In the Kitchen: Caribbean Cabbage Salad and Cassava (Yuca) in Garlic Sauce

 

In this episode, learn how to make Caribbean Cabbage Salad and Cassava (Yuca) in Garlic Sauce. Cooking in the Kitchen is Miriam Linares and Nancy Felix, Community Health Care Worker and Educators with Aetna’s’ Multicultural Program

 

 
 
 

Caribbean Cabbage Salad

 

Ingredients:

 

Dressing

• The  juice of a lemon, lime, and 1 orange
• 1/4 cup  white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 3-4 medium cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 Tbsp  of chopped cilantro or parsley (use any fresh herbs available!)
• 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt

 

 

Salad

• 1/4 head of a large cabbage, sliced thinly 
• 2 to 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips (can be grated too)
• 1 medium white onion, sliced thinly
• 2 large bell peppers cut into thin strips
• 2 stalks chopped scallions
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, sliced thinly (add more depending on your taste for spice!)

 

 

Instructions:

 

Dressing

• Add all ingredients to a glass jar and shake vigorously till combined. Set aside.

 

Cabbage Salad

• Place all the ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss thoroughly! Enjoy the salad immediately or refrigerate and serve later. Enjoy!

 

 

Small changes:

• No added sugar
• Healthy dressing used (no mayonnaise or dressings with high sodium/preservatives
• High fiber/nutrient and mineral content in salad ingredients
• Amplify healthy spices and herbs for flavor!
• Reduced salt

 

 

Cassava (Yuca) in Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 lbs yuca root, halved & in chunks
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 1 lime, juiced
• 6 garlic cloves, mashed
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• Chopped cilantro for garnish

 

Directions:

1. Place yuca in saucepan and cover with water, add 1 tsp salt and lime juice and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender–about 30 minutes.
3. Drain and keep warm.
4. Mash garlic cloves into ½ tsp salt with mortar and pestle (or use food processor).
5. Add smashed garlic, lemon juice, and onions to olive oil in a separate non-stick pan, heat until bubbling, then pour over yuca. Add sliced garlic to pan and brown until crispy.
6. Toss yuca & sauce and return to the pan and saute over medium heat; till slightly brown. 
7. Add to a serving bowl. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and crispy garlic and serve!

 

Small changes:

• Boil Yuca instead of Frying
• Reduced salt
• Did not add fried or preserved meats
• Extra virgin olive oil instead of bacon fat or unhealthy fats

 

Budget corner:  Did you know vegetarian dishes can be some of the cheapest healthy foods you can make? This dish’s protein source is long green beans which you can find fresh for $2.13, frozen for $0.84, or canned for $0.54 (just make sure you wash canned produce very well to remove excess salt). Pro tip: buy whole vegetables instead of pre-cut ones to make your purchase up to 3 times less expensive!

 

Why is this dish great for us?

Healthy, delicious, and budget friendly! This vegetable rich dish is packed with fiber, nutrients and minerals. Fiber has been linked to heart health and a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. (1,2,3) 

We also created this recipe with a few small changes that can make a big impact on your health, without compromising flavor or enjoyment of traditional foods. We have reduced salt while enriching the recipe with fresh herbs and spices, because consuming too much sodium puts us at a greater risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.(4) The great news is the simple act of reducing dietary salt intake may help decrease your blood pressure! (5) 

 

But it’s not just about what you eat – it is also about HOW you eat it. We will be boiling our Yuca instead of frying, which, in frequent amounts, has been linked to a higher risk of adverse health events. (6) This is because deep fried foods are high in saturated and trans fats, which can increase our blood lipids and put us at a greater risk for heart disease. (6)

Finally, by enriching the dish with delicious, yet low calorie fruits and vegetables, healthy fats (from the olive oil) which keep us full for longer, and controlling portion size we are making it easier for us to maintain a healthy weight and live a long healthy! (7)

 

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3712371/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579650/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24929874/#:~:text=Conclusions%3A%20Our%20results%20indicate%20that,fibers%20have%20the%20similar%20effect.
4. Jackson SL, Coleman King SM, Zhao L, Cogswell ME. Prevalence of sodium intake in the United Statesexternal icon. MMWR. 2016;64(52):1394–7.
5. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34649831/
7. https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/vegetables#:~:text=Health%20Benefits,-All%20food%20and&text=Eating%20a%20diet%20rich%20in%20some%20vegetables%20and%20fruits%20as,enough%20of%20in%20their%20diet 

 

 

Haitian Inspired Holiday Drink – Non-alcoholic Cremas

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of vanilla infused almond/coconut milk
• 1 cup of unsweetened cream of coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• ½  or 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1-2 star anise
• 2- 3 tsps freshly squeezed lime juice
• Zest of 2 limes
• 3 Tbsps coconut sugar (sweeten to taste)

 

Instructions:

1. Add all the ingredients to a blender.
2. Blend into a smooth consistency. 
3. Strain and pour the drink into a bottle and refrigerate or chill before serving. Sprinkle cinnamon powder on drink before serving

 

Small changes:

• Significantly reduced sugar content (no condensed milk, evaporated milk or granulated sugar)
• Healthy sweetener alternative  – coconut sugar
• Non-alcoholic

 

Budget corner: You can store limes in the freezer and buy unsweetened cream of coconut in bulk. Having a variety of healthy foods with a long shelf life or that can be stored in the freezer can significantly decrease costs by decreasing food waste. Vanilla essence is an affordable way to add flavor without adding extra sugar to both desserts and drinks. A $4 Pure Vanilla Extract (1 oz) from Walmart can make up to 300 servings of our juice!

 

Why is this drink great for us?

It limits added sugars, saturated fats and is rich in antioxidants and fiber. With our Non-alcoholic Cremas, we are limiting the amount of saturated fats and sugar by removing condensed milk. Limiting our intake of saturated fat can help us reduce the risk of heart disease and improve our “good” (HDL) cholesterol levels. (8) We did not use added sugars since added sugars contribute to calories but contain no essential nutrients. (9) Instead, we made our drink even more delicious by adding a vanilla infused non-dairy milk, because it’s rich in flavor, calcium and low in calories, which can help us control our blood sugar levels and even manage our weight! (9)

 

Recipe Cards: