Vitamin C: Communication!

For one week every summer of my childhood, I attended a multi-generational retreat called UUMAC. Of course there was official programming, "camp outings" to the local attractions like six-flags and white water rafting, and evening entertainment (I served as DJ for a few years in a row). Think Dirty Dancing but for Unitarian Universalists. (Fun fact: that's where I met my partner Dillan!) It was a blast, yes, but most importantly it was a week of face-to-face relationship building communication with all kinds of folks. This was the kind of communication that goes far beyond "how are ya?" and "gosh, there was so much traffic today." It was communication about beliefs, experiences, values, and feelings.

There was a core youth group of about a dozen beautiful individuals whom I would see once a year at UUMAC every summer throughout high school. Those were the years when no one seemed to understand us back home, but these relationships fueled me throughout the year. We all went on with our lives after high school, went to universities all over the East Coast, then moved to Colorado or Massachusetts or wherever. Some of us have gotten married, bought houses, had babies, just generally continued on our respective paths.

The UUMAC Youth, +/- a few, all grown up. Sort of.

Last week I traveled from Boston to Northern Virginia for my first UUMAC reunion in almost a decade. I was so grateful that so many of us prioritized this time, and traveled all those miles, just for the sake of our little community. I have to admit that I was nervous. These people were at the center of my world during my adolescence, but that was years ago. I have grown and changed, and I was sure they had too. It's a big commitment to spend a weekend with 'strangers'. But the visit proved to be even more meaningful than I could have imagined. Despite some serious sleep deprivation and a major change to my usual food routine, I came home feeling energized and renewed.

There were hugs, games, laughing, creativity, and even a dance party. There was also A LOT of catching up to do. We spent one night basically recounting the last 10 years of our lives into the wee hours of the morning. I was reminded: living out loud allows others to do the same. Most of us started out with the basics, but as we felt safer and remembered that bond from years ago, we got more real-- and that's where the magic happens. I noticed that as I shared intimately about the more vulnerable or confusing parts of my recent decade, I heard others share similar hardships or experiences. Even though some of us are taught to "keep it together" or "not to air our dirty laundry" I find that sharing openly in a safe space can bloom into a really precious exchange.

Beauty is in the balance. Yes, the weekend was lots of fun. But real joy happens when we have both the yin and yang. The laughter and the tears. If we hadn't made time for the hard stuff, the laughter wouldn't have felt nearly as light and the connections not nearly so deep. So I was grateful that no one shied away from those hard parts. Instead those moments were met with hugs and warmth.

When we can share our experiences and make the space for others to do so we can be fed at a very deep level, fortified with vitamin C (C for communication!) It's so amazing how both listening and being heard can feed us. Of course we should practice using our voice and communicating our ideas and feelings. It's the listening that more of us struggle with. I don't always do it perfectly, but I know when I practice mindful listening without needing to fix or have the right response or reaction I feel centered and present.

I'll encourage you to seek your own "Vitamin C" in the safe spaces in your lives, with old friends, new friends, a therapist, or your health coach. It looks different for each of us. Sometimes it may be challenging or messy. Sometimes we feel grossly unprepared or ill-equipped. Sometimes we don't want to brag, or be a downer, and we feel like "no one wants to hear about this stuff anyway." Some are trying to communicate around that big dark road block called aphasia, or a voice disorder. But I'll encourage you to just do your best anyway and experience the results.

Spice Up Your Plate

I love recipes. There was a time when I used to be so committed to recipes to guide, or shall I say dictate, my cooking that I was lost without one. Now that I have spent more time in the kitchen learning what works for my palate and my patience, I feel confident taking more liberties with my recipes. Recipes still play a very important role for me, however they are now more of a guide or inspiration than a instruction manual.
I've pretty much got the 'food' part down when orchestrating a meal. I know I want to have some greens, some plant based fiber, some healthy fats, and protein (either plant or animal derived). I want to limit the processed elements, and most importantly I want it to be lip smacking delicious. You can't really go wrong with this formula, but whole foods with limited chemical flavors and extra ingredients can be 'bland' to the Standard American Palate. That's why the Universe has given us SPICES.
Using spices effectively continues to be an area of growth for me, as it is for many people. But the more I experiment the more confidence I drum up.

It's not just decoration! We use our spice rack everyday. We've even customized it with the spices that we use most often. I mean, who actually uses "Pizza Seasoning" and "Crushed Mint" in everyday cooking?

My Tips for Spicing Up Your Plate:
1. Do your research: Google search a few different versions of the recipe that you are attempting. If you are making chicken and rice soup, see what spice combos and ratios come up most often in different cook's renditions.
2. Stick with the same spice 'family': think about recipes you've used before. You will often see bay leaves, thyme, and basil together. Where there is chili powder there is often cumin. Indian dishes (some of the most spice-tastic of all) like curry, cardamom, ginger, turmeric etc...
3. Steer clear of seasoning mixes: they often have lots of salt. And don't get me wrong, salt is a beautiful thing, but you can add that at the end.
4. Don't be shy! if you skimp on your amounts, you may not taste it at all. Also, keep your spice supply fresh because as they age spices lose some potency.

And if you needed more reasons to spice up your plate, check out this review of a new study out of Penn State which demonstrated that meals rich in antioxidant spices resulted in significantly lower presence of triglycerides and insulin levels in the body after a meal. This is an important finding because it could lower heart disease and diabetes risk. That's some delicious science!

Whole Wheat Morning Glory Muffins

Breakfast can be tough to manage for us regular humans. Five out of seven days each week most of us are rushing out the door, rubbing sleepies from our eyes, and trailing coats, scarves and phone chargers. But that's no excuse for missing the most important meal of the day! A healthful breakfast will jump start our metabolism and give us energy throughout the morning, helping us avoid reaching for coffee or sugar at 9 or 10am.


Who doesn't love a delicious breakfast muffin? But those Dunkin' drive-throughs are dangerous - find lots of sugar and preservatives in their treats. 


Try this Make-Ahead Breakfast Solution. These morning glory muffins are great toasted with butter, or nut (almond or peanut) butter. Freeze half your batch to last longer. I modified the Whole Foods recipe by substituting the sugar and brown sugar with honey (read more about the benefits of honey over refined sugar here). 


Whole Wheat Morning Glory Muffins

1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour 
1/2 cup of honey 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
2 eggs 
2/3 cup canola oil 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 Fuji apple, cored, peeled and diced 
1/2 cup seedless raisins 
1/2 cup grated carrots 
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped 
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dried flaked unsweetened coconut, divided 

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, honey, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, eggs, oil and vanilla, then add to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Add apples, raisins, carrots, walnuts and 1/4 cup of the coconut and stir gently until well combined. 

Spoon batter into 16 paper-lined muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 full. Top evenly with remaining 4 teaspoons coconut and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Hey Honey!

Boston Honey Company:
 my favorite local honey people

So now you know more about how reducing your sugar intake could benefit your health (see my previous post about sugar here), but also that sweetness and sweet flavors are an important part of a balanced life and diet. Luckily there are a number of natural and possibly less toxic alternatives to highly processed white sugar such as sweet fruits (which have naturally occurring fructose) maple syrup, and honey. Honey is still a form of sugar, but unlike highly refined white sugar, it can be consumed in a more raw and natural form and has a number of beneficial components. According to the The National Honey Board (a federal research and promotion board under USDA oversight):

"Honey is composed primarily of carbohydrates (natural sugars) and water, as well as trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. Providing 17 grams of carbohydrates and 64 calories per tablespoon, honey is an all-natural sweetener without any added ingredients.

Honey also contains a variety of flavonoids and phenolic acids, which act as antioxidants, scavenging and eliminating free radicals. Generally, darker honeys have higher antioxidant content than lighter honeys." 

Additionally some people find that eating raw local honey improves their seasonal allergy symptoms.

Now, we are not talking about the honey that comes in that adorable plastic bear. While cute, and reminiscent of my childhood, that honey is highly processed, can have extra fillers and ingredients, and is likely NOT local (many times from Asia). Local, raw, and organic honey can be found at your farmers market or in health food stores and sometimes in conventional grocery stores (just check the label).

Enjoy it, honey!

Sugar's Effect on the Body and Brain

Sweetness is an important part of life, in our diets, our personal endeavors,  and in our relationships. The sweetness in life is an important counterpart to the sour and bitterness of life. According to Macrobiotic Philosophy, sugar has "yin" or contractive qualities, which balances our "yang" or expansive qualities.

We have all heard that too much sugar is "bad for us" and that as a society we are consuming "too much sugar." A nasty combination. Yes, sugar has “empty calories” and can contribute to weight gain, but I'd like to shed some light on some of the less talked about reasons we might want to reduce the amount of sugar we eat. 

·      Sugar can suppress the immune system and feed bacteria and fungi (such as candida or yeast) in the body. (4)

·      Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium, which can contribute to osteoporosis

·      Sugar can promote insulin resistance which can lead to Type 2 Diabetes (1)

·      Sugar contributes to obesity, because it has a high caloric content with no nutritional value leaving your body 'hungry' (1)

·      Sugar can raise blood levels of triglycerides which increases cholesterol and heart disease risk (3)

·      Sugar can impact ability to concentrate, especially in children

·      Chronic high blood sugar can contribute to Alzheimer's Disease (2)

·      Sugar has addictive qualities, similar to cocaine!

·      And many many more….

Consider how much refined sugar and added sugar you are putting in your body each day or week. What would your health be like if you reduced your sugar intake?

1. http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/err100/err100.pdf  USDA document suggesting the initiation of taxes on Sweetened Beverages

2. Alzheimers and High Blood Sugar

 http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201109/alzheimers-and-high-blood-sugar

3. Is Sugar Toxic? NYTimes April 2010  

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html?pagewanted=all

4. 10 Immune Boosters and Busters WebMD  http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/10-immune-system-busters-boosters

Butternut Squash and Kale Casserole

People in my life are very starkly split on the issue of "Chain Emails." But I recently got one that I just had to participate in: A Recipe Exchange. I thought to myself, what a great way for us to share information and encourage each other to experiment with food and home cooking. Recipes can make cooking feel 'safer,' but at the end of the day, it's just food! I will share my recipe with you.

Butternut Squash and Kale Casserole


This recipe originally called for 1lb of cooked penne pasta. I modified to make it more nutrient dense. But if you want it to spread out, try adding whole wheat or gluten free pasta before mixing/baking.


1 bunch of kale, ribs removed and chopped
1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped
3 hot italian sausages, casings removed
1 medium onion
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or more to taste!)
1 cup milk
2 tbs butter
1 1/2 cups grated asiago cheese
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper
 
Preheat oven to 350 deg. Heat olive oil in a deep pot (med-high), add onion and sausage to cook till translucent/slightly browned. Add butternut squash and 1/2 cup water, cook until nearly tender. Add kale, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook several more mins until kale is tender. Combine squash and kale mixture with milk and butter. Pour into large casserole dish. Top with grated cheese. Bake 20 mins until cheese is bubbly.

Is it really more expensive to shop organic?

This question is often on my mind. When I talk to friends and acquaintances who don't shop exclusively organic/local/natural, they will often comment about how they only buy organic when they want a special treat or how organic food is only for the wealthy. I disagree!

Organic/local food is more food for your dollar.  By eating more organic food you are investing in your health by limiting the amount of toxic chemicals exposed to your body. You are also taking part in protecting the environment, water supply, and sustainable farming.

Local foods, especially produce, has travelled fewer miles and spent less time in a dark truck, road tripping across the country (or the world!). Foods that are grown closer to home can be picked at peak freshness and therefore have more fully developed nutrition.

My friend Liz helped me with an experiment (thanks Liz!). As we both learn more about how to keep ourselves healthy we often talk about our healthy cooking adventures. She shopped at her local Conventional Grocery Store for one week of groceries. The next week the shopped at the nearby Whole Foods. She shared that her grocery bills were comparable, about $120 each trip, for one week of meals for herself and her hubby. AND she got herself a delicious lunch from the hot bar at Whole Foods.

My organic groceries, total: $85.77, including most of the ingredients for a curry dish, turkey chili, wheat free pasta bake, and green breakfast smoothies for one week.

Some folks seek health coaching with this exact goal in mind: feeding themselves or their family healthful food on a budget. With some savvy shopping, a commitment to home cooking, and a plan, organic and whole food shopping can be affordable and do-able. Promise. If you need support around healthy shopping and cooking contact me for a health history to learn more!