Welcome to the August issue
of “Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice.” Here you
will find information you can use on a timely topic,
healthy eating, recipes and more! I welcome your
feedback and questions. Please send them to
Janet@nourishyourlife.com Thank you!
August is the month to eat locally.
I am reading a fascinating book named PLENTY: One
Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally.”
It is the American version of a Canadian book named “The
100 Mile Diet.” Alisa Smith and J.B Mackinnon, the
authors of this book, decided to commit one year to
eating only foods that were grown within 100 miles of
their home in Vancouver, British Columbia.
This
experiment was motivated by the statistic that “food on
our plates typically travel more than 1,500 miles to get
to us!” PLENTY is a diary, ecological manifesto and cook
book all in one. “They blend history, ecology, and
personal memoir into a provocative challenge for the
rest of us.” The authors found that by eating locally,
not only did they reduce the fossil-fuel usage from
shipping, but found themselves eating more nutritiously
as the fresh foods simply tasted better! They found that
it also promoted local economies, builds community and
“preserves species and ways of life.” I haven’t finished
the book yet, so stay tuned…
Another book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food
Life by Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver, and
Steven L. Hopp has a similar message with this family
choosing to spend a year eating only food that was grown
or produced on their own land or land nearby. I have not
read this book yet, but it is next on my list!
These books, plus a number of articles that have bounced
off the concepts of the books, encouraged me to look in
my own pantry, refrigerator and freezer. Oh my…other
than the eggplant, peppers and cucumbers that we picked
from our own little backyard garden, I really have no
idea where most of our food came from…!!! Where shall I
begin to embrace the challenge of eating locally???
Summer is certainly the perfect time to begin; with the
bounty of our garden veggies and all of the Farmer’s
Markets nearby, I know we will flourish with fruits and
vegetables. Shall I freeze some of them for our pleasure
long after the season has ended? Yes, I think I
will-whoops! I KNOW I WILL! Meanwhile I will commit to
making a conscious effort to purchase products that are
at least from the United States...that is a beginning.
Where will YOU begin?
My challenge for you this month is to eat foods grown or
produced locally at least once a week for the whole
month of August. Sounds easy enough; I wonder if it will
be? What challenges did you encounter; what joys popped
into your heart?
Write to us at
janet@nourishyourlife.com and tell us
about your experience. We would be honored to hear about
it.
Quote for the month:
The greatest
delight the fields and woods minister is the suggestion
of an occult relation between man and the vegetable. I
am not alone and unacknowledged. They nod to me and I to
them.
~Ralph Waldo
Emerson
Healthy eating in August: Fresh herbs!
In the April 2007
issue of Readers Digest, is an article by Dr. Dean Ornish, “The Flavor of Good Health.” Dr. Ornish states,
“Variety is the spice of life, and enjoying a variety of
herbs and spices may help you live a healthier life as
well. Seasonings have been used since biblical times to
perk up the flavor of food; what’s new is research
showing that some of them can enhance your health!”
Dr. Ornish provides amazing information on just a few of
the herbs that are available to us; especially fresh
this time of year. These are: turmeric, ginger,
rosemary, and coriander.
Turmeric: “This herb of the ginger family provides the
yellow color in curries. It’s a powerful antioxidant and
has been used in Indian and Chinese medicine for
centuries. Preliminary studies suggest it may help
prevent or even treat Alzheimer’s disease. In some
Indian villages where turmeric is popular, there are
unusually low rates of Alzheimer’s. Turmeric also
enhances the immune system and may reduce your risk of
heart attack. Because of its anti-inflammatory
properties, scientists are studying curcumin, on of the
most active substances in turmeric, as a possible
treatment for cystic fibrosis.”
Ginger: Studies have demonstrated that ginger is
effective in preventing the symptoms of motion sickness,
especially seasickness…Ginger also contains an
inflammation-fighting substance called gingerol, which
may help reduce pain and improve function in people who
have arthritis.”
Rosemary: (One of my favorites) “Rosemary contains
substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect, which
may improve and circulation, and reduce the severity of
asthma attacks. Used as aromatherapy, it may enhance
memory and cognition.” (No wonder rosemary is one of my
favorites…!!!)
Coriander: “Also called cilantro, and often used in
Mexican cuisine, coriander is rich in protective phytochemicals and is a good source of iron, magnesium
and manganese.”
My challenge for you this month is to try a different
herb once a week in this basic quinoa recipe. See how
each different herb “kicks it up a notch.”
Quinoa with Fresh Herbs
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
Fresh herb of your choice (about 1-2 tablespoons; tastes
may differ)
Directions
1. Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of
a bitter substance called saponins.
2. Bring water to a boil.
3. Stir in quinoa, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Allow quinoa to partially cool
5. Chop or finely slice herb; if using rosemary, first
remove leaves from its sprigs.
6. Stir into partially cooled quinoa.
7. Serve warm or chilled.
8. ENJOY!
Nutrition facts: 107 calories; 19 gm carbs; 4 gm pro; 2
gm fat,
