The Antioxidant Odyssey

by Kathy Humphrey

“What’s for supper?” My son scanned the kitchen counter tops, looking for any signs.

Before I could chirp “Penne with Puttanesca Sauce” or “Curried Tofu and Mango” or whatever it was that evening, he spotted the number of spice bottles, jars and tins laid out on the counter and wilted.

“Oh,” he murmured, drifting slowly out of the kitchen, “it’s a recipe.”

My daughter and I were downtown just the other day and she pulled a bar from her bag, unwrapped it and began nibbling enthusiastically at its sticky brown pulp. “This bar has 19 vegetables and fruits in it! And rosehips!” she explained.

“Ah,” I thought, “it’s a recipe.”

These two stories have been bouncing around my head for the past week or so, combined with articles I have recently read suggesting that taking supplements of some antioxidants may actually be unhealthy. Straight up is best when it comes to both the truth and antioxidant consumption.

Recipes can be carefully considered combinations of foods, planned to maximize taste, texture and flavour. A small boy’s wistful dreams of pork chops, mashed potatoes and creamed corn aside, recipes, generally, are good things. They keep us interested in and familiar with the food we eat. Some recipes, like the one for my daughter’s energy bar, tend towards the opposite direction. They take the Space Odyssey approach to food, seeing what we eat as units of necessary nutrients and not a potential party in the mouth. Humans (all living beings, really) need the essential nutrients to survive. Canadians tend to expect more than mere tools for survival from their food: we look for whatever gives us the greatest bang for the buck. We want to ingest whatever will make us best for longest—keep us fit, strengthen brain function and joints while lessening trans-fats, artificial flavours and colours, preservatives, and please can it all be ready in 10 minutes.

Slow down and eat your antioxidants in their natural form!

Antioxidant Salad

1 mango, peeled & cut into 1" dice
1 cantaloupe, peeled & cut into chunks
1 red pepper, seeded & thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1/4 cup flaked almonds, lightly toasted
2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp sesame oil
dash hot pepper sauce

In large bowl, combine fruits, vegetables and berries. Toss well. In measuring jug, mix final five ingredients. Pour dressing over salad; mix well. Sprinkle almonds and basil leaves on top.

Muesli

1/2 cup each apple cider & water
1 cup rolled oats
1 apple, chopped & peeled
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon

Combine cider and water in medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add oats, stir well. Transfer to medium bowl: chill for 25-30 minutes (till liquid absorbed). Add remaining ingredients: stir well. Keep refrigerated.

Selenium-C Stir Fry

1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
1 small bunch broccoli, stem peeled & sliced, florets cut into chunks
1 orange, peeled & cut into thin slices
1/2 pound lean beef, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, grated
1/4 cup sesame seeds, lightly browned
3 Tbsp soya sauce
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp brown sugar

Combine soya sauce with sesame oil and brown sugar. Pour over beef; let sit for 5 minutes. Heat vegetable oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add beef (reserving marinade); cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes, or until browning. Remove meat from pan; dump in pepper and broccoli. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until becoming tender. Return meat to pan: add orange slices and sesame seeds; cook until warmed through. Pour marinade sauce over: cook for 2-3 minutes longer. Serve immediately.
 
Dad’s Cookies
We can’t live on antioxidants alone: we need fibre, too. What better source than rolled oats? A great treat for Father’s Day.

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fluffy. Stir in vanilla. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Stir into creamed mixture, stirring for several minutes, until well combined. Roll dough into small balls, placing about 1" apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a fork, then bake for approximately 10 minutes (until golden).

Kathy Humphrey lives in Victoria with her husband and two children. She tries to see cooking for a family not as a chore but as a creative outlet.