Preserving the Harvest - Simple Freezing Tips

Freezing vegetables, fruits and herbs is very easy and rewarding.
Less nutrients are lost by freezing than canning your produce and it takes just a bit of preparation.

Here are four examples of how to prepare your harvest for freezing.

• Peaches were in season and seemed to be in the Farmer's Markets until the late summer. At the last week of the season I picked up ten pounds of peaches.
  To freeze them i simply washed them well and dried them. Then I froze the peaches whole in a freezer bag.
  

Some might prefer to skin the peaches first. That requires quickly dipping them in boiled water and removing the skin. But really there is no harm to having their skins on.
This will our Peach Cobbler, a special treat for the holidays.

• The past few weeks we have had a bountiful harvest of tomatoes and basil.

I roasted the tomatoes with some onions, garlic, rosemary and basil.
After they were thoroughly cool I placed them into labeled quart mason jars, leaving a 2 inch or more head space for expansion and refrigerated them.
I label my frozen foods with dates, varieties and contents so it is clear what is in the freezer.
The next day I put them into the freezer.
If I refrigerate the mason jars prior to freezing them they seem to have less breakage.

Alternatively you can completely cool the roasted tomatoes and place them in labeled freezer bags. Be sure you have completely closed the bag so that you don't have drips in your freezer.

• Basil and other leafy herbs like parsley freeze well too.

Just rinse and dry well.
Place a single layer of leaves on a cookie sheet.
Cover the herbs with wax paper or a light towel to prevent them from getting burned.
Then place the herb cookie sheet into the freezer for an hour or so.
The leaves will get rigid. This will help you measure them out easily when you need to.
Remove the cookie sheet from the freezer.
Place your herbs into a labeled and dated freezer bag or mason jars.

In the middle of winter pull out your bags and use the herbs for cooking soups, stir fries or roasted vegetables. It will bring you right back to summer's harvest.

• Berries!

My friend called to say his raspberries were prolific and would I like to harvest some. Raspberries in winter are such a treat. So I went and harvested a few quarts of berries.

Freezing berries is easy. Do the same procedure as you did with the herbs.
Rinse
Dry
Place on a cookie sheet
Cover with wax paper or a light towel
Freeze for an hour or two (this helps to keep the berries shape)
Place into labeled and dated mason jars, old milk containers or freezer bags.

Enjoy your fruit in smoothies or defrost and create a tart or pie.

Preserving the Harvest – Part I - Drying

The summer harvest is coming in. Now is the time to preserve the lush summer flavors for winter. There are several ways to do that:

~Drying or dehydration

~Freezing

~Canning or lacto-fermentation.

Let’s review how to dry your harvest.

Drying is the process of removing the water from the foodstuff to create a dry product that will not mold or go bad. Most of the good nutrients are preserved at low dehydration temperatures. The three ways to dehydrate foodstuff take little time and less attention to manage.

~ Air drying by hanging foodstuff in brown bags

~ Screen air drying on screens

~ Food dehydrator

AIR DRYING

This is my favorite way to dry leaves or flowers for tea, savory herbs for cooking, or save seeds from plants that have gone to seed. Air drying can be as easy as gathering your herbs or flowers by cutting them at the stems leaving five to six inches of stem and tying them into small bunches with garden string or old twist ties.

Place the tied herbs or flowers into a brown paper bag. Tie the opening with a long string saving some of the string to hang the bag from a place where it is warm and there is some air movement to promote the drying process. I like to put a nail at the top of a wall near a door or other good ventilation and out of direct sunlight. Some people like to make holes in the bag, but I find this is unnecessary if you have good air circulation in the place where the herbs are drying.

Check the bags in every week or two to see if things are dry enough to store. When the leaves or flowers are dry, remove the stems and store them in airtight mason jars if you plan to use them quickly, or fresh paper bags if you plan to have them around a while. Label them with gathering dates and names.

For teas I dry raspberry leaves, strawberry leaves, peppermint leaves, Hibiscus flowers, elder berries and chamomile flowers. I also dry herbs such as lavender, coriander, parsley, summer savory, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, and sage for cooking. Some seeds I dry include parsley, coriander, kale, squash, beans, quinoa, amaranth, and of course there is much more that can be dried.

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SCREEN DRYING

Screen drying depends on having a warm out of the way place where animals, insects and humans will not disturb the drying seeds, beans, herbs or flowers. It is easy to do and very practical for some things, like legumes.

Take an old mesh screen and place it on four concrete blocks so that there is space below the screen for air to circulate. Place four concrete blocks on top of the bottom blocks so the screen will not move. Alternatively you can make a wooden frame for the screen or use an old window screen and place it on blocks.

Gather your crop to be dried and place it on the screen leaving space between seed or leaves but not stacking them. Remove the stems if you like. I leave the pod cases on legumes and take them off when they are dry.

Place the screen in a warm, well ventilated and protected space and wait. You may want to check in on the process making sure that the seed or herbs are drying evenly. Once they are dry, store in paper bags or airtight containers.

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FOOD DEHYDRATOR

This is a practical way to dry foods when it is damp and cold out. Since our weather has been very foggy and cool, I am using my dehydrator more than usual.

Food dehydrators require little thought and are basically a box or cylinder that has a heat source, a temperature gauge and some have fans and timers. To use them just gather your seeds, fruits, herbs or flowers, remove the stems and any other part that you do not want to dry and place them on the screens. Set the temperature and let them dry. I suggest that you follow the recommended temperatures of your specific dehydrator.

Some dehydrators do not have fans. I have used them and find that they are not as efficient as dehydrators with fans. Alternatively you can use your oven to dehydrate. Just set the temperature to a very low setting and leave the door ajar. Place your herbs or seeds on a tray and let them dry.

Drying food is simple. Remember to use your herbs and teas as they are meant to be used right away and not saved for years.

Enjoy the Harvest!

Worm Composting News

Anyone who has been to our gardens knows how much I love worms. We have three active worm bins that I adore. So when an email came and mentioned that my daughter's home school teacher, Sunny Gabriath, has accomplished what some would think is impossible, installing and maintaining worm bins at our public school, I had to tell you about it.

Three years ago Sunny inspired Apple Blossom Elementary school and Orchard View K-High School to create a worm composting system that has since composted 9 tons of food scrap. Think about that! Nine tons of waste became compost instead of going to the landfill.

That is not all. The compost was sold and the program generated over $2100 in the last three years. Who purchased it? Local families' who wanted to have compost for their gardens. This is a gem of a project. Talk about thinking locally, Sunny has taken the term to new heights. Kids eat a lunch packed with home grown veggies and fruits, then compost the food they don't eat at school only to take the compost back home to help grow more veggies and fruits. This is great.

Sunny started the program with the help of the Compost Club. The Club offered help in creating the worm bins. They will be holding an Educational Workshop on Bio-Intensive Gardening and Food Scrap Composting October 23rd and 24th in Sonoma County. Please check it out.

Gluten Free Quinoa, the Mother Grain of the Incans

The South American annual herb Quinoa has found its way into North American kitchens. First cultivated in the Andes over 3,000 years, Quinoa was known and honored by the Inca civilization as the “Mother Grain” because of its ability to sustain health.

Quinoa is a small gluten free seed, similar in size and look to millet or sesame seeds. It is rich in nutrients, with a higher percentage of protein, 16.2%, than any commonly grown grains like barley, wheat or rice. Quinoa provides a complete protein profile with high amounts of cystine, lysine and methionine. Quinoa also provides minerals and vitamins including significant amounts of magnesium, phosphorus and folate.


Traditionally after harvest the Quinoa seed was scrubbed to remove what we now know to be saponines, a bitter tasting compound that protects the seed from insects. Soaking and scrubbing the Quinoa seed removes the protective saponine coat, increasing nutrient availability. Many commercial companies remove the saponines before they sell Quinoa, but I still recommend soaking the seed for 12 hours. It reduces the cooking time as well as improves the digestibility of the seed.


You can find quinoa in three colors, a soft yellow, red or black. I have found the yellow to be the most delicate and tender, while the red and black quinoa are nuttier in flavor. I often will mix the sturdier black and red seeds with the yellow as they look beautiful together and their textures work well too.

Cooking Quinoa is easy.

1. Soak a cup of Quinoa in water; I suggest 12 hours of soaking. Rinse well.

2. Place seeds in a stainless steel pan on medium heat.

3. Have one cup of broth or water on hand. As the seed is plump with soaking water you only need to add the liquid a 1/4 cup at a time until the Quinoa is tender. You may not need to add all the liquid.

Yellowquinoa is cooked in 5-10 minutes and will plump up and look clear. Red or black quinoa will take approximately the same time but you will need to taste them to see when they are done.

Quinoa is a versatile food.

Quinoa can be made into pilaf’s, topped with roasted vegetables, added to stews or soups, used in salads, substituted for pasta in pesto recipes or made into pudding. Quinoa flakes or flour can are lovely for baking cookies, pies, breads, muffins, pancakes or granola.

I successfully sprout Quinoa by soaking them over night and rinsing them for four days. This year I took it to a new level and planted my sprouts! Everyone, including me, thought I was growing lambs quarter. It turns out that Quinoa is in the same family as lambs quarter so they have a similar look. I will let you know how the plants do.



Curried Quinoa Apple Pilaf

Serves 4
Quinoa is a much better choice than rice and here it's paired with in-season apples and sweet and pungent spices. The curry contains the potent antioxidant turmeric. You can also add ginger if you like it.

1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup quinoa, soaked rinsed and drained
1-2 teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup broth or water
2 Fuji apples, chopped and divided (reserve chopped apples away from air)
3 tablespoons dried tart cherries or Goji berries
¾ cups apple juice
3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
¼ cup chopped parsley or cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste


Add the onion to a saucepan and saute until clear and tender.

Add the quinoa and cook until toasty.

Add the curry powder, cumin and cardamom and toast for 30 seconds. Slowly add half of the broth, 1 chopped apple, cherries and apple juice.

Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes on the heat. Check to see if the quinoa is cooked or needs more broth. Add more broth if necessary. Be careful not to add too much as it will make the quinoa mushy.

Remove from heat, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff, adding remaining apple and almonds.

Taste and add salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired.

Serve hot, warm, room temperature or chilled.

Controlling Cancer Risks with Healthy Nutrition and Lifestyle

What is the connection between cancer, nutrition and lifestyle?

A cancer diagnosis can be devastating.

Certainly those that come to my programs are seeking information about reducing the risk of cancer or its recurrence through diet and lifestyle. Most often people have not been told that they are in control of three basic tools to reduce their risk of cancer and its recurrence. The three tools are:

1. Choosing a whole food diet where two thirds of your diet consists of colorful vegetables and fruits, sprouts and fermented foods, and one third consists of non-red meat protein sources such as low fat poultry, fish, legumes and whole grains. This offers high quality nourishment to the body and helps reduce the risk of cancer by 30%.
(WCRF/AICR., Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity. 2007.)

2. Engaging in 30 to 90 minutes of physical activity five to six times a week may lower cancer risks up to 40%. (Dr. Block, Long-term Biologic Strategies for Secondary Prevention of Cancer, IFM 17th International Symposium, May 2010.)

3. Relaxation, deep breathing, and stress reduction practices mediate your risk of cancer and offer gene support. (Ornish D et al. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 2008;105:8369.)

Recent literature suggests that there is a growing scientific understanding of the nutrition-lifestyle cancer connection. It has taken the past thirty years of scientific inquiry to conclude that on a daily basis people need healthy food, good exercise and time to relax. Here are some of the facts from the research.

The World Health Organization reports:
• 2.7 million deaths are attributable to low fruit and vegetable intake
• 1.9 million deaths are attributable to physical inactivity
• At least 1/3 of all cancer cases are preventable (http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/en)

The Nurse’s Health Study’s comments on Western Dietary patterns and the increase in Mortality from Breast Cancer and other Diseases:
• Low grain, high fiber diet with lots of fruits and vegetables increases survivorship
(Kroenke et al., J Clin Oncol 23(36): 92925-9303.2005.)
• Most active women have a 13% reduction in breast cancer risk regardless of tumor stage or histology (Peters et al., CEBP18(1):289, 2009.)

The NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study on Colorectal Cancer Risks and Meat Intake states:
• The highest intake of red meat and processed meat significantly increased the incidence of colorectal cancer risk (Cross et al., Cancer Res/ 2010 Mar 15;70(6):2406-14)

The Lifestyle Heart Trial found:
• You may slow, stop, or reverse the progression of prostate cancer with lifestyle changes: vegetarian diet, daily physical exercise and daily meditation
(Ornish D et al.JAMA 1998:20: 2001-2007.)
• In a three month study participants that ate a vegetarian diet, practiced meditation and daily physical exercise, it was found that gene expression in over 500 genes was beneficially affected and that oncogenes causing breast cancer and prostate cancer were down regulated (turned off). (Ornish D et al. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 2008;105:8369.)

The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment notes:
• Refined carbs and sugar intake increases risk of several cancers
• Low animal protein diets decrease cancer risk and cancer mortality
• Healthful diet may reduce recurrence in breast and oral cancers
• Fitness reduces cancer risk in Breast cancer by 20-30%, in lung cancer by 13-39%, and in colon cancer by 50% . Walking 3 to 5 hours per week cut risk of death from breast cancer by 50%.
(Dr. Block, Long-term Biologic Strategies for Secondary Prevention of Cancer, IFM 17th International Symposium, May 2010.)



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Diet and lifestyle choices are something we can control. We start by removing the old habits and adding healthy new ones.
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REMOVE the processed food from your pantry
Do this slowly and methodically so the change can stick.
You will know the food is processed if:
• It is refined such as white flour or sugar, some refined oils and table salt
• The shelf life is exceptionally long, such as aseptic soups and drinks, canned foods, snack foods, box cereals or meals
• There are additives and preservatives in the ingredients
Generally, do not use a packaged product if there are more than five ingredients that you do not recognize as a whole food or cannot pronounce.

ADD whole foods to your pantry
• You will know it is a whole food if it looks like a seed, nut, grain, legume, fruit, vegetables, or sea vegetable which was just harvested
• Sea salt; it offers minerals to enrich your diet
• Raw fermented vegetables; which provide probiotic support and vitamin C
• Sweeteners in moderation and as whole as possible, honey, maple syrup, dried fruits, Stevia
• Green foods; chlorella, spirulina, barley and wheat grasses
• Sprouts; nutrient rich and inexpensive when home made

ADD several internet sites for whole food recipes and pick up a great cook book or two
Remember local libraries have cook books for free.

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REMOVE inactivity and couch potato routines

ADD physical activity
Thirty to ninety minutes per day of walking, biking, hiking, dance, gardening, yoga, Qigong, Ti Chi, or any other physical exercise to your daily life may change your cancer risk or outcome by as much as 40%

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REMOVE stress and loneliness

ADD stress reduction practices
Deep breathing, prayer, meditation, yoga, Quigong and/or deep sleep

ADD community!
Be active within your community, your family and friends. They offer support, laughter, love and encouragement. They are your connection to living a full and joyous life.


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Let me know how you do.

Many Blessings!
JoEllen

Garden Fresh Pesto

Summer and Pesto go hand in hand. The rich green color, lovely aroma, and delicious flavor of pesto is irresistible. I think of pesto as the ideal food; it takes minutes to make with little prep.

Three of my favorite ways to eat pesto are:

1. Summer pasta salads with pesto and whole grain pastas, such as Kamut, quinoa or brown rice pasta, roasted or fresh crunchy veggies and some extra pine nuts sprinkled on top.

2. Spread pesto onto toasted sprouted whole grain bread and topped with tomato or red pepper slices. Yum!

3. Pesto dip! Dip sliced kohlrabi, carrots, jicama or peppers into the pesto and enjoy.

Nutritionally speaking the Sun dried Tomato Pesto recipe (below) has a full complement of amino acids with significant amounts of calcium, potassium, vitamin A and K. The phytonutrients found in pesto make it moderately anti-inflammatory. This complex food with 6 grams of protein per serving makes it and healthy fats is rich, so having small amounts, a tablespoon with your meal, will satisfy your hunger.

Pesto ingredients are easy to come by. Visit your nearest farmer's market for the freshest ingredients. Or better yet, grow some basil, greens and garlic and then make enough garden fresh pesto to freeze some for the winter.

Enjoy!

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Pesto and summer seem to go hand in hand. Pesto takes minutes to make and tastes so delicious. This recipe is rich in amino acids, calcium and potassium. Add pesto to your quinoa or brown rice pastas, top with some garden fresh veggies such as roasted red peppers or broccoli and enjoy!

2 cups fresh basil

5-6 sliced sun dried tomatoes, drain the oil

½ cup fresh spinach or chard

¾ cup Parmesan cheese

6 Tablespoons Pine nuts

4 Tablespoons olive oil

2-3 cloves of garlic

Dash of sea salt, to taste

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Store in the refrigerator or freeze for 5-6 months.

Frankincense for Health

I just returned from Young Living Essential Oil's International Conference in Utah. Five thousand people attended coming from all over the world; Yemen, Japan, Madagascar, Kenya, Spain, Oman, France, Germany, Puerto Rico, and many more places.

The conference buzzed with the news of the frankincense research being conducted by Young Living labs, US University labs and foreign labs.

Omani frankincense (Boswellia Sacra) resins and the constituents of its essential oil play a key role in keeping the Omani population healthy.

Did you know that in Oman the cancer rate is 1-2 people report cancer every 2-3 years?

(Mark Schreuder, YLEO's Director of Research and Formulation) Those people diagnosed with cancer have generally traveled and lived outside Oman because of work.

Why are the statistics so low?

Dr H K Lin, PhD, at the University of Oklahoma, Health Science Department and author of over 59 published peer review research papers said in his preliminary research of five essential oils that might inhibit cancer cell growth, only frankincense was able to target and kill cancer cells while not affecting healthy cells. He is continuing his research but is very excited over the initial findings.

Frankincense has over 24 constituents that are being researched. Some are rare like incensol acetate. Some are unknown and need identification. Others are more familiar such as alpha pinene, limonene and boswellic acid. Boswellic acid is found primarily in the frankincense resins, but with proper distillation it is also found in the essential oil.

Boswellic acid has been researched and it was reported in the March 2005's medical journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics that Boswellic acid induces apoptosis, cell death, in myeloid leukemia cells. Other studies concur with frankincense's ability to causes cancer cell apoptosis. Dr. Lin and Mark Schreuder believe that all the constituents work in a synergistic way to keep healthy cells alive and create a condition where cancer cells die off.

There are more reasons for using frankincense. It may support the respiratory system, and may be used against anxiety and depression. It brings oxygen to the pineal and pituitary glands and supports the immune system. (Higley, Reference Guide for Essential Oils, 2006.)

Frankincense, if you haven't been using it, start now. The resins have been used as a gum or burned for over 8,000 years. The oils date back to Egypt. The Omani culture uses it to this day. Frankincense oil can be used topically, infused in an essential oil diffuser, or added few drops to smoothies, dressings, tea, or juice.

To your Health!!

Big push on banning plastic bags - Environment California

Big push on banning plastic bags - Environment California

As the unrelenting thick black oil smothers the Gulf of Mexico, we can sit back and watch the devastation with grieving hearts, or take action to reduce, reuse, recycle and refuse -yes REFUSE!- the use of plastic products that are produced for entertainment or ease of use, such as the one time use plastic bag. We might also consider pushing forward the use of the bicycles and electric or alternatively fueled vehicles to ease our oil addiction to gasoline.

We've got until June 4 to pass a ban on plastic grocery bags out of the California Assembly.

A ban on plastic bags is one of the biggest single cuts we can make to the plastic pollution that's filling the ocean and marring our beaches. But the bill is under attack by bag manufacturers and others.

Consider the alternatives, make cloth bags a regular part of going to the market, clothing store or hardware store. Think before buying plastics. Think before taking the extra car trip. Think of the Gulf, of the life that we are watching suffocate from this toxic oil spill.

You can make a difference.

Please contact your California Assembly member to pass AB 1998.

Cancer as a Chronic Disease

I just returned from the Institute for Functional Medicine’s 17th International Conference, Cancer as a Chronic Disease. Close to one thousand oncologist, family practitioners, nurses, registered dietitians, nutritionists and cancer thrivers attended the intensely scientific Conference which looked at cancer as a disease more people are living with.

I want to share the major points made at the conference and the implications these points have for the choices we make each day.

1. “Cancers, not Cancer.” (Dr. Jeffrey Bland)
Cancer is not a single disease that occurs in different areas of the body, but rather there are many bio-individual types of cancers specific to the individuals experiencing them.

2. Hence cancer treatments need to move away from the “one type of treatment fits all” to targeting treatments specific for an individual’s personal biochemical make up. Testing for the viability of chemotherapy treatments and supporting individual nutritional and lifestyle changes may improve outcomes by as much as 40 percent.

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A note on testing:
Genetic testing, though a young science, may help to determine which treatments may work for you. There are tests that determine if the cancer will respond to a chosen chemotherapy. There are tests to see if you have genes that might not accept the chosen chemotherapy.

Testing for nutritional and biological markers may help to target some of your diet and supplement choices. If nutritional markers were found to be depleted in zinc, a registered dietitian, nutritional consultant or physician could come up with a plan of supplementation and foods to help you get back in the normal zone.
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3. Some cancers may have hereditary predisposition but our physical environment, emotional health and lifestyle choices play a major role in whether those genes are expressed. The physical environment includes the place where we live and work as well as our internal physical terrain. Internal terrain describes our body’s individual biochemical makeup.

4. With more people thriving after treatment, General Medical Practitioners need to know how to advise their patients on the emotional, nutritional and lifestyle changes that will best sustain optimal health. It was repeatedly stated that an integrative approach supports the reduction of the reoccurrence of cancer.

5. “Illness versus Wellness.” (Dr. Dean Ornish quoting his teacher Sachtenanda)
The difference in the two words is simply “I” as contrasted to “We.” Together, in a supportive and active community, we are healthier than alone.


What simple steps can you implement to improve your health during and after cancer?

There are many practices that we can embrace to support our health and increase our well being. These diet and lifestyle recommendations discussed at the Conference give each of us an important role to play in our healing process. Dr. Jeffrey Bland pointedly stated, “Knowledge of the truth consists not in proclaiming it but in living it.”

Remember these three things: 1) Optimize eating, 2) increase physical exercise, and 3) reduce stress. Here are the key details.

Let’s start with food.
Most experts now feel that eating the Mediterranean Diet can reduce your risk of a cancer diagnosis and/or recurrence by as much as 30 percent. What drug could do that?

For all of us, this diet sustains your health by providing a phyto-pharmacy of nutrients, optimizing proteins, and supplying nourishing fats that help create an environment conducive to healthy cell metabolism.

The recommended diet includes:
• 5-11 servings of vegetables and fruits (predominantly vegetables), with a serving size being ½ cup for vegetables other than leafy greens which are one cup in size
• Whole grains and legumes – 2-3 ½-cup servings of whole grains and legumes
• Healthy fats – olive oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, walnut oil and rapeseed
• Animal protein that is lower in fat, organic and preferably free-range and grass fed – fresh water fish, organic poultry, lean meats
• Low-fat dairy which is rich in the protein cysteine so necessary for health.
• Mushrooms and herbs
• Healthy sweeteners such as Stevia, whole fruits, occasional honey and maple syrup

It eliminates:
White flour or any refined or processed grains or prepared foods
White processed sugar, including organic sugar.
All Trans or Hydrogenated fats found in fast and processed foods
Overeating saturated fats
Fast Food
Alcohol and Smoking


Physical Exercise
Doctors Dean Ornish from the UCSF Medical Center, and Keith Block, of Chicago’s Block Integrative Cancer Medical Center, both agree that: 30 minutes of exercise a day can improve the outcomes of cancer therapy and decrease your side affects from chemotherapy and radiation.

Of course you need to start where you are and work up to 30 minutes a day if you have not been exercising. But the studies were there and I was surprised to learn that you can reduce your risk of cancer and cancer reoccurrence by 40 percent simply by exercising for half an hour a day, 5 to 6 times a week!

It can be as simple as taking a brisk walk around the neighborhood or joining a dance class. Regular exercise changes your metabolism so that you are circulating more oxygen and nutrients, de-stresses your system, and stabilizes your weight – helping to optimize your health.

Dr Block even has his patients exercise while doing their chemotherapy. No cushy chairs or beds for them, they are on tread mills or rollerblading around Lake Michigan!


Relaxation or Stress Management
Bringing awareness to stressful situations and relaxing with meditation, music, walking, good sleep, prayer, or artistic expression is vital to your health.

We are not simply a physical expression of our genes. We can change our genes with our lifestyle choices, including relaxation and stress management.

Dr. Ornish cited his studies which demonstrated that gene expression in over 500 genes were beneficially affected by diet and lifestyle changes including stress reduction through meditation.

Thinking positive thoughts, bringing awareness to your daily actions, creating a nourishing, loving and safe place to be – either alone or with others, taking three breaths before, during and after meals, learning to meditate, and practicing yoga or Qigong, are just some of the many ways to reduce stress and increase your health.


This is just a taste of the information shared at the Cancer as a Chronic Disease Conference. Studies, ideas, philosophies and arguments filled our four days. But it is the simple changes I’ve shared above – through diet, exercise and stress management – that I most wanted to share with you. These are the steps that each of us can take right now in our daily lives. Taken together, they have a significant ability to reduce our chances of a cancer diagnosis or recurrence and improve our treatment outcomes. I encourage you to see what steps you can take today to improve your own health!

Many Blessings!

Fermenting Health

Today is the Freestone Fermentation Festival, a local annual event to promote healthy eating and all things fermented.

In honor of the festival I want to share a few simple recipes, Cucumber Salad with a Kefir dressing and Tahini-Miso Dip. Let me know if you like them.


Cucumber Salad

This recipe is nice in the summer months when cucumbers are abundant.
The sweet and sour flavors are cooling and easy on the digestive system.


3 medium Cucumbers, sliced
2 Scallions, sliced
1 cup Yogurt or Kefir
1 Tbsp Minced sweet red peppers or shredded carrots
1 Tbsp Minced parsley
2 tsp Minced fresh dill
½ tsp Dry mustard

Peel and cut cucumbers lengthwise, seed and slice.
Place cucumbers in a medium-size serving bowl.
Add scallions, yogurt, peppers or carrots, parsley, dill and mustard and toss to combine.

Refrigerate until serving time.
The salad can stay for about 4 days in the refrigerator.



Tahini Miso Dip

An easy dip that makes the gut smile and nourishes the soul.



1 Shallot
1 Garlic clove
¼ cup Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp Tahini
2 Tablespoons red Miso or any other great miso
Pinch red pepper
Salt to taste
Parsley or Cilantro


Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Decorate with Cilantro and Parsley.
This dip can be refrigerated for 3-4 days.

Enjoy with vegetables or pita.

Are Canned Goods Safe?

According to the recent SF Chronicle, BPA lined canned goods contain chemicals that leach into the food and may cause cancer, neurological problems, hormonal problems and may even interfere with chemotherapy.

This is true for health food canned goods as well as commercial canned goods. So look carefully when you peel back the lid to you canned goods,is it white in there? If so that plastic lining may just be BPA lined and your health food may not be so healthy.

What about the other cans?

I say all canned food comes with risks. If it is aluminum, well we know that can be toxic. If it is coated with a lining that easily peels off, like the one a class participant brought in the other day, it is possible for it be leaching into your food.


What can you do to protect yourself and your family?

1. Buy fresh produce! Freeze your leftovers. Dehydrate any other vegetables that are not used or better yet put them into a broth.

2. Buy frozen fruits and vegetables instead of fresh. Frozen fruits are often flash frozen and are quite full of nutrients. The same is true for many vegetables.

3. Read labels and call the company that is producing and packaging the food that is in question. Ask them what is in their cans. How do they freeze their foods.

350 GARDEN CHALLENGE

The 350 Garden Challenge is on!

May 15th and 16th Health Action, a Sonoma County coalition of Health oriented community organizations, invites our community to plant a 350 new water wise gardens either by planting a brand new garden, expanding existing gardens, or helping out on a work crew to help plant a neighbors garden. The 350 water wise gardens celebrates community and local food efforts to create healthy food for everyone at a reasonable cost.

I put our garden up for you to view. It is named the DeNicola Family Garden and you can see a picture of the garden after last fall's harvest. This garden feeds our family and also gives produce to the Ceres Project for cooking classes. We come pick our herbs, flowers and veggies for our class from the garden. We also check in on the worm compost and feed it our scraps.

To check out the effort and find our garden go to
http://igrowsonoma.org/content/350-garden-challenge

I hope you will join the 350 Garden Challenge!



Today we had a Spanikopita with freshly picked spinach and onions from the garden. It was the new Joy of Cookings recipe. I added a fresh garden salad and some leftover Black Bean soup to complete the meal.

The recipe was easy:
2 pounds of spinach cooked down and drained
1 large onion sauted until translucent

4 eggs
8 ounces of feta cheese
2 Tablespoons of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 stick of butter (I used homemade ghee)
1 box of Filo dough

You prepare the spinach, drain well. Add the sauteed onions and cool.
In a large bowl beat the eggs and add them to the spinach and onions.
Add the crumbled feta and Parmesan cheese.
Add the salt and pepper.

Melt the stick of unsalted butter.

Open your defrosted Filo dough and lay a few sheets in a 9x13 glass baking dish. It will hang over the sides. Brush melted butter over the Filo dough. Do this 6 or 7 times, adding a few fresh sheets of Filo dough and butter.

Put the spinach filling on the dough, spreading it out over the whole dish.

Top with 8-10 more Filo sheets and melted butter. When I have placed all the filo dough on the spinach filling, I clip the side to about 1 inch tall and fold the edged towards the center of the dish. Then I score the top for the slices that will be made later on.

Refrigerate the Spanikopita for half an hour. You can preheat your oven to 350 degrees while it cools.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Enjoy,
Many Blessings!

Paul Stamets on 6 ways mushrooms can save the world | Video on TED.com

Paul Stamets on 6 ways mushrooms can save the world | Video on TED.com

Paul Stamets is one of my living heroes. His research and understanding of fungi has challenged the way I think of human's place in Nature. Fungi are amazing in their ability to communicate chemical signals, cleanse toxins, distribute nutrition, and even heal human populations. The average person knows so little about the life of fungi and its ability to bring fertility and life to our planet.

A few years ago my family gave me a gift of a shitake log so that I could grow my own mushrooms. It was fantastic fun for me to watch the log hatch its brood of mushrooms and then serve them over rice for dinner. I was taken by the whole process. I started reading about mushrooms. As my interest grew I found myself watching our property for mushrooms. Mushrooms are the fruits of the single celled mycelium that carpet the soil and bring fertility to it; which is so necessary for the poor soils that are on our property. I now marvel and welcome each mushroom bloom that I see.


I invite you to view the Paul Stamets TED video. The images of the mycelium are beautiful and move the heart. I also recommend reading Paul Stamets book, Mycelium Running to get a deeper understanding of fungi and their ability to create what I recognize as a natural harmony. I also recommend reading his smaller booklet, Mycomedicinals, as it discusses how mushrooms and fungi may help to heal human diseases and discomforts.

Know that eating mushrooms (if you are not allergic to them) is a wonderful treat, one that may support the immune system and cleans the body of toxins. You might try adding them to roasted vegetables, or making a mushroom barley soup with a variety of mushrooms, or creating a sauce to put over your favorite dish.


Miso Soup with Sea Vegetables, Shiitake Mushrooms and Greens
from Nourishing Connections, the Healing Power of Food and Community


6 large dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 4 cups hot water or broth for 30 minutes (save the water)*
¼ ounce arame, dulse or wakame seaweed, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
2 cups chopped kale, collard or mustard greens
2 tablespoons miso paste
1 teaspoon minced garlic and/or 1 teaspoon minced ginger (optional)
1 – 2 teaspoons tamari
1 teaspoon umeboshi plum paste
1 or 2 green onions, very thinly sliced
1 or two teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

1. Drain and reserve the soaking water from the mushrooms. Slice them thinly, discarding the stems.

2. Drain the sea vegetables and remove any hard stems, cutting the remainder into small pieces.

3. Bring the drained mushroom soaking water (minus any debris or dirt – strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve) to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the sea vegetables, sliced shiitakes and the chopped kale.

4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the kale is bright green.

5. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the miso, garlic and/or ginger, tamari and the umeboshi paste. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

6. Garnish the soup with a sprinkling of sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Makes 1 quart of soup or about 2 servings.

Healing Broths: Ceres Community Project's Immune Broth

Are all broths equal?

I think not. Broths have many flavors that add depth to a dish, some are light while other broths are deep and rich. The Ceres Community Project's Immune Broth was created with the intention of fostering healing for those going dealing with cancer and other serious illness.

What sets the Ceres Immune Broth apart from other broths?

The ingredients are key.
They include nutrient rich vegetables, savory and adaptogenic herbs, sea vegetables, and medicinal mushrooms.

Let's take a look at the sea vegetables, herbs, spices and mushrooms and how they support healing.

Juniper Berries
Juniper berries used in very small amounts to support the kidneys and digestion. They do not have a strong flavor. They do help remove excess fluids from the system.

Black Peppercorn
Black pepper is familiar at every table but few know its medicinal properties. Black pepper helps stimulate taste buds and enhance flavors while being an anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial. It supports the burning of fat cells for energy and stimulates the digestive system’s ability to absorb nutrients.

Kombu
Kombu adds a deep easy flavor without tasting like the sea. As a member of the kelp family it has many uses including supporting the kidneys, balancing the thyroid, and helping to check candida, anemia and edema. Added to grains, legumes, soup broths or tea, kombu reduces gas and adds nutrient-dense minerals to the meal.

Goji Berries
Goji berries are a tart red berry with powerful antioxidants which offer protection from reactive oxygen species (ROS), or free radical oxygen molecules. Free radicals can destroy cellular integrity if they are not neutralized by anti-oxidants, which may lead to inflammation, cellular degeneration, or disease.

Goji berries offers excellent anti-oxidant protection as well as vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B3, and vitamin C, calcium , magnesium, potassium, chromium, copper, zinc, manganese, protein, fiber, and immune building lyceum polysaccharides. Plus there many are other constituents such as beta sitosterol, ellagic acid, lutein, zeaxanthin, beta cyrptoxanthin, which have been shown to protect the cells from aging and inhibit cancer growth.

Reishi Mushrooms
Reishi is an immune enhancer which activates macrophages and interleukin production, natural killer T-cells and tumor necrosis factors, and has anti-tumor, anti-viral, anti- inflammatory, antioxidant, cholesterol reducing, and anti-fatiguing properties. It may protect the liver and help with detoxification processes. As a food or a supplement it supports all the major systems of the body when and where it is needed. Dried reishi mushrooms can be added to broth and removed when the broth is done.

Codonopsis Root
Codonopsis root is a gentle Chinese herb that works to improve the immune response to stress and purify, support and strengthen the blood. It is commonly known as the “poor man’s Ginseng” as it helps to give some energy to weakened individuals. It will not give the powerful energy boost that ginseng gives; instead it offers a subtle energy boost. It is also good for those suffering from diarrhea and blood deficiencies.

Astragalus
Astragalus, a Chinese adaptogenic herb, works to strengthen the immune system and digestive system. It provides the immune system’s T-cells, natural killer cells, and interferon responses with support. This is especially important during stress to the body such as cancer treatments, as it helps to protect and improve immune responses while treatments are underway. Astagalus also helps to regulate energy and build the blood. It protects vital organs like the liver, heart, kidneys. Astragalus is known to detoxify the blood of unwanted toxins. It can be added to the broth and removed before serving.

Panax Ginseng
Ginseng boosts energy, anti-tumor properties and increases the immune system’s response to stressors such as environmental toxins, physical or emotional stress and disease. Ginseng strengthens the body from energy depletion due to long term illness. It may stimulate the interferon and natural killer cells responses.

All broths are not created equal, the Ceres Immune Broth offers nutrition and immune support.




Immune Broth
from Nourishing Connections, the Healing Power of Food and Community

Makes about 2 quarts


2 unpeeled carrots with green tops if possible, cut in thirds
1 medium unpeeled onion, cut in chunks
1/3 bunch celery, root end trimmed and cut in thirds
2 unpeeled cloves garlic
1/2 small bunch parsley
1 large red potato, quartered
1 yam or sweet potato, cut in chunks
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 piece of kombu seaweed, about 3 inches
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
2 allspice or juniper berries
1 handful of organic goji berries

Optional Herbs*
¼ ounce (7 to 8 grams) dried sliced reishi mushrooms
½ ounce dried codonopsis root
1 ounce astragalus root
1 small piece Panax gingseng

1. Place all the ingredients in a large soup pot. Cover with 3 to 4 quarts water and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce the heat, cover partially, and simmer for about two hours and up to four, replacing some of the water if needed. (When the carrots are very soft, it is done.)

3. Let the broth cool, then strain the stock with a fine mesh strainer. Package in glass jars. This will keep for a week in the fridge or freeze for later use.

Makes about two quarts broth.


This recipe is adapted from Rebecca Katz’s recipe for Magic Mineral Broth in her cookbook, One Bite at a Time: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and their Caregivers.



Miso Ginger Soup
adapted from Rebecca Katz's book, One Bite at a Time

4 ounces Udon Noodles, Broken into thirds
6-8 cups Immune Broth
1 ½ Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small Yellow Onion, sliced thinly
Pinch Sea Salt
2 Carrots peeled and sliced into 1 inch matchsticks
2 Tbs Fresh minced ginger
2 Tbs Mirin (Rice Wine)
¼ cup Red Miso
2-4 Tsp Fresh lemon juice
1 Bunch Scallions

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt and the udon noodles. Cook until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In the same pot bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat, maintaining a simmer.

While the stock simmers, heat the olive oil and sesame oil over medium heat in a sauté pan. Add the onions and salt and caramelize until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Add the carrots and ginger. Sauté for 3 minutes. Deglaze* the pan with mirin and sauté for 1 minute more.

In a small bowl, dissolve the miso into ¼ cup of the hot broth. Set aside.
Add the sautéed vegetables and miso to the broth. Cover the pot. Remove from the heat. You DO NOT want to simmer miso. Let set for 2-3 minutes

Add the cooked udon noodle, lemon juice, and scallions to the broth. Serve in colorful bowls.

Serves 6.




Please contact JoEllen DeNicola at heart2heartnutrition@gmail.com if you wish to copy or use any of this article. March 2010 all rights reserved.

Does your Fish Oil Supplement Contain PCBs?

I just got a disturbing notice from Consumer Labs, and independent lab that test the viability of supplements that are commonly found on the market. They noted that
some companies are marketing Omega 3 Fish Oils that are contaminated by PCBs at levels that test harmful to animals. We are however protected by Prop 65 which prohibits toxins to be in consumable products at levels that are unsafe to the public. Hence a lawsuit has been filed in California stating that some companies have unsafe levels of PCB's in there Omega 3 Fish Oils.

Should we be concerned? My view is that the lower our load of all toxins the healthier we will be.
The March 2nd Press Release can be found at FishOilSafety.com where you can review which companies have been found to have high levels of PCBs and dioxins in their supplements.

So what can we do to avoid the possible toxicity in fish oils?
First know your brand. Check to see if their supplements have been tested at independent labs and what the results were.

Second, take Omega 3 products that are from vegetable matter. Chia seeds and flax seeds do have Omega 3s in them. However some people do not digest the flax readily. Use 2 tablespoons of seeds daily. Grind the seeds and eat them immediately to insure freshness and the best uptake of the oil. You can add them to your yogurt or smoothie of grain dish.

Third, there are studies that suggest that sea vegetables contain Omega 3 DHA oils. In fact that is where the fish get is from. Martek is one company that produces vegetarian Omega 3 DHA oils. They sell to other companies such as New Chapter. You might take a look at their science at http://www.martek.com/ to see it their product is right for you.

Healing Spices- They May Prevent Inflammation and even Cancer

Black pepper and tumeric may become your most favorite spices on your shelf.

The newest studies are confirming what has been known by herbalists for centuries; these spices are healing and when used wisely they may help keep inflammation and even cancer at bay.

According to webMD.com the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that piperine and curcumin thwart stem cell development into breast cancer cells when tested in the lab. The research was looking at stem cells as it is now thought that they have the potential to become cancerous under certain conditions.

It is the curcumin in the turmeric that is effecting the breast cancer cell growth. Last summer at the Herbal Symposium at Sonoma State University in Cotati, California Chanchal Cabrera spoke on Cyto-Toxic Herbs and Cancer. Turmeric was one of the many herbs she cited suggesting that it may effect as many as 395 different pathways to cancer cell development! Drug companies feel fortunate when they can affect one or two pathways.

The University of Michigan's research pointed to the fact that the curcumin's action was enhanced by the black pepper, or the piperine found in the black pepper. Both of these common spices have anti-inflammatory polyphenols.

What they didn't say was that food and spices work in a synergistic way to protect the body; meaning that there is more happening than the action of the two identified compounds in the Michigan study. The spices offer many phytochemicals which may support the action of the piperine and curcumin. Human cells can understand the spices' language - information - because they are not synthetically created. No, they are nature's best work.

So use spices, many of them and frequently. We are just realizing how they can nourish and protect us.



Kichadi Plus


Kitchadi (kitchari, kitcharee) is one the traditional foods used in India’s Ayurvedic system of healing. Kitchadi is recommended anytime you are feeling under the weather, needing to be cleansed, or needing to rest and rejuvenate the deeper tissues. Made with nutritive-rich and easily digested mung beans and basmati rice, the combination offers balanced protein and carbohydrates. The simplicity of the dish along with its healing spices help support digestion. The more liquid you use, the easier it is to digest.

¾ cup split mung beans (sprouted if possible)
¾ cup Basmati rice, white or brown

2 teaspoons ghee (clarified unsalted butter) or olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 ½ teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds or ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon coriander powder,
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1” piece of fresh ginger grated

2 - 4 cups of washed and chopped vegetables:
- Slow cooking: sweet potato, carrot, turnip, lotus root, burdock root, kale
- Fast cooking: broccoli, asparagus, summer squash, green beans, peas, spinach, chard

1. Cover the mung beans and rice with water and let it soak for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.

2. Heat the ghee or olive oil in a 3 quart saucepan. Add the mustard, cumin and fennel seeds. Stir, cooking over medium heat, until they begin to pop. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the powdered herbs and fresh ginger. Cook, stirring continually, until you begin to smell their aromas, about 30-45 seconds.

3. Add the slow cooking vegetables (root vegetables, winter squash, potatoes, kale) into the ghee and spices along with the drained rice and mung beans. Stir to coat all the ingredients with the spice mixture.

4. Add about 4 cups of water or broth. Bring everything to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for 15 minutes, then add another 3 – 4 cups of water and any remaining quick cooking vegetables.

5. Garnish with any or all of the following: Bragg’s Aminos, gomasio, toasted pumpkin seeds, toasted coconut, goji berries, or yogurt.

Sunshine or Vitamin D Supplements

Vitamin D is in the news these days.

Do we lather on our daily dose of sun screen and risk health challenges in the coming years, or do we exposure ourselves to the sun and risk skin cancer?

We have been through many experiences of experts recommending potentially safe health practices that were found incorrect decades later. Margarine's transfats were thought to be better than butter.

Right now the Vitamin D recommendations are quickly changing. Why?

Vitamin D protects our body and works more like a hormone than a vitamin. We produce some vitamin D when we expose our body to sunlight for about 15-20 minutes on skin that is not usually exposed, say our belly or our back between 10 am and 2 pm. Of course we do not want to overexpose ourselves at high noon. Take in fifteen minutes of sunlight and then cover up or use sunscreen when the sun is high.

However there are a few details we must consider. Many people live in an area where fall, winter or spring sunlight does not provide us with adequate levels of Vitamin D. Also, as we get older we naturally produce less vitamin D. However supplementation or ultraviolet B light can be administered to increase our vitamin D blood serum levels. It is recommended that we test our vitamin D levels to make sure they are at 75 and 150 nmol/L (30–60 ng/mL).

Recently some studies are showing that individuals with cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, chronic kidney disease, may need to be tested and then to increase the vitamin D available in their system. In fact we may all need to be tested and increase our vitamin D levels, especially in the winter.

Please read more about it in the Anti-Cancer Newsletter,

Vitamin D is Essential For the Prevention of Cancer, Heart Disease and Osteoporosis

40 International Scientists & Physicians Call For New Recommendations

and online at the medical research site Medscape: http://search.medscape.com

Recipes to increase Vitamin D

1. Take a half hour walk along the beach, down the road, up the hill, in shorts and a tee shirt,
then almond butter cookies, figs and your favorite homemade herbal lemonade with a pinch of sea salt and honey.

2. Read a book munching on apples with almond butter on your porch in your open shirt.

3. Enjoy tea and a sprouted grain toast smoothered in almond butter with cinnamon in the yard in only your shorts.

4. Join a friend and garden in your favorite old bathing suite and shorts. Enjoy some fruit dipped in freshly made almond butter.

Speaking of Almond Butter

Vitamin D is fat soluble and is stored in fat. Having healthy fats diet will provide you with energy and a place to store your vitamin D. Here is a simple Almond Butter Recipe that can be used as a spread or in recipes for sauces and deserts.

2 cups Organic locally purchased soaked, sprouted, dehydrated almonds
(Of course any organic almonds will do, but the above procedure will increase the
nutrient density of the almonds.)
1/2 cup Organic Coconut Oil
pinch of sea salt

In a food processor, chop the almonds until they are like a flour.
Add the coconut oil, melted if you like, and salt
process until all is smooth.

Some folks like to add sweetener, I personally think the almonds are sweet enough. However if you like it sweet, a pinch of stevia or a teaspoon of honey will add sweetness.

Enjoy!

Green Spring Cleaning

Green Spring Cleaning!

Spring is a few weeks away. Brilliant yellow daffodils are trumpeting their spring call to begin releasing the winter piles of dust, clutter and personal weight to start fresh.

My personal Spring Cleaning practice begins with eating more sprouts and fresh salads. It makes sense to me; I am starting seeds for the garden and seeds for the kitchen table. Yes, of course I have sprouted seeds and legumes for the past few months, but they predominantly have become soups or bean dishes. Now I am intentionally thinking of creating fresh sprout salads and adding more sprouts in my smoothies. Think sunflower, radish, broccoli, clover, buckwheat......yum!

I believe sprouted foods nourish the soul as well as the body with the energy of their vital forces... and love. Think of it; hundreds of phytonutrients, chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, proteins and oh so much more is alive in sprouts and ready to give us their cleansing and purifying potential. Lightening up the winter diet with sprouts releases the weight of the heavier meals we so desired last winter.

Green cleaning extends to your home too. The Environmental Working Group posts their Healthy Home Tips to help you get rid of toxins from your home. Please check out how to detoxify your home from plastics, dusts and undesirable chemicals. The link is on my facebook page, check it out and become a fan!

Many Blessings.

Quinoa Salad

Quinao is an ancient grain that is gluten free and probably the least allergenic grain one could eat. It is a good source of protein, containing all the essential amino acids needed to build and maintain your body. Quinoa provides an excellent source of magnesium, calcium, and manganese. It also provides vitamin B2 and vitamin E as well as dietary, fiber, iron, phosphorous, copper and zinc. Soak the quinoa over night before using it. Soaking removes the saponins and allows for better digestion of the grain. Gojiberries and quinoa in the same recipe pack a powerful nutritional value.

Preparation time: 35 minutes
Serves 6

1 cup Quinoa, soaked overnight, rinsed and sprouted for 1-2 days.
1/2 cups Vegetable broth or Chicken broth

¼ cup Goji berries, soaked if you prefer
1/8 cup Arame, soaked in water for 30 minutes

2 Green onions, chopped
½ cup Carrots, chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup Sweet Red Pepper, Chopped into small squares
1/3 cup Celery, chopped fine
1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp Fresh Mint, chopped
3 Tbsp Roasted Pumpkin and Sunflower seeds

Dressing:
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 ½ Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
Salt to taste

Warm the broth and add the quinoa. Cover and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. The quinoa should be soft and clear looking.
Meanwhile chop all the vegetables and set aside in a bowl.
Prepare the dressing.
After the grain is cooked, rinse in cold water and then add the vegetables, Arame and goji berries.
Dress with the dressing.
Quinoa Salad can be eaten warm or cool. It can be refrigerated for about five days.

Raspberry Dreams

What a lovely weekend to spend planting, pruning and dreaming of the fruits to come!

Raspberry mulching was my task for the day; though the raspberry plants are just canes all of two and a half feet tall. These winter canes will be dormant for a few more weeks. Yet I could see their promise of deep red raspberries with juicy, sweet flavor.

Then I wandered off into my imagination …. blueberries, blackberries, mulberries, logan berries, elderberries…. I was in berry land and how I would eat them…. triple berry pie, raspberry granola with yogurt, blueberry smoothies, elderberry tea…berries and cream.

Why eat berries?
Here are a few great reasons to eat them daily.

I had the great pleasure of speaking with Dr. James Joseph, one of the lead researchers at The Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging where they have been investigating the polyphenols in raspberries and their effects on cognitive and motor skills in aging mice. They found there is a positive correlation between eating a raspberries and regaining cognitive and motor abilities. Blueberries seem to help with memory and cognitive skills. When asked where he got the berries, he said in the freezer department of the local supermarket!

Another great nutritional berry gem comes from the American Cancer Society’s work. They report that the ellagic acid found in raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries and many other fruits and nuts, may slow some tumor growths, help to stop the proliferation of new cancer blood vessel, and support the liver in its unending task of detoxifying the body.

So join me in dreaming about berries, and then enjoy some in your next smoothie.


Raspberry Coconut Smoothie

½ - ¾ cup coconut milk
1 ripe banana
½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seeds
Optional:
1 scoop protein powder, whey, rice or hemp

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Store leftovers in the blender in the refrigerator. Simply re-blend before serving or freeze the extra in an ice cube tray and blend cubes into your next smoothie.

Our Ceres Project Cookbook Nourishing Connections has delicious recipes for berry pies and more!

High Blood Sugar Levels and Cancer

Quick and easy processed foods may seem a convenient; however health problems may occur when high calorie processed sugars in fast foods spike blood sugar levels. Sugars in combination with fats and salt are a highly prized flavor that people crave and seem never to get enough of.

Why?
Processed simple sugars like corn syrups, fructose or white sugars, white flour do not have the fats, fiber or nutrients to spark our metabolism to feel full. Our blood sugar spikes when we eat these high energy sweet foods like sugary drinks, snack foods and processed foods. Though there are calories in these foods they lack nutritional substance. When our blood sugar drops again we are back looking for the nourishment we never received. So we take one more sugary mouthful hoping to feel satisfied.

A recent study completed at Umeå University in Sweden researched how 500,000 men and women’s blood sugar levels related to developing cancer. They found that people with high blood sugar levels were at a higher risk of getting certain cancers. Women seemed more vulnerable to developing cancer than men with high blood sugar levels.

The Metabolic Syndrome and Cancer Study states: “The researchers found that, overall, the higher the level of blood glucose, the higher the risk of getting and dying from cancer. Average normal blood glucose levels are about 5 mmol/l, also expressed as 5 mM or 90 mg/dl. For each additional 1 mmol/l increase in blood glucose level, the risk of getting cancer was increased by 5% for men and 11% for women.”
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000201

The Sweden study is not the first to recognize high blood sugar levels are associated with cancer risks. Many other studies have been previously done and found correlations between weight, sugar levels and cancer. Dr Nicholas Perricone, MD and author of Sugar Shock noted that “A growing number of scientists are citing a high sugar intake as a factor in the development of cancers of the breast, gallbladder, prostate, colon, uterus, and pancreas. In fact, researchers suspect that high sugar and insulin levels encourage tumor growth.”

The message here is easy to remember; eat foods as naturally as possible like whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meats and fish, nuts and seeds, sea vegetables. Encourage a healthy internal terrain that can resist cancer. Eat well, choose health.





Split Mung Dahl

Dahl is a Sanskrit term referring to pulses which nave been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also is the name of this nutritious comforting stew. The spices and herbs are excellent carminative and digestive aides as well as anti inflammatory.

Serves 9

1 Tablespoons Coconut oil or ghee
1 large Onion, minced
7 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Jalapeño chilies, minced
1 ½ inches Fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 ¾ cups Split, washed mung beans or yellow lentils
1 cup Organic tomatoes diced or 1 large can diced organic tomatoes
2 medium Zucchini, chopped
7½ cups Broth or water

2 tsp Coconut oil
2 tsp Black mustard seeds
2 tsp Cumin seed
2 tsp Coriander seed
½ bunch Cilantro, chopped


Heat the coconut oil in large heavy-bottom pot. Add onions and sauté for 15 to 20 minutes until caramelized and paste-like (this is important as it create a nice sauce).
Add garlic, ginger, chili, and turmeric. Continue to cook for 10 minutes.

Rinse beans and add to mixture. Add zucchini and cook another 5 minutes.
Add water and tomatoes, simmer for about 1 hour, until beans are soft but still hold their shape.

Heal oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Add spices and cook until hot and popping- do not burn.
Add to the soup at the end.

Garnish with cilantro.

We are What We Eat

Happy New Year! Unfortunately I did not get to post my Book Reviews last month. However the New Year is here, so I will again begin the Book Review!

Three years ago I read Patricia Klindienst’s most wonderful book The Earth Knows My Name, Food Culture and Sustainability in the Gardens of Ethnic Americans. I cried through several chapters as it touched my heart so deeply. The stories are of American immigrants struggling to hold onto their culture, their sense of the land and food by farming or gardening. For many it is their livelihood, for others just a way of expressing their relationship to the land and their native culture.

There is one part of the book that I wish to share with you, as I feel that it is vital to understanding our relationship to food. Gerard Bentryn, a Polish American vintner in Bainbridge Island, Washington tells his story;

“When I worked in British Columbia,’ he explains, ‘we were doing surveys on wilderness perception in Strathcona Provincial Park. I spent days alone in the woods watching people through binoculars. When I would come down out of the woods I’d eat at a logging camp. One of the guys who works in the mess hall and would sometimes be having coffee while I was eating there was a Native Canadian. One day he says to me,

‘Oh, so you’re out in the woods, and you’re learning about this valley.’ He said,

'I’ve never left this valley. Every thing that I eat comes out of this valley. Everybody that I am related to, all my family, is buried in this valley. When I eat, I eat the people and the place. I’m made out of Vancouver Island. But look at what you’re eating.’ I said, ‘Yeah?’
and he said, ‘You’re made out of tin cans. Because that’s what you eat out of.’

‘He was teasing me in a good-natured way, but I thought about it and he was right. We use the phrase “we are what we eat,’ but I also think we are where we eat. That’s the thing that people miss. This need to be of a place, to be of a community.’”
(my emphasis)

Sharing a meal with someone in your community, it is a precious gift. Having someone over, cooking together, enjoying food from your local markets, laughing together and those moments may be the most nourishing foods we can have.

Enjoy!