Mediterranean Kale Salad
Kale, whether of the curly or lacinato variety, has tough, fibrous leaves and is usually cooked. But it can be eaten raw as well. Whole Foods usually features a nice raw kale salad in their prepared foods section. This popular salad is from Chicago raw food chef Jennifer Cornbleet in her book "Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People" and at her website, www.learnrawfood.com. To soften the kale Jennifer rolls it into cigar-shaped cylinders and slices it razor thin using a classical cooking technique called "chiffonade" and then uses her hands to "massage" the finely chopped kale, using a little oil, sea salt, or both. Jennifer demonstrates these techniques in a video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykedcGpo1Jk
Mediterranean Kale Salad
(Serves 1)
*4 kale leaves, stems removed
*1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
*1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
*1/8 teaspoon sea salt (we do not use ordinary table salt)
*1/4 red bell pepper (optional-yellow pepper is fine too. Green pepper is not ripe and we do not use it)
*1 tablespoon raw pine nuts (dried goji berries, or pumpkin or sunflower seeds may be used)
*1 tablespoon sliced black olives (optional)
*Dash black pepper (optional)
Stack two kale leaves with the stem end facing you. Fold in half lengthwise and roll tightly like a cigar. Slice crosswise into thin strips. Repeat with the remaining 2 leaves. Chop the kale strips crosswise a few times, so they aren't too long. Place in a mixing bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Toss well with your hands, massaging the dressing into the greens. Add the red bell pepper, pine nuts, and olives and toss gently. Season to taste with black pepper, if desired. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Mediterranean Kale will keep for three days.
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WHAT WE'RE READING
Becoming Raw: The Essential Guide to Raw Vegan Diets
By Brenda Davis, RD and Vesanto Melina, MS, RD and Rynn Berry
A new book with extensive background on the raw food diet written by highly respected registered dieticians.
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Check out Keith's blog on our CWSS website. Current postings include "Why Butter is Good", a convincing look at the Paleo diet, and why the headlines from so-called "health" magazine fall short of their promises. Go to
http://citywidesuperslow.com/blog/
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CITYWIDESUPERSLOW
1901 N. Clybourn Ave. Suite201
Chicago, IL 60614
773-281-SLOW www.citywidesuperslow.com
SEND COMMENTS TO:
info@citywidesuperslow.com
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My Mantra for 2010:
BE MINDFUL ABOUT FOOD
by Theresa Snyder
CWSS Partner
Two simple words, easy to remember and so easily put aside. In keeping true to my New Year's resolution, BE MINDFUL, I am working on words and thoughts especially around hunger and food. I do not experience great hunger on a regular basis, but I am working on listening to the cues my body gives and responding appropriately. I am learning to eat instinctively rather than emotionally or restrictively. In other words, I am not dieting or depriving myself to achieve my "ideal" weight.
Michelle May, M.D., author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat, talks about how important it is to observe your thoughts, feelings and behaviors especially when they trigger the desire to eat. She also states that for many people dieting leads to feelings of deprivation, increased cravings, hunger, decreased metabolism and overeating. Try to listen to the cues your body gives; if it is true hunger, then eat. However, if you are looking for something to eat because you FEEL like eating...think for a moment; is it a physical, environmental or emotional trigger? If the answer is yes, be aware of the lack of genuine hunger you are experiencing and redirect your attention. You know, go for a walk, call a friend, pick up a book, clean out the junk drawer or update your contacts on your computer.
When you do eat, remember to think about the fullness scale. Think about the number 1 being the point where you are starving and 10 being the point where you are OVER fed as we are around Thanksgiving. Try to keep your range between 3 and 6; with 3 being "hungry, you could eat now, but could also wait a bit" and 6 being "full, you can feel the food in your stomach." As Dr. May suggests, if you're not sure if you're hungry, think "will I eat an apple?" and if you will and it tastes great; you're probably hungry. If an apple doesn't sound good, take a moment and see if something else is happening within you.
I encourage you to challenge yourself as you do each time you show up at CityWide for your workout. The challenge is to eat only when hungry; stop when satisfied, not full, and see what you notice. If you realize you are one of those people, like me, and might eat for a reason other than hunger, take 15 minutes and make a list for yourself of things you can do instead; keep that list handy and use it!
I am currently taking a course with Dr. May; if this resonates with you, contact me through our website.
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FOOD ADDITIVES TO AVOID
By Becky Diebold
Remember:
read labels/list of ingredients when purchasing food to help avoid consuming of dangerous additives. Below is a partial list of very
common chemicals found in our food.
Partially Hydrogenated Oils/Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils: These
are "Trans-Fats." Now companies are required to label products with
the trans-fats amounts but they are still found in restaurant food,
especially fast-food chains. The dangers of trans-fats are cancer,
diabetes, heart disease, immune function, immune and reproduction,
lactation, development and growth, and obesity.
Found In: Margarine, pastries, frozen foods, cakes, cookies, crackers, soups and nondairy creamers
Interesterfied Fat: The new "trans-fat." A semi-soft fat created by chemically blending fully hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated oils.
Found In: Pastries, pies, margarine, frozen dinners and canned soups
Ascorbic Acid: The chemical name for the water-soluble vitamin C and is often added to junk foods to make them appear healthy.
Found In: Juices, fruit products, cereals and other foods with Vitamin C health claims
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): Amino
acid used as a flavor enhancer and often found in
Asian food. MSG can cause headaches, chest pains, weakness and nausea and can easily be
replaced with a small amount of salt. Other names for MSG include:
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), Yeast
Extract and Autolyzed Yeast.
Found In: soups, salad dressings, instant
noodles, chips, frozen entrees and restaurant foods
High Fructose Corn Syrup:
Research shows this is more addictive than sugar because it is a cheaper
form of sugar, manufacturers now put this in EVERYTHING.
Found In: beverages, ice cream, chips, cookies, cereal, bread, ketchup, jam, canned fruits, yogurt, barbecue sauce, frozen dinners and so on
Sodium Nitrite:
Is a preservative, which is used for coloring and flavoring. Studies have linked consuming this preservative
to various types of cancer. Make sure when purchasing these items they
do not have sodium nitrite in the ingredients.
Found In: bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and cured, canned and packaged meats
Phosphoric Acid:
Clear colorless liquid that is used in fertilizers and
detergents. May be used directly on rusted iron/tools to clean off the
rust, yet many Americans put this in their bodies. Manufacturers use
it to acidify foods and beverages such as various colas. This has been
linked to lower bone density.
Found In: soups, protein drinks, various colas
Below is an example of all the ingredients in Peter Pan Reduced Fat Crunchy Peanut Butter:
INGREDIENTS
Roasted Peanuts, Corn Syrup Solids*, Sugar, Soy Protein Concentrate*,
Less Than 2% of: Salt, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (Cottonseed and
Rapeseed), Minerals (Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Iron Phosphate,
Copper Sulfate) and Vitamins (Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid).
CONTAINS: PEANUTS, SOY.
*Ingredients Not In Regular Peanut Butter.
References
http://health.msn.com
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Eat This Not That by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding
The
list of food additives is long. Still more additives will be listed in
next month's CWSS newsletter to help you better understand exactly
what's on your food label.
Meanwhile, food additives may have
you thinking "Go Raw." CWSS client Joan Levin has eaten mostly a raw
diet for 5 years. What's the attraction? Here's what she has to say.
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GO RAW
by CWSS client Joan Levin
In general, a raw or living food diet consists of food from plant sources, organically grown, and not heated above 115 degrees F, the temperature at which valuable nutrients may be destroyed. We look for food that is ripe and as fresh as possible.
Many fruits and vegetables are typically eaten raw. Others benefit from preparation methods that do not require heat. These include chopping, marinating, processing, juicing, blending and dehydrating at low temperatures. Nuts and seeds are soaked so that the germination process may enhance their nutritional value. Many seeds may be sprouted into greens rich in protein, vitamins and minerals.
"But where do you get your protein?" is a question of "raw foodies" often hear. Many plant based foods such as dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds and sprouts are rich in protein. There is ample evidence that a plant based diet is healthful and fulfills nutritional needs.
Besides offering many health benefits, raw food offers a rich array of flavors and colors that may not be encountered in cooked foods. Raw restaurants offer more complex gourmet dishes. Two nearby are Karyn's Raw at 1901 N. Halsted and Cousin's Incredible Vitality at 3038 West Irving Park. Both of these restaurants offer basic courses in raw food preparation.
Chicago also hosts several raw food "meetups." (www.meetup.com) One of the largest is at www.rawfood.meetup.com/222 holding frequent potluck social events where many dishes may be sampled.
Not many people are 100% raw. But adding more raw food to any diet offers many benefits and is easy to do.
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