Get your pantry ready
5 basic ingredients: 5 products to discover
We announced last week the beginning of our collaboration with Montreal’s health and natural food institution: Frenco. We can’t wait to update you with Toby, Sara, and Eveline’s products. They are real treasure gatherers and they’re about to upgrade your pantry with the most amazing staples.
Starting next week, your Lufa basket will be more complete than ever; we'll be offering some of Frenco's amazing grains. Toby's here to bring you valuable information about these five essential ingredients.
Organic white quinoa
Rich in proteins, this plant has been cultivated and eaten in the Andes for over 7000 years. It's known to help in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Organic brown basmati rice
Grown in the foothills of the Himalayas, this whole grain contains 20% more fiber than most other varieties of rice and is an excellent source of energy, and it's cholesterol-free and high in vitamin B to boot.
Organic Whole Wheat Couscous
Naturally rich in fiber since it’s made of whole semolina durum wheat, it facilitates digestion.
Preparation
- Pour 1 1/2 to 1 3/ 4 cups of liquid (water or stock) in a medium saucepan. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt in the liquid and bring to boil.
- Add 1 cup of couscous in boiling liquid. Remove pan from heat, cover and let stand for about 6 minutes. Do not lift the lid until the time has elapsed.
- Fluff couscous with a fork and serve. This recipe makes about 3 servings.
- Serve hot with vegetables, meats in with tomato sauce, or add it to a salad.
Organic brown lentils
- Good source of protein
- Rich in folic acid
- Rich in potassium
- Rich in iron
- High in fiber
- Among the most digestible legumes
Lentils come from Central Asia, where they've been eaten since prehistoric times. It's also likely one of the first legumes to be domesticated by humans. There are dozens of varieties of legumes classified according to their shape: oval, flat, or heart-shaped, and according to their color: black, yellow, red, orange, brown, or green.
During the last decade, it's estimated that global consumption of lentils has increased by about 3% per year. Lentils arrived in Canada around 1970. Today, we are the world’s largest exporter of lentils and the second largest producer after India.
Preparation
- No soaking is required.
- Rinse the legumes with water to remove any dust.
- Boil for about 30 to 35 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook because they will turn into puree.
- Eat in a salad with a mustard dressing or add them in a vegetable soup.
- Combined with rice and some vegetables. They make an excellent vegetarian dish, rich in protein and low in fat.
Sources: Passeport Santé & La Milanaise
Organic Golden Flax Seeds
The cultivation of flax is so old that we cannot find it in the wild. The ancient Egyptians were already familiar with its high fiber content, nutritional value, and medicinal properties. Flax seeds are still an important part of Chinese medicine.
Canada is the largest producer and exporter of brown flax seeds with an annual harvest of over one million tons, while the golden flax is grown a little further south, particularly in the Dakotas.
Benefits
Flax seeds are a concentrated source of dietary fiber, especially when in soluble fibers. Soluble fiber helps to control blood sugar and cholesterol, treat chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, gastritis, and enteritis. Crushed seeds can help in the treatment of skin inflammations.
Preparation
- To benefit from their high omega-3 content, it's recommended to grind them.
- Add flax seeds to yogurts, smoothies or salads.
- Refrigerate any surplus because once ground since flaxseeds oxidize rapidly.
Sources: Passeport Santé & La Milanaise
Go visit the Marketplace and try them for yourselves! Send us your comments and recipes at l.deschamps@lufa.com .
Happy cooking!
Laurence