Compound found in nuts may treat depression, cancer
CTV.ca News Staff
Published Sunday, January 11, 2009 10:00PM EST

The human body needs a small amount of inositol, a member of the B vitamin family, for its cells to function properly.

Elie Klein, a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, told CTV News that a number of medical doctors send their patients to natural health food stores for inositol to treat a variety of conditions.

"There is certainly growing interest in it," Klein said.

Toronto psychotherapist Dr. Harold Pupko prescribes it to his patients to treat their anxiety and depression.

"There will be less chatter or less noise in your head in terms of repetitive types of negative thoughts, anxious thoughts," Pupko told CTV News.

Although inositol is relatively unknown among the general public, studies have shown it to be effective at reducing the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic attacks.

In Vancouver, researchers have just completed a preliminary study that suggests inositol may help prevent lung cancer.

For their study, the researchers gave former smokers 18 grams of inositol per day.

The ex-smokers had what is called severe dysplasia, or high-grade pre-cancerous changes in their bronchial tubes.

After one to three months on inositol, the patients had fewer pre-cancerous growths in their lungs. As well, the compound appears to cause few side effects, even at high doses.

"So this is one agent that seems to have a very potent effect in terms of regressing, pre-existing, pre-cancerous cells in the bronchial tube," Dr. Stephen Lam of the B.C. Cancer Agency told CTV News. "That is why we are quite excited about it."

There are also ongoing studies evaluating inositol's ability to treat infertility, lower cholesterol and normalize insulin levels.

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*Gardening Soul:*
Gardening Soul added a new photo.

facebook

Can everyone pls go outside and enjoy the scenery

#NewProfilePic_PGAF

it’s coming 🙌🏼🍁

Beef and Flat Bean Stir Fry

Beef and flat bean stir fry is a quick main dish featuring juicy tender beef and thick romano beans brought together with a fragrant brown sauce.

[To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari to replace soy sauce, and use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine.]

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients
Meat and Marinade:
300 g (10 oz) boneless flank steak , skirt steak, or other cut (*see footnote 1)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce:
2 tablespoons chicken broth (or beef broth)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce (*footnote 2)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Stir-fry:
300 g (10 oz) flat beans , cut to 1” (1.5 cm) pieces
1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
1 clove garlic , sliced
1/2 thumb ginger , sliced

Instructions:
1: Slice the beef against the grain into 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) thick slices or 1-cm (1/2 inch) sticks. Transfer to a small bowl. Add soy sauce and salt (*Footnote 1). Gently mix well by hand until all the slices are coated. Add the peanut oil and cornstarch. Mix again to combine evenly. Marinate for 15 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.

2: Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well.

3: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the flat beans and boil for 5 minutes, or until the beans turn tender. Drain and run the beans with tap water for a few seconds, to stop cooking. Then drain again thoroughly and set aside.

4: Heat oil a large skillet or a wok until hot. Swirl to coat the bottom. Spread the steak in a single layer. Allow to cook without touching for 30 seconds, or until the bottom side is browned. Flip to cook the other side for a few seconds. Stir and cook until the surface is lightly charred and the inside is still a bit pink. Transfer to a plate.

5: The pan should still have some oil left. If not, add 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir a few times to release the flavor and fragrance.

6: Add the flat beans to the pan. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef back to the pan.

7: Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely and pour it into the skillet. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens. Transfer everything to a plate immediately. Serve hot as a main dish.

Notes:
1: If you need to use a cheaper or tougher cut of beef, for example, chuck, brisket, or round roast, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the marinade and marinate the beef for 30 minutes before cooking. This method tenderizes the beef and will create a very juicy result.

2: Dark soy sauce will add an appetizing dark color to the sauce with a hint of caramel taste, but you can skip it if you don't have it. If you skip the dark soy sauce, you can add 1/2 teaspoon molasses to enhance the flavor.
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Sticky Pineapple Chicken Lettuce Boats with Pickled Jalapeños & Crunchy Slaw
Ingredients

For the Chicken:

1 lb chicken breast, diced

1/2 cup pineapple chunks

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp ginger, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Slaw:

1 cup shredded cabbage

1/4 cup shredded carrots

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp honey

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Pickled Jalapeños:

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1 jalapeño, sliced

For the Boats:

Romaine lettuce leaves

Instructions

Pickle the Jalapeños:

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and jalapeño slices. Let sit for 30 minutes to pickle.

Cook the Chicken:

In a skillet, cook diced chicken until browned.

Add pineapple, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, salt, and pepper.

Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Prepare the Slaw:

In a bowl, combine shredded cabbage, carrots, mayonnaise, rice vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.

Assemble the Lettuce Boats:

Spoon some sticky pineapple chicken into each lettuce leaf.

Top with crunchy slaw and pickled jalapeños.

Serve immediately. ...read more

Season 40 - Week 10
Bell peppers.
Zucchini.
Seedless cucumbers.
Adult cucumbers.
Beets.
Rhubarb.
Leaf lettuce.
Romaine.
Radish.
Eggplant.
Potatoes.
Sweet potatoes.
Carrots.
Onions.
Green onions.
White onions.
Spanish onions.
Red onion.
Acorn/pepper squash.
Muskmelon.
Garlic.
Peaches.
Sour Apple.
Plums.
Apricots.
Corn.
Green beans.
Yellow beans.
Flat beans.
Blueberries.
Jalapeños.
Feel tomatoes.
Hot peppers.
Cabbage.
Celery.
Cheese curds.
Cheese.
Peach pie. ...read more

Would ya?

But her problem is solved

Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce (adjust to taste)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp grated ginger (optional, for extra zing)

1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (for thickening)


Instructions:
Combine everything (except cornstarch slurry):
In a small saucepan, stir together vinegar, sugar, water, soy sauce, chili sauce, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Simmer:
Let it simmer for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the flavors blend.

Thicken:
Stir the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry. Slowly whisk it into the sauce. Simmer 1–2 more minutes until the sauce thickens.

Cool & store:
Let cool, then pour into a jar or bottle. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!


Tips:
Want it milder? Use less chili sauce or add more sugar.

Want it spicier? Add crushed red pepper or more sambal.

This also makes a great glaze for shrimp or tofu!"

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Week 6

Apricots.
peppers.
cucumbers.
carrots.
onions, [red, white, gold, vidalia].
green onions.
scapes.
sweet potatoes.
garlic.
radish.
cabbage.
zucchini.
cauliflower.
Broccoli.
lettuce, [red leaf, green leaf].
potatoes, [red, white].
Romain.
cherries.
Sour cherries.
green beans.
yellow beans.
blueberries.
strawberries.
Raspberries.
Saskatoon berries.
red currents.
Apples.
tomatoes.
potted plants. ...read more