I don’t go to the doctor very often. I am most interested in a partner who can help optimize my wellness. I made a short list of what is important to me in finding the right partner.

1. Does the provider take time to listen to my concerns and address them without one hand on the door knob?

2. Does the provider engage in problem-solving without excessive use of the system?

3. Does the provider take a holistic approach, such as complementary therapies?

4. How difficult is it to get an appointment when I need attention?

5. What is the provider’s overall philosophy about tending to her patients’ health?

Getting Recommendations

Next, I asked health care professionals for recommendations.  In that process, a list emerged including Internists, Family Practice, a Naturopath, and a Physician Assistant (PA).  I decided to investigate the Physician Assistant.

My knowledge about the role of Physician Assistants was vague, so research was definitely needed. I discovered that Physician Assistants have their own patients and augment physician services by conducting routine preventive services.  They can also prescribe medication. They practice under the auspices of a physician and can consult when appropriate.

Assessing the Fit

In our first meeting, the PA I chose told me right away what her practice philosophy is, so I could assess if this were going to be a good fit for me. Next, she asked what my top health concerns were and we had a constructive discussion.  Then, she took time to examine the hand-written graph I brought which had years of my previous numbers charted.  With that, she was able to suggest what tests were appropriate and which ones we could skip, due to continuous good results.

We discussed my use of complementary therapies and my exercise regimen.  The whole meeting lasted 15-20 minutes though her easy manner and good communication skills made me feel like it was longer.

I have since learned that there is data to suggest that PA’s spend more time with their patients than doctors and have comparable patient satisfaction ratings.  What I like is that for the routine visit, I will engage with someone who is focused on my wellness from a prevention and health promotion perspective.  Then, if necessary, we can switch to a diagnostic medical model and bring in the appropriate support team.

What about you?  Have your ideas about what is important in your health care provider changed?  What would you have on your list of criteria?

Remember, if I can do it, you can, too!

Susan Levy
Publisher, Well-Fed Heart

The Well-Fed Heart -

Mother's Day 1987

Today, I had my annual connection to the geese giving birth on our neighbor’s roof.  Smiling, I noticed how the mother goose nudged her newly born goslings to the roof’s edge only to push each one into the water at high tide.  It seems harsh, but she’s actually protecting the little ones from becoming prey to larger animals who can easily snatch them in that open space.  I know that mother goose is sure of the outcome and will be back next Spring to create new life and start the process once again.

This week is Mother’s Day.  For me a wonderful trip down memory lane that includes being sheltered by my mother and grandmothers before me, being the mother who has provided shelter for her little flock, and now with a new generation, I offer shelter in different ways.  Like the geese this morning, Mother’s Day includes the simplest of family days.  I can still see my children’s faces as they presented me with cards and other hand-made presents and projects.  After the traditional breakfast in bed, time in the garden was always the request.

Two years ago this weekend my adult daughter came to visit and sit in the lovely May weather. She asked that there be no garden work that year.  As an alternative, she pulled from her bag a bottle of Rosé.  Two glasses appeared and a long visit was in the offing – does it get any better?

Having the Heart-to-Heart Talk

During the visit, my daughter gave me the greatest gift for that Mother’s Day and for the rest of my life.  We were talking about health and somehow it came around to my own.  She quite simply stated, “Mom, you eat amazingly healthy.  You have a positive attitude but, really, you’ve been taking care of everyone else for so long, it’s time for you.  The way I see it all you need to do is revv up your exercise. Take the time for you.”  At least that’s the message I received.  She didn’t beat me up with negative talk.  She didn’t ridicule me. And, gratefully, she didn’t ignore the truth. Instead, she took the positive approach.  This is called love.

My research shows that it’s universally hard to tell our beloved mothers, sisters, daughters and friends that we love them so much that it hurts to see them increasing their chances for heart disease, or any disease.  But, with some thoughtful gestures and kind words, we can all have the “heart-to-heart” talk.

Walking the Talk

Women tend to develop heart disease 10 years later than men, at about 65 years and older.  Thank goodness our hormones protect most of us during the stressful years when we’re raising families — providing shelter and clucking around our flock — forgetting to care for ourselves.

I have a very health-conscious friend who offered to help her 65-year-old neighbor jump-start her exercise routine.  They meet in the park at o-dark hundred to walk 3 miles, 5 days a week.  She’s 30 pounds lighter and out of the woods for pre-diabetes, another risk for heart disease.

I just saw another friend who glows.  She told me that her adult son motivated her to get moving again. Now, she’s waking up earlier with her husband, eating a heart-healthy breakfast and then walking 3 miles together before heading off to a high stress job.  It’s become a commitment, part of their daily routine.

Still, another friend says that this time of year working in the vegetable garden provides all the positive healthy gains that she and her husband need — fresh air, exercise and heart-healthy eating.

A Gentle Reminder

The research says that as little as 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity most days can reduce our risk of heart disease.  The other 23-and-a-half hours are yours.

As for me, two years later, 15 plus pounds lighter, more fit and with better heart-health numbers, I want to thank my daughter for the wake-up call.  The conversation came at the right time and was presented in a positive way.  Her message, combined with other life events, provided the incentive I needed to get moving again.

The Goose is off the roof and now it’s my time as well.  I hope it’s yours, too.

Happy Mothers Day.

Remember, if I can do it, you can, too!

Susan Levy
Publisher, Well-Fed Heart

The Well-Fed Heart -

The first story is a legal settlement involving Nutella,the chocolate nut butter company. It involves misleading advertising that suggests that Nutella is a healthy food choice for your family. This got one consumer so irate that she started a class action suit.  And WON.  $3 million!

Now, I don’t know the ins and outs of the Nutella suit, except what I read and saw here, so I watched the TV ad again. Clearly, Nutella wants us to believe that this nut butter is nutritious for your family.  When I first saw this ad a few months back, I thought, “Wow, they really must have changed this chocolate treat since I was a college student.  Maybe I should check it out. That would be amazing…Nah…it’s just marketing.”

Customers feel duped

The second story is about Kashi, the hip “natural” food company that packages cereal products and targets those who want to eat right.  Their customers have complete confidence in this company’s healthy products. However, earlier this week they were in big trouble. A Rhode Island grocer decided not to carry Kashi any more, because the soy protein ingredient is genetically modified (gmo) and posted this sign. A customer snapped a photo and posted it on the web. The story went viral, and Kashi users were on the web blasting the company for betraying their trust.  Their customers had trusted this company’s marketing of “natural” products to mean that all of their products were organic. And, to make matters worse, there are those who found out for the first time that Kashi is not a small niche company, but is in fact, owned by the big corporate giant, Kelloggs.

So, when both of these articles came up on my screen, I just knew we had to talk about it.

Marketing messages verses truth

Field research was the first step.  I went to the grocery store and stood in the aisles reading labels.  I was rooting for Nutella to be the healthy choice that its advertising suggests.  On the front label where the product descriptions are written, it says, “hazelnut spread with skim milk and cocoa”.  It also states that it doesn’t contain artificial colors or artificial preservatives.  Sounds healthy, right? All good marketing messages.

Now, flip the package over to where the Nutrition Facts are –or the Truth.  The ingredients are required to be listed in order of the amount used. The first ingredient is sugar. The amount of sugar in a serving of two tablespoons is 21 grams or just over 5 teaspoons!  (calculation: 4 grams per teaspoon). The suggested amount of total sugar consumption per day is only 6-9 teaspoons for adults.  Also, of the 200 calories in a serving, half are fat.

As I walked down the cereal aisle to find Kashi, I remembered one of my favorite marketing words — Authenticity.  It’s just as important as corporate marketers’ favorites –the five P’s: product, placement, price, promotion, and people.  But the real question is one of authenticity.  Do corporations walk the walk they talk?

Calling the source

I looked on the nutrition labels of many of Kashi’s 40 plus products and found that some are certified organic and others not.  Some use the soy protein and others do not.  One multi-grain hot cereal had a portion so small that I couldn’t imagine anyone actually eating that amount for breakfast.  So, confused, I found a phone number on the side panel and called them.  I was immediately transferred to Yvette in customer support.

Yvette had a straight forward manner and answered all my questions.  She referred me to the website for some answers.  When I explained that I had been on their website that morning and couldn’t find the information, she let me know that it would be updated that afternoon.  The only defensive stance Yvette took was in letting me know that the campaign against Kashi was really about the entire cereal industry’s use of gmo’s, not just them.

Here’s my impression about Kashi. They are on the journey perhaps as well as a corporation can be.  Yvette pointed out to me that it is almost impossible not to have some genetically modified ingredients in their products, because 80% of the food grown in the USA is genetically modified.  Think corn and soy.  However, Yvette also told me that Kashi has hired a 3rd party company (she didn’t know which one) to certify their ingredients as organic.  By 2015, according to their website, as the company develops new products, all ingredients will be non-gmo and 70% of the ingredients will be organic.  They are trying to live up to the promise of their brand, but they aren’t there yet, and that’s what got them into trouble.  Pretending vs.Truth. That fine balance is called marketing. That is, creating excitement and demand for the product/brand and if it’s not quite true, oh well.  It’s okay as long as it sells.

Truth in advertising matters

Meanwhile, I’m not letting our fellow consumers off the hook.  Listen, and I mean it.  I have very mixed feelings about the Nutella truth in advertising suit.  On the one hand, I’m glad their shenanigans got the company in hot water.  It is a great dessert spread for crepes as shown on their web site, but as part of a healthy breakfast choice to get children to eat their bread? Really?!  As for the mom who won the class action who said that she cannot be responsible for reading every label on every product she purchases because it would take too long, I was blown away.  If not her, then who will do it for her family?  Nevertheless, this mom sent a big shot across the bow of the food industry – truth in advertising matters.

Deciphering food labels

And so does personal responsibility.  When we opt for packaged food instead of whole food, each of us is responsible for knowing what is wrapped inside. Reading labels is an important, no essential, life skill.  Remember, the front of a product’s label is all about marketing words which are not regulated.  Words like natural, which Kashi uses, or “healthy” are essentially meaningless. The back of the label is essential for understanding the health benefits of the ingredients and what’s been added.  If the numbers are confusing, then just use the shorthand of reading the serving size and ask yourself, is this realistic?  Look at the nutritional analysis that’s important to you.  Then, read the number of ingredients on the label.  The fewer, the better.  And, remember the old adage; if your grandmother wouldn’t recognize it as an ingredient or you can’t pronounce it, think twice before purchasing.

Here’s an example.  I compared Nutella and Trader Joe’s Almond Peanut Butter.  Nutella has 7 ingredients and the Almond Peanut Butter has one – almonds.

I rest my case.

What do you think?

Remember, if I can do it, you can, too!

Susan Levy
Publisher, Well-Fed Heart

The Well-Fed Heart -

Know what you’re eating

• Know what you’re buying and eating by reading food labels, so you can become better at using them as a tool to plan a healthy, balanced diet.
• Make it a habit to choose foods by comparing their labels.
• As you change your eating habits, keep in mind that packaged foods should only supplement the fresh fruits, vegetables and lean proteins that should make up most of your meals.
• New research shows that people trying to lose or maintain weight are more successful when they check food labels.
• Teaching your kids to read food labels is a great investment in their future.

Serving sizes vary

If you look at the serving size and decide to double it, be sure to double all of the numbers in the Nutrition Facts section.

% Daily Value

• 5% or less is low
• 20% or more is high

Daily fat intake guidelines

• Total fat: 30%-35% of calories
• Saturated fat: 7-10% of calories
• Trans fat: As close to 0 as possible

Added daily sugar guidelines
The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar.

• for women:  6 teaspoons(24 grams)
• for men:      9 teaspoons(36 grams)
• for children: 3 teaspoons(12 grams)

•       4 grams = 1 teaspoon

Sodium daily intake

• 2300 mg (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1500 mg for adults 50 plus

Increase your daily intake – of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and Iron.

Ingredients list

The first item listed is what weighs the most in the total weight of the food item.

The Well-Fed Heart -

Be a label detective

Food labels use package design and words to do one thing – entice us to purchase their products. Beware of words on the front of the package – such as fresh, all-natural, healthy, pure and premium. These are not a reliable source of the product’s nutrient value.  These alluring words are often misleading. Here are some popular buzz words decoded:

• Natural. The food product may still contain pesticides, genetically modified ingredients, high-fructose corn syrup, and be heavily processed.
• Healthy. While the food must meet specific guidelines for fat, cholesterol, sodium, and certain nutrients, it can still contain large amounts of sugar, preservatives, and artificial ingredients.
• Lightly Sweetened. This term is not regulated by the FDA, so the product could contain any amount of sugar.
• Made with Whole Grains. Be sure “whole-wheat flour” is among the first three or four ingredients listed on the package.

Also, be skeptical of words that promise to boost brain power, prevent heart disease, and relieve any sundry of afflictions. Then, remind yourself that packaged foods should enhance our whole food choices, such as fruits and vegetables.

The Well-Fed Heart -

Are you at greater risk for heart disease?

No one knows how much stress it takes to trigger heart disease or stroke, but a recently published study made me think about my own experience.

Three years ago my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer. A nine on the Gleason Scale, they told us. That news alone was stressful. Then, in a routine annual chest exam for my ex-smoker husband, some cancer-like stuff was found on his lungs. Yikes, which came first? It doesn’t matter, but since lung cancer is generally thought to be the more aggressive, we switched focus.

So, this week when I read about a new Swedish study that looked at their national cancer registry data and found that partners of cancer patients experienced a 13-29% increase in risk for heart disease and stroke,      I believed it.

Feeling the stress as caregiver

Even though my husband has recovered, my emotional state from that time came rushing back. I had always shoved those feelings away, because after all, I wasn’t the one diagnosed with two cancers within four months of each other.

It had been my job to be supportive — take notes at the physician meetings, cater to his needs – from food choices to catheter assistant. I hadn’t even considered myself a caregiver until a friend mentioned a support group. Even then I was in denial. After all, he wasn’t dying. This wasn’t the long good-bye, or was it? Reading about that study was validating. It was a relief to know that I was part of a bigger group, including Swedes.

For the first time since my husband’s diagnosis, I talked with him about this study and my old feelings. I acknowledged being part of the stressed spousal statistic. I remember feeling like a totally stretched out rubber band on the verge of breaking. During our conversation, my husband validated my stressed status.

Asking for help

At the time of my husband’s treatment, I was already on my own road to heart-healthy wellness. During his treatment and long recovery, I realized that the only way to reduce my stress was to take even better care of myself. No one else was going to ensure my health but me. So, I doubled down and became even more active to help promote my best health possible. I also reached out to our community of friends and family. When they asked what they could do to help, I responded, “Call. Visit. Have us to dinner. Play games. Laugh with us.” And, they did just that.

Reducing stress and anxiety

“Our study shows that preventive efforts aimed at reducing psychological stress and negative risk factors are important for people whose life partner has got cancer,” Jianguang Ji, a researcher from the Centre for Primary Healthcare Research in Malmo, Sweden, said in a university news release. “Previous studies have shown that preventive work can considerably reduce stress and anxiety in close relatives of patients.”

While the study did not find a direct cause-and-effect from a spouse having cancer to getting heart disease, the association of heightened risk and the need for health promoting self-care should be a clear lesson to take to heart.

Do you have a similar story to mine? Please share if you can.

Remember, if I can do it, you can, too!

Susan Levy
Publisher, Well-Fed Heart

The Well-Fed Heart -

And one to grow on for grandson Emilio and Me.

Here’s my list of 10 favorite healthy foods to start this decade that I wasn’t eating so much 10 years ago:

1. Lentils, all colors.

   Beyond lentil soup, most weeks I cook enough lentils to use throughout the week in combination with other dishes.

2. Whole grains.

   My repertoire grew from brown rice, barley, and oats. I’ve branched out to include quinoa, farro, and bulgur. See my cooking guide here.

3. Dark-Leafy Greens (kale, Swiss chard, beet greens, collards).

   Think beyond spinach. Here in the Pacific Northwest we can grow these dark leafies year round. I usually start my day with sautéed greens; I also cut the leaves in fine ribbons to eat fresh in salads.

4. Canned sardines, herring, and salmon.

   What an economical and tasty way to get my Omega 3’s daily, usually for lunch in salads or a light dinner in pasta puttanesca.

5. Fruit.

   Not just for snacks anymore, we’re using more fresh fruit in salads (i.e. strawberries, grapefruit, oranges, pears) and for dessert, too (baked apples, pears) as well as whatever’s in season, like berries.

6. Eggs.

   I ate fewer eggs during the cholesterol scare but never cut them out altogether. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are my favorite times to have this versatile high protein and budget-friendly food.

7. Avocados.

   I mourned the time this delicious food was demonized. Now, of course, I know that they have a wonderful form of fat that leaves me feeling full and satisfied. Pair with grapefruit.

8. Beets.When I learned how easy it is to roast beets and other veggies like sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and carrots, I was sure that I had died and gone to the right side of heaven. The sweetness of roasted veggies is almost like candy, and beet soup is my favorite new soup of the decade.

9. Beans.

   High in fiber and protein. Black, white, navy, red – even green limas? Please!

10. Nuts.

    I began the last decade with canned cashews and along the way exchanged them for unsalted almonds, walnuts, and pecans. They are now my go-to afternoon snack. I also keep a stash in my car for those munchie emergencies.

This list doesn’t cover spices and herbs from around the world that have become household staples, nor the homemade dressings, sauces, and chutneys that enhance so many dishes.

That may be for another birthday list.

Now, what about you? Have your food choices changed to create your best health right now? If so, what are they?

Remember, if I can do it, you can, too!

Susan Levy
Publisher, Well-Fed Heart

The Well-Fed Heart -

Maintaining your balance takes practice.

One of my favorite exercises is done with a ladder on the floor.  It’s a common training device for tennis players.  There I am moving side to side, marching forwards and backwards, all in the name of balance.  Turns out that 13,000 people die each year in the U.S. directly from losing their balance and falling.  An even bigger group of casualties have injuries that range from nuisance to life changing.

Four years ago this Spring we were getting ready to sell our home and I was doing it all –putting our garden to bed — moving dirt and composting around plants.  Up on the roof I cleaned the gutters and decided to scrub clean the shingles.  Yes, those shingles were going make a great first impression.

That’s when it happened

I didn’t fall that day, but you know the warning sign.  Our bodies feel strained beyond physical exertion when we’ve put too much stress on ourselves.  Well, for me that particular day of mindless exertion changed my life.  For the better.

I had finally had enough of not feeling that my body could perform anymore without hurting myself.  Not a good feeling to live with.  But this time was different.

This time I began with a chiropractor and started on a regimen of getting my twisted body untwisted with a good massage therapist.  I started walking with more intention.  We packed and moved twice during that year so getting exercise was not an issue.  Nearly a year later when I had worked myself into a better position I began exercising again, but this time, with just one other person. We hired a coach who paid attention to our movement, I mean every movement.

After another year, we graduated to classes with four and a different instructor for maintenance.  Maintaining balance and building strength are my main goals.  Today I go at 6:30AM three days a week.  Sometimes more.  And, I walk most days.

The injury cycle

After class the other day, when I commented to the instructor that so many of the women seem to be recovering from injuries, she replied, “Gardening is a physical therapist’s (PT) best friend.”

She explained that many women “our age” are in a cycle.  They get injured gardening with vigor like they used to in younger years (think weekend warrior for men), go to PT’s to get better, only to garden again doing crazy things like they used to do, only to get injured again.  A bad cycle.  It’s not the exercise class that is injuring them — it may be lifting a grandchild who is too heavy, climbing a ladder to saw a limb from their favorite tree, or shoveling dirt for hours on end.

That created an “aha” spark for me:  What is the moment when we decide that we need a little physical help to do what we used to accomplish so simply? And what is the moment when we decide that only exercising responsibly and being physical in a way that our bodies can support has to become a part of our daily lives in order to grow older healthfully.  Obviously, my moment came four years ago in the garden.

Have you had your moment? Do tell, please.

Remember, if I can do it, you can, too!

Susan Levy
Publisher, Well-Fed Heart

The Well-Fed Heart -

It used to be that when planning a meal, you committed to the meat or fish protein first and then the rest would follow.  Today, home cooks are learning to plan the plant part of their plate first and then add the desired protein.  In fact, in our house and on our website, many of the dishes can be eaten as vegetarian, or a protein can be added for those who want.  This solution is also immensely practical because it takes away from having to plan two separate dinners for one meal.  For me, those days are long gone.

Two years ago this summer, I read about a concept called flexitarian.  Although not new to vegetarian publications, it was a new term to me.  It recognizes  that while many people reject a full-blown vegetarian way of eating, there is still the notion that meat no longer dominates the center of the plate. In fact, across America we’re consciously eating less of it.

I brought up the term in the summer of 2010 with chefs in Portland, Oregon, center of the hip eating trends for the 20-and 30-somethings.  These chefs scratched their heads in non-recognition but were intrigued.  That Fall I approached Judith Dern at All Recipes.com, the world’s largest recipe site, to get her take.  No, flexitarian wasn’t on their radar yet, but she promised to follow the concept and test it as a trend.

Good to Judith’s word, the 2012 Trend Report for All Recipes showed that flexitarian was more than gaining traction, It was noted as a top 5 healthy food trend.  People were eating less meat.  Mark Bittman from the NY Times picked up the theme and wrote a stellar blog on the subject, and pockets of local media coverage have followed the flexitarian trend as well.  According to Bittman, within the last year, one survey found that 50% of those surveyed had knowledge of Meatless Monday and 27% of that group was trying to eat less meat.

For me, the idea for flexitarianism sprung from the needs of our readers.  We received many requests for meals that were good for vegetarians and meat lovers as well — one meal serving two purposes.  In fact, I often had the same need, too.

If you’re just getting started, I suggest you look to the plant world.  For instance, you can consult our grains guide here.  A good guideline is that grains should make up no more than a quarter of the dish, with the majority of the plate consisting of dark leafy greens, other veggies, fruit and/or beans.  Then, the meat is like a condiment, no longer the main event, and at a fraction of the cost.

So, do you identify yourself in this continuum?  Where are you now and where are you going?

Remember, if I can do it, you can, too!

  Susan Levy
Publisher, Well-Fed Heart

The Well-Fed Heart -

Cigarette smoke, skinny neck ties, girdles, big juicy t-bone steaks, 3 martini luncheons, iceberg lettuce wedges, pineapple upside down cake, oysters Rockefeller, shrimp cocktail, and heart disease???

Please indulge me this week. I am one of the throngs anticipating the return of Mad Men to television. The early 1960’s thematic show transports us back to an era that seemed glamorous, but actually, was it? I mean I love the clothes and party atmosphere. But from a heart-healthy perspective, so much has happened since then that I’ll go to an era-themed cocktail or dinner party just for fun, but that’s it for me.

4 Reasons to Feel Grateful

Here are 4 reasons to feel grateful for living right now due to the advances that have been made since the 1960’s in the prevention or curing of heart disease.

1. Consider the numbers. In 1965, 42% of the country smoked cigarettes. Heck, even high schools had smoking break places to congregate. Growing up in North Carolina, I can attest to the fact that sample cigarette packets were given out on street corners and in banks. In 1960 the famed Framingham Heart Study first published the link between smoking and an increased risk of heart disease. In 1964 smoking was also linked to an increased risk of cancer. By making smoking public health enemy Number One, the rate of cigarette smoking declined to 22% by 1995. Today smoking is banished in most public places and all government buildings.
2. It wasn’t unusual in the 1960’s for someone in his 50’s or 60’s to die from heart disease. And, if someone was lucky enough to survive a heart attack, it generally left him severely debilitated. Yes, HIM, because heart disease was considered a man’s disease. Back then, if a woman presented similar symptoms to a man, she would not have been tested for possible heart problems. Instead, she might have been given tranquilizers for hysteria. Today, we know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, more than all cancers combined.
3. 1968 was the peak year for deaths associated with heart disease. Since then, the age expectancy of Americans has risen by 6.6 years and 70% of that gain is due to a decrease in deaths from heart disease.
4. Research regarding the risk factors for heart disease were just becoming known in the 1960’s. Today because of public health campaigns, most of us know our numbers such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, and are aware of risk factors like smoking, obesity and physical inactivity. We take this knowledge for granted.

But back to Mad Men. This week my friend Judy Gelman sent me recipes from her new book, The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook: Inside the Kitchens, Bars, and Restaurants of Mad Men by Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin (Smart Pop, 2011).

Below are two classic favorite–Oysters Rockefeller from New York’s Grand Central Oyster Bar and Sardi’s Hearts of Palm Salad. Personally, I don’t do recipes that require this much butter anymore, but what the heck, what’s life without a little abandon…. Meanwhile, I plan to enjoy and then hit the gym on Monday morning!

What are your favorite recipes from the early 60’s? Any that you miss?

Susan Levy
Publisher, Well-Fed Heart

Recipe for Oysters Rockefeller

Photo by Nina GallanCourtesy of The Grand Central Oyster BarNew York City, New YorkYield: 24 oysters (about 4 servings)t

Courtesy of The Grand Central Oyster Bar
New York City, New York
Yield: 24 oysters (about 4 servings)

• Rock salt
• 2 dozen large (or 3–4 dozen small) oysters, opened and on the half shell
• 4 medium shallots (about 1/4 cup), minced
• 1 small stalk celery, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) butter, softened and divided
• 2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1–2 drops Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons Pernod or Anisette

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Fill 4 pie or cake tins (or a baking dish large enough to hold oysters) with rock salt, but no more than half full (use just enough salt to keep the oysters from rocking back and forth). Place the tins in the oven briefly to warm.
2. Prepare the topping: Saute the shallots, celery, and parsley in 4 tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet for approximately 5–7 minutes. Add spinach to the skillet and allow it to wilt for a minute.
3. Pour spinach mixture into a blender. Add the remaining butter, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, peppers, and Pernod or Anisette. Blend for a minute at medium speed. Top each oyster with about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of the mixture, depending on the size of the oyster.
4. Remove the tins from the oven and embed the oysters firmly in the hot salt. Return pans to the oven and bake for about 4 minutes, or until the butter is melted and the spinach is lightly browned on top. Serve oysters right in the tin.

Recipe for Sardi’s Hearts Of Palm Salad

Photo by Nina Gallant

From Curtain Up At Sardi’s By Vincent Sardi, Jr. (Random House, 1957)
Yield: 2 servings

• 6 lettuce leaves
• 6 whole pieces canned hearts of palm, drained (about 21 ounces)
• 6 thin slices pimiento
• 6 sprigs watercress
• 4 tablespoons Vinaigrette Dressing (see recipe below)

1. Place lettuce flat on dish. Arrange hearts of palm in a row. Arrange pimiento slices across lettuce and decorate at side with watercress. Serve with Vinaigrette Dressing.

Vinaigrette Dressing

Yield: 3/4 cup

• ¹⁄₂ dill pickle, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon capers, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped pimiento
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped hard-boiled egg white
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
• ¹⁄₄ cup white vinegar

1. Place the finely chopped ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and add olive oil. Stir thoroughly while adding vinegar. Keep in refrigerator. Always stir before using.

The Well-Fed Heart -