Eat your seaweed little fish

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about salt and why making a switch to Himalayan Sea Salt or Celtic Rock Salt is a better option.  The one thing you lose from avoiding the processed table salt is the iodine that they add to table salt and is very difficult to find in any other food.  

Seaweed will come to your rescue. Iodine is important for hormone regulation and thyroid function and seaweed is loaded with it.  It also purifies blood, is super high in calcium and antioxidants which is a great addition to an anti inflammatory diet, it's a good post sickness pick me up and aids in digestion and a healthy gut as well as some cancer fighting agents.  AKA Hallelujah for PMS control, avoiding breast cancer, a hangover cure and healthy digestion.  

Sources: American Cancer Society // American Thyroid Association // NCBI // The Guardian

So Salty

As you may know salt is considered a bad element in diets, and low sodium foods are a big hit as encouraged by the American Heart Association. There is however, a big difference between processed table salt and natural rock salts like pink himalayan sea salt, kosher salt or celtic salt. Table salt is processed at an extremely high heat which alters its natural chemical makeup, and then other chemicals are added like MSG and anti caking additives. Note that just because you aren't adding table salt to your food, if you are eating a lot of processed food it's probably loaded with processed salts to preserve. This table salt is what puts people at risk for heart health and high blood pressure, so maybe a low sodium diet isn't the answer to our problems (side note: packaged low sodium foods often replace the salt with other chemical additives like MSG to get the desired flavor). 

Real salt on the other hand has trace minerals, magnesium and enzymes that help you absorb the nutrients from food, balances pH levels, aids in hormonal balancing, blood pressure, heart health and more. Real salt is very important element of our diets for the body to function well.  The sodium and mineral balance from salt is actually an asset for the body to function optimally. So if you eat a fairly clean diet, sprinkling some good salt on top is A-ok.

Sources: Authority Nutrition // Wellness Mama // NY Times // Dr. Axe // About Education // Journal of Sensory Studies

Citrus Watermelon Cooler

Summer is here and the sun is out.  June Gloom has finally decided to move along and what better way way to celebrate than with a cold summer cocktail.  

2 ounces Rum or Vodka

1 ounce Coconut Le Croix

1/2 cup Watermelon cubed

1/2 of an english cucumber peeled and cubed

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp. agave

In a shaker muddle the watermelon, agave and cucumber. 

Add the alcohol, Le Croix and lime juice and fill with ice. 

Strain and Garnish with a Watermelon Slice. 

Apple mint and Sourdough Bread

I started the day with a woman called Claire who works here at the farm.  She has her degree in Sustainable Farming and did interesting things like moving to Ecuador for two months to study their farming.  In Ecuador they eat sustainable whole foods that aren’t processed, preserved or sprayed with pesticides, just because that’s the way food is made.  They don’t have access to chemicals so the food doesn’t have chemicals.  It’s not yuppy, it’s their only option. We spent the day transplanting orange mint and arugula so they would grow bigger.  We seeded peas and told stories and asked questions and learned from each other.  I ate the mint while I worked.  I dug my hands into dirt without thinking twice…then I saw a black widow and put on gloves cause really, I’m from Orange County and I’m not that tough.

At lunch Bill invited me over for bread making. He is everything you want a farmer to be.  He is knowledgeable about his trade and works tirelessly to create a sustainable way for farming.  He went to a conference a few months back to meet with some Berkley students who are researching how it is they can get young people back on farms making a living, avoiding the dreaded industrialized farmer takeover.  He cares enough to fight for a different way to work the land.  He invited me into his home and taught me how to make sourdough bread, then cut me a slice toasted with homemade mayo, Dijon, spinach and avocado.  He brought me a book list for readings I might find interesting and loaned me one about urban farming.  He brought me over some fresh eggs the perfect shade of grey/blue with bright orangie yolks and I fried them with some thyme I grabbed from one of the greenhouses. He’s generous, kind, interesting and I wish I could be their surrogate granddaughter.

I’ve realized in my time here that with open space and silence I’m affected really deeply.  I would do things like watch the wind move the grass, or the clouds change shape.  I would listen to the pattern of a birds songs or the crunch noise from the sheep pulling up grass. I contemplated nature and earth as this big strong living being all connected like one body with different parts - everything has its little job and together it’s exquisite.  I stared at an apple blossom because it looks like a tiny peony. I rode a bike with no destination and I climbed a steep mountain that didn’t have a trail. I sat in Bill & Barbara’s kitchen while they told me stories about farming and their life together.  I held a book and never read it.  I didn’t need input.  Just to look at the purples and golds of the hills was enough.  I felt like all these layers fell off when I got alone.  I don’t ever want to be lonely and am so grateful for friends and family, but sometimes the busyness keeps me from awareness.  Maybe it’s because I’m an introvert but I felt that when I got alone, as hard as it was, I felt more.  I thought more.  I cried over nothing, and I prayed more because God felt like he was everywhere.  So, either I’ve gone a little crazy, or this has all been really life giving. It feels fresh, like eating a kale salad or the way I feel right after a good run. 

I love you Honey Bear

Honey is a really great substitute for sugar and has a lot of excellent health benefits if - IF you buy it raw, organic & local.  It’s actually really important that you buy good honey because most store bought honey has little to no pollen, propolis, enzymes or nutrients in it.  Basic store bought honey has been so finely filtered in order to keep it from crystalizing thus removing almost all of the pollen (side note, you can de-crystalize your honey by warming it up in the sun). The mass produced honey has been changed so dramatically from it's original form that the FDA has questioned whether or not it can still claim the name honey.  

Pollen is also the only element that helps us trace where the product is coming from. Tracing is helpful because a lot of the honey is coming from China with potential contaminants and honey from bees treated with antibiotics, which we do not need more of in our diets.  Farmers markets are a great place to get the real deal honey bear.

Local honey is also a great thing to buy when you travel if you have allergies.  Once you arrive in a new place try to quickly get a hold of a spoon full of local honey because it will expose and adjust your body to the local pollens and help you acclimate more quickly.

Honey is also great to aid in topical healing. You can put it in a bandaid over a cut, or cover a canker sores for quicker healing. You can put it on areas of your skin and rinse it off to help with acne, dark circles, scars and wrinkles. 

Honey does not spike your sugar like refined white sugars do avoiding an elevated insulin release. It can also helps you sleep because it slowly releases glycogen needed for bodily function during sleep.  If you add it to milk before bed it helps the body release melatonin, so you can sleep well Honey Bee. 

Raw Honey has so many health benefits my mom just takes a teaspoon of it every morning.  With so many proteins vitamins and minerals it would do you good to put a spoonful or in your coffee as it one of nature's most complete health foods. It's alkaline forming, boosts the immune system, cough suppressant, aids in blood sugar and cholesterol regulation & can calm an upset stomach. 

How many times did I just say honey? A lot. Honey. 

Sources: Life Hacker // Dr. Axe // Organic Facts // FDA // US National Library of Medicine

A Lemon a Day

I'm a big believer in lemons as I love both their flavor and health benefits.  Citrus trees are in full bloom with spring right around the corner. So grab some off your mom's tree or buy some at the store, and if you can manage to squeeze a lemon into a glass of water every day the nutritional benefits are huge. Lemons aid the digestive system (helps with weight loss) & the immune system, promotes skin health, contains potassium, Vitamin C, and Pectin Fibers among A LOT of other things. 

One of the most important health benefits to lemons is they help maintain ph levels in the body. We often have very acidic levels in our bodies due to low fiber, hormones in our foods, lower nutritional value in our foods due to industrial farming, alcohol, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, stress, lack of exercise, pesticides, and the list goes on.  If we allow our bodies to stay acidic in the short term we will see more allergies, asthma and colds, and it the long term things like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.  Note: You can also accomplish PH balance by diluting a shot glass of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar in a glass of water and maybe some raw honey (don't drink it undiluted as it's hard on the esophagus and your teeth). It tastes really bad so I prefer lemon water. 

My mom's tree is exploding with Meyer Lemons so I'm trying to preserve them the best I can.  I've squeezed the juices of quite a few and put them in Ice Cube trays to melt in a glass of water.  I've also made some lemonade by doing equal parts lemon to water and some agave (add more water and agave depending on how tart or sweet you like lemonade).  You can also add them to salad dressings (lemons, Olive Oil, salt, pepper & garlic).  Lastly you can freeze the juice in a popsicle mold with some agave and blackberries for a nice treat on a warm day.  

The options are endless and the health benefits are too. 

Kumquat Bonanza

My sister's kumquat tree is HUGE and produces so much fruit.  When I got to her new house she didn't know what they were so I raided her tree and told her to love them. Kumquats are a type of fruit that is common in most of Asia and sort the red headed step citrus here in America. It's a cross between an orange and a lime, so it's tangy and sweet and a little bitter. You can eat the skins, so eat them like grapes. 

We had three baskets full so I called my friend Annette who makes a kumquat reduction sauce that mixes with champagne for a delicious spring cocktail.  You can also just mix it with sparking water if you prefer. Maybe even drizzle it over Crepes, or Vanilla Ice Cream with a little sea salt sprinkled on top (this idea courtesy of Taylor Neece who is always making better food choices than everyone else at the table).  So if you have a tree with what you thought were uneatable baby oranges used for decoration, don't let them go to waste. 

Place kumquats in a blender or food processor. Add water to cover the fruit and puree.

Pour contents of blender into a strainer an use the back of a spoon to force the juice through the strainer. Toss out the mass and the seeds.

Put the juice into a saucepan and heat with sugar added to taste.  (Don't omit the sugar otherwise it won't thicken properly).  Keep adding sugar until the flavor is a good ratio of bitter, tangy and sweet.  

Stir over medium heat until it's thickened to the consistency of maple syrup. 

Now you're ready for a kumquat mimosa. 

Grilled Vegetable Salad with a Black Bean Vinaigrette

There is a restaurant close to us that makes the most amazing vegetable plate.  One of the things I love about the food  in the middle east is that they aren't afraid to serve veggies.  Here everything has to have meat and if it doesn't it's a heavy pasta dish.  Vegetables can be good and filling, they can be a whole meal and make your appetite happy, I swear.  

1 Zucchini, 2 Carrots, 15ish White Mushrooms, 1 Yellow Onion, 1 Bell Pepper, 1 Avocado, 2 Corncobs, Fresh Rosemary, Fresh Thyme, Mixed greens , 1 Can of Black Beans, Olive Oil, Agave Nectar or Honey

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  

Dice zucchini, carrots, onion, bell pepper & mushrooms. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Don't overcrowd the cookie sheet or the veggies will steam and they'll be mushy (in my photo they are overcrowded, don't follow my example).  Sprinkle veggies with salt, pepper, fresh rosemary & fresh thyme. Place the veggies in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes. 

While the vegetable are cooking lay out a bed of lettuce.  Drain the liquid from a can of black beans into a small dish and set aside, place the beans on the lettuce. Cube an avocado and sprinkler over the salad.

Place a grill pan over medium/high heat.  Drizzle Olive Oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over 2 corncobs and place in the pan.  Turn every few minutes until the corn is grilled, about 10 minutes.  When it's finished cut the corn from the cob and sprinkle over salad.  

For the Dressing Whisk together the liquid from the black bean can (about 1/4 cup), 3 tbsp. Olive Oil, 2 tsp. red wine vinegar & a squeeze of agave nectar. 

When the veggies are finished pull them out and let them cool for 5 minutes.  Place them on top of the salad, drizzle with dressing, and yum. 

Photos by the ever fabulous Kayla Adams, who didn't stay for lunch because she got In-n-out to avoid eating 'leaves' as she calls them.  It broke my heart, it broke my little protein deficient heart. 

Welcome Post

This blog is the “deep and profound brain things inside my head” (if you know that quote you know I have bad taste in movies).  I am starting it at the recommendation of a sister of mine, who probably has a great deal of bias towards me and finds me to be mildly interesting.  In another life I was a farmer, or philosopher, or religious studies major, or potentially a gypsy.  I have an interest in fashion but a no-excess, simplified version of it.  I find art and travel and culture fascinating and I am constantly striving to learn new things about new people. I’m a Christian Counselor by training and will be forever grateful to my educators for teaching me how to think.   I’m a pescetarian with mediocre cooking skills and an adventurous attitude, a.k.a. I’m trying new recipes all the time and totally failing quite often, to the chagrin of my ever-compassionate husband.  This is a place I will write things and show pictures of things…if you’re interested, join me. 

Oh, and the photo was taken by my fab Husband - the great Trever Hoehne