Vegetarian Cuisine: Onion Salad

4 servings of Onion Salad
76 Kcal per serving

1 purple onion (200g)
4 cilantro (30g)
1 Tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon (100g)
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbspsoy sauce
1 tbsp honey

Onion salad is a low-calorie and light appetizer for a hot summer day.  Onions have tangy sweet taste with great health benefits.  Quercetin in onions can help reducing inflammation and healing infections.  Low-glycemic-indexed onions have chromium that can assist regulating blood sugar, thus is a great choice for diabetes.  Cilantro contains high dietary fibers with low calories.  In addition to high amounts of vitamin A,C,E,K, cilantro contains compound that can help us to get rid of toxic heavy metals in our body.  Extra virgin olive oil contains polyphenols that can help us reducing the oxidative stress throughout our bodies.  Lemon are the most nutritionally powerful fruits that contain a lot of antioxidants and flavonoids, including citric acid, vitamin C, hesperetin, naringin, carotenes, and lutein, that are good for our health.  Honey although contains high levels of sugar, abundant antioxidants in honey in fact can help our digestive system and boost our immune system.  Soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans, and has multiple layers of flavor to please your palate.  Shoyu-polysaccharides and shoyu-flavones from soy sauce can help the growth of gut probiotics and boost immune function.  However, too much soy sauce consumption is not recommended because most soy sauce on the market also contain high sodium content. 

Baked Lemon Flounder

4 servings of Baked Lemon Flounder

145 Kcal per serving

2 flounder filets (400g)
2 lemons (100gx2)
2 parley (20g)
2 Tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp peppers

Flounders contain EPA and DHA, the two omega-3 fatty acids that clinically proved to help reduce risk factors for heart disease, including lower down blood cholesterol and blood pressure.  In addition to these anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, flounder filet is high in protein with zero-glycemic index, make it an excellent choice for diabetes.

Lemon are the most nutritionally powerful fruits that contain a lot of antioxidants and flavonoids, including citric acid, vitamin C, hesperetin, naringin, naringenin, carotenes, and lutein.  Their intense citrus aroma and sour flavor increase your appetite on a hot summer day.

Parseley not only enhances flavor and color, but also supplies a lot of phyto-antioxidants, such as myristicin, limonene, eugenol, apiin, and apigenin, that are good for our health.   Especially, eugenol has anti-microbial activity and can stabilize blood glucose level.

Enjoy!!

Squid Pear Salad

4 Servings of Squid Pear Salad

160 Kcal per serving

12 squids (350g)
1 Asian pear
4 cloves garlic
1 red hot chili pepper
2 scallions
1 Tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 lemon

With low glycemic load (GL=3, 100g), squids provide high proteins (100g, 16g proteins), and essential omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA (100g, 500 mg EPA/DHA) that clinically proved to help reduce risk factors for heart disease, including lowering down blood cholesterol and blood pressure.  Additionally, squids contain selenium, a mineral that is essential for selenoproteins such as glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase, both are powerful antioxidants our body need to fight against free radicals.

Pears are known for their abundant anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, including various antioxidants, flavonoids, and cancer-fighting cinnamic acids, mostly in their skin.  In addition, pears contain high dietary fibers, mostly non-soluble polysaccharides to inhibit cholesterol absorption and prevent colon cancer.

The sauce for this dish is full of health benefits as well.  Red chili peppers not only contain vitamins A, C, E, but also has capaicin that can boost metabolism.  The sulfur-containing allicin in garlic has ability to inhibiy cholesterol synthesis, and has anti-microbial activities.  Green scallions contain thiosulfinates to protect us from microbial infection and prevent colon cancer.  Shoyu-polysaccharides and shoyu-flavones from soy sauce can help the growth of gut probiotics and boost immune function.   Lemon juice is rich in vitamin C and citric acid that can help our digestive functions.    This is certainly a summer dish to enjoy!