Red Meat Causes Death...Fact or Fiction

A recent Archives of Internal Medicine Study found that the more red meat you eat, no matter what the source, the higher your risk of death.

Unsurprisingly, processed meats (i.e. hot dogs) had stronger associations with mortality vs. unprocessed (i.e. steak), suggesting the particularly harmful effects of the preservatives used, including nitrites, sodium, and phosphate additives. The study looked at red meat consumption in relationship to calorie intake, but failed to adjust for individual fat consumption or fat content of meat cuts. So we still don't know if a leaner red meat cut is as harmful as a fattier cut. They were able to show that substituting red meat with fish, beans, nuts, low-fat dairy, whole grains (basically, any healthy food) showed lower risk of mortality--not shocking news given all we know about the benefits of a rounded, plant-based diet.

Summary: It's still ok to eat red meat! Moderation is key. Aim for 1-2 servings per week at most. And, as always, eat your vegetables.

Escondito Falls

This past weekend I went on a "hike" through Malibu's Escondito Falls. While the first two legs offered a rigorous but novice hiking experience, I will go ahead and call the third and final leg an all-out boulder climb (and I'm NEVER one to exaggerate). With shaky legs, we summitted the cliff for a beautiful view of the waterfall beneath and the Pacific Ocean. The next day, I felt not only accomplished, but general body soreness--a hurt-so-good kind of feeling. Not surprising given that just 30 minutes of rock climbing burns nearly 400 calories. If you're not up for the last leg, the view of the second waterfall is still worth the trek.

Climbing out of this cave required advanced shimmying technique.

Shakshouka

This middle-eastern dish of eggs poached in spicy tomato sauce is bubbling hot and perfect for sharing on a cold night! I served it with some homemade whole wheat pita bread and Moroccan Eggplant Salad. It made perfect healthy comfort food as the snow comes down in NYC!

Shakshouka
Serves 4

A mildly spicy, bubbling hot dish perfect for sharing on a cold night.

2 Tbs olive oil
4 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed and sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can low sodium or no salt added diced tomatoes

Salt, to taste
4 eggs
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas

1.    Heat oil in a 12” skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

2.   Add tomatoes and juices, reduce heat to medium, and simmer. Using back of spoon, mash tomatoes while stirring. Simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

3.   Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.

Grain Awards

In the awards season mood and with this recent WSJ article as inspiration, here are some top nominees for healthy whole grains:

 

Best Actor: Amaranth—technically not a whole grain at all! It’s an herb. It’s also delicious and full of essential amino acids, which are lacking in most other whole grains.

Best Quick Cooking: Quinoa—cooks in ~15 minutes, making it a great whole grain substitution for brown rice which can take 45 minutes to an hour.

Best Multi-Tasker: Millet—used around the world for everything from Russian porridge to Roti to brewing beer. Millet takes only about 20 minutes to prepare and has a nutrient profile especially good for women of child-bearing age.

Best Chew: It’s a tie! Farro and Wheat berries. If you’ve been to a shi shi salad bar recently, you’ve probably seen these. And for good reason. They add a vitamin/mineral-packed chew to any number of dishes. Because of their texture and nutty flavor, they also make a great whole grain breakfast option. And, oh how I love healthy breakfast 

Northern Spy Food

It's been open a little over 2 years now. Northern Spy Food continues to be at the top of my list of restaurants to take friends. Delicious local ingredients help them create a rotating menu of seasonal comfort food. Portions are perfectly suited for sharing a variety of starters and mains; trust me, you'll want a taste of as much as possible once you see/smell/taste what's coming out of the kitchen. 

Another reason I love this place? They do vegetables BEAUTIFULLY. For me, there is nothing better than a touch of meat/cheese/decadence with a heaping plate of the healthy stuff. Last night we ordered Kale Salad, Marinated Beets with Goat's Yogurt, Crispy Gnocchi and the Hudson Valley Pork Special, which was pork belly with black-eyed peas and greens. With copious wine and dessert, the whole evening was only $60 a person. Reasonable for such a high quality, delicious meal! 

Kale Salad with Almonds, Butternut
Squash and Pecorino

Golden and Red Beets with Goat's Yogurt--
goat's yogurt was pleasantly surprising

Crispy Gnocchi is a great shared indulgence!

In case you need another reason to exercise...

Irisis was named for its ability to carry messages between body cells, 

after Greek mythology’s Iris, messenger of Olympian gods. 

A study conducted by scientists at Harvard has isolated the protein, named irisis, produced naturally during exercise that helps increase calorie burn. Irisis turns white fat into brown, a more metabolically active fat that helps keep us warm. In short, the hormone increases calorie burn beyond that which we get from exercise alone. While studies are expected to head in the direction of approving irisis for pharmaceutical use, “repeated bouts of prolonged exercise” promote a natural increase in the body’s levels. Summary? Hit the gym 4-6 times per week and aim for 30-60 minutes per session.    

Talking About a Resolution...

Does your New Years resolution need a boost only 2 weeks into 2012? The pitfall of many resolutions or long-term goals is that they lack specificity and ability to measure success. Make specific, achievable, measurable short-term goals to help make your resolution a reality. 

Resolution: "Lose weight."

This week's goal: "Exercise 15 minutes extra, 3 days."

Resolution: "Eat more vegetables."

This week's goal: "Include vegetables in 2 out of 3 meals every weekday."

Resolution: "Eat healthier."

This week's goal: "Choose fruit instead of dessert 5 out of 7 days."

Happy 2012!

Croutons from Day-Old Bread

With a 2-day, partially-eaten baguette on my counter, I was heartbroken to let a delicious loaf go to waste. Here's how I made it into crunchy soup and salad toppers:

Garlic-Herb Croutons

Ingredients

1/2-3/4 baguette, halved lengthwise

2 cloves garlic, halved

4 Tbs olive oil

1-2 Tbs chopped fresh herbs of choice (or 1 Tbs dried)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350degrees. Rub garlic onto both sides of baguette. Cut baguette into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss bread with olive oil, herbs, and pepper. Place in single layer on baking sheet and bake at 350 for ~10 minutes until golden brown. Store in airtight container at room temperature. 

Latkes and Homemade Applesauce

 The holidays are a great time for great food. I got to celebrate the holidays with delicious dishes like last night's Zucchini Potato Latkes with homemade applesauce--check out the recipes and save for next year or enjoy a belated holiday favorite :)

Homemade Bourbon Applesauce

Ingredients
6 small-medium apples, peeled cored, loosely chopped
1/4 cup bourbon
1-2 tsp cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp Allspice

Preparation
Place apples in heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add bourbon and spices. Cover and stir periodically until apples are softened, mashing with spoon as you stir. Takes about 30-40 minutes for chunky consistency  Remove from heat. Mmm!

Zucchini Potato Latkes

Ingredients
3 small-medium waxy potatoes, coarsely grated (for all grating in this, use large grate on box grater or food processor attachment like I did)
2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
1small onion (or 1/2 large), coarsely grated
1/4-1/3 cup flour (I used whole wheat--whatever you've got works)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil (for frying)

Preparation
Place grated vegetables in dish towel and wring out excess moisture.

In mixing bowl, combine egg, flour, salt and pepper. Add vegetables to egg mixture and toss until well combined. Add more flour as needed (extra flour and egg will make these fluffier on the inside vs. crispy the way I make them).

Heat half oil in large skillet, but do not let smoke. Drop rounded tablespoons of mixture into oil, and flatten. Fry first batch until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes) and flip. Brown on other side. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Repeat with remaining latke mixture and oil.

Keeping Salt in Check

Most of us have heard "cut cut cut sodium." But a recent study shows that too much AND too little may increase risk of cardiovascular death (aka heart attacks). An article published in the NYTimes this week discussed the study. So what does this really mean for your intake? You don't need to avoid salt entirely (this is quite impossible, really). But limiting your intake will likely be beneficial, especially given how much sodium is added to processed foods in our food supply. Try these simple tips to keep salt within healthy limits:

1. Choose fresh! Think seasonal fruits and veggies for vitamins, minerals, and flavor. Choose them instead of processed and packaged foods which often have ridiculous amounts of added sodium. 
2. Add spice. Salt a tad in cooking (just enough to bring out other flavors) and add dried/fresh herbs and spices for taste. 
3. Avoid salting food at the table. Food is typically salted during cooking (especially at restaurants), so keep the shaker off the table.