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There was some good interest in my first list of top 10 foods. So now, I want to follow-up and tell you more of WHY I

have some top 10s at all. It was brought to my attention, after the fact, that there are many famous people out

there doing hot lists of 10s. Not only am I not famous, I am shamefully out of the loop of what is on the “must have” and “must do” of these trend -setting advisors.   But I do know some about food, and about health and I think the 2 should intersect most of the time if we want to be living the good life. So top 10 and trendy or not, here is some my own down low on the “why and how” these are some new foods we can learn to love and love to learn about!

The following foods in the list  are largely “old” foods made new by calling them “superfoods” and selling them in this marketplace that is now a very globally flavoured market marketplace.  A few weekends ago,  I went to the CHFA (Canadian Healthfood Association) tradeshow at the Vancouver Convention center. There are SO many exciting and wild wonderfully packaged foods and food-reminiscent bits, bars, potions and  powders out there that claim to be the elixirs of the gods and goddesses or at least anti-aging and slimming if you lay it all bare (as it is suggested you shall après consuming such nectar!) . It was a tad overwhelming, and this is the world I am totally happily immersed in as both and ND and a chef!

  I love Michael Pollan’s work and his concept of  down to earth  “food rules”  really resonates. One of his ideas is that you shouldn’t eat anything that your great -grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food. Most of the foods I talk about below, were used by someone’s grandmother in some wise land before they got put in alluring vacuum packed packages that  appeal to the time and tradition starved 2010 consumer.  

1. HEMP:

• This is truly a “superfood”. It is a nutrient rich whole food in its natural state, Unlike so many other vegan sources of protein there is no need to create isolates or extracts from it.
• The protein is complete, containing all the essential amino acids, and is notably more alkaline than most proteins.

I sprinkle these  on everything—salads, cereal, stirfries, steamed greens. Excellent in veggie burgers, dips/spreads, in cookies, bars, spice rubs like dukkha, anywhere you would use sesame seeds or want an extra protein boost- experiment!  

The next 2 are actually new world seeds, not grains!

2. AMARANTH:

PREP: 1:3 amaranth: water ratio, for 25 mins. 

• Higher  in calcium than milk , higher in iron than spinach, also high in  potassium, phosphorus, vitamins A and C.
• 17 % protein  and rich in  the amino acid LYSINE (rare in plant foods!)
• Great as a creamy breakfast cereal—I have made some great recipes for amaranth “risotto” and amaranth “caviar”- always rave reviews

3. QUINOA:

PREP:  1:2 quinoa: water  ratio for 20 mins.  *rinse first (because of the saponin resin on the outside of the kernals)

• high levels of protein , B vits, lysine, iron, potassium.
• Also wonderful as a fluffy warm breakfast cereal, as a grain side dish instead of rice, in pilaf, in loaves, in baking I use it a lot – we will make a gorgeous quinoa soufflé in next workshop!

4. CHIA SEEDS (Salvia hispanica)

• high EFA profile (gram per gram 8 x more omega 3 than salmon!)
•  **doesn’t need to be ground to get EFAS**- stable
• 20 % high quality protein, packed with antioxidants.
• extremely nutrient dense: especially high in magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron

Sprinkle on salads, cereals, smoothies (like you would flax)

5. AGAVE NECTAR:

Comes from blue agave cactus or “maguey” (same as tequila or mescal! )

• Excellent source of slow release carbohydrate  (90 % fructose) and trace minerals, doesn’t spike insulin.

Use in place of honey or maple syrup and if using in baking to replace cane sugar, the rules are a little more complex-- check for another “daybite” on this.

6. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:

Made from fermented apples, adds a lot of potassium to salad dressing, sauces

• contains malic acid, which aids in digestion
• Acidic, but upon digestion becomes alkaline forming.

1-2 tsp in shotglass amount of water 15 mins before meals  increases HCL (stomach acid) which is fundamental for good digestion

7. NUTRITIONAL YEAST

• Single cell fungus grown on molasses
• Complete protein, satisfying and a great cheese alternative. Rich source of B vits- esp B 12 content rare in plant sources

Try sprinkling on popcorn or  mixing ½ and 1/2  with hempseeds for a “dairy-free nutrient-rich parmesan”

8. COCONUT OIL:

• A medium chain triglyceride, great for high heat cooking (not converted into a trans fat)

Use for roasting vegetables on popcorn instead of butter, in asian cooking- stirfries, curries—where you don’t want an olive oil  “olive” flavour interference

9. KOMBU:

• is a high protein sea vegetable
• it contains glutamic acid (safe and natural form of MSG—so great for flavouring) boosts stocks, soups and stews,
• tenderizes beans (use in soaking and cooking)- makes legumes more digestable (less flatulence!)

10. MISO:

PREP: ¼-1/2 cup : 4 c  (1L) of water

•  fermented= beneficial bacteria—don’t want to boil it, destroy
• made primarily from  soybeans, contains also rice, barley, or other grains 
• Great source of low caloric protein (2g of protein in a 30 cal (2tsp) serving).

Use as a soup base, or try a tsp in salad dressings and gravies