A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of presenting a healthy cooking demonstration and tasting, along with a nutrition lecture and Q&A at a local library. This is part of the series of demonstrations and hands-on classes that I have been developing as a way to marry my profession as a physician with my passion for cooking. The menu that night was Mediterranean-themed, both for the delicious flavors and for the many health benefits of that cuisine. The menu included chicken with lemons and olives with whole wheat couscous, watermelon with mint and feta and a kale salad with avocado, figs and pepitas. The audience was enthusiastic and the energy was electric. (And I got the thrill of not only bringing food into a library, but cooking it there!)

Photo credit: Chris Gray, Foster City Library, California

When I got home, I took a break before doing the washing up (the only downside of doing cooking demonstrations!) to check my email. I was excited to see that an article I had been working on for a while was published on Culinate, a thoughtful Portland-based web magazine and community about food. It’s a review of the current state of affairs of nutrition education in medical school, the beginning movement in hospitals to provide healthier and tastier food to patients, and the sprinkling of other physicians who, like me, believe that the medical profession has an obligation to not only educate patients about how to eat, but to give you the practical knowledge to do so. Please take a look at the article and share your thoughts in the comments section. Thank you!

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And if you’re hungry for more– while not all of my recipes on SpiceboxTravels would be considered “healthy,” everything I present here (and eat) can be part of a healthy diet. The dessert recipes, for example, can be part of a healthy diet if consumed infrequently and in small portions. For some recipes I designed specifically for healthy cooking, sample these:

The Doctor Makes Dessert

Watermelon with Feta and Mint

Escape from San Francisco Picnic

Chilled Minted Pea Soup with Indian Spices

Brassica Fried Rice

Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too— with recipe for pistachio dukkah

Thanksgiving Couscous

Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions and Pine Nuts

Summer Avocado and Kale Salad

Eat More Kale Chips

Summertime PineNapa Salad

Lentil Soup for a Small Planet

Disclaimer: None of this information is presented as medical advice. Before making any changes in your diet and lifestyle, please consult with your physician.