Okra, Parsley and Quinoa

We are approaching the end of the alphabet – and I think I’ll have to continue beginning from A again in January – there are just too many healthy foods to talk about! For now let’s talk about okra.

Okra
Chances are if you are not from the south and have never had fried okra or gumbo – you’ve never had okra and that’s a shame! It’s a complete food with SOOO many health benefits – I’m going to list just a few:

Loaded with fiber that stabilizes blood sugar and helps reduce cholesterol and removes other toxins sending them to your liver to be neutralized and released;

Soothing to the digestive system and so great for those with ulcers; acts as a prebiotic, which means it feeds the good bacteria in your gut and also bulks up stool to prevent constipation gently;

Very low in calories and a very alkaline vegetable loaded with vitamins A, C, K, folate and iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium.

I realize the slimy texture turns many off although the “slime” is the mucilaginous content that makes it so soothing to the digestive system. I’ll share some tips for reducing the slime factor below.

Parsley

This is so much more than just decoration on your plate! Two tablespoons of parsley have 16% of your daily quota of vitamin C, as well as 12% of the vitamin A you need daily! It’s a natural diuretic and helps balance the levels of sodium and water in your system. It’s rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances as well. It’s a blood builder and purifier and has even been shown to help with hormonal balance! It’s actually considered one of the world’s 7 most potent disease fighting spices!

The easiest way I’ve found to be sure to get it in my diet is to add the leaves from several stalks of organic Italian parsley into my morning smoothie. I can’t taste it and it just boosts the nutritional value.

Quinoa

This happens to be one of my absolute favorite grain-like seeds! I use quinoa as a substitute for brown rice or couscous as a side dish and also as a breakfast “grain” in place of oatmeal to change things up.

It is a high protein food – 3.5 ounces provides 14 grams of high quality, complete protein! That alone makes it a nutritional superstar in my book – but it also has both soluble and non-soluble fiber, vitamins, minerals, a low glycemic index and it’s so quick and easy to prepare! This is one of those “unusual” foods I really urge you to try! In fact, if you want to learn more about it, including how to prepare it, you’ll find that information and more in my Nutrition-Boosting Strategies e-book.

Take a Step:

I promised you some tips on how to make non-slimy okra – and here they are:
Choose smaller pods – 3” long or smaller. From what I’ve learned, the “experts” say the more you cut it, the slimier it gets, so try just trimming of the stem and soaking in either red wine vinegar or lemon juice for 30 minutes. They say to drain, rinse and thoroughly dry the pods and the preferred method of cooking is to quickly sauté in hot oil that’s been flavored with some garlic, ginger or lemon grass.

Honestly, I’ve tried it all different ways and actually, after a fast I usually make okra because it helps move toxins out of the body and I don’t really hate the texture all that much. But try the tips shared here and let me know if you find the texture more palatable!

Until next time, I wish you vibrant health!

Ann

Proper Food Preparation Strategies – Part Two

Here are three more tips to help you get the most nutrition from the foods you prepare and eat:

5. When cooking with oil, be careful to choose a stable fat, otherwise the heat will damage it. Polyunsaturated vegetable oils like canola, corn, safflower, sunflower and soybean oil should never be heated or used for cooking. The reason for this is that they easily combine with oxygen in the air to become rancid. These oils degrade very easily because of this tendency. Extra virgin coconut oil and organic butter are best for cooking as they are very stable saturated fats. They withstand high temperatures without damage to their chemical structure. Regular olive oil should not be heated above 400 degrees, so it is suitable for stir frying or light sautéing at moderate temperatures. Extra virgin olive oil, flax oil, sesame oil, pumpkin seed oil and macadamia nut oil should not be heated. Use them as condiments, drizzling over vegetables, in salad dressings and smoothies or as a dip for whole grain bread.

6. Raw nuts, seeds and seed-like grains such as quinoa, millet and amaranth, as well as whole grains like steel cut oats and brown rice, should be soaked before you cook and eat them. They contain phytic acid which is a naturally occurring substance that prevents absorption of certain minerals and nutrients in those foods. By simply soaking them in filtered water for at least 8 hours, the phytic acid is deactivated.

7. Garlic is a power-packed food that has been studied for years and has many health benefits. The way to get the most from garlic is to crush the cloves. Allicin, a powerful antifungal and antibacterial compound, is produced when you crush or chop the garlic cloves. It’s also usually suggested that you wait ten minutes for the compound to develop fully. The effects of allicin are strongest in raw garlic, so to get the most benefit, use a small amount of crushed or chopped garlic raw or combine with your cooked food just before serving it. Cooking destroys it and the longer the garlic is cooked the more these properties are destroyed.

Take a Step:

I encourage you to buy a container of extra virgin coconut oil and use it when you make scrambled eggs or for any other cooking you do. It tastes great, can be used in baking, contains medium chain fatty acids that actually help with weight loss and lauric acid which boosts immune function! All from one healthy fat!

Until next time, I wish you vibrant health. Ann