Easy Potato Gnocchi Recipe, Spotlight on 00 Flour, the Useful Potato Ricer, The Health of Plant-Based Diets, and Exercise to Ward Off Depression and Anxiety

Unless you’re skilled at making pasta by hand, “homemade” can seem like a daunting undertaking. Happily, this isn’t the case with gnocchi—it calls for a deliciously simple prep and can be finished with just a luscious drizzle of fresh-pressed olive oil…or with your most elaborate sauce. In addition to two of my gnocchi-making hacks, this edition of the newsletter includes a look at two thought-provoking research reviews. One analyzes dozens of studies on the health benefits of plant-based diets, and the other looks at studies about the mental health benefits of exercising at a slow or medium pace. Together, they can add up to a healthier lifestyle.

Easy Potato Gnocchi

• Easy Potato Gnocchi

  Intimidated by the idea of making pasta at home? Gnocchi is a happy compromise because you don’t need a pasta machine or endless rolling to achieve delectable results. A 2:1 potato to flour ratio works best; for accuracy, measure with a kitchen scale. For the smoothest dough, use a potato ricer, a handy and inexpensive tool (see the “Quick Kitchen Nugget” in Olive Oil Hunter News). 

  Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Yukon gold or red potatoes, peeled
  • 1 large egg, slightly beaten
  • 1 pound all-purpose or 00 pasta flour, plus more for shaping
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided use

  Directions

  Step 1

  Peel and quarter the potatoes. Steam them on a steaming rack placed over a few inches of water in a large, covered pot until tender, about 25 minutes. The water should stay at a simmer; check halfway through to see if you need to add more. 

  Step 2

  Let the potatoes cool slightly and then press them through a ricer set over a large bowl, working in batches. Add in the egg, flour, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt, and use your hands to mix the ingredients well and knead into a ball. Dust a clean section of your countertop with a handful of flour. Turn out the dough, shape it into a log, and cut it into 6 even sections. One at a time, roll each section into a rope about 1 inch in diameter, lightly flouring your hands as needed. Use a bench scraper to cut each rope into 1-inch pieces.  

  Step 3

  Bring a very large pot of water to a boil. Add the rest of the salt and the gnocchi. Lower the heat to a medium boil and cook until the gnocchi rise to the surface, just a few minutes. Scoop them out with a spider strainer, and top with sauce as desired.

  Yields 4 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

00 Flour

Usually I like to use some whole wheat flour in recipes that call for all-purpose flour because it retains all the nutrients of whole wheat. But there are some dishes that truly benefit from the most finely textured (yes, refined) flour—consider them occasional indulgences. That’s the case with gnocchi and 00 flour, also known as doppio (double) zero, one of Italy’s many culinary gifts to us. 

Made from durum wheat, it’s arguably the finest (in terms of texture) and most refined flour available, beloved for making pasta and pizza. It creates a very malleable dough that’s so easy to work with. If you use it, you’ll also notice that it takes less water than all-purpose flour to form a dough, and you may need to adjust proportions when making a recipe that uses all-purpose flour.

Italian brands of 00 flour, like Caputo’s, are readily available here, and American mills, like King Arthur’s and Bob’s Red Mill, have introduced it as well. One important note: There are different versions of 00 flour, some ideal for pasta and others for pizza and bread; read labels carefully so you get the right one for your recipe.  

Quick Kitchen Nugget

The Potato Ricer: The Gadget You Didn’t Think You Needed

No matter how smoothly you mash potatoes, all that elbow grease probably can’t equal the finesse of a potato ricer, a gizmo that turns boiled potatoes (and other foods) into tiny, rice-like pieces that can then be finely mashed or turned into gnocchi. You simply fill the basket with cooked potatoes and press down on a handle to force them through the small holes in the bottom of the basket, then repeat until you’ve riced all your potatoes. 

You can also run any fruit or vegetable that’s been steamed or boiled to a tender consistency through a ricer. Some people love it for making fruit butters and coulis or for making spaetzle—fill the bucket with your dough and press down on the handle as you hold the ricer over simmering water. 

Look for a ricer with a large bucket—you won’t have to refill it as often—and ergonomic handles that require less effort to press. Some brands offer interchangeable plates with different hole sizes. Note: It won’t rice potato skins, so you’ll miss out on those nutrients. If you forget to peel the potatoes before cooking, it’s no calamity—the skins will collect in the bucket, and you’ll just need to remove them before you add the next batch.

For Your Best Health

Food for Thought: Assessing the Health of Plant-Based Diets

We know that eating too much meat, refined grains, sugar, and salt and too few plant-based foods increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Vegetarian and vegan diets have been linked to better health outcomes, but no one had really taken a deep dive into the overall benefits reported in various research papers…until now. Dr. Angelo Capodici and colleagues at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy, set out to do just that and see what could be gleaned. 

They reviewed 48 papers published between January 2000 and June 2023, which had themselves been compiled as evidence from multiple prior studies. They extracted and analyzed data on links between plant-based diets, cardiovascular health, and cancer risk.

Their analysis, published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, showed that, overall, vegetarian and vegan diets have a robust statistical association with better health status on a number of risk factors associated with cardiometabolic diseases, cancer, and mortality, such as blood pressure, management of blood sugar, and body mass index. Such diets are associated with reduced risk of ischemic heart disease, gastrointestinal and prostate cancer, and death from cardiovascular disease. (One interesting note: Among pregnant women specifically, those with vegetarian diets faced no difference in their risk of gestational diabetes and hypertension compared to those on non-plant-based diets.)

Taken as a whole, these findings suggest that plant-based diets are associated with significant health benefits. The authors summed it up this way: “Our study evaluates the different impacts of animal-free diets for cardiovascular health and cancer risk, showing how a vegetarian diet can be beneficial to human health and be one of the effective preventive strategies for the two most impactful chronic diseases on human health in the 21st century.”

However, the researchers pointed out that the strength of this association is limited by the many differences between past studies in terms of the specific diet regimens followed, patient demographics, study duration, and other factors. Moreover, some plant-based diets may introduce vitamin and mineral deficiencies for some people. So, they also cautioned against large-scale recommendation of plant-based diets until more research is completed.

Fitness Flash

This Type of Exercise May Ward Off Depression and Anxiety

A new study review conducted at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, UK, has found a significant link between participating in low-to-moderate-intensity exercise and better mental health.

Researchers carried out a review of studies from around the world to examine the potential of physical activity as a mental health intervention. Their analysis, published in the journal  Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, found that physical activity reduced the risk of depression by 23% and anxiety by 26%. It was also significantly associated with reduced risk of severe mental health conditions, including a reduction in psychosis/schizophrenia by 27%.

A particularly strong association was found between low- and moderate-intensity physical activity—which included activities such as gardening, golf, and walking—and a reduced risk of depression. Somewhat surprisingly, this was not strongly observed for high-intensity exercise. The results were consistent in both men and women, across different age groups, and around the world.

Lead author Lee Smith, PhD, professor of public health and an epidemiologist with expertise in physical activity and sedentary behavior, said, “Preventing mental health complications effectively has emerged as a major challenge, and an area of paramount importance in the realm of public health. These conditions can be complex and necessitate a multi-pronged approach to treatment, which may encompass pharmacological interventions, psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes.

“These effects of physical activity intensity on depression highlight the need for precise exercise guidelines. Moderate exercise can improve mental health through biochemical reactions, whereas high-intensity exercise may worsen stress-related responses in some individuals.” 

Dr. Smith added, “Acknowledging differences in people’s response[s] to exercise is vital for effective mental health strategies, suggesting any activity recommendations should be tailored for the individual. The fact that even low to moderate levels of physical activity can be beneficial for mental health is particularly important, given that these levels of activity may be more achievable for people who can make smaller lifestyle changes without feeling they need to commit to a high-intensity exercise program.”

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Wilted Spinach Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette Recipe, Spotlight on Spinach, The Great Egg Debate Continues, and How Sleep Patterns Influence Health

Spinach salad is a perennial favorite, simple to prepare, satisfying, and chock-full of nutrients. Wilting the spinach before composing the salad was a foodie trend back in the 1970s (the fixings included mandarin orange segments, a nod to the value of eating a food containing vitamin C at the same meal as spinach to better access the green’s iron). My update adds the tasty crunch of hazelnuts. You’ll be intrigued by a new report that suggests fortified eggs may not pose the cholesterol risks of regular eggs. I’m also sharing the latest research on the perils of poor sleep—motivation to improve the quality of your shut-eye.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

• Wilted Spinach Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

  Fast-forward 50 years from wilted spinach salad’s debut to this version that offers all the benefits of olive oil in the dressing and the prep. Rather than bothering with croutons, try toasted slices of whole-grain bread for its hearty appeal.

  Ingredients

  For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon shallot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  For the salad:

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, chopped 
  • 4 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced 
  • 8 ounces baby spinach, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 2 medium- or hard-boiled eggs (your preference) quartered
  • 1 ounce hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
  • Optional: 2 slices whole grain bread, toasted and brushed with olive oil

  Directions

  Step 1

  Make the vinaigrette: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, and thyme. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  Step 2

  Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the red onions; sauté over medium heat until soft. Push them to the outside of the pan and add the mushrooms in one layer; cook until the edges have browned, then flip and brown on the other side. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl. 

  Step 3

  Add the last tablespoon of olive oil to the hot pan along with the garlic and the spinach, adding the spinach by handfuls—as one batch starts to wilt, push it to the side and add another, stirring quickly. It should only take 2-3 minutes to do it all. 

  Step 4

  Arrange the spinach in two large bowls and top with equal amounts of onions, mushrooms, eggs, and hazelnuts. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. If desired, add a slice of toast to one side of each bowl.

  Makes 2 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Spinach: Maximizing Its Nutrients

It’s no secret that, as a leafy green, spinach is a healthy food. What is less well known is that your body will better process two of its key nutrients, iron and calcium, when the spinach is cooked. That’s because it also contains oxalic acid, which blocks the minerals’ absorption unless the oxalates are broken down under high-heat cooking. If your recipe doesn’t include sautéing, another option is to plunge the spinach into boiling water for 60 seconds and then right into a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking process and keep it a brighter green. 

To get more of the iron when eating spinach raw, add a vitamin C food, like orange segments, to your meal. 

Your body absorbs more folate and lutein when eating spinach raw, so varying your prep is a good idea.

More reasons to eat spinach: It’s also rich in vitamins K, C, A, E, and B6 as well as folate and riboflavin and in the minerals manganese, magnesium, copper, and potassium. It has many carotenoids, among other antioxidants, to protect cell health and guard against inflammation. 

Quick Kitchen Nugget

A Better Type of Frozen Spinach

When fresh isn’t available, frozen can be a good substitute. The key to more flavorful frozen spinach is to select leaf spinach rather than chopped spinach. The leaves go through a lot less processing, translating to better taste and less freezer burn. Of course, look for pure spinach—no added salt or any other ingredients.

For Your Best Health

The Next Round in the “Are Eggs Healthy?” Debate

Because eggs contain some saturated fat, which is linked to higher cholesterol levels, there’s been much research on finding the right number of eggs to eat per week to help keep cholesterol in line. Results from a prospective controlled trial presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session offer positive news for egg lovers. One hundred and forty patients with or at high risk for cardiovascular disease were enrolled in the PROSPERITY study and divided into two groups to assess the effects of eating 12 or more fortified eggs a week versus a non-egg diet (fewer than two eggs a week) on HDL and LDL cholesterol and other key markers of cardiovascular health, including lipid, cardiometabolic, and inflammatory biomarkers and levels of vitamins and minerals. At the end of the four-month study period, cholesterol levels were similar in the two groups.

“We know that cardiovascular disease is, to some extent, mediated through risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, increased BMI, and diabetes. Dietary patterns and habits can have a notable influence on these, and there’s been a lot of conflicting information about whether or not eggs are safe to eat, especially for people who have or are at risk for heart disease,” said Nina Nouhravesh, MD, a research fellow at the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina, and the study’s lead author. “This is a small study, but it gives us reassurance that eating fortified eggs is OK with regard to lipid effects over four months, even among a more high-risk population.”

Dr. Nouhravesh and her team looked specifically at fortified eggs as they contain less saturated fat and have additional vitamins and minerals such as iodine; vitamins D, B2, 5, and 12; selenium; and omega-3 fatty acids. All the participants were 50 years of age or older (the average age was 66 years), half were female, and 27% were African American. All had experienced one prior cardiovascular event or had two cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, increased BMI, and/or diabetes. 

Participants had in-person clinic visits at the start of the study and visits at one and four months to take vital signs and have bloodwork done; phone check-ins occurred at two and three months. People in the fortified egg group were asked about their weekly egg consumption, and those with low adherence were given additional educational materials.

Results showed a -0.64 mg/dL and a -3.14 mg/dL reduction in so-called good HDL cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol, respectively, in the fortified egg group. While not statistically significant, the differences suggest, according to the researchers, that eating 12 fortified eggs each week had no adverse effect on blood cholesterol. In terms of secondary endpoints, researchers observed a numerical reduction in total cholesterol, LDL particle number, another lipid biomarker called apoB, high-sensitivity troponin (a marker of heart damage), and insulin resistance scores in the fortified egg group, while vitamin B increased.

“While this is a neutral study, we did not observe adverse effects on biomarkers of cardiovascular health and there were signals of potential benefits of eating fortified eggs that warrant further investigation in larger studies as they are more hypothesis generating here,” Dr. Nouhravesh said, explaining that subgroup analyses revealed numerical increases in HDL cholesterol and reductions in LDL cholesterol in patients 65 years or older and those with diabetes in the fortified egg group compared with those eating fewer than two eggs.

Note that what you eat with your eggs counts: buttered toast and bacon and other processed meats are not heart-healthy choices. As always, Dr. Nouhravesh said, it’s a good idea for people with heart disease to talk with their doctor about a heart-healthy diet.

It’s important to point out that this was a single-center study with a small size and reliance on patients’ self-reporting of their egg consumption and other dietary patterns. It was also an unblinded study, which means patients knew what study group they were in, which can influence their health behaviors, and it was funded by Eggland’s Best, a company that offers eggs from cage-free and pasture-raised/free-range hens.

Fitness Flash

How Your Sleep Pattern Influences Your Health

Poor sleep habits are strongly associated with long-term chronic health conditions, according to decades of research. To better understand this relationship, researchers led by Soomi Lee, PhD, associate professor of human development and family studies at Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development, identified four distinct patterns that characterize how most people sleep and how they correlate to overall health. Results were published in Psychosomatic Medicine.

Using a national sample of adults from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, they gathered data on approximately 3,700 participants’ sleep habits and chronic health conditions across two time points 10 years apart. The data included self-reported sleep habits, including sleep regularity and duration, perceived sleep satisfaction, and daytime alertness, as well as the number and type of chronic conditions they had.

With that information, the researchers identified these four different sleep patterns:

• Good sleepers with optimal sleep habits across all data points
• Weekend catch-up sleepers with irregular sleep, specifically short average sleep duration, but longer sleep times on weekends or non-workdays
• Insomnia sleepers with sleep problems related to clinical insomnia symptoms, including short sleep duration, high daytime tiredness, and a long time to fall asleep
• Nappers with mostly good sleep but frequent daytime naps

The MIDUS study may not represent the entire population, researchers said, as it primarily comprises healthy adults, but they still found that more than half the participants were insomnia sleepers or nappers, both suboptimal sleep patterns. Additionally, being an insomnia sleeper over the 10-year period was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of chronic health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. Results also showed that people were unlikely to change their sleep pattern over the course of the 10 years, especially the insomnia sleepers and nappers. 

“These results may suggest that it is very difficult to change our sleep habits because sleep health is embedded into our overall lifestyle. It may also suggest that people still don’t know about the importance of their sleep and about sleep health behaviors,” Dr. Lee said. “We need to make more efforts to educate the public about good sleep health. There are sleep hygiene behaviors that people could do to improve their sleep, such as not using cell phones in bed, exercising regularly and avoiding caffeine in the late afternoon.”

While the sleep patterns were seemingly not age-related, researchers found that older adults and retirees were more likely to be nappers. They also found that those with less education and those facing unemployment were more likely to be insomnia sleepers.

According to Dr. Lee, the fact that phase of life and economic conditions can influence long-standing sleep patterns suggests that societal and neighborhood influences—including economic stressors and access to health resources—may have significant effects on individual health and, in this case, sleep habits.

The researchers added that their findings strongly suggest the need for programs and interventions to promote healthy sleep and sleep habits and that such programs should not be one-size-fits-all but rather should be targeted based on a variety of factors, including the risk of chronic conditions and socioeconomic vulnerability.

“Sleep is an everyday behavior,” Dr. Lee said. “Sleep is also modifiable. So, if we can improve sleep almost every day, what outcomes might we see after several months, or even several years? Better sleeping habits can make many significant differences, from improving social relationships and work performance to promoting long-term healthy behaviors and healthy aging.”

According to the CDC, these good habits can help improve sleep health:

• Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, weekends included.
• Keep your bedroom quiet, dark, and at a cool, comfortable temperature.
• Keep all electronic devices, including laptops and cell phones, out of your bedroom.
• Skip large meals, caffeinated drinks, and alcohol before bed.
• Get some exercise during the day—it should 

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