More chewing, fewer calories.

I’ve been saying this for years. It’s a worthwhile tool to have in your toolbox!

I’ve recently moved and have been weeding through boxes (and boxes) of papers to simply and consolidate my life. Among some of my findings, a locavore-inspired poem from July 2009:

How about food
like our ancestors had
lush, plump tomatoes
red as the turtle’s eye
a special treasure
to celebrate summer.

Put back your pale, bouncing love apples!
Let the Chileans have their fruit this January.

Once I plucked a cherry from a tree growing on the corner of 65th and 20th.

Sweeter than ever I’d had
My complimentary gift from Mother Earth.

Send back your plastic vessels
of shiny, tasteless produce.
I tire of kiwi
that has traveled more than I.

Send me to the garden
like a pirate or a spy!
Let me hunt my own booty
and wash my own prize!
Save your waxes for your candles
My cuke is handsome as is.
My oranges grow across the street.
It doesn’t get sweeter than this.

The picture you see here is of me, after my first marathon, sitting in a tub of ice in a Portland, Oregon hotel.  It was 2003.

It took me some time to warm up to the idea of an ice bath (pun intended). I detested the cold and had no intention of ever placing myself in a freezing environment if I could help it. During training for my first marathon, I would hear my coach recommend ice baths to his clients, and I shuddered at the thought. Finally, after one particularly difficult training run,  my achy, stiff legs finally convinced me to try otherwise.

It was so worth it.

The day this photo was taken, I had finished my first and worst marathon ever. I was in a lot of pain. Sitting in this tub was like dousing a match in a cool glass of water. It was absolute, instant relief. It’s not always that dramatic  (nor should it be!) but the oft dreaded ice bath will consistently allow your muscles to recover faster and reduce soreness by curbing inflammation resulting from microtears in the tissue.  It is well worth ten minutes of discomfort, I promise!

That said, after hearing tales of runners prepping the tub and hopping in butt naked (and right back out!) I thought it may be important to share the best and easiest way to give yourself an ice bath. This comes from years of personal experience and a healthy aversion to the cold.

1) Suit up! Only your legs need to be submerged, which means you get to wear hats, gloves, and sweaters on the top half to keep your core nice and warm.  Note the stunning model below:

2) Place an inch or so of warm water in the bottom of the tub. This warms the porcelain and offers a nice transitional phase into the ice bath.

3) Hop into the tub, half-dressed, and turn the handle all the way to cold. Let the water rise until it is just above your thighs.

4) Dump in 2-3 bags of ice as the finishing touch.  Bathe for 5-10 minutes, distracting yourself with a good book, that upcoming trip to Hawaii, reliving the glory of your athletic prowess, or conversation with a close friend who is sitting atop toilet next to you.

5) Polish it off with a nice, warm shower and a happy dance!

While I do not have enough personal experience to strongly advocate the “paleo diet”, this video also speaks to advocates of the slow food movement, organic sustainable living, and a return to natural foods, which I am a STRONG advocate of.  Please view and enjoy!

A few weeks ago I posted about the benefits of consuming healthy cultures and  dairy-free probiotic options. This week I stumbled upon something to help you get started with pickling at home — a free kimchi/sauerkraut maker is being given away at Nourishedkitchen.com!

Check it out! Click here to enter!

This afternoon I received notification that my kombucha tweet perked the eyes of one FoodRenegade.

Curious, I peeked around and found a lovely blog filled with all sorts of sound, rebellious nutrition advice. Like bucking the system and eat your food as close to the way nature created it.

She has some pretty fine grass-fed beef on her hands, which she is giving away in a drawing on her blog. Seems like a good deal to me!

Check it out.

If you happen to win, invite me over for dinner!

Last night I carved my first turkey. Having emerged back into carnivorism after 15 years meat-free, this was a genuinely novel experience. My inner scientist was reliving memories from the cadaver lab in college, my inquisitive child was exploring the newness of the entire experience, and my 15 year old vegan self was in shock, then likely passed out completely since I heard no word from her.

I clumsily picked apart the bird and was left with the bones. A perfect, perfect excuse for homemade soup stock.

Making soup stock from bones is powerful medicine. The long cooking time in stock allows the heat of the water to penetrate the bone, releasing really potent nutrition into the stock. What is leftover is nothing short of medicine — cures for the common cold, liquid bone-building nutrition, numerous nutrients that can penetrate into our bodies and revitalize, nourish, and rebuild us during these dormant winter months.

Below is a stock recipe which the household turkey is contributing to. Again I have an opportunity to give thanks for its life and maximise its gift to the household. Again I have a chance to be grateful for such nourishment and celebrate its life by going forth and celebrating my own.

Reduced Fat Turkey Stock:

• 1 Organic turkey carcass
• 10 to 12 cups water
• 1/2 cup carrot slices
• 1 celery rib, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 burdock root, scrubbed clean and chopped
• 1/2 large onion, cut into chunks
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 small whole dried red pepper
• 2 sprigs rosemary (or 1 tbsp. dried)
• 1 sprig sage (or 2 tsp. dried)
• 1/2 tbsp. dried oregano
• 4-8 whole peppercorns
• sea salt to taste (or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos if you tolerate soy well)

Place broken bits of turkey in a large soup pot over medium-high heat and cover with water by at least an inch. Add carrots, celery, burdock, onion, garlic and herbs and spices. Cover and bring slowly to a boil; reduce heat to low and skim off any scum on surface. It is important to simmer your stock and do not continue to let it boil. This leads to a richer tasting stock. Furious bubbling breaks up particles and causes clouding also. Cover the pot and simmer approximately 3 to 4 hours.

Remove from heat to strain. To remove smaller bits in the stock pour the liquid through a fine mesh sieve placed over a large pot. Discard turkey bones, meat, and vegetables. Place stock into shallow containers and refrigerate immediately. Refrigerate soup stock overnight and skim any congealed fat from the surface in the morning.

The stock will last for about a week in the fridge. You can freeze the stock and it should maintain taste and quality for about three months. This nutritive stock can be used for turkey soup, as the liquid for boiling brown rice or other whole grains, or as a healing broth for the ill over the winter season.

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Last Night’s pizza moves.

My guts churn in agony;

Lesson learned again.

I’m doing some spring cleaning in my home and finding many lovely recipes that have yet to be transferred online. Expect to receive a barrage of posts for various new and tasty foods shortly!