So today we will make chickpeas with sausage and a mixed salad. It is fast and easy.

Chickpeas – also called garbanzo beans – are not very popular in the United States. I sometimes cook them at home, but only when I find good quality ones, like the ones from Fuentesauco that are small, faster to cook and have a delicious taste. One of the problems with chickpeas is that they take a long time to cook.

I stay away from canned ones because they are loaded with salt and they taste different. But here in Spain they sell them cooked, inside glass containers with no salt added with an incredible natural taste.

We like to prepare garbanzo beans with the Spanish sausage called “chorizo”, but any kind of sausage works. Chorizo has such a unique taste and smell that your whole neighborhood will notice your cooking.

Here are the ingredients and how to prepare them:

• 1 lb of garbanzo beans dried or canned
• 1 chorizo sausage or any other variety
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil

If using dried garbanzo beans, cook them in abundant water and salt, adding ½ of an onion and 1 garlic clove to the pan for flavor. Remove and discard onion and garlic after the beans are done.  If using canned beans, rinse with cold water and drain.

In a saucepan heat up the olive oil. When it is hot, add the sausage or chorizo until it is partially brown. Add the garbanzo beans and cover,  cooking for about 15 minutes. Keep the saucepan covered, as the beans tend to explode as they get hot.

For a small child this dish is a meal by itself. Garbanzo beans count as a source of protein and as a vegetable. They are rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus, niacin and folates. For young and old they help decrease bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol; they are also recommended for patients with diabetes, as they help to keep the blood glucose under control.

The meal is complemented by a mixed salad. I also refer to it as a “cleaning the refrigerator salad” since I usually scavenger for anything green.

Today’s salad contained: lettuce, tomato, corn, carrots and a hard-boiled egg. All mixed together and sprinkled with some olive oil and vinegar.

This is Mediterranean style diet at its best.

Hake is a white fish that is rarely found in the United States but very common in Spain. It resembles cod and it belongs to the same cod family. With about 200 calories per serving and incredible amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids, who needs fish oil supplements when you can have the real thing with an extraordinary taste?

Children, and adults, with a tendency to obesity can count on fish to improve cardiovascular health and brain function.

Preparing a fillet of fish is easy and fast:

Place the fillets of hake (or any other white fish) in an oven dish. In a saucepan heat up 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add ½ onion, cut in small pieces, 2 garlic cloves (minced) and some parsley. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the onion becomes transparent. Add 1 tsp of flour and ¼ cup of water and allow cooking for another 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the fish; pour ¼ cup of white cooking wine over it and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes.

This recipe for vegetable soup is a variant of my own recipe. My mother prepares it without cheese, but my children like it with some Philadelphia cream cheese added.

The ingredients are very simple: 3 zucchini, 2 potatoes, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Preparing it is even easier: cut up all the vegetables and boil them in a small amount of water. Add the olive oil. It takes about 30 minutes and it is done. Use a hand mixer to blend all together, add salt and pepper and the soup is ready

Zucchini is rich in vitamins and minerals. It contains calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin C, thiamine, niacin, carotenes, lutein, vitamin A and iron.

Potatoes provide even more vitamin C, niacin, magnesium and fiber.

The vegetable soup in this menu provides a meal, as itself, for a toddler. In order to increase the amount of protein and make it more nutritious, add some white Philadelphia cream cheese after cooking the vegetables and before blending.

One of the questions parents ask more frequently during the well-check visit of toddlers is about the need to give vitamin supplements to children. Why add pharmaceutical preparations when we can have the same results with food?

How to deal with the picky eater who refuses to try new food? Don’t give choices and offer food only at mealtime, when the child is hungry.

While I’m in Spain, we adhere to the pure Mediterranean diet daily. Today we made something very simple, tasty and nutritious: trout, red cabbage and French fries.

All prepared with olive oil and accompanied by fresh French bread, right out of the oven.

The ingredients for a Mediterranean trout meal are easy to find:

1 trout (ours was a giant one, on the pink variety. It weighted 2 lb)
½ onion
1 Red cabbage
3 garlic cloves
2 medium size potatoes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

The cabbage is easy to prepare. Cut it in small pieces and boil in abundant water. After about 30 minutes, drain the water and reserve. In a small sauce pan heat up 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add the garlic cloves, minced. When they start to turn brown, pour the olive oil and garlic over the red cabbage and it is done.

Add salt and pepper to the trout. In a small saucepan heat up 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Fry the onion, cut in small pieces and pour on to of the trout when it is still transparent. Place in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

These two ingredients of our meal alone contain all the qualities of a balanced meal. Trout is an oil-rich, fresh water fish that contains large amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids. A portion of trout provides about 1.8 grams of Omega 3, when the weekly recommendation is of 1.5 grams. Omega 3 fatty acids contribute to the healthy development of the brain and retina in children. Oil-rich fish are also beneficial for patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis since they diminish the inflammation of the joints

Red cabbage is rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, carotene and vitamin K. With only 50 calories per serving, including the olive oil added, one can easily afford to indulge in seconds.

French fries continue to get bad press and I hardly understand why. When they are made at home and fried with olive oil, they incorporate carbohydrates and fat, but it is the right kind of fat: from a vegetable source. It is a different story when you buy French fries at a fast food restaurant, where they utilize hydrogenated oils of poor quality; they add a more attractive good taste to the potatoes, but hydrogenated oils behave in the body as animal fats, that is, they contribute to an increase of cholesterol and hardening of the arteries.

The addition of French fries, in a small amount, makes the meal more filling without compromising quality.

While I’m in Northern Spain I get to enjoy fresh tuna fillets right out of the ocean. At this time of the year small towns like Luanco, located on the Green Coast, sell and serve tuna (bonito) in every fish market and every restaurant.

It is prepared in many forms, but my favorite is the simplest: with potatoes.

Ingredients for Tuna and Potatoes

1 lb of fresh tuna fillets
4 medium potatoes
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
½ green pepper
½ red pepper
Sun dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon of Spanish Pimenton
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Spanish saffron

Preparation:

Cut the tuna fillets in small cubes. In a saucepan heat up 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, minced, and the green and red pepper, cut in small pieces. Cook for 10 minutes.

Cut the potatoes in small pieces and add to the saucepan, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the Pimenton and sun dried tomatoes.

Now you can include the cubes of tuna and cold water until the potatoes and tuna mixture is slightly covered. Add saffron. Cook in very low heat for about 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Simple enough? It is also delicious and nutritious.

With only 31 calories per ounce, fresh tuna is a good source of lean protein and other nutrients such as Selenium, Niacin and B vitamins.

It contains some of the Omega 3 fatty acids involved in lowering the bad cholesterol such as EPA ( eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA ( docosahexaenoic acid), both involved in brain development, making tuna an ideal source of protein for children.

But tuna also aids in maintaining brain function in people of all ages. Certain studies involving middle-aged citizens of certain coastal towns, consuming large amounts of tuna and other fatty fish showed higher scores in cognitive tests when compared with the general population.

It is good for the heart and good for the brain.

Fatty fish contains niacin, which helps in lowering blood pressure. It also helps in reducing the inflammatory process in patients with arthritis.

Fresh is better that canned, when it comes to tuna; the fresh version contains less sodium.

It is available in most fish markets in the United States and all over the world. Here in Luanco we are going to eat tuna for a while, as long as the brave men and women of the sea continue to bring them to shore.

But first, lets make the dish.

Ingredients for Shitake Mushrooms with Eggs & Shrimp

200 mg of Shiitake mushrooms.
½ lb of shrimp, raw, peeled
3 eggs, beaten
½ onion
2 garlic cloves
Olive oil
Salt, pepper

In a saucepan heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the cut onion and garlic and cook on medium for 3 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms and stir for about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and cover, cooking for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the eggs and stir while cooking for about 5 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Although eggs are traditionally a breakfast dish, the reality is that they are a balanced source of protein the body can use for energy at any time of the day. This dish in particular is a complete meal in and of itself and is ideal for lunch or dinner.

Shiitake mushrooms are native of East Asia, but they have been used by many cultures over the years. Folk medicine attributes them with the ability to improve the immune system and possessing anti-tumor properties. Part of those claims are certain, since mushrooms (fungi) are the source of penicillin, cephalosporins, ciclosporin and even the famous statins used to lower cholesterol. They also make vitamin D when in contact with sunlight.

Ancient civilizations used mushrooms for their nutritional and medicinal properties, but our own civilization continues to investigate their properties, with on-going research at the University of California Davis and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. We do know that mushrooms have antioxidant properties, they help to lower blood sugar and cholesterol and they contain vitamin D.

Shrimp is a crustacean high in cholesterol. Interestingly, studies show its consumption doesn’t impact the level of cholesterol in blood very much. Again, Mother Nature combined a food source rich in cholesterol with an abundance of Omega 3 fatty acids which it is in charge of lowering. Another proof of the value of good nutrition: good food provides what the body needs the way our body can process it, making it difficult to outsmart nature.

The same goes on for eggs. For years our fat-free mentality removed eggs from a healthy diet alleging a bad effect in blood cholesterol. But eggs remain a great source of protein for the growing body and an excellent supply of vitamin B-12, phosphorus and selenium. Because of its nutritious completeness, they are very satisfying and can keep kids full and attentive at school for hours.

Eating one egg every day is a good, healthy practice for most healthy people.

What do we get when we mix Shiitake mushrooms with eggs and shrimp? We create a complete meal that is also easy to make.

The addition of a salad and a piece of fruit at the end makes for a perfect meal. Remember, adding fiber to the meal helps to lower cholesterol, which keeps us energized, and focused.

Calamari belongs to the cephalopods type of fish. They contain a small amount of black ink-like material located in a small sack near the eyes. When threatened by predators, the squid releases the ink to escape from capture. The ink in calamari is safe for human consumption.

As amazing as the look and behavior of these creatures is its nutritional value. Squid is rich in selenium, vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and cholesterol. It constitutes a balanced meal for children, helping growth at many levels.

It is very interesting how nature mixes nutrients in the perfect proportion. Squid has cholesterol, needed for brain development in children. Vitamin B2 is involved in converting carbohydrates, protein and fat into energy for cells to use. It is remarkable to observe that other organ meats rich in cholesterol also contain large amounts of this vitamin. Nature provides the source and the way to utilize it by our cells.

In the case of calamari, selenium aids in the formation of antioxidant proteins. These antioxidants prevent cell damage and the development of cancer and chronic disease. It also helps thyroid function and protects the immune system.

The ingredients to prepare Calamari: fresh calamari fillets, cut in pieces; onion; garlic and olive oil

Preparation: In a saucepan heat up 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add ½ onion and 1 garlic clove. When the onion turns transparent, add the calamari and stir for a couple of minutes. Add some water and salt and cook for about 1 hour, or until the squid feels soft when pinched by a fork. If ink is available, add it with the water.

Ingredients for Yellow Rice: Yellow rice is prepared just like white rice, but adding saffron for the yellow color. ½ cup of rice, ½ onion, 1 garlic clove, parsley, olive oil.

Preparation: Heat up 1.5 cups of water and reserve. In a saucepan heat up 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add the onions and garlic (cut in small pieces). Stir for 1 minute. Then add the hot water and the parsley. Cook in medium heat for about 20 minutes.

Serve the calamari with sauce on top of the rice.

Eggplant is low in calories – just 30 cal per cup – and rich in fiber. It contains many minerals, like magnesium, and vitamin B complex. Nasunin, the compound responsible for its bitter taste, is also a strong antioxidant, protecting cell membranes of the brain and making eggplant ideal for growing children. Nasunin also has antitumor, antimicrobial and antiviral properties.

With all of the above properties, I must remember to include eggplant to my list of recommendations when parents ask me how to prevent colds and other childhood diseases!

How to prepare Eggplant? It’s very easy!

Eggplant Recipe Ingredients: 1 eggplant, mozzarella cheese, breadcrumbs, 1 egg, olive oil.

Start by cutting the eggplant in slices and placing them in water and salt for a couple of hours. It helps to reduce the bitterness. Yes, it also gets rid of part of the Nusunin, but we can’t have it all!

Drain the water and dry the slices of eggplant using paper towels and set aside. Dip them into egg first and bread crumbs second, and fry them lightly in abundant olive oil.

In an oven safe dish, place the fried eggplant first, then slices of mozzarella cheese alternating with more eggplant.

You can now pour tomato sauce on top, and place in the oven for about 30 minutes. My preference is to use fresh tomato sauce versus the canned variety.

I prepare tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes, crushed, and I also add onions, garlic cloves, fresh parsley and one leek. I cook it all with some olive oil for 45 minutes and add some Italian seasoning to it.

This sauce is the base of many dishes, including my son’s favorite spaghetti, and I make a large amount to freeze for later use. Adding it to the eggplant makes it even more nutritious.

Multivitamin supplements are often necessary when a child is sick and unable to eat but, in general, we should encourage the consumption of good food containing all the nutrients children – and adults – need to maintain health.

Children often refuse foods because they don’t like the look, smell, or texture. Frequently they just want to challenge the rules.

Parents have some opportunities to get around those moments without anguish. Since most children like spaghetti, lets prepare a spaghetti sauce with all the hidden ingredients they don’t like but need.

Ingredients for a Spaghetti Sauce Picky Eaters Will Love:

• 4 large, fresh tomatoes or 1 can of tomato puree
• ½ onion
• 1 leek
• 1 small carrot
• 2 garlic cloves
• Fresh parsley
• Oregano
• Basil
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Pinch of sugar (optional)

Preparation:

In a saucepan, heat up 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Cut the onion, garlic, leek, fresh parsley and carrot in small pieces and cook it in the oil for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato puree or the fresh tomatoes (peeled and cut). Cook in low heat for about 30 minutes. Separate from the heat and mix, using a hand blender, until all he ingredients are forming a sauce of uniform consistency. Add the dried oregano and basil, salt and pepper and cook for additional 10 minutes. You can also add a pinch of sugar is desired.

Now we only have to cook our favorite pasta, add some cheese and pour in the sauce. Your child won’t notice the difference. Leftover sauce can be frozen for later use.

When dealing with picky eaters I encourage parents not to enter into the emotional side of the struggle. The refusal to eat certain foods has many origins and it seldom has anything to do with the food itself. Sometimes there is a secondary gain, which may be simply the attention and concern of the entire family. Eliminating the emotions surrounding the problem removes the motivation and often solves the problem of a picky eater.

I can save your airfare right now by showing you how to make Tortilla Espanola, right here. In the United States we think about breakfast when we serve eggs in any form, but Tortilla Espanola is mostly eaten as part of lunch or dinner, or as a “tapa” at any time of the day.

The nutrition advantage starts with the proportion of carbohydrates and protein provided by the potatoes and eggs; it also includes onion, adding vitamin C and fiber; and it ends with the flavor of olive oil that helps maintain your cholesterol in balance.

In itself, Tortilla Espanola is a meal. You can serve it for dinner and, with a lettuce and tomato salad, the Mediterranean flavor is complete. You may as well be sitting in a terrace at a café in Madrid.

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes.
4 eggs.
1 medium onion.
Olive oil.
Salt.

Cut the potatoes in small cubes, after pilling them; add salt. Fry them in abundant olive oil.

Now, when it comes to answering the question of how much olive oil to use, I only can tell you A LOT. I remember when I prepared Tortilla for some friends in California, at their house, and they gave me a tiny container of olive oil to fry my potatoes. At the time, in the 80’s, there was a big “low fat” and “fat free” movement. The whole population was scared about eating anything containing fat, even if it was natural, monounsaturated fat that is good-for-you, as is the case with olive oil. My friends did not want to listen to my arguments and requested that I boil the potatoes, instead of frying them. I did, but the result was not spectacular, like it should be.

I encourage using enough olive oil where you can easily fry your potatoes without them becoming too dry and sticky. Mince the onion and add it to the frying pan after about 5 minutes, since onions cook faster than potatoes. During the frying process, I like to mash the potatoes with a rubber spatula, as they become softer. They are done when they are lightly brown. Take the potatoes and onion mixture out of the oil, squeezing out extra oil, and reserve.

Beat the 4 eggs and add salt to them. Add the fried potatoes and onions to the beaten eggs and mix all well.

In an 8” frying pan, put 3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat it up. When is hot, add the eggs, potatoes and onions mixture and turn the heat to medium. Shape the sides with a fork, making the edges round and smooth. Cook for about 5 minutes. Turn the omelet by placing a plate over the pan and flipping it over. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and place the omelet in the pan to cook on the other side for about 4-5 minutes.

Tortilla Espanola makes a nice dish that is enjoyed by all ages. If you have a concern about calories, eat a small piece. Remember, it is best to eat good quality food in small amounts. Get your stomach used to handling smaller portions of nutritious foods and you won’t feel hungry as often.

Marta Katalenas M.D.

Well, I misspoke. I cannot cook without pimenton (Spanish paprika) and saffron, so I always have those two condiments at my fingertips. I strongly advise you to invest in buying them, since they can add the little kick of Mediterranean taste that some dishes need. They are both natural, unprocessed, no additives or chemical added ingredients you are going to love. But this days talking about price is important; I must say that Pimenton is not expensive since a small can of it (2.5 oz) can last months. Saffron, on the other hand, is considered the most precious and expensive spice IN THE WORLD. It comes in small filaments that are only the stigmas of the saffron flower (a member of the Iris family). Since each flower has only 3 stigmas and they must be removed from the flower by hand, it makes this spice one of the most expensive you can find. Luckily, you only need a few filaments to cook a meal!  Saffron has been known since ancient times, being mentioned in the Bible. Older civilizations used it for cooking because of its unique aroma and yellow coloring properties. They also used it to make perfumes and for its therapeutic properties. It was used to calm fevers, as a liver tonic and to calm nerves.

Anyway, the history is long and vast, since most ancient civilizations used it, including the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians. Today, it is indispensable ingredient in Spanish cuisine and used in all Mediterranean countries.
I remember the time before the internet, when I had to bring Pimenton and Saffron from Spain on every occasion I had. Today it is much easier. Check out www.latienda.com(there is a link in my web page).

Going back to the fish stew. Say it is Monday evening and you are driving home from work, exhausted and hungry. Let say you already have 4 potatoes, ½ onion, 2 garlic cloves, ¼ of a green bell pepper and some olive oil at home. Well, all you have to do is  pay a quick visit to your friendly HEB store and pick up some white fish. You can choose between basa, cod, halibut…it goes well with any white fish. You need about 1 ½ lb.

When you get home, before you change, cut the potatoes in pieces and set aside. Mince the onions, the garlic and bell pepper and cook it all in about 4 tablespoons of olive oil, until the onions are transparent. At this point you add the potatoes, in cubes, and add water to barely cover the potatoes. Add 2 teaspoons of Pimenton and 1 envelop of saffron. Cook over medium-low for 20 minutes.

Now you can go and change. You also have time to check out the evening news.

Now you are ready to cut the fish in small pieces, about 1×1” and add the fish to the cooking mixture. The fish will cook fast; you may need an additional 15 minutes. While you set the table and put together a salad, your fish stew will rest and absorb all the flavorings of its ingredients.

Ah! I forgot to mention 1bay leaf. You should add it to the stew when you add the fish. Look in the back of your pantry, you may have some.

By now you may be aware of the many studies praising the benefits of Omega 3 oils. Well, here you have them. Fish stew provides a balanced mixture of carbohydrates and protein, together with the vitamins and soothing effect of the herbs and vegetables.

Perfect for dinner. Your family will be able to enjoy from the door, the minute they step into the house.

I still remember the complaints of my kids when they were small. Those of you with kids know exactly what I am talking about. I had to mash everything with a fork before they would agree to eat it; they didn’t want to feel the fish, or the pepper, and blah, blah, blah. I also remember doing the exact same thing to my mother. Now we all enjoy this very simple and nutritious dish.

It is time for you to create traditions and memories. The best ones will come from your efforts, when you try to teach your children to enjoy good food.

Happy cooking!
Marta Katalenas M.D.