Green The Colour Of Love

The beauty of Green.  As found at the Springs Preserve Butterfly exhibit. 

Exactly what’s so great about eating Green?  While it has almost become a bit of a cliché, evidently, there are a lot of great things about Green.  Not only is Green the colour of the 4^th Chakra, the Anahata, meaning “unstuck,” it is designated as our Heart Chakra or Anahata responsible for moving love through our lives.  If you think about it, we Tree-Huggers and Naturalists are lovers of Nature, and when I conjure up images of nature in my head, I tend to think trees, green trees.  Ever wonder why someone is referred to as “green with envy,” when their heart experiences jealousy? 

But that’s another Blog for another day. 

The definition of eating Green continues to hold up in the realm of good nutrition, healthy lifestyles and smart food choices.  Though, to be honest, those murky green smoothies I subsisted on for several months a couple years back, didn’t really do much for me.  Remember Cheryl and Megan?  I was sick with colds and flu more that particular year than any other in recent past.  Obviously, the ingredients I used weren’t exactly the right ones.  Likely too much banana and peanut butter.  Those tend to be my smoothie staples.

However, Green eating isn’t limited to just thick algae-like beverages and the salad bar.  A plant-based diet offer us an abundance of positive outcomes and is offered to us in a variety of styles.  I don’t want to imply that eating Green is inclusive of only shades of green.  We would all be better served thinking in terms of rainbows.  And I don’t mean Fruit Loops or Fruity Pebbles.  More like, Red – apples, strawberries, cherries, and turnips.  Yellow – of course, my bananas, pattypan and summer squash, grapefruit (Ugli fruit), and those stunning little yellow tomatoes.  Blue – blueberries, blue-purple fingerling potatoes and bluemilk mushrooms (look them up, they’re beautiful), Orange – oranges, butternut squash, carrots, and mangos. 

Because most of us eat with our eyes first, creating a masterpiece of colour and texture on a platter or in a vibrant serving bowl has the potential to draw in even the most loyal of fast-food eaters. 

A Bursting Rainbow of Flavor in a Garden Pot. Forget those itty-bitty offerings, Go Big!

While some of us can jump right in and make drastic changes in our eating behaviors, I certainly am not one of them.  And for those of you, who like me, can subsist on bread and wine or wine and M & M’s, easing into a wholesome diet is a bit of a process.  The benefits of plant-based eating has so many benefits, many of which you already know, but they bear repeating.  With a weekly menu primarily rooted (pun intended) in plant-based foods we will see our blood pressure go down, our cholesterol go down, improve our blood sugar levels, and even lose a little weigh and those excess pounds related maladies. 

One of my recent endeavors has been involved playing around with hummus and pesto.  I love traditional pesto prepared with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts and good olive oil (uncooked by the way, when it is best for your body), and hummus.  Hummus while not green offers a healthy dose of protein and fiber.  When prepared with some forethought can be lower in fat than commercially prepared brands. 

To get started with that first small step I prepared some garden sweet pea pesto, which can be consumed like pesto or hummus.  Meaning you can eat it as is by simply dipping in some fresh crudités.  Or you can use it traditional pesto, as a condiment on top of a poached chicken breast or other protein. 

Here’s how:

Here I garnished with lemon zest, fresh mint and a bit more grated Gruyere. 

Garden Sweet Pea Pesto

Ingredients

4 cups fresh (or frozen-thawed) garden peas                     ½ cup grated Gruyere cheese

4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts                                             2-3 cloves fresh garlic – peeled

1 teaspoon salt + pepper to taste                                           1 teaspoon fresh mint + leaves for garnish

1/3 – ½ cup good olive oil                                                         zest of one lemon

Process

Using your food processor or a good blender, place peas, grated cheese, pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepper 1 teaspoon of the mint leaves and half the zest of the lemon.  Blend ingredients until partially combined.  With machine running on low, drizzle olive oil through top or feed tube until desired consistency is reached.  Some people like their pesto thicker than others.  But don’t over-blend mixture to a state of runniness.  You may need to stop the machine (especially if you’re using a blender) to scrape down sides of bowl/container.  Taste for additional seasoning. 

Using a rubber spatula, scoop pesto into a large serving bowl and garnish with remaining lemon zest and a few mint leaves.  Use as a dip for your fresh crudités or some veggie chips or even a condiment on chicken or other proteins of your choosing.  

Brainberries and More

An excellent book to help children cope with unexpected changes in a loved one. 

   There’s a children’s book written by the talented and compassionate author Tomie dePaola, entitled One Foot Now The Other.  If you’re not already familiar, it tells the story of the unusually close relationship between a boy and his grandfather.  When he was a toddler, it was Grandpa Bob who taught little Bobby to walk.  Growing up, Bobby and Bob played blocks together, coloured, set up army guys, you know, all the things very young and the rather old boys enjoy doing. 

An image from inside Tomi dePaola's book.

   In this story, Bob lives with Bobby and Bobby’s parents, allowing the bond between child and grandparent to only deepen.  One day when Bobby gets home from school, his grandfather is not sitting in the chair where he often sits reading.  Bobby’s parents sit down to explain to Bobby his grandfather was taken unexpectedly ill and needs to stay in the hospital, for a very long time.  Bobby, is of course, quite upset.  The story only saddens from here.

   When Grandpa Bob returns home, Bobby is shocked to see his best friend, now feeble, can not speak, walk or eat on his own.  Bob suffered a stroke. Tomi dePaola, takes us on a journey of giving back and supporting people you love in whatever means you have.  Bobby is able to slowly get over his fear and discomfort with his grandfather’s condition and becomes the focal point of healing for Bob.  Helping his grandfather to eat by actually feeding him as Grandpa Bob had done for him when he was a baby.  Entertaining Bob by building those blocks into the tall, tall tower and then joyfully knocking it down, just as he and Bob did when they played together. 

   Seeing small indications of response in Bob, that no one else in the family can see, Bobby doesn’t give up.  Finally he is able to coax his grandfather to take a walk with him.  Carefully removing the blanket from his grandfather’s lap and helping him to stand, Bobby instructs Bob to take one step, now another.  As you can probably detect the story does indeed have a happy ending with a picture of Bobby and Grandpa Bob holding hands and walking down the block together.

No explanation needed here, right? 

   I used to read this book to the children in my Pre-k and kindergarten classes.  It was a wonderful way to show children that unexpected changes in our loved ones is not something to be feared.  My own children were introduced to this story at very young ages, as my youngest brother was a paraplegics.  They grew up understanding the subtleties of when to offer help and when not to intervene, to respect independent effort when they encountered someone with an obvious physical disability. 

   Until one is written specific to the changes that occur with Alzheimer’s disease, this book is an excellent tool for us to use when explaining feelings of fear, discomfort with our children.  Showing them how to transforming unease and discomfort  into feelings of hope and creative helpfulness. 

   Of course there are no discussions regarding medications, doctors or nutrition in this little story,  it is my hope that while Bobby was busy taking Grandpa Bob for walks and dazzling him with displays of block towers and army men brigades, Bobby’s mom and or dad were in the kitchen preparing healing foods.  I certainly would be. And to maintain my status as helpful, healing chef here are a couple of good brain foods both Grandpa Bob and Bobby would benefit from and enjoy eating.

YUM!!

   Blueberries are a potent antioxidant.  Considered one of nature’s SuperFoods. Some refer to them as “Brainberries.”  Vitamin E is another Brain Booster and is naturally found in most seeds and nuts. 

Fresh Blueberry and Kale Salad

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa or wheat berries – rinsed, cooked according to package directions and cooled

1 cup sweet peas-fresh or frozen or peeled edamame                       2 cups fresh kale – rough chopped

1 ½ cup fresh blueberries                                                                 ½ cup pine nuts - toasted                      ½ cup crumbled feta                                                                       ¼ cup red wine vinegar                          1 tablespoon Dijon mustard                                                             ½ tablespoon honey                              1 small shallot - minced                                                                  salt and pepper to taste

Process

In a large mixing or serving bowl, combine cooked grain of choice, peas, kale, blueberries, pine nuts and feta.

In a small mixing bowl whisk vinegar, mustard and honey until well blended.  Slowly drizzle in olive oil, while continuously whisking, creating an emulsion.  When oil and vinegar are completely combined, whisk in shallot and season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.   Drizzle over salad.     

                                                                                                                Serves 4

OR

For a wonderfully tasting and energizing snack try this open-faced sandwich.

Ingredients

2 slices whole grain bread, such as Ezekiel                                    4 tablespoon almond butter

 ½ fresh papaya - sliced                                                                a handful of fresh, cleaned blueberries

Process

Lightly toast two slices of whole grain bread, such as Ezekiel.  Spread a generous amount of almond butter on each slice and top each slice of bread with sliced papaya and a few blueberries. 

                                                                                                                 Serves 2   

      

Please don't forget to visit our Funding Site to help raise money for Alz. Awareness and Support at:
 <http://j.mp/FFALZ> j.mp/FFALZ

Ciao

Can you do this?  

How about this?

Certainly you can do this!

So, while Nancy has been up in D.C. learning and talking more about Alzheimer’s (ALZ) with her fellow National Alzheimer’s peers and professionals and I’ve been waiting for the sores on my feet to heal, Brenda, as you can see, has been busy working to build strength and mobility in that leg of hers.  Brenda’s slow progression may sometimes frustrate her, but her walking, stretching, bending and extending are indeed making a difference.  She may not see big changes occurring each day, but it's happening just the same.  I, on the other hand, had to allow time, along with some ointment, for the healing to begin on my feet.  And I can assure you, Nancy is making all kinds of differences in D.C.

They say, in order to make a difference, you must start by taking small steps.  I chuckled when I read that, because that is literally what Nancy and I will be doing in Italy.  Taking small steps along the Franciscan Trail, in order to make a difference in how Alz. is so ignored, underfunded and well, scary.  It has always been important to me live a purposeful life and most of the people I surround myself with adhere to this same principle.  True, we can’t always make what some would consider a big difference, leading them to ask “so why bother?” 

There's a story about hundreds of sea stars that washed up on a beach somewhere.  Well, a couple was walking along the beach and the woman (maybe it was the guy) began picking them up one at a time and throwing them back into the ocean.  Her companion asked why bother throwing them back into the water since most had already died or were close to it, plus there were just so many.  The woman calmly replied, “it will make a difference to one of them, and isn’t that good enough?”  (The story goes something like that.)  Point being, if we can make a positive impact on even one person’s life isn’t that something wonderful to aspire to?  Isn’t that what makes you smile as you walk or drive away after helping someone?  Or being helped by someone?  Even observing one person helping another brings a smile to my face. Especially those random acts of kindness!  Wouldn’t you agree, when you do something kind, be it extraordinary or quite simple, those good feelings can last for days?  And when you share the story, be it hours or years later, whether you were the helper or the helpee, those same feelings of goodness and happiness begin to bubble up like sweet, sticky, popping bubbles of melting caramel?  Yum.  Someone get me a spoon.  

Or at least an apple

So here we are in early April, just five weeks away from our adventure, one that may impact hundreds of sea stars or just a few.  Either way, there will be lessons learned, experiences had and stories to share.  It is our  hope this adventure will in some way touch you, even if you haven’t had any direct contact or interaction with Alzheimer’s disease.  Memory loss isn’t a fun topic to discuss, neither is cancer, mental illness, nor whatever other malady you may have dodged or have been a direct target of; there is something you can do to help.   

Please join us in giving support to the Alzheimer’s Association, to those who have been diagnosed, or work with people diagnosed.  Those caregivers who spend long hours working, lifting, stretching, bending and extending to care for their loved one or charge.  You never know, you may end up giving just one person exactly what they need, right when they need it most.  Trust me, you’ll be remembered.  Please donate by visiting our Generosity Funding Site (a subsidiary of Indiegogo): <http://j.mp/FFALZ>  Log on and donate at the link. (Be careful though, you may want to click on the button of the page, allowing you to change the fee to donate from $10.00 to $0.00)

Meanwhile, here's something that will serve Brenda, or anyone else out there trying to expedite healing an injury. 

 Since vitamin A promotes the production of white blood cells, known as the "keeper (in this case, the caregiver) of the injury" as they help our bodies to fight off infection while increasing the rate of healing, a recipe rich in vitamin A is called for.  I thought using those tasty Sweet Potatoes (yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing) would work well today.  Sweet Potatoes are chock full of vitamin A, besides, both Nancy and my daughter Sharon love them. Here's a simple dish you can cook up for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  

Notice the discrepancies between the photos?  The bottom one indicates the white interior is the Sweet Potato while the picture above that one, leads you to believe the white interior is the Yam.  Hmmmm.  According to what I learned while in culinary school and what is explained in one of my cooking text books Yams have that brownish colored skin with white flesh inside.  They tend to be sweeter and more moist than Sweet Potatoes but alas, carry less sugar and vitamins A and C than the Sweet Potato.  Sweet Potatoes have that pinkish skin with yellowish flesh while the Dark Sweet Potato has a darker, more reddish color with a true orange interior.  The Darker Sweet Potato (Garnet) also cooks up to be a bit sweeter and more moist than it's lighter kin.  But it's that vitamin A I'm after here.  

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

2 Sweet Potatoes - baked until tender, but not mushy         2 cups shredded/grated Gruyere cheese

4 tablespoons unsalted butter - room temp                              1 teaspoon cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste                                        1 tablespoon ground sage or 3 tablespoons fresh chopped

4 eggs                                                                                 4 slices bacon - cooked and rough chopped

Slice each potato in half, then scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the skins.  Combine the potato flesh with half the grated cheese, all the butter, cinnamon and half the sage.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Spoon the potato mixture evenly into each potato skin half then top each with one egg.  Divide remaining cheese on top of each potato half along with the cooked bacon then garnish with remaining sage.  

Placing potato halves on a baking sheet, cook in a preheated, 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until eggs are done to your liking.  

                                                               Eat - Enjoy - Heal  

That link to donate again is: <http://j.mp/FFALZ>