Spaghetti, cooked, enriched, ½ cup	83	21
Brussels sprouts, frozen, boiled, ½ cup	78	20
Lettuce, romaine, shredded, 1 cup	64	16
Avocado, raw, sliced, ½ cup	59	15
Spinach, raw, 1 cup	58	15
Broccoli, chopped, frozen, cooked, ½ cup	52	13
Green peas, boiled, ½ cup	47	12
Kidney beans, canned, ½ cup	46	12
Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce	41	10
Wheat germ, 2 tablespoons	40	10
Beets, one 2-inch beet	40	10
Endive, 1/2 cup chopped	36	9
Tomato juice, canned, ¾ cup	36	9
Crab, Dungeness, 3 ounces	36	9
* Percent Daily Value (%DV) is based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Watch for my next article on Dave's Gardens for more information on plant sources of B Vitamins ...coming soon! 
Related Links 
NIH Folate dietary supplement fact sheet
Photo and Blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Smart Snacks in School > It's about time! #GardenCuizine @USDANutrition @letsmove @kidseatright #smartsnacks

CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW

The National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Nutrition Standards for all foods sold in school as required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 has introduced an amendment for Smart Snacks in Schools. What took so long? As they say, "Better late than never." The new ruling doesn't officially begin until next year.  

ATTENTION ADULTS: this is a healthful guide for you too! Start following Smart Snacks suggestions now for more whole grains, more fruits and veggies, and lower sodium and low fat. Remember, as parents, you are role models for your children. Healthful eating begins at home. Here are some highlights of the Smart Snacks ruling: 

• Must be a grain product that contains 50 percent or more whole grains by weight or have as the first ingredient a whole grain; or
• Have as the first ingredient one of the non-grain major food groups: fruits, vegetables, dairy or protein foods (meat, beans, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, etc.); or
• Be a combination food that contains ¼ cup of fruit and/or vegetable; or
• For the period through June 30, 2016, contain 10 percent of the Daily Value (%DV) of a nutrient of public health concern based on the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans (i.e., calcium, potassium, vitamin D or dietary fiber). 

Overall, foods supplied to schools (referred to as competitive foods) must contain no more than 10 percent of total calories from saturated fat per item as packaged or served. Exemptions to the saturated fat standard are granted for reduced fat cheese and part skim mozzarella cheese, nuts, seeds, nut or seed butters, and products consisting of only dried fruit with nuts and/or seeds with no added nutritive sweeteners or fat. Competitive foods must have zero grams of Trans fat per item as packaged or served. 

Competitive snack foods and beverages must meet the nutrition standards specified in an interim final rule that begins July 1, 2014. There will be a special exemption to the standards allowed for foods and beverages that do not meet competitive food standards for snacks sold for the purpose of conducting an infrequent school sponsored fundraiser, which sounds reasonable.
 
Sodium content in snacks will be limited to 230mg per item as packaged or served. And, then on July 1, 2016, the sodium standard will drop lower to 200mg per item as packaged or served. Entrée items must have no more than 480mg of sodium per item as packaged or served.

Eating more whole grains, low fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and leaner proteins makes sense for a healthy heart, body and lifestyle. And, most of all, encouraging healthier food options will help combat child hunger and obesity to improve the health and nutrition of our nation's children.
Related Links
A Healthier Generation through Smart Snacks in Schools
Q & A amended School Nutrition Standards 

Today in Our Garden * hummingbirds * nectar plants * heirloom tomatoes * flowers * herbs #GardenCuizine

Today In Our Garden
South Jersey
USDA Zone 7a (formerly zone 6b) 

July 27, 2013

This year our gardens are lush and green thanks to the most rain I can ever remember during the summer here in Jersey. The recent break in the heat wave has been wonderful too. Lots of wildlife activity today with birds and small animals seeking shelter, water and food.

It was hard not to notice the many ruby-throated hummingbirds that were zipping around our yard and gardens today - visiting salvias and other blooms rich in nectar. Besides all the blooms, our freshly filled hummingbird feeders were like a hummingbird magnet. I was able to photograph the silhouette of a hummer on a tree branch later in the day that you can see in the above photo collage. Our vegetable garden is bordered with tall, red cannas and chia salvia that invite the speedy little birds to circle the garden every day.

Harry dug up a batch of potatoes the other day as you know from my Potatoes Anna blog post. The Italian basil that was started from seed is about ready to harvest too. So is our blooming oregano. Bronze fennel is also blooming; I plan to let that go and harvest the seeds later. Our vine ripening, organic, tomatoes include Pruden's purple, Goldman's Italian American and French heirloom, Juane Flamme - shown below. 

Hope you're enjoying a summer full of fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers from your garden and/or local farmers' markets. 
Related Links
Hummingbird Pollinators Dave's Garden article by Diana Wind
Find a Farmers' Market 
Blog post and photos Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Freshly dug potatoes today! Making our version of Potatoes Anna #GardenCuizine.com

Harry dug up King Harry potatoes today! Time for organic potatoes Pommes Anna with dinner tonight, which are easy to make in a cast iron skillet. Our version does not use a lot of saturated fat like the classic French version and tastes just as delicious. 

Use a mandolin to slice the potatoes thin. Spray the skillet and each layer with oil (non-stick spray). Arrange the potatoes in a circular design in layers. We like to add just enough sliced onion for one layer in between the sliced potato layers. Season with salt, fresh ground black pepper and dried thyme in between layers. Top with a dollop of butter, a generous sprinkle of paprika and a pinch of garlic powder.  Heat the bottom of the pan until you smell the aroma of the potatoes cooking and they get crispy on the bottom; finish cooking in the oven until the potatoes are tender. Invert onto a plate before cutting and serving.

Enjoy a portion no larger than a quarter of your plate along with a lean protein and a generous portion (half a plate) of non-starchy vegetables.
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Today in Our Garden #GardenCuizine #FIGS on the way!

Today In Our Garden

South Jersey
USDA Zone 7a (formerly zone 6b)

Figs - finally on the way! At last, after years of very slow growth, our little stick of a fig tree is showing signs of nutritious figs. Last year I know I spotted some too, but suddenly they disappeared. Hopefully, the squirrels or birds don't eat these before we do. 

Our Ficus carica was purchased at a local garden center over 5 years ago. I don't have a record of the identification of our fig tree. It could be 'Chicago Hardy', 'Celeste', or 'Brown Turkey' fig. I don't think it's 'Celeste' though, since the fig tree has not been fast growing or shrub-like. In fact, it's been the opposite, slow growing with tree-like form and little branching out. It doesn't die to the ground either in the winter like I read Brown Turkey fig trees do. We may be better able to ID the tree by the size of the ripe fruits.

As you may know from previous blog posts, we've been attempting and planning to propagate winter hardy figs from both cuttings and air layering. Stay tuned for updates on propagating figs.

April Showers bring May flowers...but wait...it's June!!
We sure have had plenty of rain for June. How about you? Here in NJ, we're expecting even more thunder storms and rain for the next several days. New Jersey may go down in history as having the wettest June ever. Luckily, so far we haven't seen damage from too much rain. On the contrary, all our gardens are green, lush and the blooms are absolutely beautiful.

Happy and Healthy Gardening!

Harlequin hydrangea

Related Links

Uncommon Nutrition from the Common Fig

Blog post and photos Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved. 

Homemade Just Peachy Black Bean Dip in 5 minutes #recipe #GardenCuizine @foodbankSJ

"Just Peachy" Black Bean Dip

Low fat ~ High Fiber ~ Low sodium

Boost your nutrition and weight management diet with high fiber protein from beans. Serve beans as a side dish or puree beans for dips or sandwich and fajita spreads. Pureed beans are quick and easy to make in just 5 minutes. Kids love homemade bean dips too, which make a tasty snack on whole grain crackers and raw fresh vegetables. Try and avoid the temptation to serve bean dips with tortilla chips to encourage eating more veggies.

Black beans are low in fat, cholesterol-free, and provide 30% of the daily recommended amount of dietary fiber. One ounce of black (or white) beans yields 2 grams of protein. In general, beans are inexpensive and readily available in cans or dried. Dried beans are easily hydrated. Simply rinse, soak in water and then cook until tender. Of course, you could also grow your own beans in your home or community garden.

To reduce flatulence sometimes associated with legumes, introduce beans to your diet gradually. Some people find products like Beano helpful.

Ingredients

1 can cooked black beans, rinsed
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup prepared salsa: Food Bank of SJ Just Peachy Salsa! (of course, homemade or any salsa can be used. We like to support our local food bank)
splash hot sauce (optional)

Putting it all together

• In a small bowl or directly in your storage container - using a hand held blender - puree the beans, water, lime juice and cumin. Add more water if needed.
• Stir in the cilantro and salsa
• Enjoy!
• NO added salt is necessary

Serve with your favorite multigrain crackers and rinsed raw garden vegetables, such as baby carrots, celery, cucumber slices, bell pepper slices and grape tomatoes.

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data ...coming soon
Related Links
Support your local food bank  Food Bank of South Jersey
Nourish Healthy Kids List of Legumes
USDA canned Black Beans fact sheet

Photo, recipe and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Puff Pastry Pinwheels topped with low fat frozen yogurt and Jersey fresh blueberries #GardenCuizine

Puff Pastry Pinwheels
topped with your favorite low fat frozen yogurt or ice cream 
and Jersey Fresh Blueberries

Recipe yields 18 pinwheels

Ingredients

1 box frozen puff pastry dough 

1 egg mixed with splash water for egg wash
large chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli 60% cacao)

colored sugar crystals (optional)
low fat frozen yogurt or ice cream

Jersey fresh blueberries

cookie sheets lined with foil and lightly sprayed with nonstick spray

preheat oven to 375° F

Putting it all together

This recipe is a fun and easy one. I just made a large batch of puff pastry pinwheels for Trinity Episcopal Church's blueberry festival that is being held tonight. Puff pastry pinwheels are fun served at summer BBQ's and picnics too.

Simply buy puff pastry dough and thaw at room temperature until workable. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this could take 15 to 30 minutes. You could also thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Store-bought puff pastry dough is folded like a letter in 3 parts. 

• Unfold the dough and cut the dough into thirds along the fold. 
• Cut each rectangle into 3-inch squares.
• using a paring knife, make a diagonal cut from near the center to the corner. Leave an inch or slightly less in the center uncut
• fold the tips towards the center to form a pinwheel. Egg wash to hold and egg wash exposed dough
• sprinkle with colored sugar crystals if desired
• place a large chocolate chip in the center
• when your cookie sheet is full, bake until golden
• continue until all your squares are made into pinwheels.
• Serve topped with your favorite low fat frozen yogurt or ice cream and a generous portion of Jersey fresh blueberries!

Nutrition Data fresh Blueberries: based on USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference:
Excellent Source: Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese*
Good Source: dietary Fiber 
1 cup (148g) raw blueberries: 84 calories; total fat: 0.49g (0.7% DV); Sodium: 1mg (0% DV); dietary Fiber: 4g (14% DV); Carbohydrate: 21g; sugars 15g; Vitamin C: 14mg (24% DV); Vitamin K: 29mcg (36% DV); Manganese 0.50mg (25% DV).
Percent Daily Value (%DV) is based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
* Manganese aides in bone health and is part of enzymes involved in protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Manganese is considered an essential nutrient. Safe levels should not exceed 11mg/day. 

Related Links

Jersey Blues by Diana Wind, RD
Jersey Blueberry History Rutgers

Blog post copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.