fifty-nine

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Fifty-nine is the age my parents turned last week. And as a reminder that the're only that much closer to the big six-oh, they came to me seeking healthful guidance. Of course I told them to exercise; take small walks around the neighborhood, and stretch while watching TV. I even bought my mom a cute little set of bright pink 3lb hand weights. But their diet needed an overhaul and that was clear. Here are some pictures I took of their fridge and cabinets. 

If you want to drop some lbs after 50, the refined sugar in sodas, juices, and sugary cereals, are not going to help. Neither are sweet "weight loss" drinks or pre-packaged smoothies. I formulated some small changes for my parents to start transitioning away from these processed foods, and try to intake more whole, natural, and even raw foods as a part of their daily diet. 

A complete overhaul of their fridge was done. I moved everything I didn't want readily available to them, out to the fridge they have in their garage. This way, if they want to cheat, they have to hunt down that bad food first. Then I replaced the majority of their everyday foods with healthier options. Here's a look at my purchase from Whole Foods. 

I focused on less processed, dairy-free, & gluten free items like: dressings, bread, butter, fresh almond butter, beer, and hummus. And of course RAW VEGETABLES. But I know my parents also like convenience, so I even got some frozen pizzas, mac and cheese, and a few vegan desserts I like. But I didn't want to leave them with a bunch of pieces to assemble and no instruction booklet, like an IKEA nightmare. So I drafted a plan, discussed taking small steps towards a healthier diet, and said I'd be checking in regularly (5 days in and they're not annoyed yet). I also made them a set of my vegan burgers, a huge batch of coconut lemongrass soup, and THIS recipe for Curried Quinoa & Vegetables.

This dish reminds me so much of my favorite Thai fried rice. I'm thinking about adding raisins and pineapple to my next batch. Kimberly puts cayenne pepper in her recipe. It's great to make a big batch and eat throughout the week.

Curried Quinoa & Vegetables

(Modified from The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Tbs. coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• High quality sea salt (adjust to personal taste)
• 1 Tbs. curry
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup coconut milk 
• ¾ cup dry quinoa

Optional Prep: soak the quinoa in water for a few hours, or overnight.

Instructions:

Step One. In a saucepan place 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the quinoa to the hot water, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent soft (about 10-15 minutes). Pour through a fine strainer and set to the side in a bowl.

Step Two.Heat the coconut oil in a skillet pan. Add the diced onions, and lightly sauté for a few minutes, adding the Celtic sea salt, curry, turmeric, and black pepper. I also like to add some minced garlic here. 

Step Three.Add the other vegetables and lightly sauté for 5-6 minutes, until they become softened (but not overcooked).Add the cooked quinoa, and the coconut milk and stir everything together. Adjust flavoring as needed.

The Buddha Bowls

What's a yoga retreat without buddha bowls? 

    This endearing term for what is essentially a healthy, cruelty-free bowl of taste explosions, was proposed by my best friend, Hayley. She undoubtedly saw this on a menu or blog somewhere so I am not claiming that either of us came up with the term. But a "buddha bowl" can really be anything you want it to be. Choose a whole grain like brown rice or quinoa, and top it with veggies and sauce. 

 

 

Cafe gratitude specializes in what I would qualify as buddha bowls. My favorite being: 

I AM GRACIOUS Hemp seed pesto bowl with brown rice or quinoa, shredded  kale, tomatoes  and brazil nut parmesan drizzled with olive oil and topped with sprouts 

Hayley said she usually makes hers with "all kinds of veggies, steamed or raw", a chipotle cashew sauce, and tops it with avocado. Or sometimes she just pours her famous vegetarian chili over some quinoa for a "Mex version".

For the yoga retreat, this dish was Saturday dinner, and I made the "bowls" with toasted quinoa, roasted butternut squash, sauteed kale, and drizzled over some hot and spicy red curry. 

It's safe to say that this dish was the number one favorite of the yogis. They were literally scrounging for more even after second helpings had been served. This recipe may be so loaded with deliciousness, it will have you believing the old expression, "never enough of a good thing," So on that note, let me remind you of the fourth Yama from the 8 limbed path:

Bramacharya

Describing the eight limbs of yoga is a long discussion in itself, all you need to understand, for the purpose of this post, is that the ancient practitioners of yoga compiled a system about how to practice their craft, as a way of reaching a truly deep meditative state called Samadhi, a sort suspension of the mind and what some believe to be a 'holy' type of experience. Samedhi is the eighth limb, but before that are 7 steps, one of which is breath, another is postures, but the first being a code of ethics to ensure that the yogi interacts harmoniously with their surrounding community. Among this list of ethics we find our word, bramacharya.

Some interpret this word as "sexual purity," or "celebacy," but these days, most interpret this ethical precept as "moderation" or "self restraint."

I encourage you to look for ways that you can observe bramacharya in your daily life. For me, it's not always getting dessert, or sometimes it means skipping a day of exercise because my body would do better with rest. Moderation doesn't always mean cutting back on the things you enjoy however, sometimes it can mean allowing yourself to have a little fun when you find yourself taking things too seriously.

 

I haven't done this in a while, so I'm pairing this recipe with Toe Stand. A pose that requires great balance. It's not often that a teacher calls this pose out in class, but it always takes me back to my Bikram days. Great for the fascia in your feat, and the steadiness of your mind.

Starting from a standing tree, or figure-four pose, bend your standing leg and rise up on the tips of your toes. You may need to balance on your fingers at first, but eventually your hands release the earth and you find balance.

"Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship."
-Buddha  

The Catalina Island Buddha Bowl

For yogis who attended the retreat and want to recreate this exactly, I've even provided the type of curry sauce that I used. Happy cooking.

Ingredients: 

• 1 Butternut squash, peeled & cubed
• 2 cups dry quinoa 
• 4 cups water
• 1 bunch tuscan or cavolo nero kale, chopped
• 1 can curry paste
• 2 cans of coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

step 1.
    Get your squash in the oven, as this will take the longest. Roast for about an hour with a little olive oil and salt @ 375 or until tender. 

step 2.
   Toast your quinoa over medium high heat in a large sautee pan until most of it has obtained a little golden color. This adds a nutty flavor and keeps the quinoa from getting mushy. Add the water and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat until the little spirals of the grain start to show. Test for consistency.

Maesri Brand Curry Paste

step 3.
   While your quinoa is simmering, begin your curry. Follow the directions for whichever curry paste you prefer. I like Maesri, and the direction say to warm it in a small pan and slowly stir in about 1/4 cup coconut milk at a time. I always use a little more coconut milk than the recipe calls for. With Maesri, I use 2 cans of coconut milk to 1 can of paste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

step 4.
   Drizzle some olive oil in a skillet and saute kale until it reaches a dark green color or a favorable consistency.

step 5.
   Build your bowl. Start with a few scoops of quinoa, toss in some kale and squash, and spoon over that tasty curry sauce. 

enjoy....

....in moderation.

 

Demystifying Meatlessness

Don't eat these.

When I became a vegetarian, naturally I became more concerned about protein. And now, when someone finds out I don't eat meat, the first question I'm usually asked is, "Where do you get your protein?" And I think people are expect to hear that I eat a lot of tofu, and soy chicken nuggets, and tempeh. But in fact, I don't eat any of that. And the reason for this is...

Because they all contain soy.

 

Soy isolate, to be exact, or some other form of deconstructed soy. I guarantee you that if you've bought a 'high-protein' cereal or shake from a grocery store, you can expect to see this kind of soy amongst the first ingredients listed. I'd be willing to bet that soy is listed on the back of your favorite snack food (not to mention MSG), even if it's not labeled on the front.

Soy is America's favorite protein, next to meat. Over 72 million acres of America's farmland are dedicated to the soybean, the same amount that's also given to corn. In addition, most of those farmers are harvesting Genetically Modified crops, which have been linked to CANCER!  Most real health-nuts will tell you to avoid soy completely. If you just can't break the habit, at least buy organic, or whole soy product, like soybeans, whenever possible.

Today, an alarming 60% of the food on America's supermarket shelves contains soy derivatives (i.e. soy flour, textured vegetable protein, partially hydrogenated soy bean oil, soy protein isolate).

Back to my story about becoming a vegetarian. I was worried about getting enough protein, especially since I'm pretty active. So I did what you would think, I ate tofu. And I ate a lot of tofu. I cooked whole bags of frozen edamame and ate them for dinner. I bought veggie burgers, and protein shakes,  high-protein cereal, soy milk, and high-proetin energy bars. The Thai restaurant on the corner knew me by name.

But my body was not havin' it. I was trying to lose weight, but no matter how much I exercised, I couldn't seem to shed any of it. I was bloated ALL the time, I mean 24/7. And I had started to see a dermatologist for a subtle type of acne that was occurring around my chin and cheeks. Finally, I went to a 'natural' healer, a  doctor trained in eastern medicine. She asked me a few routine questions about my sleeping and eating habits, and when I told her I was a vegetarian, I expected kudos. But she quickly gave me my first big lesson on soy. I learned that soy isoflavones interact with your estrogen receptors, and this was sending my hormones into a tizzy. Immediately, I cut soy out of my diet. I went out and bought all the foods and supplements she suggested, and within a months or two, all my symptoms and concerns were gone.

I urge you, my friends, whether you're reducing the meat in your diet, becoming vegetarian, or you simply enjoy protein shakes, please be aware of soy, and try to avoid it. READ YOUR LABELS.

Now this whole discussion may have dispirited you from your vegetarian ambitions. And to be honest, knowing what I know now, it IS harder to find a good quick meal somewhere that's high in protein and soy-free. I'm blessed that I live in LA, where good healthy food is easier to come by, and that I love to cook. Try not to be discouraged. One of the objectives of my blog is to show you that you can get everything you need out of good, whole produce, grains, and herbal supplements; and that eating vegetarian can be delicious.

Some high-protein foods that I enjoy: 

• eggs
• goat cheese
• organic greek yogurt
• raw almonds
• homemade almond milk
• quinoa
• brown rice
• lentils
• garbanzo beans/ chickpeas
• kale
• spinach

AND NOW FOR A RECIPE!

This recipe is high in protein, easy to make, and a great thing to cook on the weekend so that you're stocked for the whole week. It's one of my favorites, as adapted from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day.

Little Quinoa Cakes

 Ingredients: 

• 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled to room temperature
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup chopped chives
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup grated parmesean
• 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, finely chopped or put through a food processor
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated on a microplane
• 1 cup bread crumbs (whole grain or panko)
• olive oil for cooking surfaces
• water, if needed

Preset oven to 400 degrees.

Step 1.
 Cook your quinoa using box instructions. Usually, 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water (I add a splash of olive oil & a dash of salt). You can also substitute broth for the water for added flavor. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover until the water has all been absorbed. For faster cooling, spread out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

 Step 2.
  Beat eggs.  Combine with quinoa, garbanzo beans, and salt until well mixed. Stir in chives, onion, cheese, and garlic. Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes to absorb some of the moisture.

Suzanne came over just in time to get her hands dirty

Step 3.
   You should be able to form patties from this. If the mixture is dry, add water a 1/2 tbsp at a time. If the mixture is moist, add more bread crumbs or garbanzo beans. I like to err on the side of moist, because these can get dry in the baking process. Place cakes parchment lined baking sheet.

Step 4.
 Bake for 20 minutes, and flip, then bake for 5 minutes on the reverse side.  They should have risen slightly and be golden brown.

Mini Quinoa Cakes

It was Suzanne's idea to put the left over quinoa mix into a muffin pan. We sprinkled more Parmesan on the top and cooked them for 25 minutes on the bottom rack while the patties cooked on the top rack. I have to say, it was a genius idea. I'll be making quinoa muffins again. Also, a great grab-n-go food for the morning. Since these have plenty of eggs, their perfect for the AM.

Serving.
I ate mine with ketchup, but we both decided these are best served on a bed of arugula that's been slightly tossed in olive oil. Try the little cakes on a piece of toasted wheat bread with some lettuce and tomato, and maybe melt some cheese on top like an open-faced quinoa burger.  There also great just next to some steamed seasonal vegetables. These guys are so versatile, i'm sure you'll find your favorite way to eat 'em.

The Doctor, by the way, that got me off of soy, her practice is in La Jolla: http://www.lajollalymphatic.com/ 

enjoy!
 

Other popular questions for vegetarians*: 

• Do you eat fish? 
• So, is that like a moral choice for you, or is it just about the environment?
• Do you eat eggs?  Cheese? 
• Do you eat a lot of tofu?
• Do you ever miss eating meat?

*I do not recommend asking a vegetarian any of these questions.

Please, if you have questions about the information in this entry, leave me a comment and I'll be sure to respond.