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The juice of 1/2 a lime (or a whole one if its not very juicy).
Serves 1 or 2
I usually have a grapefruit every morning before breakfast, but this morning, I thought I'd try something different. You just need a good pairing knife to chop off the strawberry tops and to peel away the mango and the kiwi skins. Then slice the fruit and chop into bite-sized pieces. The pieces don't have to be neat (heaven knows, mine aren't). Squeeze with the juice of a 1/2 lime. Some limes are not terribly juicy, so you may need to use the entire lime or simply try another one. The lime juice adds a wonderful flavor to this classic, fruit combo. If you want to share it, double, triple or quadruple accordingly.
I've been thinking about the past, lately. There are times when all but the super human wish that we could change something, take a different path, or erase that drunken rant that showed up on your best friend's wedding dvd. There are, after all, such things called "mistakes". If we only hadn't done, said, chosen "this" we would be SO much better off. Earlier in my life, when well-meaning people would say, "Oh, you wouldn't be who you are today if life were perfect", a tiny, wry part of my mind would reply, "exactly".
But lately, that self-admonishing voice has quieted. Perhaps, after spurring me to seek and find whatever "better" is, it has done its job. I'm not only OK with where I am as a human, I am grateful.
When a wise and wonderful part of my past-hopefully-turned-present recently said, "Perfection is over-rated," I realized that perfection is more about controlling life than it is about living it. Staring at "what WAS" keeps us from the crazy Pandora's box chock full of "what IFs". So in that slightly messy, not-so-perfect expanse of choices that lay ahead of me, I now see the beauty of possibility. And when I can, I try only to reach back to grab the good stuff. Leaping into the unknown with a little experience under your belt can be a great thing.
This recipe is called Old Beau Steaks, because I learned it from a former boyfriend many, many years ago. While that particular beau will remain happily and safely in the past, this marinade has become a wonderful part of the sum of my experiences. It's a dairy-free, wheat-free marinade. Good for most food allergies. It's easy, a non-vegetarian man-pleaser and with the right steaks it can be like sex on a plate.
Recipe
2 high quality, grass fed rib eye steaks (or New York Strips or Porterhouse)
1 cup of good, dry red wine (A cabernet, or even a red table wine will work. Don't use a "cooking" wine. Use one that you enjoy drinking)
1/3 cup of wheat-free Tamari sauce (or Bragg's Liquid Aminos, or Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos)
3 -4 cloves of finely chopped garlic (depending upon the size of the cloves and your love of garlic)
Place the steaks into a 9x9 shallow baking dish. The dish should be just big enough to hold the steaks so that the marinade covers most of the meat. Whisk together the red wine, the wheat-free tamari and the garlic. Pour over the steaks. Place into the refrigerator for 45 minutes (warm) to 3 hours (cold). Turn once halfway through the marinating process. Its best to marinate the steaks in the refrigerator if it is longer than 45 minutes or the wine may leach out the juices from the steak. Before grilling, remove the steak from the refrigerator for 15 minutes so that the steak can come to room temperature.
There is divine beauty in learning, just as there is human beauty in tolerance. To learn means to accept the postulate that life did not begin at my birth. Others have been here before me, and I walk in their footsteps. The books I have read were composed by generations of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, teachers and disciples. I am the sum total of their experiences, their quests. And so are you. - Elie Wiesel
Photo Courtesy of WZZM13 (pictured Baby Depenbrok & Anicia Rauwerda LatterAs I think about our first Tender Foodies Eat! Event in May, I can't wait to plan our 2nd event in July. About 20 Tender Foodies (foodies with food allergies) & their Friends stopped by San Chez Bistro in Grand Rapids. WZZM13 made a surprise visit, too, and did a little story on the event.
We all had a great time chatting about everything from food, life events, and of course dining out on a restricted diet.
San Chez Bistro is a pioneer in serving people wtih food allergies. They have several allergen-free menus - including those that eliminate each of the "Big 8" and also a few less pervasive allergies, such as garlic and capsicum (peppers). They include a vegan menu, which pleased some of the non-meat eating folks in the crowd.
My personal experience with San Chez was a good one and I was probably the most difficult patron. The manager patiently walked me through the menu to find something that would work for me (reading across several menus is a challenge). One of the difficulties was that, along with gluten and dairy allergies, I have a strange reaction to white pepper. In light of this, the manager conferred with the kitchen and found that their "chef salt", which was used in preparation of most items, contains white pepper. This narrowed down my choices considerably, but at no point did the staff or manager become impatient or annoyed. I left hungry, but what I was able to sample was very tasty. This inspired an immediate plan to return, but next time I'll call ahead to expand the options on my plate.
The highlight of my own experience was the drink. The bartender had suggested, a Caipirinha, acachaça (pronounced [kaˈʃasɐ]) (sugar cane rum), sugar and lime. Distillation is supposed to break down any gluten in grain alcohol, however, this is an ongoing debate in the gluten-free community of Tender Foodies. I've not had a great deal of luck with grain alcohols, myself, so the bartender did a little on the spot research with the brand of cachaca. He found that it was, indeed, 100% pure sugar cane rum. No grains. He cheerfully and carefully double-checked. This is what I like about San Chez. They know their ingredients. They work with you, they care about their food, and they care about you. And they make great drinks.
Another Chance to Take the Survey!!
Our next event will be in July and I'd like to ask the Tender Foodie Community for some feedback.
We always choose restaurants who have experience, care and know-how in serving people with food allergies (but remember, only you know your bod and allergies best). We'll let you know when our next event will be (in July) and we'd love to have you join us.
Ultimate Fighter Mac Danzig gets protein from plantRip Esselstyn's firehouse lowered their cholesterolRuth Heidrich was supposed to die young (she didn't)
That Burger in My Fridge
I had a package of wonderful ground beef perfectly thawed and ready to throw on the grill tonight. I thought about that meat throughout the
documentary film, "Forks Over Knives". The beef is from Crane Dance Farms, a local spot with a great reputation and a farm that I'm just getting to know.
San'Dera Nation curedBut a nice, juicy burger wasn't the only thing on my mind when I walked into the theatre.
I also wondered ...
1. Will the film address other potential underlying causes to disease as well as how our dietary choices effect our health? (I'm talking, pesticides, chemical food additives, modern toxicity, anti-biotics, food allergies, factory farming, the "G-word"... you know, that stuff.)
2. Will I become so horribly militant after I see this film that I will lose all of my friends?
3. Will this film tell me NEVER to eat a burger or a beloved steak again?
Knowledge Heals
Anthony Yen can "raise his flag" after multiple heart surgeries, and eating a plant-based dietAs the film began, my questions and expectations became less important than the gentle, intelligent research of Dr. Colin Campbell, a nutritional scientist at Cornell University and Dr. Caldwin Esselstyn, a top surgeon and head of the Breast Cancer Task Force at the Cleveland Clinic. In different areas of the country and the world, these two men asked the same question, "Why do these diseases exist in the first place?" They found that in the answer to THIS question lies the cure. Diet.
When you see Forks Over Knives, you might walk away, not militant, but inspired. You might also have a huge craving for vegetables (I did). You will definitely have more respect for your own body. You will have a better understanding of your body's ability to heal itself and why the wonderful world of vegetables can help us all heal.
On the fip side, doubts about the pills in your cabinet and that surgery you are about to have will creep in, too. Credible evidence by credible physicians and researchers will give you that doubt, not cheesy, manipulative scare tactics.
The evidence was most strongly presented in a group of people that the film followed (some of whom are pictured above). I won't spoil it for you - the results are dramatic and worth seeing on the big screen yourself. You will also hear pieces of information that are quite fascinating. For instance, one of the first indicators of heart disease is erectile dysfunction. Who knew? Eat plants, and as Anthony Yen puts it, "your flag will raise" without a problem, even into your 70's. Fireman Rip Esselstyn, author of "The Engine 2 Diet" said it best as he climbed up the fire pole using only his arms, with the chant, "Real. Men. Eat. Plants."
What Our Mothers (or the USDA) Didn't Tell Us
My lunch after seeing the movie.The film also offers a glimpse into the power of marketing. We all grew up with the USDA food pyramid and TV ads telling us that a dairy is the "only" source of calcium, that meat is the "only" source of protein; and now, that high fructose corn syrup is the same as sugar (and that it is actually good for you). The film debunks these theories with some interesting science and quick insight into politics. The truth is, that hIghly saturated foods with mostly fats and sugar cause food addictions. They also change our palates and destroy our bodies' healing abilities.
My diet is pretty darn healthy and includes mostly plants. I feel much better when I eat my greens and lots of them. But Forks Over Knives challenged my own assumptions and habits, as well. Did I have that burger? Oh yes. And it was really good. But I'm going to rethink the frequency with which I consume red meat, and meat in general, and explore more deeply other protein sources.
It started last year with little black spots on my oregano. I was surprised. Maybe this plant (whose oils are usually powerful enough to resist anything) wasn’t getting enough sun. But I was quite sure that Adam and Eve had never seen little black spots in their garden. Then the spots spread to my precious mint and tarragon. I did what the Internet told me to do and cleared out all of the infected leaves, bagged them and trashed them. I started spraying every leaf with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water every single evening. It seemed to work. But after a week of heavy rain and strong wind, the blight spores waved their little victory flag and left that discriminating corner of herbs. It attacked the zucchini (dead quickly) and then spread to my prized tomatoes. Those flippin' spots soon felled so many leaves that the tomato plants looked like their proverbial loin clothes had been ripped off – love apples exposed. My rosemary and cucumbers even got it (and I’m not saying anything proverbial about the cucumbers).
The spots didn’t affect any of the vegetables directly until late in the season. But without leaf cover, the produce throughout the summer was thin at best. My plants were prematurely balding and not in a sexy, high-testosterone kinda way.
And my greens. Oh my 10 different varieties of health-giving greens that were so bountiful in the past provided no garden-to-table salad last summer.
Lessons Learned: Tenderly Nurture
The Fulton Street Farmers' Market in Grand Rapids, MI In past seasons, I’ve learned that if you plant a seed, it comes up miraculously bringing joy and love to all with appetites. I have also learned that 25 zucchini plants can fuel a small restaurant for 3 months.
This summer, I thought my lesson was about control because infuriating stuff happens that interferes with the miracle of food and sends you to the grocery store instead of the dirt behind your house. But my lesson is really about nurture. A little knowledge from the experts can help keep the love coming from backyard to table.
I found my first lead at the Fulton Street Farmers Market in Grand Rapids, MI.
UnPesticidal Advice: How to Control Leaf Spot
I had contacted several experts throughout the year and no one wanted to touch this one. I almost gave up, dumped a bunch of manure on the land and left it for a year. Or maybe forever. But the gardening bug bit again this spring and I was so excited to play in the dirt that I simply I had to try.
First Expert: Trillium Haven Farms
When I went to the Fulton Street Farmers’ Market a couple of weekends ago, I hesitantly picked up heirloom tomato and pepper plants. Then I spoke to Trillium Haven Farm owners Anja Mast and Michael Vanderbrug. We had a very interesting conversation and were kind enough to answer a few of my questions.
Rainy Day Advice From Michael VerBrug from Trillium Haven FarmsTheir Advice: Build up the immune system of your soil. Soil is like your own immune system and 75% of yours lies in your intestines. Your intestines, like the soil, need a healthy balance of vitamins and minerals to absorb into your body. Your intestines also need the right balance of friendly bacteria in order to digest those nutrients so they can be absorbed. Maintain this delicate balance and you thrive.
Plants need this kind of harmony in their soil’s immune system as well. In my gardening life, I’ve learned that not all plants need the same mix of nutrients. Some plants need more acidic soil where there is a lot of iron (like azaleas). Some plants need more of an alkaline soil. According to the National Gardening Association, tomatoes need a pH between 6.0 and 6.8.
As Michael pointed out, if your plants don’t get enough of the specific nutrients they need, they simply can’t fight disease.
This is a concept that hits home for me, and for anyone whose own immune system has issues -- food allergy-related or otherwise. Anja and I discussed plainly that we are what we eat – but not only because of the fruit or vegetables we put into our mouths. We can truly benefit or suffer because of health of the soil from which our foodstuffs arise.
So, good information, but how do you organically change the pH and nutritional content of your soil?
Second Expert: Morgan Composting
Since you don’t know what you are going to get in your compost or aged manure from traditional companies, Michael recommended that I give Morgan Composting a call. They sell completely organic, aged cow poo, worm casings… all kinds of earthy stuff for your garden. They balance their products to enrich and maintain the health of your soil no matter what.
I emailed Morgan’s and Alyson wrote me back. Here is what she said:
First, our DairyDoo compost is a great start. It will definitely get some good beneficial organisms in your soil to counteract the bad bugs...blight. I would apply it this year at a rate of 1/2 inch, over the entire garden. This will ensure that the blight doesn't get into the walkways, and repopulate. If you did this, you will need about 2 yards (a pickup truck full).
Second, I would recommend using a summer foliar of fish Hydrosolate. We use MultiBloom, which is real easy, and convenient to hook up to your hose. You can spray this once a week throughout the summer. It is a fertilizer, but you would get more benefit from the essential oils, and also the minerals that fish has to offer. It is also a systemic, and will go to work right away. We sell those bottles for $12.95ea.
You can find these products at any of our fine local retailers, which are located on our website, www.dairydoo.com.
Third Expert: Friends and Friends of Friends
I had also spoken to a coOrganic Heirloom Tomato and Pepper Plants from Trillium Havenuple of friends about their battles with blight. Many gardeners are having this problem. One person suggested lime (from limestone). I asked Alysson about this at Morgan’s Composting. She said that this might be helpful, as calcium can help in the battle of the blight, but the nutrients in the compost and oils in the fish Hydosolate will be the key. She suggested getting a bag of high calcium (not dolomite, or high magnesium) lime. The calcium content needs to be higher than the magnesium, because too much magnesium can cause a fruit rot in tomatoes. So I picked up a 40 lb bag and spread half of it on the entire garden today. If that goes well, we’ll do the other half. It is supposed to be "non-toxic", and my dear father found me a pelleted version, so the dust was less annoying. I didn’t wear a mask, but I would recommend doing so anyway. Blagh.
Another friend of a friend battles blight in wet weather by dusting her tomato plants with powdered milk. How interesting is that? Since I have dairy allergies, I’ll stick with the lime. This weekend, I’m hoping to start step two - building the immune system. That is if I can get to the nearest Morgan’s retailer which will be a bit of a drive. I bet it will be worth it.
Wish me luck! Now go get your poo, then let me know about your gardening adventures and your battle with the blight.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at 12:23PM 
1 mango
