YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Smooth Red Amaranth Soup

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

A jar filled with amaranth, tiny caramel-colored grains, has been sitting on my counter for a good long while, and it’s time to eat them! Here’s a recipe adapted from Bob’s Red Mill, which serves as a source for many wonderful and unusual grains. You can use canned cannellini beans in this recipe, or you can soak dry beans and cook up a big batch beforehand, dividing up and freezing the extra for another time.

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2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup amaranth
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup tomato paste

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups cooked cannellini beans (rinsed, drained, and divided)
1/2 cup basil (fresh, chopped)
1 Tbsp. oregano (fresh, chopped)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and stir frequently until soft, approx. 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry 1 more minute.

Starting with just one tablespoon at a time, add 1 cup of stock to the tomato paste, stirring thoroughly after each addition. Then add all the amaranth, stock, red pepper, and diluted tomato paste to the pot. Allow to boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes.

Add 1 cup of cannellini beans, and puree with an immersion blender or Vitamix. Stir in the remaining beans, herbs, salt and pepper, and serve immediately. Serves 6.

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Have Faith in Your Fullness

Posted on December 2, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

Many years ago my mom and I were driving around North Jersey, running errands, when we suddenly realized that we had missed lunch and were famished. I rummaged around for a snack, but all I could come up with was a tiny cellophane package of jelly beans. While my mom kept her eye on the road, I tore open the package and divvied up the six jellybeans. A very short while later we laughed as we realized that now we were barely hungry at all. Of course, knowing this was likely temporary, we soon pulled in to our favorite diner and ordered lunch.

For me, this experience illustrates an important principle, namely, that if you wait a bit after you eat, you can expect your hunger to resolve. Problem? We have unlearned how to wait. Solution: Relearn.

We’re not supposed to eat quickly. Schools in France, with the lowest average BMI in Western Europe, give children an hour for lunch and then an hour to play. Slow food. Slow digestion. In contrast, on this side of the Atlantic many American societal customs conspire against our physiology. We invented “fast food.” We “grab” a bite to eat. We “wolf down” our food so we can get to swim team practice on time. Or we skip meals entirely, because we don’t have time. Our mothers and grandmothers warned against that.

We don’t eat slowly. We don’t enjoy our food. We don’t take as long to eat a meal as we took to prepare it (thank you for that bit of wisdom, Michael Pollan). We don’t eat with our best silver. We don’t stop to smell the roses in the vase on the table. We don’t make it our business to grow vegetables, harvest herbs, or simmer soup on the stove.

Think for a minute about how uncomfortable an overly-full stomach feels. Feedback from your stomach to your brain lags by 20-30 minutes. If you eat quickly, and don’t stop until you are full, you won’t become uncomfortable until well after your meal has ended and you have left the table. But if you give your body the time to tell you that you are satisfied, then you can stop eating when you have had enough.

It’s no surprise that we don’t wait to feel full. But we can, and we must. Make an effort to prepare an attractive plate for each person at the table, and leave the pots at the stove. Take a deep breath before you begin to eat. Take a bite. Put down your fork. Chew your food thoughtfully. Taste it. Enjoy it. Enjoy the conversation. Enjoy the roses. Relax, and allow your food to begin to digest. Put down your fork. Notice how satisfied you feel. Notice your hunger disappearing.

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YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Pumpkin Pudding

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

Here’s a very special recipe for the very special celebrations that tend to crop up at this very special time of the year. It makes a spectacular addition to a brunch, by the way.

Break the eggs into a large bowl, and beat very well with a fork. Add the pumpkin, milk, molasses, and spices, and stir well.

Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish or a large beautiful pottery bowl. Bake at 350º for 1 hour until the pudding is firm in the middle and a cake tester comes out clean. Serve hot, warm, or cold, with or without whipped cream. Doesn’t much matter; there won’t be any left.

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YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Giving Thanks for Squash

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

Here’s another extraordinary Thanksgiving recipe adapted from Mark Bittman et al, a breathtaking way to elevate squash to its deservedly honored spot at the table:

2.5-3 pound yellow/orange squash (peel, seed, and dice approx. 1/4-inch)

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

at least 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes

3 teaspoons coarse salt

1 yellow onion, medium (peel, slice thinly)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup maple syrup

4 tablespoons mint (chopped)

1) Heat oven to 450. Toss squash with 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp salt, and chile flakes. Spread on baking sheet. Cook approx. 15 min, stirring several times during the cooking. Remove from the oven once soft and slightly browning. 2) Heat 3 more tbsp. olive oil on medium-high. Add onions plus 1 tsp salt, stir frequently, and cook 15 min until onions are quite soft and brown. Add vinegar and maple syrup, stir, and continue to cook 15 min more until the onions begin to disintegrate. 3) Mix squash with onions in a bowl and smash together with a fork. 4) Sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt and a generous garnish of mint. (I highly recommend you not skip the mint.) Serves 4-6.

The cook says to eat it on a slice of thick rustic bread coated thinly with a soft cheese like ricotta, chevre, or mascarpone. Alternatively, you may choose to eat it like I would, with a fork.

Happy thanksgiving to you and yours!

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YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Pumpkins, Onions, and Turkey

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

Three unusual and extraordinary Thanksgiving recipes for your dining pleasure, two for before and one for after. Try to make the onions in advance, because they taste even better the next day!

Stuffed Pumpkin
1 small-medium pumpkin
1 1/2 – 2 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 pound cheddar cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
1/3 cup coconut cream
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut a large cap from the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle. Remove the cap, and clear out the seeds and strings from the cap and inside the pumpkin. Season the inside of the pumpkin generously with salt and pepper. Place the pumpkin into either a frying pan with raised sides, or a Dutch oven that is slightly larger than the pumpkin.

Toss together the rice, cheese, garlic and herbs. Season with pepper and pack the mix into the pumpkin until it is almost completely filled. Stir the coconut cream with nutmeg and a bit more salt and pepper, and pour it into the pumpkin. The ingredients should be very moist. Replace the cap.

Bake the pumpkin for 90-120 min until the contents are bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with a knife tip. Remove the cap 20 min before the end so the stuffing browns on top. Serve in slices, like a pie.

Glazed Braised Onions

1 1/2 lbs peeled yellow onions
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup white wine
1-2 cups water
1 dry red chili pepper (optional)
salt

Place onions in a single layer in a large flat frying pan. Cover the onions with the white wine, diluted with water. Mix together the olive oil, salt, sugar, dry red chili pepper, vinegar and tomato paste in a separate bowl, and then add to the onions. Cover and boil for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Continue to boil until the water is gone and the onions begin to glaze. Stir from time to time to prevent burning or sticking. Remember to discard the red chili before serving.

Turkey Soup

2 lbs turkey, either chopped (thawed) or as small cubes of leftovers

2 med onions, diced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced thickly

2 stalks celery, sliced thinly

4-6 medium-large tomatoes

3 potatoes, diced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 quart vegetable stock

salt and pepper to taste

Starting with the turkey, add each of these ingredients in order to a moderately large crockpot or soup pot. Fill with stock, add extra water if necessary to just cover all the ingredients. Set on high for 1 hr, and then turn down to low for 6-8 hrs more. Soup pot inst
ructions: Place it in an oven at 200 degrees and come back at the end of the day.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

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YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Mom’s Root Veggie Salad

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

Just this afternoon, the following note appeared in my inbox:

“Hi Hon, I just made a new dish and thought you might be interested. Dad made chicken stock, and I had all these cooked root vegetables left — turnips, carrots, potatoes, parsnips. I hate throwing them out, which is what usually happens, so this time I treated them like potatoes and turned them into a cold salad.

“First I peeled and diced the vegetables (2 of each), then I diced and added half a large sweet onion, and then 3 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise. Then I added a large handful of parsley plus a few shakes each of salt and pepper. And voila! It is delicious. Right now it’s in the refrigerator, chilling for dinner.

She adds, “There is no chicken in the dish, but that would be good, too.” Thanks, Mom!

[The recipe I had intended to post will have to wait, but the wait will be well worth it — promise!]

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What’s Missing From Your Plate?

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

A couple of weeks ago it suddenly occurred to me that we’ve got it all wrong! Although the supermarket appears to be filled with all kinds of new and different products, the fact is that most of the variety can be found in the produce department. The rest of the supermarket (except for the dairy, meat and fish) is composed, for the most part, of soy, wheat, and corn. Yes, the packaging is different and exciting, but the rest of it’s an illusion.

What kind of variety can be found in the produce department? It’s endless! Try the apples, apricots, artichokes, arugula, asparagus, avocado, bananas, basil, fava beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, bok choy, boysenberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage (green, red, Savoy), cantaloupe, carrots, Cassava melon, cauliflower, chard, cherries, Chinese apples, chives, coconut, corn, endive, eggplant, fennel, figs, garlic, grapefruit, grape tomatoes, grapes, green beans, honeydew, hot peppers, jicama, kale, kiwi, leeks, lemons, limes, lettuce (bibb, green leaf, red leaf, Romaine), Meyer lemons, mushrooms, nasturtium blossoms, onions (white, yellow, Vidalia), oranges, oregano, papayas, parsley (curly and Italian), parsnips, peaches, peas (sweet, Snow), pears (Bosc, Anjou, Bartlett), persimmon, pineapple, plantains, plums, pomegranates, pomelo, potatoes (red, white, Yukon Gold, russet), pumpkins, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, rosemary, shallots, starfruit, strawberries, summer squash, spaghetti squash, squash blossoms, sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, tangerines, taragon, thyme, tomatillos, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, watermelon, yams, yucca, zucchini.

And that’s just the ones I could think of offhand. See what I mean? Eat the widest possible variety of food that you can find, and eat a few more fruits and vegetables than you already do.

Got a favorite you don’t see here? Send it in and we’ll add it to the list!

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Cashew Chicken

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

And now, dear readers, here is crockpot recipe #4 for your dining pleasure!! I adore cashews and this is a perfect way to eat them! It’s also a perfect way to celebrate the fact that YHIOYP zoomed past ONE MILLION HITS this week!!! Thank you, one and all, for that.

4 chicken breasts and 4 drumsticks (raw)

2 cups cashews

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

2 cups celery, sliced thinly

1 small onion, diced

2 scallions, sliced thinly

4 teaspoons tamari

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

4 teaspoons coconut milk

2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Layer the chicken breasts and drumsticks on the bottom, followed by the cashews and vegetables. Mix together the liquids, pour them over the chicken and vegetables, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. See the other crockpot recipes above for directions to make it in a regular oven. Let me know how you like it!!

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YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Lentil Vegetable Soup

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

Here’s recipe #3 in our crockpot series!! Scroll down for the first two…

This recipe took 10 minutes to throw together. It filled the house with fabulous smells for hours and hours, and then it warmed the bellies of a table full of hungry people!

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 small-med potatoes, quartered

6 small-med onions, peeled and quartered

6 carrots, sliced into 1-inch pieces

6 stalks celery, sliced in 1-inch pieces

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup green lentils

4 cloves garlic, sliced

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 small knob of ginger

1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

4 cups water

2 cups beet greens or swiss chard, sliced into ribbons

Place all the ingredients except the greens into your crock pot, set on low, and cook all day (or overnight) for up to 8 hours. If you make it in the oven, check the water level after 4 hours and add more if necessary.

Stir in the greens 5-10 minutes before serving, and allow them to wilt slightly. Regarding the ginger (it’ll be a long time until I use up all of the ginger that Chef Ira sent), it is not essential to the recipe if you don’t have.

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YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Chicken Curry

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

With the cold, windy weather getting ready to blow through, I’m planning a crockpot convention here at YHIOYP! Over the coming two weeks, I will post four wonderful fabulous nutritious economical and delicious recipes for your crockpot. If you don’t have a crockpot (which you should!), you can substitute a regular soup pot or a dutch oven.

Crockpot Recipe #1 is Chicken Curry. Eat it right out of the bowl, or poured over cooked grains (like brown rice or quinoa), or steamed greens (like swiss chard or kale), or even cubes of roasted squash.

First ingredients:

1 large onion, in quarters
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken (free-range, grass-fed, organic if possible)
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices
2-3 medium tomatoes, diced
1 small can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons sea salt

Set aside:

1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup peanuts

chopped cilantro (or parsley if you prefer)

Place all the first ingredients into your crockpot or soup pot, beginning with the onions and meat. Cover, and cook on the low setting for 8 hours. If you’re using a soup pot, add 1 cup extra water before cooking, place the covered pot in the oven, and set the temperature to 225F. Then check it in 4 hrs, and add more water if necessary.

Just before serving, stir in the peas, re-cover the pot, and let it sit for a minute. Sprinkle each serving with peanuts and chopped cilantro. Serves 4-6.

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Your Health is on Your Plate

Dr. Roxanne Sukol is changing the way we talk about food. Wellness, mindfulness, and your good health…since 2009.

Category Archives: Uncategorized

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Smooth Red Amaranth Soup

Have Faith in Your Fullness

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Pumpkin Pudding

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Giving Thanks for Squash

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Pumpkins, Onions, and Turkey

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Mom’s Root Veggie Salad

What’s Missing From Your Plate?

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Cashew Chicken

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Lentil Vegetable Soup

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Chicken Curry