The price of sickness

Healthcare—our right to it, its soaring costs, and its coverage—is one of the political debates of our time. As it turns out, almost 50 years ago, a similar debate was taking place. In the 1967 article from Let's Live Magazine, "What does it cost to be sick?" George R. Bruce advocated for the power of nutrition in keeping people well.

"Certainly it costs a lot to be sick and it probably will cost more in the future. Perhaps a patient should think in terms of how much does it cost to be well. It's hard to put a price tag on that." The costs referred to were approximately $5 for a doctors bill, and medical services for a single visit that could reach up to $12 (approximately $78 today). Americans in the 1960s "threw away 30% of their income on medical costs."

Perhaps the most powerful statement in the entire article came near its conclusion. It's a sentiment we're beginning to hear more frequently as the food revolution expands and more people are turning to nutrition to maintain health and wellness. Unfortunately, in 50 years, we can't say a lot has changed. The debate still rages on.

"If the funds collected ostensibly to eliminate sickness through medication and surgery were spent to teach people that real health can be maintained through natural methods, we would have the highest degree of national health ever known on earth."

Photo credit: Free Digital Photos

Soda is not food

Soda is not food, and this fact was never made more clear than when Mark Bittman broke it down for us in his compelling column titled "What is food?" for the New York Times.

"So perhaps we ask: What, exactly, is food? My dictionary calls it “any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink, or that plants absorb, in order to maintain life and growth.” That doesn’t help so much unless you define nutritious. Nutritious food, it says here, “provides those substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition.”

Sugar-sweetened beverages don’t meet this description any more than do beer and tobacco and, for that matter, heroin, and they have more in common with these things than they do with carrots. They promote growth all right — in precisely the wrong way — and they do the opposite of promoting health and good condition. They are not food."

This is an important distinction to make for those who don't want to be told what to eat or how much of it to consume. In light of the recent controversial plan by New York's Mayor Bloomberg to ban sodas over 16 ounces from many retail establishments, some desire to be left alone in the "I'll-eat-whatever-I-want" department. But Bittman's beef is on the long-term health of this country. When what you choose to eat (mainly, our dependence on sugar), causes the US to spend billions each year on healthcare treatments for preventable diseases, that's when the government does need to step in, he claims.

So, what's your take on the soda ban?

The Food Matters Project: Cornmeal Chickpea Fritters

The first time I made this dish, I did what I sometimes do and later regret. I read the recipe once, forget about it for a week or two, then tried to make it from memory because I was too lazy to open the cookbook. Maybe you sometimes find yourself in this circumstance, too. Well, let's just say my first attempt was far from memorable.

This time, I took it in a new direction, blending a can of chickpeas with arugula, onion, salt, pepper, an egg, and cornmeal until thick enough to drop into a pan of oil. Paired with an herbed Greek yogurt dip, it made for a delightful supper alongside a fresh green salad.

For the original recipe, visit Lena's blog.

The Food Matters Project: Savory Tomato Crisp

My heart belongs to tomatoes. I love them raw, drizzled with good olive oil, burst in a fresh sauce for pasta, or pureed in a roasted soup with grilled cheese for dunking. So you can imagine my excitement a few days ago when I stopped by the farmer's market to pick up local, organic tomatoes for this recipe.

Today's dish lends itself to improvisation, especially when it comes to the topping. And I suppose this is the right forum to admit that, even though I posted the original recipe below, I made a few modifications myself. I just couldn't resist! I had a handful of toasted pine nuts from earlier in the day, so I added them, as well as more olive oil instead of melted butter, which I conveniently forgot because it was an extra step and extra bowl.

The warm tomatoes make the perfect vegetarian main course for a light spring dinner. I served mine with a salad of roasted asparagus, torn prosciutto, and a bright rose.

SAVORY TOMATO CRISP

From The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman (p. 423)

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing
3 pounds ripe tomatoes (8-10 medium), cored and cut into wedges
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Salt and black pepper
1 cup bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 chopped pecans or walnuts
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or crumbled feta or blue cheese
1 tablespoon melted butter

1. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square or round baking dish or a deep pie plate with oil; heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Put the tomato wedges in a large bowl and sprinkle with the cornstarch and some salt and pepper. Toss gently and let the mixture sit. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs, pecans, garlic, cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, and butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir until thoroughly mixed.

3. Toss the tomato mixture again and transfer it to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the crisp is as dark as you like on top and bubbly underneath, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool to warm or room temperature before serving. To serve, scoop portions out with a large spoon.

How to grow a farm in your bathroom, and other unique garden ideas

For city dwellers, outdoor space can be hard to come by, and the idea of growing a summer garden seem entirely out of reach. But now is the time to take action if you want to take advantage of the growing season, so there are a few unique ways to consider growing your own food:

• Take some inspiration from the Bathroom Farmer, a blog that chronicles the story of a Fashion Artist seeking to expand sustainability in her lifestyle by turning her bathroom into a year-round vegetable and herb garden.

• Natural Yards lets you build almost any size raised planter without the use of tools, so there will be a solution regardless of your space limitations. If your outdoor space is small, consider growing up using one of its vertical trellises. 

• No balcony? Try an Aero Garden. It produces an abundance of fresh herbs, flowers, vegetables, and salad greens using aeroponic technology. Your plants grow in water, nutrient and oxygenated air to directly deliver nourishment to their roots. The best part? It all sits snugly on your kitchen counter.

• If you can spare a ledge near a bright window, grow herbs in tea boxes!

• Need more inspiration? Like pretty pictures? The Giving Table's garden board on Pinterest.