For most people, artichokes are a labor of love.  There is a lot of work that goes into eating one and, for me, I have no idea how to tell ahead of time whether or not it is going to be worth all of the work.   I mean, really, all I want is the heart and how do you know from the outside if an artichoke has a big, tasty heart in there?   I could get all philosophical here but, let’s just cook some veggies and move on with it, OK?

First things first, clean and clip your tasty friend.

I boiled the artichokes for about 20 minutes to soften them up a bit.   You will need to cut them in half and remove the fuzzy “choke” (the purple-ish hairs that are inedible) from the center.   Then, just put them on the grill until they have a nice char, whatever you feel like.

I prefer mine with steak.   Don’t be fooled by the veggie facade, I am a carnivore at heart.

These artichokes looked good and were a fun sport but they didn’t have much heart.   I peeled and dipped each leafy layer.   At the end, though, I was glad there was steak.

I like to buy marinated artichoke hearts for salads and other meals but I have yet to figure out a better way to pick a fresh artichoke.   Any tips or suggestions?   What’s your favorite way to prepare an artichoke?

Poached Egg on a Salad

Gather a handful of fresh spring greens for each salad dish. Parsley is growing abundantly right now, so we can NOT eat it fast enough. Obviously, you’ll want other greens, too. Whatever you have on hand. Slice up several canned artichoke hearts and put them on the greens, along with 1/2 cup or so of garbanzo beans.

Poach an egg and place on top of the salad. Bring a large skillet of salted water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add 1 T distilled white vinegar. Crack an egg into a little bowl and then slide the egg from the bowl into the simmering water. Do this with one more eggs if you’re serving two. Cook until the whites are cooked and the yolks are runny – about 3 minutes.

Make a mustardy vinaigrette. Whisk equal parts balasamic vinegar and vegetable oil in a little bowl. Then add in a bit of dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Taste, and add more of whatever of these ingredients is needed, to balance the flavor.

Pour the dressing over the top and enjoy.

Ingredients

• Leafy greens for two salads (or one if it’s just you)
• 1/2 cup of garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup canned artichoke hearts (sliced)
• 2 eggs (fresh from the chicken if you have chickens on hand)
• balsamic vinegar
• vegetable oil
• dijon mustard
• salt and pepper

Related articles

• Artichoke Tuna Salad (thevreelandclinic.wordpress.com)
• The Fastest Way to a (Chicken) Lady’s Heart (seattlefoodshed.wordpress.com)

Antioksidan adalah merupakan  senyawa yang mampu menunda, memperlambat atau menghambat reaksi oksidasi pada makanan maupun obat dimana senyawa-senyawa tersebut mudah teroksidasi sehingga sel-sel lain terhindar dari radikal bebas.

Antioksidan adalah substansi yang menetralkan radikal bebas karena senyawa-senyawa tersebut mengorbankan dirinya agar teroksidasi sehingga sel-sel yang lainnya dapat terhindar dari radikal bebas ataupun melindungi sel dari efek berbahaya radikal bebas oksigen reaktif  jika hal itu berkenaan dengan penyakit dimana radikal bebas itu sendiri dapat berasal dari hasil metabolisme tubuh ataupun faktor eksternal lainnya

antioksidan & radikal bebas

Mekanisme antioksidan dalam menghambat oksidasi

Antioksidan dapat menghambat atau memperlambat oksidasi melalui dua cara yaitu:

• Melalui penangkapan radikal bebas (free radical scavenging). Antioksidan jenis ini disebut sebagai antioksidan primer. Termasuk dalam jenis ini adalah vitamin E (a-tokoferol) dan flavonoid, dan
• Tanpa melibatkan penangkapan radikal bebas. Antioksidan ini disebut dengan antioksidan sekunder yang mekanisme pengikatannya melalui pengikatan logam, menangkap oksigen, mengubah hidroperoksida menjadi spesies non radikal, menyerap sinar ultraviolet dan mendeaktivasi oksigen singlet .

Manfaat dan Fungsi Antioksidan

Antioksidan merupakan zat yang dibutuhkan oleh tubuh yang secara secara umum dapat menghambat oksidasi lemak. Dalam tubuh manusia terdapat radikal bebas, sebagai sampingan dari proses pembentukan energi. Pada jumlah tertentu, radikal bebas dibutuhkan agar dapat membantu sel darah putih atau lekosit untuk menghancurkan atau memakan kuman yang masuk ke dalam tubuh.

Namun jika kondisi radikal bebas dalam tubuh terlalu banyak maka radikal bebas akan bersifat merusak tubuh. Meningkatnya radikal bebas yang berlebih ini akan berakibat pada penuaan dini, karena dapat merusak senyawa lemak yang dapat menghilangkan elastisitas kekencangan kulit sehingga mengakibatkan keriput.

Selain mencegah penuaan dini, antioksidan juga disinyalir mampu mencegah tumbuhnya sel kanker payudara pada wanita. Antioksidan seperti flavonoida, glikosida, dan polifenol juga mampu mencegah penyakit Alzheimer (penyakit pikun pada manula) dan kardiovaskular (penyakit jantung dan pembuluh darah).

Ada dua cara dalam mendapatkan antioksidan, yaitu :

1. Dari luar tubuh (eksogen) dengan cara melalui makanan dan minuman yang mengandung vitamin C, E, atau betakaroten, dan
2. Dari dalam tubuh (endogen), yakni dengan enzim superoksida dismutase (SOD), glutation peroksidase (GSH Px), perxidasi, dan katalase yang diproduksi oleh tubuh sebagai antioksidan.

Berdasarkan penelitian, mengonsumsi antioksidan secara berlebihan (dari makanan maupun suplemen) dapat meningkatkan risiko kerusakan hati. intinya bahwa kelebihan antioksidan juga akan berakibat tidak baik bagi kesehatan.

Dari sini, dilihat lagi senyawa2 yang gampang teroksidasi khususnya vitamin adalah vitamin C, lalu vitamin E. Dan dari sisi mineral, yang berguna untuk antioksidan seperti Zincum / Seng (Zn), Selenium (Se). Dan terakhir yang dari golongan metabolit sekunder tumbuhan yaitu senyawa terpen yaitu karoten yang ditandai dengan ciri khas sebagai pigmen berwarna orange. Dan yang biasa dikenal adalah jenis beta-karoten.

Beberapa manfaat antioksidan untuk kesehatan:

1. Mengonsumsi antioksidan yang cukup melalui makanan sangat penting untuk menjaga kesehatan secara keseluruhan. Antioksidan diyakini mampu mencegah berbagai jenis kanker.

2. Antioksidan penting untuk memperkuat sistem kekebalan tubuh sehingga mencegah tubuh dari infeksi virus dan bakteri.

Antioksidan mencegah proses penuaan sel-sel tubuh sehingga membuat fungsi tubuh tetap terjaga dengan baik.

4. Antioksidan membantu mencegah penyakit jantung dan meminimalkan proses oksidasi kolesterol.

5. Selain bermanfaat untuk jantung, antioksidan juga efektif mencegah gangguan mata seperti degenerasi makula dan glaukoma.

6. Antioksidan dikenal memberikan perlindungan terhadap sistem saraf pusat.

Pengertian Radikal Bebas

Radikal bebas adalah merupakan atom atau gugus atom apa saja yang memiliki satu atau lebih elektron tak berpasangan. Karena jumlah elektron ganjil, maka tidak semua elektron dapat berpasangan sehingga bersifat sangat reaktif . Jika jumlahnya sedikit, radikal bebas dapat dinetralkan oleh sistem enzimatik tubuh, namun jika berlebih akan memicu efek patologisRadikal bebas merupakan merupakan agen pengoksidasi kuat yang dapat merusak sistem pertahanan tubuh dengan akibat kerusakan sel dan penuaan dini karena elektron yang tidak berpasangan selalu mencari pasangan elektron dalam makromolekul biologi, Protein lipida dan DNA dari sel manusia yang sehat lah merupakan sumber pasangan elektron yang baik.

Kondisi oksidasi dapat menyebabkan kerusakan protein dan DNA, kanker, penuaan, dan penyakit lainnya.Komponen kimia yang berperan sebagai antioksidan adalah senyawa golongan fenolik dan polifenolik. Senyawa-senyawa golongan tersebut banyak terdapat dialam, terutama pada tumbuh-tumbuhan, dan memiliki kemampuan untuk menangkap radikal bebas.

Sifat Radikal Bebas

Perusakan sel oleh radikal bebas reaktif didahului oleh kerusakan membran sel, dengan rangkaian proses sebagai berikut:

• Terjadi ikatan kovalen antara radikal bebas dengan komponen membran (enzim-enzim membran, komponen karbohidrat membran plasma), sehingga terjadi perubahan struktur dan fungsi reseptor.
• Oksidasi gugus tiol pada komponen membran oleh radikal bebas yang menyebabkan proses transport lintas membran terganggu.
• Reaksi peroksidasi lipid dan kolesterol membran yang mengandung asam lemak tak jenuh majemuk (PUFA = Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acid). Hasil peroksidasi lipid membran oleh radikal bebas berefek langsung terhadap kerusakan membran sel, antara lain dengan mengubah fluiditas, cross-linking, struktur dan fungsi membran serta menyebabkan kematian sel.

Dalam keadaan normal tubuh kita mempunyai mekanisme pertahanan terhadap radikal bebas. Kerusakan sel akibat radikal bebas baru dapat terjadi apabila kemampuan mekanisme pertahanan tubuh menurun

Berikut ini adalah makanan sumber antioksidan, yaitu:

1. Kurma (dactylifera phoenix)

Buah kurma adalah buah yang selalu hadir disaat momen puasa.  Rasanya manis, bentuknya bulat atau lonjong, warnanya kecoklatan, kehitaman, dan dia adalah buah yang sangat kaya akan nutrisi baik.  Buah kurma mengandung kalium (potassium), serat, kalsium, zat besi (Fe), Vit A, B2, B12, dan Vit C, aspirin, salisilat, fosfor, sulfur, natroum (sodium), magnesium, cobalt, seng, fluorin, tembaga (Cu), mangaan, selulosa, dan karbohidrat (berupa glukosa dan fruktosa). Kandungan vitamin C nya berperan sebagai antioksidan.   Kurma mengandung antioksidan yang dikenal sebagai tanin. Tanin diketahui bersifat anti infeksi, anti-inflamasi dan anti-hemoragik.  Kurma adalah sumber vitamin A, yang dikenal memiliki sifat antioksidan dan sangat penting untuk kesehatan mata.  Vitamin A juga diperlukan menjaga kulit tetap sehat.  Mengkonsumsi buah-buahan alami yang kaya akan vitamin A  diketahui membantu melindungi dari kanker paru-paru dan rongga mulut.
2. Kismis

Kismis adalah buah anggur (hijau atau hitam) yang dikeringkan.  Tak mengejutkan jika kismis masuk dalam daftar 10 buah kaya antioksidan.  Tentu saja karena bahan dasar kismis adalah anggur yang memang mengandung zat antioksidan yang tinggi.  Kismis dapat ditemui di dalam roti, namun bisa ditaburkan pada oatmeal, rasanya lezat dan tidak akan membuat bosan.  Catechin, salah satu dari antioksidan pada ksimis yang sangat berguna dalam pencegahan tumor dan kanker kolon serta menjaga kesehatan jantung kita.  Phenolic Phytonutrients dikenal karena memiliki fungsi sebagai pembunuh kuman, antibiotik dan antioksidan, banyak ditemui di kismis.  Saat demam, Phenolic Phytonutrients akan membantu menyembuhkannya dengan melawan infeksi bakteri.  Kismis mengandung senyawa antioksidan alami yang berupa Oleanolic acid, Oleanolic aldehyde, Betulin, Betulinic acid dan 5 (hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural yang ternyata ampuh untuk melawan bakteri penyebab kerusakan gigi dan gusi.

3. Blueberry (Vaccinum corymbosum)

Blueberry adalah buah yang berasal dari Amerika Utara.  Buah yang tumbuh di musim panas di Amerika Utara ini tumbuh secara liar seperti semak, memiliki khasiat banyak sekali yang terkandung di dalamnya. Sedangkan untuk di Indonesia sendiri masih jarang kita jumpai, namun berbagai olahannya bisa ditemukan di berbagai gerai minuman dan es krim. Warnanya hijau, dan akan berubah menjadi ungu jika sudah matang dengan rasa manis.  Rasa buahnya agak asam dan biasa dijadikan selai dan untuk topping roti dan kue.  Bluberry mengandung berbagai zat gizi, contohnya beberapa mineral (mangan, kalsium, fosfor, besi, kalium, dan seng), Vit B1, B2, B3, dan B6, Vit C, Vit E. Vit K, karbohidrat, lemak, dan antosinin.  Antisinin adalah zat antioksidan yang mampu menghambat perkembangan sel kanker, inflamasi, serta baik untuk kesehatan kulit serta mencegah penuaan. Jika Anda tertarik mengonsumsi blueberry ini, di Indonesia tersedia blueberry kalengan yang siap dimakan. Selain buahnya, akar dan daun blueberry ternyata juga sama saktinya. Apabila diolah menjadi teh, akar pohon blueberry dapat membantu mengurangi rasa sakit pada saat melahirkan dan memberikan efek relaksasi. Sedangkan daunnya, apabila direbus dan diminum, dapat menjadi tonik penambah darah untuk memurnikan tubuh serta meredakan batuk.
4. Blackberry

Blackberry adalah buah yang beken menjadi brand sebuah ponsel ini juga salah satu buah yang kaya akan aktioksidan.  Bentuknya sangan mirip dengan murbey.  Namun, yang ini berbeda karena buah dalam tangkai yang saling bergerombol. Zat antiokasidan yang terkandung dalam buah ini adalah antosinin, senyawa fenol yang mirip dengan kandungan buah anggur.
5. Strawberry

Buah strawberry warnanya merah merona, bentuknya khas, aromanya segar. Buah strawberry sangat baik untuk kesehatan. Di pasar juga sudah banyak menjual dalam kemasan plastik.  Strawberry mengandung Vit K, mangan, asam folat, potasium, riboflavin, Vit B5, B6, magnesium dan omega 3.  Dan tak ketinggalan, ia mengandung zat antioksidan yang membuat buah ini berwarna merah mengggemaskan.
6. Raspberry

Respberry sama dengan barries lainnya, ia juga kaya akan antioksidan.  Rasa buahnya asam, menandakan kandungan Vit C yang tinggi didalamnya. Buah respberry ini jika dikonsumsi secara rutin sangat banyak manfaatnya.  Ia dapat mencegah kerusakan sel otak, melancarkan pencernaan, mencegah kanker usus, meminimalisir alergi tubuh, mencegah penyakit jantung, mencegah penuaan dini, dan masih banyak manfaat baik lainnya. Kandungan antioksidan yang tinggi dalam buah respberry mampu menangkal radikal bebas dan melawan penuaan sejak dini, memperbaiki sel kulit yang rusak sehingga menjaga kelembapan kulit membuatnya terasa lembut dan kenyal. Selain itu juga, antioksidan bisa mencegah terjadinya perkembangan sel kanker dan tumor.  Beberapa penelitian juga menyatakan kalau respberry adalah salah satu buah yang cukup aman dikonsumsi mereka yang menderita penyakit diabetes.  Dengan mengkonsumsi raspberry secara teratur, dapat membuat tubuh tidak mudah lelah dan mencegah terjadinya nyeri pada persendian.
7. Plum

Buah Plum ini mungkin tak begitu populer.  Buah segarnya banyak tersedia di supermarket.  Rasa buahnya asam manis.  Buah ini selain mengandung 38% antioksidan yang jauh lebih banyak daripada bluberry, juga sangat kaya akan serat larut yang membantu menurunkan kolesterol dalam tubuh.  Jika anda ingin berdiet, buah plum ini cocok sebaga bekal pencuci mulut makan siang.
8. Jeruk
Bentuknya bulat, warnanya kuning ke oranyean, dan rasanya asam manis.  Sangat cocok diperas sebagai jus atau dimakan begitu saja.  Jeruk, mengandung Vit C yang ternyata sangat baik untuk mencegah pengeroposan tulang, mencegah penyakit batu ginjal, mencegah asma, membantu menurunkan kolesterol, mencegah dan menyembuhkan anemia dan lain sebagainya.  Setiap 100 gram jeruk, mengandung energi 45 kkal, protein 0,9 g, lemak 0,2 g, karbohidrat 11,2 g, fosfor 23 g, kalsium 33 g, besi 0,4 g, Vit A 190 IU, Vit B1 0.08 mg. Vit C 49 mg, serta air 87,2 g.
9. Anggur merah

Anggur merah bukanlah minuman yang memabukkan, tetapi benar-benar buah anggur segar yang siap untuk disantap dan dinikmati.  Anggur merah jika dikonsumsi rutin setiap hari akan membuat awet muda.  Ini karena kadar antioksidan dalam anggur sangat tinggi, dan anggur juga mengandung kalium yang mampu menghambat penuaan dini.  Nutrisi yang terkandung pada anggur adalah artaric acid, malic acid, pectin, tanin, flavone glycosides, flavanoid, resveratrol, mineral, gula, vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, B12 dan C. Semakin gelap warna anggur maka semakin tinggi kandungan flavanoidnya. Flavanoid merupakan antioksidan yang dapat melindungi kerusakan pembukuh darah dan mencegah penggumpalan trombosit.  Resveratrol berkhasiat sebagai antioksidan yang mengurangi pembentukan plak di dalam pembuluh darah arteri.  Buah anggur juga berkhasiat menjadi pencahar ringan sehingga dapat dimanfaatkan untuk mengobati gangguan pencernaan, penawar racun, peluruh kencing, menghentikan pendarahan, melancarkan aliran darah, anti kanker dan memperkuat tubuh melawan penyakit, seperti fungsi hati yang buruk.
10. Cherry (Prunus avium)
Buah cherry ini manis bentuknya, kaya pula nutrisinya, rasanya unik, asam dan manis (terutama jika sudah dikalengkan).  Cerry akan kaya Vit C dan dapat membantu mengatur tekanan darah serta kaya akan serat pencegahan kanker.  Beta karoten yang terkandung di dalamnya mampu membantu mencegah kanker secara efektif.  Selain itu , Cherry dapat juga meningkatkan kekebalan tubuh serta mengurangi resiko infeksi pernafasan (flu dan pilek).

11. Delima
Polifenol yang ada di dalam delima lebih efektif daripada antioksidan yang ada dalam kandungan makanan lain nya untuk memerangi radikal bebas.

12. Kenari

Kenari peringkat kedua di antara kacang sebagai makanan dengan kandungan antioksidan yang besar.

13. Hazelnut

Hazelnuts juga kaya antioksidan, tetapi mereka bukan kacang yang sangat populer. Pertimbangkan untuk menambahkan mereka untuk salad atau menggunakan mereka sebagai camilan. Kacang juga sehat karena lemak di dalamnya adalah lemak sehat yang membantu mencegah penyakit jantung.

14. Kacang

Kacang merah mempunyai tingkat tertinggi dalam kandungan antioksidan. Kacang kacangan merupakan makanan antioksidan terbaik di antara keluarga sayuran.

15. Kentang

Kentang adalah sumber besar dari segala macam vitamin, dan mempunyai peringkat sangat tinggi di antara makanan antioksidan.

16. Teh Hijau

Teh hijau mengandung polifenol dan katekin yang sangat efektif menetralisir radikal bebas tubuh. Para ahli setuju bahwa salah satu alasan bahwa orang Asia memiliki harapan hidup lebih tinggi daripada ras lain adalah konsumsi tinggi dari teh hijau.

17. Kubis

Karena tinggi akan vitamin C, kubis membantu memperkuat sistem kekebalan tubuh dan membantu tubuh melawan terhadap radikal bebas.

18. Artichoke

Artichoke telah dianggap sebagai penyembuh herbal kuat oleh Dr Oz yang terkenal. Manfaat teh Artichoke tidak hanya termasuk membantu dengan masalah perut dan pencernaan lemak, tetapi juga merupakan antioksidan kuat. Artichoke yang dikenal memiliki salah satu jumlah tertinggi antioksidan yang ditemukan dari sumber alami. Teh membawa beberapa manfaat obat seperti antioksidan itu dan sifat diuretik ringan. Bahan aktif di artichoke adalah cynarin, dan telah digunakan dalam banyak studi klinis sebagai pengobatan untuk kolesterol tinggi. Teh daun artichoke telah sangat populer di Amerika Selatan serta Vietnam

19. Bayam

Bayam terkenal sebagai sayuran unggul dengan kadar zat besi yang tinggi. Tak hanya unggul dalam hal nutrisi, bayam juga berkhasiat sebagai antioksidan. Kekuatan antioksidan bayam hijau menjadi tanggung jawab lutein dan beta-karoten.

20. Buah bit

Umbi bit sangat kaya vitamin dan mineral yang sangat bermanfaat untuk mendorong kinerja tubuh dalam memproduksi antioksidan endogen. Selain itu, bit merupakan pemasok antioksidan eksogen yang tangguh. Kemampuan umbi bit dalam mereduksi radikal bebas tidak terlepas dari kelengkapan fitonutrisi dan fitokimia yang dimilikinya. Kedua pigmen utama yang dimilikinya sangat potensial untuk mencegah oksidasi radikal bebas. Selain itu, umbi bit juga mengandung beberapa fitokimia yang memiliki kemampuan antioksidan yang sangat baik. Fitokimia yang dimaksud adalah betaine, farnesol, dan saponin.

21. Lemon

Air perasan jeruk lemon yang dicampur dengan air hangat dan madu dapat membantu menjaga kesehatan pencernaan kita. Rasanya yang asam memiliki kandungan vitamin C yang tinggi antioksidan dapat menyembuhkan gangguan pencernaan, mual, kembung, atau masalah lambung. Apabila rutin di konsumsi, antioksidannya dapat membantu membuang sampah yang tidak dibutuhkan di usus kita, meningkatkan pergerakan usus, dapat mencegah pembentukan tumor dan mencegah risiko terkena penyakit kanker usus besar dan sembelit.

22. Nanas

Buah nanas memiliki kandungan nutrisi yang sangat banyak, seperti vitamin A dan C yang berfungsi sebagai antioksidan. Antioksidan dalam buah nanas juga bisa dihasilkan oleh phitochemical. Buah nanas juga mengandung kalsium, fosfor, magnesium, besi, natrium, kalium, dekstrosa, sukrosa serta enzim bromelain. Kandungan-kandungan tersebut sangat baik untuk menjaga tubuh kita agar tetap sehat.

23. Cengkeh

Tim peneliti dari Miguel Hernández University, Spanyol, mengidentifikasi bahwa cengkeh (Syzygium aromaticum) merupakan rempah dengan zat antioksidan terbaik. Hal itu karena cengkeh mengandung senyawa phenolic yang tinggi.

“Dari pengujian lima sifat antioksidan, cengkeh memiliki kemampuan tertinggi untuk menghilangkan hidrogen, mengurangi peroksidasi lipid, dan merupakan peredam zat besi terbaik,” kata Juana Fernández-López, salah seorang peneliti seperti dikutip dari Times of India.

Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan antioksidan alami pada bumbu masak yang digunakan dalam makanan Mediterania, atau dengan bentuk ekstrak, merupakan pilihan yang layak untuk industri makanan. Tak masalah selama karakteristik organoleptik dari produk makanan tidak terpengaruh. Kandungan antioksidan tinggi akan memberi efek menguntungkan bagi kesehatan.

Tim peneliti juga mengevaluasi efek antioksidan minyak esensial dari berbagai bumbu seperti oregano (Origanum vulgare), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), rosemary, (Rosmarinus funcionarios cinalis) dan sage (Salvia funcionarios cinalis).

24. Aprikot

Aprikot kaya akan antioksidan seperti vitamin C dan lycopene. Antioksidan ini dapat mengurangi risiko beberapa jenis kanker dan penyakit jantung.

25. Biji bunga matahari

Vitamin E yang terdapat dalam biji bungan matahari merupakan suatu antioksidan yang berperan menangkal radikal bebas sehingga mencegah kerusakan sel dan mutasi sel akibat radikal bebas.

26. Jagung

Menurut studi yang dilakukan di Cornell University, jagung merupakan sumber yang kaya antioksidan yang memiliki kemampuan untuk melawan kanker. Jagung merupakan sumber yang kaya asam fenolik senyawa ferulic, agen anti-kanker yang telah terbukti efektif dalam memerangi tumor pada kanker payudara dan kanker hati. Anthocyanin, ditemukan dalam jagung ungu juga bertindak sebagai pembasmi radikal bebas yang menyebabkan kanker.

27. Kedelai

Kedelai mengandung zat antioksidan (selenium, vitamin E, isoflavon dan Genistein.) yang dapat menangkal seragan radikal bebas pemicu kanker.

28. Bawang putih

Sebagai antioksidan, bawang putih dapat membantu melindungi terhadap radikal bebas, kanker, kolesterol tinggi, dan dapat digunakan sebagai salah satu solusi untuk tekanan darah tinggi . Dikatakan bahwa semakin tua bawang putih maka lebih mengandung anti oksidan, dan semakin efektif kerjanya.

28. Wortel

Vitamin A dan antioksidan melindungi kulit dari kerusakan akibat matahari. Kekurangan vitamin A menyebabkan kekeringan pada rambut, kulit dan kuku. Vitamin A mencegah kerutan dini, jerawat, kulit kering, pigmentasi, noda, dan warna kulit tidak merata.

29. Brokoli

Brokoli  memiliki manfaat untuk  mencegah terjadinya kanker kolon, kanker prostat, kanker paru, dan kanker perut. Zat yang terkandung di dalam brokoli juga bermanfaat sebagai antioksidan.
Kandungan anti-acetylcholinesterase-nya juga dapat mencegah kanker prostat.

30. Tomat

Di antara manfaat hebat yang dimiliki tomat adalah sebagai antioksidan. Seperti juga cabai, tomat merupakan sumber vitamin A, C, dan E dan sejumlah mineral penting yang memiliki kemampuan sebagai antioksidan. Tomat mengandung sejumlah pigmen alami berupa karotenoid antara lain beta-karoten, likopen, lutein, beta cryptoxanthin.

31. Apel

Menurut Institut Kanker Nasional Amerika Serikat, apel mengandung flavonoid paling banyak jika dibandingkan dengan buah – buahan yang lain. Zat ini mampu menurunkan resiko terkena penyakit kanker paru – paru sampai dengan 50%. Belum lagi kandungan fitokimia dalam buah apel yang berfungsi sebagai antioksidan yang melawan kolesterol jahat (LDL = Low density Lipoprotein), yang potensial menyumbat pembuluh darah. Antioksidan dapat mencegah kerusakan sel-sel atau jaringan pembuluh darah. Pada saat yang bersamaan, antioksidan akan meningkatkan kolesterol baik (HDL = High Density Lipoprotein) yang bermanfaat untuk mencegah penyakit jantung dan pembuluh darah

32. Jewawut (Pennisetum glaucum)

Jewawut merupakan salah satu jenis serealia yang pemanfaatannya di Indonesia masih terbatas. Adanya kejadian penyakit degeneratif yang berkaitan erat dengan kurangnya asupan serat dan antioksidan menjadikan jewawut sebagai salah satu bahan yang patut dikembangkan pengolahannya untuk dikonsumsi. Jewawut mengandung komponen fenolik yang berfungsi sebagai antioksidan dan memiliki potensi meningkatkan proliferasi sel limfosit manusia.

33. Buah kiwi

Peneliti dari Health Science Zespri Internasional dari New Zealand, Lynley Drummond mengatakan buah kiwi sarat gizi. Bermanfaat sebagai sumber vitamin, mineral dan antioksidan yang tinggi.

“Buah kiwi juga sarat phytonutrients yang baik bagi kesehatan, karena akan menghasilkan polyphenols sebagai antioksidan bagi tubuh, enzim untuk pencernaan dan karotenoids yang bermanfaat sebagai antioksidan dan kesehatan mata,” tuturnya.

34. Telur

Telur kaya akan kandungan antioksidan yaitu lutein. Lutein berfungsi melindungi mata dari katarak dan mencegah kerusakan mata. Meski kandungan lutein pada telur jauh lebih kecil daripada pada bayam, tetapi lutein pada telur diserap tubuh 3 kali lebih efektif.

35. Minyak canola
Minyak canola mengandung Alphatocopherol, yaitu antioksidan yang terdapat pada vitamin E. Di samping itu minyak canola menjadi sumber lemak tak jenuh tunggal, alfa-linolenat, asam lemak Omega-3 yang bisa digunakan sebagai pengganti mentega untuk mengurangi kadar kolesterol LDL dan melindungi kesehatan jantung Anda.

36. Susu
Susu mengandung carotenoid, beta-karoten, dan lutein. Ada baiknya jika Anda memilih susu dengan kandungan lemak yang lebih rendah, untuk mengurangi asupan lemak jenuh dalam tubuh Anda.

37. Pemanis Alami
Selama ini mungkin Anda hanya menggunakan gula sebagai pemanis makanan. Gula memang bisa memberikan rasa manis, tapi juga memicu lonjakan gula darah dalam tubuh. Sebaliknya, pemanis alami seperti madu akan meningkatkan kadar antioksidan yang diproduksi dalam tubuh Anda.

[Dari berbagai sumber]

Ingredients

2 lbs. Red Potatoes
1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
5.3 oz. Greek Yogurt
½ cup sour cream
3 scallions – use both green and white parts
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. fresh dill chopped
1 tbsp. fresh thyme chopped
½ tsp. garlic powder
14 oz. can of quartered artichokes (not in oil)
2 ribs of celery
Salt
Black Pepper
3 tbsp. fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

Slice potatoes into approximately one-inch cubes and place in large pot. Cover with water and salt with 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to boil and cook 10- 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and place in boil for cooling. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and place in refrigerator.
In large bowl combine Greek yogurt, sour cream, scallions, Dijon mustard, dill, thyme, and garlic powder. Stir and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in celery and artichokes into Greek yogurt mixture.
When potatoes are cool, stir in gently until potatoes are coated with greek yogurt mixture. Garnish with cilantro and chill until ready to serve.
*If you prefer, potatoes can be grilled instead of boiled.

Here is the link to the actual recipe:http://www.marthastewart.com/344269/spinach-and-artichoke-dip

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 3/4 cup low fat yogurt
• 4 ounces neufchâtel cheese or a lighter cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together.

From ohdeardrea

But really, you can use any dressing you prefer. You can even mix mayo and lemon together in a bowl to serve  

A fair amount of people have been asking how I prepare an artichoke and it got me thinking… I had to google the crap out the right way to cut, cook, and even eat an artichoke when I first decided to try one out (only a few years ago!). Cooking an artichoke, as easy as it is, isn’t very common knowledge, so if you don’t know, now you know! Simple enough, all in one place, right? I have a few more easy food related DIYs coming up. &While I still don’t really plan on posting too many recipes just yet on this blog, I think it makes sense to maybe share some fun and quick cooking tutorials, that I wouldn’t necessarily put in a book I hope you like them!

It’s artichoke season! March through May is the most popular time for artichokes and I try and get my hands on as many as possible! These spiky little green balls can be intimidating at first, but are so delicious once you figure out the best way to cook them. One of my favorite ways is to grill them.

Harvesting artichokes is really easy using gardening sheers – you just cut right through the stem. The stem is one of the best parts of an artichoke so I like to cut about 4 inches down from the bulb.

The hardest part of cooking artichokes is cleaning and prepping them – but it really just comes down to four steps.

STEP 1: Slice them in half. I like to take the point of a large sharp knife in the stem at the base of the bulb and cut through the whole choke first, then the stem.

STEP 2:  Cut off the hard top of each leaf with scissors.

STEP 3: Scoop out the center of the artichoke with a spoon. Remove the hairy fibers covering the heart and the inner purple spiny leaves. Be careful not to take out pieces of the heart but still be firm with the spoon.

STEP 4: Peel the stem using a normal vegetable peeler until it turns bright green.

Once the artichoke is prepped immediately place in a pot of water with lemons to keep it green. Boil artichokes for about 25 minutes until the heart is fork tender and the outer leaves can easily be pulled off.

Drain the artichokes and pat them dry with paper towels to remove and access moister. Cover with coarse black pepper and sea salt.

Grill face down on high heat for 3-5 minutes and serve!

These grilled artichokes go great with a lemon Dijon aioli dipping sauce. Simply combine: 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of Dijon Mustard, the juice of one lemon and salt and pepper. Enjoy!

vernal pumpkin pie

I made this pie sometime in April and we enjoyed it SO much here! It’s just overly delicious! Too alluring to leave a single crumb in the baking tin.
The combination of these ingredients arose in mind after I took a quick glance at the market supply. I could find almost everything there, even the fresh pumpkin (horrible to cut, though). Prepare your upper arms for some muscle exercise! One entire kilogram is a lot, and then we’re merely speaking about the flesh–not even the pumpkin skin! But it’s so worth it.
Pumpkin is pure, healthy and nutritious and fits into almost any recipe. I praise pumpkin for its versatility. Moreover, pumpkin is low in kcal, which makes it an ideal filler with a fluffy texture after being cooked.
Along with the fresh and greenish taste of asparagus and artichoke, the smoky pancetta and aromatic herb melange form a perfect addition to the mellow pumpkin. Personally, I think it’s an optimum contrast! The borlotti beans add a hearty and satisfying touch. The cheese and pines for the topping finish this pie, bringing even more flavour variety. As the taught mind may have noticed, the pie has ingredients with an Italian accent.
What I liked least, was making the dough for the crust. My recipe proportions weren’t right, so I ended with a sticky and soggy lump (my hands looked hopeless ). I had to add way more flour! And eventually, I was rewarded. My revised version of the pie crust turned out to be an awesome hit, with the result somewhere between pizza texture and puff pastry moistness. You surely don’t want to miss that fig taste.
I highly recommend using fresh (of the season!) asparagus tips and fresh artichoke hearts, as they are a so much better and finer in taste. If you can’t get these ingredients freshly offered by nature–whatever may be the reason–you can still use asparagus tips and artichoke hearts from can (preserved).
Here I used a vegetarian bacon substitute (based on wheat protein), though, as my mom, who I shared my pie with, is a vegetarian. And since I’m not a die-hard meat eater, either… The result was still surprisingly smoky! Perfectly possible as a vegetarian dish that way. If you want to replace / omit the cheese as well: give it a try, though the firmness might decrease a little.

Portions: 6 – 8
Preparation time: approx. 2 hr.

INGREDIENTS:

crust:
* 300 g spelt flour
* 112.5 ml water
* 75 ml extra virgin olive oil
* 37.5 ml balsamic vinegar
* 2 tsp fine sea salt
* 2 tsp ground black pepper
* 4 dried figs
* a little extra olive oil, to grease your baking tin

filling:
* (roughly) 1 kg pumpkin flesh
* 100 g green asparagus tips
* 2 artichokes
* 1 red onion
* 3 – 4 garlic cloves
* 150 g borlotti beans (cooked)
* 150 g pancetta / vegetarian bacon substitute
* 1 tbs dried oregano
* some saffron threads
* olive oil, to sautée

topping:
* (roughly) 50 g Parmesan cheese
* handful pine nuts

KITCHEN UTENSILS:

* satis provision of accustomed cutlery (forks, knives and spoons pref. in various sizes)
* kitchen scale
* measuring jug
* cutting board
* medium – large size bowl
* baking tin (round shape)
* opt. brush (alt. hands), for the greasing of the baking tin
* colander (alt. rinse by hand)
* large size sharp knife
* small – medium size sharp knife
* garlic press
* tin-opener (if canned borlotti beans)
* pan
* casserole
* spatula
* cheese grater

You may want to use a timer for the oven!

PREPARATION:

crust:
I cannot guarantee that the numbers will literally give you the right amount for one pie crust. It is measured for a regular (round) baking tin; custom size for pies and cakes, so it should at least be close.
We’re gonna need the kitchen scale and the measuring jug. Add the measured flour, water, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper all into one bowl. Knead very well to form dough; the emulsion should be smooth and equal. Chop the dried figs into small pieces (about 5 mm³) and add them into the bowl. The more the figs fuse with the dough, the better! When your dough is soft and flexible, easy to knead, neither dry nor sticky, then it’s ready to use! Preparatively, add some olive oil onto the bottom and wall of your baking tin, to grease. Now you can form a layer for the crust with the dough you just made. You can do this with your hands. About 5 mm thick is usually fine for bottom and wall. Optionally, use a spoon if you want to equalise the level and a knife to cut off humps in the edge, if you wish to get the upside even.

filling:
Cut the skin off the pumpkin and cut the flesh into pieces of about 2 cm³. Use a large sharp knife. Rinse the asparagus tips. Remove the artichokes’ outer leaves by hand, until you reach the lighter inner core (kinda yellowish). You may want to remove the smaller leaves downwards by using a knife. Cut off the stem. Use a large sharp knife for the artichokes. Continue preparing the artichokes after you removed their stem: now, also remove the purple centre, inside of each artichoke. Slice the artichokes in (circle) slices of about 2 cm. Rinse these. Peel the onion and cut into coarse snips (the shape doesn’t really matter).
Bring the artichoke hearts along with the asparagus tips to the boil in a pan. They should not boil for too long–respectively until they are somewhat softer, yet not tender, like al dente.
Put a casserole on the heat and add some olive oil. When the temperature in the casserole is sufficient, add the onion snips, the pumpkin pieces, oregano, saffron and peel the garlic cloves to press and add to the ingredients in the casserole. Grant to be cooked on medium heat for about 10 minutes (sautée). Stir regularly. Now we are ready to add the beans and the pancetta. Eventually, add the asparagus and artichokes. Add more oil to the casserole if you think that’s necessary. Cook and stir (but be careful) for about an additional 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the content (as much as fits) into the baking tin, with dough fixed! Make sure the content is equally spread with no ‘peaks’.

topping:
Grate the Parmesan cheese (coarsely) so that it will form an equal layer on top of the filled pie. Sprinkle a handful of pine nuts.

Bake off in the oven, 160 – 180 °C, for about 25 to 45 minutes (it’s very hard to give a more exact estimation). Don’t forget to preheat your oven.

I hope you will enjoy it as much as me (we)!!
Bene sapiat! (To stay in the setting of ‘Pompeius’. ) Or… if you want it a little less ancient: buon appetito!

Sweet, peppery, buttery… in a word, nomulous.

Let me start by noting that the reason you missed MM and TT last week was due to this:

Best baby shower ever, so much homemade bbq

Now…I might have a strange taste and notion of what works as a meal sometimes. Thinking of a good dish for meatless monday yesterday and I couldn’t get the idea of a banana biscuit out of my head. I think it was mainly that I wanted to try a new biscuit recipe from my new book, but I thought I would give this flavor combo that I have never tried before a go. It turned out really well to my taste buds, let me know what you think.

I joined my sweet sandwich with a alt-veg hash brown with sweet potato, carrot, zucchini, parsnip, and asparagus (and some friends from Bungalow Garden). With some of my favorite potato approximations in my favorite potato delivery method seemed like a win in the old mental test kitchen, and I think it was the most successful dish of the meal.

I was also seduced by some delicious artichokes while at the market. I tried a Tyler Florence recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/steamed-whole-artichokes-recipe/index.htm. I think it was good, but the flavors could have been bolder. But can you blame me for buying this:

Bright green, vitamins.

All told, this was a good supper.

Biscuits:

I really wanted to try one of Virginia Willis’s biscuit recipes and her Buttermilk angel biscuits did not disappoint. They use yeast, so they are certainly dinner biscuits, tasting buttery and gooey like a biscuit, while being yeasty and soft like a roll. Nom.

I also made the biscuits a little larger and thicker than she calls for, because I read in the Sunny point cafe cookbook “the correct thickness is the key to a stately biscuit.” I suppose that’s true, as shown by these photos.

Top this bad boy with bananas fried in butter and honey and some little cooked with garlic and pepper arugula, and you have a really nice dinner sandwich.

6 cups flour

1 package yeast (1/4 cup warm water, 1 tbls sugar)

3 tbls sugar

1 tbls baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup shortening

2+ cups of buttermilk

2 tbls butter, melted, to top biscuits.

THIS MUST BE DONE BY HAND!

The hash:

Wanting to avoid the overly starchy nature of breakfast foods and add vitamins to supper, I conceived an alt-veg hash featuring sweet potato. With the veggies, I threw in some chives and rosemary from the garden, and the customary salt, pepper and fresh garlic. Cook it on a hot griddle with just a bit of canola oil to fry it up. delicious.

It is kinda like waffle house.

2 medium sweet potatoes, grated

2 parsnips, grated

2 carrots, grated

1 zucchini, grated

1/2 lb asparagus, slivered with a peeler

herbs to taste.

1/8 cup canola oil per cooking

Mango:

If you have the chance to put fresh ripe mango on a plate, do it. I say.

Artichoke:

Using the Tyler Florence recipe was ok, but I would double down on the pepper and add some heat and garlic. It was ok, but unremarkable.

All told, make this meal for a tasty, colorful plate and a nice cap to monotonous Monday:

We finished planting our garden yesterday. It’s 60 degrees here and raining. Our garden is being watered, I’m happy & thankful for that. It’s a good day for a soup.  How awesome is an artichoke~spinach soup on a chilly & rainy day? It’s hearty, warm, full of flavor and best of all simple to make. I think I’ll have another bowl now

So, my mom, one of my sisters, and I are trying this military diet thing going around the internet. It’s only three days, the food isn’t terrible, so we figured why not. And so last night we had Chipotle and I made this haha

The dip mixture in the middle was pretty simple, but I recommend maybe heating the cream cheese or doing something to it so that it combines a little easier with everything else. Also, they didn’t have full jars of artichoke hearts, they only had half jars, so I just used the one half jar, and while I wish there would have been more artichoke hearts in it, it was still pretty good.

As for the bread, you have to hollow it out enough so that there is room for the dip, but not so much that it leaks out the bottom. I hollowed out the sides pretty well, but I wish I would have done just a little more out of the bottom, but that might just be personal preference.

So, that’s that! We’ll see how this whole diet thing goes though…

Recipe:

http://www.closetcooking.com/2010/01/artichoke-bread.html

While eating lunch we watched Chasing Mavericks, the film about surfer Jay Moriarity. Really good movie, it was one of those that stuck with me. Very moving.

The yard work I mentioned was cutting back the Russian Sages which I should have done in the late fall/early winter. But no, I procrastinated again. You should see the hot mess the garden bed looks like right now. Maybe I’ll get a picture to post. It can serve as a pre-cautionary tale.

Sunday we went to El Adobe for Cinco De Mayo. No picture necessary since I got the same exact thing I had there last week. Then we went back to Home Depot to price out some items for our planned bathroom re-model. That we are doing ourselves. Yikes. Is it crazy to start with the downstairs bathroom that everyone sees? Oh well, go big or go home right? At home it was more art homework. I am awful at drawing anything that is supposed to be realistic. Yes, her makeup is that crazy in the real picture I am drawing from.

I also finished reading one of my absolute books for the fifth or so time. It is a hilarious memoir by Haven Kimmel called A Girl Named Zippy. You should check it out if you are into comical tales of growing up at poverty level in Indiana. Takes real talent to make that hilarious. I also started this book:

It is amazing and I have had a hard time putting it down. Now back to work. I hope you are all having a fabulous Monday!

I have a growing list of things I’d like to try and grow and the only way that I could track what to sow indoors or outdoors, or to plant out when and to coordinate the bounty was to use Excel, I hate Excel well spread sheets in general they’re far to linear for my liking.

The other reason for using a sheet is that, for me, it’s very so easy to get carried away with buying seeds. Some women get excited by shoes or having their nails done, I live in converse and I quickly learned that gardening in the way I am not only breaks your back but my nails all broke on the first day of weeding and digging. For me seeds are where it’s at and I defy anyone that tries to live like this not to get sucked in to the world of potential glorious food all from a little packet.

I eat a lot of Courgettes which Sainsbury’s sell a plastic wrapped packet of three organic boring green things for £2, one pack of seeds that I also planted in years one which performed very well gave me so many courgettes I ended up giving them away, the trick is to pick them young so the plant doesn’t put all its energy into producing super big fruits. Really that pack of seeds works out at 90p per year for all the courgettes you can eat in a season. My plan is to eventually figure out how to preserve them in a tasty way.

My grow chart is split into separate headings. Perennials, soft fruits both of which only need planting once and will offer structure to the garden. The annual crops which I’ll grow from seeds every year and as time goes on I’ll hopefully learn how to harvest my own seeds so I don’t need to buy them making my food even cheaper! There are herbs which are essential and the edible flowers which I know nothing about so it’s a whole lot research on those at the minute and I haven’t gotten round to doing it.

The other main reason for the spread sheet is that when talking about the project with people the first question asked is always “ what are going to grow”? To which my response so far has been “errrrrrrm, all of it” which generally leads to me chuntering on about how little nutrients are in supermarket veggies.

The main structure of the garden will be provided by the perennials and soft fruits.

Red is when the plant can be planted. Green is the expected harvest.

You can down load the PDF of this file with links to my preferred supplier Here.

Yellow is when sowing outside.
Blue for sowing inside.
Red is when the plant can be planted.
Green is the expected harvest.

You can down load the PDF of this file with links to my preferred supplier Here     The rest of the garden is fluid and I have endless pieces of paper that have various planting plans and layouts but nothing set in stone as I’ve not even bought the soil in yet or finished selecting the rest of my crops and flowers both edible and otherwise.

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”-Anais Nin

I’m writing to recall the atypical heat and sun of early May in San Francisco. To remember the bright flowers that reached for the rays, and the early blueberries forming.

To see the arugula and red lettuce that self-seeded from last year and have pushed their way through the dirt again.

To see skinny asparagus forests populate our vegetable bed when no one is around to cut and eat the young spears.

While I miss California, having to be away for a month or more at a time has allowed me to find something new in the garden each time I return. Two and a half years ago, I wrote about artichokes. With our garden renovation and our move to NYC, I didn’t have time to plant artichokes until this past winter. But five months later, the plants have produced a fountain of silvery foliage. On this last trip west, a deep purple artichoke was emerging. And I realized in that moment of finding what “truth and beauty” means — that true beauty, the kind that delights, is often unexpectedly discovered.

Original Recipe: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2013/05/artichoke-and-feta-tarts

The recipe looked great, but in true form I went a little rogue.  So, all of my modifications and step-by-step instructions are below.  Basically I was too cheap to buy the marinated artichoke hearts (they’re so much more expensive) since I could do it myself.  And, I had a little parmesan cheese and roma tomatoes laying around so I added them into the mix (the answer to “more cheese?” is always “yes!”)

Ingredients

1/3 c whipping cream
4 oz. feta, divided
2 oz. parmesan
salt & pepper
1 package puff pastry
14 oz. jar artichoke hearts
2 roma tomatoes
spice mix: garlic powder, oregano, parsley & basil
olive oil
1 egg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Blend the cream and 2 oz. feta in a food processor until smooth.  Smooth = the consistency of ricotta cheese.

3. Roll out your puff pasty on a baking sheet lined with parchment (so you don’t have to wash your baking sheet later!).  Puff pastry comes frozen and needs to be defrosted in advance.  If you wanted to follow me exactly, then you could defrost it in the microwave for 30 seconds with the plastic still wrapped around it…but I don’t fully recommend this.

4. Spread the feta/cream mixture out over the puff pastry, leaving a bare 1 inch edge around the pastry.  If this is messy and your pastry gets flaky and your cheese is hard to spread, you’re right on track!  Don’t forget to season with salt & pepper.

5. Cut up your artichoke hearts and tomatoes into bite sized pieces and spread them out on top of the pastry.

6. Sprinkle your veggies with olive oil and then whatever spices you have on hand/like.  I went heavy on the garlic powder and medium on the basil, oregano & parsley.

7. Put your extra cheese on top!

8. Whisk up that 1 egg and brush it around the bare edge of pastry to encourage optimal browning!

9. Admire your hard work (and maybe take a picture)

10. Bake the tart for 12 minutes at 425 degrees then an additional 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

While you wait I recommend–reorganizing your spice cabinet, drinking bourbon, showering, getting dressed for a Kentucky Derby party.

11. Enjoy warm or cold!

Enjoy

Saturday: Ultimate pulled pork
Sunday: Meat and potato pie
Monday: Crab cakes w/ baby leaf salad
Tuesday: Spinach, chorizo and halloumi salad
Wednesday: Steak salad
Thursday: Artichoke casserole w/ herbs
Friday: Pan fried sea bass fillets w/ new potatoes, samphire and soya beans

Ultimate pulled pork
Ingredients:
For the dry spice rub
50 g soft dark brown sugar
4 tbsp smoked hot paprika
3 tbsp flaked sea salt
1 tbsp garlic powder (dried in the spice aisle)
1 tbsp onion granules, ground to a powder by hand or in a spice grinder (dried in the spice aisle)
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp dry mustard powder
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried oregano
2 kg boneless pork shoulder

TO SERVE
Barbecue sauce or hot sauce, to serve
Coleslaw, to serve
Bread rolls/baps

Method:
For the dry spice rub: Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Put the meat on a board and rub all over with half the spice mix. Transfer to a shallow dish and cover loosely with cling film. Leave in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours. Reserve the remaining rub.

Preheat the oven to 150C/gas 2. Take the pork out of the dish and put on a board. Massage well with the remaining dry rub. Stand the pork on a rack in a roasting tin, skin side up. Pour 100ml water into the bottom of the tin and cover the pork and tin with a large piece of foil, pinching the foil around the edges to make a good seal. Put the pork in the oven and cook for 5 hours.

After 5 hours, increase the oven temperature to around 180C/gas 4 then roast for a further 45 mins until it is very tender, you can test it by pulling some of the meat away and tasting it, it should almost melt in your mouth and be succulent and juicy. Dont’ worry if it needs more than another 45 mins just keep cooking it until it’s ready. You can also do this final stage of the cooking over a BBQ to get that charcoal smokiness but do make sure the internal temperature of the meat stays around 75C, by using a meat thermometer.

Serve in your buns with coleslaw and bbq or hot sauce. You can also jazz up some baked beans with bbq sauce to serve along side if you wish.

Meat and potato pie
Ingredients:
For the pastry
300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
75g butter
75g lard, or vegetable fat
5-6 tbsp water
1 tbsp milk, to glaze
*Cheat with ready made shortcrust pastry

For the filling
1 onion, finely diced
2 carrots, diced
250g minced beef
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Marmite
1 1/2 tbsp plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large baking potato, finely diced

Method:
For the pastry – rub the butter and lard into the flour and salt until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water and form the mixture into a ball adding a little more water if necessary. Chill for 20 minutes.

Fry the onion, carrots and beef together in a medium saucepan over a high heat until browned – don’t add any oil, then reduce the heat and add the tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Marmite, flour and seasoning. Cook for one minute then add the diced potato, 150 ml water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Heat the over to 200C/gas 6. Dust a work surface with flour and roll out two thirds of the pastry into a square large enough to cover the base and sides of a 20cm square x 4cm deep cake tin.

Add the cooled mince, then roll out the remaining pastry for the lid. Dampen the edge of the pastry and place on the lid on top of the pie and press the edges well to seal.

Using a fork pierce the top of the pie several times and brush with milk. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot with mashed potatoes, peas and gravy.

Crab cakes w/ baby leaf salad
Ingredients:
For the crab cakes:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
175 g crab meat, or 1 small can of crab meat
200 g breadcrumbs
125 ml creme fraiche
a few fresh chives, minced
a few fresh basil leaves, minced
1 large egg
Sunflower oil for frying

For the mayonnaise:
1 large egg yolk
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp mustard
500 ml sunflower oil, or corn oil
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Method:
For the crab cakes – In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the onion and celery for about 4 minutes, until translucent. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Flake the crab meat into a bowl and add the cooled onion and celery, half of the bread crumbs, the crème fraîche, chives, basil, and egg, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Shape the mixture into about 8 little balls. Slightly flatten them and coat the patties all over with the remaining bread crumbs.

In a non-stick sauté pan, heat some oil over medium heat. Fry the patties for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown on both sides. Let them drain on a paper towel.

For the mayonnaise – In a food processor, combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, and mustard and process until foamy. With the motor running, pour in the oil in a very thin trickle until the mixture becomes a thick mayonnaise. By hand, stir in the tomatoes and paprika and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the crab cakes with your baby leaf salad and dollop of your freshly made smoky mayonnaise.

Spinach, chorizo and halloumi salad
Ingredients:
4 large handfuls spinach leaves
250 g halloumi cheese, cut into 4 pieces
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
24 spears asparagus, trimmed
150 g chorizo, thinly sliced
4 tbsp balsamic syrup

Method:
To make the balsamic syrup, put 250ml of good quality balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat until it has reduced by at least half. Then set aside to cool.

Divide the spinach between 4 large plates. Lay the halloumi flat in a bowl. Mix the crushed garlic and olive oil together and pour it over the pieces of cheese leaving them for a few minutes to marinate.

Put a grill pan over a medium to high heat until it’s very hot. Put the asparagus into a bowl and toss it in a little olive oil until it’s well coated. Season with a pinch of salt, then chargrill the asparagus spears until they are nice and charred. You may want to cut a few in half lengthways before putting them into the pan if they are really fat. Divide the asparagus between the bowls.

Fry the slices of halloumi, pouring the marinade into the pan with them. Cook the cheese until it starts to go golden on the outside. Divide the cheese evenly between the salad bowls, laying it on top of the asparagus.

Finally, pan-fry the chorizo in a clean frying pan. As it cooks, it will release lots of its spicy oils. This is a good thing! When the sausage starts to get a little crispy on the outside, divide it up, along with the juices, on top of the salad bowls. Drizzle over olive oil to your taste and season well with salt and lots of pepper. Then drizzle the balsamic syrup over each dish.

Steak salad
Ingredients:
150g baby sweetcorn
4 x 175g lean flat iron or rump beef steaks
1 tsp chinese five spice
1 tbsp rapeseed
100g beansprouts
1 small red onion, peeled and finely sliced
50g toasted pine nuts or unsalted cashew nuts
2 tbsp coriander, chopped

For the dressing
1 x 5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 limes, grated zest and juice of
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp fish sauce

Method:
Halve the baby sweetcorn lengthways and blanch in hot water until lightly cooked.

Place the steaks on a chopping board, season on both sides with the salt, pepper and Chinese five spice powder then brush with the oil. Cook the steaks under a preheated moderate grill or on a prepared barbecue. Transfer to a warm plate, cover with foil and leave to rest for 2-3 minutes then slice on the diagonal.

Transfer the beef to a large bowl and add the beansprouts, sweet corn, onion, nuts and coriander.

For the aromatic dressing: whisk the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss gently and serve immediately.

Artichoke casserole w/ herbs
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 parsnip, chopped
1 turnip, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp lemon thyme leaves
500ml vegetable stock
400g canned flageolet beans
200g jar artichoke hearts, drained
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Method:
Add the oil, celery, onion, carrots, parsnip and turnip to a large pan. Put the herbs into the pan and fry until soft and browning slightly. Add the stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the beans and artichokes and simmer for another five minutes. Add the chopped parsley at the end and serve

Pan fried sea bass w/ new potatoes, samphire and soya beans
Ingredients:
4 fillets sea bass
1/2 small bag new potatoes, quartered
180g samphire – you can get this on the fresh fish counter in the supermarkets at the moment
150g soya beans – you can buy these frozen in supermarkets
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic finely chopped
Butter
Olive oil

Method:
Blanche the samphire in boiling water (do not add salt to the water) for 30 seconds then drain and plunge straight into a bowl of cold water and set aside. Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted boiling water until just tender then drain.

In a sauté pan or wide frying pan, heat a around 1 a little oil then add the onions and garlic and fry well until you have good colour on the onions. Then add the potatoes and again fry until you have some nice colour on your potatoes. Finally add the samphire, soya beans and a large knob of butter, stir well and cook over a low to medium heat until you fish is ready.

In a frying pan add a large knob of butter and about 1/2 tbsp of olive oil (so the butter doesn’t burn). Let this get really hot and foamy. Season your fish fillets well and then place skin side down in the pan and cook for a couple of minutes. When you have a nice crispy skin flip over for 1 minute to finish cooking.

Serve immediately drizzled with the butter from the frying pan and your potatoes, samphire and soya beans.

(Credits: Hairy Bikers, Simply Beef and Lamb, Mitzie Wilson, Yvette van Boven, Galton Blackston, Nigel Slater, JJMoola’s Kitchen)

A few weeks ago my family and I took a road trip down to Monterey. On the way back to SF we stopped in Castroville, a town famous for growing artichokes. My fiance told me how much he LOVED artichokes and how he would like to have it at home, but I have never in my life cooked an artichoke. I bought an artichoke and promised to cook it when I get the chance – which basically meant that  I pushed it off until it was the only  thing in my fridge to eat . After researching multiple blogs, Youtube videos, and pictures- I decided I had gotten the gist of it.  I have to say the artichoke looks a little intimidating, but it actually wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be! After Googling how to eat an artichoke, my fiance and I were delighted with the flavor. I will definitely be adding this vegetable to my regular shopping list.  Click continue to see the step by step recipe!

Serves: 1-3 people                                                                                                            Cook Time: 2 hours 

1 large artichoke

1 clove of garlic

2 slices of lemon

1. First things first- wash the artichoke- just run it under some cold water.

2. Now we need to get rid of those pesky thorns! Grab some kitchen scissors and cut the tips off each and every leaf.

3. Now cut the top inch off which a very sharp knife. This can be a bit difficult to cut through so please be careful!

4. Now cut off the stem so the final artichoke looks like this :

5. In a large pot, add enough water for steaming. Add a crushed clove of garlic and 2 slices of lemon. Place the steamer rack on top and steam the artichoke for 1 to 1.5 hours or until one of the other leaves pull off with ease. Also make sure to check on the water as you might run out and burn the crap out of the bottom of your pan….like i did

6. Enjoy your artichoke with your choice of dip. I ended up mixing some mayo, mustard, black pepper, lemon juice and red pepper powder for a dip. There are tons of recipes out there- or you just dip it in butter as most people do. Enjoy!

The Golden State grows the entire domestic supply of the thorny thistle, with most of it coming from Monterey County, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation.

However, the green vegetable is grown as far north as the Redding area, where the Churn Creek Meadow Organic Farm planted them last year and enjoyed their first harvest last fall. “They do really well up here,” said Mary Ocasion, the farm’s co-owner. “This spring we’ve been getting a lot of artichoke.”

April and May represent the peak of the Golden State’s artichoke season, the CFBF reports. One of the oldest known foods, artichokes from California are enjoyed in every corner of the globe, boasts the website for Ocean Mist Farms in Castroville.

Via Capital Press

Powelton Pizza is a little far but occasionally, clubs or groups order them and so I got to try it. 

The Vegetarian Pizza, with apparently green peppers, sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, black olives, and artichoke hearts. This was loaded with veggies and apart from the olives, which I just do not like, this slice was great. I did not like the thin crust so much as there was no bite, but I liked the vegetable medley.

The BBQ Chicken Pizza needed more chicken and maybe larger pieces of chicken. The BBQ sauce looked so red but was slightly tangy and sweet. Again, the crust did not go well with the topping to make it very tempting but the flavours were good.

The Plain Pizza was disappointing. Without a good crust, a thin layer of tomato sauce and mediocre cheese just does not cut it. Too bad, but they really need to upgrade their pizza dough!

Simple Grilled Garlic Lemon Artichokes

• 4 large organic artichokes
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 1 lemon for squeezing
• Coconut and Olive oil to drizzle on tops prior to grilling

First use a large knife to trim the stem and cut about 1/2 inch off the top of the artichoke, getting rid of the prickly edges of the leaves. Wash the artichokes and place each one on a piece of tin foil. Stuff 2 garlic cloves between the leaves of each artichoke, squeeze lemon juice on the top.  Lastly, drizzle olive oil and coconut oil over the tops, and between the leaves. Wrap each one tightly in foil and place on your outdoor grill  for 10 minutes at high heat, then 30 minutes at medium heat/until tender.  Let rest in foil for 10 minutes, serve with your sauce of choice!

Rays of  Healing

Artichokes are one of the healthiest foods in the world, and the leaves are the richest and most nourishing part to eat.  They rank higher in antioxidants than an any other vegetable!

Coconut Oil adds a sweet taste and is great for your hair and overall health.