Recipe for Stronger Bones

May is National Osteoporosis Month, and at Pasco-Hernando Foot & Ankle, we want to let all of our Nature Coast patients know the importance of building and maintaining bone strength. There are 52 bones in your feet—that’s about one-quarter of all the bones in your body. These bones carry the weight of the rest of your body, making their strength critical to your health and lifestyle. Osteoporosis occurs when the body either fails to produce enough new bone, loses too much existing bone, or both. Patients with this condition have bones that have lost density and are porous and weak. Estimates state in the 50+ age group, one in two women and one in four men will break a bone due to osteoporosis.

Getting the Calcium You Need

There are several strategies for buoying bone strength, including regular exercise, not smoking, and limiting alcoholic beverages to no more than 2-3 per day. Your diet, however, plays a very crucial role in bone health. Ensuring there is enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet is essential, whether you get it through food or supplements. The National Osteoporosis Foundation asked renowned chefs to come up with delicious recipes that emphasize calcium and nutrients needed for strong bones. Enjoy “Harri’s Sardine Sandwich with Mustard & Yogurt Butter” below at your next luncheon.

Our podiatrist, Dr. Lawrence J. Kales, can help you assess your risk for osteoporosis and help you develop a plan for increasing bone strength. Contact our Hudson office (727-868-2128 or 352-683-5799) at your earliest convenience for an appointment.

Harri’s Sardine Sandwich with Mustard & Yogurt Butter

Chef Todd Gray, Equinox, Washington, D.C.

Make sure to use the sardines with the bones in and packed in oil. The bones are so small you don’t even notice them, but they add calcium, and the oil is packed with powerful Omega-3’s.

Total Time: 15 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Level: Easy

Yield: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup non-fat Greek-style yogurt

8 slices rye bread

Two 3.75-ounce cans of sardines (oil-packed), bones in

1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onions

8 soft, sweet lettuce leaves (such as butter or Boston)

Directions:

Make the mustard butter:

With a fork, cream the butter in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Mix in the mayonnaise, mustards, and yogurt. Taste, and add salt and pepper if you wish—the amount will depend on your preference and the seasoning of the mustards you start with.

Assemble the sandwiches:

Toast the bread. Arrange all 8 slices on a work surface; spread some of the mustard and yogurt butter on each. Top each of 4 slices with a lettuce leaf and add the sardines and then the onions, dividing both equally. Top with another lettuce leaf and a slice of bread. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.

To make it Parve, substitute margarine for the butter.