Healthy Recipe Doctor: Food Synergy!

Fast Italian Style Fish with Even Faster Lemon Sauce

If there were a way to reach a higher level of health, wouldn't you want to know more about it? If this way of eating gave you extra cancer protection and reduced your risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes even further, would you want to know about it then? Evidence is mounting that certain components in the food we eat and drink (minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals, fiber, smart fats, etc.) interact to provide our bodies extra disease protection and a higher level of health. This advanced nutrition science is called food synergy and it couldn't have come at a better time, what with all the baby boomers hitting or nearing the half century mark (myself included).

Food synergy is like adding 1 plus 1 and getting 4 or 6 instead of 2; the total is greater than the sum of the individual parts (or nutrients).

Well everyone, this is the name of my new book: Food Synergy (Rodale Publishing). If you've every thought of checking out one of my books - check out this one!

Food synergy examples range from nutrient to nutrient - found in the same food or in different foods - to the synergy in different dietary patterns. If you get the book but you only have the time or patience for one chapter, go directly to Chapter 7 (do not pass "GO!" do not collect $200!). This is where it all really comes together in a magical way. One of the things I talk about in this chapter is the "Top Synergy Super Foods." These are the foods that seem to stand out through all the previous chapters on the various and sundry food synergy examples. I wrote about the Top 10 Synergy Superfoods in a recent WebMD article.

Even though FOOD SYNERGY is a nutrition book, there are all sorts of "synergy-rich" recipes in the back of the book to hopefully inspire you and help you on your food synergy journey. I have many favorite recipes in the book but I thought I would share this one with you today.

BAKED BEEF MEATBALLS WITH SPINACH AND TOMATO SAUCE

Baked Beef Meatballs with Spinach and Tomato Sauce

Because these meatballs are lean, they can be dressed up with a light crumb coating. I pair these meatballs with a homemade tomato sauce, but you can serve them with a sauce of your choosing.

Food Synergy Notes: This savory dish features two Synergy Super Foods - spinach and tomatoes. Serve it over a whole grain pasta, and you'll have three stars on your plate!

Ingredients:
SAUCE
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled or diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (6 ounces) low-sodium tomato paste + 3 - 6 ounces more if necessary to thicken
1/2 cup light or nonalcoholic beer or wine or broth
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or white pepper

MEATBALLS
1 1/2 pounds super-lean ground beef (around 6% fat)
1 1/2 cups (10-ounce box) frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large beaten egg (omega-3, if available) or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup seasoned or plain dry bread crumbs

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
To make the sauce: add the oil to a large nonstick saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes; tomato paste; beer, wine or broth; Italian seasoning; garlic powder; parsley; salt, if desired; and pepper. Use a potato masher to crush the tomatoes while the mixture heats up. When the mixture comes to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.
To make the meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, spinach, Parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and 1/4-cup of the bread crumbs. Using your hands or a standing mixer, mix all ingredients together until nicely blended.
Place remaining 1/2-cup bread crumbs in a small bowl. Shape meatballs using a cookie scoop to measure exactly 1/8-cup. Roll each in the bread crumbs and lightly coat with canola-oil cooking spray. Place each in a mini muffin cup (or on a nonstick jelly-roll pan). Bake for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked throughout and nicely brown on the outside. Serve with the pizza sauce as either an appetizer or entrée.

Yield: Makes 5 main dish servings and 4 cups of sauce
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic members Journal as 1 serving lean meat with sauce + 1/2 cup vegetables with 1 teaspoon fat maximum
Nutrition Information Per serving: 337 calories, 26 g protein, 31 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat, 3.7 g saturated fat, 33 mg cholesterol, 5.3 g fiber, 990 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 32 percent.
OMEGA-3 = 0.3 g
89% Daily Value for vitamin A
62% Daily Value for vitamin C
22% Daily Value for vitamin E

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