Our diet and our diseases have a close relationship. Although the origins of diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, arthritis, etc. may be complex, we know that what we eat either helps or hurts our fight against them.
Our response to this knowledge usually includes a laundry list of foods to avoid, which more or less can be summed up with the idea that if it comes in a package, don't eat it. A GREAT RULE! However, instead of only telling ourselves what not to eat, we should pay more attention to what we should eat. I find more satisfaction in DOING instead of just NOT doing. So I want to be purposeful about picking foods that I know will go the extra mile for my health.
Super Foods burst with flavor, color, and recipe opportunity (many of which never find their way into our grocery carts). Maybe because they are unfamiliar, or we can't think on the spot how to incorporate them into a meal, or we don't even realize HOW GOOD THEY ARE FOR US. This year I want these health warriors to become my best friends. Some of these Super Foods may already be well incorporated into your diet, and for that you should feel really good. You are already reaping their benefits. You cannot eat all the Super Foods every day or even every week, but we can slowly shift our diets to include them at our table.
Turmeric is a spice as old as human culture and helps fight over 600 health conditions, including cancer Alzheimer's, and inflammation. Check out this blog to learn about Turmeric's amazing medicinal and health properties.
Breakfast is a quick and easy way to load turmeric into your diet. I enjoy making sweet potato hash browns with fried eggs dousing all of the above in turmeric (by the way, sweet potatoes and eggs are also Super Foods). The turmeric gives this breakfast a spicy kick to wake up your palate in the morning.
Make stuffed eggs as part of your lunch or to take to a pot luck. (Usually named deviled eggs, but my mother always said that she did not want to give credit to the devil for something good.) Instead of the traditional Paprika topping, try Turmeric. It will actually have a very similar finish as they both are warm, colorful, and peppery.
Indian Cuisine
YOU MAY ALREADY BE EATING TURMERIC if you eat Indian cuisine. Turmeric is responsible for the yellow color often found in curries and rice. In India, where this spice is often consumed daily, Alzheimer's disease is among the lowest in the world. If you want to eat a lot of Turmeric, eat a lot of Indian.
Jordan and I have been experimenting with this cuisine and find it incredibly enjoyable to cook (especially the process of working with whole spices). Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking has been our guide into this new world of cooking, and I highly recommend it.
This rice recipe from her cookbook and has become one of my favorites. (Aromatic Yellow Rice) Rice usually sits to the side and acts as host to other flavors, but this rice is a dish in itself. It's that good!
There are so many ways to cook with turmeric. I've merely offered a few simple ways to quickly incorporate it into your diet. If you have a delicious recipe that includes turmeric, please share with me as I'm always looking for a new way to eat my Super Foods.
Golden Milk is next on my list to try.
