Tag Archive for 'SuperForest Fresh Picks'

SuperForest Fresh Picks: “Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen Cheat Sheet”

carla published on May 7, 2010 in food. 3 Comments Tags: , , , .

Hey, SuperForest!

I’ve been giving a lot of thought on how I wanna develop (or rather, revive) our “SuperForest Fresh Picks” series; a weekly post in which I highlight an in-season fruit or vegetable and teach you SuperForesters how to pick it. I started it several weeks ago and had a lot of fun with it, but for some reason it lost steam. Which is good, in a sense, because it gave me some time to reflect on what I want to do with it. I’m thinking an instructional video series would work better…

Anyway, I’m setting the intention here and now to be more responsible in keeping up with that and although I don’t have a particular fresh picks prepared for today, I do have something that helps us take a step back and observe grocery shopping at a wider lens. Instead of showing you guys how to pick a particular fruit or vegetable, this handy guide helps ease some of the inner struggle that occurs when debating over that age-old question: “Do I buy organic, or don’t I?”

Of course, the easy answer for most might be “Yes!”, but when considering other factors such as cost and availability, sometimes the decision gets a bit tough. Thanks to the lovely Heidi of “My Paper Crane“, however, that inner struggle just got a lot easier.

Check it out, here’s her handy “Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen Cheat Sheet”.

(click to enlarge)

To the left are the “Dirty Dozen”, or the foods with the highest pesticide residue which was measured after washing and or peeling (thus making them the type of foods you should always try to buy organic). To the right are the “Clean Fifteen” or foods with the lowest or no pesticide residue. You can print it out, fold it down the middle, and it’ll be about the size of a business card that can easily be tucked into your wallet. So easy!

For more information and the full list of the shopper’s guide to pesticides, click here!

And here are the links of our previous Fresh Picks posts, lined up:

With love,
C

SuperForest Fresh Picks: Satsuma Tangerines & Comice Pears

carla published on January 18, 2010 in food. 3 Comments Tags: , , , .

Every week, SuperForest will highlight a delicious fruit or vegetable that is currently in season and teach you, the SuperForester, how to pick it.

Satsuma/Comice
Good evening, SuperForest!
I’ve neglected our weekly SuperForest Fresh Picks series for the past couple weeks so in order to make up for this and get back into the swing of things, SuperForest will bring you two lovely fresh picks this week with the Satsuma tangerine and Comice pear!
First up, is the mouthwatering Comice pear. Known for being among the sweetest and juiciest of all varieties of pears, the Comice pear has silky soft flesh and is best described as “creamy” in texture. And if those features of this (dare I say) sexy fruit isn’t luring enough, one of the first things you’ll notice about this fruit is the overwhelming perfume-like fragrance. Literally. So here’s what you do with them…
Comice Pear
How to pick them:
  • There isn’t much to picking the Comice pears, the trick is in keeping them. When you go to the grocery store, you’ll notice these pears have greenish coloured skin. You can’t really go wrong when you pick them, especially at this time of year, they’re all going to be amazing.
  • Like most other fruits, you want to avoid soft spots or scars that are more than skin-deep. Too much yellow usually means a pear is over-ripe, so you want to avoid these, too.
How to keep them:
  • If your Comice pears are particularly hard, leave them out on your counter for a few days to ripen.
  • Once they begin to have a yellowish blush and have a little give to them when you squeeze them (and are not too squishy), they’ll be perfect to eat.
That’s all there is to it! They’re a good source of fiber and vitamin C and the taste is absolutely divine. Compared to other pears, it isn’t crunchy like the Bosque, but has a texture closer to that of the D’anjou, only sweeter and juicier.
Satsuma Tangerine
Next up, we’ve got the Satsuma tangerine! I’ve featured the California Navel orange on the pilot post, and as far as picking Satsumas, there isn’t much of a difference. However, being that I’m such a fan of tangerines, I couldn’t let the season pass us by without sharing them with you.
Although a bit more costly than other citrus fruits, Satsumas are particularly popular due to the fact that they are seedless and easy to peel.
How to pick them:
  • Look for bright orange, smooth skin.
  • Shiny skin is usually a good indicator of freshness being that they loose that shininess when they get old.
  • Heaviness is a good indicator of juiciness.

How to keep them:

  • A lot of people keep citruses at room temperature as decoration but in order to preserve their flavor, Satsuma tangerines (and all other citruses) must be kept in the refrigerator.

Happy picking!

With love,

Carla

SuperForest Fresh Picks: 10 Great Health Foods for 2010!

carla published on January 6, 2010 in food. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

Good evening, SuperForest,

I must apologize. The holidays kind of put the weekly SuperForest Fresh Picks series in a bit of a funk and as schedules begin to normalize, I’m switching things up this week by sharing the Mayo Clinic’s list of “10 Great Health Foods for Eating Well“. A lot of you might have some sort of resolution that involves healthier eating, and if that’s the case, this is a perfect place to start!

  • Almonds: Like all nuts, almonds provide one of the best plant sources of protein. And they’re good for your heart. Most of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated fat — a healthier type of fat that may help lower blood cholesterol levels.
  • Apples: Apples are an excellent source of pectin, a soluble fiber that can lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Fresh apples are also good sources of vitamin C — an antioxidant that protects your body’s cells from damage. Vitamin C also helps form the connective tissue collagen, keeps your capillaries and blood vessels healthy, and aids in the absorption of iron.
  • Blueberries: Blueberries are a rich source of plant compounds (phytonutrients). As with cranberries, phytonutrients in blueberries may help prevent urinary tract infections. Blueberries may also improve short-term memory and promote healthy aging.
  • Broccoli: Besides being a good source of calcium, potassium, folate and fiber, broccoli contains phytonutrients — a group of compounds that may help prevent chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Broccoli is also a good source of vitamins A and C — antioxidants that protect your body’s cells from damage.
  • Red Beans: Red beans — including small red beans and dark red kidney beans — are good sources of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and thiamin. They’re also an excellent low-fat, low-calorie source of protein and dietary fiber. Red beans also contain phytonutrients that may help prevent chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
  • Salmon: Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids — a type of fat that makes your blood less likely to form clots that may cause heart attacks. Omega-3s may also protect against irregular heartbeats that may cause sudden cardiac death, decrease triglyceride levels, decrease the growth of artery-clogging plaques, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke.
  • Spinach: Spinach is high in vitamins A and C and folate. It’s also a good source of riboflavin, vitamin B-6, calcium, iron and magnesium. The plant compounds in spinach may boost your immune system and may help keep your hair and skin healthy.
  • Sweet Potatoes: The deep orange-yellow color of sweet potatoes tells you that they’re high in the antioxidant beta carotene. Food sources of beta carotene, which are converted to vitamin A in your body, may help slow the aging process and reduce the risk of some cancers. Sweet potatoes are also good sources of fiber, vitamins B-6, C and E, folate and potassium. And like all vegetables, they’re fat-free and relatively low in calories — one small sweet potato has just 54 calories.
  • Vegetable Juice: Vegetable juice has most of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients found in the original vegetables and is an easy way to include vegetables in your diet. Tomato juice and vegetable juices that include tomatoes are good sources of lycopene, an antioxidant that may reduce the risk of heart attack, prostate cancer and possibly other types of cancer. Some vegetable and tomato juices are very high in sodium, so be sure to select the low-sodium varieties.
  • Wheat Germ: At the center of a grain of wheat is the wheat germ — the part of the seed that’s responsible for the development and growth of the new plant sprout. Though only a small part of the wheat seed, the germ is a highly concentrated source of nutrients, including niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin E, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron and zinc. The germ also contains protein, fiber and some fat.

Not too bad, right? Eating healthy this year will be a piece of cake. ; )

In case you missed our previous SuperForest Fresh Picks segments, you can review the post on the California navel oranges, the Fuyu persimmon, and of course the old school pomegranate.

Love to all!

C

(via the kitchn)

SuperForest Fresh Picks: Fuyu Persimmon

carla published on December 13, 2009 in food. 5 Comments Tags: , .
Fuyu Persimmons

Hey, SuperForest!

It’s already time for this week’s installment of SuperForest Fresh Picks! Last week, we kicked off the series with the California navel orange, and this week, as promised, we’ll explore the sweet and delectable fuyu persimmon!

As pictured above, the fuyu persimmon is a squat, tomato-like fruit with orange and waxy skin. It’s taste is a delicate sweetness with a texture that can’t really be described in words. Put simply, they are delicious. Though persimmons come in hundreds of varieties, there are only two that are widely available commercially: the fuyu and the hachiya. These varieties are usually divided into two groups, astringent and non-astringent, and the fuyu belonging to the non-astringent group is palatable both before and after fully ripening.

As far as the health benefits, the fuyu persimmon is rich in fiber, rich in vitamin A, and is even used as a traditional Chinese remedy for hiccups (take 9 grams of calyx of the persimmon fruit and 3 grams of fresh ginger. Add water and steam for a few minutes and eat).

So, here are the deets on what to do with these amazing fruits:

Fuyu Persimmon

How to pick them:

  • Fuyu persimmons are currently in season, this period is very short though, it only lasts about 3-4 weeks
  • When picking them, look for a deep orange color, the yellowish/greenish ones you see scattered in the image above aren’t as ripe.
  • Look for firmness

How to keep them:

  • If you plan on eating the persimmons within a few days after purchase, it is fine to keep them at room temperature but if you plan on storing them for a longer period of time, keep them refrigerated.

How to eat them:

  • I’ve seen recipes in which persimmons are cooked and served in dessert dishes (persimmon cookies and cakes? Ohhh yeah, they totally exist) but personally, I recommend you eat it raw. You can eat a persimmon just like an apple (with or without the peel depending on your personal preference).

Love to all! Hope you have a wonderful day!

Namaste,

Carla

SuperForest Fresh Picks: Going Back to Basics (With a Special Cameo by Our Friend, the California Navel Orange)

carla published on December 2, 2009 in food. 6 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Heyo, SuperForest!

A few days ago, I was driving home from my evening lecture, stuck in rush hour traffic, and feeling stressed. I was thinking about a huge project transition plan that I had to submit, downtown urban redevelopment sketches that I had to draw, getting my car serviced, the list went on and on, and amidst this flurry of thoughts, an “ugh and I have to grab something to eat, too!” flickered across my mind. This is when I realized something was wrong. Something with our entire society as a whole is wrong: our perception of food. I’m going to generalize a bit here, but you’ll catch my drift.

Somewhere along the passage of time, food transformed from being a vital part of one’s day and as being seen as a way to fuel and replenish and reenergize our bodies to some routine part of our schedule that stops our stomachs from growling. There was a shift from “let’s all gather at the dinner table and share a meal together” to “okay let’s get this over with so I can get back to work”. Generally speaking, so many petty things have flooded into our social consciousness and when it comes to the most vital things in life: food, water, air, etc., we barely give them any thought. And this shrinkage doesn’t only apply to our thoughts, a recent statistic shows that in the 20s and 30s, 27-30% of people’s income would go to food, now this statistic has shrunk to 6-7%. To sum it all up, it is clear that when it comes to food, we have to retrograde, we have to go back to basics.

Sooooo….

It is with great pleasure that I introduce a spankin’ new SuperForest series of posts, SuperForest Fresh Picks! The name pretty much says it all. Once a week, SuperForest is going to feature a particular fruit or vegetable that is currently in season and we are going to teach you how to pick it!

This week, we’ll start with a basic one and premiere with: California Navel Oranges!!!

California Navel Oranges

The California navel orange season is just beginning and for next two months they are just going to get sweeter and less expensive as the season progresses. So when you go to the market to pick some up, here are some things you should look for…

  • A deep orange color
  • Smooth skin (rough or bumpy skin usually means that the skin is thick)
  • Heaviness (the heavier the orange, the juicier it is)
  • Shiny skin
  • A solid feel (it shouldn’t be squishy)
  • And of course, no bruises

Easy stuff, right? Basically you look for any characteristics you would look for in an oompa loompa. And as compared to the valencia orange, which is excellent for juicing, the navel orange is great for eating. Also, it’s important to remember that to keep the oranges fresh and tasty, do not keep them at room temperature, keep them in the refrigerator.

Tune in next week when we get a bit more adventurous and learn about the Fuyu Persimmon.

And of course, if you have any specific requests, send them on over!

Love to all,

C

P.S. A special thank you goes out to SuperForester Ghassem (my pops) for inspiring this series of posts. My grandmother taught him how to pick fruits and vegetables explaining that life lessons such as those were things you could keep with you for the rest of your life. Years later, he would open up his own produce business and ever since I was a wee lass, he has instilled these values in me as I’ve been exposed to fabulous healthy and natural foods. For this, I will forever be grateful.