Urban Farming in South Central with LA Green Grounds

Last week, I watched a Tedtalk of a man named Ron Finley. I had found a meme that said- "Gardening is gangsta". Awesome! I googled him after seeing that, and watched the Tedtalk. This guy blew my mind. He was saying so much that I was thinking, and a lot that I hadn't thought- but I knew that we were cut from the same cloth and I wanted to get involved.

It happened pretty fast. The next day I was at a home in South Central Los Angeles (which I refuse to call South Los Angeles- like Ron Finley says- they changed the name to remove the stigma, but that doesn't help the people who live their and some of the issues they face in parts of that neighborhood) with a shovel in my hand, helping Los Angeles Green Grounds (which Ron Finley co-founded) install an urban garden. I freaking love these people. LOVE these people.  Here is what they say in their 'about us' page-

"We are an all-volunteer group based in South Los Angeles. We build gardens, with a focus on serving low-income residents and others with scarce access to fresh, affordable food. We also advocate for gardens, open space, and general wellness in S LA and beyond. We run wellness classes and hikes in the Kenneth Hahn Rec Area, which you can keep up with on our Facebook page here. And we also regularly attend community gatherings to table, talk, work, chat, keep up with other goings-on in the food justice/anti-hunger/anti-poverty, and environmental movements in the City… and just to meet new people to work with. We’re keen on creating more spaces for gardening in the City!"

Me and James at the LA Green grounds Dig In

There are remarkable people everywhere, doing amazing things, in your community. I would highly recommend that you find out where they are in your area and help them make the world a better place! One of the people I met at the LAGG Dig-In was a a guy named Jake. He has an organization called Dumbplastic. His role there was to make the event as green as possible- in that there would be an effort to not use any items that are 'single use'. People were asked to please bring a plate and utensils, and not to bring bottled water but to bring a re-usable water bottle or canteen, or you could purchase one of the super cool bottles from Dumbplastic. Its an important message, and one I can't stress enough, and I speak about a lot on my facebook page (www.facebook.com/shakethehive). my family and I went through a case of 24 waters a week. that's 1250 bottles we are now NOT throwing away. Same with almost any single use plastic item- we are doing our utmost- from carrying out own utensils so we never have to use plastic ones...I even carry my own chopsticks...to not using single serve coffee cups every day at Coffee Bean or Starbucks- the re-usable kind of cups are great. That's 365 fewer plastic cups and lids that I am not contributing to the planet.

Dumbplastic's water bottles at the LA Green Grounds Dig In

And if you think that its all getting recycled- think again. Only 8% of plastic waste actually makes it to a recycling plant.  You need to know that the solution isn't recycling- because even that causes so much incredible usage of resources to even produce the recycled product that its almost not worth it.

The truth is that recycling only marginally helps cut down the amount of resources needed to make packaging products such as water bottles. The root of the problem is that there is too much consumption and production of plastics. Try to buy fewer water bottles, because in many cases, tap water is just as clean or cleaner than bottled water.

I love that Jake is trying to educate people about the importance of not using plastics whenever possible. Of course, we live in a world where its not maybe even possible to never use them, but we can use our own bags, water bottles, coffee cups.

Volunteers getting the ground ready at the LA Green Grounds Dig In

And I love that LA Green Grounds is creating urban farms and giving people a chance to have access to an understanding of the benefits of fresh vegetables in their diet. They also visit the recipients at regular intervals to teach them how to can and preserve the fruits and vegetables, how to make nutritious meals with what is planted, how to take care of their little urban farm and they return at each changing season to help install seasonally appropriate plants. Some of them are also medicinal- like lavender and aloe and chamomile, and they help them understand how to use these, too. it gives people a chance at nutrition that otherwise wouldn't have one. The culturally prescribed diet is one that leads to many health issues- the same is true everywhere you go, but Ron Finley asserts that it is more concentrated in areas like South Central, and all evidence points to this being absolutely true.

 

Planting the green stuff at LA Green Grounds Dig In

RESISTANCE IS FERTILE

Its true- urban farming is really a radical thing to do in this day and age. Its these things that we once had to do to survive that everyone is so disconnected from that are truly revolutionary. I think of it like this- if something were to happen that made everything stop- no electricity, no internet or cell phones...maybe a zombie apocalypse? Whatever the case may be- I like to think I would be able to be self sustainable.  Currently- I'm not. My goal is to have my own urban farm, with beehives and chickens, on a property for the Shake the Hive Collective, my non-profit for teenage girls and a resource for the community. It isn't really about some sort of apocalypse- its just a way of  getting some perspective about how dependent we are on the system, how utterly helpless we are without it- and its the very system that is using us as grist for the mill. its the very system that promotes our eating foods that make us ill so they can provide the medication to keep us alive from the illnesses they helped promote. I am not going to get into that here- I've spoken about it at length in previous blogs. The documentaries Forks over Knives and Food Fight chronicle exactly this scenario.

Ron Finley is GANGSTA!!!

We have to be revolutionaries in our own lives. We have to confront the very things that have help enslave us. One of the biggest factors is convenience. As a whole, our culture has been brought to its knees by all of the things meant to make our lives more convenient. Fast food is a prime example. Its not as convenient to grow your own food, or buy local and eat mostly plant based diets- but its much less convenient in the long run to be stricken with diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and blood pressure, obesity, cancer, etc.  Give up some convenience and you gain health, longevity. You give the planet some breathing room so we can continue to live here sustainably. There is really no good reason to not do so- except that its inconvenient. that's a lot to put at stake for the sake of making things a little easier in the moment.

Join the tribe at the March Against Monsanto nearest you! Its a world-wide event, taking place in cities all over the US and abroad. Check below for the march near you!!!

March Against Monsanto- Be there or be square!!!

Shake the Hive!!!

xoxo,

Ashley Dane

Keep Calm and Eat Fermented Stuff- Tempeh Burrito.... More Radical Recipes from the New Anarchist's Cookbook!

I've been seeing tempeh listed in some of the things I've read recently, and its in a great vegetarian, gluten free penne Bolognese I really like, so I wanted to learn how to use it. What is tempeh?


Here is what about.com has to say- Tempeh is made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans and formed into a patty, similar to a very firm veggie burger. Many commercially prepared brands add other grains, such as barley, and also add spices and extra flavors. Although tempeh is made from soy, it has a unique taste and is mildly flavorful on it's own, unlike tofu.  If you aren't fond of tofu, tempeh is also very high in protein and calcium, as well as beneficial isoflavones, but tastes nothing like tofu. Tempeh has a textured and nutty flavor.

I also have been reading a lot about fermented food (My good friend Ginny Talley Rodgers first introduced me to the benefits of fermented foods- she is way ahead of the curve. My curve!) and I was really interested in how to start incorporating more into my diet. Click here to read 8 good reasons why fermented foods are important- its a great article!

  So as far as tempeh, a fermented soy goes- fermented soy stops the effect of phytic acid (the bad stuff in normal soy products)  and increases the availability of isoflavones. The fermentation also creates the probiotics--the "good" bacteria the body is absolutely dependent on, such as lactobacilli--that increase the quantity, availability, digestibility and assimilation of nutrients in the body.

I'm in! Now what? I searched for recipes online and got a little overwhelmed. They were complicated recipes, and I am all about easy recipes. So, I made one up. And I gotta say, I'm a little impressed with myself. High fives all around!

KEEP CALM AND EAT FERMENTED STUFF- TEMPEH BURRITO (more radical recipes from the New Anarchist's Cookbook)

What you'll need-

Tempeh- I think its all organic, mine is
one purple onion
Course Mustard
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
cilantro
sesame oil
red pepper flakes
Either Nary Dary Chia Cheddar *fermented* cashew butter (which is only available locally for me) OR if you do dairy, then sour cream. You can also try vegetarian sour cream.
Tortillas (the smaller ones) Corn would have been tasty but I am wary of anything with corn unless it says no GMOs on it
Srirarcha sauce (optional)

I like to use my wok for everything, I like how it evenly distributes the heat, but you can use a skillet too.

Cut up the onion (I used half the onion) and put in the pan with EVOO- about 1/3 cup or so
Put sesame oil in, however much you want- this is more to taste
1 tablespoon course mustard (or more, if you like- I am never exact in my measurements)
red pepper flakes

This is what tempeh looks like. Weird, right?

Let all that simmer on low while you cut up the tempeh into cubes. Once its all cut, toss that in the pan and cut up a bunch of cilantro and throw that in there, too. Keep an eye on it for about 8 minutes, then take one out and see if it seems ready by tasting it. I say this because everyone's pans and stoves work at a different heat, and you will be able to tell. You can't undercook it, so its really up to you.

When its ready, put the tempeh in a burrito (I like to get my tortillas damp on both sides and warm them over the gas flame of my stove- I sort of slap them over the flame a few times)
Add the Nary Dairy, or sour cream, and the srirarcha sauce, if you like it. I also added more cilantro. The tempeh tastes sort of like meat that has been marinating- the texture is more...texture-y. Its dang good!

Keep Calm and Eat Fermented Stuff- Tempeh Burrito!

Let me just rant about cilantro for a minute. Its not for everyone, but for years it was one of the first things I would ask a new acquaintance. If they said they didn't like it, I would be very suspicious of them. Now that I am not such a judgmental freak, I don't harsh on anybody for not liking cilantro....but if you *do* like it, then aside from the amazing flavor, you also get all this-

The health benefits of cilantro come from beneficial phytonutrients and antioxidants, especially the flavonoid quercetin. Cilantro is also a good source of dietary fiber and iron, magnesium and manganese. It's a little-known fact that herbs (and spices) such as cilantro have far greater concentrations of antioxidants than any common fruit or vegetable. Herbs also contain a particularly wide variety of antioxidants as well, which makes them more effective at fighting many different kinds of free radicals. Getting the widest variety of antioxidants is just as important as how much of any one antioxidant you get. Many herbs have also been used for medicinal purposes, further demonstrating their health benefits. Click HERE for more info.

I love the smell of cilantro in the morning. It smells like... victory. (High five if you know what movie that's from!)

This recipe, if you can use the amazing Nary Dairy, contains two fermented foods. If you dig around at your local Natural Foods Co-Op, or wherever you shop for your healthy locally produced foods, I bet they have some other options you could try. Why is this revolutionary? As with any food that keeps you healthy, it keeps you off the BIG PHARMA grid. It keeps you out of their reach. If you eat a whole foods/ plant based diet (even if you still eat animal products, but reduce them to no more than 20% of your intake- its a start. But you want to keep it to a low percentage) then the likelihood of you and your family succumbing to major illness is greatly reduced. GREATLY reduced. I can't say it enough- watch Forks Over Knives, if you haven't already. Watch any and all food documentaries you can- the more appalled you are by what we have accepted as our normal American diet, the better. You should be appalled. They need us to be sick, and weak- its a multi-billion dollar industry, and they stand to lose a lot of we were actually healthy. So for me, eating this fermented stuff instead of a hotdog from Weinerschnitzel is VERY radical. Its not my normal way of doing things- hence, radical.

Don't forget about the March Against Monsanto coming to a city near you this October 12th!

March Against Monsanto! March For the Future! Power to the People!

Shake the hive!

xoxo,

Ashley Dane

The NSA knows your #, you should know theirs...

Buying Locally Grown

I can't stress the importance of buying locally grown goods.  Buying locally grown is like throwing a Molotov cocktail in the face of Monsanto and Bayer and Syngenta. And if you have a revolutionary nature like I do, then that alone is reason enough to start shopping at your local farmer's market or natural food co-op.

My daughter tagged along with her camera. I had to goof off for her!

BUYING LOCALLY GROWN- WHERE DOES YOUR FOOD COME FROM?

I am going to forego talking about the processed foods from the center aisles of your grocery store- I talk about this a lot, but for the sake of this blog, I am going to just say- Don't eat that crap. Trust me. Its bad. God only knows what havoc its wreaking on your immune system.

 Having said that, some people really do try to shop mostly from the outer edges of the grocery store, where the so called fresh food can be found. Even so, the food there has some issues that are not obvious. Produce, for example. We can now buy strawberries and seasonal produce year round. Sometimes its more expensive than others, depending on the season. Usually, the produce is shipped in from other states, and even other countries, like South America. What this means is that your produce was picked well before it was ripe, in order to get on the shelf in time and also allow it to sit on the shelf for another week or so. When produce is picked before it is ripe, it is lacking the natural processes that make it not only taste good, but deliver nutrients. The nutrients come in the maturation process, so when a tomato is picked several days before it is ripe, even though it will continue to ripen while its in a box on its way to the grocery store, it is not ripening on the vine and lacks the necessary sugars and sunlight to become a true representation of what a tomato should be. You can also see the difference with your own eyes. Cut open a tomato from the grocery store and its water-y and goopy and has lots of space inside it- often only the outer part is usable. But cut open a vine ripened fresh locally grown tomato, and its solid tomato meat all the way through.

My beloved Studio City farmer's market. Its also a fun way to spend a Sunday!

So, by the time it gets to you, its been picked too young, put in boxes and transported across states or even countries. It doesn't taste or look like a tomato that you bought that was picked the day before, as you get from a local farmer, and it lacks the full range of nutrients, too. It is a well known fact that in countries that eat a mostly plant based diet, there is a lack of the major illnesses that plague us in the USA. By eating the most nutrient dense produce you can buy, and learning to eliminate processed foods (I know, it takes time. Even I have a list of 5 that I am not ready to give up yet.) and reducing animal based foods (I said reduce. If you can eliminate them, then I totally salute you, but I am definitely not there yet. However, I now eat meat about once a week. My weakness is milk.) you can significantly decrease you and your family's chances of succumbing to such abundant ailments as obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Fresh fruit and vegetables contain what our bodies need to function properly and stave off illness and disease.

"Let food by thy medicine." Hippocrates said that. Every Dr has to swear a Hippocratic oath to this day in order to become a physician- that's how legit Hippocrates is. And how not legit many Drs aren't.

Check out this trailer from the documentary Forks Over Knives. Its a must see! And don't worry, so many people tell me they are afraid of seeing how animals are treated in meat processing plants- they don't really show all of that. They just tell you some amazing facts that everyone should know.

Another big factor is the cost to the environment to ship all of this produce all over the world. Often your produce has been in several trucks, planes, or trains before it gets to you. There is a lot of fuel used in this transport. When you buy local, you are not contributing to the exorbitant waste, or the emissions from said waste. Local farmers drive to the markets, but not usually from very far, with their fresh, vine ripened produce. So it tastes better, is healthier, and doesn't contribute to the consumption of fossil fuels.



Checking out the zucchini for some Bomb Ass Zucchini Chips!!!

You also don't get GMO produce, since you know where it came from. They don't sell Frankenfoods at farmer's markets. And those who created genetically modified organisms want the small farmers out of business. Its very convenient that they are killing off the honey bees, which farmers have relied upon since the beginning of time to pollinate their crops. When you support small farmers. you DO NOT support those power hungry assholes that are ready to sacrifice the health of you, your children and the planet for profit.

 

ITS NOT JUST FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

At all farmer's markets, you can find a variety of things besides produce. I get fresh eggs from hens that are free range. They left the hens only a day or two prior to my getting them, rather than weeks after. They taste amazing!!! I also get my soap at my local farmer's market in Studio City, spices, and fish. They also have meat from grass fed cows, handmade clothing and jewelry, organic chousehold cleaning supplies, organic coffee and honey, some cool herbal tonic drinks, fresh squeezed orange juice, locally grown nuts, and smoothies. I always buy a bouquet of lilies for $5. One of my favorite discoveries is Nary Dairy,  a cheese alternative spread made from cashew butter.  The Nary Dairy people are so super sweet, and I love eating food made by such great people. My favorite is the Chia Cheddar. I eat it with quinoa, flax and chia seed crackers.  No more chips, no more candy bars,  no more grazing on snack stuff from 7-11. This stuff is awesome!

With Suzanne from Nary Dairy. Such great people!!! So yummy!!

I now do at least half of my weekly shopping for my family at the farmer's market, and I continue to learn new recipes so that I utilize foods that I can buy there, like my Bomb Ass zucchini chips. It makes me so happy to eat food that supports the local farmers, does not support shipping produce all over the world, is ripe and fresh and nutrient dense and delicious. I love that I walk to the market to get it, use only my recycled shopping bags, and don't purchase anything in packaging- no waste whatsoever. I love that I am not supporting the giant food corporations that would like to jeopardize our health to keep Big Pharma fat and happy.  The revolution starts with making different choices in who and what your dollar supports. So its a big fat UP YOURS to Monsanto, and that makes me ecstatic.

Not everyone has a local farmer's market, and not everywhere has a climate where they can buy locally grown.  Here are two helpful websites that can assist you in finding what is in your area-

CLICK HERE for a farmer's market locator.

CLICK HERE for a natural foods co-op locator

Don't forget to use recycled shopping bags. I will soon have some snazzy Shake The Hive market bags, with little produce bags inside so you don't have to ever use any plastic bags again.  A friend of mine is helping me with the new logo, and I can't wait to unveil it!

Don't forget to March Against Monsanto! Check out the facebook page for the March nearest you

Shake the Hive!

Ashley Dane

Radical Recipes from the New Anarchist's Cookbook- Stick-it-To-The-man Stir Fry

This week has been weird. I've been craving deep fried wontons with cream cheese inside- and I'm not gonna lie. I got some. But then I craved them the next night, and I realized how sneaky my brain is. Its wired, via my taste buds, to want deep fried food food, filled with some gooey cheese- I mean,  what is cream cheese, anyway? I will look it up later, but I do love it, and I'm not backing down from it yet- although I get it from trader Joe's, no more Philly Cream Cheese filled with GMOs for me.

I had to have a bit of a stand down with myself. I was in a bit of a state. All I could think about all day long were those damn wontons. Sometimes, in these recipes I post, I offer the recipe itself up as an alternative to a craving. This isn't that, not really. There is no relation to the following recipe and fried cream cheese wontons in taste or texture- but its the best thing I've made all week, and it totally hit the spot, and I won't be surprised if I crave it all day tomorrow- that's the goal. To keep eating the right foods until I de-program myself from the processed, deep fried, palm oil and high fructose corn syrup laden, GMO packed crap that is packaged so cleverly, branded so well its seared into our flesh, and hits all the high notes with our taste buds. I want to crave healthy stuff, because I want to make sure my dollars are not supporting the aforementioned atrocity that is the typical American diet. I want my dollars to go to the local and small and organic farmers, who are not trying to compromise my health for the sake of Big Pharma.

Eat Radical recipes and avoid Big Pharma- stick it to the man by eating like you give a damn!

Enough of me ranting. I posted a recipe a couple of weeks back, and this is actually a variation on a theme.

STICK-IT-TO-THE-MAN STIR FRY

There's no going back now

What you will need-


6 Organic carrots. NOT those already peeled bright orange weird carrots, those are actually reconstituted carrots. But like REAL carrots, with green at the top, that you have to peel
Frozen organic green beans
organic non GMO sprouted tofu, firm
mushrooms
oyster sauce
sesame oil
garlic
Quinoa- optional side dish, I highly recommend.

So the biggest prep time in this recipe is for the carrots. I peel them, place them in tent of aluminum foil with EVOO and garlic, and bake them in the oven at 450 for 20 minutes, or until they are 'al dente'. And yes, there is a perfect texture for carrots. If they aren't al dente, I won't eat them- they don't even taste like carrots when they are cooked right. Which is good since I kind of hate carrots otherwise.

Here is an amazing song to cut tofu and mushrooms by, FLUME featuring Chet Faker...

(Put quinoa on to cook now, if you are going to have that as a side dish)

While carrots are cooking, cut the tofu into squares and set aside. Cut the mushrooms into slices. Mince the garlic, unless you have a Trader Joe's and can get the frozen garlic cubes- they ROCK! Put sesame oil, oyster sauce, and plenty of garlic in a wok or frying pan. (I never measure, but if I had to guess, I'd say start with 1/3 cup of each and 3 cloves garlic- if a clove means one of those little chunks that you have to peel inside a big thing of garlic)

STICK IT TO THE MAN! Right from your own kitchen!!!

Don't turn the stove on high, I always do and burn everything. Keep it on a low-medium setting while the oil, sauce, and garlic get a chance to mingle and infuse.  After about 3-5 minutes, put the tofu in first. Mix it gently so it doesn't break apart but gets saturated with the sauce. After a few minutes, put the mushrooms in and do the same thing. A few minutes later, put the green beans in (I put them in frozen) and let it all simmer for a while.

Now check on those carrots. If they seem good to you, take them out carefully and cut them into bite sizes. Throw those in with the rest of the stir fry and simmer some more.

You will be able to tell when its ready- mostly because the frozen beans will be hot which means everything else is well cooked too. Try to make sure someone is with you- you will want to have someone taste your amazing cooking immediately. You will be grinning from ear to ear, and you know how it is, you have to share the joy asap. At least, that was my experience.

If you try it and you like it, let me know!!

And don't forget, just 5 weeks away and coming to a city or town near you-

Occupy yourself! March Against Monsanto. Find the location near you on facebook.

Love and rockets,

Ashley Dane
Shake The Hive

9/11, Society, And the State of Things

9/11 is always a weird day for Americans.

It was, without question, a tragedy. That we were able to also witness, in all that devastation, incredible acts of valor and selflessness was an ode to the human spirit. And in our memories of that day, one thing is also true- we were united. The entire country was focused on one thing. It might have been the first time I actually *felt* like an American. I think I didn't even realize it at the time, but in retrospect, I felt a kinship with my country, with all Americans. I knew we were all experiencing shock and horror and sadness and helplessness and loss and anger- all of us together.

9/11/2001

I wish it didn't take an event like that to bring people together en masse. There is so much that tears us apart as a people, so much that divides us- and personally, I think it suits the powers that be just fine that this is true. If we were really United, we would be a real force to be reckoned with. But as it stands, we are divided such things as republican or democrat, liberalism versus conservatism. When the towers were hit, those things didn't matter. Why? Because in the final analysis, they don't really matter. We can, and do, all have our own opinions. We can opine all day long about who in government is making what decision and how its their fault and the other party wouldn't have. It doesn't matter. Because there is a plane headed towards another tower, metaphorically speaking. There is a lot happening in the world, and I can't speak to all of it. There is a lot each one of us can do, and I can't speak to all those many things. But in the daily life we are living, there are things we can do, should do, must do, to alter the course of things for the future, for the planet, for the children of our children's children.

be afraid. be very afraid.

In a nutshell, there has been a lot of research into the way the food industry has been controlled. Quite literally, we have been told certain foods are good for us that are not. Things that cause heart disease, and cancer. There are posters and ads encouraging us to eat them, endorsed by the Dairy Association, for example. The most famous recent one- Got milk? I'm sure you know if it. Then there are the foods that are a result of our need for convenience. Fast food, snack foods, processed food products in colorful boxes and bags. A person needs to eat two or three times more of this stuff to feel satisfied. We get addicted to the flavorings, the salt, the chemicals they use to enhance the artificial flavors. Little kids now have diseases that only old people who ate crap their whole lives got- hypertension, heart disease, obesity, diabetes. Its all due to diet. And they WANT you and your children to be sick. Diabetes medication makes Big Pharma a fortune, not to mention heart disease medication...not to mention all the medication for all the side affects of extreme obesity...not to mention a lot of other things- too much to list.  THEY ARE MAKING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OFF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE and their compromised health. Doesn't it shock you to think people are working hard to pay for food that makes them sick so they can work hard to spend more money on medicine and doctors and insurance? Because, in effect, Americans are like rats in a maze. We are doing exactly what they want us to do, and we go about our business blissfully unaware. We think its all okay. We think we are making these choices willingly. In a sense, we are, but we don't know we are being slowly poisoned. They don't want to kill us- you can't make money off a corpse. We are like the pods of people in the Matrix- dreaming our lives away while they take everything from you. They allow you to have just enough stuff so you don't even notice. Annnnnnd- I didn't even get to GMOs. Don't get me started. Its just another layer of awfulness that can't be ignored.

Don't be 'most people'. Occupy yourself

If this makes you mad, good. Get mad. You are getting FUCKED. You, and your kids, your friends and their kids, your brothers and sisters and neighbors. The American people, who all came together on that fateful day 12 years ago, are all getting the shaft. And one of the hardest things to do is to get them to recognize it. Its crazy, really, but people do not want to know the truth. Ignorance is not bliss, but there is responsibility in knowing the truth- you can not un-ring the bell. You can not act like you don't know. On September 11, 2001, we watched as people died. The truth of the tragedy of it was awake in all of us. Its so rare, and in moments like that, you realize the power of the people. We could all change things. We could.

We are society. Its us, all of us, that need to change. THEY won't. WE must.

The first thing? Stop buying their crap. That's easier said than done. I don't want to take up a lot of word space talking about how to do it- watch FORKS OVER KNIVES. That's a start. Watch FOOD FIGHT. You will want to understand why you must change the way you buy, and what you consume. The short answer is- if we buy locally grown as much as possible, if we boycott fast food, do our best to eat a plant based diet (I don't, but I'm trying, and this entire blog chronicles my endeavors), learn new foods to eat that are not processed, foods that actually expire in a week or two, and of those, things which are GMO free.

The revolutionary is you, doing something different. Caring. Changing. Pissed!

 It sounds like a lot of work, but its more work to have to get a triple bypass by the age of 55. Its more work for our kids who inherit a planet with no bees, with the food supply controlled by the corporations (farming will become illegal, its inevitable), and with only genetically modified foods available whatsoever. No one has to shift everything overnight- but to start to become aware first- I promise the rest will fall into place. A changed perception can not help but call upon a change of behavior.

This is the trailer from FORKS OVER KNIVES-

The future requires us all to be radical in our own lives, to overthrow the status quo of our own selves and question everything we think we believe in. Some of it isn't ours, and we find we don't want it. We've been branded to since we were born, and our taste buds control us. They know it. Question these things. When you think of giving up processed foods- which ones do you think you can't give up? Really start to ask yourself why. You might even discover you don't actually like the thing. Once you start to eat real food, your body may tell you that you never did like it, only your taste buds, and they are easy to manipulate with artificial flavors.

Below is a video I show a lot, it never fails to shock that the seemingly innocent McDonalds Chicken McNuggets are actually a composite of all the parts of a chicken ground up (eyeballs, feathers, guts, feet, beaks) then soaked in ammonia...well, the rest of it is here to see. This is a processed food. It is so far away from what it was when it started that its barely a food anymore. Try telling that to Honey BooBoo.

This is the start of it. Food is so personal. It freaks most people out to even think about changing. There are a million excuses- I am sure you can hear them in your head right now. Look at it. Rebel against it. This is a real revolution. You are waking up. What is happening in the world is happening to all of us, no matter how divided we allow ourselves to be. No matter if you are a liberal, or a conservative- its all happening to you, and to your children, and to your children's children. Time to stop the madness.  Watch this video. This is US. Not just Americans, all of us. A world of people. Our world.

On October 12th, there will be Marches Against Monsanto happening in cities all over the world. Click HERE to find out where a march and rally are happening near you.

Occupy yourself! You can do it.  I believe in you, whoever you are.

XOXO,

Ashley Dane
Shake The Hive

Radical Recipes from the Anarchist Cookbook- Bomb Ass Zucchini Chips

Okay, so it isn't really from the original Anarchist's Cookbook, but it very well could be from the new and improved version, and I might be working on that as we speak. And if I were working on it,  embedded in it would be the message that its much more effective to create a meal with locally grown foods than to create a Molotov cocktail. Food is the new movement, because we can ALL take action. We can ALL stop buying what the powers that be are selling. Or, as my very eloquent and politically passionate friend Kevin Vaughn says-

The only way out at this point is collective change. I mean a serious psyche change of behavior by the masses, the complete dedication to be responsible and demand better from ourselves and the companies that "feed" us. To move away from "branded convenience" and into necessity. To move into cooperation instead of lustful competition. To refuse goods obtained, manufactured or altered by theft or genetic modification of resource. Collectively alter the "bottom line" and you will see change. Rapid change. Damn near overnight. So if you are not willing or are not already making this type effort...stop bitching about war. You are the war.

YOU are the war. I am the war. The war I wage is in my struggle to make choices with my dollars that support only those who do not have an agenda to damage anyone for profit. I am often shocked at how hard it is to make the correct choice- I was so hungry today after two hours stuck in traffic, all I wanted was McDonalds French fries. Sooooooo bad. But no- this isn't an option I am allowing myself. I have a short list of things I am not ready to give up yet, and I am allowing myself those few things. McDonalds is not on that list.  Something happens every day to challenge me. I am usually pretty vigilant to these temptations, and sometimes I fall flat on my face. But I get back up and try again. Its a process.

A good rule of thumb....

So when I got home, I made something that was not just equally satisfying, but WAY MORE satisfying that French fries. Fuck French fries!  I made zucchini chips, and they are the BOMB.  Bomb Ass Zucchini Chips!

Here is what you need-

A big ol' zucchini or two (from your local farmer's market if you can; organic if you can't)- seasonally you can get these pretty big in California, just get the biggest ones you can
Shredded organic parmesan cheese (Not the stuff in the green can. That's disgusting. Best if you shred it yourself)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Coconut oil
chia seeds
Himalayan pink sea salt

So I cut the top off the zucchini so it wouldn't look suggestive. You know it woulda

Pre-heat over to 400 degrees
Cut the zucchini up into round chippy pieces, not too thick, not too thin
place on cooking tray
put a drop of EVOO on each slice, cover with parmesan cheese, top with chia seeds and Himalayan sea salt

See how easy it is to make bomb ass zucchini?

Cook in oven for 20 minutes. Keep checking on them, though- everyone's oven is a bit different, and everyone has their own idea of how thick to cut the slices.

One other version says to top with bread crumbs before cooking. To be honest, I did a little of each, and liked without bread crumbs better.

These are super quick and easy, which I personally like, as I always am starving by the time I get home since I am not snacking on crap all day long.  You can make a bunch and put in Tupperware- I don't know how well they keep in the fridge, but you can probably take them to lunch or to snack on for the day without worrying about them getting gross.

So good you could slap your grandma!

If you try this and like it, let me know! I love to get emails from people who have been enjoying these recipes. You have no idea how weird it is for me, who three months ago was eating like a 10 year old latchkey kid, to be suggesting recipes and having people thank me for them! One of the best things in life is change, when its your choice, and its for the better of you and others.

On that note, please find out where a March Against Monsanto is happening near you this October 12th. You can click here to look for an event on facebook in your city.  I will be at the one in LA. Meet me there!

Occupy yourself!

xoxo,

Ashley Dane

Microwaves are bad....and here is why

Microwaves.

Its hard to think of life without them, isn't it? About two years ago, I had a friend who didn't have one, and I can totally remember thinking they were so....odd! I couldn't imagine how they did it.

I've changed a lot since that time. I am currently sorting through nearly everything in my life, looking for the truth about what I put in my mouth, my body, and most especially my mind, which controls the rest of it anyway. Its not easy- it challenges so much of who I think I am, and what I find comfort in. Food, especially, is such a personal thing. We like what we like. Or do we? I have found that I am not to be trusted. If I know that I am eating something super processed,  filled with palm oil, genetically modified organisms, high fructose corn syrup, dyes, and a host of other things that are proven to be BAD, for me and for the planet- if I know this, and I still eat it, what is calling the shots in my head?  Some sort of programming that tells me the satisfaction I seek is in that bad food, which over rides all the other facts. I want my satisfaction. My taste buds want that thing, and they are not to be deterred. Usually, that's the case. But I don't trust my taste buds any more. The bad foods appeal to our taste buds, but we need to eat twice as much of that food to feel physically satisfied. That's how America became the home of the Super Size meal. And that is why our kids now suffer maladies once entirely the realm of older people, after a life time of eating poorly- things like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and heart disease. These diseases are on the rise in youth because so many kids' diets consist of the worst possible nutrition. 

MICROWAVES ARE BAD

So the issue of the microwave. Its another thing I have taken another look at. For the past few months, in my house, I have been on a campaign to reduce its use, but my kids won't let me get rid of it quite yet.  On the front of it, in Sharpie marker, I have written- DONT USE THIS UNLESS YOU HAVE TO! ITS BAD! and drew a picture of a skull and crossbones. Its helped a lot, it rarely gets used. One of these days, it will be thrown out, and by that time my kids won't miss it. Any day now. I don't buy food that is microwave friendly any more- that's a huge component to the success of living without a microwave. Eat fresh! We are eating lots of green stuff, and you can find lots of RADICAL RECIPES right here on Shake The Hive. (And watch the documentary Forks Over Knives if you really want to take it to the next level. Let me know what you think, if you do!)

My microwave, with warning written on the front in marker

Why would I not want a microwave? Here are some reasons, below. But what I personally understand is that the microwaves sort of blow up the molecules in food, making them unrecognizable to the body as the food you think you are eating.  That's my rendition, in a nutshell. So if you are nuking some processed crap, there isn't a lot of good stuff to destroy- but some of the findings below say that it doesn't just destroy good stuff, it turns cells in carcinogens, in some cases.

The first set of findings are a very DIY sort of control exeriment, done with house plants. The results are shocking. The second set of findings, under the plant experiment, are from a blog written by Dr Mercola, which can be found in its entirety by clicking here.  Its some amazing stuff, and if this doesn't stop you in your tracks, I don't know what will.

Below is a Science fair project presented by a girl in a secondary school in Sussex. In it she took filtered water and divided it into two parts. You can find the original article by clicking here.

The first part she heated to boiling in a pan on the stove, and the second part she heated to boiling in a microwave. Then after cooling she used the water to water two identical plants to see if there would be any difference in the growth between the normal boiled water and the water boiled in a microwave.

She was thinking that the structure or energy of the water may be compromised by microwave.
As it turned out, even she was amazed at the difference, after the experiment which was repeated by her class mates a number of times and had the same result.

It has been known for some years that the problem with microwaved anything is not the radiation people used to worry about, it’s how it corrupts the DNA in the food so the body can not recognize it.
Microwaves don’t work different ways on different substances. Whatever you put into the microwave suffers the same destructive process. Microwaves agitate the molecules to move faster and faster. This movement causes friction which denatures the original make-up of the substance. It results in destroyed vitamins, minerals, proteins and generates the new stuff called radiolytic compounds, things that are not found in nature.

So the body wraps it in fat cells to protect itself from the dead food or it eliminates it fast. Think of all the Mothers heating up milk in these ‘Safe’ appliances. What about the nurse in Canada that warmed up blood for a transfusion patient and accidentally killed him when the blood went in dead. But the makers say it’s safe. But proof is in the pictures of living plants dying!!!






FORENSIC RESEARCH DOCUMENT
Prepared By: William P. Kopp
A. R. E. C. Research Operations
TO61-7R10/10-77F05
RELEASE PRIORITY: CLASS I ROO1a
Ten Reasons to dispose off your Microwave Oven
From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, one can conclude this article with the following:
1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term – permanent – brain damage by ‘shorting out’ electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].
2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.
3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.
4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.
5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.
6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.
7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumours]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in UK and America .
8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.
10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.


Twenty Years of Russian Research Supports Microwave Concerns
The Nazis are credited with inventing the first microwave-cooking device to provide mobile food support to their troops during their invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II [14] . These first microwave ovens were experimental. After the war, the US War Department was assigned the task of researching the safety of microwave ovens.
But it was the Russians who really took the bull by the horns.
After the war, the Russians had retrieved some of these microwave ovens and conducted thorough research on their biological effects. Alarmed by what they learned, the Russians banned microwave ovens in 1976, but they later lifted the ban during Perestroika in the late 1980's.
Still, 20 years of Russian research (and German studies as far back as 1942 Berlin) make a strong argument against the safety of microwave cooking.
Their findings led the Russian government to issue an international warning about possible biological and environmental damage associated with the use of microwave ovens and other similar frequency electronic devices (e.g. mobile phones).
I was not able to personally evaluate any of these older bodies of research, since those documents are now difficult to track down, so I can't attest to their methodology or conclusions. All you can do is weigh their findings appropriately, as best you can.
The Powerwatch article cited above summarizes the Russian research quite well, which I will duplicate below.

•Russian investigators found that carcinogens were formed from the microwaving of nearly all foods tested.

•The microwaving of milk and grains converted some of the amino acids into carcinogenic substances.

•Microwaving prepared meats caused the formation of the cancer-causing agents d-Nitrosodienthanolamines.

•Thawing frozen fruits by microwave converted their glucoside and galactoside fractions into carcinogenic substances.

•Extremely short exposure of raw, cooked or frozen vegetables converted their plant alkaloids into carcinogens.

•Carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants--especially root vegetables.

•Structural degradation leading to decreased food value was found to be 60 to 90 percent overall for all foods tested, with significant decreases in bioavailability of B complex vitamins, vitamins C and E, essential minerals, and lipotropics (substances that prevent abnormal accumulation of fat).

I might add that this finding is supported by the 1998 Japanese study by Watanabe7 about vitamin B12 in milk, cited above.

The Swiss Clinical Study: Hans Hertel
Some fairly compelling evidence supporting the destructive effects of microwaves comes from a highly cited study by a Swiss food scientist named Hans Hertel. Dr. Hertel was the first scientist to study the effects of microwaved foods on the blood and physiology of human beings.

His small study, coauthored by Dr. Bernard Blanc of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the University Institute for Biochemistry, revealed the degenerative forces produced by microwave ovens on the foods they cooked.

Dr. Hertel concluded that microwave cooking changed the nutrients in the food, and that changes took place in the blood that could cause negative health effects.

Hertel's conclusions were that microwaving food resulted in:

•Increased cholesterol levels

•Decreased numbers of leukocytes (white blood cells), which can suggest poisoning

•Decreased numbers of red blood cells

•Production of radiolytic compounds

•Decreased hemoglobin levels, which could indicate anemia

Not surprisingly, Dr. Hertel's study was met with great resistance from those with much to lose.
A gag order against Dr. Hertel was issued by a Swiss trade organization in 1992, which was later removed in 1998. But an American journalist, Tom Valentine, published the results of Hertel's study in Search for Health in the spring of 1992 [15] .

Occupy yourself!!!

xoxo,

Ashley Dane
Shake The Hive

Radical Recipes- Locally grown Asparagus with Asian sauce

In today's busy world, convenience is king. Convenience is the reason we have McDonalds and microwaves. Why TV dinners were invented. Why non perishable food items are such a staple in the American household. And convenience is also what is wrong with the modern culture- so much is lost, so much is sacrificed in order to make it as easy and mobile friendly as possible.

Having said all that, I have to say I completely understand. I have fallen prey to the convenience mindset- in fact it dictated a great bulk of my life. There was a short golden time when my kids were little and I didn't work that I was able to make real meals, not warm them up. It was lovely, but I had nothing but time. That's not most people's reality, and its not my reality now.

Being a single mom,  and also just trying to be a socially conscious consumer, I need recipes that are yummy, fast, inexpensive, and easy to prepare. That is why I call these recipes radical- I never thought I could feed my family organic, locally grown, fully prepared meals on my limited budget, after working a full day. I am learning how to do it, and sharing what I learn.

(And when I said yummy- I really do need my food to be very super yummy. I can't just eat some bland crap just because its good for me. No way. One of my greatest joys is learning that eating healthy doesn't mean you have to sacrifice yumminess!!!)

The beauty of today's recipe is that its super quick and easy. And oh my God, its so freaking good. I am eating it right now. I love to go to restaurants and try to make what I ate at home, and this is one of those dishes. For months I have been trying to duplicate the green beans at one of my favorite sushi places-  the sauce, mainly. I have tried to create some rather elaborate sauces, but as it turns out, this one is really simple. I finally asked them, and I was surprised when they told me exactly what to do. Today I tried it on some super fresh, super skinny asparagus I got at the farmer's market this morning.

Radical recipe #128, Asian Asparagus

So here is the recipe. it takes 5 minutes.

Asparagus locally grown organic
oyster sauce
garlic (one clove, cut up into tiny pieces)
sesame oil

I threw the all the above into a wok and added the asparagus and sautéed until it was cooked through but still al dente, not mushy or soft.

I can't tell you how much of each thing- its up to your palate, and I never consider cooking an exact formula. You can't go wrong no matter how much or little you put, and you will learn what you like.

What is so radical about this? For me, radical recipes are all about finding something that will satisfy a person, which can be a stand in for when our taste buds start luring us in the wrong direction. I frequently go into the kitchen and want something yummy and fast. Usually that isn't something that is in keeping with my lifestyle- and the temptations abound in a household with two teenage girls. I am really committed to training my taste buds, so I am no longer a slave to them. I want to crave fresh, healthy, locally grown food. But I wasn't raised to like that stuff, and so its an ongoing process of learning how to replace my usual go-to processed foods with better choices.



I love Michael Pollan

I have to tell you, today when I was hungry, the last thing I wanted to do was NOT eat something that was a go-to food. I really didn't want to eat something green or vegetably or fruity. I wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich- white bread, Jif peanut butter and some grape jelly.  For me to choose to make this asparagus dish instead is kind of a big deal- it goes against all my programming.  That's the point, though. Occupying yourself means to switch gears, question everything, and re-program yourself in the way that is true to your core being. I dare say all our core selves are aligned with well being, and the sustainability of the planet, when you get right down to it.  Who, when stripped of all their bullshit, doesn't truly want to be healthy, and live peacefully on a planet that is thriving?

Google the MAM to find out where its being held in your area!!!!

OCCUPY YOURSELF!

xoxo,

Ashley Dane