Peace On Earth Day

When I heard about the bombings at the Boston Marathon, I was shocked, saddened, and deeply disturbed. It seems that there are more and more acts of violence every day in our society. What disturbs me the most about the Boston bombings is that they targeted a global family event. The Boston Marathon attracts spectators and athletes from all over the world: people of all ages, races, and walks 

of life come to participate in or watch this annual event. Because such a global event was targeted, 

I see these attacks as a crime against humanity.

The Boston Marathon bombings are just another sign of how unhealthy our society has become. 

The real question is, what is fueling these violent actions and thoughts? Has the health of our society deteriorated to such an extent that people are becoming disconnected to their brothers and sisters, 

losing control of their humanity, and acting out their aggression on innocent people?

When people are not physically and mentally well, can they be helped?
I believe that the way we choose to “fuel” ourselves through the food we eat has a direct effect not only on our physical health but also our emotional and spiritual health. You cannot separate these three aspects of health: our physical health is reliant upon our emotional and spiritual health; our emotional health is reliant upon our physical and spiritual health; and our spiritual health is reliant upon our physical and emotional health.

Many of us live on fast foods that produce extreme energetic effects on our bodies.
A perfect example can be seen in all the problems related to blood sugar, such as hypoglycemia and diabetes. To make matters worse, our food sources have become unnatural and good-quality food is becoming scarce. Many foods contain harmful preservatives, additives, and GMO’s, and this is but a short list. For those who choose to eat animal and dairy foods, the situation is far worse. Most animals raised for food consumption live in sordid, unhealthy conditions and are not fed food that is conducive to their health. Can you imagine what energetic effect such living and eating conditions has on these animals and on the people who consume these animal products? If we make the connection between diet and health, then we are able to see more clearly that by making poor food choices it is not just our physical and emotional health that is at risk, but the spirit that makes us human.

The offers of help, prayers, and thoughts that I’ve heard and read about about in the past few days give this tragedy a slight silver lining. These acts give me hope for our society. Moving forward in order for our society to improve its health and heal, we need to look at the bigger picture and re-examine what creates peaceful people. I believe we need to take the initiative to improve our food quality and educate people on the importance of how food choices effect every aspect of our lives, including our behavior towards other human beings. Healthy people create healthy societies, and healthy societies create a healthier planet. Since we are just a few days away from Earth Day (Monday April 22nd), I would like to invite you to join me in celebrating “Peace On Earth Day.” On April 22nd, take a minute to do something for someone else, sit down to a balanced meal of whole grains and vegetables, or better yet, share a meal with someone else. Take a moment to remember that we are all in this world together!

Vegetables: Sweet Like Candy

Last week we discussed the many different kinds of grain sweets. This week, let’s explore the natural sweet taste of vegetables. Many vegetables have a very sweet and satisfying taste. Root and round vegetables become very sweet when they are cooked. Squash, onions, sweet potatoes, and carrots all become sweeter when they are cooked. Eating these vegetables on a regular basis is delicious, satisfying, and will help keep your blood sugar levels more stable. Who doesn’t love that? 

"Sweet Vegetable Tea is like a cup of sunshine"

Here are some good - quality vegetable sweets:

• Pureed sweet vegetable soup 
• Sweet vegetable jam, such as onion butter 
• Carrot juice, or carrot combination juice (such as carrot-leafy greens juice, or carrot-apple-leafy greens) 
• Sautéed or long-steamed sweet vegetables (steam them until they are tender and juicy-- bliss!) 
• Sweet vegetable tea 

The top ten vegetables that make my sweet list:
Carrots
Onion
Cabbage
Winter Squash
Sweet Potatoes

Parsnip

Leeks
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Daikon

Cream of Cauliflower Soup
This is a sweet, relaxing, and absolutely delicious soup. Garnish with some finely chopped fresh parsley, or bring the elegance factor up a notch by sautéing some herbs until they are delectably crispy.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of diced onion
1/2- 3/4 of a medium-sized head of cauliflower, cut into large florets. Cut the stem more finely.
6 - 7 cups of water
3/4 - 1 teaspoon of sea salt
Parsley, finely diced for garnish

Preparation:
Place diced onions in a pot with enough water to cover the onions by 1 inch.
Bring to a boil over medium flame, and add a tiny pinch of salt (1/16 of a teaspoon, to be exact!). Continue to cook the onions for several minutes or until they become translucent.
Add the cauliflower and the remaining amount of water.
Add the remaining amount of sea salt, cover partially, and bring to a boil on a medium to medium-high flame.
When water begins to boil, reduce the flame, cover completely, and simmer on medium-low for approximately 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Using a hand food mill or an immersion blender (aka the “Magic Wand”), purée all the ingredients.
Gently warm the soup before serving.
Garnish with finely chopped parsley or your favorite herb.

Note:
The consistency of this soup may be changed by adjusting the ratio of vegetables to water. If soup becomes too thick, add additional water until the desired consistency is reached.

Sweet vegetable tea quote is credited to my friend and Macro colleague, Michelle Nemer.