Sol Food – Cooking with the Sun

Top Ten Antioxidant Foods #2

 
Two years ago, Conchita Cocinera wrote an article in East Capers about cooking with the sun. Since then several of our readers have become more interested in knowing just how to use a sun oven and have requested that we do another article on the fine points of Solar Cooking.

Anyone who has used a “crock pot” can cook in a Sun Oven. There’s one major difference...you don’t need to plug it into an electric outlet to get a delicious meal. Since the sun is free you can lower your utility bills while you’re creating a delicious nutritionally sound meal.

Solar cooking is superior to dry heat methods of cooking in conventional gas and electric stoves. It is almost waterless cooking, retaining vitamins and minerals in the juices of vegetables and meats. Other advantages include:

• The sun actually energizes cooked food. Solar Cooking gives food a fresher taste.
• The sun’s energy is safe, non-polluting and an abundant renewable energy source.
• Solar cooking times do not have to be specific. Food cooks slowly, needing little monitoring.
Baking with a Sun Oven takes the heat out of the kitchen in the summer.

You can make your own Eco-Cooker Sun Oven by building a box (dimensions: 18” x 22” x 8” deep) with a glass lid and a reflector propped up to catch the sun. Example:

Or you can order the Eco-Cooker kit for under $100 dollars from SunLightWorks, Box 3386, Sedona, Arizona, 86340. Phone: (520) 284-1344. If you do a lot of baking you may want the Solar-Chef model at $400 dollars which focuses the sun’s rays so efficiently that the cooking chamber can achieve 500°F.

Either way, you’ll be eating healthier food and contributing to a healthier planet.

Por Dr. Bien Salud

Amigos...in the last issue of East Capers I gave you a little quiz about the top ten antioxidant foods, remember? In this issue, I will expand a little more on WHY some of these foods are so good for you. Let’s take the first three on my list; Berries, Broccoli and Tomatoes:

Berries:  Berries are full of fibre, minerals and vitamins. Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries can help prevent cancer and heart disease. Blueberries also appear to delay the onset of age-related loss of memory. Tips: Try berries in yogurt and salads. Add a little honey, balsamic vinegar and black pepper to sliced strawberries.

Broccoli:  Broccoli helps prevent cancer and heart disease. It contains a potent antioxidant that reduces the risk of cancer of the ovaries and cervix. Tips: Wrap cooked, chilled broccoli with roasted pepper strips. Toss steamed broccoli with olive oil, chopped black olives and crushed red pepper flakes.

Tomatoes:   Tomatoes contain lycopene which can help prevent lung, colon and breast cancers. They  help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts and  help maintain mental function as we age. They lower the risk of prostate cancer in men and help boost the immune function. Note: Cooked tomatoes are preferable, since heat allows more desirable antioxidants to be made available to the body. Since Lycopene is fat-soluble, eating tomatoes with oil can improve absorption. Tips:  Add minced sun dried tomatoes to mashed potatoes. Serve Roma tomatoes,  chopped fresh basil and olive oil over pasta.

 Next Issue:  red grapes, garlic and spinach