“MyPlate” Menus Made Easy – and Tasty!

From pyramids to plates! Are you confused about what should be on your plate? The Washington Post asked me to design menus based on MyPlate to help clear up some of the confusion. It was so fun for me – and easy, because I had everything I needed already in my book, Diet Simple, where there are tons of menu and recipe ideas which fit perfectly into MyPlate.gov’s scheme. What do you think of MyPlate, The United States Department of Agriculture’s new food plate designed to help Americans make better food choices? Will it help you improve your eating habits? When Bonnie Benwick, reporter for The Washington Post’s “Food” section contacted me and asked me to put together menus based on the My Plate icon and the Dietary Guidelines, I was delighted and up for the challenge.

When I create meals and menus I like to keep certain things in mind: number one is TASTE. Your meals must taste good, you have to really enjoy your meals, every bite. They must be interesting, full of flavor, texture, several different food groups and nutrient-dense. I also must keep them SIMPLE. My recipes are simple and quick, and are usually batches which can be eaten for several meals.

BREAKFAST

My breakfast philosophy is that it should contain 1/3 of the daily calories and protein, and contain all four food groups: protein/dairy (in this case, the protein is in the dairy), whole grain (oats, which also lower bad cholesterol), Heart healthy fat (nuts – which lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol), and fruit or vegetable must be at least half of the volume (the dried cranberries, the blueberries and the OJ). I’ve picked very high nutrient and anti-oxidant fruits for this meal. All of the foods are important for the immune system, and building muscle and bone.  It’s full of different flavors, textures, a full complement of important nutrients, including fiber. My friends, family, and clients LOVE Katherine’s oatmeal and begin feeling it is their favorite meal of the day. It holds them and prevents that ravenous feeling all day long:

Katherine’s Fabulous Oatmeal (excerpted from “Diet Simple” [June 2011, LifeLine Press])
½ Cup Rolled, Old Fashioned Oats
1 Cup Skim Milk or Soy Milk
1 ounce chopped (one cupped handful), roasted, unsalted almonds, or other nuts
¼ cup Dried Cranberries** or other dried fruit

Place all ingredients in a large glass bowl (need a large bowl as the mixture bubbles up) and into the microwave for 4 – 5 minutes. When finished, let sit in the microwave another minute to let the oats soak up the liquid.

Add:
1 tsp honey/maplesyrup/brown sugar or Splenda for sweetness (optional, to taste)
1 Cup Blueberries or other fruit

Beverages:
½ cup Orange Juice
Green Jasmine Tea (or coffee)

LUNCH

I created a three-course, “sit-down” elegant lunch with a fun-to-eat appetizer which takes time to eat, as you pop the edamame peas into your mouth with your fingers. The main course is a vegan recipe which has been very popular, and takes minutes to make. Then I included more protein/dairy as the dessert, which I think is more creative and fun than drinking a glass of milk. Also, I find when something sweet – even fruit – is part of the meal, people are less likely to crave sweets. We naturally crave all the different flavors and if our meals are too one-dimensional, we start craving the other flavors and are less likely to stick with healthy eating. As MyPlate requires, this meal definitely contains at least half the volume as vegetable/fruit, and vegetarian protein sources: edamame, chick peas, and yogurt, as well as heart healthy fat in the edamame and in the lemon/olive oil vinaigrette for the Chick Pea Salad.

Appetizer: 1 Cup Edamame in pod (boil frozen edamame – soy beans – in their shells for about 10 minutes and pop into your mouth like peanuts)
Main course:Chick Pea Salad with Cumin and Mint
Dessert: Fat Free or Low Fat Fruited yogurt, 1/4 ounce Dark Chocolate Chips mixed in

I recommend iced tea or herbal tea to drink

DINNER

Again, I wanted an enjoyable three course meal starting with an appetizer and ending with a dessert. Very elegant. My dairy/protein is hidden in the delicious dip. At least half the meal is veggies and fruits (the crudités in the appetizer, the spinach placed under the salmon, and the strawberries in the Granita dessert). This is a  very nutrient-dense, but low calorie meal, one high in omega-3-fatty acids as well as vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. Filled with flavor, texture and colors…

Appetizer: Crudites with Yogurt and Spinach Dip
Main Course: 1 serving Grilled Salmon in a Mustard Crust
Served atop  1 Cup Sauteed Fresh Spinach/Greens, in 1 tsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 ounces wine, optional (OR a whole grain roll)
Dessert: Strawberry Granita

I love to eat and expect my meals to be delicious. That is true for everyone. What many people don’t realize is that healthy food can also be delicious. I love helping people discover this and seeing the joy in their faces when they realize they don’t have to feel deprived to eat healthy!

The Washington Post article

Strawberry Granita

Carole Cutler’s Strawberry Granita
From “Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations”
(June 2011, LifeLine Press)

The best ice cream in the world can be found in Italy, hands down. But much more typical of Italian fare is granita, the wonderfully fresh, flavored ice that is so refreshing after a meal. Here is a granita you can whip up in a flash, and at any time of the year. If using frozen strawberries, the taste says “fresh” thanks to the helpful addition of orange flavoring.

8 servings

Grated peel and Juice of 1 Orange
2 teaspoons orange liqueur (optional)
20 ounces frozen sweetened or fresh strawberries, (and/or raspberries and/or blueberries, if desired and in season)
1 Tablespoon sugar (optional, if using fresh berries)
Optional: 8 mint sprigs

Put eight small sherbet dishes (or martini glasses) in the refrigerator to chill. If using fresh berries, place them (along with the sugar, if desired) in the freezer until frozen. Cut the frozen sweetened or unsweetened berries into large-sized chunks and put into a food processor. Add the orange juice, peel, and liqueur. Pulse for about 30 seconds to break up the chunks, then process on high until the mixture is smooth. When the mixture has been pureed, spoon immediately into the chilled dishes and place in the freezer. If the granita has been frozen for more than six hours, remove it from the freezer 10 minutes before serving time. If desired, decorate with the mint sprigs.

(Muffin cup liners can also be used. Fit each one into a cup in the muffin pan and fill to the 3/4 level, the frozen ice will expand. Place immediately into the freezer.)

For children or the child in YOU, MAKE POPSICLES! Pour the Granita into 8 popsicle molds. Who knew eating healthy could be so delicious and FUN!

Per serving: 80 calories, 0 grams fat, 20 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 0 mg sodium, 0 grams protein

Carol Cutler is the award-winning author of eight cookbooks, a syndicated columnist, and restaurant critic. She has often appeared on television cooking shows. She and her journalist husband have traveled extensively, savoring authentic cuisine at its source.

Did you know that there are 200 seeds on each strawberry?

Strawberries are members of the Rose family and there are over 600 different varieties. Choose freshly picked, ripe berries, as they will be the tastiest and will have the most nutrients. “Look for berries fully formed, bright red, without bruising or soft spots and with fresh-looking green caps. Beware of buying out-of-season strawberries, as sometimes they are picked when they are only 40% ripe. These berries may turn red, but they will never develop sweetness,” according to Janie Hibler in “The Berry Bible.”

Strawberries (and other berries) are considered a “superfood.”

They have one of the highest antioxidant and nutrient contents of all foods, yet they are low in calories, so you can eat them in unlimited quantities. In fact, for your health, the more the better! “A serving of eight strawberries contains more vitamin C than an orange. Strawberries are also rich in folate, potassium, and fiber. They’re especially high in cancer- and heart-disease-fighting phytonutrients (beneficial plant compounds) called flavonoids, anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, catechin, and kaempferol,” according to David Grotto in “101 Foods That Could Save Your Life.”

Read more about berries…

Broiled Salmon in a Mustard Seed Crust

Broiled or Grilled Salmon in a Mustard Seed Crust
From: “Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations” (June 2011, LifeLine Press)

8 3-ounce servings

One Salmon Fillet, about 1.5 pounds
1/2 cup dried mustard seeds
1/2 bunch fresh dill, lightly chopped
1/2 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For broiling

Lay the side of salmon flesh side up, salt and pepper liberally, and coat with the mustard seeds, then cover with the chopped dill, followed by thinly sliced raw onions. Finish with a sprinkling of olive oil. Preheat the broiler. Place the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Broil the salmon under the broiler for about 10 minutes until the onions are brown and crispy, then turn the temperature down, keeping the salmon in the oven until the salmon is opaque all the way through.  Use a thin knife to check the doneness of the flesh near the bone. Remove the fillet just before it is finished cooking, so that it does not overcook. I serve it right out of the oven or as chilled leftovers on subsequent days.  This is a stunner for a party or a perfect “batch” meal for you and your family. The salmon may be served whole or individually portioned by cutting into vertical strips approximately two inches wide. 240 calories per serving.

“Grilled Salmon in a Mustard Seed Crust” is adapted from Patrick O’Connell’s The Inn at Little Washington, A Consuming Passion (Random House, 1996)

Alternative Grilling Instructions from Chef Patrick O’Connell:

Remove the rack from your charcoal grill and ignite the charcoal. Sprinkle the wood chips on top of the fire, letting the flames subside to glowing embers. Lay your rack on the top of the flesh side of the fish. Pressing the onions, dill and seasonings in place with the rack, quickly flip the rack over the fire with the skin side facing up. Lower the lid if your grill has one and cook for 10 minutes. The fish will continue to cook somewhat after it is removed from the fire. To remove the fish from the fire use tongs or oven mitts to lift off the grill rack with the fish in place and set on a large metal tray or cookie sheet to cool. Gently remove the skin.

Salmon is high in Omega-3-Fatty Acids.

Omega 3s are superstars. They are to the world of fatty acids what Tiger Woods is to golf, Lance Armstrong is to cycling, or  Placido Domingo is to opera. Everyone’s heard about the importance of Omega-3s. While the full scope of their powers are still the subject of fierce debate among researchers, nobody challenges their importance or that Americans simply don’t get enough.

It’s been well-established that omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat found primarily in seafood, can improve your chances of living longer if you have heart disease. But its healing powers don’t stop there. Other organs may benefit. They have a positive impact from the womb to old age.

Omega 3’s reach is vast and the health benefits are intriguing the scientific community. While not an answer to every ailment, omega 3s are essential nutrients in the human body. Studies show that omega 3s may have significant physiological and psychological benefits.

In fact, Omega-3s are so important to human health, the National Academy of Sciences Food and Nutrition Board recently set a minimum daily requirement for the first time. For years we thought there was only one essential fatty acid, Omega 6 fatty acid (found in vegetable and soybean oils), but now scientists have added omega 3 to the list of essential nutrients humans must get from the diet.

I first became interested in the power of Omega 3 when  psychiatrists I work with began prescribing it for their depressed patients, finding it made positive improvements. Then I started hearing about its potential benefits for arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Could it be possible that one nutrient could provide so many benefits?

Read more about Omega-3-Fatty Acids…

Najmieh’s Yogurt and Spinach Dip

Najmieh Batmanglij’s Yogurt and Spinach Dip
From “Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations” (June 2011, LifeLine Press)

8  Servings
4 Cups (10 Ounces) fresh Spinach, washed and chopped, or 1 cup frozen Spinach, thawed
2 Onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1-1/2 Cups Low-Fat Drained Yogurt * or Greek Yogurt
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
Garnish (optional):
1/4 tsp saffron dissolved in 1 Tbsp Hot Water
1 Tbsp Rose Petals

In a non-stick skillet, lightly brown the onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil for 20 minutes over medium heat. Add the spinach, cover and steam for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the spinach leaves are wilted. Remove from heat and let cool. In a serving bowl, mix yogurt and spinach and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for several hours before serving. Garnish with saffron water and rose petals. Serve as a appetizer with crudites, whole grain crackers, or lavash bread. 130 Calories Per Serving.

“Yogurt and Spinach Dip” is from Persian Cooking for a Healthy Kitchen by Najmieh Batmanglij (Mage Publishers)

Yogurt is a Superfood, I am beginning to believe, based on current research, yogurt may be one of the best overall foods you can eat! Yogurt creates a natural way to boost your immune system by increasing the healthy bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract, according to my friend and colleague, Jo Ann Hattner, MPH, RD, in her book, “Gut Insight.”

Of course, many of the oldest civilizations in the world have known about yogurt for thousands of years.

For aging intestinal tracts, and as a bonus, increase your intake of calcium, protein, potassium, magnesium and other essential nutrients, eat fermented dairy or soy products, such as yogurts and kefir with live, active cultures, often labeled as “probiotics.”

Probiotics are live bacteria that promote digestive health. As we age, it is thought that bacterial populations in our gut change – resulting in increased harmful, disease-causing bacteria and fewer protective bacteria.   When you add probiotics you repopulate the gut with beneficial bacteria that protect against infection-causing toxins.

You also improve colon health by lowering pH of the colon, so it’s receptive to the beneficial bacteria and detrimental to the disease-causing bacteria, you protect the intestinal lining, and strengthen immunity.  Exciting research is evolving on the health benefits of probiotics.

(Reference:  Mitsuoka T. Intestinal flora and aging. Nutr Rev. 1992 Dec;50(12):438-46)

More information on boosting your immune system…

Chickpea Salad with Cumin and Mint

East Coast Grill and Raw Bar’s Chickpea Salad with Cumin and Mint
From “Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations” (June 2011, LifeLine Press)

Serves 4
1 cup dried chickpeas or 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
1/2 teaspoon Salt (if using dried chickpeas)
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice (about 1 lemon)
1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1 Red Bell Pepper, halved, seeded, and diced medium
1/2 Cup Roughly Chopped Scallions (white and green parts)
1/4 Cup Roughly Chopped Fresh Mint
2 Tbsp Cumin Seeds, toasted if you want, or 1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
1 Tbsp Minced Jalapeno or other fresh chile pepper of your choice (optional)
2 Bunches Watercress, trimmed, washed, and dried

If you are using dried chickpeas place them in a large pot, cover with water, and let soak overnight, or for at least 5 hours. Drain and rinse two or three times. Return the chickpeas to the pot, cover with water again, add salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to medium and simmer for one hour to one hour and 15 minutes, or until the chickpeas are tender but not mushy.  Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water.  If you are using canned chickpeas, simply drain and rinse them. Place the chickpeas in a medium bowl, add all the remaining ingredients except the watercress, and toss well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 30 minutes. When chilled, place the watercress on a platter or individual serving plates, top with the chickpea salad, and serve.  370 calories per serving.

“Chickpea Salad with Cumin and Mint” is from: License to Grill, copyright by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby (William Morrow and Company, Inc. 1997)

Chickpeas and other legumes, are not only delicious and versatile foods, they are loaded with nutrients which improve your body’s immune response, allowing you to resist diseases more effectively. They are high in protein (6 grams per 1/2 cup), 7 grams of fiber (the kind which lowers bad – LDL – cholesterol), high in iron, folate, vitamin E, only about 2 grams of healthy fat, and virtually zero sodium.

Scandinavian Midsummer: Feast the Night Away

Photo: Swedish Embassy

I’ve had a life-long love affair with Sweden, its culture, cuisine, and people. I’m so grateful that finally the world has caught on that my beloved Sweden is a recognized culinary destination.

Swedish cuisine is the ultimate “nouvelle” cuisine. It is simple, fresh, and is naturally local and seasonal. It’s elegant, yet down-to-earth, which is also a perfect description of the Swedish people, and even Swedish design.

The daughter of a Swedish mother and an American father, I’ve been visiting Sweden since a little girl. During my regular visits, I soaked in every possible aspect of Swedish food and cooking. I took many fishing trips in the Baltic Sea on my Uncle Olle’s small motor boat. I received early lessons on cleaning, smoking, grilling, pickling – and any method one could name – of preparing fresh fish.

I was raised in the Swedish culinary tradition. I’ve picked wild blueberries, strawberries and mushrooms in the Swedish archipelago, then watched as my grandmother (mormor) and Aunt Ingrid prepared treats with the bounty. Growing up, I and my mother dined regularly on crepes with lingonberries and cream – one of my favorite dinners (though now I use yogurt instead of cream! Naturligtvis!). I’ve delighted in all the unique foods my family introduced me to: the grainy rye breads, the special cheeses and yogurts, the smoked reindeer meat, the delicate, sweet, and tiny Swedish shrimps, caviar, crayfish, and of course, meatballs and lingonberry sauce!

If you are not a Swede or Scandinavian, you may not know that summer is the most special time of year. For weeks on end the sun never sets in Sweden’s summertime. It’s daylight round-the-clock.

Every year, during one of those “white nights” – the Friday nearest the 24th of June – the nation turns out to feast until morning. After long winter months of what seems like never-ending darkness, sun-starved Swedes join the rest of Scandinavia in celebrating the summer solstice – the year’s longest day.

Swedes call the celebration Midsummer Eve.

It is more than just a holiday, however. Midsummer Eve, often lasting through Saturday – and sometimes the whole weekend – is the national excuse for the biggest parties of the year. The revelry is non-stop.

Beginning Friday morning, families gather to set the scene. Every spare piece of furniture is moved outdoors, setting up a festival atmosphere. Large wooden crosses are turned into maypoles decorated with flowers, ribbons and leafy branches.

The maypoles are raised, and hours of dancing, singing and community wide camaraderie get under way. By late afternoon the revelry has served its purpose. Gnawing hunger has prepared the celebrants for the main event: the feast, Sweden’s famed smorgasbord.

Smorgasbord is a Swedish invention and is literally a table of open-faced sandwiches. Though its origin was a simple array of hors d’oeuvres, smorgasbords today are exhaustive buffet-style spreads, the Swedish version being the best known.

There are appetizers, salads, main courses and desserts. The dishes signal summer’s first harvests: freshly clipped dill, tender root vegetables, fish and other seafoods, and strawberries grown in the country.

There are cured ingredients, as well. Pink rolls of cured salmon are wrapped around dill sprigs, with yellow mustard sauces and peppercorns alongside. There is marinated herring and coarse salt, as well as dill and other pickles. Dairy products also are important, including eggs, cheese and cream.

The traditional drink is aquavit, Swedish vodka spiced with anise and caraway. It is served in tiny schnapps glasses. The Midsummer toast, which loses something in translation, usually amounts to a unanimous gulp followed by a chant of “rah, rah, rah, rah.”

Actually, preparation of Midsummer food usually begins a couple of days before. Local fishermen stack their just-caught salmon in rickety wheelbarrows, roll them into town and go door to door displaying their wares for inspection by anxious cooks.

The fish are carefully examined in solemn transaction, the cook – usually my Grandmother – signaling the final selection with an abrupt, “This will do!” The fisherman nods, satisfied, and carries the fish to the kitchen where it lands on the table with a thud. The smell of the sea enters the house with the day’s catch. The best knife has been sharpened for this moment: the start of Midsummer Eve cooking.

SWEDISH MIDSUMMER RECIPES

Aquavit and Marcus Samuelsson’s Gravlax Club Sandwich
Gravlax and Mustard Sauce

Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Dark Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients:

For the Fondue:
½ cup Skim Milk
8 ounces Semisweet Chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

To Serve:
2 quarts Whole Strawberries (or other seasonal fruit,  liked sliced pears)
Long toothpicks or Kebab Sticks
Finely Chopped Nuts (optional)
Course Ground Coffee (optional)
Granola (optional)

Heat the milk in a double boiler. When the milk begins to bubble around the edges, turn off the heat, and whisk in the dark chocolate chips. When melted, mix in the vanilla. Be careful not to burn the chocolate! Keep it on very low heat or in a double boiler. Pour into a fondue pot, keep on low, stirring occasionally. Spear each strawberry or piece of fruit with a long toothpick or kebab stick, and dip into the chocolate. If desired, roll in a bowl of chopped nuts, granola – or for the adults: course ground coffee for “mocha” dipped strawberries. To harden the chocolate, place each chocolate-dipped strawberry separately on parchment paper and let cool. About 160 calories per serving, which is 1/8 of the recipe. The strawberries are only 2 to 6 calories each, depending on their size.

Is it true that a chocolate a day will keep the doctor away?

The cacao bean, grown mainly in Latin America, Africa and Asia, is loaded with beneficial compounds. In fact, its early uses, dating back 3,000 years were mainly medicinal. It has been highly prized for centuries, which is reflected in its scientific name, Theobroma cacao, meaning “Food of the Gods.”

Cocoa, if high in flavanols, the beneficial plant compounds scientists believe impart most of cocoa’s benefits, may help maintain a healthy vascular system, relax blood vessels, reduce blood clotting – an aspirin-like affect –reduce oxidative damage, inflammation, and improve blood flow. All of which reduces heart disease risk.

If you’re eating chocolate for health benefits, you’ll need to be very discriminating in your selections. You’ll get more flavanols, and therefore health benefits, with less processing. The first choice is cocoa, which isn’t Dutch processed – as when cocoa is “Dutch processed with alkali” the flavanols are reduced. Look for chocolate which has the highest percentage of cocoa as possible and to save calories, look for chocolate with lower fat and sugar levels. In general, cocoa is your best first choice. Second choice is a semisweet or bittersweet chocolate with a high cocoa percentage. Some chocolates go as high as 85% cocoa, but legally can be as low as 35%. I recommend no more than an ounce a day, which may be about 110 – 150 calories, depending on the chocolate. Any more than that and you’re probably going to take in too many calories for weight control.

Did you know that there are 200 seeds on each strawberry?

Strawberries are members of the Rose family and there are over 600 different varieties. Choose freshly picked, ripe berries, as they will be the tastiest and will have the most nutrients. “Look for berries fully formed, bright red, without bruising or soft spots and with fresh-looking green caps,” says Janie Hibler in “The Berry Bible.”

Strawberries are considered a “superfood.” They have one of the highest antioxidant and nutrient contents of all foods, yet they are low in calories, so you can eat them in unlimited quantities. In fact, for your health, the more the better! “A serving of eight strawberries contains more vitamin C than an orange. Strawberries are also rich in folate, potassium, and fiber. They’re especially high in cancer- and heart-disease-fighting phytonutrients (beneficial plant compounds) called flavonoids, anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, catechin, and kaempferol,” according to David Grotto in “101 Foods That Could Save Your Life.”