Does the thought of peanuts or peanut butter conjure visions of fat on your hips? If so, you aren’t alone! Peanuts and their creamy counterpart peanut butter often get a bad rap for being high in calories and fat in a world of dieters looking to shed pounds. But don’t let a quick glance at the food label send you running from this renowned superfood. Whether it’s chunky, creamy, natural or organic, peanut butter is being hailed as delicious and nutritious…of course, assuming you can control your portion size.

Here is the low down on what you find in a serving of peanuts or peanut butter (a serving of peanut butter is 2 Tablespoons and a serving of peanuts about 28 individual nuts):

Fat. While peanuts contain about 14 grams of fat per serving (73% of the calories are from fat - hence the reputation of a high fat food!), 63% of total calories are from unsaturated fat (aka “good fat”). Peanuts are especially high in monounsaturated fats. These “good fats” that have been found to improve cholesterol by raising the beneficial HDL cholesterol.

Protein. Peanuts and peanut butter are an excellent source of non-animal protein. Both contain 7-8 grams of protein per serving.

Vitamins/minerals. The vitamins and minerals found in peanut butter include vitamin E, potassium, iron, calcium, copper, niacin, magnesium, and folate.

Calories. Most people find this word terrifying, but the truth is calories are the fuel that the body needs to function properly. It’s calories that are to thank for surviving through every day stressors, multitasking, and lengthy workouts. Without enough calories, the important organs such as the heart, brain, kidney and lungs would starve and ultimately fail. And if you feel that the 160-200 calories in one whole serving  is too much, try just half a serving (1 Tablespoon of peanut butter or 14 peanuts!)

·  Reduced risk of heart disease- high HDL cholesterol and low LDL (bad) cholesterol helps promote heart health. Plus, several of the vitamins/minerals in peanut are associated with heart disease prevention.

· Reduced insulin resistance- the fat and protein in peanut butter help prevent blood sugar levels from rapidly spiking and dropping. Steady blood sugars have been found to reduce risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

·  It is a good source of protein, especially for vegetarians. Protein promotes muscle building and repair which helps put your sweat-session at the gym into good use!

· Weight maintenance- the high fat content helps you feel fuller for longer which can curb post-meal cravings that often lead to over eating. Peanut butter is an excellent food for carb cravers. This is because peanuts and peanut butter (or any nut or nut butter for that matter), can help to keep blood sugar stable for a longer time period. I often recommend peanut butter on an apple or a few whole grain crackers for an afternoon snack.

·  Healthy hair, skin and nails- the monounsaturated fat in peanut butter helps keep these parts sleek and sexy.

Tips to help you select a healthy peanut butter brand

Not all brands of peanut butters are the same. Some jars contain added sugar, salt and/or hydrogenated fats.  Be sure to read food labels!

· Avoid hydrogenated oils- this is the process that produces trans fats. Look for zero grams trans fat.

· Avoid too much added sugar– the best peanut butter products to choose are those that are free added sugars, but the next best choice is one with no more than 4 grams of sugar per serving.

· Don’t be fooled by “all natural”- always read food labels to see what is being added. Even if what’s being added is “natural”, you might not want it in your peanut butter.

·  Sodium content- salt is often an ingredient in peanut butter to give it its signature flavor. Avoid too much of a good thing by steering clear of brands with more than 200 mg per serving.

· Reduced fat-  this is a great option for those that seek a lower total fat content from their peanut butter. Be warned- what usually replaces the lost fat content is extra carbohydrates (sugar) so read labels carefully.

 Here are some of the brands that I often recommend:

Arrowhead Mills 100% Creamy Valencia Peanut Butter contains no added oil, sugar or salt.

Maranatha Organic Creamy Roasted Peanut Butter contains no added oil, sugar or salt.

Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter (Crunchy and Unsalted) contains no added oil, sugar or salt (in the Unsalted Peanut Butter).

Laura Scudder’s All Natural Smooth Old Fashioned Peanut Butter contains no added oil or sugar.

Skippy Natural (Creamy or Chunky) contains some added sugar, palm oil and salt, but total sugar content is less than 4 grams, sodium under 150, and still has 63% of calorie from unsaturated fats.

Smuckers (Creamy, Chunky, Organic) contains no added sugar or fat. The sodium content is under 150 mg. The Smuckers No Added Salt peanut butter contains 0 mg of sodium and no added fat or sugar.

And last but not least, if you can’t control your intake of nuts or nut butters, you may want to avoid them!

This article was written by Gail Wikler, Dietetic Intern at New York Presbyterian Hospital

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How many of you drink “enhanced” waters, such as VitaminWater, on a regular basis? If so, you may be wondering how healthy or unhealthy they really are.  Afterall, the rapper 50 Cent, as well as Kelly Clarkson and Shaquille O’Neal, promote them. 50 Cent even has his own flavor called Formula 50! (See pic)  I recently received an email from a CGB reader asking my opinion of VitaminWater. 

Question from Kelly: Martha, what is your opinion of VitaminWater? I really don’t like plain water and have been drinking Vitamin water in an attempt to increase my fluid intake. I usually drink the B-Relaxed VitaminWater as my job is quite stressful. Do you think this water will help decrease stress levels?

Answer from Martha: “Enhanced” waters have become very popular. Sales of these beverages have increased by over 30% in the past year. They are so popular the Coca Cola bought VitaminWater and PepsiCo bought Sobe. These beverages are promoted as a healthy alternative to soda, other energy type drinks and even water. They can contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, herbs, etc. They can also contain 2 heaping Tablespons of sugar (125 calories)!

So to answer your two questions:

1. I do not recommend these beverages as they contain large amounts of sugar. You are much better off drinking plain water. This will save you 125 calories and 32 grams of sugar. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, you could squeeze a little lemon or lime into it. While I don’t see a problem with drinking VitaminWater (or any “enhanced” water containing sugar) on occasion, it shouldn’t be part of your diet on a regular basis.

2. The average American does not need the extra vitamins found in these products. If you do need a supplement, you are much better off taking a general multivitamin/mineral supplement as it will provide you with a much wider array of vitamins and minerals.

3. Lastly, there is no evidence that the B vitamins and other ingredients found in B-Relaxed will actually decrease stress levels!

One more thing, when reading the nutrition label of these beverages (or any food product for that matter), keep in mind that you are usually consuming more than the standard serving size listed on the label. For example, “a serving” of VitaminWater is 8 ounces. Most people would drink the whole bottle which is 20 ounces - so you are really getting 2.5 servings!

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This week I had the pleasure of lecturing with Dr. George Bakris and Chef Rick Tramonte in Greenwich, CT at The Delamar at Greenwich Harbor. Check this place out! The program was called Recipes for Hypertension Management and was sponsored by Novartis.  We did similar programs last year in Chicago and NYC and earlier this year in Detroit. The night was a great success. It was a beautiful night, the program was well attended and included a cocktail hour (with the largest shrimp I have ever seen!) and a delicious dinner.

I lectured on dietary and lifestyle modifications to manage hypertension, focusing on:
1. weight control
2. the Dash diet
3. limiting sodium
4. regular exercise
5. limiting alcohol to one drink a day for women and two a day for men.

Dr. Bakris, who is very knowledgable and highly entertaining,  spoke about medical management of hypertension. And last, but certainly not least, Chef Tramonto did a cooking demonstration. He made a delicious and healthy halibut with cucumber, lime and green grapes.  He also made a baby beet salad with parsley and mint vinaigrette and a tuscan pansella. All of his recipes took less than 5 minutes each to make. Chef Tramonto likes to use a lot of citrus and flavored vinegars in his cooking. He shows how food can be made flavorful without a lot of sodium and fat.  Check out his recipes below:  (Pic is of me and Chef Rick)

Recipe 1  Halibut with cucumber, lime and green grapes

Recipe 2  Baby beets with parsley and mint vinaigrette

Recipe 3  Tuscan panzella

Bon Appetite!

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You only have a few minutes for lunch and see the street vendor selling hot dogs, gyros and chicken kabobs in pita. You may be wondering if these are appropriate lunch choices.  In my quest to provide CGB readers with knowledge on healthy and not-so-healthy lunch choices, I decided to buy one of the chicken kabobs in pita and dissect it in the privacy of my home. I would weigh and measure it to determine the caloric content … and then eat it for lunch if it looked appealing and wasn’t too high in calories.

So I went to a street vendor across the street from the hospital where I work on York and 69th Street.  BTW - I was a little hesitant about eating food purchased from one of these vendors (given there has been some publicity in the past about cleanliness…) however there is always a long line at this particular vendor so I figured the food was probably ok.

I purchased a chicken kabob sandwich. It bascially consisted of a chicken kabob wrapped in a pita with some hot sauce. Nothing fancy. I noticed that the pita used for my sandwich was the last one in the plastic bag (that contained a food label!). So I asked the street vendor man if I could have it as I wanted to read the nutrition info.  He seemed to think this was a strange request but gave it to me.

My findings:
- pita (called “pre-oiled gyro bread) contained 250 calories and 3 grams of fat
- the chicken weighed 4 ounces and therefore contained ~ 180 calories and 4-5 grams fat 
- minimal fat was used in cooking
- the hot sauce contains negligible calories
- overall calorie content was 430 calories and fat content was 8 grams
- it was cheap (~ $3.00). This is a lot cheaper than the sandwiches in most delis and gourmet stores
- I actually ate it for lunch and it wasn’t bad. It would have been better with some veggies but overall it is an acceptable choice for a lunch on the run

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What city girl doesn’t love chocolate? Some of us may have trouble controlling our intake of chocolate (including me!),  therefore it is best to purchase portion controlled chocolate treats.
I found this article on Web Md and thought it would be appropriate for CGB. Enjoy!

100-Calorie Chocolate Treats: Chocolately goodies that won’t do in your diet.
By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

WebMD Expert Column What do you do when you need a chocolate fix (gotta have it!) but only want to invest 100 calories or so? It’s not an impossible dream. Take it from a veteran chocoholic: You’ve got quite a few tasty options for 100-calorie chocolate treats.

When you’re trying to cure your chocolate craving, the key questions to ask yourself are:

- Do you absolutely need creamy, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate — or will just the flavor of chocolate do? If it’s gotta be the real thing, take a look at the “real chocolate” options below.

- Do you want something that’s cold and refreshing as well as chocolatey? Then check out the frozen chocolate treats and chocolate dairy choices below.

- Are you in a hurry butstill need a shot of chocolate? Look through my grab-and-go suggestions below.

- Will only chocolate cake or cookies calm your craving?
(Check out this link for 100 calorie chocolate recipes)

100-Calorie Real Chocolate Options
When only real chocolate will suffice, try:

Nestle “Dark” Raisinets:1/8 cup has 90 calories, 1 g fiber, 4 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, and 16 g carbohydrates. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Kisses:4 kisses have 89 calories, 0.5 g fiber, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, and 11 g carbohydrates.
Hershey’s Sticks (they come in several flavors, including milk chocolate): 1 stick (11 g) has 60 calories, 0 g fiber, 3 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, and 6 g carbohydrates.

100-Calorie Chocolate Dairy Options
These chocolate options are cool and comforting:

Chocolate milk made with 2/3 cup 1% milk, 4 teaspoons Lite Hershey’s Syrup, and lots of ice: 100 calories, <1 g fiber, 1.7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, and 17.5 g carbohydrates.
Sugar-free instant chocolate pudding made with fat-free milk: 1/2 cup has 80 calories, <1 g fiber, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, and 13 g carbohydrates.
Yoplait Whips Yogurt comes in several chocolate flavors: Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Cherry, and Chocolate Raspberry. Two-thirds of a container has 100 calories, 0 g fiber, 2.5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, and 16 g carbohydrates.

100-Calorie Frozen Chocolate Treats
There are some really tasty lower-cal frozen dessert choices out there these days, including:

Slim a Bear 100-Calorie Fudge Bars:100 calories, 4 g fiber, 3 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, and 20 g carbohydrates.
Slim a Bear 100 Calorie Chocolate Sandwiches:100 calories, 3 g fiber, 1.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, and 21 g carbohydrates.
Slim a Bear 100 Calorie French Vanilla Bars:100 calories, 2 g fiber, 6 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, and 12 g carbohydrates.
Weight Watchers Giant Fudge Bar:110 calories, 5 g fiber, 1 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, and 25 g carbohydrates.
Healthy Choice Premium Fudge Bars(includes 3 g sugar alcohol): 80 calories, 4 g fiber, 1.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, and 13 g carbohydrates.
Skinny Cow Low-Fat Fudge Bar:100 calories, 4 g fiber, 1 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, and 22 g carbohydrates.

Grab-and-Go 100-Calorie Chocolate Fixes
When I think about grab-and-go chocolate treats, I think of two things: individually wrapped bags or bars that feature chocolate. Of course, just about the easiest things to grab are those “100-calorie packs” of treats. But keep in mind that most of what you’re paying for when you buy 100-calorie packs is portion control, pure and simple. So make sure you just grab one pouch.

Here are some of the quickie chocolate fixes I found in my supermarket that tally up to about 100 calories (some are a little more or less):

Quaker Mini Delights (Chocolatey Drizzle Multigrain Cakes): 1 pouch has 90 calories, 1 g fiber, 3.5 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, and 14 g carbohydrates.
Chips Ahoy! Thin Crisps (100-calorie pack): 100 calories, <1 g fiber, 3 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, and 18 g carbohydrates.
Chocolate Teddy Grahams (23 g worth): 100 calories, 1.5 g fiber, 3.4 g fat, 0.7 g saturated fat, and 16.5 g carbohydrates.
Honey Made Chocolate Graham Crackers (24 g worth): 100 calories, 0.8 g fiber, 2.3 g fat, 0.7 g saturated fat, and 18 g carbohydrates.
Kellogg’s Special K Bar (Chocolately Drizzle): 90 calories, <1 g fiber, 1.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, and 17 g carbohydrates.
Quaker Chewy Granola Bar (Chocolate Chunk): 90 calories, 1 g fiber, 2 g fat, 0.5 gram saturated fat, and 19 g carbohydrates.
Quaker Chewy Granola Bar (Chocolate Chip 25% Less Sugar): 100 calories, 1 gram fiber, 3 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, and 17 g carbohydrates.
Chocolate Honey Maid Delight Bars (100-calorie pack): 100 calories, 3 g fiber, 3.5 g fat, 2 g saturated fast, and 19 g carbohydrates.
Kashi TLC Chewy (Cherry Dark Chocolate): 120 calories, 4 g fiber, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, and 24 g carbohydrates.
Fiber One Chewy Bar (Oats & Chocolate): 140 calories, 9 g fiber, 4 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, and 29 g carbohydrates.
Slim Fast Protein Snack Bars (Whipped Chocolate Nougat): 110 calories, 0 g fiber, 3.5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, and 16 g carbohydrates (8 g sugar alcohols).
South Beach Living Snack Bars (Chocolate Raspberry): 100 calories, 5 g fiber, 3 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, and 16 g carbohydrates (3 g sugar alcohols).

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It is 95 degrees outside and you see a Mr. Softee ice cream truck. The pavlovian response kicks in and you find yourself crossing the street towards the truck. Or perhaps the sight of a Haagen Daz ice cream store gets you salivating.

For many of us, the warm weather brings cravings for ice cream. I often get asked by my clients “what’s the deal with soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt - is it loaded with calories?” Or “are the calories really accurate?” Read on for the low down on frozen yogurt and soft serve ice cream.

Tips to keep in mind when ordering ice cream or frozen yogurt:

1. There are so many options available that you’ll be able to find a product that won’t pack on the pounds. The key will be to find something that isn’t loaded with calories AND one that you like. Some ice cream products leave something to be desired when it comes to taste!

2. Be careful portion sizes. Serving sizes are often much larger that what the stated caloric content is based on. For example, in the following chart, the calories are based on a “small” serving size, which is usually 4 oz. However the sizes you receive in most ice cream stores are often a lot larger than 4 ounces, hence you may be receiving double the calories, fat and carbs.

3. Are the calories accurate? The FDA allows a 20% range of error in either direction for calories. Aside from that, I’m not really sure that anyone knows for sure about the accuracy of calories.  For example, a few years ago, there was a lot of talk in the news about CremaLita providing falsely low calorie information. I always say that if something seems to good to be true, than it probably isn’t! To be on the safe side, order a small size.

4. If possible, get a non fat or low fat ice cream or frozen yogurt. It is quite a bit lower in calories and fat than the regular version. For example, a small size of Hagen Daz or Ben & Jerry’s has up to 400 calories and 20 gm of fat. Compare this to the lower fat versions listed below.

5. Keep in mind that sugar free doesn’t necessarily mean lower in calories. Some of the sugar free ice creams and yogurts have just as much fat and calories as the regular product.

6. Try to avoid the ice creams with added extras like brownie pieces or cookies or toppings such as sprinkles or granola.

7. There is nothing wrong with having the “real thing” once in a while, especially if you don’t like the reduced calorie products. But keep in mind that they can be loaded with calories and fat so make it a “treat”!

Nutritional content of various frozen yogurts and soft serve ice cream

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Download Martha’s handy Snack Survival Guide to guide you on snack choices. What kind of snacks do you like … crunchy, salty, sweet, healthy, not-so-healthy? This guide will give you suggestions for all types of snacks.

Tips for selecting a snack:

1. If you are a carb craver, you are probably better off choosing something that has some protein and or fat in it. This will help you to feel more satisfied and control your carb cravings. Look for snacks in the Dairy, Low Carb or Combo Carb & Protein / Fat group.

2. If you are going to hit the gym after work, choose a snack that contains some carbs. Carbs provide energy for your workouts. Examples: fruit, yogurt, pretzels, other crunchy snacks or an energy bar that contains carbs. Check out my previous post on energy bars. A high protein / fat snack like nuts or cheese is not the best pre-workout snack.

3. If you have many hours until dinner, try to include some protein / fat in your snack. It will hold your blood sugar longer. Look for snacks in the Dairy, Low Carb or Combo Carb & Protein / Fat group.

4. If you are trying to watch your weight, keep your snack calories to 150 - 250 calories (this includes snacks for the whole day) for a woman and 250 - 350 (this includes snacks for the whole day) calories for a man. This is just an estimation - the exact recommended calorie level will depend upon the person.

5. Don’t keep problem snack foods in the house!

6. If you have trouble controlling your intake of certain snack foods, either avoid them or buy individual sized bags.

Enjoy the Snack Survival Guide! Download a copy for a co-worker, friend or family member. See the snack pic on the right side of the home page and click to download.

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How many vegetables do you eat each day? I bet it isn’t the daily recommended amount of 2 1/2 cups.  And no - your giant bowl of iceberg lettuce for your salad doesn’t count! City girls often have busy schedules and eat on the run. With the exception of an occasional salad or the 3 asparagus spears that might accompany your grilled tuna entree in a restaurant, our diets are lacking in vegetables. Even if you cook dinner or “assemble”  dinner as many of us do in NYC (assemble = picking up roast chicken, rice and vegetable at Zabars or Citarellas!), it is still unlikely that we’ll meet the recommendation for vegetable intake.

Try roasting vegetables to increase your vegetable intake
I’ve had many clients ask me how to cook vegetables in a way other than steaming and adding a little olive oil or butter spray. Since I am not the most creative cook in the world, I often recommend roasted vegetables. Roasting vegetables is an easy way to prepare vegetables. They taste good, provide variety and increase your nutritional intake.  You can keep them for several days and have leftovers.  In the colder weather, roasted vegetables can help you satisfy the urge for something filling and hot (as opposed to salads which are not as appealing to many people in the colder weather). Roasting your own veggies versus buying prepared roasted or grilled vegetables is a better idea as you can control the amount of oil that is used in preparation. I’ve had frequently ordered grilled veggies at a restaurant or gourmet store that have been dripping with oil.

The following tips were taken from an article on roasted vegetables from Web MD 

How to Cook Roasted Vegetables
Here are the four basic vegetable roasting steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a jellyroll pan with foil, and coat the foil with canola or olive oil cooking spray. Cut your vegetables into small chunks or hearty bite-sized pieces.

2. Add vegetables in a single layer to the foil-lined pan and spray the top with cooking spray or drizzle with a bit of canola or olive oil (use no more than a teaspoon of oil for every cup of vegetables). If you use oil, toss the veggies about on the pan to coat as much of them with oil as possible.

3. Sprinkle on any desired seasonings, such as rosemary or basil, parsley, marjoram, salt and pepper. Coat the tops of your veggies again with canola or olive oil cooking spray, if desired, especially if you didn’t drizzle with oil in Step 2.

4. Bake until veggies are lightly browned in areas, and tender. If your vegetables look like they are starting to dry out during the roasting period, drizzle some broth, apple juice, or low-fat Italian dressing or vinaigrette over the top. Different vegetables require different cooking times. Check your roasted vegetables after 25-30 minutes (this is probably the halfway point), turn them over with a spatula, then cook until they’re tender and nicely browned around some of the edges (about 25-30 minutes more.)
 

How Long Should I Cook Roasted Vegetables?
Keep in mind that these lighter density vegetables have the fastest cooking times:
Tomatoes
Summer squash
Eggplant
These can take as little as 20 minutes to roast at 350-375 degrees. But if you’re baking them in a 400-degree oven along with medium and high density vegetables, just cut them in larger, thicker pieces and they will handle the higher temp and longer cooking time just fine.

These medium-density vegetables take a bit longer to cook:
Onions
Peppers
Winter squash

These higher density vegetables, meanwhile, have the longest cooking times:
Potatoes
Carrots
Beets
Pumpkins
Medium- and high-density vegetables tend to roast better at 400 degrees and can take up to 60 minutes to cook.

Other veggies that taste great roasted include mushrooms, fennel and asparagus. Enjoy!

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I often recommend nuts as snacks for my clients, whether they are trying to lower their cholesterol, lose weight, have PCOS ( as nuts a great low carb snack) or just trying to eat healthier. Nuts are nutritious, filling and contain heart healthy fats. Consumption of nuts have been linked to a decreased risk of heart disease and diabetes.

The down side of nuts - they are high in calories. Some people have the discipline to eat one portion of nuts. However other people, such as myself, don’t have this control. Have you ever found yourself sitting with a full can of cashews in front of the television only to find the can suddenly half empty? How many times have you found your hand reaching into the nut bowl at your local bar? I am guilty of that one…

I have a hard time finding mini bags of nuts in local stores. Most small bags are 1.5 - 2 oz. This translates into  approximately 250-320 calories. The little bags of nuts at Starbucks are 550 calories!

Calorie content of nuts

Tips to control your portions of nuts:

1. Portion out nuts into small bags. This can help you to control your portion sizes.

2. Buy a type of nut you don’t love. For example, I don’t love soy nuts - but know they are healthy. I would buy those over almonds (which I would have trouble controlling my portion of)

3. Buy mini bags of nuts so they are already portion controlled. They are hard to find in stores. I find random  deli’s in NYC that sell mini bags (1 oz) of almonds and peanuts. I have also found that you can buy them online sometimes.

Purchase mini bags of nuts online:

1. Thanks to my client Viviam S. for telling me about real mini bags of nuts (1/2 oz portion for 80 calories). Great for a snack! She brought me in a sample that she got on an airplane. They are called King Nuts. Check out mini bags of Fancy Nuts and Peanuts. You can purchase these online.

2. Check out Planter’s on the Go nut packs. They contain 1 oz portions and are 160 calories. Unfortunately, I have only found them in a few random stores and you can’t purchase them on the Planters website. However, I did find that you can purchase them on Amazon.com at this link (only the peanut variety though). Make sure the nut pack you purchase is one ounce as many of the nut packs are 3 oz or more. Do an online search and you may be able to find where you can purchase them.

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 I am posting the recipes for  two of the dishes that Chef Rick prepared at the Novartis meeting in Chicago. They were delicious, healthy, low in fat, sodium and calories … and easy to prepare. I had heard of farro before but had never tasted it.  Farro is a whole grain that is high in protein and fiber. It takes about 40 minutes to cook. I would recommend you try it as it’s much tastier and healthier than white rice or white pasta.

Farro with Vegetables
Serves 4

¾ cup finely diced onions
1 cup uncooked whole-grain farro
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
freshly ground black pepper

Vegetables:
 1T olive oil
1 tablespoon slivered garlic
12 pearl onions, blanched
½ cup diced fennel
½ cup sliced slender green beans (also called French beans)
1/3 cup diced zucchini
1/3 cup corn kernels (about 1 ear)
16 red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
¼ cup julienned fresh basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
 1T extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. To prepare the farro:  heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan and cook the onions for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened but not colored.  Add the farro and stir until lightly toasted and evenly coated with butter and onions.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, heat the stock over medium-high heat until simmering.  Adjust the heat to keep it at a low simmer.
3. Reduce the heat under the farro to medium and in three additions (similar to cooking risotto), slowly stir the stock into the farro until it absorbs the liquid and is cooked through.  This will take 35 to 40 minutes.  Reserve any stock you don’t need.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover to keep warm and set aside.
4. To prepare the vegetables:  Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds.  Add the onions, fennel, beans, zucchini, squash and corn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions soften.  Add the tomatoes, olives and basil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Stir the vegetables into the farro.  Set the saucepan over medium heat and add the grated cheese, butter and vinegar.  Stir gently and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add more stock if needed to produce a creamy, risotto-like consistency.
6. Divide the farro among 4 plates or small individual copper pots or other small bowls.  Finish with fresh parsley.

Marinated Swordfish with Mint and Preserved Meyer Lemon
Serves 4

1 pound center-cut swordfish, bloodline removed (you can use another fish if you like)
1 cup diced plum tomatoes
1 cup shaved plain artichoke hearts
Juice of ½ lemon
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2T extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon pink peppercorns, crushed
½ teaspoon ground star anise
Freshly ground black pepper
1tsp kosher salt

1. Slice the swordfish paper-thin or as thin as possible and arrange the slices on a platter so they overlap slightly.
2. In a small bowl, mix the tomatoes, artichoke, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, mint, chives, pink peppercorns, and star anise.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
3. Pour the marinade over the swordfish.  Refrigerate for 10 – 15 minutes and serve.  (Do not leave the fish for longer or the acid in the marinade will start to “cook” the fish.)

 This swordfish dish is a great alternative for you sashimi lovers (me!) as it contains much less sodium. One tsp. of soy sauce has 800 mg of sodium. This dish is much lower in sodium.

*Keep in mind that pregnant women shouldn’t consume raw fish. Make sure you buy your fish from a reputable store.
 

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