16 minute read
SOUL NOURISHMENT
Soul Nourishment The Kitchen As Sacred Space
by Marlaina Donato I n our busy lives, grabbing food on the run or eating while standing at the kitchen counter is often the norm. Designating the kitchen as a practical sanctuary and seeing the sacredness of food not only makes it more conducive to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but also gives our spirits much-needed satiety.
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“If we don’t touch the transcendent— emotionally and spiritually—physical nourishment won’t fill us up,” says Ronna Kabatznick, Ph.D., former psychological consultant to Weight Watchers International and the author of The Zen of Eating: Ancient Answers to Modern Weight Problems. “Seeing the kitchen as sacred is something that represents gratitude, beauty and blessings.”
Delia Baron, co-author of Better Together Kitchen: Beautiful Recipes to Share With People You Love and the host of seasonal food workshops with partner Ronnit Hoppe in Melbourne, Australia, concurs, “The kitchen is often the heartbeat of the home and the best place to gather, feast, chat and create beautiful memories and rituals. The kitchen is also a place to connect to our food source.”
Fun and Felicity
Preparing meals the old-fashioned way can slow us down and foster mindfulness, but Kabatznick emphasizes that cooking is irrelevant. “Look at the kitchen in terms of possibilities: ‘What can I create in this space?’ You don’t have to turn into Julia Child,” she says, adding, “You could be eating Chinese takeout or a prune; it’s all about mindset and simple rituals like saying a blessing, appreciating what we eat as a great gift.” Kabatznickencourages everyone to eat with dignity, and this includes using the good dishes, putting fresh flowers on the table and eating with awareness.
Seeing the kitchen as the inspired nucleus of the home, it’s natural to add favorite items like art prints, colorful jars, sentimental treasures, dried flowers and other seasonal delights to nourish daily contentment. Conjuring an element of joy adorns the mundane. “Put on some music to put you in either a peaceful or joyful mood,” says Molly Larkin, author, healing practitioner and blogger at Ancient Wisdom for Balanced Living (MollyLarkin.com), in Corrales, New Mexico. “Turn off the TV and give everyone in the family a job. Laugh throughout the meal preparation. Dance as you cook. Do the same thing if you live alone.”
Preparing food, whether a healthy smoothie or a gourmet weekend dinner for two, is a way to express love for ourselves and others. Baron loves the presence of plants, lovely ceramics and interesting platters and dishes, and notes, “Families can definitely shop, chop, cook and mealplan together to make the kitchen a fun place to be. Doing these things together is very bonding and sends the message that looking after yourself is important.”
Practical Magic
Meal prep can be enjoyable and even relaxing in a calm environment. For Baron, organization is key. She advises, “Having all the ingredients you need and working in a clean space also helps make the experience rewarding.”
The smallest of kitchens can be abundant and organized with the help of a little innovation. A simple bookcase can offer additional shelf space for dry goods, bowls of produce or favorite cups. A small end table can hold a favorite tea pot and a jar of gourmet dark chocolate. A beautiful basket can hold go-to spice jars, and a pretty pitcher near the stove can accommodate a multitude of cooking utensils. “If you can’t fit it all out of sight in a cabinet, get some glass jars, fill them with grains, flours and legumes and line them up on the countertop. It will be neat, and you can see what you have,” suggests Larkin.
In the end, a well-nourished body and spirit fosters a beautiful life and inspires the same in others. An advocate for supporting the hungry in all communities, Kabatznick underscores local efforts and seeing the big picture of our relationship with food:“Taking out the garbage and cleaning up is also a sacred act if we bring that attitude into it. Food connects us to the Earth, the moon and the stars. From the seed to the truck driver—everything and everyone involved—the process of food is miraculous.”
SACRED SERVINGS Spring Fever Salad with Flowers and Fruit
Yields: 4 servings
Moroccan-Spiced Red Lentil Soup
Yields: 4 servings
4 cups water 1½ cup red lentils 1 tsp sea salt 1 medium-size organic carrot, chopped in bite-size pieces 2 soft, dried apricots, chopped, or 1 Tbsp golden raisins or 2 dates, chopped ¼ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp ground turmeric ¼ tsp ground coriander seeds or ½ tsp crushed coriander seeds ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp crushed or ground cumin seeds 2 tsp extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil 1 head romaine or green leaf lettuce 8 medium-large organic strawberries, thinly sliced, or 2 small packages of fresh organic raspberries Handful of fresh, chemical-free flowers from the garden or store’s produce section: nasturtium, pansies and/or calendulas; gathered wild: spring violets and dandelion blooms
In-the-Bowl Dressing:
Juice from one fresh tangerine 1 part organic apple cider vinegar to 2 parts avocado oil Dash of sea salt
Add avocado oil, apple cider vinegar and salt into a large bowl, swirl around twice. Tear (don’t chop) lettuce and add to the preliminary dressing. Squeeze tangerine juice over lettuce and toss lightly until well-dressed. Place strawberry slices over salad. Sprinkle (don’t toss) flowers on top or artfully place where desired. Serve immediately.
Bring water, carrots, apricots and all spices and seasonings to boil. Add red lentils, stir once and set heat to low. Cover pot with lid. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, remove from heat. Add olive oil and allow to sit for five minutes before serving.
Optional toppings for each bowl: finely chopped red onion, red pepper flakes, fresh cilantro and/or a sprinkle of turmeric.
Whole-Grain Dark Chocolate-Banana Muffins
Yields: 12 muffins
½ cup organic whole-wheat flour, sifted (protein-rich, gluten-free option: 1 cup organic brown rice flour and ½ cup organic soy flour or 1 cup organic brown rice flour and ½ cup garbanzo flour) ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup coconut sugar, evaporated cane juice or turbinado ½ tsp salt 3½ tsp fresh baking powder 1 cup water or unsweetened non-dairy milk (or half of each to make a cup) 2 tsp extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil or cold-pressed sunflower oil 2 organic eggs, beaten (for vegan option: ¼ to ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce) 2 tsp natural vanilla extract 1½ mashed ripe bananas 2 tsp molasses 1 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp cloves ¼ tsp dried ginger 2 dashes of nutmeg 1 dash of allspice (optional)
Pre-heat oven to 400° F and grease muffin tin with sunflower or olive oil (or line with cupcake papers). Sift flour and cocoa powder into bowl. Add baking powder, salt, sugar and spices; mix well. Combine water/milk, vanilla, molasses, oil and eggs (or apple sauce), and add to dry mixture. Stir, lifting the spoon high with each stirring to get air into the mixture. Do not beat or overmix. Leave it a bit lumpy. …continued on page 36
Fold in bananas. Fill muffin cups half to three-quarters full and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Place muffin tin on wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing each muffin by hand (avoid turning tin over to get muffins out, or the extra-moist, fruit-filled muffins might come apart).
Optional treat: Dip muffin tops into melted coconut oil and roll in coconut sugar or turbinado. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Recipes by Marlaina Donato, author of several books and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.
Plant-based, Dripping, Juicy, Photo credit: Elysabeth Alfano
Chicago-Style Italian "Beef"
Support Our Local Farmers! Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels.jpg
SHOP CSAs, ONLINE & VIRTUAL FARMERS’ MARKETS AND CO-OPS
Photo by Burst from Pexels
“ F or a low-fat, good source of fiber and super high in protein, you won’t miss all the grossness of meat. You will, however, reap all the benefits of delicious vegan goodness through this tasty blend of spice,” says Elysabeth Alfano, host of The Elysabeth Alfano Show, the nation’s only plant-based radio show, as well as the programs Awesome Vegans and the Plant-based Business Hour.
Recipe
Yields: 8 servings Protein per serving: 26 grams, and a good source of fiber from nutritional yeast.
Giardiniera:
Slice 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks and 1 jalapeno Place in a jar filled with white vinegar. Put in refrigerator for two days. Optional: Soak in oil after 48 hours several hours before serving.
Onions:
Slice 3 cloves of garlic and ½ white onion In a pan drizzled with olive oil or mushroom broth, caramelize white onions and garlic over medium heat. Add to juice when ready.
Juice:
1½ cups vegetable or mushroom broth 2 Tbsp soy sauce Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp sweet or Spanish paprika (spicier) Salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp onion salt Added onions and garlic from above Simmer on low until onions are soft and translucent, usually about 10-12 minutes.
Italian Beef:
2 cups vital wheat gluten 1 cup nutritional yeast Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp sweet or Spanish paprika (spicier) Salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp onion salt Mix together in a separate bowl: 1½ cups vegetable or mushroom broth 2 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp tomato paste 2-3 sliced garlic cloves by Elysabeth Alfano
Preheat oven to 325° F. Combine the two bowls, mixing until thoroughly mixed. Take out and knead on flat service. Let rest for five minutes. Meanwhile, line a bread pan with parchment paper. When ready, put the mixture into parchment paper and press down until even. Put in preheated oven and bake for 90 minutes.
Assemble Sandwich:
When done baking and Italian beef is cooled, slice thinly, enough for the sandwiches you need and simmer slices in juice until hot. In a heated vegan roll, place dripping, heated Italian beef slices and smother in giardiniera. Keep extra juice on the side for dipping.
Refrigerate or freeze extra Italian beef loaf and juice.
Elysabeth Alfano is a personal coach and chef that helps people transition to a plantbased diet and lifestyle. Always happy to discuss the benefits of being plant-based, she is also the host of the only plant-based radio show in the nation, The Elysabeth Alfano Show, on WCGO and the Smart Talk Radio Network. She is an executive producer and a featured chef on Amazon Prime New Day New Chef develops recipes for restaurants looking to veganize their menus. To reach her, email Elysabeth@ElysabethAlfano.com or visit ElysabethAlfano.com.
Super Immunity Elixir
2 tsp* organic fresh ginger (bottled okay if no preservatives) 2 tsp organic turmeric (fresh or powder) 2 tsp organic horseradish (bottled OK if no preservatives) 2 tsp organic fresh onion 2 tsp organic fresh garlic 2 tsp organic fresh black radish or daikon radish 1 cup filtered water
Use approximately equal amounts of the ingredients. For each cup of water, you will need a total of 50 grams of the ingredients. If you have a big family or are making the elixir for extended family or friends, use 2 or 3 cups of water and 100 to 150 grams of the ingredients (*2 tsp = approx. 8 g).
Wash all the ingredients.
Cut them into smaller chunks.
Fill your blender with water and the chunks.
Process until thoroughly blended.
Use a cheesecloth or nut milk bag to strain the mixture.
Store the elixir in the fridge for up to 10 days, but it is always better to make it fresh every few days.
Take 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp at a time (depending on stomach sensitivity), every hour if you are not feeling well. If taking the elixir as a preventive measure, 2 Tbsp a day should suffice. The mixture if quite potent, so take
Photo credit: Purple Sprout
as much as you want if your stomach is strong. If your stomach is on the sensitive side, mix the elixir into soup, stew, smoothie or juice.
Recipe courtesy of Purple Sprout Cafe and Juice Bar, 341 E. Dundee Rd., Wheeling. For more information, call 224-223-7133 or visit PurpleSprout.com. See ad on this page
and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.
We Are Open For Curbside Pickup & Deliveries!
✵ We partner with GrubHub, Door Dash and Uber Eats. ✵ Weekly and monthly immunity-boosting meal plans. ✵ Family-size containers of soup, chili, brown rice, beans, stew, and more! ✵ Frozen homemade superfood patties, sprouted lentil chorizo. ✵ Health/Nutritional/Ayurvedic consultations for individualized daily regimens and recommendations to achieve optimum health.
Call to Order your Healthy Treats! 224-223-7133
Autoimmune disease is common in our community. We hear about conditions like fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease, to name a few. What many do not realize is that these conditions worsen substantially when the body, especially the gut, is experiencing increased inflammation. Inflammation can cause more pain, exhaustion and irritability for these individuals and compromise quality of life. Although the signs may be different for every sufferer, inflammation commonly starts in the gut. The foods we eat can either be fuel on the fire or calming to an already inflamed gut. Here are three core foods that can help to begin healing gut inflammation.
Bone Broth
(See recipe at NAChicago.com/bone-broths) Bone Broth is filled with all the minerals our skeletons need, along with many other important amino acids that are especially healing for someone suffering from leaky gut syndrome. The glucosamine in bone both goes straight to the joints helping alleviate pain and inflammation.
Stewed Apples
Stewing apples with the skin still on the apple will release a chemical called pectin. Pectin is a highly beneficial tool serving like a gut spackle that will help to “fill” leaky gut areas in the gut lining and decrease inflammation.
GF Mom Certified’s Sauerkraut Recipe
Yields: one quart 1 small organic cabbage 1 organic carrot 1 Tbsp iodized sea salt 1 probiotic capsule Organic garlic to taste Organic onion to taste Clean wide-mouth canning jar and lid carefully. Wash veggies. Grate the cabbage and carrot. Place the cabbage in the jar, add other desired veggies (garlic and or onion) and salt as you go. Pack the veggies in the jar with a spoon. Open the probiotic capsule and sprinkle on the cabbage. Add additional salt water until the veggies are fully submerged. Leave about 1 inch at the top of the jar for gas expansion. Place the lid on the jar. Store in a cool, dark place for 7 days to ferment. Check the jar periodically to ensure the brine does not overflow. Taste after 1 week. If fermentation is sufficient place the jar in the fridge. You can ferment up to 14 days as desired taste and texture is achieved. recipes from a gluten-free kitchen
Cooking to
Reduce Inflammation by Tiffany Hinton
1 in 6 children face hunger.
There’s more than enough food in America for every child who struggles with hunger. Help get kids the food they need by supporting Feeding America, the nationwide network of food banks. Together, we can solve hunger™. Join us at FeedingAmerica.org
1 in 6 children face hunger.
1 in 6 Children face hunger.
Fermented Foods
Eating fermented foods like kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi and Old-World pickles in the brine brings good bacteria back to the gut. This beneficial bacteria helps aid the body in drawing out a wide range of toxins and heavy metals from the gut. Tip: Remember tap water has chlorine and will kill the friendly bacteria.
Recipes courtesy of Tiffany Hinton, GF Mom Certified. Connect on social media @GFMomCertified. See ad on page 17 and in
the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.
Reboo t t he system t hat fuels and sus t ains your whole body.
Is your body telling you it needs help? Do new symptoms creep up on you too fast? Have dietary modifications failed to provide relief?
There is help.
Reneé Barasch, Certified Digestive Health and Detoxification Specialist, has been helping clients achieve nutritional balance and enhance quality of life for more than 14 years. Reneé’s individualized plans help clients re-boot their digestive tracts and increase absorption of needed nutrients—creating the environment for detoxification of all organs and the pathways between them.
Working with Reneé, you will:
• Identify digestive triggers. (Some may surprise you!) • Understand which foods agree with you— and those that don’t. • Create a detoxification and digestive plan.
Digestion is one of the main ways the body detoxifies and cleanses.
If the food you consume isn’t thoroughly broken down, your body cannot work as efficiently as it should. Poor digestion causes stress for the entire digestive system and leads to gas, bloating, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea —and even insomnia, psoriasis, eczema, chronic pain, and anxiety. Undigested food can seep
Let’s get you feeling better.
Reneé S. Barasch, LDHS Certified Digestive Health Specialist
into the bloodstream through a condition called “leaky gut syndrome,” which often leads to more serious conditions like Crohn’s Disease, colitis, and other autoimmune disorders.
Environmental irritants also affect digestion.
The environment can also produce irritation and inflammation. Everyday, airborne toxins — perfumes, cleaning products, smoke, automotive exhaust, indoor dust, and springtime pollen — find their way into our bloodstream (in less than 20 seconds!) and cause digestive organs to work overtime. A runny nose, itchy eyes, and red and blotchy skin often result in a trip to the allergist, when a digestive imbalance may be contributing.
Stay strong and healthy with a gut ‘reset.’
• Effectively and efficientlydigest food. • Reduce inflammation. • Nourish your gut—and ensure your whole body is balanced. • Regulate the processing and digestion of food and the elimination of waste by incorp- orating foods that lead to better absorption and detoxification.
Dig e stive H e alth Solutions
8 4 7-207-2034 Now exclusively at ADIO Chiropractic Clinic 316 Peterson Rd, Libertyville, 60048 thetummywhisperer.com
