Summer Stir-Fry With Red Curry Sauce

Ah, summer.  The season of bell peppers, vine-ripened tomatoes, summer squash, eggplants, basil…the list goes on. For me, nothing beats summer produce. The summer harvest is so versatile and makes meals that are amazingly refreshing. It’s as if mother nature said “Hey, we know you don’t want to be standing in front of a hot oven right now, so here, have some foods that are better eaten raw or cold anyway!” Besides all of the wonderful salads you can throw together with this produce, there are also some tasty stir-fries you can make when you are in the mood for something quick and easy (since it never gets very hot here in the summertime, we really don’t mind using our stove most days, but this might not be the best recipe for those battling 90+ degrees…)

As I was pondering what to make for dinner tonight, I remembered that I had a bottle of Thai Red Curry sauce from Trader Joe’s sitting in my pantry and a fridge full of summer veggies from our CSA box last week, so here’s what we put together (this recipe is super flexible depending on what you have on hand, so don’t hesitate to play around with the amounts and ingredients):

Summer Stir-Fry with Thai Red Curry Sauce

Ingredients

·      3-5 summer squashes (depending on size), chopped

·      1 small or medium-sized eggplant, chopped

·      ½ yellow onion, chopped

·      3 garlic cloves, minced

·      1 or 2 bell peppers

·      a few tablespoons of vegetable oil (I used avocado oil)

·      Pre-made bottle of Thai Red Curry sauce (you can find it at Trader Joe’s, or you can use the Thai Kitchen paste that they sell at most grocery stores, or you make your own curry sauce: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Thai-Red-Curry-Paste-109465)

·      2-4 tablespoons of fresh cilantro or basil

Sauté the above veggies in the oil over medium heat until tender (10-15 minutes), covering the plan occasionally to steam them. When they’re done, add the curry sauce and serve over rice. Top with chopped cilantro or basil. Tofu or chicken would work well with this recipe as well. Enjoy!

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The Fight Against Aluminum: Finding a Natural Deodorant That Actually Works

Deodorant. It’s one of those things that many of us cannot live without (and for good reason). We use it on a daily basis, and yet, conventional deodorants are also arguably one of the most unhealthy substances we voluntarily apply on our bodies every morning.

Aluminum and parabens (chemicals used as preservatives) are two of the most common ingredients in most antiperspirant/deodorant products. Unfortunately, these chemicals (as well as many others used in these products) are toxic and harmful to our bodies, especially in large doses. The small dose we’re exposed to on a daily basis by applying deodorant is probably not what we need to worry about; the concern is with the cumulative effect of long-term consistent exposure.

[Sidenote: Please choose to use a deodorant over an antiperspirant! Sweating is a normal healthy process that detoxifies your body. Plugging your sweat glands (especially with a substance that contains aluminum and other harmful chemicals) is probably not the best idea.]

The research on the link between the chemicals found in deodorants/antiperspirants and the risk of breast cancer is mixed, but studies have hypothesized that parabens and aluminum can accumulate in breast tissue and have estrogenic effects, which may stimulate the growth of cancerous cells in the breast. [1] 

Many argue that the risks posed by aluminum present in deodorant are minuscule, especially when you consider all of the other sources of aluminum present in our environment that we are exposed to on a daily basis. Perhaps that is true, but why take chances and further expose yourself to this toxin when alternatives to aluminum-based deodorants exist and are readily available? You may be thinking that these natural alternatives are nowhere near as effective as chemical-based deodorants; it's true that the quest for a good natural deodorant can be a difficult and involved process. However, I urge you to invest the time and look for a natural deodorant that works for you. All bodies are different so what works for one person does not necessarily work for another. 

A few years ago, I began making my own deodorant using alcohol, water, and essential oils. Here’s how I did it: combine two parts alcohol (grain ethyl alcohol is best, but I used vodka since that’s what I had on hand) to one part water into a small refillable spray bottle. Add a few drops of essential oil if you'd like (I used lavender).

You can also use baking soda and coconut oil: http://wellnessmama.com/1523/how-to-make-natural-deodorant-beating-the-b-o-with-natural-deo/ . 

My homemade deodorant worked well, but truthfully, it wasn’t very practical. I had to let the liquid dry before putting on a shirt, which took some time and was hard to do when I was in a hurry to get out the door.

So, after a few months of using the homemade stuff, I began the quest for an effective and easy-to-use natural deodorant that was free of aluminum and parabens. It took a while for me to find something that worked with my body, but I am happy to report that I found one and I’m never going back. It’s called Primal Pit Paste (http://www.primalpitpaste.com/). Besides having a hilarious name,  it also has stellar reviews, suggesting that it probably works well for a lot of people. The ingredients? Organic coconut oil, non-aluminum baking soda, raw shea butter, arrowroot powder, and lavender essential oil (there's also a fragrance-free version, if you prefer). That’s it. No aluminum. No Parabens. No chemical-based fragrances.

 I ordered Primal Pit Paste online (opting for the strong version of the paste with the lavender scent), and after using it for over a week, let me tell you, this stuff works! It may cost $9 a pop, but I think it is well worth the expense. I’m also estimating that the jar will last me for at least 8 months, if not longer.

Remember, what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in your body, especially if we’re talking about a substance that you use every day. So pay attention to the products you use regularly, and don’t assume that the chemicals in them are safe simply because the cosmetic industry says they are.

Happy deodorizing! :)

  [1] Darbre PD, Aljarrah A, Miller WR, Coldham NG, Sauer MJ, Pope GS (January–February 2004). "Concentrations of parabens in human breast tumours". J Appl Toxicol 24 (1): 5–13

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Steps for Limiting Exposure to Harmful Chemicals in our Environment

For several years now, I've been working hard to reduce my exposure to the dangerous chemicals found in food, cosmetics, cleaning products, plastics, and, well, nearly everything. When I found out I was pregnant I became especially concerned with ways to reduce my (and my baby's) contact with these harmful substances. Of course, you can never be completely free of exposure to chemicals and pollutants, especially if you live in a city, but there are ways to reduce your exposure and protect your health.

Here are some important facts about exposure to toxins and chemicals in our environment (taken from the book HappyBaby: The Organic Guide to Baby's First 24 Months by Robert Sears & Amy Marlow):

• Asthma and lung disease: "Toxic chemicals released into the air as pollution--indoors and outside--irritate the lungs and can contribute to asthma. For children with asthma, air pollution can make their condition worse and increase their risk of other lung problems like bronchitis. Children who live on farms where pesticides and herbicides are sprayed have an elevated risk of asthma. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in certain cleaning supplies, craft supplies, air fresheners, and other household chemicals vaporize into the air and are potent lung irritants."
• Autism: "...We suspect that it's not genes alone that cause the condition. A growing field of study is focusing on possible environmental triggers that may increase a child's risk of developing autism. Studies have found that when pregnant women live or work very close to areas have been sprayed with certain pesticides, especially during the first trimester, their children have an increased incidence of autism. Researchers don't know if environmental triggers may only contribute to the condition if a child is exposed at a particularly susceptible stage of development or if perhaps it only affects children who already have the genetic tendency toward the disease."
• Reproductive development: "Many of the toxic chemicals found in consumer products are known to be endocrine disrupters, meaning they interfere with a baby's hormones--hormones like estrogen and testosterone, which influence a baby's reproductive development. Endocrine disrupters may affect a baby when she's still in the womb because they cross into a baby through mama's placenta. They also accumulate in breast milk. Plastics tend to be the most common sources of exposure to these chemicals."
• Intellectual development and behavior: "The National Academy of Sciences estimates that 1 in 4 developmental behavioral problems in children may be linked to either genetic or environmental factors like exposures to lead, mercury, and pesticides. The chemical flame retardants called PBDEs cause permanent brain changes that lead to behavior problems like hyperactivity. Lead exposure is one of the more common toxic exposures of childhood. This metal, found in contaminated soil and dust, causes behavior problems, leaning disabilities, and memory deficits."

We also know of many substances that can cause cancer, including parabens (found in beauty supplies), formaldehyde (found in furniture, chemical sealants, and some beauty products), Bisphenol A (BPA) found in certain plastics, and others.

In an effort to reduce my exposure (and my baby's exposure) to these toxic chemicals, I have:

1. switched to a mostly organic diet (around 60-70% of the food I buy is organic)
2. reduced the amount of makeup I use on a daily basis and now try to buy cosmetic brands that are safer (for me and for the environment)
3. started to pay closer attention to the ingredient list on products I buy (if it's an ingredient I can't pronounce, it's probably not good for me!)
4. switched to safer cleaning products for my home (we use Seventh Generation for most things)
5. opted for cloth diapers as opposed to disposables (besides creating tons of waste, many disposables are also bleached with chlorine, which pollutes our air and waterways, and contain VOCS--volatile organic compounds--and perfumes, which may irritate a baby's lungs)
6. continued using a water filter mounted to our sink (to filter out some of the nasty chemicals found in our waterways) rather than purchasing plastic water bottles, which may contain BPA
   
   

What are some other ways we can avoid harmful chemicals and toxins in our environment? What steps do you take to do so? 

 

"Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure."— John McConnell, founder of International Earth Day

Life With a Three Week Old!

Emilia Solymar Bañuelos came into the world on the morning of March 2nd, 2013. Here is a photo of the sunrise taken from my hospital room on the morning she was born. It was a beautiful clear morning.

After over 48 hours of labor, I have to say that I was ready for her to be born! I was exhausted but her arrival gave me a surge of energy and I feel like that energy has continued to sustain me over the past few weeks.

Life with a newborn is incredibly tiring, but it's amazing what your body can adjust to. I haven't slept more than 3 hours at a time for weeks and yet, this morning, I feel surprisingly awake, refreshed, and happy. It took a while but it seems that Emilia has finally gotten her nights and days straightened out, so she is sleeping for longer stretches a night and letting her mom get some much-needed rest! Dad is helping out however he can (especially in the evenings when she goes through her nightly "fussy period"). However, when you are trying to breastfeed exclusively, those first few weeks really do end up being harder for mom because she's the only one who can feed the baby. Breastfeeding was a big challenge for me, but we are slowly getting better at it and hopefully soon we'll start using a bottle more so that dad can feed her regularly as well.

There really is nothing that can prepare you for life with a newborn, but I feel as if I am finally starting to regain some semblance of normalcy. Friends have been coming over with meals to meet her and to socialize with us a bit, and we have been going out for walks every day to get sunshine and fresh air, which is truly necessary if you want to keep your sanity in these early weeks!

Every day is a new challenge and I am constantly wondering if I'm doing the right thing. This has easily been the hardest task I've ever been faced with in my life, but it has also been the most amazing, life-changing, extraordinary experience I have gone through and I am excited to see where it leads.

Here she is with grandpa at the airport. She gave him a big smile!

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.  ~Buddha

What Are Your Goals for 2013?

In thinking back over the past year, I realize just how many amazing moments and milestones I experienced. I got engaged to the love of my life, learned that I was expecting, and started a new job (all in the space of a few months!). I traveled to Mexico to get to know my fiancé’s hometown and relatives. I moved to a new apartment. I deepened my spirituality and, in doing so, found a wonderful religious community that is diverse, open-minded, and accepting. I made new friendships. I immersed myself more in the natural world and strengthened my connection to the earth and its beauty.

My new years resolutions for 2013 are straightforward because I know that these goals are much more likely to get accomplished if they are simple and realistic.

So, what are my goals for 2013? 

1.     Smile more. Laugh more. There is nothing like a good chuckle to brighten up a day and I realize that oftentimes, when I am tired and stressed after a long day, I tend to focus on the negative. My goal is to let go of that negativity and learn to enjoy the present with a smile and an open heart.

2.     Get outside. Though I think I did a pretty good job of getting back to nature this year, I did not manage to go camping or explore Yosemite (two things I want to make sure I accomplish this year). Being out in nature is so important to mental, physical, and spiritual health. Not to mention, there is some pretty neat research coming out about how being outdoors can improve creativity and problem-solving skills by as much as 50% (http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/getting-back-to-nature-inspires-creativity-new-study-shows).

3.     Understand that parenthood is a learning experience. It’s easy to get stressed out and overwhelmed about becoming a parent. Some days I wonder if I’ll have what it takes and if I’ll be able make the right decisions for my child. Then I remind myself that parents are regular people who make mistakes, too, and that mistakes are all a part of learning to parent. The most important thing is that my child feels loved, safe, and cared for.

4.     More soy-based products, less meat. This has been a goal for a while and I have been successful in incorporating more tofu in my cooking and using soy milk instead of cow milk (which I have never liked). By soy-based products, I don’t mean fake meats and other highly processed substitutes made from soy. I’m referring to more natural soy products like edamame, tofu, and tempeh, all of which are great alternatives to meat.

5.     Write more. I’m a bit embarrassed with how little writing I have managed to accomplish over the past six months. Understandably, I have been pretty busy with other things, but I would like to make writing and blogging a main focus of my life this year. I’m hoping that the extra time provided by my maternity leave will give me an opportunity to write more…but then again, this may be a lofty and unrealistic expectation, since I know motherhood will encompass a whole other set of challenges!

So here's to a new year filled with possibility, challenge, and acceptance. An opportunity to improve ourselves, to meet and overcome life's hardships, and to accept ourselves for the beautiful beings that we already are. 

 

What are your goals for 2013?

Greens, Peas, and Rice Soup

It’s been a while! I apologize for the lack of updates lately, but the pregnancy and full-time job are keeping me busy. My genuine attempts at eating healthy throughout this pregnancy have been met with varying degrees of success. I find that most days I am pretty exhausted from my workday and just want to sit and relax, instead of stand in the kitchen and cook dinner. However, I am making an effort to eat whole, unprocessed foods and fresh fruit and vegetables as much as possible. This soup turned out surprisingly well, so I thought I’d share it. I have a fridge full of veggies from my CSA box last week, so I threw in a combination of vegetables that I thought would work well together, and it turned out splendidly.

Greens, Peas, and Rice Soup

Ingredients

2 TBS butter

½ of a yellow or white onion, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 carrots, chopped

½ tsp red pepper flakes

2 TBS chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)

½ tsp salt

black pepper to taste

1 cup of fresh peas (or frozen)

6 cups of vegetable, chicken, or beef broth (I used organic beef broth)

1 bunch collard greens, roughly chopped and stems removed (or whatever greens you have on hand—kale would work well too)

¾ cup short-grain rice (I used Arborio)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (but cheddar will work too)

Directions

Melt the butter in a stockpot set on medium heat until sizzling. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, red pepper flakes, parsley, the salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the peas (I used fresh peas because they are so much more flavorful but frozen will work just fine) and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Add the greens and simmer for another 2-3 minutes (they cook very quickly).

Process half of the soup in a food processor or blender (or all of it, depending on your preference) until smooth. Return to the pot, stir in the rice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

To serve, sprinkle soup with grated cheese.

A Home Away From Home

One thing I have truly missed since moving out to California has been the yearly visits I used to make to our family cabin in Wisconsin while I was living just two and half hours away in St. Paul, Minnesota. Jorge and I would always go up at least once in the summertime to indulge in bonfires, warm swims in the lake, and 4th of July fireworks off the dock. Sometimes I joined family there for the holidays in the winter as well (when I wasn't flying back to Idaho) to enjoy the pristine frozen lake, snowy walks through the forest, and cozy conversations by the fireplace.

I am realizing now that I sometimes took the cabin for granted while I was living so close to it. I miss the peace of mind it provided, the relaxing warm atmosphere, the family gatherings, and the beautiful forest and lake. The sanctuary it provided was nourishment for my soul and so healthy for my well-being. I was reminded of this after reading a short vignette in a magazine sent to me by my cousin, Nadia, about a cabin by a lake:

 "We're not so different from elephants. We travel in groups, we prioritize family, and like the elephants of Sri Lanka, we migrate annually toward water. Every year during the dry season, these elephants congregate with their families on the shores of Minneriya Lake. Researchers have noted that here, by the lake, the elephants renew old friendships and play together. They eat and flirt and bathe and drink. They are lazy. They swim in the sun, and rest in the shade. Like us, they are social and ritualistic and proud. 

In many ways, our annual migration out of our urban lives to a familiar shore can be understood scientifically: the air is hot, the water is cool; the cities are smoggy, the country is fresh; human eye muscles are most relaxed when settled on the horizon line; swimming is physically redemptive and psychologically meditative; beer tastes better on a dock. Perhaps, though, there is much that can't be so systematically reduced. Were we to be observed the way elephants are, by researchers from a distance trying to better understand our peculiar habits, would they notice that we open up to each other when we spend a few days in a cabin? How conversation gets easier and relationships strengthen? Would they notice how lying on our backs on the dock at night reminds us of when we were kids? Would they notice that we fret less about what and when we are going to eat, but more regularly and eagerly gather around food? Would they notice that our tendencies change: that we read more, sleep more, fuss less over details?

At the lake we don't mind that the shower keeps breaking or that the stove never works properly--we have affection for the dumpy and rusty and rickety things because we associate them with last summer, with childhood, with feeling small and content in a big and slow-moving world. We love the lake partly because it is not our home. Like the elephants, we accept that our life cannot always be so idle, leisurely, and peaceful. We accept that we can't always play cards until 2 a.m., skinny dip under the stars, and live off avocado sandwiches and pickles. Yet, like the elephants during dry season, we indulge for a couple of weeks each year in this necessary luxury, and return to ordinary city life more at home and more alive."

From Kinfolk: A Guide for Small Gatherings (Vol. 4)