Two New Books

No doubt about it – kosher is "in", and not just within the kashrut observant community. The popularity of kosher food in the US has soared, as have the number of products now boasting kosher supervision. New kosher cookbooks are following the trend.

I've just had a chance to review two of them.

Gil Marks spent years researching material for his fascinating Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. He's written over 600 pages on every subject related to Jewish food that you could imagine – and many that you've probably never heard of. (How about Csipetke, Kharcho and Dukkah?) With much detail, Gil discusses ancient and modern foods from Jewish communities all over the world. This is not a standard cookbook, but many delicious and moderately easy-to-make recipes are included.

Although the book cover is absolutely gorgeous, smatterings of black and white photographs don't make this a glamorous read. In fact, it's not a "read through" kind of book at all, unless reading encyclopedias are your thing. But I've been making my way through it slowly, enjoying it immensely and already using it as the exceptionally well-written and interesting reference it's meant to be.

The Kosher Baker by Paula Shoyer is a glamorously designed book with an eye-catching cover and top-notch color photographs throughout. It's organized by preparation time, rather than type of food, which I found a bit awkward.

The premise of Paula's book is that you can re-do any of those gorgeously fancy dairy baked goods you've drooled over for years and make them parve.

She may be right, but at what price to your health? Most of her recipes call for large amounts of solid fat (stick margarine or Crisco), parve whip topping, parve coffee creamer, parve sour cream and cream cheese, and frozen puff pastry.

Here are the ingredients of some of the products called for in her recipes:

Rich's Whip Topping: Water, high fructose corn syrup (sugar), hydrogenated coconut oil, partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil, more sugar, gums, stabilizers and other various chemicals, flavors and colors

Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry: Unbleached enriched wheat (white) flour, water, partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils, mono and diglycerides derived from hydrogenated soybean oil, and soy lecithin

Although some of her recipes do use canola oil and soy, rice and almond milk, the majority are dependent on artery-clogging hydrogenated fats and lots of sugar. While recommending these products, Paula claims in her introduction that "…many studies link milk consumption with various medical symptoms and diseases."

Is she referring to dairy allergies or lactose intolerance? If so, how can you compare these to heart disease – the number one cause of death in the US, brought on in large part by diets high in saturated fat, sugar and way too many calories?

I guess Paula and I are just on different wave-lengths when it comes to parve desserts. Her idea is creamy, rich, sweet and loaded with saturated fat, while I prefer desserts made with fresh and dried fruit, nuts, whole grains, olive and canola oil. Maybe there's another kosher cookbook waiting to be written?

Cranberries

Beer Sheva is finally on the map.

We just got a branch of Eden Teva – the kosher Israeli equivalent of Whole Foods Market in the US. It's a gorgeous store and well stocked with healthy and alternative (organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free) foods from around the world. They've got hormone-free chicken and beef, fresh fish, dozens of varieties of olives, grains, beans and spices. Their in-store bakery actually makes whole-grain challot without caramel coloring. Among their huge selection of frozen foods, I found cranberries for "Shabbat Thanksgiving". Not the usual "mini" variety occasionally brought in from Eastern Europe, but big, bright red cranberries from Maine!

Besides the tasty Thanksgiving tradition, there are lots of good reasons to eat cranberries. They contain proanthocyanidins (PACs) and other polyphenols – antioxidants that may benefit everything from heart disease to cancer. Cranberries can help prevent urinary tract infections by preventing the growth of E.coli bacteria.

They're fat-free, low in sodium and high in potassium, vitamin C and fiber.

Since cranberries are naturally tart, the tendency is to add lots of sugar to make them palatable. Just go easy on the sweetener so you don't overdo the calories.

Here's my favorite Thanksgiving cranberry recipe:

Cranberry Sauce (Parve)

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or a few slices fresh ginger (optional)

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Bring the maple syrup, water and ginger to a boil. Stir in the cranberries and simmer, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and pop. Let them cool and then refrigerate.

Makes 2 cups

Welcome Back!

To all of my faithful readers,

Please excuse my absence.

In truth, I have not been well for the past several months.

The good news is that I'm not seriously ill. After lots of tests and visits to medical specialists, the diagnosis is fibromyalgia - a set of treatable symptoms rather than a disease. So I'm returning to regular exercise, trying different medications and resting a lot. The worst symptoms are exhaustion and difficulty in concentrating - thus the lack of blogs.

Now that I'm feeling better, I'll be back to blogging more often. Look for a new post following this one.

Thanks so much for your understanding.

Chana

Macaroni and Cheese

When our granddaughter comes over after gan (preschool), this is her favorite lunch. Even with salad (which, like most Israelis, she's eaten since she was little) I can't seem to make enough to satisfy her appetite.

What's the big deal?

It's a good way to introduce healthy whole wheat pasta.
Tomato sauce adds flavor, so you can use less (high fat) cheese.
The attractive rosy tint hides the fact that the pasta is brown.
Homemade is better than the highly processed, over-salted boxed variety.
You can make it all in one pan, so it's quick and easy.

Otherwise, it's really just homemade macaroni and cheese: Start with whole grain pasta. Make a white sauce. Add a little cheese and some pasta sauce. The quantities are up to you. Here's the "recipe":

Start by boiling whole wheat pasta (children especially enjoy shapes like bowties and corkscrews). When it's cooked "al dente" (with a little bite to it – not mushy), drain it and rinse in a colander. Let the excess hot water in the pan evaporate for a minute or two.

Heat a spoonful of canola or olive oil in the same pan. Mix in a tablespoon or so of flour and mix together, stirring frequently, to make a paste. Cook for a minute or two, stirring all the time. (A whisk is good for this.) Gradually pour in about a cup of low fat milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring the sauce to a boil and let it simmer for a minute or two on low heat, stirring occasionally.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in a handful of grated cheese (I like cheddar). Stir it into the sauce until it melts. Now add pasta or tomato sauce (homemade or purchased – I like the kind with chunky pieces of vegetables in it) until it turns a lovely rosy pink color. Add the drained pasta into the sauce. That's it! Serve now or refrigerate and microwave it later.

What do we do after lunch? This week we painted each other's nail's. For a savta (grandmother) who raised three boys and no girls, I was in heaven!

Diets – How to Spot a Fad

Diets have been around forever. Whether you're trying to lose a few pounds or a lot, you'd like to do it easily and as quickly as possible. The diet industry is ready and waiting – there are hundreds of "quick fix" and "miracle" diets claiming to be the best approach to weight loss. All you have to do is…

Here's where it gets tricky. It's tempting to try something new and different. Or to buy special food, supplements and books that promise quick, easy weight loss. But before you do, here's what to look out for:

1. Is the diet based on drastically reducing calories? Starvation-type diets rely on a simple trick: When deprived of food, the body's natural reaction is to dump water. So most of the weight you lose on a very low-calorie diet is water. After you start eating normally, the body acts like a sponge and sucks up the lost water and you regain the weight.

2. Does the diet require you to buy pills, herbs, nutrition bars or supplements? There's no such thing as a magic pill. Herbs and supplements will not speed up your metabolism, suppress your appetite or block the absorption of food, as they might promise. Besides, most supplements are not regulated. Many of them don't contain what they say they do, and some have even been found to contain contaminants. Prescription weight-loss drugs are another matter, but require the supervision of your health-care provider.

3. A diet that eliminates meals or whole food groups is likely to lack essential nutrients. Likewise, a diet that focuses on eating just one particular food may come up short in important vitamins and minerals. While high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets may be safe and effective, it's best to use them for short periods of time under medical supervision.

How else can you spot a fad diet?

It promises a quick fix

The claims sound too good to be true

It draws simplistic conclusions from complex data

It's based on studies that are not peer-reviewed or are too small to draw conclusions

It's selling you a specific product

Successful weight-loss involves good nutrition, portion-control, mindful eating and exercise. These long-term life style changes are much more reliable and healthy than the latest fad diet.

Back-to-School Ideas

Do you get into a rut when it comes to packing school lunch boxes? I remember those days. One son insisted on peanut butter and jelly for months at a time. Another wanted only strawberry jelly. The third refused anything resembling jelly. Sneaking in whole-wheat bread was another challenge.

Here are some creative ideas that add nutritional "punch" to sandwiches.

Avocado

Mild in flavor, smooth and creamy, avocado is a winner in sandwiches. It's high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and nutrients like vitamin E, potassium, folate and healthy plant sterols. Slice it or mash it with a drop of lemon juice. Use avocado instead of mayonnaise on cheese, tuna, chicken and turkey sandwiches.

Nut and Seed Butters

Peanut butter is a staple for most of us. But how about trying other kinds of "butters"? Almond butter is a delicious source of calcium and magnesium. Look for hazelnut, soy nut and sesame butters. There are a variety of techina (sesame) spreads, including my favorite, made with ground sesame seeds, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and honey. Try nut butters with bananas, apples or pears for a tasty sandwich.

Dried Fruit

When fresh fruit is not in season, try dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, plums (the new word for prunes), cherries, figs, dates and apricots. Dried fruit is nutrient and calorie dense, so just ¼ cup equals a full serving of fruit. Dried cranberries are great in tuna and chicken salad sandwiches. Raisins and cut up apricots are tasty with nut butters. Fill a small bag with whole or cut up dried fruit for a nutritious snack.

Hummus

Made from chickpeas and techina (ground sesame seeds), hummus is popular as a dip, spread and salad. Why not use it in sandwiches? Both chickpeas and techina are high in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Spread hummus on whole-grain bread, pita or a bagel and add tomato and cucumber slices for a tasty sandwich. Before you buy hummus, check the label. Some brands have lots of added vegetable oil and very little techina.

Roasted Peppers

You can buy them in a jar or make them yourself: Cut around the stalk of the pepper and lift it out with the seeds. (Shake out the rest of the seeds.) Roast them in a 450 F (230 C) oven until the skin is charred all over. While they're still hot, put the peppers into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Peel them when they're cool enough to handle. Roasted red pepper strips added to a tuna or cheese sandwich are not only delicious. They also give you a boost of vitamins C and A.

Baked Chicken and Rice

This is one of my favorite chicken dishes. It's quick and easy. And it's perfect for Sukkot! Baharat is a blend of spices that may include cinnamon, cloves and chile peppers. If the spices in this recipe don't appeal to you, substitute others, like oregano, dill or tarragon.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 ½ cups brown rice, rinsed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon ground baharat (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups water
2 ½ - 3 pounds chicken, cut into pieces and skin removed

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).

Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion, stirring, until golden. Put the onion into a large shallow baking dish or casserole. Add the rice to the onions and mix together.

Mix the spices and salt in a small bowl. Set aside a few teaspoons of the mixture and add the remaining spices to the water. Pour this over the rice in the baking dish. Place the chicken pieces on top and sprinkle with the remaining spice mixture.

Cover tightly and bake for one hour. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and browned.

4-6 servings

Stamps of Israel - Nutrition Smart!

I couldn't resist posting an image of these Israeli stamps.

And not just because they're so pretty to look at. When you're done peeling off the stamps (local postage rate only), there's nutrition information printed on the back that's yours to keep. Vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and their health benefits are listed for grapes, oranges, lemons, avocados and pomegranates. Grown in Israel, of course.

So run down to your local post office and ask for the fruit stamps. Tell them you just want to brush up on your nutrition!

Seven Strategies for Better Health in the Coming New Year

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is a festive day of celebration and a serious day of judgment. It's not about making resolutions. But with the start of a month filled with holiday meals, it's a good time to think about improving your health. Here are seven strategies for eating healthier in 5771:

1. Use smart fats. Extra virgin olive oil is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants. Use it in cooking, baking and to dress salads. Canola oil is also good for baking. Stay away from margarine, which is highly processed and may contain trans fat.

2. Replace refined grains with whole grains. Adding whole grains to your diet may lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity. Replace white flour with whole-wheat flour when you bake. Try whole grain pasta. Serve a whole grain for dinner – try brown rice, bulgur, kasha, quinoa, barley or wheat berries. They're high in important vitamins, minerals and fiber and delicious too.

3. Cut out sodas. If you're a big soda drinker, start off by drinking one less can of soda a day. Regular soda is high in sugar and calories with no nutritional value. Diet soda, with its array of additives, is not much better. Make your own refreshing (and economical) drink: Pour ⅓ cup pure fruit juice into a large glass and add sparkling water to the top. Try tea – hot or cold, black, green or herbal, for a refreshing beverage. Don't forget plain unadulterated tap water – the budget-friendly beverage of choice.

4. Use sweeteners judiciously. Sugar, whether it's white or brown, honey or maple syrup, adds calories to your diet with little nutritional value. Stay away from highly-sweetened store-bought baked goods. Cut back a little on the sugar in your favorite cookie or cake recipes and no one will know the difference. Make baked goods a special Shabbat treat, and stick with fruit for dessert during the week.

5. Cook more often. Did you know that obesity rates are highest among people who spend the least amount of time cooking? You don't have to spend hours over a hot stove to cook "from scratch". Keep a well-stocked pantry and plan menus in advance. Cook extra amounts and store leftovers in the freezer for those days when you don't have time to cook. Pick up a cookbook to get some ideas. (My book has menu ideas and lots of easy-to-cook recipes!) Start off with the basics and go from there.

6. Go easy on salt. Most processed food is loaded with salt, and the more salt you eat, the greater your chances of developing high blood pressure. Check the label for sodium before you buy foods like soup powder, noodle cups, canned soup and pasta sauce. Even frozen waffles and breakfast cereal may be loaded with salt. In the kitchen, substitute fresh herbs and spices for salt. If you gradually reduce the amount of salt you use in cooking, it's less likely to be missed.

7. Eat mindfully. Think through your food choices. Make a list before you shop and don't be tempted to buy things that you know you shouldn't eat. Learn about portion sizes. Eat when you're hungry and not when you're bored or feeling bad. Pay attention to when you feel full, so you won't overeat. Most importantly, enjoy your food!

With best wishes for good health and happiness in the coming year!

Diet and Acne

Between 80 and 90% of all adolescents get acne. So do many adults. Does diet have anything to do with it?

Immigration studies show that acne increases when a population shifts to a more Westernized diet. What's the cause? A 2009 review of scientific literature showed that dairy products and high-glycemic-index foods (like simple carbohydrates) may be to blame. There's also evidence that omega-6 fatty acids play a role in acne.

When I was a teenager, we thought that eating chocolate caused acne. But there's no scientific evidence to back that up. Salt doesn't seem to play a role either.

Dairy Foods

Researchers think that hormones in cow's milk play a role in acne. Skim milk showed the strongest association with the frequency and severity of acne in teenage girls, leading scientists to believe that hormones and not milk fat are to blame.

High-Glycemic-Index Foods

The glycemic index measures how fast and how far blood glucose rises after eating foods containing carbohydrates. Foods that are absorbed more slowly after ingestion (like whole-grain, complex carbohydrates) cause a slower rise in blood glucose levels and have a low glycemic index. Other foods – like those containing lots of sugar and simple starch (like white bread, cookies and cake), are digested quicker, causing blood sugar to rise faster. As blood sugar levels rise, the body secretes insulin to help metabolize it. In a number of studies, people given a low-glycemic-index diet showed an improvement in their acne. Scientists believe that insulin and hormones are involved.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Acne, depending on the type, may or may not involve inflammation. Although no large studies have been done, it's believed that high levels of dietary omega-6 fatty acids, which produce inflammation, may be associated with acne. On the other hand, omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory, may decrease the incidence and severity of acne.

What Can You Do?

Severe acne should be treated by a dermatologist. If you'd like to try dietary measures to reduce the frequency or severity of acne, here's what you can do:

1. Go "dairy-free" for at least several weeks to see if there's an improvement. Be sure you get enough calcium from alternative sources, like fortified soy milk, almond milk or orange juice, canned salmon and sardines, leafy greens, tofu, or a vitamin supplement.

2. Choose foods with a low-glycemic index, like whole grains, legumes, nuts and vegetables.

3. Stick with fats that are high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, like olive and canola oil. Eat plenty of fish, especially fatty fish like salmon and sardines. Ground flax seeds and walnuts are also high in omega-3 fatty acids. Reduce your intake of corn, soybean, safflower and sunflower oil, which are all high in omega-6 fatty acids.

4. Limit your intake of processed foods, which tend to be high in simple carbohydrates as well as unhealthy fats.

If acne is a problem, these relatively easy-to-do dietary measures just may make a difference. It's worth a try!

Nutrition Blog Network

Did you notice the new link on my blog? (It's on the right-hand side, above "labels") I'm now a member of the Nutrition Blog Network, a source for reliable and credible nutrition information.

Nutrition Blog Network is a collection of blogs written by registered dietitians. You'll find ideas on feeding your picky toddler, tips on what to eat during pregnancy, gluten-free and vegetarian recipes, tips for diabetics and more. Most, if not all of their blogs are written by US and Canadian dietitians. (I think I'm their only Israeli blogger!) Don't expect kosher recipes, but I think you'll find plenty of other interesting information.

Click on their "Nutrition Blog Directory" and pick your subject. Blogs are arranged alphabetically, with a short description of each one. Browse through the listings and click at the link to get to the blog you want.

Happy and healthy blogging!

Ice Cream - Making Your Own

After years of frustration with our modest old ice cream machine, I splurged and bought a Gaggia – the gold-standard of home machines. After all, it was a month of special occasions – a special birthday for my husband, our anniversary, and seven years since we returned to Israel.

I had other, even better excuses – the poor quality of low-fat ice cream, the lack of flavorful fruit sorbets and no kosher gelato. Yes, I know they're available in Tel Aviv, but here in Beer Sheva, there's very little to choose from. Grocery-store brands are filled with gums, stabilizers, vegetable fat and loads of sugar. They taste more like marshmallows than ice cream. Even our very own "Glida (Ice Cream) Beer Sheva" is mediocre tasting.

I just wanted to make low-fat, low-calorie, palette-popping frozen desserts. So I've been on a bit of a binge. I started with:

Pistachio gelato

Chocolate sorbet (parve)

Mexican chocolate (cinnamon and a bite of chili) ice cream

Peach frozen yogurt

Matcha (Japanese green tea) ice cream

Then I moved on to:

Pistachio gelato made with almond milk (parve)

Fresh cherry and chocolate chunk gelato

Dulce de Leche ice cream with pecans

What's the trick to delicious low-fat frozen desserts?

1. For "ice cream" I use a mixture of 2 cups low-fat (1%) milk and 1 cup half and half (10% cream). That comes out to about 4% total fat – a lot less than the 20-some percent fat in store-bought premium ice creams.

2. For gelato, I use 1% milk cooked with cornstarch to a soft pudding. (Use either the microwave or the stovetop to cook the mixture.) The ratio is 3 cups of milk to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add the flavors or fruit and refrigerate the mixture until it's completely cold.

3. I don't use egg-based custards. Eggs add custard-like richness, but they also add cholesterol and fat calories. Instead, I concentrate on flavors with pizzazz.

4. Cold dulls the flavor of things. For example, even though I cooked the cherries first and then steeped them in the milk/cornstarch mixture, my cherry gelato still lacked excitement. The peach frozen yogurt was also on the dull side, even though I used lots of fresh, ripe peaches and tangy sheep's milk yogurt. Back to the drawing board on fruit flavors.

5. Flavor is everything! When you're not using eggs and high fat milk and cream, you've got to emphasize flavor – use the best chocolate, nuts, fruit and spices. Even then, things don't always work out. For instance, we only had high quality matcha tea powder (my husband is a Japanese-tea specialist!) which was barely perceptible in our ice cream. Next time we'll try stronger, lower-grade matcha.

What's next on my flavor agenda? I'm thinking about halvah ice cream and espresso gelato. And fresh mango sorbet for next Shabbat.

I'm not suggesting that you buy an expensive ice cream machine. (There are plenty of good machines available in all price ranges.) But if you enjoy frozen desserts and are looking for a healthier, tastier treat than you can buy at the store, you may want to try your hand at making it yourself.

Jet Lag – To Eat or Not to Eat

Some of us will be traveling long distances this summer. I'm always envious of my European friends, whose families are a mere four hours or so flying time from here. Those of us who travel to North America or Asia know what it's like. It's hard enough being squished into in a sardine-can sized seat for a 12 hour or more flight. Then, when you finally arrive, you're exhausted during the day and wide awake at night.

The usual (and sound) travel advice is helpful: Set your watch for the destination time at the start of your trip. Try to get a head start by eating and sleeping in that time zone during the flight. Drink a lot of fluids during the flight, but avoid alcohol and coffee. Try to adjust to the new time zone as quickly as possible, by eating and sleeping when everyone there does.

Upon arrival, I find that a brisk walk outdoors in the morning and a cup of coffee helps. I force myself not to take a nap.

There may be another way to cope with jet lag: fasting.

Circadian rhythm (our internal pattern of sleep and wakefulness) is influenced by exposure to light. But it's also influenced by food. At least in mice. Studies of mice (whose brain circuitry is similar to ours) show that when food is available to them, they are alert, awake and ready to eat, even if it's the middle of the night. When they're deprived of food for many hours and then fed, their brains re-acclimate to the correct time.

This information may be helpful to long-distance travelers. Here's what you can do:

Don't eat for 12-16 hours before you want to be awake. In many cases, that means starting to fast before you leave home and for the duration of the flight. (That shouldn't be too hard given the quality of airline food!) Break your fast with a healthy meal, preferably at your new "morning" time.

Here's another way of planning it: Figure out when breakfast time will be wherever you're landing and fast for 12-16 hours before this.

We're not certain that this is a sure fix for jet lag, but it's certainly worth a try. And, except for a few calories, there's nothing to lose.

N'siyah tovah – Have a safe and healthy trip!

Summertime…And the food is warm when it should be cold

The reception was called for 5:30, the chuppah (wedding ceremony) at 6:30. This being an Israeli wedding, we got there at 6:30 and the chuppah started at around 8 pm.

If you've never been to an Israeli wedding, here's how it usually goes:

During the reception, there's a buffet (mainly fried foods and soft drinks)

The ceremony starts at least an hour late

Dinner starts with challah rolls and a variety of salads served family style

Dancing begins

The first course – usually a huge portion of fish, is served

More dancing

More food – platters of rice, potatoes, couscous and vegetables is served

More dancing

The main course – chicken or meat is served

More dancing, followed by dessert

Usually there's enough food for an army battalion. Usually it's heavy on the carbohydrates and fats. Trans fat is abundant in the desserts. But that's another story.

The wedding was lovely – outdoors on the lawn of a nearby kibbutz. There was just one problem. Several hours before the guests sat down to eat, all of the salads had been placed on the tables.

I warned my husband not to eat the potato salad. He listened to me for once.

Food-borne illness is a big problem. Caterers are not the only ones who make mistakes. Restaurants, food processing plants and growers all play a role in the safety of our food supply.

Even foods that we think of as safe – like lettuce, potatoes, cheese and ice cream have been implicated in thousands of cases of food poisoning. But you can't stop eating.

What can you do to protect yourself?

At home, cook foods thoroughly. Use a meat thermometer to check poultry and red meat to be sure they're cooked completely. When you're finished using utensils for raw meat, fish or poultry, wash them with soap and hot water before using them for cooked foods.

Don't eat raw or undercooked eggs.

Wash salad greens and scrub hard vegetables. Be sure your refrigerator and freezer are at the proper temperature. Keep cold food cold and hot food hot until they're ready to be served. If you're traveling with food, use ice packs and an insulated carrier to keep them cold.

Don't stop going to weddings. But nosy around for bad food handling habits and eat cautiously. It may sound extreme, but I never go to a catered event on an empty stomach. With a glass of sparkling water in my hand, nobody notices what I do and don't eat.

Whole Grains from the Middle East – Freekah

Years ago I read about green wheat – freekah in one of Paula Wolfert's cookbooks. It sounded interesting, but I didn’t go out of my way to find it in the US. Years later, after I moved to Israel, my friend Sophie called me. Her son bought freekah at an Arab market in Haifa and she wanted to know how to cook it. A few months ago she told me that freekah was now sold at the upscale natural food store near her house in Tel Aviv. Another ethnic food that's become a "health food"!

Freekah is young, green durum wheat that's processed by burning. The chaff is scorched, making the grain easier to remove. It's got an almost wild, grassy smoked taste and a haunting aroma.

Nutritionally, freekah is a winner. Compared to other grains, it's high in fiber, protein, calcium, iron and potassium. (This is according to the Australian Government Analytical Laboratories. A company there is marketing freekah.) It's also got a low glycemic index, so it's an especially good carbohydrate for diabetics.

I like to serve freekah as a side dish with roast chicken or turkey breast. For a lovely vegetarian grain salad, cool the pilaf and add fresh parsley, mint and/or coriander. To avoid rancidity, store raw freekah in your freezer.

Freekah Pilaf (Parve)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 cup freekah, picked over and rinsed

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baharat *

1 ½ cups vegetable broth

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion until it's soft and lightly brown.

While the onions are cooking, soak the freekah in water for about 5 minutes. Drain it well and add it to the onions, along with the salt and baharat. Cook it for a minute or two, while stirring. Add the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the grains are cooked. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Makes 3 cups

* Baharat is a blend of spices used throughout the Middle East. In Israel, Pereg Gourmet sells a fine blend. I'm partial to the baharat (with a "bite") made by The Spice House in Milwaukee, a mix of black pepper, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, paprika and chile peppers.

If you don't have access to store-bought baharat, make your own using either of these recipes:

Baharat Blend 1

2 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Baharat Blend 2

1 tablespoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ tablespoon ground allspice

½ tablespoon ground nutmeg

Winter Squash in Summer

Making aliyah has its challenges – language, culture, manners (or lack of) all require getting used to – or not. Even the food takes getting used to. Although Israel has modern grocery stores and an abundance of locally grown produce, food elicits nostalgia, and most olim (new immigrants) want at least a little "taste of home" once in awhile.

For me, that nostalgia hits once a year, at Thanksgiving. Turkey, stuffing, wild rice, cranberries and pumpkin pie, which I can easily do without all year round, start to make my mouth water. So I roast a turkey breast, bake cornbread and make stuffing. I cook wild rice with dried cranberries. But American-style pie pumpkins aren't grown here.

There's another problem with winter squash (that's what pumpkins are) in Israel – they come to market in the middle of summer! Right now, in July, we're eating the most delicious squash of the season – and I don't mean zucchini, which haven't been offered for months by our organic subscription farm. The fresh picked butternut squash is wonderful. Acorn squash – new in the Israeli market, is small, sweet and nutty tasting.

Here's a very easy way to cook winter squash: Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the stem and cut the squash in half lengthwise, from the stem end to the bottom. Take out the seeds. (A grapefruit spoon makes it easy.) With your fingers or a brush, rub the cut edges and the inside of the squash with olive oil. Sprinkle the surfaces with salt and pepper and bake, cut side down on the baking sheet until the edges begin to brown and the squash is soft.

With the abundance of delicious winter squash throughout the summer, I really don't miss it during the winter. What do I make for dessert on Thanksgiving? I use what's readily available at that time of year and make sweet potato pie!

Apricot Jam – Easy on the Sugar and Easy on You

Between the fruit trees in our yard and the nearby orchards (now subdivisions), there was always a surplus of summer fruit when I was growing up. First my mother made pies, and then jelly and jam. I remember pouring a layer of melted wax over the jelly – an old (and not very safe) method for sealing.

Now I still enjoy making jam, but usually in small batches. Last year I made cardamom fig preserves and apricot jam. When this year's crop of berries arrived from the Golan, I made blackberry jelly, raspberry preserves with berry liqueur and cherry jam.

Making jam does take time and effort. Between standing over the stove and stirring, cleaning jars and processing them in a water bath, it's definitely a project. And then there's the sugar. Jam takes a huge amount of sugar – most recipes call for equal weights of fruit and sugar.

Then I found a recipe for apricot jam that I had cut from a magazine ten years ago. (Yes, in addition to keeping recipes on my computer, I still clip and file.) It's nearly effortless and it uses just a little sugar and no pectin. (That's also good, because pectin isn't available in Israel.)

Pit and cut up the apricots. Add a small amount of sugar and lemon juice. Microwave.

Between cooking for a few minutes in the microwave, the jam cools for up to 3 hours before getting zapped a few more times. That's about it. There's no water-bath processing, so you'll have to store this jam in the refrigerator. It should last for several weeks.

Of course, I had to play around with the recipe. I used demerara sugar instead of white and added Amaretto to the first batch. The second batch has chopped candied ginger (I'm sure I used too much – but that just means more for me!) and a splash of orange juice.

Apricot season just ended here, but next week I'm hoping to try the recipe with plums.

PS We're not big jam eaters, but I still find plenty of uses for it. A small spoonful is wonderful with plain or frozen yogurt. I recently used homemade blackberry jam to fill two layers of a very simple birthday cake. I'm thinking of some apricot jam, white wine and herbs for this Shabbat's roast chicken. I also like to pour the jam into small glass jars and give them as gifts.

Microwave Apricot Jam (adapted from Sunset Magazine)

1 ¼ pounds (½ kilo) fresh apricots

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ cup sugar (white or demerara)

2 tablespoons Amaretto, orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice

Wash and pit the apricots. Cut them into quarters and put them into a large microwave-safe bowl. (I use an 8-cup Pyrex measuring cup.) Add the sugar and lemon juice to the apricots and mix.

Heat the mixture in the microwave, on full power, for 6 to 8 minutes, until it boils. Take it out, stir gently and let it sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

Microwave the mixture again for 5 or 6 minutes, or until it comes to a full boil. Take it out, stir and let sit again for 1-3 hours.

Now stir in the liqueur or juice and microwave for 12-15 minutes, stirring every 4 minutes. You should see lots of big bubbles. Pour the jam into clean jars (I pour boiling water into them so they're sparkling clean.) Cover, cool and store in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 cups

Probiotics

They're added to yogurt, snack bars, water, baby food and pizza crust. You'll find them in chewing gum, fruit juice, lozenges and toothpaste. They're even in dog food.

Are probiotics just another "health food" gimmick? What are they and what do they do? Should you add them to your diet?

Although they don't have a legal definition in the US, the World Health Organization defines probiotics as "Live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host."

"Live organisms" can also be described as "friendly or beneficial bacteria". They've been around for thousands of years in fermented foods like yogurt and kefir. But because the science of probiotics is just emerging, there are still a lot of unknowns. In typical fashion, the marketplace is often ahead of the science. Products containing probiotics are all the rage. But not all of them are effective or worth your money.

Here's what you should know:

The full name of the probiotic, including genus, species and strain

For instance, a popular yogurt drink contains Lactobacillus (genus) casei (species) DN-114 001(strain), a probiotic that may help support the immune system.

Another yogurt product contains Bifidobacterium (genus) animalis (species) DN-173-010 (strain), a probiotic that may help relieve constipation.

What's it supposed to do?

Different strains of probiotics provide different benefits. Targets for probiotic influence include digestive function (traveler's and antibiotic related diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose digestion, colic), oral health, allergies, eczema, vaginal and respiratory infections, and even brain function.

Is there scientific research to back up the claims?

The most important question to ask is whether the claim made for the product is true. Has it been tested on humans and shown to have a benefit? Search the web or call the company for details that may not be on the package. Check for articles published in scientific journals. Some products have their own website with links to clinical studies.

How much probiotic is in a serving size or a dose? What is the expiration date of the product?

It doesn't matter if a probiotic is added to food or if it's in supplement form. What's important is whether reliable research substantiates the health claim and whether there's an adequate amount of probiotic for therapeutic benefit. The minimum dose must be the dose shown to have a health benefit in controlled studies.

Are probiotics for everyone?

Check with your physician before giving probiotics to infants, the elderly and anyone with a seriously compromised immune system. Terminally ill cancer patients and people whose conditions have the potential for leaky bowels (including acute pancreatitis) should not take probiotics.

In Israel, there are a number of kosher yogurt products containing probiotics. In the US, similar products may or may not be kosher. Many yogurts in the US contain non-kosher gelatin, so check the labels. I found one probiotic supplement in the US with kosher certification, though most seemed to be non-kosher, due to their gelatin-based capsules.

Considering their possible benefits, probiotics are a low-risk intervention. They're worth a try as long as you do your homework and find the right product (and the correct dose) for what ails you.

For additional information about probiotics, try these websites:

http://www.gastro.org/patient-center/diet-medications/probiotics

http://isapp.net

http://www.usprobiotics.org

"Healthy" or "Tasty"?

Do you buy foods because they claim to be "Low Fat"? What about "All Natural" and "Trans-Fat-Free"? These popular health claims are everywhere. I've always thought that they were helpful in making good food choices.

Apparently, I'm wrong. Numerous studies have shown that people (especially if they're already overweight) actually underestimate calories and eat more when they think that what they're eating is good for them.

What's going on? It could be that people mistakenly believe that low-fat means low calorie. Maybe they feel less guilty about eating something that sounds healthy. Researchers think that a low-fat label gives people the mental permission to eat more. It reminds me of my mother's logic: Using artificial sweetener in her coffee allowed her to eat a cookie (or two) with it.

There's more. A recent study found that just by calling a food "healthy" may make you feel hungrier. Two groups of college students were given the same snack bar to eat. Half of the group was told that they were eating a "health" bar high in nutrients. The other half were told that the snack bar contained chocolate and raspberry and was "tasty." Afterwards, those in the "healthy" group rated themselves as hungrier than those in the "tasty" group.

In another experiment, researchers offered students a choice of snack bars randomly described as either "healthy" or "tasty". When given a choice, there was no difference in the hunger level of the students afterwards. Free-choice seems to lead to a higher commitment to eating healthy food.

When people feel obligated to eat healthy foods, they tend to eat more. So much for nutrition education and food labeling. Those healthy food messages may be having the opposite effect!

What should you do?

These findings lead me back to some very basic advice. Eat real food. Be aware of what you eat and how much you're eating. And most important, enjoy what you eat. Savor a piece of high quality dark chocolate and skip the sugar-free candies. Toss your salad with olive oil and vinegar and pass up the fat-free salad dressing. Enjoy a small piece of cake made with real butter rather than eating half a bag of low-fat cookies.

Exercise – How Much is Enough?

You know how important good nutrition is for your health. And you've heard plenty about getting exercise.

How much physical activity do you need? And is it really so important?

First, let's talk about why you should be physically active.

There's strong evidence that physical activity can lower the risk of many ailments, such as …

heart disease

stroke

type 2 diabetes

high blood pressure

high lipid levels

colon and breast cancer

metabolic syndrome

obesity

depression

We have good evidence that exercise can decrease the risk for lung and endometrial cancer. It can also decrease the risk for hip fractures while increasing bone density.

In children, exercise promotes muscle and bone strength, and in older adults it can mean better cognitive function.

There certainly are a lot of good reasons to be active. How much activity is enough?

2 ½ hours a week of moderately intense exercise (or 1 ¼ hours of vigorous aerobic exercise) is suggested for adults between the ages of 18 and 64 years. Healthy older adults (without a chronic medical condition) and pregnant women should try for this amount of exercise as well.

Children should get an hour or more of moderately intense exercise each day.

Is more better? In most cases, yes, if you don't overdo it. The more physical activity, the greater the benefit.

What's even more important is that some physical activity is better than none. Any moderately intense activity that you do for at least 10 minutes, counts!

If you're just starting to exercise, don't overdue it. Start slowly. Choose an activity that's practical and enjoyable. In fact, enjoyment is the most important factor in ensuring the long-term success of your exercise routine.

To learn more about exercising, go to this website, sponsored by the US Department of Health and Services, for lots of helpful information.

Salt II

Most of the salt we eat comes from processed food liked canned and "instant" soup, sauces and salad dressing, canned fish, frozen foods, noodle and macaroni mixes and the all-time kosher kitchen favorite, dried soup powder. (Here in Israel, a television ad features a soldier returning home unexpectedly during the night. Thanks to a popular brand of soup powder, his mother is able to prepare a delicious meal for him while he's in the shower!) Kosher meat (which, of course has been salted) is another source of sodium that most of us don't think about. More obvious salty foods are crackers, pretzels, pickles, deli meat, salted nuts and olives.

I recently received a sample packet of tomato rice soup. The nutritional claim was "more than 50% vegetables". That's a great pitch to dietitians. But each serving had 510 mg of sodium!

Then there are surprises. Like breakfast cereal. Who would guess that some brands of corn flakes and raisin bran have over 300 mg of sodium per cup? Here's another breakfast surprise – one serving of frozen waffles has 420 mg of sodium! Bread, muffins and cookies may also come loaded with sodium that we barely even taste. Who thinks of salt in cake mixes? One serving of yellow cake made from a mix contains 310 mg of sodium. Did I mention bourekas?

How much salt should you get each day?

The American Heart Association recommends 1,500 mg or less of sodium each day to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. That's way down from their previous recommendation of no more than 2,300 mg. With many of us getting between 2,000 and 5,000 mg of sodium daily, that's a big adjustment.

How much sodium is in salt?

One teaspoon of salt contains just over 2,300 mg of sodium. That's one reason to keep the salt shaker off of the kitchen table. Use salt sparingly while cooking and rely on herbs and spices instead to lend more flavor to your cooking.

What else can you do?

The best thing you can do is to cook your own food. The more cooking you do, the more control you'll have over how much salt you get. And the fewer processed foods you eat, the less salt (and sugar and fat!) you'll end up eating. When you're shopping for cereal and convenience foods like pasta sauce, check nutrition labels for sodium and choose brands with the least amount. Skip the powdered soup mix and make your own simple stock. Since kosher meat has enough salt in it already, use pepper, herbs and spices to season your meat and poultry.

Besides salt, hypertension can be lowered with weight loss and a high intake of fruits and vegetables.

Are governments doing anything?

In the US, New York City has taken the lead, with its "National Salt Reduction Initiative" (See my previous blog.) The United Kingdom is working with industry to reduce sodium in processed food by 10% over the next five years. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Finland have all launched initiatives to help reduce the salt in their food. Here in Israel, the Health Ministry is working with industry to gradually reduce the amount of salt in processed food.

Government intervention may force the food industry to re-formulate processed foods using less salt. That should certainly help. But it's still up to each of us to choose our food wisely.

Salt I

Once again, New York City is making nutrition news. First it was a city-wide ban on trans fat. Now they're trying to get us to eat less salt.

New York's "National Salt Reduction Initiative" aims to reduce the amount of salt in packaged and restaurant food by 25% over the next five years – a lofty goal, especially since food industry giants have been fighting cuts in salt usage for years.

According to food companies, reducing salt in processed food by 10% is easy enough. But removing more than that is harder. Why? Salt enhances flavor. Take away a lot of the salt and your favorite convenience food just doesn't taste right. If you add flavor with fresh herbs, spices and higher quality ingredients, the cost goes up and sales plummet.

Years ago, food producers removed sugar and fat from processed food. It was a "win-win" situation – consumers were eager for foods that promised weight loss and industry profited from sales. But since low-salt versions of our favorite foods don't offer anything as glamorous as weight loss, they're not as likely to be such a hit at the grocery store. With less profit for manufacturers, there's less incentive to jump on the low-salt wagon.

Here's the hard sell: Cutting back on salt affects something that can't be seen – blood pressure. We know that too much sodium (the problematic component of salt) can cause high blood pressure (hypertension) in some people. Although genes, age and medical condition play a role, it's estimated that 70% of Americans are salt-sensitive – they are susceptible to hypertension if they ingest too much salt. High blood pressure, known as a "silent killer", increases the risk for heart disease and stroke. In the US, it's estimated that 150,000 lives could be saved each year if people were to lower their blood pressure. And cutting back on sodium could help.

Most of us need less than 1 gram of sodium a day. Since we're now getting between 2 and 5 grams, it seems reasonable to cut back, especially if it could save lives.

A New Season, A New Look

Summer's here. Enjoy this delicious summer recipe along with our new blog design.

Favorite Summer Fruit Tart (Dairy)

This has become our very favorite summer fruit tart for special dairy meals. It's a snap to put together using the food processor, and you can choose from a variety of summer fruits that are in season right now. My very favorite version is apricot – the tart fruit goes perfectly with the sweet almond crust. I use un-blanched almonds and whole-wheat pastry flour. And I tend to squeeze in as much fruit as will fit!

½ cup (2.5 ounces/70 grams) almonds

¾ cup (5 ounces/150 grams) sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon almond extract

¾ cup (3.4 ounces/95 grams) flour (all-purpose or whole-wheat pastry)

½ teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces /50 grams) butter

1 egg

6-12 fresh apricots, plums, peaches or nectarines

1 tablespoon demerara sugar for sprinkling on top, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C.

Line a 9.5" (24cm) tart pan (with removable bottom) with parchment paper. Spray the paper and the sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine the almonds, sugar, salt and almond extract in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the almonds are finely ground. Add the flour and baking powder and pulse to mix. Cut the butter into pieces and add it to the mixture along with the egg. Pulse the mixture until it begins to clump together. Press the dough evenly on the bottom (not the sides!) of the pan.

Depending on the size of the fruit, cut it in halves or quarters. Starting from the outer edge of the pan, arrange the fruit, skin side up, in circles. Cut the fruit, if necessary, to fill in the center. If desired, sprinkle the demerara sugar over the fruit.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbly. Cool the tart on a baking rack. After about 15 minutes, carefully loosen the sides of the tart from the pan with a small sharp knife. (This will make it easier to remove the sides of the pan.) When the tart is cooler, remove the rim of the pan.

Serves 8

Too Much of a Good Thing

Can you eat too many vegetables?

Apparently so.

I've written about orthorexia nervosa – a condition where a person sets severe rules about food and restricts his or her eating to the point of becoming sick.

Eating too much of one food may also be problematic.

Recently, an elderly American woman was diagnosed with a serious thyroid condition. She was nearly comatose and barely able to breathe when admitted to the hospital. The cause? Huge amounts of raw bok choy – a variety of leafy green cabbage that she ate in the hopes of controlling her diabetes.

How much is too much? In this case, it was 2 to 3 pounds (1 – 1 ½ kilo) of raw cabbage every day. Compare that to one serving size of raw cabbage, which is 1 cup or 2 ½ ounces (70 grams).

Personally, I don't know how anyone could eat that much cabbage in one day. Or any other single food, for that matter. (No, I can't even imagine eating that much chocolate daily!) But obviously, it happened. And she's not the only person who thinks that eating a certain food will prevent or cure an illness.

Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable. And, along with broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale and other types of cabbage, it's certainly high in fiber, vitamins and disease fighting phytochemicals. But, like any other food, more is not necessarily better. Five to ten servings a day of vegetables and fruits means choosing a variety, not just one.

We've learned a lot about nutrition lately. But I'm still giving people the same advice now as I did 30 years ago:

Eat a well-balanced diet. Eat foods from all of the food groups. And eat a moderate amount.

This common-sense approach still goes a long way on the road to good health.

Shabbat Morning

What do you serve when you get home from services on Shabbat morning? Some people enjoy a Kiddush at the synagogue. Then they come home to eat their main meal at around noon. Others, especially in Israel, are home by nine or ten in the morning, when it's just too early to eat a big meal.

We make Kiddush and then enjoy muffins, fruit and tea.

Why do I like muffins? They're quick and easy to make. They freeze well and they're healthy. With a little imagination, you can create endless varieties.

For instance, last Shabbat we had blueberry cornmeal muffins and fresh grapes. Why? Because I found a bag of blueberries in the back of the freezer, leftover from last year's crop. And because the grapes I found at the market – a large green seedless variety, were delicious.

What's on the menu for this coming Shabbat? With more hot weather this week, our bananas ripened faster than we could eat them. And I happened to have half a bag of chocolate chunks in the pantry. (Have you seen the Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Baking Chunks? Wow!) So it's banana-chocolate chip muffins and a fruit salad of fresh melon and new-season apricots.

Muffins "Any Which Way" (Dairy)

Create endless variations by starting with this basic muffin recipe. Use less flour if you're adding dryer ingredients (like dried fruit and nuts), and the full amount of flour if the ingredients are moist (like frozen berries). Use whole-wheat pastry or light whole-wheat flour if it's available. Otherwise you can substitute white for some of the wheat flour. When I use all whole-wheat flour, I use the lesser amount. Here are some ideas:

Blueberry: 1 ½ cups blueberries plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Raspberry: 1 ½ cup raspberries plus 2 teaspoons orange zest

Banana chocolate: 1 large banana, diced plus ½ cup chocolate chips

Date and Nut: 1 cup chopped dates plus 1 cup chopped walnuts

Apple Spice: 1 cup diced fresh apples plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Apricot Ginger: 1 cup diced dried apricot, ½ cup diced candied ginger and 2 teaspoons ground ginger

Corn: Substitute 1 cup cornmeal for 1 cup of flour and add 1 ½ cups corn kernels

2 ¼ - 2 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (see note above)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup sugar (white or brown)

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-2 cups fruit or fruits and nuts (see above)

Line 12-18 muffin tins with paper liners.

Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.

In a smaller bowl or a 2-cup measuring cup, mix together buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.

Gently mix the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Just before it's all mixed, add in the fruit. Mix the batter just a little more to incorporate all of the ingredients. Don't over mix or the muffins will be tough.

Bake the muffins for 20-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn the muffins out onto a rack to cool.

Makes 12-18