Sauerkraut: Immune booster and OXO Digital Scale Giveaway

I heard about the benefits of sauerkraut and other fermented foods from a German doctor who was interviewed on German T.V.  In a 2002 article in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers found white cabbage fermented to sauerkraut is rich in isothiocyanates and other compounds that fight cancer. Isothiocyanates makes precancerous cells to self-destruct, preventing cancer growth in the colon, breast, lung and liver.

Another study by the American Center for Cancer Research documented that sauerkraut prevents and heals breast cancer. The bacteria, Lactobacillus plantarum, in the sauerkraut maintains the balance of beneficial bacteria and boosts immunity by enhancing the antibodies that fight infections. 

We made this sauerkraut after a visit to Vangie's organic farm. She had eggs from cage-free chickens and a herd of sheep and goats to supply milk and all their meat. I loved her lush vegetable garden with huge broccoli, peppers, jalapeños, tomatoes, squshes and asparagus. But it was my first time to see monster cabbage and Brussels sprouts! They grow so BIG because uses sheep manure as organic fertilizer. She gave us a 12 pound cabbage!! 

Sauerkraut requires only two ingredients--- shredded cabbage and salt! Problem is, exactly how much salt to add. The right amount makes the cabbage crunchy - too much and it's over salty, too little makes it slimy as it encourages other bacteria (not Lactobacillus plantarum) to grow. The recipe I found says use 3 Tbsp for 5 lbs of shredded white cabbage. 

I used my OXO Digital Food Scale to weigh out the cabbage. And since it is an anaerobic fermentation process, I also used my kimchi maker to ensure no oxygen gets in. I mixed 1-1/4 Tbsp salt for 3 lbs of shredded cabbage and let it sit at room temperature overnight. Then in the fridge it stayed for 5 days to slow down the fermentation process and let the flavors develop. My son really wanted kimchi not sauerkraut so I added some shredded carrots and jalapeños to it. This gave so much depth and contrast to the cabbage.

If you need a weighing scale, do enter the OXO digital food scale giveaway for a chance to win one. 

Here's how to enter the OXO Blogger Digital Food Scale Giveaway 

Required entry:    Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)

Additional entries: 

Friend momgateway on Facebook (1 entry) or share this post on Facebook (1 entry)

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This Giveaway ends on July 30, 2012. Please leave a way to get in touch with you. Let me know if you friended momgateway on Facebook, shared this post on Facebook or followed momgateway on Twitter. Winners will be selected on July 31 and contacted by email.  Thank you so much.

Foodbuzz 24x24: Hanami Bento and Giveaway

Foodbuzz 24x24: Hanami Bento

I’m thrilled that my Foodbuzz 24x24 proposal was chosen for this month.  I am featuring the Hanami Bento. Hanami is a traditional flower-viewing festival in Japan also known as cherryblossom festival. It is said that the Japanese elite celebrated the first Hanami in the 700s but Hanami is so popular now that almost everyone in Japan celebrates it. The tradition has changed little over time. Friends, families and colleagues gather to enjoy food and drink under plum (ume) blossoms or cherry blossoms. Since Japan's fiscal year and school year starts in April coinciding with the end of winter, Hanami symbolizes new beginnings so many welcome parties start with Hanami, a chance to get bond with each other and to renew their spirits.

When news filtered in about the 9.0 (on the Richter scale) earthquake and tsunami that hit the northeastern coast of Japan I was shocked and stunned by the utter havoc caused by the tsunami.  Live videos showed ships, houses, cars and people being swept away by the tsunami. On top of this there was the problem of partial meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

A friend’s daughter lives in Sendai and she had to run down six flights of steps carrying her two daughters when the earthquake struck. Her immediate family was spared but all around them nearly everyone lost someone.  I emailed my former professor inquiring about their safety and he replied that due to power outages half of the trains in Tokyo were not in service and he had to ride his bike to get work.  He lives at least 5 train stations away from the campus.  He said bottled water was being rationed and everything was in short supply. How could I feature a happy event such as Hanami when so many Japanese were grieving for lost loved ones and the uncertainty of the future in the face a nuclear crisis? 

For days I contemplated about pulling out of the event.  But then I came to the conclusion that it was alright to have a Hanami picnic.  Just as Hanami is a time for new beginnings and renewal it is also a time to mediate on our own mortality and the fragility of life.  If we dwell upon this during Hanami then it is worth doing it. 

The day chosen for Foodbuzz 24x24 was unfortunately very cold and grey in Oklahoma.  Temperatures have been erratic in the previous weeks and today it dipped to 30 C.  I planned to share the Japanese picnic meal at the Boomer Lake with a few friends to introduce them to this Japanese tradition and Hanami food. Unfortunately, James and Curtis could not make it because they were sick and Preet had to go to Dallas so it was just me, my sister, Mark and Jshinobi  (Hubby was on call this weekend) who shared the Hanami bento and reflected on the symbolism of Hanami.  We enjoyed our brief but meaningful Hanami picnic under the blossom-laden branches.

This is what I made for our Hanami bento: Inarizushi (seasoned rice in seasoned soybean curd), karaage (japanese fried chicken), simmered spinach with sesame seeds, kabocha simmered in soy sauce, Harumaki (spring rolls), and for dessert we had dango (pink, white and green dumplings skewered on bamboo sticks) and mochi (rice dumplings filled with bean paste).  The recipes are at the bottom of this post. 


I bought pink and white fish cakes (kamaboko), quail eggs, and seasoned tuna cakes and some mochi (rice dumplings with red bean filling and matcha/ green tea mochi).  Since JShinobi was under 18 we had Ramune (Japanese lemonade), Calipco and soy milk for our drinks.

Clockwise: Blanched spinach with sesame sauce, Simmered kabocha squash, Hardboiled quail eggs, Kamaboko, Cucumbers, Chicken karaage, Inarizushi

Top to bottom: Harumaki (spring rolls), Dango, Tuna cakes

The delicate sakura blossom is the symbol of the samurai.  It embodies the spirit of “bushido” or the way of the samurai that combines bravery, valor and stoicism. Hanami is a reminder of the fleeting nature of life and this brings out a peculiar Japanese strength, stoicism and willingness to rebuild and rise above tragedy.  

Giveaway

Most of the recipes I used are from The Just Bento Cookbook so I am also doing a giveaway of this must have cookbook by Makiko Itoh.

Please comment to enter the giveaway.  Random.org will be used to choose a winner and this will be announced on April 22, 2011.

For those who wish to donate to the Japan Disaster Relief efforts please visit Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami link of the American Red Cross https://american.redcross.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=ntld_main

RECIPES:

Inarizushi (from can of Shirakiku can of Inarizushi no moto)

1 10 oz. can inarisushi no moto (fried soybean curd seasoned with soy sauce)

2 1/2 cups rice

1/4 cup su (rice vinegar)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Cook rice in usual manner. Add sugar and salt to rice vinegar and stir till all crystals dissolve. Seaon cooked rice with seasoned vinegar. Stir rice well so that it will be evenly seasoned. Cool rice with a paper fan while you stir. Pack seasoned rice in Iarishushi no moto. Do not pack too solidly. Fold end of abura-age to cover rice. If you prefer vegetables in the rice use Gomoku no moto.

Chicken kara-gae (from The Just BentoCookbook)

420 g boneless chicken thigh, without skin, cut into 3-4 pieces

2 tsp soy sauce (if you are not making green onion sauce, increase to 4 tsp

2 Tbsp sake or rice wine

2 tsp peeled an grated fresh ginger

cornstarch

Marinade chicken at least 10 min or overnight. If overnight, omit soy sauce and add 10 min before coking so the salt will not draw too much moisture from the chichen and make it dry. Coat pieces in cornstarch and fry chicken till deep golden brown.

Green onion sauce for karaage

1 T rice vinegar

1 T soy sauce

1 T chopped green onions

pinch sugar

a few drops of sesame oil

1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger

Combine all ingredients in a frying pan till sugar dissolves.

Simmered kabocha squash (from The Just BentoCookbook)

3 c kabocha squash, cut up

1 c dashi stock

2 T sake

2 T mirin

1 ½ T sugar

1 ½ T soy sauce

Mix dashi stock, sake, mirin, sugar and soy sauce. Place in a saucepan with peeled kabocha squash and simmer till tender.  Leave kabocha to cool down in the liquid to absorb flavor.  Drain well before packing.

Blanched spinach with sesame sauce (from The Just BentoCookbook)

1/2 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted

1 tsp sugar

1/s T soy sauce

t tsp white sesame seeds for sprinkling

Boil spinach for 1 min Drain, and balnch spinach in cold water. Form into a log and cut into even pieces.

Put sesame seeds and sugar into a motar. Grind seeds well until seeds are crushed and smells nutty. Add soy sauce and mix well. Add cooked spinach and mix well. Sprinkle sesame seeds.

Hanami Dango (from http://www.saucemagazine.com/recipe/9)

½ cup nonglutinous rice flour

½ cup mochiko*

½ cup cornstarch

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

½ Tbsp. yomogi or matcha*

Dash red food coloring

1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

In a bowl, whisk rice flour, mochiko, cornstarch and sugar together with a fork. Add 1 cup of water and blend until smooth. Divide batter into 3 ¾-cup portions.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 portion of batter on low, stirring constantly until the batter pulls away from the sides of the pan to form a solid mass. Set aside. This will be used for the white dango.

To make the green dango, add the matcha to the next batter portion. Heat it on low, stirring constantly until the batter pulls away to form a solid mass. Set aside.

To make the pink dango, add the food coloring and vanilla extract (if using) to the remaining batter portion, blending well. Repeat the steps to cook.

After the dough cools, knead each portion separately in clean hands. Roll each portion into 10 1-inch balls. Thread the balls onto skewers in order of green, white and pink. Bring water to a boil in a steamer basket. Place the skewers on a lightly greased plate, ½ inch apart. Steam on high for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool.

*Mochiko, yomogi and matcha are available at Asian markets. Yomogi, also known as mugwort, is a bitter herb associated with spring in Japan. Matcha, or powdered green tea, may be substituted instead.

Harumaki spring rolls (link is here)

Momgateway Light Recipes Contest and $60 Gift Card Giveaway

The campus of Ohio State University at Columbus, Ohio is one of the largest in the U.S.  It reminds me so much of University of Wisconsin, Madison and Hokkaido University.  The streets are lined with trees and lush vegetation.   Quaint old buildings blend beautifully with some of the newer ones like the renovated Student Union.  The lights and furnishings at the Union are so contemporary and elegant.   I've been here since Sunday for a two-week workshop on functional genomics.  We've been walking a lot each day from the residence hall to the labs and the Student Union.  In just three days all the walking and a diet of salads, wraps, salmon, chicken, vegetable spring rolls and dumplings make me feel so much lighter already.  When CSN contacted me about doing either a product review or a giveaway, I thought of sharing the opportunity to my dear readers by doing a Momgateway Light Recipes Contest from June 25-July 25.  The prize will be a $60 Gift Card from CSN that the winner can use to purchase anything from the more than 200 CSN online stores.

Rules:
1. If you have a blog,
     a. Please submit a favorite or original recipe that is light and perfect for spring or summer.
     b. Post this in your blog with a link to momgateway.blogspot.com and
     c. email me the link.
2. If you don't have a blog,
     email your recipe and a photo of the dish to momgateway@gmail.com and I will post them for you on
     my blog when I do a round-up of the recipes.
A winner will be chosen and announced on July 27, 2010. Good luck and have fun cooking light!

Winners of Dr. Kracker Giveaway and A Ouick and Easy Spicy Thai Chicken Wings

WINNERS:

My heartfelt thanks to all of my dear readers who commented or participated in the Dr. Kracker Giveaway. I enjoy sharing recipes and reading your blogs and just being part of our foodie community. Please drop by again sometime for another giveaway next month.

Congrats to Dr. Kracker Giveaway winners: #22 Kim and #32 LAgirl70094 .  To claim your prizes, contact momgateway@gmail.com with your postal address.

And a  special thank you to my friend, George Eckrich for this fantastic giveaway!

QUICK AND EASY SPICY THAI CHICKEN WINGS

Meanwhile, here is a quick and easy version of Spicy Thai Chicken Wings I tried yesterday.  Traditionally, you should use lots of finely chopped cilantro roots (not stems or leaves) and fresh garlic. If you only have fresh cilantro stems and leaves, you could use it. The flavor is not quite the same but it will work too ...the garlic-cilantro-fish sauce-pepper combination will smell so enticing....  When in a pinch, you can use coriander powder.   Coriander powder is derived from cilantro seeds and it gives a sparkle/brightness to the dish. 

12 chicken wings (flats and drumettes)
2 tsp fresh garlic or garlic powder
2 tsp finely chopped cilantro roots (or stems) or coriander powder
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp Siracha (or hot sauce)-depends on how hot you want it
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
rice flour or cornstarch for coating (Warning: Don't use sweet potato starch*)

Combine garlic, cilantro, oil, Siracha, sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce.  Pour over chicken wings.  Marinade for an hour or so. Dredge in rice flour or cornstarch and deep fry.

* I read a tip from a blog about using sweet potato starch. So when I first made this, I coated the wings with sweet potato starch  --- terrible, terrible mistake!  Alright, it was crunchy on the outside but the chicken was steamed on the inside --my son called it Frankenstein wings!!!! He says he loves chicken but does not like the texture or taste of soggy boiled/steamed wings when it's supposed to be crispy fried chicken.

FRUIT FAST Giveaway Winner and consolation prizes

Here it is ...drum roll please...: Juliana is winner of the FruitFast Giveaway!!!! CONGRATULATIONS -you get all three products!
BONUS: Consolation prize will be given to all those that joined the giveaway by visiting the FruitFast website and commenting on which three products you'd like to try, FruitFast is giving away a sample of their newest product: CherryFlex ProSport Shots. 
SO: Juliana, Shirley, Fresh Local and Best, Sharlene T., Mimi, Cinnamon-Girl, Simply Life, juliecache, Andrea@WellnessNotes, Lynn, Sped, Tien, Paula T. and Carole----congratulations.  Please email at momgateway@gmail.com with your postal address asap.  

A big hug and thanks to all my readers who participated and commented.

Very special thanks to FruitFast for their generosity in this great GIVEAWAY.  In the summer, we will have another FruitFast Giveaway so be sure to drop by and join.

Photo credits go to: http://www.brownwoodacres.com/cranberry_juice_concentrate.php

Roasted Lamb with Mixed Berry Sauce and Extension of Fruit Fast Giveaway Deadline

 

I wanted to prepare roasted leg of lamb or roasted lamb shanks for dinner but Food Pyramid and Walmart were already sold out.  My eye was drawn to a package of Cedars Spring Split Lamb Breast on the shelf.  It was not very fatty and the ribs were visible so it looked like I could cut the meat into convenient "riblets" and it would cost me a only a couple of dollars.  When I arrived home I decided to go ahead and roast the split lamb breast but make a savory mixed berry sauce instead of the traditional Greek roasted lamb recipe I use. 

*****Just a reminder:  I am extending the deadline for the Fruit Fast Giveaway (see the announcement at the bottom of the post).******

Here's my roasted lamb split breast recipe:

1 package Split Lamb Breast

1 tsp canola oil

 kosher salt and pepper

1/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon

1/2 cup beef broth

1/2 tsp Fruit Fast Mixed Berry Liquid (adding more than this is overpowering)

2 tsp rice vinegar

2 tsp brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush the lamb split breast with oil and season liberally with kosher salt and pepper. Place it in a roasting pan with the ribs facing down. Roast the lamb for about 1-1/2 hours.  Remove the lamb from the pan and let it rest for about10 minutes. While the meat is resting, prepare the sauce.

Pour out some of the excess fat and juices from the pan and put it over medium-high heat. Deglaze the pan with Cabernet Sauvignon and beef broth.  Add the mixed berry liquid, rice vinegar and brown sugar and let it come to a boil while stirring. Turn off the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm roast with the mixed berry sauce. Yum!

Extension of Giveaway Deadline

If you still have not joined this Fruit Fast Giveaway, there is still time.  I'm extending the deadline to March 28, 2010.  To get a chance to win this great giveaway, see details in the post here.  If you don't have a blog, you can still win --you don't have to place your email address in the comments--send it to momgateway@gmail.com to keep your privacy.  Good luck to everyone!

Super Fruits and Fruit Sushi: Cherry Coconut Cream Gelee and a GIVEAWAY

Certain red and purple colored fruits like cherries, blueberries, black plums, blackberries, raspberries and pomegranate are called super fruits as they are rich in substances known as antioxidants.  Antioxidants protect our cells from damaging effects of free radicals. Flavonoids, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, vitamins A, C and E are examples of antioxidants in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, meats and fish. WebMd talks about antioxidants, their sources and how to get more of these in a healthy diet. You might want to check it out. 

Another health food is agar (agar-agar/ kanten).  It is a vegetarian gelatin substitute from seaweed extract and it contains about 84% fiber.  In Japan where nearly everyone thinks "thin is beautiful", the kanten diet is getting a lot of attention as a potential weight loss agent. When eaten as part of a meal, agar triples in size and readily absorbs water so a person feels full quickly and becomes less prone to overeat!

I've been trying to be creative in getting more super fruits in our meals. So today I'm sharing a recipe using 

FruitFast---a liquid fruit supplement. Each teaspoon of FruitFast contains 100-200 mg of anthocyanins (a flavonoid antioxidant).  FruitFast products are made from Michigan red tart cherries, pomegranates, wild blueberries and the fruit pastes are placed into yummy snack bars, fruit goos and liquid fruit supplements.  The process maintains the fruits' original composition so it is not a fruit extract or a powder. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to enter the FruitFast giveaway.

To create this fruit sushi, I used FruitFast Cherry Flex derived from 100% Montmorency Tart Cherries.  I made two kinds of gelee -- cherry and coconut cream---and let them set in separate containers.  The base of my fruit sushi was a layer of cherry gelee.  Over this, I placed coconut cream gelee and another layer of cherry gelee.  On top this stack I had a slice of fresh, ripe mango and kiwi. The tartness and intensity of cherry is beautifully balanced by the delicate flavor of the creamy coconut gelee and the sweetness of ripe mangoes and kiwi. If you like to try a new dessert, here's the recipe:

Cherry Gelee

1 cup water
2 Tbsp Fruit Fast Cherry Flex
3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp agar
Mix everything in a saucepan.  Make sure the agar is completely dissolved then turn on the heat. Let simmer for a couple of minutes till all the sugar and agar granules are in solution. Pour into a rectangular mold and place in the refrigerator to set for about 2 hours.

Coconut Cream Gelee

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tsp sugar
1.5 tsp agar
Mix everything in a saucepan.  Make sure the agar is completely dissolved then turn on the heat. Let simmer for a couple of minutes till all the sugar and agar granules are in solution. Pour into a rectangular mold and place in the refrigerator to set for about 2 hours.

Assemble the fruit sushi and cut to serving sizes. Enjoy!

GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCEMENT

You have a chance to try FruitFast products!  FruitFast is giving away fruit bars and liquid supplements to one of my readers.  Their Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries and fruit supplement bars are amazing but they have a variety of products you can choose from so if you want to enter the giveaway, visit their website and tell me (in the comments section) which three products you'd like to try by March 21.  They will ship it to the winner directly.  If you don't have a blog, you can still win --you don't have to place your email address in the comments--send it to momgateway@gmail.com to keep your privacy.  Good luck to everyone!