Author Archives: Dr. Sukol

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Fresh Tomato Salad

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This is not the time of year to turn on the oven.  Or the stove, for that matter.  But the tomatoes are starting to ripen, and you won’t need more than a knife and a cutting board for this recipe.  It’s simple, but it’s oh-so-much more than the sum of its three ingredients.

If possible, start with warm tomatoes, straight from the garden.  If not, room temperature tomatoes will work just fine.  But do NOT make this salad with cold, recently refrigerated tomatoes unless you like the taste of corrugated cardboard.
By the way, the end result looks particularly beautiful if you can get more than one color of tomatoes.  But it’s a great recipe either way.
3 medium-large tomatoes or 2 cups of cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil (it’s a generous amount, but you need it)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
If you’re using large tomatoes, turn them on their side and slice through them into large round cross sections.  Then layer them in a large shallow bowl. 
If you’re using cherry tomatoes, slice each one in half, and toss them into the bowl. 
Then sprinkle on the salt and olive oil, and mix well.  Give it a at least a few minutes to make a juice at the bottom of the bowl before you serve it.  

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If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

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Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!

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Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.

Peach, Nectarine, Apricot, or Plum Chutney

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You should see my kitchen counter.  My husband adores stone fruits, and ‘tis the season!  I love them all, too, but something needs to be done about this, because there is much more than we can eat.

Here’s something wonderful you can do with nectarines, peaches, apricots and plums, in any combination you choose.  I am crazy about sweet and sour, so this recipe resonates with me.  Also, it freezes very well, so you can save some to serve with your Thanksgiving turkey.

4 ripe peaches, nectarines, apricots or plums in any combination 

1 cup pitted cherries (optional)

1/4 cup very thinly sliced sweet onion (like Vidalia)

4 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon garam masala 

Halve, pit, and slice the stone fruits into thin slices. Add the onions and cherries (optional). Combine in a large bowl, and add the honey, vinegar, and spices. Toss gently, and let stand at room temperature 1-2 hours, tossing occasionally. Then refrigerate. 

This chutney tastes great cold or at room temperature.  

Note: If you can’t find garam masala, substitute a good, fragrant curry powder.  The taste will be different, but also wonderful.  

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If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

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Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!

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Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.


YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Roasted Red Cabbage

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Ingredients

1 whole cabbage, rinsed and cored (peel away any dry or moldy outer leaves)
2 T olive oil
1 t kosher salt
(and that’s it!)

This red cabbage has been sitting on my kitchen counter for almost a month.  Enough is enough.


Yesterday I readied a cookie sheet by heating it first at 450 for a few minutes, and then tilting it to spread 1 T olive oil evenly over the surface.  Meanwhile, I sliced a whole head of red cabbage into approximately 3/4 inch slices and then laid them on the heated, oiled cookie sheet for roasting.  Some slices were thinner and some thicker, but I ended up with 7-8 slices in all.

Then I poured a bit more oil into my hand and spread it all over the cut surfaces of the cabbage, sprinkled them with kosher salt, maybe a bit less than 1 teaspoon, and returned the cookie sheet to the oven.

The cabbage roasted at 450 for about 20 minutes, got flipped with a big, broad spatula, and then roasted for about 10 more minutes.  Beware: the volume of cabbage shrank by almost half!

This is a simple and truly delicious recipe.  A whole head of cabbage was eaten by just 5 people!


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If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

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Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!

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Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.

Benjamin’s Strawberries

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A few weeks ago I received this email from a friend: “Benjamin [my friend’s son] picked two quarts of strawberries for you. The berries were small this season because of the odd spring we had and they don’t last.  You’ll need to pick up for tonight’s dinner and finish or freeze them by tomorrow.  Call me at home immediately if you are interested. I won’t be home after 6:00 but Benjamin will be here with his Dad to answer the phone and door.”  I hurried over.

The berries were gorgeous — sweet and perfectly ripe.  My friend was right about that.  I needed to figure out what to do with them fast.  There were just two of us at home, not enough to eat 2 quarts of berries in 12 hours.  I could have frozen them, but I didn’t want to save them for another time, I just wanted to make them last a little longer.  I had read about a trick, and this was a perfect opportunity to try it.

I poured all the berries into a large bowl, covered them with water, and added a couple of teaspoons of white vinegar.  I stirred it around gently with my hand and left it to sit for a few minutes before pouring off all the water.  Then I spread out the berries onto two dish towels and left them there for a while until they were completely dry.

I scooped up the berries and put them all back into the green, pressed-paper, quart containers in which they had arrived.

And it worked. The berries lasted for several days, which was enough time for us to eat them all. And the taste yielded absolutely no hint of the vinegar.  I’m looking forward to trying this out on blackberries and blueberries too.

Many thanks to Benjamin for all his hard work!

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If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

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Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!

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Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.


YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Zucchini Frittata

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This recipe (from Lia Huber at Nourish Network), with just a few very simple ingredients, reminds me of a truly wonderful dish made with potatoes instead of zucchini (and called tortilla espagnola) that a very sweet young woman from Spain made for us on a number of lucky occasions many years ago when our children were small.

2 medium-sized zucchini
1 large sweet onion
4 tablespoons virgin olive oil, divided in two equal portions
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 tsp. each salt and pepper
8 large eggs, beaten

Preheat oven on broil with the rack in the upper third of the oven.

Slice the zucchini and onion crosswise as thinly as possible, no more than 1/8 inch thick if you can manage it. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the zucchini and onions until tender and beginning to soften for about 10 minutes. Add parsley, salt, and pepper, allow to cool 5 min. Then slide vegetables into a large bowl, add the beaten eggs, and mix well. 

Reheat the sauté pan over high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Swirl the oil and then pour in the egg mixture, tilting the pan to spread it evenly. Reduce heat to low and cook 15 min. Run a spatula around the edges and shake occasionally until the center of the frittata is almost but not quite set.

Transfer pan to the oven and broil the frittata 3-4 minutes until the top of the frittata is browned. Then invert onto a large serving plate. Serve warm or allow to cool and serve at room temperature. It turns scrambled eggs into a great dinner or a spectacular brunch. A thin slice with a pickle makes a great snack. 

 

Keep Your Enemies Closer

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Yesterday morning I looked down and saw a tiny ant crawling along the inside of my left elbow. I felt an urge to flick it away, but not to squash it. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, I thought.

Researchers have discovered that the communities of microbes living in the guts of normal-weight individuals differ significantly from those in the guts of obese individuals. Researchers are also finding evidence to suggest that some common autoimmune diseases (like asthma) may result from decreased early exposure to bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that, in previous centuries, would have primed our young and immature immune systems, and protected us—later on—from these sometimes devastating autoimmune diseases. 

The extensive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in beings of all kinds, including both humans and livestock, is being linked to a myriad of consequences, including severe secondary infections like C. dificile colitis, against which we might ordinarily be protected by the community of healthy bacteria harbored in a normally functioning gut.

You might say that the bugs are our friends. Maybe not that, but they are certainly our neighbors.

When my children were young and felt ravaged by the latest cold virus, I explained that it was helping them to grow their “antibody library,” which would be protect them as they grew. We strengthen the bugs and they strengthen us. We occupy the same space. We are not at war. We inhabit their world, and they inhabit ours.

Why does an obese individual’s gut harbor a different community of bugs? I am going to guess that one aspect may have something to do with what those bugs are fed. Perhaps if we feed them real food, the ones that work with us will thrive. And maybe if we feed them ultraprocessed, food-like items, the ones that work against us thrive, and the good neighbors cannot survive. Other bugs have moved in to take their place.

Have you ever made a project with papier mache? The recipe for papier mache, consisting of just flour, water, and salt, results in a glue that dries rock hard. You can count on that. Why does paper mache last so long? Simply put, it doesn’t disintegrate because bacteria don’t eat it. I am not sure what white flour does to the neighborly bacteria in our guts, but I will never be convinced that it nourishes them. Being fed bread and water puts me in mind of prisoners in solitary confinement.

The bugs in our gut are related to our health in every way we can imagine, and a great many more than that, I suspect. That’s why I recommend that you keep your microbiological friends close and your enemies closer. They may not be enemies at all.

 

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Cold Borscht (beet soup)

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Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to be 94 degrees.  Cold soup would be a very good idea. It would also be a good idea to cook the vegetables either tonight or early in the morning, before it warms up.

This recipe comes from a friend who can look forward to a great big bowlful just as soon as he recovers from surgery tomorrow.  His note says that it is “Wonderful on a hot day!”  It also says that the recipe is over a century old, and that it comes from the old Austro-Hungarian province of Marmor.

To make Russian-style borscht, cook the vegetables with 3-4 cloves of fresh minced garlic, add 2 tablespoons of honey to the boiling water, and skip the yogurt.

3 eggs

1 cup plain greek yogurt (optional) 

6 tablespoons lemon juice 

2/3 cup boiling water

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound mix of fresh beets (including the green tops) PLUS any combination of swiss chard, spinach, shredded zucchini, summer squash, green beans, yellow wax beans, shredded cucumber, and/or tomatoes.

2 cups ice water with 4-6 ice cubes

2 teaspoons fresh dill

#1 Early in the day, chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces, place in a medium-sized soup pot, and add 2 cups water.  Cook on medium until the beets are soft, approximately 20-30 min. Put the entire contents of the soup pot, vegetables and liquid, into the refrigerator. 

#2 Place four soup bowls in the freezer.

#3 Later in the day, strain the cold vegetables and liquid, and save the stock.  Then proceed.

#4 Beat the eggs in a large 3-4 quart bowl until frothy, and continue to beat while adding 2/3 cup boiling water in a thin stream. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and chilled vegetable stock.  

#5 Add the ice water, followed by the cooked vegetables. Stir, and remove any unmelted ice cubes. Sprinkle with fresh dill, and serve in the chilled bowls.

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If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

———————————————————————-

Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!

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Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.

Having a Soda on Fifth Avenue

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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced a plan to forbid the sale within the city of sugar-sweetened drinks larger than 16 ounces. The limit, which excludes juice-based, artificially-sweetened, and alcoholic drinks, as well as drinks sold at convenience or grocery stores, is his latest contribution to the effort to combat obesity and associated chronic diseases. Fines of $200 may be instituted as soon as March 2013.

Critics maintain that this approach will not decrease obesity because nothing will prevent those who desire from simply stopping at a local convenience store to purchase the drink of their choice before proceeding to their destination. 

These people miss the point. Mayor Bloomberg is not saying you can’t drink as much soda as you want. He’s saying it can’t be your default setting when you make a stop for a fast food meal. He’s saying you can’t buy it all in a single cup.

This reminds me of the time my two young sons threatened to eat white bread at school. I listened solemnly, and replied that they could still eat anything they wanted anywhere they wanted, like at school or a friend’s house. I was not saying they could no longer eat white bread. I was saying was that they could count on the fact that the available options in our home would consist of nutritious, whole foods. Of course my new plan would simultaneously decrease opportunities for choosing empty calories. 

I have heard people say that Mayor Bloomberg’s policy interferes with their freedom to indulge personal appetites (that will significantly increase their risk of becoming sick and/or handicapped). So many years later, I still remember the sign that hung on the front wall of my ninth grade Civics class: “The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes. 

Are buckets of soda the only cause of obesity?  Of course not. Insufficient activity, giant bagels, overwhelming stress, chronic exhaustion, gargantuan servings of chips and fries in place of fruits and vegetables, and triple-sized burgers all contribute their fair share, not to mention smoking and trans fats.

The obesity epidemic is no longer just an epidemic, but rather a catastrophe. Either we invest in prevention or we pay the consequences. One issue at a time. All roads lead to Medicare, and we will fund the consequences. We’re all in this together. 

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Bok Choy plus

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Start this recipe just after you call everyone to dinner!  And make sure you have all your ingredients in place, ready to cook. 

Heat a frying pan on high heat until a drop of water sizzles, and then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat.  Add 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced. 

Once the garlic is browning (2 minutes maximum), add 1 bunch of boy choy (rinsed and sliced) plus a few similarly prepared leaves of any other greens you might have, such as arugula or swiss chard.  Stir lazily on high heat for a few minutes until wilting.  Bring it to the table and prepare to watch it disappear.

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If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!

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Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!

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Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  

To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.

YOUR HEALTHY TABLE: What’s on the menu?

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We’re starting a NEW feature today called YOUR HEALTHY TABLE!  Through the coming weeks and months I’ll post menus for your days with added attention to including ingredients that are at hand and in season.   They won’t always be as elaborate as this one, but I thought it would be nice to kick off this feature with a special day’s worth of menus!




#1 Breakfast

For breakfast I had a green smoothie.  I put these items into the Vitamix, in the following order, and my smoothie was gorgeous and delicious and nutritious!


  


1 small banana


1 small apple, peeled and cored


2 cups fresh baby spinach, rinsed and dried


1/2 cup almond milk


1 tablespoon chia seeds


6-8 ice cubes



Blend the ingredients on the highest setting for up to 60 seconds, and then drink it up!


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#2 Lunch

Saturday lunches have always been a special family affair in our home.  Here’s what was on the table yesterday:


chicken wings and breasts, roasted with turmeric, mustard, paprika, and onions


spinach salad tossed with olive oil, oregano, thyme, and salt


asparagus spears roasted with olive oil and salt


guacamole (3 avocadoes, 1 large tomato, juice of 1 lemon, a lot of hot sauce, generous shakes of garlic powder, and pinch of salt)


[whole grain] rye bread


sweet corn on the cob, served cold


homemade cucumber pickles


and cherries!


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#3 Dinner

For dinner we ate leftover asparagus, guacamole, and most of the cherries, along with a glass of red wine.



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If you’ve never been on “Your Health is on Your Plate” before, and you’re not sure where to start, visit Lets Start at the Very Beginning to get a jumpstart on preventing diabetes and obesity in yourself and the ones you love!!


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Then, scroll down and check out “A Milestone Celebration — Your Favorite Posts” to find a list of great blog entries!


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Follow Dr Sukol on Twitter @RoxanneSukolMD.  


To comment on this post, follow Dr Sukol on Facebook at Roxanne Breines Sukol.