Monthly Archives: February 2009

’tis The Season

by gratitude, seasons

Here in Texas 'tis the season…for wildflowers.  Driving around town, seeing the beautiful flowers that were sown last fall, bluebonnets (the Texas state flower), Indian paintbrush, squaw weed, anemone's, wine cup and more, their pretty delicate flowers and bright colors along the roadside bring a smile to my face.  They are a symbol that winter is pretty much over, that the heat and humidity of summer is almost upon us.  

I'm enjoying this season, trying to stay in the now.  To focus on the beauty that is blooming to life around us, the soft gentle breezes that will disappear too quickly, the joy of being able to throw open the windows and enjoy the fresh air.  

I often find that we are rushed from one season to another without the ability to enjoy what is right in front of us.  Usually this is focused on merchandizing for the holidays (did anyone but me notice that St. Patrick's Day stuff was out before Valentine's Day was over?) and exhorting us to buy things instead of enjoying the moment.  I have come to find that I have all of the “things” and “decorations” that I need  or want.  Actually we gave away most of them when we downsized to our smaller house and I'm much happier being able to avoid the stores and/or ignore those displays around me. 

When I work with a client and we are looking at issues that cause stress we frequently find that it is from this feeling that we are being hurried along.  You can't enjoy one season or one holiday because the next one is hard on it's heels and quick, quick you have to get ready.  By taking the time to fully enjoy what is around us we create less stress for ourselves, a calmer environment for our families and a healthier life.  

There is a great book called The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle and he has just come out with a companion book Practicing the Power of Now: Essential Teachings, Meditations, and Exercises from The Power of Now.  When we are caught up in the hurry and flurry of media/marketing driven life sometimes we need some guidance and more than a little practice to get back to what truly has meaning for us.  I am still working on this for myself; I think it's a lifelong practice.

Take a moment, where you are to go outside and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings.  If there are no flowers where you are today, just gaze out your window and enjoy the season.

Be well.

picture courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Quadell

Three Recipes

by recipes, vegetables

I recently shared some recipes with friends and family. People liked them and it occurred to me to share them here as well. We usually eat vegetarian meals since two out of the three of us in the house are vegetarians. Rather than a traditional large portion of animal protein surrounded by two small sides (one of which is usually a simple starch) and an iceberg lettuce salad we tend to eat “composed” plates. This is an idea that I was introduced to years ago in one of my favorite cookbooks The Occasional Vegetarian
by Karen Lee. Basically you create multiple dishes and serve those equally, no one dish is the “main” course.

I love lacinato kale so that's what I used for this composed plate. Kale is a member of the Brassica family which means that it is related to things like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and turnips. It's a dark leafy green, and we all need more of those, that is chock full of vitamins A, C, and K. Kale is a great source of calcium (surprise!) but with a lot of fiber It also has a high level of antioxidants and is considered anti-inflammatory. Kale is one of our favorite dark leafy greens and I hope you'll try it. Maybe it will become one of your favorites too.

Sauteed Kale and Onions (serves 3)

1 onion, diced medium
1 bunch kale chopped medium
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
pignolis (pine nuts)

sautee onions in 1 T. olive oil until slightly soft
add chopped kale and the other 1 T. olive oil
cook on medium stirring frequently until kale wilts
add salt and pepper to taste
turn to low and let cook 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally
in last 3-4 minutes put in a handful of pignolis and toss to mix thoroughly

Braised Carrots (serves 3)

6 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 T. butter
1/2 C. veggie broth
pinch thyme
salt and pepper

place veggie broth and cut up carrots into a pot
bring to a boil
lower to a simmer, add thyme and cover to cook 10-12 minutes
when carrots are al dente uncover and add butter salt and pepper
cook on medium cooking off liquid (watch so it doesn't burn) stirring frequently

Quinoa Pilaf (serves 4)

1 C. quinoa
2 C. vegetarian broth
1 C. mixed vegetables
salt and pepper
generous pinch italian herbs
1 t. dried onion

rinse quinoa thoroughly (otherwise it will taste soapy)
put quinoa, broth, herbs, and onion in a pot
bring to a boil
lower to a simmer, cover and let sit 15-20 minutes
while quinoa is cooking steam vegetables
when quinoa is done mix together with drained steamed vegetables, salt and pepper

Enjoy!!

Be well.

photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Jmabelt

Chemicals Are Touching The Food

by labeling, poison

I just got back from the grocery store and once again I find myself very frustrated by many of the products in the aisles.  I teach a class called “Poison Pantry” where I talk about some of the ingredients that are in the pantry that shouldn't be there.  As I tell folks, “Notice I said ingredients, not food.”  That's because this stuff isn't food and shouldn't be part of our diet.  It's there either because it's easier for the manufacturer or because it extends the shelf life.  And just because it's in our food doesn't mean we have to eat it.

The latest example of my frustration lies with a preservative called BHT,  butylated hydroxytoluene.  Along with it's counterpart BHA (butylated hydroxianisole) it is used as a preservative.  According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) there is evidence that these phenolic compounds may cause cancer and both substances are considered to be “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”  BHT and BHA can both be replaced by vitamin E or are not even necessary in products, however the USDA allows their use anyway and so they are still part of the manufacturing process.
  
Because of consumer resistance, I am assuming, some manufacturers are not using these products in the food they produce.  Today I got quite a shock when I read the side panel of a box and discovered that although there was no BHT in the food itself it had been added to the packaging as a preserving agent.  Okay it's not in the food but, hello folks, it's TOUCHING the food.  And am I going to be upset about that?  You betcha.  These products are not good for our health, are not required in many cases, don't use them.  Use something else that is not “reasonably anticipated” to make me, my family, or anyone else ill.
The lesson here?  Read all the way to the bottom of the label.  It may take longer but it really is important.
Be well.

Creamer And Meatless Meals

by legumes, protein, questions, substitutions, tomatoes

My friend Karen recently asked me what she could use for a substitute for vanilla cinnamon Coffeemate creamer.  She would like to give up the artificial ingredients in the creamer.  The best substitute that I can think of is to flavor a half pint of light cream with the amount of vanilla and fresh ground cinnamon (which will be stronger than the already ground stuff).  Mix it all together and keep in the fridge until you need it.  A half pint is 8 ounces and should remain good for approximately 10 days.  The cream really is not that bad for you if you are simply using a small amount for flavor and smoothness.  Of course if you are one of those people who take a little coffee with your cream this is not going to work.

Another question was what is a legume and how can she incorporate more meatless meals into the family diet.  First the definition of a legume:  Legume refers to plants or their fruit of the leguminosae family.  The simple answer is lentils, beans, peas and peanuts.  There are others such as alfalfa, carob, etc but let's stick with the first four.
Making meatless meals is very easy, just substitute a bean or lentil for the meat in a recipe and you're good to go.  In one of my previous posts I mentioned our favorite vegetarian shepherd's pie which is an excellent and tasty dish for a meatless dinner.  We also make taco salad substituting black beans for the meat with taco seasoning, crush tortilla chips in the bottom of the bowl and everyone dresses their own salad with diced tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa; it's a very tasty dinner.  Another great choice is a baked potato bar, I prefer to use sweet potatoes, with broccoli, beans, other vegetables and sauces to taste.  
Of course if you are looking for new recipes rather than converting recipes you already have there are some great resources on the web.  These can be found at:

  • AllRecipes twenty-for-twenty – a great list of 20 ingredients that combined create 20 dinners
  • Vegetarian Times – a neat feature here is the ability to use checkboxes to define your search by season, cuisine, meal-type, appliance and more
  • Recipe Source – formerly the SOAR, this is a list of the vegetarian recipes in the archive

    • I'm sure there are many others but these are the ones that I like the most.

    Peanut Butter

    by Uncategorized

    I was so upset to read this latest article from the Consumer's Union. Apparently PCA, the company responsible for the salmonella-contaminated peanut butter that has killed a number of people and sickened many more has declared bankruptcy. This effectively removes them from any legal due process being brought against them. The worst part is that they knew and ignored the fact that their product was contaminated as reported here.

    The best that we can hope for at this point is that there are no further illnesses or deaths and that this will bring about much needed changes to our food-supply system.

    photo courtesy of www.freestockphotos.com

    Pick A Peck

    by tomatoes, vegetables

    I was talking with a friend, Danielle, the other day and she mentioned that she didn't really like vegetables.  It's funny, since I am a Nutrition Educator people somehow feel they have to confess their dietary habits to me.  Whether they don't eat vegetables or they like soda.  What they don't realize it that I'm not here to pass judgement on anyone.  If you want to improve your nutrition, need support for changing food habits, or need information to help with health issues, I'm happy to help.  But I truly don't spend my time making pronouncements about someone else's food habits;  if I did that I wouldn't be a very fun person to hang out with.


    In talking to Danielle about her non-vegetable habit she did share that she likes peppers.  A lot.  While there are a lot of different kinds of peppers (capsicum) from chili peppers to cayenne, I realized that she was talking about sweet, or bell, peppers (capsicum annuum) which are available in a few different colors.  They are all the same fruit (yes, like tomatoes peppers are a fruit because the seeds are on the inside) and the color mostly indicates ripeness.

    Bell peppers are a member of the nightshade (solanaceae) family, similar to potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant.  Nightshade vegetables are noted for being very high in alkaloids which is an inflammatory substance.  Nightshade vegetables should be avoided by those who have arthritis or other joint difficulties because alkaloids and other inflammatory substances are very hard on their system.

    Green bell peppers are the most common ones found in the supermarket.  They are also the least expensive.  This is because they are not fully ripe.  They are also not as sweet as their colored counterparts.  If left on the plant a green bell pepper will become either yellow or orange.  If left further it will become red.  As a pepper progresses through the growth process it becomes sweeter and the vitamin content changes.  Of the colors red bell peppers are highest in vitamin A, vitamin C, and beta carotene.  Red peppers also contain lycopene which is gaining a lot of positive press as a carotinoid that appears to lower the risk for prostate, cervix and other cancers.  Green bell peppers have more vitamin A and beta carotene than yellow or orange ones.  

    Bell peppers are also a good source of fiber, vitamin K and folate.  They make an easy and tasty addition to almost any dish and can be cooked in a wide variety of ways.  My favorite way is to sautee them with onions and garlic, but grilling them comes in a close second.  Diced and sprinkled on top of a salad or tacos they are delicious.  Stuffed and baked is another tasty way to serve them.   There are many more ways to incorporate them into your diet.

    Although I certainly suggest eating a wide variety of vegetables, and lots of them, every day, peppers are certainly one way to get some fiber and some nutrients into your system.

    Be well.

    photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

    Comfort Food

    by recipes, substitutions, ,

    Every now and again there's nothing like a pudding for comfort food.  Creamy and sweet, it hits the spot.  The other day I was in the mood for comfort food and decided that tapioca was the order of the day.  Honestly it's not the quickest comfort food to prepare, but it tastes so good that it's worth the time it takes to make it.

    I tend to have tapioca on hand not only for making pudding but so that I can grind it up into a flour when I am experimenting with gluten free mixes.
     
    Tapioca comes from the cassava root and in other parts of the world is referred to as yuca or manioc.  Although native to South America it has spread around the world and is the third largest source of carbohydrates for human consumption.  There are several different types of cassava root and many of them are poisonous if eaten directly (and like rhubarb, the leaves are completely inedible to humans) but with processing it becomes safe to eat.
     
    Many cultures around the world eat cassava root in various forms, as grated root cakes, using the flour to make thin flat breads, as a stew, to thicken soups,  and more.  In this country it is most commonly used to make tapioca pudding.  To prepare the root for making tapioca it is shredded, soaked and exposed to heat.  As it dries it forms pellets that are referred to as pearls.  The larger pearls are often used in tea drinks such as bubble tea while the smaller pearls are used for making pudding or ground into flour.  Cassava root is very high in calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C but has very little protein.
     
    In rummaging around my kitchen to make pudding I realized that I had very little milk on hand.  As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.  I was in the mood for pudding, didn't want to go to the store and certainly didn't have enough milk.  Having coconut milk in the pantry I decided to try it as a substitute.  I'm so glad I did because I've come up with a new favorite way to enjoy tapioca pudding.  Try it, I think you'll enjoy it too.
     

    Coconut Tapioca Pudding

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    • 1/2 C. tapioca pearls
    • 1 C. water
    • 2 C. coconut milk

      note:  coconut milk is sold in 15 oz cans.  If you like you can use 15 oz coconut milk and 1 oz of another milk to make the two cups.  It occurs to me that almond milk might be a nice addition

    • 2 egg yolks, beaten
    • 1/2 C. evaporated cane juice crystals
    • pinch of salt
    • 1 t. vanilla
    • 1/2 C. grated coconut, toasted

    Instructions
     

    • Place tapioca pearls in water and let soak for 4 hours
    • In a pan gently heat grated coconut, stirring frequently, until light brown
    • Drain tapioca
    • Place in a sauce pan with coconut milk, egg yolks, cane juice crystals, and salt
    • Heat over medium high heat stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken
    • Reduce to low heat
    • Continue to  stir until pearls are translucent and pudding is thick, about 20 minutes
    • Remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes
    • Add vanilla and let pudding cool completely
    • To serve spoon pudding into a bowl and sprinkle with toasted coconut
      Enjoy!

    Taking Time

    by habits, health, stress

    As a holistic Nutrition Educator I often encourage my clients to work on other areas than just food.  We talk about ways to reduce stress in their lives, ways to increase exercise and to work toward living a happy, healthy, balanced life.  I try very hard to practice what I preach and I thought I would share an example of that today.


    I'm very fortunate that my family lives in TX where the winters are, let's be honest, not to hard to take.  I'm doubly fortunate that the community that we live in has over 180 miles of hiking and biking trails.  This morning Steve and I took advantage of that and hopped on our bikes to ride over to the local coffee shop for a date.  Granted the coffee shop is not that far, only about four miles.  But taking the time to ride our bikes over, sit together and enjoy a cup of coffee/tea and then ride back was something that put me in a great mood all day.  We got sunshine, fresh air, a little physical activity and some time to simply be together.

    Many of my clients complain that they don't “have time” for these moments.  And while they don't happen as often as we may like, we need to make them happen.  It goes a long way toward helping us de-stress and be more balanced.

    Obviously if you live in a cold, snowy winter climate a bike ride is not an option for you. Perhaps a sled ride followed by a thermos of hot chocolate.  Perhaps a snowball fight outside and then a cuddle in front of the fire to warm up.  Even just some quiet time sitting in a sunny window if going outside is not an option can be very calming and restorative.

    We're each given the same amount of time, it's how we use that that determines our state of mind and state of being.  Take time for you.

    Be well.

    photo courtesy of  freedigitalphotos.net

    Dough Flying Everywhere

    by baking, bread, grains

    I recently came across a video of Richard Bertinet's slap-and-fold method of working bread dough. You can find the video here.

    As with the No Knead Bread phenomenon that swept the foodie sites a couple of years ago, I wanted to modify this to work for me. What that means is I wanted to use fresh ground, whole grain flour. I decided to try this new method with an overnight soaked dough that I like because it has great flavor and usually turns out pretty fluffy. I wanted to know how the slap-and-fold method would affect the consistency of the dough.

    My first challenge was how wet the dough was. Halfway through the slapping and folding I realized that perhaps a fluffy dough was not the dough to be doing this with, I probably should have started with a more rustic dough. Also, it might have made sense to try it with all-purpose flour, as the recipe calls for, but I didn't. The flour I used was fresh ground, 1/2 spelt, 1/2 hard red wheat, soaked overnight in buttermilk.

    After I mixed in the rest of the ingredients I followed the instructions and began to slap the dough against the counter. I dutifully resisted the urge to add more flour. The dough was very wet and it was tempting to add flour at least to clean off my hands. It took a while to learn to control the dough. I must be the world's messiest dough slapper because there was dough everywhere. Little bits would fly off and stick to the back wall, to the underside of the cabinets, as well as all around me onto the floor. it also seemed to take a rather long time for the dough to become cohesive. But I persisted. I know that I worked the dough far longer than the video suggested was necessary but I did eventually get a nice smooth ball of dough which I returned to the bowl and covered to let rise.

    The dough took longer than expected to rise, about 2 hours. Punched down, formed into two boules and set to rise again. This rise seemed normal. I baked it in the oven and it seemed to turn out well. As the picture shows it made two really lovely boules, nice and fragrant, soft crust, dense crumb with a rich flavor. The bread turned out really well and was worth the effort.

    I'm not convinced that I'm going to start slapping dough on a regular basis but I am going to try this again. I plan to back up and start with Mr. Bertinet's sweet dough recipe and then try again to modify it to whole grains. It was fun to experiment with the dough and see the results; it's also fun to think about what will happen with other changes and then try those ideas out.

    I believe we need to do more than simply eat our food, we need to enjoy it. So I encourage you to play with your food, savor it with all of your senses; that includes thinking about how it's made.

    Be well.

    Kegels For Men

    by health, questions

    I was recently asked by a male client if men should do kegels too.  Women are advised to do them, especially when they are pregnant, as they are helpful for protecting against urinary incontinence and uterine prolapse.  Research reveals that yes it is helpful for men to do kegels as well.  It helps them to avoid urinary problems and is reported to help with prostatitis.  

    Kegels are an exercise designed to strengthen the pubococcygeus muscle which stretches from the pubic bone to the tail bone. The easiest way to learn how to exercise it is to stop urinating in the middle of flow. As you learn how those muscles work you can then practice your kegels any time.