Seitan (pronouced “say-tahn”) is essentially wheat gluten. This is the high-protein portion of whole wheat flour after it’s undergone a good bit of kneading and rinsing away of the starchy portion.  It is often noted for it’s somewhat remarkable similarity in taste and texture to actual meat.  Hence the nickname “wheat meat”.   I began eating it several years ago and have since felt it’s a shame that seitan is frequently dismissed for its odd name and “meatless” label.   It tastes great and is an excellent lowfat protein source to add to your meals.  I’m also certain that seitan is a plausible substitute for a child’s chicken nugget obsession.  If you haven’t yet tried seitan, I highly recommend White Wave brand Traditionally Seasoned Seitan, which happens to contain less than 100 calories per serving, zero saturated fat, and 18 grams of protein.  It’s available at Whole Foods and most health food stores (including Nature’s Bin, for those of you Ohio residents). Here is my preferred way to prepare an 8oz package of seitan…..

Slice the seitan into 1/2-inch slices (or however you like), and lightly coat them with a mixture of flour and breadcrumbs.  Heat about 2 generous tablespoons of oil in a pan (sunflower or safflower are good for this, but olive and canola will do)  at medium-heat, add the seitan, sprinkle with a few pinches of sea salt, and “fry” until golden brown. Be sure to flip them over so they brown on both sides. When done, lay the seitan on a paper towel to soak up excess oil.  Serve on top of a salad, rice or pasta, mixed in with stir-fried veggies, in a tortilla wrap with your favorite sandwich fixings, or, for the kids, simply on its own with some ketchup or barbeque sauce.

Also appropriately named banana-almond bread,  the combination of bananas, applesauce and coconut oil make this bread extremely moist. For several days I’ve been having a taste bud crisis,  in which everything I eat has a bitter aftertaste.  Despite this handicap, I’m confident this bread is good. It would be an excellent addition to your morning coffee or tea.  Eating this bread is not like biting in to a Cinnabon, but please try it!  And with an open mind. If you prefer a “lighter” bread, use a lighter/whiter flour. The raisins are optional, however recommended, as the bread itself is very lightly sweet.  Blueberries, when in season, would make a nice substitute for raisins. Here are the ingredients…

1 3/4 cups flour (I mixed 1cup white unbleached whole wheat and 3/4 cup whole wheat. Light spelt would work too)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp each baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 cup room temperature non-hydrogenated coconut oil (or non-hydrogenated margarine or butter)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup applesauce

2 medium-sized extra-ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 soymilk (any milk will do), with about 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, to create “buttermilk”

1/4 tsp each almond extract and pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup toasted almonds, finely chopped (walnuts or pecans)

1/2 raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Whisk together well. In a larger bowl, using an electric mixer (if you have one), mix the coconut oil until it’s creamy.  Mix in the brown sugar. Mix in the applesauce. Slowly add the flour mixture, a little bit at a time, beating with each addition, until all the flour is well incorporated. In a another small bowl, mix together the banana, milk, almond extract and vanilla extract. Pour that mixture right into the batter and stir well. Fold in the almonds and optional raisins. Pour into a lightly oiled 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Tastes best when cool.

Please remember I’m a dietitian and thus a bit unfazed by discussion of gastrointestinal functions.  This is a mildly taboo subject, and I’m compelled to address some of its lingering, unanswered questions.  Hopefully you will find some of this information useful.

Gas production is not only normal, but a healthy intestinal function.  It protects the colon by diluting carcinogens (cancer-causing substances), promotes growth of beneficial bacteria, supports optimal function of the cells lining the colon, and favorably affects the pH balance of the GI tract.

I’m sure no one needs an education on the negative consequences of gas production. The two primary causes of gas are swallowed air and fermentation of undigested carbohydrates in the colon. Regarding the latter, these carbohydrates end up as “food” for the bacteria that live in our colon.  The waste product of this bacteria is gas.  To prevent swallowed air, eat slowly and chew your food well, avoid carbonated drinks, and refrain from chewing gum or sucking on candy.   To reduce carbohydrate fermentation in the colon, you can try several things. Here are a few suggestions…

• Don’t over-eat. Doing so causes more undigested food to end up in the colon.
• Take an enzyme (such as Beano) to help break down indigestible carbohydrates before they end up in the colon.
• Eat more beans and fibrous foods. Surprised? Gradually eating more of these foods will encourage growth of the bacteria in your colon that are efficient at completely digesting bean sugars, thus cut down on gas production.
• If you soak and prepare beans at home, be sure to discard the the soaking water, which is full of indigestible sugars.

At one time, my soda vice was the bright green, lemon-lime syrup known as Diet Mountain Dew. It was my low-calorie, go-to beverage to satisfy my sweet craving. I reluctantly gave it up as I learned the unsavory truths about soda. Now I drink a soda maybe once or twice a year, at most.  Aside from being full of sugar (usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup), or man-made sugar substitutes (of questionable health benefit), research has shown that drinking soda may contribute to osteoporosis and damage tooth enamel.  Soft drinks contain phosphorus, in the form of phosphoric acid, which contributes to the drink’s tangy, acidic taste.  Phosphorus naturally binds to calcium in the body. In the absence of abundant calcium in your system, phosphorus will pull calcium from your bones. This is why I cringe when I see children drinking soda. Keep this in mind when you drink colas, such as Coke or Pepsi, that are high in phosphorus and contain virtually no calcium. But always check your labels, as phosphoric acid seems to pop up in unexpected places.

Instead of traditional soda, and when plain water is just too mundane, try iced water with sliced cucumber or lemon slices.  Or, the subtle fruit flavor and refreshing carbonation of LaCroix sparkling water is a favorite in my house, and available at most grocery stores.  R.W. Knudsen spritzers and Izze Sparkling Juice are both good choices if you desire a more assertive flavor. Even better, and less expensive, try mixing 1/2 fruit juice (100% juice without added sugar) with 1/2 carbonated water to make your own fruit spritzer.  I’m also a huge fan of “dessert” teas. Two personal favorites are Celestial Seasonings “English Toffee” and the amazing “Almond Sunset”.

I’m a big oatmeal advocate. There is so much you can do with it, its healthy, low-fat, high in fiber, and quite satisfying.  Steel cut oats are ideal as they are basically the only variety of oatmeal that contains the whole, unrefined grain. That means they contain the bran, germ and endosperm, which contains all the original nutrients and fiber.   Anything that is “quick cooking” has been processed and pre-cooked, and thus is lacking a good amount of the original nutrients and fiber.  Steel cut oats take about 40 minutes to prepare, most of which is just letting them simmer.

Coconut Banana Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats

3 cups water

1 cup light coconut milk

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Dash of cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and sea salt

Fresh banana, toasted coconut, toasted chopped almonds, dried cherries (as much or as little as your prefer)

Bring the water and coconut milk to a boil in a medium sized saucepan.  Sprinkle in the salt and add the uncooked oats.  Stir, while boiling, for about 3-5 minutes until everything starts to thicken a little, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.  When it’s starting to look done,  add the vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg, stir to combine the flavors.  Portion oatmeal into serving bowls, top with sliced banana, toasted coconut, almonds, and some dried cherries for color.  Whatever you have left can be stored in the fridge for a couple days.  Just reheat and stir in a little extra milk (any kind) to soften it back up.  This makes about 3-4 servings.

Without dwelling too much on high blood pressure, I’ll simply mention that its a significant risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and damage to our arteries, blood vessels and kidneys. Several months ago, the National Heart Association announced that drinking hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure. This came just after Tufts University published their research in to the pleasantly tart tea’s effects on individuals with mildly elevated blood pressure.  In short, for six weeks, half of the study participants consumed hibiscus tea three times daily. The other half consumed a placebo tea.  The hibiscus drinkers demonstrated significant decrease in blood pressure. In fact, those with the highest blood pressure at the start of the study demonstrated the most improvement.  The healthy effects of the tea are attributed to its high flavonoid (plant-derived antioxidant) content. If hibiscus tea sounds exotic and difficult to find, I assure you it is not.  Several name brands include Tazo Passion herbal tea, Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea, and the Republic of Tea’s new Get Heart tea and Flowering Fruit tea.  Arbor Tea has several hibiscus options as well. I’m sure you can find many more, and peruse other teas, here.

Cauliflower offers great things in terms of taste, versatility, and health benefits.  Along with broccoli and cabbage, it’s a member of the brassica family of vegetables, which are known to provide abundant cancer-fighting phytochemicals. When we break down cauliflower, by chopping or chewing, strong antioxidants are released (in particular, sulforaphane and indole-3 carbinol, if you wish to do your research). Cauliflower protects our DNA and cells from damage, works as natural detoxifying agent, and supports heart health.  Studies show cauliflower’s unique contents may delay, or prevent, growth of breast and prostate cancer.

You may cook cauliflower a number of different ways, such as steaming, boiling, or roasting. Or you may simply eat it raw.  I must tell you that roasted cauliflower is exceptional.

An easy way to prepare cauliflower is by tossing the florets with some olive oil, chopped garlic, sea salt and freshly ground pepper, spreading it all out on a baking sheet, and roasting at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until it starts to get golden brown.

Below is a slightly more interesting, and flavorful, method. This was inspired by a recipe from Jamie Oliver.  I find his version a bit too complicated for my taste (as in blanching, toasting, frying, and roasting all in one recipe). So I created this simplified recipe.

Spiced Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of fresh cauliflower, broken into florets

olive oil, enough to evenly coat the cauliflower

sea salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how much heat your prefer)

1/4 cup toasted almonds, finely chopped

zest and juice of one lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the olive oil, salt, spices, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice in a large bowl.  Whisk until well blended. Throw in your cauliflower and almonds and mix until the cauliflower is well coated. Spread it all out on a baking pan and roast in the oven for 20 minutes (stirring half-way through) or until the cauliflower becomes tender and golden brown.

A small tip. I buy plain, whole almonds, chop them up, throw them in a skillet over med-low heat, stirring to prevent burning, until they look nicely brown and toasted. Be careful not to burn them! You may opt to throw them in a pan and toast them in the oven, but I find they are easier to burn that way.  Chop the toasted almonds as finely as you can, as this will allow them to stick to the cauliflower a little better, rather than fall to the bottom.

These mussels are incredibly easy to make and incredible to eat.  The recipe was put together with input from the fantastic staff at Dirk’s Fish in Chicago.  Quite possibly the best mussels I’ve ever eaten.

Here’s what you’ll need.

Approximately 1lb fresh mussels

1-2 tbsp olive oil

2 shallots, peeled and chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 large glass of dry white wine

a small slice of butter, about 1/2″ thick

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 loaf of crusty baguette (preferably whole-grain or something nutty)

Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat; add the garlic and shallots. Let them cook, while stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until they’re soft, sweet and starting to look a bit translucent. Add the butter and stir for another minute. Turn up the heat to high and add the wine and mussels. Season with salt and pepper. Give everything a big toss-around and place a tight lid on the pot. Cook for about 2-4 minutes until the mussels are open and ready to eat. Cooking time depends on the size of the mussels. Serve with a warm baguette to soak up this delicious broth. Makes enough to serve as an appetizer for 2-4 people.

Some advice about mussels. Throw out those with cracked shells.  In addition, some of the shells may be slightly opened before you cook them. Gently press the shell closed with your fingers; if it pops back open, throw it out.  After cooking, throw out any mussels that did not quickly open up on their own. Resist the urge to pry them open!

Omega-3 fatty acids take good care of our cardiovascular systems.  A decent amount of research suggests they may also improve brain function and prevent depression.  I’m not one to make exaggerated claims, and you can take this for what it’s worth, but I am certain that my mental clarity is improved when I’m consistently supplementing my diet with Omega-3 fatty acids.

Moving on to Omega-3 fortified eggs.

Without getting in to too much science talk, when we eat Omega-3’s our bodies convert them in to other types of fatty acids that are good for our brains, heart and overall health. Humans are fairly efficient at converting Omega-3 from fish sources, such as salmon, mackeral and fresh tuna, into these healthy fatty acid forms.  But we are not nearly as good at doing so with Omega-3 from plant sources, such as flax, walnuts, and canola oil.  However, chickens are reportedly highly efficient at converting plant-derived Omega-3.  This is why chickens have been exploited to produce Omega-3 fortified eggs. The Omega-3 content in one egg varies, but I have read just one may contain 400-500mg of Omega-3, which is not at all insignificant.

How does this work? It’s very simple.  Our chickens are fed a diet supplemented with Omega-3 rich flax meal (is this not solid evidence that the food and drugs given to the animals we consume does indeed end up in their edible products?)   Keep in mind that the majority of the Omega-3 is contained in the yolk, the portion of the egg that contains fat and cholesterol. The white is primarily protein. If you typically discard your yolks in favor of eating the more heart-healthy whites, don’t bother spending the extra money on Omega-3 enriched eggs.

If you own a blender or food processor, concocting a homemade smoothie can produce a quick, tasty and nutrient-rich breakfast or snack.  I recommend the general guidelines below to keep your smoothie relatively low-calorie and nutritious, unlike the typical sugar-laden, ice-cream filled, fast-food style version.

Start with your milk:

• 1-2 cups of soymilk, almond milk, rice milk, skim or 2% cow’s milk,  or light coconut milk

Add fruit:

• 1/2-1 cup of blueberries, raspberries, banana, peaches, mangos, strawberries etc. Local, organic and fresh is ideal when available. Frozen is fine.

Options:

• 1/2 cup lowfat and/or low-sugar yogurt or kefir to create a creamier consistency and add nutrients.  I prefer the tartness of plain yogurt. “Light” yogurt often contains artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, of which I discourage frequent consumption.
• 1 tbsp or so of ground almond meal or ground flax meal (or flax oil). Grind them up right in your coffee-grinder. Almonds are an excellent source of Vitamin E and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Flax is high in Omega-3 oils, but you need to grind the seeds up first, otherwise they are bound to pass right through you.  1 tbsp of flax meal a day will promote digestive regularity too.
  
• 1 scoop whey or soy protein powder
• 1/4-1/2 cup 100% juice, with no added sugar, such as apple, orange, carrot, etc
• If needed or desired, lightly (1/2 tbsp or so) sweeten with agave nectar or honey.  If you haven’t tried agave nectar, now is the time.  It has a lower glycemic index than most sweeteners and contributes a very subtle sweetness.  I use it almost everywhere I need a little sweet, even my coffee.