Hello, and update

Some of you may be wondering where I have been these past few weeks. My schedule took off in late spring and I haven’t had a chance to stop and post until this week. Here’s some of what I’ve been up to. In addition to teaching the Strengthening Health Institute’s regular seminars, I taught a hands-on sushi making class. Despite the meltingly hot weather, we had a packed house, and I think that a great time was had by all. I’ll be doing more cooking classes like this one at The Strengthening Health Institute,   so be sure to check out our websites for updates and please register early because space is limited and the classes fill quickly!


In June, Denny and I went to the West Coast to teach and counsel. Our first stop was in San Diego, where we had 2 lectures and a cooking class held at Casa de Luz, a vegan community dining and educational center. Our classes were a big hit. We were fortunate to also have a little play time which we spent connecting with some good friends and having fun with our family members who live in San Diego. Next we headed north to Seattle,WA, where we had a weekend seminar of lectures and cooking classes. Seattle in the summer is beautiful! The weather could not have been any more perfect with cool nights and warm days. The seminar was held at a sustainable farm called 21 Acres. The building is "green" with a market on the first floor and a commercial kitchen, dining area and conference space on the second floor. It was the perfect place for macrobiotic cooking classes. I must say I was very impressed with the whole concept and even excited about the self-cleaning toilet! The people in Seattle are both hip and receptive to our teaching which makes for an overall great experience. And, since all work and no play makes Susan a dull girl, we did get to spend some fun time with our friends and have a quick tour of downtown Seattle.

When we returned to Philadelphia, we had Strengthening Health Intensive
and the June session of our CCP seminars. I was lucky to fit in a Phillies’ game
over the Fourth of July weekend.

July is another exciting and busy month for us as Denny and I are off to Taiwan. We were invited by some new friends to explore the local, traditional foods and offer insight on the best ways to adapt a macrobiotic practice to the local environment. I am looking forward to exploring the Taiwanese cuisine. My goal is to learn a few new recipes and adapt them to plant-based cooking. I’ll be back in Philadelphia briefly at the end of July, to teach the July session of our CCP seminar, before heading off to the Kushi Summer Conference. I am going to try to post a few times during my travels this month, so stay tuned...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Top Ten Reasons to Go Green (Vegetables, that is)

1. They are high in fiber and rich in minerals. 
2. They are a good source of calcium. 
3. They go great with any meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner. 
4. They can be sautéed, steamed or blanched. 
5. They can be cooked in grain and pasta dishes. 
6. Some of them can be cooked with their roots, very dynamic! 
7. They can be sautéed and added to beans dishes. 
8. You can roll them up and smoke them (don’t worry, just kidding!) 
9. They can be used in salads. 
10. They can be grown in a backyard garden or on your back porch. 

Here is a list of my favorite greens that also just happen to be the most beneficial for your health. 

Arugula
Baby bok choy
Belgian Endive
Bok choy
Broccoli Rabe
Collards
Carrot greens
Daikon radish greens
Dandelion greens
Escarole
Kale, such as Lacinto, Red Russian, Green Curly
Leeks
Lettuce greens, such as Iceberg, Romaine, Red Leaf, and Bibb
Mizuna (a kind of green that can often be found in an Asian market)
Mustard greens
Napa cabbage
Purslane
Red radish greens
Turnip greens
Wild Watercress

I wish you all good health and good luck! Also, érinn go brách!