If so, it's worth your time to tune in to Chef Nancy Banner's interview on the basics of shopping for and cooking seafood, which is now in our archives at Blog Talk Radio. Thanks so much, Nancy, for getting our listeners ready to shed their phish phobia and get cookin!
I'm including some of the links and information here that we discussed while we chattted.
As Nancy mentioned, there were many videos to link to regarding how to remove skin from fish, with a simple Google search. Here is one that I found.
Nancy mentioned Coconut Secret, a soy-free"soy sauce", a great condiment for seafood cooking and eating.
Click here for more information on Nancy and her 30 day eating challenge.
We also mentioned three websites with lists of safe and sustainable seafood choices: Natural Resources Defense Council Environmental Working Group Monterey Bay Aquarium If you stayed on through the end of the interview, we mentioned Nancy's gluten-free organic doggie treats. They are available at the Noble Beast in Phoenix, Arizona.
Finally, here is Chef Nancy's recipe for Poached Fillet of Fish…how super easy is this?: )
Poached Fillet of Fish (Salmon, Cod, Trout, Ocean Perch)
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
• 1 # Fish fillets, cut into 4 equal pieces • ½ C Lemon juice (not concentrate) • 1 T Low sodium soy sauce, Bragg’s liquid aminos or soy-free substitute**
Directions
• Heat the lemon juice and soy sauce in a skillet on medium, until bubbly. • Gently add the fish fillets. Once the liquid returns to a bubble, cover the pan and reduce heat to medium low. • Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave covered another 2-4 minutes.
We received a great hormone question about managing a hormone issue for a different stage of life--menopause. The question came because we so often advise against using soy, for two reasons. First of all, it can be detrimental to thyroid function. Secondly, whether it's in your diet or in your bioidentical hormones (bioidentical does NOT mean organic or GMO-free), the vast majority of soy is genetically modified. Unless you have confirmation from the manufacturer for food or pharmaceutical, you are best to stay away from it. But since phytoestrogens, the compound in soy that gives it such a reputation for menopause management, ARE helpful in easing the hormone transition, I looked up other sources. Here are your best bets. Ground flaxseed and flaxseed oil Rye. oats, barley, and wheat Think multigrain bread when you do have carbs! Hummous Garlic Mung beans and alfalfa sprouts Dried apricots, dates, and prunes Organic tempeh, miso, natto, and soy sauce. These are fermented sources of soy which are believe to be less problematic than tofu, edamame, and manufactured foods containing soy, such as soy milk.
Just received an e-mail from our friends at Shape Foods (they're the ones coming out with the flavored flax oils we found at Natural Products West). They've got another wonderful product (in conjunction with Flax USA) that's only been on grocery shelves for 9 days…flax milk!
Andrew Lis of Shape Foods provided this interesting information about their product:
The key ingredient comes from our flax oil. Due to the superior quality of our oil and since we remove the impurities that can cause the oil to go rancid prematurely through our proprietary manufacturing process, it was the only flax oil on the market that was able to survive pasteurization without going rancid. That is why we are the exclusive ingredient supplier for this type of product.
This product is available at most Walmart stores, so intern Sarah Jones and I set out to find it. Here is Sarah with the original-flavored version (there is also vanilla-flavored).
This carton, here in Phoenix, is priced at $2.98, and it is in the refrigerator case near the other milks and milk substitutes.
It is a dairy-free, lactose-free, soy-free, and gluten-free product. Even though it's primarily fat-based, 8 ounces of the original flavor only contains 50 calories.
Here's the fatty acid profile on the side of the carton. As you can see, it's got a great omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.
The important thing to keep in mind is that this product is made with an oil, and it contains 0 protein. If you use this in place of milk on your cereal, be sure to add another protein source to that meal to keep your glycemic index in check.
I bet this would be a great substitute for creamer in coffee (you'd be hard-pressed to find another way to get omega-3's into your coffee!).
And if you have a fancy blender that makes ice creams, the vanilla version is likely going to be a nice treat. If anyone tries this in their kitchen, please share how you used it!
We're so excited about this! Not just that we have a fundraiser, but that our very first one involves two of our very favorite friends at inCYST, Craig Ramsay and Sandie West.
"Move" with trainer Craig Ramsay, a wonderfully compassionate women's health advocate who we met when he worked with Cyster Stacy Citron on Bravo's reality show Thintervention. He talks mostly about getting you into physical shape, but what we routinely hear from his clients is that his work helps to nurture their self-esteem into good condition as well. He is graciously offering his time to conduct four boot camps on the beach near Sandie's spa, which is where the"Move" part comes in. It's the perfect way to test drive Craig's popular boot camps if you've been thinking about participating but haven't gotten around to it.
Be sure to check out Craig's website and Facebook page to learn more about his"Ultimate Perfect Workout System". And look for him on Twitter at @craigramsay1.
"Soothing" Sandie West has a beautiful facility, Creative Chakra Spa, on the Pacific Coast, just south of the Venice Pier. She's known far and wide for her beautiful space, therapeutic spa treatments, loving spirit, and calming energy. You can't help but put your cares aside and focus on relaxation when you're at Sandie's place! It's perfect for someone who's feeling a little over the top with their diagnosis and in need of little R and R.
To learn more about Sandie's spa and the services and classes she offers, join her Facebook page and follow her on Twitter, @creativechakra.
Check out this video one of Sandie's beach yoga classes. Even the robot that programs our Twitter paper was enthralled…it kept including this video of her beachfront yoga class for several days after she Tweeted it!
These events would not be possible without our wonderful sponsors! Please check out their websites, Facebook fan pages, and follow them on Twitter. They are sponsoring because they are excited to support your journey to PCOS health, and we want to support them in return.
What would our first fundraiser be without one of inCYST's BFF's? The Zing Bars folks don't just support PCOS, they created their products with women with PCOS in mind. Years of combined counseling experience gave them first-hand knowledge about what kind of ingredients, flavors and packaging would be easiest to use and benefit from.
Be sure to"like" them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter at @zingbars.
Growing Naturals is a brand of organic brown rice protein that is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, kosher, non-GMO, organic, and raw diet-compatible. It's a great option for anyone with PCOS, and especially so for anyone who is vegan and/or with food intolerances that make it hard to get enough protein.
When I first learned of them, I thought to myself…"That pretty much touches all bases…finally, I know what to recommend for even the most restrictive of situations." Turns out, their tag line is"Finally, Food For All People".
Be sure to check out their website and learn more about their original, chocolate, and vanilla rice protein isolate powders.
You can find Growing Naturals on Facebook, and their Twitter handle is @growingnaturals.
If you'd like to participate in person, please RSVP either here in the comments section, or on our Facebook event page with at least a"maybe" so we can send you the registrations later this week.
If you can't make it but you'd like to support this fundraiser, here's a link where you can donate. You'll be supporting research projects directly supportive of hormone disorders including PCOS, infertility, thyroid, and diabetes.
We are working out the details and will have complete registration options available at this link. Space is limited for each of the options so if this is something you're interested in doing, please grab your space as soon as possible.
Please, if you can't participate in our specific event but you're interested in the boot camps and/or the spas, check out Craig's and Sandie's websites for more information about their programs.
We'll have a website up and running soon with event details. Please be sure to join the RSVP list on our Facebook event page so we know where to find you when updates occur.
If you would like to donate but cannot make it to the live event, please click here for more information.
Chatted with Beth Wolf tonight, and she summarized the list of walk-a-thon sponsors.
It's an honor to see so much support the first time out! Ladies, they believe in you, and that's a wonderful thing.
Please, if you ever have an opportunity to make a spending choice, consider supporting the companies who support YOUR health, by supporting our goal to fund research:
Growing Naturals Growers and makers of organic, raw, soy-free, gluten-free, vegan brown rice protein powder and milk Maxim Hygiene Organic women's hygiene products St. Joseph's Hospital Sponsors of local PCOS support group Boston IVF New infertility clinic in New Hampshire Arizona Mesquite Company High protein, gluten-free, diabetes-friendly baking flour with a decidely Southwestern flavor Beauty Foods Nutricosmetic (nutrition supplement for skin health) that is also sleep promoting Cerene Linens Specially designed bed linens to keep you cool through the night Stonyfield Organic yogurt Ibitta Specializing in natural supplements made with diabetes and weight management in mind
I am mostly a purist. I like real food from the source. But I am also a realist. And I understand that not everyone can cook, or even likes to cook. And that there are times when you are hungry when there's not a kitchen in sight. So I wanted to share a new product with you that I really like.
I have 3 friends in Seattle, all nutritionists, who partnered with a fourth friend, to create an all-natural, wheat-free, gluten-free, soy-free, low-glycemic energy bar that is just perfect for someone with PCOS. It's got the right kind of fats, and its protein source is whey protein powder, which is great too. Currently available flavors are: chocolate peanut butter, blueberry almond, and oatmeal chocolate chip. I especially like the fact that nutritionists understand that it's much easier to get people to try something healthy if you throw in a little chocolate!
I am really excited about this product, because it's not easy for me to come up with grab-and-go ideas for women with PCOS, and this one fits the bill.
It takes a lot of work and sacrifice to take an idea you have over coffee…"There's nothing out there I can recommend to my clients…hey, why don't I create my own?"…into a reality…and I am really excited that my friends stuck with their idea to the point where I can promote it to people like you. Which is the other reason I'm telling all of you about them. I'd really like them to be rewarded for what it took to go into a business that provides a much-needed service for women like you.
Currently, Zing Bars are primarily available on the West Coast (there is a store locator on the website), but you can order them online by the box. If you like them, be sure you encourage your local stores to stock them.
I have a new favorite recipe that I thought you would like! If you use the anchovy paste, you'll get additional omega-3's; if you're vegan it's fine to use soy sauce. I use lite soy sauce to cut the sodium content. I have also cut the oil in half from the original recipe; feel free to add more if you need it. Just remember that it is the fat in the Caesar that can throw the calories out of whack.
Add chicken or salmon…or even canned tuna…for protein…and you've got a tasty, hormone-friendly meal!
Kale and Romaine Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice - 1 T anchovy paste from a tube (or substitute soy sauce) - 1 tsp. minced garlic - 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard - 3 T olive oil - 2 T + 2 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese - sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste - 4-5 oz. romaine lettuce, thinly sliced, washed and dried - 4-5 oz. dark green kale, washed, dried, and thinly sliced
Preparation
Blend the lemon juice, anchovy paste (or soy sauce), garlic, and Dijon in a food processor and pulse together a few times. Add the olive oil one tablespoon at a time, pulsing for a few seconds after each tablespoon is added. Stir in 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan and season the dressing with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Put dressing in the fridge and chill until ready to use, or if you want to make the salad right away, chill it in the freezer for 10 minutes or so. Thinly slice romaine lettuce and kale into 1/2 inch strips. Wash, then spin dry or dry with paper towels.
Place the kale strips in a salad bowl, and pour in salad dressing. Massage dressing into kale with your hands until the leaves change color. Add romaine and toss to coat with dressing. Add the remaining 2 T of freshly grated Parmesan to the salad and toss again. Serve right away.
And what the heck is smoke point in the first place? If you're a well-intended but not always great chef like me, you've heated oil in the pan to the point where it starts to create a smoke that really excites your smoke alarm. This is the point where the oil has started to break down nutritionally. It is also thought that at this point, more free radicals are present in the oil, and the cancer-causing potential of that oil increases.
When you're using oil to fry a food, it's best to use oils with higher smoke points. You can get a nice flavor on the outside, more quickly, with a higher temperature, while the oil is hot but not past its prime.
Here is a list of smoke points for oils, from least desirable for frying to most desirable. (e.g., the ones least likely to drive your downstairs neighbor batty when you're making dinner.) Note that two of the best 3 oils for frying, soybean and safflower oil, are also two of the oils we encourage you to decrease your intake of because they are pro-inflammatory and high in omega-6 fatty acids. Oils with lower smoke points are good choices for preparation methods not requiring heating.
All of these numbers, except for camellia oil, were obtained from the website, Cooking for Engineers. Camellia oil information was provided by Steven Frenzl of Bien Padre Foods.
So when you fry, consider avocado and camellia oil. I've started to see more avocado oil in stores and markets, so keep your eye out. Camellia oil is relatively new to the market and for now a little challenging to find. If you'd like to try it for yourself, here's a website where you can order it.
Two years ago now, I posted information about shirataki noodles, a type of noodle without carbohydrates. This is so because they are made from soluble plant fiber. Since we consistently received traffic from that post, particularly where to buy them, a year and a half ago I posted information answering that question. The traffic has only increased, which tells me these noodles are only gaining in popularity. So I thought I'd dedicate a post to more detailed information for our interested readers!
One important thing to keep in mind is that some brands of these noodles are made with soy, which you may wish to avoid. One brand I know for sure that is soy as well as gluten-free, is Miracle Noodle. I happened to meet and have a nice chat with the owner of this company, Jonathan Carp, at Natural Products West and he did assure me that this is true. This company has a variety of products to keep you creative in the kitchen, including miracle rice, and konjac flour that you can use as a thickening agent in your own gravies, etc.
One of the consistent complaints I hear from people who try these products and do not like them is that they have a somewhat funky smell and taste. This comes from the way they are packaged. If you rinse them with water after removing them from the package, maybe even let them sit in some water for a few minutes, you'll wash off a lot of the liquid that is the source of the problematic taste. Also, it is best to eat these noodles prepared with a somewhat spicy sauce, etc. so the companion flavors are more what your tastebuds focus on. One of my clients likes to stir fry them with vegetables, another loves to serve them with a homemade bolognese sauce. If you need more ideas, check out the recipes at the Miracle Noodle website.
I am updating the"where to buy shirataki noodles" section to be sure you get the type that is not made with soy.
You can buy these noodles directly from the Miracle Noodle website if you're headed over there…but if you can't wait another second, here's your link for immediate gratification.
If you have a favorite way to prepare these noodles please do share!
We just received an interesting question about beef jerky and whether or not it is safe to eat during pregnancy. And if not…what could be substituted?
Under any other conditions, I love beef jerky, as it is a convenient protein snack that is often overlooked as an option. However, pregnancy is a time when more than one life is exposed to our food choices and it's important to consider the effects of those choices on the person who's passively getting the exposure.
Most pregnancy experts advise against eating beef jerky during pregnancy because it increases the risk of developing a food-borne illness called listeria. Pregnant women seem to be more susceptible to listeria than other people. When exposed, this bacteria can attack the fetus and provoke a miscarriage, stillbirth, or blood infection during infancy. Our clients work waaaay too hard to become pregnant so we want to, to the best of our ability, steer them toward food choices that insure that these fates are not even options.
The website http://www.foodborneillness.com/ provides the following guidelines for reducing your exposure to listeria:
Thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources; Keep uncooked meats separate from vegetables and from cooked and ready-to-eat foods Avoid milk that is not pasteurized and sold raw or foods – such as cheese – made from milk that is not pasteurized; Wash hands, knives, and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods Wash raw vegetables thoroughly before eating Consume perishable and ready-to-eat foods as soon as possible. Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon, or deli meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot. Wash hands after handling those products. Do not eat soft cheeses (such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, or Mexican-style cheese), unless theyhave labels that clearly state they are made from pasteurized milk. Do not eat meat spreads or smoked seafood from the refrigerated or deli section of the store (canned or shelf-stable products may be eaten).
I normally do not have a problem with raw diets or raw milk. During pregnancy however, it is especially important to thoroughly wash produce and consider holding off on raw milk until after your baby is born. OK, now what to do if you have to give up beef jerky!
I found vegetarian jerkies made from two different sources, soy and seitan. Here are some links to some of the options available in the amazon.com store.
In moderation these should be ok. Remember, however, that soy contains estrogenic compounds and too much holds potential to affect your hormone balance.
The second option, made with seitan, looks good as well. If you are following a gluten-free diet, know that seitan is unadulterated gluten. This product is not for you.
Here is a recipe for seitan jerky if you are a kitchen adventurer. http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com/2009/06/black-pepper-seitan-jerky.html
And there you have it, a somewhat long-winded answer, that hopefully answers questions you might have about listeria and pregnancy.
I had the most wonderful Sunday afternoon with a newly pregnant client and her husband. She's been told that her progesterone is low, and she was interested in knowing if there is anything she can do, naturally, to help improve the outcome of her pregnancy. We discussed five different categories of actions. Since this is an issue many women face, I'm adding them to the lineup of planned posts, today being the first of five installments.
Progesterone can be low if estrogen is high. In many cases, it's not the natural estrogen your own body is making, but environmental chemicals resembling estrogen that confuse the body.
To reduce your exposure to unnecessary estrogen…
1. Stay away from plastic. Store your leftovers in glass containers. Be absolutely sure your food does not come in contact with plastic or Saran during heating. Avoid plastic water bottles; metal varieties are pretty easy to find in your Whole Foods or REI store.
2. Use natural cosmetics and hair dyes. inCYST Provider Carmina McGee, who is a licensed aesthetician as well as a registered dietitian, has shared that the primary offending chemical, phthalate, is gradually disappearing out of cosmetics. But just to be sure, read your cosmetic and nail polish labels. Make your cosmetic shopping easy by using an all-natural brand such as Body Shop or Arbonne.
3. Get to know your local eco-friendly decorating and remodeling stores. I recently painted my condo with paint that was free of volatile organic compounds (also known as non-VOC). I used the Benjamin Moore brand which was available at a local Ace Hardware, because I liked the color selection…but there were several eco-friendly brands, and remodeling stores I found while shopping around. One store also had quite a few"green" cleaning supplies as well as carpet glue.
4. If you are not sure of the contents of inks, glues, cleaning solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, fire retardant fabrics, etc., minimize your contact with it. Here's a great list from the National Institutes of Health for your reference.
5. Minimize your intake of dietary estrogens. This one can be a little tricky, since one of the tricks we've been recommending for getting pregnant has been supplementing with flaxseed oil, a natural source of estrogen. Once you know you're pregnant, best to back off on the flaxseed. (Special note: This release I'm linking is so new the actual study is not yet listed in the National Library of Medicine database. As soon as it is, I'll be sure to evaluate and report in more detail here.)
The other food to be aware of is soy--whole soy foods such as edamame and tofu are ok, but stay away from isolates that are often used as fillers.
6. Keep your sleeping environment as dark as possible at night. Close the drapes. Use eye shades. Eliminate televisions and computers from the bedroom.
What I really like about this first list is that it is, really, about living cleaner and greener. So choices you make for your pregnancy are doing double duty and helping out the planet!
Note: I've received quite a few compliments about this blog post. It was written and published without a single edit by Sarah Jones. Sarah is currently a nutrition student and Arizona State University and has been interning with me over this academic year. The attention to detail you see here is just how Sarah does things. I'm very lucky to have her, and glad she has shared such a timely topic in such a wonderful post. Thanks, Sarah!
You may have noticed that vitamin D has been a hot topic in the media lately and, at this point, it is likely that we as consumers are becoming overwhelmed by all the media hype. Recent studies have suggested that in prehistoric times, in addition to normal skeletal development, humans probably used vitamin D as a natural form of sunscreen. Before majoring in Dietetics, my basic knowledge of the role vitamin D played in the body is that it somehow worked with calcium to promote healthy bones. As it turns out, I had no idea how complex the relationship actually was between vitamin D and the human body! Let’s take a further look at vitamin D. Most of us may know vitamin D as the “sunshine vitamin.” We get it from the sun, right? Sure, but how? When ultraviolet light from the sun shines on a cholesterol compound in our skin, it is transformed into a vitamin D “precursor” (compounds that can be converted into active vitamins that the body can use) and is absorbed directly into the blood. The liver and kidneys finish converting the precursor to the active form of vitamin D. There are two major forms of vitamin D; these are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), which is present in plants, and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which is present in the skin of animals. Vitamin D was discovered in 1920 and was originally classified as a vitamin. However, it has since been revealed that vitamin D is actually a hormone (steroid) since it can be synthesized by the body when exposed to sunlight. Essentially, the major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus in our bodies, which aids in the absorption of calcium and helps to form and maintain strong bones. Vitamin D3 is the most active form of the vitamin, which is what you will see in most supplements. Obtaining vitamin D from sunlight presents no risk of vitamin D toxicity because the body is able to regulate the vitamin D precursor – see what I mean about complex! But, as we know, getting too much sun puts us at risk for skin cancer. Since moving to Arizona, I have started wearing sunscreen everyday to decrease my risk of skin cancer, but sunscreen can reduce or prevent the synthesis of vitamin D. And, because vitamin D is one of the most toxic of all the vitamins, taking supplements can put us at risk for toxicity. Now you may be thinking, I wear sunscreen, I am concerned about supplementing without first consulting my doctor, and I live in an area that does not get much sunlight during this time of year, what foods can I eat that have vitamin D in them? As far as foods are concerned, dietary vitamin D is provided primarily by foods of animal origin, especially liver, beef and eggs (mainly the yolk). You can also find vitamin D in dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter. Lastly, vitamin D is in some saltwater fish, including tuna, salmon, herring and sardines. Because few foods naturally have substantial vitamin D content, i n the United States there are pre-selected foods, such as milk, cheese, margarine and yogurt as well as some orange juice, bread, and cereals that have been fortified with vitamin D. If you are a vegetarian, you likely will not be obtaining vitamin D by eating liver, beef or fish, but you may still be eating eggs and dairy products. I mentioned yogurt as a source of vitamin D, but after a trip to the grocery store and looking at no less than ten brands of yogurt, I was stumped! I was hard pressed to find yogurts that have been fortified with vitamin D. However, it was not a complete loss, as I eventually spotted one (which also happens to be one of my favorite brands). Stonyfield Organic Yogurt has fortified most of their yogurt products with vitamin D3. Here is a list from their labels of the “percent of daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet”: Organic Fat Free Smooth and Creamy 6 oz (all flavors): 20% of D3 Organic Fat Free Fruit on the Bottom 6 oz (all flavors): 15% of D3 Organic Low Fat Smooth and Creamy 6 oz (all flavors): 20% of D3 Organic Low Fat Fruit on the Bottom 6 oz (all flavors): 15% of D3 Their soy and Greek yogurt’s do not have vitamin D, but they also make six and ten ounce organic smoothies that contain vitamin D. Additionally, they have two other products that are worth mentioning: “B-Healthy and B-Well.” B-Healthy includes omega-3 fatty acids, as well as three of the B vitamins ( B3 or Niacin, B5 or Panthothenic Acid and B12). B-Well contains vitamin B6, probiotic cultures and vitamin D. According to their website, if you live in the Phoenix area, Stonyfield Organic Yogurt can be found at: Bashas’, AJ’s Fine Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market.
References
1. K.M. Dixon, S.S. Deo, G. Wong, M. Slater, A.W. Norman and J.E. Bishop et al., Skin cancer prevention: a possible role of 1,25dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its analogs, Journal of Steroid Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 97 (2005), pp. 137–143. 2. Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Research for Optimum Health Website. Available at: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminD/. Accessed June 18, 2011. 3. Mahan, LK, Escott-Stump S. Krauses’s Food & Nutrition Therapy. 12th ed. St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier; 2008.
One of my litmus tests for how healthy a vegan's diet truly is, is to listen to how they describe what they eat. If they focus on telling me what they DON'T eat, and have a limited list of what they DO eat, I start to consider that what we're describing is an eating disorder, not a vegan eater.
Here's a challenge to encourage you to be more vegan and less disordered. It comes from the blog http://www.lunchboxbunch.com/., and it's a list of 100 vegan foods. I've been instructed to italicize foods I'd never try, and bold face foods I have eaten. And to encourage you to share the challenge on your own blogs.
I'm a pretty adventurous eater so there are no italics. I did better than I thought I would, actually, since I am not 100% vegan myself. I now have some great items to add to my own list!
Have fun! 1. Molasses
2. Cactus/Nopales 3. Scrambled Tofu 4. Grilled Portobella Caps 5. Fresh Ground Horseradish 6. Sweet Potato Biscuits 7. Arepa 8. Vegan Cole Slaw 9. Ginger Carrot Soup 10. Fiddlehead Ferns 11. Roasted Elephant Garlic 12. Umeboshi 13. Almond Butter Toast 14. Aloe Vera 15. H and H Bagel NYC 16. Slow Roasted Butternut Squash 17. White truffle 18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes 19. Freshly ground wasabi 20. Coconut Milk Ice Cream (not store bought) 21. Heirloom tomatoes 22. Orchard-fresh pressed apple cider 23. Organic California Mango (in season Sept-Oct only) 24. Quinoa 25. Papaya Smoothie 26. Raw Scotch Bonnet (habanero) pepper (just a bite!…hot! 27. Goji Berry Tea 28. Fennel 29. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie 30. Radishes and Vegan Buttery Spread 31. Starfruit 32. Oven fresh Sourdough bread 33. Sangria made with premium fruit and juices 34. Sauerkraut 35. Acai Smoothie 36. Blue Foot Mushrooms 37. Vegan Cupcake from Babycakes nyc 38. Sweet Potatoes and Tempeh combo 39. Falafel 40. Spelt Crust Pizza 41. Salt and Pepper Oyster Mushrooms 42. Jicama Slaw 43. Pumpkin Edamame Ginger Dumplings 44. Hemp Milk 45. Rose Champagne 46. Fuyu 47. Raw Avocado-Coconut Soup 48. Tofu Pesto Sandwich 49. Apple-Lemon-Ginger-Cayenne fresh-pressed juice…with Extra Ginger 50. Grilled Seitan 51. Prickly pear 52. Fresh Pressed Almond Milk 53. Concord Grapes off the vine 54. Ramps 55. Coconut Water fresh from a young coconut 56. Organic Arugula 57. Vidalia Onion 58. Sampler of organic produce from Diamond Organics 59. Honeycrisp Apple 60. Poi 61. Vegan Campfire-toasted Smores 62. Grape seed Oil 63. Farm fresh-picked Peach 64. Freshly-made pita bread with freshly-made hummus 65. Chestnut Snack Packs 66. Fresh Guava 67. Mint Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies 68. Raw Mallomar from One Lucky Duck, NYC 69. Fried plantains 70. Mache 71. Golden Beets 72. Barrel-Fresh Pickles 73. Liquid Smoke 74. Meyer Lemon 75. Veggie Paella 76. Vegan Lasagna (raw optional) 77. Kombucha 78. Homemade Soy Milk 79. Lapsang souchong 80. Lychee Bellini 81. Tempeh Bacon 82. Sprouted Grain Bread 83. Lemon Pepper Tempeh 84. Vanilla Bean 85. Watercress 86. Carrot you pulled out of the ground yourself 87. Vegan In-Season Fruit Pie 88. Flowers 89. Corn Chowder 90. High Quality Vegan Raw Chocolate 91. Yellow fuzz-free Kiwi 92. White Flesh Grapefruit 93. harissa 94. Coconut Oil 95. Jackfruit 96. Homemade Risotto 97. Spirulina 98. Seedless 'Pixie' Tangerine 99. Gourmet Sorbet, not store bought 100. Fresh Plucked English Peas
Thanks so much to Kerstin Wingert of Souvia Tea and Michael Keele of Central Slope for sharing their expertise about these topics!
Here is more information about the companies, products and resources mentioned in today's program.
TEA STUFF
Here is information about the personal travel tea bag Kerstin mentioned. She has many other gadgets in her tea store as well.
Culinary Tea: More Than 150 Recipes Steeped in Tradition from Around the World is the book Kerstin mentioned, containing 150 recipes with tea as an ingredient. Have a foodie on your Christmas list? Check it out!
Remember, if you are in the store, mention the radio show and receive 20% off your purchase. Or, if you shop online, use my name, Monika, as your coupon code, and receive the same discount.
Both Kerstin and Michael mentioned Absolutely Delightful Honey, another local Arizona business.
BEE STUFF
If you garden, Humble Seed, a local company (with an online store), which specializes in"providing the highest quality heirloom, non-GMO, non-hybrid, and organic seed varieties" is the company partnering with Central Slope to host the exclusive Arizona premiere of the documentary, Vanishing of the Bees.
Here is the trailer to the movie.
If you would like to attend this movie in Phoenix, it is showing at the MadCap Theater, on Saturday, November 6, at 5 pm. You can buy tickets ($15 each) at the theater, 730 S. Mill Avenue, in Tempe, or online at http://www.madcaptheaters.com/
There is also a need for sponsorships for this event. If you're interested, please contact Michael Keele at info@centralslope.com.
FREE STUFF
I promised you a recipe to try cooking with tea, and here it is. Thank you so much to Sous Chef Lisa at Green Mountain at Fox Run Resort for sharing her Sesame Peanut Sauce recipe. (Kerstin suggested a Keemun tea for this recipe, which she says is full body, very smooth with a slight smokey flavor. Can you see what I mean when I say she is to tea what many others are to wine?) Sesame Peanut Sauce
Yields about 1 cup — perfect for noodles, chicken, tofu, etc.
Steep 1 black tea bag in 1/2 cup of room temperature water for 3 hours. (Heating the water can cause the tea to be bitter.)
Whisk the resulting tea with:
1/2 cup peanut butter (almond or cashew are lovely substitutes) 2 T honey (or agave nectar) 2 T tamari or soy sauce 1 T rice wine vinegar 1 T toasted sesame oil 2 tsp sesame seeds (optional) 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp ginger powder pinch of cayenne or sriracha sauce to taste (optional) Voila!
