I took these photos at the base of Winter Park Ski Area in the mountains of Colorado. No thought went into it, no positioning myself for optimal light, no effort to get the right angle. I had my little point and shoot camera in my jacket pocket and as I was taking my skis off to go inside and eat lunch, I saw this wonderful dog on duty. Although he was doing his dog job, he was also taking full measure of the fact that his owner was off tearing up the slopes and he could take a break and relax in the sunshine.
Whoever owns this dog skis at Winter Park and if his (or her) wheelchair is any indication, he (or she) is out and about regardless of what some might call a “limitation.” Winter Park is home to the National Sports Center for the Disabled and is known internationally for the caliber and dedication of its athletes and participants. That includes the hundreds of volunteers who are committed to helping people with disabilities learn to ski, snowboard, snowshoe, climb and enjoy the outdoors. The program also includes the Disabled Competition Center and the NSCD Alpine Ski Team. The Competition Program has placed dozens of racers on the U.S. Disabled Ski Team. At the 2006 Paralympics in Turin, Italy, NSCD worked and trained 16 of the athletes who were representing the USDST.
Miles from England and Xenny from South Africa inspired me to do this post (although they don’t know it). Long story, but Xenny is an amputee and plays on the beaches in South Africa. When I saw a photo of “Xenny’s Beach” on Miles’ blog and read how newly installed stairs gave Xenny access to the beach, it made me smile and think of my own stomping grounds. I’ve spent my life skiing at Winter Park (and Mary Jane) and the base area is home to wheelchairs, artificial limbs, and the occasional dog companion. The scene always inspires me.
Do you ever talk yourself out of doing something because you think it will be too much effort? Convince yourself you don’t quite feel good enough? No real reason, you just can’t seem to muster up what it takes to get off your bum and go move about? We all do that on occasion. I did it yesterday and skipped one of my favorite yoga classes (Desi’s upside-down Anusara class) because I was — lazy?
Okay, no excuses.
Imagine what it must take for this guy (or girl) to get up skiing. Or the access needed for Xenny to get to the beach and have fun. I’m grateful to have these folks around for inspiration and I thank them from the bottom of my whiny (occasionally) little heart.
If you need more inspiration in the coming year to celebrate life and movement, check out this video of one of my all-time yoga heros, Matthew Sanford.
Beware, as I’m going to launch into all kinds of healthy living posts for 2009, but I’ve decided to hold off until the holiday weekend is officially over. It’s hard enough to think in terms of starting in on New Year’s resolutions, no point in doing it prematurely. Not that I made any to begin with. I believe it’s better to have “intentions” rather than deal with full-on resolutions.
This recipe has become one of my favorite party food staples. Hot, spicy and easy (indecent little things), these poppers are always a huge hit. Sorry I don’t have a picture of the finished product, but I’m not one to take food pictures while I have guests waiting to be served.
what you need
• jalapeño peppers (at least 2-3 per person)
• cream cheese
• bacon
I normally make about 25 or 30 poppers at a time and use 2 blocks of cream cheese and 2 packages of bacon.
what you do
• wash jalapeños
• cut lengthwise (I don’t cut them all the way in half. I cut from the bottom all the way up to the stem, but I leave the stem in place so you have a little handle.)
• remove seeds and clean out the fibrous veins *
• fill each pepper with cream cheese
• wrap 1/2 to 1 full slice of bacon around the pepper to close it up
* It’s fun to play popper roulette and leave some seeds in one of them. Just one, and don’t identify it. The seeds make it MUCH hotter. Snicker, snicker.
You can either put them on a baking sheet and place in a 425-450 degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes until the bacon is fully cooked, or put them on a skewer and cook them out on the grill. I always grill them, as I like the taste and I can usually get someone else to “man” the grill.
P.S. If you’re having a party, take your shower before you handle hot jalapeño peppers. Wash your hands thoroughly and don’t rub your eyes, touch your lips, or any other delicate parts of your body. YIKES! Just trust me — be very careful as the bite of the capsaicin is very hard to wash off and can linger for hours.
Rather than obsess about health, resolutions, clean living, nutrition, exercise, or food, I’m just going to send you my warmest wishes from colorful Colorado. There will be enough time for all the other stuff later.
Thank you, everyone. It’s been a good year, despite this mean spirited economy. I appreciate your comments, support, good humor and knowledge and am grateful to all of you for being such an important part of my little blogging world. Here’s to a happy, healthy, and adventure-filled new year.
Brrrr, it’s been a bit nippy here in the foothills west of Denver lately. For those of you in the midwest, I’m not complaining. I promise. Not after spending some time in Chicago recently. My gosh, talk about wind chill! I’m a mountain girl, a snow girl, a winter girl, but there’s something about that bone-chilling cold out there in middle American that just gets to you.
So, what better way to warm the spirit than to add some spice to your food (and to your life)! This month’s list of seasonal foods is all about spices and herbs. Enjoy!
Turmeric and Curcumin
Turmeric is part of the ginger family and is one of the main curry spices. It is native to Asia and has been used as a flavoring, dye, and for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, especially in Ayurvedic medicine. India is the main producer of turmeric, where it’s used as a cooking spice, an antibacterial agent, and as a medicinal dietary supplement.
The potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in turmeric is curcumin. Research involving curcumin is exploding and studies indicate it may be helpful in a variety of inflammatory diseases, including IBS, pancreatitis, liver disorders, colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, and intestinal cancers. I decided to showcase this zippy little spice because these inflammatory conditions can be symptomatic of celiac disease and using food in healing is my interest and protocol for people with celiac (that includes me).
You’ll be hearing more about curcumin, as it’s the new super-star of antioxidants (new to the west, not to the east). There are clinical trials currently underway at the National Institutes of Health, Yale University, and UCLA (just to name a few) about the health benefits of the spice. Hundreds of research papers have appeared in the past few years, touting the medicinal properties of curcumin, the magic agent in turmeric and curry.
* I did a post specifically on turmeric back in my early blogging days. I’m lifting the above information from that post. For a scrumptious pork and curry recipe from my favorite English chef, Miles Collins, click here.
Basil Basil is an absolute favorite of mine, whether dried, cooked, or fresh. Plus, it’s another healthy herb to add to your arsenal of natural healing substances. It is used in India to help boost the immune system and fight off colds and bronchial infections. You can throw some in a big pot of steaming water, put a towel over your head and breath in the healing properties. It has antimicrobial compounds and may even reduce coughing fits. Add a bunch of fresh basil to a plate of sliced tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella cheese, drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette (yum!).
Cinnamon
I use cinnamon on a daily basis and search out different varieties. Although a touch mundane, cinnamon is my favorite spice. Even my new love, cardamom, takes a back seat to cinnamon.
Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known and is indigenous to Sri Lanka. It was treasured as a flavoring, sought-after as a medicinal herb, and even used as an embalming agent (probably limited to royal mummies). Legend has it that the Roman Emperor Nero burned a full year’s supply of cinnamon at the funeral of his wife in 65 AD. Sweet tribute. Cinnamon is also mentioned in many classical writings as well as several places in the Bible (don’t ask me where).
On to the nutritional benefits of cinnamon, which are numerous. I’ll list a few of the reasons I like it, other than the wonderful sweet – and even savory – taste.
• helps reduce fasting blood glucose levels in diabetics
• helps reduce triglycerides, LDLs, and total cholesterol
• works as a circulatory stimulant
• has antibiotic abilities
• is anti-ulcerative
• helps with digestion
• is a carminative (fancy word for helps relieve gas and bloating)
• is a diuretic
The healing abilities in cinnamon come from three essential oils found in the bark: cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, and cinnamyl alcohol, along with some other good substances. So, use it in baking; sprinkle it on hot cereal; use in curries; and add it to smoothies, teas, and other beverages.
Garlic
This is a another wonder food as it helps lower blood pressure, improves cholesterol ratios, and has antiviral and antibacterial properties. It’s especially helpful in combating colds. Add it to everything! For a detailed post on garlic and how it can help you boost immunity and avoid icky cooties during flu season, click here. There’s also a garlicky green bean recipe on that post.
Sage
Aside from the fact that wild sage is a staple in New Mexico and Colorado and I love the smell of sage after a rainstorm, it’s also one of my favorite savory herbs. I much prefer fresh sage and have found the taste and smell differs each time I grow it. Soil and climate affects the aromatic strength and “notes” of the plant (to use a wine phrase). I love fresh stage in stews and soups, but it’s not a subtle herb, so use sparingly. Sage is another herbal remedy for colds and respiratory problems. Drink sage tea or use as a steam inhalation for congestion.
Go forth and spice up your life (and boost your immunity at the same time)!
Melissa
Okay, I almost promise this will be my last HFCS post.
For some reason, this subject won’t leave me alone. I was minding my own business reading some online news sources about what’s happening with the auto industry bailout. Nothing about nutrition, nothing about HFCS, nothing about sugar. I just wanted to know what was going on in Washington. Seriously, would you expect to run into HFCS on forbes.com?
Forbes — like in money, business, and investing — not corn syrup and sugar.
Well, surprise, surprise. I’m reading about the economy and here’s this side column with a teaser, The Skinny On Sugars And Sweeteners. I couldn’t resist. With one click I was knee-deep in artificial sweeteners and soda pop again. I don’t even drink the stuff and I can’t get away from it.
So, what do the people at Forbes have to say about sugar? Keep in mind that this isn’t exactly a website for food critics and nutritionists. These are business people (capitalists no less), not holistic health advocates.
According to this article (on forbes.com), “Americans now eat less table sugar than they did in 1970, but the advent of corn syrup as an additive in everything from ice cream to ketchup means we consume more sugars than ever before. In 2007, Americans consumed 44 pounds of refined cane and beet sugar and 40 pounds of HFCS per capita.”
What? Are you kidding me? Eighty-four pounds of sugar per year? Per person? No way. I didn’t realize it was that much. I used different data when I posted my second (or was it third) HFCS/sugar post. (If you didn’t see that one, click here.) Or here for a diatribe on soda pop with more stunning consumption figures. Regardless of the exact numbers or how the data is communicated, Americans eat way too much sugar and it’s contributing to the increase in obesity and chronic disease. (For my complete glossary of everything sugar, click here.)
I also did a post back in September on the HFCS commercials by the Corn Refiner’s Association. If you want to see their deceivingly sweet commercials and read my take on them, click here. You need to understand what their diabolical plans are to understand this response from the King Corn guys.
Now, on to the fun stuff. If you haven’t seen King Corn, you must do that. In the meantime, enjoy this spoof of the HFCS commercials from Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, the creators of King Corn.
No more HFCS stuff. I must get on with my life.
Go forth and eat healthy food. Real food. I’ll take a hiatus from my ranting and start posting recipes for the holidays. How’s that?
Melissa
P.S. I’m not knocking good, organic corn. I love a nice grilled corn on the cob with butter dripping from the kernels (in my case Earth Balance vegan spread), but I’m not crazy about the fact that cheap, crappy, unhealthy corn is in everything we eat. If you eat fast food, you’re eating corn, corn, and more corn (in the form of HFCS). Ugh!
You can’t see me, but I’m dressed in black from head to toe.
Like some veiled matriarch whose sullen soul wanders the night, I too, drift in despair. My FINAL Grant Family Farms CSA box, the sine qua non of my existence, was delivered last night. I feel abandoned and filled with dread.
Now I’m left with 2 sugar pumpkins, a delicata squash, a bag of potatoes and a faint will to live. It’s only been 24 hours and already the simple pleasure of farm-fresh kale is but a bittersweet memory. Entwined garlic scapes a thing of the past. And my downfall, an earthy ménage a roots, all but gone with the freshly fallen snow.
What am I to do?
Troll the aisles at Whole Foods?
It’s not the same. I want to know where my food came from. Who took the time, care, and love to grow it. I want to be surprised each week when I open my big red box.
(And contrary to what you might think, it often costs more to buy your food from a grocery store. Not to mention the cost to the environment. Oops, that was out of character. I’m in mourning, black tights and all. Filled with angst.)
Back to my woebegone produce eulogy.
On second thought, I should probably get a grip. I’m sounding a bit nutbar-ish. I don’t want my own personal CSA farmers to contemplate a restraining order. Anyway, I’m hungry and now that I think of it, I do have some dark chocolate with almonds and cherries hidden away in my half-empty veggie drawer.
Veggies? What veggies?
Check in with me in a day or so, I’ll have something more uplifting for you.
I’m in pre-mourning mode, so this is going to be short and sweet. Tomorrow is my last CSA delivery for the season and I’m starting to lose sleep over it.
The tanking economy? Big deal.
The drop in the stock market? So what.
Taxpayer bailouts? Who cares.
The new first dog? Well, I am curious.
Anyway, just warning you — my next post will be a dark and dreary one.
In the meantime, I’ll eat comfort food and whine a lot. I made these muffins after Thanksgiving, determined to use all the leftovers in creative ways. My CSA delivery (which is almost over, as you might recall) included a small sugar pumpkin. I also had a cup or so of leftover cranberry sauce and I’ve been looking for any excuse to play with my new-found love, cardamom, so I made some catch-all muffins. For more information on cardamom, check with my favorite English chef, Miles Collins.
I broke open the cardamom pods and ground the seeds. You don’t need to use much, a little goes a very long way. The smell will infuse your home and lift your spirits. Even if you are facing a seasonal veggie recession. Did I mention that my (yes, MY) Grant Family Farm is covered with snow and my last CSA delivery is tomorrow?
Okay, I must get on with my life.
Home-made muffins? With cardamom? Sounds like a start.
pumpkin, cranberry, cardamom, pecan catch-all muffins
what you need
1 small sugar pumpkin (use 1 cup of prepared puree in this recipe)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cut pumpkin in half (or quarters), clean out and remove seeds. Rub a little butter or olive oil on pieces and place meat side down in glass baking dish with an inch or two of water (like you do with acorn squash). Put in preheated 375 degree oven for about 45 minute or until tender when pierced with a fork. You can also put the pumpkin skin side up without water and roast it that way. Cool and then scoop out the pumpkin meat into a food processor or mixer. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt. Puree well.
Beat together Earth Balance Butter, eggs, and 1 cup of the prepared pumpkin puree. Add baking mix and blend well. Gently mix in cranberry sauce and pecans. Fill 12 muffin cups (lined or greased) 2/3rds full and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Use the rest of the pureed pumpkin to make buckwheat pancakes.
Do any of you know who Art Linkletter is? He had a TV show back in the 1950s and 60s called Art Linkletter’s House Party. Later in his career he co-hosted Kids Say the Darndest Things with Bill Cosby. If you have an extra 7 minutes and want a good laugh, check this YouTube video of highlights from these early shows. He certainly brought the best out in kids — or at least the funniest. If you recognize yourself, let me know. And if you know where I can get a pair of glitter glasses like the ones Karen is wearing, please tip me off. I love those.
What does this have to do with anything, you ask? Especially a nutrition blog?
Art Linkletter did his show in front of a live audience. Although not part of this video clip, legend has it that he once asked a cute, freckled-face little boy if he wanted to say something special to one of his friends at home watching him on TV.
Hey Tommy. Look at me, I’m on TV and you’re not.
You know, something like that.
The kid thought for a moment, then looked directly into the camera, stuck his hand up in the air, vigorously flipped the bird, and said, “This is for you Herbie, and I really mean it.”
Yes, kids say the darndest things.
Again, what does this have to do with my nutrition blog? I’ve been inspired by a friend to write a post on soda pop. Inspired by his refusal to give the stuff up, not because he asked me to share my evangelical ranting with him. In fact, quite the opposite. But that’s never stopped me before.
So, this is for you Don and I really mean it!
(No accompanying hand gestures necessary.)
Pay attention. And yes, I do realize I can be bossy and annoying.
First off, if soda pop is an occasional treat, that’s probably okay, although I suggest eliminating it altogether. It has ZERO nutritional value and HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is a common ingredient. New research published in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that the ratio of fructose to glucose (chemical names for sugar) in HFCS converts to fat in the body more efficiently than other forms of sugar. The study found that as the fructose concentration went up, so did the rate of lipogenesis (the process in which sugars are converted to body fat).
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, soft drink companies produce enough soda pop to provide each and every one of us with 52.4 gallons per year. That’s 557 12-ounce cans each. According to the National Soft Drink Association (NSDA), the number is closer to 600 12-ounce cans per person, per year. Who’s drinking my share? And that’s not even counting all the other junk drinks like Red Bull, sugar-sweetened iced tea, diet drinks, and so on.
The NSDA also claims that carbonated soft drinks are the single biggest source of calories in the American diet (are they bragging about that?). How can that be? I suppose if you’re drinking two 12-ounce cans of Pepsi per day, you’re getting 320 calories and that comes out to about 16% of caloric intake (in a 2000 calorie per day diet). That pushes out goodies like broccoli and kale. (Yes, you should be eating broccoli and kale.)
Okay, how much sugar is that? If you drink two 12-ounce cans of soda pop, that’s 80 grams of sugar. Four grams equals 1 teaspoon, so that’s 20 teaspoons of sugar per day in soda pop alone. Yikes!
The stuff is cheap because it’s mainly water and corn syrup, so no wonder the kid behind the drink counter at the movie theater encourages you to buy the 36 ounce soda for an extra 25 cents. Wait, that would be 30 teaspoons of sugar, wouldn’t it? Not only that, but a certain type of sugar that converts to fat more efficiently. And you’re not expending many calories while sitting there watching Kung Fu Panda. It’s not surprising that obesity is on the rise.
As Marion Nestle points out in her wonderful book, What To Eat, soda pop is inexpensive because, “water is practically free, and your taxes pay to subsidize corn production.” Does that mean that as tax payers we’re directly contributing to the obesity problem in this country? I want to personally choose where my tax money goes. Wouldn’t you be more willing to cheerfully pay your taxes if you could specify what program your money went to? “Cheerful” might be a leap, but I prefer my contribution not be part of the HFCS subsidy.
Okay, I’m not picking up that “food politics” rope. But I will say, #*^@!
Back to soda pop and HFCS. The above mentioned article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explains, “Fructose is a simple sugar found in honey, fruit, table sugar(sucrose), and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Because of theworldwide increase in the consumption of these sweeteners, fructoseintake has quadrupled since the early 1900s. The past 30years have witnessed an even greater acceleration in consumption,in part because of the introduction of HFCS; this phenomenonparallels the rise in obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and kidneydisease.”
Studies show that excessive fructose ingestion can cause inflammation, promote hyperactivity, induce insulin resistance, cause cavities, elevate blood pressure, contribute to fatty liver and renal injury, cause oxidative stress, and contribute to obesity.
Gosh, they had me at inflammation. I’ve got an autoimmune disease (celiac), so increasing inflammation is not on my “to do” list. It shouldn’t be on yours either.
If that’s not enough, phosphoric acid, added to give soda pop its “zip” causes calcium loss. We don’t want that. Pure phosphoric acid can eat its way through almost anything (metal, cement). Household hints columnist, Mary Ellen, suggests using Coke to clean your toilets, bathtubs, and sinks. Heloise, another hints queen, suggests pouring Coke over car battery terminals to get rid of the corrosion. And we’re drinking it by the gallon. Ugh!
Most soda also contains caffeine. High amounts stimulate the adrenal glands causing chronic low grade stress and poor quality sleep. Not good. Caffeine also contributes to gastric inflammation and increased stomach acid levels.
Bottom line?
“From the health point of view it is desirable especially to have restriction of such use of sugar as is represented by consumption of sweetened carbonated beverages and forms of candy which are of low nutritional value. The Council believes it would be in the interest of the public health for all practical means to be taken to limit consumption of sugar in any form in which it fails to be combined with significant proportions of other foods of high nutritive quality.”
The above statement was released in 1942 by the American Medical Association’s Council on Food and Nutrition. We should have paid attention. But it’s never too late to dump the stuff in your toilet, scrub well, and flush.
Here I go again, rushing to publish my seasonal foods list for November before December takes over. I’ve been putting it off as I don’t want to be reminded that my weekly CSA delivery of locally grown produce is about to come to an abrupt stop. I don’t even want to think about it. Seriously. Those of you who have been following my blog for the last 24 weeks know how much I love having my big red tub of Grant Family Farms seasonal fruits and veggies delivered every Thursday. I have two more weeks left and then I will be in mourning. Deep, dark mourning.
In the meantime, I’ll get right to the point. No whining or complaining as this is supposed to be a time of expressing gratitude. No feeling sorry for myself. At least not openly. Well, maybe a little bit. Sniff, sniff.
Cranberries — are a rich source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. High in antioxidants, they are also thought to protect against urinary tract infections and prevent kidney stones. Cranberries also help promote gastrointestinal health and protect against cardiovascular disease.
Winter Squash — there are lots of varieties of winter squash, including acorn, kabocha, butternut, Hubbard and even pumpkin. Each one is an excellent source of vitamins A and C and most are also rich in dietary fiber, potassium, and folate. Winter squash also provide anti-inflammatory protection, so enjoy often!
Sweet Potatoes — are available year round, but November and December are peak harvest times. You can get 265% of your daily value of vitamin A in one small sweet potato! And for only 95 calories. They are also high in vitamin C, manganese, fiber, B6, potassium and iron. Don’t save sweet potatoes just for Thanksgiving, eat them year round. They are over-the-top healthy.
Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup
what you need
• 3 medium sized sweet potatoes (about 3-4 cups peeled and cut in 1 inch squares)
• 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom (or eliminate if you don’t have it)
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil, butter, or ghee
There’s no right or wrong way to make soup. The whole point of soup is to use what you have on hand. Play with the ingredients and try different combinations. Other seasonings to try in sweet potato soup include 1 teaspoon of mild Indian curry paste, 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, a pinch of cayenne or turmeric.
what you do
• Sauté onions in oil or butter in large soup pot over medium heat until lightly browned.
• Add minced ginger, cumin, coriander, or whatever spices you’re using. Stir and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
• Add chicken broth, coconut milk, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Bring to a light boil, turn heat down to a simmer, cover and cook until veggies are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork (about 30 minutes).
• Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes or so. Puree with a handheld immersion blender or puree in batches in a regular blender. Be REALLY careful if you use a conventional blender as the hot soup can blow the top of the blender off. Trust me, it’s not a pleasant experience. Pour back into soup pan and warm thoroughly.
Disclaimer: All material on this website is provided for informational and educational use only and
should not be used for diagnostic purposes. Consult with your physician regarding any health or medical concerns you may have.
