Get your stew on (before winter veggies are gone)

As the end of the season for winter vegetables approaches, I find myself emotionally torn.  Oh how we’ve loved making thick and hearty soups and stews all winter long, but oh, how I cannot wait for the full arrival of asparagus and tomatoes!  Before we bid the roots and tubers adieu for another year, I wanted to share one of our favorite recipes from this winter.  If it entices you – get out to the market and grab the last of the sweet potatoes and get your stew on!

First, of course, let’s talk about why this soup is not just almost, but us VERY healthy!  There isn’t an ingredient on the list that isn’t additive to your health.  So indulge proudly – have seconds, thirds, fourths…

Sweet potatoes!

• Beta carotenes galore.  You know these guys, the antioxidants that contribute not only to eye health, but also to graceful aging, disease prevention, and so much more.
• Vitamin A.  Sweet potatoes have superior ability to raise our blood levels of Vitamin A, especially in kiddos, so feed those hungry kids!
• The joy of a potato!  Many of us steer clear of the standard white potato because it’s mostly starch that converts to mostly sugar – but the sweet potato is botanically, and nutritionally, very different!  So go ahead, eat ‘em regularly!

Fresh Basil!

• It’s more than a pretty and tasty leaf.  Fresh basil brings lots of health benefits to any table.  Basil has been shown to have anti-bacterial properties, as well as protective properties for our cell structures. 
• Interestingly, basil also has a known anti-inflammatory effect, thanks to the oils it contains, that puts it on par with aspirin and ibuprofen (think symptom relief for common ailments like arthritis and inflammatory bowel conditions.)
• If you’re Italian like me, you can feel good and authentic about using this leaf if your cooking.  Just remember, a good Italian would NEVER take a knife to a basil leaf.  Tear only, please!  The leaves tend to damage and brown when sliced with a knife, and what good is ugly basil? ;)

Kale!

• See my post on 5 things everyone should eat more of and re-read it often!

Leeks!

• These are the big ones that look like enormous green onions.  Most people just eat the white parts, but if you're brave, go for the greens too (I'm not brave).
• Get your daily dose of vitamins K and A from these lovely allium family members.
• Like onions and garlic, leeks protect blood vessels and therefore get credit for cardiovascular health promotion.
• They’re also rich in folate, so expectant mothers can add these to the list along with leafy greens to get your natural dose of this critical vitamin for your developing little one.  For others, folate is another leg of the cardiovascular support stool.

Lentils!

• Fiber abounds in these tiny but mighty legumes.  That’s a good thing for your cholesterol and also for your blood sugar.  They’re also packed with vitamins, but not with calories or fat, so feel free to fill up!
• Magnesium.  Did you know magnesium is actually really important in heart health?  Having enough of it around keeps vessels relaxed, and blood and oxygen flowing.  Deficiencies can lead to heart problems down the road.
• Iron.  No, it’s not found only in meat (even though it’s mostly found there).  Iron plays a role in our body’s ability to transport oxygen from the lungs throughout the body, which leaves you with better energy (and metabolism).

With that, here's your recipe.  

P.S. It’s worth splurging on fresh everything for this recipe, especially the basil.  It won’t have the same flavor (or health benefits) without it.  Enjoy!

Sweet Basil, Kale and Sweet Potato Soup  (by Jeanie Burke, RD)

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 1 hr 30 minutes

Makes 16 cups or 6-8 (2 cup) main dish servings

3 leeks, white parts sliced thin

3 tightly packed cups of finely chopped kale or swiss chard (for chard, trim green leaves from the stalk)

8-12 large leaves of fresh basil (critical to soup’s sweet flavor!)

6 cups fresh sweet potatoes, cubed into bite-sized pieces (don’t peel them)

7 cups vegetable broth

½ cup lentils (do not presoak)

1 32-oz can crushed tomatoes  

Seasonings:

2 tsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning (optional)

1. Place the leeks, kale, and basil in a large stock pot with a cup of vegetable broth and cook for 45 minutes until greens are tender
2. Add potatoes, lentils and remaining vegetable broth and cook for 20 minutes until potatoes are tender
3. Add tomatoes and seasonings and heat until piping hot, and then serve!

5 things everyone should eat more of.

Did you know that in the U.S., the four most consumed vegetables are potatoes, iceberg lettuce, onions, and tomatoes?  Starting in the 70’s, potatoes had French fries to thank for their increased popularity.  (Note: picture to the right is from a textbook published in 1925 called Health Habits.  I love looking at it.  They knew so much then that we've forgotten today!  Fascinating.)


Similarly, tomatoes have pizza and pasta sauce to thank.  Iceberg lettuce is decent roughage, but not nutritionally dense to say the least. 

The latest version of the USDA Food Pyramid is an improvement over the last set of recommendations, but still too vague in my opinion.  So here are my top recommendations on delicious, nutritious additions that you won’t regret!

• ONE: Quinoa: One of the "ancient grains," quinoa is protein packed at almost 14 grams per half cup serving.  Its nutty flavor and rice-like texture make it a perfect side dish or main course component year round.  One Harvard study found that men who enjoyed a bowl of whole grain (but not refined grain) cereal in the morning had a 29% lower risk of heart failure.  Other benefits include antioxidant protection, protective characteristics against certain cancers and diabetes, migraine relief, and many more.  So go ahead, indulge in a new and tasty grain tradition! (Technically quinoa is a seed not a grain, but I digress).  Your body will thank you.  I have tons of quinoa recipes (burgers, chili, rice pudding, tabbouleh), and am happy to pass them onto any interested parties.  If you buy some and then find yourself staring at it in your cabinet for weeks wondering what to do, call me!

• TWO: Kale:  According to the April 2012 volume of Environmental Nutrition newsletter, just "1 cup packs over 200 percent of the daily value of Vitamin A, 134% DV of Vitamin C, and 6 times the daily value of bone-healthy Vitamin K."  No matter the variety (plain leaf, curly leaf, or my favorite lacinto), you get tons of cancer-fighting (and age defying) anti-oxidants in these lovely leaves.  Wilt them in a pan with some minced garlic and your favorite high heat oil, chop them up and throw them in your favorite whole grain pasta recipe, or if you like their raw bite, use them in a green mixture for the foundation of any salad.  My personal favorite is the morning green smoothie.  Just make sure to wash your greens well.  I personally think it’s best to put them in a bowl of water, swish with your hand, dump, and repeat.

• THREE: Broccoli: You remember my post on broccoli?  Re-read it and eat!  For fun, switch it up once and a while with broccoli’s cruciferous cousins, cauliflower and romanesco.  The latter just sounds and looks too awesome not to pick up (see right) when you see it in the aisle.  Depending on where you live and shop, that may or may not be frequently.

• FOUR: Flaxseed: This tiny seed has been around for centuries,   and is associated with numerous health benefits owing primarily to its high content of Omega-3’s and fiber.  Flaxseed needs to be ground to do its work best since our bodies have   trouble processing the whole seed.  We use a simple coffee bean grinder to do the trick, and we grind right before we use them.  Flaxseed’s flavor is quite mild, so I use it liberally, and shoot for 1-2 Tbsp.  per day total in my soy yogurt, on my dry cereal (Ezekial 4:9, Cinnamon Raisin!), and in my oatmeal.  Be careful if you’re new to the flaxseed train, as it’s jammed with fiber and will do its work  on your digestive tract quickly sometimes!

• FIVE: Avocado:  As if I need to tell you to eat more of this delicious fruit!  Who doesn't love avocado?  I know, I know, some people don't.  If you don’t, read on.  Don’t let the fattiness of this fruit scare you off.  It’s crammed with nutrients and it also helps our bodies absorb some other fat soluble nutrients (like beta carotene and vitamin D), so the small amount of good fat you get is well worth it.  My favorite use of this delectable fruit is in guacamole.  Cut the avocado in half, remove the seed, scoop the flesh into a bowl.  Add fresh lemon or lime juice for flavor and to prevent browning of the beautious green flesh.  Then add chopped tomatoes if they're in season (salsa if they're not), some chopped cilantro, a touch of minced garlic and some salt and voila!  Eat it on tacos, with your eggs, or with your favorite dipping chip.

In case you are wondering about supplementing (popping pills) to get some of these nutrients instead of choking down your least favorites on the list, remember that getting your nutrition from real food is always best.  My personal supplement list includes a whole food multi-vitamin, high quality fish oil, and vitamin D3. 

Geek disclaimer: I hated ending the title of this post in a preposition, but "5 things of which everyone should eat more" just didn't have the same ring.

The Sun and Vitamin D.

You may already know that Vitamin D is important for bone health.  If you follow health news, then you’ve also heard a lot lately about the many other benefits that touch health concerns ranging from asthma to cancer.  But did you know that despite all of these benefits, most Americans are deficient in Vitamin D? 

Vitamin D 101:

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from food, so we’ve long known its association with bone strength and osteoporosis.  But today we know a lot more about the benefits of Vitamin D, and they are vast.  It’s now associated with lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer.  It’s also showing promise in preventing or curing Crohn’s disease, in improved memory function and potentially in decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.  For a full fact sheet from the NIH, click here.

We are a deficient nation

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for children and adults is currently 600 IUs of vitamin D per day, though I’ve heard talk of that recommendation increasing which I think would be great.  Nevertheless, let's assume that's the right number.  By that standard, 60-75% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient.  Recently, a study showed that for trauma patients with broken bones or fractures, that number reaches 77%.  

 

One of the leading hypotheses on the reason for our deficiencies is our obsession with sunscreen.  We have done a great job reducing skin cancer risk, but we’ve inadvertently “protected” ourselves from the essential rays of the sun that allow our own bodies to create vitamin D.  In fact, sun light is our primary source of the vitamin!  To learn more about how sunlight is used in your body to create vitamin D, click here.

So what do we do now??

Easy Tips to Protect Yourself:

1. Eat food that contains Vitamin D.

As with any vitamin, I think it’s best to get all you can from food as opposed to supplements.  For vitamin D, the best sources are fatty fish (think salmon, tuna), but mushrooms, beef liver, cheese, egg yolks and several others also contain small amounts.  See the table below for more foods that contain vitamin D.  If you've read my other posts, you know I would not vote for the dairy sources of food to get your vitamin.  Why not dress up your eggs with leafy greens for breakfast?  One of our favorites!

2. Take a high quality supplement.

You'll notice as you peruse the table below that it's VERY hard to get enough vitamin D from food alone unless of course cod liver oil is your weakness, in which case, drink on, brave soul!  If you also live in a place where you don’t get year round sun (man, that’d be nice), then you probably need to take a supplement.  Some multi-vitamins now have 1000 IUs of vitamin D, which is great.  Otherwise, you can pick up a high quality Vitamin D3 supplement from your local store.  Try to take it with food that contains fat (olive oil, eggs, nuts, etc) since it is a fat soluble vitamin and doing so will help you absorb more.  

3.  Get some sun!

The guideline is to get 15-20 minutes of direct sun exposure every day if you can to help ensure you reap all of the health benefits discussed above.  It's hard in places with very long winters to get that much direct sun exposure, so supplementing is especially important in winter months.  If you live in a place with year-round sun, then direct sunlight will give you all you need - no supplementing for you! But remember, after you get your 15-20, go inside and apply sunblock.  

4. Talk to your doctor.

Vitamin D levels can easily be tested in your blood.   Simply ask your doctor to run the test for you.  This is especially important if you’re older, or at a higher risk of bone fracture.  If you are deficient, your doctor will likely prescribe you a high dose (e.g. 50,000 IU) supplement to take weekly for a month and you’ll be back to good in no time!  Just remember to keep supplementing with normal doses (or food, sunlight) after that.

Table from the National Institutes of Health:  Selected Food Sources of Vitamin D
Food	IUs per serving*	Percent DV**
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon	1,360	340
Swordfish, cooked, 3 ounces	566	142
Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces	447	112
Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces	154	39
Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup (check product labels, as amount of added vitamin D varies)	137	34
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup	115-124	29-31
Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces (more heavily fortified yogurts provide more of the DV)	80	20
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon	60	15
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines	46	12
Liver, beef, cooked, 3 ounces	42	11
Egg, 1 large (vitamin D is found in yolk)	41	10
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV)	40	10
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce	6	2

* IUs = International Units.

** DV = Daily Value. DVs were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help consumers compare the nutrient contents among products within the context of a total daily diet. The DV for vitamin D is currently set at 400 IU for adults and children age 4 and older. Food labels, however, are not required to list vitamin D content unless a food has been fortified with this nutrient. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient, but foods providing lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet.

Source: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind/