Nutritious KALE salad by Chef @SeamusMullen #GardenCuizine @pfizer @SpiritOfWomen @InspiraHN @arthritis_org

Kale Salad

with Fruit and Heirloom Veggies 

Yesterday, celebrity chef Seamus Mullen took a drive from the Big Apple to visit South Jersey to share his tips on living and cooking with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). He was diagnosed with RA in 2007. Seamus prepared an inflammatory fighting veggie recipe - kale salad. The event took place at Appel Farms and Music Center in Elmer, NJ.

Chef Mullen made diet and lifestyle changes to deal with RA swelling, stiffness and pain – a challenge for chefs especially, since they stand long hours on hard kitchen floors and have to be able to bend their fingers around and grip chef’s knifes. Rheumatologist Dr. Barry Shimmer spoke before the cooking demo about the clinical diagnosis and the importance of communicating disease symptoms to your doctor.

Seamus lived in Spain for years and enjoys cooking Spanish cuisine. He was Executive Chef and Partner of Boqueria’s flagship Spanish restaurant when it opened in New York's popular Flatiron district in 2006. Five years later (August 2011) he opened Tertulia in Manhattan’s West Village. Tertulia’s boasts 2-stars from The New York Times and 3-stars from New York Magazine. 

Chef Mullen's latest culinary venture is about to open real soon this Fall - a tapas and wine bar El Colmado located at 600 11th Ave, NY, NY in Gotham West Market. Despite such a busy work schedule, Seamus has committed himself to spread the word about RA and share his story and love of cooking in hope of inspiring others to improve their diet and lifestyle. You may find kale in some recipes in his cookbook released last year: Hero Food: How Cooking with Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better - Andrews Mcmeel Publishing.

Kale - Brassica oleracea

“Kale is delicious,” said Chef Mullen as he prepared kale salad. “Kale is dense in micro-nutrients,” including vitamins A, C, B6, dietary fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium and potassium. Tuscan kale (also known as Dinosaur kale) is a popular kale cultivar you can grow at home or find at farm markets. He tore Tuscan kale off the ribs and set it aside in a salad bowl and added whole grapes and Spanish Marcona almonds. 

Chef Mullen used a food processor to thinly slice nutrient-rich, locally grown patty pan squash, heirloom watermelon radish and shallots that he added to the kale. The salad was seasoned with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper before being tossed with creamy vinaigrette - Yum! Kale has been a favorite of mine for decades. 

Honey Buttermilk Vinaigrette 
Ingredients for the flavorful vinaigrette dressing included: buttermilk, garlic, champagne vinegar, honey, dill, salt and fresh ground black pepper. Olive oil was blended in last and slowly to maintain an emulsion.

The kale salad was delicious considering kale can be a tough green. In years past kale was most often relegated as a garnish or only served in health food restaurants, but today, thanks to more delicate varieties like Tuscan Kale, you see home cooks and chefs using raw kale in everything from salads (especially kale Caesar salad) to smoothies.

Event sponsors included Pfizer and Spirit of Women.
Related Links 
Rethink RA with Chef Mullen 
More about Rheumatoid Arthritis
Photo collage and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

You'll go nuts when u learn the highest food source of Selenium! #GardenCuizine

Brazil Nuts
highest source of trace mineral
Selenium

Recently, I had a patient ask me about the trace mineral Selenium. She wanted to know what Selenium was good for. I remembered learning about Selenium at Rutgers. My professor told us a story of someone who actually got sick from eating too many brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are the highest food source of Selenium.  

As I was writing up my patient's nutrition assessment, one of South Jersey Healthcare's dietetic interns stopped by to say hello. He asked me if I had ever seen a brazil nut fresh off the tree. "No," I replied. So this weekend, I tracked down some great photos taken by Lior Golgher (shown) that shows what brazil nuts look like clustered inside the fresh cut fruit. The outer shell looks like a crater and reminds me of a coconut.

Brazil nut trees (Bertholletia excelsa) grow in the Amazon Rain Forest and can grow really tall - over 150 feet. One tree can produce 250 pounds of nuts!

Selenium is essential for good health but is only required in small amounts. The body uses Selenium to make antioxidant enzymes called selenoproteins, which may contribute to prevention of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. 

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Brazil nuts
Excellent Source: Selenium, Magnesium,Copper
Good Source: Thiamin  
One ounce (28 grams): 184 calories; total fat 19g; saturated fat 4g; monounsaturated fat 7g; polyunsaturated fat 6g; total carbohydrate 3g; dietary fiber 2g (8% DV); protein 4g (8% DV); Vitamin E 2 mg (8% DV); Thiamin 0.2 (12% DV); Magnesium 105 mg (26% DV); Phosphorus 203 mg (20%); Copper 0.5 mg (24% DV); Selenium 534 mcg (767% YIKES over the upper limit recommended for safe eating!!) Enjoy a few at a time or in with a variety of mixed nuts.

Besides brazil nuts, other food sources of selenium include tuna, cod, chicken breast meat, sunflower seed kernels and beef chuck roast. 

Selenium RDA

Kids age 1-3	Kids age 4-8	M/F age 9-13	M/F 14 - >70	Pregnant 14-50
20 mcg/d	30 mcg/d	40 mcg/d	55 mcg/d	60 mcg/d
UL: 90	150	280	400	400

M/F = males/females. Mcg/d = micrograms per day. UL = Upper Limit. RDA data courtesy of Diana Wind, RD using Institute of Medicine reference tables.
Photos Copyright (C) Lior Golgher Picasa Public Web Albums. A fresh cut Brazil nut fruit near Jauaperi River, Lower Rio Branco-Rio Jauaperi Extractive Reserve, Brazil.
Related Links:
What is Selenium? Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet 
Rainforest Alliance Brazil Nut Trees 
Heart Healthy Fats from Nuts
Blog post Copyright (C) 2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Contemplating Weight Loss Surgery? Have You REALLY TRIED to Lose Weight? An RD can help

Weight Loss

Really Try to Lose Weight before Opting for Weight Loss Surgery

My South Jersey Healthcare out-patient offices are bustling with patients contemplating weight loss (bariatric) surgery or who have already decided on the specific type of surgery they will soon be having - either a restrictive (laparoscopic gastric banding) or malabsorptive/restrictive (gastric bypass or laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy) surgery, depending upon what their surgeon recommends. 

Weight loss surgery is intended for morbidly obese individuals averaging 80-100 pounds overweight, especially those with serious health conditions. Weight loss is imperative to reduce excess body weight for disease prevention and/or relief of obesity-related metabolic conditions such as diabetes, joint and knee pain, acid reflux (GERD), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, heart disease and lung disease. 

Surgery should be an absolute last resort for weight loss and be considered only after many attempts at conventional methods for losing weight have been exhausted or are not possible. With bariatric surgeries on the rise throughout the country, my concern is for those who may not have seriously tried hard to lose weight before landing in the operating room. 

Be honest with yourself and give your weight loss efforts the attention it deserves. A Registered Dietitian (RD) can help you achieve your desired body weight.

You Can Do It!

This inspirational message for weight loss was recently posted by Virtua Hospital from Tumblr, which said, "Even if you can't physically see the results in front of you, every single effort is changing your body from the inside. Never get discouraged!"

Related Links: Reader's Digest 50+ Ideas to Lose Weight
Weight Control Information Network
Weight Loss for Life

Bionico - Mexican Fruit Salad #GardenCuizine

Bionico

Mexican Fruit Salad

Ensalada mexicana de la fruta

Energize yourself and your friends and family with the benefits of a refreshing fruit salad. Reap the benefits from dietary fiber, antioxidants and important nutrients like Vitamins A and C. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend adults consume about 2 cups of fruit per day. Mexican fruit salad is easy-to-make for company or to bring to a barbeque or party.  

I first prepared Bionico for my Cinco de Mayo theme meal celebration at South Jersey Healthcare cafe during my dietetic internship. A lot of people tried it, and judging by the small amount that was leftover - it was popular! Recently, I made Bionico again, for a garden party in Mt. Bethel, PA. By the time we left, the fruit salad was almost all gone. 

What makes Bionico so delicious is the sweet and creamy cinnamon yogurt sauce and crunch of granola served over top of the fresh fruit. The yogurt topping adds calcium and protein; and the granola adds nutritious, cholesterol lowering whole grains. 

Serving tips:

• Some recipes call for mixing the sauce in with the fruit, but you may want to serve the sauce and the granola on the side because some people might be lactose intolerant or simply prefer their fruit plain.   
• Most people won't know to try their fruit with the yogurt sauce and granola toppings, so you may want to make a sign and post it near the fruit salad with a serving suggestion. I usually just type it up on our computer and say, "Bionico Mexican Fruit Salad ~ top fruit with cinnamon yogurt sauce and organic whole grain granola."  
• For added fun and festive decor, decorate the serving bowl with homemade or store bought Mexican themed cutouts to give your serving presentation a Southwest look.  
•  I've tried making the sauce with fat-free sweetened condensed milk and prefer using regular sweetened condensed milk. Experiment for yourself and use whatever you like best. In my opinion, using yogurt rather than sour cream, which is often used in Bionico recipes, makes this recipe a healthier version overall.

Putting it all together

This is a GardenCuizine 'freestyle' recipe: use any measurements you wish to use and any fruit you have available; locally grown, seasonal fruit is always a good first choice. Garnish with sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), fresh mint or lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) from the garden. 

Fresh cut fruits

Prepare a large bowl or your choice of assorted cut fruits, such as:

Strawberries

Bananas

Oranges
Cherries
Watermelon

Blueberries

Pineapple

Papaya

Mango

Bionico Sauce

Combine the following ingredients and toss with fresh cut fruit or serve on the side

2 cups Vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup Sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon Honey

1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon 

Granola Topping

Make your own granola or purchase granola from the grocery store. Serve on the side or atop the sauced fruit. One of our favorite granolas is Cascadian Farm® organic dark chocolate almond granola made with whole grain oats, whole grain wheat and whole grain barley.

Buen provecho!

Related Links: Fruits and Veggies More Matters

Why is it Important to Eat Fruit?  

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
Blog Article and photos Copyright © 2011 D.Wind. All rights reserved.

Portanini Portabella Mushroom Panini

Portanini^TM

Grilled Portabella Mushroom Panini
with Roasted Red Peppers 

and low-fat Garden Basil spread

This sandwich special sold out in the cafe at South Jersey Healthcare's Regional Medical Center. Sales were strong, even before 12 noon. At that time we knew this recipe was on its way to being a popular National Nutrition Month grill special. And it was indeed. 

Never having offered this special, my supervisor had me start with preparing 3 cases of portabella mushrooms. They sold quickly - we had to prepare another 3 cases. Everything had to be remade, not just once, but three times! I quickly mixed together another batch of low fat garden pesto spread and roasted another batch of red bell peppers. Some of the Portanini^TM success was attributed to the fact that it was a meatless Friday for people observing Lent.

Recipe and Development

I came up with the Portanini^TM during National Nutrition Month^® - a promotion from the American Dietetic Association focusing attention on 'Eating Right with Color' from all the food groups. Each dietetic intern (there were 5 of us) had a chance to feature their own specials during the month. After another intern had success the previous week with a zucchini squash panini, I decided to feature my portabella mushroom sandwich as a panini too.

Portanini^TM Nutrition

The vegetable-packed, portabella mushroom panini provides an excellent source of Vitamins A, C and K, dietary fiber, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, selenium, copper, manganese and iron. And it is a good source of Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, phytosterols, zinc, magnesium and calcium. The dressing and cheese are sources of sodium, as well as flavor; therefore the seasoning should be used sparingly. 

Eating the recommended daily amount of vegetables is easy with a Portanini^TM. MyPyramid recommends adults consume 2 1/2 - 3 servings of vegetables a day. This panini packs in 2 servings of sliced portabella mushrooms, and 1 serving of dark green spinach.

Putting it all together

Yields 4 servings (note: you can easily use this recipe as a guide and make it for large crowds as we did at the hospital cafe)

4 Portabella mushroom caps

2 Tablespoons San-J Tamari Sesame gluten-free dressing

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

5 oz frozen chopped Spinach (or 4-5 cups raw fresh)

3 oz low-fat shredded cheese blend (we used a Tex-Mex 4-cheese blend)

4 slices roasted red peppers

2 Tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

1 teaspoon garden basil pesto (homemade is the best kind!)

Grill Mates Montreal Chicken Seasoning to taste (garlic, salt, onion, black pepper, parsley, red pepper, orange peel, paprika, green bell pepper)

8 slices Italian Panini (or gluten free) bread

Prepare the next 5 steps and then you will be ready to make your Panini sandwiches

1. Rinse mushrooms under water and rub tops with hands to clean off surface microorganisms. Slice each mushroom into 4-5 slices and place in a large bowl or pan. Drizzle olive oil and San-J dressing over mushrooms and gently toss to coat; set aside
2. Unthaw spinach and squeeze out excess liquid. Hand mix together the spinach and shredded cheese; set aside
3. Combine the mayo and garden basil pesto with seasoning and set aside
4. Roast red peppers, slice (skin on) into 1/4" strips and set aside
5. Grill or sauté the mushrooms over medium heat until tender. Remove to a holding pan.

Panini sandwich assembly

1. Spread the basil mayo on each slice of bread.
2. Arrange 4-5 cooked mushroom slices on one slice of bread.
3. Top with 2 ounces of cheese/spinach blend.
4. Top with 4 slices of roasted red peppers.
5. Grill using a Panini press or on a flat top griddle or cast iron skillet until heated through.

Buon Appetito!

GardenCuizine Nutrition Analysis: serving size 1 sandwich (266g): calories: 347; total fat 15g; saturated fat 3g; trans fat 0; cholesterol 10mg; sodium 548mg; total carbohydrates 40g; dietary fiber 5g; protein 16g; Vitamin A (73%DV); Vitamin C (58%DV); Calcium (19%DV); Iron (20%DV)

Special Thanks to Janelle, Holly, Victor, Tammie, Art, Joel, Linda and everyone who helped me at SJH!

Related Links

San-J products and recipes
for Vitamin D: Read product labels - try Dole portabella mushrooms with vitamin D. Vitamin D is added the same way that milk gets fortified - by UV light. 
Blog Article and photos Copyright © 2011 D.Wind. All rights reserved. 'Eat Right with Color' is a slogan for the American Dietetic Association's National Nutrition Month®