Articles by Dr. Pat Ferrari

What’s not to like about a steamy bowl of winter comfort food? Chicken soup is that age-old remedy for everything: colds, congestion, flu, and winter blues…just the things a good bowl of steamy soup can chase away. That is why I prescribe chicken soup all the time…

If you’re a purist, making chicken soup can be an all day project. The stock needs hours to simmer with the chicken, carrots and onions, and that’s just the beginning. But don’t be tempted to reach for the can opener!

The perfect short cut is to have homemade soup stock* ready in the freezer, or you can reach for a carton of good organic chicken stock. The rest is easy…

Chicken Noodle Soup

4 cups each chicken stock and water
2 chicken breasts, bone-in
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery and leaves, diced
1 Bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
4 ounces cooked noodles or pasta
Grated Romano cheese, for serving

Simmer the chicken breasts in the stock and water; add the diced onion, celery, celery leaves and sliced carrots. After 30 minutes, pull the chicken from the bones and shred it into the soup. Throw in a bay leaf and a heaping teaspoon of thyme (any number of dried or fresh herbs work well here) along with a few grinds of black pepper and simmer another 20 minutes or so until everything seems right. While the soup is simmering bring a small pan of water to boil for noodles or pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, drain and add to the soup as you serve it. Top with a sprinkle of Romano cheese.

*The homemade chicken stock for this soup was born a few weeks ago after a wonderful dinner of Beer Can Chicken. Throw in the roasted chicken carcass (or turkey carcass you saved in the freezer after Thanksgiving dinner!), cover with cold water and add a quartered onion with peel,  carrots cut in large sections, 2 celery stalks, salt, a bay leaf and about six peppercorns. Simmer for two or three hours until cooked down. Remove the meat to add to soups or casseroles. Strain the broth through a fine strainer and discard the solids.  Refrigerate and skim off the fat the next day. The stock will keep for months in the freezer.

Let no one doubt the medicinal properties of homemade soup!

Want to add something new to the Thanksgiving spread this year?

This is a fresh seasonal salad made with oranges and red onion. You will be surprised at how well these flavors compliment each other! And this taste bud sensation couldn’t be easier to fix and serve.

Healthy? You bet! This colorful salad is loaded with Vitamin C, Vitamin B (folate) and a number of different antioxidants. For example, red onions are a source of the phytochemical quercetin which has anti-inflammatory properties. That’s another way of saying oranges and red onions are good for you!

Savory Orange Salad

3 naval oranges
¼ red onion, sliced thin
2 teaspoons good quality olive oil
black pepper, freshly ground
salt

Cut the peel and white pith from the oranges with a sharp knife. Slice the oranges into rounds and place on a serving plate. Cover with the slices of red onion and drizzle with olive oil. Add coarsely ground black pepper and a light sprinkle of salt. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 4.

What about the kids? Serve their sliced oranges unadorned on another serving plate. Now everyone is happy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you love fresh tomatoes too much to give them up in the winter, look for fresh cluster tomatoes on the vine. They may not compete with a home grown tomato, but they can deliver real tomato taste year round.

There are some amazing health claims out there for the simple tomato. Tomatoes are Superfood #4 for women, rich in antioxidants (like lycopene), Vitamin C and a variety of other vitamins and minerals. They are also a negative calorie food. No, they really do have calories, but some people think more calories are burned eating and digesting these foods. Now that is an appealing idea!

This is one of my favorite quick salads. The red onion, olive oil and basil (and sometimes a splash of vinegar) help boost the flavor of the tomato; just for a moment you might forget it’s not summer anymore…

Fresh Tomato and Red Onion Salad

Fresh cluster tomatoes purchased on the vine, cut in wedges
½ red onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon water
5 or 6 basil leaves, rolled and sliced in strips
Salt to taste

Cut the desired number of tomatoes into wedges and place in a serving bowl with the sliced onion and basil. Drizzle with olive oil; add a splash of water, season with salt. Toss well and refrigerate before serving.

Keep the slices of onion large enough to remove if the little ones won’t eat them (but they might surprise you). Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices…just don’t get caught by the etiquette police!

Breaded chicken doesn’t have to be fried to be good. Oven-fry this chicken using just a sprinkle of oil before baking and add grated Romano cheese and garlic to the bread crumbs for flavor that will beat fast food chicken any day.

Breaded Chicken, Italian Style

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, whole or cut into 2 or 3 pieces
½ cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup grated Romano (or Parmesan) cheese
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Line a cookie sheet with foil; spray lightly with cooking oil. Rinse and dry the chicken. Mix the bread crumbs, cheese, basil and garlic together and place on a large plate. Sprinkle the chicken pieces lightly with flour, dip in the milk and then in the bread crumb mixture. Pat the crumbs into the chicken so they will adhere. Place the chicken pieces on the prepared cookie sheet and drizzle each with a small amount of oil. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (less time if the pieces are small).

The chicken should come out of the oven just before you think it is done…it will continue to cook for a few more minutes. This chicken will be tender and moist as long as it is not overcooked.

Keep bread crumbs in the freezer so they will always be fresh. Make them from leftover bread (using a few quick pulses in the food processor) and keep different types on hand. (Try whole wheat bread crumbs for breaded fish; plain or sourdough for chicken, etc.)

And finally, make extra! This chicken is great for dinner, sandwiches, lunches; it packs up perfectly for potlucks, picnics and tailgating!

My niece occasionally asks me for pediatric advice about her two beautiful girls. This is one concern that is shared by many parents in my practice…

Q:  We cannot get my 19 month old daughter to eat meat. We have tried (many times) lots of variety. We’ve tried it in things, on things, from our plates, when she asks for it….but she just won’t eat it. In fact, she usually wipes it off her tongue with a napkin or her fingers. I’m open to any tricky things I might not have considered

A:  Meat is an excellent source of protein and calories for toddlers, but it is not as easy to chew as starches, fruits and veggies. It also has a different “mouth feel” compared to many other foods.

Try these strategies to acclimate your young one to the taste and texture of meats…

Focus on offering thin sliced or shaved deli meats, chicken, turkey or ham. These have a saltier taste and lack the distinctive flavor and coarse texture of most meats. Mix crumb-sized pieces of meat with other foods that are moist and flavorful.

Disguise shredded meat in pureed veggies, sprinkle into a grilled cheese sandwich, stir into cooked pasta with butter or tomato sauce. Serve tiny pieces of meat with just a drop of ketchup, ranch dressing, mild BBQ sauce or applesauce if she likes those things. In the beginning, just add traces to her menu until you can let a bit more taste shine through.

Don’t let on that you are trying to push her in any way. It is important that she controls what she eats, and you control what is served. Keep up other sources of protein that she will eat.

And be patient. Most toddlers who don’t like meat soon acquire the taste. (Then you can try my healthy baked chicken nuggets, so stay tuned!)

The photo? Yes, that’s the one!

Halloween is just a week away, so celebrate safely. Whether it is a party with friends or “trick or treat” in the neighborhood, a few simple tips will ensure more fun.

Here’s lookin’ at you, kid. Your little ones (and big ones!) must be able to see in their Halloween get up. Masks can block vision, making navigating streets difficult when it is already dark. Enlarge eye openings for better visibility or use make up for little faces to keep vision unobstructed.

Now you see ‘em. Buy a roll of reflective tape and use it liberally to highlight their costumes. Look for it in fluorescent orange, green or white. More is better.

Walk, don’t run. Long robes can trip them up. Keep hemlines short enough for walking…staple the hemline in a costume for a quick and easy alteration. Walking should be comfortable in the costume.

Light the way. A flash light is a good accessory, not only to see the way, but also to increase visibility to others.

Candy is dandy. There was a time when stopping at a house that had home made goodies was a special treat. These days, packaged treats are best to ensure our children’s safety. Teach the kids to wait to eat candy until they are home and you have sorted it, checking for any open or damaged wrappers.

“My tummy hurts…” I think one of the most common phone calls I get as a pediatrician on Halloween is the late night stomach ache from too much candy. Avoid it by serving a light but healthy dinner before going out, so the treats tempt a little less. Then once you get home, sort the candy, set aside or toss the least favorite treats and indulge wisely. Store the rest in small bags for sharing and eating on other days.

No apples at this party…Avoid “bobbing for apples” at a Halloween party if you want to avoid exposure to everyone else’s germs. For healthier fun, check out Kaboose for some fun Halloween games.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!!

Now here’s a match that’s hard to beat…dark chocolate and cherries.

How often is something good for you that tastes as good as chocolate? Dark chocolate is full of flavinoids, a compound from the cocoa plant that keeps cholesterol from plugging arteries.  And chocolate isn’t the only thing that will make you smile…dried cherries pack natural sweetness and are rich in heart-healthy antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Balance out these flavors with the taste, texture and nutrition of oats and you’ve got another really good cookie!

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Cookies

1¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 oz. (1 stick) butter
8 oz. (1 stick) margarine
½ cup sugar
1¼ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups oats, regular
¾ cup dark chocolate chips
¾ cup dried cherries (or dried cranberries)

Mix flour, soda and salt together and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugars, butter and margarine until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beat well, then mix in milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture until well combined. Sir in oats, chocolate chips and cherries, then drop the dough by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 9 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 4 ½ dozen.

You might make these to tempt the grown ups who drop in on Halloween…but beware! These haunted cookies might just disappear without a trace!

“Necessity is the mother of invention.”  Plato, Greek author and philosopher

Last week I came home from the store only to discover that I had bought a gallon of whole milk instead of nonfat. I knew my son wouldn’t drink it, so I figured I would just use it in cooking or baking…

So I made Dutch Baby for breakfast the next morning. It was delicious, but it hardly made a dent in our surplus. What else could I make with whole milk?

Homemade orange sherbet! Since it is made with milk, it has only a fraction of the fat and calories of ice cream.  My blender has an ice cream maker attachment that I almost never use, so it was time to dust it off. In less time than a trip to the grocery store, I made this yummy treat…

Homemade Orange Sherbet

3 cups whole milk
¾ cup orange juice concentrate (half of a 12 oz. can)
1 cup water
¾ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon pure orange extract, optional

Combine the ingredients in the ice cream canister and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream maker. Makes 1 quart.

And for those of you without home ice cream makers, the Play and Freeze ball looks like fun! Or make an orange smoothie instead… ¾ cup whole milk, 1 cup crushed ice, 2 heaping tablespoons orange juice concentrate (undiluted), 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix in blender. 

My homemade orange sherbet is an easy, low fat dessert that is as fun to make as it is to eat….well, maybe a bit more fun to eat!  I made an extra batch to bring to the office…it was a hit! Thanks, Plato.

This wonderful apple spice cake is adapted from a zucchini cake recipe I copied years ago from my very good friend Nancy. It is such an incredibly moist and delicious cake it will get rave reviews whenever you make it. It is fancy enough for company…and healthy enough for a light snack.

Apple Snack Cake

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup honey
½ cup oil
1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 ½ cups shredded unpeeled apple (or zucchini)
½ cup finely diced banana

Spray a 9×13 inch pan with Pam for Baking. Stir together flour, baking powder and soda, salt and spices; set aside. In a large mixer bowl, beat eggs until light, then beat in the honey and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the oil.
Mix in the flour mixture at low speed, alternating additions with yogurt. Stir in the zucchini and banana. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes.

I like this cake best unadorned, but you can also dress it up with a light cream cheese glaze and toasted walnuts. Honey-Cream Cheese Icing: Mix together 5 oz. softened cream cheese, 1 ½ teaspoons orange juice and 3 to 4 tablespoons honey (adjust for desired sweetness). Spread over the cooled cake and cover with 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts.

And once zucchini is back in season, try this recipe with shredded zucchini. It’s equally delicious, and I love the little green flecks!

Oats add nutrients and fiber to these yummy chocolate chip cookies…

Make them small to fit little hands and to decrease calories for bigger kids like us! These and oatmeal raisin cookies are popular sweet treats at my house…

Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

1¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 oz. (1 stick) butter
8 oz. (1 stick) margarine
½ cup sugar
1¼ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups oats, regular or quick cooking
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix flour, soda and salt together and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugars, butter and margarine until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beat well, then mix in milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture until well combined. Sir in oats and chocolate chips by hand, then use a tablespoon scoop to drop the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 9 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 4 ½ dozen.

Cookie monsters at your house? Remind them that cookies are a “sometimes food”, so freeze extras in small batches for a sweet treat another day…

I love to bake…I feel so creative when I can serve a homemade dessert that tastes so much better than the store-bought version. And home baking also gives me the opportunity to make some healthy substitutions along the way.

Win-win? Not exactly. Homemade or not, pies, cakes and cookies can still pack a hefty number of calories. My delicious choco-chini cake is certainly lower in fat and healthier than a zucchini-free equivalent, but it is still a dessert…

Can we indulge in sweets without too many extra calories? Yes! Try these tricks to incorporate sweets into a healthy diet…

• Serve individual portions. When I talk with my young patients about sweets, I often tell them to “eat one cookie, not five cookies”. That may seem obvious, but it is not so easy when the serving plate is piled high. 
  

• Smaller servings. Of course, smaller portions have fewer calories. So measure cookie dough with a tablespoon scoop for smaller and more uniform cookies and they will also bake more evenly.

• Special times. Save fancy desserts for special occasions and special meals. The only “dessert” that most of us can afford to have every day is fresh fruit.

• Just enough. I made cookies for my son’s scout meeting today, but I baked only half the batch. I’ll freeze the remainder of the dough (or refrigerate for up to a week), then bake just a few cookies at a time.

• Out of sight, out of mind. Avoid temptation by keeping sweet treats out of sight. Store extra cookies or baked goods in the freezer, or better yet, share extras with neighbors and co-workers. They will love you for it!

• Add fiber. Fiber-rich ingredients make healthy additions to dessert recipes because fiber can decrease the absorption of fat! (Hmmm…like oatmeal cookies! ) Fruit and veggie ingredients (like applesauce, carrots and zucchini) add moisture that can replace some of the fat in a recipe…another calorie saver.

Tip of the day…Next time you make chocolate chip cookies add 2 cups of oats along with the 2 cups of chips (and decrease the flour in the recipe by ½ cup). I love the texture of chocolate chip oat cookies so much better than plain. You might never make plain chocolate chip cookies again!

It’s almost 7 pm on Friday night and I’m just getting home. Usually we eat out on Friday nights, but this morning I was inspired to thaw some chicken breasts…too bad I didn’t have a plan…

Oh well. I’ll set the timer for an hour to see how I do…

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil; throw in ½ cup chopped onion to sauté. Rinse, dry and cube 1 lb.boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Brown half of the chicken pieces, adding salt and pepper and a chopped clove of garlic while cooking. Turn once after fully browned on one side.

While the chicken cooks, prepare 2 cups pasta (dry measure) al dente.  Choose a fancy shape, like fusilli, so the pasta holds more sauce.

Remove the first batch of chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Replenish the olive oil in the pan and sauté the second batch. Cut 2 garden-fresh tomatoes into 8 pieces each and set aside. Take 6 leaves fresh basil (also from the garden), roll them, slice thinly and reserve with the tomatoes.

Chicken done? Add a splash of white wine or chicken broth (about 1/3 of a cup) to deglaze the pan (scrape up all those tasty bits), then lower the heat. Add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (another great flavor-enhancer) and simmer  gently until the “sauce” thickens, just another minute or two. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chicken, tomatoes, basil, and cooked pasta, stir well and cover for a few minutes to let the last additions heat through.

The final touch is a dusting of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

This quick meal is really tasty. All the flavors stand out…the browned chicken, the carmelized onion, the sweetness of the wine and balsamic, the fresh tomato and basil, the tang of the cheese. And we sat down with 15 minutes to spare!

Yes, you should try this at home!

I love inviting friends over for dinner…even on short notice. Last minute invitations might require a simple menu, but you can still impress your friends (and the kids) with a fancy dessert!

This simple apple tart is attractive to serve, but also easy and healthy. It has only about 170 calories per serving…so move over, apple pie!

The tart comes together with only five ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. Use sweet but firm apples, like Fuji or Gala. Granny Smith apples also have a wonderful taste and texture for baking, but you will need to add more sugar because they are so tart.  Be sure to slice the apples as thinly as possible so they will cook quickly…

Simple Apple Tart

dough for one 9 inch pie crust, purchased or homemade*
3 or 4 large apples, peeled, cored, halved and sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons peach or apricot jam, heated

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With the dough at room temperature, unroll into a 10 inch tart pan. Arrange the apple slices on the cutting board, then transfer by sections to the unbaked crust. Sprinkle the apples with sugar and dot with butter. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the apples are soft and bubbling. Remove the tart from the oven. While still warm, brush the apples with the jam to add sweetness and a shiny golden color. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 8.

Delicious!

Nothing beats fresh fruit for a healthy dessert. This is one of my favorite healthy endings to a simple summer meal…colorful fruit salad.

Most kids love fruit anyway, so enlist them to help choose a rainbow combination of their favorite fruits.  The more variety, the better the presentation and nutrition. And to make this dessert extra kid-friendly be sure the presentation rocks!

What could be simpler? Choose at least three or more fresh fruits to combine. Mix together bite-sized pieces of strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, cantaloupe, kiwi, pineapple and mango and mix together. No dressing necessary; the natural fruit juices combine for just the right amount of light syrup.

Serve the fruit salad from a large platter or glass bowl and ladle into sherbet cups. Make it fancy by adding a small dollop of low-fat whipped cream.

Pretty and delicious!

My mother made homemade sauce every Saturday, and my sister and I would wake up to mouth-watering smells coming from the kitchen. I loved brunch on these Saturdays…homemade meatballs with plenty of sauce and Romano cheese, served in a bowl for dunking fresh Italian bread!

This is a quick, low-fat version of an Italian classic. My mother’s sauce took hours to prepare, but this hearty ragu won’t cost you all day in the kitchen. Make the sauce from scratch using homegrown or canned organic tomatoes, or use a high quality jar sauce (like Classico Organic Pasta Sauce with Tomato, Herbs and Spices) and add the meats to simmer. Flavors will meld in less than an hour!

Italian Sauce with Meatballs and Sausage

1 lb. Italian sausage (regular or turkey)

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef, 93% lean
¼ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Romano cheese
1 tsp. dried sweet basil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 egg, slightly beaten

Sauce (omit if using purchased):
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) organic diced tomatoes, or 2 to 3 lbs. fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 can (6 oz.) organic tomato paste
1 cup water (more or less)
1 tsp. dried sweet basil or Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper; spray lightly with cooking spray. Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl, add the next 5 ingredients and mix well. Moisten hands, then loosely form meatballs using ¼ cup of the meat mixture for each meatball. Place the meatballs onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for about 25 minutes (a light drizzle or spray of olive oil before baking will enhance browning). Oven-fry the sausage at the same time, making sure to prick the casing before placing on the rack of a shallow broiler pan.

While the meats cook, start the sauce. Cook the tomatoes until soft enough to break up, then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer covered, and when the meats are done, add them to the sauce. Simmer the sauce and meats together for an hour (less if using prepared sauce).

Serve with pasta, plenty of grated Romano cheese…and crusty Italian bread!

Buon appetito!

Don’t let a bumper crop leave you bored with homegrown veggies…

Expand your repertoire of recipes so every dish will be new and different. This is a savory version of green beans that is big on fresh taste. This recipe is simple, but be careful not to cook too long…overcooked green beans will be mushy and bland.

Green Beans with Shallots and Tomatoes is also a “recipe duet”…one recipe makes either a warm side dish or a cold green bean salad…

Green Beans with Shallots and Tomatoes

1 lb. green beans, about 2 cups
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ripe but firm tomato, about ½ cup seeded and diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional for warm version)
Capers for garnish

Sauté the shallots in olive oil until translucent. Add the green beans and sauté until bright green in color and just tender. Add diced tomatoes and cook just 1 or 2 minutes more, until the beans are cooked but still crunchy. Serve warm as side dish.

For a cold green bean salad, steam the green beans until cooked but crisp. Rinse in cold water and set aside. Heat the olive oil and sauté the shallots; add the diced tomatoes off the heat and mix to blend the flavors. Chill. When ready to serve, arrange the beans on a platter with the tomato-shallot topping and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy!

If you planted green beans this year then by now you might be overwhelmed with little green beans on big green vines. And even though it’s fun to go out to the backyard to pick vegetables for dinner…ever feel like you’re the only one eating them?

Try to enlist the kids in at least the picking and washing of the veggie crop…and if they are too picky to even taste them, well take heart, we know all about picky kids!

Many kids just haven’t acquired the taste yet for complex, savory flavors. So when in doubt, keep it simple. The fresh taste of steamed green beans, even plain, is hard to beat. Try to be creative with the presentation; for example, serve chilled green beans standing upright in a short glass, like French fries just waiting to be dipped into Ranch dressing (instead of catsup). Finger foods are fun!

These are not your ordinary supermarket green beans, so pick them skinny and tender, only about ¼ inch in diameter. Steam for about 4 minutes, and remove from the heat quickly. Serve a kid-friendly version plain, or with just a dot of margarine or butter. Kids of all ages may enjoy them at room temperature or even cold the next day.

Nobody has to know that green beans are loaded with vitamins and minerals, even anti-oxidants. They are also low in calories for those of us who care about such things, only 43 calories per cup.

My grown-up version is savory, so stay tuned for Green Beans with Shallots and Tomato…

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a nasty germ even under the best of circumstances. It is also a “superbug”, a term that refers to a number of bacteria that have developed resistance to many standard antibiotics.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that a few simple precautions can keep most of us clear of staph infections, even MRSA. Staph is actually relatively harmless to normal, healthy skin. But a cut, scrape, bug bite, or even dry, cracked skin can let bacteria penetrate to start an infection.

Waterless hand cleansers can be very effective at killing bacteria, but most are so drying to hands that it’s not practical to use them frequently throughout the day. Noodle and Boo’s Instant Hand Sanitizer is different. I use it several times a day and I cannot believe how smooth and moisturized this product leaves my hands. But does it really kill germs? Yes, 99.99% of them, even MRSA.

Here are some simple steps to help protect you and your family from serious skin infections:

• Practice good skin care and wash hands frequently. Use Noodle and Boo’s Instant Hand Sanitizer whenever soap and water are not readily available.

• Don’t share towels and personal items (like razors). Bring your own clippers to the salon for manicures and pedicures.

• Keep wounds covered until they are healed to protect the open skin from bacteria, and also to prevent the spread of any infection.

• Have your doctor check any open wound or sore that is getting worse or not healing promptly.

Remember, your best defense against any type of skin infection is normal, healthy skin…by Noodle and Boo.

Read more by Dr. Pat in Healthy Lifestyles…

At my house, real dessert means anything chocolate. Choco-chini Cake is as rich, moist and decadent as any chocolate cake I have ever tasted, but with a healthier twist. The secret ingredient? Zucchini, of course!

This is an unbelievable, over-the-top chocolate cake that packs 2 full cups of shredded zucchini to keep the cake more moist with less fat.

This cake is so good I like to skip the frosting and serve with just a dusting of powdered sugar or a scoop of ice cream frozen yogurt!

Choco-chini Cake

2 ¼ cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cup sugar
½ cup canola oil and ½ cup applesauce
2 large eggs and 1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup low fat buttermilk
2 cups shredded zucchini*, dried well
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a Bundt pan (or a 9 x 13 inch pan) with Pam for Baking. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt in a bowl and set aside. Beat sugar, oil and applesauce together in a large bowl until well mixed. Add the eggs and egg white individually, beating well after each is added. Add vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients by alternating with the buttermilk until all is well blended. Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 325 degrees for approximately 55 minutes, or 40 minutes convection. (Tester should be moist; do not overbake.) Serves 16.

*The prep of the zucchini is important. Slice a medium zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out all the seeds. Then shred the zucchini and dry very well on paper towels. (If the zucchini is wet, the batter will be watery and the cake will come out dry. Trust me on this!)

What will the kids say, you ask? Don’t tell…and once they taste this luscious cake they won’t care that they are eating zucchini! But if they are really, really picky, then peel the zucchini before shredding or they will be quizzing you about the little green specks!

Read more by Dr. Pat…or email comments, questions and requests…

When I think of all the emotions I associate with motherhood, most are really wonderful…love, empathy, pride, hope. But another biggie creeps in… guilt.

Over and over I see wonderful mothers who can’t help but blame themselves for all of their child’s woes. When my son was only 15 months old, he sliced his hand on a can I had just thrown in the trash. I saw him go for it, but didn’t get there in time to stop him. He needed six stitches. I was fairly calm under the circumstances, but I knew it was my fault. Just like all the other mothers I see with injured children, I was blaming myself. I was guilty.

We know who we are. Did we feed them enough or too much? Are they warm or cool enough? Is the house clean enough? Too clean, too scheduled, too much?

I don’t really know where all that negative stuff comes from (maybe our mothers?), but I do know we don’t have to keep up the tradition. I spend the better part of my day reassuring parents that they are doing the right thing. And usually, they really are. It also turns out that our children will thrive in spite of us, in spite of themselves. Work for a balance as best you can, but try to leave guilt out of it.

Guilt ranks right up there with other stress hormones and they all take a big toll on our well being. Just say NO to guilt, and mean it. No, I won’t feel guilty or take responsibility for every failing, every problem my family encounters. Keep your sense of humor and life’s little crises won’t seem so bad.

Check out a few good books on the subject, like Motherhood without Guilt, by Debra Rosenberg or Mommy Guilt, by Julie Bort, Aviva Pflock and Devra Renner. If you don’t feel guilty anymore, your family won’t have to feel guilty for making you feel guilty. Then everyone feels better. Hooray!

More articles by Dr. Pat in Healthy Lifestyle.

Photo courtesy of Sourcebooks, Inc.

I love good potato salad, but who has enough time (or calories) to splurge on homemade?

This recipe can’t be beat for simplicity and creamy good taste. I served it recently at a dinner for friends and even the folks who don’t cook were asking how I made it. It’s that good!

Start with a great potato (like Sierra Rose Red Skin Golden Gourmet Potatoes) to get the best taste and texture. Then take 30 minutes or more off the prep time by steaming the potatoes in a paper bag! Just put the washed potatoes in a brown grocery sack, fold the top over, and microwave. (My friend Mariel uses a plastic bag…either one works.)  Slide the skins off after cooking if you prefer, but I leave some on for color and nutrition.

Simply Delicious Potato Salad

2 lbs. (about 5 medium) red potatoes
2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup mayonnaise*
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper (optional)

Cool and coarsely chop the potatoes into 1 inch pieces. Place them in a bowl with the onion, mayonnaise, and salt. Mix gently and refrigerate before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

*Make this with Best Foods or Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise for a special dinner that is sure to impress. Otherwise, use light or cholesterol-free mayonnaise to cut cholesterol and fat. (You will notice the taste difference in a side by side comparison, but at least you can indulge guilt-free!)

Take things from simple to elaborate with one or more “add-ins” like Dijon mustard, chopped celery, chopped dill pickle or sweet relish, hard boiled egg, capers, etc.

Homemade just doesn’t get any better than…simple and delicious!

More recipes by Dr. Pat…

Try these hearty blueberry muffins this holiday weekend. No dainty little tea muffins for us…these blueberry muffins have less sugar and pack more flavor, texture and crunch because of cornmeal. We love ‘em!

If you love blueberries too, buy plenty to freeze when they are in season. Just wash and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet (lined with wax paper) to freeze. Transfer the frozen berries to small containers and they will be ready to use all year long. Toss them straight from the freezer into your favorite pancake batter, or use them in recipes, like this fabulous blueberry muffin recipe!

Dr. Pat’s Blueberry Crunch Muffins

1 ½ cup flour
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¼ cup canola oil
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (but not thawed)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (375 degrees convection) and prepare a muffin pan with Pam for Baking (not paper muffin liners; they will stick).

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside. In another large bowl whisk the egg, oil and buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries. Spoon batter into the muffin cups.

Bake until lightly browned, about 16 minutes in a regular oven or 12 minutes convection. Cool for 2 minutes in the pan, then transfer promptly to a cooling rack. Serve warm.
Makes 12 muffins.

Did I mention healthy? These muffins have the nutrition of blueberries (with their vitamins and antioxidants) in a low fat, low calorie package, only about 100 calories per muffin! Yum!

Still hungry? Browse more by Dr. Pat…

Beer Can Chicken is one of my all-time favorites for chicken on the grill. I certainly didn’t invent it…the recipes are everywhere. But I was always skeptical that the beer can approach was really just a gimmick…until I tried it.

This is absolutely, positively the most succulent chicken you will ever prepare on a grill! The beer bastes the chicken from the inside, and because the chicken is roasted vertically, all the fat just drips away.

What about the kids? The alcohol in the beer fully evaporates of course, leaving just wonderfully moist and flavorful chicken…without any drunken children!

Beer Can Chicken

1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 lb.
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons dry spice rub* or prepared grill seasoning
1 tablespoon oil or cooking spray
1 can beer (16 oz.)

Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken cavity and set aside. Remove any excess fat, then rinse the chicken and dry inside and out with paper towels. Coat the chicken with oil, then rub on the salt and spice mix, covering the inside, outside, and in between the skin and breast meat.

Open a can of beer and pour half into a glass (for later consumption!). Place the chicken over the beer can and transfer to the grill, positioning the can and legs like a tripod to support the chicken upright. Cook on indirect medium for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer placed between the thigh and breast registers 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the grill and place in a shallow pan to rest for 10 minutes. Lift the chicken from the can and cut into serving pieces. (Reserve the carcass for another use, like next week’s recipe!)

*A simple mix: 2 tablespoons each paprika and brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper.

Try different dry rubs for variety; just look for more recipes in your favorite grilling book. If you have extra rub, pour a tablespoonful into the beer before cooking for even more flavor. And for the faint-hearted, you can even buy a stand to support the beer can if you don’t mind one more piece of equipment in the kitchen!

While the chicken cools, grill the corn on the cob and take the Zucchini, Apple and Raisin Slaw out of the refrigerator. Dinner is served!

Find more of Dr. Pat’s recipes in Healthy Lifestyle…

Patents often ask me about the safety of the vaccines we give. Even though I may reassure them that vaccines are as safe as ever, it is also important for me to give them specific information on the issues being raised.If you want to make sense of the vaccine issues, look to reputable sources. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ Parenting Corner has a fact sheet for parents on vaccine safety that is a good update of current concerns. The Center for Disease Control is another great resource on vaccines and vaccine safety.Here are some of the more frequent questions being asked about infant vaccines:Can MMR cause autism? Autism is a brain disorder affecting an individual’s behavioral, social and communication skills. A number of controlled studies have confirmed there is no relationship between autism and MMR. The cause of autism is not known, but it is clear that genetic factors are involved. Features of abnormal development associated with autism are present early in development prior to receiving MMR, and rates of autism have been shown to be equal in groups of vaccinated and unvaccinated children.Mercury and autism, another risk? A scientific review in 2004 confirmed that there is no relationship between mercury in vaccines and autism. Even so, all routinely recommended vaccines for infants have been mercury-free since 2001 as a precaution.Vaccine schedule…Should we delay vaccines until children are older? Infants are at greatest risk, so delaying vaccines only increases the risk from these life-threatening illnesses. In 20 years of practice, I have seen deaths from whooping cough (pertussis) and even chicken pox (varicella). The risk to our children from these diseases is real and is highest in infancy. The recommended vaccine schedules have been developed to provide maximum safety and effectiveness.Still confused after doing your homework? Trust the professional you chose to care for your child. Ask your pediatrician. You both have the same interest at heart…your child’s health and safety.Other articles by Dr. Pat…

It’s that time of year again…I just picked the season’s first zucchini from our backyard garden!

This recipe is one of our favorite warm weather salads. There’s no cabbage in this slaw, and the apples and raisins give it just the right amount of sweetness. This slaw is so crisp and good you will be serving it all summer.

Dr. Pat’s Zucchini, Apple and Raisin Slaw

3 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
1 apple, unpeeled and diced (about ½ inch pieces)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup raisins
3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out with a spoon (even small seeds will make the slaw watery). Shred the zucchini coarsely in the food processor; dry well with paper towels. Add the apples, vinegar and mayonnaise to combine, then add the raisins and mix well. Chill before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

This is good nutrition that tastes good. Enjoy!

Look for more zucchini recipes this summer in Healthy Lifestyle.

Babies as young as a few months old communicate with their eyes, their expressions and their cries, but without words, we don’t realize how much they really want to say.

I see many babies who communicate with signs as young as 9 months to a year old. Signing is physically easier for a young infant than learning to form spoken words.

Teaching your baby to communicate by signing not only enhances social interaction, but also decreases frustration from being unable to convey basic wants and needs.

Start with an introduction of a few basic signs; watch a video like Common Sign Language for Babies to get started. Parents.com has a few different slideshows that demonstrate more signs. These are fun to view and easy to teach.

The next step is to pick up a book and DVD like The Everything Baby Sign Language Book, by Teresa R. Simpson. This is a recent publication that will help you expand your signing vocabulary. Another book to consider is Signing Smart with Babies and Toddlers: A Parents’ Strategy and Activity Guide, by Michele E. Anthony and Reyna Lindert. This book is a comprehensive resource and also offers plenty of information on the benefits of baby signing.

And don’t worry that early signing will delay speaking. Babies who learn to sign often talk earlier than their non-signing peers.

So if you are not already signing with your infant, try a few words to get started. It will be fun for both of you!

Check out Healthy Lifestyle for more articles by Dr. Pat…

Photo courtesy of barnesandnoble.com