LifeStyle Revolution

Red lentil soup: so quick it's almost fast food.

A man may be a pessimistic determinist before lunch and an optimistic believer in the will's freedom after it... Aldous Huxley

Fifteen minutes of prep, 30 minutes to simmer. That's lunch.

Working at home today I looked at the clock and realized it was 1:00. I was starving and had very little food in the house. What to do?  Red Lentil Soup... my favorite fast food. 

Because this recipe requires little more than pantry staples (onions, garlic, carrots, tomato paste, broth, lentils and spices) I usually have on hand what it takes to make this satisfying and nutritious lunch.

I had a momentary panic today, however, when I looked in the fridge and did not see any carrots. Fortunately I remembered that I still had some in the garden. A quick trip out to pull a few carrots and snip a few spices and I was on my way.

This recipe comes from Melissa Clark and was published in the NY Times last January. I am sure I have made it fifteen times already and frankly, I can't get enough of it. What really makes it special is that it gets a squeeze of lemon (or lime) at the end and a sprinkling of cilantro (or parsley).

 

If you like a hearty yet healthy soup and are looking for a quickie... search no further!

Home Made Kefir. Pro-biotics to the Rescue!

A few months ago I got an email from a foodie-friend saying she had Tibetan kefir grains to share and wondered if I was interested… despite the fact that I had no idea what to do with them, I said, “Sure” and just like that, a new odyssey began.

Kefir is a pro-biotic, much like yogurt, and as such it contains beneficial bacteria that help to maintain a healthy balance in the gut, which in turn enhances overall well-being.

I’ve been buying commercially produced kefir for years both for its pro-biotic benefits and its good taste, but I didn’t know that I could make a much more healthful version of it with little cost, fuss or time. 

Because most commercially produced yogurt and kefir is pasteurized and/or heat treated, very little of the actual beneficial bacteria survives and as such, more bacteria must be added in after the fact. (Dannon’s Activa products are an example of this.)

Aside from the convuluted nature of the commercial process (kill all the locals and then bring in untrained experts later to try to fix the mess you made) studies show that not enough of these “after-the-fact-good guys” survive the stomach acids anyway and therefore there isn’t enough oomph to populate the intestinal flora as needed. So eating mass-produced yogurt or kefir is actually delivering far less of a benefit than perhaps originally thought.  (And let’s not forget that much of the mainstream yogurt is full of artificial sweeteners such as Splenda and Aspartame).

But who cares about beneficial bacteria anyway?

You should, that’s who.

There is much to be said about a healthy internal ecosystem. And anyone who’s gotten diarrhea or a yeast infection after a course of antibiotics can confirm this fact. But the net benefits of a healthy gut extend far further than that. I recommend you check out this link and read the best explanation I’ve seen thus far.

And then I recommend that you start thinking about what you can do to get that gut in shape.

 If you’re interested in making kefir, the hardest part about the process is finding someone to give you some grains (also referred to as curds). I am sure that there are good online sources, so check around… but also, start asking your neighborhood healthy foodies. Once you find the grains, you are tapped into an unlimited supply.

You see, the grains are actual living organisms (like sea monkeys only different). When you go through the process of making kefir, you are "feeding" the grains which, through the process of fermentation, grow  and multiply leaving you with plenty to share.

Making your own kefir requires little more than good quality (preferably raw) milk, a plastic strainer and a glass bottle with a plastic lined lid or cheesecloth. Here's how to do it:

Place the kefir grains/curds in a glass jar and cover with milk. (Our family of four goes through about 1 quart each day.) Leave out (loosely covered either with cheesecloth and a rubber band or with a lid that is not screwed down) at room temp, and after about 24 hours, give the jar a good shake and then strain through  a plastic strainer (don’t use metal, it isn’t good for the culture). That’s it. Done.

To prepare the curds for the next batch, rinse them with fresh water (I use purified water, not tap), add to a clean jar and cover with milk once again. Easy peasy.

Don't forget that the grains are alive, like a sourdough starter, and so they need to be kept fed... if you don't want to make kefir every day, you can stall the fermentation process by covering your grains with a little milk and refrigerating in a lidded jar for up to a week.

If you have extra curds and no one to share them with, you can eat them or feed them to your pets. My dog, who is notorious for his sensitive gut, loves them. Other friends feed them to their backyard chickens.

Kefir can have a slightly effervescent quality to it and the taste is a little sour, like yogurt. For best gut propagation, drink a small glass first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach.

We like to make it into a  shake with frozen fruit, a banana and maybe a little splash of maple syrup or honey.

Cheers to your gut!

Government Endorsed Sustainable Healthcare?

Philly takes a lot of flak. In recent years it's been named the Deadliest City, the Fattest City, and even the Ugliest City. Is it possible that Philadelphia could turn in those monikers and instead become The Greenest City?

If Mayor Michael Nutter has his way, it most certainly will.

Philadelphia's newest mayor is a man of great intent, integrity and action. I know a couple of people who have been involved with his campaign and administration, and the word on the street is that he's the real deal.

Mayor Nutter has plans to make Philadelphia a truly Sustainable City. As a part of this initiative he has appointed a Director of Sustainability and a Sustainability Advisory Board with leaders from government, non-profits, and the private sector who will facilitate the development of a coordinated sustainability policy for the City of Philadelphia.

Good stuff. Great stuff, actually.

But I want him to make it one better. And so a couple of weeks ago I sent him a letter...

Dear Mayor Nutter,

It is with great respect and admiration that I follow the progress of your administration and your commitment to Philadelphia as, “The Next Great City”. Your recent appointment of a Sustainability Advisory Board speaks clearly to your forward-thinking direction, and the changes I see happening in our beautiful City make me more proud than ever to call Philadelphia my home.

As a professional Homeopath, writer and consultant, I have spent the last 15 years working in the emerging field of “sustainability” as it relates to the overall health and wellbeing of the individual. My experience has shown that this critical component of wellness is all too often overlooked or separated from sustainability conversations that inevitably focus on energy use and climate change.

The startling statistics stated in your 2007 Plan for a Healthier Philadelphia identify a population that is struggling with chronic illness, obesity, violence and limited (if any) access to quality food and healthcare. But I believe that your proposed solutions can be taken one step further in a way that would dovetail perfectly into your sustainability plan and put Philadelphia at the forefront of this emerging paradigm.

I agree that Philadelphia is a city rich in medical facilities, education and public health resources, however I believe that it suffers like most of America (but not the world) from a myopic viewpoint that sees expensive medical interventions and pharmaceutical cocktails as the answer. As the population continues to grow and chronic diseases exponentially increase, our current system is simply unable to accommodate the increasing demand and skyrocketing costs.

Sustainability in healthcare is about much more than just curing illness. It involves how people eat, learn, move, shop and utilize the medical system. It is about accessibility to high-quality complementary and alternative modalities. It is about sustainable agriculture. It is about lowering the toxic load in our environment—and also in our bodies.

Sustainability in healthcare requires a lifestyle revolution.

I have spent the last two years researching this field and have authored a business plan for an Integrated Wellness Center that seeks to change the medically mandated paradigm of “sick care” into an empowerment zone based on healthy food, therapeutic movement, holistic education, and alternative/complementary healing modalities. What I have learned from this work has given me insight into the critical necessity of including healthcare in the overall sustainability model.

Your plan to make Philadelphia the leader in Sustainability has the catalyzing potential to change the world. I would encourage you to consider this proposed addition to your endeavor and offer I my services however appropriate.

Sincerely,

Denise Straiges Warkov CCH, RSHom(NA)

Music + Food + Humanity

That pretty much says it all.

Last weekend, The Husband and I went to a unique and FABULOUS event called Music + Food + Humanity at the home of singer/songwriter Phil Roy.

A few years back, Phil Roy started his, “I’m Not Leaving The House Tour,” which featured a four-course meal served (where else but) in his home, followed by an hour or more of live music.  Expanding on that theme, Sunday featured another exceptional artist, Jim Boggia, who hung with the crowd, joined us for dinner and then wowed us with a beautiful acoustic set. 

Click here to link to a few photos of Phil Roys’ home—a 2200 square foot artist studio in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia that was designed by the prominent Philadelphia architect H. Louis Duhring in 1928. The acoustics in the main room are as beautiful as the view out of the 20 foot Palladian windows that were the backdrop for the performance. With the balcony door open and a cool breeze stirring through the room, every single sense became engaged to maximize the experience.

Phil is an amazing cook and the meal was deliciously prepared around a Moroccan theme. Two different stews (one lamb, one chicken) melded beautifully with couscous, zucchini and a salad made of three different greens, sliced fennel and roasted butternut squash. Spicy harissa was served on the side to add depth and dimension to the already flavorful dishes.

This was one of those experiences where the setting, the food, the companionship and the artistry alchemically combined to touch the soul.

Thanks Phil and Jim (and, of course, Travis The Dog).