Month: October 2016

Thank you Greg for providing this wonderful recipe for our community!

Ingredients:

1-2 large breadfruit (Ulu)

1 box of mushrooms (criminal or whatever kind you prefer)

fresh rosemary

green onions (chives are okay too)

fresh oregano

garlic ( a few cloves or a whole head depending on how garlicky you like it!)

shallots (6-8) depending on how much onion you prefer

+/- salt

Directions:

Wash all ingredients.  First, chop breadfruit into smaller pieces and start to steam in water.  In about 15-30 minutes, it will be soft and ready to mash.  In the meantime, you can mince the garlic and shallots and roast in the oven at 350 degrees.  Check on them periodically to see when they are slightly browned.  At that point, they will be ready to mix into the mixture.  Next, you can chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces.  Cook the mushrooms on the stove with water.  Now it is time to cut up the herbs.  If you have an herb miller, you can use that; or you can cut them with a knife.  Then, the throw the herbs in with the mushrooms.  You can leave some for garnish the dish later as well.  Once breadfruit is soft and ready to mash, take it off the stove and mash it with a spoon or whatever tool you prefer.  When mushrooms are browned with herbs, combine that into the mashed mixture.  Finally, add the browned garlic and shallots and mix.

Nutrient Contents:

Breadfruit:  Please see post on Chocolate Ulu Pie to see health benefits of Breadfruit.

Mushrooms: Crimini mushrooms are a low calorie, low fat source of fiber, potassium, B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. Fiber lowers cholesterol, maintains a steady blood sugar, and assists in digestion. Potassium is essential for muscle contraction and transmission of signals between nerves. B vitamins support metabolism and the immune system and promote cell growth.  Crimini mushrooms contain several antioxidants and trace minerals, copper and selenium. Copper is an antioxidant that plays a role in energy production, iron metabolism, and the formation of connective tissue. Selenium is an antioxidant and helps regulate thyroid hormone.  Mushrooms have been shown to prevent the build-up of cells in inflamed blood vessels and may therefore reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.  All mushrooms also suppress the growth of breast cancer cells.

Rosemary:  Rosemary is a good source of iron, calcium, and vitamin B6.  It  stimulates the immune system, increases circulation, and improves digestion. In addition, rosemary also contains anti-inflammatory compounds that may make it useful for reducing the severity of asthma attacks. Also, rosemary has been shown to improve concentration by increasing the blood flow to the head and brain.   Rosemary may prevent brain aging.  It contains carnosic acid, which is able to fight off free radical damage to the brain and prevent brain aging.

Oregano:   Oregano has a high content of manganese, calcium, iron, vitamin K, fiber. Research has shown that oregano can help liver function and speed up the process of toxin elimination.  It is packed with fiber, which helps maintain the health of the gut and increases nutrient uptake.  Oregano is a natural form of omega-3 fatty acids, which improves your heart health and helps rebalance your cholesterol levels and decrease inflammation in the cardiovascular system,  preventing heart attacks, and strokes!  It also contains rosmarinic acid and thymol, powerful antioxidants which improves your immune health and help prevent cancer.  These compounds are antibacterial, defending the body against a wide range of bacteria. Oregano also increases the production of white blood cells and speeds up the metabolism, enabling a quicker recovery from illness.

Onion:  Please see post on Mango Salsa to see health benefits of onions.

Garlic:  Besides keeping the vampires away, garlic has many other benefits!  Garlic is low in calories but very rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese. Garlic supplementation has been shown to boost immune system function.  It has been shown to reduce the number of colds and the duration of colds.   Studies have found garlic supplementation helpful in reducing blood pressure.  It was just as effective as treating blood pressure as Atenolol in one study!  Garlic also helps lower total and LDL cholesterol (the bad kind).  High doses of garlic supplements have been shown to increase antioxidants in humans.  These effects may help prevent common brain diseases like dementia.  At high doses, garlic have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.

Shallots:  Shallots have even more anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins than onions!  They contain vitamin A, pyridoxine, folates, thiamin, vitamin C.  Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.  They also contain iron, calcium, copper, potassium, and phosphorus

In addition, shallots are a rich source of flavonoid anti-oxidants, such as allicin.  Allicin reduces cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase enzyme in liver cells.  Allicin also decreases blood vessel stiffness by releasing a vasodilator chemical called nitric oxide, which helps reduce blood pressure. It also inhibits platelet clot-formation inside the blood vessels, decreasing risk for coronary artery disease,  peripheral vascular diseases, and stroke.  Allicin is also anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal!    Shallots also contain phyto-chemical compounds allium and allyl disulfide which are anti-mutagenic and protect from cancer.  These compounds also help lower blood sugar in diabetics.

References:

Busch, S.  (2011, June 5).  Health Benefits of Baby Bella Mushrooms.  Livestrong.com. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/408701-the-health-benefits-of-japanese-mushrooms/

Health Benefits of Oregano.  Organic Facts.  Retrieved from http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oregano.html

Leech, J.  Eleven Proven Health Benefits of Garlic.  Authority Nutrition: An Evidence Based Approach.  Retrieved from https://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-garlic/

Nordqvist,  J.  (2015, September 15).  Rosemary:  Health Benefits, Precautions, Drug Interactions.  Medical News Today.  Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266370.php

Rosemary.  The World’s Healthiest Foods.  Retrieved from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=75

Shallots Nutrition Facts.  Nutrition and You.  Retrieved from http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/shallots.html

A few months after falling from the tree,  the brown coconuts sprout to become a baby coconut tree.  It will grow into a fully mature coconut tree in 4 years.  Sprouts have more vitamins and nutrients than they do in an un-sprouted form. About a week after sprouting, the sprouts will have the highest bioavailability of nutrients. Seeds must contain all of the important nutrients that a plant will need to grow in its initial days…

Sprouts can help with weight loss!  They are very high in nutrients but very low in calories! The fiber in sprouts helps to make you feel full, both by adding bulk to your bowels, but also by inhibiting the release of ghrelin, the hunger hormone that tells our mind that we are ready to eat something. This reduces overeating and snacking.

Sprouts contain a lot of enzymes which help boost the various metabolic processes and chemical reactions within the body, specifically when it comes to digestion. They help to break down food effectively and increase the absorption of nutrients by the digestive tract. The fiber found in sprouts bulks up the stool, making it easier to pass through the digestive tract. Fiber stimulates gastric juices, which aid the enzymes already found in sprouts in breaking down food. Sprouts can clear constipation and diarrhea and help prevent colorectal cancer.

Sprouts are a rich source of protein, which is necessary for the creation and maintenance of cells, organ repair, skin regeneration, bone growth, and muscle development. Sprouts can replace meat as a source of protein for many people.  Antioxidants Iron and Copper are also found in sprouts.

Coconuts are a versatile food item rich in calories, vitamins, and minerals. They are a  good source of B-complex vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and pyridoxine.  Coconut meat and water contain a good amount of potassium. Coconut water is refreshing drink!   It is packed with sugars, electrolytes, minerals, and bioactive compounds and enzymes that aid in digestion and metabolism.  Cytokinins in coconut water have shown significant anti-ageing, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-thrombotic effects in studies.

The coconut kernel is a wonderful source of minerals like copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc.  Much of the calories come from the fats and protein. Caution if you have heart disease though, as the meat does have saturated fat.   However, the saturated fatty acid in the coconut is lauric acid, which can increase good HDL cholesterol levels in the blood.

References:

Coconut Nutrition Facts.  Nutrition and You.  Retrieved from http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/coconut.html