Food for Real

There’s nothing better than a little taste of your favorite foods. So imagine how thrilled I was to have a lot of little tastes of my favorite foods at the truly massive Summer Fancy Food Show put on by The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) in NYC. Today was day one of two, and joined by my Good Housekeeping colleague, Mary Kate, we walked (and walked) through the first floor of the exhibit and sampled (way too much) amazing, gourmet recipes and products. Naturally, we spent a lot of time in the “Italy” section, because I’m pretty much obsessed with Italy and Italian food. But we also ventured off into the world of packaged products, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by some of the samples! Here is a recap of some of my favorite products from today:

Yogi Chips - made from Yucca!

Yogi Chips are whole grain, artificial preservative free, gluten-free delightful snacks made from yucca. Yucca (also known as manioc or cassava), is a white, starchy tropical vegetable that widely grown and consumed in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.  It’s also a favorite side at the restaurant where I work in Boston: Orinoco. They come in a ton of flavors, but my favorites of the day included the original, sweet chili & lime, and rosemary garlic.

Kodiak Cakes Flapjack Waffle Mix

I have  had encounters with “healthy” pancake and waffle mixes that, let’s be honest, tasted like cardboard covered in chalk. But Kodiak Cakes Flapjack Waffle Mix most certainly does NOT fall into this category. Made with egg whites, these 100% Whole Grain pancakes/waffles are thick, fluffy, and delicious! Plus, I absolutely love a good product with a sentimental story behind it! Makes me feel like I’m enjoying something straight out of somebody’s mum’s kitchen (or grandpa’s kitchen in this case!)

Yogavive Chips - Real Fruit Crisps

Yogavive Chips (yes, I am drawn to products with the word “yoga” in their names) are real fruit, real simple, really good snacks. The organic original apple chips were by far my favorite, and the best part was that the only ingredient listed was “organic fuji apples.” How often do we see one-item ingredient lists these days? The other flavors include cinnamon, caramel, strawberry, and peach.

Pearl River Vegan Desserts

Years ago, I stuck to a vegan diet for about nine months as somewhat of an experiment. I learned to love many aspects of the vegan diet and have been happy to incorporate lots of plant based foods into my life while enjoying non-vegan foods as well.  However, one thing that will always stick with me from that time was how difficult it was to find a good vegan dessert (I am picky about desserts! Hey, if you’re gonna eat ‘em they better be worth it!) So I am fully aware of the importance of having delicious vegan dessert options, and I must say that Pearl River Pastry has figured it out. I tried the peanut butter chocolate pie, the “cheese”cake and the rice pudding, and they were all fantastic. Honestly, if I wasn’t told they were vegan, I wouldn’t have known. Buy these treats frozen and save them for a special occasion!

Mona Lisa made of...JELLY BEANS

Say Cheese!

Mary Kate, The Candy Queen

Other awesome things about today: The Mona Lisa Made from Jelly Belly Beans (amazing), the ridiculous amounts of artisanal cheeses, and Mary Kate’s candy-loving confession! I also had the pleasure to meet with some amazing dietitians for a quick get-together: Jaime Schwartz and Kate from Ketchum Public Relations, Sunny T. Shahinian, and Gloria Tsang. Great seeing you all! Looking forward to day 2! Our plan is to hit the regional section on the bottom floor (today we only covered the international section on the top floor), get a little nuts with sampling and networking, then head to Suzanne\’s place for a little roof-top wine session! Not.too.shabby.

What are some of your favorite products? Are there certain foods out there that are packaged but that you also consider “real food?” I’d love to hear your thoughts. Be well, and enjoy the rest of the day!

Simply put, it is best to eat a variation of fruits and vegetables and to buy organic when possible. But why? The purpose of today’s post is to break it down for you and give you a straightforward, simple discussion around buying organic products.

What does “organic”  mean?

Organic food is produced by  farmers who use renewable resources and conserve soil and water in order to enhance environmental quality. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are antibiotic and growth hormone free.  Organic food is produced without  pesticides. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” the USDA visits the farm to confirm it is actually farming organically.

Is “natural” the same as “organic?”

Don’t be fooled! When a food claims to be natural, this does not mean that it is also organic. Claims such as free-range and hormone-free are also claims you will see on the packaging of some products, but don’t confuse them with “organic.”

USDA Organic Logo

The labels are confusing. How do I know when something is truly organic?

Look for the USDA Organic Logo. When a product displays this label and says “100% organic,” then it contains all organic ingredients. This seal can also be used in conjunction with the claim “Organic,” which means the product contains at least 95% organic ingredients. When a label reads, “Made with Organic ingredients,” that product must contain at least 70% organic ingredients. When the product contains less than 70% organic ingredients, it must list those organic ingredients in the ingredient list only. If a company makes a claim that does not fit these labeling guidelines, the National Organic Program\’s regulations state that the company will be fined $11,000 per offense.

Organic food is expensive. How do I get around this?

Not all foods are created equally. Some foods are “dirtier” and better bought organic, while others are “cleaner” and can be bought conventionally if price is an issue. Here’s a list of the “dirty dozen.” When food shopping, these are the most important foods to buy organic:

• Celery
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Apples
• Blueberries
• Nectarines
• Bell peppers
• Spinach
• Kale
• Cherries
• Potatoes
• Imported grapes

And now the big one: Is organic food healthier than conventional food?

The science is mixed and currently there is not enough evidence based information out there to accurately claim that organic food is healthier for us.  However, some scientists are starting to buzz about the potential harmful effects of small dosages of pesticides over a number of years, especially during fetal development and early childhood. There is not enough evidence based information out there to be 100% sure when claiming that organic food is healthier, but I don’t see a problem with playing on the safe side. Especially because buying organically makes such an important contribution to our environment. When you buy organically, you are supporting the farmers and farmers’ families who practice sustainable agriculture, which means you are supporting our environment, which also means you are supporting your loved ones and yourself.

If you have any questions or comments about this, please share! It’s always a pleasure to hear from you. Be well, and enjoy the day!

Every season brings thoughts of specific foods. Fall reminds me of pumpkins and apple cider, spring inspires ideas about asparagus and leafy greens, and winter will always make sugar plums, root vegetables, and my grandmother’s chocolate pudding dance in my head. But summer might just be my favorite, because it is so abundant with fresh fruit, one of my all time top foods…”nature’s candy” as they say. Each summer, I get on a kick with a different fruit. Last year it was cherries. This year, it is most definitely kiwi.

One kiwi fruit provides 46 calories, about 2 and 1/2 grams of fiber, 70.5 mg of Vitamin C, and powerful antioxidants called beta carotene and lutein. In fact, one kiwi fruit provides 117% of the daily value for vitamin C! Now, that’s what I call a super food. When we try to get more vitamin C, we often think about eating citrus fruits like oranges, which are also fantastic! But here’s a fun fact: One medium orange contains 69.7 mg of Vitamin C, which is actually a bit less than one kiwi fruit!

Flavor plain nonfat greek yogurt with kiwi and raspberry

Check out this Kiwi Recipes website. It has some really interesting kiwi recipes. Lately, however, I’ve been using the kiwis in very simple ways and loving it. (If you haven’t noticed yet, I am a huge advocate for simplicity when it comes to food.)  Every morning this week, I’ve been chopping up kiwis (and other fruits) into greek yogurt or oatmeal. I love the TOTAL Fage Authentic Nonfat Yogurt. I use one serving of this yogurt, chop up some kiwi and one other fruit, and mix it up. You can add chia seeds for texture or honey/agave nectar for sweetness! Also, another great trick is to use raspberries in this type of yogurt, because when you stir them around, they break apart and flavor the yogurt naturally!

What’s your favorite fruit this summer?

Have you ever eaten something that caused you guilt? Chances are, you answered yes. Isn’t it funny that what fuels us and gives us energy and keeps us alive can also wreak havoc on our psyche? It’s not so much the calories or the sugar or the price that we are guilty about. It’s our perceived lack of control over our own behavior that drives us wild with shame. We have set beliefs of what it means to be a good, healthy person, and with these beliefs, we also set boundaries and objectives for ourselves. And these boundaries often lead to deprivation. “Today, I will exercise for at least 90 minutes….I will control my cravings for desert after dinner…I will only have one glass of wine…I will say no to seconds…I will eat <this many> calories today…” Do these thoughts sound familiar? Well, what happens when you don’t achieve one or more of these goals? You probably feel bad about yourself, and this will lead to more guilt, which will lead to more deprivation, which can lead to binging or ‘failing’ to meet our goals, which will lead to more guilt. And the beat goes on.

The proof is in the scientific literature: When people are deprived of a certain food, they will eat more of that certain food when given the opportunity compared to those who are not restrained.  And if you deprive yourself of a food, and then you crave that food, you will eat everything else besides that food. And chances are, in the end, you’ll think to yourself, “Well I just ate way too much anyway, I might as well have the <fill in guilty food here.>”

One of my favorite scenes from LOST (have you heard of this television series?) is when Hugo brings food from the Hatch back to the camp. It’s the perfect picture of the loving relationship between humans and food and the connections people have with one another when enjoying a meal together. Check it out.

I propose a change, or more accurately, a repair. We have the power to fix our relationship with food, and it needs to happen before it becomes permanently damaged. We need to treat our relationship with food the same way we treat our relationships with the people we love.  Let’s stop thinking of certain foods as “bad” or “too fattening” or “guilty pleasures.” Today, if you want a <fill in food here>, give yourself an appropriate portion and RELAX.  If you give yourself permission to enjoy your freedom, your food decisions that day will mostly likely be ones you are proud of.  Maybe all we needed was for someone to tell us that it is OK to indulge once in a while. I’m not saying to head out and eat donuts every morning for breakfast or to replace salad with ice cream at lunch! I’m simply asking you to give yourself a well deserved break and let yourself off the hook if you want to enjoy one of life’s pleasures. Be well, and enjoy the day!

Produce from local New York Farms: Everything local down to the wheat in the crackers

Somewhere along the line, farming and buying locally became somewhat of a novelty. Today, if you purchase your produce from farmers’ markets or from the farms themselves, you’re considered chic, savvy, and ahead of the curve. But what I think we’re forgetting is that farming and gardening are extremely old practices. There is nothing new and nothing glamorous about it! Farming is a hard job with no vacations, no days off (it’s a 24/7 job), and no time to sleep in. It’s a sacrifice and damned important one at that. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending an event called “Secret Gardens: Powerful Plots in Surprising Places” at NYU. Hosted by Food and Restaurant Consultant Clark Wolf, each of the panelists shared their thoughts on and experiences with farming and gardening. And I must say, some of them had me considering taking a break from my current life and volunteering on a farm for a year! Hey, anything’s possible.

The first speaker was Amy Bentley, associate professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at NYU. Bentley is a historian with a focus on the cultural history of food and opened the discussion with a comparison of gardens and farms. Gardens are “enclosures of nature” controlled by humans with both aesthetic and utilitarian purposes. Farms are larger, professional and labor intensive establishments that thrive off profit and sales. It was a nice way to open the discussion, because we had both farmers and gardeners at the event. When asked what she is looking forward to in the future, Bentley replied that she is looking forward to the day when all people have access too and can afford fresh, wholesome food. Agreed.

Locally grown cherries are awesome

The next panelist to speak was George Reis, supervisor of sustainable landscaping at NYU. It’s his mission to put NYU on the horticultural map of Manhattan. His current project is a Native Woodland Garden near NYU in the West Village which hosts 40 species of plants native to Manhattan. Pretty cool! One of my favorite things he said was that it wasn’t his passion for botanical plants or horticulture that served as his inspiration to pursue gardening, but it was actually seeing the way people connect to plants. He said, “It’s not very easy to interrupt or get the attention of a New Yorker on the sidewalk in the middle of the afternoon <soft, agreeing laughter from the audience…pause> But I can do that with plants.” Now, that’s talent!

The third speaker was Christine Muhlke, reporter, writer, and food editor for New York Times Magazine.  Muhlke travels around the country and writes about the local farm scene in the different neighborhoods she explores. After writing about restaurants for many years, Muhlke became fascinated with the story behind the ingredients. I think this is a trend that we’re going to start seeing all over the country. After traveling to and learning about some of our country’s farms, she realized that “we’re not just farming to be cute.” A popular notion I believe will, hopefully, soon be reversed.

I was super excited about the next speaker, because he is one of the chefs involved with Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative (see post: Gotta love Michelle Obama). Chef Cathal Armstrong will be working with the First Lady to revolutionize school lunches with fresh farm products and recipes. He said one of the event’s most inspirational statements, “There is a huge bubbling of change, and soon, we’re going to see an explosion of natural food back into the schools. Wait and see. It’s happening.” Yes!

"Eating Local" by Janet Fletcher and Forward by Alice Waters

And last, but certainly not least, we heard from an actual farmer.  Skip Connett, organic farmer and writer lives with his wife, Erin Flynn, in Austin, Texas where they operate Green Gate Farms.  Connett is featured in an upcoming book, Eating Local – written by Janet Fletcher and published by Sur la Table.  He spoke about the difficult, yet gratifying work he, his wife, and his volunteers do at the farm. We talked about everything farming from growing elephant garlic to slaughtering chickens. One of the most interesting things that he brought up was a small conflict he and the other farmers near him are having with local restaurants. It seems that some of the restaurants are claiming to buy locally from these farms, but are not actually making any purchases! Connet and his farmer buddies call these folks, “Faux Locals.” In an effort to stop this madness, they joined Slow Food Austin and formed a process that will reveal who is and who is not actually buying locally.  Might be  a good exposé!

One thing that really resonated with me was said by Clark Wolf, the event’s host. He mentioned that during his first conversation with Marion Nestle, they agreed that most dietitians don’t know much about farming/food/cooking. In fact, he said that Nestle thought that NYU needed to “food up the nutrition department!” I had to think about this for a minute before realizing that I kind of agree with him! We don’t have any classes on agriculture or culinary arts in dietetics school (at least not at BU). While I think that many of us in this up and coming generation of dietitians understand the importance of these things, it is really on us to seek out experience and information. And sure, we can and will certainly do this, but wouldn’t it be cool if we actually had a few classes on farming, gardening, and cooking?

With the White House’s involvement and our country’s growing interest in sustainable agriculture, I think we’re going to start seeing a balance between globalization of food crops and the development of local and regional food sales. Hopefully generations to come will be educated on safe and effective farming and/or gardening practices, and I’d love to see some new NHANES data suggesting that our country is getting out of the fast food joints and back into the kitchen. Until then, everyone can make one small step in the right direction. Support local farms by learning about where you can buy local, or maybe start up your own mini garden! Even if you’re just starting to think about it, it’s a step in the right direction. Enjoy the day!

Asparagus & Chick Pea Pasta Salad

It’s Wednesday morning, and I didn’t wake up as early as usual. Making my lunch for the day was stressing me out, because I don’t have much time before I have to head to work!  I’m out of lettuce, so putting a quick salad together wasn’t an option. I don’t have sandwich material, and there are no leftovers from dinner last night. For a minute there, it looked like I’d have to buy lunch in the Hearst Cafe today (something I’ve been trying to avoid while in NYC in an attempt to be financially responsible). But then, as I was picking out my clothes for the day, it occurred to me that I had the ingredients to make a quick and healthy pasta salad! So, I decided to take the “whistle while you work” approach and simultaneously cook lunch while getting ready. Here’s how:

- Boil two pots of water…. *while this is happening, blow dry hair

-Cut up asparagus and throw it into one pot. Add a cup of 100% whole wheat pasta to the other pot…*while these are cooking, put on make-up

-Pour asparagus and pasta into a strainer and run under cold water for a few minutes…*while these are cooling, put on clothes  (And an apron otherwise you might be sorry!!)

-Add cooled asparagus, pasta, and chickpeas (already in fridge) to the bowl. Add some soy sauce, cumin, and ground pepper and mix.

DONE! And ready to head out the door! And yes, I even had time to write about it.

Enjoy the day!

When I first started graduate school at BU, I enrolled in an elective archeological gastronomy course. Simply put, it was a course about the archeology of food. Typically, when we sit down for a meal, we don’t think about the history of the contents of our plate. Where did it originate? Who created it and who was it available to? How long did it take to cook? What type of “appliances” were needed? Today, we have it easy. Grocery stores are easily accessible (for most of us), we have dishwashers, microwaves, fancy ovens, timers, thermometers, refrigerators, and all in one room we call “the kitchen.” Our ancestors, on the other hand, had to be much more creative. They had to harvest the food themselves, use spices instead of electricity to preserve their food, ration the food for the village, burn way more calories obtaining the food than we ever will, and most likely ate less than we do.  In my opinion, there are several factors to blame for our current diet patterns in the US, which are obviously on a decline in terms of quality. However, I do agree with Michael Pollan when he wrote in The Omnivore’s Dilemma that  America’s lack of a “steadying” traditional culture and diet is the foundation for America’s current “bad” food habits.

Source: www.oldwayspt.org

At Good Housekeeping, I’m working on a couple of projects, and one of them is researching the Mediterranean Diet and weight loss. During the food archeology course, I wrote a pretty intense paper on the archeology of the Mediterranean diet. Now, whenever I research the Mediterranean diet, I can’t help but think of its origins.  So if you’re wondering why I’m thinking about the origins of food before my morning cup of coffee, that should explain it!

When you think about “ancient” food, TV Dinners and instant mashed potatoes usually don’t make the cut. Part of the reason why I love the Mediterranean diet is because its most important components are ancient (and still delicious and versatile): legumes like lentils and beans, grains like wild rice and barley, wine, fish, olives and olive oil. There is no end to how you could combine these elements to create new and exciting meals. When I think of these foods, I think of generations of people working in the olive groves or fishing at sea, working hard to harvest these nutrient dense delights. And strangely, I know,  I really do wish that I had a time machine and could travel back to anytime B.C. and spend a day with these workers. Think about how much you would learn!

With that being said, it’s no surprise that Dr. David Katz was one of the speakers that most intrigued me at the Food For Your Whole Life Health Symposium 2010. His views on eating close to nature resonate with me, because I think the foods that have the oldest roots are the foods with the most nutritional benefit. And after having the Mediterranean diet research fresh in my mind, I’m starting to make a few connections:

Today, studies show that the Mediterranean diet can help lower blood pressure, increase the good cholesterol (HDL) and decrease the bad cholesterol (LDL). It can decrease your waist circumference, help control Diabetes, has cancer fighting properties, and is an overall heart healthy, waist friendly, longevity promoting diet. It is also one of the most ancient diets on this planet, and it’s components are not difficult to obtain.

So what is the Mediterranean diet exactly? Chicken Parmesan and a whole bottle of Chianti? Sadly, not quite. A Mediterranean breakfast typically contains whole grains, nuts and seeds, whole fruit, yogurt, and/or honey. Lunch and dinner contain several vegetables, many of them dark, leafy greens, olive oil, more whole grains, fish, dried fruits, pasta (go for the whole wheat), a little cheese, a little wine, and a lot of fun. The Mediterranean lifestyle might be the part I love most: social meals, a ton of physical activity, and a great appreciation for the joys of collecting ingredients, preparing the meals, and finally, sitting down to a healthy, flavorful meal. A great resource for learning more about the Mediterranean diet can be found at Oldways (one of my favorite organizations out there!) Enjoy the day!

One of my favorite snacks is my hummus/avocado/tomato spread (recipe below) on whole wheat wasa crackers, so when I was invited to attend a wasa cracker event last night, I immediately accepted the invitation. The event was held at a beautiful restaurant in the West Village called August, and the theme was “Healthy entertaining with style.” I was graciously welcomed upon arriving and led to the back of the restaurant,  into the event room which resembled a cross between a posh greenhouse and an interior designer’s backyard. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, and the hor d’oeuvres were beautifully lined up on polished wooden tables.

The event was an initiative to publicize Wasa’s new Thin & Crispy Flatbreads in Rosemary, Original, and Sesame. The cooking demonstrations were put on my  Top Chef Marcus Samuelsson (named Top Chef Master last night at 10 p.m.!) Chef Marcus is full of energy and fresh ideas and demonstrated three elegant wasa flatbread snacks that would be perfect and easy to make when hosting a small get together this summer. Pair these recipes with some crisp white wine or sangria, a backyard, good friends and some relaxing tunes, and you’re in for a night of pure fun.

Wasa Flatbread Thin & Crispy Crispy Original with Fresh Salmon Spread By M. Samuelsson

Prosciutto Roll-Up on Wasa Flatbread Thin & Crispy Rosemary

Wasa Flatbread, Thin & Crispy Sesame with Sweet Strawberry Mousse By M. Samuelsson

Chef Marcus signing my new cookbook (in Swedish!) at the Wasa event in NYC

After the cooking demonstration, we were given copies of Chef Marcus’ cookbook New American Table, and I made sure to be the  first in line to have my book signed. The cookbook really runs the gamut in terms of cuisine. From muscle-artichoke tart to chilled rose hip soup, the cookbook has quickly become my playground and I’m eager to hop on the swing!

Wasa is the world’s largest producer of flat bread with the company headquarters located in Stockholm, Sweden. Chef Marcus’s hometown is Göteborg in Sweden, so naturally, the chef is a big fan of wasa crackers. In fact, he told us that he “grew up eating a lot of wasa every day!” During his introduction, Chef Marcus briefly discussed America’s childhood obesity problem, and I agree with him that wasa crackers would be an excellent whole grain snack that could be put into schools as part of the battle against childhood obesity. Every little step counts!

Not that I am anywhere near the cook that Chef Marcus is, but in case you want to try my hummus recipe (mentioned above), here’s what I do:

-Chop up some avocado

-Chop up some cucumber

-Chop up some tomato or red pepper and maybe a little red onion

-Fill a small bowl with Cedar’s traditional tahini hummus and throw in everything you just chopped. Then mix it up.

-Grab a spoon and a couple of wasa flatbreads in any flavor and spread it on!

This recipe is quick and simple and provides antioxidants, protein, healthy fats, fiber and flavor. One serving of wasa flatbreads (two of them) provides 70 calories and less than 1 gram of sugar. In order to see Chef Marcus’ recipes clearly enough to follow, simply click the picture and a larger version will pop up. Enjoy!

The first day of the Food for your Whole Life Health Symposium was open to the public and sold out. Hosted by President of HealthCorps® Michelle Bouchard, the conference began at noon with a presentation from keynote speaker Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, most widely known as “Dr. Oz.”  In his speech titled “America’s Wellness Tipping Point,” Dr. Oz opened with a discussion about how emotion is the number one factor that drives people to change, a lesson he learned from Oprah Winfrey. He believes that health professionals are “agents of change,” and encouraged the audience to make changing toward a healthier lifestyle fun, playful, and enjoyable. What a great message! Dr. Oz believes that the top five life adjustments are blood pressure (ideal being 115/75), omission of toxins and tobacco, exercising thirty minutes per day, having a healthy diet that’s “-easy-to-love,” and finally, controlling stress. He asserts that lifestyle choices, rather than genetic make-up, determine our health, putting the power in the hands of the people rather than in the hands of biology.
Following Dr. Oz’s discussion, he was joined on stage by fellow celebrity doctor Michael Roizen, M.D. After a brief Q&A session, Dr. Roizen shared a very powerful story about a man named Rocco. Rocco, a cowboy who enjoyed feasting on steaks, sausages, and spuds, was encouraged by Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen to switch to a vegan diet for 28 days. And in those 28 days, he cured his Type II Diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and he shrunk his waist by 5 inches. These incredible results relay Dr. Roizen’s key message: “Until you are six feet under, you get a do-over.” Just another reason to eat a plant based diet, right?!
The next speaker of the first day was the engaging Dr. David L. Katz, who believes that rather than taking a nature vs. nurture approach to healthy living, practicing a healthy lifestyle is in fact “nurturing nature.” He compared the current American population to “polar bears in the Sahara,” surrounded by processed, packaged food that our ancient, unchanged human physiology is not accustomed to. However, he continues to remind us that we are “smarter than the average bear,” and so we can make smarter choices to eat closer to nature. Dr. Katz believes that the best way to promote vitality is to eat close to nature, meaning consume whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. And I whole heartedly stand by his advice: “If it glows in the dark, you probably shouldn’t eat it.” Dr. Katz introduced NuVal, a nutritional scoring system developed by an independent panel of nutrition and medical experts that is meant to help consumers make healthier choices in the supermarkets. Making healthy choices in the market is one of the best ways to insure your diet, but it’s not as easy as it seems! He concluded his speech with an amazing poem about food and nutrition that lasted about 5 minutes or more. Needless to say, the audience didn’t stop clapping for him until he was off stage, down the aisle, and outside the door to the conference room.
Next on stage was Dr. Brian Wansink, Ph.D. aka the Sherlock Holmes of Food. Dr. Wansink, possibly most known for discovering “Mindless Eating” and originating the 100 calorie snack pack, was by far the funniest speaker on the panel. Interrupted only by bursts of laughter from the audience, Dr. Wansink presented his research on eating behavior. He discussed “five mealtime myths parents have that make their kids fat:”
1. Good kids clean their plates
2. My child is smarter than a bowl
3. Kids hate veggies
4. I can’t control what my kids order

Dinner at Josie’s: Asian Tofu Stir Fry

He continued to reveal evidence on why these five ideas are mythical. He explained that simply giving kids choices can influence them to eat healthier. For instance, in one of his studies, one group children were asked if they wanted celery or carrots while another group of children were simply given carrots. Those who were given a choice, ate more vegetables than those who were not. In other words, if a child feels that he/she is empowered to make a decision, that child is more likely to stick to that decision. All parents have to do is infuse the options with healthy choices!

The first day of symposium concluded with cooking demonstrations by Chef Rocco DiSpirito and Chef Jamie Lauren. DiSpirito, aside from being a heart-throb, is author of Now Eat This! and has been coined by Gourmet magazine as “America’s Most Exciting Young Chef.” On stage, in a very small space, he and his assistant Dexter Jackson, whipped up some healthy versions of classic indulgences. His creamed spinach is 90 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving, and his eggplant manacoti is 238 calories and 8.4 grams of fat per serving. The aroma was so incredible that I could smell it from way back in the conference room!
Chef Jamie Lauren is the executive chef at Absinthe Brasserie & Bar in San Francisco. Named a “Rising-Star Chef” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Lauren demonstrated her incredible ability of balancing flavors while demonstrating how to cook curried chick pea arugula salad using cinnamon and curry and her blueberry chutney which includes blueberries and onions! I was inspired by this “balancing act” and cooked organic quinoa, locally grown dinosaur kale and chickpeas with cinnamon and soy sauce last night. I was joined by my friend Mike who agreed that it was actually pretty tasty. Back to the symposium summary..After tasting her creation, Chef Lauren, tried and true my own heart, gave her concluding remarks. Immediately after tasting her intriguing blueberry chutney, her two words were: “Real food.”

Stephanie Horton (me) and Elizabeth Jarrard (www.dontwhitesugarcoatit.com) at the Symposium

Day one of the symposium was an amazing experience that I was lucky enough to share with some incredible people: Elizabeth Jarrard, Janel Ovrut, Corinne Dobbas, Jessica Maillet, Lindsey Toth, and my colleague here at Good Housekeeping Suzanne Natz. We concluded the amazing experience with a healthy meal at Josie’’s with some awesome gals from Ketchum Public Relations! I got the asian tofu stir fry that came with brown rice, a huge helping of roasted veggies, and some of the best tofu I’ve ever had. Great choice! The next day was just as informative and inspiring, so stay tuned for tomorrow’s post!

After a night full of roof top cocktails, a little Soho karaoke, and an NYC sunrise, my friends Elizabeth and Sarah and I decided to treat our tired bodies to some raw vegan brunch at Quintessence. I got the spinach mushroom “quiche”, Elizabeth ordered the fofu rancheros, and Sarah enjoyed the savory crepe. Fofu is a mock tofu made with nuts (raw foodies don’t eat soy). And we happily followed the meal with some interesting raw deserts. I got the “banana split” which came with mango “ice cream” and chia pudding. Chia pudding is made with a nut milk and chia seeds, adorable little nutrient packed seeds that serve as a super source of essential fatty acids. Raw food consists of nuts, grains, vegetables and fruit and is never cooked above 118 Fahrenheit. Raw foodists do not eat meat, dairy, soy, beans,  eggs, poultry, or fish.

"Quiche!"

While I was in the restaurant, I was amazed and sort of in “awe” of the raw. The quiche looked like quiche but was made with macadamia nuts, pine nuts, and irish moss. The cheese looked like cheese but was actually a nifty combo of nuts and vegetables. There is no doubt that Raw Chef Dan at Quintessence is a raw culinary genius, but in my opinion, eating a raw diet on a regular basis would be quite difficult and would certainly need to be complemented with vitamin/mineral supplements (B12, calcium to name a couple). This is not to say that I don’t support plant based diets, because I certainly do! In fact, the Mediterranean diet, the diet that most resembles how I eat, is considered a plant based diet. It’s rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, nuts & seeds, and moderate in fish, red wine. A vegetarian or vegan diet can be extremely healthy and beneficial as well if approached correctly.  See my (vegan) friend’s blog post on vegetarian eating.

While my feelings about the raw diet are mixed, the meal at Quintessence inspired me to head out to the raw food store next door and buy a jar of Irish moss, some chia seeds, and a Raw cook book. Recipes including these ingredients soon to come!