The tomatoes in my garden aren’t quite ripe yet, but when they are I’m going to be making lots of this gazpacho and every other tomato recipe I can get my hands on.

When it’s cold out, I love a big bowl of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich, but when it’s hot out, gazpacho hits the spot. I was skeptical of cold soup when I first heard of it, but it’s so refreshing on a hot day!

What’s your favorite tomato recipe?

Gazpacho
4 cups tomato juice
2 cups chopped seeded tomato
1 3/4 cups chopped seeded unpeeled cucumber
1 cup finely chopped yellow bell pepper
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

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Orientation for osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physical therapy, anatomy and biomedical science students starts August 3, and the physician assistant students have been in class since the beginning of June, so campus is starting to get busy! If you are just moving to Des Moines and getting settled into a new city, here are some links to help you find your way around:

Employment: School is pretty much a full-time job, but if you moved with a spouse or significant other who’s looking for a job check out DesMoinesHelpWanted.com and Iowa Workforce Development. There are some campus jobs for students here.

Other things to know about your new home:

Schools
Utilities
Faith-based organizations
Libraries
Hospitals
Trails and recreation

Posted in Anatomy, Biomedical Science, Life in Des Moines, New Students, Osteopathic Medicine, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Podiatric Medicine, Prospective Students | Leave a Comment

I have a vegetable garden for the first time this year and so far the main thing I’ve harvested is zucchini. I eat it raw on salads, roasted or sauteed, in muffins or cake and now even in pancake form! My only disclaimer on this recipe, is that depending on how much oil you use to cook (or fry) the cakes the recipe may not necessarily qualify as “healthy.” But I figure with zucchini as the main ingredient it can’t be that bad, right?

This recipe is from The Pioneer Woman. If you haven’t heard of this blog, I highly recommend checking it out, but I’ll warn you, it’s addictive! From her recipes and photos to crazy stories you’ll definitely be entertained and coming back for more (and maybe even secretly wishing you lived on a ranch in the middle of Oklahoma).

I also learned that zucchini is actually a fruit (because it has seeds)!

Zucchini cakes
1 whole large zucchini
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup (to 3/4 cup) breadcrumbs
1/2 cup 4-cheese Italian blend (or Parmesan Or Romano)
2 whole eggs
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
olive oil

Directions

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It’s way too hot to think about cooking anything, so this week’s recipe doesn’t involve the oven. I love pesto on just about anything: sandwiches, pasta, bread, even pizza. I especially love making it with fresh basil from my herb garden.

I’ve heard that you can leave out the cheese and freeze prepared pesto in ice cube trays. Then you have individual servings of pesto ready whenever you want!

Pesto

1 packed cup of basil leaves
2 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
dash of kosher salt

Directions

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The DMU Health Professions Advanced Summer Scholars Program welcomes 10 undergrad students to campus for the next 3 weeks. They will be learning what it’s like to be a student of osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physical therapy or physician assistant studies at Des Moines University.

During their time at DMU, students will hear lectures, tour the labs and simulation center, shadow doctors in the DMU Clinic, check out our Mobile Clinic, have mock medical school interviews, get tips on preparing for medical school and hang out on our beautiful campus. They’ll also get to see how cool Des Moines is while catching an iCubs game, visiting the Downtown Farmers Market and going to the Science Center.

Posted in DMU Events, Osteopathic Medicine, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Podiatric Medicine, Prospective Students | 4 Comments

If you’ve read many of my recipe posts, you know I’m a big fan of tuna. Tuna salad sandwiches and tuna casserole are two of my favorites. This tuna recipe is perfect for a hot day. It’s cold, light and refreshing. I’m having leftovers for lunch today! This is another recipe from EatingWell, part of a collection of no-cook recipes, perfect for hot summer days.

Mediterranean tuna antipasto salad

1 15- to 19-ounce can beans, such as chickpeas, black-eyed peas or kidney beans, rinsed
2 5- to 6-ounce cans water-packed chunk light tuna, drained and flaked
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup lemon juice, divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 cups mixed salad greens

Directions

Posted in Healthy Cooking | 11 Comments