Let’s face it: We all hope to live a long, healthy life and while there are no surefire guarantees, there are a few ways we can improve our chances. Accordingly, we consulted with one of the most quoted and highly- respected experts in the field: Dr. Walter Willett, Chairman of Nutrition of the Harvard School of Public Health and author of the best-selling “Eat Drink and Be Healthy” .

Walter not only gave us some great tips, he introduced us to the newly-released “ HSPH Healthy Eating Plate”, a VAST improvement over the USDA Plate, which according to Walter, has some SERIOUS flaws. The HSPH Eating Plate is not only more explicit, it defines the best foods that correspond to each portion of the plate and corrects a number of “errors” of the USDA Plate. (Once again, as with the USDA Pyramid, concessions were made to the dairy industry as well as other mega, agri-business conglomerates.)

To make it even more accessible, I selected a few easy and delicious recipes from my new book, Simple Asian Meals that correspond to each section of the HSPH plate so you can recreate the meal in your home. (Feel free to use the recipes as a base for inspiration, substituting seasonal vegetables and other whole grains. Walter not only approved, but he gave the dishes a big “thumb’s up”. So here’s wishing you a healthy, happy, and pleasurable meal or two.

Enjoy!

Nina

Spring is here in New England (or so we hope.) And in other exciting news, after 11 years, the paperback of my seminal work, “Spoonful of Ginger” is finally being published. Knopf did a beautiful job and even my editor, Judith Jones, is amazed at how stunning the book is! (And the price is EXTREMELY reasonable.)

For the uninitiated, ” Spoonful of Ginger” took 7 years to research and write. After many years of being fascinated with the concept of ” food as medicine”, I undertook the project to explore the topic in depth. I traveled all over the world, seeking out “food as medicine” healers, doctors, and cooks. This book chronicles my travels and profiles those people. I, also, compiled a treasury of some of my favorite, delicious, and health-giving recipes, many of which were adapted from cooks and healers.

To celebrate, we are launching a series of videos that offer viewers a “taste” of the food in the book. So here is a wonderful Spicy Stir – Fried Chicken with Vegetables.

Enjoy!

Nina

I grew up relishing my Mom’s crisp potato pancakes. One night many years ago when I lived in the Far East, I decided to prepare them for my “surrogate” Chinese family and introduce them to one of my favorite Hanukkah foods, On a whim, I substituted scallions for the onions and the dish was an instant hit. To this day, I still make latkes with scallions and they are one of my son Jesse’s favorite dishes..

As much as I love the flavor of fried potato pancakes, my house smells like fried oil for days afterward so I developed an easier and (Dare I say?)  healthier version where they are crisp-baked in the oven. If you go to the recipe section, or click on the picture of potato pancakes below, you’ll see my recipes for both versions. Either  dish is excellent served with sour cream or applesauce. ( If you are watching your weight, substitute, non-fat yogurt for the sour cream.)

Enjoy!

Nina

Photo: Tina Rupp

Venezuelan~ dark chocolate with a rich, buttery, caramel taste combined with an earthy dustiness and a long, strong, finish.

Madagascan~ milk chocolate with honeycomb, cinnamon and pomegranate qualities.

Papau-New Guinea~ milk chocolate with a masculine, earthy quality with notes of tobacco leaves and red berries

Columbian~ actually grown and manufactured in its place of origin, has strong coffee notes, nutty sweetness, and a delicate smoky finish.

Carribbean~ a dark chocolate that’s lively and complex. Hints of licorice mingle with banana and olives.

I bought a bunch for gifts and a friend thought they would make great stocking stuffers. My husband now has a new late afternoon snack. J

Enjoy!! Stay tuned for upcoming videos from my travels to China and London.

Nina

But it is the signature sandwiches like the Donati, (my favorite ) which features sopressata, mortadella, prosciutto di parma, provolone  cheese topped with tomatoes, lettuce, red onions & hot peppers, drizzled w/EVOO & balsamic glaze, homemade meatball sandwiches, The West Beach, sliced all-natural turkey with Brie topped with mixed greens, cranberry horseradish sauce & /or mayo, that people line up for. My husband, Don, swooned over his lobster salad sandwich on toasted white bread (unlike the classic rendition served on a buttered hot dog bun, Vidalia serves their’s on toasted bread or a ciabatta roll. “It’s a little messy, but you get more lobster,” my husband remarked. Cooking classes will be held on alternate  Wednesday nights.

Vidalias Eat Fresh is located at 9 West Street, Beverly Farms. Hours are Mon-Sat 7 am-6 pm, Sunday 8 am -4 pm.

1 teaspoon virgin olive oil

2 ½  tablespoons rice wine, sake, or very good quality dry sherry

1 ½  tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon sea salt

1.Trim away any tough leafy ends and peel away any tough skin from the stalk.  Cut the stalk on the diagonal into 1 ½-inch lengths. Separate any flowerets. Rinse the vegetable thoroughly and drain

2.Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot and add the stalky, tougher part of the vegetable. Cook about 2 minutes or until near tender. Add the leafy sections or flowerets and cook for another minute. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold, running water. Drain. (You can do this in advance.)

3.Heat a wok or a deep skillet until very hot, then pour in the oil, and heat until near smoking. (Don’t be afraid to get the pan too really. This will give the dish its special flavor.) Add the greens, rice wine, garlic, salt, and toss lightly over high heat for about a minute. Scoop out the vegetable, arranging it on a serving platter, and spoon the liquid on top. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Mid-summer is the most glorious time for enjoying local fruits and vegetables- especially berries, tomatoes and corn. Of course, I enjoy all the other fresh bounty from the garden and fields as well. But mid-July is an EXCRUCIATING time for me because I am impatiently waiting for local corn. I’m talking newly-picked-that-day-still-warm-and-moist-from-the-vine-corn. On the East Coast, we are getting corn from New Jersey and western Massachusetts, but that’s not FRESH ENOUGH for me.

Still, I see the ears of corn in the local farmer’s market and they call to me… “Nina, eat me!!”
So last week I bought some and developed a recipe for Smoky Grilled Sesame Corn for the new cookbook that I’m writing.. It was so good that I used the leftovers and created another new recipe for Smoky Corn and Red Pepper Salsa. I discovered that you can camouflage the flavor of “almost fresh enough” corn by grilling it!!  My friend, Jaime Dominguez, who is a great cook, was visiting from San Francisco with his family and  taught me the easiest way to grill corn on the cob. I previously thought I had it perfected, but Jaime showed me how to make it taste even smokier.

These two recipes are the first of many that I will share from the new book. The working title is “Simple Asian Meals” and the recipes are EASY, DELICIOUS, and ACCESSIBLE. They reflect the way I cook at home and how I deal with the daily dilemma of “What to make for dinner?”  Yes, even though I’m a cookbook author, I deal with this boring issue every day just like everyone else. Although, its so much easier  now when local products are so inspiring.

The majority of the recipes in the new book are meal-in-one dishes. Smoky Grilled Sesame Corn and the Smoky Corn and  Red Pepper Salsa are from the chapter titled “Easy Sides” which accompany the “Asian Grill” recipes. “Easy Side” dishes can also be served with pan-fried, stir-fried, grilled, or steamed foods and include  Spicy Fennel Slaw,  Sake-Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Roasted Cherry Tomato Cilantro  Salsa, and Vietnamese Cole Slaw with Dill.

Enjoy the recipes and celebrate my favorite time of year!!

Nina

Photo from: www.howstuffworks.com/corn.htm

FYI, the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010”, (a retooling of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966), passed the Senate with a $4.5 billion increase for school lunches over the next ten years. Sounds pretty good, huh? Unfortunately, it is shockingly short of the $10 billion over 10 years that the Obama Administration had suggested. Food advocates also agree that this amount is necessary for a true, healthy overhaul of the nation’s school lunch program.

It is time for change: Under the current requirements potatoes-even in the sorry form of soggy French fries- count as a vegetable. Your voice needs to be heard in order to make these reforms a reality. Here’s what you can do:

• Write or call your state representative and ask them to support greater increases to the school lunch reforms We’re hoping for an increase of 70 cents to $1. To contact your representative call the capitol switchboard at 1-800-815-3740 and ask for your state’s representative.

• Join Jamie Oliver’s revolutionary Food Revolution. Sign the petition here!

• Most importantly, make yourself aware of the issues. Check out the work

Renegade Lunch Lady, Ann Cooper, is doing: http://www.chefann.com/.

Let’s all help promote change and make it a reality.

Cheers,

Joanna

By day, Kim Severson is an esteemed food journalist for the New York Times. Now she is also a published author who has written “Spoon Fed: How Eight Cooks Saved My Life”.

In the book we learn how Marion (Fanny Farmer) Cunningham, Alice Waters, Rachel Ray, and Ruth Reichl, a veritable Who’s Who of the cooking world, have taught her life lessons that helped her come into her own.

In this enlightening interview, Kim shares how these famous women and others have shaped her life.

Enjoy!

Nina

Secrets From Asia

When I went to Asia, my Cantonese teachers introduced me to whole new style of pickle making that was so easy, any cook can do it at home.

• Mix equal parts vinegar and sugar with a little bit of smashed ginger

• Add the vegetables and let them marinate a few hours

There you have it:

A TASTY CRISP PICKLE

Sometimes I heat up the mixture to dissolve the sugar and speed up the process a little, but this step can be omitted.



My Dad, who is an avid cook, makes his pickles with cucumber slices. He’s 88 and still cooking away so I tell people, if he can do it, anyone can.Stay tuned for these upcoming videos:

• My visit to Suzhou, the lovely city near Shanghai which is known as the Venice of China

• My favorite restaurant in China and some of its specialties (Hint: It’s in Beijing!)• More Vegetable Quick Bites• A personal tour of my favorite Dim Sum Restaurant in London• Great Tips on bargain Summer Wines with Howie Rubin, from Bauer Wines