Soothing Flower Tea

Posted on February 23, 2011

Sometimes when I need to escape and just chill-ax, I make flower tea. I get out my heat-proof glass teapot and mini glass tea cups, put on the kettle, and light the votive candle at the base of the teapot stand. This keeps the tea warm and sets the right mood. As with all tea (loose leaves and tea bags), I perform a quick 5-second rinse to remove any impurities. To do this, I place the tea, or in the case of floral tea, the flower ball, in the pot, then I pour in some hot water, swish it around for a few seconds and strain. One thing to remember is that green teas and floral teas should not be steeped in boiling (100 degrees F.) hot water. Ideally, the water should be between 80 and 90 degrees F…so after I rinse the tea, I wait for a few minutes before filling up the pot. Then I sit back, and watch the flower gracefully unfold before my eyes. The whole blooming process takes about ten minutes.

What starts as a bundle of green tea and flowers hand-tied with thread and pressed into an oval-shaped ball…

…transforms into a gorgeous blossom of green tea leaves with a pink (clover) and two white (jasmine) flowers at the center.

The taste is the perfect balance of green tea with floral undertones. Refreshing and relaxing, it reminds me of the beauty in the world that we have to stop our frenetic lives to appreciate.

More about

Rhubarb Sauce and “Homemade Rocks”

Posted on January 10, 2011

rhubarbI thought I’d never see rhubarb in Malaysia, but today, I stumbled upon some in Hock Choon, a small grocery store specializing in imported goods. I was thrilled to find this vitamin-C-and-calcium-packed fruit (some will argue that it’s a vegetable), and particularly tickled to introduce it to my cook, Luann, who said that she had seen it before, but had no idea what to do with it (usually it’s the other way around…she’s introducing me to exotic foods). I rattled off a list of culinary delights made with rhubarb, from strawberry-rhubarb pie to a simple sauce for yogurt or ice cream. Luann made a batch of rhubarb sauce from my recipe in Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today’s Mothers-to-Be. The kids devoured it on top of homemade yogurt sprinkled with a bit of homemade tropical granola. I call it tropical because I added bits of diced dried mango, orange rind, coconut, and walnuts to the honey-toasted oats…super yum! They were happy, and so was I.

“Homemade Rocks” is  my theme for 2011. I’m planning to make as many things from scratch as possible this year, including bread, pasta, vinegar, flavored oils, jams, syrups, cookies, crackers,and anything else I can dream up. I already make a ton of homemade stuff, but I’m determined to take it to the next level. This past weekend, I revved up my ice cream maker  and whipped up a batch of mango sorbet. Before I know it, I’ll be making my own soap and candles, and sewing my own clothes (help me if I ever get to that stage). I’ll share recipes as I go along, but for now, here’s a tremendously satisfying topping for anything you like.

Makes about 1 cup
1 pound rhubarb, any leaves trimmed, washed, and cut into 1/2-inch peices
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rhubarb is soft and falling apart. Serve hot or cold. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. This sauce can also be frozen for up to 1 month.

Approximate Nutritional Information: Serving size: 1/2 cup: Calories: 233 cals; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 58 g; Fat: .4 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 10 g; Vitamin C: 18 mg; Calcium: 196 mg.

More about , , , , ,

Top 17 High Antioxidant Fruits and Vegetables

Posted on October 2, 2010

Beet vegetable

The more colorful (inside and out) the better! Carry this list with you next time you go to the grocery store! As a rule, the degree of color in fruits and vegetables corresponds to the amount of antioxidants they contain. These foods are listed in alphabetical order. Try to include some of them in every meal. For example: Grapefruit or papaya for breakfast, spinach salad for lunch, and broccoli for dinner. Fresh fruit/vegetable juice is another great way to get antioxidants into your diet any time of day.

Top 15 High Antioxidant Fruits and Vegetables

  1. Beets
  2. Blackberries
  3. Blueberries
  4. Broccoli
  5. Brussels sprouts
  6. Cherries
  7. Kale
  8. Kiwifruit
  9. Mango
  10. Oranges
  11. Papaya
  12. Pink grapefruit
  13. Prunes/Plums
  14. Red grapes
  15. Red peppers
  16. Spinach
  17. Strawberries

More about , , , , ,

10 Foods for a Healthier You!

Posted on November 19, 2009

healthy-life

10 Foods for a Healthier You!

  1. Whole grains. Whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, barley, and oats. Whole grains are a great source of vitamins and fiber. Rule of thumb: Brown is best. Avoid refined white foods stripped of their nutrients.
  2. Fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants. Prunes, blueberries, blackberries, mangosteen, kiwi, grapes, broccoli, red pepper, beets, spinach, and artichokes. Antioxidants promote cell regeneration and basic metabolic functions. Dark chocolate and tea also contain antioxidants.
  3. Fish high in DHA omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, sardines, tuna, halibut, and anchovies. Omega-3s fatty acids are essential to good heart health, fetal brain development, and they can help reduce depression. Ask your doctor about supplements, particularly if you are at risk for heart disease, or if you are pregnant.
  4. Low-fat dairy products.  Milk, yogurt, and cheeses. Calcium is the key to strong bones and preventing osteoporosis. If you are lactose intolerant, try calcium-fortified foods, such as orange juice and soy milk, or supplements. The average Daily Intake of calcium for people between the ages of 31 and 50 years, is about 1,000 milligrams.
  5. Mono and polyunsaturated oils. Olive, canola, peanut, corn, safflower, sunflower, sesame, and flaxseed oils. Use these cholesterol-busting oils in salad dressings, cooking, and baking. Minimize saturated fats, such as butter, lard, and the white fat on meats. Avoid all trans fats, including stick margarine.
  6. Soluble fiber. Oatmeal, barley, and brown rice. There are two types of fiber: soluble (from whole grains) and insoluble (from fruits and vegetables). Soluble fiber helps reduce cholesterol. Insoluble fiber is excellent for digestion, but it does not affect cholesterol levels.
  7. Nuts and seeds. All kinds. Filled with vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, nuts and seeds are the perfect snack, salad topping, or baking boost.
  8. Vegetable proteins. Tofu, beans, nuts, and seeds. These fat-free sources are excellent alternatives to meat and poultry.
  9. Folic acid. Lentils, fortified breakfast cereals, asparagus, spinach, and orange juice. Folic acid is critical in preventing neural tube birth defects and cleft palate, and it has the cardiac benefit of lowering homocysteine levels, a by-product of protein metabolism in your blood. Most people need about 400 micrograms of folic acid per day.
  10. Resveratrol. Red wine, raspberries, peanuts and mulberries. The antioxidant resveratrol may have some cardioprotective benefits.

More about , , , , , , , ,

The Art of Eating Artichokes

Posted on November 19, 2009

artichoke1

My favorite way to serve large globe artichokes is steamed or boiled, cooled to room temperature, gently pried open to look like a blooming lotus flower, then drizzled with homemade vinaigrette that reaches right down to the heart. Or, I sometimes put the vinaigrette in a tiny dish and I dip the wider base of the leaves, one by one, into the sauce before scraping the nub of pulp with my teeth.

Watching others eat artichokes is almost as fun as eating them myself. I can tell the control freaks by how they neurotically stack their leaves in neat piles, all the same height, concentrically around the edges of their plate (I’m guilty, I admit). And then there are the slobs, whose leaves get scattered about like debris after a storm.

I always remind my children that reaching the inner sanctum of the artichoke is the fun part. We take time to marvel over nature’s amazing security system: endless overlapping layers of needle-tipped leaves protecting a soft, delicate heart. As one of my children aptly noted, “No animal could ever reach this part.” I walk them through the gentle process of pulling off the tender, light green, smaller leaves concealing the spiky choke. We cut the cone-shaped heart in half, then using our fingers, carefully pull off the hairs to expose the “bumpy part” of the heart, as they call it. We slice this, and dip it in the vinaigrette too.

Apart from being loads of fun to eat, artichokes are a powerhouse of antioxidants, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium and fiber. For more information visit http://www.oceanmist.com/health/vitamin.aspx

Vinaigrette for Artichokes
Makes about ½ cup (enough for 4 artichokes)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or your favorite)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Tiny pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon full-bodied olive oil
5 tablespoons canola oil

Mix the mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl, then whisk in the olive oil and canola oil. Adjust the seasoning. Whisk again before serving.

More about , , ,