8 The Clackamas Print
Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011
_______________________
Fitness Nutritin
Go cocoa for chocolate’s benefi
By Joshua Baird
Arts & Culture Editor
Is there anything better than the sensation
of rich, warm chocolate melting on your
tongue? In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we
bring you chocolate: the process, the flavor,
the reason.
Chocolate has long been a favorite gift
during what many people believe to be the
most romantic day of the year, but why is
that?
Part of the reason is the sheer versatility
of chocolate. Not many foods can handle
being mixed with such a wide range of other
food such as fruits, herbs and certain meats
(like bacon).
Another reason is more chemical in
nature. “Chocolate has a chemical called
phenyl ethylamine, a chemical very similar
to when you fall in love,” said Sarah Hart,
the owner of Alma Chocolate in Portland.
“I think chocolate and sex are tied together;
they both make you feel good.”
Hart said that one of die perks of her job
is people are generally in a good mood when
they come into her shop, and if they aren’t
then they are coming to see her because they
.want to feel better.
As for the health benefits of chocolate,
there are a lot of different areas that chocolate
helps. “Chocolate is not just delicious, but
it contains antioxidants that help fight off
free radicals,” said Ann Chan, a student at
Clackamas Community College. “The purer
(darker) the chocolate, the more antioxidants
it contains. White chocolate doesn’t have any
health benefits though because it isn’t real
chocolate; it is just cocoa butter.”
Free radicals are tiny molecules that have
the ability to mutate your cells and are one
of the possible causes of different types of
cancer.
“Dark chocolate puts you into a better
Joshua Baird CZacbfl
Decadant morsels await customers at Sarah Hart’s chocolate shop, Alma Chocolate, in Portland. The chocolate gets
out in organized form to catch the customer’s attention.
mood and lowers your blood pressure. That
helps increase the blood flow ... and helps
your sex life,” said self-proclaimed chocolate
lover Laurie Warren.
Now that we have the flavor and the rea
son behind us, let’s move on to the chocolate
making process. Chocolate starts its life off
as a fnjit from the cacao plant which grows
only in certain regions around the equator.
The seed inside the cacao fruit is then
fermented, a process that is “a little like wine
making and a little like coffee making,”
according to Hart.
After the fermentation is complete, it is
time to dry the seeds. They can either be
sundried or dried by some other method and
then they are roasted. The husk is removed
and the nibs that remain are ground into
a paste which gets processed further into
chocolate.
The process is a very long and rel
practice, and Hart said it is surprising fj
was ever discovered considering how hi
is to make it.
In the end, dark chocolate can in fat
good for you and has its roots grow
into our hearts and collective psychfl
a happy Valentine’s Day, and don’t fora
give someone you love that feeling of fl
in love all over again with chocolatefl
Vegetarianism thrives while meat takes the backsea
By Kayla Calloway
Co-Editor-in-Chief
are a great reference to look to. His advice is easy
to follow and the rules make sense.
Did you know that you should avoid words such
as “lite” and “non-fat” when you are shopping for
your food? I didn’t. I grew up drinking two percent
milk, and though it’s going to be really hard for me
to give up that specific delicacy, I will try to follow
the rule best I can. The reason, you ask? According
to Pollan, “We’ve gotten fat on low-fat products.”
It’s all in those pesky carbs.
Want to learn more? Pick up a copy of “Food
Rules” at your favorite bookstore, or you could
meet Pollan at the University of Portland on April
16. Tickets are on sale to the general public now,
but all students of any college can get in for free. I
plan on going myself.
This week’s words to live by come from, of
course, Michael Pollan: “Rule 43: Have a glass of
wine with dinner.”
grew up with meats; steak, burgers, chicken,
pork; I love them all. So when I was first
- Do you have any ideas to help others get back
introduced to this recipe as being a vegetarian
dish, I was apprehensive. Questions like, “Does into
it shape or any healthy recipes to recommend?
E-mail Kayla at chiefed@clackamas.edu
involve tofu?” ran through my head.
I was pleasantly surprised, though, when I read
that the ingredients were fairly familiar to me.
I was even more surprised that I loved it from the
—
first bite. Its combination of salty and sweet hit the
spot with me and my roommates, who also enjoyed
the dish.
Bun Bun Noodles
Now I must admit that I did alter the recipe a tad
by omitting the chili pepper flakes as I am not a fan
with Spicy Peanut Butter Sauce
of spicy foods. In my opinion, the dish was amazing
without that one ingredient, but I’m sure it would
still taste good if it had been retained.
• 10- to 12-ounce package of whole wheat
In addition to attempting this dish, this past week
angel hair pasta or spaghetti
I purchased the book “Food Rules” by Michael
Pollan. In it, he advises readers on what and what
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
not to eat from what he learned while trying to fig
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
ure out the secret to healthy eating.
• 1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
Some rules are simple, like if it arrives at your
car window, it’s not food, and avoid foods with high
• 3 tablespoons sugar
fructose corn syrup. But other rules caught me off
• 1/4 cup low-salt soy sauce
guard.
For instance, rule 10 advises you to “avoid foods
• 1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
that are pretending to be something they are not.”
• 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Pollan references margarine instead of butter, which
isn’t so much a surprise as soy-based mock meats.
Garnishes: chopped green onions, julienned
That’s right, my apprehension towards tofu
carrots and red peppers, toasted
wasn’t completely unfounded; I just didn’t realize
it before.
sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, chopped
For anyone who’s looking for a little guidance
cilantro
when it comes to the foreign and often overwhelm
ing world of healthy eating, Pollan’s many books
I
Michael Bonn CtoduB
This delicious vegetarian cuisine provides th®
essential nutrients and vitamins that meat d®
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■
1. Cook pasta; drain and set aside in ho]
2. In a medium saucepan, saute the garlid
the sesame oil for a minute or so. Remotl
the pan from heat.
3. Add the peanut butter, sugar, soy sauc®
pepper flakes and oil to the saucepan. Is®
whisk to stir until thoroughly blended. ]
4. Pour sauce over noodles and stir to cofl
bine.
5. To serve, place a mound of noodles ojfl
each plate and pass around the garnishe^fl