Our team is just about ready to launch Nina Cucina! It’s very exciting! We will launch at the end of this week with over 200 pages of information which includes: recipes, recipe videos, how-to videos for kitchen techniques, educational material and safe, healthy shopping resources.
Before we launch, though, I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce our medical advisor, Dr. Mark Gunderson. Dr. Gunderson is the founder and medical director of the Age Management Institute in Reno, Nevada. Dr. Gunderson originally introduced the idea to join forces with Nina Cucina as a follow up to his Accelerated Weight Loss Plan. He understands that his weight loss patients, as well as his age management patients, need a resource that can guide them in the kitchen to become, and stay healthy. Nina Cucina is that resource.
Dr. Gunderson is extraordinarily accomplished for age management medicine through his experience as an emergency room physician and his advanced education in biochemistry. He also has great discernment of fitness & nutrition.
His qualifications include:
B.A. and M.S. in Biology and Biochemistry from East Carolina University
Graduated from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University
Emergency Medicine Residency from Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Career Emergency Physician at Renown Regional and South Meadows Hospitals
Diplomate of American Board of Emergency Medicine
Diplomate of American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine
Certified in Age Management Medicine by Cenegetics Medical Institute
Clinical Assistant Professor University of Nevada, Reno
Founder and Medical Director of the Age Management Institute in Reno, Nevada
Here are some of Dr. Gunderson’s thoughts on Nina Cucina Lifestyle Eating:
‘I am convinced that the dietary and culinary expertise in the Nina Cucina program is the final piece of the puzzle for optimal health. The Age and Weight Management Medical Programs at the Age Management Institute are the perfect complement to this program. The modern diet will be cleaner, more organic, and higher in lean protein, and emphasizing the concept of low glycemic cuisine and the incorporation of healthy fats. There is a wealth of information already out there in the form of the Paleo diet, Protein Power, Sugar Busters, The Zone, or The South Beach Diet. The concept of consuming lean protein and a diet higher in carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables has been reiterated many times. What makes Nina Cucina different are Nina’s unique dishes and her dessert items that are not only fabulously delicious, but healthy. I was at a dinner party hosted by Nina where all in attendance agreed that the chocolate mousse was the best everyone had tasted. Nina asked us to guess the ingredients. We were all astounded to learn that it was totally dairy-free and made from mostly vegetarian ingredients! It had 12 grams of fiber and healthy fats! Magnificent! Nina also made me a fantastic, chocolate birthday cake topped with raspberries that was totally gluten and dairy-free – it was out of this world.
Nina Cucina has developed a series of recipes that will make our Accelerated Weight Loss Program even better with the development of tasty choices for patients.
Patients cannot be told to eat a Spartan diet the rest of their lives and doctors cannot expect them to adhere to tasteless food choices. The Age Management Institute and Nina Cucina will educate our patients to take control of their lives and health, while enjoying gourmet, healthy cuisine. The Nina Cucina Lifestyle Eating Plan will lower inflammation, optimize body composition, improve general health, while our patients will have the time of their lives.
The Age Management Institute and Nina Cucina will be your partners to optimize your health!’
It’s get really very exciting around here at Nina Cucina! After months of hard work, my marketing director, Becky McBride & I have gotten back end access to the web site. You may be wondering — so what does that mean? Well, it means that we are now uploading recipes, recipe videos, articles — the works! We are VERY excited! The whole team is working feverishly to get it all done as quickly as possible. We do have over 100 pages of information so it will take us a little bit of time, but it will all be worth it!
Here are just a few photos that you will see on Nina Cucina – Firstly, let me tempt you with a little savory breakfast or brunch dish: Uovo di Parma
Uovo Di Parma (Eggs With Prosciutto)
Then again, you may be in the mood for something sweet, like my Lemon-Scented Zucchini Muffins With Raspberries…..
Lemon-Scented Zucchini Muffins
Or may be even, my Upside Down Pear Cake – one of Roger’s personal favorites…..
Upside Down Pear Cake
How ’bout an appetizer at cocktail hour??? Deviled Eggs With Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese or maybe some Zucchini Latkes With Smoked Salmon & Lemon Yogurt Cream… Both are delicious & nutritious!
Deviled Eggs With Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese
Zucchini Latkes With Smoked Salmon & Lemon Yogurt Cream
Looking for a dip for the big game? My Artichoke Dip is a big winner at our house & it has half the calories and twice the flavor of your traditional artichoke dip!
Nina's Healthy Artichoke Dip
A light dinner, perhaps? Then go for my Poached Scallops With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce & Spicy Spinach Salad – Low in calories & high in flavor!
Poached Scallops With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce & Spicy Spinach Salad
Are you a chocoholic? Then try our Medical Advisor’s favorite cake of mine, Flourless Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Chambord Glaze & Raspberries – it’s as yummy as it is stunning!
Flourless Chocolate Cake With Chambord Chocolate Glaze & Raspberries
Getting hungry?? Well all temptations aside, Nina Cucina will bring you beautiful, healthy food to keep you healthy & beautiful. We will provide you with new dishes every single month, nutritional information on every single recipe & videos to teach you comprehensively how to ‘get it done’ in the kitchen. Travel diaries will of course continue also. You can eat gorgeous food, get slim, be slim & most importantly BE HEALTHY. Nina Cucina will show you how.
One of the wonderful things that Roger & I were able to learn about in our recent trip to the Turks & Caicos was about the Conch Farm in Provo.
Conch is a staple in Caribbean cooking & there is fear that the conch is being fished out. In fact, the conch is considered a commercially endangered species. So in 1984, Trade Wind Industries was incorporated with the vision of growing and supplying the world with delicious conch without the exploitation of the depleting wild conch population. So let’s take a photographic tour through the Conch Farm in Provo – it is the only one of it’s kind in the world!
Welcome To The Conch Farm In Provo, TCI
For a long while, there were no tours of this great facility because they had been essentially wiped out by hurricanes Hanna & Ike. They are now (still) rebuilding the conch population to what it was before the storms.
Conch Farm Entrance
This is one of two small buildings that are not utilized for the actual growing of the conch — this adorable little building is where you sign in & it doubles as the gift shop.
The Hatchery At Conch Farm, Provo
This sign gives you an idea of how the life cycle starts for the conch here. The Queen Conch, which is the species that is grown here and eaten throughout the Caribbean, is a sea snail, the scientific name being Strombus Gigas. The Queen Conch feeds on algae. One of the aspects that I really admire about this place is that they grow algae for the conch to feed on so that they can provide the conch with their natural diet which also maitains it’s nutritional value for those that eat the conch. One doesn’t find that in A LOT of farming. We, in America, for the most part DO NOT feed our farmed animals their natural diet…. it’s outrageous, really….. Here is one of the algae tanks…..
Growing Algae To Feed The Conch
The Queen Conch grows it’s own shell and the shell grows with it, unlike a hermit crab, for example, that leaves it shell to find a bigger & better home as it grows. After the larvae go through their metamorphosis, as the sign explains, the baby conch, goes to these tanks below to begin real growth.
The Baby Conch Begin To Grow
All of these shallow water tanks have baby conch in them, feeding off of algae at the bottom of the tank just as they would in the wild. Take a peak….
A Baby Conch - Just A Few Months Old
The growing of conch is a long process…. to bring one conch to harvest is a 4-year growth cycle. This is just step 2….. From here, the conch go out to the sea in these fenced off areas….
The Conch's Life Here In The Sea
When the hurricanes came through, this area was totally destroyed and they lost almost their entire harvest. Just to give you an idea of the largess of such a loss, this farm exports 1.4 million pounds of conch annually. You read that correctly, MILLION….mostly to Florida, from there it gets distributed to other places in the U.S.
Growth Cycle Of Conch By Shell Size
The photo above will give you an idea of how the conch grows….The upper right hand tiny shell would be living in the shallow tanks until reaching the size of the shells center-bottom of the photo. The shell at the top is that of a 4-year old conch, ready for harvest.
Life Cycle Of Conch
This sign also gives you an idea of the long process to grow this delicacy….
The Conch Farm also has a couple of baby sea turtles that tourists can handle and feed – they are SO cute!
Baby Turtle At The Conch Farm
Finally, I’d like to show you one of the Conch Farm’s pet conch, Jerry. There are two – Sally is the other. Sally is 7, Jerry only 4. They are handled regularly, so they are not shy. Look at Jerry coming out of his shell to say ‘hi’.
Smile For The Camera, Jerry.
We had a very informative day at the Conch Farm. This place typically grows about 3 million conch per year – it’s amazing….
So let’s talk about the nutritional value of my favorite conch dish, conch salad. Conch salad has about 307 calories per serving, is very high in B & C vitamins and very low in fat. It’s a delicious & nutritious way to enjoy a true Caribbean delicacy!
The adventure of life has now taken Roger & I back to the good ‘ole U.S.A. – stay tuned for what happens next in our travels!
In today’s blog post, I want to share with you a Provo ‘MUST SEE’, the infamous (& somewhat famous) ‘Da Conch Shack & Rum Bar’ which is located on the leeward side of the island right on the beach! I think the name of the place says it all – it IS a shack that serves primarily conch (pronounced konk) & has a terrific, be it a small bar that is well-known for it’s rum punch. Rum punch, especially at ‘Da Conch Shack’, needs to be handled with care….. This powerful concoction is delicious, sweet & definitely carries a PUNCH. Plus our bartender is a fun instigator of trouble soon to come when he arrives with a big smile to offer you a second: ‘Another one to have some fun??’ Or in my case, since I won’t go near the dangers of rum….’Another wine to make you feel fine?’ You will not want to leave this place – the bartender poet, the delicious food, the smiling service & INCREDIBLE views make this place a must, each & every time we visit Provo.
I have put together a small photographic tour for you, so you can share in our day at ‘Da Conch Shack’ – take a look below & join us there virtually….
Conch Shack's Boat Filled With Empty Conch Shells
This boat, filled with empty (harvested) conch shells, is located in the dirt parking lot. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the amount of conch that is served in this place, there are more shells on the beach…. More on that later….
Eric Greets Roger At Conch Shack Entrance
Eric, the manager of ‘Da Conch Shack’ greeted us at the entrance – such a lovely surprise — it was so good to see him again!
Walking Into 'Da Rum Bar'
The photo above is the view just as you walk in & to the right of the entrance – it’s the ‘premier’ dining area right near the bar. After all, if you are dining at a rum bar – you have to be near the bar where all the action is. You can see that it’s built right on the sand, ocean in the background.
One Of 'Da Conch Shack's' Views
A view from our luncheon table – this is the perfect place to kick back, forget your troubles & put your tootsies in the sand & sea. Oh yes – you can have a great meal here too!
Beach View From 'Da Conch Shack'
Here’s the beach view from our table. You can see that most of the seating is here on the sand at picnic tables….This is a great place to bring your family – you can let your kids wear themselves out on the beach, while you have your lunch….It’s great fun to watch kids find conch shells on the beach & bring them back to their parents with pride, saying: ‘Look what I found!’ There are thousands of conch shells at the water’s edge, left there from the ‘cracking’ (harvesting) of the conch.
New Dining Area At Conch Shack
The image above is a photo of the new & fancy dining area at Da Conch Shack – it was being built last year at this time when we were visiting. It really saves patrons from waiting for tables!
The Conch Shack Kitchen
Here is Chef Erika in the kitchen doorway – it’s a small place & she cooks a lot of great food out of that little kitchen! It just goes to show you that you don’t need a big, fancy kitchen to create good food — you just need heart & soul – and Erika has it!
Conch Shack Staff Preparing Set-Ups
There is a small ‘indoor’ dining area adjacent to the kitchen, where you can see the staff preparing set-ups for the next round of guests.
Conch Shack Restrooms
Is this not the cutest little building??!! These are the restrooms; gentlemen keep right, please; ladies to the left….
Now that you have had a tour of the property, let get down to lunch, starting with the menu.
Da Conch Shack Menu
Now let’s open it up & take a look…
Rum Punch Menu
Here is the Rum Punch portion of the menu…. A glass – $6, a pitcher $28, ‘Fuzzy, Happy Feeling – FREE!!! I had a really good giggle the first time I read that line!
The Infamous Conch Shack Rum Punch!
Above is the beautiful-looking, delicious tasting & infamous Conch Shack Rum Punch, known to have made people believe that dancing on a table is an acceptable activity and that taking a swim off the beach (in your clothes) might be fun…. The stories abound in this place!
So what did we have for lunch? Well, conch of course! I adore conch, I have since I was a child. I take every opportunity to enjoy it while we are in the Caribbean. Da Conch Shack has the best conch salad on the island so that’s what we had. We ALWAYS visit Da Conch Shack when we come to Provo & it wouldn’t be the same with out conch salad.
Roger's Lunch: Conch Salad & Rum Punch
The Best Conch Salad On The Island!
I had mine with a little bit of minced habanero peppers on the side for just for a little kick. Habaneros are HOT, so I am definitely gingerly in the use of them in my salad.
So what is conch salad exactly? Well, it’s a ceviche dish made with conch. The conch is used raw & is ‘cooked’ in a marinade of island citrus, typically sour orange & lime, but everyone’s recipe varies just a little. Additional ingredients include onion, tomato, green pepper & cucumber, hot chile peppers, usually habanero, are added at the chef’s discretion. The reason that Da Conch Shack’s conch salad is SOOOO good is that is SOOOO fresh. Remember the photo of the beach — that conch comes right out of that water, gets cleaned on the beach & goes into that cute little kitchen that you saw.
Take a look at the video that I took of one of Da Conch Shack team showing me how to crack conch. Now, I must tell you that I have tried this myself, because of growing up in the islands & I have been ‘conching’ (diving for conch) more times than I can count….there is a definite technique to removing a conch from the shell & this is the ONLY method that has worked for me. Take it from one that tried many different ways as a kid…..
The first key in removing a conch is making a hole in the shell in just the right spot. This in itself takes some practice. The perfect spot is, I am told, at about the third spiral of the shell. I just know I am going to get comments from my Bahamian pals about this…. If you carefully watch this gentleman cracking this conch, that’s about where he is hammering. The next key issue is to NOT MISS the shell! You can see this guy has done this procedure about a million times, he probably started as a small child. He then puts a knife into the hole that he has made in the shell & cuts through the tendon that holds the animal in the shell & pulls the mollusk out of the shell by it’s horn. From there, he will clean the conch & off to Chef Erika it goes…this one & hundreds more like it are served at this place! Pretty scary-looking to a non-islander, perhaps, but I can assure you that conch is delicious. It has a sweet and firm flesh that is used in everything from salad to stews in the Caribbean.
I will tell you in a later blog post all that I learned about conch at the local conch farm – interesting and amazing stuff is happening there.
Here is a close up of the pile of conch shells at the shoreline – there are thousands….
Empty Conch Shells In The Sea
I found a really pretty conch shell on the beach…..
Beautiful Conch Shell On The Beach
Da Conch Shack even has a small stand where you can buy a really beautiful, specially cleaned & polished shell. Tourists do love them! The Queen Conch, which is what is eaten here & what lives in this gorgeous shell is indigenous to the Caribbean so it’s a real Caribbean treat!
Conch Shell Store At Da Conch Shack
Back up to ‘Da Rum Bar’, I trot, to find my beloved having some fun with the guys at the bar……
Having A Few Laughs At Da Conch Shack Bar
The Rum Bar Team really have a good time in their work, as you can see. They genuinely have a blast doing what they do! It’s always such a pleasure being there, every time we visit, we have a blast! Everybody that works there is having a good time giving the patrons a GOOD TIME!
I hope you enjoyed your virtual visit to ‘Da Conch Shack’….More news from the Turks & Caicos coming soon.
Roger & I are just starting our next travel adventure having arrived in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos on the 28th. We visit Provo every year at around this time now, having been introduced to the beauty of this place a few years ago by our friends, the Bermans. We so enjoy returning to see our friends that live here and experiencing island life. We are staying with our friends Lou & Donna Gatti who have generously offered us their hospitality. Lou & Donna started a tradition last year of having a New Year’s celebration at their home that I get to cook for. Being the cook-a-holic that I am, this is a real opportunity for some serious food & fun! With lots of people attending, I had the best time sharing several of the dishes that you will see on ninacucina.com.
I served mostly appetizers & desserts with a couple of salads & of course, something I love, dips & crudites. All of my favorites were around: Caprese Bites, Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus, Turkey Sausage Meatballs With Fig Mustard Sauce, just to name a few….
The Citrus Marinated Chicken Drumettes were a favorite of the local people that attended, two ladies requesting a second round of them. When I said that they were in the oven, another two gals stood near the kitchen for first dibs. What a wonderful compliment ! Here’s a photo to give you an idea….
Citrus Marinated Chicken Drumettes
The Zucchini Latkes With Smoked Salmon & Lemon-Yogurt Cream were gobbled up before I could taste one myself…. They are one of my personal faves because they incorporate two foods that I love – zucchini & wild smoked salmon – YUM!
Zucchini Latkes With Smoked Salmon & Lemon-Yogurt Cream
One of Roger’s favorites are my Deviled Eggs With Salmon & Goat Cheese, so of course, I had to make them. They were YUMMY! These are yolk-free, so they are very light and a lot lower in calories than their yolk & mayonnaise-filled cousins with only 46 calories per piece.
Devilled Eggs With Salmon & Goat Cheese
We had A LOT of food! Dips included: Italian White Bean Dip, Guacamole and my personal favorite my Artichoke Dip. Catch a glimpse of how I make it:
I included my favorite salads: Tuna & White Bean Salad & my Asian Rainbow Slaw. We ate, we drank & we really enjoyed treating the Gatti’s guests to some healthy gourmet treats.
At midnight, we enjoyed viewing fireworks from the balcony with champagne & my Flourless Chocolate Cake With Chambord Chocolate Glaze With Raspberries. The perfect way to bring in 2011!
Flourless Chocolate Cake With Chambord Chocolate Glaze & Raspberries
I did make my Upside Down Pear Cake, but with apples…. It never made it to the party, but that’s OK — it was a part of brunch this morning.
Upside Down Apple Cake
Quite a way to start the New Year! I want to wish everyone reading this a very happy & healthy 2011 filled with joy & love. In this very important New Year of my life, my personal resolutions are to cherish each moment with my family & my friends and for Nina Cucina to improve as many people’s health as possible. I will teach everyone that I can touch through the Internet how to create delicious, healthy, gourmet dishes. Stay tuned for updates on the final touches to our site.
I have been sitting at my desk for days, feverishly putting the last things together for the launch of our Nina Cucina site. It’s all very exciting & I do it with great joy but I must admit that I am tempted by the beauty of the outdoors here at the Abaco Club. The grounds here are so gorgeous and there is plenty of playing to be a part of: golf, tennis, water spots – there is a gym & of course a beautiful spa.
We have a couple of wild parrots living in the trees outside our cottage….yes, wild parrots…. Parrots are indigenous to this part of the world. I have even seen flocks a couple times in the Abacos. These to parrots are obviously a couple & a married couple at that — they happily squawk at each other, romp in the trees & talk to me every time I go to the patio to say hello to them. As they squawk at me with their expressive faces, I can almost hear them say: ‘Don’t sit in front of the computer, come out & PLAY!!’
Yesterday, was the first really pretty day here, & the temptation was great to go out & play. I was happy to see the end of the day, when I could join my family for dinner at the club house. Looking forward to our new dinner adventure, off we went to the club. I knew I would have some soup. The soups, as I said in my last post, are absolutely delicious here at The Abaco Club.
Now, I will tell you, that having grown up in the islands, I know that news travels fast here. I was amazed when I heard this story….. The four of us were sitting at the bar enjoying our wine when, the executive chef, Rafeeque Hameed, introduces himself & says, looking at Roger: “I know you are Roger, and (looking at me), you must be ‘I’, from ‘Roger & I are staying at the Abaco Club’….I read your blog post about our kitchen.” I introduced myself and asked how he possibly found my blog….I was thinking to myself – could this be what people really mean by ‘the power of the internet’….. Well, no such luck. This was the power of Magheo, our waiter-bartender friend from the night before. Magheo told someone in the kitchen that a guest made mention of the great soups at the Abaco Club on her blog, called: ‘Nina Cucina’. Now is when the power of the internet kicked in….People started googling & found my blog. A couple of meetings have been held in the kitchen about it. This compliments as well as fascinates me. With all the ‘power’ that the internet has to offer – there is nothing more powerful than hearing a good word from a friend! Thank you, Magheo!
The next wonderful person that I had the pleasure of meeting was Lesley Delancey, the chef who actually created the delicious soups! I have had two more since my last post, by the way ~ Conch Chowder & Lobster Bisque; both were sensational! Leslie & I got to talking about our mutual love of food, but especially about SPICES! I was curious about the pepper used in the dishes.
I am familiar with the ‘Bird Pepper’ that is a common staple in Bahamian cuisine; named for the fact that the birds eat them. I was so mystified the first time I saw a bird eat one, because they are SOOO hot; much hotter than a jalapeno. No, Leslie’s not using bird peppers, she’s using Goat Peppers…. Leslie went to the kitchen and presented us with the beautiful pepper below…..
Goat Pepper
About the size of a walnut, bright golden orange & super-hot! A Goat Pepper, huh….So where did that name come from….There must be a similar story to the one about the bird pepper, I thought. Leslie had to get back to work – she didn’t want to keep any of her guests waiting for her delicious creations. So our wonderful hostess, Charlene Adderly & I started trying to figure this out… Charlene decided she was going to find out for me so she got on the phone & called the guy who knows everything – her dad! Her dad said that the reason that it was named a goat pepper was because when you laid it on its side it looks like a goat….We were giggling but not convinced. I was laying the pepper on its side though….. It looked familiar, but I guess most peppers do… Charlene was determined! She went into the office to the computer to find out ‘the heat’ on this pepper.
Well come to find out –it’s a Scotch Bonnet Pepper! Charlene found out the following:
The Scotch Bonnet is also known as the Meh Boabs Bonnet, Scotty Bons or Bonney Pepper. It’s a variety of the Habenaro & is one of the hottest peppers in the world. It’s found mainly in the Caribbean Islands, Guyana & the Maladives. It’s named for it’s resemblance to the Tam O’Shanter Hat….Hhhmmmm….. At this point, I’m still wondering where the name Goat Pepper came from.
This pepper is definitely what has definitely been helping Leslie give her delectable soups their unique flavor! It IS a hot pepper though. I learned from Charlene’s information, that there is a ‘heat rating’ that is measured in ‘Scoville Units’. The ‘Bonney’ has a rating of 100,000 – 350,000 Scoville Units, whereas the Jalapeno has a heat rating of 2500 – 8000 on the Scoville Scale – & I thought the jalapeno was hot! The Bonney is a unique & beautiful pepper but I’m still searching for the answer of where the nick-name ‘Goat Pepper’ came from. I’m sure it will come to light eventually.
I have had so much fun getting to know all of the staff here, but I have had a special time getting to know the kitchen & restaurant staff, of course. Passion for food runs through my veins. This kind of passion travels over oceans & seas and has landed here in Marsh Harbour, Abaco! Thank you to all my new found friends at the Abaco Club! Here’s a picture of the great chefs & our hostess with me.
Part Of The Abaco Club Restaurant Staff
From right to left, Charlene Adderly, Rafeeque Hameed, Leslie Delancey, Me, Tamica McIntosh & Montgomery Mortimer. Thanks to all of you, as well as to Magheo, Tristan & Dee, our buddies behind the bar, for all the fun we have been having at the restaurant!
Stay tuned, friends! We are almost ready to launch Nina Cucina!
Roger & I are in Abaco, Bahamas, a place we absolutely LOVE. We are staying at the beautiful Abaco Club at Winding Bay. A normally serene & sunny property sitting at edge of the calm lapping shore of Winding Bay. The beach adorned with all the water-play toys that you would expect from a top-notch resort. Unfortunately, the weather has not been our friend…. Here is a picture of the latest storm rolling in….
The Storm Rolls Into Marsh Harbour, Abaco
The temperature is below the average here right now at about 60 for a high today with lots of wind….It’s been like this off & on since we have been here — oh well, part of the adventures of traveling; we just bundle up in all of our t-shirts all at once plus a jacket- the layering really helps against the wind and drizzle. It’s surprising how cold a person gets when the wind comes off the sea….
Thank goodness, we have a wonderful chef here. Every evening, he makes a wonderful soup special in addition to the soup on the menu, which at this time of year, is Butternut Squash Soup, which I love. The difference in this man’s soups lies in the spices. He’s a man from the islands and that definitely comes through in his delicious cuisine! So far, I have had the pleasure of indulging in Vegetarian Chili, the Carrot-Ginger Soup, the Spicy Asparagus Soup & of course, the delicious Butternut Squash. Although, each has been very unique in flavor & style, there is a common thread throughout. The chef uses warm spices & a combination of peppers that warms you right through, as well as satisfies your palate. He has been using lots of different island peppers as well as cumin, tumeric, cinnamon & ginger in unique application.
I am wondering if he knows how important spices are to nutrition….. We have not met…YET.
Well, spices are an essential component to a nutritious lifestyle. Spices are HIGHLY antioxidant! So not only is the chef satisfying my taste buds, but he’s keeping me healthy as well! Spices rate VERY high on the ORAC Scale (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), which measures the rate at which antioxidants ‘eat up’ free radicals in the body. You can learn more about the ORAC Scale in my blog post: Learn About The ORAC Factor
So let me give you an idea of just how high some of these spices rank in antioxidant effectiveness….I will tell you ahead of time that all of these spices rank higher than all of the fruits and veggies that we relate to as being highly antioxidant, or plainly speaking, good for us. The list below squashes, well squash, for example, plus broccoli, red peppers, oranges & blueberries, for antioxidant levels. All rankings below were measured for 100 grams of the food item….take a look:
Fresh Ginger Root – 14,840
Dried Ginger – 28,811
Chili Powder – 23,636
Curry Powder – 48504
Cumin – 76,800
Tumeric – 159,277!
Dried Oregano – 200,129!!
And the antioxidant super spice is: Cinnamon – 267,536!!!
Just to give you an idea of how important this is, here are the highest ranking of the fruits & vegetables I mentioned earlier; blueberries & broccoli are the only two even worth mentioning in comparison….
Broccoli – 1362
Blueberries – 6552
There are a lot of long lived people in these islands… I always thought it was because of the lack of stress….But could the reason, at least partially lie in the spices in the food? It’s a good question….Scientists have been researching it & coming up with some pretty positive answers in our favor. The bottom line – eat your spices! They are all listed on the ORAC Value Chart that will be on our site. If you want to take a peak at my personal spice drawer, watch our video: Staying Organized
Stay tuned – we are getting closer & closer to launching ninacucina.com – it’s very exciting! Now, I’m off to try something new and spicy from the chef at The Abaco Club! I’ll keep you posted!
The organic sector of the food world is growing faster than any other in food…..So what’s that about? Is it hype, marketing or are there some cold hard facts that stand behind the reason for the growth?
Well, let’s look at the facts.
First, let’s start with the definition of ‘organic’. ‘Organic’ is a designation used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National to certify food that is produced without synthetic chemicals or fertilizers, genetic engineering, radiation or sewage sludge. A farm must be certified by the U.S Department Of Agriculture to utilize the word ‘organic’ on their produce.
What sounds the most scary to me in this definition are the words: radiation & sewage sludge…..Well, genetic engineering scares me too, quite honestly…. The question is: Does this mean that conventional growers of produce can radiate our food & soak it in sewage sludge? Yes, I am afraid that it does…..Radiation extends shelf life….. Yuk…..
OK — so let me give you a couple of other scary facts:
A study in the journal, ‘Occupational and Environmental Medicine’, for instance, found that people who had been exposed to low levels of pesticides were 1.13 times as likely to have Parkinson’s disease as those who had never been exposed.
According to: ‘Hazardous Pesticides in the European Parliament’, released in October 2007, eight food samples were tested, which ranged from oranges to strawberries to grapes, and contained 28 different pesticide residues, with an average of almost five per fruit. Among them: 10 were known carcinogens, 3 were known neurotoxins, 3 were known reproductive or developmental toxins, 8 were suspected endocrine disruptors, and 2 were contaminants classified as ‘highly hazardous’ by the World Health Organization.
At the Environmental Working Group, studies have shown that since 2001, the USDA has detected 215 different pesticides in fresh fruits and vegetables sold in the U.S., including 35 pesticides that each pollute at least 15 types of produce.
So the next question is: Do these chemicals hang around in our bodies?
Yes, unfortunately, they do…. In a 2009 study of more than 5000 Americans, age 6 and older, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s national bio-monitoring program detected pesticides in the blood and urine samples from 95.6 % of the people!
So which produce is the best and worst for pesticide load? Well, my first rule is: buy everything that you can organically, my second rule is: any produce at all with a thin skin should be purchased organically. The Environmental Working Group has a list called; ‘The Dirty Dozen’ that you will be able to easily access & download on the Nina Cucina site. Here is the list below to hold you over. These vegetables and fruits are highest in pesticide load and should be purchased organically:
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Bell Peppers
Spinach
Cherries
Kale/Collard Greens
Potatoes
Imported Grapes
The following list is also provided by the Environmental Working Group. They call it their ‘Clean 15’ – these produce items you can purchase pretty safely conventionally:
Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn ( I don’t recommend eating corn, however…More on that in another post)
Pineapple
Mangoes
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet Potato
Honeydew Melon
We will have an area in the Nina Cucina Resources section where you will be able to download this list in a pocket-size version so that you can take it to the market with you. We will also provide you with the information you need to translate the PLU codes in the produce department so you know what you are buying and can make an informed decision.
As person who runs around and likes to exercise, I realize the importance of adequate protein in the diet. Protein is not only important for muscle structure but also for many other areas of the human body, such as our hair, our skin & our internal organs. Proteins travel throughout the body in the form of hormones, red blood cells & enzymes. Plainly said: protein is essential to human life.
Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids. There are 22 amino acids in total. Eight of which are called ‘essential amino acids’ because our bodies cannot make them, so we must get them from our diet.
You can get protein from both plant and animal sources, but the plant world offers incomplete proteins for the most part. Quinoa, a seed, that is often referred to as a grain, is the only plant source that I have been able to find, that offers a complete protein. Nina Cucina has some delicious quinoa recipes if you are a vegetarian foodie looking to bump up your protein intake.
So why is it so important to get adequate protein again – what does it do?
Well, for kids, it’s needed for growth.
It’s need to re-build your body after an operation, an illness and in fact anything that stresses the body, including exercise. If you are lifting weights, playing tennis or golf, in fact, doing any sport at all & not getting adequate protein, you may be doing more harm than good.
Your body needs protein as a fuel for ‘everyday operations’. We use a little bit all day long in bodily functions such as skin cell turnover, hair growth, nail growth and of course, repair due to daily stresses.
We need protein to repair our bodies from injury.
So where’s the best place to get your protein? Great protein sources come from clean, animal sources. I stress clean, here. Buying your meats organically is the best way to insure this. If you hung out at a factory farm one day, you may never eat meat again. I highly recommend the flesh that you eat you buy organically…. You can buy grass-fed beef with out the organic label because grass is grass….. Another rule of thumb is to buy only wild fish. Hanging out at a fish farm for a day would bring on the same reaction as the day spent at the factory farm. Mix your animal sources with lots of green vegetables and you can really set yourself on a healthful life’s journey. Below are some healthful choices animal-based protein choices:
Wild Alaskan Salmon – About 30 grams of protein in a 4-ounce serving
Wild Halibut – About 30 grams of protein in a 4-ounce serving
Sole – About 28 grams of protein in a 4-ounce serving
Chicken Breast – About 24 grams of protein in a 4-ounce serving
There is an easy formula to follow to see if you are getting enough protein. If you are an adult that has a sit-down job and you don’t exercise, you should multiply your body weight by .4. A kid or young adult that’s a serious athlete will need to multiply by .9 (GO Wolfpack!!) and may need even more protein than that, depending on the size, weight and activity level of that individual athlete. This is a guide only….I am not a kid that’s an athlete, but I eat as much protein as one.
Protein will satisfy your hunger pangs a lot more effectively than most carbohydrate sources & will keep you going. Individual protein needs are just that, unique to the individual. People that do a lot of traveling, for example, need more repair power (protein) because of the physical stress (which is mild radiation….) put on the body by airplane travel. Judge your intake by how you feel – pay attention to what your body tells you & you will be paid back in good health!
Check out all the healthy, high protein dishes at ninacucina.com when we go live mid-December. Stay tuned for more news.
We keep hearing about Omega-3 fatty acids, but how important are they to the human body anyway??
Well, they are essential to the human body & the unfortunate news is that the body cannot produce them, so you have to get all of your Omega-3 fatty acids from what you eat. The balance between Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids is also key to human health. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and most omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote it. The typical American diet tends to contain 14 – 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids – totally imbalanced, in fact upside-down. This comes from our grain based diet….and of course there is fast-food & corn-fed beef….All of which disturb the Omega-3/Omega-6 ratio. You can learn how to eat beef healthfully in our blog post titled: Can You Eat Beef & Be Healthy
Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for a number essential functions for human health:
Omega-3’s reduce inflammation.
Omega- 3’s may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.
Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain & are important for brain memory and performance, as well as, behavioral function.
People with diabetes often have high triglyceride levels and low HDL levels (good cholesterol). Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically from fish oil can help lower triglycerides and apoproteins (which are markers of diabetes), and raise HDL, so eating high Omega-3 fish or taking fish oil supplements may help people with diabetes.
Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in abundance in fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, as well as in some plants, and in some nuts, such as walnuts. Since it has been shown that Omega-3’s may reduce heart disease, the American Heart Association recommends eating fish, in particular high fat fish, such as mackerel, trout, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon, at least twice a week.
So how much omega-3 can you get from a fatty fish like salmon? Well, it ranges….For starters, your salmon should be wild if you want to get top-notch benefits from it. Wild Salmon simply has more omega-3’s. Below are a few examples of how much omega-3 fatty acid is in different types of fatty fish based on an 8-ounce portion:
Wild King Salmon – 3856 mg
Wild (Red) Sockeye – 2722 mg
Silver Coho – 2495 mg
Keta – 1815 mg
Pink – 2949 mg
The best white fish choice that I have found is Black Cod, known as Sable Fish, or Butter Fish, topping them all at 4083 mg!! These are all great dietary choices for your health and well-being, and at Nina Cucina, we will show you lots of delicious ways to prepare them.
Take a look at our new video: How Important Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids and get a sneak peak at my Salmon Burgers with Cucumber-Mint Relish. It’s a delicious way to pack in your Omega-3’s! A four-ounce serving packs in 2023 mg of Omega-3’s; they are as nutritious as they are delicious!
Stay tuned – Nina Cucina goes live mid-December with lots of beautiful, healthy food to keep you healthy & beautiful!
Nina Cucina - Your Healthy Gourmet 