Tuesday, January 03, 2006

I'm Not a Joiner #2

Strictly by coincidence, my lunch today fits the criteria of Sweetnicks' brand-new weekly food event: ARF/5-a-Day. Which means "antioxidant-rich food" (and that 5-a-Day means how many servings I should be eating of fruits and vegetables, and I'm afraid I fall down on the job there).
But fortunately, it's natural for Cranky and me to have a house full of ARFs: We love nuts and whole grains. The more richly colored the fruits and vegetables, the more we like them. (Dark colors signal the presence of phytonutrients, which is what you want in an ARF.) Deep-green, leafy things dominate the crisper drawer. Garlic and tomatoes, also good ARFs, are in constant use at our house, as are all manner of dried beans. Then, of course, there's our usual cup or two of tea every morning.
So it's no trouble incorporating these foods into our diet. No trouble at all; it's what we eat.
Of course we also eat white food, and I do love it: bread, rice, cheese, potatoes... Wait!
Look at that picture: That's not ham (thank goodness) and it's not hamachi.
Today's lunch was a salad composed of a bed of raw spinach leaves, topped by cooked Huckleberry potatoes — they're ruby-skinned and pink fleshed! — strewn with watercress. Flavored with a couple sprigs of chive, and a dressing of Spanish sherry vinegar and olive oil. Sea salt, a crack of pepper.
To chew a mouthful of cooked potatoes mingled with raw greens is bliss.
The potatoes (first time I've had this variety) are waxy and firm, and have a delicious flavor of, well, dirt. Good, clean, healthy dirt. And hey, they've got the added benefit of a teeny-tiny tinge of color.
I guess I'll bend my rules and send this off to Sweetnicks. It's too good not to share.

23 comments:

Sam said...

what rules are you bending?

cookiecrumb said...

Joining! I'm not a joiner!
xx

Sam said...

oh bah humbug again then, eh?

Cate said...

Glad you're bending the rules. Wouldn't be upset at you if it became a habit. ;)

Greg said...

I've had a heck of an urge for greens lately. That salad is really fine looking.

cookiecrumb said...

Oh, hell. Bah! Greens!

Anonymous said...

OK, any food that has the acronym "ARF" should probably be avoided. Unless it is covered in dark chocolate.

Cyndi said...

Hooray for the new banner!!!!!!!! You know, I sure wish I lived in a blue state. Oh, this is a blue state. I wish I lived in a blue county, then. My area code's a bit red.

cookiecrumb said...

C'mon up. The weather's fine!

Kalyn Denny said...

Hooray. My favorite banner is back.

ZaZa said...

I've been coveting those potatoes for a while now. I'll have to check out the farmers market on the way to Terra Linda tomorrow, assuming the road's still open. Driving anywhere in our area is getting to be a really exciting experience.

Anonymous said...

Those potatoes were also high in antioxidants, according to an article I just read.

Sam said...

i think kthy has the rght idea - about the chocolate that is, not so concerned about the potatoes.

cookiecrumb said...

Oh well, Sam, it was two different Kathys anyway.
Kathyf: Wow, thanks a million for that link. I shouldn't have peeled the potatoes! And next time I'm trying purple potatoes.
Kathyr: Dark chocolate *is* an ARF! :D

Sam said...

did you see this

Sam said...

ps - dont worry it wasnt carbs

cookiecrumb said...

Yes, I saw the Chron this morning. Coinkydink? Probably a New Year's resolution diet type thing that Sweetnicks and the paper both came up with.

Kevin said...

CC,

"The potatoes (first time I've had this variety) are waxy and firm, and have a delicious flavor of, well, dirt. Good, clean, healthy dirt."

Dirt-tasting potatoes are good!

cookiecrumb said...

Kevin: Yeah! No one ever describes them this way. They usually chicken out and say "they have an earthy flavor." But dirt-tasting potatoes are good!

MizD said...

Would I get in trouble if I participated by posting a picture of a bag of Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips every week?

cookiecrumb said...

No, you would be well and healthy! Don't you read all the comments? But you could change the photo every week.

Cate said...

Hey now, no conspiracy with me and the paper ... I wish I was working with them! Although when Sam gave me the heads up on the article (thanks, Sam!), I shot the author an e-mail and got a quick reply. I couldn't figure out where I recognized her name from ... it was eGullet. Anyways, now she knows about me. ;) And I scooped it first, since my post was yesterday.

And Mrs. D.... I expect a pic of your dark chocolate chips in my e-mail box next Tuesday. ;)

cookiecrumb said...

Sweetnicks: You totally scooped her. I didn't mean there was any conspiracy ;) but it's that time of year and that's how we're all thinking.
Just want to brag that the author of the Chron story is a friend of mine. And I e-mailed her today, too, but she had already slipped away for a week of vacation, dammit! (I had no idea she was eGulleting... Is that a fun site?)