Fall Abundance, and a Recipe for Creamy Sweet Squash Soup

Fall is an exciting time of year. Nature is full of color and transformation as we prepare for the arrival of the colder weather. It is at this time of year that you will start finding a mesmerizing array of winter squash at the markets. I have a personal preference for Kabocha or buttercup squashes. I find them to be drier in texture and sweeter to the taste, and are richly satisfying however they are prepared.

Kabocha squash, onions, and cabbage, all ready to be long steamed!

Since not all squash are created equal, here are a few tips for picking a good one:
First, look for squash that have an orange spot; this is a sign that it ripened in the field, which gives it a sweeter taste. Feel the squash, make sure that it has some weight to it, which is a sign of vitality. Be sure to check the stem-- ideally you want to pick a squash that has a nice, dry stem. If you notice a little sap seeping through the skin of the squash, this is also a sign of sweetness.

No matter what you do with your squash, it is going to be delicious, especially if you follow my guidelines for picking a good one! Here are some of my favorite ways to prepare it:

Sweet and Delicious.

• Long steaming- cut the squash into large chunks and steam until tender. 
• Squash Butter- peel the squash, cut into 2” by 2” chunks, place in a pot with a small amount of water, cover, and slowly steam it over low heat for a few hours, adding water when necessary, until the squash is tender enough to mash with the back of a wooden spoon. Squash butter is delicious on a piece of steamed sourdough bread, or serve it as a vegetable side dish, or as a sweet snack. 
• Sautéed and Simmered: prepare with other sweet vegetables such as carrots, onions, parsnips, leeks, etc 
• Creamy Sweet Squash Soup, see recipe below 

Creamy Sweet Squash Soup

Ingredients:
2 cups onion, diced
1/2 medium-sized squash, such as Kabocha, peeled and cut into chunks
6 cups of water
Sea salt
Fresh herbs or sautéed leeks for garnish, optional.

Preparation:
Place diced onions in a pot with water enough to cover onions by an inch.
Add a tiny pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium flame, continue to cook onions for several minutes or until they become translucent.
Add squash and additional water to cover the vegetables by approximately one inch.
Add an additional generous pinch of sea salt, cover, and bring to a boil on a medium to medium-high flame.
When water begins to boil, reduce the flame and simmer on medium-low for approximately 20 minutes or until the squash is tender.
Using a hand food mill, puree all the ingredients.
Return the pureed vegetables to the pot.
Garnish with finely chopped fresh herbs (rosemary or parsley are especially good) or sautéed leeks.

Note:
The consistency of this soup may be adjusted by the amount of vegetables and water. If soup becomes too thick, add additional water until desired consistency is reached.

For a richer flavor, try frying the herbs until they are just crispy before garnishing the soup.

Spring Fitness

With the warm weather arriving early this year now is the time to put in extra effort
to work on your health and fitness. It is time to pack away the winter woolies and
break out the cute stuff. You know, the styles that leave us a little more exposed. 

'Tis the season to get into shape, regardless of your sex or age. 
Many people have a tendency to gain weight over the winter. All though the extra pounds are not a comfortable feeling, the motivation to do  something about it is not quite the same in winter as the incentive the warm weather brings. Whether you call it vanity or egocentric, most people become a little self conscious when they gain weight. Today I am giving you my simple, delicious, and non-fussy strategies for losing any excess baggage. Try one or several of my suggestions. At the very minimum you will receive some positive health benefits and start feeling better.

 
There are three areas of practice to which you should devote your time and energy when trying to
achieve an optimum weight: eating habits, diet and exercise. Separately, each has its
own perks. When used together these lifestyle practices are most effective and provide the
foundation for healthy weight loss.

Lifestyle:                                               
Adopt a plant-based diet that includes whole and unrefined grains with every meal. 

Have 2 or 3 regular meals a day and do not skip a meal. 

Try to eat at earlier times, like; breakfast at 8:00, lunch before 1:00, and be finished with 

dinner by 8:00. 

Do not eat before bedtime. Give your body time to digest, which is about 3 hours. 

All these practices will help to keep your metabolism more active and help you to 

eliminate more excess.

Diet:
Eat plenty of vegetables, both light cooked and longer cooked
Have quick steamed greens with fresh squeezed lemon, often or daily.
Make soft cooked daikon radish, either long steamed or boiled. Have a nice large
serving several times a week.
Make miso soup with daikon radish, dried shitake mushroom and leafy greens often.
Stay away from refined and processed foods.
Eat less baked foods, salty foods, and dry foods.

And the most important exercise for weight loss:

Fresh vegetables, a key factor in healthy weight loss!

Walking outside
Try to walk outdoors as much as possible.

 If you have the time take a walk everyday. 

Be active and engage yourself in activity that you find enjoyable and fun.

In the very near future, I will discuss exercise in more detail. I feel it is important to find what
suits you and what will give you the most benefit over time.

Spring Training

February 4 marked the first official day of Spring. Now, this date is significantly earlier than the widely-recognized first day of Spring, March 21st. February 4th is historically the first day of Spring according to the calendars of early societies. When you think about it, this makes sense. February is generally the month that you begin to get a twinge of spring fever. We yearn for sunshine and warmer weather. We start thinking about purchasing our new bright wardrobe. And for all you sports fans, pitchers and catchers reported for spring training camp this week. Go Phillies!

Clearly, these are all signs of Spring. But in all seriousness, Nature’s energy comes to life at this time of year. We observe trees beginning to form buds and tiny leaves. The flowers will begin to push their way to the surface. These visible changes do not happen overnight. All of these changes first begin beneath the surface, and then go through a transitional phase, which is exactly what is happening right now. This is why we all have spring fever, but are still forced to wear our warm winter coats; we feel the change in Nature’s energy, but the consistent warm weather has not arrived quite yet.

So, what can you do with your diet during this transition and in preparation for the warmer season? Here are a few quick and tips to ease you through this Spring so you are ready to bloom when the sunshine is here to stay. 

Light, refreshing, and colorful salads!

• Increase your consumption light and fresh foods, such as blanched vegetable salad, quick steamed greens, pressed salads, fresh salads and quick sautés. The common point with all these dishes is that they are all light, bright, and crunchy in texture. 
• Decrease the amount of salt you use, which includes the use of salty condiments. Too much salt makes our bodies more contracted and will not allow us to discharge the extra winter baggage (I think you get the picture)! 
• Try to make your cooking less excessive. This means cutting back on heavy sauces or thick dressings and use only a light amount of oil. Perhaps you want to go oil free for a bit of time to give your liver and lymph system a break. 
• Decrease your consumption of heavier, heartier dishes. Cut back on long cooking methods. Instead, use shorter cooking times and, even more important, fewer baked foods. 
• Emphasize mild sweets and mild sour tastes. For example, try using a little fresh lemon on your steamed greens 2-3 times per week or use some grated green apple as a dressing for your salad. Beets dressed with lemon or vinegar are also a great sweet-and-sour option, or fresh vegetable/fruit juice combo.                      

 
Stay tuned next week for more information on good-quality sweets, as well as a sweet Spring recipe!

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! My name is Susan Waxman and I am a macrobiotic chef and teacher living in Philadelphia.

I want this blog to be a guide for better eating and, ultimately, better living. I believe that when we have our health we have no limitations. We are capable of creating the life we want through the daily choices we make in our diet and lifestyle. Every week I will share a blog entry with you that explores the health benefits of a plant-based diet and living a macrobiotic life. That is, living life from the perspective of “the larger view”. The content may be in the form of a philosophical idea, a recipe, or a lifestyle practice. Most importantly I want to have fun with it and want to share my fun, so let’s play together!

We need food in order to live. Many things in our lives are beyond our immediate reach of control. The single thing that is within our reach, of which we can obtain the most control, is our daily food. This is unique because our food choices have the most ability to determine our destiny. At any given time we are either moving toward health or away from health by the food choices we make.

My mission is to promote a grain and vegetable plant-based diet that explores the principal of balance and utilizes Macrobiotic philosophy. Because I love to cook, I will be focusing on food and cooking- that is, high-quality, (mostly) vegan cuisine made delicious and simple!

Oyster mushrooms with summer squash and baby arugula