[Pescetarian] Low Country Broil

One of my absolute favorite meals to cook in the spring is a Low Country Broil. Most Low Country Broils include sausage, crab or lobster, and craw fish or shrimp with corn and potatoes. Since I know many people who either do not eat meat or do not eat pig, this Low Country Broil is without any sausage. ​

This is my go-to meal whenever we are having guests over, or when we want something simple and fun for dinner. It is so easy to make and is much less expensive than you may think. When figuring serving sizes and how much I will need, I always use the simple calculation of each person getting three red potatoes, 1 1/2- two whole ears of corn, and 3/4 to one pound of shell fish. This cheat sheet is the quickest way to figure how much of each ingredient you will need. ​

Ingredients

Serving Size: 2-3 people    Prep Time: 10 minutes    Cook Time: 30 minutes

• ​1 Quart boiling water
  
• 1/2 Cup ​Old Bay seasoning
  
• 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 Pound de-veined, uncooked shrimp
  
• 1 Pound snow crab legs
• 6 Red potatoes cut into eighths ​
• 4 Ears of corn, shucked and cut in half

Recipe

Boil water in one quart pot and add the white wine vinegar and Old Bay seasoning. Once in a rolling boil, add in the potatoes. Let boil for ten minutes, then add in the corn. Let the corn and potatoes boil for another ten minutes, ​then add in the crab. After five minutes, add in the shrimp. Cook for three minutes, or until ready, then remove from water and serve.

The Old Bay seasoning tastes great on the corn, potatoes, and shell fish alone, but you can also melt some butter and use cocktail sauce for dipping. Old Bay does have some spice, you can add in more or use a little less depending on your spice preference. 

3 Ways to be Sure Your Fruits and Veggies are Clean

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I think we may have an inadvertent vegetable theme going on this week. Of course, vegetables are good for us, but all the wax coating and pesticides are not. Even organic vegetables need to be washed, otherwise, we could be digesting harmful chemicals from harvest or transport, or worse, spreading food-borne illnesses. There are a few ways to make sure your produce and work surfaces are all clean.

Clean Your Work Surface

A vegetable is only as clean as the surface you prepare it on. To keep your work surface clean, clean your cutting board after each use. Remember, sponges can bread bacteria as well, the best way to clean a cutting board is with hot water, or in the dishwasher- my personal favorite. ​If you cook with meats, it is important to wash a cutting board with disinfectant before using it again. The best way to reduce the risk of cross contamination is to use different cutting boards for different foods. This is one that I am still perfecting since we store ours, but using different cutting boards can reduce washing time as well.

For a quick clean, ​of your vegetable cutting boards, try a small amount of vinegar mixed with water. 

Washing

There has been a lot of mixed reviews on how to wash your fruits and veggies. In a recent study, veggies were washed with vinegar, soaked in water, and run under a cold tap. ​Researchers concluded that there was no difference between vinegar sprays, soaks, or washing and scrubbing with cold water. To be sure your fruits and veggies are super clean, softly scrub under running cold water and rub dry with a clean cloth.

Storing

Goodness, is this a lesson I am still learning. Storing veggies properly is the difference between keeping veggies healthy and clean for longer, and not. The best way to store clean veggies is in a plastic container. After washing your produce, make sure they are completely dry before storing them. Otherwise, food can mold and spoil too quickly.

There are certain fruits and veggies that should, or should not be kept in the fridge. Keep fruits like tomatoes, melons, bananas, and cantaloupes stored on the counter. Foods like avocados, nectarines, and plums are best to leave on the counter until ripe, then refrigerate. Starchy vegetables like potatoes and squash are best kept in a cool, dry place. Most other foods are best in the refrigerator, including fresh herbs. A great tip I learned for fresh herbs is to clean, dry, then refrigerate with the cut ends in cold water. This will keep them nice and crisp for some time longer!

The Benefits of Hazelnuts

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Oh, if only my delicious coffee creamer included real hazelnuts, then I would not have to feel so guilty about my coffee mug that is bigger than my head. Hazelnuts are a, somewhat, surprisingly healthy and amazingly delicious nut. One of my favorite ways to use hazelnuts is in desserts like Linzer Torte Cookies and cakes. It is so yummy, and who knew, it is healthy too! Lat week, we talked about a few healthier dessert options, one of which had hazelnuts.

One of the best perks of the Hazelnut is it's  high vitamin B6 and vitamin E content. ​Vitamin B6 gives us natural energy that is free of that sugar crash and is vital for proper nerve functions. Vitamin B6 is is needed in the creation of myelin. The myelin sheath surrounds a nerve and increases the speed of nervous impulses, myelin is also necessary for nerve fiber regrowth. Vitamin B6 is also needed in the synthesis of epinephrin, serotonin, and melatonin. There is about 36% our daily value of B6 in one cup chopped hazelnuts and 86% of vitamin E . Vitamin E is necessary for skin, aiding in skin regeneration and reducing the harmful effects of UV rays. Vitamin E keeps skin healthier with fewer wrinkles and less sun damage.

Hazelnuts are also high in unsaturated fats, specifically oleic acid. This monounsaturated fatty acid is commonly found in olive oil, grapeseed oil, and many nuts. Studies show that this fatty acid lowers bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and increases the good (HDL). The high amount of oleic acid found in hazelnuts make hazelnuts great for those with high cholesteral levels or cardiovascualr issues; especially since it also has high amount of magnesium- a calcium regulator needed for proper muscle contraction. If magnesium levels are too low in our bodies, our muscles can cramp, spasm, and get sore or fatigued easily. 

Magnesium is also vital for good bone health. Magnesium is one of the biggest contributors to strong bones and is needed to fight osteoporosis. One cup of chopped hazelnuts has almost half the recommended daily intake of magnesium.

The Benefits of Flaxseed

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Flaxseed was first farmed over 3,000 years ago in Babylon. Since then, it has been considered an incredible seed that science is now showing could help reduce the risk of diabetes, strokes, cancer, and heart disease. Flaxseeds have an extremely low amount of carbohydrates (2 grams in one tablespoon of ground flaxseed) and an extremely high amount of amino acids, fatty acids, and fiber. The main ingredients that contribute to flaxseed's new-found benefits are plant based omega-3 fatty acids, soluble fibers, insoluble fibers, and 75 to 800 times more lignans than most other plants. Lignans are chemical compounds found in plants that have both phytoestrogens and antioxidants.

New research is showing that lignans help reduce the growth of tumors through the cellular regeneration process and decrease arterial plaque and atherosclerosis by 75% in certain cases! When taken daily, the mixture of lignans and omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to decrease risks of heart disease and lower levels of bad cholesterol in the blood stream. ​

The plant based omega-3 fatty acids found in flaxseed is one of the two biggest contributors to flax reducing the risk of prostate, breast, ​and colon cancers. This form of omega-3 has also been shown to limit tumor growth in animals. The plant based omega-3's, known as ALA's (alpha-linolenic acid),  help reduce cardiovascular disease through normalizing the heart beat and having anti-inflammatory effects. The combination of fatty acids found in flaxseed has also been linked to lower blood pressure levels.

These anti-inflammatory effects have greater reaches than cardiovascular disease and blood pressure alone. One tablespoon of ground flaxseed has almost all of our daily recommend intake of anti-inflammitory agents. ALA and lignans inhibit pro-inflammatory responses and can help reduce inflammation associated with diseases such as Parkinson's disease.

Flaxseed can be mixed into most everyday dishes and is great as a baking additive. Just replace 1/16 to 1/8 the required flour with flax seed for muffins, breads, cookies, and any other baked goods. Flaxseed is also great in meaty dishes or sprinkled on the top of oatmeal or yogurt. Keep flaxseed in the freezer for a longer shelf life and higher nutrient retention. ​

The Flax Council of Canada recommends a daily intake of one to two tablespoons ground flaxseed. Ground flax has a higher nutrient count than flaxseed oil or whole flax in most situations. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not take flaxseed since studies on fetuses and infants exposed to flaxseed are inconclusive. ​