"My journey of showing people
how to eat better (and enjoy it) ​
has helped me to understand that spotlighting what drives others
to produce great products…
​sharing their insights and talents…
​is a gift to self." ~ Laura Pensiero

ARCHIVED COLUMNS:

​May 2019
"Pull the Trigger:
Your Health is What Matters Most"
April 2019
"Introducing Laura Pensiero, RD"

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Happy, Healthy Holidays
December 2019

Are you a “sweet” or “savory” person…or BOTH?
 
The holiday season can have different pitfalls, but just like our individual “diets,” specific cravings are quite unique and need to be honored as such. Knowing our personal temptations gives us power. It’s always good to identify known potential hazards to mitigate unwanted outcomes. As someone who leans towards the savory, I can walk directly past a dessert table straight to the cheese board.
 
We all want to enter the post-holiday season with our bucket list of resolutions in good condition, so here’s how I plan to prevent a 5-10 pound seasonal weight gain:
 

1. Eating a little bit of what I truly love and enjoying every bite. This is number one on the list because deprivation is bad for the soul.
2. Modifying recipes without losing the integrity of the dish (see Cauliflower Bechamel below).
3. Picking up movement; if not exercise, trips up and down the stairs at work, home, more walks with my dogs, etc.
4. Staying hydrated low calorie, non-caffeinated beverages (good ol’ water, herbal tea, broth, infused seltzer spritzers). Forced air heating can dehydrate as much as the hottest summer day – keep drinking so you don’t get hydration through high calorie foods or enter meals with a truly empty stomach.
5. Keeping holiday libations clean. While I don’t particularly care for eggnog (no true Italian adult would drink a glass of cream or milk after 11am, the unsaid cutoff for cappuccino), I like the tradition, especially while decorating a Christmas tree. One small glass, and I’m done for the season. Any other spirit is consumed without sugary additives - just neat, clean, and in moderation.
6. Starting meals with a soup (broth based or purees without cream) or salad - definitely satiating and nutritious - and this helps to tamp down consumption of the richer, higher calorie foods that may follow.
7. More snacking. Healthy snacking takes a bit of work and forethought, but it definitely helps curb overeating and poor choices. The key is to avoid danger zones when you're super hungry (e.g. holiday gathering or party).
8. Getting enough sleep. A study by the Mayo Clinic found that men and women who slept less than 5 hours a night were more likely to crave (and end up eating) more high-calorie foods. Sleep, yes it matters in so many ways, including weight control.

 
Healthy snacks to have on hand:
 

• Hard boiled eggs
• Turkey and Swiss cheese slices for roll ups
• Peanut butter and apple
• Pumpkin seeds
• Trail mix
• Greek yogurt
• Almonds
• Roasted chickpeas
• Cottage cheese
• Beef jerky (look for all-natural, grass-fed)
• Protein bars
• Protein shakes
• Canned tuna and/or salmon

 
Tip: Air dryers can be purchased for under $100 and are great for making your own all-natural jerkies as well as drying fruits and vegetables for snacking.

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TRY LAURA'S HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS RECIPES:

Cauliflower ‘Béchamel’ (Makes 7 cups)
 
Imagine a creamy and flavorful gratin or macaroni-and-cheese loaded with nutrients, but with no flour, no cream, and, therefore, half or less of the calories and fat of the traditional versions. I understand the skepticism, but cooked and blended cauliflower lends both silky goodness and subtle flavor. Enjoy!
 
Ingredients

• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Pinch cayenne
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets, stem chopped
• 2 quarts vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper (more to taste) 

 
Sauté the minced garlic with the butter in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Cook for several minutes or until the garlic is soft and fragrant but not browned, and then stir in the cayenne and nutmeg. Remove from heat and set aside.
 
Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the cauliflower and cook covered, until cauliflower is fork tender about 10 minutes. Do not drain.
 
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower pieces to a blender or work bowl of food processor. Add 2 cups vegetable broth or cooking liquid, sautéed garlic/butter, and salt. Blend or puree for several minutes until the sauce is very smooth, adding more broth depending on how thick you want the sauce. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender or processor.  Season with salt and pepper and pulse to combine.
 
*To make a cheese sauce for Macaroni and Cheese, add 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
*To make a sauce for lasagna, add 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan​

FOODIE FACTS

Cauliflower contains an impressive array of nutrients. One serving contains more than 70% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C and about 40% of fiber. It's also a good source of vitamin K, B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and B6), and minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese.

Ever notice that unique smell cruciferous vegetables share? It’s called sulforaphane, a sulfur compound that has been shown to kill cancer stem cells, thereby slowing tumor growth. Some research has shown that combining cauliflower with curcumin (a component of turmeric) may help prevent and treat prostate cancer. Sulforaphane may also inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.

Other compounds called indoles and isothiocyanates in cauliflower also show anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. A little inflammation protects the body from infection and threat – a lot of inflammation causes cellular and tissue damage linked to cancer and heart disease.
​
This disease fighting family of vegetables derives its name from the Latin "crux" for cross, and they all have cross-shaped flowers. Meet the whole family: broccoli, cabbage, arugula, kale, mustard greens, daikon, turnips, bok choy, collard greens, kohlrabi, rutabaga, watercress, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, horseradish, radishes, wasabi.

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Root Vegetable Gratin (Adapted from Hudson Valley Mediterranean Cookbook (Pensiero/HarperCollins)
 
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1½ quarts (6 cups) Cauliflower Béchamel (see previous recipe)

• 2 small smoked chili peppers (I use anchos or dried smoked jalapenos)
• 3 medium russet potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced into 1/8 inch-thick rounds

• 1½ cups sliced roasted red peppers (3-4 peppers)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 medium sweet potato (8 ounces), peeled and thinly sliced into 1/8 inch-thick rounds
• 1 small or ½ large rutabaga (about 12 ounces), peeled and thinly sliced into 1/8 inch-thick rounds

Root Vegetable Gratin

​Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 12 to 14 inch round baking dish or a 9 x 13 inch rectangular baking dish with the butter.   
 
Simmer the cauliflower béchamel over low heat, add the whole dried chili, and steep for about 10 minutes. Add a little water if too thick. Remove the chili and discard.
 
Peel vegetables and slice them very thinly on a mandoline to 1/8 inch thickness.

Place half of the russet potato slices in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. Top with a third of the red pepper strips. Season with salt and pepper. Evenly spread 1½ cups of the béchamel on top, covering the potatoes and red pepper strips. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheddar. Arrange the sweet potato slices over top, slightly overlapping in a spiral pattern. Season with salt and pepper and top with another ⅓ of the red pepper strips. Again top with 1½ cups béchamel followed by 1 cup of cheddar. Add the slices of rutabaga, slightly overlapping in a spiral pattern, and strew with the remaining red peppers strips. Again, add 1½ cups béchamel followed by 1 cup of cheddar. For the final layer, arrange the remaining slices of russet potato on top, slightly overlapping in a spiral pattern. Season with salt and pepper. Put the remaining 1½ cups béchamel and 1 cup cheddar on top.
 
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top of the gratin is bubbly and nicely browned, about 20 minutes.
 
Note: A knife inserted in the center of the gratin won’t meet any resistance, but pierce easily into the fully cooked and soft root vegetables. 

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Laura Pensiero is Sanctuary's nutrition columnist and the founder, chef/owner and creative force behind Gigi Hudson Valley (Gigi Trattoria and Gigi Catering). She is the author of Hudson Valley Mediterranean and co-author of The Strang Cancer Prevention Center Cookbook. Find out more about Laura by reading her interview with Sanctuary HERE.