Episodes
Thursday Aug 30, 2018
Thursday Aug 30, 2018
Catherine Epstein, founder of the Living Lotus Group, is an experienced guide and instructor in meditation and mindfulness practices as well as an author of The Divine Dining Method, Reiki Master of the Traditional USUI Method, Graduate Gemologist of the Gemological Institute of America (GG), and Certified Transformational Life Coach (CPC).
Motivated by the desire to make a difference, Catherine’s purpose is to help others transform their lives: whether through her weekly meditations, workshops and sound healing sessions or through the one-on-one experiences of individual reiki and life-coaching. Catherine’s life work is to reconnect others with their own hearts, aligning them with their soul’s path and their own divine intuition – a calling that manifested in Living Lotus Group, founded in 1989 as Artisan’s Well.
Catherine has written and developed several books and online courses, including "Enter Into Stillness," “Gateways of Inspiration” and “The Divine Dining Method" and "Under the Oak.” In addition to the weekly meditations she holds at the Sea Cliff Wellness Center and her Woodbury location in Absolute Yoga, Catherine has led meditations and taught workshops for hundreds of people over the years, at public venues and private events alike.
She has performed crystal singing bowls and sound healing meditations at yoga studios, private retreats, as well as at the Open Center in NYC and in a private staff class at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY.
Living Lotus Group is a dynamic resource for transformational tools of spiritual growth. A New York-based company rooted in holistic healing and mindful living, Living Lotus Group provides classes, workshops, and meditations; one-on-one and group services such as life-coaching, reiki, and sound healing; and artisanal jewelry, healing stones, crystal kits and more through its retail branch, Jewels of the Lotus. Check out her website at livinglotusgroup.com
Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
4 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green peppers
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup, plus 2 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
16 cups peeled and diced tomatoes
¾ t. sea salt
½ t. pepper
¼ t. red pepper flakes
1 Tbs. fresh oregano
½ cup chopped fresh Basil
Heat olive oil in large pot. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the peppers and garlic, and continue sautéing for 10 minutes, allowing the onions and peppers to caramelize. Meanwhile, using a fork inserted into one end of a tomato, hold the tomato over a high flame, rotating it around, until the skin becomes charred. This will allow the tomato to be easily peeled. Once peeled, dice it up into large chunks. Continue with all of the tomatoes until you have 16 cups. Add the tomatoes to the pot, and let simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally, making sure it is not sticking to the pan.
Add the salt, pepper, oregano and basil, and continue cooking for another hour or two. The longer you cook it, the thicker and richer it will become. Cooking it less will give you a lighter, fresh tomato flavor.
Serve over your favorite pasta, or use on a pizza!
Thursday Aug 23, 2018
iEat Green - Gwendolyn Hallsmith- Global Community Initiatives - 08.23.18
Thursday Aug 23, 2018
Thursday Aug 23, 2018
Gwendolyn Hallsmith, is the founder and Executive Director of Global Community Initiatives, a non-profit organization established in 2002 with the intention of working with communities to implement the Earth Charter, the first international document in human history to recognize the connections between respect and care for the whole community of life, ecological integrity, social and economic justice, democracy, non-violence, and peace. She is the author of several books and workbooks: The Key to Sustainable Cities: Meeting Human Needs, Transforming Community Systems; Taking Action for Sustainability: The EarthCAT Guide to Community Development; LASER: Local Action for Sustainable Economic Renewal; Creating Wealth: Growing Local Economies with Local Currencies; Community Currency; and Vermont Dollars, Vermont Sense.
Gwendolyn has over 35 years of experience working with municipal, regional, and state government in the United States and internationally. She has served as the Planning and Community Development Director for the City of Montpelier, the Town Manager of Randolph, Vermont, the Regional Planning Director in Franklin County, MA, a Senior Planner for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy Resources, and the Deputy Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
Her international experience has included work with the United Nations Environment Program, the United Nations Development Program, the Institute for Sustainable Communities, the International City/County Management Association, and Earth Charter International. She has a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Brown University and studied theology at the Andover Newton Theological School, exploring the links between our wisdom traditions, spirituality, and work at the community level.
Gwendolyn’s lifelong commitment to environmental, social, and economic justice has led her to question many of our current core economic systems and assumptions. She works to bring our human systems into alignment with key spiritual insights about how we are one human family and that we need to live within Earth’s carrying capacity. She lives in an ecovillage she founded in Cabot, Vermont called the Headwaters Garden and Learning Center with her husband Michael Taub and several other families. She and Michael perform topical songs about economic issues in a small singing group called The New Economistas.
Mediterranean Stuffed Vegetables
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Ingredients
Olive oil
1 large zucchini , cut in half lengthwise, inside scooped out and diced
1 large summer squash, cut in half lengthwise, inside scooped out and diced
2 Asian Eggplants, cut in half lengthwise, inside scooped out and diced
3 large Poblano peppers, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
1 onion, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 cups green beans
1 purple pepper, diced
1 bunch collard greens, stem removed, and chopped
2 cups kale, stem removed and chopped
2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 Tbs. dried oregano
½ cup white wine
½ cup Fresh Basil, chopped
1 tsp. salt
½ t. pepper
2 Tbs. chopped parsley
4 cups cooked brown rice
½ cup organic calamata olives, sliced
¼ cup capers
½ cup pine nuts
- Cut squash, zucchini, eggplants and peppers in half lengthwise. Brush with olive oil. Lay face down and roast in 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. When soft, remove from oven and let cool.
- Sauté the onions in olive oil till translucent. Add carrots and celery, and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and oregano.
- Meanwhile, blanch the green beans in boiling water, just until tender, and then remove into an ice bath to cool. Pat dry on towel.
- Dice the inside of the squash, zucchini and eggplant, and add it to the wok. Saute for 5 minutes.
- Add the purple pepper and collard greens to the wok, and continue cooking.
- Add the white wine and kale to the wok, and continue cooking.
- Cut the green beans in half or thirds, depending on their length, and add to the wok. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and basil.
- Add the brown rice, parsley and pinenuts. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
- Fill zucchinis with vegetable mixture.
- Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Remove to platter and serve.
Thursday Aug 16, 2018
iEat Green - Adrienne Esposito- Citizen’s Campaign for the Environment - 08.16.18
Thursday Aug 16, 2018
Thursday Aug 16, 2018
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director;
Citizen’s Campaign for the Environment
Adrienne holds a degree in Geology and Environmental Science from CW Post University. She is a co-founder and Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment and has been with the organization for 34 years. Adrienne is an outspoken advocate for protecting public health and our environment. She works with a wide variety of community members and crafts campaigns that engage members of the public to “Get Up, Show Up, and Speak Up” on local, state, and federal environmental protection issues. She is active on issues that include remediation of toxic plumes, protection and preservation of land and water resources, support for large scale renewable energy projects, and pesticide reduction. Adrienne champions campaigns that advanced offshore wind energy, obtain state and federal funds for water protection, protect Long Island Sound and reduce plastic pollution. She has received recognition for her work from the US EPA, Southampton College, Vision Long Island, NYLCV, Alliance for Clean Energy, Long Island Progressive Coalition, City & State Long Island Power 50 List and more.
Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad
Ingredients
3 cups Cherry Tomatoes
8 cups Green Beans 1 Red Onion
1 large red onion
6 Tbs Olive Oil
4 Tbs Pomegranate Vinegar
4 Tbs. chopped shallots
2 t. Dijon mustard
2 t. grated lemon zest
¼ cup chopped basil
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic
¼ t. salt
black pepper and flake salt to taste
½ cup toasted slivered almonds or walnuts
- Make ahead of time- Pickled Onions in a small bowl, mix the onions with ½ cup red wine vinegar, 1 Tbs sugar and 1 t. salt. Set aside for 1 hour
- Make a dressing with the vinegar, oil, shallots, garlic, mustard, lemon zest, and mustard. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, blanch the green beans in salted boiling water, for 3-5 minutes, until desired tenderness, Transfer to a bowl of ice water, and let cool.
Drain and lay out on towel and pat dry.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
- Remove the onions from the vinegar marinade.
- Toss the onions, beans, cherry tomatoes, basil, and parsley with the salad dressing.
- Garnish with the toasted almonds
Thursday Aug 09, 2018
Thursday Aug 09, 2018
Chef Marcus Guiliano is an award-winning chef, green restaurateur & real food activist. Devoting his career to a whole food, whole life approach, Chef Marcus marries healthy food with ethically and socially responsible sustainable business practices. Marcus is a wine & craft beer expert specializing is small independent brands. Chef Marcus & Aroma Thyme has been featured on CNN, Dr OZ, New York Post, New York Times, TEDx Longdock, Best Chef's America, Sierra Club Magazine, Huffington Post, International Wine Masters, Bottom Line Publications, Smithsonian (Online) and Organic Spa Magazine. The Colorado Dept of Agriculture stated, “Marcus Guiliano is the Willie Nelson of Farm to Table”. Recently, OneGreenPlanet.com named Chef Marcus as one of The “5 Food Activists Helping To Make Big Changes." Chef Marcus has launched activist/watchdog oriented sites including: NoFarmedSalmon.com, ChefonaMission.com & the controversial FoodFraudTV.com.
July Garden Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
1 cake extra firm organic tofu, cut into cubes
1 onion, cut in half, then sliced into crescent moons
2 carrots, cut into wedges
1 Japanese Eggplant, cut into wedges
2 cups green beans (I grew Jack beans and Christmas Lima Beans, both on the Slow Food Ark of Taste)
2 cups chopped kale (or other greens)
2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
2 bok choy
1 yellow summer squash
½ red pepper
½ red pepper
6 baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
ginger, 1 inch piece grated
4 cloves garlic
olive oil
1/4 cup tamari (to taste)
1 tsp. Dark sesame oil
1 Tbsp Hot sesame oil
1/4 cup Aji Marin
Instructions:
Lay out tofu cubes on dry towel, cover with another towel, and press lightly, to dry.
Lay tofu cubes out onto a large cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper. Drizzle tofu cubes with olive oil, 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and 2 teaspoons of minced ginger, and 2 Tbsp of Tamari. Using a spatula and your hand, so you don’t break up the tofu cubes, turn the cubes of tofu so they are evenly coated with the garlic, ginger, oil and Tamari. Bake at 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown, turning halfway done.
Meanwhile, Cover bottom of wok with oil. When oil is hot, add the onions, carrots, garlic and ginger. Continue cooking at med. high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Then add the green beans and mushrooms. Steam the eggplant for 5 minutes, until soft, before adding to the stir-fry. Add more oil or a little water if needed. Add the kale and the cauliflower, stir for a few minutes, then add the peppers and summer squash. Again add more oil or water if necessary.
Add the Bok Choy and cook for a few minutes more, than add the mirin and tamari. Add the cooked tofu to the stir-fry, and toss together. When vegetables are finished (they should be cooked, but not too soft), add the dark sesame oil, hot sesame oil and more tamari if desired.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Thursday Aug 02, 2018
iEat Green - Matthew Prescott – Author of Food is the Solution - 08.02.18
Thursday Aug 02, 2018
Thursday Aug 02, 2018
Matthew Prescott is the author of Food Is the Solution: What to Eat to Save the World . He's an advisor to the Good Food Institute, Senior Director of Food & Agriculture for The Humane Society of the United States, and a leading figure in the global movement to reform how we farm and eat. A sought-after speaker and thought leader, Prescott has spent over a decade and a half sharing his ideas with Ivy League universities, Fortune 500 companies, consumers, and more. His work has helped lead to sweeping changes in the supply chains of hundreds of major food companies, impacted countless individuals’ diets, and has been covered extensively by the media: his work has been featured by CNN, in the pages of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Boston Globe, and countless more; he's been published in FORTUNE, the Washington Post, Barron’s and others; and he was even once a guest on NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me. He lives in Texas with his wife, the novelist Lara Prescott .
Rice Paper “Bacon”
4 servings
Ingredients
10 sheets of rice paper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 tablespoon maple syrup (this only gives a slight sweetness to round out the flavors, but
you can feel free to omit or reduce it)
¼ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
generous pinch of ground black pepper
pinch of paprika (I used hot Spanish paprika)
Procedure
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the marinade in a wide bowl until the nutritional yeast is incorporated
well; prepare a second wide bowl filled partway with water.
3. Prepare a metal, oven-safe rack with a sheet of parchment paper.
4. Cut rice paper into thick strips, or to the size that you want. Note that the strips will shrink in size a little bit
when cooking. Some brands of rice paper will crack a little bit when you cut them; Use a large, very sharp knife
to minimize this.
5. Take two strips and stack them. Holding them together, dip them very quickly into the water. (UPDATE: if you
have kitchen scissors, try dipping 2 whole rice paper sheets stacked together into the water, then cutting them
into strips instead. I don't recommend cutting wet rice paper with a knife, it's not as easy as it seems). They
should then start to stick together on their own. Gently squeeze excess water from the fused pair of rice paper
strips.
6. Dip the fused pair of rice paper strips into the marinade and coat it fairly generously; place it onto the
parchment paper.
7. Repeat with additional rice paper/rice paper strips until the rack is filled. NB: Periodically stop to whisk the
marinade again and re-emulsify it; the oil will start to separate over time.
8. Bake for about 7 to 9 minutes, or until crisp. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the tray partway through. The
strips can burn easily, so keep an eye on it and take them out as soon as they're done. The end result will be
mostly crispy with some slightly chewy parts.
9. Once fully cooled, store leftover rice paper bacon in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It
will stay pretty crispy.