CommunityTable

Super Chia Cereal

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup currant or raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped dehydrated apples
• 3 cups of almond milk

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes for the dry ingredients to become hydrated and the cereal to thicken. Serve and enjoy.

Serving Suggestion: Top with fresh fruit before serving.

Recipe by Ani Phyo, printed in Ani's Raw Food Essentials.

Robb Dorf's Battle With Baldy

We've enjoyed countless posts from our friend Robb Dorf, CEO of Pure Fit, Inc. But this story may top them all! Read his amazing journey as a participant in the 2011 Herbalife L'Etape du California!

What covered 75.8 miles, climbed over 10,000 vertical feet up Mt. Baldy twice, and pushed, punished, and pummeled 900 amateur cyclists to a level of pain I’m sure we’d all like to forget?  L’Étape du California.

The ride promoters said 1500 riders started.  Why did only 900 finish?  Multiple National Champions were on hand.  Tinker Juarez was right in front of me.  As we rolled through the streets of Claremont, with the cops blocking traffic, I look over and see multiple National Champion, Dave Zabriskie.  Dave “Captain America” Zabriskie!  It was a surreal moment.  All around me are good cyclists.  Not weekend warriors.  Guys like me that take their cycling seriously.  No granny gears to be found.  I could tell most of these guys had no clue what was ahead of them.

To professional cyclists coming to California to compete in our countries premier cycling event, The Amgen Tour of California, (www.amgentourofcalifornia.com) it is stage 7.  To 1500 brave souls, it was a chance in a lifetime.  Ride the same course the professionals will and finish on a mountaintop.  Opportunities like this simply do not come around very often.  I’ll be 43 next month.  How many more of these do I have in me?

L’Étape du California provides serious recreational cyclists the opportunity to ride a complete stage of the Amgen Tour of California – and the most challenging stage of the 2011 race at that. 75.8 miles from the City of Claremont to the Mt Baldy Ski Area. The route is breathtaking in its beauty and difficulty, covering some of the most famous and iconic sections of road in the San Gabriel Mountains: Glendora Mountain Road, Glendora Ridge Road, and the sharp “beyond category” switchbacks up to the Mt Baldy Ski Area.

This blog entry will highlight, the trials, tribulations, and ultimately the race that broke me.  That’s right.  I’ve competed in some seriously challenging events.  A marathon, a 32:42 minute 10K, 100-mile bike rides, and more than a few training sessions that left me tired for days.  It took everything I had to finish this event.  Trust me, I wanted to quit many, many times.  The mountain beat me 2 weeks ago in a training ride.  I’ll explain this in detail later on.  She must have been laughing pretty hard as she took me to a place of pain, and perseverance, I have never come close too.  Why, because in retrospect, I don’t usually race for over 5 hours.  What was supposed to be a social event and unique opportunity for us amateurs to experience a mountain top finish quickly became an opportunity for me to learn something about me.  I do not give up.  If you are going to beat me I am going to make you earn it.  Words cannot describe the pain I was in.  Despite being completely dehydrated, having a serious backache, stomach issues, I simply refused to quit.  Why, because what you are about to read is a summation of the toughest physical and mental challenge of my life.

Farmageddon Trailer

This movie looks amazing! Support your local farmers and demand sustainable, natural food!

 

Farmageddon will be showing in Washington DC, June 17 -23, Los Angeles, June 24 - 30, Santa Barbara, June 23, San Diego, June 28, and NYC Cinema Village (near Union Square), July 8 - 15. E-mail: kristin@farmageddonmovie.com for screening information.

Kale Salad

Ingredients:

• 9 oz. sea kale or curly kale
• 3 tablespoons light olive oil
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon agave syrup
• salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Wash the kale, drain, then trim it and tear into pieces. Cook briefly if needed.
2. Whisk the oil into the mustard in a bowl. When it is blended completely, whisk in the white wine vinegar. It should begin to thicken.
3. Season the mustard dressing to taste with agave syrup, a little salt and plenty of ground black pepper.
4. Toss the sea kale in the dressing and serve immediately.

 

Vegan Pot Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen (2 layer) vegan pie shell 
• 1 to 2 potatoes, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• variety of veggies, chopped (green beans, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.)
• 2 to 3 cups vegetable broth
• garlic powder, to taste
• cumin, to taste
• tarragon, to taste
• cornstarch or flour, as needed
• nondairy milk, to taste, optional
• veggie bouillon cubes, to taste, optional
• vegan grated or sliced cheddar to cover pan in 2 layers
• 1 (10-oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed

Directions:

1. Thaw pie shell and try really hard to take one of the two shells out of the tin without breaking it. Cook potatoes, carrots and vegetables until they are about 3/4 cooked. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. 
2. To make sauce, heat broth in large kettle. Add spices (whatever you like to make it savory) and lower heat. Slowly add cornstarch or flour until slightly thickened. You can add nondairy milk and use veggie bouillon cubes here. Add sauce to the cooked veggies and stir to coat.
3. Layer 1/2 cheese on bottom of lower crust. Spoon in veggies and sauce, then add spinach on top. Add rest of cheese on top of that, and close it up as best as you can with the top shell. 
4. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is brown and delicious cheese and juice oozes out. 

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Raw Asian-Inspired Meals from Ani Phyo

We've waited a whole year for a new release from raw food goddess Ani Phyo and last week it finally arrived. Ani's Raw Food Asia: Easy East-West Fusion Recipes the Raw Food Way is Ani's fourth book featuring raw food recipes. 

In her latest book, Ani goes back to her roots in the first-ever Asian raw food cookbook. Along with recipes from Korea, China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Hawaii including background information on traditional dishes, the book also offers essential tips on green living, well-being, longevity, fitness, beauty and entertaining as inspired by a healthy Asian lifestyle. 

Recipes include: 

Mixed Vegetable Skewers with Almond-Butter Sauce, Creamed Curry Saag, Vegetable Tempura with Orange Lemongrass Dipping Sauce, Marinated Shiitake Mushroom Dumplings, Corn Fritters with a Hot and Sour Cucumber Dipping Sauce, Dosas, Moo Shoo Vegetables, and more.   

 

 

Find Ani's Raw Food Asia: Easy East-West Fusion Recipes the Raw Food Way on amazon.com or at your local bookstore.

 

Celebrate World Fair Trade Day This Weekend!

Saturday, May 14 is the 3rd annual World Fair Trade Day. This holiday is the brainchild of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and is celebrated by thousands of people around the world.

Let's take a moment to examine what fair trade is and how you can celebrate this extraordinary initiative not only this weekend, but all year round.

Fair trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equality in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. Fair trade organizations (backed by consumers) are actively engaged in supporting producers, raising awareness and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of international trade.

Fair Trade standards include: Creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers, promote Fair Trade, payment of a fair price, gender equity and safe and healthy working environments for producers, among others.

You may find fully committed Fair Trade companies around the world at the WFTO's website (www.wfto.com). 

To find World Fair Trade Day celebrations near you or for ideas on how to have your own celebration, visit: www.worldfairtradeday10.org

Sources:

http://www.worldfairtradeday10.org/index.php/about/faqs#1

 

 

 

http://www.wfto.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=164&Itemid=1

 

 

http://www.worldfairtradeday10.org/index.php/en/wftd-2011/call-for-entries

 

Slather on the Sunscreen in Honor of Skin Cancer Awareness Month

May celebrates many holidays, Mother's Day, National Bike Month (as we blogged about earlier this week), Mental Health Month, and Skin Cancer Awareness Month. The skin is our largest organ, adults carry about eight lbs. and 22 square-feet of it. We exercise and eat well to ensure our health, well it's important to protect our skin too!

Did you know that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States? More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually. Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon. 

There are three types of skin cancer:

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer and affects approximately two million Americans each year. It is the most common form of all cancers. The majority of BCCs occur on parts of the body that are excessively exposed to the sun - especially the face, neck, ears, scalp, shoulders and back. High risk individuals are those with fair skin, blonde or red hair, and blue, green or grey eyes. BCCs are easily treated in their early stages. 

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer with 70,000 new cases diagnosed each year. SCCs may occur on all areas of the body, but are most common in areas frequently exposed to the sun. Danger signs include: wrinkling, changes in pigmentation and loss of elasticity. LIke BCCs, individuals with fair skin, blonde or red hair, and blue, green or grey eyes are more susceptible to SCCs, but really anyone with a history of substantial sun exposure is at increased risk. SCCs detected at an early stage are removed and are almost always curable and cause minimal damage. 

Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and causes the most deaths. If it is recognized and treated early it is almost always curable, but if it is not, the cancer can spead to other parts of the body, where it becomes hard to treat and can be fatal. The American Cancer Society estimates that at present, about 120,000 new cases of melanoma in the US are diagnosed in a year. In 2010, about 68,130 of these were invasive melanomas, with about 38,870 in males and 29,260 in women. 

Of course there are precautions that we may take to protect ourselves from skin cancer. 

• Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or above every day and reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating. 
• Examine your skin monthly from head to toe. 

And perhaps most important:

• STAY OUT OF TANNING BEDS!!! You know they're bad for you. On average indoor tanners are 74% more likely to develop melanomas versus non-tanners. They are also 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinomas and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinomas. 

Sources: nationalgeographic.com http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/skin-article.html

skincancer.org http://www.skincancer.org/basal-cell-carcinoma.html, http://www.skincancer.org/squamous-cell-carcinoma.html, http://www.skincancer.org/Melanoma/, http://www.skincancer.org/Guidelines/

Spaghetti Squash with Ground Turkey Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise
• 1 package lean ground turkey
• Spike seasoning to taste
• 1 jar Newman's Own Sockarooni Sauce
• 2 cups organic mixed salad greens
• 1 teaspoon organic olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• dash each salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Fill a shallow baking dish with about 2 inches of water. Place the squash halves face down in the dish and bake about 25 minutes. After cooling, use a fork to discard the seeds and loosen the spaghetti strands. Place the squash in a large bowl and set aside. Brown the ground turkey in a  small pan while adding the  Spike seasoning to taste. Heat the Sockarooni Sauce in a large pot and  add the turkey. Spoon the meat sauce over the spaghetti squash and serve with salad greens topped with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Source: This recipe comes from naturopathic physician, Dr. Walter Crinnion's book, Clean, Green & Lean.

Pedal for the Planet & Your Health

Happy National Bike Month!

May marks the month we celebrate bicycles! The holiday is sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists. Not only did they name a whole month after the bicycle, but the organization went a step further by also naming May 16 - 20, Bike to Work Week, and Friday, May 20, Bike to Work Day. Will you jump on your bike a little more this month? Or will you ride your bike to work on the 20th? Here's some reasons why you should!

Bike for your health!

Our nation is facing a serious obesity epidemic. In the year 2000, 400,000 deaths occured due to obesity, and these numbers continue to grow. If more people biked, lives would be saved and the obesity epidemic could begin to reverse. According to the CDC, the average adult should exercise for 30 minutes, five days a week to receive important health benefits. Getting on a bike, feeling the breeze against your skin and soaking up all that Vitamin D, is a fantastic and joyful way to get that 150 minutes in each week!

Bike for the environment!

We often talk on Community Table about different things you can do to be more green. Well, biking is definitely one of them! Obviously, bikes to not use gas and therefore do not emit carbon dioxide. So if everyone used their bikes a little more, and their cars a little less, we'd be helping the environment in a big way. Back to bikes not using gas... Have you seen gas prices lately? Here in Southern California, they are over $4/gallon and rising! You'd be doing your wallet a favor too if you'd get on your bike a little more often. Bikes also do not cause wear and tear on roads, which would save on all the road work that causes more pollution to our environment and congests traffic. 

Now that spring is here and summer is right around the corner, it's a great time to take advantage of the weather warming up and get outdoors for a bike ride! Get out there and be fit and fabulous!

Source: League of American Bicyclists. www.bikeleague.org