A vibrant, one-pot Spanish classic where saffron-spiced rice meets plump, garlicky shrimp — a weeknight dinner that feels like a dinner party.
Ingredients
For the rice:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pot
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups long-grain rice
4 cups homemade or best-quality low-sodium store-bought chicken broth
1 cup diced tomatoes from a 14-ounce can, plus all the liquid from the can
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup fresh shelled peas, steamed
For the shrimp:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon pimentón or sweet paprika, depending on taste
2 pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Step 1
Lightly brush a large Dutch oven with olive oil and place over medium-high heat. When hot, add the 3 tablespoons olive oil, onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Stir together and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the rice and toast it for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 2
Add the broth, tomatoes, their liquid, and all the spices; stir well. Bring to a boil, stirring often, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook at a gentle simmer for 25 minutes. If rice is not quite tender or liquid hasn’t been fully absorbed, cook for 2 to 4 minutes longer.
Step 3
Toward the end of the cooking time for the rice, prepare the shrimp. Heat a large skillet. When hot, add the olive oil, garlic, pimentón or paprika, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 2 minutes, just until the garlic is translucent but not brown. Add the shrimp in one layer (you may need to do this in batches). Cook 2 minutes, then flip the shrimp and cook until opaque. Sprinkle on the parsley.
Step 4
When the rice is done, stir in the peas and allow to rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then plate. Top each serving with equal amounts of shrimp.
It’s hard to beat the all-American beef hamburger, but this pork burger is one you’ll want to add to your repertoire. It can be cooked on the stovetop or grilled—your choice. Serve it with crispy fries, coleslaw, baked beans, or potato salad.
Ingredients
For the sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely diced red or Spanish onion
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, preferably Pedro Ximénez, or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons ketchup or your favorite barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the burgers:
1 1/2 pounds ground pork, chilled
1 tablespoon pimentón
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided use
4 thin slices serrano ham or prosciutto
4 crusty hamburger rolls, split
1 cup shredded Manchego cheese or 4 slices of your favorite melting cheese
Torn lettuce
1 small red onion, thinly sliced crosswise into rings
Dill or sweet pickle chips (optional)
Directions
Step 1
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, onion, garlic, vinegar, parsley, ketchup, and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside or cover and refrigerate if not using immediately.
Step 2
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, pimentón, salt, and pepper. Wet your hands with a teaspoon olive oil, then form the seasoned pork into four patties, each about 3/4 inch thick.
Step 3
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the ham slices to the pan in a single layer and fry until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Add another 1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Arrange the buns, cut sides down, in the skillet, four halves at a time. Toast until golden brown. Set aside.
Step 4
Add the final tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Arrange the burgers in the skillet and cook, turning once, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 4 minutes per side. Sprinkle one quarter of the shredded Manchego (1/4 cup) on each burger after turning; the heat should melt the cheese.
Step 5
Assemble the burgers: Spread the sauce on the top and bottom halves of the buns. Arrange lettuce on the bottom halves of the buns. Top with a burger, a slice of ham, then red onion rings and pickles, if desired. Finish with the top halves of the buns. Serve immediately.
Shrimp with Cellophane Noodles Recipe, Spotlight on Cellophane Noodles, Shopping for Frozen Shrimp, Control Blood Pressure to Reduce Dementia Risk and The Longevity Benefits of Varied Exercise
Looking for a change of pace for dinner? Thai cuisine boasts a wide array of flavorful dishes that are often simple to make and totally satisfying. Shrimp with cellophane noodles cooks up in under a half hour, from prep to finish. This edition’s health news includes ways to reduce dementia risk as well as to increase lifespan.
This classic Thai dish is a delicious one-pot meal that also happens to be gluten free. High-quality wild-caught frozen shrimp make a great option; let them defrost overnight in the fridge.
Ingredients
8 ounces cellophane (mung bean) noodles
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pot
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons minced garlic
6 scallions, trimmed and sliced into small pieces
1/3 cup each finely chopped fresh cilantro and peanuts (optional)
Lime wedges
Directions
Step 1
Soak the noodles in a large bowl of fresh water at room temperature to soften, about 15 minutes.
Step 2
In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy and oyster sauces, sesame oil, and sugar. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the mix to another bowl along with the shrimp and black pepper; toss well.
Step 3
Add the broth to the bowl with the remaining soy sauce mixture.
Step 4
Once the noodles have softened, drain and use kitchen shears to cut the strands into thirds. Lightly brush a large Dutch oven with olive oil and heat it to medium-high heat. When hot, add the 2 tablespoons olive oil, ginger, garlic, and scallions and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the noodles and then spread out in an even layer. Top with an even layer of shrimp, drizzling on any shrimp marinade from the bowl, then slowly add the broth mixture. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the shrimp and the noodles are cooked through. To serve, spoon equal amounts into deep bowls and top with cilantro and peanuts, if using, and a lime wedge.
Yields 4 servings
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Cellophane Noodles
Cellophane noodles are an unusual type of noodle because they’re made from mung beans, sweet potato, or tapioca rather than wheat. They also go by many names, including glass noodles, bean thread, or Chinese vermicelli. While they’re generally gluten free, be sure to check labels to see whether they were made in the same facility as any gluten products to avoid any potential cross-contamination.
The noodles come dried and should be soaked according to the recipe or package instructions before cooking. You know they’re done when they’re transparent and soft but take care not to overcook them or else they’ll become mushy. Like many types of noodles, they take on the flavors of other ingredients in a recipe, so they lend themselves to many cuisines.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Shopping for Frozen Shrimp
Buying flash-frozen shrimp is a great choice because it can often be fresher than “fresh” shrimp. But there are many types of frozen shrimp available, so it’s important to be selective. First and foremost, choose wild-caught, not farm-raised, shrimp. Look for certifications from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC); these show that the shrimp were sustainably sourced, are traceable, and were harvested from healthy populations with minimal environmental impact before being individually quick frozen (or IQF)—shrimp frozen separately won’t be clumped in a block. For more convenience, look for frozen shrimp that’s already been shelled and deveined—when you buy a pound, you’re getting the full pound. A pound of shrimp with the shell nets only about 13 ounces of meat.
For Your Best Health
Control Blood Pressure to Reduce Dementia Risk
Researchers examined two known risk factors for developing dementia—one genetic and one relating to blood vessel damage in the brain. They wanted to know how much a person’s dementia risk might increase if they had both factors. In their study, published in the journal Annals of Neurology, they found that while the likelihood of developing dementia does rise if a person has both risk factors, there is a silver lining: The vascular component is within a person’s control, offering a route for minimizing dementia risk even if they have higher genetic risk.
“Our study addressed whether these two known risk factors act additively or multiplicatively to increase the risk of incident all-cause dementia,” says senior author Adam de Havenon, MD, associate professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine. “We wanted to show that controlling vascular risk factors like high blood pressure could prevent harmful brain changes, meaning that even those with bad genetic luck could avoid the worst outcomes.”
The study used data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study and the UK Biobank. The team assessed two measures: white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and whether a person was a carrier of the ε4 variant of the APOE gene. WMH are lesions, or scar tissue areas, in the brain that show up as bright white spots on an MRI. They’re associated with damage to the small blood vessels in the brain, which can be caused by high blood pressure and can accumulate over time. The APOE gene encodes for a protein involved in transporting fat, such as cholesterol. When people have the ε4 variant, they carry a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers found that participants with both a high WMH burden and at least one APOE ε4 allele faced elevated dementia risk compared to those with neither risk factor. These effects, however, were additive rather than multiplicative, meaning each factor contributed its own risk increase rather than also exacerbating the effect of the other factor. “This tells us something really important,” Dr. de Havenon explained. “Even if you’ve been dealt a bad genetic hand with APOE ε4, you’re not destined for dementia. The vascular component is modifiable.”
For instance, the health factors that can contribute to the development of WMH can be prevented or slowed through blood pressure management, diabetes control, and other cardiovascular interventions, he explained. “It’s really a two-hit scenario,” said Dr. de Havenon. “If you have APOE ε4 and you don’t take care of your vascular health, then you’re in a high-risk group. But having the APOE ε4 genotype is not a foregone conclusion for developing dementia later in life. Our analysis suggests that while the gene increases risk, the ultimate outcome is highly dependent on other factors. My hope is that people who find out they have this genetic mutation will be very serious about their vascular risk factors.”
Fitness Flash
The Longevity Benefits of Varied Exercise
It’s well known that physical activity levels have consistently been linked with lower mortality, but there’s been limited evidence about the role of specific physical activities, each of which can have distinct benefits. What had been unclear was whether long-term engagement in multiple physical activities has additional benefits. To answer that question, an international team of researchers analyzed physical activity data that spans more than 30 years from over 111,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.
Their study, published in BMJ Medicine, found that regularly engaging in a variety of physical activities may be the best way to prolong your lifespan. Specifically, participants with the broadest range of physical activities had a 19% lower risk of death from all causes and a 13%-14% lower risk of death from heart disease, respiratory disease, cancer, and other causes. Activities included walking, running, racquet sports, bicycling, rowing, swimming, and weight training. Only swimming couldn’t be identified as a known contributor to these results because it wasn’t possible to determine the intensity at which participants swam; further study is needed. On the other hand, the researchers confirmed the importance of weight training, a non-aerobic form of exercise that helps maintain muscle mass.
Their findings support the notion that engaging in a diverse range of physical activity types, alongside increasing total physical activity levels, may help reduce the risk of premature death and extend lifespan, adding a crucial new dimension to the advice to stay active: Variety is just as important as volume.
I was inundated with recipe requests when I took this salad to a dinner party recently. It features incredible extra virgin olive oil plus an ingredient you might not be familiar with—guindilla peppers. These small slender peppers, typically sold pickled, hail from Basque country. Find them in the international section of your supermarket or online. (Another option: Substitute pickled banana peppers.) Guindilla peppers are also great on charcuterie boards, as a tapa, or in martinis or Bloody Marys.
Ingredients
For the salad:
1 large navel orange
6 loosely packed cups of mixed tender greens, such as arugula, baby kale or spinach, romaine hearts, etc.
12 Castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved
1/4 cup Marcona almonds, coarsely chopped
8 pickled guindilla peppers (optional)
For the vinaigrette:
1 shallot, peeled and finely diced
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon pimentón or sweet paprika, depending on taste
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, preferably Pedro Ximénez
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon olive brine or water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Step 1
With a small sharp knife, slice the top and bottom off the orange. Using downward strokes and following the curve of the fruit, slice off the rind and white pith. Working over a shallow bowl, slice between the thin membranes, releasing wedges of the fruit. (These peeled segments are called supremes.) Squeeze the membranes over a small bowl to release any remaining juice. Set the fruit and juice aside.
Step 2
Make the vinaigrette: Add the shallot, salt, black pepper, pimentón, vinegar, honey, and olive brine to a small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, olive oil, and the reserved juice from the orange until emulsified. Taste, adjusting any of the ingredients as needed. If the vinaigrette separates, whisk again before using.
Step 3
Place the greens in a large shallow bowl. Just before serving, drizzle with half the vinaigrette and toss gently. Top with the orange supremes, olives, almonds, and guindilla peppers, if using. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.
