The new cookbook from Eric and Sanae (Love, Eric and Sanae) has some really yummy looking food in it, so this was an additional recipe that I experimented with over the weekend. The topping is a sundried tomato and basil aioli sauce. I put my hijiki dish over fresh tatsoi from the Saturday Farmer's Market at Kapi'olani Community College drizzled with some shiitake vinaigrette.
Monday, September 17, 2007
cinnamon rolls
So the raisins I had sitting on my counter fermented into this bubbly stuff. Very fascinating to watch!! I kneaded the dough and let it rise overnight, but it may have needed a warmer spot so that it could have risen a bit more. I also forgot to add the cinnamon (ha ha) and may have left them in the oven a pinch too long, but they still tasted good. It's always good to try something new and then next time around, I will make them better!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Trying some fermentation
When I went to the KI this summer, I finally purchased this great book about fermenting (Wild Fermentation I think it's called) that everyone raves about, with recipes for things like honey wine, kimchee, amazake, and much more. I also received this amazing book called Macrobiotic Breads and Sweets as a gift from a Japanese friend last summer that I decided to finally delve into. Deco Nakajima, the author, provides the recipes in English as well as Japanese, and many of the breads are started with traditional starters. So I have a bottle of raisins and water sitting on my counter that I open once a day for 2 to 4 days, and then I will make it either into a raisin loaf (hard crusty bread baked in the oven with a brick) or perhaps some azuki bean and raisin cinnamon rolls. We'll see. I'm excited to try these new methods that I've not yet explored. Hopefully, I can post a picture if it's successful!! There is also a recipe for mugwort and azuki bean bagles. That sounds soooo good. Not sure where to buy powdered mugwort around Hawaii though.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
plum perfect
I was messing around with new recipes and this was the result. I spiced it with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. YUMMY! It was delicious for breakfast.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Butterflies on the echinacea
When I was looking at all the flowers on the Kushi Institute grounds, I was amazed to see the butterflies on the echinacea. Sometimes, nature just grabs you and doesn't let you go, holding you in her mystery. I love that feeling of wonder and how such simple pleasures tug on your heart and make you feel so happy to be alive.
Flowers at the KI
When you arrive at the grounds of the Kushi Institute, you see all the summer flowers in bloom. Living in Hawaii, we don't get to see all these varieties, and it made me feel nostalgic for growing up in Idaho.
Lunch at the KI
Before I left the KI for the Summer Conference, I managed to take a photo of one of the meals that was very yummy. This was a white bean salad, nishime kabocha squash, brown rice onigiri, greens, and some fantastic pickles. Their home made pickles there totally rocked my world.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Breakfast with Sanae
On this final morning before heading off to get ready for the summer conference, I had a wonderfully simple and satisfying breakfast of brown rice and quinoa hot cereal, greens, apple sauce and miso soup. I shared the table with Sanae (of the incredible cookbooks Love, Eric and Love, Eric and Sanae) and heard about her retreat that they do in Yosemite. I'm planning to check it out. She's the sweetest person!! Her husband, Eric, sometimes cooks for Sting and Madonna. They also have a cafe in their home on an occasional basis (once a week, or once a month?? I forgot what she said) where they prepare the meal for people and eat by candlelight as a way to protect the environment. I'll post their website info soon so people can go and look at it.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Greetings from the Kushi Institute
I have been up at the KI now for a few days enjoying a little bit of R and R before the summer conference begins. I'm getting lots of rest, eating 3 gorgeous meals a day, going for walks through the forested roads, taking in the fresh mtn air, and trying to do yoga when I can. Level 4 is going on, and I do wish I could take this level while here!
Tonight's dinner was marinated tempeh with carrot sauce, hijiki with sauteed onions, greens, two types of homemade daikon pickles, and a brown rice salad with vegetables. It was so satisying.
I'll be off to set up for the conference on Tuesday and to check out the Boston area. Hopefully I can post pictures of some things soon.
Tonight's dinner was marinated tempeh with carrot sauce, hijiki with sauteed onions, greens, two types of homemade daikon pickles, and a brown rice salad with vegetables. It was so satisying.
I'll be off to set up for the conference on Tuesday and to check out the Boston area. Hopefully I can post pictures of some things soon.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Bharadvajasana 1
Yoga students Sarah Myhre, left, and Leslie Ashburn show Bharadvajasana 1, Stage 1.
(Pose Dedicated to a Sage) » This sitting twist relieves lower back pain and increases the spine's suppleness. Regular practice helps tone the kidneys and increases the range of movement in the shoulders. Here, we present the first stage of the pose. People who are unable to sit on the floor can do the chair twists we have shown in earlier exercises.
1. Sit on the floor with the legs straight (dandasana).
2. Fold your legs to the left with the front of your left ankle resting in the arch of the right foot.
3. Keep your knees close to each other and sit the left buttock on the right heel. If your pelvis tilts down to the right, raise the right buttock on a folded blanket or two. The pelvis should be level.
4. Keeping your buttocks down, lift your trunk as you inhale, then exhale and turn to the right. Hold your right knee with your left hand and take the right hand onto the floor behind your left buttock.
5. Use your arms to help you turn your trunk to the right. Use the breath. As you inhale, lift your trunk, exhale and turn. Keep your chest open and your shoulder blades down and into the back. Gaze over your right shoulder. Stay for up to a minute then return to the center. Straighten your legs and repeat to the other side, reversing the directions.
Ray Madigan and Shelley Choy are certified Iyengar Yoga teachers and co-direct the Manoa Yoga Center at Manoa Marketplace. Visit www.manoayoga.com or call 382-3910. Manoa Yoga Center, the authors, and the Star-Bulletin take no responsibility for any injury arising from the practice of these yoga postures. Readers should seek a doctor's approval before commencing this yoga practice.
starbulletin.com/2007/07/15/features/yoga.html
(Pose Dedicated to a Sage) » This sitting twist relieves lower back pain and increases the spine's suppleness. Regular practice helps tone the kidneys and increases the range of movement in the shoulders. Here, we present the first stage of the pose. People who are unable to sit on the floor can do the chair twists we have shown in earlier exercises.
1. Sit on the floor with the legs straight (dandasana).
2. Fold your legs to the left with the front of your left ankle resting in the arch of the right foot.
3. Keep your knees close to each other and sit the left buttock on the right heel. If your pelvis tilts down to the right, raise the right buttock on a folded blanket or two. The pelvis should be level.
4. Keeping your buttocks down, lift your trunk as you inhale, then exhale and turn to the right. Hold your right knee with your left hand and take the right hand onto the floor behind your left buttock.
5. Use your arms to help you turn your trunk to the right. Use the breath. As you inhale, lift your trunk, exhale and turn. Keep your chest open and your shoulder blades down and into the back. Gaze over your right shoulder. Stay for up to a minute then return to the center. Straighten your legs and repeat to the other side, reversing the directions.
Ray Madigan and Shelley Choy are certified Iyengar Yoga teachers and co-direct the Manoa Yoga Center at Manoa Marketplace. Visit www.manoayoga.com or call 382-3910. Manoa Yoga Center, the authors, and the Star-Bulletin take no responsibility for any injury arising from the practice of these yoga postures. Readers should seek a doctor's approval before commencing this yoga practice.
starbulletin.com/2007/07/15/features/yoga.html
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Fertility and Diet
Low-Fat Dairy Products Linked to Increased Infertility Risk
A new study found low-fat dairy product consumption is linked to an increased risk of infertility. A total of 18,555 premenopausal women from the Nurses’ Health Study II who attempted a
pregnancy or became pregnant between 1991 and 1999 were evaluated for the association between dairy products and infertility. Women who consumed two or more servings per day of low-fat dairy products had 1.85 times the risk for infertility. While total dairy product intake
was not associated with an increased risk of infertility, the majority of fat in dairy products is saturated fat, which is linked to increased cholesterol, insulin resistance, overweight and obesity, and other health problems.
Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner B, Willet WC. A prospective study of dairy foods intake and anovulatory infertility. Hum Reprod. 2007;22(5):1340-1347.
Meat-Eating Moms Have Less-Fertile Sons
A new study in Human Reproduction finds that a pregnant woman’s meat consumption can reduce her future son’s sperm count. Researchers at the University of Rochester in New York analyzed the relationship between various sperm parameters of 387 men and the eating
habits of their mothers from the Study for Future Families. The more beef a mother consumed, the lower her son’s sperm concentration. Sperm count was 24 percent higher in men whose mothers consumed less beef. The difference may be due to steroid hormones found in animal products. Six hormones are commonly used in the United States to induce increased growth and development in cows, and measurable levels are routinely present in the animals’ muscle,
fat, liver, kidneys, and other organs. Cattle raised without extra hormones still have significant hormone levels in their tissues because of endogenous hormone production, and the nutrient profile of animal products tends to elevate hormone levels in the human body.
Swan SH, Liu F, Overstreet JW, Brazil C, Skakkebaek NE. Semen quality of fertile US males in relation to their mothers’ beef consumption during pregnancy. Hum Reprod. Advance access published on March 28, 2007
A new study found low-fat dairy product consumption is linked to an increased risk of infertility. A total of 18,555 premenopausal women from the Nurses’ Health Study II who attempted a
pregnancy or became pregnant between 1991 and 1999 were evaluated for the association between dairy products and infertility. Women who consumed two or more servings per day of low-fat dairy products had 1.85 times the risk for infertility. While total dairy product intake
was not associated with an increased risk of infertility, the majority of fat in dairy products is saturated fat, which is linked to increased cholesterol, insulin resistance, overweight and obesity, and other health problems.
Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner B, Willet WC. A prospective study of dairy foods intake and anovulatory infertility. Hum Reprod. 2007;22(5):1340-1347.
Meat-Eating Moms Have Less-Fertile Sons
A new study in Human Reproduction finds that a pregnant woman’s meat consumption can reduce her future son’s sperm count. Researchers at the University of Rochester in New York analyzed the relationship between various sperm parameters of 387 men and the eating
habits of their mothers from the Study for Future Families. The more beef a mother consumed, the lower her son’s sperm concentration. Sperm count was 24 percent higher in men whose mothers consumed less beef. The difference may be due to steroid hormones found in animal products. Six hormones are commonly used in the United States to induce increased growth and development in cows, and measurable levels are routinely present in the animals’ muscle,
fat, liver, kidneys, and other organs. Cattle raised without extra hormones still have significant hormone levels in their tissues because of endogenous hormone production, and the nutrient profile of animal products tends to elevate hormone levels in the human body.
Swan SH, Liu F, Overstreet JW, Brazil C, Skakkebaek NE. Semen quality of fertile US males in relation to their mothers’ beef consumption during pregnancy. Hum Reprod. Advance access published on March 28, 2007
Friday, July 06, 2007
Benefits of Sea Vegetables
Sea vegetables are virtually fat-free, low calorie and one of the richest sources of minerals in the vegetable kingdom as they have ready access to the abundance of minerals found in the ocean. Sea water and human blood contain many of the same minerals in very similar concentrations. Sea vegetables contain high amounts of calcium and phosphorous and are extremely high in magnesium, iron, iodine and sodium. One of seaweed's most prominent health benefits is its ability to remove radioactive substances and other heavy metals from our bodies. Components of the sea vegetables bind with the toxins in the intestines rendering them indigestible and carry them out of the system. Nori is exceptionally high in vitamin A and protein. Types of sea vegetables include arame, hijiki, agar-agar, wakame, kombu, nori, sea palm, and dulse.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
yoga weekend
spent this past weekend doing a yoga workshop at Manoa Yoga taught by John Leebold from Australia. It was really fun, and I'm a bit sore! Good challenge.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
The baby making grain
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked. Quinoa is available in your local health food stores throughout the year. Most commonly considered a grain, quinoa is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. It is a recently rediscovered ancient "grain" once considered "the gold of the Incas." Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa's amino acid profile well-balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake. Quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because it's a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorous, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.
While teaching a cooking class about health and vitality about a year ago, this woman told me a GREAT story about her father who was in his 70's at the time this happened. They are Chilean, and the father was coming into the US. He had just fathered a baby and was trying to bring the baby with him into the US, but Customs denied permission saying he couldn't possibly be the father due to his age. He told them, "I am not like Americans. I do not eat hamburgers. I'm from CHILE. We eat QUINOA!"
While teaching a cooking class about health and vitality about a year ago, this woman told me a GREAT story about her father who was in his 70's at the time this happened. They are Chilean, and the father was coming into the US. He had just fathered a baby and was trying to bring the baby with him into the US, but Customs denied permission saying he couldn't possibly be the father due to his age. He told them, "I am not like Americans. I do not eat hamburgers. I'm from CHILE. We eat QUINOA!"
Monday, June 04, 2007
The Four Directions
My expression of gratitude goes out to SM at Rainbow Healing Hawaii for a reminder about the Great Spirit. The practice below is something that I will enjoy incorporating more of in my life.
When a Native American prays to the four directions, it is a prayer to the spirits of the world, to life and the Great Spirit that encompasses the four directions and everything that is. The Medicine Wheel is a symbol that incorporates the four directions. Its spokes point east, south, west, and north. The four quarters are colored red, yellow, black, and white representing the races of man, the seasons, and the stages of life from childhood to old age. The circle is the earth, the moon and the planets. It is the circle of life and all creation.
The simplicity of the symbol is profound. It is four directions. One could divide the world into 8 points of a compass, 360 degrees, or an infinite number of directions, but four is perfect. We humans KNOW four directions. We see forward, but not back, and facing forward we have two sides. Four directions are part of our biology and our psychology. They are archetypes of the highest order. As such they are powerful carriers of symbolic meaning.
Native American traditions may vary somewhat in the terms they use to describe the meaning of the four directions, but the sources of the meaning are the same.
East is where the sun rises. The eastern spirit of sun or fire brings warmth and light. It is the place of beginnings. Its light brings wisdom. It is the power of knowledge.
South is the sun at its highest point. It is the direction from where warm winds blow. South is the spirit of earth, the power of life. It represents peace and renewal.
West is the spirit of water. It is the direction from which darkness comes. It is the power of change, the place of dreams, introspection and the unknown. The west signifies purity and strength.
North is the spirit of wind. The cold wind blows from the north. It is the power of wisdom. Here we take time to reflect on what we began in the east, in the morning, in our youth.
Practice:
Take time to make the world your sacred place. Stand in the middle of the circle of life and give thanks to the four directions. Take your time and attune to the spirit and power of each direction. Look at the gifts each direction gives you. Learn and appreciate the symbols for each direction, but then move out of the abstraction of the symbols and make it personal. Deepen your relationship with the four directions and with the whole of life they form together.Face east and give thanks for the warmth of the sun and the coming new day. Pray for the power of knowledge.
Face south and give thanks for the gift of life on this moist earth. Pray for the power to grow. Pray for peace in the world.
Face west and give thanks for the water of life. Pray for purity and strength. Pray for self understanding.
Face north and give thanks for the great white cleansing wind. Pray for the wisdom of experience.
from http://www.interluderetreat.com/meditate/4direct.htm
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