Local Chef Offers Cooking Tips To Help With Aphasia
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Patients who suffer a stroke have to deal with the after effects known as aphasia. Those patients can have trouble speaking, reading, writing and walking.
June is National Aphasia awareness month. Here in the Twin Cities, North Memorial Health Care's Intensive Aphasia Program is only one of six programs in the nation that helps people with recovery.
Maple Grove Chef Kurt Stiles and North Memorial's Gail Lommen joined WCCO Mid-Morning to talk about the effects and how cooking and eating can actually help them significantly.
Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients:
1lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch chunks or 1lb chicken breast, cut into 1 inch chunks
2½ tbsp fish sauce
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 medium shallots, sliced thin
½ tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp agave nectar
6 shiitake mushrooms, chopped (optional)
3 tbsp ground rice powder
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp dry sherry (optional)
1 tsp chili powder (optional)
1 head Bibb or butter lettuce, washed, dried, and separated whole leaves
Directions:
Lightly freeze pork until firm, then pulse in a food processor (or dice by hand) until firmly chopped. Transfer chopped meat to a bowl and add one tablespoon fish sauce, allow to marinate.
Bring broth to a simmer in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add meat, shallots, ginger, garlic, lime juice, agave and shiitakes, if using, and cook, stirring frequently until about half the pork is no longer pink. This should take about two minutes.
Sprinkle one tablespoon rice powder over meat. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until remaining meat is no longer pink. This should take about 1–1½ minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, let cool 10 minutes.
Add remaining fish sauce, remaining rice powder, red pepper flakes, mint, cilantro, sherry and chili powder, if using, to meat. Toss to combine.
Serve with lettuce leaves, lime wedges, fresh bean sprouts, and fresh basil leaves.
Serves: 4 as appetizer, 2 to 3 as light meal | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes
AHC Tips:
Don't skip the rice powder! It's integral to the texture and flavor of the dish. Either make your own with raw white or brown rice, or buy it at an Asian grocery.
To make rice powder, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and add three tablespoons uncooked white or brown rice. Toast until deep golden brown. Then grind in a mortar or small spice grinder until it resembles a fine meal.
Salmon with Mango and Spinach
Ingredients
1½ lb salmon, split into 6 oz portions
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup lime juice
¼ tbsp fresh ginger, minced (optional)
2 cups fresh or frozen mango or 2 cups fresh or frozen pineapple
4 cups fresh baby spinach
Directions:
Pat salmon dry between paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
Add lemon and lime juice and ginger, if using. Add salmon, skin side down. Cook for about three minutes. Add mango. Reduce heat to low, turn salmon, and cook another one to two minutes.
Add fresh spinach. Cover the pan and cook until just wilted, about 90 seconds.
Serve with couscous, lemon wedges, and a sprinkling of dill weed.
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes
AHC Tips:
You can also use a mango/pineapple combination, which is one cup mango to one cup pineapple.
Add more lemon and lime juice, if more liquid is needed.
Ginger Yogurt Salad
Ingredients:
2/3 cup walnuts, roasted or cup sunflower seeds, pistachios or hazelnuts, roasted
1 lb carrots, peeled and shredded (Matchstick Carrots from supermarket can help save labor!)
½ Vidalia or sweet onion, finely chopped
¼ cup celery, finely chopped
¾ oz fresh ginger, finely minced
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt or 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
2/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 tbsp honey or agave nectar or 2 tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp curry powder
1 apple, cored and grated
4 oz fresh pineapple chunks (optional)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for one hour to allow flavors to blend. Season with sea salt.
Yields: 2 cups | Prep Time: 20 minutes + refrigeration
AHC Tips:
This salad can also be made in a blender. Be sure not to blend it completely smooth; leave some texture.
This recipe can be made into a smoother, more liquid dressing for green salads. Add another ½ cup yogurt, and two to four tablespoons apple (or other fruit) juice when blending. Season with sea salt or kosher salt and pepper, and keep refrigerated.