Celine Beitchman — Director of Nutrition

How to Get Your Essential Proteins

ablustein — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 16:17:53 +0000

How to Get Your Essential Proteins ablustein Mon, 09/27/2021 - 12:17 Chef Celine on these important building blocks of life September 30, 2021

By Celine Beitchman — Director of Nutrition

Director of Nutrition Celine Beitchman explains why our bodies need protein and how to eat a balanced plant-based diet.

Proteins are macronutrients found in both plants and animals. These complex compounds are made up of small building blocks called amino acids. As protein molecules are too large to be absorbed, our body has to break proteins apart into absorbable units of amino acids.

From absorbing amino acids, our bodies make structural tissue (like bones and organs), enzymes that facilitate chemical reactions, transport compounds (like hemoglobin and lipoprotein) and chemical messengers that keep us functioning (like hormones and antibodies).

Of the 20 amino acids found in nature, nine are essential for human health. Essential nutrients are ones our bodies cannot make; we need to eat them. The nine essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. If we don’t consume these more or less every day, the body won’t manufacture its own protein-based products efficiently or at all.

High-Quality Proteins

Proteins that provide all nine essential amino acids are called complete or high-quality, and when a protein food lacks one or more essential amino acids, they are incomplete. All animal proteins are complete while only handful plant foods are, including buckwheat, quinoa, soybeans, hemp seeds and chia seeds. If you don’t eat complete protein foods, you can still make up your essential amino acid needs by eating a variety of complementary plant-based proteins within a 24-hour period.

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A complementary protein food contains only some essential amino acids. Combined throughout the day, these foods contribute to the body’s essential amino acid pool. In general, beans and legumes are low in the amino acid methionine, while grains, nuts and seeds are low in lysine and threonine. Eating these foods together or throughout the day makes these proteins complete.

Some plant foods provide more protein than others, which is why eating a diet of only vegetables and fruits won’t contribute to long-term health. Beans, nuts, seeds and grains are better sources of protein than vegetables, while fruits are very poor sources altogether. But, eaten throughout the day, all plant foods can contribute to meeting protein recommendations while also contributing to other health benefits.

The chart below shows how plant foods can be combined to make up for limiting factors.

Eat this food	limited in this amino acid	with this complementary food
Beans and Legumes	Methionine	Grains, Nuts, Seeds
Grains, Nuts, Seeds	Lysine, Threonine	Beans and Legumes
Nuts and Seeds	Lysine	Beans and Legumes
Vegetables	Methionine	Grains, Nuts, Seeds
Corn	Tryptophan, Lysine	Beans and Legumes

Can you get too much protein?

In a diverse diet, protein deficiency is rare. There is no added benefit to consuming more protein than you need. Regardless of which dietary pattern is followed, most U.S. adults generally meet or exceed their needs. So, unless you’re a body builder, an endurance athlete or are pregnant or lactating, dietary protein that isn’t put to use — like any excess calorie — is turned into fat.

Which is better — protein from animals or plants?

A body of research suggests diets high in animal proteins increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and some cancers, whereas a plant-rich diet may reduce the risk of dying from non-communicable diseases.

In addition to protein, plants provide fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidant phytochemicals and water — and most of us could use more of these in our diet. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only one in 10 adults eats the recommended serving of vegetables, and even fewer consume beans, legumes, nuts or seeds daily.

A well-balanced plant-based meal of braised tofu, squash, beans and cucumber salad

But quality distinctions and the final product are important. Not all animal foods are created equal; some options are high in saturated fats or additives like nitrates, sodium and sugar, while others, like grass-fed dairy and wild fish, may be excellent sources of minerals and essential fats — especially important for brain health. Whole plant foods may be contaminated with unwanted pesticides and fungicides, and ultra-processed plant foods stripped of nutrients are poor choices for long-term health.

Interested in plant-based diets but not sure where to start? Try one meatless meal per week or a whole day where plant-foods get full billing. Or enroll in a Health-Supportive Culinary Arts program and practice how to turn a plant-forward approach into a sustainable culinary career.

How much do you need?

The Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution range, developed by the National Institute of Health, recommends protein should make up between 10% to 35% of your total diet. At the gram level, recommendations hover around 0.36 grams per pound of body weight or about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. That’s roughly 46 to 70 grams per day depending on your size. If you are very physically active, pregnant or lactating, you may need to increase your intake by 10%, but only endurance athletes and body builders benefit from more than that.

We can only absorb about 25 to 40 grams of protein at a time, so try not to eat all protein-based meals. Instead, opt for balanced plates that include a variety of whole food protein along with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.

Proteins are stable and don’t degrade in cooking or long-term storage, which gives us a lot of options for meals and snacks.

These foods all provide roughly seven grams of protein:

½ cup beans or legumes
1 whole egg
1 ounce (handful) nuts or 2 tablespoons nut butter
1/3 cup quinoa or buckwheat
1 ½ cups vegetables (not including salad greens)
1 ounce meat, chicken, fish, or cheese

Choose two to three servings per meal and one or two for snacks and you’ll likely meet minimum daily protein recommendations.

Eating plant-forward is a more sustainable option for the planet.

We can’t talk honestly about food choices without considering its environmental impact. Animal foods are resource-heavy and we would do well to reduce our intake for our health and the health of the planet. According to the Environmental Working Group, if everyone in the U.S. skipped eating meat and cheese one day a week it would be equivalent to taking 7.6 million cars off the road.

In general, when choosing animal foods, opt for leaner cuts, preferably grass-fed or grass-finished, sustainably-farmed or wild. And, when you can, choose plant foods that are minimally-processed, local, organic and seasonal.

Study with Chef Celine in Health-Supportive Culinary Arts.

Health-Supportive Culinary Arts Natural Gourmet Center Plant-Based

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Plant-Based Culinary Arts

All Ģ��Ƶ Grains

aday — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 16:12:08 +0000

All Ģ��Ƶ Grains aday Tue, 07/20/2021 - 12:12 A Guide from ICE's Director of Nutrition July 23, 2021

By Celine Beitchman — Director of Nutrition

Whole grains, including whole wheat and brown rice, are carbohydrates from edible grasses in the Poaceae family. These plants produce small separate dry fruits, called kernels, berries or grains. Pseudo-grains, like quinoa and buckwheat, come from a variety of other botanical families. Based on physical characteristics, nutrition profiles and culinary uses, we usually consider these all one group: grains.

A mainstay among cultures worldwide, grains account for about 80% of the world’s calories. Types of grains that are commonly consumed include amaranth, barley, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, sorghum, teff, triticale, wheat and wild rice. Within these groups, take rice for example, grains can vary wildly by texture, flavor and appearance. For example, whole grain rice can be found as short- or long-grain brown, black, red or green varieties.

In almost every case, grains are rehydrated and cooked or ground to flours before they are cooked. Many cultures also cultivate different kinds of grains for sprouting or fermenting into porridges and beverages. While volatile compounds are lost in processing and fibers may be a little less effective, a grain’s nutrient profile remains nearly the same so long as the whole food is eaten. Regular consumption of 100% whole grains is associated with a host of long-term health benefits, including better weight management, digestive health and blood sugar control.

Why 100% whole?

A whole grain’s three distinct layers — bran, starchy endosperm and oily germ — provide complementary health benefits. These parts contain fiber, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals that are lost in processing when a grain is refined. All-purpose wheat flour, for example, is the starchy portion stripped of fiber and germ. Whereas 100% whole wheat flour is ground whole wheat berries.

To reap health-promoting benefits, experts recommend consuming about 6-8 ounces of whole grains and whole-grain products every day (i.e. 1 ½ cups cooked or about two slices of 100% whole grain bread). A cup of cooked or overnight oats and a slice of whole-grain bread as part of lunch will just about do it, but there’s no end to the ways you could meet the recommended amount of servings.

Are they good for everyone? Not exactly. Gluten, a protein network found in all forms of wheat, barley and rye, provides elasticity, binding and hold-moisture in foods, especially baked goods. But for people with autoimmune celiac sprue or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, all forms of gluten-containing grains and foods that may be contaminated with them should be avoided. That still leaves plenty of different types of grains to choose from.

In the kitchen, I like to breakout grains into two basic categories: quick or longer cooking. In the first case, my list of grains includes millet, teff, amaranth, bulgur wheat, quinoa and buckwheat — all whole grains that go from pantry to plate in less than 30 minutes. Longer cooking ones, like brown rice or farro (green whole wheat), may take 45 minutes or up to an hour or more, and grains with fibrous hulls, like whole rye, may need two hours in a pressure cooker. Soaking long-cooking grains can speed up the cooking and may wick away substances that bind up some of their minerals but can yield a mushy final product. If you want to pre-soak grains you will need to adjust the amount of liquid you use and your cooking times by degrees.

Cooking Grains

Once cooked, grains can be consumed as a side dish or cooked again into a wide variety of dishes. In the Health-Supportive Culinary Arts program, long-grain brown rice is a staple food, which students practice with and are tested on. Once students get the rice, water and salt ratio down pat for cooking up a pot into tender but separate grains, we take it to the next level. Batch-cooked grains are turned into burgers, salads and porridges.

A great way to get started is by cooking up a pot of brown rice. Our basic recipe starts with 1 cup rice to 1 ¾ cup water and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Bring everything to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, covered until all of the water is absorbed. You can vary the flavor by adding a bay leaf, a cinnamon stick or a pounded stalk of lemongrass.

Here’s a go-to recipe adapted from the first grain cooking class in Health-Supportive Culinary Arts, where we cook up and taste about 10 forms, including soba noodles. This recipe uses quick-cooking bulgur wheat to create a bright summer tabbouleh salad loaded with fresh herbs and crisp vegetables. Swap out bulgur for quinoa, millet or brown rice to make this dish gluten-free, and use any fresh or cooked vegetables to give this dish your own personal spin.

Tabouli

Yields approximately 2 1/2 cups

1 cup bulgur
1 ¼ cups water
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ to ¾ teaspoon salt
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into small dice
1 bunch parsley, chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, cut into small dice
½ bunch mint, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Bring water and salt to boil in small saucepot, add bulgur, cover and bring back to a rolling boil for 1 minute. Remove pot from heat. Let steam, covered, 30 minutes.
In large bowl, toss warm bulgur with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Let sit until it reaches room temperature.
Combine bulgur with tomatoes, parsley, scallions, celery and mint, mixing thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Work with grains in Health-Supportive Culinary Arts at ICE.

^{Sources:

Cho SS, Qi L, Fahey GC Jr, Klurfeld DM. Consumption of cereal fiber, mixtures of whole grains and bran, and whole grains and risk reduction in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Aug;98(2):594-619. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.067629.

Whole Grains (2021). Linus Pauling Institute.

Oldways whole grains council (2021).

USDA Agricultural Council (2021).}

Ingredient Exploration Health-Supportive Culinary Arts Rice & Grains Recipe

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Plant-Based Culinary Arts

Demystifying Dietary Guidelines on Fruits and Vegetables

aday — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 18:39:56 +0000

Demystifying Dietary Guidelines on Fruits and Vegetables aday Mon, 06/21/2021 - 14:39 June 21, 2021

By Celine Beitchman — Director of Nutrition

Director of Nutrition Celine Beitchman is simplifying meal ideas and serving recommendations for the five major food groups. Here's her guidance on fruits and vegetables.

In their whole-food forms, fruits and vegetables are important sources of energy and provide a variety of fibers that help control blood sugar, keep our digestive system fit and feed our microbiome. Just as vital, these foods provide nutrients that the body can’t survive without: vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Despite documented benefits, few Americans eat anywhere close to the minimum recommended amounts – five to seven servings a day.

Most data suggests that adults in the U.S. eat somewhere between one and three servings — the equivalent of a piece of fruit or cup of juice and a half cup of cooked vegetables or a salad. Does that difference show up in health outcomes? While studies that look at food-health relationships can’t prove cause and effect, associations in this area pile up in a convincing way. Would our health be different if we incorporated more of these foods into our diets? Based on observational and clinical research, it certainly seems so. In addition to contributing to satiety — a feeling of fullness that can reduce your tendency to snack between meals — high-fiber fruits and vegetables reduce your risk of hypertension, Type 2 diabetes and colon cancer (Bertoia et al, 2015).

A 2021 meta-analysis published in an American Heart Association journal, Circulation, by Wang et al (2021) reinforced the benefits of including produce in your diet. The authors looked at diets and health outcomes like cardiovascular and respiratory disease and cancer in more than 100,000 men and women. Meeting minimum recommendations, “at or equal to 5 servings per day of fruit and vegetables was associated with the lowest mortality,” (Wang, 2021). The data suggests five servings, not including starchy ones like peas or potatoes, lowers your risks of most major chronic diseases. And more was not necessarily better: at higher intakes, the benefits seemed to plateau.

I learned over the years that the more produce you have around, the more likely you’ll eat it, but finding what you like to eat day after day is another story. That takes some experimentation and, at first, some planning.

There are more than nine distinct categories of fruits and vegetables with unique and overlapping benefits. Consuming a wide variety across many days is an excellent way to ensure you’re meeting your nutrient needs in a satisfying way. Let’s take a look at our options.

Eating from distinct categories? You may have heard of brassicas, but how about food from the family umbelliferae? Below is a brief breakdown and some examples:

If you recognized foods in the chart above, you probably noticed there’s a lot of variation among them. If you made a meal that included one from each botanical group, your plate would be a rainbow of colors, textures and tastes.

Eating a “serving’s worth”

Eating from one category or more doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting a serving’s worth. To reap the benefits, you likely need more than just a taste.

Servings can be confusing to keep track of. A piece of fruit is a serving if it’s a tennis ball size, like a medium apple or banana, but berries are measured in cups. A ½ cup of berries is a serving. When it comes to vegetables, serving sizes change depending on whether the food is raw or cooked, solid or leafy. A serving of dark leafy greens is ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw, lettuces are measured as 2 cups raw. For solid foods, like root vegetables (e.g. carrots, beets), a serving is ½ cup.

Putting it all together, and doing it day after day

Most of us eat a little differently every day. While research suggests five servings is good enough, aiming for six is a more realistic approach. Aiming for two servings per meal is a good place to start.

What does getting about six servings from a diverse array of fruits and vegetables over a whole lifetime look like? The palate craves flavor and texture and gets bored easily. If you’re in a rut, try a new cooking technique. Keeping it seasonal helps.

A seasonal plant-forward sample day might look like this:
(The sample is general and focuses on produce. Swap out or increase portions of proteins, nuts, seeds or fats to your taste and needs.)

BREAKFAST:

2-3 hard-boiled eggs or scrambles (vegan or not), 1 medium cucumber sliced, ½ cup cherry tomatoes, 1 piece whole grain toast, 4 ounces fresh orange juice or
1 cup oatmeal with ½ blackberries, 1 medium grapefruit or ½ cup melon

LUNCH:

2-3 cups leafy greens salad with ½ cup raspberries, sliced fennel, grilled tofu, and orange vinaigrette or
12 ounces gazpacho soup, lentil-feta salad with celery and carrots, whole grain crackers

DINNER:

Eggplant rollatini, ½ cup garlicky sauteed broccoli rabe, and tomato-parsley salad or
Falafel, taboulleh, 1 cup watercress, and a few spears grilled asparagus

Study with Chef Celine in culinary nutrition, food therapy or Health-Supportive Culinary Arts.

References:
_{Wang DD, Li Y, Bhupathiraju SN, Rosner BA, Sun Q, Giovannucci EL, Rimm EB, Manson JE, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB. Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality: Results From 2 Prospective Cohort Studies of US Men and Women and a Meta-Analysis of 26 Cohort Studies. Circulation. 2021 Apr 27;143(17):1642-1654. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.048996. Epub 2021 Mar 1. PMID: 33641343; PMCID: PMC8084888.

Bertoia ML, Mukamal KJ, Cahill LE, Hou T,Ludwig DS, Mozaffarian D, et al. (2015) Changes in Intake of Fruits and Vegetables and Weight Change in United States Men and Women Followed for Up to 24 Years: Analysis from Three Prospective Cohort Studies. PLoS Med 12(9)}

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Demystifying Dietary Guidelines with ICE's Director of Nutrition

aday — Tue, 11 May 2021 19:14:30 +0000

Demystifying Dietary Guidelines with ICE's Director of Nutrition aday Tue, 05/11/2021 - 15:14 What’s Good to Eat? May 11, 2021

By Celine Beitchman — Director of Nutrition

Chef Celine Beitchman is preparing five meal plans for the five major food groups to get the most out of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Here, she introduces the series of nutritional recommendations and why we need it.

Our quality of life depends on the foods we choose to eat. Those choices influence our immediate health and our health as we age. But, for the majority of us, what to eat is a minefield. It’s not that our questions don’t have well-researched answers, but, the human body is complex and eating means consuming thousands of substances daily. This makes a one-size-fits-all plan an ongoing challenge.

Our desire for clarity on this topic has spawned a $1 billion wellness industry that continues to grow. This domain is so successful in part because we don’t often appreciate the emotional connection we have to foods; and how easily we are fooled by slick brand claims and endorsements.

When it comes to recommendations, most experts agree that plant foods should make up the basis of your meals but not exclusively so. Good quality animal foods – including dairy, meat, fish and eggs – have their benefits, too.

In the Health-Supportive Culinary Arts, we start with a broad view of dietary choices using Dr. Annemarie Colbin, PhD’s “Criteria for Healthy Food Selection”. In general, we opt for foods that are whole, fresh, seasonal, real and minimally processed. The point is you shouldn’t have to be told that a food is food. It should be obvious.

No one food contains all of the necessary substances to sustain life, so its best to eat a wide variety. And, not just a range of food groups (think: vegetable, fruits, nuts, grains, beans), but a range within those groups (think: leafy greens and carrots, walnuts and almonds, lentils and chickpeas).

In their whole forms, these foods provide the body with varying amounts of bioactive substances: macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), and water. Some nutrients are essential, which in nutritional terms means our body can’t make them and they must be consumed. These include essential lipids, like omega 3s, and all of the vitamins and minerals.

When we eat foods, as opposed to supplements for example, we get combinations of macro- and micro-nutrients and meet our needs across many days.

Do you really need all the macronutrients?

Diet models that restrict or hold up one macronutrient or food group are outlying concepts that often fail to meet their promises.

Carbohydrates are found in all plants and in dairy products as the sugar or lactose. Despite the keto-craze (a low carb, high fat dietary trend), carbohydrates are the main source of energy in the human diet. In addition to energy, carbohydrates provide some of the best sources of fiber, water, vitamins and minerals. Carbohydrates also contain phytochemicals, plant compounds like curcumin from turmeric, beta-carotene from carrots or lycopene from tomatoes, for example, which may confer added benefits to our health. Examples include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and grains.

Lipids, commonly known as fats, can be found in both animal and plant foods and provide some energy to the body under varying conditions. Lipids feed into a number of biological pathways, helping us produce hormones, insulate neurons, and cushion organs and bones. Without fat we can’t easily metabolize certain vitamins or mineralize our bones. Lipids can be found in dairy and animal products, including nuts, seeds, beans, grains, vegetables, and as pure oil.

Proteins, in animal and plant foods, are composed of smaller units called amino acids. When we eat protein we are consuming hundreds and thousands of amino acids. Our bodies take those bits and reform them in ways that provide structure to the body, like bones and organs, and put them into DNA pathways that help us reproduce cells and functional proteins, like antibodies. Proteins are in every living thing – plant or animal, which makes getting enough a pretty easy thing.

When we consume whole foods we’re eating macronutrients and a synergy of parts that are naturally present. Some of those, like the soluble fiber in avocados, provide food for our gut bugs – who do a lot of work on our behalf. Or, like avocados, may also provide an excellent source of the mineral potassium, which plays an important role in how our body regulates pH and controls excess sodium.

How much is adequate?

Since the first development of dietary standards in 1943, Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) have been used as goals for good nutrition. The National Academy of Sciences produces reference values for life stages and genders, called the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR). These were developed by experts across the biological sciences and are revised from time to time based on ongoing research.

AMDR ranges describe how we can make up our needs by consuming macro- and micro-nutrients as percentages of our total diet. It looks like this: Of your total diet, aim for 45-65% from carbohydrates, 20-35% from lipids (fats) and 10-35% from proteins sources. These ranges give us a lot of room for individual tastes and help control for too much or too little of any one nutrient.

Despite its many flaws, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides a good toolkit to put the AMDR to work for you. It can be tailored to your life cycle, health concern or any dietary need you have. Alternatively, you could model an eating pattern after the Healthy Eating Plate by the Harvard School of Public Health or The Linus Pauling Institute’s Rx for Health. There aren’t many differences among them when it comes down to nutrients – it’s specific foods they call out (or not).

From percentages to foods:

Translated to volume, you could aim to eat about 2 cups of fruit, 2 ½ cups of vegetables, 1-2 cups of whole grains, 1-2 cups of beans or 4-6 ounces of animal foods, and some healthy fats – maybe 1-2 tablespoons – a day.

Using a serving size approach, a whole day might look like this: 6-8 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2-3 servings of whole grains, 2-3 servings of proteins, and some healthy fat.

Per meal, using a plate-mapping approach, healthy eating might look like this: Fill ½ your plate with vegetables, ¼ with starchy vegetables or grains, and the last ¼ with protein (animal or plant).

That may seem like a lot to take in, but over the next few months, I’ll lay out what that might look like, with plenty of options for all types of eaters.

A healthy eating pattern needs to be tried on, practiced and tailored to your life. As with any habit, what we practice we get better.

Stay tuned for Chef Celine's meal mapping and connect food and health professionally with training in Health-Supportive Culinary Arts.

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Excellent article

Submitted by Renee Hendley on May 18, 2021 6:21am

I look forward to reading more articles of this series. Thanks!

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Plant-Based Culinary Arts

How to Use the Shiso Plant this Season

aday — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 14:21:00 +0000

How to Use the Shiso Plant this Season aday Mon, 03/29/2021 - 10:21 Chef Celine Beitchman utilizes another popular plant from our hydroponic garden. May 12, 2022

By Celine Beitchman — Director of Nutrition

Shiso, also known as perilla, is a green or red annual plant with tender leaves that is used in Asian and South American kitchens. Though related to the mint family, its flavor tends towards earthy, herbaceous and sometimes tangy, with a savory mouthfeel — mildly sweet and satisfying.

Both an herb and a leafy green, shiso is a therapeutic food in ancient systems like Traditional Chinese Medicine. Some recent research suggests the plant may be helpful in reducing histamine overreactions and allergic symptoms related to hay fever.

Shiso is extremely versatile.

Raw leaves are delicious tossed into salads or used wherever you might add savory green herbs. Or you can cook them up like tender spinach — steamed, sautéed or tempura-fried. Red varieties can be steeped in hot water and juiced, yielding a ruby herbal concoction with a lemony bite. This pronounced color and sourness, from anthocyanins, and oxalic and ascorbic acid (commonly known as vitamin C), is responsible for the pink-hued glow and pucker of fermented Japanese umeboshi plums.

Fresh shiso can be purchased online, at farmers markets and in the produce aisle of gourmet and health food stores.

For the recipe below, I harvested two pounds of the red plant from our on-site hydroponic farm. After plucking leaves from hearty stems, I packed everything loosely in plastic bags and kept them refrigerated overnight. The next day I chose a few similar-sized leaves for tempura frying and a handful for mincing into porridge. The rest went into making shiso juice for staining eggs and using as an herbal tea base.

Pursue plant-based career training with a hydroponic garden on campus at ICE.

Why Shiso-Congee?

I love highlighting recipes from our Health-Supportive Culinary Arts curriculum that can be easily replicated in your home. This one-pot rice porridge, called congee, hails from our Food and Immunity class. While traditional congee recipes use all white rice, we include whole grains for fiber, vitamins and flavor.

In Health-Supportive Culinary Arts, we take a seasonal approach to cooking which means using what is available locally and paying attention to tastes, cravings and weather. Tasked with using up our farm’s harvest, I wanted a dish that utilized a lot of it and spoke to the cusp of season-change, something at once comforting and renewing. I wanted a warming dish for the last cold days of a long winter, with colorful and bright signals of spring.

Because congee is both an everyday dish and a celebration-worthy one, I included both styles for the home cook. A simple version is a one-pot meal (soak the grains together and cook everything up in your Instant Pot™). Once the porridge is cooked, feel free to add any ingredients that you like or have on hand.

All of the garnishes below can be made in advance and warmed or cut before serving. Crispy tempura provides a complement to smooth creamy grains. Stovetop braised carrots of any color bring sweetness and adding in hard-cooked eggs or tempeh ups the protein content and gives the porridge a meaty chew. Once you get the hang of it, make a double batch and keep this in your recipe rotation. Any leftovers heat up quickly with a small amount of water in a clean pot.

Shiso Congee with Garnishes

Yields 4-5 two-cup servings

4-5 cups water
1/2 cup white basmati rice, soaked overnight
3 tablespoons long-grain brown rice, soaked overnight
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 ounces burdock root, cut into medium dice
1/4 ounce ginger, minced
1/4 pound onion, cut into small dice
2 scallions, trimmed, bias cut
1/2 ounce shiso, minced
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon tamari
2 sheets Nori, charred over an open flame for 30 seconds

Garnishes

Gomasio (1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds crushed with 1 teaspoon sea salt)
Shiso-stained quail eggs (see recipe below)
Tempura shiso (see recipe below)
Braised baby carrot (see recipe below)
Tempeh crumbles (see recipe below)

Directions

In a 1-gallon pot, combine four cups of water, rice and salt. Bring to boil for 3 minutes. Add burdock, ginger and onion. Lower flame, cover and allow to simmer, stirring frequently, until rice is creamy and lightly thickened, adding more water as needed to reach desired consistency (1 to 1 1/2 hours).
Off heat, stir in scallions, shiso, sesame oil and tamari. Ladle into bowls, top with torn charred nori, and add other garnishes to taste.

Shiso-Stained Quail Eggs

Yields 4-5 servings

Ingredients

1 pound red shiso, stemmed
5 cups water, divided
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
10 quail eggs

Directions

Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a large pot and add shiso leaves. Turn down heat and cook leaves for 2 minutes until they change color from red to green.
Drain leaves and squeeze to extract as much red shiso juice as you can, and then add vinegar. Cool completely in an ice bath.
While juice cools, bring remaining water to boil in a 1-quart pot. Turn water to simmer and gently place eggs in pot. Cook for 3 minutes and immediately submerge in an ice bath to cool completely.
When cool, peel eggs and steep in shiso juice to cover for 1-2 hours until stained. Note: Use leftover juice in place of water in the braised carrot or tempura recipe, in an Arnold Palmer-style lemonade with green tea or in your favorite mocktail.

Tempura Shiso

Yields 10 leaves

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tablespoon arrowroot
1/2-1 cup seltzer or shiso juice
10 assorted shiso leaves (red and green), washed and dried well
2 cups neutral oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Heat oil to 350˚F in a shallow frying pan.
Mix pastry flour and arrowroot. Whisk in seltzer to consistency of pancake batter.
Dredge leaves in batter and deep fry one or two at a time.
Drain on paper towels, toss with sea salt, and serve.

Braised Baby Carrot

Yields 4-5 servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 baby carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch lengthwise pieces
1 cup shiso juice or water
1/2 teaspoon tamari
1/4 teaspoon ginger juice

Heat oil in 6-inch sauté pan, add carrots and gently sauté 2-3 minutes per side.
Cover carrots with 1/2-inch water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, covered until carrots are tender and still intact and most of the water has been absorbed.
Add tamari and cook 2 minutes more uncovered until dry. Add ginger juice and serve.

Tempeh Crumbles

Yields 1/2 cup crumbles

Ingredients

4 ounces tempeh, steamed 10 minutes, cooled, crumbled or grated
1 teaspoon neutral oil
1 teaspoon tamari
1 teaspoon brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon water
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon umeboshi paste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˚F.
Toss tempeh with remaining ingredients. Place on parchment-lined half sheet pan.
Bake for 20 minutes, tossing from time to time to ensure all tempeh crisps.

Meet Chef Celine Beitchman.

Ingredient Exploration Plant-Based Recipe ICE Instructors

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Recipes Step 1 - In a 1 gallon pot, combine four cups of water, rice and salt; Step 2 -Bring to boil for 3 minutes. Add burdock, ginger and onion; Step 3 -Lower flame, cover and allow to simmer, stirring frequently, until rice is creamy and lightly thickened, adding more water as needed to reach desired consistency 1 to 1 1/2 hours; Step 4 -Off heat, stir in scallions, shiso, sesame oil and tamari; Step 5 -Ladle into bowls, top with torn charred nori, and add other garnishes to taste; Step 6 -Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a large pot and add shiso leaves; Step 7 - Turn down heat and cook leaves for 2 minutes until they change color from red to green; Step 8 -Drain leaves and squeeze to extract as much red shiso juice as you can, and then add vinegar; Step 9 - Cool completely in an ice bath; Step 10 -While juice cools, bring remaining water to boil in a 1 quart pot Step 11 - Turn water to simmer and gently place eggs in pot; Step 12 -Cook for 3 minutes and immediately submerge in an ice bath to cool completely; Step 13 - When cool, peel eggs and steep in shiso juice to cover for 1-2 hours until stained; Step 14 -Use leftover juice in place of water in the braised carrot or tempura recipe, in an Arnold Palmer style lemonade with green tea or in your favorite mocktail; Step 15 - Heat oil to 350˚F in a shallow frying pan; Step 16 -Mix pastry flour and arrowroot. Whisk in seltzer to consistency of pancake batter; Step 17 -Dredge leaves in batter and deep fry one or two at a time; Step 18 -Drain on paper towels, toss with sea salt, and serve; Step 19 -Heat oil in 6-inch sauté pan, add carrots and gently sauté 2 or 3 minutes per side; Step 20 -Cover carrots with 1/2 inch water and bring to a simmer; Step 21 - Cook for 10 minutes, covered until carrots are tender and still intact and most of the water has been absorbed; Step 22 -Add tamari and cook 2 minutes more uncovered until dry. Add ginger juice and serve; Step 23 -Preheat oven to 375˚F; Step 24 -Toss tempeh with remaining ingredients; Step 25 - Place on parchment-lined half sheet pan; Step 26 - Bake for 20 minutes, tossing from time to time to ensure all tempeh crisps;

How to Use Nasturtium Leaves, Flowers and Shoots

aday — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 19:26:16 +0000

How to Use Nasturtium Leaves, Flowers and Shoots aday Mon, 03/01/2021 - 14:26 Highlighting a Popular Plant from ICE's Hydroponic Garden March 1, 2021

By Celine Beitchman — Director of Nutrition

The nasturtium plant is closely related to cruciferous aquatic plants like watercress. Nasturtium leaves and nasturtium stems share similar flavor profiles – peppery, spicy and grassy, while nasturtium’s delicate yellow, orange and red blossoms can add floral notes and sparkle to the plate.

Growing Nasturtium

According to our hydroponic garden manager, Caleb Raff, nasturtiums grow easily indoors and outside. But, according to Caleb, “hydroponics are significantly faster, both in terms of how long germination takes and the actual rate of growth.” Caleb grew nasturtium microgreens and full shoots for the recipe below in just a couple of weeks.

If you don’t have a garden to forage from, you can pick nasturtium in the wild. Always be sure to check that the location isn’t sprayed with chemicals you wouldn’t want to eat. Otherwise, you can purchase nasturtium leaves and flowers at farmers markets in mild and warmer seasons, at specialty grocery stores or online.

Nasturtium Nutrition

From the Americas to the Middle East, various species of the plant – from root to flower bud – have been used as staple foods, and therapeutically, wherever it grows. Just like any edible leafy greens, nasturtiums are rich in fiber, folate and antioxidant vitamins A and C, all of which contribute to maintaining healthy cells and help reduce the effects of oxidative damage that can lead to cardiovascular disease.

Caution: In addition to the leafy and flowery parts, young buds can be brined like capers. But, unlike caper berries, nasturtium buds contain high levels of oxalic acids, which lock in other minerals in foods so that they cannot be digested. If, for example, calcium is present in a food, compounds are formed that can increase your risk of kidney stones.

Edible Leaves and Flowers

Try tossing washed nasturtium leaves and flowers into salad greens or wilting them into risotto or soups. Handfuls can be pureed with basil, garlic and a hefty glug of extra virgin olive oil for pesto with a peppery bite or to smear onto your next sandwich or homemade pizza.

Nasturtium Recipe

This savory wild rice nasturtium pancake recipe, adapted from the Health-Supportive Culinary Arts curriculum, plays on the flavors, growing conditions and history of the plant. Spicy and grassy leaves from our on-site farm are folded into whole-grain batter accented by earthy wild rice. Fresh nasturtium petals, a smear of cultured cream, drizzled honey, mushroom “bacon," and wild rice crispies complete the story. While the recipe below is vegetarian, it can be easily veganized. Try swapping out the milk for your favorite nut variety and whipping aquafaba into peaks in place of egg whites.

Savory Wild Rice Nasturtium Pancakes

Yields 4-5 servings (20 four-inch pancakes)

1 cup organic whole milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 ounces nasturtium leaves, blanched, shocked, roughly chopped
1 cup fully cooked wild rice (from 1/3 cup raw rice), roughly chopped
3 large pastured egg whites, beaten to soft peaks
1 cup cultured cream
Garnishes:
1/4 cup honey or grade A maple syrup
1/2 ounce nasturtium shoots with leaves and stems
1/2 ounce nasturtium flowers
1/4 cup nasturtium infused oil
10 pieces mushroom “bacon” (thinly sliced oyster mushrooms roasted until crispy on both sides - about 10 minutes at 350 F)
1/4 cup wild rice crispies (wild rice cooked, dried in 235 F oven and deep fried at 385 F)*

Whisk together milk and lemon juice. Let stand 15 minutes. Add oil.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Add rice.
Gradually add milk to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add nasturtium and fold in egg whites.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat.
Using a ladle, pour batter onto pan leaving about 1 inch between cakes for easy flipping. Cook cakes until bubbles in batter break on surface; flip and cook until browned.
Serve with garnishes to taste.

*One of the things I love most about ICE is the caliber of colleagues I get to work alongside. A casual conversation with my office mate, Chef Barry Tonkinson, our director of culinary research and development, got us both thinking about crispy wild rice garnishes. Two weeks later, he turned up with an at-home version that’s hard to resist.

Study plant-based cooking with Chef Celine at the Natural Gourmet Center.

Health-Supportive Culinary Arts Recipe Plant-Based ICE Instructors Nutrition

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Step 1 - Whisk together milk and lemon juice. Let stand 15 minutes. Add oil; Step 2 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Add rice; Step 3 - Gradually add milk to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add nasturtium and fold in egg whites; Step 4 - Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat; Step 5 - Using a ladle, pour batter onto pan leaving about 1 inch between cakes for easy flipping. Cook cakes until bubbles in batter break on surface, flip and cook until browned; Step 6 - Serve with garnishes to taste;

Food for Boosting Immunity and Calming Nerves

aday — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 17:49:34 +0000

Food for Boosting Immunity and Calming Nerves aday Fri, 03/13/2020 - 13:49 Cooking is something you can control in times of crises. March 13, 2020

By Celine Beitchman — Director of Nutrition

Director of Nutrition Celine Beitchman, M.S., advises on whole foods, nutrients and antioxidants to help boost your immune system amid the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our Health-Supportive Culinary Arts program covers principles of food and healing during the final two modules, including boosting immunity as part of lesson 88. The curriculum explores what role essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals) play in keeping us in our best health; what to eat more and less of; and the importance of an integrative approach to wellness – from hydration to exercise to sleep.

In the midst of a worldwide health crisis, we asked Chef Celine to share a recipe from this lesson and advice for supporting our immune system without adding stress to meal times.

"In general keep to nutrient-dense whole foods that include fiber and naturally occurring substances that keep you calm and full. With lots of color on the plate and sweet notes from natural sugars you're less apt to snack on junk food," she says.

Beyond opting for whole foods, Chef Celine recommends reducing added sugar, eliminating pro-inflammatory fats and eating a rainbow of colorful vegetables every day. A simple way to start: Source yellow and orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes and squash that are rich in beta-carotenes – phytochemicals that convert to Vitamin A in the body.

"Beta-carotene found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables is a powerful antioxidant that helps keep healthy cells intact. Some of your immune system chemistry works by oxidizing cells as a way of destroying them. Keeping surrounding tissue out of harm’s way is where these antioxidants come in,” she explains. "Because beta-carotenes are stable compounds, they’re present raw or cooked. You can buy pre-cut, frozen or pre-cooked varieties and still get the benefits. It holds up really well."

Here, she shares a versatile recipe from the career program that supports eye, skin and cellular membranes and contains fiber, beta-carotene and healthy fats from extra virgin olive oil and toasted hazelnuts. Try it hot, cold or room temperature, as a hearty side dish or a base for legume or whole grain bowls, or add a handful of leafy greens and a splash of citrus for a delicious salad.

Study Health-Supportive Culinary Arts.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Hazelnuts, Cilantro and Garlic

Yields 4 servings

1/4 cup hazelnuts
1/2 pound carrots, roll cut
1/2 pound sweet potatoes, large dice
1/2 pound parsnips, roll cut
1/2 pound shallots, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 375 F. Toast hazelnuts until fragrant, approximately 6-7 minutes. Set hazelnuts aside to cool.
Toss carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips and shallots in large bowl with olive oil and salt.
Transfer vegetables to sheet tray lined with parchment. Roast vegetables in oven until evenly caramelized, approximately 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Skin hazelnuts by wrapping in towel and vigorously rubbing them. Roughly chop hazelnuts and transfer them to large bowl.
Add vegetables to bowl and toss with parsley, cilantro and garlic just before serving.

Study food and healing with Chef Celine in Health-Supportive Culinary Arts.

Health Healthy Health-Supportive Culinary Arts ICE Chef Nutrition Recipe Vegetables

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Recipes Step 1 - Preheat oven to 375 F. Toast hazelnuts until fragrant, approximately 6-7 minutes. Set hazelnuts aside to cool; Step 2 - Toss carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips and shallots in large bowl with olive oil and salt; Step 3 - Transfer vegetables to sheet tray lined with parchment. Roast vegetables in oven until evenly caramelized, approximately 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally; Step 4 - Skin hazelnuts by wrapping in towel and vigorously rubbing them. Roughly chop hazelnuts and transfer them to large bowl; Step 5 - Add vegetables to bowl and toss with parsley, cilantro and garlic just before serving;

Chef Celine's Summer Squash Spaghetti

aday — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 14:14:52 +0000

Chef Celine's Summer Squash Spaghetti aday Fri, 01/24/2020 - 09:14 ICE's Director of Nutrition demonstrated plating the dish on an Instagram Live in the hydroponic garden. January 25, 2020

By Celine Beitchman — Director of Nutrition

This week, Director of Nutrition Celine Beitchman, M.S., introduced her new programs, Culinary Nutrition and Food Therapy, with a sneak peek on social media.

Here's the recipe from her IG Live, where she spiralized summer squash and incorporated edible flowers from our hydroponic garden, while discussing nutrition, diets for individual lifestyles and plant-based cooking.

Learn more about our Health-Supportive Culinary Arts certificate programs here.

Summer Squash Spaghetti with Arugula Pesto

Yiealds 4-6 servings

2 pounds zucchini or yellow summer squash, cut into 2-3 inch lengths
3/4 ounce (about 1 cup) basil leaves, washed and dried
1 ounce (about 1 cup arugula), washed and spun dry
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chickpea miso
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup pine nuts, soaked for 2-4 hours (about 1/3 cup yield after soaking)
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

Using mandolin or spiralizer, cut squash into julienne or spin into long thin strands. Reserve cores with seeds for another use. Set squash aside in bowl.
Turn on food processor and drop in basil, arugula, and garlic. Process until greens are roughly chopped.
With machine running add oil, miso, salt and nuts through feeder tube until mixture is creamy but not completely smooth. Season to taste with lemon juice.
Transfer squash to mixing bowl. Using tongs, toss with pesto and serve immediately.

Note: Squash spaghetti can be cut, and pesto can be made 1-2 days ahead, stored separately in airtight containers in refrigerator and mixed right before serving.

Meet Director of Nutrition Celine Beitchman, M.S.

Recipe ICE Instructors Vegetables Vegetarian Guest Chefs Nutrition

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Recipes Step 1 - Using mandolin or spiralizer, cut squash into julienne or spin into long thin strands. Reserve cores with seeds for another use. Set squash aside in bowl; Step 2 - Turn on food processor and drop in basil, arugula, and garlic. Process until greens are roughly chopped; Step 3 - With machine running add oil, miso, salt and nuts through feeder tube until mixture is creamy but not completely smooth. Season to taste with lemon juice; Step 4 - Transfer squash to mixing bowl. Using tongs, toss with pesto and serve immediately; Step 5 - Note: Squash spaghetti can be cut, and pesto can be made 1-2 days ahead, stored separately in airtight containers in refrigerator and mixed right before serving;

Chef Celine's Refreshing Shrub Recipes

aday — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 16:49:39 +0000

Chef Celine's Refreshing Shrub Recipes aday Tue, 01/07/2020 - 11:49 ICE's Director of Nutrition shares the benefits of shrubs and three recipes with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. January 7, 2020

By Celine Beitchman — Director of Nutrition

Shrubs combine a little bit of vinegar with a lot of water and any variety of flavors. Here, Chef Celine Beitchman chooses red fruit, herbs and vanilla that pair well with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

The hydrating beverage is a flavorful way to incorporate more water into one's diet and balsamic offers a sweet alternative to sugar. Use sparkling water for an effervescent nonalcoholic drink or sparkling wine for a spritz, and use your imagination and what's seasonal to customize your variation. Watch Chef Celine explain more about the ancient elixir and incorporate flowers from ICE's hydroponic garden in her three recipes, detailed below.

Aged Balsamic Shrub

Yields 1-2 servings, nonalcoholic

1/8 ounce (2-3 sprigs, 8-10 leaves) aromatic herbs or edible flowers (oxalis, basil, mint, thyme, dianthus)
8 ounces (1 cup) filtered water
1/4-1/2 ounce (1 1/2-3 teaspoons) Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
1-2 herb springs or edible flowers for garnish

Equipment

1 pint glass (glass or metal)
1 muddler
1 16-ounce measuring cup
1 4-ounce measuring cup
1 cocktail strainer
1-2 serving glasses
1 long-handled stirring spoon

Add herbs or flowers to pint glass with two ounces of water and muddle herbs/flowers gently.
Pour in remaining water and vinegar, stir and strain into serving glass(es.
Garnish with herb spring or flowers and serve immediately.

Note: Herbs and edible flowers are highly perishable. Wash immediately before using. Keep attached to roots where possible and refrigerate, store wrapped in damp paper towels for up to three days.

Spiked Balsamic Shrubs

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
1 vanilla bean, split
16 ounces Prosecco, Cava or Champagne
4 sprigs rosemary

Equipment

1 small pot
1 small rubber spatula
1 mesh bar strainer
1 small cutting board
1 paring knife
1 16-ounce measuring cup
1 4-ounce measuring cup
1 medium metal bowl
1 4-cup bain-marie
2-4 cups ice for ice bath
4 serving glasses (Champagne flutes or martini-style)

Directions

Scald balsamic in a small pot and remove from heat. Add in vanilla bean seeds and gently stir. Let sit five minutes. Cool completely in ice bath or on the counter until ready to use. Strain as desired.
Divide vanilla-infused balsamic between two Champagne flutes or martini glasses.
Top each with bubbly and a spring of rosemary.
Serve immediately.

Fizzy, Fruity Balsamic Shrub

Yields 1-2 servings

Ingredients

2 ounces fresh fruit (figs, cherries or strawberries)
2 ounces (1/4 cup) filtered water
1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
Ice cubes, as needed
6 ounces seltzer
2 sprigs fresh mint (preferably with flower buds)
Fresh fruit for garnish (1 fig, 4 cherries or 2 strawberries)

Equipment

1 pint glass (glass or metal)
1 muddler
1 16-ounce measuring cup
1 4-ounce measuring cup
1 mesh cocktail strainer
1 small rubber spatula
1-2 serving rocks glasses
1 long-handled stirring spoon

Directions

Add fruit to pint glass with two ounces of water and muddle. Add vinegar and muddle again to combine flavors. Press mixture through mesh strainer. (Alternately mix everything in a blender or with an immersion/wand blender for 2-3 minutes and strain through mesh strainer).
Divide fruited vinegar mixture into serving glass(es), add ice and top with seltzer.
Garnish with mint and fresh fruit, and serve immediately.

Learn more about Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and beverage classes at ICE.

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