Sorry Vegans, Three Meats are Better than None!

Winter Bolognese Sauce

For Sunday night dinner,  I prepared the perfect cold weather antidote -- a filling 3 meat pasta sauce with healthy sides of winter vegetables...

Succulent winter Bolognese sauce served over large rigatoni pasta. 

Enriching beat greens with stems peeled and sautéd in a garlic shallot base. 

Fresh, thin-sliced fennel relished with apple, blood orange, and pear in a tangy lemon/olive oil/black pepper dressing. 

It's the perfect time of year to share preparations of some warming, wintry meat dishes. In the coming weeks, I will post some of my most popular choices but today we'll start with my favorite - Pasta Bolognese! As the title suggests, Bolognese is named after the beautiful and romantic town in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy -- Bologna.

Not only is the regional capital of Bologna known for its stunning porticos, excellent university, irresistible mortadella, and gorgeous town center, it is also the one of the major food capitals of the world.  My fondest memory of traveling through northern Italy was spending a day eating my way through the markets of Bologna. Foodies delight!

Pasta Bolognese is by no means a simple tomato sauce dish.  Without a doubt, it is a hearty winter meat festa.  And while I wouldn't describe it as complicated to prepare, it does take some time.  On a cold January night, it will warm your house with a succulent aroma -- it's absolutely perfect. 

Here is what you will need:

2 stalks of celery

2 medium size onions

3 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup diced pancetta (optional and technically meat number 4, but what the heck, go for it!)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 teaspoon of dried hot pepper flakes

1 lb of ground pork

1 lb of ground veal 

1 lb of ground sirloin

1 cup full-bodied red wine

2  cans of San Marzano tomatoes 28 oz

3 tbsp of italian seasoning (if not buying pre-mix and mixing at home, see tips below) 

1 cup of beef broth 

1 tbsp Better Than Bullion (see pict below)

4 dried bay leaves

3 carrots
olive oil

and, Parmesean, of course!!

Sauté pancetta in 2 tablespoon of olive oil for about 2 minutes.  Remove the pancetta and sauté onions, celery and tomato paste until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add hot pepper flakes and the 3 meats (pork, veal and beef). Stir constantly until the meat is browned and separates into small morsels.

Add the red wine and cook for another minute.

TIP #1 Use the same quality wine you will be drinking with your meal. And have a glass for yourself. You deserve it for putting on this show! 

Add the San Marzano tomatoes and the diced garlic. 

TIP #2 Putting the garlic in now gives the enriching garlic flavor without the risk of burning it in the base. 

In a food processor or a Vitamix/blender, puree 2 carrots with a tablespoon of water and add into the mix (this adds a gentle sweetness to the sauce and evens the texture). 

In a small sauce pan, combine the beef stock and the bouillon and cook on low heat until the bouillon dissolves. Add to the meat sauce. 

Season the sauce with Italian seasonings, bay leaves and salt/pepper.  An authentic Bolognese recipe will suggest adding some cream at the end (if using dried pasta), but I think the sauce is rich enough without any further milk fats. 

Cook the sauce for a least 2 hours.  The longer it cooks, the better. The local Bolognese nonne, or grandmothers, say that when the bolognese is ready "it calls you!"  Sweet! 

Tip #3 The pasta for this dish should be cooked al dente (meaning "to the tooth" or firm to bite).  My Venetian friend swears that a firmer, less cooked pasta may have a lower glycemic index and not get digested into sugars as quickly. 

Tip #4 Do not discard any of the oil that forms at the top of the pot while cooking.  This oil holds a considerable amount of flavor and should be used to coat the pasta, after it is strained. It also helps keep flat pastas from clumping. After coating the pasta with this delicious oil,  add the sauce and cook together for about 30 seconds. This binds the flavor,  saturates it evenly and marinates the noodle.   

Sprinkle pasta with parmesan cheese, a few drops of olive oil and some fresh parsley.  If you want to hit it out of the ball park, add some fresh ricotta!  Exquisite!

Honestly, you can't just have one bowl!

Italian Dried Seasoning Mix:

• If mixing the Italian Seasoning at home, here is what you will need:

Dried Basil
Dried Oregano or Dried Marjoram (these are ostensibly the same herb)
Dried Rosemary
Dried Thyme

Mix equal parts of each dried spice.

This website is fantastic for seasoning tips and DIY spice mixes:
http://mountainroseblog.com

Dry Skin Advice

Tackling Winter Dry Skin, Naturally

Our daughter enjoys all the seasons, but she seems to be most captivated by the winter.  In pre-school, it would take us an hour to walk 5 blocks home on snowy days.  She would insist on jumping onto every single snow bank, often getting stuck, or worse, losing a boot along the way.  As she gets older, she is becoming an enthusiastic skier, and just the other day asked when we can go sledding -- a tall challenge in the absence of snow! New York can get fairly cold in the winter, and thankfully, our daughter doesn't mind. 

The biggest challenge, however, of the chilly winter months is tackling our daughter's persistent bouts of dry skin, which is aggravated by the outside cold and the moistureless heating. For years, I have attempted to eradicate patches of dryness by applying all natural products. Since some of the product is absorbed into the body through the skin, it is comforting to know that the ingredients are natural. 

Logically, teaching our children about skin health is important.  The epidermis is fundamentally the largest organ of the body, and is the first line of defense against the world.  Mindful skin care begins in childhood and, as most of us adults who grew up without effective sunscreens and moisturizers know, early damage can be problematic later in life. While commercial brands have questionable ingredients that should give us pause, the makeup of the natural products should also be considered. Some plants, even organically grown, contain substances that can cause allergic reactions or may even be toxic.  I have not found this to be the case in any of the products I have used on my daughter; but it is always important to check the product ingredients before purchasing.   

Recently, I tried the Hellomellow line (Balance -Avocado/Mango), but like so many of the organics, it was oily and needed constant application. And while it was pleasingly fragrant, it didn't seem to work as well as the petroleum-based commercial products, such as Aquaphor and Cetaphil.

Unfortunately, Aquaphor comes with some risks. Aquaphor is a thick emmolient and can clog pores and even aggravate some skin conditions. Also, it has been suggested that skin care petroleums can tax the body, and contain potential carcinogens. They have even been linked to infertility. This is not surprising since petroleum is ostensibly a byproduct of the oil industry. But, don't get me wrong, given all this, Aquaphor does work.  It's been around for decades, but it is by no means organic. 

For my daughter's skin, in the height of winter dryness, I reluctantly apply Hydrocortisone Ointment. Impressively, it works overnight.  However, as a topical steroid, this is as far from organic as one can get.  Logically, I only use medicated creams when absolutely necessary -- they come with a laundry list of side effects, including increased risk of infection, changes in pigmentation and systemic absorption.   

Recently, I was thrilled to discover an all natural, food-based product, which has shown some promising results (noting that winter is still young) for our daughter.  Egyptian Magic safely moisturizes with Olive Oil, Beeswax, Honey, Bee Pollen and other natural ingredients; nontoxic ones that, if accidentally swallowed, would be digestible. I strongly recommend this product.  Used daily, it has truly helped to clear up my daughter's dry skin. Egyptian Magic is also effective for adults and is perfect for the face and lips on those brutally cold days. Yes, it is fairly "magical."  

Some other noteworthy products that were recommended by my pediatrician are:

I am a huge fan of the Mustela line. I have used the sunscreen on my daughter's face since she was a baby.  While it can be a bit cakey, it doesn't sting her eyes and protects all day long.  I highly, highly  recommended it.  Like the rest of the Mustela product line, the Protect moisturizer is an effective product; but it is not organic and it is a bit pricey. 

Although I am not currently using CeraVe, it is recommended by pediatricians, including mine.  Should the natural products run their course, I will try this next.


Other helpful dry skin tips:

• Keep your children hydrated, with water (and a nutrient filled diet). Skin moisture begins on the inside. 

• Use natural detergents in the washer/dryer. Seventh Generation makes a terrific detergent - Free and Clear.  For tough stains and odors, boost the detergent by adding baking soda to the load.  
• Avoid baths, stick to the shower. And keep them short and less frequent in winter. 
• Apply Vitamin E oil and/or coconut oil onto the skin after shower.
• Use soap sparingly, stay away from harsh bar soaps.  Try soap free soaps.  I am a fan of Burt's Bees Fragrance Free/Tear Free cream wash (99.9% natural!). 
  

I know, I know -- seemingly, strange advice from a self-proclaimed neat freak!  But taken together, these suggestions work!  

Slightly off-topic 

I just discovered an effective natural plant-based hair conditioner -- Babo Botanical.  It's sulfate free, tear free and surprisingly leaves my daughter's hair wonderfully smooth.  You can find it at Whole Foods. 

Have a fantastic moisture-rich Winter!