May Lemon, CHN Nutritionist: “In the fall, I look forward to hot teas and nourishing soups to build my immune system and keep the flu at bay. Growing up, my Grandmother would always make Coix Seed Soup when the weather changed from Summer to Fall to boost our immune systems. She said it removes dampness and prevents phlegm and it is easy for adults and children to drink. In my family we use Coix seed in our desserts and meat soups. It is our medicine in our everyday foods.”

Coix seed (Yi Mi) is a round white seed with a bland and mildly sweet taste and a slightly chewy texture. Since it is a seed, it is a complete protein and a good source of fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Coix seed is very common in Chinese supermarkets and herbal stores.

1. Place coix seed and honey dates in your pot and rinse with cold water until water runs clear. Drain the water.
2. Add 6 cups of water to the pot.
3. Cook on medium heat for 1.5 hours or until the seeds are soft and the dates have softened and fallen apart.
4. Cover with the lid and let sit for 30 minutes to steam the soup.
5. Spoon out the soup and coix seed into small bowls and serve.

TIP: For faster cooking, you can use a pressure cooker on high for 20 mins.

Did you know “World Jollof Day” has been celebrated since 2015 every August 22nd? Jollof or jollof rice, is a dish from West Africa. The dish traditionally consists of rice, cooking oil, and vegetables such as tomato, onion, red pepper, garlic, ginger and Scotch bonnet chili peppers. To enhance the color of the dish, tomato paste (purée) is added. As seasoning, spices, salt, stock cubes, curry powder and dried thyme are used. Chicken, turkey, beef or fish are often served with the dish.

Sulaimon Yusuff, CHN’s Lab Director, says, “My memories about Joloff Rice growing up in Africa is that whenever you are served Jollof, it always means it’s a special occasion – Birthdays, Weddings, special holidays and family events all include Joloff on the menu!”

For the Stew Base:

• In a blender jar, combine tomatoes, red pepper, onion, Scotch bonnet or habanero, and stock. Blend until a smooth puree forms, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the stew base to a large saucepan, cover partially with a lid, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the Jollof Rice:

• In a 4-quart pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add half the sliced onion along with the bay leaves, curry powder, dried thyme, a large pinch of salt, and a large pinch of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions soften slightly, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste and 2 teaspoons butter. Cook, stirring continuously, until the tomato paste darkens, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved stew base, cover partially with lid, and cook at a gentle simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in rice until evenly coated in sauce. Cover the pot with a double piece of foil or parchment paper, crimped down around the edges to seal, then top with lid to trap the steam. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible and cook for 20 minutes, then uncover pot and gently stir rice. Cover again and continue to cook until rice is just cooked through, about 15 minutes longer. If rice is undercooked and/or still wet, cover and cook 5 minutes longer.
• Stir in sliced tomato along with the remaining sliced onion and the remaining 1 teaspoon butter until fully melted.
• Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve.

The stew base can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for a week in an airtight container, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Jollof rice keeps well—in fact many people love leftover jollof. Thaw leftovers overnight in the fridge, then warm on the stove top over gentle heat, or in the microwave.

Kelsy Camilo, CHN Nutritionist:
“I love how serious my family takes making Habichuelas con Dulce, each year during Lent. It’s always their first order of business. To them it’s never just about food. It is tradition, respect, love, pride, and harmony. There is always enough to feed a village, don’t ever hesitate to ask for more in a Dominican household!”

In the Dominican Republic, Habichuelas con Dulce, is a traditional sweet dish enjoyed for Lent and Easter. However, it can be eaten throughout the year! Translating to “Sweet Beans”, it should be no surprise that its primary ingredient is red beans. Additional ingredients like batata (Dominican sweet potato) and milk help cultivate its thick and creamy texture. Habichuelas con Dulce is usually topped with milk cookies that have an engraved cross on them. The cross can be seen as an ode to the strong Catholic beliefs in Dominican culture. Habichuelas con Dulce can be eaten as a meal, snack, or dessert. It is usually eaten warm, but can also be cold or frozen-reminiscent to ice cream. Con dulce is typically made in big batches in a caldero (cauldron.) It is customary to offer to family and friends or store in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 5 Bags of Dominican Red Beans
• 3 batatas, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup Raisins
• 1 cup of Whole Milk
• 5 cups of Evaporated Milk
• 1 can Sweet Condensed Milk
• 2 cups of Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1/2 tbsp each Ground Cloves & Cinnamon
• 3 Cinnamon Sticks
• 2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tbsp Cloves

How to make Habichuelas con Dulce:

1. Soften beans in 8 cups water. Once softened, blend with 1 cup of whole milk.
2. Use a fine-mesh colander to strain beans mixture.
3. Pour the strained beans into a caldero and then pour evaporated milk, condensed milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir regularly for about 5 minutes
4. Add the batatas and set your heat to low medium, stirring regularly for about 20-25 minutes
5. Add the raisins and simmer for 10 minutes
6. Serve and top portion with as many milk cookies as you’d like!

In Egyptian cuisine it is common to cook legumes (beans, lentils, peas and peanuts) and vegetable dishes. Koshary is the national dish of Egypt. It is made of rice, chickpeas, macaroni, and lentils. Pita bread called eish balad is also a staple. Nuts and honey are commonly added to desserts. One popular dish, Qatayef (also called Arabic pancakes), is a pancake stuffed with nuts and honey added on top. A lot of spices are used in Egyptian cooking, and the most popular spice is Cumin.

• Cumin helps with digestion.
• Cumin has a lot of Iron—1 tsp of cumin seed provides 17.5% of the recommended amount of iron for adults for the day.
• Cumin acts as an antioxidant, which fights inflammation.

• Honey is also rich in antioxidants.
• Honey is anti-bacterial.
• Honey can help ease minor coughs.

Note: Do not give honey to children under 12 months old. It can cause an illness called infant botulism and is a choking hazard.