Cooking for a Heart Healthy Diet.

Our group was responsible for cooking the meal with the theme “Heart Healthy Diets: A Recipe For Life”. The mediteranean diet has proven positive benefits for health, notably a reduced risk of cardiac failure [Annu. Rev. Nutr. 2015. 35:11.1–11.25]. We designed a multiple course meal to fit within the design of the class. Hummus with celery, carrots, and cucumber was prepared to eat during the initial presentation by Dr. Stirling. The main course consisted of a greek salad, lentil soup, and steamed makerel. The dessert consisted of a fruit salad. Water and unsweetened iced green tea were provided as refreshments. Hummus is protein rich and lacks almost all unhealthy fats. Mackerel was chosen for the main dish due to the prominence of health Omega 3 fats in it.

All of the ingredients were acquired at Your Dekalb Farmers Market. This location was chosen for a variety of reasons. The primary reason was that it offers a huge variety of organic vegetables. Its spice selection is second to no other place I have seen. Finally it also offers everything else the meal will need such as chickpeas, fish, and lentils. This is conveniantly coupled with very affordable prices compared even to non-organic produce at Kroger and other supermarkets. Finally the Dekalb Farmers Market is a place of commerce that I support due to ethical reasons. Unlike many corporations they do not take advantage of their employees to excessive degrees. Furthermore they are dedicated to combating food scarcity. Dr. Hadley stated that the Dekalb Farmers Market was likely the reason that food insecurity was not seen at increased rates among local refugees, and this is not accidentally. Indeed, they have published a book about why combatting food scarcity is important, and what steps they take to combat it. [https://www.ourworldmarket.com/]

Food cooked:

Hummus

1kg of dried chickpeas

1kg of tahini

zhatar

cumin

olive oil

water

1 tbspn Baking soda

more than 12 cloves of garlic

kosher salt

4 lemons, juiced.

Chickpeas where soaked overnight, and the water was discarded. They were briefly cooked with baking soda, and then covered with water and allowed to simmer for close to 1h, until they were easily squished between two fingers. They were then drained.

Chickpeas where placed in a food processor and briefly processed. Tahini, a small amount of olive oil, and some water was added. The rest of ingredients where then added and blended. Spices, salt, and garlic were added to taste. This was done in 6 batches.

Last minute refrigeration to cool down the hummus before serving.

Blending the hummus together

Garnishing the hummus

Chickpeas, cooked and drained.

Carrots and Celery, cut up and ready to serve.

Lemons, cut, and being squeezed.

Greek Salad

We based off the following recipe, with some basic substitutions, such as different types of lettuce, bell peppers, olives where ommited and cucumbers were added.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/14373/greek-salad-i/

Lentil Soup:

The following recipe was followed:

www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lentil-vegetable-soup-recipe

Steamed Makerel:

Mackerel was steamed in parchment paper in the oven. 

Mackerel, getting stuffed with lemon slices.

Garnishing and mackerel.

Mackerel, prior to being covered in aluminum and cooked.

Fruit Salad

12 apples, 4 bananas, 6 blood oranges, and 6 pears were cut and mixed together. Pomegranate molasses the the juice of 2 lemons was added.

Green tea:

6 bags of organic green tea were added to a 1 gallon jug of cold water and allowed to seep for 24h. The tea bags where then removed.

~~ Benjamin Kasavan