art of nourishment

HIGH SUMMER

2011-07-05T10:29:00.000-04:00

These images are from a recent Saturday excursion to the Union Square Farmer's Market in NYC. The market is always inspiring this time of year. Sometimes when I go to the market I have a schedule, a list and an agenda, but there are times when I use these forays into the market to slow down, open my senses and respond to what is actually being offered. It's in these moments that I often become inspired to step out of my habits and create a new recipe or to work with a familiar food in a different way. Even if you are not in the habit of going to a local farmer's market now through mid fall is the perfect time to explore one near you. Let the journey open your senses and your palate!

Another way to recalibrate your palate and your relationship to the food you eat is to simplify your diet and allow the digestive system to rest. A great way to do this is with a nutritional cleanse. You can begin to prepare your body for the warmer days of summer from the Inside Out with one of our upcoming RASA Life Cleanses! Read More

Once the body is relaxed, rested and open begin to explore new territory with some of our recipes!

DID YOU EAT YOUR GREENS TODAY?

2011-04-26T08:13:00.000-04:00

Spring is a wonderful time to reintroduce greens to your diet. As the earth awakens our eyes are refreshed by the many shades of green spring offers us.

The mildly bitter, pungent and sour flavors of young spring greens, wild leeks, rhubarb and sprouts, cleanse and enliven the palate and bring balance to our body and psyche after a long, cold and wet winter. Enjoy familiar spring favorites—asparagus, arugula, watercress, parsley, or a variety of savory sprouts such as radish, broccoli, sunflower, alfalfa and onion, but also take time to explore spring in all her wild glory and seek out some edible weeds—purslane, dandelion, fiddleheads, and wild leeks. Take this time to nourish yourself by simplifying your diet and the preparation of your food.

Adding a daily dose of green vegetables is one of the most important things you can do for your body. They provide a wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals as well as as amino acids and a healthy dose of fiber. So what are you waiting for? Go get your green on!

HERB AND YOUNG GREEN SALAD
1c mixed herbs like parsley, basil, tarragon
1/2 c fresh chives and chive flowers, chopped
1c sunflower greens or pea shoots
3 c mixed greens; beet grens, baby chard, arugula leaves
1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
thinly sliced radishes

Put the herbs and greens in a beautiful ceramic or wooden bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and a few squeezes of fresh lemon. Season with good salt and some fresh pepper.

INTUITIVE/COUNTER-INTUITIVE

2011-02-12T00:31:00.001-05:00

Intuitive-from the Latin 'intueri', which is often roughly translated as meaning ‘to look inside’ or ‘to contemplate’ (wikipedia)

It seems that the effects of stress are not always mitigated by daily yoga and hefty amounts of green juice, counter-intuitive, but true. ENTER stage left (out of left field that is) HEAD COLD. Translate: stuffy head, a simultaneous stuffy and runny nose and restless nights. So, when I find myself with this head cold I am a little dismayed and lot frustrated but I know what needs to be done. Rest, hydration, staying warm and fasting or eating very lightly, are all part of natural order when needing to heal a head cold. Yet the modern day practice of forging ahead has given us the ethos :"Take some meds, stop your whining and get back to work". Well I'm an old school girl and meds aren't my way. So I stick to my guns, and my juices, and the sudden, fervent onset of the cold on late Tuesday night is now gladly on its way out. So what exactly did I do for the last 2 and a half days? A lot of nothing and some of this:

Tuesday night. I put a droplet of Oregano oil (liquid fire) in a shot of water and drink up. Then massage more Oregano oil and Thieves oil, a proprietary blend from Young Living Essential Oils, on my feet. Finally I bundle the feet up and sweat myself to sleep. Oh BTW I didn't say whomever you might share your bed with would love this route, but all the antibacterial oils are protecting your sleeping companion too. I highly recommend stocking up on oregano oil and thieves through the early spring to help bolster the immune system and as an anti-bacterial defense!
Wednesday. Morning Practice- yes practice. It might be counter-intuitive but it's not counter-indicated as long as there is no fever. After a hefty amount of standing forward bends, some ama, the lovely Ayurvedic term for GUNK, moved out of my sinuses (I didn't say my posts would always be sweet and savory). Now at this point many may be thinking why on earth would you turn yourself upside down with a stuffy head? Counter intuitive, but true, letting the head release down in poses like uttanasana (standing forward bend) and prasarita padottanasa (wide legged forward bend) and the classic adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog), actually relives pressure in the sinus passages. Now if you have a heavy infection going on I would recommend getting some tailor-made recommendations on this.
The rest of Wednesday was spent hydrating with lots of room temperature water, warm tea with lemon, honey and ginger. The lemon and honey (in modest amounts) help to break up mucous and ginger is warming and soothing to the digestive system. I also had a good amount of green juice and a spicy gingery citrus blend. When I finally did eat it was a light and super spicy salad of cucumber, cilantro, chili peppers and lime. These are my mad methods but chili peppers and other spicy foods do wonders to break up that mucous! Wednesday night was a repeat of Tuesday and a bit intensified. At this point Kirk was like, 'take the tylenol" and I'm like 'no way'. Did some more standing forward bends and went to bed to sweat some more.
Thursday was the most intense day, yet I knew it was the turning point. All day I was kind of delirious, feverish and had no appetite; sounds great right? Here's the thing, it's not about the discomfort of this cold. It's a choice I made a long time ago, before I even knew I made it. Whenever that moment was, I chose to trust nature and my body and I still make that choice today. So intuitively I knew these were good signs. The body wants to be left on it's own to heal and when you feel this way, when you allow it and don't suppress it, you intuitively do the right thing. It's inconvenient and yes it does involve putting things on hold at times, but who of us isn't so over scheduled and strung out that putting a few things on hold wouldn't actually hurt. If, instead of heeding the "warning signs", we continue to forge ahead and function with the help of decongestants, sleeping aids, alcohol and color filled syrups (you'd be better off having a true hot toddy and if I weren't practicing some abstinence right now, I probably would have done that), you need you understand that you are making a choice that is ultimately suppressing the natural function of your immune system, creating an internal environment that is more and more run down and out and therefore susceptible to chronic colds and maybe infection. Sounds like a counter-intuitive path to me.
Friday. I wake up, hydrate and brush my teeth. I taste the subtle fennel flavor of the toothpaste and I know the cold is about to exit, stage right, thank you very much. By noon I'm actually hungry and have to remind myself to go slow. A little juice, a little spicy salad and plan for some warm soup for dinner. If you saw me on Tuesday night you would not have thought I would be fine by Friday afternoon without some intervention. But that's the point, intervention with modern cures is often just suppression of our natural ability to heal.
Modern life is tough and filled with a lot more "have to do's" than even just 20 years ago, but nature herself is calling us to rethink how we are living on this planet, so perhaps by starting to take some simple steps to truly get in touch with what it means to take care of oneself we would also be taking the first step toward taking care of something bigger than ourselves. Now that seems like a pretty intuitive choice.

GINGER-CITRUS COLD BUSTER
for your blender
1 hefty quart of mixed organic citrus fruits, peeled
1 big knob of organic ginger, peeled, don't be shy, you know you like it
1-2 organic carrots, washed, optional
a droplet of oregano oil, go ahead, it's good for you
filtered water as needed or desired

Put it all in your blender and blend from low to high. Add the filtered water if you like to get a smoother consistency. Drink up to a quart a day when you are fasting to stave off or fight down a cold

ARE YOU BACKED UP?

2011-01-31T08:17:00.000-05:00

This has been a month of adventures. Some of them building on familiar practices, like juice feasting and daily yoga and mindfulness practices; and some forays into new territory; a RASA Pantry & Cleanse trunk show at Suite 303 and a DETOX OVER DRINKS event at Huckleberry Bar. The common thread running through the month was connection, collaboration, relationship and process of giving support and being supported.

So last Wednesday, the day of a the RASA Life/Huckleberry Bar collaborative event, I was minding my own business, getting some work done on my less than a year old i MAC- and all of a sudden-everything freezes. A few hours of phone support later it's determined that the hard drive has likely gone kaput. And so the question became-"are you backed up?" It was almost comical. I've backed myself up in so many ways this month yet, in this one fundamental technological age requirement I dropped the ball. Note to self: Sometimes you have to remind yourself to back your own self up. And sometimes you need a little help from your friends.

In many ways this was impetus for the DETOX OVER DRINKS event. The collaboration was based on the concept that life, especially your social life, doesn't have to stop if you are taking a break from whatever your particular poison might be. In fact it can be a tasty adventure. So, based on my experience with combining seasonal foods & herbs and Stephanie's cocktail know-how, we brought some dimension and deep background to the idea of alcohol free cocktails and developed a luscious menu featuring six mocktails.

Who's got YOUR back?

Rogue Rouge Shrub-for 1
3/4 oz Goji Berry Shrub* (Goji, Caraway, Vinegar)*
1/2 oz Beet Juice
2 oz Orange Juice
Shake ingredients with ice and strain over fresh ice.
Garnish with orange peel, a pinch of smoked salt and a sprinkling of crushed caraway seeds

* Goji Berry Shrub (cold method)
Soak 2c of goji berries in 3c water for 20-30 minutes. Strain and mash the berries.
Place in a sterile glass qt container-a mason jar works well and add 2 cups raw honey, 2 tablespoons of crushed caraway seed and the peel of one organic orange. Stir well to combing the ingredients and let stand for 2 days. After 2 days add 2 cups of raw apple cider vinegar and the juice of one orange. Let stand for 3 days to allow flavors to mingle and develop. Strain the "liquor" from the solids into a clean glass jar and store in the refrigerator. The shrub is also really delicious with a splash of sparkling water.

MOVING FROM THE EDGE INTO THE CENTER OF YOUR LIFE

2011-01-17T08:25:00.001-05:00

Where do you stand in your life right now? Where do you stand in relation to your relationships, your family, your career? How are you in relationship with yourself? These have all been questions up for deep inquiry for me recently. Stirring the pot if you will.

Many of us move through our entire life without ever really asking these questions. Mainly because we were taught not to inquire much beyond the basics of whether or not we've had the right education, acquired a decent job and are properly settled into a "stable" relationship. Well, I think we have all realized that life doesn't really fit into those neat little boxes anymore. Did it ever really?

Yet, I wonder how can we begin to know where we stand when most of us don’t even know our own feet? How can we move from the periphery of our lives in the swell of the center without knowing how to stand? So without getting too heady, let’s get down to practicality.

GROUNDING
In order to begin to get a sense of where you are you have to be grounded in your body. To be grounded in your body you have to learn to stand well and in order to stand well you have to connect to your feet. The health of your feet plays a vital role in the well being of the rest of your physical structure and the mind follows the body. Overall maintaining both toned and flexible feet can not be overemphasized, for when our ability to stand well on the four corners of our feet is compromised, and this happens when the muscles of the feet are tight and inflexible, it affects alignment throughout the body up through the knees, hips and lower back. Many people I have worked with have discovered that resolving foot issues helps to resolve issues in the knees, hips and back. It all begins with a stable AND responsive base.

PRACTICE: Standing on the four corners of the feet
Come to a standing position, preferably with your feet on the bare floor. Take a moment to notice when the majority of your body weight rest on your feet. First observe the distribution from the ball of the foot and the heel. Does your weight settle back or forward? Then observe the inner edges and the outer edges of your feet. Does your weight settle to the inner or outer edges of your feet? First observe, and then adjust. Distribute the weight of your body evenly between the ball and heel and the inner and outer edges off your feet, specifically, between the ball of the big and little toes and the inner and outer edges of your heels. Now lift all ten toes off of the ground, spread the toes wide, and feel for spreading the bones of the feet. When you place your toes down, keep stretching them apart, imagine you had some smooth stone from the beach to place between the webbing of the toes (or actually do it). You’ll probably begin to feel a lot of sensation in your feet that you didn’t realize was possible. Stay with it and play with the idea that your toes can articulate like your fingers.

NOW BACK TO THE HEADY STUFF
Now that you exploring where you are from a a more clear base, NOW ask yourself: What areas of your life are you only comfortable on the edge, where are you coming toward the middle and what part of your life do you feel fully at home and able to hold the space in center stage? It's likely that area you feel most able to move into the center is the place you've put most of your energy developing. Now identify one or two areas of your life that are less organized and therefore most likely less comfortable, where you are skirting around the edges to get by.

So, how can you more fully evolve your relationship to yourself this year, so that you are bringing more of yourself, with more ease toward the center of more of your life? For me this has meant reclaiming my personal practice, juice feasting, dancing the five rhythms, exploring what archetypes are guiding which areas of my life. And asking the question: does this really work for me? What may have worked at one point in my life might not be so optimal anymore. We can't know until we ask. So ask yourself, do you really want to live this one big beautiful life on auto pilot?

PRACTICE: Feel into the area of your life where you live at the center. What do you feel in your body when you consider that area of you life? Does your body feel at home and you breath at ease? Take that imprint, that biofeedback if you will, and ask what would help you generate that feeling other areas of your life that may be less evolved. Keep moving toward that body feeling of ease.

By engaging in this process you begin to take steps toward connecting to the world in a more integrated and meaningful way. Embrace your existence on this planet with joy, exuberance and above all else, with the awareness that we’re all in this together. It all begins one step at a time.

ADVENTURE

2011-01-05T22:24:00.004-05:00

The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure "
— Joseph Campbell

Five days into my January Juice Adventure. Several things I imagined would be challenging aren't at all. Like not having a lovely glass of wine with dinner. I actually don't miss it a bit, but I guess that makes sense because you're drinking dinner anyway. Several things that I didn't imagine would be difficult are. Like remembering and actually being hungry enough to drink four quarts of juice a day. Interesting. Some of this process is second nature to me because I prepare juice blend cleanses several times a month for clients and already consume about a quart of green juice daily most days. Yet just five days in and even I am astonished at how at ease I feel not only with the process, but most importantly in my own skin again. It reminds me how much we can anesthetize ourselves in so many small (and not so small) ways each day. Just consuming juice for one's nourishment takes away everything that you can hide behind. Very Clarifying.

So far I've been following through on my intention to practice each morning and suddenly what I came to feel was so daunting; waking up at 5:30 to practice before Victor, my trusty RASA Cleanse and Food prep assistant, arrives, has actually been seamless. When did waking up to practice, a cornerstone of my own self care, become so difficult? Well somewhere between the last juice cleanse I've done for myself and our weekend, bleeding into weekday habit of enjoying Il Buco or Terroir or some other such place that beckons.

Most importantly, so far, I AM REMINDED that life is about BALANCE. There is nothing wrong with the glass of wine or enjoying gustatory pleasures. Trouble begins to brew when we become unconscious about when and why we are choosing to do, go and consume. So for me this JUICE ADVENTURE is as much about reclaiming Consciousness as anything else.

BLOOD ORANGE-POMEGRANATE BLEND

simple, refreshing and delicious

yields about a quart (amounts are approximate)
3 blood oranges, peeled
seeds from one pomegranate
1/4c goji berries, soaked for about 15 minutes (optional)
a couple of clove buds (the spice)
a dash of raw honey, if desired
a splash of flax or hempseed oil
pinch of Himalayan salt
filtered water

Place all ingredients, (including the goji soak water) except filtered water, in blender. Cover with filter water (plus a little more if you don't like it too thick). Blend from low to high, strain and drink up!

SHAPE SHIFTING IN 2011

2010-12-31T13:31:00.004-05:00

2010 has been quite a ride. I almost think that's enough said, but I do like to blather on so: 2010 was the year of letting go. Lot's of what let go was necessary, but isn't always easier to walk away first? That way at least you feel like you had some CONTROL. Well ladies and gentleman maybe I will finally begin to wrap my mind around the truth that there is nothing to control. We don't control our lives and in fact the more I try to do so the less my life seems to "work", by that I mean flow. This year I said goodbye to friends, colleagues and clients, savings and LOU. A clean slate.

This year instead of writing resolutions, I am focusing more on what my intentions are for the year ahead. These intentions will shape the year of 2011, but also reflect how I want to anchor the bigger vision of my life path. These intentions arise from the understanding that I can no longer try to manifest the MAHA or BIGGER -THAN-ME reason that I am on the planet unless I step back and take some time for RADICAL SELF-NOURISHMENT. Simply said, in 2011 I want to take really good care of myself. Instead of making a list and checking (and ignoring it) twice, I’m going to focus on three intentions geared toward radical self care. THREE: BODY, MIND and SPIRIT. Rather than burying my intentions in one of my many journals (that way if I slip up no one will "know"), instead I’m sharing them here and I am also planning a to spend a good portion of New Year’s Day creating a super-powered Vision Board. This is something I’ve been wanting to create for a while and as I am learning from my reading of the WAR of ART (Big Holler to James Abel), “procrastination is the most common manifestation of resistance because it’s the easiest to rationalize”. This way I’ll be reminded of the three pillars that will serve to uplift my life each and every day, in 2011 and beyond.

BODY : There are two intentions here, but they go hand in hand, and I need one to kick start the other. First I have committed to undertake a juice feast, for at least two weeks and up to the full month of JANUARY. I prepare and guide cleanses for people several times a month, so many people think this will be a natural for me, but I have found (as I believe many people in the healing arts do in one way or another) that it is actually much easier to care for others than it is to care for oneself. The more ongoing intention, one that will be carried through 2011 and beyond is that I am recommitting to my own personal asana practice and (gasp) I am actually going to hold that paramount to booking clients. It’s not that I am going to let it get in the way of my teaching, quite the opposite. These commitments to myself will help replenish the well from which I can draw and share my teaching from.

MIND: This one goes hand in hand with the Juice Feast I am embarking on. (So I didn’t really slip an extra one in, as many of you know I do like to take on a little too much). I am not going to go this journey alone, so I have engaged the guidance of a very experienced Juice Feast coach. In fact he is the “creator” of the JUICE FEAST process. This gentleman is David Rainoshek, MA. David and I will speak every day to support not just the process of the juicing, but more importantly, how this process will peel back extraneous layers of ideas I have held about myself (who I am /what I do) and how those concepts may be keeping me back from shining more brightly in my life. This MIND part and these coaching sessions are about the intention of deep self reflection.

SPIRIT: This is the intention to saying “YES”. Saying Yes to my life and saying Yes to leaning into things that might not feel entirely comfortable, simply because I don't identify with them. Instead of digging the same groove (samskara) more deeply I want to choose to lean into the possibilities that life is presenting. So saying YES to the letting go so that I can say YES to the opportunity that reveals itself in the space that the "letting go"created. If I am going to learn anything from 2010 it’s that life really does REQUIRE that we "let go and let GOD". Above all saying “yes” opens me up to my life and all the people and experiences that remind me that LIFE IS MAGICAL.

THE ART OF GIVING

2010-12-08T09:02:00.010-05:00

“Give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.”  

What does it mean to give? This is a question on all of our minds in some way or another this time of year.   I was just with my father and family on his side to celebrate his 70th birthday. It was wonderful to be with his siblings, 4 of whom are now officially in their 70‘s, as well as our cousins and their kids. Everyone contributed something to the meal, especially my brother Guy (who also has generously gifted much of his time and gifts, over the years, to my work via his photographs) and my sister-in-law Kate. This love of sharing stories and laughter around a meal is the gift I have received and continue to receive from my family. It seems to be my calling to to pass this on to others.  

Birthdays and holidays are always a time when we think about giving. But I have always sensed (and to a large degree practiced) that Gifts and Giving are really two separate things. The first consideration is the fact that a gift is a noun and giving is a verb. Gifts always come wrapped in paper and bows of some sort. They range from lovely confections of elaborate and extreme means to the thing haphazardly purchased and wrapped because we felt obligated to give a gift. Yet the act of giving comes in many different guises. For me the distinction is that when you give, there is always something from the heart of yourself extending toward the heart and well being of the person who is receiving. In the best circumstances, it’s a co-creative process, because you are actually being inspired by the other person to share something with them. The GIFT then almost finds its way to you.   

After the party Kirk and I went to the Long Valley abode and set up cozy camp. We made dinner together, the highlight being a few choice pieces of fresh venison. This meat was something we were GIVEN from a friend who hunts. Venison is not something I would normally buy, for many reasons, but being given some fresh meat was a nourishing gift. We savored the venison with a celery root pure, fresh cranberry compote and mustard greens.  

In the morning after all good intentions to sleep as late as possible I finally succumbed to being awake and went downstairs to greet the day. I curled on the couch with a mug of tea and Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. I was very moved by his PASS IT ON initiative. In the book Jamie asks each person to learn a recipe from each section of the book and then teach it to someone else with the intention that they will in turn "pass it on". I love this idea and the truth of it and also believe that it is a NECESSITY. So much of the time in the act of giving what we are really doing is consuming, but think about the possibilities and doors and windows and landscapes you could open up if you were to share a skill you had, teach another person a useful and sustain able skill. Where does the effect and depth of that gift end?  

This practice of " pass it on" also brings me back to my yogic roots. In the yogic tradition the student is ultimately receiving lessons from the guru. The Guru, literally the remover of darkness, is the teacher or the guide who lifts the veils Maya, or illusion, to illuminate highest potential that exits within each and every one of us. It is vital that each of us begin to recognize that this inner teacher is here to guide us on this journey and hopefully begin to use this awareness to guide us in the choices we make about our every day life. Then we begin to understand the powerful influence the choices we make every day have toward creating effective and lasting change in our world. It is imperative that we not only begin to understand this, but to take action.   If we apply this to the practice of giving or gifting we can extend ourselves in many ways.

So, this Gifting Season, I invite you to take a few moments to think well on what experiences, people or teachings have moved you personally and find a way to share or gift that to some one near and dear or with someone you are just beginning to know.

WINTER SLAW

1 head red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
Celtic Sea Salt
1 cup mung bean sprouts

5 scallions, thinly sliced
1 chili pepper, seeded and finely diced
2-4T ginger, finely diced
¼ cup hemp seeds
2 tbsp black sesame seeds

Sesame-Miso Dressing

1/4 cup sesame oil
2T shoyu

2T white miso
filtered water as needed

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Place the cabbage in a large bowl and salt with course Celtic sea salt. Massage the salt in to cabbage and let stand for about 15 minutes to help soften the cabbage. When softened to your liking, rinse well and drain.

While the cabbage is standing blend the dressing ingredients.

Combine the cabbage with the mung beans, scallions, hemp, black sesame seeds, chili pepper, and ginger. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss the cilantro leaves in.

SQUASH

2010-11-16T11:00:00.001-05:00

Roasted Squash Soup with Coriander-Spiced Yogurt

1 butternut squash, (about 2 lbs)

2 cloves of garlic

a small handful of thyme sprigs

2-4T extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks

1 medium bulb of fennel

1.5 qts light vegetable stock or filtered water

Celtic sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place a few sprigs of thyme and 1 garlic clove in the hollow of each squash. Place cut side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet and roast until tender.

While the squash cools, slice the leeks and thoroughly rinse to remove any grit. Cut the fennel bulb in half, core and thinly slice. Heat a small amount of oil in a 3 quart pot, add the leeks, cooking until translucent, then add the fennel and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Scoop out the flesh of the squash and add the saucepan. Add about 1.5 quarts of water or light vegetable stock and simmer lightly for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to mingle. Meanwhile prepare the coriander-spiced yogurt.

When the soup has cooled, lightly puree in a blender. Gently reheat adjust the seasoning to taste and serve with a dollop of the coriander-spiced yogurt and grate some fresh nutmeg on top.

Coriander-Spiced yogurt

1/2 cup whole milk yogurt

1-2 teaspoons ground coriander

Celtic sea salt to taste

Fresh nutmeg

Whisk the yogurt until smooth. Stir in about a half of a teaspoon of coriander and a pinch of sea salt to taste.

CARAWAY

2010-11-11T12:56:00.002-05:00

According to The Spice Bible, by Jane Lawson, caraway is "thought to be the oldest cultivated spice plant from Europe". I find the sharpness of this aromatic, warming spice to be a wonderful foil for the sweeter qualities of cool weather vegetables like winter squash, turnips, beets and carrots. Caraway seeds were valued by ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures for both their culinary and medicinal uses. Caraway is in a family of spices, along with fennel and ajwan, known as a useful remedy for digestive trouble and indigestion. It is, in fact, often combined with foods that are known to be difficult to digest, such as cabbage, and fatty meats, like pork and duck. I have also recently read that, in Elizabethan times, apples were baked with caraway as a stomach soothing dessert

CARAWAY DIGESTIVE
Bruise a teaspoon of caraway seed in a mortar and pestle. Pour two cups of boiling water over the seeds and let stand for 15-20 minutes. Sweeten with a little raw honey if desired and take about a half cup 3-4 four times during the day to settle your digestion.

I've taken to tossing it with sweet carrots and shallots for a satisfying autumn side dish

Roasted Carrots with Shallot and Caraway

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
Gather about 12 4" long carrots, I like a variety of colors, ranging from crimson to yellow and deep purple. Cut them in half lengthwise, not too thin, but cut in half again if they are very thick.

Peel and thinly slice 3-4 shallots
Toss the carrots and the shallots with some fruity olive oil and season with 1/2 t salt and 1 t of caraway seeds. Add a bit of freshly ground pepper if you like, but I often do that after they are roasted.

Roast for about 20 minutes or until you are able to pierce with a fork.

Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice. This is also delicious with a crumble of goat milk feta

AUTUMN EATS

2010-11-01T19:12:00.001-04:00

Squash. Persimmon. Figs. Concord grapes. Kale. Walnuts. Cauliflower. Fennel. Keith's Rocambole Garlic. Turnips. Pears.

The list goes on. Most of these foods I source from the Union Square Farmers Market, some are not native to the East Coast, but so evocative of this time of year, that I know adding things like figs and persimmon to some meals is as good for the soul as choosing my greens from the market is for the local farmers. And anyway, Keith, of the eponymous, Keith's Farm, did grow some miniature persimmon last autumn. The yield was so low he actually limited you to two or three on any given trip. But the fruit was so distinctive of musk and that fifth flavor, umami-fleshy and ripe, you were happy to get the few mouthfuls available.

This Autumn I've been enjoying the fruit in a very different way at Il Buco, a place that has become a second home over the last 15 years.

Here is my riff on their Persimmon Salad

For Two
Choose one slightly under ripe Fuyu or Hiro persimmon, slice into 1/8" rounds. Drizzle with cold pressed olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of Himalayan salt. Next core and cut a bulb of fennel into 1/4-1/2" wedges. clean some mint and reserve some fennel fronds. Toast a small hand of hazelnuts or walnuts. Finally toss the persimmon, fennel, walnuts or hazelnuts with a bit more olive oil and a dash of champagne vinegar. Top with a few shavings of Parmesan cheese and mint and fennel fronds.

AUTUMN WEEKEND

2010-10-11T11:01:00.002-04:00

We were able to grab a rare weekend by ourselves in the Hamptons this past weekend. The weather was glorious and we spent the days doing things that we wouldn't normally do in the summer months, when the crowds are fierce. On Saturday we went to the North Fork to check out some Long Island wineries. We drove into Sag Harbor and took the ferry to Shelter Island then hopped the North Ferry to Greenport. After orienting ourselves at the Southhold visitors center we promptly found The Northfork Table & Inn. This lovely spot is owned and run by Claudia Flemming and Gerry Hayden. While I worked at Gramercy Tavern, Claudia was the award-winning pastry chef there. We were able to catch up with Claudia outside their newly launched Lunch Truck, her version of a roadside stand, tucked behind a lovely mural of the kind of old fashioned pickup truck she was looking for but could not find. Kirk took a fabulous lobster roll for the road. There is no better treat when it is done right in the Hamptons, and this one was. He was in heaven. Claudia suggested we visit McCall Vineyards in Cutchogue. Although they have been growing and harvesting Pinot Noir and Merlot grapes for close to 15 years there, they just bottled their first eponymous wines in 2007. Compared to some of the more established vineyards, they have just started tastings in their converted barn. The simplicity of the space was perfect. The wine was beautiful too. We tasted their 2007 Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir Reserve and Merlot. We enjoyed a bottle of the 2007 Merlot that evening with Lava Lake lamb rib chops, grilled eggplant and spicy mustard greens.

Sunday we drove out to the surfer's beach at Ditch Plains and soaked in the warmth and wind, the beauty of the changing light, waves and surfers. Later we drove to Gosman's Dock had some steamers and went to the fish market there to pick up some local day boat scallops. The scallops were destined to be grilled for dinner. I served them with a beet and red cabbage salad loosely adapted from a recipe by Fergus Henderson. We finished the meal with a simple salad of green figs, fennel and parsley and a bit of Le Chevrot. McCall's 2007 Pinot Noir was a lovely accompaniment to this meal.

Beet & Red Cabbage Salad with Crème Fraîche
adapted from “Beyond Nose to Tail Cooking” by Fergus Henderson.
Serves 4-6

For The Salad
2 beets, peeled and shredded in food processor, or grated by hand
¼ small red cabbage with its core cut out, very finely sliced 
1 small red onion, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced 
fresh thyme leaves
2T capers in salt

For The Dressing
Extra-virgin olive oil
A modest splash of sherry vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For Plating
a few spoonfuls of crème fraîche 
a handful of parsley leaves

Combine all the elements of the salad adding a generous sprinkling of thyme leaves. Add a few splashes of olive oil and a modest splash of sherry vinegar. Toss well and allow the flavors to mingle for a bit. Taste and season with a few generous grinds of fresh pepper and a bit of sea salt, if needed. I find that the salt from the capers adds enough on its own.

To Plate: place a pile of the salad on the plate with a healthy spoonful of crème fraîche and a sprinkling of parsley leaves.

HEIRLOOM INSPIRATION

2010-09-27T20:15:00.015-04:00

One of the magical and vital movements occurring in our local farming has been the slow, sure and steady revival of reclaiming the planting of heirloom varieties of plants, grains and legumes. What is magical about this practice is how it transforms and educates our palates and senses. Tasting an heirloom tomato is an entirely different experience from eating a vine-ripened tomato from Holland. It is also a visually expansive experience. Take these beautiful flame colored eggplant I came across again (I worked with them last fall as well) at Stokes Farm stand in the Union Square Farmer's on Saturday. Last year they referred to them as heirloom variety, this year they are calling them Moroccan eggplant. Either way, visually you are feeding your senses and the taste is markedly different for more familiar varieties; a little more spicy and earthy. I really wanted to work with them in a way that would preserve their natural beauty. Here is the first variation.

Heirloom Eggplant with Walnuts, Thyme and Sumac

6-8 small heirloom eggplant, halved
2T walnuts, chopped
1T sesame seeds
2T currants, roughly chopped
1 hearty clove of garlic, minced
2T shallot, minced
a generous handful of parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1T salted caper berries, roughly chopped
1T fresh thyme leaves
1/2t sumac, optional
lemon, fresh pepper and olive oil to season

Preheat the oven to 350 degress

Scoop out the seeds and a bit of the flesh from the eggplant. With small eggplant you should be mindful of not breaking the skin. In a medium bowl combine the "meat"and seeds of the eggplant with the remaining ingredients. Season and moisten with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a touch of freshly ground black pepper. Mound a spoonful of the filling into the cavity of each eggplant. Place in a shallow baking dish, drizzle with a little more olive oil and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with sauteed greens and a little crumbled goat's milk feta.

THIS IS NOURISHMENT

2010-09-15T18:11:00.000-04:00

The angle of the sun changed suddenly. It's cool and rainy after a summer of oppressive heat. Autumn is in the air and we are getting a taste of my favorite season. My meal tonight is a single bowl containing the following: mustard greens and black kale sauteed with garlic and cumin seed, a garnet yam, steaming as I cut into it, its creamy texture is comforting. After adding some raw, julienned beets, Seth's amazing sunflower sprouts, a sprinkling of spicy sunflower and pumpkin seeds, I drizzle some good olive oil and add a few pinches of Celtic sea salt. At the last minute I put a forkful of Hawthorne Valley's lacto-fermented red cabbage into the bowl. I sit alone, listening to some music and I am deeply satisfied.

I am often asked about what I eat on a daily basis and also what I consider to be optimal nutrition, but I would rather ask: What does it mean to be truly nourished? Yes, we are nourished or not nourished by the foods we eat, but nourishment is not confined to the foods we eat. The foods we eat, any physical or spiritual practice we engage in, the people we surround ourselves with and the overall climate of our environment all play a part in nourishment. It does not matter if we are consuming the most pristine, organic food if we are rigid in our body, static in our mind and troubled in our heart when we eat. So everything leading up to that moment, the very quality of your life affects your ability to receive nourishment. As we become more conscious about the foods we choose to eat and more sensitive to the effects those foods have on our body, we then begin to become more sensitive and refined in the choices we make about other things in our life. Our lives unfold from these choices. So, curiosity, flexibility and responsiveness in the mind and the body are vital to true nourishment.

More important than labeling an approach to food, is the practice of being open and developing an intuitive sense of how your needs may change over the course of a week, a month and a lifetime. It is vital that we seek the resources to educate ourselves and continually cultivate the knowledge that we have the potential to be nourished by the choices we make and the life that ultimately unfolds from these choices. This is what I consider to be optimal nutrition.

LACIENTO KALE with CUMIN SEED & GARLIC
1 lg bunch Laciento Kale
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Himalayan salt, to taste
1 lemon
Oil cured black olives

Slice the kale in ribbons about 1/2" wide and chop the stems into 1"pieces if they are not too woody. Rinse the kale in plenty of water. Drain well.

Heat a large sauté pan and add olive oil and cumin seeds. when the seeds become fragrant and "pop" add the garlic. After about two minutes, when the aroma of the garlic merges with the fragrant cumin add the kale and saute for about 5 minuts until the greens are softened. sprinkle a few pinches of salt on the greens and a squeeze of fresh lemon; toss to combine and serve with olives and hummus.

BEACHES: SUMMER'S END

2010-09-08T09:13:00.000-04:00

After being confined in the dense, unrelenting heat in NYC, for most of the summer, the last three weeks of August found us spending time at three distinct beach locations on the East Coast. Each experience was shared with different friends yet the theme that ran through was farmer's markets, what's for dinner, the beach, and shedding the accumulated stress from spending most of the summer in NYC.

First Stop: Martha's Vineyard- Chilmark

Up Island on Martha's Vineyard is one of the most magical places for me. Vast expanses of beach, rough-hewn terrain, the clay bluffs at Aquinnah and, of course, the produce grown and foraged here is vibrant. We drove up with a cooler stocked with certain things, but saved the best part for last: shopping at the West Tisbury farmer's market and Ally's Farm Stand just behind Ally's General Store. Highlights were rainbow chard, tender haricot verts, slender yellow wax beans, abundant fresh herbs, foraged rose hips and beach plums, raisins on the vine. I turned the tiny sweet-tart beach plums and the raisins into an impromptu compote that we served with grilled duck breast and rainbow chard. The meal was fitting for the rainy days we had and the almost autumnal feeling in the air.

BEACH PLUM and "RAISIN ON THE VINE" COMPOTE
This recipe would also work well with the beautiful plums available at farm stands this time of year

about 1 cup beach plums or black plums, pitted and chopped, if using larger plums

1/3 cup raisins, coarsely chopped

1/2c red wine

2T raw sugar

rind from 1 orange

a few spring of thyme

a pinch of sea salt-to taste

In a medium stainless-steel saucepan, combine the wine, sugar, and orange rind and bring to a simmer over moderately high heat. Add the plums and raisins and the thyme. Bring the poaching liquid back to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the plums are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Next- Rhodes Island, Matunuck Beach at the Willow Dell Beach Club

We traveled lightest to Rhodes Island to visit our dear friends, Thom and Catherine at her family home in Kingston, Rhodes Island. Rest assured though, our first stop was a fish market out on Point Judith. we gathered up scallops, lobster, and swordfish all fresh from the dock. Lunch on Saturday consisted of simply grilled scallops and an impromptu yellow watermelon salad and red onion salad with a touch of cayenne for heat and some cilantro to balance. Sunday lunch found me finally trying my hand at crab cakes.

CRAB CAKES

Finally- The Springs and Hither Hills State Park

We landed on Thursday to lovely day. After stocking up the fridge with fantastic local produce from my personal temple: the Green Thumb Farm in Watermill, we spent the day relaxing at the pool, reading, talking and of course sharing good food. Hurricane Earl rolled in on Friday, to much fanfare, but really not much more than big wave and heavy, at times, rain. we ventured to Hither Hills to watch the waves and made our way back to a warm supper. The next few days were glorious, pitch perfect unofficial end of summer days. Grilling everything including mussels

GRILLED MUSSELS

CAULIFLOWER

2010-08-02T20:26:00.008-04:00

CAULIFLOWER-Sicilian Style
1 medium head of cauliflower, trimmed, cut into small florets (about 3 cups)
2T olive oil 
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2c thinly sliced celery
1/2c red onion, diced
about 2-3T raisins
2T salted capers
2-5 oil-packed anchovies, torn into pieces (optional)
2T olive oil
zest & juice from one organic, juicy lemon 
1/2c flat leaf parsley, chopped
small handful of mint torn into pieces 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast until edges are dark and caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice.
While cauliflower is roasting, combine the celery, onion, raisins, anchovies and capers in a medium bowl. Add the roasted cauliflower and dress with olive oil, lemon juice and zest and toss together with the herbs. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

RAW VARIATION
To revise for a raw variation. Siply cut the cauliflower into florets and roughly chop or pulse in a food process to desired consistency. Season with a drizzle of olive oil and a few pinches of Himalayan salt and mix well. Let stand for about 15-30 minutes, then combine with the remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning to your palate.

Three Savory Condiments

2010-06-06T10:32:00.017-04:00

When we have the chance to get out of NYC in the summer we often go to our friend Howard’s house in the Springs. The central theme of these weekends is relaxation, food and wine of course. Having spent many weekends over the years being excited by the process of creating meals either based around a particular ingredient or wine, there have also been a fair share of moments when I felt more tethered to the kitchen dreaming up and executing elaborate meals, rather than the relaxation of the sun and the pool. Last summer I finally embraced the essence of this place and the fact that, in this environment, simple is best. So whether our menus involve a vegetable salad of beets, carrots and radishes or tuna tartare or grilled lamb, these simply prepared meals are enhanced, sometimes even transformed by one of the basic condiments I have taken to preparing and having on hand:

Herb Pesto
Aioli
Romesco

Tuna Tartare with Anchovy Aioli

Anchovy Aioli
2 cloves of garlic
2 large egg yolk from cage free chickens
generous pinch of Celtic sea salt
1 fillet of oil packed anchovy
1T lemon juice
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Pound garlic and anchovy with the Celtic salt in a mortar. Place in a clean bowl and whisk in the egg yolk and lemon juice. Begin to add the oil, a few drops at a time, to yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until all oil is incorporated and mixture is emulsified. Chill, covered, until ready to use.

Tuna Tartare
Serves 4
3/4 lb sushi quality tuna or yellow tail
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 T salt packed capers
2 T finely minced shallot
2 T finely chopped chives
1 T coarse ground mustard
juice of one lemon
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
Chop the tuna into very small dice, about 1/4 inch. Mix with the olive oil, capers, shallot, chives, and mustard. Squeeze lemon juice over the tuna and mix well to incorporate. Taste, then season with salt and pepper to your liking.

SPRING NOURISHMENT

2010-04-13T10:41:00.011-04:00

Spring has arrived and with it the abundance of natural tonics for the season! Eating what grows in season is not just a statement about committing to local, more sustainable food choices or reducing your carbon footprint. It really is the simplest way to maintain harmony in your body by aligning it with the natural medicines the earth offers for each season.

Dandelion, chickweed and nettles are the greens of spring. They are also natural tonics that help our digestive and lymphatic systems after a long winter of more dense and,often, rich food. These wild greens, or edibles weeds, are packed with minerals and amino acids.

Nettles have long been prized for building bones and nourish the associated tissues hair, nails and teeth as well as the skin. Like nettles, chickweed is a common weed packed with nutrients, including calcium, iron and chlorophyll. The sweet and mild grassy taste of chickweed is a lovely and nutrient-dense addition to any spring salad. As a spring tonic chickweed stimulates the lymphatic system, which can often be sluggish after winter.

For me Dandelion greens , from the French, “dent de lion”, are central to spring salads. Dandelion is a “bitter” green and bitter foods are vital to tone and stimulate the digestive system. Dandelion is also considered a potent liver tonic. Just a few leaves each day contribute to making a smooth transition into springtime.

So celebrate SPRING by going out to gather some wild greens or visit your local farmers market where the farmers have gathered the spring jewels for you. Align to the youthful and potent energy of spring by eating what is offered from the Earth, in her native season.

SPRING TONIC SALAD
6-8 leaves of dandelion, torn
1handful of chickweed or tender chicory leaves
1 handful of watercress, chop larger stems
1 scallion, white part only, thinly sliced
2 cups of young spring greens
a few wild edible flowers, to brighten your spirit

FOR THE DRESSING
2T extra virgin olive oil or hemp seed and flax oil
1-2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice or raw cider vinegar
Pinch of Celtic or Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
Combine the salad greens in a large bowl.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together thoroughly in a small bowl and pour an amount to your taste over salad. Garnish with edible flowers.

JUICING ON THE ROAD

2010-03-16T08:03:00.005-04:00

This week we are in Miami, offering the ever-growing RASA Life Cleanse to a whole new group of people. It's an exciting adventure and has certainly already had its moments that have required enterprise and facile response. The highlight being Sunday evening when I (intuitively) thought, "Let me test run the juicer". Well folks spirit was with me because at 10:30p.m. Sunday, on the eve of my largest group cleanse to date, I discovered that the juicer was defective!

Now I must take a moment to explain that most of the "juices", with the primary exception of the High Green, on the RASA Life Cleanse are actually blended in the ever trusty Vita Prep blender. Blending actually retains the nutrients for a longer period of time than traditional juicing (with the exception of juices made in a Norwalk press). Blending also retains some of the fiber content of the food and I find provides more sustained energy throughout the day. So as unsettling as this discovery was that evening, there was nothing left to do but respond and add our much loved High Green juice to the list of blended drinks!

The result? YUMMMM

Blended High Green- for 2
Please choose organic and when possible locally grown produce.

2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
4 hearty leaves of Laciento kale, torn
1 c celery, chopped
1/2 apple, sliced (I really like Gala apples. You could also use pears)
1/2 lemon, peeled
knob of ginger, peeled (you control the kick by how much you use!)

Place all ingredients in your blender, add about 2c filtered or spring water. Blend from low to high for about 30 seconds. You can either drink it as is like a smoothie or strain it for a soother texture.

This recipe is just a platform for endless taste sensations! You can also add watercress, sunflower greens, cilantro, parsley.....Use your imagination and enjoy!

PATIENCE & PRACTICE

2010-02-02T09:50:00.012-05:00

Almonds, lentils, buckwheat, quinoa. Rinsing, soaking and sprouting. I am spending a lot more time these days sprouting nuts, seed, grains and the occasional legume. One of the most important parts of this process is rinsing. You can never really tell how long it is going to take for the water to turn from a cloudy hue to clear and sometimes it takes many more rinses than expected for the water to run clear. This is not so unlike asana or meditation practice, as, on any given day it can take longer for the mind to ease and come to reside in a more open and relaxed state. Often I find myself creating a potent brew of frustration because my personal(asana)practice is not as consistent as it once was. Yet when I am practicing and teaching I find myself being more grounded and clear than ever. Where does this come from?

Rinsing. Soaking. Sprouting. This, I am coming to understand, is my practice right now. Patience & Practice

Red Lentil Soup
1c red lentils, rinsed, soaked and drained.
1T ghee
1t cumin seed
1c onion
2T ginger, finely minced
1 green chili, seeded and finely minced
2t coriander
1/2t turmeric
1 -1 ½ qt water
1t sea salt
1-2 lime
2 Scallions, sliced for garnish
Cilantro, leaves for garnish

Heat ghee in a 3 quart pot. Add the cumin seeds, listen for the "pop" and wait for their fragrance to emerge. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Next, add the ginger and chilies, cooking them for and other minute or two so the flavors begin to mingle. Finally put the red lentils, coriander powder, turmeric and water in the pot. Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20-30 min. Let cool and blend some of the soup. Return the blended soup to the pot, add the sea salt and season with lime, cilantro and scallions.

TURNIP PICKLES

2009-11-19T08:51:00.005-05:00

TURNIP PICKLES
Yields one quart
The ingredient measurements are approximant, and can be adjusted to your taste. I like to eat these with either raw or lightly steamed hearty winter greens and winter squash

1c unpasteurized cider vinegar
2c filtered water
2t coarse Celtic sea salt
2T Nama shoyu or tamari
2T raw honey
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
a few spring of thyme
1 bay leaf
1t each coriander and fennel seeds
1 red chili pepper, if desired
1 generous bunch Hakurei Turnips, unpeeled or 2-3 large pink turnips, cut into wedges (if using the pink turnips, I prefer to peel them)

Combine the water, cider vinegar, shoyu, honey and salt in a bowl, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the spices, herbs, garlic and option chili pepper. Pack the turnips into a clean glass container and pour the cider mixture over them, to cover. Cover and let sit on the kitchen counter for 7-10 days. After about a week, they will be ready to eat and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months

AUTUMN-TAKING ROOT

2009-10-14T21:47:00.007-04:00

This morning’s trip to the market was a bit rushed. I wandered out of the house quickly, only to find the air crisp and, almost too cool for a light, wool sweater. It’s truly autumn now. Although I was rushed, NYC style, to get to the market, once I arrived, my whole rhythm slowed and I was mesmerized by the autumn bounty that seemed to have appeared over night in the market. Brisk air can center the mind and sharpen the senses. This time of year the Union Square Market is teeming with all manner of dark leafy greens, turnips (regular, gold ball, Hakurei), many varieties of winter squash and enormous heads of cauliflower and cabbage beckon; can I just sit home and play with food all day? Oh wait, that’s kind of what’s been happening in my life! Somewhere between the height of the economic tsunami last fall and a fast forward to now, I find myself more and more in both my own kitchen and in the kitchen’s of various clients. This has presented it’s own unique set of circumstances and has been requiring me to recalibrate my perception of the scope of my work. I move and I teach movement; hatha yoga, Gyrotonic and Pilates every day, but more and more the “work” that comes my way is food/holistic nutrition based. It’s requiring that I build a new set of skills, not unlike approaching a new yoga pose or any new situation in life. It goes like this (but not in a linear fashion, more like a spiral): situation arises, pose/ option presented, new set of circumstances observed, toes touch water, writhe at the thought of going to next level, have success dreams and nightmares simultaneously, realize old patterns don’t encompass new requirements. Require lots of sleep & tears. Then suddenly one morning or late evening I wake up in the pose/fully embracing the shift. It takes time but if I stay responsive it happens.

So tonight after a day of preparing food for clients, I come home and realize that it really is a new era. I arrive home to find a sink full of dishes and in my bag a dinner waiting to be constructed. I come back to the feeling and experiences I have had around the practice of being present and the practice of gratitude and I turn to what is basic, grounding and nourishing: ancient wheat (faro), kale & wild mushrooms.
Both recipes can be prepared either raw or consciously cooked.

WILD MUSHROOM “STOCK”

FARRO (or SPROUTED BARLEY) WITH MUSHROOM STOCK AND HEARTY GREENS

ANNA'S TOMATO SALAD

2009-09-14T10:34:00.012-04:00

LUNCH WITH MOM

I had the somewhat rare experience, for a person of my generation, to have had two generations on my mothers maternal side influence and shape my earliest experiences. Anna Romano was my great grandmother and she lived in a two family home that she built in Netcong New Jersey. She raised her family there and continued to live there when most of her children and grandchildren were grown, with my maternal grandmother, her daughter Rachel. When I was young my mom returned to work, and Rachel, my grandmother, also worked; so I was naturally left in Anna’s care.

What do we really remember from our early life? I don’t know, but in some ways I think those memories or rather “re-memberings” are the most true reflection of our souls impressions of those moments. I sense this is because they are not filtered by the developing ego. So here is what I remember: lots of sunshine and the earthy, wet smell of the dirt in the garden and the constant changing into crisp white frocks, but most of all I remember LUNCH with Grandma ‘Mano!

Lunch was always something from the garden with warm, freshly baked bread and some sort of warm soup or grain dish, but the highlight was always the salad. Depending on the time of year it would have various lettuces or dark, leafy greens and of course in the mid –late summer TOMATOES! This tomato salad was tossed with red onions and herbs, also from the garden, and dressed with olive oil, coarse salt and red wine vinegar. Perhaps the memory of those summer tomato salads is still so potent, because Grandma ‘Mano let me be free with picking up the salad platter and drinking the juices from the salad after the meal! But where did all that juice/dressing come from? There was never too much oil and the vinegar was just splashed.

Last week the mystery was solved and here is where I am reminded that re-membering our memories often happens in concert with others.

It happened over the lunch that my mom, Patricia Anne, and I made together when she came in to help me refresh and organize our live/work space. My mom has always been my number one go to person when I know I need “third eye” in my life to help me execute and follow through on visions and plans. We arrange a date (well really we arrange and rearrange several) and Patricia Anne arrives with her usual mom accoutrements: paper towels, witch hazel, extra towels, etc., and her own home grown TOMATOES. Actually, it was one tomato, one perfect green heirloom variety. That tomato became the center of that sweet and simple lunch.

Our lunch was a salad of local arugula with red scallions, herbs, olive oil, fresh lemon and Celtic sea salt and then we made a the tomato salad. A plate of sliced tomatoes, with red scallion, some fresh oregano and thyme, a drizzle of olive oil and bit of Celtic sea salt, and here is where the secret to the abundant juice/dressing was revealed. as we are getting ready to sit, my mom asked if I had an ice cube, well Anna must have been watching over our freezer, because we NEVER make ice cubes, but there happened to be some, deeply contracted, cubes lingering in the tray from who knows when. Even though I find this request odd, I don’t question my mom because I sense that she is up to some sort of inherited alchemy. I hand her the ice cube and she promptly tops the tomato salad with it! “What’s that about?” I ask. And she tells me that this is something Grandma Romano did to chill the salad (after all you don’t keep real tomatoes in the refrigerator), and that it was the secret to a flavorful juice at the end of the meal!

Anna’s Tomatoes - Remembered

Obtain a wonderful tomato grown from your own hands or from a local farm, where you know the people who own the farm still get their hands in the dirt. Slice the tomato. Thick or thin, just have a sweet sense while you do it. Thinly slice some scallions or red onion,then clean and gently tear some fresh herbs; fresh oregano and thyme are a wonderful change from basil and strew over the tomatoes. Then drizzle the best olive oil you have over the salad and season with some sea salt and a grind or two of fresh pepper. Finally the magic, place an ice cube on top of the tomatoes and pause a few moment to let it begin to melt into the salad. Savor the salad and the nectar of the juice at the end with someone you hold dear. That is nourishment.

LATE SUMMER, SUDDENLY

2009-08-28T20:28:00.006-04:00

The last several weeks I've been so excited to eat, almost every day, some variation of cabbage "slaw". It’s kind of funny because this is a fetish that usually arrives during the fall when more rustic and hearty greens arrive at their peak in the market. But this year the green market was offering lovely heads of cabbage throughout the summer. Red cabbage, green cabbage, Savoy cabbage. So I’ve been making cabbage slaw with ginger, jalapeno, turmeric, lime, cilantro and coconut milk or with ume vinegar, sesame oil, shoyu, black sesame seeds, daikon radish and ginger; the variations go on and on. I bought a beautiful head of green cabbage on Wednesday when the heat was still on and the sun high. I was already working my way through a red cabbage slaw and knew I wouldn't get to this lovely head until Friday. So when Friday arrives and we wake to a cool, gray, rainy day that has me running around in rain boots all day, I have the first glimpse of what's ahead: Autumn. Excited yet with a touch of melancholy, I am reminded that we are in the midst of a seasonal transition. Transitions, both seasonal and certainly any life transition can create a sense of uneasiness and a feeling for wanting to be grounded. So I'm with this head of cabbage and some beautiful wild Alaskan King Salmon. The rain, the rain boots and umbrella in the corner and the sudden gray coolness all confer to make me realize a cool, crisp slaw won't do. Instead, I want something warm more aligned with what's ahead. So coconut oil, cumin seed, ginger, red scallion make their way into the pan. Once the mix is fragrant and the scallions are softened I add the cabbage, which I have lightly salted, rinsed and drained to break down the cell walls a bit so that the cooking time and heat can be reduced. Once it’s gently wilted I add a touch of sea salt, turmeric and chopped jalapeno and cilantro to brighten and deepen the flavors. The result is warm, satisfying and nourishing. This time of year I do find myself shift between wanting simple foods in their raw and fully energized state and something a bit more grounding, centering and warming. I am reminded that it is vital to remain flexible and responsive when considering how to nourish myself. Responsive to the seasons and their changes and especially to what is happening inside of my body, heart and mind; not to some external constraints such as “to be raw or not to be”. Remembering that, above all, eating should be a joyful, nourishing and inclusive experience.

Cabbage-Hemp Slaw
1 head Savoy or green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
Celtic Sea Salt, for salting the cabbage
½ cup mung bean sprouts
3-5 scallions, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
2T ginger, finely diced
1/4 cup currants
1/3 cup shredded coconut, optional
2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup olive or hemp oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2-1t Celtic or Himalayan salt
¼ cup hemp seeds
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Place the cabbage in a large bowl and generously salt with course Celtic sea salt. Massage the salt in to cabbage and let stand for about 15 minutes to help soften the cabbage. When softened to your liking, rinse well and drain.
Combine the cabbage with the mung beans, scallions, jalapeno, ginger, currants and coconut, if using. Whisk, by hand, the lime juice, olive or hemp oil, turmeric and cumin powder. Pour over the cabbage and toss to combine then season with Celtic or Himalayan salt to taste. If possible, chill for at least an hour and toss thoroughly again before serving. This will allow all the flavors to mingle and blend. Garnish with hemp, black sesame seeds and cilantro and serve as a refreshing salad or side dish.

SUMMER CLEANSING with SUPERFOODS and TONICS

2009-07-16T19:16:00.007-04:00

Seasonal cleanses, not only refresh and lighten the body, they also serve to refine the mind and tune the spirit into the energy of each season! This week we’ve been offering a raw food nutritional cleanse, combining local summer berries, cucumber, spinach, zucchini, early tomatoes and young greens with wonderful super foods and herbs as well as citrus and ginger to make refreshing juices and soups that are both cleansing and rejuvenating!

Some super foods and herbs I incorporate on a regular basis are hemp seed and oil, goji berries, aloe, raw cacao, raw honey, young Thai coconut, coconut butter, pau d’arco, acai, rosehips, cordyceps and maca.

I often make an herbal tea as the base for seasonal fruit tonics. For instance in a blueberry acai tonic I create a base of elderberry, nettle leaf , pau d’arco, vanilla bean and lemon peel. The base adds dimension to the flavor and cleansing action of the juice. Pau d’arco is widely prized in the treatment of candida and supports liver and endocrine glands, while nettle leaves are one of the highest sources of plant based iron! Elderberries contain potassium, large amounts of vitamin C and strengthen the immune system and bolster the antioxidant power of the blueberries.

Blueberry-Acai Tonic
Serves 4
For Tea
½ fresh vanilla bean, split open
2T Pau d'arco
2T nettle leaf
2 T elderberries
1 star anise
1 strip lemon zest, only organic
1 quart filtered water, gently heated

place the ingredients in a clean 1 quart mason jar. Pour the gently heated water over the herbs and cover immediately, allowing it to steep for at least 20 minutes.

Tonic
2cups blueberries
1T milk thistle powder
2T acai powder
½ vanilla bean
2T raw honey
pinch of Himalayan crystal salt
lemon zest, optional
32 ounces herbal tea, see recipe

Place the first four ingredients in blender and pour in herbal tea. Add in the honey, pinch of salt and lemon zest, if using. Blend from low-high for about 30 seconds. You can either drink it as is or strain through a fine mesh sieve for a more refined texture. Garnish with fresh mint if desired and ENJOY!

Green Thumb Farm

2009-07-08T11:35:00.008-04:00

One of the absolute joys about getting to take time in the Hamptons over the summer is going to Green Thumb Farm in Watermill. This is no easy feat, as Watermill is quite a haul from where we stay out in The Springs, near East Hampton. Yet it is one of the true pleasures and nourishing for of all of the senses to spend time hand-picking produce from the bounty of the Green Thumb Farm. Just a few pictures and some recipes to follow!

Watermelon-Red Pepper Gazpacho

This recipe uses watermelon instead of tomato for an unusual twist to traditional gazpacho. Served slightly chilled, watermelon gazpacho is refreshing as an appetizer on a hot day.

4 cups of watermelon, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ cucumber, peeled, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced (with seeds for more heat)
2t cumin
1t celtic sea salt and as needed for seasoning
Coarsely ground pepper

For Garnish
½ cup red pepper, finely diced
½ cup cilantro or mint
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced

Put the watermelon, pepper, onion and jalapeno into a blender or food processor. Add olive oil, lemon juice, cumin and Celtic sea salt and blend until you get the desired consistency. Chill for at least 30 minutes, allowing flavors to combine.
Just before serving, combine the ingredients for garnish and season with a bit of olive oil, sea salt and pepper.
To serve, put about a ¼c of garnish at the bottom of each bowl and ladle the chilled gazpacho over the garnish

Nearing Summer Solstice

2009-06-20T10:46:00.011-04:00

Nearing the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, new moon magic and the season where the Fire element is predominant. Seasonal and daily life practices, help maintain balance and equilibrium during seasonal changes. In anticipation of the heat in the coming months, I've naturally gravitated to a primarily raw diet, emphasizing seasonal, local fruits and vegetables as well as enjoying some more tropical foods and herbs like papaya, young Thai coconut and lemongrass. I am still enjoying some consciously chosen wild-caught fish and shellfish and just had some delicious Scallop Ceviche last night. Here are two offerings.

Spicy Thai Wraps
6-8 large Collard Leaves, cut in half with center rib removed
4 c Savoy cabbage, shredded
1c bean sprouts
1c carrot, julienned
1 c mixed herbs: basil, cilantro, mint
1 cucumber, seeded and julienned
¼c cashews, chopped

Dressing
1/2 c tahini
2T maple syrup
2T sesame oil
1/4c lemon juice
2 T ginger
1 Thai red chili
2T shoyu
Filtered water, as needed

Puree the maple syrup, sesame oil, ginger, lemon juice, chili and shoyu in a high speed blender. Add the tahini and blend until smooth, adding filtered water, as necessary, to achieve a medium batter like consistency.

Combine the dressing and the cabbage, mixing thoroughly. Taste for seasoning.

To assemble: place one halved collard leaf, with the underside facing up. Place a few tablespoons of the cabbage on the bottom third of the leaf. Then arrange a few pieces of carrot and cucumber and top with bean sprout, a mix of herbs and a sprinkling of cashews. Roll the bottom of the leaf over the cabbage, tucking it under the filling to secure it. Serve with extra dressing as a dipping sauce

Scallop Ceviche
½ lb sea scallops, halved
1/2c lime juice
1 red pepper, diced
1/2c red onion, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
2T olive oil
1⁄2 tsp Sea Salt
2 T dry sake, optional
1/4c cilantro leaves, gently torn

In a medium bowl, combine scallops and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Remove scallop from refrigerator and stir in bell pepper, jalapeno pepper and onion. Dress with olive oil, sea salt, and sake. Refrigerate for at least another hour. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.