December Newsletter

Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.

-Janis Joplin

Beautiful Body Types

Almost all of us have a distorted image of our body, often due to the importance our culture places on outward appearance and the onslaught of media images of airbrushed models and celebrities. On a daily basis, we talk to ourselves in ways we would never speak to another. Imagine speaking to a child the way you speak to yourself about your body. It would devastate and squelch a child. It affects you similarly, causing stress and emotional pain in your body, which can make improving your health or losing weight even more difficult.

Think of all the intelligence, creativity and time you spend on improving, altering and judging your appearance. Who would you be and what could you accomplish if your valuable resources weren’t used this way? Constant emphasis on the external makes us discount the great presence and intelligence that is housed by the body. It makes us forget the magic of our internal rhythms and fail to acknowledge the beautiful bodies we have.

The body you have right now is incredible! It never misses a heartbeat, it maintains homeostasis and it miraculously digests whatever you put in it. It is your instrument for expressing your creativity, intelligence and love. By focusing on the 1% you don’t like or wish were different, you may be ignoring the remaining 99% about your body that is beautiful, unique and delightful.

What would your life be like if you were simply at peace with the body you have? You may wish to make your body healthier and stronger, but could you do that out of love and respect for your body instead of the opposite? Could you begin to treat yourself with kindness, to limit the negative self-talk and to reconnect with your inner wisdom? Take a minute to imagine what that would feel like. It would mean celebrating your body rather than punishing it. It would mean nourishing your body rather than depriving it. It would mean a chance to watch your body flourish when treated with care and respect.

Food Focus: Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are on everyone’s mind this season. They seem to go hand in hand with the holidays, and fortunately, eating these and other sweet vegetables needn’t be limited to this time of year. Cravings for sweets can be greatly reduced by adding sweet vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, beets, squash, turnips and rutabagas to your daily diet. Sweet potatoes elevate blood sugar gently rather than with the jolt delivered by simple refined carbohydrates, so there’s no energy crash after you eat them. Much higher in nutrients than white potatoes and especially rich in vitamin A, sweet potatoes offer a creamy consistency that is satisfying and soothing. They are healing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and help to remove toxins from the body. They can increase the quantity of milk in lactating women and can lessen cramps and premenstrual symptoms. If you don’t have any sweet potatoes in your kitchen, go out and buy some (organic and local if possible) and make the recipe below.

Recipe of the Month: Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro

This recipe is an eye-opener for those who find sweet potatoes cloyingly sweet or those who are tired of eating them smothered in marshmallows and brown sugar. Japanese sweet potatoes, with their pale flesh and delicate flavor, are a treat if you can find them.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

2-3 limes

butter or olive oil, salt (optional)

Directions:

1.   Wash the sweet potatoes and bake them whole, in their skins, at 375 degrees until tender, about 40 minutes.

2.   Wash and chop cilantro leaves.

3.   When sweet potatoes are done, slit open the skin and place on serving plate. Season with salt and dots of butter or a sprinkle of oil, if you like, then squeeze fresh lime juice all over, and shower with cilantro leaves.

Forward to a Friend

It’s such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

So, tomorrow is the big day. As we prepare for the biggest meal of the year, I thought I would post some tips for keeping you from totally over indulging at your Thanksgiving dinner.

• Remember the reason for Thanksgiving-remind yourself of all that you are grateful for and enjoy the company you are with.
• Start your day off on the right foot with a bowl of whole grain oatmeal, a green smoothie (gotta get in those greens!), or some eggs scrambled with veggies.
• Make sure there is a veggie platter where you are spending the holiday. If someone else isn't bringing it, volunteer to bring it yourself. What a better way to snack than on fresh, raw vegetables?
• Cut back on the butter and sugar. Most recipes call for too much of both. Play with your recipes to see where you can skimp without losing flavor. You will be surprised! 
• This is not the "last meal". You don't need to stuff yourself to the point of discomfort. Eat a small portion of each dish and take leftovers if you want more. It doesn't need to all be consumed in one sitting!
• Get moving! Some families play flag football together while others go for a family walk. If your family doesn't have a tradition yet, now is the time to start one!

Wherever you are spending Thanksgiving this year, I wish you all a safe, happy holiday enjoyed with those that mean the most to you!

November Newsletter

There is more to life than increasing its speed.

-Gandhi

Get Slow

Who doesn’t feel as if there aren’t enough hours in the day? We rush through the day, running here and there, and end up exhausted. Somehow these days full of duties, obligations and busyness have begun to build up and become our lives. We spend our time doing things we don’t really want to do, yet feel we should. We’ve come to believe that being productive and crossing things off our to-do list is the ultimate goal.

The truth is, life on Earth is a brief gift, and our time is too precious to be used like this. If we want our lives to be balanced and healthy, we need to lessen our load and increase our down time. This means planning less in a day, prioritizing those things that make our hearts sing and de-prioritizing those things that are not imperative.

If we must accomplish many things each day, we can still change the quality with which we do things. How can we transmute that sprint to the train into something delicious instead of the usual gripping and tightening experience? Where can we find ease in the midst of stress? How can we cultivate the art of going slowly?

Take a few moments before you climb out of bed in the morning to remember your dreams and to think about what you want from the day. Leave your watch on the bedside table. Take the scenic route. Sit for a moment with your eyes closed when you start your computer. Check email only twice a day. Don’t pack your schedule so tightly that there’s no time for a short walk. Light candles before you start to cook dinner. Add one moment here and there for slowness; it can be done simply and will have a profound effect on your well-being.

Adapted from an article by Marco Visscher & Jay Walljasper, Ode Magazine, Issue #15, www.odemagazine.com

Food Focus: Oils and Fats

Not all oils and fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated, “trans” fats and oils that are used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body. However, fats and oils from whole foods and other high-quality sources can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair and nails and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly. Our bodies also need fat for insulation and to protect and hold our organs in place.

A healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal satisfies and leaves feelings of energy, fulfillment and warmth. When there are excess fats and oils in the diet, especially heavily processed fats, symptoms can include weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain and an overall feeling of mental, physical and emotional heaviness. Signs of insufficient high-quality fats are brittle hair and nails, dry skin, hunger after meals and feeling cold.

There are many sources of healthy fats and oils:

·   For sautéing and baking, try butter, ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil because they do not break down when used at high temperatures.

·   When sautéing foods at moderate temperatures, try organic extra virgin olive oil.

·   Oils like flaxseed, sesame, toasted sesame, walnut and pumpkin seed are best used unheated in sauces or dressings on top of salads, veggies or grains.

·   Other healthy fats are found in whole nuts and seeds and in their butters like almond butter or tahini.

·   Whole foods such as avocados, olives and coconuts are great sources of healthy fat, along with wild salmon and omega-3 and omega-6 organic eggs.

Experiment with these healthy fat sources and see which work best for you and leave you satisfied.

When selecting oils, buy the highest-quality organic products you can afford, since cooking oils are the backbone of so many dishes. Good words to look for on the label are organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin and unrefined. Words to avoid are expeller-pressed, refined and solvent extracted.

Recipe of the Month:

Avocado Dip

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients:

1 large peeled and pitted avocado

2/3 cup plain yogurt, goat yogurt or soy yogurt

1 diced tomato

dash or two of cayenne pepper

sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

1.   Mash avocado with a fork until very smooth.

2.   Add yogurt, tomato, cayenne. Blend until smooth. This may be done in a food processor, in a blender or with a fork.

3.   Add sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste.

4.   Serve chilled with mixed raw vegetables.

Note: Best made a maximum of 1 hour before serving.

Forward to a Friend

It’s such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it.

Health is so much more than the food we eat and exercise. One aspect of health that many people don't consider is in the products we use around the house for cleaning or personal care. I have made a point to rid my home of as many chemical cleaners as possible. I started small, replacing my glass cleaner with a squirt bottle of club soda. It does a great job removing smudges from glass and mirrors and the bonus is-the kids can help clean, and even beg for their turn to spray. I use vinegar and water (50/50) to clean my tile floors. Vinegar is a natural anti bacterial so I feel confident that I am cleaning the germs without harsh chemicals. It also kills 82% of molds and 80% of viruses! Costco sells a huge bottle of vinegar for about $5, or it can be found at your local grocery store as well. Speaking of Costco, I have been getting my dishwashing detergent there for some time. I decided that when I was out, I was going to make my own. I did some research and found a super simple recipe. I have been using it for a couple of weeks now and have no complaints. Good for the environment, your health and your budget!

Dishwashing Detergent
1 cup Borax
1 cup Baking Soda
several drops essential oil of your choice ( I used tangerine)

Mix all ingredients in a resealable container. Use 2 tablespoons per load and fill your rinse aid dispenser with straight vinegar.

Chocolate and Child Slavery

Before you go out and stock up on Halloween candy, please read this. Do you have any idea that most of the chocolate that we buy in the United States comes to us via child slaves on cocoa farms on the Ivory Coast in Africa? Over 40% of the worlds farms are located in Cote D' Ivoire, where at least 12,000 children, some groups say up to 200,000, have been forced into slavery so we can enjoy our chocolate treats. Most of the children are under the age of 12 and work from 12-15 hours a day. They carry huge bags of cocoa beans that are often bigger than they are and weigh more. They are fed only bananas and are forced to sleep with 20 other children locked in a tiny room where they sleep on wooden planks and urinate in a can. The children are often beaten with cocoa tree branches. 

*I did NOT purchase this candy. It was collected by my kids at our community's Trunk or Treat

The following are companies that get their cocoa beans from countries that use child labor. This Halloween, please do your part. Take a stand and do not buy candy from these companies.


Hersheys
M&M Mars
Cadbury's
Ben and Jerry's 
Godiva
Kraft
Nestle
See's
Toblerone
Guittard


You can find Fair Trade chocolate at the following retailers:


Dunkin' Donuts
H E B
Fred MeyerWhole Foods
Wild Oats
Safeway (includes Tom Thumb)
StarbucksTrader Joe's
Target

Sweet Potato Fries

I grew up thinking I didn't like sweet potatoes. It wasn't until I had them while at a friend's for Thanksgiving 12 years ago that I realized I had been missing out all those years! Sweet potato fries have become a staple in our house. They are so delicious and full of vitamins and nutrients. I will often make a batch to keep in the fridge for snacking. They are great cold and with their natural sweetness, will even satisfy a "sweet" craving.

Here is my simple recipe:

Sweet Potato Fries


Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2 large sweet potatoes (or yams)
sea salt
pepper
paprika
cinnamon





Peel the sweet potatoes

Cut them into fries and drizzle them with about 1/4 cup olive oil. Toss.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and cinnamon, to taste.

Arrange them on a baking sheet so that all fries are touching the pan.

Bake them at 425 for 15 minutes. Flip them over and bake another 15 minutes or until desired level of crispness is achieved.  (they will not get as crisp as a deep fried potato, obviously!)


Enjoy!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

I love when Fall rolls around each year because that means pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies....I even saw a recipe for pumpkin chili this year! I made pumpkin pancakes the other morning and had lots of pumpkin puree left. I searched for some pumpkin cookies and found this recipe http://www.theppk.com/2008/10/pumpkin-oatmeal-cookies/. (I also got some yummy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies from our neighbor earlier this week-thanks Aimee! Check out her blog at supermommoments.com)

I changed it a bit....instead of a 1 2/3 cup of white sugar, I used 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup agave. I also used white whole wheat flour and used coconut oil in place of canola oil. I put raisins in but left out the walnuts.
Here is the recipe with my changes. Happy Fall!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

by IsaChandra

Makes 4 dozen cookies

These are soft out of the oven, but as they cool they are nice and chewy. They are a serious crowd pleaser, for crowds with taste buds.

Note: I use flax seeds because they make the texture a little chewier, but I’ve made them without and they’re still good!

Equipment
baking sheets
2 mixing bowls

Ingredients
2 cups flour (white whole wheat)
1 1/3 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 2/3 cups sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup agave
2/3 cup canola oil 1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 cup canned pumpkin, or cooked pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
optional: 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (yes!)

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Have ready 2 greased baking sheets. (I used parchment paper)

Mix together flour, oats, baking soda, salt and spices.

In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, oil, molasses, pumpkin and vanilla (and flax seeds if using) until very well combined. Add dry ingredients to wet in 3 batches, folding to combine. Fold in walnuts and raisins.

Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. They don’t spread very much so they can be placed only an inch apart. Flatten the tops of the cookies with a fork or with your fingers, to press into cookie shape. Bake for 16 minutes at 350. If you are using two sheets of cookies on 2 levels of your oven, rotate the sheets halfway through for even baking. You’ll have enough batter for 4 trays.

Remove from oven and get cookies onto a wire rack to cool. These taste best when they’ve had some time to cool and set. They taste even better the next day!