How To Eat A Portabella Like A Hedonist

We have been eating with a vengeance, of late. I promise after this post I won't mention it again, but I've been gone for more than three weeks, eating rice and beans on friends' couches. So when we were driving to the beach last night and saw a sign for Fresh Sweet Corn, we couldn't resist stopping.

Kerstin had a great idea for a cilantro corn dish, which sent us to the market for fresh ingredients. While I was there I saw some big, fat portabella mushrooms that I couldn't stop my hands from fondling. When we brought them home I didn't have the willpower to cut my babies up, so I pan seared them whole, stuffing them with a bit of garlic. I sautéed some farmer's market zucchini in lemon juice and topped with avocado mousse.

Lemme tell ya, it was p-a-r-a-d-i-s-e.

After cooking the mushrooms in olive oil for about five minutes I covered the pan and let all the juicy goodness stew in there until they were tender and rife with flavor.

The mousse was half an avocado, two cloves of garlic, a pinch of sea salt, olive oil and lemon juice and a half teaspoon of umeboshi vinegar food processed together.

I served the portabellas on some wild rice from yesterday's dinner, leaned the zucchini spears on them, dolloped with mousse and served the cilantro corn on the side. Not only was it a decadent and gorgeous plate, it was one of the most delicious macro meals I've ever had. I may never slice up my portabellas again. They retain so much flavor and have such a satisfying texture to them when cooked whole.

We Don't Dine, We Sup.

Last night we supped.

I've been away in Minnesota for nigh on four weeks, and yesterday's evening meal marked the complete return. Eating alone or on the run has been one of the most difficult parts of being away from Kerstin, both from a macrobiotic standpoint, and an emotional one.

I brought back some hand-harvested wild rice that my father and I had reaped from Lake Minnewawa two years ago. We glided through the rice stalks, knocking off the heavy seeds into our canoe, loaded them into burlap sacks and had them roasted by a local Native American-operated roasting barn.

I added crushed walnuts, craisins, a touch of honey and brown rice vinegar to the rice and topped it with grilled portabello mushrooms, sautéed zucchini, onions and garlic—seasoned with oregano and thyme...and there's a wee little bit of farmer's market tomato in there.

Kerstin had made some lentils, which I added a light vinegar & oil dressing to. We ate it on the side.

Hubba hubba ding ding! Two happy little macros eating a simple gourmet evening meal once again.

Food = Mood

So, we all know that it is true, even if we haven't taken the time to really notice. The foods that we eat affect the way that we feel, and they affect the way we interact with others, i.e. our mood. It has to do with chemistry -- and I wish that I understood it all better... thus my internet research adventure of the day from which you can benefit. (a great blog about this here, as well)

The food we eat produces chemical reactions in our bodies that affect hormone levels, for better or worse. It all comes down to neurotransmitters in the brain - and the way certain foods either stimulate or prevent their release. Neurotramitters are chemical messengers in the brain that carry messages from one cell to another. Controlling and paying careful attention to the chemicals we are putting in our bodies with different foods, and trying to keep it all balanced, will keep our moods more even-keel, as well. When we're stressed out, for whatever reason, we tend to crave comfort foods - traditionally buttery, sweet, and rich.

This happens because cortisol (hormone) is released into the blood when we're stressed out, and that triggers hormones that stimulate our appetites, and those hormones decrease serotonin - the hormone typically associated with happy feel-good moods. Then, your body wants carb-rich foods to get back into balance and decrease the appetite hormones, thus returning serotonin to its former state. So - although you are craving rich foods when you get stressed out, you can satisfy those cravings with healthy macro-snacks like rice crackers, whole grains, hummus, vegetables, and not have the side effects associated with eating too many sweets.

The carbs in sugary sweets increase the levels of serotonin to unnaturally high levels, and as soon as the sugar high wears off, the serotonin goes back down and it can feel like a real "low". You basically send your body on a roller coaster of emotions and hormone levels, which ultimately stresses out organs like the liver and kidneys, which cleanse the blood. Carbs found in brown rice, buckwheat, and whole-grains have a very calming effect because they have a low glycemic index, meaning they promote the slow release of serotonin rather than the rapid release that you get from foods with a high glycemic index like sugar, white flour, white rice, or a bagel.

By eating protein-rich foods like beans, whole grains, and soy products, you give your body tyrosine which your body makes into dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, helping you to be alert and focused on the tasks at hand. Omega-3 rich foods also raise serotonin levels in the brain, thus making you feel happier. High-fat meals stay in your stomach longer -- and that makes you feel sluggish because it diverts blood flow away from the rest of your body for a much longer time than a low-fat meal.

The Social Macro

One of the hardest things for us about going macro has been the social aspect of it all. I value the sanctity of the food that I put into my body, and being conscious about the food choices that I make is important to me. But, I also value the ability to go out to dinner with friends, have dinner parties where my guests are not put off by the food we eat, and attend dinner parties and actually eat something that the host prepares...

A conversation I do not enjoy having: "Oh, you're a vegetarian!? You should have told me! I'm so sorry..." "it's alright! I can find something to eat here - is that a salad?" "yes, but it has bacon in it..." "I see some beans over there!" "they have ham in them" ...

and since going macro, the conversation has turned into this: "I know you're vegetarian so we made a great ceasar salad for you, and some tofu." "Thanks, I really appreciate that, but, actually, I'm not eating dairy anymore either... or romaine lettuce..."

The point is that I'm afraid we'll stop getting invited to things if we continue along this path! We love having people over -- and the recipes in love, eric & sanae (look at the post from April 27, 2008, for an example) are from two genius macro minds. They are elegant, flavorful, and inventive - and make for great dinner party fare, when we are the hosts. When going to other people's homes, though, I haven't quite mastered the art of preparing ahead -- macrobiotics is hard to explain to people, it's very restrictive compared to the typical American diet, and I don't want to be a burden on hosts. Some ideas are to offer to bring a dish that is macrobiotic - making enough so that everyone can have some if they so choose, planning ahead in the days leading up to the dinner party to make sure that your body is in balance so that you can "cheat" a bit during the party and still feel good, or not going at all (not really)...

I'd love to hear other people's thoughts and feelings on the social macro front!

Mixed Messages

The last post that I made and the resulting conversation got me thinking: Am I getting mixed messages? The goal of any new macrobiotic is to understand your body through experimentation with foods and lifestyle until you've done enough trial and error to gain a basic understanding of what your body needs at any particular time to feel "in balance." And sometimes, macrobiotics is frustrating because it is hard to really pin down these yin and yang, acidic and alkaline, contractive and expansive, energies in the foods that we are putting into our bodies, and thus the energies and feelings that those foods are affecting on our bodies. I'm saying I'm still not there. And I would like to be.

I am getting better - I'm becoming more in tune to what my body needs, definitely. But some things still don't make sense: Why, if my body is in an extreme yin state just before my period, do I crave sugar, chocolate, and baked flour, if those are just the things that are going to make my period the miserable experience that it has always been? (Actually, I think that my period is a beautiful cycle and I become more and more grateful for it as I study the moon cycles and the feminine experience, but the headaches, cramps, and nausea, I could do without.) and why, when I haven't eaten for about 5 hours or so, does my body go nuts telling me I need that muffin/yellow cake from the store around the corner from my office, when what I really should have is some brown rice & steamed vegetables?

I believe the sugar cravings are my body's effort to increase my blood sugar - and because sugary things are what I have always used to get that increase, that extra boost of energy, that is what I crave. I have found that I can combat these cravings by planning ahead - by making sure that I have good quality carbohydrates providing my body with a constant flow of energy. I also keep some dried fruit in my desk drawer, and some rice crackers, which I can go to in a moment of panic. As I mentioned a few posts ago, I'm also quite certain that my sugar dependency was leading to my chronic headaches and common stomachaches. Without exaggeration, I have had a headache 1-2 times per week for the past ten years or so (and these headaches are lay down in a dark room with no noise for hours kinds of headaches), and since going macro, when I am being very careful about what I am eating, I have had none at all. It's about extremes - and keeping the body in balance. If your body is in balance, it will tell you what it needs - but if your body isn't in balance, it doesn't even know what it needs - so how can it send the right messages to your brain for how to get into balance?

AH-HA! After re-reading the last paragraph, I think I know the secret after all: continuing to hone my intuition requires continuing to maintain balance. It doesn't mean I can't give in to those cravings once in a while - but it does mean that if I am having those cravings, I'm probably not in balance -- so a little more thought is required as to my next nutritional choice.

**image courtesy of jdthinker on flickr**

Female "Yin" Energy

Forgive me if this is too personal, but it is a reality that we must all deal with, male and female alike... and, it's "that time of the month". My good friend "Priscilla" has come to visit me. Each time that she shows up, she makes her entrance very clear with serious cramps, headaches, and nausea.

Since beginning to eat macrobiotically, I have searched and searched for some female-specific advice on macrobiotics, and all that I have found is a gaping hole. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot out there for the inquiring female macrobiotic to go with regarding what effect the macrobiotic diet has on the intricate organism that is the human female body. Not that there is a lot out there on the male human body, either. I guess that is my point. Macrobiotics has become a part of my spirituality - as it should - but another important part of my spirituality is recognizing that men and women are intrinsically different. We are built differently, we respond differently, and we think differently. So, macrobiotics must have differing effects on our bodies.

This is what I know from my readings about the energies (click link for my description of yin and yang energies generally) of the genders and the food energies that go with them:

• Women are primarily "yin" energy, men are primarily "yang";
• Yang energy is needed to balance our female bodies so that we don't become overly yin, so the typical American female eats things like animal foods, baked flour, salt (unbeknownst to her, she is trying to balance out all of the yin foods that females are drawn to);
• Yin foods include sugars, fruits, chocolate, and beer and alcohol;
• Overeating yin foods causes our blood to become weak, and hypersensitivity because we are out of balance, we lose the contractive energy of yang and our energy is constantly expanding until it can expand no more -- this is where depression comes from.

This is what I know about menstruation - from the Hip Chick's Guide:

• Like every natural cycle it takes our bodies from yin to yang;
• The first phase where the egg is maturing in the ovary, is more yang;
• The second phase, ovulation (releasing the mature egg), is more yin;
• The last phase where the body prepares to shed the unfertilized egg is more yin;
• It goes back to yang at the beginning of the next cycle, after the egg has been shed;
  
• So - the cravings that I experience in the couple of days before my period are due to the extreme yin state that my cycle is currently in - the cravings are trying to help me align with my cycle;
• The typical American diet includes animal protein, salt, baked flower (yang) and creates contractive (yang) energy rather than expansive (yin) -- and your body fights that with cramps, headaches, backaches, etc.

Jessica (The Hip Chick) says to lay off the yang foods in the few days before your period, and you will reduce the unpleasant side effects of "Priscilla's" arrival... less animal food, less salt, no baked goods, and instead eat fruit, lighter grain dishes, some rice dream, or even a beer.

So - Ladies - and gentleman - but more to the ladies... This is what I know - but I'm interested in what you know. How has macrobiotics affected your cycle and what things do you do to combat the typical side effects of your period??

And, as an aside... a little plug for the Keeper®"alternative female hygiene product" -- I've been using it for a few years now and it is absolutely divine - I feel more connected to my cycle, and I'm not putting bleached products into my reproductive organs anymore, and that is beautiful.

Rice In The Fast Lane

A brown rice fast, a balanced body.

In medieval days, sages treated illness directly with dietary changes, oftentimes prescribing a ten day brown rice fast to balance the body and rid it of impurities..

It sounds a little too easy to 21st century ears where we have over the counter drugs far stronger and varied than any medieval sage could have imagined.

With three months of macro behind us, we decided to give it a try, modifying it to a four day go.

And quite honestly...it's weird. Come on, a brown rice fast? I'm still having a hard time explaining to my friends that I don't eat cheese, and that yes I'm ok, and no I'm not sick...
So, whipping out the bowl of brown rice I had been eating out of for 4 days wasn't exactly good advertising for macrobiotics, at least in the circles I move in.

I've been in Minnesota for the last few weeks, away from Kerstin, and we thought this might be a good way to stay connected through macrobiotics even though we weren't eating together (something I miss terrrrrrrribly).

While I've had a hard time understanding and accepting the yin-yang philosophies of the macrobiotic lifestyle, I can attest that eating brown rice does bring one to a sense of great balance and harmony. I already have a big crush on brown rice, so my opinion is biased, but you've got to take my word for it.

Just like Kerstin wrote, I was a very satisfied, craving-free, happy feeling macro for four days. The nutrients, minerals and protein in rice is astonishingly satisfying. And after three months of diluting the sodium and sugar from our bodies and letting our tastebuds heal, eating something nourishing tastes nourishing and actually feels nourishing. I gladly ate my meals of rice all day every day. Heck—I'll probably do it again.

A Summery Macro

The month is almost here: July... which to me means HOT. Humidity, stuffy apartments, sun, fans, sleeping with just the sheet on, and cold showers... which, for food, usually leads me to light and lovely green salads, berries, maybe a little couscous, fruit sorbet, and cucumbers. Garden-fresh tomatoes and lots of cool, crunchy, delicious cucumbers. So... lots of these foods are not on the macro-list of foods because most of them are very acidic - what is a macro to do in the hot days of July and August? Certainly I don't have to eat buckwheat!??

I went to my trusty Changing Seasons Macrobiotic Cookbook by Aveline Kushi and Wendy Esko for a little guidance. Luckily, it seems that cucumbers can be enjoyed in "small volume" for their cooling properties -- as can fresh local melons and fruit salad. Some raw salads are alright, but not a large amount. Quick sauteing is a method that seems to be favored for summer, as well as lightly boiling vegetables or pressed salads. According to the Hip Chick, summer is the peak of upward energy - everything is big, open, and expanded. We slow down, people spend more time outside. Your heart and small intestine are nourished in the expansive energy of summer. We should cook over high flames in stirfries, and in high heat like roasting and grilling foods. Broad leafy greens are also important staples - such as kale, bok choy, collard greens, and chard. Use light vinaigrettes made with umeboshi vinegar, brown rice vinegar, and occasionally apple cider vinegar or lemon to bring balance to the bitter taste of those greens. And don't forget the pickles! Not only do pickles really help with digestion (they promote salivation and have important enzymes that help break down food -- especially grains), but they are cool and crunchy -- just what I crave in the heat of summer.

And a recipe for Cool Chick Pea Soup from the Changing Seasons Cookbook linked to above:
2 cups chick peas
6 c. water form cooking chick peas
1 c. whole-wheat bread cubes
1/2 c. carrot
1/2 c. cucumber
1/4 c. chives or scallions
shoyu sauce

Soak chick peas & cook - then puree cooked chick peas and cooking water. Allow to cool to room temperature. Toast the whole wheat bread cubes in a dry skillet until golden brown, or fry them in a little olive oil until golden brown. Grate the carrot, slice cucumber into matchsticks, chop chives or scallions. Place the vegetables in a small bowl and pour a few drops of shoyu over them to marinate - then let sit for a half hour or so. Place 1 tablespoon of marinated vegetables on top of a bowl of the pureed chick peas, then place toasted bread cubes in each bowl and serve at room temperature.

Substance

I decided that I've been pontificating too often in the most recent posts, and that some recipes were in order today... Truth be told, Jake's been in Minnesota for a couple of weeks now, and neither of us seems to be as dedicated to cooking when it isn't for two. We've also been doing a brown rice fast (which, isn't really a fast -- you basically just eat brown rice for a few days) this week - so all that's been simmering on my stove is rice. However... here are a few things that we have made and posted about in the past, and really enjoyed.

Millet Garlic Onion Mashed Potatoes:
1 c. millet
2 c. chopped cauliflower
3 c. water
as many cloves of garlic as you can stand, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
shoyu to taste

saute the onion and garlic in a medium-large saucepan until the onions are clear, stirring frequently. then add millet, cauliflower, water, and shoyu, and bring to a boil, cover, lower heat, and let simmer for about 40 minutes (check in the middle to make sure you don't need to add more water). when it's done, mash it up with a potato masher & serve.

Mom's Quick Pickled Beets:
2 beats, quartered and then sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1/4 c. honey
1/2 c. vinegar

throw it all in a small pot, cover, and let simmer until the beets are tender... this is one of our favorites!

Tempeh Burritos:
one package tempeh (we like the wild rice variety, or the 7 grain)
shoyu to cover the bottom of a saute pan
one half package extra firm tofu
garlic
onion
black beans (or other variety)
brown rice
corn
avocado
whole wheat tortillas

saute the tempeh in the saute pan with the shoyu sauce until the shoyu is absorbed and the tempeh is cooked through (jake usually slices the tempeh like a hamburger bun for faster cooking), then slice the tempeh into strips; cut the tofu into strips & place on a cookie sheet with the tempeh, some minced garlic, onion if you please, olive oil, and some shoyu (optional); bake the tofu in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until they are warm and slightly brown; cook the black beans with coriander, cumin, and cayenne powder; warm the corn, and slice the avocado; warm the tortillas; and you've got serve your own burritos... and i actually really enjoy this meal - the tempeh/tofu provides some nice substance to the burritos.

As always... if you've got recipes to share, please comment!

The World of the Date

As you may have guessed by now, I have a serious sweet tooth (see entries on baked goods, one on cookies, and Jacob's entry on sugar, meant - perhaps - to curb my infrequent cheating by munching a girl scout cookie...) Macrobiotics has been a real challenge to that beloved part of me that cries, "dessert! chocolate! Something SWEET, please!" after every meal.

I've tried baking many macrobiotic desserts -- from Jessica Porter's Crispy Treats (click on this link to go to a very entertaining video of the Hip Chick herself making these tasty creations) to my own macro-ized versions of cookies and muffins. But, I must say - that nothing compares to a very simple sweet created by Mother Nature herself... the date.

Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree, which originated in northern Africa. I was first introduced to the wonderful world of the date when I was working at a North African restaurant in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The owner, from Algeria, served dates for dessert with walnuts and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. One of my favorite customers used to order the dates "naked". Taking her cue, I decided to try one out - and I was hooked. These little fruits are the absolute perfect satiation to my seemingly-never-ending sweet tooth. Nothing compares to their texture, aromatic flavor, and perfect balance of sweet -- never too much. Really. I can not satisfy my sweettooth with evil refined sugar - but one little date does the trick perfectly. It's truly a gift from the Goddess.

Because dates have a high tannin content, they are used for cleansing the body, as well as to sooth intestinal troubles. They have been used in traditional medicines for centuries (the first evidence of date cultivation is from 6000 BC!) These wind-pollinated plants are now grown all over the world in warm climates. Now - I realize that I'm being hypocritical here - and that my other posts boast the benefits of local-eating... but when it comes to my sweettooth is it really hard for me to let go, and unfortunately I don't live in a very arid part of the world. I will have to find some carbon-setoff that I can participate in so that I can continue to satisfy my sweettooth with this most perfect of fruits.

The Need for Seaweed

Hijiki, wakame, kombu, nori...usually if I can't pronounce it, I don't eat it. But in the case of sea vegetables, I have to eat my words.

Like most normal people, when I think of vegetables I think of tractors and dirt and farms and all things earthly. Being macro has challenged that paradigm for me by opening my mind (and mouth) to the fruits of the sea.

Since we have cut out or dramatically reduced meat and dairy products and heaped up on whole grains and vegetables we have been enjoying more varied, complex proteins and carbohydrates. The thing that vegans and macros need to watch out for is deficiency in essential minerals and proteins. Whole grains cover many of these, but tacking on sea vegetables to your diet can give true balance to a no-meat and dairy diet.

Seafood is ancient, one of the first forms of life on earth, according to some, and is full of many of the bountiful minerals the ocean stores. According to Sundance Natural Foods, 1/4 cup of cooked hijiki contains over half the calcium found in a cup of milk and more iron than in an egg, important concerns for vegans, those who refrain from eating any animal-based products. They also contain vitamins A, B1, C and E, as well as protein and carbohydrates. The Eden Foods wakame sea vegetables we buy give us 100% of our iodine, 8% of our calcium and 30% of our magnesium in just one serving—plus it's a natural source of unprocessed sodium.

One of seaweed's most astounding and valuable health benefits is its ability to remove radioactive strontium and other heavy metals from our bodies. Sundance Natural Foods reports that whole brown seaweeds (not granulated) including kelp contain alginic acid which binds with the toxins in the intestines rendering them indigestible and carries them out of the system.

While it definitely pushes my comfort zone at the moment, eating more seafood is something that I am committed to. The first step toward change is knowledge, and with this valuable information, it will be hard to NOT eat more seaweed.

Cooking with Kale

Yesterday, we were in the produce section and the kale looked really good. So we got some.

I've mostly had kale in soups or mixed with other leafy greens in salads, but yesterday we decided to go straight-up kale.

We blanched it for two minutes, sprinkled some ground black pepper and rice vinegar on it and served with shoyu-grilled tempeh. The savory shoyu flavor and the zing of the light rice vinegar dressing was the perfect match for the juicy green chewy kale. If the color green had a taste, it would be kale.

We paired the kale/tempeh delight with some quinoa (which has become our staple grain). We're attracted to it's complete protein profile, quick cooking time, and nutty flavor. I added some onion, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes to the quinoa to give it some guts to stand up to the kale/tempeh.

With a fresh organic carrot on the side to balance out the two flavor powerhouse dishes, this meal was well-balanced and delicious. In the right portion, this meal could keep me satisfied for hours after eating.

Shame On Sugar

"Of all the foods consumed today, refined sugar is considered to be one of the most harmful."

And with good reason. At the turn of the 20th century, Americans consumed about 20 pounds per person per year. Today, we eat our body weight in sugar, and then some—not including 20 pounds of corn syrup. That is both disgusting and amazing.

What's the big deal? Chew on this:

• Our programmed addiction to sugar costs us more than $54 billion in dental bills each year.
• Refined sugar contains no fiber, no minerals, no proteins, no fats, no enzymes, only empty calories. It leeches vital nutrients and minerals from our bodies including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium.
• Americans are plagued by diabetes. The disease is caused by the failure of the pancreas to produce adequate insulin when the blood sugar rises. A concentrated amount of sugar introduced into the system sends the body into shock from the rapid rise in the blood sugar level. The pancreas eventually wears out from overwork and diabetes walks in right through the front door.
• High sugar diets increase the risk of not only diabetes, but cancer, free radicals, hypoglycemia and cardiovascular disease.

OK, you get it. It's bad for you.

The problem is that it is EVERYWHERE. Sugar is in thousands of processed foods, which Americans thrive on. A can of cola has 11 teaspoons of sugar in it! Take a look at the list of ingredients on the next Lean Cuisine you pop in the microwave, the next bag of crackers you open, of the next scoop of icecream of you plop in your bowl. It is almost a guarantee that corn syrup and/or sugar will be high on the list of ingredients.

Sugar has had a stranglehold on our economy since Columbus hit the West Indies. We are addicted and it is killing us—and not very slowly.

Easing away from refined and processed sugar restores the natural minerals and nutrients to the cells and bones of your body. That fact alone was enough for me to kiss the white stuff goodbye.

I never had much of a sweet tooth, though...

Macro-local

One of the principles of macrobiotics that we have yet to focus the attention it deserves is the "keep it local" (see link at #23) principle.

Now, macrobiotics teaches that we should eat foods that are grown as close to our living location as possible. Not necessarily for the environmental benefits, but because before we were able to import foreign foods, people were confined to eating the foods that grew close to them.

The theory goes that our bodies are most able to digest those foods that grow near to us, because generations before us have been eating those foods. It also has to do with the climate that we live in - if we live in tropical areas, we crave simple sugars, less whole grains, and less animal protein, because of the cooling effects of such a diet. In colder climates, the cravings shift to salt, hearty dishes like vegetable stews, and possibly even some animal protein, because those foods give us warmth.

For me, the attraction in local food, although it may provide my Minnesota-grown-body with more appropriate nutrients and effects, is in reducing my reliance on fossil fuels. I'm particularly interested in macrobiotics and integrating sustainability into the way that we fuel our bodies, and as much as possible, I'd like to cut fossil fuels out of that equation. When someday we can have a garden and grow our own vegetables, life will feel a lot more sustainable.

For now, I'm glad that Farmer's Market season is beginning, and I look forward to getting our veggies fresh for the summer from good, organic farmers in New England. But, of course it is easier to eat local foods in the summer time because they are readily available during their growing seasons - not so in the winter. Given that we were just starting out this winter, we didn't put a lot of pressure on ourselves to "eat seasonally" and "locally". However, I see this becoming an ever-more-important part of our macrobiotic practice. And, it makes sense to me that the foods that grow during a season should be eaten during that season, as it deepens my connection to the earth - the source of food.

It's funny how easy it is to forget that our food comes from the earth, in today's pre-packaged, fast-food, fuel-reliant culture. Macrobiotics, as we integrate more and more of the principles into our practice, allows me to feel that I am doing my part to slow that culture down a bit.

Tempeh Time

"Tempeh is a fermented food made by the controlled fermentation of cooked soybeans with a Rhizpous mold."

—quoted from www.tempeh.info

Rhizpous mold?—Nasty.

That sounds like something growing in the shower...or on my feet. Tempeh is really quite a treat, though, and when prepared properly is one of the most delicious macro tasties I've ever sunk my teeth into.

Last night I made tempeh reuben sandwiches for dinner—giving them another chance after I made them about two months ago. (You can read about that experience here).

Once again, I relied on a delicious recipe recipe from Hip Chick Jessica Porter. Here's how she taught me to love tempeh:

Tempeh Reuben with Russian Dressing

Russian Dressing
-2 tablespoons fruit-sweetened ketchup
-2 tablespoons organic relish
-1/2 cup Tofu Mayonnaise

Tempeh
-1 eight ounce package of tempeh
-1/2 cup water
-2 tablespoons shoyu
-Eden Foods sauerkraut

Mix dressing ingredients together by hand and set aside.
Chop block of tempeh in half. Simmer tempeh in water and shoyu until liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes)
Flip tempeh at least once so that each side gets seasoned. Pan-fry tempeh in sesame oil until crispy. Slice tempeh in half and place tempeh, sauerkraut and dressing on two pieces of bread.


Let me tell you—these were delicious. The last time I made these we didn't have the Russian dressing, because we didn't have any tofu mayonnaise, and that made a difference. I also baked the tempeh last time. I find that simmering it in the shoyu made it much more flavorful. We easily polished these off and were talking about making them again this week!

The fascination I have with the macrobiotic diet is reinforced by my new friend tempeh.
Tempeh is very nutritive and contains many health promoting phytochemicals such as isoflavones and soy saponins.

Apparently, tempeh fermentation produces natural antibiotic agents but leaves the desirable soy isoflavones and most of the saponins intact. Amazingly, is a complete protein food and contains all of the essential amino acids our bodies need. As whole grains and fermented foods become a larger part of our diet, I am constantly amazed at how they provide us with a much more varied and complete protein profile than our former diet.

Those beastly little isoflavones aren't just a fancy name for something that is "healthy," either. They strengthen bones, help to ease menopause symptoms, reduce risk of coronary hearth disease and some cancers.

And on top of it all, the natural fermentation of it helps you digest it better. This little bundle of beans really goes the extra mile.

The Yin and Yang of it

Yesterday for dinner, we had miso soup with tofu, wakame, and carrots. We also had a lovely salad of bibb lettuce, rice vinegar, raspberries, and sunflower seeds. As I was pondering today's post, however, I was wondering how good a job at this macro stuff we are really doing. When we started out, we read up on the "yin and yang" and the "acid vs. alkaline" principles of macrobiotics - however, as with any diet, we've kind of sunk into a pattern of making things that we have enjoyed - miso soup, rice, a lot of beans, and steamed vegetables. Of course, we throw in some variety here and there with some tempura-fried vegetables, a few more sea vegetables, or a recipe from one of our newly-acquired macro-cookbooks. Going back to the drawing board to get a sense of where we are at seems appropriate.

I discovered that -- although our eating habits are much better than they were pre-macro, we have definitely fallen into a slump that probably would disappoint any macro-counselor that we brought into our kitchen. Now that our bodies aren't adjusting to the new diet as much, we could probably stand to watch the principles of macrobiotics a little more closely - beginning with more balanced meals. Macrobiotics really centers around keeping the body's blood slightly alkaline so that it can do its best job of healing and keeping us healthy. Our society and the food we typically eat as Americans (especially) contributes to blood that is higher in acidity, which is taxing on the organs of our body that neutralize acid -- the kidneys and lungs. The acid eventually weakens our organs and internal systems, and infections, inflammation, and disease can easily make little nests inside of us. Protein, fat/oil, simple sugar and refined carbohydrate are acid-forming. So -- even though we are macrobiotic, if we aren't preparing meals that focus on alkalinity, we may not be getting the full benefits of a macrobiotic lifestyle. Because the whole grains we are eating are high in protein, they could be acidic if not prepared correctly, or not complimented with macro-veggies like sea vegetables, condiments, and other vegetables. So -- it's all about balance, and I'm certain that we could do a better job of making sure that our daily meals are balanced.

Of course - it's all about the journey, and we're making progress... But it's also important to be constantly assessing where we are in that progress & how we can get better. We'll keep you posted. As always -- if you have ideas or suggestions on how to "spice it up" a bit, please comment!

The Amazing Qualities of Quinoa

This morning as I was surveying our ever-growing stash of bulk whole grains, I noticed that there were a couple of bags of Quinoa dispersed amongst the dried beans, millet, oats, rice, and almonds. I pulled them out, filled the glass canister on the counter that holds this delicious grain, and proudly announced to Jacob that "Quinoa is my favorite whole grain!" To which he replied, "really? brown rice is mine...." (not a surprise) "but quinoa is a close second." This brief interaction led me to do a bit of research on this fabulous whole grain, and to try to discover why it is that we share such a fondness for it.

Even before we were macrobiotic or knew much about this lifestyle, Quinoa was one of my favorite bases for cold salads, or as an accompaniment to seafood... It is light, has a delicious nutty flavor, and it is not sticky and doesn't get mushy like some other kinds of whole grains (rice, or millet, for example... or buckwheat). I prefer this lighter, less-sticky grain, because it simply feels good to eat it.

Now for the educational portion of the post... Quinoa is originally from the Andes in South America. It was a sacred grain to the Incas, as it is in our little attic kingdom. And it's no wonder - this is one nutritionally-sound grain! Quinoa has a very high protein content, for a grain, and it has a "balanced set of amino acids" according to Wikipedia - which means that it contains all eight amino acids that are necessary for human tissue development. It is high in mineral content such as iron, calcium, folate, manganese, vitamin E, and magnesium. It is gluten free, and therefore easier to digest than other grains.

To make it, we usually take a cup of the grain or so in a pot, put double the water in the pot with it, and bring it to a boil - much like the preparation of rice. Instead of covering it and letting it soak up all of the water, though, we let it boil without the cover & drain it using a wire strainer. It cooks pretty quickly - so it is nice to have when you don't have any rice or other longer-cooking grains prepared for a meal. I think it would make an excellent breakfast, come to think of it - and I may try that one of these days. Typically, we have it for dinner under steamed vegetables, or a lentil sauce with spices, or with seafood such as Tilapia. In my research I also discovered that there is quinoa flour - perhaps I will use that in some baked goods sometime soon.... so do yourself a favor and go get some quinoa at the co-op - leave your reviews as comments to this post if you'd like! We'd love to hear what you think.

Thai It, You'll Like It!

Biking through town today, I zoomed past one of the Thai restaurants that we used to eat at...and I had a pang of sadness. The sweet peanut sauce, the zesty lemon, the spicy zippy noodles! Oh!

So, I went home, busted out Lorna Sass's "Complete Vegetarian Kitchen" cookbook (which, by the way, you must get if you care the slightest bit about eating delicious vegetarian food) and started mixin' me up a mess o' Thai food—macro style, of course.

This woman isn't messing around. She knows her stuff. She is the author of 8 health-focused cookbooks that are loaded with oodles and oodles of delicious recipes—and I'm talkin' DEE-licious.

Point made. Lorna Sass kicks major macro booty. Moving on.

I thought this Thai business was going to be a complicated, messy, mysterious undertaking. And while it was a little messy, it wasn't complicated or mysterious at all. I started by making the Peanut Sauce on page 302:

Peanut Sauce (from Lorna Sass's Complete Vegetarian Cookbook)
.5 cup unsalted peanut butter
2.5 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 cloves of raw garlic, peeled and minced
.5 cup water
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce (I used shoyu)
1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (I used both! hachi hachi!)

Blend or food process all of the ingredients together and season to taste. Brilliant.

The rest was just some thai rice noodles from the store, some steamed broccoli and carrots, sauteed onion, garlic and zucchini. When everything was cooked I threw it all in a pot and tossed it around like crazy for a minute, and garnished with scallions and lemon slice.

I served the peanut sauce on the side, and we had ourselves a tasty, healthy Thai dish without the greasy gut ache that usually follows.

I seriously can't get enough of the peanut sauce. I might drink it as a protein shake.

Hot & Steamy

Pretty sexy title, right!? Well - steamed vegetables are a pretty sexy topic. Since going macro, our percentage of vegetables consumed on a daily basis has definitely increased. We're eating a lot more broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Not to mention leaks, onions, scallions, squash, and zucchini. We've sauteed them, eaten them raw, fried them with tempura batter, but the most predominant way we tend to eat them is steamed. I've been told consistently that eating vegetables raw is the best way to get the most nutrients, but that steaming them is a close second. Boiling them seems to be the worst as far as nutritional content because the nutrients leach out into the boiling water and go down the drain with it, too... But, why are steamed veggies so much better than boiled ones? I did some internet research to find out.

It appears that 120° is the important number to remember. That is the tipping point, when it all goes downhill for the nutrients. 120° is the temperature at which a person can still typically tolerate sipping for liquids. After you go over that temperature, the enzymes that are present in foods -- including in vegetables -- that are there to help your body digest it, start to die. When you steam it over 120°, the nutrients stay in the veggies - but your body has to use its own enzymes to digest it, so it has to work harder. So I guess we should try not to let the vegetables get to over 120°, which I'm sure we usually do... Just food for thought.

Brown Rice

I know I already wrote about my love of brown rice a few days back, but after thinking it over I have decided to give it another go 'round. This stuff is really amazing.

One of its most amazing characteristics is its pervasiveness. The diets of nearly every culture include it and it is produced in vast areas of the world regardless of season. In some languages, the word "to eat" literally means "to eat rice." Rice is a food source that is available all year long and supplies nearly half of the daily calories for half of the world's population.

Brown rice is also less processed than white rice. Brown rice only has the hull removed, maintaining most of the grain's nutritional value. White rice is hulled, milled and polished—a process that ends up destroying huge percentages of vitamin B, manganese, phosphorus, iron, fiber and essential fatty acids.

Yikes.

As a matter of fact, white rice actually have to be "enriched" with vitamin B and iron to increase its nutritional value. Kinda backwards.

Difference in color is the least of distinctions between brown and white rice. Rice is layered with a hull, bran, germ and aleurone layer. The majority of the grain's nutritional value is contained in these layers. When white rice is fully polished and bagged it is basically a refined starch with little to offer other than looks.

If that still doesn't sell you on brown rice, I don't know what will. It helped me to know that rice is super old—like 7,000+ years old. But I like obscure facts. I've learned most of this from the World's Healthiest Foods web site.

Buying Organic

One of my favorite Joni Mitchell songs is "big yellow taxi," and one of my favorite lines is, "hey farmer farmer, put away that d.d.t., give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds and the bees..." (recently of Counting Crows fame -- but I like to pretend that didn't happen)

I was looking at the upcoming weekend weather today on weather.com (yes, I realize it is only Tuesday), and a link came up regarding organic fruits and vegetables. It was a link to an article regarding the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) and their recently published guide on the fruits and vegetables most commonly grown & their respective pesticide contents. I was once told that strawberries were the fruit that most soaked-up pesticides, and since I learned that I have been careful to only buy organic strawberries. Much to my surprise when I looked at the list, apples, peaches, and sweet bell peppers are at the top! This is much to my shagrin, given that I spent my childhood eating apples, peaches, and sweet bell peppers that were conventionally grown. One new macrobiotic woman cannot help but wonder how long that stuff stays with you.

Part of the article focuses on buying as many produce items as you can that are organically grown so as to limit exposure to pesticides. It points out that children are particularly vulnerable to integrating the harmful chemicals into their bodies, possibly contributing to nervous system disorders. Another article also goes in to the detrimental affects of pesticides on a growing fetus.

Now - with all of that said, it is still easy to pick up a conventionally-grown head of cauliflower at the wanna-be-coop that we shop at that costs up to $2.00 less than the organically-grown head of cauliflower and think, "it can't be that bad, can it?" Over the course of many trips to the grocery store, the monetary cost of buying organic can really add up - and become difficult to swallow. However, I like to think of it in terms of the costs of buying conventionally grown produce to my body and my quality of life in the long run. I feel good about purchasing organically grown food because it contributes to an economy that respects sustainability, and taking care of the earth. I also like purchasing organically grown food because there is something about eating organically grown produce that tastes better, feels better, and is spiritually satisfying... As Sandra Steingraber wrote in the intro to her "Organic Manifesto"... So, to me, those benefits really outweigh the extra dollars I spend at the cash register, and I hope that I am contributing, in some small way, to making organic the priority for food producers.

Light & Lentilly

Yesterday for lunch Kerstin made a quinoa and lentil salad. She tossed quinoa, lentils and canned tuna fish together and topped with grated carrots and sliced cucumbers.

While we were eating I realized that I have macrobiotics to thank for what I was enjoying—before going macro I would have needed much more salt or seasoning to make the salad tasty. But the ability I am gaining to taste subtleties is growing. The unique flavor of lentils has never been so apparent to me. Having just a touch of tuna in the salad gave it a zing that was countered by the carrots and cucumbers. It is a summer salad I hope we eat a lot more of.