Late September and the plums are still plentiful

I love plums. We had an Italian prune plum tree in our backyard when I was growing up, and my most vivid memory of any first day of school was always the warm, sticky, gently bruised plums at the bottom of my brown paper bag. Yuck. OK, granted, not a good way to sing the praises of this fruit, but they were never intended to travel around in a thin, paper sack! Instead, they should be plucked off the tree or out of the fridge and eaten standing up or, better, lying flat on your back on the grass.

They are a lovely mix of sweet and tart, between the slightly honeyed flesh and the squint-provoking skin. This year, the plums we bought at Cherry Lane Farms, a local source here in Richmond, are the best I have ever had. So sweet and flavourful, not a watery one in the box. I have processed most of the 40 pounds into stewed fruit, frozen flat in freezer bags and stacked now in both freezers. The rest are tucked away in my fridge's crisper - they will ripen quickly if left at room temperature - once they are starting to soften they are sweet and should be stored in a cooler spot.

So what are plums doing on a cancer recipe blog? Well, funny you should ask. These little puppies are powerful good at fixing a whole bunch that ails you. They are high in vitamin C, helping your body both ward off infection and absorb iron. They also contain vitamin A and beta carotene, vital for a healthy body and good eyesight. Even more relevant for us, in recent years they have also been linked by some studies (here and here) to cancer prevention, including breast and gastrointestinal. The skin contains the same powerful antioxidants as blueberries, so wash but don't peel them. Do I also need to remind you about their fibre content? Any of you going through chemo right now need to remember this if you are having any, um, bathroom issues.

I urge you to get some before they are gone. I am off this weekend for another big box! And when you get sick of eating them raw, here are some inspiring recipes for adding plums to your diet.

1.  Grilled plum porridge from Butterfly Food's Ashley Colbourne via Style At Home.
2. Roasted plums with Greek yogurt, honey, and almonds. Two peas & their pod.
3. Spicy plum salsa for serving alongside grilled salmon, prawns or chicken. Martha Stewart.
4. Roasted plum and spinach salad. So pretty. Chatelaine.
5. Plum, beet and arugula salad. Lots of cancer fighters here, especially with the addition of walnuts or switching in watercress for the arugula. Best Health.
6. Stone fruit slaw. Ginger, vinegar, curry, red pepper and firm stone fruit. Earlier in the summer, try peaches or nectarines. But right now, use slightly under ripe Italian prune plums. Bon Appetit.
7. Roasted pork loin with poached plums. For our meat eaters. Epicurious.
8. My stewed plums. Easy. Just halve and pit many plums and put them with a little water in a heavy bottomed, large pot over medium heat. Sometimes, I add chopped apples, especially firm ones that don't fall apart - they add nice texture to the finished sauce. Stir to prevent the fruit from sticking and burning, and continue to cook until the plums are soft. I usually add raisins part way through the cooking process, and they plump up nicely from the warm juice. I also add a splash of vanilla and cinnamon to taste, near the end of cooking time. Taste before adding sugar - this year the fruit were so sweet I added NO SUGAR. Serve warm or cold, lovely with warm toast. This freezes beautifully. Bunny loves them for breakfast with a bit of toast on the side. 

Have a great week.

Recipe links - what's making my socks roll up and down this week!

1. Roasted chickpeas - yum, yum, yum. A great snack while watching TV, a satisfying addition to most salads, or just a simple side at dinner time. Easy and quick. Mark Bittman. 
2. Gazpacho from Vancouver food icon Diane Clement. We are at the height of tomato season so grab some at the local stand or farmers market and try this recipe. Eat Local Be Local.
3. Deconstructed fish tacos - these are beautiful - perfect for company on a warm end-of-summer evening as we try to squeeze the last bit of sunshine from the season. Or, throw them together for your family just because they are tasty! And good for you - the recipe was part of Mele Cotte's fifth annual Cooking to Combat Cancer drive this past spring. Mele Cotte.
4. Tuscan white bean stew. I hate to say it, but we are quickly approaching the days when a nice warm bowl of this will really hit the spot. Sigh. Mayo Clinic.
5. Salmon fish cakes and everyday green chopped salad are simple but tasty ways to put the boot to cancer tonight. Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.
6. Mussels with zucchini and basil is a nice twist on simple steamers. And you probably know someone who is trying to fob zucchini off on you these days. Coconut and Lime.
7. Potato crusted wild pacific salmon. Five ingredients plus salt and pepper gets you a company worthy dish with a weeknight's effort. From Arsenal Pulp Press' As Fresh as it Gets via Food Network Canada.
8. Finally, just a reminder. This list of cancer fighting foods and spices is worth printing off and taping to the inside of a kitchen cabinet. Look at it often to ensure you are filling your diet with them. The Cancer Cure Foundation.

Grilled salads from the Today Show

Last week,  I included a post on the dangers of eating lots of grilled foods. If you are looking for ways to decrease your grilled meat dishes at your next bbq, consider these great salads featured on the Today Show this morning.

My favourite of the two - Panzanella Salad. I have loved every one I have ever made. And this one by chef David Creamer is full of great colourful vegetables and vibrant flavours. I'll try this one later in the summer when my heirloom tomatoes are at their peak. Right now, I'm tempted to roast and dice some beets from the garden to add after the salad has been dressed and tossed. Watercress also works well mixed with the romaine.

 

Panzanella salad

from chef David Creamer, featured on the July 18 episode of the Today Show.

Ingredients: 

Salad

• 1 cup chopped romaine (add red oak or other speciality greens if desired)
• 2 anchovies, filet
• 1/8 cup roasted red tomatoes
• 1/8 cup roasted yellow peppers
• 1/2 pieces of fresh lemon, half a lemon juice and zest
• 1/4 pound ciabatta bread
• 4 fresh basil, leaves
• 1/8 cup Italian olives
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup parmesan reggiano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Vinaigrette

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
• 3 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard

Instructions:
To make the oregano vinaigrette: Combine the garlic, vinegar, oregano, parsley, honey and salt in a blender.
Blend until smooth, while motor is running slowly add the oil and process until emulsified.
Put the mixture into a 10 to 12 inch salad bowl and add it to the fridge to chill.
To make the salad: Brush ciabatta bread with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper and place on grill, be sure to let some carbon build up on bread to add flavor to salad.
Once bread has been grilled, cut into 1 inch pieces.
In a medium bowl add chopped romaine and red oak, anchovies, roasted red tomatoes, roasted yellow peppers, fresh lemon(Squeeze juice from half of a lemon and zest), fresh basil, olives, ciabatta grilled crotons and salt and pepper to taste with 3 ounces of your freshly prepared oregano vinaigrette.
Toss making sure to coat greens and vegetables evenly. Place into bowl and top with fresh shaved parmesan cheese.

Up next in the garden, strawberries....

...cause, heck, they're ripe! And I really have to act quickly 'cause I am losing the war against the slugs...and the racoons...and the dog. Aaaaaagh!

If you took a look at EWG's dirty dozen, revised and re-released for 2011, strawberries are number 3 on the list. Non-organic strawberries, that is. And the ones I have growing in my garden haven't been touched by anything other than homemade compost and water. And, um, slugs, racoons and a dog...but say it with me - "NO MAN MADE TOXINS!" Organic baby.

I will be honest, I am also buying the dirty, dirty non-organic ones. I wash them well, but I know that only removes a fraction of the pesticide. But until my ship comes in, I can't afford to manage my strawberry habit on only organic ones. So, non-organic in moderation and backyard berries until they're gone.

In addition to being yummy dipped in chocolate or piled with whipped cream onto biscuits, strawberries are also good for you (though not necessarily prepared these ways). They are high in antioxidants (way up there with blueberries) and vitamin C, and are good sources of magnesium and potassium. They also are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. So win-win-win.

1. A Christmas Green Smoothie Dessert - Strawberries, Baby Spinach, Aloe Vera, Bananas and Dates from the Green Smoothie Queen. This one you can make all year - keep some berries in the freezer.
2. Fresh Strawberry Salsa from Jeanette's Healthy Living.
3. Healthy Strawberry Oat Squares with Homemade Jam from Oh She Glows.
4. Avocados with Strawberry Salsa and Crispy Tortilla Strips from Epicurious.
5. Strawberry Pecan Salad from Canadian Living. Try subbing in roasted pumpkin seeds for the nuts if, like me, you are allergic to tree nuts, or if you don't have any pecans around. They are fantastic in salads.
6. Strawberry and Ricotta Pancakes from Delicious Magazine.
7. Strawberry and Leek Quesadillas from Sprouted Kitchen.
8. Roasted Strawberry Tomato Salsa from Great-Salsa.com
9. Strawberry Soup I from All Recipes. Chilled, it has just a touch of cardamom and smells amazing.
10. Finally, the one I am most excited about, Strawberry Salad with Speck and Halloumi from Jamie Oliver. Speck is a juniper-flavoured ham from the Tyrol area that bridges Austria and Italy. I'm substituting proscuitto 'cause I don't have a shmick where I'd find speck around here.

Our garden recipes - next up, rainbow chard

This week I am going to wax poetic about the prettiest little fellow in my garden, at least for now: rainbow chard. It is truly gorgeous. Rich green leaves with brilliantly crayon coloured gold, red and orange stalks. Here's what mine looks like right now.  

And it just gets better and better looking, unless some pesky bugs come and start chowing down. Note to self: buy ladybugs.

Rainbow chard is not just pretty - it's an important part of an anti-cancer diet. All varieties of Swiss chard are packed with vitamins C, E, and K, carotenes, chlorophyll, and fiber. They are all excellent sources of potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese and good sources of vitamin B6, protein, calcium, thiamine, selenium, zinc, niacin, and folic acid. A veritable roll-call of wee but mighty anti-cancer soldiers.

I urge you to pick some up if you see it at the produce stand or farmer's market. To help get you going, I have selected a range of promising recipes, but chard will substitute for spinach in almost any recipe you already like. The young leaves are mild and sweet tasting; once the plants are more mature they are, while still yummy, stronger in flavour. And, as with any green, if the centre spine of the leaf is tough,  remove it during prep.

1. First, a basic recipe for rainbow chard, from Dr. Oz, as featured in The Anti-Cancer Diet.
2. Seared Rainbow Chard with Leeks from Epicurious.
3. Rainbow Chard and Radicchio Sauté from Bon Appétit.
4. Rainbow Chard Salad with Raisins and Walnuts from The Kitchn at Apartment Therapy.
5.  Rainbow Chard with Garlic and Olive Oil from Livestrong. A good, simple, fast recipe.
6.  Rainbow Chard with Pine Nuts and Feta from Real Simple.
7. Fettuccine with Rainbow Chard and White Beans from MyRecipes. Try looking for beans packed in non-bpa cans like those packaged by Eden. Or consider soaking and cooking dry beans. Way cheaper...just sayin'.
8. Here's a similar one, Rainbow Chard with White Beans and Bacon from NYC Food Blog. Mmmm, bacon.
9. French Lentil Soup with Barley and Rainbow Chard from Jeanette's Healthy Living.
10. Italian White Bean, Turkey and Rainbow Chard Soup from Livestrong.
11. Rainbow Chard and Coconut Soup from Tastebook.

And, before we get too far into the growing season, consider planting some food in your backyard or on your balcony, deck or porch. One pot and a little sunshine can let you produce salad greens, herbs, even tomatoes, beets or carrots. Not much work and the payoff is very rewarding.

Have a great day!

Monday's recipe links

1. Green Pea Soup from the sublime Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks.
2. Also from Heidi, Mostly Not Potato Salad, via Serious Eats.
3. Greens with Fruit and Mustard Vinaigrette from Mark Bittman.
4. Asparagus in Bed, adapted from Cucina Simpatica by Johanne Killeen and George Germon, by Matthew Amster-Burton of Roots and Grubs and Spilled Milk fame.
5. Brown Rice Salad with Citrus-Thai Basil Dressing from Saucy & Bossy.
6. So pretty. Green Beans with Apricots and Serrano Ham from food52.
7. Finally, Gordon Ramsay's Crispy Salmon via You Tube.

Monday's recipe links

Happy Memorial Day to my American friends and family! I hope you are sharing some good weather, good food and good times.

1. Quinoa with Currants, Dill, and Zucchini from 101 Cookbooks. 
2. Barley with Cucumber and Yogurt-Dill Dressing from Mark Bittman.
3. Lentil and Kohlrabi Salad from Chocolate and Zucchini.
4. Spring Salad with New Potatoes from Smitten Kitchen.
5. Squash Blossoms Two Ways from Tartelette.
6. Roasted Baby Leeks with Thyme from Jamie Oliver.
7. Fresh Strawberry Granita from epicurious.
8. Lemon and Watermelon Granitas from The Telegraph.
9. Chocolate Gelato inspired by Saveur but perfected by Cafe Fernando, Istanbul.
10. And in honour of my lovely step-daughter teaching English in South Korea, Kimchi Fried Rice from Orangette.