Health & Wellness 2012

September 2012

Gupta’s

Guide to Good Eats

CNN medical expert, Sanjay Gupta, reveals why eating less sugar and more toxin-free foods will lead to weight loss

Happy, Sad … Binge!

PLUS: Eat Now and Later, Lose Weight Weight-Loss Tips for Families

Feelings are a weight-gain trigger.

Learn to curb emotional eating today

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CNN’s medical expert talks the importance of avoiding sugar and why eating healthier, toxin-free foods is vital to good health

Eat Early and Eat Often

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Eat Early & Eat Often

Lose weight by eating more frequently? Yes, here’s how

By Bev Bennett CTW FEATURES

How often do you snack?

Once a day?

Twice?

At least twice a day is the magic number for nearly half the population. That’s according to a recent article in Food Technology magazine, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Chicago.

The figure is double the 2010 rates, according to the data.

Although snacking has a bad reputation, it can add valuable nutrients to your day, improving your health and wellbeing.

In fact, to prevent a mid-afternoon crash, having smaller, more frequent food breaks is preferable to eating three large meals a day, according to Virginia Turner, registered dietitian, clinical nutrition manager, The University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville.

Of course, your non-meal eating habits could pile on calories, fat and sodium, if your snacks consist of chips, candy and cookies.

The foods you choose and how much you eat make all the difference, say health professionals.

To get the most nutritional benefits from snacks, take a look at your eating habits and see if there are any shortfalls. You can make up for these in snacks, says Mary Ellen Camire, IFT spokesperson, professor of food science and nutrition, University of Maine, Orono.

She asks, “What do I have trouble getting into my diet normally? Is it whole grains, more fruit, more fiber?”

For example, dairy intake is a concern, so Camire brings yogurt for a morning snack and string cheese for the afternoon at work.

Nutritious snacks can also help you overcome mid-day slumps. Include protein foods, which have a stabilizing effect on blood sugar.

Continued on Page 4

Health and Wellness – September 2012 – Page 3

Continued from Page 3 Options include yogurt, string cheese or small amounts of nuts, according to Turner, who advises keeping snacks to 200 calories or less.

If you prefer the convenience of store-bought snacks, the health experts recommend granola bars that aren’t chocolate-coated, dried fruits that aren’t heavily sweetened or hummus with precut vegetables.

If you prefer to make your own, the Healthy Living Kitchen at The University of Tennessee Medical Center offers a great recipe for trail mix: http://www.utmedicalcenter. org/recipes/162/trail-mix/ Measure the mix into individual portions in small sandwich bags for work, Turner says.

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Take 100-calorie packs, for instance, says Mark McKinney, senior executive chef, The University of Tennessee Medical Center.

“I think people get this idea that it’s only 100 calories, but 100 calories of what?”

Put your 100 calories to nutritious foods, such as a slice of reduced-fat cheese, a small carton of plain fat-free yogurt or a piece of fruit, not a handful of candy.

Liquid snacks can be a problem as well, “Big fancy coffees, smoothies. You’re investing a lot of calories,” says Mary Ellen Camire, food science and nutrition professor.

To quench your thirst, try water and a slice of lemon, Camire says.

You can control the calories in smoothies if you make your own with yogurt and fresh fruit, says McKinney, who is part of a team providing healthful cooking classes at the medical center.

Page 4 – Health and Wellness – September 2012

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I Get So Emotional, Baby … And I Think of Food

For many, overeating is a state of mind.

Find out why overeating is often emotional, how to cope and how to stop yourself

Y

ou’ve had a bad day at work. Or maybe someone cut you off in traffic. Or perhaps you found a handful of bills in the mailbox. Whatever the case, you walk through the front door and head straight for the freezer and devour a carton of frozen goodies to relieve that emotional angst gnawing at you.

Sound familiar?

No matter age, weight or gender, emotional overeating is an equal opportunity offender affecting millions of us. But is it an eating disorder?

“Emotional eating is not in itself a specific eating disorder, though emotional eating occurs in eating disorders,” says Dr. Jennifer Taitz, co-author of “End Emotional Eating: Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills to Cope with Difficult Emotions and Develop a Healthy Relationship to Food” (New Harbinger Publications, 2012).

Taitz, who is a clinical psychologist and director of the dialectical behavior therapy program at the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy in New York, says emotional eating is associated with binge eating, obesity and bulimia. In the United States, nearly 10 million females and 1 million males are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).

Millions more are struggling with binge eating disorder.

So why do we emotionally overeat?

Health, psychological and nutrition experts give a variety of reasons.

“Eating may serve as a temporary distraction, facilitating moving away from boredom, sadness, anxiety or other distressing feelings,” Taitz says. “In addition to helping you briefly escape an uncomfortable emotion, eating may also add a positive emotion. So its doubly rewardingtakes away a negative and adds a positive.”

In addition to being a distraction from a negative emotional state, Manhattan psychologist Dr. Joseph Cilona adds that Continued on Page 6

Health and Wellness – September 2012 – Page 5

Continued from Page 5 “psychological hunger and craving for food is also very often closely tied to the experience of pleasurable emotional states such as feeling loved, cared for, comforted and relaxed. Often times culture, family history and social customs come into play here. Most cultures have many customs tied to food and eating that foster a sense of community and connection that may be considered one of the deepest emotional needs or ‘hungers’ we experience as human beings.”

Amy Jamieson-Petonic, registered dietitian, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and director of coaching at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, says emotional overeating is a habit with physiological and psychological benefits.

“When we have had a bad day, there is nothing like a chocolate sundae to make ourselves feel better. It’s a mindset we have created,” Jamieson-Petonic says. She adds that when we eat, “our serotonin levels and dopamine levels are affected thus affecting our mood. When we eat, we feel a sense of relief due to the release of these chemicals. Especially once we start to associate the “feel good” sensation with a certain type of comfort food such as ice cream.”

Whatever the reason for emotional overeating, it becomes a problem when it gets out of control. And while many experts agree that this pattern usually starts in childhood, there’s also evidence to suggest it may be harder to tell when we have eaten enough as we age.

“Recent research into physiological hunger and food craving has revealed that specific cells and hormones that control appetite are impacted by age,” Cilona says.

“The finding was that as we age damage to appetite-suppressing cells may result in decreased regulation of hunger. Specifically, the ability for our brain to recognize when we have eaten enough. This has been tied to adult obesity.”

How can people stop themselves from emotional overeating? Many experts agree it’s all about awareness.

“One of the main ways to stop ourselves from emotional eating is truly paying

“I often try to help people explore methods to selfsoothe beyond eating: talking to a friend, volunteering, listening to music, enjoying a warm bath.”

— Dr. Jennifer Taitz

attention,” Taitz says. “Mindfulness, the science of fully paying attention in this moment, is a remarkably effective path toward moving towards emotional intelligence and intelligent eating.

Mindfulness furnishes space between urge and action. When we are mindful, we move away from autopilot and instead access the wisdom to choose wisely.”

Being mindful of where we are in a moment of emotional hunger allows us to ask the following three questions, Taitz says.

1 What emotions am I experiencing?

“Observing emotions with distance is the first step towards regulating emotions,” Taitz says.

2 How hungry am I? “Appetite awareness, learning to notice physical hunger and satiety is instrumental in moving away from eating feelings,” Taitz says.

3 What else may I choose?

“We may find alternative ways to soothe when we are fully present,” Taitz says. “For example, eating a piece of chocolate with full awareness and attention is more

Page 6 – Health and Wellness – September 2012

enjoyable than swallowing the entire bar. I often try to help people explore methods to self-soothe beyond eating: talking to a friend, volunteering, listening to music, enjoying a warm bath.”

Nutritionists and dietitians, too, can help you find other foods to appease your emotional appetite (see sidebar). Diets, though, are not apparently the answer. Girls who diet frequently are 12 times more likely to binge than girls who don’t diet, NEDA reported.

Since compulsive emotional overeating may be linked to other, deeper issues, experts may also recommend visiting a psychologist or therapist to help delve into these issues. Esther Kane – the author of “It’s Not About the Food: A Woman’s Guide to Making Peace with Food and Our Bodies” – recalls one client in her mid-30s who weighed over 400 pounds.

“When we started therapy, I soon discovered that she had learned to stuff her feelings down with food as a toddler and had been doing this her entire life,” recalls Kane, a registered clinical counsellor in Courtenay, British Columbia. “We started with exploring her family-of-origin experiences, which led to her self-soothing behavior with food. As it turned out, she

was physically abused by a tyrannical father and her mother failed to protect her or provide comfort after these abusive episodes. She learned at a very early age to get comfort from the only thing available: food.

“I helped her to stop stuffing her feelings with food by exploring the root cause of her overeating behavior, her family-oforigin experiences. We reframed her emotional overeating as a coping mechanism she learned early on to deal with abuse in her family. I helped her to realize that she was safe now; free from abusive behavior at the hands of others and that she her emotional overeating was now harming her instead of providing a feeling of safety and comfort. I also taught her some concrete ways to handle her feelings instead of running to food every time she felt a big surge of emotion. For example, she learned that it was OK to feel fear and that she could manage just experiencing the feeling without stuffing it down and that nothing bad would happen as a result. In time, she learned how to safely feel all of her varied emotions without stuffing them down with food.” © CTW Features

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Health and Wellness – September 2012 – Page 7

Dr. Sanjay Gupta Ask the Expert

CNN’s medical expert talks the importance of avoiding sugar and why eating healthier, toxin-free food is vital to good health

By Lisa Iannucci CTW FEATURES

W

hen you’re a doctor, people come to you for advice. If you’re CNN’s recognizable and award winning Dr. Sanjay Gupta and you’re giving advice to millions of viewers around the globe on healthy eating, people also come to watch what you eat while

you’re out.

“On television, I tell people how to eat healthy, so if I’m eyeing a pizza at an airport, I’ll have to be careful because viewers will point it out,” he laughs. However, Gupta admits that he practices what he preaches when it comes to staying healthy.

As busy as he is – he completed this interview in between two live television interviews and his CNN hosting duties – he still schedules time for exercise, but sometimes battles with controlling his diet and choosing healthy foods, especially when on the road. When pressed about what he ate for breakfast before our early morning telephone interview, Gupta said he cooked frittatas. “I’m the morning cook, especially now that it’s summer and I have my girls around a lot more,” says the Emmy-award winning chief medical correspondent who whips up healthy omelets, waffles and oatmeal for his wife and three daughters before heading off to his extremely busy day.

Gupta is a practicing neurosurgeon and contributes to CNN.com and CNNHealth.com. He’s reported on a range of topics including brain injury, disaster recovery, health care reform, fitness, military medicine, HIV/AIDS and other areas. As a physician and as a journalist, Gupta says that to get the eating healthy message across, he finds it better to explain the “whys,” and then the “hows” carry through a lot easier. “People are told ‘do this’ and ‘don’t do this,’ but unless we understand why and buy into it we don’t always do it,” he says.

For example, Gupta says that it’s important to understand the negative effect that sugar has on our bodies. “If I simply say ‘don’t eat as much sugar, you’ll put on weight,’ it doesn’t have the same effect as explaining that humans used to eat sugar only once a year from fruit in the trees and it came with fiber and micronutrients and wasn’t raw,” he says. “Now we eat 141 pounds a year of pure sugar per person and our bodies can’t handle it. It turns to fat in our livers and it’s the worst possible particle for us. Once I say it like that, even my kids understand it.”

Page 8 – Health and Wellness – September 2012

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A few of the services we offer: Gupta explains that sugar is everywhere – in sauces, breads and pretty much any nice, soft chewy food, even if it’s not sweet. “Reduce your sugar intake and get rid of the hidden sources,” he says.

But what about everything in moderation? “We even let our kids have treats, but we’re careful about it,” he says. “It’s not just about the amount of sugar; it’s also the rate of which it’s absorbed.

We absorb it slowly in fruit, but when we take it from a sugary drink or dessert, there’s nothing moderating it and it hits your liver like a tsunami.”

To help cut down on their sugar intake, many Americans are substituting sugar with artificial sweeteners, a move Gupta says may be more harmful than beneficial. “The FDA has five approved sugar substitutes and I don’t think there’s any compelling evidence to show a link to cancer,” he says. “However, you’re trying to trick your body and it still impacts your insulin level, which rises in response. You end up craving sugar to combat that insulin and you’ll end up eating those calories at a later time.”

With tons of information about eating healthier, Gupta says that eating and drinking ‘organic’ foods is something he strives to do. “We do buy organic milk because of the bovine growth hormone being problematic for a developing child,” he says. “The basic rule of thumb is if it has a peel that we’re not going to eat – pineapple for example, conventional is OK. If we eat the skin – raspberries or peaches – try and buy organic. It’s hard to wash those pesticides off the skin.”

So with all the information out there about eating – diet plans, sugar, organic and more – where do we start if we’re trying to eat better? “The easiest way to learn is to educate yourself,” Gupta says. “Learn about what’s good and bad for your body and why. Once you learn the why, it will lead to very intense and long-lasting behavioral changes because it will all make sense.”

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Health and Wellness – September 2012 – Page 9

We’re All In This Together!

Can you encourage someone else in your life to eat and live healthier without causing a rift?

Page 10 – Health and Wellness – September 2012

By Dawn Klingensmith CTW FEATURES

I

s your family overweight or otherwise unhealthy? One look at the latest statistics will prove you’re not alone: More than 30 percent of U.S. adults and 17 percent of children are obese, according to federal statistics.

But why not look to one another instead of faceless data? Research shows that parental role modeling and family support help create an environment where healthier habits lead to sustainable weight loss.

Slow changes are the key to success, some experts insist. “It’s not about sweeping reforms.

We all have New Year’s Resolution syndrome where we want to make

We all have New Year’s Resolution syndrome where we want to make drastic changes all at once,” says Dr. Joseph Skelton, a pediatric gastroenterologist who directs the Brenner FIT (Families in Training) program at Brenner Children’s Hospital, Winston-Salem, N.C. But drastic changes are in opposition to the “family systems theory,” which holds that families function as a unit that works hard to maintain stability even at a cost. “To try to change too many things at once is disruptive,” Skelton says, “and family members will resist it. Small, steady changes work best.”

Gather the family and brainstorm a list of goals pertaining to food, movement and behavior, suggests registered dietician Jessica Crandall, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, based in Chicago.

Goals might include eating more fruits and vegetables, walking or riding bikes together after dinner, eating out less often and limiting “screen time” including TV, Internet, texting and videogames to two hours a day as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Compare lists and identify one goal, for starters, that the family can work toward as a team. “Families, almost all the time, will choose something they can accomplish rather than set themselves up for failure,” Skelton says.

Some basic things to start with are reducing or eliminating soda and sugary drinks, eliminating fried foods, practicing portion control and incorporating more movement by taking stairs and parking far from stores, says Tony Sparber, founder of New Image Weight Loss Camp for kids, located in Pennsylvania and Florida.

WebMD.com has downloadable wallet- and fridge-size portion size guides using kid-friendly comparisons.

For example, a half cup of ice cream is about the size of a light bulb – a standard one, not the globes used in streetlamps.

Buy-in is important but not always easy. “In families, healthy habits are always easier to develop and stick with when you have a supportive system and everyone’s on board,” Crandall says.

Yet especially when teenagers are involved, “oftentimes anything a parent suggests is met with resistance,” says registered dietician Cari Coulter, program director at Wellspring Wisconsin, a weight loss camp for kids and young adults. “You need to engage children in the decision-making process and evaluating the pros and cons of making changes.”

Parents can help fill in some blanks, pointing out that certain foods enhance performance in sports and that physical activity triggers brain activity that improves concentration and mood.

“While weight loss shouldn’t be the focus, it’s important to point out that the three leading causes of death in the U.S. – cancer, heart disease and stroke – are all linked to obesity. Obesity is not a cosmetic issue. It’s a health issue,” says pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Stephanie Abrams, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston.

Dietary and fitness goals set as a family should be SMART – that is, specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely, meaning there’s a target date for completion, Skelton says.

Vowing to run seven days a week is specific and measurable but perhaps not realistic or attainable for a family who seldom moves except when the TV remote has gone missing.

There are changes parents can make to create a healthier home environment without consulting the children. “Kids being involved in every decision – I don’t think that’s right. There’s too much decision making put in the hands of people who are too young and shortsighted,” Sparber says.

“It’s not easy to stay fit and trim in this society. That’s why kids can’t do it alone. They need our guidance, support and positive example to help them establish lifestyle habits that will lead to a healthy, long life,” he explains.

Continued on Page 12

“You need to engage children in the decision-making process and evaluating the pros and cons of making changes.”

— Cari Coulter, registered dietician

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Contined from Page 11 “Purge the pantry and fridge of most high-calorie junk foods, and replenish them with fresh fruits, raw veggies, nuts, low-fat cheese, wholegrain English muffins with low-fat peanut butter and low-fat yogurt, Sparber suggests.

Say no to second helpings and lazy behavior, including rides to places within walking distance, he adds.

“You are the parent. You have the right and the responsibility to be in charge of your child’s health,” Sparber insists.

“One thing that doesn’t work is when parents say do as I say, not as I do,” he adds. “The parents need to set the tone and lead the way.”

One small but effective change is to use the term “activity” rather than exercise. This can include hula hooping, jump roping, dancing or more structured activities like martial arts or team sports, Abrams says.

LetsMove.gov offers ideas on increasing physical activity as a family, from walking around the block after each meal to standing during TV commercials.

Eat meals together three or four times a week, with no TVs or gadgets, as studies show that families tend to eat smaller portions and healthier foods when they dine at home. MyPlate.gov shows how to fix your plate to make a balanced meal; fruits and veggies should take up half the plate.

It’s OK to play with your food, Abrams says, if it means adding more vegetables and healthy sources of calcium. She recommends decorating or “painting” pancakes with fresh fruit and low-fat yogurt.

As both a starting point and something to work toward, the Brenner FIT Program teaches families its “5-4-3-2-1-0” guidelines: five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day; four sit-down family meals a week; three scheduled meals a

day to decrease snacking; no more than two hours of screen time a day; a total of one hour of physical activity per day, divided into shorter spurts if desired; and zero sugarsweetened beverages a day.

Not all experts think small changes are the best way to attain motivating milestones and long-term results. “It’s interesting, the idea of baby steps versus. big steps. Small changes don’t always lead to the results people want, and results are what motivate people,” Coulter says.

Wellspring Wisconsin’s program encourages participants to “dive in and make a commitment,” she explains, but that doesn’t mean the approach is complicated.

“Changes are simple and sustainable, but significant,” Coulter says. “There’s no need to calculate ratios of carbs to proteins or learn complicated exercise routines.”

Instead, they outfit everyone with pedometers and ask them to log 10,000 steps per day, which helps control weight and may reduce diabetes risk.

They also ask participants to restrict their fat intake to no more than 20 grams per day. The focus is on fat, Coulter explains, because it has nine calories per gram versus four calories for protein and most carbohydrates. Therefore, fat requires more energy to burn off.

“It helps to have a simple, blackand-white goal – you’re either over or under 20 grams,” Coulter says.

Whether you take baby steps or leaps and bounds, it’s common to stumble or take a wrong turn on your journey to fitness. If that happens, reconvene as a family and modify or recommit to your goals if necessary. “It’s OK to have individual goals on top of your shared ones,” Crandall says, “but in either case, strive for progress instead of perfection.” © CTW Features

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But weight loss competitions among family members may not be as effective. In fact, they can be demoralizing and perhaps even dangerous if competitors go to extremes to win, experts caution.

“I don’t like weight loss competitions with kids as I think it can send the wrong message, but I do like to reward healthy habits,” says celebrity fitness expert JJ Virgin, co-host of TLC’s reality show “Freaky Eaters,” about food addictions and eating disorders.

Create a healthy habits board to track progress, she recommends, and the top winner each week gets a reward other than food, such as picking the film for a family movie night or getting out of chores.

Measurable goals can include pedometer steps, water intake and vegetable servings.

Others recommend working toward a shared goal and reward, so as not to pit family members against one another. For example, if the family as a whole walks a certain number of steps, everyone goes to a ballgame or theme park.

“You’re in it together, supporting a team effort, so the mindset changes –‘I’ve got to get my steps in because everyone’s relying on me,’” says Jenifer Kayan, a clinical nutritionist with Cone Health, a national health network based in Greensboro, N.C. The important thing is to create friendly competitions in which no one really loses, or else the “losers” will associate negativity with activities that are supposed to be good for them, Skelton says.

And though competitions should not be tied to weight loss, don’t toss that scale, Coulter advises: “Research shows that people who weigh themselves routinely tend to be better weight maintainers, and that teens who weigh every day don’t become obsessive – they just become more aware of what’s natural in terms of weight fluctuations, as well as what’s unnatural and needs to be addressed before it gets out of hand.”

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As Eaten On

TV

Top Cooking Channel and Food Network stars offer up their favorite healthy recipes

By Lindsey Romain CTW FEATURES

W

hen it’s time to settle on a healthy recipe, who better to trust than the people who whip them up in front of a camera everyday? These TV personalities share their favorite healthy recipes, from delicious sandwiches to satiating entrees.

Melissa d’Arabian

Season 5 winner of "Food Network Star," host of "Ten Dollar Dinners"

Mustard Chicken

Serves: 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Ingredients

1½ pounds chicken thighs (about 8), rinsed and patted dry ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped ¼ pound white button mushrooms, quartered 3 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press 1 tomato, cored, halved, and chopped, or ¾ cup canned diced tomatoes 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon dried tarragon ½ cup dry white wine 1 cup chicken broth, plus extra if needed ¼ cup Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons sour cream

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Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken on a cutting board and remove and discard the skin. Season the meat with the salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over mediumhigh heat. Add the thighs, smooth side down, and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Turn over the thighs and brown the other side, about 3 minutes more.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil along with the onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes, and then add the tomato and flour and cook, stirring, until

the tomato begins to break down, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tarragon.

Raise the heat and pour in the wine, letting it simmer for 1 minute before returning the chicken to the pot. Pour in enough broth to reach halfway up the sides of the chicken, then cover the pot and place it in the oven to braise, until the chicken pulls away from the bone easily, about 45 minutes, removing the lid halfway through cooking.

3. Remove the pot from the oven, use tongs to transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the mustard and sour cream (if using) to the sauce and stir to combine.

Then return the chicken to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes to bring the flavors together before serving.

Reprinted from “Ten Dollar Dinners” (Clarkson Potter, 2012)

¾ lb soba noodles 1 nori sheet, cut into 1-inch pieces, for garnish 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, for garnish

Roger Mooking

Award-winning musician and host of "Everyday Exotic" on the Cooking Channel creates a healthy, flavorful Asian meal.

Nori Crust

Ingredients 2 nori sheets, toasted 1½ tablespoons sesame seeds 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon black peppercorns Salt to taste 2 tablespoons butter 1 shallot, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 Thai chili, sliced and seeds removed Directions 1. In a mortar and pestle, break up the nori sheets. Add the sesame seeds, paprika, black peppercorns and salt. Grind to combine.

2. In a small sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 1 minute until the shallot and garlic soften and turn slightly brown. Add the chili and the nori spice mixture. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes to toast then remove from the heat.

Nori-Crusted Salmon

Ingredients 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon vegetable oil Four 5–6 oz salmon fillets, skin removed Salt Nori Crust Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Heat the butter and oil in a sauté pan.

Season the fillets on all sides with salt. Sear the salmon skin side up. Turn and sear on the other side, approximately 2 minutes in total.

Transfer the salmon fillets to a baking dish, set them skin side down and pat the nori crust overtop. Bake in the oven until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Soba Vinaigrette

Ingredients ½ cup seasoned rice wine vinegar ¼ cup soy sauce 1 tablespoon minced ginger 2 teaspoons sesame oil ¼ cup vegetable oil Directions 1. In a bowl, add the seasoned rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil.

Slowly add the vegetable oil, whisking until completely combined.

Store in an airtight container refrigerated for up to three days.

Soba Noodle Salad

Ingredients 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ½ lb shiitake mushroom caps, sliced Salt 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon minced ginger 2 cups sugar snap peas, blanched and thinly sliced on a bias 1 carrot, julienned 1 bunch garlic chives (or green onion), cut into 1-inch pieces on a bias Pepper Soba Vinaigrette

Directions 1. In a large sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the shiitake mushrooms, season with salt and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the sugar snap peas, carrot and garlic chives, and stir.

2. Season with salt and pepper, then sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, combine well then remove the pan from the heat.

3. Boil the soba noodles, following the package directions, until cooked through. Lay the noodles on a tray and spoon the remaining vinaigrette overtop. Allow the noodles to absorb the vinaigrette for 5 minutes.

4. In a bowl, toss the vegetables and soba noodles together. Place the nori-crusted salmon on top of the soba noodle salad and garnish with nori pieces and sesame seeds.

1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar, minimum 7 years old 1 tablespoon maple syrup 4 cups baby arugula 1 cup fresh blueberries 8 slices flax-seed or whole wheat bread, sliced ½’’ thick Fig jam

Caramelized Onions

Directions Heat 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat.

Add the onions and ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, and stir to coat evenly. Sauté for 8 minutes.

Then turn the heat down to medium-low and sauté for another 40 minutes, until they’re a deep amber color and have reduced to one third of their original volume.

Egg White Omelets

Directions Heat a medium nonstick pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil, and use a paper towel to lightly grease the pan and remove the excess oil. Beat 2 egg whites with ¼ teaspoon of piment d’Espelette, ¼ teaspoon of seal salt and some freshly cracked black pepper. Pour the egg whites into the pan, and cook for about 3 minutes, until opaque and slightly firm. Flip over the egg white omelet, and cook for an additional minute or two. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

Blueberry & Arugula Salad

Nadia G

A light breakfast from the host of “Nadia G’s Bitchin’ Kitchen” on the Cooking Channel

Egg White Sandwich with Blueberry & Argula Salad

Ingredients 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra-vir gin olive oil 3 red onions, sliced into ¼’’-rings and separated 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt 8 egg whites (2 egg whites per sandwich) 1 teaspoon piment d’Espelette freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions In a jar, combine 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, aged balsamic and maple syrup. Close the jar tightly and shake vigorously to emulsify.

In a large bowl, toss the arugula and blueberries with the dressing.

Shkiaffing It Together

Directions Toast the bread and slather one half of each sandwich with a tablespoon of fig jam and a tablespoon of caramelized onions. Add an egg white omelet, top with a second slice of toasted bread, and serve with 1 cup of arugula and blueberry salad on the side.

Reprinted from “Bitchin’ Kitchen Cookbook: Rock Your Kitchen – And Let the Boys Clean Up the Mess” (skirt! 2008) © CTW Features

Health and Wellness – September 2012 – Page 15

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