Tag Archive: Carrots

1. It’s Good to Be Three

   April 11, 2011 9:58 pm 17 Comments

   During times of inordinate stress, pressure, or change, I find that more than any amount of yoga or breathing, the best meditative practice is simply the act of remembering. Remembering is an act of the heart. It gathers the images and energy of the people we associate with the past experience, and we cannot help to feel a pang of gratitude that we were there to share that specific moment in time together. It’s a practice we can do anywhere, anytime. Driving home from work, checking out books from the library, making the bed… you get the idea. We bring these memories into focus and suddenly the many worries and preoccupations of our day fade to the background. The wisdom of friends, family, and strangers who occupy these memories should remind us that the love and admiration we feel for them is reciprocal – they love and believe in us just the same.

   Some of the most powerful memories we can access, especially during times of self-doubt or criticism, are the ones of our younger and enthusiastic selves. As children, we were not buried deep in worry, restraint, or stress. Our full time jobs were to explore a world in its limitless intricacies. We were constantly seeking, questioning, creating, laughing, and enjoying.

   When I think of myself at three or four years old I see a little girl who was uninhibited, and free. She beamed with light and exuberance, and felt blissfully content to be who she was. The words “you can’t” were not in her vocabulary yet and she was assured that the entire world was at her fingertips.

   I remember that girl. She was amazing. I remember her smile, her confidence, and certainty. But then I realize… hey, that girl is me! That same spirit and lightheartedness still lives inside of me. I can still be free like her; and so can you. We should remember the energy and lightness of our childhood and give ourselves permission to cultivate it in our seemingly constrained lives. Conjuring the memory of such a lightness and warmth can even be enough to push you up the hill on a hard day.

   Carrot cake is a dessert that brings together the best memories of my both my childhood and of my mother. All twenty-one of my birthdays  (which is actually in December) have been celebrated with an original carrot cake recipe that she has saved from the 80s. When I emailed her asking for the recipe last week I think she was probably expecting me to completely transform it into a fat-free sugar-free relative. But I couldn’t – memories associated with this keepsake are of an auspicious nature, and I needed to (mostly) maintain its integrity if for no ones sake but my own. A few tweaks to the icing and oils, but otherwise pretty darn accurate. For me, carrot cake celebrates life, love, remembrance, and the many more memories to be made in the future. May it bring you a moment of lightness and tenderness in the way it did for me this weekend.

   For the cake:

   • 3/4 cups raw sugar
   • 2 cups gluten free all purpose baking flour
   • 1 tsp baking soda
   • 1 tsp baking powder
   • 1/2 tsp sea salt
   • 1 tsp cinnamon
   • 2/3 cup melted coconut oil
   • 3 eggs
   • 1 tsp pure vanilla
   • 2 1/2 heaping cups grated carrots
   • 1 cup chopped walnuts
   • 1 1/2 cups crushed pineapple, strained
   • (optional) 1 cup of raisins

   For the glaze: (adapted from Roost blog)

   • 1 cup reduced fat coconut milk
   • 1/4 cup coconut oil
   • 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
   • shredded unsweetened coconut

   Preheat the oven to 350′. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a larger bowl, beat the eggs and add the sugar. Slowly beat in the coconut oil, vanilla, and pineapple. Add the flower mixture and stir gently with a rubber spatula until just incorporated. Finally, stir in the carrots and walnuts. I decided to make these in mini loaf molds, but it would also work in large loaf or round pans. Depending on your preference, grease your pan(s) and fill to 3/4 full with cake batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes.Remove from oven and let cool before drizzling with coconut glaze

   For the icing, mix together melted coconut oil, coconut milk and brown rice syrup until it forms an even consistency. Pour into a small glass container and freeze for 45 min to an hour. Enjoy over hot cake and a happy heart. I titled this dessert, but who am I kidding… Shaun and I ate it for dinner… (smile)

2. For the Love of Beets

   March 8, 2011 11:19 am 17 Comments

   
   Oh, how I love beets. Too much, maybe? Last week I had some cooked up version of this root-y earthy veg  five days in a row. After I polished off this heavenly masterpiece, I actually decided it was best to cut back… you know what color it turns your pee, five days… enough said. But this last tribute to beets was everything I hoped it would be and I think you should give it a whirl. Have I talked about the benefits of beets yet? Here’s a bit of a refresher:

   Beets are a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains. Betanin and vulgaxanthin are the two best-studied betalains from beets, and both have been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support. The detox support provided by betalains includes support of some especially important Phase 2 detox steps involving glutathione. Although you can see these betalain pigments in other foods (like the stems of chard or rhubarb), the concentration of betalains in the peel and flesh of beets gives you an unexpectedly great opportunity for these health benefits. What’s most striking about beets is not the fact that they are rich in antioxidants; what’s striking is the unusual mix of antioxidants that they contain. We’re used to thinking about vegetables as rich in antioxidant carotenoids, and in particular, beta-carotene; among all well-studied carotenoids, none is more commonly occurring in vegetables than beta-carotene. In beets, however, the “claim-to-fame” antioxidant is not beta-carotene, but two different antioxidant carotenoids, not nearly as concentrated in vegetables as a group. These two carotenoids are lutein and zeaxanthin. beets demonstrate their antioxidant uniqueness by getting their red color primarily from betalain antioxidant pigments (and not primarily from anthocyanins). Coupled with their status as a good source of the antioxidant vitamin C and a very good source of the antioxidant manganese, the unique phytonutrients in beets provide antioxidant support in a different way than other antioxidant-rich vegetables.

   In recent lab studies on human tumor cells, betanin pigments from beets have been shown to lessen tumor cell growth through a number of mechanisms, including inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes (specifically, cyclooxygenase enzymes). The tumor cell types tested in these studies include tumor cells from colon, stomach, nerve, lung, breast, prostate and testicular tissue. While lab studies by themselves are not proof of beets’ anti-cancer benefits, the results of these studies are encouraging researchers to look more closely than ever at the value of betanins and other betalains in beets for both prevention and treatment of certain cancer types.

   Maybe I don’t need a break from beets after all? Hmm…

   What I love about this recipe is that it gives you that sweet, salty, herb punch that I happen to crave. Be forewarned that this project can get pretty messy around the kitchen. Don’t even think about wearing anything white, and have a towel on hand to keep beet juices from running around the counter tops off the cutting board. An apron will be useful too, or maybe your yard-work duds. Okay, maybe I’m being a little dramatic.

   Here’s what you’ll need:

   • 3 medium golden beets, and 3 medium red beets stems trimmed
   • 8 carrots cut into sticks
   • 4 cloves of garlic, minced, plus more for roasting
   • juice of 1 lemon
   • 2-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
   • salt and pepper
   • 1 Tbsp olive oil
   • 2 cups of 1 inch cubed (leftover) multi-grain loaf
   • 1/2 cup goat cheese

   Preheat oven to 425F. Wrap beets with a splash of water, olive oil, lemon juice, 2 sprigs of thyme, a few cloves of garlic, salt and pepper tightly in foil with skin, then roast 1 hour . Carefully unwrap, and when cool, rub off skins with a paper towel and discard. Chop beets into 1/2″ cubes and transfer to a bowl. When there is about 15 minutes left on the timer for the beets, toss carrots and chopped bread with olive oil, garlic, and a little lemon in a bowl, then bake on a cookie sheet with parchment paper until the timer runs out. As soon as you pull the beets out, switch the oven over to broil mode and move the carrots to the top rack. As the beets cool, keep a close eye on the oven to make sure things don’t go up in flames. The carrots should be slightly browned and the croutons crispy. When all the components are done, mix together well in a large bowl with goat cheese and extra leaves of thyme and some s/p to taste. Viola. Soft, buttery beets and carrots, crispy croutons, and creamy goat cheese. Bon Appetite!

3. “Evolution” Salad

   June 8, 2010 2:12 pm Leave a Comment

   Since being home, I’ve become obsessed with my Moms food processor. She hates it – thinks it’s hard to clean – so I’m hoping one of these days it will find a spot in my suitcase so it can be loved properly once I have my own kitchen again (hint hint). This salad is inspired by a carrot rendition from Jamie Oliver. His is nice, but I find it far too basic. I will thank him for the idea of minced spearmint though, something that sparked my interest and turned out to be an amazing addition.

   Break out your spectacular food processor, and install the “grater” setting. I’m not sure if that’s what it is actually called, but you know what I mean. Prepare the following ingredients and let the machine work its magic:

   • 1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeds removed
   • 4-6 medium carrots, peeled
   • 1 small golden beet
   • heaping handful of radishes, ends trimmed

   Empty grated raw veggies into a large mixing bowl. Toss in:

   • 1 package grape tomatoes
   • 1 chopped red bell pepper
   • 1/4 cup minced chives
   • 1/4 cup minced spearmint
   • 1/4 cup minced cilantro
   • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
   • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
   • squeeze of a lemon
   • salt and pepper to taste

   Toss thoroughly! Serve immediately or chill for an hour or so in the fridge. For me, this makes a perfect light summer lunch but I’ve also served it as a side to watercress with avocado and shrimp. Tell me what you think! I promise you will be blown away! I miss you Shaun, taking pictures of the food is hard, you make it look so easy! I’m a work in progress with the camera, but it’s good for me! These are the hands of my handsome, intelligent, and hilarious “little” brother Austin. We’re all under the same roof again, Austin just finished his freshman year at UCSC — Congrats!