Prickly Pear Cactus

Opuntia Species

by Wanbliwin

Many times, and from many different people, I've heard that Prickly Pear cactus has helped their diabetes. "Some kind of natural insulin" I was told.
Kevin Dahl, Education Director for Native Seeds/SEARCH, has written of the diabetes-preventing qualities of desert plants, including the Prickly Pear cactus. Citing the high incidence of diabetes in the American Indian (the rate for the Pima Indians is 15 times that of other Americans), Dahl explains that the dietary shift from desert plants to refined and "fast" foods was the trigger for the disease in these susceptible people.
"Nopales, made from prickly pear pads, are of particular interest to medical researchers. Their soluble fiber content is good for diabetics...One study concludes that the intake of nopales before meals may be useful in managing...diabetes," states Dahl, in Wild Foods of the Sonoran Desert, by Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
I happen to like Prickly Pear cactus, and use it frequently in my meals. The following is some information on how I've used the plant in my daily diet.
How to prepare:
Remove the spines by scraping them off with a knife. You may also trim all around the edges. Be sure all spines and fuzzies are removed. Tender, young (will be bright green) pads do not need peeling. I find hand-size pads best.
How to use:
Saute whole, in olive oil, covered. Add any other items you like: mushrooms, peppers, tofu, olives, herbs, tomato, garlic, onions. Season to taste with thyme, tamari, sea salt, cilantro, or any herb/spice you think will go well. I simmer very slowly over lowest possible heat. This makes the pad very tender and juicy. It also prevents the oil from becoming indigestible -- high heat is ruinous to many foods.

Chop fine and add to burritos, scrambled eggs/omelets, tacos, tostadas, stir fry, soups, stews, and salads, including egg salad or tuna salad.
Pickle!
Press a few slices through your juicer when you make carrot juice.
These pads tend to be gooey like okra. This can be used to the advantage of a dish that would otherwise be dry. Using the pads raw, and mixed in with other ingredients, or sufficient slow-cooking seems to work best to avoid unwanted gooeyness.
A crucial part of "cooking" is to do so with love and the highest, best thinking you can hold. Nothing to do with "positive thinking." The Reflection Formula is fitting (details on request).

A crucial part of "eating" is to chew each bite thoroughly, 30 or more times, and hold the highest, best thinking you can hold. Nothing to do with "positive thinking." There is a food-focus formula in Thinking and Destiny by H.W. Percival which can be used for this purpose.