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This dish is
loaded with healthful nutrients from whole-wheat
pasta, chickpeas, escarole and pecans and gets an
extra flavor punch from Meyer lemon, red pepper
flakes, maple syrup and rosemary.
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ST. HELENA,
Calif. - The Harvard Medical School and The Culinary
Institute of America want you to be healthier by eating
better. The institutions have joined forces and placed
doctors and chefs on the same team in an attempt to fight
the battle against obesity in the United States.
"If
there is bad news in the diet and health arena - alarmingly
high rates of chronic diseases and related health problems
and, at least in part as a result, skyrocketing,
unsustainable health care costs - there is also some good
news," said Dr. David Eisenberg, director of the Osher
Institute at Harvard Medical School and one of the leaders
of a recent series of educational conferences held at the
Greystone campus of The Culinary Institute of America.
"Increasingly, Americans are seeking out the big, bold,
bright flavors from a wider range of cultures, from the
Mediterranean to Asia and Latin America."
These
cultures "represent a rich, delicious source of
inspiration for cooking with vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, legumes, nuts, vegetable oils, and other healthful
foods from plant sources - all foods that should be more
emphasized in our diets," Eisenberg said.
The
conferences include a twice-yearly event called
"Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives" and an annual
"Worlds of Healthy Flavors" leadership retreat.
The Healthy Kitchens conference teaches doctors and other
health care professionals about cooking better food, during
seminars and hands-on cooking instruction taught by some of
the best chefs in the world. "Worlds of Healthy
Flavors" is aimed at industry chefs for chain
restaurants, leading hotels, supermarkets and volume
food-service operators. (For more information, visit the Web
site: healthykitchens.org.)
Harvard
Medical School proposes an Eat, Drink and Weigh Less Food
Pyramid with a base of daily exercise and weight awareness,
followed by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, plant
oils and whole grains. The pyramid is topped by nuts, tofu,
legumes, fish, seafood, poultry and eggs, then dairy foods
and daily vitamins.
The pyramid
also suggests that lean red meat and refined carbohydrates
(sweetened beverages, white bread, white rice, white pasta,
potatoes and sweets) should be consumed sparingly.
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ESCAROLE AND
WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA
Preparation
time: 20 minutes
Cooking time:
20 minutes
Yield: 6
servings
This recipe
was developed by Mark Graham, a former chef in the Tribune
test kitchen.
1 pound
whole-wheat pasta, such as penne
2 tablespoons
olive oil
1 anchovy,
packed in oil, optional
½ onion,
thinly sliced
½ teaspoon
red pepper flakes
2 cloves
garlic, minced
1 head
escarole, cut into 2-inch strips
1 can (14
ounces) garbanzo beans, drained
Juice and
zest of 1 Meyer or regular lemon
1 teaspoon
capers, drained
½ teaspoon
each: minced fresh rosemary, salt
Freshly
ground pepper
1 tablespoon
maple syrup
1 cup toasted
pecans, chopped, see note
¾ cup
flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ cup
shredded Parmesan cheese
1. Cook pasta
according to package directions; drain, reserving 1 cup of
the cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile,
heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Stir
in anchovy, onion and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring,
until onions become soft and anchovy has dissolved, about 3
minutes. Stir in garlic, escarole, garbanzo beans, lemon
juice, capers, rosemary and salt, stirring constantly, until
escarole is coated and slightly wilted, about 1 minute.
3. Lower heat
to medium-low; cover. Cook until escarole is soft and beans
are heated through, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; stir
in reserved cooking liquid, maple syrup and lemon zest. Add
drained pasta; toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with pecans,
parsley and Parmesan.
Note: Toast
nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring
frequently, until aromatic, about 5 minutes. Do not
overcook; they will continue to cook off the heat.
Nutrition
information per serving: 581 calories, 36% of calories from
fat, 23 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 82 g
carbohydrates, 20 g protein, 549 mg sodium, 18 g fiber
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SAVORY
OATMEAL
Preparation
time: 20 minutes
Microwaving
time: 8 minutes
Standing
time: 1 minute
Yield: 2
servings
Eating
healthier for chef Mark Graham means embracing some familiar
cupboard items and reinventing them. Oatmeal, for example,
can be eaten in a savory form, such as this easy microwave
dish. It can be a hearty main course or a side dish for
grilled shrimp or chicken.
½ tablespoon
butter
½ each:
poblano pepper, red pepper, diced small
2 anchovies
1 shallot,
thinly sliced
1 ½ cups
arugula, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon
olive oil
1 tablespoon
capers, drained
1 teaspoon
each: chili powder, fish sauce
¼ teaspoon
salt, optional
Freshly
ground pepper
1 ½ cups
water
½ cup
quick-cooking steel-cut oats
1. Place
butter in a 2-quart microwave-proof casserole dish;
microwave on high 1 minute. Add the peppers, anchovies,
shallot, arugula, olive oil, capers, chili powder, fish
sauce, salt and pepper to taste; stir to combine.
2. Microwave
on high 2 minutes, stirring once. Stir in water and oats;
microwave, uncovered, stirring once, at 50 percent power
until oatmeal is tender, 5-6 minutes. Let stand 1 minute;
stir before serving.
Nutrition
information per serving: 280 calories, 42% of calories from
fat, 13 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 12 mg cholesterol, 33 g
carbohydrates, 8 g protein, 408 mg sodium, 6 g fiber