August, 2010

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Five Super Spices

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

A site called Chicago Healers (www.chicagohealers.com) emailed me today to let me know about five of the most nutritious spices, compiled by practitioner Dr. Helen Lee. I don’t always agree with these types of superlatives, but I appreciated the refresher of which benefits certain spices have. (I say “spices” as a general term, encompassing herbs/seasonings/etc.)

1. Cinnamon
· Reduces blood glucose level in Type 2 diabetics
· Lowers triglycerides and “bad” LDL cholesterol
· Great anti-inflammatory helping to reduce pain and discomfort, soreness, and muscle aches

2. Oregano
· Powerful anti-oxidant and cancer-fighting herb
· Phytochemcals in oregano act as anti-bacterial/viral/fungal/parasite chemicals which also aid in optimal digestive health

3. Ginger
· Powerful antioxidant properties which help to reduce damage from free radicals that causes aging and degeneration
· Helps heartburn, morning sickness and nausea/motion sickness

4. Tumeric/Curcumin
· Decreases inflammation of arthritis
· Increases immune function, healthy liver
· Research is also finding it may prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

5. Garlic
· Helps to improve immune system, improve blood sugar, improve skin conditions such as acne & warts
· Reduces triglycerides and reduce arterial plaque between 5-18%

I frequently use cinnamon, ginger and garlic in my cooking, but not so much oregano and tumeric. Note to self.

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Cupcake Cafe: Works of Art

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

My colleagues surprised me on my birthday last spring with a cupcake party!

These little works of art come from Cupcake Cafe in Manhattan.

You could choose from chocolate cake with chocolate icing, vanilla cake with chocolate icing, vanilla cake with chocolate icing and vanilla cake with vanilla icing.  Most people don’t notice if a batch of cupcakes has one combination missing, but I do.  I feel a deep sense of calm with a complete set.

Maybe I should say frosting in place of icing?  I’m not really sure.  This stuff was really creamy, not sugary.

I’m glad I snapped a photo because let’s just say they didn’t live long.

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Our Small but Pretty Kitchen

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

We moved apartments one year ago Tuesday.  Because we were the first renters of a just-renovated unit, it felt brand new.  (Never mind that the building was built in 1930.)

This is a snapshot of our kitchen from before we even moved in (you can see that there were still a few remnants of the renovation).  What you see is the entire kitchen (or, to be more precise, the kitchen portion of the one room that is our entryway, kitchen, dining room and living room altogether).

So, if you’re ever puzzled by my tendency to seriously simplify recipes or invent multiple uses for one kitchen gadget, the reasoning is: four cubic feet of counter space, junior-sized appliances and cabinets that collectively would comprise just the breakfast cereal portion of most people’s pantries.

But we do think our kitchen is pretty (even if currently no longer as polished as in this photo).  Plus, I view its small size as a fun challenge- and something that bonds non-takeout-food New Yorkers together.  Not to say I don’t look forward to something bigger someday.

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Carrot Tomato Soup: Tastiest and Simplest Ever

Sunday, August 22nd, 2010

One of my favorite inventions this summer has been this Carrot Tomato Soup.  I started with the most basic ingredients- carrots, tomato sauce, water and salt.  And then before I decided what to add next, I tasted it: perfect.  Stop there!

Simple, tasty and healthy, it’s the perfect summer soup.

Carrot Tomato Soup

1 pound carrots, scrubbed or peeled and then diced
8oz tomato sauce (1 small can)
8oz water (could substitute milk or cream for a creamier soup)
1 tsp sea salt
Black pepper to taste
Optional: olive oil to drizzle on top

1. Boil or steam carrots until tender.  Let cool.

2. In a food processor or blender, combine carrots with tomato sauce, and water.  Blend until smooth.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Put in fridge if you’d like to serve a chilled soup, or reheat on stovetop for a warm soup.  May also serve room temperature, as is my custom.  You may choose to drizzle some olive oil on top of each portion before serving.

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Summer Breakfasts

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Nothing like a four and a half month break to renew one’s blogging spirits.  Hope that goes for the readership side as well!

Summer has been going fast, as always, and has consisted of a lot of travel and great eats everywhere.  Above, a snapshot of a June breakfast with friends in Southampton: roasted vegetable omelets with cheese, fruit salad of blackberries, oranges, and bananas, and toasted La Miche bread with assorted jams.

Looking forward to catching up with many new recipes and food products in the months to come!

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