Compliments to the Condiments

Overlooked jars and bottles can rescue dinner
by Frances Largeman-Roth, RD

I’m ashamed to call myself a food editor these days. My wine glasses are seeing far more use than my pots and pans, and I haven’t made a real trip to the grocery store in weeks. I’ll blame it on recent travels.

When my husband, Jon, is in town (he’s a consultant), I’m far more likely to spend time making dinner. But when it’s just little old me and Millie, our furry canine dictator, I’m just as bad as every other American. OK, not quite. I lean more on fast-yet-healthful foods than fast foods, enjoying Amy’s Kitchen organic, vegetarian frozen dinners and my own gussied up English muffin sandwiches (black olive tapenade really elevates them). I’m a firm believer that you can do almost anything with top-notch condiments. And though Jon growls at me for the wide assortment of half-full bottles and jars in the fridge, I keep them in stock. I think of them as accessories—you could go without them, but life just wouldn’t be as fabulous. Here’s my roundup of the essentials. Continue reading »

Beet And Nori Soup with a Touch of Licorice

© Chef Oscar Umahro Cadogan

The following recipe addresses the special diet considerations for: dairy-free, gluten-free, low fat, vegan, vegetarian, anti-cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases.

Serves 3 persons - approx. 4 cups (1 L)Beets can really shine at the dinner table. They just need a bit of help. The heat of an oven helps mellow their taste bringing out their natural sweetness and helps make them soft. A blender and some olive oil and the spices do the rest, letting the beets shine at the dinner table and providing your palate with a silky smooth sensation upon ingestion. The beets are rich in vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and related color pigments, fibre, and betaine, which will do wonder for your liver. Just lovely eh?

The soup can served hot or cold and will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Try serving it with pieces of poached salmon or other root vegetables, they make good company. The soup also complements boiled brown rice or whole grains beautifully. And a few tablespoons of homemade yogurt as a topping won't hurt either. The touch of licorice comes from the star anise, which has a similar taste to licorice root. Only it is slightly mellower than the root.

1 lb (1/2 kg) whole beets
2-3 cloves of garlic
2-3 sheets of nori
1/2 vanilla pod
1-1-1/2 cups (2-3 dl) of boiling water
2-3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs shiro miso
3 star anise, roasted and ground finely
1 tsp cumin, roasted and ground finely
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek seeds, roasted and ground finely
unrefined cider or brown rice vinegar to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions1) Place the beets in a suitable pan, add enough water to cover the bottom, and bake in a 475° F (250° C) for 1 1/2 hours until tender.

You should be able to pierce the beets easily with at fork. Immediately plunge the hot beets into a large bowl of cold water and leave them there for 10 minutes or so, until they're sufficiently chilled to be handled with your bare hands. Peel the skin of the beets - you should be able to pull or rub it off using your fingers only - and chop them roughly.

2) Toast the nori sheets very shortly over an open flame if you have a gas stove. Otherwise, use a very warm hotplate. Gently hold one half of the nori sheet against the hotplate for a few seconds until it starts wilting and the color changes to a greenish yellow. Do the same with the other half of the sheets. Roast all of the sheets in this manner and rip them into large shreds. If you have an induction stove or a microwave, then you're in trouble.

3) Split the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds inside using a small knife or a fork. Save the seeds and discard the pod itself, unless you can use it in another recipe.

4) Combine beets, toasted nori, vanilla seeds, boiling water, extra virgin olive oil, shiro miso, and the roasted spices in a blender and process into a thick, velvety soup. Perfect the taste using a few teaspoonfuls of good vinegar, a bit of Tabasco sauce, sea salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. If the soup is too thick, add a bit more boiling water. If you want the soup to be even more velvety and creamy, add a bit more extra virgin olive oil.

Self-Management Program Helps Diabetics

(HealthDay News) -- Diabetics taking part in the Diabetes Ten City Challenge showed improvement across all key clinical and satisfaction indicators in the early stages of the program, according to a preliminary report released this week by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA).

The challenge is an employer-based diabetes self-management program that was launched in October 2005. The 31 participating employers in 10 cities work with hundreds of pharmacists to help more than 1,000 people manage their diabetes. The program is supported by drug maker GlaxoSmithKline.

Through the challenge, employers establish a voluntary health benefit for workers, dependents and retirees with diabetes, and waive co-payments for diabetes medications and supplies if participants work with a pharmacist "coach" to manage their condition in collaboration with their doctors and diabetes educators.

The preliminary report includes an analysis of data on 914 people who took part in the challenge for at least three months as of Sept. 30, 2007. The report found clinical improvements in all recognized standards for diabetes care, including:

• Decreases in laboratory measures (mean) for hemoglobin A1C (a laboratory test showing average blood sugar control over the previous two to three months), LDL cholesterol, and blood pressure over the initial year of the program.
• Increases in the number of participants with current influenza vaccinations, foot examinations and eye examinations.
• A 21 percent increase in the number of participants achieving the American Diabetes Association goal of A1C level of less than 7.0.
• An increase from 43.8 percent to 57.7 percent of participants achieving National Cholesterol Education Program goals for LDL cholesterol.
• A 15.7 percent increase in the number of participants achieving recognized goals for systolic blood pressure.

"The results to date prove that this collaborative-practice model is effective for managing diabetes and replicable in diverse locations and employers," interim report co-author William M. Ellis, chief executive officer of the APhA Foundation, said in a prepared statement. "In years of experience with this model, we have seen that when you have positive clinical outcomes and increased patient satisfaction in the early states, the economic benefits follow."

The preliminary report appears in the March/April issue of the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. The final report, which will include data on cost savings to employers, will be issued in 2009.

Diabetes, which affects 21 million Americans, costs the United States more than $174 billion a year and is the country's sixth leading cause of death, according to background information in a news release about the preliminary report.

More information
The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more about diabetes control.

Nutritional Programs for Vegetarians

© Elson M. Haas M.D. (Excerpted from Staying Healthy with NutritionPublished by Celestial Arts)

Some aspects of vegetarianism have been discussed in Chapter 3, Protein, and this type of diet was more fully described in Chapter 9. Here I explore the particular nutrient needs of those following a vegetarian diet, as well as reviewing briefly the many advantages and a few disadvantages of this most humane diet.

Vegetarianism has a long history, and a primarily vegetarian diet is still the most common type on the planet. Even in America, most people’s diets were mainly vegetarian until the turn of the twentieth century, when beef consumption began to increase; it continued to increase steadily until only recently.

A change to a vegetarian diet automatically reduces intake of both protein and saturated fats unless there is a marked increase in consumption of dairy foods and eggs. One of the biggest problems with the contemporary American diet, which I have discussed earlier, is the focus on (or obsession with) protein as the staple of the diet. This is probably responsible for the increase in cardiovascular diseases and cancer because it also naturally increases the intake of saturated fats. We need to return to a focus on whole grains, legumes, and vegetables to give us the high-complex-carbohydrate, high-fiber, high-nutrient, and low-fat diet that is so essential to good health and longevity.

Vegetarianism is indeed becoming more popular again. It has support from the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society, who in their subtle way are finally acknowledging that diet is an important component of health and disease. Many more diet books and cookbooks are focusing on the vegetarian diet, and more athletes, business people, and others are adopting this diet and lifestyle plan.

It is clear to me that vegetarianism makes a statement about both health and planetary consciousness. In a provocative new book, Diet for a New America, John Robbins discusses the inhumane treatment of animals and the waste of resources (water and land) by the cattle and poultry industries. Our diet says a lot more about us than just our personal tastes, as Mr. Robbins tells us on the book cover: "How your food choices affect your health, happiness, and the future of life on earth." We all need to be more vegetarian even if we are not "exclusively" vegetarian. Supporting the current carnivorous planetary program is a factor that creates pollution, economic imbalance, and relative starvation, and this is what, I believe, we are trying to change for the health and peace of our future generations—our children.

In my experience, vegetarians often adopt many other positive health habits in addition to eating more naturally. Those who are vegetarians more for health than for religious reasons tend to eat wholesome foods, avoiding the refined flour and sugar foods and other empty-calorie treats, which are also vegetarian "foods." I believe that even the Seventh-Day Adventists, the most celebrated group of vegetarians, at least in the medical literature, could have a much healthier diet and better statistics if they would adopt these principles. Still, as a group, they have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels and a lower incidence of cancer, heart disease, and obesity than the meat-eating population. A decrease in chronic diseases and an increase in longevity go hand in hand with vegetarianism.

Tips and advice for a healthy diet

Healthy diet helps improve your overall health and well being. A healthy diet can help you feel better, provide you with more energy, help you stay fit and active, and help you fight stress.

Healthy eating can prevent most cases of heart disease and diabetes and help ward off high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and some forms of cancer.

Eating smart: The first step towards healthy eating
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”. -- It's not just what you eat, but how you eat.

Take time to chew your food: Digestion begins in the mouth. Chewing breaks the food into smaller particles and mixes the food with saliva that contains digestive enzymes. Thorough digestion is key to the absorption of nutrients and to good health! Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.

Avoid stress while eating. When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised. Avoid eating while working, driving, or watching TV (especially disturbing programs or the news). Also avoid confrontations, serious discussions or worry during meals. If you feel stressed or upset, stop eating and relax before continuing with your meal.

Try taking some deep breaths prior to beginning your meal, or light candles and play soothing music to create a relaxing atmosphere.

Listen to your body: Stop eating when you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eating slowly can help you get a more accurate read on this, as well. Eating just enough to satisfy your hunger will help you remain alert, relaxed and feeling your best, rather than stuffing yourself into a “food coma”!

Eat early, eat often: Remember this old saying: breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper. Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily caloric allotment early in the day gives your body time to work those calories off. Also, eating six small, healthy meals throughout the day, rather than the standard three large meals, can help keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks.

Healthy Eating Tips: The Basics

You don’t need a degree in nutrition to ensure that you get a well-balanced diet that provides the daily nutrients you need – simply focus on six basic food groups:

Whole Grains: Whole grains include whole wheat, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain barley and millet. Avoid food with refined grains including many breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals.
Vegetables: Go for the brights: the deeper the color, the greater the concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Dark green and orange vegetables, from broccoli, kale and mustard greens to butternut squash and sweet potatoes, are several excellent choices.

Fruits: Enjoy fruits in a number of ways: fresh, canned, frozen, dried, whole, cut-up, or pureed. Fruit juices can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup; avoid or dilute with water
Milk and other dairy: Choose low-fat dairy products. It is important to choose dairy products that DO NOT contain rBST (bovine growth hormone). Organic dairy is best. If you're lactose-intolerant, choose lactose-free and lower-lactose products, such as hard cheeses and yogurt.

Protein: Vary your healthy eating protein choices with a variety of fish, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. Minimize red meats containing high levels of saturated fat.

Oils: We’ve been taught to fear fats and oils, but fresh, high quality fats from olive oil, avocado, raw nuts & seeds, coconut and fish actually provide excellent (and necessary) sources of healthy fatty acids in your diet.

See Healthy fats: Choosing the right fats for your diet

The Nutritional Rules for the Road Part II

© Marilyn Joyce R.D.

In other words, check the label for the words hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated, or palm oil, or coconut oil, or any other oil which is listed as hydrogenated. Leave it on the shelf or in the case. These do not spell good health!

14. Reduce or eliminate your consumption of meats, especially red meats (ie. beef, pork, lamb). These meats are high in marbled saturated fats. Apart from the health risks associated with high fat intake, as indicated throughout the research, the fat of the animal is also where the toxic byproducts of metabolism, and the hormonal injections for faster growth, are stored.

15.Choose fish or the leaner cuts of poultry, ie. the chicken or turkey breast with the skin removed, in place of red meats. If using ground turkey meat, select the skinless boneless breast of the turkey and ask the butcher to grind it for you.

16.Game meat provides a very lean and tasty alternative to our higher fat domestic protein sources. These include rabbit, hare, muskrat, deer, moose, caribou, bear, wild goose, grouse, pheasant, turtle, frog legs, rattlesnake and eels, just to mention a few.

17. Limit your intake of animal meats to a maximum of 3 to 5 servings per week, with the focus on the leaner varieties, especially fish. Fish is generally high in a type of oil, commonly referred to as omega-3 fish oil, which appears to be beneficial in the reduction of the incidence of heart disease and various cancers.

18. Select the plain, unflavored, nonfat and lowfat versions of dairy products, such as milk, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, buttermilk and yogurt. Look for the lower fat varieties, now available, of firm cheeses. Or better still, try some of the new soy cheeses in the dairy section of the grocery store or health food store.

19. Increase your consumption of legumes as a high fiber, low fat, high calcium and iron source, of protein. Included are soybeans and soybean products, such as tempeh, tofu, miso, and soymilk. Other varieties of legumes: chickpeas (garbanzo beans), pinto beans, white and red kidney beans, Roman beans, split peas, lentils, black-eyed peas, etc.

20. Include at least 2 cups of plain, nonfat yogurt, kefir, or acidophilus milk daily for their immune-enhancing properties. Select only those brands which list the specific cultures, and list them as Live Cultures.

21. Reduce or eliminate the intake of potential toxins.

Tobacco has been associated with illnesses and diseases too numerous to list here.
Alcohol can lead to illnesses of the liver, kidneys, bladder and overall elimination systems of the body.

Pesticides on our fresh produce may have hazardous effects on our overall health and immune systems. It is advisable to wash all produce upon purchase, even if it is organically grown. Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to a basin of clean purified water, and soak produce, other than berries and leafy greens, for several minutes, and then rinse thoroughly in two sinks of clear water. Let dry on towels and then refrigerate.

Additives and preservatives added to our food sources may prove over time to have deleterious effects on our immune systems and general well-being. With the increasing consumption of packaged, processed preserved foods we are also seeing a parallel in increasing numbers of allergy sufferers, and general lethargy and restlessness among our children and adolescents. Is there a connection? Why take the risk?

The Nutritional Rules for the Road Part I

© Marilyn Joyce R.D.

It's actually pretty simple. If you want to be healthy and alive, you have to get foods with a life of their own into your body. So the following rules for the journey towards health and a vibrant life are very logical. We will begin on a positive note, with a list of only the DO's.

1. Select the freshest foods you can find! As food sits for long periods of time it becomes:
stale with poor flavor, texture and appearance,
rancid if it contains oils (grains, nuts, seeds),
depleted of nutrients which are destroyed by exposure to oxygen in the air.
2. Focus on fresh vegetables and fruits, and raw untoasted, unroasted grains and cereals.
3. Look for reliable sources, either within your area, or by mail order, for organic produce and grains, and use these as much as possible in your daily menus. Seek out the local or closest farmers' market and shop there for produce.
4. Use the simplest, shortest cooking methods possible when preparing your food in order to insure optimum retention of nutrients. In other words, steam vegetables only to the point of el dente, grill fish and chicken until just done, steam rice or grains until tender and then remove from heat immediately. Gently simmer on low heat versus rapidly boiling on a high heat.
5. Aim to eat at least 50% of your vegetables and fruits in their raw form. This preserves the vitamins, minerals and active enzymes, which may be destroyed by heat and water during the cooking process. Your body requires a full profile of all of these nutrients, which work together, when in proper balance, to create the potential for every metabolic function within the body to take place.
6. Eat the skins of your produce items (fruits and vegetables) whenever possible. Many of the essential nutrients are right under the skin.
7. Choose whole vegetables and fruits over their juices. The fiber which is discarded in the production of the juice is very high in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (plant chemicals), all of which are essential in the prevention of disease and illness. The juice contains only a portion of what is available in the whole food!
8. Season foods with natural condiments, such as fresh herbs, fresh garlic, onions, lemon or lime juice, peppers, organic and ethnic vinegars, vegetable flakes and powders, and spices.
9. Include a wide variety of foods in your diet. This insures a better balance of essential nutrients. What one food lacks, another contains!
10. Reduce your intake of fats, especially saturated fats. These include fats from dairy products and most animal protein sources, other than fish and seafood.
11. Use methods of cooking which do not require the addition of fats, or substitute the fats with vegetable broth, water, or fresh lemon juice.
12. Include small amounts of fats in your diet which are from plant oil sources, focusing on pure virgin olive oil, canola oil and sesame oil. Use them uncooked, in dressings, for salads and steamed vegetables.
13. Steer clear of any fats which are of a trans-fatty acid nature, or which incorporate hydrogenation in the processing. These include:
the wide array of margarines
salad dressings
mayonnaise
most commercial nut butters (eg. peanut butter)
roasted nuts and seeds
packaged and frozen baked goods, cookies, crackers
snack foods and snack bars
canned, packaged and frozen entree items
powdered, canned, refrigerated or frozen coffee whiteners
powdered flavored coffee mixes
non-diary creams and dessert toppings

Apples

Apples
© Brigitte Mars (Excerpted from Rawsome! Maximizing Health, Energy, and Culinary Delight With the Raw Foods Diet, Basic Health Publications, Inc.)

Apples, native to Eurasia, are members of the Rosaceae (Rose) Family, relatives of peaches and pears, and are known botanically as (Malus species). Malus is the Greek term for “round fruit.” Apples were traditionally hung on Yule trees to symbolize the continuing fertility of the Earth.
Everyone has heard the expression, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away".

Apples are very alkaline, cool, sweet and sour, and considered a yin tonic. They are high in pectin, a soluble fiber and thus help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, especially the harmful LDL (or lipo-density proteins). Apples help remove radiation from the body. They stabilize blood sugar levels, benefiting both hypoglycemia and diabetes. Apples reduce colon inflammation, improving both diarrhea and constipation.

They improve arthritis pain, edema, gout, morning sickness, asthma, catarrh, hardening of the arteries, skin diseases, liver and gall bladder sluggishness, rheumatism, and weight loss. Eating apples stimulate saliva flow, promote good digestion, clean the teeth and stimulate gum tissue. Apples are antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, astringent, diuretic, tonic, and have some estrogenic activity. Apples help lubricate the lungs, cleanse the lymphs, neutralize the effects of smoking, curb alcoholism, and aid in preventing intestinal fermentation.

Apples are rich in flavonoids, beta-carotene and vitamins B and C and the minerals boron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and silicon. The tarter an apple is, the higher its Vitamin C content. Pectin is found close to the peel. Commercial apples, are often coated with wax, and better peeled. The Environmental Protection Agency allows over 110 pesticides to be used in apple growing including Captan, a carcinogenic fungicide of which over 10 million pounds are used in this country a year.

Apples taste best when they are in season and are best stored at 35 degrees F Avoid apples that yield to pressure, indicating they will be mealy.

Apples can be enjoyed in pies, tarts, sauces, cakes, and salads and juiced. Enjoy dried apples (untreated with the preservative sulfur dioxide) as a snack. For maximum health benefits eat apples in their fresh raw state!

New Clinical Study Further Proof: Walnuts Protective for People with Type 2 Diabetes

Published on Wednesday, July 06, 2005
by Healthy News Service

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) July 6, 2005 – A new study done in Australia shows that eating a handful of walnuts every day can help patients with type 2 diabetes achieve recommended intakes for polyunsaturated fatty acids (such as omega-3s), critical to protecting the heart.

Findings of this study are published in the July 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (JADA), under the title, “Structured Dietary Advice Incorporating Walnuts Achieves Optimal Fat and Energy Balance in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus”

Commenting on this study, Marion J. Franz, MS, RD, LD, CDE, former director of nutrition and health professional education at the International Diabetes Center, says, “It is important and challenging, for people with type 2 diabetes to eat the right types and balance of fats. The fact that achieving nutrition goals became easier by including walnuts is helpful and useful news for persons with diabetes, and the clinicians and diabetes educators who provide nutrition counsel.”

According to the American Diabetes Association:

More than 65% of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. There are 18.2 million people in the United States, or 6.3% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 13 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 5.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.

The World Health Organization reports that at least 171 million people worldwide have diabetes and this figure is likely to more than double by 2030 to reach 366 million.

University of Wollongong Press Release:

Benefits of walnuts trumpeted again
Eating walnuts as part of one’s overall diet has been trumpeted again for people developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus – this time with a study published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The study follows another report published late last year in the international journal, Diabetes Care, which highlighted the importance of eating a handful of walnuts a day. Walnuts are rich in polyunsaturated fats, Omega oils and vitamins.

PhD student, Ms Lynda Gillen, from the Smart Foods Centre at the University of Wollongong, was the lead author of the latest research paper in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (JADA). The paper is on line at www.eatright.org (then click on the link to ADA Journal) and is titled “Structured Dietary Advice Incorporating Walnuts Achieves Optimal Fat and Energy Balance in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus”. Her paper concluded that clinicians and dietitians should be advising people to include walnuts as part of their total diet.

“This will help achieve optimal fat intake proportions without adverse effects on total fat or energy intakes in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus,” Ms Gillen said.

Ms Gillen said the intake of 30 grams of walnuts a day in conjunction with 350g of oily fish a week enabled achievement of recommendations on the type of fat in an energy-controlled diet for the management of diabetes.

“In this way, individuals consuming walnuts were more likely to achieve a beneficial fat profile than those consuming a larger quantity of oily fish (500g/wk) or those following standard ‘low fat’ advice,” she said.

The walnut group used in the study achieved targeted fat proportions earlier (at three months) than the other two dietary intervention groups and maintained them for longer (at six months). It was clear that the combination of walnuts and oily fish were more effective and more sustainable than a larger intake of fish alone,” Ms Gillen said.


She said that after six months, those in the walnut group were consuming almost half their dietary fat intake from polyunsaturated fat-rich foods, with walnuts providing almost one third of total fat intake and one half omega-3 polyunsaturated fat intake. However, in contrast, the low fat advice group continued to consume foods rich in saturated fat as the main sources of fat in the diet.

“Achievement of energy balance despite increased intakes of high fat foods is an important finding in terms of weight management in diabetes,” Ms Gillen said.

The Director of the National Centre of Excellence in Functional Foods, University of Wollongong, Professor Linda Tapsell said this was an excellent study from Ms Gillen’s PhD thesis that demonstrates the dietetics behind clinical trials on the effects of individual foods. “It is one thing to talk about the clinical results, but it is useful for practitioners and consumers to understand how to get there with particular eating patterns,” Professor Tapsell said. Professor Tapsell was co-author of the paper along with Postdoctoral Fellows Alice Owen and Marijka Batterham and PhD student Craig Patch.