Mexican Stir Fry with Tofu

I made a great vegan dinner tonight:

Mexican Stir Fry with Potato

It’s simple, start with a pan and some olive oil and saute:

• one potato
• 1/2 an onion (see this post for the health benefits of onions)

Once the potato is soft add in:

• 1/2 a red pepper (any color will do)
• 2-3 plum tomatoes (or 1 large tomato)
• tofu about 1/4 of the brick, cut up into small pieces
• corn (1/2 a cup)
• black beans (1/2 a cup)

Season with chili powder, cayenne, and cumin to taste

Onions!

The next Super Food that should be part of our diets is the Onion.

  Onions, along with leeks, garlic, shallots, and scallions, are part of the Allium family of vegetables.  They are characterized by their rich content of thiosulfinates, sulfides, sulfoxides, and other odoriferous sulfur compounds. These compounds are released when onions are chopped, which is also what makes our eyes water when we chop onions!

The phytochemicals in onions, namely allium and allyl disulphide, can protect us from cancer (namely gastric and prostate cancer) as they detoxify carcinogens, halt cancer cell growth, and block the formation of blood vessels to a tumor (angiogenesis) (1).  They protect us from diabetes as they help lower blood sugar levels.  They also help reduce cholesterol and have anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties. Additionally, the phytochemicals in onions reduce blood pressure, and block platelet clot formation, helping to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.  (2)  Onions are also a rich source of chromium which also helps control blood sugar levels.

They are also good source of quercetin, an antioxidant flavonoid, which has anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic functions.

Onions are also a good source of B vitamins and vitamin C

So how much onion should we eat?  Studies have shown that for colorectal, laryngeal, and ovarian cancer, between 1-7 servings of onion has been shown to provide risk reduction. But for decreased risk of oral and esophageal cancer, we’ll need to consume one onion serving per day (approximately 1/2 cup). (2). So cut them up and throw them in soups and add them to other vegetable dishes daily.

Sources

1. http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/gombbs.aspx
2. http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/onion.html
3. http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?dbid=45&tname=foodspice
4. http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/blog/onion-nutrition-facts-%E2%80%93-health-benefits-of-onions