"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:​

​February 2020:
"Ode to Chocolate"
December 2019:
"Happy Healthy Holidays"
​May 2019:
"Pull the Trigger:
Your Health is What Matters Most"
April 2019
"Introducing Laura Pensiero, RD"

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Nature Can’t “Stay in Place”
May 2020

In these unpredictable times, with daily moving targets and no clear endpoints, two absolutes hold true:
​
1. Spring IS here.
2. We MUST attend to our best health.
 
A balanced diet in sync with the season is a place to gain a little control in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. Just before the full wrath of COVID-19 hit and the inevitable closure of my restaurant (with the exception of takeout with curbside pickup), I made a choice to get back on a health-conscious path – to shed winter’s hearty eating and tamp down vino. I’m now finding it ironic that I chose this surreal period to adhere to self-boundaries, but it’s actually helped in dealing with the stress and all of the unknowns. 

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With fewer employees and a change to my business model, I’ve had less time on my hands than ever, but I’m still focusing on the spring garden and working on spring and summer menus for Gigi’s eventual reopening. I’m also paying far more attention to the fact that I know as a longtime registered dietitian: immune boosting foods ARE essentially related to disease prevention (and treatment). Now more than ever, we need to incorporate foods that fit the bill, and spring brings this delicious opportunity. ​[In 1998, Laura worked with the Strang-Cornell Cancer Prevention Center, and co-authored the book The Strang Cancer Prevention Center Cookbook with Dr. Michael Osborne, a world-renowned surgeon, oncologist and researcher.]

For me, the first hopeful sign of fresh, lighter eating is always the garlic chives that pop up in my garden. Other spring alliums, such as leeks, scallions and ramps, are also now readily available in the farmer’s markets that are thankfully still open with safe shopping procedures fully outlined. In addition, look for baby carrots of all colors, fiddlehead ferns, foraged mushrooms, peas, radishes, sweet young turnips, rhubarb, spinach and other greens such as chard, sorrel, kale and some lettuces. And, in just a few weeks, we’ll have strawberries and asparagus to add to our sweet and savory dishes! The freshness and lightness are a welcome change to the braising and stewing we’ve done since the autumn/winter harvest in October!
 
We’re going to be “normalizing” soon. While none of us know what the “new normal” will fully look like, lightening up our cooking will invigorate our minds, bodies and spirits. We’ll be free to roam again soon, and nature’s rebirth is leading the way. 

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Laura's Delicious Recipe:

Penne with Spring Vegetables and Pesto 
(Makes 4 to 6 servings)

Ingredients:

Arugula-Parsley-Garlic Chive Pesto
 
1/3 cup pine nuts (optional)
½ cup grated Parmesan or Grana Padano*
1 quart arugula, packed
2 cups Italian parsley leaves, packed
1/3 cup chopped garlic chives, about 1 bunch (reserve a few for garnish)
2 peeled garlic cloves
1 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Pasta, Veggies, etc. 

1 bunch cauliflower, cored, cut into small florets
1 pound dry penne pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 bunch asparagus, stems removed and saved (think about making a broth for asparagus risotto!), tips sliced on the bias
1 bunch cauliflower, cored, cut into small florets
1 ½ cup fresh peas
2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes
½ cup grated Parmesan or Grana Padano (optional)*
 
*Can be omitted for vegan version.

Penne with Spring Vegetables and Pesto

Prepare Pesto: Preheat oven to 350°. Toast pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once halfway through, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and let cool. Add cheese and garlic to the food processor bowl, and then pulse a few times until finely ground.  Add arugula, parsley, and garlic-chives, and salt. With the motor running, add oil in a slow and steady stream until pesto is pretty smooth, with just a few flecks of green, about 1 minute. Adjust seasoning with salt if necessary. Transfer to a bowl. Use immediately or store covered for up to 4 days.
 
Prepare Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower in a stainless-steel pasta basket or have a skimmer available). Cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes than skim, drain and set aside cauliflower. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente (8 to 12 minutes, depending on brand).

While the pasta cooks, in a large sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, asparagus, cauliflower, and peas, tossing or stirring here and there until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, a splash of white wine, and cook another minute. Add 2 cups of the pesto and a spoonful of the pasta cooking water to thin slightly.
 
Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and vegetables. Garnish with some reserved snipped garlic chives.
 
Notes: Also use the fresh spring pesto for sandwiches, pizzas, and omelets or frittatas.

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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.

FOODIE FACTS
"The Nutritional Gifts of Spring"

Allium Family (chives, leeks, garlic, onions, ramps, shallots): This group of fat-free, high-fiber foods contain two powerful antioxidants, sulphur and quercetin, that help neutralize cell-damaging free radicals in the body. These health benefits have been documented many times over by numerous scientific studies. Leeks also have lots of vitamin C, B6, folate, and iron, which make them helpful in stabilizing blood sugar, and many alliums offer up a laundry list of other benefits. They are antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, support a healthy immune system, are naturally detoxifying, contain anticoagulant properties (which helps moderate the risk of heart attack and stroke), and help boost “good” fats in the blood and reduce “bad” ones.
 
Asparagus: A great source of vitamins A, C, E, and folate, and the minerals potassium and zinc. They’re also a rich source of rutin, which helps strengthen capillary walls as well as quercetin, a potent cancer-fighting antioxidant in the flavonoid group.
 
Baby Carrots: Carrots have carotenoids, a huge class of natural fat-soluble pigments found principally in plants to aid photosynthesis. When we eat carrots their primary carotenoid - beta-carotene - converts to vitamin A in our bodies. Beta carotene is just one of more than 500 carotenoids (lycopene in tomatoes is another) that help prevent cancer and heart disease, and they all play an important role in human health by acting as biological antioxidants, protecting cells and tissues from the damaging effect of free radicals
 
Fiddlehead Ferns: These satiating spring vegetables are quite low in calories and high in fiber, making you feel “full” longer. They owe their beta-carotene content to their deep green color. Fiddleheads also provide a good amount of vitamin C, niacin and potassium.
 
Foraged Mushrooms: With their earthy umami flavors, mushrooms lend some protein and SO much flavor to vegetarian (or vegan) dishes. They are perfect for those trying to move towards a more plant-based diet. The antioxidant content in mushrooms may help prevent lung, prostate, breast, and other types of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. They contain abundant amounts of minerals, such as selenium - amounts depended on soil content - and are generally good source of vitamin C.
 
Greens (sauté and braising): Collards, kale, escarole, spinach, and Swiss chard offer abundant amounts of vitamins A, C, and K as well as an array of B vitamins. They are also a good source of minerals, such as calcium. iron and magnesium. Some sauté and braising greens, like bok choy, collards, kale, mustard, Swiss chard, and watercress, are members of the cancer fighting brassica family.
 
Baby Lettuces and Arugula: Not only the base for so many delicious salad combinations, baby greens and arugula provide ample amounts of vitamins A,C, K, and folate, as well as minerals such as magnesium and potassium. Arugula is also a member of the cancer-fighting cruciferous family of vegetables.

Peas: Besides delivering high levels of protein, peas are also rich in the B vitamins, folate, and B6 (which is supportive of cardiovascular health) and are a good source of vitamin C and fiber. They also contain good amounts of vitamin K1, which activates osteocalcin. Osteocalcin anchors calcium inside of the bone, and adequate osteocalcin levels are critical for achieving strong healthy bones. (Important for osteoporosis prevention. See article this month.) 

Radishes: As members of the brassica family of vegetables, radishes are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals to help ward off cancer. They contain high amounts of vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium and are as being a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium.
 
Rhubarb: This tart, low-calorie fruit is a good source of magnesium and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, potassium and manganese. String them (as you would celery) and slow roast with a tad of sugar to counter the tartness.
 
Strawberries: This low-calorie treat contains, ounce for ounce, more vitamin C than citrus. Vitamin C is an antioxidant necessary for immune and skin health. Strawberries also get their deep red color from pigments called anthocyanins, which are potent antioxidants.
 
Turnips: A fresh baby turnip will convert the most ardent naysayers – as a member of the brassica family of plants, a class of phytochemicals called isothiocyanates, which are responsible for that slight sulfurous smell. Turnips and their edible greens provide abundant amounts of vitamin C and cancer-fighting carotenoids which help boost your immune system. They also have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.