Happy Friday!
How’s your week been? The weather was gorgeous here yesterday, but then it rained all night, which is actually 100% fine with me because it just gives me more excuse to stay in and cook new recipes. I ordered the Hocus Pocus DVD online earlier in the week because my husband and I like to watch it every year and it’s always a scramble to find it, but not this year! It was $6 on Amazon. Can’t beat that. I’m very excited about Trick-or-Treaters coming to our house this year as well. It’s been a long while since I've lived in a place where we get Trick-or-Treaters so I’m excited to see the little kids costumes and hand out candy. I have such happy memories of trick-or-treating when I was young. I remember running around in my princess costume when it was definitely below freezing, but totally worth it for the candy! And hot cider was always the best on a freezing cold Halloween night.
Moving on to Macrobiotic chit chat. I bought this book four years ago, but hadn't read it. Last night I sat down and really dove in and came to realize this is one of the best Macrobiotic books. And lots of recipes! Here's my Macrobiotic Grocery List as well if you're interested. It's a good start if you want to freshen your cupboards.
I made a new dinner as well - Ginger Pasta with Zucchini and Tofu - recipe to come...
My grains, umeboshi plums, Miso, and sunflower seeds arrived at my doorstep Wednesday from the Kushi Store (online food shopping!). Doesn't everything look so pretty? So I learned that what I thought I was buying as whole oats from the grocery store really weren't whole oats. I have never had whole oat groats until now. That tan grain below is what actual whole oats look like. The Macrobiotic Counselor cooked us a sample at my meeting and topped it with a fruit jam, and it was heavenly. Oats can cause mucus (sorry gross I know, I hate that word) and with my sinus infections I’m very sensitive to this, so I need to limit my oat intake, but a few times a week should be fine.
The grain itself is really important in Macrobiotics and really the center of my diet. Getting an assortment of grains is important as well; therefore, I’m going to be branching out.
I made a new dinner as well - Ginger Pasta with Zucchini and Tofu - recipe to come...
My grains, umeboshi plums, Miso, and sunflower seeds arrived at my doorstep Wednesday from the Kushi Store (online food shopping!). Doesn't everything look so pretty? So I learned that what I thought I was buying as whole oats from the grocery store really weren't whole oats. I have never had whole oat groats until now. That tan grain below is what actual whole oats look like. The Macrobiotic Counselor cooked us a sample at my meeting and topped it with a fruit jam, and it was heavenly. Oats can cause mucus (sorry gross I know, I hate that word) and with my sinus infections I’m very sensitive to this, so I need to limit my oat intake, but a few times a week should be fine.
The grain itself is really important in Macrobiotics and really the center of my diet. Getting an assortment of grains is important as well; therefore, I’m going to be branching out.
Further, did you know it’s best to soak your grains prior to cooking (3-12 hours)? I soaked the oats overnight in a pot on the stove and then started cooking them as soon as I woke up this morning. Soaking brown rice breaks down a compound called phytic acid which can inhibit the absorption of nutrients (taken from the book, The Milf Diet). Also, soaking makes the grains more digestible. I soaked about two cups worth of brown rice on Monday night, added the juice of half a lemon, and then cooked it up (in fresh water) Tuesday morning. Rice lasts a few days in the fridge so it’s been convenient this week.
Lastly, I wanted to talk to you about a recipe for the Cure-All Tea taken from The Kind Diet. I've read about making this kind of tea drink in several Macrobiotic books. It’s pretty awesome. The tea’s purpose is to restore minerals to the blood; therefore, it’s great for when you've eaten white sugar, hangovers, heartburn, nausea, or just feeling weak. For me, I have found this tea also helps with headaches.
To make the tea you need: 1 kukicha tea bag (or loose), half an umeboshi plum - chopped fine and pit removed - and 3-5 drops of shoyu. While the tea steeps, place the umeboshi plum into a cup with the drops of shoyu then pour the tea over, and stir before drinking. You can suck on the pit of the umeboshi plum as well, which I did while making the tea. Give it a try!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
What are you up to this weekend? Would you try this Cure-All Tea?
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