Nutrition notes: Whole Foods Encyclopedia

So in the three weeks I was without a computer, I had plenty of time to read. I'm typing up my notes (yes, I take notes when I read nutrition books.) so I don't forget things!
I spent the first weekend evening sans ordinateur reading "The Whole Foods Encyclopedia" by Rebecca Wood. It's not about the grocery store.
Rebecca Wood is a macrobiotic and whole foods expert who originally wrote this book as a handbook for health-store workers. This version was a bit old, 1999, but it was brimming with useful information:

• She's not a fan of processed soy products, and it really opened my eyes to the inferior products I was using as protein. Soy isolate, for example, is part of TVP. (Texturized vegetable protein) It's made from soybean oil meal. To eliminate the carbs, it's bathed in chemicals!
• Soy milk has the same protein as milk, a third of the fat, fewer calories. It's high in B vitamins and has 15 times the iron. But milk has more calcium unless soymilk is fortified.
• Tempeh is 19.5% protein; more than 50% more protein than beef! It's high in omega-3s. (Tempeh is an Indonesian food made from split, cooked, fermented soybeans.)
• Tofu is a high-quality protein, a good souce of calcium. It's a great source of iron, phosphorus, potassium and sodium.
• Toxins accumulate in fatty acids. Therefore, if you're going to buy organic, focus on (in descending order): meat, dairy, oils, nuts, seeds, grains.
• Chickpeas are unlike a legume. They're wrinkly, with only one seed and pod. They are higher in vitamin C and iron.
• Flax seed rocks! It's less than 40% oil. Flax strengthens immunity, help prevent cancer, clear the heart and arteries. Flax is a superior source of lignan, which helps regulate menstrual cycles. Lignan has anti-cancer, antibacterial, anti-viral and antifungal properties.
• 3T flax seeds and 1/2 c water=2 eggs
• Macrobiotic cure-all: 1 1/2 T kudzu powder; 1 1/2 c H20; 1 t umeboshi powder; 1 t soy sauce; 1/2 t ginger juice. Boil, stirring constantly and simmer until it goes from milky to opaque.
• Quinoa is 16% protein. It contains all the amino acids. The UN WHO says it's nutritionally equal or superior to milk. It's at least as good as milk when it comes to protein quality. It has more calcium; is high in lycine, iron, phosphorus, B vitamins and vitamin E. Wash quinoa well to rid it of the bitter covering.
• With seeds such as quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat, presoaking and light toasting enhances flavor and digestability.

love those grains

Did anyone see this New York Times story? New research has found a direct correlation between eating whole grains and reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease. And might I point out these statistics from the American Heart Association:
Do you eat whole grains? I do.
I buy them in bulk at Wild Oats (they’re really quite affordable) and prepackaged at Trader Joe’s.
Here are five grains you might not know about, along with some nutritional facts about each one:
Quinoa: (right) This nutty grain can be cooked like rice, with a 1:2 ratio of grain to water. Cook for 15-18 minutes. It fluffs up when cooked, making it an ideal substitute for couscous or even rice! It has all the amino acids that humans need, which is rare for a grain. (It contains lysine, which many grains lack.) It is also a good source of fiber, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.

Nutrition info

Amaranth: This grain looks a lot like quinoa, but it is golden in color and smaller. The protein content is remarkable and, like quinoa, it has a good balance of amino acids. The fiber content is high, along with its amount of Vitamin E. Be careful not to overcook it, as it can become gummy. Use the
same 1:2 ratio, but cook only about 10 minutes.

Nutrition info

Barley: (right) Other than barley soup, does anyone eat barley anymore? I think it took a bad rap back in the 70s and 80s. It takes a long time to cook, but it's high in fiber and iron! It's so nutty and delicious. Nutrition info

Buckwheat: Remember buckwheat pancakes? It's delicious, nutty and hearty. The grains, also called kasha, is full of magnesium, copper and fiber. It cooks (standard 1:2 ratio) in about 15 minutes. In Asian food stores, you can easily find buckwheat noodles, which are quite flavorful and great in spicy or strong sauces. Ever had the cold Japanese noodles served on bamboo mats? Here's a recipe (scroll all the way down). They're SO delicious! Buckwheat is high in protein, Vitamin B and other nutrients. Allegedly, buckwheat strengthens capillary walls.

Nutrition info

Oats: Forget those little, sugar-laced packets with a white-haired man on them. Real oats are great for your heart, and they're a great source of fiber. They have been proven to reduce cholesterol (so have other grains). They're a great way to reduce the amount of ground meat used in a recipe, of course they're delicious as cereal and they are excellent in baking. Nutrition info

A failure of sorts

So remember that post a couple of days ago when I said I was going to eat vegan for a week? Yeah, well, didn't happen. That night, I went to Green Papaya with my Freedom Porject group. I was tempted by sushi and quickly gave in. Delicious, succulent, sweet, oh so good.... mmm. We got some funky rolls, and while I'm usually a purist, I do love a good spider roll.

You see that, I heart fried things sometimes, too.
Other than that meal (I had tofu choochee curry again, but it was NOT very hot.), I have stuck to the cruelty-free diet.

Eating tofu/soy substitutes makes me feel like I'm indulging myself. I felt slightly guilty yesterday and today when I ate a bacon-egg-cream cheese breakfast sandwich... but no pigs, chickens or cows were harmed in the making of my breakfast! Morningstar Farms makes a fabulous -- yet funny-looking -- fakin bacon. I ate two of the marbled reddish-pink and white slices (just 50 calories, take that, Piggy!) between two slices of Ezekiel 49 bread slathered with Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese. To this I added a slice of soft tofu. Looks and tastes just like egg whites. Fool your friends by adding turmeric.

Delicious!

I stole a Rachael Ray recipe for spicy chicken satay sauce (Holy yum, Batman! Here's a recipe that sidetracked me while looking for the above link: salmon dumplings with coconut curry sauce. Omit the pork fat, s'il vous plait!) I've got a mild peanut/cashew allergy, but I love spicy peanut sauce. (Loved, is the correct verb, je pense.) So I swapped soynut butter and added extra red pepper flakes to this sauce. I also added crystallized ginger instead of sugar. I've been eating it for lunch all week with mixed veggies and my new Trader Joe's find (thanks to Polly!): orzo-red quinoa-baby chickpeas. Fantastique!

A side note: Quinoa is a phenomonal food. It's a whole grain, which keeps your insides happy, and is a nutritionally sound grain. It provides more protein than most grains (12-18%), and it has a wide range of amino acids! Throw some in with your rice, and you'll never know the difference.