Food For
Thought

Remembering My Dear Friend Ida
(Continued from Monthly Columns)

So what were her secret ingredients? Well, she shunned processed foods. Never was there a cereal box, a cracker box or a candy bar in the house. There were never canned soups, canned beans, or canned tomatoes. Frozen foods? No way. Meat, poultry, and fish? Never.

Instead, there were always potatoes, beets, turnips, okra, mushrooms, whole grains, dried beans, dried fruit, whole fruit, and fresh vegetables. Brown rice and potatoes were her staples. For breakfast, she would enjoy a baked potato smothered with avocado, tomatoes and loads of garlic. (She always felt one could not get enough garlic. Sometimes, however, being in close range to her was a bit tough.)

For lunch, she enjoyed delicious homemade soups with every vegetable she could get her hands on. Dinner was a stew, a casserole or chili, often times smothering a baked sweet potato. Dessert would be a small piece of dark chocolate or often times, just some fruit.

She also used spices more frequently than most Americans. Spices provide us with many different antioxidants and phytochemicals. Unfortunately, in this country we do not consume enough of them. She loved oregano (a wound healer), turmeric (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-carcinogen, anti-microbial), cloves (powerful cancer fighter), cinnamon (good for blood sugar regulation) and cumin (aids with digestion and also has cancer fighting properties). 

Many people who knew Ida wanted to emulate her. After all, it is important to have life in your years, rather than the other way around. I think her spirit lives on in those who knew her, but for those who did not, her diet is one to live by. Here is a recipe from the Cancer Project’s Web site that was one of her favorites:

Sweet Potato/Lentil Stew

1 medium onion, diced
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsps. turmeric
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cayenne
Fine sea salt (optional)
2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4” cubes
7 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup brown or red lentils

Directions: Heat two tablespoons of the broth over medium heat in a large, deep pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for two minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Stir in the tomatoes and ginger, and cook for three minutes. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, and a small pinch of salt, if using. Cook and stir for two minutes, then taste for seasonings. Try to use only enough salt to heighten the flavors.

Add the sweet potatoes, broth, and lentils. Stir well, and bring to a boil over high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the lentils and sweet potatoes are soft.

Kate Oakland, MS
Health & Nutrition Consultant
www.pcrm.org
www.cancerproject.org