Leslie on OC16

I was recently on OC16's TV program called Career Changers.

Check out my segment on their You Tube Channel where I demo how to make a healthy holiday Quinoa Pilaf:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CareerChangersTV#p/u/1/3tGSrg0pu80

Plant-based "Made in Hawaii" Potluck, Oct 15th

I just spent the afternoon shopping and preparing a few dishes for the "Made in Hawaii" potluck my friend Joy and I are hosting tonight. It was difficult to choose what to make because so many ideas flew into my mind while all the veggies simultaneously flew into the shopping cart. Approximately $100 later and I was on my way!!! I have a hard time with restraint when it comes to quality ingredients. :-) (But I will choose quality ingredients over other treats any time.)

I had a hard time with the flavor of the oil that I picked up (which shall remain unnamed) so my executive decision was to change to olive oil and use some balsamic vinegar too. Those were the only non-local ingredients in these dishes.

One of the items that I'd like to incorporate into a dessert is some kona coffee.... How to do this vegan style??? Hmmm...... Ok will work on that.

Here are some of the things that I was working with.....

Chinese cabbage, red radish, daikon, asparagus, basil, thyme, mint, lemon, orange, strawberry, lilikoi, tomato, Waialua chocolate, Japanese cucumbers, mac nuts, beets, beet greens, kale, and arugula.

Cold French Lentil Salad

My friend Kathy turned me onto this dish that combines French lentils with fennel. I have to admit, even though I am adventurous, I was at first a little bit skeptical, until I tasted it.

The flavors exploded in my mouth, and boy, did I change my mind quickly! It was absolutely stunning!

It was so good that I immediately decided to highlight this recipe in my Grains and Beans cooking class.

When I took out the fennel, everyone got nervous and squirmed a little bit in their seats (kinda like how I had too). I could see them looking at me and thinking, "What is she about to do?!"

Here everything is ready and we are just about to eat.

(photos by Ruth)

The final recipe looks like this (below) and it comes from Vegetarian Times.

Adventures in Gluten-Free Baking

Sooooo many people have asked me to make gluten-free goodies, and I have honestly just resisted. Wheat is just so yummy and makes such delectable desserts. Well, I'm operating outside my comfort zone now, just experimenting, and so far the results are not bad! Possibly even truly delicious. Behold the Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, and the Thumbprint Cookies. (I started baking on a whim and didn't have any apricot jam, so I improvised). I have to thank Lorraine for giving me a GREAT cookbook to get me going.

Heirloom Bean Soup

Sunday's cooking class is all about soups! This heirloom bean mix will be used in one of our soups that I'll demonstrate, seasoned simply with sea salt, veggies, diced tomatoes, and some herbs.

Cheesy Melty Vegan Lasagna

I'm recipe testing for future classes, and I put together a vegan lasagna that looks like it turned out pretty good.

Recent Photos from the Bento Cooking Class

photos by Paul Herchig

Photos from the Lunch: Wraps & Spreads cooking class

Thanks again to Ruth for sharing her photos from the afternoon cooking class! I had some help rolling everything up for everyone so that we could move on to the next recipe. Looking forward to next week's class, Lunch: Gourmet Bento Box Items

Cooking Class: Adjusting to Warm Weather and Tropical Climates

The recipes taught in Saturday's Cooking Class (that's 4/17/2010) will be:

• Corn Chowder
  
• Mediterranean Style Barley Salad
• Fresh Chickpea Salad
  
• Asian Salad with Sesame Dressing
• Red and Green Mixed Veggies
• Glazed Pineapple and Strawberries

Sound good? Come join us!

For more info, and to register go to Leslie's website

Warren Kramer Seminar

After coming for the first time in October of 2009, Warren Kramer, an internationally renowned senior macrobiotic educator and health counselor will be back to teach us more!

Enjoy a variety of ways to participate, including:

Lectures/Cooking Classes The goal of practicing macrobiotics is freedom and happiness. Without our health, we are not free to live our lives as we wish. Macrobiotic education teaches principles we can use to guide our own lives. Yin and Yang, or the complementary and antagonistic aspect of all of life, are at the core of much of macrobiotic education. It is the study of change.

Lectures will include:

1) Myths and Misconceptions About Macrobiotics and Nutrition $30, Thursday April 15, 7 to 9 pm

2) How to See Your Health; The Art of Visual Diagnosis $30, Friday April 16, 7 to 9 pm

3) Application of the Five Transformation Theory to Discharge Past Foods $30, Saturday April 17, 9:30 to 11:30 am

4) Fifty Ways to Love Your Liver $30, Sunday April 18, 1:30 to 4:30 pm

Cooking Class will be:

Seasonal Cooking for Warm Weather and Tropical Climates $50, Saturday April 17, 1:30 to 4:30 pm

Click on the lecture or cooking class title above to learn more and to pay. It will take you to a separate page with the course description and PayPal button.

Health Consultations Schedule a one-on-one meeting with Warren Kramer to discuss your particular needs and to receive individualized recommendations for how to strengthen or regain your health.Your recommendations are specific to you and based on macrobiotic principles of health and well-being. A limited number of personal consultations with Warren are available. They can be scheduled Wednesday (the 14th), Thursday (the 15th), Friday (the 16th), and Sunday (the 18th) and will be held at a private residence in Manoa.

Health Consultation Prices and Details

All classes will be held at Pan American MOA Foundation, 3510 Nuuanu Pali Drive Please see Leslie's website for all the payment and registration details

Easy Whole Foods Cooking for Busy People (8-week series)

Easy Whole Foods Cooking for Busy People (8-week series)
**discounted class fee!**

When: Begins May 2nd
Taught by: Leslie Ashburn
Fee: $160/series; $30/class

Are you interested in healthy eating but not quite sure how to practice it? Are you overwhelmed by the task of cooking for your family?

This is the cooking class for you.

This 8-week series is intended to provide a very approachable and affordable way to commit to your cooking journey.

Leslie's vegan macrobiotic cooking classes are for people who seek a healthier lifestyle and a natural approach to diet and healing. Learn how to bring more balance, flexibility, and joy into your life through the power of food. In each class, you will discover the importance and health benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet. Only the freshest, organic, seasonal ingredients are used in a variety of sumptuous and enticing ways. The recipes shared in the class are easy to prepare, even if you have just a little bit of cooking experience.

Classes include an introductory lecture, demonstration, recipes and educational material. The atmosphere is casual, interactive, and friendly. All questions welcomed during the cooking classes. We sit down to enjoy a delicious taste of the food, followed by cooperative cleanup.

Series includes recipes for:
grains
beans
sea veggies
greens
root veggies
round/ground veggies
soup
dessert

Early Registration is required. The entire series is $160. You can sign up ala carte for $30/class.

Sacred Kitchen

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Originally uploaded by macro808

The energy you approach your cooking with will be translated into the food as it's prepared. They say the kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home because cooking is the highest art. The food we eat creates our health and consciousness.

The kitchen is also where I spend a lot of my time since cooking yummy vegan macrobiotic food and teaching is my job. I want the area to look beautiful and be a sacred space. When I walk into the kitchen, there are items that evoke positive feelings for me such as peace, abundance, and beauty. For example, we have milagros from Peru, Chinese good luck coins and characters, bowls filled with organic produce, organic teas, and symbols of longevity, prosperity, and welcome.

Sacred Kitchen 2

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Originally uploaded by macro808

Here is another photo of the kitchen. What kind of feelings does it give you? Leave your comments!

Offerings

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Originally uploaded by macro808

I like to offer a space for sacred and devotional items in the kitchen.

Cooking for the Changing Seasons

Dan and I were just saying yesterday that we can feel a change in the weather. Have you felt this too?

Although it's still quite warm, we can start introducing a little bit of fall cooking to ease our bodies into slightly cooler weather.

Fall Cooking Style (From Aveline Kushi's Complete Guide to Macrobiotic Cooking)

During the late summer, energy begins to flow downward until it becomes very condensed by late autumn. The change from hot to cool weather is often sudden. To mitigate this change, we can begin to adjust our diet in late summer by including more early fall squashes and root vegetables in our meals. In autumn, food is more plentiful than at other seasons. Just as the trees produce a multitude of yellows, golds, oranges, reds, browns, and light greens, these beautiful colors are found in the cornucopia of grains, beans, squashes, root vegetables, and autumn greens, such as kale, turnip greens, daikon tops, and cabbages. Many of the foods harvested in the fall have natural preservative qualities and can be stored for several months to be used through the cold winter and into the spring. Millet and round vegetables, such as onions, turnips, cabbages, and squashes, may be served more frequently in the late autumn months. During the summer months, the kidneys and bladder are often overworked because of an excess intake of liquids, fruits, raw foods, and salty snack items in an attempt to balance the extreme heat. In autumn, the results of this imbalance are experienced in colds, coughs, and other sicknesses of adjustment. Stronger cooking in autumn, as well as the change in weather, starts to discharge this excess. At this season, we can begin to introduce more rich tastes and styles of cooking into our menus, such as bean stews, fried or deep fried foods, creamy grain stews, sweet rice and mochi, hot amasake, and pureed squash soup and squash pies. Dishes can be prepared with longer cooking times and styles, such as long, slow nishime-style boiling, long time sautéing, or kinpira style braising. Vegetables may be cut in larger slices and chunks for longer, more slowly cooked dishes. Sea vegetable dishes can become hardier and include tempeh, dried tofu, or soybeans. In autumn, foods may start to be seasoned with a little more sea salt and a little more oil. The amount of raw foods served can be substantially reduced and dried or cooked fruits used more in preparing desserts.

Vegan Organic, Healthy, Sustainable Meals on Sundays!

Come out on Sunday to the new Haleiwa Farmer's Market and check out my booth, Macrobiotic Hawaii, by Leslie Ashburn for information about how macrobiotics provides a comprehensive and effective approach towards establishing and maintaining improved physical, mental, and spiritual health. Eat delicious, happy-to-be-alive vegan macrobiotic bentos that help you live your "great life".

If you want to "be green", macrobiotics is a great way to go!

Here are some reasons (from the Organic Consumer's Association) to eat more plant based food:

• Food accounts for 13% of all Greenhouse Gas emissions.
• Red meat and dairy are responsible for nearly half of all greenhouse gas emissions from food for an average U.S. household.
• Replacing red meat and dairy with chicken, fish, or eggs in your diet for one day per week reduces emissions equal to 760 miles per year of driving. (Imagine how eating more whole grains, beans, and vegetables would improve this number!!)
• Switching to vegetables one day per week cuts the equivalent of driving 1160 miles per year.

Support local farmers and small businesses:

I'm using Ma'o Organic Farm produce like salad greens, kale, parsley, and basil as well as Mrs. Cheng's nigari tofu. Yum!