By now, you have probably heard the term “superfood”. It is used to describe foods that are nutrient-dense, meaning they provide a lot of nutrition per calorie. Some of the top superfoods that have been getting a lot of attention lately include kale, blueberries, chia seeds, turmeric, and acai, and goji berries. But even though these foods have been identified as being especially good for our health, that doesn’t mean they are the ONLY foods we should seek out for good health and nutrition. Many of these foods can be expensive, as they are costly to produce. What if there were superfoods that were readily available, and for a better price? Would you try them?
Let’s put a spotlight on 5 foods that you may not think of as superfoods, but you should!
Lentils
Lentils have so much going for them: they are inexpensive, quick to cook, and nutritious!
At just 120 calories per ½ cup serving, they pack in lots of nutrition for very few calories. Just a half cup of cooked lentils has 9 grams of protein (more than an extra-large egg) and 8 grams of healthy fiber or about 25% of the daily recommended amount for adults. This is especially important for those who follow a Standard American Diet that contains many highly processed foods that tend to be low in fiber. They are rich in magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and folate, and other B vitamins.
Lentils have been shown to lower LDL, our “bad” cholesterol. They are also an environmentally responsible form of protein because they carry a smaller environmental footprint than meat.
Unlike other beans, they are easy to cook up because they don’t need to be presoaked and cook up in about 20 minutes (not hours!) You can use them in place of other carbs (such as white potatoes) to add nutrition to your traditional side dishes. There are a lot of varieties to choose from. The “gourmet” black lentils are great for salads or other side dishes. Brown and green lentils are great for soup or curries. Red lentils, which are more tender and tend to “melt” into dishes, are great for dahl, a thick South Asian-inspired lentil stew.
Pumpkin Seeds
Don’t throw out those pumpkin seeds (or any squash seed, for that matter) when you are carving your pumpkin! Not only do they taste delicious, but they are packed with nutrition as well!
Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are the nutritious meaty center of the seeds found in squash. You can roast your own, but you can also buy them shelled or unshelled for snacking. Either way, they should be a nutritious addition to your diet and rank up there with other well-known “super seeds” such as chia and flax.
At 180 calories per ¼ cup, pumpkin seeds have fewer calories than either chia or flaxseed. They contain a good amount of fiber, but really shine when it comes to protein. They provide about 7 g per ounce. That’s more than the amount of protein found in the same amount of almonds, making them a good source of plant protein. They are also a great source of zinc (20% RDI in 1 oz), the essential mineral that helps support our immune system, and magnesium which, among other functions, supports bone health, helps regulate mood, and helps with sleep. It is estimated that about 80% of American adults don’t get enough of this important mineral. Both immune health and a positive attitude are especially important during these times.
Enjoy pumpkin seeds raw as a snack, or roasted with your favorite spice mix, adding to their nutritional value! They can be ground into butter just like almonds or sunflower seeds. Use them to top your morning porridge to add a pleasing crunch or blend them into your breakfast smoothie for additional healthy fats and fiber. They can also be baked into your favorite muffin.
Cabbage
Yup, that plain old cabbage that has been sitting in your vegetable drawer for the last week (or more!) is really a superfood. Why? It packs a lot of nutrition in the form of Vitamin C and K, as well as folate and, again, an important source of fiber. And a ½ cup serving has only 20 calories. So you can eat a lot with no guilt!
Like lentils, there are plenty of varieties available, each with its own flavor and color. All taste great whether eaten raw or cooked. Use red cabbage as a colorful addition to your favorite coleslaw recipe or to make homemade sauerkraut. Napa and savoy cabbage are great in stir-fry dishes and soups. And who doesn’t like stuffed cabbage? As with all fruits and vegetables, variety is important to our health, because color indicates the presence of important phytonutrients that support our immune system and cellular health. Different colors support different organs and bodily functions.
Buckwheat
When was the last time you had buckwheat? And was it in something other than pancakes? Probably not.
Although sometimes referred to as an “ancient grain”, buckwheat isn’t really a grain, but a very nutritious pseudo-grain (it’s really a seed) that gets very little use in the Standard American diet. It can also be called “groats”, or “kasha” when toasted. Despite its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat at all but is in the same family as rhubarb. It is gluten-free with a toasty, nutty flavor and soft, chewy texture, and can be used to replace other flours or grains in recipes. It is versatile and can be used raw or cooked in recipes.
Buckwheat is a superfood because it is low in calories and high in healthful fiber. It is lower in calories than wheat or barley, and higher in fiber, making it an excellent gluten-free option to replace these foods. Fiber and an additional compound, D-chiro inositol, helps regulate blood sugar levels which can also help with diabetes management.
Buckwheat also contains high-quality protein with 8 essential amino acids, including lysine, which is usually lacking in grains. It contains two powerful antioxidants, rutin, and quercetin, which help maintain a healthy heart by reducing the free radicals known to contribute to heart disease as well as helping lower “bad” LDL cholesterol in the blood. Buckwheat is also rich in B vitamins and essential minerals including magnesium, which is lacking in the SAD. 1
Buckwheat can be used on its own to make a delicious, tasty breakfast porridge or used as flour in baked goods. It can be found in soba noodles, which can be used as a lighter carb version in a traditional wheat pasta dish. It can be added to soups or stews in place of barley. It can be toasted and added for crunch to recipes too. See the recipe for “Dark Chocolate Drops” below.
Canned Salmon
Salmon is also a great superfood. You may have heard the benefits of eating wild-caught varieties, but it isn’t always easy to find and can be quite pricey. But there is another alternative – canned salmon.
Canned salmon is almost always wild salmon—pink or sockeye—that has often been sustainably caught. Sockeye has a better nutritional profile and a more appealing orange-red color, but pink is usually more affordably priced. Manufacturers will print this information for you on their labels, so you don’t need to wait in line at the fish counter to ask! Many are packed in healthy olive oil or water. “Wild Planet” brand is nothing more than sockeye salmon and salt.
So what makes salmon a superfood? It’s rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fats for one. Salmon contains 2 of the three main omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. These healthy fats can’t be manufactured by the body, so we need to get them in our food. While amounts vary depending on the brand, canned salmon contains about 950 mg of combined DHA and EPA. That’s almost 6 times more than the amount found in canned tuna.
In addition to healthy fats, you get 15 grams of protein and 50 to 75 percent of a day’s vitamin D, a vitamin that is difficult to obtain through foods.
You can use canned salmon whenever canned tuna is called for in a recipe. It tastes great in a salmon salad made with a bit of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and dill. Or try it in Salmon Patties, like the recipe below!
So, now that you know the benefits of these 5 foods, I encourage you to find ways to include them in your diet! I have included 2 recipes below for you to try and invite you to find more healthy recipes on my webpage https://EveySchweig.com in my blogs and under the recipe tab. If you prefer, you can also visit my YouTube Channel for my “Cooking with Evey” series where you get to visit me in my kitchen to cook!
Yours in Health,
Evey
Dark Chocolate Drops
Makes 18 drops
Ingredients
1 oz. (4 squares) Bakers Baking chocolate
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp raw cashews
2 Tbsp raisins
1 Tbsp goji berries (optional, can use additional raisins or other dried fruit)
1/4 tsp coconut sugar (or to taste. I like mine bitter but you may like a bit more sweetness.)
1 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
pinch of salt
Directions
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Place chocolate squares into a glass bowl, and microwave on high for 30 seconds or until chocolate has melted.
- Add remaining ingredients to the bowl. Mix together until well blended.
- Using a measuring spoon, place 1/2 tsp drops of batter onto parchment paper.
- When all of the batter is used up, place the tray in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow candy to harden.
- Remove candy drops from paper and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!
Buckwheat Variation:
Ingredients
1 oz. Baker’s chocolate
2 tbsp cashews
1 tbsp soaked and dried buckwheat (buckini)
pinch salt
1 tbsp coconut flakes
1 ½ tsp coconut sugar
2 Tbsp raisins
Directions
Prepare as above.
How to make Buckinis: Put your washed buckwheat groats in a glass or ceramic bowl and cover with filtered water to at least an inch above the grains. Soak for 6-8 hours. The water will become murky and slimy. Dehydrate them on a very low heat until completely dry, either in your dehydrator or the lowest oven setting until dry.
No-Fuss Salmon Cakes (or Meatballs)
Salmon is a great source of the essential fatty acid Omega3 that is critical in keeping the cells of your heart, brain, and eyes functioning healthfully! Canned salmon has the added benefit of being wild-caught which contains even more of this healthy fat and doesn’t contain the antibiotics and other additives given to farm-raised salmon.
This is a great recipe for dinner with veggies and or a quinoa pilaf, or for lighter fare, served over salad for lunch.
Ingredients
1 can (14.75 oz) wild-caught pink or red salmon
1 cup canned pureed sweet potato, butternut squash or pumpkin
1 large egg (for eggless version use Flax egg: 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed plus 3 Tbsp water, combined in a small ramekin, let sit 5 minutes)
½ cup almond flour (or coconut flour)
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley or 2 t dried
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp minced fresh dill or 2 tsp dried
3 dashes of Tabasco
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1-2 Tbsp olive oil or melted coconut oil for greasing baking sheet
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper, brushed with olive oil, or silicon sheet)
- Drain the liquid from salmon, crumble into a large mixing bowl. Remove bones, if necessary.
- Add all remaining ingredients, except coconut oil, and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Let sit in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes.
- Use a 1/3 cup to scoop out the salmon mixture, round and flatten, and place onto parchment. Cakes should be about 2 ½ inches wide and 1 inch thick.
- Bake 20 min, turn, bake 10 min more until golden brown and crisp.
- Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and sauce of choosing (I don’t even use a sauce because I usually put it on top of a salad that has dressing!)
Enjoy!
Note: Alternatively, you can pan fry these on the stovetop, cooking until outsides are brown and the interior is set and warmed through, carefully flipping halfway through.
