Tofu stir-fried with vinegar is a traditional folk remedy for malaria and dysentery. Peanuts are believed to improve the appetite and lubricate the lungs. An age-old remedy for hypertension is ground peanut shells steeped in water to make a tea that is drunk 3 times a day for at least 20 days.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch slabs
1 pound broccoli, ends trimmed and stalks peeled
5 1/2 tablespoons (expeller-pressed) canola oil
1 1/4 cups dry-roasted peanuts
Seasonings:
3 tablespoons minced scallions, white part only
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon hot chile paste
Mole is a distinctive Mexican sauce that contains chocolate (or cocoa, in this case). You can buy mole mixes but they are usually high in fat. This version is not, and a blender makes it easy to prepare. Instead of traditional turkey or chicken, this recipe pairs mole with creamy pinto beans. Eat it with salad and rice, fresh polenta, whole-wheat tortillas, or use as a filling for enchiladas.
Carrots specifically, as well as cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, collard greens and broccoli may help ward off an aggressive form of breast cancer.
This type of cancer - estrogen receptor (ER) negative breast cancer - is seen more commonly among African American women than among white women. Unlike ER positive breast cancer, its growth doesn't depend on the hormone estrogen, it's harder to treat, and is more often fatal. Looking at data from the ongoing Black Women's Health Study, Boston University researchers found that women who ate three or more servings of carrots per week had a 17 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who ate carrots less than once a month.
And those who ate at least two servings of vegetables daily had a 43 percent lower risk than women who consumed fewer than four veggie servings per week. The researchers don't yet know if vegetable consumption in these women was responsible for the lower risk, or if these dietary habits simply signaled a healthier lifestyle that could account for the difference. The study was published online Oct. 11, 2010, by the American Journal of Epidemiology.
One of the healthiest changes you can make to your diet is to incorporate whole soy foods on a regular basis.
Soy is rich in protein, iron and compounds called isoflavones, which seem to protect against hormone-driven cancers such as prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. Soy also helps protect your heart, and new research indicates it may help protect against lung cancer as well.
I recommend one to two daily servings of soy in relatively whole and unrefined forms such as a cup of soymilk, a half cup of tofu, tempeh or green soybeans (edamame) or roasted soy nuts. You can also easily swap meat for tofu in dishes - baked tofu works well as a meat replacement in fajitas, stir fries and casseroles.
This fresh vegetable "quiche" is made with a light, crispy potato crust and a filling of vegetables and herbs and spices. It makes a wonderful morning brunch or lunch or a simple supper when served with a salad and a small, toasted baguette. If you should not be eating egg yolks, you can make it using only the egg whites.
