Tag: nutrition

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

Wild About Mushrooms

Seared Wild Mushrooms photo 01recipehealthmushroom-articleLarge_zps2d6eee33.jpg

Mushrooms are meaty – it is their juicy, chewy texture and the umami element in their flavor profile – and lend themselves to Mediterranean as well as Asian seasonings. They are low in calories and an excellent source of B vitamins and many minerals, particularly selenium, copper, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and manganese. Wild mushrooms in particular also contain phytochemicals, including L-ergothioneine, which studies have shown to have antioxidant properties. They are used medicinally throughout Asia for their immune-boosting properties.

~Martha Rose Shulman~

Seared Wild Mushrooms

There are a number of options for pan-seared mushrooms, from bruschetta to big bowls.

Cod With Chanterelles and Parsley Sauce

Chanterelles are expensive, but you get a lot of volume for your dollar.

Wild Mushroom and Potato Gratin

Wild mushrooms add a luxurious dimension to this comforting, almost classic potato gratin.

Mushroom Risotto With Peas

The wild mushrooms are what this risotto is really all about.

Baked Miso-Glazed Tofu With Wild Mushrooms

A vegan mushroom meal with Asian flavors.

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving Leftovers photo 26MARTHA2-articleLarge_zps538796ac.jpg

I love turkey sandwiches as much as the next person, but this year I have some other plans for my leftover meat: soup, salad and a stir-fry. Even better, these dishes will also serve as vehicles for other leftovers. [..]

Light is the theme here. That’s what we want after Thanksgiving, as we head into the holidays.

~Martha Rose Shulman~

Egg Lemon Soup With Turkey

Modeled after a classic Greek egg lemon soup, this is one of many light, comforting soups that make a nice home for leftover turkey

Turkey Waldorf Salad

This is not your classic Waldorf salad, which is traditionally a mélange of apples, celery, raisins, walnuts and grapes in a thick mayonnaise-based dressing.

Stir-Fried Turkey and Brussels Sprouts

A stir-fry is always a great way to use a little bit of leftover meat with a lot of vegetables.

Garlic Broth With Basmati Rice, Turkey and Squash

This is the kind of soup you can whip up on a whim if you have garlic on hand and either summer or winter squash.

Turkey French Dip

Shredded turkey stands in for the usual beef, while gravy, thinned out to make it brothlike, replaces the jus for dipping.

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

Apples From Thanksgiving Start to Finish

Apples From Thanksgiving Start to Finish photo 20recipehealthalt-tmagArticle_zps39afc012.jpg

Apples will see their way from the beginning to the end of my Thanksgiving meal, starting with a chopped salad that pairs apples with walnuts and bitter lettuces (endive and chicory or radicchio). I made whole wheat apple-pecan scones that you can serve with the meal or eat for breakfast, and sautéed apple rings that make a very nice side dish with turkey (or serve them for dessert with ice cream). Apples and cranberries also add a new sweet dimension to my whole wheat bread stuffing. All this is not to discourage you from making apple pie; but if you want to make a dessert that is a little less demanding, try my now-favorite gluten-free apple-cranberry crumble.

~Martha Rose Shulman~

Chopped Salad With Apples, Walnuts and Bitter Lettuces

A salad with a great mix of bitter and sweet flavors that is juicy, crunchy and comforting.

Whole Wheat Bread, Apple and Cranberry Dressing

Having grown up with Pepperidge Farm stuffing, I will always have a weakness for bread stuffing seasoned with sage and thyme, with plenty of chopped onion and celery.

Sautéed Apple Rings

An apple dish that can work on the breakfast table, as a side dish or even dessert.

Whole Wheat Apple Pecan Scones

Juicy apples work well in these not-too-sweet scones.

Apple, Pear and Cranberry Pecan Crumble With Gluten-Free Topping

Cooking the apples first makes a huge difference in the sweetness of an apple crumble.

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

Beans for Your Thanksgiving Table

Beans for Your Thanksgiving Table photo 15recipeforhealthbeans-tmagArticle_zps2badfe84.jpg

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

If you haven’t started thinking about vegetarian main dishes for Thanksgiving, now is the time. This year I am focusing on beans from North America. I have been enjoying a number of heirloom beans native to the Southwest and Mexico, and they were the inspiration for these dishes, most of which also incorporate other foods native to the Americas – squash, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes.  [..]

Although I’m loving the heirloom beans I’ve discovered, they are not a requirement for any of this week’s recipes. The pintos, black beans, white beans and red beans in your local supermarket will be fine. But it does pay to use dried beans rather than canned, so that you get the delicious savory broth along with the perfectly seasoned beans.

Baked Beans With Sweet Potatoes and Chipotles

A vegan dish that is slightly sweet and spicy. This new world bean dish will satisfy the vegetarians and vegans at the Thanksgiving table.

Refried Black or Pinto Bean, Zucchini and Corn Gratin

An interpretation of a traditional Southwestern dish with three distinct layers.

Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash

A substantial vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish.

Thanksgiving Mixed Bean Chile With Corn and Pumpkin

A straightforward vegetarian chili that is a favorite throughout the year.

White Tepary Bean and Potato Purée

A side dish that can be a comforting, high-protein substitute for mashed potatoes.

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

John Oliver Calls Out Sugar Industry, Demands They #ShowUsYourPeanuts

Most food and beverage makers are fighting the proposed inclusion of an added sugars label on food packages. And, if there is a label, they don’t want sugars listed in teaspoons. They want it in grams, which Oliver says is because no one knows what a gram is.

So he’s offering a better solution. [..]

Since there are more than 5 grams of sugar in each circus peanut, Oliver said food makers should put a picture of one circus peanut on the front of the package for every 5 grams of sugar in the product.

“Do it, food makers. Expose your peanuts to the world. Because if you’re going to shove your peanuts in our mouths, the very least you can do is tell us what we’re swallowing.”

Oliver called on viewers to support this idea by tweeting food makers with the hashtag #ShowUsYourPeanuts.

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

The Pleasure of Bitter Greens

Recipes for Health The Pleasure of Bitter Greens photo 23recipehealthalt-tmagArticle_zps02408d5f.jpg

Bitter greens taste bitter in part because of the presence of certain phytochemicals, which some studies have shown to have antioxidant attributes. We have always known that these greens are healthy and as scientists learn more about the compounds that contribute to their bitter flavors, we are beginning to understand why.

~Martha Rose Shulman~

Stir-Fried Tofu and Escarole

This dish combines four elements, hot, sour, sweet and bitter, for a delicious result.

Wild Arugula, Celery and Apple Salad With Anchovy Dressing

A salad with a delicious play of bitter, pungent, sweet and salty flavors.

Endive Salad With Blue Cheese Dressing

A new, more flavorful twist on an American classic

Penne With Radicchio and Goat Cheese

Bitter greens combines with creamy goat cheese for an irresistible result.

Seared or Grilled Radicchio With Walnut Anchovy Sauce

A delicious blend of salty anchovies, pungent garlic and nutty walnuts makes the perfect sauce for seared or grilled radicchio.

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

It’s Time to Try Nutty, Sour Trahana

Sour Trahana photo 21recipehealthalt-tmagArticle_zps5a658709.jpg

Trahana is a wheat product that is eaten throughout Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. It is usually added to soups and stews, and is also eaten as a porridge. Traditionally it was a way to preserve milk for the winter, when production was always lower, by mixing it with wheat and drying it.

There are many versions of trahana, some made with only milk (this type is called sweet trahana and usually uses goat’s or sheep’s milk) and some with milk and yogurt (called sour trahana). In Greece there is even a lenten version made with vegetable pulp. The liquid is combined with wheat – bulgur or cracked wheat, flour, semolina flour or a mix of semolina and flour – and either kneaded into a dry dough (if flour is used) or simmered until it is a thick porridge. Then it is spread out on netting and dried in the sun. The Greeks usually make it during the hot, dry month of August. Once thoroughly dry it is broken up into granules that can range in size from bulgurlike morsels to small pellets You can find imported trahana in Greek markets and in some Mediterranean markets.

~Martha Rose Shulman~

Homemade Sour Bulgur Trahana From Ikaria

Easy to make yourself, the trahana may become a new pantry staple.

Simple Trahana Soup With Lemon and Olive Oil

A simple trahana dish that is both satisfying and refreshing.

Stewed Green Beans and Tomatoes With Trahana

A delicious main dish stew that can be served hot or at room temperature.

Puréed Trahana and Vegetable Soup

A thick, comforting soup with sweet and tart flavors.

Trahana With Mushrooms

A savory, comforting dish with a delicious thick broth.

Health and Fitness News

Halloween Treats for Adults

Caramelized Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats photo rice-krispy-still-videoSixteenByNin_zpsb442b934.jpg

These are easy to make treats for adults. There are several others you can find here that are a bit more complicated for the daring.

TMC

Halloween Waffles

You need a waffle iron for these. They are great served with  Maple syrup, apple sauce or pumpkin butter

Peanut Brittle

The only thing even remotely tricky about it is getting the sugar to the tint of brown you want — not too light, and definitely not too dark, which can happen in a flash.

Caramelized Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats

Browning the butter elevates these plebeian snacks into something more toothsome, and it adds just an extra couple of minutes to the process.

Microwave Pralines

The microwave makes this quick easy but it’s still very hot

Chocolate Truffles

Of all chocolates, truffles, at their richly creamy, intensely bittersweet best, are the ultimate chocolate confection.

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

How to Make Pickles Without Canning

 photo 09recipehealthsquashalt-tmagArticle_zps5495cb4d.jpg

The idea for this week’s recipes began during a week and a half I spent in Boston and New York in early September, when I kept noticing that pickled peaches were on many restaurant menus. Chefs were throwing them into salads and using the sweet and sour peaches to accompany meat and fish. I came back to Los Angeles and went right to the farmers’ market, intent on storing some of that summer bounty myself.

I then looked at the New York City Greenmarket website to see if the fruits and vegetables I wanted to pickle would still be available at the end of September in the Northeast. I was in luck; according to the site, peaches are available through September, and beans, corn and squash through October. I also wanted to make a pickle with green tomatoes, because this is the time of year when the last of your summer tomato crop may be on the vine, but it won’t necessarily ripen. When I went to my own farmers’ market in Los Angeles one grower had a huge supply of green tomatoes, right next to his ripe red ones. I bought a few pounds and made a cross between a relish and a pickle (the tomatoes and onions are sliced but the other ingredients are chopped).

~ Martha Rose Shulman ~

Pickled Peaches With Sweet Spices

A balance of sweet, sour and spice makes for an irresistible combination.

Pickled Green Tomatoes

A delicious cross between a pickle and a relish.

Refrigerator Corn Relish

A colorful relish that is both mildly spicy and sweet.

Summer Squash Refrigerator Pickles

Pickled squash that can go in salads or complement a variety of grains, meat or fish.

Pickled Green Beans

Serve these beans as an aperitif, garnish or side, or cut them up and add them to salads.

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

This week’s digest is abbreviated since I’ve been traveling.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

Smoothies, Hold the Dairy

Smoothies Hold the Dairy photo 01recipehealthoatmealalt-tmagArticl_zps361fddc9.jpg

I’ve been giving some thought to dairy-free, not-too-sweet smoothies. I usually use yogurt or buttermilk in my smoothies, but this week I wanted to make some drinks using almond milk and coconut milk. I looked around for some brands that tasted good to me (and I did need to look around), and found some great almond milk made with just about only almonds and water (it has less than 2 percent added ingredients but no sweeteners). For the others, I wanted to use coconut milk, not coconut water, which I think tastes pretty bad no matter how good for you it’s supposed to be. I used light coconut milk in conjunction with almond milk in a few of this week’s smoothies.

~Martha Rose Shulman~

Berry Coconut Almond Smoothie

Cinnamon is the secret ingredient in this rich berry smoothie.

Banana Oatmeal Almond Smoothie

Oatmeal bulks up this smoothie, making it more filling.

Frozen Strawberry-Coconut Smoothie With Pomegranate Molasses

Fruity pomegranate molasses is the perfect sweetener for this thick strawberry smoothie.

Peach Almond Smoothie

Peaches and almonds are closely related and make a great match in this not-too-sweet smoothie.

Cantaloupe-Lime Agua Fresca With Chia Seeds

A light, refreshing blender drink that is sweet and a little bit tart.

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

Beauty and the Beets

Beauty in the Beets photo 25recipehealthbeetsalt-tmagArticle_zps2463e96d.jpg

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

I sometimes wonder when I’ll run out of ideas for beets, as year after year around this time I’ve devoted a week’s worth of Recipes for Health to beets and their greens. But it hasn’t happened yet. Beetroots, whether roasted, steamed or raw, easily find their way into new salads, side dishes and main dishes. They are friendly with Mediterranean seasonings of all kinds: Greek, Middle Eastern, North African, Italian and Provençal. The greens are interchangeable with other mild-tasting greens like Swiss chard and spinach; one bunch of beets gives you two vegetables to work with. With the beets and their greens you get two sets of nutrients: anthocyanins and betalains, known for their antioxidant properties, from the beetroots, and vitamins K and A, as well as other phytonutrients – lutein and zeaxanthin – from the greens. Both are excellent sources of folate, and beets are a very good source of manganese, potassium and copper.

~Martha Rose Shulman~

Steamed or Roasted Beets and Beet Greens With Tahini Sauce

A pungent Middle Eastern tahini sauce is all that is needed to season these simply steamed beets and their blanched greens.

Fennel, Beet and Orange Salad With Cumin Vinaigrette

This is a refreshing salad that has great staying power.

Greek Beet and Beet Greens Pie

Beets add color and substance to this classic Greek greens pie.

Wild Arugula and Beet Salad With Orange, Walnuts and Tarragon

This is a nourishing salad with sweet, peppery and pungent flavors.

Puréed Beets With Yogurt and Caraway

This is a North African twist on a Middle Eastern dish from Yotam Ottolenghi.

Health and Fitness News

Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

Follow us on Twitter @StarsHollowGzt

A Week of Focaccia

Sweet Focaccia with Figs, Plums, and Hazelnuts: photo 12recipehealthalt-tmagArticle_zpsb0c4d583.jpg

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

A couple of months ago, at the height of the summer tomato season, I gave you a recipe for a delicious whole wheat focaccia with tomatoes and fontina. I was so enthralled with the bread that I decided I’d come back to it and post a week’s worth of focaccia recipes. [..]

Focaccia takes more time to make than pizza, but I find that it’s less challenging to make and it’s more versatile in some ways. You can serve it warm or at room temperature, as a snack or as a small meal. It’s easy to transport, freezes well and lends itself beautifully to whole grain flour.

~ Martha Rose Shulman ~

Sweet Focaccia with Figs, Plums, and Hazelnuts

A lightly sweetened flatbread is topped with hazelnuts and the last plums and figs of summer.

Sweet Whole Wheat Focaccia with Pears and Walnuts

This is a beautiful, slightly sweet focaccia that goes well with cheese.

Potato Focaccia with Oyster Mushrooms

The potato in this savory focaccia is blended into the dough.

Whole Wheat Focaccia with Cherry Tomatoes and Olives

This focaccia looks and tastes like summer in Provençe or Tuscany.

Whole Wheat Focaccia with Peppers and Eggplant

This savory focaccia is garnished with a medley of Mediterranean vegetables.

Load more