Thanksgiving Thanks!

What does the word “thanksgiving” really mean? Try reversing the order of the words to get “giving thanks,” which implies something that goes beyond just saying “thank you.” Giving thanks means demonstrating appreciation. While the words “thank you” are mannerly and polite, appreciation goes deeper than words as it implies action.

Some acts are small, and others are larger. Macrobiotic Philosophy teaches us that the small shows the large, or the part shows the whole. What can we do to demonstrate our appreciation?

Thanksgiving is also a time when families come together. Who is our family? In a sense, our family is larger than just our blood relatives and close friends. What about the food that we eat? The food that we eat creates the quality of our blood, establishing a connection between people who eat similar foods. Food also carries a vibrational quality, which means that food creates our spiritual quality and influences our dreams and goals.

What do I mean by all of this? Well, we are all in this world together. While we may have our separate differences we also share the commonality of the food that we eat. We need to unite and work together to make the world a better place. This is the only way to get what we want, a healthy society, good quality organic foods, and a healthy environment. Together we have a voice and a bright future.
And remember, everyone feels good when they are appreciated.

To show you my appreciation, here is a haiku that I wrote 20 years ago, when I first started practicing macrobiotics:

Brothers and Sisters
all from One Infinity
Love One another

I would also like to share a holiday recipe for Walnut Rice. This grain dish is so simple to make and loved by all. The combination of the walnuts together with the brown rice provide a rich, satisfying, and nourishing quality.

Please follow my recipe for cooking brown rice from my previous post.


Preparation:
Place 1 cup of walnuts in a bowl and rinse with filtered water.
To begin toasting, place the walnuts in a skillet.
Turn on the flame to a lower setting and begin toasting.

*Note: When toasting nuts or seeds it is helpful to be patient and take your time. 

Use a wooden spatula to move and turn the walnuts to prevent them from burning.
The walnuts are done when they are lightly toasted. Place the nuts in a bowl and allow them to cool. When the nuts are cool, they are ready to be chopped. My preference is to chop them by hand.
To serve, place a layer of rice in a bowl and a layer of  walnuts on top of the rice. Continue to layer, with the final layer being walnuts.