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Leda is the founder of Simply Leda. She is a Board Certified Holistic Health Counselor accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). She received her training from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in NYC and also holds a Certificate in Integrative Nutrition from Columbia University. She has studied all the different dietary theories from the top in their fields as well as both eastern and western nutritional philosophies. Leda also holds a BA in Journalism from NYU and a BA in French Studies from NYU, Paris.
Please see website for my services and more on my personal philosophy toward balanced healthy living.
www.simplyleda.com | | Affirmation of the Month |
I am cleansing
my mind, body
and spirit
of any and
all impurities.
I am beginning
anew with
a clean slate.
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| Soul Work
April Reading
by Anna Celestino |
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New Wine in New Bottles
Looking into April, the feeling I get is fresh. Clear, clean, new. For the last while, we have been discussing letting go of old ideas about what we want and opening to new possibilities. If you have allowed new seeds to be planted, this month you will begin to see new growth.
Letting go of expectations is essential - expectations of what you thought your life would look like. It's like putting new wine in an "old bottle." New needs a new container. That's beginning to take shape. Allow your life to flow into and take the shape of the new container that's forming and all will be well. You will find happiness.
There is also a whiff of sadness laced throughout the month. We long for things to be the way they were in the "good old days." There is a melancholy for simpler, happier times. A renaissance such as the one we're in the midst of does not come without some labor pains. When the contraction comes...breathe. And when it stops, rest. As in the labor room, have your happy music and something pleasant to focus on.
There is a telescopic effect happening right now. Picture the old telescopes with the length nestled one inside the other. The more you pull it open, the further you can see. Right now, we are being given one length. We see only what's in front of us. We're unable to open to the full scope. In another month or so, things should open a little more and we will have a clearer sense of our individual futures. What's required now is trust. Trust that we are being taken where we ultimately will be happy going.
This may be the most difficult time of this rebirth because we are running blind and that can be scary. But think about all we've been talking about for the last many years - institutions falling apart, the economy, etc. When we first talked about it, it seemed unimaginable and yet, here it is. Can we trust that the light will follow? As Werner Erhardt said many years ago, you have to have breakdown before you have breakthrough. We are almost through the darkness and heading for the light. Rejoice in the strength you have shown. Breathe and rest accordingly. Find something happy to focus on. Soon our new creation will emerge. | |
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Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.
- Victor Hugo
Dear Friends,
Ah...!! Spring!! Rebirthing everywhere! The animal kingdom produces their young, Mother Earth births its beautiful greens; the kind we eat and the kind we don't eat. A time of renewal and rejuvenation; Spring Cleaning, both for the space we occupy and the space within ourselves. Take advantage of this beautiful season and try a detox for the body and mind.
Anna's theme for this month ties in beautifully with the rebirth of spring. Clean, clear, fresh...the light and form is revealing itself more and more. Anna Francesca Celestino is an intuitive healer, life coach and author of the book "Igniting Change: From where you are...to where you want to be. Her insights are uncanny and healings restorative. Her newsletters offer a monthly energy reading which I believe will assist you in getting through these trying times. For a private session or to read Anna's newsletter please log on to www.annacelestino.com to contact her.
Our food profile this month are the ever versatile greens; leafy, brilliantly green and very high in nutrients and minerals. Spring is the time when we see all this beautiful green sprouting around us. If any food should be a daily staple, this should be it.
Don't forget, you can now find me on Facebook and Linked-In!! I have started a group entitled Simply Leda, come join and let's create an open forum for discussion on how to keep ourselves in balance beginning with good nutrition.
And finally, all of the articles and recipes will be posted on the Simply Leda blog www.simplyleda/blog for comments and discussion. Jot me a note and tell me what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.
Happy Cleaning!
Leda
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| Spring Cleaning | |
You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.
-Jan Glidewell
People like "stuff." We tend to hold onto it year after year. We save and stock up on things that we don't know what to do with anymore. Maybe we keep things because they hold precious memories of days gone by, or they remind us of our parents, grandparents, past loves or childhood. To part with these precious possessions seems out of the question. There is a saying that goes, "You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new." If you are feeling stuck or stagnant in your life, try spring-cleaning. Throw out some of that stuff, say goodbye to your past, and welcome the new energy of your happy, healthy future.
For good mental and physical health, we actually have two "houses" that need to be spring-cleaned: our physical homes and our physical bodies. Just as we accumulate "stuff" in the form of outgrown clothes, magazines, rusty bicycles, tools and random keepsakes, so do our bodies accumulate old food residues and toxins that need to be cleaned out.
To spring clean your body, give it a break from rich and complicated foods by either cleansing or fasting for a short period of time. Cleansing means paring down your food to just simple fruits and vegetables, lots of water and perhaps whole grains. Fasting means limiting most foods and drinking lots of water, fresh vegetable and fruit juices, teas and soups. Without much energy going towards digestion, more energy is available to the rest of your body and mind. Cleansing and fasting can sharpen your concentration, help you gain insight and promote spiritual awareness. It can also bring improved immune function and better digestion.
While you're cleaning out your body and home, don't forget to spring-clean your heart. Throw away negative thoughts and habits you've been harboring that no longer serve you. A clean, open heart will allow you to receive all the good that awaits you each and every day. If your heart and mind are cluttered, there is no room for life's gifts and surprises to enter. |
| Food Profile: Leafy Greens | |
Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upwards to the sky, absorbing the sun's light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.
How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time of renewal and refreshing, vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Green is also the color symbolizing healing and hope, optimism, freedom and balance. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free. Greens have no cholesterol, are low in calories and fat free.
Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them.
When selecting greens for cooking, remember they cook down considerably -- one-quarter or more -- from their original volume. So purchase accordingly, i.e., 1 pound raw kale yields about 2 1/2 cups cooked kale; 1 pound mustard greens yields 1 1/2 cups cooked greens.
Wash greens thoroughly. Place them in a sink filled with lukewarm water and swish around; (tepid water helps to remove the grit faster than cool water). Remove any roots, stem the greens if necessary, and repeat the washing process until the grit disappears. For salad greens, whirl in a salad spinner or pat dry in paper toweling.
Mild-flavored greens like spinach, kale or chard can be steamed until barely tender. Stronger-flavored greens like collards, mustard or turnip greens benefit from longer cooking in a seasoned broth. They should also be blanched before adding to soups and stews, otherwise a bitter flavor will predominate.
Note: Don't cook greens in aluminum cookware which affects both their appearance and taste.
To store greens, wrap them in damp paper toweling, then place in a perforated plastic bag and refrigerate. If the greens are purchased in good condition and if the paper toweling is kept moist, most varieties will keep one week.
*Leafy Green Council |
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| Recipe of the Month |
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This is one of my favorite recipes using two of my favorite greens; swiss chard and spinach. The dish originates in Lyon and this creation is from famed New York chef,Daniel Boulud. Both sweet and savory, a great lunch meal or as an accompaniment to any dinner menu.
Swiss Chard Gratin
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
2 tbs unsalted butter, melted
1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh mixed herbs; tarragon, chives and italian parsley
1/8 tspn nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs all purpose flour
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 lbs swiss chard, center ribs discarded. leaves and stems separated and cut into 1" pieces
1 lb baby spinach
Directions:
Toss melted butter with bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, herbs half nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste, in a bowl. Set aside.
Bring stock to a boil and boil until reduced by half. Add cream, remove from heat and set aside, keeping it warm.
Melt 1 tbs butter over moderate heat. Add flour and cook, whisking to make a roux. Add stock mixture in a slow stream whisking and boil for 1 min. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 12" gratin dish or 1qt baking dish. Melt remaining 2 tbs butter over low heat. Add onion and cook till softened, Add chard stems, remaining nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until chard is tender, not browned, 8 min. Increase to med-high and add chard and spinach leaves by the handfuls until all greens are wilted. Re-season with salt and pepper.
Transfer vegetables to colander and drain well pressing with back of spoon to get out as much liquid as possible. Then toss vegetables with cream sauce and spread evenly into gratin dish. Top with bread crumb mixture and bake until golden, 20 minutes. |
| Kids Recipe of the Month | |
Forever looking for ways to incorporate veggies into the kids' diet, this recipe, from Rachel Ray is a winner since most kids love mashed potatoes. The addition of the spinach and spices give the added nutritional bonus and kids really go for it since the spinach does not take away from the potato taste. Kudos to
 Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Spinach Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
6-8 med Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
2 boxes chopped frozen spinach, defrosted
4 tbs unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 tspn nutmeg
Directions:
Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Salt the water and boil until potatoes are tender.
Squeeze the water from the spinach in a clean dish towel, if using frozen.
Drain the potatoes. In the pot melt the butter, add garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and add spinach. Separate the greens, add all seasonings and cook for two minutes or so. Add the potatoes and mash to desired consistency. If more liquid is necessary use milk, a couple of tbs at a time.
*Note: If you wish to use fresh spinach, you'll need 2 lbs and it must be sauteed and drained very well (squeeze out all liquid) before adding to pot or else it will be watery. Fresh spinach is added at same point in recipe in place of frozen. |
Simply Leda is a philosophy of nourishment that embodies your whole self thus enabling you to find balance and come home to your essence. For more information of my services, please log on to www.simplyleda.com.
Eat well and be happy and healthy.
Leda Anagnostopoulos
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