Your New Years Eve Menu: Simple, Healthy, and Delicious

It's nearly 2011 and time to set our best intentions for the new year. Here are a couple of recipes that will help you get off to a fine start. You'll create a meal that will impress your friends and loved ones, tickle your taste buds, fill your heart with healthy goodness, and leave you with minimal mess to clean up afterwards.

My Sister Cathy's Super Easy Cinnamon Sugar Salmon
Start with one 6 oz salmon fillet per person. Place skin down in a foil-lined pyrex dish or pan. Drizzle with olive oil and a little low-sodium soy sauce. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (seriously!) and top with garlic (use the bottled stuff to keep things neat and easy). Pop in the oven and bake at 350 degrees about 25 minutes, or until done. 

Amazingly Good Spiced Sweet Potatoes
(Like so many of my favorite recipes, this one was adapted from the late, great Gourmet magazine).

1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 tsp kosher salt
2 lb sweet potatoes
3 tbs olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine all the spices together in a small bowl. Cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized chunks or wedges. Toss the sweet potatoes with the oil and spices in a large pan, and roast for 20 minutes. Stir them around to turn the pieces over and roast another 15-20 minutes.

These are so good that I make a big batch of spice mix and keep it on hand in the pantry so I can make them any time I want, with minimal effort.

Mixed-Up Salad
Chop up lettuce, radishes, pecans, carrots, celery, a little feta cheese, and anything else that sounds good to you, and serve it up with a healthy olive-oil or light tomato based dressing

Add a glass of champagne and some sexy mixed berries with a little dark chocolate for dessert, and you're good to go. Happy New Year!

Some Answers for My Friends in Houston

I'd like to give a huge thank you to my Houston CHW friends, who have posed some very interesting questions. (I'm sorry you were not able to post the comments, and I have changed my blog settings to make that process easier).

First, regarding the B-vitamins: There is some controversy over what constitutes a "high dose" of folic acid, but doses over 400 mcg have been associated with a higher risk for blockages of stents that are implanted in the heart arteries, as well as a higher risk for some forms of cancer. Having said that, pregnant women often require higher doses, since folic acid is important in helping the grow the nervous system in a developing fetus. Certain medications (for example, the drug methotrexate) deplete the body's supplies of folic acid, so in this case, doctors will usually prescribe high supplemental doses. If you have any questions about what is right for you, always ask your doctor. 

High doses of B12 are generally considered to be doses of 400 mcg or more, and for B6, 40 mg, although less is known about the effects of high doses of these vitamins. If you suspect you have a B12 deficiency, ask your doctor for a blood test. Birth control pills can deplete these vitamins, as can menstruation, but most women can get enough B vitamins from their diets.

In regards to the question about the connection between fructose and pancreatic cancer, there does indeed appear to be a relationship. Although the research is not definitive, it is best to avoid high fructose corn syrup for many reasons, not the least of which is the extra, empty calories that our bodies simply don't need.

I hope I've helped to answer your questions. Please feel free to contact me via the blog, and let me know if there are any topics that you would like me to cover. I'd love to hear from you!