January 29, 2024

Taste the Warmth of Hearty Winter Vegetables

It’s that time of year when the sun sinks too early and you’re ready to light a fire, or at least scented candles. While we might think longingly back on summer and its exuberant offerings of fresh tomatoes, luscious stone fruit and tender baby greens, it’s time to relish in the bounty of winter vegetables. The winter months give us a number of hearty veggies that provide comfort and superb nutrition, not to mention versatility and great taste. I make sure to include a lot of these delicious foods on my winter menus. Here are some of the most FoodTrient-packed […]
October 10, 2023

Falling for Roasted Veggie Panzanella Salad

A twist on the traditional panzanella salad using fall vegetables and homemade whole-grain croutons. This is the perfect salad for adding to your fall harvest table! The sweet potatoes have immune-boosting carotenoids. The Brussels sprouts have disease-preventing sulfur compounds. Ingredients For the roasted vegetables: 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes 8 Brussels sprouts, halved, ends trimmed and outer leaves removed 4-6 smashed garlic cloves 2 Tbs. olive oil Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste For the croutons: Small loaf of whole grain bread, cut into 1 inch cubes 2 Tbs. olive oil 5 Tbs. […]
September 24, 2023

Enjoy the World of Benefits in Chicken Soup

No matter the country or culture, every one of them has a version of chicken soup. There is something universal about a warm, briny brew with chunks of chicken, vegetables, herbs and sometimes rice or pasta. Depending on how it’s prepared, chicken soup provides fluids, fiber, protein and vitamins. It’s a delicious first course, soothing comfort food, and some even attribute it with healing powers (‘Jewish penicillin’). But it’s not just folklore. Chicken soup acts as an anti-inflammatory, inhibiting immune system cells from over-reacting. It also relieves nasal congestion and sore throats. Plus, the zinc in chicken improves absorption of […]
March 14, 2023

Eastern European Favorites Walk on the Lighter Side

Eastern European foods are not necessarily known for their healthy attributes. In general, the foods of countries including Russia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Lithuania and the Czech Republic are heavy on meat, sour cream and lard or chicken fat. However, they are delicious comfort foods, no matter where in the world you or your ancestors hail from. In the spirit of FoodTrients, I’ve adapted some recipes to make them lighter, more healthful versions of the originals. Here are a few of the guidelines I used to make these recipes more modern and health-friendly: Add vegetables – By increasing the […]
March 14, 2023

Beets: The Vegetable with Anti-Aging Properties

If you’re past 50, you may be wondering what you can do to return the youthful glow to your skin.  As a dermatologist, I know that there are several things you can use on your skin topically to make it look younger, but the #1 thing that influences the way your skin looks is what you put in your body.  So, I’d like to tell you about a common vegetable with some uncommon skin and overall anti-aging benefits that you can reap today! Look Younger, Protect Your Heart and Brain with Beet Juice Researchers are finding out more and more […]
December 28, 2022

Saving Our Health and the Planet One Bite at a Time

Chronic disease, economic disparity, social injustice, and climate change. These are significant problems — but wouldn’t it be great if there was ONE solution to them all? According to Dr. Mark Hyman, there is. The solution is food. What we eat has tremendous implications not just for our waistlines, but also for the planet, society, and the global economy. What we do to our bodies, we do to the planet; and what we do to the planet, we do to our bodies. In Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet—One Bite at a […]
August 30, 2022

What the Heck Should We Eat Now?

Bestselling author Dr. Mark Hyman is here to set the record straight in Food: What the Heck Should I Eat? — his most comprehensive book yet — he takes a close look at every food group and explains what we’ve gotten wrong, revealing which foods nurture our health and which pose a threat. For many people, eating right is understandably complicated. New studies emerge every day about whether certain foods should be part of your diet, making it tough to recognize what’s good and what’s bad for your health. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Did you know […]
August 30, 2022

How Do Antioxidants Work in the Body?

Your mother was right when she insisted you eat all your vegetables at dinnertime before moving on to dessert. Virtually every fruit and vegetable contains antioxidants. Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans are so good for our bodies, because they contain a host of antioxidants that can be broken down into multiple categories. I thought it would be helpful to highlight a few of those subcategories here. Lycopene – found in tomatoes, lycopene is more bioavailable when cooked, which is why so many nutritionists recommend tomato paste or tomato sauce. Polyphenols -There are thousands of phenolic compounds in food including: […]
May 30, 2022

Age Beautifully with FoodTrients

As I’ve been telling my story these past few years about how I developed an anti-aging cookbook based on the food-is-medicine principle called FoodTrients, I’ve expanded my method for creating delicious, comforting recipes designed to keep you young, healthy and beautiful. It’s a lot easier than I imagined, and it’s the focus of The AGE BEAUTIFULLY COOKBOOK: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World. The recipes are mainly quick and easy to make, and will introduce readers to age-defying foods and flavors from around the world, with a focus on beauty that emanates from the inside. As I […]