Foods Alive Feature Recipe & Newsletter
SWEET, SWEET CORN
My favorite and by far the simplest and quickest way to chow down a fresh cob employs the pick, peel and chow down method. Corn has been developed into ever sweeter and juicier varieties and eating them fresh off the cob is like biting into a juicy apple or pear. How can salt and butter and high temperatures improve on nature? Cooked corn is a starch while raw corn is neutral and easier to digest. I dunk corn in a covered pot with hot water for 5 minutes. If you cook for a big family and the water to corn ratio is diminished, you will have to re-heat, but not boil, the water. I look for organically grown non-GMO corn as I have no desire to digest in-bred chemicals that are known to remain active in our cells, long after the naked cobs have been utilized by micro organisms and wrigglers in the compost pile.
It is interesting to note that healing properties in plants and fruits taste bitter or sour. Have we in our zeal to please the North American sweet palate diminished the very nutrients that contribute to our well being with every bite? Pungent herbs and vegetables like curcumin, cinnamon, turmeric, basil, leafy greens, nettle and fenugreek seeds are known to solve a host of minor inflammations while supporting lively organ function.
The recipe for the hearty Corn Salad eats more like a stew than a salad. It will fill your middle and digests absolutely seamlessly. Especially if you take the time to chew and savour the colourful blend of crunchy veggies with tender marinated mushrooms.
HEARTY CORN SALAD
3 portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbsp pure maple syrup, agave nectar or honey
2 tbsp sliced scallions
1 bell pepper, (red, orange or yellow)
1 cup grape tomatoes
4 cups baby lettuce
4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from cob
Marinate the mushrooms for 1 hour in the vinegar, olive oil, and maple syrup. Set aside
Mix scallions, bell pepper, tomatoes and corn in a large bowl. Toss well. Divide lettuce onto plates and add a layer of corn mixture. Top with 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of the mushrooms.