Deliciously good for you.

How chefs stay svelte

by SARA on May 4, 2011

A doctor I once interviewed told me that sometimes, when trying to come up with solutions to a problem, it helps to look at extreme cases. If you find something that works in those, you’re likely onto a trick that can be applied in the real world.

Take this tip to the kitchen, what group stands out? Chefs. They’re not just cooking one meal, but sometimes hundreds. (I recently interviewed Tom Colicchio on a night when he and his team had to prepare 500 individual dishes. I still find this baffling.) All the while, they’re surrounded by temptation, and it’s actually part of their job to taste that bounty to make sure it’s fresh and the flavors are right.

Still, if you think about it, a whole lot of chefs are in pretty decent shape these days. Ergo, a few weeks back, I asked eight well-known chefs for their best stay-healthy cooking tip. I’ve got to say, I was pretty impressed with their suggestions. You can find the full story with quotes and recipes on iVillage.com. Here, my personal favorites:

Mike Isabella from Top Chef All Stars says he uses grapeseed oil instead of butter. It’s got just two grams of saturated fat per tablespoon, as opposed to butter–which has seven. He also (conservatively) sprinkles satiety-inducing nuts on salads.

White House pastry chef Bill Yosses looks for high quality ingredients. The more natural flavor something has, he reasons, the less of it you have to use. (Click here for the chocolate mousse recipe he makes for the Obamas.)

Do you really “deserve” that treat?

by Camille on April 29, 2011

I had the good fortune to chat with NYC-based dietitian Laura Stadler, R.D., last week for a story I was writing. Laura said something that triggered an “aha” moment for me.

We were discussing how to stay healthy when you’re traveling, and she said, “One of the biggest mistakes is thinking that because traveling is so miserable, you deserve a treat–it’s a form of justification for ordering and eating something bigger, greasier and saltier than you normally would.”

I’m usually a smart eater, and filling my diet with nutritious food that helps my health and keeps my weight in check is important to me. BUT, after Laura mentioned “I deserve a treat” mentality, I realized that I fall victim to this line of thinking all too often. Up half the night with a fussy baby? I deserve a piece of chocolate. Four deadlines in three days? I think I’ll have pizza for dinner. In fact, just the other day, I was in the Miami airport and caught myself thinking, “This layover is taking forever–maybe I should get some ice cream.” I realized what I was doing and went to refill my water bottle instead. For me, a little awareness has already improved my tendency to treat myself too often, instead of saving sweets and other treats for what they should be: a once-in-a-while thing.

Do you struggle with this, too? If so, what helps you stay aware and eat healthy?

-Camille

An addendum

One Svelte reader wisely pointed out that instead of employing self-blame, replacing less-than-healthful treats with ones that make you feel good about yourself (think yoga, getting a pedicure or taking a walk) is a more positive approach.

I think this is good advice, with the caveat that at least in my experience, it works best in especially stressful situations, rather than as a day-to-day coping tool*.

Personally, using food as a treat became a bad habit–I could never take a walk or get a massage in every situation in which I felt bad, but I could pop into the kitchen for a piece of chocolate, and so the more I did it–well, the more I did it. (The fact that I was bleary-eyed from sleep deprivation, thanks to my newborn, didn’t help–try breaking a habit on four hours of shut-eye!)

-Camille

*For more on healthy non-food ways to cope, I recommend checking out one of Judith Beck, Ph.D.’s books or Jean Fain’s The Self Compassion Diet.

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A delicious read

by Camille on April 26, 2011

Looking for a book to lose yourself in? Glamour’s health and nutrition blogger and long-time friend of SvelteGourmand Sarah Jio’s first novel, The Violets of March, is out today! I can’t recommend it enough–it’s one of my favorite novels of the past few years. Set in scenic Bainbridge Island, Violets is a mystery within a love story, and is the kind of book that you could share with your best friend, mother or even grandmother and know that they’d love it. Here’s the description:

In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after. Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily’s good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life.

Check it out–I’d love to know what you think!

-Camille

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In time for spring: Chef Matt’s Lime Coconut Dressing

by SARA on April 18, 2011

Here in New York, we’re finally getting some hints that spring, in fact, exists. (Thank goodness. I was starting to wonder.) That in mind, I can’t think of a better post for today than this one. Of late, I’ve been hooked on coconut water. It’s just sweet enough, and the quenching electrolytes make it perfect for after the gym. I’ve also had this New York Times piece on my brain. According to the research it cites, the cholesterol problems associated with coconut oil consumption appear to be restricted to the partially hydrogenated variety.

Given how common coconut oil is in vegan cooking, I got curious–and asked Svelte’s Chef Matt Downes if he could come up with a fun, easy recipe to give me a sense of what all the fuss is about. The dressing he came up with was perfect. Seasonal and refreshing, but also rich and spicy. Recipe follows. To keep you company as you read I highly recommend you click through this link and press “play.” Read more…

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Possibly the best cookies ever (and they’re good for you!)

by Camille on April 13, 2011

Earlier this week, I made the cookie to end all cookies: flourless chocolate-walnut cookies (recipe compliments of François Payard). Can I just say? You MUST try them. On top of the fact they contain just six ingredients, are gluten-free and are practically fool-proof, these sweet treats have the most amazing fudgy flavor, and the entire cookie has the consistency of brownie crust.

What I really love is that these cookies are chock full of walnuts. We’ve written here before about how darn good walnuts are for you; now a recent report presented at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society revealed that of all nuts, walnuts are richest and highest quality source of antioxidants. Many Svelte readers have commented that walnuts can have a bitter flavor, but these flourless chocolate-walnut cookies bring out the walnuts’ sweet nutty flavor and cover all traces of unpleasantness.

You can find the recipe here. Try it and tell me what you think.

-Camille

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The Big New York Sandwich Book!

by Camille on April 11, 2011

I’ll admit, my conversion to sandwich fan was not a fast process. I realize now that it had everything to do with the fact that I was eating all the wrong sandwiches: dry turkey breast on uninspired wheat bread, grilled cheese that tasted like grilled plastic with butter.

But a trip to Sweden–where the sandwich is king, and for good reason–sparked an evolution in my appetite. And if that wasn’t enough, Sara began working on what would turn out to be a truly stellar cookbook about, of course, sandwiches–and in the process, convinced me that I was missing out by avoiding anything stuck between two pieces of bread (or, as it turns out, two pieces of cookie, cracker, greens and so many other things).

I’m excited to say that the cookbook in question–The Big New York Sandwich Book–which Sara wrote with food journalist Jean Tang, was released last week.

I’d rave about the book and all of its mouth-watering recipes, but the Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine and Glamour (among many others!) have all beat me to the punch.

So I will just say this: this book is delicious.

Read more about it–and buy it!–here.

-Camille

PS Want a free copy? I’m giving away one my author site today.

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Candy: a waist-watcher’s secret weapon?

by Camille on April 5, 2011

Photo by Giovanni Spina

Do you eat sweets? I do, almost every day (more on that shortly). Now a new study has me feeling a lot less guilty about my candy jones. Researchers at Louisiana State University reviewed the dietary habits of more than 15,000 people and found that those who indulged in candy or chocolate daily weighed less and lower body mass indexes (BMI) than those who abstained. What’s more, they had a 14% reduced risk of elevated blood pressure and a 15% decrease in their risk of metabolic syndrome, which is a precursor to less-than-pleasant health problems like diabetes and stroke.

The catch? The slim snackers weren’t eating two king-sized candy bars a day; on average, they consumed just over an ounce of candy per day. That’s the equivalent of a few small squares of a chocolate bar or half a bag of Sour Patch Kids.

As for me, like the do have a sweet treat most days–but just a little (usually a handful of dark chocolate chips or a little ice cream). I’ve found when I try to over-restrict myself, I inevitably end up with my head in a carton of ice cream. (Kidding! Sort of.)

-Camille

Fess up: do you eat sweets every day too?

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Four easy food switches that just might reduce your toxin exposure

by SARA on March 28, 2011

For this month’s Health magazine, I dug into the question of what to buy natural. A few of the items our experts chose were no brainers–cows can be treated with hormones that act like estrogen as well as antibiotics, so buying organic beef and especially milk can help you get around that issue. (Shockingly, dairy products alone account for between 60 and 80 percent of the hormones we ingest.) Also, fruits and vegetables with large surface areas that you don’t typically peel are often laden with pesticides. Strawberries and peaches are standard examples, while porous things like celery are worst of all because they suck pesticides in just as they do water. And then there’s BPA, of course, which can leach into food from cans or when you’re microwaving some plastics at high heat.

That said, a lot of what I learned was new to me. And I found that part empowering, especially–and this is key to remember–given that all this stuff is cumulative. Just like everything else diet-related, no one change is going to make or break you, but acquiring a few healthy habits here and there can result in a big net gain. Here, the four that I came away with.

No more nonstick cookware: Teflon and other nonstick pots and pans are made with a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been linked to cancers, thyroid disease, and high cholesterol. According to the American Cancer Society, when inhaled at high heat, PFOAs have been shown to produce flu-like symptoms. (Birds, when left alone with a hot nonstick pan, have actually died from PFOA inhalation.) If you’re up for the change, consider buying cast iron: Because a little of the iron gets into your food each time you cook, it’s a move doctors often recommend for women independent of environmental reasons. Read more…

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Sugar: Just as bad for you as high fructose corn syrup?

by Camille on March 18, 2011

I’m a fan of real sugar. That’s not to say that I eat it all the time–I’ve written here before about how difficult it is to keep sugar consumption in check–but if if I’m going to have a treat, I’d rather it was made from sugar rather than high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

A recent story in Mother Jones got me thinking, though. The writer points out that sugar and HFCS are almost identical in terms of their fructose content–and unlike glucose, which the body uses almost instantly for fuel, fructose is the sweetener that’s “sent to the liver for processing … it causes a buildup of fats there, triggering a host of health problems including diabetes, gout, and heart disease … it can lead to insulin resistance, a hormonal snafu that makes you feel hungry even when you’re full.”

The author doesn’t delve into the research that shows that beyond obesity, HFCS has specifically been tied to some pretty nasty health problems, like fatty liver disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. I’m not suggesting that sugar should have a health halo–but until more research shows that regular old sugar is as problematic as HFCS, it’s still going to be my indulgence of choice.

What do you think? Sugar or HFCS?

-Camille

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Five diet “rules” to kick to the curb

by SARA on March 13, 2011

A while back, I got to put together a fun, Svelte-friendly story for All You magazine–”Cheat on Your Diet (and Still Lose Weight).” Most of it is, unfortunately, only in the magazine (which was out in December–I’m that behind these days), but a truncated version it is available here. For today’s post, I thought I’d put up a few of the tips from the article, along with some expert commentary (that we didn’t have room for in the actual piece). Got others to add–or thoughts on these? I’d love your take…

Rule to break: No carbs at night “This is such a common one,” says Stephanie Middleberg, SG’s go-to nutritionist. “So many people like to have something like a bread roll at dinner and feel they can’t. But the fact is, when they let themselves, they’re more satisfied and less likely to graze during the night.” Experts are even discovering that carbs are better for us than once thought. A recent study published by The American Dietetic Association found that people who eat carbs tend to be slimmer than those who avoid them. The key? Look for complex (think whole grain) over simple (white bread and candy) and stick to a small serving.

Rule to break: Pass on dessert “The key to making dessert work in your diet is to bring the quality up and the portion size down,” says New York nutritionist Marissa Lippert, author of The Cheater’s Diet. “When you get a really good quality chocolate bar you only need a few squares because it’s so great and satisfying it hits all your senses. You’re not left craving anything additional.” Indulging every so often also keeps you from feeling deprived, frustrated, and falling off the weight-control wagon. Remember, too, that not every treat is something you need to bank for: Yogurt or fruit with melted chocolate, for example, is an easy–and nutritious–everyday treat.

Rule to break: Quit drinking to lose weight “Yes, alcohol is high in calories, but a glass at the end of the day won’t set you back, especially if you account for it,” says Middleberg. “If you don’t like the way a diet works, you won’t stick with it. It’s pretty simple.” One way to make room for the expenditure: Tell yourself you can’t have bread, alcohol, and dessert all in one meal. Choose just one per night. Read more…

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