The Educated Eater Canada

SEPTEMBER Feature Food: Basil

By: Suzanne Brett, RHN – Victoria, BC

Herbage!  This might be the first time that I write about an herb as the food of the month, but it likely won‘t be the last.  This is your lucky month, because every time I write about herbs I get happy and that means the article reads happy.  Herbs are such amazing nutrient boosters and so, so essential for providing health promoting properties and preventing disease.

This summer, for some amazing reason, my basil was shooting up into the sky very early in the summer.  Although, for most, NOW is the time for basil; after it’s absorbed so much of the summer sun.  As I walk through and past all the gardens in Victoria, I’m noticing more and more basil in September.

So, for those of you who have basil flourishing in your gardens currently and aren’t using it, here’s why you should start today… and for those of you without basil or any other herbs, I strongly recommend you consider planting some for next year and borrow some from your neighbour this year.

1. Basil is used throughout the Mediterranean and Asia in many of our favorite dishes.  It compliments both the spicy Asian foods and the rich Italian foods really well. It has a fragrant and full flavour that is very versatile.  It’s what makes cooking a simple dinner easy.  Just add basil, good quality oil, garlic and you’re rockin’!

2.  It provides a very large amount of Vitamin K.  What is Vitamin K for, you ask?  Well, many qualities come to mind, although most importantly; research shows that in some cases Vitamin K is proven to be even more beneficial than Vitamin D is in cancer prevention.  Particularly for protecting our cells from free-radical damage due to chemical exposure, pollution, radiation and poor quality foods among many other things.

3. Basil is also high in Magnesium, a mineral essential in cardiovascular care and maintenance.  It’s part of the reason our hearts beat normally, providing oxygenated clean blood into the rest of our systems and producing energy.  That’s pretty crucial, is it not?

4.  It is also quite high in Vitamin A (beta-carotene) which is a powerful antioxidant, therefore adding an extra benefit to basil for cancer protection, more specifically, cellular tissue; the precious protective lining around all of our mighty special cells.

5. Among all of these essential nutrients that basil provides, it also contains an array of spectacular healing benefits.  Basil contains anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.  Therefore it can help in the event that you’re suffering from any inflammatory conditions, allergies, arthritis, stress disorders and then also bacterial infections, due to parasites, the flu, gut imbalances and skin conditions.

The easiest way to consume basil is by breaking it up with your fingers over a dish after it’s been plated.  Not only is this the easiest way, it’s also one of the best ways of preserving all of those powerful and health promoting properties, by not cutting them away into the cutting board.
The next best way, is to make a big jar of pesto, and keep it in the fridge or freezer for adding that quick flavor punch to any meal.

Eaten raw – mixed in with your salad greens, sprinkled on dishes, in a pesto, salad dressing etc. – is the best way of preserving these nutrients and properties that are oh- so-valuable.  Another way is by cooking it into dishes in the last 5 minutes.  Stir-fry’s, pastas, fish, meat and baked casseroles, vegetables etc.

Here’s my pesto recipe for you to try!

Basic Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups (packed) fresh basil
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup pine nuts (almonds,walnuts or pumpkin seeds may be substituted)
• 5 cloves garlic (if using to cook or marinade) 3 cloves (if using raw, in a dressing or dip)
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor, until nuts are ground. Pesto should still have texture and not be completely smooth.
2. Add more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
3. For variety, you can add 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

AUGUST Feature Food: Figs

By: Suzanne Brett, RHN – Victoria, BC

Figs are an amazingly luscious fruit that grows bountifully across the Mediterranean and California.  Although, much to our advantage, there are surprisingly many trees planted in N. America as well. The last place I lived, in Vancouver, had four fig trees between us and our neighbors, and the harvest was overwhelming. We ate, dried, jarred, jammed and shared with plenty of friends, family and birds.

There are over 154 varieties of figs. Many different colors; ranging from light green to dark purple skins and light pink to deep purple flesh. Among the most common varieties are: kalamata, vista, dessert king, negretta, red Lebanese, black mission, flanders and monstreuse.

Figs are known as the fertile fruit. This may have something to do with the resemblance they have to a specific part of men’s privates. Although it is also talked about that they create bio-chemical reactions that support our bodies’ reproductive systems. For women, they help provide a cozy uterine lining and fertile egg production. In men, they help with sperm production, count and efficacy. The fact that figs contain a vast amount of B6, may also have something to do with their use for fertility support. Vitamin B6 is very helpful for balancing the reproductive system, PMS, and other hormonal symptoms/conditions.

They are also very high in fiber and potassium which makes figs a great snack for anyone with cardiovascular issues, problems with constipation or just generally low fiber diets. Research has shown that they’re great support for people with heart conditions, high sodium diets or for preventing post menopausal breast cancer.

For diabetics, the fig leaves have been proven to help rebalance insulin levels. They are anti-oxidant rich, meaning they’ll help restore cellular health and combat free-radical damage with anyone concerned about cancer prevention

My favorite way to eat figs is fresh off the tree. There’s nothing like a big juicy fresh fig that‘s just barely dangling from the branch! If you haven’t previously been a fan or are skeptical about them at all, I suggest first having them on a salad with your favorite balsamic dressing or try my fig jam recipe below. If you jar them you can save them for the winter….what a lovely winter surprise!

Fresh Fig Jam

Ingredients:

• 1lb. figs (about 10-12 figs)
• 1 lrg sprig of fresh rosemary (about 6” long)
• ½ cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon  zest, from 1 lrg lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 TBSP fresh grated ginger
• ½ cup honey or maple syrup
• ¼ cup raw sugar (or coconut sugar, stevia…)
• 1-2 whole vanilla beans, scraped

Directions:

1. Wash and trim stems from the figs.
2. Add all ingredients into a large crock pot and simmer on low-med heat.
3. Once sugar has dissolved and figs have released their juices, turn heat to high and bring to a boil.
4. Stir periodically.
5. Once fully thickened (the syrup should be slowly dripping off your spoon, or sticking to it), remove from heat.
6. Spoon jam into glass jam jars and let cool.
7. Cover with lids and place in fridge for consumption within 10-14 days OR properly can/preserve them and store for later use.