From Marathon to Weight Watchers: Fennel

San Juan Capistrano Weight Watchers leader Kristen Eiseman, a vegetarian, knows her ruffage better than most. One of her favorite Weight Watchers recipes is the Fennel Orange Salad, and one of her favorite places to get the aromatic, licorice-tasting herb is at the San Juan Capistrano Downtown Farmers' Market.

At the Farmers’ Market fennel costs about $2 for two bulbs (on a long stalk).  Eiseman said she has been eating a lot of fennel lately—and likes to roast it. 

Fennel, a member of carrot and parsley family, has a long pedigree and many uses.  According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a half-cup of raw fennel has 15 calories, 0 fat, 25 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. The vegetable is also related to cumin, dill, caraway and anise.  This probably explains its licorice flavor. Among fennel seed uses are in baking, stuffing and Italian sausage. Oil from the seeds also goes beyond cooking and is used in perfumes, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Fennel is also rich in history. The Herb Society notes that it was used by ancient Egyptians as a food and medicine. It was also associated with the origin of the marathon, because ancient Athenian Pheidippides carried a fennel stalk on his 150-mile, two-day run to Sparta to gather soldiers for the battle of Marathon.

The CDC recommends that fennel be firm, have straight stalks and green leaves.  The bulbs should be compact in shape, with the stalks fairly close.  Avoid fennel that is discolored or show signs of splitting.

The following is one of Eiseman’s favorite Weight Watchers recipe for fennel:

Ingredients

10 ounces fennel bulbs, stalks, fronds and outer leaves trimmed. Bulb thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1 small navel orange, segmented

1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)

2 tbs white wine vinegar

2 tsp olive oil

½ tsp table salt

¼ tsp ground cumin seed

¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

Toss all of the ingredients in a large bowl; cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature. Yields about 1½ cups per serving.  (3 Weight Watcher points per serving). Serve as a starter or side dish.

Note:  Fennel tastes sort of like licorice without the sweet aftertaste.  Look for firm, white bulbs with supple fronds. Slice about ¼ inch off the bottom, then remove all the fronds, stalks and outer leaves from the bulb before slicing it very thin.