Cabbage - it's just not for sauerkraut anymore!

Cabbage has a reputation as an overbearing and pungent vegetable. We all know it from sauerkraut or traditional coleslaws. But this cruciferous vegetable is actually a very versatile ingredient containing nutritional strength.

* Recent studies have shown that people who regularly eat cruciferous vegetables have a much lower risk of several types of cancer, including breast, ovarian, prostate, bladder, colorectal and lung cancer.
* One cup of raw, shredded savoy cabbage provides 60 percent of your daily recommended allowance of vitamin K, is loaded with vitamin C, phytonutrients and fiber.
* Raw, shredded napa cabbage offers plenty of vitamin C, plus some vitamin A and calcium.
* When steamed or lightly boiled, a cup of napa cabbage delivers 12 percent of your RDA of folate, as well as a healthy mix of manganese, vitamins A and C, copper, and iron.
* The strong flavor of cabbage comes from its glucosinolates, which contain sulfur and nitrogen. Glucosinolates and isothiocyanates are phytochemicals in cabbage that help ward off cancer. By signaling the genes to increase production of certain enzymes, cabbage’s phytonutrients also help optimize the body’s detoxifying abilities.
* Raw cabbage juice has been shown to be effective in treating peptic ulcers.

A Fun Recipe:

Apple Cabbage Coleslaw With Poppy Seed Vinaigrette Makes six servings Apples and braised cabbage is the classic flavor pairing that inspired this salad. Traditional mayonnaise is replaced with poppy seed vinaigrette, which adds a great contrast of color and flavor. Full-fat yogurt is also a great substitute for mayo-based coleslaws.

Vinaigrette 1/2 tsp. minced garlic 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar 1 tbs. honey 2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard 3/4 cup olive oil 1 tbs. poppy seeds

Salad 3 cups shredded savoy cabbage 1 cup julienned carrots 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion 2 thinly sliced gala apples

For the vinaigrette: Combine the garlic, vinegar, honey and mustard in a blender. While the blender is running, slowly drizzle in the oil to create a creamy vinaigrette. Stir in poppy seeds by hand.

For the salad: In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, onion and apples. Pour dressing over and mix well.

A Tip from The Bootcamp Express - Adapted information from Cary Neff.

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Zucchini Bread Recipe (Regular and Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups grated fresh zucchini

2/3 cup melted unsalted butter

2 teaspoons baking soda

Pinch salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional)


Method

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour, a third at a time. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and nutmeg and mix. Fold in the nuts and dried cranberries or raisins if using.

2 Divide the batter equally between 2 buttered 5 by 9 inch loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour (check for doneness at 50 minutes) or until a wooden pick inserted in to the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool thoroughly.

Makes 2 loaves.



Zucchini Muffins - Gluten-Free


Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds zucchini squash

1 medium-sized onion, grated

4 eggs, separated

1 cup potato starch salt and white pepper to taste


Directions

Peel zucchini, then grate on the course side of a grater. Beat the egg yolks. Add the beaten egg yolks and onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix to blend.

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold the stiffly beaten egg whites and potato starch into the yolk mixture. Spoon batter into greased muffin cups. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 50 minutes. Yields 18. 

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Your Fitness Partner says: "Don't Forget the Garlic!"

Garlic has long been considered one of the most valuable and revered herbs in history. From warding off evil to curing ailments, it has been coveted by an eclectic mix of cultural and religious groups dating as far back as the Egyptian periods before Christ and has expanded as a staple in cooking in regions across the world. Garlic is loaded with nutritional value most notably vitamins B6 and C, manganese and other minerals, and can improve the health of the heart and the circulatory system as well as kill bacteria and destroy fungus. Its benefits are endless. In fact, it is said that because Louis Pasteur deemed garlic an effective germicide, it was used during WW1 to treat and prevent infection in wounds.

So what is it about garlic that makes it so effective? There are two sulfurous compounds in garlic each possessing their own benefits. Allicin, which has both antibiotic and antifungal properties, has the most powerful medicinal value and is produced when garlic is finely minced or crushed but degrades quickly especially when cooked or microwaved. For best results it should be added to food just after it is cooked. Less powerful and volatile than allicin are diallyl sulfides which are also released when garlic is finely chopped or crushed but stand up better to cooking. Diallyl sulfides are attributed to a strong cardiovascular system, lowering "bad" cholesterol, and boosting the immune system. To reap the benefits of this compound, garlic must be eaten more often throughout the day since it breaks down quickly within the body.

A tip from The Bootcamp Express.

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportion among Americans making up about 90% of all diabetes cases. While genetics has some effect, Type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin and raises blood sugar levels, is primarily linked to family history, obesity and lack of exercise. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and used by cells to process glucose into energy, therefore when a person becomes insulin resistant they are unable to efficiently convert food to energy and the pancreas cannot keep up with production. The health risks associated with Type 2 diabetes, most common in adults over forty, are heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, poor circulation, kidney failure, poor foot condition and blindness. Diabetes is determined by measuring blood glucose levels for higher than normal amounts which can be labeled pre-diabetes or diabetes depending on just how high the levels are.

The good news is that if a person is found to be pre-diabetic, they can prevent the full onset by losing just five to seven percent of their weight through an exercise regimen of at least 30 minutes a day combined with a low-calorie low-fat diet. A federally funded study shows that medication can be avoided or reduced in most cases when a healthier lifestyle is adopted. Recent studies are being conducted to determine if caffeine can also aid in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes. It is important to watch for signs of Type 2 diabetes such as increased thirst, hunger, and urination especially at night, fatigue, weight loss, blurred vision, and sores that do not heal. It is suggested that adults over forty five be tested especially if they are overweight and a thorough history should be taken by a doctor to determine level of predisposition for Type 2 diabetes.

A Tip from The Bootcamp Express.