Sam was less than enthusiastic, because most “health food” restaurants served food that was boring, weird, or both. So I had him over for dinner. I made curried cauliflower soup, a vegetarian Caesar salad, salmon cakes, and a frozen dessert with cashew milk. After dinner, he seemed a little more open to the concept. We hired Michael Stebner, a classically trained French chef. And in 2008 we opened our first True Food Kitchen, in Phoenix. More from Prevention: 5 Shady Secrets About Your Food Michael says the walk-in cooler tells the whole story. We have these vast shelves of veggies and tiny ones for meat and dairy. When he shows it to professional chefs, their jaws drop, because it looks backward to them. We may put 9 ounces of veggies and 5 ounces of animal protein on your plate. Other restaurants would do the reverse. Yet we almost immediately noticed something very rare: people eating there three, four, or five nights a week. Why? The food meets scientific criteria for health—and it tastes great. [header = Immunity Soup] Media Platforms Design TeamImmunity Soup PREP TIME: 25 MINUTESTOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 25 MINUTESSERVINGS: 6 Modern research shows that astragalus root, a Chinese herb long used to ward off colds and flu, has powerful immune-enhancing properties. The sliced, dried root is available online and in herb stores. It is nontoxic and adds a pleasant, sweet taste when simmered in soups. Shiitake mushrooms also boost immunity and have an antiviral effect. Garlic is an antibiotic; ginger, a natural anti-inflammatory agent. 1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil2 lg onions, thinly sliced3 cloves garlic, smashed1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 2 c)2 lg carrots, julienned2 1/2 pieces astragalus root (about 15" total)8 c Mushroom Stock (see recipe below)2 Tbsp reduced-sodium tamari or low-sodium soy sauce2 c broccoli florets1/2 c julienned scallions HEAT oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and ginger and cook until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add mushrooms, carrots, astragalus root, stock, and 2 cups water. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. ADD tamari and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed. Add broccoli and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. REMOVE astragalus root pieces. Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with scallions before serving. (Makes 12 cups.) NUTRITION (per serving) 75 cal, 4 g pro, 13 g carb, 3 g fiber, 1.5 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 987 mg sodium Easy Flavor Booster: Mushroom Stock Stock used in restaurants is usually made with chicken, but we serve so many vegetarian dishes that we needed something different for our sauces and soups. Shiitake mushrooms impart a savory essence; you’ll never miss the meat. Keep in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for a month. Chop 2 ribs celery and 1 medium onion and put in large pot with 2 oz dried shiitake mushrooms and 2 1/2 quarts water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let stock steep 20 minutes. Add 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce. Pour stock through fine-mesh strainer, discard solids, and let cool. (Makes 2 quarts.) [header = Fettuccine with Kale Pesto] Media Platforms Design TeamFettuccine with Kale Pesto PREP TIME: 20 MINUTESTOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTESSERVINGS: 6 Unlike pesto made with basil, this delicious kale version doesn’t lose its bright-green color. It also has more micronutrients and protective phytonutrients.
Pesto4 c stemmed chopped kale (about 1 bunch)1/2 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil1/4 c pine nuts2 cloves garlic, chopped1/4 tsp red-pepper flakesPasta1 lb fettuccine or pappardelle1 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano + more for serving MAKE pesto: Bring large pot of water to a boil. Fill large bowl with ice cubes and cold water. Plunge kale into boiling water and cook 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer kale to ice bath. (The cold water allows the kale to keep its bright-green color.) After 3 minutes, drain kale in colander, then squeeze it firmly to press out excess water. PUT kale, remaining pesto ingredients, and 1 tsp salt in food processor and puree until smooth. (Makes 1 cup.) Transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. (Keeps up to 3 days.) PREPARE pasta: Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook until al dente, per package directions. Just before the pasta is done, remove 2 tbsp of the pasta cooking water and add it to the pesto. Add cheese and mix well. DRAIN pasta and toss with pesto. Serve with extra cheese, if desired. NUTRITION (per serving) 549 cal, 20 g pro, 63 g carb, 4 g fiber, 25 g fat, 6 g sat fat, 717 mg sodium What’s In a Grain? Whole grain is perhaps the most misused term in nutrition. Ask the average person to name a whole grain food and you’ll likely get the response “whole wheat bread.” That’s why I’ve tried to popularize the term true whole grain to refer to foods that are made of grains that are whole and intact or, at most, broken into a few large pieces—not ground. When grains are ground into flour, regardless of whether some of the bran and germ are included, that starch becomes a fine powder that offers no resistance to enzymatic conversion to glucose. That’s why the glycemic index (GI) of most whole wheat bread, except for thick, dense bread, is not much different from that of white bread. It’s vital to eat grains in their intact forms, such as brown rice, wild rice, and barley. As a lover of pasta, I was pleased to learn that it also has a lower GI, especially cooked al dente. [header = Southwestern Bison Meatball Soup] Media Platforms Design TeamSouthwestern Bison Meatball SoupPREP TIME: 30 MINUTESTOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 45 MINUTESSERVINGS: 8 Using ground bison (preferably grass-fed) and turkey instead of beef or pork lowers the fat content and amps up the flavor of these meatballs, which are also tasty with pasta or in a sandwich.
Soup2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil1 carrot, chopped1 lg onion, chopped1 sm zucchini, cubed1 c cubed jicama3 Tbsp tomato paste9 c chicken stock3/4 c quinoa1 can (28 oz) San Marzano tomatoes, pureed1 Tbsp chili powder2 tsp cumin2 tsp oregano1/4 tsp grated orange zest Meatballs8 oz ground bison4 oz ground turkey3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil1 sm onion, minced3 cloves garlic, smashed2 tsp tomato paste1/8 tsp red-pepper flakes1/2 tsp cumin1/2 tsp dried whole oregano leaves1/2 tsp chili powder1/4 tsp grated orange zest2 dashes of hot pepper sauce1 lg egg, beaten1/4 fresh whole wheat bread crumbs1 tsp chopped fresh oregano PREPARE soup: Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add carrot and cook 2 minutes. Add onion and cook 2 minutes. Add zucchini and jicama. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add next 6 ingredients and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer 20 minutes. STIR in orange zest. Season to taste. Simmer 5 minutes. Keep warm or cool quickly and refrigerate. (Makes about 16 cups.) HEAT oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with silicone baking mat or foil. MAKE meatballs: Combine bison and turkey in stainless steel bowl. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, 1/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Cook 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let cool. ADD cooled vegetables and next 9 ingredients to bowl with ground meat. Season with 1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper. Mix well with hands. Shape into about 32 walnut-size meatballs. HEAT remaining 2 Tbsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in batches and brown on all sides, 5 minutes. Bake on prepared sheet until cooked through, turning once, about 15 minutes. LADLE soup into serving bowls and add about 4 meatballs to each. Garnish with shaved Manchego cheese and chopped cilantro, if desired. NUTRITION (per serving) 314 cal, 20 g pro, 24 g carb, 5 g fiber, 16 g fat, 3.5 g sat fat, 883 mg sodiumEating For Optimal Health: The Anti-Inflammatory Diet We all know inflammation when we see it on our own bodies. You can’t miss the redness, swelling, pain, and heat at the site of an injury or infection. Inflammation is how the body heals itself—the way it gets more immune activity to areas that need it. But inflammation can also do damage. If it doesn’t end when it should or targets healthy tissue, persistent, low-level, imperceptible inflammation can raise the risks of heart attack, stroke, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Preventing and containing inflammation is the best long-term strategy for optimum health. And dietary choices are the most important way to accomplish that goal. Processed foods (especially refined soybean oil, sugar, and flour) increase inflammation. By contrast, an anti-inflammatory diet emphasizes whole foods with protective properties. The natural pigments that color vegetables and fruits; the antioxidants in olive oil, tea, and chocolate; the novel compounds in ginger, turmeric, and other spices; and the special fats in oily fish all guard our tissues and organs from harmful inflammation. It’s the way I eat and the way I recommend everyone eat. From the book True Food by Andrew Weil, MD, and Sam Fox with Michael Stebner. Copyright © 2012 by Andrew Weil, MD. Reprinted by permission of Little, brown and Co., a division of Hachette book Group, New York. All rights reserved. More from Dr. Weil: How to Be Happier for Life
