Kale is a great food. One serving contains your daily recommended serving size of calcium, vitamins A and K; kale is rich in b-vitamins and essential minerals making it an excellent addition to any meal.
Here is my favorite way to eat kale.
Kale Salad
ingredients:
4 C chopped Kale
2 t Chunky sea salt
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 C Olive oil
1-2 chopped tomatoes
1 avocado
1 C clover or alfalfa sprouts
1/4 finely chopped red onion (you can also use shallots)
Combine kale and salt in large bowl. Using your hands, massage kale and salt gently in a kneading motion, being sure to coat all the leaves. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes. Add in lemon juice and massage again. Let rest for a few minutes. Add olive oil and massage once more. Add the remainder of the ingredients, tossing thoroughly. et...voila, your kale salad is ready!
note: Always use organic veggies when possible. I recommend Celtic Sea Salt, if possible.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Mad Cowboy
Howard Lyman, the former cattle-rancher turned vegetarian who is probably best known for getting Oprah to say she'll never eat another burger, was on Coast to Coast Saturday night, http://www.coasttocoastam.com/shows/2008/05/18.html, discussing the USDA's new bill, The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act and Mad Cow disease in America. Mad Cow and avian bird flu loom as some of the biggest threats to mankind and unbeknownst to us, our government is turning a blind eye to the situation and keeping their fingers crossed. Makes you feel safe, right?Haven't eaten meat in a decade and think you're in the clear? Hungry yet? Mad Cow can incubate in your system for years! By now, most of us know that animals prepared for human consumption are more than likely injected with hormones, coated with chemicals., mishandled, deprived of necessary sunlight and pastures and possibly diseased. Lymnam's interview goes into much much more and I urge you to take a listen.
As a seasoned vegan I know damn well what happens to cows in slaughterhouses and on dairy farms and that's one of the biggest reasons why I don't eat meat. For Howard Lymnan, a fourth-generation cattle rancher who got a tumor after pouring chemicals on the backs of cows, he is vegetarian for the plain reason that humans in general have to much protein, cholesterol and fat in their diet, coupled with the insider knowledge of what, exactly, goes into our food supply. Coast to Coast is on late at night, but that didn't stop me from staying up into the wee hours entranced by his tales of truth and horror.
The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act was put in effect in order to place stricter penalties on those who try to discourage others from the consumption of animal products. Because Animal Rights activists serve as bigger threats than other terrorists? uhhmm ...But even if you speak the truth?
Can't get Coast to Coast? then check out the Lymans' website: www.madcowboy.com
As a seasoned vegan I know damn well what happens to cows in slaughterhouses and on dairy farms and that's one of the biggest reasons why I don't eat meat. For Howard Lymnan, a fourth-generation cattle rancher who got a tumor after pouring chemicals on the backs of cows, he is vegetarian for the plain reason that humans in general have to much protein, cholesterol and fat in their diet, coupled with the insider knowledge of what, exactly, goes into our food supply. Coast to Coast is on late at night, but that didn't stop me from staying up into the wee hours entranced by his tales of truth and horror.
The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act was put in effect in order to place stricter penalties on those who try to discourage others from the consumption of animal products. Because Animal Rights activists serve as bigger threats than other terrorists? uhhmm ...But even if you speak the truth?
Can't get Coast to Coast? then check out the Lymans' website: www.madcowboy.com
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Gwyneth Relates
Remember a few years ago when Gwyneth Paltrow came out and openly admitted she was macrobiotic? (ahh the horrors!) Remember when she had the Chinese Cupping all down her back with an-open backed dress? (I've done it, it's awesome and I can totally understand why she wanted to show that off, that's a lot of stagnation!)
Well, Gwyneth has long been viewed as kind of an enigma in Hollywood, she's a bit quirky a bit off, kind of new age, experimental and eats weird stuff. Well, not anymore, Gwyneth has returned to eating fish and dairy and admits she has unhealthy vices. Read the article here: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20200197,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines
I'm kind of disappointed. I can take or leave most of her movies, though I liked Sliding Doors and Sylvia, she really stood out as someone in Hollywood that didn't give a shit, someone I could relate to, not that I'd given it much thought beyond today, someone kind of in tune with herself. I think it's because she had kids. Kids change people, they tend to eat more sugar and more junk food, in general, I mean I don't have statistics to back it up, but it's a well-founded theory based on the vast array of parents I've come to know over the years. A dietary observation, if you will.
Anyway Gwyneth shows off that she's normal, kind of, in this article and I'm really disappointed that she eats dairy.
Well, Gwyneth has long been viewed as kind of an enigma in Hollywood, she's a bit quirky a bit off, kind of new age, experimental and eats weird stuff. Well, not anymore, Gwyneth has returned to eating fish and dairy and admits she has unhealthy vices. Read the article here: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20200197,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines
I'm kind of disappointed. I can take or leave most of her movies, though I liked Sliding Doors and Sylvia, she really stood out as someone in Hollywood that didn't give a shit, someone I could relate to, not that I'd given it much thought beyond today, someone kind of in tune with herself. I think it's because she had kids. Kids change people, they tend to eat more sugar and more junk food, in general, I mean I don't have statistics to back it up, but it's a well-founded theory based on the vast array of parents I've come to know over the years. A dietary observation, if you will.
Anyway Gwyneth shows off that she's normal, kind of, in this article and I'm really disappointed that she eats dairy.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Going Raw
About two months ago, my boyfriend surprised me with the purchase of about 5 raw food cookbooks. I wasn't sold on the whole raw idea, since having eaten at a few strictly raw restaurants in the past, while my taste buds were impressed, my stomach, the following few days was a mess. Nevertheless, my interest was piqued. I know, I know, the raw food craze hit years ago, but I never said I was one to follow fads. Being a vegetarian for over 10 years, a vegan for almost 3, going raw seems like a natural progression.
I'd given up fried foods over two years ago, with the very very occasional indulgence. I make the effort to incorporate a salad with every meal, something I learned from my mother and have carried with me for life. I add fresh fruit to every breakfast. Keeping those ideals in minds, the transition to raw is easy!
At first, I curled up each night with a new book, reading the recipes, swallowing advice, trying out salads and other simple, basic recipes, all the while becoming really intimidated. Eating raw food seems expensive! You need a good food processor, a high-powered blender, a food dehydrator, sprouters, and a juicer. All in all expect to drop about $1000 to truly benefit from raw food and start living with ease. I found it extremely difficult to practice raw food living without any major kitchen appliances other than my dilapidated old blender, so the first big purchase I made was a decent food processor. I cannot tell you how much easier it all became. I also bought a sprouting jar, (or you could just put cheesecloth over an existing jar) and before you know it, you'll be munching on your very own fresh sprouts that you can add to salads and wraps! It's easy and fun to watch them grow.
I've been living pretty healthy for a while, so the transition for me was pretty easy. Every day or so, I'd wander into the grocery store and stock up on a few more items from the bulk section; almonds, cashews, dates, unsulphered dried fruits and raw nut butters and before you know it, I had a pretty well-stocked pantry. Going raw means I had to give up a lot of my favorite foods: rice, grains, peanut butter, noodles but I also discovered that I got to keep a lot of familiar foods around, like miso, steamed greens, raw nut butters, and off course nuts, fruits and vegetables.
Tofu, I learned, is highly processed and hasn't been fitting into my life style for a while, so giving that up was a snap. Besides being highly processed, soy is also one of the largest commercially grown crops around and if not organic, you are literally welcoming pesticides into your body. No thanks! Most raw foodies say that tempeh (organic) is okay, on occasion, because, it's fermented whole soy beans with some enzymes preserved. Steam it lightly for easy digestibility. Although I hardly ever go out to dinner anymore, I know that I can choose tempeh and feel pretty good about my choice.
I would say I'm at about 80% raw right now. I'm waiting for my dehydrator to be delivered as I write, and that should open up another door. It's nearly impossible to make breads without the dehydrator, so for sandwiches, everything is raw but the wrap.
So far I've made my all-time favorite Kale Salad (watch for recipe later this week, it's too delicious not to share), A sausage-like pate made with fennel and sunflower seeds, (I can't get enough, makes great sandwiches and tastes amazing), beanless hummus, a strawberry pie with raw almond crust and cashew lemon creme (helloooo!), Broccoli mashed 'potatoes' with miso gravy, the list goes on. Making raw food is trial and error too, expect to be disappointed until you get it down. I made a raw cous-cous out of cauliflower and couldn't even eat it, I added too much lemon and ruined it. Last night I added hemp oil to my favorite Kale Salad and had to fight off a gag-reflex (hemp oil is fishy to me and I never liked seafood). Raw garlic can be a shock to your system, so you might want to cut the amount to a quarter of the recommended serving.
I thought it would be expensive, keeping all these nuts and seeds on hand, but its really not, you just have to learn to anticipate what you'll be eating later in the week and learn to plan a little bit better. I haven't had too much difficulty throwing together a last-minute meal with a well-stocked pantry.
Watch for more stories as I delve further into my foray with raw foods.
I'd given up fried foods over two years ago, with the very very occasional indulgence. I make the effort to incorporate a salad with every meal, something I learned from my mother and have carried with me for life. I add fresh fruit to every breakfast. Keeping those ideals in minds, the transition to raw is easy!
At first, I curled up each night with a new book, reading the recipes, swallowing advice, trying out salads and other simple, basic recipes, all the while becoming really intimidated. Eating raw food seems expensive! You need a good food processor, a high-powered blender, a food dehydrator, sprouters, and a juicer. All in all expect to drop about $1000 to truly benefit from raw food and start living with ease. I found it extremely difficult to practice raw food living without any major kitchen appliances other than my dilapidated old blender, so the first big purchase I made was a decent food processor. I cannot tell you how much easier it all became. I also bought a sprouting jar, (or you could just put cheesecloth over an existing jar) and before you know it, you'll be munching on your very own fresh sprouts that you can add to salads and wraps! It's easy and fun to watch them grow.
I've been living pretty healthy for a while, so the transition for me was pretty easy. Every day or so, I'd wander into the grocery store and stock up on a few more items from the bulk section; almonds, cashews, dates, unsulphered dried fruits and raw nut butters and before you know it, I had a pretty well-stocked pantry. Going raw means I had to give up a lot of my favorite foods: rice, grains, peanut butter, noodles but I also discovered that I got to keep a lot of familiar foods around, like miso, steamed greens, raw nut butters, and off course nuts, fruits and vegetables.
Tofu, I learned, is highly processed and hasn't been fitting into my life style for a while, so giving that up was a snap. Besides being highly processed, soy is also one of the largest commercially grown crops around and if not organic, you are literally welcoming pesticides into your body. No thanks! Most raw foodies say that tempeh (organic) is okay, on occasion, because, it's fermented whole soy beans with some enzymes preserved. Steam it lightly for easy digestibility. Although I hardly ever go out to dinner anymore, I know that I can choose tempeh and feel pretty good about my choice.
I would say I'm at about 80% raw right now. I'm waiting for my dehydrator to be delivered as I write, and that should open up another door. It's nearly impossible to make breads without the dehydrator, so for sandwiches, everything is raw but the wrap.
So far I've made my all-time favorite Kale Salad (watch for recipe later this week, it's too delicious not to share), A sausage-like pate made with fennel and sunflower seeds, (I can't get enough, makes great sandwiches and tastes amazing), beanless hummus, a strawberry pie with raw almond crust and cashew lemon creme (helloooo!), Broccoli mashed 'potatoes' with miso gravy, the list goes on. Making raw food is trial and error too, expect to be disappointed until you get it down. I made a raw cous-cous out of cauliflower and couldn't even eat it, I added too much lemon and ruined it. Last night I added hemp oil to my favorite Kale Salad and had to fight off a gag-reflex (hemp oil is fishy to me and I never liked seafood). Raw garlic can be a shock to your system, so you might want to cut the amount to a quarter of the recommended serving.
I thought it would be expensive, keeping all these nuts and seeds on hand, but its really not, you just have to learn to anticipate what you'll be eating later in the week and learn to plan a little bit better. I haven't had too much difficulty throwing together a last-minute meal with a well-stocked pantry.
Watch for more stories as I delve further into my foray with raw foods.
Gordon Loves Greens
Britain's' most famous chef and TV personality Gordon Ramsey has taken his plea for fresh seasonal veggies to the highest place possible. Ramsey, well-known for the gratuitous shirtless shot during each and every episode of Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares and his frequent use of the word bollocks, feels that chefs should be fined if they use out-of-season vegetables for their cuisine. He's taken the issue to Gordon Brown.
See the link here . http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN0949726820080509?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
As a practicing macrobiotic I couldn't agree more. Living in the Northeast my choices for veggies are always limited in the winter months. This year I lived on squash, kale and potatoes for the majority of winter. Living by New Jersey, tomato capital of the East, I can't wait for the first few months of fresh, delicious red tomatoes and sweet sweet corn. Sure, I'm tempted by vegetables of all kind, but have you ever been truly grossed out by a greenhouse-grown, color-injected unripe, grainy, pink tomato? Besides the 'green' aspect of this whole argument, keeping things local thereby reducing emissions to get our food on the table, we are also supporting our local farmers and living a bit more realistically, and truly benefiting from the freshest food possible. Here in Philadelphia, the local farmers markets have all been pushed back to the first few weeks of June, (thank you climate change!) which is when you can see with your own eyes what's local, what's fresh and what's for dinner.
See the link here . http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN0949726820080509?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
As a practicing macrobiotic I couldn't agree more. Living in the Northeast my choices for veggies are always limited in the winter months. This year I lived on squash, kale and potatoes for the majority of winter. Living by New Jersey, tomato capital of the East, I can't wait for the first few months of fresh, delicious red tomatoes and sweet sweet corn. Sure, I'm tempted by vegetables of all kind, but have you ever been truly grossed out by a greenhouse-grown, color-injected unripe, grainy, pink tomato? Besides the 'green' aspect of this whole argument, keeping things local thereby reducing emissions to get our food on the table, we are also supporting our local farmers and living a bit more realistically, and truly benefiting from the freshest food possible. Here in Philadelphia, the local farmers markets have all been pushed back to the first few weeks of June, (thank you climate change!) which is when you can see with your own eyes what's local, what's fresh and what's for dinner.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
