How to use the healing magic of foods

How to use the healing magic of foods

By Arlene W. Correll

Upon returning home from a trip to Florida, we discovered that our youngest daughter had just been in a terrible car accident. After surgery with large pins in her hip and knee and a titanium rod inserted next to her broken thigh bone, she was in for a rough 8 months of healing.

The only thing I could do was to figure out what to feed her as she was staying with us instead of at her own home. When she was little it was easy. But going on 36 years old and living by herself since she was 18 was another matter.

To me fruits and veggies and grains were some of the answers. So I started to do some research to add to what I all ready knew. I finally discovered that soy, tea, flaxseed, beets are finally being recognized as being good for you. Researchers have enough hard evidence to back up what the old time cooks knew by instinct, and what I had all ready discovered over the years of self healing from cancer, stroke, heart attack etc., that some foods have healing properties.

During my cancer rehabilitation, flaxseed and cold pressed flaxseed oil helped me, at least in my own opinion. Finally credit is being given to soy, tea, flaxseed, and extra-brightly colored fruits and vegetables like beets. I was able to find some recipes on the net that had these healing ingredients that the scientists are now saying are good for us.

Natural Healers are important to investigate. Remember, that no one food is the key to wellness. A balanced diet is what contributes to overall health.

When I was dealing, 1992, with my cancer recover program, I latched onto soy products. The small soybean is a great source of lean protein that has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol. Scientists believe it also may protect against some kinds of cancer.

I read a lot about tea at the time and discovered that green tea and regular black tea was linked to everything from fighting cavities to shrinking cancerous tumors.

A friend of mine sent me many articles about Flaxseeds and how they might protect against heart attacks. I discovered they were also a good source of fiber. To this day, I personally take 2 capsules of cold pressed flaxseed oil. When I was given a 50/50 chance of still being alive in 6 months because I elected not to take chemotherapy, this same friend gave me evidence of testimonies from cancer survivors who took tablespoons of cold pressed Flaxseed oil. Either it is the greatest placebo in the world, or it works as I am living proof of still being here.

Brightly colored fruits and veggies are packed with disease-fighting phytochemicals. Research suggests that these foods may also keep arteries healthy and we are finally being told that we should eat 5 to 8 of these items a day.

With all this in mind, I started my search for food recipes that might help Glynis’ healing process along.

Here are some recipes my research turned up.

MAPLE, WALNUT, AND FLAXSEED PANCAKES

Makes about 12.

Per pancake: calories, 112; total fat, 5 g; saturated fat, 1 g; cholesterol, 19 mg; fiber, 1 g

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal*
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups reduced-fat (2%) buttermilk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 large egg

1 tablespoon (or more) vegetable oil
Additional pure maple syrup

Whisk flour, flaxseed meal, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk buttermilk, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and egg in another medium bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and whisk just until incorporated.

Brush large nonstick skillet lightly with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat. Working in batches, add batter to skillet by scant 1/4 cupfuls. Cook until bubbles appear on surface of pancakes and undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn pancakes over and cook until golden on bottom, about 2 minutes. Brush skillet lightly with vegetable oil as needed before adding each batch. Transfer pancakes to plates. Serve with additional maple syrup.

*Sold at natural foods stores and some supermarkets. If flaxseed meal isn't available, buy flaxseeds and use a spice grinder or coffee mill to grind them into a fine powder.

PEARS POACHED IN EARL GREY TEA WITH DRIED FRUIT

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: calories, 181; total fat, 0; saturated fat, 0; cholesterol, 0; fiber, 2 g

The tea adds an elegant complexity to the sauce for the pears, dried apricots, and cherries. Using dried tart cherries instead of Bing cherries helps balance the sweetness.

2 cups water
2 Earl Grey tea bags
1/2 cup sugar
2 large firm but ripe Bosc pears (about 12 ounces), peeled, halved lengthwise, cored
8 dried apricot halves
4 whole cloves
1/4 cup dried tart cherries*

Bring 2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add tea bags. Remove from

heat. Cover and let steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add sugar to tea and stir over medium heat until dissolved. Add pears, apricots, and cloves. Cover and simmer until pears are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add cherries and simmer 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears, apricots, and cherries to bowl. Boil syrup in saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour syrup over fruit. Chill until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)

Divide fruit and syrup among 4 bowls and serve.

*Dried tart cherries are available at specialty foods stores, natural foods stores, and some supermarkets

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH ORANGES AND BEET GREENS

Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: calories, 144; total fat, 8 g; saturated fat, 1 g; cholesterol, 0; fiber, 4 g

The delicate beet greens — which are an excellent source of potassium, folic acid, and magnesium — make this dish even more healthful.

6 medium beets with beet greens attached

2 large oranges
1 small sweet onion, cut through root end into thin wedges
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim greens from beets. Cut off and discard stems. Coarsely chop leaves and reserve. Wrap each beet in foil. Place beets directly on oven rack and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool. Peel beets, then cut each into 8 wedges. Place beets in medium bowl.

Cook beet greens in large saucepan of boiling water just until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Cool. Squeeze greens to remove excess moisture. Add greens to bowl with beets. Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over another bowl and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. Add orange segments and onion to bowl with beet mixture. Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic, and orange peel in small bowl to blend; add to beet mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Serve.

STIR-FRIED TOFU WITH MUSHROOMS, SUGAR SNAP PEAS, AND GREEN ONIONS

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: calories, 195; total fat, 11 g; saturated fat, 1 g; cholesterol, 0; fiber, 3 g

Ever wonder how soybeans turn into smooth, creamy tofu? First, the beans are pressed to extract soy milk, which is then curdled. The curds are drained, pressed, and cut into blocks of tofu.

3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 12-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, patted dry with paper towels
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 green onions, sliced on diagonal

Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add tofu and stir to coat; let marinate 30 minutes. Drain, reserving marinade in small bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup water and cornstarch into marinade.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer tofu to plate. Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to skillet. Add mushrooms and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes. Add sugar snap peas; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; stir-fry 30 seconds. Return tofu to skillet; drizzle reserved marinade mixture over. Stir-fry until marinade thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

If you have some similar recipes and would like to share them with others, send them along to me via email at [email protected]