I posted a picture of this yummy soup on Facebook, and I am now posting the recipe in response to a few requests. The weather has turned nippy, and I could think of no better use of my time in the kitchen this evening than making a rich, warming soup. As usual, this was pretty spontaneous, and my measurements are estimations. Adjust it however you like. I used all organic ingredients and grass-fed local meat.
Ingredients:
1 heaping tsp ghee (clarified butter) or virgin coconut oil or real butter
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, crushed and minced (allow to sit for a few minutes before cooking)
1 head of cauliflower
1.5 cups red lentils, rinsed
1 cup homemade beef or other jus or broth (mine was leftover from a roast)
1 tsp (or more) curry powder
1 large bay leaf
1 can coconut milk
1 can or 1 cup of cooked pumpkin (or any winter squash)
Sea salt to taste
1 pound ground lamb
2 cups fresh arugula
Directions:
In a large soup pot, heat oil on medium to medium-high, and saute onions for a few minutes. Then add cauliflower and 1 clove garlic. Let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth or jus as well as curry powder. Cook for 3-5 more minutes. Add lentils and water to cover the mixture by a couple of inches. Add bay leaf and bring to a boil. Turn down and let simmer for 30 min.
Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet, cook ground lamb, cutting into small chunks with spatula. When meat is sufficiently browned, drain off excess drippings and save. Add garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin and sea salt to meat and stir. Add arugula and continue to saute until it wilts. You may turn the burner off and cover before the arugula is ready, as it will continue to wilt with the heat of the pan.
When the lentils have cooked, add salt, pumpkin and coconut milk and stir. Allow mixture to fully warm and remove from heat. Remove the bay leaf. With a stick blender, puree the contents of the soup pot unitl smooth. Pour into bowls and add about 1/3 cup lamb/arugula mixture.Remember that the lamb is not alone as a protein source here. The lentils are providing protein, not to mention a nice hit of fiber.
Enjoy this not only warming (because of the temp and spices), but detoxifying soup. Curry improves phase 2 liver detoxification, and the fiber from the lentils ensures that toxins trying to leave the body actually do make it out through the back door, so to speak. If they don't make it out, as with low fiber diets, they go back into circulation, making the liver do the work all over again and use up precious antioxidants. Cauliflower and arugula, being cruciferous vegetables, also particularly support detoxification (or biotransformation) via increasing the livers ability to clear excess estrogens from the body; This helps prevent estrogen-related cancers, like those of the breast and ovaries. All of this fiber from the veggies and lentils, as well as fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) from the coconut milk feeds the good bacteria of your colon. These bacteria are critical to health maintenance on many levels. Aside from all of that, all of the foods used in this recipe are highly nutrient- and antioxidiant- rich. Remember that your metabolism essentially runs on nutrients and antioxidants. Each step of every metabolic pathway requires multiple nutrients to happen correctly. When we don't have quite enough (or nearly enough, as is the case with those eating a Standard American Diet) nutrients to support all of our metabolic pathways, nourish our cells and tissues and support detoxification, chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancers and even autoimmune diseases begin to set up.
I know you would have enjoyed this soup regardless without knowing all of this; however, I hope that you will enjoy it even more, knowing just how good you are being to not only your tastebuds, but your body. Every meal really does matter, since it is what you do most of the time that defines your health and future.
Namaste.
Here is a piece on GMOs that I wrote for Nuvita LLC. I work as a health coach for Nuvita, and I am so lucky to have a job where I can teach the truth about heathy eating and living to so many people at once!
Chances are, you are eating genetically modified organisms
(GMOs) every day, and don’t even know it. GMOs are organisms, which have
undergone specific changes to their DNA, with the intention of making them
resistant to herbicides (used to kill the weeds around them) and resistant to
insects (by producing their own insecticide). A growing
body of peer-reviewed studies link genetically engineered foods to allergies
and other health problems. Despite these warnings, long-term health studies
have not been conducted, and the US FDA requires no health or safety testing --
even though the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association
say testing should be mandatory. The companies claim their genetically
engineered foods are safe, but many people are skeptical of these studies
because the companies are allowed to control the science and suppress research.
While we wait for independent studies, it is wise to avoid GMO foods, which
unfortunately, have been in our food supply for the past 20 years.
Here are just a
few examples of study findings on GM-food crops that prove reasonable doubt of
their safety. All of these studies included a control group, which was fed the
non-GM version of the GM-food crop being tested.
·Rats fed GM tomatoes developed stomach lesions
(sores or ulcers). This tomato, Calgene’s Flvr Svr, was the first commercialized
GM food.
·Mice fed GM soy over their lifetime (24 months)
showed more acute signs liver aging than the control group fed non-GM soy.
·Rats fed GM Bt maize over three generations
suffered damage to liver and kidneys and alterations in blood biochemistry.
·GM Bt maize DNA was found to survive processing
and was detected in the digestive tract of sheep. This raises the possibility
that the antibiotic resistance gene in the maize could move into gut bacteria,
an example of horizontal gene transfer.In this case, horizontal gene transfer could produce
antibiotic-resistant disease-causing bacteria (“superbugs”) in the gut.
·Rats fed GM oilseed rape (canola) developed
enlarged livers, often a sign of toxicity.
The DNA of GMO corn, or
GM Bt Maize as it is named, has had the
gene from the DNA of a bacteria (bacillus
thuringinesis) spliced into its DNA, which causes the corn to produce the
bacteria’s signature toxin, the bt toxin. This toxin kills insects by causing
the insects’ stomach to explode after ingesting the corn. Are you wondering what GM Bt Maize might do to
your stomach and entire digestive system? Or maybe you’re thinking of someone
you know with a debilitating digestive disorder. Keep in mind that if corn is
not USDA Certified Organic, then there is a good chance that it is GM Bt Maize,
since 85% of US maize crop is GM. Other foods which are commonly GM are soy (95%
US crop), canola (93% US crop), Cottonseed (93% US Crop) sugar beets (50% of
sugar used in products is from sugar beets, and 95% US crop is GM) and Hawaiian
papaya (80% is GM). Now, just think about
all of the ways GM crops make their way into your diet. Let’s go through a
likely day of eating.
Breakfast:
1 cup of
Kashi Go Lean (contains textured soy protein concentrate and canola oil) and
Milk
Snack:
Chex Mix (made
with corn) and roasted nuts
Lunch:
2 Tyson
Buffalo Chicken Strips (contains corn starch, yellow corn flour and
corn-derived maltodextrin), 1 cup of Healthy Choice Tomato Basil Soup (contains
modified corn starch, corn-derived maltodextrin),Green beans with Smart Balance
(contains canola and soybean oils and soy lecithin)
Snack:
Nature
Valley Protein Bar (contains soy protein isolate, high maltose corn syrup,
soybean oil and canola oil)
Dinner:
6 oz
conventional beef steak (corn-fed), 1
cup Stove Top Stuffing (contains partially hydrogenated soybean and/or
cottonseed oils, high fructose corn syrup, hydrolyzed soy and corn protein, soy
flour, sugar, corn syrup, corn oil…not to mention MSG!),2 cups salad with
Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (contains soybean oil and sugar…again, not to
mention MSG!)
How on Earth are we
to avoid GM crops? Here are 3 big tips:
1.Get away from packaged and processed foods.
Heard that before? Just like it works for avoiding trans fats, MSG, high
fructose corn syrup, sugar, chemical additives and dyes, it works well for
minimizing GMO exposure. Stick with
real, simple foods.
2.Buy organic, especially when purchasing foods or
products made with the aforementioned food crops. Additionally, look for the
non-GMO Verified label on food products.
3.Check the PLU (product look-up) number code on
the sticker on most produce. If the number code is simply four digits, the
produce is conventionally grown, which means it is not genetically modified and
not organic. If the PLU code is a five digit code beginning with an “8”,
the product has been genetically modified. If the PLU code is a five digit code
beginning with a “9”, the product is organic, and also, by definition of
organic, not genetically modified.
It's soup season, and I am using my pressure cooker today for the first time in months. Since this method means much less cooking time, I was inspired when conjuring tonight's dinner to look a little further into my spice cabinet than I have been lately.
Tonight we're having a black bean and chicken thigh soup with lots of onion and garlic, as well as green bell pepper and eggplant. I got the notion to use some ginger and then came cumin, bay leaf and sambhar masala. The latter is a spice blend of coriander, cumin, chilli, Bengal Gram, Black Gram, Pigeon Pea (seemingly a type of lentil or dal), fenugreek, rice common salt, curry leaf, tamarind, turmeric, cassia and asofoetida. That's a lot of spices right there--some of the more bitter variety, which means we're fighting inflammation, supporting liver detoxification/biotransformation and preventing cancer with our soup spoons tonight, baby! Yeah! In all honesty, I did not buy this. I think my mother-in-law bought it and made us a particularly wonderful soup with it when she was here visiting once upon a time. Works for me!
As the temps fall outside, we have to think about keeping the temperature and heat of our foods up. In my own attempts to improve my digestion, this is my task lately. No more cold stuff. Gone are the sweet potato-berry smoothies and ice-cold mineral water-tea spritzers (my favorite!) and raw veggies. In come the soups, cooked veggies, hot cereals, warming spices and teas. The asofoetida in the Sambhar Masala is particularly good for digestion, which is what compelled me to start using it in my cooking. Asofoetida, or hing, as it is known is an East Indian herb, used commonly in the medical science and tradition of Ayurveda.
Masala-Esque Black Bean Chicken Stew
4-boneless, skinless chicken thighs, preferably local organic free-range
2 cups black beans, previously soaked overnight
1 medium red onion coursely chopped
Several cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and whole
1 large bay leaf
1 tsp freshly grated ginger (or a 1 suare inch piece)
1 TBSP ground cumin
1 tsp Sambhar Masala (optional)
3 diced bell peppers (any color will do)
1 medium eggplant, chopped into bitesize pieces
Combine all of this,with just enough water to cover the beans by about an inch, and start your pressure cooker. From the time that pressure is sufficient, cook time is about 30 minutes. Add sea salt to taste after cooking. I use Real Salt, which can bought bagged or in bulk. I encourage you to try for all organic ingredients. Remember that organic is not only better for us via reduced pesticides and increased nutrients, particularly antioxidants, it's good for the Earth. And what's good for the Earth is good for us!
By the way, this recipe was SOUPER easy, and my family loved it! Here's to easy, flavor-packed and healthy dinners, all in one pot. Enjoy!
As some of you are aware, Dr. Burzynski's cancer therapy has been in clinical trials since 1995 since it is not in big pharma's interest to move this therapy along (and the FDA has ties to big pharma). This is a petition to move it to the final stages so that patients who face death otherwise at least have a chance. Please sign and ask others to sign, if you feel so inclined.
WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:
Antineoplastons, cancer drugs in FDA trials since 1995, results publicly audited by Congress, to gain final FDA-approval
Antineoplastons are gene-targeted cancer medications that have completed Phase 2 FDA clinical trials in 2009, with permission granted to enter the final Phase of FDA testing. These medicines are the first in medical history to cure inoperable childhood brainstem glioma with a 27.5%-50% cure rate, among other cures. Other gene-targeted cancer medications have been given accelerated FDA-approval without demonstrating a single cure. Antineoplastons, proven to be non-toxic, remain unapproved for public use. For the sake of public health, the results from Phase 2 clinical trials of Antineoplastons need to be publicly acknowledged by the FDA and audited by Congress. These medicines have been in FDA clinical testing since 1995—it's time for the general public to have access to them.
October 12, 2011
Dear Burzynski Movie subscribers,
We have only 2 weeks left to gain another 1,800 signatures for the White House petition. Apparently only US Citizens can sign this petition. We know some of you said that you had trouble signing it, this is unfortunate, it seems the White House website doesn't work as well as it should (like many things within our government in general). If you have trouble, try using a different browser, different computer, try what it takes to be able to register and sign the petition.
If we get the signatures, at least we will have some advantage in getting their attention. However, if we get the signatures, and nothing is done, it will further illustrate how powerless the White House really is in changing something like this. After all, former top political adviser for President Obama—David Axelrod—watched this documentary in 2009 and said "this is just too big, nothing we can do about this for another 10 years or so—right now in this climate, it's just too big."
We need to at least have the ammunition to prove that the highest office in the land is incapable of addressing and aiding in the approval of the biggest cancer treatment breakthrough in history. We can't do that without these signatures.
Try going here to sign it.
If that doesn't work, try using this link: http://www.wh.gov/48x
If that doesn't work, try using this link: https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/antineoplastons-cancer-drugs-fda-trials-1995-results-publicly-audited-congress-gain-final-fda/M1hH28lk
In solidarity,
Burzynski Movie
CORNUCOPIA, WIS: A revelatory report released by The Cornucopia Institute, an organic industry watchdog, has stirred controversy in the natural foods marketing arena by highlighting abusive marketing practices by some of the nation's largest breakfast cereal manufacturers. In some cases, companies such as Kellogg's, Quaker Oats (PepsiCo), Barbara’s Bakery and Whole Foods Market are selling products contaminated with toxic agrichemicals and Monsanto's genetically engineered organisms while promoting them as "natural." The new report, Cereal Crimes: How “Natural” Claims Deceive Consumers and Undermine the Organic Label—A Look Down the Cereal and Granola Aisle (available atwww.cornucopia.org) explores this growing trend of marketing conventional foods as “natural” to lure health-conscious and eco-conscious consumers and their shopping dollars. Unlike the organic label, no government agency, certification group, or other independent entity defines the term “natural” on processed food packages or ensures that the claim has merit. In contrast, breakfast cereals displaying the USDA's "certified organic" logo are produced under a strict set of verified standards prohibiting the use of petrochemical-based fertilizers, sewage sludge, synthetic toxic pesticides, genetically modified crops, and many other common conventional agricultural and manufacturing inputs. Cereal Crimes details how prominent agribusinesses are increasingly using various strategies to create the illusion of equivalence between the “natural” and organic labels to mislead consumers. “Some companies that started out organic, and built brand loyalty as organic brands, have switched to non-organic ingredients and “natural” labeling,” said Charlotte Vallaeys, Director of Farm and Food Policy at Cornucopia. One such brand, Peace Cereal® is an example of what Cornucopia calls “bait-and-switch.” In 2008, the Peace Cereal® brand switched from organic to cheaper conventional ingredients, without lowering its prices. Today, the cereal is sold in natural food stores and mainstream grocers at prices above many of their certified organic competitors that are using more expensive organic ingredients. Although the prices may be similar, in reality, there is a vast difference between organic and “natural” products from grain produced with the use of toxic pesticides. In some cases, companies charge high prices for “natural” products that even contain genetically engineered crops developed by St. Louis-based Monsanto. Pesticides that are strictly prohibited in organics are commonly used to produce ingredients for “natural” products. For example, organophosphate pesticides were developed from World War II-era nerve gas and are designed to be toxic to the neurological systems of target organisms. They are deadly to insects but also have been proven damaging to humans—with fetusesi and children especially at risk. Several recent studies have linked organophosphate pesticide exposure to a wide range of developmental disorders in children, including behavioral problems, poorer short-term memory and motor skills, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).ii, iii, iv, v While federal law prohibits organic farmers from using these toxic pesticides, no such restriction exists for “natural” products. "This is exactly why parents are seeking out truly natural (organic) products for their children and are deceived by corporate agribusinesses and their Madison Avenue agencies," said Vallaeys. USDA testing has found residues of organophosphate pesticides like chlorpyrifos and malathion on corn, soy, wheat flour, and oats, which are all common ingredients in breakfast cereals. In the case of wheat flour, residues were found in more than 60% of samples. Given increasing consumer interest in avoiding genetically engineered (GE) ingredients, The Cornucopia Institute contracted with an independent, accredited laboratory to test many “natural” breakfast cereals for potential genetic contamination. "Natural" cereals from brands including Kashi (Kellogg's), Mother’s (PepsiCo), Nutritious Living, Barbara’s Bakery (Weetabix), and 365 (Whole Foods Market) contained high levels of genetically engineered ingredients (between 25%, and 100%)—even though a number of these companies are represented as "non-GMO" to the public. To help health-conscious consumers make informed grocery purchases, Cereal Crimes is accompanied by a scorecard rating various breakfast cereal and granola brands for the true support of healthy and environmentally sustainable practices. The scorecard can also be viewed on Cornucopia's website. “Consumers probably find this marketplace subterfuge less surprising when they learn that many of the leading ‘natural’ cereal brands are really manufactured by giant agribusinesses like Kellogg's, hiding behind the façade of well-established niche brands,” said Harry Bennett, a marketing official with the Kansas Organic Producers Association, a cooperative marketing organic grain. Despite finding that “natural” cereal products offer few, if any, advantages over conventional products, companies typically charge substantially higher prices for products with “natural” labeling claims. Analysis by Cornucopia of wholesale and retail cereal and granola prices revealed that “natural” products often are priced higher than equivalent organic products. This suggests that some companies are profiting from consumer confusion. For example, prices in the leading natural/organic food distributor’s wholesale catalog for multigrain flakes show that two of the least expensive products are actually certified organic, offered by industry leader Nature’s Path and Food for Life. Meanwhile, Kashi’s 7-grain cereal, made with cheaper non-organic grains by the multinational corporation Kellogg but disguised as an independent sounding “natural” brand, is priced higher than equivalent organic options. Karen Zwicky of Minneapolis, MN said she just bought several boxes of Kashi cereal for her 2 year old daughter, who she's been feeding a "pretty" strict organic diet. "Target was handing out samples of Kashi, and she loved the taste and I trusted the brand, even though it isn't labeled as organic," Zwicky explained. "I don't mind that the big brands buy out the smaller organic and more sustainable companies, what really is disturbing to me is that it seems that they are only doing so in order to buy consumer trust." "Committed organic companies, rated highly in Cornucopia’s online scorecard, must compete against giant multinationals such as Kraft Foods (Back to Nature), Pepsico (Mother’s) and Kellogg’s (Bear Naked /Kashi) and misleading “natural” marketing claims,” stated Mark A. Kastel, Codirector at the Wisconsin-based Cornucopia Institute. "When marketers intentionally mislead consumers with their “natural” products, they are taking business away from the companies providing truly safe and healthy food and supporting certified organic farmers."
Organic farmers in the US have received lower prices for their grains as cereal companies drop their demand for certified organic ingredients and switch to “natural” labeling and cheap, conventional ingredients. According to research by the Natural Marketing Institute, a market research firm, two-thirds of U.S. consumers believe foods today are less safe to eat because of chemicals used during the growing and processing of foods. Given this widespread interest in avoiding foodborne chemicals, it is increasingly important for consumers to realize that buying "natural" foods does little, if anything, to avoid synthetic inputs and toxins used on the farms and inside the manufacturing plants. "While calling their products natural, some of the largest breakfast cereal manufacturers are adding ingredients processed with the neurotoxic solvent hexane, a processing agent that is banned in organic food production," added Kastel. Genetically Engineered Ingredients in "Natural" Food The Cornucopia Institute sent samples of “natural” breakfast cereal to an accredited GMO testing laboratory. Out of nine samples of “natural” breakfast cereal that yielded results, six (a full two thirds), contained high levels of genetically engineered corn or soy, including such major brands as Kashi, Barbara's and Whole Foods'365 label. “This was not incidental contamination,” says Kastel. “Levels of GMOs were between 28% and 100%, showing that these manufacturers purchased GMO ingredients for their so-called natural cereal products.” Some of the brands and products that tested positive for high levels of GMOs are enrolled in the Non-GMO Project, and as a result, are listed as good choices in some online non-GMO shopping guides.vi For example, the Non-GMO Shopping Guide includes brands such as Kashi, Whole Foods Market’s 365 Everyday Value and Barbara’s Bakery, which all tested positive for GMOs. One hundred percent (100%) of the soybeans used in Kashi’s GoLean cereal was shown to be genetically engineered. Specific products like Barbara’s Bakery’s Puffins and 365 Corn Flakes are listed in the Non-GMO Shopping Guide – yet they contained 55% and 57% GMO corn, respectively. Neurotoxic Solvents (Hexane) Used to Process "Natural" Food Ingredients Hexane is a solvent commonly used to separate the oil, fiber and protein from grains and seeds. Some granola and cereal manufacturers use soy ingredients, such as soy grits and soy protein isolate, which are commonly hexane-extracted and can contain residues.
Past testing by The Cornucopia Institute has shown hexane residues in some "natural" food ingredients. In addition to being toxic to humans, hexane is a dangerous chemical to both the environment and workers who have to handle the material. A number of hexane-related fires and explosions have caused injuries and deaths in food manufacturing plants. Debra Boschee, an astute consumer from Rapid City, South Dakota, said "It isn't the things we know that scare us, it's the things we don't know, such as 'what's really in my food.'" In addition to accessing The Cornucopia Institute's new scorecard, comparing the nation's natural and organic cereal brands, families who are interested in feeding their families the safest and most nutritional food can also find the ratings of over 120 organic dairy brands, to augment a healthy breakfast, on the Cornucopia website: www.cornucopia.org The Cornucopia Institute is dedicated to the fight for economic justice for the family-scale farming community. Through research, advocacy and economic development our goal is to empower farmers both politically and through marketplace initiatives. Its Organic Integrity Project acts as a corporate watchdog assuring that no compromises to the credibility of organic farming methods and the food it produces are made in the pursuit of profit. We will actively resist regulatory rollbacks and the weakening of organic standards to protect and maintain consumer confidence in the organic food label. ___________________ i. V.A. Rauh, Garfinkel, R. et al. (2006), “Impact of Prenatal Chlorpyrifos Exposure on Neurodevelopment in the First 3 Years of Life Among Inner-City Children,.” Pediatrics 118(6). (Available online at:www.pediatrics.org/ cgi/
content/full/118/6/e1845.) See also B. Eskenazi, B., Marks, A.R. et al. (2007), “Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure and Neurodevelopment in Young Mexican-American children,” Environmental Health Perspectives 115(5):792–798. ii.P. Grandjean, Harari, R. et al. (2006), “Pesticide Exposure and Stunting as Independent Predictors of Neurobehavioral Deficits in Ecuadorian School Children.” Pediatrics 117(3). (Available online at www. pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/117/3/e546.) iii. P.Z. Ruckart, P.Z., Kakolewski, K. et al. (2004), “Long-Term Neurobehavioral Health Effects of Methyl Parathion Exposure in Children in Mississippi and Ohio,” Environmental Health Perspectives 112(1): 46 –51. iv. D.S. Rohlman, Arcury, T.A. et al. (2005), “Neurobehavioral Performance in Preschool Children from aAricultural and Non-agricultural Communities in Oregon and North Carolina,” Neurotoxicology 26(4): 589–598. v. M.F. Bouchard, Bellinger, D.C. et al. (2010), “Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Pesticides,” Pediatrics 125:e1270–e1277. vi. http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/brands/cereal-and-breakfast-foods.html?bid=240 The Cornucopia Institute PO Box 126 Cornucopia, WI 54827 www.cornucopia.org
FDA: Require Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods
Have you been eating genetically engineered (GE) food? Most of us have without knowing it.
Despite valid concerns about their threat to public health there is currently no labeling requirement for GE foods, which are appearing on supermarket shelves with increasing frequency. From 60 to 70 percent of processed foods available in American grocery stores likely contain some genetically engineered ingredients, according to the Congressional Research Service. These ingredients are prevalent in many everyday products like breakfast cereals, cookies, chips, sweetened soda, frozen meals and more.
We have a right to know what we are eating, and to purchase foods we have no doubt will be healthy. Sign the petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calling for products that include genetically engineered ingredients to disclose this information on the label.
