Tag: calcium

Slow Cooker Cooking – A Healthy Option

Todays post is about slow cooker cooking.

One of the things I love about this time of year is that with the cooler weather, we use our slow cooker more often. There are several advantages with using a slow cooker. 

One being that you can make lovely dishes with cheaper cuts of meat. It is also a healthy way to cook.
Though the cheaper cuts tend to be a little bit tough, the moist cooking method and longer cooking time result in fork tender meat. These cuts are also usually lower in fat. This helps to lower the fat content as well as the calorie content of the meal.

What about nutrition?

With all cooking techniques, there may be some breakdown in nutrients. Though there are a few nutrients, such as lycopene, which turn out to be more easily absorbed after cooking.
The advantage of slow cooking over other methods is that the food is cooked at a relatively low heat for a longer period of time. Cooking “slow and low” in a sealed chamber helps to keep the moisture and the nutrients in your food. 

It also helps to prevent the formation of cancer-causing compounds – such as lipid oxidation products (LOPs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These dangerous compounds form when most types of meat and some fats are cooked at high temperature.

Unlike boiling or steaming, the dish still contains the nutrients. These are usually in the juices which are served as part of the meal. However, the nutrient content of the dish will always depend on the ingredients you use.

What about the bones?

There has been a lot of health revelations in regards to ‘bone broth’ recently and how good it is for us. Well, using your slow cooker to cook lamb shanks or osso bucco and other ‘bone in ‘ cuts, means you are getting the benefits of a bone broth.

Animal bones are rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and other trace minerals. These are the same minerals needed to build and strengthen our bones. The marrow provides vitamin A, vitamin K2, minerals like zinc, iron, boron, manganese and selenium, as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

In some cuts you may get some connective tissue, which provides glucosamine and chondroitin. These compounds are known to support joint health. All of these animal parts also contain the protein collagen, which turns into gelatine when cooked. This then creates several important amino acids.

As the ingredients simmer away, their nutrients are released into the water in a form your body can easily absorb.


It’s so easy.

The best thing about slow cooker cooking is how easy it is. You put all the ingredients into the pot, turn it on and go to work. When you get home your dinner is ready and waiting. It takes minimal effort to create a nutritious, tasty meal.

So, next time you are thinking about what to cook on a cold evening, think slow cooker.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

(Sources – Huffington Post, bbc Good food, Healing gourmet, Healthline)

Lime & Poppy Seed Slice

Today I’m sharing a Poppy Seed slice recipe.

I saw a recipe for a gluten free Poppy seed slice in the paper recently and decided to give it a try. Our lime tree is full of fruit at the moment so that became the citrus flavour of choice.

You could make this recipe using lemon or orange if you prefer.

Poppy Seeds also have health benefits

Poppy Seeds also have a number of impressive nutritional components that can help your body improve or maintain optimal function.

Each serving of poppy seed contains a considerable amount of linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid that offers protection against heart disease.

Poppy seeds contain iron and phosphorus, minerals essential for the maintenance of both muscles and bones.

These little seeds also contain calcium, iron and magnesium. The minerals needed by the body to regulate brain activity and the development of neurons. They also aid in the production of neurotransmitters.

Poppy seeds have high amounts of dietary fibre, which aids the digestive system in metabolising and smoothly processing ingested food, preventing constipation and other digestive problems.

The abundance of copper and iron in poppy seeds improves red blood cell formation, which helps in the prevention of anemia and other blood-related conditions.

Lime Poppy Seed Slice

Ingredients

¼ cup of Maple syrup

¼ cup lime juice

1 tsp chia seeds

about 1 tsp lime zest

1 tsp vanilla paste/extract

4 eggs – separated

1 cup almond flour

½ cup green banana flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ cup poppy seeds

pinch of salt

 Method

Preheat your oven to 180’c

In a large mixing bowl, combine the syrup, lime juice, zest, chia seeds, egg yokes and vanilla and leave to sit.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites till stiff, adding the salt part way through.

Now add the flour, baking powder and poppy seeds to the other ingredients, mixing well.

Fold in the egg whites till combined then place the mix into a square tin, smoothing the top.

Bake till cooked through and lightly golden, approx. 20 to25 minutes.

Cool completely before removing it from the tin and cutting into squares.

 

I made a simple Cream Cheese topping, which can be added at time of serving.

Mix 100 grams of spreadable cream cheese with 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp maple syrup.

We just spread a small amount on each slice with a little added zest.

 I hope you enjoy making and eating this slice.

Till the next post,

 

Live clean n Prosper

Spinach and Iron – myth or fact ??

Today i’m going to tackle the myth that Spinach provides us with lots of Iron.

The idea that spinach contained exceptional levels of iron originated in 1870 with a German chemist named Erich von Wolf. Dr Von Wolf was researching the nutritional benefits of this leafy vegetable. In his notes, he accidentally printed the decimal point in the vegetable’s iron content in the wrong spot. 3.5 grams of iron suddenly became 35 grams, an extremely high amount of iron.

Those figures remained unchallenged until 1937, when it was discovered that the content was 1/10th the claim. The oversight resulted from a misplaced decimal point.

The cartoon character Popeye also popularised the idea of high iron content in spinach. In fact, spinach growers credited Popeye with a 33% increase in U.S. spinach consumption and saving the industry in the 1930s, according to Popeye’s official website.

 The nutrition facts 

Spinach doesn’t have that much more iron than other leafy greens like broccoli and kale. One cup of raw leaves has .81 milligrams of iron, while the same amount of broccoli has .66 mg. and kale has .24 mg.

Although it contains higher levels of iron and calcium, the rate of absorption is almost nil. This is due to it containing high levels of oxalic acid, a food component that inhibits iron and calcium absorption.

Despite its unusable iron and calcium content, Spinach is still a highly nutritious vegetable. It’s rich in several important minerals, proteins, and vitamins. It’s juice is also said to be the most potent for the prevention of cancer cell formation. Research has shown that those who eat spinach daily are less likely to develop lung cancer. It is also a good source of the B vitamin, Folate, that promotes normal foetal development during pregnancy.       (Source – www.innvista.com)

Spinach is often paired with dairy products, especially cheeses in many recipes. In the Middle East and Greece it is often teamed with feta or haloumi, while Italians combine it with ricotta or parmesan. However, pairing this dark green vegetable with dairy can lessen the amount of calcium your body absorbs from the dairy products.

 The different varieties

 

English spinach, or true spinach, is often confused with silverbeet. Spinach, however, has a smaller, flatter leaf and green veins, as opposed to the white veins of silverbeet.

Baby spinach is a flat-leaf green with soft, tender and mild-flavoured leaves. Usually sold pre-washed, it requires no advance preparation. Because the stems are so tender, there is no need to remove them. It’s perfect raw in salads, and can be added at the last minute to many dishes, or used in any recipe requiring English spinach.

Silverbeet is a close relative of spinach and beetroot, and is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean. Silverbeet is also best with the stalks removed and cooked. Cook as briefly as possible to retain maximum nutrient content.

 

So whichever type of spinach you prefer, continue to enjoy it. Just don’t rely on it as a source of iron or calcium.

 

Till the next post,

 

Live clean n prosper.