April 2011 issue of Eating Well in KC

April 2011 ~ Vol. II, Issue 1

ating

W

ell in Kansas City

Celebrating Whole, Seasonal, Organic and Local Eating

Feature Articles: Eat How You Were Designed A Midwest Food Forest Healing Power of Foods

Recipes: Vegan Enchiladas Tequila Lime Chicken with Cilantro Pasta Chocolate Chunk Cookies— Featuring Local, Organic Ingredients EVOLVING… A GUIDE FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING

1

April 2011

Food: A Path of Awakening 3

by Natalie George

Healing Foods 3

by Jane Van Benthuson

Let Food be Thy Medicine

6

4

by Tracie Walker

Eating Live, Becoming Whole

8

4

by Kat Bowie

Into the Kitchen 8

4

Recipes from Local Chefs

Features 5 6 7

Food Fight!

Eat How You Were Designed A Midwest Food Forest

7 Eating Well in Kansas City www.eatingwellkc.com Publisher Jill Dutton 913-944-1298 jill@ eatingwellkc.com Editorial Assist Judy Kirkpatrick

Contributors Badseed, Natalie George, Teresa Kelly, Vaughn Lawrence Pasta Pros, Sue Rosner, Jane Van Benthusen, Tracie Walker

EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY©2011.

All rights reserved. The opinions expressed in the articles are not necessarily those of the publisher.

From the Publisher...

I

’ve been waiting for this moment like a child anticipating Christmas morning: the opening of the new season at the farmers markets. And with this eager anticipation, I’ve set a personal goal. This year I intend to purchase only local, seasonal produce (except for those near-anddear necessities for me, such as grapefruit and avocados).

With the opening of the markets this month, I’m looking for-

ward to returning to some of my favorite markets (Rosedale, Shawnee, BadSeed, Merriam), as well as trying new ones each week (Brookside, Westport, City Market, Lawrence and Overland Park). It’s always fun meeting different farmers and sampling their produce— and determining who, for me, has the best of each item.

The healthiest indigenous peoples create their diets around local, seasonal foods, versus the processed, factory foods Americans consume. Rather than taking an otherwise healthy cuisine, like

EVOLVINGWELL … A GIN UIDE FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING EATING KANSAS CITY 2 April 22011April 2011

Asian, Italian or Mexican, and Americanizing it, I plan to create my own local, organic feast.

A great book I recommend on eating locally is The Jungle Effect: A Doctor Discovers the Healthiest Diets from Around the World— Why They Work and How to Bring Them Home by Daphne Miller.

Happy Spring to all—and I’ll see you at the markets!

Jill Dutton

Food: A Path of Awakening — by Natalie George

Healing Foods — by Jane Van Benthuson

Let Go and Lighten Up Diet

Fresh, Local, Live and Full of Energy!

I

recently went to Costa Rica for vacation. I fully expected to return home with a few extra pounds as it seemed I was eating more than usual. To my great surprise, I lost four pounds during my 11 days of vacation! I immediately became curious as to how that could even be possible. After reflecting on my time in Costa Rica, I realized that I “released” a lot of emotions that had been “weighing me down”. Could it be that my emotional weight was causing me to hold onto weight in the physical sense? I’ve heard of that happening before but was amazed when it happened to me. I’ll share with you what I felt were the contributors to my weightloss success. I’m calling it the Let Go and Lighten Up Diet!

Let Go and Lighten Up Diet Say what I don’t want to say. While in Costa Rica, I participated in a retreat that focused on relationships. The retreat leaders suggested that if we have the thought, “I shouldn’t say that” or “I can’t say that,” then it’s probably something worth saying. I realized that I felt guilty for flirting with some male friends in my life and I did not want to tell my husband about it. He’s not the jealous type at all, but I still didn’t want to say anything.

Eventually, I knew that the guilt I felt was not healthy for me or our relationship, so I told him. I felt free (and yes, we’re still happily married)!

Allow my emotions to be expressed. I grieved on this vacation and I was so relieved to grieve. After seven years of being bothered by a relationship ending, I finally realized that the reason I’ve been bothered is because I had not allowed myself to fully grieve the loss. So I cried, I grieved and I allowed myself to feel the loss. It was about 30 minutes of grieving and I was amazed at how grateful I was to finally let that loss go.

I felt connected. Said in another way, I was present. I felt connected to nature and to the people. It took me a few days to reach this point. Birds awakened me every

morning around 5:30 a.m. I was annoyed, to say the least, on the first morning. By the end, I was awaiting their beautiful calls and now I miss them. I also connected with others in the retreat on a deep level. I laughed a lot! I gave and received many hugs. Connecting to others and to nature was my access to being present and connecting to me. It was like, “Oh yeah, here I am!”

I lived in wonder. I was in exploration mode on vacation, continually looking for the next greatest view of the beach, new wildlife, tropical flowers or a beautiful butterfly. I was in awe of the beauty around me and expected to experience more and more on my trip. It felt light to me to live in wonder, to be anticipating great things. What if I viewed each and every day like this? What if I viewed each person in my life like this – always looking for greatness in everything and everyone?

Not only would I have that feeling of being in awe all the time but I’m guessing the people around me would love it too.

There you have it–the Let Go and Lighten Up Diet! I’d love to hear if you try the diet in your life! Write me if you do and let me know what results you have!

Natalie George is a Fitness and Nutrition Visionary. She is a certified personal trainer, group exercise instructor and holistic nutrition consultant. She is passionate about empowering people to integrate exercise, nutrition and powerful thinking into their lives. She founded GratitudeKC and is in the midst of bringing Cafe Gratitude to Kansas City. She teaches a new kind of exercise class utilizing spoken affirmations called intenSati and is currently being offered at Unity on the Plaza. www.GratitudeKC.com

A

s a family that eats a high raw vegan diet we are often asked about how someone can eat more organic foods on a budget.

So I thought I would share some of our tips. We buy what's on sale that week, in season or available at our local farmers markets in the warmer months. More and more organics are available at places like Costco too. You will need to buy them in bulk which is great for our family but if you live alone you could try splitting a big bag of carrots with a friend. We also try to grow as much as we can inside and outside of our home.

Yes, I said grow inside our home. Without any special equipment we grow lots of sprouts. Sprouts are easy to grow and you can literally grow a pound of greens for pennies! Anyone can do this and kids love the process. Talk about fresh, local, live and full of energy!

There are many great websites to help you get started. I love the http:// sproutpeople.org and http:// www.wheatgrasskits.com. They also sell sprouting jars at most health food stores and better kitchen supply shops.

Seeds are packed with nutrients— sprouted seeds are even better. As each grows, proteins, enzymes, vitamins and other nutrients increase and become more bioavailable. At the same time toxins and enzyme inhibitors are reduced, increasing digestibility. One cup of bean sprouts can provide up to 119 percent of your daily Vitamin C, and brassica sprouts like broccoli sprouts are considered to be a "cancer fighting superfood" due to high levels of phytochemicals.

They are so yummy! You can add them to salads, sandwiches or eat them alone.

You can also throw in your green smoothies or juice them. I'm hooked on pea sprouts lately and drive around with a container full of them. They are tasty and high in protein!

You can grow a wide variety of things as sprouts too. It's amazing the amount of textures, tastes and nutrients you can gain just by adding water and air to seeds. I

The Little Muddy Farm Robert Jones www.thelittlemuddyfarm.com

Saturdays 10 a.m.-Noon at the Lee’s Summit Farmer’s Market through December Year-Round CSA—local, seasonal food!

Produce and Egg Delivery Shop Online: http://shop.thelittlemuddyfarm.com

816.225.7344 EVOLVING AG UIDE FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING EATING WELL…IN KANSAS CITY 3 April 20113

April 2011

feel the sproutpeople.org have the most educational website there is about exactly how to do it. And if you really want to be inspired, look for the wheatgrass trucker on You Tube he grows grass and sprouts in his semi! No excuses anymore!

You can sprout beans, brassicas, grains, nuts, seeds, exotics, grasses, greens, micro -greens and even sprouts for your pets!

At our house we enjoy this sprouted quinoa salad.......

Sprouted Quinoa and Grape Salad 4 cups Sprouted Quinoa ¼ cup Lime Juice ¼ cup Ume Plum Vinegar 3 Tbs Olive Oil 1 tsp Sea Salt 3 cups Grapes (halved) 3 stalks Celery (finely chopped) ½ cup Mint Leaves (chopped) ¼ cup Parsley 1 Green Onion (chopped) 1/8 tsp Black Pepper 3 Tbs Honey or Agave Soak quinoa for two hours in filtered water and let it sprout for one day. Place in a large bowl and spread out to dry some of the surface moisture. Add all the ingredients and let sit for about an hour to absorb all the flavors.

Recipe by Loran Van Benthusen @ www.greenstgoods.com.

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 andwww.greenstgoods.com.

Colon Care Center Rosie Matchette, Certified CT, CBE, CHFS (se Hablo Español) Specializing in:

• Colon Hydrotherapy • Cultured Foods Rosie’s Cultured Vegetables Available at Green Acres Body Ecology Products at Colon Care Center

913.962.6721 rosiematchette.com

Let Food be Thy Medicine — by Tracie Walker

Eating Live, Becoming Whole — by Kat Bowie

Go for the Greens

Where are Your Enzymes?

S

pring is here and you know what that means….time to roll up your sleeves and clean house!

But this time it’s an internal cleansing I’m talking about and the first stop is your yard. Those pesky little weeds you will greatly benefit from this year are dandelion greens. They are highly cleansing and will give your system a much needed spring kick start.

Dandelion greens are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. They have a high concentration of vitamins A, C and K and are good sources of calcium, potassium, iron and magnesium.

They are also rich in lecithin which is believed to help protect against cirrhosis of the liver. The high mineral content helps prevent anemia while the diuretic actions help reduce high blood pressure.

By being rich in potassium, dandelion greens help regulate the body’s water balance and normalize heart rhythms.

They are an excellent source of carotenoids which is converted into vitamin A in the body. Surprisingly they contain more carotenoids that carrots. Now that’s something to chew on!

Check this out…..1 cup of raw dandelion greens contains the following: 25 calories 1.5g protein 5g carbohydrate .39g fat

19mg Vitamin C (32% DV) 7,700 IU Vitamin A (112% DV) 103mg Calcium

1.9g fiber

107mg iron

218mg potassium

The plant was first introduced to North America by early European immigrants. The origin of the name dandelion stems from several European languages such as the Italian, dente di leone referring to “lions tooth” due to the shape of the leaves. I have to say that I like the modern French’s way of thinking when they named the plant pissenlit, due to its strong diuretic effect. The leaves increase urine production by promoting the excretion of salts and water from the kidney. What a great way to detox after a winter of heavy, comfort foods.

These early American immigrants loved this weed so much they taught the Native American Indians how to use it.

The Iroquois Indians ate boiled dandelion leaves to avoid indigestion. Try eating a few leaves about 20 minutes before your meal. The bitterness will stimulate the secretion of digestive enzymes which will in turn make your meal easier to digest. The Mohegans drank the tea to

Marinated Kale & Dandelion Green Salad 2 c. organic kale, chopped 2 c. organic dandelion greens, chopped ¼ c. distilled water ¼ c. olive oil 1 small clove garlic 1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger 1 Tbsp. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos Dash of salt and cayenne to taste (I usually add about ¼ tsp. each) **Blend the water, oil, garlic, ginger, Bragg’s and seasoning together and pour over greens. Let them marinate for a few hours or overnight. Enjoy!

Just adding a green salad to your diet every day can add to the amount of enzymes that your body has so that it does not have to use up its stores of endogenous enzymes.

H

ave you eaten your enzymes today? Yes, that’s right, enzymes.

Why would you eat these and what are they? Enzymes are the fuel for every single activity in our body. Enzymes digest the food brought into the body, transform that food into power packs, and are important in transporting those power packs and helping the cells use that power to repair, maintain and heal every cell in the body.

There are 75,000-100,000 different enzymes in the body and they help in keep up their energy levels and prevent repairing our DNA and RNA. They are constipation. The Native American instrumental in making active horwomen used dandelion as a cure for mones, dissolving fiber and preventing cramps and PMS. clots in the blood system. They are antiNutrients are needed for normal horinflammatory, support and maintain mone production and function. The the immune system, are essential for potassium and Vitamin C content both digestion, are anti-aging, and increase help with hot flashes while the calcium the vitality in our foods and in our abilrich properties can help prevent osteoity to utilize those foods. To heal or porosis. As a woman, you couldn’t ask repair any cell in the body we must for a more natural prescription than have enzymes. this. Chinese medical practitioners used Enzymes are destroyed by stress, dandelion to treat breast problems such chronic addictions, and chronic disease. as inflammation and lack of milk flow.

According to Dr. Gabriel Cousens’ as In addition, they help prevent breast quoted in his book, Spiritual Nutrition tumors, treat skin problems such as “After chronic disease in humans, the eczema and acne and help with gout. enzyme content is depleted.” Without Thank you Mother Nature! live enzymes healing cannot take place Spring and early summer, when the at a cellular level. leaves are still young, is the best time to So, have I impressed upon you the eat them. There are many easy ways to importance of enzymes yet? incorporate them into your diet.

Okay, well where then do we get Try juicing them, adding a handful to these little power-packing critters? your favorite smoothie, tossing a few We get enzymes in live and whole into your salad or making a tea out of foods. We get them from eating foods the flowers. Being the raw foodist that I whose enzymes are still intact, alive and am, I prefer to eat them just as they viable. are… tossed in a delicious salad and One of the major ideas behind those accompanied by my all time favorite… who eat a raw vegan diet is that one of kale! the first characteristics of a raw food Tracie Walker is a certified diet is that no food is heated above 118 Raw Food Chef & Teacher degrees. In heating foods over 118 deand the Healthy Eating Spegrees enzymes are destroyed. Food cialist for Whole Foods in heated to boiling for three minutes kills Overland Park, KS. She is a 100 percent of the enzymes in that food firm believer of “Let food be and destroys approximately 50 percent thy medicine, let medicine of the protein. be thy food.” She has a home Just adding a green salad to your and small business in Overdiet every day can add to the amount of land Park where she offers raw food enzymes that your body has so that it classes, special event catering and live does not have to use up its stores of demonstrations. For more info about endogenous enzymes. When you eat Tracie and her business please visit raw veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds you www.simplyrawlifestyle.com. bring in enzymes to aid in digestion so EVOLVING …AG UIDE FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING 4 April 2011 EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY 4 April 2011

that other enzymes that are working hard to repair the damage within our bodies don’t have to quit what they are doing and go help with digestion.

Enzymes can be supplemented with dried green products, blue-green algaes, Spirulina, chlorella, kelp and seaweed. But, remember that supplementation is just that… something that is a supplement. It is taken in addition to, not in place of food.

For a tasty, fresh salsa packed full of our little enzyme friends, why not try something delicious and different?

Fiesta Mango-Jicama Salsa 1 10 ounce package of frozen corn, rinsed, thawed, and drained or kernels cut from 3 fresh cobs of corn 1 avocado, cubed ½ jicama, peeled and diced small Juice of 1 lime Salt and pepper ¼ C red onion, diced fine 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced fine ½ C cilantro, chopped fine 1 mango, diced In a large bowl mix together.

Enjoy! And let all those enzymes go to work helping you heal and repair all the damage in your cells. Healing never tasted so good!

Kat Bowie, Psy.D. (drkatbowie.com) is a Clinical Psychologist specializing in Nutrition and its impact on the Body, Mind, Emotions and Spirit. Dr. Kat teaches classes on Live and Whole Food Nutrition and is the Co-Organizer with Jane Van Benthusen of the Kansas City Raw Food Union (http://www.meetup.com/ rawkansascity). Dr. Bowie and Dr. Raphael Smith are the co-owners of The Struan Center, LLC located at 4044 Central St. KCMO. For a list of her current classes and offerings please go to www.TheStruanCenter.com. Dr. Bowie can be reached at 816.960.4525 or through email at drkatbowie@att.net.

Feature — by Sue Rosner Food Fight!

Jolted by a disease that comes knocking after decades of a poor diet, the time is ripe for a food fight.

Jumping over time.

Could it be that the trail of junk food littered with

Normally, I don't wish away time but that's pretty much what I wanted to happen last summer.

sticky wrappers, oily paper boxes, cans of liquid sugar and soiled java cups be the crumbs that lead me into this

July's dog days had arrived and, as always, I was moving at the speed of light.

thicket?

There, on a stifling 98-degree day under a tent, Traci Walker, Raw foodist extraordinaire, magically made

That's where I decided to grab hold. Food would be-

A week earlier I had made sure my mammogram

But a conscious choice to attend the Bliss Fest in Parkville, MO made me a believer.

come my path to enlightenment and recovery.

chocolate pudding out of cacao and avocados.

Another Living Foods chef, Val Jacobson, introduced

schedule was in order and dutifully, as I had for so many

Immediately, I dug in.

me to the art of dehydration, the beauty rendered from

moons, thought nothing about this routine appointment.

Consuming everything I could read about cancer was

coconut water and sprouting and the difference between

Only this time, I was unprepared for the radiologist to shuttle me back into another room and announce without hesitation, “You need a biopsy NOW.”

a given. The books piled up. The drama was palpable.

I talked and talked and talked to professionals, to friends, to family to anyone who would listen.

“Why?” I blubbered back. A crushing possibility started to invade my senses. This wasn't a routine ap-

My catharsis was to spill all of the emotions and somehow, I have to say, it was and still is comforting.

But the target of control came sharply into focus.

odd-ball percentage of 1 in 8 who would get breast can-

I, the self-proclaimed “Queen of Junk” would undergo a radical transformation.

Not me, the nimble, I hoped as I waited for the Doc to proclaim his findings. But somehow, across the decades, across all this time of perfect x-rays and outcomes, I was that cruel statistic.

was in order.

Warp speed doesn't really do justice to what happen

gena and Cascade for Indigo Wild's Zum and Renegade Health products.

I replaced my Cabernet with an elixir of cabbage, sugar that lurked behind.

Grocery shopping, that I once abhorred, became an

That's because... I hated vegetables. Yep. There was plate...usually it was a stand-up affair by hand).

next.

placed them with stainless steel. Traded Dove, Neutro-

sprouts and wheatgrass and ditched any remnants of

Suddenly, a shift to a higher realm on the food chain

no such thing as a rainbow of color on any plate (what

The biopsy was positive.

I was becoming a believer.

I gave away my Teflon set of pots and pans and re-

pointment at all. I was about to find out that I was in that cer.

being acidic and alkaline.

anticipated event at farmer's markets.

Life in the fast food lane at McDonalds would become three meals a day sitting down mostly at my kitchen ta-

Ruthlessly, I scoured my fridge, tossing everything

ble.

with total abandon. There was nothing left.

Staggering through the next few weeks, I went through all the anguish anyone would who has just been hit by a truck.

It began with a loss of appetite.

Sunrise

My weight plummeted. Twenty pounds that had literally stuck with me through thick and (really never) thin

Sure there were gasps and tears from family and friends. Mostly, however, there was a distinct turning inward for me.

was gone.

My lipids, once scaling alarming heights, have plummeted 50 points.

I decided that there had to be a better way to examine what I had consumed that could have lead to this de-

I wanted to find a place that enveloped me—

Again, fast forward.

struction.

No longer glucose intolerant, my sugar rushes have been banished into a sea of calm.

I swill cleansing fruit and vegetable juice daily. And,

underscored with a strong medical science foundation. A

I called my friend, Bill, who had been juicing for 18

place that I knew would strongly embrace my entire be-

years. “We'll buy you a juice extractor and I'll teach you

ing and let me fold into their arms while still holding

how to drink your veggies,” he said. The next thing I

The change in six months time is pretty remarkable.

myself upright.

knew, a $200 juicer arrived at my doorstep.

For the first time in eons, my moods and blood sugar

After settling on KU and all that the navigators would be doing with me, I thought I would let science take my hand; but, not without some way of gaining a foothold of control on this whole process.

I investigated, then embraced, a diet 180 degrees away from junk.

products. No more dairy, no meat of any kind and no sugar.

Kicking into overdrive, I decided to review what led me into this chasm. what was it that may have contributed to my current physical state? to really examine the areas that would cause my cells to betray me.

That's where things teetered. No meat, no problem.

Little by little, the white stuff, the pure bliss of my dreams, my crack, was relegated to a distant universe. organic, mostly raw foods.

People comment, “How do you feel?”

“How do I look?” I counter as I welcome gratifying My journey through time in these last few months has new food pyramid that makes far more sense to my body, mind and soul.

Food as medicine is now my Feng Shui. This path is an artful new way toward enlightenment; designed to repair

Raw foods? What did I know about raw foods... nothing, nada, zip.

EVOLVING …A UIDE FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING 5 EATING WELL INGKANSAS CITY 5 April 2011

lous.

been one of relentless catching up and climbing onto a

Suddenly I was about to learn about eating whole,

An avid exerciser and non-smoker, the time had come

have flattened. Both are now even...not angry.

responses.

But sugar, c'mon.

I knew that while I wasn't at fault (no one ever is),

ing this is pure, natural medicine.

My appetite, while modified, isn't raging nor ridicu-

Though red meat was never important in my hierarchy, the little I allowed was banished just like all animal

Life Lessons

though it looks unappetizing, I drink with abandon realiz-

April 2011

the damage and wisely, make me whole again.

Feature — by Vaughn Lawrence

Eat How You

Were Designed

Y

our body was designed very specifically. Your car was designed very specifically. How do you take care of your car? Most everyone is very careful in changing the oil, changing the air filters, changing the spark plugs, keeping air in the tires, putting quality gasoline in the tank, etc. We know for a fact that the better you care for your car, the longer it will last. You can put a mix of gas and water in the tank to save money and ignore changing the oil and the air filters, but what will happen? Eventually the car breaks down, sooner than expected. If only you would have considered better preventative maintenance.

When it comes to health, it is hard to sell prevention. If you ignore the way your body was designed, it will fail. It may start failing slowly as you begin to complain about constipation, joint pain and general fatigue, or it may just completely break down all at once. You may accept this as “life” or “aging.” Regardless of any test, procedure, massage, acupuncture, supplements or other healing modalities available, the most important thing to your health is learning how to eat how you were designed.

Here is a very brief lesson about the human body. Your body has 75 trillion cells.

Your body reproduces 150 billion brand new cells every single day. These cells do not come out of thin air. They are constructed based on the availability and quality of nutrients available in your body. Aging is very simply the loss of more cells than your body is able to reproduce optimally. Almost everyone is lacking in vital nutrients needed to replicate healthy cells on a daily basis.

It’s a no brainer that soda, fast food, cookies, cake, candy, processed packaged foods, cigarettes, alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs, hormone and anti-biotic loaded meat, homogenized and pasteurized dairy products and the over 70,000 chemicals in our food supply are not building blocks to efficiently produce 150 billion new cells each day. So how fast are you aging?

Have you ever heard the phrase, “You are what you eat?” Are you consciously aware of the foods you put in your mouth each and every day? Do ask yourself, “Are the foods I’m eating close to God’s original design, therefore providing life?" Or, "Are they heavily processed and poisoned by big business, therefore void of life?” Yes, you will never be perfect and nobody expects you to be. But make quality food choices the rule and not the exception. Take the garbage out of your daily life, and only indulge on very special occasions. Eventually you will find yourself only choosing life, with rare exception. When you provide quality foods to your body based on its design, you feel amazing, energetic and full of life! Who doesn’t want that?

So how are you designed? The human body is designed to eat raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. I am not a vegetarian myself, and I am not promoting vegetarianism. However, Americans eat too much meat! It is a fact that disease went through the roof with heart disease, diabetes and cancer after the industrial revolution when we switched from primarily a plant-based diet to a meat-based diet. Watch a movie called Eating that provides convincing evidence to this fact. We are not lions. Lions have razor sharp canine teeth, very short intestinal tracts and produce large amounts of hydrochloric acid. They are carnivores, designed to eat lots of meat. Humans are not.

If you learn nothing else from reading this article, please consider reducing your meat intake. For your health and for the sake of your family members, this might be the most important step you take towards better health. If you worried about not getting enough protein, forget it. That is a lie perpetuated by the beef industry and you are brainwashed. The largest animals on the planet with the biggest muscles and the strongest bones are all vegetarians. Here are some quick guidelines for you: 1. Choose quality meat, only from humanely raised 100 percent grass fed beef, free range, cage free chickens and eggs, fresh fish (wild or farmed is a whole other article)

and wild game such as bison, elk, deer, duck, etc. Go to the farmer’s market and talk to people!

2. With each meal eat no more than a portion of meat that would fit in the palm of your hand, about 4oz.

3. Eat meat no more than one meal per day maximum, and ideally shoot for meat only twice weekly 4. Do not combine meat with starches (like breads, French fries, beans, etc.) Instead only eat your meat with vegetables. The meal should be 80 percent veggies and 20 percent meat. If you do this you will avoid digestive problems like gas, bloating, acid reflux and heartburn.

Processed food is a 20th century invention. Along with massive meat consumption, processed food was not a part of human history anywhere on the globe since the beginning. Couple that with the invention of over 70,000 different chemicals and you have a recipe for death. And that is exactly what is happening to Americans. The first symptom of a heart attack means death for 50 percent of its unfortunate recipients.

I am not promoting extremes. I am not advocating you to eat a certain way, become a vegetarian, a vegan or a raw foodist. I am asking you to use common sense.

Think about how humans have eaten for thousands of years. Think about how your body is designed to eat. Think about what has happened to our culture and our environment over the last, very brief, 100 years. Awareness and consciousness starts with you. Your consciousness led you to read this article right now, so I encourage you to act on it! With all my blessings and to your vibrant health!

Vaughn Lawrence is a Naturopath, Herbalist, and Nutritional Consultant. He founded Spirit of Health, LLC upon his return to the Kansas City area after seven years in Las Vegas as a health food store manager, educator, practitioner and consultant. Vaughn takes on the challenge of educating people that health is a lifestyle and not a quick fix, band-aid or a magic pill. Contact him at spiritofhealthkc.com or 913-901-0277.

EVOLVING …AG UIDE FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING 6 April 2011 EATING WELL IN KANSAS CITY 6 April 2011

Feature — by Teresa Kelly And now, for something completely different:

A Midwest Food Forest “The yield of the system is limited by our imagination....”

Bill Mollison

W

hat would you think if you went to your favorite park and found that an orchard had been planted near that old oak grove? Or alongside the hedges of burning bushes and forsythia, rows of raspberries were trained along cables between t-posts and blueberries rimmed the clearing where you play catch with your children? And in the sunny spot below the retaining wall you see an attractively fenced oasis brimming with vegetables and herbs lovingly tended by your neighbors, a church group or even you? Your arrival is greeted with smiles and waves from others enjoying the park open space bordered by large fruit and nut trees adapted to our climate. Does this sound like Utopia? Or like a great idea? Or a foodie’s dream of how the world should be? Or something that will never fly? Ponder that while you enjoy that imaginary red ripe strawberry plucked from under the apple trees.

In January, at the Kansas City Community Urban Agriculture (KCCUA) annual Farmer and Friends gathering, 150 people showed up to talk, share, brainstorm and plan ways to make our food system better. The group I worked with was charged with brainstorming ways to utilize public lands for food production. The Kansas City area has acres and acres of green spaces ranging from parkway esplanades to large expanses of city parkland that has the potential of feeding a lot of people!

How do we go about utilizing this wealth of land? What challenges will we have to face? What are some creative solutions? A lot of people are not aware of the benefits of native species and the value of using some of the open space as urban farmland. As transportation and irrigation costs rise, so does the need to have access to local food sources. We learned about how creating fingers or ribbons of orchard plantings and community vegetable gardens could weave throughout the urban landscape along our boulevards and parkways. Shelter belts on public land would create environmental diversity and a source of food for neighborhoods. This potentially could alleviate pockets of the urban landscape referred to as food deserts.

Our group went to the core of the issue: Changing the perception of what a park (public land) is supposed to look like.

Our biggest task would be to shift the common perception of a park. Parks are community gathering places. Typically a park is a public space with lots of lawn that is mowed and kept weed free with chemicals and landscaped around the edges and often includes a pond or grove of trees, sidewalks and playground equipment. Lots of costly upkeep could be reduced by creating environmental diversity that supports the community in many different ways.

We recognized that not all citizens are aware of the benefits of shelter belts, community gardens and native plantings. We brainstormed about grass roots organizing and ways to educate policy makers and private citizens. Could we use the parks and recreation department educational program as a vehicle to deliver information? Could we start gradually introducing the concept by planting a few rows of fruit trees and shrubs like blueberries in a couple of parks? Is it really feasible to plant in boulevard esplanades? Are there school lands available for food production? What is the impact on the community? Are there success stories and resources from other cities that we could utilize?

Maybe this is a great place to try an Urban Food Forest?

What is forest gardening? It is food production that mimics the layering structures of a forest. From large canopy trees to understory to shrubs to ground covers, the forest with its diversity in structure and plants is self sustaining. The same technique is applied using fruit trees, vines and other perennial plants to create a food forest. The food forest generates fertility and uses less resources and labor than annual vegetable crops. Food forestry is not meant to replace annual food crop production. It makes a good addition to the whole food production picture. Perennial food production can include many things from fruits to herbs, vines and some varieties of vegetables. Forest Gardening has been part of the principles of Permaculture for some time. It is gaining mainstream attention as part of the Urban Agriculture movement.

Yes public parks with grassy open space and playground equipment and picnic tables are a great part of our communities. Why not consider productive trees and food producing

Into the Kitchen — with Brett Boulé Vegan Enchiladas 18-20 small corn tortillas 1 16-oz. can enchilada sauce 1/2 c. white onions 2 pkg's vegan cheese, shredded (Daiya cheddar or mozzarella, or other vegan type) 1/3 c. black olives 1/2 c. red potatoes 1 jalapeño 1 c. baby spinach

shrubs as part of multifaceted use of some of the land? This whole concept of transitioning public lands from conventional parkland design to a more diverse and sustainable landscape is no small undertaking. The conversations are just beginning.

We are lucky to have a local pilot program underway.

KCCUA’s Daniel Dermitzel was inspired during a Permaculture course he took in 2008 at the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute. He has been exploring how to transition a traditional annual cropping operation to perennial food forestry ever since. With lots of research and local expertise and resources the concept is taking shape. A workshop will be taking place in early summer for those interested in exploring this “new” concept in food production. It is an opportunity to explore this idea for your community or for your own backyard!

So back to the question…is this a Utopian vision? A foodie’s fantasy? Or some wacko idea that will never fly?

Maybe, and in a growing number of communities that are mindful of limited resources and the importance of local food sourcing, the idea of an Urban Food Forest is taking root. Are we ready to jump out of the box and explore new ideas? Are we ready for something completely different in Kansas City?

Resources: How to Make a Forest Garden by Patrick Whitefield http://www.kccua.org/foodforest.htm for details on the local Food Forest Workshop. http://www.kawpermaculture.org/ http://www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/ Permaculture-Food-Forest/ *Founder of permaculture- quote from www.permaculture.org Teresa Kelly writes about what she loves, gardens with the natural intelligences, cooks with passion, travels as much as she can and photographs it all. Her pet project was getting chickens legalized in Roeland Park, KS. Through her practice, Good Natured Living, she provides others information and experiences renewing the connection to self, community and the planet. She is married to the man of her dreams and has four beautiful children… and hopefully hens soon!

Combo #1 - potatoes, black olives, jalapeño Combo #2 - mozzarella cheese, onions Start by chopping all ingredients fairly small, then precooking some fillings such as potato and beans and keep them separate. Steam or soften each tortilla shell, fill with desired filling and a little cheese, then lay in ungreased baking pan. Choose a pan that is not much wider than the rolled enchilada so that it holds the sauce up.

You can fill them with individual fillings or mix however you wish. THE KEY is to not overfill, therefore the enchilada will stay together when you transfer from wrapping surface to pan.

EVOLVING …A UIDE FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING 7 EATING WELL INGKANSAS CITY 7 April 2011

April 2011

Smother enchiladas in the sauce, then sprinkle cheese and some leftover chopped white onion over the top and bake at 400ºF for about 10 minutes.

This can be a 100 percent organic meal if you buy accordingly. It can also be gluten free (using corn tortillas that contain corn, spices, lime juice and a little salt). It is also dairy-free if you use a vegan cheese. Do get one that "melts”.

Some other possible fillings: Mushrooms Beans, refried or black Tomatoes

Into the Kitchen — with BadSeed

Into the Kitchen — with The Pasta Pros

Classic Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Tequila Lime Chicken with Lime Cilantro Pasta

.....featuring local-organic ingredients!!

**This recipe is a slightly altered version of Erin Reynolds Browns’, who owns Dolce Baking Co. in Prairie Village, KS. If you've got a sweet tooth, you absolutely must pay her a visit very soon!!

Being a farmer in March and April is kind of like being on a nonstop roller coaster ride. Spring planting is by far the most chaotic time of the year, and it leaves me low-down, dirty and utterly exhausted!! Tack on the fact that I am seven months pregnant, and it goes without saying that I need a little "pick me up"!!!

For me, that "pick me up" comes in the form of warm, decad e nt , fr es h -o u t-o f -t he -o ve n , chocolate chunk cookies!!! Being a "health-nut", I simply cannot stand for processed, store-bought ingredients, so my classic cookies come with a local/organic twist featuring locally-grown and milled flour, fresh eggs from my lovely hens, sweet Missouri pecans, Shatto butter, and high quality fair-trade/ organic chocolate!! Mmmmmm......

If you are like me, you'll be lucky if you even get to the baking stage.....(usually I eat the cookie dough before it ever makes it to the oven!).

Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (from Heartland Mill, www.heartlandmill.com) 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 cup butter, softened (from Shatto Dairy, www.shattomilk.com)

3/4 cup organic, evaporated cane juice (sugar) 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 free-range, farm-fresh eggs *(local eggs tend to be on the slightly smaller side, so use three if necessary) 1 3/4 cups roughly chopped, semisweetened organic chocolate bars 1 1/2 cups Missouri Pecans Directions: Preheat oven to 340 degrees.

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Beat butter, white and brown sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until light and creamy. Add your eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and gradually add your flour mixture, beating as you go. Stir in chocolate chunks and pecans. Drop heaping, rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

From Thomas Belisle, Executive Chef The Café at Briarcliff Village 2 five ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts 2 ounces of your favorite tequila (I prefer Patron) 1 clove finely chopped garlic 1 teaspoon lime zest 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice 2 cups heavy cream ¼ cup fine quality parmesan cheese + 2 tablespoons 10 fresh grape tomatoes sliced in halves 12 ounces of Pappardelle’s Lime Cilantro Fettuccini 3 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil

Rub your chicken breast with salt, pepper, lime juice and olive oil, let marinate for 15 minutes.

Start 1 gallon to boil your pasta.

Broil Chicken over a medium low open flame on the grill. Using a meat thermometer cook Chicken to 165 degrees. Sauté grape tomatoes and fresh garlic for 1 minute Bake for 9-11 minutes or until over a medium flame in 1 tablelightly golden brown. Cool on bakspoon olive oil. Add Tequila (be ing sheet for several minutes then careful as tequila is very flammaremove to wire racks to cool comble). Cook pasta to slightly al pletely......(or gobble them all dente remove pasta and drain (I down while they are still piping like mine slightly al dente as I am HOT!!!!) placing back on the stove in my roasted garlic cream sauce). Add BADSEED heavy cream, and lime zest let An Urban-Organic Farm & Market cream reduce by 25 percent, add Celebrating Local Food, Culture, parmesan cheese. Let sauce cook and Community till parmesan cheese is melted, add 1909 McGee*KCMO*64108 salt and pepper to taste and toss in www.badseedkc.com Papardelle’s lime cilantro fettuccini.

EVOLVING… A GUIDE FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING 8 April 2011

Slice the two chicken breasts on the bias, divide pasta and sauce on two plates and top with sliced chicken, fresh grated parmesan and chopped cilantro. Add some pesto garlic toast and a nice glass of pinot grigio and enjoy a wonderful dinner. If you don’t want to go through all that work you could always come to The Café at Briarcliff Village where it is featured daily on our menu. Have a great day.

About The Pasta Pros The Pasta Pros are a local Kansas City company selling Pappardelle’s Gourmet Pastas, Bottled Oils & Vinegars at area Farmer’s Markets and to local restauraunts. For more information visit the company website at www.ThePastaPros.com About Pappardelles Fine Pasta Pappardelle’s offers over 100 flavors of dried pasta and freshfrozen ravioli, sauces and pestos.

For more information, visit the company website at www.pappardellespasta.com About The Café The Café is locally owned and use local farmers and producers to source our food ingredients whenever possible. The Café serves Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner including a complete Catering Menu for special events. The Café is located just minutes north of Downtown Kansas City in Briarcliff Village. For more information about The Café, please visit them at www.thecafeatbriarcliff.com