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Pasta & Grains

  • Italian-Style Chicken in White Wine with Olives
  • Italian-Style Chicken in White Wine with Olives and Polenta
  • Creole Chicken With Red Rice
  • Peppery Chicken QuinoaPeppery Chicken Quinoa
  • Indonesian-Style Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng)Indonesian-Style Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng)
  • Red Beans and Red RiceRed Beans and Red Rice
  • Roasted Red Pepper RisottoRoasted Red Pepper Risotto
  • Korean Style Rice BowlKorean Style Rice Bowl
  • Sausage- Spiked Peas ‘n’ RiceSausage- Spiked Peas 'n' Rice
  • Arroz con PolloArroz con Pollo
  • Kasha and Beet Salad with Celery and FetaKasha and Beet Salad with Celery and Feta
  • Gingery Chicken and Wild Rice SoupGingery Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
  • Smoked Salmon and Grits CakesSmoked Salmon and Grits Cakes
  • Moroccan-Style Couscous StuffingMoroccan-Style Couscous Stuffing
  • Peppery Meatloaf with CouscousPeppery Meatloaf with Couscous
  • Cuban-Style Hash with Fried PlantainsCuban-Style Hash with Fried Plantains
  • Whole Grain Spaghetti with Bulgur-Laced MeatballsWhole Grain Spaghetti with Bulgur-Laced Meatballs
  • Wheat Berry Minestrone with Leafy GreensWheat Berry Minestrone with Leafy Greens
  • Cranberry-Orange Pecan MuffinsCranberry-Orange Pecan Muffins
  • Creamy Polenta with Corn and ChilesCreamy Polenta with Corn and Chiles
  • Beef and Chickpea Curry with SpinachBeef and Chickpea Curry with Spinach
  • Shrimp’ n GritsShrimp' n Grits
  • Oat Groats or Steel Cut OatsOat Groats or Steel Cut Oats
  • Syracuse SauceSyracuse Sauce
  • Miso-Spiked Vegetable Soup with BarleyMiso-Spiked Vegetable Soup with Barley
  • Fragrant Lamb Curry with BarleyFragrant Lamb Curry with Barley

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After working as a journalist and political speechwriter for many years,  I was able to pursue another of my passions when I was offered the opportunity to write a cookbook. That marked the beginning of my serious interest in the health benefits of consuming nutritious whole foods.  Several years ago, this interest took me in an entirely new direction when I discovered the work of epidemiologist David Barker. My most recent book, You Are What Your Grandparents Ate is based on 40 years of research into the field of science spawned by his research, which is known as the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease.  Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of studies are now showing that many of the risks for chronic diseases can be traced back to your first 1,000 days of existence, from the moment you were conceived and perhaps even beyond to the experiences of your parents and grandparents. 

Yes, you may be more susceptible to certain chronic illnesses due to your ancestors’ experiences. The good news is you can change this story. Emerging research in the field of epigenetics is showing that taking even small steps, like getting more exercise and eating more nutritious food, can help to reverse inherited vulnerabilities by changing how your genes express themselves.  The end result is better health, not only for yourself but also for your offspring and their children, and likely for generations to come

judith.finlayson

It’s not news that Irish people love potatoes. T It’s not news that Irish people love potatoes. The lowly spud had been their main source of nutrition until the mid-nineteenth century when a devastating blight destroyed several years of harvest, promoting mass immigration to North America. What’s less well-known is that the trove of traditional Irish recipes contains a number of classics that combine potatoes with leafy greens, creating dishes that are quite well-rounded in terms of the nutrients they provide.  Colcannon, a mouth-watering combination of cabbage or kale with mashed spuds is probably the best-known. 
One of my favorites is a variation on this theme known as Champ, which makes mashed potatoes using milk infused with chopped scallions. Since I’m always keen to bump up the nutrients in any dish, whenever I make mashed potatoes I remember the Irish approach and add a handful of chopped fresh herbs like parsley and chives. 
That said, it’s worth mentioning that on their own potatoes are very nutritious.  I think they got a bad rap because so many people treat French fries as a food group. Yes, potatoes are high in starch but much of that starch is resistant starch. Resistant starch is one of those fabulous prebiotic substances which resist digestion until  reaching your large intestine where they ferment, feeding the “good guy”  bacteria in your gut. Believe it or not, one of the benefits of this process is that it can actually help you to keep your weight under control.
It may also be worth mentioning that potatoes are a great source of the mineral potassium, well-known for helping to keep blood pressure under control, as well as that reliable workhorse of a nutrient, vitamin C.  And, if you eat the skin, they also provide fiber, which all of us should be trying to eat more of.
As you know, I don’t often mention interviews I As you know, I don’t often mention interviews I do on this platform.  But I enjoyed talking with @zibbyowens about You Are What Your Grandparents Ate so much that I’m sharing the podcast link: 
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-h2k2d-ff806e
 (I’m sorry I can’t link you directly; it’s beyond my technical skills. ) If you’d enjoy a capsule rendition of key research, plus my get started tip...start your day with a bowl of whole grain oatmeal... then take a listen. Have a great day. 🙂
PS. I do get most of my days off to a good start with whole grain oats. Fresh berries and dried fruit make great add-ons.  These are from a long-ago hotel breakfast.  Home is never as elegant. 🙁
No Easter get togethers this year thanks to Covid No Easter get togethers this year thanks to Covid restrictions but we still enjoyed a lovely dinner for two: beef tenderloin with horseradish cream.
Looking for a really easy dinner solution that is Looking for a really easy dinner solution that is different and delicious? How about this pasta with Mortadella? All you do is mixed cooked pasta with butter, Parmesan cheese and pasta water and spread it over thinly sliced mortadella. A sprinkling of chopped nuts adds taste, crunch and nutrients to the finished dish. 
The recipe is from @chefjohncoletta and it’s very Covid-friendly. All I add is salad.
There are a couple of things you can do to make it healthier. First use whole-grain pasta. I used gluten-free teff made by @pastanatura. Whole-grain teff is closely related to millet. It produced an especially starchy pasta water, which really added to the success of this dish, while helping to boost the nutrient quotient.
Also, use the best mortadella you can find. I buy mine from @olliffebutcher because I trust their sourcing.  Mortadella is a cooked seasoned pork product that is cured. Ideally it should be artisan-made and come from Bologna, Italy. (Hence our mass-produced and inferior North American substitute bologna, which may also come with suspicious additives.) Often it is made with pistachios, a delicious version, which unfortunately I can’t eat because I recently developed an allergy to those nuts. I sprinkled this version with chopped walnuts but if I were using pistachio-studded mortadella, I’d use pistachios instead.
Are you trying to eat more Brussels sprouts?  Don’t laugh: During a recent radio segment I did on the long-term effects of poor nutrition, the host frequently noted Brussels sprouts, his recently favorite vegetable, as the solution to eating healthy. He certainly was justified. This robust leafy green is loaded with health-promoting nutrients, including gut-friendly fiber and sulfur-containing compounds which may help to prevent cancer. The problem is, many people don’t like their bitter taste. Like the talk show host, they need what amounts to training to appreciate their distinctive flavor.
Enter Indian spices. These shaved Brussels sprouts served over a ginger raita and garnished with nutrient-dense peanuts are an absolutely delicious way to start a meal. They would also work well as a salad course, which is how a version of this dish would be served in India. There it’s tossed together and served as Koshimbir. If you are tired of the same-old, I recommend researching this recipe. It will lead you to many different combinations of vegetables and nut-based garnishes (known as tadka) that are delicious and loaded with nutrients.  Thanks again to @chefmiheer from @curryishh for hitting another home run with his innovative take-out food.
I have a confession to make: I have a real weaknes I have a confession to make: I have a real weakness for wedge salad. It probably stems from my childhood when salad usually meant iceberg lettuce with insipid tomatoes and ranch dressing, but I’ve remained fond of the basic element ---probably because I love iceberg’s crunchy texture. I should also admit I like it traditionally dressed, with pungent blue cheese. Anyway, it’s becoming clear that others may have similar proclivities because wedge salad is turning up on more and more menus.  It’s a fixture @alouette_restaurant and they often offer it with a take-out meal, which is how I recently enjoyed this fancified version, complete with savoury praline.
 
If you’re trying to get you family to eat more greens,  wedge salad may be good place to start.  It’s mild tasting and has been described as a bridge for people who may be put off by more robust greens. While it’s not as nutritious as say watercress or spinach it does provide a range of vitamins, including folate, and vitamin K as well as fiber.  Like celery it contains a lot of water, which makes it particularly good if you’re trying to hydrate.
Changing up our weekend takeout with paella from @ Changing up our weekend takeout with paella from @cavatoronto.  I believe this is paella in the Valencian style, which usually combines rabbit (often along with poultry) and seafood. In this version, I don’t know who came up with the idea of adding chickpeas to the rice, but I loved it!  Whenever I eat a dish like paella, which relies on white rice to meet its success criteria, I fret because I’m not eating the brown whole grain version and losing out on nutrients.  The addition of chickpeas adds gut-friendly nutrients like fiber to the meal.  All I had to do was heat up the oven and pop in the beautifully prepared pan for about 5 minutes.  Perfect!
One thing is for sure: This is the most beautiful One thing is for sure: This is the most beautiful dish I’ve ever assembled from take-out food.  Turmeric Marinated Pickled Cauliflower Salad from @curryishh is remarkably easy to put together--- the pickled cauliflower has its own vacuum-sealed bag from which it is easily slipped on to a serving plate.  Then you top it with dill raita, a healthy drizzle of ghee hazelnuts and sweet eye drop peppers (all of which come in their carefully labelled containers.) Be prepared to relish every bite.  This dish from @chefmiheer is truly a long home run --- very delicious and IMO destined to become a classic.
Taking a page out of the Mediterranean playbook an Taking a page out of the Mediterranean playbook and celebrating with a fabulous seafood dinner. It’s @hookedinc ‘s 10th birthday and we wouldn’t want to miss sharing the occasion with Kristin and Dan. Thanks for being the best fish and seafood purveyors ever!  First course: Cortes Island Scallops Crudo with a French muscadet. Second: soupe aux fruits de mer with a white Beaujolais.  Finished with chocolate pots de creme.  What a  wonderful treat —- not only the seafood but Kristen’s great cheffing.
I don’t know why we don’t eat more red cabbage I don’t know why we don’t eat more red cabbage. It’s delicious and nutrient-dense. The bright color signifies the presence of anthocyanins, phytochemicals that are currently being actively studied by scientists thanks to their extensive health benefits. For instance, anthocyanins function like antioxidants, which means they go to war against free radicals, helping to protect against age-related diseases like cancer. They also fight inflammation and help to keep cholesterol under control. And don’t forget that despite its vivid color, red cabbage qualifies as a leafy green, so it provides all the benefits of leafy green vegetables, as well as loads of gut-nourishing fiber. 
Red cabbage is also fairly easy to cook. I usually braise it, softening a chopped shallot in oil and adding the thinly sliced cabbage, along with a chopped apple, a spoonful of red currant jelly, a couple of cloves and a bay leaf. For liquid I use a sweet-and-sour combination of apple or pear juice with a generous splash of cider vinegar. The results are truly delicious.
About to begin dinner from @tanto.toronto with win About to begin dinner from @tanto.toronto with wine-pairings from virtual sommelier @soil_2_soul .
It was a belated Valentine’s Day present from my husband, designed to shore up our spirits as Covid trudges on. It certainly did the trick. I must confess to over-imbibing but who’s going to complain about an excellent dinner, consumed with truly delicious wine and fascinating commentary?
Thanks to Covid, I’m finding it a bit challengin Thanks to Covid, I’m finding it a bit challenging to follow the healthy eating guidelines that advise eating fish twice a week.  Fish is packed with valuable nutrients, some of which like omega-3 fatty acids, are challenging to obtain from other sources. It dawned on me that fish is something I often order when dining in a restaurant; now that I’m cooking dinner virtually every night, I’ve exhausted my repertoire of easy and delicious fish recipes. 
 
Combing through @nytcooking I came across a recipe for Greek-style fish in tomato sauce by @marthroseshulman .  I used sustainable halibut from @hookedinc but you could easily use a frozen alternative.  Aside from my fresh fish option, all the ingredients are Covid-friendly staples, like canned tomatoes, onions, lemon, parsley and a few well-chosen spices.  It’s very easy to make: just prepare a fairly simple but flavorful tomato sauce and pour it over the fish in a baking dish.  Once it’s in the oven it takes about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.  Simple, delicious and nutritious. I’ll make this again.
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