Alkaline Eats – Vegetable and Tofu Hot Pot

A friend of mine told me about the Alkaline diet a couple of months ago, I started reading up on it as soon as I got home and have been trying to incorporate as many alkaline foods into our diet each day.

Alkaline food is easier than acidic food on the digestive system since it matches the pH of the blood. And it’s believed that cancer cannot live in an alkaline environment, so the more fresh veggies and fruits you’re eating, the better. Of course, it’s all about balance. Acidic foods, like beans, nuts, and wine, have health benefits too. But it’s all about the balance.

Here is a great recipe I found great way to try tofu for the first time 😀

Vegetable and Tofu Hot Pot
adapted from Eating the Alkaline Way, by Natasha Corrett and Vicki Edgson

1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil or ghee
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
2-3 carrots, in rounds
2-4 new potatoes, in small cubes
1 cup diced butternut squash (or more depending)
1 cup diced red peppers
3 2/3 cups vegetable broth
2 sprigs thyme
4 ounces cubed tofu
miso to taste

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and sauté onions until translucent. Add rest of vegetables and sauté for a minute or two. Then add broth and thyme and bring to a boil. Then turn heat to low, cover pot and let simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add tofu and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Dissolve desired miso in some warm water. Serve soup into bowls, and then add miso to bowls.

Don’t add the miso when it’s too hot or it will destroy the digestive properties.

Enjoy!

Focused on balancing the body’s pH content, Eating the Alkaline Way is both a cookbook and a lifestyle guide that promotes healthy living. Written by organic gourmet vegetarian cook Natasha Corrett and leading nutritional therapist Vicki Edgson, it’s packed with recipes, tips, and tricks for tracking daily alkaline and acid intake. They clearly explain the principles and benefits of keeping a balanced diet, the role played by vitamins, carbs, and protein; how to identify alkalizing and acid-forming food; and how an alkaline diet nourishes the body without stressing the digestive system. Flavorful recipes cover everything from a morning smoothie to salads, entrees, and even a good-night snack!

Savoy Cabbage Slaw with Papaya and Pomegranate

 

Savoy Cabbage Slaw with Papaya & Pomegranate
Yield: 4 med sized servings or two really large ones (double recipe for a crowd)
organic produce is recommended
3 cups savoy cabbage, finely shredded
2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup jicama, julienne sliced
1 cup papaya, julienne sliced
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup raw macadamia nuts, either whole or roughly chopped
4 tbsp lime juice
finely grated zest of one half lime
3 tbsp cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, organic preferrably
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
pinch sea salt
1 watermelon radish, julienne cut, optional as garnish
Method
Finely shred cabbages with a sharp knife or a food processor and toss together in large bowl.  Julienne (slice in thin slivers) the jicama and the papaya and set aside.  Combine lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, maple syrup and sea salt and wisk well to combine.  Toss cabbage with dressing, adding the jicama slivers,  then carefully folding in the papaya & the pomegranate seeds so as not to crush them.  Garnish with watermelon radish and macadamia nuts. Enjoy!

This is a wonderful recipe for a crowd as you can make an enormous bowl of it by doubling the recipe and it almost always gets eaten up.  I have had the left overs the next day when there’s been some, it’s still tasty but it’s not nearly as crunchee.  So remember, if you don’t think the whole lot will be consumed don’t toss it all with the dressing, just toss 1/2 and then toss more if needed.   During the week, it’s also handy to  have the cabbage & jicama shredded in the fridge as they keep well for a few days and then just add the papaya & pomegranate and the dressing which will also keep 2-3 days

http://www.alkalinesisters.com

 

Depression

 

 

We Drink Because We’re Poets posted this on facebook yesterday, I wanted to share it here.

As one commenter said that the above statement was “hauntingly beautiful and painfully true.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Many people who suffer from Depression can seem happy on the outside but on the inside are fighting a daily battle of severe and persistent feelings of worthlessness, self-blame, sadness and hopelessness.

A major depressive disorder — usually just called “depression” — is different than the “blues”. Someone experiencing depression is grappling with feelings of severe despair over an extended period of time. Almost every aspect of their life can be affected, including their emotions, physical health, relationships and work. For people with depression, it does not feel like there is a “light at the end of the tunnel” — there is just a long, dark tunnel.
Canadian Mental Health Association