South Estonian Book Tour May 15 - 23

Sun, 12 May 2013 06:16:36 GMT

South Estonian Book Tour May 15 - 23
Looduslik toit. Täisväärtuslik elu
Lõunaeesti raamatutuur 15. - 23. mai

Kolmapäev 15. mai                  Paide

kell 18.00 loeng “Lae keha ja meel värske energiaga arukalt toite valides”
kell 19.00 raamatu esitlus, müük & allkirjastus
Järvamaa Keskraamatukogu konverentsisaalis
Lai 33, Paide
Info: 384 9049, 384 9050

Neljapäev 16. mai                  Põltsamaa

kell 17.15 loeng “Lae keha ja meel värske energiaga arukalt toite valides”
kell 18.15 raamatu esitlus, müük & allkirjastus
Jõgeva Maakonna Keskraamatukogu
Veski 3, Põltsamaa
Info: 775 1466

Reede 17. mai                         Mooste

kell 17.30 kokatund “Terviktoit loob terve keha“
Osalustasu: 6.50 euro
kell 20.00 raamatu esitlus, müük & allkirjastus
MOKS
Mooste, Põlva maakond
Info: Siiri Kolka 53 306 679

Esmaspäev 20. mai                  Põlva

kell 18.00 loeng “Lae keha ja meel värske energiaga arukalt toite valides”
kell 19.00 raamatu esitlus, müük & allkirjastus
Põlva Keskraamatukogu saalis III korrusel
Kesk 16, Põlva
Info: 799 4823

Teisipäev 21. mai                  Võru

kell 15.00 loeng “Lae keha ja meel värske energiaga arukalt toite valides”
kell 16.00 raamatu esitlus, müük & allkirjastus
Võrumaa Keskraamatukogu
Jüri 54, Võru
Info: 782 0157

Teisipäev 21. mai                  Viljandi

kell 20.00 – 21.30 Kundalini jooga tund
Osalustasu: 10 euro
Viljandi Huvikool
Jakobsoni 47c, Viljandi
Info: Eve Noormets 517 9773

Kolmapäev 22. mai                  Viljandi

kell 16.00 loeng “Terviktoit loob terve keha“
Osalustasu: soovituslik annetus
kell 17.00 raamatu esitlus, müük & allkirjastus
Rohelise Maja pood ja kohvik
Koidu 2, Viljandi
Info: Eve Noormets 517 9773

Neljapäev 23. mai                  Pärnu

kell 19.00 loeng ja degusteerimine “Ainevahetuse psüholoogia – kuidas süüta oma kalorite põlemise potensiaali”
Osalustasu: 12 euro
kell 20.00 raamatu esitlus, müük & allkirjastus
Mahedik
Pühavaimu 20, Pärnu
Info: 44 253 93

The beauty of eating natural foods

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:41:05 GMT

A brief reflection on the Easy Breezy Spring Cleanse

The whole foods cleanse was truly a joyous and exhilarating experience. We had cleansers from the US, Canada, Belgium, France and Estonia. Questions and concerns could be posted on an online forum which I monitored daily providing information, solutions and encouragement. I just have to share a few testimonial quotes with you:

“Now, I no longer have that need to eat sweets and I am going to continue in that direction. I learned how foods work in my system. I was so happy to lose 11 pounds and am eager to continue in that way.”              Lani

“It was interesting to me, that I had no cravings when I managed to ground myself by taking more time, by really staying in the present moment with my activities and attention.”             Kristiina

“This cleanse was a treat, a healthy treat that ignited my desire to live healthier and more vibrantly.”             Susan

“I lost some weight, feel lighter, pure and beautiful; full of faith and hope. I also noticed that my mind stabilized itself. If something negative pops up I am able to let go of it and do not hold on to it anymore.”                         Kaja

“I’m delighted to have lost a few pounds, putting me back at my mid 20’s weight. Sweet. I feel clearer, lighter, more energetic, and I think these things have boosted my self-image, lifted my spirits and general outlook on life.”                       Constance

The beauty of eating natural foods

The cleanse experience really validated some of my core beliefs regarding food:

When you eat a balanced diet of natural whole foods it is easy to keep your blood sugar level balanced – and that leads to more energy, balanced moods and zero cravings.

When you bring awareness and mindfulness to life, to food, you have loving control over your actions.

The more natural whole foods you eat, the more your taste buds evolve. And you will be able to pick up all the subtle flavors found in natural foods. Your appreciation for those natural flavors will grow and you will find yourself no longer drawn to the overly sweet, overly salty processed and empty foods. You will be naturally drawn to more healthful choices, making it very easy to stay on track. You will be going from “I should eat healthier” to “I chose to eat healthy”.

Lemony Red Lentil Soup with Lacinato Kale

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:37:14 GMT

Lemony Red Lentil Soup with Lacinato Kale serves 6 - 8

This is the first of new recipes to come, that I am considering including in my second book. Yep, a new book is in the works. Please, let me know how you like the soup and whether you think it is a good candidate for inclusion.

2 cups red lentils, rinsed
¼ cup quinoa, rinsed
9 cups water
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, quartered lengthwise, sliced crosswise
1 table spoon of olive oil
4 cloves garlic, cut into thick slices
1 teaspoon of olive oil
½ bunch lacinato kale, cut into ¼ “ strips
salt, pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
½ lemon juice

Boil the lentils and quinoa in the water for 15 min
Sauté onion and carrots in olive oil for 10 min - add to soup
Sauté garlic in olive oil until golden – add to soup
Add kale to soup and let simmer for 5 more minutes
Season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper and lemon juice

ENJOY!

Baking with Chocolate

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:46:06 GMT

Happy Valentine's Day!
Two new recipes to incorporate more chocolate into your life

Chocolate Macaroons
makes about 18 macaroons

2    cups shredded coconut
½   teaspoons salt
¼   cup coconut milk
¼   cup maplesyrup
1    teaspoon almond extract
6    oz (170 g) dark chocolate (70 percent cacao)

Preheat oven to 350° F.
In one bowl mix shredded coconut with salt.
In another bowl mix coconut milk, maplesyrup and almond extract. Pour this mixture over shredded coconut and mix until evenly moistened.
Break the chocolate into pieces and melt by placing the pieces in a heat-resistant bowl inside a pot of boiling water, or use a double boiler.
Pour melted chocolate into the coconut mixture and stir until well blended.
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place 1 tablespoon size macaroons on it. Gently press the macaroons with your fingertips to form a little pointed macaroon shape.
Bake for 20 minutes at 350° F.

Original recipe by my colleague Terry Walters from her book Clean Start

Vanilla Cupcakes with Raw Chocolate Frosting
makes 24 mini cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes

½    cup coconut flour
½     teaspoon salt
¼     teaspoon baking powder
6      eggs
½     cup coconut oil, melted
1/2   cup maple syrup
1      tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350° F
Combine dry ingredients in one bowl. Set aside.
In another bowl mix wet ingredients with a wire whisk.
Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk with wire whisk until smooth.
Grease mini muffin tin with coconut oil (make sure the bottom is well greased) and fill with batter (about 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of batter per cupcake). With a spoon push the batter into the tin and smooth out top.
Bake for 24 minutes at 350° F

Raw Chocolate Frosting

1 ripe avocado
2 tablespoons cacao powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Puree all ingredients in a blender or mix with hand mixer until smooth.
Apply to cupcakes once they have cooled off a bit.

Original recipe by my colleague Stanzi Allan Pouthier of Stanzi Vitality & Holimama

Chocolate is so good for you because

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 20:25:48 GMT

Chocolate is so good for you because ...

... cacao is a superfood

Cacao, also called cocoa – the ingredient that gives chocolate its character – is good for you.

Cacao is one of the most nutrient-dense magical foods in the world. It even has a mythological dimension, called the food of gods as well as the food of lovers. Chocolate has the power to uplift our moods, elevate our spirits and open our hearts.

Commercially produced chocolate is, of course, a rather processed food. The purist would say that chocolate needs to be eaten in its raw state, as cacao beans or cacao nibs (the bean crushed into smaller pieces). I remember very vividly my first experience eating raw cacao nibs. I took a teaspoonful into my mouth and slowly began to chew on the crunchy pieces. At first I felt a bit disappointed that the taste wasn’t sweet at all. But then my mind shifted toward accepting this new food for whatever it had in store. As the taste grew more intense with prolonged and conscious chewing, I came to recognize the essence of chocolate – it was like a homecoming, like uncovering a gem. I was experiencing the true spirit of chocolate! It was subtle yet powerful. There was a richness and also a purity. I had a sense of upward expansion beyond my body – I felt uplifted, energized and completely present. It was really amazing!

Cacao is a bean that grows in the tropics and contains a host of beneficial components, including magnesium, antioxidants, phenylethylamine, anandamine and tryptophan. Cacao has the highest magnesium content of any food. Magnesium provides support for the heart, increases brainpower, acts as a natural laxative, soothes premenstrual symptoms, relaxes muscles and helps to build strong bones. Antioxidants make up 10 percent of the cacao bean – an exceptionally high percentage. Phenylethylamine, also called the “love chemical,” anandamine, also called the “bliss chemical,” and tryptophan, the amino acid needed to produce serotonin, the “feel-good chemical,” are all mood-enhancing nutrients that produce feelings of euphoria and well-being.

As you can see, cacao has health benefits on the physical as well as the mental plane. It is also considered to be an aphrodisiac. On the spiritual level, cacao has the subtle power to heal and to open our hearts, bringing forth a sense of receptivity, kindness, compassion and love.

Consider the richness of cacao’s gifts when you savor your next piece of chocolate. Please slow down and consciously enjoy its many levels. Try a high-quality dark chocolate. The more cacao in the chocolate, the less sugar and additives it can contain. However, as always, read the fine print. It is legal to call 41 percent cacao content a dark chocolate, but chocolate containing at least 70 percent cacao is best.

And if you are really brave, try raw cacao beans or nibs. They are sold at health food stores and through raw food websites such as www.sunfood.com

Excerpted from my book Essential Nourishment

Will be posting recipes after my Baking with Chocolate Class this Sunday, February 10.

Why I don’t recommend agave nectar anymore

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 03:33:42 GMT

Why I don’t recommend agave nectar anymore

Agave nectar is a natural sweetener made from the juice of the agave plant. It is high in naturally occurring fructose. Because fructose does not create spikes in blood sugar levels it seemed to be the perfect sweetener for maintaining blood sugar balance and was recommended in moderation even to people with diabetes. However, more and more evidence is surfacing that high levels of isolated fructose are detrimental to our health, leading to high triglyceride levels in the blood (heart disease risk factor) and encouraging weight gain. Similarly to high fructose corn syrup, the fructose content in agave nectar messes with our hunger mechanism. Hunger normally signals us that we need to eat something. When we eat, our appetite gradually subsides and we come to a point where we feel satisfied with the amount of food we have eaten and we stop eating. When consuming foods high in isolated fructose we do not get that feeling of satisfaction with the food, we continue to feel hungry, continue to eat and easily eat more than we need. Fructose has a way of programming our brains with a constant desire for overly sweet foods which can lead to an overconsumption of sweets as well as overweight, diabetes and all health problems related to these conditions.

As an alternative to white sugar, sweeten your foods with dried fruit, honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, barley malt or coconut sugar instead. Stevia (made from the honey leaf plant) is an excellent sweetener as well. The substance that gives stevia its sweet taste is not a sugar and therefor has no effect on our blood sugar level at all. It can be safely used by diabetics as well.

My personal favorite sweetener is maple syrup and we will be using it in my upcoming baking class … just in time for Valentine’s Day:

Baking with Chocolate

In this hands-on baking class you will learn to make delicious chocolate treats with the magic ingredient that has been named food of gods & food of lovers. Not only is chocolate delicious, but it is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Sunday February 10, 2 – 4 pm
@ Gourmetibles
494 Main Street, Beacon NY 12508
845-765-1165

For details click here - to register click here

The Whole Foods Spring Cleanse

I am super excited to be offering you a guided whole foods cleanse in March. And you can join in from anywhere in the world. This whole foods cleanse is a very gentle way of detoxing the body, eliminating sluggishness and resetting your metabolism for the new season. And the best thing about it is: there is no need to fast or go hungry to reap the benefits. By eating delicious foods that are naturally mineral rich and alkalizing you provide your body with the perfect inner ecology for healing, repairing and rebuilding on a deep cellular level. At the same time your body is gently nudged into purging toxins and metabolic waste.

If you would like to

boost your energy and mental clarity
jumpstart your weight loss efforts
end sugar cravings
have glowing, gorgeous skin
reduce congestion and inflammation
feel lighter and cleaner

then I invite you join me for the whole foods spring cleanse. Keep your eyes peeled for my next newsletter with all the juicy details.

And looking even further into the future…

Polli Talu’s summer schedule is up here.

To get a feeling for Polli Talu, its garden and foods check out my book trailer here.

For a complete package surrounding my PPP Wellness Retreat in Estonia click here.

The story behind the cover image

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 05:12:18 GMT

Discover the story behind the cover image of Essential Nourishment
by visiting Donna Currie's Food Blog COOKISTRY

What’s kale got to do with it?

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 05:06:22 GMT

What’s kale got to do with it?

I woke up on January 1 with a serious craving for kale. Luckily I had some sitting on my kitchen counter and my husband and I devoured a big bunch of it for breakfast. I made this very simple version of boiled kale:

Rip kale into bite size pieces, discard stems.
Fill your sink with fresh water and wash the kale by submerging and swooshing it around
Fill medium size pot with about 1 “ of water and add kale
Bring to a boil, constantly stirring the kale so that all parts come in contact with the boiling water – cook for about 5 minutes
Taste the kale to make sure it is tender but not overcooked (one way to tell is by the color: the color of the kale should remain vibrantly green – once it turns olive green it’s surely overcooked and will not taste so great anymore)
Pour off cooking water (save as a soothing mineral rich alkaline drink for yourself or use to water your house plants after it has cooled down)
Add a sprinkle of soy sauce and a drizzle of olive oil to the kale, toss and serve immediately

I paired the boiled kale with baked eggs and it was extremely delicious and satisfying – it totally hit the spot in other words.

Now, the reason I was craving kale was probably a combinations of things:

I love kale and I love weekend or holiday breakfasts that include leafy greens and eggs. It has become a tradition in our home.
Kale, as all leafy greens are abundant with minerals and vitamins. They are the perfect detoxing, energizing and rebuilding food.
After all the heavy holiday foods kale felt like the perfect balance food.
After a generous dose of sweets over the holidays which most likely led to the loss of minerals and vitamins, kale was the perfect antidote and replenishment.
Wanting to start the New Year in high spirits – kale provided uplifting and vibrantly fresh energy.

Is it not amazing, what food can do for you? It can support, balance, provide pleasure and heal you. Using food with awareness and intention can make a huge difference in how you feel and how you perform. Learning to pay attention to your body’s messages and cravings provides powerful information for seekers of balance, sustenance, well-being and happiness.

It is something everybody can learn. And I’d be thrilled to help you along in this process:

For my local peeps, I am offering two FREE Introductory Talks and a 6-session Breakthrough Wellness Workshop, which addresses just that:

Supporting your daily activities by eating with awareness and intention
Getting to know the foods that provide sustained energy, vitality and rejuvenation
Preventing dips in concentration, mood swings and diabetes
Losing weight and keeping it off without dieting
Protecting your heart to live an active life for years to come
Nourishing yourself with easy to make delicious wholesome meals

FREE Introductory Talks take place January 10 at 7:30 pm at The Living Room in Cold Spring, NY and on January 14 at 6:00 pm at the Beacon Natural Market.

If you cannot make it to one of the Free Talks, here is a recording of a similar lecture:
http://www.screencast.com/t/vWO60xulymt

The Breakthrough Wellness Workshop starts January 24 at 7:30 pm at The Living Room in Cold Spring, NY. Remaining sessions take place January 31, February 7, March 7, 14 and 21.

Investment in your health:
Early Bird: $227 (pay by January 15)
After 1/15: $267
Single session: $50

For more information click here

To register call 646–241–8478 or email marika@delicious-nutrition.com

To book the Breakthrough Wellness Workshop click here

Kabocha Apricot Soup

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:18:07 GMT

Kabocha Apricot Soup
serves 6

What could be a better treat than a squash puree soup on a chilly autumn day? Although the
original recipe calls for kabocha squash, any winter squash or pumpkin can be used. The dried
apricots add a little twist of sweet and tart and a hint of sophistication.

1 kabocha squash, about 2 pounds (1 kg), cut into quarters, seeds and fibrous parts removed
4 cups (1 l) water
1 onion, cut into wedges
12 dried apricots, cut into halves
1 piece fresh ginger, about 2 inches (5 cm) long, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions

1 Place the squash in a steamer basket inserted into a large pot. Add 3 cups (750 ml) of the
water and steam for 20 minutes. Reserve the cooking water. Place the cooked squash onto
a plate to cool. Use a spoon to scrape the meat from the peel.

2 Boil the onion, apricots and ginger in the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) of water for
10 minutes.

3 Combine the squash with the onion mixture. In batches, pour into a blender or food
processor and puree, adding some of the reserved squash cooking water for a smooth
blend.

4 Return the puree to the pot. Add the butter and bring to a boil. Add more cooking water if
the soup is very thick. Add salt and pepper to taste

Pour into soup plates and garnish with chopped scallions.

ENJOY!

A holiday survival guide

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:58:08 GMT

The holidays are upon us
and here are 5 ways to SIMPLIFY – your holiday survival guide:

1 – Identify what YOU want to get out of the holiday season – it might not be the traditional holiday fare
- Maybe you would like to spend some quality time with a special person – just the two of you
- Maybe you would like to treat yourself to a lovely spa treatment
- Maybe you would like to spend some time alone, to reflect and recharge
- Maybe you would love to catch up on sleep …

2 – Plan
- You know you are going to get busy, so if you do not put your wants into your calendar now, it’s not going to happen!
- Line up your helpers – delegate responsibilities -– you do not need to do it all alone
- Take care of things way ahead of time – less frenzy in the end

3 – Tune in to nature’s rhythm and SLOW DOWN
- at the buffet
- alcohol consumption – alternate water with wine
- eating - take breaks between bites – breathe, converse, smile
- and chew – really savor your food – this way less is more
- sweets consumption – let quality rule over quantity – prefer homemade over factory production

4 – Reduce
- Spending – make a budget and stick to it
- Presents – agree to draw a name among family members and give a gift to just one person
- Carbon foot print – buy green, buy local

5 – Enjoy
- have your sense of humor with you at all times
- be yourself
- be forgiving
- go with the flow

Wheat Berry Salad with Sage

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 02:41:52 GMT

Wheat Berry Salad with Sage
serves 6

Here is a recipe for a lovely grain salad that combines flavors of almonds and apricots with honey, lime and sage. Its medieval charm goes perfectly with festive dinners. It travels well – surprise your friends and family by bringing it along. You can easily make it the day before – it keeps well in the refrigerator and tastes even better the following day, when the dried apricots have fully absorbed the dressing.

Salad:
4 cups (1 l) water
1 cup (240 ml) wheat or spelt berries, soaked overnight in 3 cups water, drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup (120 ml) almonds, soaked overnight in 1 cup water, drained
2 carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise then sliced thin crosswise
½ cup (120 ml) dried apricots, cut into small cubes
5 fresh sage leaves, cut crosswise into very thin strips

Dressing:
juice of 1 to 2 limes
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
pepper

1 Bring the water to a boil. Add the soaked wheat berries, oil and salt. Bring to a second boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting and simmer, covered, for 30 to 45 minutes. Cook only until the wheat berries are soft – remove from the heat before the berries open and lose their shape. Pour them into a sieve and rinse under cold water until cool. Place the sieve over a bowl to drain.

2 Submerge the soaked almonds in boiling water for 5 minutes. Then douse them in cold water. Remove the skins and break them into their halves.

3 Steam the carrots until tender. Rinse them in cold water and drain.

4 Transfer the cooked wheat berries and carrots and the blanched almonds into a large bowl and stir in the apricots and sage.

5 Combine the dressing ingredients in glass jar. There should be about three times as much lime juice as oil. Close the lid and shake to mix.

6 Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Let the salad marinate for at least 1 hour.

7 Just before serving, toss again and adjust lime juice and seasoning if necessary.

The Essential Nourishment Group Program

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 21:13:35 GMT

I am thrilled to announce

The Essential Nourishment Group Program
Fall/Spring 2012/13

If you would like to

Eat for sustained energy, vitality, and rejuvenation
Stabilize your blood sugar levels
Prevent mood swings, brain fog, weight gain, and Diabetes II in the future
Achieve weight loss naturally – without dieting or counting calories

Make food your friend and not your foe

... then I invite you to Beacon this fall for my private coaching program, redesigned for a group setting at half the price of my one-on-one programs. I’ll share the principles of natural nourishment and loving self-care essential to an energized and fulfilling life as discussed in my book Essential Nourishment.

This is your opportunity to substantially improve your well-being, quality of life, and the way you feel in your body.

With my seven-years of experience guiding wellness retreats at my farm in Estonia, I have come to understand that group settings are a wonderful way to learn, integrate, share, and support each other.

WHEN

We will start November 17, 2012 and meet every two weeks for 12 sessions total. The last session will take place on March 30, 2013

WHERE

We will meet every other Saturday from 11 am - 12:30 pm at the Beacon Art Emporium on 500 Main Street in Beacon, NY.

HOW

As your Holistic Health Coach, I will gently guide and inspire you to make small shifts in your daily habits relating to food, physical activity, and lifestyle.

Gradually healthy habits will become an integral part of your life and unhealthy habits will subside effortlessly. You will find this process truly delightful! There will be no need for discipline or deprivation. We will move forward step-by-step. The program is doable, even if you have a very busy life.

At the end of the 12 sessions, all the small changes done on a regular basis will amount to an amazing transformation. Not only will you feel great in your body, you will have all the energy you need to do the things you love. Plus, you’ll have a much more positive outlook on life.

WHAT

Each session includes a nourishing food and lifestyle lesson complete with concrete action steps, homework, suggestions for improving any areas of your health and life that you might be struggling with, as well as a celebration of your victories and progress.

You will also be provided with practical hand-outs, easy to make delicious recipes, food samples, and other health-enhancing materials and resources to inspire you to move forward.

Between sessions, you will have email access to ask me any questions that arise while working on your own at home.

I will also create an email group so that you can share observations, questions, and successes with the other participants. You will be amazed how much you can learn from each other. And we’ll have a lovely, supportive camaraderie among the group members. Before you know it, you’ll be best friends.

One of the sessions will take place in the health food store where I will offer detailed explanations of all food categories and what to look out for when you shop for healthy ingredients.

Another session will be a hands-on cooking class in my home kitchen in Beacon – we will prepare a three-course delicious lunch together, (including dessert!) using fresh, organic local ingredients.

COST

The cost for the entire program is $137 per month (for 5 months) – a total of $ 685.
You may pay in monthly installments of $137, or pay for the entire program upfront and save 10%, bringing your total down to $ 615.50.
Early Bird Sign Up ends Nov 9. Register by Nov 9 and receive an additional 10% off total – Investment in your health: $ 548.00

Book the Essential Nourishment Group Program now.

TESTIMONIALS

“The program transformed my life as well as the way I eat.”      Margaret

“I feel more stable and grounded in my food practices, which affects my emotional and physical health positively and allows more creativity in my life.”      Michelle

“I have lost several pounds; have more even, sustained energy through the day.”      Aime

“A friend gave me Marika Blossfeldt's "Essential Nourishment" at a critical, life-changing moment. I had just suffered a mild heart attack and realized that it was time for a lifestyle change. Many people equate "diet" with "deprivation," when in fact diet really means how we eat, not just what we eat. Look at it this way: automobile-loving Americans would not intentionally put lousy, harmful gas in their gas tanks. Yet we readily fuel our bodies with food that destroys them. "Essential Nourishment" provides a healthy and enjoyable alternative. The recipes are simple, straightforward and delicious, using readily available ingredients. From roasted green beans in a little olive oil and salt (addictive), to zucchini and tomato casserole (earthy and Mediterranean) to amazing brownies made with black beans and a hint of cayenne (surprisingly superb), the food in this book makes eating well the true pleasure it should be. In addition, Blossfeldt provides detailed sections on the science of food which makes for fascinating reading, alongside pages of her own, abstract artwork. By making some simple adjustments (much simpler than I thought they would be) to my eating habits, enhanced by "Essential Nourishment", and by adding exercise to my daily routine, I have dropped more than 30 pounds, my blood pressure is percolating along at a normal level, my (bad) cholesterol level has dropped dramatically, I am sleeping well, feeling better and, in short, feel like I have been given a second chance at life -- not something that comes along too often.”      Tom

Book the Essential Nourishment Group Program now.

EXTRA BONUS

As an extra bonus, I will guide you through a whole foods cleanse in the spring. This includes precise instructions on preparing for the cleanse and coming out of the cleanse, guidelines for the cleanse itself, recipes, shopping lists, and email support throughout. You will come out of the cleanse rejuvenated and glowing.

DATES

Nov 17, Dec 1, Dec 15, 3-week Christmas break, Jan 5, Jan 19, Feb 2, Feb 16, March 2, March 16, March 30

Book the Essential Nourishment Group Program now.

FOR MORE INFO

Please contact me with any questions you might have at marika@delicious-nutrition.com or call 646-241-8478. I’ll happily answer any questions and respond to your concerns, so that you can make an informed decision as to whether the program is right for you.

Let me support you in your journey towards a healthier, slimmer and vibrant you!

Quinoa beet salad

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:39:36 GMT

Keep yourself nourished with hearty root vegetables and the super grain quinoa:

Quinoa beet salad / serves 6

The beets give this dish a most amazing magenta coloring. Bring this to your table and everybody will gasp with delight – guaranteed!

Salad:

2 medium beets, tops removed, whole

2 cups (480 ml) water

1 cup (240 ml) quinoa, rinsed

2 pinches salt

1 bulb fennel, cut into small cubes

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1 handful chopped basil plus a few leaves

Dressing:

juice of 1 to 2 lemons

4 to 6 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

1 Place the whole, unpeeled beets into a pot, add water to cover and boil until soft, about 40 to 60 minutes.

2 In a separate pot, bring the 2 cups (480 ml) of water to a boil and add the quinoa and salt. Bring to a second boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting and simmer, covered and untouched, for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Spread the cooked quinoa on a large plate to cool.

3 When the beets are soft, douse them in cold water until cool, then peel and cut them into small cubes.

4 Combine the cooked quinoa and beets in a bowl and add the fennel, scallions and chopped basil.

5 Combine the dressing ingredients in a glass jar. There should be about twice as much lemon juice as oil. Close the lid and shake to mix.

6 Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Let the salad marinate for at least ½ hour.

7 Just before serving, toss gently and adjust lemon juice and seasoning if necessary.

Garnish with basil leaves.

ENJOY!

Estonian Book Tour starts Oct. 6

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 19:24:42 GMT

Estonian Book Tour starts Oct. 6
To celebrate the release of the second, updated edition of the Estonian version of Essential Nourishment, "Looduslik toit. Täisväärtuslik elu", lectures and book signings will take place all over Estonia:

Karask - Traditional Estonian Barley Bread

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:24:29 GMT

Karask – Traditional Estonian Barley Bread
serves 8

This is an Estonian folk recipe that I adjusted to include only whole foods and natural
sweeteners. The barley flour gives it a distinct, sweet taste.

4½ ounces (125 g) farmer cheese (or ricotta cheese)
1 cup (240 ml) kefir or yogurt
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup (240 ml) barley flour
½ cup (120 ml) whole-wheat flour
½ tablespoon baking soda

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2 Line a rectangular baking pan (5 x 10 inches or 12 x 25 cm) with parchment paper.
3 Combine the farmer cheese, kefir, egg, salt and honey in a bowl and mix until smooth.
4 Stir in the melted butter.
5 Combine the flours with the baking soda and add to the batter. Mix well.
6 Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. To check whether the bread is
ready, insert a wooden toothpick into the center. When the toothpick comes out dry, the
bread is done.

Serve with butter or Onion Butter (page 220).

Wild Rice Salad with Hazelnuts and Dried Cranberries

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 08:45:03 GMT

Wild Rice Salad with Hazelnuts and Dried Cranberries
serves 6

Salad:
6 cups (480 ml) water
2 cups (240 ml) wild rice, rinsed
2 pinches salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup (120 ml) raw hazelnuts, cut in half
¾ cup (180 ml) diced celery
½ cup (120 ml) dried cranberries

Dressing:
juice of 1 to 2 lemons
4 to 6 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

2 Bring 6 cups water to a boil, stir in 2 cups rice, salt and olive oil. Let it come to a second boil, reduce heat and simmer covered 40-45 minutes or just until kernels puff open. Drain off any excess liquid.

3 Spread the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish and roast until you can smell the aroma, about 10 minutes. When the nuts have cooled, remove any loose skin.

4 Spread cooked rice on a large plate to cool, then transfer to a bowl.

5 Fold in the roasted hazelnuts, celery and cranberries.

6 Combine the dressing ingredients in a glass jar. There should be about twice as much lemon juice as oil. Close the lid and shake to mix.

7 Pour the dressing over the rice mixture and stir. Let the salad marinate for ½ to 1 hour.

8 Just before serving, toss gently and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Note: Dried cherries can be substituted for dried cranberries.

Off to Estonia, my summer paradise

Mon, 14 May 2012 22:20:59 GMT

Off to Estonia, my summer paradise
where we conduct yoga, dance, tai chi, wellness and cooking retreats

Check out the Passion, Purpose and Pleasure Wellness Retreat package here

See entire summer schedule here

Hope to welcome you at Polli Talu Arts and Wellness Center this summer!

San Francisco Bay Area + Portland,OR Book Tour 2012

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 02:34:47 GMT

Paris

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 01:56:12 GMT

Paris, March 7, 2012

Cloudy descent into Paris airport – a little bumpy this landing in the city of haute cuisine.
The taxi ride to my first accommodation in the 19^th arrondissement goes smoothly: beautiful older apartment building with worn out wooden stairs and a sign to please wipe your feet. My friend is not home but his wife Paula and lovely 3 year old daughter Olivia are – she speaks Spanish, French and English – what a way to grow up. My bed is made in the office – there are big glass doors with a French balcony overlooking the court yard.

The next day the driver from the Estonian Embassy picks me up and we deliver two cases of books to the Paris Cookbook Fair grounds – nobody is there to receive the books but we leave them where the bookstore will be set up and hope for the best.

In the afternoon I check out the vegetable and health food store nearby to see whether they carry all ingredients I will need for my cooking demo on Sunday – for the most I can find everything except beets – the only beets I can find are pre-cooked. But Paula is able to get me some from another market.

First ride on the metro – everything goes well, except I don’t know that you have to push a button for the door to open – I just stand there and wait – luckily others want to get out as well and push the button for me.

In the evening I meet the Estonian Ambassador and his wife at the Folies Bergere theater for the Awards Gala. There are many categories of wine and cookbooks – many emotional, some funny, some witty responses to winning the first price. I am thinking and rethinking my acceptance speech – you only get 30 sec to say something. My book Essential Nourishment is a finalist in the health and nutrition category – 2 hours go by – and then the moment of truth arrives – I am nervous, excited, hopeful – but when Mr. Edouard Cointreau mentions my book second in, I know that I am not the winner of the first place. He says however “… a book that everyone should read” – and my book lands on third place. I will not deny that I was disappointed. C’est la vie …

It’s Wednesday, the first day of the book fair – I take the bus but halfway to where I am going the driver makes an announcement that I do not fully understand – however I get that there will be a rerouting – I stay on and hope that this rerouting will happen before we get to where I need to go. I follow the moves the bus makes on my map only to find out that it goes further and further in the wrong direction and instead of stopping every couple of blocks as he had done before there seems to be no stop in sight, I bravely walk up to the driver and ask what ever happened to rue Riquet? When he finally stops he points me towards another bus stop and tells me to take that bus back. So it is the same bus number but going the opposite direction and it will take me to where I have to go – go figure.

I arrive at the Paris cookbook fair. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. I go to the Gourmand office to pick up my certificate. It says Best Nutrition Book in the World, Third – I like how that sounds.

I get the catalog and rip out the pages that have the layout and a list of all presenters with stands on it. I start marking up who I want to speak to and approach them one by one. Everybody is so nice and almost apologetic, when they have to tell me that my book is not for them. Sometimes they recommend other publishers who might be a better fit for my book. My goal here is to find foreign publishers who would like to translate my book and publish it in their country. When I introduce my book I tell them that it won third place the day before in the healthy cookbook category and it really does not sound so bad. And they happily congratulate me. I have some promising exchanges with several German publishers and a Brasilian publisher. Lunchtime approaches and I am in the mood for a hearty lunch, knowing that dinner will be on the light side. There is a French café/restaurant in another part of the building. I study the menu but do not understand most of it. Luckily the waiter does speak English. There is a lunch deal where you get a discount if you order an appetizer and a main dish. My body tells me, go for it! My cravings for vegetables I quench with a cauliflower soup and for the main dish I order the one thing I recognize as a French classic thanks to the movie Julie and Julia – it is Boeuf Bourguignon – or something like it. I must admit that I am quite ignorant when it comes to French cuisine but am an eager student. I am not a big meat eater either but will try to eat like a Parisienne when in Paris. And again a flashback to the movie – I was tempted to make loud moaning noises just like Merryl Streep as Julia Child always did, when she dined with her husband - that expression of utter surprise and unexpected pleasure – but I controlled myself – however I must report that that beef was the most tender and juicy I have ever encountered – it literally melted in my mouth – I mean it was truly incredible – wow!

In the evening there was a party for all professional guests of the cookbook fair. A Swedish chef prepared 8 dishes for 300 people with the help of some 20 students of the Cordon Blue Culinary School. It took place in the International Show Kitchen, so we all could watch if we were so inclined. I stayed for the beginning, as it was interesting for me to see how he organizes his work and how he gives instructions to the students.
...

Age Defying Passion

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 02:47:10 GMT

Age Defying Passion

I must admit that I had a really wonderful time performing last weekend in TREE - A DANCE, Susan Osberg’s beautiful meditative dance honoring, celebrating and being with trees.

There is the magic that always happens in theater when after a long rehearsal process in the studio everything comes together and you finally see the dance in the performance venue with images of trees and gorgeous stage lights.

The other amazing thing is that although my 53 year old body feels very different from a 35 year old body, once the performance starts all that is forgotten and you just go with the flow and with the spirit of the show. You go into performance mode, you take the stage, you go into your power. Your body feels totally connected, grounded and able.

Any hint of stiffness or restriction in range of movement dissipates and the creative juices carry you on. It is exhilarating. I am very grateful to Susan for occasionally pulling me back on stage to experience this age defying thing called dance, delicious movement, being in the moment, stretching beyond your preconceived limitations, heightened awareness,
living fully, exploration, passion …

Afterwards I feel a little more tired than I used to when I performed back in the 80s and 90s in NYC. I know I need to take good care of my body – my body is asking for it – so I take a relaxing hot shower before going to bed to soothe my muscles, I make sure I get enough sleep, I eat nutritious food …

The older I get the more I realize my body is one of the most precious possessions I have, deserving of the best loving care I can provide.

Why am I writing this?

Because I want you to pay attention to your body as well, to treat it with respect, to honor it for all it does for you, to love it just the way it is – unconditionally – to feed it appropriate foods, to hydrate it with fresh water, to allow for play and downtime, to take it outside to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine …

But also because I want you to identify what you are passionate about. What gets your creative juices flowing? What excites you? And encourage you to do more of that. Life is too short to be doing things you do not enjoy.

And if you are nearby, please come see these last three magic performances of TREE or join me in Estonia for a life changing Passion Purpose and Pleasure Wellness Retreat in August, both transformational experiences.

On a personal note

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 03:21:04 GMT

On a personal note

Off to Paris on Sunday! I am soooo excited! Then, on Tuesday, March 6 I will be attending the Awards Gala at the Folies Bergère Theatre and find out whether ESSENTIAL NOURISHMENT is a winner. My book has been nominated for a Gourmand World Cookbook Award in the healthy cookbook category. It is competing against three other finalists in the same category. Would you please send winning thoughts and cross your fingers and toes for me?!

Breakfast...steel-cut oats

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 03:16:04 GMT

Starting the day right … with breakfast

Breakfast is a very important meal, and it really should not be missed. Because breakfast revs up your metabolism and ensures that it performs efficiently throughout the day, working at tasks such as proper absorption of nutrients, accelerated brain power and optimal calorie-burning capacity. What you eat for breakfast sets the tone for the day. When you eat a meal that balances your blood sugar, chances are that all day long you will have sustained energy and stable moods.

Porridge is one great way to start the day. It provides complex carbohydrates that promote blood sugar balance and produce a gentle energy curve, delivering sustained energy for many hours. And it feels so good to have something warm in the morning, when the weather is still cold outside. By the way – it’s snowing in Beacon today.

Steel-cut oats … the over-night method

Steel-cut oats take longer to cook than rolled oats – about twenty minutes – and they like to splash a lot. So to avoid the wait and the morning cleanup, I start them in the evening. Bring the water and oats to a boil, add salt and butter or oil and then turn the heat off completely. Cover the porridge and let it sit on the stove overnight. At breakfast time, simply add a little water, stir and reheat. Steel-cut oats taste great served with whole milk yogurt. If you like it sweet, add raisins or other dried fruit. Or spice it up with cinnamon or cardamom.

For 2 servings use 2/3 cup steel-cut oats, 2 cups of water, 2 pinches of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil or a dollop of butter. So satisfying!

A cold-climate grain,

oats are a staple food in Ireland, Scotland and England, arriving there about AD 100 from Central Asia and Russia. For steel-cut oats, which were popularized by the Irish and Scotsmen, the oat kernel is cut into two or three pieces. Oats have high protein content and are most widely used as a breakfast food. It is said that oats are a male aphrodisiac as well as an adaptogen – a food that helps the body adapt to new conditions. Oats strengthen nerves and reduce addictive cravings. Their soluble fiber helps to lower high cholesterol.

Meet, Eat and Greet with Marika Blossfeldt

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:09:45 GMT

Meet, Eat and Greet with holistic health coach Marika Blossfeldt

Please join me this Saturday at 11 am at the Beacon Art Emporium at 500 Main Street in Beacon for the kick-off event for my upcoming lecture series.

Enjoy a sampling of healthy and delicious dishes from my book. I will be making the polenta with roasted sunflower seeds p 112 for sure and surprise you with a few other delectable dishes.

I will share my down-to-earth food philosophy with you and tips on how to keep up energy, balance blood sugar levels and manage weight this winter season. Eating well does not have to be complicated – let me take the mystery out of eating healthy.

Books will be for sale and I will be happy to sign one for you.

RSVP Leah Quinn 845- 765-1535

About those New Year resolutions

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:06:36 GMT

About those New Year resolutions

Sometimes I wonder whether all this goal oriented living is the way to go. Some healthy goal setting is useful for sure, don’t get me wrong. However, if we constantly live for something that will happen in the future, we might be in danger of not living in the present. If we are so fixated on the goal we might not be aware of the process. We might not be fully present to what is happing right now. By chasing the rainbow we miss being still. Without being still we cannot open up to allow things to come to us, to receive.

So I came up with a different set of resolutions this year. Maybe you’d like to add one or two to your list as well:

1. Trust the process of life

2. Listen to my inner voice and act on it

3. Consult my heart first when making decisions

4. Create moments of stillness throughout the day

5. Use every chance to appreciate beauty

6. Release the need to be perfect

7. Find pleasure in all that I do

Beat the cold with warming soups

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:02:30 GMT

Mushroom Barley Soup Serves 6

Here is a lovely version of the classical mushroom barley soup. What makes this version so delicious is the use of butter, soy sauce and sherry. I include carrots as well.

½ cup (120 ml) barley, rinsed

6 cups (1½ l) water

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons butter

1 pound (500 g) mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons soy sauce

½ cup (120 ml) medium dry sherry

2 carrots, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise

pepper

In a large pot, cook the barley in 2 cups (500 ml) of the water until tender, about 1 hour.

Sauté the onions and garlic in the butter. When they soften, add the mushrooms and the salt. Continue to sauté until the mushrooms are tender.

Stir the sauté into the cooked barley, then add the remaining 4 cups (1 l) water, soy sauce, sherry and carrots. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Adjust taste by adding more soy sauce or sherry if necessary. Add pepper to taste.

ENJOY!

Happy Holidays

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:49:41 GMT

ESSENTIAL NOURISHMENT has been nominated for the prestigious GOURMAND WORLD COOKBOOK AWARDS 2011.

The winners will be announced at the awards event during the Paris Cookbook Fair in March 2012.

Sweet surrender

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:03:34 GMT

Slow down time

Are you seeing the signs? Are you noticing that it is getting colder and darker? For nature this means a period of time when things slow down, almost come to a halt. It is a time to go inward, to recharge your batteries, to replenish your reserves, to reflect on the year past and to dream of what the New Year will bring; to tend to your spiritual needs. Nights are longer, days are shorter – signaling that indeed it is a time for rest, a time of less activity. Please, please allow yourself to slow down. It is the right thing to do in the winter season. You will feel more harmonious in your body and within your environment. It is not only OK to sleep longer, it is the right thing to do! Your soul is longing for it. Give in. Sweet surrender.

Breaking News

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:51:54 GMT

Nomination for Essential Nourishment

Essential Nourishment has been nominated for the prestigious GOURMAND WORLD COOKBOOK AWARDS 2011. The “Best in the World” winners will be announced at the awards event during the Paris Cookbook Fair March 7 – 11, 2012.

with gratitude for life’s sweetness

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 03:45:03 GMT

You know, Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday.

I remember many wonderful gatherings and feasts at friends’ homes from way back when I first came to New York in the 80’s. My friends always made me, the new-comer and foreigner, feel so welcome. The atmosphere was always warm, joyful and relaxing and overflowed with generosity. Many years later I started to host my own Thanksgiving dinners, roasted my first turkey, made the cranberry sauce, baked my first pumpkin pie… I just love traditions and rituals involving food; love the human connection and the communal delight in sharing a delicious meal. I also love the concept of celebrating all that we are thankful for. Such a wonderful and healing thing to do! Allowing us to become acutely aware how blessed we are indeed.

And one thing I am grateful for, for sure - is you!

Thank you for being a part of my community, for reading my newsletters, for trying my recipes, for taking my programs and retreats, for buying my book, for asking questions … I appreciate you very much!

Have a wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving holiday weekend and I wish you many, many things to be thankful for!

Love and light

Marika

Mashed sweet potatoes with rosemary

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 03:36:16 GMT

Here is my version of a sweet potato side dish, inspired by Thanksgiving traditions

Super simple & super delicious:

Mashed sweet potatoes with rosemary / serves 4 - 6

2 medium sized sweet potatoes

1 – 2 T butter

dried rosemary

salt to taste

1 – 2 cloves of garlic, pressed (optional)

Peel, cut into chunks and boil the sweet potatoes until soft. Pour off cooking water and save.

Add the butter and a little of the cooking liquid to the cooked potatoes and mash with potato masher or submersible puree stick. Add more cooking water for a smoother consistency if necessary. Add a few pinches of dried rosemary, salt to taste and (optional) the garlic. Mix well.

ENJOY!

Yummy Black Bean Soup

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:42:26 GMT

Yummy black bean soup

This is the first bean soup I ever made. I had eaten bean, pea or lentil soups before, but I had never actually cooked one myself. It seemed to be a big deal to soak the beans and then cook them. But one day I got inspired and decided to give it a try. I planned it and soaked the beans overnight for a soup to be cooked on a Saturday. I made a big pot of it, which provided me with nutritious food for several days. And that was the beginning of my love affair with homemade bean soups. Now I make one every week. They are so rich and satiating that a bowl of bean soup can serve as dinner.

2½ cups (500 g) dried black beans, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed

8 cups (2 l) water

1 onion, chopped

3 carrots, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 leeks, cut into small pieces

salt and pepper

Place the beans and water into a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off and discard any foam that forms. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour.

Sauté the onion and carrots in the oil for about 10 minutes.

When the beans start to become tender, add the sauté and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the leeks and cook for another 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste

Serve garnished with fresh cilantro leaves and topped with sour cream.

ENJOY!

Food for Thought

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:36:23 GMT

There is something I really like about men

I have noticed that men are much calmer than women and we women could really learn from them. Men take their time to think things through, they don’t seem to worry so much and do not rush things. Even in the midst of crisis they keep a level head. I have come to admire this ability and am working on integrating it into my life as well. And it seems to be working. As a result I find myself enjoying the process of doing any kind of work or chore so much more - which makes me think of a statement I once read by a Buddhist monk: “If you rush while doing the dishes to then sit down and have a cup of tea – chances are that you will rush through drinking your tea as well.” All moments of life are just that: moments that make up our lives – why not savor them all and bring mindfulness and care to all of them – no matter how mundane?

And the winners are

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:48:26 GMT

30 lucky winners have been chosen

by an online random number generator to win a copy of Essential Nourishment.

In alphabetical order per first name - the winners are:

Aire Roosma

Anilia Hornsby

Annika Kaljurand

Dale Stalnaker Heffer

Dawn Gobel Knoblock

Deidre Lynn Smith

Desiree McKnight

Diana Fink Nagy

Erin Melito

Göran Valdre

Grazia Della-Terza

Heather Wood Johnson

Janet Luongo

Jayne McAllister

Jennifer Magnetta

Jocelyne Buorgeois

Karine Fournier

Katherine Meyer

Kathryn Nelson

Kellie White McGarry

Laili Aunap

Laurie Laird

Linda B Schiller

Lisa Shozuya

Lynnette Seitz Ingram

Margie Heggings

Melissa Mann Saubers

Sumi Tonooka

Tiiu Oga

Tricia Hagedorn Lucas

Congratulations to all of you! Please send your postal address by email to essentialnourishment@gmail.com during the month of September to recieve your copy of Essential Nourishment.

The Win a Copy of Essential Nourishment Campaign

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:45:54 GMT

The Win a Copy of Essential Nourishment Campaign

starts July 30 - ends August 31

Get your FREE copy of Essential Nourishment

To be eligible to win a copy of my book Essential Nourishment you need to do two things:

1. Like the Essential Nourishment fb page at www.facebook.com/EssentialNourishment

2. Once you are on the Essential Nourishment fb page write “Essential Nourishment” in the comment field below the campaign announcement

It’s that easy and you could be one of 30 lucky winners who will receive their very own paperback copy shipped for FREE to anywhere in the world.

Offer ends at midnight NY time on August 31, 2011.

Good luck!

Enjoy some sunshine

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 17:42:03 GMT

Enjoy some sunshine

One of the things I really look forward to each spring is to be able to take a sun bath on my back porch. On some days around noon, even if the temperature is merely 60 F and there isn’t too much wind, I will lie down on my yoga mat and it will be just perfect. The sun is warm enough in the middle of the day to deeply penetrate and warm my body. And if I were a cat I would be purring from pleasure. One of the pluses of working from home is that I can choose to spend a part of my lunch hour basking in the sun. And I love it! As a northerner I revere the sun. But there is more to it than pure pleasure. It is actually very important to spend some time in the sun - without sun screen. You might be surprised that a health conscious person like myself would say a thing like that, but unless you get some unfiltered sun your skin will not be able to produce Vitamin D, a crucial vitamin to help keep you healthy and young.

A sun screen factor of 8 or more will not allow the rays of the sun to turn the cholesterol in your skin into Vitamin D, which technically is not a vitamin but a prohormon. 20 min at a time is a good amount of time to be out in the sun to produce Vitamin D. Sufficient amounts of Vitamin D in the body can prevent a host of illnesses, from hypertension, cancers, diabetes and heart disease to multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and psoriasis.

Take your time getting used to the sun, start with 5 - 10 minutes per day and gradually increase until 20 minutes. When the weather gets warmer, spend mornings in the sun, before it gets too strong at midday. After 3pm is also a good time to be out in the sun. But use common sense and avoid getting sun burnt.

Demystifying oils and fats, part three

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 03:22:14 GMT

Demystifying oils and fats, part three

Processing of Oils

The highest-quality oils are called first cold-pressed or extra virgin, and they are unheated, unfiltered and unrefined. The name refers to a traditional method that is no longer widely used. Today, many commercially processed oils are “pressed” in a centrifuge. No heat is applied during extraction, so the initial process can still rightfully be called “cold pressed.” But in a second step, steam (heat) and solvents are used to extract more oil from the leftover pulp, producing an oil of inferior quality. In the case of olive oil this oil may be called olive pomace oil or pure olive oil.

Generally, high pressure, heat and chemical solvents are used to squeeze the oil out of corn, grape seeds, safflower seeds and soybeans. These oils have high polyunsaturated fatty acid content, so they already become rancid in the manufacturing process. The rancid oils are then deodorized—with the help of more harmful chemicals—in order to be made palatable. For these reasons, please stay completely away from refined corn, grape seed, safflower, and soybean oils. Remember, if it is not specifically stated, that an oil is unrefined you may assume it is refined and therefore compromised.

Polyunsaturated oils also come from sunflower seeds, walnuts, sesame seeds and wheat germ. If you can find unrefined versions of these oils, feel free to use them cold in dressings or simply sprinkled over your cooked food once it is served. Buy flaxseed oil only if it is contained in an opaque dark bottle and was kept refrigerated until your purchase. Keep all these last mentioned oils in the refrigerator.

Hydrogenated Oils

Finally, I would like to address the issue of hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats. In essence these are all the same thing. While hydrogenation is the manufacturing process, trans fats are the outcome. All hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils contain trans-fats. Food companies wanted to create a cholesterol-free, easy-to-spread product with a long shelf life—and margarine came into being. But you can find partially hydrogenated oils even in processed liquid vegetable oils.

Hydrogenation is a manufacturing process that uses high temperature and high pressure to force hydrogen gas into polyunsaturated fatty acids in order to solidify them. In essence, the hydrogen atom breaks into the double bond, takes out the bend, and straightens out the fatty acid chain. The polyunsaturated fatty acid has thus been transformed into a so-called trans fat. Now it behaves more like a saturated fatty acid and packs together well to form a semi-solid mass.

But trans fats are biochemically incompatible with the human body. In fact, their chemical makeup resembles that of plastic. After hydrogenation, the original vegetable oil has turned into a grey, ill-smelling mass. This mass then gets bleached and deodorized, again with the help of harmful chemicals. As a last step, a yellow dye is added to make the product appear more butter-like.

The human body is unable to metabolize trans fats. They remain in the bloodstream and are likely to collect on the artery walls as plaque, which can lead to coronary heart disease. Other conditions associated with trans fats are Alzheimer's disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, liver dysfunction and infertility in women.

For decades, margarine has been touted a health food, when it clearly is not. Even today, although trans fats are in the news and have been recognized as a serious health hazard (in New York City, restaurants are prohibited from cooking with trans-fats), some medical professionals still recommend eating margarine over butter for heart health.

To sum it up:

Please always choose extra virgin or cold pressed oils – that guarantees the highest quality of oils.

Please stay away from all refined oils, even those in the health food store. What the health food store has going for it is the fact that they at least point out to you on the label – which oil is refined and which oil is unrefined. Always prefer the unrefined versions.

Please stay away completely from partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils, including so called “vegetable oils” found in supermarkets, margarine and shortening. And because most commercially produced baked goods are made with margarine or shortening it is advisable to stay away from those too. Rather bake your own cookies and cakes and use good old fashioned butter in the process.

What is your body craving right now?

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:39:46 GMT

What is your body craving right now?

As we are moving into spring, leafy greens take center stage in my kitchen. I just love them so much – I want to eat them every day. Leafy greens are the most nutrition-filled land vegetables. As the green part of the plant, they contain chlorophyll, a pigment they use to capture sunlight and form oxygen. Leaves are, in essence, the lungs of the plant, and consuming them brings energy to our own lungs.

You will feel a burst of energy within minutes of eating greens. If you make them a regular part of your diet, they will uplift your spirits and infuse you with potent sun energy. Green is the color of spring, of renewal, of hope, of the heart chakra. No wonder green leafy vegetables have such positive effects on us.

On a nutritional level, leafy greens provide us with an abundance of minerals, vitamins and other valuable substances: iron (the darker the green, the more iron), calcium (Where do cows get the calcium to make milk? From the green grass!), magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. Leafy greens also deliver fiber, folic acid and, of course, chlorophyll. Chlorophyll nourishes the friendly bacteria in the digestive tract, thus promoting healthy intestinal flora, strengthening immunity and preventing cancer.

Leafy greens have cleansing properties, helping to support liver and kidney function. The bitter-tasting leafy greens, such as watercress, dandelion, arugula and broccoli rabe, are great liver tonics. All leafy greens are excellent blood purifiers, and they improve circulation. They help reduce mucus and clear congestion, especially in the lungs.

Please be aware of two cautions regarding leafy greens:

--Beet greens, Swiss chard and spinach contain oxalic acid, which can leach calcium out of our bones and teeth. Eat these in moderation and combine them with other calcium-rich foods such as legumes, dairy and fish.

-- Vitamin K-containing foods such as leafy greens should be eaten sparingly by people who take the blood-thinning medication warfarin (commonly known as Coumadin), which prevents blood clots by blocking the action of vitamin K. Because leafy greens are an abundant source of vitamin K, eating them can undermine the drug’s protection against blood clots.

Leafy greens are easy and quick to prepare. The most time-consuming part of preparation is washing the greens. I recommend that you fill your sink with cold water, cut the greens into pieces that suit your recipe and submerge them in the water. With your hands, move the greens about to dislodge any earth or sand particles. If you find a lot of debris at the bottom of your sink, repeat the procedure.

After washing the greens, place them in a colander to drain. It is good to leave a little water on the leaves, as it provides some steaming action during cooking.

You can steam, boil or sauté greens. Save any cooking liquid to enjoy as a soothing and alkalizing drink. The cooking time for leafy greens is very brief—anywhere from two to five minutes. Always keep a watchful eye—the brightness of the green color will give you a clue as to when they are ready. When the color turns a more vibrant green, that is your signal to check whether they are done. If you cook them for too long, their color changes to olive green and they lose both visual appeal and flavor. Once they turn bright green and are ready, serve them right away, unless you plan to use them in a salad—you would then rinse them in cold water at that point to stop the cooking process.

When serving greens to my guests, I complete all preparations beforehand, but I don’t actually cook the greens until right then and there—while my guests are sitting at the dining table. There is nothing more delicious than freshly cooked greens that have been prepared just a minute ago.

When preparing greens, use some form of oil or fat, whether in the cooking process or drizzled over the finished dish, as this will help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, E and K. Squeezing a little lemon or lime juice or white balsamic vinegar over the dish will help to pull more calcium out of the greens.

When buying greens, make sure they are fresh. Do not buy greens that are limp or have turned yellow—you do not want any wilted energy in your body! And try to use them the same day you purchase them or the day after. Unlike other vegetables, greens do not keep well in the refrigerator for more than a few days. So before refrigerating them, I cut off the ends of the stems and place them upright in a tall container of water. The stems draw in the water and keep the leaves strong and firm.

Demystifying fats and oils, part two

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:20:47 GMT

Demystifying fats and oils, part two

Why can only certain fats be used in cooking, meaning heated to high temperatures?

Why should others only be used unheated?

Our main concern when it comes to consuming fats and oils is rancidity. Some oils are more prone to rancidity than others. The deciding factor is the chemical makeup of a particular oil or fat.

The building blocks of fats are called fatty acids. They come in three forms: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated.

The saturated fatty acids are straight chains of carbon atoms with two hydrogen atoms attached to each. Because of their straight shape, the chains pack together well and form a semisolid consistency at room temperature. Butter, ghee (pure milk fat, also called clarified butter), lard (from pork), tallow (from beef), coconut oil and palm oil consist predominantly of saturated fatty acids. These are very stable and do not become rancid easily. They can be heated to high temperatures without a compromise in quality. They can be used for cooking, baking, sautéing, and with the exception of butter, frying. Butter, because it is not pure fat, is not well suited for frying—its lactose and protein particles tend to burn and turn black rapidly. Ghee, on the other hand, because it is pure milk fat, does work well for frying. For the same reason, ghee is suitable for those with lactose intolerance. But regular butter is fine when heated in gentler ways. It is an especially good compliment with steamed vegetables—add some at the end of the cooking process to ensure absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and enhance taste.

The monounsaturated fatty acids have one double bond between two carbon atoms, leaving the two double-bonded atoms with only one hydrogen atom each and causing a bend in the chain. Because of this bend, monounsaturated fatty acids do not pack together as well as the saturated ones. They become liquid at room temperature and remain solid only when refrigerated. Olive oil is the most commonly used oil that consists of mainly monounsaturated fatty acids, but almond, avocado, cashew, macadamia, peanut and canola (or rapeseed) oils are monounsaturated as well. These fatty acids are fairly stable and are therefore suited for cooking, baking and sautéing.

The polyunsaturated fatty acids have two or more double bonds—two or more bends—which means their molecular structure resembles that of a semicircle. They do not pack well together at all and are therefore liquid even when refrigerated. Common oils with high polyunsaturated fatty acid content are made from corn, flaxseeds, grape seeds, pumpkin seeds, safflower seeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds, walnuts, wheat germ and sesame seeds.

Rancidity is the main problem with all polyunsaturated fatty acids. Light, air, and heat affect their freshness and quality. Therefore, oils containing predominantly polyunsaturated fatty acids should never be heated or used in cooking. They can be used in cold dressings or sprinkled over cooked food when served. They should always be kept in the refrigerator.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids fall into two main groups: omega 3 and omega 6. These names reflect the location of the first double-bond at either the third or sixth position in the chain. Omega 3 is very reactive and goes rancid particularly easily.

Omega 3 and 6 are called essential fatty acids because our bodies cannot manufacture them and we need to get them from food. Most of the polyunsaturated oils have larger amounts of omega 6 than omega 3. Flaxseed is the exception, with a higher proportion of omega 3. When it comes to the balance between omega 3 and omega 6, the best ratio for human consumption is 1:2. Too much omega 6 can lead to inflammation and blood clotting. Omega 3, on the other hand, is anti-inflammatory and blood-thinning. Because of the recent overemphasis on polyunsaturated oils, many people are consuming too much omega 6 and are in need of omega 3 to return to a place of balance—hence the popularity of flaxseed oil and omega 3 fish oil.

Now that you have an understanding as to which oils are predominantly saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated—and you can always check the proportion of each by reading the package label—you know which oils are suitable for cooking and which are to be used only cold: use saturated oils and fats, such as ghee, lard, coconut oil and palm kernel oil for cooking at high temperatures, use monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil, almond oil and peanut oil for light cooking like sautéing and baking and use polyunsaturated oils, such as pumpkin seed oil, sunflower seed oil and walnut oil cold in dressings or sprinkled over your cooked food as you serve it.

Demystifying fats and oils, part one

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 18:05:00 GMT

Demystifying fats and oils, part one

The cholesterol scare has many of us thinking that animal fats are bad for us, that saturated fats are bad for us, that fat in general is bad for us. Many weight-conscious people fear fat for its high calorie count. However, the most serious health problem caused by fats and oils is from neither cholesterol nor calories—it is from rancidity and unnatural processing…

The body does need fats to insulate us against the cold and to cushion our organs and hold them in place. We need fat in order to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K prevalent in greens and other vegetables. Can you see how a fat-free salad dressing does not do you any nutritional favors?

Fat plays an important role in the absorption of calcium and therefore in the maintenance of bone health. It is no coincidence that milk comes with a fair amount of fat in it, as do cold-water fish—both good sources of calcium. So fat-free or low-fat dairy products do not make much sense—we need fat for effective absorption of the calcium contained in these foods.

Fat also nourishes our skin, hair, and nails and is important for proper brain functioning, especially in the developing brains of babies and children.

Too much fat in our food can clog up our lymph system and compromise our immune system. The right amount of fat, however, slows down the digestion process just enough to allow effective absorption of nutrients. By slowing the speed at which carbohydrates are broken down into sugars, fat helps to stabilize our blood sugar level. This actually fosters weight loss.

Another way that fats can help rather than hinder weight loss is through their role in the endocrine system. Our brain reacts to fat intake by producing a chemical called cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK stimulates the liver to produce bile, which helps in the digestion of fat. CCK also gives us the message that we have had enough food—in essence, curbing our appetite. A bit of fat in the diet hastens a feeling of satiety and satisfaction with what we have eaten, actually permitting us to save calories by eating no more than we need.

Happy New Year

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:13:05 GMT

Wishing you a great start to a promising New Year filled with love and light, outrageous adventures, peace of mind, new places to visit, harmony, outbursts of creativity, understanding, wondrous surprises, big dreams coming true and many opportunities to laugh out loud!