Broiled Salmon with Tamari-Orange Marinade
Dandelion Greens with Warm Sesame Dressing
Spiced Pear Sorbet
Wild Rice and Green Beans with Shiitake Sauté
80 Broiled Salmon with Tamari-Orange Marinade
82 Wild Rice and Green Beans with Shiitake Sauté
84 Dandelion Greens with Warm Sesame Dressing
AH, THE ’80s.
In case you’ve mercifully forgotten them, it was a time when MTV played music videos by Haircut 100, Tom Cruise was synonymous with Risky Business, people played Pong, and “must-see TV” meant The Cosby Show.
And good nutrition meant “low fat.”
But that was then. Today, most people understand that all fat isn’t bad. And the “poster food” for everything that’s good about fat is salmon.
SALMON: HEALTHY FATS FROM THE SEA
According to the U.S. National Fisheries Institute, the per capita consumption of salmon in America went from less than a pound a year in 1992 to more than 2 pounds a year in 2006. And that’s only an average. Among health-conscious Americans it’s not unusual to eat salmon weekly—or even more frequently. The reason? Salmon is loaded with two of the healthiest fats on the planet: the omega-3 fatty acids known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). And it’s absolutely delicious here in Broiled Salmon with Tamari-Orange Marinade.
Essential fatty acids were discovered in the early 1930s by husband-and-wife medical team George and Marilyn Burr. The Burrs found that rats deprived of fat developed a number of metabolic disturbances and symptoms, including scaly skin, growth retardation, and reproductive problems. Once fat was reintroduced into the rats’ diet, most of these problems disappeared. This led to the discovery of essential fatty acids, which are fats that are essential for health and that the body can’t actually make on its own—they need to be obtained in the diet.
Even though the two fatty acids in salmon, DHA and EPA, are among the most important compounds in human nutrition, they’re not technically essential fatty acids. Why? Because the body actually can make them from another omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid, which is essential. But what the body can do and what it actually does do are two different things. Even if you’re taking in plenty of alpha-linolenic acid from flaxseed (which most people aren’t doing to begin with), very little of the alpha-linolenic acid actually converts to DHA and EPA, so you wind up noticeably lacking in these two incredibly important nutrients. And that’s not a good thing at all.
This is especially tragic because it’s so simple to get enough DHA and EPA. They’re packaged together in one tidy food: salmon. DHA and EPA work together brilliantly. And their combined benefits to your health are beyond stunning. Hundreds of studies show that the omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon benefit the heart and the brain, improving both mood and behavior.
How to Cook Salmon
Probably the most important thing to remember when cooking fish is that it will continue to cook after it is off the heat, so you have to remove it before it is done to your liking. As the fish is cooking, cut into it frequently with a fork and look inside to check for doneness.
While most fish taste best when they flake and are opaque, this is not the case with salmon, which tastes best when it’s on the rare side. So when you’re cooking, look for the center to still be translucent. As a general guideline, grill salmon for 7 to 8 minutes per each inch (3 cm) of thickness.
Because of the wonderful healthy fat content of salmon, it does well in many cooking styles, including grilling, baking, poaching, broiling, and pan-frying. Crazy as it sounds, some people poach salmon in their dishwashers!
The first of these two omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, is brain food and is crucial for vision. It’s the most abundant fat in the brain and the retina, and it is vitally important during pregnancy, where it’s linked to the development of the baby’s brain and eyes. DHA is also an important component of breast milk, and it’s well documented that breast-fed infants and toddlers score better on cognitive and visual tests, perhaps because of the DHA. Both the World Health Organization and the British Nutrition Foundation recommend that infant formula be supplemented with DHA. And in a 2002 study of almost 9,000 pregnant women published in the British Medical Journal, researchers found that the babies of women who ate fish once a week during their first trimesters had more than 3½ times less risk of low birth weight and premature birth.
DHA isn’t just important for babies. In 1998, scientists at the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA found that volunteers who ate foods enriched with DHA showed an increase in HDL cholesterol (the protective kind) and lowered their triglycerides by 26 percent.
EPA ESSENTIALS
EPA, the other important omega-3 fatty acid found in salmon, has complementary benefits. The March 2007 edition of the journal Atherosclerosis published a study in which some Japanese men with unhealthy blood sugar levels were given 1,800 mg a day of EPA for approximately 2 years. The men had a significant decrease in the thickness of their carotid arteries along with an improvement of blood flow.
Another study, this one published in the medical journal The Lancet (also March 2007), showed that people with high cholesterol levels who were on statin drugs reduced their frequency of major cardio events by almost 20 percent when they added EPA supplements to their daily regimens.
DHA and EPA are known to be mood enhancers. They incorporate themselves into cell membranes, making the membranes more fluid and making it easier for important brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin to get in and out. They help the brain to repair damage. Both DHA and EPA together are being studied in ongoing research at Harvard University by Andrew Stoll, M.D., for their effect on the depression of bipolar disorder. Also, a University of Pittsburgh study showed that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as salmon are associated with increased gray matter volume in areas of the brain commonly linked to mood and behavior.
A ton of studies link low omega-3 consumption to depression, mood disorders, and behavioral problems, including those that are especially worrisome among kids and teenagers, such as violence, acting out, and possibly ADHD. Research by Sarah Conklin, Ph.D., at the Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Program in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, reported that people who had lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids were more likely to have negative outlooks and to be more impulsive. And in 2001, Joseph Hibbeln, M.D., a senior investigator at the National Institutes of Health, published a study that found a correlation between a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids (mostly from fish) and lower murder rates!
Another way that omega-3 fatty acids provide health benefits is by reducing inflammation. Chronic, low-grade inflammation is emerging as a major risk factor for a host of chronic diseases, so much so that it was dubbed the “silent killer” in a Time magazine cover story a few years ago. Inflammation contributes to obesity, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and probably some conditions we haven’t even thought of yet. And the omega-3s are among the most anti-inflammatory compounds in the world. A diet filled with natural anti-inflammatories (such as the omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and flaxseeds and the many antiinflammatory compounds found in the vegetables featured in this book) is one of the best preventive health strategies you could possibly follow.
EPA and DHA: What the Experts Recommend
The World Health Organization and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (WHO-NATO) recommend consuming 0.3 to 0.5 g a day of EPA and DHA.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommends consuming two 4-ounce (115 g) servings of fish high in EPA and DHA per week (such as salmon) to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
The American Heart Association recommends 0.5 to 1.8 g per day of EPA and DHA to reduce the risk of cardiac disease, plus 1.5 to 3 g of alphalinolenic acid, which is found in flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, for even more benefit.
Poached fruit—which is simply fruit cooked in simmering liquid—is a wonderful, simple, healthy dessert.
It is best to use firm, ripe fruit. But poaching is also a great use for out-of-season or underripe fruit that is too hard eat on its own. You can poach practically any fruit, but the most common are pears, peaches, and apples.
You can poach fruit in pretty much any sweetened liquid, such as water, juice, or wine. One example is 2 cups (475 ml) water and ⅓ cup (113 g) honey. The liquid has to be sweet, or else the poaching will pull the fruit’s natural sugars out. For example, pears are often poached in sweetened red wine, which gives the fruit a rich flavor and a beautiful, deep ruby color.
If you wish, you can spice up the flavor of poached fruit by adding flavorings such as cloves, cinnamon, or vanilla to the liquid.
Poaching times vary greatly, from a few minutes to more than a half hour, depending on the size and firmness of the fruit. For example, apples and pears take up to 35 minutes. As you’re poaching fruit, test it frequently by piercing it with the tip of a knife. Cook until you are satisfied with the tenderness of the fruit. Take the pan off of the heat, but let the fruit cool right in the poaching liquid. Once the fruit has cooled, remove it with a slotted spoon and carefully scoop out the core, if necessary, with a paring knife.
Experiment with different types of fruit, poaching liquids, and seasonings. Here’s one combination to try:
6 pears
2 bottles red wine
1 cup (340 g) honey
1 split vanilla bean
and 2 cinnamon sticks.
The omega-3s in fish are among the most heart-healthy nutrients on the planet. Even the FDA gave them a “qualified health claim” in September of 2006, stating that “supportive but not conclusive research shows that the consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.” Don’t be fooled by the FDA’s overly cautious language. Fish such as salmon is a big component of nearly every native diet that has been shown to be associated with lower rates of heart disease. According to Stoll, omega-3s reduce the rate of fatal arrhythmias by 30 percent. “In the United States alone, more than 70,000 lives could be saved each year if Americans had sufficient omega-3s in their bodies,” he says.
We don’t.
Most of us get a paltry 0.1 to 0.2 g a day of EPA and DHA (that’s one-tenth to two-tenths of a gram!). (For what health organizations advise, see “EPA and DHA: What the Experts Recommend” on page 71.)
Personally, I’d like to see us get a minimum of 0.5 g a day of EPA and DHA, and ideally 1 to 3 g. You can meet the World Health Organization and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (WHO-NATO) recommendations by consuming 2 servings of salmon (or other fatty fish such as mackerel) each week.
And if all this hasn’t convinced you of the incredible health benefits of frequent meals of salmon, let me appeal to your vanity. Salmon can make you look better. Nicholas Perricone, M.D., whose books on skin care have topped the best-seller list on numerous occasions, recommends a “three-day diet” for clearing up your skin that features—what else—salmon. For breakfast even! (Hey, it’s not that weird to the folks fishing through the ice in Greenland!) Actually, Perricone’s “three-day nutritional face-lift” claims to give your skin the same results that a face-lift would, by eating salmon two or three times a day, accompanied by fresh fruits and vegetables. I can’t guarantee that, but I’m pretty sure you’d look and feel pretty terrific after allowing your skin and hair cells to be bathed in the nectar of those nourishing omega-3s.
In this great debate, I’m strongly on the side of wild salmon. Here’s why: Farm-raised salmon are the fish equivalent of factory-farmed animals. Much like factory-farmed animals, farm-raised salmon are raised in confined quarters (essentially saltwater feedlots) that often promote ill health and have to be controlled by the widespread use of antibiotics and/or pesticides. According to the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform, farmed salmon are fed more antibiotics per pound of body weight than any livestock animal in North America.
To make matters worse, although some fisheries feed their salmon ground-up versions of the fish they might normally feed on, many farm-raised salmon are fed grains, which is not their natural diet. Because of this, farm-raised salmon have much less omega-3 fats in their bodies than wild salmon.
Also, farm-raised salmon have much higher levels of cancer-causing PCBs than their wild brethren. By some reports, they also contain other highly toxic pesticides. And U.S. investigators recently found that farm-raised salmon have been eating fish meal laced with the same chemical linked to a recent pet food recall: melamine.
Even more bad news: While wild salmon get their red color from dining on krill and ingesting a natural antioxidant carotenoid called astaxanthin, farmed salmon often get their color from pigments and colorings added to their naturally gray flesh.
On the other hand, wild Alaskan salmon are among the purest of all ocean species. Residing in remote and pristine waters, they’re small fish that feed at the lower end of the food chain. And wild Alaskan salmon, including the sockeye salmon, are grown in sustainable fisheries free of antibiotics, pesticides, coloring agents, and growth hormones.
When my book The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth came out, I received a number of letters from scientists working for factory-farmed salmon companies. For the most part, these were sincere, knowledgeable people who assured me that I was wrong about the dangers of farm-raised salmon. While each could only speak about their own fisheries, they assured me that, at least in their operations, great care was taken in the raising of these fish, that their contamination levels were very low, and that their fish contained plenty of omega-3 fats. Some of the scientists pointed out that I might be doing a disservice scaring people away from one of the healthiest foods on earth and that farm-raised salmon was certainly better than no salmon at all.
While I remain unconvinced, I’m willing to grant that some farm operations are caring and careful and produce a decent product. The problem is knowing which ones they are. In general, I stand by my position that wild salmon from reputable, reliable sources is best. When at all possible, I’d stick with the wild kind. My personal recommendation is salmon from Vital Choice seafood, a small company with more than fifty years of experience harvesting Alaskan salmon. It’s run by dedicated fishermen who are committed to sustainable fishing and an absolutely pure product. You can find them online or through a link on my website www.jonnybowden.com under “Shopping” then “Healthy Foods.”
DANDELION GREENS: MORE THAN JUST WEEDS
Besides the delicious, nutritious salmon, another highlight of this meal is a food that most people in America consider a weed: dandelion greens. You’ll love it in Dandelion Greens with Warm Sesame Dressing.
It may surprise you to find out that dandelions rank among the top four green vegetables in terms of their overall nutritional value. Dandelion greens are used in healing traditions around the world, and its Latin name—taraxacum officinale—actually means “official remedy for the disorders.”
Probably at the top of the list of things dandelion is good for is helping the liver to do its job of detoxifying. It’s no wonder that you’ll see dandelion tea touted on self-help hepatitis websites.
Dandelion also contains inulin, which is a naturally occurring soluble fiber that’s known to have a positive effect on blood sugar levels. Dandelion is also one of the best greens for PMS, and it is a great natural diuretic that can help with water retention and bloat. Dandelion stimulates the digestive organs and helps prompt the liver and gallbladder to release bile, which can help with constipation and indigestion. And a 1-cup (20-g) serving of dandelion also contains a respectable 3 g of fiber, all for a ridiculously low 35 calories!
Bear in mind that dandelion greens have a strong and bitter taste, and so they need a flavor counterpoint to make them palatable. But once you taste them in our amazing sauce—which is made with raw honey, macadamia nut oil, and spicy Asian mustard—you’ll never think of dandelion greens as inedible weeds again. This side dish also contains some sesame seeds, which are rich in plant chemicals of the lignan family that, at least in animal studies, have been shown to enhance fat burning.
Rice adds a nice texture and flavor to the meal, and it’s smashing in Wild Rice and Green Beans with Shiitake Sauté. While it’s no nutritional heavyweight, wild rice still provides 3 g of fiber per cup and a few minerals to boot. And it’s easy on the digestive system.
A SORBET A DAY...
Then there’s that Spiced Pear Sorbet. It’s a great alternative to ice cream. “Why do I need an alternative?” you may be wondering. “I’m doing just fine with my Ben and Jerry’s.” Well, believe me, I understand. (More than you might suspect, unfortunately!) Ice cream is fine in its place (especially my favorite, the goat’s milk kind), but most of the ice cream we buy is terrible, loaded with sugar, calories, emulsifiers, and a baker’s dozen unpronounceable chemicals and artificial flavors.
The Spiced Pear Sorbet, on the other hand, has far fewer calories and sugar, and its taste comes from the pear itself, plus a few delicious natural spices, not artificial flavors. And one medium pear comes direct from the pear tree with 5 g of fiber (more than a tablespoon of Metamucil powder!), plus a dollop of potassium, a smattering of minerals, and 13 mg of phytosterols, a class of plant chemicals that are known to have a myriad of health benefits. Plus a pear provides you with a little taste of the new superstars of eye nutrition, antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.
Need one more reason to love pears? According to the results of the Iowa Women’s Health study, which tracked the dietary habits of nearly 35,000 women over a fifteen year period, pears were one of the few foods associated with reduced coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease mortality.
Enjoy!
Meal Prep Tips
• Spiced Pear Sorbet should be prepared ahead of time. Its preparation is a two-step process: stewing the pears and freezing them, then pureeing the frozen pears with the other ingredients. Both steps can be completed up to a week before the meal, or you can complete step two the day of the meal.
• Prepare the marinade 4 to 6 hours ahead to allow the salmon time to soak up the flavors.
• Start the meal by preparing the Wild Rice and Green Beans with Shiitake Sauté.
• When the beans are set at a simmer, remove the salmon and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the Dandelion Greens with Warm Sesame Dressing while the beans are cooking, and broil the salmon last.
• Both the beans and greens dishes will yield extra portions. Store them in the fridge to enjoy over the next one to three days.
• Soften the Spiced Pear Sorbet at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Full of omega-3s for your heart, mood, and skin
Prep Time: 10 minutes, then marinate for 4 to 6 hours
Cook Time: 10 to 15 minutes
Ingredients
1½ pounds (680 g) wild Alaskan salmon fillet, cut into 4 equal portions, or four 6-ounce (186-g) salmon steaks
⅓ cup (80 ml) high-quality dry white wine, such as Chardonnay, or medium sweet wine, such as Riesling
2 tablespoons (30 ml) low-sodium tamari
⅓ cup (80 ml) orange juice (fresh squeezed is best; about 1 large juicy orange)
3 tablespoons (24 g) peeled and finely grated ginger
¼ cup (25 g) finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon raw honey
½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Rinse the salmon gently in water and pat to dry.
In a small bowl, combine the wine, tamari, orange juice, ginger, scallions, and honey and whisk to combine well.
Place the salmon in a shallow glass baking pan, skin side down if fillet, and pour the marinade evenly on top.
Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight, tipping the dish occasionally to recoat the salmon.
Remove the baking pan from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the broiler.
Lift the salmon out of the baking pan and remove any ginger or scallions to prevent burning. Rub the oil on the skin/bottom side of the salmon and place it on the broiling pan, oiled side down.
Broil the salmon under high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the flesh inside is firm and light pink. The top should lightly brown and caramelize. (If the salmon browns within the first 5 minutes, move the broiling pan down 1 rack in your oven.)
Yield: 4 servings
• Marinades impart wonderful flavors to proteins—such as meat, fish, and tofu—and the acid and salt components of the marinade can help to tenderize the meat or fish. It takes time for the protein to fully absorb the marinade flavors. Seafood takes the least, 4 hours, whereas heavier cuts of meat take longer, up to 12 hours. A typical marinade combines a strongly flavored liquid—such as wine, vinegar, or juice—with herbs, spices, or other flavoring foods, such as minced onion, and a small amount of oil. You can omit the oil to reduce the fat content. Using a small amount of a pungent-flavored food or spice such as garlic, cayenne pepper, or ginger will reduce the need for salt.
• One cup of marinade is sufficient for 2 to 3 pounds (900 g to 1¼ kg) of protein.
• It’s helpful to turn the meat, seafood, or tofu to recoat it occasionally while marinating. Some people combine the meat, seafood, or tofu and marinade in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag to easily recoat the meat. Place the bag inside a bowl in the refrigerator just in case the bag leaks.
Full of fiber and minerals
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes to 1 hour
Ingredients
½ cup (80 g) dry wild rice
4 cups (940 ml) water or no-sodium added chicken or vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon sea salt, omit if using broth
12 ounces (336 g) fresh green beans (about 3 cups), ends removed
2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cups (140 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut into strips
¼ cup (60 ml) rice wine, sake, or white wine
In a large saucepan with a tightly fitting lid, place the rice and water or broth.
Bring to a boil, stir, reduce the heat, and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the salt, if using, and green beans, and continue to boil for 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until the beans are tender-crisp. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Strain off any remaining liquid.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, heat the butter and oil until the butter melts. Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat, sautéing until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the wine or sake and sauté for an additional 2 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed or evaporated. Add the green bean and rice mixture and serve immediately.
Yield: 8 servings
If you prefer, omit the green beans, increase the rice to 1 cup (160 g), and decrease the water to 3 cups (705 ml).
• Wild rice cooks more like pasta than other rices: It will not absorb all the water, so the liquid measurement doesn’t need to be exact.
• Hand-harvested natural wild rice cooks more quickly than farmed wild rice: about 30 minutes total cooking time versus 40 to 55 minutes.
• Rice is done when it just puffs open. Do not overcook rice, or it will become mushy. Shorter cooking time yields a chewier texture.
• This shallot and mushroom sauté is also delicious over lean cuts of beef or marinated baked tofu.
• Try switching out the mushroom and wine varieties for different flavor bases.
Liver and digestive system support
Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Ingredients
6 cups (360 g) fresh dandelion greens (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) brown (or any) rice vinegar
2 teaspoons (13 g) raw honey or agave nectar
1 tablespoon (15 g) spicy Asian mustard or seedless Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon (15 ml) macadamia nut oil
¼ cup (30 g) sesame seeds
Wash the greens and spin to dry. Remove and discard the long stems and chop or tear the greens into bite-size pieces, placing them in a large salad bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, honey or agave nectar, and mustard and set aside.
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Add the vinegar mixture and cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 minute. Add the sesame seeds and cook, continuing to stir, for 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon over the greens, toss well, and serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
• For a less Asian feel, change the types of vinegar, mustard, and nuts. For instance, try using balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and chopped pecans.
• You can usually buy dandelion greens at large grocery stores. When we tested this dish, however, we couldn’t find any dandelion greens in the markets. So we weeded our yards, picking about 8 cups (480 g) of young dandelion leaves. They were shorter and more bitter than what you tend to find at the grocery store, but the dressing worked beautifully even with their extra-strong, wild flavor. If you pick wild dandelions, be sure you know exactly what you’re picking and eating. Never, ever pick dandelions that could have been exposed to pesticides. If you’re not sure, don’t take a chance.
• Hot dressings will partially cook the tender leaves of a salad. This is a perfect technique for wilting and mellowing the tougher or more bitter varieties of salad greens.
• Unlike most dressed salads, this dish also tastes good cold next day. The greens will be sweeter and softer.
Antioxidant ally
Prep Time: 15 minutes, 1 hour for chilling, and 5 hours for freezing
Cook Time: 10 to 20 minutes
Ingredients
2 pounds (900 g) ripe Anjou pears (4 medium)
½ cup (120 ml) pear juice, apple cider, or water, more if pears are not fully ripe, plus ⅓ cup (80 ml) for processing
1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 28 ml) ginger juice (see “Notes from the Kitchen”)
7 whole cloves, optional
2 to 3 tablespoons (12 to 18 g) crystallized ginger, optional
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Peel and core the pears. Halve and quarter them, then cut the quarters in half through the middle.
In a medium saucepan, place the pears; pear juice, cider, or water; ginger juice; and cloves, if using. Bring to a rapid boil over medium-high heat, stir, cover, and reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 to 20 minutes, until the pears are very soft. (The riper the pears, the faster they’ll cook.)
Transfer the pears and sauce to a stainless steel bowl, cover with waxed paper, and cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight.
Remove the condensation moisture from the waxed paper, recover, and transfer to the freezer for 5 hours to overnight.
Remove the bowl from the freezer and let thaw for 15 minutes. Run warm water under the bowl to thaw the bottom, if necessary.
Meanwhile, process the ginger in the food processor until pebble-size. Remove to a dish.
Remove the pears from the bowl and cut them with a heavy knife into smaller pieces to fit into the food processor, adding additional juice if necessary. Process the pears in small batches in the food processor until a creamy consistency is achieved. Stir in the ginger and vanilla and serve.
Freeze the remainder in a tightly covered container. Thaw at room temperature for about 15 minutes and stir well before serving.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
• To make ginger juice, peel and grate fresh ginger, then squeeze the juice out of the gratings. You’ll need about 2 tablespoons (16 g) of gratings to get 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of juice.
• It’s helpful to use a stainless steel bowl to make this sorbet for two reasons: First, stainless steel, like glass but unlike some plastics, never transfers odors or flavors from one dish to the next, even in the freezer. Second, it’s easier to thaw the sorbet slightly (to get it out) with hot water over a thin steel bowl than a different type of container.
• Sorbets are great alternatives to ice cream. They can be prepared in advance and stored in airtight containers for a week or two.
• When making frozen fruit sorbets, you can eliminate the cooking step and save time by working with fresh berries. If a sweetener is required, try using agave nectar or raw honey.
• Cloves are an additional warmer for winter months; they may be omitted if you prefer less spicy flavor.
Research has shown the following foods—which we include in this book—can help you win the fight against asthma.
1. Salmon. The omega-3 fats in salmon (and other cold water fish) are antiinflammatory. So are the omega-3’s in flaxseeds. Asthmatics will benefit by having more anti-inflammatory compounds in their diet. Wild salmon fits the bill, as do sardines.
2. Spinach and kale. People with asthma tend to have lower levels of magnesium, and these foods are magnesium heavyweights. By one survey, more than 70 percent of Americans don’t get the optimal amount of magnesium in their diet. Magnesium relaxes muscles (think Epson salts!) and may relax the upper respiratory muscles that tend to spasm in asthma.
3. Red peppers. They’re high in vitamin C, which is particularly helpful in reducing the symptoms of exercise-induced asthma. According to Alan Gaby, M.D., vitamin C (ascorbic acid) inhibits production of an enzyme called phosphodiesterase, which is how many asthma drugs work. And red peppers are also high in vitamin A, which is often low in people who suffer from asthma attacks.
4. Chinese cabbage. This vegetable is a great source of vitamin B6, which appears to help correct abnormalities in metabolism frequently found in asthmatics. Stress is a big trigger for asthma, and vitamin B6 is a great stress-buster. Brewer’s yeast, bananas, garbanzo beans, and chicken are other good sources.
5. Onions. This root vegetable is another great source of anti-inflammatory properties, particularly the wonderful flavonoid quercetin, which has anti-allergic properties as well. According to Gaby, onions also contain compounds that relax the bronchial passageways. (Caution: Raw and pickled onions may provoke asthma attacks in a small number of sensitive people, according to personal chef and food coach Lisa Turner.)
