The Doctor Cooks

Shantivanam French Toast

Like many, my husband and I will take time off from work between Christmas and New Year’s Day.  I hope a few of those days will be lazy days, unscheduled, and will start with a leisurely breakfast.  We often make Oven Baked French Toast on our lazy days, served with fresh squeezed orange juice, hot tea and plenty of pure maple syrup.  Shantivanam Forest of Peace is a community east of Leavenworth, Kansas where we retreat from time to time.  The food is always vegetarian and delicious. We always return refreshed and restored tummy and spirit!   This recipe comes from their cookbook, Fed by the Forest.  Call 913-773-8255 to order their cookbook and to schedule a retreat of your own.

Food for Life Online Diabetes Series

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, PCRM, just completed the first session of their Food for Life Diabetes online series. This exciting new series offers education on diet and diabetes, along with group support. The classes feature lectures by PCRM president Dr. Neal Barnard and cooking demonstrations by PCRM nutritionist Dulcie Ward, R.D.

You can view the entire session via video archives and download PowerPoint presentations of all the classes.

The next session will begin in early 2007. Dates and times have not been finalized.  Click here if you would like to be notified of the upcoming classes.

Elegant Red Lentil Pate

I served this elegant Red Lentil Pate at our family Christmas potluck to rave reviews.  It was a satisfying main dish for the beef avoiders among us and a tasty side dish for those who indulged in the prime rib.  The recipe is from Annemarie Colbin’s cookbook The Natural Gourmet.  She suggests it can be served in many ways:  as an appetizer, spread on crackers or as a protein-rich entrée.

Lentils are a great introduction to beans.  They neither need to be soaked nor pressure cooked, and they cook quickly.  Lentils claim many nutritional benefits.   They are an excellent source of fiber and keep blood sugar even.  They are a staple in our pantry.

Blessings to you and yours this holiday season!

Dr. Klug Teaches Cooking Class

Start your New Year with some healthy cooking skills.  Dr. Klug will teach Demystifying Simple Healthy Cooking at Wild Oats in Mission on Saturday January 13, 2007 from 2 - 4 pm.  Dr. Klug will demonstrate some of her favorite and easy winter savories:  Tempeh with Peanut Sauce, Pressure Cooked Brown Rice, Easy Kale with Plum Vinegar, and Warming Winter Veggie Bake.

Gain some kitchen and nutrition know how!  RSVP to Timothy by January 10, 2007 at 913-322-0023 or drklug-admin@kcholistic.com.  The $20 course fee can be charged by phone or bring cash or check to the course.  See you there!

Stew, Glorious Stew!

I put the Doctor Cooks Weblog on auto-pilot for the past few weeks due to the holiday and a lot of travel.  I returned to find several thoughtful, grateful and supportive comments.  Thank you and keep the comments coming.

You will now find the Doctor Cooks Weblog at www.thedoctorcooks.com and my holistic medicine practice website at www.bethanyklug.com. I hope the URLs are easier to remember.

Here’s a stew that stands on its own with a crusty loaf of whole grain bread, or serve it with some roasted beets or your favorite vegetable on the side.  Once the beans are cooked (or the can is opened), it’s a one pot stew--my favorite kind!  The recipe calls for roasted red peppers.  Roasting makes any vegetable sweeter and more delicious.  Directions are at the end of the recipe, which is adapted slightly from Yoga Kitchen by Faith Stone and Rachel Guidry

Calcium Supplements Fail to Improve Children's Bone Health

A new analysis shows little benefit to using calcium supplements to improve bone health in children. Nineteen randomized controlled trials were reviewed to determine the effectiveness of calcium supplementation for improving bone mineral density in children.  Read more>>>

What’s Up with the Funky Sugar?

That’s what my friend Katharine asked me the other day after reading this weblog.  “More even blood sugar, energy and mood,” I answered, “These sweeteners are digested more slowly and offer some nutritional value.”

Check out this chart for more information on alternatives to white sugar.  You’ll like the wholesome taste with less buzz than white sugar.  I keep maple syrup, rice syrup, rapadura sugar and Wholesome Sweeteners organic turbinado sugar on hand.  I use maple syrup primarily for topping pancakes and in the cookie recipe below.  Rice syrup works well for sweetening liquids.  It creates a sticky, rubbery texture in baked goods that I don’t enjoy.  I’ve been mixing rapadura and Wholesome Sweeteners organic turbinado 50-50 with nice results in baked goods.  The mixture offers a pleasant sweetness that is milder than turbinado alone, but cuts the molasses taste of Rapadura. 

MEAT IS NOT THE QUESTION

While waiting for a lovely dinner at Eden Alley (www.edenalley.com) last Saturday night, I couldn’t resist taking a peek at the brightly colored, glossy and prominently displayed Vegetarian Start Kit from PeTA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (http://www.peta.org.)   PeTA devotes six of 22 pages, with graphic pictures and descriptions to its main premise:  animals have feelings just like humans do, yet the animals we eat are raised and killed in horrifying ways; thus the average meat eater is responsible for the abuse and death of about 90 animals per year.

Whew!  That’s heavy one right before dinner!  Of course this information is not new to me.  But, to eat or not to eat meat, that is not the question!