CSAs are for lovers: fresh organic fruit and veggies

Veggies & fruit from our CSA have started rolling in! I’ve wanted to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) ever since I found out they existed. Location (sometimes laziness to travel far) and other things always got in the way. This year we found a CSA with a pick-up location that is a 10 minutes walk from our place. Our delicious organic veggies come from The Farm at Miller’s Crossing, a 200-acre farm in Hudson Valley, New York. We also got a fruit half-share from Breezy Hill Orchards, a third-party Eco Apple-certified orchard also located in the Hudson Valley. A single share of veggies a week is more than enough for my husband & I (see picture for proof). However, I sort of wish we got a full share instead of a half for fruit. A half share equaled a batch of organic strawberries that we ate in 3 days. Our CSA also offers shares in Eggs, Pasta, Meat, Herondale Farm Beef and Chicken, Cheese and Coffee.

There are tons of benefits to joining a CSA. I recommend researching if your community has one.

• It’s healthy! CSA vegetables are organic and free of harmful pesticides. Plus there’s nothing like having a batch of fresh veggies delivered every week to encourage you to cook healthy meals.
• It’s fresh! CSA produce is super fresh and delicious because it’s hand picked the same day it’s delivered.
• It’s affordable! Most CSAs have no paid staff and there is no wasteful packaging thus reducing costs. For veggies at our CSA a Single Share: $320 ($14.55 per week) & Double Share: $580 ($26.36 per week); Fruit Full Share: $264 ($12 per week) & Half Share: $176 ($8 per week)...so my husband & I only spend an average of $22.55/week for veggies and fruit ($11.25/person/week)
• It’s good for the environment! CSA is better for the environment because no chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used, and fossil fuels are not wasted on long distance transportation.
• It supports a local farm! As more and more small farms are losing out to ‘agribusiness’, joining a CSA is great way to support a family farm. Farmers receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm's cash flow. We paid for our CSA in full in April, then the picking season begins in June-November. CSA involve a ‘shared risk and reward’ agreement, i.e. that the consumers receive what the farmers grow even with the vagaries of seasonal growing
• It builds community! CSA is a great way to get to know your neighbors and get more involved in community activities. We've already gotten invited to some neighborhood block parties/events.

Brooklyn Food Conference: Saturday, May 12!!!

Excited for next week's free food conference in BROOKLYN! My husband and I have had this on our calendars for 3 months now. I downloaded the program of events and was pleasantly shocked by the 92 pages of options and information. So many workshops :)

May 12: 9 am - 6 pm
Brooklyn Tech HS
29 Fort Greene Place
Brooklyn, New York 11217

More information: On May 12, 2012 over 5,000 people are expected to attend this free, all day event filled with keynotes from notable food activists, workshops, panel discussions, food demos, family programming, art and much more. The 2012 Conference will help strengthen the cooperative effort of individuals, groups and organizations fighting everyday for a healthy, sustainable and fair food system. Food activists, local farmers, academics, restaurateurs and health advocates and all those interested in food justice will gather to discuss the global food economy and its impact on our lives.

Mission Statement: The Brooklyn Food Coalition is a grassroots organization dedicated to the vision of a just and sustainable food system in Brooklyn through community organizing, public education, and research and advocacy. The Coalition is fundamentally committed to building an inclusive, multi-racial, multi-cultural alliance of residents and community-based groups from all parts of Brooklyn, reflecting the borough’s rich diversity. The Brooklyn Food Coalition is composed of neighborhood-based groups, working committees, and affiliate groups all working together in Brooklyn on projects that promote food justice and sustainable food. BFC staff provide coordination between groups.

Omega VRT350 Juicer over Breville, lettuce over carrots

Omega VRT350

After a year of debating if it made sense to purchase a juicer and as my love of Blue Print Cleanse's Green Juice (at $10 a pop) grew, I decided to buy an Omega VRT350 Juicer.

I posted "What juicer should I buy?" on Facebook and 2 teams quickly emerged: Team Breville (centrifugal juicers) and Team Omega (masticating juicers). After reading tons of reviews and speaking to my friends/relatives here's the recap:

Team Breville: Juices 2-3x faster (65,000 - 125,000 RPM), $100 cheaper, awesome for fruit based juice, can handle leafy greens but you need to ball them up, wastes more pulp, fast speed causes the juice to oxidize (not a problem if you drink the juice right away, but not good it you want to refrigerate leftover).

Team Omega: Much slower but also much quieter, gets more juice out (less and drier pulp), more expensive but longer warranty, handles leafy greens better, slow speed (80 RPM) means no oxidation allowing juice to be stored for up to 72 hours without degradation.

My husband and I decided we prefer quality juice over speed. The first juice we made I went a little kale crazy and ended up with bitter tasting juice. Note to self: do not put more kale then carrot & celery. The second time I learned my lesson and made a delicious lettuce-kale-apple blend (1 head of lettuce, 1/2 bunch of kale, 2 golden apples). The whole process (set-up, juicing and cleaning) takes about 20 minutes and makes 20oz. Next time I'll probably double the ingredients to have some for storage. I also learned that carrots produce tons of pulp/waste whereas lettuce is extremely efficient for a base.

the Omega VRT350 makes 24 oz with little waste

Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Perfomance in Sports and Life

2011 will be the year of my first marathon (Insha'Allah). I'm going to hold off on serious training until after the Baha'i fast this March. One can't seriously train when abstaining from food and water sun up to sun down. In the mean time I've been researching what it's like to train for 26.2 miles as a vegan.

Most vegan athletes have heard of Brendan Brazier. He's a vegan Ironman triathlete and runner. Brazier won two Canadian 50 km Ultramarathon Championships (2003, 2006) and was regarded as one of Canada’s top endurance athletes and among the world’s best ultramarathoners.

I decided to read one of Brazier's books this week "Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Perfomance in Sports and Life" to get tips on how to tweak my diet so I have the energy to run 20+ miles.

Thrive is a well researched book. Brazier includes numerous ideas for things to add to my diet and the general concept of being an active vegan. It's a great read for any runner/athlete. The book has tons of recipes and in-depth info. Added plus if you like a raw vegan diet. Some summary notes from the book:

• Acidic foods can lead to numerous health problems. Try to eat more highly alkaline forming food. The goal is for your body to have a pH of 7.35. Most non-vegan items are highly acidic (cow's milk, meat etc.)
• "One-step nutrition", eating foods already in a form usable by the body is the key. Complex carbs have to be converted to simple; fat converted to fatty acids; protein converted to amino. It's more efficient to eat things already in the converted form -> less energy used breaking the food down etc.
• Good amino acids sources: hemp, leafy greens, sprouts. Fatty acids: seeds like flax, hemp pumpkin, walnuts and oil.
• How to fuel your body before exercise depends on the degree of intensity. High intensity but shorter duration: 3% protein, 7% fat, 90% carbs (A mix of dates and coconut oil is recommended). Moderate intensity: 5% protein, 35% fat, 60% carbs. Low intensity but long duration (ie marathon running): protein 10%, fat 70%, carbs 20%
• For workouts longer than 3 hours you must train your body to burn fat efficiently and preserve glycogen stores. Otherwise you will tire easily and need to take more breaks to refuel. Easy long exercises like bike riding for 5 hrs at leisure pace will train the body to burn fat.
• Eat a lite carb within 45 min of a workout so muscles can absorb it and aid recovery (no fiber and less than 20% protein)
• Eat an easily digestible meal an hour after the workout with protein. (If the meal is hard for the body to digest blood flow increases to the stomach instead of working to clear out lactic acid and aid muscle strain
• Power foods: Dinosaur kale, sea vegetables (10x the calcium of cow's milk), yellow peas, flaxseeds (high omega 3 and 6), sprouts and quinoa/amaranth

Happy reading and eating :)

Kale Spinach Mango smoothie

I've often come across recipes for smoothies with kale/spinach but I assumed they'd taste terrible. However, after reading Nima's blog entry I felt compelled to try it....Nima, a 20 something with leukemia (A.L.L) wrote "Its my birthday and the best gift you can give me is to dedicate one day a week to doing something healthy for yourself....like having my smoothie ;)" So really, it was the best time ever to try it out. Plus I love kale.

Turns out it tastes pretty good, basically a purer version of Odwalla's Superfood. Next time I'm going to try it with juice (instead of water)

Ingredients
1 whole mango (I used frozen mango)
2 bunches of spinach
3 leaves of kale
4 ice cubes
1 cup water/juice
honey to taste

blend and drink....mmmm kale :)

Eat Well to Be Well

I am a strong believer in not only 'you are what you eat' but also 'your health = your diet'. So it made me happy to read this article about a doctor who agrees and is working towards providing his patients with a better diet etc. --> NY Times article Doctor's Orders

"The kitchen must become as crucial as the clinic. Food is at the center of health and illness and so doctors must make all aspects of it — growing, buying, cooking, eating — a mainstay of their medical educations, their personal lives and their practices."
~ Dr. Maring

Highlights:

• Dr. Maring started a weekly farmers’ market in 2003 just outside the front door at the Kaiser Permanente medical center.
• Dr. Maring has worked to obtain fresh local food for hospital trays and in cafeterias.
• Dr. Maring’s son, Ben, 30, a fourth-year medical student at New York University School of Medicine, is working to improve the food doctors and med school students eat. Ben has developed a series of cooking classes that incorporate aspects of nutrition and clinical medicine. He named his scheme CHEF — for Cook Healthy, Eat Fresh.

Lychee vegan cupcakes with coconut glaze!

Oh my goodness we agree! ....As I've posted before, normally my husband prefers the least sweet cupcakes with some spice and I prefer the intensely sweet variety. After I made this lychee cupcakes though we both agreed these were our new favorites or at least top 3 :). Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, has another winner.

For me it was love at first batter taste. As I scraped the excess batter from the bowl, it was pure happiness. An extra bonus of vegan cupcakes is you can eat the raw batter all you like with no fear of getting sick, no eggs!

After tasting them post bake it was even better. The lychee flavor really comes out in the cupcakes. You can't taste the flax seeds at all, which is good. Plus I can convince myself the cupcakes are healthy because they have flaxseeds ie Omega fatty acid goodness in them. The coconut glaze works great as well, just the right amount of sweetness. * * * * * (out of 5)!

Lychee Cupcakes (makes 12 cupcakes)

2 cups unbleached flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar
5 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 can (4 ounces) lychee fruit, drained and chopped, syrup reserved
1/4 - 1/3 cup lychee syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
3. In a separate medium bowl, beat ground flaxseeds and 6 tablespoons water with a fork until gelatinous. Add oil, coconut milk, chopped lychees, and lychee syrup to the flaxseeds and mix to combine.
4. Add wet mixture to the dry ingredients, mix to combine. Fill cupcake liners full.
5. Bake 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Coconut glaze:
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup coconut milk
directions for glaze:
Mix powdered sugar and coconut milk until smooth. Drizzle over completely cooled cupcakes.

Iskiate!

I have a new nutritional drink of choice.....Iskiate, basically chia seeds and limonade/lemonade. Remember chia pets? Same seeds but without growing grass hair on figurines. The idea came from reading Born To Run just like my new interest in barefoot running.

"For centuries this tiny little seed was used as a staple food by the Indians of the south west and Mexico. Known as the running food, its use as a high energy endurance food has been recorded as far back as the ancient Aztecs. It was said the Aztec warriors subsisted on the Chia seed during the conquests. The Indians of the south west would eat as little as a teaspoon full when going on a 24hr. forced march. Indians running form the Colorado River to the California coast to trade turquoise for seashells would only bring the Chia seed for their nourishment."

Turns out chia seeds are like super powered flax seeds. They have slightly less Omega-3 and Omega-6 than flax seeds but the fatty acids are much easier for your body to absorb in chia seeds, no chewing necessary (Click here for a nutritional break down). They also are a good source of calcium and fiber....plus protein and antioxidants... ooo la la.
















FYI, Chia seeds will absorb 9 times it’s weight in water in less than 10 minutes creating a kind of jelly/slimey substance. All in all I give it * * * * * stars, I think I found my morning drink of choice.

Iskiate (serving size - 1 glass)
8 oz of water
2.0-2.5 teaspoons of Chia Seeds
1 lime to squeeze
2 teaspoons of sugar
Mix water, sugar, and juice from the lime until dissolved. Add Chia Seeds and shake or stir. Serve it chilled.

Lambsquarter and sunflower greens: Farmer's Market discoveries

I love farmer's markets almost as much as I love Whole foods (and for those of you who know me that's saying a lot). Something about all the fresh vegetables, fruits and beautiful flowers makes me happy. Plus I like meeting some of the farmers and workers who had a hand in producing my future nourishment.

I have been on the lookout for another super vegetable that tastes good enough so I could lessen my kale addiction. This Saturday I found it :)
Introducing Lamb's quarter (wild spinach).

"Lambsquarters is a close cousin to spinach, but far, far more nutritious. It ranks right up there with Dandelion, Watercress and Nettles as one of nature’s nutritional powerhouses. It has a mild, green flavor like our domestic greens. In fact it is a relative of Swiss chard, beets and a few exotic garden greens like orach, all in the Chenopodium family." 281% of your daily Vitamin A requirement, 111% Vitamin C, 1112% Vitamin K, 46% Calcium and 47% Manganese the list goes on.


The taste is similar to spinach, really close to "mchicha" a wild spinach I used to eat in Tanzania. I sauteed the lamb's quarter with some garlic and olive oil -> mmm. I highly recommend you try it. I will be revisiting Union Square's Farmer's Market to restock on some (plus their Kale is $0.50 cheaper ;)


Unfortunately, another purchase of mine caused some major buyer's remorse.... Dear, Sunflower greens: You taste mediocre and cost $6 for a 1/4 lb. I overlooked your high price because you are 25% protein. Just 3.5 ounces of your sprouted seeds contain 22.78 grams of protein. However, I had to force myself to eat a handful even after adding salad dressing.

Jokingly my fiance adds "When I eat them I can sense big sunflowers standing behind me and weeping because I am eating their children."

If you don't care about the price, it's still worth a try though. Because if you like the taste they still are an amazing source of plant based protein.

When to Buy Organic

Buying organic is expensive. However, in a world full of chemicals and pesticides it is necessary in some cases to reduce the amount of toxins you consume. Watch Dr. Andrew Weil's explanation. To minimize organic food costs while minimizing your exposure to chemicals/pesticides buy the organic version of foods in the "Dirty Dozen" i.e. the foods with the most pesticides (even after washing and peeling some of them).... Food to buy organic: Celery, Peach, Strawberries, Apple, Blueberries, Nectarines, Bell Peppers, Spinach, Kale, Cherries, Potatoes and Grapes (Imported). Download a list here.

Your skin is your largest organ, I recommend taking care of it. I only use organic body products now. I don't like the idea of the chemical ingredients listed on the average body lotion seeping into my pores etc. All the extra artificial sweeteners and scents are not necessary, Mother Nature has us covered.

My natural body care:
Hair/Face oil -> Jojoba Oil, The Jojoba Company
Toothpaste -> Tom's of Maine, Whole Care Toothpaste Gel
Deodorant -> Tom's of Maine Natural Original Care Deodorant Stick, Tom's of Maine
Body Wash -> 365 Everyday Shower Gel
Face Wash -> Sea Buckthorn & Cucumber with Ester-C® Facial Cleansing Cream, Aubrey Organics
For my dreadlocks -> Jane Carter's Natural Hold Locking Spray

Growing Wheat Grass for Naw-Ruz

19 days ago I started growing wheat grass. The goal was to watch the grass grow in anticipation for the first day of spring/Naw-Ruz and to remind myself as I fasted during the day the quote by Baha'u'llah:

"Sow the seeds of My divine wisdom in the pure soil of thy heart, and water them with the water of certitude."

It was relatively easy to grow. I tried two ways: one worked incredibly fast and beautifully, the other was slow and ugly. I haven't eaten/juiced the wheat grass yet. I might just use it for decoration. However, I do love wheat grass shots and the nutritional benefits.

Method 1 (aka the best method): Soak the seeds in water, washing 2-3x daily for about 30 - 48 hours. Spread a thin layer of soil on a round bowl. Pour a thick layer of seeds on top of the soil. Cover them with something so that it stays dark. Water daily. Keep covered until green blades start to shoot up. Then uncover them. Keep watering them. This whole process takes about 14 days.

Method 2 (aka the sucky method): Soak the seeds in water, washing 2-3x daily for about 30 - 48 hours. Put several layers of paper towel in a round bowl. Pour a thick layer of seeds on top of the paper towel. Rinse the seeds daily. After they start growing green blades, water them daily. This whole process takes longer and the grasses are 1/2 the height of method 1.

Vitamins Vital for Vegans!

One of the most common concerns about switching to veganism/vegetarianism is health. And the common question of “Where do you get your protein or calcium?” are actually not the things you should be worried about. You can benefit from the hours I spent online visiting sites like www.veganhealth.org by reading my synopsis below (Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, so if you have concerns please ask a medical professional)

As a vegan you need more B12, Omega-3 and Omega-6. Other top concerns like Iodine -> fixed if you use ¼ teaspoon of iodinized salt a day, or Vitamin D -> Go outside, breathe fresh air and take in the sun (light-skinned: 10-15 minutes, dark-skinned: 20 minutes, elderly: 30 minutes).

The lowdown on B12:

• First off, the source of B12 you need can only be found in meat, soil/micro-organisms, fortified foods (cereal, soy milk etc) or supplements.
• Studies have shown that humans store B12 in their bodies for years. So if you were a meat eater for a long time then you have a decent storage of B12. You will only need 1.0 - 2.5 µg, three times a day from fortified foods or supplements.
• If you're like me and haven’t eaten meat since you were 12. Then you’ll need to create a store of B12. Buy a bottle of 1,000 µg (or greater) B12 chewable/sublingual tablets. Take 2,000 µg a day for 2 weeks. It's okay to take more than recommended.
• Note on multi-vitamins: Vitamin C in doses of 500 mg or more taken within one hour or B12 may diminish B12 availability or destroy the B12. Also for B12 absorption it needs to be chewable or sublingual.

Balancing your Omega-3 versus Omega-6:

In a perfect world you’ll drink a few teaspoons of flaxseed oil a day. Or grind flaxseeds using a coffee grinder and put them in your foods.

• Note: The Omega will not be digested from ungrounded flax seeds and heating flaxseed oil damages it, but it can be put on warm food such as toast. Flaxseed oil should be kept in the refrigerator.

For those of you not wanting to do this, here is what you need to know.

• Omega-3 and Omega-6 fight each other in your body. So cooking things high in Omega-3 in oil high in Omega-6 lessens the nutritional potential. Oils high in Omega-6: corn, soy, safflower, sunflower, "vegetable," sesame oil. Oils low in omega-6: olive, avocado, peanut, or canola.
• This table has a list of high Omega-3 and Omega-6 sources.

So the next time someone ask about your protein intake tell them they should be worried about your B12 instead ;)