Go Green BABY!

7 Ways to A Natural Diet

GoGreen — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:29:54 +0000

What exactly is a “natural diet”?

For me, a natural diet is instinctive, sensual, and uniquely human. Most importantly, it is free of nutritional supplements.

The desire to avoid nutritional supplements is, in fact, my main motivation for exploring this topic. I do not want to have to open a jar and pop a capsule in order to ensure I will get the nutrition I need to thrive. I want my food to come from living things, mostly plants, some animals, eliminating as many middlemen (or processes) as possible.

With this in mind, what is the most natural, instinctive approach to eating for the average human in a modern world?

It’s been a regular topic of conversation with family and friends, over the last few years, and this is what I’ve gleaned from the discussions:

Wild Crafting

Eat when you are hungry; do not eat when you are not. Elementary; but from this, it stands to reason that I should not start cooking supper at 5pm, which I do, anticipating that I will be hungry at 6pm, because often I am NOT. Ditto for other mealtimes. There is nothing more unnatural – less intinctive – than eating at scheduled times of day. Yes, breakfast or dinner is usually the family meal because it’s often the only family time available to us. But throughout the day, it’s easier and more effective to snack frequently on lighter, healthier foods as it suits the individual.
Eat raw. Why? Well, if you want to eat when you are hungry, then why would you take the time to cook? Just grab some nuts or some fruit and eat it. Just eat it. Keep It Super Simple. You don’t have to eat raw all the time; it’s simply important to recognize that you CAN make a satisfying meal out of raw foods, without planning or preparation. Furthermore, kids can prepare their own meals and snacks without having to use the stove or the oven.
Avoid meat. Why? Because it requires cooking, which requires anticipating when you will be hungry. From my parents, I learned a strange daily ritual of taking meat out to thaw, allowing it to thaw, then cooking and serving it. It’s a ridiculous ritual, actually, and I finally decided to eliminate it from my life at the start of 2010, when I stopped eating meat. Meat takes a long time to thaw, a long time to chew and a long time to digest. Never mind the strain on our bodies, who has time for it all? I also believe – outrageous – that we’re supposed to be left sated after eating, not unconscious (think Thanksgiving turkey with mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie). Ultimately, if we acknowledged how meat made us feel, I think we would choose to eat less of it.
Eat fish. Why? Because it’s quick to thaw, quick to cook, easy to chew and easy to digest; because some nutrients are only available from animals, ie. B12 and D, and fish can provide them; because fish can be caught in the wild or farmed without wasting a disproportionate amount of natural resources. This is a discussion for another time. . .
Use fewer dishes. Is it natural to want to do dishes 3x a day? Not for this lady. Simple raw foods often do not require any dishes, even for serving. I think it’s in everyone’s best interest to eat simply, more often than not, and in doing so, we’ll save our precious time, energy and water.
Forage. Almost everyone who has access to the outdoors, has access to food. Wild foods are some of the most potent superfoods available. Choose an area that you know is clean and free of chemicals, hopefully your own backyard, and find out what exactly is growing there. You’ll be amazed at the wild edibles that will show themselves, and you will start to see them in a whole new light. Foraging is a natural and instinctive thing for animals and humans to do, and it feeds us in a completely different way than the cultivated food we buy in stores.

Cold Glass of Water

Drink water. It’s what every living thing – plant, animal and human – needs to survive. Coffee, beer, wine, alcohol, pop and juice may all contain water, but they are NOT water. It’s best to avoid them altogether, but if that’s not possible, then we should, at the very least, drink as much water as all the others combined. The idea of drinking 6-8 glasses a day (the general rule) seems daunting to most people; the fact is, the best water available comes from fresh organic fruits and vegetables, so if we all ate more of them, we’d have no trouble meeting our quota.

These attitudes were built from tidbits and conversations with my own circle of family and friends; healthy habits are a frequent topic of discussion these days. It makes sense, though, that if we want to incorporate healthier living into our hectic lives, while still serving our basic human needs, then we have to learn from each other and support each other. It’s easier in greater numbers.

As always, any change to our eating habits is difficult with spouses and children. But we also have to be careful that we don’t use other people as our excuse for not eating well ourselves – something I still do occasionally. Kids learn through example, and adults. . .well, adults need change as much as they need stability.

It’s springtime. I’m going to make one attitude change this month and truly live it. It is a uniquely human thing to do.

Tomato Basil Bisque

GoGreen — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:37:57 +0000

This soup is uber-easy. It’s great for using up your home-canned tomatoes and the last of the potatoes and onions in storage. Hopefully, you’ve kept some fresh basil going all winter indoors. . .if not, find a donor, like I did .

(NOTE: You can omit the cream or coconut milk and simply throw in an extra potato to provide creaminess without the fat, if that is a concern.)

Tomato Basil Bisque

Serves 6

3 tbsp olive or coconut oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups fresh or canned tomatoes with juices (2 x 28 oz cans or 2 quart jars)
3 cups vegetable stock
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1 cup cream or coconut milk
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Basil sprigs, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic powder and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock, potatoes and basil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes until potatoes are cooked.

Pour mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pot. Add cream and bring just to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with basil, and serve.

Raw Apple Almond Flatbread

GoGreen — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:44:27 +0000

Raw Bread

I had been experimenting with raw bread recipes for a while, and wasn’t happy with the texture or flavour of ANY of them, when I finally stumbled upon a recipe for raw crepes. . .

The crepes themselves were great, but the filling, while delicious, was too complicated, so I simply rolled the crepe into a cylinder and ate it straight. And THAT, I discovered, is how you get a raw bread that is evenly dehydrated, in a very short time (comparatively), and tastes amazing.

The original recipe was coconut-based, and since I don’t like working with coconuts unless I really have to, I knew I’d have to invent something simpler. The following recipe uses common ingredients – staples of the raw food pantry – and is very quick to prepare. I make it every week and so I always have raw bread on hand for snacking.

I prefer to grind my own flax meal. For this recipe, I use golden flax seeds to keep the colour as light as possible, but brown flax seeds will work just fine.

Raw Apple Almond Flatbread

Makes 1 “loaf” (18 slices)

1 cup almond meal
1 cup flax meal
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
2 medium apples, cored and chopped
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp coconut oil, liquified

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients. Set aside.

Place apples, maple syrup and water in a blender and blend until smooth; add to dry ingredients. Add coconut oil and stir until well combined.

Mixture will be the consistency of thick custard. Let stand 10-15 minutes until thickened to a spreadable wet dough.

Divide mixture between two parchment-lined dehydrator trays. Spread it almost to the edges, as thinly and evenly as possible.

Dehydrate at 115F for two hours; remove and flip each sheet onto unlined trays and peel away the parchment. Return to the dehydrator and dry for 1-2 hours more.

For crepes, remove after one hour, while still quite pliable, and cut each sheet into 4 squares. Fold each square in half twice, creating a layered pocket, and stuff with any filling you choose. Drizzle with syrup, if desired.

For bread, remove after two hours and cut each sheet into 9 squares. Stack and store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. Grab a slice or two whenever you need a quick portable snack.

Macadamia Milk

GoGreen — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:26:09 +0000

Macadamia nuts are one of the best nuts for producing creamy raw milks, creams, ice creams, and cheeses.

This is my favourite nut milk because it’s not too sweet, it’s only mildly flavoured and it’s a lovely pure white, so it’s more reminiscent of “real” milk.

Macadamia Milk

Makes about 4 cups

1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked several hours (or overnight)
2 tbsp maple or agave syrup
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
3 cups filtered water

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Will keep for 3 days in the fridge.

Brazil Nut Milk

GoGreen — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:08:08 +0000

This week, in consideration of the safety of its drivers, our organic food delivery service decided to CANCEL all deliveries, and as I was, rather selfishly, COUNTING on them, in lieu of risking my own safety and driving to the grocery store, I found myself tearing through the fridge to find creative meal solutions. I had already perused my home-canning inventory, and decided (again, rather selfishly) that I didn’t want to cook.

I had never considered this before, but when you’re already on a path toward living foods, an emergency (all right, more of an inconvenience) can actually accelerate your efforts. Winter is typically the hardest time of year to stay on a raw food path (rumour and experience tell me), but I’m glad for the opportunity to debunk that thought.

I’ve always kept a rather decorative selection of raw nuts and seeds in the fridge: almonds, walnuts, pecans, Brazils, cashews, macadamias, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds. I use them for a multitude of recipes, mostly raw, but this week they were REALLY put to the test. Or, I suppose I was.

So, three days ago, I dove headfirst into raw nut meats, cheeses and milks, just to get us by. The following recipe was my own invention, and by far the winner in the category (thank you); I made this milk three days in a row and the family lapped it up “neat”, in smoothies and on cereals:

Brazil Nut Milk

Makes about 4 cups

1 cup Brazil nuts, soaked for several hours (or overnight)
2 tbsp agave syrup
1 tbsp tahini
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 cups filtered water

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy it fresh and slightly warmed, straight from the blender, or chill before drinking.

Will keep for three days in the fridge.

Raising Raw Kids

GoGreen — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:07:22 +0000

I like my kids the way I like my food: raw and untainted.

raw and untainted

It’s fine for any adult to be motivated to make healthy lifestyle choices, but if you’re a parent – and a parent of three – you’re making these choices for other people too. . .and you have to be prepared for resistance (mutiny. . .whatever).

Daddy has generally been a willing accomplice – anything that cuts the cooking and cleanup in half – but bending the kids to my will has been a wee bit of a challenge.

So, we took a page from The Golden Compass, and found a nice big acreage in the middle of nowhere, and the kids quickly learned there was nowhere to run. (If anyone has a better approach, please let me know.)

Based on our own stumblings, here are a few suggestions for taking the family raw:

Start with desserts.

The first raw dessert I ever made was raw ice cream. It took me 5 minutes using 5 ingredients. The kids loved it. Then I made macaroons – again, with a handful of ingredients, and again, a winner. So with two recipes, I was over the hump. Every live dessert I’ve made since then has been received with eagerness, followed by silence (while they inhaled it), and left me with dishes that hardly needed cleaning.

Some of our favourite raw desserts are ice creams & sorbets, cookies, puddings, ganache, candied nuts & seeds, parfaits, pies & tarts, caramel apples, compotes and fudge. Not a list to sniff at. The key ingredients in these items: fresh, frozen or dried fruits & vegetables; whole and ground nuts & seeds; nut & seed butters; coconut oil; maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar; sea salt, spices, and other flavourings such as vanilla bean/extract. These desserts are protein-packed, nutrient-dense and high in fiber. The fact is, there is nothing sinful about desserts and sweets when real food is used to make them.

Have a smoothie or shake every day.

Every smoothie starts with frozen fruit, to give the best texture: usually bananas, blueberries, other berries, mangoes, peaches. Fruits that can be added fresh are apples, grapes and citrus; pears are particularly good because they have a gentle sweetness and they add creaminess without needing to be frozen. Cover the contents with liquid: water, milk, pure fruit juice of any kind, or a combination of all. (It’s also good to throw in a small scoop of yoghurt.)

To this I often add a scoop of children’s green powder or a raw protein powder to ensure that, if there is any mutiny that day, they are still getting something healthy and they won’t starve.

This has been the routine from the time they could walk. Eventually, I started incorporating greens and other veggies. Starting small is key, and adding a squeeze of lemon or lime will help temper the “green-ness”. The key to blending veggies and greens is a good machine. If kids can detect the veggies, or the drink is too pulpy, they may not drink it, so the ingredients must be thoroughly liquefied.

Our shakes are all raw; I do not put milk in them. Why? Because it’s a good way to get kids off milk, if that’s something you’re trying to do, while still providing a milk-like experience. The most discerning taste buds will be fooled by raw shakes, which are often nut-based. Soaking nuts and seeds is an essential part of raw living, and it simply becomes part of the routine: It takes about a minute to measure and cover with water before bed; let them soak overnight; then another half minute to drain in the morning. If you can’t use them right away, throw them in the fridge until you can.

If nuts are a problem, or your machine can’t blend them, use banana, avocado, or pear (or a combination) as your base. These fruits produce a creamy base, and the taste can be easily masked, or embellished, with other spices and flavourings: cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa or cacao, agave nectar, coconut, or other fresh or dried fruits.

Eat lots of nuts and seeds.

Nuts are high in good fats and protein, so they’re filling, which is why they are a great substitute for almost all animal products. I started by making spiced and candied nuts & seeds to sprinkle on salads, and I made loads of granola for breakfast and desserts. Both of these make a great instant and portable snack, if you need to satisfy a hungry belly.

Since I’ve acquired my uber-blender, nut milks have become regular fare, mainly for shakes and smoothies, or for cereal, where any slight graininess isn’t noticeable. I’m also experimenting with almond yoghurt.

Cheese is a tough one, though. While nuts, like cheese, will absolutely satisfy any hunger pang – which really is the most important thing – I personally miss cheese for all of its other characteristics. That’s right. I’m an omnivore going raw, so it takes an omnivore to understand that there is no substitute for cheese.

What an omnivore calls cheese is something quite spectacular: it’s hard, it’s soft, it’s a little of both, it’s something in between, it melts, and it tastes like heaven hot or cold. What raw foodies call “cheese” or “cheeze” is actually pate; it’s never hot – and therefore never melted – and even when it’s dehydrated, it gets flaky, not firm. Do not get me wrong: these foods are super yummy, and incredibly satisfying, and they may help to ease the transition, but if you are craving the flavour and texture of real cheese, they probably won’t cut it. Ultimately, I crave it less than I used to, which is a direct result of changing my other eating habits, but I don’t know if I will ever completely eliminate cheese from my diet.

Move with the Seasons.

This is perhaps my Numero Uno Recommendo to anyone embarking on a raw journey with kids. Ease into it in the spring, when the home-grown greens and root veggies are starting to emerge; go full throttle during the summer and fall, when the produce is at its best and most abundant; and ease off a little, as it suits you, during winter, which is when we tend to crave more warming foods (here in the north), and the fresh selection isn’t as good. It’s simple, really. If there’s no good fresh produce to be had, then you won’t have the ingredients you need to give it an honest go. Remove as many obstacles as you can. And don’t forget: moving with the seasons is easier on your wallet too.

Everyone goes at their own pace.

Daddy was the first to say he had no use for bread; it gave him an insatiable thirst. My 7 yo has voluntarily gone off dairy and bread, saying he feels kind of “puffy” afterward. I, on the other hand, am a bread fiend, and as stated above, a cheese freak – or “user”, for lack of a better word. My 5 yo and 2 yo are heavily dependent on bread and dairy, so for now, I enjoy it with them. But as I keep pushing fresh raw plant-based foods at every snack and every meal, we reach less and less often for the other stuff.

No two bodies are the same, so no two people should eat the same; a tough thing to grasp when you’re feeding a family of five. And a lot of work. But as the kids get older, they like to prepare their own meals and they can only choose from what’s in the fridge and pantry. I make certain that both are filled with healthy options.

Cultivate a love of food.

We grow a lot of our own food. We read the seed catalogues together, and we plant, water and harvest the food together. We shop together – not ALL together, because I’m not insane – but I usually take one of the kids with me every time I go to the store. We talk about food all the time: about what we’re eating, how it was made and how it could be different. We plan our meals together, we create our meals together and we snack in between together. We go on food adventures around the property, picking apples, grapes, berries, mushrooms and herbs.

Food is a big part of our life and daily routine. Because we immerse ourselves in the pleasure and production of food at every stage, then we are highly conscious of every morsel that goes into our bodies. The kids question everything, and I love seeking the answers.

Control the food at home, if nowhere else.

We are pretty strict about the kind of food we bring into the house. If there’s no junk around, no one can eat it; and if it’s gone long enough, no one will ask for it. But this is all we can do, because we do not live in a bubble. We visit grandparents, cousins, friends and neighbours; some of them eat some of what we eat. But not all of them, and not all of the time. When we go to a strange house or facility, I suggest what to avoid and what to enjoy. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they don’t. They usually gravitate toward the more friendly stuff, because it’s what they recognize from home.

We do eat out occasionally – usually out of necessity (because no one in their right mind would actually plan to take three young kids to a restaurant for enjoyment) but we do it less and less often because “family-friendly” restaurants are LIARS!!!. . .I mean, the food isn’t so friendly to families. (Heads up: ”Wednesdays – Kids Eat Free” means there is a kids menu and your kids eat free ONLY if they order from IT; furthermore, the kids menu is a list of items that the restaurant couldn’t pay ME to eat.) There are very few good vegetarian – and absolutely NO live food restaurants – within an hour’s drive of our home. It’s pretty much the only downfall of living in the country – our closest community is a real “meat-and-potatoes” town.

Water frequently.

Every child has his or her own stainless steel canteen. We introduced them at the sippy cup stage, and it became an extension of them as they grew. I keep them filled every day, throughout the day, and stick them on the lowest shelf of the fridge door, so they can reach them on their own. We take the canteens everywhere with us, even to other people’s houses, where water flows just as freely; however, if they always carry them, then they never need to ask anyone for a drink – and so, cannot be offered something other than water. We’re also lucky, where we live, to be drinking from a well.

I do believe that this is one of the best things we can do for our kids: provide them with clean, great-tasting water, and give them the power to imbibe whenever they desire. It’s simple and requires almost no effort or expense. . .but the rewards are mindblasting: it keeps us hydrated (obviously), it fills our bellies (yes, really) and it helps flush out loads of other junk (no kidding) which they may not so easily give up.

It’s a scary thing, messing with your child’s diet, for the sake of health and wellness. But even scarier, I think, is not messing with it – and letting them eat garbage – simply because you want to keep the peace. It’s a common (if oversimplified) question in health food circles: Which is more cruel – giving your kids food they may not like because it’s good for them, or giving them food they want even though it could make them sick? The answer is easy; the execution is what is hard.

Modifying our diets, with permanence in mind, should be a slow process. It has taken us a few years to get to this point and we are still “feeling out” if we want to go further. There’s an ebb and flow to it. It’s been a small challenge getting the rest of our circle of family and friends used to our new eating habits, and sometimes I’m amazed I still have my sense of humour. But as they begin to accept it, the whole process gets easier for us.

Raw Food Tools

GoGreen — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:49:44 +0000

There are certain tools that will make the transition to raw foods easier. You may not want to drop a wad right off the top, but if you are at all serious about eating well/better, don’t “cheap out” on the essentials – it will only cost you time, money and sanity. It can be tough trying to determine what those essentials are – it’s different for everyone – but hopefully this list will help.

I’ve been through many appliances, large and small, over the past four years, testing and abusing them to see what will stand up to our new eating habits. Here are my findings:

(WARNING: I endorse certain brands where I feel it’s relevant. )

Dehydrator

Excalibur Dehydrator

Many raw foodies don’t use one; after all, raw living is about preparing simple foods in a simple way, and not waiting up to 24 hours to eat them. But for transitioning raw foodies who still crave warming foods, or who need to adapt their favourite cooked meals to their new raw lifestyle, it’s extremely handy. This was the first tool I bought when I decided to move toward raw living. I’ve had it for four years now, and I use it to make the following raw foods: granola, cookies, crackers, chips, nut and seed mixes, firm nut cheeses, burgers, and for warming marinated veggies to give them a “sauteed” flavour and texture. It’s also useful for drying herbs, drying fruits and veggies for long-term storage, rejuvenating (re-crisping) crackers and chips, and transforming a raw spread to a sprinkle (if you’ve made too much!). Whatever brand you choose, you MUST be able to adjust the temperature. Mine is a 9-tray “family size” Excalibur. It will cost $300-400.

Food processor

Cuisinart Food Processor

My experience has told me that two sizes are essential: a small one (3 cups) for dressings, dips, sauces and nut cheeses; and a larger one (8-12 cups) for everything else (including ice cream for everyone!). I have a Cuisinart mini-prep and a larger eight cup hand-me-down. I have my eye on a big Cuisinart (to replace the latter). It’s the only brand worthy of my money, as far as I’m concerned, and here’s why: my mother’s Cuisinart is the same age as me (1974) and it’s NEVER needed servicing, repairs, replacement, hugs, cuddles OR kisses.

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Mandoline

Evil Mandoline

This is the scariest tool in my arsenal. It’s designed to slice and julienne veggies and some fruits into various thicknesses. I use it most often for making skinny strips for fresh spring rolls, or paper-thin slices for raw lasagna or ravioli. But there is a learning curve. I’ve sustained more than one minor injury from using this device. You can watch demos of this from all kinds of chefs and mandoline experts – they all make it look so easy – but don’t be fooled. There are just a few things they don’t tell you:

The blade guard does not really “grip” rounded veggies as well as it should, so the food tends to fly off while you’re using it; as a result, I often just use my bare hand to hold the fruit until the piece gets dangerously small, then I toss it aside and move on. As psychotic as this sounds, I bled more when I used the guard.
Whether you use the guard or not, you will be left with a whole lot of perfectly good, but useless, “ends”; I usually throw them into a container in the fridge and keep them for juicing or blending, but sometimes they end up in the compost.
Demo-ers position the unit to slant away from themselves, which I assumed was for the benefit of the camera/audience. Wrong. It’s the only way the tool will work. It may seem a bit awkward, but you need your body behind it for the best power.

From what I’ve seen, more money will not get you a better unit. Try out a friend’s if you can. Mine is all stainless steel, except for the blade guard – I didn’t want any essential plastic parts breaking on me – but I think the cheaper plastic ones can be just as good.

Juicer

Juicer (Jack LaLanne)

Juicing is one of those things that many people get jazzed about, but ultimately give up on, because it’s just not for them; but there are those who will take their juicers to the grave. It’s good to have a basic citrus juicer, but for juicing veggies and greens you’ll need a centrifugal, masticating, single-gear or twin-gear. I’ve only ever used centrifugal juicers – newb! – because they tend to be the cheapest ones out there, but for that reason, they’re a good way to test the juicing “waters”, so to speak. If you know from the start that you want to juice greens, then buy one of the others. These machines will be more expensive (a few hundred), but they simply work better and do more; some will even grind, process, and puree/homogenize, which may replace your food processor and other tools.

I’m on my second centrifugal juicer, which is quiet, but much more powerful – and cheaper – than my first, and it came with loads of recipe books and a nut/rice milk container (which I’ve never used). I’ve been very happy with it, and I still use it occasionally, but I juice a lot less than I used to. I don’t like cleaning the machine and the kids won’t drink their veggies unless I can hide them in a smoothie – so that’s what I do. My blender will reduce anything to liquid, including nuts and hard veggies like carrots, so my blender now does my juicing tasks. Bonus is, I retain more flavour, fiber and nutrients.

High-speed blender

It amazes me that certain brands still brag about “750W of power”. Insufficient. It took me years to find a 1000W “commercial” blender – the highest speed I had seen in any local store. It worked very well for most recipes, but it still had trouble producing a smooth pina colada. Since every girl needs her girlie drink, it was a bit of a disappointment. Ultimately, the container couldn’t handle the stress of the motor and it cracked. Enter my new Vitamix 5200 Deluxe (I love my family). It has a high price tag but it’s the best purchase you will ever make and it will last a lifetime, which is longer than any major appliance. It also does many jobs that a food processor will do. In our kitchen, it’s an absolute workhorse.

Ultimately, while an uber-blender could cost you anywhere from $500-900, it may end up replacing an equally expensive juicer, a coffee grinder, hand blender and food processor. In all honesty, this one appliance has propelled us toward raw habits faster than any other tool.

There is only one other item I’ve been curious about trying, and that is a spiral slicer. It offers raw foodies the ability to create veggie “strands” in order to create raw pastas. It’s a cool-sounding device, but a mandoline or even a potato peeler works just fine for me.

It’s important to note that while the more evolved raw foodies may use these tools less often than the newb, for the transitioning raw foodie, they can make your life a whole lot easier.

Tomato Risotto

GoGreen — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 03:07:22 +0000

The kids love rice, but they get tired of the traditional wild, brown or basmati that we normally eat. Risotto is like a savoury rice pudding. It isn’t difficult, but it needs constant supervision.

Tomato Risotto

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2 tsp Italian seasoning
pinch of sea salt and fresh pepper
Juice of half a lemon
6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Roasted Tomato Risotto

Heat the butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the rice, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and stir until the grains are well coated.

Add the lemon juice and 2 cups of the stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Add another cup of stock and the roasted tomatoes. Cook until the stock is absorbed. Keep adding stock 1 cup at a time, cooking and stirring for another 20 minutes. After 15 minutes, taste the rice; when it has become tender and creamy, remove from heat and stir in the butter and Parmigiano Reggiano. Cover and let stand 2 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese, if desired.

Homebirth #3 – Can-Can

GoGreen — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 20:20:55 +0000

First Baby Sleep

Our third was due two days after Halloween 2008. It was customary to drive out to my sister’s place so the boy’s could shell-out with their cousins, but we were nervous about being more than an hour from home. So we made a plan: Grandma would pick up the kids and take them to their cousins for trick-or-treating, they would crash at her place, and she’d bring them home the next day. Thank Zeus for family!

So, Daddy and I got Halloween night to ourselves. We decided to have a nice dinner out at one of our fave places that offers fresh, local, organic, homespun, handcrafted, mouthblown, etc, etc gourmet cuisine. It’s not really a ‘family restaurant’ so this was a bit of a treat. (We didn’t need to stay home: we don’t get trick-or-treaters where we live – I mean, they would be welcome if their parents didn’t mind driving them up the driveway, and carrying them up the front steps to get their – oh how nice – paper bag of kale chips and spiced pumpkin seeds.)

Dinner was late and throughout it I felt pleasantly restless. When I stood up to visit the loo, though, I felt really heavy, like the baby was riding really low. We discussed on the ride home how convenient it would be if the babe arrived that night, seeing as we had a quiet house all to ourselves.

I pumped up my airbed again. I had taken to the floor for the last month because I just couldn’t get comfortable sleeping in our bed. The belly pulled my hips one way, and I tried to counter-balance with my arms, but I just ended up sleeping in a twist; I figured the airbed would conform to my shape a little bit better. It was a nice spacious double (for one pregnant lady) but it leaked, so it needed a top-up every two days.

I prefer to have all my babies in the morning, ’cause, you know, it leaves the rest of the day to sleep, cuddle, etc. . .

I must have slept a few hours. At 3:30 am, I woke up thinking I had wet – no wait – was wetting the bed. It was not a real rupture like I’d experienced with Red; I was slowly leaking fluid, and I continued to do so for another hour.

Shirley, my midwife from the second birth, was paged at about 5:30 – because that’s when the real contractions began. She arrived at 6:30, followed 15 minutes later by my student midwife, and an hour after that, by the third.

By that time, my contractions were coming every 3-4 minutes, lasting almost a minute, and I had given up my pacing in favour of leaning on the familiar old barstool from birth #2. I had hoped the third time around would be just as quick, but it doesn’t seem to work like that, you know?

I was rubbing my back again, with vigour; there must have been some lucky birthing stone back there, ’cause I certainly wasn’t rubbing for effect. Several times, I felt someone’s hands sneak in to take over from me; most of the time I would swat them away – the feeling just wasn’t right, but once – ONCE – it was absolutely magical. (Daddy later told me that they had all tried to offer some relief, but he couldn’t remember who the winner was.) Someone else would put a straw to my mouth, someone else would duck in to check the heartbeat.

The whole thing carried on for two hours with little change (from my perspective). The wonderful thing about midwives – and I experienced this with all three births – is they know how to read a labouring mama and act accordingly. They could see that I wanted to be in my own world and not speak, respond or interact unless absolutely necessary. So they positioned themselves behind me, across the room, and sat in their chairs chatting softly – about who knows what – with one eye and ear on the show in front of them. As far as they could see, everything was right on track and there was no need to mess with it. At some point, I remember getting impatient and saying, “This is inefficient!” and they all howled. They said I was doing very well – yeah, yeah, you say that to all the labouring girls – but then Shirley added, “Christine, you could try pushing, if you like.”

Sneaky lady. . .she could see I was spontaneously pushing. She just decided to clue me in.

So I pushed and the baby was suddenly there. I wondered if they were still chatting in their chairs at this point, but no, they had all moved into position, like the ninja-midwives they were. And then a moment later, Daddy was holding our new little girl (’cause, apparently, Daddy’s a ninja too).

The record shows that the “birth of live female child” took place at 9:47 am on November 1, 2008. A four-and-a-quarter hour labour. She was 8 lbs 11 oz.

Again, we declined the eye prophylaxis.

Again, we had agreed to “Active Management of 3rd Stage”.

Again, I felt amazing. The girl had arrived at the perfect time. Perhaps she had overheard us talking in the car, and decided we were right. Or perhaps she knew if she arrived at the right time, she would get a few hours of calm and quiet before the tempest of her brothers blew into her life.

The midwives left at 1pm and shortly after that, the grandparents arrived with the boys. They knew what awaited them, but they would have to come to grips with the fact that there suddenly was a baby where there wasn’t one before. And she was here to stay.

Homebirth #2 – Red

GoGreen — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 03:24:20 +0000

Baby's First Cuddle

When Windy was about 18 months old, we decided we wanted another just like him. So, one dreary December day, I borrowed Daddy’s toothbrush and we started re-arranging furniture.

In the new year, when all was confirmed and the grandparents were informed (I love breaking the “rules”), I started hunting for a new midwife. I was worried. Would I actually find anyone who was as fabulous as my last two in Toronto? Would I actually find anyone at all, out here in the middle of nowhere?

I did. I found a group who served an ENORMOUS area, including mine, but I would be driving 40 minutes to my appointments.

Distance notwithstanding, I met several more fabulous midwives. Perhaps you have to be fabulous in order to be a midwife; or perhaps when you are certified, you are certified “Fabulous”. I don’t know.

Some juggling had to be done, so I had three midwives over the course of my care, but my primary was Shirley (I was lucky enough to have her again for #3.) Shirley decided that since I had had a fairly speedy first labour (7 hours), and we lived a little farther from town, then I should probably call as soon as the contractions start. It’s quite possible that this one would be quicker, and they would need some extra time to get to me.

(At one point, my second midwife gave me some advice, in case the baby decided to come before help arrived: ”Just bring the baby out onto the bed, keep it wrapped up warmly, and cuddle until we get there. You’ll be fine.” (It was very cool to hear she had that much confidence in me and in the process in general. It was enlightening. These few words are important because, after hearing them, I was NEVER afraid of ANYTHING in my life ever again.)

There was one more thing: in light of the previous hemorrhage, we discussed using “Active Management of 3rd Stage” to ensure it didn’t happen again. Someone yanked the needle from the record – what? What hemorrhage?

Apparently, the amount of blood lost after birth #1 was classified as PPH (postpartum hemorrhage). These words were never used to describe what happened, either in conversation or on file, yet the numbers were there for all to read – “Estimated Blood Loss – 600 ml”. (I’ve since learned that the methods for estimating and classifying blood loss in vaginal deliveries is much debated.) Anyway, “Active Management of 3rd Stage” meant that I would be given oxytocin immediately after the babe arrived, before the placenta was delivered. The midwives did not feel comfortable doing anything else. . .outside of having a hospital birth.

The magic word. . .

Active Management it was!

So my due date of September 10th came and went. I had been clear about not wanting to be induced, which was no problem. But on Sunday, September 11, at 5 pm, while I was knees to my ears on a little stool in the kitchen, sorting the harvest, I thought I peed myself.

I didn’t know what it felt like to have my water break, since it hadn’t happened for #1; all I knew was that the floor was wet and I hadn’t been able to stop it. So I called Shirley. There had been no sign of the slightest contraction, but it could start soon, so all we could do was sit back and wait for it to begin.

I woke in the morning, after an uneventful night, and wondered why I wasn’t in labour. Shirley called, wondering the same thing, and asked me to come in to see her. I went, we chatted, she checked everything out and told me my options. She could do a vaginal exam, which would confirm if the water had broken. If it was still intact, then there was nothing to worry about – we would wait for the baby to come. If it was broken, then hopefully labour would start in the next 18 hours. She could give me some homeopathic medicine to help kickstart things, if I wanted. So, what if nothing happened in the next 18 hours? ”We would have to go to the hospital for an induction.”

There was that word again. . .

So I opted for the exam and the homeopathics. She did the exam and was comforted by the fact that she could feel the membrane over the head. She said it was possible to have a partial rupture, but as long as there was still some protection for the baby, then there was no risk of infection. She could give a little encouragement and gently massage the cervix a little – sure! – then she gave me the homeopathics and I headed home.

I felt some twinges while driving and realized that the stuff was working. The twinges intensified into pangs over the next 24 hours or so, but were only slightly more intense. I half thought – hey, maybe it’s A LOT easier the second time around. . .

Shirley came out to see me the following day. She examined me again and said that I was at 3cm, 70% effaced. We decided to stop the homeopathics because although it had given the uterus a nudge, there hadn’t been any real progression. So, I was essentially back where I had been on Sunday afternoon at 4:59. We waited.

To make a long preamble short – too late! – just after midnight on the 15th, the babe kicked me awake and announced he was coming. I got up, went to the loo, and my water broke on the toilet. It’s the best way to do it, really .

There was no mistaking it this time, and I had contractions to match – 5 minutes apart – so I called Shirley. She said she would leave right away, but it would be an hour before she got there. By this time, Daddy, who was still up working, had announced the labour to our gaming friends and he started hustling.

We checked Windy, who was fast asleep in the very next room, and closed his door so we wouldn’t disturb. Upstairs, there were three other family members sleeping, so we kept the lights to a minimum and unlocked the door for the midwife.

I was pacing. Pacing and breathing and pacing and breathing – silently counting in Japanese, like I was still in karate class. At some point I stopped pacing and took position by the kitchen window, leaning on a bar stool, balancing a hot water bottle on my lower back. It was a be-yoootifully cool September night. I was in the skivs again and the heat on my back and the cool air on the rest of me felt GLORIOUS. I think the extreme hot and cold sensations gave me focus. (I later received a minor scolding for this from Shirley; she said it had been far too cool in the room for a newborn baby – but at the same time, she understood.)

I saw lights come up the driveway and knew Shirley was here. But I was not even on the same planet. I was discovering what “transition” meant. I had been singing Voices Carry (Til Tuesday) and I think my humming must have cracked – if humming can do that – because Shirley started moving double time. She had been there only 10 minutes, and was still laying out her stuff by the designated birthing area (the couch!) when I spoke:

“I think next time I’m going to have to push.”

She said, very nicely, “Please don’t; I’d really like to move you over here”.

“Nope. I have to push” and she knew by the sound of my voice I was already doing it. She and Daddy ran. I put my hand down to feel the baby’s head emerging and when Shirley got to me I heard her say in the friendliest voice, “Well, hello there!” She stood behind me and used her thumbs to slip the cord over the head (Daddy, who was suddenly there with the camera, snappin’ some real keepers of my backside, said it was ‘poetry in motion’). A second push, and the boy – as we discovered – slithered out and into Shirley’s waiting hands. All 8 lbs 6 oz of him.

It was 1:40 am on September 15th, 2005. How’s THAT for efficiency?!

The next few moments were a comedy sketch as Shirley held the baby, Daddy held me, and the three of us, held together by an umbilical cord, shuffled over to the ‘real’ birthing area and I laid down on the blankets. She placed the baby in my arms and went to work catching up. At some point she needled me some oxytocin – as discussed – and at at some point Daddy cut the cord again – “It’s still a @#$%^ to cut through! – and at some point, the placenta was delivered. I felt absolutely fantastic, even energized, and I figured the “Active Management” had something to do with it.

As with my first birth, I declined eye prophylaxis.

At 2 am, my second midwife arrived, and 10 minutes later, my third. They could see with a wink or two that we already had everything under control, and stated that, clearly, I was made to do this. Within the hour, I was nursing well but already feeling nasty afterpains.

The midwives stayed much longer than necessary, but as long as they were required. I was up and moving around (and voiding!) without assistance. They had hugs and kisses for us all and left as quietly as they had come. It was still dark.

Windy woke up shortly after and met his little brother. A moment or two later, Grandpa poked his head in; he had heard the front door close and came to see why the lights were on.

Then in came Grandma and my sister-in-law. We had had a full house that night, yet no one had heard a thing. What can I say? I deliver my babies ninja-style.

I read later: ”Estimated Blood Loss – 250 cc”. Yes. Sometimes a wee bit of intervention is good.

Homebirth #1 – Windy

GoGreen — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 19:37:57 +0000

It was Friday, April 25th, 2003:

30 Minutes Old

DaddyH and I had rented a couple of movies for the weekend, from the local Vietnamese video store in Parkdale. We were watching Session 9, not the best movie for a new mom to see (check it out, if you must know why). I remember sitting on the edge of my seat for the full 2 hours, not because it was engaging (though it was a little freaky), but because I had this dull ache in my back that wouldn’t go away.

So I sat there rubbing and watching and rubbing and watching and then the movie was over and we went to bed.

At 3:30 in the morning, I woke up with back pain – not what I would have called “a contraction”, but then, what did I know? The ache would last about a minute, then dull a bit, then fire up again about 10 to 15 minutes later. I paced a bit, but after the third ache, I figured I should wake up Daddy.

- I think I’m having contractions.

– You sure? (dumb question)

- No, I’m not sure. (obvious answer) But it’s bad enough that I can’t sleep.

– Cool.

So, Daddy got up and went on the computer to announce to our CS buddies that I was in labour. He played a little CS, I had a shower – at which time, I truly knew I was in labour – and we started setting up for the midwives. I got out my Homebirth Bin with all the old sheets and towels and plastic coverings for the floor and couch – things I had been asked to accumulate over the last few months. I tried to eat a little but was too excited.

I held out as long as possible before calling my midwife, Anita. I wanted her to see daylight when I woke her from her bed, just in case I was wrong.

By the time I called her, I knew I wasn’t wrong. It was about 6:30 am. The contractions had been intensifying, and were still pretty irregular, to my meticulous mind, but at their worst, were almost 5 minutes apart, 1 minute in duration. Anita said she was scheduled to see another mom at the hospital (down the street) first thing, but she would come immediately after. She would also call Janet – my second midwife – to give her a heads-up.

I don’t know when, but certainly within the hour, Anita called from her cell, on the way to her appointment. She timed my contractions over the phone and said, “I’m coming straight to you.”

When Anita arrived – oh the relief! – I was in my skivvies, leaning over Daddy’s desk, unwillingly sucking on some oranges. It had to have been about 8:00. We lived in an “open-concept” (remember when that word was cool?) condo – essentially one big room with an alcove for the kitchen, a nook for the bed and crib, and a big area in between for working/playing/loafing.

We had decided to set up the “birthing area” right in front of Daddy’s computer; a strange sort of offering to our friends on ventrilo.

The contractions were intense and all in my back. I rubbed and rubbed, more because I needed to focus on something, and not because it actually provided relief at this point. Although now and then, between tasks, I felt Anita’s strong expert hands taking over, and wow, whatever she did worked.

By 8:25, according to my file, I was at 7 cm.

At 9:35, and 9 cm, she broke my waters; the weirdness of that experience actually distracted me throughout my next contraction.

By 10 o’clock, I was fully dilated and on the floor, leaning on Daddy. I remember very little of the actual pushing except, at one point, telling everyone “I can’t do it, I can’t do it” to which Anita replied, “you’re doing it, Christine“, so I decided she was right. On with it, then!

Janet arrived 20 minutes later, when the head was just visible; 19 minutes after that, the baby’s head and his right arm were delivered, followed, a minute later, by the rest of the body.

“SVD of live male infant; cried immediately” was noted at 10:40 am on Saturday, April 26th, 2003. He weighed in at 7 lbs 12 oz.

I stayed there on my knees for a bit, while Daddy told me it was a boy. I was stunned, I didn’t want to move – I thought I would shatter the moment. The little rainbow-coloured dude was placed in my shaky arms and I held him to me. WOW.

It turns out we both had had a rough ride. The hand pressed to his head at delivery, meant that his right ear was a little flattened, and the right side of his face was bruised. His right foot was bent up so his toes touched his shin. The poor little guy had been squished in there. These were minor concerns, it turns out, but had to be noted, just in case.

The next hour or so was a blur, while I moved to the couch and “The Boy” (as he was called for the next 6 weeks) was placed next to me to feed. I don’t know how long we lay there, just the two of us – me, watching, drinking him in; the babe, well, just being. It was amazing. Around us, there was this silent flurry of activity – like a scene out of Koyaanisqatsi – as the midwives flitted about, tidying and taking notes, doing the things they do to ensure that, once they are gone, there is no sign that a birth ever took place there – except for the extra human, I guess. Occasionally they would swoop in to check our feeding or hold a straw to my mouth, and I vaguely recall them checking my blood pressure several times, but hardly a word was spoken; they were so unobtrusive. At some point, I delivered the placenta, and at some point, Daddy cut the cord – “@#$% this thing is hard to cut through! What did they do before this tool was around?” Eventually they took the baby away to clean and swaddle him, while I sat up to have some food. And then the REAL fun began.

I had moderate bleeding and I was only able to sit up long enough to snatch a few grapes, before getting really dizzy and really pale. Anita didn’t want me to lay down again, but I insisted I had to. A second examination of the placenta confirmed that it was intact, so they knew that a piece had not been left behind. Anita looked at me and judged that during those tender moments with the babe, the blood was probably pooling inside me and forming a clot.

So, I got what I wanted: I got to lay down. But it wasn’t pleasant. Daddy held the baby in the chair beside me, and watched while Anita reached in and pulled out the cause of my problem: a small plum-sized clot.

NOTE TO ALL WOMEN CONTEMPLATING NATURAL CHILDBIRTH: The birthing ain’t half bad. Not when comparing it to the excruciating fire of delivering 3 clots.

Did I say three?

Well, after the “plum”, I sat up. I still felt dizzy and my colour wasn’t returning. Daddy could hardly stand to watch me light up like a Christmas tree again, but it had to be done. I laid down again. Anita went in – oh, the pain – and pulled out a “peach”. I knew before sitting up again that I didn’t feel much better. Anita said there had to be more. I said I couldn’t do any more; it was horrible, awful pain. This was serious. Anita knew it was time to speak my language: ”Christine. If we don’t get all of it out, we will have to go to the hospital.”

She had said the forbidden word, so I laid down again. This time Anita asked Janet to try. And Janet did. I beat my fists – I’m not really a screamer, but I may have done, this time – while she reached in with her big man hand and pulled out a large “grapefruit”. I was spent.

I was also cured. The worrisome wooziness had been replaced with a exalted exhaustion. I sat up and could see from the look on Daddy’s face that my cheeks were turning pink again.

Anita and Janet had done a mindblasting job of navigating me through my physical and emotional deliverance. Amazing. Is this something that is taught or learned? Or does it simply surface in the right individual(s) in the right situation?

We were back on track, but they wouldn’t leave until I had “voided” on my own. Well, it turns out I couldn’t. (Hey, give me a break; my hoohah had been through a lot that morning.) So, I had to be catheterized. Remind me to add THAT to my cv. . .

At 2 pm, the midwives said goodbye and left Mummy, Daddy and The Boy sleeping in a blissful heap on the couch. Amidst all the activity, Daddy had found time to call the families with the news. We knew we would have a few hours to snooze before the grandparents arrived with supper, groceries and lots of loves for their latest grandchild. We knew we wouldn’t get to see the rest of our rentals, but that was okay.

The next day, Daddy returned the movies and told our little old video store guy that we had had our baby – yay! – and that we hadn’t been able to watch the second one; could we keep it another day?

“Yes. Five dollar.”

Oh, the memories.

She’s a Girl!

GoGreen — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:45:04 +0000

Me and my Dolly

My daughter is two today! And she is officially a girl.

She has spent the last year and a half playing with her older brothers’ toys – Transformers, trains, cars, light sabers, swords, guns and, most recently, Lego. She’s always had fun with them. She’s never known anything else.

She has also always worn her brothers hand-me-downs; after all, what girl has any use for a dress when she’s wrestling and knee-dropping two boys day after day. She’s had a fair sprinkling of pink shirts and shoes, saved mostly for those special occasions when we visit with friends – times when I have to convince everyone that, in spite of still being quite bald, she is actually a girl.

Well, hair or no hair, those days are gone.

Last week, she got her first doll. It came with a stroller, crib, high chair, car seat and swing. Oh, and a diaper bag with an attached change pad, some baby dishes and plastic food. Yummy.

Interestingly, she opened the box (from Grandma and Grandpa) and knew exactly what to do. These were built-in instincts. They came instantly alive. It was quite something to behold.

She has more shoes than her mummy now. But she’s not bragging.

(I almost felt guilty. I imagined her eyes on me, disappointed, almost accusing: Mummy, why didn’t you tell me?)

She has a new-found freedom and independence. These are her own toys, separate from her brothers’ toys – she has no use for any of that now. Daddy used to worry that she would be a bad-ass bruiser like her bros. . .it was all for naught. Mummy used to worry that she would be too much of a princess. . .sorry, mummy, maybe next time.

At yesterday’s birthday party, along with some gender neutral toys, she received two new dresses and a new pair of shoes. She has more shoes than her mummy now. But she’s not bragging.

I have work ahead of me. ”Dolly” is going to need cloth diapers and a sleeper or two. She’ll also need a burp cloth and a new blanket to fit inside her crib. The stroller has a canopy but no rain cover. Then again, perhaps I’ll just sew a nice length of fabric into the perfect Dolly-size sling. Or a mini-Ellaroo, like mine.

It’s suddenly occurred to me: It’s been many months since I used the Ellaroo wrap to carry my girl. She’s too independent to be tied to me anymore. She likes to walk everywhere.

Now she’ll be walking with her own baby.

They grow up so fast.

I’m on Perma-Cleanse!

GoGreen — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:50:43 +0000

Clean the inside too!

I did my first fast when I decided to have my first baby. DaddyH and I had been slowly making the shift to healthier, holistic (do people still use that word?) living. We stopped eating sugar and wheat, started filtering all of our water – not just drinking – and tossed every chemical we had been using for anything. We stopped buying cleansers and deodorants. I stopped wearing make-up (yikes!) and started mixing my own moisturizers for face and body. We also signed up for an organic food delivery box, so every week we received a bountiful box of fresh organic produce, delivered with warmth and vigour by an authentic earthmuffin of the highest vibration. We were hip.

So, with a solid foundation for non-toxic living in place, we decided to start reproducing. But if I was going to do this, I was going to do it right – meaning, I needed to clean up my own environment. And I’m not talking dirty here.

I decided to get my toes wet with a weekend fast – three days only. This particular fast was not like the fasts I’ve done since. This one was more like a mini-cleanse. One day to get on the fast, one day of fasting, one day to get off. Days One and Three consisted of raw fruits and veggies and some teas and juices. Day Two was just water and tea. And a snooze or two. And that was it.

Yes, go on, mock me, laugh. . .It may not sound like much – certainly not enough to detoxify my whole being – but I was taking baby steps, and what kind of sicko mocks a baby who is learning to walk?

My next cleanse was six weeks with a fast in the middle. This was inspired by a friend’s program from years ago, which included six herbal tinctures to accelerate the cleansing process – two for every two-week period. I’ve modified it over the years, for various reasons, and I no longer use the tinctures, but the basics are as follows:

Week One

One day at a time, begin to eliminate the following foods: alcohol, caffeine, refined sugar, wheat products, dairy and iodized salt.
Every morning, upon rising, drink a glass of lemon water – 1/2 lemon squeezed into a glass of lukewarm water.
Start every meal with a piece of fruit – apple, peach, pear, plum, bunch of grapes, whatever.
Drink lots of purified water between meals, but limit meal-time beverages to 4 oz.

Week Two

Maintain a Week One diet, plus:
Eat green vegetables at least once a day.
Omnivores: Reduce animal protein to one meal a day.
Eat every three hours.
Eat until you are 80% full, leaving room for digestion.
Allow 3 hours digestion time before going to sleep; do not eat before bedtime.

Week Three

Maintain your current diet, plus:
Eliminate all flour products, including pasta, breads, chips, crackers and baked goods.
Eliminate all sugars, including maple syrup, honey, brown rice syrup, etc.
Drink a glass of fresh organic vegetable juice every day.
Drink only freshly squeezed fruit juices.

Week Four

Maintain a Week Three diet, plus:
Omnivores: Reduce animal protein to 3x per week.
Use non-glutinous grains only, such as amaranth, quinoa, millet and brown rice.
Eat green vegetables two to three times a day.

Week Five

Omnivores: Eliminate animal protein.
Move into a one to three day fast of vegetable juices only; juices should be half diluted with purified water.
Take as many days as you fasted to return to a normal diet: begin with raw whole fruits and vegetables, add lightly steamed veggies, then whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Keep 80% of your food raw.
On non-fasting days, eat vegetable broth soups and drink herbal teas.
Eat only when hungry.
Rest as much as possible.

Week Six

Slowly return to Weeks Three and Four eating plan.
Try to maintain (evermore!) a 50/50 diet of raw/cooked foods.

The first time I did this cleanse I lost 13 lbs. Apparently this is the magic number – the average expected weight loss for this program. I was not hoping to lose weight, but it happened, and it happened safely and slowly. This program was first performed under a doctor’s supervision – the friend who designed the program. Since then, I have made additions and omissions to adapt this to our current lifestyle. (Actually, our current goal – to go 80% raw – makes this cleanse look like a picnic.)

What I like most about this program is that, once you have established the Week Four Diet as your regular diet, this program is no longer a program; it’s a lifestyle choice. And for anyone truly trying to lose weight, cleansing is the only way to go. The dietary changes are gradual and within our grasp. There are no obscure products to buy. It doesn’t cost any more money. But the most important thing is that we have to get the junk out of our bodies before we can feel the effects of the good.

And then we go raw! ’Cuz it’s all about the Path To Invincibility, yes?

Vegetarian Goulash and Galushka

GoGreen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:59:30 +0000

Goulash and Galushka

When we decided to cut out meat, I knew that the old family goulash recipe would need a minor facelift. (Blasphemy!) I decided to substitute chick peas for the stewing beef, which, incidentally, shortened the prep and cooking time by half an hour, saved me from dirtying a skillet, and turned the dish into an easy one-pot meal, perfect for the crockpot – yay! (As with any stew, the flavor and texture are better the next day, so I usually make it a day ahead and reheat it for the initial serving.)

[Goo'-losh and Ga-lush'ka]

Serves 6

For the Goulash:

6 cups fresh or canned tomatoes with juices (2 x 28 oz cans)
1 can chickpeas (or 2 cups cooked chickpeas)
3 large potatoes, cubed
2 green peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup water
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp paprika (or to taste!)
2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp caraway seed
½ cup sour cream or yoghurt (optional)

For the Galushka:

4 eggs, beaten
3 cups flour
½ to 1 cup water
1 tsp salt
½ cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all goulash ingredients, except sour cream, in a large casserole and mix well. Cover and cook 3 hours, stirring occasionally. (Alternatively, place all goulash ingredients, except sour cream, in a large crockpot and mix well. Cover and cook on high 4 to 6 hours.) When the potatoes are tender, the goulash is ready. Stir in the sour cream just before serving.

When we decided to cut out meat,
I knew that the old family goulash recipe would need a minor facelift.

About 30 minutes before goulash is ready, start the galushka. Mix eggs, flour and water to a thick smooth batter. If you like to use whole wheat flour, add the larger amount of water, mix to a thick batter, and allow to sit 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. If the batter clings well to a spoon without slipping off, it’s perfect (although, the consistency is pretty forgiving).

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and, using two spoons or spatulas, scrape teaspoon-size blobs of batter into the water. (You can also use a spaetzle-maker.) As the dumplings rise to the top, remove them with a slotted spoon to a large casserole. Toss with the melted butter and serve immediately, with the goulash.

Turn “I Won’t” into “I Did”

GoGreen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:25:59 +0000

Ladder of Achievement:

100% – I did

90% – I will

80% – I can

70% – I think I can

60% – I might

50% – I think I might

40% What is it?

30% – I wish I could

20% – I don’t know how

10% – I can’t

0% – I won’t

Achievement Ladder

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