My friend Lilah sent me this recipe for banana muffins earlier today. Even though she really doesn’t care for bananas, she said “I have to tell you, I loved these.” She said she’s planning to make batches to feed her kids for breakfast on schooldays. I like that idea. You have to assume, of course, that she’s planning to make enough to eat a couple more after they leave. I like that, too. And just so you know, there’s a version of this recipe (check out Debbie Reichert’s blog) that’s been posted more than 600,000 times on Pinterest. Continue reading
Author Archives: Dr. Sukol
The Best New Health App in Town!
This past year, I met Adam Baratz, a twentysomething who was talking about his idea for the new app, Betchyu. And this past week, I am thrilled to report, Betchyu launched! The Betchyu team is everything you’d expect — young, hard-working, creative, smart, entrepreneurial, and ambitious. These guys have cracked the code for motivation. Way to go, Adam and team! Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Grace’s Cabbage Soup
You know how sometimes, rarely, you meet someone whose friendship becomes so valuable to you that one day you realize that you have become family? And you know how it takes you by surprise, the transition, because it is so seamless that you don’t even know when it happened, but suddenly there it is and it could never have been any different. Continue reading
Celebrations & Libations
This week has been a celebration, consisting of one wonderful meal after the next at my parents’ small farm in northwest NJ. Lots of people talk about how to add more vegetables to their meals, but here at the farm my folks are walking the walk. Eating vegetables is what they do. Our dear friend and neighbor Grace waxes about where to get the best green beans, broccoli, or early corn. The asparagus and strawberries are gone now, she reminds us wistfully, until next year. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Lebanese Potato Salad
This past weekend I had the great pleasure of collaborating with a friend on a collection of recipes for a beloved young couple starting their married lives together. Many of the recipes came from my friend’s mother and her grandmother, who came to the U.S. from Lebanon so many, many years ago. In honor of my friend, Judith, therefore, and the culinary heritage that she has been so lucky not just to inherit but to perpetuate, here is a recipe for Lebanese Potato Salad. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Black Bean Salad with Quinoa
You can’t go wrong with this one-pot meal. Eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Take it to a picnic, a potluck, a brunch, or your own kitchen table. For folks with dietary restrictions, it’s the perfect dish to bring to a celebration or gathering when you’re not sure there’ll be anything there you can eat. Make a big batch on Sunday, and see how long it takes to disappear from your refrigerator. Continue reading
Eggs, Simplicity, and the Ruhlmans
It was quite an amazing week! It started with a visit with Michael & Donna Ruhlman, along with their generous gift of a copy of Egg: A Culinary Exploration of the World’s Most Versatile Ingredient.
The Table of Contents alone scrambled my brain! Wow–check this out!:
Whole/Cooked in the Shell
Whole/Cooked out of the Shell
Whole/Cooked out of Shell/Blended
The Dough-Batter Continuum
Separated/the Yolk
Separated/the White
Separated but Used Together
Michael Ruhlman makes you think about ingredients in a way you never have before. Continue reading
Many Thanks!
Many thanks to Michael and Donna Ruhlman for their graciousness and hospitality the other night. Click here to read what Michael had to say about our conversation.
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Flaxseed Wrap
The original version of this recipe comes from Wheat Belly, authored by cardiologist William Davis. Flax meal is an interesting option if you are looking for grain-free options for a portable lunch. I like the idea of grinding flax seeds in your Vitamix, and I like the idea of making your own wraps. Continue reading
The Word “Healthy” Has Lost Its Meaning
This week I read the usual assortment of posts, advertisements, articles, op-eds, stories and emails describing various products, recipes and produce as “healthy.” Hundreds of examples flood my world on a weekly basis. How is anyone supposed to know what the word “healthy” means anymore?
What’s the problem? “Healthy” doesn’t mean anything anymore. It’s been co-opted by the food industry, and from there it has become so firmly entrenched in our daily language that it’s more or less lost its value. The media, in particular, uses it extensively. This week alone I saw it used in reference to peas, milk, chocolate, granola, dog food, cookies, gluten-free flour, grocery stores, and that was just the beginning. Not just that, but food is not “healthy.” It is, rather, “nutritious.” Eating nutritious food is an essential part of being healthy. To be specific, it’s not food that’s healthy, it’s us.