Red Quinoa and Sweet Potato Patties

You might remember seeing this recipe I shared on Facebook from onegreenplanet.org. They looked really good. Well I tried it, and it is good. And while it’s not the simplest to make, it’s worth the effort. It also happens to be vegan!

If you have trouble finding Red quinoa at your usual grocery store, Bulk Barn usually stocks it. I highly recommend using red quinoa for this recipe and no other. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup red quinoa, soaked in 2 cups of water for 6 hours/overnight

1 medium sweet potato

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/2 cup walnuts

2 handfuls of spinach

1/4-1/2 cup brown rice flour

Ground chili/chili flakes, to taste

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon coconut oil

Preparation 

1. Bring 2 cups water to boil, add some salt(around 1 tsp), add soaked red quinoa and let it cook for 10 minutes. Cover and let it stand for another 5 mins, fluff with fork. It has to be mushy. If it is cooked and not mushy, this fritter will not taste good. The mushier and over done it is, better it is.
2. Bring 2 cups water to boil, cube sweet potatoes, add it to boiling water until well done. Strain water, pat them dry, and mash with potato masher and add to quinoa.
3. In a pan, add quinoa and sweet potatoes and keep stirring, to remove any water if any. Add spinach and mix until it wilts. Transfer to a container.
4. In the same pan, add a teaspoon of coconut oil, add walnuts. Roast walnuts until crisp and chop them coarsely. Add to quinoa mixture.
5. Fold in chili powder, lemon juice, and salt as needed. If this is of a dough consistency, you probably need 1/4 cup of rice flour. I used a small amount of coconut flour (about 2 tablespoons), which was all I had left, instead of rice flour, and it worked well. I could have used a bit more as the patties fell apart a bit too easily. Use your judgement and if you think it is watery for a fritter, add more. Desired consistency is almost like pizza dough. Soft, but firm and not runny at all.
6. Shape them and pan-fry in coconut oil.

Try them with some Southwest Ranch sauce on top for an added spicy kick!

Save our skin

Is your skin looking as young and healthy as you would like? What factors adversely affect the skin and how do we minimize the damage? Many aspects of lifestyle, including stress, cigarette smoking, and too much sun exposure – hello! – or ultraviolet tanning may lead to premature aging of the skin. Nutritional and lifestyle factors come into play when considering healthy skin.

But first, what is the skin’s role in the human body?

The skin is the largest organ, acting as a protective covering, a sensing organ, an oil producer, and an important organ of elimination. Through regular evaporation and perspiration, the skin can clear all kinds of toxins to help maintain internal balance. But the skin must be well nourished to stay healthy. It needs good circulation through its millions of tiny capillaries, good nerve function, and a ready supply of nutrients to aid its rapid growth.

The skin’s surface is the intermediary between the external and internal environments and reflects the health of the underlying organs and the internal body function. The skin, tongue surface, eye tissue and hair quality all reflect an individual’s general health.

Water

Drinking adequate amounts of water may be the single most important factor in healthy skin and good eliminative functions. Two liters (about 8 cups) per day is the suggested average but this will vary for different individuals according to a number of factors such as water content in the diet, activity level, environmental conditions and bowel function. Water helps carry nutrients through the body and flushes out toxins. It is best to drink regularly upon awakening, between meals up to about a half hour before eating, and of course, whenever thirsty. Water is the best liquid for us, followed by herbal teas, fresh squeezed diluted juices, and mineral water. Caffeinated beverages, sugary drinks (especially soft drinks) are to be avoided.

Ultraviolet light

Ultraviolet light is known to be damaging to the skin and results in more rapid aging and dryness of the skin. This knowledge must be balanced with the fact that sun exposure is a necessity for natural vitamin D absorption. Excessive ultraviolet light exposure can eventually reduce skin elasticity and tone. This, along with dehydration and nutritional deficiencies may lead to rapid skin aging.

Beauty products

Skin care with moisturizing and beauty products also requires a fine balance between nurturance and chemical exposure. Check the ingredients before buying, paying particular attention to phthalates and parabens. Also be aware that many commercial sunscreens contain damaging and carcinogenic chemicals (parabens, oxybenzone, PABA, and even titanium oxide or zinc oxide) that should be avoided. Beauty creams with aloe vera, clay packs, herbal wraps, honey or egg white facials, and dry-brushing are some way to clean, detoxify, and nurture the epidermis. Saunas and sweating also help in clearing impurities through the skin. Herbal facials and steams are great for opening and cleansing the pores.

Diet

The diet that supports healthy skin includes high-nutrient, high-water-content foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Not coincidentally, this is what our entire body requires: fresh fruits eaten alone in the morning and vegetable salads at lunch or dinner; cooked vegetables with proteins or starches – especially in winter! – are also recommended.

Good fats

The essential fatty acids found in the vegetable oils, seeds, and nuts are also necessary to nourish the skin and keep the texture and vitality strong. Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and flaxseed oil are some of the best sources of essential fats. Olive oil is stable to moderate heat; flaxseed oil should only be used uncooked. Avocados, a good source of healthy fats, lock moisture in the skin.

And then there is wonderful coconut oil. Coconut oil can improve the moisture and lipid content of the skin and can be very protective against hair damage. Studies show coconut oil is an effective sunscreen, blocking 20% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Topical coconut oil also provides skin protection against sun and wind, something that will be most helpful on these bright, cold winter days.

Argentine Stew

Last night I made this simple but unusual stew. It combines different flavours for a unique blend of carnivore and herbivore flavours: BBQ sauce and lentils! The apples complement the BBQ flavour nicely.

Ingredients

·         1 cup dry red lentils

·         2 cups vegetable broth

·         3 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced (or canned)

·         1 large onion, diced

·         1 carrot, sliced

·         1 medium apple - peeled, cored and diced

·         1/2 cup spinach

·         1 large clove garlic

·         1 tablespoon olive oil

·         1/4 cup barbeque sauce

·         1/2 teaspoon paprika

·         salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the lentils and broth in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Stir the tomatoes, onion, carrot, apple, spinach, garlic, olive oil, barbeque sauce, and paprika into the pot. Continue to simmer 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to serve. 

Who knew BBQ sauce and lentils would make such a natural combination?

Core: mobilizing the back

Core has become a term that is sometimes misused and misunderstood. Core is more than abs. It is the entire structure of the body, excluding head and appendages. If core is made up of the torso, then to get a stronger core, you must work all the muscles of the torso which include back, shoulders, chest and abdomen. However for the sake of common usage, let’s look at the muscles that make up the mid-section of the body, popularly termed the core. It is generally held that the muscles that hold up the ribcage and connect the upper torso to the lower body (hips and pelvic area) make up the core.

The back muscles that contribute the most to core strength are those that support the spine and connect the ribcage to the hip bones. In all, your spine is made up of thirty-three individual bones (vertebrae) that are held together by discs and ligaments. Twenty four of these vertebrae are flexible – they allow movement when your muscles contract. Your vertebrae are specially designed to keep you upright, to allow various degrees and directions of torso movement, and to provide a stable “center” around which all your other body movements can occur.

In general, your back moves by a process of compression and traction of the intervertebral discs – and by a gliding action of one vertebra upon another. Although the quantity of movement at any one vertebra is small, the combined effect of all twenty-four of them working at once is enormous.

Your back was designed to perform several basic movements: flexion (curling), extension (straightening), hyperextension (arching), lateral flexion (side bending) and rotation (twisting). Some of these movements can be performed freely by one region of your back and less freely by another. For example, although flexion does occur in all regions, this movement occurs most freely in the lower back.

Flexion in the chest region is restricted due to the location of the ribcage.

Extension occurs throughout all regions of the spine but is easiest in the lower chest and lower back regions.

Hyperextension is minimal in the chest region because the rear tips of these vertebrae actually run into each other as a hyperextended position is approached.

Lateral flexion occurs in some degree at all the back joints also, but is freely performed at the junction of the chest and the lower back region.  In the upper chest region, lateral flexion is severely limited because the rib cage obstructs movement.

Rotation is generally easiest in the upper back and becomes more limited as you pass downward to the lower back. Many back injuries relate to the ease or difficulty of movement in this region since to force any joint to go where it does not go with ease will cause damage to the soft tissue involved. The only solution is to prepare these joints for all possible movements and forces they may be subjected to. These are positions Agatsu refers to as “position of disadvantage”. By training these unusual positions, you are less likely to get injured if you find yourself involuntarily put into those positions. You should do this with a gentle, gradual, well-balanced regimen of exercises.

Stretching and strengthening leg and shoulder girdle muscles are also important to a well-rounded back-exercise program. No area of the body works in isolation. The leg muscles (gluteal, hamstrings, quadriceps and adductors) attach to the pelvis and give stability to the lower back. The shoulder girdle muscles (trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus and pectorals) attach to the vertebrae in the neck and chest regions to provide the upper back with movement and stability.

Mobilizing, stretching, and strengthening the back muscles will keep you strong and pain-free in your every day activities as well as in your sport of choice. The next time you hear someone say the word "core", don't forget the body is three dimensional: Front, sides and back. Look for more articles on other aspects of the core in upcoming posts.

Phytochemicals: disease-fighting compounds in plants

Phytochemicals are naturally occurring compounds in plants and they constitute a vast and relatively untapped resource for natural healing. The nutritional curatives in fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and herbs represent one level of healing. The powerful plant compounds known as phytochemicals or phytonutrients are potent agents formed by nature to work with the body to fight disease. Drugs, by contrast, tend to work against it. Phytochemicals are powerful ammunition in the war against cancer, aging, and indeed most health disorders.

Among other things phytochemicals give plants their colour, flavour and natural resistance to disease. Tomatoes as an example, are believed to contain an estimated 10,000 different phytochemicals.

The best way to increase your intake if phytochemicals is through eating a variety of foods. Taking supplements does not have as much same benefit because phytochemicals have a synergistic effect. 

Take the case if the phytochemical called carotenoids. They work best in the presence of flavonoids when they are eaten together in the same foods. Phytochemicals react biochemically to one another within the plant, so the same holds true in the body. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables of all colours means you are getting the best cross-section of nutrients. The more colourful, the better!

The primary benefits of phytochemicals lie in their antioxidant properties and in aiding the body’s resistance to cancer. Antioxidants block the action of free radicals, which can damage cell contents and membranes. Antioxidants also protect the immune system.

Cancer is just one example of a disease caused by free radical damage; heart disease is another. Inflammation in the body can be hard to detect, yet it slowly attacks healthy tissues in the brain, arteries and joints, leading to a number of different illnesses and diseases. There are about 20 known anti-inflammatory phytochemicals which can reduce pain and inflammation from a variety of disorders, including gout. Phytochemicals help the body to repair damage already caused by inflammation.

Eat one serving daily from each of these phytonutrient-rich colour groups to prevent disease and premature aging:

Red: apples, beets, cherries, cranberries, kidney beans, plums, red bell peppers, radishes, raspberries, red cabbage, red grapes, strawberries, tomatoes, and/or watermelon

Orange or yellow: apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, pineapple, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, yams, and yellow or orange bell peppers

Green: asparagus, avocado, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage, celery, kale, kiwi, okra, spinach, watercress, and pretty much any leafy green vegetable!

Mixed: cauliflower, celery, eggplant, kohlrabi, parsnips, rutabaga, and turnips

One serving is equivalent to one medium-sized fruit, half a cup of raw or cooked vegetables, one cup of greens, half a cup of beans or peas, or a quarter cup of dried fruit.

There is a synergy among dietary antioxidants and combinations are more beneficial, as each antioxidant as special protective properties for particular body functions. Foods and products that combine two or more of these vital nutrients provide the most effective balance. Keep yourself well-armed against the ravages of free radical damage by eating a variety of plant foods. Doing so will bolster your body’s ability to prevent and fight disease.

On change and loss

“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.” –Gilda Radner

We all know that as the saying goes, change is the only constant and therefore we should expect the unexpected. But wow, sometimes change happens all at once. Clearly life is a cycle of ups and downs, with some flat lines in between. A small change here, a big change there. But only a matter of weeks into this new year there have already been so many changes it’s astounding!

Here they are in no particular order:

• Bought a house so now in the process of packing up
• The ownership of my beloved dojo has split: One partner leaving to go her own way, the other staying on to run the dojo solo.
• Someone close to me is diagnosed with breast cancer (thankfully, it was caught early).
• Physician of close to 30 years retires; her daughter takes over her practice
• Dental physician of over 25 years retires; young new dentist takes his place
• My winter bike finally bites the dust after 16 winters and many overhauls. Unbelievably, a new one is put together to replace it. Better and more robust.

Loss often accompanies change. In all these examples there is loss, even with the purchase of a new house: There is loss of the old house, the surrounding neighbourhood, the street. Good memories of long years spent there. The next chapter brings a fresh start, cleaning out of unused and unnecessary belongings, and starting over in a brand new setting.

The change in ownership of the dojo where I have taught and trained for the past 12 years has many ramifications. Some good, some bad, but there was initially an undeniable and profound sense of loss, and with it sadness and even anger. The feeling was not unlike how a child might feel when they learn their parents are getting a divorce. There is a grieving process that happens in which these various feelings must be acknowledged and worked through, and eventually let go. And we come out of this knowing that despite the short-term pain, there will be long-term gain, that in time, things will work out for the best.

The prognosis for the person with cancer is very promising. And thankfully the treatment should not be too onerous. There is much reason to be hopeful. Knowing that the disease was caught through mammogram testing serves as a reminder that this unpleasant process is, in fact, worth going through regularly.

The loss of the bike was significant. Having a winter bike allowed me more freedom as our household has only one car during the winter months. Most of my travels are within Barrhaven so a bike is a quick and easy, and might I add preferable, alternative to driving. And so it was a welcome surprise when my father-in-law suggested that one of our existing fleet of bikes might serve as a replacement and my husband, after initially scoffing at the idea, took it seriously and settled on his no-longer-used titanium single speed mountain bike as a viable replacement. It took considerable reworking and retooling to get my old coaster brake, fat-tire wheels, a new fork and sealed bottom bracket installed on the frame but the result was worth the trouble. And yes, somehow it fits!

I don’t know about delicious but the ambiguity is constant; we have no control over it. The only control we have is our reactions to them. So even if they don’t at first seem delicious, remember what a friend of mine often reminds me: that every adversity has within it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. 2016, I am looking forward to the many delicious benefits you have in store!

Acid-alkaline balance

I say this often, but when it comes to health, balance is everything. One aspect of balance you might not be aware of is the pH (potential for hydrogen) of your body. The body needs to maintain balance between alkalinity and acidity. The balance of acid and alkalis is essential for minute-to-minute functions and long-term survival. The pH value of the body’s fluids – blood, saliva, urine, and the fluids between and inside the cells – is an indication of the body’s state of health.

“The body is alkaline by design but acidic by function.” – Albert Szent-Gyogyi, Nobel Laureate and discoverer of vitamin C

The body’s metabolic processes produce enormous quantities of acid, and yet, in order to function properly, the cells and tissues require a slightly alkaline environment. This means that in order to maintain its health the body must neutralize or excrete the vast majority of acids that it produces. In a process known as homeostasis, healthy bodies maintain a narrow range of pH blood and tissue balance at all times. If this acid-alkaline balance gets out of balance – either too alkaline or too acidic – this means that the body is in danger of becoming unhealthy and increasingly susceptible to disease.

Chronic acid-alkaline imbalances lead to one of two states: alkalosis, a condition of excessive alkalinity in the body, or acidosis, a condition of excessive acidity. While extreme imbalances are relatively uncommon, even low levels of either condition can cause serious health problems if left unaddressed.

Of the two states, acidosis is by far the most common acid-base imbalance in the Western world. Due to the poor diets in our culture, low-grade acidizes is more the rule than the exception. The following is a list of common health disorders caused by or contributed to by acidosis.

• Impaired cellular function
• Fatigue
• Diminished immunity
• Inflammation
• Osteoporosis and other problems related to mineral loss
• Premature aging and accelerated aging muscle loss
• Problems with enzyme function

Ideally, your body should be slightly alkaline with an arterial blood pH reading of 7.35 to 7.45. We can help our bodies to maintain proper balance by our diet and lifestyle choices. To understand how the food you eat affects your body’s pH, it is necessary to recognize that foods leave behind what is known as an ash, or, an alkaline or acid compound after being consumed. It can be confusing because foods that themselves might be acidic, may leave alkaline (or base) compounds in the body. For example even though lemons and limes are thought of as acidic (they are), they have an alkalizing effect on the body.

By eating a balanced meal of alkalizing and acidifying substances, you can assist the body in maintaining homeostasis. Too many poor food choices lead to acidosis. To do this, you must have an understanding of the affect foods have on the body once they are consumed.

In general, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and spices, with green vegetables and root crops are alkalizing foods and will help correct an overly acidic internal environment. Meat, fish, poultry, milk and dairy products, refined and processed carbohydrates, coffee, soft drinks, and fast food are all acidifying. Also, natural sea salt is alkalizing whereas commercial table salt is highly acidifying.

Acid-alkaline balance is yet another reason to introduce balance into your daily diet. When the body enjoys pH balance, you experience radiant good health. When the body is out of kilter, the disease process begins. The key to a healthy pH is proper diet. I encourage you to explore further the acid-alkaline effects of foods. There are many books and online resources available including listings of specific foods. If you suspect you are out of balance, you can check your pH level yourself by testing your saliva and/or urine using pH strips available at your local pharmacy. In the meantime, choose your foods mainly from the alkalizing categories listed above.