Nonna Never Told you About...
Things your Grandma Never Told you About
Like most people, I love to eat good food, especially during the
holidays when an abundance of traditional fare is set upon the table.
And, like most people, who have strong family ties, I enjoy the taste
and textures and aromas of the foods of my heritage. To me these foods
represent a continuity of family and family traditions. For that reason,
I like to prepare these recipes that were passed on to me by my grandmother,
who so carefully preserved each of them in her memory. No recipe books
for her, when she gave me a recipe it was merely a pinch of this, a
handful of that, etc. But somehow her recipes have always come out to
perfection.
Grandma had a great instinct for cooking without recipes. Food and
its nourishing qualities were a very important part of her survival
in the old country. Not only did her ancestors prepare food for its
taste and texture but also for its health benefits. I guess that's why
each of grandma's receipts are made up of certain vegetables that, today,
modern medicine has proven to be good for us, for our hearts, our minds
and our overall well being.
My ancestors were all excellent cooks, they believed, as do many
from the Old Country, that a meal of these favorite foods relieves the
tension of a stressful day and that our spirit sighs after a good meal.
I guess that's why grandma believed we should spend that time in rest
and reflection.
To create these beneficial foods will take a little more time and
care, but that's all a part of their charm and tradition. Like Grandma
always said, "Food that is too easily prepared is like opening a bottle
of champagne without the "pop", it would eliminate half the fun."
- Calcium
- * Calcium, for strong bones and for maintaining blood pH, is
found in broccoli, lettuce, green beans, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts,
celery, and parsley.
- Copper
- * Copper, for elasticity of blood vessels and heart, is found
in vegetables grown in soil rich in minerals, contained in humus.
- Iron
- * Iron, to build up blood and carry oxygen to cells, is found
in spinach, collards, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and parsley.
- Manganese
- * Manganese, needed to metabolize proteins and fats, is found
in such legumes as beans, peas, and lentils.
- Potassium
- * Potassium, which maintains fluid levels in cells, is found
in spinach, celery, lettuce, zucchini and other squashes, carrots,
cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, radishes, parsley, and
cucumbers. (Bananas, not a vegetable, of course, deserve mention
here as a high-potassium source.)
- Selenium
- * Selenium, an antioxidant believed to protect cells, is found
in corn and legumes. Soil enriched in pulverized kelp will contain
this chemical.
- Vitamin A
- * Vitamin A, an antioxidant and immune system booster, is found
in carrots, bell peppers, butternut squash, collards, parsley, and
spinach.
- Vitamin B6
- * Vitamin B6, taken to metabolize protein and control symptoms
of stress, is found in spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant,
beans, tomatoes, squash, parsley, and lettuce.
- Vitamin C
- * Vitamin C, an essential nutrient thought to prevent colds,
is found in sweet peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, Brussels sprouts,
collards, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, beans, and celery.
- Vitamin E
- * Vitamin E, an antioxidant and, some say, a sexual potency
enhancer, is found in legumes and leafy green vegetables, such as
collards.\
- Zinc
- * Zinc, for cell division, growth, sunburn, bug bites and healing,
is found in spinach, parsley, lettuce, squash, and beans, such as
limas.
See also:
By Cookie Curci
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