A Good Food Day: Reboot Your Health with Food That Tastes Great (20 page)
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Authors: Marco Canora,Tammy Walker
BOOK: A Good Food Day: Reboot Your Health with Food That Tastes Great
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BASIC QUINOA
MAKES 3 CUPS
MAKES 3 CUPS
If you have any skepticism about the appeal of grains, quinoa should be your gateway grain. Quinoa’s subtle, nutty flavor and springy, chewy texture are incredibly versatile, and it cooks in 15 minutes flat. Like rice, quinoa is gluten-free, but it’s more generous in the fiber department and is protein-rich, making it a go-to grain for meatless meals. White quinoa is the most common variety, but you’ll find red and black too. We make a batch a couple of times a week and use it as a base for salads, toss it with leafy greens for added texture, and sprinkle it over roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or carrots. I especially love a few spoonfuls of quinoa stirred in a broth-based soup because it reminds me of pastina, those tiny star-shaped pastas.
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In its natural state, quinoa is coated in bitter-tasting compounds called saponins that are usually washed off before you buy it. Not all packaging tells you if quinoa has been prewashed, though (and you won’t know if you buy quinoa from a bulk bin), so it’s a good idea to give it an extra rinse.
1 cup quinoa
2 cups broth (for richer-tasting quinoa) or water
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1
Put the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it under cold water, swishing the quinoa around with your hand. Drain thoroughly.
Put the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it under cold water, swishing the quinoa around with your hand. Drain thoroughly.
2
In a saucepan, combine the quinoa, broth, and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. The quinoa should look translucent and have tiny white spirals (the outer germ) around each seed.
In a saucepan, combine the quinoa, broth, and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. The quinoa should look translucent and have tiny white spirals (the outer germ) around each seed.
3
Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes, covered. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and serve. Store leftover quinoa in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes, covered. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and serve. Store leftover quinoa in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
QUINOA
PANZANELLA
SERVES 4
PANZANELLA
SERVES 4
I grew up eating loads of panzanella every summer. While I love the classic Tuscan bread-and-tomato salad, I’ve found white quinoa makes a damn good version. What’s cool about the quinoa here is its absorption power: Just like bread, it soaks up all the flavorful juices from the mixture of ripe tomatoes, olive oil, cucumber, basil, red onion, and capers. To make it more of a meal, my mom occasionally added a can of olive oil–poached tuna to her panzanella salad. In my version, fresh wild salmon steps in. The flavors pop a little more when this is served soon after assembly, while the salmon is still warm. But you can still expect a tasty result if you make it a couple of hours ahead of time, refrigerate it, and serve later at room temperature. If you do this, leave out the tomatoes and toss those in just before serving, so they don’t make the salad soggy in the refrigerator.
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Don’t press on or fiddle with the salmon. Fish wants to be left alone as it cooks.
Without the salmon, this salad is still delicious and filling enough for a light meal because the quinoa provides protein. It also works well as a side dish to any roasted fish.
SALMON
1 (8-ounce) skin-on wild salmon fillet
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
SALAD½ medium red onion, diced
½ pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ cucumber, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons capers (in brine or salt-packed), rinsed
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1
For the salmon: Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.
For the salmon: Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.
2
In a 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. As the first wisps of smoke come off the oil, add the fish to the pan skin-side down and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook until the skin begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the fish and cook until it feels slightly firm when you press on it, about 2 minutes.
In a 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. As the first wisps of smoke come off the oil, add the fish to the pan skin-side down and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook until the skin begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the fish and cook until it feels slightly firm when you press on it, about 2 minutes.
3
Transfer the fillet to a cutting board skin-side up. Peel off the skin and use a knife to gently scrape away the gray bloodline. With a fork, flake the fillet into little pieces.
Transfer the fillet to a cutting board skin-side up. Peel off the skin and use a knife to gently scrape away the gray bloodline. With a fork, flake the fillet into little pieces.
4
For the salad: In a large bowl, combine the onion, tomatoes, cucumber, basil, and capers. Add the cooled quinoa, flaked salmon, vinegar, and olive oil and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the salad: In a large bowl, combine the onion, tomatoes, cucumber, basil, and capers. Add the cooled quinoa, flaked salmon, vinegar, and olive oil and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
THE
WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT WHOLE GRAINS
WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT WHOLE GRAINS
You know the term “whole grain” is flawed when you cruise the cereal aisle at your grocery store and see rows of boxes featuring cartoon leprechauns and toucans boasting “made with whole grains!” next to ingredient lists filled with sugars and artificial coloring. If this kind of fluff can sport a whole-grain label, how are we supposed to know what whole grains are the genuine article?
This calls for a look inside a kernel of grain. First, there’s the hull—the tough and usually inedible outermost layer. Then come the integral bran and germ layers, home to flavor, fiber, protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Finally, there’s the starchy endosperm. When grains are refined, the nutrient-packed germ and bran are stripped away and only the endosperm is used. The refined result is the simple carbohydrate junk that I used to eat in mountainous portions: starchy, fiber-deprived foods like white flour, bagels, and white bread that have the same negative effects as eating a pile of sugar.
A whole grain contains the entire grain kernel—the bran, germ, and endosperm. But according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a food can be labeled whole grain even if these three components are no longer intact. This means manufacturers can blast them apart and pulverize them before incorporating them into foods like “whole grain” cereal with rainbow marshmallows. Processing extends shelf life, but reduces grains’ vitamin, fiber, and antioxidant content and raises their
glycemic index
. Also, when grains are ground, the insides of the kernels are exposed to air and start to oxidize, becoming a breeding ground for free radicals. Too much exposure to free radicals and you raise the stakes on age-related disease (
see more on this
).
glycemic index
. Also, when grains are ground, the insides of the kernels are exposed to air and start to oxidize, becoming a breeding ground for free radicals. Too much exposure to free radicals and you raise the stakes on age-related disease (
see more on this
).
Understanding that grain processing takes a toll doesn’t mean you have to throw in the towel on them entirely. Even though they’re processed, the whole wheat pastas in this chapter and the rye bread I use for breakfast sandwiches are undoubtedly more nutritionally legit and flavorful than any refined grain options. Just make sure that whole grain is listed as the first ingredient and that there are no added sugars.
For the absolute best whole-grain sources of fiber, naturally occurring vitamins, and diabetes and heart disease defense, choose
intact
whole grains. Unlike their ground-up counterparts, intact grains have gone through relatively little processing—you can still see the grain kernel—and they take longer to digest, delaying hunger and giving you lasting energy. Intact grains like quinoa, brown rice, farro, freekeh, and millet make up most of this chapter, and the steel-cut oats and buckwheat groats in the breakfast chapter fit the bill too. While it’s smart to choose whole wheat bread over white bread, the real slam dunk is trading breakfast toast for a bowl of steel-cut oats and replacing a few sandwiches with grain salads.
intact
whole grains. Unlike their ground-up counterparts, intact grains have gone through relatively little processing—you can still see the grain kernel—and they take longer to digest, delaying hunger and giving you lasting energy. Intact grains like quinoa, brown rice, farro, freekeh, and millet make up most of this chapter, and the steel-cut oats and buckwheat groats in the breakfast chapter fit the bill too. While it’s smart to choose whole wheat bread over white bread, the real slam dunk is trading breakfast toast for a bowl of steel-cut oats and replacing a few sandwiches with grain salads.
Shaved Asparagus, Avocado, and Quinoa Salad
SHAVED ASPARAGUS, AVOCADO, AND QUINOA SALAD
SERVES 4
SERVES 4
The inspiration for this salad came from my friend Jim Lahey, who has a killer pizza restaurant called Co. around the corner from where I live. They make a green salad of shaved raw asparagus and chunks of creamy avocado that lures me in as much as the pizza does. My riff on the salad has red quinoa for protein and another layer of texture, plus a handful of fresh mint, scallions, and a squeeze of lime juice. Any variety of quinoa works, but I prefer red for its deeper, nuttier flavor and the color contrast it adds.
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1 bunch asparagus (medium or fat stalks are best)
1 avocado, cut into ½-inch chunks
1 bunch scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh mint leaves, torn with your fingers
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1
Working over a cutting board, shave the asparagus into thin ribbons by holding the tough end of the spear and using a vegetable peeler to peel toward the tip. Throw away the tough ends after peeling.
Working over a cutting board, shave the asparagus into thin ribbons by holding the tough end of the spear and using a vegetable peeler to peel toward the tip. Throw away the tough ends after peeling.
2
Pile the asparagus ribbons in a large salad bowl and add the avocado, scallions, mint, and quinoa. Dress with the lime juice and olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to avoid mashing up the avocado chunks.
Pile the asparagus ribbons in a large salad bowl and add the avocado, scallions, mint, and quinoa. Dress with the lime juice and olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to avoid mashing up the avocado chunks.
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