For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

This week learn why Coca-Cola is afraid of Twitter, health isn’t the best reason to exercise, and cutting calories might prevent cancer but probably won’t extend your life.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Delicious. I also share links on Twitter @summertomato,  Google+ and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you. (And yes, I took that pepper heart pic myself).

Links of the week

• The Long Angry Arm of Coca-Cola <<Please read this, so you know what we’re up against (and why we might win). (Weighty Matters)
• Does Calorie Restriction Extend Lifespan in Mammals? <<The latest data suggests calorie restriction isn’t as promising as people hoped in prolonging lifespan in primates, but it does seem to protect against cancer and make you look better. This is a great analysis. (Whole Health Source)
• Should You Fast – At Least Briefly? <<While we’re on the subject of eating less, it’s worth mentioning that intermittent fasting is also encouraging for improving health. (Dr. Weil)
• How much does obesity cost American society? <<I wish the politicians would put this in their deficit pipes and smoke it. (Food Politics)
• Changing Our Tune on Exercise <<I love this. I’ve long been a believer that the hardest part of living healthy is not knowing what to do, but knowing how to do it. The cool part about this particular method is that it’s based in reality: exercise really does make your life better. (New York Times)
• ‘Study: Fruits, vegetables may be key to long-term weight loss <<This article is filled with annoying speculation and few facts, but the take home message is interesting. Basically vegetable consumption is the best predictor of long-term weight control, but not short-term. (LA Times)
• Many Trendy ‘Microgreens’ Are More Nutritious Than Their Mature Counterparts <<Suddenly want to eat more vegetables? Why not throw some microgreens in there? They are really cute too. (ScienceDaily)
• Living Against the Clock: Does Loss of Daily Rhythms Cause Obesity? <<Another poor write up describing something interesting. I’m only sharing because this is not the first data I’ve seen suggesting circadian rhythms are important in body weight regulation, and I recommend putting yourself on the most regular sleep and eating schedules you can manage. (ScienceDaily)
• Chipotle Salmon <<This is the first time I’ve been intrigued by a new salmon recipe in awhile. ‘Tis the season! (Barefeet in the Kitchen)
• PandoHouse Rock — The GMO Song: “OMG GMOs!” <<Not sure how cool this is, but it is a pretty succinct explanation of why I’m voting yes on Prop 37 in November. (PandoDaily)

What inspired you this week?

Olive Oil

You’ve probably heard it is important to keep your cholesterol levels low, but if you want to protect yourself against heart disease you may be barking up the wrong tree.

Total cholesterol is actually a fairly poor predictor of heart disease, and LDL  “bad” cholesterol is only slightly better. Instead, the ratio of “good” HDL cholesterol to LDL is the most reliable indicator of cardiovascular health. That means higher HDL is as important (if not more so) than lower LDL for protecting against heart disease and atherosclerosis.

That’s right, you want higher HDL cholesterol.

HDL cholesterol scavenges the blood and removes dangerous cholesterol deposits from the arteries. An HDL level above 60 mg/dL is considered protective against heart disease whereas HDL below 40 mg/dL is a risk, even if your LDL is fairly low.

Last time I had my HDL tested it was above 80 mg/dL.

While drugs like statins are not very effective in raising HDL cholesterol, lifestyle modifications can raise HDL substantially.

10 Ways to raise your HDL cholesterol

1. Exercise Exercise can substantially increase HDL cholesterol while lowering LDL cholesterol.
2. Lose weight Weight loss is almost always accompanied by improved cholesterol numbers, including increased HDL.
3. Don’t smoke Smoking has been shown to lower HDL while raising LDL cholesterol.
4. Avoid trans fat Processed, trans fats simultaneously raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol, vastly increasing your risk of heart disease (similar to smoking). Margarin, shortening and other fake fats should always be avoided.
5. Avoid low-fat diets Low-fat diets lower both LDL and HDL cholesterol and are not effective at reducing heart disease.
6. Eat olive oil and avocados Monounsaturated fats such as those found in olive oil and avocados raise HDL and lower LDL.
7. Eat fish Fish (especially fatty fish like salmon and sardines) contain omega-3 fats that raise HDL and lower LDL.
8. Avoid refined carbohydrates Refined carbohydrates negatively impact HDL and raise LDL (bad news).
9. Eat whole grains Whole, intact grains contain soluble fiber and niacin, both of which raise HDL and may lower LDL.
10. Drink alcohol 1-2 drinks per day can be as effective as exercise in raising HDL levels. However too much alcohol raises risk for cancer and addiction.

For more information on cholesterol check out my video Cholesterol Explained.

Are you concerned about HDL? Is your doctor?

Originally published Sept 14, 2009.

Squash Pasta

Recently a reader asked:

“Any tips on pasta substitutes? (I did read your post about how whole grain/whole wheat pasta isn’t really a whole lot better than regular pasta).”

Pasta and noodles can be tricky if you’re trying to lose weight and get healthy. Though some people consider Italian pasta (made from semolina flour) to be a low glycemic index food, in my experience frequent pasta consumption will start the scale moving slowly upward.

I love pasta, but eat it sparingly.

Luckily I have found a noodle substitute that I absolutely adore, and it’s even faster than boiling water.

Although I was shocked at how delicious this turned out, I was even more amazed at how easy it was to prepare. All you need is some summer squash, a vegetable peeler and a bowl (optional). Cook the noodles by quickly sautéing them with a little olive oil and Kosher salt.

You can use any sauce you like. I modified the simple tomato sauce recipe from Cook’s Illustrated.

Summer Squash Pasta & Simple Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2-4 summer squash such as zucchini
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 medium fresh tomato
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ~10 leaves fresh basil
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt

First run your garlic through a garlic press and place into a small bowl or cup. Add 1 tbsp warm water to the garlic, stir and set aside.

Next drain your tomatoes and reserve the liquid. Dice your fresh tomato into half inch cubes.

Chop your basil. Leaves such as mint and basil are easiest to cut if you chiffonade them by stacking the leaves on top of each other and rolling them lengthwise like a cigarette. From there they are easy to cut into thin strips.

In a pan heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and add the garlic. Cook until fragrant but not brown, about one minute. Add the canned tomatoes and simmer until sauce starts to thicken, about 8 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, peel squash as shown in the video. Saute the squash ribbons in olive oil on medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and sauté for no more than 2 minutes. Do not allow them to brown or soften. Noodles should be brightly colored and al dente. Remove from pan and set aside.

When sauce starts to thicken, add fresh tomatoes and basil. Add some reserved tomato liquid if it becomes too thick to work with. Cook sauce another 3 minutes or so and salt to taste.

Toss your sauce with squash noodles and serve immediately.

How else do you like to eat squash pasta?

This post and video are pretty old, but this is still one of my all-time favorite recipes. Originally published July 29, 2009.

Zephyr Squash

My name is Ashley Mason, and I’m a graduate student who lived in Tucson for five years while working on my PhD. My husband Evan works in tech. We love to play scrabble, frequent farmers markets, drink wine while cooking, and eat dark chocolate while watching The Daily Show. We’ve been novice weight lifters for about four years. We are leaving our treasured Tucson to move to Palo Alto in just two weeks’ time for his work and my residency.

Farmers Market Update: Tucson

by Ashley Mason

When people hear “Tucson,” they often think, “hot, unbearable heat” and “dry, cactus-filled desert.” Indeed, these are both true, but a whole lot of wonderful produce grows here, and there is quite a bit of pasture on which to raise animals. Tucson is a relatively small town, and home to a variety of small farmers markets.

The good news is that no matter where one lives, there is a market nearby. Here, though, one has to come to market early, or risk missing some of the best picks—to other people, or to the heat, whichever arrives first. My husband and I generally like to purchase our eggs, vegetables, cheeses, beef, fruits, and bacon at the markets, so we generally cover two markets each weekend. This was our last weekend venture to these markets before our move to California.

Goat Cheeses

The Philips Plaza Tucson farmers market, located north of Tucson proper, is a Tucson gem. One can find a variety of eggs (duck, quail, peacock, or chicken), local cheeses (especially goat cheeses), breads, and of course, fruits and vegetables. The market this August was brimming with peaches and squash. This week I hosted a brunch for several friends who love spicy food and wanted to make a quiche, so I was particularly after eggs and anything I could incorporate into the quiche or as a side.

The Fiore de Capra sells goat’s milk cheeses that are just to die for. From spreads to solid cheeses for slicing, they have quite the variety. Their cheeses are tangy and have a fabulous texture, not a bit grainy. One of the best things is that the marinades that the cheeses are packed in (olive oil and various peppers, peppercorns, etc.) makes a wonderful marinade for chicken or other vegetables long after the cheese is gone. I opted for a baked goat brie wedge and a goat cheese marinated in a mixture of olive oil and jabanero peppers. Who doesn’t want to wake up to a goat cheese quiche?

Fiore de Capra Cheeses

The Village Bakehouse is a famous-to-Tucson local bakery that specializes in breads. At this booth if you ask for olive bread, whichever baker is working will likely ask you what type of olives you prefer. They also make excellent pecan rolls. My husband has a soft spot for these, so we picked one up.

Pastries

Maria of Durazo’s Poco Loco Specialty Salsas has something for everyone. Our favorite? Her chunky pico de gallo, made with home-roasted local chiles. Although one might think of tomatoes as the primary ingredient here, Maria focuses heavily on the natural oils in the chiles when she describes each of her offerings. She also makes wonderful fruit salsas with peaches and mangos. Evan actually plops this salsa in the pan with his eggs every morning, and the smell of roasted green chiles floods our apartment.

Maria

Right by Durazo’s is Tortilla Arevalo, which sells mesquite flour tortillas, corn tortillas, tamales, and homemade chips deep fried in olive oil. These are a real treat.

Arevalo

Grammy’s Garden, located in Wilcox Arizona, always has wonderful produce. The sweet potatoes are awesome, especially when roasted with a mixture of coconut oil, paprika, and cinnamon. They also grow a variety of tomatoes and other well-known vegetable varieties. I picked up a few sweet potatoes and started dreaming up a curried sweet potato hash side dish.

Grammy's Garden

These cherry tomatoes were delicious—flavorful, sweet, and perfect for roasting or simply eating drizzled with balsamic and olive oil. We decided these would make a lovely roasted tomato side dish. We picked up a couple of pints of cherry tomatoes.

Tomatoes

George and his grandmother oversee the production of a variety of pickled and preserved vegetables, as well as jams and jellies.

Grammys Jars

My husband and I normally buy a lot of yellow squash, and frequently make Darya’s “pasta” recipe by using a peeler to create large fettuccine noodles, but this week we held out for some different squashes that are not as frequently available. Larry’s Veggies is an excellent place for all things squash. They always have a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes of squash, and this week I was in the mood for something different.

Larry's Summer Squash

Crook-neck squash and large summer squashes are excellent both cooked and raw. The smaller crook neck squashes are actually on the sweet side this year, and when sliced, make excellent “chips” for salsa or guacamole dipping. We like to thinly slice the larger squash and layer the slices with goat cheese and homemade marinara sauce, and bake it into a sort of “lasagna.”

Two-Tone Squash

Larry’s also has eggs from their small flock of chickens, and the yolks are almost the color of a florida navel orange. I picked up a variety of squashes and the last dozen of eggs, along with a hefty bag of baby lettuces and a couple cloves of garlic.

Larry's Veggies

I’d already gotten cherry tomatoes, but these looked good too!

Garlic and Cherry Tomatoes

We picked up several squash from Leo Big D Farms. The purple okra looked beautiful, too.

Leo Big D

Wilcox peaches, which are actually cling peaches, are a must if you can find them in August in Tucson. They are the most delicious peaches I’ve ever had. They are small, but the flavor is intense. Delicious (and a sticky mess) in the car on the way home, but also when sliced and mixed with fresh blueberries. I purchased a few pounds from Grammy’s Farm. We cite these peaches for our complete disinterest in store-bought peaches.

Peaches

It would not be a Tucson market without some chili offerings. These jalapeños were on the cusp of becoming the hottest that they ever will. A lone jalapeño was the first to start to turn color. We chose a very small one to mince for the quiche.

Jalapeno

Since we knew we would need a good deal of eggs, and had some hopes for bacon and homemade beef breakfast sausage, we had also driven 10 minutes north to the Oro Valley farmers market the previous day (Saturday), just outside of Tucson city limits, to get some eggs and meats.

The grassfed beef from Sombrero Butte Beef company is unbelievable. Laurie, the ranch owner, and her husband, raise the cattle and slaughter approximately two per month. For over a year, Laurie set aside tenderloin roasts for me, and we used them at our wedding this past June in Chicago. The TSA at the airport got to know me as “the beef lady” as I carted frozen beef to Chicago four times over the course of the year! Laurie also occasionally has local bacon—a real treat. We picked up a couple pounds of ground beef to make into beef sausage patties, along with a couple pounds of bacon. Earlier in the week, I’d gotten some spices from Penzeys that I use to make “sausage.”

Laurie

This family runs the Rancho Chico Eggs, which specializes in a variety of eggs, from chicken eggs to peacock eggs. The couple who run this booth are engineers who also have a knack for raising chickens and other birds, and bring their five children with them every week.

Rancho Chico

The children are often over by Laurie’s beef stand, snacking on whatever she’s cooked up to sample, but always come back to greet customers. I average two hugs per visit from the little girls. We picked up a dozen chicken eggs here.

Rancho kids

In total, we had wonderful ingredients for the brunch. We made a goat cheese quiche with baby greens and pico de gallo, curried sweet potato hash, bacon, grass-fed beef sausages, roasted cherry tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, and sliced peaches. Everything was a hit, not a leftover in sight! Later that week, we made the above-mentioned “lasagna,” also delicious.

The Loot

Purchases:

• 2 pounds grass fed ground beef from Sombrero Butte Beef Company
• 2 pounds local bacon from Sombrero Butte Beef Company
• 3 pounds Wilcox (cling) peaches from Grammy’s Garden
• 1 pint mild pico de gallo salsa from Durazo’s Poco Loco Specialty Salsas
• 1 spaghetti squash from Sleeping Frogs Farms
• 1 bag mixed lettuces from Larry’s Veggies
• 1 tiny jalapeno from Leo Big D Farms
• 1 dozen eggs from Larry’s Veggies
• 1 dozen eggs from Rancho Chico Eggs
• 1 package goat cheese marinated in jabanero peppers and olive oil
• 1 baked goat cheese brie wedge from Fiore de Capra cheeses
• 3 large sweet potatoes from Grammy’s Garden
• Several two-tone squash from Leo Big D Farms
• Several summer squash from Larry’s Veggies
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes from Grammy’s Garden
• 1 pecan roll from The Village Bakehouse (didn’t make it home! Devoured in the car.)

What was at your farmers market this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

This week learn why banning healthy food is a good idea, industrial chicken will kill us all, and cows are being fed candy instead of corn.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Delicious. I also share links on Twitter @summertomato,  Google+ and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you. (And yes, I took that pepper heart pic myself).

Links of the week

• Investigation: Drug Resistance, Chicken And 8 Million UTIs <<If you aren’t worried about antibiotic use in livestock and poultry, you should be. (Wired)
• Banning “Healthy Food” From Our Diet <<I love the ideas here. I’m not sure this is the best approach, but I can’t tell you how many people have told me they don’t like “vegetables or healthy foods.” So much of this game is psychological. (Huffington Post)
• Farmers are dealing with corn shortages by feeding cows candy instead <<BS of the week. I mean I guess it makes sense, since most of the corn goes to making candy anyway. (Grist)
• Drop the Pasta, Dad, and No One Gets Hurt <<Are your kids making you fat? If so (no point in kidding yourself), there’s some great tips at the end of this article. (NY Times)
• 30 Minutes of Daily Exercise Does the Trick: Same Effect in Half the Time <<Shorter workouts more effective than longer ones? Interesting stuff here. (ScienceDaily)
• How to Make Summer Your Training Partner <<Really cool new data on training in the heat. (NY Times)
• Entertaining nutrition research: “nutrifluff” <<Hahaha, nutrifluff. We’re bombarded with it. (Food Politics)
• Gender Differences in Fat Metabolism <<Super interesting info on how women store fat. Geeky chicks, you’ll love this. (Mark’s Daily Apple)
• Clear Links Found Between Inflammation, Bacterial Communities and Cancer <<In my opinion, the intersection of gut flora, nutrition and disease is one of the most interesting new subjects in biology. (ScienceDaily)
• Roasted Tomato Corn Soup with Yogurt & Basil <<Summer in a bowl. I love it. (Not Eating Out In New York)

What inspired you this week?