Tomato-Pesto Sandwich

 This delicious tomato and pesto sandwich is perfect for a refreshing summer lunch. So simple and yummy you have to try it!

4 servings
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
• Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• Ciabatta bread
• 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Combine basil, cheese, oil and garlic in a food processor or blender and process until well blended. Add yogurt and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Preheat the broiler. Place ciabatta cut-side up on a baking sheet. Broil until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread each half with the reserved basil mixture and top with a few slices of tomato. Season with salt and pepper and broil until hot, 1 to 2 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 219 calories; 7 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 2 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 8 g protein; 6 g fiber; 407 mg sodium; 376 mg potassium.

MEAN GREEN JUICE

The first of many juicing recipes to come, this Mean Green was made famous in the Joe Cross documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" A wonderfully healthy blend!

·        4 stalks of celery

·        1 cucumber, peeled

·        1 ginger root, 1 inch long, peeled

·        ½  lemon, peeled

·        2 granny smith apples

·        6 kale leaves

 

Juice or blend everything until smooth…enjoy!

*Disclaimer: I do not endorse this juice or any other as a sole means of dieting but only as a supplement to the foods presented on this blog.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup – Killing Us Sweetly

There once was a time in the not-so-distant past when food was something you ate or drank to nourish your body. It's a necessity of life -- like air and water -- and you could usually depend on food to be nourishing and healthy. But then, in the 1970’s, something happened. Someone decided that food didn't have to be nutritious or healthy -- as long as they could make a profit from selling it. This line of thinking caught on and has grown within the food industry over the past 40 years to the point that many experts are saying that we are experiencing an epidemic of health problems directly related to our diet. This article will cover one of the dietary factors that is causing this epidemic – high fructose corn syrup.

We are being poisoned by a common additive present in a wide array of processed foods like soft drinks, salad dressings, cakes and cookies, breakfast cereals, brand-name breads, BBQ sauce, yogurt, mayonnaise, ketchup, fruit juices, …the list of products goes on and on and on but this killer is in almost every processed food that you buy!

This commonplace additive silently increases our risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. The name of this toxic additive is high-fructose corn syrup (aka glucose-fructose syrup, corn sugar, glucose/fructose or high-fructose maize syrup, HFCS). It is so prevalent in processed foods and so over-consumed by the average American that many experts believe our nation faces the prospect of an epidemic of metabolic disease in the future, related in significant degree to excess consumption of high-fructose corn syrup.
 
In the past, cane sugar had been America’s most delightful sweetener of choice, that is, until the 1970s, when the much less expensive corn-derived sweeteners like maltodextrin and high-fructose corn syrup were developed. While regular table sugar (sucrose, as bad as that is) is 50% fructose and 50% glucose, high-fructose corn syrup can contain up to 80% fructose and 20% glucose, over 150% the fructose of common table sugar! Both table sugar and high-fructose sweetener contain four calories per gram, so calories alone are not the key problem with high-fructose corn syrup. Rather, metabolism of excess amounts of fructose is the major concern.

The alarming rise in diseases related to poor lifestyle habits and lack of exercise has been mirrored by an equally dramatic increase in fructose consumption, particularly in the form of the corn-derived sweetener, high-fructose corn syrup. The sweetener industry and the FDA has lobbied us to believe that high-fructose corn syrup is a benign food additive, but most nutritional experts believe that it is a dangerously overlooked threat to public health.

HFCS and Disease

While cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer in America, scientists have noted that “we are experiencing an epidemic of heart and kidney disease characterized by increasing rates of obesity, hypertension, the metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease.” Add to this list a disturbing rise in new cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and you have a public health crisis of enormous proportions. In addition, a study in 2005, published by Renee; LeBlanc, Blaise; Schnoll, Roseanne; et al. (2009), found trace amounts of mercury within nine of twenty samples involved, having likely leached into the solutions during the manufacturing process. In March, 2010, Bart Hoebel and colleagues at Princeton University published a study in the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior saying animals eating HFCS were far more likely to develop obesity than those eating equal amounts of table sugar.

With a growing urgency, scientists are examining the relationship between consumption of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and numerous adverse medical conditions. And they’re coming away with a sour taste in the mouth. Emerging research shows that excessive dietary fructose, largely from consumption of HFCS, represents “an important, but not well-appreciated dietary change,” which has “…rapidly become an important causative factor in the development of the metabolic syndrome,” a conglomeration of risk factors that greatly elevates the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Other research suggests that high dietary fructose consumption contributes to obesity and insulin resistance, encourages kidney stone formation, promotes gout and is contributing to an upsurge in cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Furthermore, high dietary fructose consumption is associated with increased production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are linked with the complications of diabetes and with the aging process itself.

Stealthy Insertion Into the Food Chain

With little fanfare, and even less scrutiny, HFCS was introduced into the food supply four decades ago. It is now commonly found in an astounding array of popular food and beverage products. Sweetened, carbonated soft drinks are considered by many to be the worst offenders. Real sugar is very expensive because of sugar tariffs and import quotas. Even with all the chemistry and processing, HFCS is still the cheapest way to sweeten food. It's also said to extend the shelf-life of products and is much easier to mix in food because it's a liquid. Over the past 40 years, as methods for producing HFCS improved, food and beverage companies have replaced all other sweeteners with HFCS and it has mixes well with a variety of products, including beverages, baked goods, jams and jellies, candies, and dairy products. In fact, between 1970 and 1990, the annual intake of HFCS increased by more than 1,000%, greatly exceeding the change in intake of any other food or food group. High-fructose corn syrup is now the primary caloric sweetener added to soft drinks in the United States, and comprises more than 40% of caloric sweeteners added to foods and beverages.

While it is derived from a natural source, HFCS is essentially an unnatural product, in the sense that for most of human history we consumed no more than about 15 grams of fructose per day (approximately one-half ounce), mostly from fruits and vegetables. In contrast, daily consumption in 1997 was estimated to have increased to 81 grams (nearly three ounces) per day. For the first time in history, humans are consuming fructose at extraordinarily high levels.

The Dangers of Fructose

High dietary intake of fructose is problematic because fructose is metabolized differently from glucose. Like fructose, glucose is a simple sugar. Derived from the breakdown of carbohydrates, glucose is a primary source of ready energy. Sucrose (table sugar) comprises one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose. Thus, excessive sucrose intake also contributes to the rise in overall daily fructose consumption. Glucose can be metabolized and converted to ATP, which is readily “burned” for energy by the cells’ mitochondria. Alternatively, glucose can be stored in the liver as a carbohydrate for later conversion to energy. Fructose, on the other hand, is more rapidly metabolized in the liver, flooding metabolic pathways and leading to increased triglyceride synthesis and fat storage in the liver. This can cause a rise in serum triglycerides, promoting an atherogenic lipid profile and elevating cardiovascular risk. Increased fat storage in the liver may lead to an increased incidence in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and this is one of several links between HFCS consumption and obesity as well as the metabolic syndrome.

Fructose may have less impact on appetite than glucose, so processed foods rich in fructose can contribute to weight gain, obesity, and its related consequences by failing to manage appetite. Additionally, loading of the liver with large amounts of fructose leads to increased uric acid formation, which may contribute to gout in susceptible individuals.

What You Need to Know: Health-Damaging Effects of Excess Dietary Fructose

·         Dietary intake of fructose, particularly in the form of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), has dramatically increased in the US in recent decades. Increased HFCS consumption has paralleled increasing rates of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other conditions associated with poor lifestyle habits. ·         High-fructose corn syrup is found in sweetened carbonated soft drinks as well as in many packaged foods such as cakes, cookies, jams, jellies, and crackers. ·         Excess fructose intake has been associated with adverse health effects such as metabolic syndrome, elevated triglyceride levels, hypertension, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, excess uric acid levels (associated with gout), and elevated levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs; linked with aging and complications of diabetes). ·         Minimizing intake of dietary fructose is essential to mitigating its potentially dangerous effects. Sources of dietary fructose include HFCS, fruit juices, honey, and table sugar (sucrose; comprising fructose and glucose). ·         Targeted nutritional strategies can help avert some of the damaging effects of excess fructose intake. Beneficial nutrients include benfotiamine, alpha-lipoic acid, carnosine, pyridoxamine, acetyl-L-carnitine, vitamin C, and fish oil.

 

Fructose Linked With Insulin Resistance and Diabetes

The high flux of fructose to the liver, the main organ capable of metabolizing this simple carbohydrate, disturbs glucose metabolism and uptake pathways and leads to metabolic disturbances that underlie the induction of insulin resistance, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

In fact, the effect of HFCS on insulin resistance has been shown to have an impact on the prevalence of diabetes. In 2004, investigators conducted an ecological correlation study, in which they compared the relationship between food consumption of refined carbohydrates and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the US from 1909 to 1997. They found that during this period, the use of corn syrup sweeteners, which were almost non-existent at the turn of the century, increased by more than 100%. During the same period, the prevalence of diabetes skyrocketed. After controlling for total energy intake from other foods such as fats and proteins, only the increase in corn syrup and a decrease in fiber intake correlated positively with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes.

Scientists have therefore come to realize that all sugars are not created equal, which has been borne out in a number of studies. In one study, investigators looked at whether reduction in insulin sensitivity was caused by glucose or fructose components of the diet. They took two groups of young healthy men and fed one group a high-glucose diet, while the other received a diet high in fructose. At the end of one week, high-fructose feeding was accompanied by a significant reduction in insulin sensitivity and insulin binding, whereas no significant changes were seen in the high-glucose group. Another study found that diets containing a moderate amount of fructose produced undesirable changes in glucose metabolism in both normal and hyper-insulinemic men.

Fructose-Induced Hypertension

Very few people realize that excess fructose intake may contribute to hypertension. High blood pressure is a well-known comorbidity associated with obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperlipidemia. Hypertension is part of a cluster of dangerous disorders called the metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by insulin resistance and is a key factor in the development of many vascular diseases.

Excess fructose contributes to hypertension by inhibiting a key enzyme called endothelial nitric oxide synthase, which is located in blood vessels walls and is essential for the production of the vasodilator, nitric oxide. By allowing healthy blood vessels to relax and ensuring smooth blood flow in vessels, nitric oxide is absolutely necessary for preventing hypertension, coronary artery disease, and erectile dysfunction.


2010: The Princeton Study reveals the terrible truth

A Princeton University research team has demonstrated that all sweeteners are not equal when it comes to weight gain: Rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.

In addition to causing significant weight gain in lab animals, long-term consumption of high-fructose corn syrup also led to abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the abdomen, and a rise in circulating blood fats called triglycerides. The researchers say the work sheds light on the factors contributing to obesity trends in the United States.

When lab rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they're becoming obese -- every single one, across the board!

In the 40 years since the introduction of high-fructose corn syrup as a cost-effective sweetener in the American diet, rates of obesity in the U.S. have skyrocketed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1970, around 15 percent of the U.S. population met the definition for obesity; today, roughly 33% of the American adults are considered obese, the CDC reported. High-fructose corn syrup is found in a wide range of foods and beverages, including fruit juice, soda, cereal, bread, yogurt, ketchup and mayonnaise. Today, on average, Americans consume 60 pounds of the sweetener per person every year.

Strategies to Prevent or Minimize Dangers of Excess Dietary Fructose

Today, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) hasbecome nearly ubiquitous in the food supply. The sticky stuff features prominently in everything from packaged cereals and convenience drinks to ketchup and baked goods. Sugary soft drinks are thought to be the single largest source of this fructose-rich sweetener. The best way to avoid the dangers of excess dietary fructose is to avoid foods with added sugars as well as processed or pre-packaged foods and undiluted fruit juices. Instead, focus on a heart-healthy diet—such as the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes whole grains, fresh vegetables, low-fat dairy, fresh fish, and limited meat. Other tips to protect yourself against the danger of excess fructose include: ·         Avoid all sweetened soft drinks. Consider switching to an alternative, such as sparkling water, herbal tea, or green tea (stick to home-brewed teas, since most commercially available bottled tea is brimming with HFCS). ·         Read product labels carefully. Avoid any products containing “high-fructose corn syrup” or fructose. Fruit juices—even unsweetened juices—contain fructose and should not be consumed in excess. Fruit juice diluted with sparkling water is delicious and contains less fructose than undiluted juice. ·         Find ways to cut your overall intake of table sugar. Sucrose consists of one molecule of glucose and one of fructose. Thus, sucrose consumption can contribute to unnaturally high fructose levels. Furthermore, research suggests that sucrose may have similar adverse metabolic effects as fructose, thus contributing to obesity and metabolic syndrome. ·         Try using the natural non-caloric sweetener stevia extract in your coffee, tea, or homemade desserts. ·         Consider writing a letter to the manufacturers of your favorite products; ask them to market alternatives to HFCS-sweetened products. If enough people vote with their pocketbooks, manufacturers may eventually respond with more healthful products. ·         Consider taking supplements that may prevent or ameliorate the damage associated with elevated blood sugar.

 Now that you're educated as to the dangers of HFCS, please change the way you eat. If you do eat any processed food be sure to read the label and remember that ingredients are listed in the order of their percentage contained in the food that you're buying. Be healthy!

Superfoods and Dieting

If you’ve ever followed a typical ‘fad’ diet before, and you probably have, chances are you were told to restrict, limit, portion-control, or count calories with certain foods. As you have learned through reading these pages, eating the most nutrient-dense foods is the only real key to weight loss and health.  The beauty of eating natural, nourishing foods is that they are so healthy they can be enjoyed in virtually unlimited quantities.  These foods are part of the ‘superfoods’ in terms of their nutrient density.

Below is a list of these superfoods—and you are free to eat all you want of them.  Try to incorporate these foods into each of your meals and recipes.  By maximizing the nutrient density of your diet (in relation to calories) you will normalize your body functions, reduce or eliminate chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol - and excess weight will drop off at a steady pace.  You shouldn’t crave unhealthy foods or be driven to overeat anymore.  In fact, it will become quite difficult to overeat when you are nourishing your body with nutrient dense foods.

Memorize the categories below, and keep eating until your heart’s content!

HIGH-NUTRIENT SUPERFOODS

LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES

Romaine lettuce, leaf lettuces, kale, collards, Swiss chard, cabbage, spinach, bok choy, parsley.

SOLID GREEN VEGETABLES

Artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumber, kohlrabi, okra, peas, green peppers, snow, peas, string beans, zucchini.

NON-GREEN, HIGH-NUTRIENT VEGETABLES

Beets, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, peppers, bamboo, shoots, water chestnuts, cauliflower, squash, carrots.

BEANS AND LEGUMES (cooked, canned, or sprouted)

Red kidney beans, adzuki beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, cowpeas, navy beans, cannelloni beans, soybeans, lentils, white beans, lima beans, pigeon peas, black-eyed peas, black beans, split peas. 

FRESH FRUITS

Apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, grapefruit, grapes, kiwis, mangoes, nectarines, all melons, oranges, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapples, plums, raspberries, strawberries, tangerines.

So cook up something healthy today!

Romaine Salad with Chicken, Apricots & Mint

This bright and summery entree salad, which uses a savory apricot puree as both marinade and dressing, makes a refreshing change from the standby Chicken Caesar. The salad also works well with sliced peaches or nectarines

4 servings, 2 1/2 cups each
Total Time: 40 minute

Ingredients

Marinade & dressing

• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 cups loosely packed mint leaves, (about 1 bunch)
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 4 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Salad

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
• 1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (10 cups)
• 6 fresh apricots, or plums, pitted and cut into wedges
• 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves, (about 1/2 bunch), roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Preheat grill.
2. To prepare marinade & dressing: Soak dried apricots in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer apricots to a food processor. Add 2 cups mint, orange zest, orange juice, honey, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in oil. Reserve 1 cup for the dressing.
3. To prepare salad: Transfer the remaining marinade to a large sealable plastic bag. Add chicken, seal and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
4. Lightly oil the grill rack (hold a piece of oil-soaked paper towel with tongs and rub it over the grate). Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until no longer pink in the center, 6 to 8 minutes per side. (Discard the marinade.)
5. Meanwhile, combine lettuce, apricot (or plum) wedges and chopped mint in a large bowl. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Slice the chicken and arrange over the salads. Sprinkle with almonds and serve.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: The dressing will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

• Tip: To toast almonds: Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until golden brown and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Toasted almonds will keep, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Per serving: 456 calories; 20 g fat ( 3 g sat , 13 g mono ); 66 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrates; 34 g protein; 10 g fiber; 433 mg sodium; 1281 mg potassium.

Chicken & Fruit Salad

Chicken, melon, walnuts and feta top mixed salad greens for a refreshing summer salad.

4 servings
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 8 cups mixed salad greens
• 2 poached chicken breasts, (see Tip)
• 2 cups balled melon, such as cantaloupe and/or honeydew
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tip)
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

1. Whisk sour cream, vinegar, sugar, poppy seeds, salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup of the dressing in a small bowl. 
2. Add the mixed greens to the large bowl and toss to coat. Divide among 4 plates and top with chicken, melon, walnuts and feta. 
3. Drizzle each portion with 1 tablespoon of the reserved dressing and serve.

Tips

• To poach chicken breast: Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to chill in fridge for an hour.
• To toast chopped or sliced nuts, heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 248 calories; 11 g fat ( 4 g sat , 2 g mono ); 55 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 21 g protein; 4 g fiber; 346 mg sodium; 371 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (140% daily value), Vitamin C (50% dv).

Lemon-Garlic Marinated Shrimp

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds cooked shrimp

Preparation

1. Place garlic and oil in a small skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add shrimp, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook until shrimp are done.
3. Toss with shrimp in a large bowl. Serve hot or chill for an hour and serve cold.

Nutrition

Per serving: 73 calories; 3 g fat ( 0 g sat , 2 g mono ); 92 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 10 g protein; 0 g fiber; 154 mg sodium; 108 mg potassium.

Tomato Terrine

Serve this delicious terrine as an elegant starter to a summer meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 shallot, halved
• 1 garlic clove
• 10 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
• 10 black peppercorns
• 3 fresh bay leaves (or 1 dried)
• 6 pounds large firm ripe tomatoes (a mix of colors but of similar size), peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt plus more for seasoning individual servings
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives plus more
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• Extra-virgin olive oil

**Special Equipment: You will need two 8x4 1/2" loaf pans (or 1 pan and something of equal size to use as a weight )

Preparation:

·        Bring first 8 ingredients and 3 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until stock yields 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large measuring cup. Strain stock, discarding solids. Cover to keep hot.

·        Set a fine-mesh strainer over another measuring cup. Cut each peeled tomato into 4 wedges. Place wedges, cut side up, on a work surface. Cut away seeds and pulp from tomato and transfer to strainer. Place filleted tomatoes on a double layer of paper towels to drain; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Pat tomatoes with more paper towels. Let stand for 30 minutes.

·        Press on seeds to yield 1/2 cup tomato juice. Sprinkle gelatin over juice; let stand for 10 minutes to soften. Add to hot stock; whisk vigorously to dissolve gelatin. Stir in 1/4 cup chives, vinegar, and kosher salt to taste.

·        Spray 1 loaf pan with nonstick spray; line with plastic wrap, allowing for a 3" overhang on each side. Smooth plastic to remove wrinkles. Pour 1/2 cup stock into pan. Chill until set, about 40 minutes. Arrange 1 layer of tomatoes in pan, pressing down gently, then drizzle 2 tablespoons stock mixture over. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes and stock. Pour remaining stock over to fill pan. Cover terrine with plastic wrap. Place on a small rimmed baking sheet.

·        Place second loaf pan on top of terrine. Weigh down terrine by placing 2-3 small canned goods in top pan (some of liquid mixture in bottom pan may spill out). Chill terrine until set, about 6 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

·        Uncover terrine; invert onto a platter. Remove pan and plastic wrap. Slice terrine; transfer to plates. 

Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with chives and sea salt to taste. Enjoy!

Weight Loss Equation

By now you know that the basis of changing your weight and health is through proper nutrition. This concept is vitally important to your health and can be expressed in this simple equation:

H=N/C

Health=Nutrient intake divided by Calorie intake

H=N/C is a concept that addresses the nutrient-density of your diet.  In this discussion, nutrients mean micronutrients, not macronutrients (For more on the difference see my article HERE).  Your future health is dependent on the consumption of a high proportion of nutrients to calories.  In other words, for you to be in excellent health your diet must be nutrient-rich and you must not overeat in macronutrients, or calories.

This health equation will help tremendously in not only excellent health but also weight loss.  It ensures that your body builds and repairs itself using the foods you eat. It provides high-quality, high-nutrient foods that make a high-quality body that feels good, looks good and becoming more and more resistant to diseases.  It can also predict whether you’re eating habits are putting you at risk of a serious disease such as a heart attack or stroke, or shortening your life span.

Every food can be evaluated using this formula.  As you read the articles and cook the recipes here at The Heart Smart Gourmet, you will learn which foods make the grade—those that have a high proportion of nutrients to calories! You will be on your way to lifelong weight control and improved health.  You won’t always be in a situation where you can calculate the food, and that’s okay.  When you dine out or while traveling, for example, I encourage you to choose more colorful, natural, plant foods and less processed foods and animal products.   

For a specific, weekly weight loss formula follow this:

Calculate your calorie goal

Your current weight X 12 = calories needed to maintain your weight
(i.e. If you weigh 200 pounds; 200 x 12 = 2400 calories to maintain your current weight)

To lose 1 pound/week:  Cut 500 calories/day

To lose 2 pounds/week: Cut 1,000 calories/day


Remember, the more nutrient rich foods you eat, the more weight you will lose and you’ll reach your goal AND enjoy the benefits of good health!

Stay healthy people! 

Baked Kibbeh

Kibbeh is a dish of minced meat with bulgur and spices with many variants. It is regarded as the national dish of Lebanon and there are as many ways to prepare and serve kibbeh as there are to spell it. An Egyptian friend introduced me to Kibbeh about 14 years ago and I have been devouring these little torpedoes of deliciousness ever since! While traditional kibbeh are fried, this healthier version is baked…but just as delicious.

 

 Total Time: 50 minutes

 

Ingredients: 

Outer shells

1½ cups fine bulgar wheat
1½ lb lean ground beef or lamb
1½ cups yellow onions, roughly chopped
3 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1½ tsp ground black pepper

Stuffing:

½ lb ground beef
¾ cup yellow onions, finely chopped
⅓ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp ground pepper
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

 

 

Preparing Outer shells

• In a medium bowl, soak Kasha for 30 minutes in cold water – using 3 cups of water for each cup of wheat. Remove and drain. Remove excess water by squeezing through thick paper towel or cheesecloth.
• Place into medium bowl and combine with the meat, chopped onion, salt and 1 cumin and black pepper.
• Combine well and place small amount in food processor or blender until dough-like consistency. You can slowly add a little ice water during processing if needed.
• Continue to mix small amounts until all the kibbeh is incorporated. Place mixture aside, covered.

 

Prepare Kibbeh Stuffing (Hashwah)

• In a medium frying pan, sauté the finely chopped onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Add pine nuts, the ground lamb or beef and chop well with wooden spoon or spatula to ensure the meat is chopped up fine.
• Add all spices. Once beef is light brown, remove from heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Assemble Kibbeh and Bake

Preheat oven to 400°F.

• With wet hands, shape the raw meat-bulgur mixture into torpedo-shaped balls.
• Make a hole down the center of each ball with an index finger to make a deep depression in each ball.
• Stuff each ball with about 1 tablespoon of the stuffing. Press down on the sides and top to enclose the filling and reshape into a smooth egg with a pointed top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, wetting your hands frequently.
• Space the kibbeh balls on a 9x12 baking pan and bake until golden brown and the meat is cooked through, about 40-45 minutes.

Serve hot or at room temperature, with a Garlic-Yogurt Dip for dipping. Kibbeh can be stored in the freezer in an airtight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

Garlic-Yogurt Dip or Dressing

Garlic and fresh herbs star in this creamy yogurt-based dressing. Dip fresh vegetables or just about anything in it for a quick, refreshing flavor.

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients (1 cup)

• 1 cup strained plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh mint leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon course sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine.

 

Nutrition

Per tablespoon: 12 calories; 0 g fat ( 0 g sat , 0 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 0 g fiber; 31 mg sodium; 4 mg potassium.

Are You Really Hungry?

Are you really hungry?  Are you sure?  Most people (especially Americans) are totally dysfunctional when it comes to our physical hunger signals.  We eat by what time it is or because people around us are eating or by the mere sight of food…and, of course, we eat for emotional reasons. To put it simply, we don’t usually eat just because we are really hungry.

Eating Habits (good or bad) Start at a Very Young Age

Hunger is one of the strongest primal forces of life.  Babies cry when they’re hungry, and parents, grandparents, etc. respond with food.  When children get sad or bored (God forbid) or hurt in some way we give them a cookie to make the ‘feel better’, as was the case with my grandmother, bless her heart. She didn't know any better than to try and make me 'feel better'. She had no idea of the damage she was doing because that was ‘normal’ behavior for that time. There had been no studies done to prove that by her actions she was setting the stage for a lifetime of negative eating habits. In addition to these direct negative reinforcements, a parent can misread signals as well.  A baby may be fed when not hungry at all, but fussy or crying for other reasons.  These early experiences form the foundation of our personal relationship with hunger and satiety, or should I say our dysfunctional relationship with food.  Eating to satisfy hunger is a learned behavior and so is dysfunctional eating in order to satisfy some displaced psychological need.

Research shows you’re actually trained how to eat by your family. I know its true in my case. But when food is used as a distraction or reward, the child becomes confused about why we’re feeding him. The experience of learning to eat as a response to physical hunger becomes blurred and unimportant.  Food becomes a crutch, a comfort or a reward…and this practice carries over to adulthood.

Scientists have determined that while taste, smell and texture preferences are culturally learned there is a genetic component to chronic dieting and overeating and it has a smaller effect than the food environment in which you grew up.  

Types of Hunger

Eating behavior specialists divide hunger into three categories:

1. Physiological is triggered by signs, like stomach growling and headache
2. Mouth is triggered by the sight, smell, taste, and memory of food
3. Psychological is triggered by emotions, like anxiety, anger and sadness

So, How Can You Cure Your Eating Problem?

While the cure to any eating problem, as is the same with any addiction, lies within the individual with the problem, the following are suggestions as to processes that you may take to stop negative eating.

·  Keep a food and feelings log.  Keep a small notebook with you at all times. When you get an urge to eat, write down your feelings.  Whether or not you eat, note what your feelings are.  Think of  ways to deal with your feelings without turning to food as a comfort.

·  Explore the 'physicalness' of hunger.  If your ‘hunger’ pains are faint or almost nonexistent, then you’re not really hungry.  You must be brave enough to wait until you are really hungry before you eat, and then eat only healthy foods just until you feel satisfied.

·  Stop eating by a clock and only eat when physically hungry.  Don’t worry if it’s 2 times a day, or 6, let your body tell you when to eat.  After awhile, you’ll most likely settle into three meals a day.

Understanding and managing your hunger is a critical key to your weight loss and health goals.  But how much should you eat?  What kind of food should your nutrients come from?  Should you count calories? First off let's take a look at what hunger consists of.

So, what is hunger any way?

Hunger actually has four essential dimensions.  Most diets are worthless because they only focus on one of these components. Here at the Heart Smart Gourmet, we take into account all four. If you want to resolve your drive to overeat, you must understand and satisfy these dimensions. 

VOLUME – Your stomach wants to feel satisfied physically, which is achieved through the volume of food you eat.  Vegetables, fruits and hearty grains fit the bill for providing ample volume to your stomach.  Luckily, these foods, which have a lot of nutrients in relation to calories, also tend to be rich in fiber. When you eat these foods, they physically fill up your stomach, leaving you less room for foods that don‘t nourish you. They also give your stomach and body the signal that you are physically nourished.

NUTRIENTS – You must consume enough nutrients in your food for your body to meet its biological need to thrive. If you eat an adequate volume, but eat low-nutrient foods, like say donuts or French fries and hamburgers, your body will be malnourished and will force you to eat more food to properly nourish your body. Try nuts or a big leafy green salad.

CALORIES – You will be driven to overeat on calories unless the other dimensions of hunger are addressed. The only way to not over-eat calories is to ensure you have enough volume and nutrients so your body will feel satisfied.  When your body feels satisfied through volume and nutrients, you will be amazed how your cravings and need to overeat diminish and disappear.

And finally…toxic hunger 

ADDICTIONS – You must break yourself of your addictions to foods that don‘t serve your body.  This is where toxic hunger comes to play.  If you are constantly struggling with the physical and emotional addiction to foods, you will become locked into a cycle of overeating and undernourishment. Addictions can be broken once you start to properly feed your body with high nutrient foods. Stop eating foods with high amounts of sugar and salt

So, if you are having a problem with food, weight or just want to get a hold of your eating habits, I think you’ll notice big changes in your appetite and your cravings simply by incorporating each of the components above into your day…so start tomorrow!