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4 months ago
Showing posts with label eating local. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eating local. Show all posts
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Candida Cleanse: Day 8
After 1 week of my cleanse, I don't have that much to report. My die-off symptoms seem to have gone away for the most part (I still don't have the best appetite ever, but it's improving). I decided last night that after a full week of not having any fruit at all that I would let myself start eating fruit again and add a probiotic to my regimen. I was thrilled about my decision to eat fruit when I went to the farmer's market where they had beautiful Rainier cherries, and lush, red strawberries. Eating the myriad delicious local fruits that are available is my favorite thing about summer, so not getting to eat any was a bit like torture. I suppose if adding fruit to my diet causes my cleanse to fail miserably, I'll just wait until winter to try again.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Smoked Salmon and Apple Macaroni Salad
One of the best things about living in Seattle is the availability of amazing seafood. There is a booth at my local
farmers market where they always hand out samples of the most amazing smoked salmon I've ever tasted. This weekend, I decided that I would treat myself to some even though it's more expensive than I can usually spend.
Although I could quite happily eat it without anything else, I decided to whip something together with what I had in the kitchen. Like many of my recipes, this is more of a guideline than a true recipe. I didn't measure anything, so you just have to go with what tastes good.
Smoked Salmon and Apple Macaroni Salad
Elbow macaroni (I used gluten free quinoa pasta, but any will do)
Broccoli cut into bite-sized pieces
Smoked salmon cut into biteXsized pieces
Fuji (or any other variety of crisp apple that you like) apple sliced thinly and tossed in a small amount of lime juice to prevent browning
Olive oil (I recommend using a high quality one because it will greatly influence the flavor)
Balsamic vinegar (I used some that was infused with hot peppers and garlic)
Salt
Pepper
Dried basil
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. While boiling the pasta, you can steam the broccoli in the same pot if you have a steamer tray. Only steam the broccoli until it's bright green, then remove from heat to avoid over cooking. Drain pasta
In a large bowl, combine olive oil (you want enough to lightly coat everything, but not so much that your pasta is swimming in oil), salt, pepper, and basil to taste. You'll also want to add just a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Combine all other ingredients and toss until everything is lightly coated. Taste the pasta to make sure it's properly seasoned. Be aware that the smoked salmon will make everything a little saltier, so don't over-salt the pasta.
When it is seasoned the way you want it, refrigerate and eat chilled.
This recipe was so yummy that I ate every bite even though it was intended for 2 meals. The apple and salmon went together really well, plus the apples added a nice, crisp texture. I still have a lot of salmon left, so I will be making this again in the next couple of days.
farmers market where they always hand out samples of the most amazing smoked salmon I've ever tasted. This weekend, I decided that I would treat myself to some even though it's more expensive than I can usually spend.
Although I could quite happily eat it without anything else, I decided to whip something together with what I had in the kitchen. Like many of my recipes, this is more of a guideline than a true recipe. I didn't measure anything, so you just have to go with what tastes good.
Smoked Salmon and Apple Macaroni Salad
Elbow macaroni (I used gluten free quinoa pasta, but any will do)
Broccoli cut into bite-sized pieces
Smoked salmon cut into biteXsized pieces
Fuji (or any other variety of crisp apple that you like) apple sliced thinly and tossed in a small amount of lime juice to prevent browning
Olive oil (I recommend using a high quality one because it will greatly influence the flavor)
Balsamic vinegar (I used some that was infused with hot peppers and garlic)
Salt
Pepper
Dried basil
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. While boiling the pasta, you can steam the broccoli in the same pot if you have a steamer tray. Only steam the broccoli until it's bright green, then remove from heat to avoid over cooking. Drain pasta
In a large bowl, combine olive oil (you want enough to lightly coat everything, but not so much that your pasta is swimming in oil), salt, pepper, and basil to taste. You'll also want to add just a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Combine all other ingredients and toss until everything is lightly coated. Taste the pasta to make sure it's properly seasoned. Be aware that the smoked salmon will make everything a little saltier, so don't over-salt the pasta.
When it is seasoned the way you want it, refrigerate and eat chilled.
This recipe was so yummy that I ate every bite even though it was intended for 2 meals. The apple and salmon went together really well, plus the apples added a nice, crisp texture. I still have a lot of salmon left, so I will be making this again in the next couple of days.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash
I went to a small dinner yesterday. I knew that the main dish was going to be food that I couldn't eat because it was loaded with dairy. I knew I had to bring something that I could happily eat as my main dish but that other people could eat as a side dish. I didn't prepare the night before, so I couldn't make anything that required soaking beans. I was in clinic until 1PM, so it had do be something that I could prepare pretty quickly (no slow cooking for this dish).
I decided on stuffed acorn squash. It's available locally and is in season right now. My original plan was to make a filling with lentils and rice plus other things that would make it delicious. I went to the store to pick up the ingredients I didn't have. When I got home, I discovered that I didn't have as many lentils as I needed. Being short on time, I couldn't go back to the store, so I made up the difference with mung beans. Like lentils, mung beans don't require a pre-soak. Having never cooked with mung beans, I had no idea how it would turn out, so I crossed my fingers and went about my business.
My second hiccup was the rice. I threw the rice and water in the rice cooker and didn't think about it until the rice was done. When I opened the cooker, I realized that I made a huge mistake. I used the amount of water needed for white rice, but I was using brown rice. The rice was dry and stiff - not exactly what I was going for. I just composted the rice and made the dish without rice. It meant that I didn't have a complete protein, but I decided one meal without a complete protein wouldn't kill me.
Ultimately, despite my problems in the cooking process, I was very happy with the results. One of my friends said, "This is really healthy isn't it?" during dinner. Yes, it was really healthy. And delicious.
My apologies for the lack of hard figures for the recipe - I just threw things in and called it good.
Acorn Squash Stuffed with Lentils
Ingredients:
*2 acorn squash (there is enough filling for 3, and if you add rice, I'm sure you could make 4) cut in half. There were giant acorn squash and smaller acorn squash at Whole Foods - I went with the smaller ones.
*Olive oil
*Salt and pepper
*1 cup lentils (or a combination of lentils and mung beans. I used about 2/3 c lentils and 1/3 c mung beans)
*1 smallish yellow onion (or half a large yellow onion) chopped into very little pieces - not much larger than a lentil
*5 medium carrots peeled and chopped into pieces about the same size as the onion
*2 cloves minced garlic (you can adjust this to your taste)
*1-2 leaves of kale de-ribbed and chopped into small pieces (mine were probably 1.5cm square)
*1 handful (maybe 3/4 cup?) blanched slivered almonds
*2 handful dried sweetened cranberries
*Juice from 1/4 of a medium sized lemon
*fresh rosemary to taste
*salt and pepper to taste
Optional: cooked rice - this would probably be extra amazing with wild rice
I didn't do this, but in the future, I'd probably add about 1-2 tsp olive oil to the lentil mixture
Preheat oven to 375
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits in the middle. You can save the seeds if you like for roasting
Put face up in a baking dish with ~1 inch water. Coat the top of the squash with olive oil (you could use butter if you prefer), and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake until the flesh is tender when you poke it with a fork. The time will vary depending on how big your squash is. I cooked mine for an hour and 5 minutes. The flesh may be a little brown on the edges.
While the squash is cooking, you can prepare everything else. (I did all of the chopping while the squash was cooking)
Pick through and rinse your lentils and beans. Put in a pot of boiling water and cook until tender. I overcooked mine (they were cooking for 30 minutes) - they were still delicious, but they were a little mushy. Periodically skim off the brown foam that will bubble to the top. Drain and put in a big bowl to mix with the other ingredients
Saute the onions in a large pan with olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add the carrots and garlic and saute until the onions are clear and the carrots are tender.
Add the almonds, saute for ~30 seconds.
Add the kale, cover and let everything steam until the kale is bright green and tender ~1.5 min
Add to the lentils
Add cranberries lemon juice, rosemary, salt and pepper and mix.
(If you have cooked rice, you would add it now. This is also where you would add any additional olive oil)
Scoop a heaping amount of the filling into the cavity of your squash, eat, and enjoy
I decided on stuffed acorn squash. It's available locally and is in season right now. My original plan was to make a filling with lentils and rice plus other things that would make it delicious. I went to the store to pick up the ingredients I didn't have. When I got home, I discovered that I didn't have as many lentils as I needed. Being short on time, I couldn't go back to the store, so I made up the difference with mung beans. Like lentils, mung beans don't require a pre-soak. Having never cooked with mung beans, I had no idea how it would turn out, so I crossed my fingers and went about my business.
My second hiccup was the rice. I threw the rice and water in the rice cooker and didn't think about it until the rice was done. When I opened the cooker, I realized that I made a huge mistake. I used the amount of water needed for white rice, but I was using brown rice. The rice was dry and stiff - not exactly what I was going for. I just composted the rice and made the dish without rice. It meant that I didn't have a complete protein, but I decided one meal without a complete protein wouldn't kill me.
Ultimately, despite my problems in the cooking process, I was very happy with the results. One of my friends said, "This is really healthy isn't it?" during dinner. Yes, it was really healthy. And delicious.
My apologies for the lack of hard figures for the recipe - I just threw things in and called it good.
Acorn Squash Stuffed with Lentils
Ingredients:
*2 acorn squash (there is enough filling for 3, and if you add rice, I'm sure you could make 4) cut in half. There were giant acorn squash and smaller acorn squash at Whole Foods - I went with the smaller ones.
*Olive oil
*Salt and pepper
*1 cup lentils (or a combination of lentils and mung beans. I used about 2/3 c lentils and 1/3 c mung beans)
*1 smallish yellow onion (or half a large yellow onion) chopped into very little pieces - not much larger than a lentil
*5 medium carrots peeled and chopped into pieces about the same size as the onion
*2 cloves minced garlic (you can adjust this to your taste)
*1-2 leaves of kale de-ribbed and chopped into small pieces (mine were probably 1.5cm square)
*1 handful (maybe 3/4 cup?) blanched slivered almonds
*2 handful dried sweetened cranberries
*Juice from 1/4 of a medium sized lemon
*fresh rosemary to taste
*salt and pepper to taste
Optional: cooked rice - this would probably be extra amazing with wild rice
I didn't do this, but in the future, I'd probably add about 1-2 tsp olive oil to the lentil mixture
Preheat oven to 375
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits in the middle. You can save the seeds if you like for roasting
Put face up in a baking dish with ~1 inch water. Coat the top of the squash with olive oil (you could use butter if you prefer), and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake until the flesh is tender when you poke it with a fork. The time will vary depending on how big your squash is. I cooked mine for an hour and 5 minutes. The flesh may be a little brown on the edges.
While the squash is cooking, you can prepare everything else. (I did all of the chopping while the squash was cooking)
Pick through and rinse your lentils and beans. Put in a pot of boiling water and cook until tender. I overcooked mine (they were cooking for 30 minutes) - they were still delicious, but they were a little mushy. Periodically skim off the brown foam that will bubble to the top. Drain and put in a big bowl to mix with the other ingredients
Saute the onions in a large pan with olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add the carrots and garlic and saute until the onions are clear and the carrots are tender.
Add the almonds, saute for ~30 seconds.
Add the kale, cover and let everything steam until the kale is bright green and tender ~1.5 min
Add to the lentils
Add cranberries lemon juice, rosemary, salt and pepper and mix.
(If you have cooked rice, you would add it now. This is also where you would add any additional olive oil)
Scoop a heaping amount of the filling into the cavity of your squash, eat, and enjoy
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are my absolute favorite way to prepare eggs. When done right, they are fluffy, creamy and melt on your tongue. Unfortunately, despite the fact that they are amazingly simple to prepare, they are rarely done correctly. It's common to get rubbery, over-cooked scrambled eggs that make you wonder why anyone would want to eat their eggs like that.
Scrambled eggs can be eaten plain, or you can get crazy with additions. It all depends on your taste. The trick to making them perfect is to cook them on low. Not medium-low, not almost-low. Low. The lowest setting your stove has is probably just right. I like to cook my additions before I add the eggs. Tonight, I sauteed up some garlic and onions (I could have easily added peppers, broccoli, ham, bacon, corn, or whatever else sounded good). When they were done cooking, I lowered the temperature, waited a minute for the coils to cool down, and then I added my egg mixture. With a spatula, I kept scraping the pan and mixing the eggs. You don't want to let your eggs brown. Because it's cooked at a low temperature, it may take a little time to cook. The more eggs you use, the longer it will take. They're done when there's no more liquid, but the eggs still look just a tiny bit wet.
You can get a little crazy with your egg mixture if you like. You should beat the eggs with a fork until blended. Then you add herbs, spices, and cheese. Tonight, I went with salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast (it provides the eggs with a cheesy flavor without adding any dairy). I'm also a big fan of adding herbs. You can use rosemary, dill, thyme, basil, or go crazy and throw in some curry powder. Whatever flavors you love can be added to your eggs. Some people add milk to their scrambled eggs. I don't. The eggs are perfect as they are.
I'm of the opinion that fresh eggs are the tastiest, and I only buy eggs that come from free range chickens. I get mine from Skagit River Ranch. I've been to the farm and seen that the chickens are allowed to go wherever they want and are well cared for. Conveniently, they have a booth at my farmers market, so I don't have to drive all the way out to Sedro Woolley. Although they are more expensive than the eggs you would find in your grocery store, they taste way better and make a wonderful treat.
Scrambled eggs can be eaten plain, or you can get crazy with additions. It all depends on your taste. The trick to making them perfect is to cook them on low. Not medium-low, not almost-low. Low. The lowest setting your stove has is probably just right. I like to cook my additions before I add the eggs. Tonight, I sauteed up some garlic and onions (I could have easily added peppers, broccoli, ham, bacon, corn, or whatever else sounded good). When they were done cooking, I lowered the temperature, waited a minute for the coils to cool down, and then I added my egg mixture. With a spatula, I kept scraping the pan and mixing the eggs. You don't want to let your eggs brown. Because it's cooked at a low temperature, it may take a little time to cook. The more eggs you use, the longer it will take. They're done when there's no more liquid, but the eggs still look just a tiny bit wet.
You can get a little crazy with your egg mixture if you like. You should beat the eggs with a fork until blended. Then you add herbs, spices, and cheese. Tonight, I went with salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast (it provides the eggs with a cheesy flavor without adding any dairy). I'm also a big fan of adding herbs. You can use rosemary, dill, thyme, basil, or go crazy and throw in some curry powder. Whatever flavors you love can be added to your eggs. Some people add milk to their scrambled eggs. I don't. The eggs are perfect as they are.
I'm of the opinion that fresh eggs are the tastiest, and I only buy eggs that come from free range chickens. I get mine from Skagit River Ranch. I've been to the farm and seen that the chickens are allowed to go wherever they want and are well cared for. Conveniently, they have a booth at my farmers market, so I don't have to drive all the way out to Sedro Woolley. Although they are more expensive than the eggs you would find in your grocery store, they taste way better and make a wonderful treat.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thanksgiving and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and you know what that means... FOOD! Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry! Delicious. This is the first year I'm both gluten-free and dairy free, so a few changes have to be made to the traditional family feast. Fortunately, my mom is gung ho about making sure I can eat. Today, I'm making vegan garlic mashed potatoes because my mom is completely baffled that one can make mashed potatoes without copious amounts of dairy. I went to the farmers market on Sunday to get 3 lbs of my favorite potato variety (German Butterballs - the only butterballs I'll be eating tomorrow, I'm happy to say) and a spicy garlic variety. Have I mentioned that I love living in a city with year-round farmers markets? Because I do.
Of course, with all the feasting going on, it's important not to lose focus and make sure you're getting healthy, sustainable food. Take Part has an article on 10 Tips for a Sustainable Thanksgiving. If you haven't found one already, it's probably too late for a heritage turkey, but it's something to think about for next year.
Although it's so simple, I feel a little silly posting it, here's my recipe for vegan garlic mashed potatoes. Sorry for the lack of hard numbers - I've never measured anything when making it.
Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
Potatoes, washed and chopped into smallish chunks - as much or as little as you want to make. I like the German butterball variety, but you can use any kind you want (I don't like yukon golds because they get really slimy)
Garlic - 1 - 2 bulbs. For a smaller amount of potatoes, use a smaller amount of garlic. Keep in mind that roasting it gives it a milder, sweeter flavor
Olive oil
rice milk, or your favorite milk substitute.
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
optional: herbs to taste - I love fresh minced rosemary, but use your imagination
Preheat oven to 350.
You can prep your garlic in 1 of 2 ways.
Method 1 - take all the cloves off the bulb and peel them
Method 2 (my preferred method because it's way easier) - chop the top of the bulb off, cutting off the top portions of the cloves
wrap the garlic in foil drizzled with olive oil (I like to use just enough to cover the garlic). Put in an oven safe dish (so the oil doesn't spill all over your oven) and bake for 30 minutes or until the cloves are tender and brown.
While the garlic is cooking, boil your potatoes until soft. I like to leave the skin on, but that's a matter of taste. If you are not using organic potatoes, you should always peel them because the skins soak up pesticides. The smaller you've cut the potatoes, the less time they will take to cook. I find that it usually takes 20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and put in a mixing bowl. Add your roasted garlic (if you want some whole cloves of garlic, reserve some until the end). If you kept it in bulb form, you can squeeze the cloves out - but be careful - it can be really hot! I use a low tech potato masher because I like chunks. You can also use a ricer or egg beater, or even an immersion blender. Add some olive oil and mix. I probably use 1 1/2 Tbs per pound of potatoes, but it's really a matter of taste. Start adding your milk substitute and mix. The trick to getting a great texture is to not be afraid of adding more liquid. Add a bit at a time and mix until you get the desired consistency. I always end up using a lot more than I would have thought necessary. I like to add my seasoning while I'm adding the liquid, but you can probably add it at any point during the process.
I find that this recipe makes potatoes that are perfect and delicious on their own, but of course, you can add gravy, cranberry, and turkey.
Variety:
For an interesting variety that's also a complete protein, mix in cooked quinoa. It gives the potatoes a fun texture and a more complex flavor. I love using rosemary when I add quinoa.
Of course, with all the feasting going on, it's important not to lose focus and make sure you're getting healthy, sustainable food. Take Part has an article on 10 Tips for a Sustainable Thanksgiving. If you haven't found one already, it's probably too late for a heritage turkey, but it's something to think about for next year.
Although it's so simple, I feel a little silly posting it, here's my recipe for vegan garlic mashed potatoes. Sorry for the lack of hard numbers - I've never measured anything when making it.
Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
Potatoes, washed and chopped into smallish chunks - as much or as little as you want to make. I like the German butterball variety, but you can use any kind you want (I don't like yukon golds because they get really slimy)
Garlic - 1 - 2 bulbs. For a smaller amount of potatoes, use a smaller amount of garlic. Keep in mind that roasting it gives it a milder, sweeter flavor
Olive oil
rice milk, or your favorite milk substitute.
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
optional: herbs to taste - I love fresh minced rosemary, but use your imagination
Preheat oven to 350.
You can prep your garlic in 1 of 2 ways.
Method 1 - take all the cloves off the bulb and peel them
Method 2 (my preferred method because it's way easier) - chop the top of the bulb off, cutting off the top portions of the cloves
wrap the garlic in foil drizzled with olive oil (I like to use just enough to cover the garlic). Put in an oven safe dish (so the oil doesn't spill all over your oven) and bake for 30 minutes or until the cloves are tender and brown.
While the garlic is cooking, boil your potatoes until soft. I like to leave the skin on, but that's a matter of taste. If you are not using organic potatoes, you should always peel them because the skins soak up pesticides. The smaller you've cut the potatoes, the less time they will take to cook. I find that it usually takes 20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and put in a mixing bowl. Add your roasted garlic (if you want some whole cloves of garlic, reserve some until the end). If you kept it in bulb form, you can squeeze the cloves out - but be careful - it can be really hot! I use a low tech potato masher because I like chunks. You can also use a ricer or egg beater, or even an immersion blender. Add some olive oil and mix. I probably use 1 1/2 Tbs per pound of potatoes, but it's really a matter of taste. Start adding your milk substitute and mix. The trick to getting a great texture is to not be afraid of adding more liquid. Add a bit at a time and mix until you get the desired consistency. I always end up using a lot more than I would have thought necessary. I like to add my seasoning while I'm adding the liquid, but you can probably add it at any point during the process.
I find that this recipe makes potatoes that are perfect and delicious on their own, but of course, you can add gravy, cranberry, and turkey.
Variety:
For an interesting variety that's also a complete protein, mix in cooked quinoa. It gives the potatoes a fun texture and a more complex flavor. I love using rosemary when I add quinoa.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Rosemary Garlic Roasted Veggies
I just signed up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and picked up my first box on Thursday. It's amazing. I have so much produce, I'm almost overwhelmed, but in a very very good way. I got a small bunch of baby chioggia beets (the kind that's beautifully striped red and white when you cut them open). One of my favorite foods ever is roasted beets, but there just weren't enough to satisfy me, so I decided to make a roasted root veggie medley.
I cut up a couple of carrots, a potato (I wish I knew what variety - I bought it from my school's garden sale and can't remember), a sweet onion, and the beets into bite size chunks. I tossed them in a bowl with garlic-infused olive oil, sea salt, a minced garlic clove, and minced rosemary from my garden. Then I put them on a foil-covered cookie sheet so that they were spread out as evenly as possible (I tried to make sure there was only one layer of veggies) and baked it for 35 minutes at 400 degrees.
Mmmm, it was so delicious. You can, of course, use different veggies, should you so desire. I've found that this recipe works best with other tubers because softer foods tend to overcook. They shrivel up, lose all their moisture, and become tough and unpleasant. Sweet potatoes, turnip, Jerusalem artichoke, and parsnips are all wonderful additions or substitutions. I also like to use purple potatoes to give it some extra color.
If using baby beets, I don't bother to peel them because the skin is tender and delicious (just make sure you wash them well), but I peel bigger beets before cooking.
I cut up a couple of carrots, a potato (I wish I knew what variety - I bought it from my school's garden sale and can't remember), a sweet onion, and the beets into bite size chunks. I tossed them in a bowl with garlic-infused olive oil, sea salt, a minced garlic clove, and minced rosemary from my garden. Then I put them on a foil-covered cookie sheet so that they were spread out as evenly as possible (I tried to make sure there was only one layer of veggies) and baked it for 35 minutes at 400 degrees.
Mmmm, it was so delicious. You can, of course, use different veggies, should you so desire. I've found that this recipe works best with other tubers because softer foods tend to overcook. They shrivel up, lose all their moisture, and become tough and unpleasant. Sweet potatoes, turnip, Jerusalem artichoke, and parsnips are all wonderful additions or substitutions. I also like to use purple potatoes to give it some extra color.
If using baby beets, I don't bother to peel them because the skin is tender and delicious (just make sure you wash them well), but I peel bigger beets before cooking.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Skagit River Ranch
One of my plans for the summer was to go out and visit as many local farms as I could. Unfortunately, my car's breaks went on the fritz while I was waiting on my financial aid check, so I decided that driving out to the country was a bad idea. Fortunately, my breaks are now fixed, and I was able to go out to Skagit River Ranch this afternoon. Skagit River Ranch is just outside of Sedro-Woolley, WA - about 80 miles north of Seattle. I have only ever heard good things about the farm, and they have a store that's open on Saturdays where you can buy their products - they have chicken, lamb, pork, and beef (and probably the occasional goat), eggs, and honey.
It was quite a pleasure to arrive on the farm and to find chickens everywhere. They were truly free range and went all over the place - including the parking lot. The sweet lady at the store told me that last winter, it snowed, and there were chickens jumping from car to car in order to avoid touching the freshly fallen snow (but don't worry, they could have gone to their warm chicken coop if they had so desired). I took pictures of the happy chickens, but they didn't turn out so well (my iPhone just doesn't take good photos), so instead, you get to see pictures of the chicks, and let's face it, chicks are way cuter than chickens.
I asked the lady if we could take a look around the farm, and she answered with an enthusiastic yes and suggested that we take a 1/2 mile walk to the river, which took us through parts of the farm, including the sheep and goat pens. There were lots of kids (baby goats - not human children), which were small enough to climb under the fence, and happily played all over the place.
We also got to see several horses, all of which were friendly and wanted either attention or treats. Since we didn't have treats, we petted their faces, and they followed us to the edge of their enclosure. We didn't get a chance to check out the entire farm, but it was clear that it would have been fine for us to go anywhere. We saw some farmers who were very friendly, though hot (it was 90 degrees). It was lovely to see that the animals were living in really good conditions and looked pretty happy. I'm really looking forward to eating the eggs and ground beef I bought. Fortunately, they have stands at the University, Ballard, and West Seattle farmers' markets, so I don't have to take the 2 hour drive up to the farm to get their food, which I just know is going to be delicious.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Chicken Stock
I'm not particularly adventurous in the kitchen - mostly because cooking has always been somewhat intimidating to me. I am, however, making an active effort to cook more often. When you cook from scratch, you have complete control over what goes in your body, and it's the only way to guarantee that what you're eating comes from places that you're ok with.
Last night, I made chicken stock for the first time. I had eaten part of a roasted chicken from Whole Foods, and I didn't want the rest to go to waste. Now bear in mind that I don't have any of the appropriate equipment for making stock. A friend asked me if I had a stock pot, and I said, "What's that?" She looked at what I did have and suggested that I split the chicken in half and use my 2 largest pots to make the stock, so I did, which made it possible for me to make a reasonable amount.
I had no idea how foolishly simple it is to make chicken stock. Put the chicken carcus (skin and all) in the pot. Cover with cold water. Add vegetables, salt, pepper, and any herbs and spices you want, and then simmer for hours and hours. I took a trip to the farmers' market where I bought carrots, spring garlic, shallots, spring red onions, and spring Walla Walla sweet onions. (Only in Seattle are there spring onions at the end of July). The spring onions had the stems still attached, so those got thrown in the pot. I didn't use the Walla Wallas in the stock - just their stems. I want to eat the onions themselves because they are the tastiest onions in the universe. I bought cellery from the store - unfortunately, I went to QFC, which has the worst selection of produce in the world so they didn't have any organic available, but it's within walking distance of my apartment, and sometimes you have to make compromises. I also threw in some fresh rosemary from the garden.
Once I was done cooking the stock, I tasted the result, and other than not having enough salt, the stock was amazing. I added the necessary salt until it was to my liking (which is still pretty low soduim), strained the stock into gladware containers, and put them in the freezer.
I feel rediculously accomplished for having successfully made something that always intimidated me. Now that I know how simple it is, I'll be making it much more often.
Last night, I made chicken stock for the first time. I had eaten part of a roasted chicken from Whole Foods, and I didn't want the rest to go to waste. Now bear in mind that I don't have any of the appropriate equipment for making stock. A friend asked me if I had a stock pot, and I said, "What's that?" She looked at what I did have and suggested that I split the chicken in half and use my 2 largest pots to make the stock, so I did, which made it possible for me to make a reasonable amount.
I had no idea how foolishly simple it is to make chicken stock. Put the chicken carcus (skin and all) in the pot. Cover with cold water. Add vegetables, salt, pepper, and any herbs and spices you want, and then simmer for hours and hours. I took a trip to the farmers' market where I bought carrots, spring garlic, shallots, spring red onions, and spring Walla Walla sweet onions. (Only in Seattle are there spring onions at the end of July). The spring onions had the stems still attached, so those got thrown in the pot. I didn't use the Walla Wallas in the stock - just their stems. I want to eat the onions themselves because they are the tastiest onions in the universe. I bought cellery from the store - unfortunately, I went to QFC, which has the worst selection of produce in the world so they didn't have any organic available, but it's within walking distance of my apartment, and sometimes you have to make compromises. I also threw in some fresh rosemary from the garden.
Once I was done cooking the stock, I tasted the result, and other than not having enough salt, the stock was amazing. I added the necessary salt until it was to my liking (which is still pretty low soduim), strained the stock into gladware containers, and put them in the freezer.
I feel rediculously accomplished for having successfully made something that always intimidated me. Now that I know how simple it is, I'll be making it much more often.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Canning
E and I made strawberry jam yesterday, and it's amazing.
Washington has a short window when the best strawberries in the universe are available, and we took advantage of that. We used local, organic, delicious strawberries, and local, organic honey to make the jam, which incidentally, was really simple. It's a little on the runny side, but otherwise, it's perfect. It makes me absurdly happy that I'll have local June strawberries available to eat all year. There is something very satisfying about canning, and I hope to do more jams this summer. I'm really looking forward to canning Ranier cherries when they're at the peak of their season. Yum.
Washington has a short window when the best strawberries in the universe are available, and we took advantage of that. We used local, organic, delicious strawberries, and local, organic honey to make the jam, which incidentally, was really simple. It's a little on the runny side, but otherwise, it's perfect. It makes me absurdly happy that I'll have local June strawberries available to eat all year. There is something very satisfying about canning, and I hope to do more jams this summer. I'm really looking forward to canning Ranier cherries when they're at the peak of their season. Yum.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Moderation
Over the past few weeks, I have decided that while eating local is a wonderful thing, and that I will do it as often as possible, I'm not going to be a complete locavore. The simple fact is that I love things like oranges, bananas, mangos, and avacados. Right now, California strawberries are ripe and delicious. When I walk through the produce aisle, I can't resist the smell of ripe strawberries. My new rule of thumb is that if something is available locally, I will always choose it over something from out of state. If it's not available locally, I will buy it if it is from California or Oregon, but not if it is from Florida (or other distant states over on the other side of the country). In the case of bananas, I won't buy them from further south than Mexico. In fact, the only reason I am willing to buy them from Mexico at all is that a portion of the profits from all of the organic bananas that Ballard Market (one of my local grocery stores) carries go to a charity that promotes sustainable agriculture and good working conditions in Mexico. I can get behind that.
I still strongly believe that it's necessary to support the local economy and buy organic, sustainable food. I just can't limit myself as much as I have been when the limits feel like punishment. I didn't get into this to feel bad, but to help my planet and my health. Of course, when local products are available, I'll eat those. I can't wait for local Rainier cherries (quite possibly the most delicious fruit on the planet), and local berries. But until the local produce is ripe and ready for consumption, I'll celebrate the wonderful produce that is available from a little further away.
I still strongly believe that it's necessary to support the local economy and buy organic, sustainable food. I just can't limit myself as much as I have been when the limits feel like punishment. I didn't get into this to feel bad, but to help my planet and my health. Of course, when local products are available, I'll eat those. I can't wait for local Rainier cherries (quite possibly the most delicious fruit on the planet), and local berries. But until the local produce is ripe and ready for consumption, I'll celebrate the wonderful produce that is available from a little further away.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
I Belong in a Field
I started reading Neil Gaiman's blog this morning. He's one of my favorite authors of all time, and his blog is wonderful to read. I was tickled pink when I read the post he wrote on my birthday. Halfway down the post he answers a letter from someone asking him about his garden. Part of his reply was, "...American Supermarket vegetables and fruit don't tend to taste like very much. They're grown for looks and for hardiness in transportation, I tend to think, not for taste." He also buys local. I think it's safe to say that a lot more people read his blog than mine, and it makes me happy that he put in a little plug for eating locally grown food.
On a related topic, lately I've been feeling more and more like I need to get out of the city and into the country. I have begun my small balcony garden, but I long to have my own land to sink my fingers into. Not only that, but I want to be able to look at the sky at night and see multitudes of stars. Last night, I went up to Anacortes for my friends' engagement party. Anacortes isn't my favorite town, but it's right near La Conner and Mount Vernon, two absolutely charming towns in Skagit Valley. There are probably many more adorable towns there as well. Skagit Valley is a fertile valley on the Skagit River in Western Washington. Multitudes of tulips and daffodils are grown there, and they have an annual tulip festival. I feel at home there, and it doesn't seem unreasonable that I could live in La Conner and have a practice in Mount Vernon. Of course, it doesn't have to be there. I need to explore more. I need to find the place that feels most like home. Home isn't, and has never been, Seattle. Don't get me wrong, Seattle is a great city, and I have come to love it. But it is a city. A single family home in a good neighborhood costs more than I could ever hope to make in a lifetime, and a home with land... well, that would require that I win the lottery or find a very rich sugar daddy to marry. I've never been a fan of suburbs, with the exception of places like in New England where the suburb is a town in its own right and not just a series of strip malls and tract housing.
I'm not entirely sure what happened to make me want to leave the city life for the small town life. A year or two ago, I would happily and loudly tell anyone who asked that I planned on living in cities for the rest of my life. I even said that Seattle is too small. Now... well, now I just want a quiet, simple life. I'd like to live close enough to the city for the occasional day trip, but the urban life isn't for me. A Strokes song sums up my feelings quite well: "I'm stuck in a city, but I belong in a field."
I'm not planning on moving anywhere for a while, and I probably won't even switch apartments until I'm done with school. But nature and small town living are calling my name. It's only a matter of time.
On a related topic, lately I've been feeling more and more like I need to get out of the city and into the country. I have begun my small balcony garden, but I long to have my own land to sink my fingers into. Not only that, but I want to be able to look at the sky at night and see multitudes of stars. Last night, I went up to Anacortes for my friends' engagement party. Anacortes isn't my favorite town, but it's right near La Conner and Mount Vernon, two absolutely charming towns in Skagit Valley. There are probably many more adorable towns there as well. Skagit Valley is a fertile valley on the Skagit River in Western Washington. Multitudes of tulips and daffodils are grown there, and they have an annual tulip festival. I feel at home there, and it doesn't seem unreasonable that I could live in La Conner and have a practice in Mount Vernon. Of course, it doesn't have to be there. I need to explore more. I need to find the place that feels most like home. Home isn't, and has never been, Seattle. Don't get me wrong, Seattle is a great city, and I have come to love it. But it is a city. A single family home in a good neighborhood costs more than I could ever hope to make in a lifetime, and a home with land... well, that would require that I win the lottery or find a very rich sugar daddy to marry. I've never been a fan of suburbs, with the exception of places like in New England where the suburb is a town in its own right and not just a series of strip malls and tract housing.
I'm not entirely sure what happened to make me want to leave the city life for the small town life. A year or two ago, I would happily and loudly tell anyone who asked that I planned on living in cities for the rest of my life. I even said that Seattle is too small. Now... well, now I just want a quiet, simple life. I'd like to live close enough to the city for the occasional day trip, but the urban life isn't for me. A Strokes song sums up my feelings quite well: "I'm stuck in a city, but I belong in a field."
I'm not planning on moving anywhere for a while, and I probably won't even switch apartments until I'm done with school. But nature and small town living are calling my name. It's only a matter of time.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Food, Inc - Review
I just watched the documentary "Food, Inc." The information in it wasn't news to me. Most of the information covered was in Michael Pollan's book "The Omnivore's Dilemma." It was, however, eye-opening because they showed limited footage of the conditions in which factory farmed animals live, as well as the terrible conditions for the workers.
The best thing about the film is that it is far more accessible to the average American than a book. I know that most people aren't as gung ho about reading as I am, and many people don't like much at all. "Food, Inc." was an hour and a half, and I think that everyone should watch it.
Most of us are completely ignorant about where our food comes from, yet food is the most fundamental building block for life. Unfortunately, the majority of food available comes from just a few giant corporations, and they are not interested in our health. They are interested in making a profit. It turns out that the FDA and the USDA tend to be on the side of the corporations rather than the farmers and the people. This is not OK.
At the end of the film, they said that every time you purchase food, you are voting. If you purchase organic, local, non GMO (genetically modified), sustainably grown and raised food, you encourage your supermarket to continue offering those products, and to offer more in the future. Yes, it costs more out of pocket to buy organic, but the rewards to your body, your community, and the planet are substantial.
I have found that it can be difficult to start dialogue with people about food. They don't want to hear it. There is a sense of security in doing what is familiar. If people learn the truth about the industries they support with their eating habits, it's uncomfortable, and let's face it, no one wants to be uncomfortable. Food, Inc. isn't a feel-good movie. It is painful to watch at moments, and I'm not ashamed to admit that parts of it made me cry. Even so, if I could, I would have everyone watch it. Hopefully, it will make viewers stop and think. Every time someone chooses organic - even if it's not all the time - it is a step in the right direction.
The best thing about the film is that it is far more accessible to the average American than a book. I know that most people aren't as gung ho about reading as I am, and many people don't like much at all. "Food, Inc." was an hour and a half, and I think that everyone should watch it.
Most of us are completely ignorant about where our food comes from, yet food is the most fundamental building block for life. Unfortunately, the majority of food available comes from just a few giant corporations, and they are not interested in our health. They are interested in making a profit. It turns out that the FDA and the USDA tend to be on the side of the corporations rather than the farmers and the people. This is not OK.
At the end of the film, they said that every time you purchase food, you are voting. If you purchase organic, local, non GMO (genetically modified), sustainably grown and raised food, you encourage your supermarket to continue offering those products, and to offer more in the future. Yes, it costs more out of pocket to buy organic, but the rewards to your body, your community, and the planet are substantial.
I have found that it can be difficult to start dialogue with people about food. They don't want to hear it. There is a sense of security in doing what is familiar. If people learn the truth about the industries they support with their eating habits, it's uncomfortable, and let's face it, no one wants to be uncomfortable. Food, Inc. isn't a feel-good movie. It is painful to watch at moments, and I'm not ashamed to admit that parts of it made me cry. Even so, if I could, I would have everyone watch it. Hopefully, it will make viewers stop and think. Every time someone chooses organic - even if it's not all the time - it is a step in the right direction.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Indulgence
I have to admit that I'm starting to feel the difficulty of eating local. Starting this journey in the middle of winter without any preserved produce is wearing on me. I am soooooooo tired of apples and pears and carrots and potatoes (well... ok. I'm not actually tired of potatoes, yet, but I can tell that I soon will be). Even though it's spring here, it's way too early for new varieties to be ready to eat. Heck, not everything has even started budding yet.
In order to keep from going entirely insane, and because I was overwhelmed with an intense craving, I bought a gallon of Simply Orange Juice (with lots of pulp and no ingredients other than orange juice - not from concentrate). It's amazing how good oj tastes when you haven't had citrus in ages. My stomach isn't 100% on board with this because of the acidity, but the rest of my body is loving it.
As with any special diet, I think that the key to success is moderation. I refuse to feel guilty for indulging in something healthy that my body demanded. I need to remind myself that one of the most amazing things in modern America is that we can get fresh fruits and vegetables year round. We tend to take that for granted. When starting out on a new path, it is easy to demonize anything that isn't right in line with that path, but the truth is, there are pros and cons to everything. Do I think that eating local is beneficial to both the planet and me? Yep. Do I think that consuming something that had to travel 1000 miles from California is evil? Nope, but I'm not going to do it on a regular basis - only when the good outweighs the bad. In this case, my body's need for --insert nutrient that I wasn't getting enough of here-- trumped my desire to eat local.
In order to keep from going entirely insane, and because I was overwhelmed with an intense craving, I bought a gallon of Simply Orange Juice (with lots of pulp and no ingredients other than orange juice - not from concentrate). It's amazing how good oj tastes when you haven't had citrus in ages. My stomach isn't 100% on board with this because of the acidity, but the rest of my body is loving it.
As with any special diet, I think that the key to success is moderation. I refuse to feel guilty for indulging in something healthy that my body demanded. I need to remind myself that one of the most amazing things in modern America is that we can get fresh fruits and vegetables year round. We tend to take that for granted. When starting out on a new path, it is easy to demonize anything that isn't right in line with that path, but the truth is, there are pros and cons to everything. Do I think that eating local is beneficial to both the planet and me? Yep. Do I think that consuming something that had to travel 1000 miles from California is evil? Nope, but I'm not going to do it on a regular basis - only when the good outweighs the bad. In this case, my body's need for --insert nutrient that I wasn't getting enough of here-- trumped my desire to eat local.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Responsibility
One of my professors mentioned that she had read an article in National Geographic that said there are no more pristine bodies of water left on Earth. I couldn't find the article to confirm, but regardless of whether or not the claim is true, it's a terrifying thought. It may have been an exaggeration, but the fact is that humans are pretty damn good at polluting, and we have the capability to pollute everything, and we are not kind to our planet.
One of the basic principles of Chinese Medicine is the concept that humans are holistic. Nothing in our bodies exists in isolation, so when you treat a patient, you search for the cause of the problem rather than just treating the symptoms. This concept is well known to most people who seek alternative forms of medicine. What is less well known (at least I was quite pleasantly surprised when I learned) is that Chinese Medicine also views the body as not being separate from the environment. The simplest way to think about it is to look at how seasons affect our health. No one can deny that the flu is more prevalent in winter and allergies are more prevalent when plants are pollinating. If you delve deeper, it becomes obvious that poor air quality will lead to a wider prevalence of lung problems, and radiation leads to more instances of cancer. Five Element acupuncture takes things a step further and takes the taoist view that all living things are interconnected and, fundamentally, we are all One. My aforementioned professor pointed out that as the earth gets less and less clean, our bodies seem to reflect that. The example she used was food allergies. More and more people are showing signs of having severe food allergies that didn't make much of a dent in the population before. I remember when they could serve peanuts on airplanes without fear that someone allergic would keel over and die because they looked at a nut. Almost a quarter of my close friends now are "glutards" - people with some degree of sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in many common grains, but I had never even heard of the issue until a few years ago. What if the increase in allergies and sensitivities are reflections of the planet on our bodies? Of course, there are other factors, such as a growing awareness and acceptance in the scientific community of food allergies, but I can't dismiss the notion that the more we damage our environment, the more we damage ourselves. We're not just leaving a legacy of environmental degradation for future generations to take care of, we're actively hurting ourselves and the ones we love with our species-wide ennui. Of course, given that we constantly fill our bodies with food that directly harms us (I'm looking at you, McDonald's), I can't say that I expect this revelation to make any dent in the world.
...which brings me to another point. The problems facing us today are overwhelming - pollution, climate change, natural disasters, war, famine, drugs, gang violence, heart disease, equal rights, oil spills, national debt, reality television, and the list goes on. When I start to think too much about it, I get downright depressed. I'm not exactly in a position of power and influence, and I can't affect change in a meaningful way, and yes, I'll admit that sometimes I think I just shouldn't bother trying. It's so much easier to shut my eyes and pretend that they're not my problems. Don't I have enough to worry about paying bills and studying for my 8 classes? Unfortunately, I can't bury my head in the sand and expect that someone else will solve everything.
I recently attended a Unitarian Universalist service in which the minister talked about responsibility. He said that most people think of responsibility in relation to power. If you have the power to do something about a problem, it is your responsibility to do so. Unfortunately, that definition lets a lot of people off the hook. I don't have the power to fix climate change, so I don't need to do anything about it. The minister offered a new definition that boiled down to - if there is a problem, even if you don't have the power to fix it, you need to do what you can, knowing that your actions alone won't necessarily change things. If enough people follow that definition of responsibility, over time, things will improve. If no one follows it, then we're all royally fucked.
So I pick my battles and do little things here and there that won't change the world overnight. Most notably, I'm eating local and sustainable food, and I hope to bring positive change to people one at a time when I start practicing acupuncture. Every time I do something that I know is the right thing to do, it gives me motivation to do another thing. I know that I will never be perfect, and my actions are a drop in the bucket. It may take time, but with enough drops, we can eventually fill the bucket.
One of the basic principles of Chinese Medicine is the concept that humans are holistic. Nothing in our bodies exists in isolation, so when you treat a patient, you search for the cause of the problem rather than just treating the symptoms. This concept is well known to most people who seek alternative forms of medicine. What is less well known (at least I was quite pleasantly surprised when I learned) is that Chinese Medicine also views the body as not being separate from the environment. The simplest way to think about it is to look at how seasons affect our health. No one can deny that the flu is more prevalent in winter and allergies are more prevalent when plants are pollinating. If you delve deeper, it becomes obvious that poor air quality will lead to a wider prevalence of lung problems, and radiation leads to more instances of cancer. Five Element acupuncture takes things a step further and takes the taoist view that all living things are interconnected and, fundamentally, we are all One. My aforementioned professor pointed out that as the earth gets less and less clean, our bodies seem to reflect that. The example she used was food allergies. More and more people are showing signs of having severe food allergies that didn't make much of a dent in the population before. I remember when they could serve peanuts on airplanes without fear that someone allergic would keel over and die because they looked at a nut. Almost a quarter of my close friends now are "glutards" - people with some degree of sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in many common grains, but I had never even heard of the issue until a few years ago. What if the increase in allergies and sensitivities are reflections of the planet on our bodies? Of course, there are other factors, such as a growing awareness and acceptance in the scientific community of food allergies, but I can't dismiss the notion that the more we damage our environment, the more we damage ourselves. We're not just leaving a legacy of environmental degradation for future generations to take care of, we're actively hurting ourselves and the ones we love with our species-wide ennui. Of course, given that we constantly fill our bodies with food that directly harms us (I'm looking at you, McDonald's), I can't say that I expect this revelation to make any dent in the world.
...which brings me to another point. The problems facing us today are overwhelming - pollution, climate change, natural disasters, war, famine, drugs, gang violence, heart disease, equal rights, oil spills, national debt, reality television, and the list goes on. When I start to think too much about it, I get downright depressed. I'm not exactly in a position of power and influence, and I can't affect change in a meaningful way, and yes, I'll admit that sometimes I think I just shouldn't bother trying. It's so much easier to shut my eyes and pretend that they're not my problems. Don't I have enough to worry about paying bills and studying for my 8 classes? Unfortunately, I can't bury my head in the sand and expect that someone else will solve everything.
I recently attended a Unitarian Universalist service in which the minister talked about responsibility. He said that most people think of responsibility in relation to power. If you have the power to do something about a problem, it is your responsibility to do so. Unfortunately, that definition lets a lot of people off the hook. I don't have the power to fix climate change, so I don't need to do anything about it. The minister offered a new definition that boiled down to - if there is a problem, even if you don't have the power to fix it, you need to do what you can, knowing that your actions alone won't necessarily change things. If enough people follow that definition of responsibility, over time, things will improve. If no one follows it, then we're all royally fucked.
So I pick my battles and do little things here and there that won't change the world overnight. Most notably, I'm eating local and sustainable food, and I hope to bring positive change to people one at a time when I start practicing acupuncture. Every time I do something that I know is the right thing to do, it gives me motivation to do another thing. I know that I will never be perfect, and my actions are a drop in the bucket. It may take time, but with enough drops, we can eventually fill the bucket.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Why Local?
I went to Whole Foods today. As I walked through the produce section, I saw piles of juicy mangos, golden pineapples, lush broccoli, bags of grapes, and heaps of not-quite-ripe bananas. All of it was food that I would have happily gobbled up just a few months ago without thinking twice. So why did I walk by all that yummy looking produce? Why am I sticking to root vegetables, leafy greens, apples, and pears that I bought at the farmers' market? Because I'm doing my best to eat local (for me, this means I'm getting as much of my food as possible from farms in Washington State, and if I'm presented with a choice, I will always choose from the farm that's closer to Seattle).
So, why local?
It is better for the environment. Americans have all gotten used to having an abundant variety of produce to eat year-round. Unless you live in one of the warm states where everything grows year-round, in order to get the variety, it has to be imported. It may not seem like a big deal, but every time you choose local, you make a significant impact. Every time a banana is shipped from the tropics, or an apple comes to the US from New Zealand, and even when an avocado from California makes its way to the produce aisle in Seattle, it takes gas. The further your produce has to travel, the more natural resources are used, and the more pollution is pumped into the atmosphere. Our demand for strawberries in February helps to ensure our dependence on foreign oil. Not only that, but unless the food we import is fair trade, the conditions for the farmers are abysmal, and they're not making any money.
That is the argument that first got me interested, but like a lot of other people, I thought to myself, "*Gasp!* That's horrible! I should really do something about that!" while proceeding to go about my business without making many changes. After all, mangos are delicious, bananas are cheap, and broccoli goes with everything. It wasn't until I realized the impact that eating local would have directly on my happiness that I started to make a concerted effort.
Since the advent of agriculture, people have been modifying crops. If you plant seeds from the fruit that is the biggest and most delicious, then the resulting offspring will be larger and tastier. The corn that we eat today is unrecognizable from the grass that Native Americans started off with. Once farming became a massive industry, new modifications were made. Produce was selected for its durability and ability to travel long distances, as well as its size (Americans understand, after all, that bigger is always better), rather than for taste and nutritional content. Genetic modifications were made to render the mature plants of some crops reproductively useless so that farmers would have to constantly buy seeds instead of planting seeds from the crop they had already grown. What all of this boils down to is that the food that gets shipped from far away has a tendency to be flavorless and nutritionally deficient. I'll take one small, locally grown strawberry with red flesh and flavor that explodes in your mouth over 100 of the giant, anemic, flavorless strawberries that are available year round, and which most Americans have come to associate with the word "Strawberry." Not only that, but it turns out that there are more varieties of fruits and vegetables than I had ever imagined. One stand at my farmers' market has 7 types of garlic! Whole Foods has 2 (elephant, and whatever you call the garlic that you always get at the grocery store). QFC has 1. I recently made mashed German Butterball potatoes that I got at a stand that had so many types of potatoes, I didn't know where to start. (For the record, the mashed potatoes were amazing. Did you know that potatoes actually have flavor???? I know I didn't). This Sunday, I plan on buying a root vegetable called a sunchoke. I don't know what it is or what it tastes like, but I'll be damned if I don't find out.
I realize that I am extremely lucky to live in Seattle where we have farmers' markets year round and local produce that's available in January. People who live in climates with real winter can go local too, it just takes more planning. The Eat Well Guide is a great online resource to help you find local food near you. If the subject interests you, I strongly recommend reading Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
So, why local?
It is better for the environment. Americans have all gotten used to having an abundant variety of produce to eat year-round. Unless you live in one of the warm states where everything grows year-round, in order to get the variety, it has to be imported. It may not seem like a big deal, but every time you choose local, you make a significant impact. Every time a banana is shipped from the tropics, or an apple comes to the US from New Zealand, and even when an avocado from California makes its way to the produce aisle in Seattle, it takes gas. The further your produce has to travel, the more natural resources are used, and the more pollution is pumped into the atmosphere. Our demand for strawberries in February helps to ensure our dependence on foreign oil. Not only that, but unless the food we import is fair trade, the conditions for the farmers are abysmal, and they're not making any money.
That is the argument that first got me interested, but like a lot of other people, I thought to myself, "*Gasp!* That's horrible! I should really do something about that!" while proceeding to go about my business without making many changes. After all, mangos are delicious, bananas are cheap, and broccoli goes with everything. It wasn't until I realized the impact that eating local would have directly on my happiness that I started to make a concerted effort.
Since the advent of agriculture, people have been modifying crops. If you plant seeds from the fruit that is the biggest and most delicious, then the resulting offspring will be larger and tastier. The corn that we eat today is unrecognizable from the grass that Native Americans started off with. Once farming became a massive industry, new modifications were made. Produce was selected for its durability and ability to travel long distances, as well as its size (Americans understand, after all, that bigger is always better), rather than for taste and nutritional content. Genetic modifications were made to render the mature plants of some crops reproductively useless so that farmers would have to constantly buy seeds instead of planting seeds from the crop they had already grown. What all of this boils down to is that the food that gets shipped from far away has a tendency to be flavorless and nutritionally deficient. I'll take one small, locally grown strawberry with red flesh and flavor that explodes in your mouth over 100 of the giant, anemic, flavorless strawberries that are available year round, and which most Americans have come to associate with the word "Strawberry." Not only that, but it turns out that there are more varieties of fruits and vegetables than I had ever imagined. One stand at my farmers' market has 7 types of garlic! Whole Foods has 2 (elephant, and whatever you call the garlic that you always get at the grocery store). QFC has 1. I recently made mashed German Butterball potatoes that I got at a stand that had so many types of potatoes, I didn't know where to start. (For the record, the mashed potatoes were amazing. Did you know that potatoes actually have flavor???? I know I didn't). This Sunday, I plan on buying a root vegetable called a sunchoke. I don't know what it is or what it tastes like, but I'll be damned if I don't find out.
I realize that I am extremely lucky to live in Seattle where we have farmers' markets year round and local produce that's available in January. People who live in climates with real winter can go local too, it just takes more planning. The Eat Well Guide is a great online resource to help you find local food near you. If the subject interests you, I strongly recommend reading Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
A Brief Introduction
Qi: (also spelled "Chi") Pronounced like Chee. Simply put, in Chinese Medicine, qi is the energy present in all living things that enables them to function. It is sometimes called the "essence."
Gu Qi: Pronounced like Goo Chee (also like the overpriced, Italian designer brand Gucci). Gu qi is the energy we get from food and drink. It is also referred to as "acquired qi."
Why name my blog after a concept that few Americans have heard of? Simple - because of the absolute importance gu qi has in our health and happiness and because of my new-found passion for food.
A year ago, I ate for convenience rather than nutrition. I filled my body with caffeine, high fructose corn syrup, trans-fats, and all sorts of other additives. I could frequently be found at fast food establishments (though I eschewed McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's in favor of Subway, Quiznos, Burgermaster, and Taco Bell. I had standards), or eating pizza, frozen meals, or boxed macaroni and cheese. I drank soda like it was water and ate massive amounts of candy. I drank several beers a week. Occasionally, I would cook an actual meal - usually one involving lots of cheese and simple sugars, with the occasional broccoli, carrots, and salad to make me feel like I was eating well. I exercised a little, and I couldn't understand why I was overweight.
I had been experiencing stomach problems for a while and taking massive amounts of antacids, but in March of '09, I began having stabbing pain in my stomach and lower esophagus that were debilitating. I went to see an acupuncturist who treated me and told me to go to a medical doctor because I could have an ulcer. My doctor told me that I had gastritis, inflammation of the stomach, and that I would have to make drastic changes to my diet in order for it to heal. First and foremost, I had to entirely cut out caffeine and alcohol. He strongly recommended that I change my diet to consist solely of protein, complex carbohydrates, and vegetables, along with some low-acidic fruit. No sugar, no dairy, no spicy foods, nothing carbonated, and no acidic or sour foods. Oy! I had to change almost 100% of my diet, a prospect that was daunting, but my alternative was pain so severe that I could barely function.
The first few weeks were the most difficult, mostly because of caffeine and sugar withdrawal. Once I got through that (the hardest thing I've ever done!), I noticed that I had more energy and felt better. Shockingly, I found that the food I was eating, though it required time and preparation, was more delicious than any of the junk I had been eating before. I learned that vegetables are delicious, and fruit is divine. Who knew? Then the pounds started melting off. People kept asking me what my secret was. When I told them about my change in diet, most of them shook their heads and said they could never make those same changes. They had been looking for an easy fix - not a lifestyle change. Over the course of 9 months, I lost about 50 pounds and dropped three sizes, and I'm still losing weight, though it has slowed down now that I'm in a healthy range. My stomach, while not perfect, feels much better, and I have been able to re-introduce certain previously-verboten foods into my diet (most notably chocolate).
That was just the first step in a drastic change in my relationship with food. I became interested in nutrition and in eating well. My foray into nutrition lead me to a couple of books which have changed my outlook even more. The Omnivore's Dillema by Michael Pollan, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. In addition to what I'm learning as an acupuncture student, these books have made it abundantly clear that I need to make more changes: to eat locally and sustainably grown food.
This blog is a place to share my experiences as I foray into the exciting world of local food, and the connections between food, Chinese Medicine, and spirituality.
Gu Qi: Pronounced like Goo Chee (also like the overpriced, Italian designer brand Gucci). Gu qi is the energy we get from food and drink. It is also referred to as "acquired qi."
Why name my blog after a concept that few Americans have heard of? Simple - because of the absolute importance gu qi has in our health and happiness and because of my new-found passion for food.
A year ago, I ate for convenience rather than nutrition. I filled my body with caffeine, high fructose corn syrup, trans-fats, and all sorts of other additives. I could frequently be found at fast food establishments (though I eschewed McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's in favor of Subway, Quiznos, Burgermaster, and Taco Bell. I had standards), or eating pizza, frozen meals, or boxed macaroni and cheese. I drank soda like it was water and ate massive amounts of candy. I drank several beers a week. Occasionally, I would cook an actual meal - usually one involving lots of cheese and simple sugars, with the occasional broccoli, carrots, and salad to make me feel like I was eating well. I exercised a little, and I couldn't understand why I was overweight.
I had been experiencing stomach problems for a while and taking massive amounts of antacids, but in March of '09, I began having stabbing pain in my stomach and lower esophagus that were debilitating. I went to see an acupuncturist who treated me and told me to go to a medical doctor because I could have an ulcer. My doctor told me that I had gastritis, inflammation of the stomach, and that I would have to make drastic changes to my diet in order for it to heal. First and foremost, I had to entirely cut out caffeine and alcohol. He strongly recommended that I change my diet to consist solely of protein, complex carbohydrates, and vegetables, along with some low-acidic fruit. No sugar, no dairy, no spicy foods, nothing carbonated, and no acidic or sour foods. Oy! I had to change almost 100% of my diet, a prospect that was daunting, but my alternative was pain so severe that I could barely function.
The first few weeks were the most difficult, mostly because of caffeine and sugar withdrawal. Once I got through that (the hardest thing I've ever done!), I noticed that I had more energy and felt better. Shockingly, I found that the food I was eating, though it required time and preparation, was more delicious than any of the junk I had been eating before. I learned that vegetables are delicious, and fruit is divine. Who knew? Then the pounds started melting off. People kept asking me what my secret was. When I told them about my change in diet, most of them shook their heads and said they could never make those same changes. They had been looking for an easy fix - not a lifestyle change. Over the course of 9 months, I lost about 50 pounds and dropped three sizes, and I'm still losing weight, though it has slowed down now that I'm in a healthy range. My stomach, while not perfect, feels much better, and I have been able to re-introduce certain previously-verboten foods into my diet (most notably chocolate).
That was just the first step in a drastic change in my relationship with food. I became interested in nutrition and in eating well. My foray into nutrition lead me to a couple of books which have changed my outlook even more. The Omnivore's Dillema by Michael Pollan, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. In addition to what I'm learning as an acupuncture student, these books have made it abundantly clear that I need to make more changes: to eat locally and sustainably grown food.
This blog is a place to share my experiences as I foray into the exciting world of local food, and the connections between food, Chinese Medicine, and spirituality.
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