becoming whole

Chocolate, Cheese, Meat, Sugar: Physically Addictive Foods

I recently read Bronwyn's Scheigardt's post on sugar and I couldn't agree more with her. I just don't eat it anymore. I seldom crave it. If I do, I have a piece of fruit or a simple fruit-sweetened dessert. Is this a miracle coming from someone whose favorite food (and most often eaten food) from age 15 to 40 was sugar? No ... not really. I'll tell you why.

From a macrobiotic perspective of yin and yang  ... the more 'yang' or contracted foods eaten — salt, animal protein like meat, chicken and hard dairy, or baked dry foods — the more the opposite 'yin' or expansive foods are craved. Guess what the yin foods are? Yes, you guessed it, SUGAR in all of its many forms, from candy to sodas, soft dairy products like milk and ice cream, coffee, alcohol and drugs ... to name a few. Do you get the picture? It's actually quite simple.

So, whole grains (such as brown rice), vegetables and beans are in the middle of this yin-yang spectrum. I picture it as a ruler with yin on one side and yang on the other. Whole grains, vegetables and beans are considered more balanced and are in the middle of the ruler. If you eat more of these you won't have as much craving for the opposite end of the spectrum foods. You'll stay more balanced and not teeter-totter between the meat-sugar or salt-sugar extremes.

I've added this video from Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, about addictive foods to give you even more of an idea about the science behind "addictive" foods. (It's 40 minutes long, but well worth it.) 

Sea Palm Salad

When I first started practicing macrobiotics, I discovered a sea vegetable called sea palm. It was my favorite as I liked the taste and the texture. Then all of a sudden it disappeared from the health-food store shelves. Well, recently I found it at Lois' Natural Marketplace (Scarborough, Maine) and it comes from Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, so it can also be purchased online as well if you are from away.

There is a recipe on the back of the package for a raw salad, but I decided to cook mine. This is what I used:

SEA PALM SALAD
1 package of sea palm, reconstituted
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup frozen organic corn or fresh from the cob in season (optional)
1 teaspoon gomasio (partially ground up sesame seeds & salt)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon of tamari (wheat-free) or a pinch of sea salt
2 teaspoons of mirin (optional)

Soak the dried sea palm for 5-10 minutes in a bowl of water. Drain and save soaking water. Heat sesame oil a cast-iron skill on high heat, turn down before oil smokes. Add sea palm and stir occasionally for 5 minutes. Add carrot (and/or corn), 1/4 cup of soaking water and simmer, covered, for 5 more minutes. During this time, soy sauce or salt and mirin can be added. Garnish with gomasio.

Serves 6-8.

Readers: Have you ever tried sea palm? Any good recipes for using it?

Funny but True Facts About Big Pharma, Bill Maher

I found this short YouTube video on Bronwyn Schweigardt's site. I couldn't resist posting it today. It is SO FUNNY ... and true.

Karen's Meals

Karen Wildwood, macrobiotic chef and teacher delivering meals to my car

I got an email from my friend Karen Wildwood the other day saying that she was making a "macro" meals the following day for whoever wanted to purchase one. I thought it would be a nice change from cooking my own dinner. So, on Tuesday evening I went to Karen's and she graciously brought out two meals for me and Tom. Cuddles (on the left) was excited by the prospect!

When I got home and put them on the table it was such a treat. Everything tasted good. We ate slowly and savored each bite. I particularly loved her pressed salad. She added a sweet and nicely written (and recycled ) card which listed the different dishes.There was even a soup and a simple dessert. Yum! Yes, it was quite a treat!

Karen may be moving from the Portland area in the months ahead, but until then anyone interested in being added to her mailing list for notices of when she is making meals (or for her popular macrobiotic cooking classes), you can contact her at: mdunton1@maine.rr.com

Clockwise from left: Aduki beans with parsnips,  pressed salad with tofu "feta", brown rice with hatomugi, daikon with tops. Not shown in photo, broccoli soup, mixed berry mousse.

Neal Steingart

I first met Neal Steingart through his wife Carol. She came to one of my book signings (in Yarmouth, Maine) and told me about her husband who she said was on a parallel journey to mine. Then at the end of March, I was happy to meet Neal in person at Lois' Natural Marketplace. I asked the people who came to this event to share a little about themselves and why they attended.

When it was Neal's turn, he told the group that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer four years ago and that among other "alternative" healing modalities, had adopted a macrobiotic diet. He believes that this had helped his cancer.

Neal looks like a glowing picture of health. When I meet people like him, I'm re-inspired. And he mentioned that macrobiotics is the best-kept secret. I very much agree with him. Let's not keep it a secret!! Neal isn't ...  so please read Neal's complete story on my Web site and share it with others. It could change the destiny and the lives of many others. Hope ... with substance.

Barley & Mushroom Soup

Tom stirs the Barley & Mushroom soup as I quickly snap photo before we eat.

My husband Tom and I are are trying to vary our grains so I've been making this soup a lot lately. Tom REALLY likes it and just announced that I can make this one any day. That's great because it's a really easy one!

I bought the hulled barley at Lois' Natural Marketplace in Scarborough, Maine. I love her grains and beans as many are grown in Maine and they're a cut above any others I've EVER had. My family and I are definitely noticing the difference.

BARLEY &  MUSHROOM SOUP

1 cup whole barley, or brown rice could be used (soaked overnight and covered with water)
1 teaspoon light sesame oil
1 onion, sliced thin into half moons
5-6 cups mushroom stock (I usually use only water, but another optional is 1 cube of Rapunzel brand Vegan Bouillon with Sea Salt & Herbs, if this is used omit the soy sauce).
4-5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until tender, thinly sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, brushed free of dirt, thinly sliced
soy sauce (1/2 teaspoon sea salt can be substituted if soy allergy)
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
fresh scallions, thinly sliced for garnish

Rinse barley by placing it in a bowl and covering with water. Swirl gently and drain. After soaking the barley, drain and discard soaking water.

In a soup pot, heat oil and sauté onions until translucent. Add stock and barley and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in mushrooms. Reduce heat and cook, covered, for about 40 minutes until barley becomes soft and creamy.

Season lightly with soy sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes more. Stir in raw celery for some crunch and serve garnished with fresh scallions. Serves 4.

Note: You also may use pearled barley, a cracked form of the whole grain.

One-Year Blog Anniversary

Blueberry Cake (to live for!) at Masao's Kitchen

On Wednesday, in preparation for my upcoming one-year blog anniversary, my sister Ruth and I decided to drive to Masao’s Kitchen, my favorite macrobiotic & vegan restaurant in Waltham, Mass. We wanted to get a "birthday" cake. And … it was a good day for a drive!

Finally, the weather here has started to get nice, the sun is out, the temps are in the 60s and the daffodils have bloomed. People (including moi) are starting to perk up and appear more cheerful than usual (I call it spring fever).

We had a wonderful lunch and I ran into a friend and her baby just by chance (That happens at Masao's!).

For the blog ... I can't believe the year has flown by since I set up my site. I had no idea what “blogging” was all about when I started, but … with the help of a few talented people, I began another journey of sharing what has helped me — and many other people — recover from cancer.

In the beginning the “stats” (people visiting) were low … but they slowly started to increase! Now I have a group of around 200 regular readers — many who leave comments!

For a while, I was wondering if this was helping anyone at all and then, slowly but surely, I started getting confirmations that it WAS helpful. One person in particular who wrote was Carol Seavitt, who told me that she had found my blog, started with macrobiotics, and that her breast cancer was healing. Her email … and later letters from others that were helped by reading the blog started coming to me. So … I'd say that it has definitely been a worthwhile venture!

I also have learned a lot myself by visiting other Web sites. And I’ve made a lot of friends. Some of the blogs I visit are:

Adekun’s Japan Blog
A Life With A View
Approvechar
Bean Diet
Cestandrea
Daily Tiffin
Diet, Dessert and Dogs
Dr. Lisa Belisle
Fanatic Cook
Foodie Blogroll
Great Big Vegetable Challenge 
Health Treks 
In A Toad’s Garden
Jugalbandi
Knit Nana
Little Foodies
Nicole Ouelette
Perfect Pantry
Purple Podded Peas
Slow Cook
Tastes Like Home
The Well-Seasoned Cook
Veggie Girl

These are soon to be added to the sidebar of my blog!

Another exciting recent development is that my son, Francis Wolff, who lives in NYC (and has attended the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and the Kushi Institute), has started his own video blog called Whole Habits, which I will occasionally borrow from as a "show and tell" when he does a recipe that I'm posting. So if you have any suggestions — such as "How do I make miso soup?" or "How do you use a pressure cooker?" and you want to see it done ... please let us know.

And ... please tell me what you wish I'd do more of, or … what else you'd like to see in the future. I invite you to comment or email me with anything that you have questions about … I love hearing from you!!

Leg Update

I mostly intend for this to be a macrobiotic food & lifestyle blog, but since my leg(s) are such a big part of my life, I occasionally write about this, too. Since May of last year, I've become quite mobile with my new, above-the-knee prosthetic leg, even walking 20-25 minutes a day consistently ... which for me is a great joy. (For those of you just tuning in, I lost my leg to bone cancer 17 years ago.)

About a month ago, I started having nerve pain (which will quickly shock one to attention). So I recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to have my leg looked at by a doctor that many of my amputee friends had recommended. It turns out that my previous reconstructive surgery did not hold, that it possibly became un-sewn (sometimes happens). Much to my dismay, I learned that I need to have it repaired. I didn't take this lightly, but I now feel fortunate that I'm able to have this done since I've come so far in my journey to walk.

I'll have this repair done on May 2 in D.C. In the meantime, I'm back to cooking on one leg and doing less. So I figured I'd post some tips that I think may help me ... and you, too!

Here's the first, from my wonderful sister Ruth: OK, so we all know that the best-case scenario is vegetables cut up, cooked & eaten the same day (for the most life force and nutrition). Especially for serious illness. But, if that isn't practical for you and it would mean eating less of these life-giving veggies ... try this:

Cut up various veggies — round, root, and leafy — that you might use over a period of a few days. Put them in plastic bags or glass containers with lids and refrigerate. This worked well for me over the last weekend when my sister Ruth wasn't here to help with some of the prep and my husband Tom was traveling. It made my cooking on one leg a bit easier!

Elegant Noodles and Broth

This is a very macrobiotic recipe that probably originates from Aveline Kushi's recipes, but was passed on to me via my macrobiotic counselor Warren Kramer ... or maybe my first cooking teacher Lisa Silverman. I like it because it is very Asian and I have fond memories of visiting Japan and eating noodles and broth.

Tasty noodles and clear steamy broth are so nourishing to me. Everyone in my family loves this recipe, too. It is quite easy to make. I'd put this one in the easy, delicious, crowd-pleaser category.

Note: Many "macro" recipes can be adapted for special diets. To make this recipe wheat, gluten, and/or soy-free for those who choose: Use rice pasta for noodles & use tamari (wheat-free) for the soy sauce. For soy-free, omit soy sauce and use 1/2 teaspoon sea salt instead, and  substitute shrimp or other seafood for tofu.

ELEGANT NOODLES IN BROTH

½ pack udon or soba noodles (I use Tinkyada brand rice noodles)
1 shiitake mushroom
1-inch piece kombu
½ onion, sliced in half moons
1-inch piece burdock, cut in matchsticks
1-inch piece carrot, cut in matchsticks
1-inch summer squash, sliced thinly on a diagonal
1 stalk celery, sliced finely on a diagonal
2-4 ounces tofu, cubed
2-3 tablespoons shoyu
2 tablespoons of mirin (optional)
brown rice vinegar (optional)
2 teaspoons kuzu (optional)
grated ginger
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
nori, cut very fine
bonito flakes (optional)
scallions, sliced for garnish
10 cups of water

Cook noodles in separate pot. Rinse and set aside. Put kombu and shiitake in water and bring to a boil. Simmer 10-20 minutes. Remove kombu and shiitake, slice both into strips and return to broth. Add onion, burdock and carrots. Simmer 10 minutes.

Add summer squash, celery, tofu and shoyu to taste — about 1 teaspoon per cup of liquid. Add other seasonings — half as much mirin as shoyu and just a dash of brown rice vinegar. Simmer 5 more minutes.

Dilute kuzu in cold water, then add to broth, stirring constantly to avoid lumping. Bring to a boil, then back to simmer. Pour over pre-cooked noodles. Serve with ginger, scallions, sesame seeds, bonito flakes and nori as garnishes.

Serves 6.

Another 'chance' meeting

My sister Ruth came with me this week for a "leg" appointment in Washington D.C. We flew out of Boston's Logan Airport. To wait for our flight, I spotted the perfect seats ... two airport terminal chairs with a table between them for our tea! We had an hour or more to wait, so I crutched over and plopped myself into one of them just at the same time someone else almost headed toward them. Ruth and I gleefully sat down to wait.

Across from us, I noticed a woman resting with her feet up and her head on her bag for a pillow. She looked a little tired, but for the most part vibrant. As I glanced over I saw a look of recognition on her face. "Have you written a book?" she asked. Surprised, I replied, "Um-hmm ... have you read it?"

This was how I came to meet Donna Greene. Ruth went to get some hot water from Starbucks so that we could all have kukicha tea while we chatted.

Donna told us about her cancer treatment and how she was helped by a spiritual group she belonged to. She was on her way to visit her aged mother in Florida and was really glad that she was able to do this. She had taken a bus to Logan all the way from Ellsworth, Maine, that morning (about five hours) and, though tired, she was glad that she was going. Meeting us was a confirmation for her that she was on the right path she said in so many words.

She spoke about how she did not fear the future. "We only fear for the future if we have forgotten our past," she said. To her, this meant that if we recall our past we can see examples of things that we feared and how later they worked out, sometimes even in a pleasantly surprising way ... like when she was pregnant with her fifth child and she was exposed to rubella (something to be very concerned about). She and her doctor were both very concerned. As it turned out, she had healthy TWINS ... something she had always dreamed of!

I like Donna's quote. I'm finding it useful for the situation that I'm now in — feeling that I'm in another unknown place in my life, slightly depressed about facing another leg surgery. I'm definitely unsure and tentative, being in this "unknown"  and hoping my path becomes a bit clearer in the days ahead.

Hmm ... I think I needed this quote! I must remember my past and know that I'm being guided always and to trust that and my past experiences of that ... a comforting thought. And to draw from past experiences of "success."

Before we knew it, it was time to board our flight. Ruth and I parted from our new friend Donna with hugs.

Today, I'm back home ... and in a better place on this path called my life journey. I trust that I'm being guided. Donna is being guided. We all are.