Steaming
 

Steaming is one way to prepare simple, clean-tasting vegetables. Steaming takes 5-10 minutes for green leafy vegetables, and 10-25 minutes for roots. All you need is a steaming basket and a pot with a lid, filled with about 2 inches of water.

 

Steamers come in a variety of forms. The stainless steel fold-up variety fits inside a pot to keep the vegetables above water. Some pots are specifically made with holes in the bottom for steaming over another pot of water. To steam vegetables, simply follow these steps:

 

Wash vegetables
Chop vegetables (the smaller the size, the faster they will cook)
Bring water to a boil
Place vegetables in a steaming basket over water and cover
Steam until they become bright in color or have reached desired texture
Remove vegetables from pot and run under cool water
 

 

Some ways to add variety to steamed vegetables:

 

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil or toasted sesame oil to every 2 cups of greens
Add 2 bay leaves or 1 teaspoon cumin seeds to the water
Sprinkle greens with toasted pumpkin, sesame, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, or walnuts
Sprinkle greens with fresh herbs: mint, dill, basil, parsley, cilantro, scallions
Use tamari soy sauce or umeboshi vinegar to add extra flavor
Squeeze fresh lemon juice over them to add some zing and don't forget the zest!
 

 

When you think about healthy eating, salads and green vegetables usually come to mind. But how about adding a little more variety to your plan?

Roots like carrots, sweet potatoes, and turnips, are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels like refined sweet foods do, they help regulate them.

Why Eat More Root Veggies?

Long roots – carrots, parsnips, burdock, and daikon radish – are excellent blood purifiers and can help improve circulation in the body. Round roots – turnips, radishes, beets, and rutabagas – nourish the stomach, spleen, pancreas, and reproductive organs.

Can I get an Amen?

Which root vegetables do you eat most?

If you’re like most of the world, it’s carrots and potatoes. Here are a few others to explore:

Beets contain an abundance of antioxidants and are highly detoxifying.
Burdock is considered a powerful blood purifier. This long, thin veggie is a staple in Asian and health food stores.
Celeriac, also known as celery root, is rich in fiber and with a respectable amount of antioxidants.
Jicama is crunchy and refreshing and contains a generous amount of vitamin C. It’s a favorite in its native Mexico and South America.
Onions are rich in antioxidants and other phytonutrients, making them prized for their ability to strengthen the immune system.
Parsnips, which look like giant white carrots, boast a sweet, earthy taste. They’ve also got plenty of fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, niacin, thiamine, magnesium, and potassium.
Radish is an excellent source of vitamin C. It’s also rich in calcium, molybdenum, and folic acid.
Sweet Potatoes contain unsurpassed levels of beta-carotene and are also rich in vitamin C, phytonutrients, and fiber.
Excited to add more roots to your diet? Here’s a fun, easy recipe:

Roasted Root Vegetables
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25-35 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

1 sweet potato
2 parsnips
2 carrots
2 turnips or 1 large rutabaga
1 daikon radish (or substitute/add in other favorites, like squash)
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
herbs: rosemary, thyme or sage (fresh if possible)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash and dice all vegetables into bite-sized cubes.

Place in a large baking dish with sides.

Drizzle with olive oil; mix well to coat each vegetable lightly with oil.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs.

Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden brown, checking every 10 minutes to stir and make sure veggies are not sticking.

Tip: Any combination of vegetables will work. Roasting only one kind of vegetable also makes a nice side dish.

Who knew that assuming a certain posture created a certain attitude? I had never given this idea any thought. Going through my day, it never occurred to me that by holding myself differently I might behave differently. Parents tell their children “Stand up straight”, but they don’t say why and they don’t say how.

When I first began meditation, it all started in the mind and then the breath. There is a lot to think about and I had not really learned how to sit while I meditated. It’s so important to understand this part of the exercise and with the instructions, it seems difficult, but we just need to think about one thing. Gravity. It’s already there and Gravity can do the work for us. We don’t have to do a lot. We put our body in alignment with itself and let gravity do the work. When I first learned this I was pleased to know that I just had to get one thing right and let physics do the rest. While reading The Posture of Meditation, The word Gravity kept being repeated and the Obsessive Compulsive side of me fought to stop reading and count the times Gravity is mentioned in this book. “STOP IT I SAY!”

It’s there for a reason. It’s the one thing that will make your sitting a success.  The Posture of meditation allows us to soften our tough outer shell and open our hearts.

I’ve noticed a lot of pictures going around the internet lately making fun of people who don’t fit into a certain mold of how society as a whole thinks they should. I heard a man say he purposely wanted to shame women into being more “healthy” because he wanted a better pool of choices for dating.  I find this behavior repulsive. To the point that I feel called to make a counter point. If you think someone is too fat, too skinny, too old to wear that, too ugly to act happy- Then this if for you. If you believe in “Live and Let Live” enjoy the Smack Down.

1-It’s Mean- And you are a Bully. We know that when you try to hurt someone and show the world how flawed another is, it’s because you are filled with fear of the world finding out who you really are and that is scary, because there is something dark there. Hurting another person is not a good thing and somewhere, deep down, you know this, so you try to shift the eyes off yourself and on to someone who you think will take the heat off you. But it’s not working and we see you there. YOU ARE A COWARD.
2-You don’t know their Story- Sometimes people are trying desperately to be healthy. Imagine working out at the gym and seeing someone taking a picture of you. Probably not going to go back. Can you possibly know what has happened in a life that gets someone to that place?  What happened to you? Something happened to make you hate strangers so badly. Let’s work on that. And when you are perfect, be a shining example to us all. Until then, what is one thing you can do to make the world a better place? Just be nice.
3-It’s none of your business-If you weren’t asked, and we know you weren’t, then go on your way. You’re only making yourself look pathetic. Makes us all wonder what you’re hiding. If a person wants to make a change, they should be given the tools and resources to make it happen. And if a person is happy, Be happy with them. You can do this. Don’t make me get off my unicorn.

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