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Olive Oil Hunter #206

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Barley Bowl Recipe, Spotlight on Green Peas (Vegetable or Legume?), Hearing and Your Health, Storing Grains, When Worries About Not Sleeping Keep You Up at Night

Whole grains are an important part of the Mediterranean diet—and should be part of every diet, not only for their nutrients but also for the depth of flavor that is missing in refined products. Barley bowls are a great way to enjoy this nutty-tasting grain, and you can customize it with your favorite seasonal vegetables any time of the year. When it comes to good health, many people aren’t aware of the impact hearing loss can have on their lives, physically and socially—there’s a new app that lets you check on your own. I’m also sharing advice from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine to calm concerns among people who might be going too far in their efforts to get better sleep.

Barley Bowl

  • Barley bowl Barley Bowl

    Barley is a nutritious whole grain that retains far more nutrients than pearl barley. It does take longer to cook and tends to require more water, but the taste is more than worth it, and you can make it up to 3 days in advance. I like to enhance this medley with pomegranate molasses. A staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, it’s a luscious sweet-tart syrup made by boiling down pomegranate juice until it becomes thick. It’s available at spice and gourmet shops, but it’s easy enough to make on your own…with a little patience—expect a couple of cups of juice to take an hour or more to reduce (check the pot often and stand by when it gets close to the syrup stage to avoid burning it). 

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup uncooked hulled barley
    • 8 cups water, divided use
    • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
    • 1 large sweet onion, chopped 
    • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt 
    • 8 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and thyme leaves
    • 8 ounces spinach leaves, rinsed, patted dry, and rough-chopped
    • 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (see Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in weekly newsletter)  
    • Optional: 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, more to taste

    Directions

    Step 1

    Add the dry barley and 6 cups of water to a wide saucepan. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally and checking that the water doesn’t evaporate before the barley is done; if needed, add more water, 1 cup at a time. For the last 10 minutes, stir continuously to prevent scorching as the last of the water gets absorbed.

    Step 2

    Defrost the peas if frozen. Heat a wok or wide sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and onions; cook until the onions turn translucent, sprinkling them with salt after 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, black pepper, and herbs; continue cooking until the mushrooms give up most of their liquid. Push the other vegetables to the side and add the spinach, a handful at a time, cooking each batch until wilted. 

    Step 3

    When all the vegetables are tender, fold in the peas, cooked barley, and pomegranate molasses, if using. Serve in deep bowls with a drizzle of olive oil.

    Yields 4 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Green peas: vegetable or legume?

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Green Peas: Vegetable or Legume?

Green peas in a bowl

Whether snap peas or green peas (or snow peas for that matter), peas are classified as legumes—plants that make pods with seeds or beans inside. Legumes also include all types of lentils; beans, including soybeans and chickpeas (garbanzo beans); and dried yellow and green split peas.

Confusing the situation, the USDA puts green peas not in the “beans, peas, and lentils group” but rather in with traditional veggies because, the agency says, peas’ nutrients align better with those of vegetables than those of legumes (it also describes them as “starchy” vegetables). The bottom line? No matter what you call them, peas are delicious and packed with nutrients, and they make a great addition to many recipes.

Quick kitchen nugget basket icon

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Storing Grains

Because whole grains include natural oils, it’s important to store them correctly. As with extra virgin olive oil, grains’ natural enemies are heat, light, and moisture! If stored properly in airtight containers, grains like barley, farro, brown rice, and spelt will keep for up to 6 months on a cool, dry pantry shelf or up to a year in the freezer. For amaranth, oats, and quinoa, it’s 4 months on the shelf and 8 in the freezer. Buckwheat and millet are the most perishable—use within 2 months when stored on a shelf, within 4 in the freezer. If you transfer grains to your own container after opening the package, write down the package’s use-by date as a reminder. 

For Your Best Health: Can you hear me now?

For Your Best Health

Can You Hear Me Now? 

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has released an app, Hearing Number, that makes it free, fast, and easy to test your hearing. It introduces the most widely used clinical measure for hearing as a wellness metric that can be tracked over time. The app is part of a public health campaign to raise awareness about the importance of monitoring, protecting, and optimizing hearing at all ages. 

Hearing Number will tell someone, in decibels, the softest speech sound they can hear in each ear. Children and young adults with healthy hearing can have a Hearing Number as low as -10 dB; this number increases as we get older. The higher someone’s Hearing Number is, the harder it is for them to hear and communicate in noisy places.

Man using hearing app to determine hearing number

“The Hearing Number gives everyone a way to easily understand and think about their hearing over their lifetime, beginning as a teenager,” says Frank Lin, MD, PhD, lead creator of the app and director of the Johns Hopkins Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health at the Bloomberg School. “Many of us track simple metrics about ourselves like our blood pressure and our step count, but people have never had a way to measure their hearing in the same way. By knowing their Hearing Number, people can understand this important aspect of their health, track the changes to their hearing that occur naturally over time, and know when to use technologies to protect their hearing and hear better.”

Your Hearing Number—known clinically as the 4-frequency pure tone average—is one of many ways that audiologists and other hearing care professionals measure hearing and is the basis of the broad categories that the World Health Organization uses to define hearing loss. WHO estimates that 700 million—or 1 in 10—people worldwide will have hearing loss by 2050, with over 1 billion young people currently at risk of preventable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices. Risk of hearing loss increases with age, with more than 25% of people over 60 affected by hearing loss globally, according to WHO. In the US, about 1 in 3 people between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Hearing is foundational to social and cognitive health. A 2023 study led by Bloomberg School researchers found that treating hearing loss in older adults at increased risk for cognitive decline slows down loss of thinking and memory abilities. Research has also linked hearing loss to increased risk of depression, falls, fatigue, loss of thinking and memory abilities, and social isolation. “Connecting people with their hearing through a simple metric has the potential to drive a shift in how people think about and prioritize their hearing throughout their lives,” said Dr. Lin.

The Hearing Number app is available for iOS and Android smartphones. The test requires headphones or earbuds and takes about 5 minutes to complete in a quiet setting. The app does not collect user personal data and users can share the app without sharing personal data. 

Fitness Flash: More Motivation to Get Moving

Fitness Flash

When Worries About Not Sleeping Keep You Up at Night

A recent survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine highlights a surprising paradox: 81% of Americans report losing sleep due to worries about sleep problems. This illustrates the growing pressure to achieve “perfect sleep,” fueled by social media trends, wellness products, and sleep tracking technology. 

“Concerns about getting enough high-quality sleep can create a vicious cycle of stress and sleeplessness for some people,” said Anita Shelgikar, MD, MHPE, a sleep medicine physician and president-elect of the AASM. “Prioritizing sleep is great for overall health and well-being. For some, however, a heavy focus on optimizing sleep can actually lead to a decrease in sleep quality and sleep quantity.” 

While many people embrace rigorous sleep optimization routines, from advanced tracking apps to highly structured rituals, often in pursuit of achieving that “perfect” 8 hours of sleep, experts caution that these things can unintentionally fuel sleep anxiety, a condition called orthosomnia.

“Sleep maximization can sometimes turn what should be a restorative process into a high-pressure task,” Dr. Shelgikar noted. “Highly detailed sleep tracking and optimization can cause some individuals to become overly critical of their sleep patterns, leading to heightened stress and potentially worsened sleep over time.” 

The AASM recommends the following strategies to ease worries and promote better sleep: 

  • Create a relaxing environment: Make your bedroom a calming space. Keep it dark, quiet, and cool, and invest in comfortable bedding. 
  • Practice relaxation techniques: Engage in activities such as deep breathing, meditation, or journaling to help calm and clear your mind before bedtime. 
  • Understand the role of sleep tracking data: If you’re using sleep technologies, think of them as guides and tools, not rigid scorekeepers. 
  • Seek professional help: If you continue to experience sleep-related stress or sleeplessness, talk with your health care professional or sleep medicine specialist for further evaluation of your sleep. 

“Sleep doesn’t have to be perfect every night,” Dr. Shelgikar added. “The key is focusing on sustainable habits and broad trends related to your sleep. The goal is to get the amount of sleep you need to wake up refreshed and well rested on a regular basis.” 

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Olive Oil Hunter #205

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Hot Honey Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Spotlight on Sweet Potatoes, Is Morning Joe the Healthiest and More Motivation to Get Moving

Already nostalgic for the winter holidays? Rekindle memories of those special meals with this sweet potato dish—simple to make and tastes like a true indulgence. If you like a cup after a meal, you’ll be intrigued by the latest study on the brew—not how much to drink is safe to drink but when to drink it. And if the cold weather threatens to turn you into a couch potato (the only truly unhealthy kind of spud), asking yourself two questions can help you get back on track.

Hot Honey Sweet Potatoes

  • roasted sweet potatoes and pecans Hot Honey Sweet Potatoes

    The “hot honey” trend is as popular as ever, and it’s definitely not limited to wings. This recipe revs up the flavor of nutrient-dense sweet potatoes. It’s perfect if you’re looking for a meatless Monday dish any day of the week—just add a salad to get in your greens.

    Ingredients

    • 2 large sweet potatoes (see Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in weekly newsletter)
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for drizzling
    • 4 ounces pecans
    • 3 tablespoons honey
    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 3 ounces mascarpone cheese

    Directions

    Step 1

    Heat your oven to 425°F. Scrub then thoroughly dry the sweet potatoes and pierce them in about a half-dozen places with the tip of a sharp paring knife. Place them on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper and rub with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast until tender, about an hour; the tip of a knife should easily slide through to the centers. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. 

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan. When hot, add the pecans and dry roast them, shaking the pan often for about 2 minutes or until the nuts become fragrant. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the honey, and cayenne, and toss well. Remove from the heat.

    Step 3

    Peel the potatoes and cut them into even rounds, about 1/2-inch thick. Place them on a serving platter and top with the pecan mixture. Place a small dollop of mascarpone over each slice and drizzle with olive oil.

    Yields 4 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Sweet potatoes or yams?

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Sweet Potatoes or Yams?

No matter what they’re called in supermarkets, the orange tubers you see are sweet potatoes. True yams, cultivated mostly in Africa, Asia, South America, and the Caribbean, are quite different and pretty hard to find in the US unless you’re shopping at specialty markets with produce from those regions. With a very thick skin and primarily white flesh, yams have a less pronounced flavor than sweet potatoes, though that will differ by origin.

If you want to branch out from run-of-the-mill sweet potatoes, you might want to try white and purple sweet potatoes, although they don’t have as much beta-carotene as traditional orange varieties like Jewel, Garnet, and Beauregard, each with subtle differences in taste.

Purple potatoes

Quick Kitchen Nugget: For Even Roasting

Quick Kitchen Nugget

For Even Roasting

Thinner sweet potatoes will take less time to roast than large round ones, but the most important consideration when buying them is that they’re all roughly the same size for a given meal. This way, they’ll all cook in the same amount of time and you won’t risk burning smaller ones while waiting for the others to finish. 

For Your Best Health: Is Morning Joe the Healthiest?

For Your Best Health

Is Morning Joe the Healthiest?

Hot cup of coffee

There’s no shortage of research on the benefits of coffee, with most studies trying to find the right number of daily cups to help lower the risk for chronic conditions like heart disease, dementia, and diabetes and lead to better overall health. A recent study from researchers at Tulane, Harvard, and The George Washington University looked at whether when you drink coffee makes a difference. They found that, for health benefits, drinking coffee only in the morning might be the best option.

This observational study included 40,725 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2018 who had provided dietary data and 1,463 adults from the Women’s and Men’s Lifestyle Validation Study who had completed a 7-day dietary record. After more than 9 years of follow-up that looked at all-cause mortality as well as deaths specifically from heart disease and cancer, the researchers concluded that people who drank one or two cups of coffee limited to the morning hours—within the time frame of 4 am to noon—had a 16% lower risk of premature death from any cause and a 31% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. People who drank coffee all day did not have a reduction in risk.

Fitness Flash: More Motivation to Get Moving

Fitness Flash

More Motivation to Get Moving

University of Iowa researchers are recommending that people be surveyed about their physical activity levels at health visits, after their new study underscored the link between physical activity and chronic disease. The researchers, led by Lucas Carr, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiology, examined responses from more than 7,000 patients at University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center who noted their level of physical activity in a questionnaire called The Exercise Vital Sign Survey. It asked just two questions: On average, how many days per week do you engage in moderate to vigorous exercise (like a brisk walk), and on average, how many minutes do you engage in exercise at this level?

“This two-question survey typically takes fewer than 30 seconds for a patient to complete, so it doesn’t interfere with their visit. But it can tell us a whole lot about that patient’s overall health,” Dr. Carr said.

From patients’ answers to the questionnaire, the researchers found that those who reported the highest level of physical activity—meaning they exercised moderately to vigorously at least 150 minutes per week—were at statistically significant lower risk of having 19 chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, and diabetes. The findings further suggested patients who are least active—meaning they reported little to no exercise in a given week—are at increased risk of developing a chronic disease.

While the link between physical activity and reduced risk of chronic disease is not a new finding, the researchers say the study underscores the value of surveying patients about their physical activity levels.

“We believe this finding is a result of those patients who take the time to come in for annual wellness exams [being those who] also are taking more time to engage in healthy behaviors, such as being physically active,” Dr. Carr said.

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Olive Oil Hunter News #204

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Pasta with Green Sauce Recipe, Spotlight on Winter Greens, Reserving Pasta Water, Chill Out in the Sauna and Resolution Reboot

Ready to shake up pasta night? I’ve got just the recipe—a vibrant winter greens sauce that takes just a few minutes to make. It’s delicious on its own or with your favorite protein. Looking for a way to take the edge off winter? A new study suggests that spending time in the sauna is more than relaxing—it’s good for heart health! And speaking of health, if your New Year’s resolutions are fading from view, the University of New Hampshire has ideas for a reboot.

Pasta with Green Sauce

  • Pasta with Green Sauce Pasta with Green Sauce

    This is a tasty yet simple prep for pasta, perfect for a weeknight meal. Roasted garlic adds great depth of flavor—spread any leftover cloves on slices of toasted crusty bread. The garlic can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for about a week (after cooling, squeeze out the softened garlic from each clove and store in a sealed jar). I’ve suggested thin spaghetti for this dish, but choose any shape you like, cooked according to package directions. 

    Ingredients

    • 1 head garlic
    • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
    • 3 teaspoons coarse sea salt, divided use, plus more to taste
    • 8 ounces spinach, trimmed as needed (see Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in our weekly newsletter)
    • 1 pound thin spaghetti or other pasta
    • 2-ounce chunk Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
    • 1/2 teaspoon pepperoncini or red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

    Directions

    Step 1

    Peel off the papery outer layers from the garlic while keeping the bulb intact. Slice about a 1/2 inch off the top; you can trim the roots but don’t cut them off or the cloves won’t hold together. Place the garlic cut side up on a piece of parchment paper, then drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on the exposed cloves. Fold the long sides of the parchment paper over the garlic, then fold the ends underneath to make a packet. Place on a rimmed sheet pan and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until the cloves are golden and soft and start to shrink away from the peel. 

    Step 2

    Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water; set aside. Fill a stockpot with 4 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the spinach. Cook for 2 minutes, then use a spider skimmer or slotted spoon to move the spinach to the ice bath (this chill-down helps retain its color), leaving the pot of boiling water on the stove. 

    Step 3

    Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. When the pasta is half cooked, prepare the sauce. Pare any rind off the cheese, cut it into cubes, place in your food processor, and pulse until the cheese is nearly a powder. Remove 1/4 cup of cheese from the work bowl and set aside. Add in the spinach, 6 cloves roasted garlic, the pepperoncini or red pepper flakes, the remaining salt, and the black pepper. Process until smooth, adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup of liquid from the pasta pot if needed.

    Step 4

    Drain the pasta, transfer it to a large bowl, and toss with the sauce, thoroughly coating it. Serve each portion with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of the reserved cheese.

    Yields 4 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Winter Greens

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Winter Greens

Winter Greens: Swiss Chard

Spinach is just one of the many delicious greens available this season. Kale, especially the milder lacinto kale; collard, beet, mustard, and turnip greens; escarole (wonderful in my Italian wedding soup); and Swiss or rainbow chard are other flavorful varieties, delivering vitamins such as A, C, and K; the B vitamin folate; minerals including calcium, potassium, and iron; and a bounty of phytonutrients.

Winter greens make great salads and side dishes. Heartier greens, like kale and collards, do take longer to cook. If you want to try them for my Pasta with Green Sauce, remove any hard ribs and let them boil for 5 minutes before proceeding with the recipe. 

Quick Kitchen Nugget: Reserving Pasta Water

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Reserving Pasta Water

This simple hack, an essential part of classic pasta dishes like cacio e pepe, is a flavorful way of thinning sauces. Pasta water not only adds some salt but also some starch, which lends creaminess to a sauce as it emulsifies with the olive oil in a recipe. Simply ladle out a cup or so of the cooking liquid before draining pasta and use as needed. To really amp up the flavor, experiment with pasta imported from Italy because of the excellent flours used.

For Your Best Health: Chill Out in the Sauna

For Your Best Health

Chill Out in the Sauna

Woman in sauna

Most of us think of the cozy warmth of a sauna as a great way to relax. Now, thanks to a study done by researchers from Lulea University of Technology and Umeå University in Sweden and the Montreal Heart Institute’s EPIC Centre in Canada, we know that the benefits of sauna time go far beyond relaxation to include lower blood pressure, higher energy levels, and improved sleep, adding up to better physical and mental health.

The study compared the demographic characteristics, health status, and lifestyle habits of sauna users and nonusers. People who frequented saunas one to four times a month had fewer diagnoses for hypertension. They also reported less pain, higher happiness and energy levels, and more satisfying sleep.

When people are in a sauna, their core temperature rises so they sweat more to cool down, a process facilitated by increased blood flow. When blood vessels are exposed to sustained heat for several minutes, they dilate to boost blood flow, thereby removing heat from the body and cooling the body down. “In time, this dilation mechanism helps increase blood vessel elasticity and may thus explain the lowering of blood pressure,” said Earric Lee, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the EPIC Centre.

After exposure to heat, the body begins to cool but does not merely return to the baseline homeostatic temperature: It actually drops even lower. As a result, sleep quality increases, as people enter the same state as when they start to fall asleep and their body temperature drops.

Endorphins are also released into the bloodstream when the body is exposed to heat. “This may be one of the reasons why we feel so good after a sauna,” said Dr. Lee. “That same sensation of well-being may mask our aches and pains. They may not disappear completely, but we do feel better.”

Dr. Lee wants to go a step further and find out whether sauna use may also benefit cardiac rehabilitation patients. The idea is to place patients suffering from heart disease in a sauna immediately after exercise and determine, based on their response, whether heat multiplies the positive effects of physical activity.

“While I was doing my doctorate in Finland,” said Dr. Lee, “we conducted a study with sedentary individuals presenting cardiovascular risk factors. Even though the study period was only eight weeks long, we noted a decrease in blood pressure, improved cardiovascular condition, and lower cholesterol levels.” He’d now like to revisit this protocol and apply it to cardiac rehabilitation patients for 12 weeks to see whether they reach improved outcomes over those of individuals who only follow the cardiac rehabilitation program without going to the sauna.

Fitness Flash: Resolution Reboot

Fitness Flash

Resolution Reboot

Having a hard time keeping New Year’s resolutions going? That’s perfectly normal, according to Katie Godshall, LCSW-BACS, a clinical assistant professor in the College of Health and Human Services at the University of New Hampshire and an expert in the field of mental health—change can be hard. But before throwing in the towel, it’s important to remember why those resolutions were important to you in the first place.

“Don’t get overwhelmed with feelings of guilt and disappointment if the resolutions aren’t working for you,” said Dr. Godshall. “The most important thing is to be kind to yourself. Chances are your resolutions were focused on healthier choices for the new year, so rather than piling on the self-doubt and other bad feelings, take a moment to look at why your resolutions may not be working.”

Resolutions usually start out with a lot of motivation and drive, but over time the momentum can slow, causing people to quit altogether. Before giving up, ask yourself “what, how, and why” questions. “Make sure you’re being realistic,” she advised. “Ask yourself, what are you trying to accomplish? How are you trying to get it done? Why is it important? And make sure you’re not tackling too much too soon. Be honest with yourself, and if it’s not working for you, it’s perfectly fine to step back, reassess, and adjust—otherwise you’re doing yourself a disservice and may be just as unhappy sticking with the resolutions as you would be if you quit.” 

Dr. Godshall suggests reframing your view. Think of it not as quitting but as resetting your goals. You might even decide to pick another time of year that may better fit your goals. “We’re just coming off the holidays, filled with indulgence and chaotic schedules, so some people may already be starting off on a bad foot,” said Dr. Godshall. “Maybe use this time to prepare and set yourself up for success. For example, research good running sneakers, do some stretching, and opt to start a running routine in the spring, when the weather is nicer.”

Here are her tips for a resolution reboot:

Examine and reset goals. Maybe your resolution is too ambitious. Make sure it’s flexible enough to fit into your daily schedule.

Be kind to yourself. Rethinking goals is still moving forward—it’s not giving up, it’s adjusting, so avoid feeling guilty or thinking you’ve failed.

Resist perfection. Resolutions are supposed to help, not bring you down. Redirect and focus on what works best for you.

Find a resolution partner. Having someone—a friend, family member, or coworker—to collaborate with can give you external reliance and accountability.

Celebrate success. Recognize small milestones. Focus on your progress even if the road was bumpy. 

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Olive Oil Hunter News #203

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Pistachio Cake with White Chocolate Cream Recipe, Spotlight on Pistachios, Grinding Nuts, Protecting the Brain, and New Stroke Prevention Guidelines

Looking for a sweet change from that box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day? My cake combines tender pistachio chiffon layers and a rich but not overly sweet cream filling. It’s a showstopper to cap off any celebration. While most of the attention around February 14 is on the heart, I’m sharing important advice for nurturing your brain to stave off two health threats—dementia and stroke.

Pistachio Cake with White Chocolate Cream

  • Pistachio cake with white chocolate cream Pistachio Cake with White Chocolate Cream

    Pistachio and white chocolate are two luscious ingredients whose unique tastes enhance each other. This cake is not only delicious but can also be up made up to two days in advance. For the white chocolate, choose a brand that’s 35% cacao and in bar or disc form, not chips, which won’t melt smoothly.

    Ingredients

    For the cake:

    • 4 large eggs 
    • 1 cup cake flour 
    • 1/2 cup ground unsalted pistachios (see Healthy Ingredient Spotlight and Quick Kitchen Nugget in weekly newsletter)
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
    • 1 cup sugar, divided use 
    • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1/3 cup room-temperature water 
    • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 

    For the filling and garnish:

    • 4-1/2 ounces white chocolate
    • 1-1/2 cups heavy cream, divided use
    • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
    • 2 pints raspberries
    • 1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
    • Optional: edible dried rose petals 

    Directions

    Step 1

    Make the cake: Separate the yolks from the whites when the eggs are cold and allow them to come to room temperature. 

    Step 2

    Place one of your oven racks in the center of the oven; preheat to 325°F. Line a 17-by-13-inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper (do not grease it). 

    Step 3

    In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, ground pistachios, and baking powder; set aside. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and a 1/2 cup of the sugar at medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes. Mix in the olive oil, vanilla, and water. On low speed, fold in the flour mixture. If you have only one stand mixer bowl, transfer the batter to another bowl and wash the stand mixer bowl and whisk thoroughly—any fat will prevent the egg whites from whipping.

    Step 4

    In a separate large bowl or the cleaned bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add the salt, cream of tartar, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Slowly increase the speed to high and beat until you achieve a glossy meringue that holds firm peaks, 5 to 8 minutes depending on your mixer.

    Step 5

    Add a 1/4 of the meringue to the batter and mix thoroughly to incorporate (this will lighten it). Add the remaining meringue in 3 batches, gently folding after each addition until only a few streaks of meringue remain (err on the side of undermixing to keep the batter billowy).

    Step 6

    Transfer the batter to the sheet pan and smooth out with a large offset spatula; be sure to get into the corners of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheet pan in the oven for more even baking. Continue baking until the top is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed, 10 to 15 minutes more. 

    Step 7

    Remove the sheet pan from the oven and slide the cake and parchment paper onto a wire rack to cool. After 10 minutes, invert the cake onto another rack and gently peel off the parchment paper. Let the cake cool completely. 

    Step 8

    Make the filling: Melt the white chocolate and a 1/3 cup heavy cream in the microwave in 1-minute increments at power 4 until just about melted. Use a small spatula to stir until completely smooth; let cool to room temperature.

    Step 9

    Place the rest of the cream in a large bowl or the clean bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until thick, then with the mixer running on low speed, add the cooled melted white chocolate. Increase the speed and whip until peaks form. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes for easier spreading.

    Step 10

    While the cream is chilling, trim the edges of the cake. Sprinkle on the confectioners’ sugar and use your hands or a pastry brush to spread it out. Cut the cake into 3 sections, each about 12 inches long and just over 5 inches wide. Rinse the raspberries and pat them dry. Reserve 20 berries and lightly mash the rest in a bowl. 

    Step 11

    To assemble the cake, place one layer on a rectangular serving plate and spread on 1/3 of the filling, then press in half the mashed berries. Repeat with another layer of cake, another 1/3 of the cream, and the rest of the mashed berries. Top with the final cake layer and spread the rest of the cream on top. Garnish with the whole berries, chopped pistachios, and, if desired, rose petals.

    Yields 8 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Pistachios

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Pistachios

With good amounts of protein, fiber, healthy fats, potassium, B vitamins, and assorted phytochemicals, pistachios are great to include in dishes—from baked goods to salads—and make a smart snack. 

For baking, choose unsalted pistachios and, to bring out their flavor without losing their green color, toast for just a few minutes at a low temperature. Preheat your oven to 300°F. Place the shelled pistachios on a rimmed sheet pan and into the oven for about 5 minutes. Once the nuts cool down a bit, rub them between your hands to remove some of the skins. Wait until the nuts reach room temperature to grind or chop them as needed for your recipe.

Pistachios
Quick Kitchen Nugget: Grinding Nuts

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Grinding Nuts

As with almonds, ground pistachios are easy to make at home in a nut or coffee bean grinder. I prefer a grinder and working in batches to using a food processor, unless the goal is to achieve more of a nut butter. To keep ground pistachios light and powdery for a cake, add nuts until the grinder is about half full and process in spurts. Stop the machine as soon as you no longer hear any chopping noise. It typically takes about 2 ounces of shelled nuts to yield a 1/2 cup of nut flour.

For Your Best Health: Protecting the Brain

For Your Best Health

Protecting the Brain

A recent study supported by the National Institutes of Health and published in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, looked at a new potential harm of processed and unprocessed red meat: negative impacts on brain health.

“Red meat is high in saturated fat and has been shown in previous studies to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which are both linked to reduced brain health,” said study author Dong Wang, MD, ScD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “Our study found processed red meat may increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, but the good news is that it also found that replacing it with healthier alternatives, like nuts, fish, and poultry, may reduce a person’s risk.”

The researchers defined processed red meat as bacon, hot dogs, sausages, salami, bologna, and other processed meat products, and unprocessed red meat as beef, pork, lamb, and hamburger. A serving of red meat is 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards.

The first part of the research involved 133,771 people with an average age of 49 who did not have dementia at the start of the study. Participants completed a food diary every 2 to 4 years, listing what they ate and how often, enabling the researchers to calculate how much red meat each person ate on average per day. They were followed up to 43 years. Of this group, 11,173 people developed dementia.

To see the effects of processed red meat, they divided the participants into three groups: The low group ate an average of fewer than 0.10 servings per day (think of this as less than 1 serving a week); the medium group ate between 0.10 and 0.24 servings per day (less than 1 to less than 2 servings a week); and the high group, 0.25 or more servings per day (roughly 2 or more servings a week). After adjusting for age, sex, and other risk factors for cognitive decline, researchers found that participants in the high group had a 13% higher risk of developing dementia compared to those in the low group.

To see the effects of unprocessed red meat, they compared people who ate an average of less than half a serving per day to people who ate 1 or more servings per day; they did not find a difference in dementia risk.

The researchers also looked at both subjective cognitive decline and objective cognitive function. Subjective cognitive decline is when a person reports memory and thinking problems before any decline is large enough to show up on standard tests. Objective cognitive function, which can identify decline, is how well your brain works to remember, think, and solve problems. To evaluate meat’s potential effects on subjective cognitive decline, they looked at a different group of 43,966 participants with an average age of 78 who took surveys rating their own memory and thinking skills twice during the study.

After adjusting for age, sex, and other risk factors for cognitive decline, the researchers found that participants who ate an average of 0.25 or more servings per day of processed red meat had a 14% higher risk of subjective cognitive decline compared to those who ate an average of fewer than 0.10 servings per day. They also found people who ate 1 or more servings of unprocessed red meat per day had a 16% higher risk of subjective cognitive decline compared to people who ate less than a 1/2 serving per day.

To evaluate meat’s potential effects on objective cognitive function, the researchers looked at a third group, 17,458 female participants with an average age of 74 who took memory and thinking tests four times during the study.

After adjusting for risk factors, the researchers found that eating more processed red meat was associated with faster brain aging in global cognition with 1.61 years with each additional serving per day and in verbal memory with 1.69 years with each additional serving per day.

Finally, researchers found that replacing 1 serving per day of processed red meat with 1 serving per day of nuts and legumes was associated with a 19% lower risk of dementia and 1.37 fewer years of cognitive aging. Making the same substitution for fish was associated with a 28% lower risk of dementia and replacing with chicken was associated with a 16% lower risk.

“Reducing how much red meat a person eats and replacing it with other protein sources and plant-based options could be included in dietary guidelines to promote cognitive health,” said Dr. Wang. 

A limitation of the study was that it primarily looked at white health care professionals, so the results might not be the same for other race, ethnic, and non-binary sex and gender populations. “More research is needed to assess our findings in more diverse groups,” he concluded. 

Fitness Flash: New Stroke Prevention Guidelines

Fitness Flash

New Stroke Prevention Guidelines

Each year, over half a million Americans have a first stroke. According to the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, up to 80% of strokes may be preventable. Its “2024 Guideline for the Primary Prevention of Stroke” outlines steps that people and their doctors can take to protect against this devastating brain event, including screening people for stroke risk factors and increasing the public’s awareness and knowledge about healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the risk. 

“The most effective way to reduce the occurrence of a stroke and stroke-related death is to prevent the first stroke—referred to as primary prevention,” said the guideline writing group chair, Cheryl D. Bushnell, MD, MHS, FAHA, professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Neurology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC. “Some populations have an elevated risk of stroke, whether it be due to genetics, lifestyle, biological factors, and/or social determinants of health, and in some cases, people do not receive appropriate screening to identify their risk.”

The guideline replaces the 2014 version and provides evidence-based recommendations for strategies to support brain health and prevent stroke throughout a person’s life. “This guideline is important because new discoveries have been made since the last update 10 years ago. Understanding which people are at increased risk of a first stroke and providing support to preserve heart and brain health can help prevent a first stroke,” said Dr. Bushnell. 

Modifiable risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, elevated cholesterol, and elevated blood sugar, can be identified with physical exams and blood tests. These conditions, the guideline states, should be addressed with healthy lifestyle and behavioral changes and may include medications. A new recommendation is to consider GLP-1 receptor agonist medications, which are FDA-approved to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in people who are overweight or obese and/or have type 2 diabetes.

Mediterranean Diet

The most common lifestyle behaviors that can help reduce stroke risk include healthy nutrition, regular physical activity, avoiding tobacco, getting healthy sleep, being at a healthy weight, controlling cholesterol, and managing blood pressure and blood sugar. The guideline recommends that adults with no prior cardiovascular disease, as well as those with increased risk, follow a Mediterranean dietary plan. Mediterranean dietary programs have been shown to reduce the risk of stroke, especially when nuts and olive oil are eaten.

The guideline also includes some new specific recommendations for women. Health professionals should screen for conditions that can increase a woman’s risk of stroke, including use of oral contraceptives, high blood pressure during pregnancy, other pregnancy complications such as premature birth, endometriosis, premature ovarian failure, and early onset menopause. For instance, treating elevated blood pressure during pregnancy and within six weeks of delivery is recommended to reduce the risk of maternal intracerebral hemorrhage.

“Most strategies that we recommend for preventing stroke will also help reduce the risk of dementia, another serious health condition related to vascular issues in the brain,” said Dr. Bushnell.

According to the American Stroke Association, it’s also important to remember the warning signs of stroke with the acronym FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911.

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