Welcome to our third installment of Ask Jack, featuring the prodigious culinary talents of professional holistic chef Jack McNulty answering food-related questions generated by you, our community. Check out the show notes below that dig deeper into the topics covered on this episode. Set your dials to this station when Ask Jack #4 premieres on September 15, 2021, just in time to kick off autumn (for one half of the world, at least). Don’t forget to submit your questions for Jack by emailing them to [email protected].

 

Introduction

 

Now, on to this episode’s main theme: Summer is for Eating Well!

 

In this episode, we dig into (literally) into some topical questions about foods and activities that are part of every summer culinary package, and Jack makes sure to advise you on how to make sure they align with your OMS diet and still taste great. Given how central a role grilling (or BBQing to some of our listeners) plays in summer eating, we focus mostly on understanding the growing segment of meat replacers and how they fit into the OMS diet, plus addressing summer cooking ideas and techniques.

 

Questions 1 + 2

 

Our first question comes from Mathilde in London, and it harkens back to a popular theme on earlier episodes – cooking appliances:

 

I know that Jack already talked about various cooking appliances, but I was wondering what were his thoughts about induction? My understanding is that it is a great one when it comes to controlling temperature. Is that true?

 

Our next question, from Gina in Bristol (UK) is about reheating food, which is relevant for summer and all seasons:

 

When I make a stir fry or soup, I sometimes add olive oil or sesame oil after cooking while the food is still hot. I also like to batch-cook and am wondering what is the best way to reheat foods that have some oil in or on them (roasted vegetables come to mind)? Is it problematic to microwave leftovers?

 

Question 3

 

There was a flurry of questions from our audience about how healthy meat substitutes and chicken substitutes are, given they often have loads of chemicals or other “unnatural” ingredients. Jack and Geoff dig into this topic to unpack some of the key points to be mindful of when considering whether to consume one of the many meat alternatives and plant-based “meat” options on the market.

 

Question 4

 

Eating outdoors and picnicking are summer fixtures. Many of our listeners wanted to know what are the best types of OMS-friendly foods to bring with you to a picnic?

 

Question 5

 

On a sizzling BBQ note, Nicola from Canterbury (UK) wanted to hear ideas for things to try on a BBQ. In her experience, most homemade bean burgers just fall apart, and she worries about cooking fish over direct heat. She has had some success with mushrooms in foil but otherwise is out of ideas. Any tips?

 

Question 6

 

What are the main factors and considerations to ensure your summer cooking is healthy and fun? Jack provides some great overall guidelines to make sure you spend more time enjoying your summer fare and less time deliberating over it.

 

Question 7

 

Most people associate grilling with proteins, but many of our listeners are curious about the best veggies to make on an open flame and wanted to get some good tips on grilling vegetables. Jack offers some great advice on this topic. Here are some further thoughts on how best to cook veggies.

 

Question 8

 

Most meals end with dessert, and so does this episode. One of our listeners asked the following:

 

Do you have any suggestions on what I can bring as a dessert if I'm invited to a picnic?

 

Links:

 

Connect with Jack:  Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

 

Coming up on our next episode:

 

On July 28, tune into the next episode of Living Well with MS for a topic that’s critical to everyone’s good health: exercise. Specifically, one of our favorite guests – Dr. Gretchen Hawley – rejoins us to discuss ways in which we can rethink exercise to make it more accessible to everyone. You’ll really get a great dose of advice on how to get into the great exercise groove at all levels of ability, tapping into Dr. Gretchen Hawley’s expertise as a Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in MS and creator of The MSing Link, and online MS wellness program.

 

Don’t miss out:

 

Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favorite podcast listening app. Don’t be shy – if you like the program, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show. And feel free to share your comments and suggestions by emailing [email protected].