Wizard Recipes

How about a heady minestrone brimming with bright zucchini and carrots, green beans and butternut squash, fragrant garlic and onion, and slivers of plump cabbage leaves for dinner?

Or perhaps you would prefer a simple pizza slathered with ruby-red tomato sauce and flecked with fresh basil? Maybe artichoke hearts and tomatoes stuffed with minced onions, cilantro, and a rainbow of chopped bell peppers, Moroccan-style, are more your speed. Chilled tomato and pepper gazpacho, anyone? A Greek eggplant salad with red bell peppers, tomatoes, and wild marjoram?

Or maybe just a simple antipasto featuring grilled vegetables, marinated olives, and ratatouille?

Fresh and plentiful in the Mediterranean region, vegetables and herbs give traditional Mediterranean cuisine much of its character and flavor, not to mention its beauty and vibrant color.

The traditional Mediterranean diet is naturally heavy on vegetables-not surprising, considering the garden-friendly Mediterranean climate. Traditionally, many people in the Mediterranean made their living farming the land. Others simply grew food to feed their own families.

What would classic Mediterranean cuisine be without vegetables? From eggplant Parmesan and tomatoes Provençal to stuffed vine leaves and spinach-cheese pie, vegetables provide the people of the Mediterranean with variety, color, and flavor without the high cost of meat-based meals. But vegetables, it seems, do much more than provide low-cost meals for people eating them in great quantities in the Mediterranean.

Many of the health benefits of the traditional Mediterranean diet are undoubtedly due to the high proportion of fresh vegetables.

Many studies have examined the protective effect of vegetable consumption against certain chronic diseases. Some have uncovered an inverse association between vegetable and fruit consumption and the risk of many types of cancers, especially cancers of the upper respiratory and digestive tracts, lungs, stomach, pancreas, and cervix, as well as colorectal and ovarian cancers.

Could vegetable consumption in the Mediterranean be linked to low chronic disease rates? Evidence mounts to support this theory, even when the evidence doesn’t directly involve the Mediterranean. Not too long ago, researchers Kristi Steinmetz, Ph.D., R.D., and John Potter, M.D., Ph.D., compiled more than two hundred population and animal studies that looked at plant food consumption and cancer rates.

Indeed, there appears to be a strong relationship between plant food consumption and cancer rates. The researchers could only speculate that cancer can be a disease resulting from a diet devoid of sufficient amounts of plant foods.

Human bodies, it seems, are better able to maintain and even regain their health when plant foods make up the majority of calories in the diet. But that is no surprise to people studying the cuisine and health status of people living in the Mediterranean.

High vegetable consumption seems to have a profound effect on the occurrence of other chronic diseases, not just cancer. The risk of heart disease, arthritis, macular degeneration (age-associated loss of sight due to gradual degeneration of the macula, a part of the retina), age-related cognitive decline (such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia), and other age-related health problems may all be reduced as vegetable consumption increases.

In addition to decreasing the risk of chronic diseases, research suggests that once chronic disease is present, certain components in vegetables may slow or even reverse the progress of the disease.

This process occurs perhaps by offering a boost to the immune system, as well as assisting in the fight against cell-damaging free radicals (more on free radicals later in this chapter).

In short, research on many fronts strongly suggests that a plant-centered diet rich in vegetables, as well as fruits and whole grains, may add both quality and quantity to your years

Apart from breastmilk, no single food contains all the essential nutrients the body needs to be healthy and function efficiently. The nutritional value of a person’s diet depends on the overall balance of foods that is eaten over a period of time, as well as on the needs of the individual. A healthy diet is likely to include a large number or variety of foods, from each of the food groups, as this allows us to get all the nutrients that we need.

We need energy to live and this is provided by the carbohydrate, protein and fat in our diets. But the balance between these nutrients must be right for us to remain healthy. Getting the right amounts of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and water is also important for health.

So what becomes as important as the type of foods we eat, is the amount and frequency that we include different foods in our diet. All foods can be part of a healthy diet, so you don’t have to give up the foods that are a real treat, as the key message is that it is the overall balance of foods that is important for health.

The food groups

We can think of all foods as belonging to one of five different food groups:

• Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods
• Fruit and vegetables
• Milk and dairy foods
• Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
• Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar.

We will look at these food groups in more detail on the following pages, but let’s first think about the proportions of these food groups in our diet.

Our diets should be based on bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods and rich in fruit and vegetables. A variety of foods from these two groups should make up two-thirds of the food we eat. Most of the remaining third of the diet should be made up of milk and dairy foods, meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein, with limited amounts of foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar.

It might be helpful for you to think of your diet as a big plate, with sections representing the different food groups. This is the healthy eating model that we use in the UK to describe a healthy varied diet and it is called the eatwell plate.

You should aim to achieve this balance every day, although it is not necessary to achieve it at every meal.

This guide is appropriate for most people over the age of two years, including: vegetarians; people of all ethnic origins; people who are a healthy weight for their height as well as those who are overweight; and pregnant women. People under medical supervision or with special dietary requirements may want to check with their doctor if this general description of healthy eating applies to them.

Children under the age of two years have high energy needs compared to their size and capacity for food so some of the foods (especially those low in fat or high in fibre) included on the eatwell plate are not suitable for them. But between the ages of two and five years, children can make a gradual transition towards the type of diet depicted in the eatwell plate.

For most healthy people, eating a healthy varied diet will provide all the vitamins and minerals the body needs. There are certain times in our lives when we may benefit from taking supplements, e.g. when you are thinking about having a baby or when you get older and you need to take a vitamin D supplement. But you should remember that supplements cannot replace a healthy diet.

Here are two easy examples to help you see that by making very simple changes to your diet, you can easily achieve the right proportions of different food groups within a meal.

Pizza:

Pizza can contain ingredients from the four main food groups:

• A dough base – from the  bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods group
• Tomato puree and other vegetables such as mushrooms, sweetcorn and peppers – from the fruit and vegetable group
• A moderate amount of cheese, or low fat cheese - from the milk and dairy foods group
• A moderate amount of ham or tuna - from the meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein group.

Bacon sandwich:

A bacon sandwich can contain ingredients from three main food groups:

• Two slices of thick cut wholemeal bread – from the  bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods group
• Lean, grilled bacon – from the meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein group
• The sandwich can be filled with plenty of lettuce and tomato and served with a glass of pure fruit juice or a piece of fruit – from the fruit and vegetable group
• If served with a glass of low fat milk, all four groups would be met.

Healthful eating is never so easy as it is in the spring. With fresh fruits and vegetables flourishing, you only need minimal preparation to bring out maximum flavor. From salads to sides, entrées to desserts, here is a collection of our wholesome springtime favorites.

Preventive Medicine

Fresh fruits and vegetables are healthy in part because they contain phytochemicals, or beneficial compounds, such as beta-carotene, folate, and lycopene, which aid in the prevention of cancer

An Apple a Day

There is truth to the old “apple a day” adage, though this time of year, think seasonally and make it a “strawberry” or “artichoke” a day…. Beyond having weight-watching benefits, a diet plentiful in fruits and vegetables decreases your risk of stroke and heart attack, helps lower blood pressure, and even guards against eye disease.

Rich and Thin

Spring favorites asparagus and artichokes are often associated with rich, luxurious menus, but they’re also incredibly healthy: They are both excellent sources of fiber and contain a host of nutrients, including vitamins C, K, and folate. “Asparagus is a particularly well-rounded vegetable, nutritionally speaking,” says Monica Reinagel, chief nutritionist for the site NutritionData.com . “It’s high in antioxidants A, C, and E, as well as vitamin K (for healthy bones), and has an array of B vitamins for energy.”

Start Local

Freshness counts for a lot of flavor, so try to get your fruits and vegetables from as close to the source as you can. Shop at local farmers’ markets, or join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group, which delivers seasonal specialties directly from the farm to your house or neighborhood. Don’t be afraid to experiment and substitute based on what you find at the market-for example, in the Sautéed Greens with Cannellini Beans and Garlic recipe featured here, you can use spinach, kale, mustard greens, or broccoli rabe.

If you can, eat in most of the cases food, no matter what this food would require, probably everything would be ok. One of the knowledge that we can draw from the amazing traditional food variance of the entire world is that we can feed extremely varied food, as long as it is food. There have been and still are many healthy types of nourishment rich in fat or healthy low fat nourishments, as long as they are based on integral food not processed food. But there are some integral nourishment that are better than others and some ways to produce and combine them in different menus that are worth trying. This is why the following section will propose some politics regarding what you eat over and beyond “food”.

Feed yourselves mostly with plants and especially with leaves

Scientists haven’t reached a consensus regarding the benefits of plants- is it because of the antioxidants? Is it because of the fibers? Is it because of the Omega-3 fat acids? But it is sure that all scientists agreed that plants are probably beneficial for our health and certainly, they don’t harm. In the interviews that I realized with different nutritionists they all agreed over de benefits of a meal based on plants. Even those nutritionists tempered by decades of disagreement and confusion regarding the recommendations for nutrition, answered my question” ok, but how are your certainties now?”

In a variation on the theme” eat more plants” (Marion Nestle was a little reserved: “it’s obvious that plants don’t harm”)

It is not hard to observe that plants are good for us, but from the evolutionary point of view, the explications are the fact that they are our source of Vitamin C and antioxidants.

Our ancestors had the biological capacity to produce vitamin C, an essential nutrient.

Like other antioxidants, Vitamin C (or ascorbic acid) is beneficial for our health from at least two points of view. A part of the routine processes of our body, among others the cellular metabolism and the protective inflammation mechanism, produce “oxygen radicals”- oxygen atoms with one odd electron and so with a high chemical reactivity that can generate a lot of problems. Free radicals are involved in many health problems, including cancer and different ageing problems (the output of free radicals is increasing with the ageing) Antioxidants like Vitamin C absorb and stabilizes free radicals before they can make havoc. But this is not the only good thing of antioxidants. In addition, they stimulate the liver which produces the necessary enzymes for the decomposition of antioxidants, enzymes that, once produced, decompose other substances, including different toxins like it. In this way antioxidants contribute to the dangerous chemical neutralization, including the cancerous ones, so if your diet contains several types of antioxidants, so much more toxins will be neutralized in your body. That’s why it’s important to eat as many sorts of plants possible: all contain different antioxidants, so they will help the body to remove different types of toxins. (As rich in toxin the environment is, as many plants you have to consume)

Given the fact that carbohydrates and fibers from grains and cereals represent a very important part in one’s healthy diet, it is mandatory to continue our journey through the advantages and disadvantages of consuming these aliments.

So, here are some disadvantages for cereals and grains (advantages were discussed previous post):

- cereals are being cultivated only for the last 10000 years and some studies say that the human body cannot yet digest them completely. Gluten from wheat is one of the most spread allergen, irritating the intestine walls (gluten intolerance).

- proteins from cereals do not contain all essential amino acids, so, when goin’ vegan, you must be careful with the excess of cereals and grains consumption in the diet. Also consume vegetables, greens and SOYBEANS (for proper proteins)

- be careful with cereals for breakfast, because they contain a lot of sugar that transforms them from slow carbohydrates to fast sugars.

- bread contains, along with flour, water, salt, also yeast, and its fermentation process lasts for 24 hours. So if you don’t want to have indigestion problems , bloating and gastric burns, try and consume 1-day-old bread, or pastry without yeast.

- calories in cereals have some calories (250 cal )so beware when on a diet.

Like I was discussing yesterday, meat has its ups and downs… Take into consideration also the following:

Here are some secrets to achieve your goal: a healthy tasty meal:
-Cut off all white fatty parts from raw meat before cooking it
-Cook the chicken with the skin, but remove it before consuming the meat.
-For healthier cooking, don`t add oil to the meat; add water or beer, wine, tomato   juice, spices and herbs… It gives a better taste and with a lower health cost
-The meat is fresher when the color is lighter, so chose pink pieces of meat if you want them tender.
-Boil the meat in already boiling water, in order to keep the nutrients sealed in the meat. If making soups, use cold water
-Don’t buy already minced meat. It has a high fat content. Prepare it yourself from low fat meat. It takes longer but it’s healthier.

Here are the calories table for 100 g of raw meat:

CALORIES FOR 100 G OF RAW MEAT
CHICKEN, TURKEY 100 CAL
BEEF 120 CAL
PORK 120 CAL
LIVER 150 CAL
LAMB 160 CAL

Also, keep in mind that:

- the meat from the chicken legs contains 3 times more iron than the chicken breast
- chicken leg contains more fat than chicken breast
- chicken and turkey skin is made 100% form fat
- goose and duck are richer in iron than chicken and turkey
- 150 g of roast beef contain 20% of the daily needed quantity of iron for women and 25% for men.

Our heart functions 24/7, because all cells of the body are in permanent need of oxygen and nourishments, provided by the well functioning of the heart. Some nutritionists appreciate that the main method for preventing heart diseases is adopting a ‘neutral food’ diet.

Summers, we should consume all the berries we can find:  raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, because they have a high level of antioxidants that protect the organism.

Regarding the barbecue, leave the meat to rest for some time, because now, it is vegetables` time! The most healthy type of barbecue is the vegetables one. Start grilling mushrooms, carrots, eggplants, green peppers, tomatoes and so on. Sprinkle some seasoning on top of your grilled vegetables, some salt and pepper, thyme, basil, dill and lemon juice.

This type of snack offers your system the level of fibers rich in a substance known as lignine, which helps with keeping the cholesterol level at normal, which contributes also to reducing high blood pressure.

Also healthy for cardiac problems are goat cheese, tomatoes and quail eggs.

Nutritionists also consider that the fruit salad is the healthiest dessert for the summertime. Try it with apples, pears, melons etc. Peel all fruits and chop them into medium sized chunks, and, as a topping, mix a juice from a lemon with some honey, cinnamon and mint leaves, and enjoy healthy!!!

Salads are good, tasty, and most of all healthy! but what can offer us a better taste of the ingredients? What can combine best the vegetables in order to achieve an exquisite taste? the asnwer is THE DRESSING! don`t forget this (one may consider) small detail!!! It is the sprinkle of novelty that makes your salad one of a kind!

Here are some dressing ideas for making your salad the best! just choose the most appropriate!

1)Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons honey
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together first 7 ingredients until blended. Gradually whisk in olive oil

2) Easy dressing (best for Caesar Salad)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Combine all ingredients in blender or processor. Blend until smooth.Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3) Tsatsiki Dressing

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup cucumber, peeled and seeded.

Peel and seed cucumber and chop into very small chunks. In food processor blend half of the cucumber with all other ingredients. Stir in remaining half cup of cucumber. Chill or serve over green salad or chicken salad.

to be continued…

We are always waiting for the holiday, right? And we wouldn`t like to spend our limited free time on cooking, even if we`re spending our vacation at home or not! here are some tips and tricks to making your holiday regime perfeeect!

- It is absolutely mandatory to organize your vacation ahead, because,you also have to adapt your way of cooking to the new activities.

Considering the fact that vacations don`t necessarily mean being sedentary, but taking walks through the park, field trips or  practicing sports, we should combine harmoniously the two types of cooking, vegetarian and complex.

- In order to keep the figure, it is also indicated to have an `eating timetable`, even though this should come in not so handy, due to the tendency of getting up late, or partying all night :). I`m not saying that a very strict program of eating should be the solution, but, it is necessary to have organized meal hours for staying fit, getting all the nutrients and having an easy digestion.

So, breakfast remains the most important meal if the day, right? DON `T FORGET ABOUT IT!!! even though you`re getting up later than usual! if you`re planning some hiking that day, your breakfast should be even more consistent than usual! be careful with drinking too much coffee, because sun and lots of coffee don`t mix so well together, and also No Alcohol!

- Lunch also shouldn`t be skipped, but do not eat heavy ingredients like steaks with all sort of gravies or lots of meat.

Try a salad, but not only vegetables, try it with a little bit of cheese (feta) with tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, green salad, maybe a little bit of onion (if you enjoy onion), or if you still consider this to be unsatisfying, you can also add one hard boiled egg, or some boiled or grilled chicken breast. It tastes great, and also offers you the nutrients that you need at lunch time in order to keep you going for the rest of the day!

-Dinner… hmm… tricky aspect. Maybe on vacations we can manage to change our day-to-day lifestyle regarding the last meal of the day, because, let`s face it, when we come tired from work, dinner represents our biggest meal (if not, WELL DONE!). So, at least now let`s try and change this. If you want to lose weight, try some vegetables, boiled or grilled. Nutritionists consider fruits  not so appropiate in the evening, because fruits offer you energy, due to their sugar content, energy that has no place to be consumed, considering the fact that your day is almost over.

If you have no problem with your weight, just have a light meal, best with 2 hours before bedtime. This can contain anything you like, in SMALL PORTIONS,  excepting, of course, fats or sugars, which are ALWAYS bad.

-Also between these  meals of the day, some snacks are welcomed. Try fruits (well washed), yogurts (but not fruity ones, because they contain a lot of sugars), maybe a healthy sandwich, if somehow you`re very hungry.

-Especially in the summer time, it is most important to keep ourselves hydrated!

Minimum 2 liters of water a day, maybe even more if you`re sun bathing or exercising a lot. But BE CAREFUL! The sodas and  coffee you consume DON`T ADD to these 2 liters, only water counts, because this is what your organism needs!

-Sugar cravings can be easily tricked by eating HONEY, instead of sugar!

So have fun, party, but don`t forget to stay healthy!