Chef Tim Says….
What should I have in my kitchen?
This is another in a series I have been writing about healthy choices for you to make at the grocery store. So far I have discussed different ideas for proteins like meat, poultry and fish and last week got to the pantry listing items you should keep on hand for baking. Last week covered fats.
This week is a very simple list of the items that you should begin stocking in your cupboard. This is by no means everything that you might have in your pantry but a starting place for those items that will let you always have something healthy in the house to start (or complete) a meal. In Your Pantry: Cupboard Essentials
Featured Recipe
Citrus Garlic Shrimp | Low Sodium Version Version
Some recipes, like this one, call for gentle cooking.
For instance, you can use any mushroom you like, but I like the texture of the shiitake. The key is to gently sweat the mushrooms so that they lose most of their moisture and at the same time take on that lightly browned caramelized flavor.
Likewise, the shallots and garlic should be cooked slowly so as to release their flavors. Overcooking them will make the flavor more bitter. And the shrimp should be cooked until just done so that they are tender and flavorful.
This recipe is Coumadin® (warfarin) safe and gluten free if you use gluten-free pasta. It is not, however, lactose free, and those with GERD / Acid Reflux should avoid it.
Shrimp are Fine!
At least once a week I’ll be talking with a patient about their high cholesterol and it seems like every third person will say, “But Doc, I don’t eat any shrimp!” Almost every time they’re shocked when I say tell them that shrimp is OK. The best part is that this gets their attention and I love talking about the things you can eat. (I get a similar reaction when I talk about eating red meat or eggs.)
At the core of eating healthy is to eat less saturated fat and trans-fats, more fruit and vegetables, more legumes like beans, good fats like olive oil and nuts and more fish. And shrimp does qualify as fish.
Shrimp does have more cholesterol than many other ingredients. While the amount of cholesterol that you eat is important, by eating lean meats, fish, veggies, legumes, fruits and nuts that are low in cholesterol, it’s OK to have shrimp or (gasp!) eggs. The more important factor, as you have heard me talk about, is saturated fat and trans-fats. Let’s compare….
