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Spice It Up: Cardamom

FitSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:45:00 -0800

Tired of the same old flavors, then you really should try something new and spice up your life. Adding herbs and spices to food is a great low-calorie, low-sodium way to improve the taste of your meal while increasing the health benefits as well.

Lately, I have been craving cardamom. I'm not sure the cravings mean anything about my diet, but I like this spice when I am physically cold. Cardamom is part of the the ginger family, so it has a little zip and heat to it. Found predominantly in Indian cuisine and used in Ayurvedic medicine, the ancient Greeks and Roman appreciated this spice as well. They thought it was an aphrodisiac and put the spice in their "love" potions.

The spice is high in the phytochemical cineole, which can positively affect several bodily complaints. Cardamom is considered to have many health benefits, many relating to the digestive system, like stimulating the digestive system, reducing gas, and counteracting stomach acidity. It is said to even help with halitosis. It is considered beneficial to the urinary-tract system and is considered a kidney cleanser. Cardamom is used to improve the circulation of the lungs and to treat asthma in Ayurvedic medicine. While I am not sure it does all that, I really like the taste.

You can find the spice in chai tea and here's a great recipe for chai. It is also one of the spices used in garam masala used often in Indian cuisine. Cardamom is also popular in Scandinavia and can be found in many sweets.

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Padma Lakshmi's Jewelry Line Debuts Tomorrow

partysugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:30:19 -0700

Model. Top Chef hostess. Cookbook author. Now Indian beauty and culinary world darling, Padma Lakshmi can add jewelry designer to her résumé. Her high-end (prices range from $300-6,000) namesake collection of gold jewels debuts tomorrow at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City and I've got a sneak preview! The line combines Padma's love for food and fashion.

She was inspired by cardamom, lentils, and cloves: "In hunting for the most precious spices, I found the shapes of seeds and pods exquisite, a purity of proportion and form that had an inherent sensuality to them." Entitled "Padma" the collection consists of 40 pieces including rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. I'm a fan of bohemian gold jewelry and if I could afford it, I might purchase of one Padma's pieces. What do you think of her designs?

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Grind Spices the Easy Way

partysugar — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 11:54:31 -0800

Last weekend when making YumSugar's lamb - which was to die for! - my dad and I ran into a little problem. After toasting the cardamom seeds, the recipe asked you to grind them in a spice grinder. Yum used her mortar and pestle, but our mortar was missing! How on earth were we supposed to grind spices without a spice-grinding machine or a mortar and pestle? The solution is super simple, something that you can do at home! To find out what we did, read more.

Most kitchens have a black-peppercorn hand grinder. We removed the black peppercorns and filled the grinder with toasted cardamom seeds. To ensure that the spices end up in the grinder pour them into a small measuring cup. Next grind the seeds onto the lamb as you would black pepper. This technique can be used with other seeds or spice blends.

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Top 5 Flavor Pairing Predictions for 2009

YumSugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:16:02 -0800

At the onset of each year, American spice company McCormick offers its prediction for the top spice combinations. When we shared the company's top picks with you last year, your vote went to the vanilla and cardamom combo. Incidentally, throughout 2008, I encountered that flavor pairing in recipes and menu items from flan to peach pie. McCormick recently released its forecast for 2009. To see five of the new flavor combinations predicted to explode onto the food scene (and your tongue) this year, read more.

Toasted sesame and root beer
Chinese five spice and artisan-cured pork
Dill and avocado oil
Mint and quinoa
Smoked paprika and agave nectar

The Peruvian grain quinoa has been gaining popularity, and I've already seen recipes for it tossed with mint and other herbs. With the shift away from high-fructose corn syrup and toward natural sweeteners, I could see agave nectar and smoked paprika being a big hit. Toasted sesame and root beer? That's an interesting idea, but I'd have to try it in order to believe it will take off.

What are your thoughts on the flavor forecast?

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Food Review: Bumble Bar Chai With Almonds

FitSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

Something about the flavor of cardamom makes me crave chai tea, so I was curious about the Chai Bumble Bar with Almonds. An energy bar that tastes like chai - how delightful.

This bar, like all Bumble Bars, is organic, vegan and gluten-free. These bars were dreamed up by avid hiker Elizabeth Ward who found it oxymoronic that hikers were enjoying nature while eating snack foods made with ingredients that harmed the planet, being conventionally grown. I wouldn't limit my consumption of this bar to just hiking, it is a great pre-gym snack.

To see what I thought of the bar and its nutritional information read more.

Serving Size	1 bar
Calories	210
Total Fat	13g
Saturated Fat	1.5g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	60mg
Carbs	20g
Fiber	4g
Sugar	10g
Protein	6g

It is chock full of seedy goodness and chai spices: ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and turmeric. The chai spices really jazz up this bar and I must say I think the flavor is superior to their Original vanilla flavor. The taste was a little jarring on the first bite, but the subsequent bites seemed perfectly spiced. The texture is great too and the almonds add a little extra crunch to the experience. I really appreciate those four grams of fiber and those six grams of protein! Try one and let me know what you think.

Another Reason to Love Chai Tea

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:00:00 -0700

I love a spicy cup of chai tea on a foggy morning or chilly evening. Aside from its exquisite taste, chai offers other benefits further down the digestive line. This wonderful tea can reduce gas. Chai is made from a blend of spices - cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom - that individually combat flatulence, but mixed together seems greater than the sum of its parts.

Check your spice cabinet and chances are high you have all the ingredients to make your own chai tea with this recipe. If not, you can always opt for an energizing Chai Bumble Bar.

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Three Wintery Tips From Space NK Founder Nicky Kinnaird

BellaSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:00:11 -0800

Eat, drink, and be merry. It seems like that's the mantra on everyone's mind these days.

So, when I met up with Space NK founder Nicky Kinnaird at her store within a store at the SF Bloomie's, I asked her which festively spirited products are on her radar. Here are three of her wintery wonderland suggestions:

Overdid it at the after-work happy hour party? Detox with Natura Bissé Oxygen Finishing Mask (approximately $33 at most department stores), which clarifies and purifies the skin. Kinnaird also recommends products from Space NK's Seaweed Collection. Try Spa Seaweed Body Polish ($32), which helps stimulate the lymphatic system.
Looking for a people-stop-and-ask kind of fragrance? Kinnaird is all about Champaca Eau de Toilette ($30 to $70), "an amazing, super indulgent fragrance," she says. A feminine floral with cardamom, spices, myrrh, woods, vanilla musk, and amber crystals, this blend is the perfect winter aroma.
No fireplace? No problem. These creative, warm, and toasty Candles by Dayna Decker ($32) have a wooden wick that crackles when lit. How very cozy.

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Oatmeal Alternative: Chai Spiced Polenta

FitSugar — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Sometimes warm oatmeal seems too heavy and mundane when it comes to a Spring weekend breakfast or brunch. I like to mix it up and make some polenta and adding spices used in chai tea make it seems extra special – not to mention tasty.

Polenta is cornmeal (I've heard it called "Italian grits"); it is a low fat food and full of potassium. Plus a half cup contains 5 grams of fiber, as well as 5 grams of protein. Cardamom, is one of my favorite spices and I like any excuse to use it. It is good for digestion and might just help spice up your sex life too, due to its aphrodisiac qualities, although they have yet to be proven.

To see the recipe just read more.

Chai Spiced Polenta
Adapted from Esalen Cookbook

A spicy twist for a warm breakfast cereal, that with some fresh fruit could make a dessert as well.

Ingredients

4 cup low fat milk
3 tablespoons amber agave nectar (or 1/4 cup honey)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
3/4 cup polenta

Directions

Bring milk, honey, spices salt to a boil. Stir frequently to avoid burning the milk.
Pour polenta slowly into milk, while whisking the liquid briskly.
Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve warm. I like to top it with mango or strawberries or both.

Serves 4

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Healthy Recipe: Sweet Mediterranean Couscous

FitSugar — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 03:30:00 -0700

Although some folks consider couscous a whole grain, I just think of it as very small pasta. But the whole wheat version of this very small pasta is very tasty and a serving has seven grams of fiber. Not too shabby for tiny pasta.

Couscous is very versatile and I recently concocted a sweet side dish featuring dried fruit and the healthful sweet spices cardamom and cinnamon. The dish complements spicy main dishes and the leftovers are great for breakfast the next day. This couscous may be sweet, but there is no sugar added! The combination of dried fruit and nut increases the fiber content of this dish too, making it a truly healthful side dish.

To see the recipe, just read more.

Sweet Couscous
Inspired by recipes from Epicurious, Cook.com, and All Recipes

I was grilling spicy lamb kabobs and wanted a sweet couscous as a side dish. After looking at multiple recipes, here is the recipe I came up with based on ingredients I already had in my cabinets.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat couscous
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice of two medium lemons (about 5 tablespoons)
fresh orange juice of one small orange (about 3 tablespoons)
1 generous tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 dried dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup pistachios toasted
2 medium shallots chopped fine
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Directions

Bring 2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Stir in couscous and remove from heat. Cover and let stand 3 minutes. Stir in dried apricots. Let stand 2 minutes. Fluff with fork. Transfer to large bowl.
Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, lemon peel, with cardamom and cinnamon to blend in small bowl. Drizzle over couscous while couscous is still warm.
Mix dates, pistachios, minced shallots, and mint. Season with salt and pepper.
Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. Garnish with mint sprigs.

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Do you have a healthy snack or recipe to share? Then share it in the Lite'n it Up - Healthy Recipe Group and I might just post it on FitSugar.

Sunday Dinner: Algerian Lamb Shanks with Cardamom and Orange

YumSugar — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 02:19:48 -0700

As a kid I was exposed to a lot of interesting foods, but for some reason I never had lamb until I was in college. These days it's one of my favorite meats, I absolutely love the sweet yet gamey taste it has. So whenever I think of slow roasted meats, my mind immediately leaps to lamb, especially since it really holds up nicely against a variety of spices, such as saffron, cardamom and curry. For tonight's Sunday Dinner I thought I'd present a recipe for Algerian Lamb Shanks with Cardamom. I am super excited to give this recipe a try - if it sounds like a good idea to you, read more

Algerian Lamb Shanks with Cardamom and Orange
From Williams-Sonoma

4 lamb shanks, external fat trimmed
Salt, to taste, plus 1 Tbs. salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more
for serving
1 lb. yellow onions, diced
1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger
2 cardamom seeds, skins removed
Pinch of saffron
1 tsp. chili flakes
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. caraway seeds
2 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 Tbs. curry powder
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 cans (10 oz. each) diced plum tomatoes
1 bottle white wine
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 lb. carrots, peeled and coarsely diced
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and
coarsely diced

Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Generously season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof deep sauté pan or Dutch oven over high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil until nearly smoking. Working in batches, brown the shanks, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.
Add the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil, the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté, stirring, until the onions are tender and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger, cardamom, saffron, chili flakes, cloves, caraway, fennel seeds, cinnamon, curry, the 1 Tbs. salt, almonds and raisins. Sauté, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, wine, orange zest and orange juice and stir to mix well. Submerge the shanks in the liquid and bring to a simmer. Cover, transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the meat nearly falls off the bone, about 2 hours.
Stir the carrots and fennel bulb into the stew, cover and bake until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes more. Drizzle each serving with olive oil. Serves 4.

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