by Patti Hager (pattinky)

This issue of Shaking while Baking is focusing on a healthy brain.  The health of your brain is dependent on proper nutrition. The key to a healthy brain lies in eating a well balanced diet. It's a good idea to eat a variety of foods. It also helps to take in a good amount of Vitamin B complex since it's linked to the healthy functioning of the brain. In addition, avoid stress, tension and exercise regularly.  The top 10 foods with the highest antioxidant content from most to least are: prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, garlic, cooked kale, cranberries, strawberries, raw spinach, and raspberries. 

It is my turn to take care of the Birthday Dinner for members of my family whose birthdays fall during the summer months.  I consider this to be lucky for me since everyone likes to be the “grill master”.  I prepare a grilling feast early in the day and let the relatives take over when they arrive.  If you think this is too much to handle, ask each guest to bring something prepared for the grill or a covered dish. 

 If you would like to share any of your tips, tricks or easy recipes please e-mail them to me at patti@eos.net. 

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Menu ...

·         Ice Tea

·         Asparagus and Tomato Salad

·         Blueberry Soup

·         BBQ’d Pork Baby Back Ribs

·         Mushrooms

·         Corn on the Cob

·         Ice Cream with Berries

 

Classic Ice Tea

·        4 teabags or teaspoons of loose tea, any variety.

·        2 cups water, heated to boiling.

·        Sugar to taste

Green and ordinary black tea, whether served iced, hot or decaffeinated, pack the same amounts of antioxidants and have equal benefits, experts say. Harvard researchers recently found that drinking 1 cup of black tea a day cut heart-disease risk in half. Be sure to make ice tea from loose tea or tea bags; instant tea and bottled teas contain minimal antioxidants, tests at Tufts University show.

 

Asparagus and Tomato Salad with Parmesan-Mustard Dressing

·        1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

·        1 large tomato, chopped

·        ¼ cup sliced green onion

·        1/4 cup non-fat yogurt

·        3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

·        1 teaspoon yellow mustard

·        Lettuce leaves

 

Steam the asparagus spears until bright green, but still crisp, about 3 minutes. Immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain well. To the asparagus add the tomato and green onions. Set aside.

Combine the yogurt, Parmesan cheese and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the asparagus mixture and toss to coat. Serve on lettuce-lined plates.

 

Tomatoes are a major source of the strong antioxidant lycopene. Lycopene reduces the risk of cancer by 40% -- notably prostate, lung and stomach cancers -- and increases cancer survival. Tomato eaters function better mentally in old age and suffer half as much heart disease. Concentrated tomato sauces (pizza, pasta sauces) have five times more lycopene than fresh tomatoes. Canned tomatoes have three times more than fresh.

 

Again, there is some evidence to suggest that broccoli, asparagus, and spinach are good for the brain, mainly because they contain antioxidants which help to maintain a healthy blood supply to the grey matter.

 

Blueberry Soup

·         16 oz frozen blue berries

·         1 cup water

·         5 tbs. sugar (I used 4)

·         2 slices of lemon (1/4 inch thick)

·         1 cinnamon stick

·         ½ tsp. Vanilla

·         pinch of salt

 Bring all ingredients to boil in heavy med. Saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer until berries are very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard lemon slices and cinnamon stick. Puree half of soup in blender or processor. Transfer all of hot soup to medium bowl.  Enjoy  (Submitted by Peg Willock)

All berries are good for you, but blueberries and raspberries seem to hold top spots on the berry nutrition chart. Their anthocyanins and ellagic acid (the substances that give them their rich colors) possess potential cancer- and heart disease-preventing antioxidant properties. Plus, they’re high in fiber and vitamin C.

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 BBQ’d Pork Baby Back Ribs

·         Pork Baby Back Ribs

·         1 bay leaf

·         1 onion

·         salt and pepper

 Place ribs in a large pot on stovetop.  Add enough water to cover.  Cut onion in half.  Add to pot along with bay leaf, salt and pepper.   Put on very low heat.  Let simmer for 4 hours or until meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone.   Take ribs and onion out of water.  Place both on a medium hot grill and baste with your favorite BBQ sauce.  Turn ribs over after a complete of minutes, baste other side and leave on for another couple of minutes.  Serve ribs and onion.

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Grilled Mushrooms

·         Mushrooms (portabella, button)

·         Olive oil

·         2 cloves garlic, crushed

·         Salt

 

Clean mushrooms, place in aluminum foil with garlic, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and wrap in foil.   Put on medium hot grill for 10 to 15 minutes.

Although mushrooms only have 20 calories per cup, we need to be aware of the fact that they quickly absorb any oil that may be used in cooking. Mushrooms are a terrific source of Vitamin B. They increase the oxygen efficiency of the body, counteracting the effects of pollutants on the body and increasing the body's resistance to disease.

Olive oil, unlike other vegetable oils, is high in antioxidant activity

Garlic is packed with antioxidants known to help fend off cancer, heart disease and all-over aging. Garlic has prolonged cancer-survival time and extended animal lifespans by about 5%, which in humans might add about four years, German researchers have found. A tip from researchers at Penn State: Let crushed garlic "rest" about 10 minutes before cooking it, to preserve disease-fighting agents.

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 Corn on the Cob

·        Corn on the cob already shucked

·         Margarine

·         Salt

 Soak corn in sugar water for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile tear off enough aluminum foil sheets to wrap corn in (or buy aluminum foil sheets in a box).  Put ½ teaspoon margarine in foil, sprinkle with salt and wrap corn in foil.  Place on grill for 15 minutes, turning often.

One ear of corn contains about 140 calories. It is high in magnesium and rich in carbohydrates. Good for the brain, the bowel and the nervous system.

Ice Cream and fruit

Dish out a large scope of vanilla ice cream and top with your favorite berry.