Anticipating the Spring; adapting your food to the Environment

Hello Little Darlings, I have risen from my hibernation period! Just like many other warm blooded creatures who tuck themselves away in a cozy den for the Winter, I have been making a conscious effort to hide from the elements. Don’t get me wrong, I was outside in my snow pants and boots freeing my car from its icy shell at the first sign of sunshine. I also tried taking a few walks to adjust to the frigid environment, which was an adventure of its own; between the icy sidewalks and wind it was not much fun. Driving has also been interesting with snow covered side streets and potholes galore. It almost feels like being on a mogul ski course. I am thinking that Phildelphia could host the next 

Winter X Games featuring a brand new event!

As the weather begins to warm the last bit of snow gives way to cold rain, perhaps my least favorite element. Phildelphia is notorious for cold, damp rain in early spring. It is my theory that this is why the British were so invested in Phildelphia because it reminded them of their home country, with a little more sunshine. (I would also place Boston and NYC in this category! ) All kidding aside, this Winter has just not been great for my sense of creativity. Instead it was just a time for quiet, rest, gentle and restorative yoga, and self reflection.

Now that Spring is here we are experiencing a little more sunshine but it is still quite cold outside. 

All this inconsistency in the weather patterns makes it much more difficult for our bodies to adjust. 

We generally recommend preparing for the Spring before its arrival by emphasizing more light refreshing dishes and cutting back on the hearty, longer cooked dishes. But when it is cold outside, our bodies still crave warming rich food. While these foods are a great balance for cold, they can also create a bit of physical and emotional heaviness. By this I mean that heavier food makes our condition more inclined to be less active. Spring is a time of transition and it is natural to want to become more active. In order to become more active, we need to adjust our diet and start including lighter, more refreshing foods to align with the spring weather on its way. However, because this has been a particularly long winter, and it is still quite cold and damp outside, the changes we make to our diet for this year may need to be more subtle. Here are a few little adjustments that will help you feel lighter and more refreshed while still keeping you warm through this long seasonal transition.

*Barley is very helpful. You can cook barley together with brown rice or make a nice barley, bean, 

  vegetable stew.
*Longer steamed vegetables, such as sweet potato, green cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli offer a nice substantial choice. These vegetables are very satisfying because of their mild sweet taste. The longer cooking gives them a little more sustenance and is lighter than a longer cooked stew. An added bonus is that they are quick and easy to prepare. If you desire a little richness, it is fine to drizzle a little olive oil on the vegetables while they are cooking.
*Have quick steamed greens often or daily and add a little squeeze of fresh lemon immediately before consuming.

*Finally, don't get too carried away with sweets. The cold, damp weather can often contribute to hypoglycemic symptoms causing us to crave more sweets than usual. It is important to include good quality sweets daily but not just in the form of desserts. 

                                                     

*For a list of "good quality sweets" and recipes please check out my previous posts from

 Spring 2012. Thank you!

                                                          

Sunshine and snow on Rittenhouse Square

Happy Holidays!

Denny and I would like to thank our families, friends and all of life's challenges.

We would also like to thank those of your for your continued support of us and SHI. It is through you that we are able to continue the growth of sharing and advancing health.

We wish you health, happiness and prosperity in the coming year!

In the photo, Denny and I are getting into the holiday spirit. Ichi is probably dreaming of white anchovies (or sardines and sweet potatoes, his favorite food). 

Trick or Treat 2, Kitty Litter

Stop the Monsanto Boogie Men and vote YES to label foods as non-GMO. GMO’s are a serious threat that touches many aspects of our lives. While there is an increased awareness of GMO’s, we are still far too unclear about whether or not many foods contain GMO’s. For example:

Denny and I recently welcomed the cutest little kitty, Ichi, into our home. So, what do I feed him? I researched natural ways of feeding cats, and came up with some useful information. Cats are carnivorous, and it is better to feed them a diet that is lower in carbohydrates. I decided against buying cat food that has refined grains in it because I want him to remain sleek and stealth. However, what about protein? Many cat foods have squid, chickens livers, and other creatures in it. When was the last-time you saw a cat jump into the ocean and fish out a squid? More importantly, what are the chickens who eventually end up as cat food eating? Are they being fed GMO-free grains? My answer to this dilemma is to feed Ichi wild fish, along with sharing some of my organic grain, bean and vegetable dishes with him.

I have had the same issue with finding good-quality cat litter. There is a natural kitty litter that is made up of only corn kernels, and does not include dust. However, when I called up the company to see if the corn kernels used are GMO-free, they were not able to give me a straight answer. This is why it is so important for there to be specific labels to inform consumers of whether or not a food contains GMO’s. It is important to know the quality of the products we buy for our selves and our families, as well as for our pets. My friends out there, please shop consciously and do your research before going to the store.

He's Purrrrrfect!

Sweet Potatoes: The Other Orange Vegetable

The sweet potato has been a part of my diet since childhood. Who doesn’t remember at least one Thanksgiving dinner with candied sweet potatoes (marshmallow topping optional!). Sweet potatoes are often given to babies as their first taste of solid food. These earthy beauties are universally appealing with their stunning color, luscious texture, and sweet taste.

When I first began studying macrobiotic cooking, I was shocked to discover that potatoes, America’s “perfect” food, where considered among the worst foods for health. Potatoes are stem tubers, so technically speaking we cannot even call them the “root of all evil".  All joking aside, they are one of most acidifying plant foods and for optimum health it is better not to include them as a regular or even semi-regular part of your diet. Being the young enthusiastic macrobiotic student I was, I took this information to heart and pretty much avoided all kinds of potatoes, white, orange, and even purple, for many years.

Missing the wonderful, comforting texture of potatoes, and a favorite veggie bar snack (the french fry), I decided to occasionally include sweet potatoes in my diet. Sweet potatoes are very relaxing, and sweet potato fries make a delicious (but rare!) treat. Fortunately, for all of us who like to indulge, they are classified as tuberous root vegetables and besides being delicious have a number of health benefits. 

I encourage you to enjoy “the other orange vegetable”, a less-dense alternative to the winter squash. 

Today I am going to share my recipe for candied sweet potatoes. While they don’t have marshmallow fluff on top, you are sure to appreciate them even more than the original, sugar-filled recipe. You will also feel great after eating them! 

Sweet, orange and delicious!

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes- Peeled and cut lengthwise into 2 inch thick slices
2 Tablespoons of Brown rice syrup
1 Tablespoon of Barley Malt
1 teaspoon of Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 inch of water to cover the bottom of the pot
A small pinch of Sea salt - 1/16 to 1/8 teaspoon

Preparation:
*Note: this works best using a wide, saucepan; ideally a cast iron pan with a lid.
Place Sweet potatoes in the pan with enough water to cover the bottom of the pot. Cover and bring to a boil.
Lower the flame and steam on low heat for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid and drizzle a little olive oil over the sweet potatoes.
Add a pinch of salt, cover and continue to steam for 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl mix all of the sweet ingredients together.
Pour the sweet mixture overtop of the sweet potatoes and continue to
cook until they become tender.
As the potatoes cook the sauce will reduce forming a sweet glaze.

Dry It, You'll Like It!

The benefits of dried mushrooms - Shitake, Maitake, Porcini, Oyster and Chanterelles,
just to name a few.

I love a number of cultivated and wild mushrooms. I like them sautéed with vegetables, in soups, in pastas, on sandwiches, and, of course, risotto. In addition to being delicious, mushrooms offer us a wealth of health benefits and are an excellent non-fortified, plant source of Vitamin D.

While mushrooms are yummy when fresh, drying mushrooms lowers their acidity, increases their levels of Vitamin D, and intensifies their taste. Unfortunately, dried mushrooms can be quite costly. Purchasing them from a cheap source is not a good idea

because you do not know the method used in the drying process and often they are treated with chemicals which is not good for anyone. In order to reap the nutritional benefits of this food, the mushrooms need to be sun-dried. My solution for quality control and cost effectiveness is to do it yourself!

Here’s a simple way to create your own sun-dried mushrooms at home. Be sure to use the best

quality mushrooms you can find. Once dried, mushrooms will keep indefinite when stored in a jar in a cool, dry place.

      To Dry Your Own Mushrooms: 

Fresh Oyster mushrooms, check out the gills!

• Find a nice spot that gets a lot of direct sun. I did this on my back porch. 
• Use a dish with sides (so the mushrooms do not blow away!) 
• Line the dish with a bamboo sushi mat. The mat is more natural and it allows more air to help in the drying process and prevent spoilage. 
• Next, place the mushrooms on the mat with the gills facing up toward the sun. 
• Cover the mushrooms with a second sushi mat. The mat allows the sun to seep through the cracks and keeps the bugs, birds and debris out. Covering the mushrooms also also helps to prevent them from blowing away.
•  Leave the mushrooms in the sun for at least 6 hours. 

If the mushrooms are not completely dried at the end of the day, bring them inside and leave on the counter overnight, then return to direct sun the next day. Depending on the thickness of your mushrooms, the drying process will take anywhere from one day to several days.

Fall Foods For Endurance and Flexibility

Now that labor day has come and gone autumn is upon us. We often think of the abundance of harvest vegetables available at the farmer’s market at this time of year. However, “fall abundance” can also include the many activities that we participate in such as: hiking, football, field hockey, lacrosse, cross country, rugby, soccer. Not to mention, of course, the abundance of dried leaves to be picked up in the yard!

One of my friends is a marathoner and triathlete. Since she is training for the Philadelphia Marathon in November, she asked me about foods that are good for endurance and flexibility. I decided to share my recommendations I gave her on the blog, given the abundance of physical activities and work that we do during this season.

Regardless of whether you are trying to keep up with your yard work, your children's’ activities, or you are training for a marathon yourself, including these foods in your diet will give you the endurance and flexibility you need to enjoy your fall season.


Susan’s dishes for Flexibility and Physical endurance:

Umm, the energy we get from of whole grains and vegetables!

• Vegetable fried rice 
• Beans cooked with sautéed vegetable
• Udon or Soba noodles with fried tofu and vegetables 
• Quick oil sautéed leafy greens, especially bok choy, collard greens, kale, broccoli and napa cabbage 
• Sautéed and simmered root vegetables (carrots and burdock or carrot, burdock and lotus root)
• Long steamed root and round vegetables (such as winter squash and cabbage)
• Quick steamed un-yeasted sourdough bread with nut or seed butter served with sauerkraut or pickles

PS: These dishes are tried and true as I have used them cooking for two of my male clients to enhance 

       boost their athletic performance.

Did you know that the food choices you make can help make balance with the season?

I’d like to say a big hello to all my friends. It has been a busy summer filled with rewards of work and play. Now that we are at the end of the summer, we begin to notice a subtle change in the weather as we welcome a little cooler temperatures. This just may be my favorite time of the year where we have nice warm days with comfortable slightly cooler nights. Perfect for a good night’s sleep.

All this being said, it is definitely time to make a few changes in your food choices in preparation for the cooler weather to come. We may find ourselves craving more sweets during this time of year. The weather, as it cools, has a contracting effect. A perfect example is apparent in nature as the leaves on the trees change color, dry up, and eventually fall to the ground. Our bodies also experience a similar contracting effect which often results in feeling more hungry, tired in the afternoon, and slightly more pressured. Eating a variety of good-quality sweets will help balance out this contracting process and make us feel more relaxed. When we align our food choices with the environment, it helps us to feel more comfortable and we are able to experience better health.

Here are some ideas of what to include in your diet during this transitional time and as the temperature continues to drop.

Chunky cabbage, onions and carrots, perfect for long steaming and stews!

• Start your day with a nice bowl of warm porridge. My  favorites this time of year are steel-cut oats with pure maple syrup, soft millet cooked with sweet vegetables or soft polenta with fresh sweet corn (GMO free of course).
• Start including some millet into your diet. Although millet is not so commonly known it works with all of the sweet vegetables and happens to be delicious with any meal. As an added bonus, the leftovers are easily incorporated into a puréed sweet vegetable soup, or formed into cakes and fried for a tasty entrée. 
• Emphasize sweet vegetables in your cooking such as onions, cabbage, sweet potatoes, leeks, and carrots. As the weather grows colder, winter squash comes into season which is both delicious and versatile.
• Regularly use cooking styles that enhance the sweet quality of your vegetables, such as long steaming, or sautéing and simmering. These cooking styles help bring out the natural sweet taste of the vegetables and offer longer lasting, more substantial energy which is important for the cooler weather to come.
• Finally, continue to enjoy seasonal fruit, but consider cooking it a few times a week. The rich flavor of poached peaches, baked apples, or even a fruit crunch are all perfect at this time of year and will satisfy almost any sweet craving.

Kabocha squash, onions and green cabbage, all sweet and delicious!

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...

Strengthen Your Digestion with Naturally Fermented Foods

In honor of Philadelphia Beer Week (which is happening this week), and as a continuation of last week’s discussion about the link between healthy breasts and good digestion, I would like to talk about natural fermentation today. Making naturally fermented, plant-based foods a regular part of your diet will help strengthen and activate your digestion, and will build healthy intestinal flora. The macrobiotic diet is abundant in naturally fermented plant-based foods. You might already be familiar with miso, shoyu (also known as soy sauce), tamari, and pickles. You might not be as familiar with tempeh and natto, but they are naturally fermented bean products (and excellent protein sources). Umeboshi plums and umeboshi vinegar (a savory vinegar) are other fermented treats from Japan that are highly prized for their alkalizing abilities. Of course good-quality, micro-brewed beer also is a great source of natural fermentation!

I recommend that my clients have miso soup almost daily to help strengthen and activate their digestion. I also recommend that my clients have a small portion of naturally-fermented pickles on a regular basis. However, don’t overdo it on the pickles and the miso-- both are salty, so go easy! Luckily, you only need to consume a small amount of these foods in order to reap their amazing digestive benefits. I would like to add that it is important to distinguish between naturally-fermented pickles made with vegetables and sea salt (lactic acid fermentation) and pickles made with vinegar and sugar. While dill pickles might be tasty on your sandwich, they do not have the same health benefits as lactic-acid fermented pickles. You can read more about natural fermentation on the Real Pickles website. Real Pickles makes excellent pickles-- I highly recommend their sauerkraut and their red cabbage pickles! All this being said, sauerkraut is probably the easiest pickle to incorporate into your diet. If you are feeling adventurous you can make it at home, or you can purchase it at your local health food store. My two favorite sauerkrauts are Real Pickles and Goldmine.


Recipe for Quick Umeboshi vinegar Pickles
*This recipe can be used to pickle vegetables or tofu.

Ingredients:
1 part of umeboshi vinegar
3 1/2 to 7 parts of water  

*Some brands of umeboshi vinegar are more salty than others. This is the range I would recommend

 and can be adjusted to taste.

Preparation for pickled vegetables:
Cut vegetables and place in a pyrex bowl or glass jar. Pour the liquid overtop and
allow the vegetables to sit for a minimum of 3 hours or longer. Keep the pickles with the liquid, refrigerated in an air tight glass container.
*Note: Harder vegetables will keep longer, while softer vegetables need to be consumed more quickly.

The Farmers' Market; buy fresh, local and seasonal!

For me, one of the best parts of spring is the start of the farmers’ markets. Here in Philadelphia, they are becoming more popular every year. I think this is wonderful, because the ubiquity of farmers’ markets indicates a social awareness of the benefits of fresh, locally-grown food. For me, going to the farmers’ market is foreplay for my creativity! I feel so alive surrounded by an assortment of healthy, organic, fresh, locally-grown vegetables and fruits. Their colors are brilliant. You find unique varieties that you have never seen before. These vegetables have vitality. They whet my appetite. They appeal to my sense of beauty and inspire me to get creative in the kitchen. George Ohsawa, the founder of modern day macrobiotics, said that we are to marvel at nature. Beautifully grown vegetables are a physical manifestation of nature’s energy. We can share an intimate part of this energy when we eat fresh vegetables.

Denny and I recommend having vegetables with every meal. Doing your shopping at the farmers’ market makes eating lots of vegetables easy, because there is such an abundant variety of produce to choose from. The farmers’ market also facilitates menu planning, because, unlike the grocery store, everything at the farmers’ market is local and in season. Even better, freshly-picked vegetables stay fresh longer. From an economical standpoint, shopping at the farmers’ market will also save you a considerable amount of money on your weekly grocery bill. To sum it up, you can’t go wrong with a weekly visit to your local farmers’ market! To sample one of my inspired creations, try my recipe for Arugula and Wild Mushroom Salad, yum!


Arugula and Wild Mushroom Salad

This was so delicious I just had to take a picture!

Ingredients:
Fresh Arugula - rinse well to remove any debris
Wild mushrooms - I used Beech and Maitake
Half moon slices of red onion
Tofu Cheese - seasoned to taste with umeboshi vinegar (See earlier posts for a description of this ingredient).
Organic Extra virgin Olive oil
Sea Salt (Just a pinch, about 1/16 of a teaspoon)
Shoyu - 1/4 teaspoon
Mirin - 3 to 4 drops

Preparation:
Place the washed arugula in a bowl.
Add the tofu cheese on top of the arugula.

To Prepare the mushrooms:
Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan.
Add the red onion and begin to sauté.
Add a little water, a pinch of sea salt and 2 to 3 drops of umeboshi vinegar.
Add the Beech mushrooms, cover the pot and simmer for 1 minute.
Add the Maitake mushrooms and lightly season with shoyu and mirin.
Continue to sauté for another minute to cook the mushrooms and blend the seasonings together.
Pour the warm mushrooms and onions over the arugula and lightly toss.

Beat the Bloat

Now that Spring is here, we are all thinking about flip-flops, groovy sunglasses, and how to get rid of that spare tire we might be carrying (you know, the one around the middle). Perhaps you are looking in the mirror and feeling a little winter-weary when you see puffy eyes, or notice that your skin could use some TLC. All of these symptoms are often caused by and/or perpetuated by consuming too much salt or a combination of salty, hard, dry, baked foods.

Enter my "Beat the Bloat Approach”! 

Here are my favorite foods to put a spring in your step and help reduce bloating. However, please keep in mind that these are all quick fixes, and do not replace a balanced diet. In the long run, it is important to cut back on the amount of salt you use and the number of hard, baked foods you consume. Regarding exercise, the best and simplest thing to do is to walk outside as often as you can. Walking outside is naturally balancing, and will strengthen your digestion. Walking is also a great way to enjoy the warm spring weather!

Beat the Bloat Quick Fixes:

• Cucumbers: light and refreshing; also a natural diuretic.
• Asparagus with fresh lemon: although asparagus can be acidfying (too much can lead to mineral loss) bloating is often caused by too much salt. It can be helpful to eat a little asparagus to help take out any extra salt and relieve your bloat. 
• Vegetable Juice: please see my post on fresh veggie juice, "Green Cocktails Anyone" [April 2012.]
• Dried Shitake Mushroom Tea: this mild tea will help rid your body of excess salt. 
• Good-Quality Green Tea 
• Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice 
• Good-Quality Micro-Brewed Beer: serve at cellar temperature--not too cold!
• Eat plenty of quick-steamed greens with a squeeze of fresh lemon.