The Relationship Between Nutrition and Cancer

On Wednesday, February 20th at Bazaar Spices at Union Market, Eric Cohen, RN, BSN, OCN, Oncology Nurse and Clinical Intern in Nutrition and Integrative Health at Tai Sophia Institute, discussed the relationship between food and cancer, and what we can eat to boost our immune system and protect us from the inflammation that causes diseases. Eric has been an oncology nurse for 15 years and has focused primarily on patient education as it relates to cancer. He often talks to patients about the side effects of the disease and treatment options. The number one question he receives from his patients is, “What should I eat?”

Eric shed light on the foods that we should eat to help boost our immune system. Here are a few points Eric made:

• Eric made reference to the Mediterranean diet, which includes a wide array of nuts, seeds, olive oil, fish, and wine.
• Eighty-five percent of our immune system is concentrated in the gut, so it's wise to eat foods that are not processed but have high nutritional value.  
• Processed foods can tax the immune system. Fruits and vegetables are extremely beneficial to the immune system.  
• Eating whole foods is important. For example, eating the whole apple, including the skin.
• Eating fresh foods versus frozen or canned as much as possible is beneficial. Eating foods that are in season is important. 
• He also touched upon antioxidants, foods that take in a lot of oxygen. 
• He touched on eating things of all different colors and textures, and most importantly, eating food that tastes good.

Eric discussed the importance of using a variety of spices as helpful in maintaining a healthy immune system. Eric highlighted Galangal (Thai Ginger), Cinnamon, Cayenne Pepper, and Turmeric. Eric mentioned that pungency and bitterness are good for boosting the ability of the gut to digest food and absorb nutrients more efficiently. Most of the attendees of yesterday’s discussion were interested in learning more about cancer prevention.

Eric offered a very educational and informative discussion yesterday and we appreciate all of those who signed up and came out to absorb the knowledge he had to share. Stay tuned for more informative and exciting events at Bazaar Spices.

Chicken Thighs Roasted With Harissa Yogurt

Harissa is a tunisian sauce, which has been modified and experimented with all around the Arab world. The dry mix I used, from Bazaar Spices in DC, is called "Hot Tunisian Harissa Blend" (created by Aromatic Spice Blends) and combines coriander, cumin, caraway, garlic, dried lemon, dried red chili and paprika. This is a very traditional blend. The notes that stand out for me when smelling it are the cumin and caraway, which bring to mind warmth, comfort and fresh baked bread.

To really highlight this spice blend's strengths, I decided to make roasted chicken thighs. What's more comforting than a chicken dinner? I always pre-marinade my chicken in full-fat Greek yogurt because I personally don't like to cook with the skin, so the yogurt keeps the chicken moist and adds that bit of fat that is missing from eliminating the skin.

I used 8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin removed. I put them into a large plastic tupperware tub and added a cup of full fat Greek yogurt and 2 Tablespoons of the Harissa spice blend, about a teaspoon and a half of Kosher salt and about 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. I mixed it all up until each chicken piece was fully coated, and the spice mix was well integrated into the yogurt.  I put the dish into the refrigerator. You can let it sit overnight if you like. Give it at least one hour to get the yogurt marinade to penetrate the chicken.

Place the chicken in a glass baking dish. I always like to serve roast vegetables with my chicken, so in a separate small dish, I placed some baby carrots, drizzled them with olive oil, 1/2 tsp Harissa mix, salt and pepper.

Bake for 30 minutes until chicken has a nice golden color. Pair the chicken and carrots with a fresh salad and dinner is done!

Peri Peri Chicken Pizza

Miss Vic's Kitchen just wrote an amazing blog post about how to make Peri Peri Chicken Pizza using Bazaar Spices' African Bird Pepper! A spicy delicious treat!

Spice Up Your Valentine's Day

According to Merriam-Webster, an aphrodisiac is defined as “an agent (as a food or drug) that arouses or is held to arouse sexual desire; or something that excites.” On Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 6:30pm at Bazaar Spices at Union Market, Elana Jenkins of Funkiedo discussed spice and herbal aphrodisiacs and how to incorporate them into a Valentine’s Day Date Night! Elana offered fun facts and valuable insight on how to spice up Valentine’s Day.

During the discussion, Elana provide a list of spice and herb-related aphrodisiacs and offered recipes and suggestions for making food and beverage preparations to enhance Valentine’s Day. She demonstrated how to create a romantic bath for two using oatmeal and herbs. She spoke in detail about the aphrodisiac components of Sassafras, Saffron, Vanilla. Rosemary, Nutmeg, Mustard, Garlic, Coriander, Cayenne Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and more. 

Elana talked about the relaxing effects of vanilla, for example. When one eats vanilla, it actually goes directly to your bloodstream and has a very calming effect. Most people mix vanilla in cookies or other sweets. One can even put vanilla beans in champagne glasses or infuse them in wine. Who knew!

Another interesting fact is that rose, jasmine and sandlwood are often used in Ayurvedic tradition as a love-inducing aroma. They are all considered aphrodisiacs and when you mix them together, they produce a very powerful and calming effect. They are very good for keeping the skin healthy and fresh and help to encourage long lasting beauty.  Rose calms your emotions. Elana described a recipe that calls for freezing rose petals in ice cubes and using them in drinks. One can make candied roses simply by spreading egg whites on the rose petals and sprinkling them with sugar, and put them on cupcakes. 

Yesterday’s discussion was an informative and eye-opening experience and we can’t wait for Elana and Funkiedo to come back and share more of her knowledge and expertise with us and our community.

Did Someone Say Greek Quesadillas?

Did someone say Greek Quesadillas? Yum. Check out Miss Vic's amazing recipe for Greek Quesadillas using our special Greek Seasoning from Bazaar Spices!

Baharat Spiced Lamb Meatballs

This is one of those mixes that I really wanted to get my hands on. The ingredients are ones that I already have in my spice drawer: Black Pepper, Paprika, Clove, Cumin, Nutmeg, Cardamom and Red Pepper. However, I've never quite been able to get the ratios right to get the flavor of Baharat at home.

For anyone who grew up in the Middle East or loves the food of the region, one sniff of Baharat from Bazaar Spices in Union Market (Washington, DC) will take you back to your favorite Middle Eastern trip, restaurant, or dish.  The blend of spices highlight warmth, earthiness and that perfect mix of sweet and savory.

I thought I would go super Middle Eastern on this one to really highlight this spice mix at it's best. That means lamb. I adore lamb. I know people who think they don't like lamb. To those people, I say, try lamb meatballs. They don't have the sinewy quality that lamb chops can sometimes have and because lamb is a naturally fatty, the meatballs are super moist.  I do add a little cinnamon to the meatballs as well to bring out just a little more sweetness, which pairs really well with lamb.

These meatballs are cooked in the oven, so you don't have to add any additional oil or worry about messy splattering or frying.  They make an awesome appetizer for a cocktail party. You can even make the mix in advance, store in the fridge and then stick them in the oven and mingle with your guests while they cook.

Lamb Meatballs with Baharat Spice Mix:

1 pound ground lamb
2 teaspoons Baharat Spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 chopped garlic clove
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, optional (mint, cilantro, parsley or a mix)
                            
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all the ingredients together. Form into small meatballs to make about 24.  Space them evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Serve them right away, garnished with fresh mint or parsley.

For an extra shot of Baharat, serve them with a dip of greek yogurt with a teaspoon of Baharat, a little salt and freshly chopped mint.

Enjoy!