Bark for heart health

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”
- Josh Billings

 

We’ve known for a while that dog owners are more likely to be fitter humans, however we’ve never seen it as a prescriptive antidote for chronic diseases, like heart health…until now.  The U.S.’s largest cardiovascular association, the American Heart Association (AHA), published a scientific consensus last week, after years of data and discussion about the cardiovascular effects of pet ownership.  The group concluded that owning a dog, in particular, was “probably associated” with a reduced risk of heart disease. “Probably” in the land of research speaks volumes.

“We didn’t want to make this too strong of a statement,” said Dr. Glenn Levine, a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine and head of the committee that provided the message. “But there are plausible psychological, sociological and physiological reasons to believe that pet ownership might actually have a causal role in decreasing cardiovascular risk.” “Several studies showed that dogs decreased the body’s reaction to stress, with a decrease in heart rate, blood pressure and adrenaline-like hormone release when a pet is present as opposed to when a pet is not present,” Dr. Levine said.

Source: O’Connor, A. Heart Disease and Dogs. NY Times. Published 9 May 2013.

 

Spring Eats: Fennel, Orange, and Avocado Salad

If this dish doesn’t say spring, I don’t know what does. For those of you fennel novices, this may sound like an odd salad. I guess I would have, too, had I not had an adoration for fennel. Fennel, with its crunchy, sweet anise flavor is a distant relative to carrots, parsley, dill, and coriander. You may have seen it in your French or Italian cookbooks and breezed by it, writing it off as something you’ll never try. I hope you’ll give it a chance this time…it’s in season and there’s no reason not to.

Call me crazy, but something about eating fennel just makes me feel healthier. There is some data to back me up, though – fennel touts an impressive nutrition panel (antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, folate, and potassium). It is thought that fennel tea has a de-bloating property (so feel free to brew some when you’re feeling a little puffy).

The origin of this salad goes back to spring 2007 when I was living in Bologna (Italy). My dear friend Alessandra whipped up a similar salad to this and I thought it was the chicest little Italian salad I’ve ever eaten. Yes, it’s chic. It’s full of that simple Mediterranean flair that we appreciate. With fewer than 5 ingredients, you can welcome Spring to your table and get your taste buds ready for farmers markets. Though Alessandra’s didn’t include avocado, I think it adds a nice dose of healthful fats and is satisfying as a main lunch dish if you add some mozzarella cheese or grilled chicken. The salad is very versatile – you can take her anywhere and set her up with anything.

You can score bonus points if you eat this al fresco – it adds a certain je ne sais  quoi.

Fennel, Orange and Avocado Salad (Serves 2)

1 whole fennel bulb, trimmed of outer leaves and sliced thinly*
1 whole orange, peeled and divided into wedges (I used a Cara Cara orange)
1/2 ripe avocado, sliced into wedges
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (optional)

*A mandolin is the ultimate kitchen gadget for slicing fennel thinly. If you don’t have one, use a sharp knife and cut slices as thinly as you can.

Directions: Combine fennel in a bowl and dress with olive oil and balsamic, if you are using it. Next, add the orange wedges and toss gently. Season liberally with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange salad on plates and add slices of avocado, and enjoy!

This one goes out to #Boston: Giulia Restaurant Review

As the sidewalks of Boylston Street were handed back to the City of Boston, the 617 area code is mustering the strength to power on (albeit prouder than ever).  I feel that it’s no better time than to bring your hard-earned money to Boston. Eat, Sleep, Do! Let me help you with the first one: EAT! Cuz, we’re all about food, here, right? I have been sitting on this review for a couple of weeks… so here is my first of many tributes to the wonderful Boston eateries: Review of Giulia Restaurant.

Giulia Restaurant (www.giuliarestaurant.com)
1682 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
617.441.2800
Serving dinner Monday-Saturday

It is hard to replicate “Italy” outside of, you know…Italy. Until now. Across the river in Cambridge, Giulia Restaurant allows you to travel to Italy without even digging out your passport. Mike Pagliarini, previously of Radius and Via Matta, along with his wife Pam Ralston, have created a piece of heaven in Giulia. Named after “Via Giulia” in Rome, where Mike and Pam decided to pursue their joint dream of creating, owning, and operating their own restaurant. They both endorse that perhaps the most time-consuming effort was finding the location. Location, location, location! After scouting out many locations, it was  this location at 1682 Massachusetts Ave., smacked between Harvard and Porter Squares, that spoke to them. (FYI for locals: It was the same site as the now closed, Rafiki Bistro.) This place is so good, and so special, I will continue to venture across the Charles River to go to it!

As you enter the intimately lit Giulia, your senses become heightened. There are white flickering tea lights in clear shallow candle holders. The light ricochetes on the exposed brick wall (which the owners discovered during demolition). Your first encounter is with, typically, Pam herself, as she welcomes you to her home away from home.

The menu is more authentic than some restaurants in Florence, near the Duomo that have those English/Italian menus with American and Italian Flags on large tripod-sized menus. You know the ones I mean? Well, not this place.  Giulia – from start to finish – is tastefully done. As Pam sweeps you to your table, you can feast your eyes on what everyone else is having. It’s hard to make a decision, and even harder after some of their delicious prosecco.

John and I started with an antipasto plate, which featured mortadella, soppressata, finocchiona and wild boar. These salty and smooth meats paired well with the robust Sangiovese that we were drinking by that point. For “primo” piatto, I had bucatini all’amatriciana. Bucatini-shaped pasta is hard to find. “Buco” meaning “hole” gives this pasta its unique shape, as it’s hollow, yet dense at the same time. John had the classic, pappardelle with wild boar, which I kept helping myself to. The portions were respectful of the fact that they were first courses. The homemade pastas were the perfect canvas for the flavorful, full-bodied sauces. After we nearly licked our plates clean, out came the bistecca alla fiorentina adorned with a grilled lemon and a garlicy salsa verde. I could have made a meal just of the salsa verde alone. It was, hands down, the BEST steak I have ever had. It easily feeds two people (so, split it!). If you get anything from this, “Try the bistecca alla fiorentina!”

To cap the evening, we split the chocolate terrine with toasted coconut gelato (yum) and salted almonds (yum). Because it was my birthday dinner, a candle was inserted in the terrine for an added touch. The coffees, served with cream and raw sugar, brought out the sweetness of the cocoa in the dessert. Never once did we feel rushed. It was a dining experience for sure. Giulia is booking far in advance, so you’ll need a reservation if you are planning on a table (vs. eating at the bar). Reservations can be made online by visiting  Opentable.com or calling the restaurant directly.

Pantry must have: black beans

Recently over a burrito bowl at Chipotle, I realized how great the idea of a vegetable filled burrito bowl actually is. Why should it be reserved for restaurants only? With a few ingredients from both the pantry and the fridge, this could be a go-to weeknight staple, that we all need in our repertoire. I’m all in favor of promoting pantry essentials to structure weeknight meals. I happen to love black beans, rice and sauteed vegetables. Protein + Fiber + Healthful fat. Check, Check, Check! You can use your creativity (like adding meat), or not, to create you own unique burrito bowl in less than 20 minutes (including the cooking process). I have no aversion to eating leftovers, and this serves as an excellent lunch at work.

Chipotle-inspired Vegetarian Burrito Bowl

2 cups brown rice, cooked
1 cup black beans
1 large green pepper + 1 large onion, sauteed in 1 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup frozen corn, cooked
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
cherry tomatoes, halved
shredded romaine lettuce
avocado, diced
sour cream (optional)
salsa (optional)
Fresh cilantro and jalapeno peppers for garnish (optional)

In a bowl add 1/2 cup of the cooked brown rice, Begin layering the bowls with black beans, sauteed peppers and onions, cherry tomatoes, cooked corn, and shredded cheese. Top with the shredded lettuce, avocado, salsa, sour cream, jalapeno and fresh cilantro as desired. Serve immediately!

Spring Cleaning Your Diet

It’s about that time of year when the sun beams in on your [dusty] windowsill and thoughts of spring cleaning enter your atmosphere. Cleaning and organizing is mentally clarifying, which we know is a key factor for health and sanity. That said, often overlooked is the spring cleaning that your fridge and pantry need. Take advantage of these longer, brighter, sunnier days to revamp your grocery list and pantry…in a sense, you can push the reset button and clean your slate. There is no better time than spring time to give yourself the gift of a healthful lifestyle, which as you know, begins with what you stock in your kitchen. Last week, I had a speaking engagement at the Brookline Adult Community Education Center, on the topic “Shop Right for Every Bite”. The base of eating well is surrounding yourself with healthful options, right? We know this, but we often fail to do it. Here are two handy weekly and monthly shopping guides that I created to help you with your new spring cleaning shopping. By stocking your pantry with these clean foods, you will, by default, start yourself on a better track. For downloadable PDF versions of the guides, please click here: shopping list.

Lemon & Thyme Bars {The Recipe Redux}

I was welcomed into the Recipe Redux community late last month and I am so thrilled to be part of a food-loving group of nutrition professionals. This month’s task was to concoct a dish using green herbs in a non-traditional way. Lightbulb moment: I decided to incorporate the warm, piney herb “thyme” into my award-winning lemon bars. Given that thyme has a subtle lemony-esque flavor profile, I was convinced that this would work. The result? The green accents from the fresh thyme leaves bring a lovely pop of contrast to the bright yellow lemon bars. This failproof dessert serves as an appropriate interlude into spring and summer.

Lemon & Thyme Bars (makes 24 bars)

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks), plus 1 Tablespoon
1 3/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt plus a pinch
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1  cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, strained
1/4 cup low-fat milk
3 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Lightly butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter and line with 1 sheet of parchment or waxed paper (or silcone baking mat). Butter the top of this sheet of paper with 1 teaspoon of the remaining butter and then lay a second sheet of parchment or waxed paper crosswise over the first sheet. The parchment should be cut large enough so that the sides are even with the top of the baking dish; this extra paper will function as handles to help you remove the lemon squares from the pan later. Set pan aside.

In a large bowl combine 1 3/4 cups of the flour, 2/3 cup of the confectioners’ sugar, the cornstarch, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and mix thoroughly. Cut the remaining 12 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Using your hands, 2 forks, or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer the butter-flour mixture to the prepared baking dish and press into an even 1/4-inch layer along the bottom and partly up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the crust from the fridge, and bake  until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

While the crust is baking, assemble the filling by combining the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and lemon zest in a medium bowl and whisking until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, milk, and remaining pinch of salt and mix well.

When the crust is golden brown, remove it from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Stir the lemon mixture again, then pour onto the warm crust. At this point, scatter the thyme leaves all over the filling. Bake until the filling is set, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Grasp the waxed paper that lines the 2 longest sides of the baking dish and remove the bars from the pan by pulling up gently. The entire dessert should easily dislodge and come away from the pan. Transfer to a cutting board and, using a clean knife, cut into squares, wiping knife after each cut. Place a small amount of confectioners’ sugar into a small sieve, and sprinkle the bars with the sugar to decorate. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, wrapped with plastic wrap, up to 2 days, until ready to serve.

The “Heart”felt Power of the Mediterranean Diet

“Now along comes this group and does a gigantic study in Spain that says you can eat a nicely balanced diet with fruits and vegetables and olive oil and lower heart disease by 30 percent. And you can actually enjoy life.”                    – Dr. Steven Nissen, renowned cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic

 You may have heard “Mediterranean Diet” years ago, when it first hit the mainstream media touting its weight management and heart health properties. Now, the topic is back in the spotlight after a groundbreaking study blew us out of the water. We knew that Mediterranean Diet was low-glycemic in nature, bolstered by fruits, vegetables, beans, and a drizzle of healthful fats like olive oil. (And wine if you so choose…) What we didn’t have evidence of, was the effect that a well-balanced Mediterranean diet has on heart health, specifically. Of all the coverage, I think that the NY Times does a nice job of summarizing the study design and findings. The researchers out of the University of Barcelona in Spain did their homework by traveling the world to query experts about how the link between diet and heart disease risk. For the study itself, the researchers randomly assigned participants, who were at high risk for heart disease into three groups.  One group was given a low-fat diet and counseled on how to follow it. The other two groups were counseled to follow a Mediterranean diet. At first the Mediterranean dieters got more intense support. The NY Times reports that the “members of the low-fat group just got an initial visit to train them in how to adhere to the diet, followed by a leaflet each year on the diet. Then the researchers decided to add more intensive counseling for them, too, but they still had difficulty staying with the diet.” The results were so striking that the researchers decided to stop the study prior to its scheduled end date, as they felt that it was unethical to keep a group of people on a conventional “low-fat” diet. Overall, the research demonstrated that eating a plant-based Mediterranean diet with nuts or olive oil brings an almost 30 percent reduction in heart disease risk!

One group assigned to a Mediterranean diet was given extra-virgin olive oil each week and was instructed to use at least 4 four Tablespoons per day. The other group got a combination of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts and was instructed to eat about an ounce (aka hefty handful) of the mix each day. It was gently reminded that participants stay away from cookies, candies, cakes, processed foods and limit intake of dairy and processed meats.

 In addition to these diet modifications, participants were asked to adhere to the following mainstays:

Mainstays of the Mediterranean Diet: At least three servings a day of fruits and at least two servings of vegetables per day. Participants were to eat fish at least three times a week and legumes, which include beans, peas and lentils, at least three times a week. They were to eat white meat instead of red, and, for those accustomed to drinking, to have at least seven glasses of wine a week with meals.

Isn’t this music to your ears? Beware, though, this isn’t a prescription to go out and eat a high fat diet! But, realize the power of healthful, satisfying fats in your diet. The bane of the low-fat diet is the constant search for satiety, or fullness and satisfaction from a meal. Hopefully, we’re moving past that, thanks to research like this!

To hear more about the merits of the Mediterranean diet, visit ABC News.