Excerpt from Eating Well For Optimum Health by Andrew Weil, M.D., plus links to reviews, author biography & more

The optimum diet should provide 40 grams of fiber a day. You can achieve this by increasing consumption of fruits (especially berries), vegetables (especially beans), and whole grains.

Protective Phytochemicals
To get maximum natural protection against cancer, degenerative disease, and environmental toxicity, eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms, and drink tea, especially green tea.

Water
Try to drink six to eight glasses of pure water a day. Use bottled water or get a home water purifier if your tap water tastes of chlorine or other contaminants or you live in an area where the water is suspected of being contaminated. I recommend that you drink tea regularly for its antioxidant effects, especially green tea. Decaffeinated forms are available.

If you drink alcohol, red wine is probably the best choice because of the antioxidant effect of the red pigments. I do not recommend using any form of alcohol excessively or on a daily basis.

Recipes

Yellow Pepper and Carrot Soup

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 large carrots, peeled and cut in rounds
1 cup leeks, white part only, washed and cut in 1/2 -inch pieces
1 large yellow pepper, seeded, and cut in 1-inch squares
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
a pinch of ground cumin
3 1/2 cups Vegetable Stock
salt and black pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the carrots, leeks, pepper, rosemary, and cumin, stir well, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add the stock, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
3. Remove the rosemary, and purée the soup in a food processor.

Servings: 4. Calories 290, fat 13 g (38% of calories from fat), saturated fat 2 g, protein 7 g, carbohydrate 40 g, cholesterol 2 mg, fiber 5 g
Nutritional benefits: Micronutrients, including carotenoids; monounsaturated fat

Tartar Sauce

1/2 cup (4 ounces) silken tofu
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dill pickle, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers
salt and black or red pepper to taste

1. Place the tofu, olive oil, lemon juice, and onion in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth.
2. Scrape the mixture into a bowl, add the dill pickle and capers, and season to taste with salt and black or red pepper.
3. Serve on fish or vegetables.

Servings: 4. Calories 90, fat 8 g (79% of calories from fat), saturated fat 1 g, protein 3 g, carbohydrate 2.5 g, cholesterol 0 mg, fiber less than 1 g
Nutritional benefits: Protein, calcium, and isoflavones from soy; monounsaturated fat


Mediterranean Tuna Steaks

2 ahi tuna steaks, 4-6 ounces each, about 1 inch thick
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium ripe tomato, diced fine
6 green olives, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon scallions, chopped
2 teaspoons capers
1 clove garlic, mashed
a pinch of dried whole oregano

1. Rinse the tuna steaks under cold running water and pat dry. Brush them with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and season them with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat grill or broiler. Meanwhile, mix all the remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
3. Grill the steaks on high heat or broil, about 2-3 minutes per side or until desired doneness.
4. Cover the steaks with topping mixture, and serve. Good hot or cold.

Servings: 2. Calories 161, fat 7 g (40% of calories from fat), saturated fat 1 g, protein 20.5 g, carbohydrate 3 g, cholesterol 38 mg, fiber 1 g

Copyright Andrew Weil M.D. 2000. Published with the permission of the publisher, Knopf. All rights reserved.