Troy Family Practice, PLLC
Troy, Michigan (248) 813-0124

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 

In a large glass or other nonreactive bowl, mix together all ingredients, except shrimp, until well combined.  Add shrimp, coat well and refrigerate for several hours.  Thread shrimp on skewers so they don’t touch.  Place on grill.  Cook two to three minutes until shrimp are curled.  Turn shrimp to the other side.  Dont over cook.

Serves 4

Each serving contains about 180 calories, 4 grams fat, 258 miligrams cholesterol, 551 miligrams sodium and 1.5 grams carbohydrates.

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed
• 3 cups peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
• 2 cups halved grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup crumbled reduce-fat feta cheese
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Place chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, cheese, onion, olive oil, vinegar and pepper in a medium bowl.  Mix until coated.

Makes 4 servings

This is a great side salad!  Or, eat a double portion for a vegetarian lunch, using the chickpeas as your main source of protein.

• Nutritional information per serving:  Calories 150, Fat 6grams, Saturated fat 1 1/2 grams, Protein 5 1/2 grams, Carbs 20 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Sodium 110 milligrams, Cholesterol 4 1/2 milligrams

Ingredients:

• 8 red bell peppers
• 5 black peppercorns
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups diced onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler
2. Cut peppers in half lengthwise; discards seeds and membranes. Place skin side up on a foil lined baking sheet;flatten with hand. Broil on high for 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip lock bag, seal. Let stand for 15 minutes. Peel and chop.
3. Place peppercorns, thyme and bay leaf on a double layer of cheesecloth, gather edges together and tie securely.
4. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook 15 minutes or until onion is lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add peppers, cheesecloth bag, broth, vinegar and hot pepper sauce to pan. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove and discard cheesecloth bag: stir in salt and black pepper.
5. Place ½ of pepper mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to prevent splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour pureed mixture in to a large bowel; repeat process with remaining soup. Return to Dutch oven and heat thoroughly.

To serve, sprinkle with chives.

Makes 6 servings.

What about travel recommendations with the H1N1 flu virus causing alarm?

Q. Can I travel to Mexico?
A. Yes. Flights continue from the U.S. to Mexico, with most airlines reporting few cancellations and no changes in schedules because of the swine flu outbreak.

Q. Should I continue with a planned trip to Mexico?
A. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that “continued travel by U.S. travelers to Mexico presents a serious risk for further outbreaks of swine flu in the United States” and “recommends that U.S. travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Mexico.” That said, some individuals are going ahead with planned trips, according to interviews with tour group leaders, travelers and online forums.

Q. What about cruises to Mexico?
A. Some cruise lines have suspended port calls in Mexico, with ships scheduled for Mexico spending additional time at sea or substituting port calls elsewhere. Check your cruise line’s Web site or call for details.

Q. If I cancel a planned trip because of the swine flu scare, will I get a refund?
A. It depends. Most airlines are waiving fees for rebooking flights at least for the next week or two. Some resorts with hotels in Mexico and other locations are permitting travelers to switch destinations if they have availability at say, a hotel owned by the same company in the Caribbean. But you’d have to rebook your airfare to a new destination, which depends on airline availability and may cost more than your original flight. Some travel suppliers are providing refunds or credits toward future vacations; some are not. Call and ask.

Q. If I have travel insurance and cancel a planned trip because of the swine flu scare, will I get a refund?
A. Again, it depends. If you have a “cancel for any reason” insurance policy, you would get a partial refund. But most traditional trip cancellation insurance will not provide coverage for a trip canceled due to a health warning or fear of traveling, according to Dan McGinnity, vice president of TravelGuard. These plans would only provide coverage for travelers who need to cancel or interrupt a trip because they become sick.

Q. Should I wear a face mask if I’m flying or if I’m in an airport?
A. The CDC has not recommended the use of masks by the general public. Swine flu is thought to be transmitted by touching something with the virus and then passing it to the nose or mouth or through coughing or sneezing.

Q. Should I fly if I’m feeling sick?
A. The CDC says: “Do not travel while you are sick, except to get local medical care.”

Q. How can I protect myself from illness while traveling?
A. CDC recommendations are as follows: Wash hands often with soap and water. Use waterless alcohol-based hand gels (containing at least 60 percent alcohol) when soap is not available. Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; if you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. To keep germs from spreading, don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

OK. We have all heard the media reports about the Swine Flu, or as it has recently been renamed, the H1N1 Flu. But what is the real take home in all of this panic/pandemoneum news coverage that we are being subjected to? Don’t worry…. here is our breakdown of the information and the things you need to do to be safe.

Q. What is Swine Influenza?
A. Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.

Q. Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?
A. No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

Q. How does swine flu spread?
A. Influenza viruses can be directly transmitted from pigs to people and from people to pigs. Human infection with flu viruses from pigs are most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs. Human-to-human transmission of swine flu can also occur. This is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly person-to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Q. What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?
A. The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

Q. How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?
A. People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

Q. What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
A. Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

Q. How long can viruses live outside the body?
A. We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

Q. What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
A. There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Q. What should I do if I get sick?
A. If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others. If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 jalapenos, seeded and cut into thin slivers
• Zest and juice of 3 lemons
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 lbs fettuccini
• 1/2 cup  grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:

1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
2. Meanwhile, in a 10  or 12 inch  skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until almost smoking.  Add the sliced onion and red pepper flakes, saute until translucent (about 8-10 minutes).  Add jalapenos and saute for another minute.  Add lemon zest and juice, bring to a boil,  continue boiling for 1 minute.  Remove from heat, stir in the unsalted butter  and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
3. Drop pasta into the boiling water and cook until tender.  Drain.
4. Toss the hot pasta into the pan with the lemon mixture, return to medium heat and mix well, stirring gently.  Add the Pecorino Romano cheese and toss quickly.  Transfer to a warmed serving platter and serve immediately.

Courtesy of Molto Italiano by Mario Batali 2007