Kitchen Miracles, The Tomato

When you think of Summer Vegetables and Im sure that the tomato has to be one of the first that come to mind.  There are so many different kinds too, from the tiny to the huge, from the green, yellows, pinks and reds.  We should all know by now that the tomato is a fruit and not a vegetable and that it is very healthy for us.

Tomatoes are an wonderful source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. They are also a very good source of molybdenum, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, chromium, and vitamin B1. In addition, tomatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, folate, copper, niacin, vitamin B2, magnesium, iron, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, vitamin E and protein.

This makes them very good against all kinds of cancers especially prostate in men.  Heart disease and as well high cholesterol. They say that cooking tomatoes or consuming tomato sauce(ketcup) is better than eating raw as it delivers more of the anti cancer fighting goodness to your bodies.


Dr Saraçoğlu says that besides being a powerful antioxident, good against cancer it is also excellent for those with eye problems as it relieves high tension in the eyes, stops the heart from getting bigger for those who regularly do heavy lifting, good against cholesterol and for balance problems.


He has given a protocol for those with high blood pressure and for althetes or those who do regular heavy lifting.


Blood pressure and heavy lifters he recommends a glass of tomato juice half an hour before a meal 2 or 3 times a weeks.


For athletes a glass of tomato juice with breakfast to help protect thier hearts from growth.


This Summer buy tomatoes in bulk and preserve, make your own sauces and chutneys.  Eaten any way the tomato really is a Kitchen Miracle.


http://verygoodrecipes.com/turkish

Kitchen Miracles, The Brown Onion

This post is a bit different, for the last couple of months my family has been fighting a few health issues so I have been making weekly visits and stays at the hospital.  I have found it a bit difficult to focus on various recipes hence this post about miracles that can be found in the kitchen.  Last week I featured Thyme,so this will mark the start of a regular series 'Kitchen Miracles'.


The Turks maybe more than my own culture seem to utilise natural remedies regularly.  There is one man I like, he is a Professor and he appears on alot of the various daytime tv programs.  His name is Prof. Saracoglu and he has researched natural cures using herbs and foods that are found locally in Turkey.


One very interesting item is the Brown Onion.  He says that if you boil it for 5 minutes and drink the water before lunch and dinner for 15 days that it can do amazing things.  It will increase your egg count for those that are finding it hard to conceive, it is very good for those with prostrate problems, going through the hot flashes with menopause? drink this onion drink and your symtoms are said to reduce.   Overian cysts can be helped, painful periods, heavy periods, is good for loosing weight, for those with chronic acne or anyone with a femine discharge issue, Swollen hands-feet-legs-stomach are all said to be able to helped by drinking this miracle liquid.


If that has struck a chord with anyone and you want to know how to do it, its easy.  Take a medium sized brown onion and peel it, cut it into quaters and boil for 5 minutes in a saucepan(with the lid closed)in 300ml of water.  You can drink this tepid or cool.  Drink 2 times a day, 10 minutes before both lunch and dinner.  Do this for only 15 days then take a break of 10 days before repeating.


Important note: Only use brown onions, not red or white etc


Here is a soup recipe using brown onions that I made for my daughter as her favourite food is soup and she has had a long stint of bronchitis.  Onions are supposed to be fantastic for any lung infections, asthma and respitory conditions.


Onion Soup


8 large onions
500gr chicken bones
salt
water


I took the chicken bones and cooked in my pressure cooker for 1 hour.  Take out the bones and strain.  Slice the onions and put into the chicken stock.  Cook in a pressure cooker for 40 minutes.  Add salt to taste.


Add more water if necessary, I added probably about another litre as the stock cooked for such along time.  Use a hand blender (immersion blender) and pulse it through the soup at the end.


This is such a delicous, light soup that it will be a regular at our house from now on.