Cook with a Doc – Salad, Squash and Steak

Have you ever wondered what a doctor eats at home? People are naturally curious about what their doctors recommend by way of a well balanced diet.

A little over a year ago, Tyler cardiologist Dr. Hector Ceccoli and the Smith County Medical Society launched their Cook with a Doc series to help residents of Smith County get an idea of what a cardiologist in their community eats at home. Dr. Ceccoli believes in healthy, yet easy, cooking, saying, “There is a myth out there that cooking has to be complicated or that there is some big secret to healthy cooking at home.” Ceccoli often cooks at home and involves his three children in the process.

There are many benefits to cooking meals at home versus frequently dining out. One obvious benefit of cooking at home is that you don’t have to sit and wait for a table or for your food. You also end up saving quite a bit of money by eating at home. Another great benefit of cooking at home is being able to involve your whole family – no matter if your spouse, children or friends are helping you cook or are just sitting in the kitchen with you having a conversation. Great fellowship and community happens in kitchens and around tables.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of cooking at home is that you know exactly where the food came from (if you purchased it from a reputable source). Even more importantly, you know exactly how it was handled and prepared. When you are eating out in public you have no idea just what your food has gone through before it made it to your plate. Fresh ingredients that you’ve selected yourself make a BIG difference!

We recently had our first Dr. Ceccoli “Cook with a Doc” event at our office and he made a delicious meal for us! He whipped up a Simple Salad, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Pan Seared Rosemary Steak. That may sound like a time intensive meal, but Dr. Ceccoli had it all cooked and ready to eat in about an hour.

With a little planning, some fresh ingredients and a lot of flavor your next healthy home cooked meal might be only an hour away! This week, try planning a family meal and involve everyone in preparing, cooking and enjoying being together.

Simple Salad

• 1 pkg shredded, organic Carrots (no prep here)
• 1 pkg Cherry Tomatoes (again, no prep)
• 1 pkg Alfalfa Sprouts or another sprout of choice (no prep…are you seeing the trend?)
• 2-3 cubed Avocados
• Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar or Fresh Lemon Juice (whichever you prefer)
• Salt and Pepper

1. Toss all ingredients into a bowl.
2. Stir to separate the sprouts and mix your salad.
3. Dress it however you prefer.

Roasted Squash

• 3-4 Butternut Squash (any type of squash works)
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Rosemary & Minced Garlic (optional)

1. Cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. There’s no need to peel these squash if you have quality, organic butternut squash.
2. Place the squash on a baking sheet, peel side down and season with salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary and garlic, if using.
4. Bake at 450 for 30-45 minutes. The squash are done when you can stick your fork smoothly into the middle.

Pan Seared Rosemary Steak

• 3-4 lean, good quality, grass-fed steaks (Dr. Ceccoli used NY Strip, but any steak works)
• Black Pepper
• a coarse salt like Kosher Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt
• Fresh Rosemary
• Olive Oil
• Onions & Garlic (Optional)

1. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and add your onions and garlic.
2. Lay out your steaks. Season one side with rosemary, black pepper, and coarse salt, then let that rest for about 5 minutes. Repeat this process on the other side of the steaks.
3. Stir your onions.
4. When your pan is hot enough, take the edge of the steak with the most fat (if using NY Strips and Ribeyes) and simply hold that side to the pan. The fat will make its own juices and flavors to
5. coat the pan for you and sear into the steaks.
6. Sear your steaks with the onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes per side – depending on the thickness of your steaks.
7. Cut the steaks down the middle to test doneness, then continue to cook to your preference.