Fennel and figs together in a salad

Fennel might be an intimidating vegetable since the shape is strange. Most people see fennel on high-end restaurant menus but fail to use it themselves. Here is an easy and tasty way to enjoy fennel with in-season figs in a summery salad. With just a few high flavor additions of basil and kalamata olives, this delicious dish is high on nutrients but still low on calories making it a healthful meal. Serve it over a dark leafy green like spinach for a great nutrient boost.

Striving for a nutritionally optimal diet is the cornerstone of good health. It can be hard to cut through the hype of diet fads and nutrition anecdotes and dubious research to determine just what an excellent diet is. Dr. Joel Fuhrman came up with a strategy to make it simple and name to those who follow it.  Have you heard of Nutritarians? Here he explains:

Simply put, a nutritarian is a person who strives for more micronutrients per calorie in their diet-style. A nutritarian understands that food has powerful disease-protecting and therapeutic effects and seeks to consume a broad array of micronutrients via their food choices. It is not sufficient to merely avoid fats, consume foods with a low glycemic index, lower the intake of animal products, or eat a diet of mostly raw foods. A truly healthy diet must be micronutrient rich and the micronutrient richness must be adjusted to meet individual needs. The foods with the highest micronutrient per calorie scores are green vegetables, colorful vegetables, and fresh fruits. For optimal health and to combat disease, it is necessary to consume enough of these foods that deliver the highest concentration of nutrients.

A nutritarian is a person whose food choices are influenced by nutritional quality.

You can read more about what it means to be a nutritarian here. If you would consider yourself one who follows these nutrition principles and would like to meet a group of like-minded people or would just like to learn more, check out this Meet-Up Group in Atlanta. Now you have heard of Nutritarians.

Looking for the best body measurement tools for weight loss? Ideally, you would use a scale and some sort of tape measure. A tape measure is helpful for when the scale is not budging but it should be. Measuring waist and hips will show progress when the scale does not. A scale is helpful as a body measurement tool for weight loss because research shows that those who step on a scale on a daily basis have their goal in their mind for the rest of day. Out of sight out of mind? When it comes to body weight, yes!

Here are a few recommendations for the best body measurement tools for weight loss:

Hi Trulie,
I really liked your olive oil tip, as I wasn’t aware of the additional calories that it brings to a meal. But, it makes total sense. My question is….what is a good thing to use for frying? I have heard positive things about coconut oil, but it has is a lot of saturated fat. Also, what about butter? I never know about butter vs. synthetic butters–isn’t the artificial stuff actually worse? For instance if I am making scrambled eggs for breakfast, what should I use in the pan? ( I don’t use non-stick because of the chemicals found in teflon).
Any tips/info you can give me would be great

Thanks for the question! Unfortunately, oil is oil. Whether it is extra virgin olive oil or the health industry hyped coconut oil (and you are right, it is very high in saturated fat) or butter or margarine, all oil is 120 calories per tablespoon and contains little more than fat. If we are going to eat 120 calories, it should contain a large variety of nutrients like:

• antioxidants
• vitamins
• lignans
• flavonoids
• isothiocyanates
• phytic acid
• minerals
• fiber

(To name a few). Oil contains none of these and neither does butter or margarine. For most of us, we need to be choosy about what  every 100 calories is giving us to avoid unnecessary weight gain and chronic disease.

How can I cook low fat and without oil?

I prefer to water saute. So I will either add a little broth or water to the pan. Or I won’t add anything (as vegetables tend to leach out their own water). I would only add a little liquid to keep things from sticking. I also do not use use non-stick cookware. Ideally, everything you would be “frying” would also include some vegetables that will add their own water to the dish and prevent things from sticking.

For foods that need to be dry heated (eggs, oven crisped foods), a cooking oil spray will allow you to add very little oil to the pan (don’t use a heavy trigger finger to hold down the sprayer!). Also, you could drizzle a teaspoon then use a paper  towel to coat the bottom of the area and remove the excess. Keep in mind that heating oil damages it. The chemical structure is damaged and not healthy to be consumed (much like teflon chemicals). So keep the amount very minimal and the days that you are frying an egg in oil, minimized (i.e. not an everyday food).

These dense spicy burgers were adapted from Bryanna Clark Grogan’s sausage burger recipe. Black beans are anantioxidant powerhouse of nutrition. This recipe makes a dense ‘meaty’ burger without the cholesterol and saturated fat of meat. This recipe is also much lower in sodium than typical bean/vegetable burger recipes.

Spicy Black Bean Burger Recipe

Serves 8    •    1/8 of recipe
209.51 Calories per serving.    •    PCF Ratio: 42-48-10
Protein  per serving: 21.84 g    •    Carbohydrate per serving: 24.71 g    •    Fat per serving: 2.28 g

Ingredients:
2 cups – Textured Vegetable Protein, granules
1.25 cups – WATER, MUNICIPAL
.25 cup – BALSAMIC VINEGAR, Organic
2 tbsp – CATSUP/KETCHUP, Organic
4 tbsp – SALSA, CHIPOTLE, Organic
1 1/4 cup – BLACK BEAN, Organic, canned, low sodium
4 cloves – GARLIC, RAW, minced
1 tsp – CUMIN, GROUND
1 tbsp – No Salt SEASONING BLEND, MRS. DASH, all flavors
2 tbsp – SESAME BUTTER, TAHINI, from raw & stone ground kernels
1 large – EGG WHITE, CHICKEN, RAW, fresh
1 tsp – RED PEPPER flakes
1 tsp – PEPPER, GROUND, coarse grind ‘Mr. Pepper’
3/4 cup – FLOUR, GLUTEN
2 tbsp – Nutritional yeast flakes

Recipe Directions:
Boil water and pour over textured vegetable protein (tvp) with vinegar, catsup, and salsa. Mix and let sit for 5 minutes. Coarsely mash black beans and add to tvp with remaining ingredients except for gluten flour. Mix well. Let cool completely in fridge. Mix in gluten flour with hands. Form into 8 patties and place in greased steamer basket. Steam for 20 minutes over boiling water. Remove and chill overnight in refridgerator. Pan fry or grill on greased skillet or grill until lightly browned. Serve on bun with toppings (grilled onions, tomato, lettuce, grilled mushrooms, salsa, guacamole, hot sauce, mustard, etc).

Nutrient Analysis:

Copyright © 2010, by Your Food Genie. All rights Reserved.

I did nutritional counseling with a man after his heart attack.  Here is his story based on his meetings with me and the additional research and reading he did:

As many of you know on January 3, 2006 I suffered atherosclerosis…the medical term for a heart attack.  About 50% of people die from this condition when it occurs.  I was one of the lucky ones.

Looking for answers

I began to believe that nutrition has a huge influence on heart disease, but who and what do you believe?  About a year ago I wanted to lose a couple of pounds so I went on the Nutri-Systems Diet.  It worked.  I lost the weight in a month.  Then I began to research foods cooked in a micro-wave, processed foods, refined foods and how they can harm your body.  WHAT?  I lost the weight.

• Do I need more fiber?
• More fruit?
• More vegetables?
• Do carbs make me fat?
• Is organic really better?
• I heard bagels are good…I heard they aren’t.  Too much starch?  I was frustrated.

Finding a nutrition professional

I didn’t know where to turn so I researched it further and found the best nutritionist/dietician I could find.  Someone I could ask anything about food and nutrition.  I had a lot of questions.  Still do.  She [Trulie] has worked with the Physicians Committee for Research Medicine in Washington, DC and was research coordinator for a revolutionary program for reversing diabetes.  The first thing she told me was that heart disease can be reversed.  I was sold.

I asked her why she chose this line of work and she said she was overweight (hard to believe now) and didn’t feel good—so she did something about it.  In our meetings she broke down

1. macro-nutrients (protein, carbs and fat) and
2. micro-nutrients (vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals).

Optimal health comes from a diet loaded with 14 different vitamins, 25 minerals and 10,000 phytochemicals.  The phytochemicals have a profound influence on humans cell function.  Our body cells can only heal, repair and detoxify with foods rich in micro-nutrients.  We hear a lot these days about free radicals which attack our cells and cause disease.  I believe now through my limited research, reading and questions that chronic diseases are largely the result of infinitely complex assaults on our bodies resulting from bad food.

Protect health with a powerful diet

I know the last sentence in the above paragraph is hard to comprehend, but I am beginning to believe that certain foods are just a lot better for us than others.  My new encyclopedia of health then gave me a reading assignment.  She handed me a book called The China Study (I highly recommend you read it) and told me to read the chapter (Broken Hearts) on heart disease.  I liked that information so much that I bought my own book and read it cover to cover.  It was fascinating.  The writer, Dr. T. Colin Campbell questions the status quo.  Many years ago as a scientist and nutrition expert he worked for the government and later became involved in a study to understand why people in parts of China and other countries did not get heart disease and cancer.  Most believed it must be genetics, but when they moved to America and ate the western diet they got just as sick as us.  The study found that the Chinese ate

• less animal-based foods and
• more plant-based foods.  More fruits, vegetables and grains!  Foods high in micro-nutrients with great anti-oxidant power.

My dietician provided me with beneficial information to share.   It became obvious that the best foods for me are a heavy dose of many fruits and vegetables.  The more the variety the better.  I knew I wouldn’t eat 5 or 6 fruits a day, but my nutritionist showed me how to blend a great tasting smoothie with 6-8 fruits, flaxseed and other high anti-oxidant nutrients.  I am eating many more vegetables and better grains.  My cholesterol is extremely low and I am feeling great.

Our health is a choice

In closing I believe we can do better than pills and surgery.  We can go directly to the bottom line.  We can reduce our cholesterol and when that is done you cannot deposit fat and cholesterol into your arteries.  PERIOD.  It happens through nutrition.  My research has of course concentrated on heart disease, but every year that passes, there is more proof that a plant-based diet has similar effects on chronic diseases.  It is now believed that at least half of all senile mental impairment is caused by vascular injury to the brain.  Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Do you puruse health food aisles and notice various whole grains that you don’t have a clue how to prepare? Do you look at the directions (cook in simmering water for 1 hour) and think, I will never do that!

Would you be willing to try some new whole grains if you had a fast and easy whole grain recipe? Are you also looking to get away from boxed, packaged, processed breakfast foods (if you aren’t, you should)?

Would you make a whole grain recipe for breakfast if it was:

• fast and easy
• could be thrown together quickly in the morning (much like commercial breakfast cereals)
• tastes good

Fast and easy whole grain

Here is a recipe that incorporates a mixture of 2 whole grains.  If you prefer to just use one, go ahead. If you want to use different grains, go ahead. If you want to really shoot for the moon and do a crazy mixture of many whole grains, fine with me but I can’t vouch for the success/taste of your recipe!

Fast and easy whole grain bulgur and barley recipe

The result is a pleasantly chewy texture that slows down your eating pace and allows you to feel fuller on less food.

1/2 cup bulgur, dry

1/2 cup pearled barley, dry

2 cups water

If you can remember to brush your teeth at night you can remember this: Combine these 3 ingredients in a bowl before you go to bed. In the morning, drain in mesh strainer. Remove 1/4 of the soaked grains for 1 serving. Add fruit, milk, nuts, spices, etc. Serve. Makes about 4 1 cup servings

This fast and easy whole grain bulgur and barley recipe delivers big nutrition especially as the leftovers sit in the fridge for the next day. Unlike, processed cereals, the grains are “alive” and may sprout after a few days improving the nutrient absorption. Not a bad deal for a few dimes worth of wholesome cereal, eh?

Nutrition for 1/4 of recipe (a little less than a cup after soaking)

Calories 148

Protein 5 g

Carbs 33 g

Fat 0.5 g

Fiber 7 g (do any of your processed cereals compare to these stats??)

Magnesium 49 mg (12% of Daily Value)

Selenium 10 mcg (14% of Daily Value)

I need a sweet healthy salad dressing for my arugula salad! Sweet would be a nice compliment to spicy arugula. Healthy? Yes! It can’t have:

• preservatives
• added sugars or syrups
• added salt
• processed oil (all oil is processed so basically, zilch on the oil)
• too many calories (ideally under 100 calories for a 1/2 cup)

A healthy dressing for arugula salad also needs to have:

• high amounts of antioxidants
• high amounts of phytochemicals
• high amounts of vitamins and minerals
• delicious flavor!!

Jeesh. Here’s a recipe that accomplishes all those things:

Healthy salad dressing recipe for arugula salad

4 dried figs (preferably organic)

1/2 cup unhulled sesame seeds (optionally pretoasted)

1/2 medium apple (organic)

1 cup unsweetened soymilk

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 cup water

Toast the sesame seeds first for added flavor. Blend all ingredients together in blender until smooth.

I will freeze half of it for later use. I suspect it will need to be reblended after defrosting. Hint: this makes a delicious healthy salad dressing for arugula and spinach salad when topped with fresh blueberries, raisins, celery, red pepper, carrots, you get the idea.

Makes about 3 cups.

Nutrition per 1/2 cup serving (that’s a lot of dressing but not if your salad includes 5-6 cups of greens, 2 tbl portions never do it for me):

Calories 99

Protein 3 g

Carbs 10 g

Fat 6 g

Sodium 32 mg

Fiber 3 g

Looking for a cool and creamy treat? How about a creamy mango raspberry sundae? This recipe incorporates dried mango, frozen bananas and topped with raspberries.  The nutrient boost from the fruit makes this delicious for your taste buds and good to your body.

Mango Raspberry Sundae

1 1/2 medium bananas, frozen

2 oz dried mango, unsweetened and unsulfured

1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk

2 ice cubes or 1/4 cup water (use ice cubes if wanting to freeze faster)

1/2 cup frozen organic raspberries, thawed (can be microwaved for 1 minute at 30% power)

Blend dried mango with soymilk and water until smooth and creamy. Freeze in ice cube tray for 3 hours. After frozen combine with frozen bananas in high powered blender or food processor and process until creamy but still frozen.  Divide into 2 servings and top with raspberries.  Serve your mango raspberry sundae.

Nutrition:

Calories: 206

Protein: 3 g

Carbohydrate: 49 g

Fat: <1 g