Eating with the Seasons - Spring Foods

Food choices that follow the cycles of nature will add freshness and vibrancy to your meals and body. By eating locally grown and in-season foods, we work with the rhythm of the seasons and tune in to our immediate environment. In most of North America, there are 3 growing and harvest seasons, followed by a dormant or resting season (winter.) When we lived directly off the land, as farmers (or hunter-gatherers), we ate this way. Via generations and generations of humans before us, our bodies and genetic patterns have adapted to this cyclical pattern of food availability. Think of what was available to our ancestors and what is available to us now. Fresh foods from all over the world are readily available at our grocery stores according to when they are in season on the other side of the planet or pulled from cold storage having been picked before true ripeness. Eating “unnatural-out of season” foods places us at slight odds with our surroundings. We can have all the fresh foods we want, need and desire—the idea is just to wait for the right season.

If it wasn’t straight out of the ground, off a live plant or tree or didn’t come from the root cellar during a certain time of year, may not be in sync with what our bodies need in this season.

Spring

The first harvest comes in Spring and consists mainly of roots, sprouts, and bitter greens that burst from the ground aided by the spring rains and melting winter snow. These tend to be low-fat and low-calorie. Its Nature saying: release the fat of winter, cleanse the stored toxins and get ready for the work and play of summer. Eat more salads, veggies, leafy greens, beans, sprouts and berries.

Best Spring Foods

FRUITS: dried fruits

VEGETABLES: alfalfa sprouts, asparagus, bean sprouts, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chicory, chilies(dried), collard greens, corn, dandelions, endive, garlic, green beans, hot peppers, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, onions, parsley, peas, spinach, Swiss chard, radishes, turnips, watercress FRUITS: dried

GRAINS: none are “best”

LEGUMES: bean sprouts, goyas, kidneys, lentils, limas, mungs

NUTS/SEEDS: none are “best”

DAIRY: none are “best”

MEAT/FISH: none are “best”

OILS: corn

CONDIMENTS: none are “best”

BEFERAGES: none are “best”, other than good ole water

HERB TEAS: cardamom, chicory, cinnamon, cloves, dandelion, ginger, hibiscus, orange peel, strawberry leaf

SPICES: black pepper, cayenne, clove

Good(second best) Spring Foods

FRUITS: apples, blueberries, grapefruit, lemons, limes, papayas, pears, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries

VEGETABLES: artichokes, beets, bitter melon, broccoli, cilantro, fennel, ginger, jicama, leeks, snow peas, seaweed

GRAINS: amaranth, barley, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats (dry), quinoa, brown rice (long grain), rye

LEGUMES: adzuikis, black grams, garbanzos, favas, split peas

NUTS/SEEDS: filberts, pinions, pumpkin, sunflower

DAIRY: ghee (in moderation), low-fat yogurt (in moderation), rice/soy milk

MEAT/FISH: chicken, duck in moderation), eggs (in moderation), freshwater fish, lamb (in moderation), ocean fish (in moderation), turkey

OILS: canola, flax, mustard, safflower, soy, sunflower

CONDIMENTS: carob, chocolate (reduce), pickles

BEFERAGES: black tea, coffee, sparkling water

HERB TEAS: alfalfa

SPICES: anise, asafetida, basil, bay leaf, chamomile, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, horseradish, marjoram, mustard, nutmeg, oregano, peppermint, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, sage, spearmint, thyme, turmeric

Resource and reference: The 3-Season Diet: Eat the way nature intended by John Douillard

Cauliflower Au Gratin

Some friends have given me this recipe verbally, so I’m just writing it down! I served it at a dinner party I gave not too long ago. One of my guests insisted that it couldn’t be cauliflower because she didn’t like cauliflower, but this sure did taste good. I just love when healthy food surprises and awakens people to new possibilities.

Ingredients

4 lbs Cauliflower, fresh or frozen. Chopped small if fresh

2 cups worth of Chicken Bouillon made with ½ the recommended Water

½ cup Asiago Cheese, grated

2 ½ teaspoon dried Onion Flakes

1 teaspoon White Pepper

Optional

Non-fat Version: Leave out Asiago Cheese

Substitute: ½ cup non-fat Evaporated Milk

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Directions

In deep pan or large pot steam/low boil Cauliflower and Strong Chicken Stock. Cover and stir frequently. Add water ONLY as needed. If the Cauliflower starts to scorch, add more water and turn down the heat. When Cauliflower is “very done”—subdue with potato masher until it’s a slightly lumpy oatmeal consistency (or smoother.) If there are still large lumps, cook a little longer. When Cauliflower is velvety, turn off heat. Add Asiago Cheese, Onion Flakes and White Pepper and mix well. Pour mixture into slightly greased 9x9 pan. Put in oven @ 357 degrees F for 30-45 minutes. When crispy brown on top, take out and serve.

Abstinent Measuring

1 cup = 1 vegetable

Notes

1. I like the final result to be a little stiff like a mashed potato would be. So I cook on the stove top until as much liquid is gone as possible, cracking the lid on the pan to let steam escape while keeping the temperature up. But you have to keep a close eye on your pan, because when the liquid on the bottom is gone, it will scorch the cauliflower quickly. I also like to see the baked results shrink to ¾ the original size. This also means that some of the water has cooked out and the consistency-texture is more to my liking.
2. Salt….. Cheese IS SALTY. So when I use the Asiago Cheese, I don’t add more salt. But when I use the Evaporated Milk, I do add Salt. Also, If Whole-fat or ½-Fat Evaporated Milk is used, they have a different salt level. My experience says… you can add salt at the table if needed, but you can’t take it out. So it’s better to under salt then to add too much when cooking.

Serving Suggestions: Cauliflower Au Gratin is a great substitute for any where you used to have mashed potatoes. And since it’s a non-starch, you can still have your starch too! Try with Sweet Potato. Yum yummy

Chicken & Vegetable Curry with Sweet Potato

A rich creamy tasting curry that satisfies when you are hungry for something spicy yet soothing. This is very similar to the creamy vegetable curries that host carrots, cauliflower and green beans at my local Indian Buffet restaurant. Both are equally delectable. I make this dish with a side of Sweet Potato. They complement each other very well.

Ingredients

2Tblspoons Olive Oil

2 lbs Chicken Tenders or Breast (slice breast into long strips)

1 large Yellow Onion, sliced thin

1 red Sweet Bell Pepper, cored, seeded and sliced thin

1-10 oz bag frozen Green Beans or 10 oz of fresh green beans, as you desire

2 Carrots, coarse shredded

2 cup Chicken broth

½ c Evaporated Milk -- unsweetened! of course

2 Tblspoon Curry Powder

½ teaspoon Sea Salt (to taste)

½ teaspoon White Pepper

Optional

½ Pablano Pepper, cored, seeded and sliced thin

Sweet Potatoes to accompany this dish. Baked seperately

Directions

Place Olive oil in large deep skillet and warm at medium heat. Add Chicken, Sea Salt, White Pepper and Curry Powder, cover and brown slightly, turning and stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add Onions, Bell (and Pablano) Peppers. Stir together until spices are well distributed between chicken, onions and peppers, Cover pan and simmer on medium heat until onions start to turn clear, about 5 more minutes. Stir and monitor the heat and condition of veggies. If they start to stick too much, add a little of the Chicken Broth. When Onions are ready, mix in the Carrots and Green Beans. Combine well, then add remainder of Chicken Stock and Evaporated Milk. Give another good mixing. Bring contents to LOW Boil (to thaw green beans if still frozen), then turn down heat to high simmer and let it cook for 15-20 minutes. When Carrots and Green Beans are tender it’s ready.

Bake whole Sweet Potatoes after washing off skins @ 350degrees for 30-45 minutes -- depending on size of tuber. When it pierces easily with a fork it’s done. Or when the sweetness within, starts to ooze out (and adds it’s sumptuous smell to the curry aroma in your kitchen), it’s done.

Abstinent Measuring

4 oz chicken = 1 protein. Pull out Chicken and weigh separately from rest of Curry

1 cup Curry = 1 vegetable. Drain Veggies in cup for measuring and add broth after in your bowl.

½ or 4 oz Sweet Potato = 1 Starch

Notes

1. Evaporated Milk is available in “regular”, ½ fat or skim. Any fat level will work in this recipe.
2. Start the Sweet Potato FIRST. and everything will get done at about the same time. If the Sweet Potato gets done early, just turn off the oven and it will stay warm until the Curry is ready.
3. Leave out the Chicken and this recipe become a great side dish!

Serving Suggestions: Serve with Baked Sweet Potato or Brown Rice

Adapted from Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry-in-a-Hurry in 365:No Repeats Cookbook by Rachael Ray