This vibrant salad, which features several of Chile’s iconic ingredients, is a great companion to barbecued meats. Stir in cooked pasta (shells or rotini), and it can serve as a colorful and healthful main course.
Ingredients
For the salad:
1 pound grape or cherry tomatoes, red, yellow, or a mix, halved
3 ears of cooked sweet corn (grilled or boiled), shucked and sliced off the cob
2 avocados peeled, pitted, and diced
1 small red onion, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed if canned (optional)
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
Butter lettuce leaves, such as Little Gem, for serving (optional)
For the dressing:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes), or more to taste
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 to 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
1 teaspoon merquén (see Notes below) or chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Step 1
Make the salad: In a large mixing bowl, place the tomatoes, corn, avocados, onion, black beans (if using), and cilantro; stir gently with a rubber spatula to combine.
Step 2
Make the dressing: In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, merquén (see Notes below), and black pepper. Shake vigorously to emulsify. Taste, adding more lime juice or salt; the dressing should be highly seasoned. Drizzle over the salad, mixing gently with a rubber spatula.
Step 3
If using, arrange the lettuce leaves in a single layer on a platter. Tip the avocado and corn salad over the leaves. Or simply transfer the salad to an attractive serving bowl. Serve immediately.
Notes: Merquén is a spice blend unique to Chile, one we have come to love: It consists of smoked and dried goat’s horn chiles, salt, cumin, and toasted ground coriander. Find it at well-stocked spice stores or online. The salad can be made up to several hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated. But prepare and add the avocado just before serving.
Serves 6 — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Red meat is a staple in Chilean homes, with asados (barbecues) being a popular form of entertainment for families. Here, beefy-tasting skirt steak is marinated for several hours, then quickly grilled (preferably to medium-rare for maximum tenderness). Before serving, anoint it with additional fresh-pressed olive oil—Mother Nature’s perfect sauce. Pour a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon.
Ingredients
Four 8-ounce portions (2 pounds) of trimmed skirt steak
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus more for drizzling
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons pure chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
Chopped fresh chives, flat-leaf parsley, or cilantro leaves, for serving
Directions
Step 1
Make the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of balsamic, the garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, the remainder of the spices, and the lemon juice.
Step 2
Arrange the steaks in a glass baking pan just large enough to hold them. Pour the marinade over the steaks, and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Step 3
Remove the steaks from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high. (Alternatively, cook the steaks on your stovetop using a cast iron grill pan or skillet.) Brush and oil the grill grate with vegetable oil.
Step 5
Arrange the steaks on the grill grate. Grill until done to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the meat.
Step 6
Let the steaks rest on a cutting board for 3 minutes, then slice crosswise on a sharp diagonal. Transfer the meat and any accumulated juices to a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and a few dribbles of balsamic vinegar. Top with the chives, parsley, or cilantro.
Serves 4 generously — Recipe adapted from vinepair.com
Adapted from an article from the American Academy of Neurology, May 6, 2021
Eating a Mediterranean diet that is rich in fish, vegetables, and olive oil may protect your brain from protein buildup and shrinkage that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study. The research is published in the May 5, 2021, online issue of Neurology.
The study looked at abnormal proteins called amyloid and tau. Amyloid is a protein that forms into plaques, while tau is a protein that forms into tangles. Both are found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease but may also be found in the brains of older people with normal cognition.
The Mediterranean diet includes high intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, cereals, fish, and monounsaturated fatty acids such as olive oil, and low intake of saturated fatty acids, dairy products, and meat.
“Our study suggests that eating a diet that’s high in unsaturated fats, fish, fruits and vegetables, and low in dairy and red meat may actually protect your brain from the protein buildup that can lead to memory loss and dementia,” said study author Tommaso Ballarini, PhD, of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn, Germany. “These results add to the body of evidence that show what you eat may influence your memory skills later on.”
The study involved 512 people. Of those, 169 were cognitively normal, while 343 were identified as being at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers looked at how closely people followed the Mediterranean diet based on their answers to a questionnaire asking how much they ate of 148 items over the previous month. People who often ate healthy foods typical of the Mediterranean diet, like fish, vegetables, and fruit, and only occasionally ate foods not typical of the Mediterranean diet like red meat, received the highest scores, for a maximum score of nine.
Cognitive skills were assessed with an extensive test set for Alzheimer’s disease progression that looked at five different functions, including language, memory, and executive function. All the participants had brain scans to determine their brain volume. In addition, the spinal fluid of 226 study participants was tested for amyloid and tau protein biomarkers.
Researchers then looked at how closely someone followed the Mediterranean diet, and the relationship to their brain volume, tau and amyloid biomarkers, and cognitive skills. After adjusting for factors like age, sex, and education, researchers found that in the area of the brain most closely associated with Alzheimer’s disease, each point lower people scored on the Mediterranean diet scale equated to almost one year of brain aging.
When looking at amyloid and tau in people’s spinal fluid, those who did not follow the diet closely had higher levels of biomarkers of amyloid and tau pathology than those who did. When it came to a test of memory, people who did not follow the diet closely scored worse than those who did.
“More research is needed to show the mechanism by which a Mediterranean diet protects the brain from protein buildup and loss of brain function, but findings suggest that people may reduce their risk for developing Alzheimer’s by incorporating more elements of the Mediterranean diet into their daily diets,” Ballarini said.
Reference: Ballarini T, van Len DM, Brunner J, et al. Mediterranean diet, Alzheimer disease biomarkers and brain atrophy in old age. Neurology. 2021; doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000012067
Shrimp with Pesto Recipe, Spotlight on Basil, Reassessing the Perks of Coffee and How Greenspaces Increase Exercise Motivation
Pesto is one of my year-round food favorites. If you’ve had pesto only at restaurants, which by and large make it just one way, you may not realize that pesto isn’t a specific dish but rather a technique. The name comes from the verb pestare—to crush or pound—and pestos are traditionally made with a mortar and pestle. In Italy, you’re likely to experience different versions, depending on the region you’re in. The one constant is extra virgin olive oil, but the beauty of pesto is that you can customize it to your taste and to what you have available in your pantry and garden. The traditional pine nuts can be replaced with pistachios, walnuts, cashews, or almonds. Enhance or switch out the basil with parsley or oregano, watercress or arugula, or a mix of any or all of the above. Try grated pecorino instead of Parmesan. Then experiment with how to enjoy it—from sandwich spread to a sauce for steak, pesto is not for pasta only.
This recipe has traditional ingredients, but you can use the proportions as a guide when you want to customize it. For a more filling dish, fold in cooked pasta, rice, or another grain, and/or a variety of bite-sized vegetables such as cherry tomatoes and steamed broccoli florets at the end.
Ingredients
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled
1 cup of loosely packed basil leaves
3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving if desired
1/3 cup fresh-pressed extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving if desired
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Boil the shrimp for 3 minutes, or until they turn pink. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and transfer to a large bowl. Place the basil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, and cheese in a blender or food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process until the pesto is emulsified. If it’s too thick, add more oil, one tablespoon at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour desired amount over the shrimp—you may not need it all, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with additional cheese and a drizzle of olive oil at the table.
Yields 4 servings.
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Growing Bountiful Basil
Basil adds wonderful flavor to pesto, pizza, and pasta sauces. Some people like it strongly flavored, but if you want just a hint, pick small, young leaves—the taste intensifies as they grow. It’s not too late to start your own basil plant in an outdoor patio pot or in the garden, but at this point in the season, shop for established plants rather than seeds so you can start using it quickly. Basil does best when the temperature is over 70 degrees and it gets morning sun—choose an area that becomes shady in the mid-afternoon. Make sure to give it plenty of water, especially if it’s in a pot rather than the ground—don’t let the soil dry out between waterings, but don’t drench it either. In the garden, mulch will help retain moisture. As is true for most plants, you want to harvest it regularly because this tells the plant to keep producing. (Pinch off a few top leaves every other day even if you don’t need them.) When the weather gets very hot, basil will bolt, or push out flowers and go to seed. Snip off the flowers as soon as you see them to slow the process, as bolting makes the leaves taste bitter.
Healthy Kitchen Nugget
Herbal Deep Freeze
What can you do with extra basil? Process clean leaves with olive oil, and freeze in an ice cube tray. Transfer the cubes to a freezer bag and you’ll have a stash for the future. You can do the same with pesto.
For Your Best Health
Reassessing the Perks of Coffee
Many of us who love our morning coffee enjoy the ritual of brewing it and sipping it to start the day. Caffeine has many health benefits, notably for your liver. But a new study on the impact of caffeine after a night of sleep deprivation, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, found that it can’t make up for missed sleep in all the ways you’d like it to. Research participants were asked to complete a simple task requiring them to pay attention as well as a more challenging “place-keeping” task, the kind that necessitates a series of steps completed in a set order.
“We found that sleep deprivation impaired performance on both types of tasks and that having caffeine helped people successfully achieve the easier task. However, it had little effect on performance on the place-keeping task for most participants,” says Kimberly Fenn, PhD, associate professor of psychology at the Michigan State University Sleep and Learning Lab. “Caffeine may improve the ability to stay awake and attend to a task, but it doesn’t do much to prevent the sort of procedural errors that can cause things like medical mistakes and car accidents.” While caffeine increases energy, reduces sleepiness, and can even boost mood, it absolutely does not replace a full night of sleep, Dr. Fenn adds. So, whether you use a French press or Nespresso capsules, you still want to prioritize getting nightly shut-eye.
Fitness Flash
Greenspaces Increase Exercise Motivation
Want to be more active? Spend more time in nature. That’s one of the important conclusions of the latest research done by the Stanford Natural Capital Project in its pioneering effort to inform city planners on how best to design greenspaces to support good health. We know that spending time in nature benefits cognitive, emotional, and spiritual health. Turns out that it also benefits physical health because being outdoors spurs people, city dwellers included, to exercise more. For instance, a tree-lined street often encourages taking a long walk or even biking to work.
“Nature experience boosts memory, attention, and creativity as well as happiness, social engagement, and a sense of meaning in life,” says Gretchen C. Daily, co-founder and faculty director of the Natural Capital Project and senior author of the study. “It might not surprise us that nature stimulates physical activity, but the associated health benefits—from reducing cancer risks to promoting metabolic and other functioning—are really quite astonishing.”
The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, will ultimately serve as the basis for a new health model in Natural Capital Project software—free, open-source tools that map the many benefits nature provides people. It allows planners to identify where urban nature is missing in communities and then work to fill those gaps.
