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This lifestyle medicine approach to health “looks first at the behaviors you can change to help prevent serious health conditions, like high blood pressure, obesity or even diabetes,” said Brandy L. Washburn, a Family Nurse Practitioner with Riverside Health primary care.
Shifting to a whole foods diet doesn’t have to mean giving up all the foods you know and love. Jonathan Berletic, an Executive Chef at Riverside Health, draws from his mother’s Italian heritage when creating nutrient-dense recipes for the residents at Patriots Colony .
“Italian cooking traditionally honors the ingredients of the dish without overly processing them, which allows the flavors to speak for themselves,” said Chef Jonathan. “This in turn creates healthier dishes by minimizing additives.”
That’s how he turned his “favorite dish of all time” – eggplant Parmesan – into a lighter, yet still very popular eggplant rollatini.
“Using the knowledge of my Italian background along with 20-plus years of cooking experience, I balanced the flavors when creating the dish while staying true to the ingredients and their origins,” he said. “This dish also hits both seasonal and vegetarian notes while being a satisfying entrée.”
Stuffed with protein-rich and creamy ricotta, then topped with red sauce, this dish delivers all the flavor of the original, with more nutrition and fewer empty calories.
WhileChef Jonathan uses a from-scratch red sauce at Patriots Colony, you can use a store-bought version or your own homemade version. Just be sure to choose sauces that are lower in sodium, with no added sugars.
