Thanksgiving Day? Or Giving Thanks Daily!

In a quiet moment on Thanksgiving Day (yes, I found one or two!) I am reflecting on the name given to this day - Thanksgiving. Thanks for the giving - what is the giving? From whom or from whence does the giving come? What am I giving in thanks?

Within my own experience I feel disconnected when I am in the kitchen, making the cranberry sauce for the turkey that I will not be eating, smelling the flesh and stuffing as they cook. It may sound sad but it is real for me. I am drawing into the meaning of this Day of Thanks in our modern society, for myself, and possibly many others. Our relationship with food is often one of love/hate. It is very different from the early settlers in North America and the pagan traditions from which this has evolved. The food supply for them was uncertain from year to year, mine is certain, at least at this moment in time.

So what is it in our world now that is of uncertainty? What is it that is there in front of me, a scarcity, to which I am thankful? And how am I reciprocating to a Universe that is so generous to give so much?

I am dipping deep into myself and connecting . Oh the Blessings are many, countless. I offer up my Thanks to this Life, all experiences, all relationships, and the Guiding Hand that knows before I do what is necessary for the next step on the journey. From the turkey in the oven, to the leaves that have fallen from the trees, to the friends and family that share and support - THANKS. I "give" to you all that I have to offer. May my heart and door stay open to listen, feel and care.

Shanthi

mothering Mother in Daily Life Green Living Bites ~ A study has linked television viewing time and diabetes. For every 2 hours of TV time the risk of the disease goes up 20%. Is it exercise related? Is it food related? Even more reason to avoid the toxic box! ~While Emily tried a whole foods diet (see the Lean Cuisine article), Canadian Geographic is encouraging homes to go on a diet as well, an "Energy Diet." Think of your household consumption of energy as similar to your personal consumption of food, and enjoy the benefits of tightening the belt! See it here. ~ These times they are a changin'- Areas across the country are imposing legislation that will charge for plastic bags in-store, or eliminate their distribution altogether. But, don't wait around for lawmakers. Eradicate your need for plastic bags now! It is easier than ever to share mothering Mother bags with others - check out our Holiday Sale! Quick Links About Us Recipes Join Our List The mothering Mother newsletter seeks to address how integral food and its connection with the Earth is to our everyday lives. Eating healthy foods is easy if you buy healthy and natural ingredients. Get familiar with your produce and bulk bags. You do so much for others, now do something for yourself. Buy fresh produce, fresh seeds and nuts, and follow the recipe below to good and natural eating. Can we eat our way out of the environmental challenges? One thoughtful meal at a time. See the continued "Eating Our Way Out" article at the bottom of this newsletter. Share your joy for the world by using cotton mothering Mother bags and sharing your home cooked foods with others. Namaste Sydney Holiday Sale!!! Save up to 25% on Selected Bags! Now until 12/31 FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50 Buy online now! mothering Mother Blog For even more wholesome food for thought, presenting the mothering Mother blog! Check it out! From Lean Cuisine to Lentils: My month on a whole foods diet Emily Beatrice Smith As I write this, a large pot of lentils, carrots, and onions seasoned with thyme, pepper, and bay leaves simmers on the stove; Simon and Garfunkel plays in the background; and I sit in bed with a cup of tea - a lovely Sunday afternoon. This was not always my routine. One month ago I made the decision to go on a whole foods diet, meaning nothing processed. This represented a radical change for me. I was a self-proclaimed Lean Cuisine fanatic. I absolutely loved it. It tasted good, offered variety, and most of all could be nuked in 5 minutes flat (3 minutes for the Mediterranean Stir Fry). My approach to food was convenience. I would come home from work very hungry - the last thing I wanted to do was launch into an hour of complicated dinner prep with doubtful results. That's not to say I was the most unhealthy eater. My day usually started with a low fat yogurt or a bowl of cereal, a sandwich and chips for lunch, and of course the obligatory lean cuisine for dinner. Then one day, I read an article about what's in Lean Cuisines. The article concluded with the line, "Bottom line; Lean Cuisines are OK every once in a while, as long as you're not living off them." I did a quick self-assessment. I was living off Lean Cuisines. After talking with Sydney and doing a bit of online research, I decided to take on the challenge of a month without processed food. I thought I was changing my diet (and perhaps my waist line). Instead I found a change of mind and a sense of peace. For me there were three transformational aspects of the diet: the food itself; the practice of preparing the food; and, the impact of the food on my body. First, the food itself. When you eat a whole foods diet, your grocery cart becomes a basket of colors. I loved standing in the produce section picking through the zucchinis, squash, avocados, and tomatoes. Each vegetable was so unique - some misshapen, some overly large, others small, some with bumps, some without. It gave me a sense that the lettuce I was holding was a living thing, planted in soil and grown by the elements of the earth. This process of picking out the vegetables that were to come into my home gave me a feeling of connection with my food. The process of preparing the food became almost therapeutic. In my previous Lean-Cuisine-life the microwave had been the only tool I used in the kitchen. Now I found myself using every pot and pan in my cupboard (admittedly there aren't many) and dicing, simmering, and stirring like a champ. I found I loved watching my food transform before my eyes. Preparing oatmeal for breakfast or couscous for dinner became a quiet part of the day when I could reflect and breathe instead of rushing to sit in front of the TV. Finally, my body had an overwhelmingly positive response to eating whole foods. I didn't feel sluggish or bloated after meals; I didn't need to exercise serious portion control (as the produce was pretty innocent in terms of calories); and, as an added bonus, I lost a few pounds. But above all I really adopted a new attitude towards my body. Before, I respected my body, but often thought if I could just fix this part, make this part a little smaller, make that part a little bigger. Once I started thinking through with each meal how I was going to nourish my body, my relationship with it changed. Now, my body was something I cared for and nurtured. I realized after a few weeks that those previous thoughts of judgment had slowly started to be replaced with a feeling of happy acceptance and love towards the body I lived in every day....flaws and all. After a month, I truly feel I have just scratched the surface of this way of life. Although I will probably begin to reintroduce some processed foods, such as bread, I am committed to the new natural lifestyle this diet has given me. Lentil Stew This recipe is an alteration of a recipe by Isa Chandra. The weather has been vacillating between warm and cold, and after reading the first sentence of Emily's article, I just had to put some lentils on to simmer. This stew has deep flavors with a hint of hot spice at the end. Leftover stew is wonderful! It has a sweet taste the next day. Have it for lunch with a grain and add a green vegetable to the pan when warming it up, for added goodness! Flavorful Lentil Stew 1 cup lentils (green or brown or French) 6 cups water 1 cup diced yellow onion 2 carrots, diced 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 T fresh ginger, grated 2 T ghee or olive oil 1 ½ cups diced tomatoes (tinned or fresh) 2 T tomato sauce ½ cup tomato juice (if using tinned tomatoes) 1 ½ cups vegetable stock 1 t salt Spice Blend 2 t ground cumin 2 t paprika ½ t fenugreek, ground or seeds ½ t dried thyme ½ t ground cardammon 1/8 t ground cloves 1/8 t ground allspice 1/8 t ground cinnamon 1/8 t cayenne pepper t=teaspoon T=tablespoon Rinse the lentils well in a strainer under running water. Put them in a saucepan with the water, bring to the boil, cover and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 45 minutes. When lentils are cooked, and the mixture below is ready, strain the lentils and add to the soup. In a large saucepan over a medium heat melt the ghee butter, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and spice blend and cook for 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Add remaining ingredients and the strained lentils. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a very low simmer for 40 minutes. Ideally it is best for the stew to sit before serving. This allows the spices and lentils to develop further flavor. As well the lentils become more digestible with the long slow simmer. Serve with a cooked grain, or corn bread, and cooked green vegetables. Enjoy the warmth of the spices and the wholesomeness of the lentils. Eating Our Way Out (Part 8) Sydney MacInnis Founder mothering Mother Holistic Nutritionist and Yoga Instructor So much to do, so little time! So much to buy, so little money! Time and money are two commodities that seem to be on the shortage list for many. Or should I say for most. What is it that we do with all of this time? What keeps us so busy? Do you ever ask this question? I have, many times, especially when I was busy running like a crazy lady and a crazy mother, constantly thinking about the next moment. I started to ask what it was all about. I started to ask why it was like this, and did it have to stay like this? The running around and busyness increased with conveniences. Plastic bags are an innovation that have played a role in this lifestyle. They have had their day. Despite their short 40 years of existence, they will be forever remembered. Every bag that was ever made still exists; these bags will outlive each of us, our children and generations upon generations thereafter. In fact they never go away, they only break down into smaller and smaller pieces. And the small pieces make their way into the systems of marine life, wild life, and us! We are connected with Mother Nature and the struggle will be shared amongst all of us. Like a food consumed in excess can create an intolerance in the body, the excess bag consumption has become intolerable. Perhaps before it is creating great discomfort for humans, it is creating difficulties for marine life, where over 80% of marine garbage is plastic bags. When we discuss the cost of a plastic bag, we are only looking at the front end of that purchase, only looking at what it cost to create that bag and ship it. The real and much greater cost is at the back end- the disposal and recycling of the bags. Over 90% of plastic bags do not make it to recycling. Plastic bags for recycling pay out very poorly, making it difficult to justify the work involved in collection. The average bag is used for 12 minutes. Is it time to look at the cost of the lifetime of a bag? While attending a town council meeting discussing a proposed ban of plastic bags, I heard the words "convenience for the customer". While attending a marketing meeting for mothering Mother, I heard the word "convenience" again. Convenient according to whom? The person grabbing take out for lunch, or the sea turtle with a half ingested bag? What is convenient in the moment is ultimately creating great "inconvenience". We have the ability to shift from the place where we are. How we shift really depends on the talk that we give to ourselves and the value we place on an act. Doing for another shifts an act from the head to the heart, and acts from the heart flow with ease. It is from this place that we can make decisions and complete actions that ring true and ring through. Peace to all, Life to all, Love to all. * Happy Thanksgiving - Namaste *Words of Yogi Bhajan

Listen to the Salutation of the Dawn

Listen to the Salutation of the Dawn!
Look to the Day!
For it is Life, the very Life of Life.
  In its brief course lie all the Verities
           and Realities of our Existence:
           The Bliss of Growth.
           The Glory of Action.
           The Spendour of Beauty.
For Yesterday is but a Dream,
And To-morrow is only a Vision;
But To-day well-lived makes every
           Yesterday a Dream of Happiness.
And every To-morrow a Vision of Hope.
Look well therefore to this Day!
Such is the Salutation of the Dawn.

From the Sanskrit

Pumpkin Pancakes

And the pumpkin blitz continues! Yes, if I am going to cook pumpkin in the oven and have the puree on hand, I am going to use it in a variety of ways. Here are some ways to compliment the Pumpkin Pancakes:

• make orange butter by blending together grated orange zest and soft unsalted butter
• make cranberry sauce (see "Cranberry Sauce" post), keeping it tart, and then add a little maple syrup when topping the pancake
• top with chopped walnuts or chopped pecans
• top with the standby, delicious, good quality pure maple syrup!

Pumpkin Pancakes
2 cups soft whole wheat flour
1 T sucanat *
1 T baking powder
1 t salt
2 t pumpkin spice **
2 cups milk (cow, rice), or 1 cup soy milk & 1 cup water
1/2 cup pumpkin puree***
1 egg or equivalent substitute****
2 T safflower oil or melted butter
t = teaspoon
T = tablespoon

Sift the flour, sucanat, baking powder, salt and spice together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine the milk, puree, egg and butter or oil. Pour the combined wet ingredients over the dry and mix gently with a hand whisk, being careful not to over mix.

Cook the pancakes on a medium heat. If they seem too thick, and are not cooking thoroughly, then add a little more milk to thin the batter down.

Keep warm in the oven until finished cooking all of the batter. Serve with the your favorite toppings (see list above) and enjoy a seasonal pancake experience!

*Sucanat is an unrefined sugar that is available at most health food stores. The name sucanat is a brand name for this whole cane sugar. It is dark in color and contains the natural molasses that is in the sugar cane

**Pumpkin Spice  

Combine the following spices:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

***See "How to Bake Pumpkin" post for homemade puree
****See ""Eggless" Egg Proportions" post for egg-free pancakes

Shanthi

Cranberry Sauce

It is very easy to make cranberry cranberry sauce, and it has a very different taste and texture from the tinned sauce. Fresh cranberries are available in the produce section of most grocery stores, especially at this time of year!

Cranberry Sauce
2 cups cranberries, rinsed and picked over to remove soft berries
1/4 cup unrefined sugar
1 t grated orange rind
1/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed best!)
1/4 t cinnamon
t = teaspoon

Put the rinsed berries and the sugar in a saucepan over a medium low heat. Gently shake the pan every couple of minutes as the sugar begins to liquify and the berries begin to pop. After 8 minutes add the grated rind and juice. Turn the heat to low, add the cinnamon, and let the sauce gently simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon to squish the berries. Simmer for 5 minutes. Take a small taste of the sauce and adjust the sugar if necessary. The sauce is ideally a blend of the tart berries, lightly sweetened with the sugar to take off the tart edge and then the orange to give it an extra zing. Allow to cool in the pan.

Taste the sauce again when it is at room temperature. If it requires further sweetening, use a liquid sweetener such as maple syrup. If it is too thick then add more of the orange juice. Enjoy with acorn squash that has been baked and filled!

Shanthi

"Eggless" Egg Proportions

1 egg = 2 fluid ounces (approximately)

To replace 1 egg use one of the following combinations:

1 1/2 ounces apple puree (applesauce) or banana puree (mashed banana)
1/2 ounce fat (either safflower oil or melted butter)

This replacement results in food that has a texture and taste similar to foods that are cooked with eggs.

5 Stars to Starbucks!

I went into Starbucks while traveling, bringing in my reusable travel mug, to have filled with green tea. To my delight Starbucks is monetarily acknowledging their thanks to those customers who bring in a reusable cup and save them the cost of a throw away cup. As a result the green tea cost $.27! Wow! The saleswoman said that the charge would have been $2.21. So... this left me open to donate the difference to an MS donation cup that was sitting on the Starbucks counter. Instead of contributing to the 30 million coffee cups that are thrown away daily in the USA, I was able to give my money to help the world, not hinder it!

Thanks Starbucks! Tell me of your coffee or tea story. Let's inspire one another.

Shanthi

Sea Vegetable Kale Salad

1 bunch kale

1/2 cup arame or hijiki (sea vegetables), rehydrated in plenty of filtered water for 30 plus minutes, at room temperature

1/2 cup grated carrot

4 scallions, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (leaves only)

1/3 cup dried cranberries, rehydrated in warm filtered water for 30 minutes

1/4 cup sesame seeds, lightly roasted

Dressing

2 T sesame oil

2 T toasted sesame oil

1 lemon, squeezed

2 T tamari

2 T mirin or honey

Salt, ground pepper

Rehydrate the arame or hijiki and the cranberries in water. No simmering or boiling is necessary. The cranberries are best with warmed water and the sea vegetables are fine with room temperature water.

Wash the kale and remove the soft leaves from the hard stem that runs up the center. Lightly chop the kale and then stir fry it very lightly in a wok or frying pan. A little water in the pan from the kale is fine. At this stage be careful not to overcook the kale. It will continue to cook when removed from the pan so allow for this. Let the kale cool.

Into a salad bowl add the rinsed arame or hijiki, the carrot, scallion, avocado, cilantro and cranberries. Add the kale when cooled. Toss generously with the dressing, it is okay if the avocado softens during this movement. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top just before serving.

This salad is fine to sit with the dressing for a couple of hours in advance of a meal. The dressing can help to continue the softening of the kale and the flavor of the dressing will penetrate into the sea vegetable (arame or hijiki) and the land vegetables!

Enjoy the flavor and nutrition that is offered in leafy greens and mineral dense sea vegetables!

Namaste,

Sydney

Plastic Bag Ban

On November 13th (which is this coming Sunday) the town of Southampton, NY will be putting the 'Plastic Bag Ban' into effect. After this date, people violating this new law will face a fine up to $2,000 and the possibility of spending two weeks in jail.

Here's an interesting fact about this new law… It only bans thin plastic bags that are used in grocery and drug stores. While it's exciting to focus on this accomplishment, it makes you wonder why plastic bags specifically made for produce are exempt from this law- isn't a plastic bag a plastic bag, be it within the store or at the check-out? At mothering Mother™ we sell reusable cotton produce bags in a variety of sizes, inspiring you to buy as many fruits and vegetables while avoiding the use of plastic.

Do you know how much is costs to dispose of plastic bags? Did you know that between 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are used each year? Take a quick glance at this post, informing people about what is required to produce and deposit plastic bags.

Additionally, here is a list of countries and cities that have banned plastic bags- the list is missing a few cities, such as Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Francisco.

The push for the ban on plastic bags has been spreading, and for anyone that wants to get involved and is living in or near the Westchester, NY Area, there is a Public Hearing in Rye, NY on Wednesday, November 16th, at 8pm. The meeting will be held at City Hall, and I urge you to be a part of this important movement!

-Katie

Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf

Wow, 2 dessert type recipes and no savoury recipes to balance it out! The night that I made the loaf I also made sweet potato soup. It was a very orange day! For the soup I went to the mothering Mother website, http://motheringmother.com/Recipes/, rather than pulling out the tired hand written recipe.

The oven was on for some homemade pita pizzas so I cooked up some fresh pumpkin for the loaf. The cranberries were left over from Canadian Thanksgiving (Columbus Day weekend in the US) and were calling out to be used soon. Most cranberry loaf recipes call for oranges, and look dry. The mixture of the moist pumpkin with the tart cranberries and a little sweetness from the raisins and the loaf itself, make this a loaf that does not require additional butter for flavor or moisture.

The ground pumpkin spice brought the flavors together. I bought the spice using the mothering Mother mini sealed bulk bag from a store that sells bulk herbs and spices. Some of the spice did not fit into a jar and so the aroma from the cotton bag was wafting into the kitchen for several days! You do not have to have pumpkin spice. A homemade alternative is listed at the bottom of the recipe.

Halloween is coming, Thanksgiving (US) is coming! Enjoy the magic of savoury root vegetables!

Shanthi Shanthi

Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf

Ingredients:2 cups flour (half whole wheat and half white flour)
3/4 cup sucanat sugar
1 Tablespoon turbinado sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup safflower oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup chopped cranberries
1/2 cup raisins

Sift together the dry ingredients (the first 6 ingredients) and lightly whisk together the wet ingredients (pumpkin, eggs, oil). Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and gently whisk together.

Using a spatula fold in the half of the pecans, cranberries and raisin.

Spoon into the loaf pan and smooth the top with a knife.Sprinkle the remaining pecans on the top.

Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325F, cover and bake a further 20-30 minutes, until it is completely baked.

How to Bake Pumpkin

Slice a baking pumpkin in half, removed the seeds and place it cut side down into an oven proof glass dish with an eighth of an inch of water at the bottom.

Bake in a 325F oven.

When outside of the pumpkin is soft with the press of a finger, take it out of the oven and remove the soft flesh from inside the pumpkin. Cool slightly, then puree.

For an alternative stove top cooking method, see Simple Squash Lunch.

Pumpkin Spice

Combine the following spices:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Namaste,

Sydney

Sydney's Granola

Sydney's Granola

Making granola in your home ensures freshness while also reducing costs. Buy your ingredients with mothering Mother bags at a store that offers good quality ingredients. Measure, stir, bake and enjoy!

Now a video to walk you through the process, and to enhance your understanding of good nutrition coming from your own hands! 

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup almonds, chopped
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 rounded t vanilla
1 rounded t cinnamon
1/2 t salt 
Dried fruit (raisins, dates, apricots)

Warm the oil and syrup over low heat. Remove and add vanilla. In a large glass dish, such as Pyrex, combine remaining ingredients, except the dried fruit. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well to coat all grains. Bake in a 300F oven, stirring every 20 minutes, for 45min to 1 hour.
Let cool completely. Add dried fruit, if desired, and mix to combine. Store in airtight containers. To avoid rancidity, eat within 3 weeks.

This is good as a cereal or snack. Makes approx 6 cups.