Delighting in Thai

by Cindy Hively



One of my new favorites for "Healthy Eating" is Thai food. My daughter who lives in the DC area has turned me on to trying new ethnic foods. My last visit with her included a night out at a small yet authentically and intimate Thai restaurant. The smells, the freshness of the food and the health benefits made me fall in love with appreciation of healthy eating. I started doing research on Thai food and the immune-boosting and simplistic ease of making Thai dishes started my new adventure of  "Cooking Thai."

Thai cuisine is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. In fact, several Thai dishes, such as Tom Yum Soup, are currently under scientific study for their incredible health benefits. Of course, it's already known that many of the fresh herbs and spices used in Thai cooking, such as turmeric, galangal, coriander, lemongrass, and fresh chillies, have immune-boosting and disease-fighting power. Find out more about these and other ingredients that contribute to making Thai food one of the healthiest you can eat. I suggest a Goggle search, you will find so much information and many recipes.

Thai food is one the most followed food trends across the world. Thai food is adored and savored for the perfect aroma and smack of its various dishes. Thai food is a perfect blend of its neighboring regions like India and China, which also satisfies the Western palate. No wonder why it is so popular! Similar to various types of Asian cuisine, Thai food mainly includes rice and noodles. Apart from rice, it also includes numerous savory fish recipes, vegetables, herbs and spices, that bring a salty, saucy and sour flavor to this irresistible Eastern delight. However, many health conscious people are inquisitive asking a basic question, "Is Thai food healthy?" Frankly speaking, health benefits of Thai food entirely depend on the kind of Thai recipes that you consume. (Source: Important Food Facts by  Rutuja Jathar)

Harmony of taste is the basic principle of Thai food, which you can easily find in all the Thai recipes that you make or order. Hence, remember that Thai food recipes like Tom Yum soup, chili hot chicken, fish cakes and Phad ka Prao are all made with utmost balance of ingredients and flavor. Before finding the answer to the question, "Is Thai food healthy?", we need to understand that Thai food doesn't contain big meat chunks and large animals. The meat that is included in the Thai food is fortified and shredded with various herbs and healthy vegetables. This fact makes the Thai food all the more healthy and tempting.

Secondly, authentic Thai food recipes are prepared with some of the best cooking methods like stewing, grilling and baking, that include least amount of oil and hence they preserve food's nutrition to the fullest. It also means that other cooking methods like frying, deep frying and stir frying were introduced to them by foreign countries like China and Japan. Thai food is also hugely influenced by Dutch, French and Portuguese cuisine and other nearby Asian regions like Vietnam, Burma, Malaysia and Laos.

Whether healthy eating healthy is Thai food or something else, the objective is to feed your body, mind, spirit and soul with nutrition and nurturing meals that are good for you. This will lead to better health. (Also a huge help to those who suffer with chronic disorders and dis-ease.)

Many blessings as you eat healthier and enjoy the change it will bring to the table. With a heart of health and best eating wishes and practices to everyone.

Here are some of my favorite Thai recipes, courtesy of FoodNetwork.com.

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Asian-Style 3 Bean Salad Ingredients

• 1 pound string beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen shelled edamame (green soy beans)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup 100 percent fruit apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 scallions, sliced
• Salt

Directions

Put the string beans and frozen edamame into a steamer basket and steam them for 4 minutes. Transfer the beans to a large bowl and put them into the refrigerator to cool for 15 minutes or longer.

In a small bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar, apricot preserves, sugar and ginger. Add the black beans and scallions to the other beans, drizzle with dressing, and toss to coat. Season with salt, to taste.

Thai Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons Thai seasoning
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 cup yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1/2 (8-ounce) package fresh sliced white mushrooms
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen cut green beans, thawed (recommended: Birds Eye)
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth chicken stock
• 1 (14-ounce) can lite coconut milk (recommended: A Taste of Thai)
• 1 lemon, zested
• Freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions Season chicken breast pieces with Thai seasoning; set aside. Spray a large nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken, onion, garlic and mushrooms. Saute until chicken is just cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the green beans, chicken stock, coconut milk and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the beans are cooked al dente, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot garnished with cilantro.

Blender Mania!

by Linda Carrington








First and Foremost: A Disclaimer

I am not, nor do I pretend to be, a nutritionist or any kind of expert on nutrition. While I have studied nutrition rather extensively, both formally and informally, and I am a near-lifelong vegetarian and vegan-in-progress, I am presenting this program simply because I have found that, with the addition of green smoothies and other whole foods to my diet, I have been in better overall health than I have since I developed a serious, disabling case of ME/CFS in 2004.

Though I can’t explain it scientifically, (even if my former science teacher self thinks I should be able to), here is what I know: This past year has been one of the most stressful of my life. Normally, that would have left me bed-bound and sick with swollen glands, sore throats, fevers, flu-like symptoms and major fatigue and weakness. But, after being forced by circumstance in May of 2010 to increase my fruit and vegetable intake, largely in the form of green smoothies, I have had zero… count ‘em… zero traditional ME/CFS crashes. I can only attribute this to my greatly improved diet and my three new best buddies: green smoothies and a couple of pretty impressive blenders!

So, What IS a Green Smoothie?

A Green Smoothie is typically a blended concoction made primarily with nutrient-rich and oh-so-healthy fresh greens and/or other vegetables combined with fruit.

Why?

• Nutrient Density: A green smoothie can provide a full day’s worth of fruit and veggie nutrition in one easy to digest drink. Good digestion begins in the mouth, and as stated at http://www.greensmoothie.com/blend/green.php , “A blender is a perfect set of teeth.” Give your digestive system a head start with a gift of smooth green goodness every day!

• Energy Savings: It is quick and easy! I find it much easier to toss a bit of this or that in my blender, mix it up, drink it down, and be done with it than to hang out in the kitchen cooking for any length of time.

• Nutrient Bio-availability and Blood Sugar Stability: By blending your fruits and vegetables, you help break down the plants’ cell walls in advance of them hitting your mouth, giving you a head start in the nutrient absorption process. By using the complete food, fiber and all, you slow down digestion of fruit sugars that can lead to blood sugar spikes and crashes.

• Rehydration: We are often more dehydrated than we think, especially after a night’s sleep. Having a green smoothie every morning is a great way to re-hydrate and nourish yourself with green, water-filled goodness to start your day.

• Portability: You can mix a day’s worth and bring some along in a bottle for later use.

• Easy Clean-up. No washing a lot of dishes after! Rinse your knife, blender, and cup with a couple of drops of dish soap, and you’re done!

But What About Protein?

There are many schools of thought about protein and what kind and how much is enough, and you will have to decide for yourself what is right for you. But, you might be surprised to learn that your body can do very well (some would suggest far better) with less protein than we Americans have traditionally been taught. You might also be surprised to learn that plant foods are full of protein. Most vegetables have around 10% protein, while spinach and broccoli are about 40% protein. The big winners in the plant protein contest, weighing in at 58-90% protein are seaweeds (algaes) like spirulina and chlorella.

For more on the protein content of various plant foods, see: http://www.vegparadise.com/protein.html, http://www.soystache.com/protein.htm, and USDA Nutrient Database: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl .

Tricks/Tips

• Start with more fruit, fewer veggies, and slowly reverse that as your palette adjusts to new and interesting flavors and textures.

• Start with already established recipes from books and websites, some of which are listed below.

• Vary your greens and fruits daily. Your body needs nutritional variety in order to stay healthy. While it may be easy to make the same smoothie every day, real health benefits are seen when you rotate your recipes and try new combinations. The more variety you get in, the more likely you’ll be feeding your cells the nutrients they need.

• Add sweeteners if needed. I have a fondness, when my smoothies need to be just a bit more sweet, for flavored Wisdom Naturals Sweetleaf liquid stevia. I also find that adding a bit of good, natural organic lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, powdered licorice, or other natural, unsweetened juices and spices help make a recipe-gone-wrong more palatable.

• Start with spinach. Adding spinach to almost anything does little to alter its taste. Add more and more spinach and when you are ready, move on to other, potentially more bitter greens like kale and collards. Note: Removing the stems of large-stemmed greens like kale can cut down on the bitterness.

• Experiment! Start with a basic smoothie recipe like the ones offered below, and then play with adding a variety of fruits and vegetables to the mix. I have successfully used cooked sweet potatoes, cooked squashes, cucumbers, carrots, cooked and raw beets, tomatoes, dandelion greens, and more to my smoothies. Sometimes it works, sometimes, it doesn’t. But it makes me feel like Harry Potter in Potions Class when I experiment, which is pretty darn fun, I must say!

• If you feel like you simply must have more protein, feel free to supplement with one of the many products out there on the market. Lately, I’ve been using Garden of Life Raw Meal if I feel like I’m not eating very well and need a boost.

• Sensitive to Fruit Sugars? Have candida or blood sugar issues??

According to Tera Warner, the Green Smoothie Queen and founder of the Raw Divas, a group of diverse women dedicated to spreading the word about nutrition and healthy living, blood sugar issues can be aggravated by having too much fat in the diet. So, first cut back on fat (it’s a good thing to do for all of us, really!) Then add more veg and less fruit to your smoothies. If that isn’t helping, substitute sweet fruit with non-sweet fruits like cucumber, tomato, avocado, etc. Also try sub-acid (more alkaline) fruits like apples, pears, and berries instead of bananas, mangos, and other highly sweet and/or acidic fruits.

15 Fabulous Green Smoothie Combinations to Get You Started

Add water as needed to blend. You may want to start with about 70% fruit and 30% greens, with your goal being to reduce fruit and increase greens. Work up to 30% fruit and 70% greens.

Here's a selection of Green Smoothie “recipes” chiefly from Frederic Patenaude and the Green For Life book by Victoria Boutenko (http://www.greensmoothie.com/blend/green.php)




Always blend the fruit first –add water as needed.

1) 2-3 cups any greens of your choice, 2 cups papaya, 2 oranges, 3 dates (soak dates for a few hours ahead for best results).

2) 1 handful lettuce leaves, 1 handful mint, 4 bananas, 1/2 cup water.

3) Winter Smoothie - 1 cup organic frozen berries (any kind), 2 cups fresh spinach, 1/4 inch fresh ginger, water.

4) Spring Smoothie - fresh orange juice, ripe bananas, frozen mangoes, and several large leaves of kale (extra frozen mango gives lovely thick consistency you eat with a spoon).

5) 1/2 bunch romaine lettuce, 1 cup strawberries, 2 bananas, water.

6) 4-5 kale leaves, 4 apples, 1/2 lemon juiced, water.

7) 2 big handfuls mixed baby greens, 2 pears, 2 mangoes, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries.

8) Choc-mint – 2 cups spinach, 10-12 mint leaves, 3 bananas, 2 Tbs. carob powder, 1 cup water.

9) 1 handful of spinach, 2 stalks of celery, 2 bananas, 2 pears, 1 apple, 1 cup water.

10) 1 small handful of spinach, 2 cups arugula, 2-3 mangoes, 1 cup water.

11) 1/2 head romaine lettuce, 1 small pineapple, 1 large mango, 1-inch fresh ginger.

12) 1 handful wild greens (e.g. dandelion), 1 small handful mint leaves, 3 cups honeydew melon.

13) 3-4 stalks celery, 2 ripe persimmons, 1 banana.

14) 1 handful chard leaves, 5-6 kale leaves, 3 large bananas, 1 cup water.

15) 1 handful parsley, 3 cups of peeled papaya.

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