More updates (and recipes!)

For the last few years, I’ve been writing a monthly column in my local newspaper showcasing gluten-free vegan awesomeness, with a load of nutrition-promoting info, too.

Instead of linking to all of the articles, I’m going to be bringing them in here, so I’ll try to do them in a timely manner.

Anything in the category Articles is from the St. Catharines Standard.

And maybe others, too (if I remember to click that category button).

I’ll try to post them within the season, and to start, this one is from last summer. Note that sometimes articles are a little choppy because of the editing from the newspaper’s website. My apologies in advance!

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A burst of fresh blueberries. Crisp, tender zucchini. Juicy, vibrant tomatoes. Plump, sweet cherries. Just a sample of the array our gardens and local farmers bring to our tables over the next few months.

Our garden fare harbours more than great taste and good looks. Underneath their “come hither” exterior, they pack a nutritional punch that trumps processed foods. These super foods are rich in vitamins, minerals and so many nutrients, offering so much more than taste. And it seems like we’re on the right track; according to StatsCan, the total fresh vegetable intake of Canadians reached a record 40.7 kg per person in 2009, the first increase since 2001. Similarly, total fresh fruit intake reached a record 39.3 kg per person.

And those two categories — fresh fruits and vegetables — are something Niagara residents are abundantly familiar with. Our great harvest conditions allow for flourishing farms, growing gardens and a local Farmer’s Market that supplies us with everything we don’t grow ourselves.

But it’s not just the taste that unites us with this garden goodness. Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits simply makes us feel good. Here are some favourites that are cropping up this month:

Garden Fresh Tomatoes

Much better than their watery winter counterparts, tomatoes pack a punch of over half your daily needs of vitamin C. They’re a good source of potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure, and vitamin A, which aids in healthy bones, vision and immune systems. Cooked tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, a phytochemical that has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The rich flavour of tomatoes allows for a perfect canvas for a little sea salt, fresh ground pepper and a drizzle of good quality extra-virgin olive oil: a side dish in seconds.

Great Green Vegetables

All across the board, greens are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, manganese and the cancer-fighting carotenoid lutein. They are also high in fibre and highly versatile, with many varieties ranging from bitter classic romaine to tender spinach. Arugula, specifically, is rich in phytonutrients, which may reduce the risk of breast, stomach and colon cancers. Kale, on the other hand, contains more than 1300% of your daily value of vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting and bone health. Green beans also are grouped in this category, touting similar benefits along with a healthy dose of iron. Try foil-packet green beans on the grill, kale as a salad instead of cooked and beefsteak tomatoes stuffed with a wilted arugula salad.

An Abundance of Berries

All berries are super foods, touting anticancer antioxidant properties. Blueberries burst with benefits, as the richest source of antioxidants (yes, more than pomegranates). They also are a very good source of vitamin C, manganese and fibre. Cherries, also rich in antioxidants, are connected to reduced pain and inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Try your favourite berries in savoury dishes instead of sweet, by adding them to salads, marinades and sauces.

Super Duper Zucchini

This low calorie vegetable is a good source of manganese and vitamin C. Notable, though, is its high water content. Consuming vegetables with high water content is especially important during our hot summer, and zucchini’s versatility allows it to play many culinary roles: grill it for an ingredient in your next sandwich, bake it into a batch of cinnamon muffins, eat it raw with your favourite hummus, or roast it with paprika, garlic and onions for a twist on Saturday morning hashbrowns.

(Note: the article online just cuts out here. I’m sure I had a conclusion. I will see if I can dig it out of my archives, but really, I know you’d rather just have the recipes).

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Ricotta Tomato and Basil Tart

This savoury pastry is great alongside a simple soup and salad, making for a hearty meal with little effort.

Pastry

• 1 1/4 cup sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup arrowroot flour
• 1/4 cup quinoa flour
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup cold water

Ricotta

• 1 (350 g) package firm tofu, squeezed of excess moisture
• Juice from half a lemon
• 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Topping

• 3 to 5 tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 handful fresh basil, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 10-inch or 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and set aside. To begin with the crust, whisk together flour, salt and Italian seasoning. Add olive oil and stir to blend. Slowly add the cold water, mixing in just enough to create a soft dough.

Transfer dough to a floured work surface and knead about three times for it to come together. Do not overwork the dough — it will become tough. Roll dough into a circle two to three inches larger than your tart pan. Carefully fold the dough over your rolling pin and place it in the centre of your pan then use your fingers to gently press the dough into the crevasses and up the sides of your pan. Trim the edges and patch if necessary. Set aside.

For the filling, place tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning and garlic in the food processor, and pulse until crumbled. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and adjust seasonings if desired. Spread tofu filling into prepared tart pan, filling it about 2/3 of the way from the top. Depending on the size of your pan, you may have some left over.

Starting from the outer edges, lay the tomatoes on the ricotta filling, overlapping as you work your way around, until the whole top is covered. Tuck in red onions randomly. In a small container, mix together olive oil and agave nectar, and brush tomatoes with it. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer tart to oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the crust is browned and the tomatoes and onions are cooked through. Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve at room temperature.

Serves six

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Roasted Green Bean and Arugula Salad with Cherry Vinaigrette

Roasting the beans delivers more flavour than steaming or boiling them. The hemp seeds add a kick of healthy essential fatty acids, while the vinaigrette packs an antioxidant punch.

Vinaigrette

• 2/3 cup pitted cherries
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• Zest from 1 small orange
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 to 2 teaspoons agave nectar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt to taste
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

Green Beans

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in half
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Sprinkle of salt
• Sprinkle of fresh ground pepper

Salad

• 12 ounces baby arugula
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons hemp seeds

To prepare the vinaigrette, place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. Add additional agave nectar if you’d like it sweeter. Place in the fridge until using.

For the beans, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place green beans on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Roast in oven for about 15 minutes, stirring halfway, until they begin to brown and becoming tender. Set aside.

To serve, toss arugula with red onion and green beans. Toss with vinaigrette — you may not use it all, depending on how much you’d like. Taste for seasonings then sprinkle with hemp seeds. Serve at room temperature.

Serves four

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Curried Zucchini and Kale Soup

Make this simple soup a full meal by adding two cups (480 ml) of chickpeas, and leave it in a chunky puree instead of completely smooth.

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth (you can also use water, although you may want to increase the spices)
• 3 cups packed, chopped kale
• 2/3 cup coconut milk
• Zest of one lime
• Salt to taste
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• Lime to garnish
• Freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for five minutes. Stir in spices and ginger, and continue to heat for an additional one to two minutes, until fragrant. Add zucchini, and stir until coated with spices, then top with vegetable broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover, letting cook until zucchini is tender, about 12 minutes.

Once zucchini is tender, add kale, and continue to cook for another five minutes, until wilted. Remove from heat and using an immersion blender, whizz until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, let soup cool and puree in batches in your blender or food processor.

Once smooth, add coconut milk and lime juice, adding additional salt and pepper to taste. Let come to room temperature and then place in fridge to chill before serving. Garnish with a squeeze of lime juice and cilantro, if desired.

Serves six

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