Life Before Google January 31, 2008

Just a quick note because so much is going on – what with Miachal Pollan on a book tour, the New York Times reporting on the climate impact of eating meat, and Seventh Generation CEO Jerrffey Hollender’s excellent commenatry on the Clorox purchase of Burt’s Bees.
 I am catching up on all these current events and have found some exceptional new blogs. I still remember a time when I was buried in micro-film trying to get this kind of information. But now, POOF! If I can think of it, I can find it in seconds! I will list them below and add them to my blog log so you can reference them any time.

TreeHugger – International environmental reporting:

http://www.treehugger.com/

The Inspired Protagonist – Seventh Generation musings on corporate responsibility:

http://www.inspiredprotagonist.com/ 

GroovyGreen – Eco-living and news in the modern world:

http://www.groovygreen.com/groove/

Remember folks, why on earth would you bother to get a cake if you didn’t plan on eating it too.

Dinner In Ten Minutes – Seriously! January 25, 2008

Ok, so today I broke my own record with “throwing veggies together.” I hate to brag, but when I saw that I could get significant amounts of my daily requirements of Magnesium, potassium, vitamin A and calcium in less than ten minutes I really felt like I should write it down and share.

You see, I’ve been victim of those books – the 10 minute gourmet, vegetarian cuisine in 5 steps, easy-healthy-eating, you get my drift…

So here we are, mid-way into the second week of resolutions – ” I will not choose cooking over exercise, I will not eat instead of run, I promise I’ll go to yoga instead of the stove, I’ll cook only on Mondays”… See, this is what’s so hard for people like me. I LIKE cooking! I come home after a stressful day, and there is something about cooking that melts the day’s tensions away. When I slowly saute carrots in a garlic infused olive oil, and pair it with rosemary roasted pink potatoes, I can take it down a notch. I remember the weekend – meeting my local farmers and talking about what’s in season this week, how the cold snap affected the soil, and won’t it make the carrots fabulous this year…”

None the less, my 30’s are catching up with me. And because I sit in front of a computer most of the day instead of harvesting my own food, my goal this year is to eat as well as always, but still have that time after work to go to the gym. Once again, maybe I am inviting Santa to lunch, but I am ever hopeful. I love new year resolutions. I don’t get too down about about what I don’t accomplish each year, actually. I find it endlessly fascinating that I still have the tenacity to desire re-create myself and try again. I feel as though, even if I am 80, I will still learn how to play the fiddle and learn French. So I think it’s important to remind myself every year of what is still awake…what is still wanting.

A-ha though! The dinner revelation the inspired it all:

Sauteed Asparagus with Broccoli, Brown Rice*, garlic, cashews and Ginger

1 bunch of asparagus

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 handfuls of broccoli florets

1 tablespoon ginger

2-3 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon soy sauce (optional)

1/2 cup halved cashews (optional)

 3 cups cooked brown rice* (The 10 minute dinner title means that the rice is cooked in advance)

In a frying pan saute the asparagus with the olive oil, garlic, and ginger until the asparagus begins to soften. Add the broccoli and cover the pan with a lid to steam the broccoli. Stir and steam until desired level of softness (5-10 minutes). Add soy sauce if desired. Stir in the rice for a fried rice effect, or warm up in a microwave and add later. Serves 3-4 people. Easy add-ins include onion, grated carrot and bell peppers (but you’ll be bumping up closer to 30 minutes with all the extra chopping).

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 730

Fat: 30g (only 6g if you skip the cashews. Though cashews have a lot of micronutrients and the “good” fats)

Carbohydrates: 133g

Protein: 29 g

Fiber: 8.5 g

Sodium: 839 mg (without soy sauce – that # is too depressing. The rice itslef has 700 mg)

Calcium: 267 mg

Iron: 10 mg

Vitamin A: 1,550 iu

Vitamin C: 540 mg

Potassium: 1,725 mg

Hot Toddy! November 26, 2007

Okay, I don’t want the be the nutrition consultant that goes on the record for telling people to drink whisky when they get sick, but there is some interesting background in this old wives tale tonic. A friend with a cold was visiting, and we got talking about traditional remedies and winter tonic drinks. We are both familiar with the expression – “go home, take a bath, and get in bed with a heating pad and a hot toddy,” but neither of us had ever looked into to drink itself.

Here’s my G rated version of the recipe, and I drink this as a general cold prevention tonic throughout the winter. If I actually have a cold I will add Cayenne and garlic as well.

Hot Toddy

1 lemon

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 teaspoon Honey

1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger root – thinly sliced

Simmer the lemon, cloves, and ginger in 4 cups of water for 10-20 minutes. (The longer the simmer the stronger the extraction, so you can simmer for hours if you have the time and the inclination). Add the honey after you take the drink off the stove.

What I find interesting about the hot toddy is that the ingredients are well known cold remedies, complete with anti-microbial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammation properties, as well as being high in vitamin C. While the whiskey seems unintuitive, it does provide an analgesic and sedative effect. The origin of the Toddy itself is colorful as well. “Toddy” is an Indian word used to describe a juice extracted from palm trees, and according to Wikipedia it is believed the drink was popularized in the west via Scotland as far back as the 18th century. Through time, hot toddy became a more generic term for warm drinks with a blend of curative spices and spirits (usually whiskey, brandy or rum), but there remains disagreement as to whether the drink is Scottish or Irish in origin.

Cloves

Cloves were one of the first spices to be traded, dating back many centuries. Their origin is the Molucca Islands of Indonesia and the Southern Philippines, and they are now grown in Tanzania and Madagascar. It is known throughout most of the world as a panacea, and is used to treat everything from acne and diarrhea, to toothaches and nausea. The traditional clove-studded orange was originally created to be a natural bug repellent. Its oil has antiseptic qualities, as well as being known for its analgesic, antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral and stimulating properties.

Lemons

Lemons are very high in vitamin C and calcium, as well as providing liver support and enhancing bile production, (this helps your body clear toxins). Traditionally lemon has been a key ingredient in most folk remedies, and is used to treat colds, flus, digestive problems, halitosis, rheumatism, asthma, fatigue, and headaches.

Ginger

Ginger has been used as a traditional medicine for over 4,000 years, and has been a prized rhizome in Asian, Indian, Arabic and Chinese cultures for centuries. It too is used to treat digestive upset, headaches, colds, flus, and inflammatory conditions like arthritis and ulcerative colitis. It is anti-fungal, antimicrobial, and anti-viral, and is known to thin the blood and help reduce cholesterol. (Make note of this if you are in blood thinners or take a lot of aspirin as it can lead to clotting issues).

Honey*

Honey has been used historically as a remedy all over the world. The antimicrobial elements of honey are widely known, but few people realize why. Despite being 40% Fructose and 30% glucose, honey is acidic and anaerobic. Bacteria (which usually incites a reproductive free-for-all in sugar environments), cannot thrive in honey. Honey also contains glucose oxidase, which when combined with water and oxygen converts to gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide – giving it antiseptic properties. Honey is known far and wide for it’s wound healing properties and its ability to soothe sore and inflamed tissue, and can be used for everything from sore throats to pink eye and psoriasis.

So there you have it – a hot toddy! Enjoy this warming winter drink through the darkest days of winter and be well!

*A few side notes about honey in general – not all honey is equal. There is a vast difference in the types of honey available and the manufacturing process itself. To derive the greatest medicinal benefits from honey, purchase only the most local and the least processed options. The heat exposure in mass manufacturing cheap honey changes both the bioavailability of nutrients and even the glycemic reaction to blood sugar. Honey is not safe for children under the age of one because of some of the enzymatic reactions that can take place in an immature intestinal floral environment, and it can lead to infant botulism.