Ingredient 911: Flaxseed- A Superfood

Although flaxseed has been cultivated for centuries, it’s recently become extremely popular because of its numerous health benefits.  This tiny seed packs a big nutritional punch!  Although flaxseed has been touted to cure just about every disease from diabetes and heart disease to cancer, the full effects of flaxseed in the human body are still not completely known and more studies are needed.  Here is a link to the evidence on the effects of flaxseed on various medical conditions from the Mayo Clinic.  What is known for sure is that flaxseed is rich in several important compounds including omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and phytochemicals, all of which have very important health benefits and should be included in a nutritious diet. 

Flaxseed can be purchased at most natural foods stores or health food stores and comes whole, ground (milled) or as an oil.  It also comes in golden or brown varieties but there's no nutritional difference between the two.  Whole flaxseed has a tough exterior, which makes it difficult to digest, so it tends to pass through the body without giving you much of its nutritional benefits.  The ground form is absorbed better by the body and provides much more health benefits.  Pre-ground flaxseed however, has a short shelf life so the best idea is to buy it whole and grind it up in a coffee or spice grinder as you need it.  You can store unused flaxseed in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. 

Flaxseed is high in protein and can be sprinkled on many foods like yogurt or oatmeal.  It also can be stirred into hot soups, stews and pasta sauces.  It can even be used in baking and can be incorporated into cakes, cookies and muffins.  It’s also a great addition to smoothies to add extra fiber and protein.  To reap all of the health benefits of flaxseed, it’s recommended that you eat 1-2 tablespoons a day.   

There are 3 main components that make flaxseed so good for you:

- Fiber:  Flaxseed is high in soluble and insoluble fiber.  A diet high in fiber has several health benefits including helping to reduce cholesterol levels, regulate blood pressure and promote heart health.  Fiber also helps to regulate blood sugar levels.  It’s also really important in maintaining bowel integrity and regularity. It may also play a role in preventing colorectal cancer but the evidence is mixed.  

- Omega-3 Fatty Acids:  Omega-3 fatty acids are essential compounds that our bodies need to function.  However, because we don’t naturally produce omega-3s, we must get them from our diet.  Flaxseed contains high levels of alpha linoleic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that is partially converted to the omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that are mainly found in fatty fish like salmon.  Omega-3s have been shown to have incredible health benefits.  They reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by several different mechanisms including lowering triglycerides and reducing blood clotting.  They also are important for neurologic development, especially in fetal development and young children.  They may help reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly but more studies are needed.  Because they work to reduce inflammation, omega-3s may improve symptoms in diseases such as arthritis and asthma.  Other good food sources of ALA are canola oil, soybean oil and walnuts.

- Phytochemicals:  Flaxseed is packed with phytochemicals, which are compounds found in plants that are beneficial to the body.  They are an especially rich source of lignans, which are compounds that mimic the action of the hormone estrogen in our bodies.  Lignans also have strong antioxidant properties.  The lignans in flaxseed may provide some protection against cancers that are sensitive to hormones such as breast cancer.  Lignans also have an anti-inflammatory effect, which plays a role in preventing certain diseases like asthma.  Lignans help reduce inflammation associated with plaque build-up in the arteries, thereby helping to prevent heart attacks and stroke.

Of note, flaxseed oil contains omega-3s but does not have the fiber and lignans found in the rest of the seed. 

Now you know why I said this amazing little seed is packed with nutrition!  If you’re looking for an easy way to incorporate flaxseed into your diet, try my Blueberry Banana Flaxseed Smoothie.  Blueberries, another superfood, are higher in antioxidants than any other fruit.  They’re also packed with fiber and several vitamins including Vitamin C.  Greek yogurt adds tangy flavor and a boost of protein while the bananas, honey and almond extract add sweetness.  Throw in some flaxseed and it’s the perfect, nutritious drink to get you going in the morning or anytime of day.  Enjoy!

Blueberry Banana Flaxseed Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

2 tablespoons whole flaxseed

1 ripe banana*

1 cup blueberries

½ cup fat free Greek yogurt

¾ cup skim milk

1 tablespoon honey

¼ teaspoon almond extract

6 ice cubes

Place the flaxseed in a blender and blend until it is ground.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.  Garnish with blueberries.

*For even better results, freeze the banana ahead of time

One serving: Calories 254; Fat 5.6g (Sat 0.6g); Protein 12.3g; Carb 42.9g; Fiber 6.6g

References:

The Natural Standard Research Collaboration, Mayo Clinic Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil (Linum usitatissimum): Evidence

Dietary Fiber; Mayo Clinic  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/NU00033/

Omega-3 Fatty Acids; WebMD  http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/omega-3-fatty-acids-fact-sheet 
The Benefits of Flaxseed; WebMD  http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed

Dining with the Doc: Black Bean & Quinoa Veggie Burgers

I have a lot of vegetarian followers and they’re always asking me for hearty, vegetarian recipes. One of them recently asked me to create a good vegetarian burger.  I love to make burgers and have competed in several burger contests but I have to admit that I’m not as experienced with making veggies burgers.  With traditional burgers, it’s simply a matter of mixing ground meat with flavorings and putting some interesting toppings on.  But making a great veggie burger is a bit more complex.  First of all, I wanted to make sure that these meat-free burgers were filling and hearty enough to satisfy a serious hunger craving.  Secondly, I wanted to infuse the burgers with lots of interesting flavors and textures.  And finally, I wanted to ensure that the burgers were sturdy enough so that they wouldn’t fall apart during the cooking process.  For any of you carnivores out there who think you don’t like veggie burgers, I hope my Black Bean & Quinoa Veggie Burgers will change your mind.

For the main base of my burger, I decided to use nutritious, hearty black beans and quinoa.  Black beans are packed with protein and fiber along with several essential vitamins and minerals like B complex vitamins, potassium, magnesium and iron.  They’re also loaded with antioxidants, which help prevent chronic diseases.  Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a grain-like crop that’s recently become very popular because of its numerous health benefits but it’s actually been around for centuries. It has many unique qualities and health benefits such as a very high protein content (about twice that of regular cereal grains), which makes it a great source of protein for vegetarians.  It is also a good source of dietary fiber and several vitamins and minerals including B complex vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium.  And it’s gluten-free which makes it a nice option for people who are gluten-intolerant.  Quinoa is not only a great choice for vegetarians, but also for anyone trying to cut down their intake of refined, processed carbohydrates while increasing their whole grains.

Quinoa and oats

It’s important to get the right combination of ingredients so that the burgers have a good texture and aren’t a mushy mess when you bite into them.  To add texture to the patties, I kept some of the black beans whole and also added in some sweet corn.  Then came the issue of the patties falling apart.  The first time I made these burgers, they came out loose and fell apart while cooking so I knew I needed to add some kind of binder.  After searching through my cabinets, I decided to use Quaker oats.  Although most of us think of oats as mainly a breakfast food, they are actually quite versatile.  If you grind them up in a food processor, they form crumbs that can successfully be used to add fiber and bulk to meatloaf, meatballs and veggie burgers- much more nutritious than using traditional breadcrumbs. Oats are whole grains that are loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Because they are packed with fiber, they help lower cholesterol and may reduce the risk of heart disease.  Oats have also been shown to help control blood sugar levels and maintain a healthy blood pressure.  The fiber will also keep you feeling full for a long time thereby cutting down on snacking. 

I wanted to infuse my burgers with lots of spices and flavorings so I decided to go with a Southwest theme and use chipotles in adobo, which are canned, smoked jalapeno peppers.  In addition to the chipotles, I mix in cumin, cilantro, onions and garlic.  It’s important to refrigerate the patties for several hours before cooking them as this will help them hold their shape. I bake my patties in the oven at 400 degrees, which produces a nice golden crust on the outside but if you prefer, you can fry them in a small amount of oil.  I serve my veggie burgers on multigrain Kaiser rolls topped with slices of avocado, a handful of baby greens and a cooling yogurt sauce but feel free to customize your burger any way you like.  I like to serve them with my Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges on the side.  One tip- if you have leftover patties, store them in the freezer.  Then you can enjoy a delicious and healthy vegetarian meal any night of the week.  

Black Bean & Quinoa Veggie Burgers

Makes 6 burgers

Patties:

½ cup quinoa

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt

2 cans black beans (15.5 oz each), rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 large egg

2/3 cup cooked corn (canned or fresh)

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon minced chipotles in adobo

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 cup rolled oats, ground into crumbs

Yogurt Sauce:

½ cup fat free Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon minced chipotles in adobo + ½ teaspoon adobo sauce from the can

1 teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

6 multigrain hamburger rolls, lightly toasted

Lettuce, avocado slices, and tomatoes for toppings (optional)

Place the quinoa in a small saucepan along with 1 cup of water.  Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and cover the pan.  Cook 10-15 minutes until the water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked.  Remove from heat.  

Heat the oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat and add the onion and garlic.  Season them with a pinch of salt and sauté until onions are softened, 5-6 minutes.  Place the mixture into a large bowl.  Add approximately 1½ cans of black beans to the bowl and using a potato masher or fork, mash all of the ingredients together until a pasty mixture forms. 

Stir in the remaining beans along with the tomato paste, egg, corn, cilantro, chipotles, cumin and ½ teaspoon salt.  Stir in the cooked quinoa and ground oats until evenly distributed.

Form the mixture into 6 equal patties, compacting them well with your hands as you form them.  Place the patties on a baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a few hours or overnight. 

To make the yogurt sauce, stir the yogurt, chipotles, adobo sauce, honey and mustard together in a small bowl. 

When ready to eat, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place the patties on the sheet.  Cook 10-12 minutes until the patties are golden brown and crispy, then carefully flip the over and cook another 10 minutes.  Serve patties on the buns with the yogurt sauce and toppings of your choice.

One serving (1 patty plus yogurt sauce): Calories 281; Fat 3.7g (Sat 0.7g); Protein 16g; Carb 47.3g; Fiber 12.6g
* Because of the wide variety of buns and toppings, the nutritional info above only includes the patties and yogurt sauce.  I used Arnold Select multi-grain Kaiser rolls, which have 150 calories, 1.5g fat, 0 sat. fat, 6g protein, 27g carbs and 3g fiber per roll.


References:

USDA Nutrient Database

Dining with the Doc: Honeydew Lemonade

After another beautiful, warm weekend in New York City, I was once again inspired to make a delicious and refreshing drink.  Now that the local farmers' markets are brimming with mouthwatering summer fruit, I like to stock up on these seasonal delights.  To keep things interesting, I’m always trying to find new and creative ways to use the fruit.  For example, I love making fresh drinks- they’re perfect on a hot day and they make it really easy to get in a few servings of nutritious fruit.  A few weeks ago I made a Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade which was a big hit, so I figured I would stick with the lemonade theme and incorporate the ripe honeydew melon that I had sitting on my counter.  

I love honeydew but I sometimes hesitate to buy a whole melon since it’s just me and my husband eating it so we usually have a lot left over.  This is actually a perfect recipe to use up any leftover fruit that you may have sitting in the fridge.  Honeydew is packed with plenty of Vitamin C to help boost your immune system- 1 cup of diced melon has about half of your daily recommended amount.  It also is a good source of several other vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin B6, folate and potassium. 

This recipe is really easy- simply puree the fruit in a blender and add fresh lemon juice, water and a sweetener of your choice.  I used agave nectar, but you can use whatever you like such as honey, Stevia or simple syrup made with sugar.  The amount you use depends on how sweet the honeydew is.  So start with a little- you can always add more if needed.  Remember, this is just one possibility but I encourage you to have fun and experiment with all sorts of fruit combinations.  Enjoy!

Honeydew Lemonade

Makes 6 servings

2 lbs. honeydew melon (about 1/2 medium melon)

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 ½ cups water

3 tablespoons agave nectar

Peel and cube the honeydew and puree it in a blender.  You should have about 2 cups of puree.  Pour it into a pitcher along with the lemon juice, water, and agave nectar.  Stir to combine well.  Serve over ice. 

One serving: Calories 89; Fat 0.3g (Sat 0.1g); Protein 0.9g; Carb 23.2g; Fiber 1.3g

References:

USDA Nutrient Database

Cook Once, Eat Twice: Tandoori Chicken Pizza

If you read my last post, you know that I believe in the "cook once, eat twice" philosophy.  When I make a dish that requires a little bit of time in the kitchen, I will usually double the recipe and transform the leIftovers into an entirely different meal on another day.  It's a real timesaver and I also find it to be a fun challenge.  My Tandoori Chicken Kabobs are a perfect example of this.  After my last post I had some extra chicken, so I decided to use the leftovers to make one of my favorite dishes- Tandoori Chicken Pizza.    

I’m really excited to post this recipe because it’s definitely a crowd-pleaser.  I love taking international flavors and incorporating them into classic American dishes.  This dish has a nice mix of sweet and savory flavors and who doesn’t love pizza?  I like to make my own pizza dough when I have the time but for this recipe, I took a shortcut and used a ball of pizza dough that I bought from my local pizzeria.  Most pizzerias will gladly sell you some of their dough but if you’d like, you can also use refrigerated or frozen pizza dough from the grocery store.  To make the recipe more nutritious and incorporate some whole grains, I used whole-wheat pizza dough.  Whole grains have high amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and it is recommended in the USDA Dietary Guidelines that at least half of the grains we consume should be whole grains. 

Whole wheat pizza dough dusted with cornmeal

Instead of tomato sauce, I spread sweet mango chutney on the dough and sprinkle on pieces of spicy Tandoori chicken.  To add color and texture, I also top the pizza with reduced-fat mozzarella cheese and slices of yellow bell pepper and red onion.  And for a final burst of flavor, I like to serve the dish with a homemade cilantro yogurt sauce that I drizzle on the hot pizza when it comes out of the oven.  I like the way the cooling, tangy yogurt sauce balances out the sweetness of the mango chutney and spiciness of the chicken. 

To achieve the perfect crust with a crispy exterior and doughy interior, you need a really hot oven.  Restaurants use wood-burning ovens that reach extremely high temperatures, something home ovens are not designed to do.  The best way to achieve restaurant quality pizza in your own kitchen is to invest in a pizza stone.  A pizza stone is a heavy stone made of clay or ceramic that holds heat exceptionally well and evenly distributes it, thus mimicking the effects of a commercial pizza oven.  Because it is made of porous material, it also serves to pull moisture from the surface of the dough producing a perfectly crispy crust.  To get the maximal benefit from the pizza stone, place it on the lowest rack in a cold oven and preheat it for at least 30 minutes before using it. 

Pizza stone

Another great tool for making perfect pizza at home is a pizza peel.  A pizza peel is a wide, flat wooden paddle used to transfer the pizza in and out of the oven.  Its front edge is tapered so that it can easily slip under the pizza.  It is important to use a generous dusting of cornmeal (can also use semolina or breadcrumbs) on the peel before transferring the dough onto it.  The grains act as ball bearings and allow the pizza to slide easily on and off the peel.  Without it, the pizza will stick to it and you won’t be able to easily transfer it into the oven. 

Pizza peel

If you haven’t used a peel before, you may want to try it out with smaller pizzas first since they are easier to maneuver.  You can cut the dough for this recipe in half and make two separate pizzas.  If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can always bake the pizza on a regular baking sheet but keep in mind that the crust won’t get as crispy.    

Tandoori Chicken Pizza

Makes 1 large pizza or 6 servings

1 ball (1 lb.) prepared whole-wheat pizza dough, at room temperature

1 tablespoon cornmeal

¾ cup store-bought mango chutney such as Major Grey’s

1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

3 leftover Tandoori chicken kabobs, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon olive oil

Cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)

Cilantro Yogurt Sauce:

1/3 cup fat free Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

½ teaspoon chopped ginger

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

Place a pizza stone on the lowest rack of the oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees for at least 30 minutes. 

Roll the pizza dough out to a 15-inch circle.  Sprinkle the cornmeal on a pizza peel and transfer the dough onto the peel.  Alternatively, if you don’t have a pizza peel, you can use a baking sheet.  Spread the mango chutney evenly over the dough leaving a ½-inch border.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and chopped chicken over the chutney.  Toss the pepper and onion slices with the oil and sprinkle them evenly over the pizza.    

Transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone.  Bake 10-15 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese is melted. 

While the pizza is baking, prepare the cilantro yogurt sauce.  Place the yogurt, cilantro, ginger, lemon juice and salt in a mini food processor or blender and puree until smooth. 

When the pizza is done, remove it from the oven and drizzle cilantro yogurt sauce on top.  Garnish with cilantro leaves.  Devour!

One serving: Calories 341; Fat 8.5g (Sat 2.2g); Protein 19.5g; Carb 43g; Fiber 9g


What are your favorite pizza toppings?  Leave a comment and let me know!