Quotable Quote

Everyone knows there are foods that are sexy to eat. What they don't talk about so much is foods that are sexy to make.

- Julie Powell

Recipe: Grated Beet Salad

Yesterday, I had already used the food processor to grate some carrots for tossing into our main dish, and we had a few beets left over, so we had an extremely simple salad as an accompaniment to our meal that ended up being the most profoundly satisfying thing.

Grated Beet Salad

Take 4 beets, and peel, trim, and grate them, either manually or in a food processor. Stir them in a bowl with the juice from half a large lemon and 1-2 tablespoons of very high quality extra virgin olive oil. Optional: stir in some of your favorite green herb, minced, like parsley or basil or cilantro. I think chopped pistachios would also be great in this salad. Voilà!

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Here's more nutritional information about The Amazing Beet!

Beets are superfoods and contain nutrient compounds that prevent heart disease, birth defects, and cancer. Betacyanin, which gives beets their deep ruby color, is a cancer-fighting agent. The fiber in beets is also healthy for your colon. Eating them grated or julienned is a wonderful way to get the maximum amount of active nutrients -- nutrient activity is diminished after heating.

The betaine found in beets (and also spinach) is anti-inflammatory (chronic inflammation is something to avoid, as it has been linked to heart disease, osteoporosis, cognitive decline, Alzheimer's, and type-2 diabetes). In fact, the choline found in egg yolks and soybeans works well together with the betaine found in beets, spinach, and whole wheat products to reduce inflammation -- so try a poached egg atop some wilted beet greens!

The B-vitamin folate is especially important for women to consume during pregnancy to prevent fetal neural tube defects. Just one cup of boiled beets provides 34% of the recommended daily intake of folate! (Raw beets may provide more.)

The only individuals who need worry about eating too many beets are people with kidney or gallbladder problems (beets have oxalates, which can form crystals in people with not entirely functioning kidneys or gallbladders).

% DV that 1 Cup (Boiled) Beets provides of:
folate 34%
manganese 27.5%
potassium 14.8%
dietary fiber 13.6%
vitamin C 10.2%
magnesium 9.8%
iron 7.4%
copper 6.5%
phosphorus 6.5%

Quotable Quote

You must be careful with your indulgences. The more you eat of something you love, the less of a luxury it becomes.

- Mary Roach

Recipe: Spicy Yam Latkes

Happy Hanukkah! I love yams and Jewish holidays, so voila, yam latkes. These taste pretty good eaten with cranberry chutney.

Spicy Yam Latkes

1 lb. yams, peeled and coarsely grated
1/4 cup amaranth flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour, or soaked and rinsed quinoa
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 medium eggs, beaten
about 1/2 cup yogurt
Oil for frying

In a medium-sized bowl mix the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs and as much yogurt as needed to make a stiff batter. Mix in the yams; the batter should be moist. If it seems stiff, add a bit more yogurt.

Fill a frying pan about 1/4" up the sides with oil and heat over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, drop tablespoonfuls of batter in it and flatten them with the back of the spoon or a spatula. Fry the latkes over medium-high heat several minutes on each side until golden. Drain on paper towels.