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.
Author Archives: Dr. Sukol
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.
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Raspberry-Coconut Popsicles
These popsicles are just what I need — the perfect antidote to 88 degrees and 100% humidity. In June.
Note that you have to plan ahead, so don’t try to make these an hour before the party. Although it will take only around 20 minutes to put together the popsicles, you’ll need about 6 hours from start to finish after you add in all the freezer time. Continue reading
The Magical Fruit
Can we talk about beans? I’ve heard it said that a great many cultures tell a story that highlights the magical properties of beans. In English-speaking nations, for example, the story is Jack and the Beanstalk. Beans made Jack strong enough to become a giant killer!
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Strawberry-Pecan Spinach Salad
The quintessential springtime salad! Can you just imagine this recipe’s tiny sweet strawberries bursting in your mouth? Soft, gently flavorful leaves of spinach, fresh from the ground? With a bit of bite from the onion and some satisfying give from the pecans? Thank you, lowfatveganchef.com, for the original version of this recipe.
Paying Attention to What You Eat
Today’s talk centers around paying attention. If you discover that you’ve eaten a whole bowl of popcorn or a big bag of chips without even noticing, then you are definitely not paying attention. Let’s talk about some of the reasons this happens.
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Spring Peas with Walnuts and Dates
A celebration of spring! If you can’t decide whether to get the snap peas or the snow peas, or maybe those beautiful little spring peas, here’s a recipe that will let you use all three. From foodnetwork.com.
Grandma Rosie’s Lunches
Grandma Rosie had a saying: “Never cheat your stomach.” My father still quotes her regularly. He especially enjoys reminiscing about the meals that had him racing home from school every day at lunchtime. My dad didn’t get a peanut butter sandwich for lunch. There was no breakfast cereal in my grandmother’s kitchen. Here, instead, are a few inspired examples of my grandmother’s own creative cooking style.
The spinach-potato knish my dad ate last weekend got him started reminiscing about Grandma’s “spinach and potatoes.” She mashed lightly cooked greens into her potatoes, and my mother reports that Grandma made sure to include the cooking liquid for extra flavor. She never made “plain” mashed potatoes. My dad rolls his eyes as he describes this.
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Chicken Cacciatore
If, like many of our friends this week, you’re getting ready for a huge onslaught of guests to celebrate a commencement of one sort or another, think about putting a recipe like this in your slow cooker. The very process of slow cooking blends and brings out flavors, caramelizes and smoothes the natural sweetness in ingredients like tomatoes, and generally turns what was previously a very nice recipe into something entirely more subtle and sublime. Try this chicken cacciatore, in honor of Ann’s graduation.