On the occasion of my ninth birthday, half a lifetime ago, my beloved Uncle Lenny gave me a book called The Human Body, which still has a place on the shelves that hold my important books. I called it “The Body Book,” and carried it everywhere I went until I had memorized everything in it, cover to cover. I was fascinated not only by the descriptions and illustrations, but also by the idea that each part of the body was uniquely designed to do exactly what was required of it. Form followed function, and I couldn’t get enough. That, parenthetically, was also the year I decided I was, someday, going to become a doctor. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Beans
And the Winner is Real Food
Years ago, the article Can We Say What Diet is Best for Health?, by David Katz and Stephanie Meller from Yale University School of Public Health, was published in the Annual Review of Public Health. A related essay by James Hamblin, Science Compared Every Diet, and the Winner is Real Food, was subsequently published in the Atlantic.
Katz and Meller compared low-carb, low-fat, low-glycemic, Mediterranean, DASH, Paleolithic, and vegan diets, concluding that “A diet of minimally processed foods close to nature, predominantly plants, is decisively associated with health promotion and disease prevention.” Michael Pollan said, “Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.” More recent research continues to confirm these findings. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Red Soup for the Holidays
In the days when my house was full of school-age children, I used to make crockpots full of soup every weekend, and hope that it would last into the beginning of the following week to provide warm lunches or dinners until it was gone. I don’t make weekly crockpots anymore, but I still love using my crockpot to make soup in the fall, around the holidays, and in the early spring, before the weather begins to warm up.
This time of year, with the nights cooling and plenty of holidays on the calendar, it’s always a great feeling to fill the crockpot and see what develops. And it doesn’t have to be chicken thighs. You can also fill your crockpot with beans! An overnight crockpot fills the house with a sublime perfume, the stomach with a delicious and satisfying meal, and the hearts of those you feed with all kinds of warm and cozy feelings. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Vegan Cassoulet
Last week we were expecting a whole crowd of people to gather for dinner on Friday night. My husband had been away all week, and we were all looking forward to enjoying good food, good company, and a glass of good wine.
I was looking for a main course that would serve as a dramatic centerpiece for our meal, a symbol of sorts, and so I decided to try making a vegan version of a cassoulet. Traditionally, the cassoulet, a staple of French cuisine, is made with meats and poultry like mutton, pork, sausage, and duck confit, and different regions of France are known for their own distinctive versions. But I had my heart set on making a new kind of cassoulet that, while plant-based, was still intensely flavorful. Continue reading
Life Hack: Tortillas and Beans
A colleague of mine, a mother and pediatrician, shared a great idea with me the other day. I thought you might enjoy learning about this idea that falls under the category of “life hack.”
Everyone has experienced the feeling of having no idea what to do for dinner, with barely enough time, and no energy (or desire) to make anything. For some, this is fast food night. Or frozen pizza. Or scrambled eggs. Or hard boiled eggs. But my colleague has hit upon a new solution, one that has been working very well for her family. Continue reading
Lovely Legumes
Today, I would like to talk about the wisdom of beans. When I say beans, I am not talking just about kidney beans, black beans, red beans, or lima beans. I am also talking about hummus (made from chick peas), edamame (fresh soybeans), lentils, and peanuts, to name a few more. There are hundreds and hundreds of kinds of beans, and they all have their own shape, color, texture, and flavor. There are dozens of types of lentils, too, each with their own distinctive colors and flavors and uses. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Judith’s Southwest Chopped Salad
It’s time for another recipe from Judith! This time I got her to share her Southwestern Chopped Salad recipe, which is going to make you so, so happy! You can throw this together and have it for dinner all by itself, or you can take it to a party, where it’s sure to get rave reviews and unlikely to leave leftovers. Use canned black beans, canned corn, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder instead of garlic cloves — keep it as easy as you want. This is also a great recipe to set out deconstructed for kids, with lettuce in a large bowl in the center, and add-ons in smaller bowls all around, so that they think they’re the ones deciding what to eat. If you make the salad this way, you can serve the dressing separately in a small pitcher. Wink-wink. Continue reading
What’s the Best Way to Eat?
An article entitled Can We Say What Diet is Best for Health? by David Katz and Stephanie Meller, from Yale’s School of Public Health, was published in the Annual Review of Public Health a few years ago. A story about the article was published in the Atlantic by James Hamblin, who called it Science Compared Every Diet, and the Winner is Real Food. I would have edited out the word “Real” and simply called it “Food.” Then I might have presented a review of the differences between Food (With a Capital F) and manufactured calories. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Lovely, Lovely Legumes
Many years ago, my then-vegetarian sister had a boyfriend whose mother served her “bean loaf” on her first visit to their home. Its dreadful and unappetizing name was nothing like its fabulous flavor. So we renamed it “chickpea pie,” and it ended up sticking around for much longer than the vegetarianism. And the boyfriend. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: October Pumpkin Chili
This is one of those recipes that comes straight out of your pantry and right into the pot. It’s a perfect choice for when you haven’t had time to go shopping, but you’re still looking for something yummy and nourishing that sticks to your ribs. Continue reading