101 Foods That Could Save Your Life

Did you know … parsley is traditionally added on the plate as a garnish of both beauty and function? The function is to eliminate strong odours on the breath after a meal.

Parsley belongs to the Umbelliferae family that includes celery and carrots. Petroselinum is derived from the Greek word petros which means “stone”, referring to the plant’s preference for growing in rocky places. Among several varieties in cultivation, the most popular two are the curled-leaved, also known as “curly” leaf (crispum) and the broad-leaved Italian, also known as “flat” leaf (P. neapolitanum). Curled-leaved parsley is most often used as a garnish.

Parsley’s origins appear to be from the Mediterranean region where it has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years. The variety crispum was mentioned by the Roman philosopher Pliny. Greeks valued parsley for its culinary and medicinal uses and symbolic value. They often adorned their victors in battle and sport and their heroes in death with ornamental parsley.

Parsley is grown all over the world. In the United States, it is mostly grown commercially in California and Florida but is readily available from other states depending on the season.

Parsley is a source of vitamin C, iodine, iron and many other minerals. Parsley has potent phyto-oestrogenic activity, equal to that found in soy beans, suggesting possible cancer-preventative properties. There are many volatile oils and flavonoid phytochemicals in parsley, all having cancer-protective attributes.

Parsley is one of the medicinal herbs used by diabetics in Turkey. It is valued as a breath-freshener, due to its high concentration of chlorophyll, and in tea form, parsley is often used as a diuretic.

DIABETES: The Turks were on to something! In a study testing parsley’s benefits with diabetic rats, researchers found that the rat subjects who were given parsley experienced lowered blood glucose while their GSH (a cell protector) levels increased. Parsley extract was also found to have a protective effect comparable to the diabetic medication, glibornuride, against liver toxicity caused by diabetes.

CANCER: Myristicin, a phytochemical that has been isolated in parsley, is an effective inhibitor of tumours in mice.

• Parsley comes in both dried and fresh forms.

• Choose fresh parsley that does not have wilted or yellow leaves—a sure sign that it is not fresh!

• Trim off any wilted parts before storing fresh parsley refrigerated in a plastic bag.

• Curled-leaved parsley can be frozen.

• Wash fresh parsley by swishing it around in a bowl of water. Drain and repeat.

• When trimming, keep some of the stem with the head of parsley.

• Recipes commonly call for parsley to be sautéed at the beginning of the dish. Save half of the parsley and add it at the end of the cooking process for best taste and nutritional value.

• Italian flat-leaf parsley is best for hot dishes.

• Parsley is the cornerstone ingredient in the Middle Eastern dish made from bulgur wheat called tabbouleh.

• Add parsley to soups and sauces, vegetable and grain dishes, meat and fish, or use to garnish salads.

Green Eggs and Ham

by Chef J. Hugh McEvoy

Servings: 4 • Prep and cooking time: 20 minutes

The original recipe called for ham, eight whole eggs and three tablespoons of butter. By swapping four of the whole eggs with egg whites, replacing the ham with “wham”, and replacing butter with far less canola (rape seed) oil, you save 100 calories, 268 milligrams of cholesterol, ten grams of fat and seven grams of saturated fat! And best yet, no sacrificing TASTE! This recipe contains seven powerhouse foods.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped

2oz/50g (2 slices) Worthington Wham (veggie ham) or honey ham, chopped

1 tablespoon sweet red bell peppers, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh shallots, chopped

2oz/50g Brie cheese—¼″ cubes

1 tablespoon canola oil (or rape seed oil)

⅛ teaspoon sea salt

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

1lb/450g white asparagus

4 eggs

4 egg whites

4 tomato slices (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Trim asparagus. Steam just until tender and set aside. Using heavy sauté pan, lightly brown wham/ham, shallots and sweet peppers in the oil. Beat eggs into a froth in a small bowl. Add eggs to sauté pan mixture. Blend while cooking only until set. Add cheese. Fold until just evenly mixed. Remove from heat. Add coarse chopped herbs. Fold gently into eggs. Do not overmix. Keep colours separate! Season with salt and pepper to taste. This dish can be served by itself or over toast triangles, beside the white asparagus over fresh red tomato slices.

BREAK IT DOWN …

Calories: 220; Total fat: 13g; Saturated fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 195mg; Sodium: 380mg; Total carbs: 6g; Fibre: 3g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 17g.