Palm Oil, Super Sizing, and Kanye West, Oh My!!

Okay, this won't look like much to anyone else, but remember that I am learning to use Aeroponic Garden Towers for urban gardening. When I ordered the seedlings, I didn't pay any attention to how they were marked, so to be honest, I wasn't entirely sure what I was growing. I was waiting until it burst open with vegetables, and then I'd know. Yesterday a new friend, who is a nutritionist, came over and pointed out that two of the mystery plants were kale. Kale!!! And ready to harvest! I also had an impressive bunch of chives, too, but they aren't pictured.

So....yay! One small step in the right direction! My baby seedlings are about a week away from planting into the second garden tower- I am hoping to get the swing of it in the next few months so I can help teach others how to do it. I think it will be amazing to help people who live in apartment buildings learn to grow their own vegetables, in spite of the lack of soil. So cool!

Could Kanye West grow Kale like this?

Here is the second picture my sweet friend Becca took- she told me to look as excited as I was- personally I think I look a little psychotic, but make no mistake, that is sheer enthusiasm. And then...I made a big fat kale/strawberry/almond/banana/coconut milk smoothie with it.

Yay organic home grown kale!

My nutritionist friend dropped some science on me about, errrrrr, well nutrition of course, and she always leaves me feeling like the world of food is a great and amazing mystery- not unlike my recently harvested kale. She is like a food Yoda. She says things like- "smokers need to eat more vitamin C than non smokers, so when given a choice between strawberries or bananas, they should always pick bananas." Or, 'adding lemon juice to dark leafy green liberates the nutrients', or "an actual serving of a bagel is 1/4 of a bagel. Not the whole bagel. 1/4. Same with red meat. A serving is 3 oz. Americans eat 12 or more ounce steaks. And we wonder why obesity is what it is." When she explained to me how insulin in the blood works, and how it responds to stuff like pasta, that its this whole tricky thing that goes on inside creating spikes in insulin, more than the body can use, so the insulin is just hanging out in the blood, telling you that you are hungry, even if you are completely full, you will often still feel hungry." Such cool information! I plan on picking her brain and sharing what I find in there with YOU.

Yoda is cute, but my Food Yoda is waaaaay cuter

I really liked this bit of info. It points to the different sides of the fence we all make in regards to food. Its such a personal matter, which is why changing your way of eating is, in my opinion, such a revolutionary act. Some do it for weight, some do it for health, some do it not to hurt animals, some do it to stop supporting the food corporations, hence a socio/political stance. Some unexamined eaters will eat for comfort, out of boredom, for the high, because of a disordered relationship to food, they supersize it because they can, they eat it because its there.  For those who eat healthy out of concerns for weight, I just want to say- the last two times I was at the Farmer's Market, I did not see one single obese person there. Not one. Everyone was, dare I say it, easy on the eyes. They looked fit and healthy and content in their skin.

Here is an angle we don't hear about much, in the face of Monsanto and GMOs. Palm oil production. Have you heard of this?  I hadn't. Apparently palm oil is now in pretty much everything. And this palm oil is harvested in places like Indonesia, where the climate is perfect for it. In order to grow it, they are destroying rain forests at an alarming rate, threatening many species of animals- not the least of which is the orangutan of Sumatra's rain forests.

Read more about palm oil, deforestation and the plight of orangutans HERE

Learn more about what food to avoid that contains palm oil HERE.

Suffice it to say, its many of the same foods you might already be avoiding if you are trying not to eat GMOs. If you aren't there yet, here is another good reason to start being very conscious about your eating habits- these little babies below are one of the species that is being endangered so the food corporations can give the world snacks. SNACKS.

This whole radical shift in the way I am living my life when it comes to my eating habits continues to surprise me. Its so much more than it seems, on the surface. "Its just food, what's the big deal," I used to think, and many still do. But our food is everything. Its the one thing we ALL have to do, eat. Its the one thing that will determine the state of our health. Those who control it have us by the short and curlies and we as a culture are not even aware. Did you know that it benefits insurance companies to keep Americans fat? They can charge you higher rates if your BMI is over a certain percent. Do you think they might be very happy, in fact very encouraging, of the whole Super Sizing food portions?  This isn't conspiracy theorizing. This is an actual conspiracy, and the joke is on us all.

This very reason is why this is a radical thing to do. This is why its revolutionary. If we don't buy or eat their food, then we are, individually, free from their toxic influence. If enough people do it, we start to shift the mantle of power. They need our money to succeed in a capitalist society. Its our money- lets not use it to support those who want to make us fat and dumb, to feed us poison and destroy the earth and its critters. Every cent you spend on processed foods, non locally grown produce, fast food, etc- is money you are giving the McDeath Corporations to poison your children and kill your world. Have you ever seen the movie Wall-E? I'm just sayin'.

Okay, so perhaps I am waxing a little dramatic, but its not far from the truth. Give it some thought. I am here to tell you that if I can do this, you can too. I am here to tell you it IS affordable, it IS fun, there are so many amazing new things to try that you don't even know of yet (check out my Radical Recipes on this blog! New recipes every week.) Its sexy. It changes the way you look at everything. It feels liberating. You feel...awake.  It feels good! In ways you can't possibly understand until you cross over.  And if you aren't ready yet- I ain't mad at ya. You can do your part in other ways. Like share the crap out of this blog!!!!

I will leave my ranting and raving for the day with my favorite song of the week... Kanye West, Black Skinhead. He has redeemed himself, if you ask me.

Xoxo,

Ashley Dane

Hell to the Yes Non GMO Liquid Salad with Mango Sorbet

 

 

So- check it out. I drink two cups of this every day. What I am about to show you how to make will make two 16 ounce cups- and its really yummy so you won't be holding your nose while you drink it.  

That is one cup of kale and one cup of spinach from my local farmer's market. There is no way that I would ever eat that much green stuff in one day- at least, not yet. I still have to force down vegetables, but I am slowly but surely learning to train my taste buds. I don't want to be a slave to anything- not even myself. Thus the phrase "OCCUPY YOURSELF".

 

 

 

 

 

 

After I throw in one cup of kale and one cup of spinach, I put in about a half cup of almond or coconut milk and blend. It ends up looking like this-

 

Yeah, that's a picture of Ray Charles in the back, which I thought looked better than our crusty old toaster. After it looks like this, I add 6 big or 10 small strawberries from the farmer's market. After that, a banana. Sometimes I add yogurt, or 16 raw almonds, depending on what I have on hand. Almonds are crazy good for you, and 16 constitutes a serving.
 

Next I add either 2 tablespoons of chia seeds or the same amount of flax seeds. These things are little superfoods and have more nutrients and omega fatty acids and antioxidants than you can shake a stick at. You can double up if you want to, but then the smoothie gets really gloopy and you need a spoon to eat it.

 

Sometimes I need to add more almond milk to get the consistency right. Then I add a few scoops of mango sorbet, just to make it sweet and something I really look forward to drinking. I still need to psyche myself out- while I want to retrain my tastebuds, I can't completely ignore the fact that I appreciate sweetness and, as Mary Poppins says, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

 

Hell to the Yes Non GMO Liquid Salad with Mango Sorbet

 

So- I know what you are thinking. That doesn't look very good. I wouldn't think so, either, but when I look at all the really powerfully nutrient dense foods that went into it, I am thankful for such a thing as blenders! This makes two very full cups, and I gulp them both down. Why not? Its yummy. I look forward to it.

This stuff almost all comes from my farmer's market in my area, except the seeds, almond milk, and mango sorbet. Drinking a big cup of this is like saying Up Yours to Monsanto and the GMO creeps who seek to dominate the world's food supply. And- it doesn't hurt that its super healthy, and could stave off illnesses that would require medicine and doctor bills- yet another corporation I am not trying to give my hard earned dollars to. This revolution takes place in the kitchen, but its impact is like butterfly wings that create a hurricane on the other side of the world- if we all did it, the world would change. And if the zombie apocalypse ever did come, we know who is gonna outrun those suckers.

Drink Me!

Drink Me!

One of the things I have been doing, since turning over this new leaf, is making smoothies. Until I have taught my taste buds how to experience new things and connect to them emotionally (see my last blog- un-training and unchaining my emotional self to the brands and comfort foods of my childhood) I have to sort of cheat, and get in as many nutrients as possible in the form of a drink.

Bear in mind, I am speaking not to the converted- you guys know how to do this. For those people who, like me, have to almost get into the psychology behind the relationships to food in order to break them, and who have to go a little easy into it (radical moves can sometimes be 'too much' and yield unsuccessful results) I am giving you some pointers on how to make this shift so that it takes hold, and becomes a way of life.

So- the smoothie. Its easy, all you need is a regular blender. Here is what I put in mine-

1/2 cup almond milk and 1 cup kale- I blend all this up first
Then I put 20 raw almonds and blend that up
6 big strawberries or 10 small ones
1 banana
1 apple (you can keep the skin on, its good for you)

And, for flavor, (my kids like it this way and so do I) two spoonfuls of Trader Joe's mango sorbet

And finally, 2 tablespoons chia seeds

See below for nutrition information for kale, chia seeds, and almonds.

I love to see all the fruit and greens sitting out before I blend it all- its an entire meal, and there is no way I am ready to eat all of that yet. I am drinking the smoothies when I am at home and I feel myself having a hankering for something- that is usually the time I go in and make a bowl of Honeycombs cereal, or Oreos and milk. So I am teaching myself to replace that comfort seeking snack mechanism with something healthy for me and friendly to the earth, and which, above all, doesn't contribute to the GMO corporatocracy. Each smoothie is like giving my middle finger to The Man. Up yours, Monsanto!

And if you want to try some other smoothie recipes, check out my favorite place for recipes and ideas, Thug Kitchen, whose motto is- Eat Like You Give A Fuck-http://thugkitchen.com/page/7

 

 

Tomorrow I go to my first beekeeping mentoring class. We hope to get the laws changed so people in LA can keep bees in their back yards. Check out this week's LA Weekly article on Bee Fever- http://www.laweekly.com/2013-06-13/news/backwards-beekeepers-honeybees/full/. I will be updating with pictures on my bee adventures!

Why Chia Seeds?

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• Chia seeds are one of the richest vegetable sources of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, and they offer these nutrients without cholesterol content. A 15 gram serving of chia seeds provides approximately 3 grams of Omega-3 and 1 gram of Omega-6. These essential fatty acids are necessary for good health, shown to aid in the prevention of many of the risk factors associated with heart disease, cancer, and other chronic health conditions. Omega fatty acids are not produced by the body, so it is necessary to obtain them from dietary sources or supplements.

Mineral , Protein, and Antioxidant Content

• Chia seeds are also a rich source of a wide variety of antioxidants, such as myrecetin, quercetin, kaemferol, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and vitamin C. Essential minerals are present in chia seeds in very high quantities, with a 15 gram serving providing 105 milligrams of potassium, 160 milligrams of phosphorous, 2.4 milligrams of iron, 59 milligrams of magnesium, 0.5 milligrams of zinc, and 107 milligrams of calcium. Chia seeds are 20 percent protein, and, unlike most vegetable proteins, the protein is a complete one. B vitamins are found in chia seeds, and they contain approximately 20 percent of the dietary fiber we need daily per serving.

Read more: Nutritional Value of Chia Seeds | eHow http://www.ehow.com/about_5531503_nutritional-value-chia-seeds.html#ixzz2WLduatze

What's the 411 on almonds?

Packed with Energy

Almonds have riboflavin, or vitamin B2, which is used by the body to complete red blood cell production and metabolize carbohydrates to provide you with energy. One serving of almonds contains almost 18 percent of your daily value of riboflavin. Also, a quarter-cup of almonds provides 45 percent of your daily value of manganese and 20 percent of copper. These two minerals are used by your body to produce enzymes that inhibit the release of free radicals, which are associated with the aging process.

Source of Protein

One serving of almonds contains 7.62 g of protein. For comparison, a typical egg contains only 5.54 g of protein. The recommended daily value of protein for a 2,000-calorie diet is 50 g per day, so a quarter-cup serving of almonds has approximately 15 percent of the recommended daily value for protein.

Additional Nutritional Facts

Twenty-three whole kernels of almonds supplies 5.6 g of carbohydrates, including 3.3 g of fiber, which is 13 percent of the daily recommended value of fiber. Almonds have no cholesterol and only a negligible amount of sodium. Almonds also contain around 206 mg of potassium compared with a banana, which contains 290 mg of potassium.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/260879-nutritional-value-of-raw-almonds/#ixzz2WLeBXS00

What is so great about Kale?

One cup of chopped kale contains 33 calories and 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, and a whopping 684% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.
Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.
Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.
Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.

Super-Rich in Vitamin K

Eating a diet rich in the powerful antioxidant vitamin K can reduce the overall risk of developing or dying from cancer, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vitamin K is abundant in kale but also found in parsley, spinach, collard greens, and animal products such as cheese.
Vitamin K is necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions, including normal blood clotting, antioxidant activity, and bone health.
But too much vitamin K can pose problems for some people. Anyone taking anticoagulants such as warfarin should avoid kale because the high level of vitamin K may interfere with the drugs. Consult your doctor before adding kale to your diet.
Kale might be a powerhouse of nutrients but is also contains oxalates, naturally occurring substances that can interfere with the absorption of calcium. Avoid eating calcium-rich foods like dairy at the same time as kale to prevent any problems.