At this time of year I get a lot of questions about what people should keep in their pantry or refrigerator so that they can eat healthier more easily. I wrote a series of articles on this very subject not too long ago on everything from cuts of beef to what kinds of canned beans you’ll want to keep on hand. We’ll be running these in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

What should I have in my pantry?

This was a question asked of me recently about what are the best and healthiest ingredients. The conversation was about having a list of good choices to purchase when at the grocery. What is a good cut of beef that will taste great and be healthier? Which oils to use? How about butter and other dairy products. In essence, what are the best supplies for stocking a pantry with ingredients that taste great and are great for you — a master shopping list if you will.

Over the next few weeks I am going to break this down to help you create a master list of what to choose when you’re in the grocery and this week I am going to start with beef. Even though this is a “Chef Tim” column there’s a lot of “Dr. Tim” information that goes along with what you are going to buy so I have included that as well. In Your Pantry: Beef

Featured Recipes

Asian Beef with Broccoli

When I am working on a recipe I love to look at lots of different recipes for the same thing and pick what I believe are the best features. Part of my quest is for the ingredients that go in a dish and only occasionally for technique. As you might imagine there are thousands of such Chinese style Beef with Broccoli recipes. The big difference was mainly with thin sliced vs. cubed or thicker sliced beef. Either way, I don’t see that it matters much.

That said, you can use almost any good quality cut of lean beef you like. If flank steak is cheaper than top round, by all means use it.

Steak Fajitas

Most restaurants serve their fajitas with flour tortillas and this is a good option for you. It adds more calories and there’s generally less fiber. I prefer the flavor and texture of the corn tortilla. The key is to heat them on the griddle only very lightly. It takes all of about 30 to 60 seconds to soften them up enough to make the fajitas.

Sloppy Joes

I love Sloppy Joes. It’s one of those comfort foods that’s cheap, easy to make and it can be really good for you. Choose lean ground beef, fresh veggies and these simple spices rather than getting your Sloppy Joe out of a can or a seasoning packet. Lower in fat and salt, with a fresh homemade taste, this recipe won’t take much longer than the “instant” mixes.

Time to buy gifts. If you are stumped for what to get that cook in your life, think about something that will make their time in the kitchen easier and a lot more fun. As long as I have been cooking I still love getting new equipment, but none more than a great quality knife. This is an essential tool, but often people won’t buy one for themselves.

There are a broad range of prices, but even at the lower levels – in the $40.00 range – you can find excellent quality. Like all other kitchen equipment you can spend a small fortune, but for most of us the extra money will not add all that much. Here are some ideas for your shopping list: Sharp Holiday Gifts

Featured Recipe

Chayote Tacos

In Cajun country Chayote squash are known as Mirlitons and are served stuffed as a main course or baked as a dessert. In Mexico they are a staple of the Mexican diet, with a slightly sweet flavor and a smooth texture. They are low in calories, filling and have a fair amount of fiber. Look for squash with a smooth green skin that are heavy in the hand.

A Healthy Pregnancy
with Faith Bontrager, RN, BSN

Pregnant women often ask me, “What brand of prenatal vitamins should I take?” before they ask about a healthy diet. My response is that prenatal vitamins can never replace healthy food.

But you have probably heard that taking folic acid supplements help reduce birth defects? Yes and No. There is very good evidence that adequate folate (the nutrient in food) and folic acid (the equivalent substance in supplements) does decrease the rate of neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida. Since the US began fortifying cereal grains with folic acid and encouraging folic acid supplements, the number of neural tube defects have declined significantly. There is No Substitute for a Healthy Diet

For two decades now there has been controversy surround the government labeling tomato paste as a vegetable so that it will pass for one on kid’s plates in school lunch programs. While I am not one who believes that tomato paste should be labeled a vegetable, a big serving of good quality tomato sauce should probably qualify. Tomatoes are great for you – and what’s even more interesting, they appear to be as good for you when they’re cooked as when they’re raw.

Technically, tomatoes are fruits. OK, it’s a small point, but either way, you should eat more tomatoes. Tomatoes are full of flavor, low in calories, have a fair amount of fiber and are chock full of vitamins and antioxidants. One of those antioxidants, lycopene, has been linked to lowering the risk of prostate cancer and having a beneficial effect on LDL cholesterol. Tomatoes are one of the best sources of lycopenes and cooking them actually helps release the antioxidant. A medium raw tomato has about 3.5 milligrams of lycopene, while tomato sauce has almost 20 milligrams in a half a cup and tomato soup about 25 milligrams in a cup. Tomatoes

Featured Recipe

Tomato and White Bean Soup

Soups that are chunky and full of body are great for a cold weather meal. Filling, warming and so satisfying. The key for this soup is cutting the veggies in a large dice and using larger white beans like the cannellini. Slow simmering softens the beans and veggies and adds to the creamy texture.

A Healthy Pregnancy
with Faith Bontrager, RN, BSN

Can a woman’s diet in the year before her pregnancy affect her risk of having a child with a birth defect? Recently published research found a significant link.

Researchers evaluated the quality of a woman’s diet using both the Mediterranean Diet Score (encouraging legumes, grains, fruit, nuts, vegetables, fish, more monounsaturated fat than saturated fat and cautioning against over use of dairy, meat, and sweets) and the Diet Quality Index (which follows the USDA’s plan of encouraging grains, vegetables, fruit, folate, iron, and calcium and cautioning against overuse of fats and sweets). A Mediterranean Diet, Pre-Pregnancy, Helps Prevent Birth Defects

It is unfortunate but there is a lot of confusion about pork. I will have often patients say to me “I’m not eating pork anymore.” They consider this to be a healthier choice and I think there are a number of reasons for that. First is the association with bacon and sausage. When people think of these ingredients they associate them with pork and believe that it is the meat itself that is the problem.

We know now, however, that highly processed red meats are more of a problem for your health than fresh red meats and this applies to pork. Pork Cuts

Featured Recipe

Pork Chops with Savory Apple Compote

Apples and pork are made for each other. Pork has a sweeter savory flavor and this compote with its sweet apple and honey flavors combine well with the spiciness of the paprika and cumin. You can make the compote well in advance and reheat it with a little water in the pan.

There are three reasons to use wine in recipes. One is as a marinade where the acidity aides in tenderizing meats and other ingredients. The second is as a cooking liquid. Either way, the main reason is that wine adds flavor to your dish. Vinegar or lime juice help tenderize but too much of them will overwhelm a dish. Wine, on the other hand, will enhance your recipe and complement but not overwhelm other flavors.

Usually the instructions are not specific and simply call for white wine or red wine. You may not think much about this but like every other ingredient the choice of wine can have a major effect on the final flavors in your dish. For example, a full bodied cabernet can easily overwhelm a dish that you intended to be more subtle. Wine in Recipes

Featured Recipe

Risotto Caprese with Whitefish | Low Sodium Version

I have a lot of risotto dishes on the website that are complete meals, like this one. This is a great meal that is loosely based on the Caprese salad of tomatoes, olive oil, basil and mozzarella. Those flavors go so well together and the fish really completes the dish.

When I am giving lectures I love to talk about lentils. Legumes are one of my favorite ingredients and lentils are one of my favorite legumes. They keep well in the cupboard, cook quickly and there are dozens of ways to use them – in soups, salads, stews, chili or simply as a side dish.

Lentils, like peas, garbanzos and peanuts, are legumes. You can think of them as a starch since they are mostly carbohydrate and protein with essentially no fat. They best part is that they contain tons of fiber with a half cup of cooked lentils coming in at around 8 grams.

You can find references to lentils in the Bible and they have been found in Egyptian tombs (dried lentils do keep well). Like other legumes you can cook and serve lentils whole, but they are also great pureed into in soups and sauces. Because they are so tiny, dried lentils don’t have to be soaked overnight like other legumes.Lentils

Featured Recipe

Lentil and Sausage Stew

The great thing about lentils is that you can make a quick stew like this one. It’s simple, delicious and great for you, but best of all there’s only one pot to clean up. Look for sausage that contains about 300 mg sodium for a 1 1/2 to 2 ounce serving. For this recipe I used Applegate Farms Classic Pork breakfast sausage.

Mustard is one of those condiments that most folks take for granted. Most of us have at least a jar of yellow mustard in the fridge for sandwiches, burgers and the like. There is, however, a world beyond French’s prepared mustard that can add so much to your cooking. Having great quality mustards on hand means you can almost always create a great dish with only a few ingredients.

Prepared mustards are made from powdered mustard seeds traditionally combined with vinegar and water. Some mustards will contain a wide variety of ingredients including oil, wine, beer and sugar and a number of different spices. Mustard

Featured Recipe

Mustard Chicken with Peas and Fettuccine | Low Sodium Version

Mustard sauces make great Fall meals. If you keep a jar of great quality coarse ground mustard on hand, you will always have the foundation for a good meal. It can be used for so many great dishes and works extremely well in a creamy sauce such as this one. Always start with less mustard and add a little more after tasting, as there can be a wide variation in flavor between different brands. Purchas one that you know and like to keep on hand and your dishes will be more consistent.

The term pesto likely has its origins from from two Italian words. One is the Italian verb pestare which means “to pound or crush” as one does with the garlic and pine nuts. Pestos were traditionally made in a mortar andpestle, the pestle being the heavy tool used for grinding and crushing.

Over the course of the last few decades the term pesto has come to refer to many different recipes, but they all have a basic set of ingredients and techniques. The classic pesto is customarily made with crushed pine nuts, garlic, basil, olive oil and Parmigiano-Reggiano. It seems so simple, but these five ingredients go so well together. You can use a mortar and pestle but a blender, food processor or even a mini-chopper is much easier. Pesto

Featured Recipe

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Risotto

After steeping sun dried tomatoes it’s always a good idea to save the liquid. It keeps for a couple days in the refrigerator and adds a lot of flavor to pasta sauces or in risotto dishes like this one.

When I was designing this recipe, my first choice was cod or halibut, but when I got to the market the best quality white fish was sole. Each of these choices might add a different flavor to the dish, but the key is to make your ingredient selections based on what is fresh.

When I was in high school one of the coaches taught a class in health. Even as a teenager I knew that it was pretty sad stuff, with no curriculum, text or tests. He simply rambled for a full year about this and that. Most of it we thought was pretty silly and we were not far from wrong. It was more typical for him to talk about camping or sport and he actually ran a football pool that I am sure that he did pretty well on.

The only thing he said in the whole year that I remember was that if we were stuck in the “the city” with a dollar, we should purchase peanuts as our sole source of nutrition. A buck was a fair amount of money at the time and would have netted a fair amount of nuts. Silly though it may sound, he was probably not far off. Peanuts

Featured Recipe

Rice Noodle Chicken Salad

I love rice noodles. The texture is great and they are quick to cook. There are a few tricks though. One is to not overcook them or they will become gummy. Second is that they will stick together if not oiled or sauced almost immediately, especially if you’re going to use them in a salad like this recipe.

There is the drawback that they don’t have much fiber, but the other day there were brown rice noodles at Whole Foods made by Annie Chun. These are really fantastic and worth the extra 60 cents or so. The texture is a little denser and the rice flavor a little bolder. Best of all, they contain 4 grams of fiber per serving, where the regular ones have none.

When I am giving talks, people will often ask about low-carb diets. Truthfully, the Atkins and South Beach diets are just plain silly. Worst of all, they’ve created a myth that pasta is bad for you. Really! Why would anyone ever want to give up pasta, for any length of time?

I love pasta. In spite of what Dr. Atkins would have you believe, pasta is really great for you – especially whole wheat pasta.

The issue that most folks have with pasta is not the carbohydrates but the amount of pasta they eat. A serving of pasta is 2 ounces uncooked. Most boxes contain 16 ounces, so each one is eight servings – not the two or four that most people think. Pasta

Featured Recipe

Shrimp with Fusilli and Sun Dried Tomato Sauce |Low Sodium Shrimp with Fusilli and Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

it’s pretty easy to find tomato paste with no added salt, but that’s not the case with sun dried tomato paste. Generally I have found this to be in the neighborhood of 500 milligrams of sodium per tablespoon. This is a good example of being cautious with ingredients and looking carefully at labels. Salty ingredients add flavor and enough sodium that less added salt is needed.

Elaine’s Blog
Following the Just Tell Me What to Eat! Plan

Last night we had fresh spring rolls with fish sauce, an Asian chicken salad which was mostly red cabbage, shredded carrot and some shredded chicken and for dessert: chilled green bean soup with lotus beans which we ate with ice cubes. These foods are light yet amazingly filling. Could my taste buds be changing? Making Lighter Choices

Technically, braising is simmering food in a small amount of liquid in a covered or uncovered pan or casserole. In some ways it’s similar to stewing, except that with braising there’s generally only enough water, wine or stock to add a little moisture while stewing immerses the ingredients in liquid. Both achieve the same purpose of tenderizing ingredients while adding flavor. The classic braised dish is Coq au Vin: chicken cooked in red wine.

If you like, you can start by searing the item you are going to braise. It’s a bit of a fallacy that the searing will seal in the juices, especially when you are braising for a long time, since the whole purpose is to break down the fibers and add moisture. Searing can, however, add a wonderful caramelized flavor to the dish. If you do sear first, it’s best to do that on the range over medium-high heat, then add the cooking liquid before putting the pan in the oven. Braising

Featured Recipe

Braised Cuban Beef

Slow braising tougher cuts of meat is a little like the long version of marinating. The goal of braising beef like this is both to tenderize and to impart flavor. It works great with these Cuban spices. The dish is savory and sweet and spicy and tart all at the same time. There’s enough liquid in the canned tomatoes that you won’t need to add any water.

I had someone say recently how much they envied me being able to make up recipes. It’s funny because I don’t see creating a new dish as being all that hard, and thinking about it I realized that it isn’t difficult. The key is to think of it like learning a new language. I’ve used the same analogy when telling prospective medical students that organic chemistry isn’t all that hard when you realize that it’s simply learning the words (atoms) and the syntax (chemical reactions) of how those words combine. Not much different than learning how to do crossword puzzles or gardening. Learn the “language,” learn the skill. The Summer Salad Construction Kit

Win a Signed Copy of Just Tell Me What to Eat!

Win one of five signed copies of Dr. Harlan’s new book by entering the sweepstakes on Facebook! This is a 6-week plan that will have you and your family eating well and eating healthy, while learning how to improve your life and your health, one plate at a time.Find out more about Just Tell Me What to Eat! or purchase your own copy for $19.99.

Sweepstakes ends tomorrow, June 7, 2011, when the book is released, so don’t wait! Sign up to win your copy of Just Tell Me What to Eat!

Featured Recipe

Cajun Chicken and Rice Salad

I was so inspired by all of these ingredients. I found them at my local farmer’s market and they just came together into a wonderfully full-flavored salad. For a good explanation of how to create your own salads see this article on The Summer Salad Construction Kit.

Elaine’s Blog
Following the Just Tell Me What to Eat! Plan

I’m having my girlfriends over for dinner tonight. They’ve been reading my blog and know that I’m likely to serve a calorie- and sodium-restricted meal, but want to know what to bring, suggesting wine or dessert. So I told them to bring BOTH: wine AND dessert!

This is a lifestyle issue for me, motivated by excess weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Within six months I will have lost the weight and hopefully the meds too. What will remain is a repertoire of recipes, some new cooking techniques, and skills in portion control, therefore weight management. Management is the operative word. Managing: Bring the Wine AND Dessert

Just Tell Me What to Eat! takes the guesswork out of eating well. This 6-week plan emphasizes delicious, hearty meals, a Mediterranean-style diet, high-quality calories, and home cooking whenever possible. When you follow Dr. Harlan’s basic food rules and balanced recipes, you really can eat delicious, familiar foods like Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp and Broccoli, Philly Cheese Steak and Red Beans and Rice. Find out more about Just Tell Me What to Eat!

Order now through the Dr. Gourmet Store for just $19.99 and the book will be shipped to you FREE* when the book comes out on June 7th (your credit card won’t be charged until the book is shipped). *Free shipping offer good for shipping within the United States.

Chef Tim Says….

I love creating new recipes. Sometimes the recipes aren’t really “new” but variations on a theme. Either way much of what I do is try to create dishes that will have a broad appeal while at the same time being healthy and tasty. The dish might be something very familiar like Tuna Noodle Casserole, or maybe a riff on a taco recipe like Salmon Salad Tacos.Often my wife will say something like, “I want a sort of black bean and corn soup but really thick like a stew.” That serves as the spark for a new dish.

Generally speaking, when I begin the process it takes a fairly predictable format. How to Create Your Own Recipes

Featured Recipe

Black Bean and Corn Stew

This stew has a number of steps, but it’s actually pretty easy, and it only uses one pot so clean up is quick and easy. It has it all: veggies, beans, whole grains, good quality oil and lean meat. Five categories from Mediterranean style diet in one stew pot. Simple, tasty and great for you.

Elaine’s Blog
Following the Just Tell Me What to Eat! Plan

Did I say I’m a cook? That my recreational reading generally involves recipes?

So I have loved cooking for a long time and therefore I have the requisite array of pots, pans, spice, herbs, and general time management skills which cooking with recipes requires. What I think is ingenious about the recipes in this book is that they are written so well that my husband (who is not such a cook) follows them with ease! This is a good thing because we rely on him to prepare at least half of the dinners during a normal week and now I get both service and well-prepared food! That said, preparation is definitely the key to success (as Dr. Gourmet stresses). Be Prepared

Q: I would like your advice. I am going to buy my wife new cookware and wanted to know what kind to buy. She does not like Teflon coated pans and is not a gourmet cook, but we just had our kitchen renovated and she needs new cookware.

A: This is a great question. It is one that any chef could talk about for hours and hours and if you put more than one in a room they might argue for days. The discussion would become increasingly complex with each additional chef added to the room. What kind of cookware should I buy?

Q: I recently saw a Lodge brand iron pan that I like better than my other brand, Emeril, as far as cast iron pans are concerned. The Lodge brand is heavier than the Emeril brand pan; does that mean the other brand may contain lead or some other impurity metal that is harmful to health?

A: I have used my Lodge cast iron pans for years and, truth be told, never thought much about it. There’s pretty tight regulation on lead content of cooking and serving utensils manufactured and sold in America. That’s not to say that some products might get through, however, and there have been reports of imported items making it into stores. Lead in Cast Iron

Q: I really enjoy trying some of your recipes; I am a cancer survivor and am always looking for healthier food ideas. Your recipe for Salmon in Parchment with Mangoes – is it possible to use foil for the pockets instead of parchment?

A: Certainly you can use foil instead of the parchment. There may be a subtle difference in the meal in that the parchment breathes a little more so I generally add a little less liquid. My rule of thumb is to add 25% less liquid when I use foil. Foil Instead of Parchment

Have a question? Send it to askdrgourmet@drgourmet.com and your question may be answered in this column. Read more Ask Dr. Gourmet questions.

Pre-Order Just Tell Me What to Eat! and Get Free Shipping!

You can now pre-order my new book, Just Tell Me What To Eat!: The Delicious 6-Week Weight Loss Plan for the Real World. This is a 6 week plan that I’ve built over the last decade of working with patients to help them lose weight and improve their health. The program includes 6 weeks of menus, with recipes and all the information that you need to transform your health.

Pre-order the book for the discounted price of just $19.99 (regular price: $25.00) and when it’s released on June 7, 2011, it will be shipped to you FREE. Find out more about Just Tell Me What to Eat!

I started to write about “what not to eat” this week and was thinking about snacks. This is a pretty easy target on the one hand, but on the other there’s just so much on the shelves now that presents challenges that it’s hard to know where to begin. It’s not that cookies are bad, for example – it’s that there are so many bad cookies on the market. If you’re going to have a cookie or a cupcake make it a really fantastic one, not a Mrs. Fields that has been mass produced with mediocre ingredients, frozen, shipped, thawed and just maybe baked properly.

You don’t want to be splurging all the time, but maybe you do want something to snack on. Guilt Free Snacks and Treats

Featured Recipe

Indian Chickpea Pancakes

I had these pancakes at my friend Mita Sujan’s house. When I arrived she had started making them and insisted that I help (not that she had to insist). They are super simple and so savory. She served them with a fresh mango chutney which was similar to a mango salsa recipe (almost identical, really) that I have had on the web site for a long time.

These make a great side dish for a lot of recipes. Use them in place of rice for the Indian Shrimp Curry or Chicken Vindaloo.

We recently analyzed the typical menu for holiday meals and it came in at over 3,800 calories. Both of these menus have it all: flavor, comfort foods and they’re guaranteed to fill you up. The Traditional Menu is only 941 calories (and that’s if you eat FULL servings of everything) and the Non-Traditional is 903 calories. More calories than one might want for dinner, but hey, you’ve been good, right? There are times to splurge. Two Holiday Menus

Featured Recipe

Olive and Caper Meatballs with Snap Peas | Low Sodium Version

The savory beef goes perfectly with the capers and olives and the best part is that this is so simple. Mix the meatballs. Pop in the oven. Serve.

I see a lot of articles about eating a “rainbow.” It’s a good idea because there are so many great fruits and veggies that are so good for you and thinking of all the colors can help bring a lot of variety to your meals.

But you don’t have to restrict this to just fruits and veggies. There are a lot of great foods that are part of that rainbow of healthy colors. I am including brown and white as part of that rainbow, because if I don’t, you’ll miss so many great foods. A Different Rainbow

Featured Recipe

Roasted Yam Soup with Bacon Bits | Low Sodium Version

Yams make for the perfect base of a hearty soup. You’d never know that they’re good for you and the bacon and sage gives this a rich savory flavor. Serve with a side salad for a complete meal.

Dr. Harlan’s newest diet book, Just Tell Me What to Eat!: The Delicious 8-Week Weight-Loss Plan for the Real World, is being published in April, 2011, and you can be part of it!

Have you used The Dr. Gourmet Diet and lost weight, improved your cholesterol scores, or even avoided going on diabetes medication? Maybe you just feel better or discovered that there are some vegetables you do like? If you’ve had success with The Dr. Gourmet Diet, tell us about it and your comments may be used in the book!

Send your stories tosuccess@drgourmet.com and if you are quoted in the book, you’ll receive a free copy, signed by Dr. Harlan. We’d love to hear from you!

Chef Tim Says….

We have been reviewing convenience foods here at Dr. Gourmet for a few years. The idea began because my patients talked about eating Lean Cuisine meals. I will admit that at the time I hadn’t had a frozen meal in longer than I could remember. Mind you, I love to cook and a lot of folks don’t. Likewise, I work to make time to cook because I know that it’s the way to living well and living longer.

O.K., that’s me but you may be different. You may not like to cook every day or may not feel you have the time. So I took this to heart and we began testing a lot of different convenience foods. Most of these are frozen meals like Lean Cuisine. We’ve now tasted and reviewed over a hundred such meals and some are pretty darn good and others pretty darn terrible. How to Choose Convenience Foods

Featured Recipe

Egg Salad

Yes, you can eat egg salad. The variations I will leave up to you. My brother loves Heinz India Relish and I like capers. I will also say that I have tried this recipe both with the reduced-fat mayonnaise and the non-fat and it makes little difference in flavor.

Barbecue Shrimp Salad

This is a perfect healthy summer picnic recipe. Make this along with the Chipotle Jack Grits Cakes and Cole Slaw and you’re good to go.

Chinese Chicken Salad

This is the perfect complete summer salad (but you can serve it in the winter also). Light and filling, it has everything you want in a salad – fresh crunchy veggies, a sweet sour dressing, savory meat….

Chef Tim Says….

When I am creating recipes I choose ingredients that are lower in calories but very satisfying. Sometimes this means simply cutting down on the amount of fat in a dish by using healthier oils or leaner meats. A recipe might call for a substitution to give the dish more volume so that it’s more filling without adding too many calories. Adding more veggies like onions or mushrooms to a pasta dish, stew or soup, for instance, can make a big difference in the total calories.

There has been some very well designed research showing that eating lower calorie dishes that are higher in volume can be very satisfying. The interesting thing about this is that folks don’t tend to replace all of the calories they might be used to eating by snacking or eating more later in the day. Ingredients are Everything

Featured Recipe

Chilled Tomato Soup | Low Sodium Version

I started out thinking that I would make this soup with tarragon, but it just hasn’t grown well in my garden. I had the fresh basil and used it instead. I love this soup, but you should use what you have available, and basil, tarragon, oregano or even thyme would be great choices.

Featured Ingredient: Tomatoes

There are thousands of varieties of tomatoes and a look at any seed catalogue always makes my mouth water. I love some of the names — Isis Candy, Cupid, Tiny Totem, Snowberry…. Not many of these make it to the markets, however.

Buying tomatoes at the supermarket can be a daunting task. The quality is often poor because most are picked green and ripened in big rooms using ethylene gas. Even so, even the worst tomato can be made better by placing it stem side down on a sunny windowsill. It will continue to ripen further and if you want it chilled, place it in the fridge for only a couple of hours, as cold is the enemy of the tomato. Tomatoes

We are working on a program to build a teaching kitchen at the medical school (pie in the sky, for sure). This idea grew out of a Grand Rounds by Dr. David Eisenberg of the Osher Research Center at Harvard Medical School: “Novel Strategies to Address Obesity: What if Medical Schools Partnered with Culinary Schools to Create Teaching Kitchens?”

Dr. Eisenberg is a very cool guy who loves food and understands the link between our country’s expanding waistline and the fact that a lot of young people simply don’t know how to cook. The idea is that if we teach medical students and physicians how to cook and eat, they’ll be more effective with their patients. It’s a bit of an uphill push, but there are a lot of people interested.

He also proposes that we not only put teaching kitchens in medical schools but communal kitchens in dorms at our universities and colleges. Interestingly, we have those already at Tulane. As part of a student wellness program for the undergrads at Tulane I’ve been teaching students about food, nutrition, and last night – how to cook. Last night’s class was in one of our dorm’s kitchens. See what we cooked.

Chef Tim Says….

People ask me all the time what I eat day to day. “Do you cook every night?” is a frequent question. I do eat out but mostly I cook, partly because I love being in the kitchen but also to create recipes and do research for DrGourmet.com. As a result, it’s not very common for me to cook the same dish twice in the Harlan household. As with most of us, however, there are evenings when I just don’t have the time to cook and need to make something quick and easy.

Even though it’s rare to have the same recipe twice at my house, there are a few recipes that I particularly love that are quick and easy when I am tired or pinched for time. Quick and Easy Does It

Featured Recipe

Pantry Meal: Quick Barbecued Pork

This is the quick and easy pantry meal that everyone in your family will love. Choose your favorite barbecue sauce. I look for a sauce that has no more than about 50 calories for two tablespoons. The lower the sodium the better: most come in around 200 mg for two tablespoons, and low sodium versions are 50 mg. If you do use the regular versions, it’s best to cut the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon.

This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users and is low in sodium. It is both lactose-free and gluten-free. Those with GERD / Acid Reflux should avoid it (unless they know of a barbecue sauce that does not cause GERD symptoms).

Eating Gluten Free
with Julie Gee

Your friends, family, and colleagues probably won’t understand why, all of a sudden, you’re not eating the same things they are. It helps to develop a brief explanation that explains your health issue in a simple way. For example, I typically say, “It turns out that I have Celiac Disease, which is an autoimmune response to the gluten found in wheat, barley, and rye; since those ingredients are found nearly everywhere, it’s safest for me to eat things I know are gluten-free.”

This brings us to the next tough social situation: a party or social gathering at someone’s home. Eating Gluten-Free in Social Situations: Friends and Family

A Healthy Pregnancy
with Faith Bontrager, RN, BSN

According to researchers, over 70% of women suffer from nausea during early pregnancy. Despite the name “morning sickness,” pregnancy nausea happens throughout the day for many women. It is most common in the first trimester but 13% of women had nausea past their 20th week of pregnancy.

What causes this nausea? Researchers are not certain but the most common explanation is that a rise in HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), a growth hormone plays a large part. We do know that nausea is lower in women who subsequently miscarry and higher in women who are carrying twins. Treating Nausea and Vomiting

Dr. Tim Says….

There are a few nights a month where I really don’t have time to cook. I need something simple to put together and this usually takes the form of a quick Mediterranean sauce. I can use this on almost anything – fish, beef, pork or pan roasted chicken. I have started a few times to write up these recipes but each time I make theme they are a little bit different. There is a pattern to how I create this, however.

I always start by placing a large skillet in the oven and preheating it to about 375°F. This is the pan that I will roast the protein in, making it easy to cook the meat but also allowing for simple clean up. I set the olive oil spray next to the oven because I will need it in a bit. The Mediterranean Sauce Kit

Featured Recipe

Tortilla-Crusted Chicken

Look carefully at the tortillas you buy. Even though most are low in sodium some have a fair amount of salt.

This is a great coating and one key is the medium-hot non-stick pan. The tortilla will crisp while the cheese melts slightly. This dish is great with Cumin, Black Eyes and Corn Salad (Low Sodium Version) and topped with your favorite salsa.

This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users, is low in sodium and gluten-free. Those with GERD / Acid Reflux and those who are lactose-intolerant should avoid it.

Eating Gluten Free
with Julie Gee

For people with Celiac Disease, eating at restaurants is a challenge. Unless you are sure that a restaurant has a good understanding of Celiac Disease and cross-contamination, I suggest avoiding eating at most restaurants. A good way to be social and still eat safely is to bring your own food. I suggest calling a restaurant ahead of time to let them know you have Celiac Disease, and would like to bring your own meal to be reheated there. You can usually give the meal to the waiter, have them reheat it in the microwave, and serve it on a plate when the rest of your group is served (this is a great strategy for weddings or catered events).

Often, when you call to discuss this with the chef, restaurant staff may offer you some gluten-free alternatives. This is a great time to work with the staff and design a gluten-free meal, but be wary of hidden cross-contamination from less-than-knowledgeable staff. Although it may seem like you’re a difficult customer, restaurants are often happy to accommodate you, since you’ll create a lot of repeat business and bring your friends back with you. Eating Gluten-Free in Social Situations: Eating Out

Chef Tim Says….

I get a lot of questions during lectures from people wanting to know how they can eat better when it’s so expensive. This is, quite simply, one of the last great myths of eating healthy – ranking right up there with the fallacy that eating healthy doesn’t taste good. There’s no doubt that it’s just as easy and economical to cook a meal that’s good for you than eat one that’s not.

One argument that I often hear is that it’s cheaper to eat at McDonalds. After Going to McDonalds recently and putting together a typical meal for 4 (mom, dad and two kids), I came up with a total of about $14.00 (I didn’t actually buy anything – ugh!). You get almost nothing of nutritive value for your money – white bread, greasy burgers and fries with sugary soda.

That same $14.00 will purchase two pounds of lean ground beef, a pack of eight whole wheat buns, lettuce, tomato and enough potatoes to make oven baked French Fries with money left over. The best part is that this is twice as much food as at McDonalds, so there’s plenty for leftovers later. Better food at half the price. The Price Myth

Featured Recipe

Quick and Easy Tomato Sauce and Pasta

Proof positive that eating healthy is easy, delicious and also inexpensive. This recipe serves 6 and with 2 ounces whole wheat pasta and 3 tablespoons of cheese per serving it’s only about 75 cents each. That’s it. The ingredients for a meal that serves six cost about 5 dollars. Healthy, easy, delicious and smart.

This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users and is low in sodium. It is gluten-free provided that you use gluten-free pasta. Those who are lactose intolerant but can tolerate cheese may enjoy it (or leave out the cheese). Those with GERD / Acid Reflux should avoid it and use the Low-Acid Tomato Sauce instead (although it will take longer to make).

New Features in
The Quality Calorie Diet!

You asked for it! Now those who follow a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet can create their own two-week meal plans. Just choose “Vegetarian” in your profile.

Plus, now you can add Dr. Gourmet recipes to your Recipe Box! Just click the “Add to My Recipe Box” icon on the recipe’s page (below the Print icon) and if you’re logged in to The Quality Calorie Diet, it’ll be added to your Recipe Box at the bottom of the page. Log in to The Quality Calorie Diet to see the new features!

Carbohydrates are not your enemy. After years of research we do know what we have known for a long time – poor quality calories are bad for you. It doesn’t really matter whether the focus is on carbs or fat or protein, if the quality of the food is great, the food is great for you.

So what are the best quality carbs for your pantry?

Bread is a great place to start because so many people fear it. Don’t. Breads are a great part of a healthy diet. The key is to choose whole grain breads and looking for the highest fiber is key. A slice of white bread has little nutritive value with sometimes less than 1 gram of fiber. Look for breads with at least 2 grams of fiber or more. Practical Starch Choices

Featured Recipe

Pasta Carbonara

This is one of those recipes that proves Mediterranean diet is healthy. Lots of good fats, low in saturated fat, high in fiber and full of flavor.

Original recipes generally call for bacon or pancetta, but I use prosciutto because it’s more widely available. On the other hand, the addition of peas is clearly a Western variation, but they add so much and make this a full meal (pretty too).

This recipe is not low in sodium, but it is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users and those with GERD / Acid Reflux. Those who are lactose intolerant but can tolerate cheese may find that they enjoy it, and those who are gluten-sensitive should be sure to use gluten-free pasta.

A Healthy Pregnancy
with Faith Bontrager, RN, BSN

One important step you can take to help ensure a healthy pregnancy is to consider your weight before even getting pregnant. Obesity has major effects on placental, embryonic, and fetal growth. Obese mothers are more likely to have large for gestational age (LGA) babies than lean moms, no matter how much weight they gain during pregnancy.

We know that certain birth defects are more common in babies born to obese women. For example, obese mothers are twice as likely to have babies with spina bifida as non-obese mothers. Some pregnancy problems such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes are more common with obese women. These pregnancy complications are dangerous to the women themselves and to their developing baby. Thinking About Getting Pregnant?

We have been reviewing convenience foods here at Dr. Gourmet for a few years. The idea began because my patients talked about eating Lean Cuisine meals. I will admit that at the time I hadn’t had a frozen meal in longer than I could remember. Mind you, I love to cook and a lot of folks don’t. Likewise, I work to make time to cook because I know that it’s the way to living well and living longer.

O.K., that’s me but you may be different. You may not like to cook every day or may not feel you have the time. So I took this to heart and we began testing a lot of different convenience foods. Most of these are frozen meals like Lean Cuisine. We’ve now tasted and reviewed over a hundred such meals and some are pretty darn good and others pretty darn terrible. Convenience Foods

Featured Recipe

Spanish Beef Stew with Olives

Stews are great. It’s just that simple. You can throw it all in a pot, put the pot on to cook and two hours later you have dinner. The great thing is that this is so versatile and this is typified by the fact that every culture has hundreds of stew recipes.

Most folks think that stews are not healthy but this really isn’t the case. Start with lean meats like top round, flank steak or bottom round. Trim the excess fat carefully before starting the stew and you’ll end up with a dish that’s not greasy and great for you.

This recipe is low in sodium (salt) and is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users, those who are sensitive to gluten and those who are lactose intolerant. Those with GERD / Acid Reflux should avoid it.

A Healthy Pregnancy
with Faith Bontrager, RN, BSN

Congratulations to you on your pregnancy! Congratulations to your baby! Baby, you have a mother that is taking time to make sure that she and you are well nourished.

My first recommendation would be to find a doctor or midwife with whom you can comfortably talk and who makes nutrition a priority. Don’t be afraid to call several offices and ask, “Dr Smith, how does your belief about nutrition affect your practice?” Your practitioner will have access to your blood and urine tests, can take a health history, and will do a physical exam. All of these will make a difference in recommendations that are specific to you and your current health.

Without knowing any of those things, here are some general guidelines.

Dr. Tim Says….

Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family as are tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and sweet potatoes. As such, eggplant is technically a fruit. As with tomatoes and other of nightshade veggies there are a number of varieties of eggplant. You’ll find a wide assortment in your market these days. While it is known as eggplant in much of the western world in the U.K. this lovely ingredient is called by the much sexier aubergine (sounds like a heroine in a racy romance novel).

The large dark purple pear shaped eggplant is the most common. I love the hefty feel of a large fresh eggplant, but the larger they are the less flavorful they will be and the tougher the skin. I generally look for fruit that is no more than about 1 lb (about 8 inches long and 4 inches in diameter).

The smaller version of the larger purple skinned eggplant is often called Italian or baby eggplant. These have a somewhat more intense flavor and the flesh is much more tender. Eggplant

Featured Recipe

Eggplant Pesto

I love the aroma and flavor of roasted eggplant. When I was working on this recipe my wife said, “Hey, let’s just eat it now,” as it came out of the oven. She’s right. A little sprinkle of salt, a bit of pepper and some olive oil, and that’s living. But I digress.

You can use this Eggplant Pesto in place of any other pesto, but it’s more subtle so you’ll need more. Where about two or so tablespoons of a Basil Pesto would be enough in a pasta dish, this works great as a sauce and you can use about a half cup or so.

This is just as versatile as any other pesto. You can use it in pasta, as a spread on sandwiches or bruschetta. It also works great in making hors d’oeuvres and other appetizers. A dollop in a creamy soup like Cream of Cauliflower or Butternut Squash soup would be perfect.

This recipe is low in sodium (salt) and is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users and those who are sensitive to gluten. Those with GERD / Acid Reflux should avoid it due to the garlic.

Basil

There is no substitute for fresh basil. Dried basil has a completely different flavor and using it in recipes is something I rarely do.

The fresh basil you will find in the market is most likely Sweet Basil. The soft green leaves bruise easily and then turn black. Because of this fresh basil doesn’t keep very well.

To keep the leaves fresh, rinse gently and then wrap them in a damp paper towel. Place the bundle inside a plastic bag before putting them in the fridge. You can also put them in a glass of water stem side down like a bunch of flowers in a vase.

5 leaves fresh basil = <1 calorie, <1g fat, 0g sat fat, 0g mono fat, <1g protein, <1g carbohydrates, <1mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol

Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet

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Chef Tim Says….

One of the main things that I have noticed over and over is portion size. It’s just plain smaller in Spain vs. the U.S. (or the U.K. for that matter). For instance, the croissants are about 2/3 the size of those found in America. Other pastries are similarly compact.

At lunch, sandwiches are smaller too. I have been recommending for years that folks limit the amount of meat or cheese in their sandwiches to about 1 or 2 ounces. That’s standard in Spain and more often it’s only about a single ounce. As I have mentioned before, the quality of the ham, cheese and sausage is so much richer that only a little is needed to make a delicious sandwich. Spain: Portion Size

Featured Recipe

Curried Pork Tenderloin

It doesn’t get any simpler than this recipe and if you are a curry lover it doesn’t get any better. The glaze is sweet, spicy and savory all in one. The pork is savory and the best part is that this takes only a few minutes. Even better: there’s almost nothing to clean up.

This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users. It is low in sodium, lactose-free, and gluten-free, provided the ingredients used to make it are gluten-free. Those who have GERD / Acid Reflux will likely find this recipe too spicy.

Pork Tenderloin

Dollar for dollar this is one of the best cuts of meat going. Pork tenderloin is lean and flavorful. You can roast it, braise it, grill it, or cut it into medallions for small filets – almost anything. In most grocery stores they are sold in 2 packs, with each tenderloin in the pack being about a pound. Ask the butcher if you want only one.

There will be a variable amount of fat and I trim this carefully. Most important is the silverskin. This is a thin layer of fascia at the head of the tenderloin on one side. It has to be trimmed because it is tough and fibrous.

Lay the tenderloin on the cutting board with the silverskin side up. Press gently on the top to flatten the meat. Slip the point of your filet knife under the fascia and cut toward the end of the tenderloin. Keep the pressure slightly upward and the silverskin will easily cut away from the meat.

Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet
Follow me on Twitter!
Read the Dr. Gourmet Blog

Chef Tim Says….

There’s been an expression in medicine called the “French Paradox” for some time now. This is based on the concept that the French eat many high fat, rich foods, yet have lower rates of heart disease. The same “paradox” can be extended to other Mediterranean countries, but I don’t believe that there’s any puzzle at all.

For instance, there’s a pastry or bakery shop on almost every corner in Spain. These do have a lot of delicious and often very rich delicacies. A typical breakfast of espresso with milk (cafe con leche) and a croissant seems decadent. Yet the typical breakfast on the run in the U.S. – of a Starbucks 500+ calorie coffee drink and an oversized muffin or bagel – can easily be well over 500 more calories than that “rich” croissant and a coffee. (Interestingly, there are now a lot of Starbucks in Spain: 35 in Madrid.) Breakfast in Spain

Featured Recipe

Fish Cakes (Pantry Meal)

These fish cakes are super simple and you can use almost any white fish. I have labeled them a Pantry Meal because everything in the recipe are items that are staples in the kitchen. You can use frozen fish filets to make this, or it’s perfect for using up those little bits that are left over after trimming fish. (I put those leftover bits in the freezer for later.) The frozen fish only takes about a half hour to thaw and makes great fish cakes.

This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users and has no specific GERD triggers. It is low in sodium and lactose-free. Those who are gluten sensitive should use gluten-free bread crumbs.

Bread Crumbs

This simple ingredient has so many different types. It is important to read a recipe carefully and choose the correct breadcrumbs because they are important to the recipe’s final texture. The two main types of breadcrumbs are dry breadcrumbs and fresh breadcrumbs. Dry breadcrumbs usually make for a finer, crisp texture while fresh have a moist crumbly consistency.

I don’t like to use stale bread to make dry breadcrumbs and prefer to use bread that has been dried in the oven. This is due to the fact that stale bread makes for stale tasting breadcrumbs. When making dry bread crumbs you can either toast the bread or not – each way has a different flavor. Toast bread in the oven at about 300°F turning a few times until it is evenly browned. I let them cool on racks before processing in a food processor or blender, as the slight moisture that remains will make dry breadcrumbs moist.

If you don’t want a toasted flavor, then simply dry the bread in the oven set on warm (this is 175°F on most ovens). Let them cool and then grind.

Fresh (sometimes called moist) breadcrumbs are just that – made with fresh bread. I find that the food processor makes better fresh breadcrumbs than using a blender.

Certainly you can use any type of bread to make your breadcrumbs – whole wheat, French, sourdough, rye, or even cinnamon raisin. Keep in mind that breads vary widely in the amount of fat and calories. I have not found a pre-made breadcrumb at the grocery store worth using.

Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet

There’s another big difference that I want to touch on between Spain and the U.S. and that’s fast food. Those who have followed columns on my drgourmet.com website know that I believe consumption of cheap, calorie dense fast food like McDonalds, Burger King, KFC and Taco Bell is one of the major health issues facing us.

There is no doubt that the research shows eating fast food as frequently as many Americans do contributes to our problems with obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Of course the fast food companies would have you believe differently, but the research is pretty clear. There is, in fact, a great study that was done here in Spain showing that those young people who do eat more fast food and less traditional Mediterranean fare face an increase in the risk of disease. Spain: Fast Food

Featured Recipe

Sweet Potato Stew with Maple Roasted Pork
This is a really quick and very easy meal. The hardest part is chopping the potatoes and veggies. The stew almost cooks itself and the pork is a snap in the oven. A great, warming, hearty fall meal.

What is marketed in the U.S. as a sweet potato are usually yams. True sweet potatoes have a pale skin and creamy yellow flesh. These are closely related to russet potatoes and are drier and not very sweet. What is usually sold as a yam in the U.S. is actually a darker skinned sweet potato. The thick orange skin is tough and fibrous and the flesh is moist and also has a rich orange color.

Does Cooking Reduce Nutrients in Foods?

The simple answer is yes — but not by much.

High heat can cause some vitamins to breakdown, including Vitamin C and the B Vitamins. It’s the way foods are cooked, however, that affects the amount of vitamins in a finished recipe. Simmering carrots in a beef stew results in a greater loss of these vitamins than when they are quickly sauteed. Cooking does not significantly change most other nutrients, such as fats, minerals and fiber, and many are made more digestible with cooking (as with proteins in meats or fiber in cooked oats).

Much more important is the freshness of the foods you are cooking. The “fresh” fruits and veggies that we eat are sometimes a week or more old before they make it into our refrigerators. In one study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, it was shown that many of the cancer preventing nutrients (known as phytochemicals) are lost as vegetables were aged under conditions similar to those in stores and your refrigerator. Interestingly, canned or frozen vegetables are usually more nutritious because they are preserved soon after being picked.

Chef Tim Says….

One of the main things that is different about shopping for groceries here in Spain is that there are still central markets in many towns. There you will find butchers, seafood shops and produce markets. In San Sabastian, for instance, there’s a wonderful market downtown that’s very typical. We have these in a few cities in America like San Francisco and New York but even small towns here have such places.

The Mercado Tradicional (Traditional Market) in San Sebastian has 7 different stalls selling fish, 8 produce vendors and something you almost never see in America any more: butchers. It’s really refreshing to see these folks interacting with their customers to get them just the right cut of meat instead of cuts that have been processed, pre-packaged, frozen, stamped with an expiration date and shipped halfway across the country to end up in a refrigerated meat case. Spain: Fresh Markets

Featured Recipe

Thanksgiving Menu

It’s time for Thanksgiving and that means Turkey Day. It’s a time for eating great food and it’s easy to eat healthy while you’re doing it. Here’s the Dr. Gourmet menu!

Isis: A Meal at Moto, Course Five

Almost halfway done with our meal, the fifth dish arrived. As it arrived, we were told that this was Moto’s take on macaroni and cheese.

Served in a clear glass tumbler, this dish was a creamy white-ish yellow (more white than yellow), with chunks of what I assumed to be quail. The waiter explained this dish to us as dehydrated and puffed elbow macaroni with powdered cheese sauce on top. Mixed into the macaroni were chunks of deep fried quail. Moto: Course Five

Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet

Chef Tim Says….

Whenever I travel, one of the first things that I do is go to the grocery store. Some folks want to see the Statue of Liberty or the Arc de Triomphe, but I believe that the best way to get to know the culture you are visiting is to check out how they shop and eat. This is true not just from one country to another, but the way folks shop in New York City is far different from Cincinnati and both are very different from Solvang, California.

There is also an even greater difference in what you’ll find between the grocery stores in Europe and those in America.

A good rule in America is to not shop in the center of the store. That’s where all the junk foods are, like Hamburger Helper, frozen pizza, soda, crackers and chips. The first thing that I noticed here in Spain is the lack of calorie dense foods, like these, that don’t offer much decent flavor or nutrition. There are center aisles, but they just don’t have many boxed or pre-prepared meals. Spain: Grocery Stores

Featured Recipe

Penne with Roasted Acorn Squash | Low Sodium Version

Acorn squash means Fall to me. This is a great savory dish that’s warm and comforting for those cool fall evenings. Note that it uses only half of the acorn squash, leaving the other half for recipes or a fine lunch.

This recipe is safe for those who are gluten-sensitive provided that they use gluten-free ingredients. It is also safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users. It contains cheese, so those lactose-intolerant persons who can tolerate cheese may enjoy it. Those with GERD / Acid Reflux should avoid it due to the shallots.

Isis: A Meal at Moto, Course Four

When I saw what was next on the menu, being a Southern girl, I wondered what barbecue would be Moto-style. It turned out to be the closest to normal of any dish we would have. As it was brought to our table, this dish looked delicious, and almost like something you would maybe find at any other restaurant (not quite).

There were four great parts to this dish, and the flavors went together quite fantastically.

There was, in the middle of the plate, a fist sized cut of pork shoulder that, as the waiter explained, had been smoked for eleven hours. Moto: Course Four

Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet

Chef Tim Says….

OK, I love pans. I have more than a few because over time I have collected ones that work best for certain recipes. I get questions from visitors about what are the best pans to purchase. The answer depends on the amount of room in your kitchen, your budget and how much of a geek you might be.

Heavy gauge aluminum pans are a fine value and are good conductors of heat. Because of this they will be fairly responsive to changes in heat. Many brands come coated with non-stick and handled carefully will last for years. These are a great choice for beginning cooks. Those that are not coated will take on a lovely cure and a natural non-stick over time.

Stainless pans are higher up the price range and somewhat more conductive. There’s a wide range now of pans that have everything from basic stainless steel to sandwiches of stainless or aluminum or copper. For beginners it’s best to find a moderately priced heavy gauge pan. Pans

Featured Recipe

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Paprika Mayonnaise

This is a lovely and lush mayonnaise that works well on roast pork but the best part is that there are likely to be leftovers (depending on how much pork you cook). Both the pork and the mayonnaise make great sandwiches together or separately.

Cooking the spices helps mellow the harsh flavors and for most folks this will be mild enough to be GERD friendly.

This recipe is safe for Coumadin® (warfarin) users and is low in sodium. It is gluten-free provided that the ingredients used to make it are gluten-free, and it should be safe for most with GERD / Acid Reflux. Those who are lactose intolerant should avoid it.

Featured Ingredient: Paprika

This lovely spicy red powder is ground from mild to piquant peppers in the Capsicum family. The most common used to make paprika is the dried tomato pepper, which is closely related to other peppers, such as sweet peppers and jalapenos.

Paprikas on the market today come from as disparate locations as California, Spain, Chile and Hungary. It is Hungarian paprika that has become the most famous and most feel is the best quality. Cultivation began in the 17th century and the spice quickly became a staple of the Hungarian diet.

The aromatic flavor of the raw tomato pepper is between that of sweet and hot peppers. Drying and grinding creates a complex, pungent spice that is both spicy and sweet. The spice rack in your grocery store will carry a milder variety, while the spicier paprikas are found in gourmet groceries and online.

The powder is a great garnish and, when I was growing up, the main use was on deviled eggs. The true subtlety of its flavor and color is released with heating. Add the spice later in a dish, as the high sugar content will easily caramelize with direct heat.

Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet