For me, salads have always been the culinary equivalent of a sad trombone. I鈥檓 active. I want something warm and hearty after a hard effort, not the stuff you give the class gerbil in elementary school. This, I know, is a wildly outdated characterization of salads, if not a surprising one coming from a vegetarian.听

But I live in Germany, where there are a lot of rules, and a lot of exceptions to those rules. My exception for salads is the Israeli salad, usually defined as a chopped salad with diced tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers topped with a light, lemon-based vinaigrette. Simple, right? A recent trip to Israel coupled with a chat with none other than Olympian runner helped me change my perspective.

Israeli Salads, Twice a Day

Tiyouri is a wildly accomplished Israeli Olympic long-distance runner. Over the course of her career, she鈥檚 held the national record in the 5,000-meter run and is a three-time national champion. So it鈥檚 fair to wonder: what鈥檚 fueling these impressive performances?

Although she doesn鈥檛 credit one dish to her success, she鈥檚 quick to mention the Israeli salad. Tiyouri describes it as a staple of her diet; something she eats twice a day. But that wasn鈥檛 always the case.听

Tiyouri admits that she slacked off on the salads. Then her nutritionist, Tamar Ashlagi, told her in plain medical terms: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e Israeli! You have to eat salad every day. Where are your Israeli roots?鈥� Ashlagi is the nutritionist for the Israeli Olympic windsurfing, sailing, and long-distance running teams. She encourages everyone to eat salads, which she says are an important component of the Israeli and Mediterranean diet.

RELATED: Eating These Foods May Help with Seasonal Allergies

鈥淚n Israel, there is a large, readily available variety of vegetables, and they are relatively cheap. There are a lot of possibilities for preparing a salad using seasonal vegetables,鈥� she explained. 鈥淭he salads can be simple and don鈥檛 require too much time to prepare, making them readily available even for tired or busy individuals.鈥�

Of course, it鈥檚 not just about their simplicity. Salads are fundamentally good fuel for long-distance runners. 鈥淭he high fiber content is beneficial for the gut microbiome and digestion,鈥� she said.听

Introducing more salads into Tiyorui鈥檚 diet wasn鈥檛 just about honoring her Israeli roots. A veggie-rich, nutrient-dense salad full of fiber like the Israeli salad is a welcome addition to any runner鈥檚 diet.

鈥淚sraeli salads contain multiple types of vegetables and are usually seasoned lightly with olive oil, which is beneficial for the cardiovascular system,鈥� Ashlagi explained. 鈥淚t is common knowledge that every vegetable has different nutritional values. Therefore, the more colorful the salad is, the more nutritious it is.鈥�

A colorful salad usually means more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which are known to be anti-inflammatory. In other words, Israeli salads can play a nutritional role in an endurance athlete鈥檚 recovery and combating free radicals, not to mention the high fiber content helps regulate blood sugar.

That said, this doesn鈥檛 mean you should start stuffing your face with salads every chance you get. 鈥淎thletes should be aware that eating a salad close to training or competition is not a good idea because of the high fiber content that can cause gut discomfort due to slow digestion,鈥� Ashlagi explains.听

For Tiyouri, Israeli salads come with a bonus benefit. It鈥檚 a taste of home for the 32-year-old, now based in Boulder, Colorado.

鈥淲hen I miss home, I want to make it,鈥� she says. Now it鈥檚 part of her morning routine. She鈥檒l cut up some tomatoes, cucumbers, and top it with olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper. 鈥淚 usually do that in the morning, after a workout and with dinner,鈥� she says.

Tiyouri isn鈥檛 rigid with her Israeli salads. As long as it has tomatoes and cucumber, she welcomes some greens (spinach, arugula) and additional veggies (radishes, red bell pepper), even Israeli feta cheese if she can get her hands on some. It all depends on what she has available in her fridge, what鈥檚 in season, and frankly, what she needs to eat before it spoils. 鈥淪ometimes I just want to throw everything in there,鈥� she says.

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Recipe: Israeli Endurance Greens

This just might be the easiest dish to make . At minimum, all you need is a cucumber, some grape tomatoes, olive oil, lemon, salt, and a knife to make it all happen.

But we鈥檙e not about doing the bare minimum. For this recipe, we鈥檙e adding some color鈥攃hopped red bell pepper and a carrot along with some of Tiyouri鈥檚 favorite bonus regional ingredients, feta cheese and cilantro.

This recipe also adds chopped dates. Why dates? Because they come up time and time again when you ask Israeli athletes about some of their favorite endurance snacks. They grow well in Israel where the temperatures can crawl above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and can be eaten directly from the tree.

Nutritionally speaking, Ashlagi notes that dates are a good source of carbohydrates, glucose, and fructose鈥攎aking them a quick and optimal source of quick energy for exercise.

鈥淒ates can serve as a replacement for around two energy gels,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also a great snack if you desire something sweet, if consumed moderately.鈥�

Within the Israeli salad, dates offer a sweetness to balance out the saltiness of the feta.

You can adjust the quantities in this recipe as you like. And like Tiyouri, feel free to add an extra veggie or swap some out for your favorite vegetables. Not only will she throw in a radish from time to time, she might cut up some avocado or toss in some corn. Put in whatever ingredients are going to make you excited about having this salad. Below is a recipe to get you started.

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Ingredients

Serves: 2 people

• 1 small cucumber, diced
• 150 grams grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 small red onion, minced
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 陆 red bell pepper, chopped
• 50g dried dates (about six dates), chopped
• 15 grams fresh cilantro, chopped
• 30ml or 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice from 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
• 85g (about 1/2 cup) Israeli feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1) Halve your cucumber and slice each half lengthwise into four slices. Hold the slices together like a bouquet and chop them into small pieces. Add them to a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2) Halve the tomatoes and add them to the bowl along with the red bell pepper, carrot, dried dates, and finely chopped cilantro.

3) Soak minced red onion in lemon juice and set aside.

4) Cube the feta cheese or crumble it directly into the bowl with your hands. Add the kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice with onions. Mix thoroughly until the salad is well coated and serve.

The post This Olympian Runner鈥檚 Go-To Endurance Salad Couldn鈥檛 Be Easier appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

For chef Leah Cohen, summer equals cooking outdoors. The Top Chef alumn, , and current judge on the PBS show has lived on the East Coast all her life, which means, she laughs, 鈥渋t鈥檚 definitely not grilling season year-round.鈥� Cohen, who owns the restaurants and in New York City, maximizes the time on her home grill when she can, not only because it takes her outside, but because the grill brings natural char and flavor to foods. 鈥淚 think grilling is a healthier cooking application than saut茅ing or frying, without compromising on flavor,鈥� she explains. 鈥淭o me, that鈥檚 really important because I try to eat healthy.鈥�

Cohen鈥檚 cooking career began when she was a child and was tasked with helping her mother make chicken adobo and lumpia for the family table. Eventually she was entrusted to make rice. In her Filipino household (her mother is Filipino and her father is Romanian-Jewish), rice was a staple and was expected to be cooked perfectly. Cohen continues to draw inspiration from her heritage and extensive travels through Southeast Asia when cooking at her restaurants and at home. 鈥淢y go-to Filipino marinade is made using a combination of soy sauce (my preferred brand is Lee Kum Kee), sesame oil, oyster sauce, brown sugar, banana ketchup, and vinegar.

What Does Leah Cohen Like to Grill?

On Cohen鈥檚 grill, it鈥檚 not unusual to find shishito peppers, a variety of mushrooms, ears of corn, heads of cauliflower, or halved cabbage.

What Is the Perfect Grilling Temperature?

To ensure perfection every time, she recommends grilling veggies over high heat, and lightly oiling and salting them for both flavor and to prevent sticking.

Does Size Matter When Grilling?

Pay close attention to the size of your vegetables. If an ingredient like, for example, mushrooms, are small enough to fall through the grates, use a grill basket.

Ready to put these grilling tips to use? Try following Cohen’s Grilled Cabbage with Yuzu Juice and Brown Butter.

The post How to Grill Veggies, According to Leah Cohen of 鈥楾op Chef鈥� appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

This process is responsible for kitchen staples like pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, and even yogurt and cheese when given the appropriate push. In the right environment, LAB ( 鈥� microorganisms found on all plants) can multiply and flourish from that 1 percent, preserving produce in the process by inhibiting the growth of other microorganisms that contribute to spoilage while also imparting a new complexity of flavor.

Fermented Ramps

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Lifting weights and fitting in regular exercise builds muscle 鈥� but increasing your strength starts with how you鈥檙e fueling your body. What you eat plays just as big of a role as the workouts you鈥檙e doing. While protein is the go-to nutrient that gets the most attention when you want to create and strengthen muscle, new research is suggesting leafy greens may be just as important.

Here鈥檚 what science has to say about the muscle-building benefits of eating green veggies.听

Leafy Greens Make Your Muscles Stronger

聽published in聽The Journal of Nutrition聽examined the connection between muscles and leafy green vegetables, taking a look at the effect of a veggie-rich diet on strength.

Researchers looked at data from 3,759 Australian participants over a period of 12 years. They discovered that those who ate the largest amount of leafy greens turned out to have increased lower limb strength. Overall, they had 11 percent more strength than those who didn鈥檛 eat as many green veggies.听

One particular nutrient that鈥檚 found in leafy green plants is thought to be the cause of that extra muscle strength. Researchers believe that it鈥檚 the nitrates present in these greens that helps the body build extra-capable muscles. When you eat nitrates, your body converts them into nitric oxide. That聽聽dilates, or opens up, your blood vessels 鈥撀燼nd that leads to better blood flow from head to toe.

When nitric oxide is assisting blood flow throughout your body, it also has a positive effect on your exercise performance. It allows you to聽聽for longer periods of time, getting in a tougher workout every time you exercise. Nitric oxide can even help you tackle high-intensity exercises, keeping your heart pumping and oxygen flowing right to your muscles.听

As the research study鈥檚 authors note, your muscles need more oxygen when you鈥檙e exercising. Getting the right amount of this critical nutrient 鈥� thanks to all the nitrate you鈥檙e getting from leafy green vegetables 鈥� is exactly what your muscles need to increase in strength.听

So, while vegetables may not be packed with protein, they can have surprising benefits for your muscle strength and function. Eating plenty of nitrates can help you enhance your workouts and challenge yourself physically, which in turn can help you build stronger muscles.

Eating These Greens Also Increases Your Walking Speed

In addition to giving your muscles a boost, upping your leafy greens intake may also make you faster. Well, faster at walking, that is.

Researchers found that the very same participants who saw an 11 percent increase in their lower limb muscle strength also walked about 4 percent faster than the non-veggie participants. Eating more leafy greens seemed to speed up pace, likely also as the result of the nitrate-led increase in oxygen that鈥檚 delivered to the muscles.

However, your walking speed might also increase as a result of a veggie- and nitrate-rich diet alone. Research published in聽聽suggests that, in some cases, nitrates can help increase your performance during and tolerance for exercise. This can help you pick up the pace whether you鈥檙e walking or working out.

How to Get More Muscle-Friendly Greens

Now that you鈥檝e discovered just how much potential leafy greens hold for your muscles, you can put this scientific knowledge to use. Add more leafy greens to your meals, making foods like kale, spinach, arugula, collard greens and chard the centerpiece of your plate.

While leafy green vegetables of any kind should do the trick, it鈥檚 a good idea to aim for balance and variety. Leafy greens can make up at least one of your servings of vegetables each day. You can round out your meals with other types of veggies, along with other nutrient-rich foods that offer protein, fiber and plenty of vitamins and minerals.听聽

As you focus on incorporating more greens into your diet, it鈥檚 also important to continue exercising regularly. The effects of strength training and building muscle the traditional way can鈥檛 be replicated by veggies alone. Fine-tuning the foods you鈥檙e eating and your exercises can offer the biggest boost of strength as you build muscle.

The post This St. Patrick鈥檚 Day (and Every Day), Eat More Greens 鈥攁nd Build Muscle appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

When I heard that a new Chick-fil-A cauliflower sandwich was being test-marketed in my area, I marked my calendar and waited for it to drop. The fast food chain is calling it a plant-forward 鈥渟tunt double鈥� for its classic chicken sandwich.

I鈥檓 a omnivore. Most of my meals are vegetarian, but I won鈥檛 turn down a sprinkle of bacon on anything. This cauliflower thing sounded right up my alley.

The Presentation:

The Chick-fil-A in my neighborhood has notoriously long lines so I waited a few days after the February 13 drop for any hubbub to die down. Then I placed an order for a late dinner. When I opened the foil-lined bag, I wasn鈥檛 sure I鈥檇 gotten the right order. I was expecting the perfectly symmetrical disk shape of most . This one looked exactly like the chain鈥檚 classic fried chicken breast. That鈥檚 because the cauliflower wasn鈥檛 chopped up and reformed into a generic patty shape. Instead, you get an entire, unadulterated slice of the vegetable鈥攁 thick filet that, like the chicken, is marinated, coated in a seasoned breading, and pressure-cooked in hot oil. The filet is served on the chain鈥檚 signature buttered toasted bun with two pickle slices, so this is not only plant forward but carb forward. Not that there鈥檚 anything wrong with that.

The Experience:

I took a bite. The cauliflower was cooked just past the texture of a vegetable, but not to the point of mushiness. That means you get a bite, but not a crunch. The cauliflower falls into shreds the way an extra-tender piece of chicken might, although it鈥檚 not pretending to be meat, and frankly, I respect that.

The Taste:

The surprise was the seasoning. While this looks like Chick-fil-A鈥檚 classic sandwich with its straightforward breading, the cauliflower version has a little extra heat. It isn鈥檛 aggressive, but there鈥檚 enough of a This adds interest to the blank slate that is cauliflower.

The Question:

Who is it for? While the company describes the sandwich as 鈥渧egetarian friendly,鈥� it鈥檚 not strictly vegetarian. Because it鈥檚 fried in what may be the same peanut oil that the chicken is fried in and is made in facilities that also prep meat, they can鈥檛 guarantee that it is 100 percent vegetarian. And it鈥檚 definitely not vegan since the breading includes milk. It鈥檚 fried, so it鈥檚 not for the health-obsessed crowd.

The Verdict:

The cauliflower sandwich is good鈥攇ood flavor, good texture, just the right amount of heat. And it satisfies a craving for hot, fried fast food.

It鈥檚 not better than Chick-fil-A鈥檚 signature sandwich, however. So when I roll up to the drive-through menu, I might buy the vegetable sandwich if I want a light meal, though it would then be competing with their salads. The cauliflower just doesn鈥檛 have the heft of the chicken sandwich for anyone who has an appetite.

A Suggestion:

But I have a brilliant idea for what Chick-fil-A could do instead: Break the cauliflower into generous florets, dunk them in that spicy coating, and fry them up. Those plant-forward nuggets would make a terrific side to go with your classic sandwich.

The Chick-fil-A cauliflower sandwich will be available in Denver, Charleston, and North Carolina鈥檚 Greensboro-Triad region through May 20 or while supplies last.

The post I Tried the New Chick-fil-A Cauliflower Sandwich鈥攁nd It Surprised Me appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Endurance athlete Mallory Arnold was struggling with extreme fatigue when her coach made an unexpected suggestion: start eating meat again. Arnold, 26, had adopted a plant-based diet in high school and was initially reluctant to reincorporate to animal protein. But she was also desperate to avoid the post-training crashes that left her passed out on the floor. So she decided to give meat a try鈥攁nd immediately realized that she had no clue how to cook even a simple chicken breast. Thus began a journey聽with the 国产吃瓜黑料 Food team that took her from a family farm to a whole-animal butcher to a professional kitchen, with the primary goal of finding her lost energy while actually learning to enjoy preparing and eating meat along the way.

The post A Vegetarian Runner鈥檚 Quest to Become a Meat Eater appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I don鈥檛 know about you, but when December rolls around, my diet consists of tomato soup, mac and cheese, and Christmas cookies. There鈥檚 little room in my brain for concerns of nutrition 鈥� but there should be. Because by the third week of the month, I feel like garbage.听

I know I should be eating colorful fruits and vegetables, but in my mind, produce is dead this time of year. Turns out I was absolutely wrong.听

鈥淔ruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients, which are activated when they change colors (this happens when your produce is in season),鈥� says. 鈥淪ince many of the health-beneficial antioxidants are in the colors, your fruits and vegetables are telling you when to eat them for the best nutrient punch.鈥�

Here are a few nutrient-dense winter foods I plan on incorporating into my diet this season 鈥� along with my mac & cheese and Christmas cookies, of course.听

Pumpkin

While it鈥檚 mostly associated with fall, pumpkin is a fantastic source of vitamins for the winter. It鈥檚 both , which convert into vitamin A in the body, and rich in fiber. Pumpkin seeds are packed with iron, zinc and magnesium, so don鈥檛 toss them out.听

Both canned and fresh are viable options, though Chen says canned pumpkin has been a source of controversy among nutritionists.

鈥淚t depends on what you are using it for,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f it is purely for nutritional profile, fresh is usually better. For baking, canned pumpkin will usually be more effective, but there are plenty of ways to also cook and prepare fresh pumpkin for pies and other meals.鈥�

He notes that when choosing canned varieties, you should look at the ingredients to make sure it鈥檚 100 percent pumpkin and contains little sodium.

Beets, Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts

We decided to group these together because, as Chen so rightly put, they are truly the best three B鈥檚.听

鈥淣ot only do these vegetables taste great, but they are loaded with vitamins A, B9, C and K as well as potassium, magnesium and zinc,鈥� Chen says. 鈥淭hey are also a rich source of antioxidants in the form of betacyanins, phenolics, lutein, zeaxanthin and alpha lipoic acid.鈥�

Beets are earthy in flavor and are versatile in cooking. They contain a bit of almost all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs in the winter and are particularly rich in folate, a vitamin that plays a key role in heart health.

Broccoli contains a compound called sulforaphane, a byproduct of glucosinolate which has been for its ability to protect against cancer. Just one cup of raw broccoli provides 90 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin C, something we desperately need in the winter months.

And good old Brussels sprouts, besides boasting similar vitamins as beets and broccoli, contain an antioxidant called Kaempferol, which is for its effectiveness in preventing cell damage.听

Oranges

There鈥檚 an old tradition of Saint Nicholas leaving oranges in stockings come December. This is rumored to have begun during the Great Depression when oranges were hard to come by and an absolute treat. While I think today鈥檚 kids might be a little disappointed to find an orange in their stocking, this fruit is a knock out in the winter.

Other than the whopping amount of vitamin C oranges contain, they also have a ton of fiber that aid in digestion. All varieties of oranges are great for a nutrient-boosting snack, so try out mandarin oranges, tangerines, tangelos and clementines.听

Persimmons

Known as the 鈥渇ruit of the gods鈥�, persimmons are sweet, bright in color and a great source of vitamins A and C. They鈥檙e high in B1 and B2 vitamins and contain a bunch of plant compounds like tannins, flavonoids and carotenoids.听

show that persimmons can benefit heart health by reducing blood pressure, lowering inflammation and decreasing cholesterol levels.

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard or just chard is often grown in winter gardens in places where the climate doesn鈥檛 get too cold. This is because the vegetable tolerates frost well. (Also, did you know that Swiss chard doesn鈥檛 originate from Switzerland? It鈥檚 )

聽A small serving of cooked chard has you covered for your daily vitamin K, A, C and magnesium levels. The dark leafy vegetable has chronic disease-fighting antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Mistakes When Shopping for Winter Produce

Chen says that sneaky ingredients and additives can be squeezed into canned produce and to be careful when shopping.听

鈥淪odium and sugar levels can be high in some canned fruits and vegetables,鈥� he says. 鈥淒on鈥檛 assume that canned peaches means it鈥檚 purely canned peaches.鈥�

He adds that fresh food is generally preferred, though you must be careful about washing off the pesticides and dirt.听

鈥淩inses with water and hand soap are unable to remove the waxes and chemicals that are frequently piled on fresh fruits and vegetables.鈥� The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends using a cold water soak with baking soda for the most thorough wash of your produce. Fill a bowl or the sink with 鈪� cup of water, leaving room to add the produce without water overflowing. For a sinkful, add 3-4 tablespoons of baking soda and swish around. For a large bowl, you just need 1 teaspoon. Let soak for fifteen minutes, scrub off excess and rinse again before drying.听

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