mediterranean diet

House Smoked Salmon with Tarragon Aioli, pickled red onion and sweet lemon Rind

This recipe is inspired by an appetizer from a favorite restaurant. I had the dish three times!!! while on holiday because I was so obsessed with the delicious flavors. I’ve managed to recreate this favorite dish to share with you.

The recipe is easy, but it does require multiple steps. I assure you; this dip is worth the effort. Eating healthy doesn't mean sacrificing flavor or fun. This gluten and dairy free, low carb friendly recipe makes an elegant and nourishing appetizer to offer your guests. Best of all, this smoked salmon recipe does not require any special equipment.

6 side dishes for lower blood pressure and improved cardiovascular health

This February marks the 59th annual American Heart Month. This long tradition helps educate people about cardiovascular disease and promotes longer, healthier lives. Despite this wonderful tradition and progress, heart disease remains the single largest health threat to Americans. This month I invite you to learn more about this amazing organ system and then give it some extra TLC with common ingredients from your kitchen.

Mediterranean Diet For Everyone

There are so many different specialty diets these days: Keto, Paleo, Vegan, FODMAP, and the list goes on. I've prescribed all of these diets to patients for different reasons over the years, as everyone has individual needs at times. After 20+ years of medical practice, including 7 years focused on food and nutrition, I have come to the conclusion that there is no one perfect diet. That being said, I love to teach and preach about the Mediterranean diet because it is as close to a "one size fits-all" plan that works.

Lemony Herbed Sardine Salad

Sardines are unsung heroes for good mood. Not only are they affordable and sustainable, but they are rich in omega-3s and vitamin D which tend to be in short supply in most people’s diet. This lemony, herby prep is fierce competition for even the best tuna salad. Enjoy it on whole grain or gluten free crackers, lettuce wraps or a large salad.

The Art of a Sheet Pan Dinner

A busy cooks dream, a sheet pan dinner is similar to a one-pot meal. It does not require fancy equipment yet makes kitchen clean-up a breeze at the end of the meal. Your ingredients can be as simple or fancy as desired, just follow a basic formula that includes protein, veggies, fat and flavoring. Roast until everything is golden and marvel at your accomplishment when dinner is served.

Lemon Ginger Salsa with Blackened Fish

Blackened grouper or snapper is a favorite meal at my house. For the blackening seasoning, I like to make my own spice blends so I can tailor the flavors to the palate of my family. The spice blend listed below is versatile and can be used on multiple types of seafood or proteins.

Lately I have been pairing the savory blackening flavor with the bight, acid punch of a lemon salsa. The ginger, lemons and peppers come together for a sweet, spicy complement to the blackened fish.

Peach Melon Gazpacho

Local, tree ripened peaches are one of my favorite foods. In the late mid-western summer, they happen to be bountiful along with sweet melons and mellow cucumbers. These beauties are easy to pick up at your local farmer’s market or grocery. One benefit of deliberately eating locally and seasonally is that you are more likely to eat a wide variety of foods resulting in a greater diversity of phytonutrients vital for health and chronic disease prevention. The shorter the distance food needs to travel to reach you, the fresher and more flavorful it will be.

I hope you enjoy this recipe that combines the best of late summer fruits.

Simple Arugula Citrus Breakfast Salad

The perfect breakfast is low in sugar and contains protein, healthy fats and plenty of fiber. The combination of these macronutrients ensures that our blood sugars are stable helping to keep us appropriately fueled for our day. Give this simple salad a try. The citrus provides sweetness and acidity to balance the bitter greens. I like to serve this salad with a piece protein to round out the meal.

House-cured Salmon

Gravlax is a Northern European dish that refers to salmon cured with sugar, salt and dill. It is traditionally served as part of a smorgasbord with a mustard sauce. Because this salmon dish is simple to prepare it makes an elegant and impressive treat for guests, but also provides an easy way to add brain and heart healthy omega- 3 fats to everyday meals and snacks.

Roasted Orange and Rosemary Olives

It is well known that olive oil is good for our health, but often the olive is overlooked. It also contains the polyphenols that are so beneficial to our health. These gems get the royal treatment with fresh squeezed orange juice and aromatic rosemary. In this simple preparation, the heat of the oven mellows the briny flavor of the olive to a sweet exotic flavor.

Modern Edamame Succotash

Succotash is a classic culinary dish often made with lima beans and sweet corn. While I enjoy the traditional dish, I’ve given this recipe a model twist by incorporating shelled edamame in place of the lima beans and creamy ripe avocado instead of the traditional butter or lard. The result is a nutrient-dense, flavor-packed salad that is perfect for your summer picnic.

6 side dishes for lower blood pressure and improved cardiovascular health

This February marks the 57th annual American Heart Month. This long tradition helps educate people about cardiovascular disease and promotes longer, healthier lives. Despite this wonderful tradition and progress, heart disease remains the single largest health threat to Americans. This month I invite you to learn more about this amazing organ system and then give it some extra TLC with common ingredients from your kitchen.

Beet and Lentil Herb Salad

This dish is hearty enough for a winter meal, but it is actually inspired by summer picnics. So you really can enjoy it any season. Lentils are low in calories, rich in iron and folate and an excellent source of vegetarian protein. They are packed with health-promoting polyphenols and fiber that may reduce risk of heart disease and support a healthy gut microbiome.

If you are unaccustomed to eating beans regularly, lentils are an ideal bean variety to introduce to your body. Lentils are among the easier bean varieties to digest among others such as: black-eyed peas, adzuki, anasazi, lentils and mung beans. Slowly increase them in your diet and let your body get acclimated to the increased fiber.

Roasted Carrots Salad with Orange Tahini Dressing

Slightly sweet and very versatile, carrots are one of America’s most popular veggies. Roasting carrots enhances the sweetness of the root and may also increase the amount of cancer fighting beta-carotene. Tahini is a paste made of mineral-rich sesame seeds. Its nutty flavor is a rich contrast to the carrots.

5-day Winter Menu

Did you make a new year’s resolutions this year? I’m a fan of setting monthly goals instead of grandiose resolutions. If meal planning is not something you routinely do, I encourage you to consider it as a way to improve both the quality and nutrition of your meals, but also to help relieve some of the stress of making dinner throughout the week. Planning meals in advance prevents the daily challenge of answering “what’s for dinner” and also allows for fewer last-minute trips to the grocery. (This will hopefully give you a few “found” minutes for extra self-care— another worthy goal). On each Sunday, I faithfully make a meal plan for every dinner in the upcoming week. I can then fill my online shopping cart and pickup groceries on Monday mornings because this works best for my schedule. Now I will share what kind of meals make it to my planner.

Braised cod with fennel, tomatoes and olives

Fennel is one of my favorite veggies. It has a sweet, anise flavor that in my opinion is underutilized and under-appreciated. The anise flavor of this fall veggie mellows as it caramelizes during cooking. The briny olives and bright tomatoes in this recipe make a delicious pan sauce for the humble cod. I like to serve the fish with roasted potatoes or rice.

Disclaimer: This website and blog are intended as an information source only and are not to be construed as medical advice. The information is not intended to be a substitute for any treatment that is prescribed by Relish Health or any other physician. If you suspect that you have a medical problem, please seek competent medical help.