Food on The Huffington Post

Darya Pino: Thanksgiving Healthy Eating Tip: Slow Down

2009-11-23T18:52:49Z

Worrying about carbs, calories and diets is one of the most unproductive things you can do on a holiday that celebrates thankfulness. Instead of giving you a list of healthy side dishes or tips on how to cut out calories, this Thanksgiving I offer just a single piece of advice: slow down.

The actual content of your Thanksgiving dinner matters very little in the grand scheme of things. A few hundred calories here or there can make a difference when projected over weeks and years, but for one meal the impact is negligible. Your body will adjust naturally and you'll burn off those extra calories the next day, so don't worry about it.

But for people trying to get healthy or lose weight, not worrying about food can feel very strange. There is always the fear that if you aren't vigilant and conscious of what and how much you eat you may gorge yourself stupid and all your hopes of fitting into your favorite jeans by the end of the year will be ruined.

Overeating is certainly a possibility when food anxiety is a constant force in your life, but Thanksgiving is a perfect opportunity to start getting over it. Really. It may seem counterintuitive that such a food-forward holiday can be stress free, but let's not forget that the real point of Thanksgiving isn't turkey or pie, but being thankful.

Since most of us won't be harvesting our own meals this year (hats off to anyone who is), it is silly to pretend this particular dinner requires more thankfulness than any other meal we eat. Turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce are tradition, but do not necessarily reflect our 21st century needs and values.

With the emergence of modern media, there are other essential pieces of our lives that we can no longer afford to take for granted. Free time is one. Exercise is another. But most important of all these is our real, human, non-Twitter relationships, particularly those with family and friends. It is far too easy to neglect these basic elements of our existence when we have so many other obligations and distractions, but failure to nurture them can severely affect our overall quality of life.

If you care about your health and want to keep your eating under control on Thursday, why not focus your attention on strengthening relationships and spending time with the people you care about? Instead of worrying about yourself and what you want to accomplish, ask people about themselves and discuss mutual interests.

Let food be part of the celebration, but not the purpose of your day.

Once food is no longer the center of attention the only thing you need to keep in mind is to eat slowly-it is pretty tough to overeat if you are biting and chewing at a snail's pace.

Slow eating helps you eat less food and appreciate it more. It also helps you make wiser food choices, since decisions about what to put on your plate are made less impulsively.

But slow eating does require some conscious effort. If you are in the habit of shoveling food in your mouth without taking time to put down your fork and chew (or breathe), it is easy to slip back into this pattern. Also, if people around you are all guzzling their food in a fury, you might feel a natural compulsion to keep pace and match their eating speed.

I've written before about how to become a slow eater, but at large family dinners some of these tactics can be particularly useful. Start by actively trying to keep conversations engaged while you eat. Chewing and talking are (hopefully) mutually exclusive, so the more you converse the longer it will take you to get through your meal.

Making an effort to put your fork down between bites is another effective way to slow your pace at the dining table. To give your hands something to do between bites, reach for your glass and take regular sips of your water (it is best not to rely exclusively on wine for this tactic) or wipe your lips with your napkin.

And don't forget to chew.

Trying to eat slowly is much easier than trying to summon the will power to skip the mashed potatoes and biscuits. And slowly savoring the foods you love is far more enjoyable than inventing a clever recipe to replace the sugar or fat in your pumpkin pie.

Spend time with people, enjoy your meal and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

How do you approach health and food on Turkey Day?

Darya is a scientist, foodie and advocate of local, seasonal foods. For more healthy eating tips visit her blog Summer Tomato. You can also connect with Darya on Twitter @summertomato and Facebook.

Patrick Takahashi: How To Roast A Turkey

2009-11-23T18:46:23Z

[In July, the day after my wife passed away, The Huffington Post published my article on "Gratitude, Not Grief." With all the trauma now fading memories, I have entered a new and rather exciting phase of my life.]

For some of you looking for a reasonably safe adventure, you might want to consider roasting a turkey for the holiday season. I would like to share with you my first attempt.

I noticed that Safeway was charging only $3.99 for any turkey 16 pounds or less... not per pound, but per whole fowl. (Later I learned that various supermarkets also had similar sales, and, for all I know, this happens every year at this time. I would imagine that a state like Minnesota, which is noted to produce the most number of turkeys--the kind you eat--must give them away for free. Oh, another nice piece of trivia is that the US annually raises just about as many of these birds as our total population.)

For that price, I would have been satisfied with a pigeon-sized bird, but the smallest one I could find was 11 pounds. Then, I couldn't check out because the fine print said I had to have a bill of at least $20. But that was no problem, since I bought a few more necessary items. Unfortunately, at home, I couldn't fit it into the refrigerator, so I placed it into one of those insulated bags for defrosting.

The next day I learned from my golf group that it would be smart to first soak the bird in a saline bath to kill the salmonella and such, and add some taste. I did not have enough salt, so again I went to the market and bought a whole standard model cylindrical container of salt for all of $1.07. Amazing, considering the one pound 10 ounce weight and shipping cost. I then thought about cranberry sauce and sweet potato, but, no, it was not really that day yet, and I would see too much of it on November 26, so I went home with only the salt.

However, circumstances prevented my actually placing the bird in the oven at that moment, so I added ice as necessary. Already it was much more work than I wanted, especially as I don't particularly like turkey.

Rather than going to the Internet, I noticed a large brown Treasury of Great Recipes in the kitchen, and found "Roast Turkey Wayside Inn." I hate cloves, parsley, thyme, neck, heart, liver and giblet, so I purposely left them out. Oh yeah, you need to remove those organs inside of the turkey. There was also a plastic contraption which served no particular function to me, and maybe could melt in the oven, so with great difficulty, I removed it. Maybe a reader will comment on this matter.

I'm also not a great fan of bread stuffing, so I created my own: cooked rice, can of corn, water chestnuts, and chopped macadamia nuts/mushrooms/onion. I found some bacon, and with some irony noted that it was made of turkey. So that's what Pearl was feeding me. Anyway, I crisped the bacon and worked it in with a raw egg, plus some salt and pepper. The whole concoction perfectly fit into the turkey and I tied the legs to keep everything in place, barely. Into a large pan with aluminum foil lining, I added two cups of water and a quarter pound of butter.

The main parameters of importance I sought from the book were what temperature (325 degrees F) and for how long. To my chagrin, stated was: ten to twenty minutes per pound. Thus, using a calculator I determined that the oven should be on for anywhere from less than two hours to nearly four hours. I arbitrarily selected three hours. The main thing was to gain the right shade of brown, which was a slam dunk, as the other options are white and black.

The directions called for basting every half an hour. Basting? What's that, and how? Well, that's somehow getting the liquid part in the pan spread over the bird to keep it moist and, ultimately, tastier. I think I needed that bulb and tube thing, but a large spoon sufficed. Be careful, as this can be a dangerous process when the oven is hot.

Well, three hours later, perfecto. After a cooling period, I didn't bother with careful carving because no one was watching and I also never learned. Instead, I cut delectable portions and placed them on a plate. The recipe also called for gravy, but why bother with having to wash another pan and add flour. It would be sacrificed anyway if diet was a factor. I placed a bit of pan liquids over some mashed potato I found in the freezer from a previous experiment, had the outstanding stuffing a la Takahashi and fixed a lettuce and tomato salad with blue cheese dressing. Complemented by a glass of cabernet sauvignon, no, make that two, I had one of my best meals, ever.

You know, maybe now, I might begin to appreciate turkey, which is a good thing because the leftovers filled eight quart size Ziploc bags, and should last me the lifetime of the freezer. For only $70 - $150 I could have bought a whole prepared turkey with all the trimmings from assorted suppliers, but this was for the sheer experience, plus it was incredibly economical. Heck, I even had more than 50 cents of salt left for future use.

My next adventure could well be a goose for Christmas...or, maybe Peking Duck.

Potbelly Sandwich Works Plans 40-City Expansion

2009-11-23T17:51:02Z

Potbelly Sandwich Works LLC is recruiting franchisees for the first time as the Chicago-based sandwich chain aims to expand into more than 40 cities -- marking the company's first major strategy shift since hiring a new CEO last year.

A Compulsive Overeater: Binge-Eating Should Be Recognized As A Psychiatric Disorder

2009-11-23T17:50:07Z

When I was five years old, I ate whole boxes of the Girl Scout Cookies I was supposed to sell to my neighbors. When I was seven, I started stealing blocks of cheese from our groceries and telling my mom she forget them at the store. When I was in high school, I wouldn't eat for days then gorge myself into a stupor. When I was in college, I gained 80 pounds in one year. I never knew what was wrong with me or why I was like this.

All the people arguing against recognizing binge eating as a psychiatric disorder do so because they think this will just excuse weak-willed people for being fat. They have never suffered from this life-ruining disease -- their ignorance means they're lucky. The only choice you have when you're in this disease is whether or not to ask for help, and this would allow professionals to treat us for the serious problem we suffer from. It would also spur psychiatrists to study the disease and find the root causes.

We're not talking about a few extra calories here and there, we're talking about a mental and physical obsession, just like bulimia or anorexia, that leads to a life of hell devoid of all sense of reality. I've been lucky enough to find salvation in the 12 steps, but every week I hear stories of the insanity of this disease: People who stole food, ate out of the garbage, ate frozen food, fried sugary treats to add fat, anything to fulfill this crazy desire beyond our understanding.

Yes, some people may be given medication they don't need, and some others may find comfort in the label to excuse the five extra pounds they carry around, but those possibilities are nothing compared to millions who could seek help under these guidelines and find others like them.

Sushi DNA Tests Reveal Fish Fraud

2009-11-23T15:58:53Z

[A] team of researchers from Columbia University and the American Museum of Natural History ordered tuna from 31 sushi restaurants and then used genetic tests to determine the species of fishes in those dishes. More than half of those eateries misrepresented, or couldn't clarify the type of fish they were mongering. Several were selling endangered southern bluefin tuna.

Is Binge Eating A Psychiatric Disorder?

2009-11-23T14:53:41Z

Psychiatrists must decide whether "binge eating disorder" stands alongside anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa as a separate psychiatric condition -- identifiable by a distinct set of symptoms.

Nora Ephron: Top 10 Thanksgiving Recipes You're Cooking This Year That You Didn't Cook Last Year

2009-11-23T14:48:45Z

I know you've been on tenterhooks waiting for the winners of the contest with the longest name of any contest -- the Third Annual Huffington Post Tell Us What You're Cooking for Thanksgiving This Year that You Didn't Cook Last Year Contest -- and here they are.

I myself am inspired by the sweet potato pudding recipe and just might have to try it.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and thanks for all the great entries.

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Robert Rosenthal: Food And Wine All-Stars Dish On Thanksgiving

2009-11-23T13:50:11Z

For this quintessential American holiday, I asked food and wine luminaries for their Thanksgiving meal plans, thoughts, memories and advice.

RR: WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE THANKSGIVING EXPERIENCE, WHETHER FABULOUS OR FIASCO?

DANA COWIN: (Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine Magazine)
My most memorable Thanksgiving fiasco took place about 20 years ago. I made a huge spinach side dish from scratch. My cousin came in to taste it and spit it out immediately. "Did you wash the spinach first?" she asked, still trying to get the sand out of her mouth. Clearly the answer was no. We rinsed it and rinsed it and rinsed it and then doctored it with cream and a little nutmeg. It was quite the rescue operation--and also a big success.

DANNY MEYER: (Preeminent restaurateur/author/visionary behind landmarks such as Union Square Café, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park and the Shake Shack.)
I'll never forget the Thanksgivings of my youth - mostly spent at our grandparent's home in St. Louis. The cooking was really good and I'd usually overdose on appetizers even before dinner was served. Those were the days when it was a big deal to watch the Dallas Cowboys or Detroit Lions football games and we'd sit around and eat for hours before dinner. One year my grandmother made a huge, 5-pound steak tartare as an appetizer and formed into a mold that was the shape of a turkey. She called it beef that gobbled. Raw beef that gobbled.

ANTHONY GIGLIO: (Correspondent/connoisseur and author of Food & Wine Magazine's Wine Guide 2009, Cocktails in New York, and Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide)
The center of the universe was our basement (today people call the heart of the home the Great Room -- that was our basement). My father's mom Madeline would move in for a week in advance to join my mom's mom Rose (who lived upstairs) to prepare apple pies, strudels, Neapolitan breads called "oreganato" (infused with paprika and oregano and garlic), stuffing, lasagna, "wedding soup," antipasti, and finally, the Turkey. It was a weeklong production that I marveled at and happily collaborated in. Those women inspired me to cook and I am a better man today because of them.

Chef BILL TELEPAN: (Culinary Institute of America graduate, apprenticed with legends Alain Chapel, Daniel Boulud, Gilbert Le Coze and Alfred Portale prior to opening his namesake restaurant in Manhattan.)
The first restaurant Thanksgiving I did, we had 400 'covers' at Gotham Bar and Grill, and were ready to open when we realized the 'amuse' soup that everyone would get went sour. I made the fastest, largest soup I have ever made in my life.

RR: YOUR THANKSGIVING ADVICE, PLEASE.
DANA COWIN: Get some strong flavors in the Thanksgiving meal--to avoid tasting like nursery food. I like to have something spicy or something ethnic thrown in the mix. Also, every Thanksgiving should have one dish from your past (for me that's mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top) and one dish you've never tried so you link your past to your future, holding memories close but creating new ones.

DANA COWIN'S Five steps to Thanksgiving serenity
1. Prep most of the meal ahead to avoid having to deal with a hungry, antsy crowd.
2. Provide ample drinks, alcoholic and not.
3. Give some options for people who hate turkey.
4. Make enough for leftovers and hand out containers so guests can take food home.
5. Don't be a martyr about cleaning up. Let your family help!

Chef CHRISTOPHER LEE: (Executive Chef at New York's Aureole; one of Food & Wine magazine's "Best New Chefs" and past James Beard "Rising Star Chef of the Year")
Do not overcook the turkey! Most recipes will say to cook the turkey until a thermometer reads 165; that is perfect for a dry turkey. They never account for carryover cooking, so pull the turkey out at 160 degrees and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. Also, use the giblets in the gravy -- badass.

RR: HELP US PICK THE WINES PLEASE, FELLAS.
GARY VAYNERCHUK: (His passion for wine, palpable energy, extraordinary work ethic and marketing savvy have made him an internet and media superstar and NY Times bestselling author of Crush It.)
Versatile wines that go with all the different food on the table. I want people to try new things. If you always drink Cabernet or Pinot Grigio, please try something different!

GARY VAYNERCHUK'S Recommendations
Burgaud Beaujolais Village Chateau Thulon 2007 ($12) - Not the sweet grapey Beaujolais Nouveau, this is the real stuff!
Jean Louis Chave Offerus St. Joseph 2006 ($22) - Big and blustery Syrah from the Northern Rhone.
Chehalem Dry Riesling Reserve 2007 ($19) - Riesling is a classic Thanksgiving play. This is dry as a bone and so refreshing.
Stefanini Soave Il Selese 2008 ($11) - Italian whites are an underrated Thanksgiving choice; Soave is making a big comeback.
Neyers Zinfandel Pato Ranch 2006 ($18) - There will be many Zins on tables this year and this polished effort brings thunder under 20 bones.
J. Hofstatter Gewurztraminer Kolbenhof 2006 ($40) - "Gewurz" has always been a favorite of mine with turkey and this incredibly exotic wine will blow your socks off.

ANTHONY GIGLIO: Given all the savory and spicy flavors on our table (we Italian-Americans serve about six courses before the turkey!) I typically pour crisp, not-too-dry Rieslings (typically German) to pair with just about everything as the house white, and Pinot Noirs and Zinfandels for the house reds, the former because it pairs beautifully with practically every dish, the latter because it's one of America's few singular expressions of a grape that we consider our own (because there's no equivalent in Europe). This year, however, I'm switching things up a bit...

ANTHONY GIGLIO'S SELECTIONS
Reds
Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino 2004 ($60)
Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino 2004 ($90)
Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino 2004 ($65)
Rosso di Montalcino 2007 ($30)
Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 2004 ($75)
Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino Campo del Drago 2004 ($75)
Rosso di Montalcino 2007 ($20)

Whites
Domaine Mittnacht Freres Riesling Alsace 2007 ($18)
Domaine Weinbach Grand Cru Schlossberg Riesling Alsace 2007 ($40)
Paul Blanck Riesling Alsace 2007 ($20)
Paul Zinck Grand Cru Eichberg Riesling Alsace 2005 ($40)
Trimbach Riesling Alsace 2006 ($18)

DANNY MEYER: Thanksgiving is the night I most enjoy drinking Cru Beaujolais. Goes down the hatch easily and is the ideal mate for turkey and cranberry sauce!

RR:WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO?
CORINNE TRANG: (Dubbed "The Julia Child of Asian cuisine" by the Washington Post; award-winning author of five cookbooks on the subject.)
The sides! They're always different, though we do get two kinds of cranberry sauce on the table, my friend Nancy likes to make hers with oranges, while I like to spice mine up with freshly grated ginger. I also love to poach quince in Armagnac and white wine with thyme and rosemary. And then there's my new favorite, a roasted porcini with baby red bliss potatoes with fresh herbs. I also love the broccoli rabe, pancetta, and Parmesan bread stuffing I make. The sides are definitely what I look forward to, though the neck and thigh of the bird are pretty scrumptious too. I love it all!

Chef CESARE CASELLA: (Acclaimed chef of Salumeria Rosi, author and Dean of Italian Studies at the French Culinary Institute)
The holidays are for spending time with the family, so if I'm cooking, it needs to be something easy. I like to be lazy during the holidays, so I would probably prepare turkey roasted on a spit outside in the cold. As it slow roasts, I could sit back and drink something warm like vin brulée with clove, orange . . . delicious! I would also roast chestnuts. My ideal Thanksgiving meal is turducken - turkey stuffed with duck stuffed with chicken. For the sides - Thanksgiving is the time to open all the jars and preserved food from the year like mushrooms and summer vegetables. Sformato - savory custard - makes a great holiday side dish, and my favorite versions are made with cardoons or artichokes.

DANNY MEYER: We'll be entertaining 18 family members in our apartment. I look forward to taking a run after all the cooking is done and before all the guests arrive. I always wake up exhausted on Thanksgiving morning, and that run sets me up for a good evening.

BILL TELEPAN: The best part is when you start eating, all the cooking is done and everyone gets to dig in. Second best part: the nap!

RR: HELP US PUT AN ASIAN SPIN ON THE MEAL.
CORINNE TRANG: 1) Ginger in the cranberry sauce; 2) walnut-miso salad dressing for tossed leafy greens including tatsoy, mizuna, baby bok choy, and Thai basil leaves along with larger leaves such as radicchio and oak leaf, for example; 3) sticky rice, shiitake, and Chinese sausage stuffing for the bird.

RR: WHAT IS THE MOST POPULAR TURKEY RECIPE FROM FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE?
DANA COWIN: It's Bacon-Roasted Turkey with Sweet-Onion Gravy--no doubt people love it because it has BACON.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/bacon-roasted-turkey-with-sweet-onion-gravy

RR: I'D LIKE TO SERVE A COCKTAIL BEFORE THE MEAL.
ANTHONY GIGLIO: If you have the time, patience and passion to concoct a punch for your guests, there is no single better drink idea for a host to consider when he or she intends to enjoy their guests' company without the demanding distraction of playing bartender.

FLYING GRANDMA
(Makes approximately 12 four- to five-ounce servings.)
18 oz. Citrus Vodka
6 oz. Grand Marnier
9 oz. Grapefruit Juice
60 mint leaves (from about 10 sprigs of mint)
1 bottle (750-ml) Moscato D' Asti (chilled)
Combine first four ingredients in a large pitcher and allow to steep in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then, fine-strain the mixture through a sieve into a punch bowl. Add a large block of ice and the Moscato D'Asti and stir thoroughly. Serve in chilled Champagne coupes, and garnish each drink with a grapefruit twist.

RR: NAME FIVE PEOPLE YOU'D WANT TO HAVE AT YOUR THANKSGIVING TABLE.
DANA COWIN
George Washington because he was one of America's most successful whiskey distillers--maybe he'd BYOW.
David Chang because he'd stick around after the meal and do something amazing (and Asian-ish) with the leftovers.
Michelle Obama because she's becoming an American locavore hero.
Julia Child because she's Julia child.
My father because he was a great conversationalist and a great man.

GARY VAYNERCHUK
Walt Disney, Notorious Big, Vince McMann, Al Toon (former NY Jet), Bobby Shifrin (cousin)

RR: WHAT'S THE BEST TASTING DISH TO MAKE WITH THE FEWEST INGREDIENTS AND LEAST EFFORT?
BILL TELEPAN: If you cook Brussels sprouts really well with just some duck fat, a little onion and garlic, I could eat a whole bowl.

RR: MY STOMACH HURTS ALREADY. ANY DIGESTIF YOU COULD RECOMMEND?
ANTHONY GIGLIO: I'm a big fan of Amaro, the not-so-bitter Italian "bitters" like Amaro Lucano, Cynar, Ramazzotti; I pour them over one large ice cube in a rocks glass and sip them after the meal. If I really over-do it, I'll take one long gulp of Grappa, like one of the many made by the beautiful team of women at Nonino in Friuli, in Northeast Italy.

RR: WHAT WILL YOU BE SERVING AT YOUR NEW RESTAURANT (MAIALINO)?
DANNY MEYER: I presume we'll be doing that Thanksgiving classic, Spaghetti alla Carbonara.

RR: WHAT IS THE BEST DISH TO MAKE WITH LEFTOVERS?
Christopher Lee: Turkey Pot Pies. I love taking all the leftovers from Thanksgiving - mashed potatoes, cranberry chutney, stuffing, broccoli, turkey and of course gravy. Then I stuff it all in a pie tin and cover it with crusting pie dough.

RR: WHAT DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE?
BILL TELEPAN: I know with enough wine, all meals end up fine.
CORINNE TRANG: Nothing. That's either scary or exciting. I'll take the latter.
GARY VAYNERCHUK: That good beats evil.

RR:My THANKSGIVING PLAYLIST Something for everyone's taste.

As always, my friends: ""Life is short. Never waste a meal."©

Steven R. Gundry: Your "All Natural, Organic, Free-Range Turkey" Never Ate Its Natural Food Or Stepped Outdoors

2009-11-23T11:49:28Z

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to qualify for the "Free Range" chicken or turkey designation, "Producers must demonstrate to the agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside." In other words, you can keep your turkey in a dark warehouse, open a door (once) to a patch of grass and the "access to the outside" distinction has been met. The turkey could have been free-range and thus, qualifies for the labeling.

This loophole shows us that the USDA labeling criteria is in desperate need of updating and revision.

In our desire to eat healthy we have also jumped on the Organic Food bandwagon, looking for foods that predate modern agribusiness where pesticides, antibiotics, genetic engineering, hormones, and petroleum based fertilizers are used to mass produce the food we eat.

Mounting evidence shows that our food manufacturing is making us fat and sick. For many of us, there has to be a better way. For example, eating a "free-range" turkey that spent its days idyllically scratching up bugs and pecking at grass behind the hen house sounds a lot more healthy than eating one that had its beaks clipped, was housed in a dark warehouse, jammed against others so tight that it couldn't walk, was force fed genetically engineered corn, and then slaughtered. Which one would you choose? You'd opt for that first turkey. But guess what? The second turkey meets the USDA criteria for organic "free range" turkey, the first does not.

Incredulously, your "wholesome turkey" ate bugs and grass (its natural food) which can't be certified organic, whereas the warehouse turkey ate certified organic genetically engineered grain (an unnatural food), and thus wins the coveted label. Even more troubling is that when organic grain is unavailable or costs more than twice that of regular grain, the USDA allows the farmer to feed regular non-organic grain yet still use the organic label because he meant well (you have Congressman Nathan Deal (R) of Georgia to thank for that).

One solution, however impractical, is to find out how your turkey was raised by meeting the farmer directly. If you don't have time to get to know the person raising your food then look for the words, "pasture raised" or "sustainably raised" on the package. Until the USDA changes the way manufacturers are allowed to label our food, we are all going to have to become more aggressive consumers and shoppers.

Steven R. Gundry, MD is the Medical Director and Founder of the International Heart and Lung Institute, Palm Springs, CA and author of "Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution: Turn off the Genes that are Killing You", Crown Publishing

Jon Bonnell: A Professional Chef's Perfect Thanksgiving

2009-11-23T11:25:00Z

With today's fast-paced fine dining kitchens and a demanding restaurant clientele, I often forget that the real purpose of eating out for many is usually more about the companionship than the food. But once a year, on Thanksgiving, I get the rare opportunity to sit down with friends and family and enjoy a feast the way everyone else does.

Professional chefs have all become accustomed to eating standing up, at the oddest of hours, usually at the opposite time than the rest of the civilized world goes about the ritual. Lunch is usually 2:00 for a chef, after the regular lunch rush, and dinner might be closer to 11:00. For my family Thanksgiving, however, I enjoy a place at the table, civilian attire and a welcomed break from the typical pace of restaurant life. It's a chance to be normal for a day.

That's not to say that I don't cook the meal. I usually prepare most of the dishes for the 35 plus who gather, but in the big picture that's a reasonably stress-free meal, knowing exactly how many people to prepare for and what time to serve. Contrast that with a Saturday night service where 200 diners all order different items at different times, and a buffet for 35 suddenly becomes a welcomed reprieve.

Our family Thanksgiving menu has evolved over the years into an eclectic spread that may seem strange to the outsider, but each element has it's own story and significance to us, so we stick with what works. As people begin to arrive, we start with a standing seafood appetizer station complete with chilled shrimp, oysters on the halfshell and occasionally even a little caviar. It's one of the only opportunities to gather everyone together, so splurging a bit on this big meal is not uncommon. My two-year-old daughter will probably try her first oyster this year. The seafood is usually accompanied by California chardonnay or my father's famous Bloody Mary concoction. I always pick the freshest Maine oysters from Browne Trading Co, a supplier that I found while in culinary school in Vermont. Any leftover oysters will be soaked in hot sauce overnight and fried for an early lunch the next day. The shrimp are from my favorite Texas supplier and I whip up a Creole remoulade sauce that I learned while working in New Orleans. Usually a Champagne mignonette type of sauce tops the fresh oysters.

When it comes to the buffet, the wheels really come off at our house. I start with a wild turkey, usually harvested on Monday of that week if I'm lucky. The tradition of harvesting a wild bird started when I was 13 and bagged my first turkey, and ever since I've been refining my skills in coaxing out all of its' finest flavors and attributes. We also roast a store-bought bird, but I'm glowing with pride every year that the smoked wild specimen receives more praise than the domestic bird, which is now usually the case. Two batches of gravy are always required, since the question of giblets-in or giblets-out will never be fully answered. The mashed potatoes are rustic, meaning the skins are still in there and flavors of roasted garlic and plenty of butter and cream are added for decadence. My Aunt has been bringing her famous creamy mushroom casserole for years and it still tastes as wonderfully rich and savory as the first time I tried it back in the 70s. The vegetable is usually baby green beans, tossed in garlic and olive oil at the last minute, but left slightly crisp to the tooth and sprinkled with slivered toasted almonds. Tossed green salad, fresh rolls and homemade cranberry sauce usually round out the main spread.

On a separate counter, desserts make the perfect treat before watching football and chasing kids around the yard. Pumpkin spiced cheesecake is always a family favorite, which I always top with amaretto or bourbon-spiked whipped cream. The rest of the table is typically adorned with a veritable potluck of different sweets brought by everyone in attendance.

What makes this day so special to me is the chance to actually sit down and slow down to a normal pace of life. We say our blessing as a family, we eat at our own pace, we laugh at how cute the kids act at their little table as they mimic our every gesture. As a chef, the opportunity to not only sit for a meal, but to gather with friends and family on equal footing is a welcomed experience, even if tomorrow is Friday, and the frantic pace is sure to fire up again soon. For one day, I get to be on the other side of the service industry, and I never have to do the clean up!

Ellen Kanner: Meatless Monday: History Lesson

2009-11-23T08:08:33Z

With frantic schedules, fast food and frozen entrees,Thanksgiving may be the one day of the year we return to the kitchen. And in so doing, we return to ourselves. We connect with the people who matter in our lives by inviting them to our table for a special meal. We connect to the past by honoring the spirit of that first Thanksgiving -- even if you may be wondering what exactly to be thankful for. Perhaps it's been a sucky year -- for you and a lot of others, ace. Unemployment's at 10.2 percent and a record 49 million Americans have faced food shortages this year. If it's any comfort, those celebrating the first Thanksgiving had a hard time of it, too.

Back in England, the Pilgrims had been merchants, artisans and land owners. In this wacky new world, they had nothing and no workable skill set.

Fortunately, the Wampanoag, Native Americans who'd been living in the 'hood, took pity on the inept newcomers. They gave them the seeds for native crops like corns and beans and squash, cranberries and corn and showed them how to plant and harvest them. For the first time, many Pilgrims had to connect to -- and depend on -- the land. Plymouth suffered drought. The Pilgrims suffered doubt. And homesickness (oh, for the days of religious persecution, social infrastructure and a steady job). And sickness in general. So when harvest rolled around and they were still alive and discovered sustaining themselves might be possible, there was serious reason for gratitude.

The Pilgrims were clear about who to invite -- everyone who'd survived, plus the Wampanoag, who'd helped save their collective ass. They were also clear about how to source their food. They went for seasonal and local. That's all they had. There was no running to the store. There was no store to run to.

According to record, the feast was not the triumvirate of turkey, cranberries and pumpkin pie we know but a variety of roast meats, leeks, watercress salad, msickquatash, corn bread, and wild plums for dessert. Despite its alarming name, msickquatash, a Native American dish, is the forerunner of succotash. However, food historians believe what they ate wasn't the summertime salad of corn and limas, but an amalgamation of whatever they had on hand -- you know, like corn and beans and squash. Msickquatash is basically a term for cleverly prepared harvest stew.

Thanksgiving was not a three-day weekend in November they planned on every year. It was invented on the spot, brand-new and heartfelt. There were no frozen pumpkin pies, there were no freezers, not to mention a dearth of desserts in general, what with sugar being at a premium. And you know what? It was still a great meal.

Armed with modern conveniences the Pilgrims never dreamed of, you'd think hosting Thanksgiving these days would be a slam-dunk. If only. Many of us are as lost in the kitchen as the Pilgrims were when they washed up at Plymouth Rock, and even seasoned Thanksgiving hosts can find the holiday a big, honking pain in the ass. It takes time to make a home-cooked meal in the middle of a busy week. It takes effort to remember and accommodate everybody's food phobias and emotional baggage. It takes patience to deal with last-minute surprises, whether it's guests stuck in traffic or roasted vegetables stuck in the pan. And for what? So people can snarf their way through a lovingly prepared meal quicker than downloading porn. Do it anyway.

Thanksgiving doesn't need to be elaborate. It doesn't need to be an eat-a-thon. It doesn't even need to involve turkey (the Pilgrims didn't have one). Thanks, though, should be on the menu even though, like the first wave of American settlers, we're struggling through tough times. Giving thanks, especially in the face of hardship, is humanizing, energizing -- and free. Make this Thanksgiving meal like the first Thanksgiving, seasonal, sourced as close to home as possible, made mindfully from what we have and served with love and gratitude.

Modern Msickquatash -- Limas, Squash and Caramelized Leeks

An homage to that first feast, this silky, lemony stew is made with limas, squash and leeks, but the point is to use what's local and available. Onions make an easy substitution for leeks and you can use any type of bean you like. Canned will get the job done, but the recipe is really better made from dried. Dried beans are cheaper and cook up creamier. No zucchini? Add a few handfuls of watercress (which also appeared at the first Thanksgiving), spinach, collards or any leafy green. Happy Thanksgiving.

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 leeks or onions, sliced thin
2 zucchini, diced
2 cups (or 1 15-ounce can) limas or other beans
1/4 cup vegetable broth (or reserved cooking liquid from the beans)
2 lemons, both zest and juice
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 small handful fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and leeks, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook unattended for 30 minutes. When you remove the lid, the leeks will still be pale and will have produced a lot of liquid. This is good.

Bring heat back up to medium-high and add zucchini. Stirring occasionally, cook until zucchini softens and leeks turn golden, about 8 minutes. If you're adding greens instead of zucchini, add them here and cook until just wilted, about 5 minutes. Add beans and broth, stirring to kep beans from sticking. Grate in lemon zest and add lemon juice and thyme. Season with salt and pepper

Can be doubled super-easily. Keeps in the fridge for days.

Serves 4.

Thanksgiving Turkey Substitutes: The Least Appetizing Choices (PHOTOS)

2009-11-23T08:00:11Z

Here at HuffPost Green, we appreciate the positive effect that vegetarians are having on the environment, especially come Thanksgiving time when millions of factory farmed turkeys are slaughtered for the feast.

However, our appreciation for turkey-abstainers does not necessarily mean all turkey substitutes look particularly appetizing. We mostly get behind the philosophy that vegetarian food is better when it's not trying to pretend that it's meat. We thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the more wacky vegetarian and vegan turkey alternatives.

From Tofurky to nutloaf, check out this slideshow of the most bizarre foods to be consumed this Thanksgiving. Vote for what you think is the weirdest!

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Chris Weigant: Friday Talking Points [102] -- Harry Reid's Glacial Progress Grinds On

2009-11-20T20:31:53Z

Our illustrious (cough, cough) White House press corps showed it could get to the bottom of a story with impressively journalistic and probative skills this week. The story that so obviously required multiple questions to President Obama on his trip to Asia? Whether he's eating enough, and whether he's losing weight. Oh, and his gray hair.

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. Somebody, obviously bored on the excruciatingly long plane ride, decided they'd float the rumor that Obama was skipping meals and getting dangerously thin. Because the reporters were all trapped in the same flying aluminum can, they all decided it was a big deal, patted themselves on the back for doing so, and then took lots of valuable interview time with the president to ask him about it. Over and over again (since they all wanted the "scoop"). Obama's response was that he was eating just fine, thank you, and he wasn't any skinnier than he's always been.

Whew! Good thing we have such an illustrious cadre of journalists, to reassure Americans that the president is not starving himself or anything! After all, it's not like there are any other issues to talk about, or ask the president about.

Such as Sarah Palin, for instance. Palin sure ate up a lot of "news" time last week, which must have overjoyed her publicist and publisher (oodles of free publicity, in other words).

Seriously, there are a few things going on in the world that are actually more important than what the president had for lunch, and what Palin's ghostwriter cobbled together in "her" book.

Such as health care reform legislation, to name but one. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid finally woke up from his weeks-long nap, and is moving a bill to the Senate floor for debate. It was reported this week that the bill would be introduced on Tuesday, then on Wednesday, then on Thursday, then on Friday, and (currently) on Saturday. Which pretty much sums up the last few months of waiting on Harry. But Harry will be discussed later in the program, so I'll just move on here.

I thought it was appropriate to review exactly what is left to do on the health care reform effort. There are a few hurdles left to clear, and it's going to be a long and drawn-out process. The media will trumpet each one of these hurdles as it happens, but will (my guess) fail to lay out exactly what to expect next at each stage of the process. So I thought I'd fill this lack. Matt Osborne at Huffington Post also has a good overview of the 11-dimensional chess game we're playing, if you'd like an alternate summation of where we are in the process.

The first step is Saturday's vote. Or, I should probably say, "the vote which is currently scheduled for Saturday." This vote will be held in the Senate and is a vote to "end debate about the debate," or to overcome a filibuster/closure attempt to block the bill before it gets to the floor for debate. The media will portray this as a "vote to move the bill to the floor," but this is technically inaccurate, as it is a vote against killing the bill's progress. It's confusing, but this is the Senate we're talking about.

Democrats need 60 votes to overcome the filibuster attempt. Harry Reid thinks he's got them, but then this is the reason why the vote keeps getting pushed back -- because he's obviously still scrambling for the final few votes before he moves ahead. But they can't push it back much further without eating into their own valuable vacation time, because they're all itching to fly back home for a leisurely week off for Thanksgiving.

Once Democrats get the 60 votes they need (throughout this whole explanation, I am assuming Democrats will succeed at each stage, although I should point out that any of these hurdles could derail the entire process and kill health care reform for the year), the Senate will start debating the bill. Amendments will be offered. It's a little unclear which amendments will require only a majority (50 votes plus the Vice President, or 51 votes), and which will require the supermajority of 60 votes. Look for lots of Republican amendments to fail during this stage, and lots and lots of grandstanding by senators who are hoping to see their face on the news.

So, assuming some amendments pass and others fail, eventually Reid will move to close debate and actually vote on the bill as a whole. This is when the second major filibuster will be attempted. And getting 60 votes to overcome it will be even harder, since some of the senators who have publicly committed to killing the first filibuster attempt have pointedly not committed to moving the bill to a final vote. But, probably with some wheeling and dealing, Reid rounds up the 60 votes he needs and defeats the filibuster once again.

Which brings us to the final vote. This vote only requires 50-plus-one, meaning Democrats who don't like the bill can vote against its passage, after voting with the Democrats to kill filibusters. This sort of thing, I should add, is common. John Kerry got lambasted in his bid for the White House, for expecting Americans to know how the Senate actually works, when he said he "was for the bill before he was against the bill" (or was it the other way around?). This is called "having your cake and eating it too," when it comes to explaining your votes to your constituents, and is common practice by both parties in Washington.

But ignoring all of that, a bill passes the Senate! Woo hoo! We're done, right?

Well, no.

This is the trickiest phase of the whole process -- the dreaded conference committee. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid name a limited number of negotiators (which names are on this list will be crucial) to a committee of both House and Senate members, and they get a chance to totally rewrite the bill. Their goal is to come up with a bill that can pass both houses in exactly the same form. This will be challenging indeed, since the vote margins are going to be pretty thin for both houses. A handful of Democrats from the left or the "center" could play the "I'm taking my bat and ball and going home" tantrum game at this point.

Many are the bills which die in conference committee, it needs emphasizing. It's a tightrope wire to walk that sees many, many ideas fall off the wire to perish below (no safety net down there). This will be the toughest part of the whole process.

Eventually, though (assuming success at every stage, as I said), a compromise bill emerges from conference committee. Then it goes to the House and the Senate, where individual senators and the Republican Party en masse will try to derail it by adding amendments willy-nilly. But sooner or later, the House and the Senate vote on the same bill. Over in the Senate, of course, this will mean more filibuster attempts to be dealt with, but in both houses the final vote requires just a simple majority to pass.

The bill, after achieving passage in both houses, then goes to the Oval Office for President Obama to sign.

If this all sounds like a very long and drawn-out process, well, it is. And the new "operative" deadline (as they say in D.C.) is now the State Of The Union address which President Obama will deliver to a joint session of Congress in late January. That is not a lot of time. With so many formidable hurdles left in place, the clock running out becomes more and more of a serious possibility.

In any case, while the news media will portray Saturday's vote (or Sunday's, or Monday's... sigh) as a gargantuan-sized Big Deal, please keep in mind that we've got a long way left to go.

A Democrat this week hit a most impressive milestone, as Senator Robert Byrd became the longest-serving member of Congress in history. This benchmark adds service in both chambers, meaning Byrd's six-year term as a member of the House is added to his impressive 50 years and ten-and-a-half months in the Senate. Byrd's Senate record is already the longest in history, passing Strom Thurmond's a few years ago. So now Robert Byrd is not only the longest-serving senator in American history, but also the longest-serving member of Congress in history as well. For this, he receives an Honorable Mention from us this week.

Representative Alan Grayson also gets an Honorable Mention as well (with special "strange bedfellows" oak leaf cluster), for joining with Ron Paul to win passage of language in a bill to mandate an audit of the Federal Reserve. Other Democrats wanted to water this down, but Grayson and Paul prevailed. For now. Their opponents shut down a vote on the bill after this happened, though, which the White House is reportedly not happy about.

Also annoying the White House is Representative John Conyers. Conyers, however, is on the right side of this issue. He's pressuring President Obama and Rahm Emanuel with some very blunt language: "You know, holding hands out and beer on Friday nights in the White House and bowing down to every nutty right-wing proposal about health care, and saying on occasion that public options aren't all that important is doing a disservice to the Barack Obama that I first met who was an ardent single-payer enthusiast himself." For pressuring Obama to stand up for the ideals he campaigned on, Conyers is also awarded an Honorable Mention this week.

But our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week award goes to Attorney General Eric Holder. I have already written twice this week (in Tuesday's column and Wednesday's column, in case you missed them) about Holder's decision to hold the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-conspirators in a civilian federal court mere blocks from where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood.

Now, reasonable people can disagree about Holder's decision, but we are awarding him the MIDOTW award for how he has handled himself this week. It's a rare thing in Washington to see a government official make a strong decision, and then defend it as the right thing to do without either (a.) trying to blame everyone else for the idea's shortcomings, or (b.) immediately apologizing for the decision, or (c.) "walking back" or even overturning the decision at the slightest sign of political stormclouds on the horizon.

All in all, Holder admirably defended his decision and admirably faced his critics when dragged before a congressional committee. So, as I said, whether you agree with his decision or think it was wrong, Holder was still impressive in the way he strongly stood up for himself after announcing it -- a rare thing in Washington. And for that, we award him the Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week.

[Congratulate Attorney General Eric Holder on his Department of Justice contact page, to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]

So, here we are on the health care reform front. A bill may make it to the floor of the Senate tomorrow. But you know what? We could have been here in July. Or September. Or October. This endless series of delays and time wasted can be laid at the feet of one man -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Because it is an inescapable fact that a stronger leader would have moved the legislation a lot further by now.

Now, in Reid's defense, the bill he came up with is a lot stronger than a lot of people thought it would be at this point. The number of times the public option has been declared dead by serious and important people inside the Beltway is staggeringly high. And yet, there it is in Reid's bill. No trigger (at least not yet) is in the bill either -- denying yet another piece of inside-the-Beltway conventional wisdom for the past five months. Given what he had to work with, it's not a horrible effort by Reid. Fairness dictates we point this out here.

But Reid has shown over and over again that he simply does not know how to negotiate in a timely fashion. He usually begins negotiating by publicly stating he will be throwing away all his best leverage in the negotiations -- making it much easier for his opponents to defeat him. He has put up with so many delaying tactics on health care reform that we find ourselves only moving a bill to the floor right now -- just before Thanksgiving. Because the Senate is going to go home for a full week next week, it won't be until early December that the floor debate even begins. And after such debate, and after a vote on passage, there still remains the conference committee -- which is going to take a few weeks, at the very least. With the end-of-year break in there, it is already an extremely tough schedule to meet if Congress really wants to pass this by the State Of The Union speech in late January.

Meaning Reid has left everyone with very little elbow room. Which makes it all the easier for opponents to defeat the whole effort -- because now they don't need to absolutely shut it down, they just need to run out the clock for a few more weeks. While Max Baucus certainly deserves some of the scorn for this situation, the buck stops at Harry's desk, as the leader of the Senate Democrats.

As if all of this weren't enough, Reid just announced that he's no longer even considering reconciliation as a last resort. Once again, Reid takes the most powerful weapon at his disposal and, instead of wielding it forcefully, actually chucks it over the side of the boat instead. This seems to be Harry's standard operating procedure -- surrender before the fight begins.

But there's a way to change all of this. The Democratic caucus in the Senate traditionally chooses its leadership in December. Meaning that any Democrat could soon challenge Reid for his leadership role. If a movement started among Senate Democrats to rally behind a more forceful personality, this could put some serious pressure on Harry Reid to get things moving along. Democrats could let it be known privately that if health care reform isn't at least in conference committee by the time they choose next year's leadership, then they would be handing Harry his hat, and repainting his office for his successor.

There are many, many Democratic senators who could fill the void of leadership Harry Reid carries around with him. Pretty much anyone who knows how to negotiate and knows not to throw away their best leverage before the fight begins would get my support, at this point.

Oh, and while they're at it, Democratic senators could also strip Joe Lieberman of his committee chairmanship on the Homeland Security committee if he votes with Republicans to kill health care reform. Just a suggestion.

But for this week, Harry Reid wins his fourteenth Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week award. That is twice as many as anyone else has won. Get a move on Harry, or else stand out of the way for someone who can. Please.

[Contact Senator Harry Reid on his Senate contact page, to let him know what you think of his actions.]

Volume 102 (11/20/09)

I'm going to remain optimistic at the end, here, and write my talking points this week for Democratic politicians (to use on the Sunday morning chat fests) while assuming that the Senate has managed to vote to bring the health care reform bill to the floor. That's right, I'm going to make a leap of faith and assume that Harry Reid manages to get his 60 votes tomorrow night. Because, really, if he doesn't, there won't be a whole lot for Democrats to talk about this Sunday morning.

Anyway, remaining cheerfully (some would say "blissfully," or perhaps "idiotically") optimistic, here is what Democrats should say on Sunday to bring all the pressure they can bear to their fellow Democrats in the Senate who may waver in future votes.

Rushing? Um, no.

The standard cry of the obstructionists in this debate is that we are somehow "rushing" health care reform. Attack this with the disdain it deserves.

"Excuse me, did you say rushing? You think we're rushing into health care reform? The effort to bring quality affordable health care to every American started seventy years ago. This effort has been going on currently ever since the 1960s. We've taken months -- sometimes years -- to come up with portions of this bill. We've debated them non-stop for the past six months. We've spent weeks and weeks putting together final legislation. How, exactly, is any of this 'rushing'?"

The wrong side of history

Republican Senator Olympia Snowe was actually the one to use this line the best so far in this debate.

"History is calling, in the form of health care reform. History will judge us on what we do in Congress in the next few weeks. We Democrats must make a simple choice: do we want to stand on the right side, or the wrong side of history? Do we want this vote to be a proud achievement for our party, and for all of America, or do we want to be shamed later by voting against such wide-sweeping reform? I know which side of history I want to be remembered on, and that is why I will be voting for health care reform."

Party unity

This is a phrase which got quite a bit of scorn in last year's campaign (see: PUMAs, or "Party Unity, My Ass" soreheads). But it needs to be picked up, dusted off, and given the proud placement it once had.

"The Democratic Party needs to show some unity, for once. Party unity means voting against Republican filibuster attempts in the Senate. I don't care whether Democratic senators vote for or against the bill on the final vote, but I think it is shameful for any Democrat to join the 'Party of Obstructionism' or the 'Party of No' in a procedural vote. It is the coward's way out. The courageous thing to do here is to keep party unity intact, and guarantee an up-or-down vote for the final bill on the Senate floor. Robbing the Senate of that vote, and robbing the people of seeing how you would have voted on the final bill is nothing short of shameful. Party unity used to mean something in Washington, and I hope it means something in the filibuster-killing votes in the Senate in the next few weeks."

Maybe we need new leadership

This one only really works if you are a Democratic senator. Although other Democrats could use it, prefaced with something like "well, you know the scuttlebutt I'm hearing is..." or language to that effect.

"The end of the year is traditionally the time we Democrats caucus to choose our leadership and committee chairmen for the upcoming year. If we can't manage to get a health care bill through a floor vote in the Senate, I and many of my colleagues are going to have to think long and hard about who will be the most effective leaders for the Senate next year. I'm not going to name any names, but there are quite a few of our leaders who seem more interested in causing unconscionable delays to the process rather than exhibiting true leadership. And we will be looking at that quite closely in December."

Want to get re-elected?

These last three are a direct appeal to those mugwumps sitting on a fence on the health care reform debate. Don't appeal to their better interests, appeal to their fear of losing power. It's the best leverage to use in Washington, when you get right down to it.

"Any Democrat thinking of voting against health care reforms should take a good hard look at the opinion polls coming out of their state or district. The American people want health care reform, they expect us to deliver health care reform, and if we are instrumental in blocking health care reform, then they are going to let us know about it. For all the so-called 'moderate' Democrats that I've heard about, when you look at the polls from their own constituents, time after time they show that people want not just health care reform, but actually stronger health care reform than is currently in the bill. These Democrats need to think long and hard about their own political future if they vote against the needs and wishes of their own constituents. Because voting with the Republicans is going to make it a lot harder for you to get re-elected."

Democrats are toast in 2010 without health care reform

In fact, expand this to the whole party.

"Democrats are going to be toast in the midterm 2010 congressional elections if we don't deliver on health care reform. With huge majorities in both houses of Congress, if we can't follow through on the biggest agenda item that got a Democrat elected to the White House, then voters are going to be disgusted with the Democratic Party as a whole come next election day. They are either going to stay home and not vote, or they are going to vote for anyone who isn't an incumbent. Our party's future in Congress hinges in a big way on whether we can pass healthcare reform or not. If we don't, President Obama is going to be a lot weaker next year, and Congress is going to be universally held in contempt by the voters. And a lot of Democrats who are now sitting in office are going to be looking for jobs this time next year."

Democrats deserve to be toast in 2010 without health care reform

This is "part 2" of the previous point.

"And you know what? We Democrats are going to deserve to be toast in the 2010 elections if we can't pass health care reform. We've got the biggest majorities in Congress we've had in a generation, and the voters sent us here for a reason -- to get something done. If we prove that we are incapable of delivering this to the voters who sent us here, then we will absolutely deserve to be stripped of our majorities and our power come next year. I wouldn't blame the voters in the least if they see us fighting amongst ourselves so much, and more worried about our own egos than in producing some legislation to improve people's lives. The voters would be entirely justified in 'throwing the bums out' if we can't manage to get something done. I say this as a warning to all my fellow Democrats, and I sincerely hope they will take it to heart."

Chris Weigant blogs at: ChrisWeigant.com

NEW! Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant

Full archives of FTP columns: FridayTalkingPoints.com

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Cross-posted at: Democratic Underground

Dr. M.J. Wegmann: 4 Ways To Avoid The "Holiday Weight Gain"

2009-11-20T17:21:10Z

One of the toughest times of the year for those trying to lose weight is the holiday season. Many people will gain between 5 and 7 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Year's. While the holidays are a time to rejoice, celebrate and share fond memories, they are also a time for eating, eating and more eating. Wherever you go, whatever you do, food always seems to be the central focus. Cookies, chocolates, fruit cake, eggnog, holiday breads and a myriad of other 'goodies' can been seen in the kitchen, on the coffee table, at the office, grocery store, friend's house... even your chiropractor's office! How can you try to maintain your weight and heart-health during such a tempting time? I've come up with 4-steps to surviving the holiday hoopla that is surefire success - this season and in the future ones to come.

1. Limit your sweets to one-a-day

While you can't control every situation, you can control how much food goes into your mouth. If you are constantly bombarded with holiday parties and displays of desserts or candies you can still effectively help prevent overeating and weight gain. One way is the one-a-day method. Allow yourself one small serving of a cookie or piece of candy each day during the holiday season. Remember that you may have to compensate for it later in the day by reducing your total caloric intake or by burning a few extra calories while exercising. If you aren't confronted with holiday foods that day, just skip your one-a-day - but don't compensate and double-up on your serving the next day.

2. Don't starve yourself all day to justify eating more at dinner.

Eating a satisfying breakfast can ward off the temptation to overindulge later in the day. I recommend eating 3-5 small meals throughout the day. Portion control is a must. If you miss this one you could easily consume 2000-3000 calories in one meal! This is how people pack on the pounds.

3. Planned physical activity.

Get moving. Take a family walk before the "big" meal, and take one after the "big" meal. Get outside and get some fresh air. Make it a priority by scheduling daily activity into your routine. Physical activity is an effective method for preventing weight gain during the holidays by burning calories, suppressing appetite, and helping deal with stress (you know, the stress from hanging out with the in-laws for a week). Physical activity is the common denominator for losing weight and keeping it off. Some ideas are flag football, ice skating, skiing, or an extra lap around the mall when shopping.

4. Say No

Inevitably there will be people that try to get you to overeat. "You just have to try these cookies." Sound familiar? Or I love this one "there is only a little left, just finish it up." Or even tougher to turn down; "I made these especially for you, have some." It can be difficult turning down offers of food at the holidays because you don't want to hurt the person's feelings. However, that person should understand that eating their food is not a sign of love and affection. You can just explain that you are on a health and fitness plan (not a diet) and you do not want to have any of what they are offering because it looks so good that you won't be able to control yourself.

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of a "high risk" time for over eaters and obese people. I think the number of people who only overeat at the Thanksgiving meal is slim to none. Make a commitment to getting healthy, and for a majority of people reading this website, make a commitment to staying healthy. Your health is more important than the temptation to over indulge constantly.

Irene Rubaum-Keller: What Did You Eat Today?

2009-11-20T16:20:35Z

I help people lose weight. It's what I do professionally and what I have done personally. I lost 50 pounds in 1990 and have kept it off. The most important thing I teach people to do is to keep food records. By that, I mean you write down everything that you eat, the amounts and the calories. Yes, tedious I know, but the only true way to find out what is going on with your intake, output and your weight.

What I ask people to do is to get on the scale every day. Yes, every day. Write down your weight each day and average it out over the course of a week. This keeps you awake and aware to what is going on. The people who gain the most weight are the ones who give up and stop paying attention.

Then I teach people how many calories a day they need. Women take their weight times 10, men times 12, and that number is the amount of calories you need per day to maintain your current weight, without exercise. So if I weigh 130 lbs. I can take in 1,300 calories a day to maintain my weight. If I add in a 200 calorie workout, I can eat 1,500 calories and still weigh 130 pounds. It's math.

So, I challenge you Huff Po readers to share what you ate today. If you can put in the calories, all the better. If not, I can help estimate them for you. Just try keeping track for one entire day and see what you learn. I promise you, you will benefit from this simple exercise.

If you'd like to participate in the research for Irene's new book on the process of weight loss, please take the survey.

Thanksgiving Recipes (PHOTOS)

2009-11-20T08:18:57Z

Here at HuffPost Green, we think Thanksgiving is a pretty green holiday. It focuses on food and spending time together rather than buying new things. Plus, Thanksgiving is one of the most prominent cultural examples of eating seasonal food -- and many traditional ingredients are available to buy locally in many parts of the US.

We asked around the HuffPost office for some family recipes -- pick the one you'd like to have at your Thanksgiving dinner and send in your favorite recipe with a photo.

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Wendy Gordon: Organic, Heritage, Sustainable -- When Talking Turkey, Does it Matter?

2009-11-19T13:03:21Z

My good friends in the Catskills look forward to turkey hunting season. They shoot only what they can eat and make many delicious meals from one bird. Most of us don't hunt for our Thanksgiving turkey, unless you count as hunting our quest for the perfect bird at farmers’ markets and supermarkets.

Suffice it to say, the Thanksgiving turkey you are likely to find today in the supermarket is nothing like the wild turkey my friends hunt, and in fact it's quite different from what your grandparents ate 50 years ago.

Today, 99% of all turkeys raised in the U.S. are the "Broadbreasted White" variety (sometimes also referred to as the "Large White"). Raised in confinement in extremely crowded conditions on factory farms, "broadbreasted whites" are fed a steady diet of grain and supplements like antibiotics, rather than the grubs, bugs and grasses they should eat and could eat if they were allowed outdoors.

As their name implies, Broadbreasted White turkeys are valued for their large white meaty breasts, which breeding has enhanced, though the process has rendered them virtually infertile. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, without artificial insemination performed by humans, this variety of bird would become extinct in just one generation.

If turkey is on your holiday menu, what then should you buy?  When looking for the right bird, or any poultry for that matter, there is much to consider. But to make the best choice, follow these simple steps.

Mihal Freinquel: 5 Products That You Don't Know You Need...But You Totally Do

2009-11-19T11:24:15Z

Winter is inching closer and closer. Soon women's magazine covers everywhere will be drawing us in with their seasonal tips -- tempting us with answers to the cold weather mysteries that have been plaguing us forever. 12 Ways to Combat Hat Hair! Top five Products for Those Unsightly Cuticles! Designer Creams vs. Drugstore: Who Wins the Battle? Say No to Paris Hilton: How to Use Bronzer the Right Way! ...I know you know what I mean.

I'm here to relieve you of this winter product madness and provide a whole new category of product must-haves for you: The products that you don't know you need...but you totally do.

1) Palmers Cocoa Butter Lip Balm:

Everybody gets chapped lips at one point or another. Boys, girls, young, old. I've been using this lip stuff for at least 4 years, and I've never looked back. You can also use it as a spot-type treatment on your body and face (which I've never done), but on the lips it does just fine. It smells amazing, it's majorly moisturizing and it retails for like 3-4 bucks. If you're feeling super adventurous, Palmers also makes a dark chocolate and peppermint flavored lip butter -- I got it in a giftbag at a fashion show a few years back and became highly addicted. Use that one with caution.

2- I'm going to double up on this one because I love the Yes To Carrots brand and I can't choose just one product. Also if you use them one right after the other you will die of luxury and everybody must go through that at least once. "Feel The C" is the first product -- it's, what they call, a pampering hand and nail spa.

It's basically this grainy, oily concoction that you rub into your wet hands and fingernails -- scrub scrub scrub -- wash it off, pat your hands dry, and you're left with the softest baby bottom skin hands you've ever felt. So soft, in fact, that I went and got a manicure last night and the manicurist said I had extremely soft hands. *Blush*. Anyway, then you have to get the tub of heaven, aka "C Through the Dry Spell" Body Butter.

Whatever this body butter touches will guaranteed to still be moisturized by the end of the day (that's my guarantee not theirs). It smells subtle and fresh, it's not sticky or heavy - and even though I use it every day it's lasting a surprisingly long time, a little goes a long way. These products are around 10-13 bucks -- a little more than I'd normally like to shell out for a product, but way less than most people spend on equivalent (and less awesome) products. I'm also a major cheapo so I think my perspective is a little skewed.

3. Sombra Pain Relieving Gel. Ok I realize this one is kind of out of left field - but isn't that the point of this? You didn't know you needed it, but you DO.

I know body pain. Pain and I have had a very involved relationship since I was about 11 or 12 -- every year I know it more and more intimately, and every year I continue to try and dump it. For those of you out there with chronic body pain, you know it's pretty much impossible to dump. Fortunately I have found a product that provides a nice amount of temporary relief. If you're lucky enough to have somebody in your life who can rub this into your aching muscles, this will be a nice treat when combined with a massage. If you don't, you can absolutely DIY. After a few minutes on the skin and muscles, this gel provides a relaxing heat and cooling sensation all at once. It totally mellows your muscles out -- like an internal heating pad. It sells on Amazon.com for about $13 (I'm still always surprised to find things on Amazon other than books) and in random health food stores for a little more.

4) Now I realize that the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Sponge doesn't appear to be a "product" in the same sense as the others, but it is.

I originally bought this magical sponge for the kitchen (as most people do), but as I became more and more aware of its mystical powers I decided to take it elsewhere in the home and see what it was capable of. The most pleasant discovery that I made is that it's really good at cleaning white shoes. Why just today I wore my brand new white Dr. Marten boots out on the town, and of course picked up a few scuffs along the way. I got home, cut off a piece of the sponge with regular scissors, dampened it a little, and magically wiped the scuffs away. For you sneakerheads who insist on keeping those kicks immaculate, and for you rich folk with summer homes in the Hamptons who must wear white loafers and boat shoes (but only before Labor Day of course) -- this product is for you.

5. I'm going to do a complete 180 here and make this last product an edible one -- everybody's favorite condiment (or at least it should be!) -- Ketchup. I'm going to fill you in on a little piece of disgustingness here: most well-known ketchup brands include a completely unnecessary, completely bad for you ingredient that not only can our bodies NOT metabolize, but is packed with calories and actually shuts off our body's natural appetite control so we eat more...and gain more. The culprit: high fructose corn syrup. It's super bad for you, and ketchup is awesome and goes with practically everything!! So why not do a little good for yourself and stop by Trader Joes or Whole Foods or any other health food store and pick up a bottle of HFCS-free ketchup?! I think we could all do with a little more health and a little less fatass-ness.

There you go.
Go forth and buy...because believe me, you need these things.

Nora Ephron: The Third Annual Huffington Post "Tell Us What You're Cooking For Thanksgiving This Year That You Didn't Cook Last Year"

2009-11-19T10:35:56Z

It's November again, and this year we're giving you lots of time to send your Thanksgiving recipes to the "Third Annual Huffington Post Tell Us What You're Cooking for Thanksgiving This Year That You Didn't Cook Last Year."

What we're looking for is not the thing you cook year in and year out, but the recipe you're trying this year for the first time in order to give yourself the illusion that your Thanksgiving dinner this year is slightly different from your Thanksgiving dinner last year. This, in turn, is meant to make you believe that you are capable of change. Underlying all this is the implicit understanding that Thanksgiving should not be meddled with too much, and that even a small alteration in the basics can cause problems with children. Once we went to a Thanksgiving at my sister's house, and the stuffing had porcini mushrooms in it, and my eight-year-old had a meltdown and I was in complete sympathy.

This year we're going to cook our turkey the high temperature way, the easiest way to cook a turkey there is: salt & pepper the turkey, cook in a 450 oven, and drain occasionally. No brining, no basting. I swear, it works. It's a miracle. And it takes only 2 1/2 hours to cook a 14-16 pound bird. I mentioned this method last year, but I see from reading the newspapers that there are lots of food writers who still insist that you brine a turkey and baste it forever. I don't get it. The high-temperature method of cooking turkey is the food equivalent of an epidural, and why anyone would go on having a long painful experience when a short painless one is available mystifies me.

This year, for a change, we're adding some sausage to our traditional stuffing recipe -- we use Pepperidge farm herbed stuffing in the cellophane bag with blue trim, celery, onion, twice as much butter as is called for on the package, stock, and a pound of crumbled hot breakfast sausage we plan to buy from Flying Pigs Farm at the Union Square Market.

Anyway, send in your recipe. Then we'll select and post our ten favorites Thanksgiving week. (And please be sure to type out fractions--1/2 cup, for example--because symbols won't display correctly.) Then we'll select and post our ten favorites Thanksgiving week.

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Robyn O'Brien: Eight Steps Obama Could Take to Save Food

2009-11-19T10:22:54Z

The landscape of health has changed. No longer are our families guaranteed a healthy livelihood, not in the face of the current rates of cancer, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's and allergies. In the words of Elizabeth Warren, Harvard University law professor who is head of the Congressional Oversight Panel, "We need a new model," and we need a new food system. It's our health on the line.

Here are eight steps President Obama could take to save food:

1. Evenly distribute government moneys to all farmers: The current system allocates the lion's share of our tax dollars (approximately $60 billion) to farmers growing crops whose seeds have been engineered to produce their own insecticides and tolerate increasing doses of weed killing herbicides. As a result, these crops, with a large chemical footprint, are cheaper to produce, while farmers growing organic produce are charged fees to prove that their crops are safe and then charged additional fees to label these crops as free of synthetic chemicals and "organic." If organic farmers received an equal distribution of taxpayer-funded handouts from the government, the cost of producing crops free from synthetic chemicals would be cheaper, making these crops more affordable to more people, in turn increasing demand for these products which would further drive down costs. If we were to reallocate our national budget and evenly distribute our tax dollars to all farmers, clean food would be affordable to everyone and not just those in certain zip codes.

2. Reinstitute the USDA pesticide reporting standard that was waived under the Bush administration. In 2008, the USDA waived pesticide reporting requirements (a procedure that has been in place since the early 1990s) so that farmers and consumers would know the level of chemicals being applied to food crops. Given a report just released that reveals a 383-million pound increase in the use of weed killing herbicides since the introduction of herbicide tolerant crops in 1996, and the potential impact that this glyphosate containing compound is having on both the environment and on our health, perhaps the "don't ask, don't tell" policy assumed under the previous administration should be reversed.

3. Reinstate the pre-Bush administration dollar value that the EPA places on the life of every American: in May 2008, the Bush administration lowered the value placed on the life of every American by almost $1 million, benefiting corporations who use this figure in their cost benefit analyses, marking down our lives from $7.8 million to $6.9 million the same way a car dealer might markdown a '96 Camaro with bad brakes. The EPA figure is used to assess corporate liability when a company's actions put a life at risk. While this figure benefits the corporations conducting the cost benefit analysis when assessing the health impact of their chemicals, the costs of these chemicals are being externalized onto the public in the form of health care costs.

4. Allow public debate over the nomination of pesticide lobbyist, Islam Siddiqui for Chief Agriculture Negotiator at the office of the United States Trade Representative. As addressed in a letter sent to Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Charles Grassley of the Senate Finance Committee, Islam Siddiqui, nominated for Chief Agriculture Negotiator at the office of the United States Trade Representative, was formerly employed by CropLife America, whose firm challenged Michelle Obama's organic garden, has consistently lobbied the U.S government to weaken international treaties governing the use and export of toxic chemicals such as PCBs, DDT and dioxins, and blocked international attempts to help regulate pesticides that increasingly linked to chronic skin and respiratory problems, birth defects and cancer in our community. Given that a growing body of scientific evidence supports the theory that chemicals in our food are contributing to the rise in health problems, particularly in children, the appointment of an industry lobbyist to export our challenged food system to the rest of the world may be in the best interest of agrichemical corporations but consideration should also be given to the health implications that these novel chemicals, proteins and allergens may have.

5. Encourage climate change advocates like Al Gore to discuss Pesticide Use by Big Ag and its Chemical Footprint: While speaking openly about the petroleum industry's impact on global warming, leading environmental advocates like Al Gore have been quiet about the chemical contribution that the recent introduction of crops genetically engineered with pesticidal toxins play on global warming despite scientific evidence from the Royal Society of Chemistry highlighting their impact. Since the Clinton Administration's introduction of biotech crops designed and engineered to both withstand increasing doses of weed killing chemicals and produce their own insecticides, new reports based on USDA data, show a 383 million pound increase in the chemicals being applied to these crops since their introduction in 1996. According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, "growing biofuels is probably of no benefit and in fact is actually making the climate issue worse" given that glyphosate, being applied in increasing doses to these crops, breaks down into nitrogen.

6. Update the Consumer Protection and Food Allergen Labeling Act to inform consumers of these newly engineered corn allergens: The recent engineering of novel food proteins and toxins into the US food supply has enhanced profitability for the food industry by allowing commodities like corn to produce their own insecticides. As a result, corn is now considered an insecticide and regulated by the EPA . For this same reason, this corn has been either banned or labeled in products in other developed countries because the new toxins and novel allergens that it contains have not yet been proven safe. Despite the lack of evidence, this corn is in the American food supply. The increase in the rate of food allergies as demonstrated in the December issue of Pediatrics and the growing number of people with this condition- whose bodies recognize food as "foreign" and launch inflammatory reaction in an effort to drive out these "foreign" food invaders, speaks to the need to update and amend the food allergen labeling act to label these newly engineered genetically enhanced proteins and allergens as governments around the world do.

7. Ask the SEC to join the Department of Justice in its investigation into trade practices in agrichemical industry. As the Department of Justice begins its investigation into the impact that Monsanto's monopoly is having on farmers, their financial situation and the food supply, research out of the USDA highlights that the biotech industry is not delivering on what some are calling their "hype-to-reality ratio." As farmers are charged premiums for seeds that have been engineered to produce greater yields, research out of the USDA, Kansas State University shows that these products are not delivering as promised, directly impacting the cost structures of farmers in a razor to razorblade scenario. As farmers purchase genetically modified seeds in the hopes that they will increase yields and drive down cost structure and their dependency on weed killers, studies now suggest that since the introduction of the "razor," these biotech crops introduced 13 years ago, farmers are actually spending more on the "razorblade," the herbicides and weed killers required to manage them, driving farmers debt to asset ratios to record levels. Given that Monsanto's CFO, Treasurer, Controller are all leaving the company by year end, the Securities and Exchange Commission could interview these three exiting executives and learn more about the financial predicaments of Big Ag's customers, the farmers, and the greater ramifications that this monopoly will have on food prices.

8. Appoint a Children's Health Advisor to serve on the USDA's National School Lunch Program: The landscape of children's health has changed. No longer are the American children guaranteed a healthy childhood, not in the face of the current rates of obesity, diabetes and allergies. Perhaps it is time that we follow the lead of governments in other developed countries and create a Chief Advisor for Child and Youth Health whose responsibilities might include, but not be limited to, serving in an advisory capacity to the USDA on the National School Lunch Program. Under the USDA's current budget for the National School Lunch Program of approximately $8.5 billion (in comparison the Pentagon's 2009 budget $600 billion), less than a dollar is available per meal for the purchase of healthy food once overhead costs are taken out. Given that 1 in 3 American children now has allergies, ADHD, autism of asthma and according to an October 2008 study from the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 3 Fourth graders is expected to be insulin dependent by the time they reach adulthood. As a result, dietary concerns are becoming increasingly prevalent for the estimated 30.9 million children and approximately 102,000 schools and child care institutions that participate in the National School Lunch Program. Given that increasing scientific evidence points to the roles that environmental insults like synthetic growth hormones in milk and trans fats in processed foods are having on our health, investing in a children's health advisor may provide long term benefits to the future of our health care system .

It's our food system on the line. And if our children are any indicator, our health and the economic burden that it presents are on the line, too.

Originally posted on the AllergyKids Blog, Food Politics

Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Fall Farmers' Market, at a Sprint

2009-11-19T09:19:59Z

A few Saturdays ago, on a morning in mid-October, I did a remarkable thing: I was among the first 20 people to arrive at the farmers' market at Grand Army Plaza. Now, this is not an easy feat in Park Slope, land of the chipper young parent and early-bird dog owner. But I was out bright and early for a different reason than my neighbors, one that had little to do with maturity. I was on my way to the Bronx, first to a dreaded dentist appointment, and then to play in a slightly less dreaded alumni field hockey match at I'd been pressured into playing at my high school.

Half asleep and in fear of the game that lay before me, I sprinted through the market, grabbing things at random: fresh apples, fingerling potatoes, a pair of sweet potatoes, and, in my sleepy haze, an unlikely bulb of fennel. I dropped everything at home, pulled on my sports clothes and sneakers, and made a run for the train. Back in high school, I was on the championship-winning (it wasn't a very competitive league) varsity team for which practice involved daily three hours of running and drills. It goes without saying that we don't exactly get three hours of daily exercise anymore; perhaps we do weekly if we're lucky. Playing an entire game of field hockey, therefore, caused we alumni to pant, wheeze, and groan, and by the time the final whistle blew, we were more than ready to head back to the city and our sedentary lives.

I got home, showered off the shin guard sweat, and started to think about dinner. Fortunately, I didn't have much planned for the night, and I was ready to make a calm meal for two at home before heading out to watch Matt Damon in The Informant. But then I lay down.

Hoisting myself out of bed around 6pm was as athletic a feat as the defensive tactics I'd attempted earlier, and as I began cooking, things like lifting a spatula and washing a dish started to seem equally taxing. Since at this point there was no way I was leaving the house, I was going to be working almost solely with the morning's farmers' market yield, supplemented by the array of Alaskan fish I had in my freezer (acquired from a friend's father, who makes a yearly trip to Alaska's waterways and carries home more of his flash-frozen catch than he can eat).

Fennel, perhaps the most off-the-cuff of my purchases, turned out to be priceless: the bulb functioned both in the fish's cooking broth and in the vegetable side, and the green, dill-like leaves acted as a seasoning. The preparation complete, I finally lifted the first bite up to taste, and, as I felt the ache of my muscles, I swore to myself, mouth full of fish, that I'd take up a regimen of daily hill sprints.

--By Cara Eisenpress of Big Girls, Small Kitchen

Rockfish in Fennel-Saffron Broth, Orange Sweet Potatoes, and Roasted Fennel
Serves 2

Ingredients

2 filets rockfish (striped bass, or other flakey white fish)
1 large bulb fennel
1 shallot (or 1/4 of a medium onion), very thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup broth or water
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon good-tasting olive oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
pinch of nutmeg
salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roast the sweet potatoes on the oven rack for 45 minutes to an hour, until they're quite soft. Set aside until they're cool enough to handle. When they are, scoop the potatoes out of the skin, add the orange juice, nutmeg, and salt, and gently mash so the potatoes are nearly smooth but not gluey. Taste for citrus flavor and salt, then keep warm (or reheat) for serving.

While the potatoes are cooling, trim the fennel, keeping 2 teaspoons of the green dill-like leaves. Remove the outermost husk and reserve it. Cut the remaining bulb into 8 wedges. Brush the wedges with olive oil, arrange them on a baking sheet, and roast for about 40 minutes.

To make the fish: warm the broth slightly. Add a pinch of salt and the saffron, and stir to combine.

Slice the reserved fennel into very thin slices, and arrange them in the bottom of a small baking dish. Scatter the sliced shallot over them, then sprinkle with salt. Arrange both filets in one layer over the vegetables and sprinkle with more salt. Pour the wine and the saffron-flavored broth over the fish. Cover tightly with foil. Reduce the oven temperature for 375°F and bake for 20 minutes until the fish flakes.

Heat the sweet potatoes in the microwave or in a small saucepan. Serve a mound of sweet potatoes with a filet draped over and roasted fennel on the side. Pour the extra saffron broth into a bowl and serve alongside. (You can also serve the fish in shallow bowls in the broth, then eat the sweet potatoes on the side.)

Craig "Meathead" Goldwyn: Thanksgiving Survey: We Asked Bobby Flay and Now We're Asking You: What are Your Plans?

2009-11-18T18:30:22Z

For food lovers, Thanksgiving is the most important day of the year. A whole holiday dedicated to food, drink, and celebrating the bounty of our land, with no commercial or religious overtones.

The menu for Thanksgiving dinner is so traditional it is almost rote. Turkey, stuffing, cranberries, sweet potatoes, something green, apple pie. All seasonal foods. Turkey is such a given in most homes that we call it Turkey Day. I used to call it Cardboard Day until I learned how to cook the bird. (Click here for my recipe for the Ultimate Brined & Smoked Turkey.)

The fact is, we think, that Americans riff on the prescribed menu and have created their own traditions. So we developed our first annual survey, below, to track how we celebrate the great American Food Holiday. It will be interesting to see how the answers change over the years.

We initiated the survey by asking Bobby Flay, owner/executive chef of nine restaurants, author of nine cookbooks, and star of several FoodNetwork shows, about his plans for Thanksgiving. The meal is at his house, about 50 people attend, and surprisingly, the maestro cooks! No day off for this hardworking chef (but the avid sports fan is allowed to watch football in the kitchen). Each year there's a different theme and this year it is New England. He will cook two 30 pound turkeys and, not surprisingly, a creative menu. Here are two videos of our interview.

Part 1) In the first he discusses his holiday menu, his horseradish, maple syrup, and mustard glaze; how he keeps white meat moist; basting; and recipe for Cranberry Martinis.

Part 2) The second video shows Flay's novel Tandoori Style Roasted Whole Turkey Breast with Hellman's mayo, one of his sponsors. He's a big fan of leftovers, and demonstrates Turkey Fajitas with Creamy Avocado Sauce. He also send me his recipe for Grilled Turkey Cuban Sandwiches. Click the links for the recipes.

Tell us your plans

Now it's your turn. Tell us about your plans and your personal preferences. You can click more than one choice per question. You will see the results instantly after you hit "Vote." Feel free to comment at the bottom of the article. Happy Thanksgiving!

Unless otherwise noted, all text and photos are Copyright (c) 2009 By Craig "Meathead" Goldwyn, and all rights are reserved. Links and recommendations are all products, services, and websites I truly admire, and are never paid endorsements. For more of my writing and recipes, please visit AmazingRibs.com. Click here for information on reprint rights.