Fuel up with protein and healthy fats for breakfast!
A meal that’s heavy in sugar and starch is no way to start your day – especially if you’re following the ketogenic diet.
These recipes from functional medicine specialist Mark Hyman, MD, are a great way for anyone — keto or not — to bring real, whole, fresh foods (including non-starchy vegetables) to your plate first thing in the morning.
“When you create a meal centered around vegetables, you’re taking steps to improve and maximize your health,” says Liz Moore, registered dietitian at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Try these three meals today. — #HarvardHealth#Diet#Nutrition
Meatless Mondays, meet summer’s bounty: a wide variety of colorful, fresh summer vegetables now available in grocery stores, backyard gardens, and farmer’s markets. We’re talking sunshiny golden corn on the cob, deep purple eggplant, red beets, peppers of all hues, not to mention tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, cucumbers, and more. With a bit of simple prep, they’re ready to take center stage on your plate, reinforcing the joy of summer.
“Vegetables in our diet provide many benefits. And when you create a meal centered around them, you’re taking steps to improve and maximize your health,” says Liz Moore, the author of a heart-healthy cookbook and a registered dietitian at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Centering healthy vegetables on your plate
Making vegetables the stars of a meal is part of the “veg-centric” movement, which teaches people how to elevate even average vegetables to creative entrées and side dishes. The trend gives vegetables bold flavors by grilling, layering, caramelizing, or roasting them — steps you can take with a backyard grill or stovetop skillet.
Summer veggie meals have lots of important health perks. “Vegetables such as eggplant and beets of all colors are rich in fiber, Moore says. “Eating a high-fiber diet helps lower cholesterol and is linked to heart health, digestive health, and helping to maintain stable blood sugar levels. For those trying to lose weight, vegetables are low in calories and provide volume, which helps keep you full.”
Summer vegetables also have a wide variety of essential vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (beneficial plant chemicals) like flavonoids. “For example, carotenoids in cooked tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which is associated with inhibiting cancer growth and boosting the immune system. And beets are a good source of folate and potassium,” Moore says.
Three easy summer vegetable meals
Wondering what to do with the colorful harvest available to you? Moore suggests keeping it simple by making a meal of vegetables paired with whole grains or legumes (beans or lentils). Here are three meals that fill the bill.
Grilled eggplant steak with cucumber, tomato, onion, chickpea, and feta salad
Slice an eggplant (from root to stem) into three-inch thick “steaks.” On each side, drizzle olive oil and a little black pepper. Grill on both sides until tender.
Dice two tomatoes, one cucumber, and half a red onion. Add a can of rinsed, drained chickpeas. Toss with a dressing of olive oil, a little red wine vinegar, and oregano to taste.
Serve the salad over the eggplant steak. Top with some diced feta cheese, if you like.
Veggie pita pocket with gazpacho
Put a couple of tomatoes, a cucumber, a green pepper, half a red onion, some bread crusts, and a little olive oil into a blender. Blend until chunky or finer, as you prefer. Add salt, pepper, and cumin to taste, blending for a few more seconds. Chill for 30 minutes.
Open a whole-wheat pita and spread a tablespoon of hummus inside. Add slices of zucchini and carrots, and some arugula, salad greens, or other vegetables that appeal to you.
Serve the pita with half a cup of the gazpacho.
Quinoa-stuffed red peppers
Based on a recipe from BIDMC’s CardioVascular Institute’s Hungry Heart Cookbook by Liz Moore, RD, LDN
Cut peppers in half, remove seeds, and lay them open side up on a dish.
Mix cooked quinoa, diced tomatoes, and corn off the cob (you can grill the corn first and cut off the kernels for a special summer flair). Add low-fat grated cheddar cheese, canned (rinsed) black beans, one egg, and some spices to taste, such as a bit of cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Use the mixture to stuff the peppers evenly, and then cook them on the grill in a grilling basket for about 30 minutes. You can also cook them in the oven at 350° F on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan, checking at 30 minutes to see if they are done.
Other ideas include
grilled veggie kebabs with chunks of eggplant, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms. Serve on a bed of lettuce and add a little goat cheese.
whole-wheat pasta with a mix of sautéed vegetables that appeal to you.
salad with green leaf lettuce, raw green beans, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata or black olives, and half a hard-boiled egg. Top with a dressing you enjoy.
Which combinations of summer vegetables you choose can depend on cost, taste preferences, and how much time you want to spend cooking. If you’re in a hurry, go with a salad. If you have more time, try grilling or sautéing vegetables.
Finally, be open to inspiration from the bounty you see at the market. “Focus on getting a variety of colors in the vegetables you choose. The more colors there are on the plate, the more nutrients you’ll be consuming,” Moore says. “And try something new. Explore vegetables you’ve never tried before or new methods of cooking. Think of it as one of summer’s glorious adventures.”
Heidi Godman is the executive editor of the Harvard Health Letter. Before coming to the Health Letter, she was an award-winning television news anchor and medical reporter for 25 years. Heidi was named a journalism fellow … See Full Bio
Perhaps it’s unsurprising, given + + marketing, there’s an assumption health supplements are beneficial. They are not. Water & a balanced diet are the only health supplements we need (vast majority of cases). VAT on health supplements via @IrishTimes
This superfood omelet is full of nutrient-rich veggies. Brussels sprouts and kale provide folate and glucosinolates. Seaweeds are full of minerals and avocados are loaded with healthy monounsaturated and saturated fats. Ingredients 2 large kale leaves, stemmed and halved lengthwise 4 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved 3 large pasture-raised eggs 5 large pasture-raised egg whites freshly ground black pepper and sea salt, to taste 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 6 crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill 2 (1/2-ounce) packages roasted seaweed snacks (see note*) 2 cups baby spinach 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced, for garnish 1 teaspoon white truffle oil (optional, for garnish) Note: If you can’t find roasted seaweed snacks, you can substitute 1 ounce plain nori. Before using nori, brush it with a tiny bit of oil and toast it in a lightly oiled skillet over medium-heat for 10 to 15 seconds on each side. Cut into 3-inch squares before using in the omelet. Directions Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high-heat. When it boils, add a large pinch of sea salt. Drop in the kale leaves and Brussels sprouts and blanch just until they turn a brighter shade of green, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well. Crack the 3 eggs into a medium mixing bowl, and then add the 5 egg whites. Whisk the eggs together and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-heat. Add the eggs and immediately turn the heat down to low. Stir to scramble the eggs, tilting the pan to distribute them in an even layer. As soon as the eggs are no longer runny, arrange the Brussels sprouts on one side of the omelet and scatter the mushrooms over them. Add the kale and sprinkle the cilantro and dill on top. Cover the herbs all with the seaweed snacks and top with the spinach. Cover the pan and cook over the lowest possible heat for 5 minutes. Fold the omelet in half and then cut it into 4 sections. Garnish each portion with a few slices of avocado and a drizzle of truffle oil, if using. Serve immediately. Nutritional information Each slice of omelet contains: Calories 248 Fat 18g Saturated fat 3g Cholesterol 123mg Fiber 6g Protein 14g Carbohydrate 12g Sodium 120mg Facebook Twitter
JUST RELEASED: Canada’s long-anticipated revised food guide! Specifically, the new food guide suggests eating plenty of vegetables and fruits, choosing whole grains, and eating “protein foods.” The image is an example recommended daily diet. Learn more: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/
JUST RELEASED: Canada’s long-anticipated revised food guide! Specifically, the new food guide suggests eating plenty of vegetables and fruits, choosing whole grains, and eating “protein foods.” The image is an example recommended daily diet. Learn more: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/
I will sleep at least 7.5 hours a night, and preferably eight;
I will eat well (meaning more vegetables and fruits and fewer processed foods)
I will set aside a sacred 20 minutes for exercise every day;
I will seek out positive social interactions.
So help me, health.
You’ve heard every one of the bullets points above, probably multiple times, and you may be anesthetized to them. But here is why actually committing to those resolutions is so important.
Our immune systems are the basis of our health, which of course plays a big role when it comes to our overall wellness and happiness. The immune system’s complex network of organs, cells, and molecules protects us from anything foreign and potentially harmful, such as viruses, bacteria, cancer cells, toxic chemicals, and more. Through a process called the immune response, this system attacks invading organisms and substances as they enter the body and work to inflict disease. Especially important are the white blood cells produced and stored in the spleen, bone marrow, and other sites. They circulate through the body and spring into action to destroy potentially harmful foreign invaders — and then remember those invaders so they can guard against them in the future.
So it seems especially important to make sure your immune system is in top condition, as cold- and flu-season ramps up and the holidays put extra stress on our bodies (thanks to the social events, to-do lists, and potentially not-so-healthy indulgences that can come with the festivities). Paying a little extra attention can help keep you well now. And in the long run, you’ll begin a regimen that will help guard against chronic problems like diabetes, obesity, heart disease and hypertension, and even cancer.
Here’s how to keep your immune system running smoothly over the holidays — and all year long!
Peru has been cultivating potatoes for more than 6,000 years in the high Andean slopes near Lake Titicaca.
A stroll through the public markets reveals a startling number of sizes, shapes and colors — including the famous Peruvian blue potatoes with their purplish-blue skin and flesh.
It’s fun to use these blue potatoes, but if your market doesn’t carry them or if you prefer other potatoes, you can always use small red or white potatoes.
Ingredients
Kosher salt 1 1/4 pounds small Peruvian blue potatoes 1/4 cup minced red onions 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped 1 jalepeño, seeded and minced 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon sugar substitute 2 hard-boiled egg whites, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano 1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese 2 tablespoons sliced black olives, optional
Directions
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Simmer the potatoes until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size. Drain and cool. Quarter or slice into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.
Combine the potatoes and the onion, bell peppers, tomato, jalepeño, vinegar, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt (if using), sugar substitute, egg whites, oregano and cheese. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with olives, if using.
Nutritional information (per serving)
Makes 8 servings
Calories: 200 calories (31% from fat) Total fat: 7 g Saturated fat: 1.5 g Protein: 7 g Carbohydrate: 31 g Dietary fiber: 2 g Cholesterol: 5 mg Sodium: 95 mg Potassium: 109 mg
Healthaware 