The "Good for You" Food Post
So many of us are knowledgeable about good vs bad food choices. Let's see what we can share with one another.
"Non-Irradiated Spices & Herbs"
Spices you buy in the supermarket (unless labeled "non-irradiated") have undergone the process of radiation, which destroys the medicinal properties and reduces flavor. Spices and herbs have naturally occurring good bacteria which is good for your intestinal flora. Even better, they have various medicinal properties and some have anti-viral & anti-bacterial properties.
Examples: Cinnamon is good for hypertension and blood sugar regulation. Turmeric is excellent for inflammation and detoxifies. Oregano is antimicrobial and antiseptic.
Aug '14
happiest girl I'm glad you brought this up. I'm growing basil and I've been wondering what benefits it has. I know I can google, but by any chance would you know?
Did you know you can freeze basil so you have it all seasons? Love basil. One of my favorites.
Same with parlsey. Its good for bad breath! Just eat it.
I didn't know I could freeze it. I love it too, even the way it smells. Thanks Christine
positive- according to reference books I have, basil is used as a digestive aid, for intestinal tract spasms, kidney ailments, and poor circulation. It's oil relaxes the muscle of the intestines & dilates small blood vessels. The oils have antibacterial properties & expel worms. It has anti-cancer benefits from orientin & vicenin (flavonoids). An infusion aids digestion & is antibacterial.
Aug '14
happiest girl - I would be interested in understanding the quantities you need to consume to begin getting some of the benefits. I've also heard that turmeric is very good and Indians (and other similar cultures) benefit greatly from it due to the prevalence of it in their diet. We're talking about a lot of turmeric obviously. Would you get the same benefits from cinnamon with a teaspoon, tablespoon, daily, weekly, etc.? That one is of particular interest since I'm borderline hypertension.
emaxxman - my sister takes turmeric for her arthritis. Her doctor told her that she no longer has to take the drug she was on (I don't know what it was) The turmeric works just as well as the drug. She puts the turmeric in capsules and takes 2 a day.
I heard that 1/2 tsp of cinnamon a day is the amount you need for hypertension.
I also know that celery is really good. I think it is two stalks a day -- you can check that on internet. There is also celery seed which you can put in your food like soup,(or in some water and down it) Also dandelion is good for hypertension. It is because they are natural diuretics without the dangerous side effects of pharmacutical diuretics.
Aug '14
Thank you. I'll have to give this a shot. I'm not big on taking medications either unless it's some serious medication. Since I'm just borderline, I know I can probably address it with a better diet and more cardio.
emax --- you can also get tinctures and drop into water. I know I've seen dandelion -- not sure if celery comes as a tincture or not.
iPhone -- ha!! Yes that would be tasty. Too bad alcohol raises blood pressure. Maybe a virgin mary?
Aug '14
Coconut oil has become my favorite vehicle for cookies, with whole wheat flour and dark chocolate chips of course! And it's good for your skin and hair.
Seriously delicious!
http://www.completelydelicious.com/2014/01/whole-wheat-chocolate-chip-coconut-cookies.html#more-3157
I can speak to the value of tumeric. I started taking bio-available tumeric capsules less than a month ago, based on personal recommendation and a number of scientific studies showing it to be a very strong anti-inflammatory. I am hoping it will have a positive effect on a mild form of arthritis which has caused over 15 years worth of problems (stiffness, chronic soreness) in both knees and both hips. I am told it can take 90 days before I might see an improvement. I do already notice that I have been able to reduce the amount of ibuprophen (advil) I need to take by almost 50%.
In the meantime, a tendonitis I had developed in my one elbow since May had left me unable to life anything with my right arm without severe pain. Icing the elbow provided only transient relief. I've been on the tumeric for less than a month and the tendonitis is almost totally gone.
Tumeric alone (the spice) is not easily absorbed by the body; you need to find capsules that list it as "bio-available tumeric." Just putting the spice itself in a capsule is not going to yield the same benefit.
By the way, the active ingredient in tumeric is known as curcumin if anyone wants to do a literature search.
If you take black pepper with the turmeric it becomes more bio-available. But my sister does not do this and she still has great relief --- so it will still work without pepper if you prefer not to eat black pepper. Indians combine milk and the pepper with it, but I am not sure why they include milk.
Aug '14
Interesting regarding the tendonitis JerryG. I've been dealing with some tennis elbow that I developed about a year ago.
I've heard that fish oil is very good for your joints..it supposedly lubricates the joints. Several friends of mine including myself had chronic joint pain. Some with their knees and I with my neck. We took three capsules a day for several weeks and noticed a big improvement.
Chlorella is good for cleansing your body of toxic metals i.e. mercury and lead. It also helps reduce side effects from radiation treatment.
Celery is a natural sodium. I am on a low sodium diet due to high blood pressure. Add celery to soups and stews etc. and it will give a flavoring of salt.
Lemons are rich in vitamin C and work as a geat detox- a cup of water at room temp with squeezed lemon. Lemon is also good for cosmetic purposes...to get rid of yellow finger nails just soak your nails in a bowl of lemon juice. Also, works great for brown/age spots on the skin.
Yes jrsemom, I forgot about that. It has helped my daughter many times when she had bladder infections.
I make pesto with the basil and then freeze that.
Be careful with tumeric - great anti inflammatory properties but very high in potassium and to a lesser extent sodium salts. (that's why the yellow color) If you're not hypertensive then you're good, but if you have arthritis plus high blood pressure then you have to be careful. You don't want to trade one problem for another.
Lemon, lime, all citric acid is one of the few things that can affect kidney stone formation. After you get a stone, nothing can help it. But when it comes to prevention it's one of the few things that works other than just plain hydration.
One of the best overall healthiest things that almost all people that get to their 100th birthday talk about - water. Plain old water and staying hydrated. Worst thing ever for hydration - alcohol. Which brings us to...
onlooker - Only if you think dead brain cells are healthy. ;-)
GC - I have never heard turmeric is very high in potassium and salts. What is your source?
Aug '14
Actually after thinking about this, I don't think the salt content in any plant source could be detrimental. It would be natural salts ---- not processed salt. Like the salts I believe are in cucumber, if I remember correctly (will have to look that up)
On that topic, I like Celtic Sea Salt (and others too) Celtic sea salt is not processed, but derived from the evaporization of sea water and is actually moist from the mineral content. It is supposed to regulate your blood pressure --- if it is high, it will naturally lower it -- if low, it will raise it. I was surprised when I first bought it --- it is not only moist, but gray in color and granular in size.
Aug '14
Good to clean the liver. At night, before bed time, drink a small 1/2 glass of milk.
Regular milk, but better with goats milk if available. It cleans and detoxify's the Liver.
Especially after alcohol abuse.
GC and happiest girl: You'll find that raw tumeric as a spice is high in potassium and other trace elements, that's why you need to find a source of bio-available tumeric which has been highly refined and is only the active ingredient curcumin.
This is an excellent source of information: http://www.bcm95.com/ There are also links to a number of large-scale reputable scientific studies published in respected medical journals showing scientifically demonstarted benefits of tumeric and curcumin.
DolCas Biotech, which produces this form of tumeric, is located in Landing.
It is incorrect information that turmeric is high in potassium and salt. Most spices/herbs do contain potassium, but it is a question of how much you consume.
For 100 grams, turmeric contains 2525 mg
Many others contain more .... for 100 grams dried dill weed has 3308 mg, dried parsley has 3805 mg.
A serving size of 1/2 tsp. of turmeric is 1gram. That would have 25mg of potassium (0.5% DV) and 0.4mg of sodium (0% DV)
I think consuming the turmeric powder is preferable over a capsule just containing curcumin because of all the trace elements and valuable oils it has. There are health benefits to them, and we probably haven't even discovered everything that turmeric contains. Why would you not want the benefit of the entire plant, especially when such a small amount daily is enough to relieve symptoms, if that is why you are taking it? (many simply use it as a spice in cooking)
The costly curcumin capsules advertise that they are "bio-available" ---- this is because they add something -- usually piperine, to make it so. Piperine is what is in black pepper, so if you are taking turmeric for inflammation, take it with black pepper.
Aug '14
3wbdwnj -- Thanks for that recipe. I also love coconut oil -- I put it in cooked oat bran.
I saw a brand called COCO'MON that comes in flavors ---- lemon-ginger and orange-almond. I have not tried it yet.
Aug '14
Just "fried" my 2 fingers in hot oil; turmeric helped take away the pain, fancy that! It is said that, in India, J&J sells a brand of band-aid that actually has turmeric as an antibiotic agent in it.
Aug '14
Any natto eaters out there?
Natto is a super fermented food, builds strong bones and is heart healthy. It has both vitamin K1 & K2 as well as vitamin PQQ which protects the miyochondria and also promotes spontaneous generation of new mitochondria within aging cells.
I buy it in Asian supermarkets, but I wish Weis or Shoprite would carry it.
Aug '14
Happiest Girl,
Can you give more information on the benefits, of chia seeds, flax seeds and maca power?
Jazzy,
Flax and chia are high in protein (as all seeds are) But they are good in a vegetarian / vegan diet as they contain omega 3. Do not expose to high heat or some of the omega 3 will be destroyed.
Chia is more convenient as it does not have to be ground like flax seed (to make the omega 3 available)
Both are said to help with weight loss but I have no experience with this (ha-ha, I can eat all day and need my refrigerator padlocked.......)
I don't know anything about maca powder!
Aug '14
Thanks for the info. I bought some granola with flax seeds and was curious what the benefits were.
Re: freezing basil/parsely/herbs. You want to remove as much water as possible when doing so. Chop it fine, put it in a kitchen towel and wet the towel (yes, sounds counter-intuitive,but it helps get it started) and squeeze out as much water as you can. Then put the herbs on a cookie tray and stick it in the freezer. When they have frozen you can bag them. This process will prevent the ice crystals that form if you don't remove the water and freeze herbs directly. When you want to use them, just toss them into whatever you're cooking directly from the freezer.
I find it easier to freeze them without washing them. Then when I need them take what I need and wash them. They thaw out when washing them, then I dry them and chop. Same with blueberries and strawberries. They wont taste water logged.
Godlewsky's Moore St Tabbouleh
Set aside 1/2 cup of bulgar wheat in boiling water. Fresh parsley, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions all from Godlewsky's. Chop into cubes into a big bowl. Mix good quality olive oil and the juice of one lemon. After the bulgar cools, combine with the vegetables then dress with the oil and lemon.
Delicious as well as healthy.
Now that cold & flu season is here --- some of my favorite preventatives are:
Oil of Oregano "Oreganol" -- put 2-3 drops under the tongue at first sign of sickness.
Repeat every 4 hours.
Plum Flower Brand "Gan Mao Ling" -- take 3-6 tablets 3 times a day.
Astragalus Root --- put in simmering soups, etc. Remove before eating. Use on a regular basis in winter- it boosts the immune system.
Oct '14
What does oil of oregano preventate? Colds AND the flu? That's amazing. I'm shocked that anyone would actually suffer through either when a miracle cure is so readily available. Plus, then you can just spit in the marinara instead of searching through the spice rack. Win, win (-;
I think it goes without saying any supplement should be reviewed by either your doctor or the pharmacist who knows all your meds. It's not just the Gan Mao Ling which shouldn't be taken by people on statins or blood thinners as well as others. The astragalus root isn't for people on immunomodulators or biologics which could be people with RA, Crohn's, colitis, lupus, MS, or transplants.
ianimal - The oregano I think is supposed to be more for a remedy than preventative, it helps with breathing and coughs. The other two are more preventative.
My husband takes oil of oregano when his throat hurts and he says it is almost a miracle cure. Tough to swallow, though!
It IS amazing, Iris.
http://www.oreganopro.com/oreganofaq.asp
Be sure to get the Oreganol P73
Oct '14
Correct GC! I always check with my Dr. before I take any supplements as such. Most of the time he says no! Now I know why with the above. I do take a multivitamins he recommended and calcium.
LOL, now if only we all lived "in vitro"... it might actually be effective. Just because this stuff kills bacteria in a petri dish, that means it has some real value in the human body? I'm pretty sure that bleach kills bacteria in a petri dish as well. That just proves that it would be effective as a surface antiseptic, nothing more.
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/oil-of-oregano/
Any kimchi eaters here?
I think it's great -- a wonderful fermented food with healthy beneficial bacteria.
Cabbage is traditional, but I am noticing it being made with daikon and other vegetables.
Oct '14
Anyone know where to get Shirataki Noodles aka Miracle Noodles or Zero Noodles locally?
Jun '15
Really, I think shop rite has them. They're in the produce section by the tofu. Have you ever had them?
Yes shoprite does have the Shirataki noodles. The liquid it is packed in has some sort of flavor that is strange. Be sure you rinse them very well before using. You could also briefly boil them before using them to remove the taste.
Jun '15
Thanks Bessie :)
Yes, I get them online through the Swanson Health Products site ( http://www.swansonvitamins.com/q?kw=shirataki+noodles ). But they are 2.69 per bag and I was looking for a cheaper way to get them. I will look around Shoprite. I don't know if the "tofu" kind will be different than the kind I get (made with glucomannan).
Thanks hapiest girl :)
Yes, there is a smell (not a taste) to the liquid they are packed it but rinses right off :)
I love them because they help fill me up for little to no calories. I am a bottomless pit!
Jun '15
There is a plant, actually I think it's a weed, that when taken orally, via a cookie for example, can provide the following benefits: decreases nausea, increases appetites, causes laughing, helps with insomnia and chronic pain. Studies show our bodies have receptors in our brains, spines and intestines for the medicinal properties of this plant. Humans have been using this plant for thousands of years, so I'm told. Can anyone remember the name of the plant?
If it's the glucomannan that's helping you, why not just get the supplement?
It's actually a fiber. If you eat more fiber-rich foods in general it will help to keep you feeling full.
Jun '15
Hapiest girl
Yes glucomannan is a fiber but taking a pill is not going to fill my belly. I do eat fiber-rich foods and I know all about nutrition. I was just comparing tofu shirataki with glucomannan shirataki.
Jun '15
Does anyone else make their own fermented food? It's beyond easy, and so much recent research suggests these foods are very beneficial to one's health. Here's kimchi in the making.
Making my applewood-smoked bacon chicken soup using homemade bone broth and vegetable stock (and store bought too for volume). And sharing with all the neighbors. :-)
Yup! Chef gets a cocktail while cooking! Dishes always come out better. French women's secret.
3wbdwnj --- yes, that's right.
This *IS* the "good for you" food post.
oye vay!
Jan '16
@3wb - it brings the soup to a whole other level. Makes eating something good for you beyond delicious. ;-)
Rebecka, the soup would just be a vehicle for the bacon.
It looks delicious. I wish I were your neighbor. :)
Oh lol! Now I get what you said. Yeah, if DH were around, not much bacon would have "made it" into the soup either!
Two hours later, I'm almost done....
Rebecka,
Your soup looks absolutely fabulous. I personally love the bouillabaisse from the Iron Bound section of Newark, but it is quite different, a slow-cooked seafood stew. I learned how to make it from the fine Portuguese chefs there, and more than willing to share my knowledge with you. My oldest daughter has chosen to eat vegan. She has lost a lot of weight and is feeling very healthy now. Any recipe ideas for her? Zucchini works better than eggplant (sweeter) so far.
Oh my. I invented it and it's not written down... and I do it differently every single time. But... *very* roughly:
1) cook your applewood smoked bacon. Put bacon strips aside, giving one or two to dogs depending on how good they've been.
2) sautée your garlic, green onions, yellow onion and celery in some of the the bacon fat (remove as little or as much as you want before putting veggies to sautée in pan).
3) add the bone broth/vegetable stock that you made over the course of the past week (simmering long to get all minerals and goodness out of the bones) and the carrots and parsnip cut up into little pieces. Spice it up with bouillon cubes, onion/garlic powder, basil, etc - whatever you like.
4) cook that for a few minutes while possibly making second Bloody Mary and giving random chicken scraps to the dogs.
5) add the good chicken meat pulled from your roast chicken and white corn, and cook some more.
6) add super generous helpings of fresh parsley and cilantro (both very good for you).
7) Then add egg noodles (or whatever pasta you want, or alternatively use potatoes and add them in step 3) and cook until 2 minutes from done time, then just shut off stove and let sit (pasta will finish cooking while soup is cooling).
Extra credit: serve with bread you just made, too.
Use bones from roast chicken and vegetable scraps to start broth for next week.
@emaxx - you have great observation skills! Yes, the dishwasher went on fritz over the weekend and needs a new motherboard which won't be here until Thursday. So seriously I can't even believe I'm cooking at all when I have to wash every dish, pot and utensil by hand! Lol
Hey, I'll wash your dishes, pots, pans and utensils, just to have a little taste of your soup.
Love your directions.. Doubtful that I will have my own broth, but I like the sound of everything else. Silly question, do you just cook the bacon for the grease to cook your veggies in?
Oh. No... oops. I can't even follow a recipe and obviously can't be trusted to write one out lol. The bacon is added towards the end, around step 7, after being cut or shredded by hand into small pieces.
Re: making your own broth: Once I learned this woman's technique of making homemade broth, my crockpot has been on constantly. http://nourishedkitchen.com/perpetual-soup-the-easiest-bone-broth-youll-make/
Huge difference for cooking in terms of delicious flavor when you make your own. :-)
According to CBS 2 NYC, "Lard" (remember lard, I do) is also good for you, among other animal fats (in moderation, of course):
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/01/04/schmaltz-newest-health-food-craze/
I remember the old days when McDonald's used to cook their fries in animal fat. I used to like them. Ever since they changed to some combination of vegetable oils, the taste, satisfaction and feeling of fullness you get from eating a moderate amount wasn't there any more.
Yes, and butter also. They are preferable to stick margarine which is a transfat and extremely unhealthy....... but not to be confused with alternative products such as Earth Balance and Smart Balance which are good.
There is alot of reference to nuts & seeds lately, as well as coconut oil, which are all healthy fats.
High cholesterol and subsequent health conditions are not a result of consuming healthy fats but actually from a diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugar.
Jan '16
happiest girl,
in short, we ought to consume natural foods. The more scientists "play" with our food, the more "screwed" we get.
There was a guy (famous nutritionist) who wrote in 50's (or 40's) that we must consume organic foods, not refined or processed. And that was 60-70 years ago!!!
He also conducted the analysis on nutritional values of vegetables/fruits/animal products.
About 10-11 years ago his "followers" repeated the same analysis and determined that the most values dropped by as much as 45%.
Where's progress?
Watch the movie "cereal killers".
pyc - that's right. Conventional farms grow food in depleted soil. Organic farming continually enriches the soil so the food will be more nutritious than non-organiic.
I wonder who the famous nutritionist is you are referring to. Could it be Jethro Kloss? I have his book "Back to Eden" whose original copyright is 1939.
It is amazing how much he knew.
Jan '16
happiest girl,
no, his name was Roger J. Williams.
This is what our children must be taught in schools instead of what Newton said to Ohm. Health is fundamental.
What is the latest medical evaluation of extra virgin olive oil? I use it in many Italian, Portuguese and Spanish dishes. Is it healthy?
Also, I still have a nicely growing herb garden outside my condo, still green, due to the relatively warm weather, but now it is starting to freeze overnight. Is there a limit to when I must bring it inside?
I would definitely bring them in danny. I brought my rosemary plant in and it's thriving.
Thanks, positive. Digging tomorrow. I have thriving basil, Italian flat-leaf parsley, purple sage, rosemary, silver thyme, cilantro, and three kinds of mint. I hope to save them all for winter cooking. My only problem is a frisky young cat who will no doubt start digging the dirt inside. Any ideas on indoor cat-proof planter(s)? Thanks again.
Danny, I have a cat too and he seems repelled by the strong herbs; oregano and rosemary but he is drawn to the mild herbs; basil and parsley.
Not a full proof method (every cat is different), but I spray white distilled vinegar around the plants he likes. So far it's working. Also you might want to try placing aluminum foil on top of the soil..as long as your cat won't try to eat it, mine would. Lol.
positive: Thank you for your advice. Getting cheap planters, aluminum foil and white distilled vinegar tomorrow. I also have thriving oregano (two varieties), which you said cats do not like. I'll let you know how my winter indoor herb garden works out.
One of the best books on the subject:
In Defense Of Food
"Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
the "food" in the above manifesto means ACTUAL REAL FOOD, not food-like/processed substances.
That book is a great place to start, for anyone interested in reading more.
In Defense of Food was just on PBS recently.
You can watch if here:
http://www.pbs.org/video/2365635287
Jan '16
Danny, just a heads up (if you don't already know) concerning potting..rosemary and basil are loners, they like their space. Oregano and parsley don't mind sharing space with each other, but I don't know about your other herbs. I learned this by visiting Well Sweep Farm, learned a lot from them.
Let me know how it works out.
Would I be too ambitious to try to grow veggies like tomatoes, peppers and zucchini, plus onions, shallots, chives and garlic indoors this winter? Why not give it a try? Even though there are many places to buy these goods, it could be fun.
Danny -- what's really fun & cool is growing more of a plant from one you purchase.
I put the bottom end of celery (like a 2 inch piece) in water and it produced more stalk. I also did it with the bottom of scallions..... put several together in a cup with a little water.
To answer your question, extra virgin olive oil is very healthful.
What age is your daughter that has turned vegan? Do you need recipe resources for her?
Jan '16
You must have lots of sunny space inside if you're going to attempt zucchini DannyC.
That soup sounds amazing. Will have to try making it.
Just bottled some homemade apple cider vinegar. Came out great and it was very easy. Makes great salad dressing.
Happiest I'm going to try that. Can I do that with carrots as well?
Danny I'm just an amateur, but I do know that those veges need sun n heat..so I'm not sure how it would turn out unless you have large bright heating lamps. Maybe you can try googling you never know....
MeisterNJ: I am blessed with an eight ft. wide, six ft. high, two ft. deep, bay window, facing south, plenty of sun, especially now that the leaves are all down. I want some of that soup too. Apple cider vinegar as salad dressing sounds tasty, and healthy as well.
I'd give it a shot Danny, it just might work. If it does work I hope you will be willing to sell some of your fresh veges to me. Lol
happiest girl: Wow, you "grew" more celery and scallions just by putting stalks and bulbs in water? Amazing! My daughter is 36 and she has been eating vegan for under a year, enjoying her improved health, but I have not yet been able to cook really enjoyable dishes for her, except eggplant and zucchini dishes. Any recipe ideas would be most appreciated. Thanks.
My daughter was a vegan at one point and just keeps going back and forth. Lol. I made sautéed red peppers, chopped tomatoes, baby spinach, garlic, red beans in olive oil and put it over brown rice. It was tasty, vegan, satisfying and a big hit.
Rice and beans, baby. Rice and beans. Beans+rice=complete protein and leaves you full and satisfied.
positive and eperot:
oh yea, that's really worth a try, and for me, with hot sauce! Going shopping and doing some experimental cooking tomorrow. Thanks.
It is a common misconception that you have to eat complimentary foods together at the same time to get your protein (ie rice & beans) You can eat rice alone (or with say, vegetables) at one meal, and then have beans at the next meal. You will still get the protein. I don't remember the number of hours that can pass and still benefit from the complimentary foods. I guess the answer could be easily found with a google search.
Jan '16
happiest girl:
I just finished cooling a rice-and-beans dish, with both fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed red peppers, onions and garlic, fresh arugula and baby spinach, red, black and white chili beans, and fresh from the garden herbs, all over long-grain brown rice. It tastes great, even without hot sauce. Bringing it to my daughter tomorrow. I am sure that it will keep, and perhaps even get better as the flavors meld together.
positive: I just finished transplanting the herbs to indoor planters, and made room for the veggies, now looking online for plants, being too impatient to grow them from seeds. I think this will work, if it does, the veggies are yours for free in exchange for your advice already given.
The rice-and-beans dish improved after sitting in the fridge overnight and reheated. I went a little overboard and maybe did not need some of the ingredients such as the arugula, but this is one tasty vegan dish. Thanks again.
happiest girl:
Not vegan, but one of the most popular dishes that I have made for over 400 people: Italian chicken cutlets. Simple, once you get past the butchering:
Buy boneless skinless chicken breasts (Weis and Shoprite often have them on sale for as low as $1.79/lb.). Trim and slice with a sharp serrated knife to under 1/4 in thick. This takes some practice, puffing up the breasts and then cutting slowly and carefully by feel. For small pieces such as the tenderloin, butterfly to 1/4 inch and fold out the sides, wasting nothing. Pounding is not enough, since the chicken will puff up to its original thickness when it hits the hot oil, so you have to slice thin. This will yield about six cutlets per pound.
Normally, flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs are the prep. Replace the flour with Locatelli Romano cheese, and press into the meat. The cheese will flavor the meat and being insulated by the egg wash and breadcrumbs, it will not burn.
Fry in extra virgin olive oil for about four minutes per side, and drain well on paper towels.
Fast food. You can also use these cutlets as the base with toppings for other dishes such as chicken piccata, marsala, saltimbocca, cordon bleu and of course, chicken parm, or just eat them cold like cookies, as my grandsons do.
Given the five ingredients, chicken breast, cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs and olive oil, this should be pretty good for you, right?
You sound like quite the cook. Your daughter might like homemade vegetable soup.
Cannelini beans or white northern beans, stewed tomatoes, zucchini, escarole, celery, garlic, onions, carrots and your fresh herbs.
All this talk of food, I'm starting to get hungry. Is it dinner time yet?
positive: I brought over the rice-and-beans dish to my daughter, son-in-law and grandsons, and they all loved it. For the guys and me, I added pepper jack cheese, making it that much more tasty. This is now a regular on the family menu. Thanks for your soup suggestion. Bring on any other recipes you may have. All are most welcome and appreciated, and I'll try to reciprocate with some recipes of my own, like home-made, fresh from-scratch macaroni, meatballs and sausage that my Neapolitan ("from-a-the-other-side") grandparents taught me as a teenager, including my grandpa's famous seafood dishes and red wine. My grandma made her own sausage with fennel (I must grow that, too) and canned her own tomato sauce every autumn with fresh plum tomatoes and basil. The smell of her canning could be enjoyed from two miles away. And then there is "pizza frit", a quick fried thin pizza dough, either savory with tomato sauce and mozzarella, or with powdered sugar as a desert. Seemingly endless possibilities.
Danny ...
Your grandma's "pizza frit" sounds delicious. I would love to know more about it --- especially the 'savory' style one (I'm not a big dessert person)
You asked about my opinion of the Italian chicken cutlets - and whether they were good for you. Unfortunately the chicken you buy in the supermarket is from huge commercial farms that routinely use antibiotics. The animals are fed antibiotics .... usually daily .....even thought they are not sick. So if you eat this chicken, you are putting those antibiotics in your body. So --- this is not healthy.
The same goes true for cheese if it is produced from cows that are given hormones.
Some companies use hormone-free milk to make their cheese, like Cabot for instance ........(but read the label ..... some are hormone free, but some styles are not !)
It's a scary world we live in, when we can't trust that the food we buy is pure and healthy. We have to educate ourselves and make wise choices.
Jan '16
happiest girl,
Wow! Any ideas on where and how to buy good chicken breasts, at any price? I am growing my own herbs and veggies, but not quite ready yet to raise chickens and butcher them as my grandparents did. Locatelli Romano cheese is imported, with no indication of any hormones, probably because there are no requirements to disclose this. I am now scared to cook, and would appreciate any and all your advice on the subject. There must be a healthy solution.
happiest girl,
You can make pizza frit by buying pizza dough, roll to about 1/4 inch thick, cut into 4 inch rounds, fry in extra virgin olive oil for one minute per side or until they puff up, golden brown, then drain well on paper towels. Your choice of toppings. Simple, but healthy?
I would appreciate your advice on buying healthy chicken breasts and cheese.
Danny -
Go to this for a cheese list:
http://www.psr.org/chapters/oregon/assets/pdfs/r-bgh-free-cheese-chart.pdf
Since sheep and goats are not injected with hormones, sheep or goat cheese will be safe. Also, cheese from Canada and Europe will not contain hormones.
Jan '16
happiest girl,
Thanks for your advice on cheese, great info. What should I know about buying chicken breasts?
DannyC - Meat isn't like milk where it's gathered while the animal is still alive and potentially still being fed medicine. Farmers don't use hormones with chickens, only antibiotics. Those are stopped in advanced of slaughtering so no chicken sold has antibiotics in it. If you want to be extra safe buy any brand with "Raised Without Antibiotics" on the label. That's an official USDA term that they do inspections for. It's a good idea anyway to promote better practices on the farm.
I believe both Shoprite and Weis sell Coleman brand which is owned by Perdue and sells organic and antibiotic free meat. For other brands just check the label.
happiest girl,
Excellent! I am now looking for the brands and labels you suggested, not wanting to give my guests anything unhealthy, just because ingredients have a lower price, and happy that they may be available at local supermarkets. Thanks for your advice.
DannyC - Be careful of saying "anything unhealthy". That's so broad it could mean just about anything. The chicken brands have more to do with the chicken than the human. And if it's anything at all that's not healthy, look at the long list of carcinogens in tomato. Or the carcinogens and poisons in potato. (nightshade family) A lot has to do with pluses vs minuses and the qty and alternatives you have to eat. If you drill down into every food you won't find anything perfect. Even if you found one food, you'd be malnourished due to lack of variety.
As GC mention potatoes (NOT sweet potatoes, which are unrelated) are part of the "nightshade" or Solanaceae Family of fruits and vegetables, which includes tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and spices like Paprika & cayenne pepper (made from the cayenne chili, and different from regular black pepper, which isn't one). Tobacco is also a member of the nightshade family as well.
I tested positive for nightshade allergy about 30 years ago and did research into it then and avoided it as much as possible for quite a while before gradually adding it back in my diet very slowly and carefully and haven't tested positive for it since - a good thing. However, even back then, there was early research and anecdotal stories that maybe the old fears of the "love apple" (aka tomato) and the rest of the family possibly being involved in inflammation and arthritis-like symptoms in people were true.
Thomas Jefferson supposedly ate a tomato in public to show that the "love apple" wasn't poisonous as apparently many people had thought at that time. Perhaps he had a large crop of tomatoes on his farm/estate in Charlottesville, VA
In any case, should you have any autoimmune disorder or unexplained joint pain (besides that from the flu which I seem to just be getting over) or calcium deposits, you may wish to check out these articles and do more research yourself. If you have an immunologist/allergist/arthritis doc that you go to, consult with them and perhaps try to eliminate this family of foods from your diet for a period of 30-90 days to see if you start experiencing improvements.
While I realize that cooked tomatoes are high in lycopene which helps the prostate (in men;-) ), there are other sources of it, such as watermelon which has the additional benefit of helping hydrate you and is high in certain minerals and good in some water soluble vitamins.
Here are three articles on the "Nightshade family":
http://paleoleap.com/nightshades/
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/link-between-nightshades-chronic-pain-and-inflammation
http://www.noarthritis.com/research.htm
GC and Phil D:
Thanks for the info. So much for eggplant dishes. Zucchini is sweeter anyhow, but living without tomatoes? That would be tough. But some of Phil D's links show cooking methods which can reduce health risks.
btw, thank you, happiest girl, for starting this thread. I have learned a lot, especially what I did not know about healthy food. Back to cooking again.
DannyC - Eat what ever you want. My point in posting that was if you really look at foods, they're all "unhealthy" without exception. You'd go hungry if you only ever ate 100% healthy foods if you could even find a single one. Just use common sense, and don't worry about it so much. Many of the issues are vastly overrated.
Just look at the use of bacon in the soup. So what. If your individual diet shouldn't include it, just make the same recipe without. But if it's OK, then a little bit of anything is not likely to cause any horrible issue. Just do it in moderation.
GC: Everything in moderation, including moderation, right? I love to cook for a big crowd of family and friends, and watch everyone enjoy it.
DannyC, I buy antibiotic free chicken breasts at Sam's Club for $3.99 lb. I get Coleman at shoprite when it's on sale and my husband picks it up at Fresh Market in Livingston when they have their Tuesday $2.99 specials. Shoprite also has Readington Farms which is antibiotic free. We eat a lot of chicken and vegetarian meals (beans and grains are pretty inexpensive) because as a family of 6 I can't afford organic beef and pork very often. I am fortunate that my in laws buy half a cow every year and share the meat with my family and my brother in law's family. It lasts us almost the whole year since we really only eat red meat once a week or two. The last 2 years they went to Vermont and bought a heritage pig and shared all of that as well. I don't think they plan on doing that again though. My husband picked some pork loins from Fresh Market when they were on sale so we keep looking for those deals. BJ's carries Harvestland chicken (antibiotic free) and I believe I've seen it at Walmart as well. I think Purdue bought them though and has taken them over as Purdue Harvestland and supposedly hasn't changed the farming practices for them. Of course all of these are still factory farms and still have questionable farming practices. The only way to completely avoid all of that is to buy from local farms. Unfortunately, as much as I would like to, it's just not affordable for me right now. My primary concern is no antibiotics.
jrsemom,
No antibiotics is now my criterion. $2.99-$3.99/pound is a good price for healthy chicken. Thanks for your suggestions. What local farms do you recommend? Half a cow and a heritage pig? I need a bigger freezer!
Mini Mac is a great local farm for chicken and beef. I have an upright freezer and a spare fridge/freezer in my basement that's usually full thanks to my in laws and because I stock up on stuff when it's on sale. I also blanch and freeze lots of fresh veggies in the summer to help get me through the winter.
jrsemom,
Thanks for your suggestions. I cannot afford a freezer and do not have a basement, so I am growing fresh veggies and herbs indoors in a huge, south facing, sunny bay window. I bought plants instead of seeds, and the tomatoes, peppers and zucchinis have already bloomed and started to grow fruit. Arugula, spinach, endive and all the twelve herbs are looking good, too. Fun to take care of them and watch them grow.
Mini Mac Farm is in Long Valley, right? I went to their website and they are closed until Feb. 10, but that's OK, I'll give them a try for Valentine's day, about the time when most of my indoor crops should be ready. Thanks again.
That's great that you have the space to grow indoors. Sadly I do not. Lots of luck on your veggies. I hope you have a great harvest.
Yes, Mini Mac is in Long Valley.
For those of you that love warm spices, this recipe is sure to please. I substituted coconut milk for the cream and served with farro instead of rice, also cooked in coconut milk.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chicken-tikka-masala
3wbdwnj, What an unusual recipe, but with all the right stuff, especially your coconut milk and farro substitutions. Got to try it. Thanks.
3wbdwnj,
I made your dish, added sautéed chick peas, with chicken for the meat eaters, and without it for the vegan, using your coconut milk and farro suggestions. Everyone loved it. Very impressed with the variety of Indian herbs and their rich flavors. Now I have even more herbs to try growing indoors this winter. Thanks.
happiest - I was wondering if you have any first hand experience with dandelion tea?
Calico696 - I have four varieties of mint already thriving indoors to go with the tea, if that is appropriate. Everyone is welcome to take some. Loving this winter growing season.
I'm not sure how healthy this dish is, the ingredients sound healthy enough even with lamb. Makloubeh which translates to upside down.
This recipe looks easy enough for an amateur cook like me. And of course aubergines are eggplant.
http://www.lebaneserecipes.com/Makloubeh.htm
CBGB,
Sounds delish! But I cannot render an opinion on healthiness of this dish. There are many others on this thread who are more qualified than me. I would appreciate their opinions, so that we all might enjoy making this dish or any healthy modifications of it.
calico -
Not with dandelion tea, but with the tincture. I use it for it's diuretic effect when I want to look my best in close-fitting clothing.
Jan '16
Calico, I've been drinking it on and off for a few years now and my brother drinks it everyday. I like the taste of it and it's supposed to be a good detox, helps with digestion and good for the kidneys.
Happiest, I've never heard of it. Can I get it at a heath food store? I need to drop some pounds. Lol
happiest - I'm looking to use it to negate fluid retention due to hormonal imbalances. I have been waking up with swollen fingers etc. due to menopause issues. It was suggested to me to try dandelion root tea. I bought a box today, so I will report back if I notice any difference. Thanks.
Like I said it is a detox..so hopefully it will help with your water retention and it has a nice flavor. I'm starting peri-menapause and it truly sucks. Good luck.
calico -
You should see results within a day. If you drink the tea at night you should wake up with less swelling. If not, make sure you are steeping the bag long enough -- or even use 2 tea bags. If you don't get relief if could be that the tea bags are not potent enough, in which case I recommend a tincture. It's also easier to deal with --- just put some in a little water and gulp down instead of having to deal with making tea ----- and drinking tea.
Jan '16
Your welcome Calico.
Happiest thanks for answering my question where I can purchase the tea...
Good night.
Ok, I will try it tonight before bed. I was going to have it this morning, since I think of tea as a morning drink. Thanks again for the info ladies.
BTW - This perimenopause sucks! LOL My hands are so swollen right now typing this, I can hardly move my wedding ring.
positive-
Sorry I did not see your post. I'm pretty sure you can purchase dandelion tea at shoprite. If not then a health food store. I buy all my stuff at Sussex County Foods which is in Newton --- 30 Moran Street.
973-579-1882
Jan '16
calico-
You can drink the tea anytime. By that (drinking at night and seeing results in the morning) I meant it takes several hours to draw the water out..
Jan '16
I got the dandelion tea at Shop Rite. I tried a cup a little while ago just to see what it was like. It tastes like *ss. Hahaha! But that's ok. I will see what happens. If the taste gets too bad, I will order the drops and put it in water......or beer! ;-)
This is the one I got at Shop Rite. It's the Roasted Dandelion Root tea. I wanted the regular Everyday Detox Dandelion tea, but they didn't have it.
http://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/products/roasted-dandelion-root/
Ladies, What is the verdict on dandelion tea? Any health benefits for men? Also, any opinions on dishes like Makloubeh as CBGB suggested? Craving protein-rich sustenance, taste and variety in healthy food.
The only thing "unhealthy" thing about the Makbouleh recipe is the chicken stock and only because of the high sodium content of store bought stock. Make your own or at least buy a low sodium version. I keep the Shoprite Organic low sodium stock on hand for when I'm out of homemade.
Dandelion Tea gently detoxes the liver and supports the digestive system so there is no reason why it wouldn't be beneficial for a man.
Happiest- sorry for the misunderstanding, I meant tincture. Not dandelion since I already purchased it many times. Thank you for the info on the place in Newton.
Calico maybe squeeze some fresh lemon or add a little honey to the dandelion tea?
I hope your water retention improves.
Danny my brother drinks dandelion tea every day. He likes it and so do I, but I'm not as consistent as he is.
I've been meaning to ask, were you able to get the piano and if so how do you like it?
positive - got to get dandelion tea and try some flavor enhancements to it. Thanks for asking, but the upright piano did not work out, measured again and it would not have fit in my efficiency condo without blocking the sofa bed from opening. Back to saving up for a much smaller electronic keyboard, which is light and can be moved if necessary.
Sorry to hear that Danny, I will continue to keep my eyes open.
You might like Rooibos a red tea from South Africa. I love the flavor. It's an antioxidant and supposedly good for asthma, headaches, allergies, insomnia, immunity and premature aging.
Any health food store should/would have it. I used to get it at Ed's on Mountain Ave., not sure if they are still in business, but there is Empire Health Food on Mountain Ave. and Hackettstown Health Food on Main St.
Where ever you go just ask for red tea.
Danny -
There is another free piano listed in classified -- it's a consolette so maybe it's smaller than the one you looked at.. Good luck!
Jan '16
Happiest girl - I just ordered a Yamaha 88 key electronic keyboard, not cheap, but financed. Thanks for looking, and sorry the subject crept into this food thread from the power ball thread. I have learned much and hope to learn more about healthy food here.
So far, no help from the dandelion tea. Still very swollen in the morning. I guess I will try the tincture.
Does anyone know where to find chicken or eggs from chickens that were not fed a soy-based diet?
I know that the supermarket-variety chicken, even Coleman, is typically fed a soy-based diet.
Are there any local farms in our area that do not use soy as the base for their feed?
Jules ...
Just saw soy-free eggs at the food co-op in Newton. A little pricy ($8-$9) but if want them they are there. Call first -- when I was there yesterday they only had 3 dozen.
If you let them know you are coming, they can hold aside the eggs for you.
They were in a clear plastic container -- multi-color --- some were white, green or brown. Some people don't like brown or green eggs thinking they are inferior. Shell color is related to what kind of chicken lays them --- nutrition is the same in the eggs.
Sussex County Food Co-op
30 Moran Street, Newton NJ
973-579-1882
Apr '16
happiest girl - can't thank you enough! My body is producing benign cysts and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason. Upon doing research, I am finding that higher estrogen levels could be the cause. In my mind I do not eat soy, however, I recently got schooled and learned that even though I'm eating organic chicken and eggs, they are fed a soy-based diet.
Will call the co-op before I go.
Now onto finding chickens that are not fed soy :-)
Jules -
Glad I could hep. Besides eating the eggs, if you need them for cooking (binding casseroles, baked goods, etc) there is also a product called "egg replacer" made by the company Ener-G. There is no soy in that. It is a dry mix sold in a box. I've used it and it works.
BTW -- as a non-member of the co-op, if you do your shopping on Tuesday you will get 10% off your bill!!
Also ask when you are there --- I believe they sell chicken but I don't eat meat so I don't know if they have non-soy fed chicken or not.
The managers (especially Reid) are highly knowledgeable in nutrition so they might be able to steer you to products that might help your condition.
Good luck!
http://www.SussexCountyFoods.org
Apr '16
Interesting study.
Consuming bad foods and not enough good nutrients leads to death.
bacon, sugary drinks, salt ...... Bad.
nuts, grains, vegetables, fruit .... Good.
https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/bacon-soda-too-few-nuts-tied-big-portion-170115771.html
Mar '17
"Interesting study.
Consuming bad foods and not enough good nutrients leads to death"
Keep in mind living also leads to death.
"bacon, sugary drinks, salt ...... Bad." Your right or in your case left. replace the sugary drinks with beer.
"nuts, grains, vegetables, fruit ." ask Yule Gibbons..
We can try to prolong life by eating healthy, but we've no control on when God is ready to take us.
Eating healthy is a good thing, but cheating once in a while is also good, for the soul and mind. Moderation not deprevation is the key for a healthy balance.
Remember, eating healthy is a liberal plot started by Michelle Obama.You aren't allowed to eat healthy or even talk about it.
Ha-ha, liberal plot indeed!
You're too funny, getover.
Positive -- I'm pretty sure if you pour poison down your throat there's a probable chance you will die, God or not.
I agree with moderation --- but that is not the typical American diet. Bacon, salty food, soda --- people eat these too much. Disaster.
Mar '17
Keep in mind, being born leads to death.
we've no control on when God is ready to take us.
insha'Allah
Happiest where in my comment did I not agree with you? I was basically talking about moderation and did not suggest injecting poisonous bacon fat through one's veins. Lol.
However, I do respect your healthy life choices.
positive --
"We can try to prolong life by eating healthy, but we've no control on when God is ready to take us".
That is saying it does not matter what we eat because there is a God who determines when we die.
That's a dangerous mentality to put out there where so many bad food choices are the mainstream of our culture due to profits of the massive food industry.
Mar '17
positive --- you might also want to consider the Blue Zones --- specific places on Earth where people live longer lives than other areas --- due to dietary and lifestyle factors. Nothing to do with a God.
Mar '17
No happiest..I guess you took it out of context. My husband and I eat very healthy..zero junk food and zero fast food. Of couse we are trying to prolong our lives, but you can't fight fate..when it's your time to go it's your time to go..
I think you take things too literally, which leads you to unnecessary arguments.
Happiest you do realize this is a discussion? However in most instances you take it to another level.
I just don't understand, because you're intelligent and knowledgeable, but for some reason you turn most discussions into negative arguments.
Yes, it's a discussion.
But some people have not answered questions.
I have not turned anything into a negative argument.
YOU have not answered questions asked of you.
positive - do you know about the Blue Zone?
Mar '17
Omg..you are too much. Lol. No. I know nothing about Blue Zone. Tell me about it if you wish.
omg---you are too ignorant.
lol
Too bad.
It's all about food and lifestyle on our planet.
Look up Blue Zone areas if you want to educate yourself.
Good luck.
Mar '17
I was being nice, honest and open to discussion. You are the ignorant one. Sorry I wasted my time....
If you were *honest* and open to discussion you would investigate the Blue Zones of the world. Too bad for you, for YOU are the one who is ignorant.
Mar '17
I never said I was going to tell you about it.
You are the nut.
I said :
"Look up Blue Zone areas if you want to educate yourself".
Look up 3 posts.
You are the nut.
Mar '17
You seem to be too closed minded to understand or appreciate an answer.
You also are confused about what is opinion and what is fact.
Commenting is no longer available.