New Urban Balance

Sunday Morning Breakfast is Best

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-07-18T15:40:15-04:00

Sundays are all about breakfast. Big, hearty breakfasts that stick to your ribs. Breakfasts that satisfy all those comfort needs as well as our need for communion.

While it can be nice to have others cook for you and, even better, clean up too, I prefer to cook and eat my Sunday breakfasts at home. My job often has me working and serving the public on Sundays. When I have that rare and special time with my family, I prefer to savor it at home.

This morning was just one of those occasions. Since I was working later in the day I enjoyed a relaxing morning with my husband. I was feeling creative this morning so I pulled some things out of the fridge and away I went.

Sun dried tomatoes and spinach scrambled eggs, spiced potatoes and onions, and toast was the menu. clean plates and full bellies were the result.

Start the potatoes first so your eggs do not get cold waiting. Chop an onion and sauté in some olive oil until the onion starts to become clear. Dice a medium russet potato into pieces not much bigger than a quarter inch. The bigger the pieces are the longer it will take the potato to cook. Place the potatoes in a small mixing bowl. Add a teaspoon of turmeric, paprika, and chili powder and mix to coat. Once the potatoes are fully coated with the spice, add to the onions in the pan. Lower the heat on your pant to med-low and cover. Check and stir every fees minutes to keep from sticking. Scrap anything that does stick up from the pan and stir in. Mince about three cloves of garlic and add to the potatoes after about five minutes of cooking time.

Rinse your small mixing bowl so that you can use it to scramble your eggs. Break open about two eggs per person into the mixing bowl and toss the shells in your compost pile. Add one to two teaspoons of stone ground mustard, 1/4 cup soy milk, and whip it all together with a fork. Slice a green onion, including tops, and add to the egg mixture. On a cutting board, finely dice 3 to 4 sun dried tomatoes. If you are using ones that come in oil or water, no prep is needed. If yours are dry, please soak them in some hot water about 15 minutes prior to making the eggs. In a sauté pan, add a teaspoon or olive oil. Heat up and add the sun dried tomatoes. Sauté about a minute and add the egg mixture. Be sure that your tomatoes are mixed in evenly. Take a large handful of spinach and roll it burrito style. Slice through the spinach to create strips (called chiffinade.) when eggs are about half way cooked, add the spinach and mix in. Cook 3 to 5 minutes longer.

Serve with sliced tomatoes or toast. In the picture, we are having a gluten free toast.

Enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Butternut Squash and Garbanzo Stew

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-07-05T19:56:39-04:00

This recipe is going to be a repeat offender at our house. Simple to make, this stew has enough flavor to eat right away while still tasting better the next day.

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, salt, and cook until the onions soften, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the garlic, chilies, cumin, coriander, caraway , and black pepper and cook for a few additional minutes. Add the butternut squash and water, stir.

Add the bell peppers and the chickpeas, cover and simmer another 7 minutes. Add the liquid aminos, tomatoes, and cilantro and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Ingredients List:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Cups Onions, Chopped
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Garlic, Minced
1 or 2 Fresh Chilies, Minced
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 Teaspoons Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Caraway Seeds, Whole
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Can Butternut Squash
1 Cup Water or Vegetable Broth
1 Bell Pepper any Color, Diced
1 15oz Can of Chickpeas, Rinsed and Drained (Preferably Eden Foods)
3 Tomatoes, Diced (May substitute canned)
2 Tablespoons of Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/4 Cup Cilantro, Chopped

Serve with a crisp salad and some toasty wholegrain bread. Yum!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

The Story of a Sandwich

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-05-15T13:00:24-04:00

Lunch anyone?

A sandwich should tell a story. It should be a personal expression of your tastes and your creativity using layers of flavor. Anything goes. There are no rules, not even in the bread.

The following is a visual presentation of the newest variation of my personal favorite, the cucumber sandwich. First off, I started with two slices of French Meadow Bakery bread. This bread is yeast free but tastes like any conventional freah baked loaf. Here are some coupons if you are interested. The bread is lightly toasted so it stays flexible, but has that toasty texture. I spread some Veganaise on both pieces of toast. I put down a layer of daikon radish sprouts (underneath the cucumber in the picture) to add some bite and a layer of fresh chopped dill on the other side.

Next a layer of "blue cheese." I use to be a cheese fanatic. Currently, I am dairy free. I do not like many fake cheeses because, quite simply, they don't taste very good. The brand Sheese has a blue cheese variety that has a very nice, sharp flavor.

So you can see we are layering and building the sandwich with flavors that will delight individually as well as work well together.

Now, for some roated red pepper. This adds some nice sweetness and a light smoked flavor to the mix. I buy the Whole Foods brand that is packed in water only.

Now some greens of your choice. I have some lovely greens from my garden, but whatever is your favorite will work. Arugula or other bitter lettuces will accentuate the sharp flavors in the sandwich, while bib lettcues or baby greens will enhance the crispness of the cucumber. Whatever, works for you.

Put the two sides together, and, Voila! A sandwich is born! Slice in your favorite direction or not at all. Enjoy with a nice soup or a side salad, or maybe, some hummus and pita chips......the possibilities are endless when you let your imagination flow.

What is your favorite?

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Lunch Packin' Travellers

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-05-29T15:35:00-04:00

Who loves a roadtrip? Vacations without flight delays and lost luggage. Trips without bad food choices at exorbinant prices. Travelling without the "hurry up and wait" syndrome required of plane schedules.

Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against flying as a mode of transportation. I have been flying since I was a toddler. My Mom use to put my brother and I (and her leap of faith) on a plane each summer and send us off to our grandparent's house. We got to visit the pilot and collected wings. Heck, we use to get all dressed up to fly. It was an event.

Today, flying is a means to an end; to get to a destination in the shortest time possible. What I dislike about flying is the total loss of control. You have to be at the airport two hours in advance, but they certainly do not have to be on time. You now get to pay them for the privilaedge of flying your luggage, yet they no longer take it from you at ticketing. You get to drag it to another line where they will weight it to see if you get to pay even more! It almost seems as if it would be more convenient to Fedex your bags ahead of you....and possibly cheaper too!

And if waiting around at the airport isn't boring enough, the food choices are horrendous and expensive.

Driving is definitely the best. You can pack as much as your vehicle will hold or pack nothing and wing it. You can take side trips and explore whenever it suits you. If one road is closed, you have options. If you are open to it, you can meet interesting, friendly people along the way. And the kicker.....you can pack a cooler!

We just finished a trip to my mother's; a 1200 mile trip. We drove it in two days with our dog, Vegas. This was her first road trip and she was a star. No complaints. She was so happy not to have been left at home, she had a great time.

Here, Vegas is enjoying a "cookie" that grandma made her! See how comfy she was?

Packing the cooler is as important as packing your clothes. It takes some thought and preparation. Of course I packed enough food for a week. (I hate to think we may not have enough.) It is a great way to finish cleaning out your fridge so that you have less to throw away when you get back.

So what is essential in your cooler?

We packed some easy breakfasts, lunches, and a variety of snacks. For breakfast I decided on granola and some almond milk. Mix that up with some fruit and voila! For lunches I made a Curry Chickpea Salad and a Dill Egg Salad. This provided some variety in flavors and textures. I made some tea for easy drinks plus we packed water. There was some mixed nuts and dried fruit. I made hummus to be eaten with some veggies or rice crackers. We packed some easy fruit like bananas, apples, and tangerines.

When we stopped at the rest stop, out came the cooler. Here is Vegas at her first picnic! She was too excited to eat, but, oh the smells!

Tell me about your favorite roadtrips. How do you like to travel. And best yet, what are you favorite travel/picnic foods?

Curry Chick Pea Salad

Mash 2 cups of cooked chickpeas with a potaoe masher until they are coarsely broken up. Slice up some salad veggies like celery, carrots, or cucumber and add those to the chickpeas. Add a few tablespoons of your favorite mayonaise, a teaspoon or two of vinegar and lemon juice, and a few squirts of stone ground or dijon mustard and mix it all in. Add two teaspoon of curry, a half teaspoon of turmeric, and some salt and pepper to the mixture. Enjoy it on a salad, in a wrap, as a sandwich, or with crackers. Simple and easy!

Dill Egg Salad

Peel and mash four to six hard boiled eggs. Add 2 tablespoons mayonaise, one teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard. Slice two to three celery stalks and add to the mixture. Add one to two tablespoons of fresh chopped dill. Mix it all up until smooth and creamy. Enjoy it on a salad, in a wrap, as a sandwich, or with crackers. Simple and easy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

I Grew a Carrot!

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-04-23T09:21:48-04:00

I started my garden this winter with a lot of confidence. I am the daughter, of a daughter, of a farmer. I thought I am sure to be a natural. I use to help my mother garden when I was a kid (I was a weed puller.) That definitely gave me relatable job experience. I have been growing herbs and ornamental gardening for years. That cinched it. I was going to be a success!

Well, a sort of beginner's success, anyway. My beans provided me with about four at a time, individual beans that is, and then promply died. My corn was trampled (mostly) by my dog and now has an aphid problem (the ants are working on it!) My zucchini presented one squash that rotted on the vine. My beets are taking forever......

I have had some pleasant surprises as well. My homemade compost has presented tomato plants all over the yard, and they are started to grow tomatoes! Nice bonus, right? My lettuce and cherry tomatoes are providing a consistant yield. And today, I could not wait any longer, and I pulled up my first carrot! Isn't it pretty!

As you can see from the picture, my cabbage is growing nicely. It has loved all the rain we have had recently. I am real excited that the centers are starting to form. If nothing else happens, they are beautiful to look at.

My kale has been consistent all winter. I keep taking a few leaves for my smoothies or for sauted greens or for soup and it keeps growing. We are having a great relationship. I am curious at what point it will get too hot for this plant.

And my peppers are experiencing a second life. When first planted, they began to flourish. Then we had uncharacteristically cold weather and they kind of ...well, chilled. And now I have jalapenos, green peppers, mammoth jalapenos, pimentos, cayenne, and these adorable red hot peppers.

I am taking volunteers to pull the volunteers, you know, the weeds. No experience required and you get to take away enormous satisfaction of a cleared spot. Oh and some kale, too!

Now, I am researching what I can grow successfully in the brutal heat and torrential rains of the summer. Stay posted........

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

The Don't-Change-Anything-Plantain Soup

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-04-24T16:25:00-04:00

I was told under no circumstances could I change this recipe. Translation? He liked it alot!

Plantain soup is a very quick and easy soup to dish up. The hardest part is probably finding the plantains. In South Florida, they are ubiquitous, but in Wyoming, I am sure they may be scarce. If you have a latin area of town or a latin grocery store, that will be your best bet.

The plantain is a rich source of potassium, magnesium, and phosphate. Potassium is a significant mineral for the body. It is one of the main blood minerals, called electrolytes, which include sodium and chloride. The balance between sodium and potassium has an important influence on blood pressure. High sodium and low potassium may elevate blood pressure. Potassium also helps to regulate heart function, an organ that we all appreciate working flawlessly. Potassium is essential for protein synthesis, it converts glucose into glycogen which is fuel for muscles, and helps the lungs eliminate carbon dioxide. And that's not all....potassium is needed to maintain a acid/alkali blood balance and has an important role in kidney function.

A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will be naturally rich in potassium. The body contains more potassium to sodium in a ratio of about nine ounces to four. Because of this, the body is programed to conserve sodium. The American diet, with it reliance on preocessed foods, is high in sodium.

Ingredients List:

2 onions, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, sliced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large green plantains, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 bay leaf
2 rounded teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
6 cups vegetable broth
zest of one lime
juice of one lime
olivie oil
1/2 cup cilantro

Pour a few tablespoons of oil in your pot and heat. Add onions, garlic, and celery ad saute until onions become clear. Add cumin, bayleaf and turmeric and saute a minute longer. Add broth and plantains. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer unitl the plantains are soft. This may take 30-40 minutes, it depends on how green your plantains are.

Once the plantains are ready, remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender, a regular blender, or a food processor and puree the soup. Add it back to your pot. If you find the soup too thick, add more broth. Zest your lime and add to the soup. Simmer a few additional minutes. Serve each bowl with some chopped cilantro and a drizzle of lime juice. Enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Ginger Whimsy and My Morning Smoothie

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-04-19T10:38:34-04:00

I love ginger. I drink ginger tea, use fresh or powdered ginger in my cooking, I snack on candied ginger, and now, thanks to my friend, I put ginger in my green smoothie.

I went to dinner a week or two ago with a group of friends. Over appetizers, one friend mentioned her amazing new blender (a blendtec) and the smoothie that she makes each morning. What caught my ear out of the cornecopia of ingredients, was the ginger. She uses fresh ginger in her smoothie. Hhmmmmm.......

I have tried a lot of different things in my smoothies, but it just never crossed my mind to throw in a chunk of peeled ginger. Now, over the past week, I have put a piece in each and every smoothie. I love it!

I think we all know that ginger is a root and grows in tropical climates. Ginger is considered a good source of potassium, magnesium, copper, maganese and vitamin B6. Ginger has been used in a medicinal capacity for centuries by several cultures. The active compounds in ginger are gingerols and shogaols. Here's a brief rundown of ginger's benefits.

Ginger aids in digestion. It increases the body's production of saliva and digestive fluids, thereby relieving indigeston, stomach cramps, gas and diarrhea.

Ginger aids in circulation. It stimulates blood circulation which cleanses the kidneys and bowels and encourages the skin's natural rejuvenation process.

Ginger aids in the relief of arthritis. Ginger oil can be massaged topically to relieve localised pain.

Ginger can warm the body and effectively assist in breaking a fever. It can help break up phlegm in the lungs caused by asthma or bronchitis

Ginger combined with cumin and coriander helps to break down high protein foods such as meat and beans, and lessens the formation of uric acid in the body.

So you are probably thinking, yeah, yeah, yeah.....but what about the smoothie?

Slice a piece of ginger about 1/4 inch thick. Peel it and add it to the blender. Add one peeled banana, 1/2 cup plain soy yogurt, a handful of spinach or kale, 1 to 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel or juice, 1 to 2 tablespoons of flax seed, 1 to 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds, and one cup almond milk. Blend. Pour. Enjoy!

The addition of aloe makes this a very digestion friendly smoothie. All ingredients are optional and I encourage experimentation. Find your favorite ginger smoothie and share.

(Please forgive the picture. It is truely terrible.)

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Good Ole Fashioned Lentil Soup

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-04-12T12:42:06-04:00

My favorite by far, lentil soup is the ultimate in comforting warm meals. ( Split pea comes in a close second.) Quick and easy to make, lentil soup is both nutritious and delicious.

Soup is a great way to have a hot meal for lunch or a nice light dinner. If you steer clear of dairy based soups, you will also enjoy a low calorie meal with soup. When I make a pot of soup, I fill several single-serve pyrex dishes for lunches. These will keep in the fridge for a week or easily freeze for several months. I also lke to make soup a day ahead of when I plan to eat it. Much like stews or sauces, the flavors in your soup will mature if you provide some additional time.

Ingredients List:

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic , minced
2 large carrots, sliced
2 cups french or brown lentils
1 cup tomato sauce
1 quart vegetable broth
1 quart water
2 generous teaspoons cumin
1 generous teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic and sautee until the onion begins to become transluscent. Add the carrot and spices and stir in. Sautee an additional 5 minutes. Add the lentils and stir in. Add the tomato sauce and stir in. Pour in the vegetable stock and the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until lentils are soft and the flavors are well blended. Approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

The Green Gables Cafe

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-04-04T20:45:09-04:00

An apology to all my followers....all five of you! I have been very busy at the day job. You know, the one that actually pays the mortgage? I have many accumulated posts that just need to get organized and edited and will be up soon.

I don't know about you, but when I get busy, I get basic. I resort to the well worn recipes that my family loves and are quick and easy to make. Many of the recipes I will be posting soon are easy favorites that can feed a family for a couple of days.

Also, when I get busy, I go out. Now don't sound so surprised. I am a normal person who ikes to take a break from cooking and dishes just like anyone else. I eat out normally about once a week. (That is the night that my husband "cooks.")

Recently, my Mom and I treated ourselves to lunch. We went to the Green Gables Cafe in downtown Coral Gables. The Green Gables Cafe is an organic restaurant with many selections suitable for vegetarians and vegans. They are open for breakfast and lunch weekdays serving primarily the business crowd.

The inside is fresh and reminiscent of spring. The day we stopped by was also a gorgeous spring day so the effect was magnified. The service was impeccable. Attentive and friendly, you can see that this group loves what they do and that your comfort and enjoyment is their top priority.

I could tell that the restaurant had some regulars that nestled up to the bar-like counter for a quick snack or lunch. They seemed to be busy working a local pick-up lunch business as well.

The menu has a set selection for soup of the day based on the day of the week. Being a Thursday, the special was butternut squash soup. My mother and I are both big soup lovers and consequently ordered a cup each. The soup was creamy and full of flavor without being too rich. A very enjoyable soup, it tasted as though it was something you could easily replicate at home.

For the main entree, I ordered from the daily special menu. Refried black beans quesadia style with guacamole and tomato salsa on the side. This may sound plain, bu the refried black beans were full of flavor and the tortilla was soft and fresh. The salsa and guacamole added the zest

My mom ordered the crabcake salad. (She is a crabcake fiend, and tries them everywhere.) Though the cakes appear small, they was little to no filler in them. You get almost all crabmeat with seasoning. The greens were freash and, even better, organic.

Just as an aside, I also ordered a lemonade which came unsweetened. I thought this was very thoughtful as I perfer mine much less sweet than most. I was disappointed, however, by the type of sweetners offered; simple refined Dixie sugar and the standard fake sweeterners. Suffice it to say, but I left mine unsweetened.

You can see, that Mom was happy!

Overall, I definitely reccommend the Green Gables Cafe for your casual dining pleasure. The service is outstanding, and the food is of the highest quality.

Check them out

http://www.greengablescafe.com/" rel="external">here.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Easy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-03-08T18:46:12-05:00

Wow. What a week. I barely cooked as my free time was filled up with other commitments. This means we ate up all the leftovers (and then some) and it means that I desparately needed to get to the grocery store for the fresh stuff.

When time is short and demanding, it is great to have some quick recipes that are satisfying. Like soups using frozen veggies and canned tomatoes or beans or creative sandwiches that use up bits and pieces of leftovers. This will keep you from running to the nearest processed food for sustanance.

Hummus makes a great snack or appetizer, but it also makes a great spread on wraps or sandwiches instead of mayo or mustard. Hummus is actually the arabic word for chickpea. It is part of many cultures but probably most often attributed to arabic or mediterranean cuisine. The origin of hummus is unclear as it has been around for thousands of years. Chickpeas were one of the first in Mesopotamia, blah, blah, blah.....All I really know is that I love hummus.

Just six ingredients and one dish are all that is required to produce my favorite hummus. If using canned garbanzos, try to use the Eden brand of garbanzos as they are BPA free.

The process is simple. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend unitll smooth. Serve at room temperature or chill for about 30 minutes.

Ingredient List:

1 1/2 cup cooked garbanzos or one 14 oz can
1 garlic clove
juice of one lemon
one tablespoon tahini
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 or 2 roasted red peppers

Note: You can add olive oil to the mix, but I do not think it is needed when you add other flavors.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Creamy Garbanzo Tortilla Soup

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-03-02T00:18:36-05:00

This was a total hit at my house. My husband ate it for three nights in a row. That is unheard of in my house. Very telling at how good the soup is.

It is an adaptation from an adaptation of a recipe....well, isn't every recipe an adaptation from something else? Recently, on Meatless Monday, a recipe from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen was highlighed. Susan's Tortila Soup with Pinto Beans was based on a recipe she found in Eating Well magazine. She changed up a few ingredients based on what she had on hand and on her personal tastes. I have done the same.

I had actually wanted to make the recipe as it was written in FatFree Vegan Kitchen, but, alas, I failed to do the prep work and never soaked my pinto beans. I had one hour before I had to leave for work. Definitely, not enough time to soak and cook the beans and the soup. I looked through my pantry and nope, no pinto beans in there either. Bummer, I had already started the soup. I was "roasting" my peppers, had the tomatoes in the blender, and the onions were almost done too. Had to make a decision and keep on trucking forward.

Then I remembered two things. I had cooked garbanzo beans in the freezer, thanks to my mother. I had made a wonderful tomato soup a while back with pureed garbanzos that would translate here. (Laura's Spicy Tomato Chickpea Soup from Vegan Yum Yum.) Voila! Creamy Garbanzo Tortilla Soup was born!

Garbanzos, also called chick peas, have many of the same benefits as other beans, such as providing valuable fiber, protein, and complex carbohydrates. Garbanzos are a great source of molybdenum, folate and magnesium. Molybdenum is needed by humans in only small amounts. It is a coenzyme used in alcohol detoxification. Low molybdenum can also increase sensitivity to sulfites and other perservatives. It aids in the prevention of tooth decay, prevents anemia, aids in metabolizing fats and carbohydrates, and helps create a sense of well being.

The poblano peppers used in the soup are relatively mild chili peppers. When dried it is called an ancho chili, meaning wide. These are easily found in most grocery stores.

The soup has no actual cream in it, as I am dairy free. The pureed garbanzos give it a rich creamy texture similar to a cream based soup. This I had discovered while making Laura's Spicy Tomato Chickpea Soup. Got ya interested?

Ingredient's List:

3 large poblano peppers
2 cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon chipoltle chili powder
1 quart vegetable broth
Water to desired consistency
4 cups cooked garbanzo beans
salt to taste
6 corn tortillas, optional
1 large lime, sliced into wedges
avocado, optional
spinach, sliced

If you have a gas stove, hold the peppers over the flames a few minutes until the skin begins to darken. If you only have an electric option, place the peppers in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and press the peppers into the pan until "toasted" on either side. Allow to cool, then slice in strips removing the seeds.

If using the tortillas, preheat the oven to 374 F. Cut each tortilla into 1/4 inch strips. Place the strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 15 minutes or until brown. You will need to stir the strips every 5 minutes to be sure the brown evenly.

Add your onion and garlic to the pan with a little coating of olive oil. Saute unitl onions are clear.

In a blender, add tomatoes, onion mixture, and peppers. Blend until smooth. Add oregano and chili powder and blend again. Return this to the pan to heat. Add the vegetable broth, the garbanzos, and salt to taste. Allow this mixture to heat through. Puree this mixture by either returning it to the blender or by using an immersion blender.

If you have picky greens eaters, add the spinach to the pot before you blend it. They will never know the spinach is in there. (The secret for a suspicious husband who questions anything green.) Otherwise, add the spinach to the soup a few minutes before serving so that the spinach will be wilted but not cooked.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with chopped avocado, some tortilla strips and a squeeze of lime.

Wow, this could be a great plantain soup recipe, too!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Lentil Sloppy Joes

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-02-24T00:23:29-05:00

Or "Snobby Joes" as the recipe is called. These lentil powered sloppy joes have fast become a family favorite. The recipe comes from this great vegan cookbook written by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. The book is called Veganomicon, and it does a great job of being irreverant and translating comfort food favorites into vegan friendly dishes. I have discovered many creative substitutions by using this book. The first night that I make these sloppy joes they are almost always eaten in the traditional manner. You know with buns and all....

After the initial serving, however, the leftovers are fair game. My husband loves to eat the lentils with chips like a dip. (Actually, that is also a favorite of mine.) I use it as a topping for baked potatoes. In fact, last night I made some mashed sweet potato and just plopped some of these lentils right on top. Can you say yum? Well, you would if you tried them.

Now, although I am not vegan, I do eat primarily a vegetarian diet. I use a lot of vegan cookbooks because they help me with dairy free recipes and ideas. (My internal systems all work better without dairy.) There are two main reasons I am not a vegan today. I love honey and salmon. Simple.

I also happen to love lentils. Always have. I use them in so many ways because they take on the flavors of what you are cooking. They are inexpensive, versatile, and really good for you.

Lentils are an ancient food source dating back to Neolithic times. They are third in line behind soybeans and hemp for the amount of protein offered (26%.) Lentils are missing the two amino acids, methionine and cystine, but when sprouted they are a complete protein. Also, when lentils are combined with rice or another whole grain they compliment each other, providing a complete protein source.

Lentils are one of the best sources of iron in the plant kingdom, making them essential to a vegetarian diet. They also are an excellent soure of folate and dietary fiber. Dietary fiber, we have learned, is important in maintaining stable blood sugar levels as well as supporting healthy elimination.

So back to the Snobby Joes, I guess you may want to be clued into Isa's recipe....

Ingredients List:
1 cup uncooked lentils
4 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sized onion, diced small
1 green pepper, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chile powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup tomato paste
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
4-6 kaiser rolls

Pour the lentils and water into a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Once lentils are soft, drain and set aside.

About 10 minutes before lentils are done, preheat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, unitl softened. Add the garlic and saute a minute more.

Stir in the cooked lentils, chile powder, oregano, and salt. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the maple syrup and the mustard, and heat through.

Turn off the heat and let the pot sit for about 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld. Serve on whole grain buns or bread. Mix up a batch of sweet potato fries to go along and enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Punjabi Rajma

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-02-16T11:09:30-05:00

Red kidney beans are the stars of this creamy dish which can be used as an entre or as a side dish. I like to serve punjabi rajma by itself with some warm whole wheat pita, but it also goes nicely with brown basmati rice and some sauted greens.

This is an adaptation of another of Madhur Jaffrey's recipes. This recipe is dairy free so I replaced the butter and heavy cream with coconut milk and oilve oil. I chose So Delicious coconut milk to create the creamy texture that heavy cream would create without imparting a distinct coconut flavor. Other milk substitutes could also be used such as soy creamer or hemp milk. Both are thicker than regular soy or almond milk and thus would add to the creamy texture of the dish.

To save time, set your beans to soak overnight. Place the beans in a heavy cooking pot with water several inches above the beans and just leave on your counter while you sleep. In the morning you will find the water has been put to good use and the beans are swollen and ready to cook.

Alternatively, you can add your water and beans to a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat off and let the beans sit for one hour.

Once beans have soaked, add them to your heavy pot with your three slices of ginger and water. Bring to a boil and let cook for 10 minutes. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for one hour. Discard your ginger slices.

Take a potato masher and mash up about half of the beans. (You can also remove half of the beans and puree in a blender or food processor and return to the pot. However, you will have all the more to clean at the end.) Mashing the beans adds to the creamy texture of the dish. Add the salt, lemon juice, garam masala, and the coconut milk. Stir to mix.

Add oilive oil to a small frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook a few seconds. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until garlic starts to brown. Add the chilies whole, stir a few seconds and then add the entire spice mixture to the beans. Mix in.

Remove the chilies before serving.

Ingredients List:

11/2 cups red kidney beans
6 cups water
3 slices of unpeeled ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk- not canned
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 clove garlic
2 dried, hot chilies

A cup of cooked kidney beans provides 43% of the daily fiber requirements. Why is fiber so important? Soluable fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract which binds with bile and moves it out of the body. Cholesterol resides in this bile. (Can we say, yum?) Insoluable fiber creates stool bulk and prevents constipation, which in turns helps prevent irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis. Fiber helps to stabilize blood sugars and lowers cholesterol levels. Those slow burning complex carbohydrates (Yes, carbs are good.) provide a steady store of energy.

Eating high fiber foods also helps to prevent heart disease. In addition to the fiber, kidney beans provide folate and magnesium. Folate helps to lower homocysteine levels. Elevated blood levels of homocysteine are an independent risk factor for heart attack or stroke. Elevated levels have been found in up to 40% of patients with heart disease. One cup of cooked kidney beans provides more than half of the reccomended daily intake for folate.

Magnesium also benefits heart health. When there is enough magnesium around, veins and arteries relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Kidney beans provide 20% of the daily magnesium requirements.

Kidney beans are also a grat source of iron. Having addiquate iron in the diet is also integral in having enough energy to get through the day. Iron is an interal component of hempglobin, which transport oxygen from the lungs to all body cells. It also is part of the enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. Pregnant, lactating, and menstruating women are all at risk of iron deficiences because of the increased need for iron. Kidney beans can provide 29% of the daily requirements for iron.

When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, kidney beans provide a great source of fat free high quality protein. A high quality protein is one that provides the eight essential amino acids. There are about twenty different amino acids commonly found in both plant and animal sources. When comsumed, proteins are broken down into their indvidual amino acids which are absorbed and used to make new proteins in the body. The essential amino acids are eight of those twenty which the body cannot manufacture on its own. Therefore, they must be supplied through the diet.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Tostones

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-03-19T12:48:00-04:00

So if my last post was not indulgent enugh, this one surely is. There is a reason that I continue to live in MIami. Yes, I know there is the weather. (Except for this winter!) And yes, the beaches are here too. There is the palm trees, tropical plants, and something blooming year round, but what really keeps me living in Miami, is all the latin flavors and food! (Okay, maybe it is also the latin men, but can you blame me?) Plantains and black beans were love at first taste for me.

One of Michael Pollan's food rules is to eat all the junk food you want, just make it yourself. Okie dokie! I'm in. Just look at these scrumptious tostones. Yup, they are fried......twice!

So what is a tostone exactly, you ask? Tostones are simply, fried green plantains. If you think fried green tomatoes are good, you will love these tempting treats.

Plantains are bananas that you cook. Similar to a regular banana, the sugar content increases as they ripen. While green they are used in soups and stews and savory dishes. While they begin to ripen may be used in such cuban specialties such as fufu de plantano, which was influenced by the African culture on the island and can be tastfully made without the traditional pork, or relleno de maduros, a puerto rican dish that has a savory middle stuffing of raisens, olive, capers, meat, and spices which can also be successfully made without the beef.

To start your tostones, you have to peel the plantain. Cut away the ends of the plantain. Make several long slices down the length of the plantain and peel away the skin. Slice the plantain into chuncks about 1 to 1 and 1/2 inch thick. Heat up enough oil in a pan to cover the plalntain pieces while cooking. Cook unitl they start to brown on both sides.

Remove the pieces and place on a papertowel and let cool slightly. Take one piece of plantain and place between two papertowels or a kitchen towel. My husband smashes them with his hand, but I suggest using a mallet or a can that has a broad end surface. Remember that they are warm so be careful! Smash each piece of pantain so that they are 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

Slide each peice back into the hot oil and fry until crispy and starting to brown again. flip them in the oil to ensure they are browning on both sides. Remove from the oil and allow to drain on a paper towel or a kitchen towel.

Shake salt on your tostones and enjoy! They should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They can also be dipped in a mojo sauce of lemon, garlic and olive oil for a true ethnic experience.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Cucumber, Avocado, Spinach Sandwich

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-02-09T13:40:33-05:00

Hmmmmmm. I love me a cucumber sandwich. My husband thinks I'm crazy, of course, but he lacks an appreciation for the cucumber. I do not believe there were a lot of cucumbers in his youth. Therefore, having a cucumber sandwich is a joy I save for time by myself.

My mother taught me this treat when I was a kid, and since then I have made such a wide variety of cucumber sandwiches. We are mostly English in ancestry so maybe it is in our DNA. You know those cucumber sandwiches they serve with their afternoon tea?

As a kid, I use to pair sharp cheddar with my cucumber. As a young adult I discovered feta and that became my new favorite layer in my sandwich. Leftover hotdogs were often layered in with my cucumbers.

Cucumbers can stand alone and not get lost with many strong flavors. They add a cool cripness to the sandwich which makes a great contardiction to the crusty, toasty bread. Today I may use a non-dairy feta for my strong flavor, but I am just as quick to use a tapenade, hummus, or fresh herb to layer in my flavors.

Today's sandwich started with some sprouted spelt bread, lightly toasted. Veganaise was spread on either slice of taost. Another layer of black olive tapenade was spread on one side while a sundried tomatoe was chopped and spread on the other side. A cucumber was sliced long and thin and layered on top of the sundried tomato. Two slices of avocado were layered on top on the black olive tapenade. A healthy layer of spianch was place in hte center and the sandwich was put together. Sliced in half, I'm a down the middle person, and placed on a plate for consumption. Heaven!

If you are interested in creating your own cucumber sandwich, use your creativity and whatever is in your fridge. Be bold and slap those flavors down. I haven't had a bad one yet.......

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

In Honor of Beans

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-02-10T12:20:00-05:00

About 80% of the food I eat, I make myself. Yes, I have a fulltime job with an hour commute, so I do not have a corner on time. However, I am commited to having control over what goes into my body. This means that I cook. I don't cook everyday, but, just like that old adage..... don't cook hard, cook smart.

I make dishes that "age." In other words, they get better the second and third day, I also plan for leftovers, sometimes freezing those "planned-overs" for the night I can't bring myself to lift a pot. There is always a second or third meal from every pasta dish, soups are made big and hearty to stand in place of a meal or freeze for another day, and I make a lot of pulses.

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, pulses are legumes which are soley harvested for dry grains. Among the list are kidney beans, azuki beans, mung beans, chickpeas, pigeon peas, lentil, and black gram. Some beans are eaten both fresh and dried such as black eyed peas, and lima beans.

Beans in general are often an overlooked source of powerful nutrition. They contribute folate, calcium, protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. They also contain very little fat. Studies have shown that while all beans are nutritious, the darker the bean, the more antioxidants.

Many people avoid beans due to their tendency to produce flatulence. This is due to a sugar in the beans called raffinose which creates gas pockets in the large intestine as it's digested. There are several easy solutions to this delimena. Adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the beans while soaking or cooking will reduce the gas produced and will not impact the flavor. Also, several spices will break down the raffinose while adding great flavor; fennel, cilantro, tumeric, anise, rosemary, or bayleaf. Lastly, you can take an exzyme product such as Bean-O. Of course, you could always practice blaming it on your dog..... poor Vegas.

Beans are flexible. A batch of beans can be eated with rice, can be topped on a baked potato, added to a green salad, rolled in a wrap, or eated as a side. The possibilities rival that of peanut butter. You can make Indian inspired beans, italian seasoned beans, or spicy Texas beans. No matter what you tastes, the humble bean can take it on. Beans can even be dessert as is evidenced by these delicious black bean brownies.

With that said, I have decided to do a series of bean dishes. Discussing their contribution to good nutrition and good budgeting. (I forgot to mention that beans are a really inexpensive food source that can sit in your cupboard for a long time. The only beans I have ever thrown away, has been those that I burned so badly, they were not worth saving.) So grab your Bean-O and let's get started!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Easy Black Eyed Peas with Mushrooms

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-02-12T11:21:00-05:00

The following recipe is from Madhur Jaffrey and her book, Indian Cooking. This cookbook was a very thoughtful gift from my sister-in-law who paid attention to my musings about my interest in Indian food.

After I discovered a little Indian restaurant in my neighborhood, I really fell in love with the cuisine. The combinations of spices and foods, the curries, the sauces, all of it fills me with warmth. I love the smells, the textures, and the gentle heat from the peppers or ginger.

If you have the time, it is worth it to start this recipe from dried beans. I made it easy by using Eden canned black eyed peas. Using dried beans does not make a recipe more difficult, but is does lengthen the cooking time. You can use any brand of canned black eyed peas, but Eden is the only brand that does not line their cans of beans with BPA.

Black eyed peas are a great source of protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. In addition, black eyed peas provide calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, as well as iron, zinc, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, folate, vitamin A, and pantothenic acid.

The tomatoes in the recipe add a good source of lycopene, the onions and garlic add a host of phytochemicals which eliminate free radicals, cinnamon helps the body regulate sugar, cumin seeds are a good source of iron, and I could go on and on.... The point is, that all the ingredients culminate in a dish full of useful and available nutrition.

Ingredients List:

3 cans of Eden black eyed peas, drained
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms
6 tablespoons of oilve oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons cilantro or parsley, chopped

Put the oil in a sauce pan. When hot, add the cinnamon and cumin, and sizzle for 5-6 seconds. Add the onions and garlic. Saute until the onion begins to brown.

Add the mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms wilt.

Add the tomatoes, cumin, coriander, and turmeric.

Stir together and reduce heat to low and cook for ten minutes.

Add the cans of black eyed peas, and simmer for 20-30 minutes on low. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.

Serve with rice as an entre or side. Enjoy over a baked potato. This recipe will keep in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for several months.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Oil Free Nutty Granola

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-02-01T09:14:49-05:00

I like crunchy granola. Mainly, because I like to mix it with yogurt or sprinkle it on soy ice cream. The problem with granola is the high fat content. After adding all the yummy things like nuts, granola is traditionally baked using some sort of oil. The first time I made granola, I found this recipe that used oilve oil. I thought to myself, olive oil is healthy. The recipe made a huge batch, and confident that I would love it, I made it to specifications. What a waste that was. I could taste the oil which really turned me off. So, of couse, I let it sit around until I finally threw it out.

I love to experiment with granola, throwing in a little of this or that depending on what is in the cupboard. Especially with spices, my favorite so far is using chinese five spice. (Chinese five spice also happens to be the bomb in warm oatmeal.) It really adds depth of flavor to a hum drum breakfast.

Today's batch is more traditional for those just starting out. Raisens or cherries can be substitued for the cranberries or blueberries. Agave syrup or brown sugar can be substituted for either the maple syrup or honey. Make it match your cupboard and you are more likely to whip up a batch today!

Ingredient's List:
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dries blueberries

Heat your oven to 250 F.

Mix up all your dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix wet ingredients and whisk together in a small bowl seperately. Add the wet ingredients to the oatmeal and mix until evenly distributed.

Spread the mixture in a shallow pan or cookie sheet and bake until dry. Watch carefully and stir the mixture in the pan every 20 minutes or so.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Add the dried fruit. Use as cold cereal with milk or as a treat with yogurt. Enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Malanga Hashbrowns

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-01-29T14:29:09-05:00

Malanga is a brown and hairy tuber. It is related to taro and cultivated in the tropical regions of the globe. It is common is South Florida and found in every grocery store. I am not sure about other areas of the country, but if there is a latin grocery store in your town, they will most likely have some on hand. Once peeled, malanga reveals a crisp slippery texture. Malanga provides thiamine and riboflavin as well as some vitamin C and iron. Because the starch grains are the smallest and most easily digested of the complex caborhydrates, malanga is an excellent food for those with allergies.

Most of the time I peel, boil, and mash the malanga and serve as I would mashed potatoes. They are creamy with a slight twang compared to the mild taste of a potato. However, this time I was struck, literally, by inspiration. Ouch!

I was pulling some lentil loaf out of the freezer for dinner, and I remembered that I had some aging malanga that needed to be eated. I filled a pan with water, set it on the stove to boil, and started to peel the malanga. When I reached into a drawer, for what I do not remember, I say my mandolin and instantly knew I was going to shred the malanga and make hashbrowns. Yep, you never know when inspiration is going to strike. So, I promptly dumped the water, dried my pot, and switched to a skillet.

If you do not have a mandolin, a box grater will do just fine. Be careful while grating because malanga is very slippery, and we all like the skin on our knuckles and fingertips!

Peel and shred two good sized malanga ( 6 or 7 inches in length) and place in a mixing bowl. Add some salt and pepper and your favorite spices. I choose cumin and orgegano. Mix in. Because I wanted to make these hashbrown patties, I added one egg, beaten with a splash of soy milk, and two to three tablespoons of spelt flour. An egg replacer like Ener G will work just fine if needed. The point is to have a binder.

Place some oilve oil in your pan and heat. Once the pan is hot, use a serving spoon to scoop about a 1/2 cup of the malanga into the pan. Cook until the malanga begins to brown. Flip your patty over and brown the other side. Remove and place on a paper towel and cover to keep warm while continuing to cook the remaining malanga.

My husband ate his with the standard ketchup, but you could squeeze a lime over the top for a fresh zing. These also reheat well for breakfast the next morning! Just zap for one minute in the microwave or a few minutes in a warm pan. I would imagine that the shredded malanga could also be added to pancakes.....hmmmm. Sounds like a new experiment to me!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Spicy Tomato Chickpea Soup

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-01-25T20:55:00-05:00

Quick and easy is definitely a description for this recipe from the cookbook Vegan YumYum. However, I would describe it as a deliciously-comforting-new favorite-recipe-to-be-repeated-forever soup.

Lauren Ulm, author of Vegan YumYum, also has a great blog at veganyumyum.

I do not have permission to duplicate her recipe, but I can tell you that you start with a common base of onion, garlic, and spices. You add chickpeas and tomatos. You blend it all up and serve. It takes barely 20 minutes to prepare so it is perfect for long days with little time. The chickpeas make the soup thick and rich like bisque, hmmmmm.

Buy her book. It is full of a great variety of recipes for all type of eaters. She is an amazing food photographer both in her book and on her blog. (I do not have an SLR so you won't get such mouth watering ics from me, sorry!)

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Spicy Sweet Swiss Chard

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-01-26T13:11:00-05:00

Inspired experimentation brings the best results! I love making and having greens on hand. They make an easy warm meal which I especially love for breakfast. They give my body energy and power for the day ahead. However, I get tired of eating them the same way....

I started with a red onion coarsely chopped and five or six cloves garlic smashed and loosely chopped. Sauted in a little olive oil. Added celery seeds and tumeric and continue to saute until the onions began to clear. I had a small jalapeno from the garden that I minced and added, as well as about 1/3 cup of golden raisens. Leave the jalapeno out of you have a low heat tolerance.

I had two bunches of swiss chard that I chopped and added to my pot along with a 1/2 cup of vegetable broth. Placed the lid on my pot for about two minutes. Took off and stirred the greens in with the onions. Replaced lid and cooked about two miutes more.

I had a heirloom tomato the size of two large tomatoes which I loosely chopped and added to the pan. I also added a generous teaspoon of curry masala spice mix at this time and mixed it all in.

I cooked the greens just long enough to heat up the tomatoes and mesh the flavors.

This can be served with rice or buckwheat, or eat it alone. The onions and raisens add a sweetness which compliment the spices and the jalapeno heat. I don't have a picture of this plated because......well, I was hungry. Forgive me for the lack of presentation for I know not what I do!

Ingredient List:

1 red onion
5-6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/3 cup golden raisens
1 jalapeno
2 bunches swiss shard
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1-2 large tomatoes
1 rounded teaspoon curry masala

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Five Spiced Popcorn

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-01-22T12:55:19-05:00

You know how some nights, you just want to snack for supper? Sitting in front of the television with a good bag of chips and your favorite dip or some crisp pita with hummus. Maybe you have a sweet tooth and your snack consists of cookies and milk. Whatever the comfort, there is a sense of adventure that comes with foregoing dinner. You know better, but you're going to do it anyway. So drown out your mother's voice inside your head, turn on your favorite show, and munch away.

My snack of choice on such nights is popcorn. As a child, I use to save the "cheese" packets from my blue boxes of Kraft mac and cheese and sprinkle it on my popcorn drenched in butter. This is after I popped it in a hot air corn popper, of course. Super healthy! Now that I am older and wiser (hopefully,) I make it a little differently.

I have a hot air popper, but I prefer to pop my corn on the stove in a heavy bottomed pan. Most of the time I use olive oil, but this time I tried coconut oil. Wow, what a difference, coconut oil may become my corn popping oil of choice. Check out the health benefits of coconut oil here.

Take a large heavy bottom and pour a layer of popcorn to cover the bottom of the pan. Place a tablespoon of coconut oil in the center of the pan, swish it around to cover the kernals. Turn on the heat to medium high. Sprinkle some salt to taste over the kernals. Place your lid on the pot and sit back down to watch TV.

Listen to the popping and when it starts to slow down to a few pops every couple of seconds, turn the heat off. Take the pot off the burner about a minute later or when the popping stops. Sprinkle a large teaspoon of five spice powder over the popcorn, replace the lid, and shake to stir.

Place the popcorn in a bowl, sit down on your couch, and enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Fried Green Tomatoes and Garbanzo Dill Salad

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-01-18T18:24:00-05:00

So I was in whole foods the other day and they had some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes that were local produce. Right in the middle was a huge green tomato that was wonderfully firm. I bought this with the intention of making fried green tomatoes. I have never made them before. Infact, I have never had them before, but they have always sounded yummy.

So I did some research online and found a recipe by Elise Bauer that looked easy and flexible to change. I used soy milk, spelt flour, and whole grain bread crumbs. If you are gluten free, you could easily use buckwheat flour and gluten free "bread" crumbs made from brown rice with similar results.

Sprinkle your tomatoes with salt and pepper and set aside. These are sliced slightly more than 1/2 inch think.

Set up four dishes each with one of the following ingredients milk, flour, egg, and bread crumbs. Heat some olive oil in a skillet. I used my omelet pan, but I thought of my cast iron skillet after I was all cleaned up. Next time.....

Drag each slice through the the four ingredients in this order: milk, flour, egg, and bread crumbs. place in your pan once your oil is hot.

Once the tomato is browned on one side, about 4 minutes then flip it over.

Proceed through your remaining tomato slices.

I plated these with my garbanzo dill salad for lunch. They were definitely a hit with all in the family.

Ingredient List:

3 medium, firm green tomatoes 1/2 cup spelt flour 1/4 cup soy milk 2 beaten eggs 2/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or cornmeal 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Buckwheat Oatmeal Pancakes with Pear and Apple Topping

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-01-17T16:33:49-05:00

A good morning to all! Pancakes are are great for any meal on any day, but on Sunday, they are the best! I have been making pancakes so frequently since I discovered buckwheat pancakes, that I think I might invest in an electric griddle. Currently, I use my omelet pan, making one pancake at a time. I could seriously cut down on cook time if I could make three to four pancakes at once. Especially, since I make more than I need just so that I can throw a few in the freezer for a quick breakfast on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday!

This time I took my oatmeal pancakes and replaced one cup of oatmeal with buckwheat flour. This made the pancakes a little less dense, but still very hardy. The pancakes themselves are slightly sweet due to the banana in the batter.

For the topping, I sliced two pears and an apple into thin wedges. Then I cut them in half. I peeled the pears but not the apple (lots of nutrients in the apple skin.) I placed the fruit in a skillet and set the heat on medium low. I added about two tablespoons of Earth Balance, a tablespoon of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon, and a half teaspoon of ground ginger. I let that cook slowly while I made the pancakes.

While not a cereal grain, buckwheat is a fruit seed related to the rhubarb and sorrel. Buckwheat is an excellent grain for those who are sensitive to glutens. Nutritionally, buckwheat helps to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Buckwheat is rich in flavonoids, especially rutin, which are phytonutrients. These compounds help maintain blood flow and keep platelets from cloting excessively. Buckwheat also contains 86 milligrams of magnesium in a one cup serving. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels, improving blood flowand nutrient delivery.

Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate. That means it will break down slowly helping to stabilize blood sugar. Oatmeal is also full of vitamin A, B complex vitamins, iron, and calcium. In addition, oatmeal provides dietary fiber making it beneficial to the digestive system.

So eat pancakes! And know that you are providing your body with good nutrition while filling your soul with comfort. Life is good!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Haitian Pumpkin Soup

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-01-15T10:52:57-05:00

Haitian cuisine is unique in the Caribbean. Most of the Caribbean was heavily influence by the Spanish, but the Dominican Republic and Haiti base their cusine on Creole and French cooking styles. Strong pepper flavoring in many dishes also sets Haitian food apart from other islands.

Soup jomou or pumpkin soup is traditionally served for lunch on Sundays.

Today, I made an exquisit soup from a recipe I found on the Whole Foods website called Haitian Pumpkin Soup. I used butternut squash instead of pumpkin. I believe you could used frozen or canned squash with similar results also. My husband, who is instantly turned off at the word cabbage, never noticed it was in the soup. Since the dish has the apperance of the chicken soup, he just never questioned the cabbage floating around.

The recipe calls for two jalapenos studded with cloves to be cooked in the soup. I was concerned while it was cooking as the cloves emitted a strong essence, but the end result was mild and comforting.

This soup is definity unique, but I highly recommend giving it a try. It will add a nice twist to an everyday meal.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Lentil Mushroom Kale Stew

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-01-14T09:24:52-05:00

Brrrrr...... It is cold in Florida. And it has been for too long if you ask me! We normally dip into "winter" temperatures for a night, maybe two, but it has been two weeks of layers and jackets. Many of us in Florida have no heat. Why would we? So when the thermostat drops to the 30's, our houses become a balmy 50 F.

My car is now my heat refuge. It has seat warmers (heaven) and I can crank the heater to 80 F and go for a long drive until I am all thawed out. When I was a kid up north, my Mom used to turn the heater down to 65 at night, which I though was cruel and unusual treatment. Imagine waking up to a house in the 50's! Oh yeah, and a house with tile floors, on top of a concrete slab, in the 50's! Need I say more?

In weather like this I yearn for steaming bowls of soup or stew. Today I've made some lentil stew with mushrooms, kale and some apple smoked vegan sausage. Lentils are a great source of tryptophan, folate, dietary fiber, iron, maganese, protein, phosperous, copper, thiamin, and potassium. Not too shabby for this quick and easy legume. Lentils are also an inexpensive food source for those trying to manage a tight food budget.

This is hearty and satisfying for even your most dedicated meat eater. In fat, the brand Field Roast vegan sausage has such great texture that my husband often assumes I bought him some "regular" sausage. Heh Heh! Any sausage flavor can be used in this recipe. Personally, I am a huge fan of anything spicy.

So I started with a cup of chopped carrots, a cup of chopped celery, one onion chopped, and 5-6 cloves of garlic mashed and chopped. Saute this in a little olive oil unitl the onions are clear, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the casings and chop. Add your sausage to the mix and saute until the sausage starts to brown. Add one cup of lentils, either french or brown, to the pot and stir. Add one package of baby bella mushrooms cleaned and chopped. Saute until the water works its way from the mushrooms, about 7 minutes.

Add one bunch of kale that has been rinsed and chopped to the pot and mix in. I used purple kale, but any greens that you have will do the trick. Kale is a great source for vitamins K, A, and C, and, for me, it is all about adding nutrition to the dish.

Add four averaged sized tomatoes, chopped with juice. Add one quart vegetable broth, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, and about 2 additonal cups of water to the pot. Add a few shakes of red pepper flakes and a two generous teaspoons dried thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30-40 minutes.

Ideally, stews should be cooked a day before eating to give the flavors time to age and strengthen. Enjoy!

Ingredient List:

5-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup french lentils, uncooked
1 bunch kale
1 package baby bella or button mushrooms, chopped
2 sausages, uncased and chopped or crumbled
4 tomatoes, chopped or 1 can chopped tomatoes
1 quart vegetable juice
2 cups water
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 generous teaspoons dried thyme
pinch red pepper flakes
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Leftover Salmon Salad

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-01-04T12:00:53-05:00

I made salmon for New Year's Eve, but was left with a lot left over. The wild sockeye salmon was on sale when I went to the store so I knowingly bought more than I needed. In addition, since everyone was coughing, sneezing, aching, and not getting any rest, our appetites were not up to par. Voila! Lots of leftovers.

Leftover fish is the most perishable. If I do not eat it in a few days, it's toast. So I whipped up this delish salad to top on greens, eat with crackers, or mound between two slices of bread for a scrumptious sandwich.

My salmon was cooked with asian flavors so I continued that theme with my salad. The spices could definitely be tweaked to taste. (I just happen to love ginger.) Also, if you have some leftover tuna or tilapia, use that instead. Although, salmon keeps making everyone's top ten super food lists so I highly recommend choosing the pink stuff. If you have no leftovers at all, use some canned salmon. The smoked variety is wonderful.

Ingredients List:

1 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced red pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 lb leftover wild salmon
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons Braggs aminos or soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1/4 to 1/2 mayonaise (optional)

Shred your salmon into small pieces. Add the vegetables and mix well. Add lemon juice, and remaining ingredients. Mix well. Serve on a bed of greens or on some toasty whole grain bread. Enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Stevia

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2010-01-02T13:32:07-05:00

Brief History

The Guarani Indians of Central and South America have been using stevia for centuries. However, the herb was "discovered" by Dr. Moises Santiago Bertoni, a botanist in the late 1800's.

Stevia was first brought to the attention of the U.S. government in 1918 by a botanist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Three years later, stevia was presented to the USDA as a possible safe alternative to sugar. The sugar producers, however, were alarmed by the stevia plant and successful lobbying has kept it away from commercial use in the United States until recently.

In 1931, french scientists isolated several compounds which give stevia its sweetness in a pure white chrystalline form called stevioside. The Japanese banned or strickly regulated the use of artificial sweetners in the 1960's due to the concern over the substances' safety. Japan has been using stevia as a commercial alternative to artificial sweetners since the 1970's.

It is widely used in other countries as well, including China, Germany, Malaysia, Isreal, and South Korea. Stevia could have been widely in use in the U.S. had it not been for the large effort to block its entry into the food system.

In Baking

When baking, cane sugar does several things. It carmelizes helping to brown baked goods, it helps retain moisture in baked goods, and sugar helps baked goods rise effectively. If baking completely sugar free with stevia, some adjustments need to be made.

The general coversion rates for pure powdered stevia are as follows:

1 teaspoon equals 1 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon equales 1 tablespoon of sugar
A pinch equals 1 teaspoon of sugar

I replace the missing volume in baked goods with natural unwsweetened apple sauce. Depending on your recipe, canned pumpkin, fruit puree, fruit juice, or yogurt can be great substitutes. Adding these ingredients also increases the moisture level.

Start with a recipe you know well, and experiment with the ratios of stevia and fillers. I experiment with combinations as well. Replacing some of the sugar in a recipe with agave syrup, honey, or brown rice syrup and the rest with stevia also works well. If your recipe asks for a cup of sugar, relace with a cup of applesauce and add the teaspoon of powdered stevia. After one or two tries, you will be well on your way to sugarless baking.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Good Fortune Food

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-12-29T01:00:55-05:00

I do not normally follow a lot of ritualized traditions. However, I seem to make exceptions when it comes to food. Taste and smell are very closely connected with our memories. Having good food connected with good memories is a sentimentality that I enjoy.

A few years back, my mother started to cook corned beef and cabbage New Years Day. She claimed it was good luck. So I did some research and learned that there are many foods eaten around the globe that are suppose to bring good fortune over the new year. So why not layer our good luck with a multicultural feast between the last and the first day of each year. That way we cover all bases....just in case.

Greens are a popular good luck food in many cultures. The leaves represent paper money, in part due to their color but also due to their texture. Collards are probably the most popular but any greens will do. Cabbage falls into this same category with the representation being paper money. It is believed that the more greens one eats the greater their fortune that year. Sorry, honey, I know you're cringing right now, but maybe you can make it up in lentils......

Legumes of all varieties represent money in the form of coin. The most mentioned in New Year's lore are black eyed peas and lentils. I love both, how lucky for me!

Pigs or pork is popular around the globe. It represents progress because pigs always root forward. Avoid things that move backwards like lobster. Chickens scratch backwards and should be avoided as well.

Pomegranates are eaten in Turkey and other Mediterranean countries and represent abundance and fertility. Hhmmmm....guess I'll be adding that to my plate.

In many asian countries, eating long noodles without breaking them represents having a long life so add some udon to your soup, or add it as a side this New Years.

Many places in North America, Asia and Europe eat fish for the New Year. Fish swim forward therefore represent progress as in the pigs. They also swim in schools representing abundance.

In Spain and other spanish speaking countries, 12 grapes are eaten at the stroke of midnight, one for each month of the year and for each stroke of the clock. In 1909, this practice was initiated to help alleviate a grape surplus in the Alicante region of Spain. They celebrate the coming of a sweet year.

So what will we eat in our house? We will start off with a lentil and black eyed pea dip. I will make salmon with greens for New Year's Eve and sprinkle them with pomegranate. We will have 12 grapes at midnight with our champaign. On New Years Day, lunch will consist of corned beef and cabbage with a salad made from black eyed peas. So what am I missing? Ah the noodles....maybe a simple miso soup with noodles to end our day with some quiet reflection of what to do with all our good fortune to come in 2010.

Cheers! Wishing you and yours a healthy and prosperous 2010.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Strawberry Banana Muffins

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-12-27T18:41:03-05:00

What do you make when you husband leaves his big bag of frozen strawberries in the fridge instead of the freezer? Why muffins, of course. I'm not sure how it happend, I just happened upon it; the defrosted bag of whole strawberries for his morning smoothie. Probably just one of those mornings that we look for our coffe cup in the freezer and put our strawberries away in the fridge. Happens all the time.....

Ingredient List:

1/2 cup Earth Balance melted
2 eggs lightly beaten or egg replacement (I generally use flax seed.)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup raw agave syrup
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 ripe bananas mashed
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries diced
2 1/4 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Place paper liners in a 12 cup muffin tin.

Melt the Earth Balance and set aside. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Mix eggs, vanilla, syrups, and bananas together. Add the melted butter and blend. Add the strawberries to the flour mixture and mix to coat the strawberries. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture. Mix only until all the flour is mixed in.

Divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups. Bake unitl a toothpick comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Cool od a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Easy Broccoli and Baked Potato

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-12-21T18:20:58-05:00

Necessity is the mother of invention........

It's dinner time, I'm tired, and the weather outside is icky. And the bummer is, there are no easy leftovers to heat up. So I look in my fridge, pour a glass of wine, and put my feet up a spell. I had a bunch of broccoli and some baked potatos. It turned out delish.

Coarsly chop a red onion and begin to saute in a little olive oil. Chop 2-3 garlic cloves and add to the oinion. Chop up the stems of the broccoli and add to the pan. Chop up about 10 sundried tomatoes, whatever type you have, and add to the pan. Add some Braggs aminos or soy sauce, maybe 1/4 cup, a couple tablespoons lemon juice, and 1/2 cup vegetable broth. Saute over medium heat until the broccoli stems begin to soften. Chop the broccoli florets into small sized pieces. Add florets and 1/3 cup raw cashews. Cover and cook until florets turn bright green, about five minutes.

Top over a baked potato or sweet potato and enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Lentil Loaf Sandwich

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-12-11T08:44:02-05:00

I am a big sandwich person. Always have been. Dagwood and I go way back in this love affair. Anything in the fridge is up for grabs when making a sandwich. The combinations are endless and rarely repeated. When I first started to change my diet for a healthier version, bread was a tough thing to negotiate. Since that time, I have discovered so many healthier versions of bread that I am again a happy sandwich maker. This sandwich is founded on some fresh Berlin Natural Bakery Whole Grain Sprouted Spelt Bread.

How does this beautiful sandwich come together, you may ask? Start by lightly toasting your bread. I spread some mayonaise made from oilve oil on both sides. On one side I added some black olive tapenade. I sliced some non dairy blue cheese (brand name is Sheese and it has a nice sharp blue cheese flavor) and added that next. Then I heated a slice of leftover lentil loaf (previous post) and laid that on top of the "cheese." A healthy pile of spinach was added and a few fresh basil leaves to the top, and my sandwich was complete!

The flavors mixed beautifully.

Back in the day, this would have been a meatloaf sandwich with much the same stackings. Today I understand the power of grains and legumes. I understand the even energy this sandwich provides; not nap required. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Homemade Dog Treats for Christmas

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-12-13T13:03:03-05:00

Ready for another budget Christmas?

Since the resources only run so deep, we made dog treats for our four-footed friends this year. Peanut Butter Cookies, Garlic Biscuits, and Sweet Potato and Oatmeal were chosen because they are Vegas tested and approved. Sometimes I will give Vegas, our grehound, a store bought treat and a homemade treat at the same time and she always eats the home made treat first. I bagged the cookies as they cooled in clear and red cellophane bags that I had left over from last year, but you can find them at the Container Store.

After cooling and being wrapped, I placed them in the freezer (box and all) until a day before to maintain freshness.

The boxes are recycled from work. You can also use gift bags, baskets, or tins. Line the box with some pretty tissue paper, place your cookie selection in the box, fold the tissue paper in ( pic below,) and close your box. Place the whole thing in your freezer if you have room. Take them out Christmas Eve or the day before and decorate the box. If you have limited space in your freezer (I have two) just freeze the cookies and assemble in the boxes just before giving.

Write the cookie selection on the inside of the box, or if you prefer, make a great tag for each of the bags to identify the cookie types.

Here are the recipes.......

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Canola oil
2 eggs
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla (you can leave this out and the dogs won't notice)
2 cups whole wheat flour or spelt four
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup oats

Mix your dry and wet ingredients seperately. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to form a ball of dough. Roll the dough into one inch balls and place on your cookie sheet. Using a fork squash each ball to 1/4 inch thick making criss cross marks on the top of the cookie. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Sweet Potato and Oatmeal

8 cups oatmeal
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup soy or rice milk
1 can sweet potato puree
1 mashed banana

Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray two cookies sheets with oil.

Mix all ingredients in one large bowl. Drop mixture by spoonful on your cookie sheets. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and store in the refridgerator or freezer. I seperate the cookies into small containers and freeze all but one. Then I can take them out as needed, and they stay fresh.

Garlic Biscuits

2 teaspoons dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons dry parsley
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 tablesppons honey
1 egg
5-6 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water. Stir in parsley, garlic, broth, honey, and egg. Gradually blend in flour, adding enough to form a stiff dough. Transfer the dough to a foured surface and knead until smooth, a few minutes.

If you have a great cookie cutter, like one shaped like a dog bone, roll out your dough to i/4 inch thick and cut out your cookies just as you would any cut out cookie. Place biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet about 1/4 inch apart.

If you do not have a cookie cutter, divide the dough into four sections. Form each section into a long tube shape between one to two inches thick. place these in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Take out and slice into disc shaped cookies about 1/4 inch think. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and flip. Bake another 15 minutes or until lightly brown on both sides. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

I made just one batch of each recipe and had enough for six gifts plus extra fot Vegas. That liucky dog!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Plantain Omelet

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-12-05T11:27:05-05:00

I woke up hungrey this morning. When that happens, it means a big breakfast. No smoothie today. We need eggs!

I just happened to have some plantains that are starting to turn black. That means their sugar is building and they need to be eaten. Perfect for an omelet, Cuban style.

Never eaten a plantain? Plantains are basically bananas that you cook. When used green, they are very startchy and not very sweet. These make great plantain soup or for use in stews and casseroles. They are also the plantains used for tostones, my favorite fried plantain.

As plantains rippen, the starch turns to sugar and the skin turns black, much like a regular banana. When this process is just beginning, the plantain is ready for my favorite dish which is simply boiled plantains (platanos) with "mojo" (garlic, olive oil and lemon juice) poured over them.

Plantains continue to sweeten as the skin darkens. Just when you think they are ready for the compost pile, they are perfect for another Cuban specialty called maduros. Here they are fried again, but because they have a lot of sugar in them, they blacken and carmelize as they cook.

Back to breakfast, my plantains are in the mid range of sweetness, so I started by peeling and slicing them thinly, about 1/4 inch thick. I heated a small amount of olive oil in my omelet pan and placed the plantains in to cook.

Next, peel and mince 3-4 cloves of garlic and add to the plantains as they cook. As they begin to brown, turn them so they will cook on both sides.

When the plantains are mostly browned, add your eggs. I beat about four eggs with a little soy milk, salt and pepper.

Cook until there is little liquid egg on the top side and the bottom is browned. You can speed this process by taking your spatula and dipping the sides of the omelet so that the uncooked egg can flow to the outside edge and cook. When ready, loosen up the sides of the omelet so that the omelet will slide around in the pan. Take a plate and place it on top of your pan. Flip the pan over so that the omelet is in the plate. Slide the omelet back in the pan and cook the other side. This will only take a few minutes.

The finished dish has a sweet taste that is offset by the bite of the garlic, the salt and pepper. Serve with some avocado for breakfast. If made for dinner, serve with plain rice.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Crowd Tested Zucchini Muffins

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-12-12T13:25:00-05:00

There was a lot of motivation to make these muffins.

1. I got to use my new mandolin to shred the zucchini, and I am getting better at using it!
2. I got to use the zucchini up in the fridge before it needed to head to the compost pile.
3. I had multiple taste testers available to verify as to its yumminess. (Is that even a word?)

I love recipes that have hidden nutrition. These muffins are full of zucchini and wheat germ. They use whole grain flour and have fun things like pumpkin seeds and cranberries. But the best thing of all, they are delicious! I have brought a batch to work and made them for friends and family. Everyone really seems to enjoy their moistness and flavor; even those that shun anything that smacks of being "healthy."

If you do not have a mandolin, a simple box grater will work just fine for grating the zucchini. It takes about 2 medium sized zucchinis to accumulate 4-5 cups once shredded.

I mix this recipe in one bowl. I start with all the wet ingredients, add the zucchini, nuts and cranberries, then the spices, salt and soda. This batter is fairly wet so the flour mixes in easily at the end with a spatula or wood spoon.

I use paper liners in my muffin tims because I am lazy and I hate oiling and cleaning muffin tins (but I love muffins, go figure.) If you do not have or do not wish to use paper muffin liners, just oil your pans with a spritz of canola or oilive oil, or use a little Earth Balance in the cups.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Let the muffins cool in the pans for 15 minutes and then move them to a wire rack to finish the cooling process.

Ingredient List:

2/3 cup coconut oil or Earth Balance
1 cup brown sugar or raw agave syrup
2/3 cup applesauce/yogurt
2/3 cup rice/soy/hemp milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
4-5 cups grated raw zucchini
2/3 cup dried or fresh cranberries
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup raw almonds (coarsely chopped)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt/sea salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup wheat bran
2 1/3 cups spelt flour

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Meatless Monday Broccoli Casserole

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-11-30T18:58:19-05:00

Do a Google search for broccoli casserole and guess what you will find on the ingredients list. Things like processed cheese, condensed mushroom and celery soup, mayonaise, and instant rice. All highly processed items from which to make a "home cooked meal." Really, it defeats the purpose of putting in a healthy ingredient such as broccoli.

So here is my version of this anglo classic.....

Start by getting the rice going in a rice cooker or a pot. You don't need to add salt or oil in the water as the sauce will have plenty of flavor. Next, boil your water to steam the broccoli. A great tip for the broccoli: Chop the stems and add them in the steamer first until they are soft, then add the florets to steam. The florets will only take a few minutes to turn bright green so don't ignore them.

While these are going, place a tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan and place on medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrot and saute until the onions are clear. Add the garlic and saute a few more minutes. When done, slide these into the casserole dish. Add the steamed broccoli and the rice and mix.

Turn on the oven to heat to 350 degrees. Make the sauce in a blender or food processor. Add the cashews, soy milk, Braggs aminos, lemon juice, Earth Balance, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, thyme, parsely, sage, celery seed, paprika, and salt and pepper. Blend. Pour over rice mixture in casserole dish. Mix the sauce in well. Top with panko or bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes until topping is browned.

Ingredients List:

1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup barley
1 cup brown rice
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
1 oinion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1/3 cup raw cashews
1 and 1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup Braggs Aminos
1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
2 tablespoons Earth Balance
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup panko or bread crumbs

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Pomegranate Guacamole

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-11-28T13:11:40-05:00

This is a perfect and simple dish that takes just minutes to make. Everyone loves it's fresh taste. Perfect for tailgating season or for armchair quarterbacks, this dip is a big hit all the way around.

I love pomegranates. They add a sweet-tart taste and a vibrant color to a variety of dishes. Pomegrante season runs from October through January so they are a perfect holiday fruit. We have all heard how good they are for our health. Another nutritional powerhouse is the avocado, and avocado season (at least in Florida) is winding down. Paring the two ingredients gives us a healthy and yummy dish for all to enjoy.

Dice and mash two avocadoes. I use a potato masher because I find it much faster that using a fork. You want the avocado to be chunky but creamy at the same time. Add the juice of one or two lemons depending on your taste. I was using Myer lemons, so I used two. They are sweeter and milder in flavor so I felt I needed more juice to give it a twang. Add about 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and mix well. Add 1/2 cup pomegranate and mix in. Taste before adding salt and adjusting lemon jiuce. Serve with chips or crackers.

This will keep in the fridge for a few days if covered well.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Pumpkin Spice Spelt Biscuits

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-11-21T19:50:44-05:00

Biscuits definitely fall under comfort the food category. I have had a long love affair with them since childhood. Biscuits and sausage gravy was a favorite on Sunday mornings. Strawberry shortcake made with biscuits versus angel food cake are still considered the "real" thing.

I have been experiementing for awhile with baked goods and have had a lot of just okay results. I gave up dairy a couple of years ago and I miss having baked goods in my diet. Especially this time of year. I am also limiting the amount of wheat in my diet, so I am exploring this incredible world of flours that I previously never knew existed. Many of the recipes I have tried leave me wanting in either the taste or texture category. These turned out great. Even better is that they take no time to make and limited dishes and mess!

Ingredients List:

1 1/2 cups spelt flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teapoon pumpkin spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup cooked pumpkin
1/4 raw agave syrup
1/4 cup soy milk or hemp milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. I use a convection setting but a regular setting will do fine.

Mix your dry ingredients together. Add the coconut oil or Earth Balance and using a fork or a pastry mixer cut the oil into the flour until it is corase and crumbly. Add your wet ingredients and mix until just blended. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, scoop the dough out and place on a cookie sheet. Shape your biscuit by flattening the top down slightly.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the bottom begins to brown. Cool and serve with honey. Yum!!!!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Bloggers Unite in the Fight for Premature Babies: And Why I Care

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-11-17T09:01:25-05:00

Today is a Bloggers Unite event highlighting the fight to end premature births and the organization working tirelessly to do so, The March of Dimes. Last year I walked in the March for Babies for the first time as an adult. I was honoring my daughter, stillborn on Frebruary 27th, at 35 weeks.

Even as I write this now, nearly nine months later I have such difficulty holding back my emotions. I never understood the immense love a parent can feel until I had Olivia. She was perfect in every way when she was born. I keep her ashes with me at home; such a tiny representation of her short life. They bring me comfort. All of the cards we received surround her like an altar. I can't seem to take them down. Someday, I will be strong enough to do so.

Her death was discovered during a routine sonogram. I had been to the docters office less than a week before and had heard a strong heartbeat. The news was the last thing I expected. In fact, it wasn't until after I gave birth that I truely believed the doctors. Up unitl then, I keep feeling that it was all a bad dream and I would wake up and Olivia and I would be fine.

A child is considered still born after a gestation of 20 weeks. Prior to 20 weeks the death, is considered a miscarraige. There is no true number of recorded stillbirths because the children are not given birth certificates in most states. Unfortunately, this also means that research dollars are hard to aquire for this cause. Stillbirths occur in about 1 in every 115 births. In over half of the stillbirths, the reason is never clear.

When a child is born still, parent's grieve not only for the loss of their child but also for the loss of their future. All the hopes and dreams they had for their child vanish in a instant. I am 42 years old. I have had a long struggle with infertility. Olivia was my miracle child. I do not know if I will get another opportunity to concieve my own child. I work hard every day not to get lost in my lack of understanding, in the reocurring thoughts of unfarirness, or in jealousy of all those who have successful births. I work hard at being hopeful. All I have ever wanted was a family of my own. My husband and I plan to adopt when I am ready.

Olivia is my spiritual guide now. I talk to her everyday. I work hard to make her proud. When I am out running and I don't think I can make that last mile, I ask her to run with me. I know her sole is in a good place and full of love. Someday, I will be able to join her and learn what a fabulous spirit she has grown to be.

For more information go to the March of Dimes or stillnomore.org.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

No, It's a Rainbarrel Silly!

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-11-14T18:26:31-05:00

I bought a new rain barrel at Whole Foods today. It is made by Epoch Solutions, LLC. They use reclaimed food quality barrels that are headed for the landfills and convert them to rainbarrels. It has two connections on either side for setting up a series of rainbarrels, and a spout at the bottom.

Interestingly enough, most of the staff at whole foods had no clue what our barrel was for! So much for product information and training. About a half dozen staffers told us not to party too hard as we were carting our barrel out of the store. Obviously, they associated the barrel with a keg. In actuality, it is a terracota colored barrel that was used to transport olives. Now, I could definitely party with some good olives.....

This is my second rainbarrel. I have had the other one for about two years now. It was purchased from Gardener's Supply via the internet. This one has performed perfectly, but I always felt it was very expensive. My repurposed rainbarrel cost much less and has more capacity than my old/new barrel.

In Florida, The average annual rainfall is between 40-65 inches. More than half of that rain falls during the wet season of June through September. This year we are back to normal conditions. Thanks possibly to El Nino, but for the past few years, we were in drought conditions. In fact, November 2008 marked the start of the driest six month period in South Florida's history. There is no rest for the weary as October of this year has been the driest on record, only a scant 1.11 inches of rain recorded. My old rainbarrel is currently empty (from use) and waiting patiently for the skies to open up so it can serve its purpose.

Saving rainwater during the dry season accomplishes many things. First of all, it saves me $$$. I do not have a well in on my property, so if I do not have rainwater to use, I am pulling water from the municiple water supply. Collecting rainwater helps me work around the water restrictions set by our local water management office. I can never remember what days I am allowed to water or wash my car. By having my own supply, I can water at will. Lastly, it is the right thing to do to help reserve our natural resources.

Doing the right thing should be our primary motivation, but in our busy, stress-filled lives, it is often not the motivator.
The South Florida Water Management has a great website full of useful information that we can do as residents to reduce wasteful water practices. They even have a great link to making and installing your own rainbarrel.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Garbanzo and Dill Salad for Lunch

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-11-10T01:27:49-05:00

A while back I discovered Mock Tuna Salad, and I fell in love.( I am steering away from tuna due to issues of heavy metals found in large fish.) I use to make real tuna salad 2 or 3 times a week. I had a few tried and true versions of tuna salad, but I had a tendency to experiment with whatever was in the fridge. Oh who are we kidding, I always experiement with whatever is in the fridge. This is probably my husband's biggest frustration, as he likes me to repeat stuff he enjoyed. The problem is not, that I do not try to do just that. However, I don't always remember what went into the last version. (Lucky for my husband, this blog, is helping me record all the "good" versions of old favorites!)

So back to the garnazo salad....... After I made the mock tuna by Happy Herbivore a few times to rave reviews, it was up for interpretation! I couldn't believe how close to tuna fish her mock tuna tasted. I figured that the garbanzos would be a good base for a few of my other favorites like curry chicken salad (will post later) and chicken dill salad.

Start with a can of garbanzo beans that have been drained and rinsed. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash up the beans until they are broken but not completely mashed. Your goal is to release enough of the starchy middles to hold the salad together but still be able to recognize what you are eating. You can hand chop your carrot and celery or whip them in a food processor. If you have vegetable adverse eaters I reccommend whirling them in the food processor so they will blend into the mix. This is how I started to sneak spinach into a many foods for my husband. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix.

Ingredient List:

1 15oz can of garbanzo beans
1 or 2 stalks celery chopped
1 medium sized carrot chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup fresh dill chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonaise

Serve however you normally eat salad; in a wrap, on a bed of greens, on some toasty bread, or as in the picture above, with a half avocado from your tree! Enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Jicama Salad with Avocado Dill Dressing for Meatless Monday

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-11-02T12:28:05-05:00

So I have a new toy, a mandolin slicer. I purchased this over the weekend at William Sonoma. I know what you are thinking...all hoity toity shopping at William Sonoma, but it was the best quality mandolin for the the best price that I could find in our fair city. It is made by OXO Good Grips and was only $39.95.

And I have a new vegetable, the jicama (hee-ca-ma.) The jicama is a vine native to Mexico and also called a Mexican turnip. Jicama belongs to the legume family. The harevested vegetable is a tuber and can grow up to 50 pounds. It is brown and has a papery skin, while white inside resembling potato. The jicama is lightly sweet and crispy and most often used in salads. Jicama is a great source of vitamin C.

For the salad, slice all the salad veggies juliene style so that your salad will resemble slaw. I used my new toy for the jicama and the cucumber. I am still getting use to this new-fangled gadget, but I think they came out great.

The rest of the veggies I sliced the old fashioned way, with a knief. I also chose to saute my onions briefly to bring out the sweetness of the onion. (I am also carting this salad off to work and I do not want to offend the general public with any kind of onion breath.) I sectioned the grapefruit and added that at the end.

Hint: A great way to quickly slice spinach is to take a handful and roll it up like a cigar. Then just slice it with a sharp knief and it comes out beautifully.

For the dressing, just combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. If you find the dressing too thick, add some water till you find the right consistency for your taste.

Add the two together and you have a light and refreshing salad. Enjoy!

Ingredient's list for salad:
1/2 jicama
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 red pepper
2 carrots
1/2 red onion
1/2 seedless cucumber
2 cups baby spinach
1 grapefruit sectioned

Ingredients list for dressing:
1 Florida avocado or two Haas avocados
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
juice of one lime
juice of one grapefruit
pinch of salt
pepper to taste

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Our New Vegetable Garden

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-11-06T15:59:00-05:00

I finally did it. I began my forey into vegetable gardening. In the past, I have dabbled in growing vegetables with varied success, but this time I am determined.

My husband and I built our first bed using these easy plans from This Old House. We made some minor changes in our bed due to our location. In Florida, the soil is not much to write home about so we spread newspaper on top of our grass (really weeds) instead of tilling the top layer of soil. The newspaper will biodegrade, but will help keep the weeds from rising up. Also, we used rebar to anchor the sides and corners. Our house was built on fill. Driving a 2 by 4 into soil loaded with rocks is not all that fun, hence the rebar. The last difference is the use of pressure treated wood versus cedar. Mainly a cost issue there.

I bougt a few things at the nursery to give me the satisfaction of having some green right away. What you see is romaine lettuce, and an assortment of hot peppers. I have tomatoes growing elsewhere in the yard. I ordered heirloom seeds over the internet. They should be here next week.

I'll keep you posted on how my gardening is going. My husband and I will be adding another bed next month after we get this one going. The cost was just about $200 for materials and plants. We should get that back with our first harvest.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Mini Pumpkin Dairy Free Muffins

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-10-27T11:41:47-04:00

Meatless Mondays posted a pumpkin muffin recipe yesterday from A Life Less Sweet and I have twisted it around to meet my twisted needs: dairy free, egg free, and refined sugar free. I have eliminated dairy from my diet. I am experiementing with an eggless existance, and I do not buy refined sugar in any form. I made a batch yesterday using stevia, but I was not in love with the after taste of the stevia (probably used too much.) Today I mixed it up again and I really like these so I thought I'd post them up for you!

I am also experimenting with flours these days so I made mine with a combination of gluten free four and spelt flour. The original recipe uses whole wheat flour and all purpose flour. Which ever you prefer.......

I also experiment with spices all the time. The first batch I used the pumkin pie spice that the recipe calls for and that was good, but this batch I used five spice, a chinese spice blend, and I liked it even better. I think it is the star anise in the five spice. If you do not have either blend use cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, etc to your taste.

Ground flaxseed and the applesauce are the egg replacer.

The dry ingredients:
1 cup gluten free flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2-3 teaspoons five spice powder or pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons flaxseed
1/2 teaspoon salt

The wet ingredients:
1 can pumpkin (do not substitute pumpkin pie filling)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup applesauce (natural and unsweetened)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 24 mini muffin pan or something comparable. You can use an olive oil mister or use a small slice of vegan butter and rub in the cups.

Blend these two groups seperately. Then blend them together until the flour is all mixed in. Spoon into the muffin cups until full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rake and enjoy!!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Quick and Easy Thai Stirfry for Meatless Monday

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-10-26T10:54:00-04:00

It's Monday again and the focus is meatless in honor of Meatless Monday. Stirfry is a great way to use up a variety of aging vegetable in the refridgerator. You know the ones you bought with all those plans for cooking each night before life took control once again and now they are a little less than fresh. Yup, those are the ones. So for today's stir fry, I had some curly kale and asparagus that needed to be eaten quick.

Start by making the rice and letting it set so that it soaks up all the moisture. In a large pan, heat the peanut oil. Add the garlic and the red and yellow onion. Saute for 4-5 minutes until onions are becoming clear. Add the jalapeno and ginger and saute 1-2 minutes. Add red pepper and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add the asparagus and green onion cook another minute. Add the kale and cook another 2 minutes. Once the kale is wilted and the asparagus is tender add the cooked rice and stir. Reduce the heat to low. Add the peanut butter and sesame oil. Stir until the peanut butter is well distributed. Mix in the liquid aminos or soy sauce. Serves 4.

This is a very easy and forgiving recipe. You can mix up the veggies to whatever is on hand. Carrots, broccoli, celery, green beans, spinach, peas, and edemame all work well in this recipe. You can make this with or without the peanut butter. If made without, add some salt to taste before serving and double the liquid aminos.

Here's more info about Braggs liquid aminos. I love this product and use it in place of soy sauce in asian dishes, and on top of steamed veggies or in salad dressings.

Ingredient List:
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 red onion
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 jalepeno (whole one if you like it hot)
1 heaping teaspoon minced ginger
1 red pepper cut into one inch pieces
1 bunch kale chopped
1 bunch asparagus cut into one inch pieces
1 green onions cut into one inch pieces
2 cups brown basmati rice-cooked
2 heaping tablespoon peanut butter (I used Valencia peanuts)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons liquid aminos

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Oatmeal Apple Pancakes

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-10-20T10:54:33-04:00

Nothing makes any day feel like Sunday morning like pancakes. Indugent and comforting, pancakes hit a lot of those taste sensors that makes us grateful for slow, easy mornings. Padding around in our pj's and louging on the couch only compliment the joy of a tummy full of yummy.

This morning I was experimenting with oatmeal in an attempt to increase the nutritional content of my pancakes. They are heavier than a standard pancake, but they definitely passed the husband taste test.

Place all ingredients except the apple in a blender and mix until the oatmeal is all chopped. Slice the apple into thin pieces and set aside. Heat up a frypan on the stove with a little coating of cooking oil or vegan butter. Pour 1/2 cup of batter in the pan. Press two slices of apple in the pancake while cooking. When the edges of the pancake are brown and the batter is bubbling, flip your pancake and brown the other side.

If you have a warmer, keep your cooked pancakes in there until finished cooking to keep them warm and yummy. If you do not them place the cooked pancakes on a dinner plate and then flip another plate on top as a cover.

Also, if you have an electric griddle or one to put on the burners of your stove, definitely use it. It will reduce your cooking time as you can cook more than one pancake at a time.

Ingredients List:
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups soy or almond milk
1 ripe banana
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 apple cut into slices

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Homemade Dog Treats for Vegas

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-10-19T15:03:00-04:00

Has anyone noticed how expensive dog treats are these days? If you are an ingredient reader and are buying the treats with better ingredients, the price is outrageous. Vegas loves a particular brand of bones which are made out of all vegetables. She devoures them. Unfortunately, she doesn't get them very often because they are $16 for a bag of 6. That makes them more expensive than my protein bars!

So, I figured that I could make Vegas some healthy treats for a lot less. I read a lot of recipes that used a lot of things I didn't think Vegas needed, like sugar. So I experimented with some of her favorite flavors, like peanut butter and sweet potato. You can use any type of milk, I just happen to stock soy and almond and chose the soy. You can also use other flours, but I would stick with whole grain flours.

The picture is my Sweet Potato Oatmeal Dog Treats. I taste tested these treats by placing them down next to some store bought treats and the home made treats won! We could eat them as well, but we would find them bland without salt and spices.

Ingredients List:
1 cup oat flour
1 cup spelt flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1 can sweet potato pulp
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy milk

Measure and mix your dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the wet ingredients. Mix all together. Drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool. Store in the refridgerator. You can also freeze some of the treats for later.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

First Signs of Fall

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-10-13T14:12:00-04:00

Having lived in Florida for the last 20+ years, I no longer have the visual cues that Fall has arrived. In fact, our five day fall season can be easily missed if you are not paying attention. Unfortunately, it has not arrived im Miami yet because we are still having days in the 90's and the humidity has not dropped. (Sigh.) Maybe it will get here soon.....

One great sign I have developed, that tells me fall is here (besides the on-slaught of fall catalogs and Halloween merchandise in the stores) is the itch to bake. Well I must have been jonesing today because I baked and balked and baked!

In honor of Vegan Mofo, I made recipes from my two new cookbooks, Vegan Yum Yum, by Lauren Ulm and Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. These ladies also happen to write two of my favorite cooking blogs. I have used many of their recipes sucessfully so I tried out several of their muffins today. These are dairy-free, egg-free, and wheat-free. Also, I use spelt flour versus whole wheat flour in all these recipes.Here's a little food porn......

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Lemon Cranberry Muffins from Vegan Yum Yum. Here I replaced the sugar with stevia as well as the vegetable oil with coconut oil. Otherwise, the recipe stood as written. The stevia cuts back on the sugar and calories and the coconut oil adds more health and goodness.

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Almond Quinoa Muffins from Veganomicon. This one is my favorite. I made one batch with coconut oil and one with canola oil and in this recipe the canola oil did a better job. I also played with the spices in the second batch. I used chinese five spice instead of the cinnamon and cardomon, and the result was yummy. And, because I never leave anything sacred, I also played with the dried fruit. I had some dried mandarin oranges that I put in the first batch intsead of the apricots and that added some real sweetness. Isa and Terry give the reader two suggestions for sweeteners, agave and maple syrup, and I tried both (of course.) The maple syrup gave more depth to the flavor of the muffin and was the clear winner.

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Pumpkin-Cranberry Scones from Veganomicon. These scones are perfect to herald in the fall season. They are spicy, moist, and hmmm hmmm good. I did not have any pastry flour so I substituted brown rice flour to keep it light and it seemed to work out perfectly.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Just Say No to Sigg and BPA

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-10-09T11:17:44-04:00

Bisphenol A is a building block of serval plastics and plastic additives. Suspected of being hazardous to humans since the 1930's, concerns about the use of BPA in consumer products have been regularly reported in the news media in the last few years. Today, I learned that the aluminum water bottle that I have been using for the last 2 years was not BPA free. The swiss manufacturer Sigg found trace amounts of BPA in the liners of its bottles last year. They changed the lining to a BPA free lining in August of 2008, but did not happen to mention it to their consumers. The bottles manufactured prior to that change were being shipped to retailers as recently as this August. Yes, folks, that is a full year after they made the chamge. Can you say sneaky and underhanded? I sure can.

Patagonia, a company who has pioneered business responsibility to the environment and individual health, announced on September 4th that it was terminating its co-branding relationship with Sigg as well as removing all Sigg products from its stores. Patagonia does not support the use of BPA in any of its products. Personally, I think they are just as mad as I am. Sigg is messing with their brand, and that is serious stuff!

Zreccommends.com has a great post on Sigg's less than forthcoming behavior. Personally, I will be putting my Sigg bottle in the recycle bin. I do not wish to support a company that knowingly withheld information that was important to its consumer base. In other words, they have lost my trust and my money. Kleen Kanteen here I come......

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Red Cabbage Slaw with Green Goddess Dressing

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-10-04T10:11:55-04:00

It's, Meatless Monday and I decided on a slaw styled salad for lunch today. The ingredient list is based on what was in my fridge so you can definitely make substitutions with the exception of the cabbage. That one is kind of necessary for slaw. Well, maybe not, who knows...... my favorite is the dressing anyway.

There is one unusual ingredient that you may not have hanging around. Kohlrabi is a funky vegetable that I have been experimenting with lately. It is from the brassica family so it is related to cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts. It has a fresh crisp taste (a cross between an apple and broccoli) and can be used raw like jicama. Try to buy smaller ones as they are more tender.

I have an avocado tree in my backyard that is dropping its fruit this month so I am adding avocado to almost everything. This salad is super easy. Just chop up all the veggies and toss with the dressing. If you have an immersion blender, use that for the dressing. It took me abourt 15 minutes to whip this up. Plate it on top of some freash spinach and enjoy!

Ingredient list for slaw:
3 cups shredded red cabbage
3 stalks celery thinly sliced
3 radishes cut into sticks
1 apple cut into sticks
1 small kohlrabi cut into sticks
3 carrots shredded

Ingredient list dressing:
1/2 avocado
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1 small garlic clove

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Black Bean Coconut Soup

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-10-03T16:08:47-04:00

I stopped at my local Whole Foods for lunch and a short shopping list yesterday. I planned my errands to end at this location so that I could enjoy the free internet and lunch. Nothing I had to buy was immediately perishable so I gathered the items on my list and then headed for the prepared foods area. I picked up a brown rice veggie roll and then went over to check out the soups. They have a large selection at this location and several are usually non dairy.

I happen to love soup. It is one of my favorite food mediums. Soups are a great way to clean out the fridge, mixing little bits of this and that veggie to a forgiving base like lentil or bean. Soups are also a great way to experiment with different spice combinations. I always walk down the soup aisle and take the lid off to allow the smell to rise up. I read the ingredients tag and pull up a ladle full from the bottom to appreciate the main ingredients. I decided on a black bean soup made with coconut milk. I also love coconut and was looking forward to the creamy flavor with the beans.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the black bean soup because the coconut taste was very faint. The soup was still good so I gobbled it up along with my roll and decided to make my own version at home. So here it is, the first installment of Black Bean Coconut Soup. It has the creamy texture and taste of the coconut plus some basic indian spices to add comfort and warmth.

First, take two cups of dried black beans and soften them in a pressure cooker or soak them overnight.

Place the soaked beans in a large soup pot with 4 to 6 cups of water depending on how dense you would like the soup. Add one can of lite coconut milk and stir.

In a seperate saute pan, add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil and heat. When the oil is ready add one diced serrano pepper and stir one minute. Add one chopped onion and saute a few more minutes. Add the curry, tumeric, and ginger to the pan and saute for two more minutes. Add green pepper and saute an addition two minutes.

Place the onion mixture in with the beans and add the salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 30-40 minutes. Taste and adjust spices if necessary. Add the chopped greens of your choice. I had some lovely greens from my beets which I used, but kale, swiss chard, or spinach would also work well. Cook until greens have softened.

Serve as soup or with brown rice. Add a squeeze of lime over the top for some added twang if you like. Enjoy!

Ingredient list:

Two cups dries black beans
1 onion chopped
1 can lite coconut milk
1 green pepper chopped
1 serrano pepper diced
2 teaspoons curry
2 teaspoons tumeric
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons salt
two to three cups chopped greens

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Building Your Immune System

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-10-01T17:07:04-04:00

It is flu season once again. Only, this year, we have the swine flue to deal with as well. Instead of avoiding all public places in fear of the dreaded flu bug, take action to improve your personal defense called the immune system.

The immune system is an intricate network of cells, tissues, and organs that band together to defend our body against invaders. Invaders include bacteria, viruses, parasites, and even fungus. These invaders are everywhere we go. Our immune system first puts up barriers to stop these from entering the body. If one does get by, then the body produces white blood cells whcih attack and destroy foreign bodies.

So how does our immune system get out of wack?

Lifestyle is the biggest culprit in a changing immune system. Not eating a healthy diet, not exercising, and not getting enough sleep all contribute to the breakdown.

Sleep

Sleep is the number one thing we can do to protect ourselves from colds and flu this season. There is a scientific reason for this. Certain immune cells that modulate the immune system increase during sleep, so missing out on sleep means your resistance to infection drops. Some studies suggest that those who get just six hours or less of sleep have a 50% less immunity protection than those who get eight hours.

Exercise

Exercise boosts the immune system. Take a walk. Take the stairs. I am not talking about being a gym rat or running a marathon. All you need is 20 minutes several times per week to boost the immune system. Making exercise a regular part of your lifestyle is what is needed.

Nutrition

Quality counts. Eat a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins. This is easy to do if you think in colors versus calories. Dark green, red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants. Eat berries, citrus, kiwi, apples, red grapes, kale, onions, spinach, sweet potatoes, and carrots just to name a few. Cook with garlic, which has antivirual and antibiotic properties. Limit sugar in the diet. When you digest sugar, there is a measurable slowdown in activity by a class of white blood cells involved in the immune system. It last just a few hours, but those who keep grazing for sugar might be experiencing constant suppression.

Other things that impact your ability to fight off foreign invaders are stress and supportive relationships. Managing your stress is important to a strong immune system. When under duress, the body produces cortisol and adrenaline, both of which weaken the immune system. A lifestyle which keeps constant stress your body will lower your immunity.

Relationships of a supportive and loving nature have also been shown to improve the immune system. Research shows that individuals with good support networks live healthier lives. Social support improves the bodies response to stress . In fact, having a familiar person around during times of stress will actually lower the body's negative responses.

Check out this article for 10 ways to boost your immunity. Or check out this book for great recipes with foods that support your body's immunity.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

The Dirty Dozen

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-09-20T17:27:18-04:00

No, I am not referring to the WWII movie of the same name starring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson and Jim Brown. I am talking about the twelve vegetables or fruit that should always be bought organic. These twelve harbor the highest amounts of pesticide residue when grown conventionally. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. They put out a guide each year highlighting the worst choices to buy of conventionally grown produce. They even have an iphone app for keeping this list handy! So here it goes.......

Peaches
Apples
Sweet bell peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Pears
Grapes (imported)
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes

The guide is a handy PDF that you can print out and carry in your wallet or post on your fridge for easy reference.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

How to Make My Favorite Green Smoothie

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-09-17T08:59:33-04:00

This is my favorite smoothie. (Mango was finally toppled.) It is a nutritional powerhouse and gives me a great boost. It is simple to make and even my husband likes it; a tough critic for anything that may remotely taste like grass! This is also a great use for Florida avocados which tend to hold more water than the more widely available Hass variety. Florida avocados are in season now and if you live in the area you probably have a friend with a loaded tree. I use an immersion blender for my smoothies because of easy cleanup, but you can use a blender.

Start with one banana.

Add a handful of baby spinach.

Add 1/2 of a Florida avocado or 1/2 of a Hass avocado.

Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed and some agave syrup to taste. If your banana was very ripe you might not need any agave syrup.

Add soy milk (I use unsweeted soy), almond milk, or hemp milk till your container is 3/4 full. Add one cup if you are using a blender. Be careful not to over fill as your immersion blender will splatter if too close to the top of the glass.

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Meatless Monday Lentil Loaf

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-12-07T18:33:00-05:00

The beautiful thing about this journey I am on is the discovery that nothing is too sacred to replace. Growing up in the 70's and 80's, processed and fast food were still considered...well, food. Using a box as a base for dinner was convenient and often meant that the kids could easily fix dinner (single parent's out there will understand the value of that.) My favorite box was that blue Kraft box full of elbow maccaroni and yellow powder called cheese. I use to make the maccoroni and mix in shredded new york sharp cheddar. Then, I would save the powdered cheese for the next time I would make popcorn. Voila! Cheese corn. As adults, we have these flavors that we sentimentally file away as comfort food.

One of these is the ubiquitous meatloaf. A quick and easy dinner that also provided many leftover opportunities such as meatloaf sandwiches. My meatloaf has evolved over the years; from an all beef recipe, to one that was a mixture of beef and poultry, to an all poultry variety.

I was really surprised the first time I made Lentil loaf. I was sure that my husband, who loves real meatloaf, would find a grainbased loaf a poor substitute for one of his favorite meals. I was so wrong. The second time I made the loaf, I got the response, "Oh is that the lentil loaf you made before? Cool." Encouraging words, I tell you!

If you are feeling adventurous this Meatless Monday, mix up a batch of lentil loaf for the family. It tastes great and is highly nutritous.

Get your grains cooking first. When your grainsd are nearly done, set your oven to preheat to 350 degrees. If you do not have barley and lentils, use a mixture of what you do have, like quinoa, rice, or millet and lentil. The variety just gives the loaf some texture and flavor depth. Mix the flax seed with the warm water and set aside. The flax substitues for eggs so you want it to absorb the water and get sticky. Spend your time whirling your vegetables in the food processor till they are finely chopped. The onion and garlic are important but you could substitute other vegetables based on what you have in the fridge. Chop the walnuts and set aside. Mix all the liquid ingredients together while reserving half of the ketchup. Add your vegetables and nuts and mix. Add the oats, wheatgerm, and spices and mix. Mix in your grains.

Spray a loaf pan with olive oil. Press the mixture in the pan. Frost the top with the remaining ketchup. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 or so minutes until the top edges begin to brown. Let the meatloaf rest about 10 minutes when you remove it from the oven. Slice and serve just as you would a meat-based loaf.

Ingredients list:

1 cup cooked barley
1 cup cooked red lentils
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup wheatgerm
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons herbs de provence
pepper to taste
1/2 cup ketchup divided
2 tablespoons Braggs liquid aminos
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
6 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinager
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup soy milk
2 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 red pepper
2 small carrots chopped
2 celery stalks chopped

Whenever, I make this loaf, I make a double batch. This way I can freeze a few individual sized portions for those nights that just don't want to or can't cook. They will keep nicely for up to siz months in the freezer. These dishes have handy tupperware like tops to keep the loafs from getting freezer burned. You could also use a second loaf pan, slice individual portions, and freeze in ziploc bags or aluminum foil.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

The President's Message

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-09-10T09:52:33-04:00

Did you watch President Obama last night? It was quite the speech. In fact, it almost felt like a lecture from a parent to his bickering legislative branch. While I agree that the big insurance companies in this country need to be held accountable and that all Americans deserve access to quality healthcare, I firmly believe that we are missing the point.

Most diseases that we are dealing with as a modern advanced society are diet related diseases. According to the CDC, chronic diseases (like type 2 diabetes) account for 70% of the deaths in the United States. Michal Pollan sums it up very well in this article in the New York Times online.

Ultimately, taking on the food industry is a much more daunting task than that of the insurance industry. Not only would we be fighting huge titans of the GNP with the power of profits and investors behind them, but also the overwhelming attitudes of the American public that they have the entitlement to eat as they wish.

When I first met my husband, he held the belief that, unless there was some form of meat in his meal he had not really eaten a meal, but only a snack. Thankfully, his attitudes have slowly evolved over the years. Recently, his doctor put him on cholesterol medication, and now he is taking his diet far more seriously.

Why does the realization that our diet is killing us have to wait until we have a personal health crises? Real health education should begin in kindergarden. If we have a responsibility to our citizens to provide quality health care then that responsibility should also extend to prevention of disease. Sodas, junk food, and fast food should be levied a "sin" tax just like cigarettes. If you choose not to take personal responsibility for your health, then your health care should cost more.

In order to truely change the face of healthcare in this country, we would have to admit we were wrong. The SAD which is being copied by emerging nations across the glode must be changed. The China Study, the most comprehensive study linking diet to the risk of developing disease, shows the connection between the standard western diet of processed and meat focused meals and the development of diseases prevalent in our society.

Many things in the President's speech rang very true for me. We need to approach this problem with a solutions driven mentality. As Americans we can use our culture of individualism to take accountability for ourselves. We can choose not to be victims of an over processed food culture. We can choose to educate ourselves and make better choices that fuel our bodies rather than poisen them. As each individual makes a personal change, the economic pressure will build on those titans of the food industry and force them to change as well.

It is a matter of character for our nation as the leader of the free world to also be the leader in the education and health of its citizens. Emerging countries emulate our culture and in the process take on our diseases as well. If we truely want to show character as a nation, we would face the real issue of our health care.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

A Close Encounter

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-09-15T19:32:00-04:00

I am amazed how powerful a brief encounter with a stranger can become. Where I work, I see over a hundred different people who are new to me everyday. These relationships are professional but they don't involve me personally. Every so often, you encounter an individual who touches the real you. Effortlessly.

I had one of these the other day, and I believe it was mutual, but I may never know for sure. The woman spoke to me and saw me. Warmth and sincerity flowed like electricity from her and caught me. It held me close to her as we spoke. At the end, she gave me an embrace. A hug that transends formality and exudes love. I had the urge to follow her as if she was the Pied Piper.

I am normally guarded with my personal emotions. I interact with too many people in a day to be so open, or so I believed. Yet, I responded in kind to this woman's warmth. I embraced her as she did me.

Dr. Wayne Dyer, an international speaker on self improvement, speaks of intention. " The law of attraction is this: You don't attract what you want. You attract what you are. It is about allowing. In that one instant, I allowed myself to be open. I welcomed what she was offering. How many times have I failed to recognize what is being offered to me.

The problem is that we all want. In the teachings of Lao Tzu, "Those who want to know the truth of the universe should practice the four cardinal virtues. The first is reverence for all life. This manifests as unconditional love and respect for oneself and all other beings. The second is natural sincerity. This manifests as honesty, simplicity, and faithfulness. The third is gentleness, which manifests as kindness, consideration for others, and sensitivity to spiritual truth. The fourth is supportiveness. This manifests as service to others without expectation of reward."

It was the natural sincerity of this person that triggered my reaction. I think of her often, wondering, if she will be back. This stranger opened a door that I would like walk through. Will I recognize it again?

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

There is More Than One Way to Skin an Aloe

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-09-06T18:21:29-04:00

I have looked at the bottles of aloe in the health store for years with modest curiosity. A few months back I ran across an article about the health benefits of eating aloe vera. Ah yes, you read correctly, eating aloe.

It is common knowledge that aloe is great for burns and bug bites. Just slice off a leaf, open it up, and rub it on the burn as a salve. Easy, right? Eating aloe requires removing the outer skin so you can harvest the clear gel inside.

Cut a leaf of aloe and let the reddish liquid drain out. This liquid is very bitter and acts as a laxative. This will only take a minute or two.

Take a sharp knief and cut the two pointy sides off. This makes the leaf easier to handle while you are cutting the rest of the skin off.

What you are after is the clear gel on the inside of the leaf. This is fairly tasteless.

Next, take your knief and cut away the green skin from the top of the leaf. You can run the inside of the green skin on your face and skin to take full advantage of aloe's benefits.

You are now going to remove the bottom outer skin from the gel inside.

Slice the gel into chunks. It will keep for a week or so in your fridge. Add to juice, smoothies, or salad dressings.

The main reason to eat aloe is because it will increase your resistance to disease. Aloe is full of enzymes, minerals, polysaccharides, and vitamins (E, C, B1, 2, 3, and 6 as well as iron, manganese, calcium, and zinc). Seven essential amino acids and fatty acids are also found in Aloe Vera. Aloe is a powerful anti-imflammatory, an analgestic, aids digestion and absorption of nutrients, helps control blood sugar, increases energy production, promotes cardiovascular health, improves liver function, and boosts the immune system. Aloe breaks down impacted food residues within the intestinal tract helping to clean and regulate the bowel, thus reducing discomfort and bloating. This rich cocktail of nutritional elements provides a synergistic effect, where the different ingredients balance and enhance each other.

Let me know if you are brave enough to give it a try!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Lasagna Rolls for Meatless Monday

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-09-07T10:55:47-04:00

One way I can always make my husband happy is to say the words “pasta for dinner!” Tonight is Lasagna Rolls from the Happy Herbivore, a great blog for vegan inspiration. Also, since I have joined the Meatless Monday campaign, this is a great recipe for going meatless.

I did a few things different from Lindsay in my rolls. I made a quick marinara versus buying a bottle of prepared sauce. I find it just as easy with a multi-stepped dinner such as this and much cheaper. For my sauce, I minced a couple cloves of garlic and an onion and sauteed until the onion was clear. I added a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and a 14 oz can of tomato sauce to the onions and garlic, and I added fresh basil, salt and pepper to taste. I let this simmer while the water heated for my noodles. I also used brown rice lasagna noodles instead of whole wheat as I am limiting the wheat in my diet. The last change I made was to add a quarter cup of chopped pine nuts to the “ricotta” mixture. I did this to give some added richness to the tofu ricotta that my husband would miss from not using cheese.

Verdict? This recipe is a total winner. I love that it does not require baking which means less time and one less dirty dish. Let me know your twist on this easy recipe.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Don't Forget Your Four Footed Friends

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-08-23T11:21:20-04:00

Vegas (her picture is on the right) only steps out in the summer when she has to, if you get my drift. With the high heat and humidity here in Florida, she is partial to lying on her bed in the comfort of the air conditioning. (She reminds us frequently that she is retired.) But she does eventually go out which means that she needs to be protected against fleas, etc. While Vegas might enjoy giving the cats something to scratch about, we would prefer for that not to happen. The last time Max got fleas it took forever to kill the infestation due to the thickness of his coat. Here’s a snapshot of Max watching the water swirl in the toilet...he is easily entertained.

We use to use Frontline Plus on Vegas and Revolution on the cats. Frontline has a chemical, Fipronil, that is a suspected carcinogen. Revolution has limited information regarding the safety of its active ingredients.

So what to do about Rover? Soapy baths are the best (not recommended for the cats). Any and all soap kills fleas. Washing pet bedding frequently is important for getting rid of an infestation, as well as vacuuming the floors and carpets.

The safest pest control ingredient for people and pets is diatomaceousearth. This is the fossilized skeletons of algaes and looks like fine dust. Also, look for herbal or natural products that contain cedarwood, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary, and thyme. Be careful to trust all natural products as many natural herbal products can also be potentially dangerous. Here is a great wallet guide on the chemicals to avoid in managing fleas this summer on Spot.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Baking Soda the Ultimate Multi-tasker

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-09-01T11:19:11-04:00

A few years ago I stopped buying cleaners from the store. I banished bleach from the house (we still use it in the pool, though), and I started to replace my favorite cleaners with natural non-petroleum based substances. My home is just as clean as it has ever been, but I spend a fraction of what I use to on cleaning products.

In this process, I have discovered how versatile and multi-purposed baking soda is in the house. Bicarbonate of soda is a naturally occurring earth mineral called nahcolite. It is a component of natron. Baking soda is alkaline so it acts to neutralize acids and break down proteins. This quality is why baking soda is so effective at so many things.

Most commonly, baking soda is used as a leavening agent in baking. In combination with a liquid and an acid, baking soda releases carbon dioxide gas bubbles causing dough or batter to rise. Also, the ubiquitous box of Arm & Hammer in the back of the refrigerator is indicative of baking soda’s ability to neutralize bad smells making it an effective deodorizer. Baking soda also enhances ph levels so when added to the laundry, it enhances the detergent’s effectiveness.

In cooking, a pinch of baking soda added to tomato sauce while cooking will reduce acidity. Personally, I add a teaspoon to my beans while they are soaking and/or cooking in order to reduce the beans ability to cause flatulence. Everyone around me appreciates this, I am sure. Baking soda can also be added to stews or rubbed directly on meat as a tenderizer.

As a cleaner, I use baking soda to clean my pots and pans, my sink, my shower and even the toilet. Baking soda has a fine gritty texture which makes it a gentle abrasive cleaner. It does not scratch the finish on my pots and polishes the porcelain in the bathroom.

It is commonly known that baking soda can be used as a toothpaste. However, I use it as a gentle face scrub and body exfoliator. I keep a small container in the shower and rub it over my clean skin to brush away dead skin cells. Added to the bath, baking soda can be soothing to a sunburn (although I think aloe is best). Although there are differences in opinion about whether you can actually remove toxins from the skin thorough a bath, adding baking soda to your bath is believed by many to aid in this process. As a paste, baking soda will ease the burn from bee stings. One-half teaspoon of baking soda mixed with water can be taken as an antacid.

Sprinkled around the entrances and foundations to your home, it may prohibit insects from crawling in, as it is irritating to their exoskeletons and they avoid it.

In my home, baking soda has replaced Comet, Softscrub, SOS pads, expensive face and body scrubs, and reduced the amount of laundry detergent I use. A large bag of baking soda (12 lbs) from the buying club store costs around $13 and lasts around six months. Definitely, baking soda is a more economical choice.

For more ideas on ways to use baking soda in your home go to Arm & Hammer’s website where they show different uses for each room in your home.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

City Dwellers Composting?

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-08-25T09:19:33-04:00

Okay, so I don’t live downtown. My house sets on a standard lot. I may have more room than an apartment dweller, but composting is not limited to those in rural locales. Personally I got started because of an article in my Florida Gardening magazine. This article gave instructions on turning our old recycle bins into worm composters. (We now have large rolling garbage cans for all of our recyclables in Dade county.) By adding a few more holes to the bottom and layering dirt with kitchen scraps, the worms, theoretically, would find their way up from the soil into your bin and break down the scraps into compost.

Apparently, you needed to have a few worms to begin with.

Even though, I did not have any naturally occurring worms, my scraps composted nicely in about six weeks. Thus, my journey into composting had begun. Now, I take out a plate when I’m chopping vegetable and pile up my scraps for the bin. When I plant something new in my yard, I grab some of my rich dark compost to supplement the soil.

All you need for a successful compost bin is a container and a little nitrogen and a little carbon. Nitrogen comes form green plants and your kitchen scraps. Carbon comes from brown things like leaves. You need to alternate layers of nitrogen and carbon as you fill the bin. I use garden soil, leaves, or newspapers as my carbon. Be sure your scraps are in small pieces if you want fast composting.

Even apartment dwellers can get into the action with a smaller bin that is kept under the sink, on top of the fridge, or on a balcony. If you don’t keep plants yourself and have no use for the soil, give it away or add it to the landscaping around the building. If you’re handy and have a decent sized yard, make a compost bin out of old pallets.

So why is this important? When we throw our table scraps in the household trash, they end up in the municipal waste dumps. (Here in South Florida, the municipal dump is affectionately referred to as Mt. Trashmore.) Organic waste like kitchen scraps and yard clippings do not really break down in the dumps mainly because of a lack of oxygen. Landfills are generally sealed off to prevent contamination and the trash is compacted and flattened in order to harvest the methane gas naturally produced.

The average American throws away about 100 pounds of food scraps in a year which adds up to more than 7% of the waste stream. I have read conflicting opinions on whether disposing of scraps is better in the garbage disposal or in your municipal trash. Ultimately, either method taxes our system. The water management system has to treat all the waste water entering its system so any food value in the scraps is lost, and adding scraps with all the rest of our household trash just adds to Mt. Trashmore. Besides, having a free source of gardening soil is a great cost saver in this recessionary climate.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Mindful Living

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-08-21T19:11:07-04:00

Personally, I am terrible at meditation. I do well if I am guided as in a yoga class, but on my own I have a terrible time clearing my mind. I do well, however, at relaxing while I run. I get in a groove and after a few minutes I loose myself in the rhythm of the movement. Both meditation and exercise are great ways to manage stress, so thank goodness for running.

Living a mindful life is about living in the present. It is about being aware of what is going on around us and within us.This is not a new concept and has been a part of Eastern philosophy for centuries. As humans we get caught up in what happened or what is going to happen. We keep chasing after things we believe will bring us happiness. We fill our days with stuff: activities that keep us busy so that we are always in a hurry. We live under a blanket of self created stress.

Of course, we burn out. We are overstimulated, over-scheduled, and over-stressed. We even think we like it that way! At least, I did. (I shouldn’t really speak for everyone.) I thought I worked at my best when I was on a deadline. The stress catapulted me forward, revved up my adrenaline, and made me feel powerful. At least, until it was done. Then I would be exhausted. This life is unsustainable. Something eventually gives. For some, the wake-up call may be a heart attack, for others an emotional meltdown, but no matter how it manifests, it is not healthy.

You have probably heard about mindful eating. The diet industry frequently discusses this in the context of eating less, but what does it mean? Eating mindfully means paying attention to the taste and texture of each bite. Activities such as eating in front of the TV promote consumption, but eating mindfully helps to define our relationship with food. It is about how and why we eat not about what we eat. Food should bring sensual pleasure as well as nourishment to our lives.

Mindfulness is about truly listening; to ourselves, to the people around us, to the sounds, textures, and flavors of what is occurring now. What is bringing us energy or peace? What is causing us disruption? Learning this brings us the power of choice. Check out these 10 tips for mindful living and practice living a life in balance.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Planned-Overs

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-08-17T21:52:51-04:00

In our home, life is just as full as any other. That means that eating at home 6 nights a week takes some planning. I would love to tell you that I am the best at planning, but I am just average. What I am really good at is cooking things that are better the longer you keep them: soups, stews, and one pot dishes that have lots of spices and mature around day three.

The Five Day Freeze Method at Lifehacker talks about this same idea. For example, I made my husband’s favorite meal the other day. It consisted of picadillo, black beans, rice, plantains, yuca, and an avocado salad. (No, we don’t eat like this every night, but there were guests over to help us eat this large menu.) Everything but the avocado salad keeps very well. Therefore, I intentionally made much more than was needed to serve for dinner. (And since, I normally overcook when there are guests, you can only imagine how much more is intentional.) Half of the picadillo and black beans went directly into the freezer in containers perfectly sized for two person meals. There was still enough of the two items to serve for dinner and have some left overs for the fridge to eat on day two or three. If I had a lot of rice left over, that could have gone into the freezer as well, but there was just enough to pair with the picadillo in the fridge. The starch and the avocado were planned to not have as much left over as they would not freeze as well.

People always ask me if I cook everyday. I don’t. In fact, depending on my schedule, I only cook about three nights a week. The remaining nights, I get creative with “planned-overs” like putting picadillo or black beans on a baked potato.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Sunday Breakfast

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-08-16T11:27:01-04:00

I love when I am off on Sunday. Lazy mornings and traditional breakfasts are an indulgence that we all need on occasion. Cultural rituals like Sunday breakfast feed not only our bodies but also our souls. There is definitely something spiritual in luxuriating with your spouse over the course of a morning. Carlos and I watch all the morning news shows and cruise through the Sunday paper. The cats take turns working on getting our attention and getting scratched. We don’t head out for Sunday brunch anymore. We just can’t eat enough to justify the prices. Besides, nothing tastes better than breakfast at home in your pj’s.

So this morning it was buckwheat pancakes with mango syrup and sliced bananas. I adjusted the pancake recipe for what I had available. This basically meant that it was all buckwheat flour versus a mix of flours and sugar was replaced with agave syrup.

My stepdaughter brought us a container of mangos from her freezer (from her tree) the other day. I sliced the equivalent of two mangos, added some honey and lime juice, and heated it through. I took the immersion blender and created a thick liquid. When the pancakes where done, I piled a few on each plate, sliced half a banana over each, and then spooned a generous amount of mango syrup over it all. My husband went back for seconds, so, in my book, that is a success

.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
A dairy free, wheat free recipe.

Gratitude

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-08-09T10:41:00-04:00

Food for thought:

“Gratitude is usually generated in one of two ways. One, by feeling a genuine appreciation for the life that you were given and, two, by making a conscious decision to practice looking at what's right in your life rather than focusing on what's missing.”

-from an essay at Spiritualwealth by Alexander Green.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Cocoa Mole

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-29T12:47:43-04:00

I bought a Larabar the other day for my husband and I to hold us until dinner. I like these bars because they are made from whole foods without preservatives and the like. The flavor of mine was Cocoa Mole and I loved it. I read the ingredients, and I thought, I could so make these. And I did!

One package of date puree (I buy mine at a greek store in the neighborhood.)
1 cup Almond flour or ground almonds
1/2 cups walnuts finely chopped
one teaspoon cinnamon
one teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.

In a double boiler, heat your date puree until soft. Add 3 tablespoons of hot water and “whip up” your puree with your spatula. Add almond powder, cocoa powder and spices and mix. Add walnuts and mix. Press mixture into a loaf pan that has been oiled with coconut oil. Placed in the freezer for 30 minutes for easy cutting and removal from pan. Remove form the freezer and slice into bars. Wrap individually for use as snacks!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
A dairy free, wheat free recipe.

Yes, I Eat Vegetables for Breakfast

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-08-03T10:36:14-04:00

I get the strangest looks when people find out I eat vegetables for breakfast. People find it so odd that I have stopped volunteering that information. The problem is that my husband keeps bringing it up. Now, I will make a bowl of oatmeal or scramble some eggs occasionally, but primarily, I mix up some sort of whole grain with some veggies and avocado.

This all started a few years back as I was trying to get pregnant. I was doing research on fertility and came across this book about maintaining your body’s PH balance. Most of my research revealed that cleaning up your system of toxins would improve your natural fertility. As I started to follow the book’s prescribed diet, I started to feel better. My issues with constipation went away, my energy improved, and I lost weight.

Basically, the books talks about what happens to foods as you digest them. Some foods become acidic and some alkaline. Acidic foods cause acidic blood and force your body to rob your stores of alkaline substances such as calcium in order to maintain balance. Eating alkaline foods does not cause this reaction. The moral of the story is that you need to eat a balance of acid and alkaline foods to maintain that balance in your body.

Processed foods are one of the biggest culprits to having an acidic system. Traditional breakfast cereals definitely fall into the processed food category. Dairy is also a big category of foods that create acidity in the body, and what do most of us put on our frosted flakes? Bingo.

Today, I make a whole grain like buckwheat or quinoa. I chop up some pepper, cucumber, celery, etc. Mix it together with some lemon juice or liquid aminos. I’ll top it off some avocado and, viola, breakfast!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Barbu, An Organic Tapas Restaurant

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-31T23:05:18-04:00

I discovered a new restaurant while surfing through some organic food pages. Its called Barbu, and it is an organic tapas restaurant. Located in South Beach on the corner of West and 20th Street, it a small restaurant set up almost like a lounge. The decor is a mix of industrial meets contemporary meets Africa. There are a few table tops, one long snaking couch, and lots of stools. This is a BYOB joint with a $5 corking fee. The menu is a mix of items with a broad range of tastes to satisfy foodies to vegetarians.

I started with an avocado appetizer that was amazing. My friends had a pear soaked in balsamic and covered in blue cheese which was also full of flavor. I had a stew with squash, edamame, tofu, and lots of yummy flavor. So yummy that I actually had to take a piece of bread to get all the soup from the bowl, and I don’t eat bread! My husband had a dish with chorizos cooked in couscous. I didn’t try the sausage, but the couscous was rich and creamy.

Overall, a great new find. The food was full of flavor. There were a wide variety of choices to suit any palette. The atmosphere was easy and casual, and the service was good.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Chick Pea Masala Soup

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-08-01T22:46:13-04:00

So I was at Whole Foods the other day and I bought a pint of soup for lunch. It was called Garbanzo Masala, and it smelled divine. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to recreate it. Whenever I do this, I tend to get sidetracked by my own creativity. The finished product does resemble the soup I had at Whole Foods, but mine is distinctly different as I choose a tomato base and I pureed the beans and veggies.

Olive oil
Four celery stalks
Two carrots
One turnip
One onion
Three garlic cloves
Two cups garbanzo beans soaked overnight
One can tomato sauce
1/2 can tomato paste
Two teaspoons corriander
Two teaspoons turmeric
Four cardoman seed pods
Four cloves
Two tablespoons garam masala

Add a little olivie oil to your stock pan. Loosely chop all veggies and put them through the food processor. Add the veggies to the oil and saute. Run the garbanzo beans through the food processor also. They will cook quicker than remaining whole, and since we are going to use the immersion blender on the whole thing, you might as well get the process started. Add the beans to the veggies in the stock pan. Stir and cook a few minutes. Add your tomato sauce and paste to the mix. Mix in well. Add enough water or vegetable broth to the desired consistency, about six to eight cups. Cook on medium heat for about one hour. Remove cardomon pods and clove. They tend to float to the top, if not just stir your mix until you find them. Pureed mixture with immersion blender. Taste for spice level. Add more garam masala to taste. You could add a dollop of yogurt to each bowl as serving or squeeze a wedge of lime for an added twang.
Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
A dairy free, wheat free recipe.

Coconut Oil

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-26T12:48:02-04:00

Coconut oil has been used as cooking oil for thousands of years.

Up until the 1950’s, coconut oil was widely used in the United States both in homes and in large bakeries. Because research indicated that saturated fat was a big culprit in heart disease, people were told to stay away from tropical oils. Bakeries switched to using hydrogenated oils to replace coconut oil. Hindsight is usually 20/20, and now we know that these manufactured oils are toxic to our systems.

Coconut oil is made up of medium chain fatty acids called medium chain triglycerides. These fatty acids are different from the common longer chain fatty acids found in other plant based oils. The longer chain triglycerides are typically store in the body as fat while the medium chain triglycerides are burned for energy and burned up quickly.

Coconut oil is nature’s richest source of these medium chain fatty acids. Some of the benefits of these fatty acids include an increase in metabolic rate which helps lead to weight loss. These fats are also very similar to the fats found in breast milk and have similar health effects.

Coconut oil is also nature’s most abundant source of lauric acid. Approximately 50% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are lauric acid. Lauric acid is formed into monolaurin in the human or animal body. Monolaurin is the antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal monoglyceride used by the human body to destroy viruses such as HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, various bacteria including listeria.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

A Rainy Day Chili

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-25T20:18:48-04:00

A rainy, thunder filled day in Miami often makes me wistful for warm comfort food of my winters up north. Today that was chili.

Chili has been around since the 1800’s and hails from the southwest region. Today, chili has regional variations from Cincinati which is topped with pasta to the Texas style which became the official food of Texas in 1977. I grew up with a version from my mother which sort of a Cincinati chili but without any pasta. She always put clove and cinnamon so that the chili had a sweet backtaste. Today, no matter what kind of chili I make, white, veggie, or red bean there are two ingredients that are staples, chili powder and cinnamon.

1 red onion
3 garlic cloves
2 carrots chopped
1 green pepper
1 can red kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can green chilis
1/2 cup red lentils
2 tsp chili powder
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon corriander seeds crushed
i tsp parika
1tsp salt
1 cinnamon stick
14 oz container vegetable broth plus two cups water (or all water)

Start with the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the green pepper, carrots, beans, and lentils and saute five minutes more. Add spices and broth. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer until spices have mixed in well 30-40 minutes.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
A dairy free, wheat free recipe.

Take the Stairs

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-22T17:55:55-04:00

Modern convenience has effectively taken away most of our built in exercise. We can choose to take the escalator or the elevator. We can drive around the corner versus walking. Heck, I even drive to the gym, and it is about a quarter mile from my house!

By making some conscious decisions throughout our day, we can ramp up our exercise without going to spinning class. My favorite decision, which drives my husband batty, is to take the stairs.

What are the advantages of taking the stairs?

There is no special equipment needed.
There is no special training needed, you already know how to do this.
You can fit this exercise within your hectic schedule. Just make a choice to take the stairs.
This activity will strengthen your legs especially your buttocks. Lord knows, that is where I fight gravity everyday!
This is a cardiovascular activity. Translation: it will strengthen your heart.
This is a low impact exercise and will not over stress your knees.

Wow, that’s a lot of benefit. Yet, how often do we choose that elevator? Here is some incentive, a stair calculator. This website will calculate the calories burned by how much time spent taking the stairs. I put in just five minutes going up and down, and that gave me a 75 calorie burn off for the day! Why that equals a 3.5 oz glass of red wine!

Do I have you convinced, yet?

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

A Hot Flash or a Niacin Flush

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-21T14:17:13-04:00

Apparently I bought the wrong niacin supplement at the store the other day. I have been taking it for years, but I have always taken the no-flush variety without incident. Well, yesterday, after lunch, I opened a new bottle and took my vitamins. After which I sat down in front of the computer to work through some email. With in a few minutes, I began to feel my face get hot and prickly. I thought to myself, that’s odd and continued to read my mail. The heat continued to rise and started to spread to my neck and arms. I got up and went to look in a mirror and lo and behold I saw a very red face staring back at me.

My first thought was that I was having an allergic reaction. I mentally review all that I had eaten that day and could not identify anything new or unusual. The heat spread to my torso and was uncomfortable. Then I remembered that I had recently taken my vitamins and wondered if this could be that mysterious thing called a niacin flush. I went back to the vitamin bottle and realized that I bought the regular version of niacin supplement and not my usual purchase.

Wanting to confirm my suspicions, I jumped on the internet and researched niacin flush. Basically, niacin causes your capillaries to get wider. Blood normally passes through capillaries very slowly. Niacin causes more blood to flow quicker through this system, hence, the flush. There is no harm caused by this flush. In fact, it can help your system carry away more toxins from the cells in these areas!

Niacin is used by your body to turn carbohydrates into energy.Niacin also helps your nervous system, digestive system, skin, hair, and eyes stay healthy. Niacin is also used to help boost your good cholesterol or high density lipoprotein HDL. Niacin is found in dairy, lean meats, poultry, fish, nuts, eggs, and enriched breads.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Black Bean Brownies-Dairy Free, Wheat Free

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-20T09:08:33-04:00

I tried a recipe today that I have to share. Brownies made from black beans. Pretty cool, huh?

You are probably thinking that beans are a funny ingredient for brownies but I found this recipe on The Happy Herbivore and I had to try it out. I have been on an experimental baking kick for a while looking for the best recipes that are wheat-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.

So the real review will be from my husband. Survey says......they’re okay. (He’s a tough critic.) He was disappointed with the chocolate flavor and thought there was too much cinnamon. He had no issues with the beans replacing the flour. There were no texture issues with the brownies. In fact they are moist and dense. So will I make these again? You bet. I will ramp up the chocolate by using melted baking cocoa versus powered, eliminate the cinnamon, and add a touch more vanilla. I’ll post an update with the results!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
A dairy free and wheat free recipe.

Broccoli Soup-Dairy free

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-20T08:23:15-04:00

I love soup. It is one of my favorite foods. It gets better over time. It is easy to freeze. It provides a comforting warm meal. Soup is a great way to use up leftover vegetables, grains, and meats. And I could go on and on...

One of the challenges of soups as I changed my diet was to find replacements for my favorite dairy based soups. Here I am going to showcase my broccoli soup, but you can use it for a base for many vegetable soups that normally use heavy cream.

Start with a tablespoon or two of olive or canola oil in your stock or large sauce pan. Chop an onion and three cloves of garlic and saute until onions are clear. These do not need to be finely chopped as you will puree the soup later.

Dice two baking potatoes and add to your onions. You can leave the skins on or take them off, it is your choice. I usually leave them on since I am going to puree the whole thing and that way I am keeping maximum nutirtion. Saute until beginning to get soft about 8-10 minutes. Stir frequently to keep from sticking and browning. If they do start to stick, just add some chicken broth or water to the pan to loosen them up.

Chop up a bunch of broccoli coarsely including the stalk. Add to your onions and potato mixture and cook until the broccoli starts to turn bright green.

Add 32 oz container of chicken broth and 1-2 cups water depending on how thick you like your soups. Cook until the broccoli is soft but not overcooked.

Take the soup off the heat and use and emersion blender to puree the soup. Add a pinch of nutmeg and serve! Adding a squeeze of lime just before serving gives the soup a twang for those that crave salt.

This is a very forgiving recipe so use it to experiment and expand your use of veggies!
Enjoy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
A dairy free, wheat free recipe.

Alloxan in White Flour

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-11T13:38:28-04:00

So I already know that white flour is an empty food choice. I understand that choosing food made with white flour creates a missed opportunity for putting useful nutrition in my system. However, I always figured that a little white flour along the way would not be seriously detrimental to my health. Silly me, I should understand by now that big business only cares about profit. Hence, this brings me to a substance called alloxan.

Alloxan is the chemical which “bleaches” the flour. The FDA allows Alloxan to be used in the processing of foods.

Alloxan is also a substance that destroys the beta cells of your pancreas. Beta cells produce insulin. When alloxan was administered to rodents it caused an insulin-dependent diabetes. Are you starting to see the problem?

What really bothers me about this information, is that the business industry made a decision to use this substance instead of other less harmful bleaching agents without care or concern to the long term effects on the general public. Even worse, is that the FDA approved its use. I am angered by the fact that the public was not educated in order to make an informed choice. Some people will not care, of course, people continue to smoke even though they know it has a direct link to cancer. They have made a conscious choice. The people innocently eating their rye bread deli sandwiches deserve the same choice. What do you choose?

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

The Emptiness of White Flour

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-10T14:34:42-04:00

As my grandmother use to say, “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.” The food industry has the knowledge and technology to break whole food down into its individual components. They leave out the things that may take away from their profit margins, and then put it all back together again, yet label it enriched. The flour industry is the perfect example.

Wheat as a whole grain is full of things which are healthful. During the manufacturing process, the most nutritous parts of the wheat grain are removed. These are the outside bran layer and the germ (embryo.) Fifteen vitamins and mineral are lost in this process, and only four are added back for enrichment. This is done to improve shelf life. The bran and germ is the part of the grain that contains oils. Whole wheat flour cannot live indefinitely in the pantry. It will eventually turn rancid. White flour, however, can be left for years in the pantry, dusted off and used without fear.

Michael Pollan, a writer with many books to his credit, says there are 7 rules for eating. Rule number four says, “Don’t eat anything that won’t eventually rot.”

Here’s a list of what we loose when whole wheat flour is refined into white flour:

Out of the twenty five ingredients removed in the refining process, only 5 are added back. This is what is meant by enriched flour. Good deal, huh?

For more information, try reading The Food Revolution by John Robbins.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Mango Spelt Muffins

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-07-06T18:56:47-04:00

This recipe turned out the best muffins so far that are dairy free and egg free. I used mango as the fruit but I think it would work with bananas or peaches just as well. If you changed up the spices, other fruit could also be substituted. It is a simple recipe that is very forgiving.

Ingredient list:
1 single serving container of plain soy yogurt
1/2 cup applesauce
2 1/2 cup spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground clove (I used a full tsp because I love clove)
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups diced mango (You can also puree the mango if you do not want chunks.)
3/4 cups golden raisens (optional)
zest of one lime

Mix together all dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together the yogurt, applesauce, mango, raisens, and lime zest. Blend the two together until all the flour is mixed in.

Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

The Sweet Summer of Mangos

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-06-23T16:38:03-04:00

When I was a tweener, although that name did not yet exist in the 70’s, I use to come to Florida to visit my Dad. That first summer he lived in a house with a mango tree in the back yard. This was my introduction to what has to be my favorite tropical fruit. I ate so many mangos that summer while standing over the kitchen sink. The juice would run down my arms and the fiber would get between my teeth, but I did not care. I was in heaven.

Today, still in Miami, I seek out those who have mature mango trees during the month of June. My house came equipped with avocado trees (my other favorite fruit.) I have planted two mango trees, but as yet they are still young trees. My mother-in-law has the best tree and my stepdaughter brings me a bag on a weekly basis. Yum!

You know that old saying, “Be careful what you wish for.” Now I have more mangos than I can eat. Time to get creative. So I experimented with Mango spelt muffins, mango tea (that one did not work out), mango salsa, mango sorbet, and of course mango smoothies. My two favorites so far are the salsa and the sorbet.

Dairy Free Mango Sorbet

Get out your blender and start peeling mangos. Fill the blender about 2/3rds full with the sliced mangos, about 5 to 7 mangos depending on their size. Add a can of coconut milk or light coconut milk. Add about 1/4 cup of honey. Blend.

Pour into a pyrex or freezer proof dish. Place in the fridge. This takes all day to freeze, but you can stir it occasionally to aid it along. Once fully frozen, it may have to sit out on the counter for 15-20 minutes to soften enough to scoop.

Mango Salsa
Peel slice and cube one to two mangos. Dice one to two tomatoes. Dice one half an English cucumber. Chop 1/2 red pepper. Add one jalapena pepper diced. Add fresh cilantro chopped to your taste. Squeeze in the juice of one lime. Salt and Pepper.

Put it in a pretty dish and eat with your favorite snack chip.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.
A dairy free and wheat free recipe.

Father' Day

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-06-15T15:22:46-04:00

I hosted a great family father’s day for my husband this year. We got in the pool and cooled off, and, then I got behind the barbeque instead of my husband.

On the menu were chicken, salmon, and vegetable kabobs. My sister-in-law brought a caprese salad with an awesome variety of tomatoes and a s’more ice cream cake. I made asparagus and a beet and carrot stir fry, that everyone loved, and some mango sorbet.

There was a family dart championship and general fun had by all. The end of the day brought exclamations that we need to get together more often. This seems to be said at every holiday gathering, but then we all get caught back up with the process called life.

Being socially connected is a very important part of being human and staying healthy. Many studies have shown that people who have strong and supportive relationships, live longer lives. Family and friends that provide supportive relationships can counter the effects of stress in our lives. Social support actually lowers the body’s production of cortisol and other stress hormones. So don’t wait for the next holiday to get together with those you care about. Make your commitment today.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection

Turmeric the Wonder Spice

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-06-13T08:41:14-04:00

I am in love with Indian spices. Ginger, cardamon, coriander, cumin, and curry to name a few. They smell seductive and the taste tingles on the taste buds long after the meal is done. There is a restaurant named Imlee and Indian Bistro here in Miami that I just adore. The warm and exotic smells fill your nostrils as you open the door. The restaurant is small so reservations are recommended but not required. The wait staff is attentive and patient. They will explain the dishes if you are new to Indian cuisine.

Turmeric or haldi is referred to as Indian saffron. It is used for flavor and coloring in dishes but it has also been used as medicine in China and India. Turmeric has long been used as a powerful anti-inflammatory. It has also been used to treat flatulence, jaundice, menstrual difficulties, bloody urine, hemorrhage, toothache, bruises, chest pain, and colic.

If that wasn’t enough secret powers, the active ingredient in turmeric which is called curcumin, has been shown to be comparable to drugs like hydrocortisone and Motrin but without any toxic side effects. Curcumin is also a powerful antioxidant and can help detoxify the body. (Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals and may even reduce or prevent some of the damage they cause.) It protects the liver from the damaging effects of alcohol and toxic chemicals. Turmeric stimulates the production of bile which is needed to digest fat. It even guards the stomach by killing salmonella bacteria and protozoa that can cause diarrhea. All that in a single spice, wow!

Turmeric is a member of the ginger family. The rhizomes are harvested, boiled, and then dried in hot ovens. The prepared rhizomes are then ground into the deep orange/yellow color powder that we are familiar with. Tumeric is commonly used in curries and has a warm peppery flavor.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

What is Benzene and Why is it in Soda?

newurbanbalance@me.com — 2009-06-11T00:17:50-04:00

I have been on a campaign to get my husband off soda for a long time. I have made huge strides as it is no longer the first thing he drinks in the morning. So whenever I read anything that may make him think twice, I share it. This information may be the most potent ammunition yet. Here are a few links to articles that shed some light on the subject.

http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2008/04/benzene_in_soda_update.php

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/19/health/main1638170.shtml

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12174292/

Benzene is a known carcinogen, and we are exposed to it daily in our environment. It is usually absorbed through contact with gasoline and cigarette smoke. However, it can be found in the water supply and in the air we breathe. Benzene is a chemical widely used in the United States in the production of plastics, resins, and nylon as well as rubbers, lubricants, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides. Long term exposure may affect bone marrow and blood production. Short term exposure may cause drowsiness, dizziness, unconsciousness, or death.

The FDA is aware that benzene can be found in soft drinks. However, the government currently has no health standard for the benzene found in drinks other than drinking water. Benzene can form in sodas when ascorbic acid and either sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate are present. The warmer and older the soda the more potential for benzene to form. In tap water the levels should be no more than 5 parts per billion. The Environmental Working Group, a watchdog organization, found levels of benzene in soft drinks at levels between 5 and 138 parts per billion. The amount depends on how much heat and light to which the drinks are exposed. Currently, soda does not carry a manufacture date to let consumers know how long it has been on the shelves.

There are times I have a desire for a carbonated drink. When I do, I mix sparkling water with fruit juice. (My favorite is grapefruit soda.) I. find this very satisfying, especially knowing that it is safe and provides some nutritional value. Give it a try next time instead of reaching for a soda.

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.