Quench Your Thirst

I am one of those people who does not like to drink water.  Yes, I teach in a nutrition department and I do not like to drink water.  There! I have admitted it!

However, I have also learned that I need to drink water.  So drink I do.  I find that if I add something to water, it becomes more like a beverage and can be quite enjoyable.  When I was a poor and broke graduate student, I used bottled lemon juice.  Occasionally, I reach back for the lemon juice.  Hey, old habits die hard.

Since I am from the south, I am also a semi-reformed Coke-a-holic.  Yes, I have been trying to kick the habit for several years.  Now I am down to less than one (12 ounce) can per week.  To help me drink water and fight my Coke habit, I have started making flavored water.  I start with a simple syrup (sugar and water) and add a few extras, like fruit, ginger, citrus zest.  In addition to using these syrups for water, they can also be used to sweeten lemonade and ice tea. 

Simple Ginger Syrup

Makes about 2 cups.


Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 piece (about 4 ounces) ginger 

Directions:
1.  Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar.
2.  Peel and coarsely chop ginger.  (You should have about ½ cup ginger.)  Add ginger to syrup.  Remove from heat, and let steep for 30 minutes. 
3.  Strain syrup to remove the ginger.  Store in an airtight container.  Refrigerate up to one month. 


Raspberry-Lemon Syrup

Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
1 (10 ounce) package raspberries

Directions:
1.  Bring water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar.
2.  Add lemon zest and raspberries.  Refrigerate for 24.  Strain the syrup.  Store in an airtight container. Refrigerate up to one month.
Note:  For extra tartness, use the juice from one lemon.


Carrot-Ginger Elixir

Serves 4. 


Ingredients:
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons chopped peeled ginger
1 cup carrot juice
½ cup fresh lime juice

Directions:
1.  Bring sugar, ginger, and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. 
2.  Remove from heat; let steep for 10 minutes.  Strain to remove ginger.  Cover and chill syrup. 
3.  Combine syrup, carrot juice and lime juice.  Divide among four glasses and serve.

Source:  Bon Appetit, April 2012

For addtional syrup recipes check out the Dallas News site.

Sweet Potatoes - Queen of the Show

Okay, last week was king of the holiday side dishes. This week is the queen.  And a king needs a queen.  In a January post, I wrote about sweet potatoes being the new "in" food for 2011.  In the South, a holiday is not a holiday without sweet potatoes.  In homage to my Southern roots, I had to have sweet potatoes as a part of my healthy holiday side dishes. 

As a kid, we ate sweet potatoes two ways; one was baked with nothing added and the other was candied with lots of sugar and butter.  We considered candied yams a side dish, while some of my Midwestern friends say they are dessert.  When most people talk about sweet potatoes and the holidays, they refer to sweet potatoes with marshmallows.  Although, I didn't grow up with marshmallow topped sweet potatoes, I do like them.  But I am not psychologically attached to them - not like candied yams.

I normally try and throw a little nutrition into my posts, but it's the holidays.  So let's just say sweet potatoes are loaded.  They have some of everything that you need.  This year, we will not bury sweet potatoes beneath marshmallows.  Nor will we load them up with sugar and butter.  We are going to bring out the natural goodness of sweet potatoes.

Southerners often combine sweet potatoes and coconut.  And why not, they are both tropical crops.  Sometime ago, I found a recipe for sweet potatoes, coconut milk and grated ginger.  I thought the combination sounded wonderful and perfect for the holidays.  According to the source, this dish is known as piele in Hawaii.  But whatever the origins, this is a great recipe.  It will surely grace many a family meals.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, about 3 medium
3/4 cup "lite" coconut milk
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.  Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places.  Microwave on high until tender all the way to the center, 10 to 15 minutes.

2.  When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard skin.  Transfer the sweet potatoes to a medium microwavable bowl and mash thoroughly with a potato masher.  Add coconut milk, ginger and salt; stir well.  Reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.  Serve warm.

Note:  Sweet potatoes can be baked.  Preheat oven to 425°F.  Place sweet potatoes on a baking dish and bake until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.