Mr. John Dory

 John Dory. Photo from The Local Catch

Picked up some John Dory at the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmer's Market today from The Local Catch! Cooking seafood is not something I have much experience with, but my recent desire to consume more seafood is prompting some experimentation!

One of my original reasons for avoiding seafood was the toxic metals that they contain (most notably, mercury). These toxins can be harmful when they build up in the body; however including certain foods in your diet can ensure that these harmful constituents pass through, rather than go into storage.

Parsley and cilantro both contain constituents that bind to heavy metals, therefore making it much more difficult for the them to be absorbed by the body. The mineral selenium has the same action. Fish are actually a great source of selenium, so if you are consuming a high quality fish that is prepared nutritiously, you greatly reduce your chances of heavy metal absorption.

My John Dory experience:

2 Tablespoons butter heated in a non-stick pan. Added to the butter- 1 finely chopped shallot, 2 cloves of garlic (minced), a 1" piece of fresh ginger (minced), a generous dose of black pepper, and a dash of sea salt.

I sauteed this savory blend for about 8 minutes over medium-high heat then added the filet of John Dory, skin facing upward. Still on medium-high heat, I cooked the fish with the shallot, garlic, and ginger for 7 minutes or so, until the filet was cooked throughout and no longer "stuck" to the skin when pressed. I then flipped over the fish and put it onto a plate. I squeezed 1/2 of a lemon into the pan to mix with the butter, ginger, garlic, and shallot mixture, then drizzled this mixture over the fish.

It's hard to go wrong with shallots, ginger, and garlic, but I was VERY pleased with this dish. Along with the fish I prepared a salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, sunflower seeds, grapefruit, and parsley (to help flush out any heavy metals!).

There will certainly be more seafood experimentation in the near future!

Homemade Nut Butter!

I have recently been experimenting with making my own nut butters! I don't usually eat peanuts, so I tend to lean in the direction of butters made from almonds, cashews, and seeds. Nut butters are great sources of protein as well as healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They also contain antioxidants, an array of vitamins and minerals (including vitamin E, iron, and calcium), and fiber. Pairing nut butters with whole grains or beans creates a complete protein. This does not necessarily have to occur in the same meal, but if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, it is important to ingest the full range of essential amino acids over the course of the day.

My favorite butters are almond butter and sunflower seed butter, though I often like to mix different nuts and seeds together. I recently made two different kinds of nut butter- almond cashew butter and almond pumpkin seed butter.

Nuts and seeds can be processed raw or roasted depending on the desired flavor. Roasting nuts will remove some of the beneficial nutrients. Nuts can also be sprouted prior to making nut butter to increase nutrient content.

There are many different options for nut butter ingredients, these include:

A. The nut(s) or seed(s) that you wish to include: almond, cashew, peanut, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, brazil nuts, sesame seeds, or flax seeds.
B. A preservative: You do not need to add a preservative if you plan on using the nut butter within 1 week, but if you would like it to last longer than that it is wise to add a natural preservative. Is usually use Vitamin E (the ingest-able version). Honey also acts as a preservative, but a lot would need to be added to significantly lengthen the freshness of the nut butter. I have not tested my nut butters to see how long they last, but I usually add about 5 mL of Vitamin E per 32 ounces of nuts/seeds. More or less can be added depending on how long you would like the nut butter to last. Refrigerating the nut butter will keep it fresher as well.
C. Sea Salt- A touch of salt can be added to bring out the flavors of the nuts/seeds.
D. Sweetener- If desired, nut butters can be sweetened. Honey, Maple Syrup, Coconut Sugar, and Date Sugar are some healthy sweetener options.
E. Flavor- You may choose to flavor your nut butter with cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla extract, or others spices.

Raw almonds and pumpkin seeds, ready to be processed!

Making the nut butter requires a food processor or vita-mix. I have a Cuisinart Food Processor that works great. Add your nuts/seeds of choice to the processor. The length of time required to reach a buttery consistency will vary depending on your ingredients. For instance, cashews blend fairly quickly into a nut butter, while pumpkin and sunflower seeds take much longer to break down. 

Process the nuts/seeds, stopping every few minutes to scrape the sides of the bowl. It will probably require 12-25 minutes of processing time depending on your ingredients, the machine you are using, and your desired consistency. Towards the end of the processing time, add in any additional ingredients (salt, sweetener, preservative or flavoring).

Pour nut butter into glass jars for storage and keep in the refrigerator. Makes a great snack with apples, banana, or carrots. Delicious in oatmeal, spread on sandwiches, and as a baking ingredient.

Sweet Potato Coconut Curry

Sweet potato coconut curry over black rice, garnished with fresh cilantro and yogurt.

I thought it would be most appropriate to start my blog with one of my most favorite diggable ingredients (sweet potatoes) in one of my most favorite dishes- sweet potato coconut curry! I am extremely fond of sweet potatoes and mildly obsessed with curry, so the two of them together just tickles my taste buds. I made this one with apples and raisins for some extra fruity sweetness. 

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons oil (I used olive oil, but canola oil or butter can also be used)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons minced, fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• salt
• black pepper
• 3 large or 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
• 2/3 cup raisins
• 1 apple, chopped into 1/2" pieces
• 1.5 Tablespoons Muchi curry
• 1 Tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 Tablespoon coriander
• 1/2 lime
• cilantro, for garnish (optional, or substitute parsley)
• yogurt (optional)

Directions:

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a stainless steel pan. Add chopped onions, cumin seeds, and cloves and saute for 5 minutes. Add some salt and pepper along with the ginger and garlic. Saute for another 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and saute for a few more minutes, stirring frequently. Add coconut milk along with raisins, apple, honey and spices. Add water to the pot until the liquid is just covering the sweet potatoes. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt to taste. Turn off heat and add juice from 1/2 a lime (or lemon). Garnish with fresh cilantro and a dollop of yogurt. Serve over rice or a favorite grain or with naan bread.

Serves 4-6

For best results, enjoy with good company!

I love cooking Indian food! Many dishes require a lot of spices, but two of my go-to ingredients are Muchi curry and Garam masala. Muchi curry is a combination of turmeric, cumin, ginger, coriander, fenugreek, cloves, garlic, celery seed and cayenne pepper. Garam masala is a combination of cumin coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves,  and nutmeg. Both spice mixtures provide a satisfying depth of flavors, that can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. You can find these spice mixtures at local spice shops or grocery stores that carry bulk spices or Indian spices. If you cannot find the mixtures

Besides being extremely delicious and stimulating to your taste buds, curry is also very healthy! All of the major curry spices- turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, and nutmeg are extremely anti-inflammatory. They also increase circulation and stimulate digestion. And don't be afraid of using coconut milk just because it is high in fat! The fat from coconuts is extremely healthy and coconuts are one of the only plant sources of saturated fats, which are essential nutrients. They also have a range of minerals including phosphorus, magnesium, copper, selenium, and zinc. Coconuts are anti-inflammatory and boost immune function too!