Junk food as addicting as heroin?

http://www.grist.org/article/scientists-claim-junk-food-is-as-addictive-as-heroin

validation of Dr. David Kessler's writings.

Falafel Adventures

Falafel is a delicious meal and excellent source of protein. Last night we decided to try the recipe from scratch rather than from a box. We went to Mark Bittman's blog and found a good, easy recipe. I think it would have turned out great but for one error, we used canned chick peas rather than soaking fresh ones. It seems that you can only make falafel with previously uncooked chickpeas, otherwise the falafel balls will just fall apart when you try to fry them. In addition, I mistakenly tried frying the humus my wife made instead of the falafel mix(they look similar!). For your information, it doesn't come together with frying either. At any rate, I would recommend the Bittman recipe for falafel, it tastes great and I think if you use dried soaked chick peas, you'd be fine!

Hearty Lentil Soup

I heard this recipe on a radio show last year. When you're looking for a healthy, cheap, easy meal that keeps you warm on cold fall and winter days and nights, this is it.

1 1/2 cups Lentils cooked and drained
1 carrot chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 small onion chopped
3 potatoes chopped
a handful of cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
water
cumin 1/2 tsp

In a large pot sautee the onions for a few minutes with 2 tbsp olive oil until translucent. Then add carrot and potatoes and cumin. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Then add tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste and cook until carrots and potatoes are tender. Add cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Easy But Delicious Tomato Sauce

Back in my residency days I ate alot of pasta. I remember one friend of mine always saying that she would never buy a jar of tomato sauce as it never tasted as good as making it from scratch. I didn't really catch on to this until this past year when I began making sauce from fresh tomatoes in season. There is truly no comparison and it's not all that hard to make. Here's a basic recipe. Once you get the basic sauce down, you can add vegetables, herbs, capers, olives, really whatever you like.

3 pounds fresh tomatoes(preferably in season)
1 clove garlic minced
1 medium yellow or white onion diced
2 tbsp pure olive oil
1 carrot diced
1 celery stalk diced
red pepper flakes 1/4 tsp
1/2 cup water
kosher salt

First the tomatoes need to be peeled and seeded. You can always start with 16 oz. of canned diced or crushed tomatoes if they are not in season, but if you have the fresh ones, here's what you do: drop each tomato in boiling water for 1 minute, then remove and place in cold water, the skin will now easily come off. Next remove all the seeds from the tomato. This is a messy job but makes the sauce much sweeter.

Place olive oil in large saucepan and heat med high. Drop in the onions and sautee for 5 minutes until translucent, then add carrot and celery for a minute. Next add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water and red pepper flakes. Simmer medium low for 45 minutes. That's it. I like to use a hand blender and make the sauce smooth at this point but you can keep it chunky as well. Season with salt as needed. Keeps for about a week in the fridge or you can freeze it in small containers and use as needed.

Flavor

I am often reminded of a quote I heard from the great chef Alice Waters when she described(I believe) why she opened a restaurant and happened to spark a movement in helathy eating. She said "I was looking for flavor." Flavor is what most food lacks these days, or in some cases flavors are all the same. When we cook at home we use a variety of seasonings, vegetables and aromatics that bring the food alive. If I can pass along one secret to healthy cooking it would be to look for healthy recipes with intense vibrant flavors. Sure plain steamed vegetables are boring, but egglplant covered in pesto or tapenade vinagrette or roasted cauliflower with turmeric are a whole different story. A few dressings that I recently tried are excellent ways to dress up grilled or sauteed vegetables. Here they are:



Olive Tapenade



A full flavored spread or dressing that is extremely versatile.



Ingredients:



1 cup good pitted kalamata olives

1 tablespoon anchovies minced

1 clove garlic minced

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

lemon zest

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped capers



Blend all ingredients except olive oil in food processor for a few seconds, then slowly add olive oil and process until smooth.

Basil Pesto

Great on pasta as well as tomatoes, zucchini, squash, just about any vegetable.

1 cup tightly packed basil leaves
1 tablespoon toasted walnuts
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor blend the basil, walnuts, garlic for a few pulses, then slowly add the olive oil and process for about a minute. This keeps in the fridge for a few weeks unless you eat it all up!!

Tabouleh with chick peas and cucumbers

I'm always looking for new ways to get whole grains into my diet along with some protein. I'm talking about something that tastes good and qualifies as an easy filling meal that I can eat at home or easily take to work. This recipe qualifies. The bulgur is a nutritious, nutty whole grain that's really easy to make. The chick peas add some protein and texture, and of course the tomatoes and cucumbers give flavor and crunch. Making this when tomatoes are in season is always a plus. Here's the recipe:

1 cup bulgur wheat(soaked 1 hr with 1 cup hot or cold salted water)
3 medium tomatoes
1 cucumber
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped mint(or more if you like)
1 can chick peas washed and drained
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 1/2 to 2 lemons
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and let stand for about 1/2 hr.

couscous salad for lunch

Here's an easy dish that gets you some vegetables, grain and protein and it tastes pretty good. I think its great as a snack or to take to work for lunch but it also makes a great side dish with dinner. Keep in mind that you can add or subtract herbs and vegetables(or add fruit) as you like.

1 cup couscous or Israeli couscous
1 medium tomato chopped
1 cucumber seeded and chopped
1 can chick peas rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
1-2 tsp ground cumin

First cook the couscous. Its pretty simple and you can follow the ingredients on the package, or, take 1 cup couscous, place in a large bowl, then add 1 cup boiling water and let stand 10 minutes. Then fluff with fork. Done! Add the remaining ingredients along with salt and pepper to your taste. That's it! Enjoy.

Lou Friedman