PLANT-BASED NUTRITION: CALCIUM IN VEGETABLES

www.depositphotos.com

Writing on this topic has been a goal of mine for a few weeks. Over the years, both the US and the Canadian government did an outstanding job penetrating the public perception of meat and dairy as the preferred sources of protein and calcium, respectively. Many health organizations continue to list milk, cheese and yogurt as the primary sources of calcium, even though there is enough controversy about the real effects of animal-based foods on human health. 

In my endless pursuit of knowledge on nutrition, I researched plant-based alternatives to calcium sources and classified them into three groups: vegetables, fruit and seeds/nuts/grains- items that are few and far in between on the International Osteoporosis Foundation's list of calcium-rich foods. In fact, the suggestion appears to be that fruit cheesecake, vanilla ice-cream and pizza are ideal for consumption by women over fifty. Certainly, the institution did not word it in that precise manner, but listing the above processed foods at all says enough about its lack of credibility in advising on women's health, bone health or otherwise.

www.depositphotos.com

To begin, it is important to establish that the recommended dietary allowance for calcium for an adult aged 19-50 is set at 1000 mg, both in Canada and the US. In determining calcium content, I utilized one of my favourite sources: the USDA's National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. For ease of reference, I rated all foods from the richest to the poorest in the calcium-rich category.

Interestingly enough, soybeans proved to be a winner in the vegetable category, followed by garlic, kelp and a few representatives of the cruciferous family of vegetables. Kelp, okra and bok choy, especially, are intriguing, since I do not recall ever cooking with them, although I do recall consuming a fair bit of canned seaweed back in the far East of Russia, on Sakhalin island, where my sister and I were born and raised until just before my ninth birthday when we moved to the main land. 

                                                                                                                                                       

VEGETABLES
1. Soybeans, mature	277 mg/100 g
2. Garlic	181 mg/100 g
3. Seaweed, kelp	168 mg/100 g
4. Kale	150 mg/100 g
5. Bok choy (Chinese cabbage)	105 mg/100 g
6. Spinach	99 mg/100 g
7. Chives	92 mg/100 g
8. Okra	82 mg/100 g
9. Rutabaga	60 mg/100 g
10. Broccoli	47 mg/100 g

www.depositphotos.com

Perhaps, we had access to edible seaweed because of our close proximity to Japan, where kelp and other kinds of under-water plant species are consumed in great quantities. Whatever the reason, we probably consumed enough iodine- a crucial nutrient for thyroid, found in abundance in kelp. 

Okra, on the other hand, is something I am certain I never had experience cooking or consuming. According to Chatelaine's October 2012 issue, it has numerous benefits, including aiding in digestion and blood sugar control, preventing stomach ulcers and reducing the chances of birth defects by virtue of folic acid.

Boy choy or pak-choi, as spelled by the USDA, is another mystery to be uncovered. Walking through the produce section at Superstore, I often noted this vegetable, but it never made it to my shopping basket due to my lack of familiarity with it. Lately, however, I found myself curious about all those bizarre- or should I rather say, unaccustomed to- fruits and vegetables. Handling the same old ingredients in the kitchen can become somewhat boring and a newly found food might exactly what is needed to reignite the passion for all things culinary.   

Cited Sources:

http://www.iofbonehealth.org/calcium-rich-foods
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/vitamin/vita-d-eng.php#a7
http://www.chatelaine.com/health/diet/health-benefits-of-okra-and-a-curry-recipe-to-heal-inflammation/

GOURMET MEALS FOR $5 OR UNDER: MEAL 16 OF 25

CHICKEN-N-VEGETABLE RAGOUT
W/ PARSNIP PUREE

Total Cost: $4.02/serving

Total Preparation Time:  50 min

Is there anything more exhilarating than shopping for fresh produce? A few years ago, my answer would have been negative, as I pictured browsing through racks and shelves of clothing, shoes and jewellery. Sure, I followed a healthful diet, but at the time it resembled an expansive not-to-eat list, rather than an opportunity to explore and re-discover. 

Inspired by my recent acquaintance with Chanterelle mushrooms, I dressed Marcus, walked Bob and ventured out to a new shopping location- Choices Market- to try my luck in finding new and exciting ingredients for my next dish. 

The store was large and full of health-oriented foods, many of them proudly sporting organic labels. Having picked up a package of grass-fed ground bison and a bag of organic pearl barley, I headed towards the fruit-and-vegetables section and within minutes, my cart was full of unique ingredients. Parsnip, Shiitake and Oyster mushrooms, gold pearl onions and French fingerling potatoes... Like a child in a candy store, I was mesmerized by the variety of shapes, colours and flavours and thrilled about the tasting fest I planned to throw myself later in the day.

Shiitake Mushrooms

Almost immediately, I knew to combine parsnips, young nugget potatoes, carrots and shallots and blend all into a smooth puree- the base for my dish. To enhance flavour, I cooked chicken broth and used some of it to facilitate the blending process and help puree reach a creamy texture.

Oyster Mushrooms

MEASURE	WEIGHT (g)	INGREDIENT	COST PER PACKAGE ($)	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)*
½	77	Carrot, large	3.98/5lb	0.13
1	39	Shallot	1.62/lb	0.14
3	321	Young potatoes	8.77/kg	2.82
2	98	Parsnips	10.19/kg	1.00
TOTAL				4.09*	2.05

*Makes 2 servings

While the ingredients for my puree were cooking, I lightly steamed broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and green beans until they were no longer raw but still somewhat crunchy. Soon after I browned all three sorts of mushrooms in real D Dutchmen Dairy butter, then added steamed vegetables, spices and cooked all for another minute.

MEASURE	WEIGHT (g)	INGREDIENT	COST PER PACKAGE ($)	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)*
1	93	Chicken thigh	6.57/kg	0.64
N/A	36	Green beans	6.59/kg	0.24
N/A	45	Broccoli	4.14/kg	0.19
N/A	68	Cauliflower	3.26/kg	0.22
N/A	47	Brussel sprouts	5.47/kg	0.26
N/A	20	Butter	5.99/lb	0.26
N/A	23	Shiitake mshrms	33.02/kg	0.76
N/A	32	Cremini mshrms	10.98/kg	0.35
N/A	46	Oyster mshrms	19.80/kg	0.91
		Salt & spices		0.10
TOTAL				3.93*	1.97

*Makes 2 servings

It was time to arrange everything on a squeaky clean plate and pour a glass of Cupcake Riesling- the wine brand I discovered while still in Alberta two or three months ago. The sweeter German grape worked well with the delicate puree and flavourful mushrooms in the ragout. Now, here is a truly gourmet dish for a total of $4.02- a figure that would not have bought me half a drink at any well-to-do restaurant in a 300-mile radius.

	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)
GRAND TOTAL	8.02*	4.02

On another note, most of the ingredients featured above were organic and therefore, priced at a higher- sometimes, significantly- level. Had I purchased the same vegetables at a typical grocery chain store, I would have cut the total cost of the meal by at least a third, which demonstrates incredible affordability of healthful food choices.

GOURMET MEALS FOR $5 OR UNDER: MEAL 15 OF 25

CREAM OF CHANTERELLE MUSHROOM

Total Cost: $2.94/serving

Total Preparation Time:  40 min

The name of this series reads gourmet and tonight, I made a special effort to justify my choice of words. I made a very special cream of mushroom soup with the local organic Cremini and Chanterelle. 

A rather expensive purchase- my Chanterelle were priced at a whooping $14.50 per pound- these golden beauties still managed to aid in production of a very affordable gourmet meal. 

Not to mention, these mushrooms are one of very few foods that contain ergosterol- a precursor to vitamin D generated with exposure to ultraviolet light. Among other nutrients present are vitamins B and C, copper, iron, manganese, potassium and zinc. Understandably, I could not pass up the opportunity to cook with this mushroom.

In a usual fashion, I improvised. Since I rarely cook following a recipe or precisely measure ingredients, I thoroughly scanned my fridge for foods destined to work well together. Shallots, carrots, butternut squash and half an orange mini pepper- all were laid out on the kitchen counter, to be chopped and sliced at a later time. At first, I had to get started on the chicken broth as the base for my soup. Having discovered a few frozen chicken thighs, I spent good five minutes chipping one of them off, then quartered and put it in the pot with two cups of filtered water. 

As my bouillon was cooking on low, I chopped up shallots, carrots, sweet orange pepper and Cremini mushrooms and cooked them in butter until brown in a separate pot. Shallots, by the way, are another never-before-seen ingredient in my kitchen. Some say that its taste is less aggressive than that of, say, white onions and it easily incorporates into many dishes. Noticeably more expensive than yellow onions I normally use, this vegetable is still affordable and will add a new dimension to any boring meal.

Soon after, butternut squash followed in small neat cubes, only to be superseded by Chanterelle mushrooms- all but one, to be used later as garnish. For spices, I used saffron, tarragon, black pepper and unrefined sea salt. Once the vegetables were evenly browned and the house was full of smoothly intertwining aromas, the chicken broth was ready, and it was now time to blend all ingredients together. Processed by Vitamix, cubes, slices and shapeless chunks quickly turned into a smooth puree. 

MEASURE	WEIGHT (g)	INGREDIENT	COST PER PACKAGE ($)	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)*
½	98	Carrot, large	3.98/5lb	0.17
1	39	Shallot	1.62/lb	0.14
3	48	Cremini mshrms	3.48/lb	0.37
½	15	Mini pepper	6.48/1.5lb	0.14
N/A	100	Butternut squash	1.46/kg	0.15
N/A	38	butter	5.99/pack (454g)	0.50
3	118	Chanterelle mshrms	14.50/lb	3.80
1	91	Chicken thigh	6.57/kg	0.60
TOTAL				5.87*	2.94

*Makes 2 servings

As I tasted it, I decided to add some lime juice, a little bit of cayenne pepper and a quarter of a cup of light cream. Mmm... Now it tasted like heaven! I browned the remaining Chanterelle and arranged it in the middle of a soup bowl with a pinch of alfalfa spouts. Voila!