With Or Without Peeling the Skin Off

[Karl Giles]

Fruit and vegetables, which contain a lot of the all-important
nutrients under their skin are not by accident often called comfort
foods. The kind of food that smell not only great, but give mouth-
watering flavors. Our ancestors knew what was healthy for them, and
cooked their meals every day with fresh ingredients.
Potatoes Potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, potassium and
chemicals that lower blood pressure. In order to keep them a healthy
source, we must do as little as possible with them. Boil or bake them
whole. The flesh that is just below the skin, contains 80 percent of
the vitamins in the whole potato. Moreover, the skin itself rich is in
fiber. Bring the water to a boil before adding the potatoes to the
pan. When you boil potatoes, make the time they spend in the water as
short as possible. That means keeping an eye on them and checking them
after ' 10-12 minutes with a fork to see if they are 'al dente' which
means tender to the bite. Otherwise they lose vitamins.
Tomatoes Tomato is one of those vegetables loaded with essential
nutritional elements. Oddly enough tomatoes become healthier cooking.
Recent research suggests that even pizza with a base of tomato sauce
is an excellent choice for a healthy diet. While the vitamin level
fall 75 percent when we heat tomatoes, they are an excellent source of
antioxidants (such as lycopene responsble for the red color of the
vegetables), which dramatically increases with 165 percent during
cooking. A dash of oil helps your body absorbs larger quantities of
lycopene. Tomatoes, canned tomatoes, tomato puree and even ketchup are
healthy. Gazpacho, a delicous tomato and garlic soup, which is served
chilled, is almost medicinal.
Apples Apples have a calming effect, thus lowering the blood pressure.
The fruit is also an excellent source of pectin, a fiber that helps
reduce blood cholesterol and possibly prevents cancer. And yes,
unpeeled apples also provide their most plentiful nutrients just under
the skin.
Leaving the skin on even in apple pies, gives a more colorful result,
and for the small 'complainer' who says something about the skin, just
tell them it is healthier for them and they can have a bigger piece of
pie.
Other examples of fruit and vegetables with these qualities under
their skin are: bell pepper, cucumbers, eggplant, grapes, green beans,
nectarine, pear, peach, plum, yellow squash, zucchini.
Pork, Apple & Potato Pie - the ultimate skin-on comfort food.
Serves 4.
Shopping/to do list:
1 pound pork loin, cubes ? 2 Tablespoons flour ? S&P tt ? 1
Tablespoon canola oil ? 1 cup beer ? 2 Tablespoons butter, divided ? 2
apples, sliced ? 1 pound potatoes, scrubbed, cubed, boiled ? 1
teaspoon sugar ? 1 Tablespoon cinnamon ? 2 pie crusts ? egg wash: 1
egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
Preparation:
1 - Toss meat cubes in flour, and season with a little salt and
pepper. Heat oil in large skillet. Add meat and brown on all sides. 2
- Add beer, bring to a boil and let simmer for 45 minutes. 3 - Grease
oven-safe dish with 1 Tablespoon butter. Roll first pie crust out and
place in the dish. Pre-heat oven to 375'F. 4 - In large bowl toss
meat, apple, potato, cinnamon and sugar. 5 - Scoop mixture into the
pie crust, divide remaining tablespoon of butter over the mixture and
place other crust on top. 6- Cut away edges and -using a fork- seal
edges. Brush with egg. Cut a few air-vents in the crust. 7 - Place in
oven for 30-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Serve family style.
Article and recipe by chef Yvonne Stephens

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