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The
Tohono O'odham are turning back to their cultural and culinary
roots to help beat skyrocketing trends in obesity and diabetes.
Here are a few of the desert-raised dishes Alan, Danny
Lopez and other tribal members enjoyed in "The
Desert's Perfect Foods."
Tohono
O'odham meal
Saguaro
cactus - the cactus fruit is made into a juice or jam.
Tepary
beans , dried - soaked and cooked as a stew or as part
of an enchilada made with corn tortillas. Tepary beans are
higher in protein than soybeans.
Cholla
cactus buds, dried - the buds are rich in soluble fiber
that helps regulate blood sugar and one tablespoon of buds
has as much calcium as 8 oz. of milk. They are soaked in water
and then boiled for 20 minutes.They can be made into a salad
or added to other cooked dishes.
Prickly
pear pads and fruit - the pads (also called nopales) are
boiled, cleaned and chopped. The fruit is eaten fresh or made
into a juice.
Mesquite
bean pods , dried - the bean pods are ground into a flour
that is mixed with water to make a sweet drink. The bean pods
can also be eaten raw when fresh or dried (but don't forget
to spit out the seeds!).
Wild
spinach/amaranth - the young leaves and seeds can be cooked
like spinach.
Plantago
seed (Indian wheat, psyllium) - seeds are soaked in
water until they gel. Used as a medicine for gastrointestinal
problems. Psyllium fiber from the seed is the basis for Metamucil,
commonly used as a fiber supplement.
Chia
seed (member of the salvia family) - seeds soaked in
water to make a gel. Chia seeds contain a high level of dietary
fiber and fiber, which helps normalize blood glucose levels.
Used in tea and cold drinks. We may make a Chia-Berry Smoothie,
which includes the soaked chia seeds, prickly pear nectar,
and frozen berries.
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