Thai Carrot Salad

Tired of the same ole salad recipe? Thai Carrot Salad is the perfect summer dish that's bursting with flavor and nutrition to fuel you up without weighing you down.  Dive right in to my Thai Carrot Salad and let the flavor explosion begin.

Spring Forward With Leafy Greens

It’s the time of year where the trees are budding, leafy greens such as spinach and chard are sprouting up and many people are feeling the urge to clean up and get organized.   Boosting vegetables that are abundant during the spring time can naturally help clean out the body after the long, dark winter months.  Awaken your body from its winter slumber while you enjoy these tips for getting more green leafy vegetables into the diet.

By Nutritionist Siona Sammartino, MS, CN

Go Go Greens!

Green leafy vegetables nourish the liver, a major organ that is important for the body’s natural detoxification abilities, which keeps us healthy and feeling energized.  Research is uncovering the powerful effects of the plant pigments known as phytochemicals or bioactive compounds.  Chlorophyll is the plant pigment that lends its green color to plants, and According to the Linus Pauling Institute out of Oregon State University it may keep the liver strong by blocking a toxin and liver carcinogen found in moldy foods known as aflatoxin. Other bioactive compounds found in green leafy vegetables also provide support for the body’s natural detoxification systems, meaning more energy and a cleaner system for you!  Try collards, kale, chard, spinach, dandelion greens and other varieties.  

Boosting Flavor and Intake

Unfortunately green leafy vegetables bitter nature doesn’t make it easy getting them on the table.  But with a few secrets, you’ll be eating greens in no time!

Don’t Eat them Alone!

v Pair them with yummy dressings such as homemade sweet balsamic vinaigrette (see recipe below) or your favorite dressing. 

v    Braise dark sturdy greens with flavorful liquids such as wine and caramelized onions to add depth of flavor and sweetness.  

v   Wilt kale with a little sea salt and massage them for a minute or two until they shrink by half the volume, this will remove much of the bitter flavor.  Then dress them up or add them to your favorite salads, sandwiches and more.

v  Stock up on pre-washed spinach and tender baby kale and add to fruit smoothies, salads and soups. 

v    Purchase frozen broccoli and sauté with strong flavors such as garlic, red pepper flakes and a fresh squeeze of lemon.

Who knew green veggies could taste so good?  Get ready to reap renewed energy in every bite!

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Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette

Dressings are one of the easiest and fastest ways to dress up salads, veggies, grains, fish, legumes and meat to turn something boring into a flavorful treat.

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup organic extra-virgin olive oil

½-1 teaspoon Dijon or stone ground mustard

1-2 teaspoons raw and local honey

Pinch sea salt

½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

In a glass measuring cup whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, honey, salt and pepper.  Store in a glass mason jar for 1-2 weeks and shake to re-emulsify before dressing foods. 

Variation: Feel free to add herbs and spices such as dried or fresh basil, dried red chili flakes or fresh garlic to enhance the flavor and give this recipe a twist.  (Note: if using fresh garlic, use dressing immediately to prevent harmful bacteria).

Tip: double, triple or quadruple this recipe and make it at the start of the week to have a simple yet tasty way to jazz up salads, grains, beans and veggies.  Store in a mason jar and shake to re-emulsify before serving. 

Copyright 2009, Siona Sammartino, MS, CN, Original recipe, www.thymetospiceitup.com

Electrify Your Taste Buds

Are you tired of healthy foods tasting bland and boring?  In honor of National Nutrition Month, we’re celebrating ways to jazz up the flavor profile of whole foods.  Get ready to say goodbye to foods that taste “healthy” and learn how to electrify your taste buds by enhancing the flavors of umami, sour, spicy and sweet. 

By Nutritionist Siona Sammartino, MS, CN

Discover a New Kind of Savory

Scientists have revealed a fifth taste known as umami, which is the savory meaty flavor found in aged cheeses, meats, tamari or soy sauce and sea vegetables.  Umami tends to be a flavor we crave and look for in dishes, which makes it perfect for enhancing whole foods.  If new to sea vegetables, try rehydrating arame, a very mild seaweed, in apple juice and then drain and finely chop it up to sneak it into eggs, salads and sauces.  In small amounts arame will add the umami you crave without the sea flavor.  Also, choose low sodium tamari and add to vegetable stir-fry’s, braised greens, sauces, marinades, dressings, dips and more.

Pep It Up with Some Zing

Sour flavors help to brighten up earthy foods, enlivening flavors and making food dance on the palette.  Also, the sour and salt receptors are located on similar locations on the tongue, meaning the use of sour flavors can limit the need for excessive amounts of salt.  Harness the mouth watering goodness of sour foods by finishing dishes with a splash of citrus juices (see Spicy Sautéed Green Beans below) such as lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit or vinegars such as red wine, balsamic or apple cider vinegar and NEVER call your food “earthy” again! 

Bring on the Heat

The heat you find in hot peppers and certain spices is not an actual “flavor,” but instead spicy foods interact with pain receptors on the tongue, making heat tolerance very individual. Yet many find themselves craving the fire!   But be careful to not overdo the heat factor, as spicy foods can have a numbing effect and you’ll no longer taste food’s other flavors.  To add a spicy kick and fire it up try Sriracha sauce, red pepper flakes, serrano chilies, jalapeno or cayenne.  Sauté veggies with garlic and red pepper flakes and add some pizzazz to your veggie routine with “Spicy Sautéed Green Beans” (see recipe below).

A Sweet Desire

Most of us crave a sweet treat and can find ourselves reaching for the ice cream, cookies and chocolate all too often.  While these foods can still have a place in a healthy diet, learning how to enhance foods natural sweetness can help to satisfy our sweet desire.  Roasting foods is one of the best ways to boost food’s natural sweetness.  Dress vegetables with oil and salt and roast for about 45 minutes in a 400-425 degree Fahrenheit oven until golden on the outside and tender in the middle.  You’ll be having sweet dreams all day long!

With all of these NEW ways to add zest to your healthy eating routine, you’ll now be sure to ENJOY the taste of EVERY nourishing dish!     

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Spicy Sautéed Green Beans

Green vegetables are packed with a variety of nutrients and different flavors to mix up your routine.  Here green beans dance in the pan with spicy red chili flakes, garlic and lemon.  When it’s all finished, it will be a party in your mouth! 

Preparation Time: 7 minutes

Yields: 1.5 cups

2 teaspoons organic extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups green beans or haricots, halved

2 large cloves of fresh garlic, minced

½-1 teaspoon of red chili flakes, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

3-5 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon, lime juice or golden balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoon fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Heat a large cast-iron or carbon-steal skillet to medium-high heat for about a minute.  Add oil and allow it to heat up and coat the bottom of the pan.  Add beans and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Beans are ready when they are vibrant green, tender but still have a slight crunch.

Then, add garlic, chili and salt and sauté for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and toss to coat with lemon juice and parsley.  Serve and enjoy. 

Copyright 2010, Siona Sammartino, MS, CN, Original recipe, www.thymetospiceitup.com

Ginger & Lime Marinated Salmon-Recipe Included

Tantalize your taste buds with my popular Ginger & Lime Marinated Salmon.  Stay tuned for my upcoming video blog on “5 Skin Foods for A Healthy Summer Glow,” which mentions this very recipe.  Enjoy!

Yours In Cooking & In Health,

Siona J

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Ginger and Lime Marinated Salmon

My favorite food dish is grilled or baked salmon.  It is a wonderful source of the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.  The lime, ginger, soy sauce, and sherry are bold enough to stand up to salmon’s distinct flavor and do not go unnoticed.  Serve with “Lemony Garlic Kale and Quinoa Salad” and a soup for a well balanced meal. 

Preparation time: 1 to 2 hours to marinate, 8 minutes to cook

Makes four 4-ounce serving

½ teaspoon fresh lime zest (from about 1 medium lime)

2 medium limes (about ½ cup), juiced and divided

1 tablespoon tamari or shoyu

1 tablespoon dry sherry wine

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon of local, raw honey or succanat

2 medium cloves fresh garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, grated

1 pound of fresh wild salmon

½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley for garnish

In a small preparation bowl, whisk together the lime zest, juice, tamari, sherry, oil, mustard, honey, garlic and ginger.  Place the fish in a small shallow preparation bowl and cover with marinade. Flip the fish so it is skin side up and the flesh is touching the marinade. Cover, refrigerate, and marinate fish for 30 minutes to 2 hours before cooking. 

Preheat oven to 375º-400º F.

Remove fish from fridge. Heat a 10-inch carbon steel or cast-iron skillet on high heat for about a minute and then add oil and allow it to coat entire surface of pan. Add fish to pan skin side up and sear for 1 minute. Flip fish and pour any remaining marinade over it and place the skillet in oven to finish cooking for approximately 6-7 minutes (6-7 minutes per inch of thickness). Remove from oven and top with remaining lime juice and parsley and enjoy. 

Variation: Use all of the same marinade ingredients, except skip the tamari, sherry, and mustard and just add a ½ teaspoon of sea salt for a simpler yet flavorful marinade. 

Copyright 2010, S. Sammartino, Original recipe

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The Art of Infusing

How can you make healthy food tasty and enjoyable?  One answer is by learning fun and creative ways to enhance both the flavor profile and therapeutic properties of your food?  Read my PCC Cooks class description and sign up for “The Art of Infusing” today by hitting the red link below.

The Art of Infusing  

Siona Sammartino

Herbal and spice infusions are a creative way to add depth of flavor to any dish. And infusing flavor into water, milk, honey, oil or sugar is a tasty way to boost the nutritional and flavor profile of your food. Siona will demonstrate some amazing flavor combinations in dishes such as Pan-seared Halibut with Fennel and Coriander-infused Oil; Lavender Lemon Refresher; Mixed Green Salad with Nettle Peppermint Vinaigrette; and Lemon Cookies with Sweet Jasmine Hibiscus Icing. With seafood, dairy and eggs.

•   Saturday May 7, 3-5:30pm. Edmonds

•   Friday May 20, 6:30-9pm. Greenlake (Full)

•   Sunday May 22, 1-3:30pm. Redmond 

•   Sunday Jun 5, 1-3:30pm. Issaquah 

Wednesday Jul 20, 6:30-9pm. West Seattle 

http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/pcccooks/classes/detail.php?id=1363

I hope to see you there! 

Yours In Cooking & In Health,

Siona