Life Long Learners Taste Fall

 

It was the perfect time to meet with boomers to share soup and sample breads from local grower Julie Mallow. Our meal of vegetarian chili , pumpkin goat cheese soup and whole grain breads was followed by a show of things to make with fall favorites: 

The meal was fiber rich, diverse in plant foods and minimally processed.

It was exciting to hear that Julie’s family farm fields (The Vegetable Garden and Davis Brothers Inc.) now planted have enough soft winter wheat and hard red winter wheat to make their bread next year with 100% of their own flour!

This meal offered 10 grams of fiber . 21 grams for women and 30 grams for men is recommended. Fiber is only found in plants. To increase eat more fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. When increasing fiber, increase fluids too.

Those who consume diverse plant foods have a more diverse microbiome (the different microorganisms in the gut). A diverse microbiome is crucial for overall health.

Diversifying seeds is good for the environment. The foundation of any sustainable food system is local foods.

Our meal was made with mostly minimally processed foods.

This meal has 10 grams of protein. Since older adults need 1-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (average is 60 grams protein) it was suggested to add protein by adding meat, cheese, egg, hummus, peanut butter or milk. Greek Yogurt is a great source of protein and probiotics, more beneficial to a healthy microbiome.

Fall's Kitchen

Fall is here and many of the seasonal vegetables and grains have appeared at our local farmers market. Seasonal favorites  include: Apples, beets, buckwheat, carrots, corn, cranberries, dried beans, oats, pears, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potatoes and winter squash. 

Cooler weather is approaching and soup appears on the menu.  Here are 2 of my favorites;

Vegetarian Chili (4 cups)

1-15 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 mini sweet peppers, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon coriander
1 1/2 cup black beans, cooked and drained (1/2 cup dry)
1 1/2 cup corn

Sauté peppers and onions in olive oil for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin and coriander.  Bring to a simmer.  Add beans and corn and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

 

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Soup (6 Cups)

Roast pumpkin.
1 pie pumpkin, Hubbard or butternut squash.
Remove seeds and peel. Cut in smaller pieces.

In a large saucepan, sauté onion, fennel and celery in olive oil 3 minutes.
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoon fennel, diced
2 tablespoon celery stalks and leaves, diced
2 tablespoon olive oil

Stir in curry powder and sauté 1 minute.
1 tablespoon curry powder

Add ginger, orange juice, zest and stock.
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
¼ cup orange juice
3 cups vegetable stock.
Add roasted pumpkin.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Carefully blend.  Add goat cheese at end. Return to saucepan. Add salt and evaporated milk.
4 ounce goat cheese

1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
1/4 teaspoon salt

Simmer until hot but not boiling.

Soups are a great way to increase fiber and fluids in the diet. Fiber, which is only found in plants, promotes regular digestion and helps prevent chronic conditions. One can increase by eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.Fluids help fiber move through the digestive system. When increasing fiber, increase fluid.

 

 

The Plumstatic Fruit of Summer

 

Fresh picked local produce is a summer pleasure. We have a nice selection of summer vegetables grown locally. Growing fruit in these mountains is tougher. We found these large plums in an orchard 160 miles northeast of Morgantown in Thurmont, Md. The plums are juicy and delicious. Each plum yields a cup or more of fruit.

People often ask me for my smoothie recipe. My favorite has just three ingredients-fresh fruit, Greek Yogurt, and liquid for blending (juice or milk). This fruit is so sweet that no additional sweeteners are needed!

Plums have vitamins, minerals and prebiotic fiber. The prebiotics serve as food for the probiotics in the yogurt. Greek yogurt is rich in high quality protein.

My Plum Financier, made with whole grain and almond flour made my breakfast complete.

Fruit Smoothie 

(12 ounce)

3/4 cup Greek Yogurt

1 1/2 cup fruit

4 ounce juice or milk

Blend until smooth.

Financiers are tiny cakes. Recipes are available on line and in cookbooks. These have egg whites, whole grain flour and almond flour.

Cherries 2 Way

 

Sweet cherries have many nutrients-vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Cherries may help reduce inflammation and could even help one sleep. Sweet cherries are delicious fresh and also cooked. Here’s how to make a cherry mixture to serve with dessert or in smoothies. 

Cherry Compote

(6 servings)

Mix cherries, sugar and water. Cook on stovetop over medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice.

1 pound cherries, pitted

2 Tablespoon sugar

2 Tablespoon water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pictured above over my Breakfast Cheesecake.

The whole cherries with stems were roasted at 425 for 20 minutes.

In Summer’s Kitchen: Cherry Clafouti

 

It was such a treat to find fresh local cherries on our back road trip in rural West Virginia. This simple crustless custard, a “ Clafouti”, is made with those cherries and other minimally processed foods found in the kitchen. 

Cherry Clafouti

(3 Servings)

Whisk together egg, milk and yogurt.

1 egg

1/3 cup skim milk

2 Tablespoon 2 teaspoon Greek Yogurt, plain nonfat 

Add sugar, flour salt and extracts.

1 Tablespoon sugar 

2 Tablespoon 2 teaspoons flour

Dash of salt

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/8 teaspoon almond extract 

Add butter and zest.

1 tablespoon melted butter 

Zest from 1 lemon 

Divide into individual ramekins greased with olive oil spray.

Top with cherries.

1/3 cup pitted cherries 

Bake at 335 F for 30-35 minutes.

Also delicious is the chocolate version made with unsweetened chocolate and cocoa.

Chocolate Clafouti 

(3 Servings

Whisk together egg, milk and vanilla.

1 egg

1/3 cup skim milk

1/3 teaspoon vanilla

Add sugar,, flour, cocoa and ground chocolate.

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon 2 teaspoon whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa

2 2/3 ounce 100% cacao chocolate, ground

Divide into 3 greased ramekins.

Top with cherries.

1/3 cup pitted cherries.

Bake at 335F 20 minutes.

These are versatile recipes, easy to make in larger quantities with other varieties of fruit.