- Brought to you by:
-
Food as Medicine
Keep up with the newest discussion about natural medicine and the health care revolution! Subscribe to our RSS feed. Want to know more about RSS feeds? Read about why you should use RSS, and how to do it!
“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”
Hippocrates (c. 460 B.C.) the Father of Medicine
The intersection between plants, nutrition, and health
There is no doubt that the foods we eat on a daily basis play a large role in preventing disease, aging, and pain. Some of the most nutritious foods grow literally in our backyard. This page is dedicated to exploring the relationship between plants, nutrition, and to open the dialogue on how individuals are using plants through out the world to treat disease and nurture the body. The featured plant article and recipe of the week combines traditional wisdom and modern science to best educate medical professionals, the public, and communities through out the nation on how to heal themselves and others through food.
Please select form the list of topics and corresponding recipes:
Stinging Nettles and Nettle Dip
Asparagus and Asparagus Risotto
Always Room for Mushrooms!
______________________________________________________
Stinging Nettles
Stinging nettle Urtica dioica is a perennial plant, with heart-shaped, serrated leaves. It is native to Europe, Africa, and the United States and is quite prevalent through out the Pacific Northwest. The bristles or hairs on the nettle plant contain histamine and formic acid. These plant chemicals are responsible for causing irritation when the plant comes in contact with the skin. These plant compounds are broken down when the plant is cooked or dried.
In the Pacific Northwest nettles emerge in early March, marking the first signs of spring. Spring nettle leaves have had many uses in tradition folk medicine and are well known for their ability to fight off seasonal allergies, purify the blood, and reduce inflammation and pain in the body. The root can be used to help reduce urinary retention and treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Nettles are rich in flavor, much like many dark leafy vegetables such as spinach and chard and are very nutrient dense. Nettles are particularly rich in vitamins A, C, D, iron, potassium, manganese, and calcium. You can use dried nettle leaves and roots to make tea, or use the fresh cooked leaves to make pesto, soups, and vegetable dips.
Where can you find nettles? You can probably stumble upon this medicinal plant in your own backyard. Nettles typically grow in patches, especially in damp, moist areas. In Portland, Oregon, you can find them growing rampant along the edge of the Leaf Erikson Trail in Forest Park. It’s helpful to wear gloves when harvesting this plant. You can also usually find this plant at local farmers markets in the spring, or year round in the dried herb section of many health food stores.
For more health information about nettles, visit:
University of Maryland Medical
Wild Man Steve Brill
Raintree Nutrition: Tropical Plant Database
______________________________________________________
A recipe for the localvore and urban forager interested in Stinging Nettles:
NETTLE DIP
Serves 6
Ingredients
6 cups fresh nettle
2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts (unsalted)
1 tbsp Miso Paste
2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
freshly ground pepper (optional)
Instructions
Make sure that you use gloves or tongs when handling the nettles. Blanch the nettles in boiling water for a minute (this removes the “sting”). Drain, remove stems, and chop up the leaves. Transfer leaves into a blender or food processor. Add pine nuts, miso, nutritional yeast and pepper to taste. Blend the mixture until the mixture is smooth.
This dip goes well with raw vegetables and whole grain bread.
______________________________________________________
Asparagus is a perennial plant that belongs to the lily family. The early shoots of the asparagus plant is what is most often sold at grocery stores and farmers markets. Asparagus shoots taste wonderful grilled and mixed into casseroles, stir-fry’s and omelets. You can find asparagus in an assortment of colors most notably white, green, and purple. Each color variety offers a different look, nutrient profile, and flavor. White asparagus is less common, and is grown underground to block chlorophyll production, resulting in a white plant that is less bitter than traditional green varieties. Purple asparagus is richer in natural sugar and the antioxidant anthocyanin.
Asparagus is loaded with many nutrients, most notably folic acid and potassium and is devoid of fat and cholesterol. It is well known for its diuretic effects in the body. In natural medicine it has been used to help manage arthritis and water retention. Asparagus is also rich inulin, a type of carbohydrate this is not digested readily in the body and helps to promote healthy gut flora in the large intestine. To keep asparagus fresh, it is best to stand the spears upright in a glass of water or wrap them in a wet paper towel. Asparagus should be refrigerated and eaten within 2-3 days.
______________________________________________________
A recipe for the localvore and urban forager interested in Asparagus:
ASPARAGUS RISOTTO
Serves 4
Ingredients
6 cups Vegetable Broth, divided
2 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 - 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups dry arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and bias cut into 1-inch pieces
1 juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil,* divided
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 salt, to taste
1 white pepper, to taste
Heat broth over low heat. Have a ladle handy. Heat oil in a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, garlic, and rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice begins to brown. Do not let more than one-tenth of the rice brown. Add wine and cook, stirring, until the rice absorbs the liquid. Add 1 cup of the broth. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until most of the broth is absorbed. Do not allow the rice to brown or stick to the pan. Continue adding the broth, 1 cup at a time, and cook until it is nearly all absorbed. When adding the last cup of broth, add the asparagus.
When the broth is absorbed and the asparagus is just tender, remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, half the zest, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon basil, tarragon, and tomato. Mix gently so the asparagus doesn’t fall apart. Add salt and white pepper to taste.
Divide the risotto among four large, shallow bowls. Garnish with the remaining basil and top with some lemon zest. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of the olive oil. Serve immediately.
Source: TJ’s Restaurant & Lounge, Richmond, Virginia. Published in Best in the World II, Jennifer Keller, R.D., editor.
______________________________________________________
Maike, enoki, oysters, and chanterelles are just a few mushroom varieties that grow prevalently through out the Pacific Northwest. Mushrooms can add unique meaty flavors to ordinary dishes, and can serve as an excellent meat alternative. New research is now revealing that common every day button mushrooms can add a significant amount of antioxidants to help fight off free radicals, lower blood pressure, and boost the body’s immune system. A new study done at John Hopkins University found that mushrooms can also be effective at helping individuals maintain healthy body weight. Researchers found that when people consumed white button mushrooms as a substitute for beef, participants were able to effectively reduce calorie intake and still feel satiated.
Mushrooms are low in calories, devoid of fat, and rich in fiber which can help you feel full. Most mushrooms are loaded with B-vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, antioxidants and contain all the essential amino acids to make a complete protein. Mushrooms, when their gills are exposed to light, are also rich in vitamin D.
______________________________________________________
A recipe for the localvore and urban forager interested in Mushrooms:
PAN-SEARED MUSHROOMS
Makes 4 servings2 cups chopped mushrooms
2 tablespoons red wine or water
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
To clean: Do not wash –simply brush off the dirt with your finger or soft cloth.To de-stem mushrooms, you can simply twist off the stem or cut them off using a knife. Mix wine or water, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and oregano in a large skillet. Heat until mixture begins to bubble, and then add mushrooms, top side down. Reduce to medium heat, cover and cook 3 minutes. If the pan becomes dry, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. Turn mushrooms and cook second side until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.
. . .. . . .. .. . . . . . . . .. . . …. . . … .
BREAKFAST SCRAMBLE
Makes 4 1-cup servings2 teaspoons olive oil or toasted sesame oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 pound firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet, then sauté onion and mushrooms over high heat, stirring often, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add tofu, curry powder, and soy sauce. Continue cooking another 5 minutes.
Variation: For a more elaborate scramble, add additional chopped vegetables such as carrots, celery, bell peppers, or green onions. Enjoy the benefits of soy with this tofu breakfast. It’s delicious with toast and Apple Chutney.
Source: Healthy Eating for Life for Women by Kristine Kieswer; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.
