Shroooms: Enokitate Mushrooms

Scientific Name: Flammulina velutipes

Enokitate or Enoki Mushrooms grow wildly in Japan, Vietnam, China and Korea. They grow on Mulberry, Persimmon, and Hackberry trees, these mushrooms are naturally orange-brown in color but due to cultivation, they end up being white. Enoki Mushrooms have long stems that can grow up to 5 inches and the cap is usually small. They have other names such as Golden Needle Mushrooms, Lily Mushrooms, Winter Fungus and Seafood Mushrooms.

Enoki Mushrooms are often found in Asian cuisines because they are known for their anti-cancer properties, They contain large amounts of protein, niacin, iron, selenium, calcium and potassium. Scientists and doctors continue to study Enoki Mushrooms because based on laboratory tests, they found out that it can be an important ingredient in vaccines to cure cancer - and that's a great news!

Dishes like Egg Soup with Enoki Mushrooms, Sautéd Enoki Mushrooms and Enoki Mushrooms with Cheese Casserole are just three of the many recipes you can prepare using this kind of mushroom. Like any other mushrooms, this can also be added as toppings on burgers and noodles. It can also be added in sauces for pastas.

Green Minded: Broccoli

Scientific Name: Brassica oleracea

The name Broccoli comes from the Italian name broccolo, which means the flowering tuft of cabbages. They have a tree-like structure with big flower heads. The flowers are colored green and so are the stalks. Broccoli existed since 6th Century and Italians before would consider them as valuable vegetables. There are three types of Broccoli and these are:

Purple Broccoli - sold in Italy, UK and Spain, this Broccoli's tuft is purple in color and the flower buds are smaller that the regular one.

Calabrese Broccoli - the regular Broccoli that's usually deep green in color and has larger flower heads.

Sprouting Broccoli - they have thin, plenty stalks but have very large flower heads.

Eating a generous amount of Broccoli can help support cardiovascular health. It's also rich in Vitamin B Complex, this vegetable is also good for our nervous system. Eating Broccoli daily can help prevent cancer and can help digestion. 

Broccoli is prepared by trimming the "trunk" and slicing the stems, leaving clumps of flower heads which will look like tinier versions of Broccoli. These can be sautéd with butter or combined with other vegetables. One famous dish in Philippines made with Broccoli, is the Beef Broccoli. A healthy snack you should try is steaming Broccoli and drizzle some salad dressing! : )

Going Nuts: Pine Nuts

Scientific Name: Pinus pinea

Pine trees grow wildly in cold regions all over the world and they have different species. Pine trees produce flowers called Pine Cones and when these hard flowers mature and dry up, they split open to release Pine Nuts. These nuts, depending on what type of species, have a hard covering. But if you prefer using the nuts on a later date, do not take off the shell to lengthen the nuts' shelf life. Pine Nuts are often off-white to beige in color and has a buttery taste.

Pine Nuts are a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They have pinolenic acids are are very good for the heart and oleic acids to help lower cholesterol. Eating Pine Nuts regularly can also promote healthy and glowing skin because they contain a great amount of Vitamin E. Vitamin B can also be found in this nuts. Pine Nut Oil can also be found in many medicines and in beauty products.

These nuts are often used in making breads but they can also be used in salads and meaty dishes. Some of the dishes made with Pine Nuts are: Pappardelle with Spiced Butter, Lemon Cucumber Tofu Salad, Quinoa with Toasted Pine Nuts and Sautéd Broccoli Garlic Pine Nuts. This is definitely a new flavor to the palette! : )

Just at the Ripe Time: Honeydew

Scientific Name: Cucumis melo

Honeydews or Honeymelon are cultivated in France and Algeria many years ago and later was produced in China. Other names for Honeydew include: Bailan melon, Wallace melon and Winter melon (because they ripen very slow and can only be harvested during late Fall). Honeydews are round in shape, sometimes a bit oval and the flesh is colored slightly yellowish to green unlike the orange-y counterpart, which is the Canteloupe. The flesh is very sweet and this fruit is mostly used in salads and beverages.

They are very good in maintain blood pressure levels and is also rich in Vitamin C. It also contain potassium and Vitamin B-6. It's great for adding moisture to skin and help promote good digestion

Honeydews are often used in fresh fruit salads. It can be plain Hoeneydew with cream or we can do a medley salad with Canteloupe and Watermelon. Just thinking of it really makes me excited!~ Honeydews can also be made into smoothies or shakes and can be added as a flavoring for pastries. You can even add this in meat dishes just for some twisties : )

~Let's live healthy : )

From the Cupboard: Grater

     Happy October everyone! : ) A brand new month for more brand new ideas! This month is really a good month for me because I have lots of plans and I want all of those plans to work and happen accordingly. How about you, what are your plans for this month? Probably early Christmas shopping? 

Inventor: Francois Boullier, 1540's

Francois thought of inventing the Grater because some types of cheese are very hard to slice even with a sharp knife. Usually the Grater is made up of steel with different slot sizes so that you can choose how you want the cheese to be. Though Graters are used often to grate cheese, we can also use other food to produce gratings. There are different types of Graters, and the basic ones are:

Hand Grater - are hand-held Graters that you move the cheese or any food across manually to create gratings. They are usually flat and the slot size is only one.

Flat Heavy Duty Grater - are bigger than the hand-held ones. This is for bigger and heavier foods.

All Purpose Grater - these are in a form of a box or triangle with a handle and each side has a different slot size and shape. 

Multi-Purpose Grater - like the All Purpose Grater, they have different slot shape and sizes but have removable plates due to more artistic slot shapes.

Speciality Graters - these are Graters that are made for zesting nuts and fruits.

Dig Down: Taro

Scientific Name: Colocasia esculenta

Taro can be found in any tropical country and can be grown in any climate. Other names for Taro are: Elephant's Ear (for the leaves), Kalo, Dasheen and Cocoyam. Taro is one of the few crops than can be grown even on flooded land because this plant loves water. They have very large heart-shaped leaves which are veiny, the stalks are fleshy and can grow up to 4 feet tall. The leaves, stalks and the root are all edible and can be cooked in various ways. Taro contains raphides which can cause itchiness for some people when eating or touching Taro.

Taro has a handful of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin B6, zinc, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, folate, thiamin, panthotenic acid and riboflavin. The roots are low in fats but rich in protein. 

When preparing Taro, the leaves and corms should be boiled first to remove the raphides and as well us the bitterness (some species of Taro are bitter). Taro can be sautéd with meat, it can be cooked into Taro Mooncakes, Taro Fries, Taro Panckaes and even Taro Ice Cream! (using Taro powder). There are so many healthy and hearty dishes that you could make out of Taro.

Under the Sea: Clams

Scientific Name: Bivalia mollusca

Clams existed over 500 million years ago and they have many different species (oysters, mussels, scallops, to name a few) from tiny clams to giant ones. They live either in fresh or salt water, some can live only for a year while some can live more that 400 years; and they have all sorts of colors but salt water clams are more colorful than the fresh water clams. The clam's shell consists of two valves, a hinge and a ligament. This ligament functions by closing or opening the valves. Clams also have internal organs like kidneys and heart but mostly they don't have eyes.

Clams are good for the health because they can enhance the immune system; guards us against anemia; and keeps out thyroid glans in good shape. It contains riboflavin, calcium (good for the teeth and bones), zinc, potassium, selenium and iron,

There are many ways of cooking clams and two of the famous dishes made from clams are Clam Chowder and Baked Clams. Personally, I like Clam Soup once in a while. You can also make Linguine with Clams, Grilled Clams 

Something Spicy: Coriander Seeds

Scientific Name: Coriandrum sativum

Coriander, also known as Cilantro, are a native to European countries and also in some parts of Asia. Evidences of the Coriander's existence were found in an ancient Egyptian tomb which tells us that Egyptians cultivated Coriander in their time. In Greece, they were also included in perfumes which was indicated in stone tablets. The name Coriander was derived from the Latin word coriandrum and the name Cilantro was actually from the Spanish. This plant can grow up to 15 inches tall or more; the leaves are green and lobed; and the flowers are white to pale pink in color.

Boiled Coriander leaves can help relieve diarrhea and can lessen the flow of menstruation for women. Fresh Coriander leaves contains high amounts or carotenoids when eaten. This contain high antibacterial properties an can improve oral health and can also relieve muscle pain and headaches. A concoction of milk, honey and Coriander Seeds can help reduce fever. It also has a good source of Vitamin C, potassium and zinc.

The fruits of the Coriander plant are also its seeds. It has a citrus flavor and often it was described to have an orange-y smell. A bit nutty, this spice can be used in any meaty dish to add flavor. This can be used in curry dishes, pasta, oven baked dishes and casseroles.