'It's been awhile...'. I swear I write a post every year that begins with this sentiment. True to form, here I am again this year returning from a rather lengthy blogging hiatus. I'm starting to realize that certain seasons of the year are busier for me than others and I'm wondering whether this may also be a reflection of the larger 'seasons' of life. Every year, summer is a write-off, with endless visits from friends that have moved 'away', sun-stained patio nights, staycation adventures and weddings. And now that I'm well into the summer of life, I feel equally short on time to squeeze in everything I want from these wondrous months and years.
As I write this I am sprawled out on a couch in condominium of a couple I have never met. It's a gorgeous spot, smack dab in the heart of Kitlslano Beach, Vancouver, British Columbia. I am here for the wedding of my dear friend, Andrew. I met his bride-to-be only last week and in my very humble opinion he has chosen wisely. The wedding is set for Friday, but the parties have already begun. Being an 'out-of-town' guest has its perks, as I've been invited to the rehearsal dinner and also get to help out with pre-wedding decorations (this is genuinely fun for me!).
While I've been on the West Coast I've also had the chance to catch-up with some other very dear friends. I made the trek to Victoria for the weekend and stayed with my very wonderful, adventurous friend, Natasha. Sometimes I feel like she's my younger sister, other times the closest confidante a gal could wish for. My friend, Chris, whom I met way back in 2002 while doing my first co-op work term in Ottawa, also lives in Victoria with his wife of 8 years, Wendy. They just had a little boy, Paul, who is legitimately as super-cute baby (come on, we all know they're not ALL cute when they're babies. so let's just admit it!). It was an extremely enjoyable and rewarding trip, complete with farmers' markets and a mountain hike that made me feel better about all the sangria I drank to celebrate my birthday.
Returning to Vancouver after the weekend, I met up with my friend, Christine, who is truly an indomitable spirit with a ferocious talent for making food taste divine (she's a Red Seal Chef). She is getting married in a few weeks to an equally impressive man. I'm pretty sure they're super heroes by night.
On Tuesday night I had the great fortune of meeting up with my kindred spirit, Donna. Donna and I met back in 2011 at a rural tourism conference in the interior of BC. To be perfectly honest, I have no idea why my employer bothered to send me across the country for a conference that was clearly province-based, but I am so glad he did. Donna ended up being my 'roomie' in the chalet I had booked and we hit it off immediately. I am so grateful for my intuition, which allows me to pick up on compatible energies really quickly. Well, we had limited time in rural BC to truly cement a friendship, but kindred spirits cannot be kept apart, so when I messaged Donna that I was coming to Vancouver, where she now lives, she made a point of planning a special evening and inviting me to be part of it. I had a most fantastic time with her and two of her four daughters, as well as her daughter's friend, at Theatre Under the Stars in Stanley Park. TUTS, as it is known, featured a Broadway musical adaptation of the movie Shrek; it was spectacular and hilarious!!
Me being me, I am always searching for the deeper meaning and messages from my experiences in life and this trip to the West Coast has provided much by way of reflection on life and relationships. I've been gifted with slices of time in the lives of some beautiful people. I've observed snippets of their existence and had conversations, big and small, with them. All of the moments I've spent with them have been illuminating. Everyone is at a differing stages of life in their relationships - from newly single to almost married to LT married with a new baby. They're also at different stages in their careers- from the friend that finally has a job she absolutely loves to the friend that's suffering through a fifth year at a job s/he hates, to the friend contemplating a career change to the one that's on the search for a job aligned with their beliefs.
What I was reminded of through these interactions is that life is an exciting, never-ending series of experiences. Some will be more challenging and stressful than others. Some will feel more stable and safe, others will feel more like a roller-coaster ride. Ultimately, however, each and every one of these experiences will morph into anew experience with the passage of time. The newly weds will be old pros at the marriage thing, the single gals will more likely than not find themselves in the throes of another relationship, the parents of the new baby will soon be sending their little guy off to school. Some may leave their current jobs for more fulfilling careers, others may move into new positions at beloved workplaces.
We do not often make the time to take stock of the grand experiences
that life has offered us. We are so focused on what is coming down the
pipeline we forget to stand in gratitude of all the experiences we have
been gifted with so far. Sometimes it takes a vacation to a place far
from home and a peak into the lives of others to make us realize how
wondrous each stage in life is, and how very unique our journeys through
this world truly are.
We don't really know what the future holds, but with each
new day the future transforms itself into the present and there we are,
moving through it and dealing with all that it has to offer us, both the
challenges and the rewards. This year has been an epic one for me in terms of experiences and change. I feel that I am in the midst of a phenomenal shift in the trajectory of my life and I am nothing short o ecstatic about the current relationships and opportunities for growth that life has presented me with.
I stand in gratitude for the friends who have invited me into their worlds, I am inspired by each and every one of you. Thank you for reminding me that life is an accumulation of experiences that are best shared with those that you choose to love and that choose to love you.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
From A Land Down Under
Changing it up a little with this post by sharing a wee snippet of nostalgia and creative writing from a time and place that still remain vividly imprinted in my memory.
It's been 7 years since I last adventured off this continent to Oz. It was my home for 10 months, but in that short period of time the entire trajectory of my life shifted. When I returned to Canada, I was compelled to write and I found myself writing almost exclusively about my time in the Land Down Under. Here is one piece of writing in a series I simply titled 'Australian Vignettes'.
It's been 7 years since I last adventured off this continent to Oz. It was my home for 10 months, but in that short period of time the entire trajectory of my life shifted. When I returned to Canada, I was compelled to write and I found myself writing almost exclusively about my time in the Land Down Under. Here is one piece of writing in a series I simply titled 'Australian Vignettes'.
Saving Wales
A
kookaburra laughs at me incessantly. Clutching my mobile phone, my eyes sweep
the caked-dry dirt path in front of me as I quicken my pace, the muted browns
and yellows of the drought-laden landscape threatening to strike out at my
exposed ankles. Tara and Jake bound ahead, their floppy ears batting away the
horseflies, their pink tongues sponging up the dry, dusty air of the Australian
outback they frenetically chase the promise of adventure, oblivious to the fear
paralyzing their human companion.
Gravity-fed
by a dam that is as parched as the straw grass that pock marks the barren
valley, the water pump has gone again. I am charged with fixing it or calling a
plumber. Trotting lightly along the path Jo and Jason have carved out with the
Ranger, I curse self-determination.
Gritting my teeth, I push my bejewelled mauve sunglasses up the sweaty
bridge of my nose and replay the practice session in my head.
Some twenty pairs of brown eyes take in my frantic trotting. A herd of
curious, thirsty Welsh ponies follow along the fence line. The soft, rhythmic
beat of their hooves against the hard clay is reassuring, a warning to any slithery
outback creatures to stay away.
There
it sits under a swaggering eucalyptus, canopied from the harsh heat of a
January sun, remarkably white, its enamel smooth and its claws perfectly
manicured. For one long heart beat I am tempted by the unspoken invitation to
strip off my sweaty mucking-out clothes and skinny dip in the Outback’s bathtub-turned-water-trough. Self-consciously, I look back over my shoulder for unwanted voyeurs.
They are still, standing in headstrong formation, waiting for their water
goddess to save Wales.
Instructions on How to Save Wales:
Turn
the orange valve clockwise as far as it will go. Ditto for the valve in the
ground too. Slide down to the water’s edge of the neighbour’s dam. Turn the
water pump’s motor switch to ‘on’ and then yank the cord hard until the motor
starts. Then the black hose has to fill with water. You can tell when it does,
it’ll be heavy. Be patient, watch for snakes while you wait. Then turn everything off, close the valves
and go back to the house. If the toilet flushes, the pump’s working and you've saved Wales.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Gettin' My Food On
Tonight I thought I permanently misplaced one of my cats. Thankfully, I was wrong and therefore have a few spare moments to do something other than freak out and traipse around Charlottetown trying to find a black and white feline. I decided to take these spare moments to do some writing, including a wee blog post (ta da!) and something other yet-to-be-determined prose (I'm going to pull out Julia Cameron's 'The Artist's Way' and try diving in the deep end of the creative writing pool again. Sadly, there is no pool bar because I forgot to stock up on wine, so sobriety it shall be).
It's the middle of April and, thankfully, the snow finally appears to be melting. Today was a superbly warm and sunny day, so I took the opportunity to go for my first outdoor jog of the year. Sunday was the first BBQ of the year and my first ever scooter ride (so much fun that I immediately decided I must visit Greece and become a scooter aficionado). I have to say, getting some Vitamin D via the sunshine really does add an extra shot of energy to the system.
The past month has been rather crazy busy and I'm just now catching my breath and having a chance to relax a little. On April 3rd the MEAL team hosted A Heritage MEAL at the PEI Farm Centre and it appears to have been a smashing success, based on attendance, feedback and the massive amount of food prepared and consumed. There were some bumps in the lead up to the event, namely due to the insane number of storms/blizzards PEI experienced, but we pulled it off in the end. We had some amazing speakers talking about everything from garlic growing to promoting local food through social media to volunteer opportunities with the PEI Food Exchange. I had to suppress a laugh any time someone raved about the oatcakes or gingersnaps, because I was in charge of baking them and totally screwed up the measurement of butter. Apparently butter makes everything better, just like bacon!
So, another successful MEAL under our belts and already there is talk of 'the next MEAL'. Every time I hear those words, I am equal parts excited and terrified. Organizing such an event is so inspiring, I absolutely loved meeting and working with so many awesome people, and I'm moved by the outpouring of support and engagement that the MEALs have garnered. On the other hand, it is a heck of a lot of work and stress. Granted, wine consumption helps with both of those issues. Stay tuned (probably for a long time) to find out if another MEAL is in the works.
Tomorrow I am co-hosting a Lunch N' Learn called 'Taking Charge of Your Health'. My very wonderful friend and mentor, Robert Paterson, is the other host and has been taking charge of his health with great success for a number of years. I, on the other hand, represent the 'struggle' that most of us experience when trying to make better health choices. I feel like I've had many milestones on my 'journey', but this last one (eliminating sugar) has been the game-changer in so many ways. So, tomorrow I will talk about how I managed to finally break the sugar addiction and we will invite attendees to speak about their own experiences, challenges and successes. Both Rob and I feel that it's really important to have a community of support when working towards better eating and living.
Burger Love is back. This year there are 54 restaurants participating. Personally, I think it's a bit much when a pizzeria and an Italian restaurant are serving up burgers, but that's just my opinion. I didn't intend to actually eat any burgers this year, but it seems that every social rendezvous must centre around burger consumption, so I've actually had 4 burgers, but ate twice at the same restaurant, so have only had three different burgers. I highly recommend both The Olympian at the Downtown Deli and M-2 at Mavor's. I was not so enamoured with the one at St. James' Gate, which is, ironically, the one I ate twice. It was OK, but not mind-blowing.
And that concludes another random blog post by moi. It is now too late to start creative writing, so instead I will give kitty cats some snuggles and then go to bed.
It's the middle of April and, thankfully, the snow finally appears to be melting. Today was a superbly warm and sunny day, so I took the opportunity to go for my first outdoor jog of the year. Sunday was the first BBQ of the year and my first ever scooter ride (so much fun that I immediately decided I must visit Greece and become a scooter aficionado). I have to say, getting some Vitamin D via the sunshine really does add an extra shot of energy to the system.
The past month has been rather crazy busy and I'm just now catching my breath and having a chance to relax a little. On April 3rd the MEAL team hosted A Heritage MEAL at the PEI Farm Centre and it appears to have been a smashing success, based on attendance, feedback and the massive amount of food prepared and consumed. There were some bumps in the lead up to the event, namely due to the insane number of storms/blizzards PEI experienced, but we pulled it off in the end. We had some amazing speakers talking about everything from garlic growing to promoting local food through social media to volunteer opportunities with the PEI Food Exchange. I had to suppress a laugh any time someone raved about the oatcakes or gingersnaps, because I was in charge of baking them and totally screwed up the measurement of butter. Apparently butter makes everything better, just like bacon!
So, another successful MEAL under our belts and already there is talk of 'the next MEAL'. Every time I hear those words, I am equal parts excited and terrified. Organizing such an event is so inspiring, I absolutely loved meeting and working with so many awesome people, and I'm moved by the outpouring of support and engagement that the MEALs have garnered. On the other hand, it is a heck of a lot of work and stress. Granted, wine consumption helps with both of those issues. Stay tuned (probably for a long time) to find out if another MEAL is in the works.
Tomorrow I am co-hosting a Lunch N' Learn called 'Taking Charge of Your Health'. My very wonderful friend and mentor, Robert Paterson, is the other host and has been taking charge of his health with great success for a number of years. I, on the other hand, represent the 'struggle' that most of us experience when trying to make better health choices. I feel like I've had many milestones on my 'journey', but this last one (eliminating sugar) has been the game-changer in so many ways. So, tomorrow I will talk about how I managed to finally break the sugar addiction and we will invite attendees to speak about their own experiences, challenges and successes. Both Rob and I feel that it's really important to have a community of support when working towards better eating and living.
Burger Love is back. This year there are 54 restaurants participating. Personally, I think it's a bit much when a pizzeria and an Italian restaurant are serving up burgers, but that's just my opinion. I didn't intend to actually eat any burgers this year, but it seems that every social rendezvous must centre around burger consumption, so I've actually had 4 burgers, but ate twice at the same restaurant, so have only had three different burgers. I highly recommend both The Olympian at the Downtown Deli and M-2 at Mavor's. I was not so enamoured with the one at St. James' Gate, which is, ironically, the one I ate twice. It was OK, but not mind-blowing.
And that concludes another random blog post by moi. It is now too late to start creative writing, so instead I will give kitty cats some snuggles and then go to bed.
Friday, March 21, 2014
One Year Later...
It's been one year since I left the 'comfort' of my 9-5 job at UPEI and hurled myself into the world of unemployment. Well, maybe it wasn't quite that dramatic, but it's never easy to leave something lucrative and secure for something that is neither of those things. Still, once I'd made my mind up about leaving and hammered out my exit plan, I didn't have any second thoughts about whether it was the 'right' decision. I intuitively knew I had to leave in order to remain aligned with my heart's desires. The 9-5 had afforded me the ability to move back to PEI, build some savings and start developing a network during my off-work hours.
And now, here I am a year later. The world has opened its arms to me and there seem to be a litany of opportunities within my grasp. I've started my own consulting business and have already had clients (blink), I'm working with an awesome start-up, and I'm continuing to expand my social and professional networks and meeting amazing people in the process. Most importantly, I wake up every day with a sense of purpose and excitement. I always knew I wasn't cut out for regular employment, but I didn't realize that I'd actually be so fond of self employment. Mind you, I do realize it's early days and maybe at some point the appeal will dull a bit (likely when I'm relegated to buying discount Mr. Noodles due to a dry spell of contracts). Until then, however, I'm going to ride this wave and enjoy it.
So, you know, life is hunky dory.
Well, except for one wee, nagging little thing that I have to figure out...
Flashback to October 2011: Shannon enrolls in the Natural Nutrition Program with the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition with the intent of getting her Registered Holistic Nutrition designation within two years.
Flash forward to March 2014: Shannon has paid for the nutrition program in full ($3,500) and paid a small extension fee, which will allow her until Oct. 2014 to complete the program requirements. She's spent countless hours studying and completed 75% of the coursework/assignments.
Seems like a no-brainer right? I'm at the tail end of the program, I'm fully committed money-wise and I've got til October to finish up.
The thing is, I'm just not convinced that I have it in me to do the consulting gig AND finish my program. By stretching out my studies, I think my retention of the topics I've studied thusfar has been minimal and the biggest hurdles of the program are the ones that remain: Bio-Chemistry course, 10 Nutritional Case Studies (these are a helluva a lot of work) and the final exam (gulp).
I know it can be done, but taking on ALL the things might just burn me out. I've come to the conclusion that there's a threshold for the amount of work I can take on and after I pass that threshold, I'm really no fun to be around and all of my work suffers. Basically. I implode. Not good. So, I'm a little uncertain of what to do. I know I'll figure it out and writing this blog post is part of the process of figuring it out. Even as I am writing this, I find myself leaning towards trying to finish the program at an even-keeled pace. I'm going to see if my intuition gives me any further direction over the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned.
And now, here I am a year later. The world has opened its arms to me and there seem to be a litany of opportunities within my grasp. I've started my own consulting business and have already had clients (blink), I'm working with an awesome start-up, and I'm continuing to expand my social and professional networks and meeting amazing people in the process. Most importantly, I wake up every day with a sense of purpose and excitement. I always knew I wasn't cut out for regular employment, but I didn't realize that I'd actually be so fond of self employment. Mind you, I do realize it's early days and maybe at some point the appeal will dull a bit (likely when I'm relegated to buying discount Mr. Noodles due to a dry spell of contracts). Until then, however, I'm going to ride this wave and enjoy it.
So, you know, life is hunky dory.
Well, except for one wee, nagging little thing that I have to figure out...
Flashback to October 2011: Shannon enrolls in the Natural Nutrition Program with the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition with the intent of getting her Registered Holistic Nutrition designation within two years.
Flash forward to March 2014: Shannon has paid for the nutrition program in full ($3,500) and paid a small extension fee, which will allow her until Oct. 2014 to complete the program requirements. She's spent countless hours studying and completed 75% of the coursework/assignments.
Seems like a no-brainer right? I'm at the tail end of the program, I'm fully committed money-wise and I've got til October to finish up.
The thing is, I'm just not convinced that I have it in me to do the consulting gig AND finish my program. By stretching out my studies, I think my retention of the topics I've studied thusfar has been minimal and the biggest hurdles of the program are the ones that remain: Bio-Chemistry course, 10 Nutritional Case Studies (these are a helluva a lot of work) and the final exam (gulp).
I know it can be done, but taking on ALL the things might just burn me out. I've come to the conclusion that there's a threshold for the amount of work I can take on and after I pass that threshold, I'm really no fun to be around and all of my work suffers. Basically. I implode. Not good. So, I'm a little uncertain of what to do. I know I'll figure it out and writing this blog post is part of the process of figuring it out. Even as I am writing this, I find myself leaning towards trying to finish the program at an even-keeled pace. I'm going to see if my intuition gives me any further direction over the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Wearing Food and Other Tales from the Table of Life
A few months back I ran out of my usual drugstore moisturizer and apparently was too lazy to replace the bottle. Also, I think I was having an increasingly difficult time justifying spending $14 for a little bottle of a product that's main ingredient is water. But, yeah, mostly I was just lazy/forgetful. I've been going sans moisturizer for awhile now and have seen no ill effects. Shockingly, my face hasn't shriveled up into a prune. Still, there are benefits to hydration of the skin, so a little voice in the back of my head's been telling me I've got to get back on the moisturizing bandwagon. I knew I didn't want to go back to the bottle o' moisturizer, but didn't know what I 'should' be using.
Enter Meghan Telpner, Toronto-based nutritionist and authorof UnDiet, a book that is unlike any other diet/health books I've come across, in terms of both content and accessibility. In a nutshell, she makes healthy eating and living sound so freakin' fun! Thanks to Raeanne for telling me about Meghan.
There are many things I love about Meghan's book, but until this past week I'd mainly focused my attention on the food related chapters and skimmed over the 'natural beauty' chapter. Admittedly, I wasn't too sure about the chocolate avocado mask that she had a recipe for...I 'may' have been concerned I'd just be licking my face off. In any case, while cleaning out the kitchen cupboards this past weekend I came across an unopened jar of coconut oil and it occurred to me that there might be some alternative uses for this oil, besides cooking. Lo and behold, it turns out that coconut oil is well known (in some circles anyways) as an excellent body/beauty product that can replace everything from hair products to shaving cream to...you guessed it...a moisturizer!
So I've been smearing coconut oil on my face for the past few days and that's been kind of fun. Yes, that's the end of my coconut oil story....for now. Stay tuned for the sequel when I shave my legs.
In other news, the crazy-busyness of February has passed, but it's been replaced with an equally cray-busy March. I think I'm just going to have to face the fact that my life is probably going to be fairly busy from hereon out. I have a knack for taking on too many things at once, but I guess I must like it or I would stop doing that right?
In any case, amongst the several things that will keep me busy this month is my co-coordinating (volunteer) gig with A Heritage MEAL. Yes, we're at it again, planning another celebration of local food and food producers in the hopes that we can raise awareness/educate the public while having a fun, delicious time!
This time there are new faces on the team and some from the past MEALs are missing (and missed), but the enthusiasm and awesomeness of the group remains invigorating. Currently we are working to get food donations and, as with the last two MEALs, I've been blown away by the generosity of the food producers we've approached - everyone wants to donate! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I'm also getting excited by the line-up of speakers we're going to have at the MEAL. We've got four speakers confirmed already, including an organic farmer (Matt Dykerman), a junior high school student (Cameron Ralph), a professor and expert in seaplants (Dr. Irene Novaczek), and a high-energy Chef (Sarah Bennetto O'Brien) with a vision to bring fresh, local takeout to Borden (you should totally check out her Kickstarter campaign).
Hells yeah, it's going to be a time!!
Warning: the rest of this post is even more rambly than the portion above. Just sayin'
This past weekend, after working crazy 10 to 12 hour days for most of the two weeks that preceded, I promised myself I'd take a day off and do nothing. Well, nothing except go to the gym and market. My plan to do nothing else lasted for approximately 1 hour, after which I called up a friend and asked if she wanted to meet at Timothy's to do work. Then the next day I spent 10 hours cleaning my apartment from top to bottom. It was exhausting, but I really needed to make this space feel like mine and a good clean was in order. Wow, yeah, I can't seem to stop doing things. Even now, instead of just vegging, I'm writing a blog post. This is what happens when you do a marathon of House of Cards, then your ex-boyfriend takes the Playstation when he moves out and you can't watch Netflix on the TV anymore.
Also, it appears I'm down several lbs and it's true what they say, you will lose it in places you wish you didn't have to lose it. Sigh, goodbye chest, it's been a slice.
Enter Meghan Telpner, Toronto-based nutritionist and authorof UnDiet, a book that is unlike any other diet/health books I've come across, in terms of both content and accessibility. In a nutshell, she makes healthy eating and living sound so freakin' fun! Thanks to Raeanne for telling me about Meghan.
There are many things I love about Meghan's book, but until this past week I'd mainly focused my attention on the food related chapters and skimmed over the 'natural beauty' chapter. Admittedly, I wasn't too sure about the chocolate avocado mask that she had a recipe for...I 'may' have been concerned I'd just be licking my face off. In any case, while cleaning out the kitchen cupboards this past weekend I came across an unopened jar of coconut oil and it occurred to me that there might be some alternative uses for this oil, besides cooking. Lo and behold, it turns out that coconut oil is well known (in some circles anyways) as an excellent body/beauty product that can replace everything from hair products to shaving cream to...you guessed it...a moisturizer!
So I've been smearing coconut oil on my face for the past few days and that's been kind of fun. Yes, that's the end of my coconut oil story....for now. Stay tuned for the sequel when I shave my legs.
In other news, the crazy-busyness of February has passed, but it's been replaced with an equally cray-busy March. I think I'm just going to have to face the fact that my life is probably going to be fairly busy from hereon out. I have a knack for taking on too many things at once, but I guess I must like it or I would stop doing that right?
In any case, amongst the several things that will keep me busy this month is my co-coordinating (volunteer) gig with A Heritage MEAL. Yes, we're at it again, planning another celebration of local food and food producers in the hopes that we can raise awareness/educate the public while having a fun, delicious time!
This time there are new faces on the team and some from the past MEALs are missing (and missed), but the enthusiasm and awesomeness of the group remains invigorating. Currently we are working to get food donations and, as with the last two MEALs, I've been blown away by the generosity of the food producers we've approached - everyone wants to donate! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I'm also getting excited by the line-up of speakers we're going to have at the MEAL. We've got four speakers confirmed already, including an organic farmer (Matt Dykerman), a junior high school student (Cameron Ralph), a professor and expert in seaplants (Dr. Irene Novaczek), and a high-energy Chef (Sarah Bennetto O'Brien) with a vision to bring fresh, local takeout to Borden (you should totally check out her Kickstarter campaign).
Hells yeah, it's going to be a time!!
Warning: the rest of this post is even more rambly than the portion above. Just sayin'
This past weekend, after working crazy 10 to 12 hour days for most of the two weeks that preceded, I promised myself I'd take a day off and do nothing. Well, nothing except go to the gym and market. My plan to do nothing else lasted for approximately 1 hour, after which I called up a friend and asked if she wanted to meet at Timothy's to do work. Then the next day I spent 10 hours cleaning my apartment from top to bottom. It was exhausting, but I really needed to make this space feel like mine and a good clean was in order. Wow, yeah, I can't seem to stop doing things. Even now, instead of just vegging, I'm writing a blog post. This is what happens when you do a marathon of House of Cards, then your ex-boyfriend takes the Playstation when he moves out and you can't watch Netflix on the TV anymore.
Also, it appears I'm down several lbs and it's true what they say, you will lose it in places you wish you didn't have to lose it. Sigh, goodbye chest, it's been a slice.
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
Freedom
It seems like blogging is the first thing to get tossed from my to-do list when life gets super busy, as it has been for the past month. So, tonight with a few minutes left before bedtime, I'll attempt to share in extreme conciseness what the last month has brought about in my life.
In a nutshell, it has brought me freedom (as per the title post). Career-wise, I've never felt more in control of my future and more excited to greet every day. I launched my own consulting business in early February and whilst not even advertising this fact, I've been inundated with opportunities to put my skills to great use. Communications and research are the main skills on offer, with a focus on food/agricultural projects (surprise, surprise). I've been working like a madwoman on a research study that I hope will lead to some amazing, tangible opportunities for PEI food producers. I've also been working for GetGifted, a start-up marketing company here in PEI that has seen phenomenal growth over the past year, and have a few other 'jobs' on the ledger. I'm not going to lie, I've worked more in the past month than I probably did over several months at my last job, but I am loving it!!! I guess I need more than the promise of a paycheque to enjoy a day's work.
Freedom has also found its way to my personal life. After several months co-habitating with my ex we finally parted ways this past weekend. To say it was a relief would be an understatement. Don't get me wrong, I still think he's a great guy and I do think we'll be friends after we've had some space from each other for a wee bit, but I am SO glad to have a space to myself again. It is liberating and, finally, it feels like I'm ready for the next chapter of my life to be written.
I'm still on my sugar detox and that represents another avenue to freedom that I'd not even considered for most of my life. I didn't realize what a grip sugar had on my daily existence until I decided to let it go. Every other time I've given up sugar it's been a real struggle and I've had a hard time saying no to candy, chocolate and desserts. This time is different somehow. I don't know why, but I don't even find myself tempted to eat sugar and there have been plenty of opportunities to do so over the past couple of months, trust me. I'm so very grateful I've been able to reach a point where sugar doesn't have a grip on me and I've no inclination to go back to my candy-aholic ways.
And now it's time for bed. Or maybe a little more folk music, because it seems like a good night to listen to some Leonhard Cohen.
In a nutshell, it has brought me freedom (as per the title post). Career-wise, I've never felt more in control of my future and more excited to greet every day. I launched my own consulting business in early February and whilst not even advertising this fact, I've been inundated with opportunities to put my skills to great use. Communications and research are the main skills on offer, with a focus on food/agricultural projects (surprise, surprise). I've been working like a madwoman on a research study that I hope will lead to some amazing, tangible opportunities for PEI food producers. I've also been working for GetGifted, a start-up marketing company here in PEI that has seen phenomenal growth over the past year, and have a few other 'jobs' on the ledger. I'm not going to lie, I've worked more in the past month than I probably did over several months at my last job, but I am loving it!!! I guess I need more than the promise of a paycheque to enjoy a day's work.
Freedom has also found its way to my personal life. After several months co-habitating with my ex we finally parted ways this past weekend. To say it was a relief would be an understatement. Don't get me wrong, I still think he's a great guy and I do think we'll be friends after we've had some space from each other for a wee bit, but I am SO glad to have a space to myself again. It is liberating and, finally, it feels like I'm ready for the next chapter of my life to be written.
I'm still on my sugar detox and that represents another avenue to freedom that I'd not even considered for most of my life. I didn't realize what a grip sugar had on my daily existence until I decided to let it go. Every other time I've given up sugar it's been a real struggle and I've had a hard time saying no to candy, chocolate and desserts. This time is different somehow. I don't know why, but I don't even find myself tempted to eat sugar and there have been plenty of opportunities to do so over the past couple of months, trust me. I'm so very grateful I've been able to reach a point where sugar doesn't have a grip on me and I've no inclination to go back to my candy-aholic ways.
And now it's time for bed. Or maybe a little more folk music, because it seems like a good night to listen to some Leonhard Cohen.
Sunday, February 09, 2014
4 Weeks Without 'It' and I Feel Fine
Back when I was in university doing my business degree one of my friends dubbed me with the name 'candy whore' because, as she put it, I'd do anything for candy. While that was a slight exaggeration, it is certainly true that I had an addiction to candy that was a little unusually for someone over the age of 13.
I recall one time, during the Hallowe'en season, I was at the grocery store and eyed a bin full of big bags with those delicious rockets (you know, the little pill-sized candies). I was trying to 'be good', but couldn't resist at least taking a sniff. I held the bag up to my nose and at that very moment a cute guy with a grocery basket walked by. I set the back down with an abashed look on my face and hurried off. A week later I was back at the grocery store and saw that same damn bin of rockets and, again, couldn't resist picking it up and giving it a good long smell. That was when the SAME guy walked by with a basket of groceries again! To say I was embarrassed is quite the understatement. I also realized at some point that the dude was one of those 'plain clothes' security guys that patrols stores with a basket in hand.
My sugar addiction goes way back to infancy. Apparently my mother would sometimes try to hide that she was eating a chocolate bar when toddler Shannon was nearby, but I'd somehow sniff it out and demand some. Suffice to say. it's been a lifelong relationship. Until 4 weeks ago, that is.
It all started at a Lebanese restaurant back in December of 2013. My good friend, Mathieu, and I were slurping down hot chocolates and talking about everything under the sun. Eventually we landed on the topic of our health. One thing led to another and we ended up committing to doing a sugar detox when he came back from holidays in early January.
Well, in the between early December and Mathieu's return from Montreal holidays, I plum forgot about our plan. In fact, I was stocking up on post-Christmas discounted chocolate and enjoying a nightly hot chocolate.
Then, BAM. Mathieu and his endless enthusiasm landed back on PEI! He was still up for the sugar detox so I begrudgingly agreed to start with him on Monday, January 13th. We made some agreements as to what was allowed (a little honey or maple syrup for our tea/smoothies, natural sugars in fruits and alcohol, stevia) and what wasn't allowed (anything with refined sugar in it, HFCS, aspartame/sucralose), and we were off and running!!
We didn't set a timeline, we just agreed we'd do it for as long as we could/wanted to. I recall Mathieu, always the cheerleader and optimist saying 'This could be forever.' and me being quick to remind him that we'd both tried sugar detoxes before and had clearly ended them at some point.
Well, it's now been four weeks of sugar free life and the truth is, i feel fine! In fact, I feel more than fine, I feel GREAT! I don't find myself craving sugar or missing it. I've also lost a noticeable amount of weight (possibly also due to cutting down on food intake in general) and I feel more in control of my diet. I've been able to navigate 3-course set menus at restaurants simply by asking if I could replace the dessert option with an appetizer option. Every restaurant has been accommodating and I've truly enjoyed chowing down on a gourmet salad while sitting next to someone gorging on a Chocolate Bombe!
My biggest challenge with respect to not 'caving' was actually when I was sick. I find when I am sick, I want comfort food and, of course, for me sugar is comfort food. I managed to keep myself off the sugars by making smoothies (unsweetened almond milk as the base).
I think that this sugar detox has been easier than other ones I've done because I haven't eliminated anything else from my diet and I also haven't set a timeframe for this detox. Sometimes, perhaps, less pressure and fewer constraints are better. One of the other things I've noticed about this particular sugar detox, is that I've not been inclined to replace the sugar with something equally addictive and unhealthy, such as chips or crackers. I've also not increased my intake of other foods, rather I've been decreasing it. Feeling great and seeing visible results when I look in the mirror is now a better treat than a piece of chocolate.
We'll see what the future holds, but for now I'm lovin' the no-sugar life. I also have to give HUGE props to Mathieu for sticking to his detox even while he is in Sochi for this month as a member of the Mission team for our Canadian athletes! Yay Mathieu!
I recall one time, during the Hallowe'en season, I was at the grocery store and eyed a bin full of big bags with those delicious rockets (you know, the little pill-sized candies). I was trying to 'be good', but couldn't resist at least taking a sniff. I held the bag up to my nose and at that very moment a cute guy with a grocery basket walked by. I set the back down with an abashed look on my face and hurried off. A week later I was back at the grocery store and saw that same damn bin of rockets and, again, couldn't resist picking it up and giving it a good long smell. That was when the SAME guy walked by with a basket of groceries again! To say I was embarrassed is quite the understatement. I also realized at some point that the dude was one of those 'plain clothes' security guys that patrols stores with a basket in hand.
My sugar addiction goes way back to infancy. Apparently my mother would sometimes try to hide that she was eating a chocolate bar when toddler Shannon was nearby, but I'd somehow sniff it out and demand some. Suffice to say. it's been a lifelong relationship. Until 4 weeks ago, that is.
It all started at a Lebanese restaurant back in December of 2013. My good friend, Mathieu, and I were slurping down hot chocolates and talking about everything under the sun. Eventually we landed on the topic of our health. One thing led to another and we ended up committing to doing a sugar detox when he came back from holidays in early January.
Well, in the between early December and Mathieu's return from Montreal holidays, I plum forgot about our plan. In fact, I was stocking up on post-Christmas discounted chocolate and enjoying a nightly hot chocolate.
Then, BAM. Mathieu and his endless enthusiasm landed back on PEI! He was still up for the sugar detox so I begrudgingly agreed to start with him on Monday, January 13th. We made some agreements as to what was allowed (a little honey or maple syrup for our tea/smoothies, natural sugars in fruits and alcohol, stevia) and what wasn't allowed (anything with refined sugar in it, HFCS, aspartame/sucralose), and we were off and running!!
We didn't set a timeline, we just agreed we'd do it for as long as we could/wanted to. I recall Mathieu, always the cheerleader and optimist saying 'This could be forever.' and me being quick to remind him that we'd both tried sugar detoxes before and had clearly ended them at some point.
Well, it's now been four weeks of sugar free life and the truth is, i feel fine! In fact, I feel more than fine, I feel GREAT! I don't find myself craving sugar or missing it. I've also lost a noticeable amount of weight (possibly also due to cutting down on food intake in general) and I feel more in control of my diet. I've been able to navigate 3-course set menus at restaurants simply by asking if I could replace the dessert option with an appetizer option. Every restaurant has been accommodating and I've truly enjoyed chowing down on a gourmet salad while sitting next to someone gorging on a Chocolate Bombe!
My biggest challenge with respect to not 'caving' was actually when I was sick. I find when I am sick, I want comfort food and, of course, for me sugar is comfort food. I managed to keep myself off the sugars by making smoothies (unsweetened almond milk as the base).
I think that this sugar detox has been easier than other ones I've done because I haven't eliminated anything else from my diet and I also haven't set a timeframe for this detox. Sometimes, perhaps, less pressure and fewer constraints are better. One of the other things I've noticed about this particular sugar detox, is that I've not been inclined to replace the sugar with something equally addictive and unhealthy, such as chips or crackers. I've also not increased my intake of other foods, rather I've been decreasing it. Feeling great and seeing visible results when I look in the mirror is now a better treat than a piece of chocolate.
We'll see what the future holds, but for now I'm lovin' the no-sugar life. I also have to give HUGE props to Mathieu for sticking to his detox even while he is in Sochi for this month as a member of the Mission team for our Canadian athletes! Yay Mathieu!
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Shortest.Blog.Post.Ever.
I came down with a fever yesterday, it was not fun. Woke up feeling pretty good and did some productive things, but now fever and aches have returned. A measure of how sick I am - I didn't eat anything after noon yesterday, until my stomach told me it needed something and I gave it a banana at 1 am. Today, I had a smoothie. Just prepared some bacon and eggs with salad for dinner, but could only finish half of it and even then was forcing myself
Being sick sucks. I have no doubt that sickness is partially due to stress that I'm currently experiencing. On the plus side, I just had the best two hours of Chewy cuddles ever. The little guy spooned with me on the couch and I stole all his kitty cat warmth. Oh dear god, am I turning into a cat lady?
Good things that happened this past week: awesome meeting for next Meet Eat and Learn (aka A Hertiage MEAL) with some fab peeps, submitted my business plan to SelfEmploy PEI (finally!), and hung out with awesome peeps on Friday night.
For me, this is a short blog post.
Being sick sucks. I have no doubt that sickness is partially due to stress that I'm currently experiencing. On the plus side, I just had the best two hours of Chewy cuddles ever. The little guy spooned with me on the couch and I stole all his kitty cat warmth. Oh dear god, am I turning into a cat lady?
Good things that happened this past week: awesome meeting for next Meet Eat and Learn (aka A Hertiage MEAL) with some fab peeps, submitted my business plan to SelfEmploy PEI (finally!), and hung out with awesome peeps on Friday night.
For me, this is a short blog post.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
It Goes On
My father gave me a calendar for Christmas, with inspirational quotes for each month. The first one reads as follows:
'In three words I can sum up everything I know about life: it goes on.'
There are many ways to interpret this message. In the context of my own life right now, these words are a gentle reminder that the current circumstances of my life are merely that: current. Life will go on, the circumstances will change and what seems all-consuming and challenging right now will be but a faded memory.
It's also a beautiful way to be reminded that every day and every moment is an opportunity to embrace the present moment and let go of the past.
In case it's not evident, the past week has been a rough one for me for various reasons I care not to divulge. I realize we all have our rough days or weeks and I'm totally OK with that. Usually I can just let myself drift through it until my 'groove' reappears. This week, however, was a little different. Rather than just being 'off', I felt like I was tumbling. It was not a good feeling. Every night I would go to bed, hoping for a good night's rest and to awaken with gratitude for life, and every night I would toss and turn and wake up feeling more anxious and unenthusiastic than the day before. I'm not sure it helped that I'd decided to start a sugar detox on Monday (still going strong on that front!).
This week was also different because I had an interview for a job. To put this into context, the last 'official-like' interview I had for a job was approximately 3.5 years ago when I interviewed for the Tourism Research Centre. This time the interview was for an Events Coordinator position with the PEI Farm Centre Association. Unfortunately, due to my physical exhaustion, lack of enthusiasm, and mental fogginess, I did not interview well at all. I'm not normally great at interviews anyways, but I can usually express a decent degree of enthusiasm and provide some coherent thoughts. Alas, this was not the case in this instance. Sometimes having an off day or an off week has a much bigger impact on one's life than at other times.
Life goes on.
Yesterday was the first day I woke up feeling closer to normal. That was nice. I'm still suffering from restless sleeps and suspect that until I get back into a decent sleep pattern, I'll continue to feel a little off my game. The plan for this coming week, therefore, is to give myself lots of 'down time' in the evenings and go to bed early.
I've also found that the company of good friends is a great pick-me-up. It's hard to feel blue when you are surrounded by amazing people. So, more friend dates is another plan to get my game back. Any other 'game-reviving' tips are welcome.
For now, I'm going to try to take it easy and be kind to myself.
Life is going on.
'In three words I can sum up everything I know about life: it goes on.'
There are many ways to interpret this message. In the context of my own life right now, these words are a gentle reminder that the current circumstances of my life are merely that: current. Life will go on, the circumstances will change and what seems all-consuming and challenging right now will be but a faded memory.
It's also a beautiful way to be reminded that every day and every moment is an opportunity to embrace the present moment and let go of the past.
In case it's not evident, the past week has been a rough one for me for various reasons I care not to divulge. I realize we all have our rough days or weeks and I'm totally OK with that. Usually I can just let myself drift through it until my 'groove' reappears. This week, however, was a little different. Rather than just being 'off', I felt like I was tumbling. It was not a good feeling. Every night I would go to bed, hoping for a good night's rest and to awaken with gratitude for life, and every night I would toss and turn and wake up feeling more anxious and unenthusiastic than the day before. I'm not sure it helped that I'd decided to start a sugar detox on Monday (still going strong on that front!).
This week was also different because I had an interview for a job. To put this into context, the last 'official-like' interview I had for a job was approximately 3.5 years ago when I interviewed for the Tourism Research Centre. This time the interview was for an Events Coordinator position with the PEI Farm Centre Association. Unfortunately, due to my physical exhaustion, lack of enthusiasm, and mental fogginess, I did not interview well at all. I'm not normally great at interviews anyways, but I can usually express a decent degree of enthusiasm and provide some coherent thoughts. Alas, this was not the case in this instance. Sometimes having an off day or an off week has a much bigger impact on one's life than at other times.
Life goes on.
Yesterday was the first day I woke up feeling closer to normal. That was nice. I'm still suffering from restless sleeps and suspect that until I get back into a decent sleep pattern, I'll continue to feel a little off my game. The plan for this coming week, therefore, is to give myself lots of 'down time' in the evenings and go to bed early.
I've also found that the company of good friends is a great pick-me-up. It's hard to feel blue when you are surrounded by amazing people. So, more friend dates is another plan to get my game back. Any other 'game-reviving' tips are welcome.
For now, I'm going to try to take it easy and be kind to myself.
Life is going on.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Goals, Goals and More Goals
I always underestimate how busy January will be. While the holidays tend to be crazy-busy they also invite a suspension of time and productivity. For days on end one might do nothing but eat, drink and be merry with friends. Then January hits and BAM - back to life, back to reality.
As per the past three or four years, I've added to the insanity of post-holiday life by setting out numerous goals for this coming year. It's been proven by science (woot!) that people are something like 90 percent more likely to accomplish something if they set a measurable goal and then write it out. So I identified the major areas of my life that I wanted to set goals for, such as Career, Financial, Personal Development, Health, Relationships, etc. and then went about the task of identifying measurable accomplishments I'd like to reach by the end of the year with respect to each goal. My process from there will be to break these goals down into more attainable mini-goals that I want to accomplish in two month intervals. Finally, after I've identified my goals for the 2-month period that is coming up, I'll set out weekly goals and schedule time to make sure I can accomplish it. That's the theory anyways. I'm fully aware that sometimes 'life' gets in the way, and goals change or are delayed, but even if I only accomplish 50 or 70 percent of the goals I've outlined, it's likely more than I would if I hadn't written them down in the first place.
So what are these goals I speak of? Well, I've not the inclination to share them all because 1) there are too many and you're likely to get bored (if you haven't already) 2) some of them are too personal, but here are three that I am especially excited about and/or are related to food:
Rediscover the Writer Within - Growing up I was a voracious reader and dreamed of becoming a writer (amongst other childhood career dreams that included 'being a millionaire'). During my undergrad in Business Administration, I took as many electives in Creative Writing as possible. In fact, I believe I took the same course twice and justified it because the instructor was different. I loved writing, but always faced two problems: 1) it was an ongoing challenge to get words on paper that were satisfactory to my high standards 2) I could rarely finish a story or piece of writing; instead I'd start anew on another story. It was frustrating by times, but the classes helped push me to at least write some words, even if they weren't perfect.
After university my main outlet for writing became this very blog, which I originally set up in 2004 as a means of documenting my life in Scotland (this was before Facebook and status updates existed). I've never considered my blog to be a reflection of my creative writing, rather it tends to be a collection of random thoughts and activities that have marked the passage of time in my life. I continued to blog throughout my time in Scotland, during my short stint back on PEI after Scotland and then while I was living in Australia in 2006/2007, but didn't pursue any more creative writing.
When I returned from Australia, I cocooned myself away for the winter in PEI and began reading Julia Cameron's book 'The Artist's Way', which is really a self-directed course in rediscovering your creative self. My time in Australia had been a gift, an opportunity to begin listening to what my soul truly wanted in this lifetime and I opened myself to the gift, even though I would not realize it until years later. In those winter months after returning from Oz, I wrote more and I wrote better than I ever had before. It was raw writing, teeming with emotions and experiences that I'd inhaled during my time in the Land Down Under. And then, as winter turned to spring and my life took a new direction, I began to neglect my writing again. Such is life and from 2008 until this past week, I gave only passing thought to the creative writer within me.
As life would have it, the heavy snow and freezing rain that wreaked havoc over the holidays this year and saw me stuck in the apartment during the first weekend of this year was what led to my realization that I have been neglecting the writer within me. I had been perusing my Facebook page and saw a post from one of the women that I'd met while in Australia, Jo. She and her family were the first ones to welcome me into their home when I decided to leave Sydney and do Help Exchange, where I would offer my help to with housework or farmwork to hosts in exchange for room and board. I stayed on Jo's farm for a month. It was a turning point in my life, but I didn't know it then. In any case, seeing her name pop up on my FB feed reminded me of the writing I'd done upon returning to PEI. I searched my laptop and was grateful to find my writing was still filed away under 'Old Laptop Backup'. Normally when I look back at writing I've done in the past, I am fairly critical of it, but this time I was struck by how well I had cast scenes and characters.
I decided to take this as my soul's way of saying it wants me to start writing creatively again. And so I have set a goal of immersing myself in creative writing again. To jumpstart my forays back into creative writing, I've decided to take a Creative Writing course through the local community school. Apparently some wires got crossed between the instructor and the school organizers, because our teacher thought she was providing a novel-writing course. So, over the next 10 weeks I'll either be attempting to write my first novel or delving back into memoirs and short story writing.
Eating Well and Trying New Recipes
Yes, I do try to eat well, but it never hurts to reinforce an on-going goal by writing it down! To add some pizazz to the goal, I've included the additional challenge of trying new recipes. More specifically, my goal is to try out one new recipe per week in my kitchen.
In an effort to make eating good food an easy and fun experience, I will be trying to prep food in advance and cook up batches of deliciousness, so that I can freeze and reheat when time doesn't allow for scratch-cooking. Earlier this evening, I prepared my meal plan for the week. Breakfast will always be a smoothie of some variation, while lunch will tend to be leftovers from dinner along with a fresh salad. To make dinners easy, I've set aside three nights where I will prep food for dinners, lunches and the freezer. Tonight I prepared Pad Thai and a yummy Sweet Potato-Orange-Ginger Soup. Tomorrow night I'll make quinoa or bean-veggie burgers and Wednesday night I'll prep a greek inspired quiche (feta and olives = yum!). I've got loads of organic greens and organic tomatoes to complement every meal as well.
It's really easy to fall off the 'eating well' wagon, but the trick is to get right back on the wagon, because the body needs and deserves good nutrition to function properly and prevent disease.
Fall More In Love with Myself
OK, so maybe this one is pretty personal, but I'm OK with sharing this goal. I think this is THE goal that one must always be striving towards if any of the other goals or accomplishments in one's life are to have any substance. What I mean is that I believe I must be madly in love with who I am. Only then can I be completely confident that everything I choose to do is aligned with my true purpose and heart's desires. This sounds a little hokey, I know. That's probably because it is, but I don't care. Not everything in life worth pursuing is tangible; in fact I'd say most things worth pursuing are intangible. It's about waking up with a feeling of gratitude, love and excitement. It's about being able to take leaps of faith because you are attuned to your heart's desires. It's about believing in yourself and loving all the bits and pieces that make up your being.
So how does one transform this into actionable mini-goals? Well, I'm not saying I have the surefire formula, I'm just working with what has helped me get to where I am on this journey thusfar - setting aside time for daily meditation; journalling; taking solitary walks in the forests and on beaches; spending time with like-minded people; being present in the moment; recording that which you are grateful for (about yourself and about life); getting enough sleep; saying 'yes' out loud whenever your gut says it inside, and taking time to simply be alone and still in nature.
Those, my friends, are just a few of the many goals I've set for myself this year. In case it's not obvious, another goal is to blog at least once per week.
As per the past three or four years, I've added to the insanity of post-holiday life by setting out numerous goals for this coming year. It's been proven by science (woot!) that people are something like 90 percent more likely to accomplish something if they set a measurable goal and then write it out. So I identified the major areas of my life that I wanted to set goals for, such as Career, Financial, Personal Development, Health, Relationships, etc. and then went about the task of identifying measurable accomplishments I'd like to reach by the end of the year with respect to each goal. My process from there will be to break these goals down into more attainable mini-goals that I want to accomplish in two month intervals. Finally, after I've identified my goals for the 2-month period that is coming up, I'll set out weekly goals and schedule time to make sure I can accomplish it. That's the theory anyways. I'm fully aware that sometimes 'life' gets in the way, and goals change or are delayed, but even if I only accomplish 50 or 70 percent of the goals I've outlined, it's likely more than I would if I hadn't written them down in the first place.
So what are these goals I speak of? Well, I've not the inclination to share them all because 1) there are too many and you're likely to get bored (if you haven't already) 2) some of them are too personal, but here are three that I am especially excited about and/or are related to food:
Rediscover the Writer Within - Growing up I was a voracious reader and dreamed of becoming a writer (amongst other childhood career dreams that included 'being a millionaire'). During my undergrad in Business Administration, I took as many electives in Creative Writing as possible. In fact, I believe I took the same course twice and justified it because the instructor was different. I loved writing, but always faced two problems: 1) it was an ongoing challenge to get words on paper that were satisfactory to my high standards 2) I could rarely finish a story or piece of writing; instead I'd start anew on another story. It was frustrating by times, but the classes helped push me to at least write some words, even if they weren't perfect.
After university my main outlet for writing became this very blog, which I originally set up in 2004 as a means of documenting my life in Scotland (this was before Facebook and status updates existed). I've never considered my blog to be a reflection of my creative writing, rather it tends to be a collection of random thoughts and activities that have marked the passage of time in my life. I continued to blog throughout my time in Scotland, during my short stint back on PEI after Scotland and then while I was living in Australia in 2006/2007, but didn't pursue any more creative writing.
When I returned from Australia, I cocooned myself away for the winter in PEI and began reading Julia Cameron's book 'The Artist's Way', which is really a self-directed course in rediscovering your creative self. My time in Australia had been a gift, an opportunity to begin listening to what my soul truly wanted in this lifetime and I opened myself to the gift, even though I would not realize it until years later. In those winter months after returning from Oz, I wrote more and I wrote better than I ever had before. It was raw writing, teeming with emotions and experiences that I'd inhaled during my time in the Land Down Under. And then, as winter turned to spring and my life took a new direction, I began to neglect my writing again. Such is life and from 2008 until this past week, I gave only passing thought to the creative writer within me.
As life would have it, the heavy snow and freezing rain that wreaked havoc over the holidays this year and saw me stuck in the apartment during the first weekend of this year was what led to my realization that I have been neglecting the writer within me. I had been perusing my Facebook page and saw a post from one of the women that I'd met while in Australia, Jo. She and her family were the first ones to welcome me into their home when I decided to leave Sydney and do Help Exchange, where I would offer my help to with housework or farmwork to hosts in exchange for room and board. I stayed on Jo's farm for a month. It was a turning point in my life, but I didn't know it then. In any case, seeing her name pop up on my FB feed reminded me of the writing I'd done upon returning to PEI. I searched my laptop and was grateful to find my writing was still filed away under 'Old Laptop Backup'. Normally when I look back at writing I've done in the past, I am fairly critical of it, but this time I was struck by how well I had cast scenes and characters.
I decided to take this as my soul's way of saying it wants me to start writing creatively again. And so I have set a goal of immersing myself in creative writing again. To jumpstart my forays back into creative writing, I've decided to take a Creative Writing course through the local community school. Apparently some wires got crossed between the instructor and the school organizers, because our teacher thought she was providing a novel-writing course. So, over the next 10 weeks I'll either be attempting to write my first novel or delving back into memoirs and short story writing.
Eating Well and Trying New Recipes
Yes, I do try to eat well, but it never hurts to reinforce an on-going goal by writing it down! To add some pizazz to the goal, I've included the additional challenge of trying new recipes. More specifically, my goal is to try out one new recipe per week in my kitchen.
In an effort to make eating good food an easy and fun experience, I will be trying to prep food in advance and cook up batches of deliciousness, so that I can freeze and reheat when time doesn't allow for scratch-cooking. Earlier this evening, I prepared my meal plan for the week. Breakfast will always be a smoothie of some variation, while lunch will tend to be leftovers from dinner along with a fresh salad. To make dinners easy, I've set aside three nights where I will prep food for dinners, lunches and the freezer. Tonight I prepared Pad Thai and a yummy Sweet Potato-Orange-Ginger Soup. Tomorrow night I'll make quinoa or bean-veggie burgers and Wednesday night I'll prep a greek inspired quiche (feta and olives = yum!). I've got loads of organic greens and organic tomatoes to complement every meal as well.
It's really easy to fall off the 'eating well' wagon, but the trick is to get right back on the wagon, because the body needs and deserves good nutrition to function properly and prevent disease.
Fall More In Love with Myself
OK, so maybe this one is pretty personal, but I'm OK with sharing this goal. I think this is THE goal that one must always be striving towards if any of the other goals or accomplishments in one's life are to have any substance. What I mean is that I believe I must be madly in love with who I am. Only then can I be completely confident that everything I choose to do is aligned with my true purpose and heart's desires. This sounds a little hokey, I know. That's probably because it is, but I don't care. Not everything in life worth pursuing is tangible; in fact I'd say most things worth pursuing are intangible. It's about waking up with a feeling of gratitude, love and excitement. It's about being able to take leaps of faith because you are attuned to your heart's desires. It's about believing in yourself and loving all the bits and pieces that make up your being.
So how does one transform this into actionable mini-goals? Well, I'm not saying I have the surefire formula, I'm just working with what has helped me get to where I am on this journey thusfar - setting aside time for daily meditation; journalling; taking solitary walks in the forests and on beaches; spending time with like-minded people; being present in the moment; recording that which you are grateful for (about yourself and about life); getting enough sleep; saying 'yes' out loud whenever your gut says it inside, and taking time to simply be alone and still in nature.
Those, my friends, are just a few of the many goals I've set for myself this year. In case it's not obvious, another goal is to blog at least once per week.
Sunday, January 05, 2014
2014 - The Year of Me
It's been awhile. I make no apologies, life happens and sometimes you have to put things like blogging on the back burner. For those of you that want the Coles Notes version of life from August 2013 - Dec 2013, here it is: Went South of the border. Became single again. Totally procrastinated on nutrition studies. Started doing some new stuff that I can't disclose (get your mind out of the gutter, not THAT kind of stuff). Gained 7 lbs during the fall, lost 8 lbs during December. Lamented the end of CSA season. Mourned the loss of an amazing man and farmer. Began to discover the beauty in letting go of security. That's 4 months in a nutshell.
And now it's 2014. For once, the transitions in my life seem to be generally in sync with the changing of the calendar year. This is a first and I'm going to embrace it by making this year about me. Self-absorbent? Maybe. Invigorating? Definitely.
This past year ended up being all about making changes, some easy and some more difficult, to get to a position where I could begin the next big chapter in creating a life that I am truly passionate about living. I let myself be free from the shackles of a 9-5 job. I parted ways with a man whom I loved, but whom I could not envision living my authentic life with. I began to re-discover the magic of saying 'yes' to new experiences and opportunities. I let myself be OK with where I am on my journey.
Now, as this new year unfolds, it is my intention to take bigger, bolder steps into the unknown and undiscovered. Who knows, maybe I'll even be ready to take leaps and bounds. I hope you will wish me well on my journey, as I will wish you well on yours, whatever it may be. Let us make the most of the moments before us, and let those that have passed us by serve as lessons to learn from rather than to lament.
And now it's 2014. For once, the transitions in my life seem to be generally in sync with the changing of the calendar year. This is a first and I'm going to embrace it by making this year about me. Self-absorbent? Maybe. Invigorating? Definitely.
This past year ended up being all about making changes, some easy and some more difficult, to get to a position where I could begin the next big chapter in creating a life that I am truly passionate about living. I let myself be free from the shackles of a 9-5 job. I parted ways with a man whom I loved, but whom I could not envision living my authentic life with. I began to re-discover the magic of saying 'yes' to new experiences and opportunities. I let myself be OK with where I am on my journey.
Now, as this new year unfolds, it is my intention to take bigger, bolder steps into the unknown and undiscovered. Who knows, maybe I'll even be ready to take leaps and bounds. I hope you will wish me well on my journey, as I will wish you well on yours, whatever it may be. Let us make the most of the moments before us, and let those that have passed us by serve as lessons to learn from rather than to lament.
Thursday, August 08, 2013
Just Beet It
It's Week #7 of my CSA with Jen Campbell. It's also August 8th, which freaked me out momentarily today, because that means that today is the beginning of Olde Home Week, which has historically marked The End of Summer. Then I took a deep breath and reminded myself of the following: a) September = Fall Flavours, a whole month of food gluttony across PEI, b) I'm heading to the Deep South in a couple of weeks for an awesome, hot roadtripping vacation c) I don't have to go back to school in September since I'm already, technically in school and d) I'm not even half way through my CSA season with Jen! All of these facts made me smile. It also didn't hurt that I spent the majority of today at a sandy, sun-drenched beach. I hope each of you can also find a list of reasons to not fret about The End of Summer!
When I went to pick up my CSA veggies yesterday, I was accompanied by my wonderful friend, Kate, who was visiting the Maritimes from Ontario. Kate has her own CSA box and also gets organic milk delivered to her house every week (jealous!). When Jen C. tried to hand me a bunch of beets, I turned them down. Well, I tried to turn them down, but Kate protested quite profusely. She was appalled that I would be turning down this delicious root vegetable. I informed her that I enjoy beets, I just don't enjoy the amount of work involved in preparing them. She then volunteered to cook them up herself and insisted that it was easy-peasy to cook new beets. So, in the end, I came home with a bunch of beets.
Kate went to work in the kitchen, cutting of the greens, which I was instructed to save for inclusion in future beet-infused salad. She cut off the tops and bottoms and then quartered the beets. I was perplexed, because she hadn't peeled them and I was certain that beets needed to be peeled (and that this was the arduous part of beet cooking that I was adamantly against participating in). This is when she informed me that I should think of beets just like new potatoes. I hate to admit it, but the potato analogy really hit home with this Islander. New potatoes can be boiled, roasted, or BBQd and don't need to be peeled. Evidently the same holds true for new beets, although mature beets (i.e. winter beets) should be peeled just liked winter potatoes.
Once the beets had been boiled (just like potatoes), we just popped them into a container and put them in the fridge for consumption today/tomorrow. This evening I had a simple green salad infused with slivers of beet and crumbled feta cheese. Yum. Kate directed me to a friend of hers, Holly, who blogs about food and her kids. I've included a couple of Holly's beet recipes at the bottom of this blog post and linked to her blog, in case you are interested. FTR: I have no idea how any parent of young children has time to blog about anything, let alone food blogging and including amazing pictures, so kudos to Sally and Sarah, who are blogging food recipes for Jen this summer.
So, aside from being delicious and 'just like new potatoes', what's so awesome about beets?
2. Get Your Groove On, Thanks to Boron - So, along with oysters and other edible delicacies, beets have historically been considered a natural aphrodisiac. There may actually be some validity to this claim, given the above noted blood vessel expanding powers of the beet, as well as its high concentration of boron, which has been linked to increased production of testosterone. So, say Good Morning, Good Morning to a bowlful of beets (this makes sense if you know of the advertisement that I am referring to!).
3. Beat Inflammatory Conditions with Beets - Inflammation is your body's natural response to a foreign substance (e.g. virus, bacteria, etc.), and in these instances inflammation is good. Unfortunately, your body can also respond to stress, undigested food proteins and other non-threatening substance via an inflammatory response. Over the long-term, this can wreak havoc on your body in many ways and contribute to conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, cancer, bronchitis, and heart disease (to name only a few). The nutrients that give beets their deep red color also happen to serve as a natural anti-inflammatory.
4. Cleanse Yourself...with Beets - Anyone who has explored the world of cleansing has probably consumed beet juice, or at least been advised that beet juice is an excellent cleanser. The antioxidants in beets aid with deep cleansing of the body's cells. We can all benefit from regularly ridding ourselves of the toxins that accumulate in our body's. A beet juice cleanse might be a bit extreme for most people, so just enjoy beets in your salad or as a side and skip the extreme-ness!
5. Beet Heart-Friendly - Beets can contribute to cardiovascular health thanks to the betaine contained in beets. It does so by helping reduce the body's concentration of homocysteine, which can be harm the body's blood vessels.
The above are just a few of the many reasons that you should most definitely accept beets with great enthusiasm when they are presented to you by your farmer :)
For those of you that want some quick, easy recipes that include beets, try the ones below from Stories for My Sister (thanks to Kate for introducing me to Holly's blog!)
Balsamic Glazed n Braised Beets and Greens
Beet & Green Apple Salad with almond-butter vinaigrette
Created by me and STOLEN!!! by a famous chef. I first made this salad with wheat berries, which made it more of a hearty lunch-salad that I kept in the fridge and dipped into all week. You can omit the wheat berries and just go with the beets and apples if you want more of a refreshing side-salad. Barley I guess could work as a wheat-berry substitute, but try wheat berries – they’re lovely. If I could get farro here, I think that’d be even lovelier.
When I went to pick up my CSA veggies yesterday, I was accompanied by my wonderful friend, Kate, who was visiting the Maritimes from Ontario. Kate has her own CSA box and also gets organic milk delivered to her house every week (jealous!). When Jen C. tried to hand me a bunch of beets, I turned them down. Well, I tried to turn them down, but Kate protested quite profusely. She was appalled that I would be turning down this delicious root vegetable. I informed her that I enjoy beets, I just don't enjoy the amount of work involved in preparing them. She then volunteered to cook them up herself and insisted that it was easy-peasy to cook new beets. So, in the end, I came home with a bunch of beets.
Kate went to work in the kitchen, cutting of the greens, which I was instructed to save for inclusion in future beet-infused salad. She cut off the tops and bottoms and then quartered the beets. I was perplexed, because she hadn't peeled them and I was certain that beets needed to be peeled (and that this was the arduous part of beet cooking that I was adamantly against participating in). This is when she informed me that I should think of beets just like new potatoes. I hate to admit it, but the potato analogy really hit home with this Islander. New potatoes can be boiled, roasted, or BBQd and don't need to be peeled. Evidently the same holds true for new beets, although mature beets (i.e. winter beets) should be peeled just liked winter potatoes.
Once the beets had been boiled (just like potatoes), we just popped them into a container and put them in the fridge for consumption today/tomorrow. This evening I had a simple green salad infused with slivers of beet and crumbled feta cheese. Yum. Kate directed me to a friend of hers, Holly, who blogs about food and her kids. I've included a couple of Holly's beet recipes at the bottom of this blog post and linked to her blog, in case you are interested. FTR: I have no idea how any parent of young children has time to blog about anything, let alone food blogging and including amazing pictures, so kudos to Sally and Sarah, who are blogging food recipes for Jen this summer.
So, aside from being delicious and 'just like new potatoes', what's so awesome about beets?
Beet-Mania
1. Beets for Brain Power - Beets can help increase the flow of blood through your body, which, in turn, increases the supply of oxygen, nutrients and energy to your brain (and other parts of your body too!). This special beet power is due to the high content of natural nitrates (natural nitrates are good), which is converted into nitric oxide by the body, where it then contributes to expansion of your blood vessels. Yay!2. Get Your Groove On, Thanks to Boron - So, along with oysters and other edible delicacies, beets have historically been considered a natural aphrodisiac. There may actually be some validity to this claim, given the above noted blood vessel expanding powers of the beet, as well as its high concentration of boron, which has been linked to increased production of testosterone. So, say Good Morning, Good Morning to a bowlful of beets (this makes sense if you know of the advertisement that I am referring to!).
3. Beat Inflammatory Conditions with Beets - Inflammation is your body's natural response to a foreign substance (e.g. virus, bacteria, etc.), and in these instances inflammation is good. Unfortunately, your body can also respond to stress, undigested food proteins and other non-threatening substance via an inflammatory response. Over the long-term, this can wreak havoc on your body in many ways and contribute to conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, cancer, bronchitis, and heart disease (to name only a few). The nutrients that give beets their deep red color also happen to serve as a natural anti-inflammatory.
4. Cleanse Yourself...with Beets - Anyone who has explored the world of cleansing has probably consumed beet juice, or at least been advised that beet juice is an excellent cleanser. The antioxidants in beets aid with deep cleansing of the body's cells. We can all benefit from regularly ridding ourselves of the toxins that accumulate in our body's. A beet juice cleanse might be a bit extreme for most people, so just enjoy beets in your salad or as a side and skip the extreme-ness!
5. Beet Heart-Friendly - Beets can contribute to cardiovascular health thanks to the betaine contained in beets. It does so by helping reduce the body's concentration of homocysteine, which can be harm the body's blood vessels.
The above are just a few of the many reasons that you should most definitely accept beets with great enthusiasm when they are presented to you by your farmer :)
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For those of you that want some quick, easy recipes that include beets, try the ones below from Stories for My Sister (thanks to Kate for introducing me to Holly's blog!)
Balsamic Glazed n Braised Beets and Greens
Adapted from Peter Berley’s recipe, from The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen
1 medium red onion, cut into wedges or crescents
4-5 fresh beets (more if you’re
using smaller beets, enough to cover the bottom of your pan in a snug
layer) with tops*, roots trimmed, and cut into wedges,
Beet greens, chopped*.
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
*if you can’t get beets with the tops still
on (PIPPA: DON”T USE CANNED BEETS), you could probably substitute other
greens such as collards, chard, mustard greens, or, OK, twist my arm:
kale – but I wouldn’t use spinach, I don’t think it’s tough enough for
this job.
1. In a heavy pan that has a cover, arrange
the beet slices and onion so that they fit snugly on the bottom of the
pan. Add the vinegar, oil, thyme, and 1/2 tsp salt. Toss and then pour
enough water over top to just cover the vegetables, and bring to a boil
over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20
minutes or so, until the beets are nearly tender, but not quite.
2. Raise the heat and boil, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced to a syrup and the beets are fork-tender.
3. Add the beet greens, reduce the heat again, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Uncover and turn the greens over so they
mix with the beets. Add pepper and salt to taste. Simmer for 2 minutes
more and serve.
Beet & Green Apple Salad with almond-butter vinaigrette
Created by me and STOLEN!!! by a famous chef. I first made this salad with wheat berries, which made it more of a hearty lunch-salad that I kept in the fridge and dipped into all week. You can omit the wheat berries and just go with the beets and apples if you want more of a refreshing side-salad. Barley I guess could work as a wheat-berry substitute, but try wheat berries – they’re lovely. If I could get farro here, I think that’d be even lovelier.
Ingredients
2 cups cooked wheat berries
1 granny smith apple, skin ON, chopped or sliced as your whimsy takes you
1 cup cooked, then grated or chopped beets
1/2 cup toasted pecans (pieces or halves, whatever’s training in your cupboard).
Vinaigrette: (makes about half a cup)
1 tablespoon almond butter
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (wine vinegar if you must, white de préférence)
2-3 tbsp walnut oil (olive oil would be ok if you don’t have walnut)
1 tsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp powdered ginger (or very, very finely minced fresh ginger)
Water or apple juice to thin to desired consistency
Salt & pepper to taste.
1. In a small jar, combine the vinaigrette
ingredients (all except the water or juice). Shake the jar and add water
or apple juice to thin the vinaigrette to the desired consistency. Salt
to taste.
2. Combine all the salad ingredients except the pecans and
toss with the vinaigrette. If you are going to eat it later, save the
pecans on the side or they’ll get soggy. Saving a bit of the vinaigrette
will freshen it up too as the wheat berries will absorb a lot of the
dressing as they sit around.
3. Serve with the pecans sprinkled over top.
Now, with those leftover beets, do you want a recipe for beet muffins???? Cause I got one.
*PITA = Pain In The Ass
Thursday, August 01, 2013
Why I Buy Local, Organic Food
On Tuesday I received another generous dose of delicious, organic and local vegetables from Jen Campbell, CSA farmer extraordinaire. This past weekend, I also got my second of seven organic chickens from Sally Bernard as part of her chicken CSA. I love that I am able to source local, organic food where I live. Not everyone is so fortunate. I recall meeting a lovely woman through the Breakthrough Leaders Program last summer that was from Arkansas. While she could see fields of crops for miles and miles in all directions of the city she lived in, she was want to find a local, heirloom tomato or grass-fed steak anywhere. Places that are best suited to industrial farming are often an abyss for those wanting to farm small-scale or organically. Sometimes small IS beautiful!
But I digress...on to the subject of this post, which is a bit 'bigger picture' than my vegetable-specific posts as of late. I just finished reading a book called 'The End of Food' by Thomas Pawlick, as part of my Holistic Nutrition studies. Actually, it a re-read, because this book was one of the first to open my eyes to the realities of our food system and the devastation it is wreaking on our environment and health. That was back in 2008 or so, and since then I've devoured several more books and watched numerous films that have educated me on the perils of the conventional food system. (Sidenote: If you want to encourage a friend or family member to think more about what they are eating and the food system in general, I would recommend they view Food Inc, as I've had several people tell me that was the 'turning point' for them in terms of how they viewed their dinner plate). These books and documentaries, combined with my own Masters thesis research on the subject of local food systems, are the main reasons that I now participate in CSA programs and try to buy the bulk of my food from local farmers that engage in sustainable and humane farming practices.
I find I can engage most people in a positive conversation about buying food locally. This is what first encouraged me to carry out my research in this arena, because I really couldn't fathom trying to engage people in a cheery conversation about climate change, deforestation or water shortages. Of all the environmental issues facing us, I strongly believe that what we eat and how we choose to spend our food dollars represents the most significant individual impact any of us can have on the future we want to be a part of creating. It's also an issue that everyone can relate to, since we all have to eat!
Sometimes the conversations get a little dicier though. For example, if one is conversing with a person that is a big proponent of free market capitalism and views food as a commodity that is no different than a pair of sneakers. It can also get a little challenging if the person has determined that the 'buy local and organic' folks are just a bunch of rich, elitist foodies that don't understand the economic hardships facing many grocery shoppers. Finally, it can get a bit interesting when one is conversing with someone who has read opinion pieces or articles that proclaim there is no nutritional difference between conventionally-grown and organically-grown foods.
While I have stock rebuttals for all of the above arguments, it is the last one that I want to delve a bit deeper into in this post. It ires me greatly that we have so little knowledge of the nutritional inadequacies that have been created through conventional farming. The tomatoes on the shelves of the grocery store today are most certainly not the same as the tomatoes I get in my CSA box, and they're not even the same as the tomatoes that were on the grocery store shelves 40 years ago.
So here is some food for thought on why, from a nutritional standpoint, we are best off buying local and organic produce, as well as local, grass-fed/free range meat and eggs:
Criteria for Growing
Here's an eye-opener from Pawlick's book, The End of Food. When considering what varieties of tomato to grow, conventional large farms that supply the grocery chains take several criteria into account. They look at which varieties are best suited to traveling thousands of miles under heavy weight (varieties with a thick skin). They also consider the yield the variety will produce, as this is obviously key to the profit-driven model. Other criteria include the uniformity of the tomatoes (i.e. will they all grow to be the same shape and size?), and whether they will all ripen at the same time (important for most efficient harvesting). What is most telling when you see the main criteria used by tomato producers is not, however, what is on the list, but what is missing.
The two key criteria that are not considered important from the conventional, large-scale producers' viewpoint are: taste and nutritional content.
Kind of crazy isn't it?
Now I don't know what criteria Jen C. uses when choosing the tomato varieties she plants, but I can tell you this - her tomatoes taste like tomatoes and feel like tomatoes should - sweet and juicy and soft. They are never particularly uniform in colour or size, but that's what makes them fun! Some are suitable for a little solo snack, some are great for a big family salad. Oh, and did I mention that those tomatoes you get at the grocery store were likely artificially ripened? Yep, that's right, unless they say 'vine-ripened' I'd place bets that they've been gassed with artificial ethylene to make them ripen, which means they were picked pre-ripe (i.e. green and hard). Personally, I like it when Mother Nature ripens the fruits of her labour (and Jen's), rather than a big ol' gassing machine.
I'd also like to note that it drives me nuts when people try to cite research that indicates conventionally grown produce has the same nutritional content as organically grown produce. Gaaaah!!! OK, two things. First, the jury is out with respect to that research. Studies are conflicting and suggest that organic produce has more of certain nutrients and less of others when compared to its conventional counterpart. Secondly, and much more importantly, I would like to argue that the base assumption of these research studies ignores a very, very important fact: conventional producers and organic producers rarely grow the same varieties!! So if a researcher is looking at a variety of tomato that is typically used in conventional production and compares how this variety will fare under organic production, it's not particularly useful information to the consumer. A much more useful study would be one that selects five random varieties of tomatoes grown by organic farmers and pits them against five varieties most commonly grown by producers (if there are even that many varieties still being produced conventionally). I have a feeling the heriloom, organically-grown varieties would win out on taste and nutritional content.
Avoid/Minimize Chemical Ingestion
This is the probably the most obvious difference between conventional and organic foods. One is doused with pesticides, fungicides and herbicides, while the other is grown using without the use of chemicals.
Maybe it doesn't seem like a big deal to be ingesting these chemicals. After all, pesticide residues tend to be pretty miniscule right? Well, to be honest, it depends on what fruit or vegetable you are talking about - avocados are pretty safe thanks to their hard, tough skin, but tomatoes and strawberries have an absorbent 'skin' and are amongst the most toxic-laden of conventional fruits and vegetables.
And, at least from my perspective, it is a big deal to be ingesting chemicals day in and day out. The more chemicals our body has to process, the harder it is for our systems to perform their normal tasks. The liver, in particular, gets a bad deal. As the toxin clearinghouse of the body, it's gotta deal with all the bad stuff we eat, drink, smoke and breath. Since the liver is also responsible for regulating blood, metabolizing fats, proteins, carbs, vitamins and minerals, regulating hormones, and over 100 other functions, the better we treat it, the better our health will be in the long run.
If that's not enough to convince you, consider these findings, as cited in Pawlick's book, The End of Food:
'In 2002, the US Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested 2 groups of preschool children in Seattle to see whether eating organic food reduced their exposure to pesticides, such as those belonging to the organophosphorus group, that harm the brain and nervous system of growing organisms. The tests found that children who ate conventionally grown food had concentrations of pesticide residues 6 to 9 times higher than those who ate organic foods. The study's researchers noted that children exposed to high levels of organophosphorus pesticides are at higher risk for bone and brain cancer, and for childhood leukemia.'
GMO-free
For some, this is a controversial topic. It seems like most people are staunchly anti-GMO or staunchly pro-GMO. Given what I've read and learned about GMOs, most notably the lack of independent studies done on them (FDA and Health Canada rely on studies produced by the companies that make the GMOs as a basis for judging whether to legalize them, which kinda seems like a huge conflict of interest...call me crazy), I'd have to say I'm in the anti-GMO camp. While I recognize the potential application of GMO technology for good, I am not convinced that the companies at the forefront of GMO technology are particularly concerned about human or environmental well-being. From a human health perspective, my immediate concern is how these GMO foods might induce immune system attacks, since they are likely to appear to be foreign substances to our immune system. And wreaking havoc on your body with substances that it doesn't recognize is a big deal, trust me. If you want to know why, we should probably get together over an organic beer or two, cause there's much to say on this subject!
Since us consumers are still being left in the dark as to what products in the grocery store contain GMOs, thanks to lax labelling laws in the US and Canada, the best option for those of us that have not yet been convinced of the safety of GMOs is to buy locally, where you can ask the farmer specifically about the seeds s/he plants, and/or organically. Organic produce and meats cannot contain GMOs. Wooot!! If you really want to go totally GMO-free, I suggest following Sally Bernard's blog, as she is extremely knowledgeable about the subject and makes suggestions of what you can swap in/out of your pantry and refrigerator to make them GMO-free.
Fresh is Best
Food enzymes are found in raw fruits and vegetables and are required for the digestive process. They help to digest the particular food that they are found in. If these food enzymes are destroyed by, for example, food processing, cooking or lengthy time between harvest and consumption (why hello California vegetables and South American fruits), then the body will be unable to properly digest these foods and malabsorption of its nutrients will occur. This can result in fatigue, allergic reactions and skin problems as well as digestive disruptions (e.g. bloating, constipation, etc.).
Nutrient content of vegetables and fruits also decreases after being harvested.
So, by buying local foods that have been harvested recently you are ensuring the highest nutrient content AND the highest food enzyme content. If you're eating vegetables and fruit for either the taste or nutritional content, then you best buy them locally whenever you can or you're going to end up paying a little less for foods that have a lot less taste and nutrition.
Healthy Animals = Healthy Meat and Eggs
Most of what I've said about organic vs. conventional foods up to this point has been focused on the plant kingdom, but the same principles stay true for animals and eggs. Livestock that is raised naturally is going live a healthier, less stressful existence, thus be less likely to require antibiotics or become sick. Furthermore, animals raised on their natural diet and in a habitat that allows them to move around, as animals are want to do, results in meat that is lower in calories, lower in fat, and higher in omega-3 fatty acids (the 'good' fats).
The atrocities that take place in industrial meat production are too extensive and too barbaric for me to share in this blog post. All I can assure you is that if there were glass walls around the chicken barns, pig barns, cattle feedlots and slaughterhouses, most of us would be demanding much higher standards of animal husbandry or considering vegetarianism.
For the moment, I remain an omnivore, but I am now more dedicated than ever before to purchasing all of my meat and eggs from local farmers that I know and trust. Again, I must say we are quite lucky on PEI to have options in this respect. Even the conventional beef, chicken and hog farmers on PEI, to my understanding, tend to provide their livestock with more room to roam and opportunities to forage. This is a rarity amongst North American farmers and can, to some extent, be attributed to the relatively small-scale of conventional farms on PEI compared to other locales. If you are looking for local meat that has been naturally raised, there are several options including Sally and Mark Bernard (chicken), Ranald MacFarlane (Pleasant Pork - Summerside Farmers Market) and Bluefield Natural Products (beef and Pork).
The End (Kind of)
Actually, the above post is really just a primer and barely skims the surface of reasons why buying local and organic food is a much, much, much better investment of your money than buying conventional foods. I figure I've been long-winded enough and that anyone who wants further information can read The End of Food, watch Food Inc., or ask me for other books/films that zero in on particular areas of the food system.
Thanks for reading! As a final note, I chose the subject of this post entirely on my own. Nobody asked me to compose this rant. It is not intended to rail against conventional farmers, but rather against the corporations, policies, and governments that have created the conditions for such a food system to emerge. Further, I have noticed that amongst the organic and local farmers that I engage with, there is a great respect for farmers that are still utilizing conventional methods. I, too, respect many of these farmers (particularly ones in places like PEI and Vermont) and realize that many of them have become trapped within a mammoth food system that they are often indentured to through debt and capital asset ownership.
But I digress...on to the subject of this post, which is a bit 'bigger picture' than my vegetable-specific posts as of late. I just finished reading a book called 'The End of Food' by Thomas Pawlick, as part of my Holistic Nutrition studies. Actually, it a re-read, because this book was one of the first to open my eyes to the realities of our food system and the devastation it is wreaking on our environment and health. That was back in 2008 or so, and since then I've devoured several more books and watched numerous films that have educated me on the perils of the conventional food system. (Sidenote: If you want to encourage a friend or family member to think more about what they are eating and the food system in general, I would recommend they view Food Inc, as I've had several people tell me that was the 'turning point' for them in terms of how they viewed their dinner plate). These books and documentaries, combined with my own Masters thesis research on the subject of local food systems, are the main reasons that I now participate in CSA programs and try to buy the bulk of my food from local farmers that engage in sustainable and humane farming practices.
I find I can engage most people in a positive conversation about buying food locally. This is what first encouraged me to carry out my research in this arena, because I really couldn't fathom trying to engage people in a cheery conversation about climate change, deforestation or water shortages. Of all the environmental issues facing us, I strongly believe that what we eat and how we choose to spend our food dollars represents the most significant individual impact any of us can have on the future we want to be a part of creating. It's also an issue that everyone can relate to, since we all have to eat!
Sometimes the conversations get a little dicier though. For example, if one is conversing with a person that is a big proponent of free market capitalism and views food as a commodity that is no different than a pair of sneakers. It can also get a little challenging if the person has determined that the 'buy local and organic' folks are just a bunch of rich, elitist foodies that don't understand the economic hardships facing many grocery shoppers. Finally, it can get a bit interesting when one is conversing with someone who has read opinion pieces or articles that proclaim there is no nutritional difference between conventionally-grown and organically-grown foods.
While I have stock rebuttals for all of the above arguments, it is the last one that I want to delve a bit deeper into in this post. It ires me greatly that we have so little knowledge of the nutritional inadequacies that have been created through conventional farming. The tomatoes on the shelves of the grocery store today are most certainly not the same as the tomatoes I get in my CSA box, and they're not even the same as the tomatoes that were on the grocery store shelves 40 years ago.
So here is some food for thought on why, from a nutritional standpoint, we are best off buying local and organic produce, as well as local, grass-fed/free range meat and eggs:
Criteria for Growing
Here's an eye-opener from Pawlick's book, The End of Food. When considering what varieties of tomato to grow, conventional large farms that supply the grocery chains take several criteria into account. They look at which varieties are best suited to traveling thousands of miles under heavy weight (varieties with a thick skin). They also consider the yield the variety will produce, as this is obviously key to the profit-driven model. Other criteria include the uniformity of the tomatoes (i.e. will they all grow to be the same shape and size?), and whether they will all ripen at the same time (important for most efficient harvesting). What is most telling when you see the main criteria used by tomato producers is not, however, what is on the list, but what is missing.
The two key criteria that are not considered important from the conventional, large-scale producers' viewpoint are: taste and nutritional content.
Kind of crazy isn't it?
Now I don't know what criteria Jen C. uses when choosing the tomato varieties she plants, but I can tell you this - her tomatoes taste like tomatoes and feel like tomatoes should - sweet and juicy and soft. They are never particularly uniform in colour or size, but that's what makes them fun! Some are suitable for a little solo snack, some are great for a big family salad. Oh, and did I mention that those tomatoes you get at the grocery store were likely artificially ripened? Yep, that's right, unless they say 'vine-ripened' I'd place bets that they've been gassed with artificial ethylene to make them ripen, which means they were picked pre-ripe (i.e. green and hard). Personally, I like it when Mother Nature ripens the fruits of her labour (and Jen's), rather than a big ol' gassing machine.
I'd also like to note that it drives me nuts when people try to cite research that indicates conventionally grown produce has the same nutritional content as organically grown produce. Gaaaah!!! OK, two things. First, the jury is out with respect to that research. Studies are conflicting and suggest that organic produce has more of certain nutrients and less of others when compared to its conventional counterpart. Secondly, and much more importantly, I would like to argue that the base assumption of these research studies ignores a very, very important fact: conventional producers and organic producers rarely grow the same varieties!! So if a researcher is looking at a variety of tomato that is typically used in conventional production and compares how this variety will fare under organic production, it's not particularly useful information to the consumer. A much more useful study would be one that selects five random varieties of tomatoes grown by organic farmers and pits them against five varieties most commonly grown by producers (if there are even that many varieties still being produced conventionally). I have a feeling the heriloom, organically-grown varieties would win out on taste and nutritional content.
Avoid/Minimize Chemical Ingestion
This is the probably the most obvious difference between conventional and organic foods. One is doused with pesticides, fungicides and herbicides, while the other is grown using without the use of chemicals.
Maybe it doesn't seem like a big deal to be ingesting these chemicals. After all, pesticide residues tend to be pretty miniscule right? Well, to be honest, it depends on what fruit or vegetable you are talking about - avocados are pretty safe thanks to their hard, tough skin, but tomatoes and strawberries have an absorbent 'skin' and are amongst the most toxic-laden of conventional fruits and vegetables.
And, at least from my perspective, it is a big deal to be ingesting chemicals day in and day out. The more chemicals our body has to process, the harder it is for our systems to perform their normal tasks. The liver, in particular, gets a bad deal. As the toxin clearinghouse of the body, it's gotta deal with all the bad stuff we eat, drink, smoke and breath. Since the liver is also responsible for regulating blood, metabolizing fats, proteins, carbs, vitamins and minerals, regulating hormones, and over 100 other functions, the better we treat it, the better our health will be in the long run.
If that's not enough to convince you, consider these findings, as cited in Pawlick's book, The End of Food:
'In 2002, the US Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested 2 groups of preschool children in Seattle to see whether eating organic food reduced their exposure to pesticides, such as those belonging to the organophosphorus group, that harm the brain and nervous system of growing organisms. The tests found that children who ate conventionally grown food had concentrations of pesticide residues 6 to 9 times higher than those who ate organic foods. The study's researchers noted that children exposed to high levels of organophosphorus pesticides are at higher risk for bone and brain cancer, and for childhood leukemia.'
GMO-free
For some, this is a controversial topic. It seems like most people are staunchly anti-GMO or staunchly pro-GMO. Given what I've read and learned about GMOs, most notably the lack of independent studies done on them (FDA and Health Canada rely on studies produced by the companies that make the GMOs as a basis for judging whether to legalize them, which kinda seems like a huge conflict of interest...call me crazy), I'd have to say I'm in the anti-GMO camp. While I recognize the potential application of GMO technology for good, I am not convinced that the companies at the forefront of GMO technology are particularly concerned about human or environmental well-being. From a human health perspective, my immediate concern is how these GMO foods might induce immune system attacks, since they are likely to appear to be foreign substances to our immune system. And wreaking havoc on your body with substances that it doesn't recognize is a big deal, trust me. If you want to know why, we should probably get together over an organic beer or two, cause there's much to say on this subject!
Since us consumers are still being left in the dark as to what products in the grocery store contain GMOs, thanks to lax labelling laws in the US and Canada, the best option for those of us that have not yet been convinced of the safety of GMOs is to buy locally, where you can ask the farmer specifically about the seeds s/he plants, and/or organically. Organic produce and meats cannot contain GMOs. Wooot!! If you really want to go totally GMO-free, I suggest following Sally Bernard's blog, as she is extremely knowledgeable about the subject and makes suggestions of what you can swap in/out of your pantry and refrigerator to make them GMO-free.
Fresh is Best
Food enzymes are found in raw fruits and vegetables and are required for the digestive process. They help to digest the particular food that they are found in. If these food enzymes are destroyed by, for example, food processing, cooking or lengthy time between harvest and consumption (why hello California vegetables and South American fruits), then the body will be unable to properly digest these foods and malabsorption of its nutrients will occur. This can result in fatigue, allergic reactions and skin problems as well as digestive disruptions (e.g. bloating, constipation, etc.).
Nutrient content of vegetables and fruits also decreases after being harvested.
So, by buying local foods that have been harvested recently you are ensuring the highest nutrient content AND the highest food enzyme content. If you're eating vegetables and fruit for either the taste or nutritional content, then you best buy them locally whenever you can or you're going to end up paying a little less for foods that have a lot less taste and nutrition.
Healthy Animals = Healthy Meat and Eggs
Most of what I've said about organic vs. conventional foods up to this point has been focused on the plant kingdom, but the same principles stay true for animals and eggs. Livestock that is raised naturally is going live a healthier, less stressful existence, thus be less likely to require antibiotics or become sick. Furthermore, animals raised on their natural diet and in a habitat that allows them to move around, as animals are want to do, results in meat that is lower in calories, lower in fat, and higher in omega-3 fatty acids (the 'good' fats).
The atrocities that take place in industrial meat production are too extensive and too barbaric for me to share in this blog post. All I can assure you is that if there were glass walls around the chicken barns, pig barns, cattle feedlots and slaughterhouses, most of us would be demanding much higher standards of animal husbandry or considering vegetarianism.
For the moment, I remain an omnivore, but I am now more dedicated than ever before to purchasing all of my meat and eggs from local farmers that I know and trust. Again, I must say we are quite lucky on PEI to have options in this respect. Even the conventional beef, chicken and hog farmers on PEI, to my understanding, tend to provide their livestock with more room to roam and opportunities to forage. This is a rarity amongst North American farmers and can, to some extent, be attributed to the relatively small-scale of conventional farms on PEI compared to other locales. If you are looking for local meat that has been naturally raised, there are several options including Sally and Mark Bernard (chicken), Ranald MacFarlane (Pleasant Pork - Summerside Farmers Market) and Bluefield Natural Products (beef and Pork).
The End (Kind of)
Actually, the above post is really just a primer and barely skims the surface of reasons why buying local and organic food is a much, much, much better investment of your money than buying conventional foods. I figure I've been long-winded enough and that anyone who wants further information can read The End of Food, watch Food Inc., or ask me for other books/films that zero in on particular areas of the food system.
Thanks for reading! As a final note, I chose the subject of this post entirely on my own. Nobody asked me to compose this rant. It is not intended to rail against conventional farmers, but rather against the corporations, policies, and governments that have created the conditions for such a food system to emerge. Further, I have noticed that amongst the organic and local farmers that I engage with, there is a great respect for farmers that are still utilizing conventional methods. I, too, respect many of these farmers (particularly ones in places like PEI and Vermont) and realize that many of them have become trapped within a mammoth food system that they are often indentured to through debt and capital asset ownership.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Radishes are Rad!
OK, the titles of my vegetable-inspired posts are getting a little ....erm..corny. Oh my. Did it again!
So until a few weeks ago I had no love for radishes, whatsoever, but then I had the great fortune of winning a place at the Culinary Institute's Thrills on the Grill bootcamp. Along with 9 other foodies/chef wannabes, I got to spend a full day at the Culinary Institute receiving instruction from Chef Ilona on how to prepare a number of dishes. Many of them had tantalizing titles like Grilled Naan Bread, Beer Can Chicken and Mussels Steamed in Curry Maple Sauce, but there was one I was certain I'd not enjoy - Quick Radish and Cucumber Pickles. I have a great dislike for pickles, so I couldn't imagine actually enjoying this dish. Still, I like to be adventurous when it comes to food, so I decided to give it a chance. So glad I did, because it was delicious and now I want to eat ALL the radishes!
Here is the recipe (I hope Chef Ilona doesn't mind!)
2 bunches of radishes
An English cucumber (I've never actually included the cucumber when making this recipe)
4 TBSP sugar
4 TBSP vinegar
4 TBSP of salt*
* After receiving a number of questions regarding the salt content, I asked Chef Ilona if the ratio was correct. This was her response: Yes, it is (the correct ratio). The reason being, I save the liquid (for up to 4 future uses) once I soak radishes for the allotted time. This brine also works well with cucumber, carrots or cauliflower(in italian it is called enslata renforzo). If people prefer to reduce the salt, feel free to take away a tbsp or two if desired, but brine must be discarded after, as bacteria/mold can grow in it.
Thinly slice the radishes and cucumber, place in bowl. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and refrigerate for at least 15 mins (or overnight).
Delicious and, as discussed below, radishes are super healthy!
Breathe Easier
Radishes are thought to be a natural decongestant, so if you have respiratory problems such as asthma or chronic bronchitis, or just have a stuffed up nose, try taking some radish.
Cleanse Yourself
Radishes act as a natural cleanser for the digestive system by stimulating bile production, which keeps the liver and gallbladder operating efficiently. The liver, of course, is the body's detoxification centre. The importance of efficient detoxification to one's overall health cannot be overemphasized.
So you have a hangover eh? Why not chow down on a bowl of radishes and give your liver a lil 'thank-you' for putting up with your ingestion of alcohol?
Radishes may also help reduce bloating and indigestion.
Help Your Heart and Manage Blood Sugar
The nutrient content in radishes makes them very good for your heart and blood sugar management. They’ve been shown to lower cholesterol, manage diabetes and regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Radishes are cited as one of the most effective foods for preventing Urinary Tract Infections. For those with a UTI, drinking juice that contains radish may help relieve the burning sensation and reduce the duration of the infection.
No Worries About Your Weight
Radishes are high in nutrients, low in calories, and contain water and fibre, which makes them pretty filling. By these measurements they are a great food for those concerned about their weight.
Those are only some of the many reasons that radishes are rad. Now stop reading this, go to your kitchen and make some delicious radish pickles!
So until a few weeks ago I had no love for radishes, whatsoever, but then I had the great fortune of winning a place at the Culinary Institute's Thrills on the Grill bootcamp. Along with 9 other foodies/chef wannabes, I got to spend a full day at the Culinary Institute receiving instruction from Chef Ilona on how to prepare a number of dishes. Many of them had tantalizing titles like Grilled Naan Bread, Beer Can Chicken and Mussels Steamed in Curry Maple Sauce, but there was one I was certain I'd not enjoy - Quick Radish and Cucumber Pickles. I have a great dislike for pickles, so I couldn't imagine actually enjoying this dish. Still, I like to be adventurous when it comes to food, so I decided to give it a chance. So glad I did, because it was delicious and now I want to eat ALL the radishes!
Here is the recipe (I hope Chef Ilona doesn't mind!)
2 bunches of radishes
An English cucumber (I've never actually included the cucumber when making this recipe)
4 TBSP sugar
4 TBSP vinegar
4 TBSP of salt*
* After receiving a number of questions regarding the salt content, I asked Chef Ilona if the ratio was correct. This was her response: Yes, it is (the correct ratio). The reason being, I save the liquid (for up to 4 future uses) once I soak radishes for the allotted time. This brine also works well with cucumber, carrots or cauliflower(in italian it is called enslata renforzo). If people prefer to reduce the salt, feel free to take away a tbsp or two if desired, but brine must be discarded after, as bacteria/mold can grow in it.
Thinly slice the radishes and cucumber, place in bowl. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and refrigerate for at least 15 mins (or overnight).
Delicious and, as discussed below, radishes are super healthy!
What's So Rad About Radishes?
Breathe Easier
Radishes are thought to be a natural decongestant, so if you have respiratory problems such as asthma or chronic bronchitis, or just have a stuffed up nose, try taking some radish.
Cleanse Yourself
Radishes act as a natural cleanser for the digestive system by stimulating bile production, which keeps the liver and gallbladder operating efficiently. The liver, of course, is the body's detoxification centre. The importance of efficient detoxification to one's overall health cannot be overemphasized.
So you have a hangover eh? Why not chow down on a bowl of radishes and give your liver a lil 'thank-you' for putting up with your ingestion of alcohol?
Radishes may also help reduce bloating and indigestion.
Help Your Heart and Manage Blood Sugar
The nutrient content in radishes makes them very good for your heart and blood sugar management. They’ve been shown to lower cholesterol, manage diabetes and regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Radishes are cited as one of the most effective foods for preventing Urinary Tract Infections. For those with a UTI, drinking juice that contains radish may help relieve the burning sensation and reduce the duration of the infection.
No Worries About Your Weight
Radishes are high in nutrients, low in calories, and contain water and fibre, which makes them pretty filling. By these measurements they are a great food for those concerned about their weight.
Those are only some of the many reasons that radishes are rad. Now stop reading this, go to your kitchen and make some delicious radish pickles!
Friday, July 12, 2013
CABBAGE PATCH TIME
Week 3 of Jen & Derek's CSA brought with it oodles of green-ness. I was admonished by Jen because I only brought one (big) reusable bag for the haul and it was clearly not enough to handle all that she had harvested for us lucky members. Amongst the jewels that were in this week's share was a big head of something Jen called napa cabbage. When she saw the blank look on my face, she said 'It's Chinese cabbage'. Oh. I nodded , as if the clarification had helped immensely, even though I still had no idea what to do with this big head of ruffly, pale leaves.
Cabbage has never been tops on my list of favorite veggies, but this particular variety has little resemblance to the big, heavy, round purple heads that most of us are more familiar with. I figured a wee bit of research into its nutritional benefits might convince me of its merits. Turns out, napa cabbage is yet another member of the rather large Brassica family (they might even have more family members than the Duggars!). From my nutrition studies, I already knew that being part of the Brassica family automatically gave this vegetable automatic star status, but I dug a little deeper to find out just what its nutritional claims to fame are.
REASONS TO EAT YOUR NAPA CABBAGE
It's Baby-friendly!
Ladies, if you're planning to get pregnant or are pregnant, this head o' cabbage is for you. Most moms-to-be know the importance of taking folic acid supplements during pregnancy to help protect against neurological damage to the baby growing inside, but how about enjoying some of that folate goodness from nature as well? Napa cabbage, it turns out, is an awesome source of folate. So, if you're in pre-pregnancy planning mode or already carrying a little one, make sure you eat lots of cabbage leaves.
It just occurred to me that the napa cabbage leaves could make a pretty decent substitution for a tortilla wrap sandwich. Just bundle veggies and meat in a leaf or two and squeeze on some homemade dressing/sauce. Save the ice cream and pickles for those really hot days ;)
Photo Credit: Two Eat Philly, 2012
It's Not Orange, But It's Got a Lotta Vit. C!
Whenever someone gets sick, inevitably someone lectures them about 'getting their Vitamin C' (confession: I may have been said-lecturer on occasion). It's good advice, if a little late for the sick person. This vitamin supercharges your immune system and helps keep you strong and vibrant. When most of us think of Vitamin C, we immediately think of citrus fruits like oranges, but there are plenty of foods rich in Vitamin C, including our friend, napa cabbage. 100 g of it provides 45% of your RDA.
So eat your cabbage to help keep your immune system in check.
Eat Cabbage, Stay Strong!
Napa cabbage contains a decent amount of Vitamin K, which may play a role in keeping your bones strong and healthy. In a nutshell, eating foods with Vitamin K may help delay or prevent osteoporosis and bone injuries.
Combat Cancer and Keep the Heart Healthy with Cabbage!
I have a feeling this is going to be a repetitive refrain throughout the summer, since pretty much every vegetable contains an amazing array of anti-oxidants that can help prevent cancer and also reduce the risk of heart disease (often by reducing 'bad' cholestrol levels). Depsite the prevalence of antioxidants in our lovely, organic vegetables, I think it's worth being reminded regularly of just how much what we eat (or don't eat) can help keep us in good health for the long term. Vegetables are delicious and that should be reason enough to chomp on them every day, but the whole cancer and heart disease-fighting elements are a pretty amazing perk.
Cabbage Consumption Helps You Have Good Poos!
Yep, I bring up poop in a post about vegetables again. Can't be helped, since they're all so full of fiber and we know from those All-Bran ads that fibre keeps you regular (and not in the boring way, but the healthy bowel way!), and staying regular is the key to keeping toxins from sticking around in your body too long.
ANYTHING TO WATCH OUT FOR?
As noted at the top of this post, napa cabbage is part of the Brassica family of vegetables, so the same cautions that apply to kale should be taken into consideration with the napa cabbage. That is, anyone with iodine-deficiency hypothyroidism should limit the amount of RAW napa cabbage they eat due to its goitrogenic potential (may block iodine uptake). Again, any sort of steaming or sauteeing will release these goitrogens and eliminate any issues that the food may pose for a person with hypothyroidism.
So, there you go folks, that's the lowdown on napa cabbage. Enjoy it in abundance and revel in the fact that you are doing all the systems in your body a great service by providing them with foods that are full of valuable nutrients!
Cabbage has never been tops on my list of favorite veggies, but this particular variety has little resemblance to the big, heavy, round purple heads that most of us are more familiar with. I figured a wee bit of research into its nutritional benefits might convince me of its merits. Turns out, napa cabbage is yet another member of the rather large Brassica family (they might even have more family members than the Duggars!). From my nutrition studies, I already knew that being part of the Brassica family automatically gave this vegetable automatic star status, but I dug a little deeper to find out just what its nutritional claims to fame are.
REASONS TO EAT YOUR NAPA CABBAGE
It's Baby-friendly!
Ladies, if you're planning to get pregnant or are pregnant, this head o' cabbage is for you. Most moms-to-be know the importance of taking folic acid supplements during pregnancy to help protect against neurological damage to the baby growing inside, but how about enjoying some of that folate goodness from nature as well? Napa cabbage, it turns out, is an awesome source of folate. So, if you're in pre-pregnancy planning mode or already carrying a little one, make sure you eat lots of cabbage leaves.
It just occurred to me that the napa cabbage leaves could make a pretty decent substitution for a tortilla wrap sandwich. Just bundle veggies and meat in a leaf or two and squeeze on some homemade dressing/sauce. Save the ice cream and pickles for those really hot days ;)
Photo Credit: Two Eat Philly, 2012
It's Not Orange, But It's Got a Lotta Vit. C!
Whenever someone gets sick, inevitably someone lectures them about 'getting their Vitamin C' (confession: I may have been said-lecturer on occasion). It's good advice, if a little late for the sick person. This vitamin supercharges your immune system and helps keep you strong and vibrant. When most of us think of Vitamin C, we immediately think of citrus fruits like oranges, but there are plenty of foods rich in Vitamin C, including our friend, napa cabbage. 100 g of it provides 45% of your RDA.
So eat your cabbage to help keep your immune system in check.
Eat Cabbage, Stay Strong!
Napa cabbage contains a decent amount of Vitamin K, which may play a role in keeping your bones strong and healthy. In a nutshell, eating foods with Vitamin K may help delay or prevent osteoporosis and bone injuries.
Combat Cancer and Keep the Heart Healthy with Cabbage!
I have a feeling this is going to be a repetitive refrain throughout the summer, since pretty much every vegetable contains an amazing array of anti-oxidants that can help prevent cancer and also reduce the risk of heart disease (often by reducing 'bad' cholestrol levels). Depsite the prevalence of antioxidants in our lovely, organic vegetables, I think it's worth being reminded regularly of just how much what we eat (or don't eat) can help keep us in good health for the long term. Vegetables are delicious and that should be reason enough to chomp on them every day, but the whole cancer and heart disease-fighting elements are a pretty amazing perk.
Cabbage Consumption Helps You Have Good Poos!
Yep, I bring up poop in a post about vegetables again. Can't be helped, since they're all so full of fiber and we know from those All-Bran ads that fibre keeps you regular (and not in the boring way, but the healthy bowel way!), and staying regular is the key to keeping toxins from sticking around in your body too long.
ANYTHING TO WATCH OUT FOR?
As noted at the top of this post, napa cabbage is part of the Brassica family of vegetables, so the same cautions that apply to kale should be taken into consideration with the napa cabbage. That is, anyone with iodine-deficiency hypothyroidism should limit the amount of RAW napa cabbage they eat due to its goitrogenic potential (may block iodine uptake). Again, any sort of steaming or sauteeing will release these goitrogens and eliminate any issues that the food may pose for a person with hypothyroidism.
So, there you go folks, that's the lowdown on napa cabbage. Enjoy it in abundance and revel in the fact that you are doing all the systems in your body a great service by providing them with foods that are full of valuable nutrients!
Thursday, July 04, 2013
Kudos to Kale
Kale, kale and more kale. It's an inside joke amongst CSA folk that incites knowing laughter, regardless of who they get their veggie box from. Sometimes, whilst waiting for the first signs of red and orange in our boxes, we can get a little overwhelmed with all the green goodness. Kale, with its curly green or purple leaves tends to stand out as the mystery vegetable - the one that no one seems quite sure what to do with. For some, the weeks of kale can be a bit daunting (I will note that we are in our second CSA week and kale was in the grab box only, so I may be exaggerating a bit here in terms of the abundance of kale in our boxes), but isn't that the beauty of a CSA too? An opportunity to flex your kitchen skills and try all sorts of new dishes. This is what seasonal eating is all about!
For all the mystery that shrouds kale (let's face it, no one's Mom was making sandwiches with kale back in the day and Popeye was eating canned spinach, not kale chips), the one thing that everyone seems to know is that kale is a super food. In a classroom full of greens that would get straight As for nutrient content, kale would get A+s. It's really in a class of its own!
OK, but what makes it a super food? What amazing powers will be bestowed upon my body if I treat it to kale on a regular basis? Why should I bother with it?
I think of vegetables in the same way some people think about stocks and bonds - they are worth investing in, but you want to do your research first and get to know what it is you're 'investing' in. While I'd have to say that ANY organic vegetable is a wise investment for your current and future health, not to mention your taste buds, I'm the kind of person that wants to know exactly why I should be investing in kale. I am also the kind of person that wants the nutshell version, not a long explanation that includes citations and reference to various vitamins, minerals and other abstract words. So, for those that are like me, here's the low down on kale.
Photo Credit: http://www.machinemuscle.com/kale-making-veggies-green-envy/
WHY and HOW IT'S GOOD FOR YOU
So there you have it folks. Multiple reasons to get creative with kale and show it mucho love for the gift of health it offers with every bite!
For ideas on how to prepare kale, check out the following recipes:
Kale Smoothies (careful not to have too many!)
Superfood Burger with Sweet Potato, Walnuts and Kale
Kale Chips
Kale Strawberry Avocado Salad
For all the mystery that shrouds kale (let's face it, no one's Mom was making sandwiches with kale back in the day and Popeye was eating canned spinach, not kale chips), the one thing that everyone seems to know is that kale is a super food. In a classroom full of greens that would get straight As for nutrient content, kale would get A+s. It's really in a class of its own!
OK, but what makes it a super food? What amazing powers will be bestowed upon my body if I treat it to kale on a regular basis? Why should I bother with it?
I think of vegetables in the same way some people think about stocks and bonds - they are worth investing in, but you want to do your research first and get to know what it is you're 'investing' in. While I'd have to say that ANY organic vegetable is a wise investment for your current and future health, not to mention your taste buds, I'm the kind of person that wants to know exactly why I should be investing in kale. I am also the kind of person that wants the nutshell version, not a long explanation that includes citations and reference to various vitamins, minerals and other abstract words. So, for those that are like me, here's the low down on kale.
Photo Credit: http://www.machinemuscle.com/kale-making-veggies-green-envy/
WHY and HOW IT'S GOOD FOR YOU
- Helps Prevent Cancer - Kale has the broadest range of antioxidants amongst the Brassica family of vegetables, which are generally known for their cancer-fighting abilities. A diet rich in antioxidants is key to reducing the damage done to cells by free radicals.
- Guards Against Heart Disease - Kale has been shown to help lower cholestrol and is rich in vitamin K, which is generally recognized as a heart-healthy nutrient.
- Full of Fiber - Regular poos help with detoxification of your body, which means fewer toxins get to stick around inside you wreaking havoc.
- May Help Protect Against Estrogen-Dominant diseases - Kale contains a nutrient that may affect the way estrogen is metabolized by the body. This is especially important for those concerned about developing diseases such as breast cancer, fibroids, and endometriosis.
- People with Underactive Thyroid/Hypothryoid Should Eat with Caution - Raw Brassica family vegetables, including kale, broccoli, bok choy and Brussels sprouts, contain goitrogens which may interfere with your thyroid's ability to use iodine, thus suppressing its ability to regulate your body's metabolism and perform other important body functions. The good news is that the goitrogens are released when kale is steamed or cooked, so you can still get a lot of the good stuff from kale, while avoiding the potential negative impacts. Those with a normal functioning thyroid should not be concerned about eating Brassica vegetable in reasonable quantities, although it is probably wise not to overdo consumption of raw kale.
- Too much raw kale can be rough on the digestion - Unless you're juicing it every day, you're probably not going to eat too much raw kale, but if you are eating it a lot and notice that you are experiencing bloating, gas or other digestive issues you might want to take a break from the raw kale to see if your symptoms subside. Cooked kale is just fine, eat as much as you desire!
So there you have it folks. Multiple reasons to get creative with kale and show it mucho love for the gift of health it offers with every bite!
For ideas on how to prepare kale, check out the following recipes:
Kale Smoothies (careful not to have too many!)
Superfood Burger with Sweet Potato, Walnuts and Kale
Kale Chips
Kale Strawberry Avocado Salad
Friday, June 28, 2013
Be A Green Machine!
This past Tuesday was *almost* as exciting as my birthday. It was the first week of our 2013 CSA box with Jen & Derek's farm. This is my third season as a CSA member with the Campbells and I consider myself fortunate to be receiving their beautiful, organic vegetables throughout the summer months and into the fall.
Being healthy has never been easier than with a CSA box full of goodies, but until I began my holistic nutrition studies I never appreciated just how chalk full of medicine each and every box is. As Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine said 'Let thy medicine be thy food, and let thy food be thy medicine.'
This year I will be looking at my CSA box with a whole new perspective. Obviously we all know that veggies are good for us, it's been drilled into us since we were children. But that's such a broad, unspecific platitude that I think its significance is often lost on people. I think we would be well served to understand how specific foods are good for us. What powers of prevention or healing do various vegetables hold? Why should we be so concerned about 'getting our veggies'?
I'm a big believer in the power of education. I think that the more knowledge we have about a particular subject, the more willing and able we are to make informed and inspired choices about our lifestyle or behaviours. I want do my part in this regard by sharing some of the knowledge I am learning about food as it pertains to our health. I will therefore be blogging weekly or more often during my CSA season about the nutritional benefits of various foods that are in my box. I promise I will do my best to make each post enjoyable, readable and relevant! Watch this space for a veggie-inspired post soon!
Being healthy has never been easier than with a CSA box full of goodies, but until I began my holistic nutrition studies I never appreciated just how chalk full of medicine each and every box is. As Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine said 'Let thy medicine be thy food, and let thy food be thy medicine.'
This year I will be looking at my CSA box with a whole new perspective. Obviously we all know that veggies are good for us, it's been drilled into us since we were children. But that's such a broad, unspecific platitude that I think its significance is often lost on people. I think we would be well served to understand how specific foods are good for us. What powers of prevention or healing do various vegetables hold? Why should we be so concerned about 'getting our veggies'?
I'm a big believer in the power of education. I think that the more knowledge we have about a particular subject, the more willing and able we are to make informed and inspired choices about our lifestyle or behaviours. I want do my part in this regard by sharing some of the knowledge I am learning about food as it pertains to our health. I will therefore be blogging weekly or more often during my CSA season about the nutritional benefits of various foods that are in my box. I promise I will do my best to make each post enjoyable, readable and relevant! Watch this space for a veggie-inspired post soon!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
I Found Burger Love
Yes, it's that time of year again, it's PEI Burger Love for the entire month of April. As if Islanders didn't already have enough reasons to celebrate the start of spring, we can now enjoy the sunshine, longer days and lack of snow while chowing down on monstrous burger creations from 31 restaurants across PEI. Is it just me, or is 31 a little bit excessive? That's more burgers than there are days in the month! And yet, as I write this, I am certain that I have seen evidence on the Burger Love Facebook page that at least one crazy person (a guy, of course) has completed the burger marathon.
I'm not going to lie, I was beyond excited about the debut of this year's burgers on April 2nd. I even tried out for the role of Burger Blogger, which, sadly, I did not get! In retrospect, it was probably a good thing I didn't get chosen, as I'm not sure I could have written love letters (as per the blogger assignment) for most of the burgers I have tried thusfar. For those that are curious, here's a quick roundup of the Burger Love burgers I have tried:
Pilot House (Soul Mates) - In a word: meh. I might have been slightly more enamoured with this burger if the gouda cheese stuffed into the burger hadn't burnt my tongue. Kind of hard to taste the burger once the taste buds have been singed, but I honestly don't think there were many flavours to be enjoyed anyways.
Daniel B. Brennan Brickhouse (Wall Street Heat) - Spicy and pretty damn good. This is my favorite of the Burger Love burgers I've tried so far. Again, however, my meal was almost ruined before it even began when I bit into the burger topper into my mouth. It was a piece of 'Fire and Ice' dipped in batter. Ummm, yeah, so I think the name for this sausage comes from the fact that it lights your moth on fire and you have to fill your mouth with ice cubes afterwards. Luckily, I had only taken a small bite of the topper, so was able to salvage my tastebuds and thoroughly enjoyed the flavours of the burger itself.
Crosskeys (Senator Donair) - This is probably one of the most disappointing burgers I've ever eaten in my life...including fast food burgers. The biggest problem with this burger was the patties themselves - they were extremely compressed, had a rubber texture, were dried out and had no taste. I only ate about a quarter of my burger.
Big Orange Lunchbox (The Ric Flair Donair) - A pretty decent effort by the BOLB. With 13 oz of meat in total, it was a bit over the top (I shared mine with someone else), but the tastes really mingled well together and the bun stayed together (woot!). The only thing I found weird was that the donair meat was shaped into a patty, instead of shaved as one might expect.
Redwater Rustic Grille (The Butcher's Block) - This*could* have been 'The ONE' if only it had actually arrived at the table hot. Unfortunately, our table of 5 received five cold burgers. Four of us were so ravenously hungry that we just chowed the burgers down instead of sending them back to the kitchen. I enjoyed the chips on the burger and the braised rib meat stuffed into the middle. The flavours of the sauce were also really complementary. As noted above, however, the temperature of the burger made it a non-contender.
So that's been my official Burger Love experience so far. I've got three more dates lined up - The Lucy Maud Dining Room, Mavor's and The Olde Dublin Pub, but the truth is that yesterday I found myself not just one burger love, but two burgers loves. Neither of these true loves were part of the Burger Love campaign, which just goes to show that sometimes you've gotta search far and wide for a keeper.
And how did I come to find my True Love, or should I say Two Loves?
Well, it all started with a lunch date yesterday that was supposed to take place at Mavor's, but ended up being at the Young Folk & Kettle Black, a relatively new cafe on Water St (sidenote to my lunch partner - I checked and it seems that YF has only been in business since early 2012, as I suspected!). It had been awhile since I'd been there, and there'd been some big changes. Most notably, Chef Robert Pendergast is now in the house! Chef Pendergast was one of the wonderful chefs that contributed to the success (and deliciousness) of An Island MEAL by offering up his artisan bread for guests to enjoy. It looks like he's got a boulangerie set up at Young Folk, as well as a grill.
Hamburger was on the menu, with a choice of Cheddar Onion or Jalapeno. To be honest, I wasn't that impressed. My lunch partner had insisted this burger was better than any Burger Love one, but how could that be, since it was basically just a cheese burger? My skepticism was short-lived. The burger, served with a knife stabbed through the centre, was, quite simply, amazing. The burger itself was a magnificent hunk of juicy Island beef, filled with a flavour all on its own. It was topped with cheddar and onion, along with a delectable homemade ketchup that had a little zing to it, and mayo. To top it off, the burger was encased in the most delicious burger bun ever - clearly an in-house Pendergast creation. I'd not normally rave about a bun, but this one deserves mention for its flavour, denseness and holdability. This burger is goes above and beyond any expectations I might have had. And it was $10 to boot (with a lovely side that I can't quite describe).
My next burger love came only a few hours later. I know, crazy eh? How could my stomach even manage another burger in the same day? I swear my digestive system's close to martyr status after a month of Burger Love and a dose of norovirus. But back to my second burger love. As it happened, I'd decided that Wednesday would be 'try a new recipe' night and had my heart set on trying out a quinoa burger recipe. WTF is a quinoa burger you say? Well, it's a burger made with quinoa (basically a protein-rich seed that resembles rice when cooked), along with grated carrot, zuchini, mushrooms, garlic, eggs, cornstarch and cayenne pepper. Anyways, I was pretty excited about making the burgers, as I had received the nod of approval from Mr. Wonderful - he was willing to give them a try - a miracle in and of itself!
The burgers were super easy to make and I served them with sweet potato fries (baked, not fried, of course) and a simple green salad. Charles topped his burger with mayo, and I topped mine with tahini sauce and a slice of tomato. I was a little later sitting down to eat my meal, and was startled when I looked over at Charles' plate and it was completely clean. Holy shit, not only did he try the quinoa burger, he ate it all. When I asked him if he liked it, he responded 'I liked it all!' Woot!! I bit into my own quinoa creation and was delighted with the array of tastes and textures it provided. I'm not going to pretend it's anything like a beef burger, because it's not. That being said, not every burger need be beefy to be tasty. I'm stoked to have added another delicious, healthy burger recipe to my dinner rotation. It's always a win, when I can stuff a serving or two of veggies into the main part of the meal! And, yeah, the leftover burgers held up well and served as lunch for both myself and Charles (solid evidence he actually did like them!).
For those of you that want to go beyond the beef burger, here's the quinoa burger recipe I used (I used two eggs, as I found just one was not enough to keep the mixture together).
I'm not going to lie, I was beyond excited about the debut of this year's burgers on April 2nd. I even tried out for the role of Burger Blogger, which, sadly, I did not get! In retrospect, it was probably a good thing I didn't get chosen, as I'm not sure I could have written love letters (as per the blogger assignment) for most of the burgers I have tried thusfar. For those that are curious, here's a quick roundup of the Burger Love burgers I have tried:
Pilot House (Soul Mates) - In a word: meh. I might have been slightly more enamoured with this burger if the gouda cheese stuffed into the burger hadn't burnt my tongue. Kind of hard to taste the burger once the taste buds have been singed, but I honestly don't think there were many flavours to be enjoyed anyways.
Daniel B. Brennan Brickhouse (Wall Street Heat) - Spicy and pretty damn good. This is my favorite of the Burger Love burgers I've tried so far. Again, however, my meal was almost ruined before it even began when I bit into the burger topper into my mouth. It was a piece of 'Fire and Ice' dipped in batter. Ummm, yeah, so I think the name for this sausage comes from the fact that it lights your moth on fire and you have to fill your mouth with ice cubes afterwards. Luckily, I had only taken a small bite of the topper, so was able to salvage my tastebuds and thoroughly enjoyed the flavours of the burger itself.
Crosskeys (Senator Donair) - This is probably one of the most disappointing burgers I've ever eaten in my life...including fast food burgers. The biggest problem with this burger was the patties themselves - they were extremely compressed, had a rubber texture, were dried out and had no taste. I only ate about a quarter of my burger.
Big Orange Lunchbox (The Ric Flair Donair) - A pretty decent effort by the BOLB. With 13 oz of meat in total, it was a bit over the top (I shared mine with someone else), but the tastes really mingled well together and the bun stayed together (woot!). The only thing I found weird was that the donair meat was shaped into a patty, instead of shaved as one might expect.
Redwater Rustic Grille (The Butcher's Block) - This*could* have been 'The ONE' if only it had actually arrived at the table hot. Unfortunately, our table of 5 received five cold burgers. Four of us were so ravenously hungry that we just chowed the burgers down instead of sending them back to the kitchen. I enjoyed the chips on the burger and the braised rib meat stuffed into the middle. The flavours of the sauce were also really complementary. As noted above, however, the temperature of the burger made it a non-contender.
So that's been my official Burger Love experience so far. I've got three more dates lined up - The Lucy Maud Dining Room, Mavor's and The Olde Dublin Pub, but the truth is that yesterday I found myself not just one burger love, but two burgers loves. Neither of these true loves were part of the Burger Love campaign, which just goes to show that sometimes you've gotta search far and wide for a keeper.
And how did I come to find my True Love, or should I say Two Loves?
Well, it all started with a lunch date yesterday that was supposed to take place at Mavor's, but ended up being at the Young Folk & Kettle Black, a relatively new cafe on Water St (sidenote to my lunch partner - I checked and it seems that YF has only been in business since early 2012, as I suspected!). It had been awhile since I'd been there, and there'd been some big changes. Most notably, Chef Robert Pendergast is now in the house! Chef Pendergast was one of the wonderful chefs that contributed to the success (and deliciousness) of An Island MEAL by offering up his artisan bread for guests to enjoy. It looks like he's got a boulangerie set up at Young Folk, as well as a grill.
Hamburger was on the menu, with a choice of Cheddar Onion or Jalapeno. To be honest, I wasn't that impressed. My lunch partner had insisted this burger was better than any Burger Love one, but how could that be, since it was basically just a cheese burger? My skepticism was short-lived. The burger, served with a knife stabbed through the centre, was, quite simply, amazing. The burger itself was a magnificent hunk of juicy Island beef, filled with a flavour all on its own. It was topped with cheddar and onion, along with a delectable homemade ketchup that had a little zing to it, and mayo. To top it off, the burger was encased in the most delicious burger bun ever - clearly an in-house Pendergast creation. I'd not normally rave about a bun, but this one deserves mention for its flavour, denseness and holdability. This burger is goes above and beyond any expectations I might have had. And it was $10 to boot (with a lovely side that I can't quite describe).
My next burger love came only a few hours later. I know, crazy eh? How could my stomach even manage another burger in the same day? I swear my digestive system's close to martyr status after a month of Burger Love and a dose of norovirus. But back to my second burger love. As it happened, I'd decided that Wednesday would be 'try a new recipe' night and had my heart set on trying out a quinoa burger recipe. WTF is a quinoa burger you say? Well, it's a burger made with quinoa (basically a protein-rich seed that resembles rice when cooked), along with grated carrot, zuchini, mushrooms, garlic, eggs, cornstarch and cayenne pepper. Anyways, I was pretty excited about making the burgers, as I had received the nod of approval from Mr. Wonderful - he was willing to give them a try - a miracle in and of itself!
The burgers were super easy to make and I served them with sweet potato fries (baked, not fried, of course) and a simple green salad. Charles topped his burger with mayo, and I topped mine with tahini sauce and a slice of tomato. I was a little later sitting down to eat my meal, and was startled when I looked over at Charles' plate and it was completely clean. Holy shit, not only did he try the quinoa burger, he ate it all. When I asked him if he liked it, he responded 'I liked it all!' Woot!! I bit into my own quinoa creation and was delighted with the array of tastes and textures it provided. I'm not going to pretend it's anything like a beef burger, because it's not. That being said, not every burger need be beefy to be tasty. I'm stoked to have added another delicious, healthy burger recipe to my dinner rotation. It's always a win, when I can stuff a serving or two of veggies into the main part of the meal! And, yeah, the leftover burgers held up well and served as lunch for both myself and Charles (solid evidence he actually did like them!).
For those of you that want to go beyond the beef burger, here's the quinoa burger recipe I used (I used two eggs, as I found just one was not enough to keep the mixture together).
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