Nov/Dec 2010 ~ Vol. I, Issue 4
ating
W
ell in Kansas City
Celebrating Whole, Seasonal, Organic and Local Eating
How to be a Raw Vegan During the Colder Months Fungus Among Us: Dealing with Candidiasis The Economics of Healthy Living Health Risks of Microwave Ovens Plus: Recipes from Local Chefs and Food News EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY ~ ~ Nov/Dec 2010
Cover Photo: Sweet Potato Hash—recipe on page 14.
Kansas City’s Exclusive Resource for Enlightenment "I want to thank you for publishing EVOLVING. I really love it and now grab an extra copy (I get mine at Unity Temple on the Plaza) to mail to a good friend in Columbia, Missouri. Thank you so much for creating EVOLVING. It is such an awesome magazine and great resource. I make sure all my friends on the spiritual journey get a copy of it." ~Rachel Penn
The December issue focuses on Creating Tradition
Read it online or find a location near you at:
www.evolvingmagazine.com EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY ~ 2 ~ Nov/Dec 2010
What’s Cooking—Local Food News 4 Community News and Events
Healing Foods 6 by Jane Van Benthuson
Eating Live, Becoming Whole
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7 by Kat Bowie
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Let Food Be Thy Medicine 8 by Tracie Walker
Food: A Path of Awakening 9 by Natalie George
Features 10 Fungus Among Us: Dealing with
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Candidiasis 11 The Health Risk from Microwave Ovens 12 The Economics of Healthy Living 13 Stress & Your Colon
Into the Kitchen 14 Recipes from Local Chefs EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY ~ 3 ~ Nov/Dec 2010
What’s Cooking—Local Food News Dr. Kat Bowie
Clinical Psychologist Live and Whole Food Nutrition Consultant The Struan Center, LLC 4044 Central, KC, MO 816-960-4525 www.thestruancenter.com
GOODIES JUST LIKE GRANDMA MAKES
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n the square in Liberty, Missouri, there is one of the most innovative concepts to launch in the retail sector in some time. It combines the look of a mid-1900s home with a new way to make old fashioned goods. "Grandma's House", located at 18 N. Main on the square in Liberty, provides homemade cookie dough, brownie and cake batters and fresh pies that are personalized to take home to bake—so there is a fresh, homemade aroma just like at Grandma's duri n g t h e h o l i d a y s . Customers get to choose from four all-natural basic cookie doughs such as chocolate chip style, oatmeal, chocolate and peanut butter, and then they pick their preferred flavor ingredients from 17 different varieties of delicious treats. Choices range from peanut butter cup, coconut, butterscotch, pecans and toffee, to
Hunger Initiative Everyone deserves not just food, but quality, wholesome food, for the Thanksgiving holiday. Eating Well in Kansas City and Evolving magazine are providing dinners, home delivered, for 12 families in need. Help us support others by contributing
the ever timeless chocolate chip. Besides personalized cookie dough, dessert enthusiasts also get to customize brownies, cakes and pies. Whether it's a turtlestyle brownie, red velvet cake or a chewy apple caramel crumb pie, the options are delicious....and limitless! Besides offering all natural, homemade goods and a generalstore-style retail, the inviting "Mayberry"-like feel to the store makes you wonder if you've just stepped back in time. Aunt Bee will surely be walking out of the kitchen...apron and all, at any moment. The 50s console TV plays classic movies and television series of the mid 1900s all day long. The wringer washer, pedal sewing machine, and 1920s porcelain oven all invoke memories of visiting Grandma back on the farm. Because of the historic and almost museum quality fixtures, Grandma's House lends itself to field trips from schools, retirement homes, and assisted living facilities. Grandma's kitchen and farm table can also be used for free by the community to host their events for up to 20 people. The owners who developed this innovative and emotional concept are Julie Rossi and Jennifer Sherwood, both of the Northland. Rossi is in Mergers & Acquisitions by trade, but recently left her role at a brokerage firm in Overland Park, KS to pursue developing the concept, and for tak-
ing on the role as Chief Marketing Officer. Rossi's business partner, Jennifer Sherwood, is in wholesale service and sales for the Cargill Corporation, and she will continue in her executive role, but will provide product development for Grandma's House, as well as hold the position of Chief Operating Officer. Sherwood's goal is to make wholesome products, but with a "wow factor" that makes customers demand only the quality that Grandma's House prov i d e s . Beginning in 2011, the concept developers will increase the store and corporate offerings by introducing fund-raising options as well as franchising. Questions about setting up field trips, wholesale purchasing, preorders of holiday goods, fund raising, or franchising can be directed towards Julie Rossi or Jennifer Sherwood at 816-429-5482. Visit Grandma's House on the Historic Liberty Square during their store hours Tuesday through Friday 10am-6pm, and Saturday 9am-4pm. The social networking sites and web address:www.ilovegrandmashouse.c om is currently under construction, but will be fully active by year end. *"Grandma's House" is a registered trademark name and is owned by Main St Holdings, LLC.
to our mission.
E ating W ell in Kansas City Sponsors include: EVOLVING EATING WELL IN KC The Struan Center HeartSong Pathways Sandy Jorgenson VALA Gallery Mona Raglow
www.eatingwellkc.com Publisher Jill Dutton 913-944-1298 jill@eatingwellkc.com
Editorial Assistant Judy Kirkpatrick
For more information on how you can contribute, contact Jill at 913-944-1298 or jill@evolvingmagazine.com
Advertising 913-944-1298 jill@eatingwellkc.com
Contributors Steven Acuff, Badseed, Kat Bowie, Friend that Cooks, Natalie George, David and Linda Laskowski, Aaron Lerner, Jane Van Benthuson, Tracie Walker
EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY©2010. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed in the articles are not necessarily those of the publisher. No portion of the publication may be reproduced without written permission.
EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY ~ 4 ~ Nov/Dec 2010
What’s Cooking—Local Food News Gluten-Free Vodka: Bombora and CooranBong Making a Splash Across U.S.
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luten allergies and Celiac Disease have hit the forefront with many people having to switch their entire diet in order to cope. G’Day Imports is excited to give those looking for a gluten-free diet, who enjoy vodka, another alternative. While most vodkas are produced in Europe or the U.S from either potatoes or wheat, G’Day Imports’ grapebased vodkas are distilled in a 100 percent wheat, barley and rye free establishment, thus giving G’Day an edge in the market. Dave Freyder, CEO of G’Day Imports, LLC says “Many people of all ages are becoming much more aware of nutrition and simply feel better on a gluten-free diet. A vodka distilled from Australian premium grapes, rather than one from grain, is the perfect choice.” Restaurants and liquor stores are responding to this consumer demand by adding numerous gluten-free options; Bombora and CooranBong vodkas happen to be a part of that. Bombora, meaning “Reef” in Aborigine, is the # 1 selling premium vodka from Australia and is distilled five times from premium grapes and calls Surfer’s Paradise, Queensland, Australia home. With a surfer riding a big wave on the front, Bombora bottles up the best of fun, sun and surf. But it’s not just about the vodka; Bombora is also about fun events as they’ve teamed up with partners such as Billabong to co-host concerts, surfing and extreme sporting events. CooranBong, which means “Water Over Rocks” in Aborigine, is a super premium, distilled 10 times from primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz grapes. These quality ingredients are distilled to create one of the smoothest, most pure and refreshing vodkas on the market. CooranBong is an elegant, ultra smooth vodka—it is pure Australian. And, like most Australians who like to have a good time enjoy
LOCAL GROCERY STORES HELP HARVESTERS CHECK-OUT HUNGER
T their surroundings, CooranBong fits the part as it has teamed up with many local Kansas City businesses, sponsoring one of a kind events to include the Standard Style ‘VIEWS’ rooftop fashion show on the Country Club Plaza, The Bacchus Foundation ‘Terror at the Station’ and the famed American Royal BBQ, all benefiting local charities. Both vodkas have gained prestigious acclaim at the San Francisco International Spirits competition, and the International Wine and Spirits competition in London. Both brands have also received outstanding ratings by Anthony Dias Blue of Blues Review and The Tasting Panel Magazine. "When people hear about our vodkas and try them, the overwhelming response is how smooth these vodkas are compared to all others,” Dave says. CooranBong and Bombora are now carried in Kansas and Missouri. Visit
www.cooranbong.com and www.bomboravodka.com for locations and mixology tips.
he annual Check-Out Hunger campaign to support Harvesters—The Community Food Network is underway at 142 grocery stores throughout the region. The holiday campaign is the largest annual fundraiser for Harvesters, which feeds the hungry through its network of more than 620 nonprofit agencies. “This holiday season, one in eight people in our community will receive food assistance from Harvesters’ network,” said Karen Haren, president and CEO of Harvesters. “Every $1 donated at a grocery store will provide food and hope to five hungry people.” Harvesters’ member food pantries and soup kitchens are reporting a 40 percent increase in the number of people turning to them for food assistance. “Today the face of hunger often is a working family, struggling to pay for basic necessities and keep food on the table,” Haren said. “We need the community’s support to insure that our agencies have the food that they need to help those turning to them for assistance during these difficult times.” Community members can help this holiday season by scanning $1, $5 and $10 Check-Out Hunger donation coupons for Harvesters and adding them to their grocery bills. Donation coupons and Harvesters food donation barrels will be in stores through January 9, 2011. On-line donations can be made to virtual food drive at www.harvesters.org.
EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY ~ 5 ~ Nov/Dec 2010
Healing Foods — by Jane Van Benthuson Sweet Potatoes are Not Just for Thanksgiving Anymore! An excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and vitamin C, sweet potatoes have healing properties as an antioxidant food.
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have personally witnessed the healing power of foods. In this article I've chosen to sing praise to the sweet potato. They are in season now through the fall and early winter and can be found locally at farmers markets and your grocery store. Many associate sweet potatoes only with Thanksgving, but they are a food that is available year round and one we should be eating on a regular basis. They are a sweet source of good nutrition as they are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese and a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. Not
only do they taste great, but they are an amazing source of unique proteins with potent antioxidant effects. The sweet potato contains unique root storage proteins that have been observed to have significant antioxidant capacities. As an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of betacarotene) and vitamin C, sweet potatoes have healing properties as an antioxidant food. Both beta-carotene and vitamin C are very powerful antioxidants that work in the body to eliminate free radicals. So how to eat them? At our house we bake them with the skin on in a baking dish for
Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes
2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup) 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces and put in a 9 X 13 baking dish. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, honey and lemon juice. Pour mixture over potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the salt, and bake, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, until potatoes are tender.
45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees or we put them in our Crockpot on low to cook while we are gone during the day. Then we eat them with coconut oil, sea salt and a little pepper. Sometimes I like a little cinnamon too. Surprisingly sweet potatoes are excellent for juicing. I like to add a little pumpkin pie spice. Sweet potato and apple juice is very yummy. So is sweet potato, pineapple and lime. The possibilities are endless. We make a vegan potato soup with white and sweet potatoes. Just sautĂŠ onions, garlic, celery and bell peppers until soft, then add some water or vegetable broth with peeled cubed potatoes and carrots too. Add sea salt, pepper and dried parsley to taste and eat it up when the potatoes are done. I apologize for not having this in more of a recipe form but that's how I make soup. I just start throwing everything into my biggest soup pan. EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY ~ 6 ~ Nov/Dec 2010
You can even make sweet potato pies and fries! Any of the above recipes along side a nice big salad makes a great meal. So add sweet potatoes to your shopping list and include them in your diet as a source of sweet nutrients including antioxidants and know you are eating well.
Jane Van Benthusen is an alternative cancer thriver. She, along with her husband and youngest son, teaches raw food classes, hosts a monthly potluck dinner in Lee's Summit, MO and offers alternative health support. You can learn more about her and her family at www.janevanbenthusen.com and www.greenstgoods.com.
Eating Live, Becoming Whole — by Kat Bowie You Can be a Raw Vegan in the Colder Months It is important to remember that being a raw vegan does not mean the food is always cold. It means that the food is not heated over 118 degrees and does not contain dairy, meat, fish or eggs.
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appy Fall, Everyone! I bet you thought that when Fall and Winter came I would go away and not come back again until Spring and Summer when cold foods were back on the menu. Just ain’t so, my lovelies! In Autumn and Winter we tend to not only crave warmer and heavier foods, but Ayurvedically we need them to be more balanced. Ayurvedic medicine is a 5,000 year old philosophy of medicine from India that uses food, fragrances, environment and all other aspects of oneself to maintain a healthy balanced life. In Ayurveda, the cold, windy Fall months easily pull us out of balance and our bodies begin asking for warmer, oilier and heavier foods. So, how does that fit into the raw vegan lifestyle if we do not eat cooked foods? It is important to remember that being a raw vegan does not mean the food is always cold. It means that the food is not heated over 118 degrees and does not contain dairy, meat, fish or eggs. One of my favorite foods to prepare in the Fall of the year is chili. Raw vegan chili is not that much different from the chili I prepared when I consumed the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.). The only difference is that I do not add meat and do not cook it for long periods of time. I do, however, heat it to warm (about 118 degrees) until it is heated throughout. It is not “piping hot”, but for me, personally, I rather resent when I go to a restaurant and the food is so hot with temperature that I spend the entire dining experience waiting for it to cool down while my friends have already eaten and are preparing to leave. I have never really cared for extreme temperatures in my foods and really enjoy not burning my mouth or tongue anymore. Right before writing this article I ate a wonderful bowl of raw vegan chili. The cool weather called to me and I decided to make a big pot of it yesterday. I thought the Chili Gods might be calling you,
too. I hope you enjoy this recipe. I serve it with 7-Seed Onion crackers or Salsa Flax Crackers on the side. I personally like very spicy foods and have a whole area in my kitchen dedicated to my hot sauces and spices. In learning to cook, it is important to honor your tastes. Make the tastes in this chili what you enjoy and just let my recipe be your guide. I hope you enjoy it. I’ll have more holiday recipes and tips for being joy-filled and remaining raw vegan during the upcoming holidays in my next column. Until next time, Eat Live and Be Whole. In Peace, Dr. Kat Dr. Kat’s Yummy Chili (yeah, and its RAW, too!) 1 C organic sundried tomatoes, soaked in pure water 6-8 hours or overnight 2 cloves, fresh organic garlic, peeled 1 C English walnuts, soaked in pure water 2-4 hours, rinsed and drained 4-6 large, fresh organic juicy red ripe tomatoes, cored and diced 1 green, fresh organic bell pepper, seeded and chopped finely 1 red, fresh organic bell pepper, seeded and chopped finely 1 medium, organic yellow onion, peeled and chopped finely 1 C fresh cut from the cob or frozen organic, sweet corn kernels (rinsed in warm pure water and drained) 1 can, organic Black beans (optional, if used the dish becomes vegan but not raw vegan) 1 T Onion powder 1 T Garlic powder 1 t Real salt (this is a brand name and is not heated, therefore retaining its 84+ minerals…very tasty) 2 T Chili powder 2 T Cumin seed powder ½ t Chipotle pepper, powder (this is smoky and is quite hot for some people) 1 T Agave In a food processor chop the drained, soaked walnuts until
ground but not too fine. You still want them to have texture. They become the “mouth-feel” of “meat” in the chili. Remove them to a bowl. Then in the food processor, puree the sundried tomatoes, their soaking water and the fresh garlic. In a large soup pot add the tomato/garlic puree and all the additional ingredients, including the ground walnuts. Gently stir until it just begins to simmer but you can still touch your finger to the mixture without burning yourself. Immediately turn the stove off, put a lid on the chili and let it sit for the next hour or two. Adjust the spices, more salt, more cumin, etc. It is absolutely delicious the next day and can be reheated on the stove (remember how we used to re-heat things before microwaves?). If you have questions or comments, I’d love to hear them. You
can drop me a note at the email address below. Kat Bowie, Psy.D. is a Clinical Psychologist specializing in Nutrition and its impact on the Body, Mind, Emotions and Spirit. Dr. Kat teaches on Live and Whole Food Nutrition and preparation as well as Dining in the Raw, a raw food fine dining education experience. (drkatbowie.com) For more info and raw food recipes, go to thestruancenter.com. Dr. Bowie and Dr. Raphael Smith are the owners of The Struan Center, LLC located at 4044 Central St. KCMO. Dr. Bowie can be reached at 816.960.4525 or drkatbowie@att.net.
PRODUCER OF ORGANIC AND NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR YOUR SOIL AND ANIMALS
Troque Farms Frank Kuhnert & Rennie Graves 31710 E Oakland School Rd., Buckner, Missouri 64016 Phn: 816816-650650-9307 // Alt: 816816-215215-9925 (cell) TroqueFarms@aol.com Pastured Free Range CHICKENS for meat and EGGS. Holiday TURKEYS, TURKEYS, DAIRY PRODUCTS. GrassGrass-fed BEEF, BEEF, PORK and Pastured LAMB. LAMB. We distribute Fertrell Organic Fertilizer
EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY ~ 7 ~ Nov/Dec 2010
Let Food Be Thy Medicine — by Tracie Walker Healthy in High Heels this Holiday
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es! It can be done. It will be done. It must be done. This is my attitude as we approach this year’s fast-paced, herebefore-we-know-it Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holiday. No matter where you are in your current diet and lifestyle, 99 percent of us tend to over indulge and eat foods that we normally wouldn’t consume throughout the rest of the year. Why? Well, because, “It’s the holidays,” “I’m going to diet in January” or “I don’t want to be a rude guest.” These are the things we tell ourselves to justify why we put things in our mouths that we know aren’t good and healthy for us. This year, as I put on my high heels and head out to holiday parties or host them in my home, I am going to have a plan of attack and the self control to eat sensibly. Like I mentioned above, we all have our unique diet and lifestyles that we believe in and that works for us, so I am going to just focus on the sweets. I feel this is an area I myself and most people tend to struggle with when it comes to what are better choices. The four categories below are the ones I think are both healthier options and satisfying. These are the foods I am going to personally entertain with as well as what I will choose to eat when I am out and about. CHOCOLATE. The darker the better in my opinion. Chocolate is a great thing. I love to make my own chocolate desserts and bring them to parties as my gift. A little goes a long way; therefore it doesn’t take much to satisfy a sweet tooth. Don’t think it is the enemy because it is quite the
friend of mine and can be yours also. Just be picky about the ingredients. Look for the higher cacao percentage and steer clear of the milk chocolate with the added dairy and sugars. FRUIT. What can be more natural than fruit? There are a lot of fresh strawberries, dried cherries, cranberries, apricots and figs as dessert items throughout the holidays. Eat them...they are good for you. They are naturally very sweet and make a great dessert option. NUTS. Again, what is more natural and plant-based than nuts? I avoid the sugary and candied kinds. Munch on the raw or slightly-salted varieties. They will fill you up and are a good source of protein and fat. Go nuts! WINE. I enjoy a glass of red wine and consider it a treat. Whether it is enjoyed after a meal or during, I always savor the drink. By looking at it this way, I naturally limit myself to a glass or 2 and don’t feel the craving for anything more when I am finished. It leaves me completely satisfied… and always in a better mood.
a plan to only eat specific sweet treats and stick to it. You will feel better and not have the guilt of eating something you know you didn’t want to. Bring enough to share with others so you can turn them on to healthier desserts. Here is an easy recipe I challenge you to try and share with friends and family. Raw Chocolate Sauce ½ cup raw cacao powder ½ cup agave or raw honey 1 Tbsp coconut oil ¼ tsp vanilla extract Mix the above ingredients by hand in a mixing bowl. Use chocolate sauce to coat strawberries, cherries, almonds or any combination of fruit or nuts. Refrigerate for a couple hours to harden and enjoy. (Enjoy with a glass of red wine and you have my above 4 categories covered!)
If I focus and limit myself to these sweet treats then I can feel content without having to indulge in cakes, cookies and any other baked goods with high levels of refined sugars, flours and other artificial ingredients. I honestly don’t even miss them. So put on your high heels and don’t be afraid to enjoy yourself—just be aware of what you are choosing to indulge in. Make
Tracie Walker is a raw food vegan and has her own business educating clients and catering raw food. Tracie is the Healthy Eating Specialist at Whole Foods Market off of 119th St. in Overland Park, KS. She is working towards her Masters Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and also certificates in plant based nutrition. simplyrawlifestyle.com
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EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY ~ 8 ~ Nov/Dec 2010
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Food: A Path of Awakening — by Natalie George Holiday Transformation My diet has changed within the past year. I eat a high raw diet, but I’m not 100 percent raw and I’m not 100 percent vegan. I now prefer to call myself a flexitarian.
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or this holiday season, I’m committing to unifying people through food and unconditional love. In the past, I haven’t always been a bundle of love. This was particularly true when I first became a raw vegan. I was judgmental and righteous, and I excluded myself from fully participating with co-workers, friends and family members when it came to food. When I did eat with people during that era of my life, I usually watched what they ate, judging every bite that was devoured and thinking to myself, “If you only knew how bad that bite is for you!” Then I’d pull out my “certified by Natalie to be healthy” meal and eat it with an attitude that I’m so much better than everyone else. It was if I had crowned myself the Food Queen. Ick! Can you imagine what it was like to eat around me? It’s no wonder they didn’t want to try my raw, vegan food. I’m guessing they didn’t want to follow in my footsteps by becoming arrogant food snobs that made others feel lesser for not eating a certain way. I did not act this way with everyone in my life. I typically became righteous and judgmental when I perceived that people were judging me or not accepting me—whether it was true or not. It’s ironic that I fought back with the same thinking that I perceived. My diet has changed within the past year. I eat a high raw diet, but I’m not 100 percent raw and I’m not 100 percent vegan. I now prefer to call myself a flexitarian. Along with my flexible eating habits, my mind has become much more flexible
and compassionate as well. I realize now that the shift wasn’t totally due to my diet. Instead, it was a result of me realizing that over the years I’ve explored many different eating styles. When I was 16, I believed the Eat Right for Your Blood Type Diet was the way to go. When I was in college, I followed the Body for Life program. About six years ago, I counted every calorie and ate something only if it was low-fat or low-cal, not paying any attention to the quality of the ingredients. Most recently, I ate a vegan, raw diet which was in huge contrast to almost all previous food programs. Each time I followed a new program I become rather passionate about it and treated it like it’s the way everyone should eat. After repeating this process many times, I finally realized that if I go through numerous changes throughout my life, others must be experiencing their own version of this with food or something else in life. I also realized my arrogance and had to admit that my way may not be the best way for each and every person, and everyone had the right to be in a different place than me. I still have the goal to eat healthy, nutritious food. I still have lines I will not cross when it comes to food but that doesn’t mean I have to alienate people in the process of alienating food. Many times I’ve not participated in potlucks or meals, but I have been great with others in the process of doing my own thing. In honor of my new mindset and new way of eating, I’ve created the following plans to unify people through food and
love this holiday season. Please feel free to borrow and use them for yourself with your loved ones. • I choose to trust that everyone is on their personal path of nutrition that is optimal for them. • I now understand and choose to believe that everyone is on their own journey and living life in the best way that they can. • I will apologize to my coworkers, family members and friends for any impact they may have experienced by me being judgmental and righteous of their eating habits. • I could make up my mind that I’m going to change and then start to treat them differently without saying anything, but that could leave the people in my life unhealed or resentful for who I’ve been in the past. I feel it is important to apologize because it gives them a chance to heal any separation I caused. • I will honor my friends and family’s eating choices. • I will give them space to be who they want to be and love them exactly the way they are. • I will thank and acknowledge those who have given me the space to be me during my times of experimentation. • There are many people in my life who were completely supportive and understanding of my eating habits in the past and they gave me plenty of space to try something new, even though it was different. It’s time to let them know how much I ap-
EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY ~ 9 ~ Nov/Dec 2010
preciate that! • I will eat according to my inner guidance. • With my commitment to bring about unification, this does not mean that I forgo my personal desires and eat in ways that do not support me. I can still honor myself while honoring others, even if our choices may be different. • If I notice anyone who is putting forth the extra effort to eat a special way, I will acknowledge him/her. Let’s face it, it typically takes something to go against the grain and do something different than anyone else. If I notice someone eating a special diet, I will let him/her know how much I admire his/her courage and strength. If you take on any of these practices during this holiday season around food or anything that could be substituted, please write me and let me know how it goes. If you want any support or encouragement along the way, shoot me an e m a i l a t n a t a lie@gratitudekc.com. I would love to support you in bringing a whole new level of love to your holiday season! Natalie George is a Fitness and Nutrition Visionary. She is a certified personal trainer, group exercise instructor and holistic nutrition consultant. She founded GratitudeKC and is in the midst of bringing Cafe Gratitude to Kansas City.
Feature — by David Laskowski, Clinical TCM Herbalist –Viable Options Fungus Among Us: Dealing with Candidiasis The process of getting a handle on your yeast issues is going to take a little time. Because we are talking about lifestyle changes, it has been my experience that making these changes over a three-month period is very realistic.
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f you are dealing with digestive disorders, sinus congestion, skin rashes, lethargy, headaches, joint or muscle pain, vaginal infections, jock itch, leucorrhea, brain fog and the list goes on, you might be dealing with excessive yeast. Over the last 25 years, this issue has been in the top three complaints that clients bring to me and is, if the client is willing to stay the course, a problem that can be helped with some very simple changes in lifestyle and specific herbal approaches. Let’s get right into them…. First, the process of getting a handle on your yeast issues is going to take a little time. Because we are talking about lifestyle changes, it has been my experience that making these changes over a three-month period is very reasonable. Having a plan and taking a reasonable amount of time to allow your immune system to get a handle on things helps eliminate the issues of headaches, cravings for sugar and carbs and the classic healing crisis. Second, you are going to have to change your diet, period. Eliminating sugar in its various forms and eliminating simple carbs like potato chips and breads for a while is your main weapon for attacking this issue. Yeast lives on sugar and it will perpetuate junk
All the foods that yeast loves are emotionally tied to comfort. If you are going to work on changing your diet and spending your hard earned dollars on supplements, then you need to deal with the stressors that are making you look for comfort. There are no magic bullets—you have to do the work.
food cravings just to sustain itself. As you start starving off the yeast with your diet changes you may experience a slight headache—this is not unusual. If you get a headache, see if you can take a meditative moment and rest it away. If it is bothering you excessively, go see your chiropractor and get an adjustment (tell him or her about the positive changes you are making in your lifestyle). If you were still feeling a little rough, then massage and/ or a colonic would be in order. Most folks will pay the piper for a little while they change their habits, so just stay the course. Third, there are nutritional supplements that can be taken to help your body through this process. Using Probiotics on a daily basis will
help as well as adding Caprylic Acid; both are available at any health food store. A professional herbal formula that I recommend to my clients is called Phellostatin. Phellostatin is made by Health Concerns and is a timetested formula that is only available through practitioners. This formula is anti-fungal and works on tonifying Spleen / Stomach Qi from a TCM viewpoint. It has been my experience that if you are going to take supplements to address your candidiasis you also have to address your diet— you can’t have your cake and eat it too! Starting slow with the supplements will help eliminate any digestive issues and headaches that might come up. The yeast did not show up overnight and it will not go away overnight. All
you are trying to do is help your immune system by keeping the yeast in check, just as it does with bacteria and viruses. All the foods that yeast loves are emotionally tied to comfort. If you are going to work on changing your diet and spending your hard-earned dollars on supplements, then you need to deal with the stressors that are making you look for comfort. There are no magic bullets—you have to do the work. I have had clients tell me that they noticed positive changes in as little as 72 hours after working this program! With the holidays coming up and all the stress that is wrapped up in what should be a joyful season, I pray that you take my suggestions to heart. Everyone benefits when you are the best you can be! David Laskowski is a Clinical TCM Herbalist, Iridologist and Certified Nutritional Consultant with 25 years experience. He, along with his wife, Linda, a Certified Gravity Flow Colon Therapist, own and operate Viable Options in North Kansas City, Mo. For further information about their services visit their web site at www.viableoptions
The yeast did not show up overnight and it will not go away overnight. All you are trying to do is help your immune system by keeping the yeast in check, just as it does with bacteria and viruses. EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY ~ 10 ~ Nov/Dec 2010
Feature — by Steven Acuff The Health Risk from Microwave Ovens A microwave oven has a magnetron, a tube that creates strong electromagnetic fields at about 2450 Megahertz. These powerful waves of energy strike the molecules of the body or food and change their polarity back and forth between positive and negative millions of times a second.
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he pattern repeats itself. New technical inventions first get the praise of the scientific community and the quick approval of governmental regulating authorities to market them. Then much later the public finds out the awful truth that everyone overlooked some big health risks with these new products. We know this routine from pharmaceutical medications (Vioxx), pesticides (DDT) and food additives (MSG). We should welcome critical scrutiny about the down side of these "modern wonders" rather than dismiss objections as not scientifically proven. As for the microwave oven, people pay a high price with their health for the quick, easy meals. Research has gone unheeded that shows the harmful effect of radiation from a plugged-in microwave oven. If we called them "radiation ovens" instead, they might not be such a hit with consumers. A microwave oven is almost like having radar or a telecommunications satellite in the kitchen. Even though the greatest radiation goes through the door, the oven radiates about one meter (3 feet) in all directions, and goes on for several minutes after turning it off. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that background microwave radiation is rising by about 15% a year. Instead of foolishly putting ourselves in harm's way, it would be wiser to limit microwave radiation by not having a microwave oven. The Soviet Union banned them in 1976, after studying how radiation from radar affects human health. Some common symptoms include high blood pressure, hormonal disorders, headaches, dizziness, sleeplessness, moodiness, anxiety, lack of concentration, cataracts and even cancer. Studies showed that food heated or even just thawed in microwave ovens set off harmful changes to the blood and lymph system, raising the risk of cancer. Today Russia allows microwave ovens, but limits the amount of emitting radiation to only a small fraction of the levels allowed in the Western countries. The U.S. has the most lax standards of all. Microwaves are a specific range of very short, high-frequency electromagnetic energy that travels at the speed of light. As Robert O. Becker wrote in his book, The
Body Electric, the body is electrochemical and anything that disrupts or changes its fine balance will affect health. Like an antenna, the body receives microwaves that have the same wavelength as sunlight, nature's key vibrational signal for many body processes. The sun is the source of life, but microwaves compete with sun rays in the body and upset the basic bond between the energetic flow of life and the vital energy of the sun. While sunlight pulsates direct current (DC) and does not create heat, microwaves radiate alternating current (AC) and produce friction and heat. A microwave oven has a magnetron, a tube that creates strong electromagnetic fields at about 2450 Megahertz. These powerful waves of energy strike the molecules of the body or food and change their polarity back and forth between positive and negative millions of times a second. This sets the atoms and cells going at high speed, creating friction and heat, the strongest of which is in the oxygen of water. Besides these thermal effects, there are athermal or non-heating effects. Microwaves deform and tear the structure of molecules and weaken cell membranes. Microbes such as viruses can easily take over such damaged cells. The microwaves also breakdown electrical circuits in nerves, disrupt brain waves and upset the balance of energy field symmetry in the nervous system as a whole. In a nutshell, they dull and confuse the mind. Burns happen as well when people put their hands into the oven to stir or take the food out. However, these are deeper radiation burns that do not harm the outside skin, so they are less obvious. Children should not use a microwave oven and they should not look through the glass window to watch the food heat either, as all ovens leak radiation. There is also a risk from heating liquids in glass, ceramic or smooth plastic containers. Even though the liquid does not boil, it can explode if someone moves it or puts a spoon in it. The byproducts of the over-packaging also leave toxic residues in the food. The microwave industry has looked only at the problem of radiation leaking from the oven. Neither the producers nor regulating authorities have done tests on the blood of people who eat microwaved
food. They would rather not look at what happens to health when this overpowering radiation shatters the molecular structure of the food people eat every day. The Russians were first to research this and found that microwaved food lost 60-90 percent of its nutrient value. Especially the uptake of vitamin B, C and E as well as minerals was much lower. The microwaves chaotically broke down food molecules and created harmful (radiolytic) substances. Carcinogens formed in all food tested, including meat, milk, grains, vegetables and even thawing frozen fruit and vegetables. In the West, the harmful potential of microwaved food first came to light when Dr. Hans Hertel, a Swiss food scientist, did an experiment with volunteers, backed up by the help of Professor Bernard Blanc. In 1991 they published their research showing that microwaved food triggered lymphatic disorders and unhealthy changes in the blood very much like the first stages of cancer. Beyond their experiment, they found over time a higher rate of cancer of the digestive tract in those who ate microwaved food daily. It lowered the levels of hemoglobin and immune cells. It also upset the balance between HDL, the "good" cholesterol, and LDL, the "bad" cholesterol. Even microwaved carrots raised cholesterol. Hertel found the same result whether the food was cooked or just thawed with microwaves. Whereas raw or conventionally cooked food thinned the blood, microwaved food thickened it and led to clumping. No wonder so many people take prescription blood thinners these days. When Dr. Hertel began speaking in public about the risk of microwave ovens, a Swiss industrial group got a court order forbidding him to speak any more about it. In 1993 the court convicted him of "interfering with commerce" and banned the publication of his research. Dr. Hertel took his fight to the European Court of Human Rights. In 1998 it ruled that the Swiss court unlawfully had taken his freedom of speech and therefore reversed the earlier court ruling. It also ordered Switzerland to pay Dr. Hertel compensation. So what is the right way to heat food? For strong health there is nothing
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like cooking with real fire. At least the electric stove heats the food by normal heating and beats the microwave oven hands down. However, the best way to cook is with gas and wood stoves that heat food with a natural flame, carrying the most powerful energy charge of all. Dr. Rudolf Hauschka, an Austrian chemist and personal student of anthroposophic founder Rudolf Steiner, did a clever experiment to show the energetic difference between electric, gas and wood stoves (there were no microwave ovens then). He sprouted wheat with water boiled for 20 minutes on each kind of stove and cooled to 17 C (62 F). He then measured how fast the sprouts grew under the same conditions. Those grown with water from the gas stove grew about twice as much as with water from the electric stove. With the powerful water from the wood stove, the sprouts grew even three times longer. The energetic power of real fire makes it best for vibrant health and self-healing.
Steven Acuff, internationally-known nutrition and wellness expert, is listed in the Marquis Who’s Who for his extensive work in food and health. Steven offers a unique program that blends modern nutritional research with ancient principles. U.S.-born, he makes his home overseas in Sweden and Australia, lecturing throughout the world on health and nutrition topics so important to our times. He will be presenting a series of Health Seminars November 9-11, in Overland Park at the Matt Ross Community Center. Lecture topics include: How to See Your Health: The Art of Visual Health Evaluation based on Oriental Tradition and German Naturopathic Techniques; Healthy Food: The Pros and Cons of Common Food Regimens; Food and Cancer; and more! To register, or for more information, contact Gia Maisch at (913) 406-4886, gia12@att.net or visit www.giamaisch.com
Feature — by Aaron Lerner The Economics of Healthy Living The effects of obesity and poor health go far beyond a person’s physical appearance. In this new millennium we seem to have replaced racial and gender discrimination with a new kind, based on a person’s weight and appearance.
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ver the last few years, the cost of vegetables, lean meats, fruits, and other high-nutrition, low -calorie foods has increased by an average of 19.5 percent. Junk food, on the other hand, is getting cheaper—down 1.8 percent. Researchers recently estimated that on a junk-food diet, a person could eat for $3.52 a day. To eat healthy, one must spend closer to $36.32 a day. So this begs the question: Does it pay to be healthy, or to be healthy, must one pay? Because there are incredibly powerful economic forces that are preventing people from taking control of their health, and actually encouraging them to become worse off, it seems fair to say that unhealthiness and obesity may have more to do with economics than with anything else. Indeed, for some people, taking control of their health may be impossible until they first understand the food and medical industries that represent 30 percent of our national economy. The effects of obesity and poor health go far beyond a person’s physical appearance. In this new millennium we seem to have replaced racial and gender discrimination with a new kind, based on a person’s weight and appearance. Whereas in the past, poverty was associated with thinness, and obesity with wealth, most people who are overweight today occupy the lower rungs of the economic ladder. “Rich fat man” has become an oxymoron. Poor and fat have become synonyms. Weight and appearance now define social and economic opportunities just as family name and birth did in the nineteenth century. When a person is fat— not just a few pounds overweight, but clinically obese—it is hard to find a job, a relationship, or the energy to stay on top of the everyday demands of even a simple life. Even most people with normal weight are unhealthy, and often, they don’t even know it. Modern medicine tells us to accept headaches, body pain, fatigue, arthritis and thousands of other common ailments as inevitable symptoms that afflict an aging population. Yet these ailments, like being overweight and obesity, are the direct result of having a terrible diet. Economics is largely to blame for this state of affairs. A powerful trillion-dollar food industry bombards us with messages calculated to make us eat more and more of the worst possible food. Understanding how the food industry works today is crucial for those seeking to control their diet and, ultimately, their life. Packaged food companies, such as General Foods and Proctor & Gamble, employ some of the best and brightest minds to study customer psychology and demographics. In trying to decide what sorts of foods to sell us, they invariably apply one of the great unwritten laws of marketing: It is easier to sell more product to an existing customer than to sell that same product to a new customer. In other words, it is easier to influence a regular customer to eat four additional bags of potato chips per month than it is to
persuade a new customer, who may never have tasted potato chips before, to buy even one bag of this new, exotic substance. Most processed food sales, products like Hostess Twinkies, Oreo Cookies and McDonald’s Happy Meals, are governed by what those in the business call a “potato-chip marketing equation.” According to this law, more than 90 percent of product sales are made to less than 10 percent of their customers. In the case of processed foods, that coveted 10 percent consists largely of people weighing more than 200 pounds and earning less than $20,000 per year. Each company studies its 10 percent, people known as the “target market,” like rats in a laboratory. Customer surveys reveal their likes, dislikes, hopes, dreams, heroes and desires. No expense is spared to hit every psychological button that matters to the target market. If people in that market like a particular actor or singer, that very celebrity will soon appear on radio or television, praising the product. If a certain look, feel, or lifestyle appeals to people in that market, legions of stylists and designers will descend on the studio to simulate it. Like a deer caught in the telescopic sight of a hunter at close range, the target never has a chance. Such ruthless tactics used to be restricted to U.S. tobacco companies, which wrote the book on deceptive marketing tactics while getting the world addicted to nicotine. Recent legislation has forced Big Tobacco to curb some of these activities when it comes to promoting cigarettes, especially to children. They are not letting their acquired expertise go to waste though—they are purchasing the major brands of addictive processed foods. In early 2001, Philip Morris, the world’s largest tobacco company, purchased some of the most popular children’s processed food brands, including Oreo Cookies, Ritz Crackers and Life Savers candies. This makes Philip Morris the world’s second largest food company after Nestle Inc. One of the great scandals of the junk-food culture is the extent to which its most enthusiastic promoters personally avoid the very products they are pushing. Moreover, many of the emotional and medical challenges some people face today, from controlling one’s temper to depression and cancer, are as much products of these junk-food companies as are frozen pizza and low-fat cookies. Then we turn to the medical industry, where we encounter large multinational companies whose nefarious practices make those of the food companies pale by comparison. Just as obese consumers represent the “target” market to the food companies, physicians represent the “target” market to the medical and pharmaceutical companies. The patient will receive the drug or treatment that is most profitable for the supplier of the treatment, the health insurance company, and in some cases even the individual physician. This may or may not represent the best medical treatment available. In the United States, doctors typically prescribe completely different treatments for the same
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ailment depending on which drug company has the dominant market share in their region. Meanwhile, medical technology and pharmaceuticals change so fast today that what physicians learn in medical school is often obsolete by the time they graduate. In practice, doctors learn about new drugs and treatments from a special type of salesperson called a “detail person” in the medical industry. “Detail person” is nothing more than a euphemism for “very attractive, highly paid young person of the opposite sex.” Detail people lavishly hand out free samples and handsomely reward physicians and their staff in proportion to the amount of prescriptions they write for their company’s product. Although the ethical (prescription) pharmaceutical companies around the world justify the very high prices of their drugs with the high cost of research and development, drug companies actually spend much more money marketing their drugs than they do on research and development. In recent years, the pharmaceutical companies have even hired the same advertising firms as the food companies and have begun direct image-based advertising to consumers. Sadly, most physicians have become “technology dispensers” for the products and services of the large multinational medical companies—companies which always seems to tip the scale between profits and patients in favor of profits. In some cases, this could even mean manipulating the federal government against the public interest in safety as well as in dollars. Prescription drugs now represent the single largest monthly expense for most over-65 U.S. citizens, approximately $300 per month, and millions of people sadly make the terrible choice today between purchasing their food or their medicine. But these, and hundreds of other examples, are just symptoms of the deeply-rooted problems that exist when it comes to the ability for people to live healthy or well. While there is obviously no direct conspiracy between the $1 trillion food industry, which causes most problems, and the $1.4 trillion medical industry that treats just enough of the symptoms to get the “targets” back to work and consuming, the economic effect is the same as if these two industries were conspiring against the American consumer in the most sinister fashion. Because of the economics that drive the food production industry, and the inability of the government to address the problem, U.S. obesity has almost doubled in the past two decades. Take a moment, and think again of this figure in terms of human suffering—77 million Americans are now clinically obese, and 184 million are overweight and unhealthy because they lack the resources, information and motivation to safeguard their most precious asset: their wellness. Aaron Lerner, Performance Enhancement Specialist,National Academy of Sports Medicine. alerner@trainsmartkc.com; 816.309.7047 www.TRAINSmartKC.com
Feature — by Linda Laskowski Stress and Your Colon Nothing says stress quite like the holidays and nothing holds stress better than the colon.
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oliday stress for most of us starts around November 1. Christmas has been in the stores for a few months and there is anything but sugar plums dancing in our heads as we remember last year’s memories and those all the way back to childhood of Uncle Harry and his roaming hands and Aunt Ethel’s remarkable way of directing everything to be about her. Promises made the year before that “this year will be different” are slowly slipping away as we finish up yet another call from “Mom”. As the cell phone clicks shut, our fear, anger, bitterness, dread and lack of joy start to form as we rub our intestinal area and wish we were someplace else—now. You have just felt the stirrings of your colon— more specifically, the hepatic flexure—as it stimulates the nerve endings corresponding to the liver (anger), gall bladder (bitterness) and the heart (lack of joy). The hepatic flexure, shown in the illustration, is on the right side of the body near the liver. It is the right-angle bend in the colon that marks the connection of the ascending colon and the transverse colon. With years of built up anger, rage, resentment, bitterness, lack of joy and the onslaught of holiday food, it doesn't’ take one long to realize their bodies are being controlled not only by the unresolved emotional issues stored systematically throughout, but also the intake of “once a year” foods that are celebrated during the holiday season. The splenic flexure is a sharp bend between the transverse and the descending colon in the left upper quadrant of our intestines. The left colic flexure is near the spleen, and hence called the splenic flexure. In this area we have the emotional nerve endings leading to the stomach (dread, not being able to break down our inflow of information) spleen (obsessing about everything), pancreas (anger, again) and throat (angry words not being able to be spoken). I can’t stress enough about emotions and what part they play in our everyday life. Everything that is manifested in our bodies as disease starts with an emotion that we either consciously or sub-consciously feed with negativity. When our emotions are fed with constant negativity daily, we then pull towards us scenarios to help us rid ourselves of our negative thinking. Most often we aren’t aware of this help so we just use this created opportu-
nity to further our upset over whatever unresolved emotion we are feeding, allowing the body to continue developing a specific disease. When these areas, as any area in the colon, build up with impacted fecal matter, the toxins are transported via the blood stream to all the various organs that hold the negative energy that we have been feeding through our thoughts, words and deeds. Now the holidays are approaching and our past memories are being ignited and refueled and they are becoming our current reality to be relived once again. When all of these emotions are in full throttle our need for comfort rises and we start to reach in excess for the alcohol, drugs, the holiday goodies laced with sour cream, cream cheese, cheesecake, sausages, lasagna, breads, cakes, pies… and on and on. Everything is inside of us churning and brewing until sometimes these unresolved emotions boil over in a negative manner and we have a stroke, heart attack, and or gall bladder episode, no doubt resulting in a surgery. Did you know statistically there are more gall bladder surgeries between Christmas and New Years than at any other time of the year? By the time Halloween finishes and we roll into Thanksgiving, then into Christmas, we have already had way too much fun and our gall bladders are usually the prime tar-
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gets. However, there is still time to get on top of these emotions, settle them, release them and free your body, mind and soul. Detox your body, reclaim your energy with juicing, a more balanced intake of foods according to your blood type. What a great holiday gift to give yourself and your family. However, if your ego still says no, that you must do this dance yet again, then think about this… just before you take that bite of the infamous green bean casserole, remember the words of Dirty Harry… Do you feel lucky? Linda Laskowski is a trained gravity flow colon therapist with 25 years experience. She along with her husband, David a Traditional Chinese Herbalist own and operate Viable Options in North Kansas City, Mo. For further information about all of their services visit their web site at www.viableoptions.com
Into the Kitchen — with BadSeed Japanese Sweet Potato hash
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n BADSEED Farm, pulling glowing pink tubers from the rich black earth marks the final harvest of the season: Sweet Potatoes!! Digging sweet potatoes is a wonderful and methodical task that allows the farmer to reflect upon a long and exhausting season full of both nature's bounty and nature's wrath. Soon the ground will freeze and another season's worth of memories will be buried under a blanket of snow. Better get those taters' out of the ground fast!! During the several long weeks of the sweet potato harvest, my husband and I rely on a hearty breakfast to give us the energy to "dig in the dirt" all day long. Luckily, those sweet potatoes are just the fuel we need!! My favorite variety is the fuchsia-skinned, densely textured, whitefleshed Japanese. This gorgeous and complex sweet potato has a tendency to taste like roasted marshmallow when cooked!! I use it for all manner of sweet potato dishes, but namely a sweet potato hash that is an excellent addition to any "big farmer break-
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fast". I serve it on the side of blue cornmeal pancakes topped with sunny-side-up eggs straight from our beautiful hens. Or try it alongside homemade biscuits drizzled with raw honey. Yum! This recipe is incredibly simple and needs no long list of ingredients. Select several large Japanese Sweet Potatoes from you favorite Farmers Market (regular orange-fleshed varieties are acceptable as well). Slice them thinly in long strips. In a cast iron skillet heat up a generous amount of cooking oil of
your choice. (Being Sicilian, I use olive oil for everything, even when frying on high heat). Throw those taters' in the hot skillet and fry em' up diner style with an offensive amount of sea-salt and fresh cracked pepper!! Add some crushed red pepper flakes if you like a bit of spice and fry em on high heat until sufficiently browned and a bit crispy. You can always jazz your hash up by adding an onion and green peppers among other garden goodies, herbs, and spices. BADSEED An Urban-Organic Farm & Market Celebrating Local Food, Culture, & Community 1909 McGee*KCMO*64108 www.badseedfarm.com
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Into the Kitchen — with Friend that Cooks Spicy Pumpkin Crab Soup
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fter Halloween is over you’re always left with the question: What to do with all the pumpkins? Pumpkin pie is fine if you want to put on an extra 10 pounds before you even make it to the holiday season, but what if you want to eat well? Brandon O’Dell, from Friend that Cooks Home Chef Service, is here to help with a creative, delicious way to make use of those leftover pumpkins—that won’t fill out your waistline. Here’s his recipe for a savory, healthy, spicy pumpkin crab soup.
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gredients: 2.5 lb whole small pumpkin 8 oz crab claw meat 3 cup low sodium chicken stock 2 tbsp butter ¼ oz olive oil 3 tbsp low-fat yogurt 3 stalk green onion 1 Serrano pepper 2 clove garlic ½ tsp onion powder 1 ½ tsp iodized sea salt ½ tsp paprika Utensils needed: cutting board sharp chefs knife food processor or blender large sauce pan wooden mixing spoon Step 1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pull the stem off the pumpkin and cut it in half, top to bottom. Brush the pumpkin with olive oil and lightly salt and pepper it. Place it on a sheet pan and roast it in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Step 2 While the pumpkin is roasting, chop the green onion, sepa-
rating the green and white parts. Finely chop the Serrano peppers, use two if you like more spice. Loosely chop the garlic. Step 3 Remove the pumpkin from the oven and allow it to cool just enough to handle without burning yourself. Use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the pumpkin skin and put it in a food processor or blender with 1 cup of the chicken stock and the garlic. Blend the pumpkin until smooth. Add more chicken stock to get the mixture moving if you are using a blender. Once the pumpkin is smooth, add the 2nd cup of chicken stock and blend further. Step 4 Preheat a large sauce pan or small stock pot over medium low heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan and sweat the white parts of the green onion, along with the Serrano pepper, until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the pumpkin mixture to the sauce pan then stir in the 3rd cup of chicken stock, salt, paprika and onion powder. Bring the mixture ONLY to a simmer. Do not boil. Stir the crab meat into the soup just enough to break up any clumps stuck together but not enough to break apart the pieces of crab. Continue to
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lightly simmer for 5 minutes without stirring. Step 5 Remove the soup from the heat. Stir in half the remaining chopped green sections of the green onion, saving the rest for garnishing. At the same time, stir in 2 tablespoons of the yogurt, making sure not to break apart all the pieces of crab. Step 6 Ladle the crab soup into 4 serving bowls. Place a dollop of yogurt on top, sprinkle with paprika then spread some of the remaining chopped green onion on top. Serve with slices of Italian or French bread brushed with olive oil and toasted. Friend that Cooks Home Chef Service offers weekly meal preparation in the home of their customers. Friend that Cooks sends talented chefs to your home once a week to shop, cook, clean up and stock your refrigerator with fresh, never frozen gourmet meals to reheat, all for a reasonable hourly rate plus the cost of groceries. Total cost for a family of four averages less than half the cost of eating out! Celiac, diabetic and other special diets welcome! Contact Brandon O’Dell with Friend that Cooks at: (913) 660-0790l www.friendthatcooks.com; Brandon@friendthatcooks.com