Cobb-conut Curry

Cobb-conut Curry:

The flavors in this are amazing, and is a great addition for those of you looking for a new salubrious addition to your weekly variety.

Some of my favorite Indian curries include tomatoes, and Thai Curries make Coconut Milk an essential. However, this is also familiar to a Japanese curry as it has a robust number of ingredients -- multiple flavors interacting --  and can be served all by itself.



Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil / EVOO 
1 Tbsp Mustard Seeds
1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Ground Corriander

1 Tbsp Turmeric
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Allspice
1 Large White or Sweet Onion (Diced)
4-6 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
1-2 Tbsp Ginger (finely chopped)
1 16 oz can Tomatoes (Diced)
12 oz water
1/2 - 1 12.5 oz can Coconut Milk

1 cup Cauliflower (Chopped)
1-2 cup Mushroom or Eggplant - or both - (Chopped)
1/2 - 1 of 16 oz Tempeh (Cubed) 
2 Tbsp Cilantro (chopped) - Garnish
*optional* 1-2 Carrots (finely chopped)
*optional* 1-2 Jalapeno Peppers

Directions:

1: Heat Oil in a wide 2 inch (approx) deep skillet over medium-high head. Add in Mustard Seeds and Cumin Seeds and cover skillet with lid. When the Mustard Seeds begin to pop make turn the heat to medium level. Once the popping begins to slow to 1-2 every 10 seconds, remove the lid and add Garlic, Ginger, and Onion to the skillet; sauté for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat.

2: Add remaining spices to the mixture and let seasoning roast for approx. 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Depending on which oil you've used, you may need to add a small bit extra so as not to burn the spices. Add chopped Tempeh, Mushroom/Eggplant, and Jalapeno (no matter desired temperature of spicy heat, add only one jalapeno now) stir and coat the new ingredients with the spices. Let mixture sauté for 2-3 minutes longer.

3. Add can of tomatoes (including tomato juice), carrots, and enough water to barely cover the ingredients - depending on how big the pan is this may be a little more or a little less than the water.  Raise heat to high and bring water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer for 40 minutes.
*Note* If you want a thicker consistency to the curry then use 3/4 amount of water. If you desire a bit thinner consistency then replace coconut milk with soy milk or lowfat milk.
-- This is also when you can decide on your level of heat you desire. Adding another half pepper to a full pepper will give you a good level of kick or keep it out for a mild level --


4. After 20 minutes of simmering add Coconut Milk, stir and raise temperature to return to a simmer, reducing heat again to continue to simmer. After 25-30 minutes of cooking add Cauliflower to simmer for last 10-15 minutes.

5. Remove from heat. Serve over rice or naan with the added Cilantro. FYI letting it sit and marinate overnight will enrich the flavors even more!

~Enjoy~

The cold and the comfort

Think of something that reminds you of a bone-chilling cold sensation. Perhaps it's the dark blue numb on your feet. The small pickax-wielding legions of Jack Frosts hacking away at your mental resistance, as the last attempts at wiggling your toes to stir up circulation remain futile!

With that in mind, think of a time when you were snug, cozy, and warm. My personal favorite is a time when I was in Innsbruck, Austria. Surrounded by my family as we sat in the cabin, snowfall hammering the windowpane outside, cuddled up with a great novel - "If on a winter's night a traveler" by Italo Calvino - sipping mulled wine by the fireside. My quintessential "cozy."

Now, my question for you is this: in reflecting on the times where you remember feeling the most snug, cozy, and warm, is it more profound because of the cold that surrounded your warm bubble? Perhaps, your memory was of sharing a warm moment with your spouse, family member, dog or favorite teddy bear. Was there something frigid that you were dealing with?

Most likely, the answer is yes. Naturally, we hold onto comfort when it's freezing outside. What we can take away from this, is that some of the best moments are made during the times when there is a blizzard of chaos surrounding us. Remembering these cozy, warm and touching moments in our lives could be a key in dealing with our most tumultuous times, without erasing the importance of the difficulties that magnify our positive memories.


The Danes already do this magnificently. In Denmark, where physical warmth is an ephemeral and fleeting caller, one of the ways the Danes keep themselves the happiest country in the world is by using hygge. By reminiscing about a favorite cozy, warm, and loving scene, hygge helps prevent the frigid, gloomy weather from getting the Danish down. Rather than mope, change their environment, leave, or give up, they persevere.

  
Whether or not you live on the beaches of California, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, or the intertwining cobblestone roads of Boston, we all have things that ice our hearts and get us down. Warming ourselves up through positive memories could be the difference between staying in bed all day or having the willpower to get out, press on, and make the best of our chilly situations.

3 smoothie changing greens

When you think of a smoothie what are the ingredients that come to mind? Strawberries? Blueberries? Kiwi? Milk? Whey Protein Powder? Mint? Green Spinach?  Avocado?

When was the last time, or the first time, that you've had a smoothie with any of the last three ingredients? If you haven't then I hope I'm about to change the way you enjoy your after-gym or breakfast smoothie experience. Forever.

Mint, the most obvious of the three, is one that many still have not had a chance to experiment with in their smoothies. Mint is amazing to use in your breakfast smoothies because of Mint's natural smell stimulates digestion through its aroma. The oil from mint is also useful to help calm stomach inflammation. Mint's aroma further helps to seduce headaches and can relax you after that late afternoon workout and pairs well with a chocolate whey protein shake. Half a handful of mint in a smoothie goes a long way and freshens your breath to boot!

Now many readers may shake their heads as they think "Mint I can understand, but spinach?" Interestingly enough spinach neither adds nor subtracts from the flavor of your everyday smoothie. So why try it out? For starters there are a good deal of vitamins and antioxidants that can boost your immune system. It also contains a competent source of fiber and iron. While fiber will help your digestive system the iron, a component of hemoglobin which carries oxygen to blood cells, can help you maintain your daily energy levels. Throwing this lovely green into your smoothie is an easy fix for an all berry smoothie.

Perhaps the strangest of the three avocado (which is a fruit?!) wouldn't seem like something you would ever want to blend up. You might be surprised! In using avocado to blend a smoothie it can give it a very rich creamy texture and won't take away from the taste your aiming for. Avocado will also add some needed potassium and when eaten can enable the digestive system to better absorb fat-soluble nutrients. It pairs better with a vanilla but can also go well with a chocolate whey protein.
  

The only thing I can say is whats the least harm it could possibly do to try out these ingredients for a little while? Making green smoothies a part of your weekly intake might be just what your body is craving! :)


Mincado smoothie:

1/3 cup frozen blueberries, raspberries and strawberries (mix and match)
1/2 cup whole milk (or 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup milk)
1/2 avocado
3 sprigs of mint
2 big spoons of cottage cheese
scoop of whey protein

Alcohol Free: Day 1

I wasn't expecting day one to be hard. Maybe alcohol was not a good thing to give up. Instead I should have given something up that hits more close to home for me. What would that be? Not dressing up for 100 days? Being bald for 100 days? No vegetables for 100 days?

All these would probably have been more difficult. But I digress from changing, seeing as once we've made a start in a direction there is only to go forward day by day.

I'm also sure that being in school will make this a bit too simple. Today I spent all day at home with my nose in one book after the other. A section from The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, another from Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag and last but not least 20 pages from my reader about the 1972-74 Ethiopian Famine. Had I done this while I was in the military and/or in Korea I am sure it would have been much more difficult seeing as the drinking culture there was so much more highlighted.

Perhaps this will actually become harder than I'm giving credit? Maybe by day 60 I'll be itching for a drink? Perhaps I should go out tonight to test how one feels completely sober around friends. It could be a totally different experience all together. 

The 99 beers that remained on the wall.

Ever read an interview or column about one of your favorite heroes or idols, only to come across something you just weren't expecting to hear? I'm not talking about what their favorite color is or how they own a house on a private bank off the Maldives. Something like 'Superman never drinks.' It really doesn't hit you in the way that you may expect. "My, my" you think, almost scoffing "I never would have guessed!?" As if this is something that intimidates us? Somehow it changes our internal view of these individuals, whether we admit it or not.

In a way the consumption of alcohol seems to be an access card. It opens up the doors to social experiences that seem to be otherwise unobtainable. Would you go downtown if you didn't drink anything? Occasionally, when you are driving everyone home but otherwise why wouldn't you drink? Are there social ramifications to not drinking alcohol? Will you lose the chances of meeting that guy or girl because you weren't brave enough to talk to them? Could choosing not to drink benefit you in the slightest as it seems to help famous authors, politicians, and entrepreneurs? Is this a special gift that truly separates them into a category all their own?

Who knows. But the curiosity as to what changes this might bring to ones life has killed this cat. Along with my friend Nate Meier at his blog (I EMANATE, MIRE.) we have set off on a 100 day experiment to do just this. One hundred days of reflection on what one might experience totally free of alcohol.

Holiday Brunch: Swiss Chard Frittata

Holiday seasons are fantastic times to try out new varieties of old favorite dishes. It might include a mulled wine, vegetable casserole or new turkey cranberry topping. However for myself there is something about holiday brunch seems to trump the afternoon feasts.

Perhaps its just the ambiance of being able to greet the awakening friends and family with the aroma of fresh coffee and sauteed garlic. Or the chance of getting everything ready and out of the way before last minute preparations are made for main courses. The frittata is also a recipe everyone will hopefully enjoy.

Swiss Chard Frittata:

Ingredients: 
6 whisked eggs


1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil / ghee / butter

1/3 cup diced onion

2 cloves diced garlic

1/3 cup diced sweet bell pepper

1/2 bunch (5-6 stalks) chopped swiss chard

1/2 cup diced eggplant or pre-cooked potatoes

1 diced jalepeno (optional)

1-2 Tbsp fresh or dried herbs

1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar or bucheron

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:


1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a mid to large size skillet. Add diced garlic and onion and cook until onion starts to turn slightly opaque.

2. Add the eggplant or potatoes, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or until eggplant goldens slightly.

3. Add the remaining vegetables: bell pepper, jalepeno and swiss chard on top stirring the chard under so that it can get the most heat to wilt.

4. As the chard begins to wilt add the eggs, using a clockwise motion to poor eggs evenly over the entire skillet. Let the eggs just begin to set (approximately 2-3 minutes). Top with chedder and herbs.

5. There are 3 styles of finishing the frittata; turn down heat to medium-low and cover with a lid until cooked through, place under broiler for 3-5 minutes or placing in the oven at 375 degrees.

My personal favorite is finishing at 375 in the over with a lid to insulate the heat and cook the top at the same consistency as the bottom.


This can be topped with avocado and salsa or served naked. Enjoy and have a happy thanksgiving!

The Tempeh Way

One thing I've learned about cooking is that some of the best dishes can revolve around products that you have no interest in. Trying a new main ingredient could expose you to your next favorite dish!

This past week I decided to jump outside of my usual recipe box and focus on a product I'm sure most have never experimented much with: Tempeh.

Of course most will take one look at tempeh and say "no thanks" passing it because, as tofu before it, tempeh has been labeled as a vegetarian entree.This in itself is a terrible reason to pass up an opportunity to try something different. But in particular tempeh has some rectifying traits that we shouldn't overlook.

Tempeh is made through the fermentation of soybeans. Like kimchi and kombucha the fermenting  releases a great amount of probiotics which are bacteria that live in your digestive tract and help with your digestion. The fermented soy also consists of isoflavones which are good for your heart and the prevention of certain types of cancer.

Avocado Tempeh Steak

Another great thing about tempeh is that you can do almost everything with it! Tempeh easily pars well with various types of marinades and sauces. I've found my favorite way of eating it is by baking it or sautee it and topping with homemade salsa.

Here is a recipe for "meaty-tempeh" that goes well with broiled lemon asparagus and perhaps a glass of pinot noir:

Easy Baked Tempeh

Tempeh is easily located at most health markets but can be located at your local supermarket as well next to the tofu. Give it a try!

Recipe: Pan-roasted swordfish steak with creamed kale

I always try to cook a spectacular meal right before my weekly 32 hour fast starts! Just today I was walking through the local grocery store when I saw a managers special for 2 swordfish steaks for $4.25. I'm all for saving money and cooking something delicious at the same time. I grabbed this and added some mushrooms to my basket for good measure.

The original recipe I decided to use for my swordfish steak can be found here: swordfish steak

Now I know people always get a bad vibe from using butter. However generally speaking if it is a grass-fed butter it actually has a good amount of healthy fats (and flavor!). I plan to expand on what I mean by healthy fats in the future but if anyone is really curious check out what Mark has to say about using butter or animal fat to cook here: Animal Fats

While I was cooking the swordfish I quickly thought of a delicious side of veggies that would go perfect with it. Kale has become one of my favorite greens, easy wilted and soaks up flavors of creams very well. It also has potential health effects including phytonutrients believed to lower the risk of cancer and promote enzymes in your body that help the livers detoxifying process. Mushrooms are one of my favorites, especially when I am having anything creamy. I also thought the purple cabbage would really accent the meal with its crunch and powerful color.

Creamed kale, mushrooms and purple cabbage:

Ingredients:

2/3 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped red cabbage

1 cup chopped kale

1/2 cup goats milk yogurt or greek style yogurt

1.5 ounces extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1) Heat oil over medium heat

2) Saute mushrooms and purple cabbage for one minute

3) Add the kale and mix with other vegetables and cook another 2-3 minutes until kale starts to wilt

4) Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in goats milk yogurt or greek yogurt

5) Cook another few minutes, stirring occasionally until the yogurt has set well with the ingredients

6) salt and pepper to taste then serve and enjoy!

I threw some oregano on the top of the steak with the lemon zest for the aroma and voila: 

Combined I spent a total of 5 dollars on all the ingredients. That's two 6oz swordfish steaks both with a bit more than a cup of veggies. Such a great meal at 2.50 a piece is a steal! Whoever says eating healthy isn't delicious or cheap is fooling themselves!

Funding A Nutritional Debt

How do you pay for things you like?

In college I thought the answer was credit cards. Making a call to my bank, I soon received my first credit card in the mail. I still remember the moment; tearing the envelope open and pealing the plastic away from the congratulatory letter. Carefully signing my name in the small white rectangle on the back, all the while feeling as if I had become somewhat more responsible. This card was my key to seemingly limetless possibilities!

I, like many Americans, had started down one of our society's most dangerous roads towards financial debt. One day you're buying one piece of swag a month, but the next thing you know you're in the hole 600 dollars thinking: "where did I spend it all!?" It's almost an absurdity to think of buying a car these days and paying cash for it. According to the federal reserve each U.S. card holder has an average credit card debt of over 5,100 dollars. (Consumer Debt) Savings on the other hand haven't been lower in a while. We peaked at saving around 12,000 dollars a year in the mid-1940's. That was over 60 years ago! In 2008 the average savings per household was a mere 392 dollars. American Way of Debt. 

                                                   How My Credit Card Company Sees Me

To me, our perception of financial credit and debt has become a catalyst in the corruption of our health and wellness. In a way we have found ways to live on a nutritional debt.When it comes to eating habits and financial habits they are similar to each other. Unhealthy eating, like compulsive shopping, is something that we oftentimes foresee being an issue before giving into it. Letting ourselves splurge on a super size butterfinger blizzard at Dairy Queen or purchasing a $120 pair of jeans when we've had 'a really rough day.' These are heat of the moment decisions in which our emotions get the best of us.

We treat our bodies often like we do our credit cards. It seems like we are in control of our bodies in the short term. "A few french fries here, a yoo-hoo there, it's only one time whats the big deal? I want to enjoy my life!" However, like a credit card, it's that one extra swipe once a month that adds up in the end. Weight gain "may have been caused by consuming, say, 250 calories more than were used each day..." which equates to "— the amount in a small bar or chocolate or half a cup of premium ice cream —" (NYT) Remember, those baby steps can be as much of a hinder as a benefit to our health.

If we want to live a positive, productive and powerful life we must invest in our health as well as we do in any other area. We have to remember that our bodies are not easily replicated, replaced or restored to their original status. It's one nightmare to default on a mortgage and face your debt problems, it's another mess all together when our bodies turn bankrupt. 

The heat of happiness

Ever since I was younger I have always been a fan of Greek mythology. I still remember the countless times my backside fell asleep as I sat on the toilet for hours reading my favorite myths. My despair and pity for Kore; forced to walk between the living and the dead, all because of some measly persimmon seeds! The courage and cunning of the Spartans in the unforgettable battle of troy! The epic tragedy of King Aegeus's fate as he threw himself to be dashed on the rocks, all for naught! It was all too exciting to even consider moving to a more comfortable chair.

One of my favorites is the tale of Icarus and Daedalus as they try to escape their imprisonment from the Island of Crete. Daedalus, a master craftsman, fashioned two pairs of wings out of feathers and wax. Together, flying through the skies, father and son are able to make out over the open seas! Icarus, overcome by the shear glee of flight, soars higher, higher and higher still. His father had warned of the danger of flying too high, for the suns heat could melt the wax holding the wings together.

Daedalus watches in horror, as Icarus climbs to the clouds, only able to shout his warning. The wax, having slowly melted as Icarus climbed inch by inch, finally gives way. A tongue of gravity constricts itself tightly around Icarus, pulling him to the awaiting jaws of the open sea below. Daedalus, making his way to the nearest coast, has won his freedom, but at the cost of his only son.

Grim as it is I think the story of Icarus is, it is a powerful allegory for our obsession with happiness. As Americans we have a great deal of freedoms that we enjoy day to day. We can express our freedom of speech, right to bare arms and freedom of religion. American's struggle for the dream of 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' But I wonder if oftentimes we go to far?

There are many areas in society that I could breach as examples of Americans pursuing happiness to a fault. However, this is a blog about eating and food. Therefore I want to specifically target the way pursuing happiness, above all other things, has impacted our health.

I've talked to many different people who are struggling with their diets in different ways. Some are underweight, scared of what they are becoming. Yet these individuals seem unable to break the gaze of the omnipotent goddesses of cosmo. It's no surprise what the underlying reason for young adults to want to chase after a skinny models figure. Those who are skinny are supposedly happy, ergo the skinnier a person becomes the happier they will eventually be.

Others, much in the same boat, are worried about their diets having made them much too plump to make it to their 60's. However most Hansels would rather chance that the gingerbread witch never cooks them than making the effort to escape their cage. I've heard a straightforward response to my curiousity regarding what makes them continue eating this way.

"James, to be honest I do care about my health, but I just like the food I eat too much. I could never give it up! I've never been someone who 'eat's to live.' Can I help it that I'm more of a 'live to eat' kind of person?" *I'll be tackling this idea in a later post, stay tuned!*

In  our food culture we over emphasize the happiness that we get from eating. We need to learn to understand our motivations for eating and understand how our over consumption, or under consumption, of certain things really effects our bodies. We need to understand societies influence on our consumption habits.

Is it worth the risk of losing everything or winding up in a terrible vice? Like Icarus most of us are flying too close to a sun of happiness, without heading the information and warnings that science and nature around us are trying to communicate. Also like Icarus we can't notice that the wax is, ever so slowly, melting away.

I'm not saying you can't enjoy your favorite foods and become healthier. Healthy people LOVE food as much as the next person! I'm happy to say that since I started eating the foods that I consider healthy the benefits that outweigh the disadvantages are astounding. I sleep better, I have an immense storage of natural energy and I no longer worry about heartburn, indigestion, diarrhea or any other congestive difficulties. That's just scraping the surface!

I'm also not advocating that everyone is in trouble of eminent death or disease. Don't stop eating your favorite foods all together! We have to remember that Daedalus flew with Icarus. Yet he remembered that you have to be cautious of how high you're flying. The purpose of this post is not to stop people from flying at all! It's only a cautious reminder to seek and find a safe medium, to be careful of the elusive warmth and heat of happiness.

Recipe: Almond crusted salmon w/ dijon glazed mushrooms

Afternoon Everyone!

I'm still working on my next addition to this months goal of mapping out some of Americas social and psychological issues interfering with health. Seeing as I'm also vacationing in the Bay Area for the next week  time is spread a bit thin. :-/

I decided to keep the salad fresh I'd throw in a new recipe. So here it is, Enjoy!

Almond Crusted Salmon came to me in an instant after reading this recipe:

Baked dijon salmon

I removed the bread crumbs, slashed the honey a bit and added some ginger. My revised idea was as follows:

• 1/4 cup butter (unsalted), melted
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup finely crushed almonds
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, for garnish

1. In a small bowl, stir together butter, mustard, ginger and honey. Set aside. Crush almonds with a malot or kitchen hammer and mix together almonds and parsley. 
   
2. Brush each salmon fillet lightly with honey mustard mixture, and sprinkle the tops of the fillets with the almond mixture.

Now Almond Crusted Salmon sounded good, but lets face it, is there anything better than some broiled mushrooms to accompany such a delicious meal? This part was really easy:

3 cups Shiitake or brown mushrooms, cubed.

I felt that the above sauce was more than enough to lightly glaze 1-2 fillets and have enough left over to dunk the mushrooms in. The best way to do this is to throw the mushrooms in a bowl and then add the glaze. Otherwise when dunking the mushrooms another way they may fall apart.

While neither recipe demands a marinade time leaving the Salmon and the mushrooms in the fridge for about two hours will really let the juices fuse together. To bake:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place salmon on top of a tinfoil layered 4-6 inch square or rectangle baking pan. Bake salmon 6 - 7 minutes then place mushrooms in and around salmon and cook another 6 to 9 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with a wedge of lemon.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. :)

Simple Education

Kids seem to be learning faster than ever these days. The list of kids that I know who can sit down with an i-pad or android phone to play games, text message or read books grows longer every day. It's fascinating to see how 'in the know' kids can get when given the opportunity. But i-pad toting kindergardners aren't the norm. So how well are the average american children being educated?

Let's be honest. When our K-12 program has statistics like these: American K-12 Statistics, it's hard not to worry about children around the nation heading towards disaster. I would like to point out however that I do not blame the teachers of America. I support the teachers and want to thank them for the great sacrifice they have made to try and better our countries growing children. I think the largest problem comes from the school system itself.

It's also interesting to me to learn what it is that our schools aren't teaching. When I think about what children, ages 4-10, should be taught, it seems that learning about all the basic life skills are truly important. So then why where we never educated on how to make our own food? Why is it that I didn't ever learn about how sugar, salt, fruit, vegetables and all the other things affects my body until I was 22 years old, on my own volition? Shouldn't children be exposed to these things far before they graduate elementary school, let alone high school or college?

I was lucky to have a mother that had time on her hands to teach my sisters and I the basics of cooking. She would force us to come into the kitchen from time to time to bake a cake or help with dinner. But what about the children who's parents bring them home fast food every other day? Or who have the idea of a family dinner as one of sitting round at Denny's or McDonalds. Where the only communication is done through cell phones or liking someones Facebook status? Growing up without the knowledge of cooking, how to read a recipe or a nutrition label and how to enjoy the community of food is a nightmare on your own.

Learning how to take care of your own body is really one of the simplest things to teach children in order to fuel their lives for a better future. Thankfully there are people from all different walks of life that are coming together and realizing the importance of this simple education. 

One of those is Jamie Oliver. This is one of his talks performed at TED (Technology Entertainment and Design) in 2010 about his plan and movement to teach every child about food.

Learning to take care of yourself isn't an easy thing to do. However the simple education of what food is and how to eat it properly is a significant baby step in the right direction.

"A bowl full of sugar makes the what go down?"

In Malawi, as in most African provinces, having personal nannies and chefs is a common luxury for the majority of home owners. So it wasn't abnormal for my sisters and I to live having a gardener, chef and nanny around the house. On this particular night taking care of both of us was Mokendazea, our kindhearted chef and caretaker. Mokendazea had much more experience in the kitchen than with watching over two children which boded for the possibility of 'interesting complications' to occur.

My father was a Foreign Area Officer in the US Army when I was growing up. So he had an obligation to attend embassy dinner parties and functions together with his wife, my mother. After returning from a night out my mother walked Mokendazea to the door while having the usual debrief on how things had gone.

"How was Jaime?" My mother inquired, "Did he give you any trouble at bedtime?"

"No Madame, everything went well." Mokendazea paused, as if his conscience was at odds with itself. "It's just... well..." Again pausing, Mokendazea peered at my mother with unease. This instantly caught my mothers attention, snapping her out from the glamour of the evenings events and into the moment.

"What is it Mokendazea!?" startled by a countless number of dangerous scenarios playing through her head.

"Oh Madam it was nothing too serious." Seeing my mothers disposition had alarmed Mokendazea and trying to put her worry at ease he answered with what he hoped was a reassuring statement, "It's just in Malawi we do things differently. I thought it was strange that in America you let children eat a whole bowl of sugar. That's all I just don't think they should eat an entire bowl of sugar its not healthy."

"Excuse me?!" To say she was a little perplexed by this would be an understatement.

"Well yes. Before putting them to bed, Madame, Lindsay said Madame lets them eat a bowl of sugar." Mokendazea explained, "At first I refused to give it to them but Jaime also whined with his sister as they begged for their bowl of sugar. I know America is different Madame but maybe not a whole bowl of sugar?"

Taken aback, my mother made it clear to Mokendazea that from then on he was to listen only to her instructions and even if we were the children of the house our demands were not to be acknowledged. Suffice it to say even at a young age my sister and I had wittingly taken advantage of the situation and had sneaked our way into what even the kids from Marry Poppins had never gotten, not just a spoonful, but an entire bowl full of sugar. 

Now no mother, even an American one, would let her child eat an entire bowl of sugar. That would be preposterous! Or would they? 

What if instead of an Actual bowl of sugar it looked like this:

Or this:

or even this:

The funny thing is we DO let our kids eat bowls of sugar! Hell, in our society we often feed OURSELVES, grown members of society, bowls of sugar. We just don't know it, or if we do, we don't care to change much.

Now some might be thinking "Well that may be the case in other families but not in mine! We eat healthy!"
That's great if you do. I applaud you for it, change has to start somewhere and the best place to start is always in the home. But let me remind everyone that while we may believe we have gotten to where we are today on the brunt work of our individuality the harsh reality is quite different.

We rely on thousands of individuals behind the hidden 'vail' of society everyday. Buying groceries, investing in the stock market, using the internet, driving to work and even teaching our own children how to live.

We live in a national community. While there is a notion of being able to sink or swim by yourself the majority of us will sink or swim as a nation. So you may not be obese or suffer from type two diabetes  and you could be like me and love what your healthy eating has done for you as an individual. But in the long run the health issues of america are going to affect us all.

In the end, holistically, as a nation we are significantly immature when it comes to our eating and dietary habits. Over the next few weeks I want to engage what seem to me to be detrimental social psychological factors in America that have fueled our health issues including: 

• Simple Education
• The pursuit of Deadly Happiness
• Nutritional Debt
• Natural Addiction
• Being Wrong

The first step in knowing you have a problem is understanding what that problem is. We have to start addressing the health of our nation, even if it means one sugar bowl at a time.

Recipe: Rhubarb Tapioca Pudding

I'd like to think that food can be delicious and not awful for you at the same time. But that's not to say that it has to be perfectly healthy for you either. More on that idea later! Let's get to the day's recipe:

Rhubarb Tapioca Pudding

This dish is so simple to make and yet very very delicate. They aren't joking about making sure not to overcooking the dish. The rhubarb will taste awful if it is too mushy and the pudding won't be a pudding if it is too crunchy.

The bitterness from the rhubarb works really well with the orange juice consistency. I used orange juice from squeezed oranges because usually anything in a carton has added sugar. Also I thought a good exchange of taste for the granulated sugar would be honey/molasses. So instead of the sugar I added 1/2 cup honey and a dash of molasses. It turned out perfectly.

Lastly I melted down some 85% cocoa chocolate and mixed it with Greek yogurt with some mint on top. The mint adds a nice color to the orange glow of the rhubarb and its the period on the end of this dish's sentence.

I also thought about using grapefruit juice as an alternative. As well as substituting the tapioca for chinese boba or possibly even adding red beans to the dish in some way.

Even a small serving is more than enough. It's not the healthiest thing in the world but it's worth the splurge! :)  

Butterscotch Baby Steps

Sweat dripped down my brow, soon engulfed in the SPF50 caked cracks of my skin. My bottle was empty, not even a drop of thirst-quenching water left.

27


"Soldier on? How!?" My hip tendons screamed, threatening to collapse with the slightest provocation. The horizon of green arbors flickered in the distance, blurred by the visible heat rising off the hot asphalt. Not even a glimpse of hope.

66



"You've Failed!" an inner voice screeched. "You expect to finish an entire marathon!?! When you can't even run fourteen miles? It's just too hard, James. Maybe you're just not meant to run a marathon... have you ever thought about how FAR 26 miles is?”

110
 
During marathon training there is a point in every run when your body stops producing endorphins, and all the motivation that is so easily accessible in small sessions leaves you utterly and completely void. You feel alone.

147

Thankfully my conscience, the size of a cricket, crushed under an upended smack to the shoulder. This was no time to determine if I had come down the right path.

"I can't go 2 more miles. I could barely walk five steps." I stammered.

"What about one step?" A new voice whispered from beneath, a sharp spear shattering the heat induced bog weighing on my mind.

213

"One; one step?" My toes tingled slightly as if to test the possibility of this theory. "I could do one step. Sure."

One.
 I mustered one step out of the Jell-O legs of mine.
One.
 I wondered what flavor Jello they’d be.
One.
 As long as they aren't butterscotch.
One.
Butterscotch Jell-O sounds gross.
One.
 Bill Cosby's dance moves were fantastic.
Done.

"Wait. What!?"

277


I had finished! Energy pumped through what I thought were dead and dying veins. As I started to gather myself together in my joyful triumph only one thought remained,the only one I could have mustered,

"How delicious would butterscotch Jell-O be right now?"

One seemingly meaningless step in any situation was the only way that we ever start to accomplish anything requiring determination. Learning to walk as a child, speaking a foreign language, talking about your problems with a friend, mastering multiplication tables, dealing with an unfriendly co-worker.

365

Sure, training continued to be an uphill struggle. Yet, every struggle had an ending. When I stumbled one step it was just that: one small failure. I could fix it. When I bounded forward in a lunge it was just that: one small achievement. I could harness it. One baby step at a time was all I had to focus on.

So how does one continue to pursue healthy eating habits, love for a foreign language, learn to journal daily, cook amazing meals, run 26 miles, cultivate meaningful relationships or have enough energy to sit down and write a 500 word blog post?

Tap into it through slow progression. Don't ever lose sight of where you have come from, where you are, and where you are going. One baby step at a time.

Recipe: African Yam Stew

I wanted to share this as my first recipe because it has been a staple in my cook book since the first time I found it.

I'm uncertain why the name includes "African." I won't lie, this is not a recipe I stumbled upon while roaming the flats of Zimbabwe, not even close.

But, sometimes, a good dish is remembered by its name. Marketing works well for dishes, just like everything else. It's why they haven't changed the Whopper or Big Mac names even if the recipe does change, ever so slightly.

So I kept the name for the added ambiance.

Not only have I made it countless times for myself, but it is one of my favorites to cook when I'm having guests.



An amazing blend of subtle and spicy kick, aromatic turmeric and cumin, plus the sweetness of the yams simmers this recipe into a perfect hearty dish as an entree, or it can be easily pureed into an appetizing soup.

Here is a link to the original recipe: African Yam Soup

However I have made it so many times with many different ingredients and my personal recipe is the original with a few changes:

• Instead of 1 cup of tomato juice I prefer a 24oz of arrabiata sauce, homemade if you have the time or store bought if you don't. 
• greek yogurt. Artemis Greek Gods Yogurt because it has no added sugar and has all the natural fats still included. This is added to the dish before pureeing or as a topping right before eating. It thickens the sauce and adds just enough creaminess to sooth the spice if you used my next ingredient change.
• Habaneros chilli. These guys are spicy and I have often used more than one to make the African yam stew the Spicy African Yam Stew. It's got a heat that will make you sweat and tear up just enough to enjoy the pain. (spicy is not an actual flavor on your taste bud pallet its just your taste buds registering pain)

To puree this dish simply transfer the contents of the pot to a safe blender or immersion blender.

Let me stress
SAFE BLENDER!

Don't be like yours truly and use a blender that doesn't have the lid fit properly. Ending in what used to be healthy delicious yam stew, turns into burning angry Habanero infused stew all over my body and the kitchen floor. Now I know what it must feel like to burn in a Kirby curry....


I'd rather it be in my stomach if you would be so kind Mr. blender, thanks.

Easy presentation is to add a green kick on the top of the yogurt before it gets mixed. Dice some chives and position just on top of the yogurt in a white or charcoal bowl for the colors to really combine. However if you're a vegan or just don't like cream serve it just as easily without!

Time to Dig In.