Category Archives: Viva!

El Niño Should Be Near Its Peak

El Niño Should Be Near Its Peak
Past events suggest the phenomenon winds down after December and January. But will this year follow the pattern?

Roasted Baby White Turnips with Parmesan

turnips_baby-white

2 bunches baby white turnips, greens removed and set aside
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
¼ cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Cut turnips in half and add to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toss with cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and toss gently to combine. Arrange turnips in a single layer and roast until golden on both sides, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the turnip greens by placing them in the boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain them and run under cold water. Squeeze them dry then add them to a serving bowl.

Once the turnips are roasted, add them to the turnip greens by lifting the parchment paper and scraping the contents into the serving bowl. Toss, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, serve.

Serves 4

Health Benefits of Turnips

Fresh raw white turnips

Article by: Beth Blessing

Turnips belong to the Brassica family, which includes cabbage, broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts. They are a root vegetable that is native to Europe, and thrive in cooler temperatures. The small, tender varieties are the most common turnip to be found on the menu, being less bitter and healthier to eat than the larger varieties.

This week’s turnips are the baby white variety with beautiful, edible greens. They are coming from our friends at Coke Family Farm. The white turnip is tender, crisp and has a thin skin that doesn’t need to be peeled. They are delicious in soups and stews, and as a puree, braised, or roasted. The nutrient packed greens are used much the same as spinach; raw and added to salads, sautéed, or creamed.

Like all vegetables, turnips are very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. They are a good source of vitamin B6, folate, calcium, potassium, and copper. A very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, and manganese. The turnip greens are a super food and packed with nutrients. They are a good source of protein, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, iron, and phosphorus. Turnip greens are a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese.

Turnips go well with cream and coconut milk; coriander, nutmeg, turmeric, parsley, or thyme; bacon or roasted and braised meats; salty cheeses such as Parmesan; other root vegetables or mushrooms; honey, sherry, or lemon.

Try turnips in these recipes:

Turnips with Smoked Paprika and Green Onions

Braised Turnips with Thyme

Roasted Turnips with Green Onions

Roasted White Turnips with Parmesan

Chik, Zika and dengue — mosquito borne illness in El Salvador

The airwaves in El Salvador are currently filled with government public service announcements on how to control mosquito-borne diseases.   And for good reason.    Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes in El Salvador include Chikungunya, dengue and now the Zika virus.  

Chikungunya and dengue infect tens of thousands of Salvadorans each year, and Zika is spreading quickly.  According to an article in La Prensa Grafica today, the country’s social security health system (ISSS) treated more than 60,000 people in 2015 and the beginning of 2016 for Chikungunya, dengue and Zika.   This would be only a portion of the population suffering form these diseases, since ISSS covers only those person with formal employment.   Almost 40,000 persons were treated for chikunguya and 14,000 for dengue.

The new arrival in El Salvador is the Zika virus, which is spreading in many countries in Latin America.   4590 patients were treated by ISSS for Zika in 2015, and already 2300 in the first 16 days of 2016.

From a New York Times article on the spread of Zika in the Americas:

For most people, the Zika infection is not particularly serious. According to the C.D.C., only about 20 percent of infected people have any symptoms at all, and the few who become sick usually have a mild fever, sometimes diarrhea or a rash, headache or muscle pain. The illness goes away within a week, and rarely requires hospitalization. Rest, pain medication and hydration are the only treatments, and there is no cure or vaccine. There has never been a death attributed to the Zika virus, according to the C.D.C. 

Still, there are significant dangers for pregnant women because the virus has been linked to congenital microcephaly, a serious and often fatal birth defect in which the fetal brain fails to develop properly.

The CDC issued recommendations related to travel to Zika infection areas for women who are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant.

CDC recommends special precautions for the following groups:

  • Women who are pregnant (in any trimester):

*  Consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

*  If you must travel to one of these areas, talk to your doctor first and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your trip.

  • Women who are trying to become pregnant:

*  Before you travel, talk to your doctor about your plans to become pregnant and the risk of Zika virus infection.

          *  Strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your trip.

VOX also offers this background piece on Zika.

Government efforts in El Salvador to control the mosquitoes which carry these diseases primarily include fumigation of areas where mosquitoes are present and efforts to educate the population about reducing the presence of standing water where the mosquitoes breed.    Individual steps to avoid infection should include wearing long pants and long sleeves and using mosquito repellent.