Macrobiotic Hawaii by chef Leslie Ashburn

Body Scrub

Admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:05:00 +0000

This week I was blessed to go to a Korean Spa for the first time. Part of the day’s bliss was enjoying a body scrub. After sitting in the heated pool for about 30 minutes to soften my skin, a lovely Korean woman invited me onto a table, much like a massage table, and scrubbed my body from head to toe, followed by pouring hot water over me. It’s pretty shocking to see the amount of dead skin that gets exfoliated.

This procedure reminds me of the body scrub recommended in macrobiotics which is an equally wonderful way of achieving the same results: clear, soft, radiant, smooth, youthful skin; better circulation; and removal of toxins from the body.

How do you do it?

Get a large bowl or a bucket of hot water, as hot as you can tolerate, and dunk a washcloth into it. Squeeze out the excess water, and scrub your body from head to toe. When the washcloth cools down, put it back in the water and repeat squeezing it out and rubbing your body. A good body scrub takes about 15-20 minutes and should make your skin a little bit pink.

When you do this daily (or twice daily), it helps to move any stagnated energy through your body.

A body scrub in the morning will help wake you up and energize you for the day, and one in the evening will help you relax and fall asleep more easily.

Easy Lentil Soup Recipe

Admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:04:00 +0000

When I’m looking for a quick, easy, and inexpensive but delicious and nutritious meal, I put together a lentil soup. Lentils are low on the glycemic index, low in calories, and high in fiber and protein.

Lentil Soup

1/2 cup lentils (green or French)
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 cup organic corn
1/2 cup winter squash, kabocha or butternut, diced
1/4 cup burdock root (optional, for a smoky flavor)
1 to 2 tsp thyme
miso or sea salt, to taste
4 to 6 cups water
bay leaf, optional

Rinse the lentils and place in a pot with the water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut all the vegetables. Add them to the lentils along with the thyme. Cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Season with sea salt or miso to taste.

Warren Kramer coming to Honolulu

Admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:05:00 +0000

October 13, 2009 to October 18, 2009

“Optimal Health and Healing Through Macrobiotics”

With senior macrobiotic educator and health counselor Warren Kramer, an internationally renowned senior macrobiotic educator and health counselor.

Enjoy a variety of ways to participate, including:

Cooking Classes- Cooking for Hearty Appetites, Cooking for Natural Beauty

Lectures- Restoring our Natural Healing Ability, Smart Bone Health, What do Yin and Yang Have to do with Me?

Health Consultations

What is a Consultation?
Who is Warren Kramer?
Testimonials About Warren

For schedule and prices please go to WWW.MACROBIOTICHAWAII.COM

Mission Accomplished! Praise for Mexican Macrobiotic Community Dinner

Leslie — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:03:00 +0000

Hello Leslie,

I just want to say “Thank You” for the unbelievable Enchilada! Vegetable soup had quite a bit of happy looking veggies, the simple green salad was also super nutritious. I see many people don’t realize what the real food taste like, I mean this good has to be normal? That means we’re consuming too much of added chemicals, processed food everyday. The excellent ingredients you and Kathy offers for us is always extraordinary. I don’t mean to exaggerate, you are just TOO GOOD.

My self-claimed food critic husband asked me for one bite looking at my enchilada, as you know, same things happened like Tofu Cheesecake incident on June 19th, remember? 2/3 of my enchilada was stolen again. His strong preconception toward Macrobiotic way of living started to change. He admits he was wrong, just wanted to eat “good food” not vegetables, weeds with sprinkles. And that good food is called Macrobiotic food, people like him exists everywhere. If they’re suspicious, just bring them in to Leslie’s community dinner, let them try first, then they’ll know what’s missing!

Thank you again. Kaori

Love Your Liver & Gallbladder

Leslie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:46:00 +0000

This was in a newsletter I got from respected macrobiotic teacher Jane Stanchich at Great Life Global.

Love Your Liver

Learn about the vital importance of your liver and how to best
nourish this amazing organ, especially in the Spring.

• Reduce fatty, fried, oily foods, including chips and baked goods.
• Eat plenty of vegetables, especially dark leafy greens.
• Use dashes of lemon juice and brown rice vinegar in foods.
• Get plenty of outdoor recreation with lots of fresh air breathing.
• Get plenty of sleep, sing and laugh often, cultivate a joy of life.

Glorify Your Gall Bladder

The Gall Bladder is known as the “Soap Dispenser” of the
body. (See illustration at right with liver on top and greenish gall bladder
nestled underneath.) Along with the liver, the gall bladder digests fats
and performs hundreds of vital functions. The American diet is, on
average, 40% fat, including harmful hydrogenated fats in
processed foods. We recommend that you avoid such fats, and
reduce saturated fats. Eating a plant-based diet and reducing the
consumption of animal foods such as meat, eggs, and dairy creates
a healthier digestive system and improves the overall function of
the liver and gall bladder. Learning the basic symptoms that can
indicate liver/gall bladder disorders can help you prevent serious
flare-ups and pain. Consult a health professional as needed.

Symptoms of Liver/Gallbladder Imbalance

• Indigestion • Eye Disorders • PMS
• Criticism • Irritability • Muscle Pain
• Anger • Gas/Bloating • Pain on right side
• Jaundice • Insomnia • Menstrual Disorders
• Nausea • Migraine Headache • Jealousy
• Fatigue • Sore “heavy” legs • Violence

Is the health food store "healthy"?

Leslie — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:02:00 +0000

There is an assumption that if an item is in the health food store, it must be healthy. It’s up to the consumer to understand that this is not always true. The consumer can do this by reading the labels before buying something! For example, a new vegan cheese appeared on the shelf in one of the health food stores here. Turn it over to read the label, and guess what’s in it? It consists of: organic soy base, modified food starch, soybean oil, calcium sulfate, tapioca starch, corn syrup solids, carrageenan, sea salt, tara gum, sodium phosphates, natural flavor, carotenal (color). It’s just as bad as any other processed food with additives and preservatives, and it surely doesn’t even taste that good to boot. High fructose corn syrup is not something we want to be consuming!! What is “modified food starch” and “natural flavors”? This is the kind of food that makes not only us, but also the environment sick, and has a high carbon footprint. We have to be discerning enough to know that the label which claims “nutritional foods” and “excellent source of calcium” is misleading. We can get gluten free and cholesterol free foods that have no transfats by eating whole and unprocessed foods. The key word is “unprocessed” whether you’re buying from the health food store or not. So the answer to the question is that the health food store is healthy when you buy grains, beans, vegetables, sea vegetables, and other raw ingredients and prepare them into healthful and tasty dishes that nourish and satisfy. Avoid the processed items for best health.

Using leftovers creatively

Leslie — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:55:00 +0000

Last night for dinner we had tempeh spring rolls with peanut sauce. I sent the extras with Dan for his lunch at the farm, but I still had some tempeh that was leftover. For lunch, I minced garlic and ginger, and sauteed these in toasted sesame oil with onion, carrots, and lacinato kale. I topped this with the leftover peanut sauce and served it with a side of brown rice. So delicious!! How do other people use their leftovers creatively?

Ionia Macrobiotic Community Youth Conference in Alaska

Leslie — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:53:00 +0000

Ionia Youth Conference is happening from July 26 – August 7 this year. It’s free, and aimed at young people ages 15-25 or so (though there are a few people coming who are all ages….) The conference is youth directed, and participants help out with the cooking, cleaning, gardening, building, as well as take cooking, philosophy and do-in/shiatsu classes by several renowned macro teachers (Warren Kramer, Mayumi Nishimura and Marc Van Cauwenberghe). Then there’s other fun stuff like mountain hikes, dessert making, yoga, lots of volleyball, live music, picnics, dance parties, etc. The conference is relaxed and informal, Ionia style.

Check out Ionia’s website. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the photo of them harvesting and drying their own seaweed. It looks like it could be kombu.

www.ionia.org

What does your environment say about you?

Leslie — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:32:00 +0000

When I lived in Japan, I initially felt very lonely and isolated in such a foreign place so different from any other place I had ever lived. My mood for a while was very dismal, dark, and grey. It seemed intensely difficult to negotiate my surroundings.

I had a lot of free time on my hands and had already started macrobiotics. One weekend during the afternoon, I was doing yoga, cleaning, cooking, reading, and just hanging out in my little apartment.

When I was in my hallway, I suddenly noticed how dark it was. The other thing I noticed, from a whole new point of view, was that there were two very interesting pictures up. These were the very first things I saw each and every time I came home.

What were they? The first was an oil painting that a dear friend made for me that was very well done, framed, and given to me for my birthday. The color scheme was black, grey, and white. I was looking down in the painting, feeling very sad. The second was a famous Japanese print of workers carrying heavy loads on their backs during a tumultuous and torrential rain storm over a bridge. Is it any wonder why I felt the way I did; alone, sad, and burdened? I was shocked by this realization, and changed them out immediately. I also added more light to the hallway.

The inner and the outer worlds are mirrors of one another.

Look around your home. Look at the pictures you have on your wall. Do they represent the life you want to lead of health, happiness, healing (if you are unwell), and vibrance? Or are they instead like mine were; dark, dismal, and dreary?

Please also look at your plants and garden. When you look around, is your garden healthy or is it dying? When you look at the plants and flowers you have in all the areas of your living space, are they thriving, or are they shriveled and dried up, sickly with virus? If you find plants that are unhealthy, they represent something going on in your own life. Cleaning them up, pruning, and replanting can bring better health and well-being.

Finally, scan your home. Do you have areas of clutter? These cluttered areas represent stagnation in your body and areas of your life including items such as family, health, education, travel, love, and career.

Take a fresh look at everything around you and change what doesn’t help you reach your goals!!

Accolades for Jun 19 Community Dinner

Leslie — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:27:00 +0000

Thank you for working so hard to make the dinner tonight. I enjoyed this meal that was so efficiently put together! The tempeh was great—not too salty, but tasty. The arame salad was refreshing and the quinoa was light and pretty at the same time! I sense and feel the good energy in the soup and food that I ate. I look forward as usual to the next dinner that you and Kathy present at the Church of the Crossroads!
With much appreciation—Alice

It was so wonderful to see you and thank you so much for sharing your delicious and nutritious dinner available for us.The corn soup was so soothing, so natural taste. The red quinoa pilaf, seaweed salad were both all flavourful, the quality of ingredients you’ve chosen was so fresh, your Collard tempeh wrap had perfect harmony with Tahini garlic sauce with subtle smokiness in tempeh. *Amazing dipping sauce! I’d love to learn how to prepare.My husband refused to eat Tofu cheesecake at first, I insisted to have one bite, then as you said, should I say…you warned, he ate it all by himself so I lost my dessert! Thank you again for keeping real Macrobiotic cuisine exists in Hawaii, look forward to seeing you soon. Kaori

Never thought that food like this would interest me, but it is seriously ʻono! Malia

It is great that you have these community dinners. You provide an alternative to the few places that vegans can eat. George