Tim Higgins

Tim Higgins said ingredients in the recipes are flexible. For this version of Mediterranean Style Seafood, Higgins used haddock and carrot instead of cod and bell pepper.Tim Higgins said ingredients in the recipes are flexible.For this version of Mediterranean Style Seafood, Higgins used haddock and carrot instead of cod and bell pepper. (Credit: Colleen Helf / Staff Photographer)
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Often, when Tim Higgins is preparing dinner, he starts in his yard.

This time of year, he harvests root vegetables such as beets and carrots for dishes such as grated carrot and beet salad.
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Higgins, a dietitian at Robinwood Endocrinology, created the recipes in the late 1990s when he was chef and owner of The Village Pantry in Quogue on Eastern Long Island, N.Y.

One of the keys to eating heart healthy is eating fresh food, Higgins said.Due to busy schedules, many people today opt for convenient meals.Even when cooking at home, many people use canned vegetables or processed foods that have preservatives added to sustain their shelf life.

Canned food contains lots of sodium to preserve the food.Excess sodium has been linked with blood pressure problems, an issue people with heart disease need to be careful with, Higgins said.People should try to keep their daily sodium intake to 2 to 3 grams, he said.

With fresh food, you can apply the type and amount of salt you want.

Higgins uses kosher salt, which he says tastes better than regular salt, so less of it is needed to flavor food.A pinch is usually plenty, he said.

Higgins said he thinks the difficulty some people have with eating heart healthy is they make healthy recipes overly complicated.He urges people to use a few simple steps.A couple of ideas: Use fresh ingredients, such as vegetables and fruits.Make healthier choices about fats and oils - Higgins recommends using extra virgin olive oil, which is a good source of monounsaturated fats.Studies have shown that monounsaturated fats raise HDL or good cholesterol levels, Higgins said.

Low levels of HDL cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association's Web site.

Show and tell

Higgins chose Mediterranean-style food to prepare for the cooking demo because medical literature has associated the Mediterranean diet with good heart health.

Tim Higgins, dietitian at Robinwood Endocrinology, will demonstrate heart-healthy cooking.

Pam Peitz, Washington County Hospital cardiac programs manager, and Tim Higgins, Robinwood Endocrinology dietitian, speak at a presentation Thursday on healthy eating. (Credit: Heather Keels / Reporter)
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Researchers have found that people who follow a Mediterranean diet are less likely to die of heart disease, Tim Higgins, a dietitian at Robinwood Endocrinology, told the group.The diet, which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil and wine, is high in good fats and antioxidants, Higgins said.

As Higgins discussed tips for choosing a good knife, chopping garlic and selecting spices, conference participants munched on fresh salads and dipped whole-grain bread in dishes of olive oil.

"The Mediterranean people used to say that butter was for the wild people up in the north and olive oil was much more refined," Higgins said.

Actually, olive oil's heart benefits come from the fact that it is rich in monounsaturated fats, which increases HDL, the "good" type of cholesterol that carries cholesterol away from the arteries, Higgins said.

Researchers have found that people who follow a Mediterranean diet are less likely to die of heart disease, Tim Higgins, a dietitian at Robinwood ...

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Tim Higgins, a dietitian at Robinwood Endocrinology and a former restaurant chef, said he's won several beet skeptics over with dishes like grated carrot and beet salad. The beets are fresh and are not pickled, so there's a definite difference in flavor.Tim Higgins, a dietitian at Robinwood Endocrinology and a former restaurant chef, said he's won several beet skeptics over with dishes like grated carrot and beet salad.
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- Courtesy of Tim Higgins, dietitian at Robinwood Endocrinology

Former La Cocina chef Tim Higgins will be running the kitchen.

Tim Higgins, dietician at Robinwood Endocrinology will demonstrate heart healthy cooking.

Dietitian Rosalia Coffen will discuss her new book, and Chef Tim Higgins will prepare food.

JOIN CHEF TIM HIGGINS , WHO IS ALSO A LICENSED AND REGISTERED DIETITIAN , FOR HIS PRESENTATION BASIC FOODS : DRESSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND HONE YOUR KNIFE SKILLS ,.THERE WILL ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAMPLE SOME DELICIOUS FOODS , SHARE RECIPES , AND TALK TO DIETITIANS ABOUT DIABETES.THE HARVEST FESTIVAL IS SPONSORED BY THE DIABETES PROFESSIONALS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY HOSPITAL , AND THE WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAPTER AND MARYLAND AFFILIATE OF THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION.THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND THIS FREE EVENT.FOR MORE INFORMATION , CALL : 301-714-4041.

Thursday , November 08 , 2001

NUNCRACKERS , THE LITTLE SISTERS OF HOBOKEN( Arts and Entertainment )Ongoing Event , Ends 11/11/2001ARE TAPING THEIR FIRST CHRISTMAS TV SPECIAL IN THE CONVENT BASEMENT.