“I believe that it is better to tell the truth than a lie. I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant.” - H.L. Mencken
If you have been keeping up with the recipes from the New Anarchist's Cookbook, then you probably know that I am borderline fetish-istic about brussel sprouts. Its a phenomenon that delights me to no end, considering I have spent most of my life sneering at them, determined never to eat a single one. It goes hand in hand with Shake the Hive's philosophy about an inner revolution. What sort of things have we decided were true, without even investigating? What's been branded to us that we never questioned? How much of what we think or believe we like, want. or prefer are even our own beliefs or preferences? Because I am here to tell you, I thoroughly believed that brussel sprouts were disgusting and uncool- and I am so happy to have proven myself wrong. That's a sign that a good revolution is taking place!
There was a time that this was considered progress: a revolution in modern convenience!
So this is the KILL YOUR TV DINNER. Young 'uns might not remember TV dinners- they were the beginning of the end for the American diet. To make these ultra convenient dinners, all kinds of processed food products were invented that were lacking in the nutrients that the original food would have delivered. But it seemed a small price to pay for the convenience of having a full meal, ready to eat, simply heat it in the oven, break out the tv trays, and plant yourself in front of the boob tube. No nutrient for the body, no nutrients for the brain- and we wonder how America got to be this way.
The Zombie Apocalypse is already here
KILL YOUR TV DINNER
prep time- 8-10 minutes cook time- Depends on how you like it skill level- 0
What you'll need-
aluminum foil (disclaimer- this might not be the best thing for you, I still use it for now) Fish of your choice- I used Swai Organic Brussel sprouts (scroll to the bottom of page for nutritional info) Nutiva organic extra virgin coconut oil (I met this company at the recent Green Festival in LA- awesome people, awesome product! Certified organic and certified non GMO. Order from them- I totally endorse them as a purveyor!!) Chili garlic Sauce Organic garlic Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (you can use whatever, but this is all I ever use) Truffle Salt Nutiva Organic Chia Seeds (Same purveyor as the Coconut oil- good price for a big bag of certified organic chia seeds!)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Place the fish inside a piece of aluminum foil, a piece big enough to wrap the fish up in Chop up garlic and put it on top of the fish Put Coconut oil on top of fish and salt the fish, to taste Wrap up the fish so its in a foil packet and set aside
Not unlike a TV dinner- its all prepared at once. But this is GOOD for you!
Cut Brussel sprouts in half Make a tray out of aluminum foil so the oil can't run out the sides place sprouts with the leafy side down and cover with coconut oil and truffle salt
Now put both the fish packet(s) and the tray of Brussel sprouts in a cookie tray and put in the oven.
You will want to take the fish out earlier than the Brussel sprouts- but this will have to be at your discretion. My fish was frozen and I cooked it that way, so it took longer. Yours might not be frozen, or it may be thicker, so you'll have to keep an eye on it.
I like my Brussel sprouts to burn a little on the outside leaves- it give a lot of flavor and is nice and crispy, while the inside is soft and yummy.
When you take out the fish, you can leave it in the foil so it doesn't get cold. Once you take the sprouts out, unfoil the fish and put it in a plate, and add the garlic chili paste (spread it on the top of the fish) and sprinkle with chia seeds.
As with all Radical recipes, this is very easy and *convenient* to make. Convenience is still something sought after, and it can be had without sacrificing the nutrition your body needs. We want to have healthy bodies, because then our bodies belong to us. If we are not in good health (such as a huge percentage of Americans, who suffer from illnesses traceable to diets of processed foods) then our bodies belong to the Big Pharma and the insurance and medical corporations- and trust me, that's how they want it. Being healthy is revolutionary! A big up yours to the food corporations that would prefer you to compromise your health with their food products!
Oh so yummy! Kill Your TV Dinner!
And a little flashback to the days of yore, when the TV Dinner was a groundbreaking new achievement in modern convenience...
Shake the Hive!!
xoxo,
Ashley Dane
Health benefits of brussel sprouts
The sprouts are one of the low-glycemic nutritious vegetables that should be considered in weight reduction programs. 100 g brussel sprouts provide just 45 calories, nonetheless, contain 3.38 g of protein, 3.80 g of dietary fiber (10% of RDA) and zero cholesterol.
In fact, brussels sprouts are a storehouse of several flavonoid anti-oxidants like thiocyanates, indoles, lutein, zea-xanthin, sulforaphane and isothiocyanates. Together, these phytochemicals offer protection from prostate, colon, and endometrial cancers.
Di-indolyl-methane (DIM), a metabolite of indole-3-carbinol is found to be an effective immune modulator, anti-bacterial and anti-viral agent through its action of potentiating "Interferon-γ" receptors.
In addition, brussel sprouts contain glucoside, sinigrin. Early laboratory studies suggest that sinigrin help protect from colon cancers by destroying pre-cancerous cells.
Brussel sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin C; 100 g sprouts provide about 85 mg or 142% of RDA. Together with other antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin A and E, it helps protect the body by trapping harmful free radicals.
Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid in sprouts, is selectively absorbed into the retinal macula-lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide anti-oxidant and protective light-filtering functions from UV rays. Thus, it helps prevent retinal damage, "age-related macular degeneration related macular degeneration disease" (ARMD), in the elderly.
Sprouts are the good source of another anti-oxidant vitamin A, provides about 754 IU per 100g. Vitamin A is required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for acuity of vision. Foods rich in this vitamin have been found to offer protection against lung and oral cavity cancers.
It is one of the excellent vegetable sources for vitamin-K; 100 g provides about 177 µg or about 147% of RDA. Vitamin K has potential role bone health by promoting osteotrophic (bone formation and strengthening) activity. Adequate vitamin-K levels in the diet help limiting neuronal damage in the brain and thereby, preventing or at least, delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Further, the sprouts are notably good in many B-complex groups of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid, etc., that are essential for substrate metabolism inside the human body.
They are also rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. 100 g fresh sprouts provide 25 mg (1.5% of RDA) sodium and 389 mg (8% of RDA) potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is required for cellular oxidation and red blood cell formation.
Brussels sprouts are incredibly nutritious vegetable that offers protection from vitamin A deficiency, bone loss, iron-deficiency anemia, and believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases and colon and prostate cancers.
On Sunday October 20th, I attended an event at the Saban Theatre in Los Angeles. On the bill were Alanis Morrisette, and Marianne Williamson. If you don't know who Marianne is, you should. She is a spiritual activist- a feisty, cut to the chase, in your face speaker who will run the gamut from politics to Course in Miracles, the early history of U.S. democracy, and throw in a personal anecdote about a date she went on. And somehow, she is able to follow the golden thread of truth that weaves through all things, no matter how seemingly diverse the topics might be.
Me with Marianne Williamson, October 20, 2013. Love this lady!
On this particular night, Marianne announced that she would be running for a seat in the House of Representatives. Yep, Congress. Its a bold move, and its one I know she has been considering for a while. Marianne is not a healer in the traditional sense of the word; she doesn't lay her hands on you and heal your wounds or see into your mind and send relief there. What she does do is speak a balm of truth that stings- as truth is wont to do- like hydrogen peroxide on a fresh wound. Suffering comes from distorted information, where "what is so" is confused by other agendas. Marianne has the ability to do with her words what the body does with an army of white blood cells- surround the misinformation, remove the pathogenic debris that distorts it, and nourishes the truth at the heart of everything. Do we need this at the level of government? In the worst way!
Here is Marianne's letter of announcement-
Dear Friends,
I have officially announced my candidacy for election to the U.S. House of Representatives from California’s Congressional District 33.
I know many of you are not surprised. At my Sister Giant Conference in Los Angeles last year, I urged almost two thousand women to consider running for office using the principles of non-violence to birth a new American politics. After experiencing the energy and enthusiasm of the conference, I spent long months pondering how I could best further such a movement. The response that feels most real and true to me is to run for office myself.
The biggest threat to our country today is not from armies invading our shores. The biggest threat to our democracy is not bombs falling from the sky over an American city. No, our biggest threat is a pattern of a thousand cuts – the slow but now constant chipping away at our democratic freedoms—one capitulation to moneyed interests at a time, one new gerrymandered district at a time, one government surveillance program at a time, one limiting of our voting rights at a time, one intimidation of journalists at a time, one Patriot Act at a time, one National Defense Authorization Act at a time, one Trans Pacific Partnership so-called trade deal limiting our sovereignty at a time. So at what point— after how many moments when Americans mutter to ourselves “Ya gotta be kidding me!”—do we stand up to our own government and say, “Hey, guys! Whose side are you on??”
That question will not be answered in a meaningful way until it is asked in the most powerful way. And that means not just from the sidelines and not just from online petitions. The question must be asked more often by people sitting in those seats, in that building, in that city.
And that’s why I am running for Congress. I hope you’ll join me.
If you want to know more or get involved- text the word MARIANNE to the number 310.906.4755.
Do it! Be a part of this exciting time. If the people had a voice like hers in Congress, we could rest a little easier knowing a powerful figure is representing the interest of the people. Her values are not aligned with the economic well being of the elite who butter their bread with the blood of the masses. She will be a voice for the people, the children, the planet.
MY PATH TO MARIANNE WILLIAMSON
My path to Marianne was an interesting one. I had had one of her quotes on my fridge for many years, but didn't know much more about her. At a dinner about 5 years ago, I was sitting next to a woman who said, "You know, the things you talk about, you sound like my friend Marianne. She does lectures on Monday nights, you would really like her." I went to meet that friend at the lecture, not knowing she meant Marianne Williamson, and got my first induction into the powerhouse that is Marianne. I went to several more lectures, and it became clear to me that I needed to know her. No, scratch that. It became clear that I would know her. I can't explain it, but there it was. There were several twists and turns to the story, from sitting next to her at a play and not saying anything- (it didn't feel like the right time), to having so many mutual friends that it would have been easy to broker a meeting- but that didn't feel right, either. I inadvertently talked one of her friends into being forgiving of Marianne over an incident, and she reached out to her and restored their friendship. Another friend of mine was once at Marianne's house (someone I took to see Marianne, and whom discovered they were neighbors) and mentioned me a couple of times. She tells me that Marianne stood up and said, "Who is this Ashley person you keep talking about? I've got to meet her!" And so, just like that, she invoked my name, and when my friend told me that, I knew it was time to meet her.
And the time came. Marianne was to lecture at the rehab where I worked- and I was given the job of coordinating it. On the phone with her, she asked if I could pick her up and drive her to the rehab- it was a very windy and daunting drive up the hill. We had a great talk going up, and afterwards, taking her home, she asked me some things about my kids, and my life. She then said, "Come visit me next week at my apartment." So I did. And she imparted some wisdom to me that, at the time, didn't seem like much of anything. I had hoped she would encourage me on a certain path I was rather gung ho about at the time. She didn't- and I was a little butt hurt about it, truth be told. But what she did do is encourage me to focus on my life, not on any grand schemes, because the things happening right then, in my life, were what I needed to pay attention to. And in doing what she said, and also doing the Course In Miracles, I found my way through an emotional morass to now- and now is rife with adventure and opportunity. Shake the Hive is growing to be more than I could have dreamed- I am working on the STH non-profit for teenage girls as well, the blog is being read by thousands, and my entire lifestyle has changed in the past 6 months. MW didn't tell me what to do, she just suggested I should be paying attention, and in that attention I found my calling. Shake the Hive was a response to my life, not to an idea I had that was separate from my journey.
In every person's life they are called to do something greater, to be someone great, to be a force of good in the world. Not everyone answers the call- in fact, few do. Below is the quote I had on my fridge for years, and I think its the perfect response to anyone who shrinks back from the call.
My life has been deeply impacted by Marianne Williamson. I will do whatever I can to help her in her campaign for her seat in the House of Representatives. I am excited that she can bring her clarity and strength into the morass of modern politics- and she can only do that because she did it in her own life first. Then she was able to help others do that, because she had. The first step is the revolution of our own lives. The first order of business is to pay attention to our lives, our choices, and upset our own status quo by questioning everything we believe. Its a powerful thing, to discard negative belief systems that no longer serve us. We all have flawed systems that need re-calibrating- and we Americans have a flawed political system that needs a strong dose of undiluted Truth. MARIANNE FOR CONGRESS!!!
If you want to know more or get involved- text the word MARIANNE to the number 310.906.4755. Do it!!!
This past Saturday was the second March Against Monsanto in Los Angeles. It was a world-wide event, taking place in hundreds of cities all over the globe. It really is amazing to march- the energy of it is like no other. It can feel a little lonely to be reading about what is happening in the world, and trying to disseminate information to others via social networks, and to have not only facebook's limitations against you (as a like page, they want to force you to need to pay them money to get posts seen and pages liked), but the general climate of humans in general- its true, a post of a kitten would get 50 likes while a post about Monsanto will get 3. Then there is the third dilemma- people who half know, who half understand, who will like those posts and re-post them, but won't do much more than that.
SHAKE THE HIVE at the March Against Monsanto
So for all the lonely nights making memes and reading the news and blogging and creating recipes and blogging the recipes- these events where likeminded people who give enough of a damn to show up are manna to me. I need it, or I would lose my energy for the whole endeavor.
When I went to the March Against Monsanto on May, it was a serious turning point for me. Everything about my life changed. I started this blog. I became an activist. I started the facebook page to go along with this blog (click HERE to go and like the page). It was never going to be my health that changed my lifestyle. It needed to be something more than that. Yeah, I know, my health is a big deal, but it wasn't compelling enough for a radical shift, for whatever reason. But coming to understand the big picture about GMOs, and that changing my lifestyle was REVOLUTIONARY- that spoke to me. I learned about bees, and I started taking steps to be a beekeeper with HONEYLOVE. I started urban farming, and helping other organizations, like LA Green Grounds. I spend time at my local farmer's market, and buy at least half of my groceries from there. I get to know local businesses that are using organic, non GMO ingredients, many of whom I met at the recent Artisanal LA, many of whom I will feature in upcoming blogs. And I have been busy at work on my cookbook, the New Anarchist's Cookbook, due in 2014. So you see, it was a powerful event for me, as I am sure it was for the others who attended. And hopefully it got the people who saw the Marches, either in person or in the sparse media coverage interested in knowing more about why so many people would take to the streets.
Its amazing to me that later in the day, I saw some friends, who asked what we had been doing. They said, "What is Monsanto? What is a GMO?" People still remain in the dark. Here is a great video to share on your FB page and on any other social media. People need to understand what is going on.
At this March, I was exposed to the TPP, or Trans Pacific Partnership, which I plan on studying up on this week. Here is a little bit about what the TPP is, and its very scary.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership n.1. A "free trade" agreement that would set rules on non-trade matters such as food safety, internet freedom, medicine costs, financial regulation, and the environment. 2. A binding international governance system that would require the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, and any other country that signs on to conform their domestic policies to its rules. 3. A secret trade negotiation that has included over 600 official corporate "trade advisors" while hiding the text from Members of Congress, governors, state legislators, the press, civil society, and the public. To read more, click HERE Here is another way of looking at the TPP- The Trans-Pacific Partnership would create a super-treaty which would jeopardize the sovereignty of the nations involved by giving that power to large corporations like Wal-Mart, Monsanto, Goldman Sachs, Pfizer, Halliburton, Philip Morris, GE, GM, Apple. TO read more of this, click HERE.
I was very impressed to see so many kids at the March. One family that stole my heart was a mom and dad and three kids dressed like bees. The mom was in a full on bhurka. The diversity of the crowd warmed my heart- from a wide range of cultures, and age differences- some really funky hippies and some very conservative looking people- they all hit the streets and they all did that out of love. Why else? They want to wake people up, they want people to know that evil is right on their doorstep, to vote with their dollars, to get informed, to make choices that are aligned with a bright future for human beings and the planet.
If you were not able to make it, I implore you to please make the next March Against Monsanto, and any protests against the TPP. If there are only a few hundred marching, its easy to ignore. But if we can get thousands in the streets- it can not be swept under the carpet. These are some of the biggest issues facing everyone today, whether they want to pay attention to it or not- it affects everyone equally.
Marching Downtown LA
Just so you know for the next march- Its really easy to get downtown on the Metro, so you don't have to worry about parking or getting back to your car- I took it for the first time, and met the most amazing people, including these kids. They marched the whole day from 10am to after 4pm. I love these kids, and their mom for exposing them to the idea of taking action. I like knowing these kids are probably not eating foods with GMOs, thanks to their mom's awareness and diligence. This is the future! Shake the Hive!!
Little Anons after the March Against Monsanto at the LA Metro Station
Last Friday, I went to see my friend Chick at Step Up on Vine Street. Step Up is an organization that helps the homeless, and my friend works with them, runs groups and trainings, and maintains the tower gardens on the roof. As he was giving me a tour, I was stunned by how evolved the whole premise and the way it is structured to include urban farming and sustainability in its program.
The roof garden at Step Up on Vine street
Step Up on Second and Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, both 501(c)3 organizations, have retrofitted an existing 20,718 sf, three-story hotel into a 34-unit affordable housing project. The facility is intended for the psychosocial rehabilitation and support of the homeless affected by severe and persistent mental illness. Located at the corner of Santa Monica and Vine, the ground floor features retail and community spaces including a computer lab, cafe and commercial kitchen to be used by residents. The second and third floors consist of living quarters, a community room and laundry facilities. The roof of the structure features an aquaponic rooftop garden, outdoor seating and lighting that enables the space to be utilized by residents. Sustainable features include green screens on the exterior; daylighting strategies including low E windows and eyebrows that will extend past the green screen; low flow plumbing fixtures; use of a grey water/irrigation system; a potential 50 kW solar array on roof deck; thermal hot water system heated by solar; and new efficient electrical and mechanical systems.
The cafe at Step Up on Vine Street- full commercial kitchen in back
I got that blurb from the construction company website- because the Step Up website has the best information about the services they provide for the homeless- which are extensive and impressive- like the commercial kitchen and cafe where they train the residents to work. The cafe is open to the public and is manned by the people who have been trained to prepare the food and run the cafe. CLICK HERE to see more about what Step Up does.
Me at Step Up on Vine Street
For the purposes of this blog, I wanted to mention Step Up not only for their contribution to humanity, but for their efforts at sustainability. I love that they are using solar panels- it was interesting to learn that the power drops on cloudy days. It makes sense, but I didn't know how that worked. I had gone there to help my friend plant the towers, but by the time I got there, he had planted them all- it was a super hot day, and once I got there I could see why he had wanted to hurry up. They grow a lot of different vegetables and leafy greens which they use in the kitchen and cafeteria. I love the tower gardens, and I have one myself, but I've had trouble getting the seedlings going this time around- from the weather scorching them, to me over watering them, to my cats eating them- its been a little challenging. But once that part is done, the towers manage themselves, and do provide a great option for having a garden when you don't have soil to plant in. (If you look up garden towers here in the STH blogs, you will see a lot more about them).
The March Against Monsanto, May 25, 2013
Saturday is the March Against Monsanto. Things like this really separate the chaff from the wheat, when it comes to putting your money where your mouth is. Its easy to share a great activist-y meme or Down with Monsanto meme on facebook- its an entirely different thing to commit a chunk of your day to going to march. Originally I had a big group of people who wanted to go to the March- and its dwindled to my one homey, who I affectionately have called my Wife for many years. She and I are gonna go hit the streets on Saturday, and then we will be attending Artisanal LA, which will feature locally grown and artisan foods and products, as well as classes on beekeeping and creating community gardens and canning and fermenting....a bunch of cool stuff! If you are in LA, I would like to suggest you do your best to get to both. As for the March- I am sure you have stuff to do on Saturday. We all do. I am a mother, trust me, I know. But there is strength in numbers, and if people last minute decide they have to tend to other things, the march will be looked at as a sweet little attempt by a few earth loving hippies and not something to be taken seriously. WE NEED YOU! There is a March in almost very city in the US, and all over the world.
The path that transforms healthy milk products into allergens and carcinogens begins with modern feeding methods that substitute high-protein, soy-based feeds for fresh green grass and breeding methods to produce cows with abnormally large pituitary glands so that they produce three times more milk than the old fashioned scrub cow. These cows need antibiotics to keep them well. Their milk is then pasteurized so that all valuable enzymes are destroyed (lactase for the assimilation of lactose; galactase for the assimilation of galactose; phosphatase for the assimilation of calcium). Literally dozens of other precious enzymes are destroyed in the pasteurization process. Without them, milk is very difficult to digest. The human pancreas is not always able to produce these enzymes; over-stress of the pancreas can lead to diabetes and other diseases. The butterfat of commercial milk is homogenized, subjecting it to rancidity. Even worse, butterfat may be removed altogether. Skim milk is sold as a health food, but the truth is that butter-fat is in milk for a reason. Without it the body cannot absorb and utilize the vitamins and minerals in the water fraction of the milk. Along with valuable trace minerals and short chain fatty acids, butterfat is America's best source of preformed vitamin A. Synthetic vitamin D, known to be toxic to the liver, is added to replace the natural vitamin D complex in butterfat. Butterfat also contains re-arranged acids which have strong anti-carcinogenic properties. Non-fat dried milk is added to 1% and 2% milk. Unlike the cholesterol in fresh milk, which plays a variety of health promoting roles, the cholesterol in non-fat dried milk is oxidized and it is this rancid cholesterol that promotes heart disease. Like all spray dried products, non-fat dried milk has a high nitrite content. Non-fat dried milk and sweetened condensed milk are the principle dairy products in third world countries; use of ultra high temperature pasteurized milk is widespread in Europe.
Other Factors Regarding Milk
Milk and refined sugar make two of the largest contributions to food induced ill health in our country. That may seem like an overly harsh statement, but when one examines the evidence, this is a reasonable conclusion.
The recent approval by the FDA of the use of BGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) by dairy farmers to increase their milk production only worsens the already sad picture.
BGH causes an increase in an insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) in the milk of treated cows. IGF-1 survives milk pasteurization and human intestinal digestion. It can be directly absorbed into the human bloodstream, particularly in infants.
It is highly likely that IGF-1 promotes the transformation of human breast cells to cancerous forms. IGF-1 is also a growth factor for already cancerous breast and colon cancer cells, promoting their progression and invasiveness.
It is also possible for us to absorb the BGH directly from the milk. This will cause further IGF-1 production by our own cells.
BGH will also decrease the body fat of cows. Unfortunately, the body fat of cows is already contaminated with a wide range of carcinogens, pesticides, dioxin, and antibiotic residues. When the cows have less body fat, these toxic substances are then transported into the cows' milk.
BGH also causes the cows to have an increase in breast infections for which they must receive additional antibiotics.
Prior to BGH, 38%of milk sampled nationally was already contaminated by illegal residues of antibiotics and animal drugs. This will only increase with the use of BGH. One can only wonder what the long term complications will be for drinking milk that has a 50% chance it is contaminated with antibiotics.
There is also a problem with a protein enzyme called xanthine oxidase which is in cow's milk. Normally, proteins are broken down once you digest them.
However, when milk is homogenized, small fat globules surround the xanthine oxidase and it is absorbed intact into your blood stream. There is some very compelling research demonstrating clear associations with this absorbed enzyme and increased risks of heart disease.
Cow's milk is the number one allergic food in this country. It has been well documented as a cause in diarrhea, cramps, bloating, gas, gastrointestinal bleeding, iron-deficiency anemia, skin rashes, atherosclerosis, and acne.
It is the primary cause of recurrent ear infections in children. It has also been linked to insulin dependent diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, infertility, and leukemia.
Hopefully, you will reconsider your position on using milk as a form of nourishment. Small amounts of milk or milk products taken infrequently, will likely cause little or no problems for most people.
However, the American Dairy Board has done a very effective job of marketing this product. Most people believe they need to consume large, daily quantities of milk to achieve good health. NOTHING could be further from the truth.
Public health officials and the National Dairy Council have worked together in this country to make it very difficult to obtain wholesome, fresh, raw dairy products. Nevertheless, they can be found with a little effort. In some states, you can buy raw milk directly from farmers.
Whole, pasteurized, non-homogenized milk from cows raised on organic feed is now available in many gourmet shops and health food stores. It can be cultured to restore enzyme content, at least partially. Cultured buttermilk is often more easily digested than regular milk; it is an excellent product to use in baking. (borrowed from this website, click here for the full article)
BE WARNED, though. The FDA and the NDA and all those f*ckers don't want you drinking raw milk. They are okay with you drinking diet soda with aspartame, which has methylene chloride. They are okay with you ingesting GMOs and high fructose corn syrup and any number of known carcinogens that are allowable 'in trace amounts' in food (Without considering that eating several food items with trace amounts of cancer causing ingredients every day, week after week after month after year ADDS UP- the body doesn't metabolize all of these substances and can actually store them away, where they collect over the years like toxic dust in a corner of your body). They are okay with you eating pink slime from the butcher floor that has been soaked in ammonia and had food flavoring added to it and some dye to make it appealing....but not raw milk. Because the health of the American people is not in their best interest. Let me repeat that- THE HEALTH OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IS NOT IN THEIR BEST INTEREST. They only make money off us if we are sick. Not dead- but sick. See this video below of the raid on Rawesome in Los Angeles- this is only one of many such things that are documented in the documentary Food Fight.
Here is an informative short clip about the benefits of raw whole milk. This is why they want to make it very difficult to obtain. They want to control the monopoly on milk. Man, sorry, that picture below looks gross. I can't control that. But I hope you watch it anyway.
This is why being healthy is a big FU to the powers that be, who want to us to compromise our health so they can get even more rich off our maladies. And to be healthy, we have to look at our food. We have to question what our taste buds are telling us we want to eat- we really do! Taste buds are part of what got us in this mess. They can create some synthetic flavors that our taste buds get addicted to, and we are slaves to our own taste buds. And....if you are a little rabble-rouser like me, the very fact that they don't want me to have raw milk only makes me want it more.
Let me just ask you this- have you ever wondered why the National Dairy Association has such aggressive ad campaigns? Google milk ads, and you will see almost every famous person ever- from Rihanna to Beyoncé to Yoda- who has money for that kind of campaign? They are clearly making a lot of money off Americans. They sure don't want it jeopardized.
Body by milk? I don't think so. Body in spite of milk, maybe....
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!!!
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!
