I'm trying to live a healthier lifestyle by exercising more and eating better. I've started riding my bicycle to the grocery store and to do local errands instead of driving, partly because it's good exercise but mainly because I refuse to pay $4 a gallon for gas when I can use the surplus fuel I store in my thighs and posterior (Ha Ha, kinda). It makes me feel somewhat superior to others who are sitting at the red light or waiting in long lines of traffic or the harried masses looking for a remotely close parking spot to the store. I like chaining my bike up, taking my shopping bags in hand (I DO use reusuable ones!) and striding in the door like the Green Champion I think I am. Maybe I feel like I'm getting one over on the government for the high gas prices (I haven't bought gas in 3 weeks!!) or maybe it's the primordial hunter/gatherer thing, but whatever it is, I am loving it.
I was hungry for something light and flavorful the other day so I picked up some cabbage and asian pears at Albertson's, pedaled back home and rummaged around in my pantry and fridge and came up with a recipe for a really healthy, really delicious salad that is good enough to serve alone or as a side.
The cabbage gives it some good fiber and the edamame gives it protein so it's basically complete enough on it's own, but if you add some tofu or chicken or maybe some grilled shrimp, you'd be set.
Asian Edamame Pear Salad
Salad:
½ head green cabbage, finely shredded ½ C red bell pepper, finely shredded ¼ C scallions, cut finely on the diagonal 3 broccoli stalks, finely shredded 2/3 C cooked edamame ½ C Asian pear, thinly sliced C raisins ¼ C slivered almonds or peanuts 1 small can La Choy chow mein noodles
1 T chopped cilantro (optional)
Dressing:
1/3 C La Choy Ginger-Garlic Dressing
1 T creamy peanut butter
1/3C white sugar 1/3 C rice wine vinegar
Whisk to combine all dressing ingredients and set aside.Combine all salad ingredients except chow mein noodles, pour dressing on salad and toss well, add noodles and lightly toss.Serve immediately.Serves 4.
Have any of you ever been foraging for wild food? I don't mean going out in a field and picking vegetables a farmer planted out there in nice neat rows nor am I referring to Farmer's Markets. I'm talking about going out in an open field or along a highway or even in your backyard and gathering food where it grows in the wild. Just getting out in nature and walking in the fresh air and sunshine for an hour or two is so relaxing and therapeutic to your spirit and if you can pick your free supper while you're there..that's a huge bonus!
There are many, many plants growing locally that can supplement your meals and be added nutrition as well as saving you money on your food costs. It's fun and safe to do this if you follow a couple of guidelines: 1) Gather only plants you are 100% certain are edible, 2) Gather in areas that are wild and therefore less likely to be exposed to chemicals.
My grandmother taught me alot about wild food and how to identify edible plants as I was growing up and I want to share one plant in particular with you and how to serve it. This one is a southern staple, Poke Salit or Poke Salad, however you choose to say it, it's some good stuff. It tastes like peppery spinach but the cooking technique is different, you have to parboil it once (twice if the leaves are bigger than 5" long). It grows almost anywhere there's alot of sun, especially along fence rows. There's even a song about it - click on the link to listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCSsVvlj6YA&feature=email Now, back to Poke. First you need to know what it looks like. The leaves are smooth and oval, growing on sturdy stalks and the flowers are tiny and white and grow in clusters. The leaves can be picked any time during the growing season as long as you pick the young ones. When the inedible fruit forms it's blueberry-shaped in the same cluster form. I repeat, the fruit is inedible, Some say it's poisonous, but I have seen no proof of that, I just know it's extremely bitter and will ruin your clothes if you get the juice on you. Here's a photo of a Poke plant:
The smaller leaves are what you want to pick because they take less time to prep for consumption. The best leaf size is between 2" & 5":
You'll need to pick alot , Poke is like spinach, it cooks down to a fraction of what you started with. To have enough cooked Poke to serve 4-6 you'll need to pick a big grocery bag full of the leaves. When you get home with your Poke, put a large kettle of water on to boil while you wash and inspect the leaves for grass and such, pick all the non-Poke out and when the water starts boiling add all the poke to the kettle and boil for 1 minute, drain water and refill with clean, cold tap water to rinse leaves well. This parboiling step makes sure there's no bitterness. Drain leaves and you're ready to cook them. I use a smaller Dutch Oven for the next part:
Poke Salad with Bacon
3 Slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled, reserve fat
Parboiled Poke leaves
Salt to taste
Put Poke in Dutch Oven and add enough water to cover the poke leaves 1/3 way up, add bacon fat and salt to taste. Cook 5-7 mins or until leaves are tender (think spinach here). Top with crumbled bacon and serve with cornbread and green onions.
***Just a note, very young poke leaves (less than 2") are a good diuretic, so unless you are looking for that bonus effect, stick with the larger leaves.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
If you aren't sure which plants are edible, get a book such as: *Nature's Garden: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants by Samuel Thayer *The Wild Table: Seasonal Foraged Food and Recipesby Connie Green and Sarah Scott
