YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Mira’s Fish Curry

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

My friend Mira is an amazing cook. No, it’s more than that really. She OWNS any kitchen she inhabits. And she’s a great baker, too, which you don’t see too often. I’ve seen her operate in commercial as well as private kitchens, and it’s the same wherever she is. And her food is, well, sensational. Last weekend she made a fish stew whose flavor was exquisite, so I asked her how to make it. Here’s what she said:

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“I think you cook like me, and are willing to not have specific amounts, so I can basically tell you what I put in the stew. I sauted sliced onions and garlic, I added sliced red peppers, sauteed some more, added garam masala, curry and turmeric, salt, pepper. Then added a can of coconut milk, let it simmer a bit, added the Tilapia and then at the end the spinach. I am guessing it would work with many combos of vegetables and any number of white fishes. I have been eating it for lunch over brown rice this week.”

I’m going to give you approximate guidelines for those who are hesitant to start this recipe without them. But don’t worry — this is a very forgiving recipe. I would guess that if you use 1 medium-large onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 large red pepper, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon curry, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 can coconut milk, 4-5 filets tilapia, 3 large handfuls baby spinach (rinsed), it will work well. And I think that will make a delicious fish stew.

Enjoy! (and thank you, Mira!)

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The Trouble with Infant Formula

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

When I was a fourth-year student in medical school, I had the good fortune to be named a winner of an essay competition sponsored by the John Conley Foundation. I was further honored by the subsequent publication of my winning essay in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Here is a part of the introduction:

“It takes time to understand that some microbes will continue to mutate more quickly than antimicrobials can be developed to treat them or that manufactured infant formula is not an improvement over the real thing.” Here I was making the point that the technological explosion of the 20th century, as fantastic as it was, would have its limits, and that the patient-physician relationship transcends technology.

When I think about an overarching theme for the 20th century, I think about how large things got. Skyscrapers, phone companies, fast food supply chains. The bigger the better, we used to say. Growing up in the second half of the 20th century, I don’t think we really thought about how big might be big enough. Too big had not yet occurred to us. Yet here we are in the 21st century, thinking about solutions to enormous problems that have resulted from unlimited bigness.

At the time I wrote that winning essay, I did not yet see that manufactured infant formula was just one among many types of edible compromises available for sale. [Note, as an aside, the scientific allusion in the word “formula.”] In the 20th century, technology was thought to be the solution, and the solutions were assumed to be absolute.

I didn’t realize what I know now, that there are thousands and thousands of edible compromises on the market. Food is a little bit different from formula, I know, because there are certainly some moms and babies who will be unable to nurse. I’m glad we have manufactured formula, like medication, for them. But the rest of us, as well as our pets, for that matter, will never need formula, or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, or maltodextrin, or corn syrup, or any of the thousands of other sources of manufactured calories that fill miles and miles of super-duper-market shelves across this nation. Not just that, but these manufactured calories have played a major role in one of the greatest pandemics in human history.

So you tell me: Was justice done? [Name that movie reference.]

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YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Toby’s Kale Chips

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

Once again, Toby comes through with another great recipe. If you have a dehydrator for step 4 below, that’s great, but if you don’t you can still make this recipe by setting your oven at the lowest possible setting. Just keep the door cracked open a bit to let the excess moisture evaporate.

1/2 red or orange bell pepper

1/8 c. almonds
1/8 c. pumpkin seeds

1/4 c. cashews

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 small date, pitted

3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

salt to taste

1 bunch kale

1. Remove the central stems from the kale.
2. Using a high-speed blender or food processor, make a sauce by blending together all the other ingredients.
3. Pour the sauce over the kale and mix very, very well until all of the kale is covered with dressing.
4. Dehydrate until crisp.

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Looking for Black Stockings in Vegas

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

I presented two talks at a conference on Preventive Medicine in Las Vegas this past week, and awoke the first morning to discover that my black tights had not made it into the suitcase. This did not jive with my plans to present myself as a tights-wearing professional. Ugh. So I left my room soon after 6 am in search of a new pair of black tights.

The first place I stopped was at the sundry store at the hotel. Two friendly women directed me to the pantyhose, and I was delighted to see a large display of stockings in all the usual colors.

Now many of my readers know me, but more don’t. So here’s what you need to know about me: I am small. Really quite small. Think of me as the Dr. Ruth of Food. If I stand up very, very straight I can claim that I am just about 5 feet tall. Most of my clothing is size 4 or 6. I hope you’re getting the picture.

Back in the store, I began of course to scan the stockings for a pair of Size A black stockings. To no avail. To my relative horror, there were no A size stockings at all. Just B and Q. I am obiously not a Q, and B is a long shot. I turned back to the two friendly women, a feeling of panic beginning to rise in the back of my throat, and asked whether I might be mising the size A stockings. They recommended I try the Walgreens across the way, and I ran out of the store.

But there were no size A black stockings in the large display at Walgreens either. Well, that’s not exactly true: There were two pairs of small-sized “nude” stockings on the bottom shelf. I didn’t want nude; I was looking for black stockings.

America, WAKE UP!! As I hope you have already surmised, this post isn’t really about stockings. Is it really okay with you that Americans are growing so large that stores no longer see the need to carry small-sized stockings? Is it REALLY OKAY with you? Because this isn’t about stockings. This is about obesity, about arthritis, hypertension, gout, heart disease, and that greatest scourge of all, diabetes. Because if there is no need for size A stockings at Walgreens, then we’d better be prepared to spend a lot of money on medicines, on bypass operations, on dialysis, and on nursing home care for stroke patients. We’d better get ready to spend our days as caregivers to parents with dementia brought on by long years of poor nutrition and lack of exercise.

Is it really okay with you? It’s not okay with me.

P.S. I left Walgreens with a pair of B-sized stockings, which bagged slightly around my ankles, and was later rescued by the A-sized-black-stocking-bearing daughter of a business colleague, who had found them at a local outlet.

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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.

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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Hungry After Thanksgiving?

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Dr. Sukol

Several conversations converged this weekend. First came a question from my friend Nazalee to a community of my colleagues: “Oh wise ones…why sooo hungry after Thxgiving? Does stomach stretch or what? Is it a hormone?” One reply: “Perhaps expl is longer than 140 words. Salad Wine turkey ham pumpkn pie not horrible food.”

Then, just two days later, a friend was telling me about his experience studying Talmud in Jerusalem last summer. While studying a different subject entirely, the rabbi made an aside that indulging drives makes them stronger. My friend’s ears perked up at that, and he saved that little pearl to think about at a later time

His comment returned my thoughts to Dr Mike Roizen’s and Dr Oz’s oft-stated opinions (in contrast to my own) that dietary changes must be made on an all-or-nothing basis. Hook, line, and sinker. Like AA. Might this truly be the best strategy for someone with a food addiction? It is certainly in line with the rabbi’s comment. The rabbi’s observation may also have a hormonal basis, as Nazalee conjectures above. Dr Richard Bernstein, from the Nutrition & Metabolism Society, taught me once that stomach stretching initiates a cascade of hormone release that raises blood sugars, which is why eating a whole cabbage will raise your blood sugar even if it is the only thing you eat.

In contrast to the all-or-nothing strategy, on the other hand, I have always been of the opinion that the most sustainable changes are the small ones. When a patient came to see me, I would identify the worst, most egregious, problem and try to work on that issue first. When a patient asks my opinion on a reasonable rate of weight loss, I joke that one-quarter pound a month for the rest of their life would be just about right! I feel that there must be accommodation for our humanness, our fallibility. We aren’t computers to be set at a particular setting. This seems right to me, both for myself and for my patients. The last thing I want to do is to increase stress-related eating. But maybe it’s exactly the wrong advice for someone whose overeating pattern is more in line with an addiction.

I, too, ate a lot more food than usual this weekend. Maybe it’s the change in routine, the distractions, the food itself: its availability, quality, flavor, or the love with which it is made. Whatever the reasons, tomorrow is another day, and I am sure my appetite will be back to normal within a day or two.

Michael and Mary Eades, of Protein Power, talk about coming upon “the honey tree.” This is their descriptor for the experience of taking a major detour from one’s usual way of eating, particularly eating more sweets than usual. Nazalee, it appears that you (and most Americans, probably) came upon the honey tree this week. Other than that, I don’t have an answer for you. It’s not the 140-space limit. I just don’t know. But I have faith and I believe, therefore, that with time you will figure it out.

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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