Avocado

Avocados are a great source of healthy unsaturated fat,  rich in flavor and, also provide vital nutrients and phytochemicals.  The total calories of an avocado (serving size 1/5 medium [30g/1oz]) is 50 per serving (35 calories from fat) or 250 calories for a whole avocado. In the recipe for Cabbage Slaw  below they replace mayonnaise.

Cabbage Avocado Slaw*

ENSALADA CHILENA DE REPOLLO Y PALTA

If you like coleslaw and avocado I am sure you will like this clever combination of the two. Be sure to slice the cabbage as thin as you can, this will make for a more tender salad.

Yield: 6 portions

Ingredients

Cabbage, medium, rinsed, ½ hd.  2-3 cups thinly sliced

Avocado 2 ea.  ripe

Lemon, juice about  ¼ cup or to taste

Canola oil 3 Tbsp.

Method

1. Place the cabbage in a salad bowl, add the avocado, lemon juice, oil, and salt to taste. Mix until the avocado is smooth and well blended with the cabbage. Let the salad marinate for 10 minutes covered in the refrigerator.

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*Source: Iliana de la Vega, as presented at the 2013 Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives conference.

Nutrition Information (per portion/serving, based on ½ teaspoon added salt)

Calories: 157 ⁄ Protein: 2 g ⁄ Carbohydrate: 9 g ⁄ Fiber: 5 g

Saturated fat: 1.5 g ⁄ Polyunsaturated fat: 5.5 g ⁄ Monounsaturated fat: 6 g

AVOCADO SALSA

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

Hass avocado, large, ripe, peeled, seeded, 1 ea. and cut in ½” dice

Tomato, red or yellow, seeded and cut 1/3 cup in ¼” dice

Red onion, sweet, finely chopped 2 Tbsp.

Serrano chile, seeded and minced ½ tsp. or to taste

Garlic, minced ½ tsp. or to taste

Fresh lime or lemon juice 1 Tbsp.

Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 2 Tbsp.

Sugar large pinch Salt and pepper to taste

Calories 353 for the entire portion

Method

1. Carefully combine all ingredients and refrigerate at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors to marry.

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Source: John Ash, as presented at Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives Conference.

How exciting, a well designed study published in the New England Journal of Medicine strongly supports the Mediterranean diet for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study, done in Spain, included more than 7,000 participants. Other studies have looked at diet to lower cholesterol but this study was designed to assess if diet actually prevented deaths from CVD and it did. Participants in this study were at high risk for cardiovascular disease and included men and women age 55 to 80 years of age. They were included because they had at last three high risk factors including diabetes, smoking, hypertension, elevated LDL( bad cholesterol), low HDL (good cholesterol), they were overweight or obese or had a history of premature coronary heart disease in their family.The subject were divided into one of three diets : A Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil,  a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts or a control reduced fat diet. After almost five years those subjects on the Mediterranean diet had the lowest incidence of disease and fewer deaths due to heart disease. In interviews the researchers think the diet might be more effective in the United States where the typical American diet is even more harmful than the typical diet of native Spaniards.

Attributes of the diet included moderately alcohol consumption, low intake of meat and meat products, high consumption of fruits, nuts, legumes fish and olive oil. Weight loss was not the goal of this diet and reduction in CVD occurred just because of an improved diet and not weight loss.

Dietary recommendations included:

• Olive oil – 4 tbsp or more each day this includes oil used in cooking and salads. Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in      polyphenols and is recommended over the ordinary refined olive oils lower in polyphenols
• Mixed Nuts –  One  serving daily with a goal of at least 3 times per week , a serving is 30 grams or about one ounce and included walnuts, almonds hazelnuts, peanuts or a combination.
• Fresh fruit - 3 or more servings every day
• Vegetables - 2 or more servings daily
• Fish and seafood - 3 servings per week
• Legumes –  3  servings per week
• Sofrito ( a tomato onion sauce simmered in  olive oil) 2 or more servings per week
• White meat over red meat
• Wine with meals ( only for those who are already habitual drinkers)

Try the recipe for Balsamic Roasted Beet Salad with Toasted Peanuts  pictured above, it is made with olive oil, vegetables and peanuts ingredients that fit on the Mediterranean Diet.

I was fortunate to attend Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives- Caring for Our Patients and Ourselves, a continuing medical education conference co-presented by the Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard School of Public Health. As they promise in their write-up it was a “feast of scientific, clinical and culinary delights” and they delivered.The next conference is scheduled for March of 2014 learn more at http://healthykitchens.org/ The conference is ideal for anyone wanting to learn more  about healthy eating; and the practices and behaviors that enhance health and quality of life.

I came back with over 300 recipes to share. Since returning home I have made several of the recipes and I am adding them to the FTLOF recipe index .

Here are just a few of the recipes I sampled at the conference and have tried at home:

Farro with Greens and Beans

Warm Red Cabbage with Pancetta and Goat Cheese

ShakShuka: eggs poached in a rich tomato and pepper sauce

New research by Brian Wansink  has found the addition of bite-size carrots, broccoli or peppers reduced the total amount of food eaten while snacking and watching TV .

The researchers compared the amount of calories consumed in four different snacks while young children, grades 3-6 watched TV for 45 minutes. The children were offered one of four snacks: vegetable and cheese, potato chips , cheese-only or vegetable only snack. Calorie intake was significantly less in those children served the vegetable and  cheese snack combination when compared to the chip-only snack.  The addition of bite-sized vegetables appeared to be most effective at reducing calorie intake for the kids who were considered overweight or obese.

To help children reach their recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, parents can offer their children  a fruit or vegetable ( or both )with every  snack. The study mentioned here did not assess the impact fruit had on snacking, but I bet fruit added to a snack could help control portions just like the vegetables did in this study.

If you are worrying about your child’s diet don’t allow it to poison your relationship with your child or his relationship with food. Channel your worries into positive actions, but do not respond by imposing food restrictions. You cannot control what your child wants to eat, or how much he eats; you can only control the things you can influence.

Your sphere of influence should cover the food that comes in the house, how the food is prepared and served.

Five things you can do to help your child eat just what s/he needs:  ideas from Fit Kids: Raising Physically and Emotionally Fit Kids with Real Food:

• Have wholesome foods available.
• Protect family meal times-eat together as often as you can.
• Talk about food and nutrition when it is not meal time. Bring it up while food shopping, or running errands.
• Create a pleasant meal time, enforce rules about manners and good behaviour, avoid talking about who is eating what at the table.
• Always serve at least one fruit or vegetable  (or both) at every meal and snack, and include at least one  food itme you know your child will like.

And most of all, set a good example your child can follow- it is never too soon or too late to start!