By Michelle Mukatis Culitvate Health

I‘ll bet most of you haven’t eaten many turnips in your lives. They grow bitter as they mature and are not widely cultivated, so not highly available. Try a baby turnip, coming into season in early June, and you’ll be hooked. Sweet, juicy and crunchy, you don’t need to cook them to enjoy their flavor. The edible greens are a great substitute for spinach. Color ranges from white to purple-tinged.

Turnips are high in vitamins A, C, E and K as well as folate, iron, manganese and calcium. An interesting note: lower amounts of calcium are found in vegetable sources, however what is there is more absorbable than that in protein and dairy sources, a good thing for vegetarians! Turnips are also a good source of other trace vitamins and minerals and provide excellent dietary fiber and protein.

Turnips grow in rich well-drained soil. They do well in the same bed with onions and peas. Plant seeds as soon as the soil can be worked. Turnips can handle light freezes. Because they are a brassica, rotate related crops so that they are not grown in the same location more than once every three years. The seed packet gives the best planting advice.

Harvest when the roots are 3” or less in diameter. Turnips less than an inch in diameter, can be eaten without peeling. Peel the more mature ones. Then roast, steam lightly, add to pot pies and stews or cook and mash them with potatoes.

If you grow for greens, harvest them while the roots are less than an inch in diameter or greens can be bitter. Steam or sauté the greens, just as you would spinach.

Turnip Parsnip Gratin
Cooking Light, November 2009
8 servings (serving size: 1 gratin)
A mandoline will slice the veggies into uniform thickness and make quick work of it. Use a flavorful aged Gruyère cheese.

3 ¾ c. (1/8-inch-thick) slices peeled turnip
3 ¾ c. (1/8-inch-thick) slices peeled parsnip
6 c. water
Cooking spray
1 c. whole milk
1/3 c. fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 t. kosher salt
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded Gruyère cheese
2 T. butter
¼ c. panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Meanwhile, combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes or until almost tender. Drain; let stand 5 minutes. Arrange about½ c. vegetable mixture into each of 8 (5 ½”) round gratin dishes coated with cooking spray.

2. Combine milk, broth, flour, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk until thick. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Spoon about 3 tablespoons sauce over each serving.
3. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko; toast 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over cheese mixture. Place dishes on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 196, Fat: 8.8g (sat 5.1g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.5g), Protein: 7.6g, Carbohydrate: 22.8g, Fiber: 5.3g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Iron: 0.9mg, Sodium: 424mg, Calcium: 236mg
Through Cultivate Health, Michele Mukatis works with individuals who want to improve their health and the health of the planet through gardening, both for landscape beauty and edibles.  She can be reached at www.CultivateHealthColorado.com

By Michele Mukatis, Cultivate Health

There are studies proving that organic produce is more nutritious than conventional. Conversely, there are studies that prove the opposite. In light of that, here are other compelling reasons why you might want to switch to purchasing organic produce.

#1 Organic produce does not use chemical pesticides. Truly, pesticides are meant to kill. There is every possibility that ingesting foods laden with pesticides will compromise your body and could even kill the “friendly” bacteria in your gut that helps you digest food.

Additionally, many pesticides used on crops are dangerous to human health. Many farm laborers on conventional farms must wear protective clothing or they become sick.

#2 Chemical fertilizers are not allowed on organic fields. Chemical fertilizers deplete the topsoil because they give nothing back to the soil and do not promote soil health. The run-off from chemical fertilizers has created a huge dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, which, in turn, compromises the fish we eat. In order to have healthy soil, we need to add back what we take away, which is where compost stars. Additionally, farms
 grazing livestock that use their lands for crop production are healthier than those growing a monocrop with no natural inputs to give back to the soil. Healthy soil means healthy plants that can take better care of themselves when an infestation occurs. 
#3 Organic produce is not genetically modified. We do not know if GMOs are safe for consumption. The crops with the highest GMO use are soy, corn, wheat, rice and cotton, some of which are in most processed products. Because of the health problems our population is facing, it’s a good idea to avoid GMOs until we truly know they are safe.

#4 Organic Foods are actually less expensive. When you consider damage to human health and the environment, we pay somewhere along the line. Most conventional foods are artificially inexpensive because they are subsidized by the government, so you’re still paying for them, just not in the checkout line.
Get to know a local farmer and consider helping on the farm. It’s healthy for your body to be outside and do physical labor and it creates a connection to where your food comes from, the best reason for going organic! 
© May 2010, Cultivate Health LLC, All Rights Reserved Through Cultivate Health Michelle works with people  who want to improve their health an call to schedule a free Health History consultation or to talk about gardening, both for landscape beauty and edibles. www.CultivateHealthColorado.com

Presented by: Michele E. Mukatis
One of the most common questions I field is, “How do you eat local in the winter in Colorado?” The answer, while not simple, is that it can be done. I choose to use what I need and supplementwith produce that I’ve frozen from the harvest season and there are a plethora of Colorado-raised foods to seek out right now. If you are a meat eater, of course there are all of the wonderful locally-grown meats available through purveyors like Ranch Foods Direct, Larga Vista Ranch, Frost Farms and Lasater Grasslands Beef You can get highquality, pasture-fed
meats, frozen at their prime, everything from beef and bison to lamb,
pork and chicken. Next, find produce that keeps through the winter. Apples, many kinds of winter squash, root vegetables and potatoes are what people would store to eat through the winter. Their higher natural sugar content gives you an extra boost to help your body manage the cold, dark months. Many greens can handle a freeze, so if you have a greenhouse, a cold frame or some other type of covering, you can harvest fresh kale, spinach and salad greens all winter long.
These veggies provide necessary vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C, E, and K as well as other trace nutrients such as iron,
zinc, potassium, and phosphorus. Greens are great for blood purification and provide lots of energy, so adding those
to the sugary vegetables gives you a nice boost while, at the same time, balances out the heavier tastes of winter. In Colorado Springs, Ranch Foods Direct sells as much local produce as possible throughout the year. They also have a nice selection of value-added products (I know, an industry term) such as salsas, honey, and sauces. The ingredients may not all be sourced locally, but the businesses are likely to be Colorado-based and therefore supporting our local economy more than some of the wellknown picante sauces. Sourcing local foods
takes a little more work than just going to the grocery, but it’s worth it since you get fresher, more nutrient-dense
meals. Searching online or contacting your local Slow Food Chapter,
as well as the Peak to Plains Alliance in southern Colorado is the quickest way. In Denver, the first winter farmers market has opened. In Boulder, there are many farms such as the Cure Farm that grow through the winter and supply the local restaurants like The Kitchen. In Colorado Springs,restaurants such as Pizzeria Rustica and
Adams Mountain Café source locally in the off-season. Create the demand, and it will come! Happy New Year!

For A great recipe by Michele:

http://www.equinaut.net/?p=780

 (This is a very informative article from the USDA. Hope it will keep us all better informed Editor’s Note)

Rule Would Help Families Make Healthier Food Choices  

WASHINGTON, December 18, 2009 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced that it will solicit further public comments on the proposed rule, “Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products and Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products.” The rule is designed to help families make more informed decisions when purchasing and consuming meat and poultry products by requiring nutrition labeling of major cuts of single-ingredient, raw meat and poultry products.

This supplement to the proposed rule responds to all comments received on the January 18, 2001, proposed rule and requests additional comments on policies for which there were significant differences of opinion.

On January 18, 2001, FSIS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register entitled, “Nutrition Labeling of Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products and Single-Ingredient Products” (66 FR 4969). Because of the length of time since the publication of the proposed rule, FSIS is providing the public an opportunity to comment on this supplemental proposed rule. FSIS also welcomes comments on relevant issues for which there is new evidence since the proposed rule was issued.

Comments on the proposed rule must be received by February 16, 2010. Comments can be sent to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 5601 Sunnyside Ave, Room 2-2127, Beltsville, Md. 20705; or through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov . Go to http://www.regulations.gov and in the “Search for Open Regulations” box, select “Food Safety and Inspection Service” from the agency drop-down menu and then click on “Submit.” In the Docket ID column, select Docket Number FSIS-2005-0018 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.

For further information contact Sally Jones, Senior Technical Advisor, Labeling and Program Delivery Division, Office of Policy and Program Development, USDA, FSIS, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Block A, 2nd Wing, 2nd Floor Room 2-2124, Beltsville, MD 20705, or by phone at (301) 504-0878.

By Jason Bussell

Compare the shapes of the average American to the average Asian and you will be quickly reminded that America, with all of its diet fads and super foods, is the most obese nation in the world.  Chinese culture, on the other hand, has adhered for over 4,000 years to a diet plan of balance and moderation and simple principles that we can all practice to live healthier.

If we eat like the Asians, we will look like the Asians (thin).  When they start eating like us, they start looking like us (not thin).  The overriding principles are Balance and Moderation.  You don’t need to eat Chinese food or any Asian cuisine every day.  The various countries cuisines are very different; but they all adhere to the same principles.  They have learned to eat simple whole grains, slightly-cooked vegetables, and a little bit of everything else.   Too much or too little of any one thing is not good.

All foods have upsides and downsides.  A good diet should be like a good stock portfolio, diversified.  If you have the same thing every day, you are overloaded in one sector.  This makes you more prone to the dangers of that sector, and at the same time you are missing out on all the other good things happening in the market.  So like with a good portfolio, you should hedge your bets.  Have smaller amounts of more foods, then no single one can have too great an influence.

White rice is better than brown.  Brown rice is white rice with a thick hull around it.  It is kind of like eating a walnut and not taking the shell off.  There are nutrients in the hull, but they have a very poor bio-availability. Our bodies spend a lot of time and effort trying to break down the shell, which will steal our energy and slow our metabolism.  But since moderation and balance are the principles, don’t have white rice all the time.  Rotate between all the grains (including brown rice).  The more processed a food is, the harder it is for us to un-process; so simple grains should be taken more than breads and pastas.

Cooked vegetables are better than raw.   It is true that cooking slightly will destroy a little of the nutrients (about 10%), but that remaining 90% is then unlocked and available.  Whatever you put in your stomach that is cold and raw, you have to heat and cook.  This takes your time, your energy, and slows your metabolism.  We get all our energy from our digestion.  We want to get the energy and life out of the food and excrete that which we don’t need.  Cooking outside the body lightens the load and then our digestive tract can simply act as a filter: send the good stuff to the tissues, the bad to the tissue paper.  We should eat a wide variety of vegetables, mostly locally grown and organic.

Calories don’t matter.   The average person in China consumes between 25-40% more calories than the average American.  Even the sedentary office workers have more calories and less obesity.  This is because of the kinds of calories they consume and how they are prepared.  Calories ingested from natural sources will give you a more steady release of energy, satisfy your hunger, and facilitate appropriate elimination of waste.  Eating cookies, snack foods, artificial sweeteners, sodas, etc, will spike our blood sugars, make us hungrier, and slow our digestion.  You should never be hungry.  Just keep yourself full of good, natural food.

You should eat a little red meat.  Most Americans have too much red meat and that is clearly associated with myriad health problems.  Vegetarians almost have it right, they just go a little to far.  Giving up meat usually will show a short-term improvement, but almost always will lead to a long-term deficiency.  The Chinese recommend that we get two ounces, twice a week of specifically mammal meat.  A little bit of fish and fowl are good as well, but we do need a little mammal in the rotation.  White meat is not better than dark, chicken is not better than beef, egg whites are not better than yolks.  We should have a little of everything.  One famous Chinese medical doctor wrote the “Vegetarianism is best suited to monks, living in the shelter of a temple, spending their days in seated meditation”.  Those of us with a more active lifestyle need a little more of an active food source.
Regarding the ethics of meat-eating, I believe that God loves carrots too.  Everything has a life-force and wants to grow and reproduce.  So it is not possible to “do no harm” and survive.  Everything has to eat something.  We should always be grateful and mindful for the lives that are given so ours may continue.

Stay away from Dairy.  Dairy is designed by nature for infants to turn into substance in the body.  Humans are the only animals that have dairy after infancy.   Dairy does have calcium, but it is overwhelmed by the amino acid Casein which actually robs the bones of calcium. Green leafy vegetables are a much better source of calcium for our bodies, with less ill effects.

Chinese medicine teaches that in adults, dairy turns into a substance called phlegm.  Phlegm can manifest in many different ways: fat tissue, mucus, sinus infections, mental fog, respiratory problems, skin conditions, and even fibroids and tumors.  A little dairy won’t kill you, but a lot of it is not good.  Your primary beverage should be water (room or body temperature), number-two should be green tea.  Everything else, including coffee, should be occasional.

Try and put these principles to use in your and your family’s diet and you will see the benefits.  Trust what has worked for millennia. Keep it simple, balanced, and moderate.

Jason Bussell is an acupuncturist, herbalist, President of the Illinois Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and author of “The Asian Diet: Simple secrets for eating right, losing weight, and being well.”  He practices with his wife Jeanie in Wilmette and Chicago, Illinois.

by: Michele E. Mukatis
was a bit tired last night when someone asked me to explain what antioxidants were. On the spot, I started to explain, but was with a friend who is a doctor who put it much more succinctly. This made me realize that for all we throw these words about, we don’t always really understand what we are talking about, so I thought I’d write a primer on antioxidants.

Toxic substances create free radicals in your body. Exposure to these substances oxidizes your cells, much as iron, unprotected from water, sun and air, will rust. Smoking, ultraviolet radiation from the sun,air pollution, and foods that are toxic to your system are some of the ways in which you can be exposed to free radicals.

Antioxidants are substances that protect your cells from this degradation, much as oil protects iron from rusting. Vitamins A, C, D, and E, some of the trace minerals, carotenoids and flavonoids, and many other substances are considered antioxidants. If you get these substances directly from foods, you are likely not going to be in danger of eating too much. However, if you take antioxidants in supplement form, there are certain things you should be know.

First, in supplement form, you may not be getting the most bio-available version ofthe beneficial item. A synthetic antioxidant (often found in supplements) is not always recognized by the body.Second, when the antioxidant is eaten in a food source, it’s in combination with other substances that allow our bodies to process it more easily. An example is that we now know vitamin D facilitates the absorption of calcium. Third, if you take too much of supplemental antioxidants, it can actually be harmful to your health.

In a recent study of men taking a regular does of vitamins E and C, it did nothing to diminish their risk of incidence of major cardiovascular events,
heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular mortality. It did, however, raise the incidence of hemorrhagic stroke. All this is to say, if you want to protect yourself from the ravages of free radicals, eat fruits, veggies, beans and whole grains! This will give you the nutrients and antioxidants your body needs. Choose produce from a farmers market or straight out of
your own yard because produce picked most recently has the highest nutrient content.

By BigVil600

Presented by: Michele E. Mukatis

It is  that time of year; if you listen closely, you can hear the call – go get me greens – lettuces, arugula, parsley, and others. I want peas, radishes and asparagus to scrub winter’s sluggishness out of my system. Listen to that siren’s song. You may not like everything that your best friend, husband or children like, but your body will tell you what it needs.
Seasonal eating is not a new notion. People around the world have been doing it since the beginning of time and Ayurveda is a whole way of life designed around knowing your type and living seasonally.
In the winter, our bodies need to stock up on foods that will give us more to draw from to protect our bodies from the severe weather that happens in many climates. Apples, root vegetables, potatoes, onions, oils, heavier starches and meats are more readily available and will necessarily put on the pounds if you eat enough.
When spring arrives, the fruits and vegetables that grow well are designed to flush fat and extra pounds from your system. For instance, strawberries are very low in calories, but satisfy that sweet tooth that you get from winter produce. Lettuces and other greens as well as cabbages, broccoli, radishes, asparagus and peas, are full of fiber and astringent or bitter qualities, all of which help to flush fat.
At this point, you should be cutting down on the oils you intake, which means eating fewer nuts and less of the heavier, starchier grains as well as fattier meats. Bring millet, corn, rye and barley into your diet and eat less wheat and rice.
Of course, cutting down on the sugar intake is also key. All of those starchy sweet vegetables which were great over the winter will give way to the spring fruit such as strawberries in the early spring and cherries and blueberries as the season progresses. Use raw honey or agave nectar as a sweetener, instead of more processed sugars, to give you a boost, but keep it natural and easily digested.
Finally, you don’t need to make the switch overnight. Just as winter gives way to spring with highs and lows over a series of weeks, you can make the changes in your diet gradually. This is the best way to not stress your system.
As with anything, the point is to pay attention to what your body is saying it needs. You may not know why you “don’t like” peas, but your body may have a good reason. Maybe peas have a nutrient of which you already have enough. If your body tells you not to eat something, it’s okay to leave it out, even if your best friend swears it’s the best weight-loss, energy-giving food he’s ever found.
Enjoy the savor of spring cleaning and lightness that the season brings.
I
The Nibble
One way to relax and feel good
Savor a spicy meal. Hot foods trigger the release of endorphins – the natural chemicals that trigger feelings of euphoria and well-being.Spicy foods can   also help you slim down because they speed up your metabolism and make you feel satisfied more quickly.

Photo by Jazza

 By Sherry Dell PhD, CN

Dandelion Flower Cookies

 1/2 cup butter
 1/2 cup honey 
 2 eggs 
 1 teaspoon vanilla 
 1/4 cup raw sugar
 1/2 cup ground macadamia nuts
 1 1/2 cups gluten free baking flour 
 1 cup dry gluten free oatmeal 
 1/2 tsp baking soda
 1/2 cup dandelion flowers*

Preheat oven to 375°F. Blend oil and honey and beat in the two eggs, sugar, nuts and vanilla. Stir in flour, oatmeal, baking soda and dandelion flowers. Drop the batter by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake for 12-13 minutes at sea level.  You’ll probably need more flour and higher and longer cooking time at high altitude. 

*be sure to use flowers free from chemical pesticides, wash well in clear water; measure 1/2 cup flowers with green base then separate petals from greens at base of flower by holding petals and twisting off green part; use only petals since the green is bitter.

By Sherry Dell PhD, CN

Photo by Jazza

 It’s that time of year.  The bright yellow flowers of the dandelion are showing up in my yard again.  I don’t know how or when it happened, but the beautiful dandelion has long been condemned as a weed.  So I dutifully spend the warm months pulling and digging them out of the ground.  I think many people even resort to drowning them in toxic chemicals. All to maintain our sense of backyard “style.”

But early in the spring like this, when dandelion’s leaves are tender and sweet, I’ve learned to make good use of the “weeds” I’m pulling out of the ground.  The ubiquitous dandelion has so many nutritional and therapeutic qualities.

First of all, the tender green leaves that come up before the flower does are a highly nutritious food with properties of a spring tonic.  After all the long, nutritionally-depleting months of winter, this super burst of  beta-carotene, iron and calcium,  B-1, B-2, B-5, B-6, B-12, C, E, D, biotin, inositol, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc is just what a body needs.  Pick the leaves from plants that have not yet flowered.  (Remember dandelion leaves are deeply serrated like the blade of a saw and give it the french origins of its name: dent de lion or lion’s tooth.  

Even more importantly, pick the leaves of plants that have not been subjected to gardening chemicals, car fumes, or other modern toxins.  Eat them fresh in a salad like you would any lettuce. Or sautee them with onions and garlic and a vinegar splash as a side dish.

One word of caution: if you aren’t used to eating wild grown foods, start out slow.  Your body may jump into detoxification mode with all this extra nutrition on board.  And yes, that is a good, healthy thing.  But if the rate of detoxification is greater than your rate of elimination, you won’t be thanking me.  Symptoms of detox can include, headache, flu-like achiness, fatigue, rashes, nausea, etc.  If any of those things happens, the “cure” is quite simple: just stop eating dandelion until the cleansing process slows down.

The flowers and roots are also highly nutritious and edible.  Flowers are commonly used to make tea or wine and are great stirred into scrambled eggs or salad or used on any plate as a garnish.  The roots are best harvested in the spring and can be chopped into soups or casserole similar to other root vegetables.  The above mentioned caution regarding the possibilities of detox apply here as well.

Therapeutically, all parts of the dandelion have tremendous application including the sap.  In general the dandelion has a long history of use to help kidney and liver function.  As such it can be very helpful with digestive complaints.  Dandelion root tea can be a helpful laxative. Dandelion leaf tea can help relieve mild cases of fluid retention.  The white sap from the stems can be used on warts, pimples, and bee stings to name a few.  The list of applications is very long and you may want to discuss your specific therapeutic uses with an herbalist. 

In any case, the dandelion makes it well worth the effort to think twice before we yank it out and throw it on the weed pile.

By Michelle Mukatis
Easy to grow, easy to eat, these are truly the vegetable garden’s harbinger of Spring. As soon as the soil can be worked, you can plant the seeds. Just keep them moist and they should sprout within a week, and be ready to harvest 2-3 weeks after that.
Radish seeds and plants can handle a freeze down to about 26 degrees, so you don’t have to do much with them, unless you’re looking at some really cold temperatures. The leaves may seem frozen first thing in the morning, but will recover as the day warms up.
If temperatures fall under 26 degrees F, cover them with a tarp and possibly a blanket propped up by hoops, depending on how cold it’s likely to get. Take the cover off early the next day, if the sun is shining, so you don’t fry your little babies.
Of the different varieties of radishes, Easter Egg and Cherry Belle are two of my favorites. They are pretty and easy to grow. French breakfast radishes are also lovely, a little less biting and oblong instead of round. Daikons, a large white Japanese variety that is shaped more like a blocky carrot, are wonderful but a little harder to grow in Colorado’s climate. They take longer to mature and tend to get woody or bolt before they are really ready. Lots of water and some afternoon shade give them the best chance of maturing.
Radishes are great eaten straight out of the ground. (Rinse the dirt off first!) Their sharp bite and watery crunch are great indicators that they are a good spring detox vegetable. They also lend themselves to cooked dishes such as the one next door. Try them in salsa or slaw, but get them into your diet this year!

Presented by: Michele E. Mukatis