Thai Pumpkin Soup

When I was looking for a new pumpkin recipe, I was surprised to learn that pumpkin is common in Thai cooking. Thai food is delicious and I love pumpkin soup so when I found this recipe, I thought I should try it. It has a rich, exotic flavour that goes well with dark bread or crackers. If you like spice, add an extra hot pepper. For additional colour, sprinkle with sliced red hot pepper before serving.

This recipe is really easy to make, but it needs to simmer for several hours, so start it early in the day or the day before you want to eat it.

Ingredients

8 cups cubed peeled pie pumpkin (or one 796 ml can of pumpkin puree)

1 red onion

2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp turmeric

1 small red hot pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp red curry paste

1-4oo mL can coconut milk

3 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp fish sauce (vegans may want to use tamari sauce instead)

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp packed brown sugar

In slow cooker, combine pumpkin, onion, ginger, garlic, turmeric, curry and hot pepper. Pour in coconut milk, broth and fish sauce.

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 8 hours.

Using immersion blender or Vitamix, purée soup until smooth. Stir in cilantro, lime juice and brown sugar. (I didn't have cilantro, which I love, so I garnished with sprouts. It was pretty good but the cilantro would have been better.)

Note that pie pumpkins are smaller and sweeter and much less stringy than jack-o’-lantern pumpkins. You can only get these in season so if you want to make this recipe when the pie pumpkins are not available, try using butternut squash instead. Enjoy!

Nutrition (per serving)

3 grams protein

10 g fat

18 g carbohydrate

3 g fiber

644 mg sodium

560 mg potassium

% RDA:

4% calcium

19% iron

19% vitamin A

17% vitamin C

13% folate

Top twelve things to love about this Thanksgiving

Mother Nature has once again blessed us with impeccable weather this Thanksgiving weekend. I was lucky enough to spend three fun-filled days cycling in the Madawaska region. Based at Madawaska Kanu Center (MKC) about 16 kilometers from Barry’s Bay, we rode mountain bikes one day and road bikes the next two.

Although it was overcast on Friday, as dusk set in, the clouds moved out making way for clear skies which remained for most of the weekend.  

MKC is a pearl in the Madawaska wilderness. From May to September they offer canoe and kayak lessons as well as meals and lodgings for participants. They also host weddings, art shows and once a year cycling guests.

Here are my top 12 things to appreciate about this Thanksgiving weekend:

1. Sunshine and blue skies
2. Warm temperatures
3. Fresh air
4. Coloured leaves at their peak
5. Mountain biking in the Madawaska Highlands
6. Having lunch at Tom’s Lookout while taking in view of the colourful Madawaska Valley
7. Road biking on quiet roads to Elephant Lake
8. Riding by lakes made bluer by the contrasting colours of the leaves
9. Staying at Madawaska Kanu Centre
10. Someone else’s cooking
11. Fresh baked bread
12. Hanging out with good people

If you keep off the main highways, the road riding is amazing. There are no flat, straight roads. The terrain is challenging and always interesting: a balance of open fields and dense forests; The sunlight reflecting off the brightly coloured leaves; Numerous ponds and lakes.

The mountain bike trails are fun and fast with the occasional hard climb (read: steep!) or descent (also steep),  rocks and roots or sometimes grass and soft earth adding to the challenge. It's so peaceful in the woods. The only traffic we saw all day were two hikers and a dog and one noisy ATV.

Even the drive there and back was pleasant: Watching the terrain change from flat open fields to rolling hills to high peaks. The road winding and undulating; the scenery never gets boring. Old farms, unique houses, small towns, dot the landscape.

So much to be thankful for. And let’s not forget, good health and fitness to allow us to enjoy it all!

Sally’s top four nutritious foods for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving can be a time to eat healthy. By limiting or eliminating the gravy and potatoes and buns and starting off with a pumpkin soup followed by a tasty roasted turkey with cranberry sauce and wilted spinach, cruciferous vegetables or baked squash you can have a delicious, hearty meal without guilt. Here are my top four foods for a healthy Thanksgiving feast.

1. Turkey!

Skinless turkey breast is one of the leanest forms of protein. Turkey also offers a rich array of nutrients, particularly niacin, selenium, vitamins B6 and B12, and zinc. These nutrients are heart-healthy and valuable in helping to lower the risk for cancer. Although white meat is lower in saturated fat and calories, dark meat has the edge in iron content.

2. Pumpkin

Pumpkin is technically a fruit, which like melons, belongs to the gourd family. The two carotenoids found in pumpkins – beta-carotene and alpha-carotene – are particularly potent phytonutrients. Beta-carotene specifically from food (as opposed to in supplement form) helps prevent many diseases, including lung cancer. Carotenoids have also shown great promise in their ability to lower rates of heart disease. Carotenoid consumption also decreases the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Pumpkin is also a rich source of fiber. Even canned pumpkin with its creamy consistency provides 5 grams of fiber in just half a cup. Moreover, canned pumpkin is one of few foods that is actually more nutritious than fresh! This is because canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling) has been cooked down to reduce the water content. At only 83 calories per cup, it offers more than 400 per cent of the recommended intake of alpha-carotene, 300 per cent of the recommended intake of beta-carotene, and almost half of the iron requirement for adult men and post-menopausal women.

3. Cranberries - a popular remedy for treating cystitis, cranberries contain components that interfere with the adherence of bacteria to the lining of the urinary tract. Other compounds found in this fruit have been found to inhibit plaque-causing bacteria in the mouth which causes tooth decay and gum disease. Cranberries also promote powerful anti-cancer activity and can combat kidney stone foundation.

Make your own cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving.

8 oz. of fresh or frozen cranberries. 1 unpeeled orange. 1 cup apple or grape juice. Place the cranberries and the orange pieces and juice in a food processor and process until evenly chopped. Add a few drops of liquid stevia or raw honey if more sweetener is needed. Store in fridge.

4. Greens or cruciferous vegetables: greens beans, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, spinach

There are a number of studies demonstrating an inverse relationship between spinach consumption and cardiovascular disease, a host of cancers, age-related macular degeneration, and cataracts.

Spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables contain carotenoids, antioxidants, Coenzyme Q10 (spinach and broccoli are the only vegetables with significant amounts), B vitamins and minerals. Spinach is also a major source of vitamin K.

Wilted spinach

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

4 cups fresh spinach leaves

Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2/3 cup long grain white or brown rice, cooked

2 tbsp flaxmeal

In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat and cook the garlic, stirring for one minute, or until softened but not browned. Add the spinach and continue cooking until the greens wilt. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Toss the rice with the flaxmeal and divide among 4 warmed plates. Spoon 1 cup wilted spinach along with slices of turkey.

Take a small plate (you can always go back for more) and enjoy. Eat healthy and eat well! Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Breast Cancer Deception Month

October is breast cancer awareness month which, as the name suggests is about raising awareness of the disease. But most people are already aware of breast cancer. The National Breast Cancer Foundation wants to remind us to take the steps to detect the disease in early stages and encourage others to do the same. Which begs the question, why not look for the cause of breast cancer and teach people how to prevent the disease? Answer: because it is not profitable to do so. 

After decades of research, we are still no closer to finding a cure for cancer. Fortunately, there are scientists who are not funded by large corporations who are looking into causes for the disease. In his ground-breaking book, “The Dark Side of Breast Cancer (Un)Awareness Month”, Sayer Ji writes:

Sadly, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a time of increasing awareness not of the preventable causes of breast cancer, but of the breast cancer industry's insatiable need to both raise money for research into a pharmaceutical cure, and to promote its primary means of "prevention": early detection via x-ray mammography.

On first account, a pharmaceutical "cure" is as unlikely as it is oxymoronic. Drugs do not cure disease any more than bullets cure war. Beneath modern medicine's showy display of diagnostic contraptions, heroic "life-saving" procedures, and an armory of exotic drugs of strange origin and power, it is always the body's ability to heal itself – beneath the pomp and circumstance – that is truly responsible for medicine's apparent successes. Too often, in spite of what medicine does to "treat" or "save" the body, it is the body which against invasive chemical and surgical medical interventions, silently treats and saves itself.

… The mystery is not in how our body succumbs to cancer; rather the mystery is in how, after years and even decades of chemical exposure and nutrient deprivation our bodies prevail against cancer for so long.

While the focus on drug therapy remains, the primary causes of breast cancer are continually overlooked. These include: nutritional deficiencies, exposure to environmental toxicity, inflammation, estrogen dominance and the resulting breakdown in genetic integrity and immune surveillance.

What to avoid:

• Substances that mimic estrogen in the body - Many metals are estrogen mimics, making them potentially dangerous in the human body because of their ability to combine with estrogen receptors, thus replacing natural estrogen. Aluminum, used in anti-perpirants, is one of these estrogen mimics.
• Most commercial personal care products - including shampoo, toothpaste and mouthwash - contain carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, endocrine disruptors, plasticizers, degreasers, and surfactants.

The majority of people wash their hair with products containing these toxic ingredients: Sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, and propylene glycol. Parabens are preservatives that mimic estrogen. In cosmetic use, these chemicals have reactions internally. Regulators say they are safe in small doses; however, parabens are absorbed through the skin and are known to bind to the body’s estrogen-receptors, where they encourage breast cancer growth.

Seeking out responsible skin care products is like making healthy food choices. In addition to food, there are healthy alternatives to toxic products. Of course, prevention is not always possible. We need treatments for those who get the disease and research is a necessary part of that solution. My point is that funding is not directed toward finding roots causes and educating the public about cancer prevention. Mammography may not be the best method of prevention; it may actually be one of the causes.

I would like to see more transparency and accountability by companies that take part in breast cancer fundraising, and I encourage consumers to ask critical questions about pink ribbon promotions.

This, and every month, let's do what we can to prevent the breast cancer. We can take steps to avoid toxic substances and look to foods like turmeric, cabbage and miso soup among others. And by all means help raise funds for cancer research. And encourage solutions that are health-promoting not health-damaging.

  

For further reading on the dangers of mammography, see Rethinking Mammograms.

Vegetable day celebration

It may sound funny to set aside one day to celebrate a category of food that is fundamental to our existence. However, here it is. So let's celebrate! There is certainly cause for celebration if this day helps to raise awareness about eating more vegetables. The sad truth is, not everyone has the mighty vegetable on their food eating radar.

While cooking isn't my forte, I am a great maker of salads. So today I am going to share with you a typical salad that I make several times a week.

Ingredients:

Red leaf lettuce, Romaine lettuce or mixed field greens
Red cabbage
Red onion
Celery
Radish
Cucumber
Carrots
Red pepper
Pumpkin seeds
Slivered almonds
Nutritional yeast
Sprouts (e.g. alfalfa, radish, broccoli, clover)

Sauerkraut

Herbamare - Fresh organic herbs & vegetables aromatic sea salt

Homemade salad dressing

1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup Apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup

(Note: Red and orange colours are missing from picture. Time to go shopping.)

My secret is out there for all to enjoy! I hope you will find this so good, you will get excited about eating salad for lunch or dinner more often. Of course, you may wish to add your favourite fish such as tuna or salmon. Happy vegetable day everyone!

Adding TRX to the toolbox

I have been wanting to get my certification in TRX training for a while but have not found any courses being offered in Ottawa. So I travelled to the next closest city and that turned out to be Toronto. Toronto has their own TRX Instructor and as a result there are more frequent courses offered there. Since I began seeking fitness accreditations, I have taken courses from three different organizations: RMAX International which provided my Circular Strength Training course, Agatsu Inc., which provided my Kettlebell Instructor course as well my Upper and Lower Body Mobility training, and most recently, group training from TRX.

All have proven educational and useful to me both in my personal training and as an instructor.

Circular strength training focused on restorative movements in all planes of movement. Both the bodyweight and the clubbell exercises had to be executed at speed without compromising form. This was the physical challenge. They were also concerned with how well you could teach and coach someone to do the movements correctly, one-on-one and in a group setting.

Agatsu Kettlebell training focused on executing basic kettlebell movements with proper form for peak efficiency and injury prevention. There was physical test of the movements taught as well as a cardiovascular fitness test at the end. Agatsu also taught us how to teach.

TRX training focused on foundational movements, basic TRX exercises, and coaching to the individual and to the group. Through application of TRX’s Group Coaching System, we learned to deliver TRX workouts that are adaptable to all fitness levels.

And yet, despite the differences in modality (clubbell, kettlebell and TRX) there is a common thread to all these systems: That being bodyweight exercises. You must master a basic movement without weight if you can expect to be able to properly execute that same movement under load. All three systems worked on bodyweight movement in addition to the specific tool being learned.

The one exception to the bodyweight rule is the TRX: certain movements can be made easier to do on the TRX than with just bodyweight alone. For example, someone who cannot perform one full push up could conceivably perform a chest press on the TRX. This is because the TRX allows you to work at an easier angle (called a vector) - one that is not horizontal. This reduces the load on the muscles. It is my guess that this single unique factor accounts in some way for the exploding popularity of this particular training tool. However, if that person cannot maintain the foundational movement that the push up is based on, which is the plank, then it follows that the plank must be worked on first. 

Similarly, the kettlebell swing is based on the foundational movement called the hinge. One must be able to hinge forward at the hip properly before adding load in the form of the kettlebell. Clubbells also have a swing exercise that requires the exact same foundational hinging movement as the kettlebell swing.

These similarities make logical sense because when you are discussing body movement the basics are the foundation: proper body alignment and structure, mobility, flexibility, stability, and movement. The basics don’t change. What changes is the way you apply them, whether for the purposes of variety or for stressing different systems of the body – cardiovascular, nervous, and muscular.

The TRX Group Training course was informative and reinforced concepts and practices I learned in previous courses. It definitely built on a solid foundation of best practices which I have noticed to be a growing trend in the fitness industry: One which places health and pain-free movement, and muscular systems not individual muscles, at the core of any fitness program. To quote the TRX mantra: “Movement is a skill you practice, strength is a skill you practice, better is a skill you practice.” Conclusion, you must practice!

Mobility at work

Recently I had the pleasure of giving a joint mobility seminar at one of the government departments - Environment Canada - where a friend of mine works. A frequent participant at my workshops, this friend is a now strong advocate of mobility training and she did all the planning and administration for this workshop. It was such a great experience to have 20 people sign up (16 people responded on the first day it was advertised) and attend this workshop. Space was limited to 20; also, as an instructor, this was a manageable number. We created a waiting list for those who did not get in to this session.

Because this workshop was being held during the lunch hour, time was limited to 75 minutes, the time usually allotted to yoga classes or aerobics. This shorter format was new for me as I have done 2-3 hour workshops in the past, each on upper body mobility and lower body. Given the time constraints, I focused on providing a brief background and some of the benefits of mobility practice, as well as the underlying principles, most of which in fact apply to all physical skill development, not just mobility practice.

The principles are:

1. Intuition – you know best. Our bodies are hard-wired to communicate problems, if we would only listen to them and act upon those hunches.
2. Universal - Everyone will develop in a universally predictable pattern moving from recovery to coordination to refinement – e.g. locomotion (sit, crawl, stand up, walk)
3. Incremental – you must have baby steps to ensure development is permanent. Progress must be gradual in order to be permanent. Don’t rush.
4. Personal – we each develop in our own unique timing. E.g. various joints will progress differently compared to someone else.
5. Sophistication – simple to the sophisticated. Human nature progresses from the simple to the complex, from the general to the specific. KISS principle only applies to the beginning of any skill. If you continue at a simple level, you become bored, stop adapting, and reach a plateau in your development. Repetitive stress injuries also occur from doing the same thing too often.
6. Holistic – Progress from the head downwards, from the center to the periphery. This is how we progress from infancy. To reclaim and refine your pain-free health and longevity follow this pattern in your practice.
7. Integrative – we need to integrate our breathing, movement and structure, in order to get into flow. Injuries, stress, restricted movement, even fear, all seek to disintegrate our breathing, structure and movement.
8. Compensation – limited mobility, aches, pains, may not be the source of the issue. It may actually be on the opposite side of the body. Aches and pain may be some compensation for a hidden issue on the other side of the body.
9. Symmetry – we must explore our body in symmetry to get into flow. We do this through complementary movements. Forward/ backward, left/right, up/down. Mirror a painful movement: if it hurts to move one way, move the opposite way. Move to the tension not through tension.
10. Fun – do not add or increase the pain. Enthusiastically explore the movement. Enjoy what you’re doing.  Explore this as your personal physical odyssey. If you have pain in your body, adding pain is not going to help.

After this, we went through the Intu-flow system of mobility exercises, working from the head down, and the center to the periphery. We then spent a few minutes on a balance drill which most participants being yoga people executed very well. Then I gave several exercises for practicing breathing with movement. These were unusual and caused some chuckling but it was all fun. We finished with a couple of movements intended to test the mobility of the hips and the shoulders. These gave participants a better idea of what they needed to on.

I was amazed at how much we were able cover in such a short time. If you would like this kind of seminar to be brought to your place of work, please contact me. Even 60 minutes would suffice. This sort of system is recommended for everyone but it's especially useful to office workers and anybody who spends long periods sitting in front of a computer. Participants will absorb what is useful and have exercises they can take away and practice on their own before, during or after work.