Moore-Pastides suggests local food diet
USC First Lady Patricia Moore-Pastides and cardiologist Dr. Stanley Juk hosted a Mediterranean cooking class last night through Columbia’s Cooking.
Columbia’s Cooking is part of the Cancer Prevention & Control Program and teaches hands-on healthy cooking classes. Participants learn nutritional information about the ingredients, how to make the recipe and get to taste the end result.
Moore-Pastides wrote her first cookbook, Greek Revival, in 2010. Proceeds from the book go toward the sustainability movements in the university. She taught the class how to make recipes from her book, such as lentil soup, fruited chickpeas and brown rice and a sautéed kale and assorted greens dish.
The dishes used all fresh ingredients, many of which were grown in the Pastides’s garden.
“The closer to the garden you can eat, we’re finding out over time, the better,” said Moore-Pastides.
She encouraged students to utilize the gardens on campus. A new garden will open today and other vegetables are planted around campus, mainly in the area surrounding the Russell House patio.
Columbia’s Cooking dietician Katherine Shavo emphasized the importance of eating less but higher quality red meat. The farmer’s market and Earth Fare carry grass-fed meats, which contain less fat and more Omega-3.
“We need Omega-3 for our emotional health. We live on campus with 30,000 young people and many of them are seeking help for anxiety and depression. I wonder sometimes if their bodies are deprived of Omega-3,” Moore-Pastides said.
Dr. Juk and Moore-Pastides shared similar views on alcohol. A small glass of red wine (for those of legal age) on most days was a positive thing, but more alcohol than that and the risks outweigh the benefits.
Moore-Pastides is saddened by the binge drinking habits of students.
“I hate the drinking more than anything. The student health center told me that it’s not unusual for a student to have 10 drinks a night, and you know, that could kill you,” Moore-Pastides said. “I wish we could just teach students to drink responsibly.”
Moore-Pastides would also love to get rid of the fast food on campus, but she knows the students want it.
“I think a lot of times people just take what they’re used to having,” she said.