Sunday, January 20, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
In Season: The Great Pumpkin
Low in calories and rich in antioxidants and fiber, they have pluses that go way beyond pie.
Pumpkins have a way of reinventing themselves: They sit on doorsteps making scary faces at Halloween, then reappear in pies on Thanksgiving tables a month later. But there’s much more in their bag of tricks: The sweet flesh is ideal for lending moisture and texture to baked goods like muffins—and it’s a flavor boost in savory dishes, too, like Food Network chef Bobby Flay’s favorite pumpkin soup recipe below.
Orange power
Pumpkins aren't just a good at flavor, they pack in essential nutrients. Their color is a dead giveaway to all the beta-carotene inside, which protects you from cancer and heart disease. It’s an anti-aging secret weapon, too, because of its power to protect your skin from damage that causes wrinkles.
1/2 cup of cooked pumpkin has more than 100 percent of the RDA of vitamin A. It’s also a good source of fiber, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin C.
Pumpkin pointers
Canned pumpkin actually has more vitamin A, calcium, folate, and fiber than fresh, though fresh pumpkin tastes lighter and sweeter if you have an hour or two to roast it.
For recipes, choose a pumpkin that’s specifically grown for eating, such as the sugar pumpkin, the mini version of the jack o’lantern-size pumpkin in grocery stores and at farmers’ markets in the fall. Look for one that’s blemish-free and heavy for its size. Store at room temperature up to a month, or in the refrigerator for up to three months.
Europeans often use pumpkin seed oil on salads. It’s high in good-for-you fats and has been shown in studies to help with prostate problems. Make a simple vinaigrette with sherry or apple cider vinegar, pumpkin seed oil, salt, and pepper and serve over greens or chopped fresh vegetables. Find pumpkin seed oil in specialty food stores, Whole Foods Markets, or online at Chefsshop.com.
Go beyond the pie
Pumpkin is interchangeable with other winter squashes in most recipes. Try adding the puree to your pancake batter or quick bread recipes. It’s also great in savory dishes such as soup, quiche, risotto, and vegetable lasagna, either pureed or roasted and cubed. A baked pumpkin shell is the perfect edible serving container for soup, like this one, adapted from Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, October 2007). Bobby loves cooking with pumpkin: “It’s a great canvas for bold flavors” like those in this soup, he says.
Cinnamon Pumpkin Soup
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Make the chipotle chile puree called for below by mixing canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (in the Latin aisle of your grocery store) in your blender. Crema, another ingredient below, is Mexican sour cream. You can substitute reduced-fat sour cream if you can’t find crema in your grocery’s dairy section.
Boil 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth in a large saucepan over high heat. Whisk in 3 cups pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and 2 teaspoons chipotle chile puree. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in 1/4 cup crema (or reduced-fat sour cream) and 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper. Mix 1/2 cup crema (or reduced-fat sour cream) and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with cinnamon crema, and sprinkle with roasted pumpkin seeds (see recipe below).
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Preheat oven to 325º. Toss 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Spread seeds evenly on a baking sheet and bake, tossing occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown and crisp. Let cool.
Bad Foods That Are Actually Great for Your Waist
You don’t have to give up treats like ice cream and pizza. Here’s how they can help you stay trim.
If you’ve been avoiding burgers, ice cream, and pizza thinking you’re doing your waistline a favor, don’t. They can actually help you lose weight—and keep it off, too. Here are the hidden slim-down perks of five foods that get a bad rap and the best way to add each one back into your diet.
Red meat
Even burgers and meatballs can be light fare if you make them with ground sirloin, says Bonnie Gluck, MS, RD, a clinical dietitian at New York Methodist Hospital in New York City. “Lean red meat—lean being the operative word—is a great choice for women who are trying to shed pounds,” she says. “It’s an excellent source of protein. And protein takes longer to digest, helping you feel full and cutting the likelihood that you’ll snack later on.”
A study of 100 women from Australian researchers found that overweight women who ate reduced-calorie diets rich in protein from red meat and dairy lost more weight than those whose reduced-calorie plans had little meat and more carbs. “Protein can reduce hunger,” says study author Manny Noakes, PhD, associate professor with the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization (Australia’s national science agency) in Adelaide. And being less hungry while you’re trying to lose weight can prevent overeating.
Best way to enjoy it: Choose ground beef labeled “97 percent lean” or “extralean,” which means it has less than five grams of fat per serving. Want steak? Get lower-fat cuts from the loin, like sirloin tip, T-bone, or strip steak, Gluck says.
Watch out for: Beef that’s labeled Prime. “It’s very high in fat,” Gluck says. Buy cuts graded Choice; the meat has less fat and still tastes good. And remember to limit your portion size, no matter how lean the meat. “Many restaurants will serve an eight-ounce steak or burger, which means you’re getting twice the amount you actually need,” says Dave Grotto, RD, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. Stick to a three-ounce serving (roughly the size of a deck of cards).
Ice cream
Good news for ice cream lovers: A recent Swedish study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that women who have at least one serving of full-fat dairy products a day gain less weight than women who don’t. Researchers aren’t entirely sure why, but it’s believed that a compound in milk fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may aid weight loss.
Not all studies support the dairy-aids-weight-loss claim. But Gluck feels there’s more evidence for than against, even if full-fat dairy’s secret is simply that it’s more satisfying. “Many women find that low-fat versions of dairy products like ice cream and cheese just aren’t satisfying,” she says, “so they may eat a lot of them—downing hundreds of calories in the process, trying to fulfill their craving—when just a little bit of the full-fat stuff would have done the trick.”
Best way to enjoy it: Have a little cheese, ice cream, or a glass of milk each day. “You really can’t go wrong with that,” Gluck says. “Dairy should be part of your diet, whether you’re trying to shed pounds or not. You need the calcium to maintain strong bones. And the vitamin D and CLA in milk both have cancer-fighting properties.”
Watch out for: Fat intake. Remember that full-fat dairy products do contain saturated fat, Gluck says, so it’s best to limit yourself to two servings daily—and to make your third serving a low-fat or skim choice.
Eggs
After years of being barred from the average American diet, things are looking sunny-side up for eggs. According to a study from Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, overweight women who eat egg breakfasts lose twice as much weight as women who start their days with bagels. Researchers say the protein in eggs increases satiety and decreases hunger, helping women eat fewer calories throughout the day. “Eggs are a perfect protein source because they have all eight essential amino acids,” Grotto says. “And recent research debunks the idea that they have adverse effects on the heart.”
Best way to enjoy them: Try ’em for breakfast. This is the ideal time for getting the proven fill-you-up benefits the rest of the day. Besides, it takes only a couple of minutes to scramble an egg. Work a hard- or soft-boiled egg into lunch, too, by adding it to a spinach salad. Or make an omelet or veggie frittata with two to three egg whites to every one yolk to keep the calories low (whites have just 16 calories, while whole eggs have 72 each). For more ideas, go to Health.com/eggs.
Watch out for: Eggs served at restaurants. Even an egg-white omelet is likely to be fried in butter or oil unless you ask that it be prepared with cooking spray. And like pizza, beware of any egg dish that’s smothered in cheese. If you’re craving more flavor, add some herbs or salsa.
Pizza
You already know you can enjoy some mozzarella on your favorite pie and still drop pounds. But there are other ways you can make that slice even healthier. To hike the diet-friendly fiber, choose a whole-wheat crust and top your pizza with veggies like peppers, artichokes, and broccoli. “Like protein, fiber is digested slowly and helps keep you feeling full, longer,” Gluck says. Even better? By sticking with healthful toppings like veggies and lean protein (grilled chicken is a good choice), a medium slice will set you back only 200 to 250 calories.
Best way to enjoy it: Choose whole-wheat varieties. You can make your own or try a frozen one, like DiGiorno, Boboli, South Beach, or Amy’s. If you’re ordering in or dining out, get a thin-crust pie (it’s typically lower in calories and fat than thicker versions); try selections available at Pizza Hut and California Pizza Kitchen.
Watch out for: Additional oil and fat. Avoid any pie that’s deep-dish (that means the crust is cooked in oil) or loaded with sausage and pepperoni, Gluck says. And while a bit of cheese is fine, a whole lot is not. Skip the extra cheese.
Canadian bacon
Unlike a regular strip of crispy pork fat, Canadian bacon—which comes from the loin, one of the leanest parts of the pig—is a dieter’s best friend, with a third less fat than regular bacon. If that isn’t reason enough to put Canadian bacon on your plate, a recent study from Purdue University shows that women who eat a diet rich in lean pork and other protein keep more lean body mass during weight loss than women who eat a low-calorie diet with little pork and other protein sources. An added bonus: Women who eat meals rich in protein from pork report that they feel satisfied, in spite of the fact that they are on reduced-calorie diets, and say they’re happier overall.
Best way to enjoy it: Have some anytime. “Add Canadian or turkey bacon, another light pick, to scrambled eggs, or use some in a bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwich on whole-wheat bread with reduced-fat mayo,” Grotto says. You can chop it into strips and use it for a protein boost on salad, too.
Watch out for: Hidden fat. Some restaurants fry Canadian bacon on the griddle in oil. Before you order, request that it be cooked without oil or heated in the oven.
Kimchi jjigae (Stewed kimchi) Recipe
Ingredients: 1 cup kimchi, 16 oz pork belly (or any part with fat), thin sliced2 green onions, slice in a bias
1/2 pack dooboo (tofu), 2 go choo (hot green chili), chopped
2 tbsp gochoojang (Korean chili paste)
1 tbsp gochoogaroo (Korean chili powder)
2 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp soy sauce
3 cups water, salt, pepper
Put a pot on the stove, turn the heat on.
Add pork belly, saute for a minute or so.
Add go choo jang (Korean chili paste) and cook until meat becomes white.
Pour the water, add kim chee.
Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer.
Add soy sauce, go choo ga roo (Korean chili powder), and garlic.
Cook for 20-30 minutes.
Add chilies, green oinons, salt and pepper.
Cook for another minute.
Serve with rice.
Yookgaejang (Spicy beef & scallion soup) Recipe
Ingredients: 1 lb beef (any part for quick cooking), 2 inches julienne
1/2 lb bean sprouts
1/2 cup gosari (packaged fern brake in water), drained
2 green onions, 1 inch bias cut, 3 tbsp Korean chili powder
1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp sesame oil, salt, pepper
8 cup water
In a big pot, sauté beef with soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili powder for 4-5 minutes.
Add water and bean sprouts, cover lid and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium low, cook for 20 minutes, add fern brake,
cook for another 20-30 minutes until beef gets tender.
At the last minute add green onions, salt and pepper to taste.
Ddeok guk (Rice cake soup) Recipe
Ingredients: 1/2 cup ddeokguk ddeok (thin sliced rice cake)
1/4 cup myeolchi (dried anchovy), 6 cups water
2 green onions, chopped, 4 oz beef, thin julienne
1 egg, mixed, 2 sheets seasoned gim (dried seaweed), crushed
1/4 tsp soy sauce, 1/4 tsp sesame oil, 1/8 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper, 1/8 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp salt
Put ddeok gook ddeok (thin sliced rice cake) in a cold water for 30 minutes.
Marinate beef in a soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper, sugar and minced garlic.
Saute beef.
Set aside.
In a pot, add cold water and myeol chi (dried anchovy), bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for 5 minute.
Take out myeol chi (dried anchovy).
Add ddeok gook ddeok (thin sliced rice cake), bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium.
Cook for 10- 15 minutes until tender.
Add green onions.
Pour the egg in a little at a time.
Let the egg set, then stir.
(If you stir right after egg in, the broth gets milky.)
Garnish with sauteed beef and some gim.
Mandoo guk (Korean dumpling soup) Recipe
Ingredients: 20 dumplings, 4 oz beef, 2 green onions1/8 tsp soy sauce, 1/8 tsp sesame oil
salt, pepper, 6 cups water, 1 egg, mixed
1 sheet seasoned gim (dried seaweed, nori), crushed
Put a pot on a medium heat stove.
When the pot gets hot, saute beef with soy sauce and sesame oil.
Add water, bring to a boil.
Put dumplings in.
Cook for 3-4 minutes just before dumplings cooked completely.
Add green onions.
Season with salt and pepper.
Spread egg, don't stir immediately.
Put in a bowl.
Garnish with kim.
Miyeok guk (Beef & seaweed soup) Recipe
Ingredients:1 oz mi yeok (dried seaweed)4 oz beef
1/2 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, salt
Rehydrate dried seaweed in water for 30 minutes.
Cut into 2-3 inches.
In a pot, add sesame oil, saute beef with soy sauce.
Add water and seaweed, bring to a boil.
Cover to simmer.
Cook for about 30 minutes until seaweed release the flavor and soup gets milky.
Goojeolpan (Crepes with eight stuffing) recipe
Ingredients: 1/3 lb beef, very thin strips 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 carrot, thin juliennes
1/3 lb bamboo shoot, thin juliennes
6-7 shiitake mushroom, thin sliced
4 oz seok ee mushroom, thin sliced
3 eggs, flour, salt, pepper, sesame seed oil
Beef marinate: 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp minced garlic
Shiitake marinate: 1/2 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/4 tsp sugar
Gyeoja sauce: 2 tbsp Korean mustard powder, 1 tbsp water, 1 tbsp venegar, 1/2 tbsp sugar
kan jang sauce: 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp venegar, 1 tsp wasabi
Marinate beef, shiitake mushroom and sauté in a pan.
Cut cucumber into 1.5 inch length.
We need thin julienne of out side green part of cucumber.
Use knife, peel outside of cucumber1/8 inch thick. -- this is a tricky part, be careful with your hands! Then, make julienne out if it.
Saute in a pan with a little bit of salt.
Saute mushrooms, carrot and bamboo shoot separately with some salt.
Separate eggs, add salt and make "Ji Dan" (thin crepe).
Cut into 1.5 inch length very thin strips.
Combine flour, salt, water and make very light batter.
In a non-stick pan, put 1 tbsp vegetable oil and wipe out slightly with a paper towel.
Pour 1 small ladle of batter, and make very thin wrapper -- flip once.
There are special serving plate for this dish in Korea.
But you can arrange them in a big plate and leave center for wrapper.
Serve with gyeoja sauce and kanjang sauce.
jinmandu (Steamed dumpling) recipe
Ingredients: 4 packs wanton skin (rounds), 1 lb ground beef 1 cup kimchi*, 1 bunch bu chu (Korean chives)**1/2 onion, finely chopped, 3 green onions, finely chopped
3 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp salt
2 tsp ground pepper, 1 tsp juice of ginger
1 egg, beaten (to seal wanton skin)
cho kan jang (soy sauce with rice vinegar)
4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)- optional
(*You can substitute kim chi with blanched nappa cabbage.)
(**Korean chives - They are strong in flavor, a bit tough in texture.)
Wash kimchi lightly to get rid of spicyness and squeeze the water out.
(or if you like it hot, don't wash it.)
Chop finely.
Wash chives, grain, chop into 1/8 inch pieces.
In a large bowl, add everything, mix well to combine.
Put some egg around the wanton skin, take about 1/2 tbsp of filling
and fold into a half moon shape.
Make some ruffles.
Boil a big pot of water, add man du, bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat.
Cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
Drain, serve with cho kan jang (soy sauce with rice vinegar).
Bindaeddeok (Mung bean pancake) recipe
Ingredients: 14 oz nok doo (mung beans)1 medium onion, thin sliced
1/2 carrot, thin julienne
3 green onions, cut in a bias
1/8 lb beef, thin julienne
1/2 cup kimchi, cut into strips*
1/4 cup bean sprout, blanched, roughly chopped
2 tbsp salt
(*You can substitute to blanched napa cabbage)
Wash mung beans and soak in cold water for 3 hours.
Get rid of outer shell by rubbing them with hands.
Wash again.
Put them in a food processor with a little water and grind to fairly fine paste.
In a bowl, mix onion, carrot, green onions, beef, bean sprouts and kimchi.
Add mung bean paste and salt.
In a non-stick pan, add vegetable oil.
Pour a ladle of paste to make 3-4 inches in diameter and cook until brown, turn only once.
Serve with soy sauce (with some chopped green onion).
Friday, January 18, 2008
2007's Top Health Breakthroughs (for Women)
2007’s biggest advances are changing the face and future of your health. Here’s what you need to know—now.
By Curt Pesmen
Let’s face it. We live in a time when a “Your Friends Make You Fat” story gets headlined and blogged 24-7 (no matter that it was just one study in a doctors’ journal), while the recent discovery of two (two!) genes linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) rates nary a peep. That doesn’t make us shallow (or even overweight), it just means we have to look a little harder for the latest medi-news that truly matters to women. And that’s what we’ve done here: From acne advances to new ways to fight pain, these top breakthroughs will help you—no matter how much your friends weigh—live a longer, more healthful life.
1. Obesity: Fat blockers that work
You’ve heard about the dangers of abdominal fat and that stress might contribute to the formation of that spare tire. Now there’s news that obesity caused by life stress may actually be controllable. Researchers at Georgetown University, under the guidance of Zofia Zukowska, PhD, professor and chairwoman of the school’s department of physiology and biophysics, injected overfed lab mice with neuropeptide Y (NPY), which stimulated fat growth, and an NPY blocker, which reduced the pro-obesity effects of stress when combined with fat- and sugar-rich foods. The blocker worked. Now they’re looking at how to turn off both new fat cells and new blood vessel formation to shrink fatty tissue and treat obesity. We wish they’d hurry up.
2. Acne : Vacuum away those zits
There’s good news for the 25 percent of acne-afflicted folks who don’t respond to traditional Rx acids or peels and microdermabrasion techniques. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently cleared the new PPx (Photo-pneumatic) Pore-Cleansing System for treating stubborn acne. Originally, PPx was reviewed and OK’d as a hair-removal system. But in recent research at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the treatment showed overwhelming success in reducing signs of acne breakouts. PPx is a two-step process. First, facial pores are gently vacuumed to remove excess oil that blocks pores, then a broadband light (laser) is used to dissolve away any remaining impurities in the skin. Between 70 and 85 percent of those tested responded well to PPx, says Dale Isaacson, MD, dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at George Washington University. Caveats: As many as five or six $300 sessions, plus follow-ups, may be required for best effects; and the technique may not work as well on darker skin tones.
3. Menstruation: No more periods, period
This spring the first, low-dose, take-every-day birth control pill went on the market in the United States. Although the reception was mixed, there’s no doubt it’s a medical breakthrough. Not only is Lybrel more than 98 percent effective (in line with other three-month or 21-days-on–7-days-off pills), but over time it effectively stops menstruation. That’s welcome news for women with painful or debilitating periods, or those who compete in high-level athletics or are planning a wedding (though some women experience breakthrough bleeding). Could putting your period on hold be dangerous? Long-term testing hasn’t been done, but most docs aren’t worried. What we like best? The growing number of contraception choices.
Is it safe to ditch my period?
4. Exercise: Work out—a little
Don’t have time for the recommended hour-a-day workout? That’s OK. A good 10 sweaty minutes a day may be enough to help you live longer, says a study published this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The research, by Timothy Church, PhD, of Louisiana State University, and his colleagues started innocently enough: Sports scientists wanted to learn how many workouts per week it would take to possibly extend the life span of an average, unhealthy woman in her 50’s. They got a surprise when, among obese and inactive female subjects studied, a mere 10 minutes of moderate workouts per day (including walking briskly or riding an exercise bike) led to a marked improvement in fitness and decrease in waist size—and, thus, reduced risks of early death. If 10 sweaty minutes is good, 30 to 60 are still probably better. But on those days you can only “take 10,” consider it far better than nothing.
5. Cervical cancer: Equal-opportunity vaccine
Gardasil—_a new cervical-cancer vaccine for women_—was big news last year. And rightly so. It’s an effective way to control sexually transmitted warts, plus the two strains of human papilloma virus (HPV) that are related to the great majority of cervical and anal cancers. Mark L. Welton, MD, a professor and chief of colorectal surgery at Stanford University wants to spread that good news by offering the vaccine to men, too. “If we really want to control the virus that causes genital warts,” he says, “we should also be vaccinating the boys.” Not only does a gender-neutral vaccine for sexually transmitted diseases protect men (which, in turn, protects women), but it takes the burden of STD prevention off of women alone.
6. Fertility: Freezing eggs for the future
In Israel this summer, a 5-year-old became mother material without asking for the notoriety. In short, because of her childhood-kidney-cancer diagnosis (in addition to associated fears that chemotherapy would rob her of her future fertility), doctors removed some of the little girl’s immature eggs—and cultured them experimentally over two days. Amazingly, they swiftly resembled the eggs of a 20-year-old woman. The eggs were then frozen in hopes of preserving the patient’s fertility and providing a possible path to motherhood, should she recover and remain cancer-free. These findings, which made news this summer at a meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, hold out hope for thousands of childhood- and teenage-cancer patients each year who are told they’ll lose their fertility while undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. It’s unknown how long a human egg can be safely frozen, and the process isn’t foolproof, but the method is producing viable pregnancies.
7. Obesity: A new way to fight fat?
Your mother always told you to watch the company you keep. But a much-publicized study done by Harvard and the University of California, San Diego, gives Mom’s sage advice a medical twist with its suggestion that your chances of being obese are higher if you have overweight friends. The study followed the medical histories of 12,000-plus subjects—and their friends and social networks—over 32 years. Obesity spread among friends (even more than among family) over months and years, as “connected” people adjusted their body images in line with those of their peers, researchers say. In fact, if a subject’s friend became obese, the first subject and/or friend interviewed had a 57 percent greater chance of becoming obese herself; when siblings (who have common genes) were compared, the stat was just 40 percent. A big-time medical breakthrough? Maybe not. But it’s a big reminder that lifestyle has major health repercussions. What wasn’t studied but should be: What happens when one friend starts running marathons?
8. Emergency care: No-kiss CPR
A heart stops with no doc nearby about 490,000 times each year in the United States. Now there are two ways to go about restarting it, emergency-style. There’s standard CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), which is still recommended by the American Heart Association and American Red Cross. And there’s CCR—cardiocerebral resuscitation—which ditches the mouth-to-mouth breathing and focuses on continued, rapid chest compressions, with a target goal of 100 heel-of-hand-to-sternum presses within one minute. With early study results showing 9 percent of subjects surviving with CCR versus just 3 percent following older procedures (a success-rate increase of 300 percent), the CCR-style procedure, developed at the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center, bodes well for heart attack victims of the future.
9. Breast health: More reasons to go low-fat
After breast cancer, you may be what you eat; you might “go green,” especially if you had the estrogen- and progesterone-receptor-negative type. Results from the Women’s Intervention Nutrition Study (a clinical trial, conducted this year, of more than 2,400 early-stage breast-cancer survivors) shows that a low-fat diet (a strict 15 percent of total calories) may reduce odds of a recurrence. In any case, sticking to low-fat, lean protein and loading up on vitamin-rich fruits and veggies can’t hurt.
Get the latest news on breast cancer.
10. Digestive health: A camera in a pill
For the millions who postpone colonoscopy screening due to embarrassment or expected discomfort, it may be time to take a chill pill. Or, more properly, a camera pill. Now, PillCam, the same minicam-in-a-capsule technology that’s been used for esophagus and small intestine screening since 2003 has been adapted for use in the large intestine. Prior to PillCam testing, you prep the colon with laxatives the night before. Then you visit a doc’s office to swallow the pill and start the exam. As the day and PillCam move on, thousands of images of your insides are beamed wirelessly to and stored in an external monitor for later review. The colon PillCam can’t replace a standard colonoscopy; if it finds trouble, you’ll still need a follow-up colonoscopy. But the pill-camera may well serve as a less-stressful way for countless patients to have extensive baseline colon exams—without having invasive equipment introduced into their backsides. Speaking of which, when it’s all over, the $450 device exits painlessly and is flushed away.
11. Urinary incontinence: Stop the leak
Thanks to surgical and nonsurgical advances, this has been a big year for a big female problem: stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which afflicts up to 15 million women in the United States. In May, results from the largest-ever federally funded study of SUI surgery provided women with new information about surgical options. The study found that one of the two leading techniques—the fascial-sling method—was 25 percent more effective at stopping leakage completely than the Burch colposuspension procedure. Then came the announcement of a nonsurgical alternative, Renessa, which can be performed on an outpatient basis or in some OB-GYN offices. Here’s how it works: Radio frequency heat waves are delivered via a urethral probe to affected areas of the urethra and adjoining muscles that have atrophied with age or as a result of childbirth or disease; the heat toughens tissue, making it stronger and better able to control urine flow, researchers report.
12. Diabetes: Saying goodbye to needles
Insulin delivery has made great strides, going from needles to pens to patches to nose sprays—and now to gel. In March, Phosphagenics, an Australian medical firm, announced it’s moving ahead with a next-phase study of a transdermal (i.e., absorbed through the skin) insulin gel, which is said to be effective (so far) in getting necessary amounts of the drug into the bloodstreams of diabetic patients—and delivering it safely. There have long been problems with needles and injectors, especially among younger and older patients, and associated fears often hurt compliance. The Aussie firm’s ultimate goal: to provide millions of diabetics who currently use needles or pen-jab devices with a patient-friendly alternative. In the meantime, they’re making certain their experimental gel provides a proper insulin dose and stable blood-glucose levels.
13. Breast cancer: Melting away metastases
It’s not often that breast-cancer doctors take cues from docs who treat prostate cancer in men. But urologists have been using seed implants to treat prostate tumors for some 15 years—a method that’s now being tried on advanced breast cancer. In an intriguing and ongoing study, Affaan Bangash, DO, a resident at Northwestern University, and Riad Salem, MD, an associate professor of radiology, oncology, and surgery there, have tested a new form of radioactive seed implants containing microspheres of radiation capable of killing breast-cancer tumors that had spread to the liver, but with fewer side effects than other treatments. In short, the experimental seeds, or brachytherapy, led to positive tumor response on PET (positron-emission tomography) scans in 63 percent of patients in the study, the research says. And while the study is far from complete, it offers a future option for breast-cancer patients who haven’t responded as hoped, even after multiple chemotherapies.
Get the latest news on breast cancer.
14. Pain: Block it and stop it
Acute pain, like a sprained ankle or twisted knee, is something doctors—and patients—understand and treat pretty well. Chronic pain, as in arthritis, lower-back, or other long-term bone-and-joint problems? Not so much. That’s because, after a while, bodies adjust to and refuse to “listen to” standard pain-relieving drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen, or even more serious opioids. And it’s now thought that the brain and spinal cord become rewired after serious injury, so more than just the site of injury is affected. This is a big issue for the one in five Americans afflicted with chronic pain. But pain specialists have high hopes for two new high-tech, patient-controlled solutions: a pain-patch, called IONSYS, that delivers fentanyl (an analgesic) upon the push of a button; and a portable, iPod-like nerve-blocking “anesthetic pump” that’s being studied on U.S. soldiers, both in the field in Iraq and at home at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The theory: If you can block and stop the rewiring of severe pain signals (along the spinal cord and brain) early on, it may indeed result in less-severe pain for months, perhaps years, to come.
Find the best new pain cures for women here.
15. HIV and AIDS: Protecting immunity
HIV and AIDS may have faded from public consciousness in the United States since the late 1990s, but patients were thrilled to see the approval of a new AIDS treatment. In August, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) OK’d the use of maraviroc (sold under the brand name Selzentry), a drug that blocks a cell receptor (called CCR5) the HIV virus uses to enter and infect white blood cells. In a sense, the drug blocks, or slows, an HIV patient’s immunity breakdown. Drugs for HIV and AIDS haven’t worked this way before, although in 2003 the FDA did approve another type of blocker—an injectable, infusion inhibitor—that fights a slightly later stage of HIV infection. Selzentry, manufactured by Pfizer, is currently available by prescription; testing for side effects will be ongoing.
16. Osteoporosis: Building bones
Osteoporosis warnings have multiplied as the baby boom generation has aged. Luckily, so have the treatments: from daily calcium supplements to once-a-week pills such as Fosamax and Evista, from the Alora patch to once-a-month Boniva. And now, Reclast—_the first once-a-year medical method of osteoporosis treatment—has received FDA approval.
The Reclast twist? This 15-minute infusion, given in a clinic or doctor’s office, provides a full year of protection without worries about compliance (forgetting to take a pill has always been a problem). Sounds great, but be sure to ask about side effects, says William Fuller, MD, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Presbyterian–St. Luke’s Hospital in Denver. “There have been gastrointestinal side effects from osteoporosis drugs like Fosamax. Now that you have something that stays a whole year in your system, you want to ensure that there will be no side effects.”
17. Rosacea: No more blushing
About 14 million Americans ages 30 to 60, mostly women, suffer from the long-term redness of the cheeks, nose, and chin called rosacea. The disease fires up tender skin, making it feel hot and angry—and sometimes the blood vessels become permanently dilated. Until now, doctors could warn patients against the reddening tendencies of spicy foods and alcohol and provide some temporary fixes. But they couldn’t really explain the causes of the condition or offer hope for a cure. That may be changing thanks to a team of researchers, led by University of California, San Diego, researcher and dermatologist Richard Gallo, MD, PhD. They’ve found that overproduction of two interactive inflammatory proteins results in excessive levels of a third protein that causes rosacea symptoms, “a trifecta of unfortunate factors in people with rosacea,” Gallo says. His discovery may lead to better treatment and an eventual cure.
18. Brain health: A shocking advance
If you’ve ever read or seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, it’s hard to believe that electric-shock therapy could be a legitimate, compassionate treatment for certain brain disorders. But it is. Nobody’s prescribing electroconvulsive therapy for garden-variety depression, but deep-brain stimulation (DBS)—_sometimes called electroshock lite—is being studied as a possible new means to control severe depression or even post-traumatic stress disorders after military service or a past history of abuse. Neurosurgeons implant and wire a tiny pacemaker, with leads to the areas of the brain believed to be hyperactive, or emotionally disturbed. Then pulses of electric current serve as episodic treatment.
19. Multiple sclerosis: New genetic clues
For the first time in more than 30 years, researchers from the International Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Genetics Consortium have discovered genetic clues to why certain people—usually women between ages 20 and 40_—develop MS, a severe autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own nerve cells over time. The new genes, labeled IL-2 and IL-7, are associated with interleukin (IL), a substance that helps direct T cells to fight cellular invaders. For many of the estimated 400,000 MS patients in the United States, early clues to diagnosis (a stumble here, fatigue and a finger or foot weakness there) often go unnoticed. As a result, treatment is often delayed, and the disease is misdiagnosed. And while these two genes (IL-2 and IL-7) hardly tell the whole story of associated nerve degeneration (followed by possible loss of sight, memory, and brain power), they at the least “give us a working hypothesis for what may be causing MS,” says David Hafler, MD, a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School’s Center for Neurological Diseases. They also hold out hope for better treatment: Once researchers find and understand such genes, better drugs to tame incurable MS are far more likely to be found.
Is Alcohol Really Good for You?
Just a glass or two raises risks for some diseases—and lowers them for others. What’s right and wrong with drinking?
By Linda Formichelli
When you toast the New Year with a flute of champagne or down a glass of your favorite red wine on the weekends, it can actually be good news for your body: One glass a day (or less) can make your heart stronger and may boost your memory. But have a few too many, and your risks for breast cancer, uterine cancer, and osteoporosis rise fast. So when it comes to drinking, should you or shouldn’t you? Here, experts make sense of the contradictions and help four drinkers (and one abstainer) find the healthiest imbibing strategy.
Can a glass a day keep the doctor—and the pounds—away?
Gabrielle Studenmund, age 31, of Southern Pines, North Carolina, is trying to lose 10 to 20 pounds from her five-foot-five, 155-pound figure. She takes three-mile walks every day and watches calories carefully, but wonders whether giving up the glass of white wine (or sometimes two) that she has every night with dinner would make losing weight easier. At the same time, she doesn’t want to say no if wine is really helping her stave off Alzheimer’s, a heart attack, or some other scary disease.
What the experts say
The wine is probably doing more good than ill. In a study of almost 50,000 women, those who drank moderately (one drink per day) gained less weight than women who abstained—and less than those who had two or more drinks per day. It’s not clear why, but study author Eric Rimm, associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, thinks that alcohol may help burn calories. Plus, alcoholic beverages have no fat and typically have fewer calories than popular non-alcoholic beverages. A 5-ounce glass of red wine has 125 calories, for instance, but a Venti Cappuccino from Starbucks weighs in at 180.
Still, Gabrielle needs to watch what she eats when she’s drinking. Since alcohol often lowers inhibitions, she runs the risk of noshing to excess. To avoid that problem, it’s best to portion out your goodies beforehand and put away leftovers quickly, says Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian for the Mayo Clinic.
Down the road, Gabrielle’s well-behaved taste for wine should pay off in a lower risk for dementia, heart disease, and certain cancers. Alcohol may keep her brain sharp by increasing blood flow upstairs, says David Hanson, founder of AlcoholInformation.org and professor emeritus of sociology at the State University of New York at Potsdam. Moderate drinking also seems to raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, while decreasing blood pressure. It may even cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin. How does alcohol pull all that off? Nobody knows for sure, Hanson says, although the calorie burning and improvements in blood chemistry linked to drinking may explain it.
Will drinking too much make me age faster?
Lisa Concepcion Giassa, 36, of Bogota, New Jersey, goes out every other night during the week with the girls for a pitcher of margaritas or sangria, and downs two to three drinks per outing. On the weekends she gets a little more crazy. “For me,” she says, “it’s five drinks and three shots, with water in between.” She prides herself on being the one who can put it away and still have her wits about her. Lisa isn’t oblivious to the immediate dangers—like car accidents or simply falling down—but she’s more worried about premature aging and the risks of a disease like breast cancer or osteoporosis.
What the experts say
Alcohol by itself won’t make Lisa look old before her time. However, Rimm says, “Partyers tend to eat miscellaneous things at the bar (like greasy nachos, cheesy potato skins, and chicken wings) that aren’t great for them,” which can lead to that chunky, middle-aged look. People who drink this way are also more likely than nondrinkers to smoke and to breathe in secondhand smoke in bars, which contributes to wrinkles and higher risks of heart disease and cancer. (Alcohol may also dehydrate you, and that’s never good for the skin.)
But the real problem with binge drinking—or even just two drinks a day for women—is the toll it takes on the inside of your body, not the outside. “If you have more than seven drinks per week, it actually reduces bone mass,” says Janet Greenhut, MD, MPH, senior medical consultant at HealthMedia, which provides online behaviorial help, like alcohol counseling, for health plans and employers. “Also, if someone is in the habit of binge drinking—having four or more drinks in a two-hour period—she’s more prone to falls, and she’s at higher risk for fracture because her bone mass is lower.”
Studies clearly show, too, that more than one drink a day makes you more prone to breast cancer. Researchers at the European Cancer Conference recently reported that the risk rises 10 percent for women who have between one and two drinks a day, compared with women who have less than one, and the risk increases by 30 percent at more than three drinks per day. And don’t think you lower the risk by drinking wine instead of beer or something harder. The same research says any kind of alcohol ups the risk. Uterine-cancer risks go up at two or more drinks per day, as well. What does alcohol have against breasts and uteruses? Experts say it seems to boost estrogen levels, which in some cases cranks up cancer risks.
Does having a drink or two take a toll on my energy?
Eliana Agudelo, 33, of San Francisco loves rock climbing, hiking, and marathons. “It’s part of who I am,” she says. “Being outdoors makes me feel alive, energetic, and connected to the Earth.” She also loves a good microbrew after a day outdoors and a glass of wine a few nights a week. She wants to know if she’d stay in better shape or have more energy if she didn’t drink at all.
What the experts say
A few drinks a week shouldn’t affect Eliana’s performance, says Eric Rimm, a professor at Harvard School of Public Health, whether she’s at the gym, in a road race, or on the trail. However, if alcoholic drinks end up cutting into her water intake during the day, she may get dehydrated. That can leave anyone feeling tired and less eager to work out. One more thing: Eliana should deep-six any drinking right before an athletic event or outing, as it takes four to six hours for the body to break down alcohol. Leave the beer at home, in other words, when you’re rock climbing, and get high on nature when you’re hiking. Otherwise, the risk of a bad fall rises fast.
Could my drinking lead to alcoholism?
The latest numbers from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism are discouraging: one in three people will become hooked, to some degree, on alcohol at some point in their lives, and only one-quarter of people with a problem will get treated. Connie Stelter, 41, of St. Paul, Minnesota, has often wondered whether she might need help. She currently has just two drinks a week, but it wasn’t long ago when four or five drinks three times a week was her norm. The heavy drinking happened after she suffered a divorce, two job layoffs, a burglary, and then more relationship turmoil. Now she worries she’ll end up like her brother, an alcoholic. “I know my drinking has really curbed my potential,” she says. Connie wants to know how to tell if she really has a problem, and, if so, what to do next.
What the experts say
Just wondering if you have a problem is a strong hint that you might, says Kevin Wildenhaus, PhD, director of behaviorial science for HealthMedia. (To take a quick test, click on Do I Have a Drinking Problem?). Connie’s family history is another red flag. “People who have a family history of alcoholism have about three times the risk of becoming alcoholics,” Rimm says. “Some say that it could be that you grew up in a setting exposed to alcohol, but even those who grew up apart from their parents have a higher risk.” Most experts classify alcoholism as a disease because of the genetic component and the tendency of some people to become psychologically and physically addicted. They say that Connie shouldn’t blame her brother for a personal failing. That attitude may lead her to blame herself and not seek help if she really does have a problem. Instead, Connie should talk to her doctor or a counselor.
Am I missing out on the benefits of drinking?
Laura Faeth, 44, of Boulder, Colorado, stopped drinking three years ago after experiencing a ton of abdominal pain during a night of partying. “I took it as a sign that my body didn’t want alcohol anymore,” she says. Now she finds socializing just as much fun when she’s sober. But since her father died of pancreatic cancer at age 53 and his mom died of breast cancer at 50, Laura can’t stop wondering whether she could lower her cancer risks by having some red wine every few days.
What the experts say
Women who don’t drink at all do have a slightly higher risk for certain diseases than women who drink just a little. But that’s no reason for Laura to start having wine with dinner in place of, say, water, or to throw down a few at the holiday party while toasting good health. (For tips on avoiding alcohol, click on Sneaky Ways to Just Say ‘No’) “We know so much about how to be healthy already,” Rimm says. “If you’re worried about the risk of diabetes and you’re eating right, for example, adding alcohol won’t do much more for you.”
The same goes for cancer: Ditching cigarettes, eating more fruits and veggies, avoiding too much sun exposure, keeping your weight under control, and getting regular exercise pack a lot more prevention than a bottle of Bordeaux.
5 Surprising Things That Give You Headaches
It could be the weather, your laundry detergent, even your up-do. Here's how to feel better fast.
You’ve been staring at the computer for hours. You’ve worked late all week and have in-laws coming this weekend. You have a raging case of PMS. Eyestrain, stress, and hormonal shifts are fairly common causes of headaches, which afflict 45 million Americans (most of them women). But sometimes the usual suspects don’t explain that pain in your head. That’s because some triggers are just plain weird—like perfume, storms, earrings … or even orgasms. Here’s how to identify the source of your headache so you can send it packing.
Perfume
“Strong scents bother me instantly,” says Bethany Hegedus, 35, a writer and receptionist from Brooklyn, New York. She can get a headache from a whiff of Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker or a stroll past a Yankee Candle. Her sense of smell is so acute that she can sniff out whether a co-worker has changed laundry detergents or hand lotions, a degree of sensitivity common among scent-driven headache sufferers. The headaches can be fleeting if exposure is brief—or they can last all day.
Why it hurts: Strong odors may activate the nose’s nerve cells, which stimulate the nerve system associated with head pain. Ironically, the offending scents are often pleasant, says Vincent Martin, MD, a headache specialist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
What to do: Avoid perfumes, strong household cleansers, fragranced soaps and shampoos, and air fresheners. That’s a challenge when just about everything these days is “Clothesline Clean” or “Citrus Fresh,” but Hegedus does her best with unscented laundry detergent and deodorant, and wears no fragrances. At the office, she politely asks colleagues not to wear heavy perfumes. And if all else fails? “I keep a bottle of Excedrin Extra Strength at my desk,” she says.
That remedy has aspirin, aceta-minophen, and caffeine, a combination endorsed by several medical organizations for migraine and tension headaches. However, you might want to try aspirin or acetaminophen individually rather than mixed together with caffeine, says Andrew Charles, MD, director of the Headache Research and Treatment Center at the University of Calofirnia, Los Angeles, School of Medicine. Frequent use of medicines with caffeine can lead to dependency and “rebound” headaches, the kind that come right back as soon as the meds wear off. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen treat pain and the inflammation often associated with headaches. Acetaminophen fights pain, but not inflammation. (Another caveat: If over-the-counter meds don’t help, a trip to the neurologist may be needed, Martin says.)
Weather
Studies show that the headache-prone are especially attuned to changes in barometric pressure, rising temperatures, high humidity, lightning, and cloudy skies. Rebecca Kinney, a 31-year-old librarian from Newton, Massachusetts, calls herself a human barometer. Gray skies and rain-on-the-way trigger excruciating pain. “The headache is usually on one side of my head, and it pulsates, as if someone is drilling into me,” she says.
Why it hurts: The meteorological shifts are thought to trigger chemical and electrical changes in the brain that irritate nerves—sometimes causing fairly dramatic pain. In fact, “50 to 60 percent of migraine patients will identify a weather change as the trigger for their headaches,” Martin says.
What to do: On bad-weather days, Kinney puts an ice compress on her eyes in the morning. “Sometimes I can catch the headache before it gets worse,” she says. Another trick: Record your symptoms and the weather to piece together patterns. Then check out the “Aches and Pains” forecast on Weather.com (click on “Healthy Living”); it breaks down how the day is dawning in terms of temperature, barometric pressure, and wind patterns. Pretreat with 400 milligrams of ibuprofen a day or two before expected weather changes, says Mark W. Green, MD, director of headache medicine at Columbia University. (Naproxen or aspirin may work, as well.)
Earrings, headbands, and ponytails
Some people say the roots of their hair hurt when they get a headache. Kinney describes it as a “hair cramp.” Other women swear that their earrings can lead to head pain. And they’re all … correct!
Why it hurts: The muscle groups around your scalp don’t have pain fibers, but their connective tissues do. “Ponytail headaches” result when tightly pulled hair irritates the muscle system. And your swingy up-do isn’t the only thing contributing to your pain: Tight-fitting hats, headbands, and heavy earrings are also culprits, says Stephen Silberstein, MD, director of the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Why earrings? It’s possible that earrings can pull on that same connective tissue. But some studies suggest that skin sensitivity around your scalp, face, and ears often accompanies a migraine. The earring supersensitivity could be a sign that a migraine’s coming, but not the cause of the headache.
What to do: It probably didn’t take a study in the journal Headache to tell you that loosening your ponytail relieves a ponytail ache. Researchers have found that this simple action decreased headache pain within 30 minues, and, in some cases, instantly. Kinney makes a conscious effort to reposition her ponytail throughout the day. Typically, the thicker your hair or the heavier your headwear, the more likely you’ll experience this type of headache. Best bet: Save tight up-dos and heavy earrings for nights out, when you won’t be wearing them for long.
Hunger
There’s a reason some nutrition gurus recommend that we eat several small meals a day: It keeps our blood sugar on an even keel. Dieting, fasting, skipping lunch—they all can cause you to bottom out, which may trigger a headache.
Why it hurts: Experts believe low blood sugar may stimulate nerve pathways that bring on these common headaches, but the exact mechanism is murky.
What to do: Uh, eat? Exactly. But remember that what you grab may play a role in whether your headache returns. “Sugar headaches” may occur when we binge on sweets on an empty stomach. The spike in blood sugar ratchets insulin levels, which eventually cause blood sugar to sink even lower. Instead, balance a protein with a complex carbohydrate, such as fish and brown rice, or a snack of whole-wheat toast with almond butter. Martin adds that eating foods rich in magnesium (spinach, beans, nuts, and seeds) and riboflavin (dairy products, lean meats, leafy greens, enriched breads and cereals) may prevent and alleviate head pain. Riboflavin is a B vitamin; large doses are thought to help prevent migraines.
Bear in mind, too, that cheese, chocolate, lunch meats, caffeine, and additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) may trigger headaches. In general, if you suffer from moderate, severe, or frequent headaches (more than two a week), consult a headache specialist about your diet. You may need to keep a food diary to hunt for culprits.
Sex!
“Coital headaches” (not the “Not tonight, honey” variety) can occur during foreplay or right before orgasm. Marked by a general head pain, these headaches typically last from a few minutes to an hour.
Why it hurts: It’s probably a type of “exertion headache,” Silberstein says. During arousal, the culprit is likely pressure building up in the head and neck muscles. And orgasm sometimes requires a lot of “work.” Running, coughing, sneezing, even straining during a bowel movement, can lead to similar pain.
What to do: Most exertion headaches can be pretreated with ibuprofen or naproxen, Martin says. But be careful: An orgasmic headache, if it’s your first, may point to an underlying condition, such as an aneurysm, that merits a doctor’s attention. If your headaches occur during G-rated workouts, an activity switch can help—from aerobics, say, to biking. These headaches usually aren’t a reason to quit having fun. “Just ease into it,” Silberstein says.
Japchae (transparent noodle with beef and vegetables) recipe
Ingredients:1 pack transparent noodle (dangmyun),(soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, drained)
1 medium onion, thin sliced
1/2 carrot, thin julienne
1 bunch spinach, blanched, cut into
3 inches 10 oz thin slice beef
5 green onions, cut in a bias
7 shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated, thin sliced oil to saute salt and pepper
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Beef marinade: 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1tsp minced garlic,1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
Shiitake marinade: 1/2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil
Noodle seasoning: 1 and 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 4 tbsp vegetable oil
In a non stick pan, add oil and saute vegetables. All ingredients have to be cooked separately. To use the same pan, start with light color vegetable. An ideal order will be onion - green onions - carrot - shiitake mushrooms - beef. The vegetables don't have to get any color, just need to be softened. Saute and move to a big bowl to cool a little bit. Put a non-stick wok or large pan on a medium heat. Add dang myon seasoning, pour in dang myon. Bring to a boil, stir occasionally for a few minutes until dang myon absorbs water. In about 10-15 minutes they start to stick together. From this point, stir constantly until the noodle gets soft and translucent. Take off from the heat, let cool for a while. If needed cut the length. Mix with vegetables, sesame seeds, salt and pepper to taste.
Pajeon (Green Onion Pancake) recipe
Ingredients: 1 bunch green onion - cut in a bias, 1/2 onion - thin slice
1/2 carrot - thin julienne
1/4 lb shrimp* - chopped
1/4 lb bay scallops* - chopped
1/4 lb clams* - chopped
1/8 lb squid* -chopped
(*You can substitute to any seafood.)
For batter: 1 cup water (3-4 tbsp more)
1 cup flour
1 egg
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dwen jang (Korean bean paste)
Soy dipping sauce: 3 parts soy sauce, 1 part rice vinegar, some chopped green onion
In a big bowl, combine all ingredients for batter with a whisk. Or you can purchase "Korean pancake mix" from Korean market, and combine 1cup water with 3/4 cup (to 1 cup) mixture. Combine all vegetables and seafood into a batter and mix well. In a non-stick pan, put 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil. Make a pancake about 4-5 inches in diameter. Serve with soy dipping sauce.
Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts [Kai Pad Med Ma-Manug] recipe
Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts Ingredients
1. 300 g. sliced chicken thigh
2. 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
3. 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
4. 1/3 cup roasted cashew nuts
5. 2 spring onions, chopped
6. 3 cloves garlic, minced
7. 1/4 onion, cut into small cubes
8. 4 dried chillies, chopped
9. 1 teaspoon seasoning soy sauce
10. 1 tablespoon sugar
11. 1 tablespoon cooking wine
12. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts Preparations
1. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. When oil is hot, add minced garlic, chop onion, and dried chillies, and fry until fragrant.
2. Then, add chicken, and season with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.
3. Stir-fry until all ingredients mix thoroughly and chicken is cooked, then add cooking wine, roasted cashew nuts, and spring onion. Stir quickly for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat.
4. Transfer stir-fried chicken and cashew nuts to a serving dish, and serve immediately.
Spicy Thai Fish Cakes and Cucumber Salad recipe
INGREDIENTS: Spicy Thai Fish Cakes (Thot Man Pla)
Coconut milk 3/4 cup
Ground white pepper 1 tsp.
fish sauce 2 tbsp.
Egg 1 whole
Ground fresh fish,any white fish will do 1.5 lbs.
Kaffir lime leaves, julienne 2 tbsp.
Red curry paste 2 - 3 tbsp.
Chinese long beans orgreen beans sliced thin 1/2 cup
Vegetable oil for frying 2 cups
(4 servings)
Spicy Thai Fish Cakes (Thot Man Pla)
1. ln a food processor, using a steel blade, blend together all the ingredients except the Chinese long beans and vegetable oil for frying, The paste should be smooth with no lumps.
2. Spoon the fish paste into a mixing bowl and mix in the sliced beans.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan to medium heat, Form fish paste into bite size cakes by using spoons or your hands, Slightly moisten with oil to prevent the paste from sticking to your fingers, Flatten these round patties a little to ensure even cooking,
4. Fry these cakes until golden on both sides, (Do not take long to cook,two minutes or so depending on the size of the cakes.)
5. Lift cooked pieces of fish cake from the hot oil and drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot with cucumber salad.
INGREDIENTS: Cucumber Salad (Achat)
Cucumber,peeled and sliced thin 1 cup
Shallots, peeled and sliced thin 2 heads
Red spur chili peppers, sliced 1
Chopped coriander 1 tbsp.
Water 1.5 cups
Granulated sugar 4 tbsp.
White vinegar 4 tbsp.
Cucumber Salad (Achat)
1. Peel and cut cucumber lengthwise and slice thin.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Let the salad rest for 20 minutes and spoon into a small serving cup to accompany spicy fish cakes or chicken satay.
Fried Fish with Tamarind Sauce [Pla Rad Prik] recipe
Fried Fish with Tamarind Sauce Ingredients
1. 1 fish (any meaty white fish) weight 400-500 grams
2. 1 tablespoon tamarind
3. 3 tablespoons sugar
4. 1 shallot, coarsely chopped
5. 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
6. 3 sprigs coriander
7. 2 tablespoons fish sauce
8. 3 red or yellow chilies
Fried Fish with Tamarind Sauce Preparations
Fried Fish: 1. Score the fish at an angle all the way to the bones on both sides to help it cook faster.
2. Heat oil in a wok, about half a cup or at least to the side of the fish. Fry the fish on low heat, about 10 minutes on the first side. Don't try to loosen the fish from the pan until it is done, otherwise, the fish breaks up.
3. When the first side is cooked, flip and fry the other side, for 5 minutes. When the fish is cooked thoroughly, remove and set it on a plate. TIP : For more crispiness of the fish, you just only put fried fish in the oven on 350?F for 10 minutes.
Topping Sauce: 1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the chopped mixture and stir.
2. Then add tamarind, fish sauce, sugar and a few tablespoons of water. Mix well and let boil. If the sauce gets too thick, add water. It should be the consistency of maple syrup when cooled. The original taste of sauce should be sweet, spicy and sour.
3. When cooked and mixed well, pour the sauce on top of the fish and garnish with coriander leaves.
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