Moroccan 7 Vegetable Couscous

In earlier posts, I've mentioned that garlic, turmeric & spices are healthy additions to any meal. 

A favourite meal of mine using these ingredients is a North African couscous dish called 'Moroccan 7 Vegetable Couscous'. 

It is a staple in Morocco, a stew rich with vegetables, couscous and spices.

This is the recipe.  It's delicious, healthy & very filling. 

If you love Moroccan spicey food, you'll love this. 

Serves 6.  

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large onions, quartered and cut in ½-inch slices
• 2 pinches saffron threads
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper
• ½ tsp. ground turmeric
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs cilantro, tied in a bundle with kitchen string
• 4 fresh or canned tomatoes, peeled, seeded and quartered
• 1 quart. vegetable stock
• 3 cups water
• 1 turnip, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
• ½ lb. carrots, peeled, halved length-wise and cut in 2-inch sticks
• ¾ lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1 ½-inch chunks
• 1 medium-sized zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut in 2-inch sticks
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 14-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups quick-cooking couscous, uncooked
• ½ cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted

 

1. Heat butter and olive oil in stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, and cook 15 minutes.

Stir in saffron, crushed red pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper.

Sauté 5 minutes.

Add herbs, tomatoes, stock and water.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes.

2. Add turnip, carrots and squash.

Bring to a boil, and cook 10 minutes.

Add zucchini, raisins, chickpeas and sugar. Cook 10 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender.

Add salt and pepper.

3. Cook couscous according to package directions.

Mound couscous on large serving platter, and make a well in center.

Use slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to well. Ladle stock over entire dish.

Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Serve immediately.

Clean Fifteen - Buy Organic or Conventional

And here is the Clean 15 list for 2013.  

These are the items with the least amount of pesticide contamination found so these are not as high of a priority when buying organic.

1. Sweet Corn

2. Onions

3. Pineapple

4. Avocado

5. Cabbage

6. Sweet Peas

7. Papaya

8. Mangos

9. Asparagus

10. Eggplant

11. Kiwi

12. Grapefruit

13. Cantaloupe

14. Sweet Potato

15. Mushrooms

Dirty Dozen - Produce To Buy Organic

Buy organic whenever possible. 

Pesticides are sprayed onto the outside of these produce and have penetrated the skin of these produce. 

1. Apples

2. Strawberries

3. Grapes

4. Celery

5. Peaches

6. Spinach

7. Sweet Bell Peppers

8. Nectarines

9. Cucumbers

10. Potatoes

11. Cherry Tomatoes

12. Hot Peppers

Smart Food Etiquette

Buy local.  Buy from local farmers, either directly from their farm or from a farmer’s market.  

Join a food co-op. You will get to try lots of new things for the 1st time and you will get to do this at a fraction of the price.

Buy produce that is in-season. Purchasing food that is in season is not just cheaper, it is nutritionally beneficial too. Buying strawberries in January and asparagus in October requires that the produce be picked before it is fully ripe, and the produce begins to decompose and lose nutrients the second it is separated from the plant.  

Grow as much as you can in the space you have.  Plant a sunny windowsill with salad veggies and herbs, grow a container garden on a balcony, or turn your yard into a mini-farm.  Apartment dwellers can have shared access to garden space close to their home buildings.

Plan your menu after shopping not before. This allows you to stay on budget. You can take advantage of the best deals and plan your meals around those.  

Drink water. Water is cheaper and healthier.  Beverages that you make yourself like coffee and tea are far less expensive than the soda pop and energy drinks that fill most modern refrigerators, not to mention, relatively free of the toxic chemicals that overflow in the soda drinks.

Buy staples in bulk. Organic grains like brown rice, wheat berries, cornmeal, barley and oatmeal can be purchased in bulk quantities.  This reduces the price to lower than or equivalent to the smaller conventional packages that are offered in your local grocery store.

Buy some meats frozen instead of fresh.  Some butcher shops freeze meat that isn’t sold immediately and sell if for a lower price.  Look for deals on frozen chicken breasts, frozen fish, and frozen turkey breast. Fish is often cheaper frozen.

Buy meat in bulk.  Look into buying beef in quantity.  Check out the prices at local farms for a quarter of a cow.  You will pay slightly more for the lesser cuts but much less for the better quality cuts.  It balances out to a much lower price for meat farmed in the healthiest way possible.

Stop eating out. Even the least expensive meal purchased outside the home can cost between over $20.00 for a family of four.  Delivered pizza for a family of four is also over $20.00.

Get into the habit of bringing a cooler with you.  If you active and not in your own home throughout the day, prepare a cooler filled with healthy snacks, meals & beverages.  Inexpensive, healthy and does not consume your day with finding food to eat when you get ravished.

Don’t buy anything with an ingredients list greater than 5 items. The more items on the ingredients list, the more likely you are consuming additives, preservatives, food colourings & artificial food flavouring.  None of which add to your health.

Cook from scratch.  May sound time consuming but if you organize yourself in your home kitchen, much of the preparation can be quick & easy.  

Some conventionally grown foods are okay.  I'll post the 'Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen' in my next post. Some foods have a fairly low pesticide load, even when conventionally grown.  Organic produce, while the healthiest are expensive.  If your budget does not always allow for organic foods, invest in recipes that use the 'Clean Fifteen'. 

You will actually eat less when you feed your body. Healthy eating leads to more nutrients coming into your cells.  When our cells receive the nutrients they need, our body's require less food to stay healthy & energized.

Pack your own lunches.  Preparing your own lunch, snacks & beverages when working outside the home leads to a healthier, more energized you.  As well, it's much less expensive.  And less time consuming in the long run.  How many lunch hours have we all waited in line in restaurants, gobbled down our meals and then rushed back to the office.  Packing your own lunch allows us to have a  wholesome, tasty meal while at work.  Any extra time you have, you can take a stroll outdoors, socialize or run errands.

Preserve food.  Whether you grow it yourself, rescue it from the 'last day of sale' rack at the grocery store, or buy it by the bushel from a farmer, learning to preserve your own food allows you to buy in bulk and squirrel some of that delicious food away for the winter ahead.  Canning, dehydrating, and freezing are all methods to help extend the summer harvest for use later in the year.

Eat leftovers.  When you put aside small amounts of leftovers in a freezer container, you can make 'soup' for a meal that is basically free because it came from items that would have otherwise been discarded.  Use larger amounts of leftovers for lunch boxes or a buffet style meal for the family.

'Shop' from nature.  You might be surprised to learn how many edible plants are growing wild in your own neighbourhood.  Even those of us in the city can often find things to forage.   

Have fun & feel better for it.

Bitter Tasting Foods

Bitter tasting foods filled with phenols, polyphenols, flavonoids, isoflavones, terpenes, and glucosinolates,
are some of the most disease fighting foods we can eat. 

Include in your diet these foods and they will add to your greater health. 

Foods include grapefruit, arugula, collard greens, parsley, dandelion leaves, radicchio, cranberries, endive and pomegranates.

Foods that Cleanse the Liver

 

 

Turmeric & It's Health Benefits

 

Turmeric, also known as curcuma longa, is a very common herb. 

 

It's main characteristics are a pepper-like aroma, sharp taste and golden color.  

 

Turmeric contains a wide range of antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic and anti-inflammatory properties.

 

It also has many nutrients such as protein, dietary fiber, niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, sodium, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and zinc.

 

Due to all these factors, turmeric is often used to treat a wide variety of health problems.

 

Here are several health benefits of turmeric.

 

1. Reduces Insulin Resistance

   Turmeric can be used in the treatment of diabetes by helping to moderate insulin levels. It also improves glucose control and increases the effect of medications used to treat diabetes. Another significant benefit is turmeric’s effectiveness in helping reduce insulin resistance, which may prevent the onset of Type-2 diabetes. However, when combined with strong medications, turmeric can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). It is best to consult a healthcare professional before taking turmeric capsules.

2. Reduces Cholesterol Level

   Research has proven that simply using turmeric as a food seasoning can reduce serum cholesterol levels. It is a known fact that high cholesterol can lead to other serious health problems. Maintaining a proper cholesterol level can prevent many cardiovascular diseases.

3. Immune Booster

   Turmeric contains a substance known as lipopolysaccharide, which helps stimulate the body’s immune system. Its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents also help strengthen the immune system. A strong immune system lessens the chance of suffering from colds, flu and coughs. If you do get a cold, a cough or the flu, you can feel better sooner by mixing one teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of warm milk and drinking it once daily.

4. Heals Wound

   Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent and can be used as an effective disinfectant. If you have a cut or burn, you can sprinkle turmeric powder on the affected area to speed up the healing process. Turmeric also helps repair damaged skin and may be used to treat psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.

5. Weight Management

   Turmeric powder can be very helpful in maintaining an ideal body weight. A component present in turmeric helps increase the flow of bile, an important component in the breakdown of dietary fat. Those who wish to lose weight or treat obesity and other associated diseases can benefit from having one teaspoon of turmeric powder with every meal.

6. Slows Alzheimer’s Disease

   Brain inflammation is suspected to be one of the leading causes of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Turmeric supports overall brain health by aiding in the removal of plaque build-up in the brain and improving the flow of oxygen. This can also prevent or slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

7. Improves Digestion

   Many key components in turmeric stimulate the gallbladder to produce bile, which then improves digestion and reduces symptoms of bloating and gas. Also, turmeric is helpful in treating most forms of inflammatory bowel disease including ulcerative colitis. However it is important to bear in mind that people suffering from any kind of gallbladder disease should not take turmeric as a dietary supplement as it may worsen the condition. It is best to consume turmeric in raw form when suffering from a digestive problem.

8. Supports Liver Functioning

   Turmeric is a kind of natural liver detoxifier. The liver detoxifies the blood through the production of enzymes and turmeric increases production of these vital enzymes. These vital enzymes break down and reduce toxins in the body. Turmeric also is believed to invigorate and improve blood circulation. All of these factors support good liver health.