FOOD FOR THOUGHT: FABULOUS FIGS
This week’s POWER
OF FOOD post focused on meal-planning strategies that were aimed to make
food fun again, while keeping it healthy, light, and full of nutrition. We are
creatures of habit, we all like our individual “comfort zones,” and thus, we
tend to get stuck in food/diet “ruts.” With the height of summer’s bounty at
our fingertips, this week I decided to highlight a food that is common in my
household, but may not be common in yours: FIGS! Deep, dark, and decadently
sweet, figs are truly natural wonders that are gracing produce departments
right now. Read on for some reasons as to why you should pick up a pint or two,
and try out the recipe for a healthy spin on the classic fig-centric cookie!
FIG FANFARE:
Originating
in Asia Minor, figs have a long and ancient history that can be traced back to
biblical times (did Eve pick an apple or a fig?) Cultivation of this member of
the mulberry family (it grows on a type of ficus tree) is thought to have begun
in Egypt, where the sweet fruits made their way into the hands of ancient
Greeks and Romans in the 9th century. Symbolizing peace, prosperity,
and fertility, their sweetness was so seductive that laws were made prohibiting
their trade, the Prophet Mohammed regarded them as a fruit he’d wish to see in
Paradise, and Romans viewed them as
“sacred” due to the fact that the nurturer of Rome’s founders (a wolf,) Romulus
and Remus, rested under a fig tree.
After
centuries of invasions between the Middle Eastern and Southern European
countries, Spanish conquistadors brought figs to the Western hemispheres in the
16th century, where missionaries eventually established fig orchards
in California (hence, the “mission” fig.) While there are hundreds of fig
cultivars throughout the world, American’s can most often get their hands on
Black Mission, Brown Turkish, Calimyrna, and
Kadota varietals, primarily sourced from California and Texas on the
U.S. front, and Greece, Turkey, Portugal, and Spain for the rest of the world.
FANTASTIC FIGS:
Whether
you choose the syrupy sweetness of black missions, the mild nature of the
Turkish variety, the lime green and
slightly nutty characteristic of calimyrna, or the better-when-cooked kadota,
figs offer an array of benefits that makes these beautiful faux-fruits (they
are actually “syconiums” which are the budding sacs of the trees stems) a
not-to-miss end of summer pick!
￭ PUMP UP POTASSIUM: Move
aside bananas, Figs in their small packages pack a potassium punch, providing
over 100mg of this essential mineral.
a. Rest & Relaxation: Potassium
helps to tame down blood pressure spikes caused by stress (hello CORTISOL) and
high sodium intake.
￭ IN & OUT: The body’s cellular membranes
contain pumps known as “S&P” or Sodium & Potassium. By allowing in
influx or efflux of these ions, electrical charges or gradients form &
power nerve & muscle contractions.
￭ B-HAPPY: Figs also provide you with a little bit of
vitamin B6, a water soluble vitamin which is essential for energy conversion,
but most importantly the transition of the amino acid from 5-HTP to SEROTONIN
(aka the “Happy hormone.”)
a. Not only does B-6 play a role in serotonin, so
does TRYPTOPHAN (figs have it too, not just turkey!) which is converted into
5-HTP!!
￭ DIGESTIVE DUO: Figs, both fresh and dried are
packed full of fiber, roughly 6g per one fruit.
a. INSOLUBLE/SOLUBLE: Most of the
fiber in figs is SOLUBLE, meaning it binds with water and helps things move
along your digestive tract.
b. PRE-BIOTICS? Figs also
contain a specialized form of fiber that our bodies cannot break down. What we
don’t break down, the bacteria in our COLON go CRAZY for, hence making our
beneficial bacteria “PRO-BIOTICS” nice and happy! Happy microbes= balanced
microbiome (gut!)
FINNICKY FIGS:
Figs
are typically harvested in later summer and early Fall, with dates ranging
between June and October. Highly perishable when fresh, pick or purchase figs
you wish to consume within two days, otherwise, their inherent sweetness can
eventually turn mushy and bitter. Choose fruits (synconiums) that have firm
stems, no signs of bruising, and are lightly pliable to the touch. Fresh figs
should smell sweet not sour, and dried figs that are free of sulfates/sulfites,
and are soft and pliable (we especially like the dried calimyrna variety found
at Whole Foods!) Eat fresh, seeds and all (just not the stem unless you want
extra fiber ;) cook down into jams or jellies, or use the dried versions to add
caramel and floral notes to breakfasts, desserts, and baked goods.
Want to learn
more about the benefits of basil? The powers of cauliflower? The astounding
impact of avocado’s? Join me in one (or all) of my culinary nutrition workshops,
every Wednesday from 6-7:15! See August’s line-up below, and be sure to snag
your spot, as space is limited!
SEPTEMBER CLASSES: In the TRUE KITCHEN
STRESS FREE SEPTEMBER: PART 1
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH
6:00-7:30PM
$25.00
The human nervous
system has two innate functions: resting and digesting (PARASYMPATHETIC,) and
fighting or flying (SYMPATHETIC.) When under a consistent and chronic level of
stress, our sympathetic nervous system takes the front seat & wreaks havoc
on our body’s and mind. In Pt. 1, Genevieve will review the differences between
the functions of our nervous system, their significant role in our health, all
while focusing on recipes that will support total body balance via nourishing
the adrenal glands and optimizing energy.
STRESS FREE SEPTEMBER: PART 2
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH
6:00-7:30PM
$25.00*
The adrenal glands
are responsible for regulating our primary stress hormone: CORTISOL. When
low-grade, chronic stress persists; cortisol runs rampant and wreaks havoc on
our health. In this class, Genevieve will cover the roles cortisol plays (both good
and bad,) ways in which we can balance and optimize the normal cortisol
“slope,” all while highlighting foods and nutrients that naturally nourish the
adrenals
* Cost of classes includes
colorful informative handout, all of the recipes prepared in the class, and of
course tasty plates of the food she whips up!
EMAIL: info@biologicalhealth.com
PHONE: 267-308-0777
Genevieve – “G”
Certified Plant Based Nutritionist | CHHC|
Culinary Nutritionist
True Wellness Biological Health
A NEW TAKE ON “NEWTONS”
Makes 15-20 squares
Love them or hate them, the classic newton
cookie is often deemed a “health food,” thanks to the addition of wondrous
figs. Flip the label over and look at the ingredients/nutrition facts and you
will see otherwise. This recipe skips processed flours, refined vegetable oils,
and white sugar, and opts for nutrient dense foods that will stealthily satisfy
you (or your kids) sweet tooth in a healthier way.
“COOKIE” DOUGH
1 ½ cups ground
almond meal (aka “almond flour – can pick up at Trader Joes, Wegmans, or Whole
Foods)
½ cup coconut flour
¼ cup coconut oil
(room temperature- not melted)
1 pastured organic
egg
1-2 tsp. orange
zest
1 tbsp. local honey
FIGGY FILLING:
1 cup dried figs
1-2 tbsp. fresh
orange juice
3-4 tbsp. local
honey
1 tbsp. chia seeds
¼ tsp. cinnamon
In a blender, add
coconut flour, orange zest, and almond meal. Pulse 2-3 times to combine. Add
egg and honey and pulse to combine. Add oil and pulse until crumbly. Transfer
to a bowl and set in the fridge. Clean canister, and place filling ingredients
inside canister and pulse until chunky paste forms (may add more orange juice
to loosen.)
Preheat oven to 350
degrees. Take dough and press half of the mixture into a greased 8x10 inch
baking dish. Spread filling in an even layer, and freeze for 20 minutes. Take
out of freezer, press remaining dough on-top in an even layer and bake for
20-25 minutes until edges are golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool before
slicing into squares. Keep wrapped or tightly sealed for up to five days.
SOURCES:
Ensminger
AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis,
California: Pegus Press; 1986. 1986. PMID:15210.
Rubnov S,
Kashman Y, Rabinowitz R, et al. Suppressors of cancer cell proliferation from
fig (Ficus carica) resin: isolation and structure elucidation. J Nat Prod 2001
Jul;64(7):993-6. 2001. PMID:13390.
Wood,
Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988.
1988. PMID:15220.
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