Recipe for Brain Food-Nuts to you

Updated: Monday, 02 Feb 2009, 11:50 AM EST

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Recipe developed by Chef Wendell Fowler Eat Right, Now!

Yields: 6 servings
Ingredients:
4 cups of cooked quinoa
1/3 cup olive oil
½ cup chopped red onion
1 sweet red pepper, diced
½ cup dried cherries or fresh in season.
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup fresh chopped mint
Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
Several leafs of butter lettuce for a bed

Directions:
Drain the quinoa of liquid then place the grain in a mixing bowl
Add the remaining ingredients and fluff with a fork.
Place the lettuce around the edge of a serving bowl or platter, then mound the salad in the center.
Serve with pride
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Have you ever felt like you were mentally swimming through Jell-o? Are you brain dead? Has your doctor said you're arteries are dangerously clogged? Is that what's got you down, Bucko? If so, Chef Wendell says, "nuts to you!"

If you take a close look at a shelled walnut, you will see that it looks appropriately like your brains. Walnuts have often been thought of as a "brain food," not only because of the wrinkled brain-like appearance of their meat and shells, but because of their dense concentration of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Our brains are more than 60% structural fat. For your grey matter to function properly, this structural fat needs to be primarily the omega-3 fats found in walnuts, flax seed and cold-water fish. Walnuts, a rich source of the omega-3 fat, improve artery function after a high fat meal and may be even more important in a Mediterranean-type diet than olive oil in promoting heart health, suggests a small study from Spain (Cortes B, Nunez I, J Am Coll Cardiol).

Research shows that eating a modest 1.5 oz of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, intake may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Yippee!! Nuts are high in calories, so moderation is the key. The best approach is to reap the health benefits of eating walnuts, but not add excessive calories to your daily intake. Instead of just adding walnuts to your current diet, eat them to replacement foods that are high in saturated fats (such as cheese and meat). Limit your intake of these tasty nuts to the recommended 1.5 oz per day. That is about 20 walnut halves. Walnuts add a flavor and texture to dishes. Here are some simple ideas to incorporate walnuts in your diet:

1. instead of snacking on cookies, crack some walnuts open and eat them as snacks
2. instead of using meat, toss toasted walnuts in your salad or pasta to add some crunch
   
3. instead of greasy pepperoni, use chopped walnuts in your pizza for texture and vitamins
   
4. instead of eating cancerous bacon or eggs, use walnuts as a protein choice by sprinkling chopped walnuts and dried fruits in your oatmeal or breakfast cereal

Corn Fritters with Cucumber Raita

CornFritters with Cool Cucumber Raita

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) -

Recipe developed by Chef Wendell Fowler-Eat Right, Now!

Corn Fritters Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil for frying (No Crisco or lard please)
1/3 cup whole grain flour
2 tbs. ground flax seeds
1/4 tsp. Non-Aluminum baking powder
1 tsp. ea. sea salt & black pepper
1 pkg. Stevia powder (1 tsp) sugar or 1 tsp. real Maple Syrup
1/3 egg, lightly beaten (Egg Beaters are good, too) 1 egg white would also work.
2 tsp. organic 2% milk or plain soy milk
1 tsp. Smart Balance, melted
2 cups fresh or frozen whole kernel corn ( No cans please)
Corn Fritters Directions:
Heat oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, flax, salt and sugar.
Beat together egg, milk, and melted ?butter?; stir into whole wheat flour mixture.
Mix in the corn kernels and green onions.
Drop fritter batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil, and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels.
Raita Ingredients:
2 cups plain organic yogurt (Stony Field Farms is widely available)
1 tsp. cumin seed
1 tsp. turmeric powder
Chopped cilantro
Minced green onions
Sea salt and black pepper
Pinch of sea salt
Raita Directions:
Simply place everything in a bowl and mix.

Your Body is Your Buddy,

Chef Wendell

Bubble and Squeek: Healthy, Economical Food

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH TV)

Recipe developed by:

Chef Wendell Fowler

Eat Right, Now!

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/living/recipes/Chef_Wendell_Cabbage_and_Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 cups chopped cabbage
8 baby red potatoes with skin
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbs. ground flax seed
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbs. olive oil for frying

Directions:
Wash the potatoes thoroughly. Boil Baby Red or Yukon potatoes till fork tender. If they are full size potatoes, cut them up for quicker cooking time. It takes less energy.
Mash them, but not all the way. Chunks are good.
Mix the cabbage, onions, flax and seasonings into the lightly smashed potatoes; mix well.
Over medium high heat, put oil in a sauté pan. When it gets warm add tablespoons of the mixture to the pan and shape them into pancake size patties. Flatten it with your spatula.
When the pancake is golden brown on one side flip it over and continue till nice and brown. If you need to turn down the fire, that's cool. Slower is better.
Serving suggestions: - Top with plain organic yogurt instead of gravy or sour cream. - Top with chopped green onions.
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Don't Have a Cow!

Cut Your Grocery Bill, Not Nutrition

Out of sheer financial necessity, perhaps the time has arrived to consider a vegetarian diet for your loving household. At least once a week.

Hooray! Vegetarianism is becoming more and more popular and has been constantly growing. One in 4 teenagers is a vegetarian and it's freaking out their carnivorous parents. I have been a vegetarian for about 22 years, and I have no idea how people can afford to buy meat, as opposed to vegetables, fruit and grain. Plus I spend no money at the doctor. The average family of 4 annually spends approximately $5,000 on beef, chicken, pork, fish and duck for the dinner table. Another easy way to reduce your grocery bill is to stop buying pre-packaged convenient foods and cut down on meat consumption; a definite money saver in tough times.

The average price per pound of beef, in October 2007, was $4.15 per pound;
The average price per pound for pork was $2.93.
Three servings of fruits and vegetables a day cost $.84.

Most of the staples of a vegetarian diet are not expensive. In fact, the majority of the world's people eat a mostly vegetarian diet made up of inexpensive commodities such as beans, rice, vegetables and corn. But it must be practiced correctly, especially when the parents are life-long carnivores. One must carefully monitor the intake of B-Complex vitamins and eat a wide variety of plant foods: beans, nuts, seeds, dark leafy greens and cabbage, tofu, orange-fleshed fruits, lots of fresh, not canned vegetables, and whole grains. Having fresh, healthy home-cooked meals is easier than you think. 20 vegetarians can live off the land required by one meat eater. Here is an economical yet satisfying side dish for your next meal. Cruciferous cabbage and onion help prevent cancer.

Flax seed is loaded with fiber and Omega 3 essential fatty acids, the onions offer cancer protection, and low-calorie potatoes have fiber in their skin as well as vitamin B-6, C and copper. Potatoes without the butter and sour cream have a protective activity against cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems and certain cancers. French fries with sugary ketchup or HFCS do not count, sorry.

Eat From Nature,

Chef Wendell

Natural Food and Semantics

There is No Truth in Advertising

If you think that All-Natural Hot Dogs are really ‘natural’, show me the Wiener Bush, we’ll contact Dave Letterman and make millions.

It’s common knowledge that there is little truth left in the food industry. Just about any ingredients or processes can be claimed as the subjective term, “all-natural.” There is a boiling tempest of scrutiny over dubious claims made by major food conglomerates relating to such food and beverage assertions.

Recent investigations exposed that popular family restaurant chains are serving up insanely noxious foods in the name of health. This irresponsible action grandly contributes to the growing epidemics of obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Where’d we go wrong? We swallowed their spurious claims. Truth is no longer the American currency.

Those All-American, All-Natural weenies are preserved with succulent sodium nitrite, a powerful carcinogen. The American Association for Cancer Research reveal there is a 67% increased risk of ‘all-natural’ pancreatic cancer in people who consume large quantities of hot dogs.

Could semantics be their stratagem? Semantics can be described as concepts subject to fuzzy interpretation; a component of the American business model since the invention of TV. Television was, after all, invented to sell Tide Laundry Soap. The slime from the video that oozes across your living room floor is often neither clear nor honest. Imagine that? The TV, print and cable news companies take the money, run the promotions regardless of their truthfulness. We could really use their help, alas money talks.

Is Tyson All Natural Chicken all natural since it contains 15% salt water and seaweed extract? That’s seven times the amount found in untouched organic and free range varieties. Is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) natural as the corn associations are screaming? The Centers for Science in the Public Interest says that ‘high fructose corn syrup just does not exist in nature”. CSPI’s director also said, “That’s no excuse for this deceptive advertising campaign.” I agree, don’t you? The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said products containing high fructose corn syrup cannot be considered 'natural' and should not be labelled as such. Snapple is being sued over labelling their own misleading, semantic claims that it is ‘all-natural., when in reality it contains HFCS and ‘natural flavors’. FDA does not define the term 'natural', and it has therefore been left open to different interpretations. Ugh-oh!

HFCS isn’t natural for one simple reality; its chemical bonds are broken, rearranged and devitalized in the manufacturing process. Every time man attempts to improve on the generosity of the universal bounty, we take a step backwards.

It’s the process that's unnatural, not the source. When wacky industrial fat cats chemically alter creation’s bounty into alien forms that don’t exist anywhere in God’s nature, it is no longer natural, dear readers; regardless of what the food manufacturers allege. Our cells do not recognize these foods as useful. Our holy temple only comprehends the language of God’s un-tainted creations.

In the past I’ve often cringed at the statement, ‘Question Authority,” however now it seems more germane than ever.

Chef Wendell

Fiber Recipe

Black Bean & Vegetable Burritos
http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/living/recipes/Chef_Wendell_Black_Bean_and_Vegetable_Burritos

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Recipe developed by Chef Wendell Fowler Eat Right, Now!

Sneaking in Fiber: Colon Pow!


This holiday keep those uninvited pounds at bay by increasing your dietary fiber.
Stave off the annual 10 pound weight gain by incorporating more fiber into your dishes. Fibrous complex carbs, the indigestible parts of plant foods, are a vital part of a healthy, lean, long-term diet. Look at fiber as the Roto Rooter of your digestive system; Got to keep those pipes clean. The less time food spends in your colon, the more time it has to do harm and begin to decay. Ugly but true. The average person carries around at least 10-15 memorable meals in their gut. The reason is not enough fiber to urge the food forward towards its escape route. The average American gets just 12-15 grams of fiber a day--far below the recommended 25-30 grams "Good carbs" are complex carbohydrates like whole grains, nuts, beans, and seeds that are composed of complex sugar molecules that require more time and energy to digest into the simple sugars your body needs for fuel. Bad carbs are white rice, Quaker Instant Oatmeal, and refined grains.


Fiber protects you from:
Heart disease
Cancer
Digestive problems
High LDL cholesterol
Helps with weight control
Regulates blood sugar


How to sneak extra fiber into your diet:
Try Kashi Brand whole grain, unsweetened cereal every day for breakfast.
Sprinkle ground flax seed or wheat germ on all your food
Eat two apples with peanut butter every day. Apples are a good source of pectin and soluble fiber which keeps us feeling full and they digest slowly.
Make a yogurt mix with 1 tbs. ground flax seeds and 5 large, chopped strawberries for 12.2 grams of fiber--almost half your daily allowance!
Cut up carrots, cauliflower and broccoli florets and dip into low-fat ranch dressing.
Keep a bag of fibrous nuts in your car and office for the munchies.
Switch to whole grain crackers or Black Bean Chips.
Add a quarter cup of kidney beans or chickpeas to your next salad or soup.
Make sure that the first ingredient in whole grain products has the word "whole" on the ingredient list.
Try grains like amaranth, quinoa, bulgur, millet or wheat berries. Nothing refined.


Black Bean & Vegetable Burritos
Yields: 6 servings Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 sweet onion
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 red bell pepper
2 cups sliced mushrooms
½ tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. chili powder
dash of sea salt
1 15-ounce can Organic black beans or 1½ cups
4 large wheat flour tortillas
½ cup chopped cilantro
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet.
Sauté the onions until soft and just slightly golden, 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the black beans with a little of their liquid and heat through.
Heat the tortillas in a paper bag in the microwave about 1 minute. Lay the warm tortillas on the counter and divide the filling among them and scatter cilantro on top.
Roll, turning in the sides, into a neat package.
Lay in a baking dish covered lightly with aluminum foil and warm through in the oven, 10 minutes (20 to 30 minutes if they have been made earlier and chilled).
Top with warm enchiladas sauce for a tasty treat.


Per serving:
Calories: 231, Total Fat: 5 g, Fiber: 9 g



Chef Wendell

Cranberry Salsa

Chef Wendell: Cranberry Salsa
www.wishtv.com/dpp/living/recipes/Chef_Wendell_Cranberry_Salsa

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) -
If you are in good health, be thankful. To maintain your good health, this season please toss out the canned, cooked and sliced jellied cranberry presentation and make room for a real nutritional Diva! Ain't nothin' like the real thing baby. Cranberries rock with health enhancing virtues.. Why? The deep red orb has been discovered to keep urinary tract infections at bay, speed-bump the aging process, prevent Alzheimer's and peptic ulcers, put off tooth decay, and foil atherosclerosis. Most impressive, however, human breast cancer cells showed significantly lower incidence of tumor development when the experimental group's diet was supplemented with cranberries. Although these results are very preliminary, compounds in cranberries may prove to be a potent cancer fighter. (University of Western Ontario) Bear in mind, Thanksgiving is not an "all-you-can-eat- buffet." Thanksgiving is about being grateful for the family, friends and love we all share.

While the day is centered on a banquet, it's the togetherness that counts most. Healthy eating is about making intelligent choices. Holiday eating is no exception. By simply weighing your options when it comes to holiday foods, you will be able to keep your waistlines after weeks of festivity. A meal including turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, a roll with butter, pumpkin pie and wine can easily add up to nearly 3,000 gut busting calories!

Don't go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungry. We often eat quicker and more when we are hungry - so eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day to avoid gorging at dinner time. Eat more under-cooked vegetables with the meal. Do not overcook them, please. Fill your plate half with yellow and dark green vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Ditch the skin and gravy. Eat slowly and stop when you are full. Burp!

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bunch green onions, cut into 3 inch lengths
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 limes, juiced
3/4 cup Sucanat* or Stevia powder (Sweet Leaf Brand @ Kroger's and Health Food stores)
1 pinch salt

Directions:
Wash the cranberries, green onions, pepper and lime to remove field contaminants.
Combine cranberries, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Chop or pulse to medium consistency. Don't turn it into soup. Cover and refrigerate if not using immediately.
Serve at room temperature as you would regular salsa or spread it on that dried out fruit cake.
*Sucanat is evaporated cane juice found at all health food stores. It is unprocessed, raw sugar.

Chef Wendell

Gravy-The State beverage

Groovy Mushroom Gravy
wendellfowler.com

This Holiday Season, let's lighten up a bit and try not to do ourselves in.

As a result of its animal-based components, our beloved gravy is an artery-clogging grease festival. This mouth-watering gravy recipe, however, has the ?good? fat and tastes on just about anything, especially smashed potatoes. Forget, however, about using a processed flour and fattening butter roux. Tradition can kill.

The versatile mushroom soy sauce is the same as Gravy Master; that brown liquid everyone has used for years to darken sauces. It has, however, a deeper flavor. If you wish to use turkey stock, then make the stock the day in advance; leave it all night in a cool area. In the morning, skim off the fat and you?ll remove about 75% of the heart attack-provoking gravy. Simply boil the bones, skin, One portion of everything at the typical Thanksgiving meal totals a whopping 2000 calories. Burp!

Could that be the beginning of the dreaded Holiday 15 pound gain? You bet your arteries it is!

Ingredients:
6 cups of vegetable or turkey stock
4 tbs. olive oil
2 cups washed and thinly sliced mushrooms. Use the stems too.
1 finely chopped onion
1 carrot, grated
1 stalk of celery, minced
1 bay leaf
¼ cup mushroom soy sauce (found in all Asian groceries.)
1 cup dry, not sweet red wine
1-can tomato concentrate
Cornstarch

Directions:
In a non-corrosive stockpot add the oil and turn the fire to medium high. Add the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf and mushrooms. Sauté for three minutes.
Add the vegetable stock, tomato concentrate, mushroom soy, and red wine. Let the liquid boil for five minutes.
During that time prepare cornstarch slurry: equal parts water to cornstarch mixed well. Put the water and cornstarch in a lidded jar and shake to mix if you don?t want to get messy fingers.
Bring the mixture to a boil then slowly pour in the slurry at little at a time to stock to thicken.
Whisk constantly at first then use a wooden spoon to reach the corners of the pot.
Cool, cover, and refrigerate.

Special Note:
Ground up flax seeds make an excellent thickening agent for soups, sauces, breading, and coatings.
Use your coffee grinder to pulverize the omega three rich flax seeds.
Arrowroot makes a lousy gravy-thickening agent. Some people find the texture offensive.

Try cornstarch instead of flour.