The following is excerpted from an article by Chris Weller, published February 20, 2015, on MedicalDaily.com, based on the results of a recent study conducted by Rutgers University and Hunter College scientists. Oleocanthal, the primary phenolic compound found in extra virgin olive oil, has been shown to eradicate cancer cells in less than an hour, […]
The following is excerpted from an article by Sara G. Miller that appeared in LiveScience on September 14, 2015. The Mediterranean diet may be able to add “reduces risk of breast cancer” to its long list of health benefits, according to a new study from Spain. In the study, researchers found that women who were […]
The following is excerpted from an article by Sarah Bosley that appeared in the Guardian on June 5, 2016. Eating a Mediterranean diet, rich in fruit, vegetables, fish and olive oil, may help prevent breast cancer returning, according to a study presented at a major international cancer conference. Lifestyle—whether people are physically active or not—and being […]
Adapted from an article in Science Daily, January 10, 2018 In a new study published in the Journal of Urology, researchers determined that men who followed a Mediterranean diet—rich in fish, boiled potatoes, whole fruits, vegetables, legumes, and olive oil, and low consumption of juices—had lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer (PC) than those who […]
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.
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?
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.
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?
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
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.
Chicken Scallopini with Olives Recipe, Spotlight on Balsamic Vinegar, Making Chicken Scallopini, The Future of Personalized Disease Prevention Plans and Exercise for Better Sleep
Looking to elevate midweek dinners? This chicken recipe is made with thin slices of cutlets, often called scallopini, which cook up quickly, and it’s finished with a sauce that comes together in just a few more minutes. I’m also sharing a fascinating look at the future of personalized health—how advances in technology may one day pinpoint your unique health risks and help you prevent them. One thing you can do right now is to learn how to get better sleep using exercise as an aid.
Grated hard cheese, like Parmigiano-Reggiano, makes a great addition to panko for breading chicken. Olives and diced tomatoes combine for a zesty sauce. Choose whatever olives you like best. For a milder taste, I love Castelvetrano olives; for a stronger taste, go for Kalamata.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup panko or fine fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut scallopini-style (see Healthy Ingredient in our weekly newsletter)
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup pitted olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon capers with their brine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar of Modena, such as Condimento Barili Exclusivi, plus more for drizzling
Directions
Step 1
Set out three glass pie plates or wide bowls. In one, add and mix the flour, salt, and pepper; in another, place the beaten eggs; and in the third, add and mix the grated cheese and breadcrumbs.
Step 2
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and, working quickly, dip a chicken piece in the flour, then the egg, and then in cheese-breadcrumbs, and add to the pan. Repeat with as many pieces as will fit without crowding; if necessary, cook in two batches. Sauté until the undersides are brown and crispy, about 5 minutes, then flip and continue to sauté until cooked through, about another 3 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F. Add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté lightly.
Step 3
If you cooked the chicken in batches, return them all to the pan. Add the tomatoes with all their juice, the olives, basil, capers, and brine and bring to a low boil. Cook for 5 minutes, using a spatula to scrape up any fond on the bottom of the pan. Drizzle on the vinegar and serve. Pass more vinegar and olive oil for drizzling.
Yields 4 servings
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Balsamic Vinegar
A true balsamic vinegar crafted according to time-honored techniques in Modena, Italy, is the perfect balance of acidity, sweetness from grape must (the juice of freshly pressed grapes—skins, seeds, and stems), and woodiness from aging in special barrels. As a finishing touch, it imparts richness and complexity to savory dishes. And unlike commercial sauces and salad dressings, it has no added sugar—just natural sweetness from the grapes.
Because you don’t want to cook it, balsamic is typically added as a last step or a garnish of sorts—it’s perfect drizzled over filet mignon or a fine risotto. It’s also a wonderful way to sauce mature or fresh cheeses, charcuterie, steamed vegetables, and savory tarts. I especially love it over strawberries, ice cream (especially vanilla olive oil ice cream), and flourless chocolate cake.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Making Chicken Scallopini
Slicing chicken into scallops is not as complicated as it sounds. The most important tool is a sharp, non-serrated knife, and the most important part of the technique is placing the palm of one hand straight out on the top of the breast as it lies flat on your cutting board—point your fingers toward the ceiling and away from your knife. With an average-sized breast, make one horizontal cut in the length of the breast to separate it in two. For a very large breast, you might be able to fillet it into 3 pieces—the top slice will most likely have less surface area than the others, and that’s fine.
To make the pieces even thinner (the ideal thickness for fast cooking is about 1/4 inch), you can pound them between two pieces of parchment paper with a kitchen mallet or one end of a rolling pin. Start gently to avoid pounding a hole in the scallopini, and go across each piece in a uniform pattern for even thickness.
For Your Best Health
The Future of Personalized Disease Prevention Plans
Most of us know about general guidelines for healthy living, such as eating nutritious foods and getting daily exercise. But what if you could combine these lifestyle habits with a personalized plan that takes into account your unique risks for developing specific diseases in order to help catch and treat them early or prevent them altogether? According to Victor Ortega, MD, PhD, associate director for the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine in Arizona, science is drawing closer to making personal health forecasts possible.
That’s because of new and sophisticated technologies that capture data spanning entire genomes, Dr. Ortega said. The complex scores are compiled from a combination of data from thousands to hundreds of thousands of a person’s DNA sequence variants. This type of large genome-wide data has the potential to predict disease risks, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Each person has millions of genetic variants, each having a small effect. But together, these variants can increase the risk of getting a condition. A polygenic risk score estimates the overall risk someone has of getting a disease by adding up the small effects of variants throughout an individual’s entire genome.
“Imagine knowing your genetic predisposition for having a heart attack in your 50s or if you’re in the top 5% of the population for the risk of cancer or diabetes based on data from your whole genome. With this knowledge, you could make informed lifestyle choices and receive enhanced screenings to mitigate that risk,” Dr. Ortega said.
As a pulmonologist and genomic scientist, Dr. Ortega is leading a charge to breathe new life into precision medicine advancements. His mission is rooted in a deep commitment to health equities and inspired by his grandmother. “My grandmother died of asthma, and that should not have happened. She was Puerto Rican like me, and Puerto Ricans have the highest severity and frequency of asthma of any ethnic group in the world,” Dr. Ortega said. “They also represent less than 1% of people in genetic studies. So, I’ve made it a life mission to develop cures and diagnostics for people like my grandma and for all people.”
Some people who don’t have a high risk score for a certain disease can still be at risk of getting the disease or might already have it. Other people with high risk scores may never get the disease. People with the same genetic risk can have different outcomes, depending on other factors such as lifestyle determining one’s lifelong environmental exposures, also called the exposome. Dr. Ortega said that getting to the point where all people know their polygenic risk scores will require a solid foundation of “omics” research and datasets, cutting-edge technologies, and further discoveries of gene-disease links, all of which are within his team’s expertise and capabilities. Omics is an emerging multidisciplinary field of biological sciences that encompasses genomics, proteomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and more.
“It’s going to take considerable work and planning, but it really is the way of the future,” he said. In the shorter term, Dr. Ortega plans to transition more omics discoveries from research laboratories to the clinic. Omics data can help identify the molecular culprits driving a person’s disease, as well as biomarkers that can lead to the development of targeted treatments and diagnostics.
Recent omics discoveries at the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine have enabled scientists to predict antidepressant responses in people with depression and discover a potential therapeutic strategy for bone marrow cancer. Scientists have also used omics to pinpoint genetic variations that potentially increase the risk for severe COVID-19, uncover potential clues for preventing and treating gliomas, and unravel the genetic mystery of a rare neurodevelopmental disorder.
Dr. Ortega is leading the development of a polygenic risk score framework for Mayo Clinic, beginning with interstitial lung disease. This condition, marked by the progressive scarring of lung tissue, is influenced by both rare gene variants and a collection of more common variants, all of which are captured together in polygenic risk scores.
Drawing from his years of extensive clinical experience in treating patients with severe respiratory illnesses, Dr. Ortega is also working to expand genomic testing to a broader set of diseases. He highlights the center’s collaborative Program for Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases as an effective model that he hopes to amplify. The program proactively engages healthcare teams across Mayo’s clinical practice to conduct targeted genomic testing for patients with a suspected rare genetic disease. Expanding this strategy to more diseases will help build collaborations across Mayo and educate more clinicians on genomics. It may also ensure that the most effective genomic sequencing tests are given to patients, ultimately improving patient care and outcomes.
Fitness Flash
Exercise for Better Sleep
“Engaging in winter sports and recreational activities is an excellent way to support cardiovascular health and overall well-being,” said Alexander P. Sah, MD, FAAOS, orthopedic surgeon and spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the world’s largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. “However, cold weather brings unique risks that shouldn’t be ignored. Each year, healthcare facilities across the country see an uptick in bone and joint injuries tied to winter activities, many of which are preventable with the right preparation and safety measures.”
When you’re heading outdoors to enjoy your favorite cold-weather activities as well as when snuggling up in front of a roaring fire, consider these safety tips from Dr. Sah and fellow bone and joint health experts at AAOS to keep winter conditions from making routine activities hazardous:
Protect your back when shoveling snow. Lifting injuries can happen quickly and are very painful. Bend at the knees to use the large leg and glute muscles instead of your back when picking up heavy items. Don’t twist or rotate while lifting, especially when shoveling. Bend your knees and pivot your whole body, not just your torso.
Tread lightly and move confidently. If you live in a wintry climate, icy surfaces can lurk anywhere. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 1 million Americans are injured annually because of falling on ice and snow. Wear shoes with good traction to prevent slipping and falling, or buy slip-on shoe gear that adds traction when walking on ice.
Ski smart. Anterior cruciate ligament tears in the knee joint are common among skiers and snowboarders. Many injuries occur from falling backward or twisting the knee. Research has shown that keeping arms forward and hips over the knees can reduce the risk of injury. Adjust your bindings to meet your ability.
Don’t get burned. Practice caution with all types of open flames, such as candles and fireplaces, as well as when using your kitchen stove, and keep children and pets far away from them. Know what to do in case of a burn: Treat minor burns with cool running water, a sterile bandage, and an over-the-counter pain reliever. Serious burns require immediate medical attention.
Smoked Salmon “Tartare” Recipe, Spotlight on Smoked Salmon, How to Mince by Hand, Understanding Nontraditional Approaches to Healthcare and Exercising to Avoid Afib
Love smoked salmon but looking for a new way to serve it? My take on the popular fish tartare trend uses smoked rather than raw salmon prepped with a simple technique for a sophisticated presentation—enjoy it not only on a bagel but also on toast points, scrambled eggs, baked potatoes…any food you might top with caviar. I’m also sharing insights into how exercise can protect against the irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation and sorting out the meaning of similar sounding terms used in non-conventional medicine.
This twist on the classic beef tartare draws on many of the usual accompaniments for smoked salmon but puts them all together in one dish, perfect for a brunch spread or to spread on a piece of dark pumpernickel for a fast workday breakfast.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons roughly chopped red onion
1 tablespoon jarred capers plus 2 teaspoons brine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill, plus more for garnish
8 ounces smoked salmon
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon quarter
Directions
Step 1
Place the red onion, capers and brine, olive oil, zest, and dill in a small food processor; pulse until combined and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Step 2
Mince the smoked salmon by hand on a cutting board (see Quick Kitchen Nuggetin our weekly newsletter) and add to the bowl; mix well. Note: You can mince the salmon in the processor after you chop the other ingredients, but use the pulse function and check the mixture frequently so that it doesn’t turn into a paste. Taste and season with black pepper as desired. Finish with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of dill.
Yields 6 portions
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Smoked Salmon
Any type of smoked salmon will work beautifully in my tartare recipe, but do you know the differences? Some are indeed smoked while others are cured. Here’s a quick rundown.
True smoked salmon can be cold- or hot-smoked. Cold-smoked salmon is usually brined with salt and sugar, then smoked at a very low temperature for many hours. Types of cold-smoked salmon include Nova (short for Nova Scotia) and Western Nova from Pacific salmon, as well as Scottish, Irish, and Norwegian salmon. Each has a different taste, some smokier than others. Sample a few to find out what you like best. Hot-smoked salmon has more of a cooked salmon texture, although it’s still smoked at a relatively low 130°F to 140°F after brining.
People often use the words “lox” and “smoked salmon” interchangeably, but lox is actually cured—and salt-cured at that, giving it a very salty taste. For a milder cured salmon, try gravlax, prepared according to the Scandinavian method that uses vodka, dill, and lemon to “cook” it over a few days.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
How to Mince by Band
A mince means nothing more than a very fine chop. It’s easy enough to do in a food processor if you control the intensity and speed, usually by pulsing instead of letting the machine run continuously, especially when you’re mincing a soft food that could quickly turn into a paste in a machine. But there’s something very satisfying about mincing by hand. You’ll need a sharp knife and a secure cutting board (you might want two in your kitchen in general—one for raw meat and other proteins and the other for everything else). For large and hard foods like onions and carrots, a chef’s knife is ideal. For small and soft foods like smoked salmon and hard-boiled eggs, a smaller paring knife is better.
One mincing technique starts with cutting the food into even, stackable pieces, then making short stacks and using your knife to cut each stack into small pieces. Keep cutting in a back-and-forth rocking motion until the food is fully minced.
For Your Best Health
Understanding Nontraditional Approaches to Healthcare
You’ve likely seen the terms “complementary,” “alternative,” and “integrative health” used to distinguish a healthcare method that differs from traditional Western medicine. But they don’t all mean the same thing, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH.)
If a nonmainstream approach is used together with conventional medicine, it’s considered complementary. Complementary approaches can be nutritional, such as supplements, herbs, and probiotics; psychological, such as meditation and mindfulness; or physical, such as massage and spinal manipulation. There can be combinations, too, such as the psychological and physical approaches of relaxation techniques, yoga, Tai chi, qigong, acupuncture, dance, or art therapy, or the psychological and nutritional approaches of mindful eating. There is a lot of research to support certain benefits of many of these approaches, notably meditation, yoga, Tai chi and acupuncture, for easing pain and stress, but they might not be as effective when used in place of traditional care. When an approach is used instead of conventional medicine, it’s considered alternative.
Integrative health brings conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way (including coordination between different providers) and in various combinations, with the aim of treating the whole person rather than just the ailment. This approach is becoming more mainstream. According to the NCCIH, research efforts are currently exploring integrative health’s potential for pain management among military personnel and veterans, relieving symptoms in cancer patients, and programs that promote healthy behaviors.
Fitness Flash
Exercising to Avoid Afib
Researchers at NYU Langone Health found that adding an extra hour of physical activity every week may lower the chance of developing atrial fibrillation (Afib for short), the most common type of irregular heartbeat, or arrythmia, by 11%. Atrial fibrillation occurs when the heart’s upper two chambers beat rapidly and irregularly instead of at a consistent pace. Left untreated, Afib can lead to stroke, heart failure, and other issues.
Past studies have linked exercise to a reduced risk of atrial fibrillation, but nearly all that research relied on participants’ (often inaccurate) estimates of their own activity levels, this study’s authors said; one prior study did use activity monitors to investigate atrial fibrillation but tracked participants for only one week. To overcome these limitations, the NYU team used data recorded through Fitbit to objectively measure physical activity in more than 6,000 men and women across the United States and for a period of one year.
The study showed that those with higher amounts of weekly physical activity were less likely to develop atrial fibrillation. Specifically, study participants who averaged between 2.5 and 5 hours of exercise per week (the minimum amount recommended by the American Heart Association) showed a 60% lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation. Those who averaged greater than 5 hours had a slightly greater (65%) reduction. Notably, the researchers said, even modest amounts of moderate-to-vigorous exercise, which can range from taking a brisk walk or cleaning the house to swimming laps or jogging, were associated with reduced risk.
“Our findings make clear that you do not need to start running marathons to help prevent atrial fibrillation and other forms of heart disease,” said preventive cardiologist Sean Heffron, MD, the study senior author, an assistant professor in the department of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and director of cardiovascular fitness and nutrition at NYU Langone’s Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease. “Just keeping moderately active can, over time, add up to major benefits for maintaining a healthy heart.”
“These results highlight the value of Fitbits and similar monitors in medical research,” said lead author Souptik Barua, PhD, an assistant professor with the Grossman School of Medicine. “By offering an objective way to measure exercise for years at a time, these tools can provide deeper insight into how different patterns of activity can impact health.”
Dr. Barua cautioned that the study was not designed to tell whether exercise alone directly reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation, nor to detect how that might come about or what other factors might be in play in the reduced risk. However, the association between exercise “doses” and the development of the condition in the study participants was strong. The research team next plans to explore whether working out in the morning versus at night may have different effects on heart health.
Rich Onion Dip and Jerk Seasoning Recipes, Spotlight on Caramelized Onion Powder and Marash Red Chili Flakes, Replacing Salt with Spices, New Research on Memory and the MIND Diet and Easing Back Pain
Whether you’re scooping with potato chips or veggie sticks, onion dip is a crowd-pleaser. And when it’s made with my high-quality spices, your guests will be clamoring for more! I’m also sharing my recipe for jerk seasoning, a Caribbean spice mix most famous in Jamaican cuisine—it’s a dry rub you can use on any protein or hearty vegetable like cauliflower. These are just two of the recipes included in the brand-new set of herbs and spices from the T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary selections, and they show how well the choices I included work together. Also in this newsletter are findings from a recent study on the benefits of the MIND diet and one on keeping back pain from getting worse.
No need for a dried onion soup packet to create a zesty chip-and-veggie dip. The shallots add just the right amount of sweetness. For a large crowd, double or triple quantities.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons Caramelized Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Purple Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Marash Red Chili Flakes
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
Step 1
Heat a small sauté pan. When hot, add the olive oil and shallots. Lower the heat to medium and let the shallots cook until brown and slightly crispy. Remove from heat.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, fold together the sour cream, onion and garlic powders, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir in the lemon juice, then the reserved shallots. Let the flavors meld for 20 minutes before serving.
This Caribbean-inspired blend favorite is a highly spiced dry rub that’s ideal for chicken and salmon but works with any protein. To impart the greatest flavor, rub it in well and let the food marinate overnight before cooking. Grilling is traditional, but you can use any method you like. Store any extra in the fridge for up to a month.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Purple Garlic Powder
1 tablespoon Caramelized Onion Powder
2 teaspoons Ground Buffalo Ginger Root
1-1/2 teaspoons Marash Red Chili Flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns
1-1/2 teaspoons Heirloom Vietnamese cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Yields about 1/2 cup
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Caramelized Onion Powder and Marash Red Chili Flakes
Onions have been part of our diet for more than 5,000 years. Though the exact origins of the onion aren’t clear, many historians believe this culinary mainstay came from central Asia. More than a staple in our ancestors’ kitchens, onions were also used as medicine and even played a cultural role. For instance, Egyptians believed the concentric rings symbolized eternal life. Onion powder dates back centuries, if not longer—it was the perfect way to preserve onions and impart their intense flavor to foods. Today, it’s found in so many American kitchens.
The onions for my Caramelized Onion Powder are grown in the province of Vĩnh Phúc in Vietnam’s Red River Delta, one of the country’s main agricultural areas, thanks to its rich soil. The onions are then sun-dried and ground, using a technique that imparts a sweet, toasty flavor unlike any you’ve experienced—think confectioners’ sugar meets onions! This silken powder is so rich that just a pinch will enhance any fresh onions in a recipe. It also has so many layers of flavor that you’ll find you need less salt, if any, when you use it.
Use it to elevate onion-based recipes, like puff pastry hors d’oeuvres, onion soup, and dips. It adds sweetness and a hint of pungency to a wide variety of dishes: vinaigrettes, eight-ingredient dry rub and other rubs, breading blends (it’s perfect for fried calamari!), BBQ and other tomato-based sauces, compound butters, deviled eggs, grilled fish, seared scallops, burger patties, pot roast, taco fillings, frittatas, roasted vegetables, zesty rice pilaf, and spiced nuts. (You’ll get recipes for the bolded dishes and more in the Spice Report that comes with my collection.)
When using it in place of onions in sautés and stir-fries, after heating your pan, add fresh-pressed olive oil and a teaspoon of onion powder, then wait a few seconds for the powder to “bloom” in the oil before adding the next ingredients.
Onions are rich in healthful sulfur compounds, the source of their pungent aroma and taste. While onion powder doesn’t convey the same level of nutrients as whole onions, a teaspoon does have small amounts of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and the B vitamin folate, along with antioxidants like quercetin and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Western Turkey teems with Mediterranean influences. The city and province known as Kahramanmaras (formerly Marash) is a few miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea, with just the right climate for growing one of the world’s most tantalizing chiles, the Marash pepper. The peppers are sun-dried, seeded, and ground in a special process that creates tiny, silky flakes.
The history of peppers began in Central and South America thousands of years ago. A few hundred years ago, European explorers brought seeds back home, and spice merchants introduced peppers to the rest of the world. Turkey’s unique terroir,with hot, dry summers and potassium-rich soil, is excellent for growing peppers, notably varieties such as Marash and Urfa, which I included in my previous Spice Collection.
Marash Red Chili Flakes have a layered flavor profile: smoky and sweet, medium yet pronounced heat, and bright red fruity notes. They’re especially palate-pleasing because, unlike typical crushed red pepper flakes, they don’t have any seeds. They contain just a bit of salt and sunflower seed oil to preserve their unique texture.
These chili flakes add depth to many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes as well as American and Mexican dishes, from cucumber salad, Cincinnati-style chili, tomato-cashew salsa, and pico de gallo, to the Greek feta dip htipiti. Sprinkle them on pasta, pizza, eggs, rice, sweet potatoes and other roasted vegetables, and avocado toast. Add them to recipes that use tahini, to honey for hot honey, to batters for calamari and other fried foods, and to ginger glaze for holiday hams. Make a marinade for olives, grilled lamb, and other meats by adding them to olive oil and lemon zest; add yogurt to that mix for a quick dip. Let these chili flakes impart a hint of heat to desserts like homemade chocolate bark and truffles, brownies, and even a scoop of chocolate ice cream.
Peppers have among the highest levels of antioxidants of any vegetable, including compounds like vitamin C, phenolics, and carotenoids, all strong disease fighters. All peppers get their spiciness from capsaicin, which has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, so they may help protect against infection, improve digestion, and possibly one day have a role in anti-cancer therapies. While the amount of these important nutrients in a pinch of the flakes is small, those pinches can add up to help meet nutritional needs.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Let Spices Replace Salt
Spices aren’t just for cooking—they’re also great for boosting flavor at the table. Enliven takeout food like pizza or rotisserie chicken with a sprinkling of my Caramelized Onion Powder or Purple Garlic Powder. Create new habits with your new spices: When you set the table, bring out the Marash Red Chili Flakes along with Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns. You won’t reach for the salt shaker as often, and that’s great for your health.
For Your Best Health
New Research on Memory and the MIND Diet
If you haven’t yet heard about the MIND diet, it’s a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which was first introduced in 1997 to help lower high blood pressure. MIND was developed with the hope of helping ward off dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and slowing cognitive decline. It includes green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens along with other vegetables; recommends whole grains, olive oil, poultry, fish, beans, and nuts; and prioritizes berries over other fruits.
Various studies have looked at whether and at how well it works, some with very promising results and others less so. Recent research published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, focused on people with an average age of 64.About 30% of the14,145 participants were African American, a population group often underrepresented in health studies in general.
“With the number of people with dementia increasing with the aging population, it’s critical to find changes that we can make to delay or slow down the development of cognitive problems,” said study author Russell P. Sawyer, MD, of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio and member of the American Academy of Neurology. “We were especially interested to see whether diet affects the risk of cognitive impairment in both Black and white study participants.”
Participants filled out a questionnaire on their diet over the past year, and researchers looked at how closely the foods they ate matched the MIND diet. One point was given for each of the following: three or more daily servings of whole grains; six or more weekly servings of green leafy vegetables; one or more daily servings of other vegetables; two or more weekly servings of berries; one or more weekly servings of fish; two or more weekly servings of poultry; three weekly servings of beans; five weekly servings of nuts; one or more weekly servings of olive oil; four or fewer weekly servings of red meat; one or fewer weekly servings of fast or fried foods; one or fewer tablespoons of butter or margarine daily; five or fewer weekly servings of pastries and sweets; and one glass per day of wine. The total possible score was 12.
Researchers then divided participants into three groups. The low group had an average diet score of five, the middle group had an average score of seven, and the high group had an average score of nine. Thinking and memory skills were measured at the beginning and end of the study (participants were followed for an average of 10 years).
During the study, cognitive impairment developed in 532 people or 12% of 4,456 people in the low diet group; in 617 people or 11% of 5,602 people in the middle group; and in 402 people or 10% of the 4,086 people in the high group. After adjusting for factors such as age, high blood pressure, and diabetes, researchers found that people in the high group had a 4% decreased risk of cognitive impairment compared to those in the low group.
However, when the researchers looked at the male and female participants separately, they found a 6% decreased risk of cognitive impairment in women who most closely followed the diet but no decreased risk for the men. Researchers also looked at how quickly people’s thinking skills declined as they developed problems. They found that these skills declined more slowly among people who more closely followed the MIND diet and that this association was stronger in African American participants than in white participants.
“These findings warrant further study, especially to examine these varying impacts among men and women and Black and white people, but it’s exciting to consider that people could make some simple changes to their diet and potentially reduce or delay their risk of cognitive issues,” said Dr. Sawyer.
The researchers pointed out that these results don’t prove that the MIND diet prevents cognitive impairment, but only that there’s an association, and because the study included only older people, results may not be the same for other populations. The study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute on Aging.
Fitness Flash
A Simple Change to Ease Back Pain
A study from the University of Turku in Finland examined whether reducing daily sitting could prevent or relieve back pain among adults who spend most of their days sitting—a simple concept with surprisingly scarce research.
“Our participants were quite normal middle-aged adults who sat a great deal, exercised little, and had gained some extra weight. These factors increase not only the risk for cardiovascular disease but also for back pain,” said doctoral researcher and physiotherapist Jooa Norha, MSc, PT, of the University of Turku. Previous results from this and other research groups have suggested that sitting may be detrimental to back health, but the data had been preliminary.
The participants in this study reduced their sitting by 40 minutes a day, on average, during its six-month period. This small change, the researchers found, prevented their back pain from worsening over that timeframe. The finding strengthens the current understanding of the link between activity and back pain as well as the mechanisms related to back pain, said the researchers.
“If you have a tendency for back pain or excessive sitting and are concerned for your back health, try to figure out ways for reducing sitting at work or during leisure time. However, it is important to note that physical activity, such as walking or more brisk exercise, is better than simply standing up,” Norha pointed out.
Savory Puff Pastry Pinwheels and Imperial Bloody Mary Recipes, Spotlight on Herbes de Provence and Ground Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Storing Spices, Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Weekend Exercising
Recipes are so much more flavorful when you have the best ingredients in your pantry. That’s why I’m so excited about the new herbs and spices in my latest collection from the T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections—six brand-new offerings plus perennial favorites heirloom Vietnamese cinnamon and vine-ripened black peppercorns. I’m sharing two recipes from the Spice Report, the booklet that comes with the collection to show you how easy it is to elevate your dishes. Also, read about an interesting health discovery on the benefits of weekend-only exercise—it provides great motivation for people who just don’t have time to work out during the workweek, along with a study that will have you asking if your diet is pro- or anti-inflammatory.
These look so elegant yet are a snap to make with packaged puff pastry (I love the Dufour brand because it uses real butter). Flaky and delicious on their own, they’re sublime when topped with a slice of Brie and some fig jam.
Ingredients
1 package frozen puff pastry dough, defrosted overnight in the fridge
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
1 tablespoon Ground Sun-Dried Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Caramelized Onion Powder
1 small egg, beaten
Directions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F. On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, gently roll out any folds in the dough. Sprinkle the entire surface with the tomato powder, herbs, and onion powder (use your fingers as needed to spread them out evenly).
Step 2
Slice the dough in half lengthwise, then roll up each half lengthwise, jelly roll style. Next, cut each roll into rounds about 1-inch wide. Place the rounds flat on two cookie sheets and brush the tops and sides with the beaten egg. Bake until nicely puffed and browned, about 25 minutes, but start checking sooner in case your oven runs hot.
This recipe has twice the tomato-y depth of traditional mixes, thanks to the tomato powder, yet requires little extra effort for all that taste. Enjoy it “virgin” or with your favorite vodka. Multiply the quantities for a party!
Ingredients
12 ounces best-quality tomato juice
3/4 teaspoon Ground Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Splash (about 10 drops) Worcestershire sauce, plus more to taste
1/8 teaspoon Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns
1-1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Cholula or Frank’s hot sauce to taste
1 jigger vodka (optional)
Optional garnish: celery sticks
Directions
Add all the ingredients to a small pitcher and stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking by adding more tomato powder,Worcestershire, horseradish, and/or hot sauce. Add 3 or 4 ice cubes to two highball glasses and fill with the Bloody Mary mix. Garnish with a celery stick if desired.
Yields 2 drinks
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Herbes de Provence and Ground Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Provence, in the south of France, is known for picturesque villages, fields of lavender, and, of course, a gentle Mediterranean climate. One of its many culinary gifts to the world is the fragrant blend of dried herbs appropriately named Herbes de Provence. With one whiff of this exquisite mix of oregano, rosemary, savory, and thyme, you’ll be transported to this idyllic locale.
Herbs have been used for thousands of years. Provence was blessed with a wide range of wild herbs, and eventually, locals began to grow them in private gardens and dry them to use long after the growing season. How the specific mix Herbes de Provence came to be is unclear, though some historians credit it to local monks. Americans’ love of these herbs began in the 20th century when culinary legend Julia Child introduced the US to French cuisine and ingredients.
A mainstay of French cooking, these herbs are synonymous with classics like tapenade (recipes for bolded dishes are included in the Spice Report), ratatouille, beef bourguignon, and cassoulet, but don’t stop there. Sprinkle them over potatoes and other vegetables before roasting and to season homemade croutons; dress up flatbread Provençal, pasta, pizza, and omelets. Add them to dry rubs, marinades, and vinaigrettes. Because the flavor is intense, it takes just a sprinkling to impart their essence.
The various herbs in the mix have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. Oregano has a high concentration of phytonutrients, including flavonoids and phenolic acids. Savory is also considered a powerful antioxidant and antibacterial agent. Rosemary is an anti-inflammatory with possible antianxiety and memory-boosting effects. Thyme has long been known for its antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic properties.
Turkey has a unique location in the world, straddling Europe and Asia, with the sprawling city of Istanbul spanning the two continents. The tomatoes for my Ground Sun-Dried Tomatoes, a variety known for their tangy flavor, are grown on small farms along the country’s Aegean Sea coastline, part of the Mediterranean region.
The long history of tomatoes began some 80,000 years ago in South America, where small wild tomatoes about the size of cherry tomatoes grew. Early 16th-century explorers brought tomato seeds back to Europe, and soon after, the seeds were carried to North America. Drying fresh tomatoes after the growing season not only preserves them but also intensifies their sweet-tart flavor. Grinding them into a powder is a more modern concept that extends the tomato’s versatility and is a favorite of professional chefs—pure tomato taste with just the right amount of acidity, balanced by sweet notes.
Mix it with panko and herbs for a mac ’n’ cheese topping or to stuff Roma tomatoes before baking. Add it to your favorite rubs for chicken or roasts, vinaigrettes and olive oil-based marinades, hummus, or aioli. Sprinkle it on pizza and into your fresh-pressed olive oil before dipping bread. It will elevate essential tomato sauce and other sauces,gazpacho or other tomato-based soups, zesty rice pilaf, tomato pies,tomato-strawberry jam, savory shortbreads, and scones. It adds color and flavor to breads,homemade pastas, ricotta filling for stuffed shells, and even cream cheese. Sprinkle it on omelets, sautéed or roasted vegetables, and popcorn. You can mix 2 teaspoons of water with 1 teaspoon of powder to make a tablespoon of tomato paste in a pinch!
Tomatoes are chock-full of nutrients, notably lycopene, an antioxidant that supports heart, eye, and prostate health. Drying and grinding tomatoes into a powder helps make the lycopene more bioavailable. Tomato powder also has small amounts of potassium, beta-carotene, and vitamin A.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Storing spices
The best way to store spices isn’t the handiest—they should be in tightly sealed glass containers away from light, humidity, and heat, so not above the cooktop. Keep them on a dry pantry shelf or in a drawer away from the oven, and soon it will be second nature to take them out of their new “home” as you prep ingredients and set the table with these great alternatives to salt.
For Your Best Health
Is your diet “pro-inflammatory”?
As readers of this newsletter know, extra virgin olive oil has significant anti-inflammatory properties—that’s why it gets top marks as a healthy fat. However, according to research done at The Ohio State University’s College of Public Health and published in the journal Public Health Nutrition, more than half of all American adults eat a diet that’s considered pro-inflammatory, meaning it contributes to unhealthy inflammation in the body, which in turn increases the risk of health problems including heart disease and cancer.
The Ohio State research team examined the self-reported diets of more than 34,500 adults included in the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey using an existing tool called the dietary inflammatory index, which includes 45 dietary components. The tool assigns dietary inflammation values ranging from −9 to 8, with 0 being a neutral diet. About 34% of those in the study had anti-inflammatory diets, while 9% had neutral dietary inflammatory levels. But “overall, 57% of US adults have a pro-inflammatory diet and that number was higher for Black Americans, men, younger adults, and people with lower education and income,” said lead author Rachel Meadows, PhD, scientist and visiting faculty member. “The overall balance of diet is most important. Even if you’re eating enough fruits or vegetables, if you’re having too much alcohol or red meat, then your overall diet can still be pro-inflammatory.”
Dr. Meadows said she’s less interested in labeling foods as “bad” and more interested in thinking about anti-inflammatory foods as tools people can employ to boost health. “Moving toward a diet with less inflammation could have a positive impact on a number of chronic conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even depression and other mental health conditions,” she explained.
Many people also have elevated chronic inflammation due to non-dietary factors, including stress and adverse childhood experiences, said Dr. Meadows. “There are a lot of factors that contribute to chronic inflammation, and they all interact—even sleep is a key component. Diet can be used as a tool to combat that.” In addition to extra virgin olive oil, top anti-inflammatory foods to add to your diet include garlic, ginger, turmeric, green and black tea, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, legumes including beans and lentils, fatty fish such as salmon, and berries.
Fitness Flash
The benefits of being a “weekend warrior”
Are you too busy during the week to find time for workouts and try to make up for it on weekends? We’ve heard about the downside of being a weekend warrior, like the potential risk of a sports injury when your workouts aren’t consistent. But a recent study led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital and published in the journal Circulation found many positives, most importantly that being a weekend warrior is linked to a lower risk of developing hundreds of future diseases from heart and digestive conditions to mental health and neurological illnesses. Also, compared to inactivity, concentrated physical activity patterns may be just as effective for disease prevention as when exercise is spread out throughout the week.
“Physical activity is known to affect risk of many diseases,” said co-senior author Shaan Khurshid, MD, MPH, a faculty member in the Demoulas Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Here, we show the potential benefits of weekend warrior activity for the risk of not only cardiovascular diseases, as we’ve shown in the past, but also future diseases spanning the whole spectrum, ranging from conditions like chronic kidney disease to mood disorders and beyond.”
Dr. Khurshid, along with co-senior author Patrick Ellinor, MD, PhD, co-director of the Corrigan Minehan Heart Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, and their colleagues analyzed information on 89,573 individuals in the prospective UK Biobank study who wore wrist accelerometers that recorded their total physical activity and time spent at different exercise intensities over one week. Participants’ physical activity patterns were categorized as weekend warrior, regular, or inactive, using the guideline-based threshold of 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
The team then looked for associations between physical activity patterns and incidence of 678 different conditions across 16 types of disease categories, including mental health, digestive, and neurological. Their analyses revealed that weekend warrior and regular physical activity patterns were each associated with substantially lower risks of over 200 diseases compared with inactivity and spanned all the disease categories tested. Associations were strongest for cardiometabolic conditions such as hypertension (23% and 28% lower risks over a median of 6 years with weekend warrior and regular exercise, respectively) and diabetes (43% and 46% lower risks, respectively).
“Our findings were consistent across many different definitions of weekend warrior activity, as well as other thresholds used to categorize people as active,” said Dr. Khurshid. “Because there appear to be similar benefits for weekend warrior versus regular activity, it may be the total volume of activity, rather than the pattern, that matters most. Future interventions testing the effectiveness of concentrated activity to improve public health are warranted, and patients should be encouraged to engage in guideline-adherent physical activity using any pattern that may work best for them.”
Hot Honey Sweet Potatoes
