menupause

MELTING POT MENU

2006-07-02T18:26:00.000-07:00

July 4th brings two words to mind: FREEDOM & OPPORTUNITY. The USA is as perfect a democracy as possible. However, freedom and opportunity are not always accessible to everyone equally, despite the Declaration of Independence statement of:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Right there is a problem, because it does not say men AND women. And when you consider the facts that we wrestled our land from the Native Americans, placing them on reservations; that we forced Africans from their homeland and made them slaves; and that women had to fight for the right to vote, our democracy is far from perfect.

Despite the imperfections of our democracy, however, many people do come to the USA for freedom and opportunities that they cannot achieve in their country of birth, where democracy may not be in evidence. In fact, both my sets of grandparents came from the “old country” in search of a better life. With so many immigrants from so many countries, the USA became known as The Melting Pot, and in recent years, the pots have spilled over so that we have not only ethnic cuisines, such as Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Indian, etc.; we also have something called “fusion cooking.”

My understanding of fusion cooking is when someone takes a dish from one country, infuses it with ingredients from another country's cuisine, and creates a new dish. A good example of this is tofu, which is an Asian food that has become Americanized, so that we now have tofu ice cream, tofu cheese cake, and tofu smoothies, none of which is an Asian creation. Also, as the different cuisines have been cross cultivated or popularized, we find that there are foods that have become commonplace, rather than ethnic. Thus, bagels are no longer relegated as just Jewish food, and pizza is not considered just an Italian dish, especially when someone adds pineapple for Hawaiian pizza.

Today’s MELTING POT MENU reflects some of these ideas. I have added certain ingredients to make them more midlife-friendly, using low fat yogurt, sprouts, whole grains, green soybeans, etc. and creating dishes that need little or no cooking. (This represents freedom from the stove and an opportunity to try natural convenience foods.) I also experimented with fusion cooking with my Asian Slaw, which my daughter liked, so I guess that counts as something positive, since my kids are my worst critics. If I make something "yucky," they aren’t afraid to tell me.

Finally, remember the words freedom and opportunity can also be applied to midlife. Since most of us are past the chiid-bearing or child-rearing age, (your children or someone else’s), we have the freedom to pursue other avenues of interest. And as we “mature,” we may be less inhibited about exploring every opportunity that comes our way.

The second half of life invites us to be creative in ways we may not have deemed possible. We have become powerful women in our later years---powerful enough to say what we think, and also to think about and act on what we need to make our lives work, without having power over anyone but ourselves. That’s worth celebrating!

MELTING POT MENU:

Hummus with Whole Wheat Pita
Stars & Stripes Fruit Salad
Asian "Fireworks" Slaw
Cous-Cous with Edamame Beans
Black Bean Dip with (Blue) Corn Chips
Tomato & Onion Slices with Olives (top photo only)
Red & Yellow Watermelon (top photo only)

HUMMUS with PITA (No cooking)
Purchase fresh hummus (chick pea dip) from the health food store or supermarket. Read labels to make sure there are no artificial ingredients, trans-fats, or sugar. Spread hummus on a flat plate. Sprinkle with olive oil, paprika, and parsley. Cut whole wheat pita triangles on the edge of the plate for dipping. Feel free to add carrots or other veggies.

STARS & STRIPES FRUIT SALAD (No cooking)

INGREDIENTS
3-4 cups fat-free plain yogurt
1/2-3/4 c. organic red raspberries and/or strawberries (cut)
1/2-3/4 c. organic blueberries and/or blackberries
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
slivered almonds or toasted dried coconut

DIRECTIONS
1. Place yogurt in a large bowl. Gently stir in berries.
2. Sprinkle dish with almonds or coconut and serve chilled.

ASIAN "FIREWORKS" SLAW (No cooking)

INGREDIENTS
2 c. shredded, organic white cabbage
6-8 grated, organic red radishes
1/2 to one cup grated daikon radish (looks like a white carrot)
1/2 cup water chestnuts

DRESSING
1/4 c. toasted sesame oil plus 1 tsp. hot sesame oil
1/8 cup plum or rice vinegar
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger or ginger juice
dash of soy sauce
(black) sesame seeds
dill or fennel leaves for garnishing

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix shredded cabbage, grated radishes, and water chestnuts in a large bowl.
2. Whisk dressing ingredients (not the garnish). Pour over salad and mix well.
3. Stir in sesame seeds.
4. Sprinkle on dill or fennel leaves and serve chilled.
Variations: Add mung bean sprouts for additional crunch. Use more ginger, hot sesame oil and less regular toasted sesame oil for more “fireworks.”

COUS-COUS with EDAMAME BEANS
INGREDIENTS
One box Near East Cous-Cous
1/2-1 cup shelled Edamame beans (green soybeans)
Grated carrots
Minced scallions (optional)
Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Follow stovetop directions, which merely involves boiling water with the spice packet (and green soybeans) for 5 minutes.
2. After 5 minutes, add the cous-cous, cover and allow all the water to be absorbed.
3. Add about 2 Tbl. Olive oil and stir to coat grains.
4. Finally, add grated carrots and scallions, if using. Chill. Serve on a bed of lettuce.
(Note: If this is chilled overnight, you may want to add a little more oil the next day.)

BLACK BEAN DIP with (BLUE) CORN CHIPS
Another dish made by adding boiling water to Imagine Foods Black Bean Dip. (Directions on the box). Once water is absorbed, place dip in an attractive bowl. Garnish with chopped onion & shredded carrots. If chilling overnight, add extra warm water or try lemon juice or hot pepper sauce for a little more "zing."

Other items in the top photo are red and yellow watermelon slices and sliced cucumbers and onions with olives. None of these recipes require cooking, unless you consider boiling water 'cooking.' If you are grilling meats or vegetables, that can be done outdoors, so you can be stove-free! Happy Fourth!

VERY BERRY NICE

2006-06-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

(Berry Nice Juicy-Fruit Salad topped with whipped ricotta cheese and slivered almonds. See recipe below.)

Did you ever notice how few foods in the fruit and vegetable kingdom are blue? In looking through the World’s Healthiest Food list, taken from the George Mateljan Foundation (whfoods.org), I could find only blueberries. Not on the list is blue corn, although it is made into a popular natural foods snack, blue corn chips.)

Blackberries are another fruit whose color is very dark, almost like a deep purple. There are more purple foods than blue, but both colors are scarcer than red foods. These are more predominant in nature, starting with apples and cranberries and continuing with red peppers and tomatoes. But my favorite red fruit this time of year is raspberries. Actually, the color of raspberries is also unique, not really pink and not really red. Maybe the unique colors of these berries are what makes them so interesting to try.

Maybe my love of blueberries comes from my childhood memory of picking wild blueberries (also called huckleberries) with my Great Aunt Molly, who made delicious huckleberry jam. While I disliked walking up and down the hot mountain path looking for the berries, I loved the jam! And when I worked as a bed & breakfast cook in Maine a few years ago, I used to pick fresh blackberries from a bush in the yard next to the house. For everyone five berries I picked, I must have eaten one. My breakfast really was al fresco! As for red raspberries, I simply love them for no other reason than they seem to melt in my mouth.

In general, berries are good foods to incorporate into your daily diet. They are considered nutraceuticals, which are foods or parts of foods that have above average health benefits. (Source: Oregon Blackberry and Raspberry Commission) According to the commission, the healthful properties apply to all of their Oregon berries – red raspberries, black raspberries, Evergreen blackberries, Marionberries, and Boysenberries. (I don’t know what some of these different berries taste like, but I thought I would include them in case you see them in the market.)

According to the World’s Healthiest Foods Site, blueberries are packed with antioxidant phytonutrients, which are nutrients from the plant kingdom. Antioxidants neutralize damage to cells, and in the case of blueberries, they support the cells that, if damaged, can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer. Anthocyanins, the blue-red pigment in blueberries, improve the integrity of support structures in the vascular system, enhance the effects of Vitamin C, and improve capillary integrity by preventing free-radical damage.

Free radicals do damage because they are very unstable and react quickly with other compounds, trying to capture the needed electron to gain stability. Generally, free radicals attack the nearest stable molecule, "stealing" its electron. When the "attacked" molecule loses its electron, it becomes a free radical itself, beginning a chain reaction. Once the process is started, it can cascade, finally resulting in the disruption of a living cell. (Source: www.healthchecksystems.com)

Concerning blackberries, the berries and juice build the blood, which means they could be used to treat anemia. But in Healing with the Herbs of Life, the authors caution not to overdo blackberries, as they can cause loose bowels. Blueberries, red raspberries, and blackberries are good sources of vitamin A and potassium. Also, blackberries and raspberries are on the list of high fiber foods. However, since berries cannot be peeled or scrubbed, I urge you to purchase them organically grown.

Have I convinced you of the importance of including organic berries in your diet? I hope so, because they are good for you and they taste delicious when ripe. In fact, they fall under my heading of The Good Taste of Health Recipes. Below are some very berry nice GToH recipes to whet your summer appetite.

VERY BERRY SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS
One cup cold liquid (milk or milk substitute or juice)
One to two scoops of protein powder
1/2-1 cup of organic berries, washed
vanilla or almond extract (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Place all the ingredients in a blender and buzz until smooth. Enjoy immediately.
Feel free to use any of your favorite berries in season. If fresh berries are not available organically grown, consider frozen ones without sugar, such as the berry mix from Cascadia Farms.

BERRY NICE JUICY-FRUIT SALAD

INGREDIENTS
2 cups of organic mixed berries in season, washed and drained
two organic peaches, washed, cut, and pitted
two organic kiwis, peeled and sliced
yogurt, ricotta cheese, or whipped cream for topping
dried, toasted coconut or slivered almonds
juice as needed

DIRECTIONS
1. Make sure all the fruit has been washed, pitted when necessary, and cut into bite-sized pieces, if needed. (Ex. peaches)
2. Place in an attractive bowl and add a very little of your favorite juice, such as cranberry or pomegranate.
3. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or ricotta cheese or a spritz of whipped cream (my choice!)
4. Top with slivered almonds or unsweetened coconut.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS*

INGREDIENTS
One cup Organic Yellow Corn Meal (I used Arrowhead Mills)
One cup whole wheat, unbleached white, or gluten-free flour
1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt (optional)
one cup liquid (whey, milk, milk substitute, or juice such as orange or apple)
2 eggs or 1/2 cup liquid egg sub. (I used egg whites)
2 Tbl. maple syrup
3 Tbl. vegetable oil and extra oil for muffin tins (I used Macadamia oil)
one cup organic blueberries+, washed with any stems removed.

DIRECTIONS (Preheat oven at 350 degrees)
1. Mix dry ingredients together in one large bowl.
2. Mix wet ingredients in a smaller bowl.
3. Add wet items to dry ingredients and combine well.
4. Pour into mini-muffin tins or regular size muffin tins that have been oiled.
5. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25-35 minutes, depending on the size of your muffin openings in the tin. Use a toothpick or kabob stick to check for doneness.

Yield: About 20 mini-muffins or 9-10 regular-sized muffins. Serve with organic wild berry jam. I purchased an organic fruit spread from Bionaturae, which contains organic wild berries and no extra sugar. REMEMBER, these are muffins, not cupcakes, so they won’t be sweet.

* This recipe is an adaptation from the recipe on the bag of Arrowhead Mills Organic Yellow Corn Meal

+NOTE: I suggest washing the blueberries and then freezing them for a couple of hours, so your muffins don’t turn that eerie blue that blueberry bagels have. Of course, if you love really blue blueberry muffins, you can choose not to freeze the berries and also use blue corn meal, available in health food stores and supermarkets that carry specialty grains in their natural foods section. (Wegman’s has a special gluten-free section where these grains are available.)

Next posting maybe delayed because of July 4th week-end activities. If so, I will "blog" you in two weeks.

Will the Real Bagel Please Roll Over?

2006-06-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

Smells evoke strong memories. The aroma of bagels wafting from Kramer’s Bagel Factory is still strong in my nostrils whenever I devour a warm bagel. Growing up in the 40s and 50s, Jewish bakeries were the only bagel game in town. Fresh and frozen bagels in supermarkets or coffee shops were still "round years" away.

One of my fondest childhood memories is going down to Kramer’s Bakery after Shabbos, when Kramer baked its only product: BAGELS. They were either plain water bagels or egg bagels. They created these wonderfully round, crusty delights only once each week, for Sunday morning Jewish breakfasts, served “shmeared” with cream cheese, and topped with lox and a slice of onion. My mind can recall that taste even when I am not eating a bagel.

Actually, Kramer’s was just a factory with a retail counter---no storefront, no cookies, or cakes---nada! Just bagels! No blueberries, no jalapeno peppers, or other “designer” bagels found today. Eating my warm bagel from Kramer’s, that yeasty taste, the crunchy outside and the soft inside was a real treat. That first bite, when heat literally escaped from the bagel as my teeth made its first mark on this crusty circle of bread, was sheer delight. I would eat that one plain, straight from the warm paper bag that held two dozen bagels my father would buy for Sunday breakfast.

By the time we arrived home, my four siblings and I might have eaten at least half the bag before Sunday breakfast, the next big bagel bonanza. My mother would make a dairy meal: scrambled eggs, cream cheese or butter for the bagels, lox, onions, tomato, lettuce, and smoked white fish. This meal transformed my plain bagel into a gourmet delight! (As a natural food vegetarian, I no longer eat lox and also recognize that white flour bagels are less nutritious than whole grain; they are also high in carbs, so bagels are an occasional treat.)

The question for me is: Is a bagel still a bagel if it is stuffed with blueberries and has an eerie blue color? Is it still a bagel when spinach and feta cheese have been kneaded into the delicate dough center? How can I smear cream cheese on a salsa bagel? Should I maybe spread it with guacamole instead? “Oy! Gevalt! A shonda on you,” my grandmother would shriek!

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but give me a plain, rye or pumpernickel bagel over a blueberry, feta, or jalapeno bagel any day. Back then a bagel was a bagel....not a cinnamon-raisin babka knock-off, not a blueberry muffin wannabe, not a mock Mexican mish-mosh. And when the local bakery starts putting tofu and bean sprouts on my bagel, even I, the vegetarian, will post a sign on my chest that says, "Will the real bagel please roll over?"

Finally, when I did my own informal survey of bagel places, I was told that plain bagels were still their best sellers. Then I looked up bagel in the dictionary and this was the definition: A bagel is defined as a "doughnut-shaped, yeast-leavened roll that is characterized by a crisp, shiny crust and a dense interior. Long regarded as a Jewish food item, the bagel is commonly eaten as a breakfast food or snack, often with toppings such as cream cheese and lox (sliced, smoked salmon.)" Did you see any mention of blueberries or hot peppers or raisins? NO! I rest my case!

Recipe for the Week: YOGURT CREAM CHEESE with CHIVES. (I still enjoy regular cream cheese on my occasional bagel, but for those who are concerned about the high caloric content, why not try this low-fat yogurt cream cheese made at home, made from store-bought yogurt?)

YOGURT CREAM CHEESE with CHIVES*

INGREDIENTS
One 32 oz. Container of (low-fat) yogurt
Cheesecloth, a bowl, & a rubber band
Chives, preferably fresh

DIRECTIONS
1. Unwrap cheesecloth and place about 3 thicknesses into a bowl. Spoon yogurt into cheesecloth. Tie and secure with a rubber band, wrapping the rubber band around the end of the faucet. Place bowl beneath the yogurt to catch the whey and allow to it drip overnight.
2. Remove cheesecloth and save the whey from the bowl in the refrigerator to use in baking. (I transfer the whey to a jar and use within one week.)
3. Take 2 or 3 stalks of chives and snip with scissors into tiny pieces. With a spatula or the back of a spoon, incorporate the chives into the yogurt cream cheese. (The yogurt will be spreadable, more like whipped cream cheese.) Use as much chives as you like, and feel free to add other herbs such as dill or veggies such as minced peppers.
4. Serve chilled with bagels or bread or in celery stalks. Yield: About one cup.

(This picture of chives is from my patio garden.)
*CHIVES (allium schoenoprasum) This slender stalk of tangy flavor is part of the scallion and garlic family. Medically chives are considered helpful with stomach distress, protect against heart disease, help fight colds and clear a stuffy nose. They are high in the B vitamin folic acid, and also a good source of vitamins A and C. When combined with a low-salt diet, chives help lower blood pressure and also act as a mild diuretic. Finally, for extra flavor, try adding a few petals of the flowers that form when the chives mature. Really tangy edible flowers!! (Source: The Complete Guide to Natural Healing, Group 6, Card 9.)

See you next week......

What Should I Make for Dinner?

2006-06-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

Single picture cartoons, like haiku poetry, use brevity to make a point. One of my favorites of this single message cartoon was in the newspaper many years ago when I first became a vegetarian and was concerned about feeding my family healthful foods. The cartoon showed a grandmotherly woman bent over at the waist, weighed down by a shopping bag in each arm. She stood in front of an information booth with an anxious look on her face and asked, “Tell me, what should I make for dinner?”

When I was a young mother feeding my children, I used to panic every day at 4:30 pm if I did not know what I was making for our family dinner. This was pre-microwave days, so if I had to thaw something from the freezer, I had to do it early in the day. If I forgot, I was sunk! Now, of course, all my kids are grown, and my dinner might consist of a big salad, a bowl of squash soup, and a green vegetable---- simple, easy, tasty.

However, if that grandmother walked up to a booth that I was standing behind in this summer of 2006, and she asked me for information on what to make for dinner, I would say: Chilled Quinoa Salad. It cooks up quickly, is high in nutritional value, and the tiny grains have a wonderful flavor. She could add other vegetables or protein sources around it or make the salad the center of attraction.

On my box of quinoa is a statement about this nutritious grain: “Quinoa (keen-wa) stands alone as a complete protein grain. It supplies all the essential amino acids in a balanced pattern." Below this statement is a chart comparing the basic grains: barley, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, rice, rye, and wheat. Quinoa ranks the highest in protein and midway in carbohydrate grams and fiber, although higher in fat than the other grains. (However, I consider this a good fat.) Quinoa is also a good source of calcium and phosphorous. All in all, these tiny, round grain a pack a not so tiny nutritional punch!

Today’s recipe calls for regular quinoa, which is yellow. However, there is also a red quinoa that you might find in some health food stores, so feel free to mix both kinds. Be creative and use whatever favorite veggies you want. I added green soybeans for their flavor and midlife protein nutrition and seaweed for its high mineral content. (More on sea vegetables in a future blog.) There is no limit to the variations. This recipe is quick to prepare, light on the palate, and strong in its healthful attributes. Try it for your next picnic and see what friends say. Rice is nice, but quinoa is special!

QUICK QUINOA (Keen-Wa) SALAD

INGREDIENTS
One c. quinoa
2 c. shelled, green soybeans (Edamame)
1/2 c. grated organic carrot
1-2 organic scallions, minced
2 pinches Arame seaweed (optional)

DRESSING:
1/2 c. toasted sesame oil
1/4 c. plum vinegar
Dash of mustard, ginger, & natural soy sauce
Herbs of your choice

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook quinoa and Edamame beans, in separate pots, according to package directions.
(Quinoa takes only 15 minutes and the beans even less less than that.)
2. While the quinoa and beans are cooking, soak arame in warm water.
3. Grate the carrots and mince the scallions. Set aside.
4. Whisk together dressing ingredients.
5. Remove quinoa from stove and transfer to a large bowl.
6. Drain soybeans and add to quinoa.
7. Finally, stir in dressing and add onions and carrots gently.

This dish can be served hot or cold. If cold, serve on a bed of lettuce.
Serves four to six people. If chilled overnight, you may need to add extra oil.
Feel free to add your own favorite veggies.
Take it to your next picnic and enjoy!

Mmmmm! STRAWBERRIES

2006-06-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

(This photo was taken on June 1st, on the occasion of my youngest daughter's college graduation. We passed by this store & I could not resist taking a photo, since I had already chosen strawberries for this week's blog. Coincidence? Luck? Who knows?)

One of my dream vacations is to travel across the country to see as many food festivals as possible. If I were to begin this time of year, the strawberry festivals would be the first ones on my list, starting in Ashland, VA. Their strawberry festival is usually held on the first Saturday in June at the peak of the season in that area. Then I would drive across the US, eating strawberries along the way as well as gathering recipes, with my final stop at the festival in Watsonville, CA. If my timing was correct, I could be in Gilroy, CA by the end of July for the Garlic Festival (more on garlic in a future blog) and work my way back to the east coast stopping at whatever festivals I could find on the Internet. What a vacation!

Since my food festival dream vacation is on hold, I will be satisfied with ripe, organic strawberries from the Farmers' Market or Whole Foods, or wherever I can buy organic berries, unless I can pick wild strawberries in some forgotten field. According to "The Complete Book of Fruits & Vegetables" by Bianchini, et al., the Wood or Wild Strawberry (Fragaria fresca) has no equal in flavor.

Because most of us will buy commercial, not wild, strawberries, keep in mind they are one of the "dirty dozen." (See Blog posting from March 26th in the archives to the right of this article.) This means that this food crop has been heavily sprayed. Since strawberries cannot be peeled, my personal health recommendation is to buy organic. This often means locally grown, freshly-picked ripe strawberries by area farmers, but not necessarily, because strawberries are grown in many places and shipped to markets across the US.

However you obtain these beauties, know that they are high in Vitamin C. In fact, according to the University of Illinois Extension Service, strawberries have more Vitamin C than citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits. Also, one cup of sliced strawberries has only 50 calories and about 12 grams of (good) carbohydrates. The amounts of Folic Acid, Vitamin A, and Phosphorous aren't too shabby, either. Check the Illinois Extension website for a complete nutritional profile.(Type in Strawberries in Google.)

Dr. Bernard Jensen's book, "Foods That Heal," notes that these red berries are good for the intestinal tract, unless you have colitis or inflammation in the bowels. Then the little seeds can be irritating. Jensen also writes that for those who break out in hives when eating strawberries, try this: Run hot water over the berries and immediately follow the hot water rinse with a cold water rinse to remove the outside fuzz. This is believed to be the cause of the hives. A few words of caution: If you are highly allergic, I would not attempt this unless you consult your doctor first. On the plus side of his recommendations, ripe strawberries can be used as a 'spring tonic' and are excellent when juiced, according to Dr. Jensen. (Strawberry juice will be a new one for me!)

The extension service also suggests storing unwashed, ripe strawberries with plastic wrap in the coldest part of the 'frig. Do not soak in water when washing, and try to remove the green cap without removing any of the fruit, since doing so tears the cells in the berry, activating an enzyme that destroys the Vitamin C. And since considerable vitamin content is lost in cooking (jams, jellies, pies, etc.), all the recipes this week call for fresh, uncooked berries. Not to say you shouldn't enjoy jam or pie, just that if you want all the nutrition strawberries have to offer, eat more of them fresh! So enjoy the early warm weather with one of these recipes using luscious, red, ripe, organic strawberries.

Note: The recipes in today's blog are variations from my own cookbook, THE WHOLE FOODS EXPERIENCE, also featured in the photos. I have ordered some from my publisher to sell through the blog. Will let you know when the books arrive and are available. Cost will be about $15.

STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE
Ingredients:
4 oz. juice (pomegranate, apple, or orange)
4 oz. filtered (cold) water
one cup washed, trimmed organic strawberries, sliced
one small banana (fresh or frozen), sliced
one T. protein powder (I used Vanilla Spirutein)
Directions:
Place all ingredients in blender and buzz until smooth. ENJOY!

STRAWBERRY KA-BOBS
Ingredients (Organic):
6-8 Strawberries
1-2 Kiwi, peeled
1-2 Peaches
1/2 Pineapple, peeled & cored
Lemon juice
(Can also use any other seasonal fruits)
Unsweetened, dried coconut, toasted or untoasted (optional)

Directions:
1. Wash all fruit well. Cut and trim where necessary. Slice into bite-sized pieces. Squeeze a little lemon juice onto fruit once it is cut.
2. Alternating strawberries with other fruits, assemble short skewers in a colorful way.
3. Roll in unsweetened, dried coconut. (This is optional, but adds color and crunch to ka-bobs.)
4. Serve as soon as possible, as is, or with yogurt as a topping.

PINK PUDDING TOPPING
Ingredients:
3-5 frozen, organic strawberries
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup plain or strawberry yogurt
1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract
Maple syrup to taste, if using plain yogurt

Directions:
Place all ingredients in blender and buzz til smooth and pourable.
If very thick, it can be used as a pudding. If too thick to pour for fruit salad, add more yogurt.
Pour over fresh fruit salad made from leftover fruit for ka-bobs, shown in the bowl.

Remember: Fruit is best when it fresh, organic, in season, and eaten soon after it is sliced, as in the picture below.

Reminder: Please freeze some organic strawberries for future recipes using mixed berries.

Blog Feedback: My naturapathic friend Hope Woodring wrote back that potatoes, featured in last week's blog as Picnic Potato Salad, are high on the glycemic index. If you are counting carbs and eating low glycemic index foods, then the potato recipe is not for you, unless you eat a small amount as a side dish. Thanx for the reminder, Hope.

PICNIC POTATO SALAD

2006-05-25T05:41:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial beginning of summer. One of the highlights of this weekend is the start of picnics and Bar-B-Qs, and one of my favorite foods for picnics is potato salad. Now, some of you may be thinking, "But aren't potatoes high in calories and carbs?" Since I raised that same question when I was pondering what to post on my blog this week, I checked out potatoes on the Internet and came up with an interesting article from the Washington State Potato Commission at www.potatoes.com.

Potatoes are an excellent source of potassium (40% more than the banana), which is important for muscle performance and the response of nerves. They also contain Vitamin C, Iron, and other important nutrients in small amounts. (The article on the Internet has a nutrition chart.) Besides the bevy of nutritional benefits that potatoes offer, they are also good sources of fiber and can be prepared in a variety of ways.

According to the article, carbohydrates do not cause weight gain unless you consume more calories than you expend; also, carbs do not automatically cause a spike in blood sugar levels, and carbs are not responsible for causing diabetes, heart diseases or cancer. So the potato, eaten in moderation, can be part of a balanced diet.

However, as you enjoy your picnic or Bar-B-Q with family and friends, do not forget the real meaning of Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day. The information below is excerpted/quoted from the website on Memorial Day:

Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to Taps."

So, as you enjoy your holiday, AND remember that MEMORIAL DAY is not just about......

PICNIC POTATO SALAD
(Basic, non-traditional recipe using roasted potatoes)

I've never been a great mayonnaise fan, using it in very few dishes, such as last week’s Tempuna recipe. I prefer tossing my potato salad with oil and herbs. Below is my own recipe for Roasted Potato Salad, with crispy potatoes tossed with oil and herbs--- a lighter salad than the one made with mayo. Also, the roasted potatoes never seem to get soggy. Instead, they are crunchy, like the potatoes often served with eggs for breakfast at a restaurant. Hoping you will try my non-traditional potato salad as you celebrate a traditional American holiday.

INGREDIENTS
2- 2 1/2 pounds organic red-skinned potatoes (small size)
2-3 T. oil of choice (See choices below)
2-3 scallions, washed and minced
2-3 tsp. herbs of choice
sesame seeds, optional
salt & pepper, optional

DIRECTIONS
1. Scrub and cut potatoes in half or quarters (if larger than a handball).
2. Place potatoes in steamer and steam for about 15 minutes, until barely tender. While potatoes are steaming, preheat oven to 450 degrees.
3. Remove potatoes and cool until you can handle. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Place on a non-stick cookie sheet and toss with 2 T. oil and sprinkle on a little salt & pepper, if using.
4. Bake in the middle of the oven until edges are crisp (20-30 minutes), turning once to be sure all sides are getting crisp, using the last 5 minutes to place on broil. Watch they don’t burn, though!
Remove from oven. Toss with another 1-2 T. oil, herbs of choice, scallions, and seeds, if using. Serve warm or chilled, but if refrigerating overnight, you may need to add a little more oil the next day.

VARIETY of CHOICES: Olive oil with oregano, thyme and basil; corn oil with hot pepper flakes and cilantro; peanut oil with cardamom; toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and black sesame seeds (Photo). Enjoy!

Is Soy Good or Not Soy Good?

2006-05-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

Picture of Tempuna: Recipe of the Week. See ingredients and directions below.

For many years I have been eating soy foods as a major protein source. Soy foods are considered good plant sources of estrogen and are in a category called phyto-estrogens. Recently, however, some negative facts about soy have been surfacing, so I did some research via Google. I found pros and cons, inspiring me to do even more extensive research, and also to modify my vegetarian diet, once again.

Because of my growing concerns about the negative information on soy foods, I contacted BETTY KAMEN, who has a PhD. in nutrition. (See more about Betty below.*) Betty said she was not an avid fan of soy products, but if using them, they should be whole soy products. She explained that her negative view of soy for some people stems from the fact that Asians have a different protein metabolism than those descended from, for example, Northern Europeans. This is because of the limited amount of protein consumed by the former culture compared with the latter, over the centuries. In addition, any knowledgeable food expert knows that the soy protein available in America does not always meet Asian standards of quality, although organic soy may be an exception.

As a result of my research and contact with Betty, some of the changes I made to my vegetarian diet of 30 years was to add organic, free-range eggs back to my menus and to eliminate soy milk, soy cheese, and other "fractured" soy foods. Most importantly, I avoid any products that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated soy oil. Of all the poor uses of soy, this one tops my list for foods NOT to eat. Hydrogenated oils of any kind are considered harmful, soy or otherwise.Even partially hydrogenated, as Betty says, is like being a little bit pregnant. (More on this is another blog. Not about being pregnant, but about hydrogenation!)

Currently, I am working to include more TEMPEH in my diet and somewhat less TOFU. Tempeh is a fermented product made from whole soybeans (fermenting a food always improves its nutrient value), whereas tofu is a fiberless food made from the "milk" of the soybean (coagulated rather than fermented), and not the bean itself. I have also added whole green soybeans, called Edamame beans, to my bean cuisine. Edamame are often served in Asian restaurants as an appetizer and I like to eat the unshelled beans as a snack and put the shelled beans in entrees. The key for me is to BALANCE my own diet with several kinds of high quality, meatless protein along with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans, and sprouts.

If you are an adventurous cook and want to try something different as well as healthy, pick up a package of tempeh in the refrigerated section of a health food store or supermarket and try this salad I originally created as a "mock tuna fish" salad, but now has become a tasty salad or spread in its own right. Surprisingly, my 99 year-old mother-in-law, featured on my Mother's Day blog last week and is not a vegetarian, loves this salad, so I feel safe in introducing here. Your comments would be welcome.

TEMPUNA

This dish is a "knock-off" tuna salad, but does not really taste like tuna, if my memory serves me correctly. But it is high in protein and phyto-estrogens, considered by many to be good for midlife women. And it does have my Good Taste of Health seal of approval from my mother-in-law!

INGREDIENTS
One 8 oz. package tempeh (soy product), steamed
Two scallions, minced
One small carrot, grated
One stalk celery, diced
Mayonnaise or Nayonaise (approx. 1/4 cup to start)
Salt, pepper, and paprika to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Steam tempeh for 5-7 minutes.
2. While it cools, prepare the veggies and place in a bowl with the mayo or nayo-naise.
3. Grate the tempeh into the bowl, adding salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
4. Add more mayo or nayo if too dry. Chill and serve on crackers, bread, or as stuffing for tomatoes.
(Feel free to add garlic powder, curry powder, Italian seasonings, mustard, etc. to vary the flavor.)

*MORE ON BETTY KAMEN, PhD.

I met Betty Kamen about 27 years ago, after giving birth to my third child at the then ancient age of 41. She hosted a radio show in New York City and she interviewed me as part of a Mother's Day program. Fast-forward to the present: Betty went back to school and earned a doctorate in nutrition at an age most women would consider too old to study.

Betty has authored many books. The one most relevant to my blog is "Hormone Replacement Therapy: Yes or No?"More importantly, she now has a website: Each day she gives one healthy hint (with another doctor). These terse, timely tips are helpful tidbits that I keep in my computer. I have also put her website in a link on the margin to the right of my article, so you can just click on the link.

Review her website and get on her mailing list (the daily hints are free). I am sure you will benefit from the website, as many readers already have. Betty has just entered her ninth decade (she's 81) and is still going strong. That in itself is an indication of her commitment to good health.

Betty Kamen
www.BettyKamen.com
Newest book: Lose Weight with the California
Calcium Countdown
Alternate Recipe: Substitute regular tofu (not extra firm) in place of tempeh for Eggless Egg Salad, adding turmeric to the mayonnaise to give the yellow egg color. (Tofu has no fiber, but is considered a good meatless protein source.)

A Day for Mothers: Two Meanings

2006-05-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken in April. I am the one standing; Lena is on the right and my cousin Phyllis Jacobson is on the left. Together we add up to 245 years, a lot of mothering!!….

TIME WELL SPENT
By ellensue

When I became engaged to a wonderful man from Philadelphia in 2003, I “acquired” Alan's mother Lena, who is still alive and well at 99. Not only is she alive and well; she is also a pleasant, wonderful person who loves to keep busy. When she was younger and worked at a knitting shop, the customers called her the "sweater doctor," because she could fix customers' projects in a flash. She still knits and crochets faster than anyone I have even known.

My relationship with my husband's mother is cemented by our mutual love of knitting, because we often knit together when
I visit her in her senior living center. Me, the multi-tasking whirling dervish, sits and knits and chats with Lena. Something about the knitting process unravels me in a gentle way, like taking a calming pill. As we create scarves and sweaters and booties, the words between us flow like molasses, saying nothing, yet saying everything. I am not sure whether it's the knitting that creates this kind of peaceful interaction or the company of my mother-in-law. I suspect a little of both is at work, as she shares tales of my husband as a boy and stories of her knitting adventures with dresses made on size zero needles, competed in less than one month.

I use to think that knitting was just a hobby. But now I realize it is also a form of therapy for the body and the mind, almost a meditation. As my hands create something real, my mind becomes cleared of anything bothering me. Lap swimming has that same effect, except I can't pick up laps the way I do knitting needles. The source of calmness that comes from knitting is always at my fingertips. And just thinking that I can create something with two sticks and a ball of string still amazes me!

Being with someone older than myself and learning new knitting techniques at the same time are gifts that I cherish daily. While some may say that my almost daily visits to my mother-in-law is a wonderful gesture on my part---after all, she is old and in need of constant cetc, etc. etc.--- What they don't get is that I am the one who benefits from the visits, probably more than Lena. All the other things that I could be doing or should be doing pale in comparison to the quality time well spent with someone who has been around for nearly an entire century. The richness of her life adds to my life each time we spend time together. I laughingly once told my husband when he was my fiance, even if we decided not to be together, I would still visit his mother.

When there is someone precious in your life, take the time to be with that person in a way that fills both of you with joy and pleasure. Throw away the clock for a short while and just be with that person without thinking about what you could be doing instead. There will always be books to read and meals to cook and plays to see, but people die and then they are no longer here to share your lives. Please don'’t take these moments for granted. Time well spent with a loved one will always have a special place in your heart.

RECIPE FOR TODAY'S POSTING: NO RECIPE: Eat out or have someone else cook for you! It's Mothers' Day.

In place of a recipe I have included an article which explains the original meaning behind Mothers' Day. I like to think that Julia Ward Howe's poem for peace as well as the later idea of one Anna Jarvis to have a day to honor mothers are under the same umbrella: honoring mothers so they can honor their children by taking positive actions for peace. (This article is reprinted from one of many I found from typing in Julia Ward Howe in Google. However, I have changed Mother's to Mothers', replacing the elusive, ubiquitous apostrophe so that the word is always in the PLURAL, meaning that all mothers, aunts, sisters, etc. can celebrate this day as a cohesive unit, rather than singly, one mother at a time. )

Mothers' Day Proclamation of 1870
Mothers' Peace Day

The first person to fight for an official Mothers' Day celebration in the United States was Julia Ward Howe. You may be more familiar with her name as the writer who wrote the words to the Civil War song, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." But she is also known for something else, as you will see below.

Howe was born in New York City on May 27, 1819. Her family was well respected and wealthy. She was a published poet and abolitionist. She and her husband, Samuel Gridley Howe, co-published the anti-slavery newspaper The Commonwealth. She was active in the peace movement and the women's suffrage movement. In 1870 she penned the Mothers' Day Proclamation. In 1872 the Mothers' Peace Day Observance on the second Sunday in June was held and the meetings continued for several years. Her idea was widely accepted, but she was never able to get the day recognized as an official holiday. The Mothers' Peace Day was the beginning of the Mothers' Day holiday in the United States now celebrated in May.

The modern commercialized celebration of gifts, flowers and candy bears little resemblance to Howe's original idea. Here is the Proclamation that explains, in her own powerful words, the goals of the original Mothers' Day in the United States...

Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the bosum (bosom) of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe our dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if on some distant Mother's Day, the wishes of Julia Ward Howe could be fulfilled and the human race could celebrate a day when, all over the world, no mother would have to mourn the death of her child lost in war or terrorist attacks...

To all of the mothers whose children are fighting in wars - and to mothers whose children are growing up with wars raging around them or with terrorism threatening their safety... Wishes of strength, peace and hope for this Mothers' Day...

Hooray for Hollywood

2006-05-02T16:38:00.000-07:00

Reflexions:
On Wed., May 1st, I attended the celebration of Glenn Ford's 90th birthday with my husband and one of our hosts, Ignacio, who works for Sony Pictures. (Sony was responsible for the new printing of the movie we viewed.) Unfortunately, Glenn Ford was too weak to attend, but he had made a video just in case he could not be at his celebration. (His son was there to receive plaques and kudos for his father's work.) He was frail and bed-ridden, but what I took away from the short clip of his thank you was that, despite his fragility, he was still positive about Life.

Before the viewing of the film Gilda, which was made 60 years ago this year with the sultry Rita Hayworth, who is actually of Spanish descent, we heard from the various actors who had worked with him: Shirley Jones, Martin Landau, Jamie Farr (of M.A.S.H. fame, and Debbie Reynolds. Each one spoke his or her praises of Ford, and what struck me was that all of these stars were the older versions of what we remembered on the screen, but none of them was old. They all were positive and present in the moment, savoring their memories of Ford, but not moaning and groaning about the "good old days" gone by.

What I took away from the evening, besides the memorable vision of Rita Hayworth's sensual dancing and dialogue, was that we everyone grows older, even movie stars, but we need not grow old in our attitudes. Debbie Reynolds was the finest example of this, because she bantered and joked like a stand-up comedienne, even noting that she had been born in 1932, the same year as the Graumann's Egyptian Theater in which we were sitting, and that the "two old broads" were both holding up quite well!

It was a terrific night of entertainment, both on the silver screen and in the theater itself with the actors and gave me a new appreciation of Hollywood as represented by these older, but not old, starts who had come to celebrate Glenn Ford's 90th birthday. Hopefully, the picture of Shirley Jones with Ignacio will come through.

Recipe of the Week: Polo Lounge Pasta

For lunch on the same day we went to see the Glenn Ford movie, my husband's son Jay (our other host) took us to the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel. Then, instead of eating out (again) before the movie, I made a pasta dish and salad, so we did not have to rush from Ignacio's job to the theatre. I call it Polo Lounge Pasta because I made it on the day we ate there. The amounts are approximate, since I did not expect to post it on my blog. Purchase organic whenever possible.

Ingredients:
one 12-16 oz. angel hair pasta (or pasta of your choice)
one bunch asparagus
one small organic onion
one box sliced mushrooms
one small carrot, scrubbed and grated
oregano, thyme, garlic
olive oil, salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. While waiting for the water to boil and pasta to cook, wash the asparagus, break off woody stems, and cut spears into thirds, slicing the thicker stem-parts in half lengthwise Then, slice the onion and rinse off sliced mushrooms.
4. Place the three veggies in a baking pan, toss with enough olive oil to coat, add herbs, and broil just until the asparagus is tender and the other veggies are soft, maybe 8 minutes, less if the pan is very close to the coils.
5. If the pasta is finished before the veggies, drain, toss with a little olive oil and place back in the cooking pot to stay warm. When the veggies are done, put everything in the pot and toss gently, adding salt and pepper to taste, if you wish. Then transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with raw carrot shreds, and serve.
Variation: Feel free to grate some Romano cheese and toss with the pasta before adding the carrots. Can also be served chilled.

What Color is Your Pocketbook?

2006-04-26T17:53:00.001-07:00

By ellensue

Judith Lieber’s purses are works of art as much as any painting or sculpture I have ever seen. Last week, with my friends Linda and Dorothy, I visited the Michener Museum in New Hope, PA, and we were all amazed at the beauty and delight of Lieber’s extraordinary creations, from the trapezoidal-shaped purses of satin and leather to the unique purses in the shapes of animals, fruits, and vegetables. She seemed to draw her creativity from whatever she found interesting and her pocketbooks literally sparkle from that creativity.

At 85, I believe that Judith Pieto Leiber is also an inspiration to several generations of women, proving one can succeed despite hardship. She spent World War II in hiding and was denied studying science because of her Judaism. That loss became the fashion and art world’s gain. She was the first woman to achieve Master status in the Hungarian handbag artisan guild while still living in Europe, and then found success here in the US after immigrating with her American husband, Al Gerson Leiber. After working for several other handbag companies, she started her own company in 1963.

In viewing her handbags, starting with the lovely first purse, a silver chatelain created in 1967, to the subsequent handbags worn by first ladies Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, my friends and I remarked that the pocketbooks were timeless. Anyone of them could be worn today and still be considered “in style.” Just as a painting or a sculpture can be timeless, so are her creations. If the collection comes to a museum close to you, don’t miss it!

Not all pocketbooks are works of art, like Judith Lieber’s. However, I believe that they do reflect the wearer’s personality. The title of my blog this week, What Color is Your Pocketbook? is a spin-off, or knock-off (as are some of Lieber’s purses) of the book entitled, The 2006 What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles. First published in 1970, it is considered THE guide for job hunters and career changers, and is updated almost every year. His title came from the answer he gave to friends who told him they hated their jobs and were ready to “bail out.” He would then ask the friend, “So what color is your parachute?”

My title means something a little different, because it is meant to explore how you and your pocketbook are linked. Are you a big-bag person, or do you favor small purses that fit only wallet, keys, and your cell phone? Do you like shoulder bags, tote bags, pouches, ones with short handles? Are your pocketbooks several different colors and materials? Over the years, have you given up changing purses and now settle on one good one each fall and spring, as my friend Dorothy does. (As a teenager, my two sisters and I would fight over which of the many pocketbooks we would wear the next day at school. I still have a bevy of bags that I change every few days.)

So, the next time you purchase a purse, think about why you picked that particular one. Does it say something about you as a person, just like the books you read say something about your taste in literature? Do you buy an expensive purse like Coach because it is a status symbol, or are you happy with a discounted purse from TJ Maxx? In other words, what does the pocketbook say about you now? Just food for thought, speaking of which, is my recipe for this week’s blog: Pocket Salad Sandwiches. Not exactly a Judith Lieber creation, but a recipe that explores your creativity, depending on the veggies you choose:

PITA POCKET SALAD SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS: (Organic, if possible)
One tomato, diced
1/2 cucumber, peeled
1/4 avocado, peeled and diced
4-6 scallions, washed and trimmed, then minced
4-5 artichoke hearts, chopped
4-6 black olives, sliced
Leaf lettuce, washed and dried
Sprouts
Pita bread
Olive oil lemon juice, and minced garlic

DIRECTIONS:
1. Steam pita for a couple of minutes to make it pliable.
2. Cut in half. Line each half with a large lettuce leaf.
3. Place all the minced, chopped and sliced veggies in a bowl.
Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and chopped garlic to taste.
4. Then place several tablespoons into the leaf-lined pita bread halves.
5. Top with sprouts and enjoy. Should be enough to stuff 4-6 pita halves.
(Feel free to add your own dressing and substitute veggies of your choice.)

(Sources for this article: Judith Lieber collection at the Michener Museum, New Hope, PA: Inside Magazine, Spring 2006; and www.jwmag.org/articles/05Winter02/p.10 asp. (photos included).

NOTES: 1. There is an online company that allow you to lease an expensive purse for a period of time. See www.frombagstoriches.com/StoreFront.bok.
2. I will be away from April 27-May 13, so there may not be a blog next week. I hope to have one in time for Mother's Day.
3. If you are looking for something Special & Unique for a Mother's Day Gift, VISIT Analiese Designs for great handcrafted jewelry and other accessories at reasonable prices. LOG INTO:
www.analiesedesigns.com OR www.analiese.etsy.com.

Cooking off the Cuff; Baking in the Buff

2006-04-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

About 5 a.m. I threw off my nightgown. Must have been a post-menopausal hot flash, or a power surge, as my youngest daughter would say. It lasted only a couple seconds, but sleep would not return. Light was already streaming through my windows, and the morning was cool and inviting. Early mornings are my favorite time of day, anyway.

As I threw off the sheets, I decided to bake cookies---in the buff. O.K. O.K. I confess. I did don an apron. Not sure why, since my skin is totally wash and wear. Habit, I guess. Oh, yes, I do have on my lucky cap, a little rose-colored crocheted number I picked up at The Gap about five years ago for $2.00 on sale.

Back to the cookies....Or maybe back to the buff. By the time one reaches 60, all the rules are subject to scrutiny. Who made these rules anyway? When my kid sister turned 50, she said, "I don't play by the rules any more. I've done it all my life and life isn't fair, so I'm going to make my own rules." Shes smarter than I am; I didn't wake up until after my divorce and I was already 55. I think I was on stupid pills instead of vitamin pills!

One piece of advice: Next time you have the urge to do something creative, like bake cookies, try doing it sans clothes. You might find that freeing your body of any constrictions also frees your mind. After all, I never made cookies before with that particular combination of items on hand, and they came out delicious! (Actually, when I was first married, I served my husband topless one night, and that came out fine, too!)

Even if I had burned the cookies beyond recognition, when my fire sign-Sagittarian tendencies are in full force, baking in the buff is an experience I plan to repeat. After all, if I survived menopause and divorce at the same time, and have finally reached The Crone Age with its sidekick PMZ (Post-Menopausal Zest), I’m entitled!

APPLICIOUS COOKIES: You can mix and match the grains, sweeteners, nuts and spices to your taste.

DRY INGREDIENTS:

one cup oat flour or oats for oatmeal
one cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. allspice or cinnamon or nutmeg
one cup chopped walnuts or pecans

WET INGREDIENTS:

one cup organic raisins or cranberries, soaked into
1/3-1/2 cup organic juice (apple, pomegranate, grape)
1/4 cup organic applesauce or 1/2 cup organic apple or pear butter
one tsp. pure almond or vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola, sunflower, safflower, macadamia)
1/2 cup sweetener (honey, barley malt, or maple syrup)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl and dry ingredients
in a smaller bowl.
3. Add dry mix to wet mix and combine well. (Based on the combination of
choices you make, you may have to add a little more flour or a little more juice to get a wet cookie dough that drops.)
4. Drop by spoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until cookies are slightly brown on the bottom.
5. Remove and cool before eating in the buff.

Yield: approximately three dozen small cookies, depending on the size of your spoon!

2006-04-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

EAT YOUR GREENS!

Spring is definitely in the air. The organic asparagus, a harbinger of spring, is at Whole Foods Market; ripe avocado graces the cover of Eating Well magazine; and my alfalfa sprout blend is growing in a jar on my counter top. What could be better for us as women than to enjoy a green salad that will rejuvenate us, giving us energy and eating pleasure? After all, spring is a time for eating lighter now that the heaviness of winter is almost gone, and spring salads are a great way to usher in the changing seasons of the weather and our bodies.

First, ASPARAGUS:
• From the term “sparrow grass.”
• A member of the lily family.
• The larger the diameter, the better the quality.
• Good source of folic acid, which women need.
• Good sources of Vitamins B6, A, C, potassium, and thiamin.
• No fat, no cholesterol, low in sodium, and good source of fiber.
• Rich source of rutin, which is good for our capillaries
•
Second, AVOCADO:
• Considered a sexual stimulant (hmmmm!) by the Aztecs, who called it ahuacatl. Spaniards called it aguacate.
• California - leading producer in the US; Hass is the most popular variety.
• Actually a fruit with more potassium than a banana.
• Sodium and cholesterol-free, with only 5 grams of mostly monosaturated (good) fat per serving; 1/2 avocado has 160 calories.
• High in fiber and folate (important nutrient for women)
• Good sources of Vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium
Third, ALFALFA (Sprouts):
• Grass that means The Father of All Foods (from Arabic word Al-Fal-Fa).
• Roots burrow deep into the ground to reach minerals in accessible to most other plants. (phosphorous, iron, potassium, chlorine, sodium, magnesium and other trace minerals)
• Good source of vitamins A, E, K, B and D. High in protein.
• Alfalfa is considered to be effective for several digestive disorders as well as the pain of arthritis. (Seeds can be brewed as a tea.)

AVIVA* SALAD
* The word Aviva is a girl’s name in Hebrew derived from Aviv, the word for Spring. Viva also means live in French, as in Viva La France! So the title of the salad translates into LIVE SPRING SALAD.

INGREDIENTS

10-12 organic asparagus spears
One container Organic Spring Mix, washed and spun dry
One organic red and/or yellow bell pepper, washed, seeded, and slivered
6-8 organic spring onions (scallions) washed, trimmed and chopped
One small package organic alfalfa or mixed sprouts
One organic, ripe avocado (toothpick stuck in the top comes out clean)
Juice of one small organic lemon or half of a large one
1 tsp. Tamari (soy sauce) or Bragg’s Aminos (non-fermented soy condiment)
Dash of cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste -optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash asparagus spears. To remove woody stems, hold the stalk with the tip in one hand and grab the stem with the other hand. Gently snap the stalk and the woody stem will break off in the right spot. Steam until tender, but still bright green. (3-5 minutes, depending on thickness of stalks.) Remove from steamer, rinse with cold water and chill.
2. In the meantime, wash and spin dry salad greens and place them in a bowl. Add slivered peppers and chopped green onions.
3. Wash and cut avocado in half. Remove pit and scoop out flesh into a blender. Add juice of one lemon and about 1/2 cup water and blend until smooth. Add tamari and cayenne and blend again. If too thick to pour, add a little more water and blend again. (Yield: about one cup.)
4. Take chilled asparagus and cut each spear into thirds or fourths. (Toss with olive oil, if you wish.) Add to bowl of lettuce and veggies.
5. Finally, toss salad with about half the avocado dressing and top the salad with sprouts. (Garnish with radish rose, optional). Put rest of dressing on the table for those who wish more. Salad should be lightly coated.

VARIATIONS: Eggs are a symbol of spring, representing renewal, so feel free to add a chopped, hard-boiled egg. Or add some diced, flavored tofu. (More on tofu soon.)

This photo of a giraffe, my favorite animal, was taken at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Notice he is eating HIS greens!

2006-03-29T16:56:00.000-08:00

April first is April Fool's Day, but there's nothing foolish about organic foods. Perhaps the best article I have read on organic foods is in the February 2006 issue of Consumer Reports Magazine. What I like about this article is that it was published in a non-food magazine and considerably more objective, providing both positive (pesticide-free food) and negative (higher costs) aspects of organic foods, one of the fastest-growing categories in the food business.

Below are tidbits of the article to "whet your appetite." However, the article is so excellent, I suggest that you go to the library and read the entire copy for yourself. Here are a few 'bytes' of the organic article:

DEFINITION OF ORGANIC: Food grown without any synthetic ingredients (ex. Pesticides). This mean produce and processed foods (ex. oatmeal) that are labeled 100% organic. Just "organic" means at least 95% of the ingredients in a food package are organically produced. If a product is labeled "made with organic ingredients," this means that 70% of the ingredients are organic and the other 30% must come from the USDA's approved list. (Read labels to be sure you are getting what you want!)

Studies have shown that by eating organic foods, you can greatly reduce your exposure to chemicals found in conventionally grown foods. Since there are potential health risks associated with those chemicals, you might want to consider organic foods, especially those you consume daily. (Information on pesticide levels can be found at www.foodnews.org.)

Consumer Reports recommends the following "dirty dozen" fruits and vegetables that should be purchased only organically, because their conventional counterparts carry a much higher level of pesticide residue than other produce. Buy these 12 items organic as often as possible: APPLES, BELL PEPPERS, CELERY, CHERRIES, (IMPORTED) GRAPES, NECTARINES, PEACHES, PEARS, POTATOES, RED RASPBERRIES, SPINACH, and STRAWBERRIES.

In another article was a second list from the Environmental Working Group. The following foods were listed as LOW in pesticides: ASPARAGUS, AVOCADOS, BANANAS, BLUEBERRIES, BROCCOLI, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CABBAGE, CAULIFLOWER, EGGPLANT, GRAPEFRUIT, KIWI, MANGOES, OKRA, ONIONS, PAPAYAS, PINEAPPLES, PLUMS, RADISHES, and WATERMELON.
(Both lists are foods that have been tested by the Environmental Working Group.)

Because organics can cost as much as 50% more than conventional produce, my suggestion is that you first buy what you eat most often. For me, that would be APPLES, GRAPES, and GREENS. To be truthful, almost all my produce is organic, unless the skin is somewhat thick, such as bananas, mangoes, and watermelon. But start with the foods you consume regularly, adding more organic items as you can afford them. Why? Because, as the article points out, there are chemical health risks from foods that are conventionally grown with pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and other toxins such as heavy metals. (Eating the above 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables exposes you to about 20 pesticides per day.)

If you cannot grow your own organic foods, try the local farmers' market. Or have a patio garden. (More on that in a future article.) Many farmers actually advertise their produce is organic. Some farmers can't advertise their produce as certified organic, but use no pesticides. That's a start in the right direction. Buy in bulk and share with a neighbor to save money. Or purchase shares in a community-supported organic farm and get a weekly supply of food from Spring 'til Fall at reasonable prices. There are many ways to cut the financial corners without compromising on your decision to buy organic foods.

Finally, enjoy the fresh flavor of foods that you know are untampered. Mother Nature has done a great job of growing her produce for centuries.... without pesticides. So don't try to fool your mother. Eat organic foods, as nature intended. Start with a salad, like the one in the picture above. This lovely salad is from a cafe in Paris. It was so beautiful, I asked my husband to take a photo of it before I ate it. And it tasted as good as it looked---- a perfect example of The Good Taste of Health, the name of my cooking classes. (I hope it was organic like the recipe below.)

SIMPLY SALAD

The trick to a delicious salad came from my friend Rhoda, who taught me to tear, not cut, the lettuce leaves to avoid "browning" and to dress the salad right before serving, so that the dressing is actually IN the salad, not ON the salad.

INGREDIENTS

one small head chilled, organic lettuce (Romaine, red or green leaf, Boston)
one medium organic carrot, washed and grated
one small organic daikon* radish, washed and grated
one small organic red onion, sliced thinly
olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dill
*Daikon radish is a mild radish used in many Asian dishes and looks like a white carrot.

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and spin dry the lettuce. Tear (not cut) the leaves into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl for serving.
2. Next, add the other organic vegetables and toss the veggies lightly.
3. Then, take 2-3 T. of olive oil and sprinkle it onto the salad. Toss gently.
4. Add juice of 1/2- one organic lemon and toss again.
5. Finally, add salt, pepper, and dill flakes to taste, toss and serve immediately. (Adjust the amount of olive oil and lemon juice according to the size of your salad.) ENJOY!!!!

2006-03-20T18:59:00.000-08:00

March 20th, 2006

Today is the first day of Spring. Last Spring, I attended my first Philadelphia Flower Show, and the photo today is from that show. How will you celebrate Spring? Why not try a meatless day, because today is also The Great American Meat Out, which brings me to my "green" recipes for St. Pat's Day, posted on March 17th. Because I do not eat meat, my recipes will not have any items that are meat-related in them. However, this does not mean you are supposed to become a vegetarian. It's hard enough maneuvering through midlife without giving up meat, if you enjoy it. More importantly, I think we should be looking at foods that are whole, lightly processed, and organic whenever possible. (A piece on organics in the future.)

Also, with Spring, just as we may do a spring cleaning of our homes and change over our clothes closets, you may want to consider a body cleanse, either by eating raw foods one or two days, trying a one day fast with water, or a day of juicing. (Check with your doctor.) You may also want to consider colonic irrigation, which many people shy away from because it sounds so gross. But I have been experiencing good results with colonic irrigation. It is very high tech and clean. Enough about that. You need to experience it yourself....or not!

Finally, I hope to have a poem with every posting, once I get this whole package together. If you look at the heading of my blog title, you will see there are five areas I eventually want to include in EACH posting: recipes, renewal, "reflexions," resources and remedies. I hope to get to this point by the summer. Today I include a poem, which falls under "reflexions."
It was fun to compose the poem and I hope you enjoy reading it, and that it puts you in a light, springy mood.

Menopausal Musings
Early-English Style

The rare words in this rhyme come from POPLOLLIES & BELLIBONES: A Celebration of Lost Words by Susan Kelz Sperling, published in 1977 by Penguin Books, and found at a book fair by my son-in-law. The definitions for the defunct or rare words (in CAP the first time used) are to the right of this little word exercise.

Menopausal Musings, Early-English Style
By Ellen Sue

Ah, my CHAIR DAYS are here, there is no cure. (Indicates evening of life)
I rant and I rage as I CHANTEPLEURE. (To sing & weep at same time)

Oh, for a BOONFELLOW to hold me tight (warm companion)
And banish the MUBBLE FUBBLES day and night. (melancholy)

Once I was a BELLIBONE, a bonny lass. (lovely maiden)
No PRICKMEDAINTY could match my sass. (a dandy)

I received TUZZY MUZZIES by the score (nosegays)
And LIP-CLAPS and TIPSY-CAKES at my cottage door. (kisses) & (cakes saturated with wine or liquor)

Ah, my chair days are here, I don’t need a cure
Just a MERRY-GO-SORROW so I can chantepleure. (Tale evoking mixed feelings of joy and sorrow.)

Ah, my CHAIR DAYS are here, there is no cure. (Indicates evening of l

2006-03-16T14:42:00.000-08:00

March 16, 2006

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, the Wearin' O' the Green. In addition to wearing green, why not eat green? Green vegetables, that is. Helen Nearing, author of several books about back to the earth, claimed that greens, not grains, are the staff of life. So for today's blog entry, I invite you to prepare some of these green foods. Please note that my recipes are generally simple and provide a wide range of choices and amounts, depending or your needs and taste buds. There is no wrong amount!

GuacaSalsa

Ingredients:
One ripe avocado
Garlic & Lemon juice
Salt & Pepper
1/2-1 c. organic* salsa

Directions:
1. Peel, scoop and mash avocado with a fork
2. Add (crushed) garlic and lemon juice to taste
3. Optional to taste
4. Add to avocado and mix well.

Chill & serve with natural tortilla chips, blue corn chips, or baked corn chips and with raw veggies, such as peppers, celery and raw okra (an unusually good taste when raw---no slime!!!)

*Tomatoes are heavily sprayed, so I recommend organic salsa

Pasta Verde

Cook one package of your favorite pasta according to directions. Drain and toss with parsley pesto.

Parsley Pesto

Ingredients:
Two cups fresh parsley
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper, & whole garlic to taste

Directions:
1. Wash parsley, trim stems and place in blender.
2. Add trimmed parsley to blender.
3. Pour in olive oil and add spices.

Puree all ingredients to a smooth paste, adding extra oil if too thick to pour.Feel free to add walnuts, pine nuts, or pistachios and to use the traditional basil along with, or in place of, the parsley. Parsley is high in chlorophyll, which not only freshens the breath but acts as a healing agent, since chlorophyll is to plants what hemoglobin is to our blood.

Sesame Green Beans

Ingredients:
12 oz. Green beans
2-3 Tbl. Sesame dressing
1- 2 Tbl. Sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Wash, drain, and trim stems. Place in steamer and steam 5-7 minutes, until tender-crispy.
2. Toss steamed beans in a bowl with 2-3 Tbl. of your favorite dressing or the one below
3. Sprinkle on sesame seeds right before serving.

Sesame Dressing
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sesame oil (regular or toasted)
2-3 Tbl. Plum vinegar or vinegar of your choice
Dash of tamari soy sauce or Bragg's Aminos (Unfermented soy condiment)
Dash of ginger sauce, if available

Directions:
Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl and when green beans are cooked, toss beans with 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing, sprinkle on sesame seeds, and serve. Makes about one cup. Refrigerate remaining dressing for tossed green salad.

HAPPY GREEN DAY!!

2006-03-08T16:19:00.000-08:00

Midlife, including menopause and beyond, is a wonderful opportunity to examine yourself at the third quarter of your life, celebrating all the changes instead of worrying about them. If you see change as a positive "power surge" (name my daughter Basha gave to my hot flashes), then you can use this time to reinvent yourself and regroup for the next phase of your life. After all, aren't the first 50 years only a warm-up for the zest/rest of your life?

As a nutrition educator and natural foods cook, one main focus of this blog will be on The Good Taste of Health, the title I coined for my cooking classes. (My company name is Hands on Nutrition.) Each posting ---every week or every two weeks--- I plan to feature a tasty recipe of my own or one from a book I review, nutritional information and natural remedies supportive of midlife, resources for you to investigate (websites, books, workshops), renewal articles, "reflexions," humor, and anything else I can glean from my overflowing file drawers and bookshelves of information on women at midlife. In the future, I hope to schedule small workshops with women who would like to host one in her home. At first, they will be in my immediate area of Philadelphia, and then later, further out into other cities and states. More on this in a future posting.

Finally, the word "menu" has taken on new meanings since the advent of the Internet. A menu need not be only about food. (Likewise, a recipe can be a formula for living.) Therefore, while food and recipes may have been my original focus of this blog, as I thought about it, I realized that a recipe for life can includes all aspects of living and a menu can be an assortment of offerings from many different areas of that life.

Hopefully, this blog will make a positive difference to you as your navigate the sometimes muddy waters of midlife, learning on the way how to live fully, joyfully, and deliberately so that you will be able to look back and say Yay! Menopause!!!