I get asked a lot of strange questions here at Summer Tomato, but last week the folks over at Fact or Fictional took the healthy eating questions to a whole new level by asking me to help them stay nourished in a post-apocalyptic world.

Fact or Fictional is a show hosted by Veronica Belmont in which she consults experts to prove or debunk myths from movies, TV and video games. In this episode she wanted to know if the apocalypse would leave us doomed to a life of Twinkies and malnutrition, and asked if I’d help her cook an apocalypse survival meal.

To start our meal planning we needed to make a few assumptions. First, we reasoned that there would be little fresh food available, since there would be no electricity and therefore no refrigeration. We also assumed we’d have only minimal cookware, and just a fire on which to cook anything.

Our most likely sources for ingredients would be abandoned pantries and grocery stores, where dried and maybe some canned goods could have survived. We also assumed that we could forage for some sturdier plants and weeds, and even potentially a few robust critters.

One of my primary concerns was making sure we got enough protein from our meal. I also wanted to ensure we’d get some trace vitamins and minerals that would be present in fresh plants.

The first things I grabbed were some lentils and quinoa, which together provide a decent source of complementary amino acids. Quinoa also thrives in barren environments, so the seeds could potentially be replanted as a renewable source of nutrition (both the seeds and leaves can be eaten).

I also looked for vegetables where the entire plant could be used. I chose radishes and turnips, since both the roots and the leaves are edible (and delicious).

One benefit of choosing root vegetables is that they are a more discrete food source. Since the main edible component grows underground they aren’t as immediately recognizable as food, like a strawberry might be. This could help if other apocalypse survivors raid your camp looking for food––they’d have to be garden savvy enough to recognize the plants from their leaves alone.

Edible weeds like dandelions, miner’s lettuce and purslane can be used as a source of viable nutrition as well, and are also likely to be overlooked by potential raiders.

Finally, insects are incredibly robust and are as likely to survive the apocalypse as you are––probably more so. They are an excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals, so collect as many as you can. For this dish I sourced some crickets and wax moth larvae. Huge thanks to Don Bugito for making this possible.

If you’re lucky enough to encounter any pigeons or squirrels, these would be a wonderful delicacy as well.

Keep in mind that you’re unlikely to have the luxury of measuring utensils and other fancy kitchen wares, so this is meant more as a template than a rigid recipe. Use whatever you can find, especially your imagination.

Apocalypse Grub

(serves 4)

Apocalypse Grub

Perfect Steamed Artichoke

A perfect artichoke can be elusive. If it’s undercooked, it’ll be tough and stringy. If it’s overcooked, slimy and mushy. When it’s perfect it will be silky, creamy and hold together well.

The perfect recipe starts with the perfect vegetable. Choose a large bulb, with leaves packed as tightly as possible. Open leaves indicate an older artichoke that is more likely to be tough and woody.

Don’t worry if your artichoke has light brown blemishes. These are typically caused by frost that can sometimes occur in the later winter and early spring. Though it doesn’t look pretty, these “frost kissed” artichokes are rumored to be sweeter and more flavorful than their clear-skinned counterparts.

Artichokes pair beautifully with aioli of almost any flavor, but I prefer mine prepared simply with olive oil, lemon and parsley.

How To Make A Perfect Steamed Artichoke

Photo by Tawheed Manzoor

Juicing fruits and vegetables is widely considered a healthy habit, even though most nutrition experts caution against the excessive sugar and calories you get from juicing.

Although I’ve had tons of questions about it, I’ve avoided discussing juicing at Summer Tomato because I didn’t think there were enough positive things to say to warrant an entire blog post.

That is, until I got a juicer.

Two months ago (Update: it’s been a year now, and while I don’t juice regularly (see reason #6) I still enjoy it on occasion) a Breville juicer and blender magically appeared in my kitchen. I wasn’t particularly excited about it, but agreed to participate in the ensuing juicing experiment—for research purposes, of course. The idea was to start juicing a few mornings a week, just to see what happens.

I was more than a little surprised how much I enjoyed it. Even though it was mostly vegetables, I expected the juice to be very sweet, which it wasn’t. Instead it was bright and refreshing, like a summer salad. It also tasted and made me feel good, and as long as I kept the serving size to 8oz or less it was easy to maintain my weight.

I also find that fresh juice is a great way to fend off a cold, when I feel one coming on.

But juicing is not for everyone. And before jumping in head first, there are a few things you should consider.

6 Things To Consider Before Buying A Juicer

1. Fruit juice and vegetable juice are not created equal

It may sound counter-intuitive, but fruit juice may actually raise your risk of heart disease. Fructose, the primary sugar found in fruit, is transformed into triglycerides in the liver and promotes insulin resistance, both of which promote heart disease.

Why do you think high-fructose corn syrup is so bad for you?

While whole fruit does not typically pose a problem because of its high fiber content, concentrating fruit by juicing it increases the fructose per serving dramatically. Think about how many oranges go into making one small cup of OJ, and you’ll start to see what I mean.

If you’re getting a juicer because you think apple-orange juice is going to make you healthier, you’re in for an unpleasant surprise. Plan to juice mostly vegetables or else getting a juicer is not a particularly healthy choice.

2. You still need to eat your vegetables

Don’t assume that drinking your vegetables is the same as eating them. Yes, as in the case with fructose you will be concentrating vitamins and minerals from your vegetables, but you will also be losing a lot of fiber that slows digestion and helps you feel full.

The rate you digest food and your satisfaction after eating are just as important to your overall health as the nutrients you consume. So while juicing can add to your overall nutrient intake, it cannot replace your daily vegetable consumption.

3. Juicing may stall weight loss

Though vegetables have less fructose than fruit, it is still an incredibly efficient way to take in calories, something most of us don’t need. If you choose to experiment with juicing while attempting to lose weight remember that you still need to watch your portion size, and consider reducing it if weight loss stalls.

I recommend no more than one 8oz juice serving per day if you are trying to lose weight. This is pretty small.

4. Prepare to do a lot of shopping

As noted in the above points, juicers take large quantities of vegetables and turn them into small amounts of juice. Additionally you need to continue buying and eating vegetables for your regular meals.

All this means you’d better plan to do a lot of shopping for produce if you want to keep your refrigerator stocked. If you aren’t prepared for this, you might find you don’t get the use you expected out of your new purchase.

5. Expect to drop some cash

Juicers aren’t cheap, nor are all those shopping trips. Consider juicing a luxury, not a necessity. So if money is an issue for you, you might want to look elsewhere to upgrade your healthstyle.

One thing we’ve experienced with the Breville juice and blend is that it feels like overkill for the kind of juicing we’re doing at home. While some of you may be juicing for large groups, juicing for two does not require an industrial strength machine.

Keep in mind that a larger, more powerful juicer will be harder to work, harder to clean and difficult to store. Consider a smaller size if possible. This smaller model from Breville looks like a fantastic option for a 2-person household.

Here’s a good midrange option: Breville Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor

6. Expect a time commitment

All the shopping, juicing and cleaning does take some time. Making juice for two and cleaning up takes about 10-15 minutes each morning. And as I mentioned above, extra shopping is required (we can no longer fit a week’s worth of vegetables in the fridge, so multiple store trips are necessary).

While the extra work is worth it if you enjoy the juicing experience, you should factor it in while making your purchasing decision.

A few other tips for juicing

If you do decide to take the plunge, here are a few suggestions we’ve found make the best juicing experience:

• Focus on vegetables, but include some fruit. We’ve found that one small apple makes a huge difference in flavor. This is all we recommend so far in the fruit department.
• Include 1-2 root vegetables–such as carrots or beets–to add additional flavor and antioxidants. We like to include either 2 small carrots (1 large) or 2 small beets (1 large). These tend to contribute a tad more sugar and a nice earthy flavor, adding complexity.
• Add at least one leafy green vegetable. We’ve been happy with kale, broccoli and chard (currently in season), but others likely work as well.
• Include one watery vegetable. Cucumber, celery and other watery vegetables help dilute the too-strong flavors of the previous 3 ingredients. This can make a big difference in drinkability, while adding some nice flavor and additional vitamins.
• Don’t forget a garnish. A small amount of a strong flavored item such as ginger, lemon, mint or other herb can make your juice a real pleasure to drink while adding highly concentrated antioxidants.
• Consider adding back a few scoops of the fiber that is filtered out by the juicer. This will make your juice more filling.

Do you juice vegetables? What are your favorite tips?

Originally published February 24, 2011.