Another healthy lunch

Spring pea hummus on whole grain bread topped with salad greens and vegetables.

Cookbooks, Cookbooks, and More Cookbooks

I had to buy another bookcase last week for my cookbook collection. I have been collecting cookbooks for the past thirty years, and I had run out of space for them. I was squirreling the books away in closets and boxes and was not able to read them. I just love to browse through my favorite cookbooks—I don’t necessarily make any of the recipes—but I read them as I would a novel. I love the unrealistic photographs of perfectly executed food. I enjoy reading how spices are combined to make the consummate Moroccan stew or how zucchini and eggplant match up together into a wonderful casserole. I find the whole experience meditative and relaxing.

I sometimes get stuck in a rut when I cook. I discover a combination of ingredients that I love and make it over and over. Now that I am spending more of my time cooking and I no longer buy prepared or processed foods, I have challenged myself to be innovative and it is my goal to develop a repertoire of delicious menus. I want to be a creative cook, and most importantly I want my food to be delicious, appealing, and tantalizing. I have found that cooking is so much more than following a recipe and adding specific ingredients to a pot. It nourishes me in so many ways. The act of cooking and eating is a way that I heal myself physically, mentally and spiritually.

I grew up in a traditional 1950’s family where my mother did most of the cooking. I don’t think she owned a cookbook but cooked by instinct and intuition. Once in a while I would spot my father at the stove cooking an Italian tomato sauce or a Chinese chop suey, which was very confusing since we were Jewish. But it taught me to look beyond my own heritage and traditions. We never ate in restaurants and I was in college when I had my first taste of pizza. Home cooking was always preferred and considered healthier. I loved my family’s cooking. I fondly remember my grandmother’s stuffed cabbage and her beet and cabbage borsht, recipes she learned as a young girl in Russia. I can still smell the aromas of her challah, apple cake or chocolate babka.

Not all of my cookbooks are vegan, vegetarian or macrobiotic, although I have lots of those. Even though I have over 200 cookbooks, the passion to continue searching and buying them persists. I especially love second-hand bookstores with the books stacked high and searching for a cookbook that might have been owned by a homemaker of the early 20th century. I wonder what her life was like, how different and difficult it might have been to prepare meals for her family.

The thrill of reading cookbooks for me revolves around taking a traditional recipe and playing with it until it becomes a healthy meal. Since I no longer eat meat and dairy, many of the recipes that I used to cook from are no longer suitable. It’s interesting to play with and transform a recipe depending on what foods are available seasonally. Many traditional cookbooks that do not have a vegan focus have lots of recipes that do not use dairy or meat. I have found that ethnic cookbooks are especially useful when looking for a non-meat dish. The vegetable cutlet recipe, found in many Jewish cookbooks, had been around long before the veggie burger was marketed by Boca Burger. Middle Eastern cookbooks have a plethora of bean, legume and rice recipes. Pasta and risotto are the bases of many Italian meals. Most cookbooks have vegetable dishes, and some of my favorite dishes emanate from collections from many different chefs and cooks. The braised lentils, carrots with lemon zest and thyme, and braised artichokes with lemon, fennel and olives are just a few of the dishes that I’ve recently enjoyed cooking and eating.

Even with all of the cookbooks that I have, I have recently ventured into the realm of cooking without recipes. I have acquired a lot of information and skills from just cooking. Not all of my meals turn out perfect. I have tossed away some that were just not edible. But, as I continue to cook and gain confidence in my skills and abilities as a cook, the food becomes tastier. I am learning that cooking food is much more than something I do three times a day.

Enter your kitchen with a sense of awe and curiosity. Be adventuresome and create a meal for the family that you love and cherish. Experience it as a gift rather than a chore. Your food tastes better when it is made with body, soul and love.

Polenta With Mushroom Ragout

Polenta, otherwise known as cornmeal or semolina is a great alternative to rice and potatoes.  I like it so much that I often eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It can be eaten as a savory or sweet dish.  Top it with maple syrup and toasted pecans or with a variety of vegetables, a tomato sauce or a mushroom ragout as I made today.  It can be eaten soft right out of the pot or refrigerated and then cut into rounds and baked or pan fried.  Polenta is an excellent source of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin B6. To make polenta, simply follow the directions on the package. Today, I pan seared the polenta after it had been refrigerated overnight. The mushroom ragout is made with shitake mushrooms for an extra health benefit. I added some cherry tomatoes and sage. To complete the entree I served the dish on top of a bed of blanched kale.

The mushroom ragout is simmering on the stove.

Living In A World Of Carnivores

When I first started practicing a macrobiotic lifestyle, I was on my own. No one in my immediate circle of family and friends had ever heard of macrobiotics, let alone what it meant. And although everyone in my life supported what I was doing, especially because it was for health reasons, no one was ready to dive in and take the plunge with me. It took me some time to figure out the intricacies of this new diet and lifestyle, particularly the cooking side of things. It was, in the beginning, very challenging. Eating miso soup for breakfast, sea vegetables and tofu, not to mention all the grains, was new to me. And I had to figure out how to cook these new foods and make them a part of my life.

It can be challenging to follow a macrobiotic diet in our culture, considering food is such an integral part of our lives. We no longer just eat to stave off hunger and to survive. We eat and use food for many reasons. Eating is ritualistic, and it can give us a sense of belonging. We socialize at dinner with another couple, have Sunday brunch at a friend’s home, lunch with a colleague, and even sip a cappuccino after a workout at the gym. Food, and not necessarily good food, is everywhere. We get no relief from the constant hocking of food. I can’t watch the six o’clock news without being brainwashed about some new food item. The golden arches signal to me as I drive to the dry cleaners. An innocent shopping trip through the mall is interrupted by the offering of samples of teriyaki beef or the gooiest cinnamon buns. Even my weekly visit to the food market turns out to be a danger zone with trays of cheese and brownie samples beckoning. Is it always going to be a contest of willpower to avoid such temptations? Even my own kitchen is hazardous with yogurt, parmesan cheese, and meat in the refrigerator.

As adults we need to respect each other’s decisions about how and what we choose to eat. I have made a decision to eliminate animal protein from my diet and to add certain foods like sea vegetables, daikon, and lotus root, which are foreign to most Americans. I know that the way I eat is healthy and safe. I know that I have to eat this way for my health. Since I do not accept any criticism regarding my food choices, I also need to respect the food choices and decisions that people around me make. We all have personal preferences about food and it is difficult to give up foods that have been a part of one’s life since childhood.

Early on in my macrobiotic practice it became difficult for me to even touch beef or poultry, so I asked my husband to give macrobiotic food a try. He was very supportive and immediately said yes. I think that he hoped to lose some weight while eating this way. I was thrilled that he was going to be eating the same foods as I was. At some point over the course of a year, my husband decided that this wasn’t working for him. Perhaps it was the frustration of not losing weight or the difficulty of finding appropriate food choices away from home. So, what does it mean to live with someone who eats a diet different from yours? How do we continue to socialize with our friends without comprising our beliefs and needs?

First of all, I realize that it’s impossible to be perfect. I like to say that when I “fall off the wagon” that I need to get back on as soon as possible to the “straight and narrow.” There are, however, certain behaviors that I have developed that make it easier for me to resist “forbidden” foods. I have found that eating fresh, organic food that is seasonally available works well for me. Miso soup, vegetables and brown rice for breakfast often get me started in a balanced manner. Lunch can often be more forgiving. If I eat out at noon, then dinner is back on track with grains, lots of veggies, and beans. None of this food has to be boring. After all, variety is the spice of life. I often find myself commenting on how delicious macrobiotic food is when it is prepared in a loving and creative manner.

I know what my body needs so that it can work optimally for me. Why do I not listen 100% of the time? It is because I begin to listen to other people in my life. I attend a local cooking class where the instructor says that eating miso soup for breakfast is “old fashioned,” I see an herbalist who advocates for animal protein in my diet. I give in and then realize that it’s not good for me.

There is always something to learn about our mistakes. Falling away from my food plan starts small with the elimination of miso soup for breakfast. That creates an imbalance in me, which then produces cravings to which I then submit. I know what works for me and it feels great to succeed at something that makes my life so much better

Asian Noodle Broth

I've been experimenting with making noodle soup for days. I think that I've finally come up with a delicious recipe. First I made a Japanese dashi then I added vegetables. I found that I liked seasoning it with shoyu, mirin, and toasted sesame oil.

Shitake mushrooms have been used by Chinese medicine for over 6000 years. They are a good source of iron and help to protect us against cardiovascular diseases.
To clean any mushroom use a damp clean and brush off any dirt. They are very porous and can absorb too much water.
Kombu is a type of seaweed that is found in the Asian food aisle of Whole Foods. Kombu is high in protein, calcium, iodine, magnesium, iron and folate. I usually wipe the kombu with a damp cloth before using.
Recipe Ingredients

1 package udon noodles
2 small pieces of kombu
1/2 red onion, sliced in half moons
4 shitake mushrooms, sliced
4-6 sliced pea pods
4 cups water
3 TB shoyu or soy sauce
2 TB finely sliced green onions
1/4 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 TBS mirin

Prepare the noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain when done and rinse with cold water.
To make the broth put the kombu into the water and let it soak for 10 minutes. Remove the kombu and bring the water to a boil. Add the sliced onions and mushrooms to the water. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for another 5 minutes.
Before serving add the noodles.

Happy, healthy eating!

Warming Stew

I'm back in the Northeast and I'm cold. So, I made a wild mushroom and barley stew for dinner. In addition to the barley I added wild and red rice, dried porcini mushrooms, carrots, onion and spices and a can of cannellini beans.

The cannellini beans are low fat and filled with fiber. They have twice as much iron as beef! Studies show that they can reduce cholesterol and provide a boost of energy. They are known as an Italian white bean and I often substitute cannellini beans for most white beans.

A Healthy Vegan Lunch

I decided that I was going to eat a healthy lunch and ordered a brown rice veggie burger with a chopped salad. Delicious!

Food and Too Much of It

I was really angry at myself last week for enjoying the aromas of the food court at the mall and fascinated by the way I responded to those smells. Is there a physiological or psychological trigger in those smells that ignited my olfactory and gustatory senses? Will I always be affected or influenced by those smells…especially freshly brewed coffee, whose smell I enjoy more than its taste? Or, will years of not eating those foods eventually make me immune to their allure? I began to wonder why we eat, not just why we eat fried or greasy foods, but why we eat and when and how we begin to develop our eating patterns.

Hunger for infants is a strong biological urge. A baby’s cry is a demand to be fed immediately. Infants know when they are hungry and what they need to eat. But as soon as babies are able to eat solid foods, their eating habits and behaviors become conditioned by their caregivers. Our caregivers decide what kinds of foods to feed us, and whether we will receive a healthy portion of broccoli or a hotdog that has been filled with chemicals. Children’s good behavior is rewarded with sugary sweets, ice cream and candy. We become conditioned to eating in certain ways and under a variety of circumstances. As a child I was told to “clean my plate.” After all, there were children starving in Africa who weren’t as fortunate as I was. We learned to eat to please other people. I usually eat three times a day. Is that a result of conditioning? I usually know when I am hungry; I sense a physical cue, whether it’s a growl or a pang in my stomach, and all I need to do is to find something that I find suitable to eat.

However, we eat for many reasons other than hunger. We eat socially, because that is what is expected of us in that situation. We eat when the opportunity presents itself, whether it is because we are passing through a food court or passing by a bakery, watching a movie or sitting at a ball game. We eat because the clock tells us that it is time to eat. We eat because it’s there. We eat to comfort ourselves. Sometimes we eat automatically. We see a trigger food and, before we are aware, we have eaten it. We eat as soon as we come home from work. We eat at the computer or in front of the television. We eat until all the food on our plate is gone. Our bodies know when, what and how much to eat to maintain functioning, but we have been conditioned to eat in response to certain stimuli. We forget to listen to what our body is telling us.

As adults we continue to overeat because we have been taught to clean our plates. Restaurants pile on the food, and the average portion size has quadrupled in the last 20 years. And yet, we live at a time when our society is obsessed with weight, body size and shape. We celebrate the July 4th holiday, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas where food dominates. As a culture we are confused about the role that food should play in our lives. We use food for more than just satisfying our hunger. We eat when we are tired, anxious, sad, happy, or bored. We eat to celebrate and to mourn.

We are fortunate as a nation to have more food than we can eat. It is true that many people all over the world are starving. In the past there were always periods of feast and famine, and as a species we learned to eat when food was plentiful. That no longer serves us, but we continue to eat more food than we need, and in the United States we no longer worry about famines. The body is designed to survive. Eating lots of food today to prepare for scarcity tomorrow made sense as a survival mode for our ancestors, but it it make no sense today.

Eating need not be reflexive or simply the product of learned habits. We can change those habits. In the 1960s, we announced that “we are what we eat.” That is as true today as it was then. The question is what we choose to be and how that is reflected in the food we consume.

Eggplant Caponata

Eggplant caponata could be considered the Italian version of ratatouille. The major difference is that the French version is made with both eggplant and zucchini. The Italian version omits the zucchini. I eat caponata either cold or at room temperature and like to prepare it a day ahead so that the flavors can meld together.

Eggplant has a deep purple glossy color, although you can now find white or striped eggplant at the farmer's market. It is a member of the nightshade family of vegetables, which are usually not consumed on a macrotiotic diet. Other nightshade vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, and sweet peppers. I like to think that if you are basically a healthy person there is no vegetable that does not provide some nutritional benefit. Individuals who suffer from arthritis usually steer clear of nightshades.

Eggplants have loads of vitamins and minerals including many phytonutrients. One interesting study has been done on laboratory animals who had high cholesterol. When these animals were fed eggplant juice, their cholesterol levels were lowered.

Buy eggplants that are firm and colorful. Do not cut them before you are ready to cook.

Caponata

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
2 TBS olive oil
1 red onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 large tomato, diced
3 TBS caper, drained
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and cut in half
2 TBS agave syrup or other sweetener of your choice
3 TBS red wine vinegar


1. Roast the eggplant in a 400 degree oven for approximately 1 hour or until soft. Let cool. Then peel and remove the meat of the eggplant and chop.

2. Heat the oil in the pan and saute the onion and celery. If you wish, you can add 1 clove of minced garlic after the onion softens.

3. Add pepper and eggplant and cook for another five minutes. If the pan gets dry, add another tablespoon of oil or some water.

4. Season the mixture with some salt and add the tomato. Cook for another 10 minutes.

5. Add the capers, olives, sweetener and vinegar. Cook an additional 10 minutes and taste for seasoning. If needed, add salt.

6. Cook for 30 more minutes on a very low flame. Keep an eye on the mixture so that it doesn't stick to the pan and stir it as necessary.

7. Cool and eat the next day at room temperature. Eat as a side dish or on toasted Italian bread slices as an appetizer.

Happy, healthy eating!

Memories of my Grandmother

I have many happy childhood memories around food. There’s my father’s spaghetti sauce and chop suey and my mother’s cold pickled salmon and meatball soup. But I will always have the fondest memories of the food my Jewish grandmother made. My bubbie (Yiddish for “grandmother”) emigrated from Eastern Europe at the end of the 19th century. She brought with her recipes of the foods of her culture and heritage. Every Friday evening, climbing the stairs to her apartment, I would be welcomed with the aromas of noodle kugel, chicken soup and apple babka. Upon entering her kitchen I was immediately embraced with the smells of brisket and potato knishes. And, of course, every good Jewish cook would have a pot of rendered chicken fat sitting on the stove.

Although I have not eaten those traditional ethnic foods for many decades, those first impressions of my bubbie cooking in the kitchen have been imprinted on my soul. I learned that cooking for one’s family is a loving and pleasurable experience and that the kitchen is the heart of the family home. I learned that cooking can be a magical experience where ingredients are transformed into something completely different and delectable. I learned that meals can be a joyful time when we not only feed our stomach but also our spirit. I learned that cooking is so much more than following a recipe—although following a recipe is a good way to get started. I learned that our personality comes through in the food that we cook and that when we apply all of our senses to cooking the results can be amazing. I learned that cooking is an enjoyable and creative experience that does not have to be difficult.

Even though I do not cook like my bubbie, I try to draw upon my Jewish roots. The traditional foods that she made represent my heritage and culture—something I do not want to lose. All cultures are, in one way or another, connected to nature. So, even though my grandmother cooked foods that I no longer find beneficial to my health, she cooked them in harmony with what was available to her at a particular season. And, that is what I try to do as I am creating new traditions for my children and future grandchildren. At the core of my cooking are fresh seasonal ingredients and I love to explore what each season’s harvest has in store for me. I eagerly anticipate the arrival of apples and pomegranates in the fall and love to recreate a healthier version of my grandmother’s apple cake.

We all have unique nutritional needs. The foods that our grandmothers cooked are not always the best choices for our health or lifestyle. When preparing a meal, I try to decide what flavors and textures of food I would like to eat. I can take a cultural preference, like a bowl of chicken soup with matzo balls, and figure out how to recreate the feelings that that food gave me. A desire for a bowl of hot chicken soup, which is very comforting and soothing, can be replaced by a bowl of millet sweet vegetable soup, which has the same effect on me. I choose to cook with a variety of foods that energize me, stimulate my mind, and are enriching to my soul--All the components that my grandmother used when cooking her food.

Cooking can become a very natural thing where every day is an opportunity to explore new ideas in the kitchen. I keep with me the memories of my grandmother and her cooking even as I try new things to make mealtime interesting and experiment with different foods, herbs and spices. Cooking was then and is now still an act of love.

Winter Eating Ain't What it Used to be

I’ve think I’ve become a food snob. I know that seasonal eating is the preferable way to eat, but now that I’m living in Florida I only eat the freshest, organic produce. I snub my nose at those plastic wrapped packages of organic carrots and broccoli from California that line the supermarket shelves. Those packages travelled too far to suit my tastes. I look for those bins of loose tomatoes that have just been picked and the piles of fresh organically grown corn. Imagine fresh corn in January--this must be paradise.
Moving away from the cold and snowy climate of the northeast has allowed me to finally eat (during the harshest winter months) in a sustainable way. I relish the fact that my food dollar goes directly to the farmer and eating the freshest produce is really healthy for everyone I cook for. It’s been an adventure these past several weeks figuring out what is in season during Florida’s winter months. The strawberries and cantaloupes have been the sweetest and least expensive of any fruits I have bought in my life. The collard greens and broccoli even look a bit different and taste better.

Even though Florida has a year-round growing season, eating seasonally even affects those of us who live in warmer climates because not all produce is available all year. It is just as important to keep an eye out for those fruits and vegetables that are locally grown.

I always make the effort to cook and eat local foods that are organically grown. What I eat on a macrobiotic diet varies depending on what foods are indigenous to where I happen to be living. I need to be aware of the local climate so that the foods I eat will help both my mind and body feel balanced. Last year, during the harsh winter months in Boston I prepared foods that required long cooking times and were warming to my body, such as soups, stews, and root vegetables. Today, even though it is winter, I am eating and cooking meals that reflect the summertime.

When I moved south, I looked at the produce that was displayed at the farmer’s stands. The locally grown foods tell me what mother earth is now producing. Even in winter, the weather here is warm so the food does not need to be. The bins of locally grown foods are stuffed with cooling veggies like cucumbers, lettuces and watery melons. Instead of cooking a hearty barley mushroom soup, I am preparing pressed salads and grains that have been made into cooling dishes.

There is more to discover, of course, about the Florida climate and understanding how food affects my body. There certainly will be some edibles available that I have never encountered before, and some recipes to invent. But, no matter where I am, whether I am on vacation in Europe, at home in Massachusetts, or spending a few months in Florida, I try to stay true to my commitment to a healthy way of living and eating. I have found that eating regionally works for me. Whether it’s a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or a platter of pasta primavera for dinner, I have promised myself that I will always eat foods that are the best for my health.

DAL

Dal is the generic name for all beans, dried peas, and legumes in India. The following dal soup is made with small reddish lentils that become a thick, creamy and smooth soup after cooking. Top it with some fresh chopped cilantro and voila! -- a delicious beginning to any meal.

Red Dal Soup
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 2 small red onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBS fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
• sea salt to taste
• 5 cups water
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onions. Cook for about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, pepper, and cinnamon. Cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the lentils. Add the water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve. Happy, healthy eating!

January, 2012. Another New Year’s day has come and gone. Once again it’s hard not to make several resolutions especially around weight lost. Making resolutions might work for a day or two and they might even work for a few weeks, but eventually we revert back to our old behaviors. Every year I love to make several New Year resolutions. For a moment it gives me a feeling of power and control over my future actions. I also know that my commitment to those resolutions have no staying power. Within a few weeks or even a few days I am back to habits that have been part of my life for decades. This year, however, I really would like to figure out how to behave differently, so I’ve decided to make changes very slowly.

We all want to feel and look our best, and most of us know that by changing our diets that is something that can be accomplished. Here is my plan for making weight loss a successful endeavor in 2012:

1. Become your own expert on how you might lose weight. Read blogs that focus on healthy eating. Listen to podcasts on making healthy food choices while you go on a walk. Search the web for information on losing weight.

2. Don’t change your diet all at once. Commit to eating one healthy meal each day. Eat a whole grain cereal for breakfast rather than a sugary cereal. Eat a large salad instead of a sandwich with chips for lunch. Finish it off with a beautiful, delicious apple.

3. Eliminate processed foods. If the label on a food has items that are hard to pronounce then you probably shouldn’t be eating it. Get rid of refined sugars from your diet.

4. Add lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables to your plate of food.

5. Eat when you are hungry. Do not eat when you are not hungry.

Make these changes very slowly. If you are overweight you probably didn’t add the weight in a day so don’t expect to lose it quickly. Set small goals for yourself. Don’t forget to feel good about your successes. It is not easy work, but it is worth the effort.