Special Sections

SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2018 LIVE IT UP! 11 day a week to eat vegan. It's a fun way to challenge yourself to eat a plant-based meal." (Kitchen Table is focused on plant-based cuisine, but menus also include sustainable sources of chicken and fish). Woods has kindly shared two recipes with us, for Chicken with Barley Soup and Mushroom and Rice Noodle Soup; both are fea- tured from time to time at Kitchen Table. SHADOWBROOK In addition to letting us publish his recipe for Winter Vegetable Soup, which was served at Shadow- brook during the holidays, execu- tive chef Roger Gowen has shared lots of tips for healthy cooking during the winter season. ese include suggestions specifically geared to seniors. "During the cold winter months our bodies crave the warm comfort, richer, sugary, heavy carbohydrate food of our youth—which is totally opposite of what we were trying to achieve just a few months earlier (a healthy diet of salads and lighter, cooler meals)," says Gowen. To combat these cravings, he says, it's wise to substitute healthier options. "Like instead of traditional mashed potatoes, use cauliflower and parsnips. Replace baked pota- toes with baked squashes or yams. Kale and collard greens are great sources for calcium. Fortified oats and lentils are sources for Iron. Edamame, almonds and Spinach aid in fortifying magnesium, which helps in making us feeling hap- pier." Also, to help in regulating depression, Gowen suggests eating Sockeye salmon or tuna. As far as cooking methods, "Lightly poach or grill instead of frying; yes, grill -- throw on that parka and get out there!" Sous vide cookers are ideal for older seniors or ones that may be more physi- cally challenged, says Gowen, as the pot can stay on the stove and food can be cooked in a zip lock baggie and easily removed. "No heavy liing. Perfect every time!" Getting a pot of boiling pasta water from the stove to the colander can be dangerous for a fragile senior. "Young seniors may still be exploring interesting cultures and looking to cookbooks for inspi- ration, such as 'Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi' (by Yotam Ottolenghi) and 'Nopalito, A Mexican Kitchen' (Gonzalo Guzman & Stacy Adi- mando), both full of exotic ingredi- ents and spices." Current among popular spices, Gowen says, are sumac ("a smoky delicious spice used in several cul- tures"); Za'atar, a blend of sumac, thyme, sesame seeds, and oregano or hyssop; and fenugreek minced with parsley and cilantro, "as a wonderful, bright addition to soups and stews." ere are also traditional "cream soups" which, if a person does not easily tolerate dairy, can be thickened with mashed potato or mashed parsnips instead (and these are rich in folate and vitamin B9). courtesy of Shadowbrook TIPS: LOCAL RESTAURANT CHEFS HELP YOU GET BACK ON TRACK BY TARA FATEMI WALKER Vegetable Stock • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 2 medium onions, unpeeled and cut into one inch pieces • 1 Bunch celery cut into one-inch pieces • 4 Carrots cut into one-inch pieces • 1 pint mushrooms washed and halved • 1 Fennel bulb, cut into one-inch pieces • 1 Head of garlic, cut in half crosswise • Quarter bunch of Thyme • Half a bunch of Italian parsley • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns Heat oil till shimmering, add all vegetables and cook stirring occasionally till just beginning to brown. Add four quarts of water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to simmer and cook till reduced by half. Winter Vegetable Soup • 2 Tablespoons olive oil • 2 lb Butternut squash- peeled and large diced • 1/2 lb Yellow onion- medium diced • 1/2 lb Carrots- peeled and medium diced • 28 oz Can peeled, seeded chopped tomato • 1 Fennel bulb- chopped medium • 4 Stalks Celery- medium diced • 1 Bunch kale- chiffonade (sliced thin) • 1 Cup cooked Northern white beans • 1 tablespoon chopped thyme Heat olive oil till shimmering, add butternut squash and cook till edges begin to brown. Add onions, carrots, celery and fennel; cook till slightly wilted. Add Northern white beans and reduced vegetable stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook till squash is fork tender. Add kale and season with salt and pepper to taste. Recipe provided by Shadowbrook executive chef Roger Gowen CONTINUES ON 12

• Cover