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Tunisian Food — A Great Example of the Healthy Mediterranean Diet

Catherine — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:12:49 +0000

Ever since we moved to the small North African country of Tunisia last summer, I have been thoroughly enjoying eating Tunisian food, both at restaurants and at home. I’ve also lost about 20 more pounds and I’m smaller than I have ever been since I was 21 years old! I don’t think this is a coincidence. Here’s why.

Tunisia has a long Mediterranean coastline and its cuisine is a fine example of the Mediterranean diet, rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans, fish and poultry, nuts and good oils. These foods are high in antioxidants and fiber and nutrient-rich so they are naturally satisfying and healthy.

Tunisians love spicy food, and the national condiment and an ingredient in many dishes is a paste called harissa, made from garlic and smoked hot red peppers.

Some of the highlights of Tunisian food culture help illustrate why the traditional Mediterranean diet is so healthful:

Couscous is one of the most popular meals in North Africa. Couscous appears to be a finely-textured grain but the individual grains are actually made from semolina dough like pasta. I buy wholewheat couscous to increase the fiber and nutrient content. Couscous is frequently served with a stew of vegetables, sometimes with meat, chicken or poultry. Couscous can also be served as a desert steamed with dried fruits, nuts, spices and drizzled with honey.
An abundance of fruits and vegetables are grown in the northern coastal regions of Tunisia, where we live, and they are sold in the vast outdoor and indoor market nearby. Depending on the season, we can buy fresh dates, citrus fruit, apples, pomegranates, nectarines, pears, peaches, plums, strawberries, melons, tomatoes, eggplant, artichokes, green onions, leeks, cabbage (red and green), peppers, fennel, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, fresh and cured olives and so much more.
Dried beans, chickpeas, and lentils are sold in bulk. Where we live, the most popular street food is a baguette filled with hot chickpeas, drizzled with olive oil and garnished with olives and tuna, egg or sardines. I had this for breakfast the other day before the gym — my husband and I split one sandwich and I was full for hours.
With such a long Mediterranean coastline, fish is a popular dish. Fresh grilled fish, fresh and canned tuna, octopus and squid all figure prominently.
Delicious Tunisian mint tea is made from green tea, black tea and mint. Full of antioxidants and, when purchased at a cafe, unfortunately sugar. I want to try substituting stevia for sugar.
What do Tunisians eat when they want a snack? Well, along with the deep fried sweets that are popular (we have these for a very occasional treat), a favorite snack option are the freshly roasted nuts and seeds that can be bought in little bags at ubiquitous little Fruits Secs stands.

Want to experiment with cooking Tunisian food? You can check out some yummy Tunisian recipes here.

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The Best Fruits and Veggies You’re Probably Not Eating

Catherine — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:44:15 +0000

The New York Times has published a list called “The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating.” These are super nutritious and available in most supermarkets. If you’re increasing your fruit and vegetable intake and looking for inspiration, the list includes:

Beets (I love borscht)
Cabbage (try chopping and frying with onions in a little olive oil)
Swiss chard
Prunes (after a public relations makeover, they’re calling these dried plums now?!)
Frozen blueberries
Canned pumpkin (great to have in the pantry, just microwave with a touch of butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon for a fast snack)

Also on the list: cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, sardines and turmeric.

Yum!

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Tweak: Daily Fruits and Vegetables

Catherine — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:02:25 +0000

Tonight at the dinner table over a plate of pasta, my teenaged daughters told me an astounding story. A year or two ago they went to a friend’s birthday BBQ. What was on the menu? Spaghetti with ketchup and barbecued hotdogs. I’m here to tell you that no matter what the USDA may say, ketchup is not a vegetable

Research shows that eating at least 5 to 9 daily servings of nutritious fruits and vegetables can slow down your aging process and significantly reduce your risk of cancer, stroke, heart disease and more. But if you are in a rut, depressed about the state of the house and/or your struggles with weight and eating, eating habits can really suffer.

I found myself in this situation back in 2001. Even though I love lots of different fruits and vegetables, I was so deep in despair and apathy about my life that I had stopped grocery shopping regularly. My son and I ate a lot of takeout I had already made my first Tweak — switching out regular Coke for Diet Coke — but I knew more positive changes were in order. I could not face the idea of another failed diet, but I decided to at least introduce some healthy food so that we would be getting the nutrients we needed.

A nice coincidence happened around this time. I began working on a community project with a couple who owned an organic vegetable farm and who were creating a weekly “food guild” (also known as CSA or farm subscription). For $25 a week I began to get a bushel basket every week filled to the brim with fresh organic veggies and even some fruit. (You can find a CSA program near you at http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ and many CSAs will even deliver straight to your doorstep.)

Once I had the bushel of veggies every week, I knew I had to cook them and serve them so that I would not be wasting my money and my farmer friends’ incredible efforts. We ate delicious salads with cherry tomatoes and amazing mesclun salad greens. I boiled, roasted and even fried the vegetable bounty. And guess what? Our takeout orders and drive-thru runs dropped in number dramatically!

How much fruit and vegetables should we eat? I found an interesting calculator on the US government site FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov and plugged in my info. According to the calculator, a 38-year-old female who does 30 to 60 minutes of brisk exercise per day should eat about 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of veggies. (Now, if you are diabetic or following a low carb or low glycemic index eating plan, you’re going to want to substitute vegetables for most of that fruit. Berries are a good low glycemic fruit choice.)

I typically eat more than 2 1/2 cups of vegetables a day — I say pile on the non-starchy veggies like spinach, leafy lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, etc. as much as you like — as long as you don’t completely drown them in fat, vegetables are always a healthy indulgence!

Remember:

Choose no more than one tweak per month – don’t try to pile them on! Practicing a single tweak for at least a full month gives you the best chance of forming a real habit and life change. Do not try to add another tweak until the previous tweak has become a habitual part of your life (this can sometimes take longer than a month).

This is all about loving yourself and creating a joyful life! Therefore, when choosing a new tweak to practice, pick one that is appealing and gives you a sense of anticipation.

Read all the fruit and veggie posts here.

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