Cleaning out the Fridge, Part 1

Our fridge has been filling up for the past few weeks between a bountiful harvest of tomatoes & peppers, not having time to cook as much as usual because work’s suddenly gotten really busy, and spending too much time at the farmer’s market and food co-op - so today I had to knuckle down and do something about it.

I have a “waste-not, want-not” philosophy, so pretty much nothing organic (as in “once alive”) ends up in the landfill.    When I had kids at home, everything we couldn’t use right away went into our huge chest freezer.  Every few months I’d clean it out & make “freezer soup” or “freezer stew” (my kids will remember this) - but now I no longer have the big freezer, so I have to get creative!

First, separate the "edible for humans" contents from the "probably not edible for humans."  I didn't throw out the "non-edibles," because they have their uses too, but you'll have to come back next week to find out about those!

Today's "edible" efrigerator contents yielded:  formerly fresh, but now wrinkly & soft sweet peppers, slightly dried-out carrots, yellowish celery, a couple garden tomatoes, 2 squashes that were getting soft, several slightly soft onions, an overripe avocado, half a loaf of bread (from the counter, not the fridge), a couple overripe peaches, 1 garlic bulb, 2 dried out lemons and a dried out grapefruit, 6 "old" apples, and part of a daikon radish.  Here's what I ended up with.

 

Roasted Pepper Soup

·        Roasted Pepper Soup:  Red, green & yellow sweet peppers, onions, garlic, and vegetable broth.  Slice and broil/roast the peppers till blackened/blistered (about 20 minutes on High). Peel, chop and add to vegetable broth, along with onion, garlic, salt & pepper.  Cook on low.   No veggie broth?  Make some with the rest of the past-their-prime veggies. 

·        Veggie Broth:  6 small potatoes (from the pantry), 3 carrots, 3 stalks of celery, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 small onions, 2 squash, and a handful of parsley from the garden – add water, salt & pepper.  Cook until soft – about an hour (while the peppers cool so you can peel them).  Remove the vegetable pieces.  

Veggie Broth

• Veggie Puree:  don’t throw out the leftover veggies from the broth!  My grandmother used to trick us kids into eating veggies by running them through the blender and adding them to soups, stews, pasta sauce, meatloaf, or gravy as a vitamin booster & flavor enhancer.  If you have too much to use today – freeze it.

• Guacamole:  Puree avocado, a tomato, an onion, 1-2 cloves of garlic, salt, pepper & a little lemon juice in the blender or food processor.

• Apple Jerky:  Slice & core apples, sprinkle with cinnamon & dry at low heat in the oven or in a food dehydrator for a couple hours.

•  Peach Syrup (also works with blueberries & other soft fruits):  Slice and cook with a little water & sugar until fruit breaks down & thickens.  Great over ice cream, pancakes or waffles.

• Dried Citrus Peel (for later) or Citrus Marmalade:  Dried peels can be chopped & dried to season breads, cookies, and cakes.  I could have also used the peel, fruit and juice to make citrus marmalade. For marmalade - bring chopped citrus peel, juice, and a little sugar to a boil, cook for a few minutes till thick & let cool.  I love this on homemade corn muffins.

• Dried Out Bread:  Sometimes I make turkey/poultry stuffing  (tear it up, add some herbs & freeze) OR bread crumbs (same as stuffing, but run it through the food processor).  Bread pudding is another good option.  Tear up stale bread, add eggs, milk, a little vanilla, cinnamon, a little sugar and dried fruit (raisins, currants, cranberries, apples), & bake in the oven for about an hour. 

And there you have it - refrigerator clean, and mission accomplished!

Next time I'll talk about what to do with the non-edible leftovers.

Early Autumn

"The Wheel Turns as the Wheel Wills." (Wheel of Time, by Robert Jordan).

I noticed the beginning of trees turning - just a few - last week. How the mornings are cooler, the sun is a little lower, and at night, the crickets are a little quieter. The hens are moulting, and the proud tomato plants, flowers and green plants in my garden are showing their age a bit, though still fruiting - a last burst before the dormant time of winter. The goldenrod flowers, in full bloom, practically glow in the lower sun. I hear the wind whisper, "Fall is coming" and I welcome it, for Fall is my favorite time of year.

This morning Rami and I walk our neighborhood - as we have many times before, and for many years. I notice how her steps have slowed even more since last Fall (she's almost 12 now; 84 in dog years) and I can't help but wonder how many more Autumns she'll see. Odgen Nash's poem, "On a Good Dog" comes to my mind, and I want to shed a small tear for all of us.

Yet, in spite of that, my thoughts are turned ahead to the future. I open myself to the breeze, the birds, the feel of the earth under my feet, to the sounds of crows cawing and the squirrels bustling about. The squirrels have more purpose now - less frolicking in the trees and chasing each other, and more searching for nuts and seeds. The squirrel and bird babies are grown, most of the fawns have lost their spots, and all the furred and feathered ones - along with the trees and plants - are preparing for what comes.

As the Great Wheel turns toward the Equinox, I feel the blood of the Ancients rising in me once again. My daughter and I have always called Autumn our "Witch Time" because now, more than any other time of year, the ancestors call, we feel the change of the seasons in our own blood, the tree sap, and the water that flows beneath the land. We become more aware of the ebb and flow of Nature and the elemental forces that surround and encompass us.

As the days grow shorter, yet still summer-like, my thoughts turn from beaches, salads and white wine, bright sun, heat, and green growth to pumpkin muffins, cool walks in the woods, bright golds and seasonal beer. I look forward to warm clothes, crisp afternoons, and the promise of a soon-to-be-glowing fireplace.

Happy Autumn!

Age is Just a Number

Mom, May 2014

A couple years ago my now-77 year old Mom said to me,  "Sometimes I look in the mirror and I don't recognize that old lady I see there.  That's not me!  Inside I'm young and feel like I can do anything!  What happened?"

Youthful Me, September 1980

I know the feeling, Mom.  

Today was one of those days.  Hitting menopause didn't bother me, and I didn't expect it to because I like who I am now, and have never identified myself by my looks or fertility anyway.  It just wasn't all that important to me.  Getting older is just part of life, but there has been one little side effect I'm not fond of. . . weight gain.

Yup, close to 15 lbs. in the past year, even though I've been eating healthy, whole, real foods, drinking plenty of water, walking most days and working in the garden!  What gives? 

I've always been pretty active - not "athletic" - but walking/hiking, swimming, dancing, running, and keeping moving for most of my life.  A few years ago I even trained to do a short triathlon.  (Disclaimer:  I actually didn't DO one; that wasn't the goal - the goal was getting into the kind of shape that I COULD do one).  But, that's me - I've always been more about setting goals for "personal bests," than competing with other people.   

Mom & Me, May 2014

A few weeks ago I decided to lose this extra 15 lbs. & get back into shape, so started running with my husband a few days a week.  Then I joined a deep water aerobics class at the "Y."  Since that went well (even though I haven't yet lost any weight) today I decided I was ready to run 1.5 miles AND see how far I could swim afterwards.  Answer:  10 lengths.  Not quite "triathlon" distance anymore!

Dad, Mom & a path to the sea, May 2014

So, after I woke up from my post-adventure 2-hour nap. . .I decided it was high time to fulfill a childhood dream of diving in the "deep water" (o.k., so "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau" was one of my favorite shows as a kid - yup, I was a weird kid :-) and getting my dive (as in SCUBA) certification before my next birthday.  I have always loved the sea & since I was a "Navy Brat," got to spend many happy years in it, on it, or near it.  Snorkeling is fun, but I'm ready to find out how it compares to my Dream of the Deep!

And off I go!

Karen

Vegumacation!

Let's talk vegetarian diets.  

Plant-based foods are the major source of nutrition for people in many parts of the world because plants are easy to obtain pretty much everywhere that is not covered in snow and ice all year and are simple to grow - all you need are seeds, dirt, a little space, and water!  How much easier could it be?  

But, if you've ever looked into trying vegetarianism, you've probably noticed that "vegetarian" covers a broad range of food choices, some of which aren't vegetables.  Not so easy - and confusing, (particularly if you are having dinner guests, some of whom happen to be vegetarian) because "GRAVMV" diets  (that's "Generally-Referred-to-As-Vegetarian-or-Mostly-Vegetarian" - yes, I made that up) can include vegetarian, vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, vegetarian raw foods, lacto-vegetarian, fruitarian and pescatarian, flexitarian, and chickentarian (I did NOT make that up!), as well as “detox” diets like juice fasting! 

In any case, you've likely surmised that vegetarian diets (generally) exclude meat; and that the definition of “meat-ness” runs the gamut from from "no meat, no animals, no cooked foods, no way, never" to "it's o.k. to eat whatever you want some of the time." So today I'm going to try to clear that up.

According to the ADA, people who eat a mostly vegetable-based diet are at lower risk for developing heart disease, some kinds of cancers, diabetes, obesity and hypertension.   Vegetable foods are rich in macronutrients, and easier on the environment (far less energy required to grow plants than animals), and as long as you get the right balance of foods and nutrients, you can live a long, healthy life on a purely (or mostly) vegetarian diet.  For some, purely vegetarian is the "only way to eat;" but not everyone likes, or thrives on a purely vegetarian diet (that bio-individuality thing again).  Regardless, incorporating more plant foods into your diet is a GOOD thing to do for your health AND the environment.  

Here are some of the most common "GRAVMV" options:

 

Raw Food Vegan:  Unprocessed (preferably organic) and uncooked plant foods only.  You can eat fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and sprouts, but no meat or animal products, or anything that is cooked above 115 degrees.   

The theory is that “living foods” have the best nutrients and energy of all, and that cooking or in any other way “processing” them reduces their healthfulness. 

Juice fasting is a sub-category of raw food vegan. You guessed it.  You can only DRINK the foods listed above.  If the end-product requires chewing, it doesn’t count!    Just keep in mind that if you are DRINKING all of your food, you are not getting any fiber, which is another consideration entirely.

Vegan:  No animal-based foods of any kind – but you CAN cook what you’re eating.   Vegan usually also refers to a lifestyle that avoids using any animal products at all (e.g., no leather, wool, or anything that was tested on or is made of animals, either).

Lacto-vegetarian:  In addition to fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes, you can have dairy products like yogurt, cheese, milk, etc.

Lacto-ovo vegetarian:  Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, dairy and eggs.  Some people just call this “plain old vegetarian” or “standard vegetarian” – basically, you can eat anything that doesn’t include animal (or fish or chicken) flesh.

Now for a few "not-quite-vegetarian-but-still-mostly-vegetarian" types:

Pescatarian:  You can eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, and shellfish.  No land animals.

Chickentarian (aka Pollotarian):  Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, poultry (chicken, turkey, eggs, etc.), are allowed, but no red meat. 

Flexitarian:  Mostly plant-based, but you can eat eggs, dairy, meat, poultry, fish, etc. occasionally, and still have the benefits of vegetarianism. How much you "flex" is up to you, and many people find that going "meatless" once or twice a week is enjoyable, gives you a chance try new foods, and has health benefits.    My personal preference is meatless several days a week, but I also enjoy chicken, fish, and meat on occasion.

In upcoming weeks I'll share some of my favorite veggie or mostly veggie recipes and invite you to do the same!  

Until next time!

Karen

Vegan or Atkins or Zone, Oh My!

The diet industry is big business, and there are so many diet books, supplements, products, plans, and ideas out there that it’s impossible to keep up!  Worse, many of them directly contradict each other.  For example, should you eat mostly meat or mostly vegetables?  Is fat good or bad?  What about carbs?  Do calories count or not?  Are some foods better than others? Should you cook foods or eat them raw?  Should you juice, microwave, grill, bake, or broil?   

What about spices?  Should you detox?  Avoid processed foods?  Avoid grains or gluten?

Of course, every “expert” wants you to believe that their diet is the ultimate, best, healthiest, newest, and greatest, and that “all those other diet books and plans are wrong.”   And maybe that's true - the others MAY be wrong.  But they also may be right – for someone!  We are a diverse species that thrives on many different diets, on every continent in the world.  We’re so adaptable that we can eat pretty much anything edible and survive.  What works best for each person depends on their genes, ancestry, blood type, metabolism, environment, lifestyle, preferences, time and energy to spend on their diet and lifestyle and their habits. So, what works for you may not work for your partner, parent, child, or great-Aunt Bernice; because each of us is different.  In “health coach world,” we call this “bio-individuality.”  Here’s a link that explains it pretty well  http://holistichealthlibrary.com/bio-individuality-what-works-for-you/.

“That’s crazy talk!” you say; “Surely, science can come up with at least ONE diet that’s best for everyone!  We’ve got the USDA, RDA, diet clinics, hospitals, food industry, pharmaceutical industry, weight loss centers, and a plethora of diet “experts” to tell us what’s right – and give us the one diet that will keep us at a healthy weight, let us live long, healthy and productive lives, and solve all of our problems!  (Or maybe we should give up on all that annoying and contradictory advice, and just take a pill. . .)

Alas, the answer is no – but that doesn’t stop our huge “diet industry machine” from churning out book after book (or product, pill, potion, remedy, or supplement) that provides the “definitive answer” about what’s best for everyone!  That industry is successful because a lot of us are overweight or want to improve their health.  The so-called “experts” know how to capitalize on that. And they do.  Big-time.  But the truth is that it doesn’t matter what they write, say, claim or sell (as long as it isn’t actually HARMFUL), because every diet works for someone, some of the time. So, as long as the diet book authors keep telling us that, the diet book publishers keep publishing new books, the diet supplement makers keep making new supplements, and diet plan designers keep coming up with new things, everyone’s happy. . .well, except the poor confused public that is trying to figure out how to lose weight and stay healthy!

Why does it have to be so complicated?  Because, once again, there are no “right” answers or perfect solutions for everyone.  The truth is that no one really knows what’s best; that’s something each unique individual has to work out for themselves.  Sorry to burst your bubble, but that’s the truth.  A health coach doesn’t promise that every diet you try will work, but he or she CAN help you weed through the diets, find something that works for you, and support you in making the lifestyle and behavioral changes you will need for success.

Next time I’ll write about the different kinds of diets.  See you then!

Karen