Cookin' Up Good Health......For The Culture!!

March is National Nutrition Month……one of my favorite times of the year. And, this month on my blog, I’m featuring the benefits of specific phytochemicals and some recipes for you to start Cookin Up Good Health!!  This month, also means I am one month closer to my 27 year anniversary of being free of Breast Cancer. Yaaayy Me!!  Thank You Jesus!!

Much is often said about how poorly people of color eat, especially African-Americans.  I’m so tired of it. And, I disagree.  Surely, we could make better choices, however, a lot of our historic “cultural foods” are POWERHOUSES of Phytochemical Benefits for our health.

Phytochemicals also called phytonutrients- like genestein, lycopene and and sulforaphane- are any of various bioactive chemical compounds in plants, which are considered not only to benefit health but to PHYT disease.   In simple terms, our food contains substances that really fight cancer, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease and much more.  And, they are ONLY found in plant foods.  One of the best things I EVER found out was how beneficial some of my favorite cultural foods were…….including cabbage, broccoli and all kinds of greens!!  Yum, Yum.

Apparently, chewing these foods releases a group of phytochemicals that includes one called sulforaphane.  “Sulforaphane prevents certain enzymes from activating cancer-causing agents in the body and increases the body's production of other enzymes that clean carcinogens out of the system before they can damage cells.” (Breast Cancer Research Program).   

AND, cruciferous foods like broccoli, cabbage, collards, brussel sprouts and other greens also do an amazing job of detoxification as they are metabolized. As a matter of fact, when they are digested, they assist the liver in its chemical pathways, in rendering toxic substances harmless via the sulphur containing compounds that they provide.  That is beneficial to preventing and combatting ALL Diseases! Combine those foods with some onions and garlic (which work similarly), some black-eye peas, brown rice, sweet potatoes and cornbread and that sounds like dinner to me! (Recipes from my Cookbook Cookin’ Up Good Health follow).  And, you can catch a few cooking demos here!!

So, get to dumping all those harmful ingredients we used to flavor our otherwise “healthy food” with, replace with healthier seasonings and get to Cookin’ Up Good Health! For The Culture!!

Steamed Cabbage

Olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

½ large green pepper, sliced

2 tablespoons McKay’s chicken like seasoning

2 tablespoons BAKON seasoning

1 cup water

1 head cabbage, shredded

Sauté onion and bell pepper in small amount of olive oil.  Add chicken like seasoning and bacon-like seasoning and stir.  Add water and bring to boil.  Stir in cabbage and bring back to boil. (add more water if necessary). Reduce heat and simmer UNCOVERED until desired tenderness is reached. Serves 6-8

Savory Broccoli

Olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

6-8 cups fresh, chopped broccoli

Water

McKay’s Chicken like seasoning

In a large saucepan, sauté onion and garlic.  Stir in broccoli. Add enough water to keep broccoli from sticking to pan, about ½ - 1 cup.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer UNCOVERED! until desired tenderness is reached.  Season to taste with chicken like seasoning. Serves 4-6

Fresh Collard Green Salad

2 cups raw, young tender collards, shredded

2 cups raw green cabbage, shredded

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

½ medium red onion, chopped fine

1 medium tomato, chopped

Soy baco bits or Veggie Bacon cooked and broken into small pieces (optional)

In a medium bowl, mix collards, cabbage, parsley and onion.  Pour in 1-2 cups of your favorite oil based salad dressing (I like raspberry vinaigrette) let marinade 4 hours to overnight.  Pour out marinade and place salad in serving bowl.  Top with diced tomato and optional baco bits or veggie bacon. Serves 6

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

1 small head cauliflower, washed and chopped

1/2 - 3/4 cup non-dairy milk

1 teaspoon McCormick Garlic and Herb flavored seasoning

2 teaspoons McKay’s Chicken Style Seasoning

1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes

1/2 -1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Paprika and chopped parsley for garnish.

Place peeled potatoes and chopped cauliflower in water to boil.  When tender, drain.  Mash well, then add other ingredients and adjust to taste.  Garnish with paprika and chopped parsley.  Serves 8.

Happy National Nutrition Month!!  Enjoy Those Plant Powered Cultural Foods!! It’s First Thursday Yawl!!

I’m Still Shoutin’ Ova Here!!

Donna

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